Monthly Archives: October 2007

Politics

With judges like these

Two US judge stories that really make you wonder….

First, the Texas judge who declined to keep her courtroom open for an appeal against the death penalty – so the man was killed by the state – and he almost certainly wouldn’t have been had his lawyer’s computer not failed. That’s what you really call random application of the law.

Second, the judge who concluded that a woman being beaten by her husband – in front of a police officer – might have wanted him to do it.

Feminism

Working for nothing….

From the Fawcett Society:

If you do just one thing for Women’s No Pay Day, do this:
Sign our online petition to Gordon Brown demanding stronger action on the pay gap that rips women off. It takes less than a couple of minutes.
Fawcett and UNISON have joined forces to declare October 30th Women’s No Pay Day because the 17% hourly pay gap is equivalent to men getting paid all year but women working for nothing from October 30th until the year-end.

Blogging/IT

A landmark of sorts…

“Akismet has caught 1,008,205 spam for you since you first installed it.”

That’s in slightly under two years. Hope you spammers have all had fun.

Environmental politics

If the human race disappeared

… what would happen. This website of the book sets it out – I was taken by the conclusion that in 20 years our common vegetables would have reverted to unpalatable forms, which makes sense when you think about it: there’d be pretty strong selection pressures, and a lot of happy herbivores in the meantime.

Carnival of Feminists

Carnival of Feminists No 46….

Bring out the trumpets, the drumrolls, the lot: the 46th Carnival of Feminists is now up on Cubically Challenged, so, I’m pleased to say, back to the sub-continent for the second time.

There is a rhetorical penis, Zimbabwean politics, the Tamil Punkster, and much, much more fascinating stuff.

It is a great collection, so don’t waste time here – go over there and check it out.

(And if you fancy doing something similar, I’m looking for future hosts: don’t be shy – drop me an email at natalieben AT gmail DOT com. You might be a new hand, or a veteran blogger, you might blog most about politics, or about books, or about ???? – you just have to be a feminist.)

Cycling

Laugh or cry

I’m not quite sure what to do while reading about the £6,000 Chanel limited bicycle.

But it does make me feel better about planning to splash out on a flash new bicycle, which will cost a LOT less than that.

And mine will NOT have a quilted chain cover. (Which will presumably mean that you can’t go out if it is raining or muddy…. although I suppose you are only ever meant to casually lean it in the conservatory – not to actually ride it.)