Briefly...

*Apparently, some people don't know how awesome sex is. I can't think of any other reason for taking action that endangers ready access to contraception. (Well, I guess there's that old chesnut about keeping women barefoot-and-pregnant...) Big yays, however, to my favorite former presidential candidate, for not fucking around and letting this go by without calling out the Bush administration and their obvious fucking agenda (click that link to sign the petition!).

* Speaking of turning back the clock on social progress...apparently a state-recognized legally binding marriage isn't good enough for the Census Bureau. Hey, anybody want to go in with me on getting them some calendars dated more recently than 1950?

* Government fucks people over, gets away with it as usual. Myanmar's junta is apparently going to get a pass on holding up aid, an act that probably directly resulted in death and suffering (we'll never know, because the questions aren't being acknowledged by those in a position to press for answers). Good thing the junta has now promised to uphold human rights and democracy and stuff.

* Brain food: a 1986 speechification on feminism from author Ursula LeGuin (h/t to Chelidon); a transcript of Al Gore's appearance on Meet the Press yesterday (the one week I don't watch; GAH!); a really interesting piece on the evolution of our culture from the industrial to...whatever comes after that.