meeting in the aisle

Weekend reader - links I loved this week

Sometimes graffiti makes me smile. Like this. I think it’s all in the ‘ew.’ (snapped in Brunswick last week).

I think we’ll start with one of the most overdue decisions ever - this week The Pope finally okayed the use of condoms based on the ‘lesser of two evils’ approach:

“Well, holy shit. This is the first time a pope has ever publicly acknowledged that condoms might be a semi-righteous choice in the context of preventing HIV in heterosexual sex. Of course, the church’s opposition to condoms as contraception remains — but this is still an enormous development, and it is shamefully overdue.” - Tracy Clark-Flory for Salon

Why does Australian law demand all vaginas be digitally altered? (NSFW)  - Mama Mia

“It’s important to be clear that this is not something magazines do to suit the taste of their readership…They’re not removing lady bits because people don’t want to see them…They’re removing them because as far as the Classification Board is concerned, the labia minora are too rude for soft porn. It’s as though the censors think you could only possibly see it by spreading your legs or pulling your flaps apart.” - Kirsten Drysdale.

A day in the life of a rape crisis centre - The Guardian

“Someone has stuck a public information poster on the wall above her computer that declares: “Rape – short word, long sentence.” But the trouble is that rape, short word or not, usually doesn’t result in a long sentence, which is why this unit has been set up”. - Amelia Gentleman

Kevin Rudd made an announcement that rippled through the aid world in Australia this week with the independent review of aid effectiveness - AusAID

The Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness, to be completed by April 2011, will build on existing measures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the aid program as Australia increases its Official Development Assistance to 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income by 2015-16.

While aid effectiveness is an important issue, so too is public opinion and support for aid programs, which is something Political Dynamite tackle this week:

“…public attitudes towards those experiencing poverty are harshly judgemental or view poverty and inequality as inevitable. But when people are better informed about inequality and life on a low income, they are more supportive of measures to reduce poverty and inequality.” - Teresa Hanley

I don’t much like The Punch, but I do like the idea of highlighting our best performing politicians for 2010. (For the record, I disagree with their first choice.)

“…the Greens have done what neither of the major parties were able to do: win votes through getting people interested political ideas.”

And let’s lighten things up a bit.

Do you see? is a fantastic initiative depicting Africa outside the stereotypes (via PSFK)

Have you seen the phenomenon that is the lying down game? It’s gone global, apparently. - PSFK

Melbourne’s kissing man, Philip Thiel, who I kissed earlier this year, has announced his new project for 2011.

For your amusement: dog owners click here and Cat owners click here.