2012: the view from my Links Dump

[dreamer_easy]

This is my links dump. And here is a selection of links from it.

• "This is the 332nd consecutive month with an above-average temperature. The last below-average month was February 1985. The last October with a below-average temperature was 1976."
  - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, October 2012
  
  
• "...one in 10 Australians on the dole are unable to obtain a substantial meal each day, one in eight are unable to buy prescribed medicines, and one in 20 cannot heat their homes."
  - Australian dole recipients too poor to buy food, medication or heating
  
  
• 'True and Good Citizens': the history of freedom to marry in Australia
  
  
• Can You Tell The Difference Between A Men's Magazine And A Rapist?
  
  
• Mother Jones magazine originally published More Guns, More Mass Shootings—Coincidence? in September; they were obliged to update the article recently. Do not be distracted by arguments about civil rights; the real issue is the highly profitable sale of weapons and ammunition. Puzzled Australians may find this backgrounder on the NRA helpful. (Puzzled Americans may be interested by the tale of how Australia basically stopped gun massacres. We're no better or saner than you: we just no longer have ready access to weapons for mass killing.)
  
  
• Asylum seeker debate marked by tragedy and discord: 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of Australia's policy of indefinite detention of asylum seekers. Since then we have inflicted untold damage on thousands of people who expected us to keep our promises. In the process we've spent billions of dollars on detention camps and the Pacific Solution, in which detention is outsourced to cash-strapped ocean dots such as Manus Island - where the locals need roads, schools, and health programs, and yet millions will be spent on a camp for asylum seekers. (We will also probably end up spending hundreds of millions in compensation to mistreated refugees.)
  
  The alternatives are fairer and cheaper. Unfortunately, punishing asylum seekers is a proven vote-winner.
  
  
  
• To conclude, two columns that made me laugh:
  
  And here's the news: My bum's got nothing to do with the story - "I finally decided to speak into that flesh-coloured microphone you were always pointing in my direction."
  
  An Apology To Paul Sheehan - You may need to be an Australian to get this, and to have oft ground your teeth at his illogical newspaper columns. Regardless, it's a priceless piece of invective. In fact, in reviewing it, I almost just spat tea into my keyboard. Really! ;)
  
  

ETA: And here's the very last link of 2012. :)

http://www.smh.com.au/national/public-service/motel-sex-was-work-court-goes-for-compo-20121216-2bhx5.html - "If the applicant had been injured while playing a game of cards in her motel room she would be entitled to compensation... the fact that the applicant was engaged in sexual activity rather than some other lawful recreational activity while in her motel room does not lead to any different result." Put that into the context of so many other news stories this year and it's remarkable: women are allowed to have sex and shouldn't be punished for doing so. Who knew? XD

Comments

[outsdr.livejournal.com]

I've read it before, and it's a good read, even if I don't get all the Australian context; I think the US saw the equivalent with the infamous "binders full of women" remark during the presidential debates.

[dreamer-easy.livejournal.com]

"Binders full of women" was a meme on Tumblr before I knew what the hell it meant. (Not that this is unusual! XD

[outsdr.livejournal.com]

I have a hard enough time keeping track of the politics in my own country, let alone a different one. I don't know how you do it.

[dreamer-easy.livejournal.com]

My grip on current events is more feeble than you suppose. Why else does so much news first reach me in the form of macros? XD