How much of Africa punishes sodomy and other news and views for Thursday 9 October

2014-10-09_sodomy
  • The Closeted Continent – “38 out of 55 African nations have laws punishing sodomy. And things may get worse before they get better.”
  • It’s time to vote for a party that promises to step back and do nothing at all – “In the lead up to next year’s NSW state election, where both sides will offer slight variations on the same theme, it’s time to question the role of state government. … Paul Keating once famously said never stand between a state premier and a bucket of money, but that’s precisely what we need to do. We like to think that Australians have an anti-authoritarian character, yet baulk at putting brakes on power. While it is counterintuitive to the culture of promises, it’s worth considering: would you vote for a party that promises less?”
  • Three Election Trends That Could End in 2014 – “I’m not certain how long a trend has to exist before it earns the status of an immutable political “law,” but three longtime truths are threatened this election cycle. Will all of them fall in November?”
  • The free-will fix – “New brain implants can restore autonomy to damaged minds, but can they settle the question of whether free will exists?”
  • Lawsuit Testing Personhood Of Chimps Gets Its Day At An Appeals Court

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