February 15, 2002, 15:09. Powell, on MTV, urges condom use, Bush supporters angry. According to the article, Bush and ‘other administration officials’ want to deliver the message that ‘abstinence from unmarried sex is the principal weapon against the spread of the deadly human immunodeficiency virus’. I’m stunned that such an ignorant, unrealistic and frankly dangerous belief could be held by the man who would be leader of the free world.

I’m trying to find evidence that the current US government is using humanitarian aid to push its own right-wing anti-abortion goals. A Salon article states that “The U.S. government is already using humanitarian aid as a key tool for achieving its foreign policy objectives.” but the examples don’t relate specifically to anti-choice policies.

There’s also the NY Times on a recent ‘backdoor effort to expand legal protections for fetuses and restrict reproductive rights of women‘, but that relates to internal legislation.

Btw, John Howard is a lying weasel, but you already knew that.

Read The Banality of the Radical but don’t fall into the trap of congratulating yourself because you recognise it.

10:25am. NY Times article on wizz-bang features offered by high-end phones still doesn’t include sms.

Excellent analysis of the doctored pictures that swept email and newsgroups after September 11.

9:45am.According to popbitch, ‘Ryan Adams stopped a gig in Melbourne last week, and
had all the lights turned on – because someone in the
audience shouted out “sing Summer of 69”.’. Go Melbournites! (While I’m ripping off popbitch, you can’t this out of your head.)

New hate mail!

A Texas man is facing up to 20 years in prison for shooting his girlfriend because he thought she was about to say “New Jersey”.

Some background on the Tampa/refugees.