In a recent posting at Aid Watch, William Easterly makes the very good point that we could help the poor more if we were to bypass dubious charitable scheme like Product Red. William Easterly points out that if you really want to support altruistic causes, you should do it directly rather than paying the business man and tipping the poor.

The question Easterly does not answer is why don’t we send our bucks or quids straight to the Global Fund instead of spending them at Starbucks?
Guilt, the one we feel knowing …

French MP Christian Vanneste triggered a flurry of outraged reactions whilst participating in a talk show on French TV channel France 5. Invited to represent the traditional views on family in a debate on homoparentality following the decision by a French court to give parental rights to both partners in a lesbian couple, Mr. Vanneste showed how entrenched homophobia and pernicious and distorted views on homosexuality still exist in a modern country such as France in the 21st century.
On homosexual couples, M. Vanneste said: “Also, it must be said that …

A shame it does not come with sound! From Stephan @ slideshare

Rating 4.33 out of 5

Controversial Dan Savage on the rights of sex workers: “However, to make it worse and more dangerous [for the people who end up in prostitution] because you are claimning to feel bad for prostitutes [...] is retarded.”

Rating 4.00 out of 5

Two important articles have appeared in The Bangkok Post newspaper since last week’s cancellation of the 2nd Chiang Mai Gay Pride Parade because a small group of red-shirted pro-Thaksin demonstrators objected to the event taking place in a public space.
The first was an announcement by Pairote Boonsirikamchai, assistant secretary-general of the Medical Council of Thailand that under 18 now could receive a free HIV test and counselling at clinics without their parents’ consent.
This is definitively a step forward. By making counselling accessible to the most vulnerable people in society, that …