The right to bare arms

It has been a strange week for Women's history. The Vatican declared the washing machine the single most important development in Women's lib. Meanwhile Michelle Obama, one of most accomplished First Ladies in American history, is making headlines as a fashion plate and advocate of healthy cooking.

The washing machine... The argument has been made that the mechanisation and industrialisation of Clean actually increased the burden on women. Instead of liberating women to take on work outside the home, things like washing machines and vacuums just raised the standard, the amount of house work always increased to the point where it exceeded the time available to do it.

But I suppose the Vatican is not in a position to acknowledge the role of the birth control pill, the vote or the legalization of abortions in liberating women.

Michelle Obama... Went to Princeton and graduated from Harvard Law yet we are talking about her workout regime and what she feeds her daughters.

Food, not to mention what we do with it, is an important part of national discourse in any country. The thing is that having healthy rich people — of any colour — talking about what we should be doing to stay healthy and clean smacks of Progressivism, not education or policy change.

Actually this wouldn't bother me accept the conversation ends up being about how she talks her kids in to eating vegetables. It's too kitchen sink on one hand and aristocratic on the other. I mean she does have an army of chefs to prepare meals to tempt her kids.

And a Harvard Law degree. Someone should ask her about tortes. hehe.