The Connecticut State Supreme Court ruled today that the state's civil union provisions were discriminatory, effectively granting marriage rights to gay couples in that state. Gay marriage will continue to be a hot-button topic in Connecticut and in California on Election Day.

At Daddy Dialectic, Jeremy Adam Smith weighs in on the Obama/Bill Ayers controversy. Be sure to check out the video of Ayers talking to a group of new teachers, also available on Beacon Broadside's YouTube V-Log. For more information about the recent media coverage of Bill Ayers, check out this DailyKos diary: Deconstructing the Ayers Story. And for the perspective of someone else who has worked with Ayers in Chicago, read this piece in Slate by David S. Tanenhaus.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. A new law in Rhode Island is aimed at teaching young people how to recognize abusive behavior in their personal relationships. The measure goes farther than any other state has gone before, mandating that the topic be taught annually from seventh through twelfth grade.

At the Hometown Advantage, Justin Dahlheimer talks about exclusive deals with large retailers and how they may harm independent retailers, consumers, and the music and publishing industries.

One woman decides to ask for something every day for a year.

A profile of Forrest Church appeared on Religion and Ethics Newsweekly last weekend. If you missed it, you can watch it here.

Monday is a federal holiday—Columbus Day—but you might want to celebrate Indigenous People's Day instead. A post from our archive explains why.