At its worst, it can kick up a stench that would have made George Orwell gag. Invented by Lenin, subbotniks were convened on weekends for cleaning, maintenance, and construction projects that the commissars decided needed attention. Since communism closed shop in Russia, all the volunteers have disappeared. You can volunteer to read all about the Consumer Product Safety Commission's deliberations about mandatory bunk bed standards , or we can visit your home and make you read the document. If your handgun came without its voluntary trigger guard, visit the Shot Lock Corp.'s site for information on its fine products.
Slate is an on-line magazine.
I'm serious, this is a great rag, or would be a great rag if the metaphor weren't so jarring when used to refer to an online publication. Let's just say it's a splendid bunch of 1s and 0s, arranged in just the right order. If you're not a subscriber, check out the limited teaser version .