Katrina and Irene
Stories about Irene will be all over the news today, and many of them will say that the evacuation orders for low-lying areas, particularly in NYC, were an overreaction. They will say this because there have been so few deaths, so few tragic images for the news media. The people who will be saying this will be wrong.
Wear Red for Daniel.
An arrest has been made in the Daniel Morcombe case. The arrested person faces court tomorrow. Supporters of Daniel and his family are asked to wear something red tomorrow to show your support.
The Massacre in Norway
The shock and horror I’m feeling must be a pale shadow of what those in Norway are feeling. My thoughts are with them all.
Vale Amy Whitehouse 1983-2011
Whatever it was that sets artists apart, Amy Winehouse had it. The fact that she “lost it” meant little.
Australia’s Honour killings – In the end, they’re just as dead
James Ramage was released from prison last Friday, after only eight years following his conviction for strangling and bashing his wife, Julie, to death in their house and burying her in a shallow grave. The details of the case reveal a textbook case of a controlling, abusive spouse who killed his wife rather than let [...]
Latest US Tornadoes
Watching the latest news of the tornado fatalities in Missouri, I think I’m starting to get a better understanding of why the most fatalistic/eschatological forms of conservative evangelical Christianity have such a hold on so many folks in Tornado Alley. I can’t imagine living with that degree of uncertainty over whether my house and my [...]
Advice please: dealing with NSW Dept of Education re a student with disabilities
How the fuck can I help this rather lovely young person get the best out of hir education when the existing systems seem to be letting hir down?
Thread: US Tornados
DEADLY tornados and flash floods flattened buildings and overturned vehicles yesterday as major storms churned through the south of the US, with the death toll surpassing 220 people.
Lessons from My Lai & The Extras
How can we raise our children to be willing to take a stand against injustice in favour of integrity? Where do we start?
Quick Hit – Oh really?
The hanging suicide of a transgender Aboriginal woman in a male jail could not have been prevented by the Department of Corrective Services, a coroner has found.
Quicklink: Disasters prove value of sign language interpreters
Natural disasters in Queensland and New Zealand have highlighted the value of sign language interpreters.
Libya NFZ and selective support for Arab uprisings
Open thread on ‘Arab Spring’ uprisings and retaliations.
Some good news from Japan
Two tsunami survivors found nine days later in Ishinomaki City; the ‘Fukushima 50′ volunteers are gradually stabilising the reactor crisis.
Japan earthquake and tsunami
Authorities are projecting around 1000 deaths. I don’t think any of our regular commenters live in Japan, nor anywhere in the northern Pacific likely to be tsunami-affected, but I’m sure we must have lurkers there. I wish you all safe. Please use this as an open thread on any news.

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