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writer, singer, webwrangler, blogger, comedy tragic | about.me/vivsmythe

  • Feminism Friday and the twisted talking point de jour

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    And that talking point is: “If you truly support ALL women’s rights then you will get behind Sarah Palin and fight for her.” The news that a group of veteran feminist organisations have endorsed the Obama/Biden ticket (many of the… Read More ›

  • Can’t blog

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    Weeding, belatedly pruning the bougainvillea, fixing the garden trellis (not the one supporting the bougainvillea, the one supporting the honeysuckle and the Peace rose).

  • Whoydensday: the perennial question

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    The Guardian’s got a casting thread for the 11th Doctor! […] It was suggested in comments to the Guardian article that the casting probably needed to be a bit left-field, pointing out that neither Ecclestone nor Tennant were the obvious choice to play the Doctor at the time they were cast. So, any more out-field ideas?

  • Virtual Travelling: Bucks County, Pennsylvania

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    .flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; } .flickr-yourcomment { } .flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; } .flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Dog Story, originally uploaded by Flint-Hill. Does this look like a rural idyll or what? Do… Read More ›

  • Election Watch: Open thread

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    As well as the US elections in November, we have elections coming up in New Zealand (also in November) and Canada (in October). Hoydenizen Deborah is guest-blogging at Larvatus Prodeo with NZ election coverage, onya Deborah! An election ad for… Read More ›

  • Collapsing banks and markets: what now?

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    It’s hard to get a handle on exactly what the collapse of Lehman Bros along with the takeover of Merrill & Lynch means to the world economy, along with the rescue package for Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac. Obviously to… Read More ›

  • Oh, the hissing and finger-pointing (where’s the popcorn?)

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    Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson has called for a leadership vote tomorrow. Way to overshadow “Tip” Costello’s book launch! Will Malcolm Turnbull really have the numbers he claims behind him for the win? Possum has Nelson’s press release over at… Read More ›

  • Thoughts of Ike

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    Just a quick wish to any of our readers who have been affected by Hurricane Ike. I hope you get power back soon and that you can return to a solid home in the near future.

  • Bother, missed the planetary conjunction

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    Image Source: Planets over Perth (John Goldsmith), from Astronomy Picture of the Day. Venus, Mercury then Mars are hanging above the Moon over the Swan River in Perth on September 1st. According to APOD, it’s still possible to see the… Read More ›

  • The “saintly” nurse stereotype

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    A new biography of Florence Nightingale is reported as portraying her as “not so saintly”, on the grounds that she didn’t do much sitting by bedsides proffering personal care, rather she excelled as an administrator. Apparently revolutionising the care of… Read More ›