The Spin is strong in this one Luke. Ladies of Leisure, that is older women not participating in the workforce and not looking for paid employment, will be the ruin of us all apparently. CLOSE to a million more mature… Read More ›
Culture
The milieu through which we swim
A 1950s Alternative Universe
on Saturday night I found myself watching a late-night 1950s black and white movie – something I haven’t done much of since the demise of Bill Collins and Ivan Hutchinson’s shows. Oh, how I used to love those old black and white movies (cue massive eyeroll from the kids). Some of the interest lies in a mixture of plot points which appear to have been written while dropping acid combined with gender and class expectations which are all too real.
Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes: what did they expect?
Say what? Gervais got famous by making people uncomfortable at why they are laughing at his material, by deliberately crossing boundaries of “good taste”, and he also has a mean streak. This is not A Great Big Showbiz Secret.
Quicklink: And He Reckons He’s Not A Monster
Florida Rape Suspect Asks For Public Defender After Cross-Examining Alleged Victim So, after he has, acting as his own attorney, asked her questions for hours in the courtroom about her accusation that he raped her, making her relive it in… Read More ›
A few links about what is and what is not a ‘blood libel’
A ‘blood libel’ is much more than just a ‘false accusation’, and there’s no way that the speech-writer couldn’t have known that.
What would Anna Bligh do?
Anna Bligh, the Queensland Premier seems to finally be living up to the potential she showed when she first became Premier. Her leadership during this flood crisis matches much of what I have heard from those who have worked for and with her during her time as Premier – that she is calm, intelligent, respectful, decent, personable, sensible and brave – but the reality of her style never previously translated to her broader public image. Some of the criticism of Bligh applies across the board to politicians generally, who these days seem to be over-prepared for public appearances to the point of coming across as robotic and false.
Quote of the Day: martial language vs eliminationist rhetoric
The problem is not martial language. The problem is the discussion of martial solutions, mentioned as actual policy options. That’s what “eliminationist rhetoric” means, you weaseling fucks.
ADDENDUM: Sarah Palin fans the heated rhetoric flames by playing the victim card and describing criticism as a “blood libel”. Seriously.
How I minimise the online abuse I receive
So here is an assortment of technical tips & tricks whereby bloggers can cut down the volume and the repetition coming from this cyberbullying cadre of keyboard jockeys, making the harassment little more than a tiny hiss of background noise instead of an overwhelming flood of spite.
BFTP: Friday Hoyden – Eleanor of Aquitaine
Another Summer Slowdown blast from the past post from the archives.. A long time e-friend in 2006 welcomed the arrival of his second daughter, to be known as Eleanor.
I love that name, as Eleanor of Aquitaine (at various times Prince of Aquitaine as ruling Duchess, Queen of France, Queen of England, Queen Mother and Regent of England) is my favourite historical hoyden. EofA is, indeed, how I judge the quality of any encyclopaedia I encounter.
BFTP: How To Be A Bitch
This is not a repost exactly, as I am revisiting more than one previously published post in response to yet another comment left over at FF101 about How Feminism Killed Chivalry, So Enjoy Lifting Those Heavy Parcels Ladies, Because It Serves You Right. This is a favourite trope amongst the antifeminists, about how feminists will be sorry Real Soon Now because they’re saving themselves for real feminine women, who know how to be properly grateful when a man makes a big display of how nice he’s being right now when he could be being really nasty instead, but he isn’t being nasty right now, because he’s just Such A Nice Guy especially just for you.
Hoyden About Town 