Once upon a time, when I was a wee undergraduate*, I did not like the fact that my university had a Women’s Room. You see, I considered myself a feminist, and the idea of a Women’s Room — a few… Read More ›
Culture
The milieu through which we swim
Sydney Hoydenizens: who’s up for some group outings during the Comedy Festival?
The Sydney Comedy Festival starts soon and runs for 3 weeks (27th April – 17th May). I’m thinking that I’d like to have a weekly group outing to catch 2 shows in a night and have some food/drink/chat before/between/afterwards. My… Read More ›
Thursday Cheezburger: Supernatural Kittehs
Supernatural Cheez! Runner-up:
It’s not sex it’s rape: strategic remorse edition
What would you call it when a step-father repeatedly rapes a girl, starting when she’s 13, and this goes on for three years before he’s caught? Rape? Sexual assault? Molestation? Pedophilia? Sexual abuse? Child abuse? Not according to Andrew Korner… Read More ›
Severely injured asylum seekers and the right to privacy
As Aussies probably know, folks on a boat were rescued by the Navy up off Ashmore Reef this week, after their boat caught fire. The origin of the fire is a matter of some dispute. The Liberal (conservative) Premier of… Read More ›
Otterday! And Open Thread.
This orphaned Exmoor otter cub has a wee furry friend. [Via the Telegraph, more on the story here.] Please feel free to use this thread to natter about anything your heart desires. Is there anything great happening in your life?… Read More ›
Political speech and PR cleanup: the AAP squirms at the DigitalNow conference
You can download the full video of Amber McArthur’s keynote here, but I’ve picked out the part of interest to me, because it is right at the end.
Why is it of interest? It’s a chap from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in this video called only “John”, quietly panicking about the organisation’s latest public relations disaster: Jay Gordon’s April Fool press release stating that the AAP would no longer accept sponsorship from infant formula companies.
First the good news
A Netherlands study showing that midwife-assisted homebirths are at least as safe for low-risk mothers as midwife-led hospital deliveries and Did you know that defence lawyers in NSW and other Australian states can subpoena counsellor records of rape victims on behalf of the alleged rapist? Without the victim’s knowledge?
Thursday Cheezburger: Cats and Technology
Runner-up:
…And objects can’t cast shadows in a vacuum! AAP & formula funding April Fool lawsuit threat
I’m not normally a big fan of April Fools jokes, since most seem to be about the pointless taunting of individuals for being “gullible”. For this one, though, I’m making an exception. Because I love a delicious defamation-allegation hijinks story,… Read More ›
Hoyden About Town 