The milieu through which we swim
John Sutherland, Eremitus Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College, London, discusses his latest book Magic Moments on ABC Radio National:
a kind of Biographia Literaria as he takes a look back to the magic of 25 experiences of books, films, plays, songs, paintings, sounds and smells which took him by surprise, sank into his memory and changed his life
This fairly blunt profile of Caroline Chisholm presents her as an impressive but uncomfortable woman due to her uncompromising standards, and came as a bit of an eye-opener to me in terms of sanitised school history: the fact that the young immigrant underclass women that she was training had been lured to the Australian colonies where they were left to fend for themselves and would have no options other than prostitution or crime to earn a living was very heavily glossed over
This river otter was pictured on TrekNature New Zealand. Isn’t it beautiful?
Please feel free to use this thread to natter about anything your heart desires. Is there anything great happening in your life? Anything you want to get off your chest? Reading a great book? Anything in the news that you’d like to discuss? Commiserations, felicitations, temptations, contemplations, speculations?
My Tip o’ the hat goes to: The greeter at IKEA Osborne Park in Perth, when I walked in there for the first time this week.
This Sunday! Finally those who haven’t yet caught up with the 2008 Doctor Who Christmas Special (overseas while on hols etc) can discuss it with the rest of us (spoilers ahoy in this earlier post).
OMG, can someone please hand me my pearls and fainting couch.
The sixth season of Celebrity Big Brother UK is underway.
Rapper, self-confessed “shit-stirrer”, and supremely annoying fuckknuckle Coolio, who has been engaged in a prolonged campaign of sexual harassment against Ben and Michelle, is the one getting on my wick the most.
Turns out yesterday’s Douchebag of the Year contestant has a competitor. Already.
Panty-sniffing surgeon Dr Richard Batista, Long Island surgeon, has had a messy breakup with his wife Dawnell.
Just how messy this is going to get is anyone’s guess. He accuses her of infidelity and denying him time with their children. She says he was paranoid – right down to undie-checks for evidence of an affair – and never denied access.
He donated a kidney to her eight years ago, when a pregnancy-related illness made it necessary and he turned out to be a match. Around that time, their marriage was going bad. Four years ago, Dawnell Batista filed for divorce.
Hoyden About Town 