Sociology

A 1950s Alternative Universe

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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.

What would Anna Bligh do?

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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

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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.

Something wrong in the wiring.

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There must have been a glitch in my wiring then, somehow I got the ‘male’ wiring and I am obviously an affront to nature or at least to motherhood. I don’t want to be a ‘house-wife’ and I think that is a pretty awful term with a nasty stereotype “what did you do all day?” attached and doesn’t reflect the reality of unpaid work whether you have children or not. ‘Working mother’ is a tautology, because it doesn’t matter whether you are paid or unpaid you are still working. Bloody hard I might add.

BFTP: Friday Hoyden – Eleanor of Aquitaine

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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

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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.