making hay while the spotlight’s elsewhere

So Labor has been busy while the Australian Liberals (if you’re overseas that’s our conservatives) went into a spectacular collapse today. While we were all glued to the ongoing train-wreck in the Tories’ camp, two, rather contradictory other things happened. (And yes, I’m as cynical about the timing as you are.)
Labor quietly announced it would [...]

signs that humanity can’t be all that bright

So I went out and saw District 9 last night. I would have liked to give you a review of it and have a good discussion with the blogosphere about its treatment of race and whether it is epic fail (I suspect it is). Unfortunately, I spent most of the film looking at the wall because the [...]

on calling it rape

I posted on rape and consent earlier in the week off the back of some comments made by WA Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan. Today I stumbled on this excellent post that I recommend you all read. The author uses some survey based reports to develop the conclusion that not only are the majority of rapes perpetrated [...]

dispatches from the front lines

Last month four women, Venerable Ajahn Vayama together with Venerables Nirodha, Seri and Hasapanna, were ordained as Theravadan Buddhist nuns here in Perth. According to this post at Perthindymedia,  there is a belief that the bhikkhuni lineage stopped about the 12th Century, after which no new bhikkhunis could be ordained. There is some discussion on the subsequent [...]

a word (or three) on consent

WA Police Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan has recently suggested metal detectors be installed at Perth train station. WA Police are on the brink of gaining remarkable new powers to search anyone on the street without evidence or even reason. This is to cut down on the amount of booze-fuelled violence in the entertainment precinct of Northbridge. [...]

it wasn’t a problem when the Nazis did it

Western Australia is trundling happily down the road to fascism, thank Christ, but anyone who dares suggest such is over-reacting wildly and will probably “disappear” during the night. Of course, I am whole heartedly in favour of this collective step towards a police state, it had to happen eventually and goshdarn it, why won’t they do [...]

the down under feminist carnival is a go-go

The latest installment of the Down Under Feminist Carnival is up at Wallaby and I’d like to congratulate Jo Tamar on an excellent round-up. (Not to mention once again hang my head in shame at my own failure in helping her out by contributing some posts.)
The next carnival is at The Professional Lap Cat and [...]

“other” and the reasons for fear

I am an incurable cynic and as such I can’t shake the feeling that Australia will never change. Our society will always be unequal on racial, economic and a myriad of other grounds, we will always fear the “other”, we will always be entirely unwilling or incapable to hear any differing opinions.
But, interestingly enough, judging [...]