Monthly Archives: November 2007

Carnival of Feminists

Drumroll please … Carnival of Feminists No 47

November 10, 2007 – 12:06 am

The latest carnival is now up on Ornamenting Away. And a spectacularly rich and diverse collection it is – from the state of New Zealand blokedom (our first NZ? or perhaps just our first explicitly NZ? post), a new work, “vajayjay” – with which I was not previously familiar, and much, much more.

But please don’t waste time over here – do go over there and check it out.

(But you might want to pop back afterwards and think about whether you’d like to host such a festival yourself – I’ve still got a slot this year, or in the new year… don’t be shy!)

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Environmental politics

The dangers of capitalism

November 8, 2007 – 12:23 am

In what you might call “late capitalism”, the natural trend towards rampant consumerism and environmental destruction is amply demonstrated by the not-so-humble tea-bag.

Once, there was a spoonful of tea leaves; you dropped it in the pot, poured the result through a strainer, and voila…

Next came a refinement – you had a metal strainer, either dangling in the pot or cup, or integral to it, and when the tea was brewed you pulled that out, washed it, and use it again and again and …

But you had to wash up the strainer, and some found that a pain, so along came the teabag – made of paper, but at least rotting down in the compost with its contents. Some waste, but …

Nothing like the latest development, the nylon teabag. This story doesn’t give its period of breakdown in landfill, or explore the chemicals that might be released when it is burnt, but I’m sure they are 1. “a very, very long time”, and 2. “nasty”.

But, heh, you can charge a premium…

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Blogging/IT History Politics

A range of reading

November 8, 2007 – 12:09 am

For my “history” readers, the History Carnival No 58 is now up on the beautifully named Aardvarchaeology. (Guaranteed to top all alphabetical listings.) And I have to give it a good plug here, since Dr Martin has been generous in his links.

My more “political” readers might like to check out the new Liberal Conspiracy blog, which is explicitly trying to take on the right-wing bias of the blogosphere, as explained here. And yes, I am part of the conspiracy, just because I have lots of spare time… but no, I do think it is a good idea, and I will be joining in.

But don’t feel you have to put yourself in a pigeonhole – you can visit both if you like…

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Politics

Somers Town and the council meeting

November 7, 2007 – 12:31 pm

Over on Comment is Free I’ve got a piece about what I call The Somers Town mystery. At the council meeting on Monday night a delegation of residents was told, “don’t worry”, the three acres of land behind the British Library will go to a significant proportion of housing. Yet the lead bidder for the site is a medical research facility, that would want to take up every inch…

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Feminism

How many more times?

November 6, 2007 – 12:40 am

How many more times will we have to read stories like this?

A police officer pleaded guilty to a misconduct charge today following an independent inquiry into the fatal stabbing of a mother of three. PC Charlotte Hall admitted breaching the police code of conduct by failing to perform her duties “diligently and conscientiously” when she was called to the home of Colette Lynch two days before she was killed by her estranged partner.

So much energy, effort and panic is wasted on concerns about “stranger danger”. Yet women are – overwhelmingly – at risk from their partners and ex-partners.

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Miscellaneous

Business opportunity

November 5, 2007 – 1:13 am

I’ve just watched with some bemusement a mangle (wringer) going for £132 on eBay. We’re not talking here of some substantial, attractive piece of Victoriana to decorate a fine conservatory, no, a probably 1950s or perhaps 1960s, bolt-to-the-side of the tub, plain white number of no visual merit whatsoever, but advertised as in good working order.

I’ve done a bit of research (and totally bemused the South Asian staff in my local odd-goods store by asking if they had mangles – well they do have lots of odd old-style things) and it seems no one is making these today. Obviously a business niche begging to be filled.

(And if you are wondering why I want one, yes it is for the obvious purpose. Having limited space in the kitchen, I’ve chosen to have a dishwasher and am washing clothers in a Wonder Wash, which works very well. But hand-wrung items are taking rather a long time to dry.)

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