oh no, not the dreaded 'lurgy'...

i've had one of those 'ear, eye, nose & throat' things happening since i woke up yesterday... amazing how one day you're fine and then without warning 'bang' - you've got a fever and you feel like crap - bloody people and their germs!!! and being sick wasn't part of the plan for this weekend... the best laid plans and all that, hey...

luckily the animals are happy to just laze around with me... they've gotten used to the lounge being our 'bedsit-cum-sanctuary' with the brother still being here... don't know how long i can cope with it though!!! although we would still sleep on the couch because the bed is way too high for me old girl these days (and she's always slept with me) - it's much easier to have cushions placed strategically for her to use as steps' to climb onto the couch... she is amazing to watch getting around without sight and sound to guide her - such perseverance without complaint - animals are certainly superior to humans where adapting to their situation is concerned (doesn't mean that some aren't sooks though, hey loudie-dude!!!)...

it is a bit of crush on the couch though - it's not a bed couch, it's just a couch couch... and it seems the warmer the weather to greater the need for the gang to either be sprawled out across me, or tucked up tight and leaning right into me!! oh to be able to stretch out!!! but we are close to the courtyard - and without fail the boy is hassling at 5am to get out... which is a good time to wake the girl up and take her outside too - it 'circumvents' the bed wetting - but it does take her a while to get it together - she's very disoriented and very wonky and feeble - you do have to stay with her and let her know where you are and that everything's okay... what is this thing called sleep i've heard people allude to???

the medication i was put onto by a friend seems to be helping with the incontinence luckily - bio-organics' "bladder care" - a pumpkin seed and soy bean extract - it does get a tad expensive over time considering how much she has - then there's the garlic caps and the soy milk (but don't bother to offer that to the boy - that's where he draws the line... the look on his face says it all - 'what the fuck is this crap??!!' - a bit like the look he gives you when he sees you approach with the camera!!!)... at the moment the girls eyes are all 'gungy' too so they need to be bathed with chamomile... and you still have to 'be alert' because she still heads off in the wrong direction when she wants to go outside sometimes (well, a lot of the time actually!!!)... ahh, the trials and tribulations of caring for the infirm elderly - she is such a tolerant, easy going babe considering all the 'poking and prodding' she has to endure...

hopefully the rest of my day will be spent absorbed in my book... that's so long as the puffy eyes, sore throat and earache allow me to concentrate...

i've had to put aside "Cooee" for the moment - i just can't get into it (but it's not highly reserved so i can maybe 'revisit' it sometime)... i'm currently 'immersed' in Anne Summers' memoir "The lost mother: a story of art and love" described as "..a gripping narrative that is part art history, part detective story and part meditation on the relations between mothers and daughters." i am thoroughly enjoying this one...

 

i've admired Anne Summers ever since i read "damned whores and god's police" in the 70s - it's about the role of women in Australian society and was considered a landmark publication at the time (and still is!!)

i do hope i'm over this 'bug' by new year's eve... my brother's going to be around to look after the boy and girl and i'm heading off to my niece rebbecca's 'gathering' in kyneton, then it's on to malmsbury to spend the night with my loudie-dude, irene and the rest of the gang... i'll be back on friday though 'cause i 'drew the short straw' and have to work on saturday morning - bummer - but overnight is better than nothing i guess - and any longer than that and i'd just be worried about allie...

etymology of a word....

"The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning "Christ's Mass". It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038. "Cristes" is from Greek Christos and "mæsse" is from Latin missa (the holy mass). In Greek, the letter Χ is the first letter of Christ, and it, or the similar Roman letter X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ since the mid-16th century. Hence, Xmas is sometimes used as an abbreviation for Christmas." wikipedia

the  word  is  deeply  rooted  in  christianity,  regardless of  the  influence of pagan  and pre-christian  beliefs  held and  rituals  once  practiced - these were  violently  'stamped out', important seasonal ceremonial dates usurped and corrupted  by the christian invaders, and then incorporated into the christian calendar - no matter your reasoning, you can't get away from the  fact that  xmas, by it's mere name, is a christian celebration.

ironic then that Section 116 of the 1900 Act to constitute the Commonwealth of Australia - the Australian Constitution - provides that:

The Commonwealth of Australia shall not make any law establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance**, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth.

** isn’t it then an imposition on those that don't observe christianity that most of the country closes down on december 25?? according to the above, and in the words of elizabeth evatt,  "we are not by constitution a christian country", so why do we have a public holiday on this religious occasion  and not any other days of significance celebrated by other religions?

a paper by the Bertelsmann Foundation titled "Australia: High level of religious identity paired with low level of belief" makes interesting reading if you're into statistics - 30% of australians claim no religion, with that group being one of the most rapidly rising populations...

 

the assumption that everyone is christian and therefore must celebrate xmas is anathema to me - we're supposed to be a secular society - by calling it xmas and celebrating it as xmas the status quo is maintained - the christian stranglehold remains - i cringe - my beliefs and conscience don't allow me to prop up or support any christian 'celebration'  - its' persecution of womyn over the centuries has been barbaric and brutal  - misogyny one of its cornerstones ... just call me a heathen and heretic please, but never a christian...

as we all live by the months of the year defined by our civil calendar regardless of religious belief in australia, doesn’t it make more sense for the community as a whole to celebrate the end of the old, and the start of the new year with all its possibilities for change – shouldn't everybody, no matter what their religious or political beliefs, feel included and welcomed - shouldn't everybody be part of the celebration - shouldn't it be a celebration of community, not religion?

however, the most widely used civil calendar is the gregorian calendar – another imposition of the christians – this time pope gregory xiii - "the gregorian calendar reform contained two parts, a reform of the julian calendar ... together with a reform of the lunar cycle used by the church along with the julian calendar for calculating dates of easter."

what's wrong with using  the lunar or solar cycles to mark the passage of the days, months and years - humans seem to have this inane need to ‘control’ the change from one season into the next by having set dates for these transitions to occur between - the environment doesn't work to a timetable - it complements and is affected by the cycles of night and day... moon and sun...

homo sapiens - the one species that refuses to adapt to its environment – always striving to harness, change and control the natural elements… when will we get over this  need  to conquer and subdue, when will we realise there is no basis for this ridiculous superiority complex – it’s humans that have fucked up the world – hardly superior!!!!

i am so over this time of the year - so sick of  hearing 'discussions' on what animals will be eaten, how they'll be cooked, the 'merry xmas-ing', the xmas carols, the crush of the supermarkets and shops, the aggression and frustration engendered in people that are up to their necks in debt because the presents have to be more and more expensive each year - the millions (billions?) spent on so many useless items while filling the coffers of the multinational corporations and making the profiteers very happy...

it's such an indictment on humankind that there are so many desperately needy causes trying to stay afloat while they provide assistance and sustenance to so many while so much is wasted in this selfish, throw-away society... isn't the christian mantra 'peace and goodwill'?? haven't seen much of it... and then there's the number of drunken idiots around - seen lots of them...  and of course there's the fact that family conflict and violence escalates at this time of year... ah xmas - such a joyous, cheery time... it can bring out the worst in people...

hibernation is looking good for the week leading up to xmas next year!!!!

another step closer...

the compliance certificate for the plumbing and sewerage works is got – the paperwork has exchanged hands... it’s now 'full steam ahead' for irene to be able to sell the land at Malmsbury... it's been valued at $100,000 - it's in a superb spot - as they say 'location, location, location'!! - it's fully serviced and fenced on three boundaries - it's 5 mins from the train station and the shops - it's in a street that has no traffic because it goes nowhere and there are only a couple of houses - and if you're artistically inclined, it's in the 'heart' of a burgeoning 'artists' colony' - it'll be advertised online in the next couple of weeks - i'm going there new years eve and we'll be working on the ad and taking photos - they'll be online new years day hopefully... and for me it means i'm one step closer to reuniting with my wee louie boy (and that'll be good for irene - one less dog to have to share her bed with - he's the smallest, but he takes up the most room!!!!) - getting my own space out of the city (and escaping the claustrophobic horror of flat-dwelling) - it will be my home, my retreat, my sanctuary – and security for old(er) age... (the top pic is of the malmsbury mill - right opposite the block - and the bottom is the 'older persons retreat' being considered - similar in style to the existing house, in the right price range and perfect for the spot chosen...)

it also means peace of mind and a sense of safety from the ever expanding tourist and pub area encroaching on my home and (fast disappearing) comfort zone for so many decades (i was 'born'n bred' in st. kilda but it's a different 'world' now)... there's that ever present undercurrent of anger, hostility and violence... very noticeable last night when irene and the gang came for a visit and we decided to go for a lovely, leisurely stroll around the streets - and they are beautiful streets to wander - so many amazing old buildings and houses and such wide, green streets - it was about 9 pm and there was just something unnerving about the groups of young people (mostly male) just hanging around the streets drinking - so many groups, so much booze, so much ego and testosterone - a volatile combination - a time bomb waiting to happen...

there’s also the on-going ‘gentrification’ of st. kilda which has forced so many of the long time residents and lifeblood of the area further and further into obscurity if not oblivion with the cost of rental accommodation being so very expensive... take this house for example - it's a single fronted, 1 of 4 (not even semi-detached) 3 bedroom townhouse being advertised around the corner in cowderoy street for $690 per week ($2,998 per month!!!!) yeah, ordinary people can really afford that!!!!

anyway, in case you're not aware, it's the longest day today - the southern hemisphere summer solstice - or midsummer, or lithia - there are so many ancient cultures that celebrated these astrological events... so many interpretations and varying beliefs - and of course it was something else the christian invasion could exploit, claim and change...

"The Summer Solstice was incorporated into the Christian calendar during the spread of Christianity, and like so many of the old festivals, was given new meaning which was considered less Paganistic and more suited to the Christian festival. The Summer Solstice became the feast day of 'St. John the Baptist'.

Several hundred years ago, across Europe, healers were usually women who carried out healing using a mixture of herbs. Hildegard of Bingen put together a book recording many of these herbs and what they could be used for. In time, it became the foundation of herbalism and medicine in the western world. Shortly after its' publication, the Spanish Inquisition was established and it is believed over nine-million women were persecuted and then executed for what was termed as the practice of witchcraft. Witchcraft at this time had many definitions, one of which was "The knowledge and practice of the traditional ways of healing".

The connection of herbs and healing to witchcraft is that many of the herbs used for healing were believed to hold more healing power if they were gathered at significant times of the year such as Summer Solstice. During this time, it is believed by some, the feminine earth energies are at their most powerful. " (read more at the mystical world wide web)

and while i'm talking 'this time of the year' - if you have the need for 'last minute' gifts, why not make a donation to petrescue in someone's name, or victorian dog rescue - a donation would be greatly appreciated from any of the myriad animal rescue agencies.. maybe donate to help feed a rescued farm animal through animal liberation or "help bring emergency vet care to abandoned and neglected pets, new life for orphaned bear cubs or an end to the cruel hunting of seal pups" through ifaw or help wspa build a sanctuary for bears in pakistan, survivors of the barbaric "sport" of bear baiting - fuck, there are just so many animals and agencies needing help - how about purchasing the puppy mill documentary about the changing face of our relationship with dogs - i watched it today - it's thought provoking, heart-wrenching and informative - people need to start acknowledging the cruelty behind the pet shop puppies and take a stand, at least by getting the message out there and making others aware it's happening, otherwise the industry continues - it's extremely interesting and does show the positive action some ethical pet suppliers have instigated in america to 'thwart' the profit-at-any-cost and totally inhumane industry (australia is lagging behind but there are some ethical independent suppliers here taking their own stand) - it's well worth giving to someone as a gift... maybe you'd prefer to buy a toilet or a water supply for a village here...

HAPPY, PEACEFUL SUMMER SOLSTICE

what a disappointment!

i was so looking forward to reading the fire by Katherine Neville, sequel to the eight (written 20-odd years ago)... i was anticipating getting lost (in an absorbing way) between the medieval and the contemporary worlds - well, i got lost alright, but unfortunately it was in a confused sort of way trying to work out what was going on, who was who and where the hell they fit in with the story (let alone where the hell some of the characters came from to start with!!)...

the mythology of alchemy and the tying of this into the numerology surrounding the game of chess itself is an interesting concept, the historical 'landscaping' was well done, and the weaving of numerous well-known historical figures as integral 'players' spanning the centuries should have made it unputdownable - but the story just never came together - unlike the eight, the suspense was definitely not gripping, nor did it have the eroticism of the eight, and the ending bordered on a mills & boon 'boy meets girl and everyone lives happily ever after' scenario... i persevered to the end in the belief that it just had to get better - i needn't have bothered... i have to say that this is one of those sequels that should never have been written!!

if you've never read the eight, i highly recommend it - it was always a 'stand alone' book so i really don't know what possessed her to write a sequel after all this time - it does help though if you understand the strategic nature of chess...

after being totally disappointed with my reading choice, and having the flat to ourselves (me and the gang) for the weekend, i decided to watch an episode of a 2008 television series i'd never heard of before that sounded interesting from the blurb...


being human... it's about a vampire, a werewolf and a ghost who share a house... what a trio... I became hooked after the first episode (i couldn't help myself - i watched 6 hour long episodes over 2 nights) - it's dramatic, funny, sad, dark (and at times an indictment on human society) - we get to know these three characters and feel for their situations - we learn how they became the way they did - their 'trials and tribulations' while still trying to function as 'ordinary' people in their extraordinary circumstances... paranormal in the vein of kat richardson's greywalker series of books (which i love) - dare i say the thinking person's paranormal!!?

i'm addicted - unfortunately series 2 isn't available through our suppliers yet!!!!

and now i'm just going to concentrate on the recommended reading list of the slv's summer read programme... (there are some pretty good prizes up for grabs - to go into the draw you just need to name one of the books you've read from the list, and add your own reading recommendation!!!)

and the first reservation to come in for me was cooee by vivienne kelly... described as "a dark and elegant literary mystery" by scribe publications, i can only hope that it is a better read than my last one!!!!

ooooh - there's still no housing on the horizon for me brother, but he's away for the rest of this week so i'm going to enjoy the peace, quiet and space - and hope me old girl copes with the 39 degrees forecast for tomorrow!!!!

it's been a hard few days for me old girl - she's had really bad diarrhea since the weekend... extremely distressing for her - and for me!!! she's on the improve today, but it took a lot out of her - it was exhausting - she just couldn't settle - she just about wore grooves between the lounge and courtyard (but in true allie style she never lost her appetite once!!! although her diet changed radically to one of bland boiled rice - she'll be glad when that's finished!!!) luckily she drank heaps of water so didn't get dehydrated...

she's over the worst of it now though - which i'm thankful for because chronic diarrhea in an old dog can often signify a tumour - i was so relieved to see some improvement in her - a visit to the vet would just be sooooo very traumatic for her - so intrusive and invasive (and a tad freaky for the deaf and blind old babe)...

i'd never had reason to think about blind dogs with diarrhea before, nor the consequences of their inability to see where they're walking - until this week when reality stared me in the eye - by way of wee paw prints almost a translucent hue of mustard 'painted' on a canvas of carpet throughout the flat... my what a sight to behold... and then came the cleaning interspersed with dry-retching... what can i say - shit happens!!! (sorry, i couldn't resist!!!)

luckily i've been able to be home with her so she could have access to outside, and i could keep an eye on her 'artistic talents'... i'm one of those fortunate people who works with very empathetic, sympathetic and caring people who have been extremely generous in their understanding and offers of assistance should we have needed it...

anyway, things look like they'll be back to 'normal' tomorrow and i'll be back at work - ooooh, i am looking forward to friday - i'm off to the 'soft launch' of the state library's summer read - goddamn, i'm gonna miss the council end of year celebration - the one where there's never any food for the library folk by the time they arrive - especially if you happen to be a vegetarian... it was such a hard decision - the sacrifices we're forced to make...

malmsbury musings...

it's a pretty town is malmsbury... you may have passed through it on your way to bendigo or one of the other close by towns - daylesford or castlemaine perhaps - or you may even have missed it by blinking - or you may never even have heard of it - since the bypass was opened it's mostly 'local traffic' that passes through these days...

i visited overnight a fortnight ago and stayed at irene's - i figured i could trust darrell to watch the gang while i spent some time with my wee loudle boy... he does treat her well - he's actually awed at her ability to still get around being blind and deaf - she amazes him and he's very good to both her and the shadow lad...

it was a lovely (albeit very short) break from my day to day routine (especially the cleaning up wee part)... lovely once i arrived anyway - the trains only ran to sunbury this particular day and then we had to road coach it from there... now that takes a lot longer... usually a very commutable hour and a quarter trip became a two and a half hour ordeal - i really don't like coaches - a tad claustrophobic... so it was really good to arrive at the station and get off that bus!!!!

irene and i decided to go out for dinner, so we went to 'the stables' - it's only open friday and saturday evenings and they make yummy wood fired pizza - lots of vegie options... as the name suggests, it's an old renovated stables with a lovely rustic interior and a really comfortable and relaxed atmosphere - there's a welcoming treed courtyard with tables - unfortunately it was raining the evening we were there so outside wasn't the place to be... it was a very enjoyable evening though... we went home sated and just veg'd out with the poodles...

it's lovely sitting out on irene's back porch... it overlooks "the mill" - built in 1861 as a malt mill - now classified by the national trust, it houses a restaurant, gallery, studio and function centre - actually irene's getting ready to sell the back 1/4 acre of her property which faces on to this lovely landmark - a buyer's dream hopefully - it would be grouse to know that your view will always be beautiful because it can't be developed - i'd love to buy it but alas i have no assets or money - relationship crap years ago (yeah, what else - same old, same old!!!) left me with no alternative to bankruptcy - i lost everything that meant anything to me - my home, my dream (and soooo much more that i'm still unable to talk about without tears, regrets and depression so i won't go there)... you would have thought i'd have learnt then, but wisdom's a long time coming - anyway what's done is done so there's no point looking backwards...

... suffice to say an 'older persons retreat' will do me nicely in her lovely treed yard - there's a pretty spot earmarked for my cottage... once the land sells that is - hopefully it will get snapped up quickly... it has so much going for it... it's 5 minutes walk to the malmsbury station and just up the hill from the bakery, the general store, a winery, surrounded by amazing bluestone buildings... very well located actually... but there's more - arts and crafts stores, a hotel, antiques... fingers crossed...

ooh, did i mention that positioned between the shops and irene's place are the magnificent botanical gardens... i came across a blog with some grouse photos of the gardens right here.

all this within walking distance - and, if you know them, Mike & Linda are within 'cooee' as well - their 'country residence' is just down the road on the other side of the hill - just past the shops...

do you know anyone interested in a beautiful 1/4 acre block with a wonderful outlook??

but my poor louie's having a bit of a hard time at the moment... irene's been having a hard time with all the gang... three out of the four of them have had bad 'hot spots' (lucky boy managed to miss out - lucky in name, lucky in life!!) - they all got clipped by a 'new' person who did a wonderful clipping job - hopefully it's just coincidental - after all it's a bad flea time at the moment - allie and shadow haven't been immune here in the city either!! - but my poor wee loudie-dude has suffered the most - he already has sensitive skin and he's a real scratcher so it's taking longer for his to heal... and he is a sook - a wee neurotic boy really (but he's had a hard life - and he's had to adapt to a lot of change - he loved having me to himself the night i stayed - he didn't have to compete to share the human with 3 other dogs - mind you, the others enjoyed one less to share irene and their bed with too!!)... and it's not fair on irene either - when you've already got 3 dogs another one makes it so much harder - so many to deal with when it's bath time, flea-ing time, dinner time, medicine time, etc. etc. - even harder considering chronic ill health is part of her life, and she works, and has to cope with a 16 yo moody male teenager - the grandson!!!!

here's some photos of my cute wee fella i took a few weeks ago...

i'm going to do some reading and domestic stuff now... but i've been listening to alice russell lately so i'll leave you with some of her music... enjoy...

herstory - a contemporary tale...

i worked yesterday so was looking forward to a quiet sunday morning to just ease into a lazy day - me and the gang had the place to ourselves last night and so far today it's just been us, so how else would we spend it but quietly relaxing!!!!... but alas, 'quiet' is not to be had around st kilda apparently... i was 'rudely awoken' this morning around 7 am by fucking helicopters buzzing and hovering overhead - it's after 10 now and they're still there - the noise is deafening... i'm pissed off - so's shadow (he's not going outside) and allie is already deaf or she'd be 'freaking out' - noise pollution to the max!!!!

i'd had plans to read today - but it's soooooo hard to concentrate with such surround sound noise - so i did a bit of 'surfing' to discover it's the great australian run today and it's being televised - far out, the residents of port phillip have to deal with a lot of disruption over spring and summer - cycling, running, car racing, festivals - and as part and parcel of these 'activities' there are planes, jets and helicopters - so many road closures and re-routing of public transport, so much noise, so many tourists...

but i guess because of the cacophony i've immersed myself in cyberspace and discovered an interesting event just over the yarra - an 'herstoric' occasion...

the women's circus turned 18 this year... their aim is 'to inspire and empower through contemporary circus', with a "strong focus on creating a safe, supportive and stimulating environment in which participants can extend their skills, build confidence and have fun, and in presenting engaging, high quality public performances of social relevance."

"The Women’s Circus began as a project of Footscray Community Arts Centre in 1991. In 2003, the Women’s Circus became an incorporated, non-profit organisation and remained at Footscray until relocating to the Drill Hall in West Footscray in September 2006." you can read more here... or just have a wander around their website...

if you've got some time between now and december 6, you might like to check out "Herstory", their major production for 2009 at the Living Museum of the West, Pipemakers Park on the Maribyrnong River - which, according to an article on onlymelbourne.com.au "will take the audience on a wild ride from the Circus’ own birth to her coming of age" - sounds grouse!!!!

or maybe you've always wanted to run away and 'join the circus'??!!

oooh, it appears the noise has abated, so now i might just try and get into my read of the moment...

'the fire' by Katherine Neville... i just 'happened' upon this when i was doin' some shelving at work... it was released in 2008 - it's the sequel to a book i read over 20 years ago(!!!) - "the eight" - one of the most memorable novels i've read... part historical fiction, part medieval mystery, it's an action packed thriller, a tale full of suspense - it has two storylines set centuries apart, spanning from 1790 to 1972 - the fates of both major characters - Mireille, a novice nun at montglane abbey at the time of the french revolution, and Cat Velis, computer expert and 'dabbler' in mathematics and chess - are intertwined as they both try to unravel the mystery behind the montglane chess service, purported to have once belonged to charlemagne, a gift from the moors - a chess set that holds the key to a game of unlimited power... interested??? sorry, not giving anymore away except to say it's rivetting and well worth the read - and having only read a couple of chapters of 'the fire' so far - there's more suspense, cryptic riddles, secret societies (the carbonari) and 'players' such as shelley, byron and keats - a tapestry of historical references - it certainly holds the promise of a worthy sequel!!!!

and later on today i might watch "the puppy mill" - "a documentary that explores the domestication of dogs and how our demand for the ultimate family pet has led to increasingly inhumane treatment" - i received my copy only 3 days after ordering it online (see my last post 'how much is that doggie in the window') so my day is sorted - no doubt it will be a heart-wrenching film to watch and the tears will flow...

how much is that doggie in the window??

no doubt we’ve all thought at some time or other when walking passed a pet shop "ooooh, how cute" ... tiny wee bundles of fur that you just want to take home and lavish love and affection on...

but where do these cuties come from??

definitely not from a caring, loving, affectionate environment - the reality is that their mothers gave birth to them while surviving horrendous conditions in total misery in puppy factories / farms / mills - these poor girls produce litter after litter after litter for the greed of humans, and then are 'disposed' of after 4-5 years - that's if they have survived that long from intensive breeding, cruelty and deprivation.

I seem to re-visit this topic each year at this time, but as it's possibly the major commercialized buy-buy-buy time of the year in this capitalistic society, with pets being popular (easy) 'presents' to obtain, it seems appropriate - and unfortunately change is a long time in happening - the cruelty continues, so i feel compelled to mention the horrors of this heinous industry yet again until we no longer see animals as commodities to be bought, sold and treated appallingly...

"Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight"... Albert Schweitzer

Debra Tranter, animal liberation activist and rescuer, says "to look into the eyes of a confined dog and into the next and the next and the next and the next makes you feel like you’re on the edge of your sanity. Their eyes scream a silent agony of despair, their spirits broken. I can’t pick up 400 dogs put them in my car and leave, all I can do is film they’re suffering and get the footage out there because the truth cannot be changed until it can be seen. " the following is some of that footage... (my old girl allie only just survived one of these death camps...)

australian filmmaker William Wolfenden has created a documentary "The puppy mill" and you can view the trailer here - according to the australian website Where do puppies come from - "William Wolfenden has created a documentary that every animal lover should see. This is not an extremist animal rights film, but a realistic look into the world of the domesticated dog and where we are suddenly going wrong. Buy it, share it with your friends, have a think, have a cry and know that by watching this film you are making a difference."

if it's a gift giving time for you this december, why not give a gift that may help save lives - you can order a copy of the documentary here (i've just ordered mine!!!) 20% of the sales go to PetRescue, "a not-for-profit organisation that finds new homes for lost and abandoned pets. We believe every homeless pet deserves the chance to find a new loving family, but with rescue groups across the country struggling to feed and care for animals, many pets miss out on homes simply because nobody knows they are available." They have the largest online searchable directory of rescue pets in australia - if you're not looking for a companion you can always make a donation!

According to Death Row Pets "250,000 healthy, but unwanted cats and dogs are killed in Australian pounds each year" and they have 5 ideas to stop this slaughter that they'd like to see turned into a reality:

• Restrict the sale of cats and dogs to ethical regulated breeders, pounds and animal shelters
  


• Stop all sources of mass production of kittens and puppies for profit i.e. stop puppy and kitten farms and backyard breeders
  


• Achieve widespread desexing of all pets
  


• Increase the re-homing rate in pounds and shelters via better low-kill policies
  


• And of course educate everyone on responsible and caring pet ownership...
  

not unrealistic goals... you'd think it would be easy... why not visit the lead the way website and sign the petition to support the Animals (Regulation of Sale) Bill - if it's passed in new south wales (Clover Moore keeps trying) then the precedent is set which gives a greater chance of change throughout australia... it's time to take a stand... go on, stand up and be counted - spread the word - help educate to eradicate this industry!!!!

please, visit the sites mentioned - people really need to know what's going on and to what extent...

END THE SILENCE

END THE PUPPY FACTORIES

END THE CRUELTY

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man."... Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

the language of fear...

triskaidekaphobia...

an abnormal fear of the number 13

paraskevidekatriaphobia (wouldn't want to have to say that in a hurry)...

an abnormal fear of friday the 13th...

are these fears inherently misogynistic?

the number 13 is closely aligned to the moon and the menses - it's the number of lunar cycles, the number of menstrual cycles, in a solar year... a number intimately connected with womanhood...

christian fear of pagan female deities, fear and hatred of the female body, and the persecution of strong, independent women created an anti-pagan, anti-woman fervour, hence the original word for the fear of both friday and 13...

friggatriskaidekaphobia...
from Frigga (Norse goddess associated with Friday) + triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13)

"Frigga (also known as Frigg, The Beloved) was the goddess of love, marriage, and destiny. She was the wife of the powerful Norse god Odin, The All-Father.

A sky goddess, responsible for weaving the clouds (and therefore for sunshine and rain and the fertility of the crops), she was also responsible for weaving the fates. She was known as a 'seer', one who knew the future though she could never change it." the goddess gift website

"Friday is Frigga's Day. Frigga (Frigg) was an ancient Scandinavian fertility and love goddess, equivalent to the Roman Venus who had been worshipped on the sixth day of the week. Christians called Frigga a witch and Friday the witches' Sabbath." the skeptic's dictionary

"When Norse and Germanic tribes converted to Christianity, Frigga was banished in shame to a mountaintop and labeled a witch. It was believed that every Friday, the spiteful goddess convened a meeting with eleven other witches, plus the devil - a gathering of thirteen - and plotted ill turns of fate for the coming week..." wikipedia

according to the article "The church, a witch, sex and satan: oppressing witches: symbolic of oppressing women's sexuality" "the christian concept of "evil" has long been synonymous with sexual desire and the rejection of women in general and women's sexuality in particular."

from an article entitled "hammer time: portrayal of witches, witchcraft and medieval christianity" "it is amazing how celibate men became obsessed with the sexuality of women. as it is stated in malleus malificarum: all witchcraft comes from carnal lust, which is, in women, insatiable."

the infamous 'malleus malificarum' (the witches' hammer) became the torturer's bible, and Nancy van Vuuren in "The subversion of women as practiced by churches, witch hunters and other sexists" states "...the women's sex organs provided special attraction for the male torturer".

 

black cats have long been associated with friday the 13th and the feminine - they were seen as the familiars of witches - wise women and healers - but the rise of christian 'hysteria' introduced the concept of witches' pets as evil, and agents of the devil

the number 13, religious intolerance, persecution, and fanatacism, the subversion of women - fascinating topics which deserve to be explored more thoroughly... but that'll have to wait for another day...

hope you had a wonderful friday the 13th!!!

dissention in the ranks? or just good old fashioned common sense?

i came across some articles this week on a couple of topics i'm passionate about - marijuana and vegetarianism... could there possibly be a move to a more 'enlightened' attitude on these subjects from countries australia tends to 'follow' (albeit usually quite a lot later - the (very slow) 'trickle-down' effect??)...

on the marijuana front...

"UK drug adviser fired after marijuana comments" by Raphael Satter, Associated Press Writer – Fri Oct 30, 2:57 pm

LONDON – Britain's top drug adviser was fired Friday after saying that marijuana, Ecstasy and LSD were less dangerous than alcohol.

David Nutt's comments have embarrassed the British government, which toughened the penalties for possessing marijuana earlier this year over the protests of many prominent British scientists...

In later comments to BBC radio's "PM" program, Nutt accused British Prime Minister Gordon Brown of making "completely irrational statements" about the dangerousness of marijuana.

"I'm not prepared to mislead the public about the harmfulness of drugs like cannabis and Ecstasy," he said...." read more here

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"Push to Legalize Marijuana Gains Ground in California" by Jesse McKinley, October 27, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO — These are heady times for advocates of legalized marijuana in California — and only in small part because of the newly relaxed approach of the federal government toward medical marijuana.

State lawmakers are holding a hearing on Wednesday on the effects of a bill that would legalize, tax and regulate the drug — in what would be the first such law in the United States. Tax officials estimate the legislation could bring the struggling state about $1.4 billion a year, and though the bill’s fate in the Legislature is uncertain, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has indicated he would be open to a “robust debate” on the issue." read more here

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and this makes very interesting viewing on the issue...

on the vegetarian front...

"Climate-Change Authority Advocates Vegetarianism" by Heather Moore, from the Care2 Causes & News page

"It might take a while for Al Gore and other noted “environmentalists” in the U.S. to branch out from giving “safe” advice like "use energy-efficient light bulbs" and "recycle"—and American politicians may not even be all that quick to promote an official meat-free day—but one of the top climate chiefs in the U.K. is taking the lead. Lord Stern, the author of the 2006 Stern Review on global warming, recently told The Times, “Meat is a wasteful use of water and creates a lot of greenhouse gases. It puts enormous pressure on the world’s resources. A vegetarian diet is better.” read more here

Heather Moore is a freelance writer and a senior writer for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and you can read more of her articles on animal welfare and climate change here.

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I stumbled upon this great banner from LOBSA, a non-profit buddhist vegan abolitionist organisation (now that's a mouthful - and no, i'm not buddhist - but i can definitely appreciate the sentiments expressed!!!)...

and these two buddhist prayers from the same source - for all the suffering animals...

even though i've been a vegetarian for ages - i stopped eating and wearing dead animal over 3 decades ago - i still eat organic, animal rennet-free cheese, free range eggs and drink organic milk - i really need to take that 'final' step and remove them from my 'table' - as much for my conscience as the welfare of the supposedly (hopefully) more humanely treated (but still enslaved) animals in those industries... once i achieve that therein lies a whole 'other' dilemma - my canine and feline companions are carnivores, so how to feed them because they're unable in this society to hunt for themselves??? ahh, another quandary to ponder...

a world away...

what child didn’t love Noddy, Big Ears, Tessie Bear, Bumpy Dog, the Golliwogs and all the other Toyland friends??

and with the arrival of television in the 50s and 60s we even got to see our favourite storybook characters magically come to life (mind you, it was new technology so we pretty much saw all telly as magical!!! )

who could have known that by the late 80s Noddy, Big Ears and the Golliwogs would become so controversial – infamous even...

(the following excerpts from "Noddy, older and wiser?" in The Scotsman newspaper)



there were accusations of homosexuality (hey, i was a kid and we understood friendship - we didn’t understand sexuality – and what difference did being gay or straight make anyway??? – let’s not forget, we’re talking wooden dolls here!!!!)






the fact that Noddy and his top chum Big Ears – without whom, let's face it, he'd probably still be wandering around the woods in the buff – would cuddle up in bed together with a nice steaming mug of hot chocolate has been the cause of much sniggering for many years... Blyton's liberal use of the words 'queer' and 'gay' was deemed 'inappropriate' and in 1989 all use of the words was taken out, and Big Ears was banished to his own bed”

there were accusations of racism (i thought the golliwogs were grouse – they were rag dolls, we all knew that! i had one, it was friend and companion – i was totally unaware of the concept of racism...)

“Golliwogs were popular toys at the time of Blyton's writing, but by the 1980s they were seen as promoting negative black stereotypes. The golliwog characters were airbrushed out in 1989, some erased completely, while others were replaced with goblins.”

even librarians hated noddy...

“Children may have loved Noddy, but librarians loathed him. Described by one as "the most egocentric, joyless, snivelling and pious anti-hero in the history of British fiction", poor young Noddy was on the verge of being blacklisted. There was a movement in the 1960s to ban Blyton's books – and in particular Noddy tomes – from libraries, because of their supposed limited vocabulary, but it did not last long, with many finally recognising that Blyton's ability to get children to read in the first place was far more important.”

Enid Blyton didn't live a conventional life for the era apparently... according to author Kate Forsyth from an article entitled Enid Blyton, Shoddy Noddy and the Infamous Five..

"Blyton's own life has been a source of continual fascination, perhaps because she so unfailingly represented it as bathed in perpetual sunshine. The Channel Four series Secret Lives recently probed the dark, secret shadows of her life with great relish - Blyton's frigid relations with her own family her affairs and bitter divorce, her intense friendship with Dorothy Richards (Bi Women on the Web, a resource page for bisexual women, lists Enid Blyton as one of its heroines, along with Josephine Baker, Simone de Beauvoir and Sandra Bernhard).

Most tellingly, Blyton has finally been the subject of an in-depth critical analysis, published last month in the UK as Enid Blyton and the Mystery of Children's Literature. David Rudd, a senior lecturer at Bolton Institute, has examined the life and work of Blyton, with particular emphasis on the fact that, despite the storm of adult negativity, Blyton remains the most popular children's author ever.

"Why does a writer accused of being ... middle-class, snobbish, sexist, racist ... continue to fascinate in our multicultural world? To fascinate not only in France, Germany and Australia, but also in Malaysis, Russia and Japan, and in languages such as Catalan and Tamil?" Rudd asks.

To begin with, Rudd examines the primary criticisms of Blyton's work and concludes that many "are based on glaring misreadings, sometimes not even drawing on Blyton's own original texts."

The accusation of sexism, for example, is one that has always troubled me. Of all the thousands of books I read as a child, it is George of the Famous Five that remains most vivid in my memory - the tomboy who refused to let the boys push her around, the girl who could out-swim, out-climb and out-wit anyone. The critic Bob Dixon has described George as "a very bad case of ... penis-envy', yet she was a powerful role-model for literally millions of young girls.

Blyton's books are filled with passionate, independent girls who fight desperately against being straitjacketed in normal gender roles. Even Anne, normally dismissed as the typical domesticated female, has her own power, which often takes her brothers by surprise. And as Rudd points out, without the contrast of Anne, George's behaviour would not appear half so subversive."

so why write about Noddy now?? because the young lad is making a comeback in the first classic Noddy tale to appear in 46 years - “Noddy and the Farmyard Muddle” with illustrations by Robert Tyndall, who has drawn the series since 1953 - minus the golliwogs of course, and big ears will be confined to his own bed (no more snuggling up together) – it’s written by Sophie Smallwood, the granddaughter of Enid Blyton... i heard it mentioned the other day and was transported back to my childhood - a world away...