Housekeeping

24 Jun

Hi, everyone,

I’m taking a blog break.

Please continue to chat with each other if you want to.

Be well, be safe, be happy.

Jennifer.

24 Responses to “Housekeeping”

  1. Elisabeth June 24, 2013 at 2:46 pm #

    Enjoy your break.

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    • paul walter June 25, 2013 at 11:02 pm #

      Hope it is not to do with any worsening of her friend’s illness..

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  2. ドン博士 (@eldonnn) June 24, 2013 at 4:57 pm #

    sometimes i cannot even open my computer.
    “life-ache cannot be cured, but you can learn to manage the symptoms”
    [seen on the toilet wall of my friend’s house this morning, pace ML]

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  3. doug quixote June 24, 2013 at 5:31 pm #

    Talk amongst ourselves?

    Ok HG, Paul, Gerard et al, do you have a (non-political?) topic to suggest?

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    • hudsongodfrey June 24, 2013 at 7:39 pm #

      Well if you really do insist on spoiling the fun we could make a list of things that the supermoon didn’t affect or find out why the Chinese are blocking searches for Big Yellow Ducks.

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      • doug quixote June 24, 2013 at 10:55 pm #

        I had in mind the further exploration of Wittgenstein. I think we were interrupted by mundane matters . . .

        What do you see as his greatest contribution?

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    • Poirot June 25, 2013 at 8:49 am #

      Hi guys,

      How about this?

      I noted this story recently – http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-24/australian-retailers-linked-to-sweatshop-abuse/4773738 – and it got me thinking that how do women in the West sanction their emancipation through feminist principles when our conditions are made possible through the exploitation of women in developing countries.

      We have the ability to buy any amount of cheap produce – things that we would have to produce ourselves if it weren’t for near slave labour overseas. (If they were made here in factories, they’d be more expensive and less likely to be jettisoned at the drop of a hat)

      So our lives are made easier due to the affordability of goods in a first world system that dictates a throw-away society. We’re liberated from the nitty-gritty of domestic servitude – we don’t “make” anymore – instead we “buy”…and often at indecently cheap prices. I’ve noted that when buying clothes for my eleven year-old that some prices are cheaper now than they were when my 30 year-old daughter was a child.

      How can we strut around holding up our feminist principles and our way of perceiving women’s rights, when the whole show is made possible only through the indenture and ill-treatment of men and women in developing economies?

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      • helvityni June 25, 2013 at 10:30 am #

        Poirot, I don’t buy cheap new stuff, I’m an expert at finding and buying fantastic preloved things, clothes to die-for, books…

        My friends now ‘ hire Helvi’ when they are looking for something, they are full of wonder when I always find something just perfect for them…

        Years of snooping at the markets, at designer seconds outlets and at any ordinary charity shops has worked for me…

        Why buy a Target jacket for $90.00, when you can have a perfect Armani coat made in Italy for $30,00….

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        • Poirot June 25, 2013 at 10:38 am #

          Hi Helvi,

          Yeah, I’m an op-shop girl too 🙂

          I also note that some charities have become corporatised because of the vast amount of good quality stuff that is tossed out as we make room for more. We also now have professionals for hire to de-clutter our space…because we’ve got so much and the ability to pay for it, especially at ridiculously low prices.

          My main point being that how can a society which prides itself on the employment of feminist principles and the supposed empowerment of women in our own society, ignore the fact that the ill-treatment of women (and men and children) in poorer countries facilitates our good fortune and choices?

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          • paul walter June 25, 2013 at 11:00 pm #

            You must be thinking of the jarring 4 Corners last night. Ugly, wasn’t it?

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      • doug quixote June 25, 2013 at 4:59 pm #

        Ah yes, the joys of capitalism and globalisation. The global capitalist system is built upon the export of jobs from developed, expensive countries to underdeveloped, cheap labour countries.

        The transnational companies also “export” their profits to low tax countries, if not to outright tax havens.

        The only way this situation seems likely to change is for all countries to get together and synchronise their tax regimes – to ensure that there is less advantage (no chance for nil advantage) in exporting their profits.

        This can be addressed soon if the will is there.

        As for exploitation of cheap labour, it will really only be remedied when the world equalises pay and conditions. This may take decades; I cannot see any other way of ending the oppression and exploitation. Bans and boycotts really won’t work, as the ways around them are not difficult to imagine.

        I await further discussion, dear readers.

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        • paul walter June 25, 2013 at 11:07 pm #

          The US system is hopelessly jammed by a corrupt, senile supreme court, red state obfuscators and a denialist, anti rationalist pro ignorance congress.
          Just as the TNC’s and Mega banks ordained.
          The world may go hang: the New Feudalism looks permanent.

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          • paul walter June 25, 2013 at 11:10 pm #

            No wonder their politicians are as opportunist as our own- where’s the value in resistance?
            Three cheers for Edward Snowden, btw.

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          • doug quixote June 26, 2013 at 7:32 am #

            That’s a little too negative, Paul. I don’t like the American system, but I don’t think their Supreme Court is at all corrupt.

            As for their politicians, most of them are so into pork-barreling and sand-bagging their tenures that little is ever done, or even do-able. But as the saying goes, you get the politicians you deserve. They probably deserve that lot. The pity is that decisions made there affect the rest of the world.

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  4. Di Pearton June 24, 2013 at 5:47 pm #

    Tell that dog of yours to take you for a walk! Cheers 🙂

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  5. hudsongodfrey June 24, 2013 at 7:35 pm #

    Have a good break and don’t be gone too long 🙂

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  6. 8 Degrees of Latitude June 24, 2013 at 7:36 pm #

    Hope you won’t be away too long.But have a good break.

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  7. Nareen Young June 24, 2013 at 8:16 pm #

    Don’t be away for too long Jennifer. Nareen xoxo

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  8. Garpal Gumnut June 25, 2013 at 10:17 pm #

    A well deserved break now that you are a global superstar. A good blog. I rarely agree with some posters, but appreciate well argued points and genuine beliefs in response to Jennifer’s stirring top statements.

    As one who was batonned in my youth on the head on many an anti Apartheid demo by coppers, may we spare a thought tonight for a great man and forgiver, giver, gentleman and statesman, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, as he prepares for his final journey.

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    • paul walter June 25, 2013 at 11:07 pm #

      Strong post, GG.

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  9. hudsongodfrey June 26, 2013 at 11:12 pm #

    Out of the frying pan into the fire?

    Discuss….

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    • doug quixote June 27, 2013 at 7:53 am #

      Still assessing this one, HG. My immediate reaction is that it is still anyone but Abbott. We shall see what we shall see.

      It is an undeniable fact that the public want “a leader” and not a leadership team; Rudd redux is not my preferred option (!) but as I have often said before it is a matter for the Labor members of parliament as to who shall be their leader.

      Labor under Rudd is still a preferred option to Noalition under Abbott.

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      • hudsongodfrey June 27, 2013 at 10:34 am #

        Yes it will probably be easier to comment at the end of the day when we know whether he’s forced to call an early election. I did think that if they changed leaders they should do so later rather than sooner, but it also looks weak and desperate and divisive of the party so I doubt that it’ll do more than save the furniture.

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