Shouting from water skis

Sometimes being a woman in a male dominated field feels a bit like trying to teach from water-skis.

No water-skis are not the best platform to teach from.

No people don’t hear you as well over the roar of engines and water.

Yes, you will probably fail more often

You lose people’s attention more when people are focused on where you are rather than what you are saying.

It’s exhausting, and even the easiest lesson is hard to do from a difficult place to stand.

 

But if that is the ONLY space you have to teach from, and people will watch, because of the spectacle then what are you going to do?

Quit and lose your voice and audience?

Fight for a better space and risk people refusing to tow you?

Or carry on and hope like hell eventually someone sees how stupid this is and gives you a more appropriate space to teach from in the future.

 

All of the above options are entirely legitimate, and I wouldn’t judge anyone who took any of those options. I also don’t blame people who don’t even go into those spaces because they aren’t well enough, fit enough, have enough time, or can deal with the stress of such an unpleasant work environment.

Refusing to work on skis isn’t unreasonable.

Refusing to provide a better space for women to work and have a platform IS.

 

 

 

The fact that some of our most interesting scientists in New Zealand (I can name Siouxsie Wiles, Christine Winterbourn, Heather Hendrickson, Margaret Brimble, and Judy O'Brien off the top of my head) are not seen regularly in our media is a damn waste, and frankly it’s a bit of a surprise that even Souxsie with her bright pink hair and award for science communication is mostly under the mainstream radar.

 

Dr Dickinson is getting there, and she is getting there on the shittiest water skis possible. BUT SHE IS GETTING THERE.

While we watch the rubbish she has to deal with, hoops she has to jump through, and unreasonableness of her environment, let’s take the focus off the stunts she has to pull, and on why that’s the ONLY SPACE SHE HAS FOUND AN AUDIANCE.

 

Because I’m pretty damn sure that if anyone had any kind of choice, they wouldn’t work with people who undermine them, degrade them, and bring their personal life into a professional discussion. But we do.

Because that is the only space we have.

 

Let’s stop pointing at the women who are the spectacle and start looking at why that’s the only space women have voices.

 

 

This post is cross-posted to The Hand Mirror

Equality, the final frontier. Where no man has gone before?

 

 I came out of the latest Star trek film feeling angry, and let down.

In a film set in a future that is supposed to be pretty damn idealistic (great tech, multicultural/multi-planetary teams, etc.) this film was behind the times NOW.

This film just felt like one big "Male Gaze" to the point where at times I felt physically pushed out of the moment of enjoying a story by the horrible realisation this film wasn’t made for people like me (that's 50% of the population BY THE WAY film industry). The concept of a film so overtly made by men for men is problematic for several reasons, sexual objectification being one, but my beef is that women have ZERO independent character development; they are defined solely by their relation to the male characters. Meanwhile male characters are given development both within their romance and out of it.

Urgh, it turns out that it is not space that is the final unexplored frontier, it is equality.

First up, in a meeting of senior leaders –out of all the entire table of a variety of species discussing plans, 5 women (mixed races and alien). A few characters are overtly alien. There are Eleven white humanoid men.

Really? In the future, we STILL don’t have gender equality, or racial diversity? REALLY?

Uhura has always been a favourite of mine, and I was looking forward to seeing her in this film. Unfortunately she only had one token scene that didn’t revolve around her holding up the concept of Spock's humanity. She bravely negotiated in perfect Klingon, and appealed to the enemy’s' sense of honour to try and save her team. it didn’t work, but it was a neat moment of one of the team showing their true colours and value. Pity it was the only interesting thing she got to do.

The first scene to make me realise that this movie was NOT going to make me happy, was the arrival of Carol Marcus. A young female member of the team is introduced to her new captain (and obviously, boss) – Kirk. On her arrival to the ship Kirk overtly eyes her up and down, makes a loaded comment about how he is happy she is on board, and proceeds to hit on her for the duration of the film.

So just to reiterate, a man who is responsible for hundreds of lives in a workplace people have to LIVE at, he feels confident enough in his own power, and consequently, her lack of power, to sexually harass her within minutes of being introduced.

When I mentioned this to people the overwhelming, and disappointing response was that the action was in character with Kirk, who is to be honest, a bit of a knob. He is endearingly reckless, thoughtless, and laddish. That’s what “makes” the film.

Talk about missing the point.

In the future, there will still be risk takers and creeps, I can totally understand that. But in this film, Kirk didn’t force her back to his cabin to marry him, and consecrate the marriage to make it legal to make an alliance with his commander’s family… why? Because it’s a ridiculous, outdated concept, based on the B.S. model that women are chattel to be passed from father to husband in some sort of sick ownership.

Star trek is set in the future. The future where I hope fervently the idea that workplace harassment and the idea that any leader has the right to treat a staff member like they are there for their enjoyment is ALSO not ok. JUST as silly as the idea of a man "owning" a woman.

We don’t just stop having creeps in this world, the entire culture around what those jerks are allowed to do to other people changes. This is evidenced by all human rights changes ever.

In the future, all will be equal, right? Star trek was the first show to have a woman of African descent in a non –menial role*. It is SUPPOSED to take strides and be forward thinking – the 1968 episode "Plato's Stepchildren" Uhura and Kirk kiss. The episode is popularly cited as the first example of a scripted inter-racial kiss on United States television.

This show is supposed to be thoughtful, provocative, and philosophical.

I’m well aware that the show has been problematic before now, and will continue to need to improve, but to see that NO progress has been made in this latest film, is as much of a kick in the guts as finding this out was…

“I was trying to make a movie, not tryingto make a Trek movie." – JJ Abrams
 

*how the actress herself was treated is more problematic – Nichols was the only performer in the cast who wasn't originally offered a contract, but instead worked on a week-to-week basis.

One Woman’s ‘emotional’ is another Man’s ‘passionate’.

If ever you need to see sexism in the way the media report on leaders who are women, keep an eye on Hillary Clinton’s activity in any news article around the world. Currently the Secretary of State is being questioned in the congressional hearings about the attacks on the USA diplomatic compound in Benghazi  September 2012.

Here are some terms used to describe her tone, actions and behavior. I have pulled these from a variety of news outlets over the last week or so.

 

Descriptors used for Senator Rodham-Clinton

Heated voice

choked up

Exhausted

Anger

Described her “Chopping arms”

Mad

Strong emotional toll

Emotional and fierce

Frigid veneer

Screeched

 

The men mentioned

Tough questions

Calm,

Tough,

Dogged  and successful

Passionate

When they spoke the word “said” was the describer.

 

So when they were described as “calm”, she had a “frigid veneer”.

When they were tough, she had a “heated voice”

When they were passionate, she had “chopping arms”

When they were dogged and successful, she screeched.

 

Let me clarify. This write up is irrelevant to how I feel about Senator Clinton. (Honestly – I have mixed feelings about her.) It’s about how I see powerful women portrayed in the media.

How their ideas are represented. Opinions slanted and demeanor reported for the sake of “humanizing” the person. How often do we bother to “humanize” male leaders by reporting on whether they are tired or not, what they are wearing and describing their tone?

Not often, which makes me think that “humanizing” someone is just a charming phrasing for “dragging them down to our level”.

So next time you see one of our leaders described in the government house, take a look at the language used.

It’s a powerful tool, to humanise, dehumanise, or just plain undermine someone’s statement.

An Ironic Juxtaposition:

jux•ta•po•si•tion / [juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uh n]
noun
an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

An Ironic Juxtaposition: Twilight Vs. White ribbon day.

Some people will say “ahhh I have heard this rant before”. Some people may be on the “huh?” side of things.

When I read the first twilight book I had shudders. I read the entire series because A) they were easy to read, and B) I wanted to see exactly how dysfunctional things got.
If twi-hards read my blog, at this point I’m sure you are thinking “What the HELL!! This is TRUE LOVE, look what they GO THROUGH TO BE TOGETHER!!!” (More than three exclamation marks to a fan is as glitter to the vamps)

Actually, true love means doing the best for your partner. In the example of the twilight characters it would be him never talking to her and walking the hell away, since at their age difference it is essentially paedophilia.

Having been in an abusive relationship I know exactly how romantic it is.
The massive ups and downs. Having them tell you that they are sorry, it is just that they love you SO MUCH. After I broke up with him it advanced to more fully fledged stalking, and abuse. Even then there were 17 year olds cooing about how romantic he was. WTF is romantic about someone following you, or sitting outside your house and just watching?

Seeing as 12 years hasnt improved anyone's comprehension of romance vs dysfunction, I am going to lay out the stark facts. These thanks to the Sophie Elliot Foundation (I found her case terrifyingly close to home).

Early signs of abuse in relationships

Power and control
Is obsessive. Tells you who you can see, what clothes to wear, how to have your hair or makeup. Often says, “If you love me you will …”

Possessiveness
Wants to know where you going, who you are with, when you will be home, and so on. Displays stalking behaviours such as following you, accusing you of being unfaithful, flirting, and so on.

Isolates you
Stops you or makes it difficult for you to see your family or friends. Sulks or is moody when your family or friends are around, and makes you feel uncomfortable until they are gone.

Threats
Is abusive to you, or about your family, friends or pets. Indulges in name calling, and physical and emotional threats. Says things like, “I will leave you if …”, “I will hurt you if ….”. Nasty behaviour towards pets is a frequent early warning sign.

Suicide threats
Says things like:
“I need you.”
“You’re the only one who understands me.”
“I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“If you leave me I will hurt myself.”
“I need help; please help me.”

Changeable/volatile behaviour
Is erratic – nice one minute or day, and abusive and nasty the next. Blames you for his behaviour. “You make me react that way”, “if you did this, or didn’t do that I wouldn’t get so angry.” You feel like you are walking on egg shells and constantly “trying to make him happy.”

Sexual
Is coercive, pressuring you to do things you don’t want to. Takes no responsibility for contraception, seeing it as “your problem”.

Physical abuse
Says he loves you but then physically abuses you, by hitting, punching, choking, or pushing. Often has a history of previous abuse.

Communication
Is haphazard and unreliable. Leaves you to do the contacting and keeps you dangling. You are left confused and don’t know what he wants. Doesn’t appear to be telling you the truth about what he is doing and says “it’s none of your business”. Makes you feel crazy, or jealous, or insecure when that is not how you usually feel.

So with the above in mind, have a go at the quiz below… and let me know if you still think Edward should be held up as the ultimate boyfriend.



Some Facts about Abusive Relationships thanks to Living without violence NZ, and other references.

One woman is killed by her partner or ex-partner in New Zealand every four weeks. Approximately half of all homicides in New Zealand are family violence related.

66% of women seeking Women’s Refuge help are 17-35 years old. In 2009, 26.1% of refuge clients were aged 16 – 25 years old. (New Zealand Women’s Refuge 2006, 2010)

One in three New Zealand women experience physical and/or sexual abuse at the hands of a partner during their lifetime.

25 per cent of those convicted of ‘male assaults female’ in 2006 were 15 – 24 years old, with 44% of all those convicted being under 29 years old. (Ministry of Justice, 2008)

In any one year, one woman in five will experience physical and/or sexual abuse at the hands of a partner.

15-24 year olds are the age group most at risk of physical, psychological and sexual victimisation from current and ex-partners. (New Zealand National Survey of Crime Victims, 2006)

One in five New Zealand men are subjected to violence by their partners.

One woman dies approximately every 26 days at the hand of her partner or former partner. We estimate that over 20 women have been murdered since Sophie in 2008. (Roundtable for Violence Against Women)

93 out of every 100 domestic violence cases in New Zealand are male assault female.

In 2009, nearly 75% of the 29 female murder victims were killed by offenders identified as a family member or partner. (Police Statistics on Culpable deaths in New Zealand, April 2010)

About 10 children are killed every year in New Zealand by a member or members of their own family.

Women’s Refuge receive a crisis call every 9 minutes. New Zealand police receive a domestic violence crisis call every 7 minutes. (Its Not Ok, 2010)

The annual cost of family violence in New Zealand is at least $1.2 billion.

37% of protection order applications and 25% of respondents are under 29 years old. (Family Court Statistics, 2007)

Family violence is a major problem in New Zealand but by reaching out for help all of us can begin to change the cycle of abuse and violence.

48 per cent of couples at age 21 years old reported having been involved in physical partner violence. (Dunedin Longitudinal Study, Moffitt and Caspi, 1999)


NB: Please note that the above stats and info relating to “Male” to “female” violence is due to the current white ribbon campaign. Abuse can occur in the reverse and cisgender men and women are not the only identity included within this data.

An open letter to the NZ media about Slutwalk.

Dear NZ media.
I will be attending tomorrow’s “slutwalk” and I am so scared I am seriously considering not going.
I am scared that you will film me, and then use my image to misinterpret what is happening and why I am there.
I am scared that it will affect my job.
I am scared my boyfriend and I’s friends and family will think less of us.
I am scared that people who do rape and assault women will see me, and that will make me more of a target than simply being a young woman already does.
This march is TERRIFYING on so many levels.

But I WILL BE THERE.
But I will be there because I want to raise kids in a country where they do not have to drop rape charges just because they have had sex in the past, and their dating history is visible online.
I want to raise my kids in a country where the first question the police ask is “are you ok?” not “did you fight back?”
I want to hear that my kids can talk about their experiences of assault without the event being a mark on THIER reputation.
I want victim blaming to STOP NOW.

So let’s start with you shall we?
Here is how we will start.

Use our full quotes, don’t cherry pick my words to portray me as anything other than as how I present myself. My mother, great uncle, boss and friends will be watching the news.

Please accept that 99.99% of the attendees are not ACTUALLY marching for their right to wear a short skirt. We can already do that, as noted in all the judgemental footage of the viaduct that you use when covering the drinking culture in NZ.

Please do not only use footage of those dressed provocatively to cover the march – show footage of the wide range of men and women attending.

Please don’t show footage of us crying and call us victims. We are survivors.

Please don’t use footage of us shouting and make assumptions about why we are angry, or whether we should be.

Try for once to actually RESEARCH what we are marching about rather than just guessing by looking at us.

Make it very clear that we are not angry at one ignorance Canadian policeman.
Here are some nice quotes from rape crisis that you can use.

We are angry that we get judged for what we wear even though only 3% of offenders in NZ are actually strangers.

We are angry that people still feel comfortable saying someone is “rape bait” or “asking for it” because of what they wear or how they behave, when we would NEVER make the assumption that someone is a prospective rapist just because they have had a few drinks. What is the difference in judgement?

We are angry that the media spends very little time identifying that it is ok to set boundaries - even with people you love, and lots of time on what we wear when the majority of our offenders are blood relatives (30%) or a friend/acquaintance (30%) of the survivor.

We are angry that you waste time discussing where rape occurred as though we can prevent it by avoiding dark places. Those dark alleyways are in the minority of cases. Most rapes occur IN OUR OWN HOMES (61% of reports)

We are angry that you continue with thoughtless reporting, which adds to an environment where we feel so unsafe about this culture of blame that we DONT REPORT.
(56% were not reported to the Police)

Thank you for your time, I will see you tomorrow.
Kind regards,
Scube

Topp Twins in Toronto

This summer I had the opportunity to see the Top Twins live at Womad.
Their music set was fabulous and had me and all the rest of the crowd laughing, singing along and kicking up our heels to the great music.
But what I really enjoyed was ‘Ken and Ken’,
They did an hour long show on the food stage and their fabulous warm hearted characterization of the typical kiwi bloke was so neat to see live.
My partner had heard me rant about their political awareness work for nuclear-free New Zealand, the bastion point protests, and gay rights. I had tried to explain how most kiwis knew these twins who were gay, and they felt like family.
In essence, anyone with a TV could be educated out of fear of the “otherness” of gay people, by the sheer goodwill and approachability of these women.
I think I told him; “If you don’t love them, there is something missing in your chest cavity.”

He loved them.

After their food show I hovered by the stage hoping just to say hello and get a pic with either Jools or Linda. I was pleasantly surprised that when I approached Linda and she took the time to step away and grab Jules so they could both be in the picture.
I’ve met Zach Braff, Mandy More, Jon Cryer and a bunch of other celebrities and I’ve never felt out of depth.
With the twins I only just managed to stutter out an awkward blushing “I love you both – you are AMAZING” before they saved me from idiocy by making inane chit chat and posing for the photo.
I will treasure that photo forever.
While waiting to say hello, I saw a young woman throw herself at them and gush that they gave her courage to come out, and a heavily pierced woman break down in tears, unable to express exactly why they meant so much to her.
They have impacted an entire country.

I was pleased to see this write up on the Women’s media centre website by Emily Wilson.
An international audience is starting to sit up and take notice of the pair, now that their film “Untouchable Girls” won the audience award at the Toronto film festival.
It’s a shame they aren’t getting tvnz show spots for their shows, because the two of them are both still very keen to work, and it is simply a lack of interest from NZ broadcasters that stands between the NZ audience and them.

I will be very embarrassed if they get better recognition from an international audience than their own home, where they work so hard for their communities.

Paul Quinn's response to our outcry.

This post refers to yesterday's episode of Backbenchers and the post I wrote last night.


Other than a quick (not-sorry) tweet Paul Quinn has not fronted to the numerous people on twitter and other social media questioning his comments, today TVNZ (reported by stuff with video link) had the following response from him…

Quinn said he hadn't heard the slutwalk presentation (a great brief from Pollyanne Pena) and didn't understand why he was being asked the question.
He ''absolutely regretted'' the misinterpretation.
''I couldn't hear the speaker's presentation and I didn't know what she said. Wallace asked me what did I think of girls wearing short skirts at 2am in the morning in Courtenay [Place]. I looked at him and thought 'what the hell is he asking me that for?'
''Clearly rape is not justified for anything.
''I thought the question was around drunkenness on Courtenay Place at 2am. That's what I thought the discussion was initially about. Others started talking about rape and I thought what the hell are they talking about.''
He added: ''The mis-interpretation was around the fact that I hadn't heard what the discussion was about. I explained that to them afterwards.''

So let me clarify, you didn’t know what they were talking about, and so launching into a tirade about women still being out at 6am partying was the best response?

And then when Wallace Chapman clarified the question by saying ''Do you think there is something to this idea that girls ask for it...they'll be saying that?''
Then you STILL didn’t understand?
What did you think you were talking about?
Girls who go out partying and drinking til all hours are asking for:
help?
A lecture?
A headache?
A bad reputation?
A pregnancy?
A theft of their purse?

What exactly DID you think you were talking about Paul? Because I cant think of anything that someone asks for by going and drinking other than (and this may surprise you):getting drunk.

And later, once it was VERY clear, and Trevor Mallard had very clearly stated that there is NEVER a reason for rape you felt the need to clarify.
At this point it should have surely been the clarification that you didn’t realise they were discussing assault?
No, what you said was…

“I should, I should say… Your question was aimed at women, so I responded to women – boys are just the same”
Yep. Don’t want to leave those boys out.
So men, if you get raped, it is probably because you were asking for it too.
And boys…
No I’m sorry, I’m not even going there.
I feel sick.

I think the country needs an apology, and an acknowledgement that this attitude is not ok.
I would love to see a live debate on one of our news stations, between several panelists, because the more we bring this topic out in the open, the quicker we can change this crap.

If anyone does want to write to Paul his email address is paul.quinn@national.org.nz

Drop dead Diva - not quite feminism, but I like it!

I almost didn’t watch it... when I first saw “drop dead diva” I really didn’t get it.

Talk about contradictions... She has to be a deep enough character that she is engaging and lovable, but a lot of the first few episodes revolved around her distress at being a different size.
A character so shallow that is still engaging? They needed to lose that crap pronto, or lose their audience.
Something that was overlooked initially when she was focused on the weight thing was the fact that this new body comes with perks – a brain upgrade!
She now has all the knowledge of the education her body had in the past. She is getting the Porsche of bodies with a life to match, and yet they still bothered dwelling on the weight thing.
As more realistic negatives go the family and relationship issues would have been more credible.
Or even trying to navigate the intricacies of business without the cut-throat attitude (boy could I contribute to that script!)
Her old gorgeous fiancée is cast aside, and no work is done in the pursuit of him. At first I thought she was being respectful of his grief, but then she starts dating, so there goes that! Her new boyfriend (who is wonderfully sweet and charismatic) is portrayed as this uber catch that she is supposed to leap into the arms of because she couldn’t possibly go back to her ex-fiancée. And yet he is a bigger sized guy.
So she is bigger which is bad. He is bigger, but that is still ok?
Just bizarre.
But nice to see realistic double standards of expectations of appearance in men and women accurately portrayed in the media I guess. *sigh*



There is a lot to frustrate me about Drop Dead Diva.
But I watch it every week.
And I enjoy it.
Not because a bigger woman is beautiful on TV. Not because she is glamorous and has several sexy men interested in her.
In fact, as a character she needs to prove herself the same as any other and I’m not going to get all Rah rah yay for her, just because she isn’t a size 0.
(And I object to feeling like I have to give shows extra kudos because having a “fat” actress is SO out there –it is tragic that it is.)

I watch it because of the fact she is living a brand new life. This means she has a really strong appreciation for it.
Driving a flash car – she is doing it with a gleeful smile and the radio cranked up, rather than worrying about the price of petrol.
I’m in a job that matters and can change lives? WOW
A regular pay check – Fantastic!!
New wonderful people by my side, in life? – awesome!
New challenges? New experiences? New meetings? – bring it.

Every day brings new opportunities for a wide eyed innocent look at living the corporate life.
Things that seem mundane by the time you have worked yourself to the bone to get there are all magical and wonderful to her, and I LOVE it.

Tonight I am tired and burnt out.
Tomorrow I am going to enjoy waking up in a strange bed, in a strange town, and enjoy the uniqueness of my job, rather than just missing my man and familiar shower.
Bring it.

Naked ambition or disrespect for athletes?

Can someone please explain to me why Great Britan's female athletes have to pose naked in order to get funding from the National Lottery and British Gas?

"Thanks to National Lottery players, over 1,200 athletes are benefitting from world-class support for 2012. The National Lottery is also contributing up to £2.2bn to the London 2012 venues, infrastructure and legacy. www.national-lottery.co.uk/bepartofit"

It appears that the national lottery is funding more than just the women's swim, synchronized swimming and water polo teams, and yet the women’s water teams are the only ones getting their kit off.
No male swimmers? No women's shot-put, discus, or wrestling teams?
Since the national lottery is also funding the venues and infrastructures, why not have some tasteful nudie shots of the organizing committee or would that be too disrespectful of those in authority?

The discussion about how well women's teams get funded compared to men's always ends in the old "women are not as athletic/strong/fast/violent, therefore not as interesting to watch.
This publicity does nothing to improve on that ignorance, and undermines thier sporting abilities with the lack of skill shown in the photo.
This picture is 100% about the beauty of the women. There isnt even any sporting equipment in the shot.

What is the relevance of these women’s naked bodies vs. their performance in their sport of choice? This is an especially important question since they have photo-shopped them so heavily so that they are all smooth and flawless. The flip side of that being that they have also removed most of the muscle tone.
What the heck are all the girls dreaming of national league supposed to think when they develop their wonderful strong, muscular frame of an athlete, and it looks NOTHING like the athletes on that page?

I have nothing against nudity.
I have nothing against fundraising.
My friend worked as a prostitute to get through med school. The advantage of this particular choice is that it can remain a secret when she needs it to be.

These women, for better or worse have most of their bodies accessible to the entire world for as long as the internet is open, and that is totally their choice, right?

When asking if they were coerced in any way, ask this. - Have any of them released naked photos of themselves on the net without the incentive of team funding?

While you think about that, go ahead and ponder and what level of respect is shown here for female athletes.

Galileo could kick Ken Ring's Ring.

Before I start please let me clarify. I’m not angry at Ken Ring, and I’m certainly not angry at John Campbell.
I’m angry at you, yes YOU.
The people who commented on the various blog posts and media articles about how badly Ring was treated by Campbell.
Because in the process of commenting you have said:

“Anyone who judges Ring without proper research of his methodology is coming from a place of ignorance and fear.”

“Galileo was considered a crackpot in his time too.
I personally would like to see a scientists peer reviewed proof that this dude is a nut. Until then, I will accept him as an outsider with some interesting ideas that appear at first glance to be reasonably accurate.
Just because he has no qualifications, or is not in a scientific society, or is not respected by other scientists means nothing to me. Neither are the global warming groups.”

“Just because he has the balls to give dates doesn't make him evil. It makes many, like you & John Campbell, incredibly freaked out, and in knee jerk reaction, aggressive”

And you called doubters “conservative”.

HOW BLOODY RUDE!!

People used to believe the earth was flat, and that the universe revolved around it.
Others tried to prove it was round, and that we revolve around the sun.

Yes, it took time, and yes they were ridiculed, threatened, denounced to the roman inquisition (in the case of Galileo) and killed (Giordano Bruno).
Poor Ken Ring had to cope with John Campbell talking over him and ridiculing him in public. He can publish books, have an open website using his real name, and people PAY for his opinions.
I’m pretty sure I get more hate mail for my feminist opinions and pro-choice stance than he gets for his weather 'reports'.

Don’t you think it is a bit insulting to compare what these brilliant minds went through to bring their theories to the public eye with Ken Ring’s ‘plight’?

The concept the earth was flat was a Belief.
The theorem that the earth was round was a scientific theory, proved by many different people with different scientific types – physics, astronomy, natural sciences, etc.

In contrast, what we are comparing here is current SCIENCE (not belief) vs. Ken Ring’s OPINIONS.

It makes me really frustrated when people compare a renowned physicist, philosopher, mathematician, astronomer (Galileo Gelilei) to Ken Ring.
Ken RING??? A guy who published a book in 1998 on how to read cats paws.
A man who, in his own words, sells opinions...

"I don't claim to be able to forecast the weather. That is your claim on what I do, again your interpretation. I claim to have an opinion on what might happen, that is all... I sell opinions."

"My business is only a bunch of opinions as I have wearily repeated. There is no claim on accuracy; proof or anything other than that I have opinions."

"I don't claim to predict the weather. No one can. We are not gods. Nobody has all the answers. In my books it states on paragraph one on page one that what I say is opinion."

For a fantastic link to a full debunking of Ken Ring please head HERE.
They have done a lovely job of comparing his almanac to actual weather patterns and disasters.

And some graphs of earthquakes vs stages and distance of the moon from Sciblogs.





I will not waste my time by further pointing out the irrelevance of his predictions/opinions.
But for your information I will include here his much talked about prediction on Valentine’s day 2011.

(http:/www.predictweather.com/ArticleShow.aspx?ID=334&type=home).
Over the next 10 days a 7+ earthquake somewhere is very likely. This could also be a time for auroras in the northern hemisphere and in the southern tip of NZ. It may also be a time for whale strandings because of increases in underwater earthquakes. The 7+ is sure to be somewhere in the "Ring of Fire", where 80% of all major earthquakes seem to occur, and NZ is at the lower left of this Ring. The range of risk may be within 500kms of the Alpine Fault.

Firstly, there were no 7+ quakes in that time frame, and if we include the 6+ quakes he has got a bloody good chance of being correct because there are about 4 of them every ten days according to geonet.
Secondly.... An earthquake on the ring of fire. Gosh that WOULD be a surprise. It was hardly a brave prediction.
And finally 500km near the alpine fault is the entire South Island and a fair bit of the North.

What a Muppet.

How can people compare his dodging, weaving, changing of stories, disclaimers of “opinion” and other such drivel with the level genius of past scientists who were harassed because of their research?

I’m gutted, I really am.

ScubanurseNZ WIN A WIFE!!!

It's actually going to happen. And oh boy are there going to be some people with their panties in a twist over this one.

Are you sick of pushy, feminist, Kiwi gals with no respect for men?
Think you want to meet a nice girl who you know hasn’t been touched by another man? Are you sick of the fiancée claiming headache stasis to avoid you?
What if we could help you find a girlfriend who hasn’t opened her legs for every man on the street?

ScubanurseNZ is giving away a wife!

But we're not going to give this opportunity to just anybody ... to weed out the no-hopers and time-wasters, there is a process. If you're interested in holy matrimony with a potentially hot foreign chick, write into our comments section on this post, and in less 30 words tell us why you should be the winner. If we pick you, you'll be heading to Burkina Faso in Africa with 12 nights' accommodation with $2000 spending money to meet the lucky lady!


No, you are not participating in the circumcision.
Yes, in many areas the young women WANT the procedure done to help them catch a good man.
If you are a good man, this could be your lucky day!
If that lady takes a shine to you, your whole world could change.

This trip of a lifetime includes
(a) To choose one lady from those registered to have their circumcision in the month of March, to talk with and view the procedure.
(b) Visa application for a temporary visit to Burkina Faso.
(c) Return flights from Akl, Wgtn or Chch to Ouagadougou via Dubai & Accra flying Lufthansa Airlines departing March 23 and arriving home April 7.
(d) $2,000 NZD spending money.
(e) 12 nights’ accommodation in Zaporozhe (excluding breakfast).
(f) Extra’s include a food and beverage welcome pack on arrival, first day breakfast, a bunch of Roses for the lady on their first meeting, interpreters for the first meeting, 3 hour safari with the lady, taxi’s to and from the safari, photographer on the safari.



Terms and Conditions
1.ScubanurseNZ’s WIN A WIFE promotion gives the entrant the chance to win a trip to Burkina Faso to meet women who are interested in marriage to New Zealand men.
2. The promotion period begins on Monday 7 February and closes on Monday 28 February at 9am, 2011.
3. The prize will be judged and winner confirmed on Monday 28 February by phone. The Judges will be nominated by ScubanurseNZ.
4. Entry is via ScubanurseNZ website and entrants must submit a photo of themselves and follow the application process. All photos will be cropped to be upper torso and head only.
5. Photos and application forms will be moderated by ScubanurseNZ and will only be uploaded for entry to the competition if deemed suitable by the ScubanurseNZ appointed judge. No pornographic photos will be accepted.
6.The 5 finalists will be subjected to character assessment from friends and family and psychometric testing and suitability for marriage testing by a psychologist appointed by ScubanurseNZ. Viewers will vote online at the website for who they would like to win the competition.
7. The prize does not include visa application or travel for the Burkina Faso woman to come to New Zealand, this is the responsibility of the winner.
8. The winner will be chosen based on their total combined final score. The final score is composed from the total number of online votes.
9. The winner must be able to take the trip on the dates and times specified, if not it is forfeit.
10. Participants must be over the age of 18, have a current passport, and must not have any legal reasons preventing them from leaving New Zealand or entering Africa. Participants who are already married will be disqualified.
11. Any extra’s not specified in the prize details above are the responsibility of the winner.
12. This is a hoax and there is nothing to win. Please do not apply.
13. The winner takes the prize entirely at his/her own risk and indemnifies ScubanurseNZ in respect of any claim for any accident, injury, loss of life or failure to find love that may occur in connection with the prize. The Winner is responsible for all insurance, tax or other costs that may be associated with the prize. We suggest travel insurance.
16. To the fullest extent permitted by law ScubanurseNZ will not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever (including but not limited to direct or consequential loss) or for personal injury as a result of winning the prize.

The first question on the board below...
Why would you trivialise the horrific, disturbing and downright evil procedure of FGM by comparing it with a radio promotion which essentially wins somebody a date in the Ukraine?
If anything it serves to highlight that there are far more serious things in the world (happening to 6,000 girls a day no less) than a few shock jocks.


I couldn’t have gotten a better question if I had requested it.
You are right to ask.
Because this IS offensive.
And it ISNT funny.
And it does exploit young women in the most horrific way.

So what is the difference between this and the Radio competition?

The ONLY difference is that we start this competition two steps before the time that the radio station does.
The radio station is offering the chance to win a date with a woman who is interested in marrying a Kiwi man. So am I.
There is no overt coercion in either competition.

In both competitions the woman chooses the marriage.

My competition terms and conditions are the EXACT same as the radio station ones.

So what’s your big issue?

Oh – FGM?
Well yes, that is a really objectionable activity.
It leaves women hurt and scarred, and vulnerable.
Many women still want this to be done because due to culteral norms that would horrify us, without it they are unable to get a ‘good’ husband.
But I agree, the practice is barbaric and cruel, and yet another way of controlling women to meet men’s needs.

Let’s just take a little look at the Ukrainian women involved with the “foreign bride” sites.

This is a woman who is opening herself up to marriage to a foreign stranger which will mean leaving the country, language, food and people she is familiar with.
Why would she do this?
How bad would your life have to be for you to do this?
Because this woman IS you.
She isn’t stupid, she isn’t an infant, she isn’t anything different to us.
Something must have happened for her to be this desperate to get out and away from the Ukraine...

Perhaps finances are rough and the risk of having sex with a stranger husband seems less risky than actual prostitution.

Perhaps their family owes the gangs/money lenders money and she can pay that debt off by participating in this venture.

Between 1991 and 1998, 500,000 Ukrainian women had been trafficked to the West, those who manage to escape traffickers or are frightened of following may take this as the “better” option.

By 1995, due to the collapse of the Ukrainian economy the shadow (illegal business) economy accounted for 50 percent of the GDP The result has been a criminalization of the economy in general and expansion of organized criminal networks. Jobs are scarce for anyone, let alone women.

According to the International Organization for Migration (an American organisation), all mail-order-bride agencies with women from the republics of the former Soviet Union are under the control of organized crime networks. http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/203275.pdf

Starting to get a picture?

So at some point in most of these women’s lives they have been hurt, or are at risk of being hurt in the future.
The only difference between my competition and the radio’s is that they don’t show the woman being hurt; they just wait until they are vulnerable enough to be preyed upon.

To support this please go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-the-Rocks-Win-a-Wife-campaign/125406027531398

why do editors print these empty faff letters?

Oh good grief.
I was sitting in an airport with no inclination to continue working (since I left home at 6am today), feeling a little bored when I stumbled across this gem.
This has made my DAY!

Check this out, have a good laugh, grab a cup of tea, and come back and read this.

Firstly, this whole thing seems to be a big dirty mark on the name of Professor Christopher Saunders (not actually given his dues in this particular letter.)
He wrote the paper "Introduction in Research in English Literary History," and set down the three tests to be used on historical writing in 1952.
A professor of military history and what seems to be a highly methodical writer with a strong attention to detail, I sincerely hope he is devoutly Christian, and kind enough to ignore these idiots using the basics of his concepts and twisting them to suit their beliefs.

I just want to quickly clarify his process and how badly Ms. Michele Silvernail has missed the point.

The Internal test: In reality the internal test for a manuscript is not as simple as having a nice family tree at the front, or characters clearly defined and linked – if that were the case most of the fantasy genre books with their convoluted Elven royal families would also be “real”.
The external test: Shouldn’t there be a good solid chain of proper evidence to support events in the bible? I appreciate that there are plenty of relics scattered across this earth, but the number of double ups, would suggest that their origins may be questionable. If we take the word of those in the church (e.g. his stated archaeologist Nelson Gluck is Jewish...) then we may as well take the word of those who have been “beamed up” that aliens are real.
The bibliographic test: Is a joke. In actuality we need to trace the manuscript back to the original in an unbroken chain. We find out how many copies of the manuscript there are, and establish how closely the copies agree. Finally - do we have any of the manuscript in the handwriting of the purported author?
Well, there is no author properly identified, we don’t even know who wrote the gospels (it’s only according to Matthew, Mark, John, and Luke.), and to top it off we have a THREE HUNDRED year gap between the first entire gospel and the time at which it was supposed to have been written – even shit like twilight didn’t take that long to get a reprint!

Urgh, It’s not even worth arguing it is so silly.
But I felt like killing time at the airport... and meaningless phrases like her quoted Ephesians 2:8
“it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.” Really piss me off.
I much prefer Einstein’s quote
"The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge."

Dear Kanye - THINK!

Every day I am pummelled by images of Woman, and what she ought to be.
She is smooth and slim and perfect, available and willing and witty.
She is the provider for the family and maternal in keeping home.
She is perfection in itself.
At 28 I have come to terms with the fact that the media hold a strong position in telling people what they should find attractive and sexy and I am happy to choose to ignore.
The majority of people are unaware of how successful the media is at glamorising certain images. Portia D’Rossi is a prime example of someone whose abnormal weight loss was normalised by the miniscule size of the women she worked around and the reactions of the media to her “amazing transformation.”
People try new products because of the beautiful people marketing them, and if a company wants a product used, they just put it in the latest ‘it girl/ guy’s’ hand.

Popular musicians and rap stars hold equal amounts of power when it comes to sending messages as far as trends, and what is the ‘in thing’ right now, whether it be a behaviour or the latest image.
Today I saw parts of Kanye West’s new music video.
It has had me in equal parts revolted and frightened.

For those who haven’t been able to see it I direct you to this site. Kt-Rae has done a great job of describing the video, linking to it and discussing her concerns.

I don’t feel I need to elaborate too much further on the video itself. Partly because I feel sick to my stomach and I really, really, really don’t want to think about it too much more.

Instead, I am writing an open letter to those involved in the making of the music video.
Feel free to use it and send it in yourself.

Dear Kanye West, Jay-Z, Nicki, MinaJ, Rick Ross, and all those involved in the making of the “monster” music video.

What were you thinking?

You hold more power to reach out to the world in your little fingers, than I will ever have in my entire life. Every song you sing, every video you make, will tell people what to expect from life, and how to live theirs.
What you glamorise, is then normalised. Swearing is made awesome, fashion trends are loved, and new lyrics are learnt and sung around the world.
When I see people who are as powerful as all this choosing to glamorise and sexualise dead and unconscious women I am extremely concerned.
Are you so separated from the world that you have lost touch with what is normal? With what is ok?
Are you so separated from the world that you think that a woman’s body is yours to touch, whether she is still in it or not?
Are you so naive to think that this video will not impact on the hundreds of thousands of young men, who desperately need role models?

THINK.
Just think.

What the young woman who was raped while she was unconscious will think when she sees your lips on an unconscious woman’s hand while you leer at her body.

What someone’s sister who was date raped will think when she sees the woman splayed on the table while you calmly survey your domain?

What a mother will think when she see’s your video and wonders about her daughter who hung herself without an explanation.

What a father will be forced to remember about his little girl who was raped and killed.

By all means, raise awareness for the millions of women around the world who are raped, abused, living in fear, and killed before they even live for themselves.

But don’t sexualise them.
Don’t dress them up whilst you hang them up.
Don’t make a fetishism of their deaths.
Don’t get off on their pain.

And for God’s sake.
Pull this video before more people are hurt.
Men. Women, and those who need your leadership.

I for one will be boycotting your music until you do.

Kind regards,

Insights from a crappy Tuesday Part 1/2

He’s a nice guy really...

My second revelation from a crappy Tuesday:
My friends are not as nice as I thought, and there is a disturbing undercurrent of racism in my beautiful country.

I’m sick of being attacked for my opinions this week.
I’ve had person after person either insinuate, or out and out say to my face that I am “too PC”, “soft”, am “being petty”, getting involved in something that doesn’t affect me, am letting “negativity win by getting involved in arguments, and have got too much time on my hands due to me;

1) Openly showing my stance against a prominent media personality who has repeatedly denigrated his guests on the show and viewers based on their sex, appearance, race, income, sexuality and appearance.
2) Signing a petition with regards to the above
3) Joining a Face book group to show support for the appropriate and lawful dismissal of said “personality.”

First and foremost, none of those things took much time at all.
I work a full 8 hour day, and am volunteering for a community theatre job 5-6 shows a week in the evenings, so I’m not just sitting around waiting for something to get all up in arms about.
I’ve taken my precious time to make these statements because I care deeply and this behaviour concerns me greatly. Do not undermine me by implying that I’m somehow not leading a fulfilling life because I took the time to take a stand.

Secondly, I pride myself of being a rather positive person. Those who know me personally will attest to a rather sick sense of humour and a strong awareness of the power of positivity.
I’m more worried about my job review this week, a speech I have to give tomorrow and the fact I won’t be at the theatre tonight (did I train my replacement well enough?).
Being able to vent real frustration in an appropriate fashion to make positive change in a genuine outlet is wonderful, therapeutic, and totally functional.
Don’t tell me what I can and cannot handle.

Thirdly... what the hell is “Too P.C?”
I understand that being “P.C.” can go too far. Where is too far?
No derogatory or defamatory terms in court?
No derogatory or defamatory terms in parliament?
No derogatory or defamatory terms on the news?
No derogatory or defamatory terms on news based television?
No derogatory or defamatory terms on the radio?
No derogatory or defamatory terms by lecturers or teachers in schools and universities?
No derogatory or defamatory terms in workplaces?
No derogatory or defamatory terms in restaurants?
No derogatory or defamatory terms in your own home?

Where is your cut off?
Where is the cut off for what is “too PC”
Chances are they are the same place. It is an opinion based judgement.

Be very careful of using the terms “too PC “, or “PC gone mad”.

“Political correctness is one of the brilliant tools that the American Right developed in the mid-1980s, as part of its demolition of American liberalism. . . . What the sharpest thinkers on the American Right saw quickly was that by declaring war on the cultural manifestations of liberalism — by leveling the charge of "political correctness" against its exponents — they could discredit the whole political project”
Hutton W, “Words really are important, Mr Blunkett” The Observer, Sunday December 16, 2001


The only statement you are making is that you aren’t willing to actually debate the topic, just discredit my reasoning with a blanket statement that I can’t argue because there is no basis in fact, only opinion.