Imma keep this “no names” and no “tend to identify" details. I will do that by invoking planet Zarg and the Zargians. Once upon a time on planet Zarg (in the constellation of Kasterborous, at galactic coordinates 10-0-11-00:02 from Galactic Zero Centre, since you ask) a subset of Zargians were invited to attend an event... Continue Reading →
Save Karen and the “limits” of Australian democracy #SaveKaren #FreeKaren
Last Friday the Government released a booklet with a set of anti-radicalisation homilies every bit as subtle as the movie 'Reefer Madness'. One in particular spoke of 'Karen', the sweet well-meaning lass who became a green Jihadi Jane because she cared too much - or in the wrong way - about the environmental destruction we... Continue Reading →
Good bye to all schlock – #fictionbyfemales #lifetooshort #apocalypse
The only fiction I am reading this year is by women, with a presumed bias away from white western women (though there’s nowt wrong with the Barbara Kingsolvers and Margaret Atwoods of this world). However, I need another ‘rule’ – no schlock. Life is Too Short – I am not getting any younger, and the... Continue Reading →
PhD First Years – read this now. NOW.
Fortunately my experience of doctoral training was COMPLETELY different. By the way, I have a second hand bridge for sale. It's in Sydney.
Books by women, and even – darn it – about women
This year (starting last week) the only fiction I will read (novels and short stories) is by women, as per suggestion from the wonderful wife (7 years hitched!!). It occurred to me, both before and after reading Ursula Le Guin's comments on her 'The Eye of the Heron' that this might not mean I was... Continue Reading →
Two different papers on the history of #Australia and environment may be of interest.
In Ward (2015) "Tea Party imitators? The campaign against the carbon tax, the media and a new uncivil politics", Australian Journal of Political Science, 50:2, 225-240, there is a very handy account of the bizarre and distasteful year of 2011, when Julia Gillard as Australian Prime Minister skilfully steered the ‘Clean Energy Futures’ legislation through... Continue Reading →
The #HungerGames and #militainment
So, am only reading fiction by women this year. Polished off books 2 and 3 in the Hunger Games trilogy last weekend. If you've been living under a rock this last 5 years, here's the recap. Sometime (hundreds of years?) after a nuclear war, American civilisation is based around a hyper modern Capitol, with 12... Continue Reading →
Star Trek, innovation theory and “dominant designs”
Article discussed: Rebecca M. Henderson and Kim B. Clark (1990) “Architectural Innovation: The Reconfiguration of Existing Product Technologies and the Failure of Established Firms” Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 9-30. There's an episode of Star Trek: the Next Generation called I, Borg, which is useful for thinking about innovation theory and 'dominant... Continue Reading →
Attack of the Bots!! Twitter and its fake accounts problem
Just read a fascinating article; "The Influence and Deception of Twitter: The Authenticity of the Narrative and Slacktivism in the Australian Electoral Process" by the following people Benjamin Waugh, Maldini Abdipanah, Omid Hashemi, Shaquille A. Rahman and David M. Cook, all from Edith Cowan University, While I would quibble with their definition of slacktivism, I... Continue Reading →
When will we give up on “two degrees”? And what will that mean?
Climate change is going to be an unmitigated disaster. It already is, in fact. But for all the talk of solar panels from 3-D printers this, and Paris that, we miss the big picture. The big picture is that we are screwed, more and more people know that we are screwed, and that it won't... Continue Reading →
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