In the news

[Amy SF]

Wal-Mart is the new Evil Empire.

 

[Amy SF]

Queen’s representative in Australia expresses support for cutting ties with the British monarchy



ETA: Actually I was kinda wondering, what would be the pros and cons of Australia cutting ties with the British monarchy? Anyone know?

 

[das_nut]

Queen’s representative in Australia expresses support for cutting ties with the British monarchy



ETA: Actually I was kinda wondering, what would be the pros and cons of Australia cutting ties with the British monarchy? Anyone know?

I'd assume the governor-general position would go away, since that's the Queen's representative. Mostly the governor-general's role is similar to the Queen's role in the UK - very ceremonial, even though in theory, the post has a lot of power that is never used. The Queens role is even more trivial in Australian politics - technically she's the Queen, and that's it. As far as I know, Australia doesn't support the Queen, and the Queen does nothing for Australia other than appear on the money and occasionally visit. In theory, as Queen, she has a lot of power. In practice, I don't think any of that power has been used for almost a century.

However, in 1975, Australia's government was imploding due to petty infighting, the governor-general did invoke his powers as the representative of the monarchy to dismiss the government and call for all new elections. So that was rather important. Bear in mind, this was the governor-general's decision, AFAIK, the monarchy had no involvement.

I'm not sure how Australia would deal with such a system otherwise. Perhaps the governor-general role would be maintained, in which it's almost entirely like the status quo, except Elizabeth is no longer the Queen. Alternatively, the whole governor-general role could be sacked. Australia would have to come up with another system of removing dysfunctional governments, or learn to live with them.

 

[Kitties]

I can confirm this since they offered to hold on for me. I had been working in a management position there for over 5 years and still couldn't afford to pay my bills. I was living off of food from the food bank and ramen noodles that I was able to buy when I had spare change. I asked for a raise , a raise that had been promised me for almost a year and instead I was offered a food drive.

That's just terrible.

 

[ledboots]

I can confirm this since they offered to hold on for me. I had been working in a management position there for over 5 years and still couldn't afford to pay my bills. I was living off of food from the food bank and ramen noodles that I was able to buy when I had spare change. I asked for a raise , a raise that had been promised me for almost a year and instead I was offered a food drivei.

That is horrible. I never shop at walmart because I don't want to support them. Plus the place gives me panic attacks.

 

[Snowcone]

Oh snap. According to a new study, Plan B (and its generics) don't work so good if a woman weighs over 165lbs(75kg), and don't work at all over 175(80kg). This is regardless of body type.
ella has the same issue, but it works a bit better. Copper IUDs were unaffected by weight when used as an emergency contraceptive.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=247392818&ft=1&f=1007

 

[Snowcone]

I can confirm this since they offered to hold on for me. I had been working in a management position there for over 5 years and still couldn't afford to pay my bills. I was living off of food from the food bank and ramen noodles that I was able to buy when I had spare change. I asked for a raise , a raise that had been promised me for almost a year and instead I was offered a food drive.

**** those guys.

 

[rainforests1]

Far from perfect but at least some good news about the recent climate talks:
http://www.alternet.org/environment/climate-talks-end-all-countries-agreeing-emissions-cuts

 

[thefadedone]

Oh snap. According to a new study, Plan B (and its generics) don't work so good if a woman weighs over 165lbs(75kg), and don't work at all over 175(80kg). This is regardless of body type.
ella has the same issue, but it works a bit better. Copper IUDs were unaffected by weight when used as an emergency contraceptive.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=247392818&ft=1&f=1007

This is so fucked up. There really needs to be more attention focused on this. It frustrates me that it's not getting more news coverage. It's a pretty damn important news story.

 

[das_nut]

This is so ****ed up. There really needs to be more attention focused on this. It frustrates me that it's not getting more news coverage. It's a pretty damn important news story.

It was a lead story on CNN's website a few days back, and was front page news in my local paper.

 

[Snowcone]

It was a lead story on CNN's website a few days back, and was front page news in my local paper.

My newspapers, (neither the city, nor the campus papers) had nothing on the subject.

I don't look at CNN though, so maybe I'd have known sooner.

 

[ledboots]

Oh snap. According to a new study, Plan B (and its generics) don't work so good if a woman weighs over 165lbs(75kg), and don't work at all over 175(80kg). This is regardless of body type.
ella has the same issue, but it works a bit better. Copper IUDs were unaffected by weight when used as an emergency contraceptive.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=247392818&ft=1&f=1007

Some women of low weight have problems with the amount of hormones in the Plan B--too much. Several patients (~100 lbs) described feeling "crazy" hormonal, got acne that took months to go away, and just didn't feel right.

 

[Moll Flanders]

LOOK: Oxford Students Create Feminist Cocktails

 

[Mikkel]

The Swedish brand "Gina Tricot" ends all production with angora, feather, down and skin.

The article is in Norwegian, but perhaps someone can find an article in English.

 

[Amy SF]

The Swedish brand "Gina Tricot" ends all production with angora, feather, down and skin.

The article is in Norwegian, but perhaps someone can find an article in English.

Or you could translate it for us?

Well, you or Indian Summer.

 

[das_nut]

The Swedish brand "Gina Tricot" ends all production with angora, feather, down and skin.

The article is in Norwegian, but perhaps someone can find an article in English.

Couldn't find it in English, but it looks like H&M in Sweden also gave up on Angora.

I'm not sure what H&M or Gina Tricot produces for clothes. Is it mostly high fashion, or more utility clothing?

 

[Envy]

Utility and affordable clothing mostly.

They have done some shots at fashion, but it's not their main focus.

 

[Mikkel]

Or you could translate it for us?

Well, you or Indian Summer.

Short version is that they don't trust the controllsystem anymore, after the latest days reports about how the angora rabbits are treated. There have been several articles in the Norwegian press last week about the films from PETA. Where they pull off the fur from the angora rabbits. But luckly they don't just stop with production with the angora, but includes feather, down and skin too.

They are going to sell out the products they have in the stores that contains it, but won't take in any new products. Several fashion editors have also said that they won't recomend clothes with angora anymore in their magazines.

The Swedish brand Acne Studios withdrew all products with angora after the videos came out.

 

[rainforests1]

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-sty...oid-forced-cancer-treatment-article-1.1533048
An Amish girl had Cancer. Chemo made her sick, so she went out of the country for natural treatments(apparently cured). An Ohio court wanted her to take chemo again, but now the family is in hiding. It makes natural treatments look good and the United States look bad. I thought the media would ignore this story like they usually do. I'm surprised.

 

[Snowcone]

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-sty...oid-forced-cancer-treatment-article-1.1533048
An Amish girl had Cancer. Chemo made her sick, so she went out of the country for natural treatments(apparently cured). An Ohio court wanted her to take chemo again, but now the family is in hiding. It makes natural treatments look good and the United States look bad. I thought the media would ignore this story like they usually do. I'm surprised.

There's no actual proof the natural remedies worked. Since the girl is "in hiding" it's easy to make any claims they want about her results with natural treatment, so we're forced to take the word of her fundamentalist Amish bishop grandfather. If the non-chemo stuff is helping, good for her, but I'd need proof before I make a judgment on this story. Right now I'm siding with the doctors.