Blogcritics

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Friday Femmes Fatales No. 69 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 20:42:08 EDT

Okay, I give up. I'm afraid Friday Femmes Fatales is going to have to become an "occasional" series rather than a weekly one. (I'm going to aim for but not promise fortnightly.) I just can't spend any more hours at the computer than I do now. (But - small bribe - if you send in lots of nominations it could be more regular!)Now that my little whinge is over, on to the ten great female bloggers with ten killer posts...Regular readers will know I aim to promote women bloggers even when I don't necessarily agree with them, so I'll start with Jo22 on I Can't Fly, and her take on Jack Straw and the Muslim veil issue.But I entirely agree with the sentiments of the blogger on Politics'n'Poetry, who highlights the environmental misdeeds of the Saskatchewan Power Corporation (Canada).Staying green, Anna on Bitchinspin, who's obviously a far more serious cyclist than I, reports on a university free bike scheme. Amazingly it seems, they aren't being stolen!I'm equally in tune with Kari on Thought Interrupted, who picked up and reshaped the currently popular meme to make it five things feminism still has to do.Ronni Bennett (no relation, that I know of) on Time Goes By, subtitled "what it's really like to get older", wonders how plastic surgery comes into the 'women's health category', concluding "they’ll force us to become grotesque simulacra of youth to not offend their delicate sensibilities of what is attractive".On the superb group blog Our Bodies Ourselves, Christine C. contemplates that old question: can men be feminists?. One powerful obituary certainly supports that possibility.On another question that keeps being asked - what is university (college) for? - the Blue Gal provides some great stats, and interesting thoughts on the changing American experience.Turning more personal, although still eminently political, Liz Connor reflects on being a teenage bulimic. She reflects how this is merely the other side of overeating: "With any addiction self-loathing and self-comfort become bound within a mutually sustaining, closed system."After that, some healthy, sensible eating - Jennifershmoo on Vegan Lunch Box offers (with pictures) vegan bento. (I have to admit that after eating almost entirely vegan at the recent Green Party conference I felt remarkably healthy considering the other ways I was abusing my body - e.g. alcohol and lack of sleep. But still not sure I could stick it full time.)Finally, to finish, the one post you really, really must read here - leave on an inspirational note: The Sappho Manifesto tells the story of Elizabeth "Lizzie" Jennings, a 24-year-old schoolteacher, and apparently unlikely revolutionary.If you missed the last edition, it is on my home blog.Please: In the next week if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think “that deserves a wider audience” (particularly someone who doesn’t yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier. Or don’t be shy - nominate yourself! (Thanks to Penny and Val who sent in nominations this week.)

Natalie is the editor of My London Your London, an independent cultural guide featuring theatre, gallery and museum reviews, and also blogs at Philobiblon, on history, culture, Green politics and all things feminist. She's the founder of the Carnival of Feminists, and Managing Editor and Books Editor on Blogcritics.

Friday Femmes Fatales No 68 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 17:30:30 EDT

Returning after a two-week hiatus - sorry about that: hideous technical problems that are finally, I hope, cross toes, solved. I never wanted to be a techie, but these days it seems almost impossible to avoid.But to business - ten great posts from ten new (to me) women bloggers. It is here every week: it is going to be really, truly, I promise.First, a real discovery, and just down the road for me: Stroppyblog. I can't imagine how I've missed her for so long. In this post she's talking about the problems encountered by a lap-dancing club that is solely for women customers.Staying in the UK, Antiprincess (love the name!) on I Shame the Matriarchy is commenting on recently announced plans to ban violent porn. She says: "I want to say: Hey! British Home Office! Don't ban me! Don't erase me! ... Don't make it a crime to look at me!" But it is a much more nuanced post than that sounds - do go to check it out.Very much on the personal is political side, Pippa on One Salford Feminist reflects on how in 1988 she gave up her name. She says she's now ready to choose another name, and is looking for suggestions.Then a little traditional British politics; on thatlittlebluehome, the author reflects as a non-aligned voter what is wrong with the Liberal Democrats. Have a look at the Greens, I say - not just those who stick on a thin green-coloured cloak.Leaving the relatively civilised shores of Europe - a must-read post on Den of the Biting Beaver. She had a hell of a struggle to get access to emergency contraception, and reflects with compelling honesty and frankness on the experience. Then into the classroom, where Alternative Solutions Centre, the blog of a deaf-owned and operated psychotherapy and consulting practice, where three women blog, is a post about girls only being allowed to study female scientists. "She is ... being told, very subtly, that just being a girl is enough to prevent her from getting something she wants." (And should you be able to read American Sign Language, there's a V-log post.)The Dancing Queen on Wheelchair Dancer is reflecting on the pleasures of a well-designed, well-made building. On propernoun.net, mindy reviews Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow, a French best-seller that has been compared to Catcher in the Rye. Sticking with books, on Meredith Reads YA, a there's a reflection on Saint Arthur Ransome. And finally, staying literary, Ruth on Blogcritics is fed up with fantasy. She's looking for more originality in thought and action.***Please: In the next week if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think "that deserves a wider audience" (particularly someone who doesn't yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier. Or don't be shy - nominate yourself! (Thanks to Penny who sent in nominations this week.)

Friday Femmes Fatales No 67 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Fri, 1 Sep 2006 16:51:17 EDT

Ten great posts from ten new (to me) women bloggers:Starting topical this week, on Women's E-News, a blog by Nouhad Moawad, who left Lebanon for a New York internship. Now she's torn about being away from home during a war, as are her friends. That seems to make a good pair with Mistress La Spliffe's discovery, on Costume Jewelry, of a book that would be a good primer specifically for Americans who hadn’t been educated to figure out why essentially everyone kind of hates them.Sticking with politics, McDonald's thought it was a good idea to have a Hummer promotion, Elena Centor reports on Blogher. Well why not put two destructive, dangerous corporate elements together? Makes perfect sense!Then a roundup in a roundup -- well why not? On the Nonprofit Blog Exchange is a collection of good ideas, including how to get more money from donors to your website.Turning literary, on Getting Medieval, her blog about "Trials and Tribulations of Getting my Medieval Mysteries published", Jeri Westerson interviews Sharan Newman and Margaret Frazer, "two of the divas of Medieval Mystery". Very honest -- a sample: "What keeps you going? My mortgage."Sticking with the writers, Janest Koch says she only updates once a month, since she's a "slow writer" and is working on her latest novel -- when she's not finding other books to read. And also on the artistic side, on OhMyNews, Bahma Sivasubramaniam explains why My Fair Lady is her favourite movie.Melbine on Clouds of Blue has a big after-the-baby-back-to-work? decision coming up, but in the meantime is just a bit concerned that the local sex shop might know her a little too well. It is all life-stages. Sugarplum on Visions of Sugarplum is meanwhile celebrating the Minou Monster -- he's bad, but oh so cute.Then on the power of scent -- Alphabitch reached for the wrong bottle for a morning bath, and found it flavoured her whole day. Nothing like patchouli to bring out the old hippie in you! If you missed the last edition, it is on my home blog Philobiblon. Please: In the next week if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think “that deserves a wider audience” (particularly someone who doesn’t yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier. Or don’t be shy -- nominate yourself!

Friday Femmes Fatales No 66 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 21:35:35 EDT

Ten great posts from ten new (to me) women bloggers.And I'm aiming to be celebratory this week: first up a brilliant idea and a brilliant blog. I've often thought of how unhealthy the changing rooms of my all-girl school were -- everyone used to engage in astonishing contortions to avoid showing one inch of skin while removing and replacing clothing, which meant no one ever really got a sense of the variety of shapes and sizes of their compatriots' bodies, relying instead on those airbrushed magazine ideals.And how much worse it is for women after giving birth? But on The Shape of A Mother women are invited to send in their stories and pictures of their post-natal bodies. I've pointed to the whole blog; it seemed unfair to single out any particular post.Then, on Skanky Jane's Ruses of Pleasure, the artist reports on her first solo exhibition. To explain:"...In the Big Rock Candy Mountains all the cops have wooden legsAnd the bulldogs all have rubber teeth and the hens lay soft boiled eggs..."Well okay, perhaps that doesn't explain very much -- you'll just have to go to see for yourself.Staying with the artistic theme, Lauren on She Sees Red raves about a new multi-artist show in Melbourne. I loved the escalator.Turning the celebration to the culinary, J in Singapore on Kuidaore explains how to cook the perfect gyoza (Japanese dumpling). I love, love gyoza, although I'd prefer someone to do all those fiddly steps for me...Then for dessert, Kathy on My Little Kitchen takes us step by step through a ginger peach cake. Hey, it contains fruit; got to be healthy, right?Okay, to leaven the mix, a little politics -- Jessa on Zombie was at a university tutorial discussing George Bush's public speaking "skills". Then the fireworks started.And a bit of anthropology -- on Baraita, Naomi muses on the Jewish communities in the South of the United States.Jenny on The Shifted Librarian offers a roundup of blog posts on culture change in libraries. Is it possible?Finally, a celebration of nature. On Just Shelley there are pictures of butterflies, herons, lizards, and more.If you missed the last edition, it is on my home blog Philobiblon. Please: In the next week if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think “that deserves a wider audience” (particularly someone who doesn’t yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier. Or don’t be shy -- nominate yourself!

Friday Femmes Fatales No 65 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 19:45:54 EDT

Ten great posts from 10 new (to me) women bloggers.On the beautifully named So Many Books, Stefanie Hollmichel reflects on the BC (before computer) days. "My writing relationship with my computer is different than someone who came along AD (after DOS) .... I wonder how a computer would have changed Virginia Woolf's writing?Staying with the bibliophiles, since it is summer holiday season, Ali on bonbon cosmique selects her five favourite historical novels. For the young adult readers - and those who fancy an expedition to the abbey of Whitby in Northumbria's glory days - Carla Nayland on Historical Fiction reviews Wolf Girl, by Theresa Tomlinson. And Jennifer Weiner on Snarkspot has been at what sounds like an amazing reading session in New York, with Stephen King, John Irving, and J.K. Rowling.Turning more critical, can you imagine Rebus speaking "American"? That's what Sarah Cuthbertson on Sarah's Books found when she looked at an American edition of Fleshmarket Alley. (That's Fleshmarket Close to the rest of us.)Moving on to issues of body politics, Stephanie, The Feel Good Girl, is reflecting on the uselessness of diamonds. "You can’t wear a diamond tennis bracelet with a wetsuit or on the ski slopes, so what good is it?"Now I'm aware that some of my readers might consider this a controversial topic, but if you do use use wax for hair removal, either at home or at the beautician's, Spa Diva on Blogher has advice on making waxing as painless as possible.Moving swiftly on, "Heidi the Hick" on Hick Chick isn't geographically where she'd like to be right now, but she's still managing an interesting life anyway.Turning more overtly political to finish, on The Wonderful World of Lola, praise for the BBC and Eastenders (a popular soap opera). "Considering the number of kids who see similar scenes playing out live in their own homes, I think the Beeb should be praised for being brave enough to show the realities of the abuse that so many women and children live with."And Skookumchick on Diary of a Feminist Engineer explains how she aims to be, well, a feminist engineer. "I believe that engineering (and engineering education) has historically been constructed to ignore technology associated with women and women's work."****If you missed the last edition, it is here. (If you’d like to see all of them as a list, click on the category “Friday Femmes Fatales” in the righthand sidebar. That will take you to a collection of 650, and counting, women bloggers.)***Please: In the next week if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think “that deserves a wider audience” (particularly someone who doesn’t yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier. Or don’t be shy - nominate yourself! (Thanks to Penny for her suggestions this week!)

Friday Femmes Fatales No 64 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Fri, 4 Aug 2006 17:39:45 EDT

Ten great posts from ten new (to me) women bloggers.To begin with, a horrible tale on loteria chicana about a woman who happened to be an illegal immigrant seeking a restraining order against an allegedly abusive husband. The judge found what he thought was a neat solution: force her to flee the court, there'd be no order, and gosh, the couple could even end up back together. She wouldn't have any choice.Then not exactly "new" to me, since a Blogcritics regular, but Dawn Olsen hasn't featured in this series before, and her article on how American Moms Freak Over Breastsucking Infants is just a must read. There is a mother's magazine. And there's a baby feeding on the cover. So?Getting more cheerful, MsAbcMom enjoys a lively shopping trip in Panama with her family. A very different experience to a similar trip in the U.S. And great pictures! (Probably not good if you are feeling hungry...)Speaking of family, on Family Oral History Using Digital Tools, Susan A. Kitchens talks to her mother about HER mother – who graduated from MIT in 1920. That's what you call a pioneering family tree. (Video)Quite a bit of art criticism this week, starting with Big A little A. There, Kelly Herold finds stereotypes ruin an otherwise good movie: Monster House.On Confessions of a Bibliovore (love the name), a review of Dairy Queen, which might be classed as a "young adult" novel. It sees its young heroine running a dairy farm. Perhaps for a slightly younger audience, on Book Moot Camille reviews Let's Go Pegasus – it is retelling the classic myth, and a chorus of owls sounds like a nice touch.Then, definitely for grown-ups, A.L. Harper on My Coffee Clatch reviews a novel about Mormons and Salt Lake City. It's also about sexual addiction. Not at all what you'd expect.Gillian on gillianic tendencies has been doing her part to raise half a million dollars for cancer research. Boo, hiss to those who questioned her motivation, and good on her for standing up to them.On Chrissy's Random Life, subtitled "The Life of an Obsessed Knitter", you won't be surprised about the subject of the post to which I'm pointing. But this also has a nice "green" angle, for knitting your own farmers' market bag has to be the ultimate alternative to using plastic bags for shopping.If you missed the last edition, it is available on my home blog, Philobiblon. Please: In the next week, if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think “that deserves a wider audience” (particularly someone who doesn’t yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier. Or don’t be shy – nominate yourself! (Thanks to Penny for her suggestions this week!)

Friday Femmes Fatales No 63 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 15:06:53 EDT

Yep, it's Saturday. Sorry. But do I have some great links this week – remember these are ten new (to me) female bloggers, on all subjects and across a range of opinions and interests.Now FFF aren't usually ranked in any sort of way, but occasionally I'll put a "should be on your blogroll" link at the top, and this is one such: Natasha on Feminish is quite a new blogger, but has a fascinating, original range of opinions. I'll point you to her review of Muhajababes, but do check out the whole blog.Turning even more topical, on Sachiniti, kaveetaa kaul has some worrying questions after the blast in Bombay. On the Resonance Partnership Blog, Marianne Richmond is considering the likely role of blogs in forthcoming U.S. political races.Jax, on Making it Up, has been reading the latest Feminist Carnival, and that led her to musing on how to change the world of work to make it practical for women, and men, and the rest of the world – ending the rigid eight-hour day seems a good start. Angel80 is at such work, and finding that women are, at this "equal opportunity employer", just a make-up-the-numbers afterthought.Alice Marwick, on tiara.org (which has a really great banner picture), is suggesting, rightly not so gently, that regarding "women" as a single market for technology is a little, ah, simplistic.Then, one for the academic readers (since I spent the end of the week mixing with academics) – Dr Four Eyes leaves some interesting thoughts on how to overcome a particular sort of writer's block, or how to convert a section of your PhD into a journal article.In the you've-got-to-laugh-because-otherwise-you-might-cry category, "Cranky Old Lady" writes on Time Goes By about the casual ageism that is so prevalent – of course, all old people are interested in "shuffleboard and bad dinner theater".Turning personal, Beth on So the Fish Said reports on the joys and pains of her "first love" (well, mostly pains, which I suspect is usually the case), and what happened when he found her blog.Finally, Penny Pressed on Fashionable Chaos has a description of what it is like to "go home" as an adult that I'm sure many of us will sympathise with.If you missed the last edition, it is always available on Blogcritics or on Philobiblion. (If you’d like to see all of them as a list, click on the category “Friday Femmes Fatales” in the righthand sidebar. That will take you to a collection of 600 – and counting – women bloggers.)Please: In the next week, if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think “that deserves a wider audience” (particularly someone who doesn’t yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier. Or don't be shy – nominate yourself!

Friday Femmes Fatales No 62 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Fri, 7 Jul 2006 19:40:42 EDT

Ten great posts from 10 new (to me) women bloggers. It is here every Friday (more or less...)Starting political, Comebacknikki on Starfish and Coffee is setting out why she has a little crush on Barack Obama. On Solidly Average, Nio is meanwhile considering the hot US issue of public prayer.Now I know I've pointed to this blog before, but not, I think, particularly to Patricia Lee Sharp, so check out this nuanced view on the current state of Afghanistan, with a brief but informative note on the history of international relations in the region.Here across the pond, Jane Henry on Maniac Mum has been reflecting on her experience of 7/7 and The Huntress is giving up Grazia magazine. It won't be much of a wrench: "on every other page I'm faced with something irritating to my feminist viewpoint".Churchgal is contemplating issues of contraception and personal autonomy and on Reverend Mommy's Random Musings, there's a fascinating account of church history. This is "where in 1844 the slavewoman Kitty's ownership was debated -- and the place where the Methodist church split in two over her".Now you won't often find three "religious" bloggers here, but I'm giving myself an extra tick (since I try to range widely) for adding in a post not just about the church, but music as well (another under-represented area), from Steeples & Peoples, about Christian music and the 90/10 rule.On the personal side: Moving house - you've read the stress figures, so sympathise with Aayor, for whom the stresses are stacking up. Weight loss is another huge stress area -- which is bigger? Perhaps the latter, since house-moving at least usually has a finite timeframe -- and Beckie on Becks Challenge sets out her journey.If you missed the last edition, it is on my home blog Philobiblon.Please: In the next week if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think “that deserves a wider audience” (particularly someone who doesn’t yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier.

Friday Femmes Fatales No 61 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 21:40:34 EDT

Ten great posts from 10 new (to me) women bloggers. It is here every Friday (more or less .. sorry about last week!)Starting with the highly topical, Sherrilyn Ifill on Blackprof.com has an interesting take on the Supreme Court's ruling on Bush's power grab. It seems the splits in US society are being reflected on the court. Staying with the US, on Boiling Over, Michaela B. Reid, the "angry cartoonist", is offering a blackly comic take on Ann Coulter. And with Wimbledon on, now's a good time to point to Kim Pearson's Blogher site. She's been celebrating the efforts of Billie Jean King, and finds some prominent women today aren't living up to the same standards.Elle Seymour has been at the launch of an organisation called Enterprising Women, which aims to encourage business to start their own businesses. I was surprised to learn that eight or nine men are starting businesses for each woman -- seems a high ratio to me, but maybe I just have lots of enterprising female friends and acquaintances.Also on the political side (Elle is an avowed Tory blogger), I've just found a blog by a seriously important politician, Margot Wallerstein, an EU commissioner. And it doesn't read at all like she set down her junior researcher to do the whole thing. In this post she's ranging widely, from Sri Lankan conflict to cycling to work. Kali on MySpace believes that there has to be a whole lot more dancing at the revolution before people will start coming. She believes that over decades she's seen students become more and more captives of the media cartels. Turning to more positive topics, the blogger at Toad in the Hole has been visiting the US's Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Even the fallen trees are beautiful, she finds. "Trees are possibly the best dead things on the planet, by which I mean they leave the handsomest, best-aging, most community-minded (not to mention useful to humans, of course) corpses."Staying with nature, Anne Arkham has been visiting a friend who takes in injured wild animals for rehabilitation. Among them now is a week-old fawn. Looks gorgeous.More personally, on Being Amber Rhea, an account of starting out as a young feminist, age five or so: "I remember the incredulity I felt ... when someone would tell me, "Girls can't [X]!" "Then finish with another laugh -- Mary on Threadbared.com is contemplating a macrame plant hanger complete with angels. She also does some great things with old sewing patterns. **If you missed the last edition, it is on my home blog Philobiblon. And if you'd like to go looking for some more specifically political women bloggers, there was an article in today's Guardian. (Declaration of interest - yes I am on the list.)***Please: In the next week if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think “that deserves a wider audience” (particularly someone who doesn’t yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier.

Friday Femmes Fatales No. 60 (Women Bloggers)

Natalie Bennett — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 17:12:14 EDT

Ten great posts from 10 new (to me) women bloggers. It is here every Friday (more or less.)A veritable feast for the senses this week... If you can't just pop into your little corner bistro with checked tablecloths, then Anniina on Mischievous Muse does it for you with a mouthwatering account of dinner in Montpellier, in the Roman baths. (Although I don't think they were full.)Moving from the taste buds to the olfactory organs, Scentzilla! is a site that consists entirely of perfume reviews. Now as someone who has almost no sense of smell, I'm the wrong person to be pointing you this way, but "Spicy leather, dying embers, approaching storms", combined with a picture, certainly seemed evocative.Sticking with things of which I know little, Katiedid on Seldom Nice Nowadays has some sharp thoughts on music. But I think she should really say what she thinks, not hold back.Then, a cautionary tale for parents: Surly Girl on D-Flat Chime Bar encounters , while the author of Mother Hen's Place faces a career dilemma – the old parenting-and-career problem. To separate, or to combine?On History is Elementary, meanwhile, the teacher reflects on childhood summers past and present. Turning more overtly political, on The Adventures of Dr. Diana, Diana Blayne has a revelation about the 'sick' ideas of body image being presented to children.Then on The (liberal) Girl Next Door, an impassioned statement on how Christians are destroying the U.S., while Alicia on Last Left Turn Before Hooterville sets out some graphic economic facts about income distribution in the country.Finally, mixing history and politics, Jennie W on the American Presidents Blog asks: Who was Woodrow Wilson's Vice President? And does it matter?If you missed last week’s edition, it is always available here on Blogcritics. (If you’d like to see all of them as a list, click on the category “Friday Femmes Fatales” in the righthand sidebar on Philobiblion. That will take you to a collection of 600 – and counting – women bloggers.)Please: In the next week if you read, or write, a post by a woman blogger and think “that deserves a wider audience” (particularly someone who doesn’t yet get many hits), drop a comment. It really does make my life easier.