The American evangelist Pat Robertson’s claim that the Haitian earthquake resulted from a pact with the Devil have been widely reported. Interestingly, the ‘Satanic Haitians’ theory seems to be historical survival of the hysteria that the great Haitian slave rebellions instilled in white racists. Scott Mclemee explains (quoting CLR James’ mighty book The Black Jacobins) the […]

This article has been brewing in me for three years – that’s how long I’ve been a mother for. I’ve thought long and hard about writing this article. Many have advised me against it. But ultimately, the importance of initiating discussion and change for the better outweighs my reluctance and fear. Outspoken mothers these days […]

I’ve got a piece up at Crikey about ASIO’s determination about the Tamil refugees. Given it seems to be outside the paywall, I thought I’d post a link here.

A question for the poets: What do you do when you’re at a party, and some unimaginative guest asks you what you “do”, and you have that moment where the following thoughts collide in a mangle of mild discomfort in your mind: 1. Do I bypass the details of how I have a menial day-job […]

The web is, don’t you know, going to save that endangered species, the newspaper. At least, that’s the theory — and, of course, the model that everyone’s looking to is the Huffington Post, Ariana Huffington’s phenomenally successful bloggy-papery thing. Almost all the commercial online publications in Australia look increasingly Huffington-like: have a glance, for instance, […]

by Steve Smart I am a reality whore I don’t need money Don’t you know that artists Eat air, breathe words The slash of paint on canvas The lull of a guitar the screech of a trumpet? Invoke the name —- —– to Locate other reality whores in your vicinity I’ll sell myself any day […]

If Marie Claire and eating disorder experts believe an untouched photo of a former Miss Universe is prompting positive body images they are seriously deluding themselves. A body like Jennifer Hawkins’s only exists with regimented diet and exercise and is hardly realistic. This photo depresses me. This photo makes me want to lay on the […]

So another young Indian man has been killed in Melbourne. Once again, the newspapers report an immediate denial that racism played any role in the murder, though all the police statement actually says is that investigators have no information as to what took place. Furthermore, as Gautam Gupta from the Federation of Indian Students in […]