Creatures of the Slime

Australia has released a stamp set of Ediacaran fossils - the oldest known animals, predating the Cambrian Explosion when shelled animals took over the world. I broke and spent a few dollars on the first day cover.

In other science news, the back of the Bisquick box has a recipe for Ultimate Chicken Fingers. Rumours that this is an episode title from the next season of Doctor Who are false.

Good news

Men - and anyone with a weak stummick - you've been warned!

( Secret Women's Business )

(In summary, my unpleasant difficulties seem to be easing, huzzah!)

(no subject)

Where are my nipples, you slackers?!

Reproductive Freedom

A report in The Age confirms that the figure of 91,000 abortions carried out in 2003-4 in Australia "do[es] not discriminate between procedures that are voluntary, those which are needed for medical reasons or miscarriage related terminations... The system also fails to take into account circumstances such as foetal death, growth foetal abnormalities, or life-threatening maternal disease which may lead to late termination."

(I'm still trying to find the actual report, which isn't available at the DHA or NHMRC sites. I might have to check Hansard. ETA: Federal Parliament isn't sitting during April - I think the report must have been provided directly to Senator Boswell.)

Meanwhile in the US, a glimmer of hope: the Access to Legal Pharmaceuticals Act, which would "allow a pharmacist to refuse to fill a prescription only if the prescription can be passed to and filled by a co-worker at the same pharmacy."

(no subject)

Via flyingsauce: naughty things done to a church sign in Photoshop

Also naughty, via motiveforce: Top ten Reality TV shows for the Catholic Church

"I'm going to hell for that bit. And you're all coming with me!" - Denis Leary

Home Front

My poor spuds have been half-killed by giant weeds. It took only moments to pluck the culprits out. Our little lemon tree, a Christmas / Hannukah / Solstice* present, is lemoning already. The orange tree is producing large greens. The bloody morning glory vine has run amuck. I'm going to do a Kill Bill on it over the coming weeks.

Doing housework in the spirit of formlessness is really very pleasant. I'm not kidding myself that I'm doing it with proper mindfulness, but I am doing it without worrying, making lists, chastising myself, or trying to accomplish much of anything - a great improvement over my normal stomach-clenching state.
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* My family's complex mix of Anglicanism, Catholicism, Judaism, Paganism, and Atheism leads to some interesting discussions. If I give a gift, should it properly be called a Solstice present because of the giver, or a Christmas / Hannukah present because of the recipient?

(no subject)

The only time crummy pronunciation on the radio annoys me is when scientific terms get mucked up. An ABC broadcaster just bravely tackled the word nomenclature, after a moment's hesitation, without the "ch". To be fair, I've been saying that word since childhood and he obviously hadn't hit it before. No such excuse is allowable for the ABC's science reporter, who bungled vacuole a few months back.

I also have an Apis millifera in my bonnet about SF writers (and I mean Doctor Who writers mostly) who get binomial nomenclacher wrong, making up nonsense names (Homo reptilius) or get the capitalisation and italicisation wrong. Slackers!

(no subject)

Mum suggested I check out the paintings of Melbourne artist John Kelly. They're marvellous.