26 Matching Annotations
  1. Feb 2023
  2. Sep 2022
    1. Or, take the case of unemployment as described by sociologist C. WrightMills:When, in a city of 100,000, only one man is unemployed, that is his per-sonal trouble, and for its relief we properly look to the character of theman, his skills, and his immediate opportunities. But when in a nation of50 million employees, 15 million men are unemployed, that is an issue, and

      we may not hope to find its solution within the range of opportunities open to any one individual. The very structure of opportunities has collapsed. Both the correct statement of the problem and the range of possible solutions require us to consider the economic and political institutions of the society, and not merely the personal situation and character of a scatter of individuals.16

      1. C. Wright Mills, The Sociological Imagination (New York: Oxford University Press, 1959), p. 9.

      I love this quote and it's interesting food for thought.

      Framing problems from the perspectives of a single individual versus a majority of people can be a powerful tool.

      The idea of the "welfare queen" was possibly too powerful because it singled out an imaginary individual rather than focusing on millions of people with a variety of backgrounds and diversity. Compare this with the fundraisers for impoverished children in Sally Stuther's Christian Children's Fund (aka ChildFund) which, while they show thousands of people in trouble, quite often focus on one individual child. This helps to personalize the plea and the charity actually assigned each donor a particular child they were helping out.

      How might this set up be used in reverse to change the perspective and opinions of those who think the "welfare queen" is a real thing instead of a problematic trope?

  3. Jun 2022
  4. Sep 2021
  5. Oct 2020
  6. Oct 2019
    1. The annual festival, which takes place this Saturday, has grown to become one of the city's largest events, attracting about 100,000 people to the streets of Eastwood. Organisers say it is second only to the Royal Easter Show.

      Oooh yeah, so big that if a self-serving politician didn't convince you to regurgitate this story (to divert attention from a historical failure) the best coverage it could have enjoyed in the SMH would have been a reference in one of your crossword puzzle! In the end Granny Smith got some great free publicity, and the narcissistic politician who made sure you (and your readers) missed half the story, would be happy you saved them from being reminded about another of their many failed campaigns.

    2. Labor councillors are suspicious about Mr Booth's pageant. In 2014, then councillor George Simon - now assistant general secretary of NSW Labor - called for the "archaic" event to be killed off.

      This is a great example of the risks involved in using background paragraphs from incomplete coverage. George Simon will no doubt be over the moon that you've given him a plug, along with his courageous but failed efforts to kill off the event.

      It's likely you found your re-used paragraph in the story previewing George Simon's courageous failure. Unfortunately, The Hasbeen was MIA when the motion was shot down in flames.

      But your competitor - and also TWT competitor - News Ltd's (NDT) report on failed attempt to ban Queen Questl was there at the meeting in which the motion suffered a humiliating defeat.

      Even a niche womens issues publication, Womens Agenda, noted George Simon was branded a wanker for his bungled efforts..

      Nevermind, you're not expected to get everything right as a work experience student, but you'll be relieved to know someone in the former Fairfax - now Nine - publishing empire did.

      Watch and learn how the pros like Peter Munro do it. In his 'Six Degrees' column he mentioned Simon was chastised for his fruitless cruisade by Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins.

      That was a report, of course, before Simon ended up with egg on his face, as was the earlier one selectively regurgitated.

      But surely you could have also regurgitated these John Booth pearlers from the same story:

      Mr Booth said contestants were judged on responses to questions about local knowledge, ambition and involvement in the community: "Beauty doesn't come into it - but we don't penalise them for being beautiful either.

      "They're trying to make it out as disparaging to women but it's politically correct rubbish. There's no swimsuit competition and most judges are women," Mr Booth said. "Two women's libbers [councillors] tried to [cut support for the contest] a few years ago but they got voted down 10-2."

      And on Simon's spectacular failure - one of many:

      "That nitwit?" Mr Booth said. "I'm thinking about mocking him up in a dress and Orphan Annie wig in our next edition. I haven't decided yet".

  7. Oct 2018
    1. Bear your shields forth

      Judith sends them into battle

    2. gave that to the bright and clever-thoughted woman

      Her victory treated as a military one

  8. Sep 2018
    1. Elene gave him yet again precious gifts

      Elene as gift-giver

    2. seven nights in his sorrow under the harm-closure, tortured by hunger

      torture

    3. a blazing pyre

      Elene begins threats

    4. Never have I heard before or since that a woman led a fairer force upon the water’s current, over the sea’s street

      Elene as military leader

    5. queen of warfare

      Elene as military

  9. Aug 2018
  10. Apr 2018
    1. The women spoke about how they diverted themselves asa way of managing their depression by engaging in distractingactivities.

      the ducchess was defintely the one engaged in distracting activities. Both her and the wueen dwelled on her depression but her way of distraction caused her to dwell on it even more.

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  11. Sep 2017
    1. This is the story of 16th century Europe, and the political earthquake that was protestantism. The overarching historical narrative unfolds around the lives of fictional characters who might have lived in this historic period.

      Follett's literary reenactment explores the intricacies of the Protestant Reformation through a cast of strategically diverse characters, whose stories span across multiple continents, nations, and cities. Each character is an important harbinger of larger historical trends. Within the masterfully established geo-political reality, each of their decisions serve to gradually reveal their distinct personalities and temperaments, belief systems and ideologies, and cultural identities.

    2. Elizabeth clings precariously to her throne and her principles, protected by a small, dedicated group of resourceful spies and courageous secret agents.

      Think: Daenerys Targaryen

  12. Jun 2017
  13. Feb 2017
    1. Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Vic-toria, the reigning sovereign of the most mighty, intelligent people of this or any other age

      I would personally wager that she was one of the greatest female rulers of all time (maybe only ousted by Russia's Catherine the Great), and monitored an extraordinary era of Britain's history that many, even today, reminisce and romanticize over.

      If you're going to chose any one woman to demonstrate how good of leaders they can be, you're not going to get much better than the Britain's beloved matriarch. So good example, Palmer.

      It does beg the question, though: Is she really such a good example if Palmer is advocating for greater female involvement in the church? Are an imperiastic queen and a hypothetical female priestess inherently compatible?