Aussie Life

Aussie life

7 December 2024 9:00 am

The University of Sydney’s Environment Institute (SEI) was launched in 2014 by Professor David Schlosberg ahead of a lecture discussing…

Language

7 December 2024 9:00 am

Speccie reader Louise has been in touch with an intelligent question that must have occurred to many of us over…

Aussie life

30 November 2024 9:00 am

Let me be absolutely clear: when I referred to the next president of Australia’s most important military ally and economic…

Language

30 November 2024 9:00 am

Speccie reader Doug writes to ask about ‘mansplaining’. This comes from the same feminist language cauldron as ‘toxic masculinity’ (meaning…

Aussie life

23 November 2024 9:00 am

Were you to pop down to the shops and buy a Wagon Wheel these days, chances are you’ll be disappointed.…

Language

23 November 2024 9:00 am

Here’ s a style guide suggestion – it’s time to resurrect the word ‘Aboriginal’. With a lower case ‘a’ this…

Aussie life

16 November 2024 9:00 am

I am not worried about being outed as a recipient of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ hospitality. Yes, it is true that…

Language

16 November 2024 9:00 am

I never thought I’d grow up to be a Grumpy Old Man – but look how good I am at…

Ausie life

9 November 2024 9:00 am

‘Now, Jill, what would you like to be when you grow up?’ ‘I’d like to be an equal opportunity commissioner.’…

Language

9 November 2024 9:00 am

A Speccie reader (Greg) has asked me to say something about the expression ‘AI’, meaning artificial intelligence. The expression is…

Aussie life

2 November 2024 9:00 am

Despite historically owning less property than men, women have always exerted a powerful influence in the sector. Like lyre birds,…

Language

2 November 2024 9:00 am

When human rights commissions were established both federally and in all the states, we assumed this was a good thing…

Aussie life

26 October 2024 9:00 am

Picture this: it’s a stinking hot arvo in Sydney. The sun’s cooking everything like a snag on a BBQ, and…

Language

26 October 2024 9:00 am

I have recently come across the worst case of language vandalism I’ve encountered for many years. Namely, the claim that…

Aussie life

19 October 2024 9:00 am

Everyone has a Dan Andrews statue opinion. After two years of Covid lockdowns, rings of steel, #IluvDan hashtags and daily…

Language

19 October 2024 9:00 am

Given the time of year we must once again be ready to pull sour faces and make rude noises when…

Aussie life

12 October 2024 9:00 am

‘When I was 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have him around,’ wrote Mark Twain,…

Aussie life

5 October 2024 9:00 am

At the same time you were hearing about the second attempt on Donald Trump’s life, you can be sure that…

Language

5 October 2024 9:00 am

Speccie reader Peter has written asking me to write something about ‘begs the question’, which, he says, is ‘regularly misused…

Aussie life

28 September 2024 9:00 am

The recent sci-fi movie Paradise Hills delivered one gem for this viewer; the choristers’ white ruffs setting off each young…

Language

28 September 2024 9:00 am

Speccie reader Raymond has asked me to explain the meaning of the compound noun ‘common sense.’ It was Aristotle who…

Aussie life

21 September 2024 9:00 am

Recently the ABC online, and the Weekend Australian, both published detailed articles about problems within the Northern Territory Aboriginal communities.…

Language

21 September 2024 9:00 am

Can ‘difficult’ be used as a verb? Surely not, I hear you mutter. But on the web I encountered the…

Aussie life

14 September 2024 9:00 am

Cynics will say it is just a coincidence that Qantas sacked its longest-serving board member a few days after I…

Language

14 September 2024 9:00 am

Strangely, the latest word Kamala Harris has chosen to apply to Donald Trump is ‘unserious’. (Or perhaps it was her…