What is she doing now, out of curiosity? Are the Obamas still in ‘holiday’ mode? Michelle may not want to be a politician, but she would be a very valuable and committed board member, in commercial and/or non-profit arenas.

It’s cold devon with tomato sauce on white bread for lunch, and bbq’d ham steaks with canned pineapple rings on top for dinner. Rissoles may be eaten hot or cold, but beetroot is compulsory.

That’s a really good analogy for lots of invisible labor scenarios, gonna use that, ta.

Not really, it’s more about having the laws and facilities approved for medical cannabis growing - we do grow medicinal poppies already so the same producers are pushing for it. And it’s generally pure canniboid oils, no THC, not smokable or edible weed (cause the patients are usually children with untreatable…

Medical use got a huge step forward recently - a central approver for prescriptions, so they should only take two days, instead of weeks thru state then federal approvals. Still only ‘last resort’ treatment for extreme cases, the studies are still a bit sparse. Not sure if we are making or importing.

I understood that reference!

PS thanks for heads up on The Terror - I live in Hobart, so the Erebus and the Terror are part of our history - Franklin was governor and has a statue in town. I didn’t know about the series or the book - but Dan Simmons can blend supernatural and sci-fi and true history seamlessly, so I’m guessing the monster is just…

I watched the Dawn of the Dead remake on Netflix last night, and I kept yelling at the screen - why is there only one fence? Why is there no airlock on the base door? Why is the zombie chained up in the lab instead of in a separate cell, while the dr works on the crucial medical macguffin, alone and with her back to…

Dude, I legit just fell in love with you. All these questions are awesome and why I have a love/hate relationship with zombie/invasion/doomsday films in general.

I didn’t take it personally, I just thought it was a poor choice of a word that has connotations that a blog like the Root is usually very quick to point out, since there are other words which would serve equally well. Given the ‘Caucasian native’ comment from sTalkinggoat, I was wary of your intentions.

I’m commenting on word choice in a blog, and replying to those who replied to me. The only hill is the molehill you seem to desire to turn into a mountain. I’m going to bed now. Have fun, alone on your hill.

Is that an honest question, or are you trying to fish for an opening to make this about me and my birthplace?

‘Native’ as an adjective, is borderline. ‘Native’ as a noun, is problematic. Besides, no human being is native to Australia. It’s one of our distinguishing features - even the Aboriginals emigrated here, they just did it 50,000 - 200,000 years ago.

Thank you, that’s a much more nuanced view of what I was trying to say. The word native is problematic. It’s not like The Root at all.

Then they could have used the word expat. There’s really no need to highlight that Damond was Australian anyway, it doesn’t add anything to the understanding of the story. And if the usage is so correct, why isn’t Noor described as a “Somalia native”?

“Australia native”, really? That’s unusually tone-deaf, for The Root.

Ding ding ding! White male aged 18 to 39! I win the pool! Now, do I take my prize or go double or nothing on ‘just a line mentally ill weirdo with no links to neonazis or extreme right wing groups or white identity extremists’?

Where I live, non recyclable plastic bags are banned, and most large retailers have a small charge for plastic bags. It’s not that hard to bring your own bags, and it’s considered more as a ‘dang I forgot’ tax, than an extra fee. Exempting concessioners from the fee is a good idea, but just putting a big box for…

Came for this. Did not disappoint.

There are plenty of avenues for immigration into Australia, esp if you are educated, skilled and have money. There are less if you are poor, undocumented, unskilled etc, especially if that’s because you are fleeing shitty circumstances in your own country. Without getting into an oppression Olympics, there are plenty…