Alcoholics Anonymous – new Pod Delusion podcast #43

July 23, 2010

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This week’s Pod Delusion has a fine range of topics. This time I’m talking about Alcoholics Anonymous, as it’s their 75th anniversary this year. Among other things, I discuss the Higher Power and woo, some of the pros and cons, and why it works really well for some people, but not as many as everyone… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Podcast, Politics

‘RIP Raoul Moat’ Facebook groups and the sound of Guardian readers’ heads exploding

July 16, 2010

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There seem to be quite a few of these RIP Raoul Moat Facebook groups remaining, despite David Cameron’s mini-blitzkrieg. There’s a whole range of opinions expressed on them, some even approaching debate: donna at the end off the day his gf fooked his ed up she the one to bleam if sge hadent off tould… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Politics

The Prostitution Conversation – Part One

July 11, 2010

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There comes a time in most women’s lives when you suddenly don’t have enough money. Whatever level you’re at, high-powered or unemployed, and whatever your outgoings are, you realise that there isn’t enough coming in. The situation may also be frog-in-a-pot gradual, and you’ve just been in denial about it. And then you run into… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Politics

Pod Delusion 41 Podcast – Women and Invisibility

July 9, 2010

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Check out this week’s Pod Delusion podcast. I’m talking about women and invisibility. This was partly sparked by going to a discussion at the Cottesloe Theatre, with Joan Bakewell, Harriet Walter and Jill Kennington, hosted by Stephanie Merritt. The event was held to celebrate the photography exhibition Infinite Variety, which celebrates older women. It was… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Podcast, Politics

RIP Sebastian Horsley – a rather telling incident remembered

June 22, 2010

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I replaced ‘very’ with ‘rather’, up there in the title. It seemed more fitting. I was very sad to hear of the death of Sebastian Horsley last week. I knew him only slightly, having met him a couple of years ago, but I went to the launch of Tim Fountain‘s lively and very entertaining stage… [Read more…]

Posted in: Art, Life

Modern-Day Excommunication – New Podcast from the Pod Delusion

June 11, 2010

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The new Pod Delusion podcast, episode 37, is out now. This time I’m talking about excommunication, in the light of the sad and infuriating case of Sister Margaret McBride. I also mention the awful case of the nine year old Brazilian girl who had been raped and was pregnant with twins – but apparently an… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Podcast, Politics

Inevitable Shoe-Related Post, or Why I Stopped Wearing Stilettos

June 4, 2010

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I stated firmly to myself a while ago that I wasn’t going to blog about my appearance, lifestyle, health, or relationships, but then I remembered that since I wrote an entire memoir about my life, along with various features in the national press, it would be a bit coy and ridiculous to suddenly clam up… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Politics

Technology and Loneliness – new podcast from The Pod Delusion

May 28, 2010

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Check out The Pod Delusion, episode 35, in which I have a pop at the idea that new technology is contributing to the (alleged) increase in loneliness. I felt like saying something after listening to an episode of Radio Four’s You and Yours earlier in the week, entitled Is Modern Life Making You Lonely?. I… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Podcast, technology

Grassroots activism – time to think the unthinkable?

May 16, 2010

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Yesterday, a little the worse for wear after the excellent Alabama3 gig and consequent after-party in Brixton, I joined my friend Kate at Parliament Square for some guerilla gardening. For the last couple of weeks, the square has been taken over by Democracy Village, which is a surprisingly large number of tents, even a small… [Read more…]

Posted in: Life, Politics

Women in the election – new podcast from The Pod Delusion

May 14, 2010

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I’m podcasting again, this week with The Pod Delusion. My segment’s about women in the election. A lot of people have been seeing red about the ludicrous imbalance in the new government (and the old ones as well), including The F-Word, the Guardian, the Guardian again, and the Fawcett Society. In my bit, I get… [Read more…]

Posted in: Podcast, Politics