Sarah Wilson

stuff I’m not paid to endorse: the sharp political twits I follow

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***Updated Friday 5pm: News is emerging the election will be called tomorrow. The PM is saying she’ll ask the GG to delay issuing the writ until Wednesday, which means IF YOU’RE NOT ENROLLED TO VOTE YOU’LL HAVE ABOUT FIVE DAYS TO DO SO. Do it at my link here.

***Updated Friday 5pm: Latika Bourke has started this election Twitter list of political journos to follow. For more, see my list below.

I keep getting asked the best way to stay up to speed with the stuff we all need to know for the election. Honestly? Twitter. It’s taken a while, but Twitter has really settled into itself and we’re kind of getting the hang of how to best use it. It’s not really for inane “I just ate 3 Maltesers” updates. It’s a business tool. And a media tool.

2672159314 41e0a0dc97 stuff I'm not paid to endorse: the sharp political twits I follow

Heading into the election, Twitter will play a major role. News will break on Twitter (as it did with the Abbott/Turnbull spill). Dynamic, important debate will happen on Twitter. Without spin (there’s not enough characters!). On Twitter the media/opinion leaders we all love actually share what they REALLY think, rather than the publisher line.

Before I break into a list, a community announcement: The election COULD BE CALLED THIS WEEKEND, which means you need to be enrolled to vote NOW. Not on Monday. TODAY. Got it? Once the election is called, there’s about 1-5 days (depending on how fast they move things) to do so. If you’re a first-timer, or you’ve moved, or you have kids who might not be correctly enrolled, check out my election cheat sheet. Pass her around…

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Tuesday eats: the deal with agave (plus, the sweetener you should be using)

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A little while back, my friend Gez got fired up with me that I included some info about agave syrup, without explaining the downside of the stuff. So, I’ll try to rectify things here…

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Never heard of it? It’s a sugar substitute made from a Mexican succulent. Tequila is made from the same plant. The “nectar” tastes a little like honey, but is clear in colour, and is 1.5 times sweeter than sugar. Thing is, it’s popping up everywhere as a “healthy” and “natural” alternative to sugar. And, I have to say, I was sucked in by the sell. Until…

I got naturapath Angela Hywood to explain, eloquently, as always, the real deal:

My view overall: it’s a shame Agave has snuck into the “health natural sweetener” category when its of absolutely no nutritional value at all and as highly caloric as corn syrup.

[From me, Sarah: Actually, Dr Mercola at Huffington Post argues agave is worse than corn syrup, containing up to 97% fructose. Why’s this bad?

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Manage flitter: a cool device for unfollowing on Twitter

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It’s a fact of life: these days we have to cull “electronic friends”  to cope with Sheer Influx of Cluttery Information. I think we all accept this, right? It’s not personal; it’s professional. I keep my “following” list at 108…it’s partly an auspicious thing.

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But how to clear the clutter? This little gizmo – ManageFlitter – does it sniper-like.

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It works by sorting your Twitter followers list into:

  • Talkative or Quite – They tweet too much or too little.
  • One Sided – They don’t follow you back.
  • Possible Spam – They have no picture on their Twitter profile

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sunday life: I try this cool self-discipline technique

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This week I give the Pomodoro Technique a crack.48518_1_468

On this bumpy road to a “better life” that I ride week to week, this much has become abundantly clear: it’s very hard to make self-discipline sexy. As I read on some blog or other recently, you don’t get excited about a party because you’ve been told all the self-disciplined people will be there. Now, do you.

Although over the past 12 months writing this column I’ve given it a good crack. At making self-discipline sexy, that is. At parties I hold court by the buffet and impart fascinating productivity stories to captivated friends, while sipping on my one glass of pinot gris for the evening and urging myself not to grab another handful of Burger Rings.

My favourite is the one about Ray Bradbury. Ray was a broke freelance writer. Unable to afford an office, he’d go to the public library to write, where he’d queue to hire a typewriter in the basement for 30 minutes at a time.  It cost a dime a pop; he had to get value for money (and time). So he’d write in efficient bursts.

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stuff I’m not paid to endorse: a Bondi guide

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A few days ago marked seven years in Sydney for me. July 3 2003 I arrived in Bondi with a carload of belongings and moved in with Bill from the coolhunter (at the time he worked from his bedroom with a following of a few thousand…now it’s in the millions). I’ve moved back and forth from Bondi. I’m back. bondi-2t1w6174

And I quite love the place for all it’s scrappy, scruffy, affected, slightly confused antics. If you’re in the area, or visiting some time soon, here a little guide to places I think sum up the place and also give the little basin it’s quirky community vibe.

* Please add your ideas and suggestions to the comments and I’ll add to this list for everyone to read!!

1. Soup at M Deli, Fletcher St Tamarama. Great locals hangout. Their soups are the best. Cauliflower with sage. Spinach and chickpea. They also have Organic Republic’s gluten-free bread there.

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beyond beautiful: the fully sick rapper’s “life in a day”

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A month or two ago I posted an interview with Christiaan, the Fully Sick Rapper who’d been quarantined in hospital with TB for 106 days. He’s just emailed me this link and, if  I were you, I’d watch it. Even if you haven’t had to face your own sadness in a mirror, or wondered where to find strength, or been sick in a scary way. But if you have, be prepared for little tears of human connection.

The video was made on day 180 of his stay in hospital, three days before he was told he could finally go home. When he made this, he had no idea when or if he was going home. It’s raw. I like that we finally seem him smiling.

He was invited to make the video for a youtube project – Life in a Day – that will see director Kevin Macdonald and producer Ridley Scott create a documentary capturing one day in the life of thousands around the world – July 24, 2010. Go to  Life in a Day to get involved. It was only announced two hours ago. Pretty rad.

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have you seen this very funny election spoof?

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There are all kinds of ways to encourage you to get enrolled to vote. There’s this spoof that GetUp put together. You might have seen it on Q&A Monday night?

There’s also this dotpointed cheat sheet, which you might like to copy and paste and pass around your email list.

Please enrol. Please?

  • The previous (Liberal) government introduced laws that make it difficult to enrol to vote once the election is called
  • If you’re enrolling for the first time (like, you just turned 18 recently): you have until 8pm the same day the writ is issued.
  • If you’re updating your details: you have until 8pm three days after the writ is issued.

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Lily Allen searches for meaning…and the doubters hate on her

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Lily’s just come out saying she can’t see the point of life and that she worries about her life not having substance.

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And she’s decamped to the Brazilian rainforest to speak out on deforestation.

“A lot of my life is very vacuous. It doesn’t have a lot of substance and I guess I feel it’s a bit pointless. And, yes, coming here makes me feel I can put my fame to good use. I’m not pretending to know everything and I don’t understand this as well as I should, but I’m here to get my head around it.”

She also admits she hates how “glossy” celebrities look, and thinks of it as a personal challenge to rebel from that stereotype, telling UK You mag.

“I see it as my responsibility to be like that. There are always pictures of me looking like s**t in the papers, but you can’t wear make-up all the time, and if you do, just because you are famous… well, I don’t think it’s a very good message to send.”

All of which is quite interesting. And bravo to her for making changes to her life. But more interesting are the comments from readers this news has prompted.

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