Annette Bonnier

There is an unusual dichotomy in the role of the elephant in Indian society. The animal is seen both as an enlightened, spiritual being and a beast of burden. Ganesh, the elephant-headed god, is venerated as one of the highest deities in the Hindu religion. Many temples in southern India house an elephant for worshippers to visit. But elephants are also chained and used for logging and tourism.

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We've routinely proved ourselves to be 'unable to commit'. When it comes to business and politics our relationship with ambition isn't so warm and fuzzy. It's time Australia got down on bended knee and promised to love and cherish ambition til death do us part.

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The good thing about writing about smoking is that for once I don't have to watch my words. Nothing I say could possibly offend smokers more than the government's shock tactics and cigarette packets themselves.

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You will find me wrapped around your head. Especially when it's cold. It's really cool how your head gives off so much heat, by the way. You are awesome. I also do this to stop you hearing thunder, because thunder is scary.

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People may think that women no longer face sexism in media or politics when they speak, but that ignores the very obvious fact that even before women say anything they have already, in split seconds, jumped through hundreds of "what if I said something about sexism" hoops.

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When I tell people I live with my boyfriend's family, I always get the same reaction. "Oh god, how's that going?" they say, like they'd rather eat crushed glass than sleep (ahem) a wall away from the almost in-­laws and their offspring.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

She is brave, skilled, resourceful, determined. She has a past that is not spelled out for us but rather is left as a tantalizing mystery. She is no one's love interest, and is not defined by her relationships with or unrequited longings for any particular man. And she kicks tremendous ass.

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This article will tell you what I know for sure, and wish I had known a long time ago, about abusive relationships, in the hope that it might empower and help anyone in a similar situation, whether it's early on or decades in.

James Brickwood, Fairfax Media

It's a term I've always loathed, and one that's dogged just about every working mother I know, for decades. The stunningly naïve belief that once we women had The Vote, The Pill, No-Fault Divorce and Equal Pay, that we could now go about the business of having The Job, The Marriage, The Kids, The Home we wanted, and -- some sanity.

I celebrate breastfeeding mothers everywhere. It's a tough and beautiful gig. I also celebrate those mothers who gave it a go and then made another choice -- because nothing is "best" for a baby if the mother is suffering.

Paul Hilton/Greenpeace

If you knew the popular canned tuna you were eating might have been caught in slave-like conditions and was potentially contaminated, would you still want it? Would you give it to your kids?

Despite being displaced and persecuted throughout his short life, Christ's unchanging message was not one of revenge or violence but simply that we should love one another. Although it is not an easy message to follow, we shouldn't be discouraged; rather, it inspires us to try harder: to be thankful for the people who bring love and happiness into our own lives, and to look for ways of spreading that love to others, whenever and wherever we can... There's an old saying that "it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness". There are millions of people lighting candles of hope in our world today. Christmas is a good time to be thankful for them, and for all that brings light to our lives. I wish you a very happy Christmas.

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Wildlife always poses a risk. In the past there have been people mauled by bears, ripped apart by great apes, attacked by lions. Yet we scream out if anyone ever mentions destroying these animals, let alone cull a species.

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Many of you have suffered the horror that is shopping for your own property. Online listings with glorious images that have been photoshopped beyond reality, false statements of 'Buyer Friendly Auctions', and laughably lowballed "offers from" prices.

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It's so hard though, isn't it? Work, family, life admin -- the list goes on. And on. But that was a wake-up call for me, because sane people don't look forward to going into hospital.

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Because, human buddies, dogs have got this Christmas thing sorted. So here's a bit of Christmas advice from Paws Truly.

Annabelle Hickson

When she is not in her esky, Honey lightly hops around the house following me wherever I go. When she gets nervous she stands in between my legs and if she can't see me and is suddenly cornered by a toddler holding a Barbie in each hand she makes an almost electronic sounding bark which means 'THIS IS AN EMERGENCY' and I pop her back in her pouch and all is well again.