Net nuggets No 14

* A different perspective on Arab women - their military roles.

*Staying in that part of the world, a sensible, nuanced short account of the wonderful Lady Hester Stanhope, although unfortunately it is not much impressed by the biography it reviews.

*On wonderful female characters, the ODNB today highlights Elizabeth (Betsy) Davis another 19th-century traveller, but an unusual one, at least of those we know about, in being from a humble background. The daughter of a Welsh smallholder, she only learnt English as a teenager. Her catchphrase seems to have become "I must see more of the world", and that's just what she kept doing.

* My knowledge of American history is scanty, so I was interested in this brief history (with extensive links) of the annexation of Hawaii, which involved the overthrow of the native monarchy. Women were prominent in the local resistance.

* Moving into the present, a short bibliography on Women in development and IT.

* Finally, a bit of inspired madness. Jacob Berendes is making a stuffed toy each day for a year. And you won't find any cute bunnies here.