Top Stories and Blog Review – 26th August
American elections:
Democrats plan ‘One Nation’ theme
Michelle Obama, reluctant campaigner
Republicans try gatecrashing convention
McCain plays the POW card again.
Elsewhere
Ken praises anti-Boris blogs
DAILY BLOG REVIEW / by Douglas Johnson
Recently returned from staffing a bar at Reading, so forgive my brevity:
Akela’s Diary - tells us how the Daily Mail can kiss his hairy, left-wing, public sector arse. And quite right too.
Rayyan Mirza - Obama presents lessons for progressives everywhere.
Pickled Politics - If Tim Montgomerie thinks you’d be stupid not to want a new Bush, and the Americans really don’t want a new Bush, doesn’t that make him the anti-American?
Splintered Sunrise - Does institutional Catholicism recognise posthumous mormon baptism – or will there be a little theological clash?
Adam Smith Was a Socialist - How do Lib Dem leaders cope?
Top Stories and Blog Review – 25th August
5:30pm: McCain plays the POW card again.
Olympics:
Most viewed in American TV history
China deports Tibet protestors
Watch the closing ceremony
Elsewhere
TNR: Why nothing will happen over Darfur
DAILY BLOG REVIEW / by Aaron Heath
Army of Dude – A must read. After 15 months in Iraq, Alex completes his last patrol.
OurKingdom – Anthony suspects that, if Brown isn’t confident of victory, he’ll stand down before the election.
Craig Murray – Commenting on the poor understanding of the Russia/Georgia affair in the blogosphere, before pointing you in the right direction of – more informed – further reading.
BJPsych – Jennie, who’s off today, has recommended this report, which takes a look at homicide due to mental disorders.
Sadie’s Tavern – Sadie is tempted my a meme. You know, a “where were you when”-type thingymabob. Apparently, boys smell. *sniffs* She has a point.
Amused Cynicism – Is hosting this week’s Britblog roundup. Scots, see here.
The Yorkshire Ranter – The Chinese adopt the ASBO.
Freemania – is in awe at the Democrats, as he contemplates their unmatchable prowess at losing elections.
Easy Like a Sunday Morning
Steph Ashley has a fantastic post on the politics of sexuality and how people judge you by the labels you apply to yourself (and I’m not just saying that because she links me in it).
Amireal has a project with the potential to be HUGE: convince the MSM that sci-fi fandom is not exclusively white, male, and under 30. Over 500 comments on one blog entry is pretty impressive… I suspect the message will be heard but not listened to by those it is aimed at, since we still have to deal with the canard that women don’t blog, though.
My Very Prestigious Blog of the Year Awards have reached their final phase. Go and vote for who should be the overall winner!
Our very own Aaron has an interesting video on the creeping police state we are enduring. How much further is it going to creep, I wonder?
Tyrell points and laughs at the Daily Fail for their story that 50,000 are women abandoning church every year as Buffy the Vampire Slayer turns them on to witchcraft.
Amused Cynicism has a pair of Great Tits.
And if that isn’t enough links for you, both Septicisle and Mat have more.
It’s Biden
Welcome to Liberal Conspiracy’s daily look at the political blogosphere. Please feel free to put your own recommendations in the comments, or you can send links for tomorrow’s review to tips[at]liberalconspiracy[dot]org
Huffington Post – Obama choo-choo-chooses the Senator from Delaware as his running mate. Joe Biden, a foreign-policy heavyweight (he’s chair of the mighty Senate Foreign Relations Committee), should boost the ticket in preparation for a long and dirty fight with McCain.
Politico – Hillary Stiffed! Apparently, the New York senator was never even vetted by Obama. You have to wonder what he could hope to find out that he doesn’t already know, but this might further spice-up the convention, where rumours of a coup still hang in the air.
Daily Kos – If you hadn’t heard, this week McCain dropped the mother of all clangers when he couldn’t answer the question: “how many houses do you own?” With America suffering economically, the GOP wingnuts are doing monkey-flips trying to spin this one. continue reading… »
Dr. Humpers
Welcome to Liberal Conspiracy’s daily review of the web. Late to my desk today; so like a Hobbit eating a doughnut, it’ll be short ‘n’ sweet.
Anton Vowl – Getting all shouty about prime Daily Mail hypocrisy and the dog-muck that is X-Factor. (NSFW)
EconomicsUK – Finally, Britain’s record of economic expansion is at an end. David Smith also mentions that “capital expenditure dropped by 5.3%.” No surprise, as Brown last year slashed tax-relief, intended to encourage infrastructure investment in manufacturing, in order to fund the cut in corporation tax.
Jock Coats – Thinking about practical measures to protect our data.
Sadie’s Tavern – Ms. Smith discusses her daily dose of faux-outrage, courtesy of Dr. Humpers. Just read it, okay?
Military.com – A Vietnam Vet, and fellow POW alongside John McCain, explains why he won’t be voting for the Arizona Senator this November. via.
Olly’s Onions – This is just cheeky.
Okay, that’s all from me. I’ll try and get started earlier tomorrow. Bye. *waves*
Won’t somebody think of the children!
Hello! It’s Thursday, and as usual I’m back to offer my thoughts on the best of the web. Check out my blog for an extended list a little later, it’ll include some links to the Gary Glitter situation, BBC on Brown and Belgium’s potential breakup…
A blog from the back room – Hopi looks at “fairness” and who wins out between Labour and the Tories, though Hak Mao has other feelings.
CiF/Marting Narey – You have to feel appreciative of the sheer amount of optimism from this rose-tinted glasses wearer, but sets out what Labour really should be doing about child poverty.
Peter Kenyon – Peter also wonder’s what exactly Labour are waiting for to abolish child poverty for good.
Transform – Steve has an absolutely stunning rebuttal of Dr Ian Oliver’s stance that prohibition is an overwhelmingly positive thing.
Cassilis – Are we ignoring the point of what exam grades are for, dumbing down or otherwise?
5CC – Could it be that there is more definite proof out there about inherent racism in the Daily Mail?
CiF/AC Grayling – Mr Grayling almost continue reading… »
Short One Today
Welcome to Wednesday’s NetCast:
Liberal England - Does Olympic success mean anything?
Bartholemew’s Notes on Religion - Knives out on the far-right.
Five Chinese Crackers - The Daily Mail seems adamant that non-whites just don’t get stabbed.
Splintered Sunrise - manages to find common ground with Peter Hitchens. We live in strange times…
The F-Word - Australian Mayor’s sexism…boomerangs?
Bob Piper - has some advice for defenders of America.
Tips in the comments, or to tips[at]liberalconspiracy.org.
Gender, Ethics, Science.
Welcome to Tuesday’s netcast:
Charles Darwin’s Blog - Is a certain Tory blogger right about the public distrust of scientists?
Obselete - Cameron manages to be vacuous throughout his book. Another crass and dull political quasi-biography to ignore then.
The Daily (Maybe) – on the need for the left to discuss ethics.
The Yorksher Gob - Why does gender portrayal change so much between childrens’ and adults’ entertainment?
Stroppyblog - The anti-imperialist’s enemy’s enemy in Afghanistan is no liberator either.
Two Doctors - Of swing-states and VPs.
A Very Public Sociologist - When large groups of women feel compelled to pay to have themselves sliced open, something is wrong.
Tips in the comments, or to tips[at]liberalconspiracy.org
Ernest Borgnine has the secret to eternal youth.
Voting is Open in my Very Prestigious Blog Awards. If you haven’t got a LiveJournal account there’s a tutorial here to logging in to LJ with Open ID (which is ridiculously easy) so that you can vote. One of the nominees has got so excited that she’s gone and delivered an email gauntlet to fellow-nominee Wil Wheaton, which is only adding to the entertainment value as far as I am concerned…
The Heretic considers the impact that the Georgia situation will have on fuel supplies in the Peak Oil group blog.
Steph Ashley is a bit annoyed about the expenses claims made by some Welsh Assembly members.
Our Kingdom continue to examine possible post-Brown futures for Labour.
Political Betting report on some interesting comments made by dear Mr Cameron. Is the mask slipping?
Dreaming of Simplicity looks at the relationship between NICE and the drug companies.
Alex Wilcock has picked out his best posts and ALMOST managed to restrict himself to ten.
And finally, Sexual Intelligence celebrates Ernest Borgnine. Depending on your boss’s sense of humour, this may be NSFW.
The Something of Boris. The song’s in my head…
Steph Ashley is mega mega mega excited about the Lib Dem conference agenda. No, seriously, she is.
Amused Cynicism has spotted the government breaking their own laws. Hands up anyone who is surprised? … Anyone?
Smash Boredom eviscerates Julie Burchill in the Powerswitch group blog.
Junkfood Science discusses spurious correlations and the media reporting of them.
In the light of our unprecedented Olympic successes (and the inevitable attempt by New Labour to claim credit), Charlie Stross has come up with a new Olympic Sport which we Brits can’t fail to be world-beaters at, just in time for London 2012.
And if that’s not enough links for you, SepticIsle has more.
Reason’s Sword
Welcome to Liberal Conspiracy’s daily blog review. We have a sumptuous menu for you today, starting with a main course of succulent Labour analysis, followed by some hot ‘n’ spicy American conservatism. I know. Me too. So excited!
OurKingdom – Anthony Barnett wittily unravels some vacuous Newspeak from minister Liam Byrne, who delicately writes with one foot in the Brown camp, and the other in Miliband’s.
Paul Linford – The coming weeks could represent the final death-knell of Brown’s premiership. A potentially lethal re-shuffle where ministers may refuse to serve, the all-important party conference, and a dangerous by-election in Scotland. A leadership challenge? Paul thinks there is every chance.
OurKingdom – Another cracking piece from OK, this time from Geoffrey Bindman, who warns those looking to define post-Brown Labour, about the vacuity of big strategies. Bindman takes one single issue, Legal Aid, and constructs a policy concept that would improve the lives of the poor and middle class, and foster a more equal society. It’s an intelligent step towards putting some purpose back into Labour. Highly recommended. continue reading… »
“But in the 21st century, nations don’t invade other nations.”
Welcome to the Friday edition of Liberal Conspiracy’s daily web review. Have to be quick as I’m – SHOCK! HORROR! – in the market for a proper job and I must get busy. Wish me luck.
Millennium Dome, Elephant – The Elephant’s own take on that controversial Policy Exchange report.
The People’s Republic of Mortimer – Alix questions the wisdom of all those ranting against that PolEx report. What exactly is so great about northern top-down regeneration?
Political Betting – Are the Clintons planning to knife Obama in back at the Democratic convention?
PFLD – A collection of Tory slogans. My favourites being, “The Conservative Party: A Better Class of Sex Scandal” and “Vote Conservative: We promise to keep Iain Dale away from anything important.” Meow!
Anthony Painter [video] – Yeah, McCain actually says, “But in the 21st century, nations don’t invade other nations.” Jesus this guy is his own worst enemy.
The Daily (Maybe) – Jim has a Q&A with the candidates running for the Green Party leadership race.
That’s all folks. Better be off. Bye. *waves*
We all *heart* the North really
Welcome to Thursday, isn’t it glorious? Of course it is more glorious if you live in the south, but I won’t go there…no need when so many others have! As usual, extended list will be up soon on my blog with some more on the Northern issue, Prince Charles and Obama.
Stumbling and Mumbling – Given how much bad shape the North is supposedly in, they should be worried about the long term side-effects of recession in their diet.
Kerron Cross – Now about that Northern thing…
Liberal England – …It seems to have struck a bit of a chord…
Quaequam Blog – …especially given a Lib Dem’s involvement in it…
Darlington Councillor – …it seems very, very few are impressed…
ePolitix/Adam Marshall – ..but even fewer try to move on to the next stage.
Schmoo on the run – On a lighter note, get off your head on drugs and save Gordon Brown in the process.
UK Liberty – Don’t panic. For those that are high, the way politicians are going about a “Bill of Rights” *is* arse about face.
Casting Back:
Indigo Jo Blogs (2004) – It’s always sobering to know nothing changes when it comes to the gutter press.
The nuclear industry has no clothes
Welcome to Wednesday’s netcast, briefly bought to you from the wrong side of London:
Earthpal - On the inadequacies of rape compensation.
Lee Griffin - wants some debate on proposals for a windfall tax.
Nuclear Reaction - Greenpeace has discovered worrying documents, which suggest that all is not well with the construction of Areva’s prototype nuclear reactor in Finland. Bad news for the nuclear lobby.
Peter Cranie - Who to vote for in the Green Party Executive Elections?
Jenny Jones - Boris makes some Pyongyang style announcements of his own. Who else would demand a new airport be bvuilt because he was inconvenienced at another?
Ali Gledhill - Gordon’s new website lacks clothes. Oh dear?
Tips in the coments or to tips[at]liberalconspiracy.org
Computers, fear, sex, Bolivia, socialism and fallen radicals
Welcome to Tuesday’s netcast:
The F-Word – Are virtual relationships with computer generations particularly good for the mind?
The Yorksher Gob - Witness the power of YouTube; able to render Obama attack ads he doesn’t have to make, and which hit harder than McCain’s anyway.
The Daily (Maybe) - celebrates Evo Morales victory in Bolivia.
BoRev - on some rather less pleasing news from Bolivia.
Pandagon - Do abstinence-only advocates actually live in the real world?
New Direction - The Blairites are their own worst enemies – and will suffer for their mistakes.
Gerard DeGroot - “Poor misguided children of Marx and Coca-Cola, you started making fun of society, but now you’re making fun for it.”
Tips in the comments, or to tips[at]liberalconspiracy.org
Shiny Shiny Awards For Some, Not For All – UPDATED!
Absolutely not in imitation of anyone else at all, I am holding a Very Prestigious Blog Awards with a silly nickname. Do please come and nominate your favourites – anonymous comments are enabled, so you don’t even have to log in!
The Hugo Awards’s winners have been announced. Congrats to the winners and commiserations to the losers.
Douglas Johnson points out that the left didn’t abandon Blair in disgust because of who he was – they abandoned him because he consistently failed to cater to their demands (on Scribo Ergo Sum).
Amused Cynicism is keeping up his coverage of the Georgia situation admirably. I agree with Pickwick’s rather pithy WTF, Russia?
Jonny Wright considers the possibility of a British Bill of Rights.
Junkfood Science reports that The Fat Police are becoming a reality.
Feminist SF has a very long and detailed dissection of Orson Scott Card’s religiously-informed views on Same Sex Marriage.
Hullfire is at the Edinburgh Festival. Her first review is interesting, if sweary, and doubtless the others will follow in the same pattern.
And finally, if you’re hungry for more links, there’s a goldmine in the International Blog Against Racism Week Blog. Keep it in your diary for next year.
Late Addition: Caroline Lucas interviewed in the Indy with regard to goings-on at Kingsnorth
SEX! And American Elections and Climate Change and a smattering of the Olympics
Sexual Intelligence wonders why anyone cares who John Edwards slept with? I share his mystiication.
Kiji Kat has an open letter to John McCain.
The Daily (maybe) has been monitoring goings on at Kingsnorth.
Douglas Johnson has a horrible new colour scheme post incredulous at some of the comments on Pickled Politics about the goings on at Kingsnorth
Political Betting wonders if Miller Band could be Labour’s Nick Clegg.
Same Difference has a shocking tale of institutionalised discrimination in Canada.
Newsarama has discovered that the more the politics of comics writing changes, the more it stays the same.
And finally, Minnesattva’s other half has made up a song about Richard Dawkins. It’s very catchy.
The World shakes
Well, yesterday was certainly interesting. One minute we have a monummentous celebration in Beijing, and the next, Russia invades Georgia over a tiny rebellious mountainous enclave. So two universal truths are reinforced. One, the Chinese know how to throw a good party. Two, the Caucasus remain one of the world’s most irritable sores.
Now, on to the blogs.
Mark Almond/CiF – An informed commentary. And not ignorring one of the fundamentals of the Georgian-Russian conflict, Saakashvili – the Georgian president – is a naive idiot.
Svante Cornell/CiF – Stark, one-sided Russophobia. IMO. But then I would say that.
Robin Lustig – Iraq is flooded with oil-money, so why is the US still footing the bill for reconstruction?
Political Betting – Will two sex-scandals – one tinged with race – destabilise Obama’s campaign?
Real Clear Politics – (Re. one of those scandals) WTF was Edwards thinking?
The Curvature – Two in a row for Cara. Today it’s another story of a defence contractor, this time the Halliburton subsidiary KBR, covering up rape by its workers. continue reading… »
Great big man-tits
Welcome to today’s netcast. Off out soon with the kids, so just a quickie today.
The Curvature – A Russian judge has thrown out a sexual-harrasment case because, “If we had no sexual harassment we would have no children”. Scary Mary. As always Cara is on the money.
donpaskini – Politicians have alarmingly short memories. With this in mind, we bring you some lessons from those halcyon days of 2005.
The Yorksher Gob – Jennie calls for more accountability from parties for the conduct of their activists. I know a few Laboourites who might choke on their cornflakes at this from a Lib Dem’r!
Shiraz Socialist – Dispatches from the front line in the battle between “militant secularists” and politicised religious groups.
Tim Worstall – Tim is bitching about rigid regulations in dynamic markets, and what he supposes we do. Oh, and he claims that you lot – the pesky good-for-nothin’ lefties – just don’t get it.
A Very Public Sociologist – Racism, sexism, and homophobia? Why it must be the new X-Files movie!
And finally, Tim Ireland brings to our attention the newly announced Bond theme. ;o) Catch you tomorrow. Bye. *waves*
Could this be the greatest day in the world?
Welcome to the netcast, tips in the comments or to the usual place. Today is my Birthday, yet here I am giving the gifts…it’s like some strange Hobbiton around here! As usual my extended list will be online shortly
CiF/Ian Buruma – Belgium is on the brink of collapse? Won’t someone please think of the chocolate!
Freemania – Tom thinks a little bit of reservation goes a long way to dealing with obesity issues, the same way just a little bit of glorious cookie makes the needle move a long way…
OurKingdom – James gets out his crystal ball and forsee’s the future landscape of British politics
Mary Reid – After a midnight brain lull of trying to read this thinking it was about Cherie Booth, I found an interesting tale of local politics (maybe) working.
Dave’s Part – If we do have rat’s in our wards, they deserve to be cleaned away by a better class of cleaner…or as they shall be called, NHS rat wardens.
Eaten by missionaries – Cameron et all are keeping mighty quiet over the recent shaming of their party through a PPC. Quick more rat stories!
The Bristol Blogger – Bristol plans to use taxpayer money to fund propaganda about recycling. Will they include instructions on how to recycle the useless plastic produced?
You can read articles through the front page, via Twitter or rss feeds.
» How bad is the feline obesity crisis?
» Why don’t MPs pay back tuition fees instead of increasing ours?
» Obama is right to slam BP – and why capitalists should too
» Why does Phillip Blond see civic cohesion as a security issue?
» So what if the Labour candidates went to Oxbridge?
» Last night’s Labour hustings: will it get interesting or turn to torture?
» It’s now down to Ken to win London for Labour
» The Labour people need
» Blog Nation: what would you like to see discussed?
» The Labour leadership’s token contender.. and it’s not Diane Abbott
» In defence of these fraternal nominations
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