Monthly Archives: September 2008

Blogging/IT

Britblog Roundup No 186

Welcome to this slightly belated edition of the Britblog roundup – delayed by my overly hopeful estimation that I’d be able to fit in compilation in odd spare moments of the Green Party annual conference, which finished this afternoon.

But since that’s where I’ve been, I have to begin with a reference to the newly launched Green Home – modelled on you know what – where you’ll find (down the side) the latest posts from 68 Green blogs, although the focus in the big print is on several posts a day selected by the editors.

Staying on the conference, but from the Lib Dem perspective, Quarquam Blog is indicating concern about the election of Caroline Lucas as the first Green Party leader. But on the group blog from the conference, Green Despatches, Doug finds that she’s too ‘establishment’ for some.

Just down the road in Bloomsbury, the tone was getting even more bestial – the lions and unicorn are once again roaming free on St George. Meanwhile Lady Bracknell has been braving arachnophobia and the weather, and the pigeons of London have been having look-alike contests – topical ones – since they’ve found their own Sarah Palin.

In the special category of humans mistaken for animals however, Norfolk Blogger has a don’t miss it if you need a laugh – no I won’t provide any hints to spoil the fun…

(Lest I be accused of being unbalanced let me also add that Ukip had its conference over the weekend, and Wonko’s World offers some thoughts on its direction.)

Back on Sarah Palin, Jim on The Daily (Maybe) is trying to leave her family life alone, but she won’t let him, and Heresy Corner suggests that the bulldog metaphor might come back to haunt her. Looking more broadly at a big week in the US election campaign, Mick Fealty deconstructs the key speeches. And Penny Red is reflecting on the explosive reaction her post on the subject received on Liberal Conspiracy.

Moving away from politics, to a spot of poetry – which promises originality, not literary larceny.

But perhaps you’d prefer historic travel – which the Diamond Geezer has been exploring in Mayfair. Or some pure history – Elizabeth Chadwick is reconstructing the life of William Marshal’s firstborn daughter Mahelt (born c. 1193).

Also travelling, at least vicariously, is Jonathan on Liberal England, offering his thoughts on sat nav.

Getting back into the politics, Stroppyblog has a guest post about the approaching inquest into the death of Jean Charles de Menezes. And HarpyMarx reports on another upcoming court case – involving an art work showing Jesus with an erection, while the Ministry of Truth offers some highly illuminating background to the case. (And I hate to think what sort of searchers that link phrase will attract…)

And Tom Reynolds is asking some tough questions about a maternataxi run. Why is a 15-year-old having her third baby?

Not coincidentally, I’m going to point next to a post on the F-word about how the manager of an NHS eating disorders clinic managed to get away with coercing several young women patients into “relationships” for 20 years.

Now you might think of Brighton as a lovely place to live, but it would appear from Ben’s post on life expectancy figures there.

Also, Archbishop Cranmer reflects on new rules for religious schools, KT Dodge asks if the stamp duty change will kick start the housing market and A Very British Dude reflects on the Russians, the EU and the Eastern Europeans.

And that concludes this week’s roundup. Next up I believe is Jonathan, who’ll be collating from the Lib Dem conference. I do hope they have good Wifi in the bar…

Politics

Good news about good news

The election of Caroline Lucas as the first leader of the Green Party, and Adrian Ramsay as deputy leader, was reported on the Radio 4 9pm news, about an hour after the result was announced.

Theatre

Liberty or a really bad cold

Over on My London Your London I’ve a review of the new play Liberty, which opened last night at the Globe – good fun, if a touch contrived and definitely too long – particularly in this London September. If you’re going, I’d definitely recommend the long-johns.

Blogging/IT Science

The ceiling post

In the field of pure coincidence, I’ve been contemplating different ceilings – first the one that collapsed in Strasbourg, bringing a (probably) all-too-brief period of sanity that sees the European Parliament continuing to work in one city. This allowed Chameleon on Redemption Blues to do her usual astonishingly comprehensive job on the Britblog roundup.

Second, a piece from the Sydney Morning Herald about possums has taken me back to my Australian youth, when I had a study with a flat tin roof, underneath a magnificent 120-year-old oak tree (now sadly demolished, with the house, for the construction of half-a-dozen no doubt hideous “villas”).

It teemed with possums, who used to enjoy bouncing back and forth from tree to roof – one cause to which I’d attribute strong nerves (I’m not the sort of person who jumps at sudden noises), and my ability to sleep through pretty much anything.

Yes, that’s a roof not ceiling – the ceiling comes into the story when the possums got inside the roof, and one day when I was sitting in the living room I realised that there was fluid, dripping through the ceiling on to my head…

(And yes, an Australian childhood might also help to explain my strong stomach. Have I told you about the funnel-web spiders that used to enjoy swinging on the back door…?)