Microtrends: Broad Church Division
Good news for libertarian Wiccans: it's now safe to vote for Bob Barr.
Alex Massie
Thursday
Alea Iacta Est
Yesterday I wondered if David Miliband was aiming to be Labour's William Hague. Today it seems that he's more likely to be the second coming of Michael Portillo. His bizarre appearance on Jeremy Vine's radio show this afternoon during which he said, inter alia, that "I've always wanted to support Gordon as leader" leaves him with almost no room for manoevre. He must stand and he must stand now or risk humiliation. Whatever his other faults, Portillo never fully recovered from his dithering over whether or not to challenge John Major. He had the phone lines installed but retreated from the logic of his actions - and indeed from the logic of his desires. That caution or, to put it another way, that funk, doomed Portillo. Miliband has surely gone too far to withdraw now.
Question of the Day | 31 July 2008
Courtesy of the BBC: It's the stuff of science fiction, but could mirrors in space or sea water sprayed in the air be shortcuts to halt global warming? What do you think?
Wednesday
Greece is the place
OK, so I'm back. I can confirm that anyone wishing a delightful week, free of the grimey concerns of everyday life, could do an awful lot worse than spend it aboard a yacht pottering around the Ionian Sea. Blissful. Alas, it could not last. and so here we are: returned to Scotland, wet and grey (though the last week, typically, is said to have been the best of the year). Plenty to catch up on then. But what, dear, gracious readers, would you like me to blog about? Leave your requests in the comments or email me and I'll tap away at your suggestions... Photo: Sunrise over the Ionian Sea. Greek mainland in the distance.
Brown’s Downfall
Obviously, there's lots to say about the Glasgow East by-election result. We'll get there eventually. But in the meantime here, via Iain Dale, is an updated version of Gordon Brown in his bunker. Most amusing. Warning: the sub-titles contain strong language.
Cricketing Replay
Regular readers may not be surprised that I'm sceptical of the benefits of the new referral system being trialled in the Sri Lanka-India series. This morning's events at Edgbaston demonstrate why. Kevin Pietersen was given out caught in the gully off Jacques Kallis. Replays and the "Snickometer" suggested that he'd hit his pad, not the ball, before it spooned up to Prince. So far so good: refer this to the Third Umpire and he'll say that Pietersen is not out caught. But he might also mention that he looks as though he is out LBW. But the umpire in the middle can't really say to Pietersen, "OK, so you didn't hit it so you're out LBW instead". Result: muddle. Equally, all the technological aids available can't really help much in deciding whether Vaughan hit his first delivery or not.
Miliband’s Moment?
No, I don't think so. Do you? Really? On the other hand, Danny Finkelstein thinks that David Miliband's piece in the Guardian this morning signals his determination to be a candidate to succeed Gordon Brown. Rosa Prince agrees. And there was me thinking that Miliband is the intelligent one. Doesn't he remember William Hague's example, doomed to become party leader too young and at the worst possible moment. There's precious little upside in being the next Labour leader, whether the changeover takes place this year or next. Better by far to back a caretaker such as Jack Straw - the only politician named by Miliband in his piece - and succeed him once some of the shine has been knocked off the new Tory government and once, of course, Labour has begun its penance in opposition.
Obama: Saviour of the World?
I suppose it must irritate liberals that the press has picked up on the conservative claim - or meme - that Barack Obama is, even by the lofty standards of Presidential candidates, rather more pleased with himself than is seemly. Here, for instance, the Washington Post's sketch-writer (actually, he's America's only sketch-writer) Dana Millbank today: The 5:20 TBA turned out to be his adoration session with lawmakers in the Cannon Caucus Room, where even committee chairmen arrived early, as if for the State of the Union. Capitol Police cleared the halls -- just as they do for the actual president. The Secret Service hustled him in through a side door -- just as they do for the actual president. Inside, according to a witness, he told the House members, "This is the moment . . .
Blogging Orwell
This is really rather splendid: starting next month, George Orwell's diaries will be published on the web, one day at a time, 70 years after they were written. Harry's Place has more.
What is wrong with England?
A dismal day at Edgbaston that took one back to the grim, hapless days of the late 1980s and almost the entire 1990s. Yes, England really were that bad. Batting first on a calm track they subsided to 231 all out. In reply, South Africa have ambled to 38-1. Now you may say that this is only the first day of five and, for sure, the situation is far from irretrievable. But unless England can bat and bowl with greater discipline than they have shown thus far this summer, then they look more likely to head to the Oval 2-0 down than with a chance to square, let alone actually win the series. For once David Lloyd is right. This has been, as he says, an "absolutely woeful" day. Ian Botham also gets it right: "We keep on hearing how great this top five are, well, it hasn't been for some time".
Thursday
Hague on Blair (and Brown)
It's possible I have posted this before, but William Hague's riff on Tony Blair becoming "President of Europe" also bears another viewing:.
Wednesday
Facebook fun
A wee reminder: Facebook now permits you to sign up as a "fan" of this blog. It's not altogether clear what the point of this is but it seems certain that there must be one. Perhaps you can sign up and be entered into a draw to win exciting Debatable Land merchandise. Or something. Anyway, you click on a button here.
Department of Appalling Self-Promotion
Iain Dale wants you to vote for your favourite political blogs (written by Britons or furriners resident in the United Kingdom). Obviously this means you can vote for this one. All you need to do is go here or (better) email Iain here and leave your list of ten blogs in the comments section. What could be simpler than that? And if you felt like mentioning this one somewhere in the upper echelons of your list, well, that would be dandy...
Tuesday
Disaster in the Land of the Long White Cloud
Yes, I know I have posted this before, But, dang it, I'm sailing around Corfu.
Monday
Onwards and upwards to the Ryder Cup!
OK, one more golf comment... No-one anticipated Europe's crushing victory at Oakland Hills in 2004 and precious few more thought that the 2006 edition of the Ryder Cup at the K Club in Ireland would also end ina European blow-out victory. Time after time hotly fancied American sides have been found wanting even if the rankings and, perhaps, common sense suggest they should have won. Why? Well, Padraig Harrington's remarks today give credence to one powerful explantion for this success: european golfers care about the Ryder Cup much more than their American counterparts do. This isn't a universal rule of course, after all Kenny Perry, for one, made making the US team his primary goal for the year. Nonetheless, I suspect he is the exception that proves the rule.
Gone sailing
Blogging will be light this week. In fact, apart from a few things I've prepared to keep the place ticking over, it will be non-existent. I'm sailing around Corfu, courtesy of some kind friends who have a boat. Since I've not been on a non-ferry sea-going vessel of any description in, oh, at least 15 years, I trust I won't be expected to do more than hold the end of a rope from time to time. There was a reason I joined the RAF section of shirkers, not the Royal Navy wastrels back in those not-so-fondly remembered CCF days... See you next week! Photo by Flickr user Mafleen, used under a Creative Commons license.
Lessons in Journalism
This is how you do not interview Hollywood actresses. Newsweek meets Gillian Anderson: I've got to confess. I don't know anything about "The X-Files." OK. Why is it such a big deal? Ohmygod. You're not going to do this to me, are you? Tell me you're not going to do this. Oh come on! It's been such a long time. Hire somebody that knows enough that we don't have to explain this again.
Sunday
Shark Attack
American golf writers are a rum bunch. Here, for instance, is Damon Hack, late of the New York Times and currently berthed at Sports Illustrated: Norman could be on the verge of turning the sports world upside down and righting a dozen wrongs from his career. A Norman win would arguably top Tiger Woods's U.S. Open triumph from a month ago, and it might even surpass Jack Nicklaus's 1986 Masters triumph at age 46. Nicklaus hadn't won a major in six years when he shot 30 in the gloaming on the back nine at Augusta National and won his 18th professional major title. Norman, seven years older than Nicklaus was then, hasn't won a major in 15 years. Arguably better than Tiger at Torrey Pines? This is madness: there's no comparison. Surpass Nicklaus in 1986? Why, yes it would.
Department of Regulation
Matthew Yglesias, libertarian? Well, sort of. (He's right of course.
Congratulations Padraig!
So the old Claret Jug is staying in Ireland for another year. The list of people since 1945 who have retained the Open Championship is: Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods. You can add Padraig Harrington to that list. A remarkable feat, achieved in testing conditions on two of the toughest courses (Carnoustie and Birkdale) on the Open rotation. His five wood from 272 yards to within five feet at the 17th was a shot of exquisite class, worthy of winning a championship. Considering that he contemplated withdrawing from the Open on account of a wrist injury, Harrington's feat is all the more remarkable. What with Tiger's triumph at Torrey Pines, the old maxim of "beware the injured golfer" has never been more apposite.