2 July 2011 Cartoon Pg 27
The Spectator
Saturday
2 July 2011 Cartoon Pg 62
2 July 2011 Cartoon Pg 49
2 July 2011 Cartoon Pg 47
Letters | 2 July 2011
Child benefit? No thanks! Sir: I was particularly struck by Melanie McDonagh (‘What women want’, 25 June) trotting out the same old complaint about the ‘cloth-eared’ decision to take child benefit off families in the higher tax bracket. How and why have we got ourselves into a situation where even middle-class journalists think that they should be clients of the state? I was glad when the government saw sense and discontinued my child tax credit. Why should the government automatically give me money I don’t need, when my hard-earned taxes could be much better spent elsewhere?
Barometer | 2 July 2011
Life of Pi A group of mathematicians is campaigning for the mathematical constant pi to be replaced by tau, the latter being the ratio of the circumference to the radius as opposed to that of the circumference to the diameter. As tau is simply twice the value of pi (approximately 6.28) it won’t consume so many centuries to establish its value as pi. — A value for pi is mentioned in the Old Testament relating to the construction of the Temple of Solomon around 450 bc. It sets a value of three, suggesting that the temple may have been very shoddily built. — In the 3rd century bc, Archimedes calculated the value of pi to lie somewhere between 223/71 and 22/7, which is correct to three decimal places.
Portrait of the week | 2 July 2011
Home Teachers went on strike for a day. The National Association of Head Teachers strongly advised heads not to allow parent volunteers to keep schools open. Public-sector workers chose the same day to strike, also in a dispute over pensions. The UK Border Agency advised against flying that day. Ed Miliband, the leader of the Labour party, said he wanted to choose members of the shadow cabinet instead of being bound by elections by the party conference. All but Habitat’s three central London shops went into administration. Thorntons decided to close at least 120 of its sweet shops, transferring many to franchisees. The average person has to use ten personal identification numbers or computer passwords every day, researchers found.
Leading article: The salesman and the spies
There was a strange juxtaposition of events on Monday. That was the day Britain launched the fourth wing of its armed services: a ‘cyber-command’ designed to protect our country against online attacks, most of which are carried out by China. It was also the day when David Cameron welcomed Wen Jiabao, the Premier of China, to 10 Downing Street for smiles and handshakes and multi-million-pound deals. Something very odd is happening to Sino-British relations. Britain is simultaneously acquiring a new enemy and a new ally. If we are lucky, the proceeds from trade with the ally may exceed the £650 million cost of online combat with the enemy. China’s problem is simple.
Friday
The week that was | 1 July 2011
Here is a selection of posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the last week. Spectator.co.uk introduces its new Business and Investments section. Fraser Nelson recalls when he crossed a picket line. James Forsyth says the government must look beyond Europe, and says that Christine Lagarde’s appointment is a win for Osborne. Peter Hoskin says that this week’s strikes are a prelude to something larger, and asks what will emerge from the ashes in Afghanistan. David Blackburn says that the Greek vote leaves the vital questions unanswered, and explains how Whitehall’s last monolithic department is to be reformed. Nick Cohen considers the crisis of left, right and centre. Rod Liddle detests the Glasto smug-fest.
Tuesday
Introducing the Business and Investments section
CoffeeHousers may have noticed a new addition to the Spectator's navigation bar, above: a Business and Investments section. There, you'll find all the business content from the magazine as well as a Business and Investments blog. We already have a decent smattering of posts on the blog — on everything from China's inflationary worries to the prospect of fresh quantitive easing — with many more to come. Please do make yourself at home in the comments section, and suggest any business-related features you'd like to see in future. The address, should you need it, is: new.spectator.co.
Monday
CoffeeHousers’ Wall, 27 June – 3 July
Welcome to the latest CoffeeHousers' Wall. For those who haven't come across the Wall before, it's a post we put up each Monday, on which – providing your writing isn't libellous, crammed with swearing, or offensive to common decency – you'll be able to say whatever you like in the comments section. There is no topic, so there's no need to stay 'on topic' – which means you'll be able to debate with each other more freely and extensively. There's also no constraint on the length of what you write – so, in effect, you can become Coffee House bloggers. Anything's fair game – from political stories in your local paper, to chat about the latest football results.
Just in case you missed them… | 27 June 2011
…here are some of the posts made at Spectator.co.uk over the weekend. Fraser Nelson goes to Saltaire, a town built by philanthropy. James Forsyth wonders if there will be a re-shuffle of the whips' office, and is concerned by Russia’s arrival in Greece. David Blackburn notes that Ken Clarke’s revised bill is still not tough enough for the Tory right, and examines Ed Miliband’s attempt to remould the Labour party. Daniel Korski believes the civil service has escaped lightly for its role in the debacles of Iraq and Afghanistan. And Alex Massie considers how one reads in this age of distraction.
