The BBC recalls a pioneering programme aimed at South Asian immigrants, that aimed to explain to them the mysteries of British life, and how to make themselves feel at home. It ran from 1965 to 1979. Is something similar needed today?
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Divorcing Couple ahead, reduce speed now
The Brighton Argus reports on a more-than-usually public marriage break-up:
Drivers saw the start of the drama last week when a banner was hung over a bridge over the A27 in Brighton bearing the initials JBS and the words: “Wendy, I want a divorce”.
Now it seems Wendy has taken her revenge.
A new banner went up yesterday saying: “No way – you are the cheat! Wendy”.Picture of the second banner at the Argus’s site.
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European rail travel
Paul Steane has an eye-wateringly comprehensive website, at the Enthusiast’s Guide to Travelling the Railways of Europe.
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Poland’s presidential election
Another election in Poland, this time for the presidency, and Le Figaro reports that support for dissidents in Belarus and Ukraine has become a campaign issue.
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David Cameron – West Brom of the Tory Party?
The Tory conference was way more interesting than normal this year, because they were trying to find a leader. What it most reminded me of was the last day of the Premiership season this year.
Readers with good memories will recall that Norwich City went into the day with their fate in their own hands – a win would have guaranteed they stayed up, no matter what anyone else did. However, they got stuffed 6-0 at Craven Cottage, and suddenly they were back slugging it out in the pack. Meanwhile, West Bromwich Albion, bottom of the table at Christmas, and bottom on the last day, scored an unpredicted 2-0 win at Pompey which – in combination with other results – kept them up and saw Soton, Norwich and Palace relegated.
So, given reports from the bookies, is David Cameron the West Brom of the Tory leadership race? David Davis is certainly the Norwich City, having gone down like a copy of the Morning Star after a lacklustre speech. David Cameron, after a storming Rob Earnshaw performance, is now the bookies’ favourite.
It’s up to Tory party members to make the choice, though their track record is not great. However, Cameron, for all his Eton-and-Oxford life, seems much more like a potential Blair figure than Davis, and doesn’t have the undying hatred of Tory party members to live with, unlike Ken Clarke.
So, is the Tory leadership race like the Premiership? Well:
- It goes on for ages
- It used to be very clubby and aristocratic, but is now much more glitzy
- There’s a lot of excitement as it builds to a climax
- It happens all over again next year.
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Al Gore speech on democracy and the media
The Associated Press reports an interesting and readable speech by Al Gore on the problematic interaction of the American media and democracy:
I came here today because I believe that American democracy is in grave danger. It is no longer possible to ignore the strangeness of our public discourse . I know that I am not the only one who feels that something has gone basically and badly wrong in the way America’s fabled “marketplace of ideas” now functions.
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Starring Shakespeare as himself
Tom Veal’s Stromata Blog takes apart yet another new theory about Shakespeare being the front man for someone else. via MeFi.
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Sesame Street in Klingon | MetaFilter
Metafilter discusses, disturbingly.
