A digest of the best of the blogosphere published each weekday and compiled by Ken Parish, James Farrell, Gilmae, Darlene Taylor and Saint.
Politics
Australia
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Right wing gay Christian blogger John Heard approves of the Rudd apology. Economist Harry Clarke doesn't, while Tim Blair quotes Noel Pearson musing that an apology will just foster a sense of passive victimhood, and Roger Migently reproduces a 19th century report by Sir John Forrest which illuminates some of the reasons behind the removal policies.
Apathetic Sarah didn't find anything at all to praise in Dr Nelson's speech, while James Farrell is marginally more generous to Brendan. Given that both condemned Nelson for discussing the NT intervention, they would be well advised to read an excellent article by indigenous academic Marcia Langton at APO (republished from Griffith Review).
Paul Norton speculates on why young, educated, females don't prefer the 'feminist icon' Hilary.
Andrew Norton questions Brendan Nelson's assertion of Aboriginals suffering from 'existential aimlessness'.
International
Dictatorships everywhere - Norman Geras ponders the mentality of famous playwrights and geriatric rockstars.
Economics
Joshua Gans suggests a temporary increase in the GST as a measure against inflation (fat chance).
Mark at stoush.net blogs about federal intervention in neo-liberal economies, despite fearing sharp retorts (probably with good reason).
Law
 From Tony the Teacher |
Robert Merkel posts about a Victorian judge with Canute-ish delusions, while on a similar note Overlawyered reports on a famous Mississippi tort lawyer whose defence attorneys have sought a change of venue to avoid prejudice caused by the state's bloggers (who don't like him).
Issues analysis
Eliezer Yudkowsky discusses the wisdom or otherwise of musing idly about the etymology and grammatical implications of "tiger!"
More on biofuels from Monbiot - Andrew Bartlett quotes a notoriously dubious journalistic source who is nevertheless probably right this time.
Arts
"The Psychology of Killing" by Colonel Dan Smith - turcupolier reviews a book whose title is self-explanatory.
Writer's choice 141: John Baker - Norman Geras writes about a writer writing about slavery and Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn:
It shows that that strange thing, the conscience - that unerring monitor - can be trained to approve any wild thing you want it to approve if you begin its education early and stick to it.
Sport
This week's Peter Roebuck Award - here at Troppo, Chris Lloyd's forensic dissection of journalist Gideon Haigh's performance over cricket's Monkey Magic affair merits reading if you haven't already.
Snark, strangeness and charm
Heere Bigynneth the Tale of the Asse-Hatte - Iowahawk does the Tail of Canterbury. Probably the post of the week in all blogdom
Ken, you and Rebecca both put the words "feminist icon" in quotation marks when referring to my post. I've looked at it closely and I can't find where I used that phrase. I did use the expression "the great symbolic light on the feminist hill of 'a woman in the White House'" which I think is not an unreasonable rendering of some of the pro-Hillary arguments and comments in the blog I linked to, and in other articles in the US media and blogosphere.
I find Rebecca's take on my post interesting, but it is not one which seems to be shared by those who have commented on it at LP.
Paul, I didn't write the blurb about your post. One of the other Missing Linkers did, not sure which one.
Cnut wasn't deluded, his Court was.
Paul, the inverted commas were meant to convey that Hilary's status as a feminist icon is a conventional perception rather than any kind of straightforward fact -- assuming there is a meaningful difference between actually being an icon on the one hand, and merely being widely perceived as an icon on the other. But I see that in opting for this inadequate, not to mention lazy, device, I may indeed have caused readers to form the misapprehension that these were your actual words. If you feel that this interpretation distorts your meaning, makes you look like a dealer in cliches, or pains you for any other reason, I will duly petition Ken to delete the offending punctuation, and insert an official correction and apology on my behalf. In any case, allow me to apologise here.
Let me (like Brendon) join in your apology with a fulsome and compassionate spirit, betokening the deep and abiding hurt that has been unintentionally caused to your creative spirit, Paul. Comrade. Not that I take any personal responsibility, you understand, but I'm very very sorry just the same. Mind you, it's your own bloody fault for writing at that poxy blog Larvatus Prodeo. Still, I'm really sorry and hope you'll draw great comfort from my words of consolation. Hang on, where are you going? Typical bloody lefty. Always whingeing and moaning. I told
MalcolmJames this was a stupid idea.Monbiot's piece is basically just reporting on the latest report in the Science journal, so I don't think you can be too critical of the source. (and his take on the journal piece basically matches what the New York Times says, so I assume his assessment is accurate as well)
Andrew
That's why I said he was probably right this time. It was just a snide sideswipe at Monbiot, I confess.
The Iowahawk adaptation was a real beauty.
My personal fave for the week though was Tyler Cowen quoting Arnold Kling:
Arnold Kling, as quoted:
Tyler Cowen's punchline:
James and Ken, your kind words are a balm to my wounded soul.