Missing Link Daily

A digest of the best of the blogosphere published each weekday and compiled by Ken Parish, James Farrell, Gilmae, Darlene Taylor and Saint.

Politics

Australian

John Quiggin wonders whether it’s time to give the B team a turn in New South Wales, and Australian Politics believes NSW Labor is ready to supernova. ((Unlike, say, the last five or six years. Post-apocalyptic anarchy is looking better every day.~gilmae))

Mark Bahnisch argues that Campbell Newman is a shoe-in for Brisbane Lord Mayor, but is unlikely to have much power anyway in the face of a likely Labor majority on Council.

International

Hilzoy from Obsidian Wings writes about Uganda’s government and Lord’s Resistance Army rebels signing a ceasefire on Saturday, a big step towards a final peace settlement to one of Africa’s longest-running wars.

As war with Turkey threatens, Gary Kent writes about his visit to Iraqi Kurdistan at Norman Geras’s place

Jeremy Sear tells Democrat-supporting critics (including Robert Merkel) of Ralph Nader to get stuffed:

If you truly represent progressive voters, then stop holding them hostage to a system in which their votes are exhausted if they dare to vote for a smaller party.

Obamamania hits Japan.

Economics

If France’s adoption of a 35-hour week didn’t affect either economic output or social capital, what did it affect? asks Andrew Leigh.

Time to get rid of the Baby Bonus, says Joshua Gans.

Nicholas Gruen seems to be advocating actual real world experimentation in policy. It’s all grown up now, ready to be a science.

Law

Kim at LP zeroes on the latest desperate Coalition beatup: – that changing the rules for Friday Parliamentary sittings to allow “lactating mothers” to vote by proxy, and postponing votes if there isn’t a quorum, may be unconstitutional. ((there’s a vaguely plausible argument that they should have legislated the changes rather than just introducing them by amending standing orders ~ KP)) 

Legal Eagle embarks on an in-depth analysis of the citation of Lewis Carroll’s work in court judgments!

Issues analysis

Lauredhel has more on the case of the creepy Dr Reeves, and explains the difference between personality disorders and mental illnesses.

John Quiggin appraises forms of direct democracy from the point of view of their results, taking California as case study.

Bernice offers a precis of Marcia Langton’s article in Griffith Review on the Intervention and its future. She hopes the media won’t beat it up in terms of ‘schisms or fractures within Indigenous politics’.

Andrew Norton sees the ‘social cohesion’ argument as a euphemism for intolerance.

Arts

Darlene is persuaded by Rolling Stone’s explanation for the unraveling of Britney Spears.

Alison Croggon interviews German playwright Marius von Mayenburg, and stoushes with fellow theatre critic Peter Craven over hs claims in Crikey that she was being gratuitously bitchy in an earlier review dealing with Joanna Murray-Smith. 

Tim T  ‘fesses up to a penchant for pedantry in his review of Moliere’s Tartuffe:

Why can’t we ever have a Shakespearean play set in Shakespearean times? I’d probably go to the lengths of criticising Shakespeare himself for not being Shakespearean enough in a production he puts on of his own plays.

Marcellous posts again on the Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival, this time checking out some lesbian movies to balance the sexuality ledger.

Sport

Tony T. disentangles the spin about Twenty20 cricket.

Stretching for something to write about now the soccer season has finished, Mike Salter focuses on a Sunday SBS interview with Australian coach Pim Verbeek.

Snark, strangeness and charm

Colin Campbell finds a contender for a Darwin Award, and Harry Clarke farewells Madge Allsop.

Troppo’s Ken Parish walks into the blog fray between Tim Blair and Jason, Axel and Barry. 

Joshua Gans has a bone to pick with Telstra (haven’t we all).