The Linkrod
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ISSUE #19 - Tuesday, 28th October 2008- Dominique Moïsi, European Voice
"Blue Europe, Red Asia"
http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/blue-europe,-red-asia/62758.aspx
DJR's gist: An extremely thought-provoking piece by Moïse suggests that while Europe is literally desperate for an Obama victory, the powers-that-be in Asia may actually support McCain - albeit for wildly conflicting reasons. Japan, for example, support a hard-lined US to counter the power of China - a philosophy seemingly embodied by McCain. However, China want also want the status quo - the Republican administration has coincided with an increased view of China as a positive counter to the US, and they naturally worry that Obama will create a tide of positive US sentiment which, by extension, represents negative China sentiment. India, for what it's worth, has probably enjoyed the US' capitulation in terms of economic and political clout and international integrity and would like a few more years of the same to consolidate its position.
However, Moïse is purely analysing the views of the elites of Asia. If the common man was voting, it's fairly safe to assume that the world would be a tidal wave of blue.
- Anne Applebaum, The Daily Telegraph
" US election: Whoever wins, the Democrats will rule "
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/10/28/do2802.xml
DJR's gist: It looks like Barack Obama will win the Presidency. But even if US voters are somehow spooked into not voting for the only credible option, it is looking increasingly likely that they will still take the opportunity to give the Republican Party the kicking of their lives. And crucially, if the Democrats manage to get hold of over 60% of the seats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, then it really doesn't matter who's in the White House - the power will be with Congress. Checks and balances...
- Finlo Rohrer, BBC Magazine
"Is James Bond loathsome?"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7694801.stm
DJR's gist: Quantum of Solace, the latest instalment in the multi-million pound James Bond 007 franchise, has its world premiere in Leicester Square on Thursday. And with its release is an opportunity to ask the question - is James Bond cool? Or is he representative or everything that's wrong. Obviously the answer is the former. But it's quite interesting to read the rants of feminists and killjoys.
The Linkrod
Links to the best chat on the web
ISSUE #15 - Wednesday, 22nd October 2008- S. Murari, Reuters
"India chases China to moon with unmanned mission"
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE49L0HG20081022
DJR's gist: In what could be the early days of a 21st century space race, India has succesfully launched its first space mission leaving the Earth's orbit. The probe, Chandrayaan-1, contains instruments from all the major international space agencies, including NASA and the ESA, but has been a launches in a whirlwind of national pride and celebration in India. With a moon lander planned for launch in the next 2 years, things are certainly hotting up in the Asian prestige wars, although there is little doubt that all India's efforts retain a cursory eye over any military implications of China's recent march into the zero-gravity world.
- Maggie Haberman, New York Post
"Shop-Spree Sarah's 150G Party Clothes"
http://www.nypost.com/seven/10222008/news/politics/shop_spree_sarahs_150g_party_clothes_134694.htm
DJR's gist: In the past, politicians have been criticised and ridiculed for spending amounts such as $400 on a haircut (John Edwards), or $500 on Salvatore Ferregamo shoes (John McCain). But Sarah Palin has managed to make these look positively tame, racking up a mega $150,000 bill on clothing for the campaign trail. There have been good, bad, and ugly examples, but frankly who cares when the money concerned is just so ludicrous. Lipstick on a pig? Just think how many adverts that money could have bought instead...
- Mark Henderson, The Times
"Do five simple things a day to stay sane, say scientists"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/mental_health/article4988978.ece
DJR's gist: Just as we all know about the "5-a-day" fresh fruit and vegetable motto, scientists are now suggesting we should be combining physical health with a "5-a-day" of activities to promote mental health. "People should try to connect with others, to be active, to take notice of their surroundings, to keep learning and to give to their neighbours and communities under a new programme supported by over 400 scientists. Am I the only one who thinks that anyone who doesn't do this without even thinking about it has probably got much bigger issues on their plate?
The Linkrod
Links to the best chat on the web
ISSUE #14 - Tuesday, 21st October 2008- Boris Johnson, The Daily Telegraph
"Barack Obama: Why I believe he should be the next President"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/10/21/do2101.xml
DJR's gist: It's always good to see a Conservative supporting a Democrat candidate in the US (it's really not that surprising given that the Democratic Party would probably be more right-wing than the Tories if their policies were translated into a UK context). In this case, it's none other than London's legendary mayor and general source of amusement, Boris Johnson. It takes him just three lines to point out that "Unlike the current occupant of the White House, [Obama] has no difficulty in orally extemporising a series of grammatical English sentences, each containing a main verb". That's exactly the kind of sentence I want to see British politicians using on a much more regular basis.
- Philip Collins, The Times
"Karl Marx: did get get it all right?"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4981065.ece
DJR's gist: Marxism is back in vogue. As the global economy collapses further and further every day, people are bailing on capitalism like rats from a sinking ship. 40,000 "pilgrims" have made a trip to Trier in Germany, the town of Marx's birth, are definitely such people, and the internet is full of clowns who seem to think half the world has adopted Das Kapital as their Bible. But as this article points out, for every bit of sensible stuff prescribed by Marx, there are equal measure of crap about "centralised communications and transport" and "elimination of inheritance" etc. etc.. That kind of chat is never going to fly with the Home Counties.
- Jason Zengerie, "The Plank" blog, The New Republic
"Is Palin Posing for Posterity?"
http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2008/10/20/is-palin-posing-for-posterity.aspx
DJR's gist: This blog has long established that Sarah Palin is complete idiot who should never be near the reigns of power of a household, leave alone a state or, God-forbid, a country. But questions have to be asked about what, exactly, she is doing criticising the same robocalls that John McCain was defending the previous day. If she's manoeuvring for her political future, she's doing a damned bad job of it. But then this is Palin we're talking about...
- Mike Harvey, "Mousetrap technology" blog, The Times
"Clicks win prizes: Microsoft's extreme search tactics"
http://timesonline.typepad.com/technology/2008/10/search-and-win.html
DJR's gist: The latest figures of internet search usage in the UK suggests that Google command just under 90% of the market, with Yahoo!, Microsoft Live and Ask! fighting over second place. So Microsoft have pulled out a classic move to get new customers - bribery! People who use their new search page have the chance of winning one of 24 prizes (John Lewis vouchers) every day up till Christmas. First place in the market is out the window, but the race for second could be very interesting.
- Jamie Lillywhite, BBC Sport
"India thrash Australia in Mohali"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/7681312.stm
DJR's gist: If you're not interested in cricket, you should be. This is significant not just because it's the largest margin of victory ever recorded by India, but because it's only the second Test match Australia have lost in 3 years since the 2005 Ashes. There is every chance that India will win this series - making it 3 out of 4 at home against the Aussies, and with England touring India immediately afterward there will be obvious psychological games at work ahead of next summer's Ashes in England.
