Britblog Roundup # 62

Once again with the Britblog Roundup. Severely shortened this week as several regulars seem to have taken advantage of the spring sunshine to not nominate entries. I’m also frantically busy trying to meet deadlines before my travels next week. You can help to remedy the paucity of entries for next week by emailing the URL of your favourite posts to britblog AT gmail DOT com.

First up is Guido: He’s managed to put a number on Polly T’s earnings after her request that we all be open about such things. Higher than I’d thought and lower than at least one other Grauniad columnist, at least as far as my moles tell me.

Staying on the subject of columnists, Twenty Major reveals that he is not in fact Kevin Myers. I think we knew that as Twenty is both far too polite and too well educated.

Something a little different from Haymaker. New blog by a journo on a local paper. An insight into the more normal apprenticeship system on newspapers. Y’gotta work out in the boonies before the big boys will look at you.

Again something different, Mapp and the Otis Spunkmeyer Cookie Company (do Americans actually know what that means? Probably not, I remember a very proud father of a 16 year old daughter telling me "She’s full of ...." which sounds rather different to English ears.)

Mr. Eugenides on the political apathy of both China and the UK.

Make My Vote Count on the upcoming elections in Singapore. Why do they bother is part of it. Personally, (and I know I’m not supposed to editorialise here) I think it’s to do with the small size of the place. Real democracy, where elections can actually change things, is necessary when you have a large enough society for there to be conflicting interest blocks.

The Avian Comestible takes issue with our sucking up to the Saudis. Quite a number of issues actually.

Francis casts a geek type eye over the ID card prospects and terms it Full-Employment for the Fuck Up Fairy.

HedgeDefender is treating us to a master class on how to be a writer. Yes, you really do have to follow his rules to get published.

Mr. Dodge is extremely pissed off with Virgin Radio. Rightly so I would think.

Tom Cruise, placentas and Hannibal Lecter. I think it would be fair to say that I Am Livid doesn’t actually like Tom.

A new sportsblog started up by a well known name. The woes of the cricketer in the English spring.

Liberal England responds to a question of mine earlier in the week. Where did Spike get "Deep Friese Green " from?

Adloyada on the new head of the Palestinian Police. This might be taking the gamekeeper/poacher idea a little too far.

Suzblog manages to combine campaigning with becoming a grandmother again. Guess it’s lucky someone else has to do all the work for the latter.

Nicely ironic piece: an anti-roads campaigner is moving to Alberta: the place is so rich from oil money that they can employ her husband.

Another campaign blog. Talking back to the local paper this time.

Philobiblion on ASBOS. Natalie reveals that she went to a party with lawyers (Arrggh! Lawyer cooties!) and one ASBO? 6 months jug time for drinking in the street.

Archaeastronomy with some super photos of Hadrian’s Wall and environs.

Pickled Politics on the Bangladeshi "shaken baby" case. Was this superstition? Ignorance? Something else? And what should be done about it?

An apposite remark about the Head of the Church of England and the deeper understanding of the meaning of Easter.

Cruella Blog doesn’t like the Pope. Fair do’s, many don’t.

Ratlab on those findings about speed dating. Yes fellas, sorry, looks do count.

Petite Anglaise on the perils of pizza delivery boys and playing with the young.

Perfect.co.uk on things that are just plain wrong. It would appear that The Maximum Tone doesn’t actually know what’s in the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Bill. Either that or he’s lying. Your choice.

We close with The Religious Policeman. That famed Saudi work ethic.

And that’s it, until next week:

Toodle Pip!