New links added - February 2006

A bumper crop of blogs (or other similar entities) that have come to my attention of late:

Angloaustria (Jack Maturin) I started reading this Oxfordshire-based some weeks ago and find it stimulating; he has a refreshingly direct attitude toward the nonsense that our quasi-socialist regime foists upon us day by day. I have to confess that I had to look up what the first word in his mission statement ('Misesian Views From an English Perspective') means, but once I did it tallies very closely with his free market, small state, philosophy as expressed in his posts, so there is no question of having him up under the Trades Descriptions Act! A worthy addition to my blogroll.
Baker, Gerard - Times journalist. A new blog by Assistant Editor and US Editor of The Times (the London one) - writes with a fresh and intelligent style, as you would expect of a professional journalist. Tells us: "Blogging has simply become an essential component of modern public dialogue. Not to blog is to leave oneself outside that ever-broadening conversation."
Bailey Blog, The (Richard Bailey) Richard Bailey writes from Cambridgeshire and tells us he is a press officer with the Conservative Party (planning to stand for local election later this year) and a former army officer (The Highlanders). Whilst obviously somewhat partisan in his politics he seems ready to discuss matters sensibly with those who differ. Worth watching in coming months.
Best Gay Blogs - the title gives the aim of this blog (and the associated discussion forum) and expresses their aims succinctly. If you are not gay, much of the content (and interest) may pass you by, or repel you. So be it, but I have found this resource, in the short time I have known of it, an amusing and interesting diversion. (Of course I found this through the excellent Tottyland)
ChickYoghurt I've been reading this Hove/Brighton-based [*] blog off-and-on for quite a while, but until recently it's tagline about vituperation, and the posts themselves, was rather too strong meat for my ever so delicate sensibilities, however whilst still as direct and 'take no prisoners' in tone as ever it seems somehow to have decided to marshal the arguments with just a little less unnecessary aggression. Seems to be on everyone else's blogroll already, but if you are one of the few where it's not, you could do worse than to add it. [*] Assuming, that is, that my blogwise / Google Earth site tracking can be relied upon.
Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The - the title pretty much says what it is, as does this amplification on the theme: "Frequently updated witty rants, opinions, news, and humour from the mind of Samantha Burns". A blog by a Canadian and her Canadian boss and collaborator. A quirky outlook which doesn't entirely hide the serious points being made.
Daily Ablution, The (Scott Burgess) The blog of a UK-based American, who bills his blog thus: "Washing brains since 2003". He writes on a wide range of topics, usually from a right-of-centre perspective. Lively and well-written. I've been reading this for so long that I thought it was already in the blogroll, but the omission is now corrected.
England Expects - "Engaging the enemy more closely - Broadsides from Brussels". Whilst there are some interesting posts, probably the most useful feature of this blog is its pan-European blogroll.
Farah's Sowaleef - the subheading for this extraordinary blog is "The everyday natterings of an exhausted, repressed, and bored "Saudi" Arabian chick". Having lived in Saudi Arabia quite a few years ago, and met a small number of 'well-born' young Saudi women socially with their families (my time there was probably not typical of many foreigners), this is perhaps not quite such a surprise to me as some others. Nevertheless it is an intriguing glimpse into another world for most of us. It is worth following the links in some of the comments, too.
Flogging the Simian - a Romanian blog written (in English) by 'Soj' which I have only recently discovered. Gives a decidedly novel (to me) interpretation of current events. Is rather quirky - I like it. I don't necessarily agree with what is written - the challenge to my views is part of what I like about it.
Hebdo Bondy Blog - "Pour voir la France, l'Hebdo s'installe en banlieue. A Bondy plus précisément, où il a ouvert un micro bureau dans lequel se relaient ses journalistes. L'expérience va durer le temps qu'il faudra pour comprendre et raconter les maux français, les pieds dans les cités plutôt que le derrière dans les cafés du quartier latin". A French-language blog started by some Swiss, which aims to enlighten the world on what is behind the disillusionment and frustration of much of the immigrant community in France 'condemned' to live idly in the suburbs, a situation which sparked the riots there a few months ago. I have been following this blog avidly since shortly after it started; the style of language used is fairly easily accessible for a fluent non-native speaker such as me. If you are reasonably fluent in French, I urge you to give it a try.
How to make a peat fire - tagline "Using online information services and building peat fires in the Outer Hebrides." A blog based in Berneray in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Writes from the perspective of someone living in a remote community, nevertheless plugged into the modern world.
Our Scotland - not in fact a blog; instead it is a discussion forum. Quite lively discussion, with a somewhat limited range of participants, though. I had an email recently asking for inclusion here, so am happy to oblige - visit and take part as you see fit.
Right for Scotland - describes itself thus: "Right of Centre Commentary from a Delusional Socialist Heartland" and thus "I'm the bad man your mother always warned you about". Can be quite confrontational in nature, but is interesting and it is certainly good to see there are at least a few non-socialists living in Glasgow.
Secret Dubai diary - "Intrigue and adventure in the United Arab Emirates". I have lived in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi and identify with a lot of what is written here. Written by a female UK expatriate it discusses what life is like in the UAE pretty openly, whilst respecting the constraints of living in what is both an astonishingly enterprising place and a very conservative society.
Spy Blog - "Watching Them, Watching Us". I have no idea why this was not put into my blogroll MONTHS ago, all I can say is 'sorry' for the oversight. I read every post that is published and regular readers here will know I link to this blog often in my posts on matters relating to the doings of this government. I find it invaluable for keeping up with the arcane detail of crucial bills being forced through parliament by our quasi-dictatorial government. Essential reading.
Stumbling and Mumbling - the rather infradig sub-heading "A snotty nosed little provincial oik" belies what is in fact a well-written blog with a very definite bias toward economic analysis of pretty high quality, as well as of someone with an interest in guitars and a highly sceptical view of politicians and all their works.
thumping the tub (by 'Michael the Tubthumper') - a Glasgow-based quite recently started blog of well-written rants intermixed with reasoned argument, from a left of centre and pacifist perspective, seems to specialise in debunking. Stimulating and amusing by turns; as you might imagine a lot of what Michael writes is not to my taste at all, but never mind that - it's worth a few moments of anyone's time.
UK Freedom - "The blog for a free and prosperous United Kingdom written at the very heart of Brussels". A Euro-sceptic blog which is quite amusing and indeed quite informative, even if I don't (mostly) share what seem to be the views of 'Gillibrand'.