Apologies

I am so sorry; I am away from home, away from my desk, and the blogging is suffering as a result. I have not abandoned this exercise, but things might be a little spotty for the next couple of weeks. Please forgive.

Here is the dog, with her two hostesses:

Question of the Day

I love it when someone sharper and better informed than I asks, and then answers, the very question I have been holding in my head. Over at The Dish, Andrew Sullivan asks: Why can't Jon Huntsman gain traction?

If I were a Republican, I would be falling all over myself to nominate this fellow. He has two terms as governor, he is articulate, humorous, and speaks Mandarin. He served as ambassador to China, so he has an intimate understanding of possibly the most important world power for America's future. He is tall and handsome. That should not make a difference, but it does, because politicians have to make an impression on television; also, there is that thing where one must be able to visualise the candidate on the steps of the White House. Looking presidential is intangible, but it counts. And yet he is bumping along at one percent, whilst the crazy pizza guy and the incurably odd Mr Perry romp ahead.

Anyway, Andrew Sullivan tells me why this should be here. It's sad, but I think it may be true.

Picture from Wikimedia Commons.

Dog of the Day

Love this slightly distant, enigmatic face. 

Photograph of the Day

I love this, partly because it is so beautiful, but also because it looks just like Scotland. It is, in fact, somewhere in the middle of Germany. I also like it because it is shared under the generous Creative Commons. This means that I can post it here, for my dear readers to see, as long as I attribute it. I completely understand why some people are protective of their photographs, as they may wish to use them for commercial purposes; as a writer, I know all about the importance of copyright. But there is something very lovely about those people who are happy for their pictures to be put up on other people's blogs. So thank you to the excellent Daniel Zadda, who took this wonderful shot:

You can find his Flickr stream here.

Easily peasily the best thing on the internet today

I know I haven't read the entire internet, but if there is anything on it better than this, I am a Dutchman.




Best lines, for my money:
'What if there are no aliens?'
'Then we are screwed.'

Dog of the Day

Can't you just hear the voice of Maggie Smith from Miss Jean Brodie: 'Posture, girls, posture.'

Quote of the day

With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come. 


Shakespeare, in The Merchant of Venice.

View of the Grand Canal by Guardi.

Interesting article of the day

An excellent meditation on revisionism, by Geoffrey Macnab, in the Indy here:
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/horrible-histories-has-revisionism-gone-too-far-6252719.html

He is particularly scathing about the revival of the Shakespeare did not write Shakespeare conspiracy, in the new film Anonymous. I am with him. I hate this theory. I do not know why I am so invested in the idea of William Shakespeare being the true author of Hamlet, but I am. I say: leave old Will alone.