Some reading for everyone

Some of you may not have read Animal Farm. I myself haven't read it in many years (at least 10, I think). I pledge here and now to re-read it (thanks to Mak for giving me Orwell's Complete Works a while back:). Christopher Hitchens (he of the often ridiculous opinions) has written an excellent piece looking at it.

A group of Ukrainian and Polish socialists, living in refugee camps in post-war Europe, discovered a copy of the book in English and found it to be a near-perfect allegory of their own recent experience. ... "They were profoundly affected by such scenes as that of animals singing 'Beasts of England' on the hill . . . They very vividly reacted to the 'absolute' values of the book." ... It is affecting to imagine battle-hardened ex-soldiers and prisoners of war, having survived all the privations of the eastern front, becoming stirred by the image of British farm animals singing their own version of the discarded "Internationale", but this was an early instance of the hold the book was to take on its readership.

He makes a good point about the regimes in the world who still ban the book. Including China, Burma, Iran and other Islamic countries. It's really quite strange to think about how many places still ban ideas. It seems so natural to us to be able to read whatever we like, even if it criticises our leaders or system of government. Western democracy really is great, people!

Thus far, Animal Farm has not been legally published in China, Burma or the moral wilderness of North Korea, but one day will see its appearance in all three societies, where it is sure to be greeted with the shock of recognition that it is still capable of inspiring.

- The world's greatest con man seduces rich older women and blackmails them for millions and millions of Euros.


- I have discovered an AMAZING site called Longform, which links to the best long form journalism in the world. And it is THE BIZ. That's where I found that con man article, and ones like these:
   - The definitive account of the Mumbai bombings
   - Too weird for The Wire (I've linked to it before, it's great)
   - How the whitest man in America (and Al Sharpton) tried to stop the civil war in Liberia.
Bookmark, check back. Enjoy.

People criticise British footballers all the time for their behaviour. Most of that is justified. But here is a great speech from Frank Lampard when he won the 2005 Player of the Year Award. Chelsea had just won the title under Jose Mourinho and Lampard stepped up to a new level as a player. His speech was so surprisingly good that The Observer published it in full the next day.

A lot of the reason I am here is because of my strength, my determination and character. I would just like to talk about a girl called Lucy.
I went to her funeral today, she was 10 years old. She came to the game against Charlton where we lifted the Premiership trophy. She had a tumour on the brain - really she should have died the week before that game. But she was so desperate to come and see that game, to watch us play. The character and strength she showed made me put everything in perspective.
I would like to dedicate this whole award to her, her family, especially her mother, and I would like to say thanks to everyone tonight. Thank you.

- Seven shows that peaked in season one. Yay The OC!

- Man At The Very Top Of Food Chain Chooses Bugles.

Despite having no natural enemies and belonging to a species that completely dominates its ecosystem, local IT manager Reggie Atkinson opted to consume the processed corn snack Bugles Monday. "I was in the mood for something salty and crunchy, and it's a little early for dinner," said the ultimate predator, whose ancestors' bipedal locomotion, toolmaking abilities, and advanced spatial recognition developments allowed them to hunt animals 10 times their size.