Wardman Wire Magazine

Two teachers in the Midlands are under investigation for an alleged offence of possessing, and their Local Council is sending out a blizzard of letters “explaining” what is happening, even though “there is nothing to suggest any physical contact between the suspects and the children featured in the images”.

Here I’m not commenting on the allegations in detail. Nor am writing about the quality of legal definitions of “indecency” in a system where the Internet Watch Foundation decided to block Wikipedia for having an image on their website which has been available on a record cover in your High Street for a generation. However, these teachers have done one thing wrong, and may have done a second thing wrong.

Post from: The Wardman Wire

Male teachers are playing Russian Roulette with their own future

A new study of MPs on Facebook shows widespread use of the social network by Parliamentarians, but also a range of curious choices about how to use the medium which may in part reflect a failure to change default settings.
The study, carried out by Woodnewton Associates and based on evidence gathered in May this year, [...]

> In the last year or so there have been a number of new blog / news sites developing which provide commentary for a geographically identified area, covering politics but also giving a more rounded view of life in the area.

The site which has drawn my attention recently is The Lichfield Blog, which I mention on the Wardman Wire or on Twitter (follow me to keep up to date) from time to time. There are examples of sites with a similar ethos established for some time, including some personal blogs, and I’d mention Londonist and Dave Hill’s Clapton Pond Blog but also sites such as Created in Birmingham and Curley’s Corner Shop (South Tyneside).

Some areas have a range of local blogs. The tiny Isle of Thanet, for example, has Big News Thanet, Thanet Life and Thanet Online, in addition to the more idiosyncratic Thanet Coast Life, Eastcliff Richard and even Naked in Thanet.

Some of those sites have political stances, and some don’t. The common factor is that they provide coverage of local life and grounded politics.

As an enthusiast for the rejuvenation of local politics, I think a more varied local media is an excellent trend.

I’m developing a list of sites aiming to rounded provide coverage of a defined local area, town, or community. If you run a good one, or know of one, please could you drop me a line via the Contact Form on the Wardman Wire.

Human Rights Watch have alerted many to the anti-gay pogrom in Iraq, but the group saving LGBT there are chronically short of funds

These are the the overall Wikio blog rankings for the start of July, based on June data.

For politicos, Anna Raccoon has the preview of the political rankings.

Post from: The Wardman Wire

Wikio Overall Blog Rankings Preview for July 2010

It appears that the Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill is likely to announce today the release on compassionate grounds of the man convicted of the Lockerbie bombing, Abdul Baset Ali al-Megrahi. British justice ministers are obviously feeling quite compassionate this summer. If the decision is part of a deal with Libya, perhaps relating partly to oil, then of course it would be disgraceful and shameful. But it’s disgraceful and shameful anyway. Had all those 270 dead been Scottish, does anyone think Kenny MacAskill would be doing this?

The Britblog Roundup from Jackart is out.

Good morning and welcome to the two hundred and thirty-third edition of the roundup of all that is good and wholesome in the British Blogosphere. Because we’re all just navel Gazers, let’s start with the great debate: Which is best?

Here’s a Taster.

Newspapers, Blogs or Books?

The Bracknell blog enters the debate about which is better, newspapers or blogs. He still maintains an optimism that the newspaper

“…Columnist are respected professionals who have a background in their subjects and the newspapers they work for have the power of investigative journalism and resource they can bring to bear on a story plus…”

He obviously doesn’t read la Toynbee. Meanwhile Himmelgarden Cafe lays into the Daily Mail and other tabloids for hypocrisy, which is a bit like saying “That crack… It’s a bit moreish”, but it is nevertheless a thoughtful post on the New Atheists, and one which demonstrates the superiority of the Blogosphere to the Newspaper columnist. So while Bracknell blogger is unsure, most readers here will have already decided that Blogs are best. Whilst we’re on the subject of new vs old technology, Max Atkinson explains why, for some leaders, the teleprompter is a mixed blessing.

Papers, blogs, teleprompters… they’re ephemera. Books as a medium are here to stay, and Elizabeth Chadwick gives us the low-down on some of her favourite historical bodice ripprers.

Post from: The Wardman Wire

Britblog Roundup #233 : The British Summertime Edition