[mid-week blogwatch] scoop fever

Is it just my imagination or do the posts on other blogs get more interesting towards mid-week? Do bloggers save up their best material for Wednesday? A glance around the blogs this evening reveals four more than interesting stories indeed. Story continues here.

[russia] putin's approval rating high

Despite appearances and concerns in the west about Vladimir Putin’s ‘return to the old Russia’, over half the people would vote for him if there were an election now and a substantial number trust him as well. His current visit to South Africa is a sign of what Russia is now up to. Article here ...

[oil and gas] ‘poor’ geophysique buys ‘poorer’ veritas

As you might know, French oil and gas field surveyor Geophysique is buying U.S. rival Veritas in cash and stock, establishing a major new global player in the oil exploration industry. Associated Press says that companies offering seismic surveys and other oil exploration services are doing strong business around the world, amid the broadly rising demand for oil and pressure on reserves.

So why are the seismic companies unhappy with the oil companies? Article here...

[james bond] eva reluctant bond girl

New Bond girl Eva Green has revealed that she never wanted to be a Bond girl for fear of being typecast - reports Entertainment Wise. But after reading the script for ‘Casino Royale’ she changed her mind and will be appearing as Vesper Lynd in the forthcoming film. Article continues here.

[global obesity] get off your backsides and exercise

You know where this came from ? Al Jazeera. And from where did they get it? From AP. Everything’s syndicated these days.

Exploding numbers of overweight children could make today's generation the first to die before its parents, say health experts. Article continues here ...

[toilet talk] for the hypersensitive

The thing to decide throughout this entire piece by Anne McIlroy is whether the woman is for real or not.

You open the door of the gas station washroom, scanning and sniffing for biohazards. It seems safe. No overflowing urinals or toilets. No sewer stench and your shoes don't stick to the floor. Article continues here ...

[vale steve irwin] killed in stingray attack

This story is now 23 hours old but it wouldn’t be right to let it go any further without comment. I plan to do a longer piece on him later today after my day job. Why should we worry about someone the bulk of the world has never heard of? Because of the nature of his death. More here.

[film & television] 3 of my favourite comic moments

Rev Mervyn Noote

What are your favourite comic moments? These are three of mine:

1. when Derek, having taken tablets for his headache, discovers that he has, in fact, imbibed relax-a-cat tabs, prescribed for unblocking the episcopal feline plumbing.

2. when Bernard, castigated by Jim Hacker for not attending to the ministerial needs, quietly answers, 'CBE, Minister, CBE.' To Hacker's dumbstruck expression, he adds, 'Can't be everywhere.' More here.

[in brief] message for the small blogger

When elements of doubt creep into your resolve; when you feel that only a significant handful are heeding your message, it’s as well to remember the words of a quite significant writer, whose observations still echo today:

Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm. Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities, because it is the quality that guarantees all others.

[afghanistan] opium might be the solution

As if the Afghan pipeline wasn't in enough trouble, Chris Dillow writes further of Afghanistan's seeming hope for the future:

Afghanistan clearly has a comparative advantage in the production of opium; given its meagre land, labour and capital endowments, it can do little else. Opium production is, then, it's best hope of developing the economy. Read the full piece.