http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:26:20 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/02/11/172620.php Rhiannon WilliamsonTwo items in the British press caught my attention today and I just felt the urge to share them with you. Having been accused of mixing politics with popular culture in the past :) I think this wee item should redress the balance! Firstly we have a detailed report into the ineffectiveness and ridiculousness of the 529 government funded, nominally independent bodies known as 'quangos' which cost the British taxpayer shed loads each year. The report claims that many of these quangos could be disbanded without anyone really noticing - and when you realise they include the likes of The British Potato Council who "advertise and promote potatoes" I think I have to agree! Though maybe there's a point to the Milk Development Council who get excited by "the generic promotion of milk" or The Football Licensing Authority who make sure that even Arsenal supporters "are able to attend sports grounds in comfort." Who knows?Please note, the above quotations are from the particular quango's own self-promoting websites, I could never make up such embarrassingly pathetic descriptions.The second report is all about how British council workers, who have worked for years with the promise of a fixed pension and retirement at age 60 have had the goal posts moved and the carpet whipped out from under them by Tony Blair's government and who are seriously miffed about it. Sure, the rest of us know we'll have to work until we drop of face starvation and poverty in retirement, but then we've never been promised anything better. These poor council workers had contracts and laws and rules and guarantees and government promises that to slightly reduce the misery of working for local government they would receive a fixed retirement pittance from the age of 60. But not any more it seems. I guess the quangos have drained the last of the pension pot forcing these people to keep working until they die as well then. Rule Britannia! Politics25383@blogcritics.org Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:26:20 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/02/10/112458.php Rhiannon WilliamsonWell, he's gone and done it! Prince Charles has announced that he's marrying long term lurve interest Camilla Parker-Bowles in April. UK's Sky News network have been soliciting the general public's feelings on the marriage and they've been entertaining me all day long. One girl stated that she was so depressed as all she has to look forward to is the marriage and a general election so she's emigrating - while someone else stated that Charles and Camilla should suffer eternal damnation for making Diana's life such a misery! Harsh words indeed, but many would agree. Personally I think that everyone deserves a second chance (oooops, get off that fence Rhiannon)! Okay - personally I hope they have a very happy marriage and that Charles feels at least a little regret for any unhappiness Diana suffered as a direct result of being married to him. Is that better?!I invite your thoughts...possibly you couldn't care less, maybe you're wondering who on earth I'm talking about, or alternatively you're on the royal pay list and can give us some juicy gossip! Politics25346@blogcritics.org Thu, 10 Feb 2005 11:24:58 EST