A generous and well deserved post about Duncan on his 50th birthday.

No airbrushing. No social engineering. No tax on your first £10k. ... not a bad slogan, that.

Peter Black reports the results of a Swansea University study, which shows that three quarters of the asylum seekers studied "had no knowledge of welfare benefits and support before coming to the UK". If that's the case then making our policy even more draconian is hardly going to deter many immigrants, and will simply penalise the most vulnerable.

She may have quit Lib Dem Blogs, but here's a good, old-fashioned liberal rant. Right on, Charlotte.

Excellent article by Stephen Tall explaining how the leader Cameron most resembles is Hague.

Spare us the condescension of the medical profession.

Slate's Daniel Engber explains why a lot of the supposed health effects of being fat may actually be caused by fatphobia. Also links to a study supporting this view.

Great fisk of Gove's proposals for the history curriculum.

Long essay about The Book in its myriad forms.

Brilliant filk from an anonymous author. Hoping to sing it at many Glee Clubs to come!