Six of the Best 211

Rolling Stone examines the influence of the Plastic People of the Universe on Vaclav Havel: "Until meeting the band, Havel was not exactly a cultural avant-gardist. "There's a letter from prison where he's asking his wife to buy the latest Bee Gees album," says Wilson, who has translated many of Havel's writings. Once acquainted with the Plastic People and their circle, however, Havel became their unofficial patron. The band played many shows in the barn at the country house where he died on Sunday."

You can read all about the January 2012 issue of Liberator on Liberal Democrat Voice.

A View from Ham Common finds Louise Mensch at the bottom of a deep hole, digging furiously.

Edward Lucas writes on Diplomaatia about the prospects for Estonia: "Every one of the EU-10 – the new(ish) members of the union – has falling unemployment, growing economy and a manageable deficit. That is not the case in the supposedly more solid 15 countries of the old EU. But Estonia is in a class of its own."

The sign of the Three Swans, Market Harborough, is one of the favourites of English Buildings.

Go Litel Blog, Go... experiences the inexplicable splendour of City of London Churches at Christmas.