Six of the Best 213

SomeBeans refuses to be outraged at the proposal to allow NHS hospitals to obtain up to 49 per cent of their income from private patients.

David Cameron's proposal for a minimum price for alcohol is defended by Labour blogger Representing the Mambo.

"Miliband cannot see that he is taking a profoundly ideological position here - the idea that centralised leadership can find solutions even though it hasn‘t done so in the past." The assumptions behind Ed Miliband's new year message are unpacked by Stumbling and Mumbling.

Somewhere I have an old London Underground map showing an extension of the Bakerloo to Camberwell under construction. It was never built, but now it may be. More details from James Barber.

"I've stumbled on a wonderful documentary film made in the 1960s that in an odd way does help give some kind of perspective on today. It's about two brothers called Billy and George Walker. Billy was a boxer and George was a gangster who became Billy's manager. The film is a beautiful record of the way two brilliant chancers were manipulating British society and the media at a moment in 1964." A fascinating post from Adam Curtis.

Katyboo1's Weblog gives us the 10 best books she has read this year.