Six of the Best 283

Missives from Doktorb does not want to see leaders' debates at the next general election: "There’s enough reality television in politics without our leaders turning into contestants on Million Pound Drop. I’m devoted far more than normal people should be towards accountability, democratic renewal and electoral reform, but putting our political leaders into contrived Q&A sessions where Downton Abbey should be is an experiment I don’t fancy repeating."

"Politics Transformed: The High Tech Battle for Your Vote", says Mashable, is an in-depth look at how digital media is affecting elections - from online ad targeting to Internet voting, from political crowdfunding to massive data mining.

Mark Thompson says small rail suppliers should be compensated over the rail contracts fiasco, not just the big boys like Virgin.

"I had been sitting on my fathers knee and the two of us were pulled under the dingy while Lucy had managed to get ashore pretty quickly. Father and I spluttered to the surface and eventually made it ashore where we waited for a couple of hours. A small fishing boat that happened to going back through the gulf picked us up and took us to a landing spot near Barnhill from which we walked home. With no more than a “where have you been?” followed by “we were shipwrecked” the incident was deemed silly. The point now being that it could have been a tragedy; no Orwell, no 1984." On The Orwell Prize website Richard Blair remembers his time with his adoptive father Eric - better known as George Orwell.

A fascinating book review in The Lancet explores the 1918 influenza pandemic.

On his Shropshire Star blog Phil Gillam celebrates Ditherington bus garage in Shrewsbury.