A fan...

I had a (long but useful) induction day at uni for my PhD today. One funny thing to report.

One of the speakers asked us to talk to our neighbour for a couple of minutes about our PhD projects.

I was talking to another politics student. I listened to him tell me about his proposal - which, as ever, sounded eminently more complicated than my own - before it was my turn.

"So, what's your name, what are you studying and where are you from?" He asked (paraphrased slightly).

"I'm Malcolm, I'm looking at nationalist parties in government both here and in Spain, and I live in Edinburgh."

His response:

"You don't happen to have a blog called Malc in the Burgh do you?"

Made my day that bit better!

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Hail Mary...

I have written previously that I though McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as running mate may have been the "Hail Mary" pass, the epitome of a last-minute, risk-reward strategy.



However, the New York Times thinks that it hasn't worked... and suggests the Republican ticket may need another trump play.



Their suggestion?



Ditch McCain. Put Palin at the top of the ticket. Make the race about the first woman v the first black man. Make it about cool v ice cold.



My initial thought is this: That is singularly the most crazy thing in politics since Gordon Brown invited Peter Mandelson back for a third stint in the Cabinet.



One thing is for sure though - the momentum, which had shifted away from the Democrats for much of 2008, is now swinging back Obama's way, just in time for the November election. The Republicans need to do something bold, or something needs to change; to break their way. Or Obama is getting the keys to the White House.



Anyone have any thoughts on what that could be?

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Labour MP in understanding devolution shocker

Doing a little bit of research (yes, occasionally us tax-dodging students do) I came across the above book, co-authored by my local MP, Labour's Mark Lazarowicz.

I haven't had an opportunity to read it in detail, but, by all accounts, it is a fairly decent read and account of what the Scottish Parliament was set up to do... and how it works.

Two things I learned from it.

One: that Mark Lazarowicz knows how the Scottish Parliament works. This is something he may wish to share with his Labour colleagues who work there.

Two: that Mark Lazarowicz is very much in favour of the Scottish Parliament. This is something that he may wish to share with his Scottish Labour colleagues at Westminster.

One suspects that if he does not pass on this information, then the number of colleagues he has at each institution may decrease somewhat come the next elections...

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He's back!

I'm picturing Gordon on the phone to Tony asking what he'd do in this mess?

"I'm telling you Gordon, Mandy is your best bet. He came and he gave without taking"

"But you sent him away."

The public:

"OH MANDY!"

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