Who should win BBC Sports Personality of the Year?

[Poll #1805075]

Phligm Phlagm

We’re well overdue a phligm phlagm post, so here’s a load of links to keep you occupied over Christmas…

 

Chester Zoo's new Sumatran tiger cubs

The Daily Telegraph seems to think Alan Partridge is real.

We get big waves here in Cornwall.

A pretty clear (but fairly minor) case of political corruption. Will Andy Burnham be the new Neil Hamilton?

The last battle against foreign invaders on mainland British soil.

Calculate how much you get for your tax. (If your calculated number comes out positive, then you don't have much right to complain about spending cuts.)

American Samoa (world's worst country at football) gets first ever win, beating Tonga 2-1.

The world's best videogame for cats...played by tigers...and servals!

Good article on the 'Oxbridge' (wherever that is) interview. (Even if Mary Beard looks increasingly like a caricature of what an old classics don should look like...)

Phligm Phlagm 2

 

Gavyn Davies on possible scenarios for a Euro break-up

Canada to pull out of Kyoto Protocol

UBS says EU emissions trading system has cost consumers $287billion for "almost zero impact"

The government is taking us back to the glory days of Northern Rock

Probably the most disturbing Christmas-themed image drawn by a 9 year old child you will see this year (but also, quite funny)

Ten things evil capitalists really think.

GEORGE Osborne is to keep adding lanes to the M6 until everyone has money again.

Taxpayer funding of trade unions is now higher than it was under Labour.

How to create a bonus for bankers that incentivises appropriately.

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The best possible upgrade for your ebook reader.

Doctor Who to be moved to the Autumn (good idea).

Strike etiquette

The Maldives aren't sinking. But the Maldives government would like us to think they are. I wonder why...

Outrage over reaction to Clarkson reaction reactions.

Why does a caucasian dollhouse cost 70% more than an African-American dollhouse.

(Is African-American the proper term now? Apparently it isn't "coloured" any more, as Alan Hansen has just found out. Good grief. Am I the only person here who can remember when "coloured" was the politically correct word to use?)

Wind-powered car travels downwind faster than the wind. Which sounds unlikely I know...

The Blair government pressurised my alma mater into giving Colonel Gaddafi's son a place (presumably because of the close connections between Gaddafi's party and Labour). To their credit, Oxford told the government to **** off. LSE took the money and gave him a place. Remember that whenever you see any reports from LSE in future.

Sepp Blatter: "England hold grudge because of failed 2018 World Cup bid". (So it has nothing to do with your appalling corruption, misogyny, racism etc then Sepp...?)

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The truth about "The Health Lottery".

Russian election results - very worrying.

Joe Abercrombie reviews Skyrim.

Jerry Sandusky and Michael Mann - both employed by Penn State University. And that's not the only parallel.

Britain's first ever female football team (with photos!). Sepp Blatter presumably thinks they should have been wearing skimpier kit.

Virender Sehwag hits record one day score

"Whitstable mum in custard shortage". (This must surely be a joke.)

Phligm Phlagm 5

 

Yes Minister co-creator Sir Anthony Jay on how to reform the BBC

D&D (at least v3.5) is considerably more realistic than you probably think

Medieval swords weighed considerably less than you probably think they did (unless you happen to be well-informed on this subject as I suspect at least two of my readers are)

Watching Doctor Who from the very beginning (and inflicting it on your wife)

Game of Thrones is "fantasy gateway drug".

Michael 'RyanAir' O'Leary really doesn't think much of the European Commission. Longish, but well worth watching video.

An interesting series of charts showing how each US state voted in every single presidential election

Study shows that cigarettes in Ireland have elastic demand, not inelastic as you might intuitively think. How can this be? Answer: They don't, it's just the price rises due to tax have pushed smokers to the black market.