Conference coverage can be crystal balls

Reading the coverage of the Lib Dem Conference in Bournemouth, it's worth remembering that the media viewed Barack Obama's nominating convention as a failure at the time - and I seem to recall he then did rather well in November. Here is The Times' coverage from back then, about Obama's "message being lost" and how it was all going wrong for the Democrats (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4614994.ece).

Three major festivals

One reminder of what the great faiths have in common is that their major festivals often coincide. This sometimes reflects their shared roots, particularly in the case of Judaism and Islam. Today is both Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) and the Hindu festival of Navaratri; on Monday, Muslims celebreate Eid-Ul-Fitr. On behalf of Jewish agnostics everywhere, may I say "Le Shanah Tovah", "Eid Mubarak" and best wishes to the Hindu community for Navaratri. Click here to read Nick Clegg's Rosh Hashanah greetings.

Two-faced Tories show true face

So the Tories have expelled the pro-European MEP Edward McMillan-Scott. They would rather be in the company of fringe parties from the extremes of European politics, than be in the company of a veteran moderate like Mr McMillan-Scott. That tells me all I need to know about the reality behind David Cameron's claim to have led "the nasty party" into the liberal centre. See here for more on this story (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8257926.stm).

Will Hutton in The Observer

I was fascinated to read Will Hutton's column in yesterday's Observer (http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/13/budget-national-debt-will-hutton). He is challenging the conventional wisdom. I don't know if he is right, but this is a very interesting debate.

Hamas on the Holocaust: "a lie invented by the Zionists"

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsMaps/idUSTRE57T1JW20090830 Someone please tell me which is worse: Hamas complaining that the UN is teaching kids about the Holocaust, or the UN reassuring Hamas that it isn't teaching kids about the Holocaust after all?