Recommended Blog Reads

I was reading an article on the Times Online recently. I can't remember exactly what it was about but I left a comment remarking on the dire state of the EU, and I was told by other readers to 'lighten up', 'get a grip', and 'read less news'.  I didn't reply because there was no point. People with their heads wilfully stuck in the sand (or up an orifice) do not want to hear a challenge to their world view ("Lalala, I can't hear you, lalala").

However, ever the helpful girl scout, I am bringing to you today three blogs which, if you are interested in what's really going on in Europe rather than accepting mainstream media bollocks, or are planning to have, or having a baby soon, or both, you should take a look at.

The first one is The Slog which I'm sure I've mentioned before. I cannot recommend this blog highly enough. It's aim is 'evidenced bollocks deconstruction' and it does precisely that, renting holes in the crap that comes out of automated mainstream media mouths. The Slog also has its own sources of information including insiders in the EU, the banking system, dynamic, involved readers sur place, etc. The comments are often as illuminating as the actual articles.

It has been blogging recently about Greek default, Hackgate (the hacking of mobile phones by Newscorp), the French elections, the NHS, the German election, the incompetence of Christine Lagarde and the morass that is the EU. For those who are fed up having the wool pulled over their eyes by media lackeys, who want to know what is likely to hit them (and their pockets), or who've decided to stop putting their fingers in their ears and singing Lalala, read The Slog and break free of the bollocks.

The second blog is in a similar vein to The Slog, but from a French perspective. It can be translated with Google Translate so don't worry if your language skills are shaky. I started reading Zebuzzeo recently and have become as addicted to it as I am to The Slog. To read it translated, just put the link into Google Translate and hit Enter.

I don't know who the person behind Zebuzzeo is - anonymity seems to be highly valued here because there is nothing to give him/her away. There is no profile or email address, and comments are not allowed. However, s/he has access to EU bigwigs such as Mr Barruso and Van Rumpuy and writes with pertinent analysis.

S/he's been writing recently about how capital has been fleeing France since August 2011 (and has thus joined the Club Meds) together with a brain drain towards the Anglo-Saxon countries, the imminent end of the Euro and bank bankruptcy, the French elections, and the subprime-like problems of toxic Spanish bank loans.

Lastly, let me draw your attention to a blog by Dr Amy Tuteur, The Skeptical OB. If you are thinking of having a natural birth at home, please read this article. Here are 12 things you shouldn't say to Dr Amy. If you have to have a C-section, don't worry about it - you are not a failure, read this. Dr Amy speaks such a lot of common sense it's refreshing compared to some of the NCT-type psychobabble, and if you are feeling the pressure to have a natural birth, she will give you another perspective.

I never felt tempted to have my children at home. I had both in hospital surrounded by lots of lovely equipment that could be used at a moment's notice in case of trouble. You might say she's speaking to the converted (and I'm done with babies anyway), but it's useful for others to read the truth about the dangers of home births.

Liebster Blog Award

Back in December, Trish at Mum's Gone To was kind enough to hand out a Liebster award which is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers. I seem to remember Wylye Girl at River Cottage Diaries nominated me for it too several months ago but I never got round to posting about it (as there was no gun against my head...).

Trish and her family are great travellers. If you're something of an armchair traveller, like me, do pop on over because she does all the hard work organising, paying, packing and travelling, and all you have to do is sit in your comfy chair in front of the computer and read her entertaining and well-written reports on travelling joys and strife. Like me, she has an ado son, and I particularly enjoy her stories of life with an ado because they ring so true.

Wylye Girl hasn't posted in a while, I think she's been moonlighting at Huffington Post, but when she does, it's always interesting, sometimes good for a laugh (like her nominations for Rugby World Cup Donald Trump Bad Hair Award) and well written.

To get back to Liebster, I'll copy the bit from Trish's blog about a translation : "Google translate tells me Liebster means dear, sweet, endearing, lovely". Not an obvious description of my blog I'd have thought, but my followers and readers definitely are! These are the stipulations upon receipt:

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your 5 blogger picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Hope that the people you have sent the award to will forward it to their favourite bloggers


So here are my five blogger picks:
1. Pointman's. Pointman started blogging because he "hated the effect the environmental movement was having on the developing world. A thinly veiled political movement, which is perceived as simply a fashionable lifestyle choice in the developed world, is causing death and misery amongst the eighty percent of humanity not fortunate enough to live well above the poverty line." Well worth a read, and can link you to Tallbloke who was recently raided by 6 policemen because of a comment was left by the Climategate leaker (FOIA) on Tallbloke’s blog giving the location of the latest Climategate archive of emails for download. I suppose you get two for the price of one here, but I don't know what sort of a following Tallboy has, so can't nominate him separately.

2. Adventures of a Middle-Aged Matron. Anna Tims, as Mammasaurus is a free-lance journalist and a part-time staff feature writer on The Guardian, and blogs about family life as the wife of a vicar and mother of two children. You can read about, for example, Victoria, "the well-spoken homeless woman who once lived on the vicarage doorstep" where "no passing male was denied a slot in her sleeping bag" and other stories.

3. Mills and Boon Wannabe. This is a hugely entertaining blog written by Oliver Tims and his sister. They decided they should "try to write a romance novel according to the guidelines published by Mills & Boon". They do it blind, too, not discussing plot or characters as they go along which makes it quite a challenge for them. Imagine writing about simmering desire with your sibling! 

4. Curry Queen. She started a blog to "fool herself that someone, anyone is listening to her. Given that her offspring describe anything she says as "like, white noise, innit?" She is "pathetically grateful for a more attentive audience". Recent hilarious quote from her husband, known as the Shah, "To you I'm just a human piñata, aren't I?" Definitely deserving of a wider attentive audience!

5. Older Single Mum. Older Single Mum says of herself "I am in my forties, with two gorgeous and hilarious boys aged 6 and 2. We live on the South coast of England, happily, without their once famous International Sportsman of a father, who I asked to leave, for reasons which will become apparent". She has recently started a series of guest blogs by other single mums (including me!) in an attempt to change the perception of the single mum as a teenage scrounger living on welfare. She's had some amazing women writing their stories and if they don't make blinkered Daily Mail-type readers think again, then there's absolutely no hope! :)

There we are, I hope you take a look at my suggested blogs, all different, all interesting and extremely well written.