Cut ‘n’ Paste like a knife. Hazel Blears and others fill in the blanks.

Is it a joke? The BBC on the EU, cakes and jokes.

Google Trends is rather an impressive new piece of software. In the style of late-90s favourites like Search Voyeur, it allows you to see what other people are hunting for. But instead of merely providing a list and allowing you to marvel at others’ illiteracy and perversion (these days, a function that Sitemeter is admirably capable of providing instead), it allows you to track the historical popularity of different words – and hence concepts.

For example, the concept of EUrabia, which gained popularity last year, is the serious belief, expressed by people who aren’t obviously insane, that Europe is soon going to become an Islamic or possibly Islamist (you can’t really expect these types to understand the difference) state. Fortunately for all concerned, it seems like the world has lost interest in this concept: searches for ‘EUrabia’ peaked in late 2004, tailed off throughout 2005, and have been negligible for a good six months. Read More

It looks like the dust has finally settled after the elections. People are jockeying for position, accusations of disloyalty are flying around, but nobody’s disputing what the numbers say. The Prime Minister is still there, for now. He’s been announcing to anyone who will listen that he tells his allies what to do and not the other way round – so no change there. But at least he’s resigned. Read More

Adventures in copywriting
Would you like some brandwank with your overpriced coffee, sir?

Okay, a bit off-message for The Sharpener, a public service interlude. Elmore Leonard, the Best Storyteller since St. Paul, will be interviewed by Simon Mayo on BBC Radio 5Live, just after 3 p.m. UK time today. Listen live on the web, or I’ll post the podcast link later. [here]
Not just a perfect antidote to my unhealthy James Ellroy obsession, Elmore also taught me to write. His ten rules transformed a semi-literate social scientist into the honed^* hack you’re reading now. Enjoy.

^* Please, no comments about my writing abilities in the comments box. My hand is hovering over Delete.

Bolivia: nationalisation isn’t what it seems
Or: tanks on the front lawn ain’t what they used to be

Defend America: Buy More Iranian Oil

In Defence of John Prescott – it’s better that he shafts his secretary than the country

Steve Bell: Labour and the Basra Deaths.