"One of the most intriguing ‘fantasy politics’ games in Brussels is calculating when Cathy Ashton, the embattled European External Action Service head will return to Britain. While she has charm, this has not covered what has been described as a dismal performance in the new post-Lisbon position."

Dunno about you guys, but I too find it weird that the dead live on in cyberspace...

How the Yes campaign lost.

The public transport map of East Berlin.

How the referendum was won by the No campaign.

Careers advice from zombie Marie Curie!

The Ten Commandments of the late George Ross (I summarise): 1.- Sapere aude – Dare to know.  2.- Know thyself. 3.- Universalize your actions. 4.- Be kind and compassionate, and be involved. 5.- Take very seriously your duty towards others, but do not take yourself too seriously. 6.- Remember that all human opinions, values, tenets and beliefs are …

The new Canadian MP who has never actually been to the district she represents and barely speaks French. "In the interview with Trois-Rivieres' Le Nouvelliste, the 27-year-old said that she will quit her job as an assistant bar manager at Ottawa's Carleton University and devote herself to her new post." Glad to hear it!

Tour of a nuclear missile base.

Lovely fanvid from the ever excellent calapine!

What really happened at Fukushima: "there appears to have been no public health impact due to radiation (stress and fear are another matter), and no plant workers were exposed to more than 250 millisieverts — the raised limit for emergency nuclear responders, equal to five years' regular working exposure, but insufficient to cause a serious health…

"Sure, I knew I was taking a risk. I stated that in the original HuffPo piece. But knowing there is a risk doesn't mean you realize how great a risk it is, or what the consequences will be. And the consequences, in a word, have been devastating."

I feel that the 2011 Assembly election will be one of consolidation, not change.

Boundary changes are both a curse and a blessing for the psephologist.

The structure of the Assembly has been designed to take into account the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland; the much more fundamental divide of gender is barely addressed. But it is a matter of huge importance for the sort of society we want to be.

One of the joys of the PR-STV system for us analysts is the wealth of detail revealed about voter preferences when one looks at transfers.

Auditing experts' predictions - avoid law school if you want to be more accurate!

Predict the result of the 5 May vote!

Yet more bizarre and somewhat pointless discussion. How do these guys find my blog entries?

Dealing with the information overload.

The First Minister and the fishpond.

Extraordinary images; takes me back...

Timmi Duchamp on Joanna Russ, who died last week.

Rio le Moignan, talented author, poet and vidder, died in February.

Ron Asmus, the epitome of Euro-Atlantic diplomacy, has died - obituary from the Economist

As well as making the obvious point about the Taoiseach's eleven nominees, Noel Whelan makes another point that had escaped me - the electorate for the 43 vocational seats in the senate is fixed by law, not the constitution, and can easily be changed if the government should wish.

Adam Roberts disagrees with me on

"Life begins on the other side of despair", says R2D2 trundling away over the dunes.

Does what it says.

Doctor Who recipes. Really. (And I do have a copy of Gary Downie's magnum opus on my shelves as well.)