How brilliant is this?

... I could count the ways, but why bother? I will just refer you to Bryan Appleyard's On Politics 1, On Politics 2, On Politics 3, and On Politics 4.

Let me note this, though: "(This is On Politics 1 because it is potentially very long and I don't like the look of long posts.)" The sound instinct of a born blogger.

And this: "The old politics survives in the form of purely tribal badges. That is what all the name-calling and abuse is about and it is why blogs have become so politically active. They naturally lend themselves to this kind of tribal warfare, though not necessarily. There are blogs of political ideas, though they seem to be more common in the US." (There are plenty of the other kind in the US, too. The old divisions between left and right have become meaningless. The new left and the old right have found common ground in their mutual dislike of Israel, the so-called neo-cons are revised and edited Wilsonians - Woodrow, not me. )