Digital Digest: 30/08/2010

The Best Of The Web

News in pictures
News in pictures
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Life & Style blogs

HIV orphans in Thailand prepare for the future

In Baan Gerda, a community for HIV infected or affected youngsters in Northern Thailand, a group of ...

Online House Hunter: England’s most romantic places

Our Online House Hunter goes in search of romance this Valentine's Day...

Online House Hunter: Rugby – a Dickens of a town

Charles Dickens didn't think much of the railway town of Rugby in Warwickshire, calling it Mugby. Bu...



Politics



NewStatesman.co.uk


Ed Balls is widely thought to be the best number-cruncher in the Labour leadership contest: but does he measure up as far as bigwig American economist Irwin Stelzer is concerned? And does Balls have the clout to give David Cameron a run for his money at the dispatch box? Stelzer gives his verdict in this profile:



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Society

Wired.com

It's an amusing concept: an off-line social network involving physical conversations between “real-life friends” who group according to interests. In places called “bars”, while “waitresses” offer things called “menus” offering tasty food and drinks. Read this satirical take on online social networking here:

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Music

RobbieWilliams.com

The latest news is that Robbie Williams’ return to Take That might just be for one album and one tour. If that’s true then fans should make the most of this. The single “Shame”, from Williams’ forthcoming greatest hits album, sees Gary Barlow strip to the waist along with his former boy band cohort. See the video here:

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Film

FirstShowing.net

The trailer is out for Stephen Frears’ latest film, Tamara Drewe starring Britain’s most ubiquitous young actress, Gemma Arterton. The movie’s based on a cartoon strip featuring in a national newspapers. The word is that the movie is both funny and entertaining. Watch it here:

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Environment

NationalGeographic.com

Stuck at home on the bank holiday? Or – worse – stuck at the work? Get away from it all with this enchanting and informative video from National Geographic. Packed full of scientific facts, it offers an educational virtual tour around Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Truly majestic.

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History

NYMag.com

Princeton history professor Sean Wilentz publishes Bob Dylan in America next month, a comprehensive study eagerly awaited by Dylanologists. Not that Wilentz is one of them. “Yuck,” he replies when asked. Here he takes New York Magazine’s Boris Kachka on a tour of the muscian’s old Greenwich village haunts:

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Food

MSNBC.com

Danish restaurant Noma surprised the foodie elite when it was voted World’s Best in the San Pellegrino 50 Best Restaurants. So how did they pull it off? MSNBC’s Today programme recreates one of the restaurants dishes to try and shed some light on the situation. Watch it here:

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Day In a Page

Apple admits it has a human rights problem

Apple admits it has a human rights problem

After years of complaints and workers' suicides in China the technology giant faces up to the human cost of its gadgets
Peter Moore: 'I feel guilty I'm the only one alive'

Peter Moore interview

'I feel guilty I'm the only one alive'
Sellafield faces nuclear option as overspending threatens plant's future

Sellafield faces nuclear option

Overspending threatens plant's future
Israel blames Iran for embassy bomb attacks

Israel blames Iran for embassy bomb attacks

Tehran rejects Netanyahu's 'lies' after diplomats in India and Georgia targeted
Former manager enjoying Apoel crack at the big time

Tommy Cassidy interview

Former manager enjoying Apoel crack at the big time
James Lawton: Patience may not be a virtue this time, Roman – Andre Villas-Boas looks all at sea

James Lawton: AVB looks all at sea

Abramovich's visits to training reinforce the idea of a coach feeling pressure from above and below
The 10 Best sledges

The 10 Best sledges

Not all of them require snow...
Procrastination: Not now – I'm busy

Procrastination: Not now – I'm busy

Confronting the real reasons for puttting things off can help us beat it
Fun in the sunset years

Fun in the sunset years

A new movie follows retirees moving to India for low-cost care and a culture of respect for the elderly. For many Britons, it's already a reality
Picture preview: Lucian Freud drawings

Lucian Freud drawings

Picture preview
Silent revolution at the Baftas as the French take top awards

Silent revolution at the Baftas

The Artist wins in seven categories, with Meryl Streep the other big success story
Whitney Houston: The diva who had – and lost – it all

The diva who had – and lost – it all

Nick Hasted charts the highs and lows of Whitney Houston's life
How Picasso won over (some of) the British

How Picasso won over (some of) the British

Winston Churchill and Evelyn Waugh hated his work, but Picasso provided inspiration for a whole generation of UK artists
Topshop: A Decade Of Design

Topshop: A Decade Of Design

When London Fashion Week starts on Friday, Topshop will celebrate 10 years backing its brightest young stars
John Prescott: 'My wife thought I'd just retire, but I'm not a slippers man'

'My wife thought I'd just retire, but I'm not a slippers man'

At 73, John Prescott isn't mellowing. In fact he's taking a shot at becoming a police commissioner