The US way is not the only way

Maybe it was the lack of sleep and a very early start this morning, but I nearly lost it this afternoon listening to a US academic telling us how blogging and 'citizen journalism' worked... with complete disregard for the blogging scene or academic discussion on the whole 'CitJ' thing outside the US. Said academic was so wide of the mark about the international arena it was embarrising. I'm sure mutturing with colleagues at the back of the hall was noticed and that was why I was totally ignored when it came to the Q&A. Still, I don't hold grudges and it's probably the egotistical nature of some strains of academia, but I wasn't chuffed to have such 'facts' spouted (women only blog about shopping, was one classic line I spluttered at).

I amuse myself with the fact that this lecturer knew nothing about the UK political blogging scene whatsoever, and I would've done anything to have seen a head-to-head with Guido or Iain Dale et al, let alone the female political blogging community. Shame I didn't know in advance that there was wireless connectivity in the hall, otherwise I would've live blogged the sorry tale.

That aside, my colleague and I ducked out early and went back to the station via the culture, politics and media sections in Blackwell's book shop. Deadly at the best of times, let alone in Oxford.

So to clear my head of such academic ramblings, I'm watching back episodes of The State Within (no brain required) with my cat.

And apologies to people around me on the tube this evening - I laughed out loud with irony to read that traces of Polonium 210 had been found at Arsenal's stadium (I jested to the other half that it would be very intereting if radiation was found at Chelsea...) and the British Embassy in Moscow. Grief, the plot thickens.