Five Blogs (plus ten others) That Make Me Think.

Not In Any Order Of Merit

1. Yourfriendinthenorth.
2. Iraqi Mojo.
3. The Labour Humanist.
4. Gauche.
5. NewerLabour.

These are the blogs I nominate for the "Thinking Blogger Award" - as promised in the last item I posted. If they don't think that it is naff, this entitles them to display the Award Symbol which can be found in my right hand column between my lists of "Links" and "Previous Posts."

Under the rules of this meme, they are now each entitled to name five others.

My Criteria

I have not included anyone whom I have discovered has been nominated by others (so sorry NightHawk and Eric Lee). To the best of my knowledge, the five listed above are individuals who operate blogs which have comment boxes and readily enter into discussions with other sensible bloggers.

I appreciate the nonsense element of this form of chain. From the first names that were posted, it could in theory spread like wildfire from 5, 25, 125, 625 ... so that after ten stages almost 10 million will be reached. I think that we would soon run out of anyone that I would wish to see recommended..

The Five I Have Chosen

Yourfriendinthenorth. This is criticism and common sense about politics and life in Northern Ireland. I have a long term interest in the situation there, having served on the Commons Select Committee on Northern Ireland and on the British Irish Parliamentary Body.

Iraqi Mojo. Born in Baghdad and grew up in America. Posts significant items and provides a first class set of links to and on Iraq. I did my National Service in Iraq in 1955-56 and I am fully involved today with "Labour Friends of Iraq".

The Labour Humanist. This is not just an anti-religous set of tracts and it covers positive humanist issues and values. It appeals to my own "A Gentle Atheism".

Gauche. Paul Anderson seeks to follow in the footsteps of my favouite author George Orwell. No one does it better.

NewerLabour. Not to be confused with New Labour. Otherwise, ignore the handle Tom Miller uses. I have not sold out. He is a good read, showing what it is like to be a left-leaning 21 year old in Britain today. As someone who is nearly 50 years older, I need this stimulous - even if he is supporting Cruddas for Deputy Leader.

Five "Thinking" Links Falling Outside My Criteria

For all of these see my Links in the right-hand column.

1. Johann Hari.
2. Open Democracy.
3. Democratiya.
4. Independent Labour Publications.
5. Labour Friends of Iraq.

Then, for listening there is Little Atoms (see "My Links"). With a special mention for great footballing words of wisdom from (and on) Roy Keane via "A Love Supreme".

The special Harry Barnes Award for comradely blogging goes to Bob Piper. Bob, I am sorry that I haven't got the skills to manufacture a comradely gong.