Digital Digest: 30/08/2010

The Best Of The Web

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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