This entry is somewhat remarkable in that consists solely of links to other people’s blog entries with almost no discussion or intervention. I do most heartily commend all of the pieces, but admit that it also functions as an easy historical record for me of a period in which I have not blogged. I suppose that this is another use of the blog. I have written before of the ways in which I view blogging (https://movingtoyshop.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/my-blogging-philosophy/) and remain a stout defender of the use of the blog as a therapeutic tool and as a personal record. To produce an entry which consists entirely of links is not exactly either of these things but, quite apart from the enormously high quality of the writing to which I am linking, it serves to help me understand some key influences, as well as being the record I have referred to. I have roughly grouped the entries, though my method of doing so is somewhat crude as many of these pieces are wide-ranging.

Tory Attacks

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/project-eugenics/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/10/27/more-bashing-the-poor-from-the-condems/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/workfare-creeps-in/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/the-unseen-damage-of-the-riot-of-the-rich/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/the-unbearable-harshness-of-benefits-2/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/the-repugnant-repellant-and-repulsive-face-of-the-tory-party/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/02/24/unethical-work-ethic/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/10/02/blaming-the-poor-again/

Miscellaneous

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/why-i-wont-wear-a-poppy-2/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/thatchers-legacy-and-where-there-is-hope-may-we-bring-despair/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/july-1981-a-song-that-captured-the-political-moment/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/in-defence-of-libraries/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/panorama-abuse-and-institutionalised-violence/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/children-are-unbeatable/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/goodbye-2011-hello-2012/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/mandy-mudd-a-wonderful-friend-and-comrade/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/war-on-the-poor-then-and-now/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/07/08/how-the-gutter-press-destroys-lives/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/stuff-the-royal-wedding/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/the-dumbing-down-of-education/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/to-children-ardent-for-some-desperate-glory-the-old-lie-dulce-et-decorum-est-pro-patria-mori/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/03/25/video-nasties-moral-panic-censorship-and-videotape/

State Repression

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/12/14/is-it-cos-im-a-radical-policing-and-political-unrest/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/you-are-not-being-kettled-but-contained/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/08/12/repressive-times-to-come/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/are-you-now-or-have-you-ever-been-an-anarchist/

Feminism

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2010/11/10/an-utter-miscarriage-of-justice/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/in-defence-of-vagina/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/speaking-out/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/one-dimensional-feminism/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/i-wish-i-knew-then-what-i-know-now/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/why-i-support-slutwalk/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/05/23/rape-is-rape-whoever-commits-it/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/01/30/why-i-hate-the-c-word/

http://ellenandjim.wordpress.com/2010/10/23/the-politics-of-gender-in-anthony-trollopes-novels-1/

http://ellenandjim.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/the-politics-of-gender-in-anthony-trollopes-novels-2/

The Failures of Labour

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/06/14/mister-eds-love-of-anecdotes-and-saying-responsibility-33-times-in-his-speech/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/04/01/labour-third-cheek-of-the-establishments-arse/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/mister-ed-is-a-scab/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/milibands-class-war-on-the-poor/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/when-will-labour-ever-show-any-opposition/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/if-you-cant-vote-against-a-cuts-budget-then-resign/

Film and TV

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/fairy-jobmonster/
(I greatly value the way in which pieces like this remove any responsibility to watch disgusting television programmes!)

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/10/21/review-%E2%80%9Cwe-need-to-talk-about-kevin%E2%80%9D/

http://ellenandjim.wordpress.com/2011/01/25/do-you-have-someone-to-go-on-vacation-with-mike-leighs-another-year/

Mental Health Issues

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/sloppy-slapdash-sensationalism-from-lazy-bbc-writers/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/supposed-cause-of-insanity-over-education/

( I wrote the following comment on this post…Have you ever seen the movie Frances with Jessica Lange as Frances Farmer? It is both incredibly powerful and incredibly distressing. Farmer was institutionalised for being left-wing and sexually adventurous; in the end she was lobotomised and reduced to a shadow. It is a brilliant portrayal of the misuse and abuse of psychiatry. Having said that I wouldn’t advise watching it unless you are feeling very mentally strong. I have never quite summoned the strength to re-watch it (it was also very hard to get hold of a DVD unsurprisingly – mine is a Czech one with English subtitles!).)

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2012/02/11/the-hidden-deaths-in-psychiatric-hospitals/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/05/20/to-disclose-or-not-to-disclose-that-is-the-question/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/my-thoughts-on-the-hardest-hit-campaign/

http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2011/02/03/realities-of-psychiatric-asbos/