links for 2009-10-09

I can't work out what is most depressing here. The slant of the article. The use of the big number in the headline. The gratuitous file photo. The legion of red arrows for anyone whose comment doesn't agree that "major world religion followed by large number of people in the world" represents some kind of new development and armageddon.

A little bit more opinion in this entry to the Times Archive Blog than we are used to, but Rose Wild digs out a review from 1883 where blackface minstrel shows were already being considered tedious and patronising

Local noise debate which may well start appearing in the nationals over the next couple of days as "Council makes church shut up to appease Muslims, of whom there are billions and millions and squillions, as if you didn't already worry about them enough" [see above...]

Fantastic open sourced volunteer project to remove liberal bias from incorrect Bible translations. My favourite line from the front page is "liberals will oppose this effort, but they will have to read the Bible to criticize this, and that will open their minds". [via Dave Cross]