There'll Always Be An England...? Or, Fun with Government Publications
As my devoted readers know, I work at an academic library, helping (in a minor way) to manage our collection of government publications. I love government publications; they can be some of the coolest resources on the planet.
As in this case: Hansard is the name used for the printed transcripts of parliamentary debates in the British government. It is accessible on line. It provides transcripts of every speech made in the House of Commons and the House of Lords -- as well as those speeches made "under parliamentary privilege" (that is, off the record -- unlike the United States' records of Congressional debates, which legislators can edit after the fact).
It is interesting what comes up in those records. At the link below, author Chalres Stross, in his blog "Charlie's Diary," believes he has spotted an attempt by a "Foundation X" to buy the British Government. What cool reading!
PS -- Commenter # 39 to Stross' post notes that Hansard offers key word searching, which he suggests can provide an index of "dottiness" for British lords and MPs. "[T]hink of a strange word (like "dormouse", say, or "jellybean", or for the best result "corned beef") and enter it into the Hansard search engine. Read and marvel."
PPS -- Watch it on "Parliament TV" too! At the Hansard site below (www.parliament.uk), click on "What's on," in the House of Lords, for the day Monday 1 November, the 2:30 PM session. Silverlight Player seems to work well. It is almost eight hours in, at 22:48:59.
Charlie's Blog:
http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2010/11/conspiracy-theories.html
Hansard:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk