Blogging about politics can be a bit of a mixed bag, so we’ll see how it goes. I want to avoid polarising talk, tabloid tactics, and FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt). Instead, I’d like to discuss the latest raft of changes which seek to make immigrants ‘more British’ before offering them citizenship.

Personal Perspective

First, and as a matter of context: I am an immigrant. I was born and raised in Colorado, USA, and have lived in the UK for the last 5 years or so. My national identity, however, is a more complicated matter. I resonate politically better with Britain than the United States. I admire more British personages than American (probably due to the fact that the only great Americans I can think to name are either dead or long dead…). I laugh at British comedians, and listen to Radio 4. I queue. I share the occasional withering glance  with my fellow public transport passengers whenever a tourist declares loudly that something is cute or quaint. I even say: "Oh, excuse me, sorry" when someone else runs into me at Sainsburys, and I say "Cheers" or "Ta" even when someone should be thanking me.

This has put me in an interesting position at times. I have been part of conversations when the other party doesn’t actually know, or momentarily forgets, that I grew up singing The Star-Spangled Banner before watching baseball.

"Well, I think Americans are rude and ignorant".

For avid news readers, not much beats a classic broadsheet newspaper for quality content and writership. Although I use Google Reader to keep up with the best of the blogs, and sometimes skim Technorati and Digg for new reads, I keep coming back to the consistent content found on traditional newspapers–online. That isn’t to say that everything found at a ‘proper’ news site beats everything on a new media service or a blog. Indeed, many blogs have amazingly-tuned insights and offer the best rants on the planet. But, when you want general news, looking through the often opined views of one-man blogs can be a headache. Much blog content is very focused, and most Digg and Technorati articles lean towards the geeky. I landed some time ago at the Times Online and frequently browse its headlines.

The Times Online has some of my favourite columnists and consistently high-quality comment. Who can resist a rant or opinion from Jeremy Clarkson? Alongside, Lord Rees-Mogg and his ilk of commentators whose opinion I have come to respect (if not always with 100% agreement!) However, I do have a few problems with the Times Online. There is, actually, only one major complaint.

It is so slow!

It boasts its Windows links and utilizes "Live Search" instead of Google, and I wonder if this architecture is what makes it so mind-numbingly time-consuming. Its content is well-positioned and not as graphic heavy as many sites whose load-time is much faster (check out Top Gear for an example of a slow site which is faster!).