I'm reading Michael Angold's Political History of Byzantium 1025-1204 at the moment. There's a really interesting section in there about the search for a new policy under Constantine Monomachos, and it's ultimate failure. I think there's the bones of a discussion here about growth and change in the Byzantine economy, and it's impact on politics. Following Alan Harvey's thesis about growth in the 11th century economy - Constantine Monomachos' administration is fostering this as a route to prosperity, and stepping the atate down from it's war footing - hence the runing down of the themes. I think Haldon has also pointed out that employing professional soldiers ('mercenaries') is a rational decision. I guess what I'm working towards is the idea that there is a nascent blossoming in civil society which is abruptly cut short after Manzikert and the capture of the state by the feudal aristocracy (Comnenus) who run the administration in the narrow interests of their own class.

BBC report about the diagnostic brain scan for autism:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/health-10929032

The BBC article on the new brain scan to diagnose autism was an interesting piece on a number of levels. First of all, it focussed very strongly on adults with high functioning autism. This is a group which doesn't tend to receive a lot of coverage - which usually highlights children specifically, and lower functioning autism generally.

Second it included the phrase "autism is a disabling and little understood condition". This is very true, but most recent press has sought to highlight how parents 'celebrate' their child's autism. Whilst I love my son dearly, I never want anyone to lose sight of the enormous negative impact autism will have on his life. He is disabled, and that doesn't mean he won't live a happy and fulfilled life, but it does mean that that life will be much much harder (and probably poorer) than his peers. To focus too hard on celebrating difference seems to me to verge on denying how hard life for someone with autism will be. So that phrase is the most insightful thing I've seen on TV about autism for a very long time.

Third, it said nothing about what this scan tells us about what causes autism. I suspect that this encapsulates the current scientific position. Progress has been made on identifying what autism is (ie. what the brain of someone with autism looks like) but we are a long way from understanding what makes their brain look like that. And if we don't understand the underlying cause, then all this scan delivers is a better understanding of the symptoms. In other words, we are no where near either prevention or cure.

But at least it was a more realistic picture than is normally given of the reality of autism for most people - and Rain Man was nowhere to be seen!

I agree with Michael White's analysis of the folly of PCS tactics:

http://m.guardian.co.uk/?id=102202&story=http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2010/jul/05/michael-white-government-civil-servants

Serwotka has been a disaster. But 40% cuts? My god!

Couple of books I need to look out for cheap - Byzantine Aesthetics, and Three Byzantine Saints.

'I warn you not to fall ill, I warn you not to grow old....'. After the budget, how right Jonathan Freedland was to quote Neil Kinnock:

http://m.guardian.co.uk/?id=102202&story=http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/05/1983-cameron-victory-kinnocks-words

I've been reading a couple of reviews of Edward Luttwak's 'Grand Strategy of the Byzantine Empire' on the byzans mailing list. Both quite critical, and having read it I have to agree. This is a shame because I thought his earlier book on the Roman empire very insightful. This new book however is ful of fairly simple errors. It also takes a very simplistic view of what underpins Byzantine strategy. In common with the reviews I have read, I am not convinced it all boiled down to the experience of facing Attilla. It does seem clear that there was a close relationship betwen the Byzantium and the people of the steppe, but Luttwak's Doesn't seem to bring out the complexities. All in all, a disappointing follow up.

Other than that, I have just finished Runciman's 'Fall of Constantinople'. This book is in a different league. It may be little dated now, but for a narrative telling of a truly tragic story with real pathos, I don't think you cpuld beat it.

I am also ploughing through part 2 of the old Cambridge Medieval History volume IV. Also a good read, although again a little dated.

Larry Elliott is spot on about the latest cuts:

http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gmg/op/s7_TBYc3TDp3rrz3VgWirMw/view.m?id=473305&tid=120787&cat=Recession

Paul Krugman neatly summing up where the Tory's economic policies will take us:

http://mobile.nytimes.com/article?a=614230&f=112&sub=Columnist

Interesting news from Osborne's new Office for Budget Reponsibility. It strikes me that this negates the case for harsh cuts this year. Growth is fragile. but borrowing is lower than first thought. Doesn't this make the case for maintaining spending stronger - to keep what growth there is in the economy? With borrowing lower the cuts are not so pressing, but cuts risk pumping up unemployment and dragging us into a downward spiral.

Removing first class travel is a perfect example. I used to travel to London first class for around £74 each way. Now I cannot go first class. However, Virgin then restructure their fares, and the cheap tickets are no longer available. I now travel standard class for £100 each way. The end result of a public sector cut is a profits dilemma for a private supplier - and the end result a net loss for the taxpayer (I pay more for my travel).

Interesting times indeed.