If you see the Blogwatch Child, say “Hammer down” for me…

Lots of people doing the book meme: Cacciaguida, Dappled Things, Jim Henley, Mommentary. All fascinating!

Amy Welborn: BBC America has no plans, as yet, to show a monastery reality show that sounded utterly fascinating. You can write to request it at the link she gives here.

KausFiles: “Sen. McCain Saves The Palm”: “Why, after all, are so many people in Washington attached to the Senate’s “right to unlimited debate”? Is it because the filibuster–which effectively requires a supermajority to pass anything through the Senate– guarantees ‘freedom of speech, freedom of debate and freedom to dissent in the United States Senate.’ (Sen. Byrd’s modest version.) Or is it because the filibuster, and the exaggerated power it gives to both minorities and individuals, is the basis for much of the Senate’s–indeed Washington’s–corrupt cash economy?” (No clue if he’s right, but he’s interesting.)

Yurodivi: How the blogosphere’s Holy Fool became a Catholic. Good stuff–and I know many Catholics can’t get enough of conversion stories, so I expect lots of you will want to read this if you somehow missed it over at Amy Welborn’s.