The Buzz

By Siobhan Courtney

Welcome to The Buzz, our weekly round up of how the stories Newsnight reports are being talked about in the blogosphere, twitterverse and other social media.

ARCHBISHOP ON SIN AND THE CITY

It is just over a year since the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers, which isconsidered by expertsto have marked the beginning of ourglobal recession.

To mark the anniversary Newsnight broadcast an Aftershock Special, which explored how the economic crashchanged the world.

There was lots of chatter on message boards about the programme.

Posters on theHouse Price Crash Forumdebated throughout the programme. SavingForAShed’s comment was one of my favourites: “A surprisingly good and interesting discussion. I’m still in shock.”

Viewers watching the show on Politics.ie said since the US allowed it…it’s up to Barack.

One of the big questions of the programme was how the world has changed in the last 12 months. Boffy’s Blog says"The answer despite all the hyperbole is - surprisingly little!"](Boffy's Blog: Aftershock?)before going on to reflect on days gone by of living on beans on toast, no telly, no car, and buying clothes from jumble sales.

One discussion in the Aftershock special in particular generated a massive amount of online chat - the Archbishop of Canterbury told Jeremy Paxman financiers feel no repentance of the economic collapse.

Prospect Magazine asked why Newsnight invited the head of the Church of England onto the programme, unlessthey wanted a theological angle on the financial predicament

There was praise for the programme on football forumWhen Saturday Comes, though one poster who was watching Newsnight, said “And as I write, the Archbishop of Canterbury has just blamed the financial crisis on Original Sin. Oh well”.

Francis Sedgemore said Rowan Williams’ performance on Newsnight shows he isa moral philosopher to be reckoned with.

And Anglican Samizdat’s post concludes that the Archbishopmust be practising before he deals with his own organisation.

OBAMA RACE ROW RETURNS
Is Barack Obama really a president who transcends the race issue The internet is awash with reaction following former President Jimmy Carter’s claims this week that criticism of Barack Obama is based on racism.

Guanabeesummed up Mr Carter speaking out, with this: “We’re glad a former president said it, but it’s nothing everyone didn’t already know”.

ButHot Airasked whether this means Mr Carter is now a racism expert

Fuelling the row was an incident during Mr Obama’s speech in Congress on healthcare reform in which Republican lawmaker Joe Wilson interrupted the president shouting “You lie!”

If you missed it watch ithere.

It didn’t go down too well with many. A Facebook group has been set up, titledCongressman Joe Wilson is a Jerk for Interrupting Obama.

Mr Wilson did apologise saying: “I extend sincere apologies to the president for this lack of civility.”

But onhis Twitter accountWilson tweeted “I have been named the #1 target by the Democrats and MoveOn.org” and “I am not going to apologize again.”

Liberty Maven’s blogJoe Wilson vs. Jimmy Carter: Racism and Liesasked “Why does having a black president turn so many into race-card-playing Al Sharptons”

DARWIN REACTION AFTER NEWSNIGHT REVIEW
Newsnight Review held aDarwin speciallast week with a stellar line up of guests - actor Kevin Spacey, scientist Richard Dawkins, Man Booker prize-winning author Margaret Atwood, Reverend Richard Coles, and poet and descendant of Charles Darwin Ruth Padel.

Posters onricharddawkins.nettalked about the panel who were appearing alongside Richard.

Clive Davis from the Spectatorremarked that Richard Dawkins “seemed unusually emollient on Newsnight Review’s fascinating discussion of Darwin the other night.”

Starts With A Bangtalked about the Darwin film being classed as “too controversial” for America.

There was lots of reaction from viewers about whether God actually exists on the tiscali forum under the postRegarding “The Afterlife”.

If you missed Review, you can watch it again onhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oO8YjqEXCLM)and post your own comment.