Round-up

1. France's most famous living philosopher, Bernard-Henri Lévy, has singled out President Nicolas Sarkozy's closest adviser and speech-writer as being the "extreme-Right" hand behind his "racist" discourse. Mr Lévy lashed out in a radio interview at Henri Guaino, Mr Sarkozy's powerful "special" adviser who has an office next to the president's in the Elysée Palace. Mr Guaino was behind a speech the president gave in Senegal in June, which outraged many. In it, Mr Sarkozy said "the tragedy of Africa is that the African has not fully entered into history," and that for the traditional African "there is no place for human adventure or for the idea of progress".

"It's he [Guaino] who wrote this ignoble speech, it's disgusting. That's Guaino, that's racism," said Mr Levy.

No it isn't. It is a shame when we get smart men, philosophers such as this man and Noam Chomsky, talking such liberal rubbish. I did like Guaino's response, though: "Who does he think he is? What's he done in his life that's so extraordinary to allow him to judge me like that? I have never met BHL. He doesn't like me, nor I him. He doesn't love France. I do. He has spit on his lips, with hatred oozing from his pores." That's cutting, to say the least.

2. The government of John Howard is being accused of engaging in racism as it faces likely defeat in the national election. Critics say it is ''playing the race card'' and using ''dog whistling'', the technique of sending a message designed to be heard by only one particular section of the community. In this case, the government appears to be pitching its message towards those Australians who are disturbed or somehow frightened by the presence of tall, black Africans.

Yes, there apparently really is such a demographic. What are they going to call this "fright"? Tallandblackophobia?

3. Fashion industry insiders have criticised modelling agencies for encouraging a culture of "blatant racism" in the business and announced an emergency summit with race campaigners and politicians to try to tackle the issue. "I can't remember being sent a model who wasn't white," said a former fashion manager. "I don't know if it's racism, or just the fashion industry languishing in the doldrums, but it needs to change. Agencies only seem interested in leggy white blonde girls."

Note how this woman's outrage is focused on the "white" part of that last statement. Apparently the fact that non-blondes and girls who aren't "leggy" are also supposedly discriminated against doesn't enter her radar.