Ahem, at the risk of getting flamed, I would like to contribute a few words in defence of Dr Crippen. His was the first blog I started reading (I found this one through him); I found it interesting and entertaining then, and I still do - even though he has got gradually more political and more Victor Meldrew-like (he did recently have a long break from blogging - maybe he'd got so demoralised he was finding it difficult to write about things without ranting). My doctor boyfriend discovered Dr C recently, and I came home last night to find him sitting at the computer chortling away and saying things like, "so true!". I think what I mean is that blogs are more easily appreciated by people who've shared similar experiences to the author - Reynolds is an ex-nurse and an LAS worker, so perhaps nurses and ambulance workers are more likely to empathise with his viewpoints, and less likely to agree with Dr C, whilst other doctors might appreciate him more. Being outside medicine personally, I like to think I can take more of an overview... Also, I do think Dr C quite often says things for effect and not altogether seriously - he just has his own style. And he has been unstinting in his support for and championing of junior doctors who've been screwed over by the MTAS system. As I'm living with someone who is soon to brave the MTAS-replacement system, I have to be with Dr C on that one.