Diplo watch

A quick update here on everyone's favourite excuse for a political magazine. Diplo is still going strong, so it seems, or still going at least. For the past few issues, their advertising content has shot up by 100% - that is, they've now got one advert where the previously had none at all. It's pretty obvious where the money from the two-page Evian spread has gone, too: Diplo has a new size! At almost-A4 (don't ask what the proper technical term is, I've no idea), its pages are significantly bigger than before, although the actual number of pages has stayed the same. So that means.... yet more graphics! If there's one thing Diplo excels at, it's graphics (maybe with the exception of the four pages of what are apparently coloured pencil drawings at the back, Jesus, what's that about?), and the latest issue (the dramatically titled "Africa: Is Anyone Listening?") is certainly no exception. The cover illustration is pretty groovy and pretty much does what the coverline says on the tin. However, the actual contents are as usual a patronising collection of easy-to-understand background history boxes in not-always-scintillating English. And curiously enough, for an issue devoted almost exclusively to Africa and the fallout from the recent G8 Summit at Gleaneagles, it's interesting that their lead interview seems to be with.... Sir Menzies Campbell of the Lib Dems. Right.