Page last updated at 18:34 GMT, Friday, 18 September 2009 19:34 UK

The Buzz: Newsnight's Aftershock Special

BBC's Siobhan Courtney
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

Lehman Bank HQ

It is just over a year since the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers, which is considered by experts to have marked the beginning of our global recession.

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

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

Posters on the House Price Crash Forum debated 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!" 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.

Dr Rowan Williams: "There hasn't been what I would, as a Christian, call repentance"

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

There was praise for the programme on football forum When 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 is a moral philosopher to be reckoned with.

And Anglican Samizdat's post concludes that the Archbishop must 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.

Jimmy Carter: "There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president"

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

But Hot Air asked 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 it here.

It didn't go down too well with many. A Facebook group has been set up, titled Congressman 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 on his Twitter account Wilson 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 blog Joe Wilson vs. Jimmy Carter: Racism and Lies asked "Why does having a black president turn so many into race-card-playing Al Sharptons?"

DARWIN REACTION AFTER NEWSNIGHT REVIEW

Newsnight Review held a Darwin special last 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 on richarddawkins.net talked about the panel who were appearing alongside Richard.

Clive Davis from the Spectator remarked that Richard Dawkins "seemed unusually emollient on Newsnight Review's fascinating discussion of Darwin the other night."

Starts With A Bang talked 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 post Regarding "The Afterlife".

If you missed Review, you can watch it again on YouTube and post your own comment.



SEE ALSO
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