Second paragraph of third story ("The Terror Of The Umpty Ums", by Steven Moffat): "Did you hear me?" emitted the Human from its flapped aperture. "Did you understand? Do you understand what I'm saying?" The encoded sound stream was accompanied by a fresh flow of smells also emanating from the aperture. Karpagnon's sensory filter began processing the new odours, while his tactical monitor noted that they were unlikely to be directly significant to the Human's communication. The light spray of moisture was similarly dismissed. "I'll be back tomorrow morning. Dr. Johnson and Dr. Ahmed will be here too. Do you ...

The developer for Sainsbury's is issuing an update to residents on progress with the development and is answering frequently asked questions. From these we learn that Sheffield registered Davies Street Ludlow now owns the site. The site, which had been promoted by Blackfriars Property Group, is now being developed by constructed by McPhillips (Wellington) Ltd. Davies Street Ludlow will lease the store and car park to Sainsbury's in the Autumn. There is a promise for tree planting, which is part of the planning conditions, and much else. The correspondence is below. Sample letter to residents 21 April 2021 The Old ...

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington

The legend of Faust and Mephistopheles is one of the most enduring. Faust makes a pact with the Devil (through his agent Mephistopheles) to secure earthly pleasures. But in the end the Devil returns to secure Faust's soul – a short interval of pleasure at the cost of eternal damnation. I feel something of this ... Continue reading Football sold its soul to the devil long ago

Posted by Matthew on thinking liberal

It seems as though Keir Starmer can add unlucky to his present list of troubles following his unfortunate encounter in Bath with a Brexiteer. Your first thought is how on earth did his minders get him into such an encounter; the very kind of publicity he'd not have wanted. But then on further reflection, what on earth was he doing campaigning in Bath which is already represented by a radical and progressive MP. You'd have thought his efforts would have been better aimed at a Tory seat rather than helping the Tories to unseat an MP of the centre-left who ...

Posted by Cllr. Tony Robertson on Sefton Focus
Tue 20th
12:56

Lest we forget

For the moment the Conservative Party is riding high in the opinion polls with 43% of the electorate supporting it and Labour trailing behind with just 34%. We poor Liberal Democrats have a mere 9% (though frankly I'm pleased that anyone notices us at all) and the Greens, in spite of the current interest in tackling the climate crisis, an even merer (if such a word exists) 5%.* The Troy popularity is assumed to be due to a "Vaccine Bounce": the successful, and for once really "word beating" distribution of the anti COVID vaccine. It seems to go unnoticed that ...

Posted by Peter Wrigley on Keynesian Liberal

Liberal Democrats care about people being able to fulfil their potential and getting the care and support they need to recover from illness and addiction. That's why our Scottish manifesto highlights the need to take a public health approach to addiction. Scotland has the highest drug deaths rate in Europe, something which became very real to a friend of mine recently when her son died after taking street valium. Typically, she thought of others before herself and allowed the BBC to film his funeral. Willie Rennie said today that the next Scottish Government will only end the drug deaths crisis ...

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

It is somewhat difficult to think of Jonathan as being dead, and his sudden demise on Friday produced an outpouring of sorrow, second only to that which took place when he announced that he was terminally ill only a few weeks earlier. Many will remember him for his writing, others for his commitment to internationalism, yet others for his campaigning and leadership, and all with good cause. I'll remember him partly for his insatiable curiosity about the world and partly for his sense of humour. And so, perhaps to offer an unexpected insight into someone I was lucky enough to ...

Posted by Mark Valladares on Liberal Bureaucracy
Tue 20th
11:00

My tweets

Tue, 10:45: RT @marlenestocker: Gonna use this next time I'm late on a deadline! https://t.co/MpBFHDY6LS Tue, 11:30: RT @HarleyShah: I genuinely want to know why Diane Abbott drinking a mojito on the train caused more outrage than Matt Hancock's sister rec... Tue, 11:47: RT @redhistorian: Quite the sub-heading from this piece by @SJAMcBride for the Belfast @News_Letter. https://t.co/04U6xBIQKH https://t.co/1...

Lib Dem peer Floella Benjamin's book about her life as a child is to be turned into a stage play. In her children's book Coming to England she wrote about her journey from Trinidad to the UK at the age of ten, and about the racism her family experienced. But, as anyone who has met her or heard her speak will expect, the tale is essentially optimistic and encouraging, providing inspiration to children to overcome their own difficulties. Floella has written some 20 books and pursued a career as an actor and singer, but is best known as the charismatic ...

Posted by Mary Reid on Liberal Democrat Voice
Tue 20th
09:52

The arrogance of Labour

The Labour Party in Gateshead tend to view the area as a one-party state and any opposition to them tends to be treated as insurrection and insubordination. There is an uncomfortable level of arrogance from Labour who have run the Council since it came into existence in 1974. Take a look at the above Facebook post from Labour candidate for Low Fell Calvin Lawson which was posted last year when

Posted by Jonathan Wallace on Jonathan Wallace
YouGov

It comes to something when six opposition parties unite to call for an inquiry into the Prime Minister's "consistent failure to be honest" in statements to MPs. Prime Minister is meant to be the most important job in the UK, the summit of a politician's career, representing the country to the outside world, commanding respect from his peers and demonstrating a strong grasp of issues and the authority to do something about them. And yet somehow Boris Johnson has failed to understand and achieve any of that, or even begin to live up to those expections. The Guardian reports that ...

Posted by Peter Black on Peter Black

So, yesterday morning, this happened: Scottish Lib Dems say a brick was thrown through the window of their Edinburgh HQ this morning Police Scotland involved @amcarmichaelMP: "Political campaigning should be about the clash of ideas, not about acts of violence" — Nick Eardley (@nickeardleybbc) April 19, 2021 * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings

Posted by Caron Lindsay on Liberal Democrat Voice

BBC Radio Shropshire is this morning reporting that a senior Conservative, who has been deselected and will stand as an independent, has taken a parting shot at her former colleagues. As the radio station reports, the email was sent to all 74 councillors not just the Conservative group. As such it was obviously meant to be made public. Laying in to the lack of leadership by the Conservatives, retiring Hodnet councillor Karen Calder opines her sympathy for fellow councillors who have been deselected in the north of the county. She praises opposition leaders and rages against the cull of sitting ...

Posted by andybodders on Andy Boddington
Tue 20th
08:30

Whoniversaries 20 April

i) births and deaths 20 April 1951: birth of Louise Jameson, who played the Fourth Doctor companion Leela from 1977 to 1978. She is 70! It doesn't seem possible! ii) broadcast and publication anniversaries 20 April 1968: broadcast of sixth episode of Fury from the Deep; last appearance of Deborah Watling as Victoria. The seaweed creature is destroyed by Victoria's screams, and she decides to stay behind. 20 April 1972: publication of The Making of Doctor Who by Malcolm Hulke and Terrance Dicks, the first book about the show. 20 April 1974: broadcast of fifth episode of The Monster of ...

Many residents have asked me when Leisure & Culture Dundee aims to reopen Blackness Library. Last Friday, it was announced that the Central Library will reopen on Monday 26th April with.reduced opening hours (Monday, Thursday, Friday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm; Tuesday 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 6pm and Wednesday and Saturday 10am to 1pm). It will be open for lower floor departments only - returns, browsing and borrowing, limited PC access. Reconnect and Collect will also be available. I have asked the Director of Leisure & Culture Dundee the position regarding Blackness Library and she has ...

Tue 20th
01:41

Six of the Best 1004

"Essentially ,,, Britain is being run by children in adult bodies for whom politics is little more than a fascinating game." Jörg Schindler examines the baleful effect of Eton on our politics. "Fundamental to holding onto hope of living in harmony with nature is modernising the UK's Anglo-Norman land ethic. This cannot abide the idea that land is the core natural asset of the nation and of the planet. Instead, it gives primacy to any private benefit that may accrue to those who choose to exploit it." Laurence Rose says we shall have to be radical if we are going ...

Posted by Jonathan Calder on Liberal England