Podcast appearances and mentions of albert dock

Building the Albert Dock in Liverpool gave a man a powerful thirst. Workers drank up to a dozen pints of beer a day — and that was during the work day, with beer provided by the company. And while the workers drank, beer baron William Lassell got rich. Lassell used some of that wealth to study the stars. He designed and built one of the world’s largest telescopes, and used it to make many important discoveries. Lassell was born 225 years ago today. He made his first telescope by age 21. In the 1830s, he built an estate in Liverpool and called it “Starfield.” At the time, there were few professional astronomers anywhere. Much of the leading research was done by wealthy amateurs like Lassell. In the 1840s, he designed a steam-powered machine to grind the mirror for a 24-inch telescope — one of the largest in the world. The telescope was a trendsetter, because it could track objects across the entire sky. Using this new instrument, Lassell discovered Triton, the largest moon of Neptune, plus two moons of Uranus and one of Saturn. Later, he moved the telescope to the Mediterranean to escape Liverpool’s rainy, polluted skies. And later still, he built an even bigger telescope. William Lassell died in 1880. But his contributions remind us of an important era for astronomy — an era made possible by the thirst for knowledge — not to mention the thirst for beer. Script by Damond Benningfield

In episode 50 of the Baltic Triangle podcast we hear from Nat Gavin, the man behind the UK's first DAB radio station aimed primarily at people with dementia and their families. It will be based in Liverpool -well, Everton actually - and will have NO news bulletins...And we'll be hearing from the multi-disciplinary artist Annie-Frost Nicholson who has not one but two works on display in Liverpool - an exhibition in the Baltic Triangle and something called the Fandangoe Discoteca at the Albert Dock. The Baltic Triangle podcast - hearing from the REAL movers & shakers in the Liverpool City Region

https://amateurtraveler.com/uk-two-week-itinerary-by-train/ Hear about a UK two-week itinerary by train as the Amateur Traveler talks to Tracy Collins from UKTravelPlanning.com about a train trip in the country that invented trains. London We start in London. Spend some time visiting some of the iconic sites like the Tower of London or Westminster Abbey. Visit the great museums of London like Tracy's favorite, the Victoria and Albert Museum. Then we start our journey to see England, Wales, and Scotland from Paddington Station. Bath Visit the historic Roman Baths from which Bath gets its name. Visit the magnificent Bath Abbey. Stroll through the iconic Royal Crescent with its Georgian Architecture. Immerse yourself in Jane Austen's world at the Jane Austen Centre. As a side trip from Bath, consider one of the following Tour the stone circles of Stonehenge and Avebury. Explore the awe-inspiring Salisbury Cathedral. Take a scenic train ride to the picturesque Cotswolds. Cardiff Travel to the capital of Wales, Cardiff.  Explore the historic Cardiff Castle. Embark on an exciting Cardiff Dr. Who Tour. Visit the impressive Principality Stadium. Option 1: Liverpool Take a train to Liverpool, the home of The Beatles. Join the magical Mystery Tour to learn about the Fab Four. Visit the historic Albert Dock including the International Slavery Museum. Option 2: Lake District Explore Bowness-on-Windermere, a charming lakeside town. Visit Dove Cottage, the former home of William Wordsworth. Experience the charm of Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's House. Edinburgh Take a train to Scotland's capital of Edinburgh. Walk the Royal mile from Edinburgh Castle to the historic Holyrood Palace. Hike up Arthur's Seat or Calton Hill for stunning views. Dare to venture into the mysterious Edinburgh Vaults. As a side trip from Edinburgh consider: Travel to nearby Glasgow. Admire The Kelpies, Scotland's mythical horse sculptures. Visit St Andrews, the birthplace of golf. York Take the Jacobite Steam Train through Tracy's native Northumberland to the city of York. Explore the Roman history at the Roman Bath in York. Discover the Viking legacy at the Jorvik Viking Centre. Wander through the charming Shambles. Visit the wonderful Railway Museum. Return back to London.

I'm joined for this episode by Bernadette and Mike Byrne, who tell us two stories via their book 'The Birth of The Beatles Story'. Firstly, Bernadette was a Beatles fan from the Cavern, and tells us stories of their adventures in Liverpool, and how she ended up as George Harrison's girlfriend. Secondly, after noticing an influx of Beatle tourists in Liverpool through the 80's, Mike and Bernie hatch the idea for the The Beatles Story museum, an attraction on the Albert Dock which has gone on to have over 5 million visitors.

1. The People's Forest - Mount Maxwell 2. The Albert Dock, Hull - Chris Watson 3. Memories of Now- Yaw Evans 4. Takk... - Sigur Rós 5. Dr. Who (1980) - BBC Radiophonic Workshop 6. Pieces of Mind - Simon McCorry 7. When Everyone's Asleep - Plone 8. Druid Arps - Lone Bison 9. Madness - Muse 10. Esperanto - Elektric Music 11. U.F.O. - Spacebuoy 12. I Don't Rate You (Orbital Remix) - Sleaford Mods

Maria Balshaw is the Director of Tate, overseeing four major art galleries: Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate Modern and Tate St Ives. Maria was born in 1970 in Birmingham, and grew up in Northampton, where her father, Walter, was a parks officer, and her mother, Colette, was a teacher. She read English and Cultural Studies at the University of Liverpool and fell in love with the newly opened Tate Liverpool at Albert Dock. After working as an academic for almost a decade, she changed career and headed a government campaign to inspire creativity in schools. In 2006, she became director of the Whitworth gallery in Manchester, where she promoted works by women artists and oversaw a major redevelopment and expansion of the building. The Whitworth won the Art Fund Museum of the Year award in 2015. Maria also took on the roles of Director of Manchester City Galleries, and Director of Culture for Manchester City Council. The Observer called her “a northern powerhouse in her own right”. She took over leadership of the four Tate galleries from Sir Nicholas Serota in June 2017, and is the first woman to hold this role. Maria has two children from her first marriage and lives in Kent and London with her second husband, Nick Merriman, Director of the Horniman Museum. DISC ONE: Ghost Town by The Specials DISC TWO: Wild is the Wind by David Bowie DISC THREE: It's a Sin by Pet Shop Boys DISC FOUR: Love Hurts by Emmylou Harris with Gram Parsons DISC FIVE: Hope There's Someone by Antony and the Johnsons DISC SIX: Cantelowes by Toumani Diabaté DISC SEVEN: Waiting for the Great Leap Forward by Billy Bragg DISC EIGHT: Crown by Stormzy BOOK CHOICE: Vickery’s Folk Flora: an A-Z of the Folklore and Uses of British and Irish Plants by Roy Vickery LUXURY ITEM: A full set of flower and vegetable seeds CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: Waiting for the Great Leap Forward by Billy Bragg Presenter: Lauren Laverne Producer: Cathy Drysdale

This week I go ‘In The Weeds' with the Barrie Bros, Liam and Ellis. The founders of the Marram Grass Restaurant in Anglesey, which involves a fantastic story of turning a greasy spoon on their families caravan park to one of the most sought after restaurants in Wales and the UK. The guys have now come full circle and before lockdown they were due to open their second restaurant Lerpwl, back in their home town of Liverpool on the iconic Albert Dock. They have also seen a renaissance in their other business, since isolation beckoned, 'The Fat Big Co' as everyone adapted to a new way of living. We talk about their current predicaments, family life in Wales, adapting to change, new found fatherhood and T.V work including the new series of 'Ready Steady Cook.' Seems like the lads have been in the weeds a lot over the last ten years but that's what makes their story and conversation even cooler in my opinion! On the week the PM released lockdown to to reopen bars and restaurants after the COVID-19 lockdown, I wish the lads and everyone else out there the best of luck in everything they do.  Peace and love. Stay safe. Xx

Liverpool Football College are trying to raise money to help let the local lads of Liverpool follow their dreams and get to the Dallas Cup. The Dallas cup is an annual international football tournament that offers youth teams the chance to experience playing in front of thousands of spectators. The tournament which was established in 1980 and begins every easter includes youth teams from under 13's to under 19's. Some of the most prestigious clubs in Europe have competed in the tournament from the likes of Liverpool to Man United to Real Madrid. Not just have some of the biggest clubs in Europe played in this cup, but some of the biggest names in football used to get involved as well. David Beckham, Michael Owen, Jermain Defoe and even local lad Wayne Rooney to name a few. Liverpool Football College are trying to raise 10,000 pound to help some of the boys be able to participate in the Dallas Cup this year, they will be doing some fundraising events shortly. They will be doing a number of events including a drag and boat race in March at the Albert Dock and they will be looking for sponsorships for players, a percentage of the proceeds raised will be going back into the local community to help others via the charity an hour for others. In a free TAW Special Gareth Roberts chats to David MacDiarmid and a host of Liverpool Football College students and graduates about the tournament and the work that Liverpool Football College do to help young men and women in the local community. You can support Liverpool Football College and their campaign to get to the tournament by visiting their Justgiving page on the this link - http://bit.ly/LFCDallasCup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's a misconception that manufacturing is unpleasant and unwanted work.  That couldn't be further from the truth. Producing physical product can be incredibly satisfying and fulfilling. Listen to my interview with Keith Hanshaw from The Leather Satchel Co. to find out more about the joy of manufacturing I had the pleasure of interviewing Keith Hanshaw, who works in his family's leather satchel business. Keith discusses the joy he finds in manufacturing - in creating something of value with skill and intelligence, and the pride that goes with that. And, how that joy and pride in the manufacturing process can form the foundation of a successful commercial business. Discover How his family business started Why craftsmanship is at the heart of everything his business does How the business survived the downturn in UK manufacturing in the 1990s and what turned it around How he connects with his customers by sharing the processes and craft that goes into his products The benefits of selling direct to the customer Why value is much more important than price Shownotes: makeitbritish.co.uk/006 About Keith Hanshaw and The Leather Satchel Co. Website:  leathersatchel.com More about the Leather Satchel Co. Story Leather Satchel Co. shop at Albert Dock:19, Albert Dock Liverpool L3 4AD More Make it British Website: makeitbritish.co.uk Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/katehills Instagram: @makeitbritish Twitter: @makeitbritish Facebook: facebook.com/makeitbritish Our Trade Show Business Design Centre, London N1 makeitbritishlive.com Want to find out how your business can benefit from being at the show? Apply here

A fascinating insight into the world-famous landmark that is the Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool. In a frank conversation with Chief Executive, Sue Grindrod. Phil and Sue discuss the historic impact of the dock, when 40% of global trade passed through Liverpool’s docks in the late 19th century, through to the modern day where the dock is a tourist destination, an iconic location and an internationally recognised brand. Sue and Phil discuss "What is a brand? What makes a brand? And how do you define a brand, especially when your proposition has many facets. Sue talks about the challenges of working within a complex stakeholder group, changing perceptions and creating a marketing plan to consistently attract 6 million+ visitors per year to the dock. Under Sue's stewardship, the Royal Albert Dock is a place where stories are being brought back to life, where community engagement is a core value and where people from far and wide are coming to create memories. With the dock's 175th anniversary approaching in 2021, Sue talks about her vision for the future of the dock and why staying relevant is a key objective for the destination over the coming years. If you enjoyed the podcast then please spread the word! Comments and feedback are welcome via Phil's Twitter pages @philbirss or via the comments section below.

Exciting news, lads: Skylines has been on tour! Well, sort of: this is the first episode we’ve ever recorded primarily outside London.I’ve just got back from Liverpool, where I was attending the Labour party’s annual conference. While I was there, friend of the podcast Neil Atkinson, the host of the Anfield Wrap football podcast who appeared way back Skylines 22, very kindly agreed to let us use his studio next to Albert Dock to record this week’s episode.The two of us are joined by his Anfield Wrap co-host, John Gibbons, and the writer Laura Brown, to talk about Scouse culture. Why does Liverpool has such a strong civic identity? How much did being European Capital of Culture in 2008 change the city? And is the tourism really all about the Beatles?Also, in our new semi-regular “Ask the Expert” segment, I ask our resident expert Andrew Carter, of the Centre for Cities: is England’s north-south divide actually fixable?Skylines is the podcast from the New Statesman’s cities site, CityMetric. It’s hosted by Jonn Elledge. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The creators from "The Gin To My Tonic" show joined Mick Coyle on Liverpool Live to talk about the rising gin phenomenon, how the UK's drinking habits have changed and how they came about the show. The exhibition includes over 60 vendors of gin and is on from 7th - 9th September at the Exhibition Centre at the Albert Dock where you are welcome to sample as much gin as well as watch talks from leading gin and tonic brands on how to make the perfect G&T. You can buy your tickets here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/thegintomytonic/125729

Sue Grindrod is the CEO of Albert Dock in Liverpool. Sue is an advocate of being kind to yourself in the context of being realistic about what you can achieve. I think that's laudable in a world of fast-paced change. It's so easy to put ourselves under inordinate pressure. She talks a lot about balance – the balance between being a CEO and having a home life and interests outside of work, the paradox of being expected to have all the answers whilst working collaboratively and including people in the decision making, and the dichotomy of being strategic and also paying attention to the detail that is needed. ©2018 Jude Jennison. All Rights Reserved.

Sue Grindrod is the CEO of Albert Dock in Liverpool. Sue is an advocate of being kind to yourself in the context of being realistic about what you can achieve. I think that’s laudable in a world of fast-paced change. It’s so easy to put ourselves under inordinate pressure. She talks a lot about balance – the balance between being a CEO and having a home life and interests outside of work, the paradox of being expected to have all the answers whilst working collaboratively and including people in the decision making, and the dichotomy of being strategic and also paying attention to the detail that is needed. ©2018 Jude Jennison. All Rights Reserved.

Graham Hicks and Jo Pocock joined Mick Coyle on Liverpool Live to talk about this weekend's halloween "Lantern Festival" happening at the Albert Dock.

V. THE FIVE ORANGE PIPS     When I glance over my notes and records of the Sherlock Holmescases between the years '82 and '90, I am faced by so many whichpresent strange and interesting features that it is no easymatter to know which to choose and which to leave. Some, however,have already gained publicity through the papers, and others havenot offered a field for those peculiar qualities which my friendpossessed in so high a degree, and which it is the object ofthese papers to illustrate. Some, too, have baffled hisanalytical skill, and would be, as narratives, beginnings withoutan ending, while others have been but partially cleared up, andhave their explanations founded rather upon conjecture andsurmise than on that absolute logical proof which was so dear tohim. There is, however, one of these last which was so remarkablein its details and so startling in its results that I am temptedto give some account of it in spite of the fact that there arepoints in connection with it which never have been, and probablynever will be, entirely cleared up.The year '87 furnished us with a long series of cases of greateror less interest, of which I retain the records. Among myheadings under this one twelve months I find an account of theadventure of the Paradol Chamber, of the Amateur MendicantSociety, who held a luxurious club in the lower vault of afurniture warehouse, of the facts connected with the loss of theBritish barque "Sophy Anderson", of the singular adventures of theGrice Patersons in the island of Uffa, and finally of theCamberwell poisoning case. In the latter, as may be remembered,Sherlock Holmes was able, by winding up the dead man's watch, toprove that it had been wound up two hours before, and thattherefore the deceased had gone to bed within that time--adeduction which was of the greatest importance in clearing up thecase. All these I may sketch out at some future date, but none ofthem present such singular features as the strange train ofcircumstances which I have now taken up my pen to describe.It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial galeshad set in with exceptional violence. All day the wind hadscreamed and the rain had beaten against the windows, so thateven here in the heart of great, hand-made London we were forcedto raise our minds for the instant from the routine of life andto recognise the presence of those great elemental forces whichshriek at mankind through the bars of his civilisation, likeuntamed beasts in a cage. As evening drew in, the storm grewhigher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child inthe chimney. Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of thefireplace cross-indexing his records of crime, while I at theother was deep in one of Clark Russell's fine sea-stories untilthe howl of the gale from without seemed to blend with the text,and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash ofthe sea waves. My wife was on a visit to her mother's, and for afew days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at BakerStreet."Why," said I, glancing up at my companion, "that was surely thebell. Who could come to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?""Except yourself I have none," he answered. "I do not encouragevisitors.""A client, then?""If so, it is a serious case. Nothing less would bring a man outon such a day and at such an hour. But I take it that it is morelikely to be some crony of the landlady's."Sherlock Holmes was wrong in his conjecture, however, for therecame a step in the passage and a tapping at the door. Hestretched out his long arm to turn the lamp away from himself andtowards the vacant chair upon which a newcomer must sit."Come in!" said he.The man who entered was young, some two-and-twenty at theoutside, well-groomed and trimly clad, with something ofrefinement and delicacy in his bearing. The streaming umbrellawhich he held in his hand, and his long shining waterproof toldof the fierce weather through which he had come. He looked abouthim anxiously in the glare of the lamp, and I could see that hisface was pale and his eyes heavy, like those of a man who isweighed down with some great anxiety."I owe you an apology," he said, raising his golden pince-nez tohis eyes. "I trust that I am not intruding. I fear that I havebrought some traces of the storm and rain into your snugchamber.""Give me your coat and umbrella," said Holmes. "They may resthere on the hook and will be dry presently. You have come up fromthe south-west, I see.""Yes, from Horsham.""That clay and chalk mixture which I see upon your toe caps isquite distinctive.""I have come for advice.""That is easily got.""And help.""That is not always so easy.""I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes. I heard from Major Prendergasthow you saved him in the Tankerville Club scandal.""Ah, of course. He was wrongfully accused of cheating at cards.""He said that you could solve anything.""He said too much.""That you are never beaten.""I have been beaten four times--three times by men, and once by awoman.""But what is that compared with the number of your successes?""It is true that I have been generally successful.""Then you may be so with me.""I beg that you will draw your chair up to the fire and favour mewith some details as to your case.""It is no ordinary one.""None of those which come to me are. I am the last court ofappeal.""And yet I question, sir, whether, in all your experience, youhave ever listened to a more mysterious and inexplicable chain ofevents than those which have happened in my own family.""You fill me with interest," said Holmes. "Pray give us theessential facts from the commencement, and I can afterwardsquestion you as to those details which seem to me to be mostimportant."The young man pulled his chair up and pushed his wet feet outtowards the blaze."My name," said he, "is John Openshaw, but my own affairs have,as far as I can understand, little to do with this awfulbusiness. It is a hereditary matter; so in order to give you anidea of the facts, I must go back to the commencement of theaffair."You must know that my grandfather had two sons--my uncle Eliasand my father Joseph. My father had a small factory at Coventry,which he enlarged at the time of the invention of bicycling. Hewas a patentee of the Openshaw unbreakable tire, and his businessmet with such success that he was able to sell it and to retireupon a handsome competence."My uncle Elias emigrated to America when he was a young man andbecame a planter in Florida, where he was reported to have donevery well. At the time of the war he fought in Jackson's army,and afterwards under Hood, where he rose to be a colonel. WhenLee laid down his arms my uncle returned to his plantation, wherehe remained for three or four years. About 1869 or 1870 he cameback to Europe and took a small estate in Sussex, near Horsham.He had made a very considerable fortune in the States, and hisreason for leaving them was his aversion to the negroes, and hisdislike of the Republican policy in extending the franchise tothem. He was a singular man, fierce and quick-tempered, veryfoul-mouthed when he was angry, and of a most retiringdisposition. During all the years that he lived at Horsham, Idoubt if ever he set foot in the town. He had a garden and two orthree fields round his house, and there he would take hisexercise, though very often for weeks on end he would never leavehis room. He drank a great deal of brandy and smoked veryheavily, but he would see no society and did not want anyfriends, not even his own brother."He didn't mind me; in fact, he took a fancy to me, for at thetime when he saw me first I was a youngster of twelve or so. Thiswould be in the year 1878, after he had been eight or nine yearsin England. He begged my father to let me live with him and hewas very kind to me in his way. When he was sober he used to befond of playing backgammon and draughts with me, and he wouldmake me his representative both with the servants and with thetradespeople, so that by the time that I was sixteen I was quitemaster of the house. I kept all the keys and could go where Iliked and do what I liked, so long as I did not disturb him inhis privacy. There was one singular exception, however, for hehad a single room, a lumber-room up among the attics, which wasinvariably locked, and which he would never permit either me oranyone else to enter. With a boy's curiosity I have peepedthrough the keyhole, but I was never able to see more than such acollection of old trunks and bundles as would be expected in sucha room."One day--it was in March, 1883--a letter with a foreign stamplay upon the table in front of the colonel's plate. It was not acommon thing for him to receive letters, for his bills were allpaid in ready money, and he had no friends of any sort. 'FromIndia!' said he as he took it up, 'Pondicherry postmark! What canthis be?' Opening it hurriedly, out there jumped five littledried orange pips, which pattered down upon his plate. I began tolaugh at this, but the laugh was struck from my lips at the sightof his face. His lip had fallen, his eyes were protruding, hisskin the colour of putty, and he glared at the envelope which hestill held in his trembling hand, 'K. K. K.!' he shrieked, andthen, 'My God, my God, my sins have overtaken me!'"'What is it, uncle?' I cried."'Death,' said he, and rising from the table he retired to hisroom, leaving me palpitating with horror. I took up the envelopeand saw scrawled in red ink upon the inner flap, just above thegum, the letter K three times repeated. There was nothing elsesave the five dried pips. What could be the reason of hisoverpowering terror? I left the breakfast-table, and as Iascended the stair I met him coming down with an old rusty key,which must have belonged to the attic, in one hand, and a smallbrass box, like a cashbox, in the other."'They may do what they like, but I'll checkmate them still,'said he with an oath. 'Tell Mary that I shall want a fire in myroom to-day, and send down to Fordham, the Horsham lawyer.'"I did as he ordered, and when the lawyer arrived I was asked tostep up to the room. The fire was burning brightly, and in thegrate there was a mass of black, fluffy ashes, as of burnedpaper, while the brass box stood open and empty beside it. As Iglanced at the box I noticed, with a start, that upon the lid wasprinted the treble K which I had read in the morning upon theenvelope."'I wish you, John,' said my uncle, 'to witness my will. I leavemy estate, with all its advantages and all its disadvantages, tomy brother, your father, whence it will, no doubt, descend toyou. If you can enjoy it in peace, well and good! If you find youcannot, take my advice, my boy, and leave it to your deadliestenemy. I am sorry to give you such a two-edged thing, but I can'tsay what turn things are going to take. Kindly sign the paperwhere Mr. Fordham shows you.'"I signed the paper as directed, and the lawyer took it away withhim. The singular incident made, as you may think, the deepestimpression upon me, and I pondered over it and turned it everyway in my mind without being able to make anything of it. Yet Icould not shake off the vague feeling of dread which it leftbehind, though the sensation grew less keen as the weeks passedand nothing happened to disturb the usual routine of our lives. Icould see a change in my uncle, however. He drank more than ever,and he was less inclined for any sort of society. Most of histime he would spend in his room, with the door locked upon theinside, but sometimes he would emerge in a sort of drunken frenzyand would burst out of the house and tear about the garden with arevolver in his hand, screaming out that he was afraid of no man,and that he was not to be cooped up, like a sheep in a pen, byman or devil. When these hot fits were over, however, he wouldrush tumultuously in at the door and lock and bar it behind him,like a man who can brazen it out no longer against the terrorwhich lies at the roots of his soul. At such times I have seenhis face, even on a cold day, glisten with moisture, as though itwere new raised from a basin."Well, to come to an end of the matter, Mr. Holmes, and not toabuse your patience, there came a night when he made one of thosedrunken sallies from which he never came back. We found him, whenwe went to search for him, face downward in a littlegreen-scummed pool, which lay at the foot of the garden. Therewas no sign of any violence, and the water was but two feet deep,so that the jury, having regard to his known eccentricity,brought in a verdict of 'suicide.' But I, who knew how he wincedfrom the very thought of death, had much ado to persuade myselfthat he had gone out of his way to meet it. The matter passed,however, and my father entered into possession of the estate, andof some 14,000 pounds, which lay to his credit at the bank.""One moment," Holmes interposed, "your statement is, I foresee,one of the most remarkable to which I have ever listened. Let mehave the date of the reception by your uncle of the letter, andthe date of his supposed suicide.""The letter arrived on March 10, 1883. His death was seven weekslater, upon the night of May 2nd.""Thank you. Pray proceed.""When my father took over the Horsham property, he, at myrequest, made a careful examination of the attic, which had beenalways locked up. We found the brass box there, although itscontents had been destroyed. On the inside of the cover was apaper label, with the initials of K. K. K. repeated upon it, and'Letters, memoranda, receipts, and a register' written beneath.These, we presume, indicated the nature of the papers which hadbeen destroyed by Colonel Openshaw. For the rest, there wasnothing of much importance in the attic save a great manyscattered papers and note-books bearing upon my uncle's life inAmerica. Some of them were of the war time and showed that he haddone his duty well and had borne the repute of a brave soldier.Others were of a date during the reconstruction of the Southernstates, and were mostly concerned with politics, for he hadevidently taken a strong part in opposing the carpet-bagpoliticians who had been sent down from the North."Well, it was the beginning of '84 when my father came to live atHorsham, and all went as well as possible with us until theJanuary of '85. On the fourth day after the new year I heard myfather give a sharp cry of surprise as we sat together at thebreakfast-table. There he was, sitting with a newly openedenvelope in one hand and five dried orange pips in theoutstretched palm of the other one. He had always laughed at whathe called my cock-and-bull story about the colonel, but he lookedvery scared and puzzled now that the same thing had come uponhimself."'Why, what on earth does this mean, John?' he stammered."My heart had turned to lead. 'It is K. K. K.,' said I."He looked inside the envelope. 'So it is,' he cried. 'Here arethe very letters. But what is this written above them?'"'Put the papers on the sundial,' I read, peeping over hisshoulder."'What papers? What sundial?' he asked."'The sundial in the garden. There is no other,' said I; 'but thepapers must be those that are destroyed.'"'Pooh!' said he, gripping hard at his courage. 'We are in acivilised land here, and we can't have tomfoolery of this kind.Where does the thing come from?'"'From Dundee,' I answered, glancing at the postmark."'Some preposterous practical joke,' said he. 'What have I to dowith sundials and papers? I shall take no notice of suchnonsense.'"'I should certainly speak to the police,' I said."'And be laughed at for my pains. Nothing of the sort.'"'Then let me do so?'"'No, I forbid you. I won't have a fuss made about suchnonsense.'"It was in vain to argue with him, for he was a very obstinateman. I went about, however, with a heart which was full offorebodings."On the third day after the coming of the letter my father wentfrom home to visit an old friend of his, Major Freebody, who isin command of one of the forts upon Portsdown Hill. I was gladthat he should go, for it seemed to me that he was farther fromdanger when he was away from home. In that, however, I was inerror. Upon the second day of his absence I received a telegramfrom the major, imploring me to come at once. My father hadfallen over one of the deep chalk-pits which abound in theneighbourhood, and was lying senseless, with a shattered skull. Ihurried to him, but he passed away without having ever recoveredhis consciousness. He had, as it appears, been returning fromFareham in the twilight, and as the country was unknown to him,and the chalk-pit unfenced, the jury had no hesitation inbringing in a verdict of 'death from accidental causes.'Carefully as I examined every fact connected with his death, Iwas unable to find anything which could suggest the idea ofmurder. There were no signs of violence, no footmarks, norobbery, no record of strangers having been seen upon the roads.And yet I need not tell you that my mind was far from at ease,and that I was well-nigh certain that some foul plot had beenwoven round him."In this sinister way I came into my inheritance. You will ask mewhy I did not dispose of it? I answer, because I was wellconvinced that our troubles were in some way dependent upon anincident in my uncle's life, and that the danger would be aspressing in one house as in another."It was in January, '85, that my poor father met his end, and twoyears and eight months have elapsed since then. During that timeI have lived happily at Horsham, and I had begun to hope thatthis curse had passed away from the family, and that it had endedwith the last generation. I had begun to take comfort too soon,however; yesterday morning the blow fell in the very shape inwhich it had come upon my father."The young man took from his waistcoat a crumpled envelope, andturning to the table he shook out upon it five little driedorange pips."This is the envelope," he continued. "The postmark isLondon--eastern division. Within are the very words which wereupon my father's last message: 'K. K. K.'; and then 'Put thepapers on the sundial.'""What have you done?" asked Holmes."Nothing.""Nothing?""To tell the truth"--he sank his face into his thin, whitehands--"I have felt helpless. I have felt like one of those poorrabbits when the snake is writhing towards it. I seem to be inthe grasp of some resistless, inexorable evil, which no foresightand no precautions can guard against.""Tut! tut!" cried Sherlock Holmes. "You must act, man, or you arelost. Nothing but energy can save you. This is no time fordespair.""I have seen the police.""Ah!""But they listened to my story with a smile. I am convinced thatthe inspector has formed the opinion that the letters are allpractical jokes, and that the deaths of my relations were reallyaccidents, as the jury stated, and were not to be connected withthe warnings."Holmes shook his clenched hands in the air. "Incredibleimbecility!" he cried."They have, however, allowed me a policeman, who may remain inthe house with me.""Has he come with you to-night?""No. His orders were to stay in the house."Again Holmes raved in the air."Why did you come to me," he cried, "and, above all, why did younot come at once?""I did not know. It was only to-day that I spoke to MajorPrendergast about my troubles and was advised by him to come toyou.""It is really two days since you had the letter. We should haveacted before this. You have no further evidence, I suppose, thanthat which you have placed before us--no suggestive detail whichmight help us?""There is one thing," said John Openshaw. He rummaged in his coatpocket, and, drawing out a piece of discoloured, blue-tintedpaper, he laid it out upon the table. "I have some remembrance,"said he, "that on the day when my uncle burned the papers Iobserved that the small, unburned margins which lay amid theashes were of this particular colour. I found this single sheetupon the floor of his room, and I am inclined to think that itmay be one of the papers which has, perhaps, fluttered out fromamong the others, and in that way has escaped destruction. Beyondthe mention of pips, I do not see that it helps us much. I thinkmyself that it is a page from some private diary. The writing isundoubtedly my uncle's."Holmes moved the lamp, and we both bent over the sheet of paper,which showed by its ragged edge that it had indeed been torn froma book. It was headed, "March, 1869," and beneath were thefollowing enigmatical notices:"4th. Hudson came. Same old platform."7th. Set the pips on McCauley, Paramore, and John Swain, of St. Augustine."9th. McCauley cleared."10th. John Swain cleared."12th. Visited Paramore. All well.""Thank you!" said Holmes, folding up the paper and returning itto our visitor. "And now you must on no account lose anotherinstant. We cannot spare time even to discuss what you have toldme. You must get home instantly and act.""What shall I do?""There is but one thing to do. It must be done at once. You mustput this piece of paper which you have shown us into the brassbox which you have described. You must also put in a note to saythat all the other papers were burned by your uncle, and thatthis is the only one which remains. You must assert that in suchwords as will carry conviction with them. Having done this, youmust at once put the box out upon the sundial, as directed. Doyou understand?""Entirely.""Do not think of revenge, or anything of the sort, at present. Ithink that we may gain that by means of the law; but we have ourweb to weave, while theirs is already woven. The firstconsideration is to remove the pressing danger which threatensyou. The second is to clear up the mystery and to punish theguilty parties.""I thank you," said the young man, rising and pulling on hisovercoat. "You have given me fresh life and hope. I shallcertainly do as you advise.""Do not lose an instant. And, above all, take care of yourself inthe meanwhile, for I do not think that there can be a doubt thatyou are threatened by a very real and imminent danger. How do yougo back?""By train from Waterloo.""It is not yet nine. The streets will be crowded, so I trust thatyou may be in safety. And yet you cannot guard yourself tooclosely.""I am armed.""That is well. To-morrow I shall set to work upon your case.""I shall see you at Horsham, then?""No, your secret lies in London. It is there that I shall seekit.""Then I shall call upon you in a day, or in two days, with newsas to the box and the papers. I shall take your advice in everyparticular." He shook hands with us and took his leave. Outsidethe wind still screamed and the rain splashed and patteredagainst the windows. This strange, wild story seemed to have cometo us from amid the mad elements--blown in upon us like a sheetof sea-weed in a gale--and now to have been reabsorbed by themonce more.Sherlock Holmes sat for some time in silence, with his head sunkforward and his eyes bent upon the red glow of the fire. Then helit his pipe, and leaning back in his chair he watched the bluesmoke-rings as they chased each other up to the ceiling."I think, Watson," he remarked at last, "that of all our cases wehave had none more fantastic than this.""Save, perhaps, the Sign of Four.""Well, yes. Save, perhaps, that. And yet this John Openshaw seemsto me to be walking amid even greater perils than did theSholtos.""But have you," I asked, "formed any definite conception as towhat these perils are?""There can be no question as to their nature," he answered."Then what are they? Who is this K. K. K., and why does he pursuethis unhappy family?"Sherlock Holmes closed his eyes and placed his elbows upon thearms of his chair, with his finger-tips together. "The idealreasoner," he remarked, "would, when he had once been shown asingle fact in all its bearings, deduce from it not only all thechain of events which led up to it but also all the results whichwould follow from it. As Cuvier could correctly describe a wholeanimal by the contemplation of a single bone, so the observer whohas thoroughly understood one link in a series of incidentsshould be able to accurately state all the other ones, bothbefore and after. We have not yet grasped the results which thereason alone can attain to. Problems may be solved in the studywhich have baffled all those who have sought a solution by theaid of their senses. To carry the art, however, to its highestpitch, it is necessary that the reasoner should be able toutilise all the facts which have come to his knowledge; and thisin itself implies, as you will readily see, a possession of allknowledge, which, even in these days of free education andencyclopaedias, is a somewhat rare accomplishment. It is not soimpossible, however, that a man should possess all knowledgewhich is likely to be useful to him in his work, and this I haveendeavoured in my case to do. If I remember rightly, you on oneoccasion, in the early days of our friendship, defined my limitsin a very precise fashion.""Yes," I answered, laughing. "It was a singular document.Philosophy, astronomy, and politics were marked at zero, Iremember. Botany variable, geology profound as regards themud-stains from any region within fifty miles of town, chemistryeccentric, anatomy unsystematic, sensational literature and crimerecords unique, violin-player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, andself-poisoner by cocaine and tobacco. Those, I think, were themain points of my analysis."Holmes grinned at the last item. "Well," he said, "I say now, asI said then, that a man should keep his little brain-atticstocked with all the furniture that he is likely to use, and therest he can put away in the lumber-room of his library, where hecan get it if he wants it. Now, for such a case as the one whichhas been submitted to us to-night, we need certainly to musterall our resources. Kindly hand me down the letter K of the'American Encyclopaedia' which stands upon the shelf beside you.Thank you. Now let us consider the situation and see what may bededuced from it. In the first place, we may start with a strongpresumption that Colonel Openshaw had some very strong reason forleaving America. Men at his time of life do not change all theirhabits and exchange willingly the charming climate of Florida forthe lonely life of an English provincial town. His extreme loveof solitude in England suggests the idea that he was in fear ofsomeone or something, so we may assume as a working hypothesisthat it was fear of someone or something which drove him fromAmerica. As to what it was he feared, we can only deduce that byconsidering the formidable letters which were received by himselfand his successors. Did you remark the postmarks of thoseletters?""The first was from Pondicherry, the second from Dundee, and thethird from London.""From East London. What do you deduce from that?""They are all seaports. That the writer was on board of a ship.""Excellent. We have already a clue. There can be no doubt thatthe probability--the strong probability--is that the writer wason board of a ship. And now let us consider another point. In thecase of Pondicherry, seven weeks elapsed between the threat andits fulfilment, in Dundee it was only some three or four days.Does that suggest anything?""A greater distance to travel.""But the letter had also a greater distance to come.""Then I do not see the point.""There is at least a presumption that the vessel in which the manor men are is a sailing-ship. It looks as if they always sendtheir singular warning or token before them when starting upontheir mission. You see how quickly the deed followed the signwhen it came from Dundee. If they had come from Pondicherry in asteamer they would have arrived almost as soon as their letter.But, as a matter of fact, seven weeks elapsed. I think that thoseseven weeks represented the difference between the mail-boat whichbrought the letter and the sailing vessel which brought thewriter.""It is possible.""More than that. It is probable. And now you see the deadlyurgency of this new case, and why I urged young Openshaw tocaution. The blow has always fallen at the end of the time whichit would take the senders to travel the distance. But this onecomes from London, and therefore we cannot count upon delay.""Good God!" I cried. "What can it mean, this relentlesspersecution?""The papers which Openshaw carried are obviously of vitalimportance to the person or persons in the sailing-ship. I thinkthat it is quite clear that there must be more than one of them.A single man could not have carried out two deaths in such a wayas to deceive a coroner's jury. There must have been several init, and they must have been men of resource and determination.Their papers they mean to have, be the holder of them who it may.In this way you see K. K. K. ceases to be the initials of anindividual and becomes the badge of a society.""But of what society?""Have you never--" said Sherlock Holmes, bending forward andsinking his voice--"have you never heard of the Ku Klux Klan?""I never have."Holmes turned over the leaves of the book upon his knee. "Here itis," said he presently:"'Ku Klux Klan. A name derived from the fanciful resemblance tothe sound produced by cocking a rifle. This terrible secretsociety was formed by some ex-Confederate soldiers in theSouthern states after the Civil War, and it rapidly formed localbranches in different parts of the country, notably in Tennessee,Louisiana, the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida. Its power wasused for political purposes, principally for the terrorising ofthe negro voters and the murdering and driving from the countryof those who were opposed to its views. Its outrages were usuallypreceded by a warning sent to the marked man in some fantasticbut generally recognised shape--a sprig of oak-leaves in someparts, melon seeds or orange pips in others. On receiving thisthe victim might either openly abjure his former ways, or mightfly from the country. If he braved the matter out, death wouldunfailingly come upon him, and usually in some strange andunforeseen manner. So perfect was the organisation of thesociety, and so systematic its methods, that there is hardly acase upon record where any man succeeded in braving it withimpunity, or in which any of its outrages were traced home to theperpetrators. For some years the organisation flourished in spiteof the efforts of the United States government and of the betterclasses of the community in the South. Eventually, in the year1869, the movement rather suddenly collapsed, although there havebeen sporadic outbreaks of the same sort since that date.'"You will observe," said Holmes, laying down the volume, "thatthe sudden breaking up of the society was coincident with thedisappearance of Openshaw from America with their papers. It maywell have been cause and effect. It is no wonder that he and hisfamily have some of the more implacable spirits upon their track.You can understand that this register and diary may implicatesome of the first men in the South, and that there may be manywho will not sleep easy at night until it is recovered.""Then the page we have seen--""Is such as we might expect. It ran, if I remember right, 'sentthe pips to A, B, and C'--that is, sent the society's warning tothem. Then there are successive entries that A and B cleared, orleft the country, and finally that C was visited, with, I fear, asinister result for C. Well, I think, Doctor, that we may letsome light into this dark place, and I believe that the onlychance young Openshaw has in the meantime is to do what I havetold him. There is nothing more to be said or to be doneto-night, so hand me over my violin and let us try to forget forhalf an hour the miserable weather and the still more miserableways of our fellow-men."It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with asubdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over thegreat city. Sherlock Holmes was already at breakfast when I camedown."You will excuse me for not waiting for you," said he; "I have, Iforesee, a very busy day before me in looking into this case ofyoung Openshaw's.""What steps will you take?" I asked."It will very much depend upon the results of my first inquiries.I may have to go down to Horsham, after all.""You will not go there first?""No, I shall commence with the City. Just ring the bell and themaid will bring up your coffee."As I waited, I lifted the unopened newspaper from the table andglanced my eye over it. It rested upon a heading which sent achill to my heart."Holmes," I cried, "you are too late.""Ah!" said he, laying down his cup, "I feared as much. How was itdone?" He spoke calmly, but I could see that he was deeply moved."My eye caught the name of Openshaw, and the heading 'TragedyNear Waterloo Bridge.' Here is the account:"Between nine and ten last night Police-Constable Cook, of the HDivision, on duty near Waterloo Bridge, heard a cry for help anda splash in the water. The night, however, was extremely dark andstormy, so that, in spite of the help of several passers-by, itwas quite impossible to effect a rescue. The alarm, however, wasgiven, and, by the aid of the water-police, the body waseventually recovered. It proved to be that of a young gentlemanwhose name, as it appears from an envelope which was found in hispocket, was John Openshaw, and whose residence is near Horsham.It is conjectured that he may have been hurrying down to catchthe last train from Waterloo Station, and that in his haste andthe extreme darkness he missed his path and walked over the edgeof one of the small landing-places for river steamboats. The bodyexhibited no traces of violence, and there can be no doubt thatthe deceased had been the victim of an unfortunate accident,which should have the effect of calling the attention of theauthorities to the condition of the riverside landing-stages."We sat in silence for some minutes, Holmes more depressed andshaken than I had ever seen him."That hurts my pride, Watson," he said at last. "It is a pettyfeeling, no doubt, but it hurts my pride. It becomes a personalmatter with me now, and, if God sends me health, I shall set myhand upon this gang. That he should come to me for help, and thatI should send him away to his death--!" He sprang from his chairand paced about the room in uncontrollable agitation, with aflush upon his sallow cheeks and a nervous clasping andunclasping of his long thin hands."They must be cunning devils," he exclaimed at last. "How couldthey have decoyed him down there? The Embankment is not on thedirect line to the station. The bridge, no doubt, was toocrowded, even on such a night, for their purpose. Well, Watson,we shall see who will win in the long run. I am going out now!""To the police?""No; I shall be my own police. When I have spun the web they maytake the flies, but not before."All day I was engaged in my professional work, and it was late inthe evening before I returned to Baker Street. Sherlock Holmeshad not come back yet. It was nearly ten o'clock before heentered, looking pale and worn. He walked up to the sideboard,and tearing a piece from the loaf he devoured it voraciously,washing it down with a long draught of water."You are hungry," I remarked."Starving. It had escaped my memory. I have had nothing sincebreakfast.""Nothing?""Not a bite. I had no time to think of it.""And how have you succeeded?""Well.""You have a clue?""I have them in the hollow of my hand. Young Openshaw shall notlong remain unavenged. Why, Watson, let us put their own devilishtrade-mark upon them. It is well thought of!""What do you mean?"He took an orange from the cupboard, and tearing it to pieces hesqueezed out the pips upon the table. Of these he took five andthrust them into an envelope. On the inside of the flap he wrote"S. H. for J. O." Then he sealed it and addressed it to "CaptainJames Calhoun, Barque 'Lone Star,' Savannah, Georgia.""That will await him when he enters port," said he, chuckling."It may give him a sleepless night. He will find it as sure aprecursor of his fate as Openshaw did before him.""And who is this Captain Calhoun?""The leader of the gang. I shall have the others, but he first.""How did you trace it, then?"He took a large sheet of paper from his pocket, all covered withdates and names."I have spent the whole day," said he, "over Lloyd's registersand files of the old papers, following the future career of everyvessel which touched at Pondicherry in January and February in'83. There were thirty-six ships of fair tonnage which werereported there during those months. Of these, one, the 'Lone Star,'instantly attracted my attention, since, although it was reportedas having cleared from London, the name is that which is given toone of the states of the Union.""Texas, I think.""I was not and am not sure which; but I knew that the ship musthave an American origin.""What then?""I searched the Dundee records, and when I found that the barque'Lone Star' was there in January, '85, my suspicion became acertainty. I then inquired as to the vessels which lay at presentin the port of London.""Yes?""The 'Lone Star' had arrived here last week. I went down to theAlbert Dock and found that she had been taken down the river bythe early tide this morning, homeward bound to Savannah. I wiredto Gravesend and learned that she had passed some time ago, andas the wind is easterly I have no doubt that she is now past theGoodwins and not very far from the Isle of Wight.""What will you do, then?""Oh, I have my hand upon him. He and the two mates, are as Ilearn, the only native-born Americans in the ship. The others areFinns and Germans. I know, also, that they were all three awayfrom the ship last night. I had it from the stevedore who hasbeen loading their cargo. By the time that their sailing-shipreaches Savannah the mail-boat will have carried this letter, andthe cable will have informed the police of Savannah that thesethree gentlemen are badly wanted here upon a charge of murder."There is ever a flaw, however, in the best laid of human plans,and the murderers of John Openshaw were never to receive theorange pips which would show them that another, as cunning and asresolute as themselves, was upon their track. Very long and verysevere were the equinoctial gales that year. We waited long fornews of the "Lone Star" of Savannah, but none ever reached us. Wedid at last hear that somewhere far out in the Atlantic ashattered stern-post of a boat was seen swinging in the troughof a wave, with the letters "L. S." carved upon it, and that isall which we shall ever know of the fate of the "Lone Star."

  They're pretty much all guts, foot, teeth and maybe a bit of shell. Snails, limpets, octopuses or giant squid: they're all a kind of mollusc. You'll find one in almost every ecosystem in the world.  Sydney University's Professor Ross Coleman specialises in limpets and knows all his molluscs pretty well. He takes us from the Liverpool docks, to Blackwattle Bay, to the weirdest of mollusc sex. Links from this episode: The lowdown on molluscs of all kinds. Ross has written all sorts of papers, and most of them can be found here on Academia.edu. Read about cleaning up the Albert Dock in Liverpool, using mussels. (PDF) Music in this episode: River — Ibeyi Freedom Come — Gabriel le Mar Confessions of a Pig — Damon Albarn & Jamie Hewlett Back n Forth — Nimble Animal Sea of Love — Cat Power Space Monkeys — Dust Brothers

The 2015 Red Bull Harbour Reach transformed Liverpool's iconic Albert Dock into a cable wake boarder’s fun park with some of the best riders and features ever seen. Austrian Domonik Hernler battled hard to take the win with Daniel Grant in second and Aaron Gunnin third .

The song this week is a demo I found in the drawer which I had forgotten about….it’s called “Nosey Parker” and was a song I wrote for The Krankies a while back….it was for their panto where Janette played Pinocchio and sang it in the show….I remember her saying how they laughed at the way I sang “church”…and “perch”. I have written a lot of songs for them over the years but I have only seen them do one live….it was for a show in Blackpool where she wanted a mickey take of “I’m a Barbie Girl”….I came up with “I’m a boobie Girl”…which involved Jan coming on with these enormous inflatable boobs which went bigger and bigger as the song went on…it was hilarious. The floods have been unbelievable in Cumbria….people losing everything… I’m wondering whether all those countries we send money to will be having a collection for these poor folk….I very much doubt it. People have to place their belongings outside their property so the insurers can check….and there have been reports of some of it being stolen by organised looters … some really nice people around eh? One man was moving his furniture out and left his sons wheelchair on the pavement…and it was stolen by a passing car…even if you catch this scum they will probably get away with a warning….they should string them up in the street and hand out baseball bats.. Also in the Midlands there have been workers trying to get the power back into the town and…wait for it….parking attendants are slapping tickets on there cars while they are working…great stuff eh? I’m all for legal parking but when roads are under 4 feet of water I think a little bit of common sense is required…..the council however are apparently panicking to waive the fines…out of embarrassment….problem is you give a moron a bit of power and it goes to their head. I went over to Liverpool last Tuesday afternoon and the place was buzzing…..the atmosphere was electric….there were groups busking in the streets….top quality stuff too…and there’s even an outdoor ice rink down by Albert Dock….I met up with a pal of mine and we went for a pint and a bite to eat in The Pumphouse in Albert Dock…which you will know…and the value was top notch…hence the place was full. It’s nice to see the City doing so well…it’s a pleasure to go there. A few years back I decided to finish gigging…after my 50th consecutive new years eve bash….so going out is no longer an option….nice meal…bottle of wine … and a bit of telly. Looking back to the days when my band played from 8 til 2 in the morning I shudder. I watched the fireworks on TV at midnight … I wondered how much that lot cost?....and how about the high rise in Dubai going up in flames?...what is it made of balsa wood?

The song this week is a demo I found in the drawer which I had forgotten about….it’s called “Nosey Parker” and was a song I wrote for The Krankies a while back….it was for their panto where Janette played Pinocchio and sang it in the show….I remember her saying how they laughed at the way I sang “church”…and “perch”. I have written a lot of songs for them over the years but I have only seen them do one live….it was for a show in Blackpool where she wanted a mickey take of “I’m a Barbie Girl”….I came up with “I’m a boobie Girl”…which involved Jan coming on with these enormous inflatable boobs which went bigger and bigger as the song went on…it was hilarious. The floods have been unbelievable in Cumbria….people losing everything… I’m wondering whether all those countries we send money to will be having a collection for these poor folk….I very much doubt it. People have to place their belongings outside their property so the insurers can check….and there have been reports of some of it being stolen by organised looters … some really nice people around eh? One man was moving his furniture out and left his sons wheelchair on the pavement…and it was stolen by a passing car…even if you catch this scum they will probably get away with a warning….they should string them up in the street and hand out baseball bats.. Also in the Midlands there have been workers trying to get the power back into the town and…wait for it….parking attendants are slapping tickets on there cars while they are working…great stuff eh? I’m all for legal parking but when roads are under 4 feet of water I think a little bit of common sense is required…..the council however are apparently panicking to waive the fines…out of embarrassment….problem is you give a moron a bit of power and it goes to their head. I went over to Liverpool last Tuesday afternoon and the place was buzzing…..the atmosphere was electric….there were groups busking in the streets….top quality stuff too…and there’s even an outdoor ice rink down by Albert Dock….I met up with a pal of mine and we went for a pint and a bite to eat in The Pumphouse in Albert Dock…which you will know…and the value was top notch…hence the place was full. It’s nice to see the City doing so well…it’s a pleasure to go there. A few years back I decided to finish gigging…after my 50th consecutive new years eve bash….so going out is no longer an option….nice meal…bottle of wine … and a bit of telly. Looking back to the days when my band played from 8 til 2 in the morning I shudder. I watched the fireworks on TV at midnight … I wondered how much that lot cost?....and how about the high rise in Dubai going up in flames?...what is it made of balsa wood?

This is the second special summer edition of Hiroshima University's English News Weekly Podcast. In 2013 ENW travelled three incredibly interesting European cities - Paris, Edinburgh & Lisbon. This summer, ENW is on the move again to another 3 European cities. Last week ENW was in the canal city of Amsterdam – download ENW episode 161 to find out where we went to! This week ENW is travelling to two famous English cities that are united by music, industry, shipping and literature but divided by football! Yes ENW is going to be in the north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester l, the homes of The Beatles, Liverpool FC, Oasis and of course England’s most successful club – Manchester United. ENW will start in Liverpool with a visit to where it all started for the most famous pop group in the world before moving across the city to the Albert Dock. After just one day in Liverpool ENW is heading to Manchester first to The Gallery of Costume and then ending our visit at the greatest football stadium in the world, Old Trafford home ground of Manchester United. * * * Image credit: Pollack man34 via Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0. Download MP3

This is the second special summer edition of Hiroshima University's English News Weekly Podcast. In 2013 ENW travelled three incredibly interesting European cities - Paris, Edinburgh & Lisbon. This summer, ENW is on the move again to another 3 European cities. Last week ENW was in the canal city of Amsterdam – download ENW episode 161 to find out where we went to! This week ENW is travelling to two famous English cities that are united by music, industry, shipping and literature but divided by football! Yes ENW is going to be in the north-west cities of Liverpool and Manchester l, the homes of The Beatles, Liverpool FC, Oasis and of course England’s most successful club – Manchester United. ENW will start in Liverpool with a visit to where it all started for the most famous pop group in the world before moving across the city to the Albert Dock. After just one day in Liverpool ENW is heading to Manchester first to The Gallery of Costume and then ending our visit at the greatest football stadium in the world, Old Trafford home ground of Manchester United. * * * Image credit: Pollack man34 via Wikipedia CC BY-SA 3.0. Download MP3

Big news!!....the Liverpool amphibious Duck sunk in the Albert Dock….and everyone had to swim for it….several of the tourists ended up in hospital and most were rescued…calamity or what?…they are blaming a tyre which was floating in the dock and got caught around the propeller….can’t see that though….I have a possible theory….it apparently passed all the safety tests but hey it’s a world war 2 job….I think there will be a bit of suing going on…especially when the solicitors get their teeth in…..and…guess what…it’s the same duck that the Queen and Prince Pip were on last year….close or what? In Racing, Royal Ascot is underway…and the dress code was announced on tele….ties NOT cravats must be worn and top hats must be black etc etc….what a load of pretentious tripe….this is the reason I hate golf clubs…”Oh you must have a collar on your shirt when on the course and you must wear a jacket and tie in the bar etc etc”…..give me a break !!!!....try moving into the 21st century. There is a programme on the tele called “The Call Centre” and it is hilarious….it’s about a huge call centre in Swansea with an over the top boss…the characters are great as they deal with the general public who do not want to know…I’m not a lover of reality programmes…I think they are a cheap option but this one is great television….makes you a bit more sympathetic to cold callers. How about the cricket team in Norfolk who have been told they can’t use hard cricket balls anymore for health and safety reasons…they can only use the hard ball in the nets…when they are on the pitch it has to be a TENNIS BALL……as you can imagine the 100 year old club has ignored the power crazed health and safety department…and has been BANNED from it’s own ground…good stuff eh? nd finally….you can no longer report U.F.O.s….because the department you report them to has decided to close…...they mentioned one case on the tele about a guy who went camping and his car and his dog and his TENT were abducted by aliens…I wonder if the camp site charged him.

ipod versionArtists BEN PARRY & JACQUES CHAUCHAT of Jump Ship Rat unite once again to create a giant mobile water fountain. An endless waterfall 40 meters wide pours from above as if from nowhere, circumventing a narrow boat and hiding it behind a wall of water. Theatrical and playful the gliding water fountain comes to grace the Albert Dock. Erupting from the dock, this is an aesthetic and sensory delight that hypnotises the viewer into quiet contemplation, then passing through tunnels and canals it disappears leaving only the still pool. A Liverpool Commissions project; JSR U-51 celebrates the City's maritime history through the element water. Water is the source of all life on earth, as such it has appeared in culture across the ages as a metaphor for the cycle of life, genesis and power; a spiritual symbol and an evocation of the natural world. Mevio {Mevio-1e9b69dd9c12da148f6a986dc97e182f}

Discover more about Liverpool with England's first, free, music-themed city walking guide. Pete Wylie from the The Mighty Wah! will take you on a tour of Liverpool's music scene from the 1960s to the present day passing the legendary clubs and venues in the World Capital of Pop. Created by Liverpool Culture Company.