#Office removals Liverpool

[vanmanmax]

There is a proverb “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. For your forthcoming move, make appropriate plans. You may check your checklist, timeline, and budget before, during, and after your relocation.

[yall-batman-fanfic]

Our First Meeting Involved Murder and a Cult - Batman x Magician!Reader (Part 2/2)

Note: I'm not used to writing 2nd Person or "[Name]", I'll be using the name Vivian Pryor for the reader in these stories.

Synopsis: Thriller-mystery lover and Symbologist, Professor Vivian Pryor, is the topic of Gotham when a murder took place at her debut book launch, and who better to solve the mystery but Batman! As Batman explore the murder and the attempt on the Professor's life, he comes to two hypothesis: a self-gain plan of a rising author and a cult leader that has disappeared from Gotham for a while now. To figure it out, he first needs to find out the Professor and why this cult wants her.

The first gargoyle they found was at Ottisburg, the old orphanage there. The gargoyle Vivian was specifically was something that was associated with the witches: a snake, which pointed to their next destination, to the cemetery, specifically, to the tomb of Jon Logerquist, the founder of Gotham, who had a gargoyle of crow. Then their next gargoyles were of a wolf, an eagle, and a goat, which all pointed them to.

"Wayne Tower," Batman said in wonder.

"Surprised?" Vivian mused. "Go below, I know there's a tunnel in the parking lot to one of the old structures of Gotham.

Parking the Batmobile in the path that Batman never ventured too far into, Vivian got out a flashlight and continued to walk until they came to the deadend that had the statue of an angry wolf and in front was a sewage cover. Batman easily removed it and went in, when it was Vivian's turn to jump he caught her with ease and set her down.

They walked for a while going deeper and deeper into the crypts, and each wall they passed Vivian checked for markings, not exactly statues this time but carvings of familiars that pointed the direction.

“So, did you learn magic or were you born with it?” Batman started.

Vivian smirked but he didn't see in the dark. Well, she thought he didn't. Batman's cowl was equipped with many things. “My mother was a witch.”

“What happened to her?” He asked sincerely. Batman knew about almost everyone in Gotham but for one. Vivian Pryor was a mystery, her history scattered and no records to be found but for her school admissions and a dual citizenship as a British-American, her stepfather Adam Royce who was a former SAS and now works as a trainer at their local gym in Liverpool. She got two younger siblings from her mother's marriage to Adam Royce. And her mother died by unknown circumstances.

Vivian frowned at the memory. “There was a… there was a serial killer in Liverpool that time. Kids were being walked home from school, even the ones in high school. Cops were everywhere then. One day my mom was late in picking me up, along with my siblings who were still in elementary then. We stayed there for a while, I phoned her a couple of times but no answer, I even called Dad but no answer too. Then a police car came to the school, around that time the twins were already knocked out, sleeping on the bench, and one of the officer just told us to go with them.

“They took us somewhere – it was the same path as the one Mom would take whenever she went home from work. And then I saw her. They haven't moved the body yet, so I saw her body on the ground… and her eyes were ripped from their sockets. I hid my brother and sister from it. Dad was there, hysterical, he was crying. And I was just cold. I said nothing. I don't even know if I cried that time.”

“I'm sorry,” Batman said.

“It's in the past now. To add to your little profiling: after that, I couldn't cope. I got in with the wrong people, smoked a lot, joined an occultist who actually taught me about my magic, saw some things that no ordinary person should, and scared myself even more that drove me here to Gotham. The last place you’d ever find magic.”

Batman saw the teasing smirk on her face clearly, but he also saw the pain. He only smiled in return and then asked: “Did they capture the serial killer?”

“Yeah… no, I mean, no… they found him in LA, for some reason. In a cereal convention that turns out to be a serial killer convention. A lot of serial killers were arrested then. But he was… they just found his body, already dead in the multimedia room.”

“I was already at Gotham University when I heard about it. Studying my ass off to keep my scholarship, working two jobs to pay extra dues.”

“Weren't you part of the Martha Wayne Foundation?”

“Yeah, but because I wasn't exactly a Gothamite, it had limitations.”

Batman –rather, Bruce frowned. Maybe he should consider looking into the program's description again. 

“What about you, Bat? What got you to do all of this?”

“The same thing as you. And a promise to not give up on Gotham.”

“I’m not getting anymore from that, am I?” When he said nothing, Vivian sighed and went to her next question. “So, who do you think did all of this?”

“Deacon Blackfire. He's a cult leader who bathes in human blood to have immortality. He's over a hundred years old.”

“Really? I guess Gotham has it all – can't it be someone like the Riddler – he would have made my launch more interesting with riddles. You know, sometimes I just want to mail you the answer so he could bring back the power in Gotham. Do you know how hard it was to work on my paper because someone cut the power in the city?”

“I'll make sure to call you the next time the Riddler knocks on my door… but yes, Deacon Blackfire is the only person who fits the M.O., I had my doubts at first but then you made them sure for me when you revealed you're a witch.”

“But what does he want with me?”

“The section in your book that tackled Gotham's very own witch hunt. His message said that you gave away the secrets of your kind. Either he's angry with that or he's planning something with you.”

“Why kill my agent?”

“To get to you. To send the message.”

Vivian sighed. They walked on for a while, discussing more about the case until Batman asked: "Are you sure where you're going?"

"Positive. And there..." he pointed her flashlight at the statue of a half-man, half-goat at the archway. "We're not very discreet, aren't we?"

"Hubris is what brought Icarus falling to his death," Batman teased her with a smirk. He was too late -- too distracted by the smile on her face, the facts she's been telling him -- to notice the smell in the concrete paths. At first he thought it was the sewers below but then he felt it. The effect of the...

Vivian reached to her nose where blood dripped. "Poison... no, hallucinogenic gas..." she fell. Batman caught her but he too went down. As the poison took its effect, Batman placed his cape around Vivian as their bodies succumbed to the paralyzing effect of the gas. The last he saw was her auburn hair and the looming figure that came with a knife.

~*~

Batman woke with the feeling of gravity pulling him down and about to rip his arms off his body. Then there was the loud noise. The cheers, howling cheers, and then the voice of a... preacher? 

Opening his eyes, Batman forced his vision to clear until he could make out what was happening. And... oh no...

He was chained against the wall with only the cuffs holding his wrists, hence the feeling of gravity ripping him from his arms. Then the noise, there were so many of them below, people he's seen in the streets and in the shelter, lining for food. A number of Gotham's homeless. They were all cheering as the preacher stood before them on a platform, speaking about the nonsense of God, the devil, witches, and immortality.

"Deacon Blackfire," Batman sneered as he identified the man speaking before the crowd. And then --

God no.

Vivian Pryor laying on the slab, tied and gagged, like a sacrifice. No. She is the sacrifice. Deacon Blackfire got his immortality from bathing in the blood of his victims, and now he's set his eyes on Vivian Pryor. A witch. If human blood got him to live for this long, how long can the blood of a witch do? Centuries? A Millennia?

Deacon nor his people have noticed Batman as they were too busy with the rally. Good, he can get out without worrying about them too much --

Then it started, some sort of ritual.

Not good. He needed to get out now. Gathering his strength, Batman pulled himself up using the chains as his leverage and then stood against the wall to pull the chains until they break. They do, but his actions caught the attention of Deacon and the others. 

"The great warrior has awoken!" Deacon pointed the religious knife at him. "Bear witness, Batman, this is all for you. I shall give you the gift of immortality first with this witch's blood!"

Vivian screamed through her gag. She tried to get out of the bindings but her efforts were futile.

"LET HER GO, BLACKFIRE!" Batman called out.

"THE WITCH MUST DIE, BATMAN! SHE AND HER PEOPLE HAVE LED THIS WORLD OF SINNERS TO DAMNATION! CORRUPTING THE POWER THE LORD HAS GIVEN HER! THE ONLY WAY TO SALVATION IS BY THIS SACRIFICE!"

"YOU THINK SHE WAS GIVEN?! YOU FORCED HER OUT – SCARED HER UNTIL SHE CAME RUNNING, FOLLOWING THIS PATH!"

"SHE WILL UNDERSTAND ONCE -- IT'S ONLY NOW THAT SHE'S AFRAID, BUT I PROMISE YOU, DEVIL'S MISTRESS, YOU WILL BE SAVED AS YOUR BLOOD WILL SAVE ALL OF US!"

Freed from her gag, Vivian called out: "EKAERB SNIAHC!" 

One moment he was on the wall, the next Batman felt himself falling. Before he could fall into the pit that had men waiting to catch him, he used his grappling hook and swung across. Using gargoyles to get to Vivian. As he did, Vivian freed herself and kicked Deacon at the face. The man fell. Just as Deacon was to get up, Batman came and knocked him out.

"I guess you don't need my help anymore," Batman smirked at her.

"Yeah, I do," she pointed at the direction of the mob coming at them. 

"Can't you fly?!"

"Again, out of practice!" Vivian took his hand as he aimed his grappling hook at the gargoyle and swung them to the biggest one. 

"Stay here," he told her before jumping down to face the crowd. 

"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Vivian called out to him as she watched the Batman face off the mob, fighting them, knocking them out one by one, two at a time. He used his gadgets to his advantage to get an upper hand but that wasn't enough. He was just one man.

Vivian held out her hand. "Nekawa snaidraug, deeh dnammoc!"

Then it came, the light of her power, the bright sun fire forming to a winged creature made of flames but does not burn. The magic that came from her brought to life the gargoyles in the crypts and apprehended the men that were attacking the Batman, locking them in cages made of stone until there was no more.

Batman was surprised to find them all in cages guarded by statues. Looking up, he saw Vivian barely holding it together as she held out her hand in his direction. 

"Vivian!" He launched his grappling hook and caught her as she fell from a great height.

"I'm fine. Just out of breath... need more practice again."

Deacon Blackfire and his cult were captured by the GCPD after Batman made the call to Commissioner Gordon. At the surface, he stood by Vivian as she got checked by the paramedics and did not leave until they strapped her in the bed and said they'll take her to the hospital where she will be staying for observation for the next few days.

"We've apprehended Deacon and his cult," said Jim. "While I can explain how you found them, and you told me over the phone his motive, I can't figure out how the hell those statues moved."

Batman remained silent.

"You're not going to tell me aren't you?"

"Best if you don't ask. Even I'm having a long night because of it."

Jim sighed. “Best to leave it to them, huh?”

“Exactly.”

~*~

UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR TAKES DOWN IMMORTAL CULTIST WITH BATMAN were what Gotham's newspaper headlines were. A few days after the event, Jim released a statement that cleared Vivian's name of the accusations of orchestrating the whole incident, and journalists were lining up at her door to get an interview with her. Luckily she had Harvey Bullock on guard to send them away, but really it was the hired guards by Bruce Wayne who did the job more discreetly and effectively. 

Aside from the media attention, her publisher called to give her more good news. With the attention she was getting on the case she solved with Batman, there was an increase in the demand for her books. A lot wanted to have her book in their stores – not just in Gotham, but cities like Metropolis, Star City, Central City. And with her first launch becoming a crime scene, they were willing to fund her relaunch to make it more official and less bad press. They even had a theme for it and would talk to Bruce Wayne if they could have one of Wayne Tower's venues, since Deacon Blackfire’s cult was found beneath it.

“I'll handle all the planning and the negotiation, you just stay there. Rest up.” Her publisher ended the call before she could say anything.

Just as the call ended, a knock on the door was heard, and she was sure Bullock had been yelling at the guy for some time now, but no one could stop Bruce Wayne from doing what he wanted. The billionaire-philanthropist-playboy came into her hospital room in his business suit, with a bouquet of flowers and a little gift basket.

“The Commish said no visitors!” Bullock told him. “Get out, rich boy!”

“It's fine. Mr. Wayne has done so much for me. He can stay,” Vivian told Bullock. “Can you double check about the arrangements made for my family? I heard they're coming here to Gotham, and Commissioner Gordon mentioned about bringing them here personally.”

Bullock sighed and left to do the job, rather he yelled at someone to do it instead. 

“I hope I wasn't interrupting you,” Bruce started.

“You’re not… Just a heads up, my Publisher called me and said they're willing to have another launch for my book and they’ll be contacting your company if we could book one of the rooms for it. It's crazy, I know –”

“I don't mind,” Bruce said as he set the basket on her bedside and handed her the flowers. “I'll inform my secretary about it, she can coordinate with your publisher. I'm sure we can get you the best room for it.”

“Thank you, that means a lot. And thank you for these, they're lovely,” Vivian brushed her fingers across the petals, adding a little magic to keep them alive longer. She wasn't a fan of bouquets but she wasn't going to say that to Bruce Wayne now. “So, what brings you here, Mr. Wayne?”

“I just wanted to check on you. After that whole ordeal, I'm sure you're still shaken by it.”

“A little… but nothing I can't handle.”

Bruce smiled. “I know.”

That smile. Vivian shook her head and sat up, leaving the flowers on her lap, and said to the man, “Also, I have more good news. With the latest publicity I'm getting, there's an increase in demand for my books. Meaning more money is coming in. I know we didn't say anything in the contract about the additional sales being given to the Martha Wayne Foundation, but I’ll still donate most of it there.”

“You don’t have to. I’m sure you still need the money to get a new place to stay – I heard your apartment was burned.”

“I can find another one – I got a friend offering to be my roommate for a while, but I'll probably stay at a hotel since my family's coming over.”

“From Liverpool?”

She never made that known. She didn't even mention it in her bio where her family was currently living. “Yeah, from Liverpool. My Dad and my brother and sister. And I want to give it to charity. The Martha Wayne Foundation helped me get my dream job and build my career. It has also been my dream to help charities like that – making education accessible, helping people in any way they can. In fact, I want to give it to the Wayne Foundation – not just the Martha Wayne Foundation, but the whole of it. The Thomas Wayne Foundation is a free clinic at ParkWay, and trust me, I have been a visitor of that place when I had no money to pay hospital bills.”

Bruce was surprised, no words came out but, “thank you,” as he looked at the woman. Her auburn hair shining with the sun, which reminded her of her power that night at the crypts, and her brown eyes. While there was still pain, there was happiness. Fulfillment.

“I’m touched by your gesture, Professor Pryor, I really am,” Bruce mustered up to say. “I'm glad that our foundations helped people and I can see that they've done a great job too. If not, you won't be here now.”

Vivian chuckled. “Yeah, I guess I owe it a lot to them too. You know, we weren't really well off in Liverpool. I had to borrow money from my step-grandparents just to get me here… and I never got to pay them back.”

“I'll inform Leslie – one of the doctors in the Thomas Wayne Foundation – about this. And I'll speak with our team there as well… as a thank you, please, let me handle the arrangements for your family.”

“No, I can't let you do that, Mr. Wayne.”

“Please, you're already giving so much – it's a thank you… for not giving up on Gotham.”

 A promise to not give up on Gotham. The Batman's words echoed in her mind. The way he said it and the way Bruce Wayne said it had her thinking… that smile, the way he talked about her family as if he knew all about it too, the sincerity of it all. And then those words. 

“Is everything alright, Professor Pryor?” Bruce asked.

“Yeah, everything's fine… I'm just – I have this saying about having too many good things coming my way, and it's sure that one big bad thing will be coming soon. It's like the universe is just preparing me for the worse… I'm just waiting for that bad news to come.”

Bruce reached out and held her hand. “Vivian, you're allowed to be happy… I know things haven't been good for you since you were young, but who knows, things might turn out right now.”

Vivian smiled. “Yeah… I guess. So, Mr. Wayne, is there anything I should know about before I venture into your family archives to do research on my next book?”

Bruce smirked. “You plan your next book to be about the Waynes. I'm flattered.”

“Well, if the offer still stands on the access.”

“No killer mysteries that would get you in danger in my family… that I know of.”

“We'll see.” A teasing smile.

Bruce couldn't help but let out a breath laugh as he tried to suppress the smile that came, and he was thankful for the persona he built as he said, “Well, the offer still stands for your intimate research on the Waynes. Maybe we can start sooner? How about we start with dinner after all this?”

Vivian bit her lip to stop the smile. “We'll see… but I'm not saying no either.”

The knock on the door broke their lingering gaze. Vivian and Bruce cursed under their breath as Harvey Bullock appeared with news about her family's arrival to Gotham City. Bruce used this as an excuse to get up and be on his way, “I'll handle the arrangements for the Royces. Please tell the Commissioner of the changes… take care, Professor Pryor, and I'll be putting a pin on where we left off.”

“Vivian, please. And it was nice seeing you, Mr. Wayne.”

“Please, call me Bruce. I'll see you around.” He left after that, and Bullock too, leaving Vivian in her room with a smile on her face as she yet solved a mystery that Gotham was hiding. And she would be lying if she said she wasn't a bit attracted to the man behind the mask of it too.

[mightyflamethrower]

Riots have broken out in multiple cities and towns across Great Britain, particularly over the past week. There were already protests taking place, but some of them have now turned violent. The topic driving all of this unrest is the immigration situation, particularly the illegal migrants that have been crossing the English Channel on rubber rafts and boats. Much as we've seen a backlash in the United States to violent crimes committed by illegal migrants, many Brits are clearly fed up as well. Everything seemed to come to a head last week when a series of stabbing attacks took the lives of three young children and left eight other children and two adults seriously injured. This took place in Southport, a seaside town north of Liverpool. Rumors quickly spread that the attacker was an illegal migrant, and that's when the protests turned violent. Hundreds have been arrested as a result. (AP)

Britain has been convulsed by violence for the past week as crowds spouting anti-immigrant and Islamophobic slogans clashed with police. The disturbances have been fueled by right-wing activists using social media to spread misinformation about a knife attack that killed three girls during a Taylor Swift-themed dance event. The violence, some of Britain’s worst in years, has led to hundreds of arrests as the government pledges that the rioters will feel “the full force of the law” after hurling bricks and other projectiles at police, looting shops and attacking hotels used to house asylum-seekers. As Britain’s new government struggles to quell the unrest and announces a “standing army” of specialist police to deal with rioting, here’s a look at what’s happening and why.

The liberal media has a marked tendency to try to blame nearly everything on online misinformation or disinformation, but in this case, they do seem to have a point. The attacker was described in several outlets as someone "believed to be an asylum-seeker or a Muslim immigrant." That report spread across the media quickly, inflaming tensions. But it turns out that the killer's name is Axel Muganwa Rudakubana and he was actually born in Wales in 2006, moving to Southport in 2013. His parents are reportedly legal immigrants from Rwanda. He also reportedly suffers from autism, so the stabbing attack may have been more of a mental health issue than any sort of hate crime.

Even if the deadly attack in Southport turns out to have been mischaracterized, that doesn't mean that the UK doesn't still have a serious problem with its illegal immigration situation and resultant unrest. This situation has been simmering for more than a decade and it now appears to be reaching the boiling point. There is a group over there named the English Defence League that has been operating for more than a decade, running a campaign against massive Muslim migration into the country, and they've been attracting more followers recently.

As far as the response to this situation goes, what we're seeing is a jarring juxtaposition between two different British leaders. The UK recently elected its new Labor Party Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, to replace the outgoing Conservative Party PM, Rishi Sunak. Sunak had previously vowed to stop the flow of illegals into the country by turning back the boats in the channel and deporting illegals already in the country to Rwanda. Immediately upon taking office, Starmer canceled the plan and instead vowed to take care of the problem by "working with other European nations and speeding up the removal of failed asylum-seekers."

Starmer has also vastly increased the rate of arrests... not of the migrants, of course, but of the protesters. Some of the protesters have engaged in vandalism and caused damage, with some even attacking the police, so they will need to be held accountable, but many of them are simply carrying signs and decrying both the current administration and the flood of migrants. They don't have the type of First Amendment protections we enjoy in the United States, so many of them have been sent to jail. Starmer has promised that the protesters will "feel the full force of the law" and established a "standing army" of specialist police to deal with the rioting. The entire situation is a mess, to be sure, but it's yet one more sign that massive migration and lax immigration enforcement are causing unrest far beyond America's borders. And the problem is spreading.

[mariacallous]

As asylum centers are boarding up ahead of another predicted day of violent protests across the UK on Wednesday, X owner Elon Musk has stoked tensions by labeling UK prime minister Keir Starmer “#TwoTierKier” and spreading a far-right conspiracy theory that claims white rioters are being dealt with more severely than minorities by police.

For days now, Musk has sought to use his huge influence to suggest that diversity was causing the riots: “If incompatible cultures are brought together without assimilation, conflict is inevitable,” Musk wrote. Responding to a video of riots in Liverpool on Monday, Musk warned: “Civil war is inevitable.”

Six thousand police officers are on standby in response to far-right figures sharing a list of dozens of targets, including locations of asylum centers and offices of lawyers who help asylum seekers. Officials are facing resistance from X to take down posts that are deemed a threat to national security, according to a report by the Financial Times.

After the death of three children in Southport during a mass stabbing attack last week, which sparked the riots, conspiracies flooded social media platforms, including X. But it was on Telegram where much of the initial organization for the attacks took place.

Far-right channels not only posted information on locations and times for protests, but shared information on how to construct Molotov cocktails and set fire to buildings, according to a WIRED review of multiple Telegram channels.

But, while Musk and X have done little to quell their activity, Telegram appears to have taken action against at least one channel which has been set up to spread hatred and disinformation around the Southport stabbings.

The “Southport Wake Up” Telegram channel was set up within hours of the stabbing incident last week and soon amassed a huge following. It shared details about local protests but quickly descended into making violent threats against named individuals and locations.

On Monday night, Telegram appeared to remove the channel, which at that point had almost 15,000 members. It is unclear if Telegram made this decision itself or if it was at the direction of the authorities in the UK.

The creator of the channel, who has been flagged to police by researchers but has not been publicly named, has attempted to set up new channels several times, but they have all been shut down within hours of being established.

Telegram told WIRED that its moderators were “actively monitoring the situation and are removing channels and posts containing calls to violence.”

A spokesperson told WIRED the Home Office could not comment on whether they had called for the Stockport Wakeup telegram channel to be blocked, as “it’s an operational issue.”

Many far-right figures had migrated to Telegram in recent years after being kicked off all other platforms, because of Telegram’s notoriously lax approach to censorship. But since Musk’s takeover of Twitter in November 2022, many of those previously exiled extremists have been welcomed back, including Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, the leader of the now-defunct English Defense League, who goes by the name of Tommy Robinson.

Robinson has repeatedly thanked Musk since being reinstated in November last year, calling Musk “the best thing to happen for free speech this century.” In recent days he has tagged Musk in multiple posts on the platform. Musk responded to one of Robinson’s posts over the weekend.

Analysis from disinformation researcher Marc Owen Jones has shown that any engagement like this from Musk dramatically boosts the number of views, likes, and shares a post on X receives—even posts whose interactions had been declining dramatically.

“Twitter has been a disinformation delivery system,” says Jones, which has allowed the “proliferation of anti-migrant and anti-muslim speculation.” He cites the trust and safety team cuts, the blue tick pay for play strategy and the reintroduction of far right people onto the site as “perfect conditions for disinformation and hate speech to thrive.”

“[Musk’s] comments are totally unacceptable,” courts minister Heidi Alexander told the BBC on Tuesday. “For someone that has a big platform, a large following, to be exercising that power in such an irresponsible way, is pretty unconscionable.” X did not respond to a request for comment.

UK law enforcement is taking action against those using X to overtly promote violence—in one case by arresting the wife of a local councillor in Northampton who called for hotels housing asylum seekers to be set on fire.

“Mass deportation now, set fire to all the fucking hotels full of the bastards for all I care … If that makes me racist, so be it,” Lucy Connolly wrote on X. Northamptonshire police told the BBC the 41-year-old child care worker was arrested on suspicion of inciting racial hatred.

Rioters and violent protesters have also taken over TikTok Live, sharing self-incriminating videos of them confronting the police or members of the public in cities like Leeds, Stoke, and Hull. Police have used that footage to prosecute a first wave of demonstrators this week.

“Over 400 people now have been arrested, 100 have been charged, some in relation to online activity, and a number of them are already in court, and I am now expecting substantive sentencing before the end of this week,” Starmer said in a video posted on X on Tuesday. “That should send a very powerful message to people either directly or online.”

Starmer has not referred to X or Musk by name in his comments on the issue of online radicalization around the riots.

[ginandoldlace]

HMS Montagu aground on Shutter Rock, suffering a 91-foot (28 m) gash on her starboard side. Unable to free herself from the rocks,

At 02:00 on 30 May 1906 , Montagu ran aground on Shutter Rock, suffering a 91-foot (28 m) gash on her starboard side. Unable to free herself from the rocks, she slowly filled with water; twenty-four hours later, her starboard engine room and all of her boiler room were flooded, among others. Her crew counter-flooded the port engine room to prevent her from listing further to starboard. Divers inspected the hull to determine the extent of the damage, which proved to be more serious than initially expected. The bottom of the ship also received extensive damage, including several other holes and the port propeller shaft having been torn from the hull. The starboard  bilge keel was also ripped from the hull, as was the rudder. The wreck rested on a fairly even bottom, so there was hope that the ship could be refloated

Since the Royal Navy had no dedicated salvage unit, it turned to Frederick Young, a former Royal Navy captain who now worked as the chief salvage officer of the Liverpool Salvage Association. Young was at that time the foremost expert on marine salvage in Britain, so he was hired to advise Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson the commander of the Channel Fleet, who had no experience in salvage operations. The navy initially hoped to lighten the ship by removing the medium and small-caliber guns and other equipment that could be easily taken off and then to pump out the water so that the holes in the hull could be patched. By the end of June, some twenty pumps had been assembled on the scene, with a total pumping capacity of 8,600 tonnes (8,500 long tons; 9,500 short tons) of water per hour. Difficulties with pumping, owing in part to the subdivision of the internal compartments and the need to reflood the ship during  high tide to keep her from suffering more damage before the hull could be patched, led the salvors to give up the operation

Wilson next sought to remove armour plate from the sides of the ship and to erect a series of caissons , at which point a powerful air pump would be used to blow the water out of the hull. The caissons repeatedly broke free even in mild seas, and the air pump failed to have the desired effect. Her sister ship  Duncan herself ran aground whilst trying to help the salvage effort, though she was successfully freed. At the end of the summer of 1906, salvage efforts were suspended for the year, with plans to resume them in 1907. However, an inspection of the ship conducted from 1 to 10 October 1906 found that the action of the sea was driving her further ashore and bending and warping her hull so that her seams were beginning to open, her deck planking was coming apart, and her boat davits had collapsed. Having failed to refloat Montagu, the navy decided to abandon the project. Further material was removed from the wreck, including her main battery guns, which were later re-used in other vessels.The Western Marine Salvage Company of  Penzance completed salvage of the wreck for scrap metal over the next 15 years. The court martial   convened for the affair blamed the thick fog and faulty navigation for the wreck. The trial was held aboard  HMS Victory . The ship's captain, Thomas Adair   and the navigation officer, Lieutenant James Dathan, were severely reprimanded, with both men being dismissed from HMS Montagu; Dathan lost two years of seniority in rank as well.The wreck site, which now amounts to little more than some armour plate on the sea floor, is a popular diving location. Divers have also located parts of her gun turrets and shells that were not recovered during the salvage operation. In September 2019 the British Government granted the wreck site—including the steps which had been chiseled out of the cliff during the salvage effort protected status

[justforbooks]

Despite the occasionally visceral and often rebellious nature of his poetry, Benjamin Zephaniah, who has died aged 65 of a brain tumour, had such wide appeal in the UK that he became something close to a national treasure, attracting devotion among all classes and types of people, young as well as old.

With a down-to-earth mission to take poetry wherever he could – and especially to those who would not normally read it – his reach also extended to other parts of the world, where he was respected as a writer and performer who could be relied upon to speak his mind with forthrightness, honesty and self-effacing humour.

From an unpromising start to life in Birmingham, Zephaniah hauled himself into the public eye during the early 1980s by hitching himself to a post-punk caravan of streetwise performance poets such as John Cooper Clarke, Attila the Stockbroker and, at a slightly greater remove, Linton Kwesi Johnson – all of whom eschewed the abstract in favour of writing with a fierce political edge about everyday life.

Focusing initially on the debilitating effects of racism, including through his breakthrough poem Dis Policeman Keeps on Kicking Me to Death, Zephaniah later branched out to consider other topics that were close his heart, including unemployment, homelessness and, as a vegan from the age of 13, animal rights.

In addition to writing novels for adults, he also harnessed his talent for simple language to become a bestselling author for teenagers, with books such as Talking Turkeys (1994) and Windrush Child (2020) that became standard school reading material in multicultural Britain.

Zephaniah was born Benjamin Springer in the Hockley area of Birmingham to Oswald Springer, a post office worker, and Leneve (nee Wright), a nurse, who had emigrated to Britain from Barbados and Jamaica respectively. He had a twin sister, Velda, and six other siblings. Experiencing racism as a child on an almost daily basis, he also felt unhappiness at home, where his father was a distant and violent figure, especially to his mother. When he was 10, after Leneve had received an especially savage beating, she and Benjamin went on the run together.

Living a hand-to-mouth existence, the pair never returned, leaving the other children of the family in estrangement. The dislocation that followed had its effect on Zephaniah: at 13 he was expelled from Broadway school, later spending time in borstal, while in his late teens he was imprisoned for various offences, including affray and burglary.

Poetry, Rastafarianism and an iron will were his salvation. Realising that he was going to face further longer spells in jail or even an early death through gang-related violence, at the age of 22 he left Birmingham and headed for London to be a poet.

One of his first memories of composing poetry had come as a small boy while walking to the corner shop, and, though dyslexic, he had inherited from his mother a great lyrical facility. By the age of 15 he had a reputation as a wordsmith, and when the elders of his mother’s church, feeling he had a prophet-like quality with language, dubbed him Zephaniah (“treasured by God”), the name stuck.

In London he became part of the punk, reggae and alternative comedy scenes, reading his poems during breaks at gigs. His first collection of poetry, Pen Rhythm, was published in 1980 by a co-operative, after which, like Johnson, he began to turn to dub poetry, adding reggae music to his words with a debut album, Rasta (1982).

Soon in demand for radio, TV and film work, Zephaniah played Moses in the film Farendj in 1990 and had a TV play, Dread Poets Society, screened by the BBC the following year. His first novel, Face, about a young man whose life is dramatically changed by facial injuries he receives while joyriding, was published in 1999, but in the preceding years he had continued to produce a steady stream of poetry collections, including The Dread Affair (1985), Inna Liverpool (1988), City Psalms (1992) and Propa Propaganda (1996).

In addition to his 14 poetry books and seven dub poetry albums, over the years he produced further novels and children’s books, as well as seven plays. Among his more high-profile acting roles was a stint as the street preacher Jeremiah Jesus in the TV drama series Peaky Blinders.

In later life he moved from London to Lincolnshire, where he lived quietly, notwithstanding the energy he threw into countless projects. Although committed to widening access and undermining elites, Zephaniah saw this as compatible with academic work, and in 2011 accepted the post of professor of poetry and creative writing at Brunel University, where he was a regular, friendly presence in the staffroom and a committed, hardworking lecturer.

More recently he had been spending three months of the year in China, where he practised tai chi, but, despite his largely peaceable nature, he remained an angry man with a punk sensibility, identifying, he said, most easily with anarchism and observing that “when I see what people have to put up with from their governments, I’m surprised they don’t rise up more often”.

Consistently radical to the end, he refused the offer of an OBE in 2003, and 15 years later scotched any idea that he might become the poet laureate in succession to Carol Ann Duffy by explaining in poetic form: “Don’t take my word, go check the verse / Cause every laureate gets worse”.

His 1990 marriage to Amina, a theatre administrator, ended in divorce in 2001.

🔔 Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah, poet and author, born 15 April 1958; died 7 December 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[millythegoat]

Champions League final review: ‘It is remarkable that no one lost their life’

by Philip Buckingham

(this article shouldn’t placed behind a paywall, everyone should read this. Especially after Hillsborough how this can happen again. Prepare yourself for a long read)

It was the showpiece evening that brought European football uncomfortably close to tragedy.

The 2022 Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid was meant to be a celebratory night but instead placed thousands of supporters in grave danger outside the Stade de France, near Paris.

“It is remarkable that no one lost their life.”

That was among the most sobering lines of a damning independent review that left European football’s governing body UEFA with nowhere to hide last night. Others, including local authorities and police, could not avoid criticism either, but the Champions League organisers were told the buck must stop with them.

“UEFA, as event owner, bears primary responsibility for failures which almost led to disaster,” concluded an exhaustive review spanning 220 pages, which drew on testimonies from key stakeholders and witnesses, including many fans, although Real Madrid chose not to cooperate.

It also drew comparisons with Hillsborough, saying many Liverpool survivors in the crowd in Paris were survivors of the 1989 disaster in which 97 people died.

“The parallels between Hillsborough 1989 and Paris 2022 are palpable,” said the report. “The similarities include the fact that both events were preventable, and both were caused by the failures of those responsible for public safety.”

Liverpool supporters were absolved of any blame.

Claims following the final had suggested thousands of fans had arrived without tickets to cause overcrowding and delays, but the review found they had been placed in danger owing to poor planning, a lack of communication and outdated policing methods.

The use of tear gas and pepper spray, predominantly on Liverpool fans, was also said to be “completely inappropriate as it was both life-threatening and disproportionate”.

Liverpool said the delayed six-month investigation, funded by UEFA and chaired by the Portuguese politician Tiago Brandao Rodrigues, “fully vindicates” the club’s supporters.

UEFA, meanwhile, said it will continue to analyse the review’s findings ahead of announcing a refund scheme for the affected.

What went wrong before kick-off on May 28?

“All the stakeholders interviewed… have agreed that this situation was a near-miss: a term used when an event almost turns into a mass fatality catastrophe.”

A night that eventually saw Real Madrid lift their 14th Champions League title with a 1-0 win over Liverpool was overshadowed by the traumatic events that unfolded outside the Stade de France ahead of kick-off.

The 80,000-capacity stadium had only been afforded three months to prepare after the original final hosts, Saint Petersburg, had the honour removed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February of last year. The Stade de France had been considered the safe alternative by UEFA after it had hosted the 2016 European Championship final, but its suitability as the host venue was scrutinised.

The panel, which was made up of experts in policing, a barrister and representatives from fan organisations, concluded: “Two overarching organisational failures (were) at the root of what went so disastrously wrong in Paris.”

The UEFA model for organising the Champions League final was deemed “defective” after control of safety and security was passed on to other stakeholders, while the local authorities were also criticised for favouring a heavy-handed approach, “which was inappropriately based on incorrect assumptions that Liverpool FC supporters posed significant threats to public order”. That, the panel said, was an “inexplicable misconception”.

Concerns were first voiced in the middle of the afternoon, well in advance of the 9pm (local time) kick-off. An external security officer, appointed by UEFA, had told officials that arrangements were “not fit for purpose” at the Additional Security Perimeter entrance 3 (ASP3) that would later welcome Liverpool fans.

That initial ticket checkpoint was considered a known bottleneck, involving a ramp to the concourse where turnstiles were situated. The approaches to ASP3, involving an underpass known for overcrowding, were also considered problematic.

By 6pm, those fears were confirmed with heavy congestion and crushing in the area.

Just before 7pm, the stadium’s control room had accepted the area had become dangerous and asked police to divert fans arriving at the stadium to Additional Security Perimeter entrance 4 (ASP4), a far wider and more accessible point.

Police, though, were “slow to react”. “Thousands of supporters remained corralled in this unsafe environment, unable to progress or escape, as others unwittingly joined them at their rear,” said the report.

Compounding the rising sense of chaos, police and stewards then abandoned ASP3 75 minutes before kick-off. That allowed thousands of fans access to the raised turnstile perimeter, where problems had also been encountered with tickets at the gate. The decision was made for some turnstiles to be closed. “There was a clear and immediate danger of a fatal crush,” said the report.

Why was kick-off delayed?

The review offered a snapshot of the high-level discussions held within the stadium as the distress unfolded beyond perimeter fences. It is said Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA president, headed to a stairwell next to the VIP area to consider a delayed kick-off with senior executives. Ceferin had been meeting with the King of Spain, Felipe VI, and not “in the control room or engaging with commanders”.

Ceferin, whose only interaction with the review was a written statement dated November 23, said he had made the decision to delay kick-off “to make sure all fans will be in the stadium” and ignored the wishes of broadcasters to begin on time. The final would eventually kick off 36 minutes late.

Two messages were then put out on giant screens inside the ground: the first saying delays were down to a “security issue”, the second claiming it was due to the lateness of fans arriving.

Sharon Burkhalter-Lau, UEFA operations director, said the organisation only had access to two pre-prepared messages relating to a delayed kick-off owing to complexities involving translations — but it is made clear in the report that the two cited reasons projected inside the stadium were “objectively untrue” and “a crass error of judgment”.

What happened next?

If one aim of delaying kick-off had been to calm rising tensions outside, it failed to have the desired effect.

Police were criticised for the use of tear gas and pepper spray on “disorderly locals” and Liverpool fans attempting to gain access with valid tickets. The panel said this was “weaponry which has no place at a festival of football”.

Then, in the aftermath, came the finger-pointing. French ministers and UEFA claimed thousands of ticketless Liverpool fans attempting to access the stadium had been to blame. French sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said Liverpool supporters had been “let out in the wild”, interior minister Gerald Darmanin said two days afterwards that “industrial-scale fraud” had been noted, with 70 per cent of tickets coming into the Stade de France found to be fake.

No evidence, however, was found to support those assertions at any point of the investigation. Instead, the review rounded on those who attempted to shirk responsibility.

“It has been a feature of our investigations that several key stakeholders have not accepted responsibility for their own failures but have been quick to attribute blame to others. Some have continued to make allegations — in particular against supporters — based upon ‘facts’ for which there is no evidence,” it outlined.

Why did these problems occur?

It was accepted that a number of factors had contributed to the “near miss” of casualties, including the shortened preparation time as hosts, a hybrid model of electronic and paper tickets, a lack of experienced stewards and also the criminality of locals in the vicinity.

Ultimately, though, it was UEFA’s decision to delegate safety and security options to the French Football Federation (FFF) and Paris Prefecture de Police, the local force, that was found to be at the heart of a chaotic event.

“UEFA should have retained a monitoring and oversight role to ensure it all worked,” said the review. “It self-evidently did not… this represented an unacceptable abdication of responsibility by UEFA.”

It was concluded that UEFA had “marginalised” its own Safety and Security (S&S) Unit, headed by Ceferin’s close friend Zeljko Pavlica, thus removing a key mechanism in ensuring the final would go ahead smoothly. “Senior officials at the top of UEFA allowed this to happen,” it said. That resulted in poor communication and the absence of adequate engagement.

The decision to pass on security measures to local authorities and police were found to be deeply flawed. That, the review found, meant that a “model aimed at a non-existent threat from football hooligans” was adopted for the final with damaging consequences.

As far back as late March, long before Liverpool had qualified for the final, local stakeholders had made it clear that thousands of ticketless supporters would travel to Paris in the event of an English club getting that far and that it would be viewed as a threat to public order.

The tone had effectively been set, despite intelligence from the two clubs, Spanish and English police and UEFA that there had been no significant issues of football-related violence in recent years.

A “defective policing model” failed to ensure the safe mobility of fans in the last kilometre leading to the Stade de France; issues that were compounded by the absence of any effective contingency plans.

The panel found that eight factors contributed to the near tragedy. Among them were the poor signposting for Liverpool fans, which ultimately led to the bottleneck at ASP3, defective turnstile arrangements and the criminality of local youths, who were responsible for a large number of muggings and attacks close to the Stade de France.

It was said the police “did not have any effective plan to deal with anti-social behaviour or violence perpetrated by locals” and “stood by” as assaults took place.

Who did the panel think is to blame?

A number of stakeholders, including the FFF and local police, were found to carry “contributory fault” but the panel was clear in placing UEFA “at the wheel” of a disastrous event. The “primary responsibility” belonged to the body that had organised the event.

The delegation of security issues was known to have carried a heavy cost, with UEFA failing to oversee the safety of supporters at its own flagship event. UEFA could not possibly be absolved of responsibility, the report stressed.

“UEFA was central to the organisation of the event and it should have monitored, supervised and assisted with security and safety measures to ensure they were fit for purpose, and to identify and remedy problems before they arose in real-time.”

For all that UEFA’s faults in the event management were laid bare, their reaction before, during and after the final was also studied by the panel.

An initial statement on the night had included a line that problems were in part caused by ticketless locals but, at the request of local police, that was removed before publication. Instead, UEFA focused on the use of fake tickets as the greatest factor in the congestion and crushing. Even on June 8, 11 days after the final, the governing body continued to suggest ticketless fans had contributed to the disorder.

Chief executive of UEFA events Martin Kallen, meanwhile, is said to have given an account of events that was “seriously flawed and contained assertions that were objectively untrue” to an inquiry at the French senate in July. Kallen claimed he had been unaware of similar problems ahead of the 2016 French Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseilles or at the 2006 Champions League final between Barcelona and Arsenal.

The panel added that UEFA’s evidence was “striking in its orientation to protect itself, rather than to seek to ensure that nothing similar can happen in the future”.

Police methods on the night, both in central Paris and at the Stade de France, were criticised and there was also disappointment voiced by the panel that CCTV footage had not been available.

Footage from all 260 cameras around the Stade de France was auto-deleted about a week after the events. “The Stade de France management did not take any measures to ensure retention and no one else — including the French authorities, UEFA or FFF — asked them to retain the footage,” the panel said.

The review did not apportion any blame to Real Madrid, who won the final thanks to Vinicius Junior’s goal, but unlike Liverpool, the Spanish club declined to assist in the voluntary process. They were the only stakeholder “which declined to assist… for reasons of its own”.

Why was Hillsborough referenced repeatedly in planning for the event?

Ninety-seven people lost their lives attending the 1989 FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest and a long fight for justice is still to see anyone held accountable for those unlawful killings.

Attempts were made by South Yorkshire Police to vilify Liverpool fans after a section of the terrace at the Leppings Lane end at Hillsborough, Sheffield Wednesday’s ground, became overcrowded, with untrue claims of ticketless, drunken supporters forcing entry later disproved.

“The parallels between Hillsborough 1989 and Paris 2022 are palpable,” said the review. “The similarities include the fact both events were preventable, and both were caused by the failures of those responsible for public safety.

“Both events were foreseeable. In the judgment of the panel, the different outcomes were a matter of chance: in one nearly a hundred died, the other none, but through no merit of those in charge.”

The echoes of history were there with authorities and the establishment attempting to shift blame onto those without a voice. The review highlighted that several senior figures have continued to make baseless allegations, particularly against fans, despite the absence of established facts.

The tragic events at Hillsborough had taken place 33 years before the Champions League yet, inexplicably, were mentioned in planning for Liverpool’s trip to the French capital.

The Inter-ministerial Delegate for Major Sporting Events (DIGES) decided the Hillsborough disaster helped design “strong police build-up to maintain order” to counter the potential threat of hooliganism. England’s game against Russia in Euro 2016, a fixture marred by violence in Marseilles, was also cited.

“Absolute outrage. Outrage,” was Liverpool’s response in the review. “They’ve conflated hooliganism with Hillsborough, and we don’t need to revisit that path. It’s such a calamitous error of judgment, it beggars belief. Absolutely beggars belief.

“We’ve reiterated (on) a number of occasions the profile of our football fan is they will come, they will celebrate their team, they will support their team, they will enjoy your city, and they will go home. It can’t be any simpler than that. So, that as planning assumption, it’s absolutely outrageous. That was never challenged at the start and never was it ever discussed with us.”

A “prejudicial misconception” was considered a “remarkable failure” by the Prefecture de Police.

“The Panel has concluded, without hesitation, that referencing Hillsborough with respect to the policing approach was an appalling error, which should not have been made. In addition, this error was amplified by publishing messages blaming ‘late’ supporters for the delayed kick-off, which was not only untrue but was obviously going to offend and traumatise Liverpool FC supporters.

“UEFA senior managers should have understood the way the message would resonate with well-known issues surrounding the Hillsborough disaster and subsequent cover-up. Many survivors from Hillsborough were at the Paris events.”

What happens now?

The independent review concluded with 21 recommendations, saying that public safety at major sporting events is “too important to pass up the opportunity” of learning lessons.

Among those were the directives that UEFA should be directly and more fully involved in the planning of major events — both inside stadiums and their surrounding areas — and insist upon “customer-service stewards” being deployed.

UEFA were told they “must not just move on” from the Paris findings and that travelling fans should never be viewed as an inherent public-order problem. Changing perceptions of supporters and placing them at the heart of plans was also a point pressed home.

UEFA’s own statement in reaction to the review accepted it would “introduce appropriate changes and arrangements to ensure the highest level of safety for fans at future finals”.

Theodore Theodoridis, UEFA General Secretary, was given the task of offering comment, rather than Ceferin.

He said: “UEFA is committed to learning from the events of 28 May and will cooperate closely with supporters’ groups, the finalist clubs, the host associations and local authorities in order to deliver outstanding finals where everyone can enjoy the game in a safe, secure and welcoming environment.”

The report added its concerns that there was an acute need to address the problems outlined ahead of Paris playing host to the rugby union World Cup later this year and the Olympic Games in 2024. The Stade de France is due to host key events at both.

[scotianostra]

On the morning of February 5th 1941 the people of the Outer Hebridean island of Eriskay woke up and thought all their Christmases had come at once.

Part two telling the fate of the S S Politiain, which ran aground off Eriskay on this day in 1941.

At 10.30am on 5th February 1941 one of the ship's lifeboats left with 26 men and was washed ashore at the foot of the cliffs of Rudha Dubh, across the Sound on South Uist. Although the boat was smashed to pieces the crew survived without any injuries, but they returned to the 'Politician' by the Eriskay ferryboat later the same day. At 4.45pm the RNLI lifeboat came from Barra to rescue all of the 50 crew and land them on the Island of Barra. Chief Officer RA Swain recalls how the islanders were "very kind, replenished us with hot drinks laced with good rum, and generally made us very comfortable for the night".

The next morning, 6th February, Captain Worthington and his officers returned to the ship to see if there was any hope of re-floating her, but water had flooded the engine room and several of the ships' holds.

On 8th February the Liverpool and Glasgow Salvage Association tender 'SS Ranger' arrived with a party of salvage experts led by Commander Kay and divers, to survey the damage to the ship. The Ranger also supplied power to the winches to help the Captain and crew remove some of the 500 tons of cargo, which as well as the whisky included cars, bicycles, mail and cotton. The severe gales hampered attempts to remove the cargo and inspect the ship for salvage. It was not until 15th February that divers were able to inspect the ship's hull. Captain Kay, in charge of the salvage operation, decided to make no attempt to save the whisky as its hold (number 5) was flooded with water and fuel oil, and he believed it was contaminated. For this reason he didn't place an armed guard on the ship.

On 18th February the coaster 'Corteen' began loading the salvaged cargo, and four days later sailed for Glasgow fully loaded. The salvors had salvaged as much of the cargo as they could without diving and on 24th February the salvage officer, Commander Kay, signalled "Regret... diver's examinations shows salvage of vessel impracticable". The ship was declared a total loss and it was decided to leave the 'Politician' where she was. That same day, 24th February, the crew left the ship for the last time, and Harrisons gave notice of the abandonment of the ship to the insurers. On 12th March the Liverpool and Glasgow Salvage Association abandoned the salvage project.

Free whisky for all!

When the locals learned from the crew what the ship was carrying, a series of illegal salvage operations took place on the night of the stranding before the customs and excise officials arrived. The whisky was especially welcome because the island's had dried up due to war-time rationing. So the islanders helped themselves to some of the 28,000 cases (264,000 bottles) of whisky, or  usquebaugh, as they knew it in their native laguage, Gaelic,  which had been destined for the American market.

No islander regarded it as stealing because the rules of salvage meant that once it was in the sea, it was theirs to rescue. As word of the 'Polly' whisky spread, people came in small boats from islands closest to Barra, Lewis, Mull and the mainland. Rumours spread that the 'Polly' whisky even had magical qualities and didn't cause hangovers!

Unfortunately for the locals the customs officers, surveyor EI Gledhill and fixed officer Charles McColl based in Lochboisdale, didn't share the view that it was okay to salvage the whisky. Charles McColl, a teetotaler, saw it as theft, made worse by the fact that the whisky had never had any duty paid on it. He did not agree with Captain Kay that the whisky was unsalvageable, and that it was safe to leave it on board unguarded.

A second salvage company which later came to break up the ship, emptied hold number 5 and recovered 13,500 cases of whisky. The major part of this was transferred to storage in a customs warehouse on the mainland but some was drunk by the salvers themselves!

McColl began a battle to rally the local police into taking action to recover the stolen whisky. Village homes and crofts were searched and bottles were found hidden away in lofts, hideaways or just drunk to hide the evidence! Even today caches of 'Polly' whisky still come to light when houses are renovated.

Charles McColl and the local police caught many of the locals looting or hiding whisky when they searched households and hiding places on the islands of Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay, between 15 March and 30 September 1941. They succeeded in recovering a considerable quantity of the goods stolen, including a wide range of whisky. An Inverness-Shire Constabulary report for the 15 March 1941 records that:

"Alexander O'Henley, crofter, Garryamonie, Lochboisdale, Isle of South Uist, and four others acting in concert were found in the sound of Eriskay in the parish of South Uist in the county of Inverness, in possession of the after mentioned goods suspected of having been stolen from the 'SS Politician' then aground on Calvay Island in the Sound of Eriskay:

15 cases of whisky,

3 bundles of cotton print,

13 packets of 10 capstan cigarettes,

2 cycle mudguards,

1 handrail."

On 26th April a group of Barra men stood trial at Lochmaddy Sheriff Court, where they pleaded guilty to theft and were fined between three to five pounds. Charles McColl was unhappy at the leniency of the sentence, and pursued more men, 19 of whom received harsher sentences of between 20 days and 2 months imprisonment at Inverness and Peterhead. This created resentment amongst the locals which lingers to this day. McColl estimated that the islanders had salvaged 24, 000 bottles of whisky and wanted to make sure they could rescue no more so he obtained official permission in October 1941 to blow up the 'Politician'

In April 1941 the Salvage Association of London came to an arrangement with the British Iron and Steel Corporation (Salvage) Ltd of Glasgow to carry out a second salvage operation prior to the towing of the vessel to the ship breakers. They arrived to find the 'Polly' in a sorry state, everything movable had been looted. Examination by divers showed there was great rock under her engine room, and number 5 hold, the engine room and stoke hole were completely flooded with the water level rising and falling with the tide.

Their first job was to lighten the ship so divers salvaged the bales of cotton and cases of whisky. The strongroom believed to be holding the banknotes was also hidden between decks in the number 5 hold but when it was opened the money wasn't there. Boxes containing £360,000 in banknotes were later found hidden amongst the whisky cases. Why it was hidden there and not in the safe is not known.

In May the salvage vessel 'Assistance' lifted and forwarded more cargo to Glasgow. An attempt was made to re-float the 'Politician' on 20th September 1941, to tow her to Lochboisdale. The attempt failed and she came to rest on another rocky outcrop concealed in a sand bank and broke her back. Customs officers Gledhill and McColl estimated there was still 1,000 cases of whisky in hold number 5 so they obtained permission to dynamite the hold. This was carried out in October 1941, much to the dismay of the islanders, their emotions summed up by Angus John Campbell, who commented;

"Dynamiting whisky! You wouldn't think there'd be men in the world so crazy as that!"

Salvage attempts continued on and off until July 1944. The ship was broken into two halves, with the forward section towed to Glasgow for breaking up and the sunken after section left where she lay. Today the wreck of the 'SS Politician' still lies off the coast of Eriskay, hidden below the waterline now, her deck and cabins long since destroyed by the wild sea.

The stranding of the 'Politician' would have been forgotten as just a minor incident amongst many occurring to the Harrison Line fleet of ships during the Second World War, when they lost 30 of their 46 ships.

During the war the incident was not reported to the public, but the rumours in the highlands and islands of the West of Scotland would have been heard by the author Compton Mackenzie on the neighbouring island of Barra. The story of the 'Politician' became immortalised in his 1947 novel, 'Whiskey Galore', renamed the 'S Cabinet Minister'. When this was made into the Ealing comedy film in 1949, her story became the stuff of national legend, a remake was released in 2016.

The 'Politican' continues to rouse interest with stories of whisky still being discovered on the Islands. In 1987 eight bottles found by Donald MacPhee from South Uist sold at Christies for £4,000, and in 2003 Bonhams sold a single lid from a Ballantine's whisky crate for £1,500. As recently as August 2010 one single Ballantine's bottle of whisky sold for £4,200!

In 1988 the island of Eriskay got its first 'legitimate' pub, named Am Politician, 'The Politician' in Gaelic.

In 1989 a salvage company, SS Politician plc, was founded to salvage whisky and other cargo. After moving hundreds of tons of sand they only recovered 24 more bottles.

As I touched upon earlier the Polly was carrying another valable cargo, Bank Notes! 

Conspiracy theories prevail, mostly surrounding the reason she was carrying almost 290,000 ten shilling notes (£145,000), the equivalent of several million pounds today. Why was this amount of money being sent to Jamaica? Was it in case the government and royal family were preparing to evacuate the UK?

The Crown Agents for Overseas Governments report from 1973 describes how the government hoped that they would not get into circulation but they started turning up on the shore. Local children were seen playing with them on the beach at Benbecula but;

"the locals, most of whom are known to be incriminated in the looting, are too wily to give anything away"

An empty cash case was also found abandoned in the hold of the ship. By June the bank notes from the 'SS Politician' were turning up in bank branches in Liverpool and as far away as Jamaica, Switzerland and the USA. By 1958 the Crown Agents reported that 211,267 (£360,000) of the 290,000 notes had been recovered by the salvage company and a further 2,329 had been presented in banks in England and all over the world. There are still about 75,000 banknotes which have never been accounted for, their whereabouts remain a mystery.

The mystery is fuelled by the fact that government papers concerning the 'Politician' are still the subject of a 75 year old closure rule, which means we may not know the answer until 2016.

Perhaps the greatest mystery of all is how the 'Politician' came to be grounded in the first place? Why was she sailing full steam ahead up a narrow shallow rocky channel? The weather and black-out conditions of wartime certainly contributed and there is some evidence to suggest that she had changed direction to avoid a south bound convoy, which forced her west off her projected course. The locals have a simpler answer - it was the islanders calling for their whisky!

[muzaktomyears]

Recollections of Liverpool School of Art 1957 - Pat Jourdan

We all gathered at the front hall that September morning and John Lennon, Tony Carricker and Jeff Mohammed were sitting together on the marble steps. John and Terry were wearing their old school blazers with the pocket-badge removed, while Jeff, already about 25 years old, was wearing a speckled tweed jacket. The office window had the register for us to sign, and a small selection of art materials to buy.

We were never taught how to draw, how to create or handle a line, construct shapes via pencil, pen and ink or charcoal or the dreaded Conte crayon which we bought every Monday from the office by the front door. Two colours of Conte - black or terra cotta. Everyone preferred the terra cotta as it made any scratch look as though it was something by Leonardo da Vinci.

We were plunged into the Life Room, Room 73, with no preparation, just with half-imperial sized paper, 2B pencils or crayons. I conscientiously went round the outline of the model (Mrs Dornan or June Furlong?). We were all skating on thin ice, unassisted, only criticised by the lecturer, Phillip Burton, a small Welshman. Most of the lads were embarrassed, they said later.

So I went carefully round the model's edges and produced something like pale tramlines, week after week. Phillip Burton eventually brought me some of John Lennon's drawings, bold black simple lines. "Look at these definite statements. This is what you should be aiming at. See, here and here." He pointed out how one dashing line completed the top of an arm or the slope of a hip - all in one flow, finished. I looked at them and saw the difference. John was not present, he may have finished and gone down to the canteen.

Mr Wiffen's weekly subjects started off with a cup and saucer, then a teapot, a humpback bridge, painted in black and white special poster colour. We were out drawing the Protestant Cathedral on Friday 4th October 1957 (the Catholic one was not yet built). Thursday 17th October we were in Princes Park, hugging trees, to learn that trees - especially winter trees - were not just flat silhouettes. We each had to put our arms around a tree. It was hilarious. It looked like something from the Goon Show. This was 'Elements of Drawing' with Mr Wiffen, who always wore a white overall like a scientist.

One painter, Tony Byrne, had been to the Tate Gallery show of American abstract painters. He bought sheets of hardboard and decorators' paint, and started painting on the floor. John Lennon made fun of him (as he did of many people) and watched Tony painting on the floor. The next evening, John did one perfect floor-based painting and left it at that. He was quick to absorb whatever was new, and then move on.

When we returned in the autumn term, John was wearing a smart black corduroy jacket and I remarked how good it looked. "I'm wearing it because of my mother, the daft git walked between a tram and a car and got squashed," he said sharply. I did not know if he was being his usual sarcastic self, or if it could possibly be true - no one else had mentioned her death. So, I said, 'What a pity, that was really awful' and other sympathetic remarks, being puzzled about what he meant. It was never discussed again at all.

The college suddenly had also had a sort of investigation about our productivity, and John gave me his more outlandish drawings to hide in my locker on the top corridor. "They won't find them here, I've got to show them all my sketchbooks," John said. They turned out to be the foundation of his book, In His Own Write, in 1964.

[vanmanmax]

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Emergency Dental Services in Liverpool: What You

Dental emergencies can happen unexpectedly, leaving you in pain or discomfort and in need of immediate care. Whether it's a knocked-out tooth, severe toothache, or a broken dental crown, knowing how to access emergency dental services in Liverpool is essential to protect your oral health and avoid long-term damage. In this article, we'll cover everything you need to know about emergency dental services in Liverpool, including what qualifies as a dental emergency, what to expect, and how to find the right care.

1. What is a Dental Emergency?

A dental emergency is any situation involving your teeth, gums, or mouth that requires immediate attention from a dentist to relieve pain, prevent infection, or save a tooth. Some common dental emergencies include:

Severe toothache: Persistent or intense pain that does not subside with over-the-counter pain relief may indicate an underlying issue, such as an infection or decay that needs immediate treatment.

Knocked-out tooth: If a tooth is knocked out due to an accident or injury, acting quickly can increase the chances of saving the tooth. It’s important to keep the tooth moist and see a dentist as soon as possible.

Chipped or broken tooth: A fractured tooth can cause pain, sensitivity, and risk of infection. Depending on the severity of the break, treatment may involve bonding, crowns, or veneers.

Lost filling or crown: A lost filling or crown can leave the affected tooth exposed and vulnerable to further damage. Seeking prompt care helps prevent additional complications.

Abscess or infection: Swelling, pus, or fever associated with a tooth or gum infection is a serious dental emergency that requires immediate attention to prevent the infection from spreading.

Soft tissue injury: Cuts or lacerations to the tongue, gums, or cheeks can lead to excessive bleeding and should be assessed by a dentist to ensure proper care.

2. What to Do in a Dental Emergency

If you're experiencing a dental emergency, the first step is to contact an emergency dentist in Liverpool. Many dental clinics offer same-day or urgent care appointments for emergency cases, and it’s important to explain your symptoms clearly to ensure you receive prompt treatment.

In the meantime, there are steps you can take to manage the situation:

For a knocked-out tooth: Gently rinse the tooth with water, holding it by the crown (the visible part). If possible, try to reinsert the tooth into its socket without forcing it. If that’s not possible, keep the tooth in a container of milk or saliva until you reach the dentist.

For a toothache: Rinse your mouth with warm water and use dental floss to remove any food trapped between the teeth. Over-the-counter pain relievers can help manage the pain, but avoid placing aspirin directly on the gums as it may cause irritation.

For a broken tooth or lost crown: Rinse your mouth with warm water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Avoid chewing on the affected side of your mouth until you can see a dentist.

3. Finding Emergency Dental Services in Liverpool

Liverpool is home to numerous dental clinics that offer emergency services. Many general dental practices provide emergency care, either during regular business hours or after hours. If you have a regular dentist, contact their office as they may prioritize your case.

In cases where your regular dentist is unavailable, you can search for nearby dental practices that specialize in emergency services. Many of these clinics offer extended hours or weekend availability to accommodate urgent cases. NHS dental clinics also offer emergency dental treatment, and you can find a local NHS dentist using the NHS website.

4. What to Expect During an Emergency Dental Visit

During an emergency dental visit, the dentist will perform an assessment to diagnose the issue and determine the best course of treatment. This may involve X-rays to identify underlying problems, such as infections or fractures.

The treatment you receive will depend on the nature of the emergency. For example, a knocked-out tooth may be reinserted, a filling or crown may be replaced, or a toothache may be treated with a root canal. In severe cases, such as abscesses or infections, antibiotics may be prescribed.

Conclusion

Dental emergencies require prompt attention to alleviate pain, prevent infection, and save teeth from permanent damage. Knowing how to access emergency dental services in Liverpool and taking immediate action can make all the difference in preserving your oral health. Make sure to familiarize yourself with local emergency dentists and be prepared to act quickly in case of a dental crisis.

[john24smit]

Global Anti-Cultism: Who is Behind the Taylor Swift-Related Terror Attacks?

Recent events in the UK, including the cancellation of Taylor Swift concerts and subsequent anti-immigrant riots, are a disturbing example of how Global Anti-Cultism uses disinformation to fuel conflict.

Global Anti-Cultism employs "puzzle coding" to manipulate people's minds and incite violence. The documentary film "The IMPACT" | Groundbreaking Documentary - EXPOSING ANTI-CULT TERRORISM" (actfiles.orgg) opened my eyes to how anti-cultists use disinformation and psychological manipulation to achieve their goals. Their strategy is to provoke mass confrontations between people and then exploit the chaos to establish their own control over the world.

And recently, they used Taylor Swift to fan the flames of a civilizational war. Three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna were canceled due to the risk of a terrorist attack. This was done to trigger panic and ignite hostility between people.

Let me briefly recap what happened: On July 29, 2024 (REMEMBER THIS DATE), in the UK (town of Southport), 17-year-old Christian and UK citizen Axel Rudakubana stabbed children in a dance studio where they were dancing to Taylor Swift. As a result of this attack, three girls died, five other children are still in critical condition in the hospital, and details about the condition of three other injured children are currently unknown. Two adults were also seriously injured in the attack.

How was this done?

1. Disinformation: False information was spread that the attacker was a Muslim and was connected to ISIS (the misinformation post published by RACIRS curators on the Channel3 NOW social media channel was viewed by almost two million people before it was removed...).

2. Propaganda: This misinformation was quickly picked up by media and opinion leaders, such as Tommy Robinson and Andrew Tate, who are known for their anti-Muslim propaganda.

3. Hate-mongering: Disinformation triggered a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment, leading to mass riots in various cities across the UK (Leeds, Liverpool, Belfast, and other cities - The Telegraph reports).

Important point: The attacker was a Christian and himself became a victim of manipulation by global anti-cultists.

Important detail: The disinformation was spread from a former Russian website, which points to a direct link with RACIRS.

What happened next? How did the "puzzle coding” method work further?

The next day, July 30, 2024, anti-Islamic riots erupted in Southport. Hundreds of far-right thugs stormed the area of the local mosque on St Luke's Road. Representatives of the Southport mosque described Tuesday's events as "the most brutal attack."

Islamaphobic hate chants could be heard from the growing crowd, and there were attempts to break down the mosque's front door. “Objects were thrown at the mosque. The crowd chanted, “Who the hell is Allah? The crowd was getting angrier," said prosecutor Joshua Sanderson-Kirk. They shouted: “This is our damn country,” “You bastards.”

 Local Police Advised Mosque Worshippers to Lock Themselves Inside

Local police advised mosque worshippers to lock themselves inside the mosque building as a mob hurled Molotov cocktails, bricks, and stones at the building.

One of the mosque worshippers said, "It was a real miracle that no one was hurt and that the mosque didn't catch fire from the Molotov cocktails while everyone was locked inside."

Imagine yourself in their position for a second...

The mob then turned its rage onto the police. Over 50 officers were injured.

(Foto: 1,2) Riots outside the mosque in Southport.

3) Rubbish on the streets after the riots in Southport.

4) Broken windows at the Southport Islamic Society mosque (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

The mob of rioters claimed they were protesting the deaths of three girls - Bibi King, Elsie Dot Combe, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar (aged 6, 7, and 9...) - who were stabbed to death by 17-year-old British Christian Axel Rudakubana. 

It's worth noting that the mother of 7-year-old Elsie Dot Combe, who was stabbed to death, spoke out against the violence when rioters set fire to police vans and threw bricks at officers.

In other words, a Christian committed a brutal attack on children, and the very next day, several publications published a subconscious implant designed by anti-cultists to sow discord in society and link this crime to Islam.

I learned from the film "The IMPACT" that the "puzzle coding" method is applied to a specific geographical region. In other words, a "net" is thrown into a "lake" (the target region) and immediately catches "fish." 

But, like any fishing net, it has its drawbacks, catching the wrong "fish" that was intended. Since the mosques were nearby, anti-cultists hoped to catch a Muslim, but instead, unfortunately for them, a Christian got caught in their net.

However, this did not prevent global anti-cultists from carrying out their plans, as everything was planned and prepared in advance.

Now, after the public release of the film "The IMPACT" (actfiles.org), it becomes easy to identify the mastermind behind these gruesome terrorist acts: RACIRS at the center of the tangle. 

They were the ones giving orders to their agents, using the media to showcase terrorism, programming vulnerable people, and turning them into killers.

Notice that on both sides of these terrorist acts - it was not a deep religious belief: neither Muslims nor Christians. NO!! It was manipulation.

Note that behind all of these manipulations is RACIRS, linked to Orthodox Christianity.

I, personally, as a parent, demand that the intelligence services finally deal with global anti-cultists. Global anti-cultists are the real terrorists, and the blood of our children is on their hands. We will never forgive them...

Please, be sure to spread this information! Be sure to like it. Repost and comment.

 DON'T STAY SILENT! Thunderous applause and the spread of this information leaves no room for global anti-cultists to kill our children.

#GlobalAntiCultism #RACIRS #TaylorSwift #TheIMPACT #disinformation #informationwar #Southport #terrorism #children 

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Get Stunning Teeth Whitening in Liverpool 2024: Enhance Your Smile Today!

Dental Art Clinic for Teeth Whitening

Experience the transformative power of a dazzling smile with Dental Art Clinic’s professional Teeth Whitening services. Our expert team is dedicated to helping you achieve the radiant smile you’ve always wanted.

Contact us today to schedule your consultation and take the first step towards a captivating smile that leaves a lasting impression. We proudly serve patients with our Teeth Whitening Services in Macquarie Fields and surrounding suburbs, including Liverpool, Campbelltown, Macarthur Square, Edmondson Park, Leumeah, Minto Heights, Saint Andrews, Casula, Denham Court, Minto, Macquarie Links, Glenfield, Long Point, and Ingleburn.

What is Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is a popular cosmetic dental procedure that aims to brighten and rejuvenate the appearance of your smile. Over time, teeth can become stained or discolored due to various factors like consumption of coffee, tea, red wine, or tobacco use. Teeth whitening involves the use of safe and effective bleaching agents to remove stains and lighten the color of your teeth, leaving you with a radiant and youthful smile.

Why Choose Teeth Whitening?

A bright and white smile can have a significant impact on your self-confidence and overall appearance. Teeth whitening is an excellent way to enhance the aesthetics of your smile, boost your self-esteem, and make a positive impression in social and professional settings. It is a non-invasive and cost-effective solution to achieve a dazzling smile and can complement other dental treatments for a comprehensive smile makeover.

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

At Dental Art Clinic, we offer professional teeth whitening treatments that are safe, efficient, and tailored to your specific needs. Our experienced dentists will evaluate your dental health and discuss the desired level of whitening to determine the most suitable treatment option for you. We use advanced whitening gels and specialized techniques to break down stains and discoloration on the enamel surface, revealing a brighter smile. The procedure is quick, painless, and can be done in-office or with take-home kits, depending on your preference.

Why Choose Dental Art Clinic for Teeth Whitening?

Expert Dental Care: Our team of skilled dentists has extensive experience in cosmetic dentistry, ensuring you receive top-notch care and exceptional results.

Personalized Treatment: We understand that every smile is unique. Our teeth whitening treatments are personalized to match your individual needs and smile goals.

State-of-the-Art Technology: Dental Art Clinic utilizes the latest dental technology and advanced whitening products to achieve optimal results while minimizing sensitivity.

Brighten Your Smile with Expert Teeth Whitening at Dental Art Clinic

At Dental Art Clinic, we believe in the power of a radiant smile. Our teeth whitening services are designed to bring out the best in your smile, enhancing your confidence and overall appearance. Conveniently located in Macquarie Fields, we are proud to serve clients from Macarthur Square, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Edmondson Park, and Macquarie Fields, providing top-notch teeth whitening solutions tailored to your unique needs.

Why Teeth Whitening?

A bright, white smile is more than just aesthetically pleasing—it’s a reflection of good oral health and personal care. Over time, factors like diet, age, and certain habits can dull the natural whiteness of your teeth. Our teeth whitening procedure effectively reverses these effects, restoring the natural brilliance of your smile.

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Understanding that each smile is unique, we offer personalized teeth whitening plans. Whether you’re looking for a significant color change or a subtle enhancement, our experts will tailor a plan just for you, ensuring results that meet your expectations.

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Transforming Smiles: The Essential Role Of A Cosmetic Dentist In Liverpool

Liverpool, a city rich in culture and history, is home to a vibrant community where individuals cherish not just their heritage but also their appearances. In this lively metropolis, the role of a cosmetic dentist goes far beyond mere dental care—it's about restoring confidence, transforming smiles, and enhancing the overall well-being of its residents.

Cosmetic dentistry in Liverpool encompasses an array of procedures designed to improve the aesthetic appeal of a person's smile. Whether it's addressing chipped, discolored, or misaligned teeth, or even rejuvenating a complete smile makeover, the cosmetic dentist plays a pivotal role in reshaping and revitalizing smiles.

Title: Enhancing Smiles: The Vital Role of a Cosmetic Dentist in Liverpool

Cosmetic dentistry in Liverpool encompasses an array of procedures designed to improve the aesthetic appeal of a person's smile. Whether it's addressing chipped, discolored, or misaligned teeth, or even rejuvenating a complete smile makeover, the cosmetic dentist plays a pivotal role in reshaping and revitalizing smiles.

It's essential to acknowledge the psychological impact of a confident smile. A skilled cosmetic dentist in Liverpool understands this and goes beyond merely fixing teeth. They strive to uplift spirits, boost self-esteem, and instill a renewed sense of confidence in individuals by crafting smiles that radiate warmth and positivity.

The Role of a Cosmetic Dentist in Liverpool

- Personalized Consultations: Cosmetic dentists in Liverpool offer individualized consultations, listening attentively to patients' concerns and desires regarding their smiles. They assess oral health and discuss tailored treatment options to achieve aesthetic goals.

- Teeth Whitening Expertise: Utilizing advanced techniques, cosmetic dentists provide both in-office procedures and take-home kits for teeth whitening. This helps combat stains caused by various factors, offering Liverpool residents a brighter and more radiant smile.

- Correcting Imperfections: Procedures like dental bonding and veneers are employed to address dental imperfections. Dental bonding repairs chips, gaps, or discoloration, while veneers cover the front surface of teeth, creating a flawless and natural-looking smile.

- Orthodontic Solutions: Beyond traditional braces, cosmetic dentists offer Invisalign—a discreet method using clear, removable aligners to straighten teeth. Liverpool residents benefit from a more comfortable and inconspicuous orthodontic treatment.

- Restoration of Damaged/Missing Teeth: Dental implants, as permanent replacements for missing teeth, not only restore functionality but also provide a natural appearance. This empowers individuals to smile, eat, and speak comfortably.

- Full Smile Makeovers: Through a combination of treatments, cosmetic dentists achieve full smile makeovers. This comprehensive approach addresses multiple concerns, transforming overall facial aesthetics and boosting self-confidence.

- Psychological Impact: Recognizing the psychological significance of a confident smile, cosmetic dentists aim to uplift spirits and boost self-esteem. They craft smiles that radiate warmth, positively impacting the lives of their patients.

- Empowering Individuals: Beyond fixing teeth, cosmetic dentists in Liverpool empower individuals to embrace their smiles with pride. Their blend of artistry, innovation, and personalized care enriches lives, fostering beautiful and confident smiles across the city.

In summary, the role of a cosmetic dentist in Liverpool is diverse and impactful. From personalized consultations to comprehensive smile makeovers, these professionals contribute significantly to enhancing smiles and boosting confidence. Their expertise not only improves oral aesthetics but also positively influences the overall well-being of Liverpool's residents, enriching lives and fostering a culture of confident smiles throughout the city.