David Davis

I grant you that modesty was never David Davis's long suit, but why is no one asking this simple set of questions?

The Government decided to make the extension to 42 days a matter of such over-riding principle that the Prime Minister staked his own survival and that of his Cabinet on it. It was accordingly whipped.

It is claimed that various deals were done (ignoring Cuba's appalling human rights record – more imprisoned journalists than any other country etc, etc; water subsidies for Northern Ireland) to ensure support. Well, maybe. Maybe it's just chance, or conviction, that the DUP backed the bill.

But if this is vital, essential legislation, worth putting the Government on the line for, why won't the governing party put up a candidate who believes in it against Davis?

Is there any reason why we should not hold in contempt any group which backs this curtailment of liberties, but will not stand a serious candidate on the issue?

I'm sorry, but I would happily go up to Yorkshire to campaign for him. This is not a party issue.

Zip Returns

I've said before that M John Harrison belongs to the people. So many thanks to Paul Raven at Velcro City (permanent link to the right) for this excellent news.

Another one bites the dust

Obviously there's a problem with getting everyone on the obits page, and a great many important people never make it.

But what's important?

Mel Ferrer is obviously not very important as a writer, producer, actor or any of the other things he attempted to do.

But he was married to Audrey Hepburn for 14 years.

Even the most happily married of us might feel, if not jealous, wistful.

Too much information

I just want to say, and I think here that I speak for a great many sf reviewers, that you write TOO MUCH STUFF.

I love the too much stuff as, I'm sure, do your fans. Backstory is fantastic.

But if you have to read (OK, look at) about 40-60 books a month to write 150 words each on 4 every six or eight weeks...

It's a lot of work for 500-600 words, with a payment in pounds at less than half the words.

Bring back Richard Matheson; Robert Silverberg; Ken Grimwood:

I love what you're all doing. Let me like it in shorter burtsts.

Yves St Laurent

Dead. Here.

Nice clothes, though not in my view as good as Balenciaga or Givenchy.

People have wider interests than you think, you know.