Norman Wisdom was beloved in Communist Eastern Europe, where his films of his bumbling character Pitkin were one of the few Western films allowed to be shown. His films resonated with audiences who related to Pitkin's tricks played on authority figures as a way to subtly subvert the repressive Communist system. Wisdom became one of Albania's most popular stars and a symbol of resistance for the oppressed masses behind the Iron Curtain.

1. The UK’s quarterly almanac | Last to breaking news
Oct Nov Dec 2010
'Freedom of the Press' by Shepard Fairey

2. WHAT’S THE
BIG IDEA?
Print is not dead.
For all the wily charms
of the digital world
with its tweets, feeds,
blogs and apps, there
is still nothing like
the pleasure created
by ink on paper.

3. T
he server farms and all their delights cannot replace time
spent in the company of something you can actually hold,
whose pages you can turn down and whose spine you can
crack. We believe in magazines which engross, inspire and
induce guffaws at the end of a long week. We have no interest in
creating throwaway media – we want to make something which
is treasured, which ends its days making the bookshelf, coffee
table or toilet just that little bit prettier and more civilised.
And we believe that everyone needs a screen break.
Perspective, too, is not dead. Kneejerk punditry, live-blogging
and the pounding waves of the 24-hour news cycle have their
appeal. But there’s also joy in getting your head above the water,
sucking in a lungful of clear air and taking your bearings.
This is our starting point. With our belief in print and perspective
we bring you , a quarterly almanac that
looks as good as it feels as good as it reads. A handsome devil
that curates the news and captures the times, written by smart
minds armed with three months’ worth of hindsight, and without
the albatross of an hourly deadline around their necks.
As the weeks and months zip by, we will be keeping track,
picking out the patterns, and seeing what is left after the dust
has settled. We will strip out the white noise and give you the
intelligent, witty essentials, telling the story of the UK and
the world over the last quarter.
This publication, then, is our flag in the sand – a magazine of
record from editors determined to swim against the electronic tide.
We don’t think we’re alone.

4. Oct

5. t
1s
BORN
i
Fr d
2n
t
Sa
3rd
{
n
Su
4th
n
Mo
5th
e
Tu
6th AR smart specs, ocular technology
d
We Biodegradable chocolate wrappers, packaging
7th Black squirrels, rodent
Thu Curaçao and St Maarten, countries
8th The Endobarrier, health product
Fri
Eye secrets, beauty product
9th Frontal enhancement pants, intimate clothing
Sat
i, newspaper
10th Laptop thigh, ailment
Sun
Malt salt, foodstuff
11th
Mon Pot Noëldles, foodstuff
Robot soldiers, military hardware
2th
Tue 1 The sexomnia defence, legal strategy
Test tube livers, biomedical product
Wed 13th Tianhe-I, super computer
The Tipsy Gene, scientific discovery
Thu 14th Wonka gum, confection
{
Fri 15th
Sat 16th
Wed 2
Thu
Sun 17th
Mon 18th
Tue 19th
0th
21st
{ Ari Up, singer
Bob Guccione, publisher
Chimp Charlie, primate
Claire Rayner, campaigner and journalist
The Exmoor Emperor, stag
The GAP’s new logo, branding
Gregory Isaacs, singer
Fri Grey squirrels, rodent
22nd
The Horserace Totalisator Board, bookmaker
Sat Joan Sutherland, singer
23rd
Limewire, software
Sun
24th Malcolm Allison, football manager
Mo Multikulti, concept
n 2
5th The Netherlands Antilles, country
Tu Norman Wisdom, actor
e
26t Paul the Octopus, cephalopod
h
We
d The PG Tips chimp, primate
27t
Th h Tom Bosley, actor
u The Vice Squad, police department
28t
Fr h The Walkman, electronic product
i
{
1sh
29
tt
Sa
t
Su 30
th
n
DIED
31
st

6. Oct “It’s only 2,000 years too late…”
Fri 1st Fri 1st
Controversy has been caused by the Charity Commission’s
granting of charitable status to the Druid Network – one of
The Equality Act comes into force
across England, Wales and Scotland.
numerous British druid organisations – and its recognition of druidry
The Daily Mail declares it "The End as a religion. We canvass the opinion of King Arthur Pendragon,
of the Office Joke." a senior druid, Stonehenge resident and – according to him – a
reincarnation of the original King Arthur.
Manchester City announces losses of
£121 million for the year running to Council of British Druid Orders has no
May 31 2010.m Oct 15th intention of being recognised as a charity.
Druidry is recognised as a religion by Has the ruling given druidry greater
The Charity Commission.g legitimacy in the eyes of the public?
It’s always good to have approval but we
Latest Ministry of Justice figures didn’t need it. We have our belief structure
show the UK’s prison population has and we carry on regardless. The reality is
hit an all-time high of 85,495. our religious belief structure already had
legitimacy – it’s the pre-Christian religion
Chevron are given the green light to of these isles
start deepwater drilling off the UK King Arthur Pendragon
coast: their ‘Lagavulin Prospect’ will Were the Druid Network more interested
open 160 miles north of the What does the Charity Commission in recognition or tax breaks?
Shetland Isles. ruling mean to you? I really don’t know, to be honest. For most
It’s good to see the Commission recognising druids in Britain it [the ruling] won’t make one
Tens of thousands of copies of druidry as a religion – it’s only 2,000 years iota of difference. It just means the media will
Jonathan Franzen’s new book, too late. But the ruling was about giving a take us a little more seriously. At the end of the
‘Freedom’ are recalled for pulping specific order, the Druid Network, charitable day, it’s just nature worship. None of the
after it is discovered that the British status. My order hasn’t applied for that status. authorities or other religions have any reason
printers sent the wrong draft of the to fear paganism at all.
book to press.g How do your aims differ from the Druid
Network’s? Are you playing a role in preserving
Ex-President Pervez Musharraf We’re the warrior arm of the druids, the British heritage? Is there an argument
launches his new party, The All political activists. And I also represent the that you should receive funding?
Pakistan Muslim League, from the Council of British Druid Orders which is 21 Yes, but that would be down not to the
National Liberal Club in Whitehall. different orders including my own. We all Commission, but perhaps the Arts Council or
celebrate the same religion. I don’t want my another body. We’re keeping alive ancient
Burglar Jason Williams is sentenced order being recognised as a charity and the British traditions – that’s got to be good.
to two years and five months in jail
for stealing items including a pair of
Extra pulp
net curtains from the house next
door – and then putting the curtains Three books that preceded
Fri 1st
up in his own window, where they 'Freedom' from shelf to sludge
were duly spotted by his neighbours.
The Times reports that Zimbabwean The Charles I Bible, 1631
medium Nomatter Tagarira has A regal print run was recalled and torn up after a misprint left the 7th
been jailed for convincing govern- commandment declaring ‘Thou shalt commit adultery’ – much to the
ment officials that she was able to dismay of King Charles I. The 11 known surviving ‘wicked Bibles’
produce pure diesel oil from a rock, are valued at £50,000.
and receiving £1.7 million in cash to
develop the industry. Operation Dark Heart: Spycraft and Special Ops
on the Frontlines of Afghanistan, 2010
Sat 2nd One of the US military’s more unusual search and destroy
missions saw them paying publisher Macmillan $47,000
IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn (£30,000) to destroy the entire first run of Lt Col Anthony
urges major economies to strive to Shaffer’s Afghanistan memoirs in September. The
avoid a currency war. g Pentagon claimed the book published classified
intelligence: a new, censored version was released later.
The 10:10 campaign pulls an advert
by Richard Curtis featuring Gillian The Pasta Bible, 2010
Anderson, David Ginola, office Earlier this year Penguin Publishing’s ‘Pasta Bible’ faced
workers and schoolchildren being the grinders after having listed "salt and freshly ground
blown up for refusing to cut their black people" in its Lecter-esque recipe for spelt tagliatelle
carbon emissions. with sardines and prosciutto.

7. How to start a currency war
Sat 2nd
Feeling in the mood to send international tensions skyrocketing and throw the
money markets into turmoil? Allow us to point you in the right direction.
1. Identify a competitor 2. Start buying large 3. Watch as their currency 4. Sales of your nation's
nation in whose markets you quantities of their currency becomes stronger against your products should now increase.
wish to stimulate demand for on the international markets. own currency, thereby making
your products. Stockpile it. your products more affordable
in their market.
5. Buy more of your 6. Watch your sales increase 7. Your competitor should 8. Your competitor may
competitor’s currency. still further, while sales of your now be angry. demand that you re-value
Stockpile it. competitor’s products in your your currency in the interests
own country decrease. of free trade. They may hint at
tariffs and sanctions should
you refuse.
9. Refuse. 10. Your competitor may now 11. Respond by buying and 12. Repeat this process until
start to print money, to flood stockpiling more of your the global economy breaks
the market and bring down the competitor’s currency. down or you are reprimanded
value of his currency. Your competitor may now by the G20.
redouble his money printing.

8. pm
Sun 3rd Oct 2010
The moment that mattered
by Colin Montgomerie
“There were two decisive moments of the Ryder Cup – both on the Sunday. The first was
Lee Westwood’s putt on the 10th hole playing with Luke Donald against Tiger Woods and Steve
Stricker. He made that putt to go five up. I think it hurt the USA Team seeing Woods five down
and Lee and Luke eventually won that match six and five.
But the key moment was on the 18th green when the Molinari brothers made a birdie for
a half to take the overall score to nine and a half to six and a half as opposed to nine to seven.
That putt on the 18th really swung the match in our favour.
I was actually praying it was Edoardo Molinari to take the putt as he is the better putter, but it was
Francesco’s turn. I was inside the ropes at the back of the 18th to see the Molinaris get their half
point. I spoke to them straight afterwards and they were delighted. I don’t know if he knew how
important that putt was going into the singles the next day but I certainly did.”

9. Oct
Sun 3rd
Germany makes a final payment of
£59.5 million in war reparations from
WWI.
A tube strike called by RMT under
Bob Crow brings London to a
standstill for 24 hours.
Europe edges ahead of the US in the
Ryder Cup.f
Commonweath
Games boss Suresh
Kalmadi opens the
event to boos at
Delhi's Jawaharlal
Nehru stadium.
The Guardian reports on a new
exhibition which suggests that
Hitler promised Von Ribbentrop
Cornwall as a gift after the Nazi
conquest of Britain.
Born: Malt Salt, a powdery new
condiment which combines the
flavours of salt and vinegar,
potentially bringing an end to soggy
fish and chips.
Mon 4th
Just after midnight, a bomb goes off
at a Derry branch of the Ulster Bank.
No-one is hurt.
In a speech at the
Conservative
conference, George
Osborne announces
that as of 2013 child
benefit will no longer
be paid to families in which one adult
earns over £44,000. m Oct 6th
The Nobel Prize in Medicine is
awarded to Professor Robert G.
Edwards for his work in developing
in vitro fertilisation.
Actor Tony Curtis is buried with a
series of possessions including his
iPhone, driving gloves, Stetson,
Armani scarf and Anthony Adverse,
his favourite book.
Europe wins the Ryder Cup by 14.5
points to 13.5.
Actor Norman Wisdom dies in a
nursing home on the Isle of Man, at
the age of 95.m

10. Pitkin behind the Iron Curtain
James Montague on how pratfalling comic Norman Wisdom became a
talisman for the oppressed masses of Communist Eastern Europe...
Mon 4th
I
t was an unusually busy October for His Excellency do no damage,” Mazi recalls. “They were not films that
Zef Mazi. Rarely does the Albanian ambassador to could contribute to bringing down the system. Rather
the UK have to deal with scores of urgent requests they would amuse people. Then the regime could say:
from the media. But when the news came through ‘OK, we are even showing Western films here.’”
that Sir Norman Wisdom had died, his office went Whilst the Communist Party saw Wisdom’s films as
into overdrive. a fig leaf for its repression of foreign artistic influences,
Telegrams detailing the grief of the Albanian people the Albanian people immediately connected with
had to be sent and TV interviews from the likes of BBC Pitkin’s struggles against seemingly unbeatable foes.
News had to be accommodated. Even the Albanian “The Albanian people have a very good sense of hu-
president was called into action, with a personal state- mour, very similar to the British, and we immediately
ment published on the embassy’s website next to a pic- got the message from the films of Norman Wisdom,”
ture of him embracing a frail-looking Wisdom. says Mazi. “Pitkin’s role playing tricks on policemen,
In his home country, Wisdom was affectionately seen and on his boss Mr Grimsdale and so on. And getting
as a lovable fool – the rubber-faced funnyman who away with it! People liked this because it was how they
made post-war Britain laugh by falling down graceful- cheated their own system. There was a joke we had
ly, an anachronism from the faded music hall past. back then [about the Communist Party] that summed
Even his most famous epitaph, that he was Charlie it up: ‘You pretend to pay us and we pretend to work.’”
Chaplin’s favourite clown, was delivered as if it were a The official imprimatur on Wisdom’s films saw him
back-handed compliment. become one of the country’s most popular stars,
Yet those who grew up on the Soviet side of the Iron embraced by even highbrow critics. Rudolf Marku is
Curtain during the Cold War have a very different view one of Albania’s greatest living poets and a former
of Wisdom and his downtrodden alter ego Pitkin. From editor of the the officially sanctioned culture newspaper
Moscow to Zagreb, he was one of the few Western film Drita (“Light”). “One of my books had been banned for
stars allowed to be seen by the public. This virtual ‘ideological errors’ and I was sent to the countryside for
monopoly saw him revered as the most unlikely of class re-education,” he explains. “I don’t know if you’ve seen
warriors, an allegorical everyman who used humour the film ‘Cinema Paradiso’, but this was a small town
and humanity to pull off small but unlikely victories with the cinema at its centre. In the cinema you could
over the petty impositions of those in authority. And see for the first time the world outside the walls.”
nowhere did Wisdom’s films strike more of a chord than It was here that he saw a Wisdom film for the first
in Albania, Europe’s most isolated and ideologically time. “Such beautiful films, and he was immediately
pure Communist dictatorship, run by the hard-line, attached to the viewers. Why? Norman had the human
paranoid Enver Hoxha. touch and was always on the side of the vulnerable
“We had the typical life of a country that was under people. He tried to make fun out of those in power. The
Communist rule… and over time things got a government showed the films but the common
lot harder,” explains Ambassador Mazi. people saw the code: he was one of them,
“Lack of freedom of movement and against the directors, the police. In
expression, no human rights. People translation, for the common people, it
would risk their lives for expressing “The was to be against the government.”
the concerns of the market. People
went to jail for eight years for
common When Enver Hoxha died in 1985,
sparking the beginning of the end
saying: ‘How come we can’t have people saw of the regime, Wisdom’s populari-
olive oil?’”
But for the isolationist Albani- the code: Pitkin ty endured. On his first visit to
Albania in 1995 he was mobbed
an government, who viewed even
China as being too politically
was one of them, everywhere he went. In 2001 when
he returned and made an
liberal, there was one major threat against the appearance with David Beckham at
to their rule: foreign TV networks.
Albania is sandwiched between Italy directors” a football match between Albania
and England, it was perhaps the first
and Greece, and the Communist Party and last time Beckham was overshad-
was constantly battling a public who used owed at a public appearance.
hidden TV aerials to find out what was going Whilst in the UK Wisdom’s death was met
on in the outside world. By the 1970s the regime with the usual glib obituaries proffered to the elder
officially blocked all outside signals, sanctioning the statesmen of entertainment, in Albania his passing
broadcast of only those foreign films that posed no was met with sadness across the country. “People
political threat. When the censors came across Norman really loved him as a human being, an actor, a
Wisdom, he appeared to tick all the right boxes. comedian who touched a chord in those difficult times,”
“Norman Wisdom’s films were shown because it was says Mazi. “He gave our people a reason to laugh at a
decided they were typical English humour that could time in our history when it wasn’t very easy to laugh.”

11. Oct

12. Conference Season digested Oct
As the Tory conference ends we boil down 14 days' worth of political
Wed 6th Tue 5th
grandstanding, intrigue and backbiting from three parties to the bare essentials.
1am – Hastings Pier is consumed
by fire.
Conservatives Labour Liberal Democrats
Hungary declares a state of
Celebration, big society and CSR: Dealing with the fallout: The view from within: emergency as a tide of poisonous red
Self-congratulation about being back Fresh from being appointed leader, Ed Nick Clegg tells the conference to ‘stick sludge from an alumina plant pours
in power, the formation of the Coalition Miliband says New Labour is now being with us’ and to take ownership of through three western counties,
and its achievements, plus lots of New run by The New Generation. There are decisions made by the Coalition. Despite inflicting chemical burns and killing
Labour-bashing. There’s also a focus on apparently no age limits to this genera- falling ratings and rumblings from some
THEMES
three people on the way.
deficit reduction and changes to the tion: Ken Livingstone claims to be a delegates about the loss of Lib Dem
welfare state, and attempts to capture the proud member, as does 77-year-old identity, the party is generally positive
meaning of the ‘Big Society’. conference attendee Doreen. about being in government. The Real IRA claim responsibility for
the Ulster Bank Bomb and are
condemned by Martin McGuinness as
David Cameron Ed Miliband’s speech Nick Clegg highlights ‘conflict junkies’.
defends the formation of is generally credited with the Freedom Bill, the
the Coalition, lists its putting some sheen on end of ID cards, the Former Société Générale trader
achievements to date an otherwise downbeat new bank levy and the Jérome Kerviel is found guilty of
and attacks the conference. It starts AV referendum as fraud, committed to three years in
‘complete mess’ of with a story about his reasons for the prison and told to repay £4.25 billion
Labour's defence budget as well as the father and grandfather’s flight from the conference to be proud of the Lib Dem to the bank.
size of government debt repayments. Nazis and Ed’s consequent love for the role in the Coalition. He ducks
He talks about local projects like NHS UK then lists successes and failures of addressing tuition fees or Trident, both In his conference speech, Justice
nurses co-ops, residents’ street patrols in the last government. He claims that the big conference topics. The only policy Secretary Ken Clarke suggests that
Balsall Heath and plans for a ‘Citizen Iraq war was wrong but says it is not announcement is a relatively minor one on prisoners should work for 40 hours a
University’. He thanks a six-year-old girl possible to blame anyone who took the tax increment financing. Nevertheless, he week. f
who sent him her tooth money to help pay decision to start it. His biggest applause enjoys a three minute standing ovation.
LEADERS’ SPEECHES
off the deficit. He defines Big Society as comes when he lists ‘some of the According to a BBC
‘government helping to build a nation names I’ve been called’* and tells Key quote:
report, hundreds of
of doers and go-getters.’ people to ‘come off it’
‘We’ve always been the face grey squirrels are
Key quote: Key quote: of change, now we are the agents being wiped out by
black squirrels
‘We are the radicals now.’ ‘Let’s be honest, politics isn’t working.’ of change.’ brought in from
North America.
The International Citizen Service is Not many concrete policies: this is more The launch of the Yes Born: Laptop Thigh, also known
introduced. Simon Schama is to consult of a regrouping conference and campaign for the AV as ‘erythema ab igne’ a rash-like
on the review of history-teaching in the speeches tend to be very broad brush. referendum, motions condition identified by the Pediatrics
National Curriculum. George Osborne Ed Miliband promises to tackle immigra- carried on marriage for journal and affecting people who work
announces the introduction of a cap on tion worries, to oppose irresponsible gay couples and civil with laptops balanced on their legs.
benefits. Headteachers are to be allowed strikes and to limit David Cameron’s time partnerships for
to discipline students who behave badly in office to one term. He also criticises mixed-sex partners and Vince Cable Five suspected German militants are
outside of school. Iain Duncan Smith supermarkets that sell cheap alcohol. announces that a minimum of 10 per cent killed by a drone attack in Pakistan.
sketches out his ‘welfare contract’. Andy Burnham underlines the importance of Royal Mail shares will be available to
Kenneth Clarke intends to make of opposing the reorganisation of the employees on privatisation. A diluted The first reprocessed methane gas
prisoners work for 40 hours per week. NHS while shadow culture secretary Ben motion to increase the number of Lib from sewage is delivered to homes in
Eric Pickles recommends mayoral Bradshaw calls on the coalition to ban Dem candidates from ethnic minorities
MAJOR POLICY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Didcot by Centrica.
Home Rule for big cities. Rupert Murdoch from buying out BSkyB. is also passed.

13. George Osborne’s announcement of It's all about the Miliband brothers. Miriam González Durántez, aka Mrs Wed 6th
a change in child benefit is criticised David's wife Louise Shackleton fails to Clegg, claims not to know who Cherie
by groups including the Child Poverty disguise her upset at David's loss of the Blair is after being compared to her
Action Group and the Institute for leadership election, allegedly crying during an interview with The Times. MP France raises its threat level warning
Fiscal Studies, which publishes an backstage before his speech. David Mike Hancock sends an open letter to for citizens travelling to the UK.
analysis claiming it will ‘seriously distort refuses to clap during Ed’s speech when Nick Clegg, urging him to avoid
incentives for some families with he claims the invasion of Iraq was ‘wrong’ ‘dictatorship of the party by 20 Lib Dem The Conservative conference comes
children’. Tory party officials allegedly and is caught on camera asking Harriet ministers’ and suggesting that he should to an end in Birmingham.f
ban ministers from being seen Harman – who voted for the war – why try living on benefits, if he thinks it is
drinking champagne, although she is applauding. There is unrest easy. YouGov release a poll of Liberal Cheryl Cole receives a ‘Death threat’
Work and Pensions Minister Chris brewing about Ed’s election in the first Democrats which shows David Cameron from a new Facebook group entitled
DRAMAS
Grayling is photographed sipping couple of days of the conference and has a higher approval rating than Simon 'cheryl cole to die a painful death for
something suspiciously bubbly. Decca Aitkenhead (The Guardian) reports Hughes. The Conference passes a being a T**t and blasted into space'.
David Cameron sits in the audience Neil Kinnock vowing of dissenters that motion to boycott the establishment of
during speeches rather than on the ‘we’ll track the bastards down and free schools – despite the fact that the 52-year-old Chimp Charlie, famous
platform, telling ITV ‘Let the leader go we’ll stamp on them’. Lord Sainsbury, Coalition is committed to the policy and for being a heavy smoker, dies in
and sit in the audience with everybody one of the biggest donors to the party, Lib Dem MPs have already voted in Mangaung Zoo in Bloemfontein,
else, instead of trying to hog the decides not to come to the conference Parliament to let such measures go South Africa.
limelight… I want people to get after Ed’s victory, citing ‘stuff to do’ as the ahead. Charles Kennedy pulls out of a
to know the team, and not just the reason. Ed Miliband dismisses the chief rally, claiming problems with his train and
Thu 7th
team captain.’ whip, Nick Brown. later leaves the conference
In Bristol, chef Faye Pounder loses
all her possessions while moving out
‘They left us a legacy of spinning, ‘The thinking woman’s ‘Never in the field of political memoirs, from her flat when her flatmate
smearing, briefing, back-biting, oatcake.’ has so much been written by so few about accidentally loads them into the
half-truths and cover-ups, patronising, Harriet Harman on so little.’ wrong car, which then drives off.
old-fashioned, top-down, wasteful, Jack Straw. It’s not clear Nick Clegg on New Labour diaries.
whether it is a dig or an BP sifts through hundreds of
centralising, inefficient, ineffective, attempt at praise. ‘What is it like being in bed with the wrongful American claims for
unaccountable politics, 10p tax and compensation from the Gulf of
90 days detention, an election bottled ‘He’s Gromit... The very cool dog who flies Tories? First, it’s exhausting; it’s exhausting Mexico oil spill, including some from
to the moon and beats the penguin.’ because you have to fight to keep landlocked states.
and a referendum denied, gold sold at the duvet’.
Eddie Izzard denies that Ed looks
half price and council tax doubled, bad like Wallace. Vince Cable on the Coalition.
Scientists working in Papua New
Guinea’s Southern Highlands and
IN QUOTES
news buried and Mandelson resurrected,
pension funds destroyed and foreign ‘If you really want to strike a blow ‘Spivs and gamblers who did more harm to New Britain Island announce the
discovery of 200 new species.i
prisoners not deported, Gurkhas kept out against the surveillance state you should the British economy than Bob Crow could
and extremist preachers allowed in.’ sack Andy Coulson.’ achieve in his wildest Trotskyite fantasies.’ It is reported that Cyril Howarth of
David Cameron on Labour. Alan Johnson to David Cameron. Vince Cable on bankers. Chorley has built a working replica
of a U-Boat, using it to patrol the
‘I don’t want to violate ‘The only Cabinet minister you can Leeds-Liverpool canal. He faces
It’s real political hokey cokey.’ inspection by British Waterways.
the entente cordiale but it Alastair Darling on Vince Cable in spot on Google Earth.’
seems to me that there government. Nick Clegg on Eric Pickles. English swimmers Fran Halsall and
are obvious comparisons Rebecca Adlington report suffering
from ‘Delhi belly’ at the Common-
to be drawn between our *A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME wealth Games.
population and the light-fingered Parisians.’ In his leader’s speech, Ed Miliband listed ‘Wallace’ (from Wallace and
Boris Johnson compares Boris Bikes to Gromit), ‘Forrest Gump’ (allegedly coined by members of David Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa
the Parisian Vélib. Milband’s campaign) and ‘Red Ed’ as nicknames he had been called. wins the Nobel Prize in Literature.
He has also variously been dubbed Super Ted, Death Ray Panda
‘Who do they think we are? Brothers?’ (The Guardian), Steady Ed (Telegraph Blogs) and Neil Kinnock’s Kid Halifax reports that house prices have
George Osborne on the idea that he (Evening Standard) and compared to Tweedledum (Private Eye), dropped by 3.6% in the last month.
and Vince Cable would stab each other Sarah Palin (Telegraph Blogs), Steve Ovett (The Daily Telegraph),
in the back. Niles Crane and Margaret Thatcher (The Independent). Gap unveils a new logo. m Oct 13th

14. New species
Conservation International's Stephen Richards guides
Thu 7th
us through the pick of the 200 recently discovered
new species. Illustrated by Cloé Gillies
Pheidole sp. nov.
Common name
Ant.
Remarkable
characteristics
Its head – the large
majors have heads
that are several
times the size of
those of the workers.
Then there are its
huge mandibles – the
majors’ giant appendages
are controlled by powerful
muscles which allow them to
crush food that the workers bring
back to the nest. And its distinct shiny, spiky spine,
which is thought to defend it against predators.
Prey and predators
Prey as yet unknown.
Main predator is thought to be birds.
Where to spot
Foraging on the forest floor at mid-elevation
plateaux (circa 1600m) in the Muller Range, in
Papua New Guinea.
Choerophryne sp. Feather-tailed
Common name Frog. Possum,
Remarkable characteristics
An exceptionally long snout, which protrudes well past its jaw.
Distoechurus sp.
Its size – it is tiny (it could sit on your thumb-nail). Its call – it Common name Possum.
has a distinctive soft scratching call during heavy rain. Remarkable characteristics
Prey and predators A feather-like tail.
Almost certainly eats tiny insects and other tiny invertebrates. Prey and predators
Predators will include anything larger than it, which is pretty Eats small fruit and insects
much everything, including larger frogs, large insects, and possibly nectar. Predators
centipedes etc. as yet unknown.
Where to spot Where to spot
In pouring rain on and near the ground in steep gullies in dense The Muller Range and Mt Sisa
rainforest in central Papua New Guinea. Bring a strong torch. in central Papua New Guinea.
The Tube-nosed The pink-eyed
Fruit Bat Caedicia
Nyctimene sp. Common name
Wood cricket / katydid.
Common name Fruit bat. Remarkable characteristics
Remarkable characteristics Striking pink eyes.
Tube-like nostrils. Prey and predators
Prey and predators Eats flowers from the tall trees
Eats fruit. Predators as yet of the forest. Predators as yet
unknown. unknown.
Where to spot Where to spot
Hill forests in Papua The forest canopy in the
New Guinea. Muller Range mountains.

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