That’s your lot then, in a week in which summer broke out in intermittent periods making way to overcast gloom and causing countless wardrobe dilemmas and careful bouts of cloud studying in the morning. A week in which Fidel Castro appeared on Cuban television alive and well, and wearing an Adidas shell-suit, talking about Vietnam. And a week, appropriately enough in the light of Mr Castro’s prominent role in the Cold War, in which Vladimir Putin threatened to point Russia’s nuclear missiles at European cities in response to George Bush’s protectionist ‘Son of Star Wars’ missile shield plan. Worrying times, then.

This week we would like to thank the following people, without whom this issue would not have been possible to produce: Piers Clark, Dr Gavin Ashenden, John Hancorn, Natalie Franklin, Paul Myles, Jane Zara, Chris Drury, Kevin Orman, Tom Reeves and Mike Lance.

This week’s contributors were: Emma Chaplin, Emma Robertson, Dexter Lee, Antonia Gabassi, Adrienne Campbell, David Jarman, Scott Chowen, Nick Williams, Rachel Littlejohn, Katie Moorman and Alex Leith.

Next week’s highlights include:
Saturday 16th: The Jive Romeros at the Town Hall
Saturday 16th: Chasin’ the Blues Dance Night with Baby Charles at the All Saints
Sunday 17th: MAS Chamber Festival at Hamsey Old Church
Monday 18th: Skittles week in the Grange
Tuesday 19th: Changing Times lecture on ID cards and the surveillance state at the All Saints