Annually, over 11 million people enjoy walking and cycling on Britain’s canal towpaths which have received record investment in recent years. Up to half of the funding comes from money British Waterways generates from its property estate. Twice this year British Waterways’ property has come under threat of being sold off. If this were to happen the network would rapidly fall back into disrepair. Register your opposition at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/protectourcanals/ (via Sustrans)
Yesterday in alcohol

Stalybridge, Buffet Bar: Millstone Brewery, Vale Mill 3.9%
Greenfield, The Railway Inn: Millstone Brewery, Tiger Rut 4%
Marsden, The Riverhead Brewery Tap & Dining Room: Riverhead Brewery, Butterly Bitter 3.8% (x2.5)
Slaithwaite, The Swan: Empire, Red Line
Huddersfield, The Head of Steam: Black Sheep, Best Bitter 3.8% and Camerons, Roaring Lion 3.6%
Mirfield, Navigation Tavern: Great Heck Brewing Company, White Rabbit 3.8%
Dewsbury, West Riding: Elland Brewery, Lock Keeper 3.9%
Batley, Cellar Bar: Idle Brewery, Idle Boggin 3.8%
Leeds, The Brewery Tap: Leeds Brewery, Leeds Pale 3.8%
A review of Sparks’ new album The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman, which will be broadcast on BBC 6 Music on Sunday 8th November and will be released on the following day (from The Times, see also The Independent)
This is one of my all-time favourite televisions programmes, and I recently found that every episode is available to watch online.
Vicky Coren’s Guardian column on the imminent strike by postal workers.
Charlie Brooker’s excellent Guardian column on Jan Moir’s foul Daily Mail column on Stephen Gateley’s death.
Some interesting pictures captured by Google, picked out by Torontoist (via Londonist)