Welcome to The Midnight Bell (a virtual pub and general discussion thread) (2025)

[Susan]

For those in London:
It’s that time of the year. We’re thrilled to announce the six-floor, shop-wide takeover, the festive extravaganza in the Charing Cross Road events programme: the Foyles Christmas Evening.
Thursday 27th November, from 6pm
Foyles Charing Cross Road
Free to attend
Save the date!
SO HO HO
Celebrate the festive season with some of our favourite authors, get your books signed by a star, pick up the perfect Christmas gift, and have a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie on us. This year, join the likes of...
Alayo Akinkugbe, William Boyd, Rev. Richard Coles (until 8pm), Elizabeth Day, Nicola Dinan, Robert Elms, Jonnie Fielding, Jonathan Freedland, Tom Gilbey, Joel Harrison, Jodie Harsh, Katy Hessel, Alex Horne (until 7pm), Tim Key, India Knight, Jeremy Atherton Lin, Charlie Mackesy, Skye McAlpine, Oisín McKenna, Kate Mosse, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Ned Palmer, Mary Portas, Charlie Porter, Neil Ridley, Loes Riphagen, Tim Robey, Dave Rowntree, Elif Shafak, Ruby Tandoh, Ian Wade, Bee Wilson

[Jan C]

G wrote: "Well. I am feeling a little bit encouraged by the US election results. My own state voted to retain 3 justices on our state supreme court, justices with a track record of protecting elections and o..."

We re-elected our democratic mayor by a large margin. Also elected a democatic councilman and re-elected an independent councilman. That was the extent of our ballot.

Last week ICE attacked my hometown of Evanston. People being crashed into. The police apparently got the ICE driver's license. Then the FBI says they are investigating. But investigating wet - the accident or the attack on the city. They had one bystander on the ground and hitting him in the head. I was peeved whenit was other places but it feels personal now. They apparently had to lock down the schools. Happened right outside an elementary school (this was on my route to the grocery) and down the street from the high school.

Apparently one of their tricks is to set up near the schools and pick parents up as they pick up or drop off their children for school. Surprised they haven't been arrested for being perverts yet.

Read that one of these crashers was drunk and driving erratically. Not sure but he may have been issued a DUI.

And the judge in court today recited the entirety of Carl Sandburg's poem about Chicago - Hog Butcher to the World.

Of course, I see all of this from 700 miles away.

[Alwynne]

Roman Clodia wrote: "Yes, particularly interesting to see the turnout in New York - I'm very keen to see how Mamdani does."

Me too, and interesting to see if it will shift focus away from Sadiq Khan. The American right seem bizarrely obsessed with him!