Breaking news

A drop-in session for 'older' computer novices will run at the Central Library Learning Centre, from 10am–12.30pm on Saturday 22nd May. No previous experience is required.

Would-be silver-surfers are invited to sample the benefits of information technology with the aid of friendly tutors.

As well as discovering what local libraries and the Council website have to offer, game techno-incompetents can experiment with a mouse, access the internet, and marvel at the endless new possibilities for spending money, sinning, or becoming a victim of identity fraud.

City of Edinburgh Council's election team staff began checking an estimated 55,000 postal votes this morning in advance of the count proper.

To help prevent fraud, and for the first time in a general election, dates of birth and signatures held on file are being compared with those supplied by voters.

To allow the election result to be announced with the minimum of delay, people are encouraged to return their postal votes as soon as possible. However, they can also hand them in to any polling place in their constituency up until 10pm on 6 May.

The 6th BUPA Great Edinburgh Run will take place over 10km on Sunday 2 May.

As well as driving an estimated 10,000 amateur athletes into the arms of private doctors, it will cause a 'degree of disruption' to drivers around the city centre, from 5am–3pm.

Full details of parking suspensions and road closures can be found in the pdf at the foot of this page.

For further information, contact Clarence on: Freephone 0800 23 23 23 (8am-8pm, today or tomorrow).

Issue 182 is printed and ready for distribution. Between now and Saturday you'll find it appearing in all the usual pubs, clubs, shops and galleries throughout Broughton.

This month we lead with news on the latest twist in Tesco's arrival in Picardy Place, questions about a possible spike in local crime, and coverage of how the Westminster candidates fared at last week's hustings.

We have features on 4 eminent Broughtonians, planning notes, dates for your diary and pleas for your company.

David Carfrae of Canonmills says he is an admirer of Thomas Hardy's poem about the RMS Titanic.

He suggests the Iceberg was a bigot.

We're not sure about Mr Carfrae's political analysis, but would at least like to thank him for raising the tone.

      VIII

And as the smart ship grew
     In stature, grace, and hue
In shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too.

With the help of readers, Spurtle has now traced the low-profile Independent Edinburgh North and Leith candidate Cameron MacIntyre to an address in the heart of Broughton.

Today we wrote to both him and his agent requesting some (any!) biographical details, a summary of his proposed policies, and an indication of where and when he means to campaign between now and 6 May.

We'll keep you posted as soon as we hear anything.

Cameron MacIntyre is a male, Independent candidate for the Edinburgh North and Leith constituency in the Westminster General Election 2010. He did not attend the Spurtle hustings on 21 April.

Please check your sheds, garages and outbuildings, and leave doors open where possible to allow him to escape if he's locked in somewhere.

His electoral agent Colin Dempsey has not replied to our emails, or responded to requests for biographical details about Mr MacIntyre and his political policies. He, too, may be trapped in some garden shed.

Pinsky is a male black-and-white cat who went missing on 21 April from Bellevue Road. He has no collar but is microchipped.

Please check your sheds, garages and outbuildings, and leave doors open where possible to allow him to escape if he's locked in somewhere.

If you have any information, contact: Tel. 0770 433 0801, email lostpinsky@googlemail.com.

Are you constantly disturbed by the sound of bills landing on your doormat, politicians knocking on doors, young neighbours studying into the small hours of the morning at weekends? Help is at hand.

City of Edinburgh Council's Noise Team are this week highlighting the effect of excessive noise on individuals, and how each of us can avoid making a din of our own.

In Issue 181 (Briefly, p.3) we reported how CEC have begun 'finding and fixing' defective street lamps at night, when broken ones are easier to spot.

Judging by the lamps in Drummond Place, someone in the Roads Department has not fully grasped the principle.