Following this story from far away because even in a world of horrors the murder of these three little girls is especially horrific. And in a dull and gentle place like Southport too (it was only the other week I was saying in a different thread what a nice place it is to watch Lancs play cricket.) Lots of talk about patriotism and the state of England in these pages, so it's worth saying again that it was Orwell who came up with the best statement I've ever seen on this when he distinguished his English patriotism from the right-wing nationalism of his time. Probably too much to hope for that the EDL mob read up on him while they're gathering their piles of bricks this weekend.