Daily Post

The View From Here: In the Shadow of a Fickle River, a Town Steeped in Our History ; Where Llywelyn's Body Was Brought to Rest, Where Standing Stones Give an Impression of Ancient Rituals, Where a Town Centre Faces Up to the Challenge of Commercial Realities Ian Parri Reports From Llanrwst

THE youngsters scream in delight as their sheet-white torsos make contact with the chill waters of the river. Doting parents and grandparents soak in the August sun as they watch, preening, from the benches in the park on the bank. Elsewhere, next to the boardwalked riverside footpath, two young couples swat the flies away as they enjoy a twee picnic sitting on a tartan sheet. It's a scene that could have been lifted from a 1950s jam pot label.

Obituary: Robin Cook

ROBIN COOK was a popular Leader of the House of Commons who dramatically resigned from the Government in March, 2003, as a protest about the then impending war against Iraq. After the death of John Smith, the then Labour leader, in 1994, Cook was widely regarded as the best political brain in the Labour Party. But, in an age in which appearance seemed to count for more than ability, he was never seriously in the running as Smith's successor.

The Daily Postcard

In the Council Chamber: Our Lasting Legacy

ASK people to name a handful of recent cities to host the Olympic Games and most will say Sydney, Athens, Barcelona and a few others. Ask people to name this year's European Capital of Culture, as well as last year's and next year's, and the response is likely to be . . . what do you think this is?

Thought for the Day

RELIGION is the art of bringing heaven down to earth. There is a place for faith at the centre of our lives. The reason is that it speaks to something essential in the human condition. Not everything that matters is fully embraced by the great institutions of modern life - government, the market, science, and the leisure and entertainment industry.

The Ins and Outs of Life

DO you ever long to cosy up to Mother Nature but simply can't find the time? Are you desperate to pull on those criminally underused walking boots but never get a chance? If you feel more like a lab rat than a lumberjack you're not alone. A new survey by shampoo manufacturers Timotei has revealed that men and women in Wales spend a mere four years of their lives outside. According to the poll, we spend the equivalent of 21 days a year in the fresh air, blaming the pressures of homelife and work.

Time Out

A Vision of the Future of Our City ; After the War, It Seemed Too Easy to Plan the Liverpool of 2045, As the Daily Post Reported in 1945. Peter Elson Looks Back to the Future

IT HARDLY seems the stuff that Dan Dare and the British space age traveller would inhabit, but this is what the city fathers hoped that Liverpool city centre would look like in in 2045. The picture is of a large-scale model and most prominent is a vast new semi-circular Civic Centre implanted around the Queensway Tunnel entrance, with further blocks striding up what was St John's Lane.

Jobs: How to Be a Beauty Therapist

What is the work like? Beauty Therapists treat client's bodies and faces to improve their appearance and increase their wellbeing. Before they start their treatments they get to know and understand their clients and complete a health questionnaire with them. It is important they know their client's overall state of health to chose the right products and make sure the treatment will be effective. A beauty therapist can offer the same treatment as a beautician plus more advanced techniques such...

Arts Diary: Art Show That Joins the Dots Together ; Exhibition Dot Art/ Cornerstones Gallery Liverpool Artists Have Joined an Internet Firm's Gallery Show Philip Key Reports

THERE are never enough galleries for Liverpool artists so one can only welcome something like Dot Art, a Liverpool-based company which exhibits local artists and sells their work on the internet. While viewing art on screen can useful, nothing really beats seeing the work in the flesh, hence this Dot Art exhibition at the Cornerstones Gallery.

Arts Diary: Spotlight On Who Can Talk the Talk

JUST a few miles can make the difference in the way we talk. It's a difference I noticed when covering pantomimes. In Liverpool, the kids will shout 'It's a ghost!' when a spook arrives on stage, but in St Helens they all chanted: 'It's a goost!'

Arts Diary: Theatre: Twelfth Night/ Ness Gardens

HUMOUR has generally played an important part in the productions of Off The Ground Theatre company, so it was only natural that they should tackle what many consider to be Shakespeare's funniest and most accessible comedy, Twelfth Night. In fact this is the second time they have performed the play: it was the company's first production ten years ago.

Arts Diary: Key Points ; the Arts Editor's Pick of the Day

Ken Dodd THEATRE: Postman Pat reappears on stage with his black and white cat Jess. A new production featuring the television postman, set in Greendale. Songs and audience participation aimed as 2-6 year-olds. Today, 3.30pm, Liverpool Empire. Tickets pounds 9.50 (children pounds 8). Also tomorrow, 10.30am and 1.30pm. 0870 606 3404