WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Whyperion]

It has been reported that the economy grew by 0.5percent (half a percent) in May 2022 (compared with what ? April 2022?). Much explained by increase in the service sector - GPs had more appointments ! Its a strange economy that increases the amount of sickness ( ? asking for Driving Licence Checks / Maternity whatever ) with better size of economic output.
Its more likely a few changes if not seasonally adjusted - April had a two week easter school holiday, May a one week half term one. Assuming Weekends are not working days there were the same in both months and May had one extra bank holiday - but a lot of places worked through the May ones compared with the easter ones, and there would have been shopping increase due to Jubilee bounce (Easter Sunday of course is a big shop closedown day) This, along with one overall extra day in may (even though it was a BH) explains some of the retail increase - 0.5percent of 30 is 1.5 days ( enough for the Sunday trade + the extra day ) ,

[Big Kev]

United Utilities have released the grant for my lead pipe replacement. Should be in my bank within 3 days

Most transfers now are under the fasterpayments technology, so it might be in bank now (avalible as funds from tomorrow I think the technology allows for a recall before end of day in case of errors / some receiving banks hold your money as theirs for up to a working day

No sign of it yet...

[Stanley]

This got my attention. If you have been following Shed Matters I have a knotty little problem in that I am short of information about the details of the build of the Westbury Shand Mason fire pump. I furtled and found that Edgar wrote a series of articles in the Model Engineer on the pump.
25 Years ago I spent £300 with my bookseller George Kelsall at Littleborough on about forty year's worth of Model Engineers that had been professionally bound and were in as new condition. I went and had a look and Bingo!, I had the volume that I need. I haven't chased the references up yet and don't imagine for one moment that I shall have a complete answer to all my questions but it was a nice moment when I realised I had the information. I shall be reading today......
There is a moral here. When you see things like this, don't just walk past, grab them and wonderful things can happen.

[Big Kev]

United Utilities have released the grant for my lead pipe replacement. Should be in my bank within 3 days

Most transfers now are under the fasterpayments technology, so it might be in bank now (avalible as funds from tomorrow I think the technology allows for a recall before end of day in case of errors / some receiving banks hold your money as theirs for up to a working day

No sign of it yet...

£550 arrived in my bank account this morning

[Stanley]

Well, that pays for the diesel for the trip.....

[Big Kev]

Well, that pays for the diesel for the trip.....

Certainly does and part way to the hotel as well

[Tizer]

Good eyesight needed to do this!...
`Tiny dinosaur sculpture added to Nottingham T. rex exhibition' LINK

[Big Kev]

FB_IMG_1657816326655.jpg

[Tizer]

Does the right-hand image show Boris sneaking out after dark from No.10?

This is sad and it's not just that location. Britain is of international importance for many bird species...
`Several hundred birds found dead at Norfolk nature reserve' LINK

[Cathy]

It was sad reading about the birds

[Big Kev]

A heads up for Monday and Tuesday for Pendle bun collections

Screenshot_20220715-114244_Gmail.jpg

[Tripps]

I wonder if Tripps happened to be in the Cambridge Botanic Garden that day? It would be fun to be able to say `I was there'!

That was the day my car showed 40 C - so I can calibrate the thermometer. I passed within half a mile of the Botanical Gardens. I will be claiming 'bragging rights' .

That is the previous record - I was there!

The record high temperature in the UK is 38.7C, which was reached at Cambridge Botanic Garden on 25 July 2019.

The BBC weather man has just forecast 42 - 43 C for Monday/Tuesday and said 'best to go to a library which might be air conditioned'.
It will soon get very crowded - even if you can find one that's not a victim of Tory cuts.

[Stanley]

The 'bun' collection had me fooled for a minute but then.....
How sensible! I am not affected as my brown bun isn't full yet and I wait until it is before I put it out.....

[Stanley]

Sorry I forgot, you make a good point David about the scarcity of public libraries. When the Nazis burned books we vilified them. Our politicians have done the equivalent and claimed it was prudent managing of the nation's wealth....
What would Andrew Carnegie have to say.... Many of the lost libraries were his charitable foundations. I've often wondered at the legality of ignoring his wishes, shouldn't we have given the money back?

[Big Kev]

The 'bun' collection had me fooled for a minute but then.....
How sensible! I am not affected as my brown bun isn't full yet and I wait until it is before I put it out.....

I is next to U and I have fat fingers

[Stanley]

The fact I completely buggered my day by deciding to roast my chicken while it was cool.....

[Big Kev]

Reports of a serious crash on the A59 at West Marton around 10pm last night. Apparently the A59 is still closed for the ongoing investigation.
A car and an articulated wagon involved apparently with one lad taken to hospital by helicopter.

[PanBiker]

Yes, saw that on FB Kev. I think the guy that needed the air ambulance used to live opposite us at the front. Bad Junction that one.

On a cheerier note, a double red letter day. Or a single envelope with two letters in. Both from the Premium Bonds and both with a £25 cheque, get in.

[Stanley]

The fact that the universal opinion seems to be that we will all die this weekend when the temperature hits 40C.
We will be saved by the fact we are 500ft up in the Pennines of course but it's worth bearing in mind that this is the sort of weather that can spawn events like the flood that hit 90 years ago on the 11th of July.
See THIS for the latest on the heat. Elsewhere I note that Steve Barclay, the Tory Health Minister tries to reassure us that ambulances will be working and details measures he is taking to ensure this, none of which can make any difference because the root cause of the ambulance problem is the failure to do anything concrete about the blocked beds caused by underfunding of Social Care. Ignore the facts and stick to cosmetic measures, they are cheaper.

[Big Kev]

The paint on this Tesla, the photo doesn't really do it justice.

20220717_083825.jpg

[Tizer]

The paint on this Tesla, the photo doesn't really do it justice.
20220717_083825.jpg

Iridescence - it looks better on Beetles than Teslas! NHM (Especially see the Tansey Beetle)

[Big Kev]

[Stanley]

My entry in this category is a bit more prosaic. I have no picture yet but a water bottle refilling station has appeared in the Town Square..... (Good timing!)

[PanBiker]

Good initiative, when I suggested public water points it was shot down as their being too much red tape to navigate to make it happen?

This new addition although welcomed is getting a bit of flack in FB land for being installed next to a rubbish bin! You would have thought that they would have moved the bin or at least tapped into the mains water supply in a clearer location. Folk also seem to be surprised that we had public drinking fountains 60 years ago in both of our parks.

[Stanley]

Some people would complain no matter what was done.
Here you are, Town Square on a hot day with a water station and my friend Gulam enjoying some Punjab weather!
I sat in the shade of the trees for an hour with a ham salad butty from Barlic Bites and never broke a sweat. A lovely day. Now I'm back indoors in the cool doing as little as possible.
(Oh, except steaming a cauliflower for my tea.....)