WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Stanley]

A bit of a laugh this morning at the butcher's when Kathy informed me that Margaret had posted on Facebook how much I appreciated the service at Brown's butcher's. So far so good but she had confused Brown's on Newtown with Brown's on Gisburn Road. (I have smacked her bottom.)

[Stanley]

Just been listening to a Spanish worker at a Britannia Hotel in the Cairngorms. He got a brutal immediate dismissal notice yesterday as the hotel is being closed. He was given one more night in his room, he was living in, but doesn't know where he will be tonight. Add to this the fact that even if he wanted to, he couldn't fly out as all flights have been cancelled. Just one small example of what must be happening all over the UK. What help will he get from the government?

[Stanley]

09:00. Complete loss of internet connection. Talked to Ian and tried what he told me but got nowhere. Despite the fact I had tested the power and it was on, I unplugged everything disturbed all the connections and tried again. It worked.... Phew! Keep it simple stupid!

[PanBiker]

Try to get into the router console again Stanley. It's handy for checking if you have slow down or any other problems. You should get the console on the IP address I gave you, (all Talk Talk ones are the same). Credentials should be good as well as long as you haven't changed them in the past.

[Tizer]

I saw this in PE yesterday and was intrigued. It explains difficulties I have had with understanding coal formation over the years. Until I hear anything different I'll assume it's correct. Does it look kosher Tiz?

No, it's not correct. Coal has formed during most geological periods except for a short period known as the `coal gap' in the early Triassic era. He's right that trees became possible when plants evolved able to make the tough structural molecule lignin and that bacteria and fungi, not surprisingly, later evolved the means of degrading lignin. But coal was still formed whenever dead tree material accumulated under conditions that prevented rapid microbial degradation. If microbial degradation is slower than coalification processes then coal is formed. Here's something to be reading to keep you occupied during the virus pandemic! `Coal Formation and Geochemistry' by William H Orem, United States Geological Survey, and Robert B Finkelman, University of Texas at Dallas. DOI: 10.1016/B0-08-043751-6/07097-3 November 2003. LINK

[Tripps]

No, it's not correct

That'll do for me .

I love the precision of the timing. 300 million years BC which is 300.002 million years BN (before now). Little relative difference.

[Tizer]

Denny ought to put into google: `how old is Australian coal?'
He'll get this for a start : LINK
While Australia's mineable black coals range from Permian to Jurassic in age (280 to 150 million years old), most of Australia's black coal resources are of Permian age.....Brown coal occurs in South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria, predominantly in Tertiary basins (50 to 15 million years old).

[Big Kev]

The government announcement, that pubs are closing for the foreseeable future, has prompted a party atmosphere in Barnoldswick apparently. Facebook reports cheap beer and full pubs, Darwinism at it's best...

[Stanley]

Thanks Tiz, I love OG, you can get a reliable opinion on almost anything! I shan't be ordering the book...
Party atmosphere last night; I shall watch for pools of vomit on my early walk!
Just had my first really deep breath of the morning when I let Jack out for a pee. It's cold and the air is better than any wine! Wendy mentioned breathing in the new topic, she's right, breathe plenty of it.
How empty life felt when my router failed yesterday. After advice from Ian and a bit of furtling I found the cause, a loose connection. All OK now but it made me think how hampered anyone is who hasn't got access. That includes those on dial up speeds. It's part of life now.

[Tizer]

The BBC's Week in Pictures for 14-20 March 2020. `A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week as people react to the spread of the coronavirus.' LINK

[Cathy]

Thanks Tize.
It was strange seeing a football match shown on Tele today with not one spectator in the stands etc. Our famous Bondi Beach and 2 other main ones have had the lifesaver flags removed and the beaches have been closed because there was more than 500 people , and they weren’t following the social contact rules.

[Tizer]

The queue at the pharmacy first thing this morning stretched around three sides of the courtyard shopping area, as far as the Tesco doors. This is a special time for over-70s. Whatever are they buying that makes them queue like that? Paracetamol? Imagine queueing all that time then being told `Sorry out of stock'.

[Wendyf]

Colin, who I couldn't stop from venturing out to pick up a few things this morning, reports Lidl in Colne and Morrisons in Nelson to be well stocked and only slightly busier than usual. The only things he couldn't buy were 4 bottles of the Mcguigan Merlot we find pleasantly drinkable .... he was restricted to 3.

[Marilyn]

Gosh Wendy, that won’t even see you through to the evening news, when all the bad things like death tolls and infection rates will be broadcast.
He will need to do better tomorrow...
( I would have sent my husband in twice. I’ve seen it happen for toilet paper)

[Wendyf]

Gosh Wendy, that won’t even see you through to the evening news, when all the bad things like death tolls and infection rates will be broadcast.
He will need to do better tomorrow...
( I would have sent my husband in twice. I’ve seen it happen for toilet paper)

He wasn't sure whether he was limited to 3 bottles of wine or 3 bottles of the same variety, in fact he was using the self service checkout and wouldn't have been limited except for someone spotting his greed when she came to remove the security tag off the gin bottle. (1 only)
I'm not panicking, the cellar is well stocked....

[Tizer]

There are many instances of people criticising the supermarkets for being under-stocked and they're also abusing the staff. What these people don't seem to realise is that the suppliers are having to restrict the amounts they send to the supermarket companies otherwise there wouldn't be any supplies for much longer periods. It's not the supermarkets' fault, they're caught between the panic buyers and the suppliers, and the suppliers can only provide what they can make or can acquire themselves. There is also criticism of prices being raised but, again, supermarkets have to do it if suppliers have raised their prices.

[Big Kev]

Be interesting to see if they take any notice, Yorkshire Police will be arresting anti social youths if they ignore coronavirus advice...

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/cr ... 1h-J8M78Wc

[Stanley]

How well I feel!
Young people in close proximity to each other.

[Tizer]

`Zagreb hit by largest earthquake in 140 years' LINK to video page
`The Croatian capital has been hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake. Very few people were on the streets when the earthquake struck in the early hours of Sunday morning. But falling masonry from Zagreb’s historic buildings crushed parked cars and blocked roads. The tremor was felt in neighbouring Slovenia and southern Austria..'.

[Stanley]

Just what they needed at the moment, NOT!
My Costa Rica coffee is improved if you use twice as much. That in itself knocks it out, the Machu Picchu Organic demands half as much for the same strength. My morning coffee is a highlight of the day and important to me!
Once again, kids ignoring proximity protocols.
Problems with landline telephones in Earby, some older folks only way of communicating.

[Cathy]

Do you remember the Beaconsfield (Tasmania) Mine Disaster April 30 2006?
Brant Webb and Todd Russell were the 2 miners trapped 1kilometre underground for 2 weeks.
I watched a chat with Brant this morning talking about the death of Kenny Rogers, and he was saying that one of the things that kept him and Todd going, was singing their favourite songs.
On the day that rescuers finally got to them, the rescuers could hear Brant and Todd singing Kenny Roger’s ‘The Gambler’.
Oh goosebumps...

A4B52408-EED0-4A3A-9367-9BBE33855E43.jpeg

[Stanley]

Nice one Cathy.....
MacDonald's have announced they are closing all outlets. How many other fast food outlets will follow. This is what I have been warning about for months but because of Brexit, now it's Covid19. Many who live on take way food will be getting very worried. Will they join the hoarders in the supermarkets?
Reports this morning from the National Crime Agency that they are already seeing an increase in crime that can be directly related to the pandemic. This is particularly true of cyber crime as people are clicking on links to virus advice and getting infected by malware as a consequence. They also raise concerns about children out of school spending more time on the web and therefore being more likely to fall foul of anyone looking to exploit them.
Crisis brings out the worst in some people.

[Marilyn]

We don’t have landlines here any more, Stanley....
Cazza...I wept for those two men every morning as I saw updates on TV. We were ALL worried for them, wishing them well, and still do. ( one of my horrors is being buried underground...far out...imagine it)
We went to the mine whilst in Tasmania, after they were freed of course.

[Stanley]

But we do Maz and if it's your only way to communicate externally it is a serious matter. Think of old people needing to arrange vital deliveries of medicine and food or needing to contact medical services.

[Whyperion]

The government announcement, that pubs are closing for the foreseeable future, has prompted a party atmosphere in Barnoldswick apparently. Facebook reports cheap beer and full pubs, Darwinism at it's best...

Tad late as I have been away from a working (!) keyboard.
The panic buying on the Saturday in the supermarkets of the alcolhol aisles, (I never visit them unless I am lost trying to find mixers - whatever happened to Tropical Lemon - must have had a wrong kind of E number in it ? - and bitter lemon does not taste like it did in the 70s has the quninnine been dropped?)
So cleared shelves in Farmfoods, Burnley( just about) and reports of virtual booze-ups on youtube.
So much for 2m clearence, small group of yellow hi-viz wearing customer assistants ? on the newly running tramline to Trafford Park ( current metrolink trams are every 12mins on all routes), all chatting, two smoking, one coughing, took some pictures - of the trams, then cleared off.