Seen in the News

[Stanley]

Wendy, I used to come across the parades frequently in the marching season. Usually causing a traffic hold up! I agree with you about the shiver up the spine, always looked to me like a protest or threat, it was of course the 'Troubles' time in Northern Ireland and the West Coast route to the ferry at Stranraer was very heavily policed. Frequent army convoys as well heading for the ferry, they were even worse news!

[Wendyf]

We were shocked by the sectarianism in Scotland having never come across it before. It started with the school kids, who went to different schools and hurled abuse at each other. I naively sent a 5 year old Craig to school in a green jumper.... he came home in tears announcing he would never wear green again. At one point we employed a chap in his early 50s in the despatch department of our business, he had to go because he refused to use the Sage computer programme we used which had a green background screen. We were also shocked by the hatred of the English but that's another story!

[Stanley]

I can confirm that I met all those attitudes Wendy at one time or another. As you say, I think the Prots were the most bigoted by a short head.

[Tizer]

Some of the worst bigots I've ever come across were sons of Indian families in Kenya who treated black Africans as dirt. And these sons were getting education at a British university.

`Sir David Attenborough makes stark warning about species extinction' LINK
I'm glad he's doing this programme, it's needed to raise people's awareness. I'll admit I won't be watching it - I'm already too well aware of the facts and would only be made even more depressed than I already am!

[Stanley]

"I'm already too well aware of the facts and would only be made even more depressed than I already am!"
Same here Peter and it isn't helped by my fortnightly dose of Private Eye. But, as they taught us in the army, you have to 'Know the Enemy!'
As for bigots, what depresses me is that the older I get the more I realise how common the syndrome is. That in itself could be depressing if you let it get at you.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report on a matter that has been rumbling in the background for some time but is now attracting attention. It is the enormous rise in the number of drinkers at risk from high levels of consumption during lock down. I heard one representative of a charity that helps problem drinkers saying that excessive drinking is now more of a danger than Covid19 in terms of deaths, serious long term disease and social problems.
We have known this for a long time, all my life it seems, but we haven't done anything concrete about it. It may be time we did.

[Tizer]

A BBC News item...
The Times reports that a year-long trial of electric scooters on the streets of Coventry has been suspended after just five days, because of fears about safety. People had been riding the rented scooters on pavements and in pedestrianised areas, both of which are banned. Some people claimed they had almost been knocked over by "reckless" scooter riders. The scooters were intended to give people an extra way to travel at a time of reduced capacity on public transport. Trials in Birmingham are continuing.
--------------------

What a con!...
`Nikola electric lorry just rolling downhill in promo video' LINK

[Stanley]

Remember the days when we made money by working hard? It seems that isn't the easiest way!

[Tizer]

It was only last week that I read how the local water company for the Chesham area has been allowing raw sewage to enter the River Chess. Although not well known the river is a beautiful chalk stream* and, normally full of wildlife. So this news doesn't surprise me...
`'Total failure' on English river water quality' LINK
`All of the rivers, lakes and streams in England are polluted, says the Environment Agency. The figures reveal a complete lack of progress towards the target of 100% healthy waters by 2027. The most problematic pollutants are chemical sewage discharge, farming, and industrial chemicals..'.

*Our chalk streams are unique – there are only about 200 chalk streams in the world, and most of them are in the southern half of England (with a few in France). Wikipedia says: `Chalk streams are rivers that rise from springs in landscapes with chalk bedrock. Since chalk is permeable, water percolates easily through the ground to the water table and chalk streams therefore receive little surface runoff. As a result, the water in the streams contains little organic matter and sediment and is generally very clear. The beds of the rivers are generally composed of clean, compacted gravel and flints, which are good spawning areas for Salmonidae fish species.'

[Tripps]

We've got one at the bottom of our garden (well almost). Subject of the Waterlightproject largely driven by the poet next door. Worth a look I'd say.

[Stanley]

Nice site David. Love the bloke who said "“It’s not going to end here, it will be a ‘Sewage Farm’ next.”"!

[Tizer]

Tripps, I envy you having a chalk stream nearby, they're beautiful and so fascinating with their constant flow and constant temperature. Polluting them is equivalent to Rio Tinto destroying the Aboriginal caves in Australia.

[Tripps]

Just seen in the news with pictures. Full PR effort by MOD.

"Hundreds of British paratroopers took part in the biggest paratroop drop in decades in Eastern Ukraine" "These are 'Pathfinders' an elite group rarely filmed, who operate behind enemy lines".

Who is likely to be the 'enemy' in Eastern Ukraine?

[Stanley]

On World Service this morning. A report of dogs working at airports to identify Covid positive travellers from sweat and saliva samples. The results were amazing, identifying positives the normal quick test missed and having an accuracy rate of close to 100%. It takes the dogs only a minute to give a result. Matt Hancock take note?

[PanBiker]

I heard a bit of a report this morning about a Rat that can detect land and anti-personnel mines.

[Tizer]

And here's the little chappie himself, complete with medal...
`Magawa the mine-detecting rat wins PDSA Gold Medal' LINK

[Stanley]

He retires in November....

[Tizer]

Perhaps he'll get a place in the House of Lords - that would shake them up a bit!

[PanBiker]

As a bit more information emerges about the shooting and death of a police custody sergeant. It would seem that the perpetrator was handcuffed with his hands behind his back. I cannot get my head round how in this position he managed to produce a firearm and shoot the custody sergeant dead and then turn the gun on himself.

Lots of unanswered questions here. The most important one of course is how did he manage to bring a loaded lethal weapon into a police station whilst handcuffed? Surely on arrest and restraining he would have been thoroughly searched before taking him to the custody suite and if not, why not? The police officer he shot dead took the role of custody sergeant to wind down to retirement in a safer environment. Someone has cocked up big style here.

[Tripps]

I cannot get my head round how in this position he managed to produce a firearm and shoot the custody sergeant dead and then turn the gun on himself.

Me neither - but this article from The Sun shows a possibility. The Sun They cleverly won;t allow me to just copy the main photo.

All sounds a bit of a shambles, and the fact that five shots were fired indicates perhaps that his shooting was more accidental than deliberate. I watch a lot of daytime TV cop shows, and the custody reception area entertains some really seriously disturbed people. Hard to believe that a proper rub down search would not find the gun though, if done properly.

No doubt all will be revealed shortly.

[plaques]

From the Sun. Remember automatic guns will pump out a full chamber of bullets in a couple of seconds.

.

Shooting.jpg

[Tripps]

That's what I tried to do but failed - thanks - you have the gift.

The gun was described as a 'revolver' yesterday, several times. I wondered if that was accurate or just wrong.

[Stanley]

I failed as well David.... Ken must have the gift.
All I can add is that the Sun's comment is wrong. 'Automatics' don't have chambers but magazines and they only reload automatically. They won't spray out a full clip, you have to pull the trigger for each shot. Nevertheless he managed to do it. I agree that someone has cocked up. I'll bet that all officers are doing more than a cursory pat down now! Such a waste of a good life.
What struck me was that there was no mention of the officer being killed by being dragged by a stolen vehicle. Perhaps because there is an appeal in progress.

[PanBiker]

Reports also say that the perpetrator also shot himself in the neck? I cant see the Suns photo explaining that one. Every cop program I have watched of the ones on the sharp end of policing shows suspects being searched after being restrained. A weapon such as a hand gun isn't exactly invisible. I would imagine the custody sergeant would have been behind his booking in desk as well rather than stood right in front of the bloke. Of course I don't know the exact circumstances so will have to wait for the explanation.

[Tizer]

The gun was at his back in his waistband - he could pull the gun out, turn away from the officer, bend forward and fire backwards at the cop. Shooting himself is said to be accidental, he might have then been trying to manoeuvre the gun in his cuffed hands and accidentally pulled the trigger.

I don't want to frighten anyone with this but I was surprised to learn that that this amoeba (it's not a microbe) infects through the nose and then direct to the brain. You can drink the water safely but get it in your nose and you're in trouble.
`Brain-eating microbe: US city warned over water supply' LINK
`Residents of Lake Jackson, Texas, have been warned about using tap water after a deadly brain-eating microbe was found in the city's public water supply. Tests confirmed the presence of Naegleria fowleri in the system. The amoeba can cause an infection of the brain, which is usually fatal. Infections are rare in the US, with 34 reported between 2009 and 2018...'.

More on the amoeba: CDC