Seen in the News

[Tripps]

And so it came to pass - pausing only to watch Hobson's Choice for the umpteenth time.

P1000320.JPG

[Stanley]

There are worse fates than that David.....

[Tizer]

What, the Timothy Taylor's beer or the Hobsons Choice? (Sounds like another beer.)

I wonder if the developers of this idea have ever heard of the `cradle to grave' approach to materials? What will happen to the plastic when the building is eventually pulled down, and the concrete ground up and dispersed in the environment?
`Using plastic waste to help solve sand shortages' LINK

By the way, this book (see below) is a great read - everything you never knew about sand (and that's a lot!). It's well-written and fascinating. You can get a S/H copy on Abebooks for about £8 inc. postage.. LINK
`Sand: A journey through science and the imagination by Welland' Google

[Stanley]

The last time I saw a shortage of sand mentioned was in an April Fool spoof around 1980.
What caught my ear was the news that in the last two years 2,000 Irish racehorses have been slaughtered. Shock horror, what the hell did people think happened to them. All sent to retirement homes? I remember the same reports in the Manchester Guardian just after WW2 with graphic descriptions of how the blood was pumped out of the horses while they were alive so the flesh could be sold as veal.
Perhaps they ought to ask about what happens to failed greyhounds.....
These aren't pets, they are working animals that have to show a profit. No profit means instant retirement mostly via the knacker's yard.

[chinatyke]

The last time I saw a shortage of sand mentioned was in an April Fool spoof around 1980.
What caught my ear was the news that in the last two years 2,000 Irish racehorses have been slaughtered. Shock horror, what the hell did people think happened to them. All sent to retirement homes? I remember the same reports in the Manchester Guardian just after WW2 with graphic descriptions of how the blood was pumped out of the horses while they were alive so the flesh could be sold as veal.
Perhaps they ought to ask about what happens to failed greyhounds.....
These aren't pets, they are working animals that have to show a profit. No profit means instant retirement mostly via the knacker's yard.

Most people are horrified to think of animals being "bled" at slaughterhouses but are happy to use Oxo and Bisto.

[Stanley]

Have a look at THIS BBC news page. Quite useful.....

[Tizer]

Hooray! You enjoy yourself out there Jeff, no need to return!
`Jeff Bezos to blast into space aboard New Shepard rocket ship' LINK

[Tripps]

I could get used to this - problem - the thunder is comimg, and I'm low on beer

London Pride.jpeg

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[Cathy]

That’s a better pic Tripps

[Stanley]

He's hiding his turkey neck Cathy....



Here's the unedited truth at Number Ten.

[Tizer]

Yet another dam problem!...
`Chinese army warns dam battered by storms could collapse' France 24
`The Chinese army warned that a stricken dam in the centre of the country "could collapse at any time" after being severely damaged in torrential storms that killed at least three people and brought the region to a standstill. Weather authorities have issued the highest warning level for central Henan province as downpours caused widespread disruption and the evacuation of residents of flooded streets. On Tuesday evening the regional unit of the People's Liberation Army warned that the relentless downpour had caused a 20-meter breach in the Yihetan dam in Luoyang -- a city of around seven million people -- with the risk that it "may collapse at any time." The PLA's Central Theater Command said it had sent soldiers to carry out an emergency response including blasting and flood diversion. "On July 20, a 20-meter breach occurred at the Yihetan dam ....the riverbank was severely damaged and the dam may collapse at any time," it said in the statement..'..

I see also that the Hoover Dam in the US is only 37% full, its lowest level since 1937. This raises another danger - once they get heavy rainfall and the dam begins to refill will it still be able take the pressure of all that water? Lowering and raising the pressure might act like freeze-thaw which can crack the hardest rocks.

Meanwhile elsewhere in China flooding causes problems. A nasty experience for those in the train...
`Zhengzhou Henan: Waist-high flooding hits China trains and roads' LINK

[Tripps]

He's hiding his turkey neck Cathy....

Harsh but true. You were a great loss to the Diplomatic Corps.

[Stanley]

David, allow me to remind you that it was you who first raised the question of turkey necks in selfies.
Seen in the news.... EU tells us to piss off, no renegotiation of the Protocol. Kier Starmer in isolation. I wonder how many MPs have deleted their app?

[plaques]

The Buffoon gets pinged, so he put himself on a random selection exercise to keep the government working. Later the 'random' bit is deleted but he's still on the programme so he can continue working from Downing St. Finally, he has to accept it would be seen as 'one rule for one etc' Doesn't fancy isolating in his super Downing St flat so off he goes to Chequers. Sounds like he's done a Cummings.

[Tizer]

He's hiding his turkey neck Cathy....

Harsh but true. You were a great loss to the Diplomatic Corps.

Actually it was Stanley who wrote the comment about the turkey neck, not me. Gremlins must have got into OG!

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC account of the judgement whereby 'Tommy Robinson' has to pay £100.000 and costs to a young Syrian schoolboy whom he libelled.
Splendid...... Why has it taken so long.

[Tizer]

A bit of bad news...bad for the gun owners whose homes and families might be targeted by thieves who like guns, bad for the rest of us because more guns will get into circulation, and bad for any folk who might have bought non-gun stuff from the web site but might nevertheless get targeted by thieves who will assume they have guns (the web site sells other stuff like thermal cameras, night optics etc that can be used by people who love watching wildlife). Also the thieves might have got useful information that tells them what type of safe or gun cabinet the gun owner has bought.
`Gun owners' fears after firearms dealer data breach' LINK

[Stanley]

It shouldn't have happened but I have little sympathy for people who have something as dangerous as that in the house.
While reading that article I tripped over THIS report on the views of Parliament on the scale of the Covid Induced national debt. I share with them the view that the inquiry into the spending should come sooner rather than later. First because we need to know where we can improve future provision and second so we can get an idea of culpability, if any, before the next election. The government will do all it can to delay any investigation.
In another report by MPs they highlight the fact that 60% of women in the armed forces have reported harassment including some matters as serious as rape. They recommend that the chain of command should have no part in any matter of a sexual nature.

[Tizer]

`The new surgical tool inspired by a wasp' LINK

[Stanley]

Funny isn't it how, no matter how clever we thing we are, there is always something new and very often it's actually something old embedded in nature.

[Stanley]

I'm listening to the BBC report on the inquiry into sexual abuse of children under the care of Lambeth Council. See THIS Guardian report. It's an absolutely horrifying account. I can say no more, look into it yourselves.

[Tripps]

"look into it youreslves"

This is from 2003 in The Guardian. That's 18 years ago! Dame Margaret Hodge features.

Islington Council

[Stanley]

18 Years ago! Her reaction was virtually the same as the woman who was leader of the council at Lambeth when the abuses were going on. It was never directly voiced but the impression I got was that the informants in the programme believed that it was still happening.

[Tripps]

There was an interview yesterday, with Linda Bellos who was one of the Lambeth Council chairs during the period. She seems to be the only person brave enough to appear in public. Her defence was simple - 'I didn't know anything about it'. Perhaps she didn't. It makes you wonder though if the 'conspiracy theorists' who speak of national paedophile rings protected by people in high places may have something. The numbers involved are staggering.
John Mann (now Lord Mann) was - surprisingly to me, a councillor in Lambeth.

[Tizer]

It's probably the same in the US and we begin to understand how the claims there began although they've been tainted by some social media idiots who tend to elaborate and prevent proper investigation.