Seen in the News

[Stanley]

Yes but most of them are only detected by the seismometers.
Could it have been a mini-quake that brought that wall down in the back street yesterday?

[Tizer]

The beginning of a splitting of the tectonic plates of Lancashire and Yorkshire perhaps?

Save the gorillas at the same time as making hedge funders extinct - I like it!...
`Reddit investors adopt 3,500 gorillas in six days' LINK
`Around 3,500 gorillas have been adopted by Reddit's WallStreetBets (WSB) community in six days. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, a charity for the protection of endangered mountain gorillas, has also received more than $350,000 (£252,000) in donations. Its president Dr Tara Stoinski has thanked the Reddit community for the adoptions. She said: "They've truly made a difference for our world."

[Stanley]

More likely to be the North from the South the way they are behaving.
I should say at this point I have a very queasy feeling about any reform of the police and borders system dreamed up by the triad of Johnson/Patel/ Cummings. All right Dom is Gone but the planning for this would be done while he was in post.

[Stanley]

We've been watching the thousands earth tremors in Iceland and we now know what the cause was , See THIS BBC report. The Icelandic Meteorological Office says the eruption of Fagradalsfjall began at about 20:45 GMT on Friday, and was later confirmed via webcams and satellite images. It's been sleeping for 800 years......

[Tizer]

I hadn't seen this post and I've put a map on the Attention thread showing where the Mid-Atlantic thread runs through Iceland and under that volcano: LINK

At last something is being done, but far too late for many people...
`Builders told to remove 'unfair' ground rent terms' LINK
`Housebuilders Countryside and Taylor Wimpey have been told to change their leasehold contract terms by the UK competition watchdog or face legal action. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the "unfair" terms, which double ground every 10 to 15 years, "trap" people. It said the contract means people can struggle to sell or mortgage homes. The builders said they had already taken steps that address the issue. The CMA said it had concerns that the clauses in the contracts may break consumer protection law. They must be removed and not used again, it said..'.

[Stanley]

Couldn't agree with you more Peter. A feudal system that somehow survived....

[Tripps]

It looks as if the cartoon I saw yesterday has come to life -

Todays protest march is against almost any cause you choose, but especially the banning of protest marches.

[Stanley]

The same thought crossed my mind David.
It surprises me nobody has commented on this....



Did everyone else know that these opportunists had almost stolen the name and had an appeal for funds?
Apart from anything else I note that it was reported that the protests yesterday were mainly not socially distanced or face masked. This is the sort of activity that could lead to a 3rd wave of lockdowns. Too many to arrest?

[Stanley]

Tom Fyans, director of campaign and policy at CPRE, said: 'A one-off investment of £3bn is really just an expensive sticking plaster after a decade of cuts to rural bus services - we need to aim much higher. Our towns and villages need committed, long-term funding to deliver a comprehensive bus network for the whole country, with a reliable service for every community.'
As you can see from this quote the Campaign for the protection of Rural England isn't a big fan of the DOT's plans for rural bus services. They reckon we should be aiming for a Swiss style of service and that it needs almost £3billion each year, not as a one off deal.
Good news to the sub postmasters going to the appeal court today for a verdict on their wrongful convictions due to failures in the Post Offices Horizon management programme. (LINK)

[Big Kev]

Not sure if this is the right thread for this but it's 'news'.
P&O cruises opened up their booking system for their 'around the UK' cruises this morning, it didn't last long...

Screenshot_20210322-095641_Metal Pro.jpg

I can understand people wanting to go on these cruises, the on board experience is great (in my opinion) but some of the destinations won't let you disembark and that's what cruise is all about, visiting different places.

[Tizer]

They'll have to be `around the UK' cruises because none of the ports will want the ships dumping crowds of passengers on them. The phrase `unprecedented demand' is now jargon for `our computer whizz kid mucked up the web site'.

Good news to the sub postmasters going to the appeal court today for a verdict on their wrongful convictions due to failures in the Post Offices Horizon management programme.

I heard the postmistress on the radio saying she was 45 when first accused of fraud and is now 63 and the matter still isn't fully resolved. She had to get the vicar to speak up for her honesty. It's a disgrace.

This is another disgrace...
`Green plan to upgrade homes was 'botched', say MPs'
`The master plan to help people upgrade the UK’s homes has been “botched” and must be urgently overhauled, MPs say. The environmental audit select committee says the Green Homes Grant (GHG), which offers people up to £10,000 for insulation, is so inept that it is actually damaging the building sector. It adds that 19 million UK homes are poorly insulated and accuses ministers of “failing to grasp" the challenge....The MPs said the scheme had "only achieved 10% of its target to improve 600,000 homes in six months"..'.

[Big Kev]

They'll have to be `around the UK' cruises because none of the ports will want the ships dumping crowds of passengers on them. The phrase `unprecedented demand' is now jargon for `our computer whizz kid mucked up the web site'.

The 'whizz kid' will have neglected to restrict the number of website users with a queuing system. There were a few of those implemented for B&Q, Wickes etc.
It's the same as a DDOS attack from a hacker, you would have thought P&O would have predicted it.

[Tripps]

This is 'worth a look'. Nadia Whittome MP showing why labour is probably unelectable. I note that she has copied the Duchess of Sussex's hairstyle, and wikipedia says she identifies as 'queer' - a word that would have got you fired ten years ago, but is OK now it seems.

It's hard to keep up isn't it?


Bristol riots

being on BBC, Alastair Campbell of course had a book to plug.

[Stanley]

Peter, I heard that lady as well and noted that despite the PO admitting to some failings they have not fully reformed and held their hand up for all the other cases as well. The biggest scandal is how the leaders who perpetrated this scandal have moved onwards and upwards to even greater responsibilities.
Had to smile David and I agree. Very hard to know what is safe today. I have in mind your other post about the dangers in Cambridge of being heterosexual. Next milestone will be drag queen for MP or even PM!
(Something's nagging me, has that already happened somewhere?)
Later. I have just heard a report proposing an annual National Coronavirus Memorial Day and erecting a memorial, equivalent to the Cenotaph. Sorry but I am not in favour as it seems to assume there will be no more pandemics like this one. The evidence is that for many reasons we can expect more events like Coronavirus as virus jump from animals to humans. We should be putting efforts into preparing for them, not commemorating this one.

[PanBiker]

Later. I have just heard a report proposing an annual National Coronavirus Memorial Day and erecting a memorial, equivalent to the Cenotaph. Sorry but I am not in favour as it seems to assume there will be no more pandemics like this one. The evidence is that for many reasons we can expect more events like Coronavirus as virus jump from animals to humans. We should be putting efforts into preparing for them, not commemorating this one.

Aye it's not a cessation of hostilities celebration. More of the start of the biggest cock up for a long time in this country, delayed action according to a Covid investigation program I watched recently equated to at lest 20,000 avoidable deaths in the UK. That is not a cause for celebration.

[Tripps]

Next milestone will be drag queen for MP or even PM!

I've been pondering who will be next Commissioner of the Met. The current one -for whom I have a lot of time, have you looked at her pedigree? - ticks nearly all the PC boxes with one egregious exception.

Her Wiki entry says she had actually left the Police at the time of her appointment, and was working in the Foreign office - doing what, no one knows. The power of box ticking.

This lady is my favourite -she's been promoted (of course) since the Whaley Bridge dam saga

Deputy Chief Constable Derbyshire.jpg

[Tizer]

What frightened her?

[Stanley]

Very windy at Whaley Bridge Peter....
I would add too this stand on the doorstep and shine a light as a commemoration. It seems to me that these things are on a level for clapping for nurses (Which I refuse to do). We shouldn't be clapping them, we should be putting pressure on the government to pay them a age and stop trying to blind us with science about how much their wages have gone up. The Nurses Union gave a figure the other day, I think it was an overall loss of 12% since 2010. Include carers as well, my kids are carers and they do the jobs none of us want to do for peanuts.
Perhaps it's all to distract us from yet another of Johnson's election promises, to 'fix' social care. No sign of it yet.....

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report of the Scottish pay offer to nurses and ancillary staff of 4% as an addition to the £500 bonus already given.
Nicola Sturgeon says that clapping on doorsteps is not enough. A clear criticism of PM Johnson. She is right.

[Tizer]

`In pictures: Efforts to dislodge huge ship from Egypt's Suez Canal' LINK

[Marilyn]

Read the (BBB) report by UK Panorama’s Jane Corbin who “scoured the globe” to see which countries got it right in regard to Covid.
Funny...no mention of New Zealand or Australia in her report. ( scour harder Jane!)

[Stanley]

See THIS for the latest assessment from BBC Reality Check, usually a source of good information. The Ever Given is still aground and no prospects of any imminent change.
It makes you wonder about size limits on the canal. Is this class of vessel simply too big?

[Tripps]

Stark contrast here between one of the more established members of the 'firm' and the performance of the Californian branch of the family. All carefully orchestrated to make a point, I'm quite sure.

Princess Anne

[Tizer]

There's plenty of comment on this issue below in the news but very little context given to allow us to judge whether we think the teacher was doing anything wrong. If the teacher was using the cartoon simply to denigrate Muslims then he was in the wrong but if he was using it to show what had stirred up the Charlie Hebdo trouble and holding a discussion on the rights or wrongs of the French magazine's use of the cartoon then he should be allowed to do so. All part of education. It's like the debate over the use of the word nigger. If you use it in a way to denigrate black people then it's wrong, but if you use it as I just did in a discussion of the issue then it should be regarded as acceptable. (Note that the teacher's name was immediately pasted all over social media worldwide. Guilty until proven innocent.))

`Gavin Williamson enters row over cartoon of Prophet Muhammad: Education secretary criticises ‘threats’ against Batley teacher who showed pupils Muhammad image' The Times
`Gavin Williamson has condemned parents’ protests against children being shown a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad in class as “completely unacceptable”. Batley Grammar School has closed and parents have gathered outside for a second day to complain about the image, which parents said was from the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The non-selective school in West Yorkshire has apologised over the “inappropriate” image, shown during a religious studies lesson this week, and suspended a teacher. Video film shows people gathered around the school gates amid shouts of “get the head teacher”, although police confirmed that there had been no arrests or fines issued for breaches of the coronavirus restrictions..'.

[Stanley]

Princess Anne.... I once had a brush with her whilst with an English Heritage inspector and looking at an ancient monument. It just so happened that our visit coincided with Princess Anne supervising a riding class for disabled children. Unfortunately we happened to be in the way and received the rough edge of her tongue, she wasn't smiling.....
As for the Batley kerfuffle. I don't know what the context is or even what is or is not allowed so I have no comment to make. All I can say is that it bears the classic imprints of intolerance and bigoted behaviour.
Someone somewhere needs to lighten up. I heard an Imam discussing the subject yesterday and he was waffling about attitudes without any clear advice about what was or was not acceptable.