Seen in the News

[Tizer]

It's a feedback mechanism in action. We breed too quickly and compete for space and resources, just like the primitive bacteria that launched life on Earth. Killing each other is a result of feedback just as climate change is a result of our other activities. Natural human instinct still seems to outweigh intelligence all too often. The question is will we reach the tipping point where intelligence wins before we've managed to destroy ourselves? Answer on a postcard please!

[Cathy]

Mad Max comes to mind.

[Stanley]

Either way it saddens me. I have to go with Cathy, it's mad!
I see in the news that Princess Anne is going to take over Harry's duties. Thank God for that! The Empire can relax again.

[Stanley]

Later.



News in the last hour that Darwin's arch in the Galapagos has collapsed due to natural erosion. Nobody was anywhere near when it fell.

[Cathy]

One of the highlights along our Great Ocean Road on Victoria’s south coast, are the 12 Apostles- limestone pillars that were once connected to the mainland cliffs. They are 10-20 million years old.
Waves and wind carved them into caves, then arches, and eventually battered them down into 45metre tall columns.
There are now only 8 Apostles left.

9A83B366-10AA-448D-AD0D-1863081EA8C6.jpeg

[Stanley]

It's amazing isn't it Cathy, not only how such features are formed but how they survive and eventually fail. I think every country has these 'stacks' off shore and they are always spectacular. Have a look at THIS Wikipedia article on famous stacks. The Apostles are in there as well.

[Tizer]

Not quite the standard of your Apostles, Cathy, but we have Bedruthan Steps in Cornwall Link and Old Harry Rocks in Dorset LINK

Now prepare for this shocking news....
`UK hit by Cadbury 99 Flake shortage' LINK
The last bit is interesting about the origin of the 99 Flake name...
The term 99 Flake is often thought to indicate the price of the ice cream it accompanies but Cadbury says: "The real reason for "99" Flake being so called has been lost in the mists of time." But it points to one explanation suggesting the name takes its inspiration from the former Italian monarchy after a Cadbury sales manager witnessed ice cream makers - who were originally from Italy, but working in County Durham - cutting flakes in half and adding them to cones. "In the days of the monarchy in Italy, the King has a specially chosen guard consisting of 99 men, and subsequently anything really special or first-class was known as '99' - and that is how '99' Flake came by its name," Cadbury said.

[Cathy]

Thanks for that Tize, the important thing is that I have a Cadbury ‘s Flake in my fridge, and I do.
All is well

[Stanley]

Thank God for that Cathy. The thought of having to endure a shortage of Flake chocolate on top of Covid and no holidays would have been just too much to bear.....
(Why do they have to be made in Egypt. Were they on the Ever Given when it blocked the Suez Canal?)

[Stanley]

See THIS report on the latest news of the cases being investigated against the Trump Organisation. They are no longer civil matters but criminal investigations. This does not include the separate criminal investigation into Trump's tax affairs.
Did you notice the news yesterday that Joe Biden has submitted all his tax affairs for scrutiny thus re-establishing the tradition followed by all modern incumbents except Trump.

[Tizer]

I'm glad your Cadbury ‘s Flake situation is `in credit' Cathy!

Why do they have to be made in Egypt.

Perhaps we get the surplus from Bim Bim...LINK

[Stanley]

The global economy gives us some surprising bedfellows Peter. Never heard of Bim Bim before!

[Whyperion]

`UK hit by Cadbury 99 Flake shortage' LINK
The last bit is interesting about the origin of the 99 Flake name...
The term 99 Flake is often thought to indicate the price of the ice cream it accompanies but Cadbury says: "The real reason for "99" Flake being so called has been lost in the mists of time." But it points to one explanation suggesting the name takes its inspiration from the former Italian monarchy after a Cadbury sales manager witnessed ice cream makers - who were originally from Italy, but working in County Durham - cutting flakes in half and adding them to cones. "In the days of the monarchy in Italy, the King has a specially chosen guard consisting of 99 men, and subsequently anything really special or first-class was known as '99' - and that is how '99' Flake came by its name," Cadbury said.

Given the attachment to italy one is reminded of ISIHAC on radio 4 and Samantha nibbling the nuts on a large neopolitan

[Stanley]

See THIS For encouraging news from the US. Republicans in the House of Representatives siding with the democrats to institute an enquiry into the Capitol riots. Defying Trump's assertions about it being 'A Democrat Trap'.

[Tizer]

It is encouraging to know that at least some Republicans are willing to ditch Trump but unfortunately the Senate will block the proposal.

[Stanley]

You never know Peter. The Senate is finely balanced now. Democrats 48, Independents 2 and Republicans 50.
See THIS BBC account of the verdict that not only Martin Bashir but the BBC management failed Princes Diana in the notorious interview. One reporter commented that it was notable that there was no talk about drawing a line under this. This could just be the start of a serious attack on Bashir and the BBC.

[Stanley]

Heard in the news actually, the BBC peering up its own bottom over the Panorama interview and it is so boring. I have turned World at One off.

[Tripps]

I do that increasingly often. Interesting to compare the 8.00 am news on BBC R4 with say LBC. Choice of topics is fascinating. Ferrari has an acute nose for the Mail reader's interests- and he has his killer question for the badly briefed Minister - 'how much does an average nurse earn Minister'? Actually Gillian Keegan knew the figure - £34,000 . She got a wry "well done".

In contrast, the BBC has a different agenda. Despite being a non commercial station, I constantly hear them plug books and shows, even pop records, and an item from the RSPB seems to get on regularly. The BBC has a current obsession with sex/gender, racism, feminism, and especially women in sport. It's getting boring.

Maybe I'm the one out of step?

Interesting to see that 500,000 have stopped paying the Licence tax this year. This Diana nonsense might be the coup de grace? It surely can't last for much longer in its present format. It's now an anachronism.

Surely Lord Hall who it seems colluded with an active cover up should have spoken by now?


All that off my chest - but it must be said they do lot that it's hard to imagine anyone else doing.

[Stanley]

"but it must be said they do lot that it's hard to imagine anyone else doing"
You've put your finger on it there David. Things like the World Service and the Proms spring to mind. Who would host things like Young Singer of the Year. One of the joys of Public Radio in the States is that during the night they switch over to BBC World Service and so when I was there I could rise early and hear the BBC news and programming.
However, the recent moves to cut costs by axing whole programmes and departments has hit news gathering and reporting hard. The last four years has been easy for them, they have had Brexit and Covid serving up the agenda on a plate. Yesterday it was endless raking over the embers of the Death of Princess Diana. This of course coincides with the Royals internal problems and the imminent end of the Second Elizabethan Era. I can't see the BBC emerging in the format it is now. A great shame because time was we led the world. It's indicative of the way things are heading generally that one of the first casualties will be the BBC as we knew it.

[Stanley]

Again, heard in the news. One of the great and the good saying on Today that the monarchy and the BBC are the most respected and trusted institutions in the UK. Really? Or is this just the view of a certain class of people who hold this view and can't believe that anyone might differ with them.

[plaques]

There's thousands of people who follow the Royalty soap opera watching every move and disclosure that the media hands out. My question is why are they digging up ex-Princess Di's interview now. Is it to draw a comparison between her and Harry/ Meghan and gain the sympathy vote. Poor things could do with a better rating than they've got at the moment. Crying all the way to the bank.

[Tizer]

I've posted this, not so much because of the news but because it's an example of very poor journalism. We two watched it separately and later said `Did you see that video about water burning your eyes?' And we were both gobsmacked to find that it never explained what was toxic or causing the burning and how come a kid was twice shown swimming in it the water? How come the BBC is putting out trash like this on its news web site? [Rant over! ]
`Water so toxic 'it could burn your eyes' BBC

[Tripps]

The response to Dominic Cummings further evidence to the Committee next Wednesday is launched in advance.

Get the popcorn ready. . . .

Cummings trip to Barnard Castle

[Stanley]

David, it sounds to me as though Cummings has been keeping a Pearl Harbour file......

[Tizer]

Spookiness again...Stanley has posted a cartoon showing space aliens trying to get through the covid check at a customs barrier on Earth. I've just been reading an article published on Saturday with the title `The American public now believes UFOs do exist'. That doesn't surprise me, especially after Trump's presidency. But further in the article I was disturbed to read that some of the most senior intelligence and security officials in the US believe in UFOs and are beginning to regard them as a real danger. It's not the danger aspect that worries me but the belief. We hear various claims about UFOs whizzing about the sky and in near-Earth space but no-one seems to ask the millions of astronomers around the world if they've ever seen anything they couldn't explain and believe to be alien. We've got everyone from the amateurs with binoculars spending the night in their back gardens watching the sky to a vast range of sophisticated detection techniques around the world scanning the skies continuously. I'll be concerned once the astronomers tell me there are UFOs!