OneGuyFromBarlick

Nothing unique about your situation Maz.

I accept you saying that Wendy. I don’t think many of us are in the same situation....and only those of us in that situation can really understand that we may make different decisions to others and possibly view life slightly differently.

The work force numbers at RR Barlick is still a bit of a mystery to me. Last august it was 890 then down to 740, then another 350ish to Singapore and possible 140 to Spain. Does anyone know what the actual numbers are and what they will be in 3 months time?

Marilyn wrote: ↑28 Feb 2021, 09:13 ...and another reason why I find such things as gold and jewellery absolutely meaningless...

Maz, I have better stuff than gold and jewellery, it cost me very little and much of it is sitting in full view on shelves above my computer as I write this. Beautiful rock and mineral specimens in many shapes and colours! I'm not a believer in all those claims about crystals prolonging life, making you happy etc but their simple beauty and the fact that they're natural and have come from all over the world gives me great pleasure. I can strongly recommend rock & mineral collecting - and you don't have to travel the world to get them, you can buy them online easily!

Tizer...if I was to collect such wondrous objects...they would mean little if I did not dig them from the earth with my own hands.

Re plastics
The average consumer is made to feel guilty because of the damage that plastic causes. Most of us do what we can to use things for as long as possible, then put them into the recycling.
How much ends up in land-fill , I wonder?
I read recently that even bio-degradable bags don’t fully break down. They become tiny pieces which are eaten by our insects.
It just doesn’t stop. It’s high-time the relevant scientists and manufacturers came up with something we can use , without it eventually harming our planet and creatures.

There are different types of `biodegradable' bags, Cathy. Some break down completely and quickly, others take years and some just break up into fragments as you said and can get eaten by wildlife. Also, if biodegradable bags go into land-fill they cause the same problems as putting waste food into land-fill. Bacteria and fungi eat them but they produce methane and you end up with a land-fill that's a fire hazard!

My RSGB RadCom delivery sleeves (Corn Starch) go into our composter with vegetable peelings in them.

It’s still not good enough Tize. With everything that can be done these days, they should be doing much better.

The only safe way would be to ditch all mass produced items and go back to whittling spoons and bowls. I doubt very much that that will happen.

PanBiker wrote: ↑28 Feb 2021, 11:25 The only safe way would be to ditch all mass produced items and go back to whittling spoons and bowls. I doubt very much that that will happen.

We'd need to plant a few more trees first Ian

The detonation of a WW2 bomb in Exeter.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-56226798

Speaking as a man who has heard his fair share of bombs going off, that sounded a bit too close to a crack for me. I'd guess that most of the noise you heard there was from the initiating charge used by the disposal squad. The explosives used in run of the mill aerial bombs was quite slow detonation, Ammonal was popular. It exploded with more of a boom than a crack.
Does anyone know the answer to Ken's question? How many RR workers are left?

GB News

Stanley wrote: ↑28 Feb 2021, 05:33 It will definitely not be leaning to the Left!

Precisely why I'm looking forward to it.

Stanley wrote: ↑28 Feb 2021, 12:27 Does anyone know the answer to Ken's question? How many RR workers are left?

Our next Barlick Labour Party branch meeting will have Mark Porter (Unite Union Convenor) at Rolls attending. Specifically to let us know what was agreed and the ramifications etc. It's via Zoom so you can take part if you wish Stanley as a member. I assume you receive the details from the branch secretary? If not I can let you have them when the meeting details are circulated.

The AM boss should be more firm about making it an electric car...
`Aston Martin: The billionaire building 'a British Ferrari'' LINK

Cathy wrote: ↑28 Feb 2021, 10:41 It just doesn’t stop. It’s high-time the relevant scientists and manufacturers came up with something we can use , without it eventually harming our planet and creatures.

Paper bags made from properly managed forests?

Not much good for milk! I know, let's put it in returnable bottles. We could buy it online and have it delivered to our door!

And deliver free milk in third pint bottles to all the schools!

I suppose we could have strong paper bags , provided by the shop, and hopefully with strong handles, for purchases from say the chemist, clothes shops, newsagents etc. They could be re-used many times if kept dry.
But then you will want a bag to put all those small bags in, to make them easier to carry... you might as well just take a canvas bag!
For a normal grocery shop, we just need to take a stock of canvas bags. They are cheap to buy, very strong and last a long time. You can get them for bottles too. They are a no-brainer for most things.
I keep 1 or 2 ‘roll-up’ bags in my handbag. I find them to be enough when shopping for a variety of bits and pieces. They last for ages, but I’ve just had a thought... they might be made from a type of plastic. Oops . Will have to check.

Just checked, they are made from Polyester.

Which of course is plastic..... Oh dear! You need cotton cloth bags Cathy.

I have quite a few 100% cotton bags , from the Cotton On shops. Thanks for reminding me, I will start right now.
I bought the other ones while at check-outs, thinking that they took up little space and were just what I needed for small shops.
That’s exactly what the supermarket wanted me to think. Grrr

That was a close shave. Talking of which what about disposable razors? If you have a sensitive skin they only last a couple of shaves then they are in the bin. But which bin?

How do we get away from Polyester?
It’s used in Clothing, Furnishings, Textiles, Sheets and Duvet Fillings, Sewing Threads, Luggage, Seat Belts...