WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Tripps]

I'm quite fond of adding PS's to my posts if I think they are necessary. If someone doesn't read them because of the above - then I'll probably survive. . . .

[Tizer]

Don't write too much in them or you'll run the risk of being called a bag of PS!

[Big Kev]

I guess if all depends on whether you want anyone to read it really. There may be questions later

[Stanley]

Wendy is quite right and I am guilty because i post so early and add codicils on the grounds nobody has read them yet but of course others are early risers.....
The thing that grabbed me was the fact that our sun tanned MP is in charge of the Tory Party and is now the chief fund raiser. All those years of being a yes man have paid off.....

[Stanley]

See shed matters for the answer to my puzzle about the drive to the steam valves on the Shand Mason pump and the feed pump. Brilliantly simple and I solved it in my sleep.....

[Tizer]

Brilliantly simple and I solved it in my sleep.....

Like the chemist Kekule who solved the structure of the benzene molecule - a six membered ring of carbon atoms with three double bonds. He is reputed to have fallen asleep while in front of the fire pondering on the problem and had a dream of a snake eating its own tail.

[Stanley]

I joke about my 'design committee' Peter but I am very serious about the capacity of the brain to carry on working on a problem if you think about it last thing before you sleep. I get the answers too often to have any doubts about the mechanism's existence.
The nice thing now is is that my way forward is clear...... It was very complicated and not certain before!

[Wendyf]

The pleasure I get every morning when I open the hen run door and watch my girls running out into the world to start the day's adventures. At tea time they come running back for a handful of grain and a good scratch around the run....happy to be shut in again for the night. Sadly, it probably won't be long before they get locked down again as avian flu hasn't gone away this summer.

[Tizer]

...Sadly, it probably won't be long before they get locked down again as avian flu hasn't gone away this summer.

It's awful to keep hearing more news of mass deaths of seabirds, especially gannets. We love to stand on the cliffs in Cornwall watching the gannets diving vertically to catch fish. The mass deaths have been occurring worldwide but we're now seeing them around Britain. Guardian

[Stanley]

I'm not sure if we can blame the outbreak of Avian Flu on climate change but I heard the RSPB warden recounting how they are going round each day and bagging dead birds for disposal, it must be terrible and the consequences on the population are similar to what has happened to we humans with Covid, even worse because they have no vaccines.
The deaths as a consequence of climate change described in the Guardian article are just at tragic and in that case a direct consequence of our lax stewardship of the planet that supports us. We are beginning to see the results of that on us, the energy crisis is part of the same problem. Like the Gannets we could soon be falling off the perch because of the effects of global energy prices.

[plaques]

Meanwhile the water companies are pumping untreated sewage into the sea. We are told that's alright because its 95% rain water. The more astute will see that for every 100 gallons of sewage it contains 5 gallon of 'sh.t'. not to mention unknown amounts of hormones, polio, and other potential nasty chemicals. We were promised that when the water companies were privatised they would be better place to upgrade the Victorian infrastructure. Promises, Promises.

[Big Kev]

Meanwhile the water companies are pumping untreated sewage into the sea. We are told that's alright because its 95% rain water. The more astute will see that for every 100 gallons of sewage it contains 5 gallon of 'sh.t'. not to mention unknown amounts of hormones, polio, and other potential nasty chemicals. We were promised that when the water companies were privatised they would be better place to upgrade the Victorian infrastructure. Promises, Promises.

I'm sure I read somewhere that the fines, for pumping it into the sea, were less than upgrading the infrastructure.

[Tizer]

Some of the fines for individual cases are less than the CEO's annual bonus!

[Whyperion]

Watching the news , with the BBC Huw Edwards being reported on as earlier in the day to get his black suit and tie ready I at first thought things were being overdramatic, but then I thought how the Palace (Government?) were tipping off / alluding to the news media that things were not well ( and that from an institution that rarely reported on health issues of monarchy - is this not to frighten the stock markets - or the general public ?) Perhaps it is just me finding frustrating that the actual causes and symptoms of serious ill health of such a figure are not released , it creates speculation and unclarity. Old age is a funny thing I suppose, the daily reset switch seems fair without warning - normally deaths happen about 2 to 4 am , though I remember my grandmother went after lunch in her bed - a mere 85 years old but with heart problems for most of her life. I had not realised Truss had mentioned an end of a second Elizabethan Age until just now. The BBC reporters are still getting a little muddled with the idea of the death of the head of state - an institution I had always been taught was a continuous institution separate from the individual in that position. I was also surprised on news items the extent of younger ( well late 20s ? ) giving a positive view of Elizabeth as a woman and as monarch.

[Stanley]

Old lady dies in Scotland aged 96. Good innings. I hold no brief for the monarchy but recognise a good woman when I see one. The miracle is that she has held the institution together for over 70 years. One wonders to what extent this was down to respect for her rather than the institution. We shall see but I doubt if we will see her like again.....

[Stanley]

I'm listening to Farming Today and it is highlighting the Queen's involvement in farming and with her animals.
The best tribute to her I have heard this morning, well done Charlotte Smith and the Farming Today team. I'd recommend anyone to go and listen to it on BBC Sounds.

[PanBiker]

Just had email notification from the CLP secretary. All campaigning, canvassing, leafleting etc is suspended until further notice. In addition all branch and CLP meetings already notified are cancelled for the duration of the official mourning period.

[Stanley]

In an effort to escape the repetitive content on R4 I tuned to R3 thinking they would have some inspiring music. I was wrong, I don't even know what it was, nothing I recognised so I gave up.
I realise the media are on a hiding to nothing whatever they do but all we had was presenters regurgitating the same material over and over again. The sound track of the 96 gun salute would have been preferable and would have filled an hour and a half of air time.

[Whyperion]

Radio 2 (on iplayer) did a hour long show of the Prime Ministers That have been under the queen (do I mean that), with a backdrop of chart music appropriate to those years from 1952.

Not so much attracted , as I went looking for it, The Accesssion Council. Basically established under legislation from 1701 has a number of privvy council and others effectively agreeing that the Monarch will be the Monarch as already under common law. I suppose it means that no one can be accused of not supporting an (unwanted) monarch. Charles is only present for the second part, which involves taking a number of oaths , to the country/s (England and Scotland) and the church (of England and of Scotland). Apparently the monarch can object to any oath requested, from the BBC " Charles can say if he objects to any of the oaths he is asked to make, although the last time a new monarch did so was in 1910 when King George V rejected the anti-Catholic wording of the declaration oath. The government of the time evidently agreed with him as they changed the wording in the Accession Declaration Act 1910 ". Dont know what happens if the oaths are objected to , or even enhanced, presumably they can only be changed by parliamentary law and not just general agreement or orders in council. As such it seems that the monarch is subject to greater parliamentary scrutiny than the Prime Minister at times. The business is done at the (court of) St James - effectively the office of the offices of state !

[plaques]

Dont know what happens if the oaths are objected to , or even enhanced, presumably they can only be changed by parliamentary law and not just general agreement or orders in council. As such it seems that the monarch is subject to greater parliamentary scrutiny than the Prime Minister at times. The business is done at the (court of) St James - effectively the office of the offices of state !

Very interesting. I suppose King Charles could ask for a oath on climate change to be included. That would upset our current parliamentarians.

[Tripps]

The fact that I seem to be going more and more against the thinking of the majority.

I had the most hellish week in an ongoing battle with the NHS. Their behaviour has varied between shameful and malicious over a long period of time. I am totally stressed out, and close to breakimg point.

I've had the monarchy 'up to here' now. I guess King Charles will have no need now for Qatari bags of cash

I've reached for War of the Windsors to remind myself of the other side of the equation.

All that said - we do this dressing up and marching quite well. It will do wonders for the tourist industry especially with the pound sinking like a stone. It's an ill wind . . . . .

Back to the real world I speak of Baked Beans from Aldi. For as long as I've shopped at Aldi they were 4 cans in a pack for 99p. Yesterday they are now sold in indiviual cans (to reduce plastic packaging) and are now 37p per can.
That's an increase of 50 %. The standby food of the poor. Perhaps a herald could announce that from a Royal Palace balcony.

[Big Kev]

Back to the real world I speak of Baked Beans from Aldi. For as long as I've shopped at Aldi they were 4 cans in a pack for 99p. Yesterday they are now sold in indiviual cans (to reduce plastic packaging) and are now 37p per can.

It may only be a temporary thing, there were plenty of 'four packs' in Barlick Aldi yesterday. I did struggle to find any antipasto meats in there though, had to get a pack from the Coop.

[PanBiker]

I saw the four packs of BB's as well today at Aldi. No red pesto though.

[Stanley]

I recognise that cry from the heart and agree with all of it David except that my personal hate object isn't the NHS but British Gas and has been since October last year.
I'm not too sure you are out of line with 'the majority'. The procession of po-faced presenters on TV telling us what we ought to be thinking... I look at these people and remember things like the whole sorry saga of the broken relationships and betrayals that led up to Camilla getting to be Queen Consort.
That's why I was so critical yesterday of Chuck's speech to the public at home and abroad. He had a chance to reset the standing of the relationship but by failing to do so showed that nothing is going to change. The 'Windsors' will continue to bolster the pretence that they are the natural rulers and will go forward reinforced by all the bogus 'tradition' and pomp.
Remember that after the funeral a week tomorrow we will have a coronation to contend with....
Meanwhile, the Pound sinks like a stone, my knee hurts and the UK goes to hell in a handcart. Deep Joy!

[Stanley]

I had forgotten to mention that what grabbed me in the news coverage is the fact that Andrew, Duke of York, is taking full advantage of the situation to get back into the forefront of royal affairs. No accident that he was in the front seat of the car carrying the royals from Dyce to Balmoral.