WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Tizer]

Cathy, watch out for one of these in your garden!
`Australia's 'Toadzilla': Record-breaking cane toad found in Queensland' LINK

[Cathy]

Far out!
Not surprised it doesn’t have any wild predators.

We don’t have the toad problem in SA, but some are introduced via farm produce or heavy floods.

[Stanley]

A toad that size would frighten me to death! It's a monster!

[Tripps]

Mention of cane toads (yuck !) steers me to The Kransky Sisters from Esk in Queensland

The youngest sister Dawn Kransky - who was Trolley Librarian at the local hospital- has a collection of dried cane toad skins.

They're a bit of an aquired taste - the sisters, not the toads you understand.



PS I now learn that there are 2 billion cane toads presently in Australia. I won't be visiting.

[Stanley]

I have had a visit from a young man from Yorkshire Water to take a sample of water at my sink as one of the checks they have done on the repair this week. He never said anything but I have an idea he was impressed by how clean the sink is.... I suppose they have to make sure the sink and taps are clean before taking the samples.....

[Stanley]

The first sign of a thaw later today. About time too!

[Stanley]

The frost has gone and the gas men cometh hopefully to give me another two 'smart' meters. Let's hope they work!

[Stanley]

Now I have smart meters that actually work and a monitor I am assured is accurate I shall be able to put a cost on my various usages of leccy in the kitchen and shed.

[Stanley]

A video Margaret sent me from the beach at Brusselton. A dolphin had swum in to visit bringing her young one with her. She was just visiting for pleasure because there was no food there. Lovely! That doesn't happen in Barlick.....

[Tripps]

The Aldi 'Corale' baked beans saga rumbles on. After being 25p for as long as I can remember - they went to 37 p - then after a period being out of stock they're back today for 45 p per 420g can. That's an increase of 80%.

[Stanley]

Occasionally, in the Good Old Days before the Truss brand of economics, baked beans at 25p a tin would be seen in the Co-op and I always said that whenever you saw them at that price you should fill your boots. I'm afraid those days are long gone, never to return. It sounds as though Aldi have fallen foul of the same adverse circumstances David. Inflation in food prices is the ugly little story that Hunt et al are failing to mention.
Have you noticed how the strikes have fallen out of the headlines? It's almost as though the politicians are trying to starve them of the oxygen of publicity. They've tried everything else!

[Cathy]

It’s Australia Day today , for all of us ‘incomers’.

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[Stanley]

That's a great image Cathy.....

[Stanley]

I think I just heard on the news that 20mph is to be the default speed limit in built up areas throughout the UK.
If that is right it's about time. I always thought that only having some streets regulated was silly and a waste of money putting all those signs up.

[Tizer]

I heard or read a couple of weeks ago that there would be trials of the 20mph limit in residential areas in some towns but then heard nothing more. I'd like to see it happen but have my doubts - it won't work unless it's monitored continuously to catch the speeders. We have a 20mph road near us and most drivers take no notice and whizz past at 40-50mph.
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Something I found while researching tin mines. These two links are interesting and there are more on the site...
Tin mine clay exhibits: Tin Mine Clay
Doggerland clay exhibits: LINK2

[Tizer]

As you know, I support the Astronomer Royal in his view that we shouldn't spend billions on trying to send humans to other planets when AI and robotics can do it all and better. The money should be spent here on Earth to ensure that we understand this planet and can make it a safe world for all human beings and provide a good life and good education for everyone. So I was glad to see Bill Gates agreeing with this view.
`Bill Gates would rather pay for vaccines than travel to Mars' LINK

[Tripps]

Was the earthquake centred near Blackpool noticed by anyone yesterday?

It was said to be 1.5 on the Richter Scale.which is much stronger than the one which caused gas fracking to be abandoned in the Fylde.

[Stanley]

I only heard about it David and at 1.5 it's hardly worth reporting.
Later.... Our piddling little shake is put into perspective by what is happening in Turkey and that region. See THIS BBC report.
A powerful earthquake has hit a wide area in south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border, killing dozens of people and trapping many others. The US Geological Survey said the 7.8 magnitude tremor struck at 04:17 local time (01:17 GMT) at a depth of 17.9km (11 miles) near the city of Gaziantep. In Turkey, officials confirmed more than 50 deaths so far. Ten cities have been hit in Turkey. In Syria, at least 42 people were killed, state media reported. There are fears the death toll will rise sharply in the coming hours. Many buildings have collapsed and rescue teams have been deployed to search for survivors under huge piles of rubble.

[Tizer]

Easily beaten by their August 2019 one at Richter 2.9. They might have to check that the Golden Mile is still a mile long!

[Big Kev]

If you're travelling through Foulridge, A56, this week probably best not to. They're felling some trees between the res and Langroyd, queues have been back to the Kelbrook roundabout.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report about the Turkish earthquake. Thousands killed. Nobody is talking about our earth shaking 1.5 shiver now!
Later... There are reports of a succession of strong earthquakes during the night and the confirmed number of deaths is now 4,300 and rising.

[Stanley]

This morning the death toll is heading towards 10,000. Terrible....

[Stanley]

See THIS report just in on the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. The death toll is over 15,000 and rising.
On a minor matter here at home my first home visit by the chiropodist Robin was fine. I like the man, we got on well and he did a very good and efficient job. He says my feet are in excellent condition and we have set the next appointment in April. I am delighted!

[PanBiker]

What attracted my attention yesterday was trapping my thumb in a kitchen drawer! Don't know why I did that, hurt like hell and my nail is partially black.

[Big Kev]

Ouch!

Unconfirmed reports that the former HSBC bank, in Newtown, is being raided by the police. Word on the street is it was being used as a cannabis factory.