Seen in the News

[Stanley]

"Dubbed “forever chemicals” because they are designed never to break down in the environment, the substances can percolate through the ground for years, reaching drinking water aquifers."
That bit really worries me Peter.....

[Tizer]

I agree with both of you and I also note the statement: `Duxford airfield’s spokesperson said no banned substances “are knowingly used anywhere across our estate” and that it no longer uses firefighting foam “and haven’t for years, as we are aware of the sensitivity of the aquifer that Duxford sits on top of" whereas earlier in the article is this paragraph: `Dubbed “forever chemicals” because they are designed never to break down in the environment, the substances can percolate through the ground for years, reaching drinking water aquifers.' So Duxford `might not have used it for years' but contaminants can stay in aquifers for a very long time, much more than `a few years' and the article states that PFOS has been used in fire fighting foams since the 1960s.

Back in March 2020 I posted concerns about PFAS: OG LINK PFOS in the current news story is just one type of PFAS.

[Stanley]

I heard an expert on R4 and was surprised by how many products they are used in, many connected with food packaging and also Teflon coatings. he said that we all have traces in our blood as they are so persistent in the environment.
See THIS Guardian account of the report of the Parliamentary public accounts committee which looks for benefits from Brexit and finds none.
"Brexit red tape has damaged Britain’s trade with the EU and the situation could worsen unless the government works with Brussels to reduce hold-ups at UK ports, parliament’s spending watchdog has said. Only hours after Jacob Rees-Mogg was appointed minister for Brexit opportunities, a report by the cross-party public accounts committee (PAC) said border checks in place since the beginning of the year had increased business costs and “suppressed” trade with the EU. The PAC said there was a risk that the situation would worsen in September, when stricter checks are implemented by the EU and a forecast post-Covid recovery in global trade increases traffic through UK ports."

[plaques]

Never mentioned but I see nothing to secure our borders against organised crime. Priti Patel is concentration on rubber boats filled with asylum seekers. Meanwhile there must be container load of drugs and counterfeit goods coming in that we know nothing about. Mind you if you want to throw a really good party it may be a good thing.

[Stanley]

I think you're right Ken. Little snippets of information that slip out especially in reports about processing vehicles at entry points point to the fact that despite all the promises Border Force is still badly under resourced.
On a parallel matter.... see THIS for a rare mention of a firm which has the contract for supplying veterinary services at all points of entry and from reports seen elsewhere have failed miserably. They have a charmed life as far as publicity is concerned. As is so often the case, the best source for news of them is in Private Eye.

[Tripps]

Within just hours of saying she had no intention of standing down - Cressida Dick of the Yard has done just that. Well I never. . .

PS I heard an interview yesterday with this chap. He seemed to talk a lot of sense, and actually defended Cressida Dick - saying the issues were wide, deep, and longstanding, and down to more than just one person.

I ordered his book last night Tango Juliet Foxtrot

Mayor Khan says he wants her successor -

to root out the
racism, sexism, homophobia,
bullying, discrimination and
misogyny that still exists.

Strange no mention of the burglary clear up rate of 3.6 %

[Stanley]

Yes David, quite a surprise after the statement she made only a couple of hours before. Perhaps that's what pushed the mayor over the edge. She has led a charmed life in my opinion and had several close shaves.....
I suspect your man may be right David, and I have never blamed Cressida Dick for the failures and shortcomings of the police. She had enough personal failures to convince me she should go.
As for reforming the force, first fund, staff and train it to the standards required. Then start to get rid of the bad apples. Detection and conviction rates will then start to rise but don't hold your breath... Sunak has other priorities.

[Tizer]

Mayor Khan says he wants her successor: to root out the racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, discrimination and misogyny that still exists. Strange no mention of the burglary clear up rate of 3.6 %

He probably added: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey, can we just move this thing along before it drives us all round the bloody bend?”

[Big Kev]

He probably added: “Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey, can we just move this thing along before it drives us all round the bloody bend?”

[Big Kev]

Let's move on to lassa fever now...

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/brit ... 82150.html

[Stanley]

The news items about the current attempt by Chagossians to reoccupy the Chagos islands following the court decision that they should be allowed to return, a decision not 'recognised' by the UK, are a bit short of the truth. What is described as 'a large US base' on the main island is actually one of the States biggest intelligence gathering site, more important than Menwith Hill.

[Stanley]

In reports from Chagos Islands this morning the US facility on Diego Garcia is still being described as an 'air base'. Why don't they come clean and admit it is perhaps the most important intel gathering facility that the US has?

[Tizer]

I don't recall hearing or seeing this in our usual news media but here's a 9th Feb report from the NY Times and I think there should have been more of a fuss made about it...
`Solar Storm Destroys 40 New SpaceX Satellites in Orbit: The geomagnetic incident resulted in the Starlink transmitters drifting back into Earth’s atmosphere, where they will burn up, potentially costing the company about $100 million' NY Times

[Big Kev]

I don't recall hearing or seeing this in our usual news media but here's a 9th Feb report from the NY Times and I think there should have been more of a fuss made about it...
`Solar Storm Destroys 40 New SpaceX Satellites in Orbit: The geomagnetic incident resulted in the Starlink transmitters drifting back into Earth’s atmosphere, where they will burn up, potentially costing the company about $100 million' NY Times

I did see something about it but I can't remember where. I do know they're not popular as they're adding to the amount of 'junk' orbiting the earth.

[PanBiker]

I mentioned the potential for this damage over in the weather thread I think it was the other week. We are currently ramping up the slope to the next Solar Maximum in its 11 year cycle. The damage would have been done by the large event which combined a massive CME event along with an exceptionally high solar wind factor, the two combined created a purple alert which is above the normal reds which in themselves give increased potential for visible auroras in more southerly regions such as the UK.

I doubt if the space junk Starlink network has anywhere near the protection methods employed by the big communication satellites which have automatic self defence routines for such events.

[Tizer]

Another reason they're unpopular is that besides generally increasing space junk (`celestial fly tipping'?) they interfere with the work of astronomers who now get thousands of man-made streaks across their images all the time. Also the satellites that burn up appear as fireballs and cause more confusion. And if that's not enough the reflected sunlight from so many satellites increases problems of an over-bright night sky. And yet Musk, and others, plan to launch more and more of them! How strange that the people littering the upper atmosphere and near space with hard objects and debris are the same ones who want to put human beings in space. It's yet one more reason why I think we should not send humans (or any living things) into space but send robots and use AI instead to do the exploring. We 're faced with people and organisations who want to make profits by sending holidaymakers into space!

[Stanley]

Donald Trump's accountants have said they can no longer work for him as the data he has supplied cannot be relied on. See THIS BBC report.

[Tizer]

This seems to be old news - Gove has been proposing it ever since he needed something to neutralise the Boris party fiasco. The latest news, not I think mentioned in the article, is that the big housing developers are saying Gove's proposal to make them pay would be illegal and they'd fight it...
`New powers proposed to end unsafe cladding' LINK

[Stanley]

THIS caught my attention. Andrew has done what he should have done a long time ago, paid his accuser off. This way it all goes away and doesn't interfere with the Platinum Jubilee. Unfortunately the great unwashed will wink and say I told you so. News media try to keep the ball rolling by asking if he can make a come-back. Forget it, he will be quietly moved out of public attention and we won't hear from him again.
Attention will now swing to Harry's new shock horror revelations in his book which is imminent. What a family!

[plaques]

Attention will now swing to Harry's new shock horror revelations in his book which is imminent. What a family!

Harry and Meghan moved to America to gain some privacy and lead more normal quiet lives. To prove their point and to make sure they maintain this level of anonymity they've written a couple of books and released videos of the children. At the same time making sure they attend all the 'must be seen at events' as possible. Being concerned about climate change they limit travel to other peoples private jets. Their whole behaviour is self promotion and antithetical.

[Tizer]

This should have been done much earlier - it was obvious there would be problems...
`Car industry calls for electric charge watchdog' LINK
The article has some useful data - for instance electric cars remain a tiny fraction of the cars on UK roads, representing just 1.3% of the total. You wouldn't guess that from all the industry press releases and news media reports telling us that electric car sales are soaring.

[Tripps]

LBC reported this morning that schools in Barrowford have banned all meat from school dinners. They ask that no meat be included in the childrens' packed lunches. The aim being to reduce their 'carbon footprint' and save the planet.

I'd be inclined to send mine with ham sandwiches clearly labelled as such, and see what followed.

[plaques]

Electric car sales are a bit like our 'fastest growing' economy in the G7. My analogy is like a marathon race where the competitors have run 18 miles when ours have just started. We are moving faster than the rest. Yes well?

[plaques]

LBC reported this morning that schools in Barrowford have banned all meat from school dinners. They ask that no meat be included in the childrens' packed lunches. The aim being to reduce their 'carbon footprint' and save the planet.

I'd be inclined to send mine with ham sandwiches clearly labelled as such, and see what followed.

Is this what they call 'woke'. Some vegie sausage eater telling the world what to do. i suppose they will be having their canine teeth pulled out. Total nonsense, I hope its only a joke otherwise whoever imposed this wants 'cancelling'.

[Big Kev]

LBC reported this morning that schools in Barrowford have banned all meat from school dinners. They ask that no meat be included in the childrens' packed lunches. The aim being to reduce their 'carbon footprint' and save the planet.

I'd be inclined to send mine with ham sandwiches clearly labelled as such, and see what followed.

Is this what they call 'woke'. Some vegie sausage eater telling the world what to do. i suppose they will be having their canine teeth pulled out. Total nonsense, I hope its only a joke otherwise whoever imposed this wants 'cancelling'.

No, it's genuine. It was introduced around 12 months ago, I must presume a parent has contacted the media recently.

A bit of useless information here, the headteacher at Barrowford is the daughter of a previous Barnoldswick school headteacher, she has featured in quite a few controversial media stories...