Seen in the News

[Stanley]

I agree with you Kev. Everything politicians say is directed towards bolstering their own position.
I agreed with Galloway David when he was telling the truth about the genocide against the Palestinians, in those days he often dropped pearls of wisdom. Not sure what to think about him now.
In WW2 we had t5he same thing in government propaganda. But then we had some very brave BBC reporters out in the field and what they broadcast could be trusted. That source is a lot thinner on the ground now. (Orla Guerin is a notable exception. I trust her. Kate Adler in Brussels is good.)

[Tizer]

Kate Adler in Brussels is good.

Do you mean Kate Adie or Katya Adler? They're both good. Kate has retired from active journalism now but is still a news presenter. Katya is the BBC's Europe editor and is well respected: Adler

The Press gazette says: BBC reporters in Ukraine as of Sunday 27 February included: presenter and foreign correspondent Clive Myrie, chief international correspondent Lyse Doucet, international correspondent Orla Guerin, Eastern Europe correspondent Sarah Rainsford, Today programme presenter Nick Robinson, Europe correspondent Nick Beake and diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams. In addition, the BBC told Press Gazette that BBC News Ukraine and BBC News Russia “continue to serve their audiences as well as providing expert insight and analysis across the BBC’s domestic and international services”.
It has much more information on journalists from other organisations here: Press Gazette

[Stanley]

I meant Katya Adler Peter.

Did I hear a news item that reported that Saudi Arabia had executed 81 people in one day. (I did, because I have just looked it up....)
How can we possibly have any relationship with a country that operates in this way. It's medieval and added to other matters like treatment of women and cutting up journalists in embassy basements should mean that they are ostracised a la Putin.

[Tizer]

But they know we need oil, and not too expensive - they've got us over a barrel (pun intended!).

[Stanley]

81 in a day though! And would these be beheaded?

[Tizer]

`Northern Lights: Powerful aurora borealis display above Scotland' LINK

[PanBiker]

Yes, there was a very high intensity Solar Storm last night. Visible Aurora according to the reporting app I use was seen as far as South Wales. All dependant on the cloud cover in the UK. Whitby, Morpeth etc had no view.

Glendale App

A very good application, it explains all the mechanics of space weather in each of the sections.

[Stanley]

Iran detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 'has got her British passport back' according to breaking news.
It appears the UK government has paid back the £400million(?) it owed the Iranian government.

[Tizer]

Gosh, we're going modern...
`UK gets first new-style pylons in a century' LINK

[Stanley]

I wonder if they'll stand the test of time?

[plaques]

Festival of Brexit. Another bit of white elephant propaganda with an expenditure of £120 Million. Considered by everyone to be a waste of money with no real plan of action or purposeful reason for holding it. Hidden behind 'Unboxed' which I suspect nobody has ever heard off, but there to spend taxpayers money being creative and innovative. Its as though we haven't just to put up with Jacob Rees-Jones hunting round looking for the unicorn of Brexit advantages, we are moving into the depths of fantasy by inventing some home grown ones.


Festival of Brexit, From Wikipedia,
UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK, previously known as Festival UK* 2022 and colloquially as known as the Festival of Brexit, is a large-scale creativity and innovation programme scheduled to take place in the United Kingdom in 2022. It is headed by Martin Green CBE, who previously organised the opening and closing ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympics and Hull UK City of Culture 2017.[1]

[Tizer]

It could only happen in Somerset...Someone's taking advantage of the Ukraine war to provide a distraction from their theft!...
`Life-sized plastic gorilla stolen from Frome home in dawn raid' LINK

[Stanley]

I've never heard of a Festival of Brexit and still have difficulty in getting my head round the concept. Crass is the kindest descriptor that comes to mind....
As for the plastic gorilla..... Good Grief!

[Tizer]

Note that the telescope uses infra-red and the image has to be enhanced with a red filter. The six spikes are due to the Webb's primary mirror arrangement of 18 hexagons...
`James Webb Space Telescope: 'Fully focused' telescope beats expectations' LINK

[Tripps]

This lady gains her freedom.

I'm sure it was purely coincidental that she wore a blue frock accompanied by a bright yelllow scarf and hand bag.




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PS I don't think it will be long before the poor woman yearns for a bit of solitude.

She's a 'shoo in' for Strictly Come Dancing and surely the House of Lords beckons.

[Big Kev]

P&O Ferries have recalled all ships to port and stopped sailings pending a major announcement.

[Tripps]

This coud be a big news story I'd say.

"A seafaring P&O employee told the BBC his colleagues onboard have refused to disembark and are instead "in their cabins refusing to work"."


There must be a gag in there somewhere.

Seems P&O Ferries isn't the same company as P&O Cruises.
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PS.
ITV News understands that all P&O Ferries staff have been made redundant with immediate effect.
The company is set to use an agency to keep their ferries running and current staff will be able to apply to the agency for work.

[Big Kev]

Seems P&O Ferries isn't the same company as P&O Cruises.

Nay, P&O Ferries are owned by a Dubai based company DP World. P&O Cruises are part of the Carnival group.

[Stanley]

That's the way, get an agency in who aren't constrained by UK legislation so they can pay poverty wages and reduce running costs with no responsibility for benefits etc. Makes you proud to be British.
On a similar level, I have been listening to the CEO of the Trussell Trust, the biggest provider of food banks. He warned that they are already seeing increased demand for food by people already driven into poverty and debt by the low levels of benefit and the current inflation in essential service prices. The government trot out a list of what they have done but what's happening on the ground shows that present measures are totally inadequate.
What a great time to be chucked onto the scrapheap by P&O Ferries. (Of course you could always work for the agency with no benefits and less money.
PS. The BofE has put base rate interest up by .25%. That's only the start of what is coming.

[Tripps]

Seems P&O's action is totally against the current employment law - in respect of consultation, and direct replacement of redundant workers. Can they really be so ignorant? When agency workers replace regular staff in the NHS and the care sector, it costs a lot more than using the regular staff. Why is this cheaper? I think this decision will be rapidly reversed. Perhaps the alternative was liquidation though - best nationalise it all.

PS the crews are well placed to take retaliatory action. Well stocked with food and drink in an easily defended position. Could bring Dover to a halt in no time.

PPS The consequences of 150% rise in domestic energy costs has not really registered yet with the public. I must be ahead of the game. I don't like it but can cope with it. Many won't be able to.

PPPS This post is all over the place -but since I lived in Dover for a number of years and worked at the Eastern Docks for two years - I feel more involved than most.

[Tizer]

P&O Ferries...From the BBC: `Union RMT said crew members were being replaced with foreign labour.'

[Stanley]

I thought the post was focussed and informative..... I have never lived or worked in Dover....
That figures Peter.....

[Tripps]

It has emerged that French employees of P&O Ferries are not affected by this action.

For a clue as why this might be the case - Google 'Code du Travail'.

PS Here's a rather good Webcam which I view occasionally. Dover Beach

I notice there is only one P&O vessel tied up now. One that was there earlier seems to have moved. No sign of chaos thankfully.

[Stanley]

"It has emerged that French employees of P&O Ferries are not affected by this action. "
Does that mean that EU employment law gives workers more protection than in UK? Shock and horror!
Later, the plot thickens as P&O bring in private security 'in balaclava's' so must have been planning this action against their workers for days.....

[PanBiker]

Later, the plot thickens as P&O bring in private security 'in balaclava's' so must have been planning this action against their workers for days.....

Indeed and the balaclava lads were "handcuff trained". Whichever way you look at it this it is constructive dismissal, totally illegal, but I bet they won't pay the going rate of compensation.

I have always regarded P&O as a rubbish carrier since they charge the same to take a motorbike as they do for a an SUV and four passengers. The motorbikes have to navigate the artic and wagon bottom deck, always wet and swilling with diesel. Pick your way over the bumps from the back to the front and then a bloke would throw a strap at you and tell you to lash it down. That was deemed the "crew assistance" which inflated the price to the same as a car and passengers. It used to be £150 each way for the bike. I only got ripped off once and moved to the guy with the twin hulled fast (proper fast speed ferry) who they forced as far away from the main terminal as they could. He charged £29 each way for amotorbike and flew the Jolly Rodger at the time. He was halfway across to Boulogne (wouldn't let him use Calais) before the opposition got out of the harbour. 45 minutes for the crossing half the time of the big boat, you hardly had time for a brew.