WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report on the sentencing of Gadds... Operation Yewtree is trawling in some very dirty waters. I wonder how many men are living in fear? Good, they deserve it.... (Not sexist, it usually is men.....)

[Stanley]

An item on World Service, The presenters of the science programme asked the engineering department at Sheffield how many Lego bricks stacked vertically would crush the bottom one. They did some tests and came up with a stack 3 1/2 kilometres high.

[David Whipp]

Suspect the extra wind load from the road-works sign was the final straw for this sign post...

(On facebook, someone suggested that a wagon from Carlsons had hit it... it was only as I examined the post for evidence of this that I realised my leg was being pulled.)

[Thomo]

Yesterday I was asked if I would write a Eulogy to be read out by my Wife at her Brothers Funeral in Milton Keynes, a week tomorrow. This I have done, and it was probably the most difficult thing ever asked of me. All I had to rely on was a sound knowledge of this man, and the gift of experience in many things, much of which was gained in the Armed Forces. I have much to be thankful for.

[Stanley]

David, there does seem to be some damage to the wall in exactly the right place.....
There was a piece on World Service on the anniversary of the Malaysian Airlines flight downing. The Australian Deputy Prime Minister said that they had budgeted A$60 million and up to now spent half of it. But what really intrigued me was that while explaining why he was recommending that the location signal from the plane was transmitted every 14 minutes instead of 40 minutes at present he let slip that the most accurate information they got was from the plane's engines reporting operating parameters in real time via satellite to the manufacturers. My question is, if the engines can do this, why not the plane?

[Bodger]

A nice green way to go
http://www.boredpanda.com/biodegradable ... ula-mundi/

[Tizer]

Bodger, you can get woven willow coffins like huge willow baskets from the Somerset withy companies. They're easily biodegradable too!

You might need one if your fridge freezer catches fire. See this BBC story about fires fuelled by fridge freezers insulated with flammable materials. I think the foam is polyurethane like that which caused all the concern about flammable furniture. We have regulations controlling that but they don't seem to extend to fridges and freezers. I wonder if the foam lacks fire retardants too? (Incidentally, while searching for more information I got the impression that in the USA they still don't have the furniture fire regs that we benefit from.)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-31694519

[Stanley]

Having to sew the button back on the waistband of my trousers this morning before I could do anything else. A bit of a challenge when you can't see and have only just got up!

[Big Kev]

My son has a column in the Yorkshire Evening Post, this week's contribution caught my attention just because of the controversy it has caused...

Yorkshire Evening Post

[PostmanPete]

I've just checked my emails and there is one from Barnoldswick Medical Centre inviting me to complete a survey about any recent visits to my GP. I don't mind doing this but I am not very happy about the list of over 500 other peoples email addresses along with my own that came with it...!

I see that you are in there Big Kev - I hope our addresses don't get into the wrong hands..........

[Stanley]

They mustn't know about blind copies..... Bad mistake!
Good article Kev.
The tsunami of accusations of sexual impropriety.... How about this one... LINK

[Stanley]

The IS destruction of the ancient city of Nimrud... (LINK) Yet more evidence of the barbaric attitudes of fundamentalists. The Taliban did the same. It is a tragedy for world history.
The letter in the BET taking exception to the fact that the Great Barlick Pie Contest was won by a vegetarian pie. From a bloke in Colne. Who the hell asked him anyway? I think it was a wonderful example of Barlick character that a vegetarian pie won. Let's hear it for independent thinking!

[plaques]

Yet more evidence of the barbaric attitudes of fundamentalists.

Stanley, perhaps you shouldn't be too surprised at the barbarity. One can draw a parallel with the 'shock' tactics employed by Milton Friedman, the american economist, a book you yourself pointed me at. Creating a 'clean sheet' for your own particular doctrine is now the established method of imposing your will on people while they are still in a state of 'shock'. How far we will go down our road of 'austerity' before we get into the Greek position and wake up to the fact that all we are doing is lining the pockets of the super rich is anybody's guess.

[Big Kev]

I've just checked my emails and there is one from Barnoldswick Medical Centre inviting me to complete a survey about any recent visits to my GP. I don't mind doing this but I am not very happy about the list of over 500 other peoples email addresses along with my own that came with it...!

I see that you are in there Big Kev - I hope our addresses don't get into the wrong hands..........

Someone will be in for a leg slapping and sent back on the NHS Information Governance Training Course. I work for a software development company that services hospital trusts, we have to take regular 'refresher' IG training and email is heavily featured. Fortunately the Barlick Surgery incident was fairly minor, the only thing it gave away was that a particular email address was registered there. If I suddenly start getting unsolicited spam, loosely related to anything medical, I may look into it further

[Tizer]

...the only thing it gave away was that a particular email address was registered there.

As in many other incidents, Kev, it has greater ramifications. If that mistake is made it erodes people's confidence in the ability of the system to keep their more important data confidential. I don't mind the NHS having my information, I believe it will help us all be healthier in the long term. But in return for letting them store and communicate my data I expect them to be rigorous in their methods. In the same way, I believe we need nuclear power but the people responsible for it must do their job conscientiously and not expose us to danger.

[Stanley]

You're right P and I'm not surprised. The book is by Naomi Klein; 'The Shock Doctrine', a must read......

[PanBiker]

Just notice your birthday Stephen, Happy Birthday Pluggy.

[Wendyf]

Happy Birthday Pluggy!

[Pluggy]

Thanks people

Not much of a Birthday, I've been sick in bed most of it. I was feeling a bit better so I got up, still very fragile. Headache and nausea, I found Hughie earlier in the day, he was where he usually lurks in the toilet.....

[PanBiker]

Oh dear, not really what you want on your birthday, take care and hope you are feeling better soon.

[Wendyf]

Hope you feel better soon......

[Stanley]

Many Happy Returns Pluggy... Look after yourself!

[Tizer]

Oh Pluggy, what a shame on your birthday - let's hope one of your birthday presents is that it clears up fast today!

[Pluggy]

Migrane brought on by lack of sleep I think. Not something I usually suffer from. I'm fine today.

I'm calling today my Birthday.

Nice to know people care.

Thanks again.

[Thomo]

Good luck, and a Happy Birthday Pluggy. Sometimes you just have to dig deeper within, and you can do this.