malumbu

Got my mind going now...

Any ideas if there will be tickets for day 5 on the day? This no longer will be a quick England victory and is likely to be a hard struggle for a draw. I doubt if we have the fire power to score 300 plus. It used to be nice going down for the fifth day, paying a few quid and enjoying the much less corporate environment. The Oval started selling tickets for the fifth day in the 00s but I am sure other test grounds may still do this. The ticket office showed all five days sold out, with tickets on those shiiity resale sites for about ?300 but I see quite a few small clumps of empty seats in the ground when watching the highlights. In the 90s I'd go over on spec and get a freebie from someone leaving for the final session but doubt if this happens any more. I've also paid properly through the ticket office over the years, so not a total scrounger!

We've had pigeon feathers in the garden. One time was a young fox (most can't be assessed to chase wild life as they get their food for free) so I expect this will be the usual cause. Friends at a nature reserve did see a sparrow hawk take out a pigeon and bring it to the ground so this is a possibility. I doubt if they are endangered!

It feels as though many of you are like Rip Van Winkel and have slept through the last few years. The ULEZ and likely extension were announced by the previous Mayor, at a Guildhall event in 2015 - https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/ultra-low-emission-zone I was there, and it has been over six years coming. It was a surprisingly interventionist thing for a Tory Mayor but essentially a pot shot at the Cameron government who he considered should be supporting Low Emission Zones, at a time when air quality was lower priority/profile predating the Supreme Court taking government to task and the VW diselgate scandal. That said meeting European air quality standards has been a manifesto commitment for the last few governments. Labour would have consulted on a national Low Emission Zone, DfT and Treasury opposed this under the coalition, sad that the Lib Dems didn't have more influence here. The current Mayor brought the scheme forward, and the extension to within the Circulars. There has been extensive consultation on both the into of the central scheme and the extension and I got a leaflet through the post a few months ago. Most shouldn't have an excuse for not knowing this was coming months ago and deciding what to do about it. We've had ANPR enforced schemes (congestion charge, Outer London LEZ for heavy vehicles and inner ULEZ) for some time so it is pretty proven technology. I'd love to see evidence that successive government's policies of reduced Excise Duty was actually an explicit announcement that consumers had to purchase diesel vehicles. I've never found any - one of the government chief scientist spoke about this but faith was put into effective emission controls which failed in part as manufacturers knew ways around this. Perhaps we should consider manufacturers like the tobacco industry in the 50s, but I am digressing. The decision to keep an older car, buy a newer one, shift to bikes/public transport/car sharing etc is a mix of a financial, convenience and emotional one. Doing low mileage can be seen as either not a good economic case to keep a car, or I am prepared to pay a few hundred quid extra due to the convenience (real or perceived). I don't buy the "I need it just in case I have to rush to A&E) as there will always be a helpful neighbour, taxi, or push comes to shove an ambulance. Most of those doing larger mileages and regular journeys will no doubt have already upgraded to a newer car or use a lease scheme. I expect most of the Chelsea tractors that many hate/consider an unnecessary indulgence (and not afraid to include me) are leased. Final point is I don't understand why people would routinely drive to Dulwich park/court lane as it is so near (there will always be exceptions) - perhaps I read this on the anti LTN thread, some threads seem to blend into one.

This always seemed be an urban myth, something your parents or grandparents said they did before the war. I eventually found a chippy that did them a few years ago and they were truly disgusting - and pretty unhealthy too

As much as I am on your side is it not time to let it go? There are benefits - I expect predominantly from subsidising markets, state aid and the like. Aimed at overseas investment rather than the late 70s of propping up failing British industry. Throwing money at things was hardly a Tory thing to do but times have changed. Yes the decision to leave was daft if we look at the wider benefits of being in the EU, but I don't have a time machine. (Funnily I was comparing our wider economy with the sell out by football to overseas investors - many fans consider it is wonderful but do we want our country to be a plaything of countries and corporations with silly amounts of money to spend?)

LPs - that is the correct term! unless you are talking of singles, EPs or 12"s

Don Everly RIP

womanofdulwich Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Plant based diet = vegan. Ah yes, should have included that in my original list. Glasto, rather than Glastonbury (festival). Although happy for Ausies to add 'o' to many words - eg smoke break = smoko (I'll wait to be corrected).

On that front 'robust'. Totally overused in politics and meaningless. Staycation was added to the OED in 2010 - and from memory until Covid was generally used for people holidaying from their own residence. As said a holiday in your own country, is.... a.... holiday.

Just a bit of fun, can't rage too much against this thing Staffer = employee (or longhand 'member of staff'). Nasty American term. More quickly = quicker (or faster) Apple cider = cider (the traditional drink was rebranded to make it trendy) Staycation (for a UK vacation) = holiday. All my hols as a kid were in this country. (Staycation was coined a few years ago, as staying at home and going for day trips - that was fine - but for some reason now applies to all domestic hols). Pear cider = perry Wild swimming = swimming (or swimming in the lake/sea/river) Please do add words and phrases that also touch a raw nerve. As said not a serious debate, our language evolves, and funnily enough sometimes goes in full circles eg diaper rather than nappy was a word we used earlier in the last century, not an American import.

Bit judgmental, I think only the latter two are correct. You can be intelligent, immoral and useless.

Jazzer, be a sweetie and copy the embed code, right click on the vid Here it is

first mate Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > So, ignoring what could be construed as a > deliberate attempt to get this thread lounged > perhaps we can return to the subject of LTNs in > the ED area. My word, bearing in mind half the people here post off topic from time to time that is a bizarre thing to say. In fact most threads on this site can go off at a tangent. I post some stuff in good faith, replying to legals comments and jesting with Spartacus and ...

You are into climate change strategy Legal. And moving into Lounge territory. There will be others much better than me in modelling all of this, you cannot consider measures in isolation and there will always be unintended consequences. But... as you posed a few questions - better vehicle utility (ie use) will free up parking space. There would then need to be a decision what you did with that space. If left to motorised vehicles including buses that would reduce journey times. But ultimately autonomous vehicles could replace buses when a pod can be called on demand. And authorities may decide to use that freed up space for other uses - linear parks, pavements or separate lanes for e scooters and the like (which we will need to accommodate). The 'on demand' deliveries is something that frustrates me. No matter how much green washing Amazon does they are part of the problem. In the early days of Amazon Prime neighbours would tell me how wonderful it was if they needed a widget or a large item immediately and could have it in hours. And there is me thinking why not think of this in advance. We are now getting smaller companies getting in on the act so if you need a pint of milk or some cat food you can get it pretty swiftly. A nice niche for some green deliveries but not great if we all think of that (this is from a person who has just cycled into town and back making five stops on the way for various errands, of which two (single items) could have been delivered). A fascinating subject and lets see what the government comes up with in the run up to COP 26. Society rarely bans things but how will they encourage us all to buy less, make good use of what we buy, reuse/upcycle etc etc? And where we source our products from (local or global). Spartacus makes a good point on better use of the rivers. Well I think she/he was intending to make that point. I look forward to Gondolas on the Ravensbourne. Much detail is in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan - although I fear this is mainly about technological advances in terms of zero emissions rather than reduced demand. Disappointing. https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/transport-decarbonisation-plan

Returning from Afghanistan involved three weeks if I recall correct in Cyprus to get back some sort of 'normal' routine before coming back to the UK. These were often young men who'd been living on adrenaline and endorphins in the front line in Helmand Province, and would never have these level of excitement or camaraderie again. Some would find it difficult to readjust. For those not involved in war, and I am a total peacenik, it may be difficult to see this being described as excitement. I organised a military veterans event 10 years ago, close to the Elephant, with those serving and supporting mental health, and involving local schools as well. This is what the military said, I wouldn't expect them to make it up. They were critical of the yanks for not doing the same, longer tours with less R&R between. So I've got this from the people who were there. I can't comment on subsequent mental health issues, only the arrangements for returning troops. I've said that above.

A general point about comparing cost of transport - cars go beyond the cost of fuel which you can double when you add wear and tear, and quadruple for full life costs. Obviously they have convenience at your end point, and can carry far more stuff. Got caught once when helping move stuff between rented accommodation about three streets apart. In retrospect the cost of doing this by taxi would have been much less than the fuel driving there and back. You can get some quality time on the train reading, looking out of the window or boozing. Maybe shouldn't be recommending the boozing. Although the trains up to Newcastle going onto Scotland were famous for the latter - oh dear a bit of a stereotype.... I don't recommend the overnight coaches which I did as a student.... Hitching was fun, but that was another world....

The case for private car ownership gets less and less each year, particularly as car/ride sharing takes off and with the move to autonomous vehicles. Maybe Southwark are ahead of the game. Perhaps some will decide to ditch their cars if they move to the new estate. Anyway lounge talk but here's an article of interest https://www.smarttransport.org.uk/opinion/with-car-ownership-on-the-decline-what-does-the-future-hold-for-personal-mobility And another on Venice that is car free (geography plays a part too) https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191011-what-happens-when-a-city-bans-car-from-its-streets

Interesting question time this evening - not that it will solve anything. Civilian deaths from Western activity in the latter years a bit worrying. One thing that was incorrect, when the audience member had a go at the minister over mental health. I don't doubt we could do much better, but on the mental health of those returning from Afghanistan after tours of duty we were pretty exemplary. US were dreadful with their boys and girls. That may not refer to longer term impact (PTSD) including how the current situation could further impact on veterans. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000z84j/question-time-2021-afghanistan-special

Sleepy Joe seems to have slept through much of this. Our lot were half awake on the beach. Newsnight last night had some evidence that the Afghan army was around 50,000 rather than the 300k that sleepy Joe was putting forward.

Newcastle has limited hotel beds - my organisation would not splash out for the Malmaison so at one point I was near the station in a place that had reviews about noisy stag and hen do's. Last time I stayed in a Guest House in Jesmond, close to the uni, but with the metro you could go further out. Do try to get to see Byker wall, the Baltic and perhaps Gateshead. A walk along the river early evening as people are going out to the clubs and pubs is illuminating. Sadly the floating nightclub - Tuxedo junction - has long since set sail.

I posted a little earlier about keeping your argument rational rather than reactionary. Sadly many of you still do the latter. Councils will fund many projects that don't meet the Daily Mail test. Even Tory Mayors could be considered to have wasted some of your money. Can you not just keep your discussion to the scheme rather than snipes about other people and organisations. It can come over as 'chip on your shoulder'. Edited for clarification The Daily Mail test is what the public sector refer to on new policies ie how the tabloids would react. The maming reflects that many in this sector detest the Mail, but could equally be called the "Private Eye Test" particularly in terms of tax payers' money. Comment on 'chip on your shoulder' was in the third person ('one' could see as a chip...).

Sounds a bit preposterous to me. (Seen them and sort of know them...)

Watched lots of news coverage today, even ITV, a rarity, to get their take on it. Trying to read round a little on why it all happened so quickly and one theory is that the Taliban negotiated with the army for their safe passage if they laid down their arms. It would be interesting to get others' perspectives on what comes over as a dreadful situation and wasted Western investment in terms of both money and lives (not ignoring the much great loss of Afghans). The last 20 years have not led to popular support of a democratic regime. Two useful articles that appear to go beyond our mainstream TV coverage Poltico https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/08/16/afghanistan-history-taliban-collapse-504977 NT Times https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/13/world/asia/afghanistan-rapid-military-collapse.html

PS love Newcastle, sure she will have a great time