malumbu

In deed. I did used to post alternative arguments in the recent past, but tend not to get involved anymore. You can speculate why. So - affordable motoring changed the UK in the 50s and 60s and led to a revolution in personal mobility. The average family no longer were limited to where the trains went for their holidays - Southend, the South Coast etc. The convenience of having a motor outside to use when you wish. Motoring has got progressively cheaper. Cars now go on for ever, so much more reliable than a few decades ago. The genie is out of the bottle and you cannot turn back the clock. It's great that the UK has ambitious targets on emissions, but without the developing world, China, India, Brazil and the US joining in what's the point? The ULEZ, Clean Air Zones, LTNs, and other schemes such as differential parking costs, are blunt instruments. This is government passing the buck to local authorities when there should be national measures to reduce car use, and encourage sustainable and clean transport through behaviour change, being tougher on the motor manufacturers (banning ads that sell a lifestyle?) and national road user charging. At least put fuel duty back up.

Saw my first ever stag beetle flying in the garden. My word it was enormous. They get plenty just up the road at the Horniman.

All it a bit barmy that some England fans still sing this, I don't find it either amusing or ironic. I could list the number of times that Germany, Italy, France and Spain have won major tournaments. England is quite a simple number. The particular rivalry with the Germans is a particular strange one seeing as our cultures are pretty close, they are still fond of the UK as we were pre WWII when many, including some of our own German royal family, were supporters of Hitler. Despite all this English bashing I still want England to win tomorrow, although five years ago shortly post referendum, when I was in France, expecting to go to the France/England quarter final, I was pleased to see Iceland instead. The Iceland fans were great. I still managed to see an English fan get arrested for some nonsense on the station going back. Anyway thought serious and amusing welcome. Preferably by kick off tomorrow.

Although no apology from the Health Secretary for his wrong doing https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/matt-hancocks-resignation-letter-and-the-prime-ministers-response

The fat lady has sung and the taxi has been called. The PM though is rather sorry.

You are making an assumption DR, I may be getting a female or other sexual identity equivalent to a stiffy, but worried that this may take me to the dark places currently under discussion elsewhere on the forum. In deed too much information.....

Mind you am I the only one who found the story to be quite salacious? Is that a good healthy thing, or do I need urgent counselling?

The PM should have done the right thing at the time, sacking Cummings last summer and the Health Secretary now. Most former ministers come back at a later time when things have died down so generally not the end of your career. Oddly it was the making in some ways for Profumo, as he dedicated the rest of his life to charity. The PM would get credit from those of us who don't particularly rate him, and it would have no damage at all to his majority as the masses probably don't care either way. His inability to make a decision is probably his biggest fault. There are lots. And all PMs have faults, just this one more than most.

Rather sweeping statement about the public and food safety. Half the reason we got to this situation was the demand for cheap food. JSG was not a great agriculture minister. The 'stunt' which I remember at the time back fired as the burger was too hot for his daughter. Yet subsequently as the environment minister and now chair of the Climate Change Committee Gummer (aka Lord Debden) has become a hero of the environmental movement. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/feb/14/climate-change-floods-government Anyway totally off thread but I have a lot of respect for his later activities, not often a fan of Tory ministers. JohnL Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Strange how memories go - I listed Gummer as an > example of a scandal but I must have been wrong so > deleted it - all I can find is - > > "At the Suffolk Boat Show on 16 May 1990, then > agriculture secretary John Gummer tried to feed > his four-year-old daughter Cordelia a burger. > > THE STUNT backfired horribly. Cordelia refused to > eat it and the whole incident only heightened > concern about BSE and reinforced public cynicism > about politicians? pronouncements on food > safety." > > who sucked the toe - was it Mellor ?

Collection only, close to Wood Vale/Horniman Gardens Sorry no photo, for some reason I can't get my phone to compress the picture. I'll update in due course. Or can Whatsapp them.

Bought two or three years ago from Homebase for ?60. The equivalent 1200 watt model is still at this price. 32cm bland so would suit small garden - 20 to 40 square metres ?20 Model M2E1032M, it looks like it has now been replaced by the Mcgregor brand (they appear exactly the same)

"Here here"

Just a point that there doesn't seem a lot of value mocking the situation, no matter how daft it is, and how easy it is to do. Talking to an older chap yesterday who was quite surprised at my poor view of the current PM. He delivers said the chap. Well he did bulldoze his way out of Europe. Which is what much of the country sees (leaving the EU as he promised). As to any old shite I expect that many don't see beyond the fact that we have left. To digress why on earth has postage to the continent gone up by around 40% for the average 10 - 20 g letter (before I even start on roaming charges)?

Not really sure what has to be gained by the "told you so (that it would be bad)" attitude being expressed here. It was and will always be a stupid decision (or a decision made on stupid grounds). But it's done, we have to live with it. Some of the above helps explain Labour's crushing decision at the last Gen Election (aka referendum #2). Of course those leaning towards the right generally think it has been a good thing. And sovereignty - making are own rules and laws - was one of the substantive benefits of leaving the EU (albeit that I argued against this). Maybe I am suffering from a sense of humour failure this morning.....

Still use that route, but very occasionally as I try not to drive. I think that you have now advised not to use any route through London. So out down the A2 to the M25 and round then? Or the other way round the South Circ, via Woolwich Ferry (when it runs) and through NE London. I have family that managed to go the wrong way round the North Circ to get to here. Just teasing of course, all dependent on the time of travel but when not too crazy M40 is a good route on my limited experience.

We all get food poisoning or similar symptoms from one time to another, usually a dodgy stomach etc. Occasionally a little more serious. Should have seen me when I first went to India (it was Tibetan tea, and the next few times I went to the sub continent all was fine). There's only an occasional serious outbreak - Salmonella, Listeria, Botulism, e-coli and the odd fungus. The food industry has good hygiene standards, traceability, due diligence and the like. Poultry and seafood are probably the most likely causes. It's as much about good handling and hygiene at home. Move along move along, nothing to see here.

Haven't got time to read that so I will not contribute to the discussion. Sorry, but please can you summarise your points better before starting a new thread.

It would be helpful if someone can simply explain what the issue is. I can't work out if someone who was born XY has replaced an XX, or vice versa. Thanks (yes I know some people aren't born either, but I expect that is irrelevant in this case, as someone has transitioned)

That's a gorgeous one. I have seen them before. I expect we have a wide variety, I see some quite long ones almost snake like. I try not to use chemicals but I am a bit squeamish in squashing them.

M40 runs almost parallel to M4 for a short while. You go through central London, staying on the ring road to Victoria, round Hyde Park corner, down Bayswater and follow the signs for Oxford/M40/A40 and the like. Elevated section of the A40, out at Shepherds Bush staying on the A40, M40 after Park Royal (this is all the same road effectively) and around High Wycombe take the A404 that takes you South to join the M4. The advantages of this are avoiding the South Circular, which can be very busy, avoiding the A4, which can be similarly bad going through London, and the early sections of the M4 which are often very busy. The A40 can get congested around Shepherds Bush but will tend to clear by Perivale. I've long since been fed up of taking an hour or sometimes two to get out of London, so either go at very quiet times if I need to drive or take the train. I used to drive a lot with work in the 90s so got a taxi driver's knowledge of some of the main routes. Things change of course, but it was also pretty congested then. Others will have alternatives for getting to the A40 or A4, but for example around Earls Court it can be horrendous.

Did you go to your GP and request a stool sample? Most food poisoning isn't traced as this is not followed up. You could also report to Southwark Environmental Health. As DF said there could be numerous reasons. Due to Covid we are all tending to be more hygienic nowadays, but, for examople, British Olympic teams have people with them regularly disinfecting surfaces including door handles, as norovirus tends to be quite common when people congregate.

Wood pigeons and squirrels have an almost coordinated attack on my squirrel proof feeder. The latter tries to remove it from the bush, and open the top. Both are now securely tied. The pigeons seem to try to shake it to get the pellets out. So the squirrels can then pick them up from the grass. Something managed to gnaw away at the wire mesh, and I found the feeder almost devoid of pellets last night with a mouse in it. Springwatch, Countryfile territory (wish I got a photo of the mouse). Not bothered by the mouse, I tolerate the wood pigeons, not a fan of squirrels and the green squawky things. That's nature for you. I've now got blue tits on the sunflower feeder as well. The finches seem to tolerate the blue and great tits more than in the past. Missed the young fox attacking the pigeon (which got away minus a couple of feathers). Thought that urban foxes couldn't be bothered to hunt live pray.

Hi Charlie - good to hear your positive experience. Are all these bikes electrically assisted? Those that don't need pedalling are 'powered two wheelers' and are illegal on the road. It is a shame that the industry doesn't get its act together on this, or government doesn't tackle the retailers. This all contributes to bad press. I've seen the vid on Youtube for Swytch - not ridden a front wheel drive bike to date, what's that like For those not aware this kit makes your 'normal' bike into an ebike - and this is electrically assisted to good with me and the authorities https://www.swytchbike.com/

Go during the quietest times. IF you need to drive go through central London - Vauxhall Bridge avoids the congestion charge, then M40, and onto the M4 via Maidenhead. In quiet times the A303 is a lovely route. If you don't need to drive train is preferential, faster and less hassle. Fares are expensive at the moment, I assume due to a restricted service. But when train travel returns to something near normal savings can help cover car hire, Uber and the like the other end. Full economic cost of driving the close to 400 mile return is around ?180, this is based on whole life costs, and doesn't discount the sunk costs (buying, taxing and insuring the vehicle)

Cool, I planned to make a Swift nesting box this year but will leave it till next. I do seem them and similarly encourage others to put in stuff for them. I visit my pond by night to murder the slugs and snails as well as admire the pond animals - the slugs seem to love my pond plants. Not sure why the frogs don't do the murdering for me. By all means PM me if you want some pond plants. I 'dump' my excess growth in a large pond near me. I use only native plants.