SpringTime

Utter

Sad and very happy for Captain Tom

Killing

Ergot

Supermarkets have enjoyed other (mainly smaller and independently owned) businesses' closures meaning their demand is relatively high. Some of those smaller businesses have closed for good, much to the delight of supermarkets for whom lockdowns have been largely lucrative times. But hopefully as the vaccines come into play people are likely to be less restricted and people will be using all manner of venues in more conventional ways. We'll remember what a bit of competition used to look like. So if you've not already upgraded your branch and/or business model those businesses who have been forced to sleep will be looking a lot more tempting when they wake up refreshed.

https://www.liveleak.com/view?t=4vkx_1612017960 That's a demo but the wrong method (i.e. arse to vial, whereas it should be arse to throat to nose to vial. I think. Either way it's arse first). Goodnight.

Trove

It's certainly not worth worrying about. There are some great investments around and the returns are lightning fast.

Yes they are rarely seen inside the M25 and then rarer the further into town you go. I was lucky to see one in Grovelands Park near Southgate last April. Given the situation in April 2020 you'll likely remember it was suddenly very warm weather, as if Spring had been skipped. In four decades I've seen just two adders in Britain and of course they were far away from any human hustle and bustle. Do not disturb!

Precisely, malumbu. Agree 100% with you. But my specs are still firmly mounted. Despite their obvious inefficiencies they were still a treat, and I used to like being told off (whilst jumping off) by the conductor for bus-hopping. Money-wise they couldn't even make up half of their running costs but they were so fun. Can you imagine trying to run a system like that today? Ding ding!!

Whatever

Wotcher, Watchers. I know it's far too early in the year and very unlikely until April, but if anyone sees locally a grass-snake can they please post on here or PM me and suggest its whereabouts. An image is obviously helpful - just in case it's not a grass-snake (!) but not essential. A local environment with proper hedges, dense shrubberies, compost areas, sheds and ponds can encourage them. Thanks. PS if you do find one please don't pick it up - reptiles can't be underhandled

Organise

Sue Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > niall Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > it was revealed that it had to be administered > > through the eyeball to have the required > > protection? > > > Yes. > > I'm more squeamish about having cataracts removed, > which is not far off according to my optician .... I know a few people who have had this done Sue and have to say it looks pretty gloopy for a couple of days but then shortly after they've behaved as though a miracle has happened. Good luck with it - be more than worth the bother!

If you're 100% immune you can still spread it via sheer contact alone. At this very moment, no matter how well you feel, you are carrying both internally and externally, trillions upon trillions of different types of viruses - even if you're working on the International Space Station you have viruses. You are likely immune to many of them and working on proofing against the others. They're mutating at varying frequencies as they replicate so it's a constant battle on all fronts. If someone is near you then you will be inadvertently exchanging some viruses, when you eat and breathe some more are coming in, and out too. When you have a cut more come in, and some will even come out. When you vomit and defecate they come out, but some even come in. When you touch something you spread viruses and pick others up. You are literally living and breathing viruses. As the situation is at present most will not harm you. (And that's not the virus-plan anyway - if they can use you as a host to replicate then that's good enough for them.) If you have had a very typical virus - say that which causes chicken pox - and you know that since you were ill then perhaps shingles and cold-sores might be an unfortunate aftermath, you also know that you won't get chicken pox again. But that doesn't mean that it's fine to waltz among sufferers and then proceed to mingle with others without thinking - the others might not have had chicken pox. Your careless proximity could kill someone. At my age I am lucky to have had Jab 1 Pfizer-Biontech and when I have had Jab 2 then I shall be pleased to tell people that I am likely low-risk to illness from Covid, from which I think I've already been ill. But unless Covid is 100% eradicated I will likely always be able to spread it, for the basics mentioned above. There might be firm proof of a sturdy and well-established anti-body defence among some jab-dodgers but we will have to start thinking carefully about those who choose not to be vaccinated, or indeed those who simply cannot be vaccinated.

Italy's actually gone up, John, though I'm unsure as to whether this is down to immigration as opposed to native Italians' increased reproduction. The terrifying numbers are in Eastern Europe, where ageing populations and poorer health care, combined with emigration, are dwindling several of those states' populations (and it's mainly a net drift to the EU hub or what's next to it - us). To me, Bulgaria is a prime example, and I cannot believe that the EU really gives a toss about them as a country or a culture or (even though they're European!) a people - they're just useful to the EU as a member state for cheap labour. I do not believe that the EU has any genuine compassion for some of these countries and their folk, whether they're absorbed or in line. The EU is based in Western Europe and pretends that Brussels is the HQ, and Germany always needs workers... Rant over, sorry to digress :-)

Shout

Would gas, fish and off shore wind farms be contentious issues, and any implications for relations with Denmark and Netherlands (EU) and Norway (not so much, thank you, despite being asked many times) also be factors in a Scottish UK exit/EU entry? I'm just asking because I don't know. TheCat, you said that the Euro has been a disaster in whole but is that 100% right? Yes, I can think of several key moments - Greek financial for example - but rollout was good, simplification of exchange in the block, better established and stronger trade block. Appears you might not see things as others do on the Euro - what do you mean by disaster start to finish?

Micro

Photo

Had a Guardian/Observer type week along with BBC and Bloomberg and thought this was a decent summary of the EU-UK-Ireland vaccine charade (ceasing to be a charade when people's lives are at risk). I'm not pro-EU but I think I'd be more inclined if Ursula and her team either step out or massively up their game: (Today's Observer, sorry if old ground.) https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/31/the-observer-view-on-the-vaccine-dispute-with-brussels

Stops

Potato

Seasons

Upset