Sunday 11 February: Police should enforce the law to protect the public from dangerous electric vehicles

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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555 thoughts on “Sunday 11 February: Police should enforce the law to protect the public from dangerous electric vehicles”

  1. Good morrow, gentlefolk. Today’s (recycled) story

    MAXINE’S ANNUAL EXAM

    Our Yearly Dementia Test

    It’s that time of year for us to take our annual senior citizen test. Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As we grow older, it’s important to keep mentally alert.
    If you don’t use it, you lose it!

    Below is a very private way to gauge how your memory compares to the last test. Some may think it is too easy but the ones with memory problems may have difficulty. Take the test presented here to determine if you’re losing it or not. The spaces below are so you don’t see the answers until you’ve made your answer.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/02425a85d441b6ba4b37d76cd0459ef12f86e3474eabdee7260b9343b0cf0722.jpg
    OK, relax, clear your mind and begin.

    1. What do you put in a toaster?
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    Answer: ‘bread.’ If you said ‘toast’ give up now and do something else.
    Try not to hurt yourself.

    If you said, bread, go to Question 2.

    2. Say ‘silk’ five times. Now spell ‘silk.’ What do cows drink?
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    Answer: Cows drink water. If you said ‘milk,’ don’t attempt the next question. Your brain is over-stressed and may even overheat. Content yourself with reading more appropriate literature such as ‘Hello’.
    However, if you said ‘water’, proceed to question 3.

    3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a green house made from?
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    Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said ‘green bricks,’ why are you still reading these???
    If you said ‘glass,’ go on to Question 4.

    4 Without using a calculator:
    You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales.

    In London, 17 people get on the bus.

    In Reading, 6 people get off the bus and 9 people get on.

    In Swindon, 5 people get off and 4 get on.

    In Cardiff, 9 people get off and 16 people get on.

    In Swansea, 3 people get off and 5 people get on.

    In Carmarthen, 6 people get off and 3 get on.

    You then arrive at Milford Haven

    Without scrolling back to review, how old is the bus driver?
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    Answer: Oh, for crying out loud! Don’t you remember your own age? It was YOU driving the bus!!
    If you pass this along to your friends, pray they do better than you.

    PS: 95% of people fail most of the questions!!
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b9c87588f48004b016acd5df43a177b0eafce670dec86587eca0719ddbc39f52.jpg
    Don’t Tell ME your answers or score, I have enough problems of my own.

  3. ‘Morning All

    It seems Mr Jones is still seeking employment……….

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/55aba77da19caf29b07ff78b0c054294a8e0f4a458196aa51025bc1240112914.png

    Rest

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    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/362ac214c9f27b579aa380b645370710ccfd117e3b46ecdc0e72667cd3234020.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/814d30866bf09cf174d38f7381f6f7f8fb60668a6c912738e97ce7dd2279bd27.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/85f73f0093684f90128d48da3fca708a247e88ec8cfb47c3e9d90bdf373f82e4.jpg

    1. I try to pay cash when I can. I’m well aware that paying by card incurs a fee (we used to run a shop).

  4. The West’s crisis of confidence is feeding Putin’s tyrannical delusions. 11 February 2024.

    Vladimir Putin got to tell his side of the story last week. It was, of course, the precise opposite of what everybody in the West has been led to believe.

    Peace-loving Russia was the victim of a conspiracy by imperial forces which took advantage of its weakness after the Soviet Union collapsed. But the Communist era was itself a treachery against Mother Russia, whose historic identity had been betrayed by the Bolshevik decision to create separate republics out of what had been Russian territory.

    This, and the rest below, is a parody of the truth about the interview but it is not the worst part. Janet misses the most important aspect which is that Putin and Russia bear no responsibility for the Decline of the West. That is completely home grown. He is in fact a victim of it, just as we are. The difference is that, thanks to Vlad, Russia will escape the same fate.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/10/wests-crisis-confidence-feeding-putins-tyrannical-delusions/

    1. The British Army wants to relax security checks for recruits from

      overseas to boost diversity and inclusion, The Telegraph can reveal.

      Britain’s

      armed forces have consistently failed to hit recruitment targets and

      are looking overseas to boost ethnic minority representation, which

      currently stands at 14 per cent of the regular army.

      A document

      leaked to this paper, titled The British Army’s Race Action Plan, notes

      that the Army “struggles to attract talent from ethnic minority

      backgrounds into the officer corps”.

      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/10/army-challenge-overseas-recruits-security-checks/
      What could possibly go wrong………..
      ‘Morning Minty
      Edit
      F*ck Me it gets worse
      The Army has told soldiers to avoid “religious elements” in Acts of Remembrance on Armistice Day, documents seen by The Telegraph reveal.

      The Army’s “Policy, Guidance and Instructions on Inclusive Behaviours”, published in June 2022, states that “Acts of Remembrance, on Armistice Day and others, should be inclusive and seek to avoid being conducted as a wholly religious event”.

      The guidance continues: “Acts of Remembrance should be agnostic of religious elements and separated from Remembrance Services. This may be achieved by holding a religious service after the Act of Remembrance.”
      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/10/soldiers-avoid-religious-elements-acts-of-remembrance-army/?li_source=LI&li_medium=for_you
      They’ve all gone batshit crazy

        2. Happy Birthday, Phizzee.

          Further celebrations today or are you in recovery mode? Whatever, enjoy your 60th, I did, as my granddaughter had been born two days earlier.

        3. Grattis på födelsedagen, Southern Softie. Hope its a good ‘un and you sip your warm shandy slowly so as not to make you burp too much! 🤣🤣👍🏻🎂🍺😘

    2. The British Army wants to relax security checks for recruits from

      overseas to boost diversity and inclusion, The Telegraph can reveal.

      Britain’s

      armed forces have consistently failed to hit recruitment targets and

      are looking overseas to boost ethnic minority representation, which

      currently stands at 14 per cent of the regular army.

      A document

      leaked to this paper, titled The British Army’s Race Action Plan, notes

      that the Army “struggles to attract talent from ethnic minority

      backgrounds into the officer corps”.

      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/10/army-challenge-overseas-recruits-security-checks/
      What could possibly go wrong………..
      ‘Morning Minty
      Edit
      F*ck Me it gets worse
      The Army has told soldiers to avoid “religious elements” in Acts of Remembrance on Armistice Day, documents seen by The Telegraph reveal.

      The Army’s “Policy, Guidance and Instructions on Inclusive Behaviours”, published in June 2022, states that “Acts of Remembrance, on Armistice Day and others, should be inclusive and seek to avoid being conducted as a wholly religious event”.

      The guidance continues: “Acts of Remembrance should be agnostic of religious elements and separated from Remembrance Services. This may be achieved by holding a religious service after the Act of Remembrance.”
      https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/10/soldiers-avoid-religious-elements-acts-of-remembrance-army/?li_source=LI&li_medium=for_you
      They’ve all gone batshit crazy

  7. Soldiers told to avoid Christian ‘elements’ in Acts of Remembrance. 11 February 2024.

    However, the Army’s Race Action Plan, published in March 2023, refers to unconscious bias in its Elephant In The Room (EITR) training course for soldiers.

    The plan states that EITR workshops should “unearth and interrupt unconscious (and conscious) biases”, “raise awareness of and discuss the issues e.g. race/identity, power and privilege” and “educate about micro-aggressions/micro-inequalities (day-to-day exchanges that transmit a sense of subordination) and how to reduce/tackle them”.

    On January 30, 2024, the MoD posted an internal blog post for staff on the subject of “micro-behaviours”, defined as “small, and may be behavioural, intentional or unintentional unconscious things people say or do”.

    This puts into mind the old Communist indoctrination sessions in the North Vietnamese Army. They were of course also useful for spotting dissenters and dealing with them.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/10/soldiers-avoid-religious-elements-acts-of-remembrance-army/

    1. Why is it not OK for British soldiers to be British or English or Christian – when of course it is absolutely OK for all the others to be Muslim or whatever. ???

      1. We’ve had a spot of bother when we had Muslim soldiers in the British Army in the past. It kicked off the Indian Mutiny.

    2. Does the army not train soldiers in driving panzers and shooting and stabbing people? As opposed to wokey stuff?
      How to stop a Russian soldier? Misgender him!

      1. It shows the folly of subordinating recruitment to civilian agencies, in this case, the seemingly omnipresent Capita. The phrase eggs and baskets springs to mind.

    5. Is shooting people considered a micro-aggression? Remind me again what soldiers do for a living…

  8. Soldiers told to avoid Christian ‘elements’ in Acts of Remembrance. 11 February 2024.

    However, the Army’s Race Action Plan, published in March 2023, refers to unconscious bias in its Elephant In The Room (EITR) training course for soldiers.

    The plan states that EITR workshops should “unearth and interrupt unconscious (and conscious) biases”, “raise awareness of and discuss the issues e.g. race/identity, power and privilege” and “educate about micro-aggressions/micro-inequalities (day-to-day exchanges that transmit a sense of subordination) and how to reduce/tackle them”.

    On January 30, 2024, the MoD posted an internal blog post for staff on the subject of “micro-behaviours”, defined as “small, and may be behavioural, intentional or unintentional unconscious things people say or do”.

    This puts into mind the old Communist indoctrination sessions in the North Vietnamese Army. They were of course also useful for spotting dissenters and dealing with them.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/10/soldiers-avoid-religious-elements-acts-of-remembrance-army/

  9. That’s me,I’m cooked I’m done back to bed in despair,does NOTHING work right in this country anymore??

    Are we incapable of fixing ANYTHING!!”!

    “Postmasters are still being traumatised by wrongful demands for

    thousands of pounds due to continuing faults with the Horizon IT system,

    The Telegraph can reveal.

    The self-employed branch managers have warned of an “ongoing scandal”, with repeated letters from the Post Office, some as recently as last month. leaving many feeling they have to pay up.”

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/10/post-office-scandal-horizon-ongoing-demand-money-fault/?li_source=LI&li_medium=for_you
    Laters All

  11. Dear chums, last night I forgot to wish you all a Good Night. I then had a bad night, interrupted to come downstairs and read for a while. This morning I awoke late with a terribly sore throat, so I have made myself a hot toddy of milk and a dash of whisky. So a belated Good Morning to you all. Enjoy your day. I myself am now signing off and going back to bed. Wordle and other matters will have to wait. I shall write the day off and just stay in bed for lots of extra Zeds until I awaken naturally and hopefully feeling a lot better.

    1. You can oversleep you know Elsie? Oddly enough the symptoms are very like those of not getting enough!

      1. No, Minty. (Good morning, btw.) My symptoms of not getting enough sleep are nodding off in my armchair. The symptoms I am currently experiencing are a really sore throat and a temperature, so I am happy to go back to bed after my hot toddy and see how I feel when I awake. Good night, all.

      1. Thank you, Ndovu. I decided at the last minute to attempt the Wordle and skim through the current posts before going back to bed.

      1. Thank you, Maggie. I went to bed at around 9.30 am and woke up at around 1 pm feeling not much better. After sending off a couple of urgent emails which took me an unheard of couple of hours (normally I would have accomplished that in 20 minutes at most) I staggered back to bed at around 3 pm thinking that I wouldn’t be up to eating when I woke up again. But I awoke at 5 pm and felt a lot better. The sore throat has gone and whilst not full of energy I am less exhausted. So I had some fish & vegetables for my supper (avoiding chips to keep my weight in trim) and a small portion of blueberries with cream for dessert. I guess that I shall now stay up until the early hours to get back to regular sleeping hours. I don’t wish to “enjoy” another day like today.

    5. I’ve awoken with s terrible headache and a sore throat. You weren’t at my Men’s Shed last Wednesday were you?
      I must have caught it there.

  12. Police should enforce the law to protect the public from dangerous electric vehicles

    The Police appear to be the servants of our supranational masters these days

  14. Wordle 967 5/6

    Could resist this before climbing the stairs. See you all later.

    ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
    ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
    ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
    🟨🟩🟨🟩⬜
    🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    1. Wordle 967 5/6

      ⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜
      🟨🟨⬜🟩🟩
      ⬜🟨🟨🟩🟩
      🟩🟩⬜🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

  17. 2024 lunar new year of the Dragon

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/23d9ab81ea029cbc3d4a0e2d3ab8136fcfcef287/0_0_6288_4192/master/6288.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=4f3362c94abda1b3d83a9535239aeac0
    Hanoi, Vietnam
    Drones

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/7d42d9b4c63e3b212b780bfe0278a619744ba2c0/0_133_4000_2400/master/4000.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=42f90c8e048e0d0877de976d28bee751
    Hong Kong

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/18b7d0af2dd6e4659542b303374319378bdf6872/0_183_5500_3300/master/5500.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=d878723af4d3a04ca33d93cf0fd4c3a7
    Kolkata, India
    Children prepare to perform a dragon dance

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/d928e63dd105787420ddd376a39a170edc2131f4/1466_0_6790_5440/master/6790.jpg?width=980&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=ea43d4c340bc61d3514732bc54e8b8e8
    A woman takes a selfie as she and others gather in front of a large dragon figure in Beijing, China.

  18. Good morning all.
    A brighter, dry but still chilly start with 1°C on the Yard Thermometer.

    Forecast to stay dry so a heap of logs awaits me!

  19. Good morning, all. Overcast and very soggy after last night’s rain.

    Courtesy of David Vance (an Irishman)

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/275128bf72429a36199b69c689589ddc87ff7d8c28d41a787e3b27587bd38a01.png
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d483eef7d229a9c355927c5985c5654cab6729a89d9db14c819bc342feb8bbbb.png
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    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/035872b7a021f6c904e2c5cc6751dceee74d4dac7dcb9127125a6bee5228798a.png

    Clearly, Javid doesn’t believe in inclusion. The inscription on the Cenotaph “The Glorious Dead” is pretty inclusive, I think.

    1. Who’s going to be on the muslim war memorial then? Suicide bombers waging jihad?
      We already have memorials to those who died in the two world wars.

      Javid showing his real colours.

      1. No , the #######s are coming out of the woodpile .

        Who voted to turn Britain into a multicultural country, are there any English white MPs sitting in parliament in Pakistan , Bangladesh, India , Iran, Syria .. and any other non Christian country ..

        I say bollox to the lot of them who are now showing their true colours .. What have THEY done for Britain except fleece us dry , they know nothing about the beating heart of the UK.

        1. What happend to the white footballers who use to play for South Africa ?
          But the management is white.
          Must be some pressure on I guess.

      2. If you recall, Javid was calling for an investigation into ISLAMOPHOBIA in the Con party some years back.

    3. Nasty bit of work – who was suspiciously close to Boris Johnson’s latest wife. He was very cagey about going on about his Muslim beliefs when he was in government. I wonder if he treats his wife as many Muslim men seem to teat their wives? She is or was, after all, a Christian and a kāfir .

    4. If he’s so desperate for such a memorial, tell him to get Imran Khan to erect one in Islamabad.

  20. 383241+ up ticks,

    Morning Each,
    I do believe we are suffering from a plague of non believers,

    Sunday 11 February: Police should enforce the law to protect the public from dangerous electric vehicles

    They are, the police that is, soldiers of the political cartel, protect the public, how bloody naive, they are more likely to do a person for obstructing an element of the culling campaign.

    1. That has been, increasingly and insidiously, the case since 1978. When the police had their status and income raised from poverty level by the Lord Edmund Davies investigation into police pay and conditions that year; an all-party commission took it upon themselves to ratify the advice from that investigation but, at the same time, secretly made the decision to surreptitiously increase their level of influence over the police.

      This led to the police becoming less and less public servants and more and more government stooges.

      1. I understand that he has some Turkish ancestry. He was born in New York City, but has renounced his American citizenship for tax reasons.

          1. As ever, Gritty, you’re too clever for me. (And everyone else on the planet, I believe.)

          2. Listen up, Little Joey, and learn.

            Nursey’s allusion to the Welsh, and my consequent allusion to Kiwis, was for no other reason than to highlight the supposed ‘fondness’ of male members of those nations for their intimate dalliances with sheep!

    1. I have seen Emma Burnell on GBNews – my reaction is always to turn off. I don’t like the looks of her let alone what she says.

    4. To be fair to Emma Burnell, in that clip all she says is that “something’s going on there”. She didn’t call it racist. There is a clear reluctance on the part of some ethnic minorities to visit Epping Forest, even when it’s almost on their doorstep, but to blame it on racism strikes me as an easy knee-jerk reaction. Perhaps any racist element is in the minds of those who don’t visit rather than the actual experience of those who do.

    5. It might be a good idea to encourage people who have never visited the countryside before to join a walking group with which they identify e.g. black people. But to say that the countryside is racist is absurd. No-one is barred from visiting, but people may be more comfortable exploring the countryside with people they associate with.

    6. It might be a good idea to encourage people who have never visited the countryside before to join a walking group with which they identify e.g. black people. But to say that the countryside is racist is absurd. No-one is barred from visiting, but people may be more comfortable exploring the countryside with people they associate with.

    1. Good morning, Phil.

      I saw some birthday greetings for you on yesterday’s forum. Is the date wrong on my list?

      Either way double birthday greetings.

        1. same day as my eldest daughter but she is two decades behind you.

          All the best for a happy (peaceful) day!!

    1. It’s about time all the land owners chipped in to help out.
      I wonder how many acres our political classes have between them. Pethaps If they were forced to contribute, we’d soon have a reversal of their organised invasion.

    4. There seem to be a load of these race baiters who manage to secure a semi-permanent place on the media spectrum, knowing they will be called in regularly to give their views. Keeps the appearance fees coming in. As long as there are so many liberal white self-loathers in the media, this will continiue.

  30. Morning all 🙂😏
    Sun’s trying its luck today.
    Feeling under the weather I’ve caught a cold, sore throat headache cough. I hate it, probably caught it last Wednesday at the Men’s shed.
    That means I can’t go to our granddaughters fourth birthday party today.
    Never mind it’s only youngsters having organised fun and older people sitting around drinking tea or coffee.

  31. 🎶Happy Birthday to you Phizz 🎶
    🤩🤗 I hope you have a great time today.
    Cheers 🥂🍾🍻🍺

      1. Happy Birthday Phizz. I didn’t realise it was today.
        Fill up with jelly and trifle and cake.

      2. I remember the first time I walked Mongo with a chum who has a dash.. dac.. small dog smaller than a cat – he couldn’t work out what it was. Not only was he about 20 times as big, it didn’t look like a dog. His paws were bigger than it was.

        Then it made the mistake of barking – well, yapping. So Mongo barked back. Once the shockwave had dissipated the dash.. dach… small dog smaller than a cat had rolled 5 feet away and was properly cowed at how daft it was.

        Then they played together happily after that but… please get a proper dog.

  32. Smart Motorway ‘cash cow’ rakes in millions in fines with 60mph limit to ‘lower pollution’
    Single camera traps unwary motorists in reduced speed zone while 18-mile stretch of M1 netted £8,000 a day over four years
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/10/motorways-cameras-fines-motorists-penalty-smart-m-ways/?li_source=LI&li_medium=for_you

    BTL

    We know that man-made global warming is a myth and that carbon dioxide is both beneficial and necessary.
    We know it’s a scam, and the politicians know it’s a scam but they are only just waking up to the fact that we know it’s a scam.

    1. I don’t know that it’s a myth. However, I don’t subscribe to the view that it threatens the planet with an impending environmental and climatic catastrophe for which only drastic, draconian and hugely expensive changes to our way of life and its liberties – changes those who seek to impose them will be largely exempt from – can be its salvation.

      1. What convinces me that it is a scam (and the same goes with the Covid jabs) is that the PTB and the MSM are determined to suppress alternative points of view held by expert climate scientists (and eminent medical specialists).

        Why this reluctance to have open debate?

        I think many of us who are neither climatologists nor specialist doctors have been influenced into opposing the prescribed narrative because we are being treated like mushrooms: kept in the dark and fed on manure.

  33. Letters page

    SIR – If Janet Wilson thinks her name dates her, try Margaret.

    Margaret Scattergood
    Solihull

    My name is not trendy any more , the selection of letters above is very interesting .

    How many Nottlers have names that are nearly extinct?

          4. Can’t permit standards to slip on this forum, woman. Otherwise we’d be just like all the snowflakes, the pathological mobile-gawpers and the woke.

    2. My mother was called Eileen – she hated the name so she called herself Joanna after the 14′ International sailing dinghy she had.

      Many of our friends as we sailed around the Med were known by their boats’ names. We were Caroline, Richard, Christo and Henry Mianda.

      1. I am Margaret Elizabeth
        Both my sisters have lovely names

        My brother has three Christian names one of which is Edwin, after my father , grandfather and gg grand father .

        My no1 son has three names , but younger one has 2 .. as Moh declared 3 names was a bit much .

        I wanted Edwin to be included in No 1’s son name .. Moh said no .. because it would have become a nickname , ie Teddy/ Ted .

        Moh ‘s father was Percy, but called Harold , Percy featured in his family names alot .

        I was called Margaret because my grandfather went to see Bless the Bride ,

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kyXdIdRS6c

        1. My first serious girlfriend was Elisabeth. Lovely name – had either of our offspring been a girl, we would have called her Elisabeth.
          We like old, traditional names that have attractive diminutives, and the initials don’t make an unfortunate word – Like, Bertrand Ulysses Major – B.U.M.

    5. I had a boyfriend called Gary once. That name is apparently nearly extinct. And I had a Nigel, too – and I don’t think they are being born at an astonishing rate either.

      My name isn’t as common as it should be, but it’s quite popular in other parts of the world – our Indonesia office once had one of me, and I see our Colombia ofdice has just employed one. But i never meet any more me’s (sic) in Britain.

      1. “My name isn’t as common as it should be.”

        I have to confess to never having met a More. 😉

        1. There was a lady who worked in Lloyd’s (of London) whose name was Theresa Green.

          How we laughed in the Bank in Duesseldorf at Herr Dreier.

    6. I had a boyfriend called Gary once. That name is apparently nearly extinct. And I had a Nigel, too – and I don’t think they are being born at an astonishing rate either.

      My name isn’t as common as it should be, but it’s quite popular in other parts of the world – our Indonesia office once had one of me, and I see our Colombia ofdice has just employed one. But i never meet any more me’s (sic) in Britain.

    7. Margaret is a beautiful name. I rather regret that neither of my daughters got it. More than due for a come-back, I reckon!

      1. The virtues were popular some while ago, although my daughter copped one 36 years ago, and we managed to double barrel it. Poor V-A!

    8. My name has always been extinct. My parents named me after a Belgian girl they met in the war – but they anglicised it to make it the name of a French man. My middle name is worse – they called me after a man who (in the words of my uncle) picked Peter’s brains and then they fell out. My mother hoped he’d leave me something in his will but he didn’t.

      So I’m saddled with two awful names.

      1. My father and his brothers names were historical. Ernest, Arthur, Reginald, Leslie, Cyril, Derek.

        1. Well these things tend to be cyclical so they might come back into fashion. My sons have royal names.

        2. My great grandfather’s name was err John Standley, so I borrowed is at an internet alias. My real name is Michael (Micky but NEVER Mike).

      3. My paternal great-grandfather had the middle name Aveling. This skipped a generation before being given, again as a middle name, to his granddaughter, my aunt.

        2. To clarify matters, Grizzly often refers to me as his aunt. I hasten add that this must be another aunt of his. My middle name is not Aveling.

          1. Elsie’s abound everywhere in my life. This lady’s first names were Elsie Aveling and her maiden surname was the same as my surname. Her married surname was Dring.

      4. Hugo was the second name of every male in my father’s line going back 7 or 8 generations but, as my father hated it, I landed up as Colin Sean (no Hugo). Colin was bestowed on me by my sister but my mother haterd it so II was then just Sean.. That is, until the internet came along. Now banks, the NHS and uncle Tom Cobbly and all want everythinbg to match your birthe certicate/passport, Colin has raised his ugly head again.

          1. I trained with a Hugo, back in 1989-1992. Nice man. Ooohh and I met a lovely Hugo working in the Bank in Buenos Aires c. 1998-2002.

      5. Just realised I’ve posted a howler there…….my father’s brains didn’t fall out but he did have a big disagreement with the chap whose name I was saddled with.

    9. I haven’t heard of any parents naming their son by my name – Ian (part of the reason for my nom-de-plume – it’s similar).

      I didn’t discover my maternal grandmother’s name (Sarah) until her headstone was erected (and after I had named my first daughter by that name). She had always been called Agnes.

      1. My dad is called Ian (it’s his middle name, don’t ask me why my grandparents did that).

        I met someone when I was in Africa in 1995 who became a very good friend. He and his wife were Dutch. When they had a son, he wanted to give the child an English name and bring him up bi-lingually*. He tried a few names out on me and all were dreadful. After a while, he told me they were calling the lad Ian, after my father.

        Ian, growing up in Holland, was a bit resistant to the whole experiment when he was growing up. Now aged 25 and working for Google in Ireland with flawless English, he is very happy with it. A nice name – different, without being egregious.

        *my German penfriend (who married another German) brought her son up bilingual Spanish, as she had lived in Costa Rica for a few years. My children were brought up bilingual German, even though we are both English. I got the idea from a wonderful girl I met while I was in a South America in 1996, whose English/Australian parents had sent her to the Japanese school in Sydney.

        1. We have a good friend called Ian who was best man at both my husband’s weddings.

          It’s good to bring your children up bilingual – though language teachers at their school might be a bit sniffy about it.

          1. Indeed. My daughter took German as a language module at her Uni – the advanced course. They sent her home after an hour as she was making the tutor look bad.

            My claim to fame is, when being accosted by German Plod for not waiting for the red man before crossing the road one day, not being believed that I was English. With German as good as mine, said German Plod,I must have been Dutch. I took that as a massive compliment. My children are accentless and it’s one of my proudest achievements. Mind you, my son’s English on the other hand…..

          2. Indeed. My daughter took German as a language module at her Uni – the advanced course. They sent her home after an hour as she was making the tutor look bad.

            My claim to fame is, when being accosted by German Plod for not waiting for the red man before crossing the road one day, not being believed that I was English. With German as good as mine, said German Plod,I must have been Dutch. I took that as a massive compliment. My children are accentless and it’s one of my proudest achievements. Mind you, my son’s English on the other hand…..

        2. Our two lads are properly bilingual English-Norwegian, as we all live in Norway. Firstborn has a good mastery of Finnish through a mate, and Second Son has good facility in Polish, same reason. SWMBO has accented Weegie, and good Swedish.
          Me, I can barely cope with English… 🙁

    10. My siblings and I were given the names: Alan George; Keith; Philip; Julie; Roger Paul. When I asked my mother why she had chosen those particular names, she replied, “Because I wanted you all to have good, old-fashioned English names.”

      I did not have the heart to inform her that Alan and Keith are Scottish; George and Philip are Greek; and Julie, Roger and Paul are French.

      1. My two children have very very very plain and simple English names. And that was very very deliberate.

  35. Sounds great.
    Our neighbour Dave has a little dog like that called Eric. He’s a yappy little booger…..Eric that is.

    1. Mongo barked from the bottom of the road once. Still heard him 200m away. Handy if you want to be rescued I suppose.

  36. Well – for what it’s worth – I think that the rugby TMO is a complete disaster. Ruins the game. Add the mind-numbing, endless scrums – and the pleasure I once had s a player and, then, spectator has gone for good.

    1. Jocks were hard done by.

      Referee in the England-Wales game was a joke: he should know the law on taking penalty and conversion kicks (he doesn’t!) that states the conversion kick commences as soon as the kicker moves towards the ball. Ford had clearly not done so.

      2. Not quite.
        “All opposing players retire to their goal-line and do not overstep that line until the kicker begins the approach to kick. When the kicker does this, they may charge or jump to prevent a goal but must not be physically supported by other players in these actions. The team must not shout during a conversion attempt.“

        1. The point was, though, that Ford had only side-stepped as is his custom before addressing the kick. He had not made the slightest hint of an approach to the kick. His system (and that of others) never varies.

          1. I might have had more sympathy with Ford if he hadn’t run the clock down to 12 seconds before sidestepping.

    2. Exactly my thoughts yesterday, I think the attendances will suffer.
      So many unnecessary alterations have been made in so many of our normal patterns of life.
      I could go on but even to have noticed certain other changes all around us, it would be regarded everything ist.

    1. I think I’ll apply to change one word in the Eagles song Take it Easy.
      From Lighten To “Whiten up while you can, don’t try to understand, just find a place to make your stand and take it easy”.
      That just about sums up the situation.

    1. If chilodren were taught anything these days they would know that we need more carbon dioxide, not less.

  39. Britain is in the grips of a crime spree, and no one seems to care. 11 February 2024.

    It would be nice to know that under the scary headlines, Britain isn’t really the lawless land it seems to be. That the shocking incidents of casual theft and violence we see reported so frequently are just outlier events, hammed up for shock value.

    But sadly such criminality isn’t marginal. It appears instead to be the direct consequences of two things: a dramatic downward slide in civility, and a widespread awareness that the police won’t, or can’t, go after most criminals, especially those who shoplift.

    Accordingly, the news this week that the future of the West End is in peril because of rising numbers of muggings of wealthy shoppers is not a surprise, though it is certainly depressing. The power of thugs and criminals has grown so strong they seemingly have the ability to shutter the economy and ruin the sense of security that has always made London such a magnet for money-spenders.

    Sadly it is and it will get much worse. I can’t remember when I first forecast this. It was some considerable time ago. Maybe back in the old Telegraph days. I take no particular pride in it. It seemed blatantly obvious even then. The rest will soon follow. That country that most Nottlers remember and loved is vanishing before our eyes, soon it will be no more.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/11/britain-is-in-the-grips-of-a-crime-spree-and-no-one-cares/

  40. HMCS Spikenard (K 198).
    Corvette (Flower).
    .
    Complement:
    65 officers and men (57 dead and 8 survivors).

    Between 01.33 and 01.35 hours on 11th February 1942, U-136 (Heinrich Zimmermann) fired four torpedoes at convoy SC-67 south of Iceland and reported hits on two steamers and on a corvette and later sighted debris and two lifeboats. In fact, the Heina and HMCS Spikenard (K 198) were sunk.
    HMCS Spikenard (K 198) (LtCdr H.G. Shadforth, RCNR) was the ship of the senior officer of the escort (SOE) on station off the starboard column ahead of convoy and sank within five minutes after being hit on the port side in the bow near the bridge. Her loss was not noticed by the other ships in the dark night and the search for her only begun during the morning. The commander, four officers and 52 ratings were lost. Eight ratings were picked up from a raft by HMS Gentian (K 90) (Lt F.M. Osborne, DSC, RANVR) about 19 hours after the sinking.

    Type VIIC U-Boat U-136 was sunk on 11th July 1942 in the North Atlantic west of Madeira by depth charges from the Free French destroyer Léopard, the British frigate HMS Spey and the British sloop HMS Pelican. 45 dead (all hands lost).

    https://uboat.net/media/allies/warships/ca/corv_hmcs_spikenard.jpg

    1. GTSQ, I am finding your series on the war at sea in WWII very interesting. I had an uncle, one of my mother’s brothers, who was called up to the RN and after training found himself in a Flower Class Corvette in the Atlantic. It was very tough, being wet all the time, being tossed about by rough seas and not knowing if you were in a U-Boat’s sights was bad enough but he did recount that some of his shipmates made life tough for the new intake. He had to grow up quickly and learn to stand up for himself.

      Eventually he was transferred to a new ‘V’ class destroyer, HMS Verulam: he told me that being in a new destroyer was almost luxurious compared to the corvette. I still have the wooden model of Verulam he made for me, it’s a bit battered but as an awe struck child I would play with it, not just admire it.

      I have read extensively about WWII, including the Battle of the Atlantic but a TV series that ended last week was news to me: the WRENs who worked in the WATU – Western Approaches Tactical Unit – based in Liverpool. How they war-gamed the Battle and came up with solutions about how the U-Boats operated and how new tactics were required to protect convoys.

      The only downside in the programme for me was the portrayal in the action scenes of both Gretton and Sherwood as being rather highly strung and prone to almost panic. Doubtlessly it was stressful beyond measure but if convoy escort commanders behaved as shown in the brief action scenes then I doubt that they would have been as successful as they actually were. Give me the more stoic Jack Hawkins in the Cruel Sea although both may be extremes and the truth is somewhere in-between.

      Thank you for this series.

        2. Lunch cost me £400 plus a £50 tip which goes to the chef. Antonio doesn’t take a cut and he waits the tables. Dachshund garden seat was £160. My wallet is now empty. :@)

          3. Was he Dachs… dashs… dog smaller than a cat – a chair?

            You spend on lunch what Mongo’s insurance costs a month.

          1. Haven’t got them yet. Everyone looks better through new lenses! The prescription change is to the reading part of the varifocal lens.

          3. One of the boys, when smaller, said to a colleague “My dad wears spectacles. He don’t look too good” – and I pi$$ed myself laughing.

  42. A friend gave me a crystal whisky glass with a pewter stags head on it. On the other side is engraved Happy birthday.
    Another friend has purchased half a ton of steaming horse shit. :@)

    And a side effect from the colonoscopy that they didn’t tell me about is prostatitis. Basically my prostate is buzzing ! Merkel cell nerve damage. I wonder if i should sue.

    2. Tracked it down. It’s the testosterone therapy which i will now cease. I wonder how many people have a prostate that talks to them.

    3. You know friendship is deep when they send you half a ton of steaming shit as a present! 🤣🤣

      Happy Birthday, my friend!! Wishing you a fabulous year to come, and rattling the rooftops of Buenos Aires with my song for you x x

    1. I can’t believe it, who are these people carrying out such disgusting things in my country.
      Naked attraction was bad enough.
      It’s a terrible state of affairs.
      I hope the names of the producers and presenters will become public knowledge.
      They might get a vist.

      1. 383241+ up ticks,

        Afternoon RE,
        They very well might, just wondering, don’t know the
        latitude/ longitude of the island do you, asking for a friend.

    2. 383241+ up ticks,

      Afternoon Rik,
      ” I will always love you ” playing in the background

      The best little whorehouse in the UK.

    3. How to argue that we’re morally superior to the savages while sinking to this level of degeneracy?

      1. As silly as it is, being fundamentally against it rather means it appeals to a more debased audience. Heck, there’s ‘married at first sight’ which utterly rubbishes that sacred institution. Love island, which is just the weak minded viciously hoping to do down people prettier (by make up, lighting and what not) than them.

        Same reason as the Warqueen held court surrounded by blokes another woman – who didn’t know me or that I was married to the centre of attention – bitched about what a slapper she was.

        Weak people like dragging others down. It makes them feel better.

    2. No wonder those Wastemonster morons are ripping off the indigenous. They are seriously worried that our country will reach irriversible bankruptcy, because there are now more people here who don’t pay taxes than do.

      1. We’re already there. In fact, we passed in long ago. The state just keeps borrowing money and kicking the debt down the road.

        Problem is, it can’t any more. High taxes and currency debasement – designed to cripple the UK economically post Brexit – caused inflation. Interest rates rose to counter that and now government borrowing costs are soaring and no more taxes can be raised – it’s simply creating unemployment now. As a result the state has created a complete pig’s breakfast of everything out of sheer malice, stupidity and spite.

        There is no alternative: big fat state must – MUST cut spending.

    3. Until we leave the ECHR, until we repeal the HRA, the Migration pact and modern slavery act the inasion will continue.

      As Sunak’s installation was specifically to ensure the decline of this country post Brexit he has absolutely no intent of doing any of that. The state plan is rechain us to the hated EU, repealing those laws would make that difficult so the state tells him no and he agrees and so the tide of excrement pours in.

      1. The Barcelona Agreement.

        “The Union for the Mediterranean is an intergovernmental organization of 43 member states from Europe and the Mediterranean Basin: the 27 EU member states and 16 Mediterranean partner countries from North Africa, Western Asia and Southern Europe”. Agreed in 1995 when we we EU members.

        The Barcelona Agreement is based on four basic principles and requirements, which practically includes:

        Europe opens its doors to Islamic immigrants.

        Preventing laws that violate the rules and bureaucracy of countries that hinder the interests of Muslims and their religious practices in accordance with the teachings of the Qur’an.

        Facilitate the spread of Islam in Europe.

        Presenting and promoting attitudes that present a positive image of Arab and Islamic culture.

        The educational materials of schools in this field should focus on the sins of European culture against Islam and pay attention to positive propaganda.

          1. The EU did not like to bother “the people” so nobody was told! Just the EU and the other Med countries.

  46. Celebrity chef Russell Norman hanged himself after a drunken argument with his girlfriend, an inquest has heard.

    The award-winning chef and restaurant owner, who regularly appeared on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and also presented The Restaurant Man, was found dead in the garden of his Kent home on November 18 last year.

    Despite his girlfriend and medical staff attempting to do CPR on him, he
    suffered severe brain damage and died five days later in hospital aged
    57 surrounded by his family and friends.

    Mr Norman was lauded as the ‘new king of Soho dining’ when he established himself on the London restaurant scene in 2012 after he invented the concept of small Italian plates and revived the Negroni cocktail.
    R.I.P

  47. I have noticed the reappearance of Boris Johnson in the everyday news in recent months.

    It is not widely known why Boris Johnson, Sunak and our government are so heavily invested in Ukraine. Since the US led overthrow of the elected government in Ukraine in 2014 both the US and UK have bought significant parts of that country. The UK invested principally in the Black Sea ports such as Odessa, expecting to exploit the shipyards for building British ships.

    Needless to say the UK sought to protect those Ukrainian investments by installing weapons and weapons defence systems. As the war progresses Russia has launched multiple hypersonic missiles and is systematically eliminating UK military sites hence the panic in Whitehall.

    Much the same applies to the US military sites, including the infamous US weapons laboratories in Ukraine. You may be assured that Russia will destroy these too in due course.

      2. 🎶Happy birthday to you🎶 Phizzee! Enjoy your days celebrating!🎉🥂🍾🎉🍰🍷🎉🎂🍨🎉💥💥💥

    2. UK_programme_assistance_to_…

      Ukraine lists a load of WWB projects…..

      (If you click on the hyper text it simply invites one to download a 4 pages word document…)

        1. It’s very hard to convince the French of that! She is, as my French friends keep telling me, “extre^me droite”.

  49. My word people in politics are such vile and filthy liars.
    But there’s one telling us the truth.

    1. Lucky you!! Happy birthday, can’t sing so good wishes will have to do!! Have a wonderful day, will toast you later…red medicine is not a breakfast drink…it’s just 10 am here…Take care.

    1. There is absolutely no interest in ‘stopping the boats’. The invasion wil continue apace without any political will to stop it, slow it or change it.

      1. No doubt the French will use a European Extradition Warrant to bring these thieves back to face justice.

    1. Yes, I read it last night. Nevertheless, what really upset me was the news about the six year old girl Hind Rajab who had ‘phoned for help but was much later found dead, along with two ambulance men who had attempted to rescue her. The poor wee mite would have known what was coming, which somehow makes it worse.
      Editation: yes, I switched from tunnels to the deliberate killing of a child. Easy to understand that Hamas had an underground server farm, hard to believe that the IDF couldn’t manage a 20 minute truce.

    1. No. The link I posted was the correct one. People seem to have forgotten the horrific atrocities of October 7th, and prefer not to see what Hamas are continuing to carry out. And under the very noses of the UN! What a surprise!

    1. Ok. Well. I watched the first one.

      And now I have to go. I may be some time.

      (For the avoidance of doubt:👍).

    2. Ok. Well. I watched the first one.

      And now I have to go. I may be some time.

      (For the avoidance of doubt:👍).

          1. Totally out of the blue.
            I had that filthy phlegmy cough since Christmas, went into a coughing fit and thought I had pulled a muscle.
            Indeed I had, and am now stented.

          2. Blimey, sos! What a horrible shock! Delighted you’ve been sorted out and delighted you’re back amongst us! Take care and sending good wishes! 🌹

          4. My wife had a stent fitted after her first heart attack. From the ambulance arriving at our house to her discharge from hospital was less than 48 hours!

          6. Sos

            For goodness sake , so sorry to hear you have been in a rocky situation.

            You are the guy who swims how many miles a week in his pool?

            Great to see you again on here .

          8. Just the one.
            As I note, I was lucky, no warnings at all.
            I would guess I was done and dusted in well under three hours from the onset at home to being on the ward post op.

          9. Excellent service. I had at least half a dozen warning precursors that I stupidly ignored, so my own fault they had to pop 8 in. You’re fit and will, after taking it easy for a while, be back to pretty normal life soon. Scares the other half a bit doesn’t it?

          10. Indeed it did.
            I started pushing a barrow up the garden, felt distinctly strange, looked up heart attack symptoms, ticked lots of boxes and told her to get me an ambulance, no joy, due to farmer protests, so we started to drive.
            Scared her witless.

          11. The DT was in bed when I told her I’d called an ambulance and stayed there until it arrived.
            Chest pains had subsided by the time it arrived, within a ½ hour, so I did feel a bit of a fraud, but they insisted on taking me in.

          12. Mine stopped briefly but returned with a vengeance while I was in the car waiting for the police to clear a way for the ambulance.
            In the past when they asked that usual question “on a scale of 1 – 10 what’s the pain level?”
            I replied I had no idea what a 10 would be.
            I certainly do now.

          17. I’m due some supervised rehab once they are happy its settled in, but hope to be pretty much back to normal by Easter, touch wood.

          1. I thought I was fit.
            My GP’s face was an absolute picture, the jaw dropped when I went to get my prescription.
            Couldn’t believe it.

          3. Pass.
            8 different pills for the time being.
            I’m hoping the numbers will drop off eventually.

          1. Wasn’t even dressed up for the event.

            The area was caught up in the farmers’ protests, so ambulances couldn’t get out to us, so we took the car, luckily we got stopped at a police point at a roundabout. They prioritised an ambulance to me. I was transferred from our car to the ambulance, they then took a few measurements and decided it needed the main cardiac unit elsewhere so change of directions.
            Blue lights a-flashing.
            Stripped, shaved and prepped in a lay-by, which was a little bizarre, then straight to the hospital into ER surgery, where the cardiac team were waiting. So fast I didn’t even realise I’d had the op.
            They explained I was extremely fortunate, had we not started to drive in there would have been far more damage and being fit probably saved me significant harm.

          5. Thanks, I hope your Argentine trip continues to be great fun and that you stay safe.

            Avoid anyone who appears to be like Phizzee until you’ve had a second opinion; or three…

          8. Hello sos. It’s the middle of the night here, but I’ve only just got up to speed. Sorry to hear of your fright but delighted you’ve pulled through. Judging you by the character of the person who posts here, I’m confident you’ll soon be back to good health. If not, I’ll send Phizzee over to sort you out. Best wishes, mate.

          1. Indeed and thanks.

            I propose to, but I’m hoping to get back to my normal exercise regime asap.
            The cardiac people stated life should return to normal reasonably well, because I was treated so quickly.

          3. There was a view on the part of the cardiologists that my underlying fitness from all that swimming may have saved me from more serious damage.

          5. Quite the opposite, carry on and enjoy it; just take it slightly easier at the start of the season and get back to previous levels. Take a few more minutes covering the distances.
            They were very positive people.

        6. OMG how awful for you and yours.
          I hope you’re feeling better and responding well to treatment.
          Take care Sos.

        7. OMG how awful for you and yours.
          I hope you’re feeling better and responding well to treatment.
          Take care Sos.

        9. 4½y since mine and also had a stent fitted.
          I’ve not had any noticeable problems since. What are your bruises like?

          2. Lucky you!
            I had MASSIVE bruising on my right groin area where they did the operation from.

          3. I’m not sure, but if I had to guess it went in through an arm, even though they shaved the groin area.

        10. Blimey sos. So sorry to hear that.
          Bet that was a shock, not only for you, but the family as well.
          Wishing you well from vw and me.

          3. Stent and drugs and lots of rest, so far.
            The official rehab should start next week then follow up with the cardiologist then, all being equal, normal life.
            I was very lucky getting to the hospital as quickly as we did.

          4. Excellent news getting to the hospital quickly, makes a lot of difference, I understand.
            I’m sure you’ll follow all the medical advice and look forward to you making a full recovery.

        12. No problems nowadays, it’s probably one of the better issues to have. They fix you up, shock you into a healthy lifestyle and then as long as you behave reasonably its basically back to normal.

          So do as the boss tells you and you will be around for years to come.

          1. Apart from the wine I was already fairly healthy, at least as far as my GP was concerned.” In excellent physical condition” was what they wrote in a report!
            I dare not do as told, there would be Hell to pay.

    4. Good to see you back, Sos, you have been missed by all. But sorry to see below, the reason for your absence, hopefully you will be back fighting fit asap. Make sure you do what HG tells you (and the doctors also!). Take it easy

  57. British aircraft carrier delayed from Nato mission for unknown reasons. 11 February 2024.

    HMS Prince of Wales’ departure to lead the biggest Nato exercise since the Cold War has been delayed at the last minute.

    The Royal Navy’s £3 billion aircraft carrier should have set sail from Portsmouth on Sunday, in order to lead a Carrier Strike Group of eight ships, but her journey was cancelled for reasons unknown.

    What is it this time? Has it pooped its mainbrace? Lol!

    PS, No comments allowed.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/02/11/brit-aircraft-carrier-delayed-nato-mission-unknown-reasons/

    1. Rust on the main propeller shaft, by all accounts. A computer fellow who works for the MoD also reports that the vessel simply isn’t ready, with glitches, power surges, duff software, messages not being sent from bridge to engineering.

    4. Been watching it on webcam. You could see earlier it wasn’t going anywhere as it was still all connected up to the dock. And they missed the high tide.

    1. I had the cough from Jan 2 for about two and a half weeks. It was unpleasant but clearly not as bad as your bout.

      Glad to hear that you’re home and recovering.

  60. It’s humbling to read about the fates of the civilian and service sailors – and the U-boat crews didn’t often return home, either.

    1. An eventful time for all. He did tell me about the sinking of the Haguro by his flotilla, something of which he was proud, however, he was not on the Veralum during that action. I cannot remember why he wasn’t aboard.

  65. BTL:

    RA Port
    15 HRS AGO
    Amazing how this “aid dependent” territory has not only been able to build and furnish with sophisticated and expensive equipment hundreds of miles of tunnels but also afford thousands of Iranian missiles to fire at Israel for many years now – and afford to pay and equip a terrorist organisation with, amongst other armoury, thermobaric weapons that incinerated entire Israeli families in their homes.
    And we, through our contributions to the UN, have been paying for all this – and, for all we know, the salaries and equipment provided to the suicide bombers that have committed massacres on English soil.

    1. Old news, Mags. And she is a native born white Oirish woman who has converted her self to be a slammer.

    3. She is making no effort to blend in at all. Of course, as ‘the diversity’ arrive, the place gets worse. The solution? Keep them out, expell the ones here.

      1. Everywhere they go, they’re unhappy. Perhaps it isn’t the place, but the people.

        As it is, we must stop paying them to breed.

  71. Bit late to the party, Phizz.
    (Recovering from MB’s second birthday meal at a good pub – The Courthouse, Great Bromley.)
    Many Happy Returns,.You Spring Chicken.

  72. British aircraft carrier delayed from Nato mission for unknown reasons

    HMS Prince of Wales’ departure to lead biggest exercise in years has been delayed at the last minute

    Danielle Sheridan, DEFENCE EDITOR
    11 February 2024 • 3:24pm

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2024/02/11/TELEMMGLPICT000366075397_17076648131070_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq1TJOa7BZ2Re4vzncv8bVrz1ncUTIYJ9-bADuoj2TcAY.jpeg?imwidth=680
    *
    *
    Should have sent HMS Warrior (in the foreground) Much more reliable. Prettier too.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ddc2bc0acd09def53c6cc47f3154a1643c3306a5ff1ca0a7568d715b8369d307.jpg

    1. We are not sailing, we are not sailing
      Home again, ‘cross the sea
      We are not sailing stormy waters
      To be near you, to be free

  74. An unlikely Bogey Five!

    Wordle 967 5/6
    ⬜⬜🟨🟩⬜
    ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩
    ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩
    ⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩
    🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    1. Same here

      Wordle 967 5/6

      ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩
      ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩
      ⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩
      ⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    2. A 3 today, perhaps a bit lucky.

      Wordle 967 3/6

      ⬜⬜🟨🟩⬜
      ⬜🟨🟨🟩🟨
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    3. Happy with a boring par four.

      Wordle 967 4/6

      ⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜
      🟨⬜⬜🟩🟩
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    4. An even more unlikely 6!

      Wordle 967 6/6

      ⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
      ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨
      ⬜🟨⬜🟩⬜
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    5. It wasn’t that bad

      Wordle 967 4/6

      ⬜⬜⬜🟨🟨
      ⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨
      ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

  76. Jeeeze you couldn’t make it up, a labour slammer mp is making the claim that Israel allowed hamaz to make the attack on Israel so that they could retaliate.

    1. I have to confess that that had occurred to me too. It always seemed odd that the Israeli defence system knew nothing about the attack on them.

  77. That’s me for this grey, damp day. Only managed an hour of log work. More tomorrow. Then I am stuck – as I am starting the cataract procedure on Tuesday – second op on 23 Feb – and am told that I must not carry anything heavy for some time. Can any NoTTLer who has been “done” confirm that?

    Good to see sos back – interesting compare and contrast with the French system and the Envy of the World… He’d still be in an ambulance here….

    Have a spiffing evening.

    A demain.

    1. No but it sounds plausible. If i speak to my dad, who’s had 2, i can let you know.

    2. No but it sounds plausible. If i speak to my dad, who’s had 2, i can let you know.

    3. Lifting puts up the blood pressure, especially in the face. That might cause a leak in capilliaries in the eye, so take the advice, Bill. It’s the clenching of the stomach muscles that does it.

    4. Lifting puts up the blood pressure, especially in the face. That might cause a leak in capilliaries in the eye, so take the advice, Bill. It’s the clenching of the stomach muscles that does it.

    5. I was told nothing for at least 4 weeks including lifting heavy items and driving but it would but it would be 8 weeks before all was healed.

  78. Just received a story from a friend of mine:

    LEMON PICKERS NEEDED IN FLORIDA – ONLY US CITIZENS OR LEGAL IMMIGRANTS NEED APPLY

    “Lemon Pickers Needed” read the ad in the newspaper.

    Ms. Sally Mulligan of Coral Springs , Florida, read it, and decided to apply for one of the jobs that most Americans are not willing to do.She submitted her application for a job in a Florida lemon grove, but seemed far too qualified for the job.

    She has a liberal arts degree from the University of Michigan, and a master’s degree from Michigan State University. For a number of years, she had worked as a social worker, and also as a school teacher.

    The foreman studied her application, frowned and said, “I see that you are well educated, and have an impressive resume. However, I have to ask you, have you had any actual experience in picking lemons?”

    “Well, as a matter of fact, I have,” she said…”I’ve been divorced three times, owned two Chryslers, and voted for Biden.”

    She started work yesterday.

    2. Ha ha. A reinterpretation os the old classic joke about the Welsh rugby selector c. 1995

  80. Not many, if any comments regarding the headline topic.
    Recently it’s been established that the police don’t do much at all until its too late. Then as usual, it’s everyone else’s fault.

  81. Evening, all. Didn’t manage to get to Nottl at all yesterday. The day started badly; I was taking Kadi for a walk when an out of control dog ran down the road and attacked him. I just managed to pull him up into my arms or he’d have been killed. As it was I had to take him to the vet’s (another hefty bill!) and it made me late for a meeting in the West Midlands from which I got back too late to log in.

    When one of my neighbours tried to report the attack, she was told they would transfer her and they never did. What a waste of time the local police are. The PCC stated they were more interested in chasing up “hate crime” than burglaries, vandalism and the like.

      1. He was screaming – literally – when I picked him up. He was terrified. I wasn’t feeling too good, either! Shock. He’s asleep now, on meds and having to wear a cone (fortunately, they’ve come a long way; they are now soft so my shins aren’t black and blue).

          1. Perhaps, but my Oscar is half Staffy and half Springer, and a more friendly dog to people and dogs you could not meet. He’s actually been on the receiving end of a few nasty dogs. Owners must take responsibility.

            As a caveat, If there’s a rabbit, squirrel or deer about he does turn into a different beast entirely.

      1. I’ve just spent about half an hour trying to report it on line. The first lot said it was West Mercia not West Midlands and to ring 101. I pointed out one of the witnesses had tried to do that yesterday and wasn’t put through. What a waste of time! Eventually I did manage to report it and got an incident number. Not that I think anything will happen. They were too interested in my ethnicity and did it affect the “community”.

    5. Did you get the owners details? he is responsible for your bill surely and it might educate him into controlling his dog

      1. He’s my neighbour’s son. His mother says he’ll pay. I don’t think they have much idea about controlling the dog.

    6. So sorry to read about Kadi, what a shock for you, too. I hope you both manage to get a good night’s rest, and Kadi is okay tomorrow.

      1. Thanks for the good wishes. I slept well last night – in fact, I went out like a light – as the emotion, stress and shock knocked me for six.

    1. Mongo is quite well behaved but Oscar can be aggressive toward other dogs, especially if there’s a threat response and even more so if the Warqueen isn’t/is around (I’ve not worked out the link to one or the other).

      Thus he stays on his harness while we’re out walking and Mongo doesn’t.

      Actually more likely Mongo has decided to stop and not move because there’s a Y in the day but hey.

      1. If the pillocks had only shut their gate this could have been prevented. Apparently, the dog doesn’t like small furry dogs.

        1. It’s no excuse, gate closed or not, the dog should be better trained and behaved, the owners responsible for his actions.

          I can leave Mongo in the garden all day without issue. He won’t leave it, won’t attack people coming in. He does say hello to the postman because he likes her. How she deals with a gopey looking, drooling idiot is beyond me.

      2. If the pillocks had only shut their gate this could have been prevented. Apparently, the dog doesn’t like small furry dogs.

  83. Message to Bob coming soon to your area, the BBC Antiques Road Show at Cromford.
    You could be famous and show your wares to the public. You have to email them.
    Just a thought. 😉
    Sadly I wasn’t able to attend our lovely granddaughter’s fourth birthday party today.
    My wife tells me that there were around 25 children at the celebration.

    I’ll be off now, this cough, headache and sore throat are driving me nuts.
    Time for another pain killer before the parrots eat ’em all.
    Hopefully back in the morning. 🤗

  85. I’ve been away for a while.

    Oscar was poorly last time I was about, what is his state of health or have you had to make the sad decision?

    1. Oscar has had a reprieve. The vet rang me on Friday and said to give him another month. I fear we are only putting off the inevitable, but he’s not unhappy, so a month is a month to be given cuddles and treats.

      1. Good news for a while.
        Make the most of the time.
        He was lucky to have crossed your path for the last years of what sounds like a sub-par existence until then.

        1. I kept telling him that when he was being obnoxious – “you could have done a lot worse, you know; you could still have been in the dogs’ home!” 🙂

    1. He’s wearing the (soft blue) collar of shame and is on antibiotics (it was a puncture wound which could easily get infected) and metacam. At least he’s stopped limping now. I now have two invalids at home needing regular medication! Kadi was able to go for a short walk this morning. I did wonder if he’d refuse to go out, but he toughed it out.

      1. The same thing happened to Poppie when we were in France. It happened early evening, too late for the vet. She sustained a puncture wound to her neck. I kicked the offending dog (a Staffie type dog) in the ribs in desperation and he very momentarily backed off before going in for another attack – it gave poppiesdad the briefest of opportunities to haul her aloft. The next morning her neck was swollen and hard. It was of course the weekend of one of the eternal bank holidays the French have throughout the summer months – we had to visit the emergency out-of-hours veterinary clinic in Perpignan. Antibiotic jab, antibiotic tablets, consultation – 90 euros. That would be 2016. I hope you and Kadi are recovering from shock and get a good night’s sleep tonight.

    2. Doesn’t make any sense at all. Is he suggesting that only virgins are attractive? Has he seen page 3?

    3. Doesn’t make any sense at all. Is he suggesting that only virgins are attractive? Has he seen page 3?

  90. Right, I’m off to bed!
    I’ve created a bit of a stir on Faceache over the past couple of days. Still@home son found the file of B&W negatives I’ve been searching for so I’ve scanned a couple of films worth from my time in Hameln during the mid ’70s and put them on a Forces page I’m a member of.

    Goodnight all.

  91. I kicked the attacker as well, it circled away but came in again. When I kicked it again and it retreated a bit I hauled poor Kadi up by his collar and lead. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

  92. Have to admit, North Carolina is my favourite Southern place, daughter and sil own a condo in Myrtle Beach which is not my cup of tea, too much like Southend, but I’m not a golfer! and neither is Jack. Enjoy your hols, it’s going to be an interesting year!!!

    1. Myrtle Beach itself is as you say like Southend but we are right at the southern end in Litchfield which is much quieter. However,if you don’t like golf there is not much else to do.

      We missed seeing Trumpet in Conway yesterday, too much traffic.

  93. Well, chums, I will now wish you all a Good Night, a restful sleep and a good day tomorrow. After my travails today I shall settle down to read a good comic book (The World of A. J. Wentworth, B.A.) which I have owned now for just over 41 years and which still has me in stitches of laughter each time I read it. This main character, a secondary school teacher, describes his class of Set 3a as follows: “The third and last row was shared by Sapoulos, a Greek, and Atkins, a cretin”. H. F. Ellis wrote this seriously funny book and I commend it to all NoTTLers. I shall continue to read (and laugh out loud) until my eyelids begin to droop, when I shall return to my bed. Good Night for now, chums.

    1. When A. J, Wentworth B.A., the prep school Maths teacher, warned Mason:

      “If you go on like this, Mason, you and I will find ourselves at loggerheads”

      Mason replied:

      “I don’t know about you, Sir, but I’m going to Cheltenham!”

      When poor old Wentworth was trying to explain the Theorem of Pythagoras Mason remarked:

      “In real life, Sir, it would be a pretty good fluke if a triangle had a square on each of its three sides, wouldn’t it , Sir?”.”

      When we were both teaching in a small public school in Dorset, one of my best friends, David, who is now our Henry’s godfather, and I used to have tears rolling down our cheeks as we read Wentworth to each other over several glasses of whisky.

      In one story the boys, led by Mason, had managed to catch a pigeon and put in in Wentworth’s desk. When he entered the classroom and opened the desk out flew the pigeon.

      My friend, David, who was very young and very new to teaching remarked : ” I may sometimes not have complete control over my classes but at least I have never had a pigeon in my room!”

      That evening I got a telephone call from David: “You won’t believe it, but I have a pigeon in my rooms.”

      Indeed a pigeon had fallen down the chimney and was scrabbling behind the panel placed in front of the fireplace to conceal the fireplace.

      Both John Betjeman and Evelyn Waugh served sentences teaching in prep schools. Evelyn Waugh said: “It was Hell – but we’ll never laugh again as much as we did in those days!”.

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