Saturday 20 January: How can Britain stand up to the Russian threat with such depleted defences?

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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514 thoughts on “Saturday 20 January: How can Britain stand up to the Russian threat with such depleted defences?”

    1. And in a similar labour post that man would be wearing a dress and the pig would be flying backwards and upside-down to the abattoir because pigs cause climate change.

      1. This man is an affront to us all who have to bear the brunt of his duplicity – Sunak should have the guts to shunt him from the front benches of government and, for a stunt he should be put in a punt to grunt in the Thames.

        (One or two words missing from my rhyming doggerel)

    5. Saw some footage of Hunt at Davos. He doesn’t look like the man I knew at university. He was never particularly strong in the personality department, but he looks as though someone’s possessing him and speaking out of his mouth now.

    1. A good talk by Dr John Campbell with Dr David Grimes a few days ago where they discuss that issue as well as the importance of vitamin D3.

  5. How war with Russia could erupt on a quiet stretch of rolling fields, forests and lakes. 20 January 2024.

    Though little-known in the wider world today, it is here that Nato generals fear a full-blown conflict with Moscow could begin, according to a drill scenario prepared by the German army.

    If Vladimir Putin moved his forces from Belarus across the gap to Kaliningrad in a sudden thrust, he could cut off Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania from their allies in central and western Europe.

    This is just the latest of a series of scaremongering articles begun this week that are blowing up the Russian threat. I think that I have commented on seven myself. It is almost certainly an orchestrated attempt to address the rapidly declining support for Ukraine and a distraction from the various domestic difficulties of the European States; not least the UK. A Russian bogeyman in essence.

    It should be stressed that there is no actual threat. The Russians are at present bogged down at the front and are even unable to use conventional aircraft over the cities. That they would be able to seize NATO territory against vastly superior air defences is myth. The general disparity between NATO and Russian forces is huge and it is not in the latter’s favour.

    There is also a moral dimension. Valdimir Putin is not our enemy, the enemy of the ordinary people of Europe that is. That place is reserved for the domestic Political Elites who are servants of the Globalists and seek our destruction.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/01/19/how-war-with-russia-could-erupt-suwalki-gap-nato-poland/

    1. Morning Minty – you are correct, but I am afraid that faced with their obstinacy the Russians may press their current advantage rather than give their avowed enemies time to rally.
      These cretins are very dangerous.

    3. What the heck would Russia do with all that extra land?
      Few, if any, natural resources. Demoralised populations who are too busy worrying about micro-aggressions to get off their backsides and work. A dark underbelly of millions of people actively undermining their countries.
      What would be the actual gain for Russia?

      2. Precisely. We should have embraced Russia which would have posed no threat whatever to Europe but for the US land grab under guise of a proxy war with Ukraine.

        Russia will absorb the area known as Ukraine leaving a rump in Galicia. We should stop all support of the corrupt Zelensky regime and snap into reverse gear.

  6. Morning all. Hoping my (hockey) match this morning will be called off. Anyway, late last night, Bob and RichardL (I think) shared a few short posts on temperature and it made me think of this. It’s a sketch from one of John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programmes.

    If anyone doesn’t know John Finnemore, do look him up. He’s unfailingly funny in a non-political, clever way. In particular I recommend the whole series Cabin Pressure with Roger Allam, Stephanie Coles, Benedict Cumberbatch (not such a fan of him) and John Finnemore himself.

    A recording of the sketch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nROK4cjQVXM

    Here is a transcript of the sketch (it’s the third one down after Charity something and Whalesong): https://j-f-s-p.livejournal.com/6698.html

    PS. Well worth looking him up on the internet. Plenty of his stuff out there e.g. on a website called internet archive.

  8. Good morning, chums. I hope you all slept well. I didn’t, so I came downstairs to read February’s Book Club choice and am quite enjoying it. And now to read a few of this morning’s posts before I have a go at today’s Wordle.

  9. Wordle 945 6/6

    I made it – just – today.

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

    2. Not as good as bb2
      Wordle 945 4/6

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

  10. Turn Channel small boats into Ukrainian little ships to reinforce faith in Kyiv’s brave fight. 20 January 2024.

    Can’t the “small boats” which have brought us so much trouble be resonantly rebadged as “little ships” and help Ukraine fight back? Private feelers to officialdom have so far already brought the response that the boats are in too poor a condition to be usable. Surely the people who want to use them should be the judge of that.

    TOP COMMENT BELOW THE LINE,

    John Peters,

    We should send the illegal migrants to Ukraine to help clear the Russian minefields!

    This is yet another pro-Ukraine propaganda article. It has, as can be seen, received short and savage shrift in the comments.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2024/01/19/channel-small-boats-ukraine-kyiv-russian-invasion/

    2. One of our au pairs some years ago went to Strasburg when the EU parliament was sitting. She was disgusted to find that the bars nearby were all full of prostitutes who ran a very brisk trade.

      I wonder what Nigel Farage made of it?

      1. I often wonder how many of the prostitutes actually form relationships with their high value clients?

  12. Good morning all,

    A red lights streaks the Eastern Sky at McPhee Towers. Wind in the Sou’-Sou’-West, 0℃→5℃ today.

    Thought for the day:

    Send Channel migrants boats to Ukraine to help war effort, Government urged.

    If only

  13. https://www.takimag.com/article/keeping-up-with-japan/
    Dalrymple musing on Japan and its aging population; but a point was made that struck a chord:

    Having come to maturity when it was widely held that overpopulation made famine and starvation in the near future inevitable, I cannot help but wonder whether this is an altogether bad thing, even though I know that the doomsday predictions of the time were all proved not only wrong, but almost the opposite of the truth. The fact is that falsities absorbed in one’s youth leave a trace in one’s mind, however much one tries to clear them out.

    My bold
    I wonder how today’s youth will look back upon current climate change predictions 50 years hence?

    1. I listened to an interesting podcast last night about the effects of the changes in the earth’s, and sun’s, magnetic fields and its effect on “climate”. Well, half-listened as I drifted in and out of sleep. Suffice to say, more plausible than “man-made glowball warming”.

    2. Malthus was correct, but he could not envision the growth of multinational firms whose growth is determined by their ability to exploit the world’s animal, mineral and energy resources. In other words, you can currently feed the tired poor huddled masses, but only by consuming the Earth’s capital. IMHO the planet can not continue in its present condition with more than one thousand million human beings, and the number should IMHO be even lower. Worldometer estimates the total as approaching eight thousand one hundred million humans. Alongside humans there is rattus (not ‘Rastus’), whose world population is estimated at 7 thousand million, but concentrated in towns and cities, where they do at least process waste foostuffs. Although ratty is part of the natural world, a large group can devastate native species, eg ground nesting birds.

      1. We are heading for a depopulation crisis not an overpopulation crisis. However the powers that be do not want to publicise that fact because it does not support their socialist agenda. Climate change, burgeoning population, destruction of the environment for food, and all the other tiresome woke nonsense is about control not about reality and thus facts. I learnt a long while ago that long range predictions are inevitably false. Nothing is certain about the future other than uncertainty. I live by that fact and thus take Malthus and his latter day acolytes, the green Commies, with a grain of salt, they are far to stupid to understand that we do not live in a world and universe that is static, unchanging in which their absolutist statements apply.

    3. Malthus was correct, but he could not envision the growth of multinational firms whose growth is determined by their ability to exploit the world’s animal, mineral and energy resources. In other words, you can currently feed the tired poor huddled masses, but only by consuming the Earth’s capital. IMHO the planet can not continue in its present condition with more than one thousand million human beings, and the number should IMHO be even lower. Worldometer estimates the total as approaching eight thousand one hundred million humans. Alongside humans there is rattus (not ‘Rastus’), whose world population is estimated at 7 thousand million, but concentrated in towns and cities, where they do at least process waste foostuffs. Although ratty is part of the natural world, a large group can devastate native species, eg ground nesting birds.

    4. Remember how Blair described the draft for his human rights legislation;

      It has no more significance than a copy of The Beano

      So that was all fine and Dandy wasn’t it.

      1. I know you’re a fan.

        If ever there was a prediction that turned out to correct 50 years later, it was Enoch Powell’s

    5. Remember how Blair described the draft for his human rights legislation;

      It has no more significance than a copy of The Beano

      So that was all well and Dandy wasn’t it.

  15. Good BTL Comment on the legal support the pupil at Michaela Academy is getting:-

    John O’Connor
    1 HR AGO
    Yesterday,on here, I asked why the Muslim pupil ,who is taking Katherine Birbalsingh to court for the prayer ban, is getting legal aid to which there really didn’t seem to be answer.Later,in another article, I read that the bill so far is estimated to be between
    £100 ,000&150,000 and she is being represented by Sarah Hammett K C, a barrister at Matrix Chambers a legal practice co-founded by Cherie Blair
    Wouldn’t you just know that leech would be involved somewhere in this debacle
    The money that family has made from her husband’s disastrous multicultural experiment is astounding No wonder he revoked the treason act without public consultation.

      1. He abolished the death penalty for treason.
        The rest followed as night follows day.
        It is effectively a dead act.

      2. There were several Treason Acts. One which was repealed during Blair’s Premiership was the Treason Act 1790, when the death penalty for treason was abolished by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

    2. Hanging drawing and quartering is too good for that man. I have a bottle of champagne waiting for when that evil man dies. Or is murdered. We can dream.

      1. I’ll save the bubbles for when gates, Schwab and co. pop their evil clogs. Can’t come soon enough.

    3. Matrix Chambers was set up by the fragrant Cherie just prior to her husband’s poodles passing the Human Rights Act.
      I wonder what gave her the idea?

      1. Word on the street was that Tony didn’t give too hoots about banning foxhunting, but that someone else in his household happened to be ‘anti’.

        1. The fact he received a substantial “donation” from animal rights people also helped. He did say he regretted the Act – so he should, it’s a dog’s breakfast of a law, full of inconsistencies and doing nothing for fox welfare.

  16. My match is officially cancelled but my husband’s match at 1:00 pm should be on. I shall go and watch. It gives me time to crack on with getting ready for book club which is at my house tonight as i (in theory) chose the book. In fact, i produced a pile of my unread books and the democratic process ended up with the Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Doninque Bauby which I haven’t quite finished (but will do so now). It is as good as it is billed. Just 132 short pages but sardonic and beautiful.

    1. Morning Anne.
      I can’t tell you how much I already hate seeing that (know it all in hindsight) smug prat Starmer.
      It won’t be just the workers who are being sacrificed for our stupid aims of net effing zero martyrdom. The whole of the area of Port Talbot is going to fall into recession. And will probably never recover.
      But let’s face the reality, this continuous political stupidity never really effects any of them at all. They’ll just keep taking their pay rises and increasing their expenses claims.

      1. Out of work people don’t spend much in the shops, go out, pay local or national tax, but need unemployment benefit and more.
        That puts the local businesses out of business, so the effect is doubled. The council cuts far back, so the whole place looks dishevelled and disrepaired. Everyone gets depressed.
        It’s a total disaster. I have every sympathy for them – what alternative employment is there for a middle-aged steelworker?

        1. I have every sympathy, but they have to get on their bikes and go out looking for work like the rest of us. There are no jobs for life.

          2. There’s always somewhere. I lived in an unemployment blackspot in the late nineties; you could see the difference between the people who found jobs and the people whose excuse was that there were no jobs. A lot of people left, but the permanent benefits class placed a higher importance on being close to their family – funded by taxpayers, of course.

      2. Starmer strikes me as the kind of man who would trample over his dying Granny in stilletto heels to grab a table at the top with the parasite class.
        Sacrificing his fellow countrymen would be nothing in comparison.

  18. Good morning all. Central heating went off in the early hours and didn’t come back on this morning. Deep joy. As yet, still 22c indoors and at least milder weather is forecast to arrive soon. Hope I don’t need to resort to the electric convector heating but I have one as backup. Hot water ok as that’s a separate system. It’s the whole building of course. We have communal boilers.

    2. We run our ch at 18° during the day and evening and at 16½° between midnight and 0600.

      We put the thermostat in a cold room which means our study is at 20° during the day and in the evening and on exceptionally cold days we run the woodburners in the library and living room.

      Caroline has her sewing machine, organ, prayer corner, ironing board and area for drying laundry on the mezzanine as the heat from the main woodburner in the living room is excellent for drying and airing.

      .

    3. We run our ch at 18° during the day and evening and at 16½° between midnight and 0600.

      We put the thermostat in a cold room which means our study is at 20° during the day and in the evening and on exceptionally cold days we run the woodburners in the library and living room.

      Caroline has her sewing machine, organ, prayer corner, ironing board and area for drying laundry on the mezzanine as the heat from the main woodburner in the living room is excellent for drying and airing.

      .

  21. 382128+ up ticks,

    Morning Each,

    Saturday 20 January: How can Britain stand up to the Russian threat with such depleted defences?

    In the simplest of terms, it can’t, it is now thanks to the lab/lib/con/ best of the worst/ party before country brigade, it is now down to choices.

    Klaus Schrab WEF, Or submission to Putin, before the eu, nato, approach Putin with an
    “ALL beneficial” deal.

    Also bare in mind the islamic
    man, woman, child, unborn child is in-house and waiting in the wings, with a support army
    in-house (5* hotels) and awaiting the call.

    What has been achieved these past three plus decades via the polling stations is truly amazing if it wasn’t for the supporting & voting
    insistence of the electorate in regards to the governing political cartels we would never have got to where we are today.

    1. I really don’t think any of the voting charades we have been through in the last 40 or 50 years has made the slightest difference.

      1. 382128+ up ticks,

        Morning N,
        What it has done is condoned the support
        for, in name only parties, being in power.

    2. We don’t have democracy ogga and we can’t vote our way out of this mess. I know you don’t favour the hangman’s noose but what doubt is there of the guilt of men like Blair?

      1. 382128+m up ticks,

        Morning SE,
        We owe anthony charlie lynton ( Bow Street) a great deal,& I do not believe a fast exit is inclusive.

        Long as possible prison term.

        1. At £50,000 per annum?
          A month in gaol after the verdict and then a cheap piece of hemp.
          To be really green, it could be recycled for use on various other treacherous British pols.

          1. 382128+ up ticks,

            Afternoon P,
            I must admit he would feel right at home if he were
            jailed in a park public toilet
            setting.

          2. After what happened behind the Old Bailey the Police were told to avoid that cottage.

            Good afternoon Oggy.

  22. Morning all 🙂😊
    No sun this morning but light grey.
    Still very frosty.
    I had no idea that we were under threat from Russia, but more obviously aware of threat from our own government and their own self organised invasion of our once safe group of islands. Safe of course after our parents and grandparents fought back the previous harmful invaders attempts from Europe. Now all history. But this time openly encouraged by our useless moronic politicians and Whitehall.

    1. Oh dear – and in what look to be ideal conditions too. Mind you, those ships have a very “interesting” control system. I wonder why he chose to make that approach, rather than going ahead as normal – perhaps some constraints to depth in the rest of the harbour?

      Time to fill in the report form that we never say the number of, and then an interview without coffee with the boss!

      2. My replacement van came with a reversing sensor already fitted and I will say that I’ve found it invaluable when reversing. That extra 2′ of length over a standard SWB Vivaro makes a hell of a difference when trying to judge distances when reversing.

    5. Navy News: Situations Vacant page:

      Wanted Commanding Officer for much loved, but dented, Hunt class MCMV, HMS Chiddingfold

      Only Ruperts/Rodneys/Pricillas with a clean licence need apply

    6. So, that’s the Navy totally out of commission, then.
      Just a couple of Bootnecks to sweep up the bits.

    7. Difficult to manoevre? The only difficulty is between the Commander’s ears.
      Far too uch gas in reverse gear, and then no corresponding forward gear to even try to stop. No alarm, either, until after.
      Court-mashal every officer on the bridge, then fire their sorry arses.

      1. Bit harsh! That class of MCMV is notorious for having an odd control system, although conditions here do look almost ideal. Although we will never see the reports, it would be nice to have all the details – there must have been some glitch, as [as you mention] there seems to have been no effort to apply ahead power?
        EDIT: watching again I could hear Chid order “Full Ahead” but nothing seemed to happen, so something went wrong there – looks like it was “stuck in reverse”??

    10. A pity that everyone was standing at the pointed end instead of a lookout being at the stern.

    2. Must have been that utter, unspeakable bastard that let a tiny baby girl freeze nearly to death in a plastic bag on the streets in London.
      Unwanted birth – guess which religion of barbarism does that kind of thing? Especially to girls.

      1. Possibly “black or mixed race” according to some sources.
        H’mmmmm …. let me think.

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

    LARRY IS IN THE HOSPITAL…

    Well Larry is the guy who gets home late one night and Linda, his wife, says “Where the hell have you been?”

    Larry replies “I was out getting a tattoo!”

    “A tattoo”? She frowned. “What kind of tattoo did you get?”

    “I got a Fifty Pound note on my privates” he said proudly.

    “What the hell were you thinking”? She said, shaking her head in disgust. “Why on earth would a Chartered Accountant get a Fifty Pound note tattooed on his privates?”

    “Well, One, I like to watch my money grow.
    Two, once in a while I like to play with my money.
    Three, I like how money feels in my hand.
    And, lastly, instead of you going out shopping, you can stay right here at home and blow fifty quid anytime you want.”

    Larry is in St Thomas’ Hospital, Critical Care Unit, Room 233

  27. Musings from an aad fellow picked up from Faceache:-

    Alan Dickson

    Now and again I think I cut a lonely figure silhuetted against the sea,
    Just the one old man,one little black dog,
    Her and me.
    We walk along the sand where the wettor meets the land,
    Leaving footprints by the shore,
    Sometimes on good days we go a bit further, looking back at the footprints,Two size nines, two imaginary size fours, and one set of a little dogs paws,
    Just wish we had left a canny few more.
    Now and again if neebody’s watching there might be a heart with an arrow through it left scratched in the sand,
    By me by the sea in my lovely Northumberland,
    One letter on either side, an A and a G,
    Its there for a while til its weshed away by the incoming tide,
    Just to say bonny lass the life was a wonderful ride,
    Just a little token, no need to explain or be spoken,
    Yis bonny lass again we we went to the sea,
    A little black dog and me,
    The bus ride lasted fifty odd years til the bus ran oot of petrol,
    Bugger there was one passenger left, plodging through tears.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3c35582bad7370395d7953750f3afe8cce3e3e05b9afce2f7c82e84b8db19cf0.jpg

  28. Albanian people smugglers are now offering exclusive speedboat trips to the UK.

    Using brand-new boats with 300 horsepower engines, traffickers boast the £10,000-a-head journey has a ‘100 per cent success’ rate.

    Unlike overcrowded dinghies, often loaded with more than 70 people, only a maximum of ten passengers take each trip across the Channel.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12984997/People-smugglers-speed-boat-trips-45-minutes-reach-UK.html

    Out doing the subscription driven RNLI ?

    2. And now illegal immigrants are being allowed to have jobs.

      Will they lose their hotel accommodation and will it be even more difficult to deport one who has a job?

      I suspect the politicians’ motives: they have absolutely no intention of deporting them.

      Enoch Powell used to be held up as a vile racist by the left – they are keeping quiet about him now! However, most of us here are now happy to report what he said because he has been proved right.

    4. The RNLI are only available for the second half of the trip.

      Soon, “the people smugglers” will Go Green and instead of driving all the way to Dover, will arrange for passengers
      to be transferred directly to the Rescue Boat.

      No one gets wet, smugglers boat is re-used, phones are not wet

      1. Between which there is plenty of truly international water. Let’s see if Border Farce can figure out what to do with that

        1. Indeed, but generally pronounced “Portalbot”, out of which I was extracting the Michael.

      3. Tanks and guns made from melted down rusty baking trays.
        That’ll show Ivan who’s boss.

  31. 382128+ up ticks,

    May one indigenous person ask,

    WHY is this anti British political cartel still allowed to operate as in, aiding & abetting criminality.

    Channel migrants given right to work in UK
    Home Office grants asylum seekers route to employment in care, construction and farming

    Culling via starving as in killing off white farmers, Africa style.

    White arses taking vertical flight, cause, illegals in the gas industry,

    tmg.video.placeholder.alt tKa9eoa23TQ
    Care workers were caught abusing an elderly woman with dementia after her granddaughters installed a camera in her bedroom.

    Four carers were found guilty of ill-treatment and wilful neglect thanks to footage collected by sisters Danielle and Rebecca Hinsley, who installed the camera in Beryl Wall’s Wolverhampton care home.

    They had become suspicious after noting that Mrs Wall’s behaviour had changed and she had bruises on her body.

    The sisters complained to staff at the care home in February 2020 and bought a Yi Eye Wifi camera, costing £120 and disguised as a photo frame, after they were dissatisfied with the response.

    The camera records footage through motion detection, which it sends straight to the owner’s phone. It is similar to the “nanny cam” used in a Netflix drama Fool Me Once, starring Michelle Keegan.

    The footage, captured over four days, shows workers mocking the pensioner and aggressively holding her legs in the air.

    Beryl Wall sustained bruises and marks all over her body while living at the Wolverhampton care home
    Beryl Wall sustained bruises and marks all over her body while living at the Wolverhampton care home CREDIT: Courtesy Danielle Hinsley/SWNS
    In one clip, one of the carers can be seen forcibly grabbing and taunting Mrs Wall before hitting her over the head with a pillow.

    Another shows staff calling her “disgusting” and pinning her down while they try to clean and dress her.

    The Hinsley sisters took their evidence to the care home managers, the Care Quality Commission and West Midlands Police.

    Carers Ame Tunkara, 33, Morounranti Adefila, 43, Danny Ohen, 39, and Bridget Aideyan, 49, were found guilty and jailed for a total of 18 months at Wolverhampton Crown Court at the end of 2023.

    Mrs Walls had been suffering from dementia since 2015 and was admitted to the care home in April 2019. She died on Oct 6, aged 92.

    Clockwise from top left: Morounranti Adefila, Danny Ohen, Bridget Aideyan and Ame Tunkara
    Clockwise from top left: Morounranti Adefila, Danny Ohen, Bridget Aideyan and Ame Tunkara CREDIT: West Midlands Police/SWNS
    Danielle Hinsley, a mother of five from Wolverhampton, said the abuse started in February 2020.

    She said: “[Mrs Wall] started hitting me and my sister. She was whacking us and screaming at us, telling us to get out.

    “She had bruises on her elbows, face, head and wrists. That was what was visible to us, there was a lot more over her body we couldn’t see.

    “We called the management straight in and they just asked us to email the pictures. It wasn’t good enough so we went out and ordered the camera straight away.

    “We knew somebody was hurting her. The bruises on the wrist weren’t alarming, but we knew something was up from the bruises on the face.

    “They were above her chin and eyebrow. We were angry more than anything.

    “The camera came the next day…We left it a couple of days and when we brought it home what we saw was just horrific. It broke our hearts.”

    She said the worst abuse came from Ohen, whom she saw mocking Mrs Wall’s speech and pinching her face.

    Tunkara and Adefila, of Walsall, West Midlands, were found guilty in May and jailed for four months each on Dec 8.

    Ohen and Aideyan, of Wolverhampton, were convicted in September and jailed for six and four months respectively on Nov 14.

    Three of the four workers were from an agency and one was a permanent member of staff. The family does not want to name the care home, which is under new management.

    Det Con Kathryn Sargent, from West Midlands Police, said: “This elderly woman…should not have spent any of her remaining years suffering such ill-treatment.

    On sentencing, Judge Rhona Campbell described the footage as “chilling”. “I hope the lady’s family are content that justice has been served.”

    1. Wait until hundreds of resentful young men from misogynistic cultures are drafted into “caring” for grannie or auntie.

      1. 382128+ up ticks,

        Afternoon EB,

        After they are released & compensated they will NOT be allowed to work in care homes…….. for at least a fortnight.

      3. Presumably they won’t be able to work as carers in future, because of their criminal records.

        1. Not much call for biometric ID in the UK, so they can just pop over to Africa and borrow new identities. Does the DBS service demand fingerprints etc?

          1. EVERY illegal immigrant and asylum seeker should have a sample of their DNA taken and their fingerprints recorded the instant they arrive or are identified/captured.
            Any crime committed, which in theory could result in a prison sentence, should result in their immediate deportation to their country of origin and if they won’t say, wherever their DNA suggests they originated from.

  32. SIR – I am bewildered by our Government. How can it be acceptable for
    this nation to lose the capacity to produce its own steel?

    There has to be an acceptance that certain products are of strategic
    importance to us, and steel is one of them. Others are fertiliser,
    silicon chips, oil and gas – and, of course, food. Exporting these
    strategic capabilities, then importing the end products that we can no
    longer produce ourselves, leaves us more vulnerable in an increasingly
    dangerous world.
    There is an urgent need for a new industrial, energy and agricultural strategy.

    Nick Green
    London SW6

    Apt name…

      1. The Idiot King thinks the death of Port Talbot and the wrecking of so much of our industry is a truly admirable and worthwhile outcome.

        He is not just a complete buffoon – he is a betrayer of his people.

        1. Yes, particularly as the inquiry into the behaviour of senior Post Office management is revealed.

    2. Basically because we’ve sold our manufacturing industry to the third world to fuck up big-time.

      1. As a punishment for inventing what the third world needs and marching into their lands to share it with them.

    3. What a stupid time to shut off two British Indian major steel making furnaces and have to rely on the the two major global assets, Suez and Panama canals, for international imports of questionably grade alternatives.

      Panama canal is running short of water and Suez canal entrances are both in war zones.
      It’s TATA to British quality steel either way.

      No wonder Elon Musk has invested in plastic injection gigapress mouldings for Tesla car chassis.
      But you just can’t pull a ding out of a moulding.
      China still uses steel for its cheap BYD EVs but the wheels tend to fall off

      1. Ah but think of the improvement in net zero / greenhouse gas emissions / pollution that will come from shutting down those blast furnaces. It is enough to make St Greta smile.

        Never mind that this is supposedly a global problem and the overall effect on this will result in a global increase in pollution, the air directly above the UK will be beautifully crisp and pure.

      2. As the Welsh Unite the Union man declared on GBNews the closure of Port Talbot blast furnaces is an act of vandalism.

        I hope that this act of supreme folly will finally awaken our country to the uselessness of Sunak and government in general. I remain shocked that Sunak is pledging £2.5 billion ponds to Ukraine when this money could be more wisely spent at home. Ukraine is a lost cause just as Sunak’s other claim that Russia threatens the west is a cruel fiction.

        1. If he was able to find £2.5 billion down the back of the sofa he could have paid Junior Doctors a decent salary. Some of them are on £14 an hour after years of training. They can earn more as a barista in Pret.
          I know they can go on and specialise and earn more money but it’s the Junior Doctors that make the whole system work.

    4. What a stupid time to shut off two British Indian major steel making furnaces and have to rely on the the two major global assets, Suez and Panama canals, for international imports of questionably grade alternatives.

      Panama canal is running short of water and Suez canal entrances are both in war zones.
      It’s TATA to British quality steel either way.

      No wonder Elon Musk has invested in plastic injection gigapress mouldings for Tesla car chassis.
      But you just can’t pull a ding out of a moulding.
      China still uses steel for its cheap BYD EVs but the wheels tend to fall off

    6. Don’t forget energy capacity, Nick. It’s all very well having the oil and gas if the numpties still insist on windmills and solar power.

  34. Prostate awareness

    SIR – It’s great that the King’s example is encouraging more men to pay closer attention to their prostate health (report, January 19). Now, what about the waiting times?

    Steve Haynes
    Sidmouth, Devon

    It is a procedure not an operation. Though i have waited 3 months for an appointment my colonoscopy is at the end of January.

    1. I took my OH to A& E in a snowstorm three years ago for acute urinary retention. He was seen and dealt with very quickly. He had his TURP three months later.

      1. On a recent visit to A&E i noticed a proper triage in operation. Those that needed immediate treatment were referred to a treatment clinic next door. They would do what was needed and admit you to a ward if necessary. Those with less serious or even frivolous concerns had to wait. Better than everyone waiting for hours and hours.

        1. We’ve no complaints about Gloucester A& E – in November 22 they triaged OH within the first half hour and admitted him so I could go home. He did spend the night in a chair but got a bed the next morning. Perhaps we were just lucky – but I think a lot of people do go there for trivial reasons.

    2. I took my OH to A& E in a snowstorm three years ago for acute urinary retention. He was seen and dealt with very quickly. He had his TURP three months later.

    3. I was very shocked and taken by surprise as I was so naïf that I did not know what the doctor was about to do when I went for my first prostate check! Caroline, along with the others in the waiting room outside, heard my loud exclamation of outrage, indignation and dismay!

          2. or Old Husband?

            Horace Rumpole borrowed from Rider Haggard and Tennyson when he mentioned Hilda, his wife – She Who Must be Obeyed and Match’d with an aged wife, I mete and dole. Unequal laws unto a savage race,.

          4. Jules’ original comment hasn’t been edited or it would have the word ‘edited’ after the time stamp.

        2. I have had a digital rectal examination, performed by a doctor and it did not bother me one iota. I was not offended, outraged nor dismayed by the procedure. It was far less painful than the average dental appointment.

    4. I’ve lived ‘with an enlarged prostate for five years and have had NO procedure, except one colonoscopy and cancer sample( x 12) during that time only the GP with his bluddy ‘finger wag.

      Things don’t look good but that’s useless NHS Scotland for you.

  35. ‘Morning All

    FFS!!!!

    https://twitter.com/LeeHurstComic/status/1748618047395406197

    What could possibly go wrong……………

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-67884252

    https://archive.is/6UfEE

    Rest

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/20c79d46bcbdd28b95c3d29b5420fab3e79b25535ef011ab1db8cb267dc6c317.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e720eb7eba793e648c6e1fbf524130f7a40f45cedf5cfc51d2607693fab017b0.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/899bbc35d37541977b5c5979cbcb816adaff4f523fb722f0289d07bdcdfb8d90.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2dfb0e4021e5c7ecda09a34ae67e1e17e2c0404336a1cb664a8d781570ecfc79.jpg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/54cc38b8477c315683921acd80ecb05a02ca0bca048ba919ebce24249585a27f.jpg

    2. The country has very nearly gone. The problem is reversing it will take so much effort, so much pain it’s nigh impossible.

      It will mean pain and death and likely war. Which is what Lefties have wanted from the beginning.

  36. Sinead O’Connor and the death of free speech
    Laura Perrins : The Conservative Woman-https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/sinead-oconnor-and-the-death-of-free-speech/

    This article makes the point that it used to be the left who championed free speech – now it is the left which wants to stamp it out. However one foul racist should never have had the right to express his views which should have been censored because now we are waking up to the fact that he was not wrong in his forewarnings.

    BTL

    “But I am always interested in looking back on the people who were considered counter-cultural ten or 20 years ago and then became the mainstream culture later.”

    This brings to mind Enoch Powell – 50 years ago he was cancelled by the left, the right and truth haters everywhere!

    And now more and more people are beginning fully to understand just how right he was and just how literally mad we were not to heed his warnings.

    1. Agree with regards to Powell but O’Connor wasn’t censored. She came from a position of low understanding and had a happy knack of opening her mouth and shoving both feet in. She loved to prattle on about the Holy Roman Empire but clearly didn’t begin to grasp that the Holy Roman Emperors were the Habsburgs not the popes. If she were here today she’d almost certainly be marching down Whitehall chanting “from the river to the sea” without knowing which river and which sea.

      1. I recall my History teacher at school telling me that the thing to remember about the Holy Roman Empire was that it was not Holy, not Roman and not an Empire.

      3. Notable the Rome fell because of a debased currency. In fact, ever empire fell because the ruling class destroyed the currency.

    2. I think that we, the general public, did heed Enoch’s warnings, It was our highly-remunerated political representatives who decided that they knew best (as they inevitably are wont to).

      That madness incessantly manifests itself by continually voting in legions of sub-standard, not-fit-for-purpose, people to make our laws.

      1. When I get my newly restored vote will there be any sense in voting NOTA (None Of The Above) as I certainly would if such votes were counted.

      2. I think they used immigration as a weapon to create a voting block and later because they were scared of losing that block. It’s pathetic that an alien minority get so much say over this country. They shouldn’t be here.

    3. Thinking of free speech. Our well known psychologist Jordan Peterson has had his appeal against the Psychology board rejected. He vows to continue the fight further up the liberal infested legal chain.

        1. He has a fight on his hands, they really don’t like independent thought here.

          The trial of the two leaders of the truckers convoy is still under way, despite producing no real evidence the government are pushing ahead with their attempt to quash anything they don’t agree with.

          1. Peterson will lose, the truckers will lose. The state hates law and justice and sets about subverting it at every turn.

    4. It wasn’t the Left who promoted free speech. It was normal people. The Left have always sought to silence, suppress and destroy those they disagree with.

  38. My bold

    ‘Unprecedented rise’ in terrorism threat since Gaza conflict began, Metropolitan Police chief says

    Mr Jukes said: “In simple terms, that means more intelligence about potential terrorism and violent extremism, flowing through our systems than in recent years, from online reports, public reports and from MI5.
    “If events happen around the world, they will invariably pull a thread in the UK, and particularly in its very diverse city communities, but what we have seen clearly is fear, anxiety, uncertainty, a whole range of very significant reactions amongst UK communities.”

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/matt-jukes-unprecedented-rise-terrorism-gaza-b1133636.html

    2. The Met should have stamped down hard on the Pro Palestine marches calling for genocide and jihad. They only have themselves to blame. There will be bloodshed because of their pathetic style of policing.

        1. Unless they disagree with you then out comes the baton and the boot.

          About as trustworthy as NHS Scotland.

      2. As I have observed before, if Israel was losing these people would be celebrating and certainly not calling for a ceasefire.

        1. I remember 9/11 where Sky showed them cheering in the streets in their own countries. Now they are here.

          1. I can’t recall how soon “responsibility” was claimed, but I do remember the celebrations.

        2. The ceasefire would give Hamas time to rearm and regroup. For historical precedence, see Tyrone in Elizabethan Ireland.

  39. 382128+ up ticks,

    Migrant job scandal
    If there is a need for temporary labour then there should be schemes for workers to arrive in an orderly and vetted fashion

    Too late for that, the majority voter is gaining speed on the country downhill piste
    lab / isl bro next up, for the grand final acts of treachery.

    Investing tip, but piano wire shares,they gain value with every drop.

    1. The EU is autocratic and at the opposite pole to a democracy.

      None of the members are elected by the people a giveaway you might have thought yet still a bunch of idiots want us to rejoin the wretched EU.

  41. Are there no coincidences? There certainly are consequences as the Tories will find out shortly. Sadly, the Labour party is led by someone who prefers Davos to Westminster and no matter what the Labour manifesto contains on immigration policy, this invasion will continue.

    For some inexplicable reason the electorate appears to expect Starmer & Co to be saviours of some sort or another. The electorate is in for one hell of a shock when Starmer gets his feet under the desk in No 10. Five years, if the people do not rise up earlier, might just be enough time for Labour to finish what the Tories have brought to a head.

    What are the chances that the illegals and “asylum” seekers will be given the franchise? They’re being given the chance to “work”, so why not the vote? Here’s an argument that could be used, “no taxation without representation” LOL! It’s being spoken of in the USA, so why not here?

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/fb215f34135f84a836ed753e864f2810abc4b2fc2ba55cf5c2bae2adcd2a567e.png

    1. Ah, Orwell and the party’s final command to ignore the evidence of your own eyes and ears.

    2. I pointed out that ‘fact checkers’ were only necessary when people began learning the truth.

    3. “Owned” the news and lost the trust. Wonder who was responsible for that?
      “Is it true, or did I see it on the BBC?”

  43. Yay! My radiators are hot again! Apparently there was a brief power cut during the night and “the pumps tripped”. Inverted commas because I don’t really know what that entails but anyway, the night porter got the hot water going again but the central heating pump needed the attention of an engineer who came out this afternoon. Probably cost a fortune but my share will be added to my service charge in March. Given the forecast, chances are that I’ll be throwing the windows open tomorrow!

    1. I passed my neighbour outside and said ‘Positively tropical!’. After a chuckle we both talked about insulation, namely rebuilding the walls.

        1. More to the point, is the warqueen back. Wibbles? If not, when? Understanding old troop, been their, hated it.

      2. My kitchen is tacked on the back of my bungalow and only has a single brick depth. Pretty cold in Winter so i put polystyrene sheets on the inside and out side and then used plastic panels that look like wood cladding. The temperature change was noticeable by about 3 or 4 degrees.
        The old chap i bought the place from had built it. It was a good idea because it then gave me a dining room.

    2. Yo Sue

      Yesterday it was +1(ish) deg C. outside, but the solar panels charged the batteries to 100%

      Very strange

  44. World Bowls Championship semifinal on iPlayer. Great match the only Englishman, Harry Goodwin , versus one of 3 Scots in the semis.
    Such a skilful game. Really worth a look.

    1. This was Harry’s first time at the World Championships and his opponent has been men’s singles champion 3 times. Great match hope those who watched it enjoyed it. Second semifinal coming up.

        1. Not indoors. I prefer outdoors as it less precise. Indoors at my level is very boring. At international level it’s brilliant.

        2. You really shouldn’t make such personal observations. It’s not Alf’s bowls balls that itch. {^))

  45. And it’s just started raining!
    Managed, EVENTUALLY, to drag Grad. Son out to help collect some firewood, 2½h after I first told him I wanted some assistance, but we did get a reasonable amount in the back of the van.
    Unfortunately, because of the spare seat cluttering up the back of the van, I’ve only got about 5′ of floor space at the back and can not use the side door for loading.

    I presume most of us will remember the two Scandinavian lasses who were raped and beheaded in Morocco.
    This is the text of a Re-X/Tw@ that I’ve put up after a period of thinking about it plus the text of the original post.
    The post it refers to is horrifying so please, if you are unable to look at explicit pictures, give it a miss.
    If you think you have got the stomach for it, then go to my X-Tw@ter page, @BeardedBob7282.

    That is a bloody hard set of pictures to see. I do not want to look at them nor do I want them to be on sight like this, but I fear that they must, if only to serve as a warning to those, mainly on the Left Wing of politics, stupid enough to be supporting Islamic Causes.

    Morocco – In 2018 Scandinavians Louisa & Maren went on holiday to Morocco. 18 Muslims kidnapped, raped, forced them to “revert” and then cut their heads off in honour of Allah. All asylum “claims” need to be immediately rejected as a matter of national security

      2. I have an account, but I’m not going to view the pictures. My imagination is quite bad enough.

    2. I wonder what Mrs Blair thought of that ?
      “Nothing to get involved with here, move on”!

    5. I’ve upvoted you, because of my regard for you – you write a lot of sense. But, like Ndovu, I don’t think I want to watch those images.

  46. M.V. Caroni River.

    Complement:
    55 (0 dead and 55 survivors).
    Ballast

    On 20th January 1940 the Caroni River (Master Robert Stanley Grigg) struck a mine laid the day before by U-34 (Wilhelm Rollmann) and sank in the Falmouth Bay, while carrying out paravane trials and defensive armament tests. The master, 42 crew members, Cdr J.G. Bradshaw RN and eleven naval personnel were picked up by the Falmouth lifeboat and a naval cutter and landed at Falmouth.

    Type VIIA U-Boat U-34 sank at 2155hrs on 5th August 1943 in the Baltic Sea at Memel after a collision with the U-boat tender Lech. 4 dead and 39 survivors.

    https://uboat.net/media/allies/merchants/br/caroni_river.jpg

    1. Thank you Guardians Quitter, for posting these stories that remind us of the of naval and sometimes military sacrifices that were made in the service of this country. I wonder how many of those who perished or survived would feel that this country today was worth the same sacrifices. Actually, I think that our young people would be prepared to meet the challenge but with so few ships, aircraft and AFV left in the inventory there is little with which to meet it.

  50. Why is there an exhibit about this factually/scientifically impossible and delusional nonsense at the SCIENCE museum? Such things belongs in a museum of fantasy and idiocy. How can a science museum include anything which is completely in the realm of fantasy, delusion and mental health problems?
    Next time our son visits from Canada with his children, MoH had planned to take them down to London for a day out, to include a visit to the Science Museum. I wasn’t going to go anyway, but I can’t see MH being impressed if that’s how far it has slunk. Our once-conservative son, on the other hand, having been subject to his oh-so-liberal boss/wife and Turdeau’s propaganda for the past 10 years, may not bat an eyelid.
    https://www.msn.com/en-gb/lifestyle/style/transgender-row-at-science-museum-over-claims-reworked-exhibit-is-even-more-insidious/ar-AA1n8lBB?ocid=msedgntp&pc=LCTS&cvid=5d9e79bfbe094101a45b1fe06f031550&ei=24
    Edit: Of course, no comments allowed on that one…..

    1. It’s very interesting that the parasite class is doubling down on transgenderism. Neil Oliver I think it was, made the point that transgender is the gateway to transhumanism, and it seems he may have a point. Why else would the establishment carry on pushing something that so clearly affects only a very tiny minority on the masses? I thought it was just another distraction to divide people, but it seems to be more important to them than that.

      1. The trans agenda is in essence a sterilisation programme. They want us spayed and microchipped like domestic animals.

        1. But only a tiny number are ever going to take part. I’m getting the feeling that the main aim is more about normalising the idea that you aren’t automatically a man or a woman.

  51. Ross Clark
    The madness of the Port Talbot closures
    19 January 2024, 3:27pm

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/GettyImages-518163310.jpg

    Hurrah! The UK is just about to reduce its carbon emissions by a further 1.5 per cent. As for Wales, it is going to get even close to the holy grail of reaching net zero, with 15 per cent of its carbon emissions wiped off its slate in one go. True, there will be 2,800 job losses, and it won’t actually reduce global emissions – in fact, it will probably increase them. But who cares about such trifles when you have a legally-binding target of net zero to reach by 2050?

    That pretty well sums up today’s announcement that Tata Steel is to close its two blast furnaces in Port Talbot, in preparation of building a new ‘green’ electric arc furnace that will open in a few years’ time. An electric arc furnace won’t really decarbonise steelmaking because it only does half the job. Steelmaking is a two-part process: first, extracting iron from iron ore to make pig iron, followed by turning the pig iron into finished steel. An electric arc furnace can help with the second part but not the first part. The new ‘green’ steelmaking works at Port Talbot will be reliant either on imported pig iron, or on scrap steel. It is, of course, a good thing to recycle steel, and this has been done for many decades. But a growing world economy can’t live on recycled steel alone.

    The first part of steelmaking is the really dirty bit. To extract iron from iron ore you need a ‘reducing’ agent to combine with the oxygen in the iron ore and so remove it. In almost all the world’s steelmaking, the reducing agent used is either coking coal or gas – which creates large quantities of carbon dioxide as a by-product. That is why steelmaking is so carbon-intensive. It is possible that in future we may be able to make steel commercially using hydrogen as a reducing agent – in which case we could genuinely have steel that is zero carbon, or thereabouts. There are a couple of demonstration plants being built in Sweden and Spain to test this process. But it won’t be Port Talbot’s electric arc furnace doing the job.

    The closure of Wales’s blast furnaces will take some emissions off the UK’s books, but only by transferring them onto another country, probably China’s. Looked at from a global perspective, the closure at Port Talbot will almost certainly increase emissions. Why? Because we will have to cart yet more Chinese-made steel across the world to the UK, and because Welsh electricity is less carbon-intensive than Chinese electricity – 70 per cent of which is generated by coal power stations. Then there is the small matter of 2,800 skilled jobs, the loss of which threatens to turn Port Talbot into a 1980s-style unemployment blackspot. The electric arc furnace will be able to offer employment to some existing steelworkers when it opens in a few years time, but it will never employ as many people as the blast furnaces.

    The closure will also make Britain even less industrially self-sufficient – just at a time when the foreign secretary, David Cameron, is telling us that the world hasn’t been as dangerous for decades.

    Such is the perversity of Britain’s net zero target. Real jobs are being sacrificed to achieve something only on paper.

    ************************************

    Sir Paul Condom
    a day ago
    At some point we need to start punishing our elites who have allowed our capabilities to degrade, pretty much across the board.

    Blindsideflanker Sir Paul Condom
    a day ago edited
    Yes it is across the board, they were happy sacrifice our democracy and had to be dragged out of the EU, they won’t under any circumstances defend our borders, they won’t defend our culture where they are happy to have Muslim mobs terrifying schools, and here won’t defend our industrial heritage and happy to sacrifice it on the alter of Net Zero to look good to their globalist mates.

    1. The political class need to be rounded up and those supporting green fed into the new arc reactor.

  54. Just back from my walk around Moors Valley country park. The lichen is not there because it doesn’t grow in polluted air and the lost seagulls are stood on Global Warming: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4ab53fd27dd81f79de21eb6a6512e0f0c5a5a72f17731a4d5f345bab3856a60f.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/50846d6be523505eface2e42cb80116d08147c5bcf5709c680b6f39023f44618.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1685b2762480a116f9f937807068d56e44d71c005ad4dc6bde1b6072c7028f42.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/52055f30a099cb6e404c327ab265d41ac985947684927d2bc8a7ce3f025d4562.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0f73202925d65c4b96143c662daf5c664b4b5bc70be0c6ae0b559fedcec0291c.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8d6cea8280ca708fc01570e11f8c1485964ce9f9b43f0ce92ed48d96b74237dc.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/07ec57ad64124383a266e117636ddd0feab2cd7eb2c23643aeec0f49a99d582a.jpg

    2. My sister is at Ringwood and i’m only 40 minutes away. Must get out more.
      I appreciate the pictures.

    3. We get so much lichen that its weight can bring down old branches when it rains or snows.
      It grows all over our wooden garden furniture too.

        1. It’s something the gite guests often comment upon.

          It can be a nuisance as it grows surprisingly quickly.

    2. You did! Took me five.

      Wordle 945 5/6

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

    5. Well done Bobb

      Wordle 945 4/6

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

  56. https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/025bcc48532de9f20310b8e75b1f30b25f677db8/0_0_1957_1278/master/1957.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=bc411271f2005f34db732a1076e49fcb
    A barbijo penguin takes to the air as it swims in the Gerlache strait, a narrow channel that separates the western coast of the Antarctic peninsula from the Palmer archipelago.

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/169befa69e93cfd4cf674447bb95bf54f1ad30e3/0_0_3000_2045/master/3000.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=2dc155296fb9d3860f8f119a0bef21d4
    A young white deer blends into the frozen landscape at Bushy Park

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/4c4019aecc2977d40c3d0bbdbf96091514650794/0_0_4296_2864/master/4296.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=350d771a58f190c43293194ac4a8bc13
    A pair of bald eagles call out while resting on a tree next to Union Bay in Seattle, US.

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/9851c423ff34a285ce1b1ed1cded51cf8952c0e0/0_0_1474_915/master/1474.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=cb77300d377a2a33a4f6142faa6a81a6
    A male kingfisher catches a little fish from the River Ver in Verulamium Park, St Albans

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/f3549ed030ecce1ffa492a204e824261ca8ed885/0_0_6000_4000/master/6000.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=c46dfc55da0ec23dcff8333ea0718966
    An elephant walks across an island in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. The small area of land, nestled in the tranquil expanse of Parakrama Lake, has become an unexpected haven for a group of wild elephants. The animals left a nearby reserve and swam 2km to reach the safety and abundance of the island. The lake, a network of interconnected reservoirs, offers fresh water and a wealth of food. While the island is providing a lifeline for the elephants, it also hosts a vibrant community of birds, creating a delicate balance between species.

    https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/2ba4ae5c5e015568ca9d7405a254ce9a4bfce188/0_0_3174_2280/master/3174.jpg?width=700&quality=45&auto=format&fit=max&dpr=2&s=9a66779c7b2c39c4d88f3618e69f739b
    A giraffe stretches to reach the highest leaves at Samburu national reserve in Kenya. The park has an abundance of rare species including Grévy’s zebra, Somali ostrich, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk and beisa oryx.

    7. Beautiful photos @Citroen1:disqus. I have always thought that the world needs more elephants.

    9. The giraffe one reminded me of my stay in Samburu last February, and my upcoming trip to Kenya next month….. not Samburu this time though. I did see and photograph all of those rare species.

  59. :@(
    I have a colonoscopy coming up. They do provide some light sedation but i will also be taking my own. And i have no intention of watching it on the telly which they so thoughtfully provide !

  60. Just had a Windows update that, without asking, linked my private TEAMS to my office account. I couldn’t find a way to unlink it, so deleted TEAMS from my private PC, then gave them feedback that included copious use of words like “fuckwit”, dumbass”, “Fucking” and more, to get the extent of my feelings across at their arrogance and presumption.
    Pity. TEAMS was one of their better software.

    1. I did similar today after Royal Mail delivered a parcel. When i say delivered i mean hurled into my porch. On their tracking it says ‘how did we do?’
      So i told them !

    2. What if MS had boobed, and it linked me to someone else’s account? WTF are they thinking?

    3. I had an unsolicited message yesterday to say that someone was on Teams, and why not contact him? I’ve never used Teams, and have occasionally interacted with that person. He’s Chaiman of “Friends of St Laurence Church”, and I’ve played for a couple of funerals for his family members. Nice chap, but – should I need to contact him – I have his phone number. And his email address, for that matter…

      1. All was OK until a couple hours ago. Now I’m stressed with anger at them. As I expressed, clearly.

      2. I last used Windows anything back in 2011, when I was still working. The only windows we have here are glass ones.

          2. I did have a Mac for a few years – it was passed onto me by my son. But when it died my next laptop was the one that’s just been replaced – running on a newer version of Debian Linux. He transferred all my files and folders over when he was here at Christmas, uninstalled the obligatory Windows 11.

          4. Linux is just as modern as Windows but it’s free and open source. Designed by professionals.

      1. Surface PC, detachable keyboard, touch-screen, all in a package thinner than iPad, comes with it.

  61. A Birdie of Substance!

    Wordle 945 3/6
    ⬜🟩🟩🟨⬜
    🟨🟩🟩🟨⬜
    🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

    2. Just back from Exeter, so late at Wordle.
      Like you, I made a 3.

      Wordle 945 3/6

      ⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
      ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
      🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

  62. O/T and a bit personal but i know how you guys like a laugh…

    I went into town today to visit His Most High Excellency the Ambassador to Spain. (my mate Antonio who runs a Tapas bar)
    I went in to book a table for 6 in February. Of course i stopped and had a drink and a chat.

    He was telling me how he was struggling to give up smoking and having these ‘uncontrollable urges’ and by the end of the week he felt he was going insane.

    So i told him about my ‘uncontrollable urges’.

    I suffer among other things from hypogonadism and have recently started testosterone therapy.
    The result of this therapy is at the age of 60 my libido has come back like being hit by a truck.

    I told him mornings were the worst…(the men will know what i’m talking about).
    By this time he had completely forgotten about his ‘uncontrollable urges’ because he was pissing himself laughing. :@(

    1. You bring these things upon yourself.

      You should look more closely at the dosages.

      It’s milligrams, not grams….

          1. Out of interest, what’re your walls insulated with? I’ve looked at sheeps wool as the best sort.

          2. Glass fibre – filling about 14cm thick cavity. Wood plank panelling inside surface and outside.

          3. That is the minimum over here. About six inches of glass fibre between the studs but then a two inch barrier of rigid insulation is fixed to the outside of the walls before the finishing brick / siding is attached.

          6. All helpful, thank you.

            This is the fundamental problem we have, I think. Any heating system would work but when the plasterboard inside is cold all you’re doing is heating the outside.

          7. We had a recladding outside a few years ago, simce the old ones had dried out and badly cracked. That included upgrading the insulation thickness, but somewhere they left a gap, as there’s a cold draft. Even using the IR camera in my phone, I can’t find it, the blue is too diffuse. Guess I’ll need to try from outside, but feet thick snow is somewhat deterring. As well as the dark, and the (so far) half-bottle of Sicilian wine.

          8. Heh!

            I’d really like those celotex solid boards and a wool layer. I’ve asthma, and while mild I’ve noticed it’s worse here than in the old place – but that had solid floors rather than carpets. The walls were also stone and about 2 foot thick.

          9. In our Horsham house, before we left the UK, Firstbon, a small child back then, used to have fairly heavy asthma. Until we tore out all the carpets and replaced them with polished wood. Under the carpet in his room, having passed through the weave, was feathers, birdseeed and masses of budgieshit.
            Apart from being much easier to keep clean (and wipe up spills), the wooden floors meant no more asthma. You should consider it. Real wood is much quieter and warmer than wood-effect laminate.
            In the bedroom, you can always put a rag mat (IKEA type) on the floor, bung it in the washing machine every so often.

          11. Yes.
            Posted the error comment by phone, and Disqus won’t allow me to edit it on the PC.

  63. It’s from a bottle. Two squirts is the measured dose then rubbed into the left thigh. Of course i could kill two birds with one stone and get Ashes to do it but she is in Buenos Ares. Damn !

          4. You’ve seen him in the flesh, he’s only a little squirt…

            Still, better than reproductive, I suppose…..

          5. Ashes is electrifying. The lady owns the room. As she walks down the street heads turn. I always make sure i’m walking by her side otherwise i get sea sick.

          6. You really are making me laugh. Thanks.
            I have gynaecomastia though not pronounced. I’m thinking i might be better off with the moobs rather than going through late middle age puberty. Oh god……….Acne !

      1. I love the bare trees of winter and early spring. It is so much easier to see the wildlife in them, especially the birds.

    2. 382128+ up ticks,

      Evening Ktk,

      That is about the strength of it, once one breaks into a gallop…… the pressure must be kept on.

  69. I have been going through some old emails and found this, sent to my MP, one Simon Hoare on the 5th April 2021, back when he would answer me:

    Sir,

    I’m afraid that any medical procedures I may or may not have are strictly between myself and my physician and not, REPEAT not between myself and a variety of shop assistants, night club bouncers, waiters, waitresses, shopping centre security guards, barmaids, or supermarket checkout operators. Therefore I am not even remotely interested in carrying your government’s nasty, deeply discriminating affront to my civil liberties that is the ‘Covid Passport’.

    Whilst I accept after the last 15 months of destroying our civil liberties without so much as a squeak of protest from our MSM, indeed actual encouragement from the Cultural Marxists of the ‘B’BC, you may be confused by the idea that members of hoi polloi are upset at even more infringements, rest assured that this is the case. It is wholly unacceptable that a party that calls itself Conservative could even begin to think of such things. If you are to carry on this way, might I suggest a change of name? I believe ‘New Labour’ is currently free and is a lot more fitting given your penchant for big government, massive tax hikes, printing hundreds of billions of pounds, and borrowing on a scale that would make even Dennis Healey or Gordon Brown wince.
    Yours Sincerely,

    GQ.

    Dear Mr Quitter,

    Thank you for contacting me about vaccine passports. This is an important issue and I am grateful to you raising it with me.

    I am incredibly proud of the progress that the UK is making in vaccinating the population and I would urge anyone who is contacted by their local GP offering a vaccine to accept the invitation. Of course, COVID-status certificates raise complex ethical and discriminatory issues that would need to be worked through. This is something I know the Government and the Prime Minister are conscious of and I welcome the fact that the Government is considering these issues fully as part of the review. While the review is ongoing, I firmly support that the Government has guaranteed to ensure appropriate Parliamentary scrutiny, presenting interim findings in Parliament during April. I also understand that the review has so far gathered evidence from clinical and ethical experts, as well as businesses and their representative organisations; in addition, the public call for evidence has generated over 50,000 responses representing a wide range of opinions. I wanted to let you know that I hear your concerns about this matter and will raise these with Ministerial colleagues so that they are aware of the strength of feeling on this issue.

    Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

    Yours sincerely,

      1. He doesn’t answer me at all now, not even the automatic reply, so I suspect he has blocked my email.

          1. I will if I can muster the energy, but after a while beating your head against a wall becomes tiresome.

        2. It might be interesting to find out, if you can do so under a freedom of Information request.
          You could make some mischief if he has, it’s denying a constituent a right of access to their elected MP.

    2. The Left’s attitude toward the vaccine was revolting. The typical ‘you don’t have to take it’ but if you don’t, we’ll destroy your life farce was beyond a joke.

    3. ” I wanted to let you know that I hear your concerns about this matter…”. That is the equivalent of “I hear what you are saying”, which really means “I totally disagree with you and you don’t know what you’re talking about and I’m going to ignore your remarks”.

  70. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f3483e5a92b1cd1a9154ba551ed466fa3689fbe835213abafd2016a6edfd8029.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2e4b869fc31416f7ea498003faac1e4ab2af0ecd2f5968fb38251b904e2e9d7a.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b3f68ca2f461888e989e78c58617086b172a2e4e799443821beef4b2d730efea.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/95448b2f23e9a4df95113fd6f523868707a4fc33a137d8123c1e5ba91ab0a7e7.jpg

    A few photos from last night – a concert at the Rooftop Plaza de Mayo, overlooking the presidential palace. One of my favourite bands – Otros Aires – electrotango. And a light show, with projections to suit each song. The man behind it all is a genius, I think. So glad to be getting to know people like this!

    It was a beautiful evening, and made me so happy. 🙂

    1. It’s a hard life, but I suppose we should all be grateful that you are prepared to suffer on our behalf!

      Keep enjoying the Xperiences.

    2. That’s what matters most in life. Have a lovely time and post more photos. The ones folk on here put up are always so inspiring.

        2. Not been over yet. He’s doing me a favour on options and potential problems, so I’m not putting a time on his getting to me.

          The bathroom work continues, with stuff crowding out the front room. We’re all in our bedroom at the moment, dogs and all.

    3. It looks wonderful. And to be outside in the warm!
      I also was high up today.
      In the attic, sorting and reboxing “stuff”. (It was so long since I’d last done it, I actually had to look up how to assemble an archive box.)
      Putting aside my feeling of smugness, I think you win the genuine satisfaction stakes.
      p.s. Do you have a use for an unassembled cake stand? Can I tempt you with a selection of picture frames still in their shrink wrap? A started box of Christmas crackers, mayhap?

      1. Thank you for your generous offer, but I may pass on all the Stuff. 🤣🤣

        It was indeed glorious to be outside, and the breeze as night fell was delicious. Sending happy vibes. 🙂

    5. Our sky was like your second picture, but the temperature slightly different. Crept up to about -13C under that clear open sky.
      Looks lovely!

  72. Prince Harry jokingly accuses John Travolta of ‘dining out’ on star’s dance with Princess Diana and calls him ‘Captain John’ as he receives ‘Living Legend’ award at glitzy Beverley Hills bash.

    John Travolta jokingly accuses Prince Harry of ‘dining out’ on being a twat and calls him ‘ginger whinger’ as Harry receives ‘Living dog’s turd’ award in glitzy Beverley Hills cesspit.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12986865/prince-harry-john-travolta-princess-diana-joke-aviation-awards.html

  73. Evening, all. Been a dry and milder day here today, so managed to get some tidying up work done in the garden readying it for spring. The hellebores are in flower, the primroses and some of the daffs are in bud. Nature is stirring. Hope Bill is keeping warm; Fakenham races are frozen off for tomorrow.

    As for the headline, I’d worry far less about any Russian threat than I do about the current muslim threat.

  75. A point to ponder. Last Wednesday I had a “fainting episode” completely out of the blue while I was (clears throat) on the loo. Apparently I conked out and husband found me slumped against the wall, one eye closed the other nearly so, slightly crooked mouth, immediately called 999. Paramedics arrived within 8 minutes as they were just up the road. Anyway, usual tests when in the ambulance, then taken to hospital. Trolley in queue, moved a few times had various tests all of which came back negative. Nothing untoward, sent home after 7 hours. On the Thursday I had a completely unexpected phone call from hospital saying I’d been referred for ultrasound abdomen and pelvis, now fixed for 31st.

    Anyone else had this type of thing?

    ETA: Unfortunately I frightened the life out of Alf.

    1. Frightening.
      I hope they discover the cause and that it turns out to be insufficient wine or similar.

      Joking aside, good luck, I hope that the two are not connected and if they are that the NHS gets to the root of the problem.

    3. Very scary, were you feeling a little flush ?
      Sorry I just resist it.
      I hope everything will be OK 👌

    4. Scary. I have feeling faint, dizzy and vision disintegrating but have always managed to pull myself back.
      Had an abdominal ultrasound not long ago but the verdict was, “Your internal organs are looking good”.
      Hope all goes well and if there is a problem, it can be identified.

    5. Many moons ago I passsed out in the loo of a motorway service station woke up in an ambulance
      It was low blood sugar cup of hot sweet tea
      sorted
      I hope your problem is as easily fixed!!

    6. A slight stroke? The slightly crooked mouth is a worrying sign. And the closed eye. Glad your tests were all negative and hope the ultrasound ones will be too.

      Over ten years ago I got up in the night to go to the loo and felt faint. I collapsed in a heap and somehow avoided hitting my head on the shower. But I’d collapsed in an awkward position and sprained my ankle, which was a minor thing but very inconvenient. The only reason I could think of for this collapse was that I’d had a really nasty cold and cough for several weeks during the summer – this happened on the first of August 2013 and we flew to South Africa for three weeks on the 12th. I’d hoped for a flight upgrade but the only ‘assistance’ was a wheelchair. There was no way I could walk to the departure gate so I had to put up with it. I hated it and it made me realise what it must be like to have a disability.

      Fortunately I recovered with no ill effects eventually.

      1. Glad to read your last sentence Jules. Don’t think it was a stroke as I passed with flying colours the arms up in the air, push/pull with arms and legs, following finger, touch my nose them doctor’s fingertip and that was all fine. So I’m not worried about that. I was very surprised about the u/s tests. We’ll see.

        1. Hopefully they’re just eliminating all possible causes. I didn’t bother the NHS with my ankle – just spent a week on the sofa with icepacks on the ankle to reduce the swelling. People asked why I didn’t go to A&E – I thought “what’s the point? I knew what it was”.

      2. I had a bad bout of gastro-enteritis and passed out in the loo (dehydration, probably). I wasn’t as lucky as you; I cracked my head on the washbasin and I still have the scar. My GP, bless him, came out in the freezing fog, in the early hours of Christmas Eve. Those were the days!

          1. It’s not so very long (2016) since our (former) GP came out to me here – twice in a week – OH phoned as I was poorly and vomiting quite a lot and had abdominal pains. He said it must be a problem with my gall bladder. It cleared up after a few days and I’ve had nothing like it since then. Sadly, he’s retired now. He was a bit brusque for some peoples’ taste but very quick to make a referral and get things done.

          3. In the early eighties. I’d have had to dial 999 these days and wait (11 hrs is not unknown) for an ambulance to arrive.

          4. When OH had his urinary retention problem I rang 111 – eventually a doctor phoned back and told me to get him to A& E pdq – it was midnight by then. We arrived in a snowstorm but he was seen and dealt with very quickly.

          5. When MOH had a stroke, the GP said “go to A&E now!” I dropped everything, shoved the dog (and MOH) in the car and drove to PRH. Five hours later and a lot of to-ing and fro-ing (including going for a scan twice because they’d forgotten they’d done it the first time), it was decided that admission was necessary. Envy of the world? Not in this area.

          6. The boss had a heart attack a few years ago. Ambulance straight to the local Emergency and five minutes later she had been diagnosed and had been booked into the regional hospital where they could fit a Stent. A very high speed transfer by ambulance and she was met by the surgeon.
            I drove down to the hospital in about an hour and by the time I arrived she was in the recovery room with her brand new stent.

            Our health system is generally crap as well.

          7. Sounds like a complete bungle. OH was drained of his urine, a catheter fitted, prostate exam done, sent home in the morning. GP did PSA test (sky-high) and he was referred to a urologist very quickly. He had a TURP (presumably what KC111 will have) and is still on hormone treatment for prostate cancer, which seems to be keeping it at bay.

      3. Two ambulances turned up within 8 minutes. A three crew one with 3 female paramedics and a double male crew. They were brilliant. A& E was absolute chaos. They’d started a new system on Monday.
        The worst part of all this is the lack of information from either nurses or doctors to the patient.

        1. I would think stroke was uppermost in their minds, and I very much hope that all is well with the scans. They didn’t want to worry you with too much information.

    7. How scary for you both, low blood sugar perhaps? Glad to see you were seen by the medics pretty promptly. Hope all goes well for the ultrasound, take care.

      1. i’m no stranger to hypos, Jill. Thankfully not too often, since they tend to coincide with worse retinopathy. Wouldn’t rule it out, but hopefuly there’s a better explanaion..

    8. Oh, man, VW. Scary – hope you didn’t hurt yourself.
      Yes, had similar last year from early summer up to October.
      First instance was whilst making breakfast one Sunday. Woke up on the kitchen floor, wondering WTF? A week later, in the middle of a restaurant. Woke up surrounded by faces looking down at me – ambulance, to hospital, discharged after EEG and so on.
      Thereafter, several in all kinds of places, including sitting on the dunny. All associated with total confusion for a short while afterwards – like, how do I get back to my office from this location? It was like a computer blue screen of death, but in my head.
      Had a month off work, and it stopped. Final diagnosis was synkope (Norwegian – don’t know the English) brought on by decades of overwork – brain just shut off and rebooted.
      Now, it hasn’t happened for months, and I’m careful with the stress levels.
      Have you been overworking, or just long and hard for years? Whatever happens, take a great deal of care of yourself, and let YOH do so too.

          1. Your experiences sounded horrid. I suppose it is the first level of an investigation, the next being to find out what causes the ‘syncope’.

          2. So far, the answer is “overwork” over a long period (decades), plus the after-effects of a stroke making what’s left of the brain having to work even harder just to keep up.

      3. Can’t claim to have been overworking! You must really have been working hard to have that consequence, goodness. Glad you know to be less stressed. It’s hard to stick to!

      4. The paramedics said it could have been from straining on the loo as that’s known for causing a severe drop in blood pressure. As vw said all tests proved negative, thankfully.
        A terrifying experience.

    9. That’s awful! The scan does sound like just a precaution though.
      Hope you are fully better now.

    10. Doesn’t sound great, Maggie. Fingers crossed. Hopefully the medics will come up with an explantion. No – I’m not holding my breath, either. 😟

      1. Cripes Geoff, we dont want you keeling over from lack of breath. Do you have a Nottle deputy? What would we all do to waste the day away grumbling on here without you putting the page up daily!

    11. So frightening for you both – perhaps it was a TIA? These episodes don’t seem to leave much of a trail for investigation behind them – although things might be different now – my mum had quite a few of these events in her eighties. She would just fall flat on her face, she broke her arm twice and dislocated her shoulder. Look after yourselves, and wrap up warmly, take it easy, these things seem to happen during the winter months.

    12. You may have an infection. Did the medics do a blood test? Have you recently scratched your skin on thorns outside in the garden? Are there any signs of inflammation? Were you confused? OK, it’s most unlikely, but be aware of the symptoms of sepsis. As a long shot, the hospital may want to use ultrasound to measure the diameter of your aorta, with regard to the risk of an abdominal aortic aneurysm

      1. They gave me a shot of antibiotics, had full blood counts done, no inflammation or confusion But the next day I had a call from the hospital offering me an ultrasound abdo and pelvis – which was again quite out of the blue. Still I’m glad it hasn’t just been left.

        1. Cut to the chase. I know of someone who recently had a similar episode whilst sitting on the throne, and ended up in hospital with sepsis, and probably little chance of recovery. At least they gave you the antibiotics, so you can proceed with caution.

    13. You may have an infection. Did the medics do a blood test? Have you recently scratched your skin on thorns outside in the garden? Are there any signs of inflammation? Were you confused? OK, it’s most unlikely, but be aware of the symptoms of sepsis. As a long shot, the hospital may want to use ultrasound to measure the diameter of your aorta, with regard to the risk of an abdominal aortic aneurysm

    14. I collapsed on the loo years ago. Carol called paramedic but the lady thought it was a seasonal virus and gave me oxygen. Two weeks later the sensitivity to touch in the calf of my right leg caused me to visit the GP where I was sent to West Suffolk and diagnosed with DVT.

      1. Oh blimey. So were you put on blood thinners thereafter? At least for a year? I expect you’ve been left with a fat leg, Alf was, although that may have been due to being taller than average and the compression stocking not being the right size. He now has them made to measure about every six months and the leg is discoloured. Hope all is ok now.

      1. Naughty. But then again Mr Tice isn’t being very discreet if he wants to secure converts. Perhaps his assertion is to sow even more discord and mistrust amongst conservative MPs (which in itself shouldn’t be too difficult!)

    4. Does that suggest that they are all up their own backsides.
      Because that’s exactly what it seems like.

  79. Went Wassailing* this afternoon with a group of about 40 local ancient Britons. A cup of hot mulled cider added some cheer to the proceedings as did a couple of wassailing songs!

    *Wassailing is an annual tradition of blessing orchards to ensure a good harvest for the year to come. This Anglo-Saxon celebration, involving music, song and dancing, traditionally took place on Twelfth Night. Nowadays, wassails are hosted between late December and February.

        1. You would enjoy our Canadian wassail then. It is not until November but I can assure you that the assembled masses are anything but a posh choir.

        3. I appreciate and live with both the traditional and the sophisticated. Each are equally beautiful and evocative in their own ways.

          Vaughan Williams and Holst did so much to revive interest in ancient folk songs. I thank them.

  80. Well I think I’ll turn in folks.
    If you haven’t tried it, Smoke Salmon Linguine.
    Delicious.
    Good night all.

      1. Ndovu – when was the last time damask rose posted? I haven’t seen her around here for a little while although it may be just that we have posted at different times and I have missed her, I don’t always have the time to read every post.

        1. Not sure – though I have seen her posting on TCW within the last few days I think. As her profile is private it’s not easy to see, even via the mod page. I will keep a look out.

          1. Thank you, Ndovu. I have her contact details but I don’t want to be intrusive if she is just having a rest from nttl.

          2. I do have her email address as well, but I don’t want to hassle her. Now that you’ve flagged her absence up, I will look out for her.

    1. I would like to know if the Idiot King really thinks that it is good for Britain to lose its position in the world as far as top quality steel production is concerned.

      The steel will still be produced by our international industrial competitors and so there will be no environmental advantage to the world but great disadvantage to Britain and the British workforce who will lose their jobs.

      Idiot is too kind a word for him.

      1. It would be perfectly possible to transition from coke to hydrogen blast furnaces for melting iron ore to make carbon steel. This however would necessitate a sensible timeframe.

        The electric arc furnace already commissioned is a different animal and good for melting recycled steel for uses other than high strength structural steelwork and warships.

        As ever we are ruled by idiots with neither wit nor intelligence. The silly buggers cannot even be bothered to consult the industrialists and shop floor workers.

        I was taught by Dr Geoff Tattersall in Building Science as a module of my first degree course at the University of Sheffield 1970-1973. He had been science chief at British Steel Special Steels Division and also at the Cement and Concrete Association. Later I would occasionally meet him at South Kensington Underground as he made his way to Imperial College or the College of Mines to lecture. I mention this because whilst he has passed he taught many who could explain the processes to the fools in government.

        I doubt any scientists were asked, the idiots governing us imply look at everything as expenditure and discount real world necessities and security needs.

        1. I’m not sure they “think” at all. Seems to me whatever decision they come to is always the wrong one.

    2. Don’t get me started. Perhaps tomorrow i’ll update you all on the results of tonight’s book club, here in the sunny uplands of glorious non-Lib non-Dem Richmond upon Thames. So many supposedly intelligent women, without an apparently functioning brain cell between them all.#bekind, y’all’

      They ask: What is your problem, MIR, with men who have “become women”? Why do you have a problem with drag queens reading stories to tiny children? Why don’t you support diversity, equity and inclusion? MIR – are you a TERF???

      Well they got both barrels and a lot of facts. And none of them knew anything about what has been happening under their noses these past 5+ years.

      They say: we are busy.

      I say: I am the only one of you who works full time and I’m out of the house 55-60 hours a week. Don’t tell me you don’t have time. You have time for all sorts of other hypocritical nonsense. Well. We will see. The next book we are reading is “Trans” by Helen Joyce. I notice I’ve been on the Richmond library Libby app for this book since 13th October. I suspect they don’t actually have it in their e-library.

      Incidentally one of our group is v. Pro-“Palestine”, which I find hard to stomach as she is married to a German. I had already practiced what I was going to say, should she turn up and say anything in the least bit anti-Semitic. But at the last minute she didn’t turn up.

      1. 382172+ up ticks,

        Morning MIR,
        Well penned, thanks,
        By the by childhood lived in Kew, Kings school, then Richmond Gainsbourgh sec,mod, lesson learnt
        survival.

      2. Well done you. At least they heard what you have to say. It may even have given them pause for thought.

  85. Well, chums, that’s me off to bed after a comparatively leisurely day. I hope you all sleep well; see you all tomorrow.

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