Thursday 17 November: No NHS patient should still be struggling to see a GP face to face

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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729 thoughts on “Thursday 17 November: No NHS patient should still be struggling to see a GP face to face”

  2. Good Morning Folks

    Been raining all night and still raining, no golf again today.

    Hardly played since the clock went back.

  4. Good morrow, Gentlefolk, today’s funny:

    Say it like it is

    Lawyers should never ask a Georgia grandma a question, if they aren’t prepared for the answer.
    In a trial, a Southern small-town prosecuting attorney called his first witness, a grandmotherly, elderly woman to the stand. He approached her and asked, ‘Mrs. Jones, do you know me?’

    She responded, ‘Why, yes, I do know you, Mr. Williams. I’ve known you since you were a boy, and frankly, you’ve been a big disappointment to me. You lie, you cheat on your wife, and you manipulate people and talk about them behind their backs. You think you’re a big shot when you haven’t the brains to realize you’ll never amount to anything more than a two-bit paper pusher. Yes, I know you.’
    The lawyer was stunned. Not knowing what else to do, he pointed across the room and asked, ‘Mrs. Jones, do you know the defence attorney?’

    She again replied, ‘Why yes, I do. I’ve known Mr. Bradley since he was a youngster, too. He’s lazy, bigoted, and he has a drinking problem. He can’t build a normal relationship with anyone, and his law practice is one of the worst in the entire state. Not to mention he cheated on his wife with three different women. One of them was your wife. Yes, I know him.’
    The defence attorney nearly died.

    The judge asked both counsellors to approach the bench and, in a very quiet voice, said,
    ‘If either of you idiots asks her if she knows me, I’ll send you both to the electric chair.

  5. President Xi humiliates Trudeau as he is caught on camera tearing strips off Canadian PM. 16 November 2022.

    Toe-curling footage has emerged of Chinese President Xi Jinping humiliating Justin Trudeau with a dressing down on the sidelines of the G20 conference.

    The two leaders were caught on camera having a heated discussion at the global summit in Bali today, with Xi tearing into the Canadian Prime Minister.

    Xi appeared visibly frustrated as he confronted Trudeau about how details of an earlier meeting between them, which was held yesterday, had been leaked to the press by Canadian government sources.

    This is the reason Xi cancelled his meeting with Sunak, and not as reported the other way around, though Macron’s big mouth didn’t help when he met the Chinaman and spouted off with some fake observations.

    Trudeau’s response. “Well in Canada, we believe in free and open and frank dialogue, which we will continue to have.” Speaks to a stunning lack of self-awareness.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11434835/President-Xi-humiliates-Trudeau-caught-camera-tearing-strips-Canadian-PM.html

    1. Mark Steyn had a Canadian lady on GB News last night.. She lives in Alberta and urgently needs a transplant but the law says that a person who has not had the Covid vaccine can have a transplant. She is close to death. Mark Steyn could not offer her any hope and was outraged at what his country, Canada, has become.

      1. Yes, I saw that. How sad that such thinking has now infected what was a civilised country. Mind you, the writing was on the wall with the treatment meted out to the Canadian truckers.

        1. With that and euthanasia, the only advice to Canadians is, don’t get poor, old and ill.
          It is heart-breaking to see western civilisation corrupted from the top downwards and dismantled.

        2. Istn’tit funny how the heads of government in three countries (Trudeau, Ardern -NZ and Rutte-NL had the most oppressive lockdown restrictions or in the case of NL, to become the testbed for reducing farming output), are all recipients of the WEF Young Global Leader award.

    2. On the contrary, Xi is the leader of a police state, so the very thought of a “free and open and frank dialogue” would surely keep him awake at night. I am no supporter of Trudeau but on this occasion he did well to point out what we in the West would prefer to see.

      ‘Morning, Minty.

      1. Hugh, Trudeau ran away rather than meet the truckers, and then called in the heavy squad who arrived in a UN jet to get rid of them. Not much frank and open dialogue there!

  6. 367917+ up ticks,

    Morning Each,

    Reason being these political cretins are busy with targets like 1000 a day morally illegal potential patients entering via Dover and finally crashing the NHS.

    An Aspro a day issue is adequate to keep the herd subdued until RESET is running in a healthy manner, no
    worries there we even have them injecting their children such is the power of RESET already.

    Thursday 17 November: No NHS patient should still be struggling to see a GP face to face

    1. “An Aspro a day issue is adequate…” When I first consulted a GP in Scotland in 1989. He asked about my current medication, I mentioned Aspirin and his comment was. “D’ye ken, a Wee Dram every day will have the same effect”. He wouldn’t give me a prescription for it though.

      1. 367917+ up ticks,

        Morning NtN,

        “Wee drams” will be kept firmly within the parliamentary cabinet.

  7. Good morning all,

    Awoken by younger dog needing to go out in the garden . Once awake , I cannot return to sleep .

    Thousands of asylum seekers will be housed in rural areas in bid to ‘ensure fairness’ and spread the numbers out across the country

    Thousands of asylum seekers will be sent to live in Britain’s rural communities
    Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said migrants will be housed across UK
    ‘We’re seeking to procure accommodation more broadly in smaller cities’
    The Home Office has been warned it could be liable for unlawful detentions

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11436871/Thousands-asylum-seekers-housed-rural-areas-bid-ensure-fairness.html

      1. We should all be fearful now , as we all battle with soaring bills and then experience this ..

        Mr Jenrick told MPs: ‘We are… attempting to procure accommodation in a much broader range of local authorities than has been seen in the past. Historically, the issue was centred on cities.

        ‘We are now seeking to procure accommodation more broadly in smaller cities, towns, and indeed in some cases in rural areas

        1. Morning, all. Weather today in N Essex is, in two words, very wet.

          Jenrick & Co are keen to procure housing and provide support for people who have no right to be here, and worse, the agencies that used to control law and order, have no idea of these people’s backgrounds or intentions.
          This government is deliberately importing an underclass that eventually will become a societal issue. What other reason can there be? What have these unknowns to offer?
          Spreading the misery may have an effect that Jenrick and his lackeys haven’t catered for i.e. rousing the slumbering electorate to awareness of this government’s intentions.
          The great unfairness of all this is that our own homeless seem to have been shunted into a siding and left to suffer. This government is a disgusting shambles.

    2. This is an EU policy – it’s what they did in Germany in 2015. Every small town and large village got its share of diversity.

      1. It certainly appears to be that way here in France.

        Lots and lots of black and brown young men milling around apparently doing nothing and certainly not speaking in French.
        When we arrived these people were conspicuous by their absence, now they are everywhere.
        “Full costume” Muslims are also increasing in number.

  8. Jeremy Hunt warns of ‘storm’ ahead as he prepares to unveil £24bn of tax rises. 17 November 2022.

    Chancellor’s long-anticipated Autumn Statement to outline £30bn of spending cuts alongside increases in levies

    This is just the tip of the iceberg of course. Most of it will be in the form of hidden acquisitions and manipulation of existing taxes; lower thresholds etc. There is no good reason to believe that it will end since an impoverished and fearful population will be more suited to the needs of the WEF!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/11/16/jeremy-hunt-warns-storm-ahead-prepares-unveil-24bn-tax-rises/

    1. Doesn’t he realise that tax rises leads to a smaller economy and those that can move away so overall the tax take goes down.

      I think he does.

      2. Isn’t that what is called, “The Laffer Curve”. I would love to an illustration of tax rises v gov’t income.

      3. Well, Liz Truss certainly did, but the money markets forced her to sack Kwasi Kwarteng and appoint Jeremy Hunt in his place.

      1. Honestly, it sounds like school children sucking up to the popular kid. Hope it’s not real, but I fear otherwise!

        1. 367917+ up ticks,

          Morning G,
          Tis a fact they have treacherous telescopic forked tongues their lie casting clearly shows us that.

      1. 367917+ up ticks,

        Morning BB2,

        The four Bs,

        The bum boys bugle band.

        Forever blowing their treacherous trumpets.

  10. There is no point to the Tories if all they do is surrender to the Left. Allister Heath. 17 November 2022.

    What is Rishi Sunak’s purpose, his personal mission? Why should he, rather than Sir Keir Starmer, be in No 10? How is a Tory government proposing to fix the myriad problems plaguing our country? How will Sunak improve the lives of potential Conservative voters?

    Staggeringly, I have yet to meet a single Tory who can answer any of these questions, other than to plead that Labour would be even worse. I agree with this latter point, but that’s not enough. Millions of voters will listen to Starmer’s message – nothing works any more after 12 years of Conservative-led governments, and it’s time for a change – and nod approvingly.

    TOP COMMENT BELOW THE LINE.

    Basil Welsh.

    “The lack of outrage at a policy seemingly designed to cripple Brexit Britain merely proves the scale of the ideological revolution.”

    Really? Believe me, there are Vesuvius levels of outrage in the population now, but how can we, as normal working citizens, express outrage? We have no voice and no party support.
    And we’re too busy earning an honest living to sit on an M25 gantry.

    We have effectively been disenfranchised by our own government.

    Well Basil the only credible out is to vote for one of the alternative parties.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/16/no-point-tories-do-surrender-left/

  12. ‘Morning All
    “Envy of the World” strikes again…….
    I finally got the promised call back from the head pharmacist,not for the reason I requested but for an asthma review although somewhat startled the chap was excellent and happy to go through my discharge letter,drugs etc as we chatted he pulled up my recent hospital tests and then my full records
    He then asked what advice the hospital had given me about my glucose levels
    None I replied just watch my diet
    Ah,we have a problem your glucose levels are through the roof,you’re diabetic,in fact when you had a blood test 4 years ago it clearly showed you were diabetic but the notes show one failed attempt by the doctor to phone you then no further action…..
    He then made me a face to face appointment with the practice diabetes specialist for tomorrow,needless to say in the current climate such a prompt appointment has left me rather nervous……..
    First a stroke now this I am feeling somewhat put upon still KBO I suppose

    1. …a face to face appointment with the practice diabetes specialist

      Morning Rik. You almost certainly have Diabetes 2. The appointment will be a heart to heart talk with a nurse. I’m supposed to have one a year but they fell by the wayside during the Covid Scam. I control mine by myself now through dieting.

      1. Nope I’ve got an actual named Dr to see hence the nervousness Head Pharmacist already prescribed some drug called Metformin

          1. Good morning Minty. Sound move on your part. When an old neighbour was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, his doctor son strongly advised him to try reducing his blood glucose levels through diet and exercise, and to refuse the metformin. Apparently, once on the stuff, it is very difficult for the body to manage without it. My husband is now in the same boat.

        3. You might be better off controlling the diabetes through dieting.

          What is the most serious side effect of metformin?

          Serious side effects

          you get a general feeling of being unwell with severe tiredness, fast
          or shallow breathing, being cold and a slow heartbeat. the whites of
          your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow, although this may be
          less obvious on brown or black skin – this can be a sign of liver
          problems.

          Side effects of metformin – NHS

        5. Ask to be changed to Gliclazide if you have any of the side effects mentioned by Phizzee, it has no side effects

    2. …a face to face appointment with the practice diabetes specialist

      Morning Rik. You almost certainly have Diabetes 2. The appointment will be a heart to heart talk with a nurse. I’m supposed to have one a year but they fell by the wayside during the Covid Scam. I control mine by myself now through dieting.

    3. If he’s correct, that’s awful that nobody told you about it up til now. But at least you can hopefully do something about it yourself with dieting.

    4. Unbelievable Rik! 4 years and one attempt to phone you! My old man calls it ‘treat and forget’ and it seems to happen a lot. Great that things are now in hand and you’ll be getting the advice and treatment you deserve! Try not to worry – it puts your BP up!

    5. Morning Rik ,

      What bad luck, but stay ontop , don’t feel helpless and down .. At least you are now on the medical radar.

      I am shocked , and they didn’t even send you a letter when they couldn’t get hold of you on the phone?

      Don’t panic please , Moh has type 2 and watches his diet , Metformin , mornng and evening and others , diet and exercise, and he is slim and not overweight. always has been .

      1. I’m type 2 and my B/S level was so high I was put on insulin injections which together with my revised diet brought the level down to normal where it is kept with a low dose of Gliclazide which also gives me access to the occasional sugary treat. I take it seriously and keep the level low if for no other reason than to avoid a bollocking by the practice nurse at my bi-annual check

    7. “… when you had a blood test 4 years ago it clearly showed you were diabetic but the notes show one failed attempt by the doctor to phone you then no further action…..

      This is why I always refuse the “The test was fine if you don’t hear from us” routine. I always require the test result and any explanation, failing which I phone for the info.

      Hope tomorrow goes well, Rik.

    8. Good morning Rik, That is shockingly negligent of your doctor – and that was before the convid excuse for not seeing patients & following up. Good luck at that appointment.

    9. Dr Gro, our diabetes specialist had excellent advice:
      Cut out sugars, and read the labels of everything to choose the low sugar version. Whole fruit is OK in small doses.
      When you read the labels, you get some surprises: More sugars in apple juice than Coca-cola, yet one is good and he other the Devil’s drink.
      Special-K slimming breakfast cereal has more sugar than straight, cheaper, cornflakes.
      Sourdough bread is much lower sugar, and has much more texture and flavour than the ordinary (you can get sourdough crispbread, too, which is better)
      Eat fat and protein – you have to get energy and flavour from somewhere.
      Don’t let the diet make you miserable.

      1. And Grizz will advise you to eat animal fats, not the product of a chemical plant. I second that opinion!

    2. The Great Pipeline Blast didn’t work, either.
      Next one – a nuclear strike on Poland?

  14. ‘Morning, Peeps.  Yesterday’s monsoon finally came to and end in the early hours, to be replaced by a fresh wind and sunshine.  Best temp today will be 12°C apparently.

    SIR – Pending the installation of some new, boxed kitchen equipment, we stored it in our very secure garage. One morning, however, it had all gone.

    I asked our neighbours if any of them had a security camera. It turned out that one had a sophisticated system, which showed a white van parked on the main road. Two men with clearly visible features could be seen walking down our cul de sac. They walked into our drive and, 10 minutes later, returned to the van, which they drove to our house. The registration number was visible. Ten minutes later the van drove to the main road and turned left. This was between 3 am and 3.20 am.

    The system allowed my neighbour to discover that the van was taxed and insured. He put everything on to a memory stick, which we gave to the police (Letters, November 16). When I rang to follow up, I was told they could do nothing as they did not see the equipment being loaded into the van. Besides, we were “obviously” insured.

    Patrick White
    London SW20

    Pitiful, isn’t it?  Once again the police farce demonstrates that catching criminals doesn’t seem to feature on their to-do list.  Swellin’ really does have her work cut out to cure the rot.

        1. Forget about Fuzzy Wuzzy – what does Grizzly think about this?

          I wonder if Grizzly is gloomy about the state of policing as I am about the state of teaching?.

          1. I’ve rather given up on George (Grizzly), Richard, since he accused me of being Col Blimp. Such a riposte from an insignificant minor.

    2. 367917+up ticks,

      Morning JN,

      ALL are equal in a coalition and it has been a coalition for nigh on 40 years,
      with, may I add electoral consent.

    3. Labour has its own cabal of globalist lackeys and the end result for the people would be the same. In a sane world the Tories, Labour, LibDums and Greens would all be unelectable: despite their pledges to improve the Country’s/people’s lot, their goals are the antithesis of that.

    4. Know what you mean, Johnny. The same was as I thought “That Tony Benn talked sense” about democracy and other subjects.

      1. The Left’s assault on the nuclear family is a significant element in the ruin of the country.

      3. Good morning Bob, I would RT your comment but I’ve been put on the Twitter naughty step for a week (initially 12hrs) for replying to Boris’ gung-ho message regarding the UK fully supporting the Ukinazis. Apparently, my answer ‘Why don’t you grab a rifle and pop over to Ukraine you warmongering gimp and let us know how you get on.’ broke twitter roolz.

        1. I’m still out after criticising the Labour woman for flashing her fanny at Boris – something she admitted herself. But it’s apparently hate speech, and against the rules.
          The more of those dozy fcukers sacked by Elon Musk the better.

      1. Good morning m’dear.
        Ankle is ok with the bruising almost faded, knee at about 85% of previous function, though I will say that previous function was not much above 85% anyway!
        I’m limping but not too badly.

        2. Keep your weight off it. Lots of ice and if you have it a tight knee support. It all helps the bones, muscles ligaments stay aligned helping them to heal.

      2. Grey and grotty here in the borders. I wish I’d never moved here. I miss Suffolk, I miss Dotty and I miss Judy.

        1. As much as there are advantages to living near a city, the downsides far outweigh. I agree, I miss the sea. Waking up to the sound of it, the weight of the waves, the sheer elemental nature of it.

          2. When you find out how, better publish another book, for the good of humanity. It’d have the added advantage of making you a wedge of moolah, too. And, whilst money doesn’t make you happy, it sure can make some problems go away.

          3. I’ve just about finished with the last one, Passing Three Score Years and Ten, as I’m not sure how much longer I have. I’ll send you the Media Fire link for you to download and make your collection complete.

    1. Can you imagine if even one of the political classes or senior civil service had suffered the consequences of the jabs. The whole world would have known about it.
      My elder BiL is suffering with many what I would call the consequences. But he still believes in the ‘vaccines’ and so far has had every single jab available.
      But the pair of them, as much as I respect them both, stubbornly still believe they are right.
      Sadly I don’t think he will last the year out.

      1. 467917+ up ticks,

        Morning TB,
        Some time ago I posted that compulsory lodgering would be on the cards partially in jest it could now become a certainty.

        Plus if the voting pattern does not change drastically compulsory rogering will join it.

        1. My tweeting is still banned.. so much for free speech and my comment that the climate nutters should be tarred and feathered for halting motorway traffic.

        2. It’s interesting that our local council has sent a questionnaire to all residents asking if we live alone.

      1. I expect they all represent families and friends as well. So at the very least, treble that opinion.

      1. 367917+ up ticks,

        Morning B3,
        Careful Bob, we have thought that on many issues and we are witnessing daily what happened..

        The electorate thought otherwise, not once or twice but at every given opportunity.

    4. Stapleford again showing his irrational malice.

      I keep coming back to the same problem. Why are the public going to a meeting? Why is the council even talking about it? Why are the public simply saying “no” and having their instructions carried out?

      1. 367917+ up ticks,

        Morning W,
        Years ago we stopped one of the witches of westminster, c flint, who wanted a 500 build on a n area with one road in / no infrastructure , build & ;eave.
        She failed via people power through local council.

        1. Yet no doubt she will keep trying. If that council wanted to build it – i.e was getting a kickback from the developer (as they usually are) then what the public wanted would have been ignored.

          This is not democracy. Democracy is Hunt standing up to make us poorer and our saying ‘No, do it again, only this time, 40% cuts to the state.’ When he tries to palm those off on services, again, we say no, and sack him.

          That’s the difference between a one off win and controlling these psychopathic fools.

  21. ExSar Retweeted
    Sophie Corcoran
    @sophielouisecc
    ·
    Nov 15
    Let’s be real
    Boy George got arrested for kidnapping
    Seann walsh cheated on his wife
    Sue cleaver got arrested for drink driving
    Christ moyles was involved in a £1m tax avoidance scheme
    Ant nearly killed a family drink driving.

    Matt isn’t the only questionable one

  22. Regional barometer

    SIR – According to a friend, in the South you return your empty beer
    glasses to the bar and in the North you leave them on the table (Letters, November 16). So Lincolnshire is the true border: the former practice is prevalent in the south of the county, and the latter in the north.

    Marek Kierstan
    Wylam, Northumberland

    Proves Southerners are more considerate than Northerners. :@)

  24. A WORDLE solution that stumped British players has been crowned Cambridge Dictionary’s word of the year.
    Nearly 75,000 searches were made for “homer” after the baseball term appeared as an answer to the online word puzzle on May 5.
    Editors said Wordle’s fiveletter answers dominated the most popular searches on the dictionary’s website.
    The informal US term for a home run came top, with 95 per cent of searches for it made outside North America.

    The OXFORD English dictionary is the world-standard in English. Who gives a monkey’s about a cheap, pastiche, pseudo-dictionary from Cambridge (FFS) that champions vapid Americanese over proper standard English.

    1. And here’s me thinking that Homer was the beer-swilling paterfamilias of a popular TV cartoon series.
      Oops! I think I’m mistaken and he’s some kind of Ancient Greek/Roman character. Lol.

        1. Walter Pidgeon starred in various films in the 1940s and 50s including How Green Was My Valley.

  25. Morning all 😊
    No changes in the grey start set to be raining all day.
    Despite many demands for the cessation of the invasion, no word of encouragement from the government. I sincerely hope that most of the Conservative Party members lose their seats over this. I will never vote for any of those lying duplicitous self serving creeps again.

  26. First local authority votes overwhelmingly to double council tax on second homes. 17 november 2022.

    Council tax is set to double for second homeowners in North Yorkshire after the local authority voted to become the first in England to impose the levy.

    A 79-strong majority of councillors approved the £14.8m tax raid, claiming it would make it easier for locals to buy their own homes.

    The Conservative-run county council said the move would increase the housing supply by funding new build developments and incentivising those with multiple homes to sell up.

    Actually it will put these houses on the market where they can be snapped up cheaply by the Government for immigrant accommodation.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/16/first-local-authority-votes-overwhelmingly-double-council-tax/

    2. Jenrick intends to metastasise the invasion problem to every corner of the UK including rural areas. This government has a death wish and the sooner it dies the better.

      1. The strongest Conservative voting areas are in rural constituencies but not for much longer. Bye bye, Cons (INO).

      3. Yep. They’ve even infested this rural neck of the woods. One of my female friends said today she felt quite frightened.

    3. Hiking council tax is just theft. If people do sell, they’re not going to sell at a lower price. It is so short sighted. You want to bring rich people into an area. They spend money there and create jobs. It’s like complaining about tourists.

    5. I don’t agree. I have a small holiday home worth, say, £250,000 that I bought 10 years ago for £150,000 (completely fictitious figures). The Council Tax is then doubled from £1,500 to £3,000 a year.

      Why on earth would I panic and sell the house and then pay at least £12,000 in Capital Gains Tax? I have used the Govt CGT calculator https://www.gov.uk/tax-sell-property and allowed for buying & selling and improvement costs. Without these it would be even more.

      1. Just flip your first and second home like an MP. Then you wouldn’ be liable for capital gains tax.

    6. I don’t agree. I have a small holiday home worth, say, £250,000 that I bought 10 years ago for £150,000 (completely fictitious figures). The Council Tax is then doubled from £1,500 to £3,000 a year.

      Why on earth would I panic and sell the house and then pay at least £12,000 in Capital Gains Tax? I have used the Govt CGT calculator https://www.gov.uk/tax-sell-property and allowed for buying & selling and improvement costs. Without these it would be even more.

  27. 1) “If we can find the money to kill people, we can find the money to help people.”
    Tony Benn was interviewed in Sicko, Michael Moore’s documentary film about the health industry in the US. Explaining the post-war creation of the welfare state, he said the popular mood of the 1945 election was: “If you can have full employment by killing Germans, why can’t we have full employment by building hospitals, building schools?”

    6) “I think there are two ways in which people are controlled. First of all frighten people and secondly, demoralise them.”
    Another quote from Tony Benn’s interview with Michael Moore in Sicko, in which he highlighted poverty and healthcare inequality as a democratic issue. “The people in debt become hopeless, and the hopeless people don’t vote… an educated, healthy and confident nation is harder to govern,” he said.

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/15/10-of-the-best-tony-benn-quotes-as-picked-by-our-readers

    1. No doubt the guardian swiftly followed up with ‘welfare is a good thing and should be encouraged for all and the rich should be robbed as that is fair. Poor academic achievement just means schools need more money.

      They couldn’t let Tony Benn’s comment stand, not when it opposes their very reason for being.

    2. Although I seldom agreed with Tony Benn he was considerably more erudite than his odious and horrible son, Hilary.

      A very apt thing that Tony Benn said: You do not have a democracy unless the people can get rid of the leader through the ballot box.

      By that criterion Britain has ceased to be a democracy – people voted not to have Sunak as PM and we have him; the MPs discarded Hunt on their first leadership vote and we have him as chancellor.

      And would some pro-EU enthusiast tell us how we get rid of Ursula Fonda Lyin?

    4. If they do that to “modestly dressed” women it’s small wonder they attack our “normally dressed” Europeans as if it’s their God given right.

    1. So you’re saying (© Cathy Newman), ogga1, that Harry Potter has now self-identified as a young Japanese girl. Well, no wonder he (she?) is now turning against J K Rowling. Lol.

  30. There is no point to the Tories if all they do is surrender to the Left.
    Why should the British public back a visionless party that no longer seems to believe in anything?
    Alistair Heath: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/16/no-point-tories-do-surrender-left/

    Same old, same old – but can anyone disagree with or contradict this BTL below?

    The Conservatives are not the answer.

    Labour is not the answer.

    The Lib/Dems are not the answer

    The Greens are not the answer.

    So, until there is a realistic and sensible alternative to any of the above parties there is no answer and unless a new party emerges out of nowhere or unless Reform., Reclaim, and UKIP don’t get their act together PDQ then Britain is terminally finished.

    1. Agreed 100% with the BTL comment.

      It’s been one of my ‘Ogga’ moments to get these idiot vote-splitters to amalgamate.

    2. Hunt is going to stand up later on and talk about ‘investment’ and then he’ll say that earners must pay more while freezing the allowances, robbing investments, and destroying wealth and business.

      Brown did that 5 times in 12 years. If we’re going to get the same government policy of waste, debt and more waste, why are we allowing the same wrong people to make the wrong decision each time? Hell, these people are staff. They’re glorified managers and they need to be sacked.

          1. King John’s Christmas
            by A.A. Milne

            King John was not a good man —
            He had his little ways.
            And sometimes no one spoke to him
            For days and days and days.
            And men who came across him,
            When walking in the town,
            Gave him a supercilious stare,
            Or passed with noses in the air —
            And bad King John stood dumbly there,
            Blushing beneath his crown.

            King John was not a good man,
            And no good friends had he.
            He stayed in every afternoon …
            But no one came to tea.
            And, round about December,
            The cards upon his shelf
            Which wished him lots of Christmas cheer,
            And fortune in the coming year,
            Were never from his near and dear,
            But only from himself.

            King John was not a good man,
            Yet had his hopes and fears.
            They’d given him no present now
            For years and years and years.
            But every year at Christmas,
            While minstrels stood about,
            Collecting tribute from the young
            For all the songs they might have sung,
            He stole away upstairs and hung
            A hopeful stocking out.

            King John was not a good man,
            He lived his life aloof;
            Alone he thought a message out
            While climbing up the roof.
            He wrote it down and propped it
            Against the chimney stack:
            “TO ALL AND SUNDRY –
            NEAR AND FAR –
            F. CHRISTMAS IN PARTICULAR.”
            And signed it not “Johannes R.”
            But very humbly, “JACK.”

             
            “I want some crackers,
            And I want some candy;
            I think a box of chocolates
            Would come in handy;
            I don’t mind oranges,
            I do like nuts!
            And I SHOULD like a pocket-knife
            That really cuts.
            And, oh! Father Christmas, if you love me at all,
            Bring me a big, red India-rubber ball!”

            King John was not a good man —
            He wrote this message out,
            And gat him to his room again,
            Descending by the spout.
            And all that night he lay there,
            A prey to hopes and fears.
            “I think that’s him a-coming now,
            (Anxiety bedewed his brow.)
            “He’ll bring one present, anyhow —
            The first I’ve had for years.

            “Forget about the crackers,
            And forget about the candy;
            I’m sure a box of chocolates
            Would never come in handy;
            I don’t like oranges,
            I don’t want nuts,
            And I HAVE got a pocket-knife
            That almost cuts.
            But, oh! Father Christmas, if you love me at all,
            Bring me a big, red
            India-rubber ball!”

            King John was not a good man —
            Next morning when the sun
            Rose up to tell a waiting world
            That Christmas had begun,
            And people seized their stockings,
            And opened them with glee,
            And crackers, toys and games appeared,
            And lips with sticky sweets were smeared,
            King John said grimly: “As I feared,
            Nothing again for me!”

            “I did want crackers,
            And I did want candy;
            I know a box of chocolates
            Would come in handy;
            I do love oranges,
            I did want nuts.
            I haven’t got a pocket-knife —
            Not one that cuts.
            And, oh! if Father Christmas had loved me at all,
            He would have brought a big, red India-rubber ball!”

            King John stood by the window,
            And frowned to see below
            The happy bands of boys and girls
            All playing in the snow.
            A while he stood there watching,
            And envying them all…
            When through the window big and red
            There hurtled by his royal head,
            And bounced and fell upon the bed,
            An India-rubber ball!

            AND OH, FATHER CHRISTMAS,
            MY BLESSINGS ON YOU FALL
            FOR BRINGING HIM
            A BIG, RED
            INDIA-RUBBER
            BALL!

        3. Who is “King Charles one hundred and eleven”, Maggie?

          [The letter I is the Roman Numeral 1]

        4. The Wash beckons?
          Sadly our treasure has been already lost; frittered away on expensive trinkets e.g. HS2 and subsidies for masses of inefficient windmills; payments for being ‘ruled’ by an unelected cabal in Brussels; the mass importation of the diaspora of the World; the list of spending on things that have produced little or no benefit to the people is endless.

  31. ‘Build Back Better’ is, of course, a falsehood. Also, it’s a catchphrase repeated in an attempt to assuage people’s concerns about the issues e.g. climate change, that are promoted as threats that will result in a massive change in lifestyles. ‘Better’ will apply solely to the elites proposing the massive changes. The political pygmies who are attempting to initiate the proposals believe they will benefit from the change: IMO they will be severely disappointed. Such is the fate of useful idiots.

    https://twitter.com/TiceRichard/status/1593162246720741377

    2. It shouldn’t be too difficult to build back better after the bloody mess this lot of charlatans have made of the country. In fact a 3 year old with a box of Lego could do a better job.

    3. About as successful as ‘Get Brexit Done’ I would say! These simpleton politicians seem to think that a slogan is all they need. Another fine case of all words but no action.

      1. Hugh J, ‘Safe and Effective’ is another insidious slogan that, hopefully, has had its day.

  32. Council to buy houses for Ukrainian refugees once their stay with UK hosts ends. 17 november 2022.

    A council is to use Government funds to buy houses for Ukrainian refugees who are coming to the end of their stay with British hosts.

    Wiltshire Council has become the first to publicly declare that it will buy houses across the county and then lease them back to Ukrainian families to avoid them being made homeless when their six-month agreements with their UK hosts end. Other local authorities are understood to be considering similar moves.

    Strange they could never afford anything like this to accommodate Britain’s own homeless or indeed those people who spent years on the housing lists!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/11/16/council-buy-houses-ukrainian-refugees-stay-uk-hosts-ends/

    1. …and our homeless veterans can just go hang.

      We owe more to Ukrainian cowards, than to our own ex-servicemen who’ve served Queen and country.

      I think I shall soon be joining them, bankruptcy looms.

    2. Council houses! There’s a thought, now.
      Moves money from “Cash in bank” to “Fixed assets” on the balance sheet, reducing liquidity, and gets them on the hook for maintenance costs – but that’s likely offset by not putting the Ukies up in hotels.

  34. The delicious fall of Sam Bankman-Fried Douglas Murray, The Spectator 17/11/22.

    Sam Bankman-Fried is the sort of sanctimonious fraud our species has known throughout history

    Dame Edna Everage says one of life’s most precious gifts is the ability to laugh at the misfortunes of others. You may lament this instinct, yet we all harbour it. New Yorkers are especially prone when it comes to property envy. Every couple of years, it feels like, a skyscraper goes up in the city that is significantly taller than the previous very tall new skyscraper. Each time one does, the only thing that goes higher than the tower’s residences is the cost of purchasing them. So with what rapture do New Yorkers read about the misfortunes these buildings go through. Oh, the thrill of learning that they sway in the wind, that people get seasick in the penthouses, that when owners put their garbage in the rubbish chutes the noise on the lower floors is like a tactical nuke.

    Reading such stories makes the whole city’s heart lift a little. Everyone gets to think, if not say: ‘Well, I may be down in the dumps, paying through the nose for rent, but at least I didn’t spend 150 million bucks I don’t have buying a penthouse that sways.’ So it is that this snippet of adversity makes everybody’s day that bit happier.

    It is the same with the news this week that a cryptocurrency exchange called FTX has collapsed with between $1 billion and $2 billion of customers’ money having vanished.

    Why should I take any special pleasure in the collapse of such a company? Not because I have anything against crypto, but solely because of the way the founder of FTX behaved. The firm put a particular emphasis on ESG. Please do not get lost in these acronyms.

    As everybody who has brushed against big business in recent years will know, ESG stands for ‘Environmental, Social and Governance’ and it rules the corporate world. There was a time when a company might aim to make money for itself and/or its shareholders. If it wanted to do some good works, it might set up an almshouse, a school for urchins or the like.

    Today when you want to show that you really care – as opposed to actually caring – then you talk of how concerned your company is about ESG. Firms are even rated by their ESG scores. It is a great medieval Vatican–style scam. And it is everywhere.

    In any case, FTX was big on ESG. On a video from January this year the company’s founder Sam Bankman-Fried and the vlogger Nas Daily – the first a shyster, the second possibly a naif – claimed that FTX existed only to make money that could then be given away. The two young men are weirdos in different ways – but the main one, Bankman-Fried, looks about 14 and has a face like a stress ball being scrunched by somebody who’s very stressed indeed.

    This pair talk about all of the things that our age values most, claiming as they do that making money to pass on to special causes is much better than merely getting rich and buying a Lamborghini. If you make money and give it away to these causes, they say, that makes you way more happy than spending it on yourself.

    With some infelicitous turns of phrase, Daily says various things about Bankman-Fried, which the latter then responds to. ‘He is funding everything you can think of: global warming’ (‘It’s one of the biggest problems that we have to tackle together as a world’). ‘Covid-19 preparedness’ (‘We have to be ready for the next pandemic’). ‘Neglected tropical diseases’ (‘More than a billion people suffer from them – we have to eliminate these diseases’). ‘And of course animal welfare’ (‘Animals deserve to live just like we do; it’s also why I’m vegan’).

    Putting aside for a moment whether animals deserve to live just like we do, this is a pretty comprehensive catechism of our day. Bankman-Fried might have added something about BLM, but it is possible that the most up-to-date shyster knows to veer ever so slightly away from last season’s ones.

    For here we are in the realm of the sort of sanctimonious fraud that our species has known throughout history. The great writers from Chaucer and Boccaccio knew these types. Many classic works of literature feature them. But one of the strangest aspects of human beings is not that we continually throw up such people but that people always fall for them.

    This is a matter of perennial fascination to me. If a man came around to my front door saying he had a Gucci bag which he deeply wanted to sell me and that for me the price would be a mere £50, I’d like to think I wouldn’t fall for it. If someone wearing priestly robes said they had a way to get me and everyone I loved into heaven – 100 per cent dead cert, no questions asked – and all I had to do was transfer my worldly goods to him, again I’d surely know to slam the door in his face. But that’s because it’s easy to spot old cons. It’s spotting new ones that we seem to have difficulty with.

    ESG – like its fellow traveller ‘Diversity Inclusion and Equity’ (or DIE, as I prefer to call it) – ought by now to be a great big warning flag to investors and speculators everywhere. When a firm or investment fund goes on about ESG or DIE it should cause hard-wired suspicion of the kind provoked by, say, a sinister stranger with a comb-over volunteering to look after the kids at bathtime. And yet it is not just that human beings keep making the same mistakes, it is that they make the same mistakes in subtly different ways, with the people who deceive them always prowling around to locate the weak spots of the day. I’m sorry for anybody who lost their money to these FTX crooks – these people who talked about saving the planet but instead trousered a couple of billion and did a runner. But we’ve seen them before, and a strange happiness comes from that fact.

    1. I think, George, that a German word we have adopted into the already mongrel English language (that I love because of this) is Schadenfreude.

      schadenfreude
      /ˈʃɑːd(ə)nˌfrɔɪdə,German ˈʃɑːdənˌfrɔydə/
      Learn to pronounce
      noun
      pleasure derived by someone from another person’s misfortune.
      “a business that thrives on schadenfreude”

      …and serves the buggers right.

    2. An $11 billion class action suit has been filed against the celebs who endorsed this massive ponzi scheme. That’ll learn ’em.

      1. My picture of Tony Bliar endorsing FTX won’t download.

        Please would someone download it for us all.

        ……………………..Thank you to Phizzee.

        3. NORF Ethics – hiff you don’t mind.
          We don’t have nuffin ter do wiv them common people sarf of Chelmsford.

    4. “Animals deserve to live just like we do;”
      I suggested Spartie that he could take over packing the pictures and writing snottograms to bone idle desk pilots.
      I was took aback at his response, but the overall gist was “I’m fine as a dog”.

    5. I’m disappointed in that piece from Douglas Murray, who looks more and more like a MSM shill. He’s avoided completely the biggest, juciest parts of the story!
      I asked a normie if they had heard of FTX today, and they replied oh yes, it’s that crypto platform that went bankrupt and lots of people lost their savings.
      Clueless!

        1. Someone who gets all their news from the television and calls other people conspiracy theorists. Gen Z-speak.

          1. Ah! I’m a ‘Boomer’, i.e. decades out of touch! It seems I know quite a few ‘normies’, some are even related to me!

  35. Gosh – steady rain = small market. No EGGS anywhere. The rain makes one realise just how badly roads and carparks are laid – puddles every – including a huge one right outside the main entrance to Morrisons…. Just the ticket..

    Anything happen while I was out?

    2. It’s not too bad here. Gentle breeze, but it’s cold. Yes, the roads are appalling, but this is because councils don’t clear the culverts.

      1. As socialism and over population bring us to third world status. When the PM is a thirdworlder, you know we’re in trouble.

    3. Morning Bill. Time you got some Free Range chooks in on that five acres of garden you have!

    4. Around here the roads flood if there’s any heavy rain including one road where they’ve spent months putting a coach parking space in. Last weekend we went past it and the parking bay was flooded as well as the rest of the road.
      When they resurface road they follow the dips already there rather than making a camber on the road. The dips are invariably where bus stops are to ensure the waiting passengers get soaked when a car or lorry goes by.

      2. I live between an angle of two roads, both of which flood regularly if there is any significant rainfall. To avoid the floods requires a very long detour.

      1. When Russia invaded Ukraine we funded weapons. When we are invaded we fund hotels, education, free healthcare, pocket money etc for the invaders. Do the Tories think we haven’t noticed the destruction of our communities?
        8:52 am · 17 Nov 2022
        ·Twitter for Android

        There never seems to be a shortage of money to pay for these ventures !!

        2. Well said, Madam. I know you not, but admire your plain-speaking from a distance.

          Your profile tells me nothing, yet I’d like to know more.

    1. The audience looks gormless. The guy on the left is checking his phone and the girl behind is somewhere in a different world. If it doesnt come on the social meeja, it is not worth listening to.

      1. The lad to his right who keeps raising his arm probably wants to ask about China’s role in slavery.

        1. I thought he wanted to be excused so he could go to the toilet.
          I do hope he didn’t wet himself.

      3. That the truth should be silent I had almost forgot.

        [Enobarbus in Antony and Cleopatra]

    4. I do hope the little boy in the purple jumper who kept putting his hand to up be excused didn’t end up wetting himself.

  38. 367917+ up ticks,

    Does this mean a day trip to france means you must be fully jabbed if the WHO says so?

    https://twitter.com/BernieSpofforth/status/1593158578071736320?s=20&t=gZM2wkFJ2SbDvR0IBrZp7w

    Does it apply to the morally illegals ? who seem to be free of any lawful rulings.

    If this is fact and the herd will comply is two weeks away worth the lives of your children with such an uncertain medication.

    It needs a politician / medical practitioner in court for
    corporate manslaughter,case brought by peoples RESET power.

    The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 is a landmark in law. For the first time, companies and organisations can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of serious management failures resulting in a gross breach of a duty of care.

    Fits like a glove methinks.

    1. 367917+ up ticks,

      O2O,

      A Cop that post,

      Lest we forget the political reptile behind much of this has, if you look in the Bow Street Court records of the past, been found guilty of cottaging in a public park toilet.

      The bog man, his call sign “watcher cock ” a willy watcher of political elite
      status.

    2. When I retired after many years of air travel, especially my last helicopter flight (Bell Huey) I vowed never to fly anywhere again.
      So they can stuff their travel mandates.

      1. I hate airports and all that goes with them. i too vowwed never to fly or sail again and I never have.

        1. The whole experience has become a nightmare.
          Years ago it was fun and the only concern was which airline I chose (aircraft type – some better than others) not anymore.

          1. #Me too. I first flew abroad in 1966 – it was leisurely and relaxed. I actually like flying and would choose it over surface transport if it weren’t so unpleasant in the preliminaries. Clearly, private jet is the only way to go.

        2. I hated airports before I worked at one. After 7½ years of working there I hated airports even more.

    2. Lifted from your epistle:

      As one of the third class, in common with the majority of the world population, I look forward to seeing this creep consigned to history.

  42. Either the budget is hilarious or the Warqueen is listening to Spike Miligan.

    Yep, some serious desk banging. And now it’s on a teams call as well. Dear life. We’re being laughed at.

      1. The silliest bit is her money is in Switzerland anyway where it pays 8% tax. All Hunt has done is push more people to do the same, or to stop working. Heck, why bother to grow our business? Why bother to take on more contracts, more staff if we’re just going to be robbed?

        Why bother at all? If you work, you’re seeing your money give a 20% cash hike to welfarists.

        1. Oh, well said, sir but I’m retired and at 78 there ain’t a lot I can do about it.

          Time was…

        2. Good for the war queen. Many will do the same, as you say. It seems they are utterly determined to impoverish us. I’m wondering who’s going to be paying for all the scroungers, etc once they have relieved us of our money. Our homes next, I shouldn’t wonder. And of course the CBDC will really finish us off. They will control what we actually spend our money on. The EU are already talking about limiting withdrawals.

  43. After a trip to Matlock for a bit of shopping and the cashpoint, I’m feeling like just going back to bed for an hour or so given how bad the weather is.

    2. #MeToo, Bob but I’ve been sleeping too much and so long, that I get up at 01:00 and find the loneliness here and in the house almost too much to bear.

      I wish I could sleep from midnight to at least 05:00 a release.

          1. There must be something around. Try your local citizens advice bureau. Join the library. Volunteer. Masonics. At the very least you have us. Well, not Bill Thomas, obviously… :@)

          2. That’s why I spend a lot of time on here, Philip. Real friends – I wish I could physically meet some.

          4. Moffat, Dumfries & Galloway, DG10 9AW.

            I think Sue McFarlane is nearest neighbour but then…

          5. I’m just a couple of miles from the Solent. :@(
            I can’t speak for Sue. Busy woman. But the lady might. Ask her.

      2. Sleep during the day is a fatal spiral that one can easily fall into.
        Go out for an afternoon walk, even if the weather is bad.
        Keep your mind occupied with a book or dare I say jigsaw.
        Find a hobby that you may have liked doing in the past and take it up again.
        I understand loneliness can be quite traumatic, so you need to find ways around it.
        I wish you all the best and I’m sure you will come through these uncertain times. As gets mentioned here, KBO.

        1. Books are my retreat – I have over 300 on Kindle and others besides but…

          … I find it difficult to walk more than 70 metres, so I tend to be a keyboard warrior but retire to bed to read (until it falls in my face and wakes me up – again).

          1. Avoid bed during the day at all costs!!!
            If you like tea or coffee, make it a ritual and then settle down with a pot and your book, in an armchair not bed. !!!! Set a time for a dram or two and make that a ritual as well.
            I know it’s easy for someone else who is not suffering to make suggestions, but they are well meant.

          2. Much appreciated, Andrew and I shall try to make it the ritual you describe but, you must remember that, at 78, old habits die hard, I shall persevere with the new ones.

    1. Bruce rang this morning he told me about the floods in NSW. One of his mates has a million dollars worth of Macadamia trees that are flooded. This year’s harvest could fail, so he is spending 24/7 building defences and pumping the flood waters from his fields into a reservoir/dam.
      And he also said hundreds of flood wrecked homes will now have to be demolished.

        1. You need to go and visit Tom.
          If we get the opportunity to go back to Oz again, we were planning a trip there.
          I want to see the Huon Pines that Dr David Bellamy saved from the proposed hydro dam.

          1. David Bellamy, now there’s a name that was made a non-person because he based his views on science and expertise.

          2. Back in the 80s, SWMBO worked with Bellamy. Great guy.
            He was perhaps a bit naive over how his rejection of the warming scam would be received – I’d like to think that was because, being an honest and straightforward man, he expected opposition to be the same, and not a bunch of snakes in the grass would would go to all and any lengths to discredit him.

          5. If I ever win the lottery Tom I’ll take you.
            I was hoping to by number 7 Silverleaves on Phillip Island.
            Brucie who I spoke to today has a third ownership. They have spent a year carrying out refurbishments.
            The private beach is at the end of the rear garden.
            I’d get it for under 2 million dollars.
            Fingers crossed. 🤞

        2. You need to go and visit Tom.
          If we get the opportunity to go back to Oz again, we were planning a trip there.
          I want to see the Huon Pines that Dr David Bellamy saved from the proposed hydro dam.

    1. Deluded woman puts off her smear test because medical staff will see she’s a woman pretending to be a man.

      1. By saying she’s a man automatically makes her immune to cervical cancer! Why didn’t we think of that? Think how much money could be saved in vaccinations and surgery if we all took that approach!

    4. Shouldn’t that read “transgender man reveals she put off having a smear…for fear she would be turned away” (because she is still a woman)?

    5. Shouldn’t that read “transgender man reveals she put off having a smear…for fear she would be turned away” (because she is still a woman)?

    2. Quick! Rush down there with a couple of empty buckets. It’s the only way to keep your garden borders refreshed during the hosepipe ban. Lol.

    1. People criticised Truss for not being the sharpest knife in the drawer, but Sunak lost to her in an election.

      1. A guinea-pig displays more leadership aptitude than Rishi Sunak. He has “I’m a rich man’s son-in-law” written all over him.

      1. 367917 + up ticks,

        Evening W,
        my belief is it is not the political reptiles
        that have the magnetic power but the party name, and that currently is used as a nappy to conceal odious treacherous [plitcal @rseholes.

  51. BBC Radio 4 picked up two reports from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11438381/Astronomer-claims-locked-Twitter-video-meteor-mistaken-PORN.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 this morning of individuals who have had Twitter accounts suspended for allegedly sharing pornographic material / inciting violence and hate speech by an automated Twitter moderator.

    Can any Nottlers suggest how an automated moderator might interpret these entirely innocent tweets as violaring Twiiter’s sharing pornographic material/inciting violence and hate speech rules?

    Mary McIntyre, from Oxfordshire, made a six-second animated video clip of the Perseid meteor shower back in August

    and

    Mr Acheson was excited to capture the nature event and tweeted ‘when pinks fly over our house shrieking in the mist’.

  52. BBC Radio 4 picked up two reports from https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11438381/Astronomer-claims-locked-Twitter-video-meteor-mistaken-PORN.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 this morning of individuals who have had Twitter accounts suspended for alledgedly sharing pornographic material inciting violence and hate speech by an automated Twitter moderator.

    Can any Nottlers suggest how an automated moderator might interpret these entirely innocent tweets as violaring Twiiter’s sharing pornographic material/ rules?

    Mary McIntyre, from Oxfordshire, made a six-second animated video clip of the Perseid meteor shower back in August

    and

    Mr Acheson was excited to capture the nature event and tweeted ‘when pinks fly over our house shrieking in the mist’.

  54. “Knifeman in Tesco jacket holds blade to ‘terrified’ mother’s head as she holds her baby”. Yes, the Tesco jacket should id the perps. No mention of the heavy suntans of course.

      1. Fuel more expensive, energy more expensive, corpo tax more expensive, massive inflation. It’s plain, pure insanity. The sort of insane, demented stupidity that will destroy this country completely.

        The lot of them need to burn.

    6. Fuel has just been dropping in price sufficiently to make getting from A to B in the country (with no public transport) just about affordable. Can’t have that, can we?

  57. Utterly off topic.
    We had a problem with the drain into the septic tank this morning. The lavatory wasn’t clearing properly and the normal deblocking fluid didn’t work.
    I telephoned the company who deals with such things and explained the problem. They took my number and said they would try to help and would phone back later today. Less than two hours later a call came through; they could send the lorry in the next hour if that was convenient (ho ho) and true enough it arrived and the whole thing was sorted out before lunch time.
    The fosse man stated we had been keeping the system itself in good condition but there had clearly been a build up of calc in the pipe, (it is an old system), which he cleared. Unfortunately it was necessary to drain the tank, so we will need to be getting back in balance.

    Superb service

    2. Reminds me how delighted we were to be able to go on the mains four years ago. Such a relief…the septic tank never worked properly.

      1. The tank works very well, it’s the damned pipes that are the problem. I fear that I may have to get a man to cut in an inspection cap, so that I can clean it out with the high pressure hose in future.

        We actually have three of the tanks and the only problems he have had are pipe related or idiots putting stuff down that doesn’t decompose, this despite being told ONLY to use the paper we supply. The fact that the label on your wet wipe, tissue or nappy liner says “flushable” does not mean you should put it down the system.

    4. A few years ago we arrived at our holiday destination La Lande, on the South Bank of the river Dordogne. The next morning a downstairs loo had been overflowing.
      We phoned the agent. She rang back within 20 minutes and within the hour two guys in a truck arrived and drained the septic. Merde they said.

        1. It was. And a Nice little town. I took a fishing rod with me. But after hacking my way through the undergrowth at the end of the property the bank was too steep to stand on.

    2. Dear Lavern,

      You may have entered Starbucks and ordered a coffee but I guarantee that what you were served was not coffee. It may have been a cup of brown water or a mug of beige milk, but it would not taste remotely of coffee.

      2. She did say she only goes there rarely! I have never understood why anyone likes Starbucks; on the couple of occasions I’ve been into one, it always struck me as very fake.

        1. I’ve not entered one for over 20 years. The last time I did so, I took my ‘coffee’ back to them and asked them to put a further ‘shot’ of espresso into it. It made no difference and it still tasted like lukewarm milk. I left it and walked out.

        2. It’s about going to Starbucks, not drinking good coffee.
          When the opened at Gardermoen airport, youth would travel up there just to go to Starbucks. Imagine! Taking the tube to Heathrow to get an (at best) average coffee…? Me neither, that’s when I realised that coffee isn’t what it’s about.

          4. When I worked at the Cumbrian Hotel in Carlisle and I’d just got my first car, a bunch of us used to go to Southwaite Services to have coffee and doughnuts at 2/3 in the morning! Just because we could, in my Mini!

          5. When I was a student (in Colchester) a group of us drove up to Birmingham to go ten-pin bowling! Just because we could.

          6. When the “new” London Airport opened in 1963, I went one evening with my chum Alastair Mitchell for a coffee – and to be amazed at watching people going to get on aeroplanes!

          7. In 2025 I plan to drive around the block, I hope that will still be a realistic dream under our “glorious leaders” benign rules.

  59. I don’t understand a government that hammers already soaring taxes on an economy in recession. It’s clear their intent is catastrophic devastation. You recover an economy through tax cuts and cutting state spending. Nothing else. You ruin it with tax. Obviously they plan to force us to the IMF.

      1. Without specifics and expectations of outcome then may as well just burn the cash. The state never mandates any demands for improvement, it just shovels ever more money into the gaping maw.

      2. With the likely state of our economy after Hunt and Sir Cur has finished with it we may rejoin the EU and be net recipients. If the EU thinks we would be in a position to make contributions like last time they don’t know how well a Labour administration can screw things up.

    1. “Well done old boy, you’ve lost the real Conservatives at least the next two elections, but we’ll still be rich”

      “It was nothing, next up is Brentry”

      1. Over the last few months the ex-Tories have been on life-support. This afternoon they surely must have expired. RIP- Remain In Perdition.

      2. Now is the time for all proper Conservative MPs and others in the party to resign and join The Reform Party.

        This surely cannot be allowed to go on for a moment longer.

        My indifference towards Sunak turned to contempt when he was chancellor – it has now turned to total loathing.

    3. Are they trying to throttle him? If not, why not?

      But of course, the decline is now ensured. No growth, recession, poverty until IMF and rammed into the EU. He’s just achieving his masters’ goals.

    4. You would never guess from that photo that Rishi was the PM. Seeing that footage of him with Trudeau has destroyed whatever credibility Sunak had in my eyes!

  65. I haven’t read much in ..unt’s statement but I don’t see anywhere any cuts to Government spending……anyone have any illuminating views?

  66. Beaujolais nouveau villages;
    For my palate it is excellent this year, usually it disappoints.
    Apparently it’s a good year but production is significantly lower.

    1. Never understood why people get enthusiastic about Beauj Nouv.

      Reminds me of the passion in Laure for each year’s “Primeur”. It was – always – quite disgusting, sour. The natives oohed and aahed over it as though it was a grand cru!!

      1. They like bourrou (sp?) around here, can’t see the pleasure myself.

        We try the BN every year and every now an then a good one appears; today’s is good.
        I’m surprised by how many regions are now jumping on the bandwagon as a bad one can only damage your reputation and a really good one is rare.

        2. It’s not bad if heated well above room temp and a clove stuck in it. I drank it steaming hot in a bar in Lermoos Austria whilst skiing – it had side effects like making me think I was Franz Klammer which didn’t last long!

      3. Me neither, Bill. Vile stuff. Said that at a tasting once, and was lucky to escape unscathed.

      5. In the 70s, the great wine Buff, Cyril Ray was a member of the club and we asked him to taste the Beaujolais Nouveau.

        Having considered it he remarked, “Different, but it’s rather like going to bed with a 16-year-old.”

    2. When I was stationed in Germany there was a group of orificers in the Army who used to have orgasms about Beajolais Nouveau, drove to France to acquire cases of the stuff to bring back to the Mess and wittered on about it. I never understood why, it always seemed to be like watered down blackcurrant juice .. a load of social bollocks.

    3. My little bruv used to be sponsored by a local wine merchant to participate in the informal race to bring back the first of the Nouveau.
      Nice little marketing ploy back in the 70s

    4. Haven’t tried one of those for years. 25% off almost all wines at Morrisons today so I topped up the cellar. It’s nearly all white, not much else is.

  67. What happens when you try to tax the rich until the pips squeak: Kjell Inge Røkke, a very rich man who used to live a couple of miles down the road, has moved to Switzerland, taking his money with him, and depriving the county of £13.4 million in tax. Our Labour government are fcuking taxpayers around as is your “conservative” one, and bugger me, the rich are booking one-way executive jet tours to Schweitz. Well, who’d a thunk it? They didn’t get rich without being decisive and action-oriented.
    Kjell Inge started aged 14 as a deck boy on a prawn trawler, moved to the US and bought a fleet, now owns a huge engineering company, half an oil operator, many seafood companies… all his money made by himself, not a gift from Daddy. Respect.

    1. Yep, but the state just sees a tax cow.

      It doesn’t care. It intends to hammer those who are just getting by.

    2. Didn’t Forest Gump make his initial fortune out of a prawn trawler that he had taken over when an army friend of his in Vietnam was killed? And another person who made a fortune out of wet fish was Henry Root, the renowned letter writer.

      2. As quoted by H Root Esq.

        While Titian was mixing rose madder,
        His model reclined on a ladder.
        Her position to Titian
        Suggested coition,
        So he leapt up the ladder and had ‘er.

    3. Shades of the seventies here and the “brain drain”. Now we have the productive classes being replaced with dross – and dross that costs us a fortune to boot.

      1. There is bound to be a repeat of the Good Life .. remember Richard Briers .

        1973 the UK population was 56,223,000, and they were tough times .

          1. We gave up our allotment , the sheep, deer , pheasants etc were nibbling everything , then it became waterlogged .. then we found a grass snake tangled up in the protective netting ..

            We have a garden which is on a slight slope .. Moh grows runner beans , our favourite summer veg.

  68. Evening, all. Very wet and dark here. I consider myself lucky I can have a telephone consultation! What’s a face-to-face appointment?

  69. FUEL duty could increase by a staggering 12p-a-litre sending the cost of petrol and diesel soaring within months.

    The huge 23 per cent increase – the first time fuel duty will have gone up since 2011 – could kick in from the end of March next year. Despite raising a potential £5.7 billion for the Treasury, the mammoth move was not even mentioned in today’s Autumn Statement.

    Am I thick or something .. don’t we pay a small fortune already.. nearly £100 to fill my old Peugeot 307 SW Deisel up .. and Moh’s car and son his Deisel .. three deisels .. that we thought were a great idea because of good fuel economy.

    How on earth are people going to cope?

    1. It will have the knock on effect of putting all prices up because of transport costs and no doubt unions claiming more money to offset the increases and so it goes on, a never ending upward spiral. The only people it won’t affect are the bastards who caused it

    2. I doubt multimillionaires Sunak and Hunt or their WEF bosses will care about that. They’ve made the obligatory genuflection to the “poorest in society.”

    3. They won’t. The state doesn’t care. It’s about destroying the economy. That is what they want, it’s all they want.

      1. We don’t have a regular bus ..
        Son has to go nearly 20 miles to work.

        Hospitals , shops etc nearly 20 miles away, train fares are expensive .

        2. Have you heard the latest? Oxford are going to introduce the 15 minute city. Apparently you should be able to walk/cycle to your destination within that time.

  70. Judge who cleared IDS cone activists was taken to task over political remark

    Chief magistrate was given formal advice after seeming to endorse Palestinian cause in previous hearing

    THE chief magistrate who cleared the protesters accused of threatening Sir Iain Duncan Smith has previously been officially rebuked for appearing to endorse a political cause.

    Paul Goldspring, chief magistrate and a senior district judge, cleared a man accused of assaulting the former Tory leader by “slamming” a traffic cone on his head and two other protesters who were alleged to have threatened and abused Sir Iain.

    Tory MPS were “astonished” at the judgment which, they said, sent out a message that politicians were now “fair game”. “Seemingly you can now walk down the street screaming abuse at a politician, and your right to protest trumps their right not to be intimidated. No matter how threatening the behaviour of protesters is, no action will be taken against them,” said one senior Tory MP.

    Mr Goldspring said the case against two of the protesters centred on their use of the phrase “Tory scum” as they followed Sir Iain, his wife and her friend along Portland Street in Manchester.

    The chief magistrate said using that phrase in the context of them following Sir Iain was “both insulting and pejorative, and I don’t accept that that wasn’t their intention”.

    But he accepted that this behaviour was “reasonable” in the context of Articles 10 and 11 of the Human Rights Act, the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association.

    He said: “The courts do not criminalise free speech. The Crown has not shown me it is proportionate to criminalise those words.”

    However, it has emerged that Mr Goldspring was previously rebuked for making politically contentious comments during a previous court hearing.

    The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) issued “formal advice” to Mr Goldspring after he “gave the impression that he endorsed” the Palestinian cause in one of his judgments.

    It followed a private complaint from a Jewish activist in December 2021.

    The JCIO said Mr Goldspring’s conduct had “fallen below the standards expected”, acknowledging that support for Palestine was a “contentious political cause”. It added that the Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor “took into account… the judge had accepted his remarks were capable of giving such an impression and had expressed regret”.

    It stems from Mr Goldspring’s comments to Feras al-jayoosi, who wore Hamas and Islamic Jihad T-shirts in Golders Green in June 2021, saying that while his support for the Palestinian cause was “worthy”, his backing for political violence was not.

    Mr Goldspring was appointed as chief magistrate in February last year.

    BTL:
    Oh dear oh dear. Who will rid us of these activist judges? The courts seem to be full of them? What are my chances of getting off scott-free if I bop a Labour MP on the head with a cone while shouting “Labour scum”? Will anyone give me odds?

    I’d say that would earn you 20 years of hard “labour” with no prospect of parole.

    When I read about this judge’s decision and the reasoning behind it, I did suspect that there was more to it than met the eye. He may not be “bent”, but he’s far from straight. There are far too many left-wingers who think they have a right to verbally abuse anyone who disagrees with their political views. Several of them do so in letters printed in the Cambridge News (my local paper).

    (to preceding comment) In my experience [living in different places], the safer [electorally] an area is, the more extreme are the views held there. This applies to both left- and right-wing areas. Familiarity may be said to breed contempt but it also breeds greater understanding. Understanding does not mean the same as agreement.

    (reply) Perhaps I used the wrong word – “insult” would have been better than “abuse”. There is nothing wrong with constructive criticism, but I think expressions like “Tory scum” are wrong.

    This judge needs to be removed. This was clearly an assault.

    (Me) For those still in any doubt that the rabid Left have infiltrated the judiciary (as well as all political parties, the MSM, television and radio, education, the police, the NHS, and every other bastion of society) read no further.

    1. The safer an area, the more extreme it’s views…. implying that diversity strength do not have extreme views and are more tolerant. Well, I suppose they might be – that’s why white folk leave those areas post haste and tolerance is shown through stabbing someone.

    2. No different from the “judge” who said he sympathised with the eco-terrorist glue stickers.

          1. Or my father in law, who was a judge.
            He used to tell a story about a case where a neo-Nazi was on trial for burning down a house occupied by a black family.
            The mitigation was that the defendant had shown remorse and warned the occupants by shouting very loudly.

            “burn you bastards, burn”

    3. I was musing on my way home from work today if, when I retire next year, I follow a Labour MP around shouting “Labour scum” and throw a traffic cone at said MP, whether I would also get let off.

  71. Judge who cleared IDS cone activists was taken to task over political remark

    Chief magistrate was given formal advice after seeming to endorse Palestinian cause in previous hearing

    THE chief magistrate who cleared the protesters accused of threatening Sir Iain Duncan Smith has previously been officially rebuked for appearing to endorse a political cause.

    Paul Goldspring, chief magistrate and a senior district judge, cleared a man accused of assaulting the former Tory leader by “slamming” a traffic cone on his head and two other protesters who were alleged to have threatened and abused Sir Iain.

    Tory MPS were “astonished” at the judgment which, they said, sent out a message that politicians were now “fair game”. “Seemingly you can now walk down the street screaming abuse at a politician, and your right to protest trumps their right not to be intimidated. No matter how threatening the behaviour of protesters is, no action will be taken against them,” said one senior Tory MP.

    Mr Goldspring said the case against two of the protesters centred on their use of the phrase “Tory scum” as they followed Sir Iain, his wife and her friend along Portland Street in Manchester.

    The chief magistrate said using that phrase in the context of them following Sir Iain was “both insulting and pejorative, and I don’t accept that that wasn’t their intention”.

    But he accepted that this behaviour was “reasonable” in the context of Articles 10 and 11 of the Human Rights Act, the rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association.

    He said: “The courts do not criminalise free speech. The Crown has not shown me it is proportionate to criminalise those words.”

    However, it has emerged that Mr Goldspring was previously rebuked for making politically contentious comments during a previous court hearing.

    The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) issued “formal advice” to Mr Goldspring after he “gave the impression that he endorsed” the Palestinian cause in one of his judgments.

    It followed a private complaint from a Jewish activist in December 2021.

    The JCIO said Mr Goldspring’s conduct had “fallen below the standards expected”, acknowledging that support for Palestine was a “contentious political cause”. It added that the Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor “took into account… the judge had accepted his remarks were capable of giving such an impression and had expressed regret”.

    It stems from Mr Goldspring’s comments to Feras al-jayoosi, who wore Hamas and Islamic Jihad T-shirts in Golders Green in June 2021, saying that while his support for the Palestinian cause was “worthy”, his backing for political violence was not.

    Mr Goldspring was appointed as chief magistrate in February last year.

    BTL:
    Oh dear oh dear. Who will rid us of these activist judges? The courts seem to be full of them? What are my chances of getting off scott-free if I bop a Labour MP on the head with a cone while shouting “Labour scum”? Will anyone give me odds?

    I’d say that would earn you 20 years of hard “labour” with no prospect of parole.

    When I read about this judge’s decision and the reasoning behind it, I did suspect that there was more to it than met the eye. He may not be “bent”, but he’s far from straight. There are far too many left-wingers who think they have a right to verbally abuse anyone who disagrees with their political views. Several of them do so in letters printed in the Cambridge News (my local paper).

    (to preceding comment) In my experience [living in different places], the safer [electorally] an area is, the more extreme are the views held there. This applies to both left- and right-wing areas. Familiarity may be said to breed contempt but it also breeds greater understanding. Understanding does not mean the same as agreement.

    (reply) Perhaps I used the wrong word – “insult” would have been better than “abuse”. There is nothing wrong with constructive criticism, but I think expressions like “Tory scum” are wrong.

    This judge needs to be removed. This was clearly an assault.

    (Me) For those still in any doubt that the rabid Left have infiltrated the judiciary (as well as all political parties, the MSM, television and radio, education, the police, the NHS, and every other bastion of society) read no further.

  72. How can you tell if your spouse is a witch?

    She offers you a glass of Beaujolais Nouveau and you turn into a frog.

      3. ‘Back in the day’….. at dance halls, if I was refused a jig or slow gliding cuddles with an attractive young lady.
        Was, oh okay can you give me a lift home on yer broomstick? 😏

        1. And you survived? If you’d said that to me, you would have ended up with very bruised shins!

          2. I forgot to mention, it was a joke, and I don’t think I was turned down very often. 😉😊

  73. Right – that’s me for this wet, wet day. Chilly nights to come next week. Ideal time for power cuts. Get yer hooch in pronto – the bastard Jeremy Rhyming will increase alcohol duty. Tesco and Morrisons still doing their 25% off deal. Saved £30 today.

    Have a spiffing evening.

    A demain

  75. Anybody who has ever worked in a properly run organisation…read this and weep.
    It seems to be how most of these venture capital funded software companies work. My son is in one at the moment, apparently it is chaos. A friend of mine was one of the early managers assigned to bring order to the chaos in another.

    Some examples; they didn’t record any minutes; expenses were submitted over a chat app and signed off with an emoji ; directors got personal loans (billion dollars) etc.
    https://twitter.com/GRDecter/status/1593272102047580161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1593272102047580161%7Ctwgr%5E2628fdc64effafda3cec338090b3b76f50794597%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.redditmedia.com%2Fmediaembed%2Fyxvntd%3Fresponsive%3Dtrueis_nightmode%3Dfalse

    1. I’m advising from a techical perspective, on the development of a ground-breaking software, and it’s just that. No strategy, no plans, no thought as to which bit is being done next, what the output should be, what it should look like… I fear that it will crash and burn as a result. And the programmers spend time playing tabletennis or bongos – what I’d call “goofing off”.

      1. The last Hollywood film I saw in the cinema was “Bad Moms” – a joke that runs throughout the film is that she works at one of these companies, is the only person who does any actual work – but one day she complains about all the unpaid overtime she does – so the brattish founder sacks her.
        Only to beg her to return a week later, because no work is getting done.

        I saw that film in Germany – I was the only one in the cinema laughing at all the terrible stuff the bad moms were doing because they were so busy – all the perfect German stay at home mummies didn’t find it remotely funny – which only made me laugh even more.

        Frankly, I have no patience with spoilt millennials and their desire to make a kindergarten out of the workplace.

  76. The urgent care part of Colchester Hospital in Essex was temporarily closed
    A source told MailOnline this was because of an ‘infection control issue’
    Concerns were raised based on a patient’s viral symptoms and travel history
    The area fully reopened at seven o’clock this morning and is running normally
    This comes as Uganda faces an outbreak of the virus that has killed 55 people
    By HANNAH MCDONALD FOR MAILONLINE

    PUBLISHED: 17:34, 17 November 2022 | UPDATED: 17:37, 17 November 2022

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11440099/Ebola-scare-Britain-Hospital-Essex-shut-overnight.html

  78. 367917+ up ticks,

    Gerard Batten
    @gjb2021
    ·
    1h
    The Tories have crashed the economy with their covid lockdowns & they will implement the Globalists’ Great Reset.

    The Tories will get deservedly annihilated in the next general election, & the new Labour government will continue to implement the Globalists’ Great Reset.

    The prime movers in the Tory & Labour parties will eventually go on to reap their rewards in international jobs, consultancies, lecture tours etc, while their gutless & brainwashed MPs will cling to the desperate hope that they might somehow be re-elected.

    Meanwhile we the people/serfs will be preoccupied with trying to survive & competing for resources with the millions of migrants/invaders yet to be imported….more
    Millions to pay more tax – what Jeremy Hunt’s announcement means for you — Apple News Spotlight

    More top earners will pay the 45p rate, but today’s changes affect everyone – read full details here.

    apple.news

    https://gettr.com/post/p1yn5hkd18e

    1. Excellent BTL:
      GH

      Gary Halstead
      16 MIN AGO
      The Mem and I will not only not vote Conservative any more but we have both cancelled our membership of the faux-Tory Party and she has joined Reform.
      The metamorphosis of the Parliamentary Conservative Party under the WEF’s Davosian puppet, Sunak, into a woke, Blairite, Greenscam, Rejoiner and nascent Sinophile Party is finally complete.
      Any actual ‘Conservatives’ left in the CPP and all Conservatives out in the country should be resigning the whip / their memberships and rethinking their political allegiance to what is now to all intents and purposes the Guardianista Party (myself, I’m politically homeless there being no right of centre entity in existence in the UK) because, aside from a few honourable exceptions, the current incarnation of the PCP consists not of Tory MPs but Blairite faux-Tories like the ‘Davosian’ Sunak, the europhile ‘Berkeley’ Hunt, LibDems Gayle, Gove and Ellwood inter alia who are intent on destroying the Conservative Party from the inside; ably aided and abetted by the Media, the Leftist Blob infesting UK’s infrastructure and sundry assorted Rejoiners in order to bring about a pro-EU/globalist and socialist Government.
      Once such a party is elected, one of the first changes it will bring about is to give the vote to over 16s and the millions of currently illegal aliens who will be offered an amnesty to come forward and apply for citizenship. We will then become – effectively – a one party socialist state controlled, not necessarily by those actually elected but by WEF actors pulling the strings in the background – as we witnessed in the coup against Truss – in perpetuity.

    2. And here’s a lesson, Mr Geoff Skinner
      21 MIN AGO
      I know readers of the DT think lowering taxes is the cure for all ills, and I’m sure Ms T has the got figures right (“an eye watering tax burden due to hit 37.1 per cent of GDP”), but actually in many, if not most, developed economies the level of tax as a proportion of GDP is higher. And most of those economies are in better shape than ours. Finland, Austria, Sweden, Italy, Belgium, France, Denmark are all over 40%. Of course they all have problems, but are they worse than the UK?
      The reason we are in this mess is 12 years of austerity, but letting the rich get richer, topped off by the pandemic and energy crisis. If we’d invested in our country rather than facilitating profiteering we’d have coped with those storms much better.
      I can’t speak for other countries, but in Norway the local tax is based on your income, collected by Government, and distributed to the local authorities. Thus, my income tax here in Norway is about 40%, of which 22% is local tax. The point is, to compare apples with apples, tax paid to government with tax paid to government – that’s all the taxes I pay that aren’t VAT, so no rates. And, when I last lived in the UK, I paid quite a bit in council tax – from taxed income, making the pain worse.

      1. As has been said many times, the tax system here is just so complicated, its hard to judge how much you are actually paying. Is that 40 across your whole income or graduated as in UK?

      2. “The rich get richer” BECAUSE they tax the productive, not because they don’t. They enrich themselves and buy their client underclass and they continue until there’s nothing left to steal.

  81. Moving further down the sewer.

    The Canadian government have announced that starting on March 31st next yesr, people who are mentally ill can apply for medically assisted suicide. No need for a physical illness, no need to be in pain or near to death, just be certified as mentally ill.

    One can think of many Canadian government ministers (prime or otherwise) who are considered to be mentally ill because of the policies they keep pushing.

    Time to prepare the popcorn. Trudeau has been summoned to appear at the Emergency Act inquiry to justify his use of the act. We don’t expect answers from numb nuts but it should be a master class in avoiding answering the question

        1. Hell, in Trudeau land anyone can “be” anything, I think I’m a doctor, no different from thinking I’m a woman.
          Bye Justin.

          2. You may jest but we noticed a shockingly high number of downright weird humanoids walking the streets in Toronto this summer. One can but hope that such degenerates will not breed.

  82. Getting closer to lockdowns. The federal government are now recommending masks for all travel. How long until they mandate masks and start banning the unvaccinated?

    To think they tell us that one of the causes for the sharp increase in childrens illness is that they have been isolated behind masks and not gaining immunity through exposure to normal colds and snifles.

    Totally insane thinking.

    1. Yet Turdeau was swanning around maskless with his fellow Scum from all over without a care in the world at that gathering jolly in Bali.
      My son and his family will enthusiastically conform to whatever restrictions are imposed. Though there will be much anger if kids kindergarten and school are once again shut. In September this year, I was shocked to see the teaching assistant in younger child’s kindergarten was fully masked even while outdoors in the playground.

  83. I think I’ve fix the sour taste in my 45 litres of green apple cider. I went to Tesco and purchased 4 litres of their pure apple juice. I poured intoa my two large containers a litre each, sofar it hasn’t re-trigered the fermentation. Over night will be the test.
    I’ve even bottle a pint and given it to Dave across the road who provided a lot of the apples. I warned him not to drive after testing it.

  84. Brian Cox channel 5 TV Haves and have not.
    Rich vs poor.
    I’ll be leaving you now.
    Good night.
    I might have to grab a nightcap.
    Tomorrow is another day.

  85. Evening all. This afternoon I took my husband into A & E & came home without him.

    Over the last few weeks he’s had multiple diagnostic tests – last week after the echocardiogram they recommended he go straight to A & E & wait to be admitted – but he just wanted to return home. This morning he had a follow-up appointment with the GP and she said she would write a letter to take to A& E – so at least this time he was prepared with an overnight bag.

    He needs surgery for severe aortic stenosis – whether that can be done without opening him up I don’t know.

    1. Will keep you in my thoughts and wish you both every good outcome.
      I do understand as we have issues here also.

      1. Thanks Ann. It’s good to see you back here. It’s not easy getting old, is it? Though I have to say our GP surgery has been good. We’ve not had any problem getting face to face appointments.

        1. We have three appointments at the end of next week- two for me and one for MH. I will not bore this forum by relating the horrific afternoon I had yesterday….in fact, I doubt I shall be up late tonight.

          2. Sleep is always most difficult when most needed. Let’s pray it’s all sorted swiftly and successfully 🙏 Did the hospital give any idea of timescale?

          3. Not really – though the NHS website suggests a week for open heart surgery. I hope they will let me know tomorrow.

          8. Poor Lotl.

            I was thinking about you earlier , and hoping you were enjoying the spot of fine weather we are blessed with after all that rain .

            So sorry all these very exhausting events are monopolising you both . I do hope there will be a happy outcome soon .

            Sleep well.

    3. Thinking of you both, and hope you have a peaceful night. Best wishes and blessings for the resolution of the problem. 💐

      1. Thanks Anne – how is MB? And the move preparations? Very stressful time for you both.
        On the theme – I keep thinking about the bloody jabs – he had three doses of Pfizer. Of course it could just be natural degeneration.

    7. Oh my goodness, thank goodness for lots of things Julien.

      What a terrible worry .
      My thoughts are with you both .
      Try to relax this evening and sleep well .

    8. What a worrying time for you both. Here’s hoping for a successful outcome and recovery. Look after yourself too so you are best prepared for his recuperation.

    9. At my most recent stay in Addenbrookes I was given to understand from various tests that I might have stenosis of the Aorta where it serves the heart. Subsequently different tests proved unreliable and eventually I was advised that my heart function was normal.

      Had I required treatment this would have been what is described as invasive surgery. This would have involved the insertion of a stent via an artery normally in the thigh whereby the stent is positioned in the area of the stenosis where the aorta is narrowed.

      Thousands have stents inserted to treat
      narrowing or constricted arteries.

      A dear friend of mine died unexpectedly of an aortic aneurysm. He was aged 57 and a fit man (with diabetes) but had been persuaded to take the Covid jabs. To this day I believe the jabs did for him.

      I wish you and your husband the very best and pray for his full recovery.

      1. Thankyou – he phoned this morning and had had a sleepless night in a chair, but they’ve assured him there will be a bed for him tonight. He hasn’t yet seen the cardiologist. The surgery you describe is probably what he will have – it’s less invasive than open heart surgery. In his case the narrowing is in the aortic valve, so a valve replacement hopefully.
        He had three doses of the toxic Pfizer jabs – so my thoughts do go to that as a possible cause, though it might be natural degeneration as he is nearly 80. He’s normally very fit and active – but collapsing while playing table tennis was the first indication of trouble.

        I’m sure the cardiologists have their thoughts on the causes of this surge in cardiovascular problems. There does seem to be a pattern, particularly in younger people.

    1. Is that the Christmas lighting? It would have been more tasteful all in one colour, preferably a warm white.

    3. Time was when I would have agreed with you, Ann. But now… I am resigned to expecting getting more and more insane every single day.

  91. “New governments set out to correct the mistakes of their predecessors e.g. Howe’s budget in the first weeks of the first Thatcher government, but Rishi Sunak’s ministry is endeavouring to correct all the mistakes made by, er, Rishi Sunak. It’s very hard to pass yourself off as Nelson Mandela when you’ve been Hendrik Verwoerd for the entirety of your cabinet career.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikHu7GtJNQw

    2. Robert Craven 🇮🇪 🇪🇺 IrishCrimeAuthor 🏳️‍🌈
      @cravenrobert
      ·
      4h
      Replying to
      @BBCNews
      So it’s an IKEA budget, bits missing and no one understands the instructions?

  95. Why, oh why, will Ann Widdecombe not run for PM? As we all know on this site, Ann(e)s can be formidable;-)
    Widdy is a plain spoken lady and we need more like her.

    1. Common sense runs through her like a stick of rock. I watched Victoria Wood’s Christmas Ann Widdecombe the other night, it always makes me laugh affectionately; Victoria has captured the whimsical essence of Ann Widdecombe perfectly.

    1. Nope. Never voted Labour and never will. Though our former Labour MP was a good local man, but I couldn’t bring myself to vote for him.

    2. 367917 + up ticks,

      What difference they are a blurry coalition but you gotta vote tory (in name only) party to keep out labour (in name only) party,same as, you gotta vote labour (in name only party) to keep out tory (in name only) party

      The village idiots assoc.abstained from voting voting in such a fashion on account it would get them a bad name.

  98. Government turns to discredited Labour health secretary Patricia Hewitt to make NHS more efficient – 15 years after she left Cabinet
    Jeremy Hunt said Hewitt will help him operate the new ‘integrated care boards’
    Hewitt held four frontbench roles under Tony Blair but faced multiple scandals
    She was suspended from Labour party in 2010 over lobbying irregularities
    By KUMAIL JAFFER FOR MAILONLINE

    PUBLISHED: 18:02, 17 November 2022 | UPDATED: 18:33, 17 November 2022

    Disgraced former Labour health secretary Patricia Hewitt has been drafted in to advise the Government on making the NHS more efficient.

    Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said the New Labour-era minister will help him and Health Secretary Steve Barclay on operating new ‘integrated care boards’, which replaced clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) earlier this year.

    Miss Hewitt, who held four frontbench roles under Tony Blair, faced scandals before and during her time in government.

    She was suspended from the Labour Party in 2010 over political lobbying irregularities, and was forced to apologise over her links to a paedophile lobbying group in the 1970s.

    Last night one senior Tory said: ‘Why on earth are we appointing a discredited Labour politician to lead a review of the NHS?

    ‘We never, ever learn – we are constantly appointing opponents to do reviews which are then used to attack us.’

    n 2014 Miss Hewitt apologised for having ‘got it wrong’ when it came to dealing with the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) when she was general secretary of the National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL).

    The two organisations were affiliated for eight years between 1975 and 1983.

    A 1976 NCCL press release issued in her name proposed that the age of consent should be lowered to just 10 in some cases, and that incest should be abolished.

    Miss Hewitt later said: ‘I take responsibility for the mistakes we made. I got it wrong on PIE and I apologise for having done so.

    ‘NCCL in the 1970s, along with many others, was naïve and wrong to accept PIE’s claim to be a ”campaigning and counselling organisation”.’

    She was elected as the Labour MP for Leicester West 14 years after stepping down from the organisation and was quickly promoted to government.

    However, she faced a tumultuous two years as health secretary due to the introduction of a controversial junior doctor application scheme and slashing NHS spending to balance the books. Her achievements included implementing the ban on smoking in public places.

    After being sacked by Gordon Brown – and taking roles with major firms such as BT and Alliance Boots – she was named as one of the MPs in a ‘cash for access’ scandal.

    During a sting operation by Channel 4 in 2010, she appeared to claim she was paid £3,000 a day to help a client obtain a seat on a government advisory group, and was subsequently suspended from Labour amid the allegations – though no further action was taken.

    Mr Hunt also announced yesterday that Sir Michael Barber, who advised the Blair administration on education before taking a leading role in delivering public services, was being drafted back into government.

    While Miss Hewitt will advise the government ‘on how to make sure the new integrated care boards operate efficiently with appropriate autonomy and accountability’, Sir Michael will help reform Britain’s current skills programme.

    Sir Michael, an experienced educationist, worked for Mr Blair for eight years before taking roles with educational publishing firm Pearson and becoming chairman of the Office for Students watchdog.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11440449/Government-turns-discredited-Labour-health-secretary-Patricia-Hewitt-make-NHS-efficient.html

    2. 367917+ up ticks,

      Evening TB,

      Nobody blurry listens ever, that is how a blurry coalition works.

      They have been a blurry mass uncontrolled immigration / paedophile umbrella coalition for three plus decades,but nobody blurry listens.

      1. I just watched a video clip of Chuck Schumer, now minority Congress leader in the States, brazenly admitting that there are more than the long touted 11 million undocumented illegals in his country and that he wishes all of them to be granted citizenship (and to vote).

        Most commentators believe there are approximately 30 million illegals in the USA.

        The similarities between the USA and the UK on actual immigration policy mirror each other.

        Our country has descended to the pits of civilisation. Us indigenous whiteys are now to be labelled as racist outcasts whilst the detritus of nasty foreign countries and those released from their prisons replace us.

    4. Her embracing of PIE might mean that she has a unique insight into how Islamic minds work.

    5. What better and faster way to bring down our country than by brazenly recruiting one of the worst and most corrupt Labour Party former ministers to an advisory role on ‘our NHS’.

    6. Obvious and out standing evidence that the NHS is being slowly wound to a halt.
      But it’s the same old story. Over the past 5-6 plus decades. Our political idiots have allowed anyone to access the NHS and including millions who have never paid a single penny to support the service.
      And the same old, same old, the people who suffer are the same people who have been paying to support the service since it was first established. Us.
      Also many people with private medical insurance, who through taxation are paying twice.

      1. Your last point is a real scandal. In other countries, one is allowed to opt out of social healthcare.

    7. The mask is slipping; the whole WEF/Bilderberg establishment is pushing paedophilia or turning a blind eye to it.

  100. G’night all. Won’t be around until late afternoon tomorrow. I’m playing keyboards at a Dementia awareness function 70 miles away, so early start

  102. Beeb news stated several times today after the budgie that were going to see the biggest drop in living standards for seventy years.
    What they fail to add is that this generation has for a long time bee lucky enough to enjoy the highest living standards in history, ever.
    Losing a few luxuries and living like our grandparents did would still be better than what many around the world have to tolerate.

    1. Morning Stormy. Once you fall from the peak there is no saying where you will finish. All wish for a convenient ledge where they may rest and recover but too often it is broken at the foot of the precipice.

    2. Morning, not just our grandparents but our/my generation. As young children many of us lived similar lives to those who we regularly see on our TV screens filling their shopping bags for a couple of pounds. But most looking well nourished and never stop moaning.
      I’ll bet they throw away most of it, due to use/sell by dates. Our mother’s didn’t waste food.

    3. My Grandparents span the years 1864 – 1944. I was too young to know my paternal Grandmother who died 6 months after I was born. I wonder if those years, Stormy, are something to aspire to.

      1. There are innumerable health conditions that àre survivable now that weren’t fifty or sixty years ago. My point wasn’t aimed at that – more at the luxuries that are seen as rights namely three foreign holidays a year, designer clothes, exotic foods, children being driven to school, tv subscription harness, etc

        1. Ha, I doubt my Grandparents on either side knew much about those luxuries, although my Maternal Grandparents were a Doctor and his wife

          1. Exacto. People take cry hardship now if they haven’t got things that didn’t exist before. Central heating’s another one.

      1. Daft as things are, I’m sitting up in bed waiting for the alarm to go off in 8…..7 minutes 🙃

  104. Looks like Tom, Eddie and Elsie are all vying to be first on Friday’s NoTTLe site on Friday.

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