An unofficial place to discuss the Telegraph letters, established when the DT website turned off its comments facility (now reinstated, but not as good as ours),
Intelligent, polite, good-humoured debate is welcome, whether on or off topic. Differing opinions are encouraged, but rudeness or personal attacks on other posters will not be tolerated. Posts which – in the opinion of the moderators – make this a less than cordial environment, are likely to be removed, without prior warning. Persistent offenders will be banned.
Today’s letters (visible only to DT subscribers) are here:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/05/17/letters-phoning-gp-opening-time-discover-every-appointment-has/
mng to those online. DT’s 77 Bde scribblers struggling to stay even irrelevant this am: Jonathon Davies [presumably NOT the rugby player] is upset the dog always gets the best seat on the bus. Vivienne Stokes should know that you don’t cook crickets, you fry them:
SIR – I would really appreciate your newspaper continuing a campaign for face-to-face consultations with our doctors.
My husband and I are in our 80s and it is really quite frightening when you are feeling unwell and you can’t get through to anyone in the surgery.
We have been 30-something in the queue when we have rung at precisely 8 am, when the lines open. Then, when you do get through, there are no
appointments left.
We are supposed to have a named doctor, as we are over 75, but I have never met my doctor to my knowledge. We don’t feel anyone at the surgery is really caring for us.
Gill Allen
Wokingham, Berkshire
SIR – J Meirion Thomas (Comment, May 15) is right to suggest that general practice is broken, even when functioning outside Covid restrictions.
When, for example, did a three-week wait to see a GP become the norm? And when did it become necessary to return a week later for any required blood tests? And why should one then wait expectantly for a result that is never transmitted to the patient because the doctor has marked it as needing “No Further Action”?
When I worked in Eastern Europe, more than 20 years ago, polyclinics were well established as one-stop shops for patient needs. Following a GP consultation all necessary investigations, including X-rays, were carried out without delay.
In comparison, British general practice seems archaic.
Dr A C E Stacey MRCGP
Rustington, West Sussex
SIR – J Meirion Thomas’s call for general practice to return to face-to-face appointments by default is not consistent with his recognition of the workforce crisis, brought about by a decade and a half of systematic disinvestment.
We were instructed by NHS England to move our default access channel to telephone and video consultations at the start of the pandemic, to control and prevent infection. However, this system of “total triage” can have an important role in ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate care at the most appropriate time.
Last week, I took a telephone call from a lady who was concerned that a skin blemish might be cancerous. An hour later she was sitting in front of me, and an hour after that she received a phone call from the local hospital in response to my urgent referral for her skin cancer.
Previously, when every consultation took place face-to-face, with waits of up to four weeks, this response would have been impossible. Meanwhile, minor ailments and queries are frequently dealt with, wholly appropriately, by telephone or email, in each case saving a face-to-face appointment for a patient who really needs it.
Currently, the use of telephone and online triage is the only tool we have that can direct increasingly scarce resources to those who require them – and until the Government produces the missing 5,889 doctors it says we need, we have to keep using it.
Dr Nicholas Jackson
Selby, North Yorkshire
SIR – I read with horror the recent letters and reports about the trouble that many people have had getting a phone or face-to-face appointment with their doctor.
However, I can say with all honesty that my surgery, Haverthwaite, has been brilliant. The office staff, pharmacists and doctors are all friendly, efficient and empathetic.
Please don’t class all surgeries as being unhelpful. Haverthwaite can’t be the only excellent one in the country.
Valerie Beacock
Ulverston, Cumbria
SIR – Oh dear – is the NHS now in danger of being overwhelmed by non-Covid patients?
David Golding
Upper Minety, Wiltshire
No travel, no heating
SIR – Carlos Tavares, the chief executive of Vauxhall’s holding company, is spot on when he says (Business, May 13) that “freedom of mobility” is in danger of becoming the exclusive preserve of the wealthy as the forced move to electric cars gathers pace.
A similar situation will surely apply in aviation, as an increasing tax regime and forced use of green fuels, or even batteries, put the price of flying out of the reach of all but the rich.
The rush to “net zero” may also have the effect of reserving the heating of one’s house for those who can afford the ever-rising cost. Current renewable technology dictates that heating is neither affordable nor reliable.
What we are witnessing is some of society’s greatest advances – cheap, universally available electricity, affordable personal mobility and foreign travel – moving beyond the reach of the average citizen.
As Cop26 in nearby Glasgow approaches, I am preparing my placard: “Net zero NOW. I want to be cold, poor, and unable to go anywhere.”
Alan Crawford
Gartocharn, Dunbartonshire
Andrew Marr’s politics
SIR – I have a solution to Andrew Marr’s problem (“Marr: It will be hard for me to stay neutral on politics in the future”, report, May 17).
Change your job. Go back to print journalism where everybody can see your Labour leanings, just as we did when The Independent was on the streets.
Martin Jenkins
Bournemouth
Voter ID
SIR – Why the outcry against possible introduction of proof of identity when voting? Here in Northern Ireland it has been the norm since the Electoral Fraud (NI) Act of 2002. Acceptable photographic identification must be shown at the polling station – along with the polling card – in order to vote.
For voters without an acceptable form of ID, an electoral identity card is created for them. Surely the same can be applied in the rest of the UK.
Dennis Constable
Dundrum, Co Down
A cure for Harry’s pain
SIR – If Prince Harry wants to break the cycle of genetic pain and suffering for his family, the only effective way is to remove all of his titles so that he becomes plain Harry Windsor.
John Spiller
Bristol
Unmask that rider
SIR – With the easing of lockdown measures, I hope that a message will get through to the mask-wearing youth that I see every morning as he cycles furiously to school down a country lane. Perhaps he could now remove his mask and don a cycle helmet instead.
Kathy Bowe
Middlewich, Cheshire
Mitford on screen
SIR – I am surprised that, in recent reviews and correspondence, I have seen no reference to two earlier television realisations of Nancy Mitford’s splendid novels.
Twenty years ago The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate were produced in three longish episodes with Alan Bates as Uncle Matthew, Rosamund Pike as Fanny and Sheila Gish (with an eyepatch) a memorable Lady Montdore. In spite of the inevitable abbreviations, after watching there was no sense of having been cheated or short-changed: the essential story was all there.
Before that, in the 1980s, a more ambitious, much anticipated six-episode production, with Judi Dench and Michael Aldridge as the Alconleigh parents, was somehow less enjoyable. I remember critics being dismissive of the “U” children’s non-U accents in episode one, but adding: “Never mind – we are done with them now.”
Paul Fincham
Woodbridge, Suffolk
When women only wore the trousers at home
SIR – Mick Brown (“Is this the death of the work suit?”, Features, May 7) bemoans the loss of style.
When I was a boy, my mother wore slacks in the house and my father an open-necked shirt. If they went shopping, my mother changed into a skirt and my father put on a tie. Women were banned from smart restaurants if they were wearing trousers, as were men without a tie.
Times change. Trousers for women are now stylish. It has taken much longer for us to accept that a man can look smart without wearing matching jacket and trousers and pretty silk neckwear, but, like skirts and high heels for women, suits and ties for men are now becoming items of choice rather than obligation.
Steven Field
Wokingham, Berkshire
A dog with a taste for the best seat on the bus
SIR – A school friend’s dog (Letters, May 15), Pip, had the habit of catching the bus from near Mumbles for the five-mile trip to the centre of Swansea, where he’d spend a couple of hours before catching the bus home.
The family were in complete ignorance of this until one day they were on the bus and the conductor apologetically told them that some passengers had complained about their dog.
The trouble wasn’t that Pip travelled unaccompanied, nor that he was not paying a fare. It related to the fact that he always occupied what he, like the human passengers, regarded as the best position on the bus, namely the front seat of the upper deck.
Jonathan Davies
Swansea
SIR – Our dog took himself for walks. We lived in a downstairs flat and if he was away on a walk when we went out, we left a window open – big enough, as it happened, for a person to climb through, if so inclined. We also had the front-door key on a string so it could be pulled through the letter-box.
This was 70 years ago. One wonders why we locked any doors at all.
Carol Burke
Oswestry, Shropshire
Crunch time
SIR – Regarding your report (“Maggots on the menu if protein sources run dry”, May 14), I have cooked nsenene (crickets) in Tanzania.
I fried them with tomatoes and onions. They were delicious.
Vivienne Stokes
Oswestry, Shropshire
SIR – I am reminded of an anecdote told by William Cowper in a letter of 1787.
“A poor man begged food at the Hall lately. The cook gave him some vermicelli soup. He ladled it about some time with the spoon, and then returned it to her, saying, ‘I am a poor man, it is true, and I am very hungry, but yet I cannot eat broth with maggots in it’.”
Elizabeth Potter
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex
Morning AWK et al
Carol Burke must have had a bloody clever dexterous dog if she thought it might gain entry by using the front-door key on a string…..
mng, I know, but on the bright side, more intelligent than her. Best get the dog to write the letters, would make more sense. I presume it’s Carol’s virtue signal to say she lost her key
I thought it was more that 70 years ago, it was possible to leave the house virtually open, rather than CCTVed and barricaded like Fort Knox as is increasingly necessary these days.
She neglected to mention that the key was for use by the milkman.
MOH had a dog that used to take the ‘bus to town. It would then browse the butchers’ shops pretending it hadn’t been fed before catching the ‘bus home. Sometimes, people who didn’t know its habits would bring it back, thinking it was lost.
mng to those online. DT’s 77 Bde scribblers struggling to stay even irrelevant this am: Jonathon Davies [presumably NOT the rugby player] is upset the dog always gets the best seat on the bus. Vivienne Stokes hould know that you don’t cook crickets, you fry them:
SIR – I would really appreciate your newspaper continuing a campaign for face-to-face consultations with our doctors.
My husband and I are in our 80s and it is really quite frightening when you are feeling unwell and you can’t get through to anyone in the surgery.
We have been 30-something in the queue when we have rung at precisely 8 am, when the lines open. Then, when you do get through, there are no
appointments left.
We are supposed to have a named doctor, as we are over 75, but I have never met my doctor to my knowledge. We don’t feel anyone at the surgery is really caring for us.
Gill Allen
Wokingham, Berkshire
SIR – J Meirion Thomas (Comment, May 15) is right to suggest that general practice is broken, even when functioning outside Covid restrictions.
When, for example, did a three-week wait to see a GP become the norm? And when did it become necessary to return a week later for any required blood tests? And why should one then wait expectantly for a result that is never transmitted to the patient because the doctor has marked it as needing “No Further Action”?
When I worked in Eastern Europe, more than 20 years ago, polyclinics were well established as one-stop shops for patient needs. Following a GP consultation all necessary investigations, including X-rays, were carried out without delay.
In comparison, British general practice seems archaic.
Dr A C E Stacey MRCGP
Rustington, West Sussex
SIR – J Meirion Thomas’s call for general practice to return to face-to-face appointments by default is not consistent with his recognition of the workforce crisis, brought about by a decade and a half of systematic disinvestment.
We were instructed by NHS England to move our default access channel to telephone and video consultations at the start of the pandemic, to control and prevent infection. However, this system of “total triage” can have an important role in ensuring that patients receive the most appropriate care at the most appropriate time.
Last week, I took a telephone call from a lady who was concerned that a skin blemish might be cancerous. An hour later she was sitting in front of me, and an hour after that she received a phone call from the local hospital in response to my urgent referral for her skin cancer.
Previously, when every consultation took place face-to-face, with waits of up to four weeks, this response would have been impossible. Meanwhile, minor ailments and queries are frequently dealt with, wholly appropriately, by telephone or email, in each case saving a face-to-face appointment for a patient who really needs it.
Currently, the use of telephone and online triage is the only tool we have that can direct increasingly scarce resources to those who require them – and until the Government produces the missing 5,889 doctors it says we need, we have to keep using it.
Dr Nicholas Jackson
Selby, North Yorkshire
SIR – I read with horror the recent letters and reports about the trouble that many people have had getting a phone or face-to-face appointment with their doctor.
However, I can say with all honesty that my surgery, Haverthwaite, has been brilliant. The office staff, pharmacists and doctors are all friendly, efficient and empathetic.
Please don’t class all surgeries as being unhelpful. Haverthwaite can’t be the only excellent one in the country.
Valerie Beacock
Ulverston, Cumbria
SIR – Oh dear – is the NHS now in danger of being overwhelmed by non-Covid patients?
David Golding
Upper Minety, Wiltshire
No travel, no heating
SIR – Carlos Tavares, the chief executive of Vauxhall’s holding company, is spot on when he says (Business, May 13) that “freedom of mobility” is in danger of becoming the exclusive preserve of the wealthy as the forced move to electric cars gathers pace.
A similar situation will surely apply in aviation, as an increasing tax regime and forced use of green fuels, or even batteries, put the price of flying out of the reach of all but the rich.
The rush to “net zero” may also have the effect of reserving the heating of one’s house for those who can afford the ever-rising cost. Current renewable technology dictates that heating is neither affordable nor reliable.
What we are witnessing is some of society’s greatest advances – cheap, universally available electricity, affordable personal mobility and foreign travel – moving beyond the reach of the average citizen.
As Cop26 in nearby Glasgow approaches, I am preparing my placard: “Net zero NOW. I want to be cold, poor, and unable to go anywhere.”
Alan Crawford
Gartocharn, Dunbartonshire
Andrew Marr’s politics
SIR – I have a solution to Andrew Marr’s problem (“Marr: It will be hard for me to stay neutral on politics in the future”, report, May 17).
Change your job. Go back to print journalism where everybody can see your Labour leanings, just as we did when The Independent was on the streets.
Martin Jenkins
Bournemouth
Voter ID
SIR – Why the outcry against possible introduction of proof of identity when voting? Here in Northern Ireland it has been the norm since the Electoral Fraud (NI) Act of 2002. Acceptable photographic identification must be shown at the polling station – along with the polling card – in order to vote.
For voters without an acceptable form of ID, an electoral identity card is created for them. Surely the same can be applied in the rest of the UK.
Dennis Constable
Dundrum, Co Down
A cure for Harry’s pain
SIR – If Prince Harry wants to break the cycle of genetic pain and suffering for his family, the only effective way is to remove all of his titles so that he becomes plain Harry Windsor.
John Spiller
Bristol
Unmask that rider
SIR – With the easing of lockdown measures, I hope that a message will get through to the mask-wearing youth that I see every morning as he cycles furiously to school down a country lane. Perhaps he could now remove his mask and don a cycle helmet instead.
Kathy Bowe
Middlewich, Cheshire
Mitford on screen
SIR – I am surprised that, in recent reviews and correspondence, I have seen no reference to two earlier television realisations of Nancy Mitford’s splendid novels.
Twenty years ago The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate were produced in three longish episodes with Alan Bates as Uncle Matthew, Rosamund Pike as Fanny and Sheila Gish (with an eyepatch) a memorable Lady Montdore. In spite of the inevitable abbreviations, after watching there was no sense of having been cheated or short-changed: the essential story was all there.
Before that, in the 1980s, a more ambitious, much anticipated six-episode production, with Judi Dench and Michael Aldridge as the Alconleigh parents, was somehow less enjoyable. I remember critics being dismissive of the “U” children’s non-U accents in episode one, but adding: “Never mind – we are done with them now.”
Paul Fincham
Woodbridge, Suffolk
When women only wore the trousers at home
SIR – Mick Brown (“Is this the death of the work suit?”, Features, May 7) bemoans the loss of style.
When I was a boy, my mother wore slacks in the house and my father an open-necked shirt. If they went shopping, my mother changed into a skirt and my father put on a tie. Women were banned from smart restaurants if they were wearing trousers, as were men without a tie.
Times change. Trousers for women are now stylish. It has taken much longer for us to accept that a man can look smart without wearing matching jacket and trousers and pretty silk neckwear, but, like skirts and high heels for women, suits and ties for men are now becoming items of choice rather than obligation.
Steven Field
Wokingham, Berkshire
A dog with a taste for the best seat on the bus
SIR – A school friend’s dog (Letters, May 15), Pip, had the habit of catching the bus from near Mumbles for the five-mile trip to the centre of Swansea, where he’d spend a couple of hours before catching the bus home.
The family were in complete ignorance of this until one day they were on the bus and the conductor apologetically told them that some passengers had complained about their dog.
The trouble wasn’t that Pip travelled unaccompanied, nor that he was not paying a fare. It related to the fact that he always occupied what he, like the human passengers, regarded as the best position on the bus, namely the front seat of the upper deck.
Jonathan Davies
Swansea
SIR – Our dog took himself for walks. We lived in a downstairs flat and if he was away on a walk when we went out, we left a window open – big enough, as it happened, for a person to climb through, if so inclined. We also had the front-door key on a string so it could be pulled through the letter-box.
This was 70 years ago. One wonders why we locked any doors at all.
Carol Burke
Oswestry, Shropshire
Crunch time
SIR – Regarding your report (“Maggots on the menu if protein sources run dry”, May 14), I have cooked nsenene (crickets) in Tanzania.
I fried them with tomatoes and onions. They were delicious.
Vivienne Stokes
Oswestry, Shropshire
SIR – I am reminded of an anecdote told by William Cowper in a letter of 1787.
“A poor man begged food at the Hall lately. The cook gave him some vermicelli soup. He ladled it about some time with the spoon, and then returned it to her, saying, ‘I am a poor man, it is true, and I am very hungry, but yet I cannot eat broth with maggots in it’.”
Elizabeth Potter
Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex
A few images to get the morning going https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6c01b21de82dfa663cddcc3a363af2a5c35e64d547932343466b658ee12f00b2.jpg plus https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/41eb510daacc3bd3125bf1c935468dadc69787154baf7d13676d85e63f28cd37.jpg and the mind games https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8c7616b5312ed969339791b7902bc697b398ff4672f3ef20a663c2c69432e2e2.jpg
More than 5,000 migrants reach Spain’s north African enclave Ceuta in a day. 18 May 2021.
More than 5,000 migrants, about 1,000 of them presumed to be minors, crossed into Spain’s northern African enclave of Ceuta on Monday, in an unprecedented influx that left Spanish officials scrambling to bolster police presence in the tiny territory.
The Spanish government delegation in Ceuta told El País that migrants began crossing into the territory in the early hours of Monday, steadily streaming in from neighbouring Morocco all day. Those making the crossing ranged from young men to mothers cradling babies and entire families. As migrants swam or used inflatable boats to skirt the breakwater that marks the border, at least one migrant was reported to have died in the attempt.
Morning everyone. The mass movement of whole populations, mostly Muslim, is now beginning and the only way it can be stopped is by robust action from European Polities who not only have no stomach for the task but are actual sympathisers. The nearest historical parallel to what is about to occur is that of the Sea Peoples in the Eleventh Century BC who obliterated the more advanced states in the Middle East of the time. There will be no occasion for violence on the part of these new incomers since the EU and the leaders of European countries (who largely despise their own people) will initially welcome them (we can see this already) and only when Societal and Economic collapse threaten, attempt to do anything about it. By then it will be too late and the continent already de-Christianised, will sink into a dysfunctional Islamic Caliphate in which the fate of the indigenous population will be the same as that of conquered people throughout history.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/may/17/record-1000-migrants-reach-spains-north-african-enclave-ceuta-in-a-day
Morning Minty. The title of the newspaper you’ve taken the quote from is: ‘The Guardian’ but from its political leanings it appears to be The Guardian Not when it comes to this and other thorny issues.
agree, however it’s always good to be kept abreast of what upsets the limp wristed wokers, it provides suitable ammunition. And TBF, Araminta saves me having to delve through the Grauniad
Yo Minty
Very succinctly put.
For the millionth+1 time, every supporter of unfettered immigration of should be made responsible
Fot the actions of the incomers
Paying for their board, lodging and schooling
Any legal fees, incurred if the incomer breaks the law, this must include ‘Appeals’
Health care
etc
OOps, I have just woken (NOT WOKE) up
Hello reality, welcome to the Caliphates of Englandistan, Krankieland, Daibonce and Paddyfield
OLT, I’m impressed that 5,000 migrants of which 1,000 presumed minors all swam the Med. Is this training for the Olympics?
Ceuta is a Spanish enclave. They walked along the beach at low tide. The Moroccan guards did nothing.
Good morning Minty, that’s 5000 angry low IQ unskilled African men of military age who will in a week or two be arriving at Dover onboard the Border Force Cruise Lines & after recharging their mobile phones at the reception centre be on their way to rape, rob & plunder in the UK’s towns & cities!
Morning Hatman. Yes, there’s nothing I can do about any of this! Western, particularly European Civilisation is on the verge of Collapse. Israel will soon find itself an island in an Islamic Sea!
We are already that ! The only way to deal with them is physically fight them & for that you need an armed citizenry, which you haven’t got so if you didn’t want to wear a mask till now the muzzies will provide all you ladies with a nice Hijab !
I bear no responsibility for the state of the UK! Were I in charge, or if I could have persuaded people of my views over the last twenty years things would look very different!
#Me Too!
We are instructed by our well-remunerated betters that their lives matter more than ours.
Good Morning folks,
Bright sunshine early this morning, off to the course
have a good round [and also on the 19th!]. Don’t forget to remind the caddies https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a390a7d03c2462afc8909c93db217f2ea0564f6f2b41c5da4967c041b66c6d98.jpg
yes I expect to be asked if I’ve surrendered to the big tech protection racket.
to which you’ll diplomatically give the proverbial response. Have a good one
In reply to Steven Field Wokingham, Berkshire
Looking at the way that the world has been turned on its’ head, well in UK, under soon to be passed Gender Law, skirts
and high heels for men, with suits and ties for women will become compulsory
Gender Law? Oh God, what fresh horrors await?
for those in transgender transfer, wandering around in Borat G strings wondering why they’re being chased with baseball bats and the mosque’s closed
Lipstick makes it all ok though. If you ask enough salary and bonus, you might even get your own BBC “Comedy” series, and a glittering career with the Labour Party. You can only get Doctor Who if you’ve had the op though.
for those in transgender transfer, wandering around in Borat G strings wondering why they’re being chased with baseball bats and the mosque’s closed
while forming an orderly queue at the abattoir. Stephen Field is from “Wokingham” – nothing further to add
The tragedy of Prince Harry. Spiked 18 May 2021.
This is the tragedy of Prince Harry. He left the royal family in the name of privacy, but he has far less privacy now than he did when he was a working royal. He struck out for freedom, but performative pain for the gawping woke media is a very phoney form of freedom. He said he wanted to be independent, yet, thanks to the therapeutic worldview, he lives in the shadow of his father and his allegedly corrosive influence more now than when he was in Clarence House. There’s a lesson here. Rejecting the ideals of duty, loyalty and family commitment doesn’t translate into instant liberty. Harry thinks he broke free from an individuality-crushing cult that punishes honesty and openness and that he is now getting in touch with his true self – I think the precise opposite has happened.
Hardly a tragedy but Amen to that!
https://www.spiked-online.com/2021/05/17/the-tragedy-of-prince-harry/
Best headline of the year so far: “Put a sock in it, Harry”
Like very men over the age of puberty, the prime biological directive is to get your end away. Lack of nookie makes Jack a miserable lad.
Throughout time, the challenge has always been finding a willing and co-operative participant, and one that will stay so, despite smelly socks and general grumpiness about the state of the world that one acquires with age and experience.
If you strike lucky, then it’s wonderful. Harry’s brother struck lucky. Sometimes though, what you get landed with is not so wonderful, but by that time you are hooked and if the only alternative is being miserable again, you are caught like a moth near a flame.
Sometimes too, it starts off wonderful, but then she changes. The “New Look”, which like “New! Improved!” means made of cheaper ingredients, stylishly repackaged, commercial and ugly, and twice the price.
When he fancies he is past love
It is then he meets his last love
And he loves her as he never loved before.
In my case I was very wise to not commit matrimony until I was over 40 years of age and considerably wiser than I had been in my 20’s.
My son, Henry – now aged 25 – met the love of his life at the age of 17 in his first week at university in Norwich but he is far less erratic than his father was when he was at UEA and eager to pursue as many pretty girls as he could!
Met SWMBO at University, aged 18. Married at 21. 40th anniversary next year.
Just for once, got something right.
Wonder what she would say….{:¬))
Haven’t dared ask.
Well done, Sir.
I am sure you are by no means haggard but I must add a rider:
I couldn’t have done that. When I was 18 Caroline was only 2 so I had to wait another 22 years before meeting her.
Not a follower of the paedo Mo, then.
;-))
I have often considered the importance of time. How the perfect person for you may be the old person being wheeled past you as you go to school, or the child in kindergarten as you collect your pension for the first time.
(There was a bloke in Aberdeen invented a working fax machine before a working telegraph system was in place, and thirty years before the telephone was invented. timing is everything.)
To be a figure of tragedy, the fallen one has to have a noble character to start with. Harry’s actions are not those of a noble character.
1. You run off to another country.
2. From that country, you denigrate your family and country of birth; you reinforce the insult by choosing the time when your grandfather is mortally ill.
3. The country you choose as ‘refuge’ is one of Britain’s former colonies.
4. The country is a former colony because your direct ancestor and his ministers made a right hollyhocks of running that country.
5. This resultant new country produced a constitution that is widely revered.
6. In reaction to a comparatively repressive Georgian government, the constitution’s first and most sacred principle is freedom of speech.
7. You insult that particular principle while admitting that you don’t understand it.
Hardly the behaviour of an appreciative guest. Certainly not one of any intelligence or nobility of character.
Of course the best definition of the tragic hero occurs in Hamlet:
“So oft it chances in particular men
That for some vicious mole of nature in them—
As in their birth (wherein they are not guilty,
Since nature cannot choose his origin),
By the o’ergrowth of some complexion,
Oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason,
Or by some habit that too much o’erleavens
The form of plausive manners—that these men,
Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect,
Being nature’s livery or fortune’s star,
Their virtues else (be they as pure as grace,
As infinite as man may undergo)
Shall in the general censure take corruption
From that particular fault. The dram of evil
Doth all the noble substance of a doubt
To his own scandal.”
A thoroughly noble, upstanding man is brought to ruin through the one fatal flaw in his nature. In Macbeth it is ambition; in King Lear it is vanity; in Othello it is jealousy; in Hamlet it is indecision; in Antony and Cleopatra it is lust
Thank you for that. It never fails to amaze me how Shakespeare could have combined such acuity regarding human nature with unparalleled use of the English language.
George Meredith also had something to say on the subject:
In tragic life, God wot, No villain need be! Passions spin the plot: We are betray’d by what is false within.”
Or, “one rotten apples spoils the barrel”. From threNew Abridged Version of Shakespeare for those in a hurry.
Copied for future use.
He ran off to follow her and no doubt she got fed up standing in the cold and damp having her hand shaken by toothless yokels.
I imagine it was not her idea of royalty and the expectation of duty, discipline, service didn’t suit her narcissistic personality.
I think he has found his inner self.
But so have we – we have found what a truly pathetic, stupid and disgusting man he is.
He didn’t break free for liberty. He shrugged off his duty to sell out.
Good morning, all. A lovely sunny start to the day.
The Super-Capitalists’ Depopulation Agenda [collated summary for ease of referral] https://www.globalresearch.ca/global-depopulation-has-started/5745289
Anti-Semitism surge deeply disturbing – Robert Jenrick. 18 May 2021.
Mr Jenrick said the government was taking robust action to root out anti-Semitism and would shortly name and shame councils and universities which had refused to sign up to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism.
On Sunday a video was posted on social media appearing to show a convoy of cars with Palestinian flags driving down a street, with a man apparently shouting anti-Semitic abuse from a megaphone.
There is of course no “surge”, it has always been present, and the convoy did not “appear” to show any man “apparently” shouting anti-Semitic abuse. These latter things actually happened, but it is a good guide to the Government response which is to deny as much as possible and pretend that all is well while simultaneously praying that you will be gone when the chooks finally come home to roost. The Muslim population of the UK have always hated the Jews but simply conceal it and they would quite happily sign up to the “International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism” without a qualm. That said they are feeling ever more confident in their power and overt demonstration is becoming a regular feature. Batley Man was undoubtedly a great boost to this perception. It is ever thus with appeasement. It leads only to ever more abject surrender!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57145232b
When the Muslims run out of Jews to kill, they will return to killing Christians, after all they are in the UK to avenge the Crusades & turn England into Engladesh !
Happy Tuesday, Pud.
Moreover, they are being actively aided and abetted in their quest by British government.
GM & Happy Tuesday Grizz, sad but true!
That’s the part I don’t understand. They won the war against the Crusaders. Why avenge a war that you won?
Muslim logic Sue, they drove out the Crusaders ( and they were the invaders & conqueror’s themselves of Israel ) but want to complete their Islamic quest to establish a Caliphate of the West & forcibly convert all Infidels to Islam !
Good morning Minty. There’s a surplus “b” on the end of the URL that send you to Page Not Found land!
My response:-
https://twitter.com/BeardedBob7282/status/1394555178838339589
Thanks Bob. I don’t know where that came from but here’s (hopefully) the correct one!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57145232
Whatever the “International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism” is, I would not sign up to it. We should not be signing bits of paper, or building memorials. We, that is our police force, should be picking up bad people and the prosecution services should be slinging them into prison.
An honest MP taking a C-19 liquid vaccine? https://www.rt.com/news/524020-india-cow-urine-covid19/
AW there aint no such animal as an honest MP
well, a dead one is about as close anyone would get
I’ve had tea, coffee, wine, gin and tonic ….. and I don’t have covid either.
Maybe not having them all for breakfast is the answer.
and break a daily start of the day ritual?
Good Morning all Nottlers, it was a rocket free night in Tel Aviv last night. 3rd in a row but alas Ham-Arse kept up an overnight barrage of rockets on the communities around the Gaza Strip ! Music time : CARO EMERALD – Havana (Camila Cabello)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Eme9Eihs8E
Big girl.
Morning, Hatman.
Good Morning Bill !
8^)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-M60QQu4z0
She eats well !
Like a pie might eat well, using modern English? (aka “be tasty”) – which works for me, Hat!
GM Paul!
Morning!
Beautiful dress, beautiful make-up, beautiful voice and a beautiful song – thank you for the post, Mahatma. What a shame she had to take a swig of water out of a plastic bottle at the start. Have these people never heard of drinking water out of a glass?
To be fair, (although I can never play videos people post on here, for some reason), musicians have good reasons for drinking bottles of water. Pianos or electrical equipment and glasses of water don’t mix well.
Or computers as Student Son found out a couple of years back when a whole mug-full of drink flooded the bespoke computer he built himself!
Worked out ok in the end as the Insurance paid for a new one matching his specification as close as possible with obsolete and unavailable parts being upgraded. Taking the insurance excess into account, he was still quids in.
Good morning Elsie.
We warned our girl children never to drink out of a glass that had been put down and left unattended. Always be aware of what you drink, from sealed bottle via glas under your complete control. Just saying.
And use bottled water in rougher parts of the world – I always insist on fizzy, as you then get some protection against the “bottle filled from the kitchen tap” where the waiter then opens it for you and pours. More difficult to re-gasify it.
Yes. A chum worked in India and drank only lemonade and beer while he was there.
Good Moaning.
Knickers to that. This joke is pants.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f873fbf8f30b9bfa03a790de232149a420ea9d75f5656d49ba552306cdf74299.png
Good morning Anne, ironically Klein means Little
I think Anne knew that.
Don’t bank on it…!!
(Hides)
That took bottle.
Flasche.
Don’t give Billy the willies.
…and a mac to go with it.
Ve haff ways of making you understand !
Danke schön.
Bitte schön
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRPILZS1hc8
Who remember this one:-
Dankeschön, Bitteschön, Wiedersehen
https://youtu.be/MpIFJi26lZ8
Piet Hein – zijn naam is klein! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/eb0087e27ddc59cda015b405e65ef619a75d9c4abcd19acc1d6b7df22d70fb1d.jpg
He looks well fed, its all that Gouda & Avocat for breakfast
I thought that was the point of the joke 🙂
I thought that it had a certain style.
Eine Kleine aber nicht musik
330912+ up ticks,
Morning Each,
Tuesday 18 May: Phoning the GP at opening time, only to discover that every appointment has already gone
Meaning no disrespect for doctors receptionist but surely
this could evolve into being a money spinner via cronyism & a tenner in the licence ploy.
Seems like the only counter measure would be ALL trades appertaining to the doctors domestic scene is given a serious coating of looking at.
No one to my knowledge would want anything of this nature to be activated but surely action must be taken against this political force who are obsessed with this
in YOUR FACE reset / replacement campaign.
Lest we forget the DOVER anti British invasion campaign
ongoing daily.
Full easing is now unlikely. 18 May 2021.
The prospect of the final easing of lockdown restrictions in England going ahead precisely as planned on 21 June is close to nil, according to ministers and officials.
‘It is clear some social distancing will have to be retained, not everything we’ve set out for 21 June is likely to happen,’ said a government adviser. ‘But it is also possible some of the easing we’ve done today will have to be reversed.’
Well Ghast my Flabber! Who would ever have thought that?
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/full-easing-is-now-unlikely
it’s what Peston wants
332912+ up ticks,
Morning AS,
Boils down to, working out the wrinkles
of the herd controlling issues for the ongoing future.
Oi You
Leave us wrinklies out of this…….
332912+ up ticks,
Morning OLT,
In the main it is only the “wrinklies” that have seen both side of this current horror film, there are those that will NOT acknowledge there has been seismic change for the worst
over the last three decades and will continue to
support / vote lab/lib/con thereby taking the
innocent peoples / Country down with them and their crusade of destruction.
‘Nuff Said
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/32d75ef8c8d98e2ed96602d816f9f565bdc43f91689616a366ec3485b1bbf7ba.png
“Cautious but irreversible” my a@se! Like every other promise from Johnson, it will be broken, as another scary mutation hoves in view. Remember the Kent variant which gave them an excuse to cancel Christmas? This is never going to be over, not unless we collectively say ‘enough is enough!’
It is of course worrying that Johnson breaks all his promises – especially those involving the EU deal (e.g.s Border in Irish Sea; Reclamation of fishing rights etc.etc.) but what is even more worrying is that his popularity is growing with every lie and every promise he breaks.
And a further excuse for all the GP surgeries that are still refusing to reinstate normal service. Our huge practice sent out a missive ( on facebook!) claiming it would ‘take time’ to set everything up to ‘be safe’. FFS (I don’t often swear), it is an enormous modern building with a very spacious waiting room. There are several spare consulting rooms too. All they need do is just admit patients into the building a few minutes before the appointment time.
‘Morning All
I fear the “program” is about to get very,very ugly
First Hodge muttering about compulsion(lost the link) and now Johnson’s sister
“This has got to be the Government’s priority now – not allowing anybody not to have the vaccine”
https://twitter.com/JamesMelville/status/1394440311431127042
You can plainly see the direction of travel in the MSM ,the unvaxed are to blame for the continuing lockdowns
Meanwhile Dr Yardley utterly debunks “Meh Variant” in simple terms here………..
https://twitter.com/21WIRE/status/1393882236123033605?s=20
Once more it’s NOT about a public health risk!!
What the HELL is going on
https://twitter.com/ginacarano/status/1394367879152160768?s=20
Spike protein cell damage from Mrna and Dna jollop that is being injected in the name of vaccination is being explored by proper scientists, the biggest lab test in world history could be a bit of a stuff up?
All this drumbeat about the ‘Indian variant’ is merely to frighten people into having the vaccine. We will be given a little taste of freedom for the next few weeks, like a prisoner on day release, but the constant threat of local lockdowns and 21st June falling by the wayside will be used to pressure us ‘anti-vaxxers’ into compliance. Surely this is unethical, even those who are happy to have the vaccine should be uncomfortable about the pressure being put on those who do not wish to have it?
there you go re India [off MSM narrative] https://www.globalresearch.ca/india-resisting-vaccines-and-corporate-capture-of-farms/5745299
It’s the thin end of a very large wedge.
I’ve sent messages to pro-vaccine friends and family to alert them that the government is trying to push the blame for continuing restrictions on to those of us who choose not to be jabbed at present. I hope it makes them think when the propaganda gets nasty, as it will. It’s all I can do.
Will they really not lift lockdown until every man, woman and child in the country has been vaccinated? Surely they realise that that is not possible, there will always be a percentage of people (like me) who would need to be physically held down to make them have it? It is just a nasty psychological trick, to boost vaccine uptake and to give themselves an excuse to cancel 21st June.
You are awake to their motives. Sadly, I’ve felt a shift in the mood of acquaintances already; they accept our being “selfish” as a self-evident truth and no amount of logic or facts will shift that belief. It’s going to get really nasty.
Perhaps people believe that it will be ‘one shot and done.’ But of course, there will need to be booster shots, and with the vaccine comes the vaccine-passport. We are about to accept that compulsory vaccination and medical ID cards are now part of our lives in Britain. Our children and grandchildren will regret it if we submit to this.
I am afraid that I do not warm to Rachel Johnson, her father or her brothers.
last I heard of her was 2016 I think, standing for Limp Dem against Anne Widdecombe and lost heavily. I heard she was on some Talking Heads show on Sky bumping gums but one of those programmes to ignore
That family appears to have the innate quality to be disgusting beyond measure.
She is the most appalling narcissistic self-absorbed wanqueuse. I loathe her – and her “articles” are bloody everywhere.
Get people used to having stuff put in their arm to “save them” – from a company that has NO responsibility and cannot be sued for any side effects – and the so-called vaccines can be altered as much as they want. Celebs and elite will be shown having the jab so their sheep-like followers will willingly go to have the same. The celebs version will be totally harmless – everyone else’s jab ??? – -but something VERY nasty is going on.
The Fri/Sat late night phone-in show on BBC R5 live – Jim Davis – claims to be impartial but the bias is blatant. Anyone against the vaccine is given any excuse and said goodbye to. Quickly.
Rachel Johnson’s brother is a weak and ineffective political leader, and a callous bully to boot. He and his fellow conspirators have been using faux medical coercion to force people to accept a novel “vaccine”. Now, when a significant minority – a term Johnson used months ago and it seems from this latest statement nothing much has changed – are not accepting the potion he releases the attack dogs to stigmatise those people exercising their right under law to not to partake of something they do not want.
PM Johnson could attempt to change the law and remove the People’s right to refuse a medical intervention they do not want. However, this would be a huge political change and surely would have the effect of awakening some politicians, and maybe even some bought and paid for journalists, to ask very awkward questions about the true motives of Johnson and his lackeys. He will not, at the moment, remove the People’s rights and instead turns to bullying law abiding people exercising their right under law. Words fail me when I consider this current government and its actions.
See Scotland for details. Hate Crime law will make the Third Reich look like a holiday camp. (Actually, the Chancellor loved Germans. The Scottish government hates Scots.)
She’s right. Look at the human rights act. The Left hailed it, the EU loved it, the BBC praises it.
A more destructive, illiberal, abusive document you couldn’t imagine.
The diversity acts? Yet more divisive, abusive, destructive legislation.
All in the name of grand ideals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg-UqIIvang
Good morning from a beautifully sunny and glorious Derbyshire. Still just 5°C on the yard thermometer, though the forecast is for a dry morning and light showers this afternoon.
Looking at how the trees have greened up, it is tragically noticeable that all the ash trees are stark and unleaved.
There was a lot of clearance round here during the winter of dead or diseased Ash trees. It looked like devastation at the time but at least now the remaining trees are green
Clearance – or just getting some more space for house building?
Morning, Bob.
The loss of ash is really depressing. Lovely trees.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALCg4Y7Vdug
One of the first things I learned to play on the guitar.
#CovidClownWorld
https://twitter.com/TheUnionJohn55/status/1394444263891607552?s=20
https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/074/390/758/original/f076aaa9a584086d.jpeg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cb94b349054728973d15bdf1e1f1d8b7e6589acd93e777f198e226fe5911a673.jpg
RR mng, re 1st image https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-and-its-allies-try-split-world-two
Extinction Rebellion print works protesters fined just £150 each
‘Slap on the wrist’ judgment sends the wrong message, say critics of the activists who used blockade in attempt to stifle press freedom
Well I never. OO’d a thought it,
Shirley, this case will be used as a basis for appeal against high fines imposed on other people
Perhaps the judge is just anti UK population, or is aiming to get a job in Rotherham
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/05/17/extinction-rebellion-print-works-protesters-fined-just-150/
Last week there was no penalty at all for the window smashers.
All fines, imprisonment, deportations etc have gone into the pot, awaiting
Tommy to take his mask off, when on his own property, in his cat, in his garage,to sneeze
And XR will pay their fines.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4d5bd8971cb1baa5199bba32dbcde2de57971339337a4721b4151537c45847cc.png There’s no doubt about it, Patrick Blower is a very talented and exceptionally funny political cartoonist for the DT.
It is clear, though, that he knows very little about airport security. No one would be permitted to walk through an archway metal detector carrying their shoulder bags. Such a bag containing a gun, Semtex®, or a bottle of acid and later used injuriously would make headlines for months.
I must be missing something here as I don’t get the joke and why is the security drone offering the lass one of his epaulettes ?
he / she is the same colour and he/ she is offering a spare tampon
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/96129390b057d5452b941ee6452239a4e57717435c006315af3da94e22245a0c.png I agree, in isolation it is meaningless; however, it was part of a larger cartoon that I knew someone would post on here.
Spot the deliberate mistake: When was the last time you saw a White person at Border Control?
Exeter Airport. 1995.
He does have that necessary “Immigration Glare” though, Pud.
I have noticed that on the odd occasion. Why do they feel it is necessary?
Thanks G. , that makes so much sense now and it is right on the nail.
Very good, Datz! (Good morning, btw.)
We often have to take off shoes and belts too.
I always have to take off my shoes; I set alarms off everywhere, for some reason. Thankfully not the latest facial recognition things.
Having metal in a new hip and knee, I invariably set off the alarm.
I remove belt and shoes for the x-ray along with contents of pockets and always get “wanded” or patted down or put through a scanner, depending on local practice.
You look suspicious.
That too.
Sos stands for Shifty old sod!
Whereas carrying two 50ml bottles of utterly innocuous fluid is allowed in hand luggage. When mixed of course they’d blow the plane from the sky.
But hey. We don’t know any chemistry at the home office, so let’s impose absurd restrictions on everyone rather than just the nutters with beards and pyjamas, eh?
They know even less about chemistry at the Department for Transport (whose remit airports come under, not the Home Office).
Are not border control under the home office?
Indeed they are, but airport security is firmly under the DfT. Border Control (an amalgamation of Immigration, Customs and Special Branch) are mainly concerned about people coming into a country (i.e. arrivals). Airport security are concerned solely with people leaving a country (i.e. departures).
Schiphol airport Amsterdam now has super whizzy scanners which enable passengers to leave all the usual swag items in their hand baggage, so no more removing tablets. laptops. liquids including water bottles, so no more paying stupid prices for bottled water after security. Considerably less hassle then before.
White House economic adviser Cecilia Rouse blames the bad April jobs report on Easter being in March this year https://twitter.com/i/status/1393257316401782789 Easter was in April
errrrrr Diane Abbotopotamus came to SWMBO’s mind
having worn a mask when online shopping, she’s busy tring to locate where what’s left of her brain has gone https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/072da68203903618e3ecebc875c42004badf7cc2522cf296006a19c6a2264d51.png
Russia puts British warship HMS Trent under ‘constant tracking’ as it enters the Black Sea – despite claims the Royal Navy ‘couldn’t even tickle our nerves’. 18 May 2021.
Russia is ‘constantly tracking’ a British warship on patrol in the flashpoint Black Sea, the defence ministry in Moscow has announced.
HMS Trent sailed through the Dardanelles and Bosporus on Sunday amid high tension over the Kremlin’s intentions in eastern Ukraine.
Despite the assertion in the text, HMS Trent is not a Frigate but an Offshore Patrol Vessel, usually stationed in Gibraltar. The watching of Foreign Vessels in close proximity to National Coastlines is a ubiquitous action. Russian ships transiting the Channel are routinely watched, though with less cause, since they are invariably homeward bound. During the recent confrontation with Russia over Ukraine it was suggested that two British Destroyers would be sent to the Black Sea to replace the hurried withdrawal of an American contingent. This decision has obviously been changed and Trent which is a less threatening alternative substituted. This series of events allied with the abandonment of both Ukraine and Navalny, suggest that things were very much hairier during the eyeball to eyeball phase than is generally credited. We were probably nearer to war with Russia than at any time since Cuba!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9587057/Russia-puts-British-warship-HMS-Trent-constant-tracking-enters-Black-Sea.html
key phrase there Araminta is “The watching of Foreign Vessels in close proximity to National Coastlines is a ubiquitous action” aka English Channel. Another DM smokescreen
Yup, the same class of vessel that recently was deployed to Jersey over the Frog fishing boat blockade.
and lost?
https://twitter.com/Frank_A_Quiller/status/1394572331331239937?s=20
It’s not about you. It’s that unvaccinated people result in more ‘cases’, hospitalisations and deaths, which then lead to this cowardly government delaying freedom and the NHS delaying even more non-Covid treatments, affecting us all.
Yes, people should have the right to refuse vaccination, the minimal risk for young people may be as high as the minimal risk of the virus and it’s not their fault that the cowardly government and NHS behave the way they do (that would be even worse under the alternatives, so I won’t blame people for voting the government in) but I wish people would recognise the impact of their actions and stop boasting about them.
If you want people to have the right to refuse vaccines, but then blame them for future cases, what would your plan of action be for the people who cannot or will not, have the jab? Segregate them? Move them to a small island enforced by armed people in full Hazmat suits?
Gruinard would be a good place…. They could also check to see if anthrax is still alive and well…..
remember they’re supposed to be moving office Bill – Porton Down?
Don’t! You’ll get Minty started on Novochok
Isn’t that research into the common cold?
For those not in the know, Porton Down continually trawled for military volunteers to participate in trials there, with routine orders regularly publicising its requests for volunteers under the pretext of researching the common cold.
most recently being those who contracted Gulf War Syndrome. In essence a “bravery jab” with side effects people running mad. Scaled down now on the mil front
I was involved on the periphery, being a reserve to go on both GW1 and GW2. The pills and jabs were for chemical warfare preparations (eg NAPS tablets) and generic disease vaccines – nothing to do with a bravery jab.
This is another area where our veterans are being let down badly. The MOD seems more interested in fighting court cases and commissioning studies to refute GWS and show their actions weren’t the cause than in actually helping sufferers (according to the British Legion there are 1300 veterans with GWS on medical pensions and 33,000 continuing sufferers https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/things-to-do/campaigns-policy-and-research/campaigns/gulf-war-illnesses).
UK Gov has always been backsliding covering up. British Legion has been on right path for years
I was involved on the periphery, being a reserve to go on both GW1 and GW2. The pills and jabs were for chemical warfare preparations (eg NAPS tablets) and generic disease vaccines – nothing to do with a bravery jab.
This is another area where our veterans are being let down badly. The MOD seems more interested in fighting court cases and commissioning studies to refute GWS and show their actions weren’t the cause than in actually helping sufferers (according to the British Legion there are 1300 veterans with GWS on medical pensions and 33,000 continuing sufferers https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/things-to-do/campaigns-policy-and-research/campaigns/gulf-war-illnesses).
I was involved on the periphery, being a reserve to go on both GW1 and GW2. The pills and jabs were for chemical warfare preparations (eg NAPS tablets) and generic disease vaccines – nothing to do with a bravery jab.
This is another area where our veterans are being let down badly. The MOD seems more interested in fighting court cases and commissioning studies to refute GWS and show their actions weren’t the cause than in actually helping sufferers (according to the British Legion there are 1300 veterans with GWS on medical pensions and 33,000 continuing sufferers https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/things-to-do/campaigns-policy-and-research/campaigns/gulf-war-illnesses).
When I was a student in the early seventies I dog sat for a fellow student who went to the Cold Research Centre over Christmas because he wanted peace and quiet to finish his essays. I reckoned he was unlikely to catch a cold and as far as I recall he was right.
Read my words and don’t project onto me, I’m the wrong target. As it happens, intrinsically I’m quite happy for people to be ‘cases’ after refusing the vaccine and I see no reason to treat non-vaccinated people differently.
I wasn’t having a go at you – a bad choice of words on my part.
Thankyou for clarifying
Works for me. Oh, sorry, wrong tense. I meant, “I expect that is how it will work for me as I have no intention of getting vaccinated against SARS2/Covid 19..”
You mean, taking responsibility for your own health, Horace? It’ll never catch on.
“Cases” are people who are stupid enough to take a PCR or LF test, neither of which can diagnose infection. The same people also take the jab. Those of us who don’t jab aren’t tested either, so we are not “cases”.
Why is it ok for one group to demand the other get vaccinated, yet not alright for those not wanting to not say so?
Surely the basis of freedom IS down to the individual, It is their choice, after all. If one group can make the fuss and the other cannot, then that is inherently mob rule.
Government refusing to remove restrictions and the NHS not continuing to function as we expect is down to politicking and, I imagine not a small amount of opportunism.
Never more have I been convinced that there is a place in this world for professional food photographers especially if you are starting a new venture, this advert appeared in our local Facebark and I have changed too many of my daughter’s and granddaughters nappies not to find it less than appealing. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/50bdea8b286b445b75488dbbfdc3d34124ea2e8f2b49929bc38ad0c95cedecc2.png
fb blocked this, so as usual it goes viral elsewhere https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/edbeded3dd33e8c711def47606fd5f2f2c28cb8de807ce1f8ce97337e0bee6f6.jpg
Shamefully I had to look up “Gain of Function Research” to appreciate the thrust of this, I just hope that the space that bit of knowledge occupies in my noodle hasn’t displace something important , like thingy wossername.
it won’t, they’re all interconnected. Ron Paul won’t let them off the hook. Well until he gets too close and reports air he committed suicide
“The Wuhan Institute of Virology has openly participated in gain of function research in partnership with US universities and institutions.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gain_of_function_research#:~:text=Gain%20of%20function%20research%20(GoFR,pathogenicity%2C%20transmissibility%2C%20and%20antigenicity.
I once accidentally had lunch with a professional food photographer. Absolutely fascinating!
It is amazing what they can do. I had to arrange some food product photos. The photographer was brilliant. One thing that he did was to spray the food very lightly with water from an aerosol of the type used for perfume. This gave the items on the plate, lettuce, smoked salmon etc a wonderful fresh look when the photo was printed. It’s a combination of science, art and artifice.
I’ve seen some pretty disgusting food pics on NoTTlers…
Good Morning
Watery sun
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2021/05/18/067blower18-5-21_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqjYeQRtCUmaNTl9ge3Skvf2LZgWddHfes6e-pNqDiVg.jpg?imwidth=1260
Duke lost for words at America freedom of speech
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/methode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F45eb84c6-b752-11eb-98e3-d1306649ebf7.jpg?crop=2133%2C2667%2C933%2C0&resize=747
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/methode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F15754440-b72e-11eb-98e3-d1306649ebf7.jpg?crop=2673%2C1782%2C614%2C202&resize=1027.5
another septic who ate the fridge holding her flag up side down attempting to send a distress signal. She needs a new fridge
José, can you see?
the Pillsbury Dough Man at the back of pic in baseball cap / shorts can. He’s the only one with no sun gigs
What do you call two Mexican firemen?
and Hose B
Jose
I wish to goodness that he was! Morning all!
Joe Mercer, jockey who won a string of top-class races and enjoyed a glorious partnership with Brigadier Gerard – obituary..
and still found time to manage England’s Wendyball Team
Brigadier Gerard: the best racehorse I ever saw.
[Joe Mercer Mk II was temporary manager when England’s Wendyball team was at its all-time deplorable worst.]
I saw Sherger, after he became a burger in Tesco’s frozen meat section.
Poor bloody animal!
Stolen to hold for ransom, then when he became agitated and a danger to the thieves, was killed not from a single shot to the head, but from a full magazine from an SMG.
The IRA never officially admitted their involvement because of the damage it would do to their political wing.
That’s what I read & that an Irish jockey was involved in giving the IRA info on Sherger’s stable & when it was fed & exercised
I just took some Tesco burgers out of the fridge…..and they’re off!
Smokin’ Joe. That must have been relatively sudden, because he was being interviewed only a couple of weeks ago.
Good morning, everyone.
Morning, Delboy!
I read about your family health Problems i hope all goes well. 🙂
Brent Crude is now trading at $70.14.
Does this mean;
1..Some countries are back producing thus consume more energy.
2..the $ is slowly losing value.
Storing oil because there’s going to be ‘a war on’ in the middle east ?
That sounds more likely! Fill your storage tanks whilst you can.
The US Wants A New Ideological Club While The EU Presumptuously Declared Its Own Exceptionalismhttps://orientalreview.org/2021/05/17/lavrov-reminded-the-world-about-the-importance-of-legitimate-multilateralism/
Morning all.
Tuesday 18 May: Phoning the GP at opening time, only to discover that every appointment has already gone.
Funny you might mention that i had a letter Saturday and it told me that i needed to make a an appointment for a prescribe NHS clinic. They gave me a website address which i opened, put in the details including the password supplied and what came up when i tried to book the appointment was.
There are currently no appointments available for you to select at this clinic.
No alternatives no contact number, so what do i do ??
Potentially some very good news on Covid, even though it’s another RNA medicine
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9589611/Queensland-researchers-huge-Covid-19-breakthrough-way-kill-99-9-virus.html
Mistaken Identity
Joe and John were identical twins. Joe owned an old dilapidated boat and kept pretty much to himself.
One day he rented out his boat to a group of out-of-staters who sank it.
Joe spent all day trying to salvage as much stuff as he could and was out of touch all that day and most of the evening.
Unbeknownst to him, his brother John’s wife died suddenly. When he got back on shore he went into town to pick up a few things at the grocery.
A kind old neighbour woman mistook him for John and said, “I’m so sorry for your loss. You must feel terrible.”
Joe, thinking she was talking about his boat said, “Hell no! Fact is I’m sort of glad to be rid of her. She was a rotten old thing from the beginning.
Her bottom was all shrivelled up and she smelled like old dead fish.
She was always holding water.
She had a bad crack in the back and a pretty big hole in the front too.
Every time I used her, her hole got bigger and she leaked like crazy.
I guess what finally finished her off was when I rented her to those four guys looking for a good time. I warned them that she wasn’t very good and smelled bad.
But they wanted her anyway. The darn fools tried to get in her all at one time and she split right up the middle!”
The old woman fainted.
That reminds me of the Norwegian serial about the twins and the boat which we watched last year.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) says that no new fossil fuel
boilers should be sold from 2025 if the world is to achieve net-zero
emissions by the middle of this century.
It’s one of 400 steps on the road to net-zero proposed by the agency in a special report.
The sale of new petrol and diesel cars around the world would end by 2035.
The IEA says that from now, there is no place for new coal, oil or gas exploration or supplies.
No doubt Boros and Carrion will be enforcing this Greeniac bollocks
I hope our current boiler will last long enough to see us out then or we’ll be cold in our old age.
When they come to want to build the resource wasteful, expensive, inefficient windmills, what fuel will they use to mine the materials?
These people are fools.
They will use the slave labour of Congolese children.
They’re already doing that. But the Lefty greens don’t care about that.
Population growth needs to be reduced with the target thereafter being a reduction in the world population. Boris should jump off the ridiculous Zero carbon emissions band wagon and start on sorting out unwanted immigration into the UK.
Also their many, many offspring.
Yo, C.
Yo Rik
Step 2. no new fossil fuel boilers should be sold from 2025
in which case,
Step 1 Must be that all members of, and workers for, the IEA must have zero emmission compliant boilers and all other related simiilar conmmodities such as cars, grass cutters, drills, fires, cookers, etc. A list of all members/employees must be isssued, with the relevant state of the boilers, etc…… together with the date it was installed. Those who have not been compliant by 2023 should be fined
The end of the line (add your own cliché).
Anthony Coulls, senior curator of rail transport & technology at York’s National Railway Museum (NRM) said HSTs were a complete contrast to the “scruffy, dirty and noisy” early diesel trains.
HST power cars are just as noisy as any early diesel locos, if not more so. If Mr Coulis is referring to the old ‘rattlers’ that worked many suburban and rural services, then he’s correct. These were carriages powered by bus engines. Most modern diesel trains have reverted to that format, with each carriage in a unit having its own engine below the floor. They’re less noisy than that first generation of BR diesel units but they’re nowhere near as quiet as the carriages of an HST or a loco-hauled train. The Meridian units used on the Midland mainline are horrid things, with their narrow carriages, cramped seats, noisy engines and a peculiar metallic ringing from the wheels.
I’m glad I’m no longer have much call to travel by rail.
Did anyone inform the ICF?
Anyway, it’s time for a bit of mafficking. Summer is a coming in. The sun shines. The pandemic is now a very wee epidemic and shrinking into ordinary ‘flu. So we’d better celebrate now because despite everything looking good, it’s really all getting worse. So cheer up, things could be worse, and they will be.
Let’s celebrate. The Relief of Mafeking was 120 years ago.
https://www.takimag.com/article/son-of-frankencovid/
Interesting article debunking the Wuhan Covid from a Lab theory.
At first sight it looks reasonable, but I strongly recommend that you do a little research on David Cole a.k.a. David Stein.
Particularly his “work” on Auschwitz among other claims
I thought the whole piece was just an attack on Trump.
It certainly is an indirect attack on Trump, but also stating it can’t have been the Chinese Wuhan Lab
He doesn’t think it was – but I think it’s highly unlikely that it didn’t originate there, much as I dislike the wildlife wet markets.
The Chinese have been so obstructive, secretive and manipulative that I’m certain they are hiding something.
It’s just an incredible coincidence that the Wuhan lab and the wet market are in such close proximity and the NIH makes financial contributions to the lab for gain of function studies under the auspices of the fraud Fauci. Then Fauci promotes the largest fear campaign ever mounted to push (force) an experimental, untested EUA vaxx on the public, in which coincidently, he has vested interest.
They want us to believe the connections are meaningless. Our senator Rand Paul exposed the deception but media covered it up.
Happy Tuesday Lorraine https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e5ac5e2fd60822a1eee0645663d412ed4482a9ce77791a0ba27b486f5d93c371.jpg
Thank you my friend. How are you faring today?
I have been anxious over the ongoing attacks against Israel by terrorist proponents of violence and destruction.
People of good will must speak out.
I am doing reasonably well nowadays Lorraine only minor back aches. I hope you & family are well in these difficult & dangerous times .
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/1388fd2274621752fea3a675f75695f5c2466032b2961e994d693b8bcdfa8a2b.jpg
https://twitter.com/d5_rss/status/1394569205664604163?s=20
Bacon?
Looks like fish, I hope he chokes on a bone!
Stab vest. https://www.amazon.co.uk/FiveFire-Armor-Knife-Front-Concealed/dp/B073X2RS54/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3ISHUCG4WRS3E&dchild=1&keywords=stab+vests+for+men&qid=1621331586&sprefix=stab+vest%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFTMFNKMFFZVjQ5MFUmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwNjYxNzdKQVZTVUNYQzNHWUMmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMTAzOTgwME43MEJQNlJVTUJVMyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Don’t Bank on it…..
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/db10cedc8656d79d72dfe91fd4f1ba8628de04a0390c9d5d0dd85e4d4d9292a8.jpg
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-indian-variant-covid-cases-uk-lockdown-roadmap/
“Government should have stalled 17th May re-opening says SAGE member”
These unelected advisors need to be put back in their collective boxes. For the cabinet, there is a thing called ‘collective responsibility’ where they either unite behind the PM’s decision or resign. These advisors have no right to go on TV to undermine the government’s position. For once, Johnson has found his spine and refused to bow to the doom-mongers of SAGE. He has done what is overall in the best interests of the country, which is what he should have been doing from the start.
SAGE needs to shut up and be disbanded. Their predictions have been wrong by orders of magnitude since the start. They have inflicted catastrophic harm on the people of this country. Johnson needs to stop ‘following the science’ like a cow being led by the nose ring, or at least listen to respected alternative voices such as Prof. Carl Heneghan, Dr.Mike Yeadon and Prof.Sunetra Gupta.
OK that’s SAGE what about ONION?
Stuffed.
All in good Thyme Bill
Eleven fifteen..
But what time is the Nine O’Clock News?That was a Brain of Ireland question that stumped the top contestant
Bong!
Nah that was Going for a Bong , the Irish TV version of Going for a Song!
A crying shame…
The Crying Game – Brenda Lee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkctpNfY9WY
I once saw her in a corridor at Broadcasting House. Not many people know that!
Did you get her autograph or where you there to give a radio interview on
criminalsimmigrants rights ?This was my favourite by Little Miss Dynamite’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-YyaYODEIM
It is not even SAGE but “independent SAGE” – not that one could understand from the headline alone…
And they have claimed there ‘could be’ 1000 deaths a day from the ‘Indian variant’ by summer. With continuing their outlandish, scare-mongering claims like these, this bunch of highly paid nobodies need consigning to the scrap heap.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/16edc84e01546bee75f80e80ae77bb02498fd6b5846c74a31eec1b334ff552f5.jpg
Ramblers welcome! Victorinox Rambler, I used to have one on my key chain.
https://imageengine.victorinox.com/mediahub/32980/560Wx490H/SAK_0_6363__S1.jpg
So, you entered security with it at a German airport and left without it?
Our child went to Germany when she was 11. She had a Swiss Army knife at the bottom of her backpack. Sailed through Frankfurt security. Three months later on her way home the knife was detected and confiscated. I immediately wrote to the Frankfurt airport security asking for the knife to be sent to me at my cost. In a reply I was informed that the knife “had been disposed of”. Aye, right! Thieving Huns*.
*Please note that this is not a “hate” comment regarding Germans. It is simply an expression of displeasure at the specific individual involved who undoubtedly stole the present I had given my child, who was in the Brownies, and still too young for the Girl Guides.
There are border control operatives worldwide who have a 2nd income from just from confiscated Swiss Army Knives which are resold by them or given as gifts or bribes to their bosses. When I travel abroad, and its been a number of years since my last trip abroad, I never take even as much as a key ring size SAK, not on my person or in a locked suitcase as I know that they will be confiscated & never returned. I have bought on Ebay several TSA confiscated Swiss Army Knives including a rare discontinued “Motorist” model ( it cost quite a bit at auction ) I feel sorry for the person who had it confiscated & obviously looked after it well as its in near perfect condition despite its age ( its is a good 30 years or more old ) mine is in much better condition than the one in this photo .
https://leaf-vics.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/359_09.jpg
But is the thing for picking stones out of horses’ hooves still working perfectly?
The little probe with a small flat head screwdriver on the back tool layer? Can’t say I mix with any horses in need of de-stoning of their hooves nor any camels either in my neighbourhood in Tel Aviv, no more horse & carts , donkeys or camels nowadays , we have cars, buses, taxis & even a light rail line being built nearby !
There was no limit to what you could take with you in those days.
It’s odd how eagerly the state ‘disposes’ of things it confiscates. You’d think with the records they keep, the endless forms that there would be a record.
At least a receipt but no, strangely, when they just can’t be bothered, they keep it.
332912+ up ticks,
I do believe they carry an assortment of flags to be used as & when, but the only two that triggers truncheon actions are the Jack & George duo.
https://twitter.com/Erstwhilian/status/1394582537511505921
Whilst we expect officers to engage they must remain impartial.
A load of Tommy Rot,
Cases involving child grooming by immigrants wll not be investigated until 20 years have elapsed. Girls involved will also be prosecuted
332912+ up ticks,
OLT,
The rotherhan odious issues via the JAY report should have been sorted as soon as revealed root & branch, mass sackings / incarcerations of party politico’s, council members.governance employees,police etc,etc.
Instead the proven very dangerous peoples , the electorate,
for the good of their parties, lab/lib/con mass uncontrolled immigration / paedophile plus importers coalition, decided to play the three monkey card in the polling booth at the expense of the Countries children.
People power used NOT abused is the way to go.
Coronavirus latest news: Government should have stalled May 17 reopening due to Indian variant, Sage member says
Get to the pub, before 1700 tonight: your next chance to enter one will be 2032 (the year, not 24 Hour clock)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-indian-variant-covid-cases-uk-lockdown-roadmap/
As soon as that?
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ba482811f4b99714b4de37957703e96202ca5a4c38bb1c0bdc826749b8cb0bcc.jpg
332912+ up ticks,
The current supporter / voters of the lab/lib/con coalition
will surely be heard to voice ” we can better that number
when DOVER goes into overdrive”.
AT LEAST 5,000 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS BREAK INTO SPAIN IN ONE DAY
Don’t mention women on smear test invitations – ‘it might make trans men feel uncomfortable’
Gender neutral language should be used instead to encourage uptake of cancer screening among everyone with a cervix, say researchers
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/05/18/dont-mention-women-smear-test-invitations-might-make-trans/
What’s the problem? As the activists keep telling us – trans women are women, and trans men are men. A man does not need a smear test. QED.
Wait till the trans women get prostate cancer.
Then we treat them as women and deny that they have testicles – indulging their fantasy – and problem solved.
The pandering to the psychotic is hilarious.
It would be hilarious if it weren’t a symptom of deep seated problems in society.
Trevor the Painter has just gone – he has done the whole of the outside paintwork. Looks a treat – must put £20,000 on the value!!
Hell be back in November to complete the inside. Having had the decoration done in stages has proved to be much less of a hassle that having the whole house upside down for several weeks.
Squeeky-bum time in the Finnish Parliament.
Voting on the EU Stimulus Package…the Quislings need a two-thirds majority.
Who hoo..things may not be as bad as expected.It looks like The Centre Party will change sides and vote against with The Finns Party.
I am Lapping this up.
Bill your joke really is the Finn edge of the wedge !
Two old mates bumped into each other on their local beach in Oz. One of them was alone the other had a couple of very attractive ladies with him, one on each arm. Later they met for a couple of beers. Bruce said to Dave, I don’t know how you do it mate, every time I see you on the beach you always have a couple of decent Sheila’s along side. Well, Dave replies, i’ll tell you what I do, on the way to the beach I nip into the veggie shop and buy a couple of medium spuds and a courgette and shove down me bathers mate. Never fails.
A few days later Dave sees Bruce walking along the sea shore on his own again. As he passes but he jumps up and leaves his female company to catch up with Bruce. G’day mate, he says howzit goin’ ? Not too good mate, Bruce says, I tried what you said and I’ve have had no luck at all……..
Dave says, look mate, when you’ve been walking about a bit yoo’ve just gotta make sure that the veggies have stayed right in the front part of yer bathers mate
You may have missed this,how “awkward”
https://twitter.com/cheffory73/status/1394309993390874626
You know that meme I used earler??
“This ain’t the country you grew up in”??
https://twitter.com/NJ_Timothy/status/1394588485324050432?s=20
https://twitter.com/0_politics2/status/1394346556317372418
https://twitter.com/0_politics2/status/1394253174647754752?s=20
Oof…….
OMG. This country is dead.
The WPC will be promoted.
Once the Muslim population of the UK goes above 10% you can expect an Intifada
I’m genuinely shocked. Either she is ignorant or truly, worryingly biased. This is not the behvaiour we expect form the police.
Funny how all the gimmigrant welfarists all drive big expensive cars.
Look, they’re all in one place. We have the means to remove them.
This is how to get on in Cressida’s police force
Sadly this is exactly what I now expect from the police.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d68e0aa78db66d2553565eb09c1cde0539d071e3570c8b499d110492fefe6f9b.jpg
I’m genuinely shocked. Either she is ignorant or truly, worryingly biased. This is not the behvaiour we expect form the police.
Funny how all the gimmigrant welfarists all drive big expensive cars.
Look, they’re all in one place. We have the means to remove them.
“Right-wing press and social media”?
How about ordinary people who are tired of his insults?
https://twitter.com/piersmorgan/status/1394309464262594560
Little of what Kumar says is funny as it mostly relies upon him attacking those who, due to their better nature, won’t fight back.
After all, a conservative, middle aged Christian isn’t going to bomb your house and threaten to rape your daughter, is he?
At most they will send the Jehovah’s Witness Commando Squad to ring your doorbell in the middle of the night !
Yes, he very carefully avoids upsetting Muslims
Everybody was well disposed to Lenny Henry and enjoyed his jolly, sunny personality.
Then he changed and became race-obsessed and surly and everyone went off him – not because of his race but because he became a boring, surly pillock.
The same thing happened to Ian Hislop, the white ex-satirist, who was a great favourite with many people for his clever wit, use of language and mischievous, rebellious sense of humour. And then he became left wing, pretentious and and even out-Lennied Henry with his pillockry.
The woke should rejoice that your race does not stop you becoming a plonker. Indeed plonkers, pillocks, dolts and sexually self-sufficient tossers can come in a variety of different skin-colours.
The Hodges tweet I mislaid earlier
https://twitter.com/Ferdinand641/status/1394595292390035457
Looking at the replies I think we have a definitive answer to the question
“Would the UK have had a shortage of concentration camp guards after a successful Nazi invasion”??…………………….
Edit
Katie,oi laffed
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8a0801529d7b2118b45107170bc478fc2bc82711a1be81693e9e69ad72a8c82a.jpg
“Their fear”? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ca705b1f47787bdc4d24b12e9c1b71f35c3bf3b7be8b53511aad9786f92b1504.jpg
The projection of “love” is what gives rise to stalkers and paedophiles.
The projection of “love” is what gives rise to stalkers and paedophiles.
People should be ‘forced’ to be vaccinated. Forced. If you feel your health is at risk, then you must take appropriate action to protect yourself. I am not responsible for your life.
Click on the Ash Sarkar link. Some of the illogical leaps are frightening.
https://twitter.com/JuliaHB1/status/1394339670784413700
Sarkar really completely misses the point, doesn’t she?
Bastards!!!.we lost the vote 134 to 57 so the EU package is accepted.
At least on the plus side……Russia won’t be blamed!
https://twitter.com/Telegraph/status/1394606764964958215
The world has gone bonkers when medical reality intrudes on the psychosis of the weak minded fantasist.
Next time a man pretending to be a woman goes for an operation we should give him an anesthetic suitable for the woman he thinks he is.
and smile, when they fit him with a made for cervix catheter.
Will and apple corer be needed?
Ouch…!
“Now … where do I put that speculum? Gizza clue.”
Deaths now 20 per cent below five-year average in England
If the current death rate drop continues it will soon wipe out the excess fatalities recorded during the second wave of the pandemic
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/05/18/deaths-now-20-per-cent-five-year-average-england/
Yet still we are told we are in a pandemic.
The infrastructure has not yet been smashed beyond repair in preparation for the Great Reset.
“Give a white man a pile of bricks – he’ll turn it into a city
Give a black man a city – he’ll turn it into a pile of bricks”
Told to me by a black woman – and she swears it is true
“Give us the job and we will finish the tools” – said of Nigerians.
At that rate we won’t need the million + freeloaders the govt seem intent on waving in – but I bet they still allow them to come.
Have a look at the info on the Institute of Actuaries Covid Group website https://www.covid-arg.com/bulletins. It can be trusted as an independent assessor of Covid statistics.
The latest weekly bulletin shows a chart of deaths in care homes compared to the 5-year average. It clearly shows fewer deaths in care homes over the last year than the 5-year average. It also includes gems such as the death rate for black people currently being less than the average for all groups, contrary to what Abbot, Lammy et al claim.
For deserving NoTTLers
Andrew Marr can’t speak in his own voice on the BBC? Good
If Mr Marr feels so unhappy, he should join us columnists in the Wild West world of opinion. It’s much more fun than the Beeb
CHARLES MOORE
17 May 2021 • 5:45pm
Andrew Marr resents the impartiality requirements of the BBC: the “biggest single frustration by far is … not being able to speak in your own voice”, he says.
Good. That is exactly how it should be. As an organisation funded by compulsory licence fee, the BBC must not allow its employees to “speak in their own voice” on controversial subjects. If they wish to speak out, that is perfectly understandable, but they must follow the logic of their position and leave the BBC. It is as simple as that. The fact that Mr Marr feels this frustration is a small sign that perhaps, under the new director-general, Tim Davie, the corporation is paying more than lip service to its key founding principle.
As for Mr Marr, if he feels so unhappy, he should join us columnists in the Wild West world of opinion. It is much more fun than the Beeb and he would be a glittering addition to our number.
The BBC still has a long way to go, however, along the road back to impartiality. Its coverage of the latest Israel-Palestinian confrontation and the anti-Israel protests in London at the weekend present a case in point. Here there is no overt opinion-mongering as, say, that of Emily Maitlis against Dominic Cummings. Instead, there is a way of framing the issue: Israel is in the dock and Palestinian violence is treated as almost incidental. The BBC’s Middle East editor, Jeremy Bowen, retweeted the headline of an article which read, “Racism, hate and violence are Jewish values too”. Bowen added: “Every Jew, and every gentile should read this.”
During the weekend protests, a small convoy of cars carrying Palestinian flags was filmed driving through St John’s Wood in London. Their crew shouted obscene anti-Semitic abuse through a loudhailer, demanding that Jewish girls be raped.
The BBC reported this, after it had been condemned by the Prime Minister. The reporting was calm which, even in such horrible cases, it should be. Imagine how different it would have been, though, if the men with the loudhailers had been white fascists, let alone if they had been shouting similar slogans against Muslim women. All hell would have broken loose. The BBC would have led its news with the incident, and thrown detachment to the winds. The BBC never explains what Hamas, Israel’s antagonist, believes. The Hamas Charter is explicitly anti-Semitic. It speaks of the “Nazism” of the Jews and says “the Day of Judgment will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: 0 Muslim! there is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!”
Firing rockets from Gaza, which it controls, Hamas is working as hard as it can to kill Jews, telling Muslims that killing is their religious duty. Our media should explain that the foul-mouthed anti-Semites in St John’s Wood are not weird outliers: they are doing pretty much what their leaders tell them.
Remove degree requirements to level up the public sector
People are a bit puzzled about what “levelling up” is. Given the desire of voters in places like Hartlepool for it to happen, urgent answers are needed.
I think I have hit on one. Abolish the insistence on a university degree for any job in the public service, perhaps for any job at all. The professions will say they need people with well-trained minds to become doctors, barristers, investment bankers and top-grade civil servants. They do. But what makes them think they will necessarily find more such minds emerging from our bloated university system than from graduates of the “University of Life”, whom they could train themselves?
Nowadays, policing and nursing are graduate professions, with the result that they disdain the bits the public most value and make entry from poorer areas harder. Even those wandering the richest “olive groves of academe” are not necessarily the better for it. Three years of anti-Brexit prejudice and “decolonising” curricula at Russell Group universities (plus debts of £30,000) may instil lasting bitterness and render alumni unfit for useful employment. Of course, people should go to university if they want to. But why should jobs be specially reserved for them?
A medal for our unpaid vaccination helpers
The Government is planning appropriate recognition for individuals who have performed heroically in the Covid crisis once the “war” is over. That is right, but there is a case for collective recognition too.
Consider the volunteers without whom the mass vaccination centres could not operate. As well as visiting for my own jabs, I have attended three other times with family or neighbours who need assistance, and witnessed the benefits. We, the public, have been put at ease by friendly volunteers (of most ages and both sexes) who register everyone and radiate the sense that they are doing a happy thing. They give a reassuringly local feeling to the place and let the doctors concentrate on the medical work unimpeded. As one GP puts it to me: “Apart from being helpful, they’re invisible.” He means that as high praise.
The general good effect is what matters. Thousands – round us, roughly 20 per centre per day – are prepared to turn up unpaid, often in bad weather and with some small risk of infection, helping people who may be frail, frightened or confused. To pursue the analogy with war, how about a “campaign” medal for the lot of them?
*********************************************************************
BTL:
tony moore
17 May 2021 8:01PM
No Charles. The BBC’s bias is not through choice of words, which I agree they often keep in check, but choice of stories and perspectives. Here are a few examples of what would happen if the BBC was neutral:
– When reporting BLM events, they would have “FACTCHECKED” that about 99.5% of the 150k black people murdered each year fell victim to black assailants and emphatically concluded BLM do not really think black lives matter when they only focus on the 0.5%, or that their concern was politically motivated and myopic.
– When reporting the gender pay gap, they would have balanced it up (as the FT did) by noting women work 12 years less by the time they’ve reached 50 and that pre-maternity leave, women earn more than men: it is a nuanced argument and “gender pay” gap is a biased term, as it could conversely be considered a “contribution gap” to society and the economy.
– They would not be reporting on every racist tweet to a black footballer, but reminding us of the bigger picture that black people are 4 times more likely to commit a hate crime than anyone else in Britain (Parliamentary data 2020). They’d be asking what the “systemic” problem is with the attitudes of some minorities who remain hostile to white people as well as other minority groups.
– They would have offered time to climate change sceptics. When the next goblin doomsayer makes their prediction of world-ending tidal waves, they would challenge them with the words of Harvard biologist George Wald who, in 1970, said the world would end in 15-30 years. Or, in fact, the words of any of the other 50 or so esteemed and scholars who predicted the end of civilisation in eco-catastrophes from 1970 onwards, as reported by Myron Ebell (director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute) in his 2019 article [1].
– Rather than stress the plight of the occasional (undoubtedly harsh) story about an immigrant treated badly, we’d be watching Panorama to uncover the costs of the 1m or so illegal immigrants already here. We’d be asking why it is that in 2019, only 50 people were convicted of illegal immigration while 100k were convicted for not owning a TV licence. Why is the Government not protecting its people?
– We’d certainly be hearing far more about the problems in Europe. Italy’s debt being 134% of GDP, 16% unemployment in Greece, and over 30% youth unemployment in Italy, Spain and Greece. Rather than focus on fluctuations in the pound, why not look at the far starker trend of longer term decline in the value of the Euro and the poor growth rates of EU countries against Asia and also non EU European nations.
The fact that these points and perspectives don’t get an equal airing is the crux of BBC bias. It is already assumed that minorities are disadvantaged, that the EU is morally good et al. Perhaps they need unconscious bias training after all. Certainly, it is partisan broadcasting.
[1] https://cei.org/blog/wrong-again-50-years-of-failed-eco-pocalyptic-predictions/
Marr? Impartial?? Don’t make me larf.
We all know what he’s partial to (snigger, snigger)
To be fair, he does work from the BBC’s middle ground, that half-way between the far left and the centre ground.
To be fair, he does work from the BBC’s middle ground, that half-way between the far left and the centre ground.
If you keep poking an uncaged tiger with a sharp stick eventually the result will be bloody indeed…………….
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/1394618995429478408
If you persist in fighting with a tiger over the same prize then you will end up with a sore **** !
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/ee0961a703068e4f7c3dd1fd8fa78be861affb59aadcfa19b33e8eb9f5fbb0e8.gif
“It’s mine!” says the tiger. “No, it’s mine!” says Thomson.
https://image.slidesharecdn.com/oceanminesweeper-150226130118-conversion-gate01/95/ocean-minesweeper-1-638.jpg?cb=1424956041
And when the man is close enough, the tiger lets go of the animal and jumps on the man. Then the tiger has both.
Hi Rik. How are you getting on with Eugene’s book?
Aha,there you are,it’s a brute isn’t it?,just moving up into the line on Okinawa
His description of artillery bombardment is horrific,taking it in small doses
Yeah, I must say I found lots of it difficult to read (I’ll never look at gold teeth again without thinking about that episode on Pelelieu). But, as an account of what it must have been like, it beats Battle Cry.
Helmet for my Pillow by Bob (Lucky) Leckie is another good one. Starts in Guadalcanal.
I’ll look that one up,always looking for new books,thanks
Aha found it
http://libgen.is/fiction/?q=helmet+for+my+pillow&criteria=&language=&format=
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/cdee39665cb5d947e6035838c0159d8a42bdcc7b7f434f3fd71b30b9f4aef4c9.jpg
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-indian-variant-covid-cases-uk-lockdown-roadmap/
You can decide whether or not you think the Government did the right thing in continuing with the promised road map despite the fears of a Variant Of Concern’s (VOC) coemergence in this DT poll. A BBC commentator recently described the decision as heralding a perfect storm.
However, the possibily of such an imminent apocalyptic event makes it even more necessary to be able to say goodbye to someone who you may never see again with a hug. The last kiss is even more poignant.
I don’t give a flying FK……
Has anyone had any probs with BT.com in the last 15 mins
My emails have just stopped working
Yes still have.
Can’t get into mine either.
Yes, but it started working again a moment ago.
‘What’s the difference with Lineker selling crisps?’: BBC’s ‘£300,0000’ star Nick Knowles ‘faces sack from DIY SOS for breaching corporation’s rules’ after featuring as a helpful builder in new breakfast cereal ad
The TV presenter, 58, plays a jobbing builder in a new Shreddies commercial
But it is understood to be in breach of strict advertising rules set by BBC bosses
He was reportedly told by bosses that he would have to ditch ad or his show
Nick has hosted DIY SOS, a BBC show about home renovations, since 1999
In the Shreddies ad, Nick plays a builder who pours a bowl of cereal into his hat
Nick has ‘no intention’ of leaving DIY SOS, despite signing deal with Channel 5
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9589393/Nick-Knowles-facing-sack-DIY-SOS-breaching-BBC-rules-Shreddies-TV-advert.html
The difference? He’s collaborating with a competitor for a competing show. Lefties hate what they see as disloyalty.
And earning up to £300,000 a year for hosting that show? I could a better job for a tenth of that.
Even with all those flags with ‘Free Palestine’ in large letters no-one is interested in taking it. I’m not surprised after the way the Lebanese and Jordanians were treated when they allowed Palestinians to stay.
People are scared it’s a BOGOF
A billion pound assault on our minds,no wonder the MSM are soooooooooo compliant!!
“For media outlets facing a collapse in advertising revenue because of the closure of the economy, the
government spending was a lifeline. Whether the Fourth Estate could
objectively report on the government’s handling of the virus whilst
simultaneously receiving copious funding from that same government was
highly debatable.”
https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/covid-advertising-the-governments-billion-pound-blitz/
I wonder how much the commission is on that lot??
All those Lefties that want to free Palestine are free to go and fight for it, I suppose
All those Lefties that want to free Palestine are free to go and fight for it, I supposeAll those Lefties that want to free Palestine are free to go and Die for it, I hope!
There that’s fixed it for you Bob !
‘The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.’ – George S. Patton.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv9XNFpRdhg
Hi NoTTlers – Any Countdown fans ?
What can you do with the following letters?
W N I G A K N D Y
I can post them to somebody in need of spare letters of the Alphabet
There are only 21 letters in the English alphabet, Hat
DERUX are French ones
Hi OLT Plum did not ask to rearrange them but what can you do with them, I was thinking of mailing them to Bansky for use as Graffiti
I was pointing out, that D is not a letterin our Alphabet
I DDDDDDDDDDDnt Know that Duh !
I thought everyone was familiar with Countdown ……
Me no, I’m a bloody foreigner, I had left the UK before Countdown started but have seen articles in the Daly Wail about Rachel Riley & Countdown. Back in my days it was the Yes & No interlude on Take Your Pick with Michael Miles & gong with Bob Danvis Walker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irg29je8G8k
I don’t watch Countdown, but I first came across it in France, where it was known as Lettres et Chiffres.
Very literal, the French.
And here’s ten bob as a consolation prize https://i.ebayimg.com/thumbs/images/g/YRUAAOSwO6RgoiCY/s-l300.webp
That banknote is racist, it has a rich white woman on a white background on it & its not printed on recycled paper either!
Poor old Brenda she’s had a lot of stick in her life.
seeing the ten bob reminded me i have one some where and two 1960s Rhodesian Ten shillings and a one pound note. I believe the latter two are worth about 300 quid. I put them some where safe. 😉
How about shuddah chose more vowels ?
If you have vowels trouble Eddy try a L A X A T I V E
You should see some of the word beginnings the lovely Rachel has to cope with.
Better than slack active.
Is it that unimaginably rich, prosperous and advanced African civilisation, Wankingdy?
That’s Washington DC
I thought that was Winkywankandia
That too!
Apols…I thought everyone knew the COUNTDOWN rules. Use as many letters as you can to make a word….Jeez!
Give me Rachel Riley rather than Rachel Johnson any day of the week!
I will have four consonants please plum. K N A W.
Dawning!
Yawning would get you a better Scrabble score 🙂
Like the weather here today, DANK & WINDY.
BT mail down: Is there a problem with BT email today?
BT MAIL down reports are on the rise today, with users reporting
issues with the BT email service. Here is the service status latest.
https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/1437784/BT-mail-down-is-there-a-problem-with-BT-email-today-status-latest
Mine has just started working again.
Just been on the phone for 25 mins to bt.
No-one in the email department had told the Fault people, that there is/was a problem
The email dept probably thought everyone had died of Covid.
They are probably based in Bangladesh !
The Post Office broadband was down last night, but it was back on this morning. Perhaps they are taking it in turns.
https://static.standard.co.uk/2021/05/18/10/newFile-4.jpg?width=990
Listen very carefully……….
https://www.bitchute.com/video/2LvqA0ltKk0D/
Your name vill also go on zee list.
You vill only zay it vunce?
Interesting that that cartoon doesn’t lampoon vaxx passports. Clearly they are off limits – probably because they are being presented as the solution to all the above.
https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/869c908ae189b99e4bae9a8f3d18655a5577bad1/0_23_1800_1080/master/1800.jpg?width=620&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=410cb1dbf54da1c66cf8658b1490ee80
Along Australia’s heavily populated east coast, population declines have been noted for common bird species, including the rainbow bee-eater.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2021/05/17/TELEMMGLPICT000258847986_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqgsaO8O78rhmZrDxTlQBjdO0Jyi0jPPD6Zx1hiwTPhlc.jpeg?imwidth=1260
The Drum Inn, Cockington, Devon
That pony is an underage drinker!
Which one are you?
The one with a rosette and polished shoes.
You look very nicely groomed.
Just dropping in ?
Just had a stunning lecture on the fall of Rome. One image: Roman killing an invader (ring any bells about cross-channel traffic??
Inscription: “Felicium Tempus Reparatio” = HAPPY TIMES ARE HERE AGAIN – If only
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e04709c72d037a7ff9c01f602c519161ca28c37d62a4831f206a8e92f4f5b8eb.jpg
It didn’t fall in a day though
Good afternoon all.
Birthday 🎉 wishes to Hertslass …. yep, it’s her “ once a year “ day.
Once A Year Day – Pajama Game
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkdWgMFzVNE
That’s such fun! Cheers, Pud!
Happy Tuesday Hearts & Happy Birthday sweet 16 !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h2zp96Hzhg
Thanks, Pud!
I don’t seem to have her down on the list. Please would she let me know if she wants to be added to it?
Next birthday on the list is Monday 24th May.
She was fine with me messaging this afternoon. Best to ask though, Richard.
I shall slap her with a wet fish when i see her !
To deny Nottlers the opportunity to celebrate is a SIN. :@)
Just natural modesty, Pirrip! :o)
Happy birthday! Hope you have enjoyed your day.
Thanks MIB! I most certainly have, and the good wishes of NoTTLers is such a lovely bonus.
My brother! Yaay! Didn’t know he Nottled!
Thank you Rastus. Yes, it would be nice to be added to the other NoTTLers on your list.
Happy birthday!
Thanks, BB!
Thank you Issy! Good to speak with you earlier, as always.
Keep your pecker up, and please say hello to LK.
Afternoon, all. Happy birthday, Hertslass. I sympathise with the writer of the headline letter; I’ve just spent nearly half an hour listening to my surgery telling me how important my call is to them (but obviously not important enough for them to actually answer the phone). When I did eventually get through,
Cerberusthe receptionist said I couldn’t have an appointment without a telephone call from the doctor. What can I tell them that I haven’t already said to explain why I need an appointment? She didn’t know, but I still had to undergotrialtriage by phone. Is it alright to call you on this (landline) number? Yes, that’s fine, said I, naively thinking I’d get a call soon; I’ll be in all day. That’s fine, I’ve booked a call for tomorrow afternoon after 1pm! What? No, I”m in all day TODAY. I shan’t be available, either on landline or mobile, tomorrow afternoon. The upshot of that is, I have to wait until Thursday sometime after 08.30 to speak to a doctor. I suspect that all that will happen then is that I will have to ring up the local hospital to book an X-ray. I’m still waiting for the results of the last one. In the meantime, I shall have to put up with the pain which has become so bad I decided to ring up and try to do something about it at last. Even the max strength Co-codamol isn’t touching it now 🙁If you are in absolute pain, please ring 111, the way I did.
They responded quite quickly when I told them I had developed my severe post Covid 2nd jab headache , and 111 booked an appointment with an out of hours GP at my local hospital . There is always a duty GP available , so I was told .
Please try to ring them Conway , because you shouldn’t suffer the way you are .
It is easier to see a vet than a local doctor these days .
When I had to have Charlie put to sleep, I got an appointment the same day. When he was ill over the previous weekend, he saw the vet on the Saturday morning. The NHS is a bad joke. It’s not even potentially life-threatening, Maggie. Just a pain in the hip which is arthritic. I was just so fed up with struggling to walk on the back from shopping it made me try to do something about it.
Conway, putting a brave face on is not good enough .
You must ring them and beg for some relief .
Please try.. People should never have to suffer in silence , and the caring proffessions must get their act together .
How do you know you haven’t cracked your hip?
I did wonder if I had cracked it as it’s been several months since it started to be particularly painful (being arthritic, it’s always been a bit sore and several years ago I had a bad do with it, sorted out by a steroid injection), but in that case, a few more days won’t make any difference since I’ve been coping with it (and walking on it) since March 🙂 I do have some 30/500 mg Co-codamol which I’m taking every four hours. I’ll sleep well tonight. The cold and damp weather isn’t helping, but there isn’t much that can be done about that.
Sorry Maggie, I hadn’t seen yours when I suggested 111 above. They do jump you in front of everyone if they take you into A&E. And they can jab you for pain first.
And i was frowned at for not clapping the NHS last year.
Try what I did Conners, go straight to the nearest A&E. on the 10 of last month, it worked a treat.
But having said that after my recent visit to A&E I had an appointment this morning at the cardiology department at 10:am I was in trepidation of a long wait as the waiting area had at least 25 elderly people sitting at distance. But i discovered they were waiting for Warfarin blood tests, on the stroke of Ten my name was called out and off i went for a very thorough going over of the old tikker. And after the had finished the guy told me not to worry too much, as if there was a problem, I wouldn’t be going home. And it was quite reassuring to hear that the longer I had to wait for the results of the half hour examination, both ultra sound and ECG the better my ongoing health might be.
Some parts of the NHS are working, but still not it seems GP practices.
My nearest A&E is a good 20 miles away! Oh, the joys of living in the sticks. I really don’t fancy the drive, drugged up to the eyeballs as I am because the Co-codamol makes me very drowsy. I shan’t need rocking tonight.
Have you tried what Nurse suggest below Conners ?
It shouldn’t be like this.
There is something called ShropDoc for out of hours emergencies, although I’ve never used it. It’s based at the local cottage hospital (which has next to no facilities – anything needing doing would have to take place in Shrewsbury), but even that would require driving as I couldn’t walk that far at the moment. Thing is, since it’s been getting progressively worse since March, it’s hardly an emergency, more a long-term condition that’s not improving. I suppose I could throw myself down the stairs, but that would hardly be an accident 🙂
The problem you have with MSK is there is a massively long waiting list for surgery. I had an MRI scan on both my hips yesterday, I’d been waiting for over 6 months for this to happen. I really feel for you I wish there was something i could do to help.
It isn’t as though I”m not used to it. It’s been several years since I had as much pain with it as I’m in at the moment. That was sorted out when I had a steroid injection in my sacroiliac joint and I was completely pain-free (until I followed the doctor’s advice and restarted my physio, which put me back to square one!).
Don’t get me started about the physio, including my self i know several people who have suffered from their bloody exercises.
I had a metal on metal right hip resurfacing getting on for 14 years ago. I was considered as too young at the time and had to wait three years for the operation. It’s been pretty good for walking etc. but I have always had terrible time putting socks on.
I guess going back in time people suffered terribly from these sort of human problems and there were no cures at all. My Maternal grand mother suffered badly from arthritis, it’s probably been handed down.
Last time I went to a walk in centre they said ‘Yeah, you’ve broken your back. We can’t give you any pain killers or arrange physio.
4 hours waiting where I’d seized up entirely to be told… they couldn’t do anything.
I get the not wanting to provide to drug addicts but… I wasn’t one. It was 6 hours and £25 out of pocket for nothing.
That’s horrendous. I eventually got some strong painkillers when it started back in March. In hindsight, I should have started the process of getting treatment then, but I’d had it before and it had subsided …
How do you cope with the pain when you’re riding?
Oddly enough, the most painful part is actually getting on (and that’s something that’s only developed since March). Once I’m in the saddle, I’m fine.
Call an ambulance and exaggerate with whimpering and moaning. They will arrange an Xray and painkillers.
Last time I needed an ambulance (when I broke my ribs) it took ages to come and I was hanging around in A&E for hours before they decided I needed to be kept in. I can’t arrange cover for MOH very easily.
Sorry Conway. That slipped my mind.
They must know at the surgery of your circumstances? They could be more accommodating than that. I have to say, OH has been getting good, coordinated care from our surgery and the hospital.
It did occur to me (but only after I’d put the phone down!) that I should have mentioned about being a carer and how it was making it difficult for me to fulfil that duty. Still, the drugs are starting to kick in now – I can barely stay awake! If I drift off in mid-post, you’ll know what’s happened 🙂
I know that one should not suggest drugs for other people.
For what it’s worth, I find that Voltarol tablets help a lot with my arthritis, much better than painkillers.
I didn’t know you could get it in tablet form. I know, of course, of the cream.
Have a pack at home all the time. Not often needed, but good to have when you do need them.
But keep an eye on the expiry date. I’m not sure what happens to drugs after that date.
Good point, H.
I’m told they’re safe but not as effective.
Maybe it depends on the drug? Thanks for the info. anyway. I’ll take out of date in preference to nothing, but continue to replace when getting out of date, where I see it,
Thanks for the reminder, H. They were out-of-date, so binned.
It comes in various strengths, I’m not sure if it is prescription only in the UK.
But again, with the caveat about drugs for oneself, I recommend it.
You can buy the ointment version over the counter. I’ve seen it in the local chemists.
The cream is freely available, it’s the tablets, which I find much more effective, that I’m not sure about.
I suspect, since I’ve never come across them, that they are prescription only.
I had Voltarol tablets when I had a frozen shoulder many years ago. They do help.
I’ll have a look in the local chemists when I get time.
Thanks Conners, especially when you have so much of your own stuff to sort out.
Ring 111 – they will give you injection straight away if you’re in such pain. It happened to me, and they take you straight in to A&E if there is any doubt at all.
Very best wishes for some speedy reaction from the NHS.
Last time I used 111 they weren’t much use and certainly did nothing practical (just gave me advice about what I needed to do – ie ring for an ambulance which took ages to arrive), but I’ll give them a go if it becomes unbearable. As I wrote earlier, I’m now starting to fall asleep, so the pills are finally starting to work. Sitting down has eased the pain as well. Apart from it being painful when I’m lying in bed, it’s really only when I’m putting weight on my leg that it hurts.
It takes ages to get through to 111 and you have to listen to all the Covid rubbish – but when OH had his New Year crisis, they did eventually ring back and told me to get him straight to A&E pronto.
When I talked to the receptionist she said she had to ask me some emergency questions before we proceeded – was I having symptoms of a stroke or heart attack, was I having difficulty breathing or was I having uncontrolled bleeding? I said no, if I’d had any of those I’d have dialled 999!
Give everything a go BEFORE it becomes unbearable, Conners!
Difficult to change the habits of a lifetime, Hl 🙂
Needs must.
I get fed up with being fobbed off. I don’t like making phone calls to anonymous people anyway and getting frustrating answers (after a long wait) does absolutely nothing for my blood pressure 🙁 If I am absolutely honest, I don’t like making phone calls, full stop. I would far rather text or email.
Understandable.
Happy birthday Herts Lass, and I really do hope it has been a good day for you .
Genuine best wishes from both of us xx
Oh – I missed that this morning – Happy Birthday to Herts Lass! Still the only Nottler I’ve actually met in person!
@metoo!
Thanks, mola!
A great p.m. was had with you.
Thank you so much – I didn’t mention it this morning.
A very pleasurable meeting it was too!
Thanks, MaggieBelle!
It has been lovely – and thank you so much to you and R, and to all the lovely NoTTLers who have written here and/or privately. I’ve been away from my ‘pooter much of today and yesterday. Back now, probably somewhat the worse for wear but having a great time!
Glad you’ve had a good day! xx
Yay H_L Happy Birthday!!
Cheers, Rik!
And a Happy Birthday from me too!
Thanks S!
I did send you a message, T. xx
The long arm of the law.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9591281/Scotland-Yard-probes-footage-police-officer-hugging-activist-chanting-free-Palestine.html#v-7752293787203778857
Yeah but, they work directly for both the effing useless sad dicks. Kahnt and wont.
Some of them have tentacles.
Is that the Trans ones?
The testy ones.
I expect the WPC will be “spoken to” – not sacked, or pilloried or hanged from a lamp-post.
HAPPY HOUR
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/76cc6d1fbf1756a278b2b71af68bbdf77b5c74642fcec6430253ab86e3de0583.png
Must be fake – no masks.
Stuffed.
I have four guests visiting in July who i haven’t met yet and know little about. I am doing Fizz and Canapes. I didn’t bother asking any of those questions about intolerances because i believe they are normal.
You have normal friends?
Not entirely sure. They are all Nottlers. Difficult to say. :@(
Good grief – do post a snap or two.
Some faces and other parts of the body may need pixelating.
After a few cocktails no doubt everyone will be pixelated…
Happy Birthday, H! Hope it’s been the best so far!
Thank you Oberst!
It’s been brilliant – it even started a day early, last night. Still have to wait a year for my OAP though…
Many happy returns. 64? You are nobbut a lass.
You have to wait a couple more years for it these days, Bill.
Thanks, Bill! 65 – no pension until 66 now…
It’s pretty disgusting the speed they moved the OAP goalposts for women.
66? Luxury!
I won’t get the ha’pennies the state deigns to pay me til I’m 67.
The DT’s not due her’s until 68. 7y time!!
Long, long time to wait, then 🙂
A very long time!!
My sister just turned 66 and now has her pension. If she’d been born one day earlier, she would have received it last year.
Neither will my OH. It’s a bu&&er.
Hang on there, Lass and KBO!!
Cheers BoB – each year has been getting better despite the ol’ bod falling apart!
And I forgot to add, Happy Birthday.
Happy birthday.
Thanks, mola!
In which case it’s safe to assume they will all be abnormal!
In which case it’s safe to assume they will all be abnormal!
Four!
You’re a brave man Phizz….
I also have a full range of cocktails in my armoury to stun them.
How do your guests get to your armoury? Is it armless?
Unlike you Birthday girl…most don’t manage the redoubt. The ones that do have to then manage the crocodile infested moat. Then there’s the HaHa.
And nobody would want to mix it with Dolly
I have asked everyone to come along in thigh length leather boots just to be sure they are safe. Then we are going out later.
Safe from Dolly, but safe from you in such attire?
I would warn them about your urgent unguent urges.
And Dolly.
Where Minnehaha fell in the ditch?
“Normal” ? You sure, Pip??? xx
Erm……..Happy Birthday !
Thanks, Pip!
Started yesterday evening with friend taking us out for dinner, continued today with D (actual b’day – I should have been receiving pension!)
Commiserations on another birthday.
I hope you enjoy everything that you would wish for yourself.
Aw thanks, sos! I usually enjoy what I wish for myself – ‘specially now that my wishes get more modest with age…
Wishing you a very happy birthday, Hertslass! I hope you’ve had a lovely day so far and that it continues! 🎉🎂🍾
Thanks, Sue!
Yes, I have, I am, and no doubt it will!
Many happy returns of the day!
Thank you, Sue!
Are these people you met on the Area 51 website?
Sometimes chewing on the menu is all that is available.
She should get a dose of the clap ASAP
Hi all
Just back from afternoon tea with 81 year old friend who grows my tomato plants for me ( and quite a few other people as well) and all the money goes towards the hedgehog hospital. She’s bright and perky and has been looking after a little dog for the last few months for a poorly relative. We sat indoors. My tomato plants look good so I’ll have to get cracking and pot them up tomorrow or the next day.
I’ve just given my toms another feed this afternoon; they all have trusses forming, so I’m looking forward to being able to have salad with my jacket spuds soon – the lettuce is shooting up.
You seem to be about a month ahead of me.
I’m much farther west, so maybe that’s it.
I have found that sowing earlier makes no difference – indeed, early things seem to take longer to catch up.
I did cheat this year and buy my tomato plants. They were quite well grown when I acquired them. I haven’t grown toms for several years, but I thought I’d give it a go again.
Ah – that explains a lot! I was beginning to feel depressed…{:¬))
Sorry, Bill. Didn’t mean to depress you. It’s the first time I’ve done it, but I saw some nice ones (Gardener’s Delight, Alicante and Shirley) at a plant fair. I thought I mentioned it on Nottl at the time.
I just wondered if I was missing something – but I am very pleased with my four home grown varieties.
Gardener’s Delight are always good – I’ve also got several other sorts this time. Sungold, Ailsa Craig, Mashotka and also some Big Boy beefsteak ones another friend gave me last month.
Depends how far west, our garden is behind Bills. Our tomatoes should be planted out today.
My toms are in a greenhouse. If I go any farther west I’ll be in Wales 🙂 I am pretty much right on the border.
I switched on R4 a few minutes ago to hear someone talking about carbon emissions. He sounded in one moment like Bonjo and in the next like Fat Gordy. It was in fact Kwasi Kwarteng (Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). It was depressing listening to a man of some ability spouting guff. Gas boilers banned from new build homes in 2023 or 2025 (“but we haven’t decided yet”). Carbon neutral by 2050 (“that’s written into law”). Internal combustion engines banned by 2030 and so on. He tried to convince the presenter that wiring up the country for electric transport by 2030 was no greater a task than the conversion from town gas to natural in the 1960s. He didn’t sound like he believed any of it.
Setting arbitrary targets is quite the worst way to conduct policy. There is no affordable technology widely available to come anywhere near meeting these aims. Half-cocked solutions will be hurriedly implemented at enormous cost financially and environmentally and to no useful end. Fossil fuels will run out eventually. Workable alternatives are required first, irrespective of the fact or fiction of CO2’s effect on the atmosphere. These policies are back-to-front.
The world is mired in madness…
Take the square root of minus one and perhaps you’ll be close.
Carbon neutral by 2050 (“that’s written into law”).
Courtesy of David Miliband:
‘On 3 October 2008, Miliband was promoted to become Secretary of State for the newly created Department of Energy and Climate Change in a cabinet reshuffle.[31] On 16 October, Miliband announced that the British government would legislate to oblige itself to cut greenhouse emissions by 80% by 2050, rather than the 60% cut in carbon dioxide emissions previously announced.’
It’s sheer madness; it must be undone …
It doesn’t matter really. Alf emailed our MP at the time asking what punishment would be incurred and by whom if we happened to miss the target? He said, would a Minister merely have to appear at Westminster and apologise because “the government had fallen short of the target”. Not sure he ever had a satisfactory reply!
Somebody in the government needs to wake up though and soon. Otherwise we’ll be back in the dark ages. Incompetent idiots is the kindest thought I have about MPs.
Who will fire the first shot though, with you know who ensconced in the bedroom with BoJo?
Perhaps Carrie Symonds should lead a one-way mission to Mars with Miliband’s Department of Energy and Climate Change.
There’s an outstanding opportunity for fame and fortune implementing ‘Real Climate Change’ …
Why is everyone going along with this criminal activity?
Why have people been supine for years? It’s hard for me to get my head around.
Replacing all electric vehicles by 2030 is utterly absurd.
He is a complete moron.
What if you can’t afford an electric car?
What fi you live in a flat?
What if you’ve no driveway?
What if someone unplugs your hose for their car?
That ignores the massive additional load on the grid. Where will the additional power come from?
It won’t come from green, that’s for sure!
“you will not own anything and be happy”. Simples, eh?
They are insane, in one breath they talk about carbon footprints and carbon emissions in the next breath they talk about building mases of new homes because of the shortage. What Bolero, there are to many people in the UK, well England. If there is one sure way of massively increasing carbon emissions, it’s through construction. The carbon foot prints are then massively increased by all the new occupants.
Most of these cretins don’t understand the difference between carbon (a solid) and carbon dioxide (a gas). We cannot reduce the amount of carbon, in the same way that we cannot reduce(or increase) the amount of gold.
With regard to CO² I wonder how I can get this to someone in power who might make use of it to stop this madness:
No attempt has been made to follow true scientific debate. Any opposition has been treated as some sort of heresy.
Our politicians have followed the dogma. This is a much greater threat to the economic and intellectual future of Britain than the Covid virus.
Yet the government continues with this dangerous and wrong-headed policy.
I repeat some facts:-
1) CO2 is a trace gas.
2) At 0.04% it is 1 part in 2,500 of the atmosphere.
3) But 24/25ths of atmospheric CO2 comes from nature,
4) From rotting vegetation, volcanoes, wildfires and the oceans.
5) So manmade CO2 is 1 part in 2,500 X 25 of the atmosphere
6) That is 1 part in 62,500 of the atmosphere.
In terms of Statistical Thermodynamics and in terms of Common Sense, that is insignificant
I think the slight increase in CO2 is CAUSED by global warming, warming up the oceans and driving out dissolved CO2.
1,000 upticks.
Most of these cretins don’t understand the difference between carbon (a solid) and carbon dioxide (a gas). We cannot reduce the amount of carbon, in the same way that we cannot reduce(or increase) the amount of gold.
With regard to CO² I wonder how I can get this to someone in power who might make use of it to stop this madness:
No attempt has been made to follow true scientific debate. Any opposition has been treated as some sort of heresy.
Our politicians have followed the dogma. This is a much greater threat to the economic and intellectual future of Britain than the Covid virus.
Yet the government continues with this dangerous and wrong-headed policy.
I repeat some facts:-
1) CO2 is a trace gas.
2) At 0.04% it is 1 part in 2,500 of the atmosphere.
3) But 24/25ths of atmospheric CO2 comes from nature,
4) From rotting vegetation, volcanoes, wildfires and the oceans.
5) So manmade CO2 is 1 part in 2,500 X 25 of the atmosphere
6) That is 1 part in 62,500 of the atmosphere.
In terms of Statistical Thermodynamics and in terms of Common Sense, that is insignificant
I think the slight increase in CO2 is CAUSED by global warming, warming up the oceans and driving out dissolved CO2.
332912+ up ticks,
Evening WS,
May one ask, has the
reset / replacement potential troops
entering under the tory ( ino) party boosting campaign via DOVER been consulted about any of these issues.
Also what is the views of the shadow governance imams ?
Some people will never develop their opinions or their debating skills because they will never enter into conversation with those they disagree with.
https://twitter.com/BeardedBob7282/status/1394703353779789826
Someone blowing on the cabin boy’s flute for him?
Ask him if he mouth’s organs for nothing.
I’ve put up an expanded thread about him:-
https://twitter.com/BeardedBob7282/status/1394705160891506690
Be careful, you wouldn’t want his brain to explode.
On second thoughts…..
On third thoughts, what brain?
Sadly, twotter or the internet in general, is not a place that one can argue a case. Also, the left do not do debate. They are correct, the science is settled, blah, blah…… I’m glad I was banned for pointing out some truths about islam. Twatter is only of value if you have low BP!
I don’t understand twitter threads.
Is the lower one the first post and the small one the second? If so, why does it break every single rule of the interweb?
I’ve no idea about Twitter, apart from the concept.
I don’t use it.
https://twitter.com/30onfrontline/status/1394683046650159110
Spot on.
BLM, LGBTQ+, Notting Hill Carnival etc etc et bluddy cet.
What’s the difference?
Either they should continue to crawl on their bellies to all of them, or stand up and support NONE of them, merely police the situation, without fear or favour.
Oops I woke (ho ho) up.
They should put her on permanent guard duty outside the Israeli Embassy.
As a traffic bol-with-extra-lard.
She should be promoted to the Met Pol liaison office in Gaza
The last time there was a protest march on the London Israeli embassy, our police farce escorted the chanting baying mob with their placards calling for beheading those who disapproved of islam.
332912 + up ticks,
Evening TB,
Her promotion will follow.
That’s me for the day. Spent some time (after the Rome lecture – which was outstanding) potting on strawberry plants for Saturday’s plant sale at the Food Production Club. All my plants are now ready to go…
Have a joyful evening cheering on the police who want a Free Palestine… No wonder they lay off slammers who rape white girls.
A demain.
Tuesday 18 May: Phoning the GP at opening time, only to discover that every appointment has already gone
I have the same problem with booking a golf slot or a tennis court
Change the game plan:
Crazy golf and real tennis.
I think I was playing crazy golf today
On the tennis court?
Small wonder you hide under that hat!
Don’t they use Clubspark?
My surgery falls into that category, yet some DT letter writers claim they have no problem with theirs.
The doctors are all playing golf and tennis.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/news/2021/05/18/1905-MATT-GALLERY-WEB-P1_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwfSVWeZ_vEN7c6bHu2jJnT8.png?imwidth=1260
Wise words….
Men have two motivations: hunger and hanky-panky, and they can’t tell them apart.
If you see a gleam in his eyes, make him a sandwich.
It’s just a shame the old appetite drops off with age
Not the only thing that drops off with age…
A sausage sandwich ?
Tea in the household is at 8 (so war queen can eat just after she finishes work) and today…. still no sign.
The same approach applies to sex. She’s always late!
Sounds like she’s always coming or going. Maybe more of the latter than the former…
Most of us probably have heard this one before but in order not to shock sensitive Nottlers who are less vulgar than I am I have put it behind a spoiler.
Whose knob was exceedingly bent
So to save himself trouble
He shoved it in double
And instead of coming he went.
Police stupidity and institutional cowardice.
1.Fifty-odd years ago the police in Gloucestershire made no connection between Fred West and a missing girl, despite that fact that their paths crossed. The police either couldn’t care less, or they had never heard of Venn diagrams, or even simply sticking stuff on boards and looking for connections.
2.The police in London are either scared to take action or have been told to avoid taking action. Hamas is a banned terrorist group. Expressing support for it carries a 10 year prison sentence. That’s not going to happen is it? Convicting these vile car drivers might well trigger real violence on a large scale. It is plain cowardice of the worst kind.
Yet our justice system can incarcerate silly schoolboys who like play acting and dressing up.
Uff Da…….
I questioned at what point you take up arms and are prepared to go to jail,,,
Well here we are…………..
https://twitter.com/Independent/status/1394679921893650443
http://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/825e9ee7e5c01621edbeb757580b0672b8825fb2f2c3c47a64b8a9ad0d4d2d47.jpg
Inevitable that the Left would leap on that idea.
On the contrary, being coughed on by someone with any virus is exactly what freedom is all about.
The left are re-defining freedom to suit their own authoritarian agenda. Well that is nothing new.
Chains are freedom, people, you will learn to love them!
Ask Soggy what happened when he wiped his eyes in New York whilst eating chillies.
Stupid bastard.
I worked with him when he was an internal auditor with County Natwest. A buffoon of the first watery eyes.
Night All……
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0996a705f31f24b08afa774c318bde0005247916c188d330a282af4ba0630f2c.jpg
BTL Comment from The Slog”
kfc1404 on May 18, 2021 at 3:49 pm
Breaking:
Boris Johnson has announced that due to the new Indian covid variant people will be offered the Pun Jab.
Please start taking this new variant seriously, my neighbour caught it and was in a korma for a week, and he’d only just buried his naan.
(Got have a little humour in an otherwise miserable world)
I heard that he was exhausted all the time and couldn’t raise his head from his pilau.
It was exhaustion from working through all those pilau teas…..
Popadom or popadum; that’s the crunch question …
A dish of very hot carrie……methinks
What a Pita he survived?
He only got it because he had a dodgy Tikka
It will be known to future generations as The Battle of Vindaloo ……
Well, I’ll be Gangesed.
‘You’re a better man than I am, Gunga Din’…
Nurse who cared for Boris Johnson quits over ‘lack of pay and respect’
I’m sick of it, says Jenny McGee, who looked after PM when he had Covid, as she criticises Government’s proposed 1pc pay rise for NHS staff
Now, let me get this straight, she was doing her job and wants a big payrise
Did servicemen get one, when the came back from trying to keep the peace in Northern Ireland:- No they got prosecuted.
The same applies to all areas where our servicefolk have put themselves at Risk
Do fishermen get pay rises, when the seas are rough, Lorry drivers when the roads are busy” No
While she was esconced in a place protected from COVID: the rest of us were at Risk,infact enforced euthenasia for the oldies, via Old Folk sHomes
Even now, the NHS locks itself up in Castles
Good riddance to her
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/05/18/nurse-cared-boris-johnson-resigns-lack-respect-nhs-workers/
Globe-trotting New Zealand nurse leaves NHS for lucrative contract in the Caribbean and blames government so as not to appear mercenary. There, I fixed it for the Media.
But, but, but – she’s an ANGEL – and must be treated as such. How dare you suggest that doubling her pay in the everso hot Caribbean is wrong.
Shame on you. (And there was NOTHING political in her message or the timing of it…. I expect she is in love with Ardern…)
When the going gets tough…..tra la.
When the going gets tough, the Taff gets going. That was my experience.
Be careful…. Forwards………. or Legging it Bacwards
When the going got tough for UK, where ever I was , we loaded a a WE 177
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WE.177
When people sign up for jobs, or careers, they should be doing so with their eyes wide open. It should be with informed consent to the ups and downs that may be encountered. In the past my experience of the NHS was that few of those employed worked particularly hard as in non-stop for the entire shift (something factory workers are required to do). This redundancy was one side of the coin. The other side of that coin is that lots of hours and efforts might be required in cases of emergency. These times of emergency and extra hours ( all paid for, of course) have been rare. Not so much in the last year or so when there were many sick people requiring care, medication and attention. Yet, what was that other than part of the contract that nurses, medicos and porters signed up for?
When our military are faced with an enemy attempting to take their lives, we expect them to deal with it. We do not employ our military to whitewash stones around a parade ground, or embark on endless exercises that are free of any risk of serious harm. No, we employ them to be prepared for dangerous times and to be prepared to do whatever is necessary, at the risk or sacrifice of their lives, to bring that danger to an end.
So with doctors and nurses. We expect them to deal with things that might well put them in some danger. What did they think? That they would never have to deal with plague, Ebola, hemorrhagic fevers, and similar dangerous and transmittable diseases? Instead of sympathising and empathising with their complaints we should be asking, if they feel so afraid, why did they ever dream of becoming involved in treating sick people?
Don’t like the conditions? Go work somewhere else.
So far this year our business has earned us about £2,000. We still don’t know if we shall be able to run any courses this summer so we cannot search for business
Mustn’t grumble because we have some savings in the bank which pay zero interest!
From BBC report of Manchester United’s latest match:
‘After the match, Solskjaer spoke on a microphone just prior to a walk round the
pitch, in which Paul Pogba and Amad Diallo paraded a Palestine flag, to
declare United “were not where he wanted them to be” but hoped to bring
the Europa League trophy back to England next week’.
Parading a Palestinian flag???
There is no such a thing as a state of Palestine. There are a great number of Arab outcasts, denied entry to adjacent Arab states with whom no respectable Arab wishes to associate. Those untouchables are the ‘Palestinians’.
The supposed Palestinians are displaced and unwanted persons with a religious propensity to violence. They hate Jews and will do anything to eliminate Israel.
They could alternatively attempt to build a society but prefer to squander the vast amounts of money they receive, from otherwise well meaning contributors, on underground tunnels and hidden infrastructure to aim arms directed at Israel.
Goodnight, all. I’m signing off before I drop off. Max dose of high strength Co-codamol is knocking me out!
Don’t drop off too soon. The hallucinations can be wonderful!
You shouldn’t do that, Conners!
Codeine plus is not the answer – but is dangerous.
Get a dog …
I remember you telling me off for that, too. I have discovered Bach’s Night Rescue. My anxiety levels are sky high.
If you were paying attention, you’d see that Conway is indeed trying to find a dog. Very hard. I agree re. the painkillers, though… 🙁
If only I could, lacoste! I am looking but not finding anything.
You lot from Cheshire are Posh
Watch your dosage. Too much Codeine will interfere with your breathing and can cause cardiac arrest.
I’ve stuck to the max dose and not exceeded it. I’ve also kept off the booze, although I am so low at the moment, I’d quite happily sleep and not wake up 🙁
Come on man. These things are sent to try us.
I know things are difficult for you but you must persevere.
An analogy of a task too big.
How do you eat an Elephant ? One bite at a time.
Good Nott all nightlers & good night all Nottlers, some bedtime music: GYPSY JAZZ – EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A CAT – HOT CLUB DU NAXJazz Singer Isobel Cope on Vocals, Jazz Guitarists Arian Kindl and Lukas Bamesreiter, DoubleBass Player Dario Michele Gurrado and Violinist Tomas Novak. Filmed by Marvin Smith.
Lyrics:
Everybody wants to be a cat,
because a cat’s the only cat
who knows where it’s at.
Tell me! Everybody’s pickin’ up on that feline beat,’cause everything else is obsolete.
Now a square with a horn,
can make you wish you weren’t born,
ever’time he plays;but with a square in the act,
you can set music back
to the caveman days.
I’ve heard some corny birds who tried to sing,
Still a cat’s the only cat
who knows how to swing.
Who wants to dig
a long-haired gig
or stuff like that?When everybody wants to be a cat.
A square with that horn,
makes you wish you weren’t born,
ever’time he plays; oh a rinky, tinky, tinky,
With a square in the act,
you can set music back
to the caveman days- oh a rinky, tinky, tinky.
Yes!- Everybody wants to be a cat,
because a cat’s the only cat
who knows where it’s at;
while playin’ jazz you always has a Welcome mat,
’cause everybody digs a swingin’ cat.
Everybody, everybody, everybody wants to be cat.
Hallelujah!
Everybody, everybody, everybody wants to be cat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CIRl-huv6k
332912+ up ticks,
Ponder this, the party in the pecking order comes third
one, family, two Country, three party,
https://twitter.com/JamesMelville/status/1394747396656087045
Good evening, my friends
Why Dominic Cummings’s campaign to discredit Boris Johnson should not be taken lightly
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/05/18/dominic-cummings-campaign-discredit-boris-johnson-should-not/
I commented a week or two ago that the DT removed upvotes from my BTL comments. I am not at all surprised to note that the DT has been rumbled and that many other people are now commenting that the DT removes upvotes given to those whose opinions are wrong opinions!
The self-proclaimed intelligentsia like to pour scorn on the Daily Mail but the Daily Mail allows comments on a far wider range of topics than the DT.
Many DT readers think that Boris Johnson and the country were far better served when Cummings was advising than they are now that his role has been taken by his concubine, Carrie Symonds.,
Good morning all – Wednesday’s new page is here.
mng and thanks. Early doors today – good one
Yo and Fanx Boss