WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Tizer]

It was Sue! I was lost when I could not find the regular topics but I think I have sussed it now.

So it was, Moh! Sorry, but I misread Belle's opening line: "Moh, Sue has lured me back...". (That's me not paying attention at the back!)

[Stanley]

No spectators at F1 qualifying yesterday.
Stephen Hendry's maximum score at the crucible. He only flew back in from China the day before and it was commented that Jet Lag seemed to be working for him!
The phrase 'extraordinary rendition' used on the news. Is there such a thing as ordinary rendition? If so, what is it?

[Tizer]

Have you noticed how it's gone quiet on Syria? The news media have shifted their attention to Bahrain and FI racing which they regard as `sexier'. And yet Reuters is reporting that "The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a Russia-European drafted resolution on Saturday that authorizes an initial deployment of up to 300 unarmed military observers to Syria for three months to help bolster a fragile week-old ceasefire".

[Tripps]

I watched some snooker yesterday, but soon got tired of it, and changed to racing. Combination of thinking Higgins should still be banned, and no big red/black breaks like there used to be...... The rest is history as they say.

[Thomo]

There is no need to look far from home to see things that grab attention. I can sit in the lounge and watch all manner of things that get up my nose. Vehicles that are huge right down to cars that are not, but all going at speeds that are well above the legal limit, and frequently with smart phone to ear. I can see out over the bus terminus at the old Fosters Arms, by the bus shelter is a waste bin, at the other side is a large wooden box that in summer is full of plants, the two are about 15 feet apart. Yet I have just watched an asian youth come out of the back of Arthur St carrying a tray of emty tins, and being followed by a small silver car. One tin fell of, but was left where it fell, the remainder and the tray were, after checking to see if anyone was watching, dumped into the box and the youth picked up by the car and gone!! If only I knew whence they came, I could then return their rubbish to its origin!!!

[Stanley]

Tiz, the news caravan needs a varied diet....
David, you didn't see the same snooker that I did. Hendry's 147? The young Chinese lad Cao and his two centuries?

[Big Kev]

Have a great St George's Day everyone.

[Tizer]

...dumped into the box and the youth picked up by the car and gone!! If only I knew whence they came, I could then return their rubbish to its origin!!!

Well now it's noted on OGFB their rubbish is in the public domain in more ways than one!

[Sunray10]

David Cameron and George Osborne being called "arrogant posh boys" by a Tory MP. Well I never !

[Stanley]

Ray, it was Nadine Dorris (LINK). Mind you, Cameron said she was 'frustrated' didn't he. Dangerous stuff to indulge in boy banter at the expense of the ladies!
The snooker. Mark Allen shooting his mouth off again and getting into big trouble with the professional body. Nobody amused, snooker is one of the last gentlemanly sports. Watching Ebdon versus Ronnie O'Sullivan. You couldn't find two more different players and it was fascinating snooker. O'Sullivan on form is magic! Young Jones beating Murphy, if he hadn't qualified he;d have been working on his dad's farm lifting early spuds! All right, snooker isn't everyone's cup of tea but like every other sport, if you're tuned in to it it can be magic viewing.
Note for Sue, as I watched the snooker my feet were cooking in the U3A Memorial foot spa......

[Whyperion]

ZX_Spectrum.jpg

After Google Celebrated St George's Day and 30years of the Sinclair Spectrum ZX , today it marks the birthday of Gideon Sundback 132 years ago.
Story of the perfection of the Zip Fastener

Zipper.jpg

[Tardis]

http://yfrog.com/nx17777483j

[catgate]

I was attracted by this:-

" Asian tiger mosquito 'set for UK'
Rutland and Stamford Mercury - ‎41 minutes ago‎
A mosquito that spreads tropical diseases including dengue fever may be poised to invade the UK because of climate change, experts from Liverpool have warned."

I wonder who has informed it about this impending change and how it will react to the terrible state of the economy when it gets here. Should someone perhaps send it a note telling it not to bother?

[Sunray10]

Yes Stanley I knew the name of the female Mp but didn't want to put her name on the site. There are many posh boys in the Tory party, I'm sure.

[PanBiker]

Yes Stanley I knew the name of the female Mp but didn't want to put her name on the site.

Why on earth not? I'm sure she would not mind or she would not have made the statement. The story is in the public domain anyway so why so coy?

[Sunray10]

Just wanted to be carefull. Big brother and all that ! Anyway the name is as you say "in the public domain now".

[Stanley]

Ray, bugger 'Big Brother', if we don't exercise our right to free speech we lose it!
Fascinating day at Leveson yesterday. Makes a difference being under oath and having specific questions fired at you. Did you catch Rupert when he was asked is opinion of Cameron? He said he thought he was a bright lad, then a tiny pause followed by 'then'. I know it's taking a long time but I get the feeling that when the report is written it's going to be dynamite.
Mail from Martha who was having tea in Richmond sat with a retired philosopher who was bemoaning the lack of good conversation amongst the retired. M recommended he log on to One Guy and get some reassurance that the crumblies were still rubbing a couple of brain cells together! (and the younger members as well obviously!)

[Thomo]

They are at it again!! e/mails from Africa seeking help, ie please contact?, you know the rest. DELETE INSTANTLY!!

[PanBiker]

Apparently my Talk Talk account is about to be disabled because the security information for the credit card I use to pay my bill has been changed. I get a daily email encouraging me to validate my details or loose my service. Funny that, I don't pay by credit card. I suppose some folk fall for it

Also awaiting a response from a potential informant for the war memorial research as detailed in that thread. Early days on that yet.

[Sunray10]

Okay Stanley I will in future. Thanks.

[Pluggy]

Had a customer return to the door just now convinced I hadn't charged him enough for the work I'd done for him. It was correct but I must be too cheap........

[Tizer]

They are at it again!! e/mails from Africa seeking help, ie please contact?, you know the rest. DELETE INSTANTLY!!

Our ISP's spam filter prevents us getting most scam emails but the telephone scam calls have gone ballistic over the last week or two. Many are trying to get us to use their services to apply for PPI compensation from the bank - but we've never had PPI. Others want to "solve our computer problem" - but we don't have a problem. Some are pretending to be doing a survey, for example on our views about energy consumption so they can sell us something. Many are now automated recorded calls asking us to press a button on the phone - which we don't do of course. Those are dangerous because if you press the numbered key they can then claim that you agreed to them approaching you for a sale. You can detect most of the live calls before you even hear the person's voice. First, there is a delay after you pick up the phone. Then after a few seconds it connects but you can hear a lot of babbling in the background. Usually the caller has a foreign voice, often not easy to understand, and may address you by your first name. Now, as soon as I hear the delay, then the babbling, I put down the phone. Too bad if it's someone genuine - they shouldn't behave like a scam caller!

[Stanley]

Agreed. I only answer the phone in the mornings and mine are definitely increased. You're right, I always answer "Hello" and if there is a gap I just hang up. If someone does speak my immediate reaction is to say "who are you2 simply so I have an idea which scam it is. After that it's go away. Yesterday's were the Msoft and customer survey ones. Criminal activity of course but off-shore so they can't be touched by UK. Modern communications has its flaws!

[Nolic]

CQC inspector sacked for accepting bribes.
I'd heard about this a couple of weeks ago but its now in the public domain. How to give a profession a crap name. Nolic
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/ ... NTCMP=SRCH

[Stanley]

I noted that. The 43 year old woman wasn't named but no doubt we will hear more soon. It indicates she hadn't much respect for the clients in the homes she was inspecting.
Listened to part of the debate about chipping puppies so they can be traced. I'm all in favour of it but took issue with one Tory MP who said that the layabouts breeding illegal dogs would ignore the regulations and the data base would be full of "dogs responsibly chipped by middle class owners". Does this mean that the 'working class won't be in there as well? Only a small slip of the tongue but it betrays so much about the man's thought processes.
Much is being made of the fact that "favours were not sought or exchanged" during meetings between politicians and Rupert Murdoch. Weasel words! I think we all have enough oil in our cans to know that the agenda didn't need to be specified, both parties knew what was going on. This same syndrome often occurs to me in other fields of contention. Take the example of the remuneration boards which set director's pay and rewards. Does anyone really believe that there aren't back passages of collusion and influence in private conversations and old-boy networks? Secret and easy to deny. The only time these things surface is in stings like Crudass Gate. It's like the tip of an iceberg, there is a vast network of back channels about which we know nothing, all we can do is be realistic or even cynical when we here the denials and carefully worded statements.
Nice to see a picture of Hilda Elsworth one of my old weavers, celebrating her 89th birthday at Abbeyfield. She started at Bancroft aged 14 years and wove there for 41 years until made redundant in 1978 with the rest of us. Lang may her lumb reek!