WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Stanley]

Lovely! I don't think they will be sanctioned from the look on his face.....
How good the air is at this time of the morning, does you good to take a few deep breaths! I suspect it's cleanest at this time of day. Could that be right?
I have been intrigued of late by the fact that advertisements for the sale of Banksy prints in PE have a note at the bottom 'authenticity issued by Pest Control office'.
I looked it up, problem solved! (LINK)

[Stanley]

See THIS Report on Johnston Press going into administration. If I am correct, they are the publishers of the Nelson Leader etc and that group includes the Barnoldswick and Earby times. I shall wait to see what transpires but this doesn't surprise me. At the very best I expect to see some big changes, including the loss of our local paper.

[Stanley]

Johnston Press. I note that the shareholders have been wiped out and the Pension Fund transferred to the government protection scheme..... The new owners make reassuring noises but don't hold your breath!
Trump visits Paradise (!) and still holds that climate change is not the cause, it's bad forest management. The death toll locally has risen to 74 and 1200 are missing. Many of these could be safe but the death toll is still expected to rise.

[Tizer]

`Harwich WW1 U-boat surrender marked with willow model' LINK

`Dalby Forest sleeping mouse leaves visitors shut out' LINK

[PanBiker]

Johnston Press. I note that the shareholders have been wiped out and the Pension Fund transferred to the government protection scheme..... The new owners make reassuring noises but don't hold your breath!

Indeed Stanley, the government can't even manage their own pension system. Thousands of 50's WASPI women robbed of the money they all paid in.

[Stanley]

Indeed Ian and I have always argued that the treatment of them is shameful. Will Amber Rudd make any difference in her new post as Minister for Work and Pensions? Tell Sally not to hold her breath either......
Must get geared up for Airedale tomorrow.....

[Tizer]

Trump has been making fake news again but at least it's allowed the Finns to have some fun on social media at his expense...
`California wildfires: Finland bemused by Trump raking comment' LINK

[Tripps]

Can I just confirm your phone number Sir?

Yes of course - read out what you have got and if it's correct I'll confirm it.

Sorry Sir - under the new GDPR regulations we are no longer allowed to read out any telephone numbers. You will have to read it to me.

So you can't say my number even though in fact we are speaking over it now?

Yes Sir.


Collapse of stout party. They say it's something to do with the E.U.

[Stanley]

David, whoever wrote the operator's script was definitely having a bad day.
Tiz, Trump has no such excuse, he writes his own script...... Love the Finn's response!

[Tizer]

We know what's important news here in Somerset!
`Trapped hamster freed from pipe on tiny ladder in Bridgwater' LINK

[Stanley]

Lovely! Actions like this are important. They are the rare reports that convince me that we still have an underpinning of humanity despite what global headlines tell us. (I hope they also blocked the entry to the pipe!)
Later... see THIS Sky News report on the number of children addicted to gambling. I don't know what to say about this beyond the fact that I am shocked. Surely we can do better than this?

[Tizer]

The bit that grabbed my attention in this report was that it was so easy for the thief to divert the victim's landline phone calls to his own phone...
`RBS customer lost thousands of pounds in scam' LINK

[Tripps]

Whatever your medical concerns - be thankful that you do not suffer from this condition.

Misophonia Must be nearly unbearable.

[Stanley]

I heard a piece on R4 about that David. As I say so often, I am so lucky!
The way the government spin machine responds to every legitimate concern about deterioration in society by parroting how much is being invested. Never addressing the fact that real life proves that we aren't doing or investing enough. It has become a cliché.
Tiz, a good example of how the closure of high street branches has forced people into telephone and online banking making them vulnerable to dangers that never existed in the old system.
At Airedale the other day I met one of the ladies who was a teller at my old bank, she did 36 years for Midland and HSBC. It was like meeting an old friend, we recognised each other immediately. That can't happen now......

[PanBiker]

As I cant drive at the moment I thought I would check when I can apply for my bus pass. Went on the .gov site and found that although I'm not 65 until the end of the month, I am eligible to apply from the 6th November. So onward to the LCC site as you have to apply to the authority who you pay your council tax to. I have downloaded the application form, (no online option) as you have to supply a photograph, confirmation of birth date and something that confirms your address and then wing it off to Preston. Gathering the wherewithal at the moment. Might as well have one as I cant go anywhere for the moment and for probably the next 9 months or so unless someone drives me.

[Wendyf]

I was looking to see when Col becomes eligible for a bus pass and though he reaches 65 at the end of January 2019 he can't get one till May, which is when his state pension kicks in. I was lucky and got mine at 60.

[Tripps]

(no online option) as you have to supply a photograph, confirmation of birth date and something that confirms your address

All that is doable with the right software. I started a new bank account with Starling Bank a while ago. All done on line - including sending a photo from my smart phone - in a very short time. Fully activated in about half an hour as I remember. I blame poor TV programmes on a Saturday night.

I now hear many adverts on the radio encouraging us to renew a passport fully on line. I wouldn't have thought that possible - didn't you used to have the photo endorsed by an upright citizen etc in the old days? Mine has run out, and in truth I don't need a new one, but the idea is appealing. My son goes to Paris regularly for the day to attend meetings - says that the canteen lunch is quite good.

[PanBiker]

I was looking to see when Col becomes eligible for a bus pass and though he reaches 65 at the end of January 2019 he can't get one till May, which is when his state pension kicks in. I was lucky and got mine at 60.

Indeed Wendy, this government is moving the goalposts again from 2020 and both men and women will only get their bus passes at the women's state pension age, currently 66.

[Tizer]

..I cant go anywhere for the moment and for probably the next 9 months or so unless someone drives me.

Roll on the day when reliable driverless cars become available! In the meantime, enjoy these photos Ian!
`In Pictures: The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2018' LINK

[PanBiker]

Some fabulous photos there Tiz.

[Big Kev]

I now hear many adverts on the radio encouraging us to renew a passport fully on line. I wouldn't have thought that possible - didn't you used to have the photo endorsed by an upright citizen etc in the old days? Mine has run out, and in truth I don't need a new one, but the idea is appealing. My son goes to Paris regularly for the day to attend meetings - says that the canteen lunch is quite good.

I did mine a couple of months ago, the most difficult bit is getting the photo to meet the requirements of the online checking process, too dark, too bright, can't see your eyes, you're too close to the camera
Got there eventually...

[Tripps]

That made me smile - and you being an 'award winning' photographer too. What chance have we ordinary people got?

[Stanley]

Perhaps our idols have feet of clay David.....

[Big Kev]

That made me smile - and you being an 'award winning' photographer too. What chance have we ordinary people got?

[PanBiker]

Regarding the bus pass, you have to supply a passport photo, bit like the old days with your name and postcode on the back and then stick it to the form. Could I find the other three photo's that I had spare from when we renewed our passports a couple of years ago, could I heck! I did find a slightly earlier version of me, (I can detect a bit of darker hair) and picking up on Kev's tribulations the 53 year old version of me will have to do. The saying no one will notice from the top deck of the Ribble seems most apt.

On a separate matter yesterday, responding to an email from my dentist. I went online to make an appointment for a checkup only to find there are no appointments next week or for the next two months! Best I can get at the moment is late January. Don't know yet when I will be called for the scanner which may well be January as well so I will wait until I get a date for that before trying again.