Seen in the News

[Bodger]

"It's like the debate over the use of the word nigger. " When i was a child we had a black Labrador that my father named Nigger, i could visulise the scenario today giving command followed by the dogs name, sit, come, fetch, etc. . We had friends who lived 1/4 mile away and my mother would send Nigger there and and " aunty Annie" (no relation) would give the dog an egg and he would bring it back in his mouth unscathed.

[Stanley]

Add golliwogs as well.
I lose track of what is PC and what isn't. I do not lose sleep over it.

[Tizer]

It gets difficult to talk about Dam Buster Guy Gibson's dog, too.

Another example of meteorological events that are happening more frequently. I wonder if there is any link with the Aussie floods?
`Super-cold thunderstorm sets temperature record' LINK

[Stanley]

I saw that and commented on it as well Peter. That's cold!

[Tizer]

This is an excellent article by Justin Rowlatt, the BBC's chief environment correspondent. Lots of interesting insights. And there's going to be a radio programme to go with it: `A Pyrotechnic History of Humanity' will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 at 11am on Tuesday 30 March.
`The real reason humans are the dominant species' LINK

An example of the insights: Think for a moment about what you are doing when you raise crops. Fields act like a kind of solar panel, but instead of making electricity, they turn the Sun's rays into packages of digestible chemical energy. Above all were cereal crops - domesticated grains like wheat, maize and rice acted like a kind of storable energy currency.

[Tripps]

they turn the Sun's rays into packages of digestible chemical energy.

I think he means 'food'. How wonderful to be paid by the BBC to have such thoughts.

I think the modern phrase 'get over yourself' covers it.

[Stanley]

I have to agree with David, it looks a bit simplistic and obvious. Of course wheat can be stored.... We've known that for a fair while and also why we do it.

[Tizer]

Give Justin a break. He's trying to get people interested in something beyond football and Strictly. Those people who wouldn't normally see the connections that he's illustrating in the article. Why is OG getting so aggressive? Time to lighten up!

[Marilyn]

( well I have found OG quite “particular” for some time. I miss our old format of communicating.)
I have no real issues with your politics...I hope we can still be friends ( though I know I ask probing questions at times). That is just who I am - I like to strip things back to the real bone of discussion. Some may find it confronting. ( I hark it back to my nursing career when I had to fundamentally find out what was really bothering someone. I have a need to find the real source/problem).

[Big Kev]

Looks like they've shifted the Ever Given from the bank of the Suez.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-56559904

[PanBiker]

Still stuck on the bottom though waiting for a high tide. It's crazy why would you let a cargo ship that is longer than the width of the canal and that can only move in the deepest channel in the middle use the canal?

Even our lowly canal system in the UK has winding oyls for turning the boats around at regular intervals. I see they have now introduced a sandstorm as well as high winds in an effort to mitigate the cock up. Apparently the captain couldn't see where he was going, in which case he should have stopped until it bated, not rocket science. The ships are too big anyway to be using a 170 year old canal they either need to ban the the big ones or make it wider and deeper. No longer fit for purpose due to increasing ship sizes. Quart in a pint pot again.

[Marilyn]

I think it is on it’s way now. It certainly is a big unit. Makes you wonder how it floats...

[Stanley]

You're probably right Tiz. I will admit to being a bit jaundiced with the media at the moment.
David, perhaps we were being a bit elitist.....
You're certainly right Ian. Probably just simple greed all round....

[Tizer]

Yes, greed, the canal company knows it's on to a good thing and they don't want to let it go.

[Stanley]

There was a report yesterday that VW were changing the name of the company to 'Voltswagen' to reflect the move to electric vehicles. Not true! It transpires that this was an April 1st spoof that got out into the wild two days early.
Pity, I quite like it!

[Tizer]

VW can't control its PR people...and the social media manager for US Strategic Command can't control his children...
`Child tweets gibberish from US nuclear-agency account' LINK

[Stanley]

Peter. That could happen to anyone if they were fool enough to leave the machine connected and a young child alone with it.
More on the VW spoof. I heard a comment yesterday that it was actually more likely to be the PR department being clever and getting more response by 'making a mistake'.
I could believe that...
Later, there was a report on BBC Farming Today about a robot lawnmower that 'escaped' and damaged a farmer's field. After being ignored by the mower's owners he crushed it by running over it with his tractor.
Really?? Has anyone noticed the date??

[Tizer]

Now the US election fever has died down we don't hear much about US politics in our news but they've got a serious problem brewing which threatens their democracy by placing increasing limits on who can vote or deterring those who try to vote...
`How GOP-backed voting measures could create hurdles for tens of millions of voters: At least 250 new laws have been proposed in 43 states to limit mail, early in-person and Election Day voting.' Washington Post

[Stanley]

Yes, I have noted them Peter. All are meant to discourage the poorer and less white voters who are more likely to vote Democrat. I see Georgia is very active in this regard, the Republicans there think they were robbed!

[Tizer]

How to study and monitor ocean wildlife on a tight budget...
`World’s largest ocean monitoring system BRUVS launched' LINK

[Stanley]

If it's been noted elsewhere I apologise but the dog attack in Dudley is sickening. See THIS for the details of the death of the 85 year old woman.
The dogs were obviously dangerous. Why should anyone keep animals like that? I hope they throw the book at him.

[Tizer]

Have a look at the incredible amount of trash left behind by the people partying in the middle of Cardiff. There's much more to this than just breaking covid rules. What's wrong with these people? It's as if all those people who normally drop their litter in the street have come out to gather together at the same time. Perhaps the police should just employ a giant net thrown over the lot of them and then send them for re-education!
`Cardiff Bay: Extra police powers to stop crowds after party' LINK

[Big Kev]

Have a look at the incredible amount of trash left behind by the people partying in the middle of Cardiff. There's much more to this than just breaking covid rules. What's wrong with these people? It's as if all those people who normally drop their litter in the street have come out to gather together at the same time. Perhaps the police should just employ a giant net thrown over the lot of them and then send them for re-education!
`Cardiff Bay: Extra police powers to stop crowds after party' LINK

I just can't get my head around it, these people need more than re-education...

[PanBiker]

I suppose because of the cuts to Police numbers their only option is to move them on. In the real world there should be enough coppers to surround the event and order them to clean up their own mess before leaving. Should not be necessary at all of course.

In a similar vein but quite worrying in the local forest down at Victory Park, the lady that looks after and cleans the toilets and who is one of the champions of raising funds for new equipment at the skate park. Reported on social media that she was harassed by a gang of teenagers giving her abuse and climbing on the roof of her camper van. This in a way is biting the hand that feeds you. She felt quite intimidated by the gang, not on, some of these kids need a good hiding but of course that would be classed as abuse or assault, something wrong somewhere.

[Marilyn]

It is quite confronting to see all those nitrous oxide containers in those photos too.
Visitors are quite good in our town during school holidays. It is the “schoolies” ( high school kids flooding into the caravan parks and running amok) that leaves rubbish all over town. Most of it is takeaway food and drink containers.
Our town is full again for Easter. We are not going anywhere apart from our lonely daily walk. Most locals are the same - we all hibernate when the town is full.