WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Big Kev]

New glasses and new sandals, it's all happening today.

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[Stanley]

In California in the 1980s Birkenstocks were de rigeur. A friend of mine bought me a pair and I remember my disbelief when I found out how much they had cost. I still have them....
One thing that grabbed my attention yesterday was an attack on the Chinese political spokes person in the UK on the BBC World at One. I thought it was not the place of the BBC to be so aggressive. It included an attack by the interviewer on objections to Trump calling Covid19 'Chinese Flu' on the grounds that we speak of Spanish Flu for the 1914 pandemic. This is very dodgy territory. 'Spanish Flu' was as erroneous a description as 'Chinese Flu' could be. The 1914 outbreak didn't originate in Spain, that was where it was first reported. The same almost certainly applies to Covid19. I thought it was a bad interview and not what the BBC should be doing. They should be neutral and just ask questions. It would be nice also if the got their facts right.

[Stanley]

The change in the weather as we get the Atlantic systems again on the west wind. A bit cooler but more chance of some much needed rain.
See THIS CNA report on the latest view in Singapore of strategies to attack Covid19. Worth keeping an eye on as they have seen a second spike in numbers after relaxing their original lockdown.

[Big Kev]

Be interesting to see what effect rain has on my front yard, I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to gardening but it looks OK to me.

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[plaques]

Looks OK to me. Are those Forest Flames that have been hit by the frost? Ours took an awful beating that cold night.

[Stanley]

I see that we are to have a minute's silence for those care workers who have died from Covid19. It's good that they are to be recognised but could we also remember that many are on the lowest legal wage possible, are short of PPE and do not get benefits. This would be a good time to start doing something about the chronic underfunding of the whole of the social care sector. There's something very strange about a system that sees subsidising industries that are not exactly essential to society as a good economic move but don't have the same attitude towards social care and health. So during that minute's silence could politicians please think about practical help for the living carers?

[Big Kev]

Are those Forest Flames that have been hit by the frost? Ours took an awful beating that cold night.

I have no idea what's growing in there, I'm aware of some rose bushes as they have thorns on them. With regard to anything else, not a clue...

[Tizer]

Forest Flames is a variety of Pieris - I agree with plaques that they look like Pieris (the ones by the steps and in the circle): LINK
Along the top of the wall - box bushes perhaps?
The corner closest to the camera - tree heather?
Left-hand corner - a Hebe?
Blue flowers - Bluebells?
All guesses - give us a higher res photo and we'll be more certain!

Winners of the International Garden Photographer of the Year's Black & White photo project... LINK

[Big Kev]

Thanks for that Tizer, definitely bluebells out there (Google confirmed this) and there are white ones as well. Google says these could be Spanish, or rare British (more likely not rare).
I'll bob out and get some close ups in a bit.

[Big Kev]

Here they are...

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[Cathy]

Thanks for the link Tize.
Aren’t some people clever. Lovely

Good pics Kevin. Does your better half garden?
Definitely a garden worth looking after, or learning to , hehe.

[Big Kev]

Good pics Kevin. Does your better half garden?
Definitely a garden worth looking after, or learning to , hehe.

Thanks Cathy, neither of us are gardeners, we try and keep on top of what we have but really have no idea what we're doing

[Big Kev]

The Daily Mail, what a bunch of...

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[Stanley]

If I remember rightly that pic that the Mail manipulated and printed brought a lot of incoming down on James Cracknell. PE is full of examples like that from the Mail Online every fortnight. I don't think ethics is allowed to get in the way of a good story......
A video call with Susan and Margaret and the family in Perth. Wonderful!
I told Laura what you had said about the adventure of the Pilbara Tiz and she said you'd love the place they are flying her out to next Tuesday. RHODES RIDGE. Laura says they have started work on it and she is going to be a paramedic there for two weeks on and two off, 12 hour shifts each day, 6 to 6. She said that you'd love it because there are diamonds there as well.

[Tizer]

Kev, here are the plants identified in the same order as in your photos...

A fancy variety of tulip.

Bluebells - they look more like English than Spanish bluebells to me, although the two types hybridise so identifying them can be tricky.
Bluebells

Pieris variety. I know little about them but Plaque's Forest Flame looks right.
Pieris

Azalea or rhododendron flowers
Azalea or rhododendron bush

Red-flowered valerian. A vigorous perennial plant and spreads quickly!

Box bushes. Buxus sempervirens. Slow growing and makes excellent low hedging. Good for trimming or sculpting into topiary shapes. You could have some fun with them, making four of the same shape or all different, or let them grow into each other to get a continuous hedge.Box

Tree heather. Erica arborea. Tree heather

[Big Kev]

Great stuff, thanks Tizer.

[Stanley]

At the moment what's grabbing me is that Dick Trump insinuating that he has 'seen evidence' that Covid19 originated in a Chinese laboratory. Doesn't he realise there is plenty in laboratories in the US and UK? It's there because it has to be studied. Did his Chinese example have a big notice on it signifying something else?
More important, it's the first day of May! Soon be having some good weather?

[Tizer]

While in lockdown we can travel in our imagination to the Nordic islands with these fabulous photos... LINK

[Cathy]

Wow, how beautiful is the Arctic Fox. Lovely

[Stanley]

Great pics Tiz but I can get enough stimulation in the shed. I must be a simple minded bugger!
What grabbed me yesterday was my fall from grace... Everything looks rosier this morning! Interesting thing is that my kids immediately sprang to my support, that was nice, they understand.
Susan delivering fish and chips over the back yard gate but she did admit that if she'd known she would have been queueing outside Kelbrook chippy for an hour she wouldn't have bothered! It was nice to see her. That's as close as I will get for at least 18 months I reckon, we need a proven vaccine! We live in strange times.
I was talking to Ian Capstick across the back street and he says there is no sign of any work returning. Something has got to change very soon, the country can't go on like this. I was talking to Mandy, Ringo's wife yesterday and he has had one of the most secure jobs around for years in the aerospace industry making turbine blades, a very skilled job. He is furloughed now and no signs of any change in the near future. Mandy's job in Earby has gone as well, she was working from home for a while but that has ended. It makes me glad I am old! Very confusing for an old bloke like me who was never without a secure job for the whole of his working life. Strange and disturbing times.
The other thing that strikes me is that we should go back and read Naomi Klein's book 'Shock Doctrine'. The situation is being used to modify 'temporarily' some very basic liberties.

[Tizer]

The BBC's Week in Pictures... LINK

This is from a BBC Reality Check article `Coronavirus: Trump is selling coronavirus coins and other claims fact-checked' LINK

[Stanley]

Two good links Tiz. Love the pics and yes I heard a report on R4 about Professor Honjo. Very difficult to know what can be done when an outright lie like this is published. Thank god for reliable fact checkers! Is there any way we can send them viral?

[plaques]

Similar fake news going on in the internet circles about Bill Gates. It would appear that Gates has been a critic of Trump in his handling of the epidemic. Gates has given £Millions to the cause. But Trump's supporters are thought to be behind all the adverse criticism and downright lies.

[Tizer]

Trump regards all the tech company people as his enemies - in fact I think he'd love to be able to kick the states of California and Washington out of the Union. Trouble is, nowadays they are the powerhouse of the US economy. Perhaps it's time some of the states got together in a move to leave the USA and create a different Union. How about the Union of European and American States?

[Stanley]

Or even a viable and stable EU?