WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Stanley]

I do believe I was told that once David but shame to say I had forgotten it. I had a drink one day in the bar of the hotel where Dvorak wrote most of the New World Symphony. It was in New Prague, not a long way from Northfield. There are a lot of ethnic towns in that part of Minnesota, Northfield is Norwegian hence St Olaf's College, New Ulm is German and New Prague was Polish. Perhaps that's what attracted the composers, the European connection.....

[Tizer]

This makes me think of the Cornish workers who had to clean arsenic out of the smelter flues a century ago!...
`Spicy Doritos seasoning sparks Adelaide workplace safety complaint' LINK

[Stanley]

What grabs me is the fact that there is no let up in the obscenity that is the IDF campaign in Gaza. Reports that 150,000 were displaced yesterday as tanks moved into camps in Central Gaza.

[PanBiker]

In the other conflict which seems to have taken a back seat to what is happening in Gaza. Putin is rightly being accused of targeting civilians, (which is now regarded as a war crime) in his latest rocket and bombing onslaught in Ukraine. Compare the thought process with what is happening in Gaza and ask why the IDF and Netanyahu are not being charged with the same.

[Tizer]

What strikes me about all the conflicts of the last 15 years or so is that the Western powers (for want of a term) failed to act immediately but chose to simply condemn the act and express (vocally) their support for the country, region or people who were being killed and injured. They should have stepped in more forcefully but failed to do so. By then it was too late. It all started with Assad's war against his own people, with the help of Russia. Rather like the Covid pandemic - a failure to act immediately and powerfully.

[Stanley]

Peter, you could well argue that the same thing happened with the rise of Hitler in the 1930s but nowadays we call that appeasement. I don't see any difference in practical terms and agree with you.
The thing that got my attention last night was fireworks, despite the wind and rain someone thought it was a good opportunity to upset all the dogs in the vicinity.

[Tripps]

I am famously slow on the uptake, but can't help thinking that WWIII has started. Not formally announced you understand - but it was never going to be. Take a look around the world.

[Stanley]

I know why you have that impression David. I can see the same telltale signs that conflict is possible even in areas which at the moment seem to be holding on to peace.

[Tripps]

I came across a reference to this Centre for Hate Studies and assumed it was a rather clever satirical parody. Sadly not - it's all real.

Point to note - It's now forty years since 1984.

In a world where people can't afford to heat their homes, and food banks are in high demand (even here in prosperous S. Cambs) - why on earth do we need to fund this nonsense.

Conclusion -ths country is done for. . . .

[Wendyf]

The country may be done for but I'm pleased to say that on the first day of the new year one of my hens laid an egg after an egg gap of at least two months. It must be a sign.....

415893339_6166050076764738_5293467617584341003_n.jpg

[Tripps]

NIce to be brought back to reality. Thanks.

Soon be Easter. .

[Big Kev]

You sure that chicken isn't an ostrich?

[Stanley]

Good sized egg! Was it double yoked Wendy?
David, you're right. If it's genuine it's shocking that it it is needed. Mind you, it takes a lot to surprise me these days on the unnecessary university studies front.

[Wendyf]

I haven't used the egg yet but I don't think it will be double yolked. One of my girls lays eggs that size regularly and they are just big yolks!
What you can see in the photo is the Dupuytren's Contracture pulling my palm inwards.

[PanBiker]

Dropped Sally and Ruby off in Skipton for the train to Leeds. Unfortunately all Leeds trains have been cancelled today so they have to go via Bradford. I suppose Sally's open return will have to be the same after she has seen Ruby onto the Birmingham train.

[Stanley]

Not to be outdone, I have one of them Wendy but smaller than yours I think.....



Later.... I listened to the Lebanese minister commenting on the 'surgical Strike' that has killed a senior HAMAS official in Beirut. What struck me apart from the common sense he displayed was his directness, willingness to answer all questions directly and concisely and in general the impression he gave of being open and entirely truthful.
British politicians should listen to the interview and endeavour to learn lessons. This was light years away from what we are used to hearing coming out of Westminster.

[Stanley]

See THIS for news that Prince Andrew isn't out of the wood yet.
The Duke of York has been named in unsealed US court documents about people linked to the paedophile financier, Jeffrey Epstein. The court papers include a detailed witness statement from a woman who claimed Prince Andrew groped her at Epstein's house in New York. The documents from this 2015 lawsuit also include names such as former US president Bill Clinton. Many names had been kept anonymous, but a US judge allowed their publication. Much in these New York court papers had been revealed before - but it will still mean fresh embarrassment for Prince Andrew, who appeared on Christmas Day with the Royal Family in Sandringham.

[Tripps]

It's nice to keep in touch with the town of my birth, Oldham, and Youtube is a great help. This chap was the star turn on New Year's Eve.
very impressive - big plus point is that the audience were not segregated at all. He is said to be a faith healer, and here he is in full flow.

Reminded me of one of Aunty Josie's stories - which she said was true. I do miss her.
At a faith healing meeting in Failsworth

"Mrs Hardaker throw away your left crutch"
"So I threw away my left crutch"
"Mrs Hardaker - throw away your right crutch
"So I threw away my right crutch"
What happened then?

► Show Spoiler

"I fell on my arse on the floor"

Here's Oldhams successor to Billy Graham

[Stanley]

What got my attention this morning apart from the weight being lifted off me after yesterdays medical episode was the fact that my eldest great-grandchild is 11 years old today......

[Stanley]

There's a curious lack of reporting about the news that the Royal Navy is in such a parlous state it's retiring serviceable warships early because there aren't enough crew to man them.
For years we have had news of privatising recruitment because it was so much more efficient.... I leave you to judge.
What a result for the government to take into a general election, complete breakdown of the financing of our armed forces, nobody is saying anything but the army and air force are under similar constraints.

[Tizer]

This was on one of the main paths for walkers and cyclists half a mile from us today. The wind felled a massive old poplar tree and that took an ash tree with it. Luckily few people were using the path due to the windy weather. One of the reasons the tree fell is that it's full of bunches of mistletoe...

[Stanley]

How does Mistletoe fell a tree Peter?

[Tizer]

Like all parasites it weakens the host, the tree in this case, but doesn't kill it because that's not in the parasite's own interest. But it also adds significant extra weight to branches and extra vulnerability to wind, especially in winter when deciduous trees lose their leaves and are normally better able to stand up (literally) to the strong winds.

[Tizer]

British Library crippled by cyber attack FT
The British Library will drain about 40 per cent of its reserves to recover from a cyber attack that has crippled one of the UK’s critical research bodies and rendered most of its services inaccessible. The London-based institution, which stores nearly 170mn pieces of work ranging from books to sound recordings, was forced offline in October after a “deep and extensive” ransomware attack.

[Stanley]

I saw that report Peter and it struck me that it's very likely that once more we are seeing the consequences of under-investment in software maintenance and protection. How many public archives like this are built on software running on obsolete operating systems.
Nobody has ever disclosed how many Royal Navy defence systems are still operating on old Windows systems that the world moved on from many years ago. I suspect that if we knew the answers we would be appalled.
Speaking about the Royal Navy reminded me that I had heard nothing in the news about HMS Prince of Wales since her breakdown with a broken propeller shaft. I had to go digging but I found that she has returned to sea after her repairs and has been to the East coast of the US where she took on board US jets and did sea trials of operating in heavy weather. She is now back in Portsmouth.
Why have we not heard more about this vessel? All we have heard in naval news is that two cruisers are being taken out of service prematurely because there aren't enough sailors to man them. That nice Mr Shapps needs to step up and tell us some facts.....