On costs. It isn’t just about NHS costs. The country saves on pension and benefits costs when smokers die young. Taxpayer costs are not an argument to ban smoking.

https://snowdon.substack.com/p/how-much-does-smoking-cost-britain?utm_source=post-banner&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=posts-open-in-app&triedRedirect=true

As for the pub garden ban. Nanny state nonsense. Let market forces sort it. If a landlord finds smokers are driving his customers away he will ban smoking. Don’t see it often funnily enough

Another Spa fan. Ryde (formerly Rigida) Sputnik wheels on my tourer. Carried my 16 stone, 2 stone touring gear, and up to 14L of fluids without a single spoke needing tweeked.

Contractor? Don’t renew contract.

The car with the person who threw a drinks can out the window while a marked car was behind them.

Also anyone parked on the zigzags at pedestrian crossings  even if it was only for two minutes.

No.  I was in the center of an 8ft wide hard shoulder. Several motorbikes approached  from behind in main lane. 50m back one moves from main lane to just onto shoulder intending  (at best) to buzz me with inches to spare. I swerved right at the last moment to the outside of the hard shoulder.  Mirrors are handy. Also in the USA I once had to ride off the road to avoid an RV hitting me.

In the USA I’ve had a motorbike deliberately enter an 8 foot wide  hard shoulder to buzz me. Saw him coming in my mirror though so just waited until he was too close to change direction and swerved 3ft to the right.

We had a charity come to my dad’s house. They took a few items but said old brown furniture doesn’t sell.

After the family had taken some sentimental items and books etc taken to charity shops the rest was dumped. Too much going on dealing with bereavement and the estate to explore every selling option.

I got the clock that had been in the family since the 18th century. After a full service from one of the last local clock guys it sits chiming away every hour.

I find it amazing this clock has been kicking around for 250 years and never moved more than 12 miles from where it was built?

Destroy a habitat? Central London was a habitat one time as well.

If global warming is a coming disaster and tidal power would help stop it it’s an easy choice.

“A lot of motorcyclists convince themselves that it’s careless car drivers who cause most of their issues”

I had bikes for a few years in my 20s.  I gave it up partly for the cost. I couldn’t run a car and a bike and a car was more useful.  Partly also that I thought sooner or later I would have a big crash. Not necessarily caused by someone else.  I had two low speed offs. One my fault. The other a careless driver SMIDSY.

Unless you live in the ghetto or have a particularly fancy car the risk of wheel theft is minimal now almost every car has alloys as standard . So after the hassle our daughter-in-law had with a seized locknut I put standard bolts on both our cars.

I’d rather risk wheel theft than a seized nut stranding me.

But plenty has been done about road deaths. In 1966 they were almost 8000 a year. Despite the volume of traffic being far greater they are less than a quarter now.

Not that there isn’t more easy wins to  reduce them a bit further.   Automatic ban if caught using a phone at the wheel.  We know it is dangerous and there is no excuse for it.

No hardship exceptions for getting banned after 12pts. If your licence is so important don’t drive like an arse.

“It’s insured for us but adding her as a named driver (our preference) is extortionate”

Is this  mid term? Perhaps they are looking to profit from changing the terms of an existing policy. Quote somewhere for a new policy including her?

Happy to carry on submitting meter readings to Octopus once a month. Takes about 3 minutes.

I know which appliances uses lots of power and don’t need an EV tariff.

I bought a pair of Columbia Newton leather walking boots as they were the only one in Decathlon with a wide enough toe box.  Very light for leather boots.  Possibly with a trade off in shorter life but for under £100?

560g each for a UK 13 size. Saved a bit of weight over the boots they replaced.

We have the Meaco DD8l. A Which best buy. Seems OK.

Worth also getting a cheap humidity monitor to keep an eye on levels.  Under £10.

Depends where you live. Very little graffiti and close to zero litter here. Apart from a few teenagers nobody drops it and locals pick it up.All the council does is empty the bins.

Local roads have ongoing program of proper resurfacing. Not just patching or top dressing.

New £42m pool and sports center  opened last year. Good local schools.

NHS dentists. Same day GP appointments when required.

30min taxi to airport. 1 hour drive to the southern edge of the Highlands.

Highest life expectancy in Scotland for males. Second highest for females

Some of the advantages are due to the relative prosperity of the area. On the other hand it costs nothing not to drop litter or to  pick it up.

As an alternative source suitable cheap second hand bike here. Get dialed in. Then take with you. Sell/donate after New Zealand.

“China installed more solar PV than the USA has in total. Solar alone is predicted to surpass coal by 2026.”

It will need to work miracles. In 2023 wind and solar generation was 16% while fossil fuels were 65%.  Generation not installed capacity as obviously wind and solar generate only a fraction of headline capacity.

https://ember-climate.org/countries-and-regions/countries/china/

Apparently the Calton 54 life expectancy was from a very tightly drawn boundary with a population of 2500, too small statistically and containing a couple of hostels with residents in high risk groups.

https://www.gcph.co.uk/latest/news-blogs/570-life-expectancy-in-calton-no-longer-54

Sure they won’t fit in the boot with the seats up? Any luggage on back seats.

If not then on back seats with seats up and seats covered with old carpet or similar.

A few more jailed for blocking the M25.

“Five environmental activists who aimed to “create mass disruption” have been jailed for their role in protests that caused widespread traffic disruption on the M25.

The Just Stop Oil campaigners climbed gantries on the motorway in November 2022, forcing police to stop the traffic, in an attempt to cause gridlock across southern England.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgxqwwev50ko

Good point. I was needing one anyway so I have broken even. Any others that are still OK to use when the time comes are free.

People are amazingly price sensitive to parking. Our town center had a big problem. Free parking meant the prime places closest to the shops were 80% full by 9am by ship workers and commuters whose car was there for 9 hours. Nobody who wanted to use the shops could park.

Solved a few years ago by bringing in charges. £1 for 2 hours, with higher charges for long periods. You could now park there anytime.

There are also free supermarket carparks with max 2 hour parking. A bit less convenient for many shops but only a short walk away

Recently the minimum charge went up to £2. All of a sudden the council car parks are mostly empty. The supermarket carparks are rammed.

Really? Park further away to save £1?

These are  car drivers in the 3rd wealthiest council area in Scotland changing behavior for a £1.

I walk a fair distance to avoid parking charges in the west end of Glasgow but that is £4 an hour not £1 an hour.

Ordered 5, free postage. Seemed rude not to.

Wow! That 18kWh chocolate cabinet uses 3x our house usage. In summer anyway. In July up to 29th we averaged under 6kWh a day.

Seems this case was  seperate from the 17 year old he was communicating with asking for pics.

“Police said an investigation into Edwards began after a phone seized by officers as part of an unrelated probe revealed the broadcaster’s participation in a WhatsApp conversation.”

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/huw-edwards-live-updates-former-29647361

I had found a  gallon container beside the expansion tank in my loft when I moved  in 35 years ago. Assumed it was central heating rust inhibitor.

Clearing the loft out this year I found it was old style creosote.  Used on fences.

Aside from that I use  oil based Cuprinol  Shed and Fence Protector.

A close family member has had this.  In our case dealt with well by local NHS once in the system.  Involved being detained under the Mental Health Act and some weeks of in-patient assessment and treatment.

Getting the correct medications at the correct level is not an exact science.  Once stabilised and back home on-going treatment involved regular appointments to see a pyschiatrist  – always the same one.  Going down to once or twice a year. More frequent perhaps monthly home visits from a CPN. Again always the same one so they knew each other and the relevant history.

In our experience (obviously every case is different) good treatment can let the person lead a perfectly stable life for long periods of many years. One danger is that the patient after a long period of stability feels they are cured and because there are some side effects stops medication.  This can lead, not always immediately, to severe deterioration ending up in further in patient treatment.

Again case is different but financial recklessness is one symptom of a manic phase. So any steps that can be taken to minimise the consequences if this happens are helpful.  For example a joint bank a/c may not be a good idea.  If your bank allows spending limits to be set on cards for example.

In any case I hope it works out for you. In our case there was a happy ending with good NHS treatment and family support.

“I don’t think there’s a legal requirement to stop if there’s no injury is there?”

Indeed there is.  The main difference  injury makes is that in addition to stopping and swapping details you also need to produce your insurance certificate to the other party.

legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/section/170

As above. In Scotland anyway I am told by a lawyer I know working did a top firm in this area it is virtually impossible to get a trust to prevent care home fees

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-64212430

“surely the card fee thing is offset by cashing up/banking fees, unless it’s not being declared?£

Mixture of not declaring and using cash to buy stock I suspect.  At Costco I see many people paying with a huge roll of  £20 notes.

“I carry an “emergency” £10 note in my bike saddlebag and I think it’s more likely to be used as a tyre boot.”

I used my emergency  £10 from the bike last week as the pub was affected by the big outage and was cash only.  I was in a cash only pub last year. No cash no pint.

I use a mixture of cash and card. I get annoyed at card only places. Only use them when no choice like a local wedding venue for example or the SEC.

Currently reading Clegg’s book after picking a copy up for £3.50.  A good reminder of the major issues and plenty detail I wasn’t aware of. Still amazed that theoretically neutral civil servants explained not taking serious allegations further at the time because it might affect the referendum.

Green/eco versus profits surely.  In this case profits win.

Paper maps and compass. With OS Locate app in case I get a bit doubtful in mist.

Depends on the age of the kids. I occasionally walked the best part of a mile home myself from school when I was 5. Aged 14 was going away overnight camping with friends.

If children are trusted to walk home from school and go out around the local area themselves what is different being in the house themselves for a hour. Assuming no hazards like open fires etc.

Young children no. Teenagers yes. Where the dividing line is would depend on the child

Trump looking a strong favorite at the bookies

https://www.oddschecker.com/politics/us-politics

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/does-kamala-harris-poll-better-against-donald-trump/

Decent rear light at 57% off. Moon Comet X. A double bargain if you want a light that can mount to saddle rails as a mount is included. The Cateye saddle mount is a separate item at around £10.

https://www.jejamescycles.com/product/3859/moon-moon-comet-x-pro-rear-light/option/

Seems it was a JSO insider who leaked the zoom call to The Sun.

“The story had begun almost two years ago when a concerned whistleblower from JSO contacted me, prompted by a genuine fear that lives were at stake.Arrangements were made for me to infiltrate a closely guarded JSO meeting at which I listened in amazement and horror as plans were set out to bring the M25 to a halt.

“”The plan is to block the M25 between now and 2023.“It’ll be daily and go on for the rest of the year.””

Seems Hallam enjoys jail anyway according to the article.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/29351268/undercover-just-stop-oil-plot-m25/

Nobody will be jailed for standing somewhere holding a placard. This was a plan for prolonged huge disruption. Sentences well deserved.

The point is it wasn’t legitimate protest. That is why they were convicted. Legitimate protest would be things like marches and rallies.

The danger there being poor  attendance  might demonstrate the true level of support they have in the wider public.