I don't remember dressing up as a kid for Halloween and going door to door for Trick or Treat. 😈 Did you carve pumpkins? 🎃
To me the best thing is an extra hour in bed, clocks go back on the 31st October. 😴

Flu outbreak stretches NHS resources.
This was the BBC headline...in 2000.http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/6/newsid_2477000/2477943.stm
Office of National Statistics published these figures.
Total deaths in England & Wales were 608,000 in 2020-21.Population 60 million.
Total deaths in England and Wales were 538,000 in 2000-01Population 52 million
This shows that the pandemic wasn't the huge prpblem the press and policians would have you believe? In fact the death rate was worse in 2000-01.

Your thoughts please.

It's back to the Premier League for today's West London derby. Get your predictions in by 5pm.
Good luck

Had a card through the letterbox today from these people. Says a surveyor will call next week to talk about home efficiency. They are offering free boilers, cavity wall and loft insulation.
Sounds too good to be true.
Wonder if it's connected to the scam phonecalls I've had claiming my loft insulation is a health risk and had to be replaced.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/15/new-zealand-council-ends-contract-with-wizard-after-two-decades-of-service
What do you think he might do in retirement, or can you think of another job he should go for?

https://newstoday42.com/2021/10/13/buckskin-stallion-horse-shows-off-his-majesty-after-owner-sets-him-free/?fbclid=IwAR13mpdPYgGieqYb5rx312rfkas7eD_OMsvy2S3in6ooRdVdO20ZJZqOA0g

What are your views on space travel or is Prince William right saying climate change before space?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10090871/Plumber-45-fears-lose-home-judge-ruled-Ring-camera-breached-neighbours-privacy.html

Seems a tad harsh, maybe he might have been a bit more co-operative. On the other hand, if she'd been burgled or something she might have appreciated the cameras.

The story so far.
Former Little Mix singer, who is white, goes solo and releases a song. The video features Nicki Minaj and P. Diddy who are both black.
Current Little Mix singer Leigh-anne Pinnock, who is black, accuses Jesy of Blackfishing because she looks overly tanned in the video.
Jesy explains that she has recently been on holiday to Antigua and she does tan very easily.
The woke handwringers join in the blackfishing accusations.
Jesy and Nicki go on Instagram live and Nicki defends Jesy and says that Leigh-annes accusations are purely down to jealousy because Jesy has a song in the top 40 and Little Mix don't. It is a bit of a rant with a few swear words.
For some reason Charlene White from Loose Women gets involved and has a go at Jesy, saying that after Nicki's rant, she should have jumped to the defence of Leigh-Anne. Like she forgot it was Leigh-anne that started the row.
The latest I read tonight is now the Woke lot have lost the blackfishing argument they are now accusing Jesy of mixedfishing. That is trying to look mixed race based on how curly her hairstyle is.

One of the black women commentators on GB News says there is no such thing as a single black culture. it is many cultures.

Do these symptoms seem familiar

https://marquemedical.com/damaging-effects-of-negativity/

Do you worry too much, only see the bad things in life!

Demi Lovato who identifies as non-binary currently.
She had decided that Aliens will be offended if you call them Aliens. Even though there's no evidence that Aliens exist except in Star Trek.
I said she is non-binary currently because them changes gender regularly.

"The secondary school system in Italy, not unlike some other European countries, offers options to students when they are about to enter high school. Eventually attending a university and making a plan to do so is one option.

But there is another, equally good one. That is to enter a high school that specializes in specific talents and skills. There are a several types. They include technical, pre-professional, and cultural tracks"
Your comments invited.

Please address your thoughts to the present and future value of our education system.

https://bluewater.co.uk/shops/amazon-4-star

https://www.theverge.com/platform/amp/2021/10/12/22722482/dc-superman-son-of-kal-el-comic-jon-kent-bisexual-comics

What do members think. Christopher Biggins on TV this morning is NOT at all impressed. He appears to feel that it is unnecessary and written for all the wrong reasons.

https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/why-does-china-want-to-build-a-kilometre-long-spacecraft-and-is-it-even-possible/?utm_source=pocket-newtab-global-en-GB

Fabulous programme just on BBC 1 with comedian Josh Widdicombe’s ancestry ...
unbelievable . I won’t give it away to anyone who hasn’t watched as of yet but if you love history it’s fascinating.

Winter is coming, and millions of us are facing a surge in our energy bills. The average customer could see their bill rise by hundreds of pounds a year, and for low income households it could be much more. People all over the country could be left with an impossible choice: whether to “eat or heat”.

Support that is available doesn’t go nearly far enough. The Warm Home Discount Scheme, designed to help low income households keep warm over winter, has been fixed for almost a decade. Despite rumours of a small raise, experts like Martin Lewis are pushing for much more. It’s time for us to join them.

We need MPs to take urgent action, and if enough of us sign the petition today, we can focus their attention on protecting their constituents from going cold this winter. And we’ll show them how to do it: by raising the Warm Home Discount Scheme payment.

Will you join me and sign the petition today?
https://bit.ly/3ivRtnu

..and I just heard these figures.
In Germany there are 5 doctors for every 1,000 people
In Netherlands there are 4 doctors for every 1,000 people
In France there are 3 doctors for every 1,000 people
... but in the UK there is 1 doctor for every 2,000 of us lot!!
The number of people who have not been properly diagnosed with Altzheimers
is because of not getting face to face appointments.
..and still these doctors take home a very good wage.
My doctor is a one man band, I have to constantly follow up on things he should be doing.
He drives a very flashy sports car when he does come into the surgery, and
even built a marquee cover for it in extreme weathers, bless. ☺️

My night time visitor. Comes a few times in the night for food. But not happy when he leaves his calling card on the path.

Tonight it's another European qualifying match for the Qatar World Cup. Get your predictions in by 7.15.
Good Luck

I just signed the petition "Pandora Papers: Close tax loopholes for the rich and powerful" and wanted to ask if you could add your name too.


https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/pandora-papers-close-tax-loopholes-for-the-rich-and-powerful?share=41f08538-f54b-4b92-b0d8ef4315154b34&source=&utm_campaign=blast2021-10-04&utm_source=

Hams and turkeys.
In today's I newspaper front page they say, "Supermarkets are encouraging shoppers to buy now for Christmas and warn they may have to ration turkeys and hams to stop panic buying".
My thoughts on this. Just by saying "stop panic buying" will make people panic buy. How many whole turkeys and hams does any household need? I would think one of each, so what's the point of rationing them? What can you buy now that will still be in date at Christmas?
Will we see people with trollies full of frozen turkeys?

The head of a school in Leicestershire has told teachers not to tell students they are "good" or "bad".

Instead they have to say they are "skillful" or "unskillful". Because they are less emotive words.

Do you like slapstick? Always reminds me of Morecambe and Wise, no swearing or sex innuendo.
I'd recommend going to see 'The Play That Goes Wrong'. I've not heard so many people laughing out load for years and suitable for all ages. It really cheered us all up after the months of doom and gloom.
Do you have any recommendations for fun things to see?

This is something i have often wondered about but never really found an answer ........
In some places in Dorset that I used to visit regularly the war memorials say 1914 -1919 , not 1918.
I asked locals but none of them seemed to know why.
Any ideas ?

I do hope this gets to the end it's so clever, lol

Jame Bond latest outing, please can I have the 2.45 hours back

Andrew let off the hook, I suppose it was always going to happen

What did you think of it ?

At Last Fracking will start to happen in the UK , it about time sense set in .

I keep seeing pictures of empty supermarket shelves but, so far, it doesn't seem too bad around this area.

There are more gaps than there used to be but I find those to be more in the household cleaning/washing sections than the food ones.

I can't help thinking all the stuff in the press is going to cause panic buying just as it did with fuel.

How are supermarket stocks in other areas?

You have to have an aim in life, after all if you don't rise to the occasion you may well be left with a yawning gap to remember!!

Last night on casualty there was a new ambulance paramedic who was non-binary, not wanting to misunderstand all this modern terminology I Googled it.

I still don't really get it though - they are not necessarily homosexual/ bisexual/transgender/trans-sexual etc. [ but can be any of these] and can be completely male or female physically.
They just don't want to be classed as male or female.
Anyone got a simpler way of explaining it to me ?

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/biden-says-global-corporate-tax-agreement-helps-american-working-families-2021-10-08/

Does anybody know more about this deal and has Britain signed up as well?

M5 junction 9 giant hole, traffic jams ---another sink hole?

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breaking-m5-traffic-giant-hole-25176522#source=breaking-news

Saw this old story online about a man who didn’t speak to his wife for twenty years. How long could you or have you not spoken to someone for!

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/stubborn-man-refused-speak-wife-9539558

Just found this new Wikipedia article. Yes, the John Oliver in the title is the British-American comedian who has a late-night show on US television!
It's a short but amusing read.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Oliver_Memorial_Sewer_Plant

https://news.sky.com/story/lebanon-total-power-outage-as-electricity-grid-shuts-down-after-running-out-of-fuel-reports-12429825

Tonight England play their latest European qualifier for the next World Cup. Get your predictions in by 7pm.
Good luck.

A gorilla dies of old age at a zoo right before the zoo opens. It is the only gorilla at the zoo since they are not very profitable.

However, the gorilla is their most popular attraction by far, and they can't afford to go a day without it. So the zoo owner asks one of his workers to wear a gorilla suit they have in storage for an extra £100 a day if he will go in the gorilla cage and pretend to be the gorilla until the zoo can afford a new one.
Quickly, the new "gorilla" becomes the most popular craze at the zoo. People from all over are coming to see the "Human-like" gorilla.
About a month in, the craze has started to wear off. So, to get peoples' attention back, he decides to climb over his enclosure and hang from the net ceiling above the lions' den next to him. A large crowd of people gather watching the spectacle in awe and terror. Suddenly the man loses his grip and falls to the floor of the lion's den. The man starts screaming "HELP!! HELP!!!" Suddenly a lion pounces on him from behind and whispers in his ear, "Shut the hell up right now or you're going to get us both fired." 😆

“Newcastle has sold its name and reputation to a brutal government with a brutal ruler,”
Your thoughts please?

I know this is going to sound like a silly question, but where is it best to submit a post for an event?

I have posted two events in the last week in my local loop, has anybody seen them? Or would it only be those in that local loop who sees them?

If the post pertains to my general area, have I got to post it in several local loops?

Where is it best to post an event happening in London, for another instance?

Though this is three minutes long it’s worth listening to from 1974

About shortages

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8JsAp6t/

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10072271/E-coli-tap-water-hits-thousands-homes-Surrey-Kent-residents-advised-boil-water.html

See this

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZM8J4td24/

And the comments after

It was not because of the price, but for the most pathetic reason.
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/strictlys-john-whaite-left-shaken-21785606