https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10836223/Sadiq-Khan-plans-expand-12-50-day-Ultra-Low-Emission-Zone-commuter-belt.html

Since the withdrawal of peace keeping troops the country is back to where it started with women’s rights destroyed

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/afghanistan-taliban-gives-non-negotiable-order-for-all-female-tv-presenters-to-cover-faces-on-air-12616777

https://news.sky.com/story/jonathan-van-tam-misses-covid-knighthood-ceremony-after-testing-positive-12615879

A bit ironic

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61508520 This is an appalling account. There's a programme on iPlayer.

Copied from Yahoo finance.
Last month, the energy price cap, which limits the amount by which bills can rise, rose by 54% from £1,277 to £1,971. It is forecast to rise by a further 40% to £2,800 in October.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10830903/Is-Britains-wokest-cop-Cambridge-superintendent-pictured-wearing-rainbow-helmet-patrol.html

The papers do like to stir things up

https://uk.yahoo.com/finance/news/iceland-offers-over-60s-discount-shopping-083203018.html

Burnley are fighting relegation, can they get the win to help them stay up. They also have a financial nightmare looming if they get relegated. Because of a clause in their £65m loan, if they go down, the whole amount has to be paid back by the end of the year. If they stay up they only have to keep paying the interest. Get your predictions in by 7pm.
Good luck

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10828123/amp/Ukrainian-refugees-forced-UK-homes-told-new-sponsor.html?ico=amp_articleRelated_with_images

In today's I newspaper they report 7 UK cases of which the latest 4 are from London and have not recently visited Africa. The article says, Monkeypox is sexually transmitted by men who have self identified as either gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men or monkeys.
Not sure what they mean by "other men" when they have already quoted gay and bisexual men.
Update on the numbers. One of my phone notifications said there are now 10 cases in the UK and also cases in Spain and Portugal.

Nano Ionic Facial Steamer
Vevor Sealing Machine
Vevor Welding Machine
SEDOM LED Lamp Unit
Charged Electric Mower
Vevor Diamond Core Water Cooled Drill
High Pressure Lamp Chain
LED 5000 Bulb Light
LED Ceiling Lamp
https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/product-recalls/2022/04/nano-ionic-facial-steamer/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=New%20Electrical%20Product%20Recalls%20April%202022&utm_content=New%20Electrical%20Product%20Recalls%20April%202022+CID_0fe908d68a267d035b0b4897e15b2d08&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Nano%20Ionic%20Facial%20Steamer

Don't know how I didn't hear about the public consultation about the draft remit for this inquiry but there you go. At least the resulting recommendations for extending it include the one issue that really riled me at the times I was ill with Covid-19.
So this should update everyone who's interested. Given how widespread the infection became - and still continues to be - almost no-one will probably be completely uninterested in what this inquiry uncovers.
https://covid19.public-inquiry.uk/2022/05/baroness-hallett-makes-recommendations-to-the-prime-minister-on-the-inquirys-terms-of-reference/?fbclid=IwAR29FWAQNy45nUmnIqHCTGE7Jj7-TMiWzgJ5lN9bzh8J4AkmU_qFi0DUI6A

Have you seen how many different ingredients and different bowls and cake tins you need to make this pudding?
Also it takes about 6 hours of prep.
The woman who made it perfectly for the judges is no way just a humble housewife just knocking up a quick swiss roll with a trifle on top. She's a pro.
And I thought the idea of the competition to create a jubilee dessert was to make something that stands out but also that most people will make easily

Putin tops the list.

https://tinyurl.com/mw7aanwh

While standing at the Bus stop I heard
There's no milk today.
And feeling groovy made me want to
Twist the night away.
But I can see for miles and I have got
Sweets for my sweet.
I'm into something good I'll keep on
Dancing in the street.
I like it taking just one look,
There's flowers in the rain.
And I can see from both sides now,
'Suppose I can't explain.
I think silence is golden,
There's a spirit in the sky.
So please release me so I can
Begin to walk on by.

Can Liverpool take advantage or Man City dropping points or will Southampton do City a big favour. Get your predictions in by 7pm.
Good luck.

1. Being under enemy fire and bombardment in a war.
2. Being caught in a natural disaster
3. Being knocked out in week 5 of Strictly Come Dancing
Number 3 refers to Rachel Riley who went to see celebrity pschotherapist Linda Papadopolous after her Strictly exit and got diagnosed with PTSD.
This is in the same interview with her in today's I paper in which she claims that Strictly is fixed because she didn't win.

Those lovely Woke people now think it's normal to identify as a cake. So today I am identifying as a Cherry Bakewell.
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1524492898774884353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&fbclid=IwAR2SdXSvrWryMGikjG1hjL6CV1CuTFAu8UFObzchRM0663GSKXQU-5oS4Uo

Can Arsenal get back into that Champions League 4th place, or will they slip up. Get your predictions in by 7pm.
Good luck

https://thebigplasticcount.com/

On a now closed thread it was mentioned that some of us run across crossings, here’s a trial to find out what difference it makes


https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMLcKwLt8/?k=1

They have always denied any covid and even refused vaccines that were offered.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/north-korea-ap-kim-jong-un-pyongyang-south-korea-b2079675.html?amp

This link spells out to the letter Putin's and Russia's destiny if he resorts to using nuclear weapons.

https://tinyurl.com/4hjuh9hh

Can Everton pick up a point or three as they try to avoid relegation. Get your predictions in by 4pm.
Good luck

It's the FA Cup final. They have previously met in the Carabao cup final which was won by Liverpool on penalties, and both Premier league meetings have been draws. Will today be a different outcome. It's also a big weekend for the James family. Reece playing for Chelsea today, and sister Lauren playing for Chelsea Women in their FA cup final tomorrow. Get your predictions in by 4pm.
Good luck

Following on from Lonicera's recent post about objects that were once commonplace in offices etc, I wondered if anyone has any interesting or amusing stories to tell about initiation tricks and suchlike - usually played on young newcomers to work. I suspect the practice died out long ago and wouldn't be tolerated these days but some of you might have experienced it in the 1950s/60s.

In the drawing office I remember apprentices being told to go to the stores and get a glass hammer to tap in drawing pins - or to go to the basement and find a file that didn't exist.

So sad but she and her family have one last memory

https://news.sky.com/story/amp/deborah-james-prince-william-personally-delivers-damehood-to-bowel-cancer-champion-at-her-home-12612502

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/may/13/tesco-chief-soaring-prices-ken-murphy-profits

63 and pregnant
A woman went to the emergency room, where she was seen by a young new doctor. After about 3 minutes in the examination room, the doctor told her she was pregnant.
She burst out of the room and ran down the corridor screaming.
An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was? After listening to her story, he calmed her down and sat her in another room.
Then the doctor marched down the hallway to the first doctor's room.
"What's wrong with you?" he demanded. This woman is 63 years old, she has two grown children and several grandchildren, and you told her she was pregnant?!!"
The new doctor continued to write on his clipboard and without looking up said:
"Does she still have the hiccups?"

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/13/wakefield-labour-executive-resigns-accusing-keir-starmer-byelection-stich-up

https://twitter.com/TheTreeCouncil/status/1525023300048637952

https://news.sky.com/story/partygate-fines-at-least-50-more-fixed-penalty-notices-have-been-issued-as-part-of-investigation-of-covid-law-breaches-12590633

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/driving-law/are-the-latest-changes-to-driving-rules-causing-more-conflict-on-our-roads/

You have to laugh at these alternative versions of traditional nursery rhymes. But just as important they shouldn't replace the originals, they should just be another version.
https://www.gbnews.uk/news/nursery-rhymes-like-ba-ba-black-sheep-rewritten-for-schools-to-be-more-vegan-friendly/292773

The North London Derby. Get your predictions in by 7pm.
Good luck

I don't usually approve of the political voting in the Eurovision song contest.
However this year it seems to me that no matter how good or bad the songs are, the chances are that Ukraine will win. And for once I approve.

Where are you from?

According to some Woke lecturer, asking someone where they are from is a racist microaggression. According to this lecturer it is overt racism and causes distress to the victim.
In reality a microaggression doesn't offend anyone apart from Woke snowflakes getting offended when they weren't even the person being asked the question.

Got home from shopping yesterday and needed to add the cost of some items that I had picked up for my sister. One of which was a litre of milk. It was tesco finest channel islands whole milk. I picked it because it was 5p cheaper than the Cravendale. £1.25. But looking down the list about 3 times, it is not there. So I got myself, or my sister, a free bottle of milk. Every little helps.
In case you are wondering I had paid at a normal checkout. I hadn't accidently not self scanned the milk.
I told this to my friend in The Gambia. She said I should either take the milk back because it's not mine, or go to the shop to explain and offer them the money.

Martin Lewis has conveniently just published the results of his straw poll about how much DDs were being hiked by energy suppliers, even though we can only be charged 54% more for our energy than before the rise in the consumer price cap.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2022/05/energy-direct-debit-hikes-mse-survey/
Since my supplier had just announced that it was going to take nearly double from my bank on 1st June what I reckon it's entitled to have monthly from now on - and hasn't answered my original objections, I spent yesterday morning successively objecting to that and complaining.
I got back only two shabby autoreplies, blaming high consumer traffic for delay in replying. If they were charging us fair amounts, there wouldn't be a huge hike in objections, complaints etc to keep their teams over-busy, though; it's all their own fault.
I'm going to cancel that DD mandate well before 1st June. Easier to deny them access than get back what they steal, I reckon.
Next stop, Ofgem - or whoever MSE advise taking this up with, next....

Be Kind to others... be kind to yourself... Remember that someone struggling with mental health can seem to be OK...

Today marks a BIG win in our fight to protect cash!

As part of the Queen’s speech the government has pledged to introduce legislation this year that will finally protect our access to cash and face-to-face banking services.

Together we’ve been fighting on behalf of millions of people and communities that require protection from an avalanche of ATM and bank branch closures.

Thank you for helping us achieve this critical win. More than 192,000 of you signed the petition, 24,000 of you emailed your MP and over 6,000 letters were sent to local papers. Your actions have made a difference. Together we have protected cash.

Find out more about this big win and share the news with your friends and family.

Protect cash win

Thank you for your support,

Wolves turn to try to slow down the Man City express. Get your predictions in by 7.45pm.
Good luck

A strange old lady has moved into my house. I have no idea who she is, where she came from, or how she got in. I certainly did not invite her. All I know is that one day she wasn't there, and the next day she was.
She is a clever old lady and manages to keep out of sight for the most part, but whenever I pass a mirror, I catch a glimpse of her. And, whenever I look in the mirror to check my appearance, there she is hogging the whole thing, completely obliterating my gorgeous face and body. This is very rude! I have tried screaming at her, but she just screams back.
The least she could do is offer to pay part of the bills, but no. Every once in a while, I find a $5 bill stuck in a coat pocket or some loose change under a sofa cushion, but it is not nearly enough. And I don't want to jump to conclusions, but I think she is stealing money from me. I go to the ATM and withdraw $50 and a few days later, it's all gone! I certainly don't spend money that fast, so I can only conclude the old lady is pilfering from me. You'd think she would spend some of that money to buy wrinkle cream. And money isn't the only thing I think she is stealing.
Food seems to disappear at an alarming rate-especially the good stuff like ice cream, chips, and sweets. She must have a real sweet tooth, but she'd better watch because she is really packing on the pounds. I suspect she realizes this, and to make herself feel better, she is tampering with my scale to make me think I am putting on weight, too.
For an old lady, she is quite childish. She likes to play nasty games, like going into my wardrobes when I'm not home and altering my clothes so they don't fit. And she messes with my files and papers so I can't find anything. This is particularly annoying since I am extremely neat and organized.
She has found other imaginative ways to annoy me. She gets into my mail, newspapers, and magazines before I do and blurs the print so I can't read it. And she has done something really sinister to the volume controls on my TV, radio, and telephone. Now, all I hear are mumbles and whispers. She has done other things-like make my stairs steeper, my vacuum heavier and all the knob and taps harder to turn. She even made my bed higher so that getting into and out of it is a real challenge.
Lately, she has been fooling with my groceries before I put them away, applying glue to the lids, making it almost impossible for me to open the jars. She has taken the fun out of shopping for clothes. When I try something on, she stands in front of the dressing room mirror and monopolizes it. She looks totally ridiculous in some of those outfits, plus, she keeps me from seeing how great they look on me.
Just when I thought she couldn't get any meaner, she proved me wrong. She came along when I went to get my picture taken for my driver's license, and just as the camera shutter clicked, she jumped in front of me
I hope she never finds out where you live!

While chatting over dinner last night we touched on the construction of this iconic arrangement of stones. Do any of you have any knowledge of how this came to be, it blew our minds as to how this was done!

Might be interesting if we relate happenings or objects from our youth /young adults

Adding machine. handle for multiplying clockwise or subtraction anti. Enter number into machine turn handle for second number. Hope you were a good adder up and not have to work with millions.
These days I find some shop assistants can not give change from £1 without till telling them.

Just alerting people to a scam email purporting to be from DVLA, saying there's a problem with incomplete info and I stand to lose my licence. Have deleted it - address is not dvla's
Would have checked independently directly with DVLA anyway if address looked genuine