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by AlaninWales
14 Sep 2022, 5:14pm
Forum: Helmets & helmet discussion
Topic: Crash and helmet
Replies: 329
Views: 22881

Re: Crash and helmet

Steady rider wrote: 13 Sep 2022, 7:54pm
Why should boxers without head gear have a lower concussion rate? Perhaps fewer blows hitting the bare head together with a shorter duration of acceleration to the brain when blows occur.
https://www.researchgate.net/publicatio ... _warranted
Other factors include:
- Risk compensation: It's far easier to ignore blows to the head when they 'just' shake your head around and don't bruise and split the skin, so some boxers have a tendency to pile in whilst letting the headgear soak up the blows (and some use the gloves for the same thing, holding them in contact with the head). The 'protection' offered by the helmet (which protects the skin but not what is within) just seems like enough.
- Blows to the head are allowed to continue for longer than would happen in a bare-knuckle, bare-headed contest. Without padding, knuckles split skin and bleeding happens sooner. This leads to (usually) earlier intervention and rapid bleeing from the eyebrows means a boxer is unable to continue, without the shaking the brain otherwise would get.
- A bare head is not only smaller, but (paricularly if shaven) sleeker. Ducking and weaving is facilitated and blows are more difficult to land without glancing off.
by AlaninWales
19 Aug 2022, 11:08am
Forum: Does anyone know … ?
Topic: Legal lights?
Replies: 122
Views: 7570

Re: Legal lights?

mjr wrote: 18 Aug 2022, 11:25pm
LancsGirl wrote: 18 Aug 2022, 10:51pm I'm so sorry to have offended you to the point of "demotivation". It must be terrible to hear your county so grossly mischaracterised. Please accept my most humble apologies. I will try in future not to make such awful geographical errors. I will now go to my room and think about what I have done.
It's more that "very flat Norfolk" is not only repeating a geographic error by a pompous ass but it's been repeated so often that plenty of fools believe it and it really has become very tiresome, like Somersetters all being drunk on "zyder" or Lancs being full of sarky black-pudding-obsessed wearers of oversize flat caps saying "ecky thump".
Indeed, as if that ancient Martial Art was taught to the incoming masses, rather than being kept as a secret of close initiates (and Bill).
by AlaninWales
16 Aug 2022, 11:16am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Not used my rohloff for years. Do I need to service it first?
Replies: 5
Views: 440

Re: Not used my rohloff for years. Do I need to service it first?

I'd check the tyres too, probably change the tubes (if used). A small job, but you don't want to discover a perished tyre by the roadside if you can help it :wink: .
by AlaninWales
16 Aug 2022, 10:57am
Forum: Campaigning & Public Policy
Topic: When-cities-treated-cars-as-dangerous-intruders/
Replies: 18
Views: 1409

Re: When-cities-treated-cars-as-dangerous-intruders/

Bmblbzzz wrote: 12 Aug 2022, 11:07am
basingstoke123 wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 11:33pm
Bmblbzzz wrote: 11 Aug 2022, 3:44pm The motor industry fought and won, including by the invention of concepts such as "jay walking".
Fortunately, this concept does not exist over here.

There are very few legal restrictions on pedestrians. You can cross a road anywhere, although you should only cross where and when it is safe. At a light controlled crossing, while the High Way Code says you should only cross on a green light, this is not the law. But you MUST NOT (the law) loiter on any type of crossing.

In practice, pedestrians have been pushed of many roads, particularly A and some B roads out side of towns (and often within towns).
UK seems to be one of the few countries without this legal concept, though we have adopted the social construct.
Not really, the Jaywalking laws are a quintessentially American creation, the clue is in the name.

A summary of their effects and origins can be found here: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... -abolished
TLDR? (or just want a slightly more amusing presentation style): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxopfjXkArM
by AlaninWales
3 Aug 2022, 10:08pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Why do they do it?
Replies: 83
Views: 5217

Re: Why do they do it?

rmurphy195 wrote: 3 Aug 2022, 10:01pm Not sure what the fuss is about.

Road is blocked for whatever reason, cyclists are instructed to get off theier bikes and walk along the footpath.

What's the problem?
Well part of the problem is that the signs seen here are informational and NOT instructions.

Another part of the problem is that some people don't know the difference between the two (despite it being part of the test for a driving licence which many of those ignorant of the difference seemingly hold).

Others who certainly should know the difference (such knowledge being an integral part of their profession) put up signs like this, leaving other ignorant people to assume this is an instruction.
by AlaninWales
26 Jul 2022, 3:49pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: ** The Climate Change Thread **
Replies: 300
Views: 35504

Re: ** The Climate Change Thread **

Jdsk wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 3:36pm
AlaninWales wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 3:27pmFortunately an Austrian scientist found out how to pull nitrogen out of the air into a relatively* stable form, using massive energy inputs to do so of course.
Haber? But both Haber and Bosch were German...

Jonathan
Ahh so he was, my error :oops: . German scientist.
by AlaninWales
26 Jul 2022, 3:27pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: ** The Climate Change Thread **
Replies: 300
Views: 35504

Re: ** The Climate Change Thread **

Jdsk wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 2:41pm
reohn2 wrote: 26 Jul 2022, 2:17pmDon't get me wrong I don't know any answers other than that the world population is growing dramatically,as resources diminish.
There surely must be a tipping point where humanity,with the best will in the world,can't support such a system of increased population,at some point things may begin to turn seriously bad for humanity,perhaps little by little initially but gathering a pace of entropy.
There's nothing inevitable about that, and there aren't any data to show that it's happening yet.

And there were plenty of people in the past who asserted that we couldn't support the world's current population.most often because of food supply. But we are and with higher quality of life.

And we do know the big answers.

Shirley
Indeed, food supply was a huge threat particularly when the (much smaller) population was eating up so much of the available nitrogen fertiliser. Without scientific breakthrough it was accepted (and likely in retrospect) that the world was within 30 years of using up all the main naturally occuring nitrogen fertiliser (guano) and causing mass starvation as a result. Fortunately an Austrian scientist found out how to pull nitrogen out of the air into a relatively* stable form, using massive energy inputs to do so of course.

Now we have a much larger population highly dependent on the energy-hungry process (amongst others) and are rapidly running out of the main sources of energy production we are set up to exploit. At the same time, our means of exploiting energy reserves are causing knock-on effects that have been known but ignored for decades. When the energy crunch comes (as is probably inevitable now), the effects won't just be the direct climatic effects and high energy prices; those processes we relied on to allow our increased population and higher (on average) quality of life, will themselves be unsustainable.

*Relatively stable, but the basis of many modern explosives.
by AlaninWales
22 Mar 2022, 10:21pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: War on Our Doorstep: How do we respond?
Replies: 1875
Views: 83001

Re: War on Our Doorstep: How do we respond?

djnotts wrote: 22 Mar 2022, 1:14pm Well, there's a surprise:

"A Russian billionaire sanctioned by the UK says he no longer owns many former properties, potentially putting them beyond the reach of the law.

Ex-Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov's £82m London home and Surrey mansion were put into trusts linked to the oligarch.

This raises questions over the effectiveness of sanctions imposed since the invasion of Ukraine began........."

He and no doubt many others took full advantage of the lengthy window between announcements and action.

Needs a simple law that says no appeal allowed against an admin decision just to seize assets. Any lawyer who acts on a sanctioned Russians behalf to be struck off and jailed for 10 years.
On 8 March British MPs gave President Volodymyr Zelensky a standing ovation for his speech (according to the BBC). This was the day after they had rejected the following ammendments to the 'Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill ':
New Clause 2 - Report on funding of enforcement agencies - "This new clause would require the Secretary of State to publish and lay before Parliament a report on the funding of enforcement agencies in connection with the reforms to unexplained wealth orders, as provided for in Part 2 of the Bill."
In other words, tell our parliamentary representatives that the enforcement of sanctions is being funded properly, not just by two part-timers in a back office with no support structure.
Defeated by 303 votes (all Tory) to 230 (3 Tories plus the rest of the house).
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/ ... 0.2#g150.4
New Clause 7 - 38A Further reforms to Companies House - "This new clause would compel the Secretary of State to publish draft legislation on reforms to Companies House, including reforms that would support the operation of the Act.".
Companies House (where companies in UK must register their information about who the front etc) has NO powers to investigate whether what they are told by foreign companies registering in the UK is true, no powers even to share data with enforcement agencies. This clause provided for investigating whether what was being told to Companies House was in fact the truth.
Defeated by 302 votes (all Tory) to 223 (the rest of the house).
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/ ... 4.0#g154.2
New Clause 29 - Asset freezing in respect of individuals considered for sanctions - "This new clause would prevent individuals whom the Secretary of State has named as being considered as a subject for sanctions from selling their assets or moving funds or assets out of the UK."
If UK is to effectively sanction criminals abroad, their assets need to still be available to place those sanctions on. Without this clause, Economic Crime (which cost the UK £Billions yearly and supports the Russian state amongst other gangsters) continues without effective sanction. Assets can simply be moved to a new owner (potentially set up and uninvestigated via Companies House) in order to escape untouched.
Defeated by 297 (all Tory) to 234 (6 Tories and the rest of the house)
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/ ... 8.0#g159.1

Edit to add: Freeze is not sieze, this was a simple workable solution defeated by massed Tory votes.
by AlaninWales
2 Mar 2022, 2:47pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Is Putin Mad?
Replies: 293
Views: 12922

Re: Is Putin Mad?

Slowtwitch wrote: 2 Mar 2022, 2:21pm
AlaninWales wrote: 2 Mar 2022, 2:16pm
Slowtwitch wrote: 2 Mar 2022, 2:11pm

He's striking parallels with our very own war criminal Tony Blair. Who led us into war on a similar false pretext. The death toii in just the Iraqi conflict for example: a conservative estimate of 208,000 civilians killed.

I dont hear anyone apologising for our part in a horrific massacre of innocent civilians. Nor anyone clamouring for Blair to be tried in the Hague.

The hypocrisy here is incredible.
The part I have put in bold is , well let's say misinformed.
Sorry, that sentence makes no literal sense to me. Can you explain it? (The part I have put in italics.)
There is at least one person here on this forum (besides yourself) who has made it clear they regard Blair as a war criminal. Here in the UK there have been a number of reasonably high profile attempts to get him indited as such. Saying no-one is clamouring for him to be tried in the Hague, is misinformation. Did you make it up yourself, or did you believe someone that told you this was the case?
by AlaninWales
2 Mar 2022, 2:16pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Is Putin Mad?
Replies: 293
Views: 12922

Re: Is Putin Mad?

Slowtwitch wrote: 2 Mar 2022, 2:11pm
UpWrong wrote: 2 Mar 2022, 2:04pm I'd say he's an evil, fascist imperialist. They are striking parallels with Adolf Hitler. There's been too much appeasement for far too long. At least now he's revealed his hand. Hopefully his apologists will get short shrift in future.
He's striking parallels with our very own war criminal Tony Blair. Who led us into war on a similar false pretext. The death toii in just the Iraqi conflict for example: a conservative estimate of 208,000 civilians killed.

I dont hear anyone apologising for our part in a horrific massacre of innocent civilians. Nor anyone clamouring for Blair to be tried in the Hague.

The hypocrisy here is incredible.
The part I have put in bold is , well let's say misinformed.
by AlaninWales
2 Mar 2022, 1:58pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: War on Our Doorstep: How do we respond?
Replies: 1875
Views: 83001

Re: War on Our Doorstep: How do we respond?

mattheus wrote: 2 Mar 2022, 1:18pm
Psamathe wrote: 2 Mar 2022, 12:41pm Conservative Party really pulling out all the stops (to protect their donations?)
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/russian-oligarchs-boris-johnson-ukraine-b2026710.html wrote:Boris Johnson told to explain why crackdown on Russian ‘dirty money’ will take 18 months
A promised crackdown on Russian ‘dirty money’ in London will be delayed for 18 months, triggering criticism that Boris Johnson is dragging his heels.
<snip> ...
Ian
I love the idea of cracking down on dirty russian money, but isn't there a lot of detail to sort out??

How do you define "oligarch"? Or "friend of Putin"?
And are there legal limits to stop (UK) government arbitrarily picking on folks that it just doesn't like?
Mattheus, if you follow the link, Starmer clearly outlines what the difference is, that is making it easy for existing oligarchs to launder their money:
The bill introduces a requirement to register the true beneficiary (i.e. who owns what) of UK property. You know, like I register my house in my name. Currently, large, corrupt businesses and individuals exlploit a loophole that allows them to register in a made-up name of a company; these companies are (sometimes) UK egistered, if so that will be at Companies House. Here they can make up any fiction they choose (Companies House actually says that it does not check the truth of statements in registries of ownership).
Anyway the bill will close that loophole... Except (!) that those already owning property here will have 18 months in which they don't have to correct the information. Meanwhile they can sell it on and move their money elsewhere and into different schemes. The ONLY possible reason for allowing that, is to allow money-laundering to continue for a further 18 months and protect the businesses and individuals indulging in the practice.
by AlaninWales
2 Mar 2022, 1:36pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: War on Our Doorstep: How do we respond?
Replies: 1875
Views: 83001

Re: War on Our Doorstep: How do we respond?

pete75 wrote: 2 Mar 2022, 1:32pm
pwa wrote: 2 Mar 2022, 7:26am ........I wonder if we would, as a bloc, be better off getting rid of the WTO and the drive towards globalisation, and instead creating a trading bloc that only admits nations that have free elections and have free media.
That's the UK out then. Most of our newspaper's aren't free, they're controlled by wealthy men with a largely right wing agenda.

According to the world democracy index there are only about 20 fully democratic nations in the world, so to only trade with truly
democratic countries would be very difficult indeed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy ... By_country
Including us apparently. I suppose that the Policing bill hasn't made it through Parliament yet: I wonder how that will affect our ranking.
by AlaninWales
17 Feb 2022, 11:11pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Can the Met be trusted?
Replies: 539
Views: 33378

Re: Can the Met be trusted?

thirdcrank wrote: 17 Feb 2022, 2:05pm
Psamathe wrote: 17 Feb 2022, 1:18pm
Jdsk wrote: 17 Feb 2022, 1:14pm "CPS authorise charges against three police officers over WhatsApp comments":
https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/cps-aut ... p-comments

Jonathan
Makes a change that even the individual who has since left the force is being charged as it's a criminal offence. So often Police launch an inquiry and those being investigated are not investigated as they have since left the force.(My bld)

Ian
This seems a trivial point for me to make in this context, but in most jobs the sack is the heaviest sanction available for an employment-related matter. ...
I think the point made here is that a criminal offence is what is being investigated. Police investigations of their own officers do (as you suggest) treat such investigations, very frequently, as 'employment-related'; indeed you seem to suggest that this is the case here: However when the investigation is into what in other circumstances would be a criminal matter, the sanction should not stop with resignation (or 'going sick'). After all, it wouldn't for the rest of us: Matters empolyment related which uncovered criminal behaviour, would be referred by any normal employer, to the police to follow up as criminal investigations.
That Jonathan raises this continued investigation as unusual, demonstrates how many (including I) see the police as failing to properly pursue 'their own' when it comes to criminal conduct.
by AlaninWales
10 Feb 2022, 10:02pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Can the Met be trusted?
Replies: 539
Views: 33378

Re: Can the Met be trusted?

Jdsk wrote: 10 Feb 2022, 9:08pm Statement from Commissioner Cressida Dick
https://news.met.police.uk/news/stateme ... ick-442200

Jonathan
Nothing there about the officers (some of whom continue to 'serve') in that WhatApp group.
by AlaninWales
19 Jan 2022, 2:32pm
Forum: On the road
Topic: Walking the wrong way
Replies: 118
Views: 13058

Re: Walking the wrong way

Bmblbzzz wrote: 19 Jan 2022, 2:05pm
Even the highway code advises to cross over to the outside of the bend before the bend and then cross back to the side facing traffic.
It does but it strikes me as being often impractical. On a typically twisty country lane you will be frequently crossing the road, often between two blind bends, and always with - by definition - at least one blind bend close ahead.
Which is precisely why the HC uses the phrase (as tc pointed out) "may be safer": Because there are times (as pointed out here) when repeated crossing of the road is less safe than continueing around the bend.

And Cowsham, as a car driver, I am certainly not into car hate rants; just rants against unsafe, entitled drivers who think it is other people's responsibility to reduce the hazard brought into being by the use of cars. There is far more of that shown on today's roads (and forums) than there is of people carelessly hazarding themselves. Your posts are just another tiny symptom of a selfish culture where people believe it is ok to blame others for the danger they are putting thpse others into.

Try just driving safely, as the HC tells you that you MUST. Worry about the danger you bring, and ensure that is minimised.