Cycling UK Forum

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I'm not keen on religious special pleading - we don't need the resurrection of the blasphemy laws.
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Psamathe wrote: ↑6 Sep 2024, 10:12am [quote=ANTONISH post_id=1867778 time=1
Do you feel "antisemitism" is "religious special pleading" and not something we should guard against?

Ian

It can be used as such when there is criticism of the actions of the state of Israel.
If it's used to describe prejudice against Jews I wouldn't describe it as special pleading.
Criticising the Jewish religion based on it's doctrines seems fair enough e.g I wouldn't describe criticism of circumcision as antisemitic.
As far as I'm concerned, I should be free to criticise or ridicule any religion based on it's tenets.
That wouldn't extend to the adherents of a religion - unless of course they attempt to convert me to their particular flavour of religious belief or superstition ( I no longer get visits from Jehovahs Witnesses ).
I think that the Palestinian people have been treated disgracefully since 1948, I'm sad that some of the Gaza protestors used those occasions to intimidate British jews, OTOH many British jews support the actions of the state of Israel.

thirdcrank wrote: ↑6 Sep 2024, 11:26am
A problem for the current government is supporting the inquiry without prejudicing any criminal proceedings.

A good reason to delay prosecutions.

Biospace wrote: ↑6 Sep 2024, 11:35am The Guardian suggests our increasing renewables capacity has created a record summer,

• "Great Britain’s electricity system has recorded its greenest ever summer after growing numbers of wind and solar farms cut the need for gas power plants to fresh lows"

Wasn't it much more the weather which delivered this result? August is singled out as the best month, looking at the MetOffice's data suggests that it was considerably windier than average.


Screenshot 2024-09-06 at 11.30.41.png


It was also even sunnier than usual, which surprises me. "Electricity generation from the sun ... up by almost 20% from the same period last year."

https://www.theguardian.com/business/ar ... generation

Does anyone know how much more wind and solar capacity exists now compared with last summer?

Unless we have large scale storage to match it's too much.

If I'm cycling I usually take my turn - it seems rude not to - except maybe in heavy rain.
When I'm in a car I sometimes wonder at the entitlement that leads cyclists (and motorcyclists ) to push to the front.
I don't think most of us would push to the front of a queue in other circumstances such as in a post office.

Our school had Saturday morning detentions
Corporal punishment ( I have experienced it in primary school) would have been preferable.

I find safety glasses very acceptable - I have a range from clear to dark
I've used the cheap clear Decathlon glasses but IME they are too fragile.
It's not just insects, there is other debris - I once experienced a dark object coming into my vision. It impacted the lense and left an impact mark - could have impacted my eye.

deeferdonk wrote: ↑6 Sep 2024, 10:15am Playing devils advocate, I found capes rubbish (no offense to those who they work well for) . I got one because they sounded like a good idea, for keeping dry and not overheating. But ended up feeling encumbered and buffeted by wind and passing traffic, gave up on it after a couple of rides in exchange for a less waterproof but snugger fitting jacket.

Yes, I like my Rotrax cape but in traffic it's not very manageable.
The last time I used mine was when I rode the Danube cycle path - a day of steady rain and I was dry at the end of it.
Even my track mitts were only slightly damp
No traffic of course except for groups on e-bikes - not a clue - I think they were mainly cruise ship passengers.

Jdsk wrote: ↑5 Sep 2024, 1:51pm

ANTONISH wrote: ↑5 Sep 2024, 1:47pm I'm none the wiser - I can't see why Islam should be a special case.
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Who has said that it should be?

The HoC paper describes it as a form of racism. Other forms are available.

Jonathan

Because Starmer seems to be inclined to introduce a crime of Islamophobia whatever it means - the word gets bandied about enough.
The followers of Islam are of many cultures and races - why should Islamophobia be considered a form of racism?

axel_knutt wrote: ↑5 Sep 2024, 11:04am

Vantage wrote: ↑5 Sep 2024, 10:41am

Manc33 wrote: ↑4 Sep 2024, 2:02pm I remember biking to work some mornings where I got rained on so much, my pants stuck to my legs and acted as a wetsuit, keeping me warm.

How does that work? Anytime I've been soaked, the wind only makes the water colder.

Wet clothing is colder than dry clothing, but wet clothes are warmer than no clothes because they trap warm water against the skin like a wetsuit, in the same way that dry clothing is warmer than no clothing because it traps warm air. Any surface that's warmer than the surrounding air, wet or dry, will lose heat faster in moving air than still air. It may seem pointless wearing a leaky waterproof over wet clothing, but it isn't because it stops the warm water in the clothing from being flushed away by colder water, in exactly the same way that a windproof stops warm air in a fabric being blown away by colder air.

Yes warm and wet is next best to being warm and dry.

I don't care for touchscreens, particularly in the rain.
My Etrex 30 has buttons - I wouldn't have anything else.

roubaixtuesday wrote: ↑5 Sep 2024, 1:07pm

al_yrpal wrote: ↑5 Sep 2024, 12:21pm Well, some of the folk here obviously dont know of people just over the limits for pension credit, I do and they are going to struggle and its no exageration that these people will have a terrible cold winter and some will end up in hospital and some will die. Expect lots of stinging headlines in the press and on the Beeb.
As I said earlier this could have been implimented in a much kinder way but kindness was absent from the chancellors delivery, it was delivered with venom. £9000 for overpaid train drivers with militant muscle, sod all for the poorest and most vulnerable.

Al

I agree withy the facts, but not the "venom".

The reality is that across the range of pensions, social care and healthcare, the aging population outstrips the tax take.

It's notable that you're also vehemently against tax rises; this is a circle that simply cannot be squared.

Meanwhile, whilst protesting against the removal of benefits from relatively well off pensioners, people in work and their children are going hungry. I don't think this can be justified.

I have to agree with that (being one of the "relatively well off" who has just lost the winter fuel payment).
How much is a train driver worth? How much a peer in the house of Lords ? An executive of a water company monopoly?

I'm none the wiser - I can't see why Islam should be a special case.
Irish Catholics endured much the same prejudice in the sixties and seventies when the IRA was active.
Perhaps any prejudice is related to Islamic terrorism in recent decades.

The Sikh community doesn't seem to suffer from the same prejudice - I wonder why that is..

I'm not keen on religious special pleading - we don't need the resurrection of the blasphemy laws.

I'd be interested in a definition of "Islamophobia"

briansnail wrote: ↑3 Sep 2024, 3:58pm

He seems keen to reduce or eliminate harms

One minister commented if everyone gave up alcohol and tobacco.The country could not afford the NHS/pension bill as people would live to long.
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I ride Brompton,Hetchins 531

Which minister? - when?

Vantage wrote: ↑3 Sep 2024, 10:49am

ANTONISH wrote: ↑3 Sep 2024, 10:11am I never ride on ice, at my age you don't bounce.

Spiked tyres sir! They do make quite the racket though.

I forgot to mention that another reason I don't ride on ice, is that I have to rely on motor vehicles being driven according to the conditions.