** The thread for Rants & Odds and Sods **

[Cyril Haearn]

Mercalia: I have read 1600 articles in the Guardian on my smartphone in the last few months
Occasionally a begging text appears but no paywall

The Guardian (to which I subscribe, a voluntary arrangement, as you point out...) pins its colours to the mast. They believe in the principle of free speech and are committed to making their content available to all & sundry, without the constraint of payment, aka a paywall. I believe that this is a very valuable principle indeed. It is up to individual readers to contribute what they believe is a fair amount. To boast that one continues to read their content avidly, without making any contribution at all, is not something I personally would be particularly comfortable with...

Not so much boasting, just saying
Must have bought the printed Guardian many hundreds of times
Did get some money back mind, it published two articles I wrote

[Stradageek]

any one know what that tiny cute blue flowers in teh bottom pic are?

Not sure but looks like it could be Alkanet

[Vorpal]

any one know what that tiny cute blue flowers in teh bottom pic are?

Not sure but looks like it could be Alkanet

I agree. And it flowers early; another clue.

Bees love it

[mercalia]

So time for an Amazon-Covid tax to pay for the lockdown?

It seems Amazon has been raking it in

Amazon reaps $11,000-a-second coronavirus lockdown bonanza

Shares reach record high, pushing fortune of CEO and founder Jeff Bezos to $138bn

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/apr/15/amazon-lockdown-bonanza-jeff-bezos-fortune-109bn-coronavirus?

[mercalia]

On my travels today came across this wopping great tree in a houses front "garden"

magnificent example of whatever it is?

[mercalia]

Just got a letter from Santander they are "reducing" the interest rate from 0.1% to 0.01%. Time to stop letting the bank use your money for nowt?

[Cyril Haearn]

Wanted to go cycling today but the weather is awful, very bright and warm
Should get better soon, September maybe

[mercalia]

Wanted to go cycling today but the weather is awful, very bright and warm
Should get better soon, September maybe

you may smile but it is too hot for some , like me.

[Cyril Haearn]

Smiling in anticipation, only a few weeks till the days start getting shorter
Too hot for me too

[carpetcleaner]

Just got a letter from Santander they are "reducing" the interest rate from 0.1% to 0.01%. Time to stop letting the bank use your money for nowt?

It's your money. Nobody forces you to put it in a bank.

Even at 0% you are getting your money stored safely for nothing.

[mercalia]

Mc D opening for drive thrus orders?

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/20/mcdonalds-reopens-32-drive-throughs-full-list-of-restaurants-coronavirus?

why 4 in that god-for-saken town Ipswich in Suffolk & 6 in Peterborough? and just 3 in London?

[Cyril Haearn]

God-forsaken London?
May one cycle-thru?

[mercalia]

Phone Call charges using the phone lines

Just got an email from Plusnet my internet and phone provider about putting up phone charges as of November 2019 and saying that due to the delay in informing me would waive the increase until end of July

Well any one here use phone lines any more for making calls? I havent for a long time and the email reiterated the call charges - something like 20p to set up the call then 15p/minute. Thats outrageous? My 321 mobile with O2 is just 3p/minute ( and no set up charge?).

[Oldjohnw]

Phone Call charges using the phone lines

Just got an email from Plusnet my internet and phone provider about putting up phone charges as of November 2019 and saying that due to the delay in informing me would waive the increase until end of July

Well any one here use phone lines any more for making calls? I havent for a long time and the email reiterated the call charges - something like 20p to set up the call then 15p/minute. Thats outrageous? My 321 mobile with O2 is just 3p/minute ( and no set up charge?).

We have a landline. Reception for mobile phones is inadequate in the house. Annoying.

[mercalia]

America’s riots could be contagious ( in more than one sense)




Such Stupid Idiotic People who should have known better? cummings mistakes pale into insignificance against this? I would have turned water cannon on them diluted with dettol

The riots/arson/looting in the usa


An interesting article from the Spectator ( if you can read it)

All of these deaths are awful and unnecessary. It is worth observing, though, that an unarmed black man is more likely to be struck by lightning in the United States than killed by a police officer. Also, white people are murdered by black people at more than twice the rate that black people are murdered by white people.


https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/america-s-riots-could-be-contagious

What I would like tp know who sanctioned the foot on some ones neck policy, as I understand it is a policy - this death was waiting to happen? The originator should be prosecuted along with the cop?

This whole episode in the usa is not just about racism or prejudice but perceived threat - if you think you are at risk of life and limb you lower the bar for your action and dont indulge in the luxury of whether this particular black person is a good one or not? The rioters/arsonists/looters have this effect in the police eyes? So the black community in the usa need to stamp out these undoubtable violent criminals which appear at these times if they want to make progress in equality?