Forum Topics

Putney High Street Cycle Lane

Has anyone used the cycle lane in the middle of Putney High St between Putney Bridge Road and Felsham Road?Personally I would have thought if turning right into Felsham Road it would be a good example of taking the lane being much safer.It looks fine when traffic is stationary or slow moving but yesterday I noticed (rare I know) that traffic was occasional flowing at the speed limit.I guess you could say cyclists may be overtaking anyway and that could happen without it. But would a cycle lane on the left be safer?Thoughts anyone?

Ed Robinson ● 732d24 Comments ● 730d

March for Clean Water

Tomorrow Sunday 3 NovemberLots of different otganisations will apparently be protesting at the way our rivers, lakes and sea are being allowed to be polluted.

Philippa Bond ● 733d9 Comments ● 730d

Random pic 5 November 2024

Er, so what is wrong with the coffee machine? https://flic.kr/p/K8gf23

Michael Ixer ● 731d1 Comments ● 730d

New Conservative Leader

Yay it's Kemi !!

Sue Hammond ● 733d20 Comments ● 731d

Tibbets Corner

Anybody know what has happened, went to Asda, Police in middle of the road by Tibbets Corner underpass. Also a vehicle stopping anybody driving down West Hill. About 2.30 today.

Barbara Stevens ● 733d40 Comments ● 731d

Random pic 4 November 2024

Turkeys; University of Minnesota, Landscape Arboretum https://flic.kr/p/2q96tLy

Michael Ixer ● 732d0 Comments ● 732d

Random pic 3 November 2024

Joan Littlewood statue, The Royal Theatre, Stratford, East London https://flic.kr/p/2gs1K8V

Michael Ixer ● 733d0 Comments ● 733d

This forum

There's so much politics on this forum seems very little about local matters. Just saying

Jules Lyne ● 734d15 Comments ● 733d

UK on the wrong side

"UN approves new study on effects of nuclear war" (1/11/24)"Melissa Parke, Executive Director for ICAN welcomed the study: “This new study is an opportunity to bring our understanding of the impact of nuclear war out of the 1980s and into the 21st century.  As the world becomes increasingly more interconnected, we need to make sure that policy decisions are based on science- not dogma and scaremongering. This study is a chance to bring that science together and guide us towards the future we want.”The vote on the resolution was not unanimous. Some of the nuclear-armed states and their allies actively lobbied against this study, possibly out of concern that more knowledge on what these weapons of mass destruction do would further erode any citizens’ support for having nuclear weapons. Only France, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom voted against the resolution. However, the vast majority of states (144) – ranging from those that lead on disarmament and have been impacted by nuclear weapons testing in previous decades to those whose policies support the use of nuclear weapons – chose to commission this critical study." "Only France, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom voted against the resolution." There were 30 abstentions, including the US.https://www.icanw.org/un_approves_new_study_on_effects_of_nuclear_warhttps://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com24/resolutions/L39.pdfI guess that we know enough already and are not bothered.

David Ainsworth ● 733d3 Comments ● 733d

Control

It’s about control. Wake up.

Paul Beer ● 734d6 Comments ● 733d

Choices, choices

From The Washington Post:-"Opinion - Voters face the worst presidential choice in U.S. historyThere have been mediocrities and scoundrels in the 59 previous presidential elections. But nothing like this." (By George Will)Well, if that is the choice, I would choose a mediocrity rather than a scoundrel.

David Ainsworth ● 734d1 Comments ● 734d

Private schools vote for legal action over VAT plans

A group representing 1,400 private schools will press ahead with plans for a legal challenge against the government’s introduction of VAT from January, the BBC can reveal.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98d3xr0290oDelighted to hear this!!

Ivonne Holliday ● 735d15 Comments ● 734d

Random pic 2 November 2024

Tide-predicting machine, 1872 (Science Museum, South Kensington) An early - analogue - computer? https://flic.kr/p/2qqAaHqThis machine was invented by the physicist and engineer William Thomson to predict the motion of tides. This was no simple matter in the 1870s.
First Thomson gathered a large amount of tide data from around Britain's coastline. Then he used the mathematical technique known as harmonic analysis to break down the complicated tidal motion into a series of simpler components. Finally, he used this machine to recombine them for future tides. Cranking the handle for four hours gave him tidal predictions for one year.'All the work hitherto has been
accomplished by sheer calculation; but
calculation of so methodical a kind that
a machine ought to be found to do it.'
William Thomson, 1891Lent by: British Association for the Advancement of Science
Object no: 1876-1129
[Information from museum label]

Michael Ixer ● 734d0 Comments ● 734d

Ryanair Will Axe Thousands Of U.K. Flights After Hike In Air Duty

Boss Michael O'Leary blames Rachel Reeves' 'idiotic' tax grab which will cut capacity by 5million passengers.On Wednesday, the Chancellor announced an increase of 15 per cent in tax on economy seats to European hotspots such as Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy.The duty - a stealth levy known as the 'holiday tax' - will increase by £2 to £15 for these flights.Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary accused Rachel Reeves of a short-sighted tax grab and that she has 'no clue how to deliver growth in the UK economy'.As a result of the rise in air passenger duty (APD), the airline said it would cut UK capacity by as much as 10 per cent next year which is the equivalent of a reduction of around five million passengers.https://mol.im/a/14030701

Sue Hammond ● 734d2 Comments ● 734d

Random pic 1 November 2024

Van Gogh Exhibition, National Gallery: Sunflowers, 1888; La Berceuse, 1889; Sunflowers, 1889. https://flic.kr/p/2qoEG7iVan Gogh realised the importance of the Sunflowers and painted additional versions of them in early 1889, such as the one with its blue background. Later, in May, he elaborated a daring new scheme for their display in a letter to his brother, Describing it as a 'triptych' (three-panelled work), he imagined two Sunflower pictures flanking La Berceuse which, if hung in a ship, might bring comfort to sailars travelling far from home.Sunflowers, 1888 (The National Gallery, LondonBought, Courtauld Fund, 1924); La Berceuse (The Lullaby). 1889 (Museum of fine Arts, Boston. Bequest of John Spaulding); Sunflowers, 1889 (Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Mr and Mrs Carroll S, Tyson, Jr., Collection, 1963).

Michael Ixer ● 735d0 Comments ● 735d

Random pic 31 October 2024

Hope that orange boat is testing for water quality. The Thames by Wandsworth Park https://flic.kr/p/2qcVSre

Michael Ixer ● 736d1 Comments ● 736d

Individual taste and political statements

"Number 10 is filled with fine paintings, sculptures, busts and furniture. Only a few are permanent features. Most are on loan. About half belong to the Government Art Collection. The remainder are on loan from private collectors and from public galleries such as the National Portrait Gallery, the Tate Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Gallery. ...About a dozen paintings are changed annually. More extensive changes occur when a new prime minister takes office and redecorates. These redecorations may reflect both individual taste as well as make a political statement. Edward Heath borrowed French paintings from the National Gallery and was loaned two Renoirs from a private collector. When Margaret Thatcher arrived in 1979 she insisted that the artwork had to be British and that it celebrate "British achievers". As a former chemist, she took pleasure in devoting the Small Dining Room to a collection of portraits of British scientists, such as Joseph Priestley and Humphry Davy. During the 1990s John Major converted the first floor anteroom into a small gallery of modern art, mostly British. He also introduced several paintings by John Constable and J. M. W. Turner, Britain's two best known 19th-century artists, and cricketing paintings by Archibald Stuart-Wortley including a portrait of one of England's most celebrated batsmen W. G. Grace." (Wikipedia)

David Ainsworth ● 746d60 Comments ● 736d

The Speaker Rebukes Reeves

Sir Lindsay Hoyle has accused Chancellor Rachel Reeves of acting with “supreme discourtesy” towards MPs given her “premature disclosure” of Budget details.The Commons Speaker said it was “totally unacceptable to go around the world telling everybody” about “major” new policy announcements rather than giving the information first to MPs.Sir Lindsay also questioned whether MPs would need to bother attending the House to hear Ms Reeves deliver her first Budget on Wednesday, given “we’ll all have heard it” already.During a round of broadcast interviews while attending the International Monetary Fund meeting in Washington DC, Ms Reeves confirmed a technical change in the way she would measure progress against the target of managing debt.It is expected Ms Reeves will use the Budget to open the door for the Government to spend billions more on long-term infrastructure, such as replacing dilapidated buildings on the public sector estate.Sir Lindsay, making a statement, told the Commons: “In media interviews last week the Chancellor announced that she intended to introduce changes to the fiscal rules relating to the funding of day-to-day spending through tax receipts and to the measurement of the public debt.“These are major new policy announcements with significant and wide-ranging implications for the Government’s fiscal policy and for the public finances.“It is evident to me that this should therefore have been made in the first instance in this House and not to the world’s media.“This principle is clearly and unambiguously set out in paragraph 9.1 of the Ministerial Code. While this can hardly be described as a leak – the Chancellor herself gave interviews on the record and on camera – the premature disclosure of the contents of the Budget has always been regarded as a supreme discourtesy to the House.“Indeed, I still regard it as such.“I am very, very disappointed that the Chancellor expects the House to wait nearly a full week to hear her repeat these announcements in the Budget statement on Wednesday.”Sir Lindsay said he has “always defended” the right of MPs to be the first to hear major Government policy announcements, adding: “Ministers should expect to face proper, sustained scrutiny when these announcements are made from the elected Members of this House and not the American news channels.”He noted Treasury minister Darren Jones would be making a statement to the House on “fiscal rules” on Monday, adding: “Perhaps no coincidence.“Honourable members may be wondering how they’ll get a seat on Wednesday (for the Budget) – to be quite honest, the way it’s going you won’t need to, we’ll all have heard it. It’s not acceptable, I don’t want it to continue and I want to treat this House with the respect it deserves.”Sir Lindsay added: “It’s totally unacceptable to go around the world telling everybody rather than these Members. They were elected by the constituents of this country and they deserve to be treated better.”He went on to note Labour when in opposition complained about the previous Tory government behaving in a similar manner, adding: “Get your acts together, all sides, treat Members with respect.”

Sue Hammond ● 738d16 Comments ● 736d

Random pic 30 October 2024

Angel Bear, Place Napoléon III, on the forecourt of the Gare du Nord https://flic.kr/p/2qnMstGMore info:
https://www.parisladouce.com/2016/02/paris-angel-bear-une-oeuvre-ecologique.html?m=1

Michael Ixer ● 737d0 Comments ● 737d

Starmer's Confusion

I already know about Starmer's confusion and inability to explain what a woman is 🤷🏻‍♀️and now I am confused about HIS confusion over 'working people'🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️This confusing rhetoric from the government must end pdq because much of Reeve's🙍🏻‍♀️budget is centred around this ambiguous group.  Starmer🤓and his stooges need to have an urgent pow-wow in No 10 to sort this out because time is running out for them. 'Former Bank of England governor Mervyn King described Labour's pledge on national insurance, VAT and income tax as 'very unwise'.He also said the debate around not putting up taxes on working people was a 'terrible illusion' and warned putting up employers' national insurance was likely to depress workers' salaries.Lord King told Sky News: 'All this debate about not putting up taxes on working people is a terrible illusion, really.'Taxes are paid by people, they're not paid by companies or institutions, ultimately, they fall on the amount that people can spend.'And you only can raise significant amounts of money by raising taxes on most people, however you care to define that, but it's most people will have to pay higher taxes.And if they, instead of unwinding the cuts in employees' national insurance contributions, put up employers' national insurance contributions, that will make it less likely that companies will exceed to wage demands, they will press down on that, they will probably be less enthusiastic about creating new jobs.'Ultimately, the impact of these higher taxes has to be on the consumption of most people, however you care to define that group.'Lord King also warned that Ms Reeves' expected Budget plans could have an impact on interest rates.The Chancellor is set to rewrite the Government's fiscal rules to allow her to increase borrowing for public investment by around £50billion.Asked if he thinks the expected plans may have an impact on interest rates, particularly mortgage rates now, Lord King said: 'It could do, it could do.'https://mol.im/a/14007537

Sue Hammond ● 739d13 Comments ● 737d