Forum Topics

housecall vet

Reply to Michael Izer.  Thanks for your memo re your cat and a "housecall vet".  I used to take my cat/s to the vet myself, but I took Lily by taxi, and she was quiet!  We went in a Mercedes and my car is a ka - maybe she prefers a better class of car!!!!!

carole madeleine tanner ● 466d1 Comments ● 466d

Random pic 25 July 2025

The Pleasance Theatre, near Caledonian Road
https://flic.kr/p/2r7PnsE

Michael Ixer ● 466d0 Comments ● 466d

Random pic 24 July 2025

Meow: I've my own servent to transport me https://flic.kr/p/2rfXuP5

Michael Ixer ● 467d4 Comments ● 466d

Phone problems

People are reporting problems with BT, EE, Three and Vodafone, they appear to be down Thursday afternoon. Customers are unable to make or receive calls.

Barbara Stevens ● 466d3 Comments ● 466d

Putney High Street

There is also a petition about the traffic problem in Putney High Street and roads off of the High St. link.h1Fttps.//docs.google.com/forms/d/e/FAlpQLSeKTXnU8r9CvqdSSI1uU9vE18-ToWL-LLO7vsZDFD12c-B-lA/viewform

Barbara Stevens ● 467d3 Comments ● 466d

🎼🎶"The working class can kiss my *rse, I've got a private jet at last"

BBC News"Ex-union boss McCluskey took private jet flights arranged by building firm, report finds"'Former Unite boss Len McCluskey enjoyed private jet flights and football tickets arranged by the firm building a multi-million pound hotel for the union, according to an internal report.Flanagan Group, which is run by friends of Mr McCluskey, overcharged Unite by at least £30m for the Birmingham hotel and conference centre project, the Unite report says.It also found Mr McCluskey "overruled" advice from staff and the union's lawyers in signing the construction contract with Flanagan Group.Unite's report said the private jet flights and football tickets were "consistently organised and paid for by" the Flanagan Group and there is "no indication" Mr McCluskey later reimbursed them'.Before he retired in 2021, Mr McCluskey was one of the most powerful figures in the trade union movement and a leading backer of Jeremy Corbyn, during his time as Labour leader. He remains an influential figure on the left of British politics.He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Unite hotel project, which was meant to be a financial investment for the union's members, as well as a venue for its meetings.But it ran massively over budget and has been mired in controversy, with the Serious Fraud Office last year launching an investigation into it.When Sharon Graham took over from Mr McCluskey as Unite's general secretary, she launched a series of internal inquiries after discovering apparent discrepancies in the union's accounts.Unite's auditors found the union spent as much as £125m on the hotel and conference centre development, which has since been valued at just £38m'.Another Labour black hole !

John Hawkes ● 467d0 Comments ● 467d

Labour’s plan to give 16-year- olds the vote

It is difficult to see Labour’s plan to extend the vote to 16-year-olds as anything other than electoral gerrymandering given that 16-year-olds are not considered mature enough to1) get married without their parents’ permission2) play the national lottery3) serve on a jury4) buy fireworks5) earn the full minimum wage6) learn to drive7) stand for Parliament.And before you say anything, Michael B, yes, I know it was in the Labour Manifesto. But that doesn’t make it sensible. The plan to impose VAT on independent schools was also in the Manifesto, but it is still a stupid idea.

Steven Rose ● 472d36 Comments ● 467d

Doctors To Strike Again 

After being awarded an inflation busting 22.3% pay increase last year It didn't take them long to begin their excessive pay demands again did it?   Labour's hasty capitulation to the public sector workers was obviously going to return and bite them on the bum, so how long will it be before the nurses, teachers, train drivers etc join them? "A five-day doctors' strike due to start in England on Friday by members of the British Medical Association will go ahead, the union says.Five days of talks between the government and the BMA had raised hopes of a breakthrough, focused on improving working conditions for resident doctors, the new name for junior doctors.Health Secretary Wes Streeting wrote to the BMA earlier on Tuesday saying he would continue talks if strike action was postponed.But the BMA said what was up for discussion was not enough and achieving better pay remained the key issue."

Sue Hammond ● 467d10 Comments ● 467d

Celebrity discounts

Stories about discounted clothi=ng and spectacles (Starmer, Reeves, the Blairs) make me wonder  how this is allowed to go on. These very significant "perks" are going to people who could afford to pay top-whack and run to thusands of pounds  Doesn't sound like democracy.  How does it go down with those who are hard up? Also, what benefits do the suppliers receive in turn for their needless largesse?

Alexander MacLeod ● 469d8 Comments ● 467d

The Big Butterfly Count:  Fri 18 July - Sun 10 August 2025

https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/Sign up for this annual event."Butterflies are key biodiversity indicators for scientists as they react very quickly to changes in their environment.  Therefore, if their numbers are falling, then nature is in trouble. So tracking numbers of butterflies is crucial in the fight to conserve our natural world.  That's whytaking part innthis massive citizen science enterprise is of great importance not just for our butterflies but for the wider environment and biodiversity in general."You can download a chart so you can work out which butterflies you have spotted.

Philippa Bond ● 468d0 Comments ● 468d

Random pic 23 July 2025

The Moon trying to hide from West https://flic.kr/p/2nRCtuA

Michael Ixer ● 468d0 Comments ● 468d

Putney

Traffic in the High Street was bad again Lunch Time today.  Also Sainsbury's lift not working again today, a lady who could hardly walk was having problems she needed to get down to the car park downstairs. The lady held my arm for a while to get to the door, I was really worried about her going down the stairs. But she said she was OK.

Barbara Stevens ● 468d1 Comments ● 468d

Plans to expand Wimbledon can go ahead, judge rules

I really cannot believe this!https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyr7e394p0oAnd for those of you who dislike the BBC, another linkhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2025/07/21/wimbledon-wins-200m-expansion-battle-with-residents/

Ivonne Holliday ● 469d3 Comments ● 469d

Random pic 22 July 2025

Swans, Fulham https://flic.kr/p/2n1KAxN

Michael Ixer ● 469d2 Comments ● 469d

Benefit payments

Is the UK economy strong enough to bear the costs of the Benefits system and are such benefits being given only to those that genuinely need them  and deserve them because they are making or have in the past made contributions to fund the system ?Starmer and Reeves say the economy is booming so we should be alright, but 8 million on the dole......?https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/foreign-national-benefits-figures-are-absolute-insanity-fumes-lowe/'The Department for Work and Pensions revealed on Tuesday that the number of people receiving Universal Credit has soared within Labour’s first year by over a million.The DWP also acknowledged that over a million recipients are foreign nationals – in the first time the immigration status of benefit claimants has been published.7.9 million people are currently on the dole. That’s a 16 per cent increase from the 6.8 million in the dying days of the last government, with the vast majority (6.6 million) British and Irish nationals. But that’s not all: Liz Kendall’s department also acknowledged that over a million of those recipients are foreign nationals. This marks the first time the government has published figures on the immigration status of benefit claimants, which onetime Reform MP Rupert Lowe has insisted the development is a ‘huge win’ after having pushed for the move.Now that they have been revealed, Lowe described the numbers as ‘absolute insanity’ – while his new political group, Restore Britain, slammed the revelation as ‘unaffordable, unsustainable, unacceptable’. His comments come as support for his tough talk on illegal migration picks up, with a 17th MP – Tory politician Sir John Hayes – having added his name to Lowe’s motion for the mass deportation of illegal migrants from Britain'.

John Hawkes ● 473d12 Comments ● 469d

Random pic 21 July 2025

Luxor temple obelisk https://flic.kr/p/2jzWyXR

Michael Ixer ● 470d1 Comments ● 469d

Winter Fuel Allowance

How come they have managed to bring so many Afghans here and spent so much money on them, yet Pensioners went without. Billions was spent. There is a protest in Dover with our British flag being waved. I'm not surprised British people are annoyed, when the young girl wore a dress of the Union Jack, are we being stopped from sticking up for our Country. What about the Welsh, Scottish and Irish. How would they feel if their daughters were sent home.

Barbara Stevens ● 471d5 Comments ● 470d

Are we back at school?

I’m beginning to wonder whether this forum has become in part a school, with Steven its head and John Hawkes his loyal deputy. It doesn’t  worry me but this constant repetition of rhetorical questions and expressed annoyance when they are not answered or the answer is not to the questioner’s satisfaction , is hardly encouraging more people to  contribute. John H has even given out grades to some of the responses he has received. I would politely suggest reducing the number of questions and toning down the often aggressive tone in which they are asked.

Jane Carter ● 473d28 Comments ● 470d

6000+ GP Surgeries ~ Official NHS Ratings

Ever wondered if your GP practice is up to scratch? Well, now you can find out with MailOnline's brilliant new search tool.Powered with official NHS figures for all 6,000-plus surgeries in England, it reveals how many patients you're competing with for precious appointments.Type your full postcode into our tool to also discover how busy the phone lines are every morning and whether GPs are outnumbered by receptionists.On top of that, it shows how many patients rate the practice as being 'good', as well as how helpful the admin staff are. Patients 'Good' Rating Heathbridge 88% Chartfield 85% Putneymead 83% Triangle Surgery 77%  Wandsworth Medical Centre 85% Full set of results (quite revealing🥺) can be accessed via link:https://mol.im/a/14897749

Sue Hammond ● 470d1 Comments ● 470d

Richmond hotel recommendation

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced or inexpensive hotel in Richmond?A relative is visiting from Canada and she wants to stay In Richmond rather than in London.Any suggestions please?

Katrina Black ● 471d3 Comments ● 470d