Early Risers.

[Oldddudders]

I saw the photo you mentioned. When we went to Paris last November there were police like that outside many government offices and churches popular with tourists. The parks had armed soldiers patrolling. That was the week before the Paris attacks.

The new look for London.http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/scotland-yard-london-metropolitan-police-counter-terrorism-crime-guns-isis-a7170811.html

The French gendarmerie are much more a para-military organisation, hence the lack of community relationships identified in Tony's link. They live in barracks, with full security surrounding them. If I want to go to my local nick, I have to use an entry-phone at the fortified gate. Dock Green it ain't. Thus the sort of informal intelligence gathering that we might hope gets UK police off to a bit of a start just doesn't happen here, sadly.

[Donw]

Morning All.

 

Today's news of the knife attack seems to be being played down as it may be due to mental illness rather than terrorism. I don't see that as being very reassuring. Neither is the fact that your probably more likely to be killed by someone's reckless driving.

Happy times

Don

[roundhouse]

I wonder what spin Donald T will put on this knife attack. Probably something about how dangerous it is in the UK and it's the work of the devil Hillary!!

[Barry O]

Don,

At the moment with some of the racist attacks going on in the UK, and with a heightened state of security viz a viz terrorist attacks, it is important that we are made aware of reasons behind any attack the BBC had this as their headline report this morning with a statement saying that it was believed that mental health issues may have been a reason. This stops the mass panic attacks caused by some people who will wind up saying it was a terrorist attack. As it is my feelings go out to those involved and their close friends and relatives.

Baz

[Oldddudders]

Morning All.

 

Today's news of the knife attack seems to be being played down as it may be due to mental illness rather than terrorism. I don't see that as being very reassuring. Neither is the fact that your probably more likely to be killed by someone's reckless driving.

Happy times

Don

ISTR 'Care in the Community' was the jolly name for ridding the NHS of some of its facilities for treatment of some with mental instabilities. They were expected to just disappear into the crowd, as it were, but occasionally become all too visible.

 

Russell Square is a peaceable, genteel sort of place, as is Bloomsbury generally. Large gardens thronged at lunchtime by local workers, the Hotel Russell, where I have stayed on occasions - but random nutters can appear anywhere.

[BSW01]

Morning everyone.

 

Dull, grey and wet, although it isn't raining at the moment, I feel that I will have to resort to waterproofs today. Today I'm off to Greenfield, Hollinwood, Failsworth and Whitefield.

 

Back later.

[jamie92208]

Sunny and showers here in the village at the moment.   Hopefully some modelling time will be found among other as yet unspecified tasks.

 

A quick drink and a natter with a friend who wants to break a journey home to Scotland is on the cards this evening then off to the airport to pick some friends up.   Not a bad day.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[Andrew P]

South Derbyshier is basking in glorious sunshine,........................wait a mo, it's just gone in.............

 

 

 

It's out again and really warm.  

 

  :stinker:      

[Barry O]

I was a little distressed by some of the film re armed police last night with an array of very expensive and powerful guns. It appeared to me it was like a bunch of kids saying ...look at my gun, it's bigger than your gun... The SAS don't need to do that.

 

Someone once told me, when having a meeting with someone you weren't too keen on or were not to be trusted carry a club, but it needs to be strategically held behind your back just in case..

 

I don't want the UK to be harmed but I also don't want the situation seen in the USA over the years of armed police shooting at potential innocent people.

 

Baz

[45156]

Morning All

 

AWOL yesterday, as I had a lot on and tried to catch up, but time was not on my side.  Now managed to read all contributions, and all duly rated.  Generic greetings all round, and special mentions for Duncan - congrats on promotion, and Dom - hope that you are back driving soon. 

 

Not a huge amount to report today, but I do have to go into town later to see Dr, and to pick up 30747 from work.

 

Back later

Regards to All

Stewart

[Happy Hippo]

Two comments.

 

Better you see Police dressed like that than Terrorists. London has always been a target for at least 100 years, remember Sydney Street? My Grandfather used to walk home from work during the Blitz.....and before that watched Zeppelins flying over when he was young.

 

The enemy  (for that is what they are) will probably target softer targets outside of main conurbations. They just want to kill people (of all ages).

 

Best, Pete.

As evidenced on the news this morning in Russell Square.

 

'Significant mental health issues'? This must be the new 'lessons will be learned' mantra trotted out when atrocities like this happen.  Anyone or anything will be blamed except the root cause.

 

My thoughts are with the family of the woman killed and those injured in the attack

[Oldddudders]

As evidenced on the news this morning in Russell Square.

 

'Significant mental health issues'? This must be the new 'lessons will be learned' mantra trotted out when atrocities like this happen.  Anyone or anything will be blamed except the root cause.

 

My thoughts are with the family of the woman killed and those injured in the attack

I think it would suit the police very well not to have to deal with nutters like this, but to have them treated 'at source' by professionals within the NHS, as was formerly the case. Whether the individual here was one I know not, but a bit of political stirring is part of the art when your resources are up agin it, and you know the public are on your side. Getting nutters off the street is hardly controversial - except to HM Treasury!

[AndyB]

Morning all,

Dipping in and out as I'm heading towards the Highlands, albeit at a rather sedate pace.

The Sat Nav recommends we travel via Wales. 

In fairness we are having a few nights in Shrewsbury, which makes sense of the route. 

Have a nice day everyone. Andy

[DDolfelin]

I may be coming to this late, but if you are contemplating a new car in the UK, be aware that the Car Tax is shortly due to increase for new cars.

 

As far as visible armed police on the streets is concerned:

If I were some terrorist lunatic, I would be more likely deterred by someone armed and in combat gear than PC49 waving sternly.

Yes, it's sad it has come to that but if it deters even one frenzied or calculated attack then it will have been worthwhile.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. 'Care in the community' translates as 'Couldn't care less about the community' in my book. Thoughts are with the dead and injured. Nice pics Polly, I could almost smell the sea with those pics of the breaking waves. For some reason big dogs seem to like me, they must know a soft touch when they see one. Enough of my ramblings for now, be back later.

[DDolfelin]

I know we have a wide range of skills and knowledge on ERs.

Any comment on this chaps?

A friend has a Caravan on a site in Wales.

 

"currently have no hot water there as the boiler is too dangerous to use - it had a leak and has rusted inside.

Site quoted me £2.4k to replace"

[45156]

 

I know we have a wide range of skills and knowledge on ERs.

Any comment on this chaps?

A friend has a Caravan on a site in Wales.

 

"currently have no hot water there as the boiler is too dangerous to use - it had a leak and has rusted inside.

Site quoted me £2.4k to replace"

 

From my limited knowledge of caravan sites (is this a static or a tourer - I guess the former), many site owners who of course, own the land and set out the terms and conditions of having a van on a pitch on their site, and these may well include a clause stating that repairs to the van must be carried out by their approved contractors.  It's a bit like how they get you over the supply of gas to the vans, where you have to buy it from them at their price.  Also, the boilers on these statics are a lot more specialised than your normal combi at home.  There is an issue over how the work is done, as there is more risk of carbon monoxide concentration in a more confined space if the boiler is wrongly fitted.  So really, a specialist on work on vans is needed.

 Just my opinion, but perhaps giving some food for thought.

 

Back again, as my Dr appointment is not for an hour or so, and dinner is now done (leftovers Korma if you're interested).

[peanuts]

well the kitten has gone to lose his bits not a happy chap to be left at the vets and didnt want to go in his travel box as my now scrached a bloodied arm can now testify my lady a bit teary at leaving him but consoled with a fry up 

 

settle back into the grind of searching and applying for jobs on the net 

 

 finnaly got my new lens so thats a bonus 

[45156]

Oh yes, and as for "care in the community", I worked for an operation which provided financial services to the sector which was given responsibility for this after the NHS handed it off (for whatever reason).  Many of the people charged with their care were so politically correct as to be almost a travesty, with very strong views about "rights" and "equality" and "freedom" and "de-institutionalisation".  For some reason, they were unable to see that there were some "clients" who should never have been allowed to be placed even in half way houses.  A lot of psychobabble was been quoted to me as to why they would not offend as they were "perfectly fine" outside of their previous care, and that it was the fact that they were confined which was the key to everything.

 

Well, many cases have arisen since, proving that this is maybe not the case.  Today's apears to be another such....

Edited August 4, 2016 by 45156

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Alas the case the Russell Square incident seems to me a case of citing the blindingly obvious as no sane and mentally stable person would do anything like that.  But equally of course it can be fairly simple for something to trip somebody into that sort of condition especially if they are susceptible to various malign influences, drugs and so on and they just sit below the radar of whatever until they are tipped over the edge - by all sorts of possible sources.  The only saving feature of this incident was that the nutter (for that he surely must have been?) 'only' had a knife and didn't have a firearm with a high rate of fire and plenty of ammo.  The only defence? - I really don't know if there is one except the forces of law and order getting there as quickly as possible and dropping the assailant with whatever weapons they have.

 

Meanwhile it seems that Southern is now going to be subject to some sort of 'joint' action by various unions - which sounds illegal to me as some of it is secondary (like Drivers don't staff booking offices).  The impacts of that idiot from DafT and mismanagement of change seem to be coming home to roost with the only folk who will suffer being those who want to travel by train; a sad state of affairs.

 

But the sun is shining (probably won't last - it didn't) so try to have a good day everybody.

[AndrewC]

Morning all from the boring borough. A grand evening out was had with Mr and Mrs Roundhouse. Southern has indeed taken the mantle of most inept sh*t nibbling cockwomble c*ntpuffins from Southeastern. I was relying on SE's usual 3 min late running to snag the xx:31 to Woolwich as there are no CST trains via Bexleyheath after 20:30ish. Bloody train pulled out of platform 2 about 45 seconds early, leaving me with a 20 minute wait. Still, I was home and tucked up in bed while Roundhouse was still be jerked about playing musical trains.

 

Other than that mostly quiet around here. Dropped SWMBO at the hospital for her orthotics fitting and picked up a few bits and bobs at Morereasons. Pork shoulder on the bbq low and slow with mesquite wood chips. 2 1/2 hours in, another 7 1/2 to go.

 

With that, time to stoke up the smoker box again and look busy for the second last day on this project. Have a good one all.

[lightengine]

Gun toting terrorists don't seem to be deterred by the fact that there may be armed police around. Most of the places where attacks have happened recently have been in countries where nearly all the police are armed.

 

Mental health care moved some patients into the community some years ago. I worked as a support worker for one such residence with 7 long term residents some of whom had dual diagnosis mental health concerns. All had been in a secure hospital for much of their lives. Unfortunately the original system wasn't very good in the first place. We had a lady who died aged 82. She had lived in the community for approx the last 10 years of her life. Sadly at the age of 21 and after being trained as a typist she had gone completely deaf and therefore she was locked away in a mental hospital for the next 50 years. She had no other mental health diagnosis.

 

Sunny at present in sunny Teignmouth, but it wont last judging by the clouds.

[Happy Hippo]

well the kitten has gone to lose his bits not a happy chap to be left at the vets and didnt want to go in his travel box as my now scrached a bloodied arm can now testify my lady a bit teary at leaving him but consoled with a fry up 

 

 

He would probably gone to the vets a lot easier if you hadn't told him about the nut job!

[DDolfelin]

Gun toting terrorists don't seem to be deterred by the fact that there may be armed police around. Most of the places where attacks have happened recently have been in countries where nearly all the police are armed.

 

We don't get to hear about the ones that are deterred.

[DDolfelin]

From my limited knowledge of caravan sites (is this a static or a tourer - I guess the former), many site owners who of course, own the land and set out the terms and conditions of having a van on a pitch on their site, and these may well include a clause stating that repairs to the van must be carried out by their approved contractors.  It's a bit like how they get you over the supply of gas to the vans, where you have to buy it from them at their price.  Also, the boilers on these statics are a lot more specialised than your normal combi at home.  There is an issue over how the work is done, as there is more risk of carbon monoxide concentration in a more confined space if the boiler is wrongly fitted.  So really, a specialist on work on vans is needed.

 Just my opinion, but perhaps giving some food for thought.

Thanks for going to all that trouble.

Certainly food for thought - have passed it on.