Early Risers.

[polybear]

Well I never - it seems that HRH is a closet ER lurker and noted Bear's disappointment that our furry friend Paddington has yet to be recognised with a gong.  It looks like an invitation to afternoon Tea is the first step......

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-61690149

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I just found that my e-mail wasn't working. I checked with Virgin and apparently there is so much traffic with the Jubilee that it crashed, at least I know its not me.

[Ozexpatriate]

14 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

According to this movement, the more obese you are the more you are discriminated against (such discrimination includes medical discrimination by physicians and nurses who say that obese people really need to lose weight for their health)

The evidence suggests that people with obesity often have poor diagnoses (of other conditions) because at least *some* physicians pay less careful attention to symptoms beyond their obesity compared with non-obese patients. This gets worse with female and minority patients. There are many metrics including things like time spent waiting for urgent care.

 

Of course obesity often leads to or accelerates many serious conditions and has a drastic effect on increasing community healthcare costs. And indeed, layers of additional fat can complicate some diagnoses, but the concern is that there may be other factors at work.

 

Obesity in the US is a complex subject that is closely related to socio-economics and location. It is much more prevalent in lower-income and minority communities which might also be classed as "food deserts"*.

 

* The term applies to areas where there is limited access to supermarkets that offer fresh (unprocessed) foods.

 

With the exception of things like bulk rice and dried beans, it is far more expensive in the US to eat healthy foods than heavily processed and/or "fast" foods and when faced with competing expenses for things like rent, utilities, medications*, and fuel**, people do choose cheaper, less nutritious food that may be detrimental to their overall health.

 

* Many people in the US are at the mercy of unscrupulous pharmaceutical companies (I imagine you are aware of insulin and epinephrine pricing in the US)

 

** presently going up rapidly

 

Frankly I find this observation offensive.

Quote

... these are US sizes - so already pretty huge at 1XL.

XL (one clothing size beyond S-M-L) is hardly "huge", though I imagine someone of that size would be defined as clinically obese.

 

Randomly checking* an online clothing supplier, trouser waist size for XL is 40-42" (102cm - 107cm)

Another supplier has XL waist sizes at 38-40" (97cm - 102cm)

 

* I'm not cherry-picking here and rounded up the cm measurements.

 

Things are relative. Perhaps you personally consider a 100cm waistline as "huge". I would concur that it is certainly not ideal nor for most, healthy.

[Ozexpatriate]

18 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

I checked with Virgin and apparently there is so much traffic with the Jubilee that it crashed

A convenient excuse. It's a wonder they didn't blame it on CoViD.

[simontaylor484]

Turdeycurses are in order I have tried to get Pebbles put on the pet insurance with Rolo can I get into the account on line. It won't accept my email or password for some reason.

I will have to get in touch with them tomorrow 

[PhilJ W]

1 minute ago, Ozexpatriate said:

A convenient excuse. It's a wonder they didn't blame it on CoViD.

Actually they (Virgin) are pretty good at keeping customers informed. I'm just relieved to know its not something at my end. 

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Obesity in the US is a complex subject that is closely related to socio-economics and location. It is much more prevalent in lower-income and minority communities which might also be classed as "food deserts"*.

 

* The term applies to areas where there is limited access to supermarkets that offer fresh (unprocessed) foods.

 

I've probably got the details wrong but the Buffalo supermarket (site of the recent shootings) was long-campaigned for by the locals after an Expressway built in 1971 cut the black neighbourhood in half and physically prevented access by those on the wrong side of the expressway from accessing their previous supermarket. 

 

 As a result, until the Tops supermarket finally opened in 2003 after decades of campaigning by locals to get supermarket chains to open a supermarket, an incredible 113,000 people had no local access to a grocery store. The shooter targeted it knowing that due to its uniqueness in the area he'd be guaranteed a large number of people present.

 

Here where Woolies and Coles currently seem to be opening a new shop every 10 minutes  and are the first thing into any new development, our version of food deserts are out in the actual deserts, where the sheer distances mean many indigenous settlements experience a lack of cheap fresh food - (I remember seeing a lettuce for $12 in a settlement south of Katherine)  due to difficulties shipping it and storing it, while processed tinned products are a lot cheaper. As a result 21% of indigenous children in the outback are overweight, and 5% obese.

Edited June 4, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[brianusa]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Happy Birthday to @PeterBB, another June baby!

And another since 1935😉

    Brian.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

I've probably got the details wrong but the Buffalo supermarket (site of the recent shootings) was long-campaigned for by the locals after an Expressway built in 1971 cut the black neighbourhood in half and physically prevented access by those on the wrong side of the expressway from accessing their previous supermarket. 

 

 As a result, until the Tops supermarket finally opened in 2003 after decades of campaigning by locals to get supermarket chains to open a supermarket, an incredible 113,000 people had no local access to a supermarket. The shooter targeted it knowing that due to its uniqueness in the area he'd be guaranteed a large number of people present.

I haven't double checked, but I did hear something along those lines and believe you are correct.

 

When built, most of the interstate expressways inevitably found their way directly through minority neighbourhoods. That is certainly the case with I5 and the Albina neighbourhood in NE Portland. The freeways ended up destroying the cohesivity of the neighbourhoods.

 

I have seen documentaries reporting on the similar impact of I35W in Minneapolis.

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

My son tested positive for the lurgy today. A friend of his, whom he last saw on Sunday, was positive so he went out and got a test. His symptoms hit on Tuesday and he feels fine, which is encouraging.

 

Local health authorities believe our current wave (up since the indoor mask mandate was removed and comparable in magnitude of reported cases as December 2020) is peaking. He was probably infected at the peak of the wave.

 

In an abundance of caution, we had decided to skip going to the movies last Wednesday. That decision now looks very prudent.

[chrisf]

It is wet out there.  This acts as a deterrent to working in the jungle, as if an excuse were needed.  There is still Jubilee stuff on TV and some of it promises to be quite interesting.  Time will tell.

 

The mail yesterday was bristling with medical appointments and related matters.  I am to have a bone density scan. The questionnaire that I must complete is an irritant: the NHS ought to know what medication I have been prescribed because guess who prescribed it!  Some questions are difficult to answer, such as whether my grandparents have broken any bones!  How long do you think my grandparents have been dead, NHS?  On the same day I am to have my diabetic eye screening.  At least it all bu99ers up one day instead of two.

 

Chris

[iL Dottore]

7 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

….Things are relative. Perhaps you personally consider a 100cm waistline as "huge". I would concur that it is certainly not ideal nor for most, healthy.

Heart Research UK (summarising a lot of research) is definitely of that opinion https://heartresearch.org.uk/ht-waistline/

The average American now weighs 24lb/10.8kg more than the average American in the 1960s. For a more scholarly overview, the CDC has a good summary https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity_adult_09_10/obesity_adult_09_10.htm

As for XL being “huge” I wear XL and I consider myself to be “huge” (being 6ft  tall adds to that) and I would love to get down to a L.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl,

A poor nights sleep, very broken up, though I might have achieved 6 hours total.

 

Tis chuckinitdarn, at the moment, the forecast isn't hopeful all day. A decision on weather to sail or weather to go to the club to do some modifications to the boat, will be made later. Since it's still the development stage of Blue Moon, she's not doing well enough to qualify for trophies, I've a distinct lack of enthusiasm for getting soggy.

 

If I don't go then it will be brownie point time and I'll start building SWMBO's yarn rack. 6ft tall by 25 inches in width, 16inches deep at the base, 8 inches at the top.

 

Hmm the Beeb weather has just been on and it's more hopeful they say it should be dry during the requisite period.

 

I've lost some weight over the last couple of years the kilt I wore to the wedding reception was distinctly loose. Even the belt which is meant to decorative was running out of adjustment. Unfortunately my BMI isn't reducing as fast, as last time I was officially measured I'd lost an inch in height, I suspect I've lost more since.

To alter a kilt there are two or three straps one side , and one or two the other to be moved. You can only go so far before the flat front misaligns with the pleated back .

My decision to put off buying a RAF kilt due to weight loss has been proved to be correct. The RAF Kilt is one of the most expensive around the cloth alone is over £70 a metre.

 

Ben the I don't want out yet it's raining Collie is still  in his bed, ah I typed too soon, he's now got up. But has settled in the hallway not demanding out.

 

Time to rest until Ben decides otherwise.

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by TheQ

[Grizz]

7 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

My son tested positive for the lurgy today. A friend of his, whom he last saw on Sunday, was positive so he went out and got a test. His symptoms hit on Tuesday and he feels fine, which is encouraging.

 

Local health authorities believe our current wave (up since the indoor mask mandate was removed and comparable in magnitude of reported cases as December 2020) is peaking. He was probably infected at the peak of the wave.

 

In an abundance of caution, we had decided to skip going to the movies last Wednesday. That decision now looks very prudent.

Good call on Wednesday then…Looks like you might have dodged the virus right there! Hope that your family get better soon. 
 

Sadly Mrs Grizz tested positive for Covid on Thursday evening. She had been feeling very tired throughout the week but didn’t really have any other symptoms, other than a very occasional sneeze. But to be fair the air around here is packed with pollen at the moment so it is difficult to differentiate without the other indicators.

 

Unfortunately Thursday morning we all had breakfast in the kitchen with my mum. So doing the mental rewind to see who Mrs Grizz had been in contact with in the previous few days resulted in a few calls and texts to alert everyone. 
 

As a result of all this Grizz Castle has gone onto ‘Defcon 3’ alert status, with all the windows wide open and regular disinfectant spraying sessions that a crop spraying pilot would be proud of! 
 

Mrs Grizz has been confined to the East Wing with the door screwed firmly shut and a big Red Cross painted on the outside. Grizz has now been promoted to head chef….(yeah good luck with that everyone!!!)…..Gordon Blue I am not! 

 

Consequently her diet is mainly toast based, although I am doing my best to vary the toppings as much as possible…..so eggs on toast, baked beans on toast, cheese on toast, sardines on toast etc..…basically anything that I can slide under the gap at the bottom of the door!!!!! 

 

And tonight’s ‘Piece of Resistance’ is pizza! ……Although it will have to be a thin crusted one,  as last night’s trial run under the living door with a deep crust one with all the toppings means that I will be wet vaxing the carpet for a while yet! 
 

So far the rest of the castle has tested negative but given our close contact with Mrs Grizz over the past week my hopes are not high. To be honest I am pretty F ing terrified as in the four years pre Covid I have been in hospital 4 times, 3 times blue lights, on a respirator due to lung infections. I have to be lucky every day…the virus has just got to get lucky once! 

Fortunately for me and by an amazing coincidence I have an online appointment with my specialist at the Brompton tomorrow, So hopefully they can be put on standby, poke my local vaccine provider into giving me another jab (as my last one was in November, this despite being told that I am at extreme risk of getting seriously ill) and fingers crossed I won’t have to start taking the dreaded ‘Roids’ again just yet! 
 

On another note….Last night”s Platinum Jubilee fireworks display over the County Town was seriously well planned, as they even managed to throw in a thunderstorm at exactly the same time. They must seriously well connected!
It was amazing to watch from the battlements, with forked lightening dropping all around the hills. In all my years living in this firework addicted part of the world I have never seen a display with an accompanying Thunderstorm…..well done to all involved! Spectacular and quite superb!

Although I suspect that the town has now set the bar rather high for November the 5th this year.   
 

Ok time to go as the chook alarm clock has gone off and I don’t want them waking up the rest of the castle.
 

Have a great day all.

 

ATB Grizz
 

 

Edited June 5, 2022 by Grizz
Incorrectly promoted….

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Another dull and dismal start to the day after plenty of rain overnight but none of the promised thunder here.  Hopefully it will stay dry for a while with some sunny periods possible this afternoon but with more showers that may be heavy and thundery.  Oh good.  We're having a BBQ and it will go ahead whatever the weather so gazebo and umbrellas will be set up later.

One rugby match watched and enjoyed and another recorded for a later time although I do know the result. "My" team's match wasn't on TV but they managed to lose to my second favourite team.

We'll be having the usual Sunday breakfast shortly and then various preparations for this afternoon will get under way including me making some burgers.

Time to "get a move on" apparently.

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from a grey and cloudy Charente.  We also had thunderstorms yesterday. We went to have a BBQ with some friends 25 miles north of here and there was a serious lightening strike very close to us.  No injuries or damage that we could see but some much needed rain.   The afternoon was good though with good company and chat.  

 

Here the kitchen now had a working sink though one compression joint is weeping.  I will try again, shortly.  If all else fails, a new stop tap will be bought on Tuesday.  Monday is the Whit bank holiday here.  All the tiles were re grouted and even Beth says that things are looking better.  I just need to give the tiles a final polish then can start moving thing back.  

 

Not a lot else to report.   Today there is a big 80th birthday bash in Bedford for the step dragon in law.  Many of the family are due to gather there and we await pictures.  

 

I am also going to make a start today on uploading photos from my French/Swiss railway trip, @chrisfmay like to look in.  

 

Regards to all and I hope that those affected by the lurgi stay OK.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

Bear here.....

....and hopeful that today will see the dreaded dado rail finally finished once and for all; there may also be some danglin' on a paint brush to contend with.  

The signs are that H visited again last night - and beat that WWPT into the bargain.  Good.

And that's about the height of Bear's Fun for the Day......

Oh yes, I really ought to get some stuff listed on the 'bay.  I hate having to do that as it seems to take so long to do.  That gets a Turdycurses.

 

In other news.....

Is this Bozo (no, not that Bozo....) for real??

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61691816

 

Must go - Bear needs a wee.....

[TheQ]

Normally I'd heading for the sailing club just now, but it's still chuckinitdarn, this why Ben the damp doggy is cuddled up alongside me. Yes he asked out, but he just did the necessary before coming back in.

 

 

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Good game yesterday. Side batting first made over 200 runs. Side batting second.. didn't.  Played in good spirits we Al had a laugh at a paining the unmentionables for one batter.

 

My match today will possibly be a bit different. BBC now says no rain.. Met Office suggests a 3 hour gap in the weather. We may end up with a T20. Frabjoy.

 

Watched the big event last night. Lighting effects were very good, some good music as well.

 

@PeterBB belated birthday wishes.

 

Time to get up and get going. Enjoy the day whatever you are doing (or not doing)

 

Baz

 

 

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

My decision to put off buying a RAF kilt due to weight loss has been proved to be correct. The RAF Kilt is one of the most expensive around the cloth alone is over £70 a metre...

Ouch!

The Brylcreem boys must be really raking it in. £70 a metre? Goodness, you can get a halfway decent kilt for £50. Okay, the material will be a synthetic (sometimes a blessing, as they don’t seem to be as hot [to me] as my wool kilt) but with a bit of shopping around you can get a fairly decent one for that price. I have two £50 kilts – and one is much better quality than the other (mostly the fasteners and straps)

 

Here’s an evil thought: as there are a number of individuals on ER who are known to wear a kilt, what about commissioning an ER tartan?

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

…In other news.....

Is this Bozo (no, not that Bozo....) for real??

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61691816

 

Must go - Bear needs a wee.....

I’m not sure if Macron is going about it the right way, but fundamentally it is a sensible strategy. With despots like Putin, if they see that they have no way out, no way to save face, then they will dig in for the long haul - preferring Götterdämmerung to loosing face, to being “humiliated”.

 

How that “saving of face” will play out in the Ukraine is, I think, too early to determine.

 

But one thing western politicians should try and avoid is having Russia dig in for a long war of attrition. Something that Russia has done in the past, irregardless of the human cost to its citizens.

 

We forget that with countries like Russia, China and the like, the aims of the collective/state overrides any consideration for the individual. Unlike in westernised democracies, in such countries it is state first, individual second.

[Gwiwer]

32 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

 

Here’s an evil thought: as there are a number of individuals on ER who are known to wear a kilt, what about commissioning an ER tartan?

As one of the aforesaid known kilt-wearers and one who knows there are differences within a theme I would ask a supplementary question. 
 

Just as I wear Cornish Everyday but not Cornish Dress nor (with the occasional exception of the tie) Cornish Hunting tartans should there be differing versions for Premium and Gold members?  
 

After a period of technical issues which have frustrated me and stumped Andy Y I have today been able to upgrade.  Owing to “A problem currently under investigation” I was unable to access the Premium topic while the banner was green. The newer orange version allows me in. Checkout wasn’t without issues either; the debit card required verification but something wasn’t linking to the bank and I never progressed beyond the “It won’t take long” page.  After trying Paypal as an alternative I didn’t receive the verification code until the third attempt. But finally all is well. So just as with problem-solving within our hobby persistence has paid off.