There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
Unlucky passengers.
A coach up the motorway awaits.
I suppose they should be grateful they've got from the country they were in to the country they wanted to be in. I was hearing about a LHR-MAN flight in the last storm which aborted its landing and diverted to, er, LHR. Which must have been galling.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
Unlucky passengers.
A coach up the motorway awaits.
I suppose they should be grateful they've got from the country they were in to the country they wanted to be in. I was hearing about a LHR-MAN flight in the last storm which aborted its landing and diverted to, er, LHR. Which must have been galling.
I mean, I'm assuming they'll be in the right country. Having circled Manchester twice they're now somewhere over Surrey. Gatwick?
"A senior Central African Republic military officer has just informed me that more Russian mercenaries have left CAR this week for Eastern Europe. Dozens had left in January. Their target: Ukraine."
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
I think Copenhagen's made it. But Ryanair from Bordeaux looks like it failed too and is currently tootling around above Bolton and Blackburn.
Imagine for a moment being stuck on that train for two bloody hours whilst railway management get round to sending a bloke to pull that shitty little garden trampoline off the track. And it's not even as if this happened in the middle of nowhere. That's probably no more than a few hundred yards from Cardiff station. It's small wonder train travel has such a poor reputation.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
Yep, he's down. FR3544 and FR3087 having a think North of the city after failed attempts. Think BY363 TUI from Sharm going to have a go first.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
Yep, he's down. FR3544 and FR3087 having a think North of the city after failed attempts. Think BY363 TUI from Sharm going to have a go first.
Imagine for a moment being stuck on that train for two bloody hours whilst railway management get round to sending a bloke to pull that shitty little garden trampoline off the track. And it's not even as if this happened in the middle of nowhere. That's probably no more than a few hundred yards from Cardiff station. It's small wonder train travel has such a poor reputation.
Trampolines have their own delay code in NR’s system. The owners should be charged the schedule 8 cost.
We’ve now gone from “there were no parties, no rules were broken” to “the Prime Minister only attended the ABBA party and broke the rules for 10 minutes”.
How is that sneering? A week later I was posting that there were thousands still without power. Many on here hadn't realised. Because it wasn't making the national news. I said earlier. If it is worse than Arwen, then beware, it will be a bastard.
How is that sneering? A week later I was posting that there were thousands still without power. Many on here hadn't realised. Because it wasn't making the national news. I said earlier. If it is worse than Arwen, then beware, it will be a bastard.
I’m sure the homes without power were on the national news for many days.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
Yep, he's down. FR3544 and FR3087 having a think North of the city after failed attempts. Think BY363 TUI from Sharm going to have a go first.
Looks like Sharm's failed.
This is fun. "I counted them all out and I counted them all back again"
Bordeaux and Rennes in. Let's see how easyJet do before Sharm's retry. And then turn to bed.
If I were at my folks' I'd be out the front of my house, in this weather, watching this for real.
The Liberal Democrats were the fall guy for Nick Clegg.
He has done very well for himself, they haven't. He played them for fools.
Do you honestly think he's happy? I think he threw his life behind the LDs, and saw them massacred on his watch. I doubt he'll ever get over it.
Interesting point, especially after driving them to their highest point in 90 years. The first Liberal (Democrat) since Lloyd George to be in Government. And it wasn't a bad Government, either. But politics doesn't care, and the electorate never thank you. In the latter years of the Coalition he always looked miserable. I have a lot of sympathy for Clegg, and I think the LDs need to come to terms with their time in Government rather than treating it like an embarrassing weekend bender.
That said, I'm sure the big bucks help. Still, would he rather be Prime Minister?
How is that sneering? A week later I was posting that there were thousands still without power. Many on here hadn't realised. Because it wasn't making the national news. I said earlier. If it is worse than Arwen, then beware, it will be a bastard.
I’m sure the homes without power were on the national news for many days.
How is that sneering? A week later I was posting that there were thousands still without power. Many on here hadn't realised. Because it wasn't making the national news. I said earlier. If it is worse than Arwen, then beware, it will be a bastard.
I’m sure the homes without power were on the national news for many days.
They were. But only after about a week.
Really, I thought it was after a few days.
Anyway, I think weather gets more attention than it deserves.
The Liberal Democrats were the fall guy for Nick Clegg.
He has done very well for himself, they haven't. He played them for fools.
Do you honestly think he's happy? I think he threw his life behind the LDs, and saw them massacred on his watch. I doubt he'll ever get over it.
Interesting point, especially after driving them to their highest point in 90 years. The first Liberal (Democrat) since Lloyd George to be in Government. And it wasn't a bad Government, either. But politics doesn't care, and the electorate never thank you. In the latter years of the Coalition he always looked miserable. I have a lot of sympathy for Clegg, and I think the LDs need to come to terms with their time in Government rather than treating it like an embarrassing weekend bender.
That said, I'm sure the big bucks help. Still, would he rather be Prime Minister?
If he wanted to be PM he wouldn't have joined the LibDems.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
Yep, he's down. FR3544 and FR3087 having a think North of the city after failed attempts. Think BY363 TUI from Sharm going to have a go first.
Looks like Sharm's failed.
This is fun. "I counted them all out and I counted them all back again"
Bordeaux and Rennes in. Let's see how easyJet do before Sharm's retry. And then turn to bed.
If I were at my folks' I'd be out the front of my house, in this weather, watching this for real.
Where are your folks? My parents used to live in Cheadle Hulme. I remember watching an episode like this out of the back bedroom window with my dad. It was awful, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. Seeing planes lurch and fall like that reminded you what a fundamentally strange thing it is to see big chunks of metal flying.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
Yep, he's down. FR3544 and FR3087 having a think North of the city after failed attempts. Think BY363 TUI from Sharm going to have a go first.
Looks like Sharm's failed.
This is fun. "I counted them all out and I counted them all back again"
Bordeaux and Rennes in. Let's see how easyJet do before Sharm's retry. And then turn to bed.
If I were at my folks' I'd be out the front of my house, in this weather, watching this for real.
Where are your folks? My parents used to live in Cheadle Hulme. I remember watching an episode like this out of the back bedroom window with my dad. It was awful, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. Seeing planes lurch and fall like that reminded you what a fundamentally strange thing it is to see big chunks of metal flying.
Sharm's landed. Feels like the wind's dropping now, by the sounds of it too. Hopefully everyone else in safely now.
Only one diversion in the end. Pity the poor buggers from Geneva contemplating a five hour coach trip from Gatwick.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
Yep, he's down. FR3544 and FR3087 having a think North of the city after failed attempts. Think BY363 TUI from Sharm going to have a go first.
Looks like Sharm's failed.
This is fun. "I counted them all out and I counted them all back again"
Bordeaux and Rennes in. Let's see how easyJet do before Sharm's retry. And then turn to bed.
If I were at my folks' I'd be out the front of my house, in this weather, watching this for real.
Where are your folks? My parents used to live in Cheadle Hulme. I remember watching an episode like this out of the back bedroom window with my dad. It was awful, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. Seeing planes lurch and fall like that reminded you what a fundamentally strange thing it is to see big chunks of metal flying.
Hyde, on a downhill slope, on a road in direct alignment with the runway, the runway lights are visible and the planes straighten up for final approach pretty much over the house. On a clear day you can see the take offs going out over Cheshire as well.
As a kid, did the full reg book, binoculars and air band radio spotting, as did pretty much every kid along the street.
This storm.... presumably heading up the M6 to Cumbria on Friday evening is not a great idea?
Sat morning it is, then.
Well it depends what time. By the forecast, wind in the north west has dropped to merely strong (c. 20mph) by 7. I'd say you should be ok by then. Of course, it rather depends where you're starting from?
The bits to avoid in strong winds will be the crossing of the Ship Canal (Barton Bridge or Thelwall Viaduct, depending on route) - they often get closed in strong winds.
As intimated earlier, I'm half-anticipating a trip up the M6 to Glasgow Friday evening to pick up my wife's flight if it's diverted from Manchester.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
Yep, he's down. FR3544 and FR3087 having a think North of the city after failed attempts. Think BY363 TUI from Sharm going to have a go first.
Looks like Sharm's failed.
This is fun. "I counted them all out and I counted them all back again"
Bordeaux and Rennes in. Let's see how easyJet do before Sharm's retry. And then turn to bed.
If I were at my folks' I'd be out the front of my house, in this weather, watching this for real.
Where are your folks? My parents used to live in Cheadle Hulme. I remember watching an episode like this out of the back bedroom window with my dad. It was awful, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. Seeing planes lurch and fall like that reminded you what a fundamentally strange thing it is to see big chunks of metal flying.
Hyde, on a downhill slope, on a road in direct alignment with the runway, the runway lights are visible and the planes straighten up for final approach pretty much over the house. On a clear day you can see the take offs going out over Cheshire as well.
As a kid, did the full reg book, binoculars and air band radio spotting, as did pretty much every kid along the street.
Wild Bank Hill is one of my favourite walks. I did it at dawn the year before last. Stupidly, I was surprised how dark it was just before the dawn, and blundered up rather in darkness and quiet, the lights of Manchester twinkling prettily in the west. Utter peace - then, just as I got to the top 'NYEOOOOWWWWMMMMM!' as a jet went past what felt like inches above my head. Then peace again, as I turned east into the moorland, the orange light of dawn just starting to break gently onto the frosted landscape.
In all this time, nothing has taken off from Manchester. I don't know how typical this is, though.
The Liberal Democrats were the fall guy for Nick Clegg.
He has done very well for himself, they haven't. He played them for fools.
Do you honestly think he's happy? I think he threw his life behind the LDs, and saw them massacred on his watch. I doubt he'll ever get over it.
It was bizarre. They did not deserve it.
Whether they deserved it or not, Clegg will be scarred for life by his experiences. And I'm sure that he would much rather be a backbench LibDem MP, in a parliamentary party of fifty, than earning $1m/year at Facebook/Meta.
I've just seen an advert featuring a couple who were both white.
Normal service resumed in the next ad.
I don't understand: where are you seeing these 'ads'?
I'm a technophobe. I watch the telly.
And yet, here you are.
Seriously: I haven't had broadcast TV for about seven or eight years. Why would I want anything other than Netflix/Amazon/YouTube?
No adverts, less money than Sky, and you watch what you want, when you want it.
It is also worth remembering that as fewer and fewer people watch broadcast TV, the audience of things like TV advertising starts to change as well. Maybe the people watching ITV3 (with advert) are not really representative of the country as a whole?
I've just seen an advert featuring a couple who were both white.
Normal service resumed in the next ad.
I don't understand: where are you seeing these 'ads'?
I'm a technophobe. I watch the telly.
And yet, here you are.
Seriously: I haven't had broadcast TV for about seven or eight years. Why would I want anything other than Netflix/Amazon/YouTube?
No adverts, less money than Sky, and you watch what you want, when you want it.
It is also worth remembering that as fewer and fewer people watch broadcast TV, the audience of things like TV advertising starts to change as well. Maybe the people watching ITV3 (with advert) are not really representative of the country as a whole?
Most people of my age watch "live" television or catch up
I've just seen an advert featuring a couple who were both white.
Normal service resumed in the next ad.
I don't understand: where are you seeing these 'ads'?
On television - in a typical ad well over 50% are not white
I don't see any adverts on television.
Do you still watch broadcast TV?
Almost all the telly I watch has adverts. This falls into three categories: - "is there anything on telly?" [falls into Channel 5 fly on the wall show about submarines or national parks]. - recorded telly - you can forward through the adverts, but unless you're right on top of it you're still at least aware of what adverts are like - stuff on on-demand services like All 4 - which always starts off with an advert or two that you simply can't avoid.
Oh, and the odd bit of live sport, where you can't avoid the adverts under any circumstances.
The Liberal Democrats were the fall guy for Nick Clegg.
He has done very well for himself, they haven't. He played them for fools.
Do you honestly think he's happy? I think he threw his life behind the LDs, and saw them massacred on his watch. I doubt he'll ever get over it.
It was bizarre. They did not deserve it.
Whether they deserved it or not, Clegg will be scarred for life by his experiences. And I'm sure that he would much rather be a backbench LibDem MP, in a parliamentary party of fifty, than earning $1m/year at Facebook/Meta.
I suspect he is on more than that?
Why would Libdem voters for quite a few elections, switch to the Tory coalition partners? If the seats had been created by Labour tactical votes it would be more understandable, but isn’t what cost all the seats, but Libdem to Tory surge.
I've ditched the TV set just a month ago. Am very much enjoying it. It's all Online. You don't just end up putting it on out of habit or boredom if it isn't there.
I've just seen an advert featuring a couple who were both white.
Normal service resumed in the next ad.
I don't understand: where are you seeing these 'ads'?
I'm a technophobe. I watch the telly.
And yet, here you are.
Seriously: I haven't had broadcast TV for about seven or eight years. Why would I want anything other than Netflix/Amazon/YouTube?
No adverts, less money than Sky, and you watch what you want, when you want it.
It is also worth remembering that as fewer and fewer people watch broadcast TV, the audience of things like TV advertising starts to change as well. Maybe the people watching ITV3 (with advert) are not really representative of the country as a whole?
With all due respect to your lovely website Robert, 'here' is somewhere a time traveller from 2005 would be quite comfortable with. Unlike, say Netflix. I've got Netflix, but there's no way I'd have it if I wasn't a family man. I've no idea how it was set up or what had to be done to set it up and I wouldn't have made the effort to find out. Because I was perfectly happy without it. There comes a point in most people's life when they say 'this is fine'. Maybe not in yours. But I was perfectly happy with technology as it was in 2005 and have made no effort to adapt to the following 17 years. It's not that I'm scared of it; it's that the perceived reward isn't sufficient for the effort of learning how to use it.
I'm aware this makes me sound hopelessly lazy and incurious. I hope this isn't the case. I'm still interested in new ideas, new science, interesting snippets of life I hadn't come across before. I just want to find out about them using the technology of 2005 or earlier.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
Yep, he's down. FR3544 and FR3087 having a think North of the city after failed attempts. Think BY363 TUI from Sharm going to have a go first.
Looks like Sharm's failed.
This is fun. "I counted them all out and I counted them all back again"
Bordeaux and Rennes in. Let's see how easyJet do before Sharm's retry. And then turn to bed.
If I were at my folks' I'd be out the front of my house, in this weather, watching this for real.
Where are your folks? My parents used to live in Cheadle Hulme. I remember watching an episode like this out of the back bedroom window with my dad. It was awful, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. Seeing planes lurch and fall like that reminded you what a fundamentally strange thing it is to see big chunks of metal flying.
Hyde, on a downhill slope, on a road in direct alignment with the runway, the runway lights are visible and the planes straighten up for final approach pretty much over the house. On a clear day you can see the take offs going out over Cheshire as well.
As a kid, did the full reg book, binoculars and air band radio spotting, as did pretty much every kid along the street.
Wild Bank Hill is one of my favourite walks. I did it at dawn the year before last. Stupidly, I was surprised how dark it was just before the dawn, and blundered up rather in darkness and quiet, the lights of Manchester twinkling prettily in the west. Utter peace - then, just as I got to the top 'NYEOOOOWWWWMMMMM!' as a jet went past what felt like inches above my head. Then peace again, as I turned east into the moorland, the orange light of dawn just starting to break gently onto the frosted landscape.
In all this time, nothing has taken off from Manchester. I don't know how typical this is, though.
To my shame had to look it up. Not even quite gone up Harrop Edge on my side of the Mottram cutting, tended to wander up to Werneth Low more.
I have had Netflix for 2 years now, and unfortunately I end up searching for something to watch for ages. Sadly prime has gone that way already. There is enough I have found on the freeview channels to watch now for me, repeats or otherwise.
I've ditched the TV set just a month ago. Am very much enjoying it. It's all Online. You don't just end up putting it on out of habit or boredom if it isn't there.
This was a 10 day isolation with COVID revelation. For 3 or 4 days I was pretty sick. Then I realised I hadn't missed TV. Gotta seize the positive and build on it.
I've ditched the TV set just a month ago. Am very much enjoying it. It's all Online. You don't just end up putting it on out of habit or boredom if it isn't there.
I've been on my own in the house since Monday morning, and I haven't had the telly on in all that time. I can't really be bothered when I'm on my own. It's something to watch with wife/children. I very rarely watch anything on youtube in company, mind you. I don't know why that should be so. It's not as if you can't get youtube on the telly, or indeed telly on the computer.
I've just seen an advert featuring a couple who were both white.
Normal service resumed in the next ad.
I don't understand: where are you seeing these 'ads'?
I'm a technophobe. I watch the telly.
And yet, here you are.
Seriously: I haven't had broadcast TV for about seven or eight years. Why would I want anything other than Netflix/Amazon/YouTube?
No adverts, less money than Sky, and you watch what you want, when you want it.
It is also worth remembering that as fewer and fewer people watch broadcast TV, the audience of things like TV advertising starts to change as well. Maybe the people watching ITV3 (with advert) are not really representative of the country as a whole?
In USA the ads yours truly sees on broadcast TV are 90% geezer-oriented.
When we were staying at my wife's cousin's in Canada I could only get the TV to show Netflix. I couldn't figure out how to get proper telly. So I never did get to see the news.
I just ended up watching Money Heist. If we go back to Canada I can watch Series 2.
I've just seen an advert featuring a couple who were both white.
Normal service resumed in the next ad.
I don't understand: where are you seeing these 'ads'?
I'm a technophobe. I watch the telly.
And yet, here you are.
Seriously: I haven't had broadcast TV for about seven or eight years. Why would I want anything other than Netflix/Amazon/YouTube?
No adverts, less money than Sky, and you watch what you want, when you want it.
It is also worth remembering that as fewer and fewer people watch broadcast TV, the audience of things like TV advertising starts to change as well. Maybe the people watching ITV3 (with advert) are not really representative of the country as a whole?
Most people of my age watch "live" television or catch up
The number of people watching TV adverts has collapsed.
Back in the mid 90s, if you wanted advertising on Coronation Street in the middle break, you'd be sold out on a CPM basis, and that you get around 20-21 million views.
That same slot is now showing less than 10 million. And Coronation Street has an older demographic. You want to see the damage done to children's tv. Or MTV.
Glad you agree with Liz. Does this mean you are going CON? We need the support in London.
On a serious basis yes you are right this will go on and on ...
Considering all my family have always been solid con, don’t know why I’m so solidly behind Lib Dem my voting life. Maybe they found me in a cabbage patch!
Serious question to you - surely Liz is not winning you over? Wether it is trying too hard to be something, so too much of an act, but a genuine, real, relaxed person is just not coming across at all. I admit her stylist is doing an amazing job 💇♀️ The drop to darker browner hair tint made an amazing difference to appearance.
When we were staying at my wife's cousin's in Canada I could only get the TV to show Netflix. I couldn't figure out how to get proper telly. So I never did get to see the news.
I just ended up watching Money Heist. If we go back to Canada I can watch Series 2.
A mallard?
I still have one of those in my freezer from Christmas.
As regards Ukraine, I posted the other day that Sundays were often interesting days when it came to the Russian military. Still worth watching the weekend but the other thing to keep an eye on is the idea that Ukrainian President Zelensky might be out of the country for a day or two doing the diplomatic rounds.
There's going to be massive damage across the southern half of Britain on Friday.
It will dominate the news over the weekend.
Just like Storm Arwen did...
Quite. Barely a murmur.
Although it did feature on our local news.
Jolly windy tonight, and this isn't the big one. Driving past Manchester Airport earlier, I noticed a distinct lack of activity. Just checked on flightradar 24 - not much coming in. And some of what is coming in clearly thinking better of it - this fella from Geneva had a couple of goes and then clearly decided Birmingham would be the better bet: https://www.flightradar24.com/EZY358Z/2ad79577
I don't know where he's heading for, but it doesn't look like Birmingham.
Gatwick, nasty.
Your Glasgow scenario for Friday is looking ever more possible!
Hmm, let's see if the Ryanair from Copenhagen lands, Rennes having failed.
Yep, he's down. FR3544 and FR3087 having a think North of the city after failed attempts. Think BY363 TUI from Sharm going to have a go first.
Looks like Sharm's failed.
This is fun. "I counted them all out and I counted them all back again"
Bordeaux and Rennes in. Let's see how easyJet do before Sharm's retry. And then turn to bed.
If I were at my folks' I'd be out the front of my house, in this weather, watching this for real.
Where are your folks? My parents used to live in Cheadle Hulme. I remember watching an episode like this out of the back bedroom window with my dad. It was awful, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. Seeing planes lurch and fall like that reminded you what a fundamentally strange thing it is to see big chunks of metal flying.
Hyde, on a downhill slope, on a road in direct alignment with the runway, the runway lights are visible and the planes straighten up for final approach pretty much over the house. On a clear day you can see the take offs going out over Cheshire as well.
As a kid, did the full reg book, binoculars and air band radio spotting, as did pretty much every kid along the street.
Wild Bank Hill is one of my favourite walks. I did it at dawn the year before last. Stupidly, I was surprised how dark it was just before the dawn, and blundered up rather in darkness and quiet, the lights of Manchester twinkling prettily in the west. Utter peace - then, just as I got to the top 'NYEOOOOWWWWMMMMM!' as a jet went past what felt like inches above my head. Then peace again, as I turned east into the moorland, the orange light of dawn just starting to break gently onto the frosted landscape.
In all this time, nothing has taken off from Manchester. I don't know how typical this is, though.
To my shame had to look it up. Not even quite gone up Harrop Edge on my side of the Mottram cutting, tended to wander up to Werneth Low more.
Anyway, time to bid a goodnight.
You're not alone. Let me share another story of a walk up Wild Bank Hill, this time at a more conventional time of day. I'd got to the top, and was enjoying the view and a drink before heading back down, and a small gang of teenage boys arrived at the top. They were, what, 15, dressed in regulation 15-year-old-boy clothing - sportswear, trainers - and in boisterous good humour. From snatches of conversation, they had walked from home - which based on the direction they had come was possibly Hyde, Newton, Stalybridge, and it had taken them about an hour and a half, including the time it took to get lost (so not far away). But they had never been up there before. And as they turned to look at the view, they fell silent for a moment and the mood changed, and then the conversation continued, slightly more quietly - slightly, I would say, awestruck. Awestruck at the view, and their achievement in reaching the top (it's not Scafell Pike, but there are no higher hills closer to Manchester - I think it's about 400m), and, I think, awestruck that this amazing THING had been here on there doorstep all these years and they had only just found out how amazing it was. I may be reading too much into what little I heard or saw. But I'd like to think then and there that some of those boys on the basis of an arbitrary chosen something-to-do developed a love for hillwalking that will give them as much pleasure over the years that it has given me.
It's not a well-known hill even in Greater Manchester. But it's splendidly rewarding.
How many people were ever in love with work though? Most jobs constitute drudgery, working with horrid people, dealing with horrid customers, flogging yourself for shite wages, or some combination of all of these things. And even where people don't actually hate work, the vast majority of them would give it up at the drop of a hat if they won the lottery.
Work as some kind of fulfilling vocation is really quite unusual, and even for many of the people for whom this is a reality it's still very hard. For most of us paid employment is no more than a necessary evil. We'd much rather be doing something we enjoy, of course.
It wasn't so much whether people liked their job, it was more that they thought it was the right thing to do regardless. That whole way of thinking, where duty is an important consideration, doesn't really exist today in the same way.
The Liberal Democrats were the fall guy for Nick Clegg.
He has done very well for himself, they haven't. He played them for fools.
Do you honestly think he's happy? I think he threw his life behind the LDs, and saw them massacred on his watch. I doubt he'll ever get over it.
Interesting point, especially after driving them to their highest point in 90 years. The first Liberal (Democrat) since Lloyd George to be in Government. And it wasn't a bad Government, either. But politics doesn't care, and the electorate never thank you. In the latter years of the Coalition he always looked miserable. I have a lot of sympathy for Clegg, and I think the LDs need to come to terms with their time in Government rather than treating it like an embarrassing weekend bender.
That said, I'm sure the big bucks help. Still, would he rather be Prime Minister?
If he wanted to be PM he wouldn't have joined the LibDems.
He was deputy PM. And what LibDem leader doesn't, deep deep down in their yellow hearts, secretly desire to be the first Liberal (Democrat) PM in a century? Jo Swinson certainly wanted it. I would be surprised if Nick Clegg didn't wish it, however remote or unrealistic it was. In 2010 when the LDs were polling ahead of Labour, I'm sure he could see the spectral-like route out of the corner of his eye, even if it was only a phantom.
I've just seen an advert featuring a couple who were both white.
Normal service resumed in the next ad.
I don't understand: where are you seeing these 'ads'?
I'm a technophobe. I watch the telly.
And yet, here you are.
Seriously: I haven't had broadcast TV for about seven or eight years. Why would I want anything other than Netflix/Amazon/YouTube?
No adverts, less money than Sky, and you watch what you want, when you want it.
It is also worth remembering that as fewer and fewer people watch broadcast TV, the audience of things like TV advertising starts to change as well. Maybe the people watching ITV3 (with advert) are not really representative of the country as a whole?
Most people of my age watch "live" television or catch up
The number of people watching TV adverts has collapsed.
Back in the mid 90s, if you wanted advertising on Coronation Street in the middle break, you'd be sold out on a CPM basis, and that you get around 20-21 million views.
That same slot is now showing less than 10 million. And Coronation Street has an older demographic. You want to see the damage done to children's tv. Or MTV.
Does this explain why TV adverts seem to come on only about 5 minutes after the start of a programme these days? You'd think that would put even more people off from watching television.
NEW Senior administration official says Putin's claims he is pulling back troops are FALSE 'We have now confirmed that in the last several days, Russia has increased its troop presence along Ukrainian border by as many as 7000 troops, with some arriving as recently as today.'
I thought it looked good. Can’t wait till September. 🧝♀️
This expensive series will stand or fall on the strength of its writing though, we can’t possibly know what that is like yet.
I'm wary to say the least. Could be a hugely expensive mess. I seem to recall it was said that they had to remain true to the backstory or some such, which would be a bad sign of being hobbled in their writing choices.
Comments
My neighbour has a dodgy tree on the East side.
SMITH
I'm going to struggle for anagrams of Smith if the former.
https://twitter.com/PhilipObaji/status/1493984585989902342
It comes as amber weather warnings are issued across the country for #StormDudley.
https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1494041588116471808
Imagine for a moment being stuck on that train for two bloody hours whilst railway management get round to sending a bloke to pull that shitty little garden trampoline off the track. And it's not even as if this happened in the middle of nowhere. That's probably no more than a few hundred yards from Cardiff station. It's small wonder train travel has such a poor reputation.
LEPEN
@DPJHodges·1h
We’ve now gone from “there were no parties, no rules were broken” to “the Prime Minister only attended the ABBA party and broke the rules for 10 minutes”.
Is Clegg happy?
Is Blair happy? Is Cameron happy? Is Boris happy?
Probably, Blair is haunted by the terrible mistake he made, Cameron is worried about his bald spot, and Boris is thinking about his next shag.
As to Clegg, I don't know. He always seemed the great pretender to me.
Many on here hadn't realised. Because it wasn't making the national news. I said earlier. If it is worse than Arwen, then beware, it will be a bastard.
Bordeaux and Rennes in. Let's see how easyJet do before Sharm's retry. And then turn to bed.
If I were at my folks' I'd be out the front of my house, in this weather, watching this for real.
Trailer for new prequel for LOTR looks crap.
That said, I'm sure the big bucks help. Still, would he rather be Prime Minister?
Anyway, I think weather gets more attention than it deserves.
Sky News at the Forth Bridge now, for example.
My parents used to live in Cheadle Hulme. I remember watching an episode like this out of the back bedroom window with my dad. It was awful, in the old-fashioned sense of the word. Seeing planes lurch and fall like that reminded you what a fundamentally strange thing it is to see big chunks of metal flying.
Normal service resumed in the next ad.
Only one diversion in the end. Pity the poor buggers from Geneva contemplating a five hour coach trip from Gatwick.
I thought the Hobbit was full strength bollocks
Sat morning it is, then.
As a kid, did the full reg book, binoculars and air band radio spotting, as did pretty much every kid along the street.
This expensive series will stand or fall on the strength of its writing though, we can’t possibly know what that is like yet.
Of course, it rather depends where you're starting from?
The bits to avoid in strong winds will be the crossing of the Ship Canal (Barton Bridge or Thelwall Viaduct, depending on route) - they often get closed in strong winds.
As intimated earlier, I'm half-anticipating a trip up the M6 to Glasgow Friday evening to pick up my wife's flight if it's diverted from Manchester.
I think that he has probably walked away to new projects more successfully than Cameron. The georelocation would have helped.
His children are now University age, and that is probably where his main focus is now.
I think anyone dwelling on him probably has a bigger living-in-they-past problem.
Were he still in Dore'n'Totley, he could be down the road from TSE
Do you still watch broadcast TV?
Then peace again, as I turned east into the moorland, the orange light of dawn just starting to break gently onto the frosted landscape.
In all this time, nothing has taken off from Manchester. I don't know how typical this is, though.
Seriously: I haven't had broadcast TV for about seven or eight years. Why would I want anything other than Netflix/Amazon/YouTube?
No adverts, less money than Sky, and you watch what you want, when you want it.
It is also worth remembering that as fewer and fewer people watch broadcast TV, the audience of things like TV advertising starts to change as well. Maybe the people watching ITV3 (with advert) are not really representative of the country as a whole?
This falls into three categories:
- "is there anything on telly?" [falls into Channel 5 fly on the wall show about submarines or national parks].
- recorded telly - you can forward through the adverts, but unless you're right on top of it you're still at least aware of what adverts are like
- stuff on on-demand services like All 4 - which always starts off with an advert or two that you simply can't avoid.
Oh, and the odd bit of live sport, where you can't avoid the adverts under any circumstances.
So I can confirm the veracity of what Vino says.
https://mobile.twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1494078111184527360
I agree with Liz. She’s got something right 😮
Why would Libdem voters for quite a few elections, switch to the Tory coalition partners? If the seats had been created by Labour tactical votes it would be more understandable, but isn’t what cost all the seats, but Libdem to Tory surge.
On a serious basis yes you are right this will go on and on ...
There comes a point in most people's life when they say 'this is fine'. Maybe not in yours. But I was perfectly happy with technology as it was in 2005 and have made no effort to adapt to the following 17 years. It's not that I'm scared of it; it's that the perceived reward isn't sufficient for the effort of learning how to use it.
I'm aware this makes me sound hopelessly lazy and incurious. I hope this isn't the case. I'm still interested in new ideas, new science, interesting snippets of life I hadn't come across before. I just want to find out about them using the technology of 2005 or earlier.
I have an 18 yo who begs to differ.
Anyway, time to bid a goodnight.
Gotta seize the positive and build on it.
I very rarely watch anything on youtube in company, mind you.
I don't know why that should be so. It's not as if you can't get youtube on the telly, or indeed telly on the computer.
I just ended up watching Money Heist. If we go back to Canada I can watch Series 2.
Back in the mid 90s, if you wanted advertising on Coronation Street in the middle break, you'd be sold out on a CPM basis, and that you get around 20-21 million views.
That same slot is now showing less than 10 million. And Coronation Street has an older demographic. You want to see the damage done to children's tv. Or MTV.
Serious question to you - surely Liz is not winning you over? Wether it is trying too hard to be something, so too much of an act, but a genuine, real, relaxed person is just not coming across at all. I admit her stylist is doing an amazing job 💇♀️ The drop to darker browner hair tint made an amazing difference to appearance.
I still have one of those in my freezer from Christmas.
Next to the Rabbits.
Let me share another story of a walk up Wild Bank Hill, this time at a more conventional time of day.
I'd got to the top, and was enjoying the view and a drink before heading back down, and a small gang of teenage boys arrived at the top. They were, what, 15, dressed in regulation 15-year-old-boy clothing - sportswear, trainers - and in boisterous good humour. From snatches of conversation, they had walked from home - which based on the direction they had come was possibly Hyde, Newton, Stalybridge, and it had taken them about an hour and a half, including the time it took to get lost (so not far away). But they had never been up there before.
And as they turned to look at the view, they fell silent for a moment and the mood changed, and then the conversation continued, slightly more quietly - slightly, I would say, awestruck. Awestruck at the view, and their achievement in reaching the top (it's not Scafell Pike, but there are no higher hills closer to Manchester - I think it's about 400m), and, I think, awestruck that this amazing THING had been here on there doorstep all these years and they had only just found out how amazing it was.
I may be reading too much into what little I heard or saw. But I'd like to think then and there that some of those boys on the basis of an arbitrary chosen something-to-do developed a love for hillwalking that will give them as much pleasure over the years that it has given me.
It's not a well-known hill even in Greater Manchester. But it's splendidly rewarding.
'We have now confirmed that in the last several days, Russia has increased its troop presence along Ukrainian border by as many as 7000 troops, with some arriving as recently as today.'
https://twitter.com/robcrilly/status/1494094669625581569?s=21
https://twitter.com/marceldirsus/status/1493965838734569474?s=21
Obviously I'll watch it though.