Symptoms

In post #72 above I said, "I could promise here to create a 'holding' website but I don't really have enough time." I had a couple of hours to spare on Sunday and have completed the homepage for it, however, the 'storyboard' I've done for the rest of the site requires photos of each of the pit heads (there'll be a page per pit) but I'm struggling to find images for all the pit in Bedders. I've searched quickly online and got: Netherton Howard Choppington A Bedlington A & D but need the rest ... any help to locate others would be appreciated. Clearly, any still in copyright then I'd attempt to get approval for their use. Suggestions as to how far out from Bedders should the scope of the Memorial Site go would also be welcome.

I think that all right thinking folk would have found the previous joke funny had the venue been Royal Tumbridge Wells or Alnwick and the lad been called Kevin.

I'd ban filtered snouts and make plain tabs the only ones available. At a stroke you'd shorten the lives of the smokers and save the billions of pounds that would have to be spent on the long-term care of these wheezing and spluttering fools. There's also the added benefit of plain fag-ends, unlike the discarded filters, being completely bio-degradable, thus addressing KeithL's concerns.

Ref my earlier #331 post above (and apologies for duplicate posting in the windmill thread elsewhere ... smacked bot from Mods accepted) ... "He's a villain Sarg." Just to 'head off at the pass' those here who might be tempted to contradict wise old owl Sym's previous remark above ... www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23655994

"He's a villain Sarg." Just to 'head off at the pass' those here who might be tempted to contradict wise old owl Sym's previous remark above ... www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23655994

What ALWAYS 'tips the scales' for these projects to go through is the size of the manilla envelope (stuffed with cash) being trousered by some local politicos and planners.

Oh, anywhere in Greater London you CANNOT park on any pavement unless specific permission is given and there are pavement zones marked with lines. Rules vary elsewhere in Blighty so it's worth checking locally ... someplaces it's OK, others not.

Even if it's obvious that you're parking illegally you can often 'get away with it' by doing some basic research, then applying what you've found out. Very often those responsible for the road signage and road markings will not have followed PRECISELY the guidance outlined in The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions (known as the TSRGD). These documents set out the law regarding signs & marks and if they are not followed EXACTLY that will allow parking appeals to go through. So, if you get nabbed it's worth checking out the signage/markings - take photos and measurements - and if even one small thing isn't in accordance with the regs the appeal WILL be allowed. A couple of examples: a no parking sign on a post ... even a couple of mm higher or lower than that shown in TSRGD will result in an appeal succeeding; control zone parking ... ALL access roads to the zone need signage (you'll be suprised at the number of times the signage will be displayed at the ends of main access but not at secondary access) so the appeal relies on you entering the zone via the un-signed secondary access. There are tons of examples like these. It's worth going to the site below and downloading the docs ... they're free so there's no need to pay anything. www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signs-manual

Brilliant stuff ... but were there no editorials, comments, letters, articles - or was it all adverts?

But!!! Remember, the beasts who have all the real power are the small band of gorillas who OWN the banana plantations ... let's call them aristoapes.

I'm totally confused ...

I heard this story at the time from my cousin who was a Sergeant in the Northumberland Peelers. He had a role in leading about 20 soldiers (in cops' uniforms) in strike-breaking duties; he told my that there were about 5 Sergeants with his group, each with about the same number of troops, and all under the direct command of an Inspector. His group was based at Catterick Barracks so they could deal with North Yorkshire strikers ... the plan was never to use local plod to thump local pitmen. He said that the Met Police (London) were the worst for dishing-out violence and all the cops were on terrific overtime pay ... he made enough just from the overtime to pay for a deposit on a house. Of course, the Met Peelers are still dishing-out hidings to the innocent.

The litmus test I apply to any 'official/corporate' announcement is guided by those wise words in The Prince, namely, who corruptly benefits. For example, if a junior Government Minister announces some policy, say in the energy sector*, then usually a few short months later the same crooked guy can be walking straight into a well-paid directorship of some energy company ... (just do a Google search to find a very recent case). All politicians/businessmen are bent!!!!!! *substitute energy for - banking, health, water, agriculture, and so on.

Every year, when these papers are released, I shake my head in wonder at the 'crimes' that were perpetrated by the ruling elite. Oh, for whistleblowers, Twitter, Wikileaks, Editors undaunted by 'D' Notices, back then!

Transparency please! We need to know what's going on ...

Good to see Wilf celebrating at the Brighton 40th Anniversary Pride Parade today.

He's another photo taken at the show ... Paolo Di Canio is just about to take-off in the Sunderland FC corporate aeroplane:

What about the Polanski Fiat? Also made using old Eyetie tooling.

Tiggy-Winkles has been voted the natural emblem of Britain after a survey in The BBC Wildlife magazine. I'm sure that our very own prickly character, GGG, will brand the survey as a typical BBC plot orchestrated by the Notting Hill Guardian readers. www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jul/31/hedgehog-uk-natural-emblem

But where were the main gates .... anybody?

Brian ... I don't know if the gloop is still made but Mrs Symptoms always wants me to use 'hair products' to keep my mop (thankfully, a glorious, full head of hair) in-check when she wants me to take her out ... I always refuse, arguing that it makes my hair feel 'dirty'. And the cost of these products is frightening ... judging by what she forks out at her hairdresser. So, my head goes under the tap each morning, a quick towel dry, a quick finger ruffle, and all is good for the day. I haven't even owned a comb or hairbrush for decades.

Dog turds are bio-degradable and if the woofs are properly wormed don't make kids blind if the eat the stuff. Crisp packets, plakka pop bottles, sweetie-wrappers discarded by ankle-biters stays, just about forever, in the local environment.

It's all very well to have bins in public spaces but, and it's a big but, the Council or whoever's responsible in Bedders, needs to regularly empty them. Nothing worse than overflowing bins. Keith, if plenty of dog turd bins are provided they'll get used; the anti-dog brigade* (I'm not suggesting you K) conveniently avoid complaining about the biggest litter fowlers - kids. Kids need to be brainwashed into having an anti-litter approach ... we were at school and by our parents 'back in the day'; I can honestly say that I have never dropped a bit of litter, ever! That's not me being sanctimonious but suggesting that with proper 'training' good social attitudes will remain. *those fascists at mumsnet and similar.

GGG , I'm not sure if you're being insincere with that first paragraph or not. There seems to me to be only two sorts of "reliable 24/7/365 energy providers" who's fuel supply is strategically secure long-term and can provide the most, if not all, of the UK needs ... nukes and coal. Renewables, however worthy, will only ever play a small role by comparison. Of course, the two big tricks that continues to be missed is for folks to use less and ensure that all dwellings are properly insulated. The current home insulation schemes aren't really addressing the problem as the uptake is poor.

Where were the main gates to the pit? We gained access to the pit yard and heaps over back fences so I can't remember where the main entrance was.