Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

I nominate Hazy One for chief potty filler!

What would be the result of a referendum taken in the UK, excluding Scotland, on whether we want Scotland to stay in the union. I think that the Scots would be better off with the UK, but would we be better off without them? I am getting used to the idea of Scotland leaving and I think I like it.

It would be a definite NO from me regarding letting them have the pound. While we are at it can we get rid of the Welsh as well. I would keep NI as the majority there want to be part of the UK.

That's not very inclusive of you Haystack.

I mean, whats wrong with the Jocks making their own spending decisions (within greater €uropa) and sending the bill to Whitehall?

The EU has now banned the import into the UK of the 'Alphonso' "king of mangoes" variety of Mangoes from India.

Why? Well they MIGHT just be pest ridden because SOME shipments have been found to actually have tobacco white fly.

The solution? Ban importing the bloody lot! This ban starts on Thursday this week.



For anyone involved with this fruit, the consequences of the ban are going to be devastating!

I just cannot wait for the EU in/out referendum because I just can't just wait for us to leave the EU.

More at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2614138/Bang-mangos-EU-bans-16million-India-amid-fears-theyre-pest-ridden.html

tobacco white fly would be a real disaster for uk ....... but what a shame to lose alphonso mangoes; they really are delicious though they don't travel well

They don't travel well?

Well, that's not a problem anymore.

How have we managed to survive so long with all these lurgy's flying around the place?

Haystack - 27 Apr 2014 20:33 - 39992 of 39997

What would be the result of a referendum taken in the UK, excluding Scotland, on whether we want Scotland to stay in the union. I think that the Scots would be better off with the UK, but would we be better off without them? I am getting used to the idea of Scotland leaving and I think I like it.

It would be a definite NO from me regarding letting them have the pound. While we are at it can we get rid of the Welsh as well. I would keep NI as the majority there want to be part of the UK.






The overwhelming amount of Welsh want to remain in the UK and support Scotland staying in the UK and for that matter probably a bigger percentage than NI are in favour of the Union.

Only thing that pisses us , the Scots and the Irish off with the English are idiotic opinions like yours.

Thinking about it ... it's probably just the Home Counties that p*ss everyone off including the rest of England.

Stupid example but typical ... 2 foot of snow Scotland , Wales and many parts of England is quite common and everyone gets on with it.

3 snowflakes in London , place falls apart , top news item , rest of the UK laffs.

Bemisia tabaci

Bemisia tabaci is a worldwide pest and virus vector. Originally known as a pest of sub-tropical crops, the species is now widely distributed under glass in temperate areas including most of Europe. It is not established in the UK but it could establish in protected environments, where it has the potential to be a major pest, particularly of glasshouse salad crops such as tomato and cucumber. The UK has Protected Zone status against this pest. A review of the UK's protected zone status was undertaken in 2011 with strong support to retain it.

======================

The fly is a vector of viruses to a greater variety of more crops than stated and can devastate them.

Maybe a mango against whole scale pesticide spraying!


Seems sensible actions until the spread of fly can be controlled sensibly!

Well bagged Fred (40000)


:-)

At last I have won! something!

8-)

Easter eggs hatch out late for Cameron by his Looney Right Wing.

Good to see "Help to Work: New unemployment rules in force" is starting.

I suggest that IDS, Cameron and Porky should fill the pool with water before getting swimmers instructed to dive into it!

I hope this policy and its implementation are high lighted at the next General Election when quite a lot of Con artists will be added to the dole queues!

Long-term jobless to have to scrub war memorials and historic monuments to keep benefits

Long-term unemployed people will have to clean war memorials, restore historic monuments and look after animals at city farms to keep their benefits from today.


David Cameron, the Prime Minister, said the measures were part of a Government to get a job for everyone who can work. Photo: Reuters




6:00AM BST 28 Apr 2014

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10791475/Long-term-jobless-to-have-to-scrub-war-memorials-and-historic-monuments-to-keep-benefits.html



Long-term unemployed people will have to clean war memorials, restore historic monuments and look after animals at city farms to keep their benefits from today.


The Government is unveiling its Help to Work scheme aimed specifically at 200,000 people who have been unemployed, or unable to hold down a job, for three years.


Under the scheme, these long-term unemployed will have to report daily to local job centres to discuss how to get back to work.


If they are judged not to have enough work experience they will be allocated volunteering roles with charities and other providers.


Typical examples include scrubbing war memorials, helping to clean up historic monuments and working in local cafés run by volunteers.


Other work includes helping out at community and city farms, cleaning and restoring river and canal banks and even sorting through second hand clothes in charity warehouses.

Failure to cooperate could see them losing work-related benefits, such as the £72-a-week job seekers’ allowance.

Government sources said the placements – which will last for up to six months each – were focused on the voluntary sector to avoid taking jobs from other people.

David Cameron, the Prime Minister, said the measures were part of a Government push to get a job for everyone who can work.

There are an estimated 600,000 job vacancies at the moment. He said: “A key part of our long-term economic plan is to move to full employment, making sure that everyone who can work is in work.

“We are seeing record levels of employment in Britain, as more and more people find a job, but we need to look at those who are persistently stuck on benefits.

“This scheme will provide more help than ever before, getting people into work and on the road to a more secure future.”

Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, added: “Everyone with the ability to work should be given the support and opportunity to do so.

“The previous system wrote too many people off, which was a huge waste of potential for those individuals as well as for their families and the country.”

But David Green, a director of right of centre think tank Civitas, urged the Government go further and remove the three year qualifying period for the scheme.

He told The Daily Telegraph: “From the minute someone is out of a job they should be given something positive to do – not leave it for three years.”

The Government’s plans for its Help to Work scheme were originally announced at last Autumn’s Conservative party conference. Further details about the types of voluntary scheme were disclosed on Sunday.

Good idea.

I would also give them a 'toot of respect' and a 'thumbs up' as I drive past.

You wont be able to see them through the crowds of health and safety, risk managers, form tickers and line managers.

Conservative 32% (up 2%)
Labour 34% (down 2%)
Lib Dem 7% (no change)
UKIP 18% (no change)

This poll is broadly the same as the Populus poll which had both the Conservatives and Labour on 35%.

David Cameron’s personal rating has improved slightly from -11% to -8% while Ed Miliband’s has fallen from -20% to -22%.

I see nothing wrong at all with this idea of "work for benefits" though no doubt the bleeding heart brigade will squawk that it's unfair or some such nonsense