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.

All tower blocks tested have failed. At least 600 blocks to be tested.

Twice as many mines closed under Harold Wilson than under Thatcher.

Sounds like since the Todmorden Curve opened folk can't get out of Burnley quick enough.

probably so, though MT was seriously tough on the unions - as was fully deserved by the more militant - and that caused massive collateral damage

The underground coal industry died in this country for one major reason - it was too expensive compared with the open pit coal from the likes of South Africa and Australia. The 60s was a time of major changes in open pit mining with the introduction of very large excavators and off road haulage trucks as well as bulk tonnage handling systems at ports. Coupled with the move away from heating homes with coal and the cheap oil and gas from the North Sea, the death of most small tonnage underground coal mines was predictable. Nothing to do with the politicians of the day. You can prop up industries for only so long before the inevitable happens.
Glad to see that Burnley is going ok Stan. Just ragging you. I really like Northerners, salt of the earth IMO.

I'll like Burnley FC even more Stanley if Everton sign Michael Keane. £25m worth the money?

what you say IT is not incoreect
nevertheless the collateral hardship was immense and has taken a generation and more to repair
easy to be objective if one is not directly affected

I was on a NCB scholarship. I worked at the coal face at a number of collieries in Lancashire and Yorkshire while at Uni. I saw how managers were being transferred into non jobs and changed course. After Uni I went to South Africa and worked with the competition. The timing and opportunity was right for me. Not so for those that saw their pits closed. I couldn't help but notice that the work was physically hardest at the least profitable pits because of ground conditions, thickness of seam etc. The most profitable pits were much easier to work. The men were very hard working and did deserve better but keeping the pits open was not an option.

it,

I was from a "mining" background and in general agree with you about the "problems" with UK mining post WW2.

These problems were probably in the 30s and its mainly due to geological problems, which had made much of UK coal mining uneconomical. (Worked out.)

I also worked some of my holidays "underground" and "surface" but was protected from much of the physical dangers. (I think educational on my father's part to make sure that I didn't go down pit.)

Also, my father and grandfather and many of his family were "miners". My father left school and 12 and worked at the nearby pit as a boy. But via "School of Mines" etc. later becoming a colliery mananger etc.

Later reopening the pit as a colliery manager, which then became one of the few South Wales profitable pits.

Pit closures were on the cards from the post 1945 year period, but what many disagreed with was that there was little preparation by governments for alternative "industry" or "work" and the workforce was to be dumped.

However, even in the 30s, there had been preparation fo "light" or other industries to be developed and provide alternative work.


Maggie Thatcher and her government were correct in their diagnoses, but callous in their implentation of necessary changes in the industry. (This had already be recognised, but the social problems which would occur were the deterrent.)

The results her actions or implementation of the policies in the manner they were done are seen in society now.

Changes or evolution are always necessary, it is the manner they are done that is questionable.

PS

(I also think that Scargill was stupid in some of his actions and had some responsibility for the manner of the pit closures. Also, not realising the police and government had had 2-3 years to prepare for pit strikes etc.. Too cocky.)

Behind closed doors, a strong honest government?

It doesn't get reported but it is still happening

The interior ministers of Germany, France and Italy are due to meet for crisis talks in Paris amid a warning from Italy that the influx of migrants into the country is unsustainable.
Italy has threatened to close its ports and impound rescue ships run by aid agencies carrying people from Libya.
It needs more support as people cross the Mediterranean from Africa in large numbers, the UN's refugee agency said.
Over 500,000 migrants have passed through Italian ports since 2014.
The Italian government has demanded action from other countries within the European Union following the arrival of 12,000 migrants in the space of just two days last week.

Oh shit! I've got solar panels on my roof.

Blaze rips through roof of million-pound London flats as picture shows solar panels on fire

A blaze has ripped through a block of new million-pound apartments near London's Victoria Park today.

The fourth floor and attic roof at trendy Bow Wharf have been incinerated as the fire raged through the five-storey block today.

The cause of the fire is still unknown at this stage, pictures show solar panels on fire at the waterside development, where homes are on sale for more than £1million.

This one does come a bit too soon after the fire to do with the flats at Grenfell Park so firstly, I do hope that no one has been injured in this new fire in the flats at Victoria Park. We also know now, that the first fire was caused or had a lot to do with building materials.

There are three key considerations that affect fire spread along a roof where a roof-mounted PV array is installed:

In a typical roof fire, the flame is primarily vertical, or perhaps somewhat slanted due to wind. Once such flames spread under a PV panel, the flame is redirected much closer to the roof surface and nearly parallel to it. This increases the incident heat flux on the roof surface, often above its critical heat flux.

While the exterior fire classification of a roof is an effective way to rate the exterior fire performance of roof assemblies, even a Class A assembly will offer some fuel contribution to a roof PV fire, with most standing seam metal roof systems being the exception.

While the top surface of a rigid PV panel is usually made of tempered glass, the bottom of the panel may contain combustibles (used to protect the PV circuitry) in the form of polyester-based encapsulants and back sheets (see Fig. 3). If this ignites and the heat re-radiates, fire spread is likely to continue back and forth beneath the roof assembly and the PV back sheet.

PV rooftop fires have been caused by electrical arcs that occurs near the combiner box, where numerous wires from PV panels are connected. This is a location where there is considerable voltage, before the current is converted from DC to AC at the inverter, and where the roof assembly could ignite and result in fire spread under the PV panels.

Fortunately, there have been some improvements made by manufacturers during the past few years with regard to the electrical components that can reduce the potential for ignition. Some PV panels have micro-inverters on each PV panel, which convert voltage from DC to AC. This can be expensive, but it reduces the probability of ignition.

Hmmm? I might be OK then. There is no combiner box in my installation. Each one of my solar panels has its own micro-inverter.

Anecdotal evidence suggests people were unlawfully subletting their properties in the tower and are reluctant to come forward.

Grenfell Tower residents who were illegally subletting will not face prosecution, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has said.

The Cabinet Minister said the move was guided by a concern that "loved ones still missing are identified".

The protection from prosecution applies to anyone coming to authorities with information about people who were in their flats at the time of the fire.

Anecdotal evidence from residents has indicated that people living in the tower block may have been unlawfully subletting their properties, and that they are reluctant to come forward and report others are missing because of the fear of reprisal.

Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders said: "It is a priority for investigators to establish who was in Grenfell Tower on that tragic day and it is crucial that we do everything possible to support them."

Guidance issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions said that tenants of Grenfell Tower who were subletting their properties and who "come forward to authorities" to share information "should not face prosecution for offences under section one of the Prevention of Social Housing Fraud Act 2013".

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has said it will respect this guidance.

Mr Javid said: "Supporting those affected by the tragic events at Grenfell Tower has been the absolute priority of the Government. That includes making sure that loved ones still missing are identified. Therefore, I would urge those with information to come forward without fear of prosecution."

so the criminals su letting their homes cheating tax payers all immigrants doing t
or not to be charged with their crime , its a disgrace they should be jailed then deported

what message does this send out

they are the murderers and the residents blame the council
charge the scum
the uk open for all criminal acts

some sub letters have made that much money they have luxury homes paid for by tax payers ,

some sub letters have made over 700k in payments from sub letting , its a disgrace
that these scum are going to keep their cash from criminal acts .
renting out their flats at over 3k a month for over 20 years plus more cash if two families are in the flats

Everton have signed Michael Keane Chris.

Just found out magic. Some transfer window for the Blues :0)

Good going forward only problem is he's not very good at actually defending against a strong opponent...however we might be prepared to take him back on loan if the price is right -):