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.

Coalition just months left before break up, who first them or Eurozone?.

"More than half of those accused over the riots were aged 20 or under."

Which party was in government while these young people were growing up; The Labour Party

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14926322

One in four riot suspects had 10 previous offences

One in four people charged over the riots in English cities last month had committed more than 10 previous offences, figures show.

Three-quarters had a previous caution or conviction, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures show, and those with a criminal record averaged 15 offences.

More than half of those accused over the riots were aged 20 or under.

Whaaaaaahay!!! Whaaaaaahoooo!!!

From: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/....

Study shows chocolate may be as good for you as a session in the gym

Sep 15 2011 Mike Swain

DARK chocolate could potentially be as good for your health as exercise, scientists have revealed.

They have found it contains an ingredient which boosts muscles in a similar way to using a running machine in the gym.

Researchers studied the effects of the compound epicatechin on mice in the lab and found that it appeared to boost energy in muscles, allowing them to exercise for longer periods.

The effect is similar to training in the gym.

Mice given doses of epicatechin were able to exercise just as well as those put on a treadmill every day - and now scientists want to see if it works in people.

The improvements in muscle performance were linked with increases in mitochondria - the 'powerhouses' of cells, research published in The Journal of Physiology found.

Dr Moh Malek, of Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, who led the study, said: "Mitochondria produce energy, which is used by the cells in the body.

"More mitochondria means more energy is produced and more work can be performed.

"Aerobic exercise, such as running or cycling, is known to up the number of mitochondria in muscle cells.

"Our study has found that epicatechin seems to bring about the same response - particularly in the heart and skeletal muscles."

For the experiment specific form of epicatechin, which is found in cocoa, was given to the mice twice a day for 15 days.

At the same time, the mice underwent 30 minutes of treadmill training each day.

The researchers found that the group of mice fed only epicatechin had the same performance as those on the treadmill.

In addition to gaining a better understanding of how epicatechin improves muscle performance, the team hope that their findings could eventually help counteract age-related muscle wasting.

Dr Malek added: "Mitochondria decreases in skeletal muscle as we age and this affects us physically in terms of muscle energy production and endurance.

"Applying what we now know about epicatechin's ability to boost mitochondria numbers may provide an approach to reduce the effects of muscle ageing."

Researchers used 12-month-old mice - the equivalent of middleaged humans - giving one group epicatechin and one epicatechin and treadmill training, while the other group ran on the treadmill.

Dr Malek added: "Again, we found that the group receiving the epicatechin only, had significantly better muscle performance and took longer to tire than the group that only exercised.

"The group that was given epicatechin and also exercised showed an even greater improvement - so it appears epicatechin treatment combined with exercise could be a viable means to offset muscle ageing."

Unfortunately it is too early to say whether humans could get the same benefits as the mice.

Dr Malek said: "It is fascinating to identify how natural products can mimic and enhance the effects of exercise.

"At the moment it would be a leap of faith to say the same effects would be seen in humans."
...........................

So there we are then. I suspected this was true all along and now it has technically been proved to be correct.

The one I am currently eating is 'Choceur's Dark Chocolate With Whole Hazelnuts' from Aldi at 99p per bar. I think it is fantastic and have great trouble limiting myself to just about 1/4 of a bar per day:

For 'Strictly' fans:

First rehearsals

Tesco's 85% dark organic chocolate

Hays,

"More than half of those accused over the riots were aged 20 or under."
Which party was in government while these young people were growing up; The Labour Party

Reflecting back, the main causes of many of the rapid development today's problems can be seen to have taken root in the Thatcher period. Thatcher and fellow members of her governments preaching and pedalling the ideology and moral values, of "there is no such thing as society", with the development of the driving emphasis based on personal greed, i.e. grab for yourself, and hang everybody else being lauded by her and fellow tories.

(Corrupt interpretation of the survival of the fittest theory, with appeal to the most simple minded and greedy.)

That amongst other policies such as the rapid destruction of old heavy industries especially the mining industries and focussing on the service industries (financial services) as a solution to the countrys problems, has led to the breaking down and fragmentation of family units and loss of communities and other social units.

The reliance of old and sometimes antiquated industries needed reviewing and evolution from the reliance of them was necessary, but not by revolution but by evolution with respect for those dependant on those industries.

The disregard and/or contempt of those groups has subsequently been reflected back at society by many of those who feel themselves disenfranchised.

Upheavals, in those communities have brought about fragmentations of families and family coherence with loss of social responsibility and morality,
(Similar to what they feel they have been exposed to, by the governing bodies.)

The present ruling elite is being seen as Thatchers children, but perhaps those who see themselves as disenfranchised are coordinating their responses.
Interesting to see the more mutually orientated resolutions of the Unions alongside a fragmenting coalition government.

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Well the last Labour government did little to improve life for these young people as they grwew up during that period and turned to crime. Another statistic is that 75% of the rioters had some previous conviction or caution. It was just existing criminals doing a bit more of that they are good at.

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Hays,

There is something in the comment that "only the stupid get caught".

I don't think that is entirely accurate, but if you review the number of "solved" crimes and successful prosecutions, there is much truth in the remark.

Another problem regarding the "records" of individuals is that once an individual has one successful prosecution against him, it is easier to get the next prosecution against them.

Also, the apprehending of "prominent" members of the riot is possibly due to this group being known, or more easily recognise.

(Many of the previous crimes mentions were minor crimes, such as minor drug offences, ie. possession of such. (It is suggested that Cameron and the Bully Club had similar tendencies.)

Your remarks may cover the ones with records, but why did so many without criminal records, join in the riot?

Herd behaviour, or resentment (reasonable, or unreasonable) against what they understand as "one law" for one "group" and another for a less "fortunate group".

Passing the demonstrations off, as due to simple criminality (even though many elements of them were possibly so) and ignoring the probability of other aetiology will probably lead to further demonstrations of a similar nature.

I hope that I am wrong.

It is not easier to get convictions when people have previous records as these records are only considered at the sentencing stage and not during the actual case. I dare say that many of the ones without previous records were not caught previously. Don't forget this statement that I posted above "Another statistic is that 75% of the rioters had some previous conviction or caution". That doesn't leave that many without some involvent with the law.

"One in four riot suspects had 10 previous offences.

One in four people charged over the riots in English cities last month had committed more than 10 previous offences, figures show."

It is my belief, that three out of four 'rioters' (ie. looters) actually joined in because the police were simply standing around doing nothing but watch them. they simply let them do it! The police were not taking any action and were not apprehending the rioters/looters.

Consequently, it looked as though rioting/looting was such an 'easy peasy lemon sqeezy' thing to do, that anyone could do it and would have been an idiot not to join in and take advantage of all the delicious freebies that were on offer just for the taking!

I do agree about the police's response. It was too slow and too weak. However it is instructive to see that 75% of the ones that did loot and riot have previous convictions and cautions. That suggest that most law abiding people were not tempted by what they perceived as being the low chance of being caught. If you allow for the possibility that the remaining 25% may have also been criminals that hadn't previously been caught then it looks like opportunism by criminal elements and not much more. I would also like to see the figures broken down in other ways. For instance, what was the ethnicity of the rioters. Were they black or white, Eastern European, second generation immigrants. Were they from one parent families etc.

This 11+ exam is nothing like the one i took in the 1950's , its just a IQ test

I scored 7

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7773974.stm

.

Now you are talking :-) Details of a first Postman Pat feature film have been announced with actor Stephen Managan providing the voice of Pat.

Hays,

"It is not easier to get convictions when people have previous records as these records are only considered at the sentencing stage and not during the actual case. I dare say that many of the ones without previous records were not caught previously. Don't forget this statement that I posted above "Another statistic is that 75% of the rioters had some previous conviction or caution". That doesn't leave that many without some involvent with the law."


Supposing that a policeman is faced with a crowd of rioters and recognises a face (known to the police) in the mob, i.e., of a previously convicted felon, then it would be more likely that a felon would be arrested once again, in preference to a previous un known innocent, as he/she is recognisable.

Therefore, in such situations, it is more likely that a higher proportion of previous felons than is truly representative of the mob will be arrested, prosecuted and lead to higher rate of convictions than is perhaps truly representative of the mob as a whole.

Therefore, the findings, or interpretations from simple figures or data provided, which have been clutched at by Clarke and fellow travellers, maybe spurious.

While there were obvious crimes committed, there was also an element of letting off of underlying resentment in the present society.

This was similar to the recent student riots, and may be an indicator of the likelihood of such behaviour in "demonstrations", which are likely to occur over the next 6-12 months.

An amazing development: -

Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness is on the verge of running in the Irish presidential election.

Ireland's deputy first minister has been approved by the party's officer board. It will now go before the party executive for formal approval.

Triple semtex`s all round.

During one of the MAM `outs`I was compelled to attend the AFN farty party, the same old bores are there since MAM broke away, same ramping OF AIM , only now they have a new weapon, for a fiver a month you can become a " blue" alias, which gives you the right to become a sort of gauleiter and ban people who oppose your ramping (they call them ` de-rampers`).

All iS forgiven MAM