With the population climbing well above 60 million and planners eating away at the sacred green-belts, isn’t Britain slowly becoming one great urban sprawl? Will the English Lake District, the Welsh Hills and Scottish Highlands soon be the last great open spaces? Continue reading “No more green and pleasant?”
Ethel is displeased
The poetry comp closes one week today. linkey thingy
There is only one entry so far and that is from Backside. Ethel is not best pleased and is tapping her foot as she was looking forward to reading lots of contributions. Miss the deadline at your peril. You have been warned and I take no responsibility for any subsequent knock on your door.
OZ
So as you know …
Boadicea and I will be absent from The Chariot from some time early on the 11th July (next Wednesday) until the evening of Saturday the 14th (3 days later), if all eventuates in accordance with the promises of our various service providers. When we reappear, it will be from our new home. Actually, on the 11th and 12th we shall be staying with elder daughter, so we may possibly pop up for a short while by hitching a lift on her WiFi.
It hasn’t taken long to sell, buy, settle and move, has it? 5 weeks from start to finish – wow! 😀
British captions, please!

Cuts in the forces
Not being military minded, nor really understanding anything about the forces other than they are a necessity. Can someone explain the logic in cutting our military forces.
If we do not have the money to keep these guys employed then surely the sensible answer is to bring them back from Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and other place that we should not be any where near.
The money saved will keep our forces going for some time to protect our shores and people.
Or are my thoughts the mad ravings of a constipated baboon?
Ah, the memories!
I see that South Africa will be playing England in the 2nd test on 2nd August. And may it be an interesting game!
In 1977 I was there – at Headingley, that is, to see Geoffey Boycott get his 100th 100.
Here it is, if you want to join me down Memory Lane.
I’m torn.
I read this just now:
London 2012 Olympics: Oscar Pistorius running for South Africa surely epitomises the spirit of the Games.
Now I’m torn between sincere admiration for this man’s indomitable spirit, determination and all-round ‘sod you I’m doing this,’ human resolve and the thought that his blades probably, despite the note in the article about fast-twitch muscle and the disadvantage of lacking an achilles tendon, provide a mechanical advantage over flesh-and-blood lower limbs.
No muscles in the lower legs means that the runner is less susceptible to both cramp and muscular injury – and runners in the sustained sprint of the 400 metres are apparently those most susceptible to injury. I think that I tend more towards the thought that the blades do actually confer an unfair advantage, as compared to other technological advances – better shoes, better materials for sports like the discus, javelin and pole vault that are available to all athletes. I’d be interested in the views of the charioteers on this one.
Water, water, every where…

Drip, drip, drip.
Entries for the current photo challenge appear to have dried up!
So. here’s a gentle reminder, deadline is this Saturday.
Water, any form, anywhere, remember water doesn’t even have to be the subject just important to the shot.
Since posting the challenge we’ve had the jubilee flotilla, regatta weeks and of course rain (was it not the wettest June on record in some parts?)
Some fine pictures have already been posted but as the old adage goes the more the merrier.
If members are unsure how to insert a picture on a thread there are very clear instructions at the top of the page or here or simply create a new post and I’ll insert it for you.
That, by the way is my daughter on the left (another one of those ‘Dad’s heart attack moments!’)
Getting rid of cookies the easy way
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly provided us with a sprinkling of memorable quotes, not least-
“You see, in this world there’s two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.”
I’ve been thinking that in this world there is two kinds of people- those that take hundreds and thousands with their cookies and those that don’t. I do.

A Great Day
First of all, let me be the first to wish all Americans a Happy Independence Day.
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