Forum Topics

Random pic 23 July 2025

The Moon trying to hide from West https://flic.kr/p/2nRCtuA

Michael Ixer ● 5h0 Comments ● 5h

Labour’s plan to give 16-year- olds the vote

It is difficult to see Labour’s plan to extend the vote to 16-year-olds as anything other than electoral gerrymandering given that 16-year-olds are not considered mature enough to1) get married without their parents’ permission2) play the national lottery3) serve on a jury4) buy fireworks5) earn the full minimum wage6) learn to drive7) stand for Parliament.And before you say anything, Michael B, yes, I know it was in the Labour Manifesto. But that doesn’t make it sensible. The plan to impose VAT on independent schools was also in the Manifesto, but it is still a stupid idea.

Steven Rose ● 4d30 Comments ● 5h

PHS/Norroy Rd/Disraeli Rd Junction

The traffic on PHS is really bad, and I am finding it has made it harder to walk across PHS at this junction because traffic is stuck at a standstill on the road area in front of me.  Also if you have a lorry or bus stopped in the road in front of you, it makes it impossible to see the green man signal for pedestrians, so you have to make the judgement whether to cross by walking in between vehicles, something I am not keen on doing. I feel sorry for the vehicles trying to turn right into PHS from Disraeli Rd, as they often have to wait a while to do this because of the stationary traffic on PHS.  Things get a bit heated between the drivers in the queue. Just wondered if anyone else thought the same about this crossing on PHS?

Martine Guy ● 13h8 Comments ● 9h

Izzy Osborne 76 Has Died😟

After suffering from Parkinson's for several years.  I don't suppose there are many Heavy Metal fans on here but Black Sabbath were probably the best known band of that genre.  He died “surrounded by love”, a statement from his family said on Tuesday night.The family said: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning.“He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.“Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”

Sue Hammond ● 11h3 Comments ● 10h

Putney

Traffic in the High Street was bad again Lunch Time today.  Also Sainsbury's lift not working again today, a lady who could hardly walk was having problems she needed to get down to the car park downstairs. The lady held my arm for a while to get to the door, I was really worried about her going down the stairs. But she said she was OK.

Barbara Stevens ● 15h1 Comments ● 12h

Recycling biros, pens and highlighters

Rymans in Putney High Street used to recycle the above however they have said they have an issue with the people they used to recycle these items with, and as a result of this do not recycle any more (so I have brought my little current supply back home). Does anyone know where else recycles these?  Perhaps if not a shop, maybe a local school if they go through Terracycle and receive points for their donations of pens, biros and highlighters.  It might be good to know if there are any schools that might be collecting these or other items so we as a community can boost their collecting of whatever.

Gillie Graham ● 1d5 Comments ● 16h

Pope calls for an immediate end to the barbarity in Palestine.

On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV called for an "immediate end to the barbarity of the war" and urged against "indiscriminate use of force".His comments came days after a deadly Israeli strike hit Gaza's only Catholic Church, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country deeply regretted.Israel launched its war in Gaza in retaliation for the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 others being taken hostage.Israeli attacks have since killed more than 58,895 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The ministry's figures are quoted by the UN and others as the most reliable source of statistics available on casualties.

Gerry Boyce ● 2d14 Comments ● 16h

Celebrity discounts

Stories about discounted clothi=ng and spectacles (Starmer, Reeves, the Blairs) make me wonder  how this is allowed to go on. These very significant "perks" are going to people who could afford to pay top-whack and run to thusands of pounds  Doesn't sound like democracy.  How does it go down with those who are hard up? Also, what benefits do the suppliers receive in turn for their needless largesse?

Alexander MacLeod ● 19h6 Comments ● 17h

Plans to expand Wimbledon can go ahead, judge rules

I really cannot believe this!https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyr7e394p0oAnd for those of you who dislike the BBC, another linkhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/tennis/2025/07/21/wimbledon-wins-200m-expansion-battle-with-residents/

Ivonne Holliday ● 1d3 Comments ● 18h

Random pic 22 July 2025

Swans, Fulham https://flic.kr/p/2n1KAxN

Michael Ixer ● 1d2 Comments ● 19h

Benefit payments

Is the UK economy strong enough to bear the costs of the Benefits system and are such benefits being given only to those that genuinely need them  and deserve them because they are making or have in the past made contributions to fund the system ?Starmer and Reeves say the economy is booming so we should be alright, but 8 million on the dole......?https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/foreign-national-benefits-figures-are-absolute-insanity-fumes-lowe/'The Department for Work and Pensions revealed on Tuesday that the number of people receiving Universal Credit has soared within Labour’s first year by over a million.The DWP also acknowledged that over a million recipients are foreign nationals – in the first time the immigration status of benefit claimants has been published.7.9 million people are currently on the dole. That’s a 16 per cent increase from the 6.8 million in the dying days of the last government, with the vast majority (6.6 million) British and Irish nationals. But that’s not all: Liz Kendall’s department also acknowledged that over a million of those recipients are foreign nationals. This marks the first time the government has published figures on the immigration status of benefit claimants, which onetime Reform MP Rupert Lowe has insisted the development is a ‘huge win’ after having pushed for the move.Now that they have been revealed, Lowe described the numbers as ‘absolute insanity’ – while his new political group, Restore Britain, slammed the revelation as ‘unaffordable, unsustainable, unacceptable’. His comments come as support for his tough talk on illegal migration picks up, with a 17th MP – Tory politician Sir John Hayes – having added his name to Lowe’s motion for the mass deportation of illegal migrants from Britain'.

John Hawkes ● 5d12 Comments ● 1d

Random pic 21 July 2025

Luxor temple obelisk https://flic.kr/p/2jzWyXR

Michael Ixer ● 2d1 Comments ● 1d

Ambulances to Ukraine

As some of you will remember I volunteered two years ago to drive an aid-filled ambulance to Ukraine for a remarkable undertaking known as Medical Life Lines Ukraine (MLLU).  Several of you made very generous donations at that time and in total I raised over £18,000 at the time.MLLU was set up and is being run by a small group of private citizens in Wimbledon and Putney.  They have done heroic work and have raised sufficient funds since the invasion began to deliver over 100 ambulances, medical equipment and other civilian rescue vehicles to the Ministry of Health in Lviv.  On two occasions convoys also took supplies of dog food for the rescue dogs trained to search for survivors in ruined buildings.  Photos of the very happy dogs and their handlers can be seen on the MLLU website https://www.medicallifelines.org.uk Now, I have volunteered to drive again and will be departing from Putney early on Sunday 7th September to join the other ambulances at Folkestone. From there the convoy will head across the Channel on the Euroshuttle (they transport us for free) before heading on to Lviv.Two years ago I did not think the humanitarian aid being delivered by MLLU would still be as vitally needed today as it was back then.  Tragically it looks like their work will continue to be needed for years to come given the continuing onslaught by Russian missiles and drones.  Ukraine remains a war zone and the regular air raid sirens remind any visitor that even Lviv, in the far west of the country, has been attacked.I have undertaken to raise at least an additional £7,000 to cover part of the cost of another ambulance in a future convoy and I am hoping that the spirit of generosity shown two years ago still lives on.  I would be truly grateful if you feel able to offer your support, some for a second time of course, but others for the first time.The link to my funding page is as follows https://www.justgiving.com/page/jonathan-callaway-1 where you will see I have almost reached my initial target.  I hope to raise far more of course and I can assure you every penny gets spent on humanitarian equipment.  The costs of driving the ambulances to Ukraine, about 1,200 miles, are covered by the volunteer drivers, as are their return travel costs.Donations are UK gift aid compliant as they are routed through our partner British-Ukrainian Aid, a registered UK charity.Do please also share this as widely as possible with friends and contacts so I can raise as much as I possibly can for MLLU.With many thanks in advanceJonathan

Jonathan Callaway ● 13d18 Comments ● 1d

Winter Fuel Allowance

How come they have managed to bring so many Afghans here and spent so much money on them, yet Pensioners went without. Billions was spent. There is a protest in Dover with our British flag being waved. I'm not surprised British people are annoyed, when the young girl wore a dress of the Union Jack, are we being stopped from sticking up for our Country. What about the Welsh, Scottish and Irish. How would they feel if their daughters were sent home.

Barbara Stevens ● 2d5 Comments ● 2d

Are we back at school?

I’m beginning to wonder whether this forum has become in part a school, with Steven its head and John Hawkes his loyal deputy. It doesn’t  worry me but this constant repetition of rhetorical questions and expressed annoyance when they are not answered or the answer is not to the questioner’s satisfaction , is hardly encouraging more people to  contribute. John H has even given out grades to some of the responses he has received. I would politely suggest reducing the number of questions and toning down the often aggressive tone in which they are asked.

Jane Carter ● 4d28 Comments ● 2d

6000+ GP Surgeries ~ Official NHS Ratings

Ever wondered if your GP practice is up to scratch? Well, now you can find out with MailOnline's brilliant new search tool.Powered with official NHS figures for all 6,000-plus surgeries in England, it reveals how many patients you're competing with for precious appointments.Type your full postcode into our tool to also discover how busy the phone lines are every morning and whether GPs are outnumbered by receptionists.On top of that, it shows how many patients rate the practice as being 'good', as well as how helpful the admin staff are. Patients 'Good' Rating Heathbridge 88% Chartfield 85% Putneymead 83% Triangle Surgery 77%  Wandsworth Medical Centre 85% Full set of results (quite revealing🥺) can be accessed via link:https://mol.im/a/14897749

Sue Hammond ● 2d1 Comments ● 2d

Serious water pollution incidents up 60% in England

Serious pollution incidents by water companies were up 60% last year, according to the latest data from the government......In 2024, there were 2,801 number of such events, the highest on record, compared with 2,174 in 2023. Of these, 75 were the most serious, posing harm to fisheries, drinking water and human health.Just three companies were responsible for the vast majority - Thames Water (33), Southern Water (15) and Yorkshire Water (13)......Many incidents are reported to the Environment Agency by the companies themselves, but of the 4,000 inspections carried out last year by the regulator it found nearly a quarter of sites were in breach of their permits.Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, which published its report into the sector on Tuesday, strongly criticised the government and Agency for not doing more."Regulators are overwhelmed by the number of prosecutions and appear unable to deter companies from acting unlawfully. Government must act now to strengthen regulators and support their efforts to hold companies to account," he said.The Committee said that the continued incidents are a result of the regulators - the Environment Agency and Ofwat - "fail[ing] to ensure water companies maintain vital infrastructure".It estimated that at current rates it would take companies 700 years to replace the entire water mains network.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg5zl75dmm0o

Ivonne Holliday ● 4d7 Comments ● 2d

Richmond hotel recommendation

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced or inexpensive hotel in Richmond?A relative is visiting from Canada and she wants to stay In Richmond rather than in London.Any suggestions please?

Katrina Black ● 2d3 Comments ● 2d

Why is it only Israel that daily makes the news re 'genocide'?

Jews and many living in or are associated with Israel are the race that suffered the greatest genocide in modern times.For those that might have forgotten, some 6,000,000 were murdered on an industrial scale in Nazi Germany in WWII.This naturally has made them at least wary of how they are considered and treated in the West and the Middle East.Palestinians in their conflict with Israel are not experiencing such a fate.It is claimed that Israel has killed 52,000 Palestinians in Gaza.These are figures put out by the 'Gazan Health Ministry' (unelected).This is known to be run by Hamas  which itself murdered and sexually assaulted numerous women, children and the elderly in October 2023 and still hold many hostages as well as the corpses of those it murdered.It does not distinguish between civilian deaths and those of its fighting forces that imbed themselves amongst the general Populus.And of course Hamas is attempting to enact its Charter Declaration which calls for the annihilation of the state of Israel and its Jewish citizens.But we should not forget there have been and still are many conflicts raging around the world that have resulted in many deaths and claims of genocide.They received and get little attention by the anti-Israel bien pensants and fellow travellers.All the focus is on Israel.For example note the deaths resulting from the following -2023 Masalit, West Darfur Sudan - 15,000 deaths2020 Tigray Ethiopia 162,000 deaths2016 Rohingya, Myanmar - 9,000 deaths2016 China - Uyghur birth rate drops 24% because of genocidal persecution2014 Ukraine - 12,000 deaths by Russians2014 Iraq Turkman 3,500 deaths (by ISIS)2014 Iraq/Syria (Yazidis) - 2,100 deaths (by ISIS)2003 Darfur, Sudan - 98,000 deaths2002 North Kivu, DR Congo - 60,000 deaths1996 Kivu, Zaire - 200,000 deaths (Hutus)1994 Rwanda - 491,000 deaths (Tutsis)1992 Bosnia - 31,000 deaths (by Serbs)All inter-tribal as is the conflict initiated by Hamas against Israel.Cut Israel some slack.

John Hawkes ● 59d29 Comments ● 2d