Current Affairs - 2026

[towny44]

The answer is to paint a parking line on both pavements, allowing enough space for the widest pram or wheelchair to proceed, and another 2 lines on the road that would allow a fire ebgine or bin lorry to proceed. Then only the Chelsea tractor brigade would be denied a parking space.

[Onelife]

The problem round here is we have a number of narrow streets of terraced houses. If pavement parking was banned and cars both sides parked fully on the road there would be no room left for cars to get through between them, much less an ambulance or fire engine. So to enforce it they'd have to ban parking completely on one side. And with most houses having at least one car there's already a parking nightmare. If the space was halved then what?

Our car insurance would go up due to the amount of claims for wing mirrors.

[Mervyn and Trish]

The problem round here is we have a number of narrow streets of terraced houses. If pavement parking was banned and cars both sides parked fully on the road there would be no room left for cars to get through between them, much less an ambulance or fire engine. So to enforce it they'd have to ban parking completely on one side. And with most houses having at least one car there's already a parking nightmare. If the space was halved then what?

I think that this raises two issues - many houses were built before people had cars so there was no provision made for car parking and the other is that many houses have two or more cars which the residents insist on parking outside their own home, or as close as possible so that they do not have to walk. One solution is one designated paring space per house and any other cars will have to find alternative parking.

As for pavements again there are two issues - the boy racers who insist on riding their bikes at breakneck speed on the pavement totally disregarding any pedestrians and the problem of wheelchairs/prams having access.

Likewise two issues here. Terraced houses both sides of the road. The width of the each house is barely enough to park one car, so if one side of the road was no parking there'd not be room for parking even one per house on the other side. And secondly we have not enough car park space in the town anyway, definitely not the space for cars displaced from outside the houses. Oh and we have crap public transport here too. It would be a nightmare for those living in those homes.

[Ray B]

Donny is now giving more attention to Cuba, I am looking forward to visiting Cuba in about 6/7 weeks time on our next cruise. I will be really p@ssed off if he jeopardise my visit, not many cruises call there, this is one that will be visiting.
His old mate Vlad put the mockers on our visit to St Petersburg when he invaded the Ukrainian. These two have become a joke.

[towny44]

Donny is now giving more attention to Cuba, I am looking forward to visiting Cuba in about 6/7 weeks time on our next cruise. I will be really p@ssed off if he jeopardise my visit, not many cruises call there, this is one that will be visiting.
His old mate Vlad put the mockers on our visit to St Petersburg when he invaded the Ukrainian. These two have become a joke.

Why hasn't our licensed to kill MI6 agent been deployed to exterminate Putin and Trump, preferably in bed together in a sordid embrace?

[david63]

Why hasn't our licensed to kill MI6 agent been deployed to exterminate Putin and Trump

Probably because we are waiting for the new one to be found

[Ranchi]

This popped up on my FB feed today - hence ‘current affairs’. The link shows 9 photos of Pianoland (Oriana)


https://m.facebook.com/groups/578064962 ... 092029929/?

[oldbluefox]

Beautiful looking ship. I wonder if it still has the judder and the dancing cutlery phenomenon?

[Ray B]

Still looking good, had some wonderful memories from our time onboard.

[oldbluefox]

Last time we were on her she broke down twice in the middle of the ocean- no sound from the engine, emergency lights on. We were having dinner at the time and the waiters just carried on as normal. I presume they were used to it.
Wasn’t Princess Anne her godmother?

[Mervyn and Trish]

One of the Captains on another ship told us she'd become unreliable and an expensive nightmare to maintain. I doubt they mentioned that in the sales particulars when they flogged her.

[david63]

I see that "turn again" Starmer is at it again with mandatory ID cards. If I recall correctly didn't Labour accuse the Conservatives of the same thing?

[Onelife]

I see this as a move in the right direction…lets face it, the UK has been lacking National identity for years.

[oldbluefox]

I cannot see why there is so much opposition to carrying ID. I suppose living in Germany with the military we got used to it but just look how useful it would be if it also contained vital medical information as well. In the case of illness or an accident it could literally save valuable time. ID wouldn’t bother me at all but then I have nothing to hide.

[david63]

I think that what is the worrying thing is that Starmer has this massive majority in HoC yet he seems unable to get anything done. Is this a question of him being useless at his job or that policies are not thought out properly and done on the back of a fag packet?

Even the policies that do go through don't come to much - such as NHS waiting lists where he was making more appointments available (not sure how he intended to do that!) and the last a read was that waiting lists are growing again.

[Onelife]

I cannot see why there is so much opposition to carrying ID. I suppose living in Germany with the military we got used to it but just look how useful it would be if it also contained vital medical information as well. In the case of illness or an accident it could literally save valuable time. ID wouldn’t bother me at all but then I have nothing to hide.

Some very valid points Foxy and like you I wouldn’t object to having an identity card. If there is one concern it would be that to make it work I think you would need two cards, one for police identification purposes (on request) the other could be one of personal choice containing medical conditions which may be helpful in an emergency situation.

[oldbluefox]

My feelings are it would all be on the same card with only identification elements visible. The rest would be encrypted for access only by those who need it.
My only caveat would be the accuracy of the data it contains which is in the hands of whoever is inputting it. Security would have to be vital to the success of the card.

[Onelife]

My feelings are it would all be on the same card with only identification elements visible. The rest would be encrypted for access only by those who need it.
My only caveat would be the accuracy of the data it contains which is in the hands of whoever is inputting it. Security would have to be vital to the success of the card.

If that’s a viable option then it works for me

[Portsmouth]

I'm not so sure....probably in the minority about this but there could be certain additions after a few years (with people getting used to them), that may have a detrimental effect on some people lives even if they are honest upright citizens

[oldbluefox]

Many EU countries already have ID cards so there are experiences we could draw on. It just seems to me a simple way of showing who you are with the feasibility of offering further information in the event of debilitating illness or accident. Their use and misuse are aspects which would need careful scrutiny.

[david63]

Let's be fair about ID cards we all have them now in one form or another and this scheme is just a means of consolidating them. I suspect that probably half the working population have one for work access.

I really cannot see what all the fuss is about. If people are worried about "big brother" tracking them, well think again because it is already happening.

[Ray B]

I really cannot see what all the fuss is about. If people are worried about "big brother" tracking them, well think again because it is already happening.

Indeed David, unless turned off your phone is very accurate to your whereabouts and every time you use your cards to purchase something, there's a mark. Then you have CCTV in stores and on the streets. The sat nav in the car.
You can run, but you can not hide.

[david63]

So we now have Robert Jenrick allegedly planning to defect to Reform. Whilst I respect the fact that he has decided that the Conservatives are not for him any more (actually more like throwing his toys out of the pram because he did not get the top job) I don't believe that a sitting MP, of any party, should be allowed to change sides. It's a bit like a footballer whose side is loosing a match and at half time joining the winning side.

An MP has been elected by their constituency based on a particular manifesto and if at some point they then decide that it is not going in the direction that they would like then they should resign and seek re-election with an alternative party and see if their voters agree. The problem with doing that is the possibility of falling off the "gravy train".

[Ray B]

At least it was a swift removal, escaping the other parties call for his resignation or why the PM hasn't sacked him.

[Onelife]

So we now have Robert Jenrick allegedly planning to defect to Reform. Whilst I respect the fact that he has decided that the Conservatives are not for him any more (actually more like throwing his toys out of the pram because he did not get the top job) I don't believe that a sitting MP, of any party, should be allowed to change sides. It's a bit like a footballer whose side is loosing a match and at half time joining the winning side.

An MP has been elected by their constituency based on a particular manifesto and if at some point they then decide that it is not going in the direction that they would like then they should resign and seek re-election with an alternative party and see if their voters agree. The problem with doing that is the possibility of falling off the "gravy train".

I absolutely agree.