Definitely not. It would obstruct rather than distract me; but I don't even like objects lying on the dashboard where they become reflected on the windscreen.

High wind and rain during the night, ending a long, very dry spell.Then this afternoon after a largely sunny morning, I was watching from my shed a violent rain-squall passing. Good! It topped up my water-butts, raised the larger of my frog-ponds to prope...  moreHigh wind and rain during the night, ending a long, very dry spell.Then this afternoon after a largely sunny morning, I was watching from my shed a violent rain-squall passing. Good! It topped up my water-butts, raised the larger of my frog-ponds to proper level and enable me to refill a much smaller pond that had dried out.It gave the garden generally a good watering - I expect the tomatoes especially, appreciated it.  

Similar reason as Savvy's!A friend staying for a long weekend was horribly ill in the early hours, after accidentally swallowing some of the river she'd been swimming in, that day.

Maybe there's a clue in your question's first clause.... :-)

At least partly open, and usually (depending on the weather) with the window open on the ventilator setting.For ventilation. It also means the spiders can come and go without having to wake me to open the door for them.

The original Weymouth (England not Massachusets), means "On the Mouth of the R. Wey" - but I don't know the etymology of the name "Wey".Across the harbour from Weymouth is what is properly Melcombe, which I think meant "Mill Valley" - the Wey is only 4 mi...  moreThe original Weymouth (England not Massachusets), means "On the Mouth of the R. Wey" - but I don't know the etymology of the name "Wey".Across the harbour from Weymouth is what is properly Melcombe, which I think meant "Mill Valley" - the Wey is only 4 miles long from spring to sea but had three mills on it in the past. It became Melcombe Regis after King George III visited it several times, staying with a friend or relative resident there.About thirty miles inland is the village with the lovely, lyrical name, Ryme Intrinseca. I don't know why "Ryme", but Intrinseca was simply a church-property administrative term!  While not far from that the modest River Piddle has given its curious name to several villages: Piddletrenthide ( = Thirty Hides of Land on the Piddle), Tolpuddle (of the 'Martys' fame), Puddletown (a bit posh there hence the Bowdlerising), Affpuddle, Bryantspuddle.   Some of the prefix name-parts might have been landowners' family names in centuries long ago. 'England has at least three R...    less

Not sure of the genus native to my part of the world, but they are certainly aware of me!

You'd certainly hear that lot in your photo!There is a farm not desperately far from me, that has a herd of buffalo. The first I knew of them before seeing the animals in a field next to the road one day, was a large sign reading,  "Buffalo Ice Cream...  moreYou'd certainly hear that lot in your photo!There is a farm not desperately far from me, that has a herd of buffalo. The first I knew of them before seeing the animals in a field next to the road one day, was a large sign reading,  "Buffalo Ice Cream".This in Southern England, not natural buffalo territory!  

Iceland if I had the chance... and money.

Not sure about "fast", but yes, I do tend to hop about between subjects! Not in conversations with others those, or at least I hope not.Errr....Where are you Rosie, or indeed how are you? Not heard from you for nearly a month now!

What seems unasked is what if any significance is there in that the contract with the French was for diesel engined boats, whereas the UK and UK ties are for nuclear-electric ones.The primary difference is that the nuclear-powered ones can patrol complete...  moreWhat seems unasked is what if any significance is there in that the contract with the French was for diesel engined boats, whereas the UK and UK ties are for nuclear-electric ones.The primary difference is that the nuclear-powered ones can patrol completely submerged and almost silently, more or less for as long as the crew can be kept fed. They can be detected only by listening on hydrophones, and they are very, very quiet. Submariners, who seem to call their vessels "boats" rather then "ships",  pride themselves on being the "Silent Service" *.A conventional diesel-electric boat using batteries when completely submerged has to cruise on the surface, or at least at shallow depth using its snorkel, to recharge the batteries. In that state life aboard must be rather grim in heavy seas, but more seriously they are far easier to detect and track, even in shallow submergence: by sonar submerged, radar or ariel/satellite reconnaisance on the surface. So might it be that the Australians have decided to replace th...    less

When homosexual acts between men were illegal in Britian (from some time in the 19C to about 1963, I think), newspaper obituries allegedly sometimes used the tem "confirmed bachelor".The obvious problem being that it could trap the reputation of men who w...  moreWhen homosexual acts between men were illegal in Britian (from some time in the 19C to about 1963, I think), newspaper obituries allegedly sometimes used the tem "confirmed bachelor".The obvious problem being that it could trap the reputation of men who were heterosexual but could not find a wife or preferred to stay single!  

Yes, on a Greek island, (main home in England); and it has become a burden proving very hard to sell. My friend and her late husband bought it decades ago for holidays. They used it annually and made quite a few local friends; but she is now trying to sell it.

Yes I do cut my own lawn It's only a small lawn, somewhat smaller since I planted two shrubs and built a frog-pond in it!It doesn't take long to cut, using a manual mower for the bulk and long-handled shears for the fringes. One edge, and the pond, are ag...  moreYes I do cut my own lawn It's only a small lawn, somewhat smaller since I planted two shrubs and built a frog-pond in it!It doesn't take long to cut, using a manual mower for the bulk and long-handled shears for the fringes. One edge, and the pond, are against a boundary wall about five feet high, so in shade from not long after mid-day. I leave that strip a bit unkempt because the vegetation and shade gives a refuge next to the pond for the amphibians, which spend much of their lives out of water.   

The new ones I've bought all seem of reasonable quality. I don't know if they work "better" than the old - except in so far as the old ones had worn out of course. The microwave and washing-machine are a bit more complicated than the previous, but at...  moreThe new ones I've bought all seem of reasonable quality. I don't know if they work "better" than the old - except in so far as the old ones had worn out of course. The microwave and washing-machine are a bit more complicated than the previous, but at least using the former does not call for a degree in electronics, and the washing-machine labels and instruction-manual are clear and explanatory.Pros and cons? The washing-machine's fine.The µwave's Defrost function is about as arcane as it can be, even with the manual to hand. I avoid using it!On the other hand, the timer has a feature I have not noticed on any other: it continues after the cooking has stopped, and pings on the minutes so you can time the standing phase.    less

I don't know the situation now but it certainly become a big enough game to attract the attention of the TV sports programmers, back in the 1980s.Similarly with snooker. (I wonder if many play billiards, which is similar but I think uses only three balls).

Almost all of it by radio.Some from my local paper, which does have brief summaries of major national and international events although carrying mainly local news.I have no TV.

Reninds me of George Orwell's 1984, in which one of the Ministry of Truth's tasks was savagely cutting the language back to much shorter vocabulary with very careful, literal definitions.

Yes.  More than one. And I do not regard them as "obsolete" or even obsolescent.One next to the computer, another in the adjoining room; both scientific types. The simple arithmetical one in my workshop has gone AWOL!I use a calculator or the calcula...  moreYes.  More than one. And I do not regard them as "obsolete" or even obsolescent.One next to the computer, another in the adjoining room; both scientific types. The simple arithmetical one in my workshop has gone AWOL!I use a calculator or the calculator-accessory in the computer, depending on what I am doing where in the house, or which is the more convenient for the task in hand even if the computer is on.The purely arithmetical calculator on my portable 'phone is so basic it is of very limited use. It does not even have a decimal point - that has to be set by mental arithmetic.  less

The Scout Association has just announced a new group,  named the Squirrels, for 4-5year olds.

No. I have never owned any sort of gun; and over the years I think I've known only two people who did.One, a former work colleague, was a clay-pigeon enthusiast. The other is a friend who has three or four antique fire-arms. He can't shoot with them, but ...  moreNo. I have never owned any sort of gun; and over the years I think I've known only two people who did.One, a former work colleague, was a clay-pigeon enthusiast. The other is a friend who has three or four antique fire-arms. He can't shoot with them, but does occasionally demonstrate the flint-lock action, using a small powder charge.   

I was a Scout for a couple of years or so.Note that name: Scout. The Scouts Association modernised itself in the 1960s, not long before I joined. As well as some changes to the uniform etc, it dropped the words "Boy" and "Girl" from the Scouts and Guides ...  moreI was a Scout for a couple of years or so.Note that name: Scout. The Scouts Association modernised itself in the 1960s, not long before I joined. As well as some changes to the uniform etc, it dropped the words "Boy" and "Girl" from the Scouts and Guides respectively. It still taught more traditional skills such as lighting a cooking-fire of fallen wood - and clearing up after to leave the ground safe and with virtually no trace of our activities. I don't know if it uses open fires these days. I would not be surprised if its camps use only portable gas cookers now.(This is in the UK, the Scouting movement's home country - where the female version, developed by Olive Baden-Powell, was always the Guides, never "Girl Scouts" .) The three main practical skills the Scouts gave me and I still use were of several useful knots, basic map-reading, and camping in tents. The knots may seem a bit trite but I have found being able to tie those several basic knots extremely useful many times over the years. I am glad I can r...    less

Walt has already offered air and sunlight. I add one more: water. You could consider what I might put into the water, but wherever that goes and whatever with, the water itself is not a pollutant!

Yes they could.The key is that word "programmed" - given a set of coded instructions. Those have to be devised and written by real, live people. If those people want the computer to lie, or distort the truth by selection, it would be as easy to do that as...  moreYes they could.The key is that word "programmed" - given a set of coded instructions. Those have to be devised and written by real, live people. If those people want the computer to lie, or distort the truth by selection, it would be as easy to do that as to make it tell the whole truth.  

My siblings and I shared out or agreed among ourselves the few possessions we wanted to keep. One I took on is a bureau I use as Dad did, to keep stationery items and small books. I believe he made it; one of his early pieces of wood-work.Of all things, t...  moreMy siblings and I shared out or agreed among ourselves the few possessions we wanted to keep. One I took on is a bureau I use as Dad did, to keep stationery items and small books. I believe he made it; one of his early pieces of wood-work.Of all things, the one we all secretly coveted was a Tastee-Toaster, (trade-mark) a device for making toasted-sandwiches on the gas-hob. It was a pair of saucer-shaped aluminium-alloy discs hinged together, and each fitted with a long handle that also held a simple catch to keep the device closed.  Its use generated a lot of spandrels of bread (the trimmings, from rectangular slices in a circular toaster) - not wasted but used in making bread-&-butter pudding. YUM! Its significance was its near-weekly use in Winter for Saturday tea; making sandwich "flying-saucers" usually filled with baked-beans in tomato sauce - almost a family tradition for many years. I think one of my sisters has it now.   less

Don't they alternate the "sex" of hurricanes? Or are these storms all female-named?

There's a very sobering implication in your last paragraph, that accidents and diseases apart, our forefathers actually survived better than most people could today if suddenly no longer having our modern utilities etc..

Sometimes very exciteably too, bless her!

The  black colour is that of the sound-absorbent coatings on them, but it does makes them harder to see when surfaced, where their profiles are very low anyway.Underwater, the colour is unimportant because they are invisible optically from each other...  moreThe  black colour is that of the sound-absorbent coatings on them, but it does makes them harder to see when surfaced, where their profiles are very low anyway.Underwater, the colour is unimportant because they are invisible optically from each other, and from ships and aircraft. Naval submarines do not have windows and underwater flood-lamps; and the periscope is used only to see what surface ships are in the vicinity.They are detected by sonar, but by listening for them - warships and submarines of all navies do not prowl around emitting loud hunting "pings" all the time. They can "ping" if necessary, but do so only extremely sparingly because it reveals their own presence for a very long way around. The continual pinging myth is a Hollywood invention based on WW2 U-boat hunting tactics; and modern submarines patrol very, very quietly.  less

I suppose many Americans do not bother to learn foreign languages because they do not leave the USA. I heard one statistic that about a third of Americans do not have a passport. (My own expired about three years ago because I thought I would never go abr...  moreI suppose many Americans do not bother to learn foreign languages because they do not leave the USA. I heard one statistic that about a third of Americans do not have a passport. (My own expired about three years ago because I thought I would never go abroad again.)Ironically when many foreigners learn English it is the American version and generic American accents they adopt even when they live in countries that officially hate the USA!Listen to some Governmental spokesman from one of those countries on the radio, and you could be forgiven for thinking them from New York or somewhere.An English teacher of the language, living and working in Sweden, told me a lot of that is due to them seeing subtitled American films and TV shows. If you buy something made in Japan, China or Taiwan its instructions etc. usually use US spellings.  less

There are probably communities within various religions who avoid politics but it's not a requirement of most religions generally.Hard-line Islamicists deny any need for elections because to them the only law is that of God, so governments exist simply to...  moreThere are probably communities within various religions who avoid politics but it's not a requirement of most religions generally.Hard-line Islamicists deny any need for elections because to them the only law is that of God, so governments exist simply to administer that. Ironically though the original caliphs were elected - though in what still amounted to one-"party" states.  

I wonder what they meant?For when all is said and done the consent is not direct but by entrusting the elected government to calculate and levy appropriate taxes in a fair manner.In Jacobean times few if anyone in England had much of a vote, and the sover...  moreI wonder what they meant?For when all is said and done the consent is not direct but by entrusting the elected government to calculate and levy appropriate taxes in a fair manner.In Jacobean times few if anyone in England had much of a vote, and the sovereign had considerably more power than now.  

ISIS is a geurilla movement so has no defined, central, physical point. As with all terror groups, attacking it is a matter of tracing individuals; and if you attack someone's home or other likely bolt-hole, hoping against hope that you have killed only t...  moreISIS is a geurilla movement so has no defined, central, physical point. As with all terror groups, attacking it is a matter of tracing individuals; and if you attack someone's home or other likely bolt-hole, hoping against hope that you have killed only the wanted man, not some unfortunate friend or relative or passer-by who is actually innocent.  

No-one is born with any particular views or attitudes. They come much later with experiences, influences, educational condition, way of life and the like, on top of emotional responses.

Thinking of you all - we heard on today's News that this hurricane is the largest for 150 years. i am not sure if that means wind strength or the area it covers.Joyful? Well, yes. A week or so ago the Oxford University team who developed one of the Covid ...  moreThinking of you all - we heard on today's News that this hurricane is the largest for 150 years. i am not sure if that means wind strength or the area it covers.Joyful? Well, yes. A week or so ago the Oxford University team who developed one of the Covid vaccines announced working on one for Bubonic Plague ('Black Death'), which is still around.And a lot more light-heartedly was the rather startling discovery of a small island off Greenland that has proven to be the world's furthest North land. The scientists were actually intending to study the one thought to be that, then noticed they were all of 800 metres more North than expected!  less

There are two aspects to that.Firstly if you live in a culture that has not changed much for over a thousand years, as is the case in places like Saudi Arabia, you are used to the situation untili modern life starts to show you alternatives. Secondly, the...  moreThere are two aspects to that.Firstly if you live in a culture that has not changed much for over a thousand years, as is the case in places like Saudi Arabia, you are used to the situation untili modern life starts to show you alternatives. Secondly, the women have nowhere to run to anyway. Nor in fact do most of the men.The situation in Afghanistan is that life in the larger cities was becoming more liberal and "Westernised" after the USSR withdrew, until the Taliban took over. Once they were pushed back to their rural heartlands 20 years ago, that liberalising and a lot of real improvements started, although hampered by corruption and probably very limited experience among the politicians and civil-servants. One analyst I heard on the radio pointed out that a whole generation has grown up since the Taliban was first defeated; but the country has seen some 40 years of warfare on and off. They also explained that the Taliban is not a homogenous body but holds many factions - I had thought that from its very mix...    less

Yes - those two! Well, I dredged up a smattering of basic tourist phrase-book French remembered from school (where I never thought I'd ever visit the country). We were in quite rural areas where probably fewer people speak English, as most of the other to...  moreYes - those two! Well, I dredged up a smattering of basic tourist phrase-book French remembered from school (where I never thought I'd ever visit the country). We were in quite rural areas where probably fewer people speak English, as most of the other tourists were themselves French.Norway was a bit easier as most we met had at least some English, but one of our group had learnt a lot of their language so acted as interpreter and diplomat. They did appreciate it though when any of us managed a few of their words, in shops or cafes.We did have an interesting discussiomn once with a group of locals, on learning each other's language. These Norwegians all had at least some English, and one or two were quite fluent. They asked why hardly any Britons do not know Scandinavian languages, and we had to explain that British schools normally teach only French, possibly also German or Italian in some cases. It also became clear that our educational experiences differed in that the Norwegians learnt English as a living lan...    less

No. I've been a foreigner maybe twenty times, on holidays mainly in France and Norway.

There is Sharia Law and there is Sharia Law.... according to whose definition. Iran and Saudi Arabia are both hard-line Islamic nations, hardly shining examples of democracy and individual liberty, but even they treat women a lot better than the backwoods...  moreThere is Sharia Law and there is Sharia Law.... according to whose definition. Iran and Saudi Arabia are both hard-line Islamic nations, hardly shining examples of democracy and individual liberty, but even they treat women a lot better than the backwoods Pashtun men who form much of the Taliban.    

NATO achieved a lot more than women's rights, although that was certainly very important, but I think we'd have had to leave eventually.The real trouble arises from the way we did it, leaving the country with a weak government in the lurch when you hardly...  moreNATO achieved a lot more than women's rights, although that was certainly very important, but I think we'd have had to leave eventually.The real trouble arises from the way we did it, leaving the country with a weak government in the lurch when you hardly need be a professional political analyst or diplomat to realise the Taliban would simply fade back into their home lives, quietly arm themselves and wait patiently.  What is going to happen next is anyone's guess, because ISIS is starting to take its opportunity. I would not be surprised if the country spirals down into chaos and even civil war; with the Taliban under pressure from both ISIS and resistant Afghans. Only of course, the Taliban and ISIS are the ones with the guns and explosives.  less

It's the fascination of wondering opr eventually knowing of life elsewhere that is the draw. No-one is expecting to communicate with it, except in science-fiction, but the essential point is knowing if life does exist on the other planets. Even if microbe...  moreIt's the fascination of wondering opr eventually knowing of life elsewhere that is the draw. No-one is expecting to communicate with it, except in science-fiction, but the essential point is knowing if life does exist on the other planets. Even if microbes.I don't like them, or the journalists perhaps, keep calling any such life "alien". The word means "from foreign places" but those organisms that might be on other planets are in their own homes! They'd only be "alien" to us if somehow brought to Earth.  

Thermometers, too.I'd be surprised if any dentists still use mercury amalgam as mercury is poisonous. Perhaps the tiny amount used is not sufficient to pose a real risk and anyway is locked up in the filling compound; but though it might be hazardous for ...  moreThermometers, too.I'd be surprised if any dentists still use mercury amalgam as mercury is poisonous. Perhaps the tiny amount used is not sufficient to pose a real risk and anyway is locked up in the filling compound; but though it might be hazardous for the patient it's not something that dentists want to be exposed to regularly. I think the word 'quick' here uses its old, other meaning, of 'alive' - as in the old religious phrase, "the quick and the dead".  

The Americans and other foreigners there but wanting to go home are probably not in danger from the Taliban provided they are careful and don't provoke them; but the Afghans very likely are, which is why they want to escape.

The Taliban is determined to stick to the agreed deadline and it is not in its interests to hinder foreigners from leaving.The bombs were those of ISIS, but I don't know their point other than trying to make the situation as unstable and desperate as poss...  moreThe Taliban is determined to stick to the agreed deadline and it is not in its interests to hinder foreigners from leaving.The bombs were those of ISIS, but I don't know their point other than trying to make the situation as unstable and desperate as possible. I can't see the Taliban submitting to ISIS. For a start, the Taliban are Afghans and apart from their ruthless power-lust, they want Afghanistan to be for Afghans.ISIS and most of its members are yet more foreigners, though it may well have Afghan followers. I wonder if some of them fought with the Taliban to drive out what they see as invaders but would now turn against them.The worst that might happen is a three-way civil-war with the country, already poor and suffering from a severe drought, ripped apart by fighting between the Taliban, ISIS and Afghans trying to resist both. If that happens we might seen some very strange alliances forming and breaking both within the country and with other countries.  less

The "weather" is not likely to affect the area of the fire itself except for the strong convection-current breeze it may create.We don't yet know what that possible attack really is, but if it genuinely is as thought, yes very much bnelwo the belt... even...  moreThe "weather" is not likely to affect the area of the fire itself except for the strong convection-current breeze it may create.We don't yet know what that possible attack really is, but if it genuinely is as thought, yes very much bnelwo the belt... even if on top of the head. Nasty.If there is any sort of honour among those types I think it will be a very twisted sort. I doubt they can truly trust each other.  

A good question....They probably do have a lot of natural resources in China itself and in Tibet, but they've also taken a sizeable stake in Khazakstan's oil and gas, probably have their eyes on whatever lies in Aghanistan, and has a strong grip on many o...  moreA good question....They probably do have a lot of natural resources in China itself and in Tibet, but they've also taken a sizeable stake in Khazakstan's oil and gas, probably have their eyes on whatever lies in Aghanistan, and has a strong grip on many other countries' resources and industries.It even owns a chunk of what's left of Britain's steel industry, and ironically, a British builder of that symbol of the very wealthy, the luxury "yacht".  

That's two questions for the price of one!Huge forest-fires over vast enough areas will push a very large amount of hot gases, dust and air high into the atmosphere. The water trapped in it - much of it boiled out of the burning trees - will condense some...  moreThat's two questions for the price of one!Huge forest-fires over vast enough areas will push a very large amount of hot gases, dust and air high into the atmosphere. The water trapped in it - much of it boiled out of the burning trees - will condense somewhere as clouds and possibly rain down-wind; using the dust particles as condensation nuclei. At the same time a lot air will be pulled in as wind, to the fire itself.'''''By sheer co-incidence that "Havana Syndrome" was an item in this afternoon's main BBC Radio Four news programme. It described the theory that "directed radio pulses" are to blame, and apparently the Russians have been working on something like this; but we still do not really know. It is still being investigated.The reported noises would not be the pulses themselves as we cannot "hear" radio signals; but a form of tinnitus that like the other symptoms, are from effects of the signals on the brain.I would suspect by smple Devil's Advocacy that if indeed Someone is deliberately irradiating anyon...    less

The USA and China are probably evenly-matched in science and engineering; but working in different directions with the Chinese maybe nowadays much more military. They also have a huge reserve of civil-engineering skills, needed for their massive projects ...  moreThe USA and China are probably evenly-matched in science and engineering; but working in different directions with the Chinese maybe nowadays much more military. They also have a huge reserve of civil-engineering skills, needed for their massive projects like the Three Gorges scheme and "Belt & Road" initiative. China is also perhaps the world "leader" in the dark arts of electronic surveillance, with the Israelis not far behind.  

Well, you did say "Allegedly" and did admit you don't know his actual words (nor do I), but as Walt points out the Torah and the Old Testament are much the same anthology in a different order.Though it varies widely from country to country there is a lot ...  moreWell, you did say "Allegedly" and did admit you don't know his actual words (nor do I), but as Walt points out the Torah and the Old Testament are much the same anthology in a different order.Though it varies widely from country to country there is a lot more discussion and co-operation between different Christian denominations and between Christians and other faiths than we might be forgiven for thinking.  

That is one mean machine!