Mike 🇬🇧 🇪🇺

I'm in Central England as a retired healthcare professional with a BA(hons) French & Art History

•Sketching
•growing stuff on an allotment
•TaiChi & Quigung (perpetual beginner)
•Pétanque player
•Fair weather cyclist
•Heard on amateur radio as G4SDZ

My disabled wife & I enjoy travel in all its forms.

Learning more about myself as I get older

Mental health is a personal & family challenge

#allotment #cycling #petanque #TaiChi #AmateurRadio #audaxuk #Leicestershire #sketching #gynaecomastia

Public Key

npub1v9pnm92t8yl4rdvmxemcw4s5pnfg0m398gce3zsj3ld8enx448mshrda05

NIP-05 Address

MikeFromLFE@cupoftea-social.mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsxzseaj49nj063kkdnvau82c2qe558acjn5vvc3gfglknuen26nacpz4mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerfw36x7tnsw43qzrmhwden5te0dehhxarj9ehx7ac9vwyz8

Publishing to

relay.ditto.pub

nostr.now

relay.primal.net

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npub1v9pnm92t8yl4rdvmxemcw4s5pnfg0m398gce3zsj3ld8enx448mshrda05

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Last Notes

2026-11-02 18:38:04 UTC

Yet another reform company County Council leader has had to resign.
Oh dear how unfortunate.
#Leicestershire
https://www.harboroughmail.co.uk/news/politics/council/leicestershires-opposition-leader-says-questions-still-need-to-be-answered-after-reform-uk-county-council-leader-resigns-9325650

2026-10-30 17:03:41 UTC

@nprofile…rna3
Hi
I've just read your fascinating blog post about using POTACAT & ECHOCAT - an approach that appeals to me.
However, I'm unclear about what Tailscale is, and how it fits into this particular jigsaw!
Can you enlighten a dummy?
73 de G4SDZ

2026-10-28 15:38:25 UTC

A bit of an unpleasant incident outside our house just now.
For context - we are next door but one to primary school gates. The gates are the end of the road. Next to us, and next to the gates, the house is occupied by two 90+ year olds, but she's got all her faculties (and some!). All the houses have driveways.
Next door were expecting their daughter in her car.
A parent had parked across the neighbours drive, and our neighbour asked for the drive entrance to be clear - and was met with a torrent of four lettered abuse.
The driver reversed into the school gate (why?) damaging their rear lights.
There's confusion about exactly what happened next, but our neighbour came round to us almost in tears which is most unlike her.
I was about to speak to the driver when someone from the school came out to have words (but I don't know what words!)
My wife is currently round there giving some solace.
Why are some people so nasty (and I hope there wasn't a racist element)?

2026-10-26 18:08:31 UTC

I have an alarm on my phone to remind me ta take my medication at 17:15.
Since the clock change it's been going off at 16:15.
No, it wasn't confused - it was doing exactly what I told it to do : "repeat every 24 hours"
Duh!

2026-10-25 15:12:44 UTC

Well, we've had a lovely lunch, and I've cleaned out the trap in the washing machine 🤮 (not that there was anything physically blocking it, but it stank to high heaven - so maybe there's a problem downstream from the trap, like a sock in the pump).
Sacha has sorted out the cross stitch conundrum and the sun is shining.
Anything else before we leave?
#MyDay

2026-10-18 15:37:13 UTC

Caught on camera - my #allotment wildlife camera caught this magnificent fox yesterday.
#UrbanWildlife
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/117/462/641/402/172/789/original/ed1625ce6d9849d9.jpg

2026-10-13 07:53:36 UTC

Moin
I feel like I've got a cold*.
I ache all over, including a headache. There's a painful lump in my left armpit (that seems to be resolving since I first felt it about eight hours ago)
I've not been able to get out of bed and I've been brought a cup of tea (which is scarily unusual).
TaiChi has been cancelled by the teacher today anyway.
*Sacha thinks it might be dust related, as I took the dusty curtains down, and rolled up the carpet, in the room that's going to be redecorated soon.So it's plausible.
Hopefully you'll start your day without any aches or pains.
#Today

2026-09-20 15:50:14 UTC

Although it seemed to have been a poor year on the #allotment things are picking up now.
We've got the best carrots harvest ever, and we're doing well with beetroot.
We've come home with those as well as a few squashes, a calabrese head and a cauliflower as well as a couple of cabbages.
We've got pears and (mostly) cooking apples.
Our Romanian neighbours gave us some of their tomatoes and cucumbers.
So it's all looking promising - oh, and I saw a frog in the new pond!
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/117/304/156/181/156/359/original/b729b0acbdf659c8.jpg

2026-09-02 08:53:18 UTC

AI agents are political.
I've recently been using a couple of A-I agents to get information on my new medical condition (yes, I know, I know) and they've been largely helpful and seemingly accurate.
I've just had an 'argument' with Infomaniak's Euria.
It framed surgery for gynaecomastia under the NHS as unavailable "due to lack of funding" . When challenged it accepted that it was a policy choice based on clinical evidence. It went further and accepted that it was lazy wording and the words definitely had a political bias.
(This wasn't the only thing I caught it out on, but was by far the most troubling)
The summary seems to be - AI agents are not neutral and have many inbuilt biases
#AI #NHS #infomaniak

2026-08-24 15:24:15 UTC

Tipping in the UK (again)
Just no.
If it makes me sound like a reform company voter so be it - but - It's Not British!
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/aug/24/us-tipping-culture-uk-service-charges?CMP=share_btn_url

2026-08-21 09:54:10 UTC

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@nprofile…ds0l
I've got a few random inks, but I don't think there's any Noodler's in them.
What's the back story to the creator? (I didn't even realise there was a Noodler!)

2026-08-07 06:34:28 UTC

I'm awake too early again.
I've been fretting about a health issue (I mentioned it a couple of days ago, and it might be getting worse). It's also slightly uncomfortable lying on my side.
Sacha has told me that I have to contact the GP, which I'll do even though I'm certain there's nothing they can do. So, I'll put in an online form as soon as I can this morning - at least she won't be able to tell me off.
I've got nothing else planned for today so I might make a start on emptying the cupboards in the room that's getting the makeover later this year.
Enjoy your Friday - you won't get this one back once it's gone
#Today

2026-07-28 13:05:55 UTC

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@nprofile…6rrn
We have found that some of the so-called compostable bin liners rot really slowly in the compost heap.
I have no solution except to throw them back for a second or third round.

2026-07-28 07:28:29 UTC

Here's a good article on the state of the Esperanto movement from the point of view of a relative outsider
Jen bona artikolo pri la stato de la esperanta movado el la vidpunkto de relativa eksterulo.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2026/jul/28/nudists-peaceniks-freeloading-travellers-esperanto?CMP=share_btn_url
#esperanto

2026-07-26 20:52:35 UTC

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@nprofile…vjcg
That's a good thought. I'll put that to the steward when I speak to her.
Thanks

2026-07-26 20:44:45 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em
They seem to be supervised by someone who knows what he's doing with allotments and trees etc.
They have rejuvenated a few neglected plots and helped out a couple of people who have been struggling with their plots due to sickness.
They keep our site roads in good condition.
I've not knowingly spoken to the supervisor but the blokes themselves (rarely the same ones twice) always seem hard working and polite. Occasionally one of them is really interested in what we are growing (and why).

2026-07-26 20:24:04 UTC

At the #allotment today I bumped into the site secretary who said that she will get the site steward to phone me. I've been unsuccessful in tracking her down myself.
I need to talk to her about my plans to relinquish my second plot.
The other thing the secretary suggested was that they might be able to get the Community Payback group to clear the plot for me.
This is a double edged offer (if it comes off) because I want to move some plants and I can't do that until the autumn.
I think I'm resigned to buying new apple trees rather than moving the existing ones.
I feel like I'm being rushed into the move. But that might be because I'm not firing on all cylinders at the moment.

2026-07-24 14:42:00 UTC

Home repair advice sought (UK)
I'm looking at replacing the skirting board in a curved bay window wall.
Has anyone any experience of the flexible skirting that's now available?
It looks almost too easy to be true - heat, press into position, fix to the wall. But it looks very expensive.
Any thoughts?
(Boosts very welcome)
#DIY #HomeRepairsu

2026-07-22 16:42:39 UTC

The thing that amazes me about #Pointless on #bbc1 is how Alexander Armstrong can say the same retched words on every blithering episode and not go stark raving bonkers.

2026-07-18 14:18:27 UTC

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@nprofile…5psv
I became aware of it because of the work of the Fluffers. The Wikipedia article only mentions the occupational hazards of their work in passing (but they were •only• women)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluffer_(London_Underground)
The Pathé film of their work is here
https://youtu.be/J4yT_PyZH14?si=WsW3e8ogRCvxErPC

2026-07-18 10:32:11 UTC

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@nprofile…5psv
I don't think this is new knowledge.
Toxic dust in the London underground has been a thing for decades - I've certainly been aware of the asbestos issue since I was a teenager living in London

2026-07-07 14:35:22 UTC

In an ironic twist, we're in Belfast having a great time, and our daughter in Northamptonshire has been evacuated from her flat because of a bomb scare!

2026-07-07 07:32:57 UTC

Electric scooters and E-motorbikes need to come off the UK government's 'too difficult' pile and receive some urgent legislative attention and consistent enforcement.
(I refuse to call them eBikes because this confuses the issue with perfectly legal electrical assist bicycles)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c05y9pe5p1jo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
#emobility

2026-07-03 06:08:51 UTC

It's 6am here.
Up early to go to The Blue Lagoon after we've docked in Reykjavik.
Have a great day yourselves!
#Cruise #BoatTripNorth

2026-07-02 16:31:07 UTC

Visit to various places this afternoon including this waterfall above Isfjordur #Iceland.
All the town's water is snow or ice melt from streams like this.
Lupins are an introduced invasive plant that stabilise the volcanic soil.
#BoatTripNorth
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/851/334/634/619/679/original/3b7b1b14250a5717.jpg

2026-07-01 16:57:24 UTC

Iceland looks small on most maps (due to the way maps are presented) but it's actually slightly bigger than Ireland.
Driving north to south takes around 5 hours in summer. Flying takes about 40 minutes from Ayureki to Reykjavik (but it's cheaper to fly via the UK)
#Iceland #BoatTripNorth

2026-06-25 11:28:14 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em @nprofile…rxg6 @nprofile…vt7u
The other group that doesn't get mentioned any more - because they've pretty much been got rid of - are those who lived on boats as a cheap alternative, either on rivers or canals.
The Canal and River Trust has (for various reasons) aggressively removed this type of user from the canal network.
Not all the reasons seemed based on good sense, and there was no obvious attempt to engage with them.
Unfortunately my dealings with the advocates for this lifestyle showed them up as aggressive and unpleasant, as well as completely out of touch with the realities of the economy and the environment.
The waterways could have been a real alternative for some people if it has been handled better on both sides

2026-06-25 11:13:17 UTC

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@nprofile…rxg6 @nprofile…l7em @nprofile…vt7u
I get the impression (from very little evidence) that the van community is a lot more diverse than that of the 2000s.
Equally I feel that there's groups that will congregate on the edge of cities (in the west of England) but a lot of line van dwellers. The two don't seem to be mutually exclusive.
I suspect you are both correct and both having different experiences based on experiences and locations

2026-06-24 12:52:35 UTC

"Train passed red signal before fatal crash - report"
This is the initial report into the Bedford train crash.
While it states that the train definitely did go through a red signal, it doesn't say why.
Don't jump straight on blaming the driver - there's a lot of technological factors that may be involved (AWS in particular)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cly90nqpryko?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
#trainCrash #Railway #Bedford #EMR

2026-06-24 12:24:27 UTC

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@nprofile…c7z3 Nearly all the buses in #Leicester are electric.
Nicer for passengers and better for residents.

2026-06-20 14:12:28 UTC

And you thought #Petanque was friendly!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgmny9v14no

2026-06-20 10:36:12 UTC

Yesterday there was a horrible train crash near Bedford.
The driver of one of the trains died, many passengers were injured.
The cause is not known.
Without minimising this for the victims, let's not forget that this was only the fourth death in a rail collision between two trains on Britain's railways •this century•. There's been 9 deaths on the railway from all causes in the last 10 years (See link below)
But remember that on average 5 people died on Britain's roads •every day• this year and will continue to do so.
British railways are a supremely safe way to travel.
We continue to normalise road deaths but focus on the rare occasions when rail (and air) crashes happen.
Keep perspective.
>> Edit to correct my erroneous number of rail deaths this century. There's a list of all British rail crashes at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rail_accidents_in_the_United_Kingdom
#railways #Bedford #TrainCrash

2026-06-07 18:17:49 UTC

I must be feeling a bit grumpy today - one block, one unsubscribed, and two mutes

2026-06-07 11:26:48 UTC

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@nprofile…rxg6
I need to unpick this.
There's definitely a major problem with the Metropolitan Police - too big & covers too many bases (eg neighbourhood to diplomatic services). The Met has behaved as a law unto itself since I was a teenager in the 1970s.
I don't see the same issues in the regions that I see in The Met. Local police forces I've had rare dealings with have been human and reasonable (but I'm a white middle aged compliant bloke).
I fear a the problems some people perceive with the police is imported from the USA. No distinction is made between American style policing and British policing (reference the slang: "The Feds").
If you're going to be immediately confrontational when you meet a police officer, it's hardly surprising that you have a bad experience.
However, the recent clampdown on legitimate protest has carved a huge hole in that 'policing by consent' tradition.
This has been politically driven and senior police officers have questions to answer.

2026-06-05 07:00:11 UTC

Good Friday chums.
I've got an appointment at the hospital late this morning for an ECG (which I strongly feel will be a waste of time). I'm going to drive part of the way and get the bus in rather than try to park at the hospital, or get two buses that'll take over an hour.
The weather forecast isn't promising so I won't get my garden jobs done this afternoon.
We've got a Gousto meal kit delivery today, so I'm cooking tea.
Enjoy your day - seize it, don't waste it!
#Today

2026-06-03 10:34:00 UTC

Excuse me while I have a rant to get things off my chest.
I'm increasingly feeling that urban & suburban England is utter shit (and it's spilling over into rural Britain)
There's litter & tags everywhere. Vehicles are parked, blocking the crumbling pavements. Roads are potholed.
No one seems to care about what their houses look like (least of all grifting landlords) with scrubby front gardens littered with rusting cars & vans.
Public transport is expensive, unreliable & doesn't go where you want to go when you want to go, leading to vast areas of concrete car parks that are licensed to print money for car park barons
There's no law on the roads, roads policing doesn't exist, and the Highway Code is ignored with impunity. Vulnerable road users take their lives into their hands every time they go out
Racism and all other -isms are displayed openly
I get why Reform people are angry, but their solution is wrong. We need more community & cohesion and much less hate.
#ukpolitics

2026-06-02 15:35:10 UTC

My Granddaughter is a second year Fine Art student who will be taking commissions over the
summer for custom artwork. She's happy to work from your photos.
Whether that's a pet portrait or a landscape painting inspired by a special place.
She's offering:
Pet portraits starting from £40
- Black and white or colour
- Pencil or watercolour
- A5 or A4
Landscapes starting from £60
- Colour
- Acrylic
- A4 or 40x50cm
Although she's in the UK, she's happy to talk to anyone, anywhere.
DM me and I'll put you in touch with Izzy
#FediArt #FediCraft #MastArt #CommissionsOpen #PetPortrait
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/681/366/876/420/121/original/e7c85ca80901606a.png
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/681/368/611/365/064/original/0ee2ccb6407abd1e.png
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/681/369/051/696/218/original/373b72aae30772bf.png
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/681/369/992/998/490/original/f9444b6909385d36.png

2026-05-31 07:50:46 UTC

Hello Pocket Pals
It seems a fair bit cooler here in central England this morning, although I've not yet looked out the window.
Today we will go to the allotment - jobs on my wishlist include getting more weed cover fabric up, turning a compost bin, weeding between the carrots, and planting some of the seedlings I've e got at home. Two out of those would be counted as successful!
Sacha has been stressing about organising a n afternoon tea for us and our two children. We think we've got it sorted, but it turned into a different kind of stress about how little she's seeing our son's children. Some people just need something to worry about.
Have a good time today, and if you've got a list, then ignore it and just go Wild (although someone else may have co-opted that emotion, badly, and sadly)
#Today

2026-05-30 09:55:42 UTC

I've only just realised that the pencil they give you as your 'admission ticket' at the Pencil Museum in Keswick is a special pencil!
I'm wondering if a museum purely devoted to pencils might be one of the most Mastodon places in England?
Maybe it's one of Mastodon's Spiritual Homes!
#Museum #Pencil #PencilMuseum #Keswick #Cumbria #Mastodon
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/662/907/198/387/439/original/76b5f418833b40c0.jpg

2026-05-19 17:31:06 UTC

More EV charging nonsense today.
Car park charger obviously working because there was a Volvo in the next space charging ok, but I couldn't get our side to fire up.
Two issues:
Firstly, the display screen QR code pointed to the wrong app! (#Autel)
Secondly, the contactless pay thingy wasn't connected to a network (3g?) and had a continuous error - so as the Volvo driver had realised, the only way to charge was through an app, but he'd worked out the correct app from the council sign! (#Fuuse)
So I downloaded yet another charging app and got the car fully fired up.
It shouldn't be this difficult!
#EV

2026-05-19 16:23:23 UTC

There's a lot of posters up around here for The National Emergency Briefing
It's this : https://www.nebriefing.org/
Which to my shame I had never heard of.
However I think they need to rethink their publicity because my first, and enduring, reaction was that it looked and sounded like a Far Right group declaration of an 'emergency' related to immigration or us woke lefties.
#NationalEmergencyBriefing #Cumbria #GettingItWrong

2026-05-18 07:05:38 UTC

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@nprofile…x9tq
I'd be interested - in an academic sort of way - what the legal position is if there's no administration for any period of time.

2026-05-12 17:55:32 UTC

Are there any politicians in Westminster who are actually competent and capable of being the UK Prime Minister?
No.
There don't seem to be any that I'd consider to be world class 'statesmen' (I can't think of a gender neutral term). Or even any that would fill a village hall with confidence.
None of the Labour 'names' fill me with confidence; the Tories are a joke; Ed Davey - maybe but his stunts do make me cringe. Zack? Great communicator & visionary but I don't see him as a 'statesman' at the moment.
(Don't even mention the grifting goon in the pocket of Russia)
Heaven help us.
How did we get here?
#UKPolitics

2026-05-11 12:25:02 UTC

Last night's dream was about buying a single wheel motorcycle.
I've discovered that, yes, they exist in the real world!
#Dreams
https://ridedriveelectric.com/the-wonderfully-weird-world-of-one-wheel-motorcycles/

2026-05-10 17:39:41 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em @nprofile…3sg0 @FluentInFinance@mastodon.social @nprofile…35pf It might be instructive to look at 'whole of life' costs rather than breaking it down.
The cost of fuel is much less in the USA but probably cars cover a greater mileage due to the geography of the continent.
I've not got a clue about how maintenance costs might vary between the two areas but it could be a significant factor.
So - are the higher purchase payments offset by lower running costs or not?

2026-05-10 09:01:12 UTC

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@nprofile…vt7u @nprofile…x9tq
As much as the NHS 'internal market' is an abomination the existing mechanism could be used for both transferred patients from private care and for medical tourism.
If the initial treatment wasn't provided for by the Trust giving the later care (and there was no agreement in place to provide that care) then the cost of the later - emergency - care falls onto the initial provider. If the first treatment was overseas it would end up being the patient, or travel insurer. Within the UK the private hospital or ultimately the private healthcare insurance company would have to pick up the bill.
This would increase the cost of private healthcare insurance (small violin) and travel insurance but it potentially puts a big chunk of money into the NHS.

2026-05-10 08:39:09 UTC

I know very well that I shouldn't do this.
I've been looking at the weather forecast for our holiday next week.
We are going to Cumbria.
We are either going to get wet, or very wet.
Can someone please explain how the Lake District might be a bit damp? 🤔🙂
#Cumbria #Weather #Holiday

2026-05-10 08:24:31 UTC

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@nprofile…x9tq
When I first came to Leicester it was to work in the laboratory inthe Regional Cardiothoracic Unit back in the early 80s.
We did a lot of clever cardiac surgery including some 'breakthrough' research.
But I was shocked at how many patients were transferred to the NHS Intensive Care Unit from the local private hospital which did much more routine cardiac surgery - which of course was performed by exactly the same surgeons, usually on a Friday evening or Saturday. There was no overnight medical cover at the private hospital, so anyone with a hint of a problem was dumped on the NHS.
It still happens today.
Medical Tourism is another modern equivalent.

2026-05-09 07:36:58 UTC

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@nprofile…x9tq Ive seen an analysis (possibly in The Guardian) looking at votes rather than seats which suggests that the GPEW did much better than the results (by seat) would suggest at first sight.
Equally, there was a chart here earlier - which I didnt boost due to lack of AltText - pointing out that the nature of these staged local elections show that overall & nationally the number of Reform ltd seats on English councils isn't that much greater than Green seats, and in overall numbers both are well down the table.
It's not great, but it's not all gloom & doom

2026-05-08 13:48:42 UTC

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@nprofile…z4eq
I'm not a member of any party, but my inclination is towards the Greens.
Your view that the GPEW has not been strong enough may be flawed, but only in some respects.
Local elections are atypical - younger voters are disengaged from local politics, and local issues can sway some local elections enormously.
However, there are probably a lot of lessons to come out of this week.
Some of them may include
•Less reliance on the perceived charisma of a single leader
•Getting younger people out to vote
•Being more savvy about the media and how it attacks
•Funding - it's always about the money sadly.
My further hope for the General Election is for strategic alliances to prevent 'vote splitting' in certain areas. This would mean swallowing a lot of pride, and quashing many egos.
In this I would include Labour, Lib Dems and perhaps the National parties (who I know very little about).
Other than that - I dunno!

2026-05-07 18:11:29 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em
I don't mourn the loss of the traditional British boozer because of the association with alcohol and 'bloke culture'.
I agree entirely that third spaces are needed in both towns, suburban areas and the countryside. As the article points out "Places like this could theoretically be doing things from 8 in the morning til 11 at night, seven days a week." - while people like those in the article are running pubs, restaurants and gastropubs which aren't what are needed for community life in the 21st century.
For the 'pub' to survive it needs to be redefined and run by people with a different vision.

2026-05-03 07:44:43 UTC

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@nprofile…la7y Thanks!
We are both retired - we both had to stop working due to ill health of different sorts, but the NHS refused to give either of us Ill Health Retirement which would have significantly helped my wife (I had almost full pension contributions anyway). So we are priviliged to have decent pension incomes and state pension on top of PIP to fritter away on luxuries like keeping clean and eating healthily.

2026-05-03 07:20:25 UTC

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@nprofile…la7y We spent a huge chunk of my wife's PIP on our bathroom too.
She could no longer get in or out of the bath so we got a walk in shower, and at the same time moved the loo to make space for the shower.
We got a loo with a higher seat and we put grab rails in everywhere in the bathroom. The loo seat has a Japanese style bidet built in (and a lovely heated seat!).
Very disabled freindly.

2026-05-01 17:38:01 UTC

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@nprofile…la7y @nprofile…l7em @ReggieHere@mastodon.social
My wife aunt who died maybe 25 years ago was a blatant racist even in the 1970s when it was almost fashionable, but for us of the younger generation a lot of what she said was beyond the pale - but yes we were told to "make allowances for her age" - it's nothing new, and it's not acceptable

2026-04-20 13:24:04 UTC

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@nprofile…j87y @nprofile…nzcd We picked a handful of irises yesterday. (central England)
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/437/246/509/050/416/original/44b14fe00720a471.jpg

2026-04-18 14:24:16 UTC

Nice walk in the woods followed by outside coffee with our daughter .
It sunny!
#Northamptonshire
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/426/154/284/678/088/original/05fcad3f19883ca3.jpg

2026-04-17 16:27:39 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em @nprofile…f4gm
I imagine this will become an even bigger, but maybe different, issue when home batteries are commonly used to feed power back into the grid?

2026-04-17 16:25:02 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em @nprofile…f4gm
The chargers at our local Sainsbury's have a totem with the price on. I've also seen this at a service station we've occasionally used just off the M1 - so it's certainly possible for the companies to do, and I'm not sure how common it is.
The card I keep forgetting emergencies is the Octopus Electroverse card which allows the use of a lot of charger networks, and the cost of charging goes onto my home electricity bill.
I've heard of symbiotic charging relationships between commercial companies whose vehicles are alternately away from base in the day and at night, so both companies use one set of base chargers but at different parts of the 24 hours (I think it might have involved Royal Mail)

2026-04-17 15:36:45 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em @nprofile…f4gm
I've not had to use public charging in anger yet but the apps I've looked at clearly show the cost of charging, I suppose this is the digital version of the totem display.
Certainly there's a definite need for standardisation of payment methods - yes, I know that in theory all chargers should accept contactless payments, but it's far from universal.
The other thing I found the one time I wanted to use a charger was that there's a •lot• of the older very slow charge points around, which for newer EVs are almost useless. The apps can, thankfully, filter these out.

2026-04-08 07:35:43 UTC

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@nprofile…la7y
You toot therefore you are

2026-04-07 19:58:17 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em
I'm not so sure about your last point - in (parentheses).
I've seen at first hand how professional trained staff can respectfully use appropriate force to deal with psychiatric patients who are no longer rational.
Equally, I've seen police use inappropriate force in the wrong situation because they don't have the depth of training for the vast range of situations that they encounter every day.
The whole situation with psychiatric care in our communities is a complete mess and we all suffer.

2026-04-07 19:15:29 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em
There's a major, ongoing, unresolved issue with police being used for first line mental health response.
There are a number of pilot projects aimed at partially resolving this but it seems to need a root & branch rethink to reconsider both the response to mental health calls and the use of Section 136 detention.

2026-04-07 18:50:25 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em
I'm aware of a police force in the Midlands that •was• sending officers on response calls before they had their 'fast driving' training. They were told to stick to the normal rules of the road, but put under pressure to get to jobs without delay.
I have no idea if it still happens, but I wouldn't be surprised.
It's a matter of resources - not enough staff for the amount of demand.
Not enough staff because people keep voting for promises of lower taxes - taxes pay for public services - like the police.

2026-04-07 16:34:57 UTC

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@nprofile…5zlc @nprofile…la7y
I really think that the deranged madman* in Washington is seriously considering nukes. All his language is indicating that way of thinking.
I sincerely hope there are some wider and cooler heads either in government or the military that can derail this before it gets that far.
*The words 'deranged' and 'madman' are insults that are loaded with all sorts of problematic connotations.
His pronouncements are no longer rational - hence deranged might be appropriate.
I don't believe he has a mental illness - except perhaps for dementia - so the word 'mad' isn't right, but tell me what is?

2026-04-05 16:17:58 UTC

You've never really lived until you've caught your moustache hairs in the ring pull of a tin of pop!
Ouch
#LifeExperiences #Moustache

2026-04-05 10:18:21 UTC

Today's fun thing to do?
Go to your local big supermarket car park and watch how many people are bemused / angry at the place being closed.
Happy Easter!

2026-04-04 20:07:37 UTC

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@nprofile…5uqu
I used to work with a technical translation company in Leicester, they specialise in German <> English but can work in almost any language pairs.
Their specialism is Engineering, Electronics and Environmental but, again, are happy to look at almost anything.
The website is https://hetranslations.uk/
(I was involved in the marketing & social media side of things, not the hard graft of translation)
#Leicester #Translation

2026-03-21 07:18:05 UTC

A canal sketch for #MonochromeMarch
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/154/753/800/436/122/original/93ace159e30fd072.jpg

2026-03-08 22:04:26 UTC

I'm considering reactivating one of my dormant Mastodon accounts to follow accounts that don't mention politics etc.
As much as I usually enjoy reading about current events like everyone, I need to disconnect occasionally, but I don't want to miss all the other good stuff (like cats)

2026-03-08 19:47:13 UTC

I've solved an inconsequential allotment mystery.
There's a plot holders near me who is frequently doing video recording.
Being the dollop I am I've been too awkward to ask her about it.
I previously searched for her but only this evening have I found her vlog - she's on YouTube & Instagram at DogOnThePlot
I can't speak for how good her videos are, but she's a really nice person.
#allotment #Youtube #vlogging

2026-03-08 18:14:47 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em
Caroline Flashback has been hit & miss all afternoon as well.
I'd guess it's something at HQ

2026-03-04 17:17:52 UTC

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@nprofile…t24v @nprofile…l7em and was Thompson Local around at that time?

2026-03-03 18:06:35 UTC

Apparently the American president isn't happy with the British assistance for his illegal war.
OK - prove how unhappy you are by taking your troops, planes and missiles off of UK soil.

2026-02-27 09:58:12 UTC

This BBC report says that "Democracy Volunteers" have concerns about voting processes in yesterday's by-election.
While Democracy Volunteers does seem to be a legitimate organisation, I wonder what their selection and vetting processes are?
Something smells fishy, and I trust the Polling Clerks more than a nebulous, unaccountable group.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yqpr28jrwo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

2026-02-21 10:57:29 UTC

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@nprofile…l3hd
I was taught that man-made noise / electrical noise was QRN but interference from other radio stations was QRM
Is that not current usage?
Am I out of date?
#AmateurRadio

2026-02-20 16:11:15 UTC

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@nprofile…ds0l
Having visited Lovely Leiden and Heavenly Haarlem (among other places) it's my opinion that Amsterdam is overrated and over-touristed.

2026-02-11 19:18:53 UTC

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@nprofile…la7y I clearly remember a school assembly at my primary school - probably about 1964 and maybe on the occasion of Commonwealth Day.
The headmaster of our North London school pointed out that the school had pupils from half of the commonwealth's countries.
This was a matter for celebration.
Oh! Where have we gone wrong as a society, and how far have we fallen?

2026-02-10 21:30:52 UTC

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@nprofile…vjcg
It does, you're right!
It's actually a collage of classic album covers.

2026-02-10 19:35:17 UTC

I suspect this might be loud!
I have spotted the keytar already
https://cdn.cupoftea.social/media_attachments/files/116/048/006/272/057/433/original/f5526ae17682072d.jpg

2026-02-05 19:55:50 UTC

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@nprofile…khl4
You might like the Nothing range of phones.
I have the Nothing 2A and am very happy.

2026-01-30 19:14:53 UTC

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@nprofile…z6pq @nprofile…k7ew
I really can't get on with the Vivaldi mail client, but I can't put my finger on the issue.

2026-01-27 18:51:21 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em
In the eastern part of Leicester there are a fair few late night café / sweet shops run by the Muslim community which obviously don't revolve around alcohol - we need to see more of this.

2026-01-27 18:24:33 UTC

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@nprofile…l7em
Going slightly off the original topic, but I'm increasingly sceptical about the claim of pubs being at the heart of communities.
This •might• be true in some rural areas, but the picture of the urban / suburban pub where the locals come together is as hackneyed as the sing-song around the pub piano.
Personally I welcome the pub-restaurant and the demise of the idea of 'vertical drinking' establishments.
I'd be very happy to see more late opening coffee shops and cafés.

2026-01-27 18:12:53 UTC

BBC six o'clock news: pub owner complaining it's too expensive to employ young people.
Pay them a decent wage and they will spend it in the local economy.
I really don't understand why anyone wants to pay people less than they are worth.

2026-01-22 17:20:39 UTC

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@nprofile…2q04
Curious! I'd have thought they would be very similar.
Both are what I'd call 'corner shops' rather than supermarkets, but the definition of both is pretty vague.

2026-01-22 17:08:42 UTC

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@nprofile…2q04
Booths in the North West.
Do you need to differentiate the different Co-op societies?
If you are included Spar you'd need to include Premier.

2025-12-23 19:08:27 UTC

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@nprofile…35ec @nprofile…fum8 @nprofile…dhe9
I understand why you say that, but I'm with WiseGreyOwl in that I feel the very rich and privileged live in the same space as us, but they are in a parallel system that has no obvious point of contact with us, but they do, nevertheless, pull the strings of the puppet state that we are governed by, sometimes lightly, sometimes with a forceful grab.
I can't believe they ultimately work in our interests, but in their own to preserve their riches and privilege.

2025-12-16 14:11:58 UTC

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@nprofile…lxup Do you feel that the long-standing free bus passes in the British countries (and the similar London version) are in any way similar to the D-ticket or this proposal?
My uneducated view is that, yes there has been an increase in bus usage by those eligible, but the way the services are recompensed doesn't seem to have stopped the contraction of rural bus services. Plus - except in London - the passes exclude rail which is perhaps understandable.

2025-12-15 09:36:16 UTC

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@nprofile…w47d @nprofile…hzyj
I have never, ever understood the pharmacy thing.
(When I was in an NHS management role, Pharmacists were very defensive of their 'special' position in the organisation and no one senior could break through it to improve things.)
Splitting emergency transport and routine patient movements should have improved matters but has failed miserably in many places - I suspect that contacts aren't rigourously written or enforced?
Resident doctors? There simply aren't enough to deal with the workload. Fund it!
Social care backlogs? So much has been written on this - and it generally comes down to lack of funding (again)

2025-12-14 18:02:57 UTC

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@nprofile…hzyj Oh good, someone else is banging my drum for me!

2025-12-13 16:10:38 UTC

Another allotment trip out of the way.
It got chilly as the afternoon went on.
We only came home with some sprouting broccoli this time ( unless you count a bare rooted blackcurrant bush \ plant we are giving to a pal of Sacha's).
The brassicas aren't looking great.
Got some weeding done and I started trying to get some of the bindweed out of the bed that's been covered all year 🤬
Sacha has finished tidying the strawberry bed and has made a good start on clearing grass from around some of the raspberries.
Knackered
#allotment #leicestershire

2025-12-11 09:11:04 UTC

I've done my seasonal grumpy old man thing this morning.
The school - next-door but one to us - was playing Christmas music extremely loudly at the entrance. Presumably this was to put the children in a festive mood so they could knuckle down to a day of learning to be good capitalists.
So loud, that it could be heard in our back bedroom with the windows (mostly) closed & through the curtains.
I went and made my feelings very clearly known - and got an apology.
(No Wham)
#neighbours #leicestershire #christmasMusic

2025-12-10 11:37:26 UTC

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@nprofile…hwyn @nprofile…hzyj
We had a preachy & worthy youth club in the 70s run by the local baptist church. We were smart enough to see through the preachy-worthy guff and enjoy each others company in (cough) various ways.

2025-12-09 15:27:21 UTC

The other day, when shifting furniture, I found a wallet of home-brew CD's.
They were 'mix tape' CD's that I must have made for the first car we had with a built-in CD player.
I had written the year on a couple of them - it's good to revisit my 18 years ago music tastes, and vaguely concerning that they've not changed much!
#music

2025-12-04 08:48:29 UTC

I'm not looking forward to this Thursday.
Dentist this morning for the regular check up.
This afternoon we're going to see the musical production of The Sound of Music at Leicester Curve followed by a meal .
The trip to the theatre is an annual pilgrimage with a friend of ours ( well,really my wife's) - it started as a group of us, but there's only the three of us left.
With both the friend & Kasa having mobility issues, transport is a nightmare I'm supposed to sort out (thanks to NCP this is extremely difficult), and parking is ferkin expensive, but after two lots of sup-par taxi trips, it's the only option.
At least they've agreed to a matinee rather than the usual evening nonsense.
Grumpy? Moi?
#Today #leicester

2025-11-30 17:56:46 UTC

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@nprofile…rza2
Without any identification of the data controller? Surely that's unlawful?
Spray paint seems to be the solution.

2025-11-29 10:45:32 UTC

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@nprofile…hzyj
We had that to some extent in the pandemic.
The rich and those who saw themselves as the elite opted out of that social experience. It was seen as a money making exercise.
Any future iteration of national service will be seen as something for 'them' not 'us' .
Mid 20th century National Service certainly taught a section of society how firearms and explosives could be used, and how to form & maintain gangs through hierarchy.
The formation of the NHS wasn't as egalitarian as we think, with opt-outs for private medical practice, the continuation of private hospitals & private wards, and the scandalous GP contract that we are still suffering with.
I agree with your premise that we are a divided society but I'm not sure I see your solution.

2025-11-28 20:21:58 UTC

We who survived the music of the 70s have got something to be proud of.
I'm not sure that I'm showing any of this lot to my grandchildren
#TOTP

2025-11-23 16:49:21 UTC

In my allotment shed I've got an ancient radio.
I really only use it for listening to Radio Caroline on 648kHz medium wave (or AM if you must) while I'm making our cups of tea or warming some up soup.
It uses four AA batteries, but because of the very limited use and the cold & damp, the batteries die very quickly.
I'm going to be looking for a decent wind-up radio. I thought of solar, but it wouldn't really be worth it.
Any better ideas?
#radio

2025-11-21 13:00:46 UTC

Guess who got to play with a 400 watt transmitter and an SDR radio linked to a 3 element beam on 20 metres.
At GB3RS at the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park
Me!
#AmateurRadio #HamRadio #BletchleyPark