30.12.19 Moscow imports "artifical" snow in record warmth.

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Monday 30th 41-45F, rather breezy but the sky is breaking up. Some sunny periods promised but they've had it wrong far too many times now. I'm suffering from frequent nose bleeds in both nostrils. I have run out of Christmas chocolates so that may well be the cure.

The sky was clearly divided into two layers. With a dark, lower layer moving fast and thinning. Blue skies above with only a little cloud looked promising. Until a new layer of low cloud arrived and completely obscured the blue. Lots more small birds moving about today. Three ducks too.

Late morning ride to the shops with a cold crosswind going both ways. Only brief glimpses of sunshine. Shops very busy after Christmas break. Only 7 miles.

Moscow has had its warmest December since records began in 1886. The council dumped lorry loads of snow in the city centre so that New Year celebrations would be more traditionally white. Meanwhile, Australia exceeds 40C in every state as mass evacuations are ordered and then cancelled due to the risk of more road closures leaving motorists exposed to wildfires. The columns of smoke were reaching 14km in height and causing dry lightning strikes which started even more fires. 

Australia fires worsen as every state hits 40C - BBC News


Tuesday 31st 2019, 41F, westerly breeze building, but clear skies? Does not compute! A few, small, fluffy clouds raced over as I strode to the lanes. I thought it must inevitably mean an overcast, before long, but the clouds disappeared. It stayed sunny until 13.00 by which time the cloud had thickened to solid.

Australians are taking to the beaches. To survive the radiant heat from the fires as they race unchecked towards the coasts. Another fireman was killed and others injured when a firestorm flipped their 10 ton fire engine over.

Meanwhile, in Denmark, there are new calls to follow the Swedes. By increasing the penalties for attacking emergency services staff. Whether this includes violence against medical staff I have no idea. They too are a frequent target for cowardly violence, along with firemen. Perhaps it is because most of the front line medical staff are women and an easy target for inbred misogynists?

It was a common headline to hear that young ghetto dwellers were starting fires in housing blocks. Then stoning the fire brigade who responded to the deliberately caused emergency. Welcome to Denmark! Where lifelong parasitism on your hosts is never enough. The latest trick is to attack the fire brigade and members of the public with fireworks. Handheld, fireworks can be made to shoot burning missiles at the innocent for personal amusement. With little chance of receiving a custodial sentence even if the culprits are ever caught.

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27.12.19 Lardy arsed, Coyote Morrison to give Oz volunteer firefighters free water!!

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Friday 27th 35-37F, light NW breeze, dark overcast with both forecasters teasing on sunny periods again. It was 33F at bedtime so winter might be arriving at last. We have been stuck in the low 40sF for what seems like weeks.The sky is all but identical to the last few days. Just a hint of blue between clouds. The wind has gone around to the opposite direction. Though it didn't feel particularly cold on my walk. Two small deer were watching me from the next field over. Perhaps 4-500 yards away.

Late morning ride to the shops. Simultaneous, brief sunshine, light rain and light snow on the way back. Only 7 miles. Comfortable in my usual winter [recycled] cycling gear. The GripGrab two fingered mitts are superb in cold weather without the hindrance to dexterity of a normal mitt.

Saturday 28th 30-32F, hard white frost. Bright orange in the east behind thick cloud. The forecast is for yet another grey day. Still uniformly grey at 10.00 after a walk to the lanes. A solitary Redwing was foraging on the bare earth of a previously flooded field.

Lardy arsed holidaymaker, Coyote Morrison has buckled under his own the weight of Oz public opinion. The corp of volunteer [unpaid] firefighters, who have battled for months in record, 40C heat, are to get free water and toasted Koala sandwiches without charge. There is no mention of when they are to be allowed holidays, if ever. Any mention of free, winter coal was definitely "off the table." And any agreement with the firefighters is strictly for this year only. There was no mention of any of the the costs coming out of his $800,000 salary.

Morrison only returned from holidaying in Hawaii when two volunteer firefighters were killed by the wildfires. It could have been worse: If he had stayed at home for his hols he might have caused a catastrophic sea level rise every time he took a dip! The problem then was that his personal tsunamis would not have reached far enough inland to quench the fires.  Not to mention the risk of "Great White" headlines and images appearing in the Ozzy press.

Scott Morrison says Hawaii holiday was like taking 'that extra plumbing contract' on a Friday afternoon | Australia news | The Guardian

Sunday 29th 34F, another grey day is forecast. The was a cold wind so I was glad for the hood on my jacket. Very little wildlife about today and who can blame them?  Dark grey, cold and miserable again!

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26.12.19 iTech mayhem!

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Thursday 26th 38F, calm start with the familiar, dark overcast. Yet more sunshine promised again. Yesterday we saw none at all.  It is becoming a habit. The sky is an exact copy of yesterday's. More grey than blue and zero sunshine. The only thing of note on my walk was a rather tame blackbird. Instead of hiding it just sat there and watched me walk past. The sky remained grey all day until it was nearly dark. Then cleared to cloudless.

I just clicked on New Post on my "cycling" blog. Google Advertising immediately opened a new page on another of my  blogs. Just as it did yesterday but [unfortunately] without my noticing. Do they do it deliberately? Why would they change to another blog when I already have one open? What could either of us possibly gain from the automatic change of blog? Is it, as I suspect, that the big, advertising monopolies can no longer keep up with the sheer workload of dealing with hundreds of millions or billions of users?

Netflix used to be much more interested in their viewer's habits. They even allowed a scale of enjoyment for the viewer to vote on each item. Presumably so they could show material likely to directly appeal to each viewer. Though that exercise was very short lived. Now they don't even bother to remove items which have been given a thumb's down. Their latest desperate bid to keep straying customers, as competition increases to a head, is an endless procession of Indian Bollywood[?] films! Give every single one a thumbs down and they completely ignore the customer's reaction! They put even more up!

We have frequently gone for well over a week without finding a single item worth watching on Netflix. Perhaps it is our habit of checking IMDB before we watch a film? Why invest an hour and half, or more, in yet another poorly scoring film? Netflix has so much dross that its catalogue looks just like the tatty, cardboard box full of cheap, used DVDs at a down at heel, flea market.

YouTube has obviously long exceeded its ability to cope with the burden of billions of viewers by a huge margin. It shows the same recommendations over and over again. Totally regardless of the viewer's responses. Or even if they have watched the video to the end. Do viewers habitually watch the same material again and again? It might happen, now and then, with a music video, but why list everything else day after day after day? Have all these advertising companies broken their algorithms with an intolerable workload? Or is it simply the weight of advertising which is completely destroying the Internet?

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Season's Greetings. Whoever you are.

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Wednesday 25th 41F. Too dark to see anything at 8.10 or even 8.30am. We are promised some sunshine. Actual timing depending on which flavour of weather forecaster is favoured. Low slung cloud is very slowly thinning to blue. Though still no sunshine and the cloud may still win. It did. No sunshine all day!

Best seasonal wishes to my remaining viewers regardless of your personal superstitions. While I have always attempted humour in my nonsense [nonsensical] monologues it is probably missed by most. A casual reader might even consider me a cranky old man. Though that is and never was my intention. Every year I feel the need to reinvent myself but usually it is just more of the same.

I am no longer the OCD tricyclist. The desire to be many miles from home with the headwind in my hair has completely gone. Yet I still enjoy the familiarity of my blog to try to put the world to rights. If I talked only about cycling I would have very little to say these days. Yet my comments, about everyday idiocy, probably jar with my former, cycling readership. You can't please all of the people all of the time.

Abandoning a blog merely results in far fewer visitors. It never really dies. What was discussed there, in the fast receding past, still has some relevance. If only to myself. It just doesn't progress beyond my last thoughts [or actions] on that particular subject. Just the price of being a long-lived butterfly when it comes to all my lifetime's obsessions, hobbies and interests.

Have a good one. If you can. But if, like many, you are standing in the way of other's right to life,  liberty and happiness then remember that the Internet never forgets. Nor forgives your crimes against humanity. One day, justice will be served. Evil is not a mental illness. Nor ever an excuse. No matter how wealthy you make your corrupt lawyers. It is a deliberate, personal choice. Often made out of weakness. But, far more likely, one of insatiable greed. May you never find peace. In this, or the next life. Choose wisely. There is no victimless crime. Only misery caused by your own, deliberate, petty actions. A marble mausoleum is a piss poor ending for anyone not obviously worthy of the honour.

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23.12.19 Cycling Scot mistaken for Mexican child?

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Monday 23rd 41F, another overcast day with a risk of rain. If it gets any wetter I shall need a tracked or amphibious tricycle to get down the drive! There was low cloud rather than mist. The trees up on the [low] hills were invisible while lower down it was just slightly misty. A gaggle of geese went over, chattering noisily way to each other and quickly disappeared into the greyness.

A morning ride to the shops under heavy, grey skies and light drizzle at times. Yesterday's ride seemed to have cleared out most of the muck in my lungs. So I was breathing more easily today. Bit of a crosswind. Pain in my right, outer kneecap on the way home. Soon went away. Only 7 miles.

Round the world cyclist, Josh Quigley, has been struck from behind by a car in the US. This was despite his wearing highly reflective clothing and bright rear lights. Could this be another case of Chump Zombie Rage? Did the driver mistake the cyclist for a Mexican child?

West Lothian round-the-world cyclist injured in US crash - BBC News

 

Iowa woman ran down girl because victim was 'a Mexican': police | Fox News

As the COZ piles up in Oz, this week's Wizard of Oz denies any connection between Ozzy coal and climate change. Even St.Greta chimed in as the returning COZplayer & holidaymaker went walkabout in front of the cameras. Desperate to re-establish his street cred in case anyone had forgotten who he was. [He's the fat cat on the Right with the Hawaiian holiday pallor.]

"King Coal" Canute really seems to believe his own propaganda. He may actually believe that excess COZ will put the fires out! Shame he didn't take his summer holidays in Antarctica. He's got plenty of "insulation" to keep him warm and there's no shortage of firefighting water Down There. Think of the COZ savings on his 1st class flight with all that gravity behind him. He could practically slide Down There. If there was any ice left.

Tuesday 24th 42F, dark overcast. The exhausted firefighters in Australia are unpaid volunteers. Some of them have lost their homes and all their possessions while fighting fires elsewhere. Some have lost their lives. Fully paid up and generously pensioned, holidaymaker and COZplayer Scott Morrison, is glad to be back in charge of the Big Red Climate Destruction Button. It's full steam ahead for coal-powered COZ! It's no wonder they call it Down Under. Though it has had many different names over the millennia. "Hot as Hell." "Penal Colony" Ring any bells Scotty?

Meanwhile, I went for my morning walk. Small blue patches teased between the clouds but no sunshine was forthcoming. Light traffic and light on the wildlife. Filled a few potholes in the drive for some exercise. I should have taken a barrow. It is inefficient to walk back and forth with a shovel full. Or even a full shovel.

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21.12.19 See me, Jimmy?

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Saturday 21st 43F, dark grey overcast but threat of some sunny periods. It drizzled instead of the promised sunshine at 9.00. I saw my first Tesla Model 3 today. Big, innit? I don't know what I was expecting but is was more "people carrier" than saloon. Hang on though! The 3 is a sleek saloon. So what did I see sporting the Tesla badge? A Model X or Y? It was taller and more bulbous than the usual Teslas I see quite regularly. More like the Porsche people carrier I see now and then. The Macan SUV? Remaining dark grey at 11am. Tried to wangle a gate pass for the trike but my pleas were rejected. Sunshine over lunchtime. Grey before and after.

Sunday 22nd 37-42F, a grey day with mist is forecast by both competitors in the race to be the worst forecaster. An hour and half walk anticlockwise up to the woods and back along the marsh. Extremely wet underfoot. Possible shopping ride today. And so it was. Only 12 hilly miles. Returning almost at dusk at 15.30. I passed several birds of prey reduced to foraging for worms on the fields.

I see the concrete traffic barrier has been flattened in almost the same place as last time. 90% of drivers considerably exceed the 50kph, 30mph speed limit just there. A staggered crossroads, sharp blind bend and a completely blind hump on a steep descent out of the sun, should be enough to warn drivers of the potential dangers. Sadly none of them have the necessary brains to read the road.

Safely back from his holiday in Hawaii, Scotty has beamed back to an Australia in flames. But it's "Business as Usual" for Scotty.[Except when he's on holiday, of course.] The climate might be affecting other countries, but Australia is completely immune to climate change, according to him. Any criticism of steadily increasing COZ, instead of the promised reductions under the Paris Feasting and Partying Bash, is just "scoring political points." So don't mention Balmoral. Or it's cheating the electorate at this week's political coup. Who's country is it anyway?

You know how conservative country people can be? The right uniform for the job. That sort of thing. Well huntsmen, on a shoot, would never be seen dead in anything but dark green. Which may explain why they are covered in bright orange hats and waistcoats OVER the green. Is it just me? Or does it seem foolish to spend serious money on an all green "camouflage" outfit. Then add orange decoration on top to be seen? Suit yourselves.

You'd think the mentally handicapped designer who came up with the SKY team cyclist's all black uniform would have added a touch of Hi-Viz somewhere. Just to keep them alive when they were out training in busy traffic. Or in poor lighting conditions. Instead of which they started a global craze for black clothing amongst sporting cyclists. Some bike shops had no alternatives to black if you wanted new kit. I'm still waiting for a Class Action against SKY for all the deaths and injuries they caused with their brain dead colour scheme.

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20.12.19 Scotty beams back to firefight COZ on the front line.

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Friday 20th 41F, dark grey overcast with 50 yard mist. Walked to the lanes in a chill wind. A small bird of prey was snuggling against a neighbour's smoking chimney. Probably a Hobby?

I thought it looked like a Sidney suburb on my walk. So here's a picture in sympathy with their plight. Talking of which:

Scott Morrison, this week's, token, Wizard of Oz, proves that the elite can always avoid a catastrophe. Just jump on a jet and go somewhere much cooler and where there is almost no risk of fire in winter. Nice work if you can get it. Does climate change affect air travel or vice versa? Ask Scott. He's a world expert on these matters.

All politicooze are experts on everything. Genuine Walking-Talking Solomon's to [mostly] a man. Just pop the batteries up their arses every four years and set them going. When the batteries run out they can rely on their fat, lifelong pensions. They never have to look back at their abject failures to make the world a better place. Pass the dogma sauce, please?

Now he's back in his smoggy, man-made Dystopia, Scott can commiserate with the families of the latest firefighting victims. And he can congratulate the murdering bastards who set the fires. So they can post their high art on the youtube, twatter or facebook advertising websites. That should increase their followers and hopefully their income. It must be awful being so mentally retarded that you can't get a job. Except as a graffiti artist, of course. Though there is always politics. No qualifications required apart from no jail time. That comes later.

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17.12.19 Bit of a no brainer Down Under.

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Tuesday 17th 41-47F,  a bit misty dark grey again with early rain. It was spitting with rain on and off on my walk to the lanes. Lots of huge container lorries about this morning.

A long, grey day with a short drive to collect more fuel for the stove. Risk of some sunshine tomorrow.

A Danish ship has been gathering plastic waste in the Pacific. After several months of plastic fishing they returned triumphant with 5 tons of waste. Plastics have incredibly long break-down times. So the Earth will be engulfed, by the Sun becoming a Red Giant, before all the plastic has been collected.

No doubt the precious 5 tons is now safely back on its way to a 4th world country. To be ceremoniously dumped on another illegal, overflowing tip on a wave-washed tropical beach. Which was once described in a travel brochure as "a true paradise on earth."

Wednesday 18th 40-44F, quite clear and should be bright when the sun rises. Some cloud crossing quickly from the west. There were some sunny periods but a lot of cloud too.

Australian heat records were broken again yesterday. With much worse to come. The national average rose above 40.9C or 105.6F. Higher temperatures will make the 150-odd wild fires even more difficult to control. Many fires are thought to be the result of arson. Bit of a no-brainer really.

Thursday 19th 41-44F, dark grey overcast. A pink sky in the east. Grey elsewhere. My left thumb feels as if it has been sprained. It must be handling all those 10kg bags of firewood blocks! Walked to the woods in very soggy conditions. Puddles and mud everywhere. Disturbed a heron and a cormorant on the pond. Only about 50 mallards visible on the water as they retreated to the far side. A stiff, cold wind from the east as the sun pretended to break through the cloud on the horizon. It remained quite bright for the rest of the day though with a milky sky.

On Wednesday, Australia shattered its national average temperature record by one whole degree C to 41.9C or 107.4F.

Meanwhile Denmark had been understating its farming CO2 burden by 3%. The increased figure was hidden from the electorate at the recent general election by the "farming rules for votes" minister.

In its desperate bid to reduce CO2 by 70%, by 2630, Denmark has set aside only 1/10 of the necessary funds needed to stop farmers cultivating wet bogs. The plan was to buy the land from the farmers and let grass grow there. Or even woods. This would stop the wet ground from releasing huge quantities of CO2 and methane when the farmers cultivate it.

62% of Denmark's land is already agricultural with ever fewer farmers. Larger holdings make public access to the countryside ever more difficult. By cultivating prairies, increasing drainage and ripping out all the hedges. Just as Denmark faces extreme child obesity levels due to overconsumption of toxic, non-foods and a complete lack of exercise.

Now "they" can't afford the empty promises they made at the recent election. It's all going on gold plated, Chump Jets and desperately trying to reduce hospital queues with fewer and fewer medical staff and rip-off drug prices. Then there's paying the lifelong benefits for the extended families of immigrants who have been paid off to go back home. Where they are [supposedly] in grave danger for their lives,. Except when they go back home on their annual, family holidays. I haven't had a holiday in 35 years. Should I start an online fundraiser? Australia sounds nice at this time of year! 

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16.12.19 Our [pedestrian] hero?

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Monday 16th 39F, overcast with a cold wind. The sun is teasing weakly from the safety of a narrow gap on the eastern horizon. I walked to the lanes along heavily littered roads with a cold neck and ears from the wind. Forgot my hood, but shan't make that mistake again.

Our densely hedge and tree protected home doesn't offer many clues as to the weather conditions just beyond the gate. By the time I am committed [sic] it is too late to return for missing items. Not while wearing, my already muddy, walking boots. We don't have a boot room at Chez Hovel. Just a rickety, old garden chair outside the back door.

Yesterday's gales had blown countless twigs and even quite large branches down. To be trampled by the headless, racing traffic. Our hero, being the only, sensible one present, felt he had to kick the larger branches onto the verge. Too many dog roses had long [sic] outgrown their hedge's vital support and had flopped downwind, into the road.

So I spent more of my precious remaining time trying to drag them parallel to the verge. So they were out of danger from cyclists and vehicles alike. Meanwhile I was dodging sociopathic drivers. Who no doubt all thought I was the real "nutter!" For wrestling with the scenery unpaid, or even without a tax refund.

Modern driving etiquette does not allow motorists to stop just to clear the roads of obstructions. That's a guaranteed death sentence! Nor does the council road sweeper ever come around any more. As they once did nearly a quarter of a century ago The now-antique vehicles have long since rusted away in the overgrown, council <cough> roadworks, scrap yards.

The risk of a rear-ender from some deluded, half-comatose, half-drunk, prescription trashed commuter. Or illegal, un-rested, "trafficked" Eastern European, articulated, lorry driver, is far too great. They are all half asleep from a restless night in the cab. But that's Denmark for you.

So it fell to me, as the token, pedestrian, to try and clear the smashed branches. Not to mention all the prickly headed, 5m [15'] tall, "standard" rose bushes. Which had hurled themselves thoughtlessly into the fray. No need to thank me. It's called "a thankless task."
 

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ANOTHER OWN GOAL FOR AUSTRALIAN RULES CLIMATE BASH?

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DOWNTOWN SIDNEY

https://tv2-dk-clips.secure.footprint.net/vod/flex/fdff4fff-73c5-4168-b5ea-3174ad748fbf.mp4


Australia was one of the rich countries fighting tooth and claw against [any] change in the rules at the Madrid COP25 bash. But then the Ozzy <cough> toxic climate representatives <cough> weren't at home breathing this shit! Note the Australian flags flying proudly, in the murk, over the morons driving across the Sidney Harbour Bridge bridge. Down in the even thicker murk in Downtown Dystopia City.

And now, following a late kick-off: 

COP25 3° Rest of the World 0

The 1% win [yet] again!

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50804199

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50837025

  Wednesday 18th national average temperature = 41.9C (107.4F) a new record.


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14.12.19 Wet and windy weekend.

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Saturday 14th 36-40F, dark grey overcast, breezy with occasional rain. Walked to the lanes in light, weekend traffic. Still recovering from the extraction so I "rested" on the computer all day.

Sunday 15th 38F, already windy and raining hard with a dark grey overcast. A storm is crossing Denmark this afternoon with 24m/s or 55mph gusts. Went for a late walk in driving rain and the wind gusting to 30mph on my old, Wind Wizard anemometer. The jacket kept me dry and comfortable but I hate the fussy, chin closure arrangements. A letter to the UK makers would probably be a waste of effort. I disturbed a flock of redwings in a roadside hedge.

A McLardy's slob was practising advanced binge slobberiness. There were over 30 items of McLardy's packaging on the verge in the lane. Newly arrived since yesterday. Not sure whether it was the same slob who emptied their car ashtrays into a single pile of about 100 soggy fag-ends on the opposite side of the road. Add in the numerous cans of beer, "energy" drinks and wine bottles and somebody has a serious problem. Disposing of it in a rural lane is probably just hiding their problem from themselves. 


The latest climate feast and fest has resulted in another abject failure of the rich countries to do anything useful on CO2.

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Friday 13th 12.19 BRING? No chance!

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Friday 13th 37-40?F, grey and breezy but some sunshine promised. Feeling much stronger today. So going for my morning walk. Almost back to normal. Just a half hour walk to the lanes. We shall be very lucky to see any sunshine. The cloud is getting worse, not better. A cold, easterly wind but I had my hood up. Providing a useful gain in comfort. The microclimate in a hood is far better than any hat. Heavy shopping in the car.

Talking of which: Why is "BRING" allowed to call themselves by that name when they never ever deliver? The word "BRING" has the automatic presumption of home delivery but is, in fact, the complete opposite! Definition of "bring": "To carry directly to a place or person."

With any "BRING" parcel <cough> delivery, the receiving customer must always collect parcels from completely random pick-up sites dotted around the Danish countryside entirely at the whim of the van driver. Who may well be dyslexic or number blind even when it comes to simple, four digit, Danish postcodes.

Does "BRING" remotely suggest a 40 mile round trip to you? Thought not. "BRING" is the only parcel freight business which NEVER delivers to your home. I call that false advertising by suggestion in their business name. Does a sugar company call themselves "Skinny?"

I really must complain to the new "Green" Danish Government or even the EU about this. If only to reduce my petrol bill and my CO2 burden on the fragile Earth! It's a shame Denmark has no consumer protection or I'd know whom to contact. 

BTW: Don't bother to phone the Danish "BRING" customer services to complain. They will defend the driver every time. Even if it means a long trip in the car to collect your parcel from a 20 mile distant pickup point! I kid you not! 

BTW: The EU Climate Plan is already on hold. [Exactly as expected.] With a huge sigh of relief from other countries, Poland has abstained/opted out/whatever. Meaning that other countries can continue to import Polish coal for their power stations. While Poland can be held up as a naughty nation for still using filthy coal for 80% of their energy requirements. They also import lots of electricity from other "greener" nations. No doubt using these imported green electricity figures to pretend they are much greener than the vast coal mountains, ships and exports might suggest.

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12.12.19 Hot flush!

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Thursday 12th 39F, another grey day in prospect.
I had a bad night after yesterday's violent wrestling match with the dentist. The rear lower tooth was absolutely determined to stay in place.

Once I returned home and the local anaesthetic wore off, the pain took the rest of the day to subside. It left me with an all-night headache and I woke up repeatedly. This morning I rose early after frequent glances at the clock. As soon as I had made coffee and muesli I had a hot flush with extreme dizziness. 

I was dripping with sweat and unable to open my eyes without wanting to throw up. Everything was in a thick, white mist! Fortunately I was not sick. Though it felt like the worst hangover of my life! When I was finally able to stand, after 30 minutes bent over and unable to move, my legs were paralysed. They would not take my weight and tingled and shook strangely.

I felt as if I was going to collapse as I struggled back upstairs still bathed in cold sweat. It was just like being in a tropical heat wave. I couldn't manage the muesli. Not even with plenty of milk to soften the oats. Fortunately the coffee was cold by now and went down without a problem. Half an hour later I am shaking with cold. Went to bed in a thick down jacket under a thick, winter down duvet to try and warm up. Woke up still feeling weak after a nap. Very odd indeed! 

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11.12.19 Greta is Time's Person of the Year 2019!

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Wednesday 11th 41-42F, cloudy and almost pitch black at 08.00. Very windy overnight. Walked to the village and back under grey skies. Had a rear tooth removed at the dentist. Very hard work for both of us!

Reports from the Spanish climate junket suggest the usual suspects are blocking progress for corrupt profit. Or using creative accounting to hide the lack of real progress.

St.Greta Thunberg has been called "a brat" by a well known, fascist crook in South America. It seems she hit a nerve when she mentioned the murder of indigenous people by illegal logging and mining gangs in the Amazon.

You should see the hatred for Greta Thunberg after Time announced her Person of the Year. You can practically smell the acrid, oil-fired, misogynistic comments from here. I do hope St.Greta is being well protected. There are literally trillions of oil profit dollars riding on her head now. Any drooling fuckwit can become a Lennon killer for their brief moment of fame in the good old US of A. Where anything is possible. For the price of a free fix.

Greta Thunberg: TIME's Person of the Year 2019 | Time

I liked the media comment [BBC Science Correspondant] that Greta was easily the most famous person in the hall at the Spanish Climate Junket. Many of the delegates were not even present for her speech. Because McLardys were offering a free Latte coffee with all orders of Big Max "Bolsonaros."

The EU has just announced a major Climate Plan. 40% of farming subsidies will go towards tackling climate change in time for the 500th anniversary of the 2019 EU Climate Plan. Well, that will make a different kind of a change, won't it? Is it possibly because the "usual EU culprits" are retiring? Of course the farmers will find ways to cheat the system. Just as they always do. The truth is they [The EU] are fiddling around the edges of the massive environmental problems facing the world and The EU. The Plan has already been panned by environmental experts. No doubt a lot of corrupt politicooze are already counting their EU "blessings."

"Safe in our hands?" Most of Denmark's deep well, drinking water is contaminated with agricultural carcinogens. They find new poisons very time they take another look. The Last Lot [of extreme right wing] politicooze removed loads of safeguards and trashed decades of environmental monitoring. All to allow the Danish farmers a free [heavily subsidized] hand in exchange for their votes.

Do you want something chewy with a slow release, killer dose of antibiotics? The animals are cared for by young, Eastern European, trafficked slaves. So they are quite safe despite the news report of animal torture at their hands.

Or, what about a nice big fat bun of decidedly dodgy lettuce laced with Roundup? Hand picked by Eastern European trafficked slaves and carefully prepared by trafficked Chinese slaves. Who have to sleep on wooden freight pallets in the back room. Between 14 hour shifts at £3 an hour, before deductions for their food and lodgings. No extra charge. Honestly! This is Denmark. Where human rights standards [only] apply for the filthy [offshore] rich.

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9.12.19 Greenland is melting 7 times faster than in the 1990s.

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Monday 9th 41F, still very dark at 8.00 and cloudy. More wind and rain are forecast. Or grey and no rain if you choose the alternative forecast service.It had been raining but stopped before I left for the lanes. I disturbed a small dear which dashed off for the horizon. Then it began raining hard on the way back. Fortunately I was dressed for the occasion and survived unscathed.

The latest Climate Conference is proving to follow the same pattern as all the rest. The rich countries do their best to avoid any change. Or even to accept previous commitments. The world is run by very small minds. They will cheerfully grab all of a very small pot of tin. Rather than risk enjoying a smaller share of a vast treasure of many different pots of gold. 

A celebration of 70 years of NATO was supposed to take place at a palace in Copenhagen in Denmark. It has been called off, at the insistence of the US Ambassador, that a known Chump critic and world's expert on NATO not be allowed to speak.

The Land of The Free? Freedom of Speech under The US Constitution? Yeah right. "I was only following orders," was ranked as: "A piss poor excuse" at Nuremberg. The courts are going to be busy for years tidying up cases against Chump's loyal, jackbooted minions! Mr Stanley Sloan has already been invited to speak at another, international conference and Herr Chump is about to be impeached. 

Tuesday 10th 32-40F, a clear start with  bright sunshine [once it rose.] Walked to the lanes. Heavy shopping in the car pm for firewood.

The latest reassessment of satellite images, by a large, international team of experts on polar melting, has just been released. Greenland is melting 7 x faster than in the 1990s. The melt is tracking the worst forecast and is accelerating.

The wonderful irony is that there are only 1½, north crossing satellites at high enough latitudes to capture all the vital data. One satellite is beyond its service life and the next hasn't even been sent up yet. Yet "they" can always watch their declared economic and political enemies right down to head and shoulders resolution over the entire rest of the globe.

How are we going to move a billion people out of danger of expected sea level rises? Most of those involved aren't even allowed to cross historical borders to work. Let alone migrate to survive. Millions are already affected by present high tides. Many major cities are within 10 meters of present sea levels or even below that level. The cost of flood protection will dwarf present estimates.

Meanwhile, Southern Europe is warming and drying to become a desert. The rich nations are directly responsible for the CO2 both now and historically. Yet all they can imagine is continued growth to maintain control of their greedy and petty, obese and increasingly sickly electorate. Without accepting any responsibility for the misery they cause elsewhere and will make vastly worse in the future.

Temperatures in parts of the world will soon become intolerable to human life as heatwave and drought records continue to fall like skittles. Vital food crops will fail repeatedly and water will soon become completely unavailable to literally billions of real human beings.

Mankind seem to be heading for a major and quite deliberate population reset as a species. How fortunate, for the 1%, that the vast majority of the human losses will be poor and black. Or a least,  brown enough to qualify as "them," not "us." Disposable nations in the genocidal game of who is left with the most toys. A game of entitlement which has been going on for centuries. 

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5.12.19 Fasten your chin straps!

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Thursday 5th 42F, another dark, grey day, slightly misty with possible rain and breezy. The science news is that the climate warming models were reliably accurate as far back as the 1970s. They didn't believe the science back then either. Simply because the sheep hadn't been told what to believe.

A walk to the lanes and beyond under grey skies. On the return leg the low, grey cloud began to be blown away. Leaving a higher layer exposed of golden, fluffy clouds. The lower layer appeared to be moving much faster and at least 45° to the higher layer. Still no sun though. The rest of the morning and afternoon was smooth grey overcast.

A few more hours sorting out the trike shed. Much of my previous storage was more fresh air than solid objects. I have made a huge dent in the shelf storage space required. Simply by employing shallow storage tubs 10cm high instead of "normal" deep ones. I just wish they were easily stackable by reversing them end for end. It really ought to be a global standard for storage tubs. I was delighted to find odd bits and pieces which had long been missing.

Friday 6th 47-44F. Very windy last night with rain. Dark grey overcast and breezy this morning. Possible rain forecast for later. Except that it is raining now. Morning coffee first and then a walk. It was raining so I wrapped up well against vehicle spray. Just as well too, because the lorries weren't going to slow or go wide. Nor the cars, for that matter.

 I was able to lean on the wind as I came out from behind the hedge at the lip of a crater in the landscape. Then I scraped a bigger drainage dent in the verge to clear minor flooding. The entertainment is endless and free in the countryside.

Saturday 7th 43F, fairly clear but with rapidly moving small, dark clouds. Half past eight and it is almost light. Quite a cold wind as I walked to the far woods in a loop. Three different buzzards were circling tightly on the lookout for breakfast. Bright sunshine at first but soon clouded over.

Sunday 8th 44F, gales and rain. The wind speed, duration, rainfall and any sunny periods are all up for grabs. Depending entirely which forecaster you trust. I left later than usual for a chance to be buffeted by the gales. Misty rain added to the drama of roadside trees roaring overhead. The road was littered with twigs blown out of the hedges.

Then, just when I began to think the noise could get no worse, a small family car went past and brought me right back to reality. The tyre noise alone easily drowned out the furious wind in the trees. In fact the tyre noise could still be clearly heard as it receded into the distance and out of sight.

More cars followed. Robbing me of the excitement of walking in wilder weather. It's nice to have it confirmed that the Audi drunks can still drive [badly] this late in the morning. I'd have thought they'd be comatose by now.

Going back over 50 years, 14 out of 17 earlier, published, climate models hit the mark on temperature. The other three could not take into account small changes in policy due to later agreements at climate conferences.

New Green Denmark supposedly has plans for 650,000 electric vehicles on its roads by 2530. They will have to give them away free to achieve that level from the present pathetically low numbers. Of just over 10,000 EVs to 2.6 MILLION filthy vehicles. 0.003%. Wow! The previous right wing government destroyed EV sales overnight with massive import tax hikes. The gales eventually subsided and the rain gave up but I had very heavy shopping to catch up on in the car. There just isn't room on the trike for six huge bags too heavy to lift in pairs. My wife was dragging them along the hall carpet towards the kitchen as I carried each new one in.

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2.12.19 Abandon hope all ye who enter here!

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Monday 2nd Dec. 34-43F, slight white frost, cloudy with very light winds. The wind has turned to the west and was chilly on the way to the lanes. The traffic was unusually quiet as the low sun broke through the stripes of cloud.

The latest 6 star feast and fest at top class hotels, pretending to be a discussion on climate, starts today in Spain. Ironic that so many flights land there for holiday makers to get badly burnt.

As scientists talk of dangerous, global tipping points the world's politicooze will discuss weapons sales. Oh, and their latest triumphs at golf, the size of the engines in their amour-plated limousines and their latest tax-free, pension and salary hikes. The climate abusers and deniers are boosting NATO discussion as a red herring to hide the lack of progress on CO2 reduction by 2430.

Tuesday 3rd 35-45F, overnight frost but warming slowly. Another grey day in prospect. Walked to the village and back. A distant tractor was expanding the ploughed area up on the hill. The trike shed reorganisation is ongoing.

Wednesday 4th 43F, grey, dark and almost still. We could have some sunny periods this morning according to one forecaster. Or not, from the other. Eeny, meany, miney, no?

A half hour walk to the lanes. Interrupted, only briefly, by four Whooper swans heading north. While a solitary heron, heading south, had obviously not believed the rumours of a free breakfast. Assorted crows, rooks and jackdaws wandered randomly in all directions. As is there wont.

A niggling, south-westerly wind on the way there. Unnoticeable on my return journey. Small blobs of turquoise sky punctuated the cloud cover. Whether this portends of later sunshine I will leave further elaboration to learned, Roman vivisectionists.

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1st December 2019 Vote Greta for next US President! 😉

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Sunday 1st December 29F, white frost again but a grey day promised. Still an almost clear sky at 08.30. The sun hasn't risen yet.

New Green Denmark is using huge import taxes on electric cars to subsidise ever larger, filthy cars. Further proof that the New Green Government has no real interest in CO2 reduction and the climate. They just hopped on the best ticket to re-gaining power. The public mood was for doing something about the warming climate and they grabbed their chance with both hands. First order of the day? Secure larger pensions for themselves.

It's just like the last lot grabbed onto immigration as a guaranteed vote catcher. I suppose it makes a change from the usual "big tax cuts but improved services" bullshit. An obvious lie, but one which has guaranteed seats on the gravy train's, plush musical chairs for over a century in most countries. There are none so gullible as voters in elections. Just look who YOU elected!  🤣

I enjoyed the early [blinding] sun as a I walked along the road to the steep track up to the woods. Then descended by the edges of the fields.  It is hard work walking on hard frozen, tractor tracks! At least I was inspired to capture some more photographs. The recent grey skies were a real dampner. Despite the frost I was too warm in my jacket with my thickest jumper underneath. There was only very distant sound of gunfire this morning. My wife has come up with a good name for taxidermists feeding the huntsman's habits: Snuff n' Stuff! 😄

The trike shed has had a sunken "skirting board" fitted across the front after something began digging holes. The culprit was working through coarse, mixed gravel and continued over two nights. Refilling the hole and placing a brick across the previous "mine entrance" only made it work harder. It won't last forever, but the larch board goes much deeper as a solid deterrent. I built the shed years ago and it has survived remarkably well. With only occasional attempts by the wildlife to escape the coming winter. There have been a lot of rats around this year.

The mayor of Copenhagen wants to ban woodburning stoves in The Capital. They pollute as much as the filthy traffic. So a ban would have a very similar effect to banning all the filthy traffic! Which would be unthinkable for most. Stoves produce dangerous particles, quite unnecessarily, where district heating is available to 99% of households in The Capital. Which is also true of public transport, of course. The diesel particles and the availability.

The New "Green" Government is luke warm on the idea. They obviously don't live next to a wood stove owner! Where windows must be kept closed to avoid choking fumes even during heatwaves in summer. I kid you not! Some people heat their water using very old-fashioned water jacket stoves, year round. These stoves are very old, inefficient and hideously polluting. Ask any neighbour how they know this.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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30th November 2019 It's an age thing! 😳

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Saturday 20th 29F, -2C, a hard white frost. Promising to be sunny again when the sun rises. 8.30 and it is still thinking  about it. A walk to the lanes in low but bright sunshine. A very pale bird of prey was sitting bolt upright in a tree across the fields. Highly visible even to the naked eye at several hundred yards. A heron was on its way to the marsh pond.

Rather unexpectedly they sent me an SMS that storage tubs were ready for collection. I hit a new milestone today. Two people helped me outside by carrying my parcel for me.  It wasn't particularly heavy, just huge. They must have thought I looked too old to manage it by myself. Mind you, one of them was built like an "8' tall gorilla." He could probably have carried it outside, under one arm, with [little old] me perched on top of the parcel. 😊 The trike shed reorganisation went well but rapidly used up the tubs.  Heavy shopping in the car.

 

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29.11.19 Fraug puts his Foot into Fat Borris!

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Friday 29th 36F, cool, grey and windy start but with sunshine promised.

The BBC reports that Channel 4 held a climate debate for political party leaders. The two most famous, circus clowns failed to turn up. The usual culprits: Fat Boris and his straight man: Fraug. Two lifetime, obsessive attention seekers not turning up for a TV debate? This, immediately after the EU Parliament unanimously passed a "Climate Emergency" notice to promise increased coal burning. Does not compute!

Channel 4 pulled off a dramatic publicity stunt by erecting two ice sculptures of the missing Blighted clowns. Which slowly [and dramatically] melted during the debate. The leader of the labour party did turn up after getting a pass from his decrepit people's home. Nobody knew who the rest were. All obviously in desperate need of a vote or two amongst swing voters.

Some audience members claimed that the labour [taxing] leader was really Michael Foot. With a "Short Back and Sides" haircut to hark back to the Party's grass roots. Both Clown's parties complained afterwards to the TV Ombudsman for Continuously Lowering Standards about the ice sculptures. Which [allegedly] showed a total lack of respect for professional [and increasingly endangered] clowns.

Talking of which: This week's Ozzie prime minister is in denial about climate change too. As half of Australia's remaining non-desert chokes under a blanket of smog from burning coal koalas. Coal is  now Australia's only export after wool sales collapsed. This was due to cruelty issues in keeping sheep in a desert without water. So no Ozzie dares to mention coal in the same breath as fires or they'll go broke.

Danish climate experts are telling the "New Green" government that their CO2 reduction plans are mere cake decoration and will take years to have any real effect. The rest is just massaging the figures to make them look better in 2330.  

A walk in a cold, gusty wind along the marsh, up to the woods and then back along the main track. All very soggy underfoot. I was grateful for the waterproof trousers and the hood on my jacket. I didn't take gloves so relied on the hand warmer, hip pockets. Not ideal when tottering on steep, muddy banks bereft of useful grip.

A couple of herons took umbrage and left in a slow motion huff. Only about thirty Mallards were cruising the leaden pond under a leaden sky. It was 9.45 before the first, brief glimpse of the promised sunshine between layers of cloud. It was soon gone again. Though it left some bits of turquoise sky edged with pink just to tease us. After 11am it was solid sunshine until well after lunch. It remained clear later. With a beautiful, red sunset decorated by a thin, crescent moon. Already a frost at 6.45pm.

The storage tubs were a myth of the tracking website. Now they won't turn up until next week. Which means the trike shed must wait for its makeover. While my chances for the Nobel prize for extreme shed tidying is now equally unlikely. Never mind, I'll just wear odd coloured socks and go for the 2019 Guinness Record for shed tidying while wearing odd coloured socks as a [completely worthless] consolation prize. Well, it's not so utterly meaningless as spending years setting up dominoes just because you can't think of anything more interesting.

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28th November 2019 "My other car is a Tesla 3!" 🤣

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Thursday 28th 46F, dark grey overcast with rain forecast for most of the day. A walk to the village. Dry at first, then fine drizzle and then stair rods. The drive is liquid from end to end! Am I having fun yet? More time working on tidying the trike shed. The Trykit front wheel reached within 3' of the far end of the shed by this afternoon. Which is a global first. Do they do a Nobel Prize for shed tidying?

More storage tubs arriving tomorrow. Including plenty of shallow ones. I need to divide my screwdrivers, pliers and spanners at the very least. I haven't counted them but there must 100 screwdrivers collected over 50 years. Not even counting those indoors and in the other workshop. Neither shed has had a proper workbench in years.

Remember the "New Green" Danish Government? Their election catch phrase of: 70% reduction in CO2 by 2230! Well, they will increase the road tax for the Tesla 3 from £400 in 2020 to £14,000 in 2021. Meanwhile petrol and diesel cars will enjoy a reduction. Only in Denmark!! 😂

The Tesla 3 was the most sold electric car in Denmark of the total of 15 EVs sold here in all of this year. There must be tiny Pacific islands, by now, with far more electric cars on them than the whole of even tinier Denmark.

So, instead of running around in a Porsche or Ferrari, from now on the Danish pimps, drug dealers, people traffickers and pensioned politicooze will be flashing their wealth in a leased, Tesla 3! I will just have to make do with a rear screen sticker for my 1990's Japanese banger:

🤣

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26.11.19 Consumer protection? Que? No comprende!

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Tuesday 26th 41-44F, dark grey and raining lightly. Very little wind so far. Walked to the lanes with my hood fitted to the jacket and my new waterproof trousers on. Stayed warm, dry and comfortable. The gulls were too depressed to move. Continuing to tidy the trike shed.

The Dark Tower hovers above the mist in the distance. A strange picture deprived of light.

Wednesday 27th 44-45F, dark grey overcast again. Rain at lunch time. I wonder whether it has anything to do with Denmark's increased burning of imported coal in its power stations? Increased over the increase of the previous year. In other words expanding. I walked to the lanes in a light, south easterly wind.

Later, I rode further afield to find the items I can't buy locally in the same supermarket chains. A waste of time because there was no stock there either. Worse, it rained hard all the way home! 14 miles. Despite the short rain jacket I had to change every single item of clothing.

A major, Danish, electronics chain has been accused of falsehoods by the media. Why has it taken this long for the crooks to make the headlines? When will somebody report on the other major electronics chain of crooks too? Both chains run a scam where you can reserve a product online. But it is never available when you drive the 20 miles to their big shed stores to collect. Despite their having shown stock of several of the item at that branch when you placed your online order.

Though you can always trade up to a far more expensive item, of course. Or, their favourite scam:  The same item but with "professional" preparation. Like having Windows 10 installed on a laptop! Or a "pretend" calibration of a brand new TV.  Which means nothing at all because it is only designed to impress under bright, showroom lighting conditions. Both items were advertised at one price but this was not available. Though they had a tall stack of "calibrated" TVs with special printing direct from the factory. Which you didn't want or ask for but costs hundreds or even thousands more kroner. [Tens to hundreds of British Pounds or US Dollars.]

I believe they wanted £120 equivalent for each "special service" on top of the widely advertised price. I walked away and was then ripped off just across the road! I didn't want to buy such items online, sight unseen. So felt I had no choice but to use a bricks, mortar and corrugated tin store where I could see the goods first. I thought it was just my being English and elderly and therefore [hopefully] an easy target for them. Now it seems to be a routine scam deliberately aimed at the Danes too.
 
I know these scammers operate just across the road from each other because I had dealings with both at the same time. Like two gangs of outlaws setting an ambush for the unwary at the pass. That's the problem living in a country with absolutely no consumer protection. There is no sheriff. So the bandits run riot. You'd think they'd send in the EU consumer troops, by now, but not so far.

Another chain is reported to be still  breaking the law on special offers despite a £70,000 fine last year. The same chain which frequently advertises special offers in their supermarkets but they never arrive. This has been going on for years. So much so that the staff rattle off the no delivery excuse without batting an eyelid. The vast profits from increased sales must easily exceed any piddling fines.

 Ask me about the local garage which did £300 [equivalent] of unrequested "minor fiddling" when I only asked for an MOT check on my old car. With no agreement to do anything at all but report back. Of course they belong to the national chain of approved vehicle repairers. As if the plaque outside meant anything at all except false marketing.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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25.11.19 Bad petrol!! Or better batteries?

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Monday 25th 41F, dark grey again but with lighter winds. Fine drizzle and a thin, easterly wind accompanied me on my walk to the lanes. Heavy shopping in the car.

I bought some Shell petrol and the car immediately started misbehaving. Juddering and failing to pick up from low speed. The tank was probably 1/4 full beforehand. Now I have to burn off more than £20 of petrol [as a very low mileage user] before I can add some more from a different petrol station. The advice online, to avoid tank draining and injector cleaning, is to top up with premium. I usually use 95.

This problem has occurred before but I can't remember why it went away. It is nasty to try to pull through a gap in the traffic and then stall on the middle of the road! Even revving the engine repeatedly doesn't guarantee a safe pick up! Though it gets lots of glares in the supermarket car park!

There is a new fuel type coming up in 2020 with extra bio [ethanol?] mixed into it. We can blame the EU for this. The advice is to avoid it with older cars like mine. [1990s] Compulsory vehicle redundancy?

Q. How do you replace an "old banger" with a new electric one? A. You can't. One is completely worthless. While the other costs an arm and a leg and one and a half kidneys in Denmark with its 200% import taxes!

You can't even access any of the websites dealing with electric cars in Denmark. They all insist I close my ad blocker. I finally found an independent website listing EV prices in Denmark. The cheapest is the I-Up from VW.

You know, the completely trustworthy manufacturer. The one with a perfect record of honesty when it comes to statistics and testing. Not to mention factory installed rust. I've owned several VWs over the years. Though it was a close run thing, with Ford, where competitive rust is concerned.

Q: What are the chances a VW battery will outlast their claimed specs?

1) 1%.
2) Depends which heavily subsidised advertising magazine or website you ask.
3) 0.001 seconds after any supposed [vaguely worded legalsleeze] guarantee ends.
4) Who has £28,000 plus delivery plus "hidden extras" anyway?

There's no chance the new <cough> Green Danish government <cough> will reduce import taxes on EVs. They have a vast fleet of Chumpy's gold plated F35s to buy. Plus all the homes they will have to buy up and demolish because of insanely high noise levels.

Then there's all the publicly owned ghettoes they have promised to demolish to reduce imported criminality. 11,000 people are expected to leave the ghettos with large bribes readily available. The young criminals will just have to find alternative entertainment. Other than setting light to blocks of flats full of families and then stoning the fire brigade and police who respond.

In climate news: Atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations actually increased faster in 2018 than in previous years. The Victoria Falls are in grave danger of drying up. Flow sometimes drops to 50% of normal and is predicted to get much worse.

Danish businesses, including factories and supermarkets usually release "waste" heat into the atmosphere. When it could be conserved in the local district heating systems. A large wind farm has been suggested for the seas of Bornholm. A Danish island just below Sweden on the map. The mayor of Bornholm is delighted at the chance to gain some commercial activity in what is usually considered a tourist island.

Parts from a vast, 200 meter high, wind turbine have been moved from the coast to the giant wind turbine testing station at Østerild in northern Jylland [Eng: Jutland] The tower base was ferried upright on a huge, multi-wheeled transporter. With the huge nacelle travelling behind at a walking pace for the entire 23km/ 10 hour journey.

The event made the national Danish news. Affected resident were asked to leave their homes in case of accidents. Though it is reported to have passed off uneventfully, just as expected. Many sightseers turned out to witness, photograph and film the journey. The experimental wind station now has nine pads to house a regularly changing series of turbines as manufacturers constantly develop newer and usually, even larger and higher, offshore designs. A maximum height of 330 meters or 1000 feet is considered possible.

The test site is a popular tourist attraction. With the surrounding area landscaped to provide ideal conditions for wildlife. Including, somewhat ironically, birds of prey. The filthy rich, coal, gas and oil lobby would have you believe there are huge losses to flailing turbine blades. The true figure is vanishingly small in comparison with the truly colossal losses to skyscrapers, industrial sites, road transport and domestic cats.

But don't let the truth get in the way of world destroying and totally obscene, taxpayer-subsidised profits. Ask any resident of a major city in China or India how they feel about the constant smog. When did it become a basic human right to poison your neighbour's air? Just for the convenience of driving to the local, McLardy's disabled space?

Tesla's "Battery Boy" has explained the window damage from hurling large steel balls at his new EV pickup truck. They whacked the stainless steel "Delorianesque" bodywork with a sledge hammer first. Before throwing the large, steel balls at the windows. The hammer caused a crack in the glass which failed on further torture. Next time they promise to throw the steel balls first and then whack the bodywork with a sledge hammer.

The larger Tesla easily beat the popular Ford F150 in a very unfair, tug of war. Note how Ford sneaked a jet fighter sounding label for their horribly outdated pickup? They should have gone with the jet powered one to compete with Tesla. How soon before the major, Ford production worker lay-offs begin? Their electric pickup is still years away. As they struggle to incorporate enough, built-in obsolescence in a much simpler vehicle. The Tesla looked like alien technology to the Ford's mid '70s styling. "Beam me up, Elon!" 😎

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24.11.19 The one man, cycle jumbler/hoarder.

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Sunday 24th 43F, remaining mild but dark grey. It is past 8.00 and it is still not light. The American ambassador is telling Denmark to buy more F35s. You know, the jets which are so extremely noisy that half of Denmark will need to be cleared of inhabitants around the airfield. Well at least they know where to put the next big wind farm that nobody wants either. Do 150 meter high wind turbines mix with low flying fighter jets? There won't be anybody left in Jylland to care. They will all be paying inflated rents to foreign money launderers in Copenhagen.

Walked around the 3 mile block in very blustery conditions. Just to avoid hunters on my usual off- road routes. A male Kestrel passed close by me after being disturbed by a crow. Even such experts on the wing struggle in such gusty winds. The huge, field puddles were unchanged in places from the last time I walked that way.

I spent the rest of the morning tidying the trike shed. Need more storage tubs! Two clear plastic tubs literally fell in half when I lifted them! I have brightly coloured storage tubs probably 40 years old and still doing well despite heavy loads.

Three more hours tidying in the afternoon as well. I could hold my own auto jumble with all the stuff I have in boxes and tubs. Square axle cranks, chain rings, sealed and loose BBs, pedals, gear changers, front and back, levers.

Sprockets from 8, 9 and 10 speed cassettes. Brakes, lots of saddles, pins and handlebar extensions. The list goes on and on. [Just like me.] I even found a period, trike gear hanger and a pair of Longstaff, alloy trike hubs.

Then there is the early, LongJohn transporter bike with vast, mid-frame, tubular basket. A small front wheel, carrier bike. A period American cruiser with a dummy "petrol tank" and chromed, girder suspension forks. My wife's early and remarkably lightweight, curly top tube, small ladies/ girls, step-through bicycle. A tasty 24" racing bike frame with aero down tube which was sadly, too big to make a trike with the Longstaff trike conversion. I can't even remember the name or model of the frame any more. The years just race by.

The [lugged] Higgins 'Ultralite' [quickly fitted with Trykit 2WD & journal bearings] is hanging from the rafters to take up less room. I still have the original Higgins mudguard stays that a trike fan, very kindly sent me.

The Higgins had sprints and tubs on it when I bought it on eBay and had it sent over. Not ideal in a flint prone area. It came with a 5 speed, close ratio, TT block on original, Higgins carrier. Mr Trykit built me some nice HP wheels to go with the 2WD conversion to escape from the punctures ASAP! Sadly the Higgins doesn't look quite so pretty [or original] any more. Not after I put tens of thousands of miles on it in all seasons!

Then there's the Longstaff trike conversion with very pretty, aero, rear HP rims on alloy hubs. None of these are ever likely to be ridden again.

Probably have to get them all back to Blighty to find anyone remotely interested in buying them. Or any of the spare junk pile/collection. It will all go to scrap if I drop my clogs. Can't put any of them, nor the junk, on eBay, because of the freight charges.

I took 23 wheels and a load of frames and complete sports and mountain bikes to the recycling yard a while back. Just chucked them all into the scrap metal skip. What else can you do with them? They have no value in Denmark. Not unless they are the latest high end kit to tempt a "weekend warrior" to "upgrade" to save 5 grammes.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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23.11.19 Heads you lose, tails you lose.

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Saturday 23rd 44F, heavy overcast but dry.  One weather forecaster suggests sunny periods this morning. The other goes with grey all day. Quite a windy weekend in prospect if either is to be believed.

Not to put a further damper on things, but Denmark has enjoyed the wettest autumn since records began in 1874. With a week to go, 2019 has already beaten the previous, wettest, record year of 1967.

Climate change predictors suggest a parallel between global warming and increased rainfall. With a "wettest" record increasingly more likely. However, two years ago Denmark had the driest summer on record with crop losses. 1967 was also a very long way from our present, peaking, global temperatures. So trying to peg this particular, "wetness" record to climate change might be a bit of a stretch.

There are always variations from year to year. As occurred here in 1967. That's just the difference between weather and climate. At least it is mild. One year we were clearing a 16" overnight snowfall along a 100 yards of drive just to get the trike out. That snow hung on for 5 months!

Today's weather, so far, made do with a cold wind and leaden sky. A gang of gunmen were ambushing the pheasants again. Not with any great success. Eight shots seems poor reward for the investment in breeding stock, bird food and feeders, green clothing, artillery and matching four wheel drives. It's not as if they get much exercise standing around, out there, on the muddy fields. Perhaps they should try chasing the pheasants with nets? Like they do with butterflies.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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20.11.19 99% of Danes...

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Wednesday 20th 38-43F, overcast and misty, but both are thinning. The sky broke up to blinding sunshine between banks of cloud. Layers of mist and a natural tobacco filter provided stunning landscapes. Capturing the views is not easy when I am holding the camera as high as I can manage at arm's length to avoid nature's nearby obstructions. The wind turbines were still. Shopped in the car, in the rain, to bring back a load of fuel for the stove.

Thursday 21st 38-45F, dark and heavy overcast. I need to visit a DIY outlet 10 miles away. Today might be a good day for a ride. My walk to the lanes revealed a sharp edged lid on the sky to the north. The huntsmen were disturbing the peace again. With two waves of shots somewhere off to the south. The forecast is grey but dry with light winds. Ideal for a ride. In misty rain, on wet roads I rode 20, very hilly miles.

Going through the forest I was able to wash some of the mud off the tyres in the long puddles. Two large lorries passed me carrying huge stacks of hay bales. At the speed they were travelling it will be a surprise if there are any bales left to unload at the other end. A continuous stream of straw was being scattered behind them by both.

Friday 22nd 45F, early rain and cloud has cleared to sunny periods. I was having to retreat to the back of the verge to avoid horizontal sheets of spray from passing traffic. Having left very late for my morning walk I can confirm that 10 o'clock is not remotely too early for some drunks to be driving in tradesman's vans. I was also passed by a sports car with a Danish price tag of 6 million. And, no, it wasn't your run of the mill, drug dealer's or slave owner's Ferrari, Porsche or Lamborghini. It was something with far more class.

In today's news: 99% of Danes, of those who responded, would take a handicapped parking space if it meant a shorter walk to McLardy's door.

80% of the world's children do not get enough exercise. The other 20% is made up of child slaves carrying baskets of bricks or heavy rolls of cloth for absent billionaires.

The United Nations says that the planned, new, global investment in coal, gas and oil will make CO2 limitation completely impossible. Or, in other words; you can all kiss your lardy arses goodbye!

Gates admits that he would never have bothered to build his Microsoft, global monopoly into a personal fortune of $111,000,000,000. Not if had he known increased taxation would mean having only $110 billion and change. Even 1% extra taxation would kill any incentive to be the world's richest man. That must be why they call them the 1%? I call them sociopaths.

More, filthy rich sociopaths are being named amongst the growing number of robbers who stole billions from the Danish treasury in a VAT refund scam. [Only possible because the politicooze cut back on staff.]

The robbery doesn't just mean no new roads, but hospitals, already desperate for nurses, never being built. Those few nurses left are constantly being assaulted by "entitled" thugs and drunks. Promised huge increases in the number of nurses [in election Politicooze] actually means hundreds fewer in as many months.

Meanwhile billions [of real taxpayer's money] can still be found to tart up the hangars for Chumpy's huge fleet of gold plated, F35 jets. Jets which will probably be grounded due to illegally, excessive noise. Unless, of course, the Politicooze buy up literally thousands of real people's homes [with real taxpayer's money] and then demolish them all.

Still, it's only monopoly money [and monopoly people] to the politicooze. One of those special jobs where success, or abject failure, still means a lifelong, hereditary pension. Which would be the envy of the vast majority, of the monopoly people, paying the world's highest taxes. The tragic thing about democracy is having to choose between worst-case candidates. Then watching the skittles fall as new or historical charges arise. Self praise is [very obviously] no recommendation [at all!]

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