Vagabond

When I was at school we were set problems in both imperial and metric, and were expected to solve them in both systems.- and convert from one to another. Then (in the 1960s) came a craze for using "scientific" measurements, called "going metric". Alleged to be easier, but in my days in pharmacy I came across a disturbingly large number of paramedics who didn't understand the difference between milligrams and micrograms. BTW my spell-checker does not recognise that last unit either !

Yes John, everything the cynics forecast and worse. Perhaps the only good thing that has emerged is that a few more eyes have been opened to what a shabby shower our politicians are.

My reading of the situation is that the Brexit cause is lost. A nutter murdered Jo Cox, and by doing so has unleashed a wave of public sympathy for the "remain" lobby. The less scrupulous members of that lobby have not been slow to capitalise on the situation. Read the AN thread on the murder, look at the piles of flowers shown on TV, listen to the eulogies being delivered, and consider how that might affect the undecided, the not-very-well informed and the emotive voter. Its illogical, but the issue has shifted from "EU or not" to "terrorism or not" - with an obvious answer. Conspiracy theorists might have a field day in speculating if the assassin was deliberately wound up by the opposition - a plot more appropriate to "Game of Thrones" than a civilised society. Whatever, the real issues have been lost sight of. I hope I am wrong, but it looks like the gravy train will roll on.

I trust all will go well - is there any good fishing where you are going ?

YEP, I freely admit I am a lazy angler and have nearly always done it that way. Easy enough with a float attached stick-style, a bit more fiddly with a waggler, Once you have started fishing, its what you do anyway when you change your trotting path slightly.

Well,not straightaway, but this type of person is quite capable of obtaining one.. Yes, easier to get a gun in the USA than elsewhere, but since when did anti-gun legislation discourage fanatics or criminals ? In the absence of guns, there are still many ways crazies can harm people. Its the bit in red we should worry about.

Well, no..... it isn;t It has happened before. It will happen again..........and again, despite the vapourings of politicians. Ken L has supplied a diagnosis, but who is brave enough to prescribe a cure ? ..........and what chance of that cure being implemented ? Logic provides the answer, political correctness prevents it being expressed

Yep. Easy target Good for "successful prosecution" stats.

As lies and prpoganda fail, there is now recourse to threats http://www.thetimes.co.uk/ As a certain Austrian discovered 70-odd years ago, we as a nation do not take kindly to threats.

And what is his response ? Denial A straightforward chap might say "I thought that once, but with more information I have changed my mind" One might at least respect that as an honest misjudgment. ...but this is a politician, so he tries to weasel out of it. Shows the true value of his words - whatever he thinks his acolytes want to hear.

Watch this space

Which is why one should ignore the "meeja" and go with one's gut feeling In any case, my (postal) vote is already in, so any "convincing" argument is too late to influence my vote ....I'm going fishing on June 23rd......

Anchor is certainly better than any other brands I have tried but they are ALL too expensive ! £1.20 for a box of six SSG, That's two bob a shot ! Fortunately many other anglers are profligate and leave strings of shot on the bank........

Well, fair enough. Angling Times started a long time before Angler's Mail and over the years both have shown fairly often that imitation is a form (not necessarily sincere) of flattery. AT used to be the more innovative and initially attracted the better writers, but that was 50 years ago ! Imitation gets tedious when it becomes annual repetition, which is why I have long since ceased to take either.

When it comes to recognising proficiency in a sport, here is a huge difference in perception between somebody that has taken part in that sport and somebody that hasn't - something that is not easy to explain to a non-participant. That perception intensifies the more proficient one is, but the initial difference between player and non-player is very noticeable.

Teachers have, for yonks, told each successive year-class they were the worst yet. Therefore my class regarded it as the supreme accolade, when, in the fourth year, we learnt that the first year had been told they were nearly as bad as us.

Had to laugh at this. Liked the words of the fireman who helped release him - "it will be a long time before he tries to steal car wheels again" http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/14535901.VIDEO__Man_caught_red_handed_after_car_traps_his_hand_in_suspected_wheel_theft/?ref=mrb&lp=2

Muhammad Ali I think there was uncertainty at the time as to how much of his condition was due to Parkinson's disease and how much to the "punch-drunk" effect, but those were brave and philosophic words. Respect.

Older than whom ? the female in question ? She obviously regards herself as a spring chicken, which would net a lot of us, but see picture for reassurance. Think yourself lucky, John, she doesn't want you put down to save paying out your pension. She could start by ignoring the "older man" (Corbyn) in the picture accompanying the quote - most of us do just that (even his colleagues), There is a lot of bile being generated in this so-called "debate". The one good thing that might emerge is the wrecking of a few political careers that deserve to be wrecked.

Yes, I occasionally (about once every other year) have a stalking session with floaters, I usually use my old Aerial, 'cos I like the sound of the check, and the knuckle-cracking hazard as it spins - real fishing.

Nice one, makes up for those times when conditions are perfect and one can't get a bite !

I will stay on the trout sections of my streams, and wait a day or two before chub fishing, Why ? River carp. Although there is a bivvy ban on the rivers, the intrepid specimen hunters camp on the best swims with umbrellas, hair rigs and bolt set-ups instead. It is usually impossible to get anywhere near the river until they tire of the silly game and go home - which typically takes about 48 hours.

It was received wisdom in Norfolk when I were a lad that otters' favourite food was eels, . Now isn't there an "eels are endangered" industry ? Enlist their support against otters ? But a bit of a non-starter though, eel are also low on cuteness - ask Steve W

But geologically speaking, even limestone is ephemeral. Every few years there is "news" that part of Beachy Head/Seven Sisters/Seaford Head/Birling Gap and its cottages has fallen into the sea. Millions of tons of chalk in a big heap at the base of the cliff, and two months later that cliff fall has been washed away by the tides. ...and look what rain is doing to the Mendips.

Birds too. In fact all creatures in a natural environment If one thinks about it, the equivalent of a whole year's recruitment dies every year. If it were not so, every water would be packed solid with fish, and we would be buried under a seething mass of wildlife. Populations fluctuate a bit, but the overall result is as stated. Even anglers, ornithologists and naturalists only see a tiny proportion of deceased wildlife - most rots/gets eaten out of sight. (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)