THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

fuddle

Aw Mar, I think that policeman, on that gate, was there unarmed as a symbol of what we are. It's seems such a ridiculous thing to do in retrospect (and I have shouted at the TV your very same question) but that policemen is in the community, meeting children and tourists etc. We're not a policed state, our policing (unarmed) style is well respected as are our our laws and our people's respect of our law and order systen. We don't have such visible armed police in our every day life and only do now because of terrorism, in my opinion. From what I understand, behind that gate, within the grounds of Westminster, security had been ramped up considerably. To just have a bobby on the gate seemed ludicrous now but where do we draw the line?

It's awful. I agree with you but the same thing can be said about why aren't there any furniture on Westminster Bridge, because if there was there wouldn't have been such a clear way for the car to mow down in the way it did. I suspect there's no seating or planters etc because it's a busy working area, a tourist spot, an ideal place to view Big Ben. There will likely be armed police on that gate and likely obstructions placed along the bridge but weak spots? I can't think like that because everywhere is a potential weak spot and if we go about changing things like that then I feel we would be losing the battle.

VJsmum

I am not sure that there would have been time to pull a gun in any case.

I am quite surprised there was no stab vest though... I thought they were routine nowadays...

Nargleblast

And so it continues, another attack on ordinary, decent human beings. My OH said there was a journalist on Newsnight last night criticising the way the media goes on and on with the hand wringing and interviewing eye witnesses etc. He apparently said something to the effect that by having this constant news coverage and shots of people crying and giving their version of events, we are giving the perpetrators the oxygen of publicity. I think he has a point there. By all means, report facts and events but otherwise keep schtum. Don't give the enemy something to gloat at while munching popcorn on the sofa, and don't give away our plans.

monnagran

oh mar, i dont believe that religion is always the problem. Most religions that I have studied are based on love and respect for all forms of life. It is people who cause the problems. Far from loving respect and consideration for life, many people turn out to be greedy, selfish and with a great sense of entitlement. This fact gives rise to most of the problems in the world and has done ever since Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent and the serpent didn't have a leg to stand on (sorry but the old ones are still the best ones).
Religion is a convenient hook to hang humanty's desire to have its own way on.

All wars, battles, class hatred, clan hatred, slavery, race hatred etc have their basis in one of man's baser instincts. And what is more, they never go away. Folk are still fighting the battles that their ancestors fought, and with the same sense of grievance that somehow they are not getting what they want and IT'S NOT FAIR.

However, you will seldom hear groups saying "We are fighting this battle because we are greedy," or "We are bigger and stronger than you so we are going to take whatever you've got and if you try to stop us we will destroy you," or "If you dont agree with us and our way of doing things we will pulverized you until you do."

That doesn't sound so good, but if you say you are doing it in the name of religion it sort of sanitises your cause.

Whatever happened to love and respect?

Poor old religion, it gets the blame for all the nastiness in the world when all it set out to do was to get people to love each other and to become the highest and best that they could possibly be.

This is in no way a reasoned and thoughtful argument, so do feel free to pull it to pieces.

I will still love you.

x

ArthriticOldThing

Oh Monna thank you so much for saying what is in my heart but that I couldn't find the words for.

[Deleted User]

Asda are selling a taylor's eye witness brand, ceramic, 5" Utility Knife, reduced to just £4.

A word of warning. These knives are ferociously sharp, so handle with extreme care.

Trust me when I say, you really don't want to get bitten by one of these knives.

GreyQueen

I've never handled/ owned/ learned anything about ceramic-bladed knives. What's the advantage, does anyone know? Do they always stay sharp, or is there some other benefit over steel? Not being silly, just genuinely curious. £4 is certainly bargainous.

[Deleted User]

Ceramic blades don't stay sharp forever, but they hold their edge far longer than steel.

They also take an edge very easily, and don't burr when being sharpened, so don't require stropping or reverse slipping on a stone.

Plus, they're naturally non-stick, so they don't bind when cutting things like Malt Loaf, and they don't hold flavours.

They do have a couple of downside, one of which is that they are brittle, so shouldn't be used on meat on the bone, or as a cleaver.

The other is, they need a special (usually diamond) sharpener, as the ceramic is harder than the steel, used for normal sharpeners, and sharpening steels.

mardatha

Well monna, if it wasn't there then they couldn't use it could they? - and that is most definitely not a reasoned and thoughtful argument either, is it? :D
Either way we seem to be stuck with it now.
Religion, not my argument.

meanmarie

I have never been able to understand how anyone can murder and abuse in the name of any god.....but we cannot let terrorists win by giving them publicity, arming all our police ( we dont in ROI either) or letting them frighten us into staying at home and missing out on meeting all the wonderful people in the world who want to be our friends.

Marie