Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th May 2016

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:42 am

Morning?

Reposting from last night.
Suicides of benefit claimants reveal DWP flaws, says inquiry
‘Peer reviews’ challenge claims by ministers that there is no connection between welfare reform policies and deaths of vulnerable claimants
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016 ... CMP=twt_gu" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 14 May, 2016 5:46 am

Morning, A.

I had a bit of trouble downloading the documents from the DWP website. Once I had, it took a while to read them all - and the redactions don't make it a particularly edifying experience.
Considering DWP is perfectly happy to share details it holds on claimants to local authorities, charities, medical/social care personnel, landlords, and other government agencies, it's very shy about this.
There are, apparently, another 12 of these "peer reviews" in the pipeline, and I understand that they are also the subject of FOI requests. I hope DWP doesn't put the whole thing through the courts again.

I applaud the campaigners who pursued this; I don't think these documents add a lot to what we know, but a precedent has been set and maybe in future DWP will publish reports when asked rather than spend a fortune fighting people who make such requests.
I also doubt that the behaviour of DWP and its' contractors will change much. The claimants these reports refer to are a very small proportion of those who have died; DWP policy under Crabb is no different from that under IDS, so I am not expecting improvements any time soon.

What triggers a "Peer Review following the death of a customer while claiming benefits" ("customer" my arse) is not some altruistic notion of duty of care or that the deceased person may not have been treated well - it's a response to a death from managers to check the claim so that DWP can exonerate itself from any responsibility for what happened.
Thanks to all the changes, plus the increasing use of sanctions/fines, more people will die what they call an "untoward" death - whether that's through exacerbated illness caused by lack of food or medicine, or suicide. There have been hundreds of deaths that I would regard as "untoward" and certainly many more than the DWP's Peer Reviews would suggest.

Crabb and the government don't care. The cull will continue.

(PS - whilst confess to being a bit deluded about some stuff, I'm not deluded about you. You are lovely. So there)

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 14 May, 2016 7:32 am

After this week's appalling figures for NHS England, I was wondering where Saint Julie of Bailey has been hiding.

Not a peep from her on the recent mess - but I found a sweet little Tweet from 28th April:
"When work was halted on safe staffing, I lost confidence in Jeremy Hunt and his promises to make the NHS safer"

Oh dear. Poor Saint Julie. I wonder when she'll realise she has been used? (Actually, skip that. No sympathy.....)

Since then, she has been mostly moaning about: coroners, who are "untouchable despite their continued failings" (?); and a perennial favourite, Andy Burnham, "I have a long memory and will never forget the way you tried to silence me" (!)

The only thing that has changed, it seems, is that she's had no nice little outings in the meeja lately. I haven't missed her.

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Sat 14 May, 2016 8:30 am

ephemerid wrote:After this week's appalling figures for NHS England, I was wondering where Saint Julie of Bailey has been hiding.

Not a peep from her on the recent mess - but I found a sweet little Tweet from 28th April:
"When work was halted on safe staffing, I lost confidence in Jeremy Hunt and his promises to make the NHS safer"

Oh dear. Poor Saint Julie. I wonder when she'll realise she has been used? (Actually, skip that. No sympathy.....)

Since then, she has been mostly moaning about: coroners, who are "untouchable despite their continued failings" (?); and a perennial favourite, Andy Burnham, "I have a long memory and will never forget the way you tried to silence me" (!)

The only thing that has changed, it seems, is that she's had no nice little outings in the meeja lately. I haven't missed her.

I heard her on my wireless a couple of weeks ago. Can't remember what she was on about.

morning all; playoff day today!

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 9:44 am

Oh blimey - going to be one of them weekends. One of the dogs can barely move - yelping and screeching in pain. Waiting for vet to ring back. The builder has just rung to say his mum has been admitted to hospital in Brighton with pneumonia and they've told him to come straightaway. Sounds bad. Digger and dumper for work due to start on Monday have been cancelled. Only possible blessing in that is that I was awake at 5am and couldn't get back to sleep and saw - due to the new window we've had installed - rather a large amount of bats returning to their summer roost in the roof above us. Hmmmm - lovely news that they're back - awful news for building work. Was wondering how to break it to Mr Riots and then plot the schedule together with the builder so we don't have to do anything that might disturb them until well into October when we can sort out the relevant mitigation etc etc. Looks like the schedule is up the swanee anyway.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 May, 2016 9:51 am

Bad luck RR. Hope the vet rings soon.

Our bats never seemed to be away, they seem to stay in the loft all the year. Some were still out and about all winter because it was mild. Fresh bat poo on the windows and wall showed that.

Last year we had a nightmare with the young ones coming into the house during the day.
They hide and make themselves known in the middle of the night. Not easy to get them out.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 May, 2016 10:04 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Oh blimey - going to be one of them weekends. One of the dogs can barely move - yelping and screeching in pain. Waiting for vet to ring back. The builder has just rung to say his mum has been admitted to hospital in Brighton with pneumonia and they've told him to come straightaway. Sounds bad. Digger and dumper for work due to start on Monday have been cancelled. Only possible blessing in that is that I was awake at 5am and couldn't get back to sleep and saw - due to the new window we've had installed - rather a large amount of bats returning to their summer roost in the roof above us. Hmmmm - lovely news that they're back - awful news for building work. Was wondering how to break it to Mr Riots and then plot the schedule together with the builder so we don't have to do anything that might disturb them until well into October when we can sort out the relevant mitigation etc etc. Looks like the schedule is up the swanee anyway.

Sounds like a logistical nightmare. I do hope the dog gets attention soon and is ok.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 May, 2016 10:05 am

Good morfternoon.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 14 May, 2016 11:22 am

Good-morning, everyone.

mbc1955 · Post by **mbc1955** » Sat 14 May, 2016 11:30 am

Good... Well, morning anyway.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Sat 14 May, 2016 11:42 am

Is the "heavyweight" Brexiter Michael Gove related to the Michael Gove who as Education Secretary banned term time family holidays?

If he is, then perhaps someone could ask him how the policy has been chucked out by the High Court, at great expense to the DfE?

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 May, 2016 11:44 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:Oh blimey - going to be one of them weekends. One of the dogs can barely move - yelping and screeching in pain. Waiting for vet to ring back. The builder has just rung to say his mum has been admitted to hospital in Brighton with pneumonia and they've told him to come straightaway. Sounds bad. Digger and dumper for work due to start on Monday have been cancelled. Only possible blessing in that is that I was awake at 5am and couldn't get back to sleep and saw - due to the new window we've had installed - rather a large amount of bats returning to their summer roost in the roof above us. Hmmmm - lovely news that they're back - awful news for building work. Was wondering how to break it to Mr Riots and then plot the schedule together with the builder so we don't have to do anything that might disturb them until well into October when we can sort out the relevant mitigation etc etc. Looks like the schedule is up the swanee anyway.

Blimey RR2. No one can say your life is ever boring. Hope doggie's okay.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 May, 2016 11:51 am

Sometimes when you're kneading bread dough you can pretend it's Cameron's head, but cleaning the oven is guaranteed to numb your brain to the point of coma...

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 14 May, 2016 11:59 am

My oven is a supposed to be self-cleaning,more like self dirtying even when not in use.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:01 pm

'Lies in 10 Downing Street, not in Brussels' - Corbyn

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is trying to rally support among Labour voters to stay in the EU. He will launch a highly partisan attack on the Conservatives, saying responsibility for many of the UK’s problems “lies in 10 Downing Street, not in Brussels”. (EU referendum live "blog", Guardian)

See how the header has only a light brush with what was actually said? It's like those signs which appear above theatres saying "Amazing!" when the "Amazing!" is an exerpt from a review which originally read "How anyone ever thought that an audience would sit through this bilge defies belief. But, apparently, someone did. Amazing!"

Edited

Typo

Edited again to add -

Of course, that's not to suggest that lies do not emanate from Downing Street about so many things and so regularly - but I just thought this highlighted the blatant selectivity and distortion employed by the press.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:16 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:Is the "heavyweight" Brexiter Michael Gove related to the Michael Gove who as Education Secretary banned term time family holidays?

If he is, then perhaps someone could ask him how the policy has been chucked out by the High Court, at great expense to the DfE?

General view I'm hearing on media etc is that there should be a return to the system pre Gove when there was a bit of discretion available to heads to grant such leave in certain circumstances .... Who'd have thought it eh - a system that allows heads a bit of autonomy was dumped by the Tories. Doesn't quite tally with their insistence that their policies are all about giving heads, teachers, schools greater autonomy and freedom.

Rachel Reeves wasn't that good on this on Any Questions last night - only bit I heard were the responses to this question. She came over as very totalitarian and dirgy with it. Children should be in school at all times with no allowances.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:18 pm

yahyah wrote:Bad luck RR. Hope the vet rings soon.

Our bats never seemed to be away, they seem to stay in the loft all the year. Some were still out and about all winter because it was mild. Fresh bat poo on the windows and wall showed that.

Last year we had a nightmare with the young ones coming into the house during the day.
They hide and make themselves known in the middle of the night. Not easy to get them out.

Yes - they can be little blighters. I've become very adept at rescue and removal.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:21 pm

Dear lordy - just hearing on Radio 4 about people who work 16 hours a week and are also carers who have lost their carers allowance as soon as the increase in the minimum wage came in. The rise takes them just over the limit apparently and so they end up losing far more than they gain. How pants is that. Tens of thousands of people might be affected.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:27 pm

To put a cap on this delightful weekend ... I've just returned from letting a client know that I'm not comfortable continuing gardening for them since they more or less said I wasn't honest / to be trusted. I don't think they even realised how offensive and unreasonable what they said to me was .... but I've never been as steaming as I was after that prior conversation. I can't afford to give up the work - but neither can I bear to try and ignore it and carry on.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:29 pm

I wouldn't stand for that either - tell them where to stick it.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:40 pm

Afternoon.

More of that senior Met officer/Murdoch ...err...dealings. No point expressing shock anymore is there ?

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe we should just appoint Murdoch as dictator of the UK.
He seems to get just what he wants most of the time.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:42 pm

There always has been a problem with the misallignment of CA "wage allowance" and pay rises,it happened every year when such increases occurred of course.It was increased by GO,but the misallignment remains.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:50 pm

yahyah wrote:Afternoon.

More of that senior Met officer/Murdoch ...err...dealings. No point expressing shock anymore is there ?

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ ... are_btn_tw" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe we should just appoint Murdoch as dictator of the UK.
He seems to get just what he wants most of the time.

Took me a while (as in up to the point where I read the article) to realise that that wasn't about Rupert Murdoch trying to influence the weather reports (it'll come). I'll try to do better, I promise.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 12:51 pm

John Prescott ‏@johnprescott 33m33 minutes ago
John Prescott Retweeted MiffedWithMassimo
How are you with eggs?

MiffedWithMassimo
‏@DoctorT1992
@johnprescott @BeautyInLonely I impersonate you. I open supermarkets and re-enact party conference speeches round Northern clubs.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:01 pm

My low opinion of the RSPCA just got even lower.

GetYou · Post by **GetYou** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:08 pm

If we vote to leave on June 23 we will be voting for higher prices, we will be voting for fewer jobs, we will be voting for lower growth, we will be voting potentially for a recession. That is the last thing our economy needs.

Haven't we just entered another recession Dave?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:12 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:My low opinion of the RSPCA just got even lower.

Really? Why's that? My opinion of the RSPCA is already at\near rock bottom. In fact, I find them quite a disturbing outfit.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:16 pm

HindleA wrote:My oven is a supposed to be self-cleaning,more like self dirtying even when not in use.

Mine cooker has two ovens, as if one's not enough to clean.

But I was thirteen years younger when I bought it.
The sides of both are self cleaning, but the bottom and tops aren't. The tops never get done. I'm not supple enough. The smaller top oven which I use a lot, has a built in grill but I can't use it because it smokes us out.

Over a year ago I bought a liner to put in the bottom of the big oven...and thought I'd wait until I cleaned the oven before putting it in. I think I know where I put it.

Oh well. Sitting on the kitchen floor up to my elbows in muck, is as good a way to spend a Saturday as any.

And if there are any male, oven designers logged in and reading this. Take the ovens you design, use them, make them dirty then sit on the floor and clean them. Then go back to the drawing board.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:21 pm

PorFavor wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:My low opinion of the RSPCA just got even lower.
Really? Why's that? My opinion of the RSPCA is already at\near rock bottom. In fact, I find them quite a disturbing outfit.

Because they have caved in to the pressure from the right wing press, Countryside Alliance, fox hunting lobby, farmers etc and said they won't be 'adversarial' or 'political' in future. They won't be challenging fox hunting or badger culling ... they've 'made mistakes' apparently.

I think they may find a lot of people consider standing up to those who want to kill and maim those creatures - and the vested interests involved - is exactly what an organisation that is meant to believe in animal welfare and work against cruelty to animals should be doing. They've rolled over completely now IMO. Pathetic.

Post by **refitman** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:22 pm

PorFavor wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:My low opinion of the RSPCA just got even lower.
Really? Why's that? My opinion of the RSPCA is already at\near rock bottom. In fact, I find them quite a disturbing outfit.

I think it's this:

New RSPCA chief promises less adversarial approach
Jeremy Cooper says group made mistakes in past and often drifted into political activism rather than supportive, animal welfare society
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/m ... al-charity" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The dog owner, who will reportedly be paid £150,000 in the new role, said the RSPCA would move away from partisan tub-thumping on big issues, such as the badger cull, which was seen to alienate farmers.

“We are going to be a lot less political. It doesn’t mean we won’t stand up for animals. But we are not a political organisation,” he said. The charity’s next big campaign will be on tackling the illegal puppy trade, which Cooper said was a real problem.

“People may have had the perception we were becoming an animal rights organisation. It is not the reality now and it won’t be in the future,” he said.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:27 pm

Well, the pro-hunting/culling brigade have been trying to neutralise - if not take over - the RSPCA for many years.

Personally, I don't see how you can claim to be against animal cruelty and support such things - but what do I know?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:29 pm

@rebeccariots2 and refitman

Thank you.

I have\had a problem with the way in which the RSPCA was seemingly developing into a political organisation to the exclusion of what I would consider to be equally important aspects of their work. Now they have gone completely the other way, it would seem. So they don't improve - they get worse, in my book.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:29 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:My low opinion of the RSPCA just got even lower.

Mine hasn't been very high since they refused me help with an aggressive cat that ended up putting me in hospital for a week. Particularly as, when a neighbour did manage to trap the animal, it turned out it had a nasty abscess and several other health problems.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:36 pm

yahyah wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:My low opinion of the RSPCA just got even lower.

Mine hasn't been very high since they refused me help with an aggressive cat that ended up putting me in hospital for a week. Particularly as, when a neighbour did manage to trap the animal, it turned out it had a nasty abscess and several other health problems.

Their centralised call centre approach to any and every report re animal welfare concerns is pretty useless. I almost really lost it with them after I'd repeatedly reported neglect of some horses near us - got absolutely no call back for weeks - and had resorted to spending money and going up and feeding them hay ourselves. Someone from the RSPCA did finally intervene but only after the police told them to because the horses frequently escaping onto the road to try and find food were considered dangerous re causing road traffic accidents.

The only call I ever got back from the RSPCA was a few months later to ask me for funding because I 'had used their services and obviously cared about animals'. I'm afraid I gave the poor woman what for.

It's a great shame because I know their wildlife officers locally are very good - and when we have met and had to work together I've been very impressed by them - similarly some of their volunteers. But the organisation has totally lost it - in every way - as far as I can see.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:40 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
yahyah wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:My low opinion of the RSPCA just got even lower.

Mine hasn't been very high since they refused me help with an aggressive cat that ended up putting me in hospital for a week. Particularly as, when a neighbour did manage to trap the animal, it turned out it had a nasty abscess and several other health problems.
Their centralised call centre approach to any and every report re animal welfare concerns is pretty useless. I almost really lost it with them after I'd repeatedly reported neglect of some horses near us - got absolutely no call back for weeks - and had resorted to spending money and going up and feeding them hay ourselves. Someone from the RSPCA did finally intervene but only after the police told them to because the horses frequently escaping onto the road to try and find food were considered dangerous re causing road traffic accidents.

The only call I ever got back from the RSPCA was a few months later to ask me for funding because I 'had used their services and obviously cared about animals'. I'm afraid I gave the poor woman what for.

It's a great shame because I know their wildlife officers locally are very good - and when we have met and had to work together I've been very impressed by them - similarly some of their volunteers. But the organisation has totally lost it - in every way - as far as I can see.

Yes - that's also been my experience of them whenever I've tried to enlist their help over animal welfare concerns.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:41 pm

Soubry's still tweeting like mad.
Maybe a good idea for her to maintain silence until after the police investigation.
If the police decide there's a case to answer she'll look a bit of a twit.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:51 pm

https://kittysjones.wordpress.com/2016/ ... s-support/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SCrabb’s obscurantist approach to cuts in disabled people’s support

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 May, 2016 1:58 pm

Just off to do some weeding, much cooler here thankfully.
Bit before I go, here's my anti-BBC moan for the day.

On Radio 4 this morning they examined the basic facts about Brexit with four of their editors.
Kamal Ahmed, BBC economics editor, was given the job of examining how much we pay weekly - the figure right wingers like to go on about.
Bearing in mind the BBC is supposed to be neutral, I was a bit surprised to hear him say ''This is Europe John, it's got to be complicated, got to keep those Brussels officials in work obviously''.
That's a rather Brexiteer sort of snide comment.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Sat 14 May, 2016 2:09 pm

Jim Waterson ‏@jimwaterson 2m2 minutes ago
Rosena Allin-Khan chosen as Tooting Labour candidate for the by-election apparently.

She looked as though she'd be the favourite from the short write up I saw.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 14 May, 2016 2:11 pm

Part of me was hoping that "Citizen" Smith got it, for obvious reasons......

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 May, 2016 2:22 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
PorFavor wrote:
rebeccariots2 wrote:My low opinion of the RSPCA just got even lower.
Really? Why's that? My opinion of the RSPCA is already at\near rock bottom. In fact, I find them quite a disturbing outfit.
Because they have caved in to the pressure from the right wing press, Countryside Alliance, fox hunting lobby, farmers etc and said they won't be 'adversarial' or 'political' in future. They won't be challenging fox hunting or badger culling ... they've 'made mistakes' apparently.

I think they may find a lot of people consider standing up to those who want to kill and maim those creatures - and the vested interests involved - is exactly what an organisation that is meant to believe in animal welfare and work against cruelty to animals should be doing. They've rolled over completely now IMO. Pathetic.

My sister helps raise funds for a small group of brave young ladies who, a couple of years ago, stepped in to take care of a herd of abandoned ponies.
There were dead ponies in the field and the others were in a dreadful state. They called the RSPCA, whose standard answer in those sorts of situations is - they can't act until they know who the owners are and even if they trace them, the animals are in such a state they'll just put them down.

So, the girls formed a group, raised money for food and vets bills and looked after them in the field until they could sort out the legal ramifications and take them to a stables. People chipped in for hay, and took turns going to the field to do what they could. They saved some of the ponies but quite a few died. But at least those they lost had a few weeks of kindness and plenty of food. One foal was born and they saved him ... He's called Gabriel. He's a year old now.
People come to them when a horse or ponies are obviously neglected, after being turned away or turned off by the RSPCA's callous attitude.
They have begun to liaise with the Police who sometimes call on them for help if an animal is in need, and also give them protection, because it often involves travellers who can be aggressive.

And I have heard, that the advert promising they'll take your cat when you die for nothing and take care of it isn't exactly true. I've heard they only keep the young healthy cats. The old and unhealthy get put down. It makes my blood boil. It's only so you'll leave them money in your will.

Edited to correct some appalling mistakes. I was brain dead from the oven cleaning.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 May, 2016 3:30 pm

Have had the most horrible afternoon. Am in a right state still, despite my friend up the lane giving me rescue remedy, hugs, and various other alternative remedies.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 May, 2016 3:35 pm

Sorry, not being cryptic just a bit wobbly.

My husband was threatened, manhandled and severely nastily treated by some contractors working for a nasty Kipper type neighbour. It was shocking. He is as nasty as a box of horrible something or others.
Armed police once had to come here - before we moved in - when there were allegations of him shooting into someone's property.

He shouted at me, when I was trying to stop them going for my husband, to go back to Cirencester.
What shocked me was that he knew the name of the road we used to live in, which means he must have been doing some sort of spying into our affairs. Very threatening.

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 May, 2016 3:38 pm

Am in a quandary. Have asked for the community police officer to contact us, the Dyfed/Powys police call handler was brilliant.

But I don't want it escalated - the men were very nasty pieces of work, obviously live their lives through aggression. Am frightened they may hit back at us.

But we want it logged, so if there is future trouble the police know. If we get a brick through the window or something like that.

It's just so horrible, seeing your other half being threatened and stopped from getting away.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 May, 2016 4:04 pm

Blimey! Scary.

Sounds as if you're doing the right thing...

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 May, 2016 4:07 pm

Junior A&E doctor selected as Labour candidate for Tooting

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... ukpolitics" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Sat 14 May, 2016 4:14 pm

yahyah - your community copper should be able to register the complaint on the database without you necessarily having to press any charges.

Given the neighbour's history, I'm sure the police would understand that you don't want him to be given ammunition to continue threatening you.

If it was me, I'd write it all down as clearly as possible - if there is a repeat performance at any point, and there is possibly further police action, having contemporaneous notes is helpful, and much more likely to be accurate than memory as time goes on.

You may know this already, but I'm going to say it anyway. After a shock like this, or any violent assault or frightening situation, it takes at least 90 minutes for adrenaline levels to start falling; it can be several hours before they return to normal.
With your health problems, it's important that you try to relax a bit if you can. If you are still a bit twitchy by bedtime, it might be worth having one of your Valium if you still have some. And if this episode affects you badly, don't be too shy to see the doctor.

Please be careful, both you and Mr.Yahyah - it's a horrible thing to happen. Consider yourselves hugged.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Sat 14 May, 2016 4:18 pm

The plot thickens.

Another leaked email published by the website Guido Fawkes on Friday revealed that local candidates were told they only needed to pay for the cost of “election related materials” - the leaflets that were handed out by Battlebus activists.

Social media photographs obtained and revealed by the Mirror showed that some of these leaflets contained the names and photographs of the local Tory candidates. Yet these candidates did not declare the costs of bringing the activists to the constituency.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/le ... ar_twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Sat 14 May, 2016 4:18 pm

Thanks Ephie.

The doc said I could add in extra beta blockers in case of migraine or anxiety, so have done.

The doc didn't give me anymore valium after the first few, we didn't think it necessary but I have just remembered that there is one 'emergency' one left somewhere. Will take it at bedtime.
Trouble is I keep seeing their faces in my mind, and the aggression. Thanks god they didn't have knives, it was escalating so quickly.

My BP is still nearly 170 at the moment after having to change BP meds, so am doing three minute mindful breathing to help too.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Sat 14 May, 2016 4:18 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:To put a cap on this delightful weekend ... I've just returned from letting a client know that I'm not comfortable continuing gardening for them since they more or less said I wasn't honest / to be trusted. I don't think they even realised how offensive and unreasonable what they said to me was .... but I've never been as steaming as I was after that prior conversation. I can't afford to give up the work - but neither can I bear to try and ignore it and carry on.

My love to you and family, my dear friend.

cJA