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The Sour Cherry by Taylors of Harrogate is pretty fruity and not as insipid as some others. If you like sour tasting teas, buying dried whole hibiscus flowers and just adding boiling water to them works well (supoosed to be good for lowering blood pressure too).

Very true - thankfully. I felt that Cyclone was suggesting MAC33 took the opposing view to scientists, thereby suggesting all scientists agreed on the validity of the flu vaccine. I agree with your posts in the previous thread that mandatory flu vaccination for health professionals is out of order.

Each to their own, Cyclone. I prefer not to introduce thiomersal, or any other unnecessary compounds, particularly when the vaccine is ineffective. The NHS give guidance as to vaccine ingredients https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/vaccine-ingredients/ and it's worth following their link to the eMC to find out what is in the particular one you are considering having. I am not an "anti-vaccer" and am entitled to make my own decision about the flu vaccine. I have never had flu, btw, whereas my colleagues that had the flu jab were off sick later on with the flu

To be fair to MAC33, if he was swallowing anything he was told, he'd be in favour of the flu vaccine, based on popular opinion. There are scientists that also question its validity, such as this in the British Medical Journal "Belief not science is behind flu jab promotion - An independent meta-analysis of vaccines against influenza has found that claims of benefit have been significantly exaggerated" https://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e7856. There was also a Canadian study that rated the effectiveness "in preventing medically attended flu" in the negative range, with the UK rating it only 3.4%. http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2015/02/uk-canada-add-bad-news-years-flu-vaccine. I am a scientist (PhD in neuroimmunology) and will not have the flu vaccine myself but support immunisation for other diseases. We should not believe everything we read or are told. As ever, money can supersede the best interests of public health. There are indeed risks associated with the flu vaccine and I see little advantage to potentially introducing mercury to my system, risking an aberrant immune response or neurological disorders, for something that does not have proven effectiveness.

Thanks Steve. Was same spot as many years ago; just before the crossroads with Holme Lane, heading to the park. There are multiple tracks intersecting at different angles so hard to negotiate, even for experienced cyclists.

Even those of us who decided to cycle there and came off on wet tramlines!

"Cats (wild cat species and domestic cats) are the definitive hosts, meaning they are the only animals in which replication of the parasite involved (T gondii) can result in the production of oocysts (eggs), which are then shed in the faeces." Other animals can act as intermediate hosts, as in, they become infected but don't produce eggs. Eating undercooked meat can also lead to infection. The numbers of people affected is not the point really; people shouldn't be exposed to the potential risk due to having to clear up cat poo when they have not opted to keep a cat themselves.

Taking some responsibility for your cat and the distress it can potentially cause neighbours would help. The same applies for where dog mess is a problem - owners taking responsibility is key. In terms of reducing the need for others to pick up your cat's faeces (whilst trying to avoid the risk of toxoplasmosis), there are various options: - have an indoor cat - teach your cat to use your toilet http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-toilet.htm - let your cat enjoy the safety of your garden but not cause problems for other people by containing it there https://protectapet.com/how-it-works-cats/ - provide a toileting area in your own garden that can be dealt with regularly - speak to your neighbours and encourage them to let you know if your cat is becoming a nuisance and offer to clear mess, etc.

The answer to the OP's question is that some owners simply wont clear up their dog's mess as it's a smelly, unpleasant job that they can get away without doing as the law is rarely enforced. Definitely out of order, but so are cat owners, who seem to absolve all responsibility for where their darling feline defecates or what wildlife/pets it tortures and kills. Never ceases to amaze me that the rules for cats are so different. I have to buy poo bags to regularly clear cat faeces from my garden and even from the tarmac right outside the front door.

I fail to understand this situation - how can the council be wasting money taking people to court who are clearly not brick-hurling thugs, but simply good people peacefully standing up for what they believe in and what is best for the environment, flood defences, Sheffield's reputation and the respiratory/mental health of many? Removing the precious resource of beautiful, healthy, mature street trees cannot be undone. I also fail to understand why the electorate seem to opt for austerity and a Tory government. We are being well and truly duped.

Do I have to be qualified in highway construction to understand that an awful lot of pedestrians, drivers and cyclists are slipping a lot more on the new surfaces than they did on the old ones in similar conditions? The difference is palpable and people are even slipping when the pavements are dry with no ice.

This is to do with more cost-cutting by Amey as part of the PFI deal. The surfaces are not fit for purpose. People are going to/have already been hurt because of the new road and pavement surfaces being too slippy. I urge everyone who has been affected to report it via http://srha.site/

I cycled home this evening, with my front light dipped so it illuminated the ground, and was dazzled by a cyclist with a front light about 50x as bright as mine and pointing up. Hills can make it worse. Dazzling other road users is something cyclists should be mindful of. There are many creative and cheap ways to stay visible now...lights that create markings of a bike lane on the ground in red, LEDs that illuminate wheels when turning, etc.

I was overtaken far too closely on Gleadless Road by a car that then pulled in front of me and parked up. As I cycled past, I politely said to the 2 women inside (the window was open as it was a hot day) "You just passed me far too closely" and left it at that, cycling on. I was met with a tirade of abuse, was called a <removed> and all sorts of obscenities were screamed at me for a considerable time as I pedalled away. What on earth is wrong with some motorists and their attitude to cyclists?

Glad you're ok(ish) and good Sheffield folk helped I still bear scars from coming off my bike on wet tram tracks there. That's a terrible spot for cyclists - make sure you report the accident so the council are aware of the problem.

I took in a starving ring-necked dove in winter that couldn't fly and handed it to the RSPCA to look after the next day. They might help, or contact the RSPB for advice.

Sorry if my post led to confusion - I didn't mean eucalyptus for hedges; beech and privet are great for those. As a tree, if you have space, eucalyptus is very forgiving of our climate and provides vital coverage when other trees are bare. I have seen some tits going in and out of the nesting box in my tree over the last few weeks.

Eucalyptus is fast-growing and loved by birds as it's an evergreen. If you have the space, go for it in your garden. Use hedges instead of fences. Provide food, water and nesting spaces for birds in your garden. A mini pond can make a world of difference (just a half barrel). Hate to say it, but one of the best things people could do for wildlife is keep their cats indoors (and make sure they're neutered). Cats kill soooo many things...birds, frogs, slow worms, mice, etc. Also, slow down on the roads, especially at night. Hedgehogs really haven't evolved to cope with traffic

There's a free app called CycleStreets that lets you pick the fastest, shortest, quietest or 'balanced' routes for cycling from your starting point to your destination. It seems to know about more cycling shortcuts than Google Maps

Have a pramtastic birthday, John #18 Just finished your book

I'm familiar with the Toyota HSD system and have found that the engine does come on occasionally when stationary, more so in winter, due to wipers, heaters, lights, etc being in use more often. I have known the engine to sometimes stay on for a while when stationary, even when the heating is off and the battery isn't low. When this happens, I try to silence the engine by pressing the electric mode button, but it doesn't always oblige. Older hybrid models still use keys.

For every uphill, there's a downhill

The petrol engine remains on in hybrids, even when stationary, if the battery of the electric motor needs charging. This may occur if there are a lot of other things drawing energy, such as lights, wipers, aircon, etc. The petrol/electric hybrids I know of do pull off from stationary using a combination of both power sources, or just electric, depending on the speed demands. They always start up in pure electric mode so there's no noise as you turn the key, but the petrol engine will then kick in if you want it to go above a certain speed or are using lots of kit, as I said above. They adjust what power source is used all the time and it may be possible for acceleration without revving or use of the petrol engine, depending on gradient and momentum, etc.

My friend found one in her car boot recently! Glad there's a post above reminding people to check bonfires before lighting. Used to see loads when I was a kid but haven't seen an unflattened one for a long time

I've drilled 10mm holes (7cm deep) into a concrete lintel using a very old B&D corded drill (with a hammer setting) pretty easily. I did a pilot hole first and bought a tungsten carbide drill bit. Did wonder if I'd need an SDS drill but turned out fine without