Today's News

[Gemini]

Oh yes I can imagine Daisy. A bit like Tunisia which I would never return to because of all those same reasons

[Daisy]

The one thing that was stunning was Tutankhamun's death mask in the Cairo Museum. I expected to glance at it and walk on, but I was mesmerised. I don't know why, but it quite literally stopped me in my tracks.

[Oma]

The Tat sellers spoil every tourist spot,
The only place we didn’t see them was Russia .

In Most places god forbid you want a taxi , it’s like a football mob fighting for your custom,
I hate when they constantly try to get you into the restaurants and cafes,

I watched a documentary about the pyramids and it’s not all glamour, the litter and stuff dumped at these spots are shocking
The vendors are as much to blame as the tourists.

[Daisy]

Oma, sadly litter seems to be a scourge in so many places. I hate to see how much litter is dumped in our beautiful Forest, but I was pleased to see an anti-litter campaign on the A35 - a busy two lane road cutting through the Forest from Christchurch to Lyndhurst. They have signs every couple of miles with a chart to show a percentage to indicate how much or little litter there had been. Last week I noticed it was on 9%, and we didn't see any litter at all. It was such a lovely change from 'normal'. A week previously it had been on 23%.

[Daisy]

This isn't really news, but cropped up as a result of a particular garden winning a gold medal at Chelsea yesterday. The garden was supporting the charity "The Size of Wales" - a small environmental charity working to preserve rainforests and other endangered habitats.

The link describes how we relate to measurements that are meaningless to us. So if we describe say an asteroid hitting the earth and say it could wipe out an area of about 2,122,400 hectares I would have no idea what that looked like. But describing it as about the size of Wales makes it relatable!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-...400%20hectares.

[Clover]

I agree with you Daisy. I can’t even visual what an acre is!

[Gemini]

I agree. Our teacher told us an acre is about the size of a hockey pitches, so I picture the relevant number of hockey pitches!

[Daisy]

Clover, neither can I!

Gem, why was I never told that at school! (Err, red face, because perhaps I wasn't paying attention!)

I also find some measurements/weights/distances etc easier in metric, but other in inches. So I could picture something that was say 6" more easily than 15cm, but 2mm more easily than imperial. The same with grams and pounds and ounces. I don't even know my own weight in kilograms, but couldn't translate Eva's 23 kg into pounds!

[Plantaholic]

I still think in feet and inches.

[Oma]

I’m with Plant, Feet and inches , pounds and ounces
I can’t be doing with this as my mother would say funny money 😁

I think picturing it like you say as something you can relate too is better for me
Like the length of two football pitches or the hight of two double decker buses ,

[Gemini]

Me too with the feet and inches, stones pounds and ounces.

[Daisy]

It's so silly we've got two systems running together, really. I think the daftest thing is my car does X miles to the gallon, but I fill it up in litres!!

[Plantaholic]

My feet are firmly in two worlds, one in the new and one in the old system

[Daisy]

Where did you get married? I wonder if there is anyone who wed at the Old Marylebone Town Hall in London? If so, you might have been interested to see the one hundred weddings which are taking place today to mark the 100th anniversary of the first wedding ceremony performed there. They are being broadcast live as they happen! The fees? Just £100 - a bargain. Plus, of course, the iconic photo opportunity on the steps, following in the footsteps of many celebrities.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c8690n48q98t#player

[Gemini]

I saw this on TV this morning Daisy!

I did get married in London, but it was in Wood Green.