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Tagged With "Flooding in Britain"

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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan 31, 2013: Lindisfarne, the Holy Island

DrFumblefinger ·
Thanks for the interesting post, Mac! I love the old abbeys of Britain and Ireland. And perhaps most important is the valuable roll they played in preserving the written word and scholarly traits during the Dark Ages. I imagine that the Lindisfarne Gospels are a lot like the Book of Kells?
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Re: Capital of Culture Series: Liverpool

GarryRF ·
Now there's another word with mixed definitions ! In Britain you would say "I like GarryRF's spirit" You may want to check out what your version means in England ! Like when I attend a party in America and I get "Pissed" (Drunk) And someone says "Why - who upset you to make you pissed?"
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Re: Google Relaunches Zagat, minus content and search

Paul Heymont ·
I know what I think: I think that the ads should be so distinct (and funny, or pithy, or whatever tone) that no one could ever mistake them for user content. I'd hate to have to explain over and over that no, Gumbo is NOT recommending luggage sellers or tour companies, or--for that matter--kitchen remodeling in Britain. The creep over the line is so evident in the newspaper sales pitches for "rare" coins and various remedies dolled up to look like news articles.
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Re: Banksy Opens up a Bemusement Park in England

Travel Rob ·
One thing I know Disney is thinking of is their British fans. They are some of the most devout Disney fans I've seen. They go to the parks and bring back tons of merchandise and they return. If they filed a suit, I think they'd get a lot bad press in Britain.
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Re: Gumbo’s Pic of the Day, November 28, 2014: Postcards from Morocco - the lamp shop

Paul Heymont ·
All the uses of recycle really derive from its use as a verb. 'Recycling,' in the instance you cite, is not really a noun, but a gerund, a verb form that functions as a noun. However, if I say that the Lamp Man "was recycling materials in his shop" we've an example of the present participle . The verb origin of 'recycle' also shows in your other example: 'recycled" functions as an adjective , but only works with the "d" at the end that marks it as taken from the past tense or possibly still...
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Re: Weymouth's tribute to the brave.

Paul Heymont ·
Together with the Finding Reiner series, this post helps remind us of the individuals and the effects on their communities. We've been seeing large and small memorials in France this past week. We were stunned, viewing the memorial in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, to note that there are over 100 names on the WWI memorial, many with similar, even identical names, contrasted with only a half-dozen or so from WWII, and then other numbers from other wars. The large losses in France in the First World...
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Re: Help with mobile phone for Morocco

Paul Heymont ·
If you take a look at http://prepaidgsm.net, you’ll see the reason for PortMoresby’s recommendation. It’s not the cost of the phone, it’s the cost of every minute, often many times that of a local SIM. For example, the Mobal SIM comes with a rate for Morocco of $1.50 a minute outgoing and $1.50 a minute incoming. Meditel, one of the Moroccan carriers, charges (depending on plan) about 10c a minute up to 40c a minute, and no charge for incoming. Mobal will sell you data at $28.99 for ONE...
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Re: Impression about Perth, Australia

GarryRF ·
" considering they're all descended from convicts " Very cruel DrF ! With the discovery of gold just outside Bathurst in 1851, the nature of Australian migration changed completely. People arrived in far greater numbers and from more varied backgrounds than ever before. Between 1851 and 1861 over 600,000 came and while the majority were from Britain and Ireland, 60,000 came from Continental Europe, 42,000 from China, 10,000 from the United States and just over 5,000 from New Zealand and the...
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Re: How to Irk the Brits

DrFumblefinger ·
I find the guy bothered by people stopping to take photos a charmer. Hope I don't run into him over there, but I'm never without a camera when I'm abroad. When I see a tourist taking a photo either in Calgary or nearby Rocky Mountains, I'm always intrigued by what their subject matter is and the angle of how they're capturing the image -- that sort of thing. Hardly a bother!! I guess they don't realize how important we tourists are to the economy. According to Visit Britain website, tourism...
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Re: China amusement park gets full-size Titanic

Paul Heymont ·
I'm sure there is...they're proud of their shipbuilding industry. There's also a "Made-in-Britain" objection to one aspect of the project. It seems the new Titanic comes with a shake-and-rumble-and-flashing-lights simulator to give the feeling of hitting an iceberg and give visitors a fear they are drowning. Some descendants of Titanic passengers have objected ( MORE ). Su Shaojun, head of the group behind the project, said the aim was to “spread the spirit of the Titanic."
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Re: Florida warned: take action against future flooding

GarryRF ·
Climate change "experts" are saying that: "Antarctica’s massive stores of ice are likely to melt as the planet warms and contribute ever greater amounts of water to the world’s oceans." But the facts are: "The winter ice around the southern continent has been growing relatively constantly since records began in 1979. The US National Snow and Ice Data Centre, which monitors sea ice using satellite data, say that the year’s maximum was 1.54m sq km (595,000 sq miles) above the 1981-2010...
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Re: Florida warned: take action against future flooding

Paul Heymont ·
Garry, aside from the fact that climate change involves far more than the question of polar ice caps, we're not in huge disagreement, I think. 1. Climate change is a more accurate term than global warming, because it's not all about warming, and in some cases the change brings colder rather than warmer. 2. The effects are not the same everywhere, nor are they always immediately harmful. It is possible for one area to be threatened with inundation while another benefits from a return of...
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Re: Florida warned: take action against future flooding

GarryRF ·
Not in disagreement at all Paul. Just a mention that climate change is not all bad news. And an option to some folks that wonder where all that melted ice is going to. It's been another winter when the Jet Stream has kept the UK warm and the Eastern States frozen. So there's a lot more water to come down from the Ice Cap yet !
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Re: Florida warned: take action against future flooding

DrFumblefinger ·
The issue of what we can do about the "world's changing climate" aside, when I look at a massive stone structure like the one in the photo and realize it's sitting essentially on a sand bar (which is what most of Florida is), I'm not surprised that it might actually be slowly settling and sinking. Just like Venice is. Venice has serious problems but these are mostly due to the fact that the entire city is sinking.
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Re: Florida warned: take action against future flooding

GarryRF ·
50 years ago this area of Liverpool UK was underwater twice a day. Every tide. And storms would cause the land to flood half a mile inland. So this area is now a man made construction. Sand hills cover the solid foundation. Marrem grass has roots that bind the sand together. And it works. Copied off the Netherlands where much of the land is below sea level all year.
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Re: It's Euro-official: No more time switches

Paul Heymont ·
It's interesting to me that the most vocal opposition has come in countries that are at the east and west of Central Europe, perhaps in part because they are the ones already living a bit out of their 'natural' space. Some opponents of switching, or should I say, of ending switching, have pointed out that a large majority of those who participated in the public consultation were in Germany; it's not only Britain where attention was apparently focused elsewhere!
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Re: France, Britain at swords points over croissants

Paul Heymont ·
Yes, that is a cappuccino with the curved croissant. Perhaps it's an indication of a closer alliance growing between French and Italian breakfasts as the UK and Britain negotiate over new treaty terms...
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Re: France, Britain at swords points over croissants

Paul Heymont ·
Perhaps that's a result of the U.S. and Britain sharing a "special relationship," which as Prime Minister Hugh Grant famously pointed out can be a "baaaad relationship."
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Re: Britain's #1 attraction: The British Museum

GarryRF ·
Another "Best of Britain" survey that doesn't see beyond London. The Albert Dock in Liverpool has 6.3 Million visitors per annum - and not a mention. The Albert Dock is a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE.
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Re: I get to Boomerang to Spain ! Cheap !

Paul Heymont ·
Thanks for pointing this out! By the way, it is also possible to take a free stopover on the international end. For example, a couple of years ago, we flew from NYC to Copenhagen (the routing) but with a week stopover in Stockholm along the way. We've used that kind of routing a number of times. Adding to your point about Britain: Many of AA's European cities are actually served by their closely-tied partners, British Air and Iberia. With a little persistence, you can find flights that don't...
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Re: Not Again!? British Air Tax Increase confirmed

Paul Heymont ·
The ones who are hurt the most are people with family on both sides of the Atlantic; many families split between Britain and the Caribbean simply can't afford family trips because of it. And the British travel industry has complained of huge losses as well. Some of them have joined together to campaign against the APD and its constant rise, and they are asking the public to sign an online PETITION
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: (Part 10) Northern Ireland's Antrim Coast

GarryRF ·
To see the most remote and probably the most beautiful parts of NI you need to have a car. It's best to rent locally as a Ferry from Britain, and return, is quite expensive. If you just want a "Flying visit" to Belfast or Dublin you can catch a plane from Liverpool to either city for a bargain. Maybe stay a few nights in Ireland.
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Re: Looking for Historical Landmarks !

Paul Heymont ·
Long history of alliance is discussed, but don't think I've ever heard that count before. I used to point out that the Monroe Doctrine was based on an almost unintended alliance. In the wake of Spain's loss of American colonies, Pres. Monroe wanted to warn other European powers, France especially, from attempting to take them over, but lacked the military power to stop any attempts. And, only a short time after the 1812 war, there was still a lot of anti-British sentiment. But Monroe was...
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VisitBritain, British Air point out "undiscovered places"

Paul Heymont ·
The UK has been having a tourist boom, with record inbound traffic over the last 6 months and is looking to keep it going. The official tourist promotion agency and the "flag" airline have teamed up on a series of ads touting less-known attractions to...
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For those who hate Heathrow, Gatwick plans new allure

Paul Heymont ·
London's Gatwick Airport, second only to Heathrow in British air traffic, is in a hot competition with Heathrow for the right to build an additional runway to accommodate growing air traffic in Southeast Britain. Part of its strategy is to line up a...
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Scotland's vote may help ax high flying tax

Paul Heymont ·
The infamous British Air Passenger Duty, which can add as much as $450 to airfare for a family of four flying trans-Atlantic to or from Britain, may have met its match in the Scottish vote against independence earlier this fall.   Seem...
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British Library Unites Last Copies of the Magna Carta

Travel Rob ·
The British Library will unify the last four remaining copies of the Magna Carta on February 3 for the first time as Britain celebrates the 800-year anniversary of the constitutional charter. They handed out 1,215 tickets to see all four documents to...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Dec 20, 2013: Hot Horses - even horses need an ice cream sometimes....

Mac ·
Basking in the warmth of an unusually sunny and delightful English summer, there is nothing nicer, particularly if you are a hot horse, than being able to queue up for a cooling ice cream cone at the Winstones ice cream van parked up on Minchinhampton...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov 15 2013: Blue Lady at White Waltham - retro-revival in England

Mac ·
Increasingly popular in England and throughout Europe are “Retro Revival” weekend gatherings featuring original 1950’s rock and roll bands and also some very good 2000’s Tribute Acts recreating the sights, sounds and styles of...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Feb 21, 2014: Hadrian's Wall, England

Mac ·
1,450 miles from Rome was the limit of the mighty Roman Empire in 122 AD when the Roman Emperor Hadrian came to Britain and took the decision to build this massive stone wall in order to consolidate his rule and the geographical extent of his Empire....
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Tea at Downton Abbey? Britain spends big to get you there!

Paul Heymont ·
Visit Britain, the government tourist-promotion agency and Expedia are putting up about $7 million each to get more Americans to Britain, building on the popularity of Downton Abbey, about to go into Season 4 on US TV. Most of the money will go for TV...
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British "Ramblers" celebrate 80 years

Paul Heymont ·
The Ramblers (formerly Ramblers' Association) has its 80th birthday this year, and is still going strong, with 114,000 long-distance walkers in chapters all over Britain. In its history, it has served as much more than a social connection for people...
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Where are Americans going? NYTimes has lists...

Paul Heymont ·
This week's NY Times travel section has compiled data from several sources for a Travel section article. Some surprises...some not. 1. The most popular domestic trips...California, Texas, Florida, New York 2. International...by a huge margin, Mexico...
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Tunis attack spurs both cancellations and support

Paul Heymont ·
In the wake of the terrorist attack at the Bardo Museum in Tunisia, in which 20 tourists were killed, two trends have emerged.   MSC Cruises (most of the victims were passengers on the MSC Splendida) and Costa (a division of Carnival) have...
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Viewing the Northern Lights: Tips and Techniques

YarnsofWhalesandSnow ·
When you see the Northern Lights for the first time, they seem unreal. Almost magical, maybe even scary to some. The Aurora Borealis is one of the most spectacular natural phenomena you can observe and well worth a journey to the northern parts of the...
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Queen christens Britain's new biggest cruise liner

Paul Heymont ·
The Britannia, 11th in the world but biggest in the British cruise industry, has been christened by Queen Elizabeth and will shortly begin her maiden voyage to the Mediterranean.   The ship can accommodate over 3600 passengers, and bears the name...
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Can Channel Ferries survive new rules?

Paul Heymont ·
A few weeks ago, we wrote about the continuing popularity of the Channel ferries between Britain and the continent ( HERE ) Now a new issue has made the outlook less clear. The British Competition and Markets Authority has ordered Eurotunnel to either...
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Britain's Flying Tax Gets a Shave

Paul Heymont ·
The much-hated British Air Passenger Duty (APD) which for the past several years has made flying in and out of the UK more expensive than many other routes, is getting some adjustments and reductions.   British tourism and travel companies, as...
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Florida warned: take action against future flooding

Paul Heymont ·
17th c. Castillo de San Marcos, guarding America's oldest city, may be endangered by rising waters.   With all the jokes about earthquakes in California creating ocean-front lots in Nevada, it's easy to forget that things are changing in numbers...
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Oh, to be in England! Now that April's...snowing!

Paul Heymont ·
Netweather.tv illustration from the Telegraph (UK)   Robert Browning wouldn't be very happy with this week's April weather forecast for much of Britain. A "polar plume" is expected to arrive, bringing sub-freezing temperatures to Scotland and...
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Britain ends air passenger tax for under-12s

Paul Heymont ·
Today's the day Britain's Air Passenger Duty ends for under-12s in economy, reducing the cost of flying by £11-97 ($17-150) per ticket.   The tax, hated by families and blamed by travel industry companies and airlines for shooing away...
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British Air adds year-round Iceland flights

Paul Heymont ·
British Airways will be flying Heathrow-Rekyjavik three times a week, starting October 25, becoming the first mainline trans-Atlantic carrier to offer year-round service. BA and others have operated summer services, but the winter has been largely...
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Britian's Famous Attractions Get Literal Chinese Names

Travel Rob ·
VisitBritian announced the winners in their 'Great names for Great  Britain ' campaign The campaign used the existing trend of the Chinese to give literal names to favorite celebrities, places and foods. Over 2 million Chinese visited the...
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Government St., Mobile: A Great Historic Street (Pt. 1)

Travel Rob ·
I haven't heard anybody else say this, especially in the local area, but Government Street in Mobile, Alabama is one the most spectacular historic streets in the world, even today. I had a chance to walk a good portion of Government St. in March of...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, December 8, 2014: Hudson Bay Blankets, Banff

DrFumblefinger ·
This past summer I'd spent a day wandering the streets of Banff with my dear friend, LestertheInvestor, and our lovely wives.  Sylvia and I stopped by the Hudson Bay Co (HBC) store and spotted this clever display of blankets drapped over a canoe....
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The Lure of Stonehenge

Kirsten Hines ·
Kirsten Hines shares thoughts and memories, and great photos of a visit to Salisbury Plain.
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They've got a ticket to ride—to every station in UK

Paul Heymont ·
A British couple, looking for a cheer-me-up is spending 3 months riding to or through every railroad station in Great Britain.
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Red Squirrels

Ian Cook ·
Ian Cook shares some great photos and a detailed natural history of the charming Red squirrel, whose population is declining.
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Easyjet picks Vienna as its European HQ

Paul Heymont ·
In preparation for Brexit and possible loss of European flying rights, UK-based EasyJet has announced it will create an Austrian company to keep its place in Europe.
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So, what’s it worth ?

Amateuremigrant ·
Bob Cranwell shares a discussion and thoughts on the value of things using a memorable experience in Yemen.
 
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