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music, art and culture / Re: The right to counter-protest

« Last post by stone on Today at 09:52:12 pm »

I'm sure that people are aware that London has become a less safe place for Jews, generally. I was almost destroyed in the Edgware Road yesterday (which is at the Marble Arch end of Oxford St) as I left synagogue yesterday. Like GF I would have been easy to identify, kippah and tallit bag, no camera crew just a wife and sister.
I appreciate that it is the first time that it's been quite so hostile; I've been going to synagogue there for decades and this has never happened before. That said, there's usually 10 police around premises at kicking out time but first day Pesach isn't the best attended service.

Mike, I am appalled that you were subjected to that. Solidarity to you and to anyone else having to put up with that.

Your experience makes me much more sympathetic towards GF's demonstration. Evidently he wasn't provoking something that otherwise wouldn't be there (that was what I had ignorantly presumed). Rather he was revealing what you've had to put up with.

For people saying my Rosa Park comparison is bogus, I'm not sure it is. GF was clumsy in that he was being annoying in walking against the flow of marchers. But if GF had just been walking along and had been harassed (as Mike and his family were) then I think that would have been appalling and a cause for soul searching by all of us.

Like I said, I haven't been on a march ever, but I have manned a "justice for Palestinians" street stall a couple of times. I would have remonstrated with any marchers if I saw them harassing Mike. I think it is shameful that that wasn't the overwhelming response of marchers when Mike was harassed.

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diet, training and injuries / Re: One for the runners

« Last post by chriss on Today at 09:38:59 pm »

As a runner with lots of running friends I wind up spending a lot during marathon season. Getting a ballot place in say London is hard, so blatantly many of them go for a charity to get in. Do I mind chipping in a few quid? Absolutely not because they get to do something they love on the biggest stage and it's something for them to treasure. The chosen charity also gets some cash & exposure. Generally unless they are a close friend I don't do multiple sponsors to fund their running fun.

I did my first marathon for MIiND as I decided to go for it last minute. It's a charity close to my heart so was happy to ask people for some money. It's the only time I've done it & didn't really like it although MIND didn't give a F**k about the minimum sponsorship. Kind friend's and family smashed my target.

Running a marathon is hard, really hard if you don't run & even harder if you are a runner and want to race it. Doing a skydive is a piss take & I agree it would be like asking folk to sponsor me to drink 8 pints and have a curry.

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chuffing / Re: Historical Nuggets

« Last post by AndyR on Today at 07:58:53 pm »

I think this is pure bollocks given the guy was using aid on VS’s I spent time belaying Al Manson when he was trying this and it took him numerous sessions to do it. He was absolutely staggered when he heard the retro claim. If some one like Austin, Jimmy Fullalove or Eric Lilley had claimed it maybe but Ron Hields was a VS punter.

This is the reason I still check UKb - best post in a decade!

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chuffing / Re: Historical Nuggets

« Last post by webbo on Today at 07:19:54 pm »

Surely not. Were Bleausards really climbing sit-starts on obscure boulders in obscure areas in the late 70s?

Of only tangential relevance, but people obsessing over weird bits of rock is older than you might think.
Gremlin's Wall, E4 6b, Ilkley Rocky Valley, unstarred. Climb Flake Climb but boldly venture up the wall (about 3m tall) right of the final flake. FA Roy Heilds 1953.

A very significant lead by a local expert who spent the summer bivouacking in The Valley. Probably the hardest on gritstone anywhere at the time, it was dismissed by many who thought it impossible for the day and was omitted in the 1961 guidebook until its rediscovery by Al Manson in 1977.

Maybe Heilds was the Gaskins of his day? I've gone up to lead it and been pretty sure I'd do it but didn't think the risk of hitting my ankles on the ledge you climb above was worth the 0-star reward. Did it with a rope above after and it's very obvious what you have to do and not massively hard, so could be top end 6a/low end 6b. Regardless, very impressive for the early 1950s! It's really uninspiring but obviously Heilds could see that it would go and couldn't get the idea out of his head.

I think this is pure bollocks given the guy was using aid on VS’s I spent time belaying Al Manson when he was trying this and it took him numerous sessions to do it. He was absolutely staggered when he heard the retro claim. If some one like Austin, Jimmy Fullalove or Eric Lilley had claimed it maybe but Ron Hields was a VS punter.

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chuffing / Re: Historical Nuggets

« Last post by mrjonathanr on Today at 06:48:52 pm »

Bit of an open offer based on some conversations elsewhere, but if anyone has any digital material you think is of interest (pics of a cool FA, vids of interesting repeats, guidebook draft material etc.) I'd be happy to sort out some long term storage via climbing-history.org.

If you'd be happy making it public that'd obviously be cool, but if you just want somewhere safe for it and want to keep it private I'd be happy to help with that too.

Just drop me a DM.

Sent you a link

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music, art and culture / Re: The right to counter-protest

« Last post by mrjonathanr on Today at 06:43:08 pm »

I'm sure that people are aware that London has become a less safe place for Jews, generally. I was almost destroyed in the Edgware Road yesterday (which is at the Marble Arch end of Oxford St) as I left synagogue yesterday. Like GF I would have been easy to identify, kippah and tallit bag, no camera crew just a wife and sister.

That’s grim, sorry to read this.

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power club / Re: Power Club 749 15-21 April 2024

« Last post by Will Hunt on Today at 06:27:58 pm »

Also, my first time I've been to Bradford since about the same time. Driving through will only give a superficial impression but it did not look in good shape  .

Bradford has some diamonds in the rough (science and media museum, theatre, brilliant curry/Persian restaurants etc). Sadly the diamond:rough ratio isn't great. I think its biggest problem is Leeds, which it converges with at Pudsey, which has better infrastructure and attracts all the investment.

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music, art and culture / Re: The right to counter-protest

« Last post by jwi on Today at 06:05:37 pm »

very late to the party, but are you guys debating weather it is a good idea to have separate entries for the manchester united and liverpool ultras berfore the match, and to let the police enforce the separation? It is.

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chuffing / Re: Historical Nuggets

« Last post by Will Hunt on Today at 05:58:28 pm »

Surely not. Were Bleausards really climbing sit-starts on obscure boulders in obscure areas in the late 70s?

Of only tangential relevance, but people obsessing over weird bits of rock is older than you might think.
Gremlin's Wall, E4 6b, Ilkley Rocky Valley, unstarred. Climb Flake Climb but boldly venture up the wall (about 3m tall) right of the final flake. FA Roy Heilds 1953.

A very significant lead by a local expert who spent the summer bivouacking in The Valley. Probably the hardest on gritstone anywhere at the time, it was dismissed by many who thought it impossible for the day and was omitted in the 1961 guidebook until its rediscovery by Al Manson in 1977.

Maybe Heilds was the Gaskins of his day? I've gone up to lead it and been pretty sure I'd do it but didn't think the risk of hitting my ankles on the ledge you climb above was worth the 0-star reward. Did it with a rope above after and it's very obvious what you have to do and not massively hard, so could be top end 6a/low end 6b. Regardless, very impressive for the early 1950s! It's really uninspiring but obviously Heilds could see that it would go and couldn't get the idea out of his head.

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power club / Re: Power Club 749 15-21 April 2024

« Last post by Duma on Today at 05:57:08 pm »

Happy birthday Shark! And enjoy your trip!