Do squirrels know where they bury nuts

I was watching a squirrel happily burying nuts in the garden and I have always been amazed at how they know where they buried them.  Now I'm pretty sure that this squirrel knows exactly where they are as when it snows you can see the tracks directly to a particular point and not tracks all over the place as it would be if he was searching.  Anyway someone claimed that they don't know where they are they do lots of searching to find them again. Well I knew from watching my squirrel, that comment wasn't true.  So I did some searching......

According to the study "Grey Squirrels Remember the Locations of Buried Nuts," published in Princeton University's journal "Animal Behavior," squirrels use spatial memory often to locate stored food. The study shows squirrels go back more often to their own food caches than to the caches of other squirrels, suggesting that they use memory to locate their food. Squirrels often bury their food near landmarks that aid them in remembering where they stored the food. The study also suggests that squirrels bury food in a series of locations that help them form a cognitive map of all storage locations.

A seminal 1991 research paper published in the journal Animal Behavior showed that even when multiple grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) bury their stash in close proximity to one another, individuals of this species will remember and return to the precise locations of their personal cache. This is echoed by multiple other studies, showing that the squirrels' spatial memory helps them map out the territory around them to find their food. Under certain conditions — like when their nuts are buried under snow — a sense of smell won’t always be effective in helping them find food. So, it makes sense that squirrels could be relying on other cues. 

LINKS
https://animals.mom.me/squirrels-really-bury-food-11108.html
https://www.livescience.com/64104-how-do-squirrels-find-buried-nuts.html
https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/questions/answer/what-controls-the-caching-behaviour-of-squirrels-and-how-do-they-find-their-bur

Getting out of the EU can be quick and easy

Unfortunately when your voted in its your duty to do the best for the whole of the country. MPs have a far better insight and knowledge (Ok well leave Chris Grayling and a few other out) of the impact of whats going on. Also there at the front line of information rather than the bollox Tory media like the Sun spouts out on a regular basis. Which actually brain washes people into believing ridiculous things and certainly not fact. If you remember that the sun has a readership of 6 million that alone is nearly a third of the leave vote.

The majority voted to leave with a deal because that is what the Brexit campaign, campaigned on. Leaving without a deal was shot down as project fear and wouldn't happen. We would be able to strike the quickest and easiest deal with the EU in history. 

Go and check the interviews from 2016 if you don't believe that. So Labour certainly are following the wishes of the majority and fighting to leave with a deal. Its not anyone elses fault that the Tories have fcuked this up. 

Dictators never succeed in the end and Mayhem certainly prooved that the Tories are a Dictatorship by going of and negotiating "Brexit means Brexit". Just that her "Brexit mean Brexit" wasnt what anyone else thought it meant.

"There will be no downside to Brexit, only a considerable upside"

David Davis

10 October 2016

"The day after we vote to leave, we hold all the cards and we can choose the path we want"

Michael Gove

9 April 2016


There is no plan for No Deal because we are going to get a great deal.

Boris Johnson

11 July 2017 (House of commons)

"Getting out of the EU can be quick and easy – the UK holds most of the cards"

John Redwood

July 17 2016


"The free trade agreement that we will have to do with the European Union should be one of the easiest in human history"

Liam Fox 

20 July 2017

David Davis now says: ‘Nobody has ever pretended this will be easy. I have always said this negotiation will be tough, complex and at times confrontational’

 

LINKShttps://www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-interactive/2018/mar/28/11-brexit-promises-leavers-quietly-dropped
https://www.indy100.com/article/brexit-easy-nigel-farage-theresa-may-david-davis-boris-johnson-8846041
https://www.economistsforfreetrade.com/Media/the-spectator-ten-myths-from-the-no-deal-project-fear/
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/pdf_file/GfK-NOP_EU20Referendum20Question20Testing20Research20Report-WEB.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/jun/24/mail-sun-uk-brexit-newspapers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_The_Sun_Wot_Won_It

 

Someone is lying about the NI Border

Someone is lying ....wow that would be a surprise


The EU have said that they wont put a border in.

The Irish have said they wont put a border in.

The UK has said it wont put a border in.


Someone is lying, someone is being economical with the truth.


Either someone is lying or there really isn't a problem

If there really isn't a problem then why do we have a problem?


So comes back to the main crux of this post someone is lying about putting a border in.

The question is who would be forced to put a border in place?

The difference between Tory and Labour policy making

The difference between Dictatorship and Democracy

It is clear that the Tory process for policy making is strongly dictatorial as was evidenced by May going off and negotiating what she thought Brexit would be which wasn't what most in her party were prepared to accept.  We see the same with Johnson now and Cameron in the past. I've not been able to find any updates to the below for the Tories and there is still evidence of clear Dictatorship within the Tory party.

Corbyn puts forward the views agreed by representatives and not his own. It is well known that Corbyn is personally for unilateral disarmament is it part of Labour policy NO whilst Corbyn as leader obviously has as strong say its not his policies that we see from Labour. He's just the spokesperson.  So people can drag up his views from that past on the EU, single market, Unilateral disarmament etc etc its not those views that he's putting forward in parliament or to the people and in some cases he's changed his views, which people do over time.

So lets look at the differences and I urge you to check this if you have any doubt. because the way the Tories are set up is the reason the UK finds itself in the mess that it does.

Outline of the Conservative party policy making process 

In the past the Conservative policy making process and the manifesto have tended to come from the leader and a small group of advisors, as was the case for writing the 2010 manifesto. 

The Conservatives continue to have the least formal and least democratic policy and manifesto making processes but there have been recent changes to increase backbencher involvement; several of the bodies listed below were set up specifically to do so. As they are relatively new it remains to be seen how much influence they will have, particularly over education policy. 

The Conservatives are thought to be less advanced than the other parties in developing policy for 2015 and beyond as a result of the lack of formal structures to develop manifesto policies separate to government policy. It has been difficult for the Conservative leadership to distinguish between government and Conservative policy separate from the coalition. However 2014 has already seen the Conservatives and Lib Dems start to distinguish themselves from one another, as the election approaches this is likely to increase.

ConservativesOf the three main parties, the Conservative Party grants least influence to members in the formulation of policy. As Bale notes, the party leader dominates the Conservative Party and, in opposition in particular, the party operates as ‘an essentially top-down organization’. Indeed, Bale portrays the Conservative Party’s vesting of power and autonomy in its leader as almost the polar opposite of the Labour Party’s model of organisation, 

Labour on the other hand is a democratic party with the Leader taking forward policy decided by over 200 representatives and discussed at Annual conference. Obviously the leadership make decisions on day to day items as long as they follow main policy.

About Labour’s Policy Process

Our policy development process is designed to involve members, local parties, trade unions, socialist societies, elected representatives as well as the wider community.
Policy is developed through the National Policy Forum (NPF). This is a body of over 200 representatives from all the major groups of the Labour Party, from constituency parties and regions to affiliated trade unions, socialist societies, MPs and councillors.  Its role is to shape the Party’s policy agenda, drawing up policy documents for agreement.
NPF representatives are placed onto one of eight policy commissions that examine specific policy areas; each commission is co-convened by a Shadow Secretary of State and an NEC member.
These Commissions consider the policy submissions which come in from across the Labour Party, and develop detailed positions which are then discussed at Annual Conference. The current commissions are:

• Economy, Business & Trade

• International

• Health & Social Care

• Early Years, Education & Skills

• Justice & Home Affairs

• Housing, Local Government & Transport

• Work, Pensions & Equality

• Environment, Energy, & Culture

Policy making runs from general election to general election, with updated documents produced for every Annual Conference. Members, supporters and affiliate groups make submissions to the process detailing their views. What they tell the NPF shapes the documents produced.  

LINKS
https://www.policyforum.labour.org.uk/about/policy-process
https://www.ascl.org.uk/download.C2C47F02-5FFF-4157-B73FE140EFE6A25B.html
http://www.democraticaudit.com/2013/10/02/the-influence-of-party-members-on-policy-varies-across-the-major-parties/

it’s going to be after 31 October.

Ill just leave this here .....

"We have been very clear that if there’s a no-confidence vote, [the prime minister] won’t resign. We get to set an election date. We don’t want an election, but if we have to set a date, it’s going to be after 31 October."

BREXIT - Statements by Politicians

(1) More money for the NHS
Vote Leave’s battle bus said: “We send the EU £350 million a week. Let’s fund our NHS instead”
“Instead of sending £350 million per week to Brussels, we will spend it on our priorities like the NHS and education.” – Vote Leave briefing
“After we Vote Leave on 23 June, the Government should use some of the billions saved from leaving the EU to give at least a £100 million per week cash transfusion to the NHS.” – Michael Gove, Boris Johnson, and Gisela Stuart

(2) More money for farmers
“The UK government will continue to give farmers and the environment as much support – or perhaps even more – as they get now.” – George Eustice, Minister for Farming, Food and Marine Environment

(3) More money for scientists
“If we Vote Leave, we will be able to increase funding to science and still save billions” –Vote Leave

(4) More money in your pocket
“Wages will be higher for working people outside the EU… because pay will no longer be undercut by uncontrolled migration.” – Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, and Gisela Stuart

(5) And scrapping VAT on fuel bills and tampons
“In 1993, VAT on household energy bills was imposed… When we Vote Leave, we will be able to scrap this unfair and damaging tax.” – Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, and Gisela Stuart
‘After we Vote Leave… We will need a carefully managed negotiation process and some major legislative changes before 2020, including taking real steps… to abolish VAT on fuel and tampons” – Chris Grayling

(6) No EU beneficiaries left worse-off
“There is more than enough money to ensure that those who now get funding from the EU – including universities, scientists, family farmers, regional funds, cultural organisations and others – will continue to do so… We will continue to fund EU programmes in the UK until 2020” – Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, and Priti Patel (amongst other signatories)

(7) And no short-term economic disruption
“After we Vote Leave, there won’t be a sudden change that disrupts the economy.” – Boris Johnson, Gisela Stuart and Michael Gove

(8) We’ll get brand new trade deals all over the world
“We would immediately be able to start negotiating new trade deals… which could enter into force immediately after the UK leaves the EU” – Chris Grayling

(9) There’ll be no damage to trade with the EU
“There is a European free trade zone from Iceland to the Russian border and we will be part of it… Britain will have access to the Single Market after we vote leave… The idea that our trade will suffer because we stop imposing terrible rules such as the Clinical Trial Directive is silly.” Vote Leave
(10) Or our cooperation with the EU

“We will negotiate a UK-EU Treaty that enables us 1) to continue cooperating in many areas just as now (e.g. maritime surveillance), 2) to deepen cooperation in some areas (e.g. scientific collaborations and counter-terrorism)” – Vote Leave

(11) Guaranteed in a treaty which we’ll sort out before 2020
“It will be possible to negotiate a new settlement with the EU, including a UK-EU free trade deal, by the next general election in May 2020” – Vote Leave

(12) Which won’t have any obligation to follow EU laws
“The supremacy of EU law and the jurisdiction of the European Court over the UK will come to an end” Vote Leave

(13) We’ll cut immigration
“I wouldn’t set a time limit for it but the ambition would be to bring it down to tens of thousands.” – Michael Gove

(14) With a new system in place by 2020
“By the next general election, we will create a genuine Australian-style points based immigration system.” – Michael Gove, Boris Johnson, Priti Patel and Gisela Stuart

(15) That doesn’t favour EU citizens
“Those seeking entry for work or study should be admitted on the basis of their skills without discrimination on the ground of nationality.” – Michael Gove, Boris Johnson, Priti Patel and Gisela Stuart
“[We will introduce a bill to] end the automatic right of all EU citizens to enter the UK by the next election” – Vote Leave

(16) But which gives Irish citizens total free access
“The right of Irish citizens to enter, reside and work in the UK is already enshrined in our law. This will be entirely unaffected by a vote to leave on 23 June.” – Michael Gove, Boris Johnson, Priti Patel and Gisela Stuart

(17) And stronger border controls
“There is one absolutely clear-cut dividend from leaving the EU. That is our ability to regain control of our borders, including far stronger powers over who we can deport, and proper preventative checks at the border.” – Dominic Raab

(18) But no controls on the Northern Irish land border with the EU
“There will be no change to the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.” – Michael Gove, Boris Johnson, Priti Patel and Gisela Stuart

(19) And the union with Scotland will be stronger than ever
“If we vote to leave then I think the union will be stronger…  I think when we vote to leave it will be clear that having voted to leave one union the last thing people in Scotland wanted to do is to break up another.” – Michael Gove

Corrected 31/08/2016: Vote Leave’s battle bus promised £350m a week to the NHS, not the EU.

Leaving will be “a careful change, not a sudden step”
So much for careful – the government’s rush to trigger formal negotiations after the referendum means we now risk crashing out by default on 29 March. In fact, Vote Leave promised the exact opposite, saying “no rational government would immediately begin any legal process to withdraw so there is no issue of an immediate use of Article 50”.

 “Taking back control is a careful change, not a sudden stop,” the campaign pledged. “We will negotiate the terms of a new deal before we start any legal process to leave.” The same campaign document—which can still be read on its website—also promised that the UK would be part of “a free trade zone from Iceland to Turkey and the Russian border.” If we leave without a deal—as those prominent Brexiteers are now advocating—that will be impossible.

 Liam Fox has said a post-Brexit free trade deal with the EU should be the “easiest in human history”, but insisted that the UK could survive without one.




LINKS
https://infacts.org/cut-keep-list-top-19-brexiteer-promises 
http://www.voteleavetakecontrol.org/why_vote_leave.html 
https://fullfact.org/europe/what-was-promised-about-customs-union-referendum
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/no-deal-is-against-the-will-of-the-people-and-heres-the-proof
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/20/liam-fox-uk-eu-trade-deal-after-brexit-easiest-human-history
https://www.buzzfeed.com/patricksmith/nobody-said-it-was-easy
https://www.indy100.com/article/brexit-deal-lates-quotes-liam-fox-theresa-may-nigel-farage-eu-michael-gove-8636801
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/05/no-one-said-brexit-would-easy-says-david-davis-sure/

 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/05/no-one-said-brexit-would-easy-says-david-davis-sure/
https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/seven-times-brexiteers-told-us-this-was-all-going-to-be-easy-1-5558147 
 

Boris Johnson = BloJo

Boris Johnson

BlowJo.... 

More hot air than a tumble drier. Less substance than a cloud and more deceitful than a weasel with a foxes tail.

EU could declare no-deal Brexit a major natural disaster

I wonder if the UK has an emergency fund it can dip into. Maybe they can shake the magic money tree and find some more money that they claimed wasnt there?




LINKS
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/sep/02/eu-could-declare-no-deal-brexit-as-major-natural-disaster

The people who bet against Britain are going to lose their shirts.

“The people who bet against Britain are going to lose their shirts.”Boris Johnson, UK prime minister, 24 July 2019

Which is strange because......

Leading Brexiteer fund manager Crispin Odey has readopted a negative outlook on the pound as the UK comes closer to dropping out of the EU on 29 March without an agreement in place. 

Bloomberg on Monday reported that Odey said he is now shorting sterling on the expectation the currency will slide in a no deal Brexit scenario.

https://citywire.co.uk/wealth-manager/news/odey-bets-against-pound-again-as-no-deal-brexit-looms/a1202211

Boris Johnson’s pro-Brexit backer Crispin Odey has made a £300m bet against British businesses and stands to make huge profits from the woes of the UK economy. 

The firm owned by the multimillionaire hedge fund tycoon, who made millions betting against the pound after the 2016 referendum, has taken out £299m in “short” positions on some of Britain’s biggest firms.

Thetimes: Boris Johnson’s donor Crispin Odey eyes Brexit jackpot with £300m bet against British firms

Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg is estimated to have earnt £7m from investments since the referendum

https://www.channel4.com/press/news/brexiteer-jacob-rees-mogg-estimated-have-earnt-ps7m-investments-referendum-according

LINKS
https://www.channel4.com/press/news/brexiteer-jacob-rees-mogg-estimated-have-earnt-ps7m-investments-referendum-according
https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/crispin-odey-rubbishes-channel-4s-brexit-millionaires-investigation-20190320

A deal with the EU would seal an Election win for BoJo

Lets hope I'm wrong and Boris Johnson and his team do have a Brexit plan for the NI border. A credible one that can take the place of the backstop and that the EU and parliament will go for.

There have been no details of a plan so we will wait and see.

Of course the stakes are high because if Johnson can somehow miraculously come up with a deal he will have pretty much sealed a win in the next election.