The Night Mail

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, SM42 said:

 

I think we are in 12v and milliamp territory, but my memory may be playing tricks on me. 

 

It could of course depend on the type of track circuit in use too. 

 

Andy

 

Agreed. For easy math A 120 ohm relay and a 12 volt battery would only draw 100mA. It could be a lot less too.

 

The "in section" current flowing through the wheels might be several times greater but still well under one amp.

[MrWolf]

3 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

Agreed. For easy math A 120 ohm relay and a 12 volt battery would only draw 100mA. It could be a lot less too.

 

The "in section" current flowing through the wheels might be several times greater but still well under one amp.

 

A friend of mine uses the same batteries that are used on UK track circuiting as auxiliaries mounted in a sidecar where the Lucas E3L dynamo has been rebuilt to provide 12v instead of 6v through a car regulator box. He's never had to charge the battery, despite using it for auxiliary lights when camping.

[MrWolf]

36 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

An old friend of mine once commented how some people seemed to drive BMWs, placing great importance on driving a "premium" brand of car, but lived on Tesco Value beans to afford to do so.

I used to own a (last of the original design) Rangie Vogue V8.  It was cheap and it blew up after a year but still gorgeous.  Considering what they change hands for now and how much it would cost to fuel it, I probably got off lightly.  If anyone buys a modern Rangie and then complains about the cost of fuel, they need to be slapped round the face with a mackerel.

 

As my late father used to say: Two BMWs on the drive and bu99er all in the fridge...

 

There's nothing wrong with driving around in a flash old gas guzzler because you enjoy it, it's when you're trying to convince the gullible that you're loaded or you is gangsta, innit? 

 

If I had a pound for every person I've seen driving a Jag with bald tyres and busted aircon, BMW's with all the service lights on or putting £5 worth of petrol in that 03 plate Range Rover, I'd be driving around in that 1957 Maserati 3500GT....

[Dave Hunt]

The good news, folks, is that after deliberation and discussion with Phil Parker, not only is br2975 reinstated on TNM but his moderated status will shortly be removed. This is, of course, an Orwellian Good Thing so I am pleased to be the bearer of the news.

 

Dave 

Edited August 10, 2023 by Dave Hunt
I got his numbers wrong!

[Dave Hunt]

12 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

If I had a pound for every person I've seen driving a Jag with bald tyres and busted aircon, BMW's with all the service lights on or putting £5 worth of petrol in that 03 plate Range Rover, I'd be driving around in that 1957 Maserati 3500GT....

 

Picked up this little beauty for only 15K. Should have it back on the road before long.

 

 

Dave

 

[Happy Hippo]

WOPA WOPA WOPA WOPA

 

It's a Chinook returning.

[MrWolf]

26 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

The good news, folks, is that after deliberation and discussion with Phil Parker, not only is br2795 reinstated on TNM but his moderated status will shortly be removed. This is, of course, an Orwellian Good Thing so I am pleased to be the bearer of the news.

 

Dave 

 

Unfortunately, nowadays we are subject to certain rules and publicly must conform to one world view, even when we know that it's not the truth.

 

I do a little consultancy work on a voluntary basis and a while back was asked to attend a meeting to give my thoughts and share my experiences with representatives of NGOs and law enforcement.

At the last minute I was told that the focus of the meeting had been changed and I was no longer needed.

A bit of digging revealed that the hosts feared some might find some of my views contentious and that my "lived experience" may be less valid than others because it has been skewed by "damaged thinking"...

 

Perhaps I should go for re-education, Comrade?

 

To cap it off, someone who had been trying to talk me into managing a new social enterprise (For free of course) sent me a text which went like this:

 

Hi Rob, I see you rang earlier in the day. I was on my way to (Redacted) for a workshop which finished about 5pm. Am on the train back to (Redacted). I won't be going to the (Redacted) and the next 5 Mondays, as it makes it too long a day for me. 

There's been some stuff going on for me these last few weeks and I've needed to focus on it to deal with it. 

A few aspects of our dealings with each other haven't been chiming with me and to go forward we'll need to sit down at some point and redraw some of our 'terms of engagement!' so hopefully we can communicate much more effectively. You're an interesting guy, Rob, but if you want to keep friends there's got to be more room for them.

Good luck tonight and I'll be in touch shortly. 

Cheers, (Redacted)

 

Basically I had demolished a number of his ideological preconceptions with documented evidence to the contrary and proved beyond all doubt that I wasn't "Uneducated", simply because I disagreed. That's another favourite weapon for those who are running out of rational arguments.

 

I didn't even bother to dignify the message with a response. I don't think that anyone has ever tried to call me in for a friendship appraisal, like I was some sixteen year old office boy. 

 

"Chiming"... Straight out of the Oxford dictionary for patronising g!ts....

[J. S. Bach]

45 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

The good news, folks, is that after deliberation and discussion with Phil Parker, not only is br2975 reinstated on TNM but his moderated status will shortly be removed. This is, of course, an Orwellian Good Thing so I am pleased to be the bearer of the news.

 

Dave 

Thank you and Phil!!

 

 

28 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

WOPA WOPA WOPA WOPA

 

It's a Chinook returning.

A Hippo in a Chinook?? Welcome back!!!!

[MrWolf]

40 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Picked up this little beauty for only 15K. Should have it back on the road before long.

 

 

Dave

 

 

Assuming that the front end panels are available (Front clip to those transatlantic readers) The main challenge appears to be replacing the windscreen header rail and the roof panel, otherwise a pretty straightforward rebuild. I might consider a colour change though as yellow sports cars are seen as a little uncool at present.

Unless that's actually a metallic gold of some sort?

[AndyID]

45 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Picked up this little beauty for only 15K. Should have it back on the road before long.

 

 

Dave

 

 

A bit of rubbing compound should soon sort that out.

 

Incidentally the red Fiat 124 Spider seen in the embarrassing pic the other day was only recently purchased by its owner and it has a "rebuild" title. He believes it had been written-off due to an engine fire. I didn't go over it in detail but superficially there isn't anything wrong with it.

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[SteveyDee68]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

WOPA WOPA WOPA WOPA

Crikey - now find myself craving a flame grilled burger!

 

HOURS OF YUM!!

[polybear]

6 hours ago, MrWolf said:

 

Unfortunately, nowadays we are subject to certain rules and publicly must conform to one world view, even when we know that it's not the truth.

 

I do a little consultancy work on a voluntary basis and a while back was asked to attend a meeting to give my thoughts and share my experiences with representatives of NGOs and law enforcement.

At the last minute I was told that the focus of the meeting had been changed and I was no longer needed.

A bit of digging revealed that the hosts feared some might find some of my views contentious and that my "lived experience" may be less valid than others because it has been skewed by "damaged thinking"...

 

Perhaps I should go for re-education, Comrade?

 

To cap it off, someone who had been trying to talk me into managing a new social enterprise (For free of course) sent me a text which went like this:

 

Hi Rob, I see you rang earlier in the day. I was on my way to (Redacted) for a workshop which finished about 5pm. Am on the train back to (Redacted). I won't be going to the (Redacted) and the next 5 Mondays, as it makes it too long a day for me. 

There's been some stuff going on for me these last few weeks and I've needed to focus on it to deal with it. 

A few aspects of our dealings with each other haven't been chiming with me and to go forward we'll need to sit down at some point and redraw some of our 'terms of engagement!' so hopefully we can communicate much more effectively. You're an interesting guy, Rob, but if you want to keep friends there's got to be more room for them.

Good luck tonight and I'll be in touch shortly. 

Cheers, (Redacted)

 

Basically I had demolished a number of his ideological preconceptions with documented evidence to the contrary and proved beyond all doubt that I wasn't "Uneducated", simply because I disagreed. That's another favourite weapon for those who are running out of rational arguments.

 

I didn't even bother to dignify the message with a response. I don't think that anyone has ever tried to call me in for a friendship appraisal, like I was some sixteen year old office boy. 

 

"Chiming"... Straight out of the Oxford dictionary for patronising g!ts....

 

Tell him to go sc*w himself with the rough end of a Pineapple.

Sounds to this Bear like your voluntary skills might be better off donated to someone else.

 

7 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Picked up this little beauty for only 15K. Should have it back on the road before long.

 

 

Dave

 

 

Er, what was it before it became road kill?

[iL Dottore]

11 hours ago, MrWolf said:

 

Lots of those around here, we call them "footballer's wives". 

Of course, we mustn't judge and have to conclude that each is an entrepreneur, influencer or corporate go getter who has broken through the glass ceiling etc etc....

😉

There is a entrepreneur (an Asian lady) who lives around here who must be doing well for herself - she drives a pink Bentley! Getting Bentley to paint your car pink must take some serious dosh!  No idea what she does though.
 

“Entrepreneur” is such a useful term, isn’t  it? It covers everything from the spivs and wide-boys, through hard-grafting SMEs to the hopeless and clueless who are absolutely 100% convinced that the world is just waiting for a soy protein and tofu Lemon Drizzle Cake.

Quite a few corporate “go-getters” have a life-style significantly supported by the company they work for: the top-of-the-line prestige car is actually owned by and provided by the company, the seat at the pointy end of the plane and the luxury hotel rooms are part of the job spec (cos of heavy travelling) and nothing to do with the individual getting such things. 
 

The ones that really do puzzle, me are the so-called “influencers“. First of all, who the hell are they influencing? Certainly not me. Secondly, most of them are NOT what you would call “top tier individuals“. Perusing the tabloids (as one does to amuse oneself over breakfast) one frequently comes across stories about these so-called “influencers“ and they universally appear to be absolutely vacuous, puerile and frequently infantile. It is said that nature abhors a vacuum and one must wonder at the emptiness of the lives of those who are devoted followers of this or that “influencer“. 
 

Mind you, being “an influencer“ is nice work if you can get it. Had I known -before I set up my small consulting company, that fame and fortune would be mine were I to peddle vegan teddy bears or cake-free cake over a YouTube channel (raking in the advertising dosh), I wouldn’t have had to do the hard work of keeping up-to-date with my professional requirements and gradually building up my client list and contact list.

Yep, I reckon that if I could be a***d to get off my rear and actually make some YouTube content, I too could be the next big influencer with my counter-vegan zero-calorie, crystal-healing, flat-earth lifestyle as I expose the truth behind the black helicopters….

[jamie92208]

I once applied tbe a liaison officer with a local branch of the civil service.  Apparently I wasn't chosen as it was thought that my sense of humour might be too robust for the little darlings in the office. 

 

Jamie

[SM42]

37 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

....

 

the hopeless and clueless who are absolutely 100% convinced that the world is just waiting for a soy protein and tofu Lemon Drizzle Cake......

 

 

Well that's my latest money making scheme shot down in flames.

 

Looks like I'm going to have to make my fortune the hard way.

 

 

37 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

 

 

Mind you, being “an influencer“ is nice work if you can get it. Had I known -before I set up my small consulting company, that fame and fortune would be mine

 

I'm not so sure that it is career choice. 

 

I suspect some innocuous You Tube vids, that gain a following thst attracts adverting which then attracts product placement and as the cash rolls in, the lifestyle follows, which needs more cash, more product pushing and so on and as more and more content is required, bits of true personality will leach out onto the web and maybe with that, some alternative thinking

 

Vacuous, maybe some of the content, but I'm not so sure those behind it can be said to be the same. 

 

Normal ( whatever that is) people. Just younger than us and living in a world that has different attitudes an values and has maybe, just maybe, left us old uns behind.

 

I don't try to understand it. I ignore it and go forth in the world in blissful ignorance.

 

Andy

Edited August 11, 2023 by SM42

[NHY 581]

8 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

The good news, folks, is that after deliberation and discussion with Phil Parker, not only is br2975 reinstated on TNM but his moderated status will shortly be removed. This is, of course, an Orwellian Good Thing so I am pleased to be the bearer of the news.

 

Dave 

 

 

Nice to see common sense has finally prevailed. The initial course of action was simply wrong. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

[Hroth]

Four legs good, two legs bad....

 

[polybear]

23 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

The ones that really do puzzle, me are the so-called “influencers“. First of all, who the hell are they influencing? Certainly not me. Secondly, most of them are NOT what you would call “top tier individuals“. Perusing the tabloids (as one does to amuse oneself over breakfast) one frequently comes across stories about these so-called “influencers“ and they universally appear to be absolutely vacuous, puerile and frequently infantile. It is said that nature abhors a vacuum and one must wonder at the emptiness of the lives of those who are devoted followers of this or that “influencer“. 

 

Here's at least one that won't be doing too much influencing for a while:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/04/ex-tiktok-influencer-mother-guilty-murder-leicester-mahek-ansreen-bukhari-saqib-hussain-mohammed-hashim-ijazuddin

[iL Dottore]

7 hours ago, MrWolf said:

 

Unfortunately, nowadays we are subject to certain rules and publicly must conform to one world view, even when we know that it's not the truth.

 

I do a little consultancy work on a voluntary basis and a while back was asked to attend a meeting to give my thoughts and share my experiences with representatives of NGOs and law enforcement.

At the last minute I was told that the focus of the meeting had been changed and I was no longer needed.

A bit of digging revealed that the hosts feared some might find some of my views contentious and that my "lived experience" may be less valid than others because it has been skewed by "damaged thinking"...

 

Perhaps I should go for re-education, Comrade?

 

Unfortunately, nowadays adhering to the orthodoxy of the day (preferred by and promoted by individuals with vested interests in such orthodoxies) has become a necessary survival strategy in far too many areas of life, unless - of course - you are rich enough, powerful enough or old enough not to give a toss.

 

“Damaged Thinking”? What’s that when it’s at home? It sounds rather Orwellian to me.  People should start realising that Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopian social science fiction novel and NOT a soddin’ “How-To Manual”

7 hours ago, MrWolf said:

… sent me a text which went like this:

 

Hi Rob, I see you rang earlier in the day. I was on my way to (Redacted) for a workshop which finished about 5pm. Am on the train back to (Redacted). I won't be going to the (Redacted) and the next 5 Mondays, as it makes it too long a day for me. 

There's been some stuff going on for me these last few weeks and I've needed to focus on it to deal with it. 

A few aspects of our dealings with each other haven't been chiming with me and to go forward we'll need to sit down at some point and redraw some of our 'terms of engagement!' so hopefully we can communicate much more effectively. You're an interesting guy, Rob, but if you want to keep friends there's got to be more room for them.

Good luck tonight and I'll be in touch shortly. 

Cheers, (Redacted)

Sounds very much to me like the fellow is suffering from Schizoaffective Disorder (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/schizoaffective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20354504?p=1) whereby - amongst other things the affected person loses touch with reality.

As they say “revenge is a dish best served cold”, perhaps very publicly working for a rival social enterprise might have “the biter, bit” (so to speak).

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Er, what was it before it became road kill?

A BMW I think. M series?

[Hroth]

Shock Horror!

 

If the strike is not settled, we may run out of Irn-Bru!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-66455140

 

Not that it'll affect me, I can't remember ever consuming the stuff...

 

 

[AndyID]

48 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

Nice to see common sense has finally prevailed. The initial course of action was simply wrong. 

 

Rob. 

 

 

 

As the saying goes "hindsight is always 20/20". But those who try to moderate any website have my complete sympathy. I did that for a bit on a science forum and it's an unbelievable PITA. Moderators are frequently put in a situation where they cannot possibly win. It was driving me even further of my rocker so I had to chuck it.

[AndyID]

9 minutes ago, Hroth said:

Shock Horror!

 

If the strike is not settled, we may run out of Irn-Bru!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-66455140

 

Not that it'll affect me, I can't remember ever consuming the stuff...

 

 

 

I predict a slump in the price of girders.

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

I once applied tbe a liaison officer with a local branch of the civil service.  Apparently I wasn't chosen as it was thought that my sense of humour might be too robust for the little darlings in the office. 

 

Jamie

 

Many yonks ago I applied to IBM for a job and they offered me one. I did not accept it. They didn't bother to mention what I'd actually be doing 😄