Early Risers.

[roundhouse]

Thanks for the advice on freezing kits. Thought that only plumbers had them but will look no that. I changed the ball valve over ten years ago so can't remember if I found an online valve but I those days the main stop cock was regularly turned but thrn I forgot to let doing that.

 

It's POETS and enjoying a Hacker Pschor Hefeweizen in Bierschenke near Liverpool Street awaiting my other half before we head to the station. Still need to buy tickets to Norwich and get food. Planning on getting first class for the first off peak service at 19.00. Does mean fewer beers in Norwich tonight but should be a cheaper and more pleasant journey than standard class in thr peak hours.

[New Haven Neil]

The Anchorage Bear - I had forgotten about that, damn thing's huge!  Wow, that was a while ago....ummm.....'78!

[TheQ]

There is if you have problems, sometimes another stopcock, I have one on the property boundary where the line changes from the water company property to my property.

I have come across them in pavements outside as well..

[Ozexpatriate]

Interesting place to put your HQ building - in a valley which has a major fault line on one side and four smaller fault lines on the other side which sort of suggests something about the existence of the valley being linked to past tectonic activity.  But no doubt the building has both the right sort of construction and foundations to suit the geology of the site?

Given they've been building within less than about a mile from the first buildings they had in Cupertino when I was there in about '79, I'm sure they've got it "sussed" OK 

There's a non-technical description of the use of base isolators for the Apple HQ here.

 

Earthquake survivability is a well advanced field of civil engineering with all manner of large shock absorbers, rollers and structural flex designed in.

 

We are much more at risk of earthquake damage in the Northwest. The earthquake risk in northern California is well understood given the 1905 San Francisco quake and fire and while a large earthquake there will be devastating, much of the infrastructure will survive - particularly with retrofitting done after 1989.

 

In the Northwest, the dangers due to Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes were not even considered until the 1970s and unverified until the late 1980s with the final very conclusive component described in a 1996 paper matching a documented Japanese tsunami that occurred without an accompanying earthquake in 1700. Structural survivability efforts here are much less well developed than in Northern California.

 

For what it's worth, when we lived out there in '85-86 we actually lived ON the fault line, about 4 miles SW as the crow files (MUCH further up the windy road) on Skyline Blvd. at the TOP of the ridge - the fault line ran about a couple of hundred yards from the house  only felt one small tremor whilst we were there - the view was amazing though, picture windows looking out over the Pacific and Monterey Bay to the west of the ridge.

A colleague of mine lives down the ridgeline closer to Loma Prieta. His house sustained significant damage in 1989 - though he was actually in the UK at the time. His wife however was home - not seriously injured, though the walls and floors tossed her around.

 

I was in Milpitas at the time in a hotel ballroom. Frankly it was pretty terrifying.

[Tony_S]

The Anchorage Bear - I had forgotten about that, damn thing's huge! Wow, that was a while ago....ummm.....'78!

When I was a child there seemed to be a lot of stuffed bears arranged into something like the Warwickshire bear on a post county symbol. When I was in the cubs we used to meet in an army barracks. The Warwickshire Bear was positioned in front of the armoury door. Quite often a soldier would be collecting or returning something "weapony". This was quite interesting to the cubs. I suppose nowadays this wouldn't happen?

Tony

Edited September 29, 2017 by Tony_S

[Barry O]

Funchal it is..pictures later

Enjoyable trip around the west end of the island has been had. Trip into the clouds but our 10€ lunch ( soup, beef and veg, then ice cream with a nice bottle of red for me) was very good. Then they brought her indoors a honeycake with one candle. Once she realised I hadn't organised it she was fine (She doesn't do birthday parties)

 

Off for our evening meal with more free gifts coming her way...pass me the red...

 

Another gin palace arrived but may have left later

 

Baz

Edited September 29, 2017 by Barry O

[pH]

I left school in December 71 and had 8 months to wait to go to Uni so got a job with BP at Sunbury on Thames working as a sort of holiday relief in a set of labs.

 

Then you and I were working in BP Sunbury at the same time. I worked in the library there for June, July and August 1972, as arranged work experience before a university course.

[pH]

We were expected to go to our mapping areas during the 'vacation' times although I did manage, and enjoy, time as a Christmas postie.

Hmmm. While I found my time as a Christmas postie, over several years, interesting, I wouldn't really call it totally enjoyable. For example, getting soaked to the skin through a double-yoked duffel coat, tweed jacket, woollen pullover, shirt and vest while carrying a 120-pound bag of mail wasn't a great laugh.

[jamie92208]

Then you and I were working in BP Sunbury at the same time. I worked in the library there for June, July and August 1972, as arranged work experience before a university course.

 

I was there from January till the end of August in the Analytical labs analysing oils doing things like flashpoints and viscosities.  Three things stand out in my memory.  My boss had two specially made tin cans that went in his briefcase and he 'disposed' of the used fuel samples that were purchased every month from competitors pumps, secondly the arrival of the first north sea oil samples from the Forties field and the way a BBC man got all excited and quite giddy when he saw a gallon can of swarfega with a pump dispenser on top that was labelled  An*l in big black letters.

 

Jamie

Edited September 29, 2017 by jamie92208

[PhilJ W]

I knew wine was often called paint stripper but not floor cleaner.....

 

 

Sounds like you managed to buy a particularly strong grade of plonk.

 

Some months ago, the Sunday alcohack took us and the horses to the Green Dragon pub in Flaunden. Having selected what appeared to be a harmless Sauvignon Blanc, we found that it was like drinking liquid sandpaper. Very rough. We haven't been back there since.

Actually going by the smell it had mostly turned to vinegar.

[The Stationmaster]

Evening all,

 

The oak tree escaped as I was re-tasked by management to 'deal with' next door's grapevine which has made its way onto our garage roof and is of course thoroughly tangled with our buddleia at the back of the garage so I can't exactly blame her next door.  Two hours of wrestling with that lot has achieved a reasonable amount of success, I think.

 

interesting to see that Morreasons are running out of stuff in branches.  I wonder if it's similar to what is happening elsewhere in the supermarket world where efforts are being made to reduce distribution and stock handling costs.  Waitrose have reduced the amount they are prepared to pay the contractors who do most of their distribution centre manning and the new, cheaper, contractor who got the work laddo had been managing at his previous employer have just offered him a job running the contract for them, clearly they're having problems with their labour force and the flexibility of Waitrose's demands (which he is well glad to have out of his hair).  On a similar, but slightly different, money saving theme the local branch of Tesco have abolished their night shift which used to do all the main replenishment of the shelves for things other than perishables and various 'morning goods' (i.e. bread rolls etc) and that work is now done in the evenings, mostly while the shop is still open.

[Horsetan]

Actually going by the smell it had mostly turned to vinegar.

Should keep that for fish 'n chips.

[laurenceb]

Evening all,

 

The oak tree escaped as I was re-tasked by management to 'deal with' next door's grapevine which has made its way onto our garage roof and is of course thoroughly tangled with our buddleia at the back of the garage so I can't exactly blame her next door.  Two hours of wrestling with that lot has achieved a reasonable amount of success, I think.

 

 

Shades of the honeysuckle and the bindweed!

[Barry O]

Chaos in the dining room..a large number of French visitors have arrived and almost started a war with some of the Germans by pushing in, taking food then leaving it and being a bit too big for their boots. Meanwhile her indoors was getting stuck in to some Portuguese fizz. She then sallied forth and, while no one was watching, snaffled some very nice smoked salmon from under the noses of our French diners. What a girl!

 

 

It has been decided that we shall be visiting the supermercado tomorrow for supplies of wine and bread. This will also involved a quick peek at QE.

 

Sleep well

 

Baz

[Ozexpatriate]

Chaos in the dining room..a large number of French visitors have arrived and almost started a war with some of the Germans by pushing in,....

"Don't mention the war!"

[Tony_S]

Matthew mentioned that he had "forgotten " to arrange travel insurance for his trip to Canada. If anyone wants to know how to arrange insurance for a a commenced trip for someone resident in Ireland who has an existing health condition, don't hesitate to ask me. I could save you hours!

In case anyone wonders why I am sorting out a 25 year old's insurance it is part of the ongoing dyspraxic disorganisation. He can plan academic stuff perfectly and be at airports at the right time but really he needs a personal assistant for some practical tasks! He rang up this evening asking advice about what to wear to the conference registration and wine reception. I asked what had people worn at the Dutch conferences he had been to and he said that was interesting. He said you could predict someone's politics by what they wore. He was at the university today and the Canadian academics looked quite smart, hence his query about reception attire!

Edited September 29, 2017 by Tony_S

[Ozexpatriate]

I asked what had people worn at the Dutch conferences he had been to and he said that was interesting. He said you could predict someone's politics by what they wore.

Was that by the colour of their wooden shoes?

 

(Apologies to our Dutch friends for my silliness.)

 

He was at the university today and the Canadian academics looked quite smart ...

They might look smart, but ...

 

(I have every respect for Canadian academics. I have worked with several former academics who are quite brilliant. One was a lecturer in my university days.)

Edited September 29, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[roundhouse]

Oh what a night.

 

Third train in a row that has been delayed since yesterday.

 

This time it’s a track defect near Marks Tey that has put our Norwich train 40 late off Ipswich and now at a standstill due to a very slow running freight near Stowmarket. More VDT lost.

At least we can claim part of our fare back which will pay for a taxi to the hotel, if there are any when we get to Norwich

 

Edited for spellcheck.. now I tried to type what NHN typed and it’s autocorrected it!!,

Edited September 29, 2017 by roundhouse

[New Haven Neil]

Spullchucked then!

[Tony_S]

Was that by the colour of their wooden shoes?(Apologies to our Dutch friends for my silliness.) They might look smart, but ...(I have every respect for Canadian academics. I have worked with several former academics who are quite brilliant. One was a lecturer in my university days.)

Matthew was told a few years ago after he had studied for a year in Calgary that he would be very welcome to return as a postgrad . He liked studying there.

No it wasn't the colour of the Dutch academics shoes! Academics of the "left" seemed more casually attired than those of other political persuasions. This was not the case at the UK universities he attended.

[Tony_S]

I reported earlier this year that I had started the process to get my State Pension. I also mentioned a couple of weeks ago I phoned up to say I hadn't received a notification of intention to pay. The letters all arrived and the payment went into my bank today as scheduled. It does seem that the system has worked properly. I chose the apply online rather than the paper or phone option initially.

Tony

[Horsetan]

"Don't mention the war!"

Anyone for a Waldorf Salad, with lashings of hot Screwdriver?

[AndyID]

He was at the university today and the Canadian academics looked quite smart

 

I thought he was in Newfoundland?

[roundhouse]

Beer time at last.

 

Whacky ceiling in the Playhouse in Norwich. Beer is good too

Edited September 29, 2017 by roundhouse

[Tony_S]

I thought he was in Newfoundland?

He is but the academics were Canadian.

He went on a cultural tour last night that involved kissing a cod and drinking.