Early Risers.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

I said nothing about the lurgi yesterday.  How I wish it had gone but it hasn’t.  It seems to be hanging on longer than it should and has reached the stage of not making its presence felt for most of the day but making up for it at odd times, such as the wee small hours of the morning, by violent coughing fits.  I did learn something amusing about snotty noses.  If I were a koala I should be worried if I had a snotty nose for it is a sign that it has chlamydia.  Perhaps I should be thankful for small mercies.

 

Today I am with Poorly Pal in Stevenage.  In the shed where the layout lives there may be an outbreak of m*d*ll*ng, which is after all the reason that I subject myself to the A1.  I make the most of that by diving into the hessian bag for a handful of CDs to play.  The one in the deck at the moment is by Lucy Ward.  Don’t tell me you have never heard of her.  Tut, tut.  When I visit him on Tuesdays PP makes us sandwiches, which I embellish with generous dollops of pickle.  When the m*d*ll*ng is over for the day we repair to the Standing Order, one of the two ‘Spoons in Stevenage, for dinner.  So far, touch wood, we have not found the service as bad as other RMwebbers have reported in other ‘Spoons.  The only thing that is regularly unsatisfactory is the frequency with which the ketchup bottles are found to be empty.  Oh dear, I’m tempting providence again.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

Edited February 11, 2020 by chrisf
typo, correcting gibberish

[AndyID]

11 hours ago, roundhouse said:

Bl@@dy RMweb keeps locking up on my mobile but hopefully works this time.

 

My brother in HK is also having mobile issues as his face recognition wont work on his iPhone

 

It's not entirely clear those masks do the slightest bit of good other than being "fever flags". What's worse is what happens to them when they are discarded. They should be incinerated immediately.

 

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, AndyID said:

Now you're cooking with gas. Hydrogen gas....

 

I note:

Quote

To help support the pickup, Nikola is also planning to build 700 new hydrogen filling stations in an effort to combat the overall shortage. Nikola says the locations of the first stations have been locked in, with more details to come.

They do not indicate how they are generating the hydrogen - a notoriously 'energy expensive' process. Perhaps being in Arizona they have a big solar farm to generate the power needed to product hydrogen on an industrial scale without using fossil fuels.

[AndyID]

4 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

If you don't break-through the ground effect you're liable to skate the entire length of the the runway like a hockey puck .  I think they sometimes apply reverse thrust even before the tires make contact - or at least some landings feel like that. I prefer it when the pilot "nails it" to the runway even if it means a bit of a bounce.

 

You can say that again!

[Ozexpatriate]

Just now, AndyID said:

It's not entirely clear those masks do the slightest bit of good other than being "fever flags"

They are useful in thwarting the surveillance apparatus employing extensive facial recognition used in some countries (like ones that that sound like Dinah).

 

(A variation on my duplicated post that was deleted.)

[AndyB]

Morning all. 

Reading Dave's post where he mentions mv^2 reminded me that there was a proposal last week to ban SUVs because the extra mass was "very dangerous to pedestrians if you hit them". 

Erm.

Far be it for me to get on my high horse / SUV and point out that you can see said pedestrians much better in the first place.

[AndyID]

2 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 

I note:

They do not indicate how they are generating the hydrogen - a notoriously 'energy expensive' process. Perhaps being in Arizona they have a big solar farm to generate the power needed to product hydrogen on an industrial scale without using fossil fuels.

 

Generating hydrogen is very inefficient, but a lot of wind, tidal, and even solar energy isn't utilized because there is nowhere to store the excess energy. Releasing hydrogen from water is one method of storing that energy. Inefficient as it is, at the present, it's probably the most effective way of storing Terrestrial energy anywhere on the Earth's surface.

[Ozexpatriate]

4 minutes ago, AndyB said:

you can see said pedestrians much better in the first place

Can you really?

 

I will happily stipulate that the view from an SUV to the sides (over crash barriers and other obstacles) is far superior as is the view of small motor traffic ahead but pedestrians at ground level directly ahead?

 

Either way, the mass of almost any four wheeled motor vehicle is going to cause potentially lethal hurt to a pedestrian. Locally, there is a very high incidence of pedestrian casualties on long straight multi-lane suburban roads. The person shaped dents, even in smaller vehicles are really tragic to see.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 minute ago, AndyID said:

Inefficient as it is, at the present, it's probably the most effective way of storing Terrestrial energy anywhere on the Earth's surface.

I don't disagree. My comment was more directed at the "zero emission" claim. So long as renewable energy is used, (however inefficiently) to generate the hydrogen, the claim is valid.

 

A hydrogen generation and distribution system (also addressing the volatility concerns* that have plagued hydrogen as a fuel source ever since the Hindenburg disaster) has long been a limiting factor for hydrogen propulsion.

 

* Frankly quite solvable

[AndyID]

1 minute ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I don't disagree. My comment was more directed at the "zero emission" claim. So long as renewable energy is used, (however inefficiently) to generate the hydrogen, the claim is valid.

 

A hydrogen generation and distribution system (also addressing the volatility concerns* that have plagued hydrogen as a fuel source ever since the Hindenburg disaster) has long been a limiting factor for hydrogen propulsion.

 

* Frankly quite solvable

 

The Hindenburg Disaster gave hydrogen a bad name but hydrogen is less dangerous than good old gasoline (AKA petrol).

[AndyID]

9 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

A hydrogen generation and distribution system

 

That's a "chicken and egg" problem. Tesla has already proved it's not a big issue, and there are wholesale hydrogen distribution locations already.

 

I think the biggest problem is the cost of fuel cells but I think they should last indefinitely which batteries do not.

[jamie92208]

Morning all from Cherbourg harbour. A great nights sleep and two good meals on board. Just 344 miles to drive.  Congratulations to Sharon.

 

Jamie

Edited February 11, 2020 by jamie92208

[roundhouse]

1 hour ago, AndyID said:

 

It's not entirely clear those masks do the slightest bit of good other than being "fever flags". What's worse is what happens to them when they are discarded. They should be incinerated immediately.

 

Yes quite agree. They are more effective in stopping the wearer with a virus spreading it but yes if  the virus is on the mask and you then touch it...

 

I think he is wearing it more to appease his other half and others.

 

Morning from a sunny Surrey. Currently at Mums and will be dropping into the doctors to renew my prescription then back home to carry on with crust earning plus working on the layout in between.

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Still quite breezy after a wet and windy night but it should stay mainly dry (&windy) with the chance of the odd shower.

I'm still feeling a bit carp but at least managed a good 6 hours sleep. Didn't do much yesterday apart from catch up on a bit of recorded TV. 

Abbie got to work OK yesterday after being stranded Sunday night in Essex at her friend's house.

At some time today I will refit the Dyson filters (they should be dry as I put them in the airing cupboard)  and then test said appliance. We have already decided that once this machine eventually dies it will be replaced by a different make. 

We also need to visit Sainsbury's to top up supplies as Joe and Gemma will be making their usual Tuesday visit.

Tea was taken up earlier to Her Bossness who, by the sound if it, is on her way down. I expect daily orders to be posted shortly. Whether or not I obey depends on what they are! 

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

 

Edited February 11, 2020 by grandadbob

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare, 1027 /642

A better nights sleep but still only about 5.5 hours...

 

Ben the Border collie watched me leave this morning, He decided it was too cold and too windy for a morning patrol..

 

The landrover had half an inch of frozen snow on the bonnet and roof, as did many cars this morning. It only started to melt once I had to stop at traffic lights. I'm very glad I had the landrover heating fixed..

 

The the transmission of corona virus seems to be mostly by touch, however if a suffer has one on, I would hope it will stop most if not all of the virus escaping if he were to cough.. Therefore you wouldn't touch it...

 

I have another high accuracy temperature meter to do, however if I get the go ahead I need to take apart the broken major system as one of it's bits is used to calibrate something else. Luckily it's just the switching unit I need, not any bit that's calibrated..

 

Ah first range completed, 

 

Time to set up the next one..

 

 

 

[Barry O]

Ey up...nearly fell off the end today as we are now in invercargill.

 

Only about 18 C but it will get warmer as we head northwards later this week.

 

To rebuild the central business area here they are knocking down 2 Grade I and 8 Grade II listed buildings.  Shame as the buildings are beautiful. 

Have a great day!

 

Baz

[leopardml2341]

Mornin'

 

A question to ponder; why do weather forecasters (and others) refer to 'heavy winds'?

 

As far as i'm aware, air is not especially heavy........

[Andrew P]

Just started to Snow again in Swad, and we still have a bit left in areas from yesterday.

 

Looks like a day in TOPS / The Old Potting Shed, and do some, umm, cough cough, ooo nice, toot toot. think I may have got away with not mentioning Trains, haha, Oh Bu66er, I just did.

[AndyB]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Can you really?

 

I will happily stipulate that the view from an SUV to the sides (over crash barriers and other obstacles) is far superior as is the view of small motor traffic ahead but pedestrians at ground level directly ahead?

 

Either way, the mass of almost any four wheeled motor vehicle is going to cause potentially lethal hurt to a pedestrian. Locally, there is a very high incidence of pedestrian casualties on long straight multi-lane suburban roads. The person shaped dents, even in smaller vehicles are really tragic to see.

I guess I'd qualify this to an extent by comparing my compact SUV to my low-lying roadster. Visibility wasn't great on that and is, IMHO, better in the new car.

 

The lesson from a course I went on  (ok it was a speed awareness course ) was about stopping distances and reaction time. 

By sticking to 30 mph where that is the limit the outcome is very different from 32 mph where you'd still be doing 18 mph when you hit someone.  

The protagonists of banning SUVs based on mass might have been better placing their efforts to campaigning for sticking to the speed limit. 

[Compound2632]

21 minutes ago, leopardml2341 said:

A question to ponder; why do weather forecasters (and others) refer to 'heavy winds'?

 

As far as i'm aware, air is not especially heavy........

 

All the stranger as gales come with Atlantic depressions when the air pressure is at its lowest, i.e. the air is least "heavy"!

[Kingzance]

Morning,

 

Like ChrisF, the lurgi that I thought had departed made an unwelcome reappearance during the night resulting in a two hours interruption to the normal sleep pattern. I had intended today to go and photograph a mass of snowdrops but the wind - caused by a  not too distant area of low pressure and therefore “light” rather than “heavy”, albeit rather strong - will cause the flowers to oscillate, preventing sharp focus and so making such images useless. I may attempt the same exercise later in the week if wind and clouds allow.

Tuesday is fish day once more, just as it is cribbage day. Rant on: Between times, there is another meeting of the Sports Club redevelopment committee but small town politics is rearing it’s ugly head in the process. I fear that this may prevent the project proceeding and will result in the loss of the rather large sum of money deposited by the nearby developer under a Section 106 agreement if these stupid councillors who seem driven by their own sense of self-importance do not face reality. Rant off.

 

The debate about hydrogen is cogent. It is abundant, has a high energy value, does not produce any harmful combustion products and can be readily used to convert excess wind or solar (or even tidal) energy into a storable product for use at a convenient time. The issue is going to be about storage and distribution and breaking the monopoly currently enjoyed by the big oil producers and companies. We have a massive and reasonably effective gas distribution system already so I would suggest those who fight it on distribution safety grounds are misguided.

 

Make the best use of the period until your next slumbers, particularly if it is dedicated to your recovery.

[Barry O]

And if you get H2 and H3 in the right vacuum, at the right temperature..voila...Fusion power!

 

And don't forget thin wind..that just goes straight through you.

Baz

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

The weather is strange at the moment, wind, sun, rain, wind, rain, sun, wind ...... you get the picture. Shortly off to complete the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix, I’ll drop Sheila off at the hairdressers on the way. After that, we’ll its anyone’s guess.

 

Back later

[grandadbob]

Shopping done with no mishaps. Filters still damp so they'll have to wait another day. 

However on return from shops The Boss has just pointed out that a fence panel at the bottom of the garden has come out of its slots and is leaning against The Shed.  This of course will not do and will have to be rectified by someone. That would be me then. At least the sun is shining but it's still quite windy.

Coffee first though.

Edited February 11, 2020 by grandadbob

[Dave Hunt]

8 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

If you don't break-through the ground effect you're liable to skate the entire length of the the runway like a hockey puck .  I think they sometimes apply reverse thrust even before the tires make contact - or at least some landings feel like that. I prefer it when the pilot "nails it" to the runway even if it means a bit of a bounce.

 

So- called ground effect isn't something that will have an effect once the speed is below the stalling speed of the aircraft so after a half decent landing it will not come into play. Basically it is a phenomenon that occurs when the aircraft is at a height below about half its wingspan, I.e., very low indeed, and is seen when birds such as seagulls and albatrosses soar over waves and stay airborne without flapping their wings for long periods of time. In aircraft, one of the better-known occurrences was when Buccaneers would get so low over the water (like below about 25 feet) that they would ride on ground effect and the pilot would have to apply a very gentle forward pressure on the control column to maintain level. I've never flown a Buccaneer but I've seen it done when I was chasing one in a Phantom and it is spectacular. Mind you, the concentration required is intense and it isn't something that can be maintained for long. 

 

The 'skating like a hockey puck' mentioned by Andy is probably a phenomenon called aquaplaning that can happen on a wet surface, particularly over standing water but can take place on just a very wet runway. It is basically the tyres skimming over the surface of the water film rather than being in contact with the runway itself and can commence at any speed above that derived from the formula nine times the square root of the tyre pressure (where the pressure is in psi and the speed in knots). With aircraft tyre pressures sometimes over 200 psi and often over 100 psi that can mean that if the touchdown is not firm enough aquaplaning can occur and the 'hockey puck' phenomenon can occur to the detriment of the aircraft and its occupants. Hence the advisability of 'nailing' the touchdown as Andy describes it. As far as reverse thrust is concerned, it can be selected in the air but will not initiate until the WOW (weight on wheels) switches close, i.e., the aircraft is on the ground. The technique is called pre-arming.

 

Aquaplaning can actually happen when a car travelling fast encounters standing water but taking a typical tyre pressure of, say, 30 psi the speed would have to be above about 50 knots or 55 mph. The phenomenon is taken into account when laying runway surfaces and measures are taken to avoid standing water and to ensure run-off by such techniques as having very slight camber, microgrooving etc.

 

I hope that the above is of interest and not too boring.

 

Dave