Early Risers.

[newbryford]

Just after I pressed send for the above,  I've just received an update to lift my mood.

 

Big Bro has had his tracheotomy - still a long way to go though.

 

Stay safe folks.

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

27 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Close. The M3 Stuart was the Honey - a light tank. Apparently the nickname was due to its smooth ride.

 

The M3 Lee / Grant was a medium tank.

And the worst tank to play in "World Of Tanks" but you need to to get the M4..

[JohnDMJ]

 

Mick, I sympathize!

 

I also forgot to quote your post!

 

Edited March 26, 2020 by JohnDMJ

[JohnDMJ]

23 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

 

Some folks just don't get it.

 

We are mostly WFH and our phone system has various messages and diverts setup - including  "check the website but if your call is urgent press 4" (or whatever number we've used)

4 = me. 

 

 I predicted there would be an upsurge in customer support calls a few days ago, but wasn't overly prepared for some of these after our messaging system alterations and people's understanding - or lack of - the current situation that we all find ourselves in.

 

Similar to DEFCON ratings, I have now compiled a CUNTCON [*] list for my amusement and to keep me sane.

 

Level 5: Normal service - lots of patience.

Level 4: Rolls eyes.

Level 3: Terse

Level 2: Abrupt

Level 1: Use Andrew C swearwords and put phone down.

 

[*] CUstomer Now on Telephone CONdition ]

 

 

One call - "I'm starting out in DCC and I want to use this stuff" (lists lost of complicated bits because he's read about them on the internet). 19 minutes later I surmise that he wants the equivalent of a Ferrari but hasn't yet got a driving licence or even sat behind a steering wheel. Level (2)

 

Another call - complaining because he can't get a particular item and having a bit of a rant about it. (Level 3)

 

Another one - from one in the same industry asking where his spare part that he asked about on Monday was, having been told it would be posted out Tuesday. Tuesday, as it turned out was when my other service guy went home because he has been told to stay at home by his doc. So it got delayed. Said "customer" then went on about how he would have expected this in China a few weeks ago as "people were dying". When I explained that there's a delay in the UK because we sent someone home and don't want people to die seemed to fall upon deaf ears. In the words of Adam Hills "Don't be a Dick" (Level 2 but so close to 1).

 

I have arranged the call divert to the other service guy tomorrow........

 

https://msu.edu/~jacobs38/WordperfectProblem.html

[newbryford]

4 minutes ago, JohnDMJ said:

https://msu.edu/~jacobs38/WordperfectProblem.html

 

They still walk amongst us.

[BSW01]

16 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

They still walk amongst us.

Yeah and there allowed to breed too!

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

That's a very nice exposure Rick.

 

Having only my telephone to hand I attempted something similar a month ago, but the exposure blew out the crescent.

 

Despite being advised by the weather presenter, I missed the ISS when it passed over here on two nights a week ago while the weather was still clear.

 

 

What's that blue planet slightly to the left of Ailsa Craig?

 

 

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well shopping at the Trafford Centre was fun, they’re didn't open the doors on time, after 20 minutes I gave up and went to a different door. There was a queue at this particular door, but at least the door was open and they were letting people in, but only a few at a time. Once inside it was fairly quite and I did manage to get all that was on the list. Then it was off to the butchers, which is only a small shop, so to maintain the 2m distance between customers they were only letting in one at a time. As I mentioned earlier, I had the fore thought to place an order yesterday and it was ready bagged and waiting for me, all I had to do was pay. Once home Sheila suggested that it would be a good idea to have a rest today, so I sat at the dining room table and built a few more point relay boards. By the time I packed up at teatime there were only 4 more left to finish and these have been started, as they have all had the link wires fitted. 

 

Goodnight all 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[The Stationmaster]

6 hours ago, Northroader said:

 

Mike, when you’ve stopped dribbling over the garden fence, there’s a free “app” you can download called “Plane Finder” by which you are able to identify anything passing overhead larger than a pigeon (but not military)

I'm not really sure about all this 'app' stuff  however Flightradar 24 does a a pretty good job although there is a slight time lag between the reality outdoors and when the aircraft appear overhead on the screen.  We had another contrail this evening showing just how wide they can spread when you've only got the tone to look at instead of a number constantly merging into clouds.

 

The fridge was safely delivered at a social distance a couple of hours early - they said the delivery round is a lot quicker without the need to get items into peoples' houses!  Suitable gloves put on to remove the outer pacxking.  Mrs Stationmaster amazed at ghow small it is and wondering how people can manage with such a tiny thing - it is a standard 'under worktop' size! Shows how much she normally stores in ours 

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, AndyID said:

What's that blue planet slightly to the left of Ailsa Craig?

"That's no moon! It's a space station!"

 

The Death Star by the look of it.

 

Good catch. I'd say that's a bug in Microsoft Windows "Snipping tool" which I used to crop and manipulate the image size. It's not in the original image but is in the uploaded file. I've not seen that before.

 

It's the following nine pixels.

Edited March 27, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[J. S. Bach]

16 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Need some manure?

That reminds me of an incident where I used to live in Florida. A neighbor worked at the Pompano Harness Track and said that he would be able to get some horse manure and if we wanted any let him know.  One day as I was walking home from the bus stop, I saw this mountain pile of steamy brown stuff in his yard. Apparently his friend at work told the dump truck driver to take a little over to his place but the driver just hauled off with a full load, about 12 cubic yards!

[J. S. Bach]

13 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I had an ad for a Moslem dating agency!

Hmmm, that does not sound very Islamic to me!

[Ozexpatriate]

48 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

I used to live in Florida.

We look forward to more real life, "Florida man ..." and "Florida woman ..." anecdotes!

 

For those not in on the joke, the majority of wacky news stories in the United States come from Florida. In print they will start with "Florida man".  Feel free to Google it.

[AndyID]

46 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

A neighbor worked at the Pompano Harness Track and said that he would be able to get some horse manure and if we wanted any let him know.

 

Reminds me of a true story Mil used to tell. I think I mentioned "Baghdad Shaw" previously. On one occasion his wife was having a bridge morning with some other well-heeled neighbor ladies when a local worthy showed up with a horse and cart full of manure for their roses. He went to the front door and rang the door-bell.

 

The lady of the house was not impressed. She instructed him in no uncertain terms to take it to the back of the house which he duly did. When he got there he rang the back door-bell. Mrs Shaw opened the back door whereupon the cart driver inquired in the loudest possible voice,

 

"Where d'ye waant yer shite?"

[J. S. Bach]

6 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 ...snip... Daytime television is mind rot ...snip...

No, ALL television is mind rot. As Newton N. Minow, FCC chairman called tv the 'vast wasteland' on May 23, 1961; it still has not changed.

 

 

6 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 ...snip...but politicians droning on are not much better ...snip...

How do you tell if a politician is lying?  Their lips are moving.

 

[J. S. Bach]

Good night owl from the Piedmont.

[TheQ]

Mooring awl inner Temple Hare,  4/84

A good nights sleep of 6.5hours, hopefully with more to come.

 

Recognized that  wheel of interest to sheep, straight away, picture below. It's the standard wheel used on small dinghy trollies,  it's perfectly good for that,  a dinghy trolley normally only does a few feet each week from boat park to,  water.  It's plastic onto metal shaft,  no bearings.  Used on something like a wheelbarrow it's carp, it just can't take the wear.. 

I saw one explode once,  someone thought the tyre looked soft so pumped it up,  three hours later bang and bits of red plastic and black rubber flying everywhere. It was in Saudi.. 25C at dawn,  50C at lunchtime,  probably 70C + on the tyre when the sun came round to shine directly on it.. 

 

One of the sailing forums I visit has a permanent thread, Flori-duh man.

 

Negotiations for muddling space were successful,  the mobile home living room has been reorganised.  A kitchen table made available, placed at one end over hanging a sofa, both the table and sofa have been covered for protection. I have walking space round round the other 3 sides.  SWMBO has moved further down the room where she can weave,  spin or paint as she wishes.. 

 

I'm being summoned by brown eyes.. 

 

Time to move... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

I wondered whether anyone else in my street would join in the salute to the NHS last night.  When I opened the front door I heard applause and was glad to join in.  It was not a full turn-out but good enough.

 

Yesterday I cancelled my hotel room in Bristol.  By some sort of miracle I persuaded the hotel and Booking.com not to make me pay £128 for it.  I had tried unsuccessfully to speak to both on the phone, finally resorting to e-mails to plead for clemency.  The hotel told me that “we are offering free cancellation to all bookings until further notice, including those, like yours, initially made on non-refundable rates.  I can also confirm that no payment has been taken from your card, so I have cancelled the reservations without charge.”  Phew!  BoD, I know what you mean about Booking.com.  My favourite billet in Aylesbury has now joined them, to attract bookings according to Tracey the landlady.  For punters they have their uses when one is trying to find somewhere to stay in a strange town.

 

It’s a good job I bailed out of my trip to Dublin, for the Pride has been postponed from June to September.  I am glad that it is to go ahead but disappointed that it will do so without me.  I had set my heart on marching down O’Connell Street with thousands of other people and hope that circumstances will permit me trying again in 2021.  Perhaps when I see the YouTube footage of this year’s delayed event it will rekindle my enthusiasm.

 

On the subject of YouTube footage, when I first heard about the rescue of Lewis the koala four months ago I found plenty of entrancing clips featuring these marvellous marsupials.  Call me a soppy date if you like but I never thought that I would come to like small furry animals quite so much.  One of my favourites shows a row of chairs, each one occupied by a soldier with a koala on his or her lap which he or she is feeding from a bottle.  It brought tears to my eyes. 

 

Best wishes to all.  We will need them for a while yet.

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Ey up!

Fatchy Pog here this morning.

Yes Chris, Koalas are interesting little creatures. Prefer wombats though.

 

Herself is going food shopping this morning. She can't get into morereasons till 8am so she is busy doing sudoko puzzles and drinking her mugatea.

 

Youngest Herbert was the recipient of 10l of Alchemist Mild yesterday. The brewer dropped it off. This was the last of his current batch of beer for sale. Unfortunately I can't visit and try some..Pah!

 

Stay healthy!

I suggest we all grab today and bend it to suit our own personal needs.

Positive thoughts to al ERs.

 

Good news Mick , hope he continues to improve.  Yes, I wonder why we allow some people to vote..or even walk the streets on their own

 

Baz

[Joseph_Pestell]

39 minutes ago, Lantavian said:

Good morning from Hong Kong

 

I'm working at home today. This is me reading the business news on Radio 4's News Briefing at about 5:35am UK time (lunchtime in HK)

 

A

 

 

 

What would Lord Reith think?

[TheQ]

Cloudless, chilly not frosty.  On Ben the demanding Collie's patrol,  I observed something has been digging little holes perhaps 3 inches deep and round all over the place but particularly under the hedges. Rabbits? small deer?

 

I see they've stopped house sales,  a friend at the MRC  was nearing completion of selling her house after a two year battle with legal technicalities and last minute drop outs. I hope she completed in time.  Though that will leave her homeless, as I doubt she has bought a replacement years due to the problems above she was holding off...  She is also a carer for an elderly aunt and uncle, so her attendance at the MRC has been intermittent lately. I've not see her for 2- 3 weeks.. That's before the main impact of the virus.. 

 

 

[Gwiwer]

Good morning all. What a beautiful day. 

[AndyID]

6 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

What would Lord Reith think?

 

Possibly anything that resulted in a bit of ethnic cleansing was just okydoky as far as he was concerned.