Early Risers.

[southern42]

13 hours ago, Simon G said:

I have always been pretty good with mental arithmetic, sometimes to good use.  Many times I have mentally added up the approximate cost of shopping at a supermarket checkout, and then queried the total presented to me.  The checkout operator almost always looks at me in amazement that I can do simple arithmetic in my head.

 

Snip...

 

I was amazed that some of my younger colleagues relied on a calculator, but there we are.  I wonder how many kids get spelling and mental arithmetic tests every Friday in schools as we did... and it was not a simple case of metric or decimal systems either!  Yards, feet and inches; Pounds, shillings, and pence (lsd); Mile (1,760 yards), furlong, and chain. Then there are Tons of coal and Hundredweight bags; bushel boxes of fruit and veg (Yup, I worked in a greengrocers!), Stones, pounds, ounces and drams; Gallons, quarts, pints, gills and fluid ounces. And of course, Nautical miles and fathoms... I could go on.  But we, back in the 'old days' did the sums in our head!

 

' morning all from red dragon land.

The sun is out and melting the frost.

 

The Guardian - "extending traditional January deadline to brighten gloom"

Decorations in this household will remain up until Sunday.  It would be nice to keep them and the trees for a few more weeks but I think of the extra dust they will acquire; and their boxes, taking up space on the landing, need to be returned to the loft and the shelving unit in the porch needs to be accessible again.  We are not on the 'main road' or 'prime spot' with lots of passers-by to think of but us.   However, coming home from Betws after a day running trains out in the wet and cold, last year, and passing Hotels with lights on, I did think it would be lovely if the lights were kept on longer but, if towns and cities did, who would (should) be out to see them?  Would it be worth the extra cost and who would pay the electricity bill? And what about environmental impact?  I have noticed that house and front garden lighted decorations come and go with fashion - or is it that after a heftier winter electricity bill, they are discarded? Maybe it will catch on, and lights through January will become the norm when we may be better disposed to enjoy them.

 

A different diversion is taking priority, currently...er...sssssh....m*d*ll*ng....

though it is mugadecaf time, now.

 

Fitt  and  Elfie dithering...

 

Take care all and play safe. 

_________

Best wishes

Polly

 

Edited January 7, 2021 by southern42
Typo/work predictor?

[Winslow Boy]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Breaking news, the orange one has been removed from both Twitter and Facebook.

About b.......y time.

[Gwiwer]

9 minutes ago, southern42 said:

But we, back in the 'old days' did the sums in our head!

SOHCAHTOA.  BODMAS.  

 

Log. tables were provided (along with tables for all the other things such as Cosecants) but one was required to know how to calculate them longhand in order to pass the O-level.  

[leopardml2341]

7 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

................... but one was required to know how to calculate them longhand in order to pass the O-level.  

Not in my day

 

Mind you I've still forgotten how to.

 

[TheQ]

Arithmatic was a separate subject at O Grade in Scotland.. So no outside assistance to the exam. 

In Mathematics O grade , and Highers,  you could use log tables, and just as I left, Calculators..

 

The clearance team have finished the area outside the lab, I'm feeling exposed as the window from that side no longer has a long line of tall work benches blocking the view.

 

Just had a discussion on a sailing Forum over the meaning of "turning on a sixpence". I think he may have got a bit more confused when I explained the full L.S.D. to him..

 

Just waiting for a 10 G ohm resistor to settle before lunch.. what's on for lunch?   more rabbit food..

 

 

 

[tigerburnie]

Our old maths teacher asked the same question of every new first year at high school( he did to me and both of my younger brothers), what weighs the least a ton of feathers or a ton of bricks, everyone went for a ton of feathers ......................lol

[polybear]

4 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Breaking news, the orange one has been removed from both Twitter and Facebook.

 

That should put their share prices up no end......

 

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

They never saw up front terrorism until 9/11.. that was a shock.. but the latest invasion was obviously going to happen .. so no preparations.. who dropped that one?

 

Baz

 

The orange one?

 

2 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

I may well be making do with the bits at the front that do the moving, I am not about to pay the prices being asked for additions, I'll keep my money for a days fishing instead.

 

Bear is also pretty taken aback with new prices being asked for certain items.  I rarely (very rarely) purchase any such new item when they are released (though the forthcoming H*sh H*sh is certainly worthy of exception; other items wait until suitably large discounts are available.

 

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

Late to sleep last night, unfortunately  not due to listening to and watching Andrea Corr, like the night before but watching the terrible scenes in Washington. I dare not comment. 

 

Among items reportedly found seemingly include pipe bombs.  Jeez.

[Coombe Barton]

Log tables all though O and A levels.

 

Then for passing O levels, my pressie was a slide rule. I still have it, but it's at work so I can't get to it at the moment.

Calculators weren't invented then 

[New Haven Neil]

My O levels were log tables, I was just learning how to use a slide rule in my first year at college and calculators came along. From that point on, we only got one mark for the correct actual number at the end of a calculation, and minus many if we didn't show how we got there.  It was nearly all formulae anyway, and manipulation of, the actual numbers were incidental.

[PeterBB]

25 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

Log tables all though O and A levels.

 

Then for passing O levels, my pressie was a slide rule. I still have it, but it's at work so I can't get to it at the moment.

Calculators weren't invented then 

The mention of slide rules struck a cord ...

 

 

found it and took a look ... must be approaching  60 years since last used ... discovered that I currently have no idea how I/it was used!

The chart on the classroom wall (may have said this before) that gave currency right down to the 960 farthings in a pound has come to mind again 'cos tan wud av2 in sin-in out.

 

John - you mean the small electronic ones ...  we had to calculate test results etc. on a manual calculator that was as big as a typewriter and incidentally I also own one of those with cubic close packed typeset that does not seem to to have cottoned on but as a typescript I really liked it. 

Edited January 7, 2021 by PeterBB
Added information

[Tony_S]

Afternoon all.

I have ventured into the loft, removed the old inline extractor fan and have prepared the new one.  The  default overrun time was too short and my first adjustment was too long. One more tweak should do it and then I can reattach the fan to the ducting. 
I had a letter from my GP this morning inviting me to another heart consultation. Blood test first. This is probably a good thing to be monitored by  the practice nurse as the hospital clinics are not far away from discharging me. 
Fan works. Fairly simple tasks seem to tire me somewhat but they don’t seem to trigger any heart pains so I think I  just need to build up some stamina. The nurse at the heart failure clinic seemed very pleased that I slept very well, didn’t need lots of pillows and had a good appetite. 
It is sunny here, cold though. I have only been outside for the short distance between the kitchen door and the garage rear door to collect tools. The temperature in the garage wouldn’t encourage any railway modelling or slot car racing though. I do have heaters but staying in is easier!

Tony
 

[The Stationmaster]

Back again.  ciropractor duly visited and he was quite impressed to hear that the pins had stayed in until Mrs Stationmaster removed them this morning.  Obviously i said the right thing because this time I came away with four pins in my shoulder.  They don't hurt in the leat when inserted but when I tokk them from herself to dispose of them I promptly got one in my finger and that fe definitely hurt.

 

Town fairly quiet with most shops shut but WHS was open so the latest MRJ - obviously an 'essential item' was procured along with the daily 'paper.  On arrival home I was duly ticked off for noyt buying the local 'paper although that would have been difficult as there were no copies on display.  The extent of outdoor mask wearing told a very interesting story because the number if people in the age groups of those not wearing them and/or not following social distancing  matched fairly precisely the level of infection among the various age groups in our area (assuming I'm reasonably good at judging ages of course).

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land.  I had just run my bath this morning and I was rinsing my hair using the shower attachment when the water ran cold. The new boiler had switched off. Its almost certainly a drop in pressure but I couldn't locate the valve and the controls on the new boiler are difficult for me to reach so I've called the installer and he's coming round to fix it this afternoon.

[Dunsignalling]

6 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Breaking news, the orange one has been removed from both Twitter and Facebook.

Anybody's guess whether the cell he eventually ends up in will be the padded sort.

Edited January 7, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[tigerburnie]

I had a slide rule when I began my apprenticeship as a draughtsman, I can't remember using it though I did use the rest of the stuff, no idea where it all went, the only thing I remember using often throughout my career was a Zeus book, I think I still have one of those somewhere.

[Barry O]

Had a late requirement to go to the  post office to post a parcel. Not warm out there at all. But I have turned the heating on and the railway room is now cosy. The post office/coop was empty. It is closing for 5 months for a total rebuild.. the next nearest PO has some  strange staff working in it (if you day the parcel has model railway items in it they give you a filthy look). I may need to have a plan B!

 

Now for a mugadecaf!

 

Baz

[Simon G]

2 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Log tables all though O and A levels.

 

Then for passing O levels, my pressie was a slide rule. I still have it, but it's at work so I can't get to it at the moment.

Calculators weren't invented then 

 

2 hours ago, PeterBB said:

The mention of slide rules struck a cord ...

 

 

found it and took a look ... must be approaching  60 years since last used ... discovered that I currently have no idea how I/it was used!

The chart on the classroom wall (may have said this before) that gave currency right down to the 960 farthings in a pound has come to mind again 'cos tan wud av2 in sin-in out.

 

John - you mean the small electronic ones ...  we had to calculate test results etc. on a manual calculator that was as big as a typewriter and incidentally I also own one of those with cubic close packed typeset that does not seem to to have cottoned on but as a typescript I really liked it. 

In my latter days at work, I recall talking about slide rules to a relatively young colleague.  She had never heard of them, so I took mine into work the next day to demonstrate.  Although she realised that it did actually work, she had no concept of how it worked, ie by using logarithmic scales.  Made for quite an amusing day, after others also wanted to try this piece of old technology.

 

Still drizzling here, but a short walk has been walked and now it is time for a cuppa tea.

[simontaylor484]

Afternoon all

 

Situation in Washington shocking but the problem is it is taking over news from China where instead of laughing into their noodles they are rounding up pro democracy campaigners in Hong Kong.

Anyway i would love to be able to build a tube layout better still DLR but i havent got the skills to scratch build

[Ian Abel]

BIN day and Good GRIEF!

I thought yesterday was going to be "interesting", I was wrong it was TRAGIC.

It seems 2021 saw what happened in 2020, that it took several MONTHS for the COVID SH!T to hit the fan, and proudly said "HOLD MY BEER"!

Here we are a whole SIX DAYS into the new year and we're now the laughing stock of the banana republics

 

It's usually US reporters explaining that foreign government buildings are being stormed by unhappy mobs - now WE are the object of those reports.

 

A moment for facts, not politics, for those asking/curious;

1) Impeachment - not worth the effort, it takes far longer for that machine to get rolling than the 14 days left.

2) 25th. Amendment - a strange "animal". First the VP has to AGREE, then get a majority of the cabinet (mostly Trump lackeys) to agree, THEN, the ODD part is they have to present their "findings" to, guess who, the President. If he DOESN'T AGREE WITH THEIR FINDINGS, it goes back to that group to machinate AGAIN, and if they then decide to still wish to invoke it, it require CONGRESS to address it and agree. Again, unlikely in the time left.

3) In any event resulting in the president no longer in charge, the VP, Mike Pence become the acting president.

 

Mostly the question at present is, how much more trouble can he cause in the time remaining?

 

Most of yesterday incredulously following the unfolding drama. Everyone asking, WHERE THE HELL WERE THE SECURITY???

 

Today, head scratching, back working and we also need some groceries.

 

-6 first thing, -3 for the high later.

Edited January 7, 2021 by Ian Abel

[Barry O]

I used log tables up to A level Maths. A couple of colleagues had slide rules.  A CBM scientific calculator was bought for university - my mental arithmetic was quicker.

 

At Cricket Scorer training a lot of the attendees are floored by the ability of her indoors and myself to work out strike rates, wickets per ball, runs to win etc without using a phone or calculator. I feel sorry for the younger  people in life.. when the "phone" makes a mistake they don't know how to check it..

 

I have only had a go at clay pigeon shooting once. The instructor reckons I am a natural as I can calculate the point to aim at to hit the moving clay.. It is actually easier firing a Challenger 2 tank.. point ..lase..fire!

 

Baz

[simontaylor484]

Talking of slide rules my Dad has my Great grandads chemical slide rule he was a chemist at Glasshoughton Coke plant

[PhilJ W]

The gas engineer has called and restarted the boiler and the house is now warming up. I must not have the hot and cold on at the same time and then flush the loo .

[Two_sugars]

9 minutes ago, Ian Abel said:

 

Mostly the question at present is, how much more trouble can he cause in the time remaining?

He's probably thinking the same . . . .

 

Most of yesterday incredulously following the unfolding drama. Everyone asking, WHERE THE HELL WERE THE SECURITY???

Having a free day at a T***P golf course?

 

 John

 

[BSW01]

I did learn how to use a slide rule at school, but that's long forgotten know, but I never owned one! I still have my Zeus chart (book), it lives on top of my drill box in the workshop, it's still used regularly. I've also still got my logarithm book, that's in the cellar somewhere. Both were bought in the first few weeks of my apprenticeship. 

Edited January 7, 2021 by BSW01

[Dunsignalling]

2 minutes ago, BSW01 said:

I did learn how to use a slide rule at school, but that's long forgotten know, but I never owned one! I still have my Zeus chart (book), it lives on top of my drill box in the workshop, it's still used regularly. I've also still got my logarithm book, that's in the cellar somewhere. 

I never had or used a slide rule, but I only did maths to O-level. ISTR that those of my classmates progressing to A-level had to get one.

 

Zeus books are still around. I got a new one a couple of years back - the old one had become a health hazard!

 

John