Early Risers.

[Tony_S]

The new record deck doesn’t cause any hum. I did actually wonder with my high frequency hearing loss if I would be able to notice any other difference in audio quality. I do think I still can. We can now work through all the albums from the 1970s and 80s we never got on cd or iTunes. 
I can’t complain about the old Pioneer turntable. I bought it from a Comet warehouse in a sale at the end of 1974. It even spent a couple of years stored in the loft when I couldn’t get replacement drive belts. Not a problem over recent years with the “vinyl revival”. The new one doesn’t have a belt drive. 
Tony
 

Edited April 12, 2021 by Tony_S
Too much punctuation

[The Stationmaster]

14 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

We could use Tasmania.

I thought that you already did if various things I heard when working in Sydney were to be believed.  I got a strong impression that Tasmania (and Tassies) was to Sydneysiders as the Forest of Dean is to folk brought up in Gloucester  

[Ian Abel]

Monday morning...Monday, Monday...

 

Sunday was a flurry of various indoor chores, and some time taken to relax and read the newspaper.

 

Today, back working again, altogether quiet overall.

 

Started out at 3 and overcast, 9 the forecast high with some showers later.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Local paper has an interview with a girl who spent over £400 in Primark this morning.

I wonder how much it will cost to hire a van to take it home?

 

More importantly, why does she actually need 133 T-shirts??

 

1 hour ago, Winslow Boy said:

You don't think she might be monitoring your postings on here so as to keep a check on her husband's activities do you Mr Bear?

 

Not a chance...

Incidentally, she is NEVER wrong...even when proved to be wrong  (that's buddy's words, not Bear's).  And no, she wasn't around when he said it.  

(The main reason she ensured she was registered as a cross-border worker (which had to be done by chrimbo I think) was to escape the 90 day max rule in every 180 days without a visa, which was as a consequence of the UK bailing out of the EU. )

 

Co-op raided and floor grout sealant tested - when it's dry it's undetectable - and applying it with a small brush works well, so that'll be tomorrow's job.  The knees will be wrecked by the time I've finished though

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon all,

 

Very importantly has anybody any news of how Gordn S got on with his surgery?  Good to hear that it has happened at last and I hope the delay has not exacerbated his condition - I look forward to his return to more normal things.

 

Today we have had our biggest snowfall of the year, getting on for =1" of the stuff although it had almost completely vanished within 2 hours of it ceasing to fall (which of course started as the GD was on her way to work but she arrived safely).  Talking of the GD brings me to the recent points about Covid - her version of it was pretty mild but it takes different folk in different ways and age doesn't seem to necessarily be the deciding factor in how badly it will affect someone.  i know this as she had to put a 64 year old in his body bag but I don't know the ages of the other two she had to deal with.  But on the High Dependency Covid ward they has several younger people - a male in his early 30s,  and two women of child bearing age who had to have C sections because they couldn't take in enough oxygen to sustain both themselves and their unborn child.  Apart from that of course there are the associated problems and they are not just ICU beds.  In Oxford the High Dependency Covid wards were created in the Cardiac block so reducing the amount of cardiac patient bedspace while the entire elective surgery orthopaedic department was closed for, roundly, 3 months to release staff to help man the High Dependency Covid wards while the surgeons and, particularly, the anaesthetists were redeployed onto mainly Covid related work including providing extra staff for the ICU (which all those anaesthetists were transferred to).  So yet again elective orthopaedic work is delayed.

 

On a far brighter note the chiropractor really earned his corn today and in addition to much stretching and squeezing has put a pin in my left hand to see if it will stop the immobilised thumb syndrome (which apparently even has its own medical name).  Fingers are metaphorically crossed but the thumb hasn't been just in case the pin doesn't work and it stays there defying all attempts to move it  

 

The town appears to have returned to life with lots of folk about and all the retail premises I passed open for business.  As the sun had appeared by then the various outdoor tables at the likes of Harrods caff and less puissant concerns looked to be doing a roaring trade in overpriced coffee and such like.  Big queue of manky looking males outside the Turkish barbers but the lad had got down to another barber before 08.00 and beat the queues.  There was even a queue outside the cake shop which I haven't seen previously although it has remained open throughout lockdown.  I don't think our Tesco has sprouted a barber's establishment but as I haven't been in there for over a year all sorts of strange things might have happened (like reopening the bakery - that really would be strange).

 

Finally I hope that Dave's Meccano dad is making good progress and that things are not too painful for him.

 

Enjoy the rest of your day folks and carry on staying safe as plenty of halfwits appear not to give a toss about social distancing or wearing a mask.

[TheSignalEngineer]

17 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

More importantly, why does she actually need 133 T-shirts??

Even more importantly what makes you think she went for the up-market stuff.

[polybear]

The following has been posted on the E.T. thread:

 

Gordon’s better half has regularly kept people up to date via e-mail and has given me permission to relay her updates to you.  Here is a, by necessity, brief summary of her reports over the last few days

 

Gordon underwent his operation on Thursday as planned although it took a lot longer than envisaged and was more difficult than expected.  He lost a lot of blood and they had to do transfusions but were able to do what they wanted to do and were cautiously optimistic.  Because the surgery took longer than expected it is taking Gordon a lot longer to recover and on Friday they were unable to wake Gordon but this was not unexpected given the amount of anaesthetic he had had. 

 

On Saturday the aim was to get him off as much medication as possible as his little bit liver needs to be recovering rather than processing everything.  He was still intubated as they did not want him using energy breathing on his own and fighting pain. It is all a fine balance to get him better. The surgeons felt that, all things considered Gordon was doing well.

 

There has been no further update today, which has apparently been a difficult day, and it would appear that Gordon needs all the positive thoughts that we can muster.

 

 

 

 

[Gwiwer]

Afternoon all,

 

News from the Cold Front.  We were all rather taken aback by the amount and duration on snowfall this morning.  The Hill of Strawberries received two hours-worth while the House of Fun had a few minutes less but it came down thick and fast at first.  Thick and fast enough, in fact, that the leading ends of some trains were entirely white with wiped arcs from whence the driver peered through.  And it was clod.  Vrey clod.  Nothing settled though and by lunchtime the sun was trying its best to apologise for the earlier misdemeanour.  

 

On the Glorious Twelfth - not of August and the start of wanton termination of small creatures but of April and the re-start of public falling-down water enjoyment - you could have been mistaken for thinking there was no change to anything.  Much.  

 

The current version of "morning peak" which is about 30-50% of what it once was remained the same.  It was after 09.30 when the buggy-brigade relaunched their assault on the world, the suitcase-perambulators struggled to control an average of more than two items per person, the absurdly-underdressed yoof (of both sexes; attired in shorts / crop-tops / vests which seemed to be wrong in falling snow) resumed their meanderings and the place felt almost busy at times.  

 

We knew the pubs were open.  At 7.10am we had our first delayed train.  Persons fighting aboard the Salisbury service before it had even left Waterloo.  Police removed them and it quickly became known that at least one had spent at least some of the night imbibing significant quantities of loopy-juice.  But aside from the passage through our lives of a few moderately disrespectful folk, which I'm afraid is normal for a day's work, that was the extent of it.  

 

I am required to present pizza with a salad "as soon as possible" which requires minimal effort beyond leaving the computer.  I had better leave the computer and minimise my effort, then.  

[polybear]

6 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

We knew the pubs were open.  At 7.10am we had our first delayed train.  Persons fighting aboard the Salisbury service before it had even left Waterloo.  Police removed them and it quickly became known that at least one had spent at least some of the night imbibing significant quantities of loopy-juice.  But aside from the passage through our lives of a few moderately disrespectful folk, which I'm afraid is normal for a day's work, that was the extent of it.  

 

Just what is this desperation for a Pub + booze?  Bear confused.

 

6 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

I am required to present pizza with a salad "as soon as possible" which requires minimal effort beyond leaving the computer.  I had better leave the computer and minimise my effort, then.  

 

Wot no Chips??

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. A successful trip to Tess Coes for a few essentials, bread, milk and eggs. I also made an appointment for a haircut, Thursday afternoon as I intended and it was also the earliest slot available, they were very busy.

[TheSignalEngineer]

3 hours ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

Local paper has an interview with a girl who spent over £400 in Primark this morning.

I wonder how much it will cost to hire a van to take it home?

Going back to this. it reminded me of a Government campaign some years ago to try to resuscitate moribund High Street shopping areas. Their retail guru, recruited from a TV programme, was filmed  talking to shoppers. One of them said "What Barnsley needs is some better shops like Primark" At least her wish came true. God only knows what the shops there must have been like at the time.

[jonny777]

Oh for goodness sake - I have just seen people queueing for about half a mile around the car park just to get into IKEA at Eastville. 

 

Do they not realise the shop will open again tomorrow? 

 

I wouldn't queue to get into an IKEA anyway. I try to avoid the shop like the plague. 

[TheSignalEngineer]

19 minutes ago, jonny777 said:

Oh for goodness sake - I have just seen people queueing for about half a mile around the car park just to get into IKEA at Eastville. 

Makes a change from queueing to get out at closing time.

[simontaylor484]

Of queing to get through the checkouts at any time I have been in the Leeds store

 

I have watched the video on you tube of this arrest in America i don't think the Soldier did his self any favours constantly asking what's going on.

But I suppose a lot of it is done in the heat of the moment, I can't blame him for keeping his arms out the window.

[pH]

17 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

I have watched the video on you tube of this arrest in America i don't think the Soldier did his self any favours constantly asking what's going on.

I think it’s quite natural to ask what’s going on, if you know you have done nothing wrong.

 

In fact, I know of a case locally here (in Canada) where a kid 15 or 16 years old staying quiet and calm, since he had not been involved in what he was being accused of and knew he would eventually be cleared, was taken by police as implying guilt. They considered it was normal for people innocent of what they are being accused of to be vocally unhappy. 

Edited April 12, 2021 by pH

[Ozexpatriate]

12 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

If you look back to the Spanish Flu the attitude was very much 'get on with your life'. As a result there was no 'urge' to lock down however because of the afore said 'blights' every death is highlighted and screamed about from the roof tops.

Actually there was mandatory mask wearing in many places, including transportation. There is a widely circulated photograph of an individual not wearing a mask being halted from boarding a Seattle street car. Essay here.

 

In many cities, places like cinemas, theatres, dancehalls, poolhalls, libraries churches, restaurants and bars were all closed.

 

There are many such examples online. This photograph was contemporaneously captioned "Say! Young Fellow Get a mask or go to jail."

 

It is a classic example of how history repeats itself. Being a century ago the 1918 pandemic is beyond living memory. Much of how people responded to the current pandemic, mask wearing, closures and the reaction of people to the same is very similar. This cartoon pretty much sums it up for me. Other than 'style' it feels very 2021.

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

I have watched the video on you tube of this arrest in America i don't think the Soldier did his self any favours constantly asking what's going on.

I really don't believe we should be discussing this here. I was pulled over a couple of years ago. The police officer strolled to my window and I asked him how I could help him*.  Black Americans are frequently not treated this way. In the case of the uniformed US Army officer, the police officer's first action was to yell at him at gunpoint.

 

* I won't go through the dialogue, but he gave me a warning and sent me on my way. EDIT: I wasn't asked (or commanded) to get out of my car. I remained in the car with my seatbelt on. No weapons were drawn. The police officer chatted in a perfectly normal tone of voice through the open window.

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by Ozexpatriate

[simontaylor484]

Saw footage on bbc website of the gun salute at sea for Prince Phillip they only showed a couple of rounds fired. I assumed they would have used tge main 4.5 inch gun  but no they used a 3 pounder ceremonial gun. I suppose the crew loading and firing is part of the tribute.

[brianusa]

12 hours ago, polybear said:

Call me old-fashioned, but if a Police Officer says to Bear "stop" then I stop.

 

Thats how it should work!  Here though the police have a problem as instead of complying, you might be facing a gun in your face!  Heaven help you if you are the arresting officer and have to shoot first in this day and age!  Fires will be set, windows destroyed, looting begins and chaos reigns.  Happens all the time!  And still nothing gets done!

     Brian.

[simontaylor484]

I.asked the Mrs if she could spend £400in Primark , she says no that the person must have bought stuff in every colour possible.

[PhilJ W]

Had a letter from the pensions office today. My state pension is increasing by 50p a day, whoopee.

[Ozexpatriate]

5 minutes ago, brianusa said:

Here though the police have a problem as instead of complying, you might be facing a gun in your face!

According to Pew, 36% of white Americans own a firearm versus 24% of black Americans, yet policing seems to have a different set of perceptions.

[polybear]

2 hours ago, jonny777 said:

Oh for goodness sake - I have just seen people queueing for about half a mile around the car park just to get into IKEA at Eastville. 

 

Do they not realise the shop will open again tomorrow? 

 

I wouldn't queue to get into an IKEA anyway. I try to avoid the shop like the plague. 

 

Apparently they were queuing to get into Primark Stevenage this morning....from 5am

Bear quite likes IKEA, but hasn't been into one for probably 5+ years now.

 

1 hour ago, pH said:

I think it’s quite natural to ask what’s going on, if you know you have done nothing wrong.

 

In fact, I know of a case locally here (in Canada) where a kid 15 or 16 years old staying quiet and calm, since he had not been involved in what he was being accused of and knew he would eventually be cleared, was taken by police as implying guilt. They considered it was normal for people innocent of what they are being accused of to be vocally unhappy. 

 

I'd guess the best approach is when a Police Officer says jump, then jump.  Wait until the situation is diffused before enquiring as to what, if anything you'd done wrong etc.  Or not, depending on what sort of Officer it is....

 

51 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I really don't believe we should be discussing this here. I was pulled over a couple of years ago. The police officer strolled to my window and I asked him how I could help him*.  Black Americans are frequently not treated this way. In the case of the uniformed US Army officer, the police officer's first action was to yell at him at gunpoint.

 

* I won't go through the dialogue, but he gave me a warning and sent me on my way. EDIT: I wasn't asked (or commanded) to get out of my car. I remained in the car with my seatbelt on. No weapons were drawn. The police officer chatted in a perfectly normal tone of voice through the open window.

 

 

I've never been to the States, let alone lived there, so I'm only guessing here:

I suspect it depends on the area of country you live in, what your initial body language is, your age bracket, male or female etc etc.  And yes, with some Officers it will depend on the ethnicity too, sadly. 

Assuming the officer is 100% professional then their experience will no doubt tell them when extra caution is needed.  getting that wrong or letting their guard down just for a moment could determine whether or not they'll be going home that night or not.

 

Regarding the BBC clip, I'd be interested in seeing it from start to finish - it only shows a snapshot, which may be giving a false representation.

[polybear]

Worth bearing in mind if you are unlucky enough to catch the dreaded lurgy:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56717486

[simontaylor484]

@polybear Nbc report from you tube