Early Risers.

[chrisf]

Greetings

 

I have an appointment with Professor Oncologist this afternoon.  I’m not sure that I should be having it.  The last one was only a month ago and I did not receive the new medication that I had been led to expect.  He may not have realised that I am already taking the tablets that he was going to prescribe.  Never mind: today’s brief encounter gives us a chance to reach some sort of understanding!

 

Nothing happened in the jungle yesterday and it is doubtful whether anything will get done out there this morning.  The chief product of the day was four portions of chicken casserole, one of which has already been consumed.  Apart from the culinary activity one irritating thing happened.  The various icons at the bottom of my laptop screen have lined themselves up on the right hand side.  I cannot work out either how I managed to make that happen or how to undo it and restore the icons to their rightful place.  Whenever I ask for help in a computer shop I feel such an idiot.  We shall see what happens.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris   

[polybear]

7 hours ago, PupCam said:

Evening All (Cue the Dixon of Dock Green music ......),

 

Showing your age there, Puppers....

Now why don't they ever repeat DoDG?  Haven't seen 'em for years.

Incidentally, Bear has been watching the Martin Clunes Police Drama every evening this week (ITV, 9pm) - highly, highly recommended.  LDC Award of the Week, in fact.

 

7 hours ago, PupCam said:

They've relented apparently and are now going to do one more collection of garden waste this year but to make up for it they're not going to collect the food waste bin that week.   Umm, nice ......

 

So it'll all be going in the middle of the garden bin on the next collection.....

 

7 hours ago, PupCam said:

Did a little bit of Beeza disassembly work in readiness for the "Open Crankcase" and the "Split the crankshaft" surgery that will be required to replace the big end.     The primary chain case has been drained and the outer cover removed.      The Cush Drive needs to come off of the crankshaft next and the clutch basket off of the the gearbox drive shaft so the rear of the chain case can be removed.  

 

 

Look on the bright side, at least it's not a Honda CBX you've gotta split.  For the unaware that's a six cylinder 1047cc jobbie:

 

 

 

7 hours ago, PupCam said:

 

Bear will be dropping round tomorrow, I hope he's got his Chauffeur's hat ready to go with those pressed jeans.  We maybe venturing northwards up the A1 to a place devoid of all things DCC.   Anyway, should be a really interesting day.

 

Chauffer?  Never.

Getaway driver?  Bear couldn't possibly comment....

 

7 hours ago, PupCam said:

Oh yes, looks like I'll be investigating how easy it is to replace the reversing light switch on a Mondeo.   As it sits on top of the gearbox which is of course under the car and I don't have the luxury of a car lift (and it would fall off the bike lift ) my initial guess is "Not easy".     Plan B (always good to have a Plan B) might be to ask a nice man how much it would cost to replace the reversing light switch on a Mondeo.

 

 

Does Puppers need any new tyres?  Pick the right place and I'm sure they'd do it for you at a sensible price.  Kwik-Fit doesn't fall into the "right" category, however...

 

7 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Obstructing the Highway : s.13That is a criminal matter with a sentence of up to two years jail, a fine or both.  It won't stop the die-hards but it may make the weekend warriors think twice if they knowingly risk two years inside.

 

The weekend warriors would also do well to understand the implications of a criminal record (even a Police Caution can impact you).  As an example, ever wondered why they ask the "Have you got a CR?" every time you want a quote for home or car insurance?  Cos' they'll shaft you - or refuse you, that's why.....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14556347

 

6 hours ago, laurenceb said:

Why don't the police just grab hold of the idiots and drag them off the road, if they leave bits behind it's their problem

 

Rope.  Ankles.  Police Range Rover.  Job Done.

 

1 hour ago, BR60103 said:

I used to keep (when I had low-hanging ceiing) a cap with several layers of bubble wrap in it. This was kept on a hook just outside the crawl space.

I used either an American engineers cap or a tractor-driver's/baseball cap.

 

 

Smart idea - a DIY version of a "soft bump cap" that are available.  Bear used to have to wear a full-blown hard hat when working in the shipyard in Glasgow - all it did was make me whack my head cos' it stopped me from seeing overhead obstructions.  Mind you, just one of those whacks would've got me an A&E visit - the scars on the hard hat were something else.

 

In other news.....

Bear up at 0500 this morning (the alarm wasn't due until 0545, but when a Bear's gotta wee, a Bear's gotta wee - and it just ain't worth going back to the pit afterwards).  Bear would like to report that Mickey the MG is gleamingly clean and polished - but it ain't, so I won't.  I did ponder doing so (Puppers has very high standards....) but (a) other things took precedence, and (b) the thought of killin' meself doing so, only for it to receive 200 miles of wet weather up n' down the A1M and end up looking like a tractor wasn't worth thinking about.  Been there, got the T-shirt....

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, chrisf said:

The various icons at the bottom of my laptop screen have lined themselves up on the right hand side.  I cannot work out either how I managed to make that happen or how to undo it and restore the icons to their rightful place.

Right click on the bar that they live on, select "taskbar settings" or whatever it might be called then there should be a location dropdown list where you can select Top Bottom Left or Right.

 

My parrot often walks across my laptop keys while I am using it, he is just heavy enough to cause something wierd to happen like making everything a mirror image or changing text to heiroglyphics or whatever which always takes me hours to reverse engineer.

 

Edited September 23, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl 

Some years ago I changed the reversing switch on a Sierra, if it's the same layout, the change can be achieved with a jack, axle stand , and spanner.. mind you 30 years ago  I was somewhat more flexible in getting under there and getting out again.

 

Windy out side, but dry, there was some precipitation during Ben's evening patrol yesterday but it didn't amount to much.

 

Spent some time  yesterday drawing out deck plans for rope routing.. Realised that the holes through the forward cockpit edge, would be better off coming through the sides at an angle, something achievable with copper pipe  but not with commercial through decks bushes.

The reason being, two turning blocks would be needed to route each rope through the forward cockpit face. Just one each routing through the sides, a saving in weight, a whole 120grams, more importantly less friction in use and to the wallet.

 

The fun's going to be drilling four half inch holes at an exact angle through 3/4 inch of ply covered in glassfibre. Coming through at an angle, will mean the cam cleats need mounting at an angle, so some wedges may need to be manufactured or bought.

 

Investigations on that continue.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning.  It's brass monkeys here, just 11 degrees when I wandered up to let the hens out.   Anyway, the woodshed was tidied yesterday.  Timber was sawed and split and we now have a nice clear space to stack the f stears of firewood that I bought 10 days ago.  That will give us enough to last well into 2023.   Some stuff was taken to a charity and then the car was refilled with more stuff to go to another charity shop today.  However it will not all be hard work.  There is madness in my method.  There is a model shop not far from the charity shop and in between is a railway station.  I sense a plan coming on and the sandwiches have been made.   The weather is looking good as well.

 

I understand the frustration that some readers feel about the insulate protestors.   From what I've read they have been glueing themselves to the road surface.  T hat makes removal without injury difficult.   Unfortunately we could only use reasonable force to arrest people and tearing large areas of skin off is not classed as reasonable.   Some years ago a car with four young men in it was being chased from London along the M4. Some enterprising officers in, IIRC Wiltshire, lined several HGV's up across the motorway and all 4 kids were killed.  The resulting fall out was not pleasant.   However the pictures of the latest protest showed officers lying on the road obviously sorting out the superglue carefully, probably with a solvent or something.   This sort of approach has gone on for years with tree protests and tunnellers. Chopping the trees down with them in it has never been an option, attractive though that might be.   

 

It's a good thing there weren't CCTV cameras outside Hillsborough in the late 70.   The trees on the east side overhung a rather polluted beck and ticketless fans were, on at least one occaision, encouraged to come out of the trees. Such is life.

 

Jamie

 

Jamie

[Andrew P]

9 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Obstructing the Highway : s.137 Highways Act 1980 - fine of £100 fixed penalty notice but up to £1000 if taken to magistrate's court and found guilty.  That won't stop them.

 

s.131a of the same act provides that it shall be an offence wilfully to "disturb the surface" of a highway for which the fine is £1000 and handed down by a magistrate.  Might make one or two think about gluing themselves to the surface.  

 

The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 s17 provides that "A special road shall not be used except by a class of traffic authorised to do so ..... " which prohibits walking and sitting on motorways (which are "special roads" because pedestrians are not permitted except in emergency.  Whilst protesters will claim they are dealing with an emergency it is not a road traffic emergency as such which requires their unavoidable presence on the motorway.  This seems to be another relatively minor matter at this level for which a £100 penalty might be issued.  However if the unauthorised presence results in a secondary offence which might include occasioning injury to a third party then the matter escalates to the criminal court system.  

 

Under the new powers sought any repeat offence brought under the above or any of the other provisions which might be used could be regarded as in contempt of court.  That is a criminal matter with a sentence of up to two years jail, a fine or both.  It won't stop the die-hards but it may make the weekend warriors think twice if they knowingly risk two years inside.  

 

 

 

And loosing their jobs, (IF they work that is)

[simontaylor484]

Morning all 

Its a bit windy here this morning as i wait to go on the school run. I have Swmbo to take on a shopping run at some point then I am hoping to do some more tidying up in the garage and perhaps a tip run or two dependent on what I come across. 

I have to call at the pet shop on the way back from school for some doggy food as its Ponte Races this afternoon and you won't be able to get near the place 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Arthur Itis was kicking up a fuss this morning but disappeared as soon as I started moving about and no need for the Nurofen. Six energy companies have gone to the wall and more apparently will be following. If your supplier has gone to the wall how do you know that your replacement supplier is not also going to fail? Fortunately my supplier (Octopus) is sound and has 'bought in' more than sufficient gas supplies which means that although there has been a price rise it is the lowest of all suppliers. 

[TheQ]

Been looking for wedges,  successfully , 20 hardwood wedges for a fiver.

 

They interviewed the insulate protesters yesterday, most of them were retirees. So employment /CRB check threats are meaningless.

 

As for their aims it's a good one. All new houses should be built to a much higher insulation level.

Various governments attempts at encouragement to insulate older houses have been hopeless, most of their deals would have cost vastly more than doing it / funding it myself..

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Once again we have had some overnight rain, but at the moment the sun is shining, although there is a bit of a breeze. The plan for today is to (hopefully) get 2 top coats of paint on the fireplace before dinner. In between the painting I’m also hoping to plant up the plants we bought yesterday.

 

Charlie is due here just after dinner and we will both spend the afternoon in the workshop. No doubt we will chat about music, films and possibly drinking etc. 

 

Back later. 

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from LBG where the sun is out albeit there are clouds in the sky as well.

 

It seems quiet here - no posts for a couple of hours.

 

Hope Chrisf's trip to the professor goes well.

 

Work is...work. Part 2 out of 2 of training later today. Those that  reacted to yesterday's were pleasant about it. Hopefully today will go well too.

 

The Beer 52 beer has been delivered - hopefully Elder Lurker answered the door as requested and has not just left it outside. To have him answer the text I sent him is perhaps too much. it is not too much to expect NOT to start on the beers yet!

[simontaylor484]

4 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Arthur Itis was kicking up a fuss this morning but disappeared as soon as I started moving about and no need for the Nurofen. Six energy companies have gone to the wall and more apparently will be following. If your supplier has gone to the wall how do you know that your replacement supplier is not also going to fail? Fortunately my supplier (Octopus) is sound and has 'bought in' more than sufficient gas supplies which means that although there has been a price rise it is the lowest of all suppliers. 

As far as I am aware from what explanation I have seen is that Ofgem move the account safeguarding any credit balence to a new supplier I would hope that Ofgem use due diligence in which supplier they move you to I would assume it is one of the big boys (or girls)

[PhilJ W]

36 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

As far as I am aware from what explanation I have seen is that Ofgem move the account safeguarding any credit balance to a new supplier I would hope that Ofgem use due diligence in which supplier they move you to I would assume it is one of the big boys (or girls)

I would hope that you have a choice of new supplier. What has happened is that the more prudent companies 'buy in' their gas at a fixed price in advance during the summer when its cheaper. Even then if the price of gas goes up beyond a certain level there is an increase in price but not as much as for those that buy their gas on the spot market. Even some of the big boys such as British Gas no longer buy in advance. Nevertheless those who were with the companies that went bust will find themselves paying a lot more.

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

Even some of the big boys such as British Gas no longer buy in advance. 

 

Is this not coupled with the closure of gas storage facilities? See this Guardian article from 2017!

 

The folly of short-term capitalism.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Compound2632

[simontaylor484]

Whatever next?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/sep/23/the-smart-toilet-era-is-here-are-you-ready-to-share-your-analprint-with-big-tech

[Ian Abel]

BIN day, done that!

 

For some inexplicable reason - know only to those involved for sure - the BIN truck parade has been remarkably quiet today though in existence. It seems somehow they may have managed to attach silencers to the trucks - I can't come up with any other explanation. I know I'm not goign deaf as the Mrs shouted something at me and I heard her quite clearly

 

Yesterday toiled away at report modifications. The Mrs went to the memorial service for Michelle, and her speech was very well received, apparently.

 

Today more "working" and a happy hour/schola rehearsal later.

Due to the continued increase in the DELTA variant cases we've once again pushed back when the full choir will rehearse and perform, so for now just the schola. We sing this Sunday for St. Francis and the end of October for All Souls.

Full choir "MAY" start rehearsal in early November in anticipation of singing for Advent and Christmas.

The above pre-supposes there isn't a continued significant increase in stupidity COVID cases between now and then! 

 

"Oriily men" working as we speak to repair the front lawn after the attack of the gas-men.  and the morning freight just rumbled by.

 

7 and sunny first thing, may reach 21 later.

 

Carry on.

 

 

[Tony_S]

We have been to Canvey twice today. The first visit took a while as the attendant put some barriers out as we were about to enter. We had a good view of the compactor device   going round bashing rubbish down in the big skips. The second trip was because Aditi hadn’t got any space left on the landing to process the stuff I was chucking out of the loft. I was convinced it was a car load and fortunately was correct.
It is quite dusty outside as well today. One of the houses at the end of the road must be having a significant extension as there are people installing piles and cement lorry deliveries. Every now and then a cloud of dust blows past. 

 

[TheQ]

Ian's first line of reply goes worryingly well with the statement of Simon in the pervious post.

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

Whatever next?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/sep/23/the-smart-toilet-era-is-here-are-you-ready-to-share-your-analprint-with-big-tech

 

One notes that all of the various labs/companies are situated either in the land of the free or Asian.

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Is this not coupled with the closure of gas storage facilities? See this Guardian article from 2017!

 

The folly of short-term capitalism.

Nothing to do with the closure of gas storage facilities, just that the energy company pays in advance at a lower price for an agreed amount of gas (much of which could still be in the ground). This enables the energy company to fix its prices to its customers in the event of fluctuations in the wholesale price of gas. This means that the energy company has to put the cash up front but many of the smaller companies who do not have the finances to do so tend instead to offer cheaper rates to attract new customers and keep their fingers crossed that the wholesale price of gas will not go up. 

Edited September 23, 2021 by PhilJ W

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. First 'live' meeting of the society tonight, the first one for 21 months. Have to get the dinner on the go and eaten before I go out. Be back later.

[J. S. Bach]

4 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Whatever next?

 

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/sep/23/the-smart-toilet-era-is-here-are-you-ready-to-share-your-analprint-with-big-tech

From the article:

"At some point, she thinks, a smart toilet could make lifestyle suggestions – it could tell you to eat more fibre or certain nutrients, for instance, or work out what kind of food triggered an uncomfortable gastric episode."

 

I do not think that I want my toilet telling me what/what not to eat. All it needs to do is process the results!

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Nothing to do with the closure of gas storage facilities, just that the energy company pays in advance at a lower price for an agreed amount of gas (much of which could still be in the ground). This enables the energy company to fix its prices to its customers in the event of fluctuations in the wholesale price of gas. This means that the energy company has to put the cash up front but many of the smaller companies who do not have the finances to do so tend instead to offer cheaper rates to attract new customers and keep their fingers crossed that the wholesale price of gas will not go up. 

So just gambling with your energy supply. I am sure someone has a more sophisticated name than gambling for commodity futures markets but it does seem like that to me. 

[Ozexpatriate]

5 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Whatever next?

3 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

One notes that all of the various labs/companies are situated either in the land of the free or Asian.

When your wristwatch can tell you if you are having a heart attack, it's not surprising that someone will make a loo that tells you whether you have colorectal cancer or monitor your diabetes.

 

Sewage testing has been in the news for tracing the presence of CoViD-19 in a population.

 

There are of course always unintended consequences - like the notional stealth workplace drug testing suggested in the article. For fans of ubiquitous CCTV and "surveillance isn't intrusive if you don't do anything wrong" would, in a safety-critical workplace, this be inappropriate?

[Ozexpatriate]

Like everything, energy deregulation can have huge unintended consequences. One of them is price gouging exhibited by a Texan electrical supplier during last winter's ice storm where much of the state was blacked-out.