Early Risers.

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[monkeysarefun]

5 hours ago, PupCam said:

I do hope my views on the matter are not deemed to be too radical and of course, no political intent intended.

Do what I do  - spend time here for a nice soothing dose of schadenfraude... 

 

https://www.sorryantivaxxer.com/

 

Todays forecasts is severe storms and up to 30mm of rain. That La Nina thing has really kicked in here now.

At least the place isnt on fire though.

Edited October 13, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

A Busy couple of days so most posts not been read so apologies but I know Simons and family are  still suffering so thought go out to them.

Been out at work for most of the day and then a bout of nephew sitting. 
Manager has been to the local hospice and given staff there that wanted one a flu jab. 
Could type some more but got a meeting in Huddersfield with the shop fitters so another early(ish) start so for now, Goodnight.

Robert

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[J. S. Bach]

50 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 ...snip... At least the place isnt on fire though.

Or overrun with mice.

[monkeysarefun]

1 minute ago, J. S. Bach said:

Or overrun with mice.

Im not sure what's going on with the mouse plague these days . I guess all the snakes got them.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Well I was right about the weather looking dodgy this morning, we had a couple of light showers before dinner and another one after dinner too! Although the rain wasn’t heavy, I’m glad I was in the workshop when it did rain though!

 

The workshop and shed are starting to look a little more organised than they were this morning. Of the two shelves I put up in the workshop, one was to replace a temporary shelf, that was made from a wide piece of pallet wood. The new shelf is a little bit wider than the previous shelf and extra shelf, which has been fitted directly above this is also proving very useful. I’ve been able to put several small compartmented boxes that contain plastic gears, a few more boxes of different sized cable ident markers on the top shelf. These are now readily available, but out of the way, leaving other shelves to house stuff that is used on a more regular basis, closer to hand. 

 

I’ve also transferred all my power tools and larger DIY tools to the shed, where they are all stored together on the same shelving rack. It’s all starting to look a lot tidier and a lot less like a dumping ground, which is what it had become. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[iL Dottore]

14 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I am fairly certain that the improvements and advances made in medical science have enabled me as a rather unfit person to live way beyond what nature has permitted…

You’ve raised a philosophical question that eventually will become a real problem for humanity to deal with: at what point does saving individuals become detrimental to the health of the species.

Take haemophilia for example: it’s an inherited genetic disease and without modern treatment afflicted individuals have greatly shortened lifespans and often do not reach maturity. Whilst from a humanitarian perspective there’s no question that afflicted individuals should be treated and given as a near normal life as possible, from a humanity perspective is it wise to keep these defective genes in the gene pool?

 

Further complicating matters is that some inherited conditions - like Sickle Cell Anaemia -  can in certain instances be advantageous (SCA apparently is protective against malaria). 
 

iD

[chrisf]

An e-mail yesterday from my favourite travel company told me that in about two weeks' time I will know whether or not I will be visiting Switzerland over Christmas and New Year.  There must be at least an even chance that it will not happen.  Oh no, not again, please.  Last year the festive season was pretty dreadful without it, not helped by the decision of those who rule us to close the posh hotel where I would have had my substitute dinner.  I must try not to think about it until I know for certain.  Good luck with that.

 

Oh well, never mind.  Plenty of other things are likely to happen before the big day.  My flu jab is all arranged and will be administered on Tuesday of next week.  Every little helps.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[iL Dottore]

12 hours ago, Tony_S said:

In the news here, there are people handing out fake leaflets (with NHS logos) to schoolchildren going to school trying to dissuade them from getting vaccinated. They also are threatening headteachers with ridiculous pseudo legal writs for facilitating vaccination. 

I despair at what’s going on and how the authorities are now no longer fit for purpose. They’d rather go after people who express opinions that are not approved by the “woke” than address a real problem.

 

Distributing such leaflets could be construed as “giving aid and comfort to the enemy” - which is a treasonous activity and if memory serves treason is still a capital offence.  Whilst undoubtedly there would be a certain amount of satisfaction in seeing such individuals in the dock (and on the scaffold?) for treason, it would be a disproportionate response by authorities. There are plenty of laws on the books that could curtail such activities. And quite frankly in a time of a serious pandemic (and according to some virologists the first of many to come) the good of the many outweighs the freedom of the one…

8 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

….In other news the "training course" I was due to endure took place today.  …

 

……; I listened to slides being read out with no opportunity for interaction for another 25 minutes.  At 13.55 that was it.  Done.  Finito.     

I thought, when I started reading the post, that “endure” was just hyperbole, by the time I reached the end of the post I realised it was an understatement.

Sadly, this is frequently far too typical of so-called “training” nowadays: trainers whose knowledge of the material barely extends beyond what’s on the slides and whose didactic skills are so non-existent that all they can do is read out the slides (and even then usually in a dull monotone).

One of the things that my company does is training and awareness (that’s Mrs iD’s bailiwick) and the tales she tells of inadequate training programmes and appalling presentations she has to fix have to be heard to be believed….

6 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Im not sure what's going on with the mouse plague these days . I guess all the snakes got them.

Undoubtedly. There’s some interesting reading about predator-prey relationships available on the net. One of the striking things is the double bell shaped curve of population numbers: the first curve is that of the prey, the second of the predator. The second curve exactly copying the first - with a short gap between the two (the gap varying in time according to predator and prey species)

Ain’t Nature fascinating…

iD

[jamie92208]

Good moaning. It's cool down ere but I warmed myself up yesterday emptying the sand from the trailer. I did put  some polythene sheets and a sheet of sterling board on the grass first. In the afternoon we played hunt the cake shop. Gateaux was closed for half term but we did find one called Coffee Cave and had some delicious cakes. Rich fruit cake for me, lovely and moist. Lemon meringue cake for Beth. That vanished very quickly.  Slices of other cakes were purchased for later consumption. Quite a good way of spending an afternoon.  I also had a good natter to my brother at one point.  We don't talk often but enjoy it when we do.

 

Mike called about 7pm to update us. He'd spent his second day at court and has to go back today. The sparky and plumber are owed more than Mike so the total is of €20,000 plus costs and rising. The expat has been arrested and interviewed.   His passport has been confiscated and all his bank accounts and assets frozen. There is talk of the case eventually being completed at a higher court in Angouleme.  It looks as if Mike will get his money in the next couple of days.  All this averted by Mike alerting the bank and the bank moving very quickly. If they had been 90 minutes later at the Notaire's office the money would have gone to the UK.  

 

 

Anyway it's a tip run for me today for a friend then some work at the house we look after.

 

Simon, I do hope that things improve.

 

Jamie

 

 

Edited October 14, 2021 by jamie92208

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Simon, sorry that your anniversary was not what you would have wished and I hope that you can both celebrate properly in the near future.

Still dark but dry here and a cloudy day with some sunny spells is forecast with temperatures reaching 17°C.

Bin day today but only one lorry due.  All through the pandemic collections have been superb but over the past 3 weeks have not been quite so good and sometimes 1 - 3 days late.  Shortage of drivers we're told.

Sainsbury's delivery is due between 8.00 and 9.00.  Here again they've been superb and today there are only 2 minor acceptable substitutions.

I paid a visit to Wickes yesterday to get some decorating materials but still not very enthusiastic about the task.  Need to extract a digit or three. 

News from Nicki is that after many weeks off recovering from a major operation she will be returning to work on Monday but on reduced hours for a while.

Gemma is waiting to hear the results of a PCR test as someone at school has caught Covid.  LF tests have been negative but she has a bit of a cold and is worried as she's due to go to an open day at Sussex University (where Joe is) on Saturday with a view to going there next year.

Time to take tea to The Boss,

Have a good one,

Bob.

 

Edited October 14, 2021 by grandadbob

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

It's Thursday so it's Moreasons day. Herself is already sharpening her claws in case anyone gets too close while shopping.

 

As for me, I have a Newsletter to compose and issue regarding our Exhibition in a weeks time. Fixing broken items and some booking of a restaurant for a reunion at the end of the month will keep me busy this morning. After that..who knows?

 

Time to drink  y mugatea!

 

Stay safe!

 

Baz

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl inner temple Hare,

4hours solid sleep, long awake, 3 hours very broken sleep.

 

Ben the alarm clock Collie got me up at the correct normal time, and has been out for a splash and dash. 

New rigger boots today, slightly more expensive than the previous pairs but maybe the sole won't break up this time. They are however a lot stiffer and not as comfortable, hopefully they'll break in ..

 

I've had a few bad training sessions over the years, from a 3 month course in the RAF where the only person who hadn't worked on the equipment was the instructor. To a Microsoft office course where the instructor had very poor English. 

Most of my current courses are definitely carp, generally not in person or via zoom. They each appear as an email telling us to complete the "trainings" by a certain date. You go to your company personal web "trainings" page click the subject and you normally get the option of a video or slide like pages.

The English is poor American business talk, it's written for 5 year olds, very American biased often quoting American laws, but at least you can click through most of it rapidly and just answer the very dumb questions at the end of each section.

 

I would think those people handing out antivax leaflets should be arrested for attempted manslaughter, unusual, but they could cause the death of people with something they don't believe in..

 

Our Christmas dinners in kit form will be bought towards the end of November,  I'd prefer turkey, I like traditional fare, but we won't pay stupid money for it, so a beef joint is probably more likely this year. A gammon joint will also be bought for boxing day.

 

Today I'm not at work, the car is getting its MOT, but it's SWMBO's late friends funeral today so I'm taxi driver in the Landrover. Then we'll see if the car is finished after the funeral.

 

Time to lay about, before putting bacon in a trying pan..

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, rock still 12c, or the thermometer needs Q's input.

 

Thoughts firstly to Simon and his family, and fervent hopes they can diagnose Mrs T's issues and begin to treat her effectively.

 

The day here will be occupied by driving to the Big City to return wireless ear bud things to TXMaxx, as they won't pair with each other, and the master bud is the wrong side.....firmware issues presumably.  Annoying to have to go there just for one thing, we have no other business there for ages.  I'll pop across way out west to see John on the way back, or if they're out, have an ice cream on Peel prom, they place there has diabetic ice cream. Yum.

 

I wonder what I was supposed to do today I'll forget.....

[Ozexpatriate]

I've had a 24 hour 'holiday' from RMweb but have returned after tilting at the IT windmills. My apologies for the ensuing long post. Feel free to skip to the end.

 

Yesterday evening, after working during the day, my laptop declared that there was "no internet".  Assuming that the WiFi modem had wobbled (the usual cause) I reset* it, but since it takes a while to reboot and not really needing to be online I decided not to recheck until today.

 

* More accurately I power cycled it. (I installed an inline switched plug for the purpose since US outlets do not have switches.)

 

Today the laptop still declared "no internet". I went three rounds with my internet provider - one that US residents would recognize as a very large cable television provider which had a terrible reputation for customer support. A month or so ago, they had shipped me a new modem (which I hadn't requested, along with an explanation that there were "issues" with the five-year old one) and kept sending me emails about sharing with them how much I liked the new one and returning the old one (which of course was still installed).

I took the opportunity (with two consecutive calls to telephone support women, who I strongly suspect were from a call centre south of the border, but were much nicer to work with than the dreadful AI call handling system which desperately wanted me to electronically chat or SMS for assistance) to install the new modem (which turned out to be basically the same model as the old one). The result: "no internet". A technician visit was scheduled between 4:00pm and 6:00pm and he arrived at around 5:45pm. 

 

The tech busied himself undoing all the installations of unity gain amplifier and attenuators that the previous installer had fitted to the cable set top boxes and then installed an newer, upgraded modem. The result again: "no internet" - but this time it was clear that the laptop was the culprit - somehow. None of the usual "forgetting" WiFi connections or rebooting the PC had any effect. He left happy to have done his bit, without me materially any further along than 24 hours previously. He did save me a trip to the UPS store to return the old modem(s).

 

I was envisioning having to cancel a Zoom conversation with my cousin and venturing out tomorrow to an electronics store, laptop in hand, to diagnose my WiFi connection. This evening however, poking around Windows networking panels I found an option to nuke all the networking sockets and after a Windows, self-induced self reboot, all was magically restored.

 

12 hours ago, Barry O said:

HP Printer... it is "no longer supported" and has now stopped working.. PAH!

My HP printer did need to have it's WiFi connection reset but is back in action and printing happily, despite warning that ink supplies are "critically low".

 

I profoundly despise doing consumer IT work. It really requires expertise which few possess.

 

All is now well ahead of my zoom call tomorrow with my cousin - so long as the laptop can find the internet tomorrow.

[Ozexpatriate]

Curious conversations about "satnavs". My car (purchased new in 2003) has one built-in. It uses maps stored on a DVD player. Back then, the car manufacturer used to send me annual postcards suggesting I should purchase a new DVD map for the price of a multiple of $100 (which I never did) but they stopped doing this many years ago and the maps are now quite out of date. (My home is not even on the map, but I have a marker that is 'close enough'.)

 

I am a convert to mobile telephone turn by turn directions. With horrible, unpredictable traffic (or road closures) on my familiar routes, the 'real-time' alternatives spontaneously provided en-route can be very handy and have saved me much anxiety on numerous occasions. Some of them were really intriguing and effective - I would never have thought of them.

 

Recent "improvements" to suggest more fuel economy-friendly routing seem to have mitigated some of the really clever features that were implemented in mobile telephone navigation applications.

 

They're not perfect. One day this summer when the highway traffic was particularly diabolical, I wanted a more relaxing alternative. I couldn't make it recognize the route below until I reached the far shore.

 

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Best wishes to Simon and family and I hope that the cause of the problem is identified soon. My aches and pains seem insignificant in comparison, most of them are to do with getting older. At one time I thought it would be great to reach my 100th birthday now I'm not so sure, spending my twilight years sitting in a care home staring at four walls does not appeal. Arthur Itis kicked up a fuss first thing but the usual brace of Nurofen put him back in his box.

[Barry O]

Printer still acting like a complete pile of wotsitdoodoos. PAH!

 

 

It is either a HP printer problem.. (built in obsolescence??)  or Bangalore Telecom..

 

 

Baz

[Ozexpatriate]

3 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

At one time I thought it would be great to reach my 100th birthday now I'm not so sure, spending my twilight years sitting in a care home staring at four walls does not appeal.

My aunt (the oldest of four sisters, but not yet 90) was recently moved into aged-care facility. She is very unwell. Shortly after her admission a Queensland CoViD lockdown prohibited all visits. Her sisters were able to visit on Monday. I'll check in with my cousin by Zoom tomorrow to see how she is doing.

 

She has a room with a nice view (of the Brisbane River) but of course she can't see the view from her bed. She does not possess a mobile telephone and when the lockdown hit, it had been too soon to transfer her landline telephone from her home to the aged-care facility. When I last spoke to my cousin, this was still a work in progress.

 

Meanwhile the family is packing up her home. A few years ago she was spry and healthy. She had knee surgery, which went well, and didn't wait for a nurse to get up to use the toilet. Her downhill spiral started with a fall. I won't go into all the subsequent complications.

 

Her lesson to me is avoid falls.

[TheQ]

47 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Curious conversations about "satnavs". My car (purchased new in 2003) has one built-in. It uses maps stored on a DVD player. Back then, the car manufacturer used to send me annual postcards suggesting I should purchase a new DVD map for the price of a multiple of $100 (which I never did) but they stopped doing this many years ago and the maps are now quite out of date. (My home is not even on the map, but I have a marker that is 'close enough'.)

 

I am a convert to mobile telephone turn by turn directions. With horrible, unpredictable traffic (or road closures) on my familiar routes, the 'real-time' alternatives spontaneously provided en-route can be very handy and have saved me much anxiety on numerous occasions. Some of them were really intriguing and effective - I would never have thought of them.

 

Recent "improvements" to suggest more fuel economy-friendly routing seem to have mitigated some of the really clever features that were implemented in mobile telephone navigation applications.

 

They're not perfect. One day this summer when the highway traffic was particularly diabolical, I wanted a more relaxing alternative. I couldn't make it recognize the route below until I reached the far shore.

 

When navigators were first introduced, if you were approaching Horning from the south by car, you were met with this view.

..

At that time there was no ferry and hadn't been for many many years.. and it's probably 10 miles to go all the way round via bridge..

[PhilJ W]

1 minute ago, Ozexpatriate said:

My aunt (the oldest of four sisters, but not yet 90) was recently moved into aged-care facility. She is very unwell. Shortly after her admission a Queensland CoViD lockdown prohibited all visits. Her sisters were able to visit on Monday. I'll check in with my cousin by Zoom tomorrow to see how she is doing.

 

She has a room with a nice view (of the Brisbane River) but of course she can't see the view from her bed. She does not possess a mobile telephone and when the lockdown hit, it had been too soon to transfer her landline telephone from her home to the aged-care facility. When I last spoke to my cousin, this was still a work in progress.

 

Meanwhile the family is packing up her home. A few years ago she was spry and healthy. She had knee surgery, which went well, and didn't wait for a nurse to get up to use the toilet. Her downhill spiral started with a fall. I won't go into all the subsequent complications.

 

Her lesson to me is avoid falls.

That is one thing that concerns me, a decline in my fitness. Its perhaps more noticeable after lockdown as the decline was gradual and not very noticeable before. I have had to make some adaptations such as handrails as I live on my own and falls are one thing to be avoided.

[Ozexpatriate]

2 minutes ago, TheQ said:

At that time there was no ferry and hadn't been for many many years.. and it's probably 10 miles to go all the way round via bridge

A pleasant vista all the same