Early Risers.

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Just had an interesting Zoom talk on the French TVG. Now to catch up on other stuff. At least Si Attica is keeping quiet and I hope it stays that way.

Quite amazing things. Just got back from Paris. 75 minutes for 180 miles to Poitiers, smooth as silk. Then a 45 minute trundle on the classic line to Niort, about 30 miles with a stop.  However it's quite an experience.

 

Jamie

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[iL Dottore]

Morning all,

I’m wondering what sort of protective software @chrisf had on his laptop that allowed a hacker to bypass the laptop’s security. As my laptop is mainly used for work (90% of the time) and only partly privately, I have installed a complete security suite (from Avast - heartily recommended) that protects me from malware, ransomware, trojans, viruses, tracking and the like. Additionally, for certain applications, I have either two-factor or three-factor identity validation processes in place. The security suite that I have is not inexpensive (about £200 a year for all the programs), but the licenses do permit me to have the software installed on multiple computers. Which is a jolly good idea.

 

In regards to computers, we certainly have come along way since I first started playing with them. My initial exposure to computers was the University mainframe for which I had to write simple programs that were fed in to the mainframe by punched cards.  Yet it was only a few years later, when I was in grad school, that I got (at university) my first desktop - which was an Apple IIe - which you had to assemble by slotting motherboard, videographics card, et cetera into slots in the chassis of the computer before you could use it (and the screen was the classic green on black). Whilst my first home computer was a monstrous desktop affair without any sort of colour coding to to help you connect the monitor to the PC, the keyboard to the PC or the mouse to the PC. You had to match up male and female connectors by counting the number of connecting pins in each particular plug. It was a Gateway (does anyone remember them? I think that they no longer exist).

 

I can’t help but wonder whether or not returning to those days when you needed a modicum of intelligence to put together and operate a computer would decrease the number of morons on line (although it is said that if you make something idiot proof, the universe builds a better idiot!)
 

iD

[BR60103]

We had a phone call today telling us we could have booster jabs and setting an appointment for a week and a bit.

Then I talked to my doctor on the phone about stomach and Arthur; change of pills and physio prescription.  And see sister Drac for bloodletting. 

I haven't seen the Dr. since she became my physician (after some personnel shifts in the practice).

We were going to go shopping, but got off track.  Tomorrow is Remembrance Day for us -- not sure what shops will observe it, but the Waterloo Warbirds are to do a flyover of local cenotaphs and cemetaries.

 

[Gwiwer]

Good morning all. 
 

Dr. SWMBO entered Scotland at 05.27 according to RTT on her way to COP26.  Anxiety almost got the better of her but I saw her off from the Hill of Strawberries on time. I await reports in due course. 
 

Today is boy’s own day. I wonder what mayhem I can cause idly passing the time

 

Stay well. I’m off to the House of Fun for the morning. 

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Security suite (from Avast

Does it protect from pirates?  Arrrrr.  

[iL Dottore]

4 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Does it protect from pirates?  Arrrrr.  

G R O A N ! ! !

and today’s @JohnDMJgawd-awful joke of the day award goes to…. (envelope please)….

(drum roll)….

…. @Gwiwer

 

(and heartfelt plea to ERs please don’t encourage them…..)

[chrisf]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

I’m wondering what sort of protective software @chrisf had on his laptop that allowed a hacker to bypass the laptop’s security.

So is chrisf ...

 

Morning all.  I had a phone call yesterday from a fellow Ffestiniog Traveller who has been looking on various webshites and does not like what he finds.  As I have already paid for Christmas and New Year in Switzerland I was rather hoping that there would be no problems this year.  Maybe there are none and I am worrying unnecessarily: it would not be the first time if that were so.  Perhaps I should muster the courage to phone the travel company.  However, mustering courage is not one of my strong points and I have a certain reluctance to go looking for bad news.  I will know soon enough.  Until then I have plenty of cards to write.  The address labels were printed yesterday and all I have to do now is crack on.  Easier said than done, methinks.

 

I sill feel sore and vulnerable after the hacking.  Some sent e-mails appear to be missing, so if I have inadvertently provided the hacker with more playthings I can only apologise.

 

Some good news: Daryn Carter, erstwhile organiser of Bristol Pride, has been made a Freeman of the City of Bristol.  That honour will go well with his MBE.  I have no idea what freedom of a city entails but unlike some so-called honours it is not just dished out.  Blue hair or not, he is a decent bloke - not something that can be said of all who have honours heaped upon them.

 

Chris 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

A quick look in before my transport arrives, Mike is very kindly dropping me off this morning, he’s due here any minute. 

 

TTFN

[pH]

39 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

G R O A N ! ! !

and today’s @JohnDMJgawd-awful joke of the day award goes to…. (envelope please)….

(drum roll)….

…. @Gwiwer

 

(and heartfelt plea to ERs please don’t encourage them…..)

 

That award would seem to have been rather premature. There were still 18 hours of the day still to go when you made that announcement. I'm sure someone can do better (worse?) than that, especially if it's taken as a challenge.

Edited November 11, 2021 by pH
Spelling

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

Slept very well, seems like I may be on the mend.. just coughing up the odd flagstone or two.

 

Good curry plus cups atea  work wonders!

 

Hope the op goes well @BSW01!

 

Igope Dom ( @NGT6 1315) and Robert ( @Robert) are OK as Germany is being mauled a bit by the Covids at the moment.

 

I am off to Huddersfield to check a Conference Venue later then will be spending time spouting drivel.

 

Stay safe!

 

Have a good day!

 

Baz

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare,

Back to normal. 3 hour one hour , one hours sleep followed by some not very good dozing..

 

SWMBO got a phone call yesterday, cancelling her flu jab.. but would she like one 3 hours later with someone else?..  11am instead of 8 am, yep you bet she would,, more time in bed...

 

Ben the No chance Collie didn't approach the door this morning,  It was dreich, very dreich.

 

No wandering policemen, this morning, instead a tiny tanker....

Full size cab unit complete with air dam on top.. Towing...

A full width tank unit, that was about 4 feet shorter than normal, and a very short length. The first pair of trailing wheels were only about 5 feet behind the wheels of the tractor unit.

No warning diamonds on the back. 

 It looked most odd..

 

Time to head for the lab I have some current shunts to do..

 

 

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Hope all goes well Brian.  

There's some redness in the sky.   The forecast claims it will be cloudy, breezy and mainly dry.

Two dentist visits today.  One for me, he's squeezed me in to "assess" the problem  (it's only a niggle at the moment) and then this afternoon I have to take The Boss to see her dentist.

Apart from that the other excitement here will revolve around one bin lorry, a Sainsbury's delivery (only one substitution today)  and the roofers starting work next door.

There's also the not so small matter of a Zoom meeting with friends but I'll have to leave that early to take The Boss to her appointment.

Have a good one,

Bob

 

 

[polybear]

Bear has solved the mystery of the broken email - it's them and not me; a quick google of their service status reports that the email system is fubar'd and they'll be working overnight to (hopefully) fix it.  Quite right too...

 

I've decided that tomorrow's leccy work will be restricted to finishing the installation of the single + two double back boxes I installed a couple of days ago - final fixing, wiring and making good with mortar.  I still have another double box to chase into the wall, plus the relocation of an existing single box for the TV aerial socket - but if I crack on with those tomorrow it'll all start to get pretty involved (plus lots of sh1t and dust) and as it's fun at college day I'll postpone the messy stuff until Friday.  Seems like a plan.

 

Edit:  I typed this yesterday evening, but for some reason never sent it....

 

 

[BoD]

1 hour ago, chrisf said:

I have no idea what freedom of a city entails

It usually involves allowing you to herd your sheep somewhere or other.

[polybear]

9 hours ago, BSW01 said:

I hope to have time to look in in the morning, but if I don’t, I shall probably be off line until early next week, as I expect that Internet access in the hospital to be a little shaky. 

 

Special Beary thoughts are with @BSW01 - may the NHS Cake be yummy and plentiful...

 

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

It was a Gateway (does anyone remember them? I think that they no longer exist).

 

 

Wiki tells Bear they were sucked into the great Acer empire back in 2007; in Sept 2020 a licence was granted to a Chinese-based company to manufacture and sell Gateway branded products via Walmart - so if you have an urge to go down memory lane.....

 

In other news:

Well the overnight email fix didn't  - the next service status update is due at 8am.....

And since tomorrow is now today that means this Bear will be working on the leccies again.  Oh joy.

The good news is that it's College later 

 

Hang on sa mo.....

 

***SPECIAL BEARY NEWSFLASH!!!****

The Beary email inbox is now full of unread emails!!! 

I guess that means they may have fixed it after all....

 

Hang on....it's just broken again.....Turdycurses

Edited November 11, 2021 by polybear

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, dry 8c and.....not a lot else really other than to wish Brian a safe stay in hospickle. 

 

Not a lot planned today, drivelling later with some friends, a walk this morning perhaps although I am rather sore after yesterdays bike ride to the far south.  Hip not fixed, then.  Feels different somehow, less localised, but I can only claim a partial resolution at best. Pah.

 

Just had a look on Faceache before opening here and got that bloody video thing!  Not sure how that can happen, perhaps Mr Kaspersky needs an outing rather than lurking in the background.  He usually works quite well, although no doubt reports to the Kremlin regularly.

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, BSW01 said:

Good morning everyone 

 

A quick look in before my transport arrives, Mike is very kindly dropping me off this morning, he’s due here any minute. 

 

TTFN

Good wishes Brian and I hope it goes well.

41 minutes ago, BoD said:

It usually involves allowing you to herd your sheep somewhere or other.

I have a cousin who has the right to drive sheep over London Bridge. Despite being of the female persuasion she is still a Freeman.

 

Jamie

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Wishing Brian all the best. A few grumbles from Si Attica and  Arthur Itis but they're keeping quiet.

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

G R O A N ! ! !

and today’s @JohnDMJgawd-awful joke of the day award goes to…. (envelope please)….

(drum roll)….

…. @Gwiwer

 

(and heartfelt plea to ERs please don’t encourage them…..)

There is a whole galaxy of groan buttons just Google. Here are a few to get on with.

And you can even download the sound of a groan.

[iL Dottore]

6 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Wishing Brian all the best. A few grumbles from Si Attica and  Arthur Itis but they're keeping quiet.

There is a whole galaxy of groan buttons just Google. Here are a few to get on with.

And you can even download the sound of a groan.

All of the above, please.

[Winslow Boy]

 

And that is how the City of London made its money as I believe it cost a penny to cross.

33 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Good wishes Brian and I hope it goes well.

I have a cousin who has the right to drive sheep over London Bridge. Despite being of the female persuasion she is still a Freeman.

 

Jamie

 

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, pH said:

 

That award would seem to have been rather premature. There were still 18 hours of the day still to go when you made that announcement. I'm sure someone can do better (worse?) than that, especially if it's taken as a challenge.

Oh, I don’t know. It’ll have to be pretty dire to beat @Gwiwer

But there again, ER does have a history of leaving no depths unplumbed…..

[Winslow Boy]

4 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

And that is how the City of London made its money as I believe it cost a penny to cross.

 

 

Interesting fact and not wildly known I believe but the City of London or Corporation as it should be known outside of the square mile almost went bankrupt in the late '70s due to the spiralling costs incurred in the building of the Barbican.

 

In fact it got so bad that at one point it was considering disposing of several of its estates, parks, woodlands, and other open spaces outside of the said mile. I believe the only reason it didn't was because the potential recipients, the boroughs where they were, refused to take them. I suspect because they also were in dire financial straits as well