Early Risers.

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare..

4 hours ish sleep, Looong gap, 2 hours sleep.

Brain too busy on what has to be done to the boat by launching time, which according to the latest just published calendar for next year will be 26th March, the day before the start of the 2022 Summer season of sailing. That's just 72 days time  or 10 weekends to get her finished.

 

Further to my mention of kilts, they were traditionally worn much higher, right up under the armpits almost, they were originally an overcoat over the "leine" a knee length dress worn by all peasants male and female throughout the UK (and Europe).. High kits up onto the chest were still occasionally worn up to around WW1. It was the influence of the military that changed that, with normal army khaki shirts being covering the top half, like with the wearing of trousers, the kilt was not needed that high.

 

I have a set of 3 new resistors to measure, they are to become new standby references for this lab. Specially selected form normal production within the company.

Normally we'd use specially made reference resistors from an outside company . Unfortunately that company was taken over and it's almost impossible to get them now. I've just measured the first one a  1M Ohms, the difference from the manufacture in the USA 4  months ago and my measurement difference now is less than the uncertainty, which is good.

 

And it's Poets day for me, No longer working on Fridays. We got an email overnight we have Monday the 31st off which is 7.5 manhours way from work for free. We are reminded by Email today  that this is a day of rest, so coming in on the Friday to make up the missing 2 hours seems illogical, so I'm going to work an extra 1/2 hour today and each of the following 4 weeks to make that up.. 

 

Second resistor now measured also within the uncertainty .. Now waiting for the 3rd to settle before measurement..

 

 

Time to... wait...

 

 Oh the guy that was being lined up for my job, but left the company, has been contacting people here finding out when I'm leaving... Perhaps the grass isn't greener elsewhere...

Edited January 13, 2022 by TheQ

[jamie92208]

7 hours ago, Pacific231G said:

8p was worth a lot more in those days  days than it is now.: in 1964 a Tri-ang turnout was 7/6d and a Graham Farish 2ft radius turnout was 8/6d

I think 1/3d was the standard price of school dinners in Oxford at that time. We actually had the option of getting half a crown's worth in the "Muni" or 2/1d worth in the school tuck shop which did things like beans on toast and hot dogs as well as confectionary. It was a quicker (though not exactly healthy)  option if you wanted to do more with the lunch break. 

 

The price I can remember was 1/11d for series 1 Airfix kits and 2/11d for series 2. I wonder what some of todays pupils would say if they tried to teach them long division and multiplication in pounds shillings and pence. I nearly typed lsd but thought better of it.

 

My brother in law who is 7 years younger than me, born 1959, has no real memory of working in pre decimal currency.  My very first bank statement  in 1971 had the changeover half way down, typed in red to makevit stand out.

 

Anyway good moaning from a place where it is sunny but was 1 degree when I went to get the hens up.  I had a good day yesterday with trainspotting in the afternoon  then a good chatvover dinner where provisional approval was given for me and my spotting mate to have a week away in May looking at trains in Eastern France and ID's domain.  I have never visited the alpine redoubt before so am looking forward to it.

 

Much to do this morning then a zoom this afternoon.

 

Regards to all.

 

Jamie

[polybear]

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

It’s all academic, really. Thanks to an obscure medieval treaty* between the IoM and Baselstadt (plus the aid of a few bent solicitors and dodgy magistrates) it all belongs to Captain Cynical anyway.

 

* best deal CCI GmbH ever made: buying an entire library of antique legal documents, treaties and pacts….

 

Bear - plus fellow ERer's I'm sure - would take a VERY dim view indeed of any attempt to cheat our Pal Donk (and friends) out of his rightful inheritance.  Bear advises CC to instruct his solicitors without delay to "let this one go........"

 

 

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Has Britain gone barking mad?

 

Long ago - and it's getting worse by the day....

 

2 hours ago, chrisf said:

On the same day there was something potentially much more interesting - an investiture at Windsor Castle.  It was conducted not by Her Maj but by the next King but one, the Duke of Cambridge. 

 

Now whilst I personally think that the DoC is a pretty good kinda Guy (and should make for a pretty good King) I personally would feel somewhat cheated if I didn't receive the Gong** from Her Maj.

 

** Still being worked on.  Services to Bear Castle refurbishment perhaps, as well as the promotion of LDC......

 

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

Ben is a rescue Collie , He was found in Ireland eating stones 'cos he was so hungry.....

 

A virtual LDC (Party-size) is on it's way to Ben.....

 

1 hour ago, Barry O said:

@New Haven Neil.. yep!should have said metalforming  but spellchecker bodged it.. must be invented in America...

 

Baz

 

Guess what?  It's bodged it again.....

 

In other news:

Another late one.  Disgraceful

Bear plans to decide what to do at the next Model Engineering Session, then MIUAIGA.

 

Bear's News of the Day:

1. And the flood gates open - thanks a bunch, Bristol Jury 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-59972806

 

2. Seems like a good start, if somewhat lenient:

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/quebec-will-force-unvaccinated-to-pay-at-least-100-in-new-health-tax/ar-AASHqa9?ocid=msedgntp

Edited January 13, 2022 by polybear

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A bit frosty this morning but fog free but the sun is coming up as is the temperature. All the talk of dogs this was reported on the breakfast show this morning.

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/59971332  Just reported in the news the French government have eased travel restrictions between France and the UK which will be good news for @jamie92208.

[simontaylor484]

Morning all 

 

I have been naughty and had a little bit of strawberry jam on my toast this morning no good for my type 2 diabetes no doubt but i did enjoy it.

 

@New Haven Neil I wonder what you would have called Billet if he/she had come from a sewage works instead of a steel works?.

Although I do have strange names running through my head relating to steel works eg

BOS cat, Smacc, plate mill, concast, FURnace the list is endless so it would seem.

 

I am currently having a coffee before posting of daily orders.

 

I usually post on here using my mobile there are too many ads on the tablet I keep accidentally putting my thumb on the arrow that takes you to the top of the page 

 

Damn you fat thumbs

[jamie92208]

12 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A bit frosty this morning but fog free but the sun is coming up as is the temperature. All the talk of dogs this was reported on the breakfast show this morning.

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/59971332  Just reported in the news the French government have eased travel restrictions between France and the UK which will be good news for @jamie92208.

Thanks Phil. Yes it appears that there has been an announcement  via Twitter that should remove at least some of the restrictions, however we have kearnt from experience to wait a couple of days till the various government  websites have been updated with the real details. It does seem to be moving in the right direction though.

 

Jamie

[New Haven Neil]

@simontaylor484 Flushy.

 

I see Poly is encouraging Snowy, Donk and Noel to bump Mrs NHN and I both off now!  There are others too....we may go into hiding.

 

Almost time to go to and play Pharmacy-runaround, will they have sent it to the right branch?  Will it be ready? Do bears....who knows!  There are three Lloyds branches in the bright lights of Royal Ramsey, they rotate the staff around them unfortunately - so we never know which branch has the good staff we can rely on.  Some are dire, customer care/service trained by Checkpoint Charlene on a bad day, so it would seem.

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from a blue skied and frosty Sidcup.

 

Younger Lurker has been delivered to school. He has a charity fun run 5k in Danson Park this evening after school. The distance will be no problem for him.

 

Work is slow. We have now undone the sins of our fathers and written off the mystery balance. 

 

And now I suppose I had better go and some more if it!

[PhilJ W]

Just received a phone call, my SiL died this morning. Not entirely unexpected considering her health problems and age (nearly 80). I hope to get down to see my brother on Sunday, I'll sort that out when I call him later.

[grandadbob]

Sorry to hear that Phil.

[grandadbob]

Lovely and sunny here but still quite chilly.

Sainsbury's arrived with everything required although a pack of bacon was substituted for another slightly different one. Less rashers but thicker so that's not a problem.

Window cleaners have just been, only three today as the Boss  (and father of two of them) has taken the day off.  He's winding down a bit as various aches and pains and Arfer Itis are catching up with him.  His sons think he'll be retiring soon.  Told them not to do the back of the house as the decking there is dangerously slippery today, I nearly went flying earlier.  Pleased to say they reduced the price accordingly without any hints from me.

Currently waiting for an update to complete on my other old and very slow laptop.  So far it's been running for over 3 hours.

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by grandadbob

[Gwiwer]

10 hours ago, Pacific231G said:

I think 1/3d was the standard price of school dinners in Oxford at that time

When I started school we took a half-crown in on Monday to pay for the week's lunches.  That's 6d each or 2.5p for a main and sweet plus a plastic beaker of tepid water.  The food was reliably awful but given the budget I guess they did their best.  

 

Over time it became 5/- not 2/6d  for much the same fare.  By the time decimal currency arrived it was 50p and then £1.  Still good value for a two-course feed at 20p a day.  Later still my school converted to the canteen system with items priced individually but capped at the equivalent of the old daily rate.  

 

If you were sick on Monday you could pay a pro rata rate when you went back to school.  If you got sick later in the week there was no way to carry credits forward.  

 

The "custard" was legendary.  It would out-stick superglue.  Sometimes it required a knife to cut or prise it from the bowl.  Curry was revolting and comprised the cheapest minced beef swimming in an unappetising green-tinted liquid spiced with something unidentifiable.  And woefully over-cooked rice.  Some of us chose to go hungry on curry days.  

 

And then school meals were stopped for all but a few.  Later still even those were stopped with a free packed lunch being provided instead.  We retained a sixth-form canteen offering basic snacks at commercial cost but it was little-used beyond sneaking off for a coffee between classes.  

[Pacific231G]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

 

 

 

Now whilst I personally think that the DoC is a pretty good kinda Guy (and should make for a pretty good King) I personally would feel somewhat cheated if I didn't receive the Gong** from Her Maj.

 

** Still being worked on.  Services to Bear Castle refurbishment perhaps, as well as the promotion of LDC......

 

I have a good friend who was awarded, succesively, both an MBE and an OBE but, because she is an Irish citizen, she received the gongs from the relevant minister rather than from Brenda (I think they're technically "honourary")  She told me she didn't feel in any way cheated. She got the awards for real services (to children and parenting), not just for being the wealthy CEO of a large corporation , a party donor, a backbencher who never rocked the boat (a "Sir Bufton Tufton") , or just for being  on the tele. or a "celebrity".  Unfortunately, such honours- and not just in Britain- always seem to end up being decided by politicians who are probably the last people who should decide on such things. 

Edited January 13, 2022 by Pacific231G

[grandadbob]

ISTR school lunch money in the 50s being 4/2d weekly and then increasing to 5/- when I went to grammar school.  At both my primary and grammar the meals were cooked on the premises and on the whole weren't too bad although there were some items at the latter school that were disgusting, in particular hearts.  My Mum used to cook stuffed hearts and they were really tasty but after suffering them at school I refused to eat them again and I still won't. 

 

Jamie's mention of pre-decimal currency reminded me of one of my first jobs assisting the wages clerk who was an ex Naval CPO.  In those good old £-s-d days everything was done by hand in big old ledgers and he would add a column of figures , running three fingers down the page adding all three columns at once.  Never seen it done since. (and he was never wrong)   The only one to equal that sort of thing was my dear old Dad when he was a bookie and he would settle all bets, no matter how complicated, in his head with no assistance from ready reckoners etc.

 

Edited January 13, 2022 by grandadbob

[TheQ]

I can certainly remember the 2/6 a week for school meals rising to 50p, then I Moved the the Hebridies and School in Inverness, where because we were in School Accommodation, meals were free.. The meals in the Hostel weren't any better.. The best meal of the day was a milk Coffee and a biscuit before bed time....

our custard was of a different variety,, very runny with thick lumps of un mixed in powder.. but managing to have crust on top..

[New Haven Neil]

As also being a '59 model, I can recall the change of currency quite well, it was the cause of much concern to me at the time.  A week later I had forgotten about the old £SD stuff!  

[Gwiwer]

56 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

A week later I had forgotten about the old £SD stuff! 

I still convert mentally.  While living in Australia I double-converted from AUD$ to £p to £sd for some reason.  It's a sobering thought that what my father used to bring home for a weekly wage would now buy nothing more than a cup of coffee.  

[iL Dottore]

5 hours ago, TheQ said:

Ben is a rescue Collie , He was found in Ireland eating stones 'cos he was so hungry.,..

That makes me utterly and viscerally “kill the b*****s and their children and their children’s children” misanthropically furious. (OK, I exaggerate…. a bit).

How anyone can do that to a dog - especially one as intelligent and faithful as a Border Collie - escapes me. 

 

Still, the poor little lad is now safe and loved. Well done @TheQ.

 

If I was truly as ruthless, merciless and wealthy as my alter-ego, I would put a £500,000 bounty on the head of every puppy farmer and animal abuser I could find - payment upon proof of termination with extreme prejudice (and with an up to a 25% bonus for creatively painful disposal).

 

Back in the real world: realistically, I’d settle for serious prison time and mammoth fines…

 

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Just received a phone call, my SiL died this morning. Not entirely unexpected considering her health problems and age (nearly 80). I hope to get down to see my brother on Sunday, I'll sort that out when I call him later.

Sorry to hear that and our thoughts are with you.  

[Gwiwer]

1 minute ago, iL Dottore said:

an up to a 25% bonus for creatively painful disposal

Suspended from the 25kV overheads at ........ Barking?   

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Just received a phone call, my SiL died this morning. Not entirely unexpected considering her health problems and age (nearly 80).

I’m sorry to hear that, Phil. My condolences.

I hope the fact that it didn’t entirely come out of the blue is of some comfort.

[Tony_S]

@PhilJ W. I am very sorry to learn about your SiL. Condolences. 

[simontaylor484]

Sympathy and prayers sent for @PhilJ W.

 

I'm in a bit of a state been to the garden centre for a bag of ericaceaus compost. Whilst walking round my right knee decided that it had had enough and it hurts like hell. We had to get a very kind staff member to take the bag of compost to the car whilst Swmbo helped me hobble back to the car. Then I found I couldn't get in the car due to the pain in my knee on bending it. Eventually it was a case of grin and bear it.

Co codomol and naproxen have been deployed.

When i was at primary school istr school dinners were around £2.50 a week this was 1982/3. When i went to High school you had to buy dinner tickets I think it had gone up to £4-5 a week this was 1988/89 then I went on to packed lunches 

 

Its now cashless paid via an App which I suppose does away with the getting bullied for your dinner money. Sadly you will get bullied for something else

[tigerburnie]

Condolences Phil, thoughts with you and your family at this time.

I don't remember how much school dinners costed, can't remember what they were like at infant/junior school at all, indeed memories of that schooling are very few and none to do with actual learning, one teacher tried to force me to write with my right hand, which lasted about 5 minutes I think. High school I remember the food not the cost, it was ok  to eat, at grammar school I can't really remember much of what they fed us and even less of what they failed to teach, I do remember that nice Mrs Thatcher taking our morning bottle of milk off us and kids chanting Thatcher the milk snatcher.

I recall when I got my first Saturday job and got a pound for the wage, I could buy 4, 45 rpm single records, but a year later the prices rocketed and I could only get 3 for a pound. Sneaking into one of the pubs in the village with 2/6, it got you a pint of Bison brown ale, 5 Park Drive cigarettes and 6 pence change.1964 I think it was.

[polybear]

55 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Suspended from the 25kV overheads at ........ Barking?   

 

Much too quick.....

Now a certain Bear could easily drag it out for weeks/months/years - depending on what sort of mood I was in.....