Early Risers.

[Gwiwer]

Just now, polybear said:

72 is no age at all

Indeed not.  It is a sobering thought that, Deity of Choice willing, I'll be there myself in a mere 6 1/2 years from now.  

 

But first - Friday Drinks will now be in memory of a great actor across the spectrum.  Straight, comedy, adult and children's .....  and I have alerted the Aussie-based parent of the most dedicated Potterhead I know of so that she can be gently advised when she  wakes in the morning. She was 12 when she visited the UK and is now 16; it was very hard to convince her that the Hogwarts Express didn't leave from Kings Cross station so far as Muggles were concerned.    

[simontaylor484]

That's quote a few of the cast of the Harry Potter films gone to the Hogwarts in the sky now

[PupCam]

Evening All!

 

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

p.s. the 1/48 scale JU 87-B kit arrived today. And, as partly expected, the transfer sheet is missing a very notable part of the Stuka’s insignia 😡

 

My tick of agreement was for you grumpy face emojii.     As has been said before, hiding nasty stuff from the past and pretending it never happened is the worse possible thing to do.   In this sort of case displaying said symbol is not condoning what went on it is providing the specific context for an artefact - in this case a scale model.   I might just throw in a couple for myself  😡😡

 

5 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Just to prove I can read a meter I had to send off our electricity export reading today. Apparently this is needed as a confirmation of the smart meter reading. Only every six months so not a major chore but one day we may get some money for the surplus electricity we generate. Just to show how weird it all is they will send us a cheque even though they take payment from us for electricity we consume by direct debit. 

 

3 hours ago, polybear said:

Cynical Bear suspects that it's cos' electronic payments are instantaneous, whereas cheque payments take time in the post plus the time taken for the recipient to get off their ar5e and pay the cheque into their bank accounts - which could be weeks in some cases.  The result?  The leccy company get to hold onto the money - and get the interest - for longer.  Dastardly, or what?

 

Oh no!     Cynical Bear beat me to it.  Good to see the consistency in cynicism level between Fellows of the Great Empire though.

 

I would add also that of course providing a cheque almost guarantees the need for a Smart Phone and a corresponding Ap just so you can pay the blxxdy thing in.   Let's face it there are precious few branches around now and those that are there have got virtually no staff and only open on a Wednesday afternoon when there is a Z in the month .....

 

3 hours ago, polybear said:

On the subject of AF costings, I went to read the leccy meter just prior to cooking today's din dins, only to discover that the meter is calibrated to the nearest KWh - which makes it pretty  hopeless for measuring leccy use accurately over a short time period (such as 15 minutes). That'll be T.C.'s again then.

 

Junior Puppers has a "Meter Plug" - like a "Mains Adapter" that an appliance plugs into with an LCD power meter included.    Details could be found if required.

 

In Other News

 

Mr & Mrs Puppers trip to Central Milton Keynes was a complete waste of time, effort and money.  

 

The quest was to visit the Apple Store to get the battery in Mrs Puppers mature but still perfect condition iPhone (apart from the battery...) replaced.    A call to the 01908 (Milton Keynes) number on their website eventually got me connected to a human.  Of course the said human was in California, Bombay, Birmingham or anywhere else on the planet other than MK!   I enquired as to the cost, availability and timing of the necessary visit and it was suggested that 2:00pm today would be suitable.   Plenty of caveats were issued on cost, availability, whether the cost was ex or inc of VAT (they'd know wouldn't they?).  I asked him to check.   He put me on hold while he "contacted the store" which appeared to be less than successful but "everything should be fine" (but don't forget the caveats ...).   

 

We arrived too early, so we hung around for a bit and then went in to the shop 5 minutes before the appointed time, were booked-in and told to go upstairs into the "Genius Bar" (what a pretentious load of gold fish!).   After being greeted (by the Manager as it turned out) our appointment was confirmed.   After checking what phone type it was there was some astonishment that went  along the lines of "You really want us to put a new battery in that!  You do know that we are discontinuing support for that model don't you?"   Well, no we didn't and it's  shame Handy Harry didn't mention it from Apple Support when I was on the phone earlier.    But no matter, we ain't buying a new one, we'll have a new battery thank you so we were asked to wait for the technician to appear.    A few minutes later a technician appeared, greeted us, checked the model of the phone, mentioned that they were discontinuing support for that model ......   Yes, yes, we now know but please put a new battery in the phone.      "I'm very sorry Mr Puppers but we don't have any of those in stock but we'll order one for you and you can pop back and we will fit it for you".    Well, as I'm not in the habit of repeating a 50+ mile round trip "Pop to the Apple Store" you would be correct in imagining a small nuclear mushroom cloud forming and then hanging over CMK shopping centre.    

Bad day?    Yes!   

 

What a complete bunch of incompetent Badgers of the Rear variety and a "System" that seems to have as much logic and control as any here today, gone tomorrow Chancellor  - Good old Robin Day!     Anyway, my parting shot to "The Manager" when I was venting my wrath was to suggest that perhaps it was time for Mrs Puppers to upgrade to an Android phone.  I do hope that the other customers in the Genius Bar 🤣 picked up that Puppers was slightly miffed 🤬.    The Manager said that I would get an Email requesting feedback which I will be only too happy to provide.  I'll set the nuclear weapon yield to 500 Mega Tonnes I think for this one and send them at the same time a bill for petrol, wear and tear on my car, the car parking fee and, what shall we say, £50/hour for my time?   

 

Me thinks an investigation into a DIY installation of an after-market battery will probably be the most cost efficient solution and they can shove their double the price battery right up their Genius Bar!   Now to start searching YouTube ....

 

I've calmed down now 😀

 

 

 

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

With JA? 🤣

 

Naughty Bear... I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight... 

 

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

Pah.

 

Spoked too soon I did, re Spikevax Bivalent. 

 

I was just a bit achey this morning, went out to the Old Farts Bike Club breakfast at 10 - when leaving the cafe at 12 I was really quite stiff and sore, which over the next couple of hours (riding on a 125 year old electric train didn't help) developed in full blown killer man-flu aches, headache and nausea (no snot though).  Had a really rough afternoon, just clearing a bit now at 1940hrs, assisted by paracetamol. Hopefully this means my immune system was hard at work.

 

Pah again if it ruins the weekend!

 

Better than the alternative though for sure.

[BoD]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Hagrid has passed away 😭

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-63261204

Sad news indeed.

 

One of my ‘stories’ at the NT has gone too.  Apart from our main layout, our raison d’etre, we also have a Thomas layout for children (of all ages).  On the main layout one of the trains consists of 25 private owner coal wagons. When running it  I would explain to visitors, in all seriousness, that ‘while next door we have Thomas, Percy, Edward and Gordon, we call this engine Robbie. ….. 

 

…. Robbie Coal Train’ .  The groans could be heard for miles. 
 

R.I.P. Hagrid.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by BoD

[simontaylor484]

This came on my You Tube feed this afternoon I have started watching it.

 

Can i have one for Christmas please Santa

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by simontaylor484
Forgot video

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

Greeted with THIS, this AM, and why many locals refer to this place as MinneSNOWTA;

That seems right on time. Chicago usually saw it's first wintry mix around Halloween - it was just as likely to sleet on the trick-or-treaters as not. (I did see yesterday's national evening news mention freezing temperatures in the Midwest.)

 

One Halloween I saw snow lightning - very eerie. Everything turns blue as the snow reflects the lightning.

 

Our onslaught of record high temperatures continues. We are expecting 27°C today, but tomorrow might see 30°C. The wildfire smoke and haze worsened today - US AQI of 137, "unhealthy for sensitive groups". The sky at the horizon is quite brown and the haze was very visible at ground level looking toward the sun. Skies overhead are still blue.

[BoD]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Me thinks an investigation into a DIY installation of an after-market battery will probably be the most cost efficient solution and they can shove their double the price battery right up their Genius Bar!   Now to start searching YouTube ....

Pop down to the local shop/market stall that sells all those hideous phone/tablet/iPad covers and they will probably be able to do it in 10 minutes for you.  

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

 

Me thinks an investigation into a DIY installation of an after-market battery will probably be the most cost efficient solution and they can shove their double the price battery right up their Genius Bar!   Now to start searching YouTube ....

 

For an old phone that Apple aren’t going to support anymore, a non Apple battery replacement would be worth it. If it isn’t too expensive it gives you time to choose a nice Android device. 

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

That's [quite] a few of the cast of the Harry Potter films gone to the Hogwarts in the sky now

The first installment was released in the US on November 14, 2001. 

 

In a month's time it can legally purchase alcohol in the US.

 

Sadly plenty of time for cast members to permanently disapparate. 

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

We’ve lost so many great actors from that generation: Alan Rickman, Richard Harris, Richard Griffiths, Robert Hardy, John Hurt…

 

Don't show that list to the Daily Mail, there'll be  a "The Curse Of Harry Potter" article  before you can say "Beatup Newstorious!" 

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Me thinks an investigation into a DIY installation of an after-market battery will probably be the most cost efficient solution and they can shove their double the price battery right up their Genius Bar!   Now to start searching YouTube ....

22 minutes ago, BoD said:

Pop down to the local shop/market stall that sells all those hideous phone/tablet/iPad covers and they will probably be able to do it in 10 minutes for you.  

14 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

For an old phone that Apple aren’t going to support anymore, a non Apple battery replacement would be worth it. If it isn’t too expensive it gives you time to choose a nice Android device. 

Not helpful to anyone here, but there's a prolific chain in the US called "Batteries Plus". Mostly they stock batteries and light bulbs, but a big part of their business is mobile device repair - like battery and screen replacements.

 

There's one quite close to me. They're very handy.

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

7 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

I suspect that Bear is showing his age.

 

Now now... just cos the picture he posted was black and white....

 

Anyway, the whole argument about which visitor to Australia is more whatever is completely moot if you live here -  many of the local examples make those expensive imports pale into insignificance!

Edited October 14, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[Ozexpatriate]

21 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Jeez we just  take one Phar Lap and one Russell Crowe off you....

Not to mention pavlova; allegedly. 😉

[monkeysarefun]

42 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

For an old phone that Apple aren’t going to support anymore, a non Apple battery replacement would be worth it. If it isn’t too expensive it gives you time to choose a nice Android device. 

Google Pixel has "Astrophotography" mode!

Edited October 14, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

8 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Not to mention pavlova; allegedly. 😉

Didnt want to mention that,  or the underarm bowling thing....

 

 

 

[PupCam]

1 hour ago, simontaylor484 said:

This came on my You Tube feed this afternoon I have started watching it.

 

Can i have one for Christmas please Santa

 

 

Oh yes please.    Just a bit bigger with a gas turbine instead of an electric food whisker please!

 

44 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

For an old phone that Apple aren’t going to support anymore, a non Apple battery replacement would be worth it. If it isn’t too expensive it gives you time to choose a nice Android device. 

 

Battery found - Tick

Tools available - Tick

Informative, instructional video found - Tick

 

😀

 

10 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Google Pixel has "Astophotography" mode!

 

Now we are talking!  

 

I can imagine the conversation;

"Mrs Puppers, please may I borrow your phone to do some astrophotography?"

"No"

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Very sorry to hear of the death of Robbie Coltrane. My favourite film of his is 'Nuns on the run'. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuns_on_the_Run

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

My tick of agreement was for you grumpy face emojii.     As has been said before, hiding nasty stuff from the past and pretending it never happened is the worse possible thing to do.   In this sort of case displaying said symbol is not condoning what went on it is providing the specific context for an artefact - in this case a scale model.   I might just throw in a couple for myself  😡😡

 

The state of Victoria recently banned any public display of the swastika too, fair enough if displayed by right wing thugs marching down Collins St, less so if it means model Messerschmitts cant be shown in hobby shop windows. 

 

Meanwhile on afternoon TV reruns of Hogans Heroes splash it around along with Gestapo references all played for laughs, as does "Allo Allo!" over on another channel.  Neither of those series would probably get the green light to get made today, it seems that the further we move on in time, that particular   symbols imagery focusses more and more on the atrocities bit and less on its overall historical context, maybe as WW2 in total fades in popular culture. 

 

I recall reading a while back that a group in the US wanted Chevrolet to remove some of their model nomenclature based purely on the two letters which in the cars context had a completely different meaning from anything to do with Nazis but apparently it still had to go in their eyes. . The same nomenclature was used here by GMH and if anyone expects me to take to the ute with a screwdriver they'll have to prise it out of my cold dead hands or whatever.

 

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[PhilJ W]

7 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

The state of Victoria recently banned any public display of the swastika too, fair enough if displayed by right wing thugs marching down Collins St, less so if it means model Messerschmitts cant be shown in hobby shop windows. 

 

Meanwhile on afternoon TV reruns of Hogans Heroes splash it around along with Gestapo references all played for laughs, as does "Allo Allo!" over on another channel.  Neither of those series would probably get the green light to get made today, it seems that the further we move on in time, that particular   symbols imagery focusses more and more on the atrocities bit and less on its overall historical context, maybe as WW2 in total fades in popular culture. 

 

I recall reading a while back that a group in the US wanted Chevrolet to remove some of their model nomenclature based purely on the two letters which in the cars context had a completely different meaning from anything to do with Nazis but apparently it still had to go in their eyes. . The same nomenclature was used here by GMH and if anyone expects me to take to the ute with a screwdriver they'll have to prise it out of my cold dead hands or whatever.

 

 

Jaguar cars started out as the Swallow Sidecar company. The name was abbreviated to SS cars when they started building special bodies for Austin 7's. The name Jaguar was a model name but became the manufacturers name after the war.

[Coombe Barton]

... -praise be it's the weekend ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/10/14/ons-still-showing-increase/

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Chicago usually saw it's first wintry mix around Halloween -

My nephew has been in California  for 10 days. He is spending a long weekend visiting some friends in Chicago now. I hope he has a suitable coat!

[pH]

I’m now confident I am still alive (there are mornings when I have some doubts) because I have a signed and stamped document witnessing that this is so.

 

Every so often, we each get a form sent from the UK government pensions department, to be filled and signed by a responsible person to confirm that we are still alive and therefore eligible to continue to receive our ever-diminishing (non-indexed and GBP-denominated) UK pensions.

 

Our friendly neighbourhood bank manager signed and stamped our latest ones this morning. They will soon be in the post to Wolverhampton.

[TheQ]

Evening Awl,

 

I've been in the hospital that Hagrid disaparated from, it's my parents local hospital, dad has used it many times.. it's a very modern build..

 

Back from the MRC, the evening trip was punctuated by much less cars than normal, replaced by deer, rabbits and rats..

 

Oh and a delivery for Banksy... Yep you heard it Banksy...

When I got to the MRC the way was blocked by a double bottom lorry, just about to depart.

It had loaded 100 display partitions for an exhibition by Banksy in Manchester next week or so.

I was chatting to the owner of the supplying company as the lorry did an impressive bit of reversing down the road and turning round.. they build these partitions in the adjoining building to the MRC .

 

A chimney was built, but I think it's too tall. A scale 70ft, I shall consult pictures of similar buildings and decide on Fred Dibnah's actions next week.

 

I have carried out a battery change on this android tablet, the hardest thing is prising the case open...

 

Muggachoccy then goodnight Awl..