Early Risers.

[polybear]

3 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

 

I'm very lucky in that Mrs JJB is a lady of stern countenance who doesn't look kindly on frivolities like gifts 🤣 I got her a white gold necklace with a jade pendant, the cost of which would have paid for sa couple of very decent model locomotives😂 

 

VHBW's to JJB & SWMBO 🎂🎂

 

And Mrs. JJB gave you a couple of very decent model loco's in return?

[jjb1970]

Thanks for all the anniversary well wishes! We will celebrate at the weekend, as today I was speaking at an event then part of a panel discussion on GHG emissions and saving the world (someone has a sense of humour asking me to speak on saving the world....) then rushed home for media training with the media/PR consultants our Washington head office retains followed by a Teams call with my clever professor colleague (seriously, he actually is a professor who just retired as a tenured professor in the US) to talk about the evils of GHG emissions which just finished. I should ask for overtime 🤣

We'll go to a restaurant called the Blue Ginger in Tanjong Pagar on Saturday night. For anyone visiting Singapore I recommend it, it's a peranakan restaurant. The peranakan people are pretty much the straits Chinese with some Malay thrown in and their food is the characteristic food of SE Asia. It's fusion food and blends Chinese and Malay, and with some Indian influence thrown in. They use a lot of spices and flavours tend to be quite strong, though not necessarily spicy. Some of it is very hot and spicy but a lot of it is full flavoured without being spicy. The Blue Ginger is unusual in being a peranakan restaurant that gets the Mrs JJB seal of approval (I'm pretty fortunate in that she is an excellent peranakan cook herself). Well worth visiting, a short walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT station and very central (one stop from Raffles Place which is the financial district).

[jjb1970]

6 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

VHBW's to JJB & SWMBO 🎂🎂

 

And Mrs. JJB gave you a couple of very decent model loco's in return?

 

Aleady landed, a very nice N gauge Series N700S Shinkansen and an E235 in Yamanote line colour from Kato, splendid. 

[Winslow Boy]

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Good Morning All,

 

My intelligence services have informed me that an attack by a physioterrorist is anticipated today at 11:30 - targeting my left shoulder. No fatalities are anticipated, although walking wounded are.

 

I’ve been following the TV series Make Me Prime Minister with some interested amusement. Whilst Alistair Campbell’s (and Nick Ferrari’s) comments about some of the contestants being as good as, if not better than, the current lot in the HoP is undoubtedly an accurate assessment, sometimes the contestants were so hopelessly naïve and/or out of their depth that it descended into squirmingly awful farce. My favourite episode was when the wannabe Prime Minister and his Cabinet were facing a national crisis (multiple, large, demonstrations on the streets across the UK, cyber attacks on the national grid and a lost nuclear submarine). One contestant put forward the notion that they shouldn’t put the riot police on standby as the protesters were carrying flowers which meant they were non-violent (😮) whilst another thought it was perfectly acceptable to lie to the “french ambassador” about a British nuclear submarine gone missing in French waters.

 

All of the above got me thinking (yes, I can do that but I am a trained professional) about assembling a cabinet to run the UK, were I in a position to do so. I think there would be a number of talented individuals on ER that would be incredibly effective in the cabinet. I’m thinking of @Gwiwer for Minister of Transport, @jamie92208  as Home Secretary, @Dave Hunt  at the MoD @Erichill16 for Health. It’s tempting to put @polybear into the Treasury as he is a bear of “short arms and deep pockets” 🤣 and whilst he would undoubtedly improve the exchequer’s income, has he the right outlook to spend treasury money? Possibly @grandadbob in the Foreign Office - given his “robust” approach to all matters diplomatique 🤣🤣 And we must have @chrisf at Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (although he might need help with the digital and sport bits 🤣)

 

Who else from the regular bunch of ER posters would you nominate? To which ministry (and why)?

 

Please sir can I go for the Environment ministry. With my background in horticulture I might be able to them a few things as the current bunch are f.........g useless.

[simontaylor484]

50 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

 

Aleady landed, a very nice N gauge Series N700S Shinkansen and an E235 in Yamanote line colour from Kato, splendid. 

Very nice , photos please

[DaveF]

I was an early riser this morning, my alarm went off at 6.45 a.m. - I'll tell you why tomorrow.

 

As for overtime - what is it?.  I spent most of my life in teaching gradually rising through the system ending up as an Assistant Head.  No overtime, you just did the work needed.  In my later years I generally got to school just after 7a.m. - it was an unusual school as the office was always open before 7 and when I got there pupils would be arriving even though the official start time was 8.40.  My finishing time was anywhere between 3.45p.m. and 10p.m. depending on what was happening.  The last few years were more interesting - I had to be there from 1p.m. till 7p.m. working with students on the brink of permanent exclusion plus other times as needed.  After retiring I worked for them part time as an IT consultant - mostly from home - just going in when needed and simply told them how many days I worked each month - actually how many multiples of 7.5 hours I worked as I often worked a very few long days - and if my PC worked overnight that counted too!

 

Now for yesterday.  The shopping came as usual, the substitutes were better than I had ordered, then I went to check the flat.  Betty and Alan both said they hadn't seen any workmen but something has been done so I rang the firm and said I'd pay the bill but would get back to them if the leak reappears (or continues).  I've also asked them to come to fix my gutter over my porch in due course (as I said I would yesterday).  I also had a nice walk round the park while I was out.

 

I planted out several trays of pansies and violas in the back garden and removed yet more other things, I also put some tulips in.  I've decided that some plants in tubs are getting very big so will replant them in the garden - the long term aim is to have fewer tubs to look after as I get older. 

 

The postman rang the door bell, the post would have gone through the letter box but there was a lot of it, some of which I actually wanted to read.  One of the letters was from the optician, a local independent, who has an excellent reptutation so I am going to see him next Tuesday morning.  If I need new spectacles I will let his receptionist choose the frames for me as usual, she always knows exactly what I would like - everyone I know says they do the same.  His prices are very reasonable too.

 

It doesn't sound much for a whole day but I was busy all the time!

 

David

Edited November 2, 2022 by DaveF
Spelling mistake - not a typo.

[BoD]

Happy anniversary to the JJBs

[Ian Abel]

Happy anniversary to @jjb1970 and Mrs.

 

AWOL again due to a very busy weekend+ with friends staying here as well as a full Sunday schedule including singing at two services AND the evening filled with a concert that was exceptional for us "oldies".

Local musicians presented the "Sounds of Laurel Canyon", music from the late '60s featuring too many artists/groups to name, but the play list was;

SET 1

Mr. Tambourine Man 

For What It’s Worth

California Dreamin’

Dr. My Eyes

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

Everybody’s Talkin At Me

Happy Together

Different Drum

Take It Easy

Sweet Baby James

You’ve Been In Love Too Long

In My Room

Mama Told Me Not to Come

SET 2

Ventura Highway

Old Man

Monday Monday

I’m The Slime

Angel

Big Yellow Taxi

Light My Fire

Last Train to Clarkesville

Suite Judy Blue Eyes

 
Encore: Turn Turn Turn
 

After that it took a while to return to a more calm state and get to sleep! 😀

 

Then, Monday was Halloween, plenty of kids over, still fascinated by the train - the dads especially 🤣

 

 

 

Now back working without anything else happening of note.

 

Weather very confusing as it was lovely all weekend and Halloween, today 12C and sunny first thing, headed for a high of 23C!

In MINNESOTA in NOVEMBER, good grief!!!

Still, it'll be a high 7C with a low around ZERO by Saturday.

 

Onward.

 

[PupCam]

Afternoon All!

 

On 01/11/2022 at 16:25, Erichill16 said:

Another busy day with mil.

 

Billy Bookcases!  You've just got to love them.     I've got 8 x 6' jobs  and could do with another 6 or so.  Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to see out of the window ......

 

22 hours ago, polybear said:

 - don't try and rush

 

I never do!      I tried it once with the Trpehound and it didn't work out 🤣

 

6 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

I am surprised no-one has nominated themselves for Minister without Portfolio yet. All of the 'honour', none of the hard work, an opportunity to stick their nose into anything which catches their eye... And a chance to have the occasional (or even regular!) eyelid inspection and describe it as 'contemplation'. 😉

 

I could do that AND I wouldn't have to rush.

 

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

This “treat them like adults and they will behave like adults“ extended even into the company restaurant/canteen where beer and wine were available at lunchtime. The assumption being that a small glass of wine or beer taken responsibly at lunch would not impair peoples ability to do their job properly.

 

There were numerous people at a certain Great Empire many years ago when the licensed Club House was on-site that stretched the definition of both "small" and "responsibly" ....

 

4 hours ago, polybear said:

I nominate @PupCam Puppers as Minister for Common Sense.....

 

That's very kind but I like the idea of "Minister Without ANY Responsibility".          If I had to actually do something, then shove me into something technical that doesn't involve dealing with animals or humans.

 

19 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

... Spreadsheets, bl00dy great big ones ...

 

Just wondering what constitutes "bl00dy great big ones"?      🤔

I've built some pretty big jobs which I won't go into here in the past ....... 

 

In Other News

 

The de Havilland Beaver that flew over going east this morning (I'm guessing going to Duxford for the day) has just returned on the reciprocal heading no doubt going home.   What a throaty sounding beast it is!

 

An unmarked (until they turned the blue flashing lights and siren on) police car wedged full of, presumably, Policeman has just hurtled up the road,    

It's all going down in Puppershire!

 

Some tricky machining on the Beeza's timing side crankcase has been completed to provide an oil path from the flywheel chamber into the bore for the magdyno idler shaft.    A compound angle was required and accurate positioning to ensure it emerged the right side of the wall that blanks the bore off.     My mate's angle plate and some support bushes I turned up to stop the casting collapsing when clamped up oh yes, and his lovely Bridport mill, did the job.    

 

Two Ali strips and a couple of turned bushes made a jig used to transfer the correct position of the hole "from the other side" to this side from where it was going to be drilled.

 

 

There's light at the bottom of the bore  - Hooray!   That worked then 😀

 

 

This morning has seen further machining of the casting (on the Myford) to provide a couple of oil drains from the pushrod tower that was on the original engine but absent on the earlier replacement engine. Three hours to make the necessary packing and special bolts to hold it in the correct position.   Five minutes to bore the holes!  

 

I might have a crack at the final, '"pucker", interference fit bush for the  idler shaft next.

 

Down the Pub tonight with ex-colleague bikers for a Pie and Pint night.

 

TTFNQ

 

Alan

 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by PupCam
"made" not "mad" !

[Tony_S]

3 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

It's fusion food

I had fusion food at lunch. Chips all’Amatriciana. Leftovers from two meals. Very filling. 
Tony

[polybear]

3 minutes ago, PupCam said:

There were numerous people at a certain Great Empire many years ago when the licensed Club House was on-site that stretched the definition of both "small" and "responsibly" ....

 

 

Oh yes - several had significant drink problems (I know of one in U Block that was nicked for being drunk in charge of a push bike....🤣) and a few that had gambling problems - there were two Fruit Machines in the Clubhouse that were set to "maximum payout" (= the punter gets the best chance of winning that the machine can be set to).  Wanna guess how much profit those two machines made (about 1986-ish), being in mind they were only accessible at lunchtimes, after work and weekends?  Sixty grand in ten months - at lunchtimes some of the serious characters used to feed them with 50p's like their life depended on it.  Mad.

[Tony_S]

3 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

 

I'm very lucky in that Mrs JJB is a lady of stern countenance who doesn't look kindly on frivolities like gifts 🤣 I got her a white gold necklace with a jade pendant, the cost of which would have paid for sa couple of very decent model locomotives😂 

Aditi listed all the things I should never buy as presents for her, because she likes to choose things herself. It has resulted in “something for the garden” being just about the only thing not on the list. 

[The White Rabbit]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

OK, you got the job.

Now get proboscis sticking…..😁

 

Well, as I'm under doctor's orders... 

 

 

I will job-share the role of Minister for Cakes with @polybear 😉  LDC for him, treacle tart for me and we'll do alternate days for chocolate cake. 

 

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers all. Yeah, long time no see once again!

 

I'm now undergoing a medical rehab treatment for the next couple of weeks, in light of the variety of issues I've been dealing with for a while now. All of which have, in my view, resulted from excessive stress caused by trying to preserve my health and that of my family since about 2020, and having to deal with far too many ignorant and even openly adverse people at work.

 

This means I'm receiving a variety of treatments through the day but am home at night. I admit I do have high expectations from this treatment, but in a way, I suppose things can only get better.

 

Ah, b*lls. Earworm alert… 🤪

 

 

 

[iL Dottore]

1 minute ago, The White Rabbit said:

 

Well, as I'm under doctor's orders... 

 

 

I will job-share the role of Minister for Cakes with @polybear 😉  LDC for him, treacle tart for me and we'll do alternate days for chocolate cake. 

 

Is that a homemade White Rabbit Treacle Tart? If yes, I'd love to have a copy of the recipe,

 

p.s. I hope that you're OK with coffee, walnuts and cream in cakes, 'cos those have to be tested as well! (A minister of the crown can NOT show partiality)

[Tony_S]

 

27 minutes ago, The White Rabbit said:

share the role of Minister for Cake

I don’t fancy a job with the present Government so can I be Leader of the Opposition please. 

Edited November 2, 2022 by Tony_S

[polybear]

48 minutes ago, The White Rabbit said:

 

Well, as I'm under doctor's orders... 

 

 

I will job-share the role of Minister for Cakes with @polybear 😉  LDC for him, treacle tart for me and we'll do alternate days for chocolate cake. 

 

 

Now there speaks one very fine, honourable and upstanding Wascally, Wascally  Wabbit.  However, in order to be considered for such an important position you'd need to regularly demonstrate the ability to scoff Treacle Pud n' Custard in a professional manner, ideally with a Mince Pie on the side.  For Breakfast.  Can you do that?

Edited November 2, 2022 by polybear

[Barry O]

Hope everything does get better @NGT6 1315.

 

Baz

[PupCam]

The @polybear has gone invisible again or just couldn't contain his excitement and pressed the Submit button too soon (a common problem I've heard).

 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Just finished the shopping and Arthur Itis started grumbling again, a brace of Nurofen is sending him on his way. Royal ciphers were mentioned recently, here is a blog from the Post Office Museum.

 https://www.postalmuseum.org/blog/royal-cyphers-on-letterboxes/?mc_cid=062e2ba99b&mc_eid=9677d5fad4#

 

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

Is that a homemade White Rabbit Treacle Tart? If yes, I'd love to have a copy of the recipe...

 

Sorry to disappoint, it's just a photo borrowed for the post. Though I have tried my own recipes and one turned out like this, I haven't taken any pictures of my own ... yet. 'My research is incomplete' is doubtless an excuse you have heard before, but I would like to advance the cause a little further before taking some pictures and commentating on my experiments as an entry for the ER's cookbook. Mental note made, if the Gods are willing, there'll be a full report to follow later. 

 

45 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I don’t fancy a job with the present Government so can I be Leader of the Opposition please. 

 

You prefer biscuits? 🤔 

 

45 minutes ago, polybear said:

Now there speaks one very fine, honourable and upstanding Wascally, Wascally  Wabbit.  However, in order to be considered for such an important position you'd need to regularly demonstrate the ability to scoff Treacle Pud n' Custard in a professional manner, ideally with a Mince Pie on the side.  For Breakfast.  Can you do that?

 

Tchah! Bear, you do ask some daft questions at times... I can and have ... every other Tuesday... 😇 

[pH]

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Random drug tests were also part and parcel of the daily life of my colleagues in the American affiliate.

And not turning up for a scheduled drug test is automatically recorded as a ‘fail’.

 

I know someone who had one of those on his record. That he was already scheduled to be giving a technical presentation to members of the senior management of the company at the same time was not accepted as a reason not to attend.

Edited November 2, 2022 by pH
Grammar.

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Whilst on the main campus of our American affiliate not only was alcohol not available in the canteen, but you couldn’t even have any UNopened bottles of alcohol about your person whilst on campus (so no popping out at lunch to the American equivalent of the off-licence to get a bottle of wine for dinner).

 

Random drug tests were also part and parcel of the daily life of my colleagues in the American affiliate

Alcohol and drug policies vary widely in the US. 

 

In most places alcohol is avoided at lunchtime in professional settings, though not everywhere. It is not uncommon in Milwaukee, WI for people to have a beer at lunch. The company I worked for had a 'Friday Afternoon Club" for software developers where beer, wine and hot and cold snacks were hosted by the cafeteria, but the café did not routinely serve alcohol.

 

I've never worked anywhere with any sort of drug test, though some companies might have them on hiring and others (a small minority I suspect) might routinely perform random tests.

[pH]

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Taking over the DWP - that’s bold of you. But if anyone could bring rationality, efficiency, compassion and competence back to that branch of Government, it would be you (obviously with the aid of Ben “bite the useless outsourced providers on the bum” Collie)

Can I just say something in favour of the ‘customer service’ staff of that department? As a prospective, then actual, overseas recipient of a UK government pension, I have always found them efficient, competent and courteous in any dealings I have had with them. Now, about the rules and regulations they have to administer …

[Gwiwer]

2 minutes ago, pH said:

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Random drug tests were also part and parcel of the daily life of my colleagues in the American affiliate.

And not turning up for a scheduled drug test is automatically recorded as a ‘fail’.

Likewise. 
 

The Med-screen people can (and do) arrive at any time of any day without warning. Sometimes they select random names from the roster and others they work through as many as they can and ideally all on duty. 
 

Failure to screen when required is considered an admission of guilt and can be a dismissal offence. Failure to provide specimens when in the test environment likewise although due allowance is made for the vagaries of being able, or otherwise, to provide the liquid specimen on demand. We get a 30-minute supervised “window”. 
 

The days when railway staff could be found in the pub between jobs supping a pint of mild are very long gone. The permitted alcohol limit is extremely low and is only above zero at all to allow a margin for legitimate use of mouthwash or other products which may trigger a reading. 
 

The tolerance for any of the ten drugs routinely tested for is zero. Any “non-negative” reading will result in immediate suspension pending laboratory analysis of the specimen. 
 

I passed my random tests yesterday.