Early Risers.

[New Haven Neil]

Just had friend H around, he worked for me at Trackshack and has become a good buddy.  He had the Big C, but has been given the all-clear, really good news, so pleased for him. He was a nurse so knew only too well the possibilities. Needed some good news! 

 

It was nice to have a couple of hours train talk, I don't get much of that here now, more in the summer when the garden railway season is in full swing, but not in winter.

[Tony_S]

4 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Just had friend H around

Our friend came for lunch on Monday. It was lovely having someone visit. We haven’t socialised much over the past couple of years apart from family. Our friend brought along her 11 month old grandson. He was very entertaining.  

[Winslow Boy]

3 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

Well that's good news at least. The poor women has obviously been ill for some time then. Whilst not wishing to make light of it let's hope she's able to get better for there sake as she is there mother and no child wants to have a poorly parent.

 

I shall say no more other than I hope they can help her.

[TheQ]

43 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Check the “Theme” drop down option at the bottom of the page. It should be set to your subscription theme. It used to occasionally wander. Also the forum has been dropping logged in status occasionally for me, I think it happens when the iPad leaves some standby state. Easily recognised by the Permissions statement. 

it says RMWEB Premium, though the ads have disappeared again..

[Gwiwer]

Good afternoon one and all,

 

A fine and almost warm afternoon has arrived Upon the Hill of Strawberries after a cold and - at times - torrentially wet morning at the House of Fun.  It's been an interesting day with a broken train sat in platform 9 for half an hour, broken signals at Wokingham and a broken bridge at Barnes which received such a hefty bash yesterday that it requires several days-worth of repairs and partial rebuilding.  None shall pass in the meantime ......   On the other hand Monday's landslip west of Honiton was cleared allowing trains to resume in the direction of Exeter.

 

Speaking of wet - which it was outside in spades for an hour or so - I shall be wet inside later.  I arrived home to find a Surprise Box awaiting my arrival.  Not having ordered any boxes, surprise or otherwise, of late I was puzzled.  Dr. SWMBO suggested I open it.  Upon doing so it became obvious who had sent it because the docket was marked "Bill Sender".  Bill Sender isn't his real name.  The billing address confirms it is a good friend of ours.  For no particular reason other than generosity and friendship I now have a dozen cans of "Zennor Oat Stout" from St. Ives Brewery.  And the message "Happy Beermass".  

 

I like that sort of friend.  

 

 

 

[zarniwhoop]

At  8 a.m. I could barely see out through the rain. By the time I went out at 10:10 for a blood test I had to wear sunglasses. I certainly didn't expect that in November.🙂

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, BSW01 said:

Good morning everyone 

 

Well it’s been chuckinitdarn here most of the night, but it stopped about an hour or so ago. So once again, I’ll be staying inside, where I’ll continue working on the new access hole. Hopefully the last of the brick work will be added and I can do the pointing on the reverse side of the hole I filled, which shouldn’t take long. Once that’s done, I’ll measure and cut the timber for the floor support beam, it’s not really needed as the flooring above seems quite firm, but I’ll put it in anyway. I’ll also add foam to both sides of the bottom edge, (just like the support beam above the hole linking phases 2 and 3) just in case I hit my head, because it hurts like hell, don’t ask me how I know!  

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

 

A repeat offender then by the sound of it.

 

Rain has only just stopped here but is supposed to be restarting imminently. Bad goes finishing the last fence panel replacement. Watch this space.

[PupCam]

Afternoon All!

 

6 hours ago, polybear said:

(Bear actually recalls when the old "Great Empire" was first playing with Mathematical Modelling (at least in the "modern" sense) and it produced so many answers that were so far off the ball as to be plainly complete B.S.  But as soon as it came up with an answer that was at least half sensible then all the Great Believers leapt on it and pronounced "The Model" to be a most wondrous and accurate Oracle of all knowledge.....),

And was it?  WIFAL.

 

In my experience mathematical modellers live in a different world to the rest of us.   Theirs is an entirely model-centric universe.     On numerous occasions I remember comparison between real-world object behaviour and model behaviour.     When there was a difference it was always the real-world that was wrong!      

 

"The model said that bus would get round that corner!"   as the bus lay on its side in a ditch*

 

* For illustration only, I've never worked with buses .....   

 

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

I did a call appraisal survey for the bank call yesterday. Straight zeroes except for the woman we eventually got transferred to, who I rated as 10. 
I don’t think I have ever experienced such incompetence (apart from final person) from a major financial business before. “Would I recommend them to friends or family?” We’ll certainly not to friends, and on careful reflection not even family.

 

Those sort of surveys (and those from for example Amazon purchases) annoy me.    If I'm not happy you'll know about it and if you don't hear you can assume all is well. As for recommending such services  to friends and family; never have and never will be doing that!

 

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Just had friend H around, he worked for me at Trackshack and has become a good buddy.  He had the Big C, but has been given the all-clear, really good news, so pleased for him. He was a nurse so knew only too well the possibilities. Needed some good news!

 

Unfortunately I've just heard from a good friend and former colleague that he has been diagnosed with a version of the Big C.   His age and condition preclude the two available treatment options (Chemo & immunotherapy) open to him.  😢

 

56 minutes ago, zarniwhoop said:

At  8 a.m. I could barely see out through the rain. By the time I went out at 10:10 for a blood test I had to wear sunglasses. I certainly didn't expect that in November.🙂

 

Same here albeit with a time shift, it was chuckinitdarn this morning.   Late morning & lunchtime lovely.    I note the wind is building and the sky is darkening .....

 

In Other News

 

The little ball races turned up yesterday - that was good.   I only ordered them the day before on Amazons cheap and cheerful free delivery (remember, I'm a cheap-skate).    Why on earth would I pay for Prime (don't want their telly that badly)?     Anyway, I've removed the crumby focuser from the telescope in preparation for sizing up some lumps of Ali to make a start on the Crayford.

 

Further progress on the second astronomy gadget has been made.  All of the electronics are in the box and working leaving the fitting and wiring of the two interface sockets (one for the rotary encoder connections that measure the telescopes position and one for the connection of the IR LED that triggers the camera).

 

A quick trip to St Evenage appears to be in the offing this afternoon.     Wish me luck.   I maybe back later if I survive! 🤣

 

UPDATE!

 

It's chuckinitdarn!

 

Alan

 

 

Edited November 23, 2022 by PupCam
Update

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Rain-sunshine-rain-sunshine today. Skies are now clear and it looks as if it's going to be a cold night. Just getting this evenings dinner ready, liver & bacon with mash and onion gravy.

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

In my experience mathematical modellers live in a different world to the rest of us.   Theirs is an entirely model-centric universe.     On numerous occasions I remember comparison between real-world object behaviour and model behaviour.     When there was a difference

It is very frustrating.  Teaching something like Introduction to Modelling years ago I could see  exactly what you mean. We tried out best to teach modelling as part of a normal technology project, design, implement, test, modify, etc. but ignoring observations was common. 
I once set an exam question that described a mathematical model prediction for the population of small rodents on an island. The “actual” population graph deviated from the model. The question asked what conclusions could the researchers make. The distractor/obviously wrong answer “Add more hamsters until the model is satisfied “ was the most popular answer. Obviously I hadn’t done a very good job teaching. 

[Ian Abel]

Last day of the week for me - POETT I suppose 🤪

 

Yesterday a brief interaction with the Long Island client, potential for more crazy report modifications, but that will be next week with the impending holiday!

Good and shorter than usual choir rehearsal last evening giving more time for post rehearsal drinking <hic>

 

One of my choir pals has a bunch of Lionel O gauge stuff he's no use for and has asked if I might help (as in DO IT) sell it all on eBay. He's never done any buying or selling on eBay before so I may well help him out. He just needs to "dispose" of it per orders from his better half, something about a waste-of-space 😃

 

Today, Jemma is expected any moment, back from training and coming over for coffee and to pick up Whitney. Will be nice to hear her tales of training etc.

 

Tomorrow, of course, Thanksgiving.

Everyone will be over here for a 3PM or so dinner. Hard to call it a celebration giving the true background, but that's what most here consider it. Will be fun to have everyone together no matter what.

 

WAS expecting a delivery of some materials for water mitigation at the rental property this AM, however, received an email at 0731 stating it's rescheduled for Friday.

VERY HANDY, since there's no guarantee when it'll arrive, window is 6AM - 8PM, and I did have someone scheduled to do the work Friday, he usually start first thing.

 

-6C and sunny first thing, heading for +4C later. The next four days expecting lows around ZERO and highs 2-5C

 

Carry on.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Ian Abel said:

One of my choir pals has a bunch of Lionel O gauge stuff he's no use for and has asked if I might help (as in DO IT) sell it all on eBay. He's never done any buying or selling on eBay before so I may well help him out.

 

First question I'd ask:  Just how much is "A Bunch Of"?  Discovering it's a shedload of items means a big, big job.....

Bear would suggest giving him a teach-in so he can do it himself - that way it's his Ebay reputation if there are any problems with any items.

As a minimum I'd want to see the items personally and running - or sell as "Untested - sold as seen";  if it's not too many then another option if he's totally computer illiterate is for you to list them but he has to do all the packing and posting - that bit is the biggest PITA in my experience.

[45156]

Afternoon All,

 

A bit of skipping has occurred, as the laptop has been in use for "serious" issues.

 

Not a great deal to report from this quarter - this afternoon, was subjected to some TV show where somebody pops down to a local dump,  and is allowed to take items - which nobody else can do, as the stuff becomes the property of the local authority as soon as it comes out of the back of the car - then gets them done up for large sums of money, and sells them for even larger sums of money - allegedly then making a profit off of nothing - WHAT RUBBISH VIEWING.

 

Oh, and I was a bit put out when M&S changed the style of my jogging bottoms last year.  In a clearance, in the spring,  I bought two pairs of loungwear bottoms - well I thought they were, but the pack was not marked at all, but I put them away for the summer.  Got them out today and was delighted to find that they were, in fact, two pairs of the old style jogging bottoms - great news, and a fraction of the price - two pairs normally £35, and cost me a tenner.

 

Anyway, I'm off now  to have a shower.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

The distractor/obviously wrong answer “Add more hamsters until the model is satisfied “ was the most popular answer.

That's an insight into human behaviour though - often seen in "professional" settings.

 

There's a joke told by the protagonists of the Big Bang Theory (s. 1, ep, 9: The Cooper-Hofstadter Polarization):

Quote

"A farmer has some chickens who don't lay any eggs. The farmer calls a physicist to help. The physicist does some calculation and says "I have a solution but it only works for spherical chickens in a vacuum!".

 

This I found very clever. It is evident in a packing density problem: like how do you determine how many chickens are in a truck - first assume the chickens are spherical. The credit does not belong to Big Bang Theory writers. The joke as origins as the spherical cow. That linked Wikipedia article states that "Postulate a spherical chicken" dates to at least 1973.

 

[Winslow Boy]

Well you'll be pleased to learn that the sea weed wranglers were wrong and it didn't start to pour down this afternoon. Instead there was the odd spit and spot. So I braved the great outdoors and began 'demolition' aka refurbishment of the last fence panel.

 

Those of you who have been paying attention will have noted the word 'last' in this drivel. Yes it was the final panel of three and they've taking so long because I like to make each panel using timber being thrown away.

 

It really does sadden me to see perfectly good materials being sent to the tip. I suppose it's a reflection of our throw away society.

 

Anyway work didn't get far because a new gravel board is now required. I had hoped to avoid this, but as the fence is shared with next door it has been decided that it would be the 'proper' thing to have. To be honest they will seen it more than me so I can see there side. Anyway one has been ordered and will be ready for collection tomorrow. All that will be needed then is for the rain to stop long enough for it to be fitted. I predict flying pigs might be seen.

[Ozexpatriate]

5 hours ago, PupCam said:

In my experience mathematical modellers live in a different world to the rest of us.   Theirs is an entirely model-centric universe.

Nevertheless, every piece of electronics, every bridge we cross, every aircraft on which we fly; functions due to such modelling.

 

Testing. of course, helps too.

 

Edited November 23, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[Tony_S]

4 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Nevertheless, every piece of electronics, every bridge we cross, every aircraft on which we fly; functions due to such modelling.

But hopefully not modelled by any of my former students.  Or to be fair the GNVQ Intermediate students I mentioned earlier. 

Edited November 23, 2022 by Tony_S

[BoD]

8 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

But hopefully not modelled by any of my former students.  Or to be fair the GNVQ Intermediate students I mentioned earlier. 

Perhaps they all had the same sense of humour as you.

[polybear]

Bear here....

A bits n' pieces day today - outside taps all insulated and turned off; I also took the opportunity to clean the area where the washing machine fits - and then in a moment of madness pulled out the fridge freezer and cleaned that area too.  Tick.  After that it was a multitude of bits n' pieces jobs - it kept me amused (ish) for the day and with very little wasted time, so that's a Tick as well.  The downside is I never got any filling or sanding done today - but I can live with that.....

Bear gone.....

[Tony_S]

12 minutes ago, BoD said:

Perhaps they all had the same sense of humour as you.

The GNVQ Advanced students did. The other lot I mentioned had the student who asked me what group Mark Scheme was in as he always got 100%.

[polybear]

Bear spoke too soon.....

I now get a World of Railways pop-up at the top of the screen....

Is anyone having any issues when refreshing TNM in order to see new posts - all I get is the circular dots rotating.  At times it'll behave but it's very temperamental.

[Tony_S]

9 minutes ago, polybear said:

Bear spoke too soon.....

I now get a World of Railways pop-up at the top of the screen....

Is anyone having any issues when refreshing TNM in order to see new posts - all I get is the circular dots rotating.  At times it'll behave but it's very temperamental.

 I haven’t noticed any refresh problems today.I just revisited TNM and it was fine. However if your delay was caused by perhaps an adserver I wouldn’t be aware as I don’t see ads. 

Edited November 23, 2022 by Tony_S

[Coombe Barton]

... How many more noses in the trough? You and I have paid for this. ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/11/23/drifting/

[Dave Hunt]

13 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

... How many more noses in the trough? You and I have paid for this. ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/11/23/drifting/

 

Many years ago I went on detachment to Italy at a time when that country was mired in political upheaval, corruption and rank incompetence. I remember thinking how lucky I was to live in a country that did not suffer such disadvantages. If only I had been able to see into the future.......

 

Dave

[jamie92208]

We had an interesting afternoon.  The appointment with the diabetologue went reasonably well and the semi trained rottweiler wasn't unleashed.  I had been taken along just in case.  On the way home we saw an Ambulance with blue lights turning up a sidecroad to s hamlet.  Beth remarked that she hoped that the person it was going to was OK.  

 

We then called at a friends to give her some mince pies as a treat. Sylvie speaks excellent  English and was very grateful and told us how much she had enjoyed a visit to Huddersfield  in 1977 as a teenager.  She is a farmers wife and also the current mayor of Néré, the town about 3 miles from us. She got a phone call and her face fell. When she got off the phone she told us that someone had died suddenly in the hamlet where the ambulance was heading. She has to act as coroner but confided that she normally let her deputy visit such scenes and this would be the first such death that she had attended.  We would both have wilingly offered to go with her due to our backgrounds. Anyway we said what we could and wished her bon courage.  Life in Rural France.

 

Jamie