Early Risers.

[jjb1970]

I must admit, as an airline geek an influencing factor for me is whether a transfer opens up the opportunity for a couple of hours of interesting spotting. A reason I like Air China is the opportunity to take snaps at Beijing Capital airport. Perhaps contrary to assumptions it's a spotter friendly airport and I have never had issues using a camera. The Air China international terminal offers superb views of two of the runways and large parts of the airfield.

[jjb1970]

The LCCs in Asia aren't that bad. I have used Vietjet a few times, it's basic no frills transportation but it has been better than experiences with Euro LCCs like Easyjet and Ryanair.

[roundhouse]

I havent been on a short haul flight since 2018 and only one long distance return flight since the pandemic and that was a direct flight from Heathrow to LAX. In the past I have enjoyed transfers but really glad that last trip was direct as that Christmas most of the USA flights were a mess.

 

We are currently planning our Summer trip but I know so many people that have had flights cancelled that I think we will be using Eurostar, if we do go abroad.

 

Last Saturday we were much more local, with a train to Reading then bus to Aborfield to visit a Siren Brewing and Elusive Brewing (. As we were travelling out of Reading along comes a cyclist the wrong way in the middle lane of the 4 lane one way system. He nearly didn't make it as he was heading stright for the bus. The return trip was the same bus number but bus stop the other end of the industrial estate to Wokingham. However Google shows the bus stop in a dead end road and the bus companies app shows the wrong bus stop as we saw the bus approach the roundabout then head a different way, so a long wlak and a bus an hour later to Wokingham. At least it was a very pleasant afternoon and the hours break before resuming drinking did us good. A suitable email has gone to the bus company with a screen shot of their app showing the wrong routing of the bus.

[iL Dottore]

9 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

 

Switzerland in 2019 was dead last (36.1%). (Though there is an asterisk - related to compulsory voting in one Canton. I'm unsure of the relevance.)

 

There is a degree of referendum fatigue (we have about 5 or so per year, plus local referenda), this is true. But it also seems that there is a lot of selective voting inasmuch as people often won’t go and vote for an initiative or referendum that will not affect them. I have certainly missed a number of votes - sometimes as in “oh #@#&£, I forgot to vote” and sometimes because it is on something I know little about and will not affect me.

 

I don’t have any statistics to hand, but I think that turnout depends on the topic. A recent one, which I think had a very large turnout, was an initiative to increase the AHV (state pension). Directly interested, I voted (the initiative passed).

 

I also suspect low voter turnout is partly due to disinterest/apathy amongst younger voters - something I think is a common problem to Western Democracies.

[jamie92208]

9 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

My dad was in the RAN (grey funnel line) during his national service (late 1950s). He was still a reservist into the Vietnam War where he participated in at least one (noncombatant) late 1960s Vung Tau Ferry run on HMAS Sydney (R17).

 

This sort of thing is why a non-military service option is needed to get support behind such proposals. It is proper to offer conscientious objectors an opportunity to serve with distinction. It also mitigates some of the 'bone spurs' or Texas Air National Guard preferential treatment for scions of the influential.

 

My father was a pacifist and spent the war years teaching in West Africa.  I don't know if it was a reserved occupation or if he was over the age limit for conscription.  He was 25 in 1939.  

 

Jamie 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente.  The seaweed twirlers say that it's raining. Direct observation says otherwise.  We had a good day yesterday and I managed to achieve something.  I installed an additional router and got the telly working via a VPN.   All without having to call a helpline.  I was quite proud of that.  We celebrated by watching the first episode of Mr Bates v the Post Office.  Excellent. 

 

Physio for Beth this morning the French for me followed by an afternoon I stalling a new piece of oak as a support for the verandah. 

 

Jamie

[iL Dottore]

6 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

Your distaste for the sleazyjet/Irish Rover model misses the point that most of the European short haul operators now mimic the basic flight and everything is extra model.   BA, Air France/KLM, Lufthansa all now charge for hold baggage, reserved seats, etc.

Err, I didn’t. I also wrote “In Europe at least this has seen the degradation of the travel experience for economy class passengers (with spill over to business class as well)” It’s definitely a race to the bottom, spurred on by the low cost carriers.

 

In researching flight prices for PB, I saw that SWISS offers no less than four types of economy class fares - from “economy light” (where you get just the flight and a piece of hand luggage, no changes of any kind permitted) to “economy flex” (flexible, changeable with all the usual features you used to get except on-board food).

 

But, as seems to be the case now in too many things, most everything that used be considered standard and part of the package now costs extra.

[jjb1970]

Thai Airways are merging Thai Smile (their LCC) into their regular operation and keeping the aircraft the same. This is being watched with interest as it means flights operated using former Thai Smile A320 aircraft will have Euro business class, i.e. economy class seating with the middle seat unsold. If passengers accept it then there is a good likelihood others will follow suit and have a single cabin configuration in which you can adjust business/economy mix by just moving the curtain divider. The problem of course is that business class just becomes more expensive economy onboard. Many (but certainly not all) intra-Asian flights on airlines like Thai are connecting with long haul flights and for that market it probably won't make much difference but why pay $$$$$$s extra if you're just sat in the same seating? I get expedited ground handling and lounge access on Star Alliance anyway by having a Singapore AL frequent card so I get the other useful benefits anyway if I select the right airline.

[polybear]

31 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

My father was a pacifist and spent the war years teaching in West Africa.  I don't know if it was a reserved occupation or if he was over the age limit for conscription.  He was 25 in 1939.  

 

Jamie 

 

In 1939 it was 41 years old.

[polybear]

Bear here....

 

Up at sillyo'clock (half five - that bluddy wee wee fairy again).

Today?  "Stuff"; I have a chassis jig that needs a clean n' oil to get rid of very light corrosion (bluddy flux), despite having done so after the last Missenden Abbey.  Turdycurses.

 

After that?  Well I reckon it's about time Bear had a serious sort out of clothes danglin' in the wardrobes;  many I'm just not going to wear again and some (= strides) are now too baggy to fit properly now that Bear is on the dreaded Big D (69Kg, incidentally - which is the same/slightly lighter than before I went on Hols - a definite Tick).

 

At which point it'll be MIUABGAD.

 

BG

[polybear]

Oh yes....

 

Very, very nicely done:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c900npw99j2o

 

Shame about the undercarriage (collapsed/couldn't be lowered?)

[iL Dottore]

Good Morning,

 

Off to look at a bungalow today (as we decided - for various reasons - not to go for the Dachwohnung). Bungalows are quite unusual in Switzerland as they tend to have a large footprint and with some areas in Switzerland where  building land costs upwards of £2000 - £3000 per square meter - a bungalow is not a good return on investment for a developer/builder.

 

Anyway it is a terraced bungalow (if you can imagine such a thing) with an internal courtyard garden. It also has a huge cellar that is a hobby area. Rooms are tiny, but total wohnflache is about the same as our house. Decent sized kitchen.

 

The drawbacks are that it is in the middle of the terrace (although the living areas of one bungalow abut the courtyard garden of the next), the garage is in a garage block a few minutes walk away and it is an older property needing some renovation (such as kitchen refurbishment, sound insulation, complete overhaul of the garden, new bathrooms and repainting).

 

The new residence hunt has - so far - been “interesting” to say the least. It has certainly highlighted a deep divide between Mrs iD and yours truly. She is insistent that we need to be close to everything, whereas I favour quality and size over location - this IS 2024 after all and nearly everything can be done via the internet. 
 

Of course I’d love to have an extensive and well appointed Dachwohnung in the centre of a sought-after village and handy for everything and there are a number out there. Unfortunately, I don’t have £3 - 4 million to spend on such a property (and I’ve checked down the back of the sofa! 🤣).

 

It could be worse, in some of the nicer areas of Zürich or Geneva, you can easily drop £5 million or more on a medium sized flat in a prime location.

 

I have contemplated doing a @jamie92208 and going across the border into France and buying something in the Alsace (preferably with a half-dozen or so sheds/barns/outhouses), but Mrs iD is dead set against such a move. Nor is she amenable to the next best thing - which is moving to the Jura (I suspect a bit of Nationalism is going on here: Mrs iD is from the Deutschschweiz, whereas the Jura is in La Suisse Romande).

 

The hunt for a retirement hut continues…

[TheQ]

30 minutes ago, polybear said:

Oh yes....

 

Very, very nicely done:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/c900npw99j2o

 

Shame about the undercarriage (collapsed/couldn't be lowered?)

No engine , no power to lower the undercarriage I'd guess, also I think he'd have left it up as long as possible to increase the glide range. Bet the airport is happy he landed on one of the aircraft taxiways, not blocking a runway.

 

Mooring Awl,

Left knee and right ankle are not happy after yesterday.

 

The knee woke me when I tried to turn over.

 

3.25 hours sleep, 4 hours sleep. Needed that.

 

Took Ben the now snoring Collie on patrol, he's definitely hobbling a bit more on this lesser dose of the pills, but that may be due to the change rather than the actual dose level. Once he's up and running, he seems ok. We'll see what happens longer term.

 

Gave up waiting in airports in 2001, don't have a passport now, don't intend to get one...

 

Plans for today,

 Count 1 tin of money, 

Maybe mow some grass, if it dries enough.. 

What I won't be doing is spending a lot of time on my feet...

 

Time to drink a muggacoffee.

[Barry O]

Ey up!

 

I love flying.. particularly long haul in the pointy end of the plane.

 

Got a bit more wire strangling done yesterday then met up with Youngest Herbert. A couple of pints of "Gulp" finished off with a nice pint of Porter.. 

 

Today is a nothing planned day so it looks like more wire strangling will occur.

 

Problem with referendums is.. getting the question right so it's not easy for it to be misconstrued.

 

I have abproblem with today's social set up. A fair few of our mps go school..uni..Westminster with no understanding of some of thecrealities of live. The idea of being made to do something with young people to get the idea of being part of a society appeals to me. It would help to stop the moaning from some about a lack of volunteers, "people being in charge with no real life knowledge" etc.

 

Her indoors has "forced" volunteers who, rather than being jailed opt for community service. The majority of these are fine.. a minority just need a kick up the wotsits!

 

Time to drink another mugatea..

 

Enjoy your Bank Holiday if you have one today!

 

Baz

[New Haven Neil]

Morning, from a very wet rock with a 16c strong wind. First TT practice day of course. 🙄

ION, we'll probably go for a 600v DC powered ride on something running on steel strips, for lunch in the big city.

Apres midi matters are supposed to improve, weather wise.  We'll see.

 

I used fly a lot as a young man, as our ships seldom came very near the UK.  I enjoy flying, well no the boring bits but when there's something to look at it is interesting.  However with my good friend MB being close to losing his life due to the previously mentioned DVT, the idea of long haul is less appealing.  I doubt my broken bones and joints would appreciate it either.

[jjb1970]

One of my pet hates is the seeming lack of respect for young people. I'm under no illusions that there aren't bad young people who conform to the negative stereotypes but most young people I meet are decent, polite young individuals and most of those I meet who can be a bit naughty just need a word to calm down and behave. However the way parts of the media and political establishment talk about young people you'd think we were in some sort of dystopian nightmare world. Certainly I see just as much bad behaviour from my generation and older than I see in teenagers and young people. 

Edited May 27 by jjb1970

[Winslow Boy]

The idea of national service does have it's appealing points but my concern is two fold. Firstly finding something for the Herbert's to do particularly once the do gooders have finished setting the scheme up and secondly ensuring that the do gooders offspring aren't exempt.

 

Having had some dealings with voluntary organisations I've found them distinctly lacking in wanting the project/scheme to succeed. To the organisation it is more a case of 'work for idle hands' and if it fails it fails.

 

I have noticed that in recent times there has been a distinct shift in not wanting to put the work in i.e not keeping people motivated and not letting potential volunteers know what on offer.

 

The Probation Service is definitely hit and miss. Some of them won't be involved unless it benefits the parolee. So picking litter or cleaning graffiti off is seen as demeaning but clearing undergrowth and planting things oh yes. 

 

I can recall the YTS schemes of the 70's and a lot of environmental works were done then but of course they were provided with tools, clothing and more importantly materials. All of which cost money.

[DaveF]

Today's first shower has just passed by and the sun is out again.  So far I have dusted and got some washing on.  As it is a bank holiday Leonie will come to do the rest of the housework on Wednesday.  I've also done a few small repair jobs fixing minor problems like a bit of trim on a kitchen cupboard shelf, tightening up a cupboard door catch and so on.  They have needed doing for months, today they seemed like simple two minute jobs, which they were.  I must at long last be about back to normal.

 

The rest of the day will involve some scanning and if the showers stop then a bit of gardening, the dahlias which are growing need a proper home and some mint needs repotting.

 

David

[Hroth]

Its been damp in the early hours, and the forecast is sunny spells with showers.  Typical BH weather!

 

May go out later...

 

Edited May 27 by Hroth
tablet keeps skipping virtual keypresses. Need to clean screen!

[DaveF]

I've been thinking about the comments about flying.  The last time I flew was in 2006, Newcastle to Nice and back.  It was fairly easy which was as well as I was taking Mum who was then in her 80s to see some friends who live in Toulon.

 

I don't mind the actual flying bit but I really dislike being in an airport for the length of time it takes to check in, get through security and then wait to get on the plane.  It's the same getting out of the airport with getting the case back, passports and customs.

 

After 2006 I decided not to fly again unless I really have to.  These days I rarely go away for more than few days within a comfortable driving distance.  But I am lucky enough to live on the Northumberland Coast with lots of empty space inland to explore.  I have a list of well over a hundred places I can visit w for a day out.  So that is two days out a week for a year if I only go to places once.  Why would I want to travel long distances by any mode of transprt, especially flying?

 

I write this living within a comfortable 30 minute drive or taxi ride to Newcastle Airport which is actually quite efficient compared to some at getting passengers through the system.  Within the next few months I will be able to catch a train at the station which will be less than a mile from home, make one change onto the Metro to the airport and I am still not tempted.

 

David

Edited May 27 by DaveF

[Hroth]

With all this talk about flying, I must admit that I've never flown anywhere for holidays or business. In fact, the only time I've flown at all was on a light aircraft piloted by a friend who had a PPL, and that was from Speke airport when the old control tower and hangers were still in use!

 

As a family, we holidayed on our narrowboat and traversed the majority of the navigable canals in England.  For a time, my mental map of the geography of England was skewed by an appreciation of how long it took to get to anywhere by canal...

 

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone

 

It's your typical bank holiday weather here as it's raining, so any planned work in the garden will have to wait. However, my back has been giving me a bit of gyp this morning, so the fact that I'm staying inside will probably be a good thing. I'm currently in cellar sat at the desk in the office, it's nice and cool down here, not that it's very hot outside! I've not got a lot planned, just sorting bits out and looking for detail bits for the micro layout, handrails, ladders etc. 

 

Back later

 

Brian

[Gwiwer]

G'morning all, welcome to Ban Collar Day Moan-day.  As tradition demands it is wet, cold and windy at the Distant (Signal) West and visitors are milling around in capes and rain-gear wondering what to do.  

 

I'm not sure if it is the "stripped-down" version of the site currently advised by the orange banner while some work is being done on Andy's club-room but the font and overall appearance is much cleaner and easier to read.  Can we keep this, please?  

 

It might be a holiday but Dr. SWMBO still has to be put on the train to London later in order to start work at Kew first thing tomorrow as usual.  She is off to Oxford next weekend to deliver a paper on Something Very Interesting.  I am also away meaning His Furship will be away in the cattery as well.  my excuse is an annual general gathering which I am required to be present at.  In Blazingsmoke Basingstoke.  Ah well - it's a couple of nights away and a change of scenery!  

 

In other news it is also cheese-rolling day.  For those who enjoy launching themselves down a steep hillside in pursuit of their chosen quarry!  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-gloucestershire-69065807

[Hroth]

Cheese Rolling Day?

 

Hurrah!!!

 

It merits a BBC Live! report? 🤔

 

What does concern me are the people and organisations who want it banned on various grounds.

 

Edited May 27 by Hroth

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not a bad night last night but the joints were seized up again this morning so I had to take care until they loosened up. Time for that second muggatee.