Early Risers.

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

My parents bought a new mid-1960s Toyota Corona. (Perhaps around 1967 or 1968). I'm not sure it had rear seat belts at all. My brother and I were quite young and had nylon webbing harnesses that clipped into a steel ring in the seat fold. The harnesses also had leashes. Hard to imagine such a thing intended for children today.

 

The worst seatbelts were the automatic, passive restraint belts* introduced while manufacturers were trying to play catch up with air bags (which at first were quite expensive). 

 

* Usually attached to the door such that you could not easily enter the car without the seat belt being in place.

I think rear seat belts were a fancy pants posh option  until sometime late 60's or early '70's I know when I was looking for my first car back in 1981,  a 1966 HR Holden I test drove didnt have them while a 1972 Torana I ended up buying did.

 

The front ones were not retractable, you had to tighten  them for fit and were annoying because once you did them tight you had zero ability to lean forward and so on. A clever trick was to grab the drivers seat belt as he was driving and reef it up even tighter thus annoying him very much and reducing his ability to react adequately in an emergency situation but it was funny as.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[Ozexpatriate]

4 hours ago, southern42 said:

Tornado touches down in Southern Washington on Monday evening - includes video

That's the one, it seems to literally be "yesterday's news" and the evening news confirmed a tornado, and, as I type, the strength results from forensic analysis as EF0. Last night had reporters standing next to fallen trees doing live remotes.

 

The history of the EF/"Enhanced Fujita" scale is fascinating. Named for Tetsuya (Ted) Fujita who came to the University of Chicago in 1953 and spent the remainder of his life in the US studying tornadoes and microbursts. His research on microbursts revolutionized airline safety relative to thunderstorms. He was born in Japan and lived in Kokura, (the primary target of the "Fat Man" plutonium bomb that was dropped on the secondary target, Nagasaki, due to earlier, nearby, firebombing smoke that obscured Kokura).

 

This morning was wet and the afternoon showery. It has snowed on the mountain. Still cool (15°C) late in the afternoon. It's not raining here, but weather radar on television shows showers around. It is supposed to be nicer later in the week and weekend.

 

Edited September 29, 2021 by Ozexpatriate

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[chrisf]

Greetings

 

I need to nip out and take care of some business, in the hope that not everyone knows how early the petrol station opens at my "favourite" supermarket.  I suspect that despite the blithe assurances of those who rule us the situation will worsen before it improves.  Back soon!

 

Chris

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, Inner Temple Hare,

3 hours plus one hour plus 3 hours sleep, something of an achievement for me. 

 

Ben the I hate the dark Collie was reluctant to come out this morning, but after a few feet, he picked up a scent and was gone.. Off down the garden, I could just see the white tip of his tail and that was it..

 

During the night each time I woke up it was chuckingitdarn, hence big puddles on the way in.

 

The Tesco's fuel queue was inside the PFS itself this morning, but the Roys PFS in Wroxham had no fuel signs up and they barriered off both ends of the PFS this time.. I might risk the car tomorrow morning to fill it up. I've got to go to Tesco on the way home for food items anyway.. So I'll check again the situation then.

 

Just as I got to work, the back end of the rainy front cleared away giving clear skies.

 

While up visiting my parents SWMBO mentioned she'd had a model Sea king helicopter that went missing during a move, the Sea Kings base in Northumberland was a few feet from her barrack room. When she arrived home from the Weavers group yesterday there was a Sea King kit sitting on her chair....

 

Todays work and part of tomorrows, 10G ohm resistors, they take a long time to settle and there's about 10 of them to do.

 

Time to... sit and wait...

 

[chrisf]

Greetings, again

 

Several other drivers had the same idea just after 6 am but I drove straight up to a pump without the need to queue.  It will be a different story after 9 am but I have no intention of seeing for myself.

 

The newly filled tank will enable a jaunt to Milton Keynes for the HMRS meeting tonight.  It is only at these meetings that I consume biscuits with any regularity, having given them up when I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes some years ago.  I don't just go for the biscuits though, for there are usually some good speakers.

 

Breakfast calls.  Best wishes to all

 

Chris

[polybear]

Some more kitchen fun for Bear today - the first mission is to finish off the plinth below the wall units - and that will finally "finish" the installation of the units.  After that there's a bit more silicone sealant squirting to do, tile grout to be sealed (with stain protector), a door frame stile to be rubbed down and receive a final top coat (I'm not entirely happy with the existing finish - some of the paint dragged a bit when Bear "went back and gave it one last brush".....).  And then the hanging of the extractor unit above the Hob.  How much of the above list I'll achieve today remains to be seen - on past experience it'll take the morning to finish the plinth as the cutting is a bit fiddly and then they have to be filed to fit around the tiles and trim.

 

Bear's Tip of the Day (shamelessly stolen from Martin Lewis' latest Money Saving Expert email):

"Urgent. Everyone download energy bills / screenshot credit amounts. More energy firms are likely to fail. If / when that happens, customers race online to see their balances, but often fail as the websites have already been shut down. So as a precaution, grab the info now, and regularly during the crisis. While the risk is far lower with the big firms, it's still good practice. Full help in https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/09/martin-lewis--screen-grab-your-energy-account-before-the-firm-go/?utm_source=MSE_Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=28-Sep-21-50697528-18213&source=CRM-MSETIP-50697528&utm_campaign=nt-bignote-one&utm_content=6

 

It's also Green Bin Man time tomorrow - so I'd like to get the last bit of (back) garden tidying done this afternoon - but that may be a bit ambitious after the way it p1ssed down yesterday.....

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. As far as I know I will not be venturing out very far for the next two weekends so no need to fill up the car for at least a week. I'm not too bothered if premium unleaded is all that is available either as I intend to go over to that anyway as E10 seems to affect the cars performance. I was kept awake last night by Si Attica until tiredness overcame me but surprisingly there was little sign of him or Arthur Itis this morning. Shopping trip essential today, bread and eggs required as well as a few other bits. Thats it for now, be back later.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

We had an awful lot of rain yesterday, but thankfully on the 2 occasions that I went out, I dodged it. The overnight rain has stopped and the sun is now shining, so I might try and pressure wash the patio and paths today as they could all do with a good clean before winter sets in, especially the cellar steps! 

 

I currently have about a 1/3 of a tank of petrol (about 150 miles worth) and as I’m only doing about 10 - 15 miles a week at the moment, that should last until the end of October  month, or even November! I’ve no intention of joining those idiots who are panic buying  queueing  for fuel, I shall wait until my warning light comes on, which means I have about 50 miles worth of fuel left. 

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

[PupCam]

Clear Prop, let's get these kites airborne before the weather turns!

 

On 27/09/2021 at 20:48, polybear said:

Puppers - feel free to email me your CV and I'll submit it to HR whilst I'm there.

 

On 27/09/2021 at 23:24, Winslow Boy said:

 

May I suggest that you do that after the event otherwise I can see Bear being 'escorted/throw out' before he's had a chance to stuff ones face/partake of the goodies on offer.

 

 

Oh no too late, I missed the opportunity!   

 

No matter, just to put the record straight; there would be absolutely no need whatsoever for me to submit my CV to them - they'd have to approach me, short circuiting their normal procedure and waving an extraordinarily large cheque should they ever have need of my services.   Can't see that happening which suits me just fine

 

21 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

That is just terminally stupid and unbelievable that some folk are that daft.

 

You are correct, it is totally unbelievable just how stupid some humans can be.

 

14 hours ago, polybear said:

 

One Garage (in Slough apparently) has been selling at 208.5p/litre - so no profiteering there then....

And they still sold out.

 

Isn't that called "Supply & Demand"?   Doesn't make it right IMHO and I can have a very long memory for things like that.

 

In Other News:

 

Puppers may have spoken too soon regarding the robustness of operation of his most recent electronics projects; essentially two grey plastic boxes that communicate via WiFi in order to control some electro-mechanical devices.   Even with the new WiFi modules after some considerable but random length time period the WiFi connection would be lost effectively requiring a "Re-boot" of the controller box.     You may recall that I tried upgrading the firmware on a previous module which I managed a couple of times before bricking the module.   Each time I was just uploading newer versions of the factory-supplied software which used commands that date back to the earliest computer modems namely the Hayes AT commands.    By all accounts on the interweb the implementation of these is flaky on these modules and there are many references to ditching that firmware and replacing it with your own.  BUt how do you go about it .....   I can of course confirm how flaky that implementation is!

 

As seems to be always the way, I finally stumbled on, with the aid of Google and as many devious search criteria as I could muster,  a website that described using the modules in exactly the way I need to use them, simply put, send short text strings ie DCC commands (whoops I shouldn't have mentioned that!) from one box via WiFi to the other.   Most importantly it showed how the little WiFi module could be programmed like an Arduino using the Arduino "IDE" ie the program that enables you to edit and run Arduino programs (A certain Bear should be completing his first homework assignment using this tool shortly if only he'd stop buxxering about with that kitchen). 

 

Well, it's been like a revelation.  The little "Arduinoesque" program for the WiFi module is about 35 lines of active code, the process of squirting it in (ie Flashing it) is still a little hit or miss but doable.    It just sits their after powering up sucking commands in and spewing them into the Ether to be grasped by the nearby grey plastic box.   I left the boxes running all night and  when I got up I couldn't resist pressing one of the anonymous push buttons and was very pleased to immediately hear the sound of an air horn emanating from another green plastic box which may have been attached to the other grey box by two parallel strips of metal.

 

Has Puppers' Patented Patience & Persistence with Poking about with funny little bits of electronics and software paid off?      Only time will tell but that is why any former employer would have to come cap in hand with a very, very large cheque and special conditions to entice Puppers out of retirement.    Such activities provide all the mental stimulation, learning and interest that work in a technical industry provides (it was rocket science after all) but with absolutely none of the large, gold coloured fish ......

 

Enjoy yourselves as much as you can.

 

Alan

 

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from France.  A bit late this morning as I slept in then had some errands to do.  Thevlie in may have been connected with consumption of red falling down water at a friends house last night but I can neither confirm or deny that alternative fact.

 

The pool shed was demolished and the site made ready for work to start on the base for the new one.  I now just need to break the old shed panels up for kindling.  After lunch I fettled Beth's mobility scooter that hasn't been used for 198 months. It's a folding one and wouldn't unfold. The original dealets from 4 years ago in the UK were helpful and it turned out to need new batteries in the key fob. We've now lent it to a friend who has need of it for a while.

 

This afternoon I will make a start on the dismantling and may even get some time i  the shed doing other things.

 

Regards to all from a land with no fuel shortages.

 

A smug Jamie

[TheQ]

Hmmm, a new irritating advert has appeared every time you change pages, floating in a box in the lower right hand side over the text.. There is the kiss of death on it to click without waiting for the video to play. Unfortunately on this work computer, I can't install a popup killer.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Oh no too late, I missed the opportunity!   

 

Never mind - Bear did go looking for HR but they were all on the Golf Course sorry, "working" from home......

 

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

No matter, just to put the record straight; there would be absolutely no need whatsoever for me to submit my CV to them - they'd have to approach me, short circuiting their normal procedure and waving an extraordinarily large cheque should they ever have need of my services.   Can't see that happening which suits me just fine

 

Good answer, nicely presented....

 

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Puppers may have spoken too soon regarding the robustness of operation of his most recent electronics projects; essentially two grey plastic boxes that communicate via WiFi in order to control some electro-mechanical devices.   Even with the new WiFi modules after some considerable but random length time period the WiFi connection would be lost effectively requiring a "Re-boot" of the controller box.     You may recall that I tried upgrading the firmware on a previous module which I managed a couple of times before bricking the module.   Each time I was just uploading newer versions of the factory-supplied software which used commands that date back to the earliest computer modems namely the Hayes AT commands.    By all accounts on the interweb the implementation of these is flaky on these modules and there are many references to ditching that firmware and replacing it with your own.  BUt how do you go about it .....   I can of course confirm how flaky that implementation is!

 

A certain Bear uses a little box that supplies something called "d.c." - turn knob one way, volts go up; turn knob the other way, volts go down, then polarity (that's + becomes - , or vice versa......that HNC comes in handy sometimes....) and volts go up again.  Seems to work pretty well, every time.  No noise?  Easy.....

Wooo Woooooooo

Chuff chuff chuff chuff

Clank clank

Pssst pssst

Honk honk

Worked when Bear was five - and still works all these years later.  Never busts, no hundred quid "chips" necessary (and I thought my chippie was takin' the p1ss....)

 

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Most importantly it showed how the little WiFi module could be programmed like an Arduino using the Arduino "IDE" ie the program that enables you to edit and run Arduino programs (A certain Bear should be completing his first homework assignment using this tool shortly if only he'd stop buxxering about with that kitchen). 

 

Ahh, er, well I would've - but I seem to have somehow mislaid my homework book......

 

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

Has Puppers' Patented Patience & Persistence with Poking about with funny little bits of electronics and software paid off?      Only time will tell but that is why any former employer would have to come cap in hand with a very, very large cheque and special conditions to entice Puppers out of retirement.    Such activities provide all the mental stimulation, learning and interest that work in a technical industry provides (it was rocket science after all) but with absolutely none of the large, gold coloured fish ......

 

Trust me, after seeing the place yesterday you really, really would have to be f.desperate.  Or certifiable.

Incidentally, I do wonder how all these clever young things they seem to feel are "the future" are supposed to learn the job when the majority of staff are working from home?  Answers on a postcard....

(I did hear that something like 300 left in the past year - and the smart young things often don't stay long - some as short as a month apparently.....)

 

In other news:

Remaining two plinth end pieces modified/re-profiled to fit around wall tiles and tile trim.  Now to apply a very small amount of white paint to the cut ends, fit and then apply sealant as required......

 

BUT......Today is Wednesday (all day, apparently) so that means....today is Pizza Day!! ).  Further progress on the plinth may be delayed slightly....

[AndrewC]

13 hours ago, Andrew P said:

Southeastern stripped of franchise over undeclared funding.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-58716625

Only on Monday they held a big hurrah press release for their new 707 units. Now they are heading out the door much as Connex did some 16 years ago. I doubt the paint is even dry on the "new" City Beam units. Maybe this time TfL will finally get the metro services as originally proposed by London's previous mayor. (the blonde Worzel Gummage like one) Shapps seems to be less vindictive and petty than Failing-Grayling was. One twist to this tale is that SouthEastern turned themselves in to the old Bill. If not, likely this tax mess would never have come to light. 

 

Greetings from the boring borough. sunny, wet, sunny, wet, repeat. Off shortly for my regular spinal origami in the city. I actually look forward to the mid week break from the house. Today my twirly card will be used on a bus, tube, and DLR. Excitement knows no bounds. 

 

@Tony_S would your turkey be coming from around the way of the Fosse perchance? We received our annual "get in there quick" email this morning. Bird ordered for pickup at a nearby market closer to Christmas. Looks like there is likely to be a poultry shortage this year caused by the lack of pluckers. 

 

That is all. Enjoy the second half of the day. 

[simontaylor484]

Well good morning all

 

Its bright sunshine here but a cool breeze the Mrs is still a bit shaky so I am having to keep an eye on her I keep offering/Trying to help but she is a stubborn bu99er and fiercely independent. I have jobs I could be getting on with  but i need to watch her

[simontaylor484]

@jamie92208 I was watching Chateau diy yesterday (Dick Strawbridge doesn't seem to be involved this time) this couple demolished an old wooden pool house and replaced it with a stone built Greek temple complete with roof terrace. 

 

Just giving you a couple an idea like

[Winslow Boy]

22 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

@jamie92208 I was watching Chateau diy yesterday (Dick Strawbridge doesn't seem to be involved this time) this couple demolished an old wooden pool house and replaced it with a stone built Greek temple complete with roof terrace. 

 

Just giving you a couple an idea like

 

That was Jamie's previous 'outhouse' that was. He's now looking for something a bit more 'modern'.

 

I believe the Pompidou centre have received an enquiry for a copy of their as built plans.

[Winslow Boy]

49 minutes ago, AndrewC said:

Only on Monday they held a big hurrah press release for their new 707 units. Now they are heading out the door much as Connex did some 16 years ago. I doubt the paint is even dry on the "new" City Beam units. Maybe this time TfL will finally get the metro services as originally proposed by London's previous mayor. (the blonde Worzel Gummage like one) Shapps seems to be less vindictive and petty than Failing-Grayling was. One twist to this tale is that SouthEastern turned themselves in to the old Bill. If not, likely this tax mess would never have come to light.

 

@Tony_S

 

You mean the long arm of the law was about to collar them so some 'suit' advised them it was to better to come clean and admit that they had been trousering the spare change. I see that serious Fraud Office are keeping stum. You do wonder how many directors got nice fat bonus's as a result of 'profits' being up.

[jamie92208]

Going back to seat belts. Rear ones weren't standard till at least the mid to late 80'. However  the anchorage points were all there. I have vivid memories of trying to access them to fit child seats. No fancy rear facing ir ones that clip onto the seat belts then.  You couldn't use them for a chold under 3 months IIRC.  When no 3 came along I fittted the centre straps round a carrycot in the boot space of our Ford Escort, with the two boys in the rear seats. Then a harness to keep no 3 in the carrycot.  When I collected her from the maternity hospital the nurse wouldn't let us put her in the hat h back and made Beth squee÷ into the back seat just holding her on her lap.  We set off the stopped 50 yards down the road to change round.  

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

Hmmm, a new irritating advert has appeared every time you change pages, floating in a box in the lower right hand side over the text.. There is the kiss of death on it to click without waiting for the video to play. Unfortunately on this work computer, I can't install a popup killer.

I've now got a 3" deep full width advert at the top of thevpage when I log in, p,us the full scrren one when I clivk on a notigication. It's getting as bad as lical newspaoer psges.

 

Jamie

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from LBG where the clouds are gathering but it remains dry.

 

As things get nearer to year end (tomorrow) the more people suddenly decide they just want to do a transaction or otherwise reorganise. We're pretty much in the territory of No Chance. Which is a small country just this side of its neighbour No F*****g Way.

 

I saw one of the 707 units today as we hurtled past New Cross where it was stopped and saw it again as it trundled into the Cannon Street platforms of LBG while we queued to get into the CHX platforms. Commuting becomes more like the old days with every journey I take.

 

I remember as a child that my parents had got seatbelts for my sister and I that had to be fitted into the rear of the car. They had a catch like an aeroplane seat. Mine were red. I can't remember whether we had them in the  Golf (KKP 63P) or not, or whether that had proper seatbelts fitted but we certainly had them in the replacement Datsun/Nissan Sunny.

 

 

[polybear]

5 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

I've now got a 3" deep full width advert at the top of thevpage when I log in, p,us the full scrren one when I clivk on a notigication. It's getting as bad as lical newspaoer psges.

 

Jamie

 

Bear's (blank) 1" wide advert strip across the top of the screen has mysteriously disappeared.....

[Compound2632]

11 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Bear's (blank) 1" wide advert strip across the top of the screen has mysteriously disappeared.....

 

Oh yes, so it has. Now only the pop-up videos. I got fed up of deleting them so I just let them run. They're not obscuring the site and are doing no real harm except possibly to that part of the brain that processes peripheral vision! Honour to the mods!

Edited September 29, 2021 by Compound2632

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, AndrewC said:

Maybe this time TfL will finally get the metro services as originally proposed by London's previous mayor.

Not going to happen.

 

The very same "Worzel Gummidge-like" personality is now in charge of more things than ever and has appointed his Operator of Last Resort to run the Train Service Formerly Known as South Eastern.  

 

TfL (Transport Failing Londoners, as it is known to many) is already cap-in-hand to the Hon. Mr. Gummidge due to a severe case of impecuniosity not occasioned, but not helped at all, by recent viral invasions.  They won't get anything more.  They may yet end up with less if it proves to be a cost-effective "solution".  

 

In other news welcome to Hump Day Upon the Hill of Strawberries where Dr. SWMBO has ventured in to work-from-work for a change though has left at lunchtime and is due home imminently.  Your scribe arrived to find he was not expected at the House of Fun having been mistakenly assigned a day's annual leave.  The 29th October was requested (and confirmed - a confirmation which I have in writing) not 29th September.  An error by the roster clerk.  I was duly assigned a day's work and await roster clerk's reply to my email.  That had to be professionally worded but my thoughts were more along the lines of "inability to organise a serial imbibing within a fermentation establishment"   

 

Stay well.