Early Risers.

[BSW01]

Good morning everyone 

 

Happy anniversary to you both jjb1970 

 

It’s sunny here but it’s also very wet, I don’t think I’ll be doing any digging today! However, the two mounts that were painted yesterday will now be dry so I’ll frame the two prints and re hang them on the wall, that should earn me a few brownie points. After that, I may make a start at pruning the buddleia so that it’s ready to be moved. If things dry out enough it may get moved tomorrow. Apart from that, there is some tidying up to do in the front garden to do. 

 

Back later. 

 

Brian

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Arthur Itis was at it last night so I only got a couple of hours sleep. A bit of eyelid inspection will be necessary later.

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

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)?

I would nominate @Barry O as sports minister, leaving @chrisf with the digital, cultural and media. I would nominate myself for the treasury and would proceed to close all the tax loopholes that allow companies and individuals to avoid paying tax.

[The White Rabbit]

13 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

.... All this cold wet  weather is making it annoyingly easy for the "Global Warming?! Ha! " clowns on Sky Australia to mock the science. 

 

<Pedantic mode on> That's why I tend to say 'climate change' instead. If it was just a case of temperatures increasing a degree or two without any other changes in weather, climate or environment, then I suspect most people would probably rather like that. But obviously because of the many variables that are in Nature's algorithm which decides what we get, it's not that simple (see mathematicians' explanations about linear and non-linear equations) then one apparently minor difference can cause a massive change in the end result - the butterfly effect. Add to that the consequential impact of different and more extreme weather - such as polar ice melt and the disruption of ocean currents - and human society faces a very serious problem. Given the changes in weather I've noticed over the last two or three decades, I think 'climate change' is harder to deny than 'global warming'. Though I'm sure some will try (😧). <Pedantic mode off/>

 

 

Morning all from a cool and changeable Yorkshire. Blue sky now but it rained overnight (again) and some grey cloud is upwind. Happy anniversary to @jjb1970. 

 

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'. 😉 

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by The White Rabbit
to clarify my definition of 'changes'

[TheQ]

I nominate myself for minister for retirement,... 36 working days left, and I've just finished the calibration programme for the next 3 months, so half those dates are after I've left😃

[Coombe Barton]

Happy anniversary to those on the island - twenty years flies by

[Tony_S]

Happy Anniversary to the @jjb1970 family. 
I can’t remember what (if anything) we did to celebrate our 20th! It was a long time ago.

[New Haven Neil]

I think Baz @Barry O should be in the Ministry of Defence - once a rocket scientist, always a rocket scientist! Now, about that First Sea Lord post.....

[Compound2632]

31 minutes ago, The White Rabbit said:

If it was just a case of temperatures increasing a degree or two without any other changes in weather, then I suspect most people would probably rather like that.

 

Except the millions living in low-lying areas who would still be flooded out by rising sea levels.

[BoD]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

On O/T.....

It seems that a certain guy called Musk has got his newly acquired Employees at Twitter working 84 hour weeks - with some sleeping in the office; it seems that many are sh. scared of getting booted if they don't.  B'sterd.

Devote yourself to working hard, work lots of overtime, do your best for the company and ….

 

 

 

 

… your boss will be able to go into space again.

[The White Rabbit]

53 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Except the millions living in low-lying areas who would still be flooded out by rising sea levels.

 

I count that as another change - it's not the higher temperature in itself, it's a consequential effect caused by higher temperatures. I've clarified the OP. 

[iL Dottore]

5 hours ago, The Lurker said:

…I have never had problems with taking a trip to the dentist or varying my time to deal with dropping off/picking up children on school runs or leaving early for whatever reason. If you behave like a grown up, my team has generally treated us like grown ups.

Very, very true. At the large multinational company I worked for, we were treated like adults and we behaved like adults (anyone not behaving like an adult was treated to being descended upon by a ton of proverbial bricks!)

 

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.

 

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 (and completely unknown in the Swiss headquarters!).

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by iL Dottore
inserted past tense (error on my part in original)

[iL Dottore]

41 minutes ago, BoD said:

Devote yourself to working hard, work lots of overtime, do your best for the company and ….

 

 

 

 

… your boss will be able to go into space again.

Said, undoubtably sardonically, but as is the way of the world “he who pays the piper, calls the tune“ and Elon Musk has 44 billion worth of purchased tunes (so to speak).

 

My sympathies for these hard put upon, well paid and cosseted Silicon Valley twitterati are slim to none. It’s almost delicious to watch them go into meltdown just because they have a new boss who is going to shake them up a bit.

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

I nominate myself for minister for retirement,... 36 working days left, and I've just finished the calibration programme for the next 3 months, so half those dates are after I've left😃

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)

[iL Dottore]

1 hour 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...

 

OK, you got the job.

Now get proboscis sticking…..😁

[BoD]

Can I be minister for silly walks?

[iL Dottore]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Bear would much rather be Minister for Justice.  First actions would be abolish Human Rights Lawyers and European Court rulings in the UK WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT - and with no possibility of injunctions or appeals.

I think the Bear’s approach to the criminal justice system may be just perhaps a wee bit – ahem –  too “robust“ for the UK.

 

But if The Bear is interested in utilising his jurisprudence skills, then Captain Cynical has for purchase a nice little Banana Republic in South America just crying out for the firm hand of government….

[southern42]

 ' afternoon all from red dragon land,

Top left hand corner of Wales living up to its reputation - wetnwindy.

 

Happy Anniversary to Mr and Mrs @jjb1970.

 

Watched yet more balls being potted, or not, yesterday. I may get to see some more later. Contemplating having an early lunch then psyching myself up to do some muddling. It is a bit dark so I shall have to put the lights on. I will not be painting, so it should be ok.

 

Back later, then. Take care, be good, be positive!

Polly

 

[New Haven Neil]

Blowing like crazy here now, proper wild.  UK cut off once again.

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Seems they could do with a good human rights lawyer...

 

Or an Employment Lawyer - though I've no idea if what he's doing is legally naughty in the US.  Mind you, anyone taking him on would need very deep pockets.....

 

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Arthur Itis was at it last night so I only got a couple of hours sleep. A bit of eyelid inspection will be necessary later.

I would nominate @Barry O as sports minister, leaving @chrisf with the digital, cultural and media. I would nominate myself for the treasury and would proceed to close all the tax loopholes that allow companies and individuals to avoid paying tax.

 

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

 

Bear here......

PS cleaned off.  Tick.  Two ladders shifted back into the shed.  Tick.  A quick visit to Buddy over the road in order to blag some space in his Wheelie Bin, followed by a short chat with can of Pepsi thrown in.

I've had an unexpected surprise - and a nice one too.  The company that sold the PS has a free delivery special offer on the friendly stuff; the nasty stuff costs a tenner to deliver.  As Bear ordered one of each they've refunded the tenner.  Big result.

 

[Compound2632]

5 minutes ago, polybear said:

Or an Employment Lawyer - though I've no idea if what he's doing is legally naughty in the US. 

 

I think you may be missing my point, which was to express my amusement at the inconsistent approach to social justice in your two successive posts.

Edited November 2, 2022 by Compound2632

[polybear]

Wednesday......Pizza Day.....😁

.....with a Potato Waffle snuck in for good measure,

Let's see now - Waffle for 20 minutes in the oven, so Pizza goes in after 8 minutes - expertly timed by Alexa.  And then Bear is sitting there waiting another 12 minutes for the Alexa alarm to go off at the 20 minute mark.  After a while Bear starts to think "Jeez, 12 minutes is a long time......" - and it was.  Why?  Cos' Bear hadn't set a 20 minute timer right at the start.  Turdycurses.

The Pizza was kinda crunchy - but fortunately more than eligible edible.  Not the first time I've made that mistake - and I'm sure it won't be the last.

And that's why, our esteemed @iL Dottore, a certain Bear thinks attempting wondrous creations (over & above opening a bag of frozen crinkle cut oven chips) are best avoided.....

[45156]

Afternoon All,

 

Have been AWOL since Sunday - just no real mojo for a lot of online banter, so much skipping has taken place though I did note a few significant birthdays and anniversaries, so belated greetings to all who have been celebrating.

 

Also saw that there has been some discussion about overtime, and my best ever was when BT offered basic pay, plus double time, plus £50 per hour to work in the call centres over the milennium bank holiday, provided you did at least two shifts otherwise, if you did one shift, it was double time and a half.  Needless to say they were innundated and the staffing was arranged by names out of a hat.  I was lucky, and got two five hour shifts, one on millenium new year's day, and the day after - and I actually worked 14 hours as volunteers were sought on the day to stay on to cope with the anticipated call volume, which never came - we had a few calls each in the morning, then the calls dropped out completely around noon, so we were reading books and playing cards until the lines closed at 5pm - my take home pay was phenomenal.

 

Regards to All

Stewart

Edited November 2, 2022 by 45156

[jjb1970]

6 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Congratulations! And may you enjoy another 20!

 

I reckon (based on my experience and that of friends) that once you get past the first 5 years, you are pretty much in it “for the long haul”🙂

 

According to Wikipedia, the traditional 20th wedding anniversary gift is porcelain (at least in the US and in the UK).
 

What do you give as a gift in Singapore for a 20th wedding anniversary? (apart from the long service medal 😄)

 

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😂 

[PeterBB]

11 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

On a personal note today is our 20th wedding anniversary, I'm amazed we got past 1! 🤣

Congratulations

 

[iL Dottore]

6 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

...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😂 

For 20 years of uninterrupted marital bliss - I'd say that's a bargain!