Early Risers.

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Further to iD's comments it always seemed to me that Australia had set itself up to fail when it came to drinking culture.  What is known among the indigenous peoples as "Whitefella's Grog" was unknown until it arrived with the First Fleet.  It is often said, though I have not studied the science to be sure, that the indigenous population has zero alcohol tolerance through isolation.  

 

What ever the truth of the matter if you mix a hot climate with cold beers (almost always ice-cold fizzy yellow beers even when labelled "ale" or "bitter" you have a recipe for binge-drinking and alcohol-fuelled violence.  It is, sadly, devastatingly endemic.  Far too many people have been seriously hurt or killed by what was called the "King Hit" but was re-branded the "Coward Punch" in an attempt to stigmatise its use and reduce the number of such incidents.  The alcohol-related road trauma per capita is, I believe, astonishingly high.  

 

There are measures for service but not in the way many nations know them.  In the UK a lined or brim-measure glass must be used for draught beers.  In Australia there is no standard measure but the most common is the "pot" (also known as "glass" or "schooner") which is around a half-pint but may be more or less according to local convention.  Pint glasses are usually available on request but are not necessarily a measured pint by UK or US standards.  It is common to order a "jug" when drinking with friends and to pour into as many glasses as are around the table continuously from that until empty.  Small glasses mean there is always pressure to re-order which, in turn, means there are plenty of bar jobs for those who want them.  And means it is very hard to keep track of how much one has actually consumed.  

 

If I drink a pint and have another I know I have had two pints.  If I start with a pot and the jugs keep coming, my glass keeps being topped up and I am more focussed on conversation than quantity I have no reliable idea of how much I have drunk.  

 

Until I start slurring, wobbling or falling over, become involved in a heated discussion which turns nastier and then involves fists, feet and sometimes other weapons.  

 

Most areas of indigenous land are "dry" and it is an offence to transport alcohol into them.  Some areas, Alice Springs being one, have quite restrictive service hours; one cannot purchase alcohol until after 2pm for example and it must not be take out of town.  

 

We had an incident one night with the neighbours across the back fence.  They were not averse to partying through the night.  On this occasion we had managed to get to sleep at a late enough hour despite the noise outside until woken by what sounded like heavy hail or some sort of gunfire.  I looked out to see a sheet of flame rising from their backyard amid cheering.  The beer fridge, which they in their wisdom kept out on the lawn, had overheated and was in flames.  The popping sounds were the exploding beer bottles within some of which had become without and were sending tin caps, glass and contents violently into the night air.  

 

I was on the phone to the fireys within moments.  It took them just five minutes to arrive.  Piling into the backyard among the partygoers they were met with cries of "what ****ing fire?" and "**** off ya b*****ds". They had to call the police in order to do their job without being attacked.  A hot night?  yes.  It was around 25C minimum.  And there were perhaps a hundred partygoers, mostly young men we think, all making a thorough nuisance of themselves.  Until the police turned their backs and  the fireys turned their hoses on them to cool their spirits.  

 

 

 

This isnt getting your house sold!

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

Oh, I dunno.....no killer snakes/spiders/crocs/sharks/plants....

 

 

 

And we  apparently have never even noticed this one until meddling scientists discovered it last week!

 

(gum leaves might give scale....)

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[Coombe Barton]

... Equinox today at 21:24. Start of astronomical spring, we’re already in metrological spring, which started on 1st March. Just wish the weather would listen to one of them ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2023/03/20/stabilising-we-will-have-to-wait-and-see/

[monkeysarefun]

Just now, Coombe Barton said:

Just wish the weather would listen to one of them ...

It finally has  here  - after many  days of mid to high 30's we now have a week of more autumny mid to high twenties lined up. 

[grandadbob]

Parking spaces are sparse at Bath Hotel:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-65008705

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Australia had set itself up to fail when it came to drinking culture. ...  The alcohol-related road trauma per capita is, I believe, astonishingly high.  

Found online:

 

Forbes:

* This is not per-capita data. In general Africa has very high per-capita traffic fatalities. Globally, Australian per-capita traffic fatalities are relatively low.

 

EDIT:

Wikipedia:

While these two datasets cannot be directly conflated, it suggests that Australia's per capita alcohol-related traffic death rate is not extremely high - certainly not compared with South Africa or even the USA.

 

Most US states still have a 0.08% blood alcohol limit and random testing is not permitted.

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Ozexpatriate
Added per-capita data

[monkeysarefun]

54 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Offered without comments:

 

Forbes:

And this  - as long as we can avoid all the drunks on the road. (Some of those 'drinking problem' countries like Korea and Japan seem to be up there too..)

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by monkeysarefun

[polybear]

12 minutes ago, grandadbob said:

Parking spaces are sparse at Bath Hotel:

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-65008705

 

And the driver has been nicked for being "on the pop".  Allegedly.....

 

2 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

And this  - as long as we can avoid all the drunks on the road.

 

 

I wonder where the UK is?  Should Bear be worried?

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

Nottalot happening here today.  Managed a brief perambulation earlier and very pleased to report that movement is getting much easier.  I hope it lasts.

Son Steve is enroute to Italy (Assissi) with his partner and I'm quite envious as they're doing the whole trip by train. (4 actually).  I think they've just about got to Turin where they're stopping for the night.  They're travelling first/business class all the way, got some good deals on the tickets.  I suppose working for a large business travel company might have helped in that respect. 😉

The Boss is not feeling too good today and has currently got her feet up.  Don't think it's flu or Covid,  more digestive related and she's off her food.  I've been supplying drinks and sympathy.  It's not serious enough to stop her wanting to watch her usual dose of soap carp on the box.

Time for me to don the headphones.

Edited March 20, 2023 by grandadbob

[PhilJ W]

39 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Offered without comments:

 

Forbes:

* This is not per-capita data. In general Africa has very high per-capita traffic fatalities. Globally, Australian per-capita traffic fatalities are relatively low.

 

More later.

 

If you watch some of the You Tube compilations you'd think that Russia would top the list.

[Dave Hunt]

1 hour ago, petethemole said:

I remember reading that, in the '70s IIRC.  The 'group of people' were what we would today call 'extreme right wingers' trying to build a movement/private army to take over the state.

 

That's probably why I found the rest of the book forgettable.

 

Dave

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. The arthritis/sciatica is holding off at the moment without any painkiller intervention and I hope it stays that way. I'm looking into having solar panels fitted to the house but that depends on the cost. The south facing half of the roof is about fifteen square metres which I hope is sufficient. I will be discussing it with the solar panel fitting company via zoom tomorrow.

Edited March 20, 2023 by PhilJ W

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

This isnt getting your house sold!

Potential buyers are unlikely to inhabit ERs 🤣

 

And in any case the party oiks have long since moved on.  I believe they were ..... errrr ..... encouraged by a combination of landlord and local police having spent far too much on alcohol and not enough on rent.  

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, Coombe Barton said:

... Equinox today at 21:24. Start of astronomical spring, we’re already in metrological spring, which started on 1st March.

 

In honor of Terry Wogan I understand a "Dance of the BBC Virgins" had been planned to celebrate the event on the roof of the BBC but it had to be cancelled for the usual reasons.

[Tony_S]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

know of an inexpensive 5-pin DIN Plug switching unit by any chance? 

I suspect as @AndyID suggested it may not be too difficult to make one yourself but are the 5Pin DINs the same as MIDI Din. There are MIDI switching units for about £25 on eBay, some foot operated, some with rotary knobs. I have no idea if the DIN switches actually switch all the lines though. Though it does seem to be cheaper than a 5pole 2 way switch for a diy project. 

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

wonder where the UK is?  Should Bear be worried?

Probably about 21st. I think those figures are life expectancy from birth. However they are other days about how long you can expect to live from your present age. It should be a little higher than the “from birth” number. 

[AndyID]

24 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I suspect as @AndyID suggested it may not be too difficult to make one yourself but are the 5Pin DINs the same as MIDI Din. There are MIDI switching units for about £25 on eBay, some foot operated, some with rotary knobs. I have no idea if the DIN switches actually switch all the lines though. Though it does seem to be cheaper than a 5pole 2 way switch for a diy project. 

 

My guess is it only needs a two-pole changeover switch. One pole to switch power and the other to switch the thermocouple.

 

IIRC MIDI only has two active pins and the center pin is shield/ground so a MIDI switch might not be any use.

 

@polybear What make/model is you wielding instrument? I might be able to find more details on the connections.

[Tony_S]

7 minutes ago, AndyID said:

IIRC MIDI only has two active pins and the center pin is shield/ground so a MIDI switch might not be any use.

That does seem to be the case. My previous 5 pin connected iron (Maplin own brand) has a different 5 pin connector to my present Atten brand soldering station. 

[monkeysarefun]

49 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Probably about 21st. I think those figures are life expectancy from birth. However they are other days about how long you can expect to live from your present age. It should be a little higher than the “from birth” number. 

Theres also a "Feels like  I've lived this long...."  table

[polybear]

40 minutes ago, AndyID said:

 

My guess is it only needs a two-pole changeover switch. One pole to switch power and the other to switch the thermocouple.

 

IIRC MIDI only has two active pins and the center pin is shield/ground so a MIDI switch might not be any use.

 

@polybear What make/model is you wielding instrument? I might be able to find more details on the connections.

 

It's an Atten ST-80 80W Soldering Station (which is rather good, incidentally).

[Ozexpatriate]

14 hours ago, TheQ said:

The one problem with 5G is shorter range, so many more transmitter towers are needed, especially out in the countryside. We are right on the limit of range for the current transmitters, ( if you stand upstairs in the bathroom). So new sites would be needed, there is a lot of the Norfolk Broads with extra planning restrictions near us.  Our nearest suitable place would be the church.. However it has no electricity ( or water) 

High bandwidth data rates for 5G are intended for high density locations - hence the short range. (Places like Ally Pally are what it was designed for.)

 

All modern mobile telephony devices have multiple radios and modems to select the appropriate signal. Lack of electricity is not an insoluble problem - most mobile telephone towers will have battery back-up UPS and many will have their own solar power.

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Ozexpatriate

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, AndyID said:

 

In honor of Terry Wogan I understand a "Dance of the BBC Virgins" had been planned to celebrate the event on the roof of the BBC but it had to be cancelled for the usual reasons.

 

Err I take it no one's told you but due to financial pressures namely somebody called Gary wanting a sub of his wages they decided that the virgins would be discontinued. 

[Winslow Boy]

20 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

High bandwidth data rates for 5G are intended for high density locations - hence the short range. (Places like Ally Pally are what it was designed for.)

 

All modern mobile telephony devices have multiple radios and modems to select the appropriate signal. Lack of electricity is not an insoluble problem - most mobile telephone towers will have battery back-up UPS and many will have their own solar power.

 

 

That's interesting. We have have thousands of timber telegraph poles go up everywhere here. All within I would say no more than thirty metres away. They are all for

5 G and talk about making the place look cluttered.

[AndyID]

4 hours ago, polybear said:

 

It's an Atten ST-80 80W Soldering Station (which is rather good, incidentally).

 

Understandably they are not forthcoming with which pin does what although it does look like a standard 180 degree five pin.

 

Unless you can be sure that you would never throw the switch while the element is heating the switch contacts will have to be rated for at least 3 amps (presumably AC). That would not be a problem for a two pole switch but a four or five pole switch will be a bit spendy and clunky.

 

If we know which pins do what we won't need a big switch. If you are up for a little investigation you could make a "break-out" connector from a DIN plug and socket and put it inline between the iron and the power unit.

 

(I'd just open up the power unit and see where the connections go but you probably don't want to do that 😀)

 

Edit: I can but a complete ST-80 station here on the bay for under $15. (No! I can't). It would be coming from overseas and I don't know the shipping cost but if you can get a similar deal it might be simpler just to buy anther station.

Edited March 21, 2023 by AndyID
Nonsense!

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.