Danemouth Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 (edited) Lovely afternoon, so I went for a walk in the country park. Came across a fresh bunch of flowers and a cuddly toy tied to a tree. And a note in child's writing: "dear daddy, I have got a place at the school you and mummy wanted me to go to. love from sophie". Still feeling gutted. How can life be so unfair? Martin. Martin, Must be honest, as a sentimental old fool man this really touched me, Dave Edited March 7, 2014 by Danemouth 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted March 7, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 7, 2014 Interesting report out this week about the effects of passive smoking whilst growing up. Dad was on 40+ a day, Mum on around 20. She died with cancer and emphycema (almost certainly due to the fags), Dad died because he fell and broke his hip and didn't want to live any more, as he was stuck in hospital where he couldn't drink, smoke or drive. Ed My Dad died of a smokers cancer - never smoked, but everyone around him did for years. Shipyards, ships.....Navy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted March 7, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2014 I recently had a very interesting discussion with a learned-friend, concerning the devastating consequences of two successive world wars on human genetics. The recruitment of millions of young men (from many Continents), selected specifically for the best of intelligence, dexterity, aptitude, eysight, physical stature and health; only for most of them to die before they had a chance to pass on their genetic 'excellence'; means that many of we that were born since, effectively inherited second class 'excused from military service' (some might say 'reject') genes......I found the greater-concept quite thought provoking and more than a little sobering. There is a problem in that as a society we try and do our best to protect people so in addition to the effects of the war during the peace we do our best to stop any weeding of the less able (whether mental or physical) by natural dangers. The especially applies to children. The trouble is that we have become too clever to enable the process of natural selection to keep our gene pool at its best. I don't have any sensible answer to this. Any proposal to vet who can procreate is total anathema to me and I would not trust our leaders with such powers. On the other hand without the process of natural selection the human race as a whole may well deteriate over time although the very best in any field may continue to improve. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted March 7, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 7, 2014 Just given the lawn grass its first cut of the year! Dave I can't cut mine yet, about half of it gets no sun this time of year and its still a quagmire. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted March 7, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2014 We used to have a moss problem but canine action seems to remove it! I can't let Robbie loose on the front lawn as it is unfenced. Edit I mean all the running about, scarification with claws action Unfortunately Monty's canine action is biting up chunks of turf when excited not condusive to a nice lawn. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon G Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 We used to have a moss problem but canine action seems to remove it! I can't let Robbie loose on the front lawn as it is unfenced. Edit I mean all the running about, scarification with claws action I spent a lot of time and effort removing moss last year - first treated the "lawn" with iron sulphate to kill it off, then hired a lawnraker to scarify it all out. It was hard work and the lawn look a bit like a mudbath when I had finished, but it definitely improved it. The problem was that the other weeds also enjoyed the sudden freedom to expand, and I spent the rest of the summer treating the lawn to kill them off. I fear it might be the same all over again this year. Still, the exercise and fresh air should help keep me healthy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted March 7, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 7, 2014 Having a bonkers spaniel running around the lawn is good for removing moss however the first few feet of the front lawn looks as if it has been used by hippos to wallow. Robbie leaps out of the house at "walkies" time, bounces of a few shrubs and circles with excitement reducing the grass to mud at this time of year. According to his pedigree his male parent was called Tigger. Probably genetic! Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 The first dialup connection I used at work was 256 bps - not 256 Mb, not 256Kb, just 256b! Thank you for reminding me I'm old! Snap. Acoustic coupling? Much later I was envied in Uni as I had a 386 Windows 3.11 machine with a 14,400baud modem to dial in with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted March 7, 2014 Share Posted March 7, 2014 Snap. Acoustic coupling? Yes - in a soundproof, beautifully varnished, solid wooden box! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted March 7, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 7, 2014 Snap. Acoustic coupling? Much later I was envied in Uni as I had a 386 Windows 3.11 machine with a 14,400baud modem to dial in with. I'll raise you a 486SX. Still 3.11 for workgroups. I'm personally still at about that level! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted March 7, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 7, 2014 While I remember, NHN is off on holidays to the adjacent isle for two weeks, so attendance in ER's will be sporadic, if at all. 30th wedding anniversary and my 55th birthday. Eeek. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted March 7, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 7, 2014 I'm off for a sojourn "down under" so will touch base when I can... Behave Enjoy yourselves while NHN and myself are away!! 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted March 8, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2014 Just found this while looking for something else: Advice to young, novice booking clerk by senior clerk, "If a passenger leaves his change behind, you should attract his attention by rapping smartly on the window with the office sponge". No doubt it is well known. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonBradley Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Hi all, Bon voyage Neil & Barry. Enjoy Meanwhile back at the ranch a cool partly cloudy day in prospect. No rain but only 23C forecast. I wish those of you attending shows well guarded plastic and a happy outcome. Envy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonBradley Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Another thread mentions frogs as a sign that Spring is there. Are your frogs out yet Gordon? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted March 8, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2014 Morning all. Dry, rather cloudy but rumoured to be sunny this afternoon. A day of garage tidying and some gardening is likely. I don't expect to see any frogs in the garden. Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iL Dottore Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Morning All Green Thumb gave ours its first treatment of the year today. Moss apparently a problem ....Cor! I wish I had the problem of supermodels rolling around in my herbaceous borders, Fnah, Fnah! ....The trouble is that we have become too clever to enable the process of natural selection to keep our gene pool at its best....Don Hmm, I think that there will be a fairly radical culling of the human race long before we end up divided into "Eloi" and "Morlocks" (H.G. Wells) or descend to the level of stupidity lampooned by the film Idiocracy. There are many contenders for the role of "Industrial Output Grim Reaper" but the serious money is on a plague. We already have some nasty things out there, released from a very small, localized, population by habitat destruction - such as Ebola. But undoubtably there more than a few nasties out in the rain forest or jungle, things that would make Ebola look like a mild case of the sniffles (even an airborne droplet transmitted variant of Ebola would wreak havoc). But the really smart money would be on a flu variant; SARS and Swine Flu are just warm-ups... Unfortunately, popular memory (and probably the politicians) has forgotten about the 1918 "Spanish" Influenza epidemic. And our old friend - bubonic plague - has not been completely eradicated. And don't get me started on how irresponsible use of antibiotics is increasing the incidence of resistant pathogens... I'm off for a sojourn "down under" so will touch base when I can... Behave Enjoy yourselves while NHN and myself are away!! You lucky beggar! Oz is great at this time of year. The worst of the summer heat is over - but it'll still be a wonderful contrast to rain sodden Blighty. Will you be going via Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong or Dubai? I like the Singapore routing myself. "Behave" myself? Not likely. I've spent the best part of my life being "good" - now it's time to be (to quote Orwell) "Double-Plus Ungood". Have an adequate Saturday, boys and girls. iD 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted March 8, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2014 I'm surrounded by frogs! Not a great night, and a busy start with moving the horses here. Survival is likely. Bright and sunny weather still forecast for days to come. Hope yours is similar. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold grandadbob Posted March 8, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 8, 2014 Good morning all, Looks like a dull start but dry and 7oC. Sunny periods are forecast. Wallet is primed with cash & plastic for the show later just in case I find "train stuff" as Chris calls it. (I'm whispering even though she's still upstairs but she has a habit of appearing from nowhere) My only problem today will be walking later as both my replacement knee & my so called good knee are playing up big time and I suspect will seize up a bit after the drive to Basingstoke. Note to self - put walking stick in car - I've hardly ever used it apart from when I had my knee op but I'm in pessimistic mode at the moment. More tea ( and Ibuprofen) needed so....... Have a good one, Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium NGT6 1315 Posted March 8, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 8, 2014 Morning all. TGIS! Looking to be fairly balmy this weekend. Thankfully, not too much to do in terms of preparation – mainly finalising drafts and designing a test for 21 March so that the colleague in whose course I'll be teaching can have a look over it. I'll be making an earlier start with teaching English in a 6th class next week, but I'm quite looking forward to that. Just finished putting details on a loco, too, so there may be a new blog entry at some point in the hopefully not-too-distant future... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted March 8, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 8, 2014 We are flying via dubai (refuelling stop!). Not our first choice as I believe in the idea of get on plane here get off at final destination. I have visited Singapore twice. It is a very nice place but we have friends to visit elsewhere. Need to do my packing so TTFN Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted March 8, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 8, 2014 Morning. I type from the forrard lounge of the good ship Ben-My-Chree - the wonders of technology! You never know, the connection might hold..... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purley Oaks Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Morning all Chilly one here not much above freezing. Snowed here yesterday for a while with a bitter wind. So, Six Nations today, my daughter is working on the doors at Murrayfield; she likes the rugby crowds, always friendly. Don't know if Scotland can beat France, we were pretty lucky against Italy last time out (but a win is a win). Maybe France will have lost a little confidence after they were soundly beaten by England. And England/Wales should be a cracking match. Enjoy! Mal 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debs. Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Morning. I type from the forrard lounge of the good ship Ben-My-Chree - the wonders of technology! You never know, the connection might hold..... Look out towards the Liverpool CLT as you berth at 12 quays: HMS Dragon (D35) is alongside........She`s stealthy (as in: she doesn`t look like a proper warship!) Don`t forget to wave to us as you pass the beach at New Brighton! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashcombe Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 (edited) Hope the crossing is smooth, NHN! Last night we performed a Murder Mystery Dinner as a fund raiser at church. I played the part of a fashion designer, Vivienne Westworld, who was actually the murderer! Only a few people guessed correctly; the majority blamed John Proforma, MP! Says it all! A good night was had by everyone and my headache is clearing after the second TIB! Have a great weekend! Foggy here at present but sunshine expected. Edited March 8, 2014 by Ashcombe 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now