Early Risers.

[AndyB]

Morning all from a sunny and frosty Hampshire.

Haven't been around for a couple of weeks so greetings to all.

 

The reason for my absence was the on-going job search which had resulted in an interview with the civil service. 

Sadly, in spite of getting extremely high marks on their evaluation of my technical knowledge - which I have to say didn't even scratch the surface, they decided to go with a "gut feeling" that perhaps my technical knowledge wasn't up to much. Ahh, the good ole' recruitment process. They chose you on the basis of your CV and the evidence of technical knowledge and the institutions for which you have worked, they get a month to read your CV and formulate appropriate questions, then don't actually probe the one thing they end up guessing the answer to. Bit of a shame as I'd done the job they were interviewing me for for quite a number of years up until they shunted me sideways into a different role and then on to a scrap heap.

 

It's one of those occasions when teenagers have exactly the right turn of phrase. "Whatever..."

 

More amusingly my children's school has been working on topics around Remembrance and WW1. Those with a family member serving in the armed forces were asked if said family member might be asked to come in and talk to the children. The next thing I know about it is when my brother marches into the playground as he's been invited to lead an assembly. Apparently the uniform draped in egg yolk - let's be honest, it's more like an omelette on felt - got quite a few of the mums excited.

 

And the headmistress asks my children if they'd like to sit at the front and introduce him to the whole school. And my youngest takes the job on.... 

 

"Everyone. This is my great-grandpa!" 

 

Ahh, out of the mouths of babes....and I promise, I genuinely neither paid him nor prompted him to say this.        

[Smiffy2]

Morning all, bright and bit frosty in Carshalton-sur-Mer. Haven't had time to read much, so a blanket good vibe to all.

 

Jock - when do you get your results? Good ones I hope.

 

General unwellness has focussed down to a cold. Blah.

Had a good time yesterday with Henry and Lol, who is making some progress. Also discovered the fun of speeded-up movies on the iPhone - Henry was pretty amused, too! But my leg hurts from the walking.

 

Today includes doing the sales spreadsheets for Julie's shop and collecting Blondie from school. We shopped on the way home so we have cupcakes, she'll be cool. Then Julie's out at a meeting, so I may get an early night.

Have a good day, ERers, may squeals of delight be your mood music today.

[skipepsi]

Morning all from a slightly chilly boring borough. All quiet here as work is quite busy at the moment. Also too wet to do any of the hard landscaping.

 

Health care costs. Did a bit of digging around. According to HMT a person on £30k will pay around £870 per year towards the NHS. (higher incomes pay more once the 40% tax rate kicks in) By comparison my corporate private policy would cost me £912 a year. As for the USA, its all political. The Republicans denounce "Obamacare" as evil and a waste of money as well as controlling people's lives. What they don't say is that what has been implemented is identical to what Mitt Romney was proposing 4 years ago. Partisan hypocrisy at its best and the sheeple blindly follow.

From an old Newsweek article (02/2009) The US spends 15.2% of its GDP on healthcare compared to Canada's 9.7% and the UK's 10.4% yet has a life expectancy of 78 compared to Canada's 81. So America spent more on healthcare per capita for less quantified results than either Canada or the UK. Its all about the profit.

 

rant over. Back to work. Have a good one.

I suspect my take on Obamacare is slightly more cynical that actually it was the lobbyists for the health insurance companies got to more Republicans.....

[Happy Hippo]

Busy day yesterday, running a range at the motor cycle museum at B'ham for a pest controllers convention.

 

It was an early start with the alarm opening the day at 0530. The traffic on the M6 an hour later was incredible, so it was a long time in the car.

 

The weather was bright and sunny, but quite chilly. We charmed some free hats out of BSA, as it was their air rifles we were demonstrating, and they have promised us some jackets as well. With any luck, we'll manage a couple of target rifles next year!

 

The only hiccup in the proceedings was at 11.00, when the event organiser told us to move the range, as the area was now required for overflow car parking!

 

Their suggestion that it would only take about 10 minutes was way off the mark, and it took the two of us 40 min to de rig and set up again on the other side of the field.

 

To be fair to the organisers, they were not to know that the museum had also booked another conference on the site, so they were caught on the hop. We just treated it as a practice.

 

They best thing was the new site was not as muddy as the old one, with a nearby hedge offering some protection from the wind, so we were slightly better off.

 

We only had one this time. This one being the person who can't hit anything and insists it is the rifle/sights/wind that is affecting their normally superb shooting skills. Having tried to be diplomatic with him he retorted with well let's see you hit that target then....put your money where your mouth is!

 

The Lord certainly smiles on the righteous because I took the 50 yd target down with first shot, and then reset it with my second.

 

There was a stunned silence, followed by a voice saying: 'See Charlie, that's how you should be doing it'.

 

Charlie walked off, muttering.

 

I doubt whether I could do that again, ever.

 

 

Note to self: At any future event of this nature, check on their emergency parking plan.

 

A slow trip back down the M42/6/54 finished the day off.

 

When I got home, I finished off the bottle of Pinotage, I started the night before

[beast66606]

Morning all,

 

Finally get chance to post some useless information, miss a day or two and you never seem to quite catch up, by the time you get to the end there's more drivel quality postings to read

 

I was up and about at 05:30 this morning, monitoring a stone train heading my way, booked at 06:53 but with no passenger service around there was a good chance it would run early, it did, but only by 15 minutes, pity as those extra 15 minutes would have made a huge difference to the light, as in there may have been some ! - still a pleasant way to start the day, standing on Eccles Road at 06:30, temperature at 0 deg and feeling like it. The sun is now shining so a pleasant morning is expected.

 

Fortunately it (0 deg morning) was a one off, it wouldn't be too nice dealing with all that metal tomorrow (Lakenheath s/b frame removal) in zero conditions, nothing worse than flipping cold metal and I always seem to catch my knuckles on it.

 

Here's the early shot.

 

Eccles Road

06 November 2014

56303 on 6Z56, 22:20, Peak Forest Cemex Sdgs - Norwich T.C. (07:16) - loaded stone

[PhilJ W]

Morning all.

Sunny here! Aditi's car needed some frost removing from the windows. She set off early this morning so that she could get some work done before students arrive, that is the students who are coming in to shout at her.

She was amused that nearly all of her birthday cards opened this morning featured cakes.

I shall try to prepare a nice meal for her this evening.

 

Jock. The Hudl like all small tablets let's you magnify a section of the screen by putting two fingers on the touchscreen and moving them a way from each other. I was able to play with all the different tablets at our nearest big Tesco store.

 

Tony

I agree, that was one of the reasons that I decided on the Hudl was the ability to maneuver and enlarge the screen. I have both distance and reading glasses and I usually leave my reading glasses at home and if I have to read anything I normally just remove my distance glasses.

[PhilJ W]

Thanks yet again, Tony.

I've never been entirely happy about security if I enable WiFi at home having seen how easy it is to operate keystroke copiers from outside a house.

That's if WiFi would work here anyway.

A trip to Tesco is called for - if only to give you a break!

You only have to put your sign in once and then store the information. My desktop is on Virgin cable which is pretty secure but I will not use internet banking for example even though the chances of someone penetrating my security is small. I will not even use the Hudl for things such as Paypal for the reason you state.

[AndyB]

The only hiccup in the proceedings was at 11.00, when the event organiser told us to move the range, as the area was now required for overflow car parking!

 

Their suggestion that it would only take about 10 minutes was way off the mark, and it took the two of us 40 min to de rig and set up again on the other side of the field.

 

 

 

I'm wondering how well  the words "Way off the mark" and "Range" go together!  

I'd have left it where it was and used the cars as targets; I'd never tyre of that.  

 

As an aside, when Queen Victoria bought Balmoral, Prince Albert had a 1/4 mile long trench dug in the "garden" to allow him to sneak up on stalk deer more efficiently. 

Edited November 6, 2014 by AndyB

[beast66606]

Thanks yet again, Tony.

I've never been entirely happy about security if I enable WiFi at home having seen how easy it is to operate keystroke copiers from outside a house.

That's if WiFi would work here anyway.

A trip to Tesco is called for - if only to give you a break!

 

WiFi should work Ok DD, it's broadcast from the router rather than a mast some miles away. WiFi can be broken (into) but there are lots of things which can be done to make it a lot harder and the chances of anyone actually doing it are very slim.

I used to crack the neighbours WiFi accounts and then tell them how to secure them to stop me doing it (easily).

The weakness in all but one or two cases was the admin password had not been changed on the router, so once I got a sniff as to the model I knew what to try - and BINGO I was in. Saved my bacon when working at home once and Virgin cut me off, I used next doors for a couple of days (with permission and a promise to tighten their security for free).

First thing - change the admin password on your router, even if it's a strange one allocated by your ISP (it might still be in their records somewhere, and if those records are compromised then you're at risk) - use a strong password (I can tell you how to generate one if you like ?) - that's a very good start. Do it now, don't wait - in fact anyone who hasn't, go and do it NOW.

[PhilJ W]

Well the postman called but still no package, I've e-mailed the vendor and awaiting a reply. I bought the Hudl so that I can keep in touch with RMweb etc. when I'm out and about, but another week to go before the hub is available. Be back later, model railway club night tonight. 

I've now found out that the order was not received, I received confirmation of the order and of the payment via Paypal. I went into Paypal this morning and found no indication of a payment, I then clicked on the website to be told that it was not available. I have this problem with a few other websites but no one seems to know what to do about it. I have been told that it is a 'remote server problem' whatever that is. Part of the problem is that it happens on an old internet address as well so its not my IP as has been suggested and neither does anything appear in the recipients spam folder, my e-mails just 'disappear'.

[DDolfelin]

use a strong password (I can tell you how to generate one if you like ?) - that's a very good start. Do it now, don't wait - in fact anyone who hasn't, go and do it NOW.

 

That's a very helpful post, Beast. Thank you - and yes, tell me how to generate one (and how I access it in the first place!).

[Jock67B]

Morning all,

Very cold and soaking wet garden despite beautiful sunshine here on the Essex coast. Don't know if I'll be able to get another cut of the weed patch at this rate. The leaves are also too wet to 'Hoover' up at the moment - we really badly need a couple of consecutive dry days!

Mal, hope your journey and meeting go well, sounds like you'll be treading on eggshells! My own father re-discovered his dad (who had gone off with a younger woman when he was young, forcing him to start work rather than go to university in order to help support his mum - both elder brothers were away in the army!) when he was quite old. Luckily, his 'new family' were around to support him. I refused to go to meet this grandad out of loyalty to my favourite grandmother!

DD, you are right to worry about WiFi security - I use BT Infinity and have allocated a fairly complex password to it, which I've memorised. My children and grand children are allowed to use it but it would be difficult to hack into as even BT don't know the password! I am however amazed that, when I did a search of nearby WiFi signals (we live in a cul-de-sac), almost 50% were un-encrypted! Take great care that whoever you choose as an Internet service provider can guarantee your security, is the only advice I can give.

Thanks again for the comments Dick, I hope the results will be available to view at my next oncology appointment which is on Thursday week. The plan is to scan again in four to six months and measure any advance in the bone cancers - hopefully then they can give me a prognosis on the likely time scale!

Thanks to Tony and Phil for the 'Hudl' information - guess I'll have to take Joanna into the big Tesco at Colchester and give her a trial run! Tony, does yours have a USB port? It's something I miss on the iPad Air!

Richard, good shooting - that showed them!! Why do you always seem to get one such clown in every group?

Beast, hope you can enlighten me, heard Diesel engines whilst in the kitchen mid-afternoon but got to the garden just as what looked like the roof of a 37 disappeared from sight. I assumed it was the RHTT but a pair of diesels rumbled back and forth after eleven at night as well! Would it run twice? Could you advise me on a site which I could look at to save pestering you with such queries?

Hope Thursday is painless for one and all,

Kind regards,

Jock.

PS I was typing this as the Beast posted the very sensible advice above!

Edited November 6, 2014 by Jock67B

[PhilJ W]

Yes it does have a USB port, it also serves as the battery charging port.

[Tony_S]

That's a very helpful post, Beast. Thank you - and yes, tell me how to generate one (and how I access it in the first place!).

The last couple of versions of the router supplied by BT make you change the admin password which is helpful. Though other providers just seem to supply something with fairly well documented passwords for the admin user.

On the now very rare occasions my broadband has been down I have gone round to my neighbours, they have cable broadband. They give me tea while I contact BT. I make them tea when they come round to report a fault to VirginMedia!

My wireless signal doesn't seem to extend beyond my property but Robbie is always looking out for suspicious characters.

[Killybegs]

The last couple of versions of the router supplied by BT make you change the admin password which is helpful. Though other providers just seem to supply something with fairly well documented passwords for the admin user.

On the now very rare occasions my broadband has been down I have gone round to my neighbours, they have cable broadband. They give me tea while I contact BT. I make them tea when they come round to report a fault to VirginMedia!

My wireless signal doesn't seem to extend beyond my property but Robbie is always looking out for suspicious characters.

 

Our WiFi doesn't even reach all the rooms in the house. Our relatively new router (the old one got 'upset' by a thunder storm) doesn't send out as strong a signal as the old one which had an aerial.

 

John

[AndyB]

As an aside, when Queen Victoria bought Balmoral, Prince Albert had a 1/4 mile long trench dug in the "garden" to allow him to sneak up on stalk deer more efficiently. 

 

No wonder she was famously not amused. 

He wasn't much better; eventually they even named a fermented cabbage dish after him.  

 

I'll get me deerstalker hat and cape....

[sixoh8sixoh]

Really quite quiet only a few miles away in Benfleet. Robbie wasn't bothered when he went out. We watched Michael Portillo travelling in Russia. He visited some of the places we went too in St Petersburg.

I enjoyed the Michael Portillo programme last night - I went to St Petersburg and Moscow in December 1992.  It certainly wasn't as sunny then as when Portillo was there! I took the train between St Petersburg and Moscow, but it took a lot longer than the 4 hours he quoted - I did an overnight journey on the sleeper.

 

I got mugged in that big square outside the Hermitage / Winter Palace!

 

Grey and drizzly in Edinburgh this morning.  Hopefully off climbing this evening, indoors, thank heavens!

[AndyB]

I enjoyed the Michael Portillo programme last night - I went to St Petersburg and Moscow in December 1992.  It certainly wasn't as sunny then as when Portillo was there! I took the train between St Petersburg and Moscow, but it took a lot longer than the 4 hours he quoted - I did an overnight journey on the sleeper.

 

I got mugged in that big square outside the Hermitage / Winter Palace!

 

Grey and drizzly in Edinburgh this morning.  Hopefully off climbing this evening, indoors, thank heavens!

 

SWMBO has something of a reputation for travelling the world by train when she was younger. 

(So, that'd be some time ago.   )

 

Anyway one of these trips included Moscow where she (innocently) thought it'd be a nice idea to have a photo taken with a rather large, brick building as a backdrop.  

3 millliseconds later one of the guards outside, what turned out to be Lenin's mausoleum, was moving her along. 

 

Over the years other capital cites and landmarks were added to her travelogue, each accompanied by a now familiar "Move along there.."  

 

I believe the UN once held a debate to see if there were any countries that hadn't "moved her along"   

 

Years later we were in Rome, staying near the Vatican. Now the Vatican looked very impressive by moonlight so we thought we'd go along and have a closer look.  

You got it, 3 milliseconds later...."Mova along there" comes over a loud hailer. "We're closed", wielded by a white-clad gentleman from his balcony above the square. 

For goodness sake. The Vatican? Closed? It wasn't even a public holiday like Christmas or Easter. 

[station cat]

Has she been thrown out of the German parliament?

[Smiffy2]

I got 'moved along' by a guard at Lenin's Tomb - he saw a bulge in my coat (my wallet) and wanted to investigate. Cameras just aren't allowed.

I'm a chunky sort of bloke, but when he moved me I had no choice! 6'6" of Slavic muscle.

 

We also did the Moscow-St Petersburg sleeper. Had the filthiest toilets I've ever seen.

[AndyB]

Has she been thrown out of the German parliament?

Hen weekend? Or a (Reich)stag do?

 

Oh, I already have my coat on this time! 

[The Stationmaster]

Well we've been to Waitrose and I have even been trainspotting and took a photo of a dieseasal.  We've also been to Tescp so deeply concerned by my lack of familiarity with Hud-L or whatever he's called I had a good look in the area that sells that sort of things and actually found a sort of leather case (claimed to be real leather!) which the label said it would be good for a Hudl - but no sign of Hud-L himself so I'm now even more convinced that they probably only sell them in Essex

[skipepsi]

Well we've been to Waitrose and I have even been trainspotting and took a photo of a dieseasal.  We've also been to Tescp so deeply concerned by my lack of familiarity with Hud-L or whatever he's called I had a good look in the area that sells that sort of things and actually found a sort of leather case (claimed to be real leather!) which the label said it would be good for a Hudl - but no sign of Hud-L himself so I'm now even more convinced that they probably only sell them in Essex

No Mike they even display and sell them in Derbyshire . They are what you use to level up the table aren't they.......

[The Lurker]

The poppies were very thought provoking. 888000+ of them

[Ohmisterporter]

There were also many thousands who died of war related injuries in the years after the war but never seem to get included in the official death figures. I shall be thinking of the grandfather I never knew this weekend, killed in May 1918.

 

Enjoy your day folks.