Early Risers.

[TheQ]

47 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

Afternoon. On our long walk of the week.

I think it's the first time that we have walked over the M25.

 

I love this humourous thread on FB

 

https://newsthump.com/2020/07/24/eight-dead-as-anti-facemask-campaigners-suffocate-during-weekly-shop-at-tesco/

unfortunately the anti vaxers etc will now be quoting that as "evidence"

[Coombe Barton]

1 minute ago, TheQ said:

unfortunately the anti vaxers etc will now be quoting that as "evidence"

Think I'll take a stance.

If I meet a conspiracy theorist, flat earther or anti-vaxxer from now on I'll ask to take their photo.

If they ask why, so that I can say "I want to record what a complete idiot looks like".

[New Haven Neil]

I work with one - you can't argue with him, there's only his point to consider.  I'm told this is a psychotic condition, by someone who understands and practices in these matters, and an extension of the human will to survive and deny death.  Or something like that anyway!  Way over my head.

[Gwiwer]

3 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Just got back from Sainsbury's

 

Everyone was wearing a mask.

 

Just a question ...

 

What was so difficult about doing it last week?

Nothing.  Except it wasn't required so it wasn't being done.  

 

On the Home Front the number of customers passengers through the House of Fun has risen again this week and noticeably so today but remains at around just 20-25% of normal July holiday levels.  We estimate face-covering compliance is around 95%; what changed today is the requirement (previously not a requirement) to be covered when in enclosed areas of railway stations such as booking halls, bridges and subways.  On open-air platforms it remains your choice though many people are wearing maskage and most of those are correctly worn.  That's good enough for me.  

 

What isn't good enough for me is that my employer decided yesterday, in response to Twittered comments and photos, that the sunflower lanyard may no longer be worn at work.  It may be worn by staff travelling to and from work on trains but not at work.  Quite why has not been explained and neither has any explanation been forthcoming as to why an internationally-known identifier used by (among others) disabled people is now banned.  I have submitted an enquiry to the relevant person under the company anti-discrimination policy.  I am permitted to wear the "exempt" badge still but not the lanyard which holds it ......... 

 

In other news and knowing that logic and railways seldom sit comfortably together I was approached by a couple who alighted from the Alton train.  They approached me with puzzled looks and the words "We think we got on the wrong train.  We want Alton Towers but it doesn't say it stops there".  "Alton Towers?" "Yeah - we're going to Alton Towers ........."  

 

I can see the reasoning.  Alton train - Alton Towers.  But nowhere does anything suggest Alton Towers might be in Alton, Ampsheer.  I referred them to platform 17 for the Milton Keynes train and advised they change there for Stoke on Trent.  And buy a new ticket first because a return to Alton won't get them where they want to be.  I suspect they just went home.  

 

SWMBO is away at the tooth wrangler and has an hour booked for some angle-grinding and Milliputting.  I'll be on hand when she gets back in case there's stress from being on a train and discomfort from being orally interfered with.  Until then it's Muggercoffy time; after then it will be Friday Drinks time.  

Edited July 24, 2020 by Gwiwer

[Barry O]

Rick

 

something similar happens at Leeds Railway Station.. it goes

 

"how do we get to the Castle?"

 

" try going back to London go towards Kent"

 

Baz

[Compound2632]

4 minutes ago, Barry O said:

something similar happens at Leeds Railway Station.. it goes

 

A considerably more expensive an time-consuming mistake...

 

(Well, possibly not more time-consuming. How long does it take to get from Waterloo to Alton? Plus factor in the longer journey from Romford to Waterloo than Kings Cross.)

[J. S. Bach]

2 hours ago, roundhouse said:

I love this humourous thread on FB

https://newsthump.com/2020/07/24/eight-dead-as-anti-facemask-campaigners-suffocate-during-weekly-shop-at-tesco/

That reminded me of TW3.

[Florence Locomotive Works]

8 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Yes, it does sound like a string trimmer;  the plastic cutter isn't the problem - it's the part that the cutter clips onto that seems to fail.  And judging by the Amazon reviews and the number of spares sold on Ebay it does appear to be all too common.  Buy cheap, get cr@p.  One of these days she might just learn to ask me "what do you think of this?" before she clicks "Buy".....

Fabricating one out of aluminium and then bolting it to the existing part would work - though keeping it all in balance could be a problem, otherwise the bearings would protest - as would the user with the vibrations.  If it were mine then I'd be inclined to go this route, but as someone else would be using it the thought of bits of ally flying off puts me off a little.....

 

 

I got an O-Level Grade C (i.e. ok) in Chemistry at 16; a large lump of the exam was multiple choice questions, some of which I knew the answers to.  The rest of the answers were based on "I haven't had an Answer B lately - I'll try one of those".  Job done.

Incidentally, I asked a fairly recently retired school chemistry teacher how kids are leaving school with ten 0-Levels (in my day 5 was hard work at age 16).  Seems they now teach the kids to pass the exam, and not teach the subject.  There's a flaw in that plan......

"Two plus three equals?"  "Five!"

"Three plus two equals?"  "Er, dunno...."

 

 

Whatever happened to puncture repair outfits.....

 

 

Did the orthodontist (aka dentist) mention just how you are to "stay healthy" when presumably eating sounds like it could be tricky?

One removes the bands before eating.

[Gwiwer]

18 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

That reminded me of TW3.

Not in Whitton, surely?  

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Morning all,

 

The pain has set in overnight. To give one an idea, its like having a set of pliers twisting on every single one of your teeth for around 3 days. So now all I can eat is what we in the states call "apple sauce", which is ground up apples, cinnamon, and a few other things like sugar. The bands are a bit of a novelty, I can play what sounds to me like a "C" note on the left had one .  One good thing is I get to have quite a few milkshakes as a result of inability to eat solid food for 56 hours. Moan finished.

 

Went down to the new High School about two days ago for a tour, which was interesting but as it was only the outside areas, I already new most of what they said. The interior one should be much more helpful, whenever said tour is.

 

As always, stay healthy,

 

Douglas

[Coombe Barton]

Interview process for delivery drivers.

 

"Did you play 'Postman's Knock' as a kid?

 

"Yes"

 

"Ok, you've got the job."

[Ian Abel]

12 hours ago, pH said:

Apparently 1.30 pm on a Thursday afternoon EVER is not the time to go shopping at Costco - who knew?

[TheQ]

And tying into Barton Broads  Coombe Barton 's statement,  the mystery tour of the now arrived bottle of wood bleach. 

Leigh on sea..  Distance from home 120 miles

Chelmsford, distance from home 100 miles 

Norwich,  distance from home  25 miles 

Attleborough distance from home 40 miles 

Norwich distance from home 25 miles 

Norwich distance from home 25 miles 

Stalham distance from home  5 miles 

Stalham distance from home 5 miles 

Acle distance from home 15 miles 

 

Delivered.. 

 

I note what used to be called post office tracking... Is now called post office track and trace.. Now where did they get that from? 

 

In that vein,  mask wearing at TES and Co about 80% including some staff who hadn't been wearing them before. 

 

[roundhouse]

After 11 miles walking we arrived at the Red Lion in Betchworth. Its a lovely pub and the best pint to that point, Pilgrim Progress. Also handy for the bus stop outside but the last bus is at 16.36. Luckily only a few minutes face mask wearing to Reigate but at £9 for the two of us... Ouch.

 

Now having the best pint of the day in Pilgrim brewery. Their Saracen Stout is superb. Best beer in the whole area these days.

Edited July 24, 2020 by roundhouse

[The Lurker]

Greetings all from Sidcup.

 

I have been mainly busy this week but did find time to celebrate another circle of the sun on Wednesday, without having to work that day!.

 

I have not had any chance to catch up the many pages since i last posted but I for one would rather read about "sick note" than "love sick".

 

There is room for lots of different topics in ERs, there has always been a whimsical side to many of the posts that is the most enjoyable part of the thread, so don't leave us Tony!

 

and wit that it's tea time!

[Ian Abel]

<steps nervously into ER...>

POETS everyone!

 

Whelp...

I visit ERs for the true sense of community afforded by (almost) everyone. That always and SURELY includes how folks and their families/friends are doing, physically, mentally and otherwise. 

Friendships, even virtual ones, don't need to be and IMHO (EMPHASIS) shouldn't be limited to hearing how wonderful life is and what you've acquired, the fabulous places you've visited and just how jolly excellent a life you have!

 

On this one way trip of life we're going to have down moments, illnesses, unfortunate and also tragic events, that cry out for empathy, a friendly word, and assurance that "this too shall pass", even if it means you will possibly be changed forever. You can still be the person you are, and can still appreciate all that life hands you and accept (maybe grudgingly) that it's not always roses.

 

I was absent for a couple of weeks (yeah, sorry 81C I was ailing - how annoying/inconsiderate of me!!) and couldn't manage to get to the PC for my daily fix. Not ONE day went by that I missed hearing the simplest of reports, that someone went shopping, had an ache, GDB bumped into something , fixed something, or just said hi.

It'll NEVER be a waste of time for me, or something I do just because I've nothing better to do, there's not anything "better" than friendships.

Thank you Baz for checking in with me on Facebook 

 

I've had the pleasure of meeting a couple of ERs and wish/hope this current pandemic lessens so I can once again travel and then hopefully meet more ER friends.

 

SPECIAL NOTE - there follows the daily mundane report - including HORRORS, a statement of my health/recovering process, please, PLEASE set me on ignore if you're not interested 

 

The Long Island client is ramping up again, no surprise as they have implemented HR/Payroll and now need to get all that carp reported in their financials!

 

Work continues to restore our basement, the Mrs out getting paint as we speak,

I'm still hobbling, but also slowly recovering best I can tell.

 

Tonight we're looking forward to watching the first Twins game of the shortened season - we enjoy baseball, are fans but not fanatics

 

Warm and getting warmer here with a steamy 33 expected and low 30s with thunderstorms over the weekend.

 

Let's hear it for all our ER friends, Tony, GDB, let us know how you're doing, we're here...

 

Summon the courage to have a good weekend all

[Ian Abel]

33 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

I have been mainly busy this week but did find time to celebrate another circle of the sun on Wednesday, without having to work that day!.

Happy belated birthday

[Barry O]

belated Happy Birthday wishes Lurker.

 

As it happens we may not see a post from said person for a while on here.. fell foul of the mods.. and we don't  upset them do we?

 

Feels very close here - thunder storm could be coming along. If it rains the way it says it will I could be in for a very squelchy game tomorrow..Frabjoy!! err not!

 

Glad to hear you are feeling better Ian A. I must be going daft.. I can now tell Jet2s Boing 737-8s from their other earlier Boings from the engine sounds...I need to regain my senses...

 

Baz

Edited July 24, 2020 by Barry O

[pH]

11 hours ago, polybear said:

Yes, it does sound like a string trimmer;  the plastic cutter isn't the problem - it's the part that the cutter clips onto that seems to fail.  And judging by the Amazon reviews and the number of spares sold on Ebay it does appear to be all too common.  Buy cheap, get cr@p. 

Not necessarily. I bought an electric strimmer - a ‘good’ brand and not cheap. I’ve just replaced it, with the motor and drive still in great shape. However - the front handle broke early on, there was no replacement available, so from then on I had to hold on to the shaft. Then the trigger broke, again no replacement. I found one on e-bay that looked like it, and with a bit of surgery it fitted. A couple of years later I had to replace the trigger again. Finally, the spool holding the filament started to break up. Patching it kept it going for another year or so before complete disintegration. As I said, the motor and drive were great, it was all the little things that failed.

 

 

11 hours ago, polybear said:

I got an O-Level Grade C (i.e. ok) in Chemistry at 16; a large lump of the exam was multiple choice questions, some of which I knew the answers to.  The rest of the answers were based on "I haven't had an Answer B lately - I'll try one of those".  Job done.

 

 

I once heard a lecturer, making up a multiple choice exam, say “It’s _ _ _ hard thinking up three wrong answers!”. (There is a word missing - “plausible”.)

 

11 hours ago, polybear said:

Seems they now teach the kids to pass the exam, and not teach the subject. 

 

 

Playing the game by the rules! Teachers/schools are judged by exam successes of their pupils. Pupils get to progress based on exam results. Why would they do otherwise? (Rhetorical question.)

[Coombe Barton]

46 minutes ago, pH said:

I once heard a lecturer, making up a multiple choice exam, say “It’s _ _ _ hard thinking up three wrong answers!”. (There is a word missing - “plausible”.)

You include some obviously wrong answesr in a multiple choice quizzes so that your poorer students have a little bit of a boost by being able to spot them - they think they've got somewhere and it encourages them to search more.

 

However it's amazing how many responses say that those obviously wrong answers are right.

If this happened I delve deeper and find that someone has transmitted that "Question 1 the answer is D."

This, however, does not take into account that I've randomised both the order of the questions and the order of the answers. Some questions come from a question bank, which has, say, four or five similar questions of which one or two are randomly selected for each student.

 

RTFQ ***applies.

 

 

*** Read The Flamin' Question, or something like that.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2020 by Coombe Barton

[Andrew P]

2 hours ago, The Lurker said:

Greetings all from Sidcup.

 

I have been mainly busy this week but did find time to celebrate another circle of the sun on Wednesday, without having to work that day!.

 

I have not had any chance to catch up the many pages since i last posted but I for one would rather read about "sick note" than "love sick".

 

There is room for lots of different topics in ERs, there has always been a whimsical side to many of the posts that is the most enjoyable part of the thread, so don't leave us Tony!

 

and wit that it's tea time!

Happy belated Birthday Lurker

[BokStein]

 

A few years back, I presented for PAT Certification.IIRC, I scored 29/30 in a multiple choice test. (I won't compare it to the older scenario referred to as Exams!)

 

32 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

You include some obviously wrong answesr in a multiple choice quizzes so that your poorer students have a little bit of a boost by being able to spot them - they think they've got somewhere and it encourages them to search more.

 

However it's amazing how many responses say that those obviously wrong answers are right.

If this happened I delve deeper and find that someone has transmitted that "Question 1 the answer is D."

This, however, does not take into account that I've randomised both the order of the questions and the order of the answers. Some questions come from a question bank, which has, say, four or five similar questions of which one or two are randomly selected for each student.

 

RTFQ ***applies.

 

 

*** Read The Flamin' Question, or something like that.

 

RTFQ, akin with RTFM seem to be the bain of our lives. There is a well known post from a helpline about a customer problem.

 

If I may quote from an external source:

 

“Word Perfect Technical support; may I help you?”

“Yes, well, I’m having trouble with WordPerfect.”

“What sort of trouble?”

“Well, I was just typing along, and all of a sudden the words went away.”

“Went away?”

“They disappeared.”

“Hmm. So what does your screen look like now?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“It’s blank; it won’t accept anything when I type.”

“Are you still in WordPerfect, or did you get out?”

“How do I tell?”

“Can you see the C: prompt on the screen?”

“What’s a sea-prompt?”

“Never mind. Can you move the cursor around on the screen?”

“There isn’t any cursor: I told you, it won’t accept anything I type.”

“Does your monitor have a power indicator?”

“What’s a monitor?”

“It’s the thing with the screen on it that looks like a TV. Does it have a little light that tells you when it’s on?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, then look on the back of the monitor and find where the power cord goes into it. Can you see that?”

…..”Yes, I think so.”

“Great! Follow the cord to the plug, and tell me if it’s plugged into the wall.”

…..”Yes, it is.”

“When you were behind the monitor, did you notice that there were two cables plugged into the back of it, not just one?”

“No.”

“Well, there are. I need you to look back there again and find the other cable.”

…..”Okay, here it is.”

“Follow it for me, and tell me if it’s plugged securely into the back of your computer.”

“I can’t reach it.”

“Uh huh. Well, can you see if it is?”

“No.”

“Even if you maybe put your knee on something and lean way over?”

“Oh, it’s not because I don’t have the right angle-it’s because it’s dark.”

“Dark?”

“Yes-the office light is off, and the only light I have is coming in from the window.”

“Well, turn on the office light then.”

“I can’t.”

“No? Why not?”

“Because there’s a power outage.”

“A power… A power outage? Aha! Okay, we’ve got it licked now. Do you still have the boxes and manuals and packing stuff your computer came in?”

“Well, yes. I keep them in the closet.”

“Good! Go get them and unplug your system and pack it up just like it was when you got it. Then take it back to the store you bought it from.”

“Really! Is it that bad?”

“Yes, I’m afraid it is.”

“Well, all right then, I suppose. What do I tell them?”

“Tell them you’re too stupid to own a computer.”

 

Who hasn't read this before?

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. There's still some light so it must be afternoon. Arthur Itis has been playing a tune for most of the day making it difficult to concentrate so I took a bit of eyelid inspection. As a result nothing got done in the garden today, using the weedkiller was a bit doubtful anyway as its been a bit breezy.

6 hours ago, Coombe Barton said:

Think I'll take a stance.

If I meet a conspiracy theorist, flat earther or anti-vaxxer from now on I'll ask to take their photo.

If they ask why, so that I can say "I want to record what a complete idiot looks like".

I would add a few others to that list but I'd be verging on the political/religious.

Happy birthday Lurker for last Wednesday.

 

[tigerburnie]

Some people in this day and age seem to think they are more important than they are, some seem to think their opinion is the only one that needs to be heard, I ignore those people and continue on my own way, it irritates the hell out of them usually. Long live the ER's irrational look into peoples lives, long may people continue to post what they think is part of their day they like to share, some times a burden shared is a burden lessened, I think of this place as a virtual listening ear, even if no-one is actually listening.

[Tony_S]

Evening all.

Thanks for the comments and messages. 
I mentioned getting a new phone a few days ago. It arrived and all has been transferred to it now. Really easy. The number exchange onto the new sim took about a minute.

Now watching Sleeping Beauty ballet  from Covent Garden on YouTube. I actually recognise quite a few of the tunes. I don’t think I have been subject to so much culture ever before. I mentioned to Aditi that pre Covid I didn’t even really like musicals and I have watched about a dozen operas online with her  recently. 
Tony