Coombe Barton

... in my time at the university I’ve probably given about a thousand lectures and two and a half thousand seminars and workshops ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/26/covid-by-age-comparing-other-infections-writing-the-handover-lecture-six-thousand-hours-of-boring-people/

I'm passing on my knowledge - after July I will not have the responsibility. My reasons for doing this are to warn people and it will be in the presence of two senior members of the faculty who have an interest. I'm retiring - I can make these sort of comments :)

These are the last two slides from my presentation passing on my knowledge on Monday The pic is from the car park at Sennen Cove last summer during Storm Antoni. The photobombing seagull was quite fortuitous.

Shopping I will use direct scanning for shopping - I only handle twice, once into the bag and once at home putting away - rather then quadruple handling (out of basket, through checkout and into bag as extra. I use the store scanners - not my phone. The phone is for a list, and switching between that and a scanner app is not for me. I go to the supermarket - it will get me out of the house at least once week once I retire. I also like to see what I;mn getting in the fresh and allows me to make a physical choice. I also use the visit to fill up with fuel. I will use delivery services when I become too infirm to do the physical shop.

Sainsbury's says almost everyone now shops in store https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68895280

... Today was my last timetabled teaching session ... I have now switched off all the alarms for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/25/flu-down-covid-up-a-tree-for-the-whole-millennium-ai-and-photography-last-timetabled-teaching/

... The Open University was 55 yesterday. Many of us early adopters will remember the broadcast programmes on BBC2. And the kipper ties. ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/24/pandemic-affected-education-turning-up-would-be-good/

Been awake since half four - feeling knackered already

... If people demand the freedom to smoke, then I demand the freedom not to be assaulted by their by-products. ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/23/is-cigarette-cost-a-deterrent-to-smoking-and-the-faithful-few/

Just getting ready to start my last week of timetable teaching. At least: The road out of town has reopened, having be shut for power line replacement fir a couple of weeks It's not raining It's not frosty But I'm sure that something will come along ...

Britain was completely unpopulated until about 10,000 years ago, so the people who walked were the Mesolithic strand lopers, who were supplanted largely by the people bringing agriculture - and they came in boats as the Channel had by that time reformed.

... We. Are. All. Descended. From. People. In. Boats. ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/22/covid-different-trends-look-from-a-different-angle-admin-taking-a-long-time/

Trying to get my rear end in gear to do some work Not succeeding.

... people with disabilities aren’t seen as having value of that sort? I can think of one person who sometimes reads this blog who would have rather a lot to say about that ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/21/respiratory-infections-inhumanity-all-round-rip-sir-andrew-davis/

Me too - it's usually hiding in plain sight!

Or for those of us with the technology the pain of having to install their spyware app for a one-off use.

Thought it was Penzance, not Camborne Station :)

... 40 years ago this weekend moved into this house. Must get it sorted. ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/20/the-next-pandemic-im-more-of-a-luddite-domestics/

I'll have to try it in the summer.

Leicester is rated the native curry capital, not over influenced by 'interpretations'. However the best curry place I know is the Taj Mahal in Penzance. None of these are 'posh', just serving superb food. Other nationalities specialities I don't really know about, but they certainly exist outside Maggie's Girdle (the M25). When I used to travel for work I used a lot of different eateries, and really didn't have a bad experience. However, I'm not hyper critical. Nowadays it's just me, so I'm not out much, preferring my own company.

From WhatsApp to Greggs - why is tech going down more? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cxrz350qyy5o

... I have spent all day on record checking and correcting. I’m ready for the weekend! So ready! ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/19/the-various-viruses-im-a-luddite-record-checking/

... from author Joanna Maciejewska. You know what the biggest problem with pushing all-things-AI is? Wrong direction. I want AI to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes. ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/18/covid-up-again-and-flu-down-a-wish-for-ai/

... if students devoted as much creativity to the task of producing assessments as they seem to do producing excuses they wouldn’t generate the problems for themselves that they do ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/17/who-drives-the-vindictive-more-vivas-local-history/

... Small and select group turned up today. I still have never seen five students (of 70) in this cohort. We’re in week 11 of 12. ... https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/16/age-related-covid-susceptibility-a-possible-explanation-chris-whitty-on-tobacco-and-vapes-bill-absence-of-students/