trisonic Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Pete Hows was your Black Friday shopping day? No idea, Ian. Never left the house....Weather was good though. Daughter saw “Misery” on Broadway and met that fine actress Laura “Laurie” Metcalf - I was impressed as she also plays Sheldon’s religious nut Mom on “The Big Bang... Best, Pete. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post NGT6 1315 Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted November 28, 2015 Morning all. Crashed out some time past 2.30 am, so I brewed a pot of Tea, Earl Grey, hot. Some nocturnal impressions from yesterday: 1112 "Seiferts Oscar" on Turn 921 at Thekla… …and at Markkleeberg West. Yes, I played with some image filters! Trams going to sleep at the end of day! Have a good one, everyone… 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 There is one very good thing about Black Friday. It's over. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Morning all and it's a frosty one here. Well there was quite a flurry of activity at work over the last few days so I'm using the quieter weekend to do some training and development work. Hope all attending the Warley show have a great time. Sounds quite a bun fight and large shows are probably not my cup of tea. But I suspect that from previous comments that Pete has made about the dearth of exhibitions on the other side of the pond we should count ourselves lucky. I believe it is pizza tonight whilst the family watch some dance competition. Just to whet your appetite, here's a photo of last weeks apple charlotte. Adding a sprinkling of caster sugar on top of the bread adds a nice caramelised, crunchy texture. And if anyone is looking to find that special homemade gift this Christmas, try making a few of these. Could be a good project for grandparents/grandchildren to do together! Need convincing? Here's a photo. Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for any weight gain you may suffer as a result: James Martin is! 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killybegs Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 It's horrible here today, gales, lashing rain, hail and we've just had a rumble of thunder. At least it's warmer, 6 degC. Yesterday it hovered between 1 and 4 degC. Coming home after dropping Steph off at Derry Airport, I drove through two blizzards, fortunately the snow was wet and not settling. Derry Airport was heaving but I guess that's not unusual for a Friday afternoon. I don't know whether it's the weather or the boats have all filled their quotas for the year, but the harbour is packed at the moment. They will soon all be turning their fishing lights on for Christmas. All I need then is a nice windless clear evening to go down with the camera. The combination of spring tides and gales have meant that we have lost a lot more dunes in the last 24 hours and there were fracture lines 5 metres back from the face of the dunes this morning. A new telescope for birding arrived earlier this week and I have been waiting three days now to try it out. Looking at the forecast, it could be well into next week before this bad weather clears. I can sympathise with exhibitors waiting to get into the hall at Warley. When we were there with Clinkerford, we spent so long in the queue that we thought about pitching a tent! I guess the punters will at least be queuing inside in the dry this morning. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) Morning all from Estuary-Land. Bright and sunny here at the moment but predicted not to last unfortunately. Black Friday seems to have come and gone unnoticed hereabouts, I posted the David Attenborough spoof yesterday and there's got to be one about somewhere based on Hitler, and there is. On the subject of car insurance Jock, not long after the second accident I moved to Burnham-on-Crouch and then I joined the Maldon model railway club. There I met a member who held a very senior position with a major insurance company, he told me the same thing and a bit more besides. He eventually left to run the insurance company's Scottish operations which being a Scot like yourself he was pleased to do. Edited November 28, 2015 by PhilJ W 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emt_911 Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Morning all. Late on parade after a lie-in that was definitely needed. I do feel that more coffee than normal is required though. A dry start and hopefully it will stay that way as I need to sort out the back of the van and do a bit of shopping. I may even get some modelling done today. I hope that all those attending Wareley enjoy the show. Have a good day everyone 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 28, 2015 Don't worry DD. Apparently Black Friday has been extended until after Christmas. I hope all those exhibiting,demonstrating and visiting the NEC have an enjoyable time. Tony I have never been to Warley and like you hope that people do have an enjoyable time. However, I don't think I have ever read of anyone actually saying that they have enjoyed it. It seems to be an annual whinge fest with people queueing up to say how awful it is, for what seems to be an endless list of reasons. I wonder why people go if it's the unpleasant ordeal that so many claim it is. Perhaps railway modellers just like a good moan. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 28, 2015 Perhaps railway modellers just like a good moan. Never! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runs as required Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) I posted the David Attenborough spoof yesterday and there's got to be one about somewhere based on Hitler, and there is. Interesting - there's been a Geordie version of 'Downfall' circulating since 2009 about Hitler buying the 'wrang hoos' as Gateshead rationalised its secondary schools here I imagine the clip exists as an app that clever souls can add text subtitles to. dh ED syntax Edited November 28, 2015 by runs as required 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) A quick trip to the (local) shops this morning (Farmfoods/Lidl/More reasons) together with the thought that it is clucking fold - Got back into the car and realised that the snow line on the local Bens is at around 75 meters which is only around 40' above where we live - here it persisteth in large quantities. I suspect this is set to continue throughout the weekend - that will put an end to further expeditions! May your day proceed expeditiously and in the manner you would like it to - may those exhibiting have a gremlin-free day Edited November 28, 2015 by shortliner 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 28, 2015 We seem to be back after over 2 1/2 hours of 502 bad gateway. The servers must have overloaded under the torrent of posts from Warley. Or not. Wet here with a cold breeze. Unfortunately I have to go out shortly, or I would stay in the relative warmth with my paracetamol and Strepsils. I watched a hilarious sci-fi movie the other night, Iron Sky, about a colony of Nazis that hid on the moon since 1945 and developed spacecraft to attack earth. It included a brief Downfall parody featuring the gung-ho female aide to the president, herself a Sarah Palin look-alike. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D35tR_cR0ww (language warning). It referenced other movies as well including Dr Strangelove. Have a good day, stay dry and warm. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Morning all. Early start today. Building inspector arrived at 8.30am to check and sign off our replacement French Doors. Smacks a bit of 'jobs for the boys' as I need a certificate from the Powers to be to say they have been installed in line with all the regs if ever we should sell the house. Kerching! £90, thank you very much....... Then it was off to the wood yard for some more 12mm ply and 6mm MDF sheet. Another £125 bit the dust. Picked up prescriptions which were free and then off to do my Mum's shopping. Just back and now hoping to do some more work on ET. If you haven't read this thread, it's worth a look. Seems criminals are getting more and more sophisticated. Just be careful and trust no one..... Apologies guys, got halfway through this post an few hours ago and must have pressed the wrong button as the site crashed... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/105491-a-fool-and-his-money/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Finally we're an all Apple household - the new Mac is doing things to set itself up and I'm about to start cooking and freezing some meals. Several thousand email messages are downloading - so now it's a mega deleting spree. Having Ben PC boutnd for a number of years I'm pleased how simple and intuitive Apple have made the process. My first Mac was a 1984 version (that still works) so it's good to see the original design precepts are still being adhered to. Posting this on the iPad as the Mac is still playing. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) There is one very good thing about Black Friday. It's over. Unfortunately not so here in the US!Depending on the store, my continuing email barrage informs me there are still 2-3-4 or in some cases even MORE days left to enjoy (dubious statement) Black Friday Savings. On a positive note, it may have been a slightly more reasonable day yesterday as I've not seen any stampede, bun fights and/or serious injuries reported at Malls around the country, yet. Maybe I just missed them though <sigh> Edited November 28, 2015 by Ian Abel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iL Dottore Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) Greetings, sensation seekers (and to those who enquired as to my absence, thank you for your concern). I have been dipping in and out of RMWebb but not posting because I'm afraid I had been quite out of sorts until recently (incidentally, my congratulations and commiserations – as the case may be – to all the posters on ER over the last week or two). Post surgical recovery had gone a bit backwards 3 months on: due to soft tissue pain and discomfort around the surgical site (including the incision site and resulting keloid scar) I hadn't been moving and ended up with a degree of muscle atrophy (perfectly "normal" given the circumstances) along with significant fatigue/exhaustion and a deep ennui (let's put it this way: with a couple of tabs of speed and a case of Irn-Bru inside me I might have been able to muster enough energy to be comatosely apathetic). Pretty much everything ground to a halt (including my modelling) and it was only the Wolfpack who kept me from going completely doolally. It's hard to wallow too deep in self-pity and the "woe is me" when there are dogs to walk and feed. That and the dog walker with whom, I found, I share a love of the same music and by pushing me to pick up the guitar again provided me a much needed KITA (kick in the a**e). Then the 4 month check up by the surgeon on Thursday turned out quite well: the surgeon was most happy with the radiology results, CRP and my maximum range of motion, which cheered me up a bit. As for the soft tissue pain and discomfort, alas this was – as is a surgeon's wont – dismissed with "it's normal. it'll pass" (doncha just love surgeons...). So feeling somewhat better in myself. Now, back to the dog walker. Finding out that we have a similar taste in music and that we both play (she has some nice gear: a Fender CD-60 cutaway electro acoustic and a Fender Squier Strat [a "Classic Vibe" model, I think], a Roland Micro Cube 5W practice amp and a Roland 15w amp) we have jammed a few times. Unfortunately, although I am rusty, I think that I am the more knowledgeable (not better) guitarist; certainly things like tabs, alternative tunings, hammer-ons and pull-offs (amongst others things) are unfamiliar to her. Which is, alas, most unfortunate: how, pray tell, does one educate a lady guitarist about pull-offs, slapping or spanking* in German without being misunderstood..... Still, jamming together has been beneficial, a lot of fun and we are slowly assembling a short list of songs we want to play together, one of which is Big Audio Dynamite's The Bottom Line. And thus to a question to our resident Pro Muso: Signor Trisonic. Pete; Mick Jones plays a Bond Electraglide on The Bottom Line, he also has the guitar feeding through a number of effects – I think he uses echo and reverb, but what else? Any pointers (and suggested settings???) would be most gratefully received. Now, back to Model Railways: Bill was of the opinion that I would be on my way to Warley and indeed that would have been the normal course of events, but alas for the past three exhibitions I have had to take a pass, for various reasons. Like many I have very mixed feelings about the show. A huge venue like the NEC requires a significant investment in order to hold a professional show (carpet underfoot, great lighting rigs, sufficient space for the stand and stand visitors, etc., etc.) and the (mostly) amateur and low budget nature of the Warley show does become evident at the NEC. From what I know from my marketing colleagues regarding setting up a stand at a conference (an undertaking very much along the lines of a show) an awful lot of money is invested in lighting, footprint, ambience. etc for each stand. And the same level of investment, if not more, also seems to be the case at Motorcycle Shows and Motor Shows – such as the Geneva Motor show. With one or two honourable exceptions, most layouts and vendor's stands at the Warley show come nowhere near to the level of investment in their infrastructure required to show off their layouts/wares to the best effect in such a cavernous environment. However, most do manage to invest in a good enough lighting rig so that the punters can at least see what they came to see/buy. However, to be fair, I would assume that what VW or BMW lay out for one stand at the Geneva motor show to show off their latest vehicles in the best way possible could pay for the Warley show many, many times over. The positive side to Warley for me was meeting the usual suspects (many of them inmates of this particular forum) and renewing acquaintances, learning new things from demonstrators and fellow RMWebbers (ChrisF of this parish introduced me, at Warley, to the pleasure of sipping a serious cider over ice), seeing some superb layouts, buying much needed supplies (although I have noticed that – over the years – the number of highly specialised traders present at the show has been slowly decreasing) and – until he left Hornby – my regular Saturday evening post-show drink with Simon Kohler. After having braved the early morning commute from Birmingham to the NEC for the first few shows I attended, I eventually settled on staying at the Novotel at the airport. Booked far enough ahead, it's relatively inexpensive to get a decent room with breakfast included. Nonetheless, all told, the Warley show is now an expensive adventure for me, but I do miss it. I hope I'll make it in 2016. I am most pleased to learn that Jock has been given the all clear for further treatment and I wish him the very best for his hernia repair (inguinal? trans abdominal preperitoneal? totally extraperitoneal? open?). One hopes that the surgical team will permit Jock's concomitant treatment (Single Malt Whiskey, Minimum 12 years old, 50mL prn up to q.i.d.) to continue immediately post-op. Whilst on the subject of alcoholic beverages, may I recommend to the denizens of ER The Negroni. First concocted by a bartender in Florence for Count Camillo Negroni who wanted a drink "with balls". It's a simple recipe: 1 measure Gin (I use Gordon's) 1 measure Campari, 1 measure sweet Vermouth (I use Martini & Rossi, but Cinzano is also good), shake over ice (some recipes say stir, I shake), pour into a glass, add no more than two ice cubes and garnish with either a strip of orange zest (peel) or a wedge of orange (my preference). Sip slowly whilst admiring le belle donne (or i signori distinti [in the case of Debs, Sherry and Polly]). WARNING. The Negroni is VERY, VERY, VERY more-ish!!! And on that alcoholic note, I bid you a wonderful weekend. iD * and now that you have promptly jumped to the wrong conclusion may I point out that slapping and spanking are styles of bass guitar playing. Edited November 28, 2015 by iL Dottore 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Unfortunately not so here in the US! Depending on the store, my continuing email barrage informs me there are still 2-3-4 or in some cases even MORE days left to enjoy (dubious statement) Black Friday Savings. On a positive note, it may have been a slightly more reasonable day yesterday as I've not seen any stampede, bun fights and/or serious injuries reported at Malls around the country, yet. Maybe I just missed them though <sigh> According to the lunchtime Radio4 BBC news - it has been dropped by many US retail stores - takings in UK retail were carp, and only internet traders did well - Amazon profits were superb they say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Afternoon all and some excellent customer service to report. Mum's central heating boiler has been playing up, requiring endless "resets". A simple enough procedure - pressing one button - but a 10 mile round trip. Having done this a few times I decided to call out British Gas (other suppliers are available). First question was "Is she vulnerable?" Well, yes, I suppose she is. The response was instant and helpful, with assurances they would be at her address by 18:00. Roughly 1-hour from the time of my call the engineer phoned to say he was at the property. Now, at present I don't know what remedial action he did to the boiler, but you can't fault them for attentiveness. 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 According to the lunchtime Radio4 BBC news - it has been dropped by many US retail stores - takings in UK retail were carp, and only internet traders did well - Amazon profits were superb they say. Unfortunately a bit of a stretch of the imagination I'm afraid. It's only been dropped by a very small number of retail stores - probably counted on one hand, and probably those who saw no significant sales anyway according to retail observers. A couple of prominent places actually DID NOT OPEN Black Friday, choosing instead to give they staff the day off, well done them. For the rest, though, it was business as usual, in spite of general suggestions that folks are spending less and tiring of it. Our local rag still had photos of lines (nay HOARDES) of idiots early shoppers queuing in sub-zero C temperatures waiting to get the "door buster specials"! They even had the CEO of Best Buy (they're headquartered here p!@#$ssing distance from where I live) at their flagship store, standing on a counter giving a rah-rah speech to the "enthusiastic" staff ahead of the Thanksgiving evening opening <sigh> I'm getting lost now as to how many folks still don't HAVE a flat-screen TV that they all seem to be waiting to buy at a heavy discount after all the years they've been a prime Black Friday item. In other news, I spent Black Friday working on two Ratio SR 12' BOX vans with plywood sides. I rather like the Ratio kits, and with the addition of some decent wheels, this time Bachmann three hole, they are rather pleasant. I do have one rant though, it'd be rather nice if they upped their game slightly and started adding some decent registration marks on the parts - I'd expect starting out modelers to get frustrated trying to build these things with scant instructions/diagrams and nothing in the way of locators/guides/squaring suggestions to really help them out. This particular kit is also missing one instruction - they forget to mention installing the ROOF! Wonder how they've continued to miss THAT item in the years this has been in production Will be painting the sub-structures, i.e. chassis, completed body and separate roof today, before final assembly. That and some more relaxing with Mrs and Jemma should suit the day. -10 sunny and definitely BRISK first thing, still -8 at 11AM, expecting zero for a high. Part of me wishes I was at Warley, would like to experience that event once at least - hope all there have fun. 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) Evening al, To Warley I have been, and returned - the latter being a heavily cockwomblised process firstly behind a queue of them leaving me standing in the rain while they got on the train at a pace a snail could have beaten and in several cases without first looking to see which bit they were getting into, that was all somewhat compensated by a top notch Guard (or whatever the job is called this week) who quickly did his ticket check, then took the tea orders, then supplied the tea, then came round with the slices of fruit cake & packets of nuts, good service and smart work from him at stations too. Things went slightly backwards with the idiot car park machine at Reading (it was no good at reading my credit card) but then took a giant leap into cockwomble paradise following a colony of motorised snails on the road home from Reading - yet again leaving me failing to understand why people go out in a car in the dark if they can't s*ddin' well drive in the dark and are unable to pass someone going in the opposite direction without standing on their brakes. Oh the show - great chance to chat with numerous people including several of this parish and all good stuff although not nice to see baz suffering from his neuralgia, nice chat with Mick (NewBryford) who was strangely short of yellow vehicles, long chat with Jamie about Green Ayre and all sorts of other things, and with various other RMweb folk and a few magazine people plus one or two traders and at one layout - Ian (Roundhouse wasn't there when I visited but we nearly collided later in a crowded aisle). I love and hate Warley - its great for meeting people (except the 13.00 meet at Wetherspoons for which only two of us arrived ) and very useful to talk to a number of RMweb demonstrators cos you can learn and they're nice people (best part of the show I'm increasingly thinking - well done Baz and co); useful for shopping only if you have carefully planned your course and shopping list in advance; very mixed for layouts as it's often difficult to actually get to them; sometimes carp for moving around as it gets crowded; abysmally mucky and ill-kempt gents toilet; but I actually found some reasonable catering - that made a change; as ever it's too big a show to see it all/fight your way to in a day and that is its biggest handicap; expensive as a show - but that's hardly surprising and not begrudged. Family were guessing at how many people would greet me by saying 'hello Mike' - the answer was merely 4 but one (who is not on ERs) actually greeted me by my real surname and then proceeded to try to estimate when it was that we last met (I have checked and the modelling text book we were both involved in contributing to was published 19 years ago so our guess of 20 years wasn't far out). And apologies to those I missed such as the one in that muddy hollow somewhere in a corner I didn't have time to explore. Overall, despite the surfeits of cockwombles in various places, it was a good day out - I spent less than a fiver on modelling 'stuff', bought a couple of Bachmann PMVs, and bought several books which can go to various family members to give to me as Christmas pressies plus others I am funding myself. Feet tired and well done in, wallet slightly thinner, bank account also slightly lighter - and now curry for dinner. Enjoy the rest of the day folks Edited November 28, 2015 by The Stationmaster 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 28, 2015 There is one very good thing about Black Friday. It's over. This reminds me of the quote from a chap nearly a century ago, that the only good thing about Boston was the 5 o'clock train back to New York. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted November 28, 2015 Share Posted November 28, 2015 Posting this on the iPad as the Mac is still playing. And now posting on the Mac I knew the whole Mac thing was going to be easier, but just how much easier is astonishing. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 28, 2015 Ah, iD, I recognise your malaise only too well. Funny how surgeons dismiss post-operative pain isn't it - not. Still not sure I would ever go to Warley, but I SO miss exhibitions both sides of the barriers. Dr Who seems to have finally lost it aswell, tripe on the box as I type! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium southern42 Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 28, 2015 ' Evening all from red dragon land. Back from Warley. Cracking show. Thanks everybody. Off now to download some photos. Back soon...er....or later. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted November 28, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 28, 2015 Just digested the Warley news - has DJM been victim of industrial espionage? King, 73, Q6..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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