Early Risers.

[laurenceb]

Night all

[AndyID]

 

Are potatoes electrically conductive? Best check the light switch is truly "off", first. I didn't, once, and the sensation of 240v AC going through to ground was, errm, shocking....

 

I believe they are highly conductive so It would be best to power-off first. (IIRC it's possible to cook them by inserting two electrodes and applying a voltage - do not attempt this at home.) We only have the wimpy 120V in our light bulbs here. In theory it's four times less likely to do you in than 240V, but it's still bl00dy painful.

[Gwiwer]

 

Are potatoes electrically conductive? Best check the light switch is truly "off", first. I didn't, once, and the sensation of 240v AC going through to ground was, errm, shocking....

 

 

I believe they are highly conductive so It would be best to power-off first.

 

 

 

Oh dear.  Have we fried a chip?

[BR60103]

We have 3 bins: grey for normal, blue for recycling, and green for compostable. Service is reliable and consistent. Green every week; the other two alternate. There is one small problem in our estate: the courts are too small for the new trucks to go in and turn around, so there are major lineups at the end.

 

When we moved to Brampton, 40 years ago, we met the former women's editor of the local paper. She told us her proudest achievement had been on garbage collection. Garbage at that time had been collected privately and each homeowner had to contract with his choice of firm. But the firms weren't co-ordinated so they didn't all do a given street the same day. She said that most streets had garbage out somewhere every day of the week.

By the time we moved there, it was all either city run or city contracted.

[emt_911]

Morning all. Another dark but warm start to the day.

 

A good nights sleep which I'm surprised about thanks to trying to work out how to get everything in the car that's needed for the next 5 days.

 

Time for another coffee and a think.

 

Have a good day everyone

[Robert]

Morning All,

 

Yes - Potatos are conductive.  Stick one zinc, and one copper electrode in a potato and you will get a reasonably effective battery.

 

The best way I have found of removing a broken lightbulb is with two pairs of long nosed pliers for an Edison fitting, and one pair for a bayonet.  The Edison requires a bit of juggling, as you need to hold the two pairs of pliers on the metal rim and turn gently.  With a bayonet, insert the long nosed pliers into the bayonet, and push gently before turning.  Obviously, isolating the circuit at the breaker is essential - don't just switch off the switch!  The potato makes a good substitute if it will fit - often it won't, and often there isn't one handy!

 

The worst shock I ever had was from a faulty piece of equipment that had one half of the supply on the case.  It was aircraft equipment, thus half the supply was "only" 55v - but at 400Hz.  Not pleasant!

 

We have a relatively mild morning in this part of the world.  However, I suspect it will be rather grey when it eventually gets light.

 

Have a good day everyone...

Edited December 9, 2016 by Robert

[Barry O]

Hey up!

 

Still too dark to see what is happening weather wise but it feels positively tropical.

 

Not too much on the agenda today. Shopping for food, a parcel to make up and post then a bit of modelling for me...or then again some crust earning.

 

To those of you in other time zones: have a good sleep.

For everyone else: have a great Saturday and may the POETs be with you.

 

Baz

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Quite warm already here. Still dark though.

I have no plans but getting my haircut had been suggested.

Hope everyone else's day goes well.

Tony

[NGT6 1315]

Mawnin' awl. Looking gloomy outside and sleepy inside, so having stocked up on coffee yesterday was sensible, I think! Got Sunday and Monday off, though.

 

Nothing really worth mentioning apart from that, so, enjoy what you do, and beware of potatoes (judging by what you guys wrote last night! )!

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

Oh dear, another member of the 69 Club.  To Bowie and Rickman we must now add Greg Lake.  I cannot help remembering that my 69th birthday is two and a bit months away.  The Prof is due to see me at 12 noon today and I am trying to convince myself that my appointment was brought forward a week for administrative reasons as opposed to anything more sinister.

 

First thing today I thought I was hallucinating when I saw an empty space outside the house.  When I got home, a bit early, from Stevenage I had to squeeze the Polo into a space a few doors along for none more convenient was available.  As usual I fell asleep before the end of Question Time, aided by reading a review in fRoots magazine of one of the CDs I have just ordered which made me glad that I have ordered it.  I heard nothing until about 4 am when I reached for the on switch of the bedside clock-radio and heard first the by-election result and then parts of an interview with Pete Sinfield who wrote Greg Lake's hit.  Anyhow, the car is now outside the house but I thought it only right and proper to have a bath first before moving it.

 

The fodder run can wait till tomorrow.  Today I will try and find a magazine in the newly reorganised branch of WHSmith.  For some reason the books are now all at the front and the magazines at the back.  I rather fear that the space devoted to periodicals is reduced and that allotted to Jamie Oliver's cook books massively increased.

 

With our Jamie's kind comment very much in mind, best wishes to all travellers, especially to all those who would bang heads together in Southern territory until splinters fly.  Fond thoughts also to the lonely and depressed, prominent at C*****mas but less so at other times, and to the ever present ailing, supporting, recovering, grieving and missing.  Except how can the missing be present? Oh dear.

 

Chris

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Still dark outside but should be a dry, mild day with some bright spells.

 

GDB territory-Photo0039.jpg

 

No Laurence, you're not trying hard enough. This should have ended up inserted in the left ear and decorated with blood.

Two parcels are due  today, one from H###by and one from H#####s.They are both coming via Interlink Express. I suppose it would be too much to expect them to arrive on the same van but you never know. Apparently I will be advised of a delivery slot by text this morning. Excitement is mounting, I am almost beside myself with anticipation.   

As I will be in all day the little railway room upstairs beckons, there is much to be done.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[TheQ]

Morning Awl, ER time 02:50 so I got about 5 hours sleep though I may have dozed off a bit later,

 I have to report the first chrismas card arrived a few days ago from....Screwfix...??

 

I remember the Derbyshire  loss at the time,

IIRC from a TV program later, I believe one of the conclusions was that a design change inside the hull, which meant the junction of the rear section to the hold was misaligned causing her to break her back in the storm.

RIP the 42 Crew and 2 wives..


Odd occurrance going home last night, a double decker bus completely jamming part of a road junction, about six months ago the route was changed so it din't come out to the nearest town to me but does a u turn round a roundabout in the previous town.

I suspect the driver forgot and just carried on then realised and tried to turn at the next junction....

 

Now this is a complicated junction, the main road goes straight on and was not blocked but there is a left curving blind fork with high hedges, into that fork comes another road at 90 degrees so there are four directions you can aproach the junction.

The fork road splits as it approches the main road with a  grass bank central reservation between the entry to it from the main road and the exit from it onto the main road.

 

So the bus took the fork and then tried to turn round the grass bank and back onto the main road....getting jammed between the hedge, the point of the central reservation and the opposite side of the road... chaos ensues....

 

 This is a dangerous junction anyway, a couple of weeks ago a car took the curved road off the main road at speed and ran into the back of a tractor with ploughs mounted on the back...

 

 

Happy birthday Issur Danielovitch, AKA Kirk Douglas, there aren't many of that era who have escaped the grim reaper, and luckily for him his wife who is only 3 years younger than him is also still alive...

 

I can't go to the MRC tonight  ...

I've got to go the the Recruiting Sergeant instead, no not that sort of recruiting sergeant, but a pub that does very good HUGE meals, it's the MRC Christmas dinner     so working on the shed tomorrow might be difficult as I'll still be ready to explode...

 

 I can definately recommend the Recruiting Sergeant should you be here in Norfolk, http://www.recruitingsergeant.co.uk/

Edited December 9, 2016 by TheQ

[jamie92208]

Morning all from the sunny Charente.  I was woken about 7.45 (French time) by the bin lorry emptying one of the communal bins.   Yes we have communal ones here at various strategic locations around the village and ours are only 40 yards from the front gate, one for general waste and one for recyclables.   One emptied Tuesday and the other Friday. There is also a bottle bank and waste paper bin at the end of the village.  2 miles away is the local tip which is very well organised with a multitude of skips and a very helpful attendant who inspects each trailer load as you arrive. Of course there is one major difference to an English tip.  There is a large plastic bag (1 tonne sand bag) in a frame and marked up for oyster and mussel shells. It is well used.

 

Yesterday more garden work was done and a large pile of branches was reduced to poles and brash.  I even raked the area where it had been.   The boss erected the Christmas tree and we now have a little railway track around it.  The loco awaits the correct batteries but I was most impressed.   I also managed to get another set of racking erected along with one or two other minor tasks. 

 

Best wishes to Chrisf and hope that the other various procedures (BBishop and Tony A come to mind) have one well.

 

This morning we are apparently going shopping so I may be some time........

 

 

Regards to all.

 

 

Jamie

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Quick visit as I'm off to see Drac's daughter and we'll try to squeeze a trip to the launderette first as the washing m/c has a little leak and won't receive a service visit until Tuesday.

 

Have a good day one and all.

Edited December 9, 2016 by The Stationmaster

[Shedman5]

Morning, grey and overcast, rain during the night but none at the moment.

 

Today is simply Shed day all day with the model railway  I am very happy!

 

Enjoy your day folks and take care

[TheQ]

My whinge of the Day,

Norwich city council have started diverting cycle paths over Zebra crossings, ( black and white stripes on the road, yellow flashing lollipops).

 Pity they cyclists are required to dismount and walk across them (highway code rule 64) I'm just waiting for the first child to come wizzing down and straight across to get demolished by a car...

 

 That joins all those flat top road humps outside schools that many parents seem to think are pedestrian crossings...

Edited December 9, 2016 by TheQ

[RhBBob]

Belated morning greetings to all !

 

I see that public schools (that's private schools for US readers) are to admit non-fee paying pupils from the lower orders.

 

These will be known as 'formally arranged groups'; I wonder if there's an acronym for that.......ooops...

 

 

Sadly I left my coat and scarf at Miss RhBBob's place last night but we are heading that way shortly - sound of door slamming

[grandadbob]

Blimey, just received two texts saying that my parcels will be delivered by Jon, the first between 11.56 and 12.56 and the second 2 minutes later between 11.58 and 12.58.

So far I am impressed.

 

Edit:  This has now been followed up by emails stating the same.

Edited December 9, 2016 by grandadbob

[jonny777]

Hello from a bright and breezy Somerset.

 

Despite the best efforts of the white van man yesterday, I managed not to take delivery of a giant box containing a 'dog cage'. He looked at me and said "Heather Watson?" and I thought - not unless I have had a very serious overnight operation.

 

I said "I don't have a dog", and I have not ordered a giant cage. But he seemed very keen to get me to sign for it and shoved a hand-held machine into my hands.

 

He looked at the house number 5 on my front door and said "number 4?".

 

No.  I gave him the signing machine back.

 

So, he had to man-handle the giant box back down the drive across the road and down the street, and I was left none the wiser really.

[Simon G]

Chucking it down here so far today.

 

An emergency visit to the dentist has been arranged as the crown over my dental implant came off while I was brushing my teeth last night. It should be just a case of reapplying some adhesive to secure it again. Last time this happened, it meant a trip all the way to Kendal, 80 miles away, as the dentist who fitted the implant and crown was now based there. This time, it is only as far as Cockermouth, but that is still 20 miles away. SWMBO will no doubt take the opportunity to decide to do some shopping.

 

In the meantime, an hour or so on layout building beckons!

[Barry O]

Tea drunk√

Ablutions completed√

Shopping done√

Breakfast eaten√

 

Next up parcel to make up and post...but her indoors has stuck a spanner in my modelling plans.

She has decided that as Dr Eldest Herbert (all 6'4" of him) is not home I must accompany her to get "the tree" followed by me sawing the end off the base of said tree so that it can continue to draw in water...pah! I hate Chr####ass!

Baz

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Not much to say really weather is bland and after doing the neccessary shopping I will have to knuckle down and prepare things for Sunday. I see that Smiffy has posted on Facebook recently though he hasn't been here for a while. Plenty of things for me to do so be back later.

[TheQ]

Belated morning greetings to all !

 

I see that public schools (that's private schools for US readers) are to admit non-fee paying pupils from the lower orders.

 

These will be known as 'formally arranged groups'; I wonder if there's an acronym for that.......ooops...

 

 

Sadly I left my coat and scarf at Miss RhBBob's place last night but we are heading that way shortly - sound of door slamming

Actually they always have been for a small number, What there has been, is an offer from the the public schools that if the government pay them the £5,200 per pupil paid to state schools for their education, the Public schools will make it up to the average £12,350 cost of a public school place, for 10,000 pupils.

 

This is a counter to those who claim public schools should lose their charity status, meaning they would pay taxes on their income. Those who propose that neatly avoid the fact it saves the government the cost of £5,200 per pupil currently educated privately, rather than if they educated at the state purses expence.

 

Note,

To those who don't know about our strange use of Public School title, it comes from the days when you were educated (if at all) at home in Private, So when the first Schools were opened to the public, any member of the public with the money, could and still  do send their children there.

Many of these schools have over the years received donations for, or made provision for, a small number exceptional pupils from the state sector to attend the public school.

Edited December 9, 2016 by TheQ

[New Haven Neil]

Q, that was the initial thoughts about the Derbyshire, later to be refuted.  She sank because of a hatch on the fo'csle bursting open to the chain locker (it often did) and she shipped a lot of water forrard.  As she was carrying iron ore she was down to her marks, and resultantly stuck her nose in a big wave which ran over the deck and collapsed No1 hatch covers - she was history from that point.  No2 would have gone shortly afterwards, and down she went, quickly.  That is why she is so badly broken up on the sea bed.

 

A lot of friends lost on her, and Graham Hutchinson (3rd eng) and his wife were neighbours too.  He had been my dad's apprentice..... 

[Killybegs]

Chucking it down here so far today.

 

An emergency visit to the dentist has been arranged as the crown over my dental implant came off while I was brushing my teeth last night. It should be just a case of reapplying some adhesive to secure it again. Last time this happened, it meant a trip all the way to Kendal, 80 miles away, as the dentist who fitted the implant and crown was now based there. This time, it is only as far as Cockermouth, but that is still 20 miles away. SWMBO will no doubt take the opportunity to decide to do some shopping.

 

In the meantime, an hour or so on layout building beckons!

 

I had that happen a few years ago. I wasn't impressed with the paucity of prep work prior to gluing it back on (it was done by a locum as my dentist was away) and sure enough it fell off again while I was having lunch on the ferry over to the UK. As I survived the holiday without it, I have never bothered to have it put back on. The work was originally done by an american dentist in Saudi. I didn't think (correctly as it turned out) that I needed a crown at the time but these guys were seriously into carrying out unnecessary work, knowing that the insurance company wouldn't query it.