Early Risers.

[tigerburnie]

Morning all, was up just after seven, no wind, sun shining and birds singing, Spring I thought, so got all my gear and went Trout fishing. By the time I'd walked the mile or so to my chosen spot the wind was cold and howling, rain threatening, I was in the river so was my fly, but I think it was more going through the motions rather than actually fishing, think I'll try again in another months time.

[simontaylor484]

2 hours ago, PeterBB said:

Read this and then saw the article on Argentina 'policemens' families and the effect it had on them.

Luckily after they lost the Falklands War the Junta fell. Throwing people into the sea from aircraft isnt the done thing  even though sometimes we wish it would happen to certain sections of society eg drug dealers. Although we moan about our governments (which ever in charge) we are lucky theynot like that. 

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, JohnDMJ said:

Good morning, for it is still thus!

 

 

Chris: were you a born pessimist or is it a skill that you have developed over the years?

It is something you're given when you first start working for the Civil Service.

[Gwiwer]

Afternoon all from a slightly dribbly Hill of Strawberries.  What began as a beautiful morning with birds shining and the sun chirping  has decayed into average greyness with wet bits falling from it.  Ah well.  It saves watering the pansies.  

 

Upon arrival in Australia some 20 years ago I was surprised at how many folk flew flags from poles in their front yards, back yards or any handy appurtenance on the house.  Mostly Australian flags, mostly flown correctly, but variations included the State flag (each state has its own variant of the national flag), Union Jack (which might provoke some strong feelings in some quarters but was usually flown by ex-pat Brits) and the Cross of St. George.  Other national flags were fairly common indicating the nationality of the home-owner - or renter - of which  Greek, Estonian and Chinese were the most common in areas I knew.  The flag of indigenous Australians also appeared in increasing numbers during our years there.  Our Anglo-Dutch neighbours flew a Dutch flag.  As we were not blessed with suitable display apparatus I displayed my Cornish cross of St. Piran flag in the window on 5th March and a smaller version hung at all times above the layout which was outside.  

 

I am given to believe that the history of national flag-flying in at least the State of Victoria arose from the gold-rush days.  Flags flew above rough camps and tents of those "diggers" who came from around the world to the goldfields of the Ballarat region.  The tradition continues to this day.  Displaying a flag is very much more commonplace in Oz than it is in the UK.  Displaying the "Aboriginal" flag (that of indigenous Australians) is both a sign of ethnicity and of support by others for those people as they struggle to maintain and win back their rights seized by the invading "colonisers" of the UK, Ireland and other nations.  The federal parliament in Canberra now flies both Australian and Aboriginal flags at equal heights on adjacent poles but this is a recent development.  The two are seen side by side as equals on an increasing number of public buildings and at formal events.  Until perhaps 15 years ago only the Australian flag would normally have been seen.  

 

And now - lunch.  Peas be with you.  

[TheQ]

Argentina has since 1976 had series of totally incompetent governments, the only good thing about them is it isn't the military, it is often descendants of the Peronistas in charge. Currently   they have run out of money to buy votes with and created inflation of  over 50% .

 

I've been updating my spreadsheets on Blue Moon and trying various set ups to produce the best figures. The main problem being, at max hull Speed with a water temperature of 10C She only Just gets above a Reynolds figure of 500.000. That's the figure  most rudder designs are supposed to start at.. If I search for low Reynolds figure Rudders there just aren't any. There's a recommendation about  going thinner, but that's about it There is some research about really low figures 10,000-80,000  for radio controlled models and Drones , but nothing covering 100,000 to 500,000 that Blue Moon will operate in.

 

As NHN says a high rate of turn with low drag is the desirable choice, but often with low drag comes the lack of ability of the rudder to keep it's grip as vortexes form on the rudder. If hydrodynamic, a thick rudder grips the water better, but a thick rudder of course has more drag..

 

I do wonder if I should be looking at a Fiseler Storch not a 777 for examples..

[Pacific231G]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I read that as well. Getting rid of the junta was the one benefit for the Argentinian people of the Falkland war.

It was an enormous benefit, probably far more important in terms of global history  than Britain's retention of the Falklands (though that certainly was important) Getting rid of tyrants benefits the entire human race.  While looking for that one I spotted another good BBC Story: "the London bus trip that saved maybe a million lives". Given the dire level of our current crop of "populist" polticians, thank goodness for the quality of Britain's scientists. 

 

Back to not so early risers. I managed my morning walkies (4.2km according to the app)  just before the "more organised" rain arrived (I've always been amused by that term from weather forecasters - as if the purpose of rain is to spoil our day but doing so requires "organisation"). The closed public golf course I and others walk on with plenty of safe distancing is being mowed in preparation for re-opening- not that it being closed has ever put off groups of four or five golfers from enjoying non socially distanced games. 

 

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Just had brunch as my morning bath was a bit late due to having to sort out the boiler. Fingers crossed that it isn't a leak but keeping an eye on it. The wind outside is a bit gusty and its come over a bit grey and overcast. Not that it bothers me as Railway Bylines has dropped onto the mat together with a couple of other magazines so I know what I will be doing for the next couple of hours.

[JohnDMJ]

Perhaps a moot point:

 

53 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Union Jack (which might provoke some strong feelings in some quarters but was usually flown by ex-pat Brits)

 

Unless it is flown from the Jack Staff on a ship, is it not the Union FLAG?

[polybear]

4 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Heating/hot water was off again this morning so it was a climb into the loft to top up and restart the boiler. I bled the radiators and found a lot of air in the radiator in my bedroom  . When I came downstairs there was a damp patch on the carpet in the hallway directly beneath the radiator. At least the affected area is accessible, without moving any heavy furniture. I shall keep an eye on it, the damp patch was very small and has since dried up so might have been from when I bled the radiator.

 

 

Bear suspects a leaky rad - or failing that a leaky valve; failing that it's the pipework under the floorboards (I think I've covered all options there?).  If there's a damp patch downstairs then is there a mark on the ceiling too?  If enough water was spilled during the bleeding exercise I think you'd probably know about it.

 

In other news:

Right then....drum roll, balloons, dancing Bears.........the kitchen floor is finished - Bear is very pleased, it's turned out far better than I had hoped - especially bearing in mind the problems with the uneven and sloping floor.  The Tiler was rather pleased with the outcome too.  Sadly it did mean that Bear was relieved of a wedge of gronkits too, so I hope that LDC is on special offer in the Co-op this afternoon.  The Tiler is pencilled in for doing the wall tiling (splashbacks) too, once the kitchen units and worktops are installed.

Sadly the Tile shop were not sympathetic with Bear's desire to return two boxes of floor tiles. T*ssers.  I do have the option of laying them in the hallway at some later date though.

[PupCam]

54 minutes ago, TheQ said:

As NHN says a high rate of turn with low drag is the desirable choice, but often with low drag comes the lack of ability of the rudder to keep it's grip as vortexes form on the rudder. If hydrodynamic, a thick rudder grips the water better, but a thick rudder of course has more drag..

 

I do wonder if I should be looking at a Fiseler Storch not a 777 for examples..

 

Thrust Vector Control, that's what you need not a rudder, it's all the rage these days 

 

What a nice (but ungainly) aeroplane the Fieseler Storch was.   Such a shame the one that used to live not 10 miles from me was sold and moved abroad a few years back.    One of the lessons the then owner learnt was an adaption of the old story;

 

  How do you make a small fortune with your Fieseler Storch?  

  Start with a large one ..... 

 

Those Argus engine rebuilds were very costly (and I think there were at least two of them)!

 

Shame about the wind noise but there you go

 

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, TheQ said:

Argentina has since 1976 had series of totally incompetent governments, the only good thing about them is it isn't the military, it is often descendants of the Peronistas in charge. Currently   they have run out of money to buy votes with and created inflation of  over 50% .

 

I've been updating my spreadsheets on Blue Moon and trying various set ups to produce the best figures. The main problem being, at max hull Speed with a water temperature of 10C She only Just gets above a Reynolds figure of 500.000. That's the figure  most rudder designs are supposed to start at.. If I search for low Reynolds figure Rudders there just aren't any. There's a recommendation about  going thinner, but that's about it There is some research about really low figures 10,000-80,000  for radio controlled models and Drones , but nothing covering 100,000 to 500,000 that Blue Moon will operate in.

 

As NHN says a high rate of turn with low drag is the desirable choice, but often with low drag comes the lack of ability of the rudder to keep it's grip as vortexes form on the rudder. If hydrodynamic, a thick rudder grips the water better, but a thick rudder of course has more drag..

 

I do wonder if I should be looking at a Fiseler Storch not a 777 for examples..

Whilst not wishing to 'diss' your efforts at research Q but I'm a firm believer in 'cheating' - it was the one thing I learnt from twenty odd years of local authority servitude.. Can't you just 'copy' a rudder of a similar sized boat. Yes I know it wouldn't be perfect but I suspect that even one you made yourself would have some degree of compromise in it.

 

Anyway it was just thought. I shall now go back outside having consumed my two ham, tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches with an apricot fool yogurt for afters. I may be some time.

[polybear]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

 

 

 

 

Oh look....a target.....

 

Some very sad news:  LDC wasn't on special offer at the Co-op .  However:

Salted Caramel Cake was .  There was only one left, and it wouldn't been such a shame to leave it all alone - so Bear didn't.  Rumour has it that it's calorie free too....

[The Lurker]

I am pleased to report that Waitrose had both Autosport and LDC this lunchtime. Younger Lurker, who has now made it home from school, is most pleased. Although now he is less so, since he has a whole load of French homework to deal with!

[Barry O]

did some muddling, then went a walk (sunny but very chilly!), then a bit more muddling, then lunch , then made up a parcel, walked to the post office to post it then.. mugadecaff time!

 

@PupCam  they are called water jets in ship parlance.. not like a jetavator  as used in Swingfire, or "Bonkers" as used in HVMs...

 

Baz

[PhilJ W]

Hello again from Estuary-Land. When I opened my copy of Railway Bylines a voucher dropped out, a voucher for free beer no less. There doesn't appear to be any strings attached and they say that they will send eight different beers. I might have been tempted if I wasn't teetotal.

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Bear suspects a leaky rad - or failing that a leaky valve; failing that it's the pipework under the floorboards (I think I've covered all options there?).  If there's a damp patch downstairs then is there a mark on the ceiling too?  If enough water was spilled during the bleeding exercise I think you'd probably know about it.

Upon examination it appears it might be a leaky valve, the radiator is the newest in the house. Directly below the radiator is a conduit, the water ran down the outside of that. There's no sign of any dampness now but I'm keeping an eye on it.

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

 

Thrust Vector Control, that's what you need not a rudder, it's all the rage these days 

 

What a nice (but ungainly) aeroplane the Fieseler Storch was.   Such a shame the one that used to live not 10 miles from me was sold and moved abroad a few years back.    One of the lessons the then owner learnt was an adaption of the old story;

 

  How do you make a small fortune with your Fieseler Storch?  

  Start with a large one ..... 

 

Those Argus engine rebuilds were very costly (and I think there were at least two of them)!

 

Shame about the wind noise but there you go

 

Many are now flying with small P&W radials as fitted by the French post-war.

[The Stationmaster]

Afternoon akk,

 

Up has finally been caught and if we'd had the trouble with the iron that Chris had it too would have f gone straight into the bin (to recycle it would mean a round trip drive of getting on for 20 miles so which sort of saving the earth is preferable I wonder?

 

anyway back to teh mi undame (or not) - jewsons finally delivered first thuing yesterday morning - a pallet loaded on a vehicle withoiut any gear to lift the pallet.  That meanta the driver had to unload it by hand which didn't help the two n bags of sand and gravel that were already partky split or three of teh bags of cement which were also puncture including the one that had leaked its contents over some blue engineering bricks.  Looks like the local branch isn't just employing incompetent management, who can't even agree which excuse to use to explain non delivery, but has some pretty useless 'workers' (a word i use advisedly) as well but the driver was a good bloke and very helpfully unloaded it all.

 

Anyway work then commenced and continued until rain threatened/I could physically do no more.  Which poses a question - what is the difference between skiing and building a. doorstep?  Answer - skiing intoduces you to teh preseence of muscles you never kew you had and building a doorstep reminds of various muscles you wish you could forger.  Having to wrk om a job at ground level is an absolute s*d when you can't kneel and  various muscles are still protesting today.   Only two slabs, a lot of pointing and some infill left to do but the weather for tomorrow looks dodgy.   But overall although rather messy at ground level in the brickwork overall the step is coming out exactly as envisioned  which has enabled me to avoid using the two original slabs (which I can no longer safely lift to lay) and except for a small bit off one corner is slightly bigger in overall area than the previous (demolished) step.  and I'm pleased to report that the GD can still produce an excellent dry mix of concrete and some top notch brick laying muck despite being out of practice.

 

Too knackered after all that to look in at all yesterday hence my delayed comment on ChrisF's iron disposal and I see we are, yet again, in the local authority tra with the highest rate (66.6%) of waste recycling in England.

 

Enjoy the  rest of you day and stay safe eveb if various loonies seem to have other ideas.

 

Before we started -

 

 

 

50 kg of concrete, 50+kg of brick/slab laying mix, 20 bricks (including 6 whole bricks needing, in most cases two, cuts to length) and 3 of the slabs fully fixed later (Slabs numbered 3 & 4 are laid loose - it would have b needed another mic x to lay them and buy that time I had

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jonny777]

6 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

It is something you're given when you first start working for the Civil Service.

 

Was that before or after you learn how to make a large pot of tea?

[Gwiwer]

5 hours ago, JohnDMJ said:

Perhaps a moot point:

 

 

Unless it is flown from the Jack Staff on a ship, is it not the Union FLAG?

I expect so.  I never learned much about shipping.  "Boats" were as big as it got whether they were trawlers or coasters carrying stone from the quarry.  

 

But a moot point indeed as the flag is widely known, rightly or otherwise, as the Union Jack.  

 

In other news Gwiwer vs. Network Rail tonight via Zoom as we had a presentation on the imminent extended closure of the railway and road through the Hill of Strawberries for nine days.  NR claimed they were "doing some signalling work" which I know to be an understatement.  I did see a few troubled faces at their end when I, and other residents, flagged the persistent issues of contractors using unsuitable language loud voices through the night, the absence of the promised minibus to convey those unable to negotiate footbridge steps around the works (it's a mile and a half) and the absence of rail-replacement buses which never come through the village, never serve the designated stopping place and never stop anywhere nearby either.  

 

I am promised a response by email tomorrow.  We shall see.  They were left with the clear impression that a number of Strawberry Hillbillies are deeply unhappy at the way they are treated, mistreated, disrespected and disturbed every time NR shut down or work on the level crossing.  Which has been about every other weekend for over two years.  

[Ozexpatriate]

6 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Mostly Australian flags, mostly flown correctly, but variations included the State flag (each state has its own variant of the national flag), Union Jack (which might provoke some strong feelings in some quarters but was usually flown by ex-pat Brits) and the Cross of St. George.  

I'd offer that the national Australian flag was made in the tradition of the prior colonial flags (which on Federation became state flags) - each a defaced British blue ensign, usually with the colonial heraldic badge centrally placed toward the fly. Use of such flags was the purview of the government. Maritime flags used a similarly defaced red ensign.

 

Flags flying by private individuals does indeed have a strong connection to Ballarat. 

6 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

Flags flew above rough camps and tents of those "diggers" who came from around the world to the goldfields of the Ballarat region.

Miners protesting miners' license fees imposed by the colony of Victoria raised the Eureka flag* (to which they swore allegiance) at the Eureka stockade in 1854.

 

* Blue with a stylized "Southern cross".

 

It's not too different in spirit from sailors allegedly raising the red flag of mutiny over the Union flag** during the mutiny at the Nore in 1797, lending the colour red to revolutionaries and a large number of world flags in the 20th century.

 

** Sans the cross of St. Patrick which was not introduced to the Union flag until 1801 after the 1800 Act of Union.

 

[tigerburnie]

8 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Luckily after they lost the Falklands War the Junta fell. Throwing people into the sea from aircraft isnt the done thing  even though sometimes we wish it would happen to certain sections of society eg drug dealers. Although we moan about our governments (which ever in charge) we are lucky theynot like that. 

Oi no polluting the sea, I go fishing in there............................

Edited March 25, 2021 by tigerburnie

[brianusa]

12 hours ago, polybear said:

 

At times like this it pays to send off a copy of any dashcam footage anonymously to the local nick - hopefully the driver will get a visit to "discuss" his driving skills...

 

Let he who lives in glass houses, throw the first stones!  Or something like that!  It is doubtful that many, in years of driving, have not erred and luckily the law was not at hand to witness the omission.  Personally, I have a certain tolerance for dodgy driving which is just as well as you see it virtually every day on the road; who knows who will be next and if I should err on the quiet, I should hate to find someone sent  a report to the law without my consent or knowledge. 

     Brian.

[polybear]

53 minutes ago, brianusa said:

 

Let he who lives in glass houses, throw the first stones!  Or something like that!  It is doubtful that many, in years of driving, have not erred and luckily the law was not at hand to witness the omission.  Personally, I have a certain tolerance for dodgy driving which is just as well as you see it virtually every day on the road; who knows who will be next and if I should err on the quiet, I should hate to find someone sent  a report to the law without my consent or knowledge. 

     Brian.

 

Absolutely - Bear *may* have strayed on occasion in the past, though (hopefully) rarely in more recent years.  Straying the wrong side of the Highway Code is one thing - driving like a complete tw*t (as in the example described in the previous post to which Bear was responding) who is gonna end up seriously hurting or killing someone (if they haven't already) is a completely different ballgame entirely.  If the (understaffed and overworked) Police don't agree after seeing the footage then they are unlikely to visit - if they do then they're worried.  Such visits might just discover more sinister goings-on too.

 

In other news:

Now that the Kitchen Floor is finished means that Bear will have to recommence work himself - so tomorrow's first plan is fitting door bars at the entrances to the bathroom and kitchen; after that I need to start pondering the painting of the lining paper - apparently it needs a mist coat first to seal the paper as it's very absorbent.  Oh joy.

On a brighter note, and since Bear is deferring the return of the cooker and washing machine to the kitchen until Saturday, tomorrow will be .....Chip Shop Day.... 

[PupCam]

1 hour ago, brianusa said:

Personally, I have a certain tolerance for dodgy driving which is just as well as you see it virtually every day on the road

 

But surely there are limits and the episode described far exceeded "dodgy driving" and was clearly (I might even say criminally) reckless with a clear and blatant disregard for the safety of others!

 

I have to say when "Joe Racer" screams past me and hurtles up to the next blind, tree lined corner there is a part of me that, shall we say, would not be too upset if when I rounded the corner I saw that they had well and truly planted the vehicle and themselves into a good mature oak - lets call it natural selection.  Lets hope that if such a thing occurred it did so before they'd had the chance to pass their genes on, both on the grounds of selection and to prevent trauma to their offspring.   Of course the really very sad part of such a scenario is that the chances are there would also be unforgivable, innocent collateral damage because of the law of Mr Sxd.

Edited March 25, 2021 by PupCam

[polybear]

12 minutes ago, PupCam said:

 

But surely there are limits and the episode described far exceeded "dodgy driving" and was clearly (I might even say criminally) reckless with a clear and blatant disregard for the safety of others!

 

I have to say when "Joe Racer" screams past me and hurtles up to the next blind, tree lined corner there is a part of me that, shall we say, would not be too upset if when I rounded the corner I saw that they had well and truly planted the vehicle and themselves into a good mature oak - lets call it natural selection.  Lets hope that if such a thing occurred it did so before they'd had the chance to pass their genes on, both on the grounds of selection and to prevent trauma to their offspring.   Of course the really very sad part of such a scenario is that the chances are there would also be unforgivable, innocent collateral damage because of the law of Mr Sxd.

 

I hope they don't hurt the tree....

[Coombe Barton]

... and a spaniel called Boris ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2021/03/25/better-use-for-a-bus/