Early Risers.

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

An early report tonight as I intend an early night. Gardening done all day, quite a lot got done but I would have liked to have got the lawn mowed as well. SWMBO a bit better today so progress was a bit faster. 
Tomorrow will involve mil, the nephews and Sydney but how much of each is still to be decided. A walk to Fox Valley has been mentioned but it wouldn’t be my preferred option. Sydney is waiting to be stripped so has his will winter coat and the forecast is for it to be warm and he doesn’t seem particularly happy when it’s hot. My ankles and feet are giving me a bit of pain and one ankle is swollen, probably too much time time stood up in the garden. 
Flavio mentioned food marketing early and on my induction course for my first job we had an hour or so on product display. All I can remember was you should always place the largest pack of a particular product one the right as with more people being right handed they’d reach out for the larger, more expensive pack. 
On a similar note when at fast food takeaways/restaurants the staff with say ‘do you want to max that up’. Most people will be caught slightly unaware and just say yes rather than think about what they are agreeing to. 
As I implied a busy day so I will wish you all a goodnight,

Robert.

ps good to hear that Gordon S is out of ICU even though progress is still painfully slow, but progress is progress.

[Ozexpatriate]

15 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

... the history that gets taught in schools (at least as I remember it) and generally understood by the public is a very sanitised and simplified version of the past.

Thus it is ever so - with a few exceptions, like Germany where (as I understand it) students are taught to confront some of their uglier history.

 

It is perpetually a matter of debate in the US where supporters of the imagined, great and glorious, exceptional past want precisely this. It quickly gets very political. The economics of school text book publishing mean that school boards in a very populous state can effectively dictate curriculum even beyond their state since the publishers are often unwilling to print multiple versions.

 

In my perspective an advantage of growing up Australian, is that there is very little polishing that can be done to the raw facts of a penal colony as the 'origin story', though inevitably there is some buffing around the edges.

 

One of the other challenges is that a large number of teenagers do not appreciate the relevance of history and are reluctant to absorb instruction - particularly when they perceive it as propaganda.

[Ozexpatriate]

I was pleased to see the christening of LCS-30, USS Canberra (second of the name) and apparently the only US ship named after a foreign capital. (DDG-81 is named USS Winston S. Churchill, but technically Churchill had an honourary US Citizenship.)

 

It is an interesting tribute to Australia's steadfast support of US adventuring around the world in anticipation that should Australia again need help, the US will be there, much like they were in 1942 even if the relationship was at times rocky.

 

Edited June 7, 2021 by Ozexpatriate

[The White Rabbit]

Evening all,

 

A touch of mission creep today, with a morning's job turning into most of the day. However, the 'garage'* is now a lot tidier, cleaner and most importantly, much better organised. Spending the day in physical activity instead of sitting behind a computer screen has felt much healthier. Sympathies with anyone who might have overdone the domestic duties and is suffering a bit. Or indeed feeling under the weather for whatever reason. 

 

I see some ERs have been rather busy, both with ongoing long-term projects and one-offs. Thanks to @The Q for posting the videos. I suppose it was inevitable Ben would get too closely acquainted with wet paint. I've known a few dogs do that! @BSW01's basement work is certainly impressive, creating a real railway room/home for the model. 

 

Some lobelia were planted in two pots and a little thinning of the carrots. They are doing nicely. We could do with someone next door with a rabbit though for such thinnings. 

 

A sledge was cleaned up. The neighbours probably thought I'd seen a very pessimistic or long range weather forecast but it's one of the items to be offered for sale, so it seemed prudent to brush the cobwebs off. 

 

Now it's time to stare out of the window for a few minutes and see if I can see the blackbird. He's been singing for the last ten minutes or so. Perhaps he's protesting at the sparrows invading 'his' garden - I put a dustbath out for them earlier and a (very disorderly) queue seems to be forming...

 

 

* We've never put a car in it. Probably like many people, we use the building as a garden and tool store, utility room and workshop. I also use it as a potting shed and store for some of the larger and cheaper items we must not speak of. That's quite a mouthful and ERs probably wouldn't recognise the term which the family and I use for it, so 'garage' it is. 

[polybear]

29 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Thus it is ever so - with a few exceptions, like Germany where (as I understand it) students are taught to confront some of their uglier history.

 

 

 

I recall seeing reports that few young people in Japan have any idea of the atrocities that were carried out by the Japanese Military during WW2 - it's simply been "hidden"

[tigerburnie]

Evening, the hospital visit was fine SWMBO just had x rays, bloods and checks, she's still on a waiting list for hip replacement, but no idea when, she's pleased her surgeon who did the first one is still working as he had been quite ill himself. I'm nearly recovered from being beaten up by 10 year old and 6 year old Grandsons, no longer limping lol. Football with a 6 year old is dangerous, after kicking me on the shin(again) he said " I'm not a very good shot Grandad", wrong he had a 100% record, he hit me in the same spot several times, anyone got any shin pads?

[Coombe Barton]

... not gathering dust ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/same-data-different-decisions/

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. It seems as if its going to be a sticky night, the humidity appears to be on the rise. Not helped by the hay fever though that's not as bad as it has been I'm still a bit sniffy. Now to tackle Farcebook, be back later.

[New Haven Neil]

32 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

I recall seeing reports that few young people in Japan have any idea of the atrocities that were carried out by the Japanese Military during WW2 - it's simply been "hidden"

 

The national trait of response to shame is likely the reason for that - far eastern cultures are very different to those in Europe. I used to visit Japan regularly, and found them a friendly people.  It is a shame that the lessons of the past aren't taught though.

[simontaylor484]

I have a few points to pick up on 

 

Firstly thanks Q for sharing the sailing video it does look strange seeing the sails moving through the countryside.

 

Imperial leather soap i could never understand why they put that label on it made the soap not wear down under it making it awkward to use.

 

Japan i remember controversy over a shrine that had contained the remains of several grade A war criminals and visits by politicians.

I 

[Tony_S]

The fences on the “other” side of our garden are mine and I replaced them when the cheapo ones installed by the builder 30 years ago soon fell apart. The ones I put in were  robust not pretty as we had bushes and plants in trellis covering them. One day the latest set of neighbours in that house asked if we would mind if he replaced the fences with something more attractive. I said I didn’t mind. He chose panels that were double sided so there was no good side / rough side problem. 
For the current fencing replacement I don’t really care if we get the wrong side I just want the fences back so we can do the planting that had been delayed since the fences were damaged. It was going to be various fruit plants but will probably now just be herbs and salad stuff.

[Coombe Barton]

29 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Imperial leather soap i could never understand why they put that label on it made the soap not wear down under it making it awkward to use.

Is it not that when the surrounding soap does wear down you can place it on the washbasin so that it remains dry and doesn't degrade into a sticky mess 

 

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[leopardml2341]

Goodnight folks.

 

Thoughts with all.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[laurenceb]

Night awl

[The Stationmaster]

G;night all

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

The last few items that needed fitting to the walls, corner beading, jointing tape etc, have been fitted. Before that I filled in a few gaps at floor and ceiling level with plaster. The rest of the day was spent cleaning up the floor! This entailed scraping bits of dried plaster up, sweeping up and finally mopping, which I did twice, but I’ll probably do it again tomorrow. When I emptied the bucket after the first go, the water was like mud, hence the need for a second going over. It’s looking a lot cleaner now and I no longer need to wipe my feet before leaving the room to come upstairs!

 

After dinner I cleaned down the outside doors and door frame, which also had bits of dried plaster on. I then cleaned and packed away all my hand and power tools, saw etc. I’d been using 2, a mains powered drill to drill the walls for screwing the plasterboard and a battery drill for fixing the screws. 

 

This evening I completed the Sainsbury’s Grand Prix, there were quite a few young (20 - 35 age bracket) people who now seem to think that they don’t need to wear a mask at all. No one from the shop seems to be bothered about tackling them about it, (but I suppose they don’t want the agro) despite the messages continually coming over the Tannoy stating that mask wearing is compulsory. 

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[TheQ]

Mooring Awl, inner Temple Hare,

5.5 hours + 1.5 hours sleep, so fairly good.

 

Does the Bear know imperial leather soap comes in 5 bars for the price of 4... In pound shops. So to me they are a cheap bar.. and yes they still come with their silly individual plastic wrappers and labels.

 

Those videos do illustrate my favourite sailing area, racing between the wildlife, where otters, kingfishers, seals! , Herons , etc play is wonderful.

There are places around the Broads where it gets even more odd, much of those videos are taken in reclaimed land areas. The water level is above that of the land, you can be driving or walking along and a boat will sail past ten feet higher than you are.

 

With the wonderful weather this year ( except for the lack of wind,) there have been many more videos and photos taken this year than usual.  I think as the first big event here sailing wise since the start of Covid , it's also attracted more people out as they can compete and watch safely.

 

And so to today..

Back to work for a rest, 1 major system is due this week.

 

But first, make breakfast, no need to make lunch for work as I have left over sarnies in the fridge.

Time to get off this sofa.

[jamie92208]

Good moaning from the Charente. A bit earlier than usual as nature's alarm clock got me up.  Much work in the garden yesterday morning but it does look tidier.  A quick trip to Ruffec in the afternoon, no trains were seen though some strimmer spares were bought.  In the evening I had a dip in the pool and enjoyed it.

 

Todays first task is to wait for the pool man to come and commission the pool,at the house we look after.then to the bank to sort out the phishing attempts before the supermarket beckons.

 

As to fences  I've no idea what the convention is here. However  there is a convention  for walls. Most walls have tiles on top to stop rain penetration. Apparently  the slope us always towards the owners land/ garden.

 

Jamie

Edited June 8, 2021 by jamie92208

[iL Dottore]

13 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I agree, Sanity is not the word that I would normally associate with ER's.

 

Jamie

I concur.
Having met, over the years, many ERs - especially at the various “Brains Trust” meet ups - it is my informed opinion (as a Clinical Psychologist [one of my two professional degrees]) that the ERs encountered exhibited behavioural anomalies ranging from mild disinhibition to full blown anankastia.

In other words ERs range from “weird” to “two stops beyond Barking” (or “Bat Sh1t Crazy” for our American friends) 

Me? I’m completely normal (but I am taking tablets for it)

10 hours ago, polybear said:

...it does annoy me (to the point of no longer buying it) that a four-pack of Imperial Leather soap bars contains (unsurprisingly) four bars of soap, each individually wrapped and inside an outer packaging.  Added to which each bar has a little label on it.  That's plenty of unnecessary dross all going into landfill...

Hmm, I sort of agree. Individual packaging can be taken to absurd degrees, yet on the other hand modern packaging materials and technology have considerably affected product longevity (it stays fresh/usable longer) whilst almost completely eliminating adulteration. 
It wasn’t that long ago (certainly within living memory) that products were weighed out for sale in front of the customer - allowing plenty of scope for adulterating an expensive product to make it go further and make the shopkeeper more profit. In one of my many books on the history of food there are descriptions of how the unscrupulous would - for example - disguise rancid meat or “stretch” sugar (I’m certain there are also ways to make elderly LDC fresh and enticing....)

8 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

One of the other challenges is that a large number of teenagers do not appreciate the relevance of history and are reluctant to absorb instruction - particularly when they perceive it as propaganda.

‘Twas ever thus. Throughout history teenagers have been moody, stroppy, selectively deaf, immune to logic and reason and generally a complete pain in the a**s. The difference between then and now, I fear, is that back then the stroppy teen would have to go out into the real world and thus get some sense knocked into them (sometimes literally). Nowadays, too many are cosseted and live in on-line, self-reinforcing “bubbles” and thus are not exposed to the real world until, perhaps, too late...

8 hours ago, polybear said:

I recall seeing reports that few young people in Japan have any idea of the atrocities that were carried out by the Japanese Military during WW2 - it's simply been "hidden"

As have reports of the Allies committing war crimes. In creating the myth of the “good war” much questionable Allied military strategy has been airbrushed over or even out of history and Allied war crimes deleted from the records (and, yes the allies did commit them - especially the Canadians and Americans in Europe and the Americans in the Pacific - although, thankfully, not official policy unlike with some of the other combatants). WWII was a particularly brutal war, not only because it was warfare on a huge industrial scale, but because it was an ideological war. And the ideologies of Nazism, Communism and Bushido (which I think - correct me if I’m wrong - was the Japanese ideology) were such that you not only had to defeat the “enemies of the state” but eliminate and totally eradicate them as well - using any and all means at the state’s disposal.

Examined closely, WWII was not quite the “good guys vs the bad guys” as popularly understood...

[iL Dottore]

Good Morning,

 

Up early again, and for the same reason as yesterday... Bummer.

 

I see that yesterday’s post of mine finally got posted (the RMWeb editor is a particularly touchy beast at the best of times and really doesn’t like iPads...) Harrumph!
 

Some sad news, alas. Today I am now officially “old” and can claim my pensions. My few years working in the UK entitles me to a gold-plated “fat cat” pension of about £5.40 a month, so thank goodness I took the Swiss approach to pensions (state + company + private). Mind you, even though I can retire today (at 65) I plan on working for at least another year or two. The job’s indoors - with no heavy lifting or protective clothing required - it pays rather well and is the most fun one can have that doesn’t involve 1) alcohol, 2) disrobing or 3) r*****y m*******g!

This morning I may toddle into town and buy myself a toy or two. I want to get an equaliser pedal for my pedal board (for the guitar) and replace the broken food processor. This afternoon I will be making a cake for the inevitable shenanigans Mrs iD has been concocting “unbeknownst to me” 

 

iD

 

[jamie92208]

Bon Anniversaire, Flavio,  hope the day goes well.  Will Captain Cynical be attending.

 

Jamie