Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

18 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Interesting comments about the removal of the groan button and other icons that some people on the forum have misused. I thought this was the wrong approach and very reminiscent of Sippenhaft (a German term for the idea that a family or clan shares the responsibility for a crime or act committed by one of its members justifying collective punishment). Surely a fairer approach would have been to have named and shamed the offender and ban him/her permanently from the forum – Thus both retaining the groan button for the rest of us to use as well as providing a salutary warning to others to not misbehave (by publicly naming, shaming and expelling the miscreant [e.g. something along the lines of iL Dottore has today been permanently banned from RMWeb for continued online abusive language about baked beans and non-stop use of the YUCK button, despite repeated warnings])

I've noticed at least one member who cannot give or receive ratings. Beneath his avatar it says 'Moderated status'. So there is a means of dealing with misuse of such as a groan button. The only reason I can think of for not using it is that it would take up too much moderator time.

[iL Dottore]

The mind boggles….

https://www.nisbets.co.uk/dick-utility-tongs-10in/gd791

[iL Dottore]

….

11 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

The mind boggles….

https://www.nisbets.co.uk/dick-utility-tongs-10in/gd791

… and on so many different levels….

[simontaylor484]

Pedestrian and cheese salad 

 

@iL Dottore has resorted to eating roadkill. Wonder if a cyclist and cheese salad would taste better or is it difficult to remove the Lycra?

Edited September 26, 2022 by simontaylor484
Spell checker

[PhilJ W]

12 minutes ago, simontaylor484 said:

Pedestrian and cheese salad 

 

@iL Dottore has resorted to eating roadkill. Wonder if a cyclist and cheese salad would taste better or is it difficult to remove the Lyra?

Boil in the bag?

[iL Dottore]

I’m using the term “pedestrian” as in “lacking inspiration or excitement; dull” rather than “a passer by on foot”

 

Apparently, according to the diaries and journals of those people in the 16th to 19th centuries who actually did eat human flesh during their travels, have written that it is like roast pork, although perhaps a bit sweeter.

 

I like roast pork!

 

And finally, a philosophical thought:  vegetarians do not eat meat from animals or fish; given that - according to most of the world’s population and religions - humans are not animals, then logic dictates that cannibals are actually vegetarians as they do not eat flesh from animals!

[polybear]

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

One of the security staff claimed to be so traumatised that he never returned to work and took early retirement. He went to live in Spain soon after retirement.

 

Hey, what a coincidence.......

 

3 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Something happened to me this morning that would give @polybear the heebie-jeebies. I was in the bathroom washing my hands when I felt something tickle the top of my bare foot. It turned out to be an enormous spider scuttling across the bathroom floor and taking a short cut across my foot before disappearing under the skirting board.

 

Copious squirts of Fly-Spray under the skirting methinks (Bear actively ensures that gaps under skirting etc. just doesn't exist)

 

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I suspect a bear might not notice as bear feet are furry. 

 

Trust me, this Bear would most definitely notice.....

 

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Anyone who has the experience to be a technician/instructor in a college motor vehicle department could possibly earn more outside education. Part time hourly paid contracts are popular with college management but not with staff. 
Tony

 

Agreed - the two Colleges I've attended in recent years (for the M.E. Group) can't get Tutors for love nor money; problems include: (a) they need to know the subject, (b) be able to teach, (c) have a teaching qualification, and (d) be happy to accept less gronkits than they can probably earn in the real world.

- And all whilst putting up with (often) gobby Teenagers who don't really want to be there in the first place.**

(** That opinion is from Bear's last - and most excellent - Engineering Tutor).

 

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

The mind boggles….

https://www.nisbets.co.uk/dick-utility-tongs-10in/gd791

 

There used to be a pretty good range of quality spanners many moons ago (they may still be around - but in name only I suspect) called "King D1ck".  Bear has several in his collection.

Edited September 26, 2022 by polybear

[jamie92208]

26 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

 

 

Apparently, according to the diaries and journals of those people in the 16th to 19th centuries who actually did eat human flesh during their travels, have written that it is like roast pork, although perhaps a bit sweeter.

 

I like roast pork!

 

 

I believe that it was referred to as 'Long Pig' on certain islands in the Pacific.

 

Jamie

[Compound2632]

29 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

And finally, a philosophical thought:  vegetarians do not eat meat from animals or fish; given that - according to most of the world’s population and religions - humans are not animals, then logic dictates that cannibals are actually vegetarians as they do not eat flesh from animals!

 

Impeccable reasoning - Jonathan Swift was there before you though:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Modest_Proposal

 

I had supposed that pedestrian might be preferable to, say, motorist, as being leaner and fitter - possibly qualifying as free-range too. Cyclist might be just a bit too stringy.

[Danemouth]

I worked in the IT Dept of a small financial instution. Had a call out at 7:30 one morning whilst on my way to work - the burglar alarm had been triggered. I arrive to find our door of a multi occupancy building ajar and there are a couple of desktop p.c.s missing.

 

However the scrotes had walked by a pile of cardboad boxes marked "Dell" - 27 new laptops had been delivered late the previous afternoon and not been locked in the storeroom.

 

Dave

[woodenhead]

1 minute ago, Danemouth said:

I worked in the IT Dept of a small financial instution. Had a call out at 7:30 one morning whilst on my way to work - the burglar alarm had been triggered. I arrive to find our door of a multi occupancy building ajar and there are a couple of desktop p.c.s missing.

 

However the scrotes had walked by a pile of cardboad boxes marked "Dell" - 27 new laptops had been delivered late the previous afternoon and not been locked in the storeroom.

 

Dave

Once worked in a city centre office (pre 2000), someone climbed in through a window and removed all the RAM from a load of desktop computers and had carefully put the covers back on.

[jjb1970]

Something I find fascinating about food is how different cultures view delicacies and foods that are off limits for a respectable table. I am a cheese fanatic and love blue cheese and full flavoured cheeses as well as milder types like you get in France. Mrs JJB can eat cheese but the idea of mouldy cheese is a complete no-no, and there are still plenty of people in East and SE Asia that view cheese as rotten milk and something terrible. Haggis and black pudding are definite no-go areas, even though the Chinese make a very nice variation of black pudding (it's one of those things that seems to appear in just about every society). On the other hand she is an enthusiast of chicken feet, duck tongue, fish head curry and durian. And no right minded person should ever take an interest in bitter sa-pie.....I'm a sinophile and love China and it's culture and people but when the Chinese talk about exotic aromas and such like I advise taking it as a red flag. Then again, I also think that maybe the Chinese have a point in eating just about every part of a killed beast and using all the offal cuts, feet, beaks etc. Not much waste. Chinese dried sausages are excellent, many are sweet, I don't mean they have a tanginess or sweetness, but full on sweet. As it is so often said, enthusiasts of sausages and the law should never take an interest in how either is made. 

[polybear]

Bear here.....

The morning started with a small amount of prep work on the Diecast Lynx display model, followed by ordering the display case - apparently there's a 3 week delivery time 🙁.  The Beary wallet is now in ICU....

Then it was all the fun of cleaning the tops of the wardrobes and kitchen cupboards - I have a 6-monthly reminder on the laptop to do that as I find the dust can gather; the wardrobe tops also have "items, various" stored on top (but out of sight) and they have to wiped down with a damp cloth also.   And that makes up Bear's fun for the morning....

I've just received an email inviting me to book a C-19 Booster - so that's been done; I've been spiked 3 times so far, and it seems the last one was back in Dec last year.

[Northroader]

?????

[TheQ]

7 minutes ago, Northroader said:

?????

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[PeterBB]

3 hours ago, Tony_S said:

Anyone who has the experience to be a technician/instructor in a college motor vehicle department could possibly earn more outside education. Part time hourly paid contracts are popular with college management but not with staff. 
Tony

DEpends on the subject being taught and the hours deemed necessary.  MV  normally has a fair number of tutors but some garage workers are able to supplement their current 'better' earnings by also tutoring, making sure the best obtain placements in their garages and then employing them afterwards ... it happens.  In  later years I 'employed' additional (session paid) PT s when demand exceeded staff availability ... all were known to me as suitable for the tasks and all were very appy to take part. 

[simontaylor484]

Thanks for the comments on tutoring for motor vehicle courses. We are just worried tgat Kieran will lose interest. 

The changes to his routine dont help his autism either.

 

 

Just been on the news Doncaster/Sheffield airport is to close next month. That is a real shame its a good airport.

[PeterBB]

@polybear 

'Agreed - the two Colleges I've attended in recent years (for the M.E. Group) can't get Tutors for love nor money; problems include: (a) they need to know the subject, (b) be able to teach, (c) have a teaching qualification, and (d) be happy to accept less gronkits than they can probably earn in the real world.'

 

c) is the one that especially causes the problems in terms of how much they can be paid.  MV normally have qualified by the apprentice route and definitely have the skills but not all are able to pass on information and will not take 'guidance' on the manner in which they approach students (even although how some of them get enrolled was/is sometimes a mystery (£sd is the college need as compared with schools they are insufficently appropriately funded and pay still lags far behind that of the schools).

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by PeterBB

[woodenhead]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

And all whilst putting up with (often) gobby Teenagers who don't really want to be there in the first place.**

(** That opinion is from Bear's last - and most excellent - Engineering Tutor).

It's great that governments want people in education until they are 18, but in practice it just forces the youths who didn't want to be in school to have somewhere else they'd rather not be.  The schools are happy to have them out of their hair at 16 and only keep those who want to study in their A level classes.

 

Mrs W spends a lot of time observing classes as part of her NHS role, in her view who'd want to be a teacher let alone a lesser paid, lesser secure tutor in college.

[PeterBB]

4 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

It's great that governments want people in education until they are 18, but in practice it just forces the youths who didn't want to be in school to have somewhere else they'd rather not be.  The schools are happy to have them out of their hair at 16 and only keep those who want to study in their A level classes.

 

Mrs W spends a lot of time observing classes as part of her NHS role, in her view who'd want to be a teacher let alone a lesser paid, lesser secure tutor in college.

So, let's have MV as an option post 16-18  for those not interested in 'A' levels - teachers pay is greater than the equivalent college pay. Thinking on why not more relevant to actual work crafts person training for the 16-18 non-academic set in schools.  There was a politician who thiought that having everybody with a degree would be beneficial and the latest 'changes' in education look like downgradin by removing the nearest 'mode to work' courses that do currently work.

 

Looks like this became a rant.

[woodenhead]

1 minute ago, PeterBB said:

So, let's have MV as an option post 16-18  for those not interested in 'A' levels - teachers pay is greater than the equivalent college pay. Thinking on why not more relevant to actual work crafts person training for the 16-18 non-academic set in schools.  There was a politician who thiought that having everybody with a degree would be beneficial and the latest 'changes' in education look like downgradin by removing the nearest 'mode to work' courses that do currently work.

 

Looks like this became a rant.

The problem is a deeper malaise than simply education, there are people at the bottom of ladders whose parents also could not get onto the bottom rung let alone climb up - it's creating an underclass stuck in ghettos which is a breeding ground for malcontent as they feel forgotten, ignored and misrepresented.

 

That age old problem that the rich get richer and the poor poorer, really not helped by the goings on in Parliament last week.

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

I believe that it was referred to as 'Long Pig' on certain islands in the Pacific.

 

Jamie

A bedtime story since it's 11.30pm here...

 

In 1819 an Irish convict called Alexander Pearce, transported to Hobart, attempted to escape,  and as a result was transferred to the secondary penal settlement at Sarah Island on the remote unsettled western coast of Tasmania.

 

Conditions there were so brutal that pairs of convicts were known to  draw straws, the winner would be killed by the other,  who would be transported to Hobart for trial and subsequent execution as an escape from the relentless torment.

 

Anyways, one morning Alexander Pearce and 7 others overpowered a guard and escaped into the bush, intending to walk  to nearby Macquarie Harbour and steal a boat, sail to a Pacific Island and spend their life living in paradise among native beauties with no tops on  etc.

 

However, they did not count on the brutality of the surrounds - the west coast of Tassie is thick rainforest, impenetrable and cut by mountain ranges and deep gorges. Quickly  they found themselves blundering around lost, the little food  they had dwindling and with only a hatchet, unable to kill any native animals, all of which were at home in the rugged environment and easily evaded them.

 

As the men gradually weakened, thoughts turned to cannibalism and eventually the weakest among them was killed and eaten. His meat lasted only a couple of days though and  the men began eyeing each other off again. No one wanted to sleep or rest for fear that they  would be the next to go.

 

Gradually however,  hunger, exposure and tiredness overcame them one by one and they were in turn struck with the hatchet before being dismembered and shared amongst the others.

 

Finally only Pearce and one other were left and I can't imagine the battle of wills and stamina that must have gone on between them, neither wanting to close their eyes or drop their guard for even a second. Inevitably one did and so it was only Pearce who finally made it to the fringes of the settlement around Hobart, where convict sheep herders sheltered him for several weeks before he was recaptured.

 

Questioned about the whereabouts of the others, Pearce confessed to cannibalism, however the authorities refused to believe his wild horror story, convinced instead that he was concealing their hiding place,  so he was returned to Sarah Island to recommence his sentence.

 

Several weeks later he escaped again, taking another convict with him. When he was subsequently recaptured, pieces of human flesh were found in his clothes so this time he was sentenced and executed for murder.

I'm not sure what made the other bloke agree to escape with Pearce, given his obvious cannibal tendencies, shows what desperation does I guess.

 

For fans of mad convict cannibals there is an hour long documentary on YouTube that fleshes out (nyuk nyuk!) Pearces story.

Called The Last Confession Of Alexander Pearce, it is presented by The Tasmanian Tourism Corporation in conjunction with The Australian Meat Marketing Board.

 

Edited September 26, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

I have a 6-monthly reminder on the laptop to do that 

Given your confessed tech skills I assume that is a yellow sticky note stuck to your screen  with "clean the top of the cupboard every 6 months" written on it?

[jjb1970]

There's nothing wrong with vocational education and training. In fact, good crafts people can earn more than many graduates will earn. Good coded welders who can work on some of the ultra high-strengh super alloy steels and pass the NDE can name their own price.

Another issue is selection. Some organisations struggle to get people, some of that is almost certainly because they don't pay enough, but I think a bigger problem is hiring policy. Many organisations make job specifications so specific only someone already doing that exact job could meet it. As you move through life you realise it's a wishlist and if you have a reasonable slice of what's being asked for you probably have a chance unless the whole point is to meet a procedure to advertise while making sure an internal candidate gets it. However, it puts a lot of good people off applying. Then there's the competency based selection process, not competency as in being competent to do the job but all sorts of soft skills requirements. I have known people brilliant at what they did who wouldn't be considered if applying for their own jobs as they are terrible at all those competency things. Over the years I have been nudged to apply for government jobs but just can't be bothered to write 500 words on how I am a team player, and similar 500 word essays on four or five other soft skills. Then again, maybe by filtering people who can't be bothered to spend a week completing the application form it is working as intended. 

[iL Dottore]

42 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

There's nothing wrong with vocational education and training. In fact, good crafts people can earn more than many graduates will earn. Good coded welders who can work on some of the ultra high-strengh super alloy steels and pass the NDE can name their own price.

Something to think about:

https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/sbfi/en/home/education/vocational-education-and-training--vet-.html

https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/sbfi/en/home/education/vocational-education-and-training--vet-/apprenticeship-positions.html

 

43 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

.....Then there's the competency based selection process, not competency as in being competent to do the job but all sorts of soft skills requirements.....

Call me an old cynic, but there are soft skills and there are soft skills. Too much of the "mandatory training" demanded by a client that I have had to endure over the past few years has been short on content and long on utter b0ll0cks.