Early Risers.

[jamie92208]

27 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

And there was mention of how many in the Church - 2000; apparently QE2's Party had 8000 - that must've been "cosy"....

BG

 

They installed a lot of temporary seats in tiers on wood and scaffolding.  They even used a narrow gauge railway to get all the materials into place from one of the side doors. 

 

Jamie

[Hroth]

4 hours ago, Grizz said:

Questionable or inappropriate product naming when viewed by a different nation. These two are genuine examples from Denmark, found during our last trip home. 
 

One is a bit abrupt and the other is perhaps best described as just wrong…can you spot which one is which?
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've never seen that moulded on top of a winegum...

 

[jjb1970]

4 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

Back in my NHS days I spent a year on secondment to a project - positive action for ethnic minorities & asylum seeking qualified medical practitioners - it was about getting a fair deal to get them registered and working, and we were desperately short of said staff.  Not long afterwards my commitment to equality was questioned in one of those courses mentioned earlier.  To say I had a field day is putting it mildly!

 

Oops, getting shouted at to go to archery.  Laters.

 

A few years ago I rocked the boat at some diversity and inclusivity training organized by my then employer. I found some of the material being used by the (white) trainer itself to be patronizing and xenophobic and said so. Usually I am not a fan of vicarious outrage on behalf of others, which is also rather patronizing and denies agency on the part of others (as Mrs JJB likes to point out) but in this case there were no Muslims or Chinese in the room. So I spoke up in their absence and questioned whether they found their material in some god awful racist 1970's ching chong comedy routine and a pastiche of ali baba and the 40 thieves as I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen so many cheap stereotypes of Chinese and Muslim people. If they'd been doing it deliberately to demonstrate what not to do and say then it would have been fair enough. However it was clearly the genuine impression of what the training organization thought of those peoples. A strong complaint went from the training provider and department to my boss, the marine director, unfortunately for them he'd been country manager for China and also spent significant time in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and when he read the power points and training material agreed with me. We never saw or heard anything from that training provider again.

 

Something it did make me wonder about was that the trainer obviously had very limited exposure to other cultures (it really was cringe inducing), on what basis are people considered competent to lecture others? There now seems to be all sorts of pseudo-academic disciplines trying to take on the same status as established scientific disciplines which seem to attract all sorts of people. Some no doubt are very knowledgeable, others have seen an opportunity to jump on a bandwagon.

[The White Rabbit]

I fear much so called diversity training has the opposite effect to that intended. I have (with the rest of my section of the time) been sent on such training and it's always at best been a waste of time, at worst been patronising, simplistic and actually offended those it was nominally designed to assist. The worst example actually got me so wound up I wanted to steal a megaphone, smash a window and start shouting offensive comments into the street. Not that I normally feel that way about such groups, it was just a classic example of counter-productive sermonising. It wasn't just me either, a couple of my colleagues from such 'minority groups' said they had given some very critical feedback and one had made an official complaint of discrimination and racist behaviour. Doubleplusungood... 

[The White Rabbit]

Moving away from such matters, I promised you a few photos earlier this week. So, without further ado, some bluebell woods in Wharfedale:

 

 

Plenty of wild garlic here too. And below, likewise. I spotted the second duck (which had frozen when I appeared) before taking the frame but not the plastic bottle. Effing litterlouts... 

 

 

And further up the valley: 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony_S]

32 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

We never saw or heard anything from that training provider again.

I worked for about 7 years providing in service training for schools and colleges in a London Borough. During that time there were quite a few changes taking place with exams, school reorganisations and the technology available. Our managers often arranged training for us to keep us up to date. Some of the trainers were terrible. Complaints were made and better ones were sent. 
When I returned to teaching, I was also in receipt of training sessions. Some were well done but there seemed to be a lot of resistance from some staff to being informed or “upskilled” which was disappointing in an educational establishment. 

[45156]

Afternoon All

 

Well I enjoyed the coronation for the main part - the true star of the show IMHO was Penny Mordaunt, who carried off her duties with grace and poise - she did so as well when the late queen's passing was announced.  Politics aside, she seems to have a real feeling for that sort of event.

 

True, much of the ritual was archaic, but it has been cast in history for about a millenium now. 

 

The return with its high tech organised step off of thousands of military men and women was very well done, and could so easily have gone wrong.  

 

I too was disappointed at the curtailed fly past, but the low cloud base made that quite inevitable - at least the helicopters and the red arrows made it. 

 

As to the commentary - BBC said onscreen a number of times that various accessible media, and a commentary free version were available on the red button - I checked and they were - pehaps @Barry O was watching ITV.

 

The main spoiler for me was that on Friday I had a problem with Homeserve having sent our repair job to the wrong engineer, so that one engineer had the part, and another had the job.  I raised a complaint and as they couldn't get hold of anybody by 6pm last night, they rang during the run up - and also said that the engineer would ring - so I was on tenterhooks for the call, but in the end, they dealt with it by email - which I discovered after the coronation, and as they had given me an unsuitable appointment, I had to ring them, but only after it was all over.

 

All posts have been skim read, which is an improvement on my performance of late.

 

And for music lovers, this came into my inbox yesterday.

 

 

Regards to All

Stewart

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. Only bought one item at the toy fair, an American box cab diesel locomotive. I was eyeing it up for the chassis to see if it would fit a 3D printed body I have.  I had to buy it as the dealer warned me that the body was loose, but I didn't realise just how loose as I only had to turn it a few degrees and the chassis fell out! Not only that it hit the table and bits went flying everywhere. The good news is that I had almost made up my mind to buy it and I was going to dismantle it anyway. It was £50 which I thought was reasonable for the model.  

[Neil]

22 hours ago, Sidecar Racer said:

 

 That's the problem with wanting diversity in any area  , you cant magic up people .

 

 Lewis Hamilton has long moaned about this in F1 , but if minorities of any ethnicity don't want

to be involved that's  it . .....

 

 

That rather misses out the bit about opportunity to be involved. To take the F1 example, motor sport costs money and if your particular ethnic group is financially disadvantaged then the opportunities to start, let alone progress, will be diminished. There's also the well known concept of limited horizons, do you believe that you stand a chance in a particular field of endeavour? If people of your background aren't present then what makes you feel that it would be achievable? Look at those who have made it into F1 as drivers, a significant number are the sons of F1 drivers, a significant number have wealthy parents or backers.

[PhilJ W]

This is a photograph of the model I bought.

The only difference is the livery, mine is a plain dark brown. Ironically the model I intend the chassis for is one of the three supplied by BTH to Ford's Dagenham plant in 1931.

Edited May 7, 2023 by PhilJ W

[polybear]

1 hour ago, jjb1970 said:

Something it did make me wonder about was that the trainer obviously had very limited exposure to other cultures (it really was cringe inducing), on what basis are people considered competent to lecture others? There now seems to be all sorts of pseudo-academic disciplines trying to take on the same status as established scientific disciplines which seem to attract all sorts of people. Some no doubt are very knowledgeable, others have seen an opportunity to jump on a bandwagon.

 

In Bear's experience (and based on that received at The Great Empire) many Trainers could "talk the talk" but I had great doubts that they could actually "walk the walk".

 

Bear here....

More danglin' completed.  That's a Tick.

The Ebay buyer has yet to contact me regarding collection....I do have their money though.....

 

BG

[polybear]

44 minutes ago, 45156 said:

True, much of the ritual was archaic, but it has been cast in history for about a millenium now. 

 

The return with its high tech organised step off of thousands of military men and women was very well done, and could so easily have gone wrong.  

 

 

It very nearly did:

 

 

A WPC on crowd control got a whack in the process (as did some of the crowd) which I imagine wasn't fun.

Edited May 7, 2023 by polybear

[TheQ]

Afternoon Awl,

Went to the SC,

Got tools, put in rowing boat,

Rowed across to BM,

Took cover off took front hatches off.

Reached across to put tool kit in....

And slipped, 

Row boat tipped to 45 degrees , started filling with water ( it's unsinkable).

Toolkit fell in water,

Wrenched back holding on.

 

Club rescue boat was putting buoys in, saw this and once I was verticle on board towed me back to the club, crawled out of the boat, pulled it up far enough to pull out drain plug.

Sat on quay heading for back to recover.

 

Friend arrived who doesn't live local, but he still owns late parents house, after a chat he went back to house. Came back with a landing net.

Went to club house bosun's store. Got dydle, and big magnet on a string.

 

Rowed back to BM.

Went fishing,. Water depth 3ft 6inchs

Each net pass came back with a load of mud.

Several attempts later, plastic bag containing gooseneck, bolts, rivets,  value £75 in postage.

Magnet Deployed, many many passes later, several drill bits, turnbuckle, Allen key set, shackle and block, new long tape measure, and new tenon saw. £40

I'd hit the drill several times with net and magnet but it wouldn't lift. 

Deployed dydle 

Hit drill first time. But it took till third attempt to hook on.

Edge of battery hooked onto edge of dydle. Very gentle lift managed to recover drill. £50.

Paddled back to club house.

 

Picked up piece by piece put them on quay heading.

Even harder to crawl out of boat.

Sat on quay heading for considerable time.

Rolled over onto side then knees, used dydle as pole to haul myself up painfully.

Returned dydle, fishing net, magnet to their homes.

Left gear where it was,

There was plastic deck chair just near sat it that for considerable time.

Collected gear up put in box .

 

Got mop out 

Washed mud covered dinghy, mostly from a sitting position on the quay.

Drained dinghy.

 

Stepped slowly to T bar for muggacoffee and bacon roll. Several members showed their concern at my stagger. I couldn't carry coffee and bacon roll , club members put them on nearest table for me

Sat for a considerable time.

 

Back to boat, paddled across

Put covers back on, washed BM, and the next door boat where mud had escaped.

Paddled back.

 

Had to crawl out again,

Another club member hauled dinghy out and put it way for me.

Went to club facilities had a good wash.

 

Sat at front of club with more coffee.

Had the coronation buffet lunch, which included coronation chicken and quiche of course.

 

Sadly unable to take part in the coronation races, for which there was special glasses as prizes.

Nor can I take part in the coronation parade later with boats dressed overall.

The club house and about 1/4 of houses were dressed up with flags in the village.

 

Now home lying flat on my back. Pink pills taken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by TheQ

[PeterBB]

15 hours ago, Tony_S said:

When I returned to teaching, I was also in receipt of training sessions. Some were well done but there seemed to be a lot of resistance from some staff to being informed or “upskilled” which was disappointing in an educational establishment. 

One of the reasons for this may be that there are/were some good and interesting training sessions being provided but that 'your section had to do' X&Y' rather than what originally appeared to be a choice.  You can probably guess from above the 'enforced sessions' from already known trainer groups.

Edited May 8, 2023 by PeterBB

[Adam88]

17 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

It very nearly did:

 

 

A WPC on crowd control got a whack in the process (as did some of the crowd) which I imagine wasn't fun.

 

On 16/04/2023 at 14:28, Adam88 said:

Horses - for safety's sake just keep well clear of all the moving parts.

 

If only they'd all taken my advice, freely given only last month...

 

 

[PeterBB]

23 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

It very nearly did:

 

King's coronation: Horse loses control and crashes into crowds - YouTube

 

Agree unfortunately about the horse.

 

What about the RN 12 into 6 routine - came off absolutely brilliantly.

[DaveF]

 

My commiserations to TheQ, I've done the row across to another boat, lean over, slipped and got water in the boat and all over me - but I wasn't carrying anything and I was very much younger so it was just some cursing and getting on with retrieving the situation.  At least you got a lot of your tools back, I hope they are all OK, and that you are too once you have rested.

 

My day has been quite simple in comparison, church went well as usual, it was foggy and damp at the end of the service so I came home, stopping only at the temporary "pop-up" corner shop for a newspaper.  I'm not sure what has happened to their real shop but I suspect someone tried to steal their cash machine so they are currently operating from a sandwich shop just along the road.

 

Then I finished a letter to a friend and e mailed it along with a batch of photos while I had coffee, next I cooked lunch, a ready to heat up pulled pork joint from Lidl.  They are designed for 2 people but I find that once I have removed all the fat there is only a little bit more than one helping - I avoid fat because of my IBS.  To be honest my IBS is much better now so it may be possible for me to eat a little fat now and then, but I am wary of trying.

 

This afternoon I've been for a short walk in the sun, as I got home the mist rolled back in and the foghorn started up again.  It is now much cooler.  I read the paper and kept the souvenir section about the Coronation, later I may try some of the puzzles - I don't often buy a newspaper, only when there is some noteworthy event.  Next on the agenda is to check the greenhouse and water the plants as needed, also to refill the bird bath for the third time today.  The birds seem to wait until I have filled it then come and splash as much water as they can over the side.  Then I fill it and they repeat the exercise.

 

This evening I will try the concert but will have a book or magazine handy in case is any music I don't like.

 

I wonder what tomorow will bring?

 

David

[polybear]

An interesting little analysis of yesterday's proceedings:

 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/strong-bladders-required-for-interminable-faffing-of-king-charles-s-coronation/ar-AA1aPxTl?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=b6c6c13baecd474c9a6d9ab449d4c691&ei=40

[TheQ]

I meant to mention the village green had a band playing. Mostly jazz, but a variety of other music too.

[New Haven Neil]

6 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

Though one item I saw (a little over half-way down) which caught my eye mentions bespoke walking boots which don't taper to the toes and don't have a heel. 'Barefoot' walking shoes sound like they might have some health benefits and I wondered if that included those with foot injuries? @New Haven Neil? 

 

Interesting, but my foot would fall apart!  I have to wear custom made orthotics to support the arch, and if doing more than pottering about, also an ankle/foot brace.  Hopefully this may improve after the next bout of surgery due in a few months, but not exactly looking forward to the op/recovery, it hurts. Lots.

 

In other news, the 'old man' of the archery group shot well, and won - but our glen has been defiled by someone having discharged effluent presumably from having emptied a septic tank somewhere near the top - killed one stream and the swamp completely, with lots of.....the things that make a TC, well, a T. Stinky.  Photos taken and report being made to environmental health, but we'll never find who did it. 'Stards. We need a lot of rain.

 

Here's some of the team hurling abuse at him while he tries to remember which end goes on the string....target is the square thing above Deb's hand.

 

[PupCam]

Afternoon All!

 

It's been another funny old day.      No bike ride this morning as my daughter  has been staying over the weekend and I was called to duty in the production of a fried breakfast.     Followed by a video call to mother amongst other things and later just a very light lunch (it was a big breakfast 😀).   After lunch daughter went visiting a friend and Mrs Puppers and I walked down the road to the church for a 2:30 appointment with an (the!) Avro Lancaster that was en-route to the first flying display of the year at Old Warden.   We should have had the Hurricane and Spit yesterday after they had beaten up some party "up the smoke" but that was of course curtailed.    The Lanc today was a consolation prize - good enough for me!    Spits and Hurricanes are almost two-a-penny these days particularly here as we seem to be on the flight path for Duxford aircraft  coming and going anywhere to the west.   It's a tough job racing outside at the wonderful sound of a Merlin or two but someone has to do it.   

 

Anyway, he/she/it was due to use the Puppers Magna church as a turning point.  In the event he sort of cut the corner off and we got to see the underside rather than the topside but no matter it was still gorgeous.

 

 

 

On our return and as both the sun (no, not a spelling error) and daughter were still out I thought a short bimble on the Beeza was called for.   Another 20 miles around some of the local roads which was very good.   I'm choosing the roads  for Beeza bimbles carefully now as it and thus I don't take kindly to bouncy roads due to the old fashioned girder front forks, a rigid frame  and just a couple of bouncy springs under the seat for the "rear" suspension.    That 20 miles takes  the Odometer total to about 120 miles so far since the re-build IIRC.  

 

Note to self:   Must get some glass fibre wadding to stuff in the exhaust to try and take a few dBs off of the Brooklands Can* bark!

 

* A type of old fashioned silencer although that term is used extremely loosely!

 

TTFNQ

 

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by PupCam
Re-phrased

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, PeterBB said:

One of the reasons for this may be that there are/were so good and interesting training sessions being provided but that 'your section had to do x&Y' rather than what originally appeared to be a choice.  You can probably guess from above the 'enforced sessions' from already known trainer groups.

One of the problems at my last college was that any technical training was planned by people with no idea. So we all had to do the same training even though many of us were way past that stage. I got into trouble as I honestly answered the questionnaire, rating the tutor highly, good content but that I learned nothing. 
After one what I thought was a well presented diversity session I was having lunch with  couple of senior colleagues who were a bit miffed about having to attend such a session. Their argument being that they would never discriminate against colleagues or students whatever their background. . However they couldn’t understand that the course was making them aware of what colleagues or students from minority backgrounds had to put up with.  
Tony

Edited May 7, 2023 by Tony_S

[Sidecar Racer]

2 hours ago, Neil said:

 

That rather misses out the bit about opportunity to be involved. To take the F1 example, motor sport costs money and if your particular ethnic group is financially disadvantaged then the opportunities to start, let alone progress, will be diminished. There's also the well known concept of limited horizons, do you believe that you stand a chance in a particular field of endeavour? If people of your background aren't present then what makes you feel that it would be achievable? Look at those who have made it into F1 as drivers, a significant number are the sons of F1 drivers, a significant number have wealthy parents or backers.

 

 I don't think Lewis was commenting on drivers specifically but engineering roles and other areas

within the F1 arena hence my comment {Lewis Hamilton has long moaned about this in F1 , but if

minorities of any ethnicity don't want to be involved that's  it . .....}

 

 See this .  https://www.hamiltoncommission.org/

[polybear]

36 minutes ago, PupCam said:

Note to self:   Must get some glass fibre wadding to stuff in the exhaust to try and take a few dBs off of the Brooklands Can* bark!

 

* A type of old fashioned silencer although that term is used extremely loosely!

 

TTFNQ

 

 

 

Don't be in too much of a hurry - many Bikers like noisy pipes cos' blind car drivers hear them coming even if they don't see them.....

Anyone remember the old Alfa 4-1 zorsts on a big Jap Four?  Made your ears bleed at 200 yards.  Music.

 

In other news....

Bear has just unpacked and taken a squint at the recent acquisition off the 'bay (a choo choo - though not steam) - apart from a few wear marks on the outer sleeve of the box it's all as new/unused, but at a fraction of the price; I've yet to test it though - that'll just have to be a couple of wires on the wheels cos' the muddlin' room looks like a bomb site (and a store room) and is currently being used as a paint shop for the H/S/L refurb:

 

 

In other, other news....

I wonder just how many of the 2000 Party-Goers jumped in their cars afterwards and said to the Chauffeur "ferchrissakes head for the nearest Bog...QUICK....." 🤣

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/royal-family/king-charles-coronation-westminster-abbey-b2333746.html

 

Bear Gone.

Edited May 7, 2023 by polybear

[The White Rabbit]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

In Bear's experience (and based on that received at The Great Empire) many Trainers could "talk the talk" but I had great doubts that they could actually "walk the walk"....

 

To quote Uncle Mort, "Too * true missus". Before my life took a nasty turn for the worse, part of my work was training and tutoring new and junior colleagues. As someone who had worked his way up 'through the ranks' rather than someone who'd been on some fancy fast-track graduate scheme* I had a liddle credibility with that. Been there, done that, etc. ... solved a lot of problems. Including some which baffled some very smart young things. Combination of some brains (I hope!) and experience at the coal face. 

 

The Romans had their metaphor about battles being bloody drills and drill being bloodless battles. Some years later, the USN introduced Top Gun, to give [newbies] the benefit of the lessons of combat without it costing them their lives. Our 'academy' was run on similar principles. We tried to pass on our experience to the new guys and gals to give them a head start on [things]. 

 

* I did qualify for those but (ironically) was turned down for all of those which I applied for. Some years later I was accepted for an admin position with one of them. And then over a few years got promoted from junior dogsbody to senior clerk with a file marked as a candidate for senior professional/managerial posts. Then the NHS let me down big-time (again) and I probably won't work again. Such is life ... pah/turdycurses ...