Early Risers.

[TheQ]

Just spent 15 minutes looking for the envelope that contains the donation to the MRC for exhibiting on Saturday.....

 

It was sat on the laptop I use to do banking for the MRC..

 

A Bluey in UK military parlance, is the blue Envelope / writing paper, that can be posted for free to / from military personnel serving overseas.

 

The other bluey's meaning drives from ,  " blue pencil Lord Chamberlain " try typing that in for a clue..

 

 

Just had" This server is temporarily unobtainable " on screen

 

Edited April 8 by TheQ

[iL Dottore]

4 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Coke and Meth  seems to be the drug of choice these days, with analysis of waste water showing that Sydney's affluent* Eastern Suburbs leads the country in coke consumption, while most drug sniffer dog operation s and random roadside drug tests are mainly performed in the less salubrious western suburbs.

And until the affluent and influential are subject to the same "anti-drug" policing etc (stop and search, "no-knock" raids, confiscation of anything and everything belonging to anybody in the vicinity of "the criminal" etc.) that seem to always target the poorer classes, you'll continue to have a drug problem.

 

Cocaine is especially pernicious. The drug of choice for many in the entertainment industries* and amongst the wealthy, users are often protected by money and influence.

 

Ironically, coca leaf preparations were first used by Andean civilizations to combat the effects of cold, hunger, and altitude sickness, especially amongst the poor. Now, according to the drugabuse.com (a website for a rehab centre group) Cocaine has a reputation as a “rich man’s drug.” According to the World Drug Report, Cocaine in the US costs between $25 and $200 a gram, with typical prices checking in at about $112 per gram - so definitely a "lifestyle" drug for the rich and louche.

 

But of course, the plod goes after the poor B*****s who get hooked on street bought painkillers and similar "cheap" drugs.

 

* many in the entertainment industry have admitted to burning through thousands of dollars of cocaine during their (ahem) "wild years"

[Tony_S]

27 minutes ago, DaveF said:

had to look up Bluey so now I know it is a series about a rabbit.

Australian Heeler dogs. Other dogs appear as well.  I sat and watched some really awful cartoons when Matthew was little.  He liked  them thiugh  and some were  very amusing. I would have enjoyed Bluey, my niece recommended it.  She is 7.  Her family don’t have Disney so they haven’t seen the famous cricket episode though their dad listened to the review on Test Match Special. 

[PupCam]

Afternoon

 

19 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Given the importance of “luxury” watches to the Swiss economy, the Swiss government decided to do something about it. It is illegal to bring counterfeit goods into Switzerland, even for personal use. Even a counterfeit souvenir for personal use will be seized, destroyed and the patent owner informed - who then can take legal action against you. If you bring a number counterfeit items in, you could be liable to up to a year in jail and/or up to CHF 1 million in fines.

 

But it’s not only the luxury goods market that is affected by counterfeits; for example aviation parts, and pharmaceuticals are also frequently counterfeited and in both these cases, counterfeits can kill you.
 

I’ve also read that as counterfeiting is considered a relatively low risk endeavour (in terms of punishment, whether fines or jail terms) with the increasingly Draconian approach in many countries to controlling the illegal drug trade, many criminals formally involved in the drug trade are moving to counterfeiting.

 

Just about anything and everything is game for counterfeiting.    I've always thought the two specific examples mentioned are particularly worrying.

 

Many years ago I was working on a job that required many Sandisk flash memory cards.  The organisation responsible for purchasing them chose Amazon as the source.   On arrival I tested them and  found a good number didn't work correctly.   After some searching I stumbled across a page on EBay detailing how to detect counterfeit Sandisk memory cards.   I think there were about 12 different signs e.g. the font on the labels, the labels having square corners not round corners etc etc.   I was able to tick off 10 out of the 12 on the list  .......      The cards were returned with a "Please try harder and don't go for the cheapest next time" note.

 

12 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Most prescribed medication in the US (in my experience with several pharmacies) is counted into an orange plastic pill bottle - an adhesive label is affixed and it is supplied with vast amounts of documentation in a small print. Sometimes the manufacturer's sealed container (again with loose pills) is provided directly - again with the adhesive label. The latter will include the manufacturer's leaflet in extremely fine print, often with molecular structure diagrams for the active ingredient.

 

Over recent years with my vastly increased consumption of meds I've gone from a "Never bother reading the leaflet" type to a "Read every line on the leaflet and keep a copy of it and note how you're not meant to take Drug A with Drug B or C which is a shame because A, B, C & D (along with others) have been prescribed.     A good number of those aren't really leaflets they are more "Mini books" and, with the best will in the world and the smallest of fonts. you'd never get that lot on the back of a bottle.       Quite how useful the molecular structure diagram is for the average user (they are after all user notes 😉) I don't know.    Maybe a case of BS B B?

 

11 hours ago, Grizz said:

Uho……

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68758088

 

Oh how careless! 

 

ION

 

Nice chug over to Woburn Saturday on the Beeza.    I had an invitation to a run out yesterday which would have been a thrash on the RD but I was feeling a smidge below par and it was blowing a hooley.   I don't do wet, dark ..... hooleys so I declined.      

 

However, it's been much better today so a walk (~2.5 miles) was walked and then a thrash was thrashed.    The thrash included visiting a a station on the BedPan line to check out parking arrangements, cost, apps and all that carp.   It might provide a useful alternative to the ECML when I go up the smoke for my next consultation.  

 

On my return I was informed that "we really must book our holiday".   So we did.     Fortunately no Boeing 737s (or any other 3D buses) will be involved. 

 

Puppers is in need of a scafold tower.  He needs to get up to the soffit/facia to deal with some maintenance issues.    He has a long ladder plus a stand-off but is basically too much of a coward these days re-enforced by statements such as "You're not going up there on that ladder, it's not safe".    As a bit of a long shot a plea was placed on one of my  Whats Ap groups of biking mates produced dividends.  One of my mates has one.   I only need one and he's going to drop it round in the next couple of days.   I'd call that a result! 😀

 

Right, I'm off to sort out dinner.

 

TTFN

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PupCam]

It's becoming tiresome now ....

 

 

 

[Coombe Barton]

... Action is taken against carers for minor mistakes but nothing as yet is done to people in charge at the Post Office ...

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2024/04/08/long-covid-one-rule-for-them-counting-down/

[polybear]

Bear has been looking at other hols (in addition to, not instead of Malta).

One search (Lisbon) came in at £129 FOR A WEEK (NO, NOT NIGHT) 😮  Huh?

Oh, hang on....it's in a Dormitory.....Poo.

Whoa there Bear!!  It's in an 8-Bed FEMALE Dormitory.....

I Like Lisbon already.....

[TheQ]

4 minutes ago, polybear said:

Bear has been looking at other hols (in addition to, not instead of Malta).

One search (Lisbon) came in at £129 FOR A WEEK (NO, NOT NIGHT) 😮  Huh?

Oh, hang on....it's in a Dormitory.....Poo.

Whoa there Bear!!  It's in an 8-Bed FEMALE Dormitory.....

I Like Lisbon already.....

So you are going to self identify as Polina then?

[Tony_S]

13 minutes ago, polybear said:

Bear has been looking at other hols (in addition to, not instead of Malta).

One search (Lisbon) came in at £129 FOR A WEEK (NO, NOT NIGHT) 😮  Huh?

Oh, hang on....it's in a Dormitory.....Poo.

Whoa there Bear!!  It's in an 8-Bed FEMALE Dormitory.....

I Like Lisbon already.....

Matthew flew down from the Netherlands to Lisbon. He and some fellow students had organised a geography conference in Seville but their funding body insisted on a recognised academic based in Lisbon  to approve various items. He stayed in hostel accommodation to keep expenses low. While there he fell out of a top bunk and landed on his head. He woke up in a hospital and was there for nearly three days. He was still a bit concussed when released and met the academic, had no recall of it later, but she was happy. I wanted him to come back,to the UK but he said he had too much work to do. He at least let me buy him a ticket on a proper airline flying to Schipol instead of somewhere in the middle of nowhere. 

[Tony_S]

As a result of the falling out of a bunk, Aditi requested Matthew to please reserve a bottom bunk in future. He had reserved a bottom bunk in a hostel somewhere he was meeting up with other geography students, in Bulgaria I think. When he went to his reserved bunk there was a female already installed. There were no other lower bunks available. Management were not interested but one of the other students who knew Matthew swapped his lower bunk. 

[PhilJ W]

3 hours ago, polybear said:

Bear here.....

 

Wanderin' wandered.  Tick

 

And.......

I finally managed to find the missing Credit Card - it was dangerously close to the point where I was going to give up all hope and get it cancelled/replaced.  YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO...........

 

And where was it?  The Great Sofa God had scoffed it - shifting the sofa and tipping it over (not easy as it's a steel-framed leather recliner = bluddy heavy) revealed all (which included loads of dross that required the services of Mickey the Miele to clean up.  Huge Tick awarded.

 

Bear gone....

How much loose change did you find down there?

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. In this part of the world we are assuming that the the total eclipse going on in the USA has no effect here. But not so, The whole of the English east coast will be affected by high tides caused by the gravitational pull of a new moon and the sun. Flood warnings have been issued in low lying areas and the Thames barrier has been closed. 

[Erichill16]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

 

.    He has a long ladder plus a stand-off but is basically too much of a coward these days re-enforced by statements such as "You're not going up there on that ladder, it's not safe".   
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thought @polybear would be able to help you out on that one. 

[The White Rabbit]

Evening all,

 

Two thoughts for the day (what's left of it...):

 

1)  https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/08/the-birthday-effect-why-your-big-day-might-be-your-last 

 

2) 

14 hours ago, polybear said:

....  sooooooo much crime is linked to drugs that it's about time we REALLY got serious about it.  ... 

 

12 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

.... The way to effectively address the drug problem is to firstly remove the profitability from the drug trade (by making illegal drugs so cheap through legalisation and sale through government shops) that the criminal elements would abandon the trade ... 

 

If organised crime were no longer able to make money from drugs, what would they turn to? Without getting into how best to deal with the drug problem or wider questions of morality, justice and punishment, I do wonder what would fill the vacuum should drugs suddenly cease to be a money tree. Would that - whatever it was - be better or worse for society? 

[polybear]

26 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

How much loose change did you find down there?

 

Not so much as a single sixpence ☹️

I did find a few pills though.....oops....

 

16 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Thought @polybear would be able to help you out on that one. 

 

Oh, I see.....let's all send Dispensable Bear up the tall scary wobbly ladder instead...... 😱

[New Haven Neil]

6 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

We already have that.

 

Perhaps the answer is to round them all up and put them on a island ....... Oops being told we can't do that as it would have an adverse impact on the island. This might take some thought.

 

Don't even THINK about it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have enough trouble with the alcoholics.....not for nothing was the place once described as '80 thousand alcoholics clinging to a rock'.  I don't think it is the problem it was in the past, but every department seems to have an office p!sshead.

[iL Dottore]

2 hours ago, PupCam said:

Puppers is in need of a scafold tower.  He needs to get up to the soffit/facia to deal with some maintenance issues.    He has a long ladder plus a stand-off but is basically too much of a coward these days re-enforced by statements such as "You're not going up there on that ladder, it's not safe".  

What puppers needs is a Bear who is used to working at heights...

...who also has his own state-of-the-art, high tech safety equipment...

 

[iL Dottore]

35 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Not so much as a single sixpence ☹️

I did find a few pills though.....oops....

 

 

We'd heard....

[PupCam]

2 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Thought @polybear would be able to help you out on that one. 

 

You just can't get the bears these days ....

 

1 hour ago, The White Rabbit said:

Two thoughts for the day (what's left of it...):

 

1)  https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/08/the-birthday-effect-why-your-big-day-might-be-your-last 

 

 

Whoops, I nearly became a supporting statistic for that a few years ago.        My birthday treat turned out to be getting an electronic device implanted in a hurry.   Perhaps the most worthwhile present I've ever had, I must get the battery checked soon 🤔

 

Night All

 

 

 

 

[DaveF]

I spent some time this evening looking at brochures for river cruises.  It was quite easy deciding where I would want to go and a selection of dates.  I had a long think about the prices but decided that if I really wanted to go I could even though it would be just me which makes it more expensive.

 

But... the more I looked at the details the more two things struck me.  I looked carefully at the places I would be visiting and realised that I have been to them all before in the days when I took the car to Europe for three or four weeks each summer.  Since they are historic places much of what I would see I have already  seen back in the days when I was a lot fitter and could walk much further in  day.

 

Then I looked at the actual schedules and found that in every case a surprising amount of travel on the boats would be at night to give more time for the town visits.  If I want to go along a river I want to see it all go by me, good and bad not just the carefully chosen highlights.  It is rather like being on a train, I am the one spending all the time looking out of the window at the world going by.

 

I think I have too many good memories of just driving around stopping whenever I felt like it for as long as I wanted and finding a hotel for the night when I felt I had done enough driving.  I have never been on any form of package holiday or cruise and the more I think about the less likely I am to do so, even if it means I just travel more locally now I am older.

 

David

[Tony_S]

5 minutes ago, DaveF said:

and found that in every case a surprising amount of travel on the boats would be at night

Not a river cruise but have you considered a cruise to the Norwegian Fjords in summer. It is quite light at night and the scenery is pretty spectacular. 

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

I do wonder what would fill the vacuum should drugs suddenly cease to be a money tree.

Counterfeit products …

[Adam88]

Ladders can be unforgiving, or rather the terra on which they stand.  One company I worked for had much technical input and support from a man who was a world-renowned professor at a leading university.  Sadly he fell from a ladder at home and died so our company had to delve very deeply into his field of expertise to continue the work.  For many years we paid significant royalties to his widow but it would have been far better for everyone if he'd not come off the ladder.

[DaveF]

13 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Not a river cruise but have you considered a cruise to the Norwegian Fjords in summer. It is quite light at night and the scenery is pretty spectacular. 

 

I think this is what I will look at next.

 

David

[BoD]

On 05/04/2024 at 23:52, Tony_S said:

Banda copiers. 

It was only ever Geography teachers who used more than one colour carbon paper.

 

I guess you already knew that.