Lunester Lounge 2017.... for ANY topic you wish to discuss

[trisonic]

Conversely we on the East Coast should have a milder Winter and less Hurricanes this Summer.................. It depends on where you live, Jock.

 

Best, Pete.

[AireValley1962]

Just referring back to Rob's post about Ebay, on occasion, such as THIS ONE , there are very good and honest sellers out there; unfortunately it seems to be getting fewer.  His description is better than some we could name, and despite being a private seller, he gives me more confidence than some others.  Whilst I generally agree with the opinions expressed regarding Ebay, I still feel compelled to point out the good that remains there.  Anyway, back to the weather . . . . .

[HeeleyBridge]

Pubs usually forget about a ban after a few months... (not that I've ever been banned from a pub, of course )

 

 

I was asked to "remove my headgear or I would be barred and removed from the premises" the 'West End Live' in town about 10 years ago.

 

As I was there working and doing them a favour (their microphones, cables and stands had been stolen the previous evening), I had taken mine along at 30 minutes notice from the band (who were friends of mine from out of town) and the pub were paying me to be there it would be a bit silly.

 

The stetson stayed on.

 

The nine piece band complete with brass section (and a variety of pork pie hats) packed the place and a good night was had by all. I did however ban myself from ever going there again, as did my friends in the band (which remains anonymous to protect the innocent  ).

 

 

Dave

[Andrew P]

Morning all,

Complete change of subject to that good old British standard topic - the weather! This however affects the whole world. I came to this morning to discover that Joanna was awake early and watching BBC news 24 - a very erudite Atmospheric Scientist (whose name I missed!) was talking about the El-Nino effect on global climate. It appears that scientists in Hawaii have detected higher than normal deep ocean temperatures which are moving Eastwards fairly rapidly, and from this they are predicting a bad winter ahead. Scientists on the 'New Scientist' web site back this up, even suggesting that the effect could be worse than the last 'bad one' in 97/98. They expect the world at large to ignore their advice to clear waterways prone to flooding and to try to grow extra crops now as some parts of the globe will experience drought. If they are correct and this turns out to be a 'Super El-Nino', we are likely to suffer a very harsh winter - something to look forward to! The boffins should be able to make more accurate predictions from July.

Kind regards,

Jock.

Hi Jock, No direct chats for a while but I see your still posting and hopefully getting better mate.

 

Thanks for the weather warning, I'd better buy some new wellies, the last pair I had were  far to tight so in the end they went to the charity shop un worn!  . Why didn't I take them back I hear you cry, well the truth is I cant remember where I bought them as it was the previous summer.

 

Anyway your weather prediction makes bad reading for people affected by sever flooding. I guess I've always been lucky with all my properties but I'm also careful not to buy in any suspected or danger areas.

 

Down in the Meon Valley in Hampshire they decided to re direct a Stream and build some big posh Houses on the Old Flood Plains. Roll on 18 Months and guess what, The Stream turned into a River and found its original course. Needless to say the Houses were flooded and the residents were left homeless. I wonder if the Insurers found a way to wriggle out of any claims?   

 

All the best to you all.

[Andrew P]

Re Robs experience, I found Rails to be not only brilliant but over attentive, I bought a Loco from them, realised it was the wrong one so they said send it back, no problem. I then said could I swap it for another and the Guy said yes no problem and I'll knock FIFTEEN QUID OFF for you for all the messing around I had, (and it was MY fault).

 

This week I bought TWO buildings through E-Bay from Invicta Models in Kent on Saturday afternoon, they sent the items and they arrived Tuesday and today they have refunded £3.00 of the £8.00 postage, (£4.00 on each item) without me even having to ask.

 

Brilliant service from two brilliant suppliers in my opinion, or have I just been lucky.

 

All the best guys.

 

PS. Did I tell you about the Magnets I bought for my Kadees, £10.00 for 10 from the UK, or £6.89 for 40, YES THAT'S RIGHT FORTY, POST FREE, from China, and it only took 10 days for them to arrive.

[jukebox]

Re Robs experience, I found Rails to be not only brilliant but over attentive, I bought a Loco from them, realised it was the wrong one so they said send it back, no problem. I then said could I swap it for another and the Guy said yes no problem and I'll knock FIFTEEN QUID OFF for you for all the messing around I had, (and it was MY fault).

 

This week I bought TWO buildings through E-Bay from Invicta Models in Kent on Saturday afternoon, they sent the items and they arrived Tuesday and today they have refunded £3.00 of the £8.00 postage, (£4.00 on each item) without me even having to ask.

 

Brilliant service from two brilliant suppliers in my opinion, or have I just been lucky.

 

All the best guys.

 

PS. Did I tell you about the Magnets I bought for my Kadees, £10.00 for 10 from the UK, or £6.89 for 40, YES THAT'S RIGHT FORTY, POST FREE, from China, and it only took 10 days for them to arrive.

 

China is a great place to buy, but you do have to use caution.

 

I've had shipments not arrive, but at least they have been replaced, quibble free.

 

However some DPDT switches I bought have turned out to have some duds in the batch - VERY vexxing when you discover this after they are wired into your panel.. Rule 1? Test everything first!

[Physicsman]

I've never used eBay - and never felt the need to, so I'm totally neutral on them.

 

I've done an enormous amount of online shopping over the last 15 years and have had very few problems (probably less than 0. 1% of occasions). Any issues have always been quickly and amicably resolved. Amazon has had a lot of my business and they've been exceptionally good since my first order in 2000.

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

As for the weather....

 

I'd be happy with a hard winter, like 2010-2011. Good for killing off garden pests and I enjoy walking in the snow!!

 

Jeff

[Jason T]

I've never used eBay - and never felt the need to, so I'm totally neutral on them.

 

Jeff

Treebay however, he's forever on there purchasing forests to make shunting planks from

[Physicsman]

Treebay however, he's forever on there purchasing forests to make shunting planks from

You know me too well!

 

Jeff

[Anotheran]

I have to agree with Andy. While there are sellers out there that could possible swim with fins above the surf most are both honest and honourable. I am both a satisfied buyer on eBay and a seller that has sold quite a lot of model rail related stuff.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Anotheran

[Clive Mortimore]

As for the weather....

 

I'd be happy with a hard winter, like 2010-2011. Good for killing off garden pests and I enjoy walking in the snow!!

 

Jeff

Hi Jeff

 

I don't. Cold wet dogs all day. The car stinks of wet dog. The windows are steamed up.

 

The Cocker Spaniel is covered in muddy ice balls and her owner has a cream carpet to get over on route to the kitchen where the dog stays. The Retriever is running around stupidly because his ball is buried in the snow and he cannot find it. The Great Danes are at the kitchen doorway, and I am tugging on their leads, "No we are not coming out in that snow storm".

 

Parks full of noisy excited kids because they have closed the school.

 

Me on the phone "Have you gone to work today?"

Customer " Yes, the main roads are clear."

Me thinking " Yes but you live down a Cul-de-sac that last saw a gritting lorry in 1968, and that was because the driver got lost".

Two hours later, me with shovel scraping ice off the road so I can get some traction out of his Cul-de-sac.

Edited May 13, 2015 by Clive Mortimore

[Mythocentric]

Hi Jock, No direct chats for a while but I see your still posting and hopefully getting better mate.

 

Thanks for the weather warning, I'd better buy some new wellies, the last pair I had were  far to tight so in the end they went to the charity shop un worn!  . Why didn't I take them back I hear you cry, well the truth is I cant remember where I bought them as it was the previous summer.

 

Anyway your weather prediction makes bad reading for people affected by sever flooding. I guess I've always been lucky with all my properties but I'm also careful not to buy in any suspected or danger areas.

 

Down in the Meon Valley in Hampshire they decided to re direct a Stream and build some big posh Houses on the Old Flood Plains. Roll on 18 Months and guess what, The Stream turned into a River and found its original course. Needless to say the Houses were flooded and the residents were left homeless. I wonder if the Insurers found a way to wriggle out of any claims?   

 

All the best to you all.

 

Now there's a thought Andrew! Being a keen sea-angler not only have I two pairs of wellies, one pair of which are thermal (Oh lovely snuggly warm feet!!!) but I also have a brand new, totally unused set of neoprene (Oh lovely snuggly warm everything!) chest waders! Now I was planning to sell them being surplus to requirements but given Jocks weather warning and your flooding comments I might just hang on and stick them on Ebay at the appropriate time! Dammit! I could make a fortune!!! I'm rich I tell you!!! RICH!!!! :danced:

 

Regards

 

Bill

[sp1]

In the vein of some of the above posts I have a number of stories of family participating in various wars. But there are two that have always struck a chord with me as they were different to the many tales I heard from my friends at school.

 

The first is of my uncle, who rarely spoke about the war as it brought too much pain. At thirteen I had to interview someone who had wartime experience for a history project, and for the first and only time he spoke to me about it. He was from a small village in what was to become East Germany. On being conscripted he along with seventeen other members of his class were sent to the same regiment, a practice ended by Britain after WW I 'pals' groups cause so much devastation to individual small communities. Their first posting was to the Eastern Front, the siege of Leningrad. After over a year there my uncle was one of only two of the original eighteen classmates to return. Even for the interview, he didn't tell me much of what happened there. But he did say that very few of his friends died at the hand of the enemy. Most were at the hands of the cold and lack of food. On their return the two were sent to be part of the occupying force of Alderney. For some reason Alderney didn't surrender until 16th May. At this time, as it was officially after the end of hostilities my uncle should have been sent straight home but as a result of some mistake (or maybe deliberate vindictiveness, which could have been understandable) he was brought to a POW camp in the UK for three years. During this time he met a nurse in the camp, one of my mum's elder sisters. Which is how he became my uncle. He passed away a couple of years ago never having returned to his village since before leaving for Leningrad. Firstly because it had been overrun by the Soviets and even after reunification he couldn't face the thought of going back to the last place in Germany that all of his school friends had been alive. The story always brought home to me the futility of so many wars. He wasn't a supporter of Hitler, he didn't even see Germany as better than most other nations. He was just an eighteen year old conscript who was ordered to join up or be imprisoned and possibly executed. It's sad how little seems to have changed.

 

The second story is of an earlier time. My 4 x great grandfather was twenty when he was called up to serve. From Worcestershire he travelled to Exeter where he joined the 7th Fusiliers. He subsequently took part in the Peninsualar campaign in 1811 and 1812. He was awarded the Peninsualr Campaign medal with four clasps including for Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz. I don't know what part he played in the attrocities after Ciudad Rodrigo fell to the allies, and I probably don't want to know. At Badajoz he was wounded by shrapnel and had to have his left hand amputated. His discharge papers, awarding him a pension, state that to avoid them being misused by an imposter his description is 5'4" medium brown complexion and brown eyes. Now to me, they don't sound particularly distinctive, unlike a missing left hand that was not mentioned in the description!

 

Kind regards, Neil

One of my wife's ancestors also served in the Peninsular Wars and was discharged after having his arm amputated: like your case it gives great detail about height/ hair/ eye colour etc, but completely neglects to mention WHICH arm was amputated!

 

One of my ancestors fought in the American war (1812) and was present at the infamous battle of 'Raison River' where he was shot and had his left arm amputated. He is one of my favourite ancestors because of his will (I have a copy, and mean to get it framed) - in it he leaves to his son (also my ancestor): 'to my son Samuel I leave one shilling and no more, he is a drunken and ungodly man'

 

Steve

[Jock67B]

Afternoon all,

Andy, thanks for the kind words - the reason I have been relatively quiet for the last three weeks or so, is that I seem to have contracted a nasty bug akin to the winter vomiting virus. My immune system is compromised by the chemo therapy I have been taking for over two years now (seems to be some sort of record as the average is 6 - 8 months with the side effects!) and it is just possible that my nursing sister daughter passed the bug to me before knowing she had it! I haven't been physically sick for years so it was quite scary, especially as it's impossible to tell whether you have lost some or all of your various medications when it does happen! The chemo nurses gave me various different pills to combat the symptoms, some better than others, but today is the first day for some time that I haven't had a constant feeling of nausea as well as a need to have a 'throne' nearby. Not much fun if you are out somewhere! Having attended the funeral of two dear lady friends in the past two weeks, one of 63 and the other a beautiful daughter of a close friend who was only 50. The latter had a more malignant cancer than mine but yet was the first to come and see me when I was first diagnosed and we formed a sort of self help pairing! She will be sadly missed! Such events bring home to me how lucky I am to still be here and I don't want everyone to rush to post sympathy messages as that would very much embarrass me - I wrote this post simply to explain why I haven't been performing as normal, and I hope to be boring the pants off you (metaphorically speaking!) all again soon!

Jeff, I hope your break in Cumbria re-charges your batteries sufficiently as I am suffering from image deprivation! Off now to check out Andy's latest idea for Whitaker St. - it often seems that too many people are hurling advice at you mate, resulting in confusion. I hope you don't mind me pointing out the number of successful layout links under your avatar - just do your own thing! Hope the rest of the week is kind to you,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[Physicsman]

Evening folks. Brief look-in from back-of-beyond Cumbria!

 

I'll do the voting totals when I return home on Saturday - so if you still wish to vote for one of the options, please do!

 

Jeff

[Mythocentric]

Nice to hear from you Jeff and trust you are enjoying the respite! Hope to see you back in the Bunker soon glowing with health from the bracing sea air! At least I hope it is health you're glowing with! Given your current proximity to a certain nuclear fuel processing establishment it could be debatable. We've seen some very strange fish walking along the promenade over the last few weeks over on this side of the bay!

 

Regards

 

Bill

[Donington Road]

It happens to be World Whisky Day, thankfully I have a good supply to help it on its way.

Not unlike pancake day where there is always a shortage 'cos the other half don't like cooking 'em.

[Mythocentric]

BREAKING NEWS...3.13 BST....HOW TO TELL WHEN YOU'RE GETTING OLD!

 

Easy! I was working on a picture and decided to listen to some music. So on went the headphones, Media Player goes on shuffle, I went back to my picture and promptly forgot about it! (I can get quite intense when I'm working!). So a couple of minutes later William suddenly jumped out of his skin when Mister Hendrix decided to shred his lugholes with Voodoo Chile! Oh be still my throbbing heart!!!!

 

I'm going to bed as soon as my kneecaps stop shaking! Honest!

 

Regards

 

B-B-B-Bill

[Andrew P]

It happens to be World Whisky Day, thankfully I have a good supply to help it on its way.

Not unlike pancake day where there is always a shortage 'cos the other half don't like cooking 'em.

I have the same problem mate, I used to jump in the car and drive to the nearest Little Chef, because they always did a really mean Pancake, but there's none of them around here now either.

 

I did have a slug of Whisky last night though,   SNORED LIKE A PIG apparently,         hahhaha

[HeeleyBridge]

Before my Dad retired I used to go out with him on deliveries from time to time. His idea of a treat was a Little Chef pineapple pancake. Over twenty years ago now, but still a happy memory of good times shared with my dad (he died suddenly in 97 only 18 months after retirement).

[Donington Road]

I have the same problem mate, I used to jump in the car and drive to the nearest Little Chef, because they always did a really mean Pancake, but there's none of them around here now either.

 

I did have a slug of Whisky last night though,   SNORED LIKE A PIG apparently,         hahhaha

 

The wife doesn't drink whisky, I'm still looking for the cause :jester:

Edited May 15, 2015 by Donington Road

[Donington Road]

Before my Dad retired I used to go out with him on deliveries from time to time. His idea of a treat was a Little Chef pineapple pancake. Over twenty years ago now, but still a happy memory of good times shared with my dad (he died suddenly in 97 only 18 months after retirement).

 

Now why did I read that as 'at 97'

Little Chef's were very popular years ago, my dad used to call them upmarket greasy spoons but they always seemed to do nice desserts like cherry pie, ice cream and pancakes. 

[Physicsman]

Nice to hear from you Jeff and trust you are enjoying the respite! Hope to see you back in the Bunker soon glowing with health from the bracing sea air! At least I hope it is health you're glowing with! Given your current proximity to a certain nuclear fuel processing establishment it could be debatable. We've seen some very strange fish walking along the promenade over the last few weeks over on this side of the bay!

 

Regards

 

Bill

Yes Bill, I've been known to glow in the dark when I run out of light-bulbs!!

 

I'd be moving away from Morecambe if there are fish walking down the Prom!

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Re. "Little Chef"...

 

I had one about 300 metres from one of my old houses. It was very good for a snack and I was gutted when it closed. Then discovered it was to be turned into a curry house. And a good one, it was.

 

Jeff