@bullstuff2
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I found it strange for me to have difficulty with the Scottish accents. I have a great nephew born and raised in the far north east, north of Aberdeen. I understand him in person and on the phone. I have friends in Bathgate, Edinburgh, and in Inverkeithing, over the Forth from Edinburgh, is where my two greatest friends in the Army came from, with their children who are my god-children.
The Sky call centre and support HQ is in Livingston, West Lothian, which lies between Bathgate and Edinburgh. I understand all the friends from both those places, with whom I only speak on the phone now, but I had great difficulty with the call centre girls in Livingstone.
In the Army I played in a REME and Army football team stuffed with Scots, including a couple of Glaswegians. I even understood them enough to enjoy their Billy Connolly records and tapes! (and became a fan) I have another mate who lived a place called Castlemilk, which as any Glaswegian will tell you, was built to house the Gorbals overspill and later became worse than the Gorbals. (Although I had a great time there: don’t believe all you hear about Jocks hating Sassenachs – they don’t claymore us on sight anymore!)
I could not understand why I can communicate easily with all those people from different parts of Scotland, but struggled with Livingston lassies. The point of having Telephone Support was lost for me and the ‘chatline’ was deafeningly silent whenever I tried to access it. Sky does not have a clue when it comes to customer support and service.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.Possibly. Or just intolerant of idiots.
Join the club, intolerance of idiots is caused by the idiots, not yourself!
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.That was a lucky meeting in Asda Nolan!
I rediscovered the Plusnet chatline, which is much better than I remember it. Added to which, I like their call centre people: the South Yorkie accent is close to my own North Notts speech and understandable. If you can communicate clearly in both directions, you always stand a chance of getting somewhere. No ISP is perfect of course, and I will probably have some downs with Plusnet, but at least I can talk with them. Communicating with Sky was like washing handkerchiefs when you have the flu. ?
Amazing coincidence (?) that, less than an hour after I signed up with Plusnet, Sky sent me a final bill and instructions how to pay it (as if I didn’t know!). Buggas think they are being clever, as I have a DD set up. Penultimate payment taken from my account on 26/09, last payment would have been the DD on 26/10. I paid by debit, then cancelled the DD. Bet if I had left the DD, they would have taken 2 payments.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.Light and Heat.
I remember as a child, getting the garden ready for winter and asking dad how a greenhouse works. He had no technical explanation, so he did what dad always did: went to the library and brought home a book that we read together. This demonstrates that explanation that I read so long ago, reading it is one of those events I recall as a child, firing my imagination and showing me that reading can help to educate oneself. And providing further proof that I had a very wise father.
How a greenhouse changes light and heat, to heat up the interior of the greenhouse and enable plants to survive whilst outside temperatures would not allow them to live: –
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.A perfect explanation Ed, thank you!
Light is also heat of course, albeit a miniscule amount: possibly a few dozen (?) photons entering the eye energises the optic nerve, as well as the chemical reactions inside the eye.
Biology and the workings of the human eye, not my strong point.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.Photons ARE light.
Only Muhammad Ali could travel faster than light:
“I’m so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark.”
But he also said this:
” I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was. ”
So I begin to doubt his FTL speech.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.W-o-F: gravity, like most forces in the Universe, is both a Wave and a Particle. The more that scientific research discovers about waves and particles, together with quantum physics, the clearer this becomes.
Keith: light does indeed have mass (= weight, roughly) as light is composed of photons, and each photon is a particle, which is also a wave. Black holes and gravity waves are related, but just when you thought it was safe to venture into another galaxy: –
-things get really scary!
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I'm out.Ed, although that is a fascinating breakthrough regarding Dark Matter, I was more interested in another link from the NS regarding Lyme disease: http://tinyurl.com/lp98nst
Yet another disease for which a working vaccine was developed after lots of expense and R&D, only to be discredited by public hysteria. And the disease-carrying agents are prevalent in some areas of the UK: http://tinyurl.com/y8x8skno -moving into other areas.
If you live in a wooded area, or quite often visit woods and forests with a high proportion of mature Oak trees, look for acorns on the ground. A bumper crop means food for mice and mice carry the disease. They and the ticks are unharmed by Lyme, but the ticks transfer it to humans. The truly ridiculous fact is that your dog will already be vaccinated against it, but there is no vaccine for humans.
As for Dark Matter, I have long been expecting certain Middle East religious leaders to declare that as the work of Satan, acting through the West. I also expect a further bulletin at some point, declaring that the scientists have discovered the whereabouts of the Half-Crown that I lost in 1953. My ear still feels the impact of our mam’s right hand!
Redshift is explained in this article: http://tinyurl.com/yc8xtkkm
Basically, if an object is moving away from an observer, it is red-shifted. Moving towards the observer, it is blue-shifted. Put very simply, this is the basis of the “Big Bang” and the Expanding Universe Theory. If this new discovery changes that theory and means that the Universe may actually be in a Steady State, we should hear lots of mirth from the shades of some long-dead scientists, including Sir Fred Hoyle, who totally opposed the Big bang theory. Quotes from Sir Fred, a very intelligent man with a great SOH: –
Space isn’t remote at all. It’s only an hour’s drive away if your car could go straight upwards.
Things are the way they are because they were the way they were.
There is a coherent plan to the universe, though I don’t know what it’s a plan for.When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.Thanks Ed, just informed family & friends users of Win 10.
Cheers, Bob.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.Cleaned out and washed mine yesterday, what a waste of time and effort! Had to drive up to Grimsby, trying to stay well behind a Waste truck following a tractor full of the brown and smelly. Then it began to rain. After a couple more miles, an RTC. Stuck behind those two vehicles in a queue of stationary traffic, high wind blowing rain and several kinds of assorted krap all over my previously-shiny motor. We need some dual carriageways on the A16!
Sometimes I get the feeling that life is persecuting me. It takes me ages to wash the car, being not very mobile. High roof and just 5’6″ tall, I have to use a stepstool. Interior is not bad, as I had rubber mats with it, which are fitted to the floor. I had a pressure washer for a long time, a really old bit of generic kit that blew itself to bits last year. Can’t get parts, it hasn’t been made for ages.
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I'm out.They often play better away from home, except when taking part in a Tournament. They certainly cannot be any worse than against Slovenia (can they?)
Joe Hart not starting in goal tonight (often goes missing when he’s picked anyway) being replaced by Jack Butland, a good bit younger and a better ‘keeper IMHO, although just had almost 12 months out injured. He is certainly better at lower corner shots than Hart, who should maybe have gone to Specsavers and confirmed what we suspect.
Southgate may be a miserable sod, but so was Alf Ramsey. Best two since Sir Alf: Sir Bobby Robson and Terry Venables – they were happy guys right up to the games that got them sacked. I don’t care if they are happy or miserable, I just want them to motivate the buggas!
We’re doomed of course. Qualify, get to the Finals, DDL, get booed, go home.
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I'm out.Just sent that link to No.1 gson and advised him to get a second job. ?
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.My lad likes it, being an 80’s music era man. I will watch if Ruby Turner, Wille Nelson or any decent Blues artiste is on. Can’t stand Jools himself, but loved the music of Squeeze in their day, still got some vinyl albums. Some of the acts I will switch off. NYEve is a Home Night, just me and our Gert, who struggles to stay awake until 11, never mind 12. Usually with youngest gdaughter asleep in this Desktop Room/spare bedroom, although she is 12 now and will probably (be allowed) demand to stay up.
One of my relatives produced a sprogette, a few minutes after midnight on NYE 2001. Imagine that birthdate: 010101. Should have called her Binary Babe.? Or 6 Bits.
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I'm out.” Bob, – Spent the day paintballing today with my lad, (he was 16 this week) so we took him and his mates. I’m not as fit flexible or mobile as I once was, I’m aching all over now, I’m going to be sore tomorrow. But I battered them it was really fun, eventually they all nailed me, I forgot how much they can hurt. Or I may just be entering middle age, and I’ve gone soft.
We was there for 4 hours, (in the rain), and it cost less than it would of cost to take 15 kids to the cinema, not that it was cheap, but was fun. ”
Steve I went with my 2 male grandbrats, and one very young female, to one of those Paintball places a few years ago. Gdaughter was with me and despite my mobility problems (not as bad then) we thrashed the lads, ‘cos I talked tactics to gdaughter and she listened. But I expected those paintballs to hurt, so I wore thick clothes and so did my little lass. Boys thought that was a bit ‘gay’ which is what we used to call ‘Sissy’. They had bruises, we didn’t.
I wasn’t too bad afterwards, until we also went Go-Karting, which was an absolute hoot! Came home with a sore bum, the seats were bare steel. Defo a Big Fun Day, wish we could do it again.
Always impressed by my youngest gdaughter, she should have been a lad. Dances, sings, climbs like a monkey, in the Guides, off to a Camp tomorrow and won’t care if it rains as long as there is adventure. Also, she listens to granddad: bonus! I love kids, used to be one. Still am, according to SWMBO…??
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I'm out.Ah we are on Socialism, safe enough ground for me. My grandfather was a founder member of the old Independent Labour Party and agitated in the Pottery industry against the employers, to achieve better working conditions, which included extractor fans to remove the Silica dust in the air. This caused lung problems and cancers, which was what eventually killed him in 1954. My dad died the same way, caused by the coal dust and stone dust in the pits he worked from 1918 to 1969. Dad was non-political, voted but didn’t even tell our mam or his 3 lads which way he voted. That was because granddad had 13 children, 8 of whom lived to adulthood, and none of them grew in sunshine, * had enough food or clothing, due to granddad leading strikes at a time when there was no active Union and no dole.
*They lived in Burslem, Staffordshire, all their young lives. It was the Potteries “Mother Town”, still is. It lies in a valley surrounded by higher ground and from the 18th to the later 20th century, there were dozens of huge pottery kilns and chimneys, belching smoke. The whole town was under a pall of smoke most of the time, which was why my dad loved the country and got out into it whenever he could. When he moved to a Nottinghamshire village in the middle of Sherwood in 1926, he believed it was Heaven.
The Socialist Gene passed to my big brother, who became a Labour councillor, an Independent Labour councillor after the ’84 strike. He did something that must have caused granddad to revolve at speed in his grave: he worked with Tory councillors to get better deals for the village. He was respected in the village by the people of the village, but not by the local official Labour Party, some of whom were former communists. When I remember his birthday on the village FB page every year, the number of ‘Likes’ and approving personal messages prove that he is still remembered and his memory is still respected. He died in ’88 of cancer, also mining-related.
When I was 17, I had one mate whose dad was a communist party member. They encouraged me to read all the propaganda coming out of the USSR, aimed at working class British people. As many young people are, I was impressed by all this. Then my dad told me his life story and my granddad’s. The older I became, the more I began to see politics and political parties changing, being taken over by ‘career politicos’ who don’t really give a damn about their constituents and will say and do anything they believe will be acceptable to those constituents, then deny saying those words and carrying out those actions, later.
I have a feeling that this is changing today. I think that the disgust that ordinary people feel for most politicians, is going to result in a change of government. If that doesn’t happen and say, a minority Tory government results, I can see unrest and protest gathering across Britain. There is already a widening gap between the constituent nations of the United Kingdom. That is being followed by major metropolitan areas of England, wanting to raise their own taxes and govern for themselves. There is a lot of upheaval ahead for this country and I can also see Brexit being turned on its head, when the public finally realise that both sides of that Referendum lied to us and are still lying to us.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.Went past the local cinema showing it today, accompanied by one’s male grandbrats. Looked at the billboard, looked at the lads, received a chorus of “Defo, granddad. When?”
Looking forward to seeing that one night in the week. Well, it gets me out of the house.?
And they owe me popcorn after “Dunkirk.”
EDIT: wouldn’t dream of it, Dave!
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I'm out.Agree to disagree Ed! You have no disagreement from me concerning the continuing attempts by successive governments to hold onto our Imperiel past. There is a lot of that amongst the mass of ordinary people in the UK too, which IMO was demonstrated by the support for UKIP (hopefully fading) and the Brexit vote. Apologies for bringing back another flogged horse, but that is how I see that vote by the majority who voted Leave: a longing for the days when so much of the world’s map was pink. They’re gone, people, we no longer have the power that we once had and the small influence that we have is being steadily eroded by our support for a powerful ally who really does not need us, and would dispose of us in a heartbeat if it suited them. All they do for us today, is create enemies by association, some of whom were once friends.
And now the US is stirring the Middle East arms race between Saudi Arabia and Iran, while of course securing US energy supplies into the future: tinyurl.com/y9zlyuo8
” US to sell $15bn missile defence to Saudi Arabia ” The world gets more dangerous every day.
Steve, I also saw that mangled report about Corbyn. The Labour Party has no perticular appeal for me, although I know the potential candidate for my area as a good person with good ideas, who believes in doing things right. However, she stands no chance in our constituency, where a 3-legged old dog wearing a blue rosette would be elected. But I have a feeling that this government has reached the end of the road with the electorate and I think an appetite for change is slowly gathering momentum. The sad fact is that there is no Tory alternative to Theresa May, despite what the few sheep behind Grant Shaps think.
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I'm out.It’s all BS between Russia, China, the USA and a side helping of North Korea. With help from the UK, France and a few smaller nations, such as the Czech Republic.
Q: What is the one single, most profitable industry in most advanced, developed nations?
A: The Arms business.
How to keep that business and all its associated employment, moving on profitably? Easy, just invent a whole new Cold War. The last one worked fine. Let’s just hope no one gets too excited – keep an eye on Iran and the Saudis.
Ed: sorry, but you are completely wrong. Reducing the size of the Royal Marines and denying them a beach landing capability, is exactly the wrong path to take. That capability has no bearing upon invading other countries. How many times have small, specialist British Special Forces been able to stop small Brush Fire actions, developing into wars, even genocide? And the RM are indeed SF. I have seen them in action and they have an impact well beyond their numbers, together with an ability to nip situations in the bud, mostly by being bloody scary to a potential enemy.
The reason why this stupid, incompetent, unknowledgeable government is being advised to cut Navy and RM numbers and equipment, is simple: they need personnel and money in order to staff and equip the two bloody great White Elephants that are our two new carriers. Which will be obsolete before they ever sail in earnest and may not have the aircraft they are supposed to be filled with anyway. Once again MOD Procurement has placed both feet firmly in its mouth. Here’s an oxymoron: “Defence Contracts”. How many times has Defence suffered because of Contracts broken, reduced in effectiveness or cancelled, by those who know absolutely nothing about how to manage Defence?
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.(New thought) Maybe I won’t last beyond next decade!
No, I still plan to live forever. ??
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I'm out.Gives me a wider choice BL: I also have a NOWTV box, which I have never used after blagging it free from Currys while buying Sky TV, Bband, phone & calls. Never used it, but there are passes with it which remain current. Netflix is available on the box, other Paid services, Youtube. Although Netflix is about to increase to a monthly £7.99 in the UK. There is an ethernet port in the TV, so the world is my lobster, Rodney!
Freesat Channel list (PDF) – http://tinyurl.com/y8kzngqx
There are several features of Freesat that I like, one of which is Freetime: http://tinyurl.com/y8oy3ebz
Rolling back across 6 channels, as in On Demand, but this can be done on the EPG by just moving the remote button back on any of those channels, up to 7 Days. I like the look of the EPG and have seen it in action on a mate’s TV. Sky for me had so many irrelevant channels, which you could not remove. There are some like that on Freesat, but there is a way to remove them. The Sky channels, films and box sets, were too American for me. Most of what we were watching was British, although I was hooked on GOT, started watching others and just became turned off by all the American stuff, most of which is over-acted and full of too much violence. American “comedies” were, for us, about as funny as a wet weekend in Wigan. No replacement for Robin Williams has ever been found over there. If I’m going to be bored or p****d off watching a TV programme, I’d rather not have to pay a subscription to do it! And free British rubbish is still better than paid-for American garbage! IMHO…
Also I believe that TV, in fact all entertainment at home, is changing. I don’t think Sky will last beyond the next decade, certainly in its present form.
When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out. -
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