[Bob Williams]

Sorry I haven’t replied until now Dave. Combination of suddenly taking ill and trying to pack stuff before the move. I have a double appointment at Boston Pilgrim hospital next week, at long last someone listened to my repeated insistence that there is something wrong with my kidney(s). (Two of my few remaining working [?] organs)

Thanks very much for that link, it appears to be just what I need. However, I will wait and see if the W9980 does the job on its own, as you say. My grandson agrees with you there, so I have a second opinion! Anyway, I saved the link to Pocket and I note that I can get a Renewed version for £32.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Whilst I tend to agree partially with Richard here, scaremongering is not helpful. But this just happened:

http://tinyurl.com/qug88xm

Latest UK case, a woman flying in from China, developed symptoms after landing, called NHS 111. All good, but that was an aircraft full of people, are they being traced? What about possible contacts  in the airport? Travellers flying worldwide from Heathrow. I’m waiting for more on this. Btw, ship air is very much like aircraft air, it recirculates around the ship. I would not like to be aboard the Diamond Princess, atm it’s a floating Test Centre.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

This is a good point VFM:

” It is as if this virus has studied military doctrine and is following the practice that a wounded enemy who needs far more than simple first aid places far more drain on the enemy’s resources than killing that individual instantly. ”

My analogy would be regarding active service and using a weapon against an enemy during my time in the army (’64 to ’76). It was said at the time, quite erroneously, that the British Army was taught “shoot to kill”. That was wrong and I suspect, still is. Disregarding the very small percentage of us snipers, soldiers were taught generally to aim for the centre of the body. The reasoning was that one wounded enemy required 5 or more personnel involved in removing the wounded soldier from the battlefield, carrying out casevac and treatment. All of which uses resources. Our weapon at the time was the 7.62 SLR and one strike anywhere on the body, from that high velocity round would usually incapacitate the target. This disease does appear to follow a similar course.

The relatively high number of cases in China, is due IMO to the high density of population. 1.5 billion is a lot of people and when one considers that Wuhan is just one Chinese city, yet larger than London, it puts a perspective upon the problem. SE Asia has many countries with a high population density, I believe that this disease has only just begun to become serious there. This is the world picture to date:

http://tinyurl.com/s6woz8q

Probably out of date. although dated today, cases by country:    http://tinyurl.com/ub9gvyc

World’s largest nation by area is the Russian Federation, China’s neighbour with a large and mostly porous border. Just two cases, if Vladimir Putin is telling it like it is. The RF has a population of almost 146 million:     http://tinyurl.com/yfny3pes

Only the cities have any real population density and at this time of the year the weather is not conducive to large gatherings.

My fear is that one infected person, or a carrier, attends a football match at one of the large English stadiums. Or any stadium really.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Thanks Richard and Dave.

I would really like to Ethernet wire the desktop, but it is just not possible. The apartment is ‘open plan’  in that kitchen, diner and lounge are all in one. SWMBO is adamant that she wants the main computer in the second bedroom, which is fine by me as I hate the TV blaring away whilst I’m on the desktop*. Good news is that the router will be in the lounge area, which shares a wall with the second bedroom. I have had no problems with the Plusnet Hub at all in the bungalow, getting good WiFi reception from two rooms and a hall away from the Hub. However, I have had a TP-Link W9980 sitting in my bitsa box for a good while and will probably set that up, it’s VDSL so will work fine. I also have a TP-Link TG-3468 Network adapter, but that’s Ethernet too. So I will look for an alternative. There is no way I can route an Ethernet cable around the place.

*Unless it’s the Win TV blaring away on the desktop and I’m watching sport or anything SWMBO doesn’t like.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Nice one Ryan, it’s a simple, practical solution. Those are the solutions I like.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Scare in Lincolnshire this morning, proved unfounded, scroll right down to ” Skegness coronavirus scare unfounded “:

http://tinyurl.com/va5xumc

The Skegness hospital Urgent Care Centre was closed and sealed off. There is more to the story than shown here, one person had shown symptoms and was brought to the Centre by car containing 2 others.  They were quarantined in their car and guarded. Visitors to the Centre were turned away and no one was allowed in or out. Staff in Biohazard suits were seen inside. Eventually the patient was tested, found to be not suffering the virus and it all went back to normal. Whatever counts as normal in Skeg, that is. lolz.

Whatever form that story will take when it has floated around Skeggy for a day, is anybody’s guess.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

I am moving into Louth town by 30/03/2020, to a ground floor apartment in a gated, secure complex, by a happy outcome, directly beneath my senior grandson’s apartment. My speeds are as shown below and Plusnet have informed me that they will transfer my account over exactly ‘as is’, retaining my phone number and all settings because it is the same exchange and STD. grandson is also on Plusnet and his speeds are almost the same as mine here. Tried a speedtest on my phone there and got the same as the desktop. This led me to thinking: could I run all devices via WiFi? There are restrictions to running Ethernet or other cables around and I would really like to set it up in WiFi. Devices: desktop, laptop, 2x Sony Xperia phones, 2x tablets (8″, a Lenovo and a Hudl). I know I need a network card for the desktop, the laptop works fine all around the bungalow, and I tested both phones in every corner of grandson’s place: no drop in speeds or signal.

I might also change both phones from EE to Pusnet and get a good discount. What does the team think? All advice appreciated and considered, ty guys.

Those figures are for the bungalow here in the village, but are within 1Mbps +/- of grandson’s in his apartment.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

I start turning off when the conspiracy theories turn up. So, I imagine, will many more.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

When I said “Print the lyrics for me…….”

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

I have used this, Ryan:    http://tinyurl.com/vq9zfte

It does protect cable against chafing or contacting anything that might cause wear. My first use of it was to protect granddaughter’s headphone cable, a few years ago: she used to chew the cable without thinking whilst playing Minecraft. Found how good it was and have used it again on other cables. It can easily be removed if you need access to the cable.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Adding to your family name post VFM: in Wales, especially North Wales, Matrilineal descent was once the norm. In my family history, we have been Williams since 1707, when a Sion Williams met with a Dafydd ap Rhys and their son became Dafydd Williams, later corrected to David by an ignorant English cleric with an obvious hearing difficulty. The same cleric rendered Sion as “Jone” (sic) and Dafydd ap Rhys, as David Price. Apparently my granddad would almost foam at the mouth about this. So in one way, our whole line should have been ap Rhys, or Price.

Me, I’m happy with being a Williams, what’s in a name? Proud to be English, but also proud of my Welsh ancestry.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

I agree with Mark regarding worn engine mounts, if steering alignment is out that would cause steering column shake but not gear stick vibration. John, did they check the other side coil, and the mounting plates under the bonnet? Also, have the tyres been changed from before the spring repair? If not, look at the front tyres one by one, turn the wheel lock to lock (engine running, to save the steering pump*) and note how the tyres are worn. The side with the broken spring should have had more wear (depending on how long you ran it with the spring broken).

But as a rule, if there is equal wear on each tyre, on the same edge: alignment is out. Equal wear on the inside of the edge of the treads of both tyres = “toeing out”. Equal wear on the outside edge of both tyres = “toeing in”. This YT video explains it a bit more:

Problem with an explanation of this, is that modern suspension and steering is more complex, especially for front wheel drive cars like your Peugeot. Used to be just taking some off one end of a rack and add a bit to the other. Now it needs proper alignment of often several components. Don’t let them get away with just “tracking” John: ask for steering alignment.

Just remembered that I also found this problem once to be both drive shafts worn. *Incidentally, never, ever park with front wheels turned one way or t’other. Continually doing this puts increased wear on the steering pump. And I see a lot of cars parked like that.

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[Bob Williams]

That’s pretty good Lee,  for anyone who wants a quick outline of what was Doggerland. When we first moved here 17 years ago, my missus and I roamed around the country side all the time. On one of our rambles, a conversation with a local farmer taking his lunch on a beautiful day turned to the subject. I told him about Doggerland and his reply was that his family had farmed Lincolnshire for generations, so one of his ancestors was probably out there, killing and eating mammoths. That farmer became a mate and I started him looking into books about the Ice Age and Doggerland. He retired a couple of years ago and his missus tells me that I gave him an interest. After his retirement he came to me to advise him what PC to buy and I advised a laptop. He bought a nice 17″ HP and now spends most of his time in his Man Cave, studying history. His missus says it keeps him from under her feet. He also goes to beaches across the UK and has a great collection of rocks and fossils.

In Louth there is a lovely beauty spot called Hubbards Hills:    http://tinyurl.com/tjzqu2z

This was created by a huge flash flood after a previous Ice Age. It’s a lovely spot to walk through, with a steep, bending ravine bearing trees either side and a large stream wandering through it. Never go there when it’s wet as it gets muddy, and never on a warm spring or summer day. There will be hundreds of kids in and out of the water and the smoke from portable BBQ’s, is enough to make your eyes water.

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I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

I know exactly what they would say Keith, but the RN, as all other Services, is top-heavy. The RN especially has too many admirals and rear admirals. It has always been an organisation peacock-proud of its own place in the military, when in fact we have too few ships to maintain a global force. Just protecting the white elephants will tax RN resources in ships and sailors which are needed elsewhere. And there are in reality no real “sea admirals” in the fleet: they are all in Whale Island, Portsmouth or Whitehall. Or living very comfortably in semi-retirement on the Active List. Or they are Royals. All are earning large amounts, most for doing naff-all, whilst service personnel are denied the equipment they need and a wage they could live on comfortably. Check this out: –

http://tinyurl.com/u2a9jfp

It may or may not surprise you to know that some service families have to use food banks:

http://tinyurl.com/whycq5h

A 2017 report, but according to the recently discharged son of a mate, still true and the reason he left, as an infantry corporal veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. Now earning much more as a binman and managing to feed his family without making choices between clothes and food.

As Kipling said,

“It’s Tommy this and Tommy that, and kick him out, the brute.

But it’s ‘Saviour of his country’ when the guns begin to shoot. “

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Thanks for the good wishes Richard and Ed. I am a little better today, having seen a GP, not my own but a guy I assume from his name to be of Afghani or Pakistani origin. He seemed to know his stuff, but also appeared a bit ‘green’ and not yet used to the surroundings and very modern facilities in our large surgery. He did confirm the blood issue after immediately testing himself and has referred me to yet another consultant. I asked for Grimsby but have a feeling it will be Lincoln and the one who terminated his input last year because I was not having the issue at the time he saw me. Despite my insistence that it was a condition which comes and goes.

The good news is that we have been accepted for the ground floor apartment that we applied for. Now for the hassle that is moving and discarding everything we have had for years but will no longer use again. We are fortunate to have both son and daughter employed in schools, as they are shortly to have a term break. More hands to the pumps!

Hopefully I can find time next week to visit the beaches and obtain more finds.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

😣Outraged Smiley, Keith. I think.

How much good do you think the carriers will be against manoeuvrable, much smaller fishing boats? Unless you want to use Ed’s “flying turkeys” to sink them? Half of which may become submarines after take-offs and landings.

We did not ever need those carriers, we are not a global power any more, although this has not percolated to Westminster and Whitehall yet. It would have been better to have built small, fast, heavily armed and even more manoeuvrable patrol boats. The ‘Royal’ carriers are a white elephant, so is the Flying Turkey.

We need to defend our own borders. My ideal Britain would be an Armed Neutrality Republic. A Heavily Armed Republic at that. Switzerland on Sea.

 

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Great link Ed, haven’t been down to the beach lately, having a bad time medically. Spent most of yesterday and today in bed, abdominal pains, blood in my urine and a lump has formed over the centre of the pancreatic cancer scar, which is an 18″ parabola. Asked for a GP appointment online, hoping my GP is not too busy tomorrow: but it is Monday tomorrow. However, the extreme pains are receding now and I might get some sleep tonight.  Last night I slept well to 2:30 am, after which I could not go off again, so got up, passed water and booted up the PC, went back at 6:15 and SWMBO let me sleep until I woke. At 1:15 pm. That’s why my previous posts are at ‘unsocial hours’ 😎 I know if the staff tell him what’s wrong that he will see me, he is very good GP.

When I can, I will get to the bottom of my bowl of rocks, which is where the first collected items live. It’s a big bowl and was subject to some criticism from SWMBO, until my youngest Gdaughter and her dad took an interest. Sil had brought lots of rocks back in the car after last year’s Brittany holiday. Both of them stood my corner. I find that any opinion from the gd has weight with my missus. That is useful…😉

This is similar to the Renourishing project carried out by the Dutch world experts around the Lincolnshire coast: –

” Nearly half a kilometer wide, the beach is made of material dredged from the sea bottom 13 kilometers offshore and dumped on the existing beach in 2012. It’s a €70 million experimental coastal protection measure, its sands designed to spread over time to shield the Dutch coast from sea-level rise. ”

What they don’t add is that Maram Grass is then planted, its matted roots and fast-growing nature hold the sand together and any extreme high tides will see the waves filter back down through the sand, without damaging the grass too much. And it grows again so quickly.

I have seen the forecast for the week after this one: a combination of high tides, south winds and according to a fisherman I know, heavy seas. The bottom debris will be washed up on the beaches with those conditions and I am hoping to be in better health then. I will be looking for all the stuff that Willy van Wingerden found, but only once found a part of an antler and a part of a mammoth tusk. These and other items are in Louth Museum, but I don’t put my name to them.

Take a look at this from LCC, regarding archaeology during work at the Eastern bypass. Tonight on Look North, Head of LCC has had Bojo’s presence at the Works and has his agreement to enforce new laws to speed up the work, not just here but at all sites.. That may mean less archaeology and less protection of endangered species. Today Boris has stated that £100 Billion will be made available for “Infrastructure”. How much of that will end up here is the question! Anyway: –

http://tinyurl.com/szv6bvh

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Judging by an expanded view of car registration plates, that was taken in Berlin.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Ed our skipper used a gaff hook into the Conger’s gills to hold it whilst he beat its brains out, then threw it into a lidded locker and weighted the top.

My brother used to coarse fish in local Notts lakes, gravel pits and the Trent. He was asked and paid by a game fish warden to catch a huge Pike that was gobbling up all the fish at Hoveringham Gravel pits. With the help of his two sons, he landed the monster, showed the Warden, got paid and took it home to show the family, wrapped in a wet towel. Unwrapped it, went for the gills and the “dead” Pike sank its teeth into two fingers. I was delegated to cut it out, taking great pleasure in telling Big Bro “Shut up you big girls’ blouse!”

My Big Bro, that’s him as he always was, full of life, unfortunately passed away aged 59 in 1988. Note the girls’ bike, it was his wife’s:

My dad used to fish on Westport Lake, Staffordshire, with mam’s stepdad Joe, in the 1920’s. Joe took out his boat with a load of local toffs. Joe ‘helped’ these wealthy people land the Huge Pike they wanted to take to their Golf Club and hang on the wall as ‘their’ catch. The Pike was so big they couldn’t get it into the boat, so Joe went into the water, killed it with a spike, threw it into the boat and swam to shore. The toffs got their Pike, Joe got influenza, pneumonia and mam last another dad.

I wish I had known step-granddad Joe, dad used to tell me all kinds of stories about his escapades.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[Bob Williams]

Latest info from a Hull mate is that the two cases were Chinese students studying at an academy. They have been in the UK for a while apparently.

Not totally convinced that this true.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

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