[Richard]

Yes, I heard that about the Cray territory from many sources, including a neighbour who knew all about those times. She idly watched the comings and goings at a laundrette used for money transfers when nothing else was entertaining her.

Now, Stratford and many other areas sound more like a don’t go area than anything else, yet property programmes call it up and coming. The shopping centre and train station there is not safe from gun and knife crime.

[Richard]

Yes, those were different times. In the 1950s I lived in Northwest Kent, it was the third I tell a lie, it was the forth, (before that I had a term in Birkenhead), place I had lived and father worked in Silvertown next to the river. I sometimes cycled up there,  the roads were very different, the people were very different, the pace of life was different and the scale was to put it simply human. I went to the area again in the late 1960s, what a change, the river was no trade highway, the factories were shut and falling down or being pulled down, the heart had gone. I spent a little time in Cricklewood, Kilburn, Golders Green, (the site of a 1940s murder) and Dollis Hill around that time. Google maps showed me how they have changed, cleaner perhaps, sanitised, perhaps. Back then my flat mates and I went to a pub just round the corner, the table would not move, the chairs would not move, everything was bolted down, so we bolted our beer down and left.

A total of sixteen move is more than I had thought it would be until I counted them up. I worked for ten years in West Central London, to be honest I could not stand the place by then crowded, dirty I could not relate to anyone. It was not helped by the Company losing its way, thinking big and grandiose until it ground its way into non-existence, the directors did well enough – for themselves. It summed up London, with one further performance. I went back or twice with of the children to ‘a well know hospital’, it was a shambles. It appeared that every paper that could be lost or delayed was lost or delayed. Parents of severely disable children were openly crying all over in the place because appointments were delayed and they faced impossible journeys home by the rush hour tube and trains. In another hospital the organisation was a little better. They even had a sense of black humour. The alarm system was not working, so they had paper signs about the place, ‘In the event of a fire or emergency, open the door and shout HELP’. That was about 20 years ago, thanks but no thanks I would not go back even there for anything.

[Richard]

Bob, agreed you contributed some very helpful contributions.

[Richard]

John, I can see your multiple issues, but I wondered if there really was no way to press to obtain a more user friendly access to the service. The testing kit is so much easier than traipsing about the countryside even when you have no restrictions on mobility.

I have had a few episodes of needing crutches, and when you need them do not be shy about using them. However I can see your concerns about about the dangers of slippery surfaces – they are best avoided at all times. I slipped on a polished office floor, my foot hit the wall as I fell.  I damaged ankle, broke the big leg bone and left the foot in a new and ‘interesting place’ no one questioned the use of crutches after it was screwed and stitched together once more. Towards the end of my recovery in the mid 1980s, I went to the USA. Washington DC was the most disabled person friendly place I have ever visited. It might have helped that it was reunion season for the various forces, though I don’t think so. I practically had to fight to avoid being dragged into receptions everywhere I went, Navy, Air Force, Marines and some I can no longer remember. However, even regular places like the subway and side walks were warm accessible and welcoming to use.

Another time my left leg was withering due to spinal issues and the knee surgeon thought crutches were a bad idea – until he saw the spinal MRI. A couple of weeks later an operation solved that issue and I no longer looked like the hunchback of Notre Dame.

Take care and fight for what you can get.

[Richard]

Stave and Bob, plus (others) a whole lot of truth there. I think most of us now get the two year summons to provide a sample, two or three of my family would have seriously benefited from the bowel test that is now routine.

I’m one with Steve, life can get lonely and the urge to vent can build dangerously. It is best done before things go to far.

On a brighter note I took other half for another appointment on Tuesday, possibly the best one in a long time. Full explanations of all that was apparent on the day, a good verbal report with written recommendations there and then. Today the formal report arrived – two days is pretty darned good. Meanwhile I sneaked into the minors where I had some thorns dug out of my hand, So all in all a very good visit.

John, please take on board Bob’s advice, the enemy might need dead heroes, but its better if our heroes survive. Your wife is certainly going to be all the better for having your support.

[Richard]

John,  you will get a sympathetic ear here. Neither my wife nor I have suffered from that issue though she has had other cancer. A friend did have it a while back and judging from the fact that she is still alive and kicking, in spite of other very different marital and family issues, (including a son with a brain injury from playing football) her survival supports the idea that it is worth going on. As I remember she had the more or less full works, but the hospital were very good with lots of support of which she did avail herself. She thought beforehand that it all sounded a bit suspect and new age, but after a couple of visits she found it really helped her state of mind. I hope your wife can get something like that to aid her progress. I cannot comment in depth about the treatments, only to say there were inevitable ups and downs but the available help was of great benefit and the result was worth the effort.

[Richard]

I do not have the fastest upload speed in the world but earlier this evening it was almost at dial up speed. Now it is something like 5 times faster going up and about faster by about 15% for downloads. I suspect that loads on the network are not being managed too well for some reason or another, maybe it is congestion maybe the weather may be something else.

[Richard]

While not quite the same level of secrecy an new Mirai ‘Okiru’ botnet which targets billions of ARC-based IoT devices could well be more destructive as it appears far from narrowly targetted. Essentially, if you have an IOT thing of the target type you are at risk. The rest of us become collateral damage.

[Richard]

I can only add my best wishes to that expressed by Nolan. Hang onto the good news for the moment I wish I could offer more than vague hopes.

Richard

[Richard]

There was a good write up on The Register http://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/16/skygofree_android_spyware/ and a link to this explanation https://securelist.com/skygofree-following-in-the-footsteps-of-hackingteam/83603/

It appears to have made extensive use of tools created by others and put out more or less publicly and to be targetting Italian activities. The source of the nasty appears to be user carelessness in selecting the wrong website and then agreeing to install the initial form. However, as a none user of Italian resources, or WhatsApp, FaceBook for that matter I can feel more sanguine about the affair. The fact that it turns on some features based on geographic location suggests a desire not to overload its inbound servers with excess crap. To that point it appears quite well thought out. Apparently Kaspersky Lab have identified the item and tracked it back for close on 4 years. If it is targetting the Mafia I do not have any sympathy with the targets, some write ups suggested other money related or industrial targets, but I saw no details of the geofencing locations to allow possible targets to be identified.

 

[Richard]

With Tesco you can opt to have no substitutions in the event of something  not being available. If an error is made they are good at correcting it as soon as you query the issue.

[Richard]

The ‘start of the fire’ photograph I saw suggested it was an agricultural style almost certainly older Land Rover.I guess the owner is pretty gutted at what happened.

The space was being used by visitors and participants at a horse show, even for stabling the horses, so agricultural connections were almost certain. I agree that some vehicles might well have had other fluids and gasses on board.

The effect of ‘cook off’ on some fluids should never be under estimated, I have watched a pole mounted oil filled distribution transformer cook and burn – from a safe distance. It was dramatic against the night sky but the noise was the major impression, our power was off for obvious reasons, so it was the only ‘entertainment’ we could watch. Happily only the pole and the transformer were hurt both were terminal. A tank farm fire was even more dramatic, really hot oil takes up more space than ambient heat oil, so the bunds did not hold it back. Cooked tanks are awfully dramatic when they go off. As a general rule solids and liquids do not burn but heat them until they crack, boil them or spray them as fine droplets and all sorts of problems arise

The random nature of vehicles these days could make estimations harder to generate.

I am a little older than Land Rover, maybe not so reliable, though not all of the oldest ones are still running. I recently saw that the original 1948 Motor Show Land Rover has been rediscovered and is being refurbished.

[Richard]

Thank you drezha, a very good, useful, educational (to me at least) response.

I wondered what age the cars were that were tested as it is my impression that many current cars contain a range of highly combustible plastic materials such as wings and bumpers that do burn somewhat hotter than the metal on some older vehicles. The use of rust free but less fire resistant plastic fuel tanks is another variable that may or may not be relevant. Though to go against that, the original fire start vehicle was suggested to have been an older Land Rover.

It is all guess work and speculation so its time for me to shut up.

[Richard]

Yes I’ll buy that. I totally agree with this statement ‘solid basis of best practice knowledge and experience‘ and your following words.

[Richard]

I venture to suggest that desk top studies should normally be directed towards confirming that the proposed use is compliant with ‘normal’ i.e. certified and verified usage. As the matter is currently in the throws of investigation and possible legal action I feel limited in the extent to which I should add to the fog of doubts. I lack confidence in the way that the project(s) were carried out.

Thank you for the Liverpool reference, the first time I tried it demanded I sign in, the second try went straight in, subsequent returns did not work. With the exception of discussion of drainage channels (- question which I have no data to discuss)  it reflected my thinking, it was truly a ‘but for the grace of god’ situation that it did not and has not yet fallen. To speculate about whether it ‘might’ need to be taken down struck me as weird. The admission that hydrocarbon fires were not considered in the design process does sound like a desk study cost management step too far – as for not maintaining an asset; that is too stupid to contemplate. There was no possible effort to compartmentalise or to fire stop any multi story car park I have ever seen. Since the fire was so destructive I also wonder whether it went beyond spalling to destruction of the concrete back to its new calcined raw material. Whether mist sprinkler or other measures should be considered, I can almost hear the long grass and special interest groups gathering to sell their own angles.

As I have said before, I really want all of the investigations to avoid political interests pulling things to suit a special interest.

(a) If there are structural problems, materials problems, design or deployment or any other process problems I want them identified and addressed ASAP.

(b) If there were also clearly illegal actions they should be punished to the normal extent of the law.

However, (b) should not take precedence as (a) is vital for future safety of all building works.

The issue of retrospective corrections is a real hot potato with huge emotional baggage.

[Richard]

While on the subject of vehicle fires and fire resistance was anyone else surprised at the structural damage done by the Liverpool car park fire? The ‘fire resistant’ concrete had crumbled away in several areas surprisingly (for me) leaving only the metal reinforcing where the floor had been. I would have expected the metal to be melted or at least substantially softened. Some beams had also appeared to fail. Clearly it had been a very intense fire that had spread very easily, possibly been boosted by the open nature of the structure.

[Richard]

Darn it I just lost a post that was almost done. I will compose in Word and cut and paste the next try.

Thank you drezha the press reports had suggested that not all materials always were tested in a standardised laboratory, I am pleased to note that impression was wrong. I do have concerns that the scope of desk top studies could be an issue though replacing one fire resistant or non combustible material with another should not appear to make a difference. Slate in some (all?) forms is non-combustible but can burst, spall or shatter given the right heat. What works on a 30 foot high wall might fail if deployed on e.g. a 90 foot structure where a taller chimney effect could exist. Staged fire stopping would then become an issue

I hear Ed’s comments but fear that as a standalone suggestion it would become a lawyer’s dream of heaven. The desk top study performed on the basis of then knowledge and without control of the installation results achieved, should allow eminent QCs to argue until the original objective was lost. If something like that was to be workable then in my mind the consultant’s hands would have to be in the mud all through the build process, overseeing and signing off every stage of the work.

In short some drastic changes to working practices are be required.

There is another aspect, the remedial work on Grenfell cost in the region of £10 million pounds, that is not chump change and alongside it £25,000 for a test is more like the coffee club kitty. Now consider all the other buildings that are having to be cleansed of this material at far more than £25,000 a pop and it becomes an even more materially insignificant sum.

Should the answer not have been for standards for retrofitted insulation to have been established that explicitly approved materials and fully tested installation standards pursuant to the standard to be followed? Testable standards for all stages of the work would make the end to end process more reliable, more easily checked and, above all far more cost effective – not just cheaper through out of sight rounded corners.

[Richard]

I have an old click clack step counter that is attached on my belt. I have used it on and off for 40 plus years though it clocks out the distance in miles not steps, for that you have to back calculate. I very between less than a mile up to about 5 miles about 10,000 steps on a really active day, though I am not sure it really makes a hill of beans difference to me. It tends to be the other way round when problems grind me down I do less, when everything is going well I do more, achieve more, eat less and drink less. The last few weeks have not been so good one way and another, even though daughter has finally resumed volunteering at the food bank for six hours per week so it should be positive. Unfortunately, most of the time it has been like living with over age explosives of dubious stability, wondering when it will all explode again. She had a four or five month hiatus from summer onwards that was not pretty and my wife’s health issues only added to the difficulties.

[Richard]

Thank you Drezha, that clarifies things a little. Perhaps you can clarify one other point, clearly the building regulations specify the use of non-combustible materials. I was led to believe that the sometimes self certification qualification process for non-combustible and even for fire rated are less explicit. If someone can apparently persuade a material not to burn (by hook or by crook) for the qualifying time then it can qualify as a suitable material. On that basis and the looseness of some testers how much trust can be applied to such terms?

[Richard]

John, that is interesting and disturbing. My wife had a bad reaction to what she thought was a hornet sting some years ago. She tried to get to the hospital but collapsed outside the fire station where she did get emergency assistance to complete the journey. Recently she had a far worse anaphylaxis incident while undergoing medical tests*. The nurses blithely said, it was lucky she was in hospital when it happened it would have been far worse it is happened outside somewhere. After two months the cause is still ‘under investigation’ and my wife is terrified about any medical interventions and is concerned to even leave the house. She knew she had other issues including an allergy to aspergillosis for which she has to take daily treatment to support her lungs. Now I am urging her to chase down answers as the promised referral to the allergy clinic has not even been made. The hospital even sent her home without an epipen telling her to get them from the GP. The surgery were very unimpressed.

*Our research suggests she might have reacted to fentanyl used in the anaesthesia.

[Author]

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