WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Big Kev]

It is a bit of a trip to Burnley, I would have to combine it with a trip to Townley Garden Centre....Hmm that's an idea!

Coffee and cake in the garden centre cafe too perhaps?

[Stanley]

New check outs at Aldi. That's less jobs for human beings. I have said before that the supermarkets will not be satisfied until they have us out the back unloading the wagons and then stacking the shelves. I hate the way jobs are vanishing to technology and we haven't seen the results of AI yet.
I remember 60 years ago the bogey was 'automation. We were told not to worry, all it meant was shorter hours with no overtime and more leisure. As it turned out one lot got all the overtime and extra wages the other lot got all the leisure in the form of unemployment. Beware, it's coming again....

[Tripps]

Much to think about there.

A 1950's Trade Union chief said - "my members ideal job is working at overtime rates, making labour saving devices"


I bought this in Tesco this afternoon - never saw the like before - I think it's a sort of tribute to the rump of the Royal Family - those that appeared on the balcony after the King's Coronation last Saturday.

White Eggs.JPG

[plaques]

New check outs at Aldi. That's less jobs for human beings.

Sainsbury's Colne have quite a large 'self checkout' section much larger than the normal trolley lines. Recently they introduced an extra exit barrier where the customer has to offer up their receipt to open up the swing gate. It would appear that Colne shoppers can't be trusted to scan their goods, pay and walk out and are now considered as potential thieves. Those familiar with the routine have their receipt on hand and accept that Sainsbury's think they can't be trusted. Those unfamiliar with this locked in system search through their shopping bags to find the magic release document. Some of the more cavalier types do a C.W. McCall - Convoy exit setting off bells and blue lights to which none of the staff take any notice.
Quite entertaining to watch this farce take place. Must get out more often.

[Stanley]

David, often quoted was the boss at General Motors who said the problem with robots was that they didn't buy cars. I think he hit the nail on the head.
I remember the grocers shop on Heaton Moor near Shaw Road. There was a long counter on the right with 4 assistants behind it and a chair for the customer at each of the stations. When you had finished the assistant often came round and opened the door for you as you went out.

[Stanley]

The fact that I have started getting Labour Party emails again. No idea what has changed I haven't done anything since all my efforts to repair the link came to nothing.

[PanBiker]

Labour emails are sent through a different email hub now. If you check the source email address it should be via Organise for national ones. CLP and local still use Gmail for some and others via Organise.

[Big Kev]

New check outs at Aldi. That's less jobs for human beings.

Some of the more cavalier types do a C.W. McCall - Convoy exit setting off bells and blue lights to which none of the staff take any notice.
Quite entertaining to watch this farce take place. Must get out more often.

I 'crashed the gate' yesterday evening, as I couldn't be bothered to look for my receipt. Bells, whistles and flashing lights. Nobody took any notice and they'd stopped before I even got to the stairs

[Stanley]

This email was from Anne Drury's gMail account Ian.

[PanBiker]

Yes Anne is still using a Gmail account. The organise addresses are from a new party email client.

What attracted my attention was passing on our bunk beds that we got when the grandchildren were small to a Ukrainian family. Mum and young son are setting up a flat from scratch and needed such stuff. Our grandchildren have outgrown the bunks so we were going to shift them anyway. Our corded Panasonic vacuum cleaner has gone to the same appeal. The guy that came with the van to collect is making two trips as the beds took up all the room in his van, (I left the bases built) for easier reassembly. He is offloading and then coming back to collect the mattresses. They are going to Earby so not a massive distance for a double pickup.

[Big Kev]

Nice one Ian, I do like recycling perfectly good things

[Tizer]

My cousin recycles a lot of stuff for us locally via the Freecycle web site. She puts our items on the site then arranges for the `customer' to collect from us. It seems to work very well.

[Stanley]

Intrigued I looked Freecycle up and found THIS, an associated site in Barnoldswick, 'Freewheely'.

[Tizer]

Don't pass up the chance of the free Yamaha organ, Stanley!

[Stanley]

Certainly not! I have to be careful Peter. I am shortly to become custodian of a bunch of engines I have made and given away. One of my children is going travelling and so has to find a home for all the engines I have given her.

[Stanley]

I tripped over this on Youtube. Thought you might enjoy it. Vintage snooker, Joe Davis has a frame with Jack Warner.

[Big Kev]

The pile driving at the old Croft Mill site here in Foulridge. It's certainly making a noise, should only be for a couple of week though.

[Tripps]

Joe Davis said he was never beaten 'on level terms'. I vaguely recall reading that that he never played 'on level terms' but always gave his opponent a start.

This is a comment following his game with Bruce Forsyth which seems to support that -

Davis claimed he was never beaten on equal terms ..... but he never gave them.
He always gave a handicap to keep that "record" in shape. And of course, in his day there were only a handful of professionals around anyway. I bought his book when I was a kid, and quickly realized he was conceited:)

I saw his brother Fred playing live at Preston Guildhall in the 1980's.

Neither of them could have lived with the modern top players I'd say.

[Stanley]

"Neither of them could have lived with the modern top players I'd say."
I think that's generally accepted David and the modern cloths and faster tables would play a part as well.

[Tizer]

This incident is infuriating for those involved in High Wycombe but I see it as emblematic of a far greater problem - how will the human race control AI, ChatGTP etc when it hasn't got enough `little grey cells' even to prevent small problems like this one...
`High Wycombe: Entire car park ticketed after council error' LINK

[Stanley]

I agree with you Peter and have much the same feelings about my recent experience over two years with British Gas. Their system is evidently flawed, how can that be improved by applying AI? Surely that will just set the errors that exist in concrete?

[Stanley]

Later.... I found THIS BBC report on the announcement made by water companies of regret about the dumping of raw sewage. Well worth a read.....

[Tizer]

We here about Russian missile strikes on Ukraine often now but this caught my attention today in a BBC report:
On Tuesday, Ukraine said it had shot down six Kinzhal hypersonic missiles as part of an "exceptionally dense" attack. I asked Google for more on this Russian missile type...it became available in 2017 and has Mach 10 speed and a range of 1200 miles. But what surprised me was that they are said to cost $10 million each! So in that one attack $60 million was literally went up in flames and didn't even benefit Russia. Will someone please tell these guys that there are millions of people starving around the world?

[Stanley]

How much of what we read on those lines is accurate, do the missiles really cost $10million each? A suspiciously well rounded figure. I still agree with your general point Peter but often wonder about these well rounded estimates.

[PanBiker]

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