WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[Tizer]

Different sensors, Stanley. Taste (sweet, sour, bitter, salty) is mediated by the sensors on your tongue. Smell (volatiles) by those at the back of your nose, entering via nostrils or from the back of your mouth.

People doing some useful work here...
`Repairing broken gadgets for a greener future' LINK

[plaques]

People doing some useful work here...
`Repairing broken gadgets for a greener future' LINK

Been doing that for years but now-a-days you can spend hours just getting the thing apart then if it contains any rechargeable batteries you are faced with diodes, capacitors, control chips and a mass of other electronic components. The bottom line is that a professional repair would cost far more than a new unit would cost. OK for the hobbyist provided you've got the right test equipment and know that high voltage high currents are extremely dangerous to a point of fatality.

This man is interesting to watch, Bigdavedotcom. . Shower control which personally I wouldn't touch. He is a qualified electrician

[PanBiker]

The fixing factory stirred some memories for me, especially the VHS video player which looked to be combined with a DVD writer. I went on factory training courses at Thorn, EMI, Ferguson where their technical department and training school was at the Chadderton factory to learn the ins and outs of VHS video repair. Also all their ranges of colour TV's as new technology and the corresponding chassis were developed. When I did my City and Guilds, I was trained initialy on valved equipment and transistors came in the last two years of the course. As soon as I qualified after 5 years and was released into the wild so to speak, some boffin was producing the first IC's and the whole game changed yet again. I spent the next 20 years on and off on courses to keep pace with the changes.

When servicing valve equipment you could be looking for changes in hundreds of volts, transistors tens of volts and once the IC's hit the scene you needed a digital multimeter to look for fractions of a volt differences in fault finding.

An interesting ditty in the early IC days. The suppliers were in the dark about how to handle the new multi legged beasts which used CMOS gates. They initially shipped them stuck into polystyrene sheets ensuring that a good 95% were already dead when you got them. CMOS gated devices used to be known as the fastest fuses on the planet. Any handling including a risk of static would render then useless. Next step was to ship them on the same polystyrene sheets but they had a layer of kitchen foil on top before the IC were shoved in. That took the attrition down to about 30%. It took a good two years for the development of anti-stat foam and bags until you could reliably expect a fully functional IC when delivered.

[Stanley]

That went right over my head Ian, but you'd expect that from a bloke whose only electrical experience is 500kva alternators run by steam engines!
A different thing caught my attention this morning and had to be investigated immediately (that's why I am running a bit behind.) I got a combined energy account from British Gas for over £500, this in addition to a gas bill two days ago. This sounds like a disaster but isn't actually because I now know how my account has gone so terribly wrong but not why, I suspect at root it is a glitch in their accounting software but I don't need to know that. I now have proff in the form of their own invoices that they are charging me for combined energy (gas and leccy) quarterly (and I suspect that account is correct) but they are also charging me monthly for gas only.
Yes. Later today I shall inform the BG complaints department of what is happening, copy that to Resolver and sit back and watch the fuse burn until February when the Ombudsman can be triggered by me. I shall not try to get this fixed using the telephone or the chat line facility as they have both failed to address the problem since October 2021.
And yes again, phrases like piss-up and brewery come to mind. This is total incompetence and at last I have the proof.

[Big Kev]

I thought the ombudsman was taking over your complaint?

[Stanley]

They are but not until after the early February deadline which marks two months in their reckoning. Until then I store evidence in my Resolver file which will be passed to the Ombudsman when the case is triggered. The office of the Ombudsman have already said that I have a suitable case and they will further it.

[Big Kev]

Ah right

[Stanley]

Just off to the Post Office to send my official complaint with evidence to the BG complaints Team at Rotherham.
If they still do Registered Post I shall use it.

[Stanley]

It still exists.... £6-85, worth it if it means the letter gets their attention.....

[Stanley]

My mind must have been very easy after sending that letter. I slept far better last night.....
Another letter from Yorkshire Water warning that they are turning the supply off on the 17th of January for a few hours. They did this a week or so ago and nothing happened. Perhaps it will be different this time.

[Big Kev]

The made to measure compression socks, provided by the DVT unit. Followed the instructions, shown to me by the nurse back in November, got it onto my foot OK started pulling the rest of it up my leg and ripped the top off of it. I now have one left as the second pair (12 month supply) are still being made. I wonder how much the NHS paid for them.
I don't think I'll bother, I'll just continue to keep my legs raised when sat down.

[plaques]

The made to measure compression socks, provided by the DVT unit. Followed the instructions, shown to me by the nurse back in November, got it onto my foot OK started pulling the rest of it up my leg and ripped the top off of it.

I have the all singing all dancing plastic stocking putting on aid which now I don't really use. Basically the stocking is stretched over the tube so that the foot enters more easily the rest of the stocking is then drawn up over the leg. You get hours of fun out of one of these hopping about while higher management tells you that you doing it all wrong.
Its here if you want it.

[Big Kev]

The made to measure compression socks, provided by the DVT unit. Followed the instructions, shown to me by the nurse back in November, got it onto my foot OK started pulling the rest of it up my leg and ripped the top off of it.

I have the all singing all dancing plastic stocking putting on aid which now I don't really use. Basically the stocking is stretched over the tube so that the foot enters more easily the rest of the stocking is then drawn up over the leg. You get hours of fun out of one of these hopping about while higher management tells you that you doing it all wrong.
Its here if you want it.

Thanks for the offer Ken, I can get my size 14 feet in without issue, it was when I was drawing the rest of it over my calf the top of the sock just came off in my hand. They're not even particularly tight, they said they were 'level 1'. Probably made by an MP's dodgy back street sweat shop. I bought Paulette 7 pairs of support socks from Amazon, fortunately not delivered by Evri, for £11. They are an 'off the shelf' standard size (foot size and calf measurement) made of 90% cotton, unfortunately I'm not 'off the shelf' sized as I would have much preferred some made from cotton.

[Tripps]

I've become something of an expert on 'sock putter onners' since the hips in 2012 and 2014.

Don't laugh - and use a bit of imagination - but this is the one that I have used since then. It beats all the alternatives. I could not function without it.

The new thing seems to be a 'sock slider' widely shown on Youtube, and is perhaps American? OK for a lithe Occupational Therapist in a demo, but as Kev has discovered not up to full size people in real life situations. I suspect it was a cottage industry, and the chap who sold it does not seem to be active now. There's an opening for a go ahead person here. The unique point is that you stand on the place mat with one leg whilst putting the other sock on. That way it stays very steady.

I used compression socks for a while - long enough to realise that they are a two person job.

Trust me. . .

Sock gadget.JPG

[Stanley]

I remember the struggles with compression hosiery when I had to wear them at one time. I hated the buggers!
Now I am at the other end of the spectrum and am enjoying 'diabetic socks' with soft tops that are incredibly comfortable and so easy to put on. Long may this continue.....

[Big Kev]

I never had any issues actually putting them on it was just the poor quality that caused them to fall apart. I've gone back to my M&S 'standard' socks, I doubt I'll bother collecting the second pair of made to measure.

[PanBiker]

Taught by experts at LGI I accepted the best way was a small plastic bag on the foot, (medium freezer bag about right). All you have to do then is pull them up over the calves, only works if the socks have open toes which most surgical types do. Easy peasy then just to pull the bag of your foot.

[Big Kev]

Barclays Bank, in Barlick, will be closing permanently on April 14th 2023

[Stanley]

Thanks for that Kev. I suspect we all wondered how long they could last and now we know.
Another derelict property on the main street, purpose built bank buildings seem to be virtually unsaleable.
Could it be taken over as an annexe to our new medical centre? ( )

[Stanley]

A two hour visit from two young friends of mine. I say 'young' but they are contemporaries of my daughters so they are youngsters of less than 60 years old. (Just! It's all relative. )

[Stanley]

There has been an arrest in the Euston shooting. See THIS BBC report.

[Stanley]

I tripped over this on Youtube and I recommend it as worthy of your time.

[Stanley]

The continuing bad conditions underfoot. I'm frightened to go out in case I slip. Funny how you never think about things like this until you get old....

[Big Kev]

Water pressure issues here today, word on the street says United Utilities are investigating on Red Lane.

Screenshot_20230119-085232_Chrome.jpg

Just received an email

Good morning, it’s Saffron from United Utilities. We’re sorry if you’re experiencing no water or poor pressure, our team have carried out a repair to a burst main on Byron Road overnight, and will be back out this morning to begin to refill the pipe and network with water. This will need to be done carefully and gradually to avoid any further issues occurring such as further leaks or discoloured water. In the meantime our water tankers are in the area pumping additional water into the pipes to keep as many customers on supply as possible. Although we have additional measures in place, your supply may be intermittent or fluctuate in pressure during peak times until we have got everything back to normal. We’re sorry for the inconvenience.

[plaques]

Yes are water is off. Just able to fill the kettle with what was in the pipes.