WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[PanBiker]

20 years in and out of folks houses all day got me used to just about everything offered with one or two exceptions which had to be clandestinely disposed of. Popping out to have a look at the aerial was quite useful sometimes.

[Big Kev]

20 years in and out of folks houses all day got me used to just about everything offered with one or two exceptions which had to be clandestinely disposed of. Popping out to have a look at the aerial was quite useful sometimes.

Love it

[Tizer]

20 years in and out of folks houses all day got me used to just about everything offered with one or two exceptions which had to be clandestinely disposed of. Popping out to have a look at the aerial was quite useful sometimes.

When I read that post it was at the top of the page, therefore I didn't know what had preceded it. I wondered what exotic things Ian had been offered on his visits to houses and I was anticipating something salacious. It came as a disappointment to find he was talking about tea!

The difference between skimmed, semi and full fat isn't quite negligible because the fat fraction contains some fatty components that are thought may help prevent cancer, namely sphingolipids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

[Stanley]

I was once offered some potato hash by Mrs Robinson at Standridge. I refused because she had a pan of handkerchiefs boiling on the stove and the foam was spilling into the pan containing the hash!
The end of the Selby/Ding semi final. Hard fought right up to the end and wonderful snooker.
Trump soothing his bruised ego by making a 'campaign' speech to a gathering of the NRA promising he would support them in their preservation of the right to bear arms. Not surprisingly he got a standing ovation. What an admirable President he is to some.......
He says he is going to make a major announcement this next week on the Paris agreement on climate change. This is unlikely to be good news!

[Stanley]

The quality of my friend's new pad in Lancashire. There are still good houses out there if you look and are lucky. I couldn't fault either the house, the location or what he is doing to improve it. Lovely.....

[Stanley]

What a lovely time of the year it is. We are just seeing the start of proper Spring and even though there was a moderate breeze yesterday it was quite balmy. The thing that struck me about my friends house was how sheltered it was by the surrounding hills. We get the same effect to the south and west of the shelter of high ground and it makes a real difference. We are lucky, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than here!
The diamond fell out of my single point grinding wheel dresser so I ordered a new one. At the same time I ordered a De Walt cordless drill....... No pockets in a shroud....

[PanBiker]

First session of exams for me this morning. Business and Communication Systems, the group has to be split up over 3 to 4 days as the IT room can only seat about 7 or 8 at a time to comply with the seating arrangements for the exam. Computer based, students have to be seated so they cannot overlook each others monitors. A nice steady start to the proceedings but a lot of legwork ferrying printouts to each student as they are produced.

Despite all the mocks, I had to remove the labels from every bottle of water brought to the exam, they should know that by now. We'll see how tomorrows lot does.

[Stanley]

Why do labels have to be removed from bottles Ian?
A lovely visit from Susan, she tasted the Mutton and Peas and decided she was staying to lunch! There is much to be said for daughters...... She arrived just as I finished the winder in that if I put the lid on the valve chest I could run it......

[PanBiker]

Labels can hide or contain notes or formulae, rules say that drinks can be brought to the exam room but must be in plain container.

[Marilyn]

We were never allowed drinks in an exam! If the temperature was over 35C, there was a glass of water on the desk ( provided). Otherwise, you went without. I doubt you ever get to 35 C, so why do they need drinks? I really don't get it. Toughen up, I say!

they could be writing in tiny letters inside the lid. Bet you hadn't thought of that!

[PanBiker]

I don't make the rules Maz, only make sure that the students abide by them. Regarding hydration, it's not a case of "manning up" as you say, it's a well proven fact that correct hydration should be maintained to aid in concentration and overall well-being. You basically can't really drink enough, I think it's quite good that the kids have learnt enough about nutrition to know the benefits.

Notes written on paper or on hands and arms are the usual methods of attempted cheating, we have the mobile phone angle 99.9% nailed and I think they would need to be a magician to write miniature notes on the underside of a sealed bottle lid!

Exams may be a trial for some but they should never be a punishment.

[Marilyn]

I'm sure they can go 3 hours without a drink in your climate. Or a glass of water could be provided.
How did any of us ever survive in the old days...walking about without a mobile phone in one hand and hydration in the other?

[Tripps]

You basically can't really drink enough,

Tell me about it - I'm doing what I can.

[Marilyn]

I bet London to a brick the kids can sit at a video or computer game for three hours without "hydration"....

[PanBiker]

I'm sure they can go 3 hours without a drink in your climate. Or a glass of water could be provided.

I'm sure they could as well but it is well known that hydration aids concentration, you are arguing against proven science here Maz. As to providing them all with a glass of water, we have quite enough to do without having to do that. 120 students with a full year group in the mandatory subjects.

We don't need to bother anyway as they bring their own, (as long as they remove the labels). We do provide bottled water for some of the exams if required. It may not get to your extremes but the gym gets full sun and with a large group it can be stifling, we have had the odd fainter. It's not mollycoddling it makes sense to keep them well a lot less hassle than having to scrape them up, we let them go to the toilet too.

[PanBiker]

I will add this as well about the benefits of hydration. NHS Blood and Transplant have reduced the incidence of fainting during or after donating blood by over 80% by having donors drink a half litre of water prior to donating. You get it on entry and drink it during the medical screening and preamble before you get to the chair, that's a massive benefit to their operation.

[Marilyn]

We weren't allowed to go to the toilet either...
You were expected to take care of such stuff before you attended your exam.
I seem to recall there were pens and pencils/eraser on the desk and some scribble paper.
No pencil cases or personal pens allowed. The only thing that went into that exam room was your bodily self and the clothes you were wearing. They took a good look at you before you went in and constantly patrolled the desks for signs of cheating.
It was a survivable experience.

[Stanley]

It's such a hassle having to wait for a courier to deliver something that has to be signed for and if it's a big item, even more so collecting it from the local sorting office so yesterday, expecting my drill, I didn't go to bed.



Parcelforce delivered at 13:00 hours so I got my bed as well. Happy bunny!
Today is CC election voting day......

[Stanley]

Margaret has just mailed me from Oz to say that there are strong rumours in the news there that Prince Philip has died or is very seriously ill. Nothing stirring here yet....
05:25. Have a look at THIS. It begins to look as though Margaret was spot on! Nothing at all on our media yet....
06:30. New Zealand media are quoting 'a royal spokesman' as saying that it can be safely assumed that neither the queen or the prince are dead. We shall see.....

[Big Kev]

Nothing official mentioned here yet. A lot of speculation on the red tops' web sites and social media...

[Big Kev]

Nothing official mentioned here yet. A lot of speculation on the red tops' web sites and social media...

BBC have just mentioned that there will be an announcement from Buck House "but it's nothing to worry about".

[Stanley]

Yup, but something is going on and we shall find out later.....

[Cathy]

Have just watched our 6pm news, they gave no explanation for the meeting but it is still only 9am in England. Abdication??

[Big Kev]

Phil the Greek is standing down from public duties as from autumn 2017...

[Cathy]

Yes , have just seen it announced on our news and received a message from Reuters on my phone (never had that before, maybe it was because I was looking online for info ??)