Hmmm. Let me guess what inspired that....Microbes do produce waste, yes, and I think for some pathogens at least it is that which is toxic to us rather than the organism itself.Think of fermentation, by mould (e.g. yeast) or some types of bacteria: the mi... moreHmmm. Let me guess what inspired that....Microbes do produce waste, yes, and I think for some pathogens at least it is that which is toxic to us rather than the organism itself.Think of fermentation, by mould (e.g. yeast) or some types of bacteria: the micro-organisms dine on the sugars, and excrete alcohol and carbon-dioxide. They do that at cell level as they are single-celled.
There have been many reasons.Natural causes such as diseases and long-term droughts, man-made ones like external and civil wars or general decay... The Roman Empire faded away largely due to its own degeneration, but it was also becoming increasingly diff... moreThere have been many reasons.Natural causes such as diseases and long-term droughts, man-made ones like external and civil wars or general decay... The Roman Empire faded away largely due to its own degeneration, but it was also becoming increasingly difficult to maintain its far-flung empire against invaders. What is likely to be our civilisation's demise - looking beyond the USA's febrile internal politics which only affect the USA anyway?Well, the SARS-Covid-19 virus and its offspring are having a good go at it, and do show what pandemics can be capable of; but I think the far greater threats to ourselves will be are ourselves, by:- - the major effects of climate-change, - increasingly rapid depletion of natural resources with no satisfactory long-term replacements, with those two answered by knee-jerk reactions that do not seem based on rational thinking that also looks more than a couple of decades or so ahead; - greed and intolerance between different nations and cultures, - pove... less
Whoever pretends to be Q and why, he or she might now be afraid to admit it or of being revealed, through Qanon becoming a sort of cult that has caused a great deal of trouble in the USA and other countries. I am surprised the source has not been traced, ... moreWhoever pretends to be Q and why, he or she might now be afraid to admit it or of being revealed, through Qanon becoming a sort of cult that has caused a great deal of trouble in the USA and other countries. I am surprised the source has not been traced, though I suppose the self-styled "Q" might post from any but hir or her own computer / phone/ whatever. A university or internet-cafe computer, perhaps, so not traceable to an individual unless it is properly protected with individual access-control.
What did your friend actually mean though?I suspect he or she was referring to the way we see time - it often appears to us to drag or speed up whereas its rate ins constant but we are setting our own lives and memories against it. The time interval, in d... moreWhat did your friend actually mean though?I suspect he or she was referring to the way we see time - it often appears to us to drag or speed up whereas its rate ins constant but we are setting our own lives and memories against it. The time interval, in days and years, between 1980 and 1990 was the same as that between 2010 and 2020, but we might individually think the second decade flew by much more rapidly than previous ones. That's where the cited "illusion" may lie.
Perhaps the truth is that such groups do have intelligent people. They are the ones who organise its activities and recruit followers, but it is in the group's interest for followers not to be too bright.
Not "all" countries, only those either with companies and individuals large enough and rich enough for criminals to think worth robbing, or with state organisations that hostile governments think worth attacking for other reasons of their own.The success ... moreNot "all" countries, only those either with companies and individuals large enough and rich enough for criminals to think worth robbing, or with state organisations that hostile governments think worth attacking for other reasons of their own.The success of the attacks does depend very much on the hacked systems being insufficiently defended, but it is a sort of arms-race.
There was a startling programme on BBC Radio Four last week about Qanon. Specifically about the huge mumber of teenagers and adult children who have "lost" their parents to the cult - with most cults it's usually the other way round. A mutual-... moreThere was a startling programme on BBC Radio Four last week about Qanon. Specifically about the huge mumber of teenagers and adult children who have "lost" their parents to the cult - with most cults it's usually the other way round. A mutual-support forum of these "orphans" has more than 150 000 users.The programme did end with a comment that Qanon had not published any of the messages it calls "Q-drops" since December, and I wondered if that means it's run its course and is fading away. We were told it emerged from the deep and bitter divisions with US domestic politics, but has found followers in many other countries, applying it to their own situations.I also wondered if and when its originator will be flushed out and identified, given the massive successes by various Eurpoean but mainly French investigators, and now the FBI, in Internet detection. If they can smash major crime gangs by intercepting encrypted Internet traffic I'd have thought it possible to trace the mere crackpot who created Qan... less
It's not so much whether the metal can be magnetised, i.e. made to be a magnet, as whether it is magnetic. Most metals, including brass and its constituents, copper and zinc alone, are neither.I expect the silly woman is now trying to invent some conspira... moreIt's not so much whether the metal can be magnetised, i.e. made to be a magnet, as whether it is magnetic. Most metals, including brass and its constituents, copper and zinc alone, are neither.I expect the silly woman is now trying to invent some conspiracy "theory" to explain why her demonstration would not work.
I didn't take to Mr. Trump either - his first forays abroad as President soon showed his lack of diplomatic knowledge and skills long before the effects within the USA of his presidency started to appear - but nor did I support the demonstrations against ... moreI didn't take to Mr. Trump either - his first forays abroad as President soon showed his lack of diplomatic knowledge and skills long before the effects within the USA of his presidency started to appear - but nor did I support the demonstrations against him.You need consider that apart from the man's character, what really matters in other countries is not the President's political party and domestic politics, but his foreign policy.
Like it or not nations and their governments, presidents or prime ministers do have to deal with each other, and hopefully constructively, but it does not mean necessarily supporting each other's ideology.
What an awful crime!Have I though.... Naturally if you meet via an advertisement you are total strangers until that meeting, of course. A couple of times, yes, and I went out with one of the women for about a year. The other didn't progress past our... moreWhat an awful crime!Have I though.... Naturally if you meet via an advertisement you are total strangers until that meeting, of course. A couple of times, yes, and I went out with one of the women for about a year. The other didn't progress past our first meeting.That was when such dating was rather simpler and a lot cheaper, via "lonely hearts" ads in the local papers. Then big telephone-based agencies charging premium rates high-jacked the trade, followed by Internet versions; and I would not touch any such services with a barge-mouse. less
Probably any science that benefits her personally, but I wonder how many of those who use the Internet to campaign against science ever stop to consider the irony?
Oh, these types have been around for a long time. In Britain we had the deeply-racist National Front back in the 1970s.The advantage the current shower have over their predecessors is the Internet enabling them to spread their poison more widely and more easily.
Thankyou!I have had periods of mental problems though not really depression. I was prescribed a mild sedative (I think) to lighten the symptoms, and of all things, a book! Available on loan from the local library it was about helping yourself out of poor ... moreThankyou!I have had periods of mental problems though not really depression. I was prescribed a mild sedative (I think) to lighten the symptoms, and of all things, a book! Available on loan from the local library it was about helping yourself out of poor self-confidence and the like. Later, I bought my own copy.My experience with nitrous oxide is that of its analgesic properties, and in larger doses it is an anaesthetic, which is why I am surprised at it being found helpful in treating depression. What we don't know though is how it's administered - as a regular few breaths, or what? less
No I haven't, but accidents and near-misses led the authorities in Britain eventually to replace most single-lane barriers as in that video, with double ones; and many of those also have folding slats that block the gap below the arms. Where possible road... moreNo I haven't, but accidents and near-misses led the authorities in Britain eventually to replace most single-lane barriers as in that video, with double ones; and many of those also have folding slats that block the gap below the arms. Where possible roads cross main lines on bridges, and there are no level-crossings at all on the motorways.The remotely-controlled barriers had originally replaced massive double gates that when open to traffic barred access to the railway, but these were manually-operated from an adjacent signal-box or by a dedicated crossing-keeper, many of whom lived in adjacent cottages built for the purpose. (The railways in the UK are all closed to unauthorised access and farm animals by full-length fences with appropriate gates.) I watched that video a few times to try to understand another aspect of the situation. I think the motorist was intending to turn right, so had only one lane on the main road to contend with, but I can't see any room for his car to wait between the far barrier and ... less
Blimey, I thought most of our (UK) politicians are not the most technically literate people going but that suggestion of Mr. Gohmert's makes them look like a gathering of Nobel Prize winners! Are we sure though he was being serious or was he trying to be funny?
I doubt is as good news as it seems; and most certainly not something for casual use when it would only alleviate the symptoms for a short while.Nitrous Oxide in small doses has a very short-term euphoric effect, but is mainly a pain-reliever used in some... moreI doubt is as good news as it seems; and most certainly not something for casual use when it would only alleviate the symptoms for a short while.Nitrous Oxide in small doses has a very short-term euphoric effect, but is mainly a pain-reliever used in some casualty situations and giving birth. It used to be a common dental anaesthetic but I don't know if it's still used for that. Its value lies in having no lengthy after-effects that might cause problems in hospital treatment. I have used it when having a bad cut stitched, and been shown how to adminsiter it, in a cave-rescue practice session. In situations like that, it is self-administered, the casualty holding the breathing-mask to his or her own face but relaxing and dropping it when the gas starts to become anaesthetic. So it is automatically regulating. A demand-valve ensures proper inhalation and no waste. So as it soon wears off I do wonder what the use in alleviating depression actually is, but obviously should be used only under medical supervision. Unf... less
Hmmm! I think that's an old argument and I don't recall anyone giving a very definitive answer.You could say that simple counting is artificial so arithmetic and maths are invented, and certainly all measurement units are arbitrary to some extent at least... moreHmmm! I think that's an old argument and I don't recall anyone giving a very definitive answer.You could say that simple counting is artificial so arithmetic and maths are invented, and certainly all measurement units are arbitrary to some extent at least. Yet if you analyse natural process, many undeniably work to numerically consistent rules, so those rules are discoveries not inventions.If we work back from that, we can find that mathematical relationships are themselves consistent, but we have discovered rather than invented them. You can test the point very easily with a bowl of 12 apples: share them among 4 people and each person has 3 apples. It don't matter what you call "three" and "four" - the words are just our language - nor how you perform the sharing, but the effect is the same.The BBC Radio Four statistics-magazine programme More Or Less recently posed a simple question: what is 48 plus 27 (or similar numbers). Solve by mental arithmetic. This set the "soshul-meejah" world a-flutter as users twigg... less
The metric system was invented in France after the French Revolution, by which time the Americas were already well populated with a motley assortment of nationalities each with their own systems. France did that because her own national measurement system... moreThe metric system was invented in France after the French Revolution, by which time the Americas were already well populated with a motley assortment of nationalities each with their own systems. France did that because her own national measurement system was anything but a system! It was an unholy mess of regional trade units that made commerce across larger distances very difficult. The odd thing though was that they tried to be too clever and base the metre on a fraction of the Earth's circumference, not easy to measure accurately even now; rather than on something more tangible like the Nautical Mile. The Imperial Sytem with some units altered, became de facto standard in America probably due to the large proportion of settlers from Britain and Ireland; and the many imports from those countries at least until American industries could become established. I think the French did send an official Metre Bar standard, but it was never adopted for everyday trade.American scientists and some engineers do use the M... less
Those jousters were not very likely to have been obese, because diets in Mediaeval times were more limited and people had to be physically more active just for everyday life, let alone keeping themselves literally fighting fit. (Jousting was a martial art... moreThose jousters were not very likely to have been obese, because diets in Mediaeval times were more limited and people had to be physically more active just for everyday life, let alone keeping themselves literally fighting fit. (Jousting was a martial art and training, after all.)The horses were bred for strength and I don't think the armour was as heavy as you quote.
Not in a fighting sense over an argument, feud or supposed point of "honour", no. Fencing as a sport, yes, and the fencers wear protective clothing. I think the swords (they have proper names but I am not familiar with them) have tiny beads on the tips, too.
It is terrible, what people will do to animals.Someone from the Battersea Dogs' Home, in London and perhaps the oldest and most famous of these pet rescue centres, said on the radio recently that one couple returned an adopted dog because its fur colour d... moreIt is terrible, what people will do to animals.Someone from the Battersea Dogs' Home, in London and perhaps the oldest and most famous of these pet rescue centres, said on the radio recently that one couple returned an adopted dog because its fur colour didn't match the furniture! The Home took the animal back - and did not let them choose another.I'm very sorry about Tigger, but I'm glad you found a suitable last resting place for her. I've not had pets for many years, but regard the wildlife in the garden as something like it. Yesterday I trimmed the vegetation in my garden pond, and then lay there on the grass for quite a long time, just watching the frogs! less
No, you can't ignore him. That won't work, but really it's up to his Party to get rid of him, if they feel so inclined. It won't stop his public utterances, but may make him less influential. You have to consider too that in systems like those of the USA ... moreNo, you can't ignore him. That won't work, but really it's up to his Party to get rid of him, if they feel so inclined. It won't stop his public utterances, but may make him less influential. You have to consider too that in systems like those of the USA and UK, many voters elect the Party rather than leader. They might not necessarily support the individual but want their Party to win.
It's by no means a rare problem even if that case was unusual for the woman having all that money and no home.I don't know the details of UK law in this, and I have not seen that word "escheatment" previously so perhaps it's not used over here; but it is ... moreIt's by no means a rare problem even if that case was unusual for the woman having all that money and no home.I don't know the details of UK law in this, and I have not seen that word "escheatment" previously so perhaps it's not used over here; but it is common to see small-ads appeals in our local paper from one law firm or another, seeking anyone with rightful claims to the estate of someone who has died intestate and with no obvious relatives around.If it remains unclaimed it does eventually go to the Treasury but I don't know if later claims can be entertained..My sister started work many years ago in the office administering local burials and cremations. She reported that under her desk was a supermarket carrier-bag holding a few scruffy odds and ends and bits of clothing. This was the known "estate" of a homeless man who had died on the streets, and been cremated on the rates, and the Council were now trying to trace any family. As far as I know they never succeeded. less
It's not really shorthand but a complete language with a very small alphabet.The computer's electronics' "language" uses only two characters, called "bits": 1 and 0. It's called 'binary' (Bi = 2).Basically if a 1 is a pulse of electricity or a dot on a di... moreIt's not really shorthand but a complete language with a very small alphabet.The computer's electronics' "language" uses only two characters, called "bits": 1 and 0. It's called 'binary' (Bi = 2).Basically if a 1 is a pulse of electricity or a dot on a disc; then a 0 is the space that might otherwise be used by a "1". The circuits use an internal clock to mark time so they "know" 1s from 0s.The manipulating boils down to electronic switches called transistors, which are either On (1) or Off (0); and their switching is based on a very small set of choices like "AND", "OR", etc., expressed by "Boolean Logic", after the 19C English mathematician John Boole, who invented it. I don't know what particular applications he had in mind or if it was an abstract concept waiting for a use to come along. Bundling bits into 4s, 8 and 16s ('hexadecimal' means 6 + 10) facilitates manipulating larger chunks of data at higher speeds.The arithmetic seems unwieldy to us because we are accustomed to base-10 and powers of 10; not bas... less
Apart from cloud cover blocking views of astronomical events, which is disappointing... I can't really think of any events "ruined" for me by bad weather. Spoilt, yes, most often by rain; but most of the time now I take the weather as it comes. The worst ... moreApart from cloud cover blocking views of astronomical events, which is disappointing... I can't really think of any events "ruined" for me by bad weather. Spoilt, yes, most often by rain; but most of the time now I take the weather as it comes. The worst I have endured was 36 hours of strong winds and lashing rain while camping on a fairly remote Norwegian hillside. The spoiler was not really the weather, even though that was very unpleasant. Instead it was that my tent leaked badly. Luckily we returned to the road next day, the weather cleared and I was able to dry everything. Except my camera and the film it contained (pre-digital) - that was the only real loss. less
I'm not convinced a manned trip to Mars would be necessary or good, though not for the reason Franc suggests. They would have plenty to do, shared between scientific research and keeping themselves alive.The planet's surface is an arid, cold desert that m... moreI'm not convinced a manned trip to Mars would be necessary or good, though not for the reason Franc suggests. They would have plenty to do, shared between scientific research and keeping themselves alive.The planet's surface is an arid, cold desert that may or may not still hold some water, under a very thin atmosphere inimical to human life.The biggest problems though are posed by the sheer distance away, making the journeys each way extremely long, necessitating some way to carry sufficient supplies for the crew for the entire round-trip. The distance would also create lengthy radio-signal delays that at the very least would make conversations very awkward and could have serious consequences in the event of some emergency needing advice from back here on Earth. less
We are still in the Ice Age, a time of long, slow cold and warm alternations over cycles of about 100 000 years, but the last glacial phase often called "the Ice Age" is considered to have "ended" about 11 000 years ago. I think they mean by that, the tim... moreWe are still in the Ice Age, a time of long, slow cold and warm alternations over cycles of about 100 000 years, but the last glacial phase often called "the Ice Age" is considered to have "ended" about 11 000 years ago. I think they mean by that, the time of most rapid rate of change.The Polar and high-altitude ice cover shows we are still thawing from that, but the present warming due to human activities is considerably accelerating the natural change. If left to Nature the resulting climate change and sea-level rise would take millennia yet, but at least none of us here will be around to endure the results. Especially if it is the end of the Ice Age as a whole, and not an interglacial phase. less
Is the document amenable to being printed in some other colour so you can use an ink you have not used much. I suspect it would not be, but it's a thought.I wonder if it's ever occurred to companies like HP that being fairer and more honest, and not... moreIs the document amenable to being printed in some other colour so you can use an ink you have not used much. I suspect it would not be, but it's a thought.I wonder if it's ever occurred to companies like HP that being fairer and more honest, and not over-charging for inks, would be better for them than their having to develop ways to try to stop the printers working on third-party inks?
I thought that's what they'd be, before I opened the post to see the photo! A fine old pair. I wonder if the zoologists have worked out the secret of their longevity.
It's unlikely to make you noticeably drunk, but even one beer or other drink equal in alcohol can impair mechanisms like response time and rapid thinking.It is very variable, depending on the individual and the situation, too.
"... to produce gasoline" as some compensation for what you've spent on gadgets?I wonder how many of them, such as the magnets clamped aound the fuel line, ever worked.Around that time the motorcyling publications carried ads for a so-called "injector". I... more"... to produce gasoline" as some compensation for what you've spent on gadgets?I wonder how many of them, such as the magnets clamped aound the fuel line, ever worked.Around that time the motorcyling publications carried ads for a so-called "injector". I never saw one physically but the photo suggested it was no more than a very basic carburettor. (Had to think then. Long time since I last wrote that word.)
I've some lettuces developing nciely - though the slugs and snails have a go at them. Plus some runner-beans and 3 or 4 tomato plants but the latter don't look too happy.I tried radishes but don't have much luck with them. The roots don't grow as they oug... moreI've some lettuces developing nciely - though the slugs and snails have a go at them. Plus some runner-beans and 3 or 4 tomato plants but the latter don't look too happy.I tried radishes but don't have much luck with them. The roots don't grow as they ought and eventually I end up with very pretty radish flowers but no edible radish tubers.I've sometimes grown dwarf tomatoes in compost-bags, successfully too, helped by a watering-system with a timer on it set to irrigate late at night to reduce evaporation loss. I grew a crop last year like that, and the garden's frogs loved it, as it gave them lots of damp but cosy little retreats. less
I think some of those sorts of devices are claimed to emit a whistle of sufficiently high or low frequency to be inaudible to humans but unpleasant or alarming to the pests.Whether they work is another matter, but if powered by a small solar cell like tho... moreI think some of those sorts of devices are claimed to emit a whistle of sufficiently high or low frequency to be inaudible to humans but unpleasant or alarming to the pests.Whether they work is another matter, but if powered by a small solar cell like those path-marker lamps, their effective range is likely to be very low anyway. These seem the kind of gadgets I have seen advertised by mail-order companies who stock all manner of unlikely home, health and garden items you never need but can't do without. The catalogue writers delight in sprinkling the descriptions with scientific terms, but the text soon shows they barely understand the words let alone the concepts and the flaws. less
The original disease already has a formal, non-national name: SARS Covid 19.I don't suppose it worries the Greeks at all, because their alphabet is used for all sorts of scientific notations, some more or less standard (e.g. the letters lambda for wavelen... moreThe original disease already has a formal, non-national name: SARS Covid 19.I don't suppose it worries the Greeks at all, because their alphabet is used for all sorts of scientific notations, some more or less standard (e.g. the letters lambda for wavelength, pi for circular and harmonic calculations); others specified as the need arises (e.g. in trigonometry, and for the covid variants). I expect Greece is a WHO member anyway!
If it was the most common type of attack, the hackers were most likely simply after money. "Largest supplier...", so a lot of money, and possibly weak security. I don't know if the criminals work in the way that telephone scams work, by simply broadcastin... moreIf it was the most common type of attack, the hackers were most likely simply after money. "Largest supplier...", so a lot of money, and possibly weak security. I don't know if the criminals work in the way that telephone scams work, by simply broadcasting the hack as widely as possible among large organisations, knowing most attempts will fail but sooner or later one company or another will unwittingly let the malware in.
About Me:
Single, over-60, SW England resident, with fairly wide range of interests & musical tastes - but I'd be no good in a pub quiz 'cos I know very little about TV, gadgets called i-something, competitive sports, many entertainments & "so-called celebrities!
Was on EP, but left it long before it closed. Won't touch Facebook & its ilk.
"Adult" themes: quite broad-minded, like nudity but not pornography. Against cruelty, and consider spanking as a game for consenting adults only.
Model Engineer magazine, originally published with & Electrician... moreModel Engineer magazine, originally published with & Electrician in the title, is as its name implies, for a readership with a lay but reasonably broad grasp of engineering principles and related science.The latest edition (Vol.225 No.4643, 17 July 2020) publishes two extracts from its early-20C predecessor; the first on international affairs, the second on the "Enviroment" as it was not called then.'1) Fulsomely praising the technical inventiveness and ingenuity of what he called the "Chinese race" the editor commented, ".... The prospect of China becoming the workshop of the world is, perhaps, too remote to contemplate, but that China may be someday a formidable competitor in things mechanical is worth a passing thought." The date? 1904. (ref. ME&E Vol.XI No. 179; 29 Sept. 1904.)Particularly prescient for the magazine's modern readers, since most of the small lathes and other machine-tools now sold to model-engineers are made in either Taiwan or the People's Republic... less
Just For Interest. Try it from your existing knowledge. No cheat... moreJust For Interest. Try it from your existing knowledge. No cheating by looking it up! Please: No publishing answers until I have given them in due course, to be fair to anyone else trying seriously to test or extend their own knowledge. 25 Basic Science Questions with an environmental slant, now you have saved the planet and whales, achieved zero-carbon by last Michaelmas, and are walking everywhere with a paper shopping-bag-for-life autographed by Aunty Greta.
No trick questions but some are worded slightly indirectly; most are simple , some obscure; but all are of upper school- or interested lay- level. I am of course aware there are Answermug users with a far deeper, possibly professional, knowledge of these subjects than mine! I would also agree that whatever is or is not happening in the world, we cannot be complacent. World-wide we are heading for very serious difficulties whatever those turn out to be; and as some of these questions suggest, neither the problems nor "ob... less
'Tis the time of year for ghost-stories, real and fictional myst... more'Tis the time of year for ghost-stories, real and fictional mysteries, myths and the like - ancient and right up-to-date. Test your own knowledge with these ten questions, just for fun ! (Hint: not all are "paranormal".1) In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the first manifestation experienced by Ebenezer Scrooge was;
a) Eerie echoes from the cellar, from him slamming his front door,
b) The face of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley,
c) The face of his deceased father.
2) In 1917, two young English girls took photographs of fairies widely acclaimed as genuine by photography experts and others including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Did they?
3) What is so unique about the sea area often called the ‘Bermuda Triangle’, to lead to its reputation?... less
The following are all genuine quotes from a mail-order household... moreThe following are all genuine quotes from a mail-order household gadgets catalogue, dated, "Christmas 2019". The prices are reduced by 20% in that edition, with the full price also given in the booklet, as legally required. See how many flaws you can spot in them, and identify them: none are above school-level physics. One statement is correct but simply a definition, the rest are all dubious to say the least. If you counting, some are repeated from item to item, but I counted around 10 specious statements. 1) and 2) are from the section's introduction.So spend almost £162 and you, your family and your precious electronic equipment will all be safe... won't they? '1) “… noticed your mobile phone gets hot during long calls? The heat is actually thermal radiation… several types of radiation that it emits. …. All … personal electronic devices … emit harmful radiation” '2) The lab-tested shielding membrane built into ... less
Unwanted striking-though of part of message, appearing automatic... moreUnwanted striking-though of part of message, appearing automatically when I press Send: reason and how to remove it, please? (Tried "Help" but that's all artificial FAQs, so no help!)
A review on the radio this morning, of the day's papers, touched... moreA review on the radio this morning, of the day's papers, touched on the tale of a woman who smashed her children's iPhones, with the result that their family became much happier, more cohesive and communicative.It also produced two other, conflicting third-party results; one promoting wanton waste, both sharing a theme of utter childishness and stupidity. One of these results was a (sadly predictable?) barrage of insults and abuse on social media. The other was confessions of similar actions, with some owners admitting to throwing their instruments under vehicle wheels (did they clear up the mess?) or into canals (more litter - a few prosecutions would not come amiss).By all means get rid of the device you felt apparently necessary to own in the first place, but wouldn't it far more constructive to sell it, or at least give it away, than wantonly destroy a costly, perfectly serviceable, instrument someone else could use, and perhaps use rather more sensibly?For the record, I have a basic port... less
Generally I ignore the side-bar ads though I know they pay ... moreGenerally I ignore the side-bar ads though I know they pay for the site. However I couldn't let this go without comment.It was a list of assorted suggested uses for the well-known water-repellent, WD-40, shown by its Material Safety Data Sheet to be a mineral-oil based mixture.As wells as the ingenious and the blindingly obvious ideas, the advertising feature suggested using it as an adjunct to toilet cleaners, and for cleaning shower-heads. In other words, squirt mineral-oils down the drain, despite consistent, highly publicised warnings not to do so at all from chemical manufacturers, regulatory bodies and water companies!Come on AnswerMug, get that nonsense off the site and advise WD-40's manufacturers that some ignorant advertising company is promulgating a highly irresponsible (and in some countries possibly illegal) misuse of their chemicals. less
Such as portable telephones? Bounced into buying a brand new por... moreSuch as portable telephones? Bounced into buying a brand new portable telephone - I need only to make voice calls and text messages, and then briefly and infrequently; I am not one of those teenage girls who spend all day acquiring RSI by tap-tap-tappety-tap on little blocks of plastic. Nor do I believe in walking round supermarkets and into pedestrians by concentrating on shouting at a block of plastic glued to the ear. - I ended up with a nightmarish contraption, an LG something-or-other: the model label is inside, found only by taking the back off and removing the battery.Its text feature is better than the old multi-letter press-buttons, but that's about it....It took me a while to find instructions (see above on identifying it, as I'd lost the packaging), but these revealed the telephone aspect is only peripheral. LG lists it as an application rather than main function.It's also bulky, so less portable than the previous generation, at about twice the area; and surpri... less
I quote from an item on the BT Internet's news service:"Accordin... moreI quote from an item on the BT Internet's news service:"According to NetMarketShare, Windows 7 remains the most popular operating system on PC, with 44.81% of the market share in February 2018. WIndows 10 is slowly increasing but still comes in second with 28.19%. "I do not question the statistics, but does anyone else see the flaw? You will if you are not so taken in by advertising blurb that you fail to realise what is carefully concealed.
A typical board track-game has a single, rigid route of numbered... moreA typical board track-game has a single, rigid route of numbered squares, controlled by die throws, with certain actions given in some squares - e.g. "Snakes & Ladders". One track from start to end even if you must return somewhere, miss a turn or advance N squares, etc. as ordained when landing on those given pointsNow set the game on THREE separate, identically-sized, rectangular boards of 3:2 proportions; EACH marked off into 6 squares by a longitudinal centre-line and two cross-lines at thirds length. Label the boards (for this question on the game's geometry) A, B and C. Label each meeting-point of line and edge, 1 - 6, consistently on all 3 boards so every "port" is unique, A1 to C6.Do that with the individual board in landscape mode; 1 on the left-hand end, number clockwise so the RH end is 4, round to 6 at bottom left. All 3 boards the same apart from identity-letter. The track is drawn on these lines such that when one board is set against the othe... less
I've known MS operating systems since Microsoft-DOS (Disc ... moreI've known MS operating systems since Microsoft-DOS (Disc Operating System) days: I've used DOS, 3.1, 5, NT, XP (I think MS' best), now 7, and have had an unfortunate brush with 10.Also used briefly, a SUN computer giving a half-way house between command-line and windows (not "Windows TM") screens; and my first PC was an Amstrad with CP/M O.S. BTW the windows "graphical user interface" as it was pretentiously called, was IBM's invention, not µSoft's Has MS lost its way with WIN-10 though? -- The home-page of my ISP, BTInternet, always has links to sets of instructions to deal with all sorts of obviously common WIN-10 problems that should be minimal or non-existent if the system was designed, written and tested properly before publication. -- A correspondent on another forum tells me his computer often freezes with the floods of WIN-10 automatic "up-dates" over which the user has no control - to be fair he also said the Internet speed is ver... less
Unless of course you want to buy something!However... Unless&nbs... moreUnless of course you want to buy something!However... Unless the company is Hewlett-Packard and you want to buy their printer cartridges because the blighters have programmed their printers to reject refills and third-party ones. I've tried their sales web-site - it does not work.Definitely though if the printer has suddenly decided to crop randomly, images put into documents; and you'd like the manufacturers' help in putting it right. (This is what inspired me here - I found the HP Printer sites b++++y useless and very patronising, so marked its customer-satisfaction questions one-star only and told 'em so in the 'Comments' box.)Definitely if you wish to solve a service problem with an ISP (BT in my case).Or need help with specialist software that does work, but you can't understand how to use particular features because the officially-written pdf manual doesn't tell you, and the supposed training CD contains curious errors that result in you deleting the exercise it's had yo... less
As a club committee-member preparing for the AGM I took every ca... moreAs a club committee-member preparing for the AGM I took every care to save my Report as a Word document (.doc) so the Secretary and others can collate it with other Officers' Reports. So what did M-Soft do? Only converted it automatically to a b++++y docx image! I can't even edit it, if I wanted to, on my own PC because it's now read-only and in only WordPad. It took me ages to find it because Windows had saved it as a so-called "down-load" even though on the originating PC, and not in my chosen directory and folder. If I want to convert a docx file to a doc format for further editing or collating, I'd have to pay an expensive subscription to Adobe for the converter - I don't trust Adobe anyway because its Flashplayer for a start, never loads properly. Over £30 a month I think, for something I'd need only a few times a year. This was never previously necessary - saved files stayed as you chose, in the folder you chose. It's a scam! less
Answering another question just now, I scrolled down to the ramm... moreAnswering another question just now, I scrolled down to the rammel that infests the bottom of the screen below the AnswerMug window. Among the usual collection of insignificant rhubarb necessary only to fund AM, was this gem I quote as accurately as I can. Below a portrait of a smiling, attractive woman was the caption: "Top Ten Dating Sites In Abbotsbury"Abbotsbury is a village in West Dorset (England), famous for its Swannery; but whether it is the dating capital of Britain, I cannot say.Who the Hell designs these advertisements? less
I'd not heard Breitbart (sounds German) until a guest on today's... moreI'd not heard Breitbart (sounds German) until a guest on today's BBC Radio 3's Private Passions briefly mentioned being viciously attacked by this "outfit" he called it, after he had given a lecture by invitation on the International Law aspects of climate-change, to the UK's Supreme Court.Our Supreme Court is the UK's top appeals court. It is not the same as the US one although misleadingly copying the name, and until recently was The Law Lords, judges also sitting in an advisory capacity in the House of Lords, but separated fairly recently for clearer separation between Parliament and Judiciary. Cases that reach that high, beyond Appeal Court level, may well test the Statute Law as well as the facts of the individual case. Further of course, these lawyers may have to advise Parliament on international law: the UK is a signatory to and active in, an enormous number and range of treaties, organisations and agreements. The guest was the British barrister Philippe Sands, a leading expert o... less
I need to establish if one particular UK agent for a particular ... moreI need to establish if one particular UK agent for a particular software company, is still trading.I tried to e-post to him a simple sales question, but it bounced, and I can't determine if that means the address no longer exists.I need only to ask the software firm itself two basic questions: "Is ...... still one of your UK agents; if so is the e-post address I'd used, current?"You'd think they be pleased to help what might mean another sale, but no... Customers do not matter to the IT trade beyond the purchases. After that you're on your own and if you have problems with the quality of the goods or services, or you need technical advice ... tough.I have tried the publisher's own web-site but it carries no contact details whatsoever. Lots of product ads; but no phone number, no e-mail address, no postal address. Instead, as with so many other IT and telecomms firms, it fobs you off with a list of set technical questions and a supposed "users' forum" (these admit... less
I've had problems with e-posted 'Word' and 'Excel' files being c... moreI've had problems with e-posted 'Word' and 'Excel' files being converted to a strange default file-type signified by an 'x' after the normal suffix. These are locked, un-useable images.I need occasionally to collate reports etc to help me at a club's committee meetings. These arrive as e-post attachments from different people so in a mixture of styles, software editions and files, but I want to put them in one neat style in one document I can print and archive properly. Today I tried to save two, both .pdf files so images unreliable to print, and difficult or impossible to edit, place in or render compatible with, proper documents.However, whatever handles pdf files offers saving them in several other forms including ".doc", even offering British rather than US English, though that would not have mattered there. Only, the "Convert" button merely opens a sales page expecting me to pay £££/month to subscribe to an outfit called Adobe for what should be a basic MS-"Wi... less
Come on someone, put me out of my misery! Well, all right, ... moreCome on someone, put me out of my misery! Well, all right, it's not that dramatic and certainly not serious. I'm just intrigued, in a totally light-hearted way.So:What on Earth is that Sandra & Woo cartoon at the head of the page about?We see a young woman who, to use the correct, modern Claire in the Community lingo, seems to suffer from Acute Species Dysphoria; and her boyfriend, a nut-cake addict who believes he can cast magic spells with ordinary cutlery. I hope the so-called "religious right" don't get him - you know, the supposedly-grown-ups who had severe attacks of the vapours over the children's Harry Potter stories. Go on - I don't get the joke! Does it refer to an American children's game or something?:-)))PS: Claire in the Community: a BBC Radio Four situation-comedy that started as, and still is, a newspaper cartoon strip, about a team of urban social-workers and their own personal problems, sorry, "issues". Claire is the team-leader who prissily spouts all the rig... less
Like many sites this is partly supported by companies placing ad... moreLike many sites this is partly supported by companies placing advertisements in the margins of the Home and other pages. Some are eerily local to you as user: one waffles about " Opticians... " apparently threatened by some technical development in their trade. I saw one regularly on EP, telling me things like "Sarah lives four miles from you" - it was a lie of course, but it opened a dating-site that showed it knew roughly I live, within perhaps 50 miles anyway. The advertising-agencies use your approximate location bought or gleaned from the web-site. One though, advertised a "Simple trick to see if you've ever had PPI" (Payment Protection Insurance, usually for mortgages.) I know I do not, and when I did I was not a victim of a miss-selling racket the banks ran for a while, but I selected it out of curiosity. My security software 'Bulldog' promptly leapt up, snarled at it as dangerous, and blocked it.Possibly, Bulldog is very wary of anything mentioning money on non-https web-sites ev... less
What's happened to the location in the profiles? The profile for... moreWhat's happened to the location in the profiles? The profile form asks for it but it no longer appears on the public information part. Or have I missed something?
E-posted notifications. These used to have direct links to AM - ... moreE-posted notifications. These used to have direct links to AM - you still had to sign in but at least the links worked. They no longer work. The most recent was from Just Asking, and reads "Click here to reply / profile / 145." It is not a link, and I have not been able to find the message on Am itself.The message does not tell me how to find "/profile/145". It does not tell me whose profile. Why have those links been cut and why do notifications still carry an instruction to use them?Member IndexThe list is and always was purely random by default, but offered Aphabetical and Recent sorting options. You could find individuals on the Membership list by choosing "Alphabetical", estimating which page number carrying the name, then homing in from there by the page-number arrows. Why have these index options been removed?
X less
Regan Porter
Welcome Regan.
Would you like to tell us a little more about yourself - interests etc?
Regards,
Durdle.
July 30, 2016
Regan Porter
Was on EP myself but left it after parts of it became just too sleazy & stupid.
Was blocked by one contributor after I'd revealed his was a front for a commercial alien-and-conspiracy outfit who were so terrified of being exposed as the fraud it pretty obviously was, that most of its web-site home page was an aggressive (and probably meaningless) legal threat notice against attackers etc.!
September 1, 2016
Mukydaz
Welcome Mukydaz!
Curious - I oppose spanking children yet now 64 sometimes desire a traditional OTK, hand spanking (no weapons) as I might have but did not receive (or want!) in boyhood, for failings persisting from that time (1950s-60s).
Best Wishes,
Durdle
July 29, 2016
Mukydaz
I regard punishment as a result of being naughty, rude or whatever, i.e breaking the discipline that is the behaviour code designed to help a child grow up decently; and punishment is not necessarily physical. In fact preferably not physical, and certainly not with any sort of weapons others on AM gleefully boast of using on even very young children. Punishment means penalty or sanction of any type, not beating!
I would guess that if you are going to spank someone in punishment the hand should suffice to make the point, especially when combined with the general air of humiliation and powerlessness, even if you don't pull the pants or knickers down.
I imagine too that a spanking would have to be reasonably calm and controlled so it doesn't spill over into a frenzied attack or mere cruelty - but I deplore the practice I have seen described, of delaying the punishment.
I suppose that a traditional spanking is satisfying in being fairly quick and over-&-done with; no dragging on in bitterness for days as might be involved by cancelling some treat or party or day-out.
How does one avoid the risk of becoming aroused by the private prurience of pants-down punishment spankings?
As I say it is odd that I don't like the idea of spanking children but sometimes feel I need to be spanked as a 1960s boy, bottom bared by a sincere disciplinarian, as he or she would have spanked me some 50-odd years ago.
Best Wishes,
Durdle
July 29, 2016
Bez
Thank you very much for the compliment of a Friend Request, Andy - I accept!
Best Wishes,
Durdle.
July 29, 2016
Bez
Thank you Andy. Despite a lot of development Weymouth is still generally pleasant, but for the moment at least it's no longer a cross-Channel port. The Council spent a fortune and worked hard to repair the harbour wall for the fast-catamaran ferry that had been operating for quite a long time - then the company bought a new boat to big for Weymouth Harbour, and moved to Poole!
Cheers,
Durdle
July 29, 2016
nmom
Nmom - it's a beautiful country, Norway, especially if you explore both inland and the fjords (most British tourists only go on the coastal cruises and don't see the interior).
Fascinated by spanking since a boy, when I certainly would not have wanted spanking, and oppose beating children... Yet now in early-60s want sometimes to experience the decades-late but appropriate firm hand - not weapon - for failings originating from boyhood; as a sort of therapy or punitive relief,
Best Wishes,
Durdle.
July 29, 2016
Sprklingwind
You should find friends on here... It helps to join a few groups of interest.
Loading ...
