Author Topic: A random thread for small things that don't really warrant a thread of their own (Read 3010544 times)

Kim · « **Reply #22500 on:** 12 April, 2018, 08:41:13 pm »

I just discovered that "googlewhack" is an urbandictionarywhack. (ie. a term that returns a consistent, non-sexual, definition on urbandictionary.)

Wowbagger · « **Reply #22501 on:** 12 April, 2018, 11:44:10 pm »

This retirement business is presenting me with problems.

I really fancy doing this course but it means that I would miss the Dun Run.

rafletcher · « **Reply #22502 on:** 13 April, 2018, 09:22:55 pm »

I bought some turf. As I recall rolls of turf were around 1ft wide. Not now, it’s 2ft (or the metric equivalent). And when it’s harvested off Chilterns clay a roll is bloody heavy and (after weeks of ran) VERY heavy and incredibly messy.

Beardy · « **Reply #22503 on:** 17 April, 2018, 03:29:49 pm »

I don’t like funerals. No, I know no one does, but everyone I attend strengthen my desire not to have one. Not that I’ll be in any position to complain of course.

This latest funeral subject has been the closest in age to me of any of the funerals I have attended, a mere 18 months older than me. I’m feeling a bit sad.

Graeme · « **Reply #22504 on:** 17 April, 2018, 07:18:37 pm »

Quote from: Beardy on 17 April, 2018, 03:29:49 pm

I don’t like funerals. No, I know no one does, but everyone I attend strengthen my desire not to have one. Not that I’ll be in any position to complain of course.

This latest funeral subject has been the closest in age to me of any of the funerals I have attended, a mere 18 months older than me. I’m feeling a bit sad.

G.

hellymedic · « **Reply #22505 on:** 17 April, 2018, 07:22:49 pm »

Sympathies. We went to one of David's erstwhile classmates' funeral a while back. Not nice to be reminded of your own mortality.
At all.

Giraffe · « **Reply #22506 on:** 18 April, 2018, 08:23:02 am »

I claim to be immortal and I'll assert that to the day I die!

T42 · « **Reply #22507 on:** 18 April, 2018, 01:26:14 pm »

I remember my dad being gutted when the first of his pre-WW2 cycling crew died. None of mine have gone of natural causes yet...

hellymedic · « **Reply #22508 on:** 18 April, 2018, 01:37:54 pm »

What is a 'natural cause' is moot though.
None of the cyclists' funerals I have attended followed a collision or suicide though some have been related to industrial exposure, possible alcohol excess or resulted after suboptimal medical attention.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #22509 on:** 18 April, 2018, 02:29:53 pm »

Does a heart attack at the top of a hill count as "natural causes"? He was only in his 60s (or should that be "only"?)

Torslanda · « **Reply #22510 on:** 18 April, 2018, 02:56:42 pm »

Totally at random, after reading the story of the lollipop man who'd been driven at, I spotted THIS.

Briefly, the story of an American serviceman who stole a C-130 Hercules to fly home.

There are plenty of conspiracy theories about this but one snippet I read came to mind. A story from a retired RAF pilot who was on QRA in which he stated that he was told to expect another pilot turning up and to hand his aircraft (an English Electric Lightning) over, no questions asked. An American turned up, took off in the Lightning and returned later, without its missiles. The C-130 was reported lost.

I can't remember which book it was from, either a history of fast jets or the autobiography of a retired Group Captain who had a long career as a pilot, including leading squadrons in Germany at the height of the Cold War and progressing to 'liaison' in the Arab States, the Gulf War and staff position in Whitehall.

I reckon there's probably a documentary in the offing, especially if the aircraft wreck is found...

ElyDave · « **Reply #22511 on:** 18 April, 2018, 03:35:06 pm »

Read that today as well. Considering my dad was in the RAF at that time, I can't imagine he'd have been able to get anywhere near that kind of thing, unless I'm being very naive about the late 60's.

His is ripe for a conspiracy theory though, and I'm kinda hoping the wreck is found.

Beardy · « **Reply #22512 on:** 18 April, 2018, 04:08:23 pm »

Quote from: ElyDave on 18 April, 2018, 03:35:06 pm

Read that today as well. Considering my dad was in the RAF at that time, I can't imagine he'd have been able to get anywhere near that kind of thing, unless I'm being very naive about the late 60's.

His is ripe for a conspiracy theory though, and I'm kinda hoping the wreck is found.

When I used to fly gliders to dispose of all my income (before children!) I flew with a RAF club on an operational RAF field. (RAF Dishforth) which was mostly open to al comers. The RAFGSA chief flying instructor¹ was also an ex fast jet pilot and spent his week teaching newbies the art of making jet noise. This was in the early eighties so the cold war was in full flow. Tom reckoned that all an invading force needed to do was attack at the weekend as everyone went home. He reckoned that would never happen though, as they all went home for the weekend as well.

1. One for the nominative determinism thread, Squadron leader Tom Eagles!

spesh · « **Reply #22513 on:** 18 April, 2018, 04:16:01 pm »

The bit where Meyer talks to his wife from the aircraft initially struck me as being odd, but according the USAF incident report, Meyer had done this quite a few times previously:

Quote

SSgt Johnson's suspicions were not aroused by Sgt Meyer's presence, at that time of the morning, as Sgt Meyer had frequently been on the flight line between 0200-0600 using the aircraft HF radios to talk to his wife by phone patch through the TAC Command Post at Langley AFB.

https://www.sammcgowan.com/meyers.html

hellymedic · « **Reply #22514 on:** 18 April, 2018, 05:46:16 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 18 April, 2018, 02:29:53 pm

Does a heart attack at the top of a hill count as "natural causes"? He was only in his 60s (or should that be "only"?)

Yes.

Not by accident, negligence, unlawful killing etc.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #22515 on:** 18 April, 2018, 10:27:38 pm »

Very good Sporcle quiz here. 100% eventually, but lots of off-by-1 errors in the early attempts.

https://www.sporcle.com/games/smac17/ceremonial-counties-of-england-click-no-outlines-minefield

fimm · « **Reply #22516 on:** 19 April, 2018, 02:22:57 pm »

I don't really do dress down Friday, but I do have a couple of less formal outfits that I sometimes wear on a Friday if I'm in the mood. So yesterday, when I was packing my clothes prior to cycing to work this morning, I decided to pack one of them. I had a nice cycle in, faffed around, eventually got in the shower, got dressed, and then (and only then) did I realise...

It's Thursday.

(Not really annoying enough for the "I'm such an [idiot]" thread...)

TheLurker · « **Reply #22517 on:** 19 April, 2018, 08:18:57 pm »

Listening to, "Never Mind The Bollocks" (look it up kiddywinks) today and I found myself wondering what all the fuss was about yesteryear. It all seems very tame these days.

andrewc · « **Reply #22518 on:** 20 April, 2018, 10:05:50 am »

We’ve had 2 apprentices from one of our southern offices up for training this week.
One of them has been happily shagging his way around on Tindr.....

We are just going to send him some links about those new antibiotic resistant nasties....

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #22519 on:** 20 April, 2018, 10:57:30 am »

You know how it's said that railings were cut down during WW2 to make tanks and stuff? Well it turns out that after the war, fences were made of stretchers.
https://www.citymetric.com/fabric/hidden-wartime-history-london-s-fences-3841

ElyDave · « **Reply #22520 on:** 20 April, 2018, 11:01:16 am »

I've walked past those and wondered exactly that point

Ham · « **Reply #22521 on:** 20 April, 2018, 12:30:39 pm »

This story https://www.cumbriacrack.com/2018/04/06/womans-body-found-lake-district-fell/ relates to a work colleague of Miss Ham's. Apparently went walking on her own in a t-shirt and got caught by a cold front and hypothermia

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #22522 on:** 20 April, 2018, 06:07:24 pm »

That is really sad, Ham. Happens to a small number each year. The valleys are lovely and warm, they look up at a cloudless sky, sunny peaks, and assume that it will be warm up in the hills. A bit of rain blows in, they are caught out in insufficient clothing and a nice walk turns into tragedy.

SteveC · « **Reply #22523 on:** 20 April, 2018, 07:35:22 pm »

RIP

I remember the tale told by my old scout leader. His rule was that you never trust the weather over 1000'.
Once, he was walking in the Brecon Beacons with his dad. In the valleys it was shirt-sleeve weather. When they reached the summit, his dad wanted to take a photo. Once he'd set the aperture and timing, his fingers were too cold to press the shutter. Scary.

SoreTween · « **Reply #22524 on:** 21 April, 2018, 09:20:54 pm »

Back when I was a teenage yoof doing a years work experience between A Levels and higher the stores man was a bristling fit scot in his mid 20's. He could easily pass for a para or SAS (several of each I have since met). He was a very experienced walker and climber of summer rock, winter ice and mountaineering. One weekend he went off walking, just a bit of fitness, nothing serious. He did not return. That was either the lakes or North Wales.

On a lighter tone...
I always try to light my bonfires in not-clement-for-sitting-outside weather. In a thunderstorm tonight is a first, 2 minutes later and I'd not have been able to strike the match. Front of my t-shirt is bone dry and the back running wet.