A random thread for small things that don't really warrant a thread of their own

[Mr Larrington]

https://twitter.com/danbarker/status/1392204516351741954?s=20   "It is with regret that I report that the "mad sailor shop", Arthur Beale's, is closing, one of the oldest shops in London."


No money in old ropes ?     Think I've been past this place a few times but never bought anything.

In the 70s and early 80s there was a stall in the Shambles in Stroud on the Wednesday markets, and possibly all week, that sold rope and string. Old skool plant fibre rope, presumably hemp or jute, it had a strong planty smell. It wasn't a yacht chandlers, it didn't sell anything about from rope and string. I've no idea who its customers were.

Prominent Shibari scene in Stroud?

[andrewc]

https://twitter.com/danbarker/status/1392204516351741954?s=20   "It is with regret that I report that the "mad sailor shop", Arthur Beale's, is closing, one of the oldest shops in London."


No money in old ropes ?     Think I've been past this place a few times but never bought anything.

In the 70s and early 80s there was a stall in the Shambles in Stroud on the Wednesday markets, and possibly all week, that sold rope and string. Old skool plant fibre rope, presumably hemp or jute, it had a strong planty smell. It wasn't a yacht chandlers, it didn't sell anything about from rope and string. I've no idea who its customers were.

Prominent Shibari scene in Stroud?

I think you'd have to ask Jaded or Flatus about that, I believe they are local.   


The original Twitter thread is pretty interesting.  I remember adverts for Beale ropes in old climbing magazines , and they've got orders from Everest & Antarctic expeditions.  I didn't know about the theatrical connection, but I suppose the canvas backdrops & ropes used to move it would need similar tackle to that used to hoist & trim sails.  Hello Sailor 

[Cudzoziemiec]

https://twitter.com/danbarker/status/1392204516351741954?s=20   "It is with regret that I report that the "mad sailor shop", Arthur Beale's, is closing, one of the oldest shops in London."


No money in old ropes ?     Think I've been past this place a few times but never bought anything.

In the 70s and early 80s there was a stall in the Shambles in Stroud on the Wednesday markets, and possibly all week, that sold rope and string. Old skool plant fibre rope, presumably hemp or jute, it had a strong planty smell. It wasn't a yacht chandlers, it didn't sell anything about from rope and string. I've no idea who its customers were.

Prominent Shibari scene in Stroud?

Don't know what that is but I've a feeling that a) it's probably something I wouldn't have known about or comprehended as a child Cudzoziemieclet, b) it's probably something I might not want to know about or comprehend now!

[spesh]

https://twitter.com/danbarker/status/1392204516351741954?s=20   "It is with regret that I report that the "mad sailor shop", Arthur Beale's, is closing, one of the oldest shops in London."


No money in old ropes ?     Think I've been past this place a few times but never bought anything.

In the 70s and early 80s there was a stall in the Shambles in Stroud on the Wednesday markets, and possibly all week, that sold rope and string. Old skool plant fibre rope, presumably hemp or jute, it had a strong planty smell. It wasn't a yacht chandlers, it didn't sell anything about from rope and string. I've no idea who its customers were.

Prominent Shibari scene in Stroud?

Don't know what that is but I've a feeling that a) it's probably something I wouldn't have known about or comprehended as a child Cudzoziemieclet, b) it's probably something I might not want to know about or comprehend now!

And you'd be right in both cases - though it is worth noting that Shibari is the western term for what the Japanese call Kinbaku or "tight binding"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_bondage

[Cudzoziemiec]

The word shibari came into common use in the West at some point in the 1990s to describe the bondage art Kinbaku.

So it arrived too late to save Stroud market's rope seller.

[Wowbagger]

This morning, I filled my Pelikan with Beethoven.

[andrewc]

This morning, I filled my Pelikan with Beethoven.

Planning some serious grinking ?   


https://mountainofink.com/blog/diamine-music-part2


Diamine Sapphire in my Pelikan.  Monaco Red in the TWSBI. 

[citoyen]

Today's coincidence of the day: I received a PR email about Arlo Parks promoting hair products at exactly the same time as an Arlo Parks song was playing on the radio.

M'colleague said it was synergy, I think it's more likely over-exposure.

[Jurek]

https://twitter.com/danbarker/status/1392204516351741954?s=20   "It is with regret that I report that the "mad sailor shop", Arthur Beale's, is closing, one of the oldest shops in London."


No money in old ropes ?     Think I've been past this place a few times but never bought anything.

That's a shame. When Cecil Coleman (the old boy who had ran it forever - I've just checked - he managed it for 50 years) passed away in 2014, it was taken over by a couple of blokes (One of them is Alisdair Flint - who started up Flints - the theatrical chandlers who are probably my second place of call when it comes to ropes, pulleys and gimp masks) who weren't in their late eighties, and injected some badly needed new blood into the place.
It was my go-to place for stainless marine fittings and anything to do with rope or bungee.
The washing line in my garden is hoisted aloft courtesy of a ratcheting boat winch, which came from Arthur Beale, and is currently bolted to the side of the house.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Yesterday at about 3pm, I lost broadband connection.
Every one of my colleagues lost VPN connection to work at the same time.
Later, I was on a call to someone from another company; he lost broadband at same time.

There was also a major CME at the same time (according to aurora watch).

Coincidence or causation?

[Beardy]

NHS audiologists are struggling with linking an interface device to my hearing aids. So far they’ve tried two PCs and three Streamers (the interface device), my old one, my new one and a new one from their cupboard. Everything says it should work, but computers say no! I’m currently abandoned in a room while an audiologist runs around the department trying other PCs.

[Kim]

NHS audiologists are struggling with linking an interface device to my hearing aids. So far they’ve tried two PCs and three Streamers (the interface device), my old one, my new one and a new one from their cupboard. Everything says it should work, but computers say no! I’m currently abandoned in a room while an audiologist runs around the department trying other PCs.

This is entirely normal.  Bonus points for not attempting Windows Problem Solving Technique #1 because it takes longer than an appointment slot for the machine to reboot.

[Beardy]

The audiologist I was booked in with left after 30 minutes to see to another patient and left me with one of her colleagues. I have to say he did put in the effort and the streamers were eventually linked. The only problem that occurred was that in programming the streamer linking manually, he (well the software to be fair) managed to reinstate the damned startup jingle. And I’m not entirely convinced that the second programme she put on my hearing aids has survived the buggering about with the streamer linking.

 I was very impressed with the amount of effort they expended in sorting this out, even if I’m not completely satisfied with the outcome. I have to say my opinion of Oticon as software developers is that they make very reasonable hearing aid manufactures.

[barakta]

Yep, sounds familiar. I really need to take a note card of my programming prefs cos we keep screwing up the programming cos we get distracted by computers being shit... Especially as I get the lovely audi to nobble the auto programming nonsense.

[Kim]

You really shouldn't say "lovely audi" on a cycling forum like that...   

[Beardy]

I’m looking into getting the hardware to connect my aids to my computer so I can start screwing them up myself without their help  The software is free, but the hardware isn’t. Though with a Kim in the house, I’ve no doubt you’re already aware of this approach. 

[chrisbainbridge]

I’m looking into getting the hardware to connect my aids to my computer so I can start screwing them up myself without their help  The software is free, but the hardware isn’t. Though with a Kim in the house, I’ve no doubt you’re already aware of this approach.

Is this like the crowdfunded diabetes control systems?

[Steph]

Me like. Flloff, and furthermore, squee
https://twitter.com/CAPYBARA_MAN/status/1392537578583248897

[barakta]

I’m looking into getting the hardware to connect my aids to my computer so I can start screwing them up myself without their help  The software is free, but the hardware isn’t. Though with a Kim in the house, I’ve no doubt you’re already aware of this approach.

Is this the NOAH system that everyone uses? A friend has the wires which I think he paid £150 for and reprogrammes his aids.

I haven't bought it (or borrowed friend's), partly cos I'm not convinced I wouldn't screw it up and my hearing aids are BAHAs so they're a bit extra complicated with cables and everything else.

[rafletcher]

For the first time in over a year I’m wearing my wedding ring. The winter before last I lost quite a bit of weight, enough that, on cold days, my ring would just slide off, once whilst packing the shopping in Tesco’s car park. So rather than los3 it I stopped wearing it. 2 weeks ago we were able to visit the jewellers, and today my wife collected my slightly reduced ring 

[ian]

I lost my wedding ring about seven years ago. Over those years, the frequency of wifely reminders about my abject clumsiness and lack of respect for the institution of marriage has fallen from once every five minutes to once a week. I'm quite sure that if I die first, it'll be chiselled into my gravestone. Emboldened.

To this day, I have no idea what happened to it (obviously, it's lost - Ed).

[Mr Larrington]

https://twitter.com/danbarker/status/1392204516351741954?s=20   "It is with regret that I report that the "mad sailor shop", Arthur Beale's, is closing, one of the oldest shops in London."


No money in old ropes ?     Think I've been past this place a few times but never bought anything.

Featuring in tonight’s BBC Londonton News.

[Mrs Pingu]

There are fucking amazing curry smells coming from the kitchen
 

[Basil]

There are fucking amazing curry smells coming from the kitchen
 

Nah.  He's just farted.

It's going to be mac cheese.

[Mrs Pingu]

I wish curry farts just smelled of curry, and not of farts.
We've already had macaroni cheese this week. Anyway, it was indeed curry. No sprouts though