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406

General Discussion Area / House Electrics

« on: 24 August 2010, 19:54:24 »

The mcb in the consumer unit covering upstairs lights tripped out at my daughters house. There was no apparent load at the time so suspect it is the mcb itself. Is it possible to test an mcb and how difficult is it to change one of these?

407

General Discussion Area / Americans abroad

« on: 24 August 2010, 23:23:45 »

Just back from hols last 3 days of which spent in Amsterdam. The Hotel we were at is used a lot by Kuoni for their cruise passengers.

At the bar an american lady on cruise package was asking a Dutch waiter - "what language do you speak in Holland".

Waiter replied politely "Dutch".

Not to be dissuaded, the american lady asks "is that based on German?".

Waiter politely "no".

You read about this stuff but when it actually happens within your earshot.....

408

General Discussion Area / Fish ponds and holidays

« on: 08 August 2010, 11:00:51 »

The facts - our outdoor fish are donkeys years old, powerful pump and filter system in place as well as pond for several years, always used fish food blcoks in past when going away without problems.

Problem - SWMBO has read somewhere that holiday blocks break down but food is snaffled by filter and pump and not by fish.

Task - make it so!!

Tried to find answer by googling but not so far.

My solution - if exisitng system ain't broke don't fix it.

Looks like fish can be left in any case for up to 2 weeks without food from google response.

Any views?

409

General Discussion Area / webuyanycar.com

« on: 30 July 2010, 09:49:09 »

Anyone used these people. Some problems on valuation when you attend the appointment after getting online valuation.

Feedback whether positive or negative would be appreciated.

410

General Discussion Area / Holidays coming up - Sineu Majorca/Sail Amsterdam

« on: 21 July 2010, 11:28:01 »

http://www.info-mallorca.co.uk/sineu/

Giving this a go this year.

Then back for a day then Sail Amsterdam
http://blog.hotelclub.com/sail-amsterdam-2010/

411

General Discussion Area / opening an ipod

« on: 09 June 2010, 20:49:29 »

I am trying to replace the battery in a 3rd gen ipod just for the hell of it.

Have the battery in a nice pack with the 2 plastic tools to loosen of the casing- can i do it - not on your life... Anyone tried this job?

412

General Discussion Area / Unfair selection for redundancy

« on: 08 June 2010, 22:57:20 »

You may recall this long running matter involving a friend.

Tribunal was due to start tomorrow. Happily case has been settled tonight. Unfortunately cannot say anything as confidentiality agreement has been signed.

413

General Discussion Area / Employment Tribunal

« on: 31 May 2010, 18:42:09 »

Last year I posted that I was helping someone with an employment tribunal issue. Date was set in January for June 8th and 9th 2010 so just a week to go.

Whilst there are many issues to address one part of case relates to a situation where there are just 2 employees in a department  and employer decides to reduce this to one. They have a scoring system and 1 employee is selected. That employee has meetings to query the selection and the right to  appeal. So the internal process and appeal takes place over about 5 weeks. Now the internal process was a complete sham and the employer did not make objective and independent enquiries about the claims of the person selected. Why?

But you can see that if they do uphold the appeal of the selected person they then have to go back to the other person and say sorry it is you not him. So he might  of course then start an appeal weeks later. This would be a nonsense.

I presume that because of this complexity - no-one ever wins appeals in this situation and therefore that is why the employer pays lip service to company procedures. Effectively the system is fundamentally flawed.

If anyone has come across a situation where a selected employee wins an appeal and the other person (who originally thought they were safe) is then made redundant then I would be interested to hear.

414

General Discussion Area / mad dogs and englishmen

« on: 23 May 2010, 15:36:43 »

My wife's away and so thought i would do a short bike ride to my daughter's place to keep fit (not been on bike for a while). Temperature was not too bad when i set off on what I thought was about 10 miles in total - just measured distance on mapyourpassion website and was 15 miles going via Blackwater Valley Path. I am absolutely drained even now after going from shade to open at noon!!.

I must force myself to do more - but not at these temperatures.

415

General Discussion Area / trains - feet on seats

« on: 23 May 2010, 14:49:43 »

Is it just me getting older or is it now the case that putting your feet on seats is accepted practice and no-one gives a s**t one way or the other. I had a go at someone at Wandsworth Common the other day - I said people have to sit there - he just said "so what".

Railway staff don't care less - why should I bother?

416

General Discussion Area / Unexpected pleasure - London buses

« on: 21 May 2010, 11:06:07 »

Just went on early 1960s Routemaster from Cannon Street to Fleet Street. Thought they had all been scrapped but apparently 10 being retained on Tower Hill to Aldwych route - they reckon will keep them in service for 5 years.

417

General Discussion Area / What's in a name - girls AND boys

« on: 17 May 2010, 16:03:52 »

http://www.tummyfluff.co.uk/fun/humour/girlname.htm

http://www.tummyfluff.co.uk/fun/humour/boyname.htm

Whats in a name - check out Jamie

Unfortunately my name is Philip - I will just have to live with that

418

General Discussion Area / Speed Gun Evidence

« on: 21 April 2010, 22:42:26 »

Just looking at a speeding case for someone.

Device used was the LTI 20 20 TSM Speedscope and have seen the calibration certificate etc. The camera viewing officer has put in evidence to support the summons that the photo reference number has been changed from "2540 to 2540A for administrative reasons". Anyone come across this before?

Why would you change an original photo identifier unless a) it was a back up copy but surely you would keep the copy for your own purposes and submit the original ref to court or b) something has been changed, resized.

Any experiences?

419

General Discussion Area / good start to the weekend

« on: 16 April 2010, 14:12:14 »

1. Arrived at station where the private parking bays (including mine ) are clearly known and marked - a muppet is chancing it to leave his car to go and buy something - so he got the sharp end.
2. Train is cancelled
3. On platform there are 8  teenagers being noisy and deliberately shouting annoying comments - everyone hides behind their papers - so sorted that out as well as I am in the mood. By-standers say thank you to me - the lariest of the kids says "it would be the biggest who had a go at us"
4. On train - "lady" with both feet on seats - no-one says a thing - except me - so I have go at her. Report it to station staff who look at me blankly.
5. By Blackberry I file additional objections to Council plans to include local farmland in house building proposals - ring Council and give them a blast.


And now off to Cornwall!!

420

General Discussion Area / Council - Rich List

« on: 15 April 2010, 18:51:26 »

My local Council has some of its officers on the so called rich list.

So I have done some digging in the public accounts.

89 employees are pulling around £7-9 million a year in total out of a workforce of just over 4000.

I have now lodged a freedom of information act request to clarify the pension contributions and benefits.

But get this - I was whingeing that with all that taxpayer money spent on a few people I could not get the area cleared of litter and the roads were in an appalling state - they have in last 2 days cleared the litter and filled in the potholes just in my area!!!

I am off to attend a Council meeting tonight for first time in years.....

As I pointed out - reinvest that money in people who directly deliver the services not those who just cut and paste from government imposed guidelines and tell you everything in the garden is rosy.