Tone said:
>
> The buck stopped here.

This should be a sign on a deer fence.

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

On 31/03/2022 20:50, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
> In article <t24f7o$t4s$1@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.
> girolle.co.uk> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 15:52:38 awoke Nicholas from his
> slumbers and wrote
>> On 31/03/2022 15:03, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>>> In article <slrnt49ivj.9cp.maus@dmaus.org>, maus <maus@dmaus.org> on
>>> Wed, 30 Mar 2022 at 21:30:27 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and wrote
>>>> On 2022-03-30, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I thought you sought a suitable hill top - from which you could see all
>>>>> the various forces on the battlefield, and direct your troops hither and
>>>>> yon to achieve the best result.
>>>>
>>>> Not since sniper rifles became common.
>>>
>>> At least two centuries then. Wellington was using riflemen as
>>> skirmishers, intelligence gatherers and snipers in the Peninsular War.
>>> They specialised in knocking over French Officers when they (the French)
>>> least expected it.
>>
>> And because some of them used grown-up air-rifles which were quieter
>> than those hfvat gnupowder, as well as not leaving tell-tale cloud of
>> smoke to betray the sniper's position, he announce that anyone caught
>> with such a weapon would be executed.
>>
> Who he? Wellington? When?

Sorry, I was speed-reading prolly - It was Nappi Bonyparts wot molished
the threat.

> Made me think of the PIAT spigot anti-tank mortar.

Projectile, Infantry, Anti Tank.

> While it had its
> disadvantages, it was pretty quiet, left no tell tale smoke trail back
> to the shooter and could be fired from an enclosed space under cover.
> Try that with a bazooka or Panzerfaust.

<HRH King David> Or even a sling and slingshot. </Psalmist>

Goliath saw a stone approaching,
Way in the miggle of the air:
A stone within his zone approaching
Faster than a running hare.
With all his bulk and body armour
There wasn't any time to spare...

<pause>...Intake of bearth</intake>

Bnag!
Clagn!
Clattre!

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On 31/03/2022 20:43, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
> In article <kSm1K.12061$F4h.4176@fx07.ams1>, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com>
> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 19:59:28 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and
> wrote
>> On 31-Mar-22 15:39, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:07:46 +0100
>>> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> By and large predators treated donkeys as bad tempered and extremely
>>>> dangerous
>>>
>>> Not unreasonable, they're clever, can deliver a terrible kick and
>>> make a mind numbing amount of noise.
>>>
>> But should you use donkeys to guard your flock of geese, or...
>>
> Possibly. Geese do make an awful lot of noise and can be territorial. I
> have been chased by geese a couple of times, the first time, aged five
> by my prunts own Christmas dinner. Mother thought it very funny, because
> following along behind, clucking away, was their foster mother, a Rhode
> Island Red.
>
> Ultimately geese aggression is more show than reality; nothing could
> force me to face up to an angry donkey, it is armed back, front and to
> the side.

When I were a tea naydger we were O'Nolliday on Mersea Island, and a
goose lived in a garding opposite Digby's (if you can't eat it, get it
at Digby's) and someone had left the gate open.

A goose (or maybe a gander?) stood on the pavement, its hissing beak on
its head on its straightened neck pointing at two elderly ladies, who
just wanted to pass by, honest.

I had read somewhere (but never tried) that if you stuffed your fist in
its maw, a goose couldn't hurt you, so, with an excess of chivalry and
bravado I crossed the road and stuffed my juvenile fist in its gob. I
then steered the bird backwards through its gate as it retreated, and
shut it in.

Fortunately, the soothsayer spoke sooth, and one teenager was praised to
the skies.

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On 31/03/2022 22:44, RustyHinge wrote:
> On 31/03/2022 20:43, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>> In article <kSm1K.12061$F4h.4176@fx07.ams1>, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com>
>> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 19:59:28 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and
>> wrote
>>> On 31-Mar-22 15:39, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:07:46 +0100
>>>> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> By and large predators treated donkeys as bad tempered and extremely
>>>>> dangerous
>>>>
>>>>       Not unreasonable, they're clever, can deliver a terrible kick and
>>>> make a mind numbing amount of noise.
>>>>
>>> But should you use donkeys to guard your flock of geese, or...
>>>
>> Possibly. Geese do make an awful lot of noise and can be territorial. I
>> have been chased by geese a couple of times, the first time, aged five
>> by my prunts own Christmas dinner. Mother thought it very funny, because
>> following along behind, clucking away, was their foster mother, a Rhode
>> Island Red.
>>
>> Ultimately geese aggression is more show than reality; nothing could
>> force me to face up to an angry donkey, it is armed back, front and to
>> the side.
>
> When I were a tea naydger we were O'Nolliday on Mersea Island, and a
> goose lived in a garding opposite Digby's (if you can't eat it, get it
> at Digby's) and someone had left the gate open.
>
> A goose (or maybe a gander?) stood on the pavement, its hissing beak on
> its head on its straightened neck pointing at two elderly ladies, who
> just wanted to pass by, honest.
>
> I had read somewhere (but never tried) that if you stuffed your fist in
> its maw, a goose couldn't hurt you, so, with an excess of chivalry and
> bravado I crossed the road and stuffed my juvenile fist in its gob. I
> then steered the bird backwards through its gate as it retreated, and
> shut it in.
>
> Fortunately, the soothsayer spoke sooth, and one teenager was praised to
> the skies.
>

Does that jbex with tigers?

Tone

On 31/03/2022 22:56, Tone wrote:
> On 31/03/2022 22:44, RustyHinge wrote:
>> On 31/03/2022 20:43, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>>> In article <kSm1K.12061$F4h.4176@fx07.ams1>, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com>
>>> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 19:59:28 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and
>>> wrote
>>>> On 31-Mar-22 15:39, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>>>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:07:46 +0100
>>>>> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> By and large predators treated donkeys as bad tempered and extremely
>>>>>> dangerous
>>>>>
>>>>>       Not unreasonable, they're clever, can deliver a terrible kick
>>>>> and
>>>>> make a mind numbing amount of noise.
>>>>>
>>>> But should you use donkeys to guard your flock of geese, or...
>>>>
>>> Possibly. Geese do make an awful lot of noise and can be territorial. I
>>> have been chased by geese a couple of times, the first time, aged five
>>> by my prunts own Christmas dinner. Mother thought it very funny, because
>>> following along behind, clucking away, was their foster mother, a Rhode
>>> Island Red.
>>>
>>> Ultimately geese aggression is more show than reality; nothing could
>>> force me to face up to an angry donkey, it is armed back, front and to
>>> the side.
>>
>> When I were a tea naydger we were O'Nolliday on Mersea Island, and a
>> goose lived in a garding opposite Digby's (if you can't eat it, get it
>> at Digby's) and someone had left the gate open.
>>
>> A goose (or maybe a gander?) stood on the pavement, its hissing beak
>> on its head on its straightened neck pointing at two elderly ladies,
>> who just wanted to pass by, honest.
>>
>> I had read somewhere (but never tried) that if you stuffed your fist
>> in its maw, a goose couldn't hurt you, so, with an excess of chivalry
>> and bravado I crossed the road and stuffed my juvenile fist in its
>> gob. I then steered the bird backwards through its gate as it
>> retreated, and shut it in.
>>
>> Fortunately, the soothsayer spoke sooth, and one teenager was praised
>> to the skies.
>>
>
> Does that jbex with tigers?

No. I goove you stick your head in, but or some reason, no-one's writted
about it.

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On Thursday, March 31, 2022 at 5:33:17 PM UTC-5, RustyHinge wrote:
> On 31/03/2022 22:56, Tone wrote:
> > On 31/03/2022 22:44, RustyHinge wrote:
> >> On 31/03/2022 20:43, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
> >>> In article <kSm1K.12061$F4h....@fx07.ams1>, Sam Plusnet <n...@home.com>
> >>> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 19:59:28 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and
> >>> wrote
> >>>> On 31-Mar-22 15:39, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> >>>>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:07:46 +0100
> >>>>> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nich...@salmiron.com> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> By and large predators treated donkeys as bad tempered and extremely
> >>>>>> dangerous
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Not unreasonable, they're clever, can deliver a terrible kick
> >>>>> and
> >>>>> make a mind numbing amount of noise.
> >>>>>
> >>>> But should you use donkeys to guard your flock of geese, or...
> >>>>
> >>> Possibly. Geese do make an awful lot of noise and can be territorial. I
> >>> have been chased by geese a couple of times, the first time, aged five
> >>> by my prunts own Christmas dinner. Mother thought it very funny, because
> >>> following along behind, clucking away, was their foster mother, a Rhode
> >>> Island Red.
> >>>
> >>> Ultimately geese aggression is more show than reality; nothing could
> >>> force me to face up to an angry donkey, it is armed back, front and to
> >>> the side.
> >>
> >> When I were a tea naydger we were O'Nolliday on Mersea Island, and a
> >> goose lived in a garding opposite Digby's (if you can't eat it, get it
> >> at Digby's) and someone had left the gate open.
> >>
> >> A goose (or maybe a gander?) stood on the pavement, its hissing beak
> >> on its head on its straightened neck pointing at two elderly ladies,
> >> who just wanted to pass by, honest.
> >>
> >> I had read somewhere (but never tried) that if you stuffed your fist
> >> in its maw, a goose couldn't hurt you, so, with an excess of chivalry
> >> and bravado I crossed the road and stuffed my juvenile fist in its
> >> gob. I then steered the bird backwards through its gate as it
> >> retreated, and shut it in.
> >>
> >> Fortunately, the soothsayer spoke sooth, and one teenager was praised
> >> to the skies.
> >>
> >
> > Does that jbex with tigers?
> No. I goove you stick your head in, but or some reason, no-one's writted
> about it.
> --
> Rusty Hinge
> To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

There was this great two Ronnies sketch , one Ronnie was playing a private detective , the other Ronnie was playing the person who hired him, so the one Ronnie said "I followed our man down to Picadilly Circus, he got on the tram there, it took him to Trafalgar Square and there I saw him get off."
and the other Ronnie said "did you enjoy it?"

If there's no tram extant between the two, just fill in whatever is really there.

In article <t2582o$8uh$2@dont-email.me>, Tone <tone@email.com> on Thu,
31 Mar 2022 at 22:56:39 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and wrote
>On 31/03/2022 22:44, RustyHinge wrote:
>> On 31/03/2022 20:43, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>>> In article <kSm1K.12061$F4h.4176@fx07.ams1>, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com>
>>> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 19:59:28 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and
>>> wrote
>>>> On 31-Mar-22 15:39, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>>>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:07:46 +0100
>>>>> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> By and large predators treated donkeys as bad tempered and extremely
>>>>>> dangerous
>>>>>
>>>>>       Not unreasonable, they're clever, can deliver a terrible kick and
>>>>> make a mind numbing amount of noise.
>>>>>
>>>> But should you use donkeys to guard your flock of geese, or...
>>>>
>>> Possibly. Geese do make an awful lot of noise and can be territorial. I
>>> have been chased by geese a couple of times, the first time, aged five
>>> by my prunts own Christmas dinner. Mother thought it very funny, because
>>> following along behind, clucking away, was their foster mother, a Rhode
>>> Island Red.
>>>
>>> Ultimately geese aggression is more show than reality; nothing could
>>> force me to face up to an angry donkey, it is armed back, front and to
>>> the side.
>>
>> When I were a tea naydger we were O'Nolliday on Mersea Island, and a
>> goose lived in a garding opposite Digby's (if you can't eat it, get it
>> at Digby's) and someone had left the gate open.
>>
>> A goose (or maybe a gander?) stood on the pavement, its hissing beak on
>> its head on its straightened neck pointing at two elderly ladies, who
>> just wanted to pass by, honest.
>>
>> I had read somewhere (but never tried) that if you stuffed your fist in
>> its maw, a goose couldn't hurt you, so, with an excess of chivalry and
>> bravado I crossed the road and stuffed my juvenile fist in its gob. I
>> then steered the bird backwards through its gate as it retreated, and
>> shut it in.
>>
>> Fortunately, the soothsayer spoke sooth, and one teenager was praised to
>> the skies.
>>
>
>Does that jbex with tigers?
>
>Tone
Sorry Tony. In a word - No.

Not a lot puts off a tiger apart from a nangry donkey, another larger
angry tiger and a hunter with a large gun. Even then I would not depend
upon it.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

In article <t25a7c$om6$1@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.
girolle.co.uk> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 23:33:15 awoke Nicholas from his
slumbers and wrote
>On 31/03/2022 22:56, Tone wrote:
>> On 31/03/2022 22:44, RustyHinge wrote:
>>> On 31/03/2022 20:43, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>>>> In article <kSm1K.12061$F4h.4176@fx07.ams1>, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com>
>>>> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 19:59:28 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and
>>>> wrote
>>>>> On 31-Mar-22 15:39, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>>>>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:07:46 +0100
>>>>>> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> By and large predators treated donkeys as bad tempered and extremely
>>>>>>> dangerous
>>>>>>
>>>>>>       Not unreasonable, they're clever, can deliver a terrible kick
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> make a mind numbing amount of noise.
>>>>>>
>>>>> But should you use donkeys to guard your flock of geese, or...
>>>>>
>>>> Possibly. Geese do make an awful lot of noise and can be territorial. I
>>>> have been chased by geese a couple of times, the first time, aged five
>>>> by my prunts own Christmas dinner. Mother thought it very funny, because
>>>> following along behind, clucking away, was their foster mother, a Rhode
>>>> Island Red.
>>>>
>>>> Ultimately geese aggression is more show than reality; nothing could
>>>> force me to face up to an angry donkey, it is armed back, front and to
>>>> the side.
>>>
>>> When I were a tea naydger we were O'Nolliday on Mersea Island, and a
>>> goose lived in a garding opposite Digby's (if you can't eat it, get it
>>> at Digby's) and someone had left the gate open.
>>>
>>> A goose (or maybe a gander?) stood on the pavement, its hissing beak
>>> on its head on its straightened neck pointing at two elderly ladies,
>>> who just wanted to pass by, honest.
>>>
>>> I had read somewhere (but never tried) that if you stuffed your fist
>>> in its maw, a goose couldn't hurt you, so, with an excess of chivalry
>>> and bravado I crossed the road and stuffed my juvenile fist in its
>>> gob. I then steered the bird backwards through its gate as it
>>> retreated, and shut it in.
>>>
>>> Fortunately, the soothsayer spoke sooth, and one teenager was praised
>>> to the skies.
>>>
>>
>> Does that jbex with tigers?
>
>No. I goove you stick your head in, but or some reason, no-one's writted
>about it.
>
Our Albert tried it, with a lion. The lion just burped.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

On 2022-03-31, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com> wrote:
> On 31-Mar-22 15:39, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:07:46 +0100
>> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>>
>>> By and large predators treated donkeys as bad tempered and extremely
>>> dangerous
>>
>> Not unreasonable, they're clever, can deliver a terrible kick and
>> make a mind numbing amount of noise.
>>
> But should you use donkeys to guard your flock of geese, or...
>

Geese saved Rome. People were selling LLamas here to be guardians of
sheep flocks, Want a slightly used llama.?

--
greymausg@mail.com
That's not a mousehole!

On 2022-03-31, Nicholas D. Richards <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
> In article <kSm1K.12061$F4h.4176@fx07.ams1>, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com>
> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 19:59:28 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and
> wrote
>>On 31-Mar-22 15:39, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>But should you use donkeys to guard your flock of geese, or...

>>
> Possibly. Geese do make an awful lot of noise and can be territorial. I
> have been chased by geese a couple of times, the first time, aged five
> by my prunts own Christmas dinner. Mother thought it very funny, because
> following along behind, clucking away, was their foster mother, a Rhode
> Island Red.
>
> Ultimately geese aggression is more show than reality; nothing could

No. I would run from an angry gander, who will kill itself to defend its
cygnets, one sad thing I sometimes see is a dead goose under a
high-power electric line.

Another sad thing, yuppies buying donkeys and not getting their feet
checked.

> force me to face up to an angry donkey, it is armed back, front and to
> the side.

--
greymausg@mail.com
That's not a mousehole!

On 2022-03-31, Nicholas D. Richards <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
> In article <8mga4hp8qf4e9p21i89euefjc4osu2qdbn@4ax.com>, Thomas Prufer
><prufer.public@mnet-online.de.invalid> on Thu, 31 Mar 2022 at 07:57:52
> awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and wrote
>>On Wed, 30 Mar 2022 13:44:43 +0100, "Nicholas D. Richards"
>><nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Some Russian generals appear to have been leading from the front <cough>
>>>which is not the best place to lead from in the case of modern war.
>>
>>And the bullet hole might be in the back, too...
>>
> How often did that happen? (Deliberately shooting your own senior
> officer in the back)

Lots of times in Vietnam, at least once in Afganistan. In our own
country one of the first leaders after the British left the south was
killed in an IRA ambush in Cork. Bullet hole in his back, I heard that
the man that shot him lived for years after and was never charged.

--
greymausg@mail.com
That's not a mousehole!

On 1 Apr 2022 07:22:26 GMT
maus <maus@dmaus.org> wrote:

> Another sad thing, yuppies buying donkeys and not getting their feet
> checked.

You can stop the sentence just before the and.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/

On 01/04/2022 07:25, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>>> Does that jbex with tigers?
>> No. I goove you stick your head in, but or some reason, no-one's writted
>> about it.
>>
> Our Albert tried it, with a lion. The lion just burped.

Because it was toothless.

Tone

Tone said:
> On 31/03/2022 22:44, RustyHinge wrote:
>> I had read somewhere (but never tried) that if you stuffed your fist in
>> its maw, a goose couldn't hurt you, so, with an excess of chivalry and
>> bravado I crossed the road and stuffed my juvenile fist in its gob. I
>> then steered the bird backwards through its gate as it retreated, and
>> shut it in.
>>
>> Fortunately, the soothsayer spoke sooth, and one teenager was praised to
>> the skies.
>
> Does that jbex with tigers?

"For" might be more accurate.

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

maus said:
>
> Another sad thing, yuppies buying donkeys and not getting their feet
> checked.

I think yuppies should get their feet checked even if they don't buy
donkeys.

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

On 31-Mar-22 20:50, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
> In article <t24f7o$t4s$1@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.

>> And because some of them used grown-up air-rifles which were quieter
>> than those hfvat gnupowder, as well as not leaving tell-tale cloud of
>> smoke to betray the sniper's position, he announce that anyone caught
>> with such a weapon would be executed.
>>
> Who he? Wellington? When?
>
> Made me think of the PIAT spigot anti-tank mortar. While it had its
> disadvantages, it was pretty quiet, left no tell tale smoke trail back
> to the shooter and could be fired from an enclosed space under cover.
> Try that with a bazooka or Panzerfaust.

In George MacDonald Fraser's wartime memoir 'Quartered Safe Out Here' he
has a long description of firing one of them at a boatload of Japanese
soldiers. Since the thing is powered by a girt big spring, the
'cocking' procedure involves a great deal of physical strongth - and the
range & accuracy are nothing to write home about.

--
Sam Plusnet

On 31-Mar-22 20:33, RustyHinge wrote:
> On 31/03/2022 19:59, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>> On 31-Mar-22 15:39, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>> On Thu, 31 Mar 2022 15:07:46 +0100
>>> "Nicholas D. Richards" <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> By and large predators treated donkeys as bad tempered and extremely
>>>> dangerous
>>>
>>>     Not unreasonable, they're clever, can deliver a terrible kick and
>>> make a mind numbing amount of noise.
>>>
>> But should you use donkeys to guard your flock of geese, or...
>
> ...Vice versa?
>
There's at least one Scottish distillery which uses geese as a perimeter
guard.
(I wonder if they are fed on the left over malted barley?)

--
Sam Plusnet

In article <W1I1K.7306$4c1.6638@fx13.ams1>, Sam Plusnet <not@home.com>
on Fri, 1 Apr 2022 at 20:05:26 awoke Nicholas from his slumbers and
wrote
>On 31-Mar-22 20:50, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>> In article <t24f7o$t4s$1@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.
>
>>> And because some of them used grown-up air-rifles which were quieter
>>> than those hfvat gnupowder, as well as not leaving tell-tale cloud of
>>> smoke to betray the sniper's position, he announce that anyone caught
>>> with such a weapon would be executed.
>>>
>> Who he? Wellington? When?
>>
>> Made me think of the PIAT spigot anti-tank mortar. While it had its
>> disadvantages, it was pretty quiet, left no tell tale smoke trail back
>> to the shooter and could be fired from an enclosed space under cover.
>> Try that with a bazooka or Panzerfaust.
>
>In George MacDonald Fraser's wartime memoir 'Quartered Safe Out Here' he
>has a long description of firing one of them at a boatload of Japanese
>soldiers. Since the thing is powered by a girt big spring, the
>'cocking' procedure involves a great deal of physical strongth - and the
>range & accuracy are nothing to write home about.
>
My father was quite impressed with them. You got a bruise on your
shoulder from the kick back when you fired it. In theory you only had to
cock it the once, it re-cocked itself when the spigot mortar round was
fired. At short range, which was the situation most of the time in
Italy, it was effective against armour and prepared defensive positions.
No smoke to give you away, usable from a confined space and would not
burn someone who was behind you.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

On 01/04/2022 20:05, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> On 31-Mar-22 20:50, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>> In article <t24f7o$t4s$1@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.
>
>>> And because some of them used grown-up air-rifles which were quieter
>>> than those hfvat gnupowder, as well as not leaving tell-tale cloud of
>>> smoke to betray the sniper's position, he announce that anyone caught
>>> with such a weapon would be executed.
>>>
>> Who he? Wellington? When?
>>
>> Made me think of the PIAT spigot anti-tank mortar. While it had its
>> disadvantages, it was pretty quiet, left no tell tale smoke trail back
>> to the shooter and could be fired from an enclosed space under cover.
>> Try that with a bazooka or Panzerfaust.
>
> In George MacDonald Fraser's wartime memoir 'Quartered Safe Out Here' he
> has a long description of firing one of them at a boatload of Japanese
> soldiers.  Since the thing is powered by a girt big spring, the
> 'cocking' procedure involves a great deal of physical strongth - and the
> range & accuracy are nothing to write home about.

These had a reservoir which was pumped-up to a high pressure and could
have a longer range and did have much greater accuracy than military
muskets.

IIRC they fired a ball of about ·36" - the same as a Navy Colt. These
were usually cast (alloy of lead and a hardening metal such as tin or
zinc) in a long gang-mould, and the balls were cut off <eeeeewww!> the
sprue with a rounded pair of snips rather like nail clippers.

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On 01/04/2022 20:37, RustyHinge wrote:
> On 01/04/2022 20:05, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>> On 31-Mar-22 20:50, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>>> In article <t24f7o$t4s$1@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.
>>
>>>> And because some of them used grown-up air-rifles which were quieter
>>>> than those hfvat gnupowder, as well as not leaving tell-tale cloud of
>>>> smoke to betray the sniper's position, he announce that anyone caught
>>>> with such a weapon would be executed.
>>>>
>>> Who he? Wellington? When?
>>>
>>> Made me think of the PIAT spigot anti-tank mortar. While it had its
>>> disadvantages, it was pretty quiet, left no tell tale smoke trail back
>>> to the shooter and could be fired from an enclosed space under cover.
>>> Try that with a bazooka or Panzerfaust.
>>
>> In George MacDonald Fraser's wartime memoir 'Quartered Safe Out Here'
>> he has a long description of firing one of them at a boatload of
>> Japanese soldiers.  Since the thing is powered by a girt big spring,
>> the 'cocking' procedure involves a great deal of physical strongth -
>> and the range & accuracy are nothing to write home about.
>
> These had a reservoir which was pumped-up to a high pressure and could
> have a longer range and did have much greater accuracy than military
> muskets.
>
> IIRC they fired a ball of about ·36" - the same as a Navy Colt. These
> were usually cast (alloy of lead and a hardening metal such as tin or
> zinc) in a long gang-mould, and the balls were cut off <eeeeewww!> the
> sprue with a rounded pair of snips rather like nail clippers.

aDnm! I gooved I was answering an allegation in another psot which
impugned the air gnu's effectiveness.

--
Rusty Hinge
To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

On Friday, April 1, 2022 at 5:53:23 PM UTC-5, RustyHinge wrote:
> On 01/04/2022 20:37, RustyHinge wrote:
> > On 01/04/2022 20:05, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> >> On 31-Mar-22 20:50, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
> >>> In article <t24f7o$t4s$1...@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.
> >>
> >>>> And because some of them used grown-up air-rifles which were quieter
> >>>> than those hfvat gnupowder, as well as not leaving tell-tale cloud of
> >>>> smoke to betray the sniper's position, he announce that anyone caught
> >>>> with such a weapon would be executed.
> >>>>
> >>> Who he? Wellington? When?
> >>>
> >>> Made me think of the PIAT spigot anti-tank mortar. While it had its
> >>> disadvantages, it was pretty quiet, left no tell tale smoke trail back
> >>> to the shooter and could be fired from an enclosed space under cover.
> >>> Try that with a bazooka or Panzerfaust.
> >>
> >> In George MacDonald Fraser's wartime memoir 'Quartered Safe Out Here'
> >> he has a long description of firing one of them at a boatload of
> >> Japanese soldiers. Since the thing is powered by a girt big spring,
> >> the 'cocking' procedure involves a great deal of physical strongth -
> >> and the range & accuracy are nothing to write home about.
> >
> > These had a reservoir which was pumped-up to a high pressure and could
> > have a longer range and did have much greater accuracy than military
> > muskets.
> >
> > IIRC they fired a ball of about ·36" - the same as a Navy Colt. These
> > were usually cast (alloy of lead and a hardening metal such as tin or
> > zinc) in a long gang-mould, and the balls were cut off <eeeeewww!> the
> > sprue with a rounded pair of snips rather like nail clippers.
> aDnm! I gooved I was answering an allegation in another psot which
> impugned the air gnu's effectiveness.
> --
> Rusty Hinge
> To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.

What do you call someone that makes allegations?

On Friday, April 1, 2022 at 9:54:58 PM UTC-5, Don Stockbauer wrote:
> On Friday, April 1, 2022 at 5:53:23 PM UTC-5, RustyHinge wrote:
> > On 01/04/2022 20:37, RustyHinge wrote:
> > > On 01/04/2022 20:05, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> > >> On 31-Mar-22 20:50, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
> > >>> In article <t24f7o$t4s$1...@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.
> > >>
> > >>>> And because some of them used grown-up air-rifles which were quieter
> > >>>> than those hfvat gnupowder, as well as not leaving tell-tale cloud of
> > >>>> smoke to betray the sniper's position, he announce that anyone caught
> > >>>> with such a weapon would be executed.
> > >>>>
> > >>> Who he? Wellington? When?
> > >>>
> > >>> Made me think of the PIAT spigot anti-tank mortar. While it had its
> > >>> disadvantages, it was pretty quiet, left no tell tale smoke trail back
> > >>> to the shooter and could be fired from an enclosed space under cover.
> > >>> Try that with a bazooka or Panzerfaust.
> > >>
> > >> In George MacDonald Fraser's wartime memoir 'Quartered Safe Out Here'
> > >> he has a long description of firing one of them at a boatload of
> > >> Japanese soldiers. Since the thing is powered by a girt big spring,
> > >> the 'cocking' procedure involves a great deal of physical strongth -
> > >> and the range & accuracy are nothing to write home about.
> > >
> > > These had a reservoir which was pumped-up to a high pressure and could
> > > have a longer range and did have much greater accuracy than military
> > > muskets.
> > >
> > > IIRC they fired a ball of about ·36" - the same as a Navy Colt. These
> > > were usually cast (alloy of lead and a hardening metal such as tin or
> > > zinc) in a long gang-mould, and the balls were cut off <eeeeewww!> the
> > > sprue with a rounded pair of snips rather like nail clippers.
> > aDnm! I gooved I was answering an allegation in another psot which
> > impugned the air gnu's effectiveness.
> > --
> > Rusty Hinge
> > To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.
> What do you call someone that makes allegations?

Maus, above I was telling about sacking up food at a food bank and having no way to know where it might go ,you suggested Nuevo Laredo , I guess that's a possibility , it could've been going to a drug cartel there I suppose .
that Foodbank made the supreme mistake you never make with anyone , I asked the lady running it if she could do a favor for me , she never bothered to
answer , that cost her a volunteer. communication is
job one.

On 02/04/2022 03:54, Don Stockbauer wrote:
> On Friday, April 1, 2022 at 5:53:23 PM UTC-5, RustyHinge wrote:
>> On 01/04/2022 20:37, RustyHinge wrote:
>>> On 01/04/2022 20:05, Sam Plusnet wrote:
>>>> On 31-Mar-22 20:50, Nicholas D. Richards wrote:
>>>>> In article <t24f7o$t4s$1...@dont-email.me>, RustyHinge <rusty.hinge@foobar.
>>>>
>>>>>> And because some of them used grown-up air-rifles which were quieter
>>>>>> than those hfvat gnupowder, as well as not leaving tell-tale cloud of
>>>>>> smoke to betray the sniper's position, he announce that anyone caught
>>>>>> with such a weapon would be executed.
>>>>>>
>>>>> Who he? Wellington? When?
>>>>>
>>>>> Made me think of the PIAT spigot anti-tank mortar. While it had its
>>>>> disadvantages, it was pretty quiet, left no tell tale smoke trail back
>>>>> to the shooter and could be fired from an enclosed space under cover.
>>>>> Try that with a bazooka or Panzerfaust.
>>>>
>>>> In George MacDonald Fraser's wartime memoir 'Quartered Safe Out Here'
>>>> he has a long description of firing one of them at a boatload of
>>>> Japanese soldiers. Since the thing is powered by a girt big spring,
>>>> the 'cocking' procedure involves a great deal of physical strongth -
>>>> and the range & accuracy are nothing to write home about.
>>>
>>> These had a reservoir which was pumped-up to a high pressure and could
>>> have a longer range and did have much greater accuracy than military
>>> muskets.
>>>
>>> IIRC they fired a ball of about ·36" - the same as a Navy Colt. These
>>> were usually cast (alloy of lead and a hardening metal such as tin or
>>> zinc) in a long gang-mould, and the balls were cut off <eeeeewww!> the
>>> sprue with a rounded pair of snips rather like nail clippers.
>> aDnm! I gooved I was answering an allegation in another psot which
>> impugned the air gnu's effectiveness.
>> --
>> Rusty Hinge
>> To err is human. To really foul things up requires a computer and the BOFH.
>
> What do you call someone that makes allegations?

An allegator - obvs!
HTH

Chris

On 2022-03-30, Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
> On 29/03/2022 08:27, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>
>> When I look at right now (being most of my life) I breathe sighs of
>> relief as we dodge bullet after bullet and don't quite get round to wiping
>> ourselves out. As a child, adolescent and young adult I expected us to lose
>> this game, in 1980 I would not have taken odds on seeing 2000. Since 1990 I
>> have been increasingly optimistic about our long term future.
>>
>> The current horror in the Ukraine feels like it might become another
>> nail in the coffin of war - no matter how it comes out the cost to Russia
>> will be far greater than any possible gain. It probably already has been.
>
> If sanctions continue to be imposed on Russia until they withdraw, pay
> reparations, and turn Putin over for trial as a war criminal, that might
> help. Just as long as there isn't then what Russians would perceive as
> deliberate humiliation.

Hopefully the Germans will remind NATO about the effect of Versailles.
>
>> if the Ukrainians turn out to be the people who teach the Russians
>> that war is bad idea then we should celebrate them throughout the rest of
>> history. That's the only outcome I would call a win, sadly I suspect
>> they'll only manage to emphasise the point - but we can hope.
>>
>> Time was we accepted the cold war as the price of preventing an
>> unstoppable wave of Soviet Union tanks sweeping across the whole of Europe.
>> That the remnants of that force now fails to sweep across a tiny fraction of
>> Europe is good - that they tried is TERRIBLE.

What we now know (and so do some of the Russians) is that tanks are very
much stoppable.

>
> The question has been asked - what's the point of Nato now there's no
> Warsaw Pact? I think that Russia has managed to demonstrate the need for
> Nato very adequately, which was possibly not one of the desired outcomes.

The Russians are demanding that Ukraine gives up any thoughts of joining
NATO. While Ukraine is demanding guarantees that in the event of future
Russian shenanigans that NATO countries provide military support. Precisely
what practical difference there is between that and being a NATO member is
left as an exercise for the reader.

It's woken up some of the European nations to the need to spend more on
defence.

>
>> My only real fear is that they will be even more stupid and lash
>> out with nukes before they give up. I really really hope that doesn't
>> happen and I don't think it will because I'm pretty sure Russia can't
>> credibly threaten MAD, but if it does then climate issues and trying
>> to feed ten billion will seem like problems we'd really like to have.
>
> I think that if Putin does try and launch, one of his subordinates will
> assassinate him to prevent it.

Another Russian revolution that results in them joining the EU is probably
the best that we in Europe could hope for. What the US would think of that
is another exercise for the reader.

--
Bernard Peek
bap@shrdlu.com

On 2 Apr 2022 14:45:41 GMT
Bernard Peek <bap@shrdlu.com> wrote:

> Another Russian revolution that results in them joining the EU is probably
> the best that we in Europe could hope for. What the US would think of that

Agreed, that would be the ideal outcome in many respects but as
well as the US ...

> is another exercise for the reader.

... the Chinese might be a little concerned TAAAW. Even so it would
IMHO be a really good thing to see happen.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/