On 04/05/2022 14:55, Whisky-dave wrote:
> On Wednesday, 4 May 2022 at 10:32:48 UTC+1, David Brooks wrote:
>> On 04/05/2022 09:28, Commander Kinsey wrote:
>>> On Wed, 04 May 2022 09:09:19 +0100, David Brooks <D...@nomail.afraid.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 04/05/2022 08:18, Commander Kinsey wrote:
>>>>> On Wed, 04 May 2022 07:49:59 +0100, David Brooks <D...@nomail.afraid.org>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 04/05/2022 03:37, Commander Kinsey wrote:
>>>>>>> On Tue, 03 May 2022 18:26:55 +0100, David Brooks
>>>>>>> <D...@nomail.afraid.org>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On 03/05/2022 05:10, Commander Kinsey wrote:
>>>>>>>>> On Tue, 03 May 2022 01:35:35 +0100, Magani <cds...@gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Monday, 2 May 2022 at 6:12:41 pm UTC+10, David Brooks wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> On 02/05/2022 08:36, David Brooks wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> On 02/05/2022 08:27, Commander Kinsey wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> AA is cheaper than RAC. How much do you pay and for what
>>>>>>>>>>> package?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I'll check.
>>>>>>>>>>> I suspect we didn't challenge last October - probably more
>>>>>>>>>>> concerned
>>>>>>>>>>> with Covid infections etc.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> We actually paid £126.99 - for their top-of-the-range package.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I've been with the RAC for over 50 years and have enjoyed
>>>>>>>>>>> excellent
>>>>>>>>>>> service throughout.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> A bit pricey? I pay about AUD$186 (say £105) for RACQ top cover -
>>>>>>>>>> each state has its own auto association, but no real competition
>>>>>>>>>> like
>>>>>>>>>> AA vs RAC. That is top cover for breakdowns, etc and will also
>>>>>>>>>> cover
>>>>>>>>>> the caravan, towing (both car and van if needed) up to $3300/annum,
>>>>>>>>>> accommodation and free hire car if needed. Also, it covers any
>>>>>>>>>> car I
>>>>>>>>>> drive, as well as anyone driving my nominated vehicle (ie: SWMBO or
>>>>>>>>>> son). As a 50+yr member, I also get a decent discount on their
>>>>>>>>>> annual
>>>>>>>>>> membership.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I've used it once in the last five years when my LandCruiser went
>>>>>>>>>> into
>>>>>>>>>> 'limp' mode in Mt Isa, and was VERY happy with how efficient it all
>>>>>>>>>> was. Within half an hour of ringing, I had a tilt-tray winching it
>>>>>>>>>> up, and a lovely person asking if I needed a motel room (we
>>>>>>>>>> didn't as
>>>>>>>>>> we were in a caravan park with our own van), and did I need a hire
>>>>>>>>>> car
>>>>>>>>>> (why don't we wait until we find out why The Beast is sullking).
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> All in all, very satisfied.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Why not do what I do? All you need is to get out of the mess you're
>>>>>>>>> in. Get your car and you taken to civilisation. You can rent your
>>>>>>>>> own
>>>>>>>>> car and hotel room. Then your premium is far lower. I pay less
>>>>>>>>> than
>>>>>>>>> half what you do.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Perhaps in 30 years time you'll be doing the same as me and
>>>>>>>> Magani! ;-)
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I doubt I have 30 years left unless medicine becomes a real science.
>>>>>>> I've now got 7 graphics cards running Folding at Home flat out. They
>>>>>>> mainly do cancer and Alzheimers, which are the two things I see a
>>>>>>> lot of
>>>>>>> around here. Is it a bad thing when a 13A plug is really warm? If I
>>>>>>> get enough stuff I'll see if I can get the incoming 100A cable
>>>>>>> warm....
>>>>>>
>>>>>> It's not for me to tell a Physics graduate that there's a fire-risk in
>>>>>> 13 Amp plugs melting! Remember that ALL your efforts will be wasted if
>>>>>> your house burns down around your hardware!
>>>>>
>>>>> It has a fuse. Those wonderful things before the namby pamby circuit
>>>>> breakers that trip if a fly lands on something.
>>>>
>>>> Knowing you, you might have replaced the fuse with a nail!
>>>
>>> Funnily enough, I'm pro-fuse. I'm not bothered about getting a shock,
>>> but I don't want something catching fire. It's amazing how many things
>>> aren't protected properly. For example did you know a twin UK socket is
>>> not rated to 26 amps? Most (apart from MK) are rated to 20 amps. So if
>>> you max out both of them, things melt! I don't remember seeing a
>>> warning on the front not to use both fully at the same time.
>> No, I didn't know that ..... but few things one 'plugs in' in a home use
>> 13 Amps!
>
> That's partly the point an electric 3 bar fire or a washing machine in dryer mode
> and a 3kw electric kettle. But these aren't always close enough and used at the same time
> on a double outlet.
> Not many things are used continuoisly or for a long period at 13 amps.
> I doubt a washing maching would pull 13 amps and the heater would turn off and on anyway.
> A kettle would but wouldn't be on for more than 10mins.
>
>
>>>> I've got one of those circuit breakers. It trips now and again when my
>>>> wife is doing the ironing.
>>>
>>> The earth leakage type or the overload type?
>> Sadly, I have no idea. :-(
>>
>> Can you tell from a picture? https://ibb.co/nckJpXw
>
> Should be some intials like RCCB or something and then check wiki.
> In a correctly wired property they should have the correct one fitted to the fuse box.
>
>>> The earth leakage ones
>>> hate microwave ovens, which leak current to earth on purpose. I
>>> disconnected the earth to mine when I saw a parrot trying to chew the
>>> flex. I removed the earth so the current couldn't go from the wire in
>>> her beak through her heart to the earthed microwave chassis under her
>>> feet [1]. But now when I run the microwave I get a tingle if I touch
>>> it. So clearly something is meant to go to earth. At work, a microwave
>>> kept tripping an earth leakage breaker, but they'd economised and only
>>> put in one for the whole corridor of 100 offices. That caused an
>>> argument or two.
>>>
>>> [1] Earthing things was a very very dangerous idea.
>
> Not by those that know what they are doing.
>
> >Consider you touch
>>> a live wire for some reason - damaged flex, whatever. Normally you'd
>>> get a slight tingle or not even feel it.
>
> Depending on how it is dameged.
>
>> But now imagine your knee is
>>> touching an earthed washing machine. 240V on your hand, 0V on your
>>> knee, with the rather vital heart halfway between. Death. From a
>>> safety device.
>> Oh! Shiver me timbers!
>
> But if the washing machine was earthed it would blow the fuse or whatever device was in the consumer box that's the point.
> That is why earthing a washing machine is a good idea same for most appliances.
>
>>>>> Hey, you're here at 8 in the morning! I got up at 11:30pm, so I'm not
>>>>> sure what time this is for me. I'll be going to bed late afternoon.
>>>>
>>>> I was watch-keeping for a large part of my working life. It's no big
>>>> shakes WHEN one sleeps, but sleep IS necessary!
>>>
>>> I've removed myself from the 24 hour religion of life.
>
> Most humans have this 24 hour cycle even animals do, this is why jet lag happens.
>
>> I get up when
>>> ready, and go to sleep when tired, whenever that may be.
>
> Most people do but it's the define ready is what's important.
> A former flatmate used to go to work about 9pm return home about 8am
> go to bed midday get up about 7pm.
>
>
>> A bit like being retired - like me!
>>>>>> I'd forgotten about the Folding Home project. :-(
>>>>>
>>>>> This is getting out of hand. I've joined the Scottish Boinc Team and am
>>>>> running "sprints" and "marathons" to help them win. They usually get in
>>>>> 1/2/3rd place in most competitions. This is not good enough, they must
>>>>> get gold in everything.
>>>>
>>>> THAT was the one you showed me before.
>>>
>>> I only joined the Scottish Boinc Team last week. The only thing I told
>>> you about a long time ago was Rosetta, which doesn't have much work
>>> available just now, only for Windows on modern processors (they need AVX
>>> instructions - 5 of my 7 don't have that, and 1 slows down if I use it,
>>> as it runs on Oracle Virtualpox, sorry, box).
>> You do make me smile, laddie!
>
> Could get expensive running these things with electricity prices going up. ;-)
>
>
>>>>>> I've now installed it on my main computer and will put it on my other
>>>>>> one shortly. I've also publicised the programme on my Facebook timeline
>>>>>> and the group which I run.
>>>>>
>>>>> Excellent, thank you. People aren't flocking to it so much now covid
>>>>> research has declined. People don't seem to care about cancer, which
>>>>> kills far more.
>>>>>
>>>>> Pay close attention to when you complete the tasks and the "timeout" -
>>>>> it has a habit of giving slower computers stuff it can't do in time. If
>>>>> it passes the timeout it's not the end of the world, but if it gets to
>>>>> the expiration date the task has been a waste of time.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the warning. I didn't like the way it started to trigger my
>>>> cooling fans so have 'turned it down' now.
>>>
>>> I doubt you'll complete much in time if it's not maxed out. Fans are
>>> meant to spin. Most of my fans run at 75% speed.
>> Understood. Thanks.
>>>>>>>>>> Really OT: I can recall when we were driving around the UK on
>>>>>>>>>> holidays
>>>>>>>>>> in the '50s and the RAC/AA (can't remember as I was <10) man on
>>>>>>>>>> their
>>>>>>>>>> bike/sidecar combo used to salute after seeing the badge on the
>>>>>>>>>> front
>>>>>>>>>> of our hire car. I really don't think I'd swap that for no
>>>>>>>>>> internet,
>>>>>>>>>> no decent roads, no mobile phones, etc though. :-)
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Are you sure that was a salute? The AA started as a warning for
>>>>>>>>> speed
>>>>>>>>> cameras. If you had the badge and there was a cop ahead, the AA
>>>>>>>>> would
>>>>>>>>> warn you.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> There's substantiating evidence too!
>>>>>>>> https://www.theaa.com/about-us/aa-history/timeline
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 1865: 4mph limit
>>>>>>> 1897: 14mph
>>>>>>> 1903: 20mph
>>>>>>> 1966: 70mph
>>>>>>> Isn't it about time they increased it again?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I once would have agreed with you.
>>>>>
>>>>> Why do you no longer agree?
>>>>
>>>> Far too much traffic on the roads I've travelled in recent times.
>>>
>>> The congestion is *because* we're driving slowly!
>> That may well be true at times. At other times, there are too many
>> vehicles on the road.
>
> Too many people wanting to go from A-B
>
>>> I was once chased to my house by a neighbour who objected to me
>>> overtaking his wife. She was going 20 in a 30 zone because of roadworks
>>> signs. For another road. He claimed it was because of the detour and
>>> more people using our road that our road had a limit. What a crazy idea
>>> - if you have more things to do, you have to do them faster!
>
> But does that mean you have to travel faster.
> I doubt most peolpe on a typivcal school run or to go to the loca supermarket would save much time
> in a car capable of doing 200MHP over one capable of doing 70MPH
>
>
>> Of course. The real answer is to do LESS things! ;-)
>
> I'd be up for that.
>
>>>>>> Competent drivers ignore the limit anyway.
>>>>>
>>>>> Indeed. It's the slow ones you need to look out for. They drive slow
>>>>> because they find driving difficult.
>>>>
>>>> Many of them are OLD too! ;-)
>>>
>>> Plenty middle aged people driving far too slowly too.
>> You do realise that YOU are now middle aged too?
>
> Sounds agist Id like to see a 'test' you could take which once passed meant you could
> drive above the speed limits others have to keep to. Provided you're car was up to standard too.
>
>>>>> Would you be alarmed if while giving you a lift I performed a J-turn?
>>>>
>>>> I would if you were going forwards!
>>>
>>> I would be afterwards, that's what a J-turn tends to do.
>> I thought it unlikely that you would attempt such a manoeuvre when
>> underway - travelling forwards!
>
> How about a donut /Doughnut

I'm going to let Commander Kinsey respond during his night shift! ;-)

I like the idea of a special driving license for good drivers like us! ;-)