Supermarket Logs

We have three supermarkets next to each other who sell logs within easy distance.  namely ALDI, B&M, and Tesco.  I decided to compare their offering for firewood and do a practical test.

Our Log burner

 

We decided to keep our multi fuel stove for another year and run it on logs.We have been running it on smokless fuel up until now.

Music Balance

We were listening to Boom Radio this morning but we finally had to turn it off.  All we could hear was the rhythm tracks.  The vocals were completely swamped.  Now this is on recordings we had heard many times before so we know how they are supposed to sound.  

I guess the problem is that the DJ, or whoever controls the sound has set his "balance" or "pan" control way off centre.  Accidents happen, but not checking what is being broadcast is just a case of NGAS (Not Giving A Shit).

The US Election

Americans were voting as started to write this.  

Coincidentally this was the day in the UK where we traditionally burn an effigy of Guy Fawkes who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament.  The bonfire is usually accompanied by fireworks.

In America, folk who try to overturn an election and march on the Capitol, get invited to stand at the next election. In the UK, Guy Fawkes was hung.

I thought there might be fireworks in the UK and the USA over the next few days.

Which Magazine

I have just cancelled my Which subscription.  I have been a member for around five years,  and have found their reviews fairly useful but they tended to be aimed at higher end products than the ones I buy. (For example:- best buy toaster £77.99) I would probably still be a member if not for the recent episode.

The Future of Artificial Intelligence

The Logical Destiny of AI

Let’s do a little extrapolating from the present to the next few hundred years based on developments over the last few years.

The Exam Results

When I took my GCE “A” levels, a little over 50 years ago I got two B’s and a C. These were good marks. Only the top 1% of candidates got an A, and three or more A’s were very rare. Most Universities required C’s and D’s as entrance requirements with only a few went as high as Bs.

Today (10th August 2021) it was announced that around 45% of students got an A or A* grade.

We must have been really dim back then!

Anyway I wrote this little story about where we might be in 2045 if the grade inflation continues unchecked

The Pooper scooper

Life in a low tax economy

The governments of all colours in the UK seem intent on pursuing or claiming to pursue a low tax economy.So in an ultra low tax economy (as we may have in 2045) how would the central government and the ruling classes manage to maintain their income?
The idea for this little story came from a comment from Terry Wogan –
“the villagers only source of income was taking in each others washing!”

The Ambassador

Truth and Bluff

(Negotiations from a position of weakness)

In recent years I have noticed how political posturing, spin
bias and fake news used to further the ambitions of
those in power have more effect on outcomes than
truth and logic.
What is true and what is bluff?

The Earth in Perspective

Our planet

Usually when the statistics of the earth are described, diagrams are used. Somewhere in the description is the disclaimer “Not to scale”. There is a reason for this, it’s almost impossible to show the relative dimensions on a paper diagram.

Climate - Hitting the Fan

We were warned

“Enjoy life while you can. Because if you’re lucky it’s going to be 20 years before it hits the fan.”

James Ephraim Lovelock CH CBE FRS (26 July 1919 – 26 July 2022)

Open Mic Etiquette

Not be a minute. I’ll just tune up.

Can I have the music stand please. It’s a bit low for me, can you raise it please?

Now what will I sing? I Oh I know. It’s in my book here. Now let me find it. Sorry about this I had it a few minutes ago.

Right, here we go (Strums a chord) Hang on that’s in a different tuning, not be a minute. Has anyone a tuner I could borrow?

(Spends two minutes tuning his guitar)

The Housing Trap

Why aren't we building more houses?

Well, let us start off by imagining the situation if we were building lots of council houses. These would have restrictions of course. Firstly they would NOT be for sale, neither would they be available to anyone as a second home.  So what are the consequences?

Good old South West Water

Drought??

Cornwall has been under a hosepipe ban since August 2022.

In November 2022, SW water said:-

Reservoir levels across the South West are now very low and, in particular, are extremely low in Cornwall, following one of the driest periods in the region for over 130 years. Levels continue to fall and will remain low for the foreseeable future, without a sustained and substantial period of rainfall this Autumn, which is not currently forecasted.

They seem to have removed this paragraph from their website now!

I thought I'd check with an independent rainfall monitoring site.  I chose Newquay Weather station.

Fining Pieces of Paper

What Harm have these poor pieces of paper done you?

The government has just fined Southern water £90,000,000 for pouring sewage into the sea.

The Health and Safety Executive site is filled with instances of companies being fined for breaking regulations.

We have fined banks;  we have  fined hospitals;  we have fined network rail

This is ludicrous beyond belief.

Amazon’s AI (Artificial Idiot)

Our shower switch broke.  So I ordered another on Amazon Prime for next day delivery.  I got an email saying it had ben dispatched.

It didn't arrive, nor the next day, not the next day.  So I tried to contact Amazon.

The NHS War zone

Is "War Zone" a strong word here?

• Vladamir Putin and the Russian government are waging war on Ukraine, and civilian deaths are currently running at 188 per month (December 2022)
• Jeremy Hunt and the UK government are waging war on the NHS and civilian deaths are estimated to be running at around 2000 per month.

A Universal Truth

There can only be one Universe - simply because "uni" means one.

In the Multiverse there are not Universes - only Verses.

Only a Fraction

“Only a fraction“. It’s a phrase that is in very common use. What does it mean?

A quarter, an eighth, fifteen sixteenths or maybe seven sevenths?  Or is it even vulgar, like twelve tenths?  

After a long investigation, taking only a fraction of the time, and using only a fraction of the resources that a prestigious university would use, I have found the answer.

The Liz Truss Plan

In a nutshell:-

We have to keep we rich getting richer at the rate to which we have become accustomed.  So that means that distractions like climate change, levelling up, and reducing inequality will have to take a back seat.  
I, and probably my party, will be booted out at the next election, so we will milk the public for as much as we can for the next two years while creating the biggest mess we can for the next government.

How the Market Economy works

If anyone is wondering how the energy crisis works this may help to make it clear.

Supply and Demand

There once was a little village miles from anywhere. The little village had 100 houses and two bakers. Each baker made 50 loaves a day, so every house in the village got fresh bread. The loaves were sold for £1 each so each baker got £50 a day in sales.

Everyone's a Liar

Why does everyone Lie?

This post was originally posted on 2nd April 2020, but todays events are simply staggering.

Boris Johnson, a consumate liar to the core, is now in danger of losing his job after been proven to have lied and to parliament which breaks the ministerial code. This IS a resignation matter.

Education.

The Education Gravy Train

This is a follow on from a post three years ago “Education education education” Not much has changed.

This caught my eye. David Willets, a former Tory MP and a current Tory Lord says that we need to increase the number of places at University to avoid our children getting low paid jobs.

Now, is he an idiot?  

DATA

 I was an electronic engineer for most of my working life.  During all of that time I used the word “data” lots of times, every day.

It was never a plural word as it seems to be used now. Neither was it a singular word.  It was used in a similar way to “water” or “hay” or “air”.  As in:-

Scotland

I was born in the North East of England and lived there for 27 years.  I then lived in Scotland for the next 42 years. (I now live in Cornwall.)

Why does she remind me of the 
Emperor in Star Wars? 

I love Scotland and the people and I am a staunch supporter of Scottish Independence. It pains me so much to see how Nicola Sturgeon has corrupted the Scottish Nationalist Party which was handed to her on a plate by Alex Salmond after Scotland voted by a very small majority to remain in the UK.

I'm a dinosaur

Maybe it's what happens as you get old yourself.  Identification with old things maybe, or simply resistance to change.

For example, my pedal bike I bought in 1968 and I think it was about 7 years old then.  I still ride it and it works fine, although it could do with a lower first gear. This is strange as even 30 years ago it seemed fine!

A couple of Rants

Warning – Technology Ran

I Skype with my son in Melbourne every other Thursday at 9:30am my time, 8:30pm his time. This morning I switched on my windows 10 laptop (an old HP Elitebook 2540p) at 08:40. I always go this process early so that it gives Windows and Skype time to sort them selves out.

A bit of a gap

My last post  on this site was 13 years ago!  In my first post I said

One of two things will happen now. I'll either drop into a habit of writing here or, more probably, my very low boredom threshold will rear it's head (and say stop mixing your metaphores) and I'll make a few entries and forget it.

Time will tell.

Well time has told! 

The View from Cornwall

11th September 2045

Today we remember the tragic destruction of the twin towers in New York forty four years ago, and celebrate Cornish Independence five years ago.

Education, Education, Education

Tony Blair’s goal was to get 50% of the population into further education. This has been taken to mean 50% of the population will have a degree. Which is great for them, because that will put them all in the top 10% of earners. Errrrr……

Walking the dog

I usually take Bruno, my very long legged border collie on a walk in the morning. Coming back, I wandered up the stairs into the grounds of the Abbey. Bruno looked quite inspiring and rather majestic as he leaped up the stairs and raced off around the grave stones. As usual he came back to check where I was and I spoke a few words to him. Then I heard two ladies giggling behind me. I had not seen them before. I could have said "Good boy Bruno", or "You look great today" and maybe looked like a "One man and his dog" romantic old timer. But what had I said?

Australia

I've just come off the phone after talking to my son in Oz. He's touring with his girlfriend and her parents and they are now in Alice Springs.
Poor Australia will be hit very hard due to global warming. At least there is not a huge population to worry about. The effects have already began. Bush fires and floods are the first sign. In a few years most of the island continent will be uninhabitable.

Whats it all about?

Why the hell have I set up a blog? Is it the budding writer in me? Do I want to get something off my chest? Maybe I want to explain to the world how to fix things?

One of two things will happen now. I'll either drop into a habit of writing here or, more probably, my very low boredom threshold will rear it's head (and say stop mixing your metaphores) and I'll make a few entries and forget it.

Time will tell.