The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32341 Post by Pontius Navigator » Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:43 am

Day 7, first job lift twelve slabs and reject. So much for Bradstone being a quality product.

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32342 Post by Wodrick » Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:44 am

Thought I had but it seems not,
28c Crystal guess 28c so we'll beat that.
Guess for the coming week is cooler - high 20s opposed to low to mid 30s

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32343 Post by Undried Plum » Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:47 am

EA01 wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:36 am
Add 'Water Bailiff' too please....

Water Bailiffs in Scotland are appointed by the local District Salmon Fisheries Board. We are unpaid enforcers of the local fishery laws. We have limited powers of search and seizure where there is good reason to believe that poaching is being perpetrated. The Warrant Card is as formal as that of a police officer, though with somewhat fewer powers.

Unlike some of the English ones, we do not carry an extendable baton or handcuffs and we not carry police radios or wear stab proof vests. In more than 99% of cases we simply have a word with someone who hasn't got a salmon fishing permit and explain to them how they may obtain one. Usually the fishers are local people known to the Water Bailiff, but at this time of year the Glasgow "Trades fortnight" holiday brings Weegies galore.

The guy I arrested was using legal tackle and appeared to be a very experienced and well equipped fisher of salmon, so he certainly knew the rules and had been perfectly capable of getting a licence to enjoy his day of fishing perfectly legally. At £25 for the whole season, the cost is trivial, especially for someone has an apparently expensive looking BMW as he had.

The only previous time I've gone as far as effecting an arrest was a guy who I'd caught 'ripping' fish on numerous occasions. Ripping involves deliberately foul-hooking the fish without the use of flies or other lures. It's grossly illegal. The guy last week wasn't doing anything like that. He was using legal tackle and methods. I'm sure the Procurator Fiscal (public prosecutor) will be cognizant of that when deciding whether issue a citation (summons). On this river it is currently illegal to kill a salmon and I'm sure that the salmon he killed will also be taken into account.

A lot of work has been put into restoring the river to make it fit for salmon. For a century or more it was so badly polluted by coal workings and a large paper mill that salmon were effectively extinct. Now we see several dozen a year and each year gets better than the previous one. There are also sea trout which are equally susceptible to pollution though they have a very different lifestyle to salmon. They too are recovering very well.

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32344 Post by Ex-Ascot » Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:48 am

Morning folks. not so cold today but our attention was drawn to the banana plants. Lots of brown leaves. Did some research and it seems that they may recover.

I agree about Oman. Never stayed more than a night at a time so didn't really explore. I was angling for a job on The Royal Flight VC10 but they got rid of it before I escaped from the Royal Air force. This is a very nice story by Dick King whom I flew with on 10 Sqn and in fact we are still in touch. https://www.vc10.net/Memories/A4OAB_Royalflight.html it may have been posted before but worth mentioning again.

I think that Squiffy Pussy was supposed to be worked on today but they are lacking a tin of paint. We are in town tomorrow so they are coming to paint Wednesday. I think that they consider the inside of the cabin finished. We have very different idea about the 'finish'. More agricultural that Chippendale. He should know better about our standards. Twice I have made him strip a job down and start again.

Thanks for the report Wodders.
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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32345 Post by Undried Plum » Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:56 am

I see that nowadays there are lots of YouTube videos made by visitors to Oman, many of them doing road trips to the usual beauty spots. Some of them are very skillfully put together and show Oman as it is.

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32346 Post by larsssnowpharter » Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:22 am

Salah is now a tourist destination.

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32347 Post by Mole » Mon Jul 26, 2021 11:43 am

20210718_152554.jpg
Sorry a bit behind the times; wildfire west of OFSO (I think) taken 18th July

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32348 Post by Undried Plum » Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:07 pm

TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:35 am
Long read but worth it.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/201 ... -wars-oman

Good read indeed.

During my first trip, one of the other Battmen/Catmen groups captured a British journalist from The Guardian or The Observer. He had infiltrated across the border from Yemen with an Adoo raiding party. I remember that there much consternation as he'd learned a lot more about the Battmen's warfighting aspects of things than was desired. He was sent on his way with a flea in his ear and the paper (whichever one it was) subsequently received a wee visit from some gentlemen of FCO who explained to the editor that knighthoods were being considered and that it would be a jolly good idea if the story was quietly buried. It seem to recall that the journo was using the name of Fred.

Around the same time, plus/minus a month or three, there had been another potentially embarrassing capture of a Czechoslovak military advisor to the Adoo. He was quietly spirited out of the country and a coupla years later I heard that he'd been exchanged in one of those spy-swaps across that bridge in Berlin.

I'm a little bit surprised that the Guardian article makes no mention of Tim Landon. Hasn't his involvement, both good and bad, been declassified by now. Is the extent to which embargoed Apartheit South Africa was being supplied with Omani oil still secret?

I need to make discreet inquiries as to how much of the actual story of what Omanis and FCO people call "the Accession" is in the public domain. I heard a lengthy and highly detailed description of it from someone who was there. I dunno how much of that is already known on the interweb thingy. I don't want to be the first to tell tales out of school because I wish to remain welcome in Oman!

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32349 Post by G-CPTN » Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:20 pm


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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32350 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:36 pm

Undried Plum wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:07 pm
TheGreenGoblin wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:35 am
Long read but worth it.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/201 ... -wars-oman

Good read indeed.

During my first trip, one of the other Battmen/Catmen groups captured a British journalist from The Guardian or The Observer. He had infiltrated across the border from Yemen with an Adoo raiding party. I remember that there much consternation as he'd learned a lot more about the Battmen's warfighting aspects of things than was desired. He was sent on his way with a flea in his ear and the paper (whichever one it was) subsequently received a wee visit from some gentlemen of FCO who explained to the editor that knighthoods were being considered and that it would be a jolly good idea if the story was quietly buried. It seem to recall that the journo was using the name of Fred.

Around the same time, plus/minus a month or three, there had been another potentially embarrassing capture of a Czechoslovak military advisor to the Adoo. He was quietly spirited out of the country and a coupla years later I heard that he'd been exchanged in one of those spy-swaps across that bridge in Berlin.

I'm a little bit surprised that the Guardian article makes no mention of Tim Landon. Hasn't his involvement, both good and bad, been declassified by now. Is the extent to which embargoed Apartheit South Africa was being supplied with Omani oil still secret?

I need to make discreet inquiries as to how much of the actual story of what Omanis and FCO people call "the Accession" is in the public domain. I heard a lengthy and highly detailed description of it from someone who was there. I dunno how much of that is already known on the interweb thingy. I don't want to be the first to tell tales out of school because I wish to remain welcome in Oman!

Landon was certainly a character. As G-CPTN's link notes, his oil wheeler dealing in Southern Africa is now a matter of historical record, although his connection with certain arms sales are not so well documented.

If I remember correctly the old Sultan, who lived out his days in exile in London, was reputed to have said that his only real regret was that he didn't have Landon shot when he had had the chance. =))
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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32351 Post by Ex-Ascot » Mon Jul 26, 2021 1:07 pm

Thank you GG very interesting. It says papers released 2021. I can't see anything about this. End of the year? This could be worthy of a new thread. UP has the lead.
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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32352 Post by EA01 » Mon Jul 26, 2021 1:21 pm

Water Bailiffs in Scotland are appointed by the local District Salmon Fisheries Board. We are unpaid enforcers of the local fishery laws. We have limited powers of search and seizure where there is good reason to believe that poaching is being perpetrated. The Warrant Card is as formal as that of a police officer, though with somewhat fewer powers.

Unlike some of the English ones, we do not carry an extendable baton or handcuffs and we not carry police radios or wear stab proof vests. In more than 99% of cases we simply have a word with someone who hasn't got a salmon fishing permit and explain to them how they may obtain one. Usually the fishers are local people known to the Water Bailiff, but at this time of year the Glasgow "Trades fortnight" holiday brings Weegies galore.

The guy I arrested was using legal tackle and appeared to be a very experienced and well equipped fisher of salmon, so he certainly knew the rules and had been perfectly capable of getting a licence to enjoy his day of fishing perfectly legally. At £25 for the whole season, the cost is trivial, especially for someone has an apparently expensive looking BMW as he had.

The only previous time I've gone as far as effecting an arrest was a guy who I'd caught 'ripping' fish on numerous occasions. Ripping involves deliberately foul-hooking the fish without the use of flies or other lures. It's grossly illegal. The guy last week wasn't doing anything like that. He was using legal tackle and methods. I'm sure the Procurator Fiscal (public prosecutor) will be cognizant of that when deciding whether issue a citation (summons). On this river it is currently illegal to kill a salmon and I'm sure that the salmon he killed will also be taken into account.

A lot of work has been put into restoring the river to make it fit for salmon. For a century or more it was so badly polluted by coal workings and a large paper mill that salmon were effectively extinct. Now we see several dozen a year and each year gets better than the previous one. There are also sea trout which are equally susceptible to pollution though they have a very different lifestyle to salmon. They too are recovering very well.
Thank you UP, very interesting indeed....is ripping a method of dragging a hook and catching a fish by its side or however a hook ensnares a fish?
Many many years ago I knew of people who 'Drag netted' here, that involves taking a net across a river, then taking it up stream, then back across the river, effectively 'Dragging' out everything from that part of the river. Incredibly illegal, nowadays...and fair enough, essentially it removes every living thing from that part of a river at anytime.

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32353 Post by TheGreenGoblin » Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:29 pm

EA01 wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 1:21 pm
Water Bailiffs in Scotland are appointed by the local District Salmon Fisheries Board. We are unpaid enforcers of the local fishery laws. We have limited powers of search and seizure where there is good reason to believe that poaching is being perpetrated. The Warrant Card is as formal as that of a police officer, though with somewhat fewer powers.

Unlike some of the English ones, we do not carry an extendable baton or handcuffs and we not carry police radios or wear stab proof vests. In more than 99% of cases we simply have a word with someone who hasn't got a salmon fishing permit and explain to them how they may obtain one. Usually the fishers are local people known to the Water Bailiff, but at this time of year the Glasgow "Trades fortnight" holiday brings Weegies galore.

The guy I arrested was using legal tackle and appeared to be a very experienced and well equipped fisher of salmon, so he certainly knew the rules and had been perfectly capable of getting a licence to enjoy his day of fishing perfectly legally. At £25 for the whole season, the cost is trivial, especially for someone has an apparently expensive looking BMW as he had.

The only previous time I've gone as far as effecting an arrest was a guy who I'd caught 'ripping' fish on numerous occasions. Ripping involves deliberately foul-hooking the fish without the use of flies or other lures. It's grossly illegal. The guy last week wasn't doing anything like that. He was using legal tackle and methods. I'm sure the Procurator Fiscal (public prosecutor) will be cognizant of that when deciding whether issue a citation (summons). On this river it is currently illegal to kill a salmon and I'm sure that the salmon he killed will also be taken into account.

A lot of work has been put into restoring the river to make it fit for salmon. For a century or more it was so badly polluted by coal workings and a large paper mill that salmon were effectively extinct. Now we see several dozen a year and each year gets better than the previous one. There are also sea trout which are equally susceptible to pollution though they have a very different lifestyle to salmon. They too are recovering very well.
Thank you UP, very interesting indeed....is ripping a method of dragging a hook and catching a fish by its side or however a hook ensnares a fish?
Many many years ago I knew of people who 'Drag netted' here, that involves taking a net across a river, then taking it up stream, then back across the river, effectively 'Dragging' out everything from that part of the river. Incredibly illegal, nowadays...and fair enough, essentially it removes every living thing from that part of a river at anytime.
The Greeks on Corfu had it right with respect to those who fish illegally, if we are to believe what Gerald Durrell wrote in 'My Family and Other Animals' about the murderer on day release who had given him a pet albatross called Alecko.

As Larry said...
‘My dear Mother, the albatross is world famous as a bird of ill-omen. Hardened old salts are known to go white and faint when they see one. I tell you, we’ll find the chimney covered with Saint Elmo’s fire one night, and before we know where we are we’ll be drowned in our beds by a tidal wave.’

‘You said it would be a cyclone,’ Margo pointed out.

‘A cyclone and a tidal wave,’ said Larry, ‘with probably a touch of earthquake and one or two volcanic eruptions thrown in. It’s tempting Providence to keep that beast.’

‘Where did you get him, anyway?’ Leslie asked me.

I explained about my meeting with Kosti (omitting any mention of the water-snakes, for all snakes were taboo with Leslie) and how he had given me the bird.

‘Nobody in their right senses would give somebody a present like that,’ observed Larry. ‘Who is this man, anyway?’

Without thinking, I said he was a convict.

‘A convict?’ quavered Mother. ‘What d’you mean, a convict?’

I explained about Kosti’s being allowed home for the weekends, because he was a trusted member of the Vido community. I added that he and I were going fishing the next morning.

‘I don’t know whether it’s very wise, dear,’ Mother said doubtfully. ‘I don’t like the idea of your going about with a convict. You never know what he’s done.’

Indignantly, I said I knew perfectly well what he’d done. He killed his wife.

‘A murderer?’ said Mother, aghast. ‘But what’s he doing wandering round the countryside? Why didn’t they hang him?’

‘They don’t have the death penalty here for anything except bandits,’ explained Leslie; ‘you get three years for murder and five years if you’re caught dynamiting fish.’

‘Ridiculous!’ said Mother indignantly. ‘I’ve never heard of anything so scandalous.’

‘I think it shows a nice sense of the importance of things,’ said Larry. ‘Whitebait before women.’
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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32354 Post by Undried Plum » Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:28 pm

During my first trip, one of the other Battmen/Catmen groups captured a British journalist from The Guardian or The Observer. He had infiltrated across the border from Yemen with an Adoo raiding party. I remember that there much consternation as he'd learned a lot more about the Battmen's warfighting aspects of things than was desired. He was sent on his way with a flea in his ear and the paper (whichever one it was) subsequently received a wee visit from some gentlemen of FCO who explained to the editor that knighthoods were being considered and that it would be a jolly good idea if the story was quietly buried. It seem to recall that the journo was using the name of Fred.
I've been thinking about that this afternoon. I've come to the conclusion that it may have been the late Fred Halliday. He certainly went through a Maoist/Marxist phase and I see that it's known that he entered Oman from Yemen in the company of what we called Adoo. I'm now pretty sure that Halliday was the Fred I heard about all those years ago.

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32355 Post by Undried Plum » Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:29 pm

EA01 wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 1:21 pm
is ripping a method of dragging a hook and catching a fish by its side or however a hook ensnares a fish?
Yes, very exactly that.

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32356 Post by Undried Plum » Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:31 pm

Ex-Ascot wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 1:07 pm
Thank you GG very interesting. It says papers released 2021. I can't see anything about this. End of the year? This could be worthy of a new thread. UP has the lead.
My guess is that they'll keep that stuff under wraps for a few years yet.

Wasn't there a Yes Minister episode on that sort of thing?

Tim Landon scooped hundreds of millions of Pounds and Dollars in fees and commissions, not to say bribes, some very shady deals, including arms sales involving British companies. He was able to shelter his financial shenanigins behind Diplomatic Cover awarded to him by HM Sultan Qaboos. I can't help thinking how many rural clinics could been established with all those hundreds of millions of OMR that he pocketed.

On the positive side, I will say that he a brilliant Intel Officer in Dhofar and elsewhere in Oman. He had also been a true and reliable friend to the then Crown Prince when they were at Sandhurst together. Qaboos was bullied there in a racist way which almost certainly could not happen there. Landon was the only cadet who stood up to the victim of that bullying. Also, he was probably the only man in the world who could have emboldened Qaboos to go ahead with "the Accession" at the time. It was a very brave thing for the young to do at the time. He was under house arrest at the behest of his father, the Sultan and if the thing had gone a little bit wrong it probably would have been fatal for the young man. Landon certainly stiffened his resolve and for that Oman did owe him a certain amount of gratitude.

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32357 Post by Pontius Navigator » Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:38 pm

Daughter and family now aboard Hull ferry for Rotterdam. Got to their cabin only to find a man lying on the bed. Went back to reception, got upgraded to a Club class suite. 😊

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32358 Post by G-CPTN » Mon Jul 26, 2021 6:03 pm

Halliday was competent in twelve languages, including Latin, Greek, Catalan, Persian, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Arabic, and English.

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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32359 Post by ian16th » Mon Jul 26, 2021 6:11 pm

Pontius Navigator wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:38 pm
Daughter and family now aboard Hull ferry for Rotterdam. Got to their cabin only to find a man lying on the bed. Went back to reception, got upgraded to a Club class suite. 😊
I used to slip the steward a £1 note to get exclusive use of a shared cabin.

This was c.1974-6. One of the ferries went to the Falklands as a troop ship.
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Re: The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread IV

#32360 Post by Undried Plum » Mon Jul 26, 2021 6:15 pm

Undried Plum wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 5:31 pm
Ex-Ascot wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 1:07 pm
Thank you GG very interesting. It says papers released 2021. I can't see anything about this. End of the year? This could be worthy of a new thread. UP has the lead.
My guess is that they'll keep that stuff under wraps for a few years yet.

Wasn't there a Yes Minister episode on that sort of thing?
Found it!

The tale starts at minute 14:00 of this vid:


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