The really boring and totally pointless snippets thread V

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

For the Queen's 75th review of the RAF, all the Tornados were straight out of a paint job - though this was scheduled, not special - and we all did aerobrake landings at Marham so as not to soot up the fins with thrust reverse.
Fortunately for me, having been picked to meet HM the Q, OC Police Flt at Coningsby was retiring that week, so I bought his SD hat and looked smart for a change.

[OFSO]

Morning. Very strong gale (blowing straight into heating flue so no heating) and cold and raining. Not nice.

[Pinky the pilot]

Reached 45C (113F) here in Waikerie SA today. Supposedly a cooler change on the way but right now there is a rather hot Northerly blowing.

Still haven't had any really hot days such as occurred a few years ago when it topped 52C. (Just over 125F)

[G-CPTN]

I visited a supplier in Taiwan and was shown around their 'factory' - a multi-storey tenement building where the same two employees appeared on several floors.

This was a supplier who offered to reproduce competitors products and claimed they could mimic ANY packaging.

The entrepreneur had chosen the company name 'Genuine' - retail customers were encouraged to request only Genuine replacement parts.

[Ex-Ascot]

Morning folks another sunny day, broken Cu. What remains of the lawn is being cut.

HRH PP once did a visit to Brize. The coppers closed the main drag 30 mins before he was due to drive down it. The station came to a stand still. We told him next time we flew him he was furious. Any smarty points the Stn Cdr got from the visit were negated by that small comment.

I've done my fair share of Royal visits to RAF stations. It is not only the smell of fresh paint but also the Mary Celeste feel about the place. No one not involved in the visit was allowed out for the duration. Lots of little faces at windows like Colditz. We used to go to the tower for a coffee and chat to the girlies.

[OFSO]

Wind last night sucked a 4' by 5' mirror off an outside wall and shattered it, also smashing cat food box and putting small dent in the car parked a few feet away. The mirror has been there for over 15 years. Fixings still in place on the wall.
To say the wind is violent is an understatement.

[limeygal]

Re: Royal visits. In 2009, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain visited Pensacola.

King Juan Carlos Visits Pensacola

All the staff were vetted by the FBI except me. I had been in hospital when they came, so I had to stay in my office during their visit, and nobody was allowed to leave the building. I watched the whole farce on my computer. They visited our museum next door which had been spruced up. They had an interior designer "posh" up the bathroom, just in case. I saw it afterwards-they had put a very ornate chair in there, presumably in case they couldn't make the walk between the door and the stall. The really tacky thing was they had left the price tag dangling from the arm of the chair. For some unfathomable reason, they had installed two gigantic "thrones" complete with price tags in the main exhibit space, which were even uglier than the bathroom one. Thankfully, no loo visits were required and the "thrones" were ignored. They probably had nicer ones at home! I felt quite embarrassed by it all.

[Karearea]

Good morning on Leap Day, February 29th.

14/15 in this morning's quiz, got the one about the tenderness of chicken wrong, but I suppose it's "all in the cooking"

https://www.stuff.co.nz/quizzes/3501559 ... ry-29-2024

[1DC]

14/15 my highest yet, guessed a NZ one wrong.Apart from an admin d ay haven't done much. Still dry although 70% chance of rain for tomorrow. Free lunch tomorrow Mrs 1DC's cousins turn to pick up the tab.Going somewhere nice I think I must check to see if I have to be smart, although I will be told!

[G-CPTN]

Harris Tweed (gardening clothes)?

[Hydromet]

Good morning all, 13/15 today. Clear clouds with a few clouds low on the southern horizon. Currently 25C, forecast max 42C. will have a bit of workshop time before it gets too hot. Will have to top up all the birds' water bowls and bird baths.

[jimtherev]

Been down at church this afternoon getting out kit for a visitation tomorrow from all the staff of the Synod (read Diocese, sort of, in our mob.) This is the first of a series of "Officers on Tour" or "Revs meet the Plebs" exercises. This month Derbyshire, next year the world sort of stuff.
All the old ladies are in a tizzy of course. Worried about the quality of the bikkies, whether the visitors find our car park, and whether I will get there in time, because things are inevitably going to go wrong.

Bet we get no visitors.
All day.
And it's going to rain.

[Opsboi]

Been down at church this afternoon getting out kit for a visitation tomorrow from all the staff of the Synod (read Diocese, sort of, in our mob.) This is the first of a series of "Officers on Tour" or "Revs meet the Plebs" exercises. This month Derbyshire, next year the world sort of stuff.
All the old ladies are in a tizzy of course. Worried about the quality of the bikkies, whether the visitors find our car park, and whether I will get there in time, because things are inevitably going to go wrong.

Bet we get no visitors.
All day.
And it's going to rain.

Oh, well - offer it up, jim

[Karearea]

Be prepared, People of the Past:

A leap year technical glitch is being blamed for causing outages at fuel stations across the country.

Fuel provider Allied Petroleum and Gull said they were aware of nationwide technical problems affecting motorists across all fuel brands.

RNZ has spoken to one motorist who said he tried four petrol stations this morning and was told the outage was caused by leap day not being factored into the system.

Gull spokesperson Julien Leys confirmed it was a leap day glitch with its technology provider.

"We were aware from this morning about a nationwide technical issue that's affecting motorists across all fuel brands where they can't pay for their fuel."

Leys said Gull was working very closely with self-service payment provider Invenco to try to resolve it as quickly as possible for its customers.

"We do understand it's a software technical glitch to do with leap day," he said.

Gull would offer a Discount Day next week to make up for the inconvenience.

Invenco is the self-service payment provider for all fuel providers.

BP said its fuel card transactions were unaffected.

"We are aware of an issue with Eftpos and credit card transactions at Outdoor Payment Terminals (OPTs) at BP truck stops and are sorry for any inconvenience this is causing.

"The provider for these Eftpos and credit card transactions at OPTs nationwide is urgently working on a fix."

Worldline New Zealand said the problem affected only unattended fuel terminals.

"We were advised by the fuel terminal provider of an issue affecting unattended fuel terminal software across New Zealand. This is resulting in transactions not being able to be processed through those terminals.

"This issue is specific to those unattended fuel terminals only. In-store fuel station terminals continue to process payment transactions as normal.

"The unattended fuel terminal software provider is currently investigating this issue and working on finding a solution and implementing a fix as quickly as possible."

https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/02/29/leap ... d-country/

[PHXPhlyer]

How did these people survive Y2K, a once in a Millennium event, when leap day comes every four years?

PP

[Karearea]

How did these people survive Y2K, a once in a Millennium event, when leap day comes every four years? ...

PP

Pathetic, isn't it.

[Ex-Ascot]

Morning folks. Sun no rain even promised. Have sent birthday wishes to a friend on Amorgos. He only gets them every 4 years.

[1DC]

I have a cousin who has a leap year birthday it never bothered him because when he was little he thought it was an advantage because most years he got his birthday a day early.

[Fox3WheresMyBanana]

Plus 9 when I woke up, then a windchill of Minus 24 tonight, then back to Plus 10 at the weekend.
Driving will be interesting.

[ricardian]

More on the shipwreck on Sanday, Orkney. This time it's from the Orcadian newspaper:

Archaeologists arrive on Sanday to inspect shipwreck
February 29, 2024 at 3:09 pm

Raymond Brown helped recover some of the wreckage which had separated. (RODERICK THORNE)
As professional archaeologists set foot on Sanday to examine the shipwreck discovered there last week, the work of amateur island archaeologists has been commended.
News of a large piece of timber, identified as the midships of a carvel wooden vessel, that was discovered at Cata Sand spread far and wide promoting much online speculation about its age and origin.
Today, Ben Saunders, of Wessex Archeology, will insect the wreckage and site, and hopes to discover the date and origin of the wood using dendrochronology (the science of dating wood from analysis of tree rings).
But he has also praised all the work already conducted by islanders to record and preserve the find.
Mr Saunders explained that “rapid recording” was essential in cases like this. It is believed the remains were buried under the sand or sediment before a storm two weeks ago brought then on to the beach. 
Now fully exposed to the air and tide, they have began to break apart.
“The work of the people on Sanday has been fantastic,” Mr Saunders said.
“They have been taking lots of photos from different angles to allow a 3D model to be constructed.
“In fact they have already created an amazing resource before any marine archaeologist has even been out there.”
Mr Saunders will be joined by Orkney Islands Council archaeologist Paul Sharman, recording and sampling from the wreck material in partnership with Sanday residents as well as providing community training in maritime archaeological skills.
Anyone interested in taking part should email Ben Saunders at: b.saunders@wessexarch.co.uk