h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

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'Evening Bx4

It seems to me that if the Keller is as large in area as the house there is no need to go for space saving "wholly manual" tools. I'll park all the LTR1 stuff (including the material thrown up this afternoon by the Frankenstein thread) for possible future discussion there?

I can envisage a tax on floodplain building on the grounds that it could generate more expense for someone in setting up new flood defences? Of floods of the electron kind: A PC's specification depends on what the machine is to be used for. I consider myself lucky never to have caught the PC gamer bug. I can imagine video content to be processor hungry in this HD age? For many I'm sure, as you point out, racing imaginary cars with fellow competitors from all over the globe will inflate their machine spec. above that required for mere text editing. What about the new TV catch-up services? Where is the throat? Is it the connection speed or the processor that puts the content on the screen? I know that my Mac struggles with video generated by a HD camcorder.

It isn't that nothing must interfere with the immanent launch; it is that I allow everything to interfere. The new PC is like the new burner; it is on a distant horizon. I am the British economy's worst nightmare; I don't want to spend any money until I'm forced by circumstances. So if we go into recession it will be my fault. I did go through a patch of printer driver difficulties, though these have now been resolved and forgotten. A tip I learned a while back was to avoid Vista.

I hope Bx4 SO was jesting about kits. You'll next be opening an account at the local chrome plating shop and dividing the Keller into work and paint shops. Maybe it will be manual wood tools after all?

MDT

Manual tools: This was a response to your surprise at my description of the minimum power tool set necessary for rapid shelf building. The intention being to reduce the number of boxes of books cds an vinyl in the keller.

I am quite good with manual tools ( I can even do concealed dovetails) but I am not fast. When I go manual it becomes something of a Tristram Shandy event.

LTR1: Need to get back to it.

LTR3: Back to work tomorrow, shelves and guests (though the latter are quite independent and don't need entertaining). So steely resolve and visor down tomorrow.

I appreciate your concerns over the lack of a promised referendum but I honestly have had it with the 'Evil Empire' boys. Just can't be bothered anymore.

CatC thread. Going downhill fast - all First Corollary and the usual 'three trick pony' posters. I tend to go on just to chat to old friends and foes from the delusion thread.

floodplain tax: You might have a point. Doesn't work for the sea-view tax. Probably just a desire to tax anybody who doesn't have the misfortune to live in the Great Wen

PC gaming: I caught the bug a little but only for strategy games. Once had go at Quake III, the ultra high spec fps. Didn't do it for me.

Graphics. CPU speed and memory size are important but I have found that you can get away with a lot with a good high-end graphics card with its own memory and dedicated processor so it takes the video processing load of the mainboard components.

I don't know if Apple have removable video cards though. What machines do you actually run?

Internet: The throat is definitely in the connection. I quite happily used a 550mhz machine (originally dial-up) with a broadband connection with no real problems.

The launch: Visor down mode is indicated. I need a tentative launch time for my countdown clock.

Vista: As far as Windows goes I'm still a 98 fan though I have reluctantly moved up to XP. My son-in-law thinks Vista is wonderful but then he thinks the 'killer' Black Shadow is as well

of ragtops and kits: If the kit' is not a wind up (and I don't discount this as a gambit to counter the Luftwaffe burner). then it will not be built here where the new ragtop is tops.

The SO has hardly been out of it all day. Amazing the amount of things we suddenly haven't got but need urgently.

I noticed that when my shelving tools were unloaded there were also a number other tools of a more mechanical nature . I expect the new ragtop is about to be fiddled with.

The ragtop kit project should it happen will take place on the island.

I am considering the line that this is not the original ragtop/quad/ boxer plan but rather /ragtop/ragtop/boxer and that this should be changed to a ragtop/boxer/ragtop. I think I can swing it......


chrome plating. Stop encouraging her or we'll end up with some weird hot rod thingy
bs

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'Morning Bx4

Now I understand the need for rapid shelf building the power tools make prefect sense. Don't quote me on this though I sometimes wonder (with all humans and animals at a safe distance) a bolt of lightning followed by rebuilding might be the best means to dispense of clutter. I have lots of CDs, Records, Tapes, VHS and DVD etc. that we have no time to listen to or watch. Shelving looks good when filled with books. Electronic media always looks tacky. A Keller would be just the place though.

I must look up Tristram Shandy on the internet. I'm sure you are being rude about my bike maintenance. My thinking is to dismantle as little as possible so the bike stays as together as possible. There's no point in wearing components out through unnecessary handling. That said there are bits that suffer abuse in service such as the front brakes which need ongoing attention. When looking at new bikes I found it remarkable that the horn was located right in the wash of the front wheel. I can just imagine it in the design studio. "We must hide the ugly horn so we can have beautiful bike to sell". It is difficult to give you a marker to start the launch countdown as the internet is down just now. I have no idea what the weather is set to do at the weekend.

The Apple is a "last of the line" mini with a built in modem. Clearly there is no point in replacing it without a broadband connection as I'd lose the minimalist profile I was so keen on in the first place. The down side is there was never any possibility of expansion so all video processing has ended up being done on the work a day XP machine. I stuck with 98 as long as I could before the host Time machine lost its power supply. It was a simple matter then of getting the credit card out to buy the XP and patch the old hard drive temporarily so as to retrieve its data.

I note your line of thinking to swing the agenda towards ragtop/boxer/ragtop though might suggest that personally I'd be sorely tempted to ride between locations, even if it's only once. Spring and summer are coming?

I agree chrome has no place with Luftwaffe blue or in adorning a sporty ragtop.

MDT

Morning RG

Passing through will mostly reply later.

Truck: Definitely Thursday

Tristram Shandy: The Tristram Shandy Quotient (TSQ) is a measure of how far one is from actually completing. Invented by someone on the 'delusion' thread as a measure of how far behind the curve one's postings. Derives from the novel Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristram_Shandy

The significance of Tristram Shandy to the riceburner project can be found in the first bit of the synopsis

Be seeing you
(no furrin, codes or textspeak)

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'Morning Bx4

The truck is straight from Tristram Shandy? The reference to Rice Burner is so off beam I'm planning to bring the launch forward to Thursday so as to beat the shelf fillers into second place. Pah.

BSY

Afternoon O_L

Lunchbreak

Truck. The truck may be Schrödingers Truck in that we will not in fact know that it exists until it arrives

The Launch: It is good to see that as a consequence of my TS comments the launch has been brought forward. May I have the projected launch time (accepting that weather conditions may delay it)so that I can start my launch clock.

Shelf filling: Surely this should be shelf-building?

Pah: Since I have helped focus your attention on the launch and away from the distractions of the Today boards, that seems a little uncalled for.

bsy

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'Afternoon Bx4

The "pah" must have hit home for I have become Old_Leftie? The truck will contain not the shelves (which like "Schrödinger's cat" may not exist) but what is to fill them?

You may set your countdown to 0730 CET though be prepared for a possible postponement for a final inspection has to be passed first. Now I must away to prepare a mission plan.

BSY

Evening rg (CET)

pah: I certainly did getupset for have I not always tried to encourage you to steely resolve when you were in danger of being sucked in?

truck: Indeed, the shelves existence is only intentional at this point - not unlike the launch of the burner, really.

the cat. Note quite the cat is either dead or alive but it exists the truck may or my not.

the launch date: Lets be clear. Thursday 27/03/2008 at 0645 GMT is the launch when will the 'burner' land?

Prepared: I am

Inspection: At this point more attention to this and less to 'off piste' posting is advised.

BTW, I tried to check the NL manifesto for any mention of stem cell research. When I tried to access it I got the following message - 'this document is broken'. I thought you would appreciate that

must dash. Apparently I am being 'picked up'.

bs(y)

Evening rg

Pick up: My being picked up has been attributed to the SO 'Just happening to be in the area' No convincing explanation of why this was case has been forthcoming.

Launch time: I appear to have mistaken t(0) as 0645 whereas it is 0630. I hope final pre-launch are going well and the riser is planning an early bed.

Workbench: The workbench that the SO picked has been delivered. It is very impressive (and even has its own manual). This is quite a contrast to my current one (on the island) which is made of floor planking and four by fours.

Tonight will be limited to RTM.

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'Evening Bx4

The encouragement towards steely resolve certainly didn't deserve a "pah". I nearly got sucked because I think it astonishing to complain about indirect interference from a minority church when we are lorded over by a minority government.

Anyway on to important stuff: The starter button will be depressed at 0730 CET and the shake down is expected to last for 45 minutes to be run almost exclusively on B roads. The launch was brought forward because the weekend forecast is for poor weather. The pre ride check was passed with flying colours; the only tweak was another pound of pressure in the front tyre.

Yes I thought you might pick up that the cat could be dead. I didn't want to upset my feline so glossed over this part of the theory. I hope the truck "really" arrives soon. I did appreciate your report of the broken Labour manifesto. I'll stay off the slopes completely this evening as I have some mucking about to do elsewhere.

Bx4 workbench sounds like a corker. I was lucky to acquire a super workbench when I bought this humble home. I consider myself even luckier for having liberated an old fashioned vice from a former residence. Somehow things are always worth more when they were free. No instruction manuals though...

RTM? Real Time Messaging?

BSY

The pah: I am glad you agree that it was wholly undeserved.

The launch: Best wishes to all to sail in her. At around 0820(CET) I'll check to see if the burner has landed.

Cats: Mine is exhibiting slightly odd behaviour. I wonder I he imagines he is in a rabbit-free parallel universe. He now has a passport and a chip whereas I have bit of cardboard.

Manifesto: I thought it quite funny. I found one that was 'broken' (in the technical not the ethical sense) and there is nothing in in about 'Frankenstein' cybrids

Mucking about: The Right Stuff approach to the mission?

Workbench: Not sure my 'plank' might be a bit primitive but it's about 8 ft long. Good for shelf uprights. I inherited a left behind vice too - one of the old-fashioned all wood ones (even the helical thingy is wood).

First stage is to make some jigs and templates. I came across this brilliant American on-line magazine and it had all these really good designs for making j & ts which mean you don't have to fiddle about so with measuring and marking out.

RTM. Read the manual. Polite version of 'If all else fails, RTFM.

Masts. I noticed on the CatC thread that one of the 'off piste' phobes was still upset about my masts. Was trawling for links and apparently there is DTI funding for similar projects in England. Try googling 'Connected Communities' (i think)

Best wishes for tomorrow.
bs(y)

Morning rg

launch: I had anticipated a brief summary of immediate pre-launch status.

I can only hope that we are not holding at -00.05.03 and counting as you make final chain/pad adjustments.

I await confirmation asap that the Eagle has landed.

If you are now a rider again I hope you will emulate the SO recent tendencies ragtop wise rather than allow yourself to be sucked in to making off piste posts.

Sadly, my own steely resolve was rather dented yesterday an I was sucked into CatC, Sharia (where my peacock displays of inflated male ego have reawakened the misandrist troll) and weirdly on LT3 where jamaeli seems weirdly fixated on my non-reading of English newspapers, (particularly the Guardian and the Telegraph), straight cucumbers and decanted coach passengers.

This was in part due to yesterday being something of an 'on call' day for me.

However, the last at least has kept LTR3 open for our later use.

I wonder if it might be advisable to do a couple of posts on LTR2 to keep it open.

I will be more steely resolve today and this evening having RTFM. The bench is capable of many subtle tilts and adjustments through various wheels, levers and catches. I wonder if these were the reason for its purchase.

I am not convinced by this magnificent object. I could have got by with a couple of workmates and some G-clamps.

Anyhow I see the landing time is upon us so I will sign of and await anticipated news of success from mission control.

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'Morning Bx4

0820 was rather optimistic as it turned out. I suffered a couple of last minute hitches to do with the panniers that cost half an hour at the destination. Aside from that everything went swimmingly and Rice Burner stands proudly in the sun outside my window.

My cat has a chip and a passport too, though was behaving like a deranged feline long before acquiring these. I think the argument in favour of a three line whip on cybrids is that the legislation is necessary to update the (Labour penned?) statute book to take account of technological development. The mucking about was code for household duties.

I may have misled you about the vice. It is made of iron (or steel, certainly not wood) and is extremely heavy. I still have a template lying discarded in a flower bed some five years after the project was finished. Lucky SO isn't a keen gardener. Still what a splendid test this was of modern tanalised timber.

RTM: I would have been OK if I'd written a plan. It just shows, my original idea of a quiet test ride when punctuality didn't matter wasn't far off beam.

Why anyone should be upset about masts they cannot see is beyond me. I will continue to look out for any new ones here in case there is a chance to get hooked up to broadband.

I see you are ahead of me and I have another post to read.

MDT

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Post mission

Off piste posts: I think you are being hyper critical after your run ins with the dementors. A new topic is posted and within twenty or so posts it is off topic. What I find frustrating is the inconsistent approach of the hosts in dealing with deviants. Off piste / Off topic posting: If you can't beat 'em, join them?

I still have no idea who your troll is, though perhaps this is more information than I need. I'm not sure about the decanted bus passengers. I point the finger at the law of unintended consequences and the privatised operators behaving like they can turn any situation into an opportunity to turn a quick buck. A well meaning plan to improve safety may have resulted in curtailed services? Someone has to pay for any extra driver so why not blame cheapskate council taxpayers who will soon have the chance to vote on their tax raising masters.

I haven't posted on LTR2. I'll think of something. You don't think the new bench could be adapted to act as a jig for an auto tub? No surely not.

Hopefully you will have read by now of the success* of the mission. There was an ironic twist at the end when I found the road was blocked by a stranded articulated lorry. I rode past it onto a deserted road leaving all the cars stranded on the other side.

* Not defined by time.

BSY

Evening rg
Odd. I replied earlier but post never appeared. Wrong button pressed?

Truck: Exists, has been

Launch/landing. Great news you is a riding man again not a fiddling one.

Outside window: I suggested since sunny you should be out on burner not admiring same through window. Too late now?

Cats: being deranged goes with territory but sometimes new forms crop up. Of course non-Diogenes might just be annoyed by the fact that he is biometricised and I am not.

Vice: We have one like that inherited from my Grandad who was a railway engineer (more trains than track). Guess whose mitts are firmly on it?

The superbench has this cunning thing where you pull a couple of levers, turn a couple of wheels and the whole front part of the bench turns into a sort of super vice

gardeners/tanalised. We do quite bit here (there here) though mostly vegetables. Weather quite mild because of GS. First rule is-First build your windbreak. Second rule is - and then build your second windbreak. More of a railway sleeper man.

Masts. I think the DTI funding is for something called Connected Communities. I think some local authorities in Wales have taken it up.

While trawling masts about I found a link showing a map of an ongoing project to convert Scotland to broadband. A lot of other European countries are doing the same.

Anyhow off to make few jigs so

bs(y)

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'Evening Bx4

It's great that the truck was real even if I guess this created its own work. One further run today was possible and the weather then started to turn back to yuk. Lots of mucking about this evening and I was astounded when in the middle of all this SO expressed an interest in going pillion. Wonders never cease. There is a price...

We don't use railway sleepers to build windbreaks we use them as a dwarf retaining wall. I'm given heart by your news of the advance of broadband by whatever means. I've had the odd pop at the referendum theme this evening though this is about a week early.

Like the cat I wouldn't object to being biometricised (provided it wasn't compulsory). Perhaps I'll ask the vet. Would this really be so different to a Swatch ski pass? Happy jig making.

BSY

Truck: Not to much work for me: All neatly in Keller thanks to trucker and associates.

Shelves: More progress than anticipated. Jig built, 3 uprights routed and drilled and associated horizontal drilled ready for dowelling and gluing which SO (and visitors who have have volunteered) will to do today.

Fortunately, I am using that pre-sanded wood so only minimal sanding necessary Varnishing (SO) tomorrow so first shelf unit in place on Sunday.

Plan is that I will continue to produce components for further linked shelves.

Must confess I am being won over by the versatility of the superbench. Humble pie for me again

SO/pillion: The price is dependendent on continued mucking about? Still think a new burner would progress this. The Yuk weather is not good news.

Railway sleepers: not wind breaks used for raised beds. Windbreaks are a complicated process of sacrificial willow plantings and robust conifers.

Once in place, interior protected from winds/gales (mostly)

cats: Not sure I want to be biometricised even voluntarily. I have pretty much decided the if involuntary bm is brought in my main domicile will shift countries.

Resolve: Yes I saw you had re-awakened cerberus. I am trying not to get sucked in apart from a bit of flyposting. Unfortunately sat a terminal for most of today cutting C++ which is a recipe for getting sucked in. I *will* resist

broadband: Here is a picture of one of our masts, we have beach quite like the one in picture

I found this link about coverage and takeup in UK. It is I suspect of little comfort that the UK has the highest coverage 99.6% when you are in one of the 0.4%

Mind you the basic assumption of a minimun 128kbs service is not that impressive.

Odd that the UK with one of the biggest coverage is quite low on the take up.

bs(y)

http://www.connectedcommunities.co.uk/project/background/
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/12/20130045/2
bs(y)

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'Morning x4

Broadband first; I had a look at your links and found one of my own to enable me to register my phone number as a broadband black spot. Who knows what will happen next, the last time my submission went into a black hole though let's show some optimism here. I agree it appears that broadband has a very broad definition. Perhaps we will be offered "up to 128kbs" one day. I think if I had a beach like the one in the photograph I'd quite like every road grubbed up and not a mast in sight.

I'm pleased you are now at ease with your super work bench and have made lots of progress with shelf building. The "price" here is nice new leather. New burners aren't as generous to pillions unless I move toward a higher class of machine in which case it would have to be not new. Also I'd probably have to deal with an increase in weight and consequential poor engine off manouverability, so on the whole you will see I'm not keen on the idea except in a "salivate at the shinny new toy" sort of way.

Coincidentally I planted a conifer screen last year. Whilst the plants are healthy I think I must have bought a dwarf variety – doh. The railway sleepers for raised beds are a good idea, which was the original plan for above the retaining wall. A lack of enthusiasm and weeds took hold. How does the sacrificial willow planting work?

I'm not sure re awaking Cerberus was a good idea. "What percentage would YOU accept as the will of the people" and that sort of thing. Old_Leftie and jankaas are far easier going. I'm going to drop out now and do some data processing.

BSY

Lunchbreak

Broadband: On black spot. Might be an idea to get neighbours (if any) involved letters to local press. Wouldn't mention masts - might trigger the nimby/heritage crowd.

The 128kbps seems a bit minimalist but it would still be faster than dial-up and you wouldn't have the 2-hourly line drop and other inconvenieces.

Beach: The one shown is I think the 'best' beach on the island. Ours isn't quite so good but being a bit narrower though about three miles long ad fine sand. Its only about forty feet from croft gate.

As to usage remember we are Atlantic maritime so we have a lot of very wet and very windy weather. When not - you have forgotten the portable/wifi solution

grub up: Not a good idea boxer 1 is not really off-road. If you've seen it think the 4 wheeler satnav 'enjoy' ad.

Workbench: I have decided rather than eat humble pie I will adopt the 'boiling frog' approach to admitting workbench is quite OK.

Good news from the assembly front. The first section is glued and cramped so with luck we might even get it varnished tonight.

The downside is that I am being picked up again.

Price: leather as in furniture or as in 'leathers'. If second not sure I would regard it as a price as such.

pillion: Yes I can see how 'shinies' in your engine capacity wouldn't be a good idea if they don't accommodate pillion and panniers. If you do get SO on pillion suggest filling panniers with romantic picnic goodies and taking her to a nice spot rather than tootling around countryside. Might get eventual approval to uprate to a bigger capacity, possible second hand, machine.

Salivate: I have regretfully abandoned the Luftwaffe job and while the boxer trike is interesting and a practical option, I don't think I am ready to admit I am so decrepit as to need it quite yet. So it looks like boxer 2 will be firmly two wheeled.

I have been talking to a few other owners and there does seem to be a consensus that BMW has lost its way somewhat with the latest models so a certified/approved second hand job looks like the best option.

Windbreaks: To some extent depends on size of garden. Ours started when we fenced of a chunk of the croft land behind the house so we had quite a lot of depth to work with

The technique we used was we started with some heavy duty slotted plastic, called I think tensar, which acts as a temporary windbreak

Behind this you plant willow lath which is self rooting, fast growing, uktra cheap if you cant harvest it in wild and provides you with a supply of free lath.

Once the willow is well established remove tensar for reuse in a other section the plant dwarf conifers (not ornamental) behind willow. Willow protects conifers while establishing and bears brunt of wind and dies (hence sacrificial).

Behind dwarf conifers plant larger conifers which *don't* lose bottom branches. We used a mixture of Monterey Pine and a spruce whose name I don't recall.

Finally underplant with fairly robust medium size shrubs (everything we used had to be salt resistant but this might not apply in your case.

cerberus: I see you have been sucked in on not only LTR3 but LTR2. I have pretty much decided to avoid 'First Corollary' threads apart from the odd bit of flyposting

traffic seems intense today I had Discussion Watcher running but it kept popping up when I was trying to concentrate so I had to turn it off.
bs(y)