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Gluestick

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Everything posted by Gluestick

  1. Liz: I'm sure that EDF would extend the supply contract, if the project over-runs. Ask them! By the way: don't forget to secure the box for the supply and meter with a good padlock: or you could find people using your supply! For the caravan, in any case, I would suggest a gas water heater: much more normal, as both site vans and tourers are very limited, normally, on  the power available for site power hook-ups. Gives you showers and hot water for washing etc.  
  2. Couldn't agree more (Edited: to Wen's post on racial definitions: Just realised that this was confusing, as Benedicte's post was captured before mine![:$]). Sadly, actions for racism have been brought, successfully, under the Race Relationship Act and Employment Law, by Welsh, Irish and Scottish people. More of the PR gone mad area.[:-))]  
  3. Certainly can. Quite a bit on that topic here. http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/649721/ShowPost.aspx  
  4. Is it hot in Spring-Summerwhere you are? If so, consider using ally sheet bonded combination insulation, as it can become awful in converted lofts! Even in the far North where we are, the loft becomes unbearable when the sun's out!  
  5. Absolutely agree, Pip. What does concern me, significantly (since I am deeply involved in technology and have been since the early 80s and have spent much of my HFE involved time trying to make academics come into the real world and accept that much of what they hold dear has little if any relevance for grads obtaining useful, future proof and lucrative employment) is the ostrich-like perspective of so many towards creating and maintaining Competitive Advantage in the globalised, technology driven commercial world of today. My other posts in "The French are Revolting" also embrace this topic, as the thread has gone in this direction.  
  6. Michael: Many thanks for that. I am following, in theory, the advice of my chum and client, who is a semi-retired heating engineer. What we have agreed, in principle, is to make provision for the second pump, in case it's needed. In fact, for the upstairs, I will zone the whole circuit with a motorised valve and a demand pump. With some luck, the downstairs circuit should be OK:[8-)]. However, circa 182 feet out and 182 feet back is quite a long flow circuit! Far better if the pipes were flow-graded 28 m.m. down to 22 m.m. and finally 16 m.m etc, but the 28 m.m. would look unsightly since it will all be surface mounted. (Solid floor). C'est La vie !  
  7. [quote user="Dick Smith"] I was going to reply, but I've been teaching 'em all morning (mostly Hitler) and now the bell has gone for afternoon registration.. [/quote] Didn't know that he was around again, Dick. Amazing![8-)] Is he well behaved?  
  8. She was Pip: and I did, since education has been a great interest. Elitist? No pragmatist. There are far too many unemployed "graduates". In the mid-60s I worked with a number of people who were graduates at Ford of Europe; many had degrees they didn't use. One guy was doing computer print-out analysis with a degree in Ceramics. Not much connection there. I believe from my own current experiences that the halcyon days of jobs with any degree are rapidly going. We live in the age of the specialist, mainly driven by technology and globalisation: and the UK is losing, big time. Rremember just a few weeks ago, academics bemoaning the lack of physics and maths under-grads? Sociology might be fine for social workers and and their ilk: doesn't hack it in leading-edge IT, I'm afraid. China, India and Korea are turning out maths and science grads faster than almost anyone else. This single reality ought to make both educationalists and politicans wake up: but it won't  
  9. Has anyone read Patricia Atkinson book, "The Ripening Sun"? Wonderfully evocative of French rural culture and above all else, a fantastic story of a very brave and determined lady conquering lots of sad and tough breaks.  And succeeding: in France. I was so moved by this book, which I read last week (twice as it captured my imagination) that I contacted Patricia in order to ask her some leading questions about herself and the book. She assures me that WYSIWYG. Well worth reading. You can read something about Patrica on  http://www.cdywine.com  
  10. And the Greek Islands: and Cyprus: and the Balearics; and................... Who says Britain doesn't export anything?[:-))]    
  11. Maggi: Don't you think that drunken, wife, spouse and partner beating, as well as child beating happens, today? Apparently, it is worse than ever. Also, despite Social Security, child Support etc, many kids still go hungry and are cold. With inner city decay it is growing exponentially. Many UK pensioners live on the breadline: and many more beneath. As do many families: more than since the 70s. In many areas the UK is currently headed back towards the draconian excesses of Victorian England. Why do you think that antibiotic-resistant TB is running out of control? And Weils Disease? As I did say before, the UK experience depends on where you live and what job you have and what wealth you have access to: and perhaps above all, luck!  
  12. Well, you'll all got me going now on one of my soapboxes! It is critically important, I believe, since kids and their skills are the future: and their future is always in our, not their hands. Where did it all go wrong? Learning is a matter of discipline: self-discipline on the one hand: and imposed discipline on the other. As society has disintegrated and self has become the most important criterion with the majority, the value of education has been lost. With tower crane drivers earning £900 per week, and white van drivers earning significant sums, the core driver for obtaining an education has been lost. I well remember a professor from a University in the sixties, telling his students to stop wasting their time and become bricklayers! Wise words in one sense. Today, they all want to be footballers pop stars, models or DJs. I have watched each successive generation (privilege and wisdom of age!) grow up and have kids of their own. now on generation three. If the parents don't know how to behave, how can their kids? The reality was brought hime to me in the late 80s, when one of the kids at the school I was a governor of, attacked a teacher with a baseball bat! And this was a girl! I also remember wasting most of a day, on a disciplinary hearing for one of our teachers, who had finally snapped, and whacked little Jimmie on the head with a history book. Little Jimmie, of course, histrionically. fell to the floor and groaned. Another kid said, "I think you've killed 'im Sir!" In the final event, loads of people had to be there: solicitors for the LEA; for the teacher; experts, witnesses and most of the governing body. And all because the teacher was protesting a disciplinary black mark on his record. Don't blame him. After that, he was off with stress etc and came back to teach for the minimum few weeks and then of again, meaning that he was effectively retired early. If no one values education, from the politicians down, through the parents and the kids, then, eventually, good people won't be teachers: and far too many take up teaching as a job option, rather than from choice. From the late 50s on, society started to devalue teachers, instead of having the awesome respect they commanded.This has escalated to the point where Gresham's Law prevails: the bad drives out the good. Shuddup, Gluestick, back to work![:)]  
  13. When I bought my first motorbike  - 1957/8 - (A 125 c.c. BSA Bantam) which was then my pride and joy, one year later on, I gave one of the more attractive lasses from the youth club a lift home- naughty as I still had "L" plates on......................... The copper who chased me and stopped me gave me a real BO*******G! Not only for acting illegally, but as the young lady was not wearing a helmet! My main concern, since it was 10.00PM, was he and his observer calling at my house to see my docs. It would wake my Mum and then all hell would break out![:-))] Some five years later on, the same copper, "Jock" Surtees - honest, that was his name! - came to see me as I had bought a Triumph TR2 sports car, which had a registration problem. Nothing illegal just a mix-up between the seller and me. Jock gave me some very sound advice, as my car before, was an Austin A35. A wee bit of difference. He was more concerned with my and other's safety than anything else, and boy, did I respect him! A few years later, I drove against Jock in competitions: turned out he was one of the top police and competition drivers in the South East: we could laugh about the earlier years. Wonderful bloke. And I respected him more after I learned of his skills and successes. Happy days! They really were, too.[:D]  
  14. If the place is a shell, then sandblast away. The finish will depend on the type and grade of grit you use: not normally sand, per se, all depends on the job. Might be worth obtaining a professional quote. The equipment is quite expensive; big mobile compressor and professional standard sandblasting gun/s. The smaller handheld type are fine for "Spot" blasting, but not much use for larger areas. The best kit consists of a large pot to hold the medium. If you do undertake the job, remember to wear adequate protective clothing: and above all else, a proper and suitable respirator. The best types use positive air pressure (bled from the compressor) to exclude any dust. Also ensure that where using an IC engine rather than electricity for the compressor, it is critical to ensure that the compressor air intake is well away from the engine exhaust, or you'll be breathing a nice cocktail of noxious fumes which will include CO and CO2: not good for people! Good luck.  
  15. Of course, Jo, there is always the human condition of regarding youth with rose coloured glasses. we all do it, from time to time; such as it was always sunny and warm during school hols. Wasn't, of course, we just tend to remember the good days! However, from my own pretty vivid recolletions of the late 40s and 50s, there were many huge benefits to living through those decades. Walking to infant school by myself from 5 years of age onwards, after my Mum had shown me the way for a few days. And this was the edge of East London! Life has simpler activities and challenges: and more wholesome heroes, too. Sport played a big part in most kids lives. At school and for leisure. The 50s was an era of a sort of re-awakening. It promised everything to those with the energy and desire to better themselves. Yes, there were difficulties, for many, but there were opportunities, too. Women making cakes? Yes, they did do this, as well as making their own jam and preserves and jolly nice they were too: if one could buy the sugar! It was perhaps a far simpler life: not dominated by big business, possessions, money, pretention and the media. Reading was an escape and books were more literate and warming. Technology and invention was a keynote to Britain: a young attractive Queen and her dashing consort (he had hair then!), were the epitome of life and society and a true example to her subjects. Everest was climbed by Hilary and Tensing: Jaguar won (again!) at le Mans and both in time for the coronation. Scouts were more popular than drugs and gangs. People could walk the streets, in most  places, at night: although most were in bed sleeping in order to put in a full and energetic day on the morrow. Music was live; rather than an endless repetition of canned blather. Young people were forming groups: bands comprised at least twenty musicians with instruments. Miming at live performances was unknown. Messages were sent by handwritten notes or letters: and even telegrams! Smart women ruled the roost: contrary to populist current opinion! They didn't need or want equality. They wanted to be women and if they had kids, bring them up as well as possible and be wives to their husband. Living in sin was unusual: not the norm. Walking up the aisle with two of your kids just didn't happen. Christenings came before weddings! Divorce was difficult and too expensive for most. So they tended to make marriage work more, rather than discarding it like an out-of-fashion coat. Men wore trousers and perspired: and women were the ones who always seemed to smell nice and wore dresses and skirts silks and satins and lace. Kids respected their parents and teachers: and perhaps above all else coppers on the beat! And most important, the elderly, particularly Grandma and Grandad, who were revered, not rushed off to a home. If a copper smacked you around the ear; you were more concerned with the other smack you'd have from Dad, rather than suing the local police authority. Post arrived on time and was treated as sacrosanct as it was still known as Her Majesty's Mail and her property whilst in transit. Cyling was fun: and we didn't need lycra babygrows, helmets and 100 gears: we often built our own racing bikes. Once you bought a car, it was probably a 1930s antique! And you spent every spare moment underneath, keeping it running: and learning how it worked in the process. And once you bought a more modern car, boy, did you value it and respect it. Driving was a privilege: not a social right. It wasn't a contest of ego, either. No, you're right, Jo: it was horrible![;-)]  
  16. What an interesting and enlightening thread this has turned out to be! [:)] The school I mentioned earlier, Dick, I believe to be an excellent example of some of the malaise facing education per se, in the UK. Originally, it was two schools: then they (girls and boys) were merged. This became a split site school, across a very busy urban road. Sensible. The two heads had to compete for one headship. Unfortunately, the lady won! I say unfortunate, as she was a progressive liberal educationlist and bearing in mind the catchment zone, then, she was far too weak and namby pamby to take control, with predictable results. The previous boy's head, became a deputy. he was fantastic, a great teacher and liked and respected by all the kinds and staff too. (As a matter of record, he later moved on - with considerable backing from many governors like myself - to take over a problem secondary school which he turned around in short order to the point where it now has parents banging on the doors to admit their kids!). My own view is that education became an experiment for both social scientists and politicans in the 60s. neatly forgetting that the future of Great Britian plc and the kids was at stake: these were not lab rats, they were people: and holistically, the system has failed them: and us: dismally![:-))] The reality was further worsened by government's knee-jerk reaction to  realising, far too late, that the post-war Baby Bulge meant that there were sufficient schools and teachers to meet forward demand. Enter the Noveau teacher, who was not well qualified: yet seemed to form the nucleus of the extremely militant left-wing unionist. And it's happening again! Right now! Add Teaching Assistants and it's all a recipe for even bigger disaster.  Back to the school! Since those days and after the Board of Governors became more organised and energetic (mainly thanks to the deputy chair, a good friend of mine, a brilliant early retired nuclear physicist) and the head retired, the school converted to GMS. A new excellent head was recruited: sadly, moving from the north of England, he could not afford, finally to relocate: indeed, for nine months, he "Camped" in the deputy chair of governor's house, whilst he vainly tried to buy some suitable house of his own. The school is now a great success: with parents banging on the doors etc. Only a few years before and for some twenty years, it was a school with a reputation: and to be avoided at all costs. I moved on to HFE and became an External Examiner and Moderator to our local Polytech-University (now a full university) attached to the Business School faculty at MBA level. Since then (I resigned my tenure owing to professional pressures), I have been involved on a very much ad hoc basis to one of the London universities, both the business school and the technology areas. My sad conclusions are that the Polytech Universities were a reprise of various knee-jerk reactions to try and massage youth unemployment figures. "Degrees" in an eclectic range of pointless subjects, such as media studies, hairdressing health and hygiene et al, have both denegrated HFE, prostituted the university system and brainwashed parents who brag their brat is "Off to Uni!" Sad. Forsooth, we even had a cleaner a few years ago, who boasted a Masters Degree in some mickey mouse health area. Amazing, since as a cleaner she was totally useless. I wouldn't say thick, but the expression two short planks comes to mind! Unfortunately, I developed the reputation as Real World Man, when sitting on SAP sessions. By this time, the ersatz universities had all cottoned on to the wheeze of filling their groves of pretend academe with foreign students. Great ! Bums on Seats = Cash = Continuum for Salaries =  Perpetuation of Scam. Boringly, I repeated my mantra about MBA students who could neither read nor write English properly and how could they be marked with integrity? I kept bringing other Examiner's and lecturers and Hof D's focus onto GEMAT, for example. A prophet crying in the wilderness I'm afraid. As an employer, I find great difficulty with young earnest applicants who cannot write at least reasonably. They cannot seem to grasp that business letters must be punctilious in meaning, as any potential ambiguity can mean a law suit! Deaf ears. Each day, I receive letters which start, "Further to our telephone conversation." Full stop, paragraph! Punctuation? Makes letters look "Messy!" They are full of smart answers, yet no real knowledge. "Send this letter to Belgium." "Is that near Canada?" Local Head teacher to hall full of potential employers and businessmen: " Spelling is not important:  self-expression and conveying meaning is what it's all about!" Predictable howls of derision from hall! When one listener takes pointed issue, with comments like, "I don't run an Exenstentialist play school! I run a business, with public credibility and efficiency of primary imortance!", Head fails to understand and starts to argue, vehemently, that employer is wrong and Head is right! Give me strength!        
  17. Just a small amendment: in the  proceeding post, I intended the "You" to be taken as "One": in other words not as a personal riposte to jo53, however, using "one" all the time can sound a bit cumbersome and even pretentious.  
  18. Interesting perspective, jo53. I fear that dependant upon the area in Britain to which you relocate, of course, and your, without intending to be personal, level of wealth, and career path, you may well be in for a rude surprise. I did experience fifties Britain, as I was born in 1941: thus I experienced the back-end of the forties, too. Boring? No, not at all! Far from it! People repressed? What, they aren't repressed now? If by repressed, you mean not so much bed-hopping, well yes. A lot of this went on during and immediately after WWII, of course. If you mean law-abiding, then well, yes, too. There were significant social values extant in the 50s which definiteley do not exist now. No era is perfection. Some tended to have more values, on balance than others. Depends what you want, I guess. If it's clubbing and being deafened by loud noise masquerading as music and paying 200% more for drinks and jerking about under scintillating lasers until 3 in the morning, then wonderful. Provided, of course, that you don't object to having your head kicked in as you wait for a cab, afterwards. Depends what people want, I guess.  
  19. So Dick, the corollary to what you are saying, is that corporal punishment is not effective ( as well as being banned, as we know) and the lack of respect and discipline experienced today, is down to poor teachers only? Hmm...........I started at an excellent grammar school in 1953. A few years back it was the 75th anniversary dinner of the Old Boy's Assoc. Wonderful evening! On my table, the ages ranged from mid-thirties to seventy three.(The 73 year old was sitting next to me and earlier in the evening had been proudly passing around pictures of himself, 250 feet up the mainmast of a Russian clipper which he had helped crew over the Atlantic in mid-winter![8-|]). Towards the end of the dinner, I took a straw poll. I asked everyone who had been caned by the head (a feared punishment) to raise their hand. The majority did. I then asked how many had vandalised a telephone box: beaten a Granny; beaten their wives or children, etc, etc, etc. OK, so they wouldn't admit it, OK. However, the point was driven home. Most of the social problems were expelled early on: and oh yes, the then Grading Test did allow some "Rotten Apples" through. The vast majority of ex-boys, however, were apparently well balanced good citizens, whatever that means! As en ex Co-opted County Council School Governor, back in the late 80s (LMS era), of a problem secondary  school, my experience was somewhat different. I would say, from direct experience, that yes, the Primary and Junior teachers had in the main failed, dismally, as of the kids meant to be starting their 11+ syllabus (sorry! I still think in terms of the older system of schools and years) circa 90% were at aged 7+ in Reading, Writing, Comprehension, and Arithmatic. No hope of them starting the syllabus then. We at that time had the services of a fantastic remedial teacher, county funded. Within six months (three sessions per week only), she had 90% of the 90% up to 12+. Then of course, County took away the funding on the basis that it was not essential![Www] But then, these same "Experts", at that time, decided that Dyslexia was not real! Something I happened to know a mite about, as a friend and both his children were hugely dyslexic. Luckily, he was very wealthy (Self-made despite his handicap), and his kids both received special remedial help: one became a TV producer: and the other CEO of a large IT company. Makes you think......................
  20. Liz: The only persons who can legally connect to the main supply, are engineers working for EDF: or, in the very unlikely event, contractors, engaged by EDF and working on their specific instructions. I know no retailer or Bricolage, or Chappi ( a trade heating and electricity supplier), who can supply a meter! EDF will run the supply into the pighouse. They will install the meter (Compteur) and their safety cutout: it is then up to you to arrange the connection of the "Tails" from the cutout. If you have the Tableaux already in situ, then EDF may, make the connection for you: smile nicely! Personally, I would visit your nearest EDF-GDF office, order the supply, sign the paperwork and ask for a visit date. They can normally rustle up someone who speaks reasonable English: even on the end of he telephone. Thereafter, install the housing for the Tableaux, Compteur and Cutout and wait! Also pester EDF as they can be notorious for slippage! Get some sleep: large glasses of red sherbet helps![;-)] Heh! You are thinking France, here!  
  21. [quote user="Russethouse"] Can I make a suggestion ? If you really feel the need to slag some one off walk away from the computer and go and have a cup of tea/coffee, count to ten several times etc ( I would suggest a nice glass of wine, but I wouldn't want anyone enboldened [:(]) Ovaltine may be ideal [:)][:)] ) [/quote] Well, I don't feel the need: that's the whole point. I came here from "That other place" since it seemed far more well, adult, I suppose. However, recent endless diatribes (which don't actually bother me, BTW) seem to be positively discouraging others and I can't see the point in this. However, as some members seem to like endless circular arguments along the lines of, "But you said; she said, then I said; then you said............................." it just seemed logical to create one space where they can snipe at each other until they themsleves become bored by the whole process. That's all.  
  22. Can I make what is intended to be a constructive comment and suggestion? Why not have a new area which could be called, "Slag Off Zone", where members who like this sort of activity can attack each other ad infinitum? It should tidy things up a wee bit and also make flamewars easier to put out. Most important of all, it should help threads to stay on topic and prevent boring so many with fueds and petty squabbles, as well as discouraging new members. In fact a Win:Win:Win proposition![I]  
  23. All depends on the flows. 28 m.m. sounds like overkill. I have to feed circa 40 feet along and then 15 feet across and then 88 feet all the way down and  15 across the house, again and then 30 feet along. This should be OK in 22 m.m., but to be sure, I am putting a second criculating pump at the extreme end of the return circuit. Then, later, I will go up into the converted loft and a similar round trip journey! Another pump up there too, I think!  
  24. Good price for bulk buy at present. BTW, I know Frevent well! Friends have a farmhouse at Houvin Houvigneul, just up the road! Nice area.[:)]  
  25. Cards pre-loaded with cash. They were originally trialed in (from memory) four or five centres in France. The idea was that eventually, one could pre-load the card with "Cash" via the Net or at ATMs and were menat to lead to cashless shopping and purchases. Haven't caught on as yet. The future (for low value purchases such as parking) now seems to be cellphones, using Bluetooth, or other radio frequency linking technology. Allready up and running in South Korea: but since almost every modern tech concept is already up and running in South Korea, this is not a surprise really![+o(]  
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