Member postings for Peter G. Shaw

May I suggest another reference source?

Greenwood Tools, now closed, yet the website is still available (I've just checked). Up near the rhs of the top line, will be found Technical Information. This then gives information about carbide inserts including cutting & turning speeds. It also gives some information about grades of Carbide, but be aware that it then refers to Greenwoods own designation.

Good luck,

Peter G. Shaw

p.s. I ended up going to APT for the few inserts I use. I have to say that I prefer HSS, or even High Carbon steel, but then I'm a Luddite!!!

Edited By Peter G. Shaw on 19/02/2023 11:12:28

Hello all, another Linux convert here.

I blew out Microsoft when they stopped updating XP, 10 years ago was it? Anyway, like Gary I had a number of programs designed for Windows, but what I found was that programs such as Outlook Express & Internet Explorer could be easily changed to Thunderbird & Firefox, I never actually used Microsoft Office as I didn't really have a need for all those bells and whistles, but Libre Office seems able to supply my limited needs & wants. One point in favour of these alternatives is that they have both Linux and Windows versions hence the changeover can be made much less painful by replacing the purely Windows programs with the Linux, more correctly Open Source, programs first, getting used to the new programs, then changing to Linux afterwards.

I also had programs such as Paint Shop Pro (PSP) & Design Cad (DC). These were somewhat more difficult, especially as Wine, an intermediary program, wasn't very good 10 years ago. PSP was eventually replaced by The Gimp, whilst DC isn't perfect, but with the increasing improvement to Wine, is now very usable. Incidently, I use an old version of DC as I really can't be bothered updating.

I also have a no longer supported DOS based database program called M-Pro or Masterfile Professional. I have got this working under Linux Mint Mate v.20 using an intermediary program called DOSEmu2. (There is an original version called DOSEmu, but that no longer works under Linux Mint.)

The only program I failed to get working was TaxCalc, but as I found the HMRC on-line program satisfactory, it wasn't that much of a loss.

So, my advice is to take it slowly, start with programs that have both Windows & Linux versions, then change to Linux (and the Linux versions) when you are used to the new programs.

For anything awkward, Wine these days is very good and does allow Windows programs to run reasonably well under Linux.

For DOS based programs, try DOSEMU2. There is another DOS Emulator known as DOSBox. My experience with that is that firstly it's aimed at the gaming community, and secondly, it requires a lot of effort to get it working.

Finally, FWIW, I have my machines setup to emulate the XP desktop as near as I can do it without delving deep into the Linux innards. I don't bother with pretty background pictures, using instead black background & white text. It all works for me, and I would certainly recommend changing over to Linux, not least of which because that way you can avoid the Microsoft "tax".

Cheers,

Peter G. Shaw

We have two Canon cameras - Powershot A640 & Powershot A610. In both instances, the instruction guides say this:

"This camera uses AA-size alkaline batteries or Canon AA size NiMH batteries (sold separately).

While it is possible to use AA-size nickel-cadmium batteries, performance is unreliable and their use is not recommended."

We have used NiMH cells

Peter G. Shaw

I've been reading the article about the Artemis1 project by NASA in MEW324. Quite interesting until I came to the penultimate paragraph where the article says that "NASA will land the first women and the first person of color on the surface of the Moon,"

Just what has a person's colour got to do with Lunar exploration? I can just about understand that the first woman may be appropriate, but I do not accept that reference to a persons colour has any relevance in what is a scientific project.

I'd be interested to know what other people think.

Peter G. Shaw

Nigel,

I wonder if the reduction in spam is due to you not responding to it. I have noticed that fraudulent telephone calls seem to come in little waves, and after I have sent a few packing all goes quiet for a while, even some months. One theory I have been told is that the blighters trade Yes/No number-lists. If so, perhaps similar occurs with unsolicited e-posts.

Would BT Internet (also my ISP) recognise the traps so can co-operate with them?

Short answer - I've no idea, but I've wondered that. Does BT recognise my traps? Again I've no idea, but I suspect not. FWIW, I have a vague recollection that the major ISP's do keep taking down obvious scams, but that's all it is, vague! In other words, I don't really know.

Dave/SOD,

The only time I sent a long article to Neil, I did it by breaking it into a number of small standalone packages and numbered everything accordingly. Unfortunately, Neil then combined two of them and thus messed up my careful numbering. But that's by the by. What was important was that I broke the article into smaller sections, and then sent them using (in my case) Thunderbird (an open source email client similar to the usual one from Microsoft). So, no need for Dropbox or anything else of that ilk.

Tootle Pip,

Peter G. Shaw

Edited By Peter G. Shaw on 22/01/2023 12:41:28

Was I right to do that?

In my opinion, yes.

I ignore any and all emails from people/businesses/whatever that I don't do business with. These days I actually get very little spam and I don't really know why. A few years ago, I did use to get lots of spam and thus I setup mugtraps to catch them before they were displayed, but over the years, it has reduced to negligible proportions, so much so that I no longer have any mugtraps. Why this is so, I haven't a clue, unless it's my ISP, BTInternet, that's blocking them.

Cheers,

Peter G. Shaw

Oddly, I don’t really remember the 1982 winter, even though there has been a TV programme recently about it. Unless it was the time I went by train to Stone on a training course and was advised to make the journey in stages by BR staff, ie take that train until it terminates, and then change to another train. That journey, about 100miles, took 8 hours or so.

I do remember the 1962/63 winter. I was a GPO linesman at the time and my patch was just over the hill from Jackson Bridge – aficionados of Last of the Summer Wine will know where I mean. I remember “bending” the van when I lost control on a bend; burying the van bonnet in a new snow drift about ½ hour after the snow plough had been along the road; sliding down a road with right angle bend in it (and no, I wasn’t going too fast as I was in 1^st gear on tickover). Somehow, I regained control; climbing a hill in 2^nd (to avoid having to change down on the slope) and passing a Jaguar at 30 degrees to the road and a single-decker bus slowly making the climb. But the one thing that really struck home was the day I followed a gritter between two villages along a smooth road. A few hours later and travelling back over that same road, I found myself having to dodge holes about 5 or 6 inches deep. Yes, folks, that smooth road was actually 5 to 6 inches of hard packed snow and ice.

Other than that, my parents had some photos of the 1947 winter, something I don’t remember, yet in 1954, as an 11 year old, having to walk to an adjacent village to catch a normal service bus, the “Schools Special” having failed to arrive. Surprisingly, I didn’t get told off when arriving at school over an hour late.

I also remember the 1995 winter. We had just bought a new (to us) house with no insulation. To give some idea as to how cold that winter was, it seems that the hydraulic fluid turned mushy in the lifeboats some 7 miles away and caused tremendous, and expensive, damage when the crew attempted to start the engines.

Yes folks, a lot of people today have no idea about harsh winters!

Cheers,

Peter G. Shaw.

I used a similar method to Hopper's to weigh our rather large black Labrador. Needless to say, he wasn't very happy at being asked to sit on a wobbly plank. I placed one end of the plank on the bathroom scales and the other was suspended from a spring balance. Add the two readings together, and the dog weighed 105lbs.

Peter G. Shaw

Initially, I used to use WD40 both as an initial protector, but also as a cleaning agent to remove the inevitable stains which seemed to occur. I also have a cloth of some description (sorry, I've no idea what it's made of) which I put over the lathe and then a folded sheet of black plastic (folded to get it down to a suitable size). Initially, the plastic was to protect against water leaks in what was then a leaky garage.

Needless to say, it was quite a messy job cleaning up and then respraying.

Ultimately, I used some small self-regulating cabinet heaters from RS Components I bolted two of the 10W versions on the inside of the lathe bed. Magic! No more rusting, and the lathe always felt just that little bit warmer than anything else. The downside? It turned out these things despite being rated at 10W, were actually running at 19W - correctly so it seemed according to the spec sheet. So two heaters, 38W in total & no rust.

Since then I've added one to a large lump of 13mm thick aluminium wedged in the base of my milling machine. Again, I use an old chair cover, material indeterminate but came from my mother so probably manmade, along with a thin plastic cover. Again, no rust.

Ok, it works, but, these days especially, at a cost, but compared with the otherwise mess of WD40, for me currently worth it.

Cheers,

Peter G. Shaw

I've long thought of Christmas Cards, and indeed all such cards, eg birthday, being nothing more than a money grabbing exercise by the card manufacturers and the associated sellers of same. And as such, for a few years now have restricted my card sending to my sister (overseas) and my brother (about 130 miles away). My wife, of course, thinks otherwise, but that's up to her!

However, this year, I've stopped all together, I mean, what's the point when you can't even guarantee that they'll get there on time unless you post a few weeks in advance!

It's a big con.

What makes it worse, is the realization that Christmas is largely a manufactured event anyway, eg when was Christ actually born? Answer - no-one really knows. December 25 just happens to be a convenient date! And I believe actually has pagan overtones. (I look forward to being shot down on that one.)

I must admit that in years gone by as a singer I have enjoyed taking part in Carol Concerts, but even then, some of the carols are misleading. Does anyone really think that Good King Wencelas, as an example, has anything really to do with Christ's birth? I know I don't.

I suppose, in reality I'm rather jaded by the whole Christmas thing, after all, I've had 79 of them. It was ok, well, more than ok really, as a child receiving a pillowcase (stockings were a bit too small) full of toys, and then doing something similar for my own children, but now?

Yes, Christmas has lost it's sparkle for me.

Tootle Pip,

Peter G. Shaw

Frank,

I quite agree. It simply is not necessary to have a degree for much of what goes on. And certainly not of the "Meeja Studies" types.

When I look back at my career, such as it was, I had three "O" levels and a C&G Full Technological Certificate. And yet, through an amount of self-study, I did some low-level electronic design, was involved in some prototype telecom engineering, and produced a routing plan which when the manager who requested it, saw it, he said "I like it. Do it!" Not bad for someone with my low level of formal education and no degree in sight.

Having said that, I have three children: my daughter, six 'O' levels worked for HMRC ending up as a VAT Inspector: elder son gained a MPhys 2:2, taugh for a few years and now runs his own business: my younger son should never have gone to university - he gained a third Bsc in Physics and hasn't used it.

Peter G. Shaw

Mick,

Absolutely no idea!

Peter

Peter,

It's silly question because I didn't know it was something I dreamed up or not, and all I really wanted to know was did it ring any bells. Which it has done, and hence honour satisfied. I've absolutely no desire to re-read it having discovered the memory was real.

For instance, I have another, rather more personal memory dating from possibly 1947. Now, bear in mind I am the eldest of my parents children. I was born in 1943. In May, 1947, my 1st younger brother was born. Unfortunately it turned out that he was, shall we say defective, and had he lived, then he would have been institutionalised. As it was, he lived for just over 12 months before dying on the operating table. Now, my 2nd brother was born in 1952, and according to my mother, was identical to the 1st brother, except that he turned out to be extremely normal, and bigger than me. Anyway, I have a memory of a baby sat in a pram, but everytime I call it up mentally, it turns into a photograph. So brother No.1 or brother No.2? For what it's worth, I do have proven memories of a period say May/June/July 1948 when I was a rising 5, to use today's terminology. And when I mentioned them to my parents say 20 or so years ago, they were surprised how much I had remembered. But of course, the baby memory can now never be proven.

So yes, a silly question, of absolutely no importance other than to prove that I didn't dream it.

Incidently, after brother no.2, my parents then went on to produce my sister, who, it turned out, got the lion's share of whatever passes for IQ etc in our family.

Thankyou, one and all.

Peter G. Shaw

I have a memory of a book I read a long, long time ago when I was, say, about 10 years old, so 70 or so years ago. Now this book belonged to my grandparents, possibly H G Wells, but not guaranteed, and they, of course are long gone, as has their daughter, my mother.

The story line was, I suppose, wierd. Apparently it involved taking young adults, and performing a brain swop with an older person, thus giving the older brain a new lease of life. It also involved using some other liquid as a medium whilst the swop was done.

Don't remember anything else about it. Was it a figment of my imagination? Does it ring any bells with anyone?

Grandparents did have quite a number of books - H G Wells, Marie Corelli & others, and I do remember reading the HG Wells books, but not the others, but we all know how reliable memory is, especially after 70 years or so.

Any thoughts?

Peter G. Shaw

As the Peter Shaw from the other thread, I'm now coming back on this, more appropriate thread.

Unfortunately, over the years I have come across quite a number of incompetant people, both "doers" and "admin" types. I've also come across some very competant people in both categories, indeed in my early days I put in a travel claim only to get it rejected. On querying why, it turned out that it was actually HMRC rules I was breaking, and in all fairness to the admin type, she explained it very well. So yes, as a "doer" myself I have made mistakes.

But, in my current situation, the admin person who rejected my request for a parking permit was quite arrogant about it, and that I did not like. There really is no excuse for rudeness. In the second instance, it was the delay in starting treatment that I really did not like, the fact that she was also telling me that I had to travel excess miles was, if you like, the icing on the cake. When all said and done, it's my life, my longevity, they are dealing with. Of course, I do not know if her (in)action has caused my life to shorten, but there will always be that nagging thought now.

I must admit that the second lady above seemed very pleasant over the 'phone, indeed the vast majority do, but there will always be that nagging doubt about speed.

Martin Kyle,

Near the beginning of the Covid lockdown, I had some eye trouble and was asked to photograph both eyes and submit the photos by email to the surgery. Not exactly easy to photograph ones own eyes, but I managed it, and ended up on a suitable drug, can't remember what it was. Since then I have used that email system a few times. It works well, provided I can get a good steady photo of whatever it was - and that's not as easy as it sounds.

I've even had to photograph my feet and submit those photos to my podiatrist - non-NHS, but very, very good. But again, try holding you camera steady when pointing down at your feet - I don't find it easy, but at least with a digital camera I can try, try, and try again until I get a satisfactory photo without blurring and shake.

KWIL,

During the Covid thingy, I developed a rash on a rather personal part of my body. I lied to the receptionist, and when I finally managed to speak (telephone) to the GP, I explained why. The GP, female, was actually quite understanding about it. It turned out that in fact I was reacting against the ointment being used, it did actually work, but I needed to reduce the time I was exposed to it.

And with that, it's goodnight from me,

Peter G. Shaw

Thanks for the support Clive.

re Banking restrictions being removed. My immediate thought was that we are heading towards another banking crash as what I read was exactly what caused the American failures, ie using peoples personal savings to support risky commercial lending.

When will these people learn!

Peter G. Shaw

The trouble is, and I'm going off-topic here, this isn't just restricted to banking, although that's bad enough.

I have, as I understand it, incurable lung cancer and recently the treatment stopped working. Test were done, ok, it took 2 weeks but c'est li vie, n'estcepas? So, an appointment was set up to discuss my future treatment at a hospital 27 miles away. On arrival I asked about the possibility of a card for free parking. "No, you are not here for treatment", was the rather arrogant reply from an admin type. Bitter experience dictates that there is no point arguing back, so swallowed the nastiness, and paid for parking.

Later, after discussions with the oncologist, he said that I was to have a another, immediate blood test, and I would be contacted within a day or two to arrange for me to get my new pills. Two days later I started chasing and discovered firstly that, again the admin people, were treating me as a "new" patient - I've only had cancer for just over 3 years! And secondly, they were sending me to another hospital, some 14 miles away, firstly for a blood test, and then 2 working days later back for the pills. For the whole of those three years I have been having blood tests done at my local GP - 2 miles away. So why on earth should I have to travel 14 miles! Twice! And so much for the oncologists one or two days!

Incidently, the nurses at the nearer hospital were more than happy for me to have the blood test done at the GP's.

It seems to me that we, unfortunately, are developing an administrative class of people who simply do not care about the people who they are supposed to be serving. I have to admit that I am in the process of compiling a letter of complaint about this, but I fear that it will be water off a duck's back, after all, who deals with complaints - yes, the administrative team.

Sorry about the rant - I'm rather sore!

Incidently, my experience of the Nurses, and the Oncologists is absolutely first class - it's just the blasted admin people who don't seem to realise their priorities.

Peter G. Shaw

Throughout the 1970's I was a member of a small group of six people - at work, I should hastily add. Of these six people, one, me, was probably the most right wing member, whilst another was definitely the most left wing member. We also had one member who was vary adept at starting non-work related contentious arguments and then sitting back whilst the arguments raged. Yes, I'm using strongish language.

The really odd thing about this was that the left wing member, was probably the one person I would have gone to if I was in serious difficulty about something (non-work related)!

I wonder what that says about us.

Of course, back then I was a relatively young man along with a young man's views on things. Time moderates all those views. Today, I wouldn't get involved, simply smile, and figuratively walk away, having learned that getting involved doesn't do anyone's (read 'my' ) reputation any good, and generally, entrenched views don't change.

Cheers,

Peter G. Shaw

Edited to get rid of a Smiley that appeared.

Edited By Peter G. Shaw on 20/11/2022 11:18:15

I have to say that I think it's not before time. Indeed, I haven't used fax on a personal basis for, I think, about 15 years, but then as a non-working person, I don't really have much need of it. I think the last time I used fax was to send some information to my GP - today they use email.

A few years ago I did have a spate of receiving faxes which were not for me and it took some tracking down to find out who they were intended for and then to get it stopped. The problem was that my Linux based computers did not do fax and I couldn't be bothered setting it up. Also, because of this, I was unable to read the faxes to determine their correct destination. Eventually, I found a telephone number of a firm that was sending them, telephoned them, and received a load of abuse on the lines of it's no-one here. I did then wish that I did indeed have a working fax as I would have sent copies back to them, probably multi-copies at that, the reason being that the originating telephone number was shown at the top of the fax so I had proof of where they were coming from.

Later, I found another telephone number for a different firm that was sending them, and this time I managed to get back to the person who was sending them only to find that they were being sent to a local performance car specialist firm. On contacting this firm, I discovered that they were indeed using my home 'phone number as their fax no. Needless to say, they changed tack pretty quickly once they knew. It transpired that it was all down to misreading the third digit of their fax telephone number.

As it was, we had a few weeks of receiving faxes with next to no come back. And I wasn't happy!

Having said all that, I do think that fax has been of use, but ii's time has now come to an end.

Cheers,

Peter G. Shaw

Speaking on a purely personal basis ha ha, ie I've had a quick look through the chemo thingy mentioned above and soon lost interest (doesn't say much for me does it), anyway...

2000, I suspect, but certainly 2005, I developed Menieres in the right ear. This resulted in the application of an anti-biotic, gentamycin, which has known oto-toxic properties. This was applied whilst under a general anaesthetic, the idea being as I understand it, to kill the little hairs in the semi-circular canals and thus prevent any signals from reaching the brain, thus (what a lot of thus's) preventing the nastagmus and dizziness associated with Menieres. This worked, and althoug I lost a lot, well ok, most, of my hearing in that ear, at least I no longer suffered from nastagnus & dizziness. A small price to pay!

2015 I had a minor (is there such a thing?) heart attack. Two stents later and I'm on quite a few drugs.

2019 I was diagnosed with lung cancer and placed on targetted drug therapy, the drug concerned being Afatinib aka Giotrif which has had the effect of shrinking the cancer.

Now, last year, I think it was - time flies when you're having fun (not), I had a hearing test. Right ear about nil, or perhaps slightly better than nil. Left ear not good, but better (better? Yay!) than the previous test 3 years before. And so I ended up with TWO hearing aids supplied by the NHS. One was the most powerful they supply and that was for the right ear whilst the left ear, well I suppose it does give a boost.

Cutting through the drivel, then, I find it interesting that the ear that failed first, the right ear, was one that I used to ill-treat as a young man by listening to very loud sounds via a single earpiece headset. Was that the original cause of my hearing loss? It certainly makes me wonder. The left ear, well, I hadn't noticed anything amiss until Easter 2017, so I presume that any deterioraton up to then was gradual and age related. At Easter 2017, I was taking part in a concert as a choral singer, something I had done for the last 50 years or so, when something happened to the left ear - I lost low frequency response. Over the next 18 months or so, the ear apparently recovered, hence the test indicating a better response, but still not right. Or was it perhaps two different people doing tests with different equipment in two different buildings? Actually, I don't think so because my own perception is that the hearing has recovered somewhat. Now, why did it recover? And why did it take 18 months or so? Was it perhaps something to do with the brain acclimatising itself to new conditions? I don't know, but what I do know now is that I'm rather more carefull about sounds and I've fully retired from choral singing.

So, I have had an oto-toxic antibiotic used on me to stop the negative aspects of a problem which may, or may not, have been self inflicted all those many years ago. Plus I'm on various medications which may, or may not, have had an effect from which I have partially recovered on the other ear.

Hmmm,

Peter G. Shaw