What did you do Today 2018

We've got a falling-over club, of which I am a founder member - and all sympathy to Neil's wife. Mark, don't tell us you're trying to start a serious burns branch!

As this thread seemes to be the location of the ministry of silly ideas and in response to the Part Built Sweet Pea thread could I make this suggestion. If anyone is starting a project he or she would profit by starting at the end rather than the beginning. The obvious logic being that if the project is abandoned in the half way stage it would be easier to sell and command a higher price on the basis that the half that has been completed will match the multitude of halves that are already on the market in a part built state which were begun at the beginning. Perhaps this thought could be included in the words and wisdom of the buying a project article as being a wry idea?.

regards Martin

If you suggested a 12 day week I'm sure the Brexiteers would go for it, but 10 sounds like johnny foreigner territory to me.

Yes, but would you only want to limit it to 10 points on your driving licence ??

Thanks for the best wishes for the SO

Neil

Neil,

Please add me to the list of well-wishers; I missed your post this morning.

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What I did today was well-intentioned but foolish:

We have a rather good cross-cut shredder, and I habitually shred all of the 'personally identifiable' paper, etc.

'etcetera' generally includes the address-panel cut out of the plastic MEW mailing envelope.

Today, I decided to do my bit to help protect the oceanic wildlife; by shredding the whole of the last three MEW wrappers. [shredding goes to landfill] ...

The shredder jammed solid, and I am still trying to remove the strips of thin plastic that wrapped around, and between, all those cutters. ... The machine looks like a lunatic plumber has run amok with a reel of PTFE tape.

Learning point: The plastic is sufficiently thin that cutters designed for copy-paper don't reliably shred it.

MichaelG.

MichaelG

I always put plastic wrappers in an envelope then shred. Iv'e never had a problem

regards

Paul

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Thanks, Paul

Yes, that's what I have always done with the cut-out address panels from the MEW mailers.

Unfortunately, I didn't think to do it with the three complete wrappers that I shredded today.

The first two appeared to go through O.K. but the machine jammed on the third.

Having spent about three hours pulling plastic out of the cutters, it's still jammed solid; so I will have to strip it down properly.

MichaelG.

Michael- Run the shredder in reverse, might not clear it but will help-slackens off the ribbons. I have an oil drum with holes and burn all that stuff.

As well as minimising the size of the plastic and wrapping it in paper I occasionally put a sheet of lightly-oiled A4 through as recommended by the shredder manual.

This morning on instructions from above I relocated the shredder under the loaded clothes horse in the ute room. Following the shredding of some paper I wondered where the micro fibre cloth was. After a search it was discovered. In the shredder bin. Silly me trying to help.

Mike, not to belittle your and some other members recent painful experiences, thank goodness it is a ‘falling-over’ and not ‘falling -out’ club which would appear to be somewhat prevalent these days on some other forums.

Jim

When winding up the affairs of a defunct charity I had to buy a professional-quality shredder, and with it came oiled paper for lubricating the cutters. Unfortunately, it didn't like damp paper, which jammed it on a regular basis. I finished up burning the papers in a cheap garden rubbish incinerator bought from B & Q. The papers had been stored in a rather damp garage for six years, as required by the charity regulator here in Scotland.

I have to confess I have never been fussy about burning or shredding papers with my name and address on them. I'm in the phone book and on the electoral roll. As a journalist, I can tell you that you can't really hide from someone who is determined to find out your personal details.

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If only it was that easy, Gordon !!

The shredder, which has a 380W induction motor, is in 'self-protection mode' and will not run in either direction. I think it's the little strips that are jammed between the cutters that are jamming it.

MichaelG,

Damn freezing in the garage but I persevered.

Two jobs ticked off.

Small G clamp modified to grip to a boat gunnel with a side bracket to stop it from rotating upwards due to the fish finder transducer leg that was added to the outside end. Also bracket made to attach the transducer to the bottom of the leg. All in stainless steel but not too difficult now that I have learnt to use SLOW speed and cutting paste with LOTS of pressure.

Turned up some thin wall brass spigots to go in side RC model exhaust flexi tube. Theses are to get an in cowl exhaust on the Flair Pupeteer biplane I am finishing off. Once I have braised the blank in I will tap it M10 x 0.75 to fit onto the header tube. This will than get bent to shape before braising the other end complete with stinger pipe.

Regards Clive

Well thats OK as far as it goes but if you posses 2 utility bills with someones name and address on them you don't just have the information you also have documents that go someway in identifying you as that person. From this website I know you are Mike which is shared information if I had your electricity bill I have partial proof of identity that I could be you. Link that with some kind of photo identity with my photo and your name and I'm on the way to passing myself off as you.

I'm not sure I get too worked up about identity theft particularly as I have something of a low electronic footprint but it as well to be aware of how these things work.

regards Martin

I realise that, Martin, but in our household we don't have any utility bills because electricity, gas, phone and rates are all paid on line. I am sure you will point out that this is equally dangerous in terms of identity theft, but in a rural community such as ours it seems to be the only way forward. But yes, everyone should take care.

You might be "on your way" to passing yourself off but I suspect it would be a pretty short journey. You need to prove both your ID and your address independently. The utility bill just verifies the address.

You need to produce an original, official proof of ID such as a passport or photo ID, original benefit form, shotgun license etc. If you start throwing those out in the rubbish willy nilly then fair enough, perhaps you need to be helped to lose some of your assets. If you want to use a facsimile of your ID such as a photocopy of an official ID, it needs to be verified by an identifiable and approved official. So for financial transactions such as opening bank accounts or transferring assets, a bank manager, registered accountant or solicitor etc is necessary. In those examples, the FCA can check these individuals actually exist and are approved to verify documents.

If you are thinking of a career in fraud, don't give up the day job, as they say! But yes, if they are determined enough they will find a way....

Murray

At least the Charity Commission for England and Wales allow you to store papers in a dry place.

Neil

Thanks, Neil - by the time I realised what I'd written it was too late to do an edit.

OK, chaps I'm not flapping my hands about in panic mearly observing that there is a difference between the data on an electricity bill and the physical bill itself which is why some people choose to shred.

regards Martin