View Full Version : Tell Me Something............Anything!
Typical isn't? Sit down to listen to some music for the first time in a couple of days and almost right away the alarm on a car parked right opposite my house starts going off.
Been going for about an hour now. No-one near it, street is deserted.
Couldn't make it up.
Usually a car alarm will switch off after 10 minutes or so.
I know I assume there's something wrong with it.
Stopped now. Possibly drained the battery. No idea who the car belongs to, never seen it before. Might be Don Revvies, he's always getting new motors as is his bird.
Pigmy Pony
07-12-2025, 16:06
Typical isn't? Sit down to listen to some music for the first time in a couple of days and almost right away the alarm on a car parked right opposite my house starts going off.
Been going for about an hour now. No-one near it, street is deserted.
Couldn't make it up.
If you can hear the car alarm from your house, the car can probably hear your stereo. I reckon a couple of 15" bass units are enough to wake up any car alarm. Just sayin' :)
Pigmy Pony
08-12-2025, 07:12
What better way to start the day than Kylie being interviewed on BBC 'Breakfast'. She's got a Christmas album coming out you know. I wouldn't mind waking up to find her in my Christmas stocking. Kylie that is, not the record. Though it's got to be better than the usual Michael Buble.
And remember Kylie is for life, not just for Christmas.
Well, of course I love Kylie, who doesn’t, she’s a national treasure, or should that be Commonwealth treasure? However, she does depress me somewhat- she’s a year older than me, yet looks absolutely fantastic, whereas I don’t. Probably due to the fact that she’s never had kids!
Pigmy Pony
11-12-2025, 07:51
Well, of course I love Kylie, who doesn’t, she’s a national treasure, or should that be Commonwealth treasure? However, she does depress me somewhat- she’s a year older than me, yet looks absolutely fantastic, whereas I don’t. Probably due to the fact that she’s never had kids!
Don't know about that Alex, looking at your avatar I'd say you're just a wig and a shave away from being a Kylie tribute act :)
It depresses me to think I'm probably too old for her.
To make you feel better, gratuitous Kylie pic showing how rough she looks before she puts on her make up. You're welcome :)
https://images.milledcdn.com/2015-09-29/RAfkYWhSzAG7OuOF/GuaHq8M5gBct.jpg
Well, of course I love Kylie, who doesn’t, she’s a national treasure, or should that be Commonwealth treasure? However, she does depress me somewhat- she’s a year older than me, yet looks absolutely fantastic, whereas I don’t. Probably due to the fact that she’s never had kids!
I don't look fantastic either and I don't have any children.
I'm same age as Kylie though so in with a chance - if I can become a millionaire playboy in the remaining time. Don't ask how that's going.
Don't know about that Alex, looking at your avatar I'd say you're just a wig and a shave away from being a Kylie tribute act :)
:lol:
I'm same age as Kylie though so in with a chance - if I can become a millionaire playboy in the remaining time. Don't ask how that's going.
and :lol: again!
My daughter mentioned a few weeks ago that she'd like to go to Latitude - a Suffolk music festival. There are a few artists I like, so have been waiting for tickets to become available...
https://scontent-man2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/575109220_1358745512370583_6505570567019142972_n.j pg?_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=W-LsODde1OEQ7kNvwFS9JeQ&_nc_oc=Adn1ilc07UFeOgvcFdbk9IoPLXXeaUhw_0UNQnufl12 v9dw4bPDiVv_BT9hcEf-S1vwHNHyeTAUJRcEHPrrqEqSD&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-man2-1.xx&_nc_gid=yBgnRTue-7wUqYHeK1dxcA&oh=00_AfpN3z2olKN4vxlRXBIzqBDuVvx95z5cBXW_Ez26V48v eg&oe=6965FFC1
Being a festival, the intention would be to do the whole weekend, camping. How much for a ticket? £320 each! If I can persuade wife and son to come, that's going to be £1,280! I think we'll stay at home, camp in the garden and watch other people's videos on YouTube!
Pete The Cat
09-01-2026, 10:23
Latitude impressed me when I went a few years ago. It seemed to be a genuine 'festival of the arts' with a wide range of interesting stuff from ballet to poetry as well as music, but without having to walk for miles like Glasto. Being family friendly the atmosphere was respectful even though the adults were happily getting merry. Showers were easily accessible, I've never been cleaner.
That said we've stopped doing festivals due to the cost, you can do a family holiday for less. It's hard to justify.
That’s helpful, thanks Pete. As you say, hard to justify the cost but then life’s too short, and when they’re fully grown up they probably won’t want to do anything like that with their fogey dad!
Pigmy Pony
09-01-2026, 12:42
Do it while you can mate, memories will stick with your kids a lifetime, certainly long after the cost is forgotten :) And hopefully they won't be posting your dad dancing on the Tik Tok.
Shamelessly stolen from Budget Audiophile - a Facebook group I follow, but thought might be of interest to some on here: Credit to the original poster on Facebook, Walt Conley:
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Someone asked if anyone had used AI to help with their stereo system. I thought that was an interesting question so I asked ChatGPT the following and thought the response was not bad. (I did forget to mention I have a small subwoofer in the system for exactly the reason Chat told me to get one!)
Question:
My stereo system is made up of a Yamaha a-s301 integrated amp, a Yamaha cdc-735 cd player and a pair of vintage KEF Reference Model One speakers. What is the best way to improve the sound of my system?
ChatGPT response:
Your system already has a solid foundation — a good integrated amp, a well-built CD player, and classic KEF Reference Model One speakers are a great start. There’s plenty of room to improve sound quality, but the “best” upgrades depend on your goals (more clarity/detail? better bass? wider soundstage? more musical warmth?) and your budget.
Here’s a practical, prioritized roadmap:
⸻
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t1/1/16/1f3a7.png 1. Room Acoustics & Speaker Placement — Biggest “Bang for Buck”
Before spending on gear, optimize what you already own:
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t33/1/16/2705.png Move the speakers
• Distance from walls: Pull them ~2–3 feet from the rear wall, and slightly away from side walls.
• Toe-in: Aim them slightly toward your listening spot.
• Symmetry: Keep both speakers the same distance from side walls.
• Sense of space: Even small adjustments radically improve imaging and bass.
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t33/1/16/2705.png Add acoustic treatment
You don’t need pro-level panels to hear major gains:
• Bass traps in corners
• Absorptive panels at first reflection points (side walls/ceiling)
• Soft furnishings/rugs kill flutter echoes
Why this matters: Room interaction affects bass control, clarity, and soundstage more than almost any component upgrade.
⸻
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t40/1/16/1f50c.png 2. Upgrade Interconnects & Speaker Cables (Modestly)
Cables won’t transform your system, but good ones can subtly clarify, tighten bass, and widen image.
• Interconnects: Balanced if your amp supports it; otherwise quality RCA (~$80–$200).
• Speaker cables: Low resistance, modest gauge (12–14 AWG). Avoid super cheap thin wire.
You don’t need exotic cables — just solid construction and good connectors.
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https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tf8/1/16/267b.png 3. Source Upgrades
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tf9/1/16/1f4c0.png CD Playback
The Yamaha CDC-735 is decent, but a better transport/DAC can elevate digital playback:
• External DAC: A modern DAC with current tech will improve detail, staging, and tonal accuracy.
• Examples (budget → midrange):
Schiit Modi/Modi+, Topping E30, Denafrips Ares
• Connect it via RCA from CD player digital out.
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t1f/1/16/1f3b6.png Digital Music
If you stream or play files:
• A music server/streamer or a smartphone/streamer + good DAC outperforms aging CD transport/stocks.
• Higher-res audio (>16/44) sounds noticeably clearer and more spacious.
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https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t3e/1/16/1f50a.png 4. Subwoofer (Optional)
The KEF Model Ones are great monitors but limited in bass extension.
• A quality subwoofer (set up with proper crossover and phase tuning) can:
• Fill in deep bass
• Reduce strain on mains
• Make music feel more immersive
Placement and tuning are key — auto-EQ isn’t always best.
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https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tc6/1/16/1f680.png 5. Amplification — Optional Upgrade Path
The Yamaha A-S301 is clean and musical, but you can go further:
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tf3/1/16/1f539.png Modest steps:
• Higher-current integrated amps from Cambridge Audio, NAD, Rega, Rotel, or Yamaha’s higher models.
• Look for ~80–120W/channel into 8Ω — KEFs don’t demand lots of power but thrive on control.
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tf3/1/16/1f539.png Tube Stage (if you want warmth)
• A tube preamp stage or hybrid integrated adds smoothness and harmonic richness.
• Be cautious — tubes change tonality and require maintenance.
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https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tc1/1/16/1f50d.png How to Prioritize (Quick Guide)
Goal Most Effective Upgrade
————————————————————————————————————-
More detail & clarity DAC, room treatment
Wider, deeper soundstage Speaker placement + room treatment
Deeper, tighter bass Subwoofer + placement
Warmth & musicality Tube preamp / better amp
Overall refinement Better cables + source upgrades
⸻
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t1b/1/16/1f9f0.png Practical Test Steps
Before buying gear:
1. Move speakers and listen for improvements
2. Add a rug/soft furnishings and low-freq panels
3. Try an external DAC with your CD player
4. Consider a subwoofer in your room
Often you’ll hear most improvement from these than swapping components alone.
⸻
https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tb0/1/16/1f3af.png Final Tip
Take a measured, iterative approach:
• Change one thing at a time.
• Listen critically for changes in bass control, clarity, imaging, and musicality.
This helps you understand what you actually prefer in sound.
⸻
If you want, tell me:
• Your room size & shape
• Listening position
• Music you listen to most
…and I can tailor specific placement and upgrade suggestions!
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Well, I don't know what you all think, but that's pretty much bang on advice in my book, and actually amazing and terrifying in equal measure!
Pigmy Pony
14-01-2026, 22:56
Seems to have it all spot on, but:
Where will AI have got that knowledge from? Scouring hifi mags online? Browsing audio forums? Maybe they have been going to hifi shows in disguise. I did notice that some of the visitors at last years NW Audio Show looked like R2-D2 but with a polo neck, a bald patch and a beard...
Seems to have it all spot on, but:
Where will AI have got that knowledge from? Scouring hifi mags online? Browsing audio forums?
Yes, almost certainly aggregates internet sources, but still has to "understand" it to replay it. I use it quite a lot to compare two documents, and it can only be doing that with the source material I give it and is pretty clever.
I did notice that some of the visitors at last years NW Audio Show looked like R2-D2 but with a polo neck, a bald patch and a beard...
I don't think I went last year? :scratch:
It gets a lot right but it also gets a fair amount wrong.
All it does is cut and paste from the internet which is quite clever in itself but it has no way to cross check the accuracy of what it copies.
Pigmy Pony
15-01-2026, 07:40
It gets a lot right but it also gets a fair amount wrong.
All it does is cut and paste from the internet which is quite clever in itself but it has no way to cross check the accuracy of what it copies.
I suppose the key word is, as Alex mentioned, 'aggregates'. Or 'common knowledge' as we say in Chorley. If enough sources say the moon is made of green cheese, then that's what it is.
More AI news - an interesting article, and having followed up the "artist" on Spotify, it does seem highly suspicious (especially the amount of recent releases) but listening to a couple of tracks, they are pretty good! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6v83gq66eo
And whoever is behind it, earning £2,000 a week from streaming (according to the BBC article) isn't too shabby!
Since we moved six+ years ago, I've never managed to setup my media server - well, an old HP laptop with a 2TB external HDD, not an actual server. I do have another 1TB HDD connected to my "listening" laptop, but that has less than half of my CD collection on it. I had used Logitech Media Server and was pleased with it for years, but it stopped working and is unsupported these days. I tried to get it working using Plex, but the poor laptop was too old to cope. Well, a couple of years ago my son wanted a gaming laptop, so I bought him a Lenovo Legion, which was expensive at the time, but for this Christmas he wanted a more focused proper gaming PC, so that's what he got, and I bought the old Lenovo off him for £300. (Yes, I do realise that I bought it originally for £1,000, so it has now cost me £1,300 and is still an ageing laptop!) Anyway, it wasn't really in the plan but it occurred to me I could set it up and install the Plex server, and job's a good 'un...
Anyway, point of the random post, it started adding the FLAC albums to the library yesterday morning, and is still chugging away - up to 1,648 albums so far - I think that's about half... So it might be finished by Monday. If I'm lucky. But I am quite excited to get everything working - there are hundreds of albums on there that I haven't explored in all this time, a lot of good compilations (Now That's What I call Music up to around 35 if I recall, and a load of chillout mixes I collected over the years.)
I always ignored the, what I used to call, "Now That's What I Call Crap" series of CDs. In those daysI detested compilation or 'best of' collections. Now I have several: usually by a single artist or group, but some concentrating on a single genre, such as soul, Tamela Mowtown, etc.
Now in my advancing years, I have become lazy and it's far easier to pull out a 'best of' disc to play than to decide which of the individual discs by that group or singer to select.
Pigmy Pony
24-01-2026, 08:48
I always ignored the, what I used to call, "Now That's What I Call Crap" series of CDs. In those daysI detested compilation or 'best of' collections. Now I have several: usually by a single artist or group, but some concentrating on a single genre, such as soul, Tamela Mowtown, etc.
Now in my advancing years, I have become lazy and it's far easier to pull out a 'best of' disc to play than to decide which of the individual discs by that group or singer to select.
"Now That's what I call Crap" is now up at 122, and Anita has almost all of them (just a few gaps to fill). She collects them like some folk collect stamps. But she will never pay full price for them, they all come from charity shops and car boot sales. And the latest ones, well her friend gives them each Christmas.
They never get a play, life's too short for that. And the earlier ones, which are on vinyl, I'm not going to waste precious stylus hours on those, no way.
Like you, I used to think 'best ofs' were not 'proper albums', and I avoided them. Or so I thought - turns out I have dozens of them, covering pretty much all of the major artists and genres :doh: Moreover, they get played all the time! Besides, some artists I don't consider to be much cop on albums, being more of a singles band imo. ELO and The Police are two that come to mind.
Lawrence001
24-01-2026, 09:37
some artists I don't consider to be much cop on albums, being more of a singles band imo. ELO and The Police are two that come to mind.
That's a bit unfair, the Police did some good albums that bordered on concept albums, Synchronicity and (to a lesser extent) Ghost in the Machine.
It's a slightly fairer comment about the earlier albums but the fact they made some great singles doesn't make them a singles band. That would be like saying Oasis are a singles band. Oh hang on a minute...
Pigmy Pony
24-01-2026, 15:56
That's a bit unfair, the Police did some good albums that bordered on concept albums, Synchronicity and (to a lesser extent) Ghost in the Machine.
It's a slightly fairer comment about the earlier albums but the fact they made some great singles doesn't make them a singles band. That would be like saying Oasis are a singles band. Oh hang on a minute...
I never considered Oasis, as I'm not even that keen on their singles... You're probably right about The Police, I've only heard Outlandos and Regatta, and that was many years ago.
2,868 albums now... still going!
The thing about some compilations, especially non-pop, is that you get introduced to artists of a genre that you may not have heard of before. A lot of the "chillout" bands I love now I found in the late 90's/early 00's through either bought compilations, or there were quite a few magazines that gave CDs away in those days. I've a few from the likes of Mixmag, Ministry, Later etc. which led me to new music - different era, now it is so much easier!
That's 119 days of listening - assuming you don't sleep :D
One word
Streaming
It’s a revelation!
Yes, Tidal and Spotify mainly these days, but nice to have access to some of the stuff that’s not on the streaming services. Though admittedly that’s less and less these days.
Meanwhile, sorting out my desk cupboard as part of the IT upgrade. I think I have a rodent infestation.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260125/de440d1b0cc689b02b196c3a15531209.jpg
Firebottle
26-01-2026, 08:09
:lol: Why so many?
Pigmy Pony
26-01-2026, 08:30
Do you race them? My money's on the Advent, looks more aerodynamic.
Need a cat to deal with those meeces.
:lol: Why so many?
Your guess is as good as mine! I imagine some don’t work some I’ve lost the dongle for, others were probably spare from kids who wanted better ones. I will go through them and recycle the duds.
Lawrence001
26-01-2026, 12:56
That's 119 days of listening - assuming you don't sleep :DYou hear about those Japanese gamers who play for so long they die. I wonder if there's ever been an audiophile who died as they couldn't stop listening.
Pigmy Pony
26-01-2026, 15:02
You hear about those Japanese gamers who play for so long they die. I wonder if there's ever been an audiophile who died as they couldn't stop listening.
Don't know about that, but when I hear Coldplay I lose the will to live.
Well it has finally finished - 3,249 CDs. Slightly less than I thought, I had better get shopping! Found some cracking albums I had forgotten about. :)
Mate called me says 'getting a new TV tomorrow will you come over and hook it up?'
No problem. Says will give me a call about 1200 when he's got it.
That comes and goes so thought he must have changed his mind, had lunch sat down to listen to some music for first time in a week.
Two songs in to first album he calls me says 'I've got it, come round.'
Go round there. Screw the little feet in, no problem. Then go behind the stand to hook it up. My god, you've never seen a rat's nest like it. Even the most slovenly rat would balk at it. Spent about an hour untangling cables and tracing them back to their origin. Some weren't attached to anything.
I could have just bodged it but thought it might as well be done properly which it now is. Was almost dark by the time I got home again.
The cabling behind my audio system is pretty jumbled as there are nine items which are in use and need to be conected together, eight of which need mains power. Fortunately you can't see any of it, nor of the cabling which runs under the floor to the monoblock amplifiers and speakers, both of which need mains power from sockets deliberately installed adjacent to them.
I have a 'thing' about cables running around the room: they look unsightly.
You can have lots of cables and still have them not tangled - Any A/V system's going to be an issue in that regard but there's no need to have them resemble a ball of twine which is what my pal's looked like. Now they at least all run separately and those that were doing nothing except acting as potential RFI pick-ups are gone.
My main system is very neat with the power cables down one side and the signal cables over on the other. Easy to do when you have just one source and the DAC is inside the pre-amp.
My grandfather and his ship have made it onto Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Aruba
Torpedoed by U Boat in San Nicholas harbour. Typical shabby Nazi trick.
What was the name of his ship and did your grandfather survive the attack?
I heard on the radio today (Radio 4 to be exact) that music cassettes are coming back into fashion. Not only are there some artists who are making their latest work available on cassette (Robbie Williams for exanple), but sales of blank cassettes are on the rise.
Why should this be? Well a couple of reasons suggested were:
a sense of nostalgia, mostly by those who remembered using them in the '70s and into the '80s,
a conscious move away from streaming, so one listens to a whole album rather than hopping to another piece of music part way through,
making 'mix up' tapes, as we did in the '70 to either play in the car, or to give to friends.
I can understand the sense of nostalgia, but with the invention of the CD, the return to music cassette doesn't make a lot of sense; especially as one needs a high quality player.
Again the use of blank tapes to make mix up tapes, doesn't make sense as for the maximum fidelity the recorder should be calibrated for the tape used. When I made tapes I used to use TDK MA-XG 90, for which I had my Nakamichi machine calibrated. These were for use in the car, but these days cars are fitted with CD players. Of course one can go to the trouble of making mix up CDs by using a CD recorder and bank CDR discs, but I doubt if anyone has (I have a Pioneer CD recorder and a bunch of CDR which I picked up cheap, but I have never used it to record CDs)
The most hopeful outcome is that people are wanting to slow down their recreational time, by eschewing streaming and hopping from one bit of music to another mid stream, and spend time listening to a complete album. They can do this of course using a portable CD player, but I would imagine something like the Sony Walkman cassette player is smaller and more portable.
So what are your thoughts on this new phenomenon, and is it just a passing fad?
Pigmy Pony
04-02-2026, 07:19
I reckon it'll be just a passing fad, partly driven by nostalgia as you say, partly driven by 'influencers' making it look cool (these folk make money not from the products themselves but from Joe Public 'likes' on the Tik Tok or Instagram or whatever).
Very quickly I predict the kids will find the inconvenience really isn't for them. As for Robbie Williams, well we can expect a flood of his cassettes turning up at a car boot near you this summer.
What was the name of his ship and did your grandfather survive the attack?
SS Pedernales, yes he survived.
Well it has finally finished - 3,249 CDs. Slightly less than I thought, I had better get shopping! Found some cracking albums I had forgotten about. :)
Well that escalated quickly. I realised some albums missing, and investigations on some folders showed a “Cyclic Redundancy Check” error. That didn’t sound good, and sure enough, the hard drive has now completely failed and won’t initialise…. Luckily I have two full back up copies, stored with mates at opposite ends of the country, so time to retrieve one of those st some point, at least I (hopefully) won’t have to rip them all again, it took months when I did it last time.
Regarding cassettes, I am sure it is a bit of a fad. Daughter (17) is buying CDs and vinyl, but I don’t think tape is on the menu. I was never into the format apart from car/portable use, taping vinyl or of course the top 40 on a Sunday evening.
Anyway, kids will struggle with cassettes, none of them have pencils anymore, they just use touchscreens.
Pigmy Pony
04-02-2026, 13:43
Well that escalated quickly. I realised some albums missing, and investigations on some folders showed a “Cyclic Redundancy Check” error. That didn’t sound good, and sure enough, the hard drive has now completely failed and won’t initialise…. Luckily I have two full back up copies, stored with mates at opposite ends of the country, so time to retrieve one of those st some point, at least I (hopefully) won’t have to rip them all again, it took months when I did it last time.
"Computer says no", eh? I'll stick with the old fashioned CD and vinyl replay, they always say yes :) Sorry, don't mean to sound smug, but computer audio is great, until it isn't :doh:
I heard on the radio today (Radio 4 to be exact) that music cassettes are coming back into fashion. Not only are there some artists who are making their latest work available on cassette (Robbie Williams for exanple), but sales of blank cassettes are on the rise.
Why should this be? Well a couple of reasons suggested were:
a sense of nostalgia, mostly by those who remembered using them in the '70s and into the '80s,
a conscious move away from streaming, so one listens to a whole album rather than hopping to another piece of music part way through,
making 'mix up' tapes, as we did in the '70 to either play in the car, or to give to friends.
I can understand the sense of nostalgia, but with the invention of the CD, the return to music cassette doesn't make a lot of sense; especially as one needs a high quality player.
Again the use of blank tapes to make mix up tapes, doesn't make sense as for the maximum fidelity the recorder should be calibrated for the tape used. When I made tapes I used to use TDK MA-XG 90, for which I had my Nakamichi machine calibrated. These were for use in the car, but these days cars are fitted with CD players. Of course one can go to the trouble of making mix up CDs by using a CD recorder and bank CDR discs, but I doubt if anyone has (I have a Pioneer CD recorder and a bunch of CDR which I picked up cheap, but I have never used it to record CDs)
The most hopeful outcome is that people are wanting to slow down their recreational time, by eschewing streaming and hopping from one bit of music to another mid stream, and spend time listening to a complete album. They can do this of course using a portable CD player, but I would imagine something like the Sony Walkman cassette player is smaller and more portable.
So what are your thoughts on this new phenomenon, and is it just a passing fad?
Just got my JVC cassette deck out of the loft yesterday. Didn't know I had it still. Looking forward to mangling a few cassette tapes!:lol:
I've got a 90's What Hi-Fi? favourite budget Aiwa AD-F410 and at least another older 70's Sony deck I picked up as a job lot with a receiver and speakers - but I have no idea where my cassettes are, or if I even still have any! I did find a handful of blank cassettes a while back, so I suppose I could make some mix tapes. Or maybe not!
I have a Fisher which isn't working and a Realistic walkman type thing with auto-reverse that works fine. I got that in about 1986 I don't think it's had more than ten hours on it if that.
And a Sony DAT machine, if that counts.
I still have two Nakmichi tape decks, and somewhere I still have the tapes I recorded for the car. I can't make any new recordings though as I gave away all my blank tapes to someone here - sorry I can't remember who.
Pigmy Pony
04-02-2026, 20:01
Just got my JVC cassette deck out of the loft yesterday. Didn't know I had it still. Looking forward to mangling a few cassette tapes!:lol:
I used to have a JVC DD-5 in the early 90s, with 'blocky' level meters. Really liked it, but I've no idea where it went to. I do know I followed it with the Aiwa model Alex mentioned, which was fine, but no better to my ears.
Early '93, I went into town with £350 to buy an engagement ring. But on the way there I passed the local hifi shop, where they had the JVC reduced from £159 to £99. What to, what to do... I convinced myself that 250 quid was plenty for a ring, so we both benefited that day :)
I've got a 90's What Hi-Fi? favourite budget Aiwa AD-F410 and at least another older 70's Sony deck I picked up as a job lot with a receiver and speakers - but I have no idea where my cassettes are, or if I even still have any! I did find a handful of blank cassettes a while back, so I suppose I could make some mix tapes. Or maybe not!
One of my brothers had that Aiwa. I used it to tape all his records. It was okay for the money.
I used to have a JVC DD-5 in the early 90s, with 'blocky' level meters. Really liked it, but I've no idea where it went to. I do know I followed it with the Aiwa model Alex mentioned, which was fine, but no better to my ears.
Early '93, I went into town with £350 to buy an engagement ring. But on the way there I passed the local hifi shop, where they had the JVC reduced from £159 to £99. What to, what to do... I convinced myself that 250 quid was plenty for a ring, so we both benefited that day :)
Nice story. I have a feeling my JVC has the block type level meters. Haven't switched it on yet, bit nervous after 20 or so years in the loft!:lol:
Pigmy Pony
05-02-2026, 08:16
Nice story. I have a feeling my JVC has the block type level meters. Haven't switched it on yet, bit nervous after 20 or so years in the loft!:lol:
I'm sure it'll be fine. It'll either work or it won't. If it was an amplifier I'd be more wary.
Shamelessly stolen from the “Flexipop” Facebook group, NME January 1984, Lemmy reviews the week’s single releases.
And an advert for “Discline” I’d forgotten you could do that! Wasn’t there one called dial-a-disc, or is this the same thing?
Bhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260209/2a9680cca5247334e2eed28fe6409fba.jpg
Some classics there. 'They call heavy metal 'moronic' but this makes it sound like Sibelius' lol
The good old days, where did they go?
''I can't sleep without Bunneh!''
Well here's an idea, sweetheart. Why don't you run down and get 'Bunneh' instead of it taking me 25 minutes there and back on the pissing Stannah Stairlift?
Pigmy Pony
21-02-2026, 15:41
''I can't sleep without Bunneh!''
Well here's an idea, sweetheart. Why don't you run down and get 'Bunneh' instead of it taking me 25 minutes there and back on the pissing Stannah Stairlift?
But then Bunny can't sleep without the other one, sending dopey over-indulging grandpa back to the Stannah :steam: Cheaper than a stairlift, they should "medicate" the little shitbag's milk 'n' cookies.
The ad is one of many that target folk of a certain age who just want to be left to watch The Sweeney and Kojak in peace, others being travel insurance for the nearly-dead and the impossible-to-avoid Pure Cremation plans. And don't forget to leave a gift in your will to [insert charity name].
The Sweeny was cancelled for the racing yesterday. They don't cancel 'Boon' though even though it's crap.
I wouldn't mind as I often used to watch the racing even if I didn't have a bet on. Chilled afternoon's viewing. Horses run, middle age men stand under umbrellas discussing form.
Now though it kicks off with some woman literally yelling at you about how exciting it's all going to be. Cancelled.
Lawrence001
21-02-2026, 21:09
Now though it kicks off with some woman literally yelling at you about how exciting it's all going to be. Cancelled.
That's probably to make up for having a male presenter for years who apparently routinely put down his wife and called her booby.
..................
The ad is one of many that target folk of a certain age who just want to be left to watch The Sweeney and Kojak in peace, others being travel insurance for the nearly-dead and the impossible-to-avoid Pure Cremation plans. And don't forget to leave a gift in your will to [insert charity name].
Advertisers pay for the screening time and duration of their adverts, so as to reach the watching audience who they think will be interested. That's the problem with ALL the commercial channels, and is why I tend to watch BBC1, 2, 3 and 4. However I do, from time to time, watch Great TV (for 'Mash'), ITV3 (for 'Doc Martin') and Legend, Legend Xtra, Talking Pictures TV, and Film4 for films.
This afternoon I watched "Reach for the Sky", starring Kenneth More (Yes I know he tends to play "Jolly Good Chaps", but it is a well made and unsentimental film about the Battle of Britain). When the adverts come on I press the mute button on the remote and go and make a cup of tea! )
starring Kenneth More )
Good when he's in supporting roles or ensemble casts, like 'Sink The Bismarck'. When he's the star the films are almost unwatchable for me.
Like 'The Admirable Crichton' or his version of 'The Thirty-Nine Steps'. Even the BBC version of that from a few years back now isn't as bad as his.
I don't think I have seen Kenneth More in 'The Thirty-Nine Steps', but I think 'The Admirable Crichton' is a reasonably good film; not so much because of Moore's central character, but as a critique of the rigid class system operating at the time.
I don't think I have seen Kenneth More in 'The Thirty-Nine Steps', but I think 'The Admirable Crichton' is a reasonably good film; not so much because of Moore's central character, but as a critique of the rigid class system operating at the time.
It's a good story but the film is terrible in a number of ways, not just because of Moore.
Lawrence001
24-02-2026, 21:58
Moore or More?
We have been in London for the last few days. Today we had to visit an office not far from King's Cross station on business. Afterwards we were feeling hungry and spotted a likely-looking place to have a late lunch.
We entered and were immediately met by a security guard, who asked us of our business. I replied that we wanted to eat in the restaurant and was told it was the staff canteen for employees of Universal Music Group only.
I said I was a music reviewer for the Art of Sound forum and my credentials could be obtained by typing my name into Genesis. Having done so, we were allowed to eat in the canteen as guests.
(Actually the last paragraph is a gross exaggeration, but as obvious-looking senior citizens were allowed to eat in the canteen as a matter of courtesy. :) )
Pigmy Pony
12-03-2026, 22:27
We have been in London for the last few days. Today we had to visit an office not far from King's Cross station on business. Afterwards we were feeling hungry and spotted a likely-looking place to have a late lunch.
We entered and were immediately met by a security guard, who asked us of our business. I replied that we wanted to eat in the restaurant and was told it was the staff canteen for employees of Universal Music Group only.
I said I was a music reviewer for the Art of Sound forum and my credentials could be obtained by typing my name into Genesis. Having done so, we were allowed to eat in the canteen as guests.
(Actually the last paragraph is a gross exaggeration, but as obvious-looking senior citizens were allowed to eat in the canteen as a matter of courtesy. :) )
Not an exaggeration at all, 'music reviewer' sounds about right, though typing your name into Genesis probably won't throw up anything flattering. Peter Gabriel maybe :)
Ah yes, it was "Gemini" wasn't it, not Genesis! Anyway if the security guard wasn't impressed by any mention of Peter Gabriel, I could have said I was related to Jeremy Dammers, formerly of The Specials, which is true. :)
Pigmy Pony
13-03-2026, 07:31
That is pretty cool, I'd be impressed enough to let you in. I don't have any such claims to fame, though I did once survive riding a hotel lift with Gary Glitter. I might have been outside his target demographic.
Was the meal any good?
Yes it was very good for a staff canteen. We had an egg salad each, chocolate muffin for dessert and a cup of coffee. All for about £12.
Yes it was very good for a staff canteen. We had an egg salad each, chocolate muffin for dessert and a cup of coffee. All for about £12.
There was a fantastic staff canteen where I used to work, belonged to another company in the same building. They subsidised it, but they let us use it. Really good food and very cheap.
Our company wouldn't even spring for tea and coffee despite being wealthier than most countries. Only lasted a couple of years though as the other company had to shut down when they lost their two big contracts.
Pigmy Pony
13-03-2026, 11:40
There was a fantastic staff canteen where I used to work, belonged to another company in the same building. They subsidised it, but they let us use it. Really good food and very cheap.
Our company wouldn't even spring for tea and coffee despite being wealthier than most countries. Only lasted a couple of years though as the other company had to shut down when they lost their two big contracts.
I suppose that's the thing when a company is reliant upon one or two big customers. The printing company I used to work for was in a similar position - their main customer (Beechams) probably provided 30% of our work, and didn't they know it... Everyone else's work took a back seat when Beechams decided on a deadline. And probably told us how much they were paying too. Glad I'm away from all that nonsense.
Actually 'Yesterday in History', but the post disappeared due to technical problem.
March 13, 1731
Astronomer William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus.
March 13, !881
Alexander II of Russia was assassinated in St. Petersburg.
March 13, 1925
The US state of Tennessee, passed a bill that banned Darwin's theory of evolution in schools.
March 13, 1927
The lance ceased to be an official weapon in the British Army.
March 13. 1935
Driving tests were introduced.
March 13, 1938
Hitler annexed Austria.
March 13, 1970
18-year-olds were allowed to vote for the first time. In another first, ballot papers were marked with the name of the candidate and the party for a by-election in Bridgwater, Somerset.
Pigmy Pony
31-03-2026, 08:17
I know that when it comes to space travel, form must follow function, but does NASA's Artemis II rocket (catchily called the Space Launch System or SLS) have to be so ugly?
The polyurethane foam applied is there to insulate the fuel tanks from ambient temperatures, but turns orange when exposed to UV light (like the expanding foam I use in my work). Just makes the rocket look rusty.
In the late 60s the Saturn V rocket used for the Apollo missions was a thing of beauty, and every kid wanted a model of it (I had one). I wonder how many kids will want one of SLS? We'll see.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/624/cpsprodpb/F58E/production/_123226826_comparison_of_rockets_640_v2-nc.png.webp
Oh and the cost of this mission is around $90 billion. That's enough to greatly improve the live of all Americans who werrn't daft enough to vote for the Trump.
It might be worth the money to send Trump into outer space! :lol:
Pigmy Pony
31-03-2026, 11:17
:D Yes that would be a bargain. It's a four-seater, so room for JD Vance, Hegseth, and that no-brain Barbie Leavitt too.
I know that when it comes to space travel, form must follow function, but does NASA's Artemis II rocket (catchily called the Space Launch System or SLS) have to be so ugly?
The polyurethane foam applied is there to insulate the fuel tanks from ambient temperatures, but turns orange when exposed to UV light (like the expanding foam I use in my work). Just makes the rocket look rusty.
In the late 60s the Saturn V rocket used for the Apollo missions was a thing of beauty, and every kid wanted a model of it (I had one). I wonder how many kids will want one of SLS? We'll see.
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/624/cpsprodpb/F58E/production/_123226826_comparison_of_rockets_640_v2-nc.png.webp
Oh and the cost of this mission is around $90 billion. That's enough to greatly improve the live of all Americans who werrn't daft enough to vote for the Trump.
I think that only works out at 260 dollars per American unless I used too many zeros. Or not enough.
I think that only works out at 260 dollars per American unless I used too many zeros. Or not enough.
Yes, I calculate it to be $262.34 per capita. (90 billion divided by 343 million)
Launching Trump and some other Project 2025 fanatics would be much better value for money.
Pigmy Pony
31-03-2026, 11:39
I think that only works out at 260 dollars per American unless I used too many zeros. Or not enough.
No, I think you're about right. But I did say it should go to those who weren't daft enough to vote for Trump. So roughly double that. The Trump voters can go into the woods and shoot some food instead.
But anyway, Barry's idea makes more sense.
Today's Metro paper published one of the best April Fool joke ever. The article, purporting to be from the retail outlet Asda, notified their intended introduction of adult-sized trolly seats, obviously based on the observation that small children like to ride in supermarket trollies. The new design features a comfy armchair, a cup holder and a built-in phone holder for hands-free scrolling. :lol:
Pigmy Pony
05-04-2026, 11:06
On TV earlier this week, a news item about a shitload of teenagers storming an M&S store for a bit of flash mob antisocial behaviour, apparently organised via social media. Then yesterday a report about the increased number of attacks on teachers by pupils.
As usual we had lots of hand wringing, with no real solutions suggested. I think that to arrive at a solution, we must first ask ourselves what has changed in the last 50 years or so:
Back then, did we have social media? No.
Did we have the option of corporal punishment available to the police and educators? Yes.
Did the ingredients of our everyday food originate in the ground rather than a laboratory? Yes.
Did the kids get to play outside in the sunshine and fresh air while learning about the laws of physics, (falling out of a tree is gonna hurt), as opposed to killing aliens with a joystick-operated lethal weapon in the comfort of their bedroom? Yes.
There will be other changes. And I don't believe any of them are for the better.
When I was a kid, adults were in charge. Now I'm grown up it's kids that seem to be in charge. We never got a turn :(
Oh and we need to stop calling them students. They're pupils.
Social media has a lot to answer for.
Since the advent of the smartphone it seems that everyone is glued to it all the time. When outdoors you see them walking along looking at the screen without watching where they are going, whether it is on the pavement, or even crossing the road. When I drive in London having to be extra vigilant and aware of these jaywalkers is quite stressful. When travelling on the Underground, I often look around to see if there is anyone who is not using their phone: if there are they are a very small minority.
But to return to the increasing antisocial behaviour of adolescents, you are right, it is exacerbated by social media. If you browse the Web, the AI used in the search engine remembers your search history, and remembers the specific sites you have visited. Repeated visits to the same site will cause the AI to suggest and recommend similar sites, which, depending on the site can be more troubling and potentially dangerous to vulnerable teenagers.
The owners of the search engines really do need to take responsibility, police these sites, and if need be ban the undesirable ones. But they won't because it would cost them money, and so they come up with flimsy excuse of it being an infringement of free speech!
Spent the morning metal detecting. Found the handle of a spoon. Old, possibly Georgian.
https://iili.io/BS7UoFt.md.jpg (https://freeimage.host/i/BS7UoFt)
4 mile walk home afterwards, but it was fun.
I've always quite fancied having a go at that, apart from the digging. And looks like the weather wasn't too bad. We quite regularly get decent hordes of coins and stuff found around these parts, so definitely worth a go!
I've always quite fancied having a go at that, apart from the digging. And looks like the weather wasn't too bad. We quite regularly get decent hordes of coins and stuff found around these parts, so definitely worth a go!
It was cold and windy but it didn't rain and the sun came out for about the last half hour we were there.
One of the blokes who was there found a half-sovereign a while back, not at the location we were at today though.
My other find was a flattened Carling Black Label can. I had high hopes for that too as the detector was going ballistic.
hifi_dave
16-04-2026, 16:09
I've found 5 old horseshoes and 3 bells tied together as a some sort of 'warning' for cattle, in the garden, all without the aid of a metal detector. I will buy myself a detector sometime as the house is mid 15th century, backing onto fields. Must be something out there.
I've found 5 old horseshoes and 3 bells tied together as a some sort of 'warning' for cattle, in the garden, all without the aid of a metal detector. I will buy myself a detector sometime as the house is mid 15th century, backing onto fields. Must be something out there.
Got to be, might at least find some coins assuming it hasn't ever been swept before.
Where we were today we know no-one's ever been on it. They're doing a Roman road tomorrow, I could have stayed overnight and gone on that but typically tomorrow is the only day this year where I have something I have to do.
Pigmy Pony
16-04-2026, 17:05
Do you need a licence, or prior permission from the landowner, or can anyone have a go? And I'm assuming you can't automatically keep anything you find.
Do you need a licence, or prior permission from the landowner, or can anyone have a go? And I'm assuming you can't automatically keep anything you find.
You don't need a licence, you should have permission. In this case one of the bloke's family owned the place. Up for sale which is why he's covering it while he still can.
For what you can keep you have to look up the Treasure Act 1996. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treasure_Act_1996
had to check on my state pension, turns out I have 37 years contributions so I've gone 2 years over. You don't get any extra for that though.
Good job they count the years you were a student or on the dole or I'd be well shy!
Yes, I was a student for seven years, but when I started work I paid in extra to give me an enhanced state pension. I also paid into a private pension scheme. Not only that, but I took voluntary redundancy which came with a generous payout. So overall I was able to comfortably 'retire' at age 57.
Pigmy Pony
23-04-2026, 14:35
had to check on my state pension, turns out I have 37 years contributions so I've gone 2 years over. You don't get any extra for that though.
Good job they count the years you were a student or on the dole or I'd be well shy!
So you're covered for student years, employed years and unemployed years - must be pretty hard not to qualify.
So you're covered for student years, employed years and unemployed years - must be pretty hard not to qualify.
I think only if you opted out of NI contributions while self-employed. Or you were not working and too wealthy to claim benefits.
My neighbour is 66 and only gets a partial state pension, told me he was 4 years shy on contributions and it would cost him 7 grand to have made them up which he hasn't got.
I don't know how he is 4 years short. Known him since he was 30 and he's never been self-employed. He was in the Civil Service for about 20 years I think.
Yes, I was a student for seven years, but when I started work I paid in extra to give me an enhanced state pension. I also paid into a private pension scheme. Not only that, but I took voluntary redundancy which came with a generous payout. So overall I was able to comfortably 'retire' at age 57.
I retired at 57 as well Barry - I suspect you beat me to it though, as it wasn't until November of my retirement year :)
Pigmy Pony
23-04-2026, 19:42
I worked a total of 50 years (30 years employed, then 20 years self-employed, with a three-week unemployed bit in the middle). The first few years self employed I didn't pay any NI contributions - I did end up with full pension, though I did worry about it for a while.
I worked a total of 50 years (30 years employed, then 20 years self-employed, with a three-week unemployed bit in the middle). The first few years self employed I didn't pay any NI contributions - I did end up with full pension, though I did worry about it for a while.
Only 3 weeks unemployed? I had a full two years, wonderful times. Well, mostly. Plus 5 years at university. I was 25 before I was unfortunate enough to get a proper job. :D
I'm 57, and no chance of retiring just yet! Well, I could if we downsized the house and sold the kids, but they're past the cute stage now and I don't think you get as much for teenagers!
I did used to dread the thought of retiring, as I am not sure I could cope with the spare time, but the older I get the more appealing it becomes! I am sure there would be plenty of stuff around the house I could procrastinate over whilst drinking coffee...
(And I have never been unemployed in 41 years - I did quit one job in my early 20's, but went straight to an agency and did temping for a few months until I found something permanent.)
I did used to dread the thought of retiring, as I am not sure I could cope with the spare time, but the older I get the more appealing it becomes! I am sure there would be plenty of stuff around the house I could procrastinate over whilst drinking coffee...
For the first couple of weeks after retiring (at 57), I didn't know what to do with all the free time. OK I got out of bed a bit later than I had when working, but that still left a lot of time. I would deliberately not do a full shopping so as to give me an excuse to go out again! Daft I know.
Eventually I found things to do: gardening; redecorating the house, going up to Lonfon to visit the museums and art galleries - and of course joining AoS. :)
I did used to dread the thought of retiring, as I am not sure I could cope with the spare time, but the older I get the more appealing it becomes! I am sure there would be plenty of stuff around the house I could procrastinate over whilst drinking coffee...
I thought that but it turns out not to be a problem. Even better for you since you live in beautiful countryside you can literally stop and smell the roses.
There's aspects of working I do miss, I did enjoy my last job, even though it was hard work it didn't seem like work. But as soon as they put idiots in charge that was the end of it for me. Why stay if you don't have to?
I do think about maybe going back and doing another couple of years, I do get contacted by agencies quite regularly, but these days it's hard to find a company to work for that doesn't have idiots in charge.
I did used to dread the thought of retiring, as I am not sure I could cope with the spare time, but the older I get the more appealing it becomes! I am sure there would be plenty of stuff around the house I could procrastinate over whilst drinking coffee...
It took me a good six months, maybe a bit longer to get used to retirement, but it soon became the norm. I had some sort of job since about 13, starting with paper rounds, Saturday jobs and evening work filling shelves in Tesco. I needed the money to buy records and go to gigs! I've never not worked apart from taking a year career break to travel around the world, but I still had a job. I never sit down thinking I have nothing to do, as there is always something . . . if anything, most tasks take longer now as I'm easily distracted by the next book, music or film. I still mess around a lot with computers too.
I do some Volunteer work a couple of times a week, so I'm never bored. I also have a new passion for making sourdough bread, just started one this morning actually. It's a 3 day process, but the actual hands on time is minimal, probably not more more than 15 minutes of hands on. I wish I had started making it earlier but it is a lot easier if you are around the house.
So trust me Alex, after awhile you won't have any spare time and there's bugger all wrong with procrastinating over a coffee, that's how I start every day!
Thanks chaps, that's set my mind at rest. I've given my boss my notice, the house is on the market, and the kids are on eBay! Not sure what Sue will say, though... :lol:
Pigmy Pony
24-04-2026, 15:11
Thanks chaps, that's set my mind at rest. I've given my boss my notice, the house is on the market, and the kids are on eBay! Not sure what Sue will say, though... :lol:
Maybe Sue needs to go too - I'd go with Vinted :)
Three years on now, and I still haven't got into a post-retirement life properly. There's my archery that I could get back into, I have all the kit and the membership is super-cheap (around £120 for the year), but driving over there would be a killer, especially with the fuel costs.
Fireblade's back on the road, but between said fuel costs, nut job drivers, average speed cameras and pot holes, I just can't be arsed with it.
Good job I haven't completely jacked in working, I do one or two days a week, it's keeping me as busy as I need to be.
And I have a few records and CDs to fill in the gaps :)
For the first couple of weeks after retiring (at 57), I didn't know what to do with all the free time. OK I got out of bed a bit later than I had when working, but that still left a lot of time, I would deliberately not do a full shopping so as to give me an excuse to go out again! Daft I know.
Eventually I found things to do: gardening; redecorating the house, going up to London to visit the museums and art galleries - and of course joining AoS. :)
I am working from home today so took the dog out for his morning walk. Syd was having none of the route I had planned, and started dragging me towards one of the next villages, Crowfield. Fine, we’ll walk to the church, round the churchyard and if I walk back on the other side of the road I can fool him.
Just before the church is Church Cottage, clearly built before the advent of spirit levels- check out the roofline and the big window!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260428/e84930f593ee535b0b93e20d6d908250.jpg
The church is down a path, alongside a moat, of what I can only assume is a large house - there’s a bridge to it but so much vegetation you can’t see it. Anyway, Syd was more interested in the water…. No, Syd, you can’t go in!
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260428/491f09ee4479802a6ea81777a0c6a704.jpg
Walking along the path I could smell that churchyard smell - flowers I guess? But very distinctive. I haven’t actually walked round the churchyard since we first moved here and had forgotten how lovely the very small church is, with its medieval origins and Elizabethan (?) extension:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260428/fbbf69f37f9d76397d5e0cf90eddddef.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260428/3763f8724a378e6423e5e2d9ed56e39a.jpg
So (finally) to the point of my story - we wandered around the churchyard and I was looking at the gravestones, as you do, and suddenly spotted this one…
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260428/09eca631e6f66fed554ba82d958fabc5.jpg
Well who’d have thunk it, Roy Hudd buried in a tiny little churchyard in Suffolk just a short walk from my house!
I have no idea how he came to end up in Crowfield, Wikipedia not much help, but will ask around as a few of the local friends have lived here all their lives.
On the way back we pass a lovely thatched place.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260428/1a966d46c7c942899159f875874d95cf.jpg
On the radio yesterday they were talking about how thatching is a trade that is dying out - apparently there are only 60,000 thatched properties in the UK - I reckon at least 600 of those are within 5 miles of here.
You certainly picked a beautiful part of the world to live in.
We have old buildings here too of course but they mostly have trees growing out of them.
Excellent phographs Alex, thanks for sharing. :)
Thatched roofs do look charming, but they need a lot of maintenance: regular removal of moss and weeds, and depending on the reeds used to thatch the roof, rethatching every 15 to 20 years. There are a lot of thatched properties here in Essex, so I guess it's an East Anglian thing.
Lots in Devon. Had a girlfriend in Devon and her mate was called Becky Thatcher and she actually was a thatcher. Never short of work at least back then (1990s).
Maybe thatched properties are prevalent in places where reeds grow, so the Fens and other wetland areas.
You almost can’t give thatched houses away round here. I reckon they are at least 20-30% cheaper than the equivalent tiled property. If they are thatched they are almost certainly going to be Grade II listed, with all the restrictions and obligations that entails. They do look lovely, though. I suppose most of the big cities would have had them, but they probably all burned down in the 1600’s.
I love that name scenario - Popbitch newsletter includes a “nominative determinism of the week” - you should send that in!
I love that name scenario - Popbitch newsletter includes a “nominative determinism of the week” - you should send that in!
Shows how long her family had been thatching for, I mean you meet Coopers, Fletchers, and Smiths all the time but they ain't making barrels and arrows for a living. Probably they'd been in that trade since the 1400s or even earlier.
Pigmy Pony
28-04-2026, 18:21
Lots in Devon. Had a girlfriend in Devon and her mate was called Becky Thatcher and she actually was a thatcher. Never short of work at least back then (1990s).
And she was Tom Sawyer's bird before she met you :)
My wife Sue is notorious for easily getting muddled, and I actually predicted in my mind before I told her about my adventure today what she would say. I told her all about it and showed her the picture of Roy Hudd’s gravestone - her response: “Do you think Emu is buried with him?” :lol:
Apart from going for a walk earlier I've been sat here in complete silence since 0700.
Decide to put some music on and almost right away my neighbour starts his hammering. Which is odd since he usually only starts after 2230.
How can you be sat in complete silence? From the moment I wake I switch on the radio and will have some sounds with me all day, either music or speech. I will even have something playing in the background if I am reading.
Probably the only time I am without music or the news broadcasts is when I'm driving, and then I might be keeping an ear open for the sat-nav instructions.
How can you be sat in complete silence? From the moment I wake I switch on the radio and will have some sounds with me all day, either music or speech. I will even have something playing in the background if I am reading.
Probably the only time I am without music or the news broadcasts is when I'm driving, and then I might be keeping an ear open for the sat-nav instructions.
I like it quiet for the first couple of hours. Probably I'd put music on earlier than I do but then I don't know if the neighbours are still in bed, they don't seem to get active until late morning.
Zero interest in the news broadcasts, only thing I ever look at is the markets.
Sue loves it when I am out as she can have complete silence - I'm like Barry, music or the radio on practically from morning 'til bed. I have a Pure radio in the bedroom which comes on with local radio at 07:00 - wander down to the kitchen and then play the same radio station when getting sorted. Music on in the car if I am off to work, music in the study if I am working from home. Music back on in the kitchen when I am prepping dinner. Then either back to the study, dining room or living room and music on for the evening. Hardly ever watch TV, maybe the odd football match, but then I watch it with the sound off and music on! If I put the 10 o'clock news on, it's with subtitles and music on!
Pigmy Pony
30-04-2026, 17:48
Anita can enjoy long periods of silence, especially first thing. On the rare occasions when she has got up before me, I come into the living room to find no sound, just Anita doing one of her brain training games. And when in the car she doesn't want music on.
I'm the opposite - first thing I have some news on the telly while I have my breakfast, just in case something mad's happened overnight. After that it's either music, radio or more telly. And always radio on in the car or van. Plenty of time for silence when I've fallen off me perch.
Zero interest in the news broadcasts . . . .
I often enforce news blackouts on myself, if I could wean myself of them full-time I think I'd be a lot more content. I don't have a TV, but the radio is on most mornings and I watch far too much YouTube news.
I often enforce news blackouts on myself, if I could wean myself of them full-time I think I'd be a lot more content. I don't have a TV, but the radio is on most mornings and I watch far too much YouTube news.
I stopped about 15 years ago or thereabouts, when I realised it was just like watching the same crap episode of a TV show over and over again.
The same things happening in the same places and similar people (politicians) doing the exact same things as they were when I was about ten.
Pigmy Pony
01-05-2026, 06:53
I know what you mean - 60 years ago we had Mr Ed, 40 years ago we had ALF, today it's Donald Trump.
I know what you mean - 60 years ago we had Mr Ed, 40 years ago we had ALF, today it's Donald Trump.
You forgot about Metal Mickey.
Pigmy Pony
01-05-2026, 07:42
You forgot about Metal Mickey.
:doh: I'd rather forget about Trump.
Pigmy Pony
04-05-2026, 08:59
Last summer we had a nest of ground-dwelling wasps, and they're nasty buggers, more aggressive than most, almost making the back garden a no go area. Got a man in to get rid of them.
This year in almost the same spot we have a nest of bumble bees. I'm buzzing about that, bees are great. And we have some bushes and flowers very close by which they're loving. I'm just a bit concerned they won't be getting enough exercise. They're starting to look a bit chunky, and I'm not sure if obese bees is a thing. I'll do a bit of research.
Bumble bees get very chunky given enough food hence the myth that they shouldn't be able to fly.
I don't think they can actually over-eat, they know what they're doing, unlike us.
Pigmy Pony
04-05-2026, 09:43
Bumble bees get very chunky given enough food hence the myth that they shouldn't be able to fly.
I don't think they can actually over-eat, they know what they're doing, unlike us.
No, I've looked into it on tinternet, and they have been known to pig out on the wrong stuff, just like us. But I can't find anything to suggest lack of exercise is a thing.
https://www.google.com/search?q=bumble+bee+obesity+uk&rlz=1CAYRPB_enGB1091&biw=1920&bih=945&sca_esv=f20504b6fbd26699&sxsrf=ANbL-n4hHohV-YkrWupkd4cG9XNr3HOakw%3A1777885237674&ei=NWD4aazvKOKghbIPwYmhwA0&oq=bumble+bee+obesity&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiEmJ1bWJsZSBiZWUgb2Jlc2l0 eSoCCAAyBxAhGAoYoAEyBxAhGAoYoAEyBRAhGJ8FSNJAUOgKWK 4vcAF4AJABAJgBlgKgAZ0OqgEFNC43LjK4AQHIAQD4AQGYAgyg AroNwgIKEAAYRxjWBBiwA8ICDRAAGIAEGIoFGEMYsAPCAgoQIx iABBiKBRgnwgIKEAAYgAQYFBiHAsICBRAAGIAEwgIHEAAYgAQY CsICChAAGIAEGIoFGEPCAgUQLhiABMICCxAAGIAEGIoFGJECwg IGEAAYFhgewgIIEAAYFhgeGArCAgsQABiABBiKBRiGA8ICBxAA GIAEGA3CAgcQLhiABBgNwgIGEAAYHhgNwgIFEAAY7wXCAggQAB iJBRiiBJgDAIgGAZAGCZIHBzIuOC4xLjGgB-JcsgcHMS44LjEuMbgHqA3CBwcyLTEuOS4yyAexAYAIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#:~:text=%22Bumble%20bee%20obesity,%C2%A0%2B6
No, I've looked into it on tinternet, and they have been known to pig out on the wrong stuff, just like us. But I can't find anything to suggest lack of exercise is a thing.
https://www.google.com/search?q=bumble+bee+obesity+uk&rlz=1CAYRPB_enGB1091&biw=1920&bih=945&sca_esv=f20504b6fbd26699&sxsrf=ANbL-n4hHohV-YkrWupkd4cG9XNr3HOakw%3A1777885237674&ei=NWD4aazvKOKghbIPwYmhwA0&oq=bumble+bee+obesity&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiEmJ1bWJsZSBiZWUgb2Jlc2l0 eSoCCAAyBxAhGAoYoAEyBxAhGAoYoAEyBRAhGJ8FSNJAUOgKWK 4vcAF4AJABAJgBlgKgAZ0OqgEFNC43LjK4AQHIAQD4AQGYAgyg AroNwgIKEAAYRxjWBBiwA8ICDRAAGIAEGIoFGEMYsAPCAgoQIx iABBiKBRgnwgIKEAAYgAQYFBiHAsICBRAAGIAEwgIHEAAYgAQY CsICChAAGIAEGIoFGEPCAgUQLhiABMICCxAAGIAEGIoFGJECwg IGEAAYFhgewgIIEAAYFhgeGArCAgsQABiABBiKBRiGA8ICBxAA GIAEGA3CAgcQLhiABBgNwgIGEAAYHhgNwgIFEAAY7wXCAggQAB iJBRiiBJgDAIgGAZAGCZIHBzIuOC4xLjGgB-JcsgcHMS44LjEuMbgHqA3CBwcyLTEuOS4yyAexAYAIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#:~:text=%22Bumble%20bee%20obesity,%C2%A0%2B6
Oh well there you go, just like me (he says having just ate two apple danish for second breakfast)
''Nutritional Mismanagement: A 2025 study found that bumblebees often make poor foraging choices, failing to choose the healthiest food options when high-carbohydrate, low-quality nectar is available.''
Just spent over an hour cleaning the interior of the car. It hadn't been cleaned for months. The exterior of the car is washed and cleaned every fortnight or so, but not the interior.
It was filthy: grit, sand, gravel, cherry stones (!), leaves, dust and £4.53 in loose change! Amazing that so much gets under the car mats.
Just spent over an hour cleaning the interior of the car. It hadn't been cleaned for months. The exterior of the car is washed and cleaned every fortnight or so, but not the interior.
It was filthy: grit, sand, gravel, cherry stones (!), leaves, dust and £4.53 in loose change! Amazing that so much gets under the car mats.
You're about eight quid shy of minimum wage there. :)
Pigmy Pony
04-05-2026, 14:17
Just spent over an hour cleaning the interior of the car. It hadn't been cleaned for months. The exterior of the car is washed and cleaned every fortnight or so, but not the interior.
It was filthy: grit, sand, gravel, cherry stones (!), leaves, dust and £4.53 in loose change! Amazing that so much gets under the car mats.
Once a month seems to be the recommendation - we do ours about every other month, and going by this report I just read, that's not going to be enough, especially when we have granddaughter eating crisps and other crap in the car.
https://www.aston.ac.uk/latest-news/study-reveals-inside-your-car-dirtier-average-toilet
Of course I put the shopping bags in the floor well of the car - who doesn't?, but the point is the food, raw or otherwise, is in the bag. And raw food is cooked anyway thereby killing all harmful bacteria.
The article is just scaremongering: you need a 'peck of dirt' to start up your immune system.
It's amazing how any of us survive will as these reports about how dirty we are!
Macca thinks I'm a clean freak because I took a picture after hoovering up once and he called me out.
Yes, I remember that Martin and still chuckle about it every now and then. If you saw my flat right now I definitely wouldn't qualify for the Captain Tidy title :lol:
Pigmy Pony
04-05-2026, 15:53
Of course I put the shopping bags in the floor well of the car - who doesn't?, but the point is the food, raw or otherwise, is in the bag. And raw food is cooked anyway thereby killing all harmful bacteria.
The article is just scaremongering: you need a 'peck of dirt' to start up your immune system.
Yes I agree with that - as a kid living near and playing in the country and farmland, dirt was a constant companion. Never did me any harm. My eldest daughter goes mad round her home with antibacterial wipes, and I don't think she's doing her kids any favours.
Anita wouldn't agree with me, but my feeling about keeping the car's interior clean has nothing to do with keeping it germ-free for the granddaughter, it's more because having it infested with crisp crumbs and melted chocolate I can only stand for so long.
I needed to have tyre changed on my car. Kwik-Fit didn't have the tyres in stock but quoted a price of £!56 to do the job. The tyre would be delivered in three days, so I made an appropriate appointment.
When I drove in to have the tyre changed, I asked how many tyres had been delivered - they said two, so I asked if I could have both the rear tyres replaced. Yes I could and they gave me a re-quote of £388. Without thinking, I told them to proceed. It was only afterwards that it dawned on me that the quote for changing two tyres, re-balancing the wheels and checking the tyre pressures, etc. was more than double the quote to do the same work for one tyre.
Double the work, double the price - but why more than double? :scratch:
Did they do the tracking if they changed both? Otherwise, I’m not sure, either!
Yes, if you mean balancing they said they would do that anyway if they only changed one tire.
But they did give me two sets of measurements made on all four wheels which are degrees of camber and degrees in tracking error. Perhaps that is what you mean by tracking. There were two sets of measurements, which might relate to before and after the tire change. Unfortunately they have identical day, date and time recorded.
One set of measurements is better than the other, but which is which?
Tracking is also called “wheel alignment” and I reckon that’s what they’ve done - it’s around £75 for a 4 wheel alignment/adjustment.
https://www.kwik-fit.com/wheel-alignment?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17735933490&gclid=CjwKCAjw8arQBhB9EiwAfIKdQtgefYNIvvOYgZTcKBDu 69aLl9zDo0X7h-vCHdlX83sOe5Pz8JrHIBoCgqUQAvD_BwE
Thanks Alex,
Yes, £75 does indeed account for the extra amount of the quote.
Maybe check out Black Circles (https://www.blackcircles.com/) next time Barry, normally good value and even if you don't use them, you can use them as a bargaining chip, as most tyre places are open to haggling when you mention Black Circles prices.
Pigmy Pony
21-05-2026, 15:30
Maybe check out Black Circles (https://www.blackcircles.com/) next time Barry, normally good value and even if you don't use them, you can use them as a bargaining chip, as most tyre places are open to haggling when you mention Black Circles prices.
I'll be getting four new tyres for the Vito in the next couple of weeks, I'll get Anita to check them out. She tends to buy tyres online and have them delivered to our local National Tyres. Looks a bit cheeky to do that, but NT seem to be fine with it.
Maybe check out Black Circles (https://www.blackcircles.com/) next time Barry, normally good value and even if you don't use them, you can use them as a bargaining chip, as most tyre places are open to haggling when you mention Black Circles prices.
Thanks Tim. I have just entered the tyre make and specification for my car: Bridgestone 215/40 R17 AO XL 87
Black Circles quote £146, whereas KwikFit quoted £134.30.
Maybe regional then, or maybe the tyre size? Black Circles beats everyone around me for tyre quotes - KwikFit are one of the most expensive around Cardiff!
I normally get a quote from Black Circles then get my National Tyre Centre to match it, happy days :)
The tyres are low-profile, and possibly unique to my car (?). I wouldn't expect them to be cheap.
I meant my tyre size being a factor, I can only relate to my experience ;)
It wasn't a criticism, only the results in my case.
Like most people I pay for virtually everything by card these days. But this afternoon whilst shopping in my local greengrocer, they announced that they could only take cash because something had happened to their card reader. Even worse, one of their electric tills wouldn't open either.
The only cash I had on me was £10, and I knew my shopping could be more than that. No matter, they added it all up to a figure of £10.67; I went to the cash point 10 yards away and drew out another £20 - two £10 notes. However when | went back to pay, they had run out of loose change, because only one till was operational. I've been shopping there for ages: they know me, and said to pay the extra 67p when I had it.
I made me wonder what would happen when all the clearing banks close, the cash points dissappear, and everything is done online. Technical faliure this afternoon was an inconvenience, but at least I could still use cash.
Cash will always be around otherwise how will the black economy work?
It's probably the only growth area we've got.
Cash will always be around otherwise how will the black economy work?
It's probably the only growth area we've got.
That's what everyone says, and whilst I use online-banking, when cash dissappears, we will have no overal control of our finances. Wages are no longer paid in cash, taxes, and all direct debits, standing orders, and subscriptions etc. are cashless.
That's what everyone says, and whilst I use online-banking, when cash dissappears, we will have no overal control of our finances. Wages are no longer paid in cash, taxes, and all direct debits, standing orders, and subscriptions etc. are cashless.
In 2024 supposedly only 9 percent of UK transactions were in cash, probably less now but that's still a lot of transactions.
I mean you can still get postage stamps and postal orders, some things take a long, long time to die.
Pigmy Pony
22-05-2026, 18:27
I have a 'business' debit card for work-related purchases (fuel, tools etc), because all the receipts go to the accountant, but otherwise pretty much everything is cash. Online purchases Anita deals with. If it were me I'd probably get scammed out of all our savings while buying cat food off Amazon :doh:
In 2024 supposedly only 9 percent of UK transactions were in cash, probably less now but that's still a lot of transactions.
I mean you can still get postage stamps and postal orders, some things take a long, long time to die.
Who wants to be paid in postage stamps? You still don't get it: all cashless transactions require foolproof and reliable technology, and no technology is totally 100% reliable.
Who wants to be paid in postage stamps? You still don't get it: all cashless transactions require foolproof and reliable technology, and no technology is totally 100% reliable.
That's one of the reasons I always carry cash and usually a bit of a float of change. Like to have at least 20 quid on me, ideally £100. I mean you never know.
That's one of the reasons I always carry cash and usually a bit of a float of change. Like to have at least 20 quid on me, ideally £100. I mean you never know.
I like to have £100 in my wallet, sadly I rarely do, as my wife knows that’s what I do! (I’ve bought some great bargains at the car boot, apparently!)
I don’t carry change on my person these days, but have a bag of coins in the car which is usually with me, and a few pound coins in my “dog walking bag” for eggs from the farm nearby.
And now I hardly ever use my physical cards to pay electronically, all on my phone, which I was very late to, but makes it much easier.
Never less than a Pony,
Cos never know who might come into your Manor and cause some Argy Bargy
You don't want anyone getting their Germans on it though.
I like to have £100 in my wallet, sadly I rarely do, as my wife knows that’s what I do! (I’ve bought some great bargains at the car boot, apparently!)
I don’t carry change on my person these days, but have a bag of coins in the car which is usually with me, and a few pound coins in my “dog walking bag” for eggs from the farm nearby.
And now I hardly ever use my physical cards to pay electronically, all on my phone, which I was very late to, but makes it much easier.
Cards or phone, it is still cashless and dependant on technology. And what if your phone gets nicked? - it won't be just the phone, it could be several hundred pounds as well.
And what if your phone gets nicked? - it won't be just the phone, it could be several hundred pounds as well.
Phone is far safer than a card - phone uses facial recognition to authorise any payment whereas a thief can just tap the card (up to £120 I think it is?) on a reader without any secondary validation. :)
It doesn't need facial recognition - I see people pay for bus fares using their phone, and they don't use facial recognition.
I have never lost any card that was issued to me.
It doesn't need facial recognition - I see people pay for bus fares using their phone, and they don't use facial recognition.
I have never lost any card that was issued to me.
It depends on how it is setup I think, I haven’t used it on the bus but I have to use facial recognition in a shop and then double-click the side button, so pretty secure I think.
Sadly I’ve lost my wallet on 3 separate occasions, on two of those they used contactless on a shopping spree, the third time I think it was my son when he was a toddler as it disappeared from where I always kept it in the kitchen never to be seen again, but cards were never used. I suspect he buried it in the garden somewhere!
The limit on contactless card payments is a maximum of £100, but you are always free to set a lower limit.
Phone is far safer than a card - phone uses facial recognition to authorise any payment whereas a thief can just tap the card (up to £120 I think it is?) on a reader without any secondary validation. :)
But how many people get their phones nicked out of their hands whilst unlocked, compared to cards nicked out of pockets these days? Phones are targeted far more than cards now.
I've never used a phone to pay for anything and won't unless the time comes I'm forced to . . . I always carry cash and we should hang on to it as long as we can, it's about the only thing left we have some level of control over. It's discriminatory and marginalising to insist on wireless transactions only.
If I was in charge they'd be some changes I can tell you :wheniwasaboy:
Chinese takeaway I go to if I'm at my mother's is cash only. But that is Liverpool.
Quite a few Take Away's around me will only accept cash - lots of local shops are pushing back now and there is a local Keep Cash Alive campaign, with many shops displaying stickers advertising that.
Be careful what you wish for, losing cash will have more consequences than people realise.
Shops are supporting it, as there are fees fo pay for every transaction when using cards/contact less payment.
Pigmy Pony
23-05-2026, 07:37
I do not want to be reliant on anything with the potential for "computer says no". Also if and when the R*ss**n cyber-shitheads clear out everybody's bank accounts we'll be in a proper pickle.
Shops are supporting it, as there are fees fo pay for every transaction when using cards/contact less payment.
Remember when there was a charge to pay by card in small shops? They passed a law to stop them doing it. Government loves the idea of cashless society as no transaction can happen without them knowing and taxing it. And they can cut you off from all transacting at the flick of a switch.
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
It's in Revelations, people!
I suppose a benefit is bus journeys are a lot quicker now since people can just swipe as they get on, instead of stepping on board and then fumbling about in their pockets or purses to get the money out. Like it was a surprise to them that they would be charged for the journey so it didn't occur to them to do that whilst they were waiting for the bus to turn up.
Not that I ever get the bus if I can in any way avoid it, but it's one positive.
I've got a bus pass Martin and use it all the time :)
I don't see anyone paying by cash on a bus anymore though, card, pass or a phone.
I've got a bus pass Martin and use it all the time :)
I don't see anyone paying by cash on a bus anymore though, card, pass or a phone.
You probably have a decent bus service where you are though, ours here has always been diabolical. You might wait for one for five minutes or it could be two hours, no way of telling. So I don't bother, I'd rather walk and if I have to get somewhere fast which is rare, I get a taxi which are cheap and plentiful here.
Yes, it is excellent here to be fair, a bus every 15 minutes into Cardiff during the day and 30 at night up to 2300.
Trains are decent too, so I rarely use the car. I shop local which is a 10 minute walk away, the sea front is 3 minutes away . . . so not far to go, loaded up with cash in my pockets :D
Today I am housebound, as the road outside my house is closed.
They are holding an event in the French Speed roller skating marathon competition, and it passes outside my house.
I would much prefer if it were the Tour de France.
Yes, it is excellent here to be fair, a bus every 15 minutes into Cardiff during the day and 30 at night up to 2300.
Trains are decent too, so I rarely use the car. I shop local which is a 10 minute walk away, the sea front is 3 minutes away . . . so not far to go, loaded up with cash in my pockets :D
Sounds ideal. I like Cardiff and ha e spent a few interesting nights out.
I think the last time I was there was shopping for my wedding suit, almostb20 years ago. :eek:
Pigmy Pony
25-05-2026, 11:28
We were there about 3 years ago to see Rag 'n Bone Man at Cardiff Castle. Then into a fried chicken and kebab shop across from the castle. Ordered chicken and chips, and while we waited some bloke came in and practically threw his food across the counter and demanded his money back. Said the chicken was pink and disgusting.
Checked my chicken. No pinkness. But when we got back to the hotel it became apparent the chicken had been marinated in cat diarrhoea. Seriously. Found the shop on Trip Adviser, which had several reviews describing the food as 'inedible' and 'dangerous'. Oh well you live and learn.
But despite that, and our 'boutique' hotel brekkie that was nothing like any cooked breakfast I've ever had before, we had a lovely stay and would definitely go again :)
I think the last time I was there was shopping for my wedding suit, almost 20 years ago.
I think you might notice a few changes in 20 years, especially around the stadium - some good, some not so. The whole area in front of Cardiff Central Station is totally different - HQ for BBC Wales, which is huge and dominates the area. Cardiff Bay is really good now, the Millennium Centre especially, outstanding venue for music and theatre.
I don't go into the centre often though, less than once a month, but there's an Arts Centre in Canton I go to most weeks, great for cinema as I much prefer art-house and world cinema to Hollywood.
Cardiff on a night out over the weekend is like being in the middle of a Sega Game . . . when all the Valley girls come into town, there's nothing really quite like it :eek:
I think you might notice a few changes in 20 years, especially around the stadium - some good, some not so. The whole area in front of Cardiff Central Station is totally different - HQ for BBC Wales, which is huge and dominates the area. Cardiff Bay is really good now, the Millennium Centre especially, outstanding venue for music and theatre.
I don't go into the centre often though, less than once a month, but there's an Arts Centre in Canton I go to most weeks, great for cinema as I much prefer art-house and world cinema to Hollywood.
Cardiff on a night out over the weekend is like being in the middle of a Sega Game . . . when all the Valley girls come into town, there's nothing really quite like it :eek:
Same here, although not all Hollywood films are bad: I could probably list around 50 films which IMO are pretty good and well worth watching.
I can't be bothered to list them all at the moment; but maybe if I have nothing better to do, I might.
Same here, although not all Hollywoog films are bad: I could probably list around 50 films which IMO are pretty good and well worth watching.
Yeah but what have Hollywood done for us lately?
A.I is going to sweep them away soon anyway.
Lately, not so many - they all seem to be superhero action movies, which do not translate well to cinema. The rest are films depicting disillusionment with the 'Great American Dream'. :doh:
Pigmy Pony
25-05-2026, 15:09
Don't forget all the Pixar etc. crap. Where they get some big Hollywood names to do the characters' voice overs, just to make it all more "real" and worth your hard-earned.
My Letterboxd account tells me I've seen 148 films so far this year . . . of those this is my 5 star list of films I've seen at the cinema in 2026
https://i.postimg.cc/nLw2LJJ2/film26.png
I doubt I've seen 148 films in my life! Certainly not at the cinema!
I doubt I've seen 148 films in my life! Certainly not at the cinema!
Only 31 of those were at the cinema Alex, but I do have a reasonably good projector at home (still haven't got a TV).
That's still impressive numbers, Tim!
Talking of numbers... Just playing with EQ via Spotify on the dining room system, and was adjusting the treble (15Khz) and thought it wasn't working as I could hear no difference. Went looking for a test, and it turns out my hearing tops out at just over 11khz, so that's why I couldn't hear a difference...
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yKxy_qZfR3o
That's still impressive numbers, Tim!
I dunno know really . . as I don't have a TV I probably only spend about the same time or less watching films than an average TV viewer does watching whatever? I don't watch any broadcast TV at all, no catch up, iPlayer or anything on any device. Over a year it's less than a film a day normally, so I guess it's swings and roundabouts in the end. I don't watch drama's either, just films on BFI and MUBI.
I'm off to confirm my hearing isn't golden now, but I've always known that :)
EDIT:
I'm the high end of 9khz, can't reach 10
Pigmy Pony
26-05-2026, 06:11
That's still impressive numbers, Tim!
Talking of numbers... Just playing with EQ via Spotify on the dining room system, and was adjusting the treble (15Khz) and thought it wasn't working as I could hear no difference. Went looking for a test, and it turns out my hearing tops out at just over 11khz, so that's why I couldn't hear a difference...
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yKxy_qZfR3o
Welcome to the Derby & Joan Audio club Alex :)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darby_and_Joan#:~:text=Darby%20and%20Joan%20clubs% 5B,References
I'm sure I read on this forum once that even frequencies that are above your hearing range can affect the frequencies you can hear... not sure how that works, maybe something to do with 'harmonics'.
On that test you linked to my hearing quits at about 5khz, makes a slight comeback at 6, then is gone again above 7. Mutton Jeff really.
About 7.5kHz for me, which is quite good for my age. I used to be able to hear up to 10k, then it would drop out only to come back again at about 12k and then dissappear completely at 15kHz.
I have a demonstration test LP made for JBL. It is called 'Sessions by JBL". One of the test tracks has a piece of music, first played with the full upper frequency response of 20k. The track is repeated three times with the upper frequency limit reduced to 15k, then 12k and finally to 10k. The point is you do not notice your high frequency hearing fall off so much when listening to music as you would do just by listening to pure tones.
Don't think those tests are very accurate. I could only hear 8KHz then I turned the volume up and could get to 12Khz
That's with the laptop speakers could probably get higher with headphones.
If I boost high frequencies by 1dB on 'big' system I can hear that compared to 'flat' even though the boost only comes in from 12Khz on.
But I do have mild tinnitus so I know my hearing's a long way off perfect.
14 KHz for me on that test, which surprised me.
I remember doing one with my daughter, and she could still hear the tone when I thought the iPad was broken.
She is only 11 though.
It just goes to show that HiFi is not an appropriate hobby for old men, as we are just wasting money when we can only hear half of the music.
It just goes to show that HiFi is not an appropriate hobby for old men, as we are just wasting money when we can only hear half of the music.
I get as much enjoyment from music as I did when I first became passionate about it, probably more so. I can hear more than enough to keep me happy . . . obsessing about the gear though, well that's something totally different.
But I do agree a lot of money can be wasted by some, but if they enjoy it and it makes them happy, fill your boots :)
Agreed.
I am at a level now where I don't need to change anything, except for wear and tear or failure.
14 KHz for me on that test, which surprised me.
I remember doing one with my daughter, and she could still hear the tone when I thought the iPad was broken.
She is only 11 though.
It just goes to show that HiFi is not an appropriate hobby for old men, as we are just wasting money when we can only hear half of the music.
No that isn't the case, music is pretty much done by 8Khz look at a chart of the frequency ranges of instruments. We're actually missing out on very little.
https://i.ibb.co/DHhhCfqs/freqrange.jpg (https://ibb.co/nN99cMWZ)
Got to a concert grand and hit the top key, you can hear that at any age unless you have serious hearing damage in which case you'd be using hearing aids.
No that isn't the case, music is pretty much done by 8Khz look at a chart of the frequency ranges of instruments. We're actually missing out on very little.
Excellent Martin, I'm well inside that range.
That chart reinforces the claim that you don’t need to hear up to 20kHz to enjoy music. All that top end hearing loss does is to curtail some of the harmonics of all musical instruments (the yellow part of the spectrum shown in the chart). It is the harmonics that give musical instruments their character.
You would have to not be able to hear anything above 1k for all instruments to sound more or less the same.
Interesting, thanks, so I’m not done for yet, though the Darby and Joan club (which I had heard of but didn’t know the origin of) sounds rather inviting!
Why are estate agents so crap?
My morning walk takes me through the posh area and I sometimes see houses for sale I quite fancy.
I know can't afford them but I like to look them up anyway to see how much I can't afford them.
They're only very rarely on the agent's web site. Anyone know why? Or are the agents just bone-idle piss-takers who get their commission for doing nothing?
Pigmy Pony
19-06-2026, 14:12
Are you putting "Houses I can't afford" into their search bar? They might think it's not worth the effort to give you the info :doh: Tbh it's not something I've thought about before. Sometimes I'll see a house I like when out and about. But by the time I get home I've forgotten the Agent's name.
. But by the time I get home I've forgotten the Agent's name.
Yes that happens to me too. Plus with some of these newer estate agents their logo is so fancy you can't work out what their name actually is so you can look them up.
I think a lot of them only use Rightmove - might be on there?
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Pigmy Pony
19-06-2026, 16:06
I reckon if you know the name of the street the house is on, you Google (or whatever) "houses for sale on..." and it might appear.
No, can't find it anywhere.
Pigmy Pony
04-07-2026, 09:24
This morning finds me more depressed than ever.
Is it the weather, grey and miserable again? Is it the imminent expense of further van repairs? Is it yet another appearance of Donald 'bone spurs' Trump trying to gaslight the world with his usual shite? No, it's all the hoohah over Taylor Swift's wedding, to which I wasn't invited :( Just because I've never streamed any of her songs, never bought any of her records or CDs, and cannot name a single song she ever did. Some folk can be so petty.
Sure your invitation just got lost in the post. Anyway, last thing you want to do is travel all that way on the 4th of July weekend.
I knocked her back it's just too far to go. Told her have the reception at the Gardener's Arms just down from me. The girl would make some sandwiches and that, and we'd get the ice cream van to drop round. Not interested. Typical snooty show biz stars.
Pigmy Pony
04-07-2026, 15:03
Sure your invitation just got lost in the post. Anyway, last thing you want to do is travel all that way on the 4th of July weekend.
I knocked her back it's just too far to go. Told her have the reception at the Gardener's Arms just down from me. The girl would make some sandwiches and that, and we'd get the ice cream van to drop round. Not interested. Typical snooty show biz stars.
:D Oh yes I remember now reading something about her visiting the Gardener's Arms in Slummin' It magazine. Something about the function room's acoustics being all wrong for her karaoke. Shame really, she described the beer as bitchin'.
she described the beer as bitchin'.
She can't have tried the bitter then. Mind you she's got a few bob so can probably afford the Guinness at seven quid a pint.
Forgot to get bread so had to go to the corner shop for it. They have Hovis but it's like a fiver or something so I just got a small loaf of generic 'bread'.
Or thought I did. Says on it 'Made in the EU.' I don't know what country it's from but wherever it is, their idea of what constitutes bread is very different from mine. It's inedible even as toast. Won't be making that mistake again.
Pigmy Pony
04-07-2026, 15:37
That'll teach you to go buying foreign muck. It's a bit ironic that if you want the usual (British) brands, you have to be prepared to travel further :(
Usually have Sainsbury's own - only ten bob for a small one.
That foreign muck has made me bad - seriously. Was going the Chinese for tea but don't fancy it now. Suppose it saves me some money.
Pigmy Pony
04-07-2026, 17:44
Usually have Sainsbury's own - only ten bob for a small one.
That foreign muck has made me bad - seriously. Was going the Chinese for tea but don't fancy it now. Suppose it saves me some money.
Have some egg-chopped-up-in-a-cup, that's what my mum used to make me when I was poorly. Worked a treat.
Hope you’re feeling better Martin?
Fishing with son went well, considering it was the blind leading the blind (last time I went fishing was almost 40 years ago, and even then I was crap) and a case of “none of the gear, no idea”. We both had a handful of smallish fish, roach and tench using maggots, and then some nice lads gave us some leftover sweetcorn and we both caught a decent size carp each! Here’s Will’s specimen:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20260705/633b44ce66425e8ac8855c09fdd1d9dc.jpg
Didn’t manage to photo mine, the slippery little sucker!
Anyway, it was great father and son bonding time, and I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would but can’t believe how knackered I feel just from sitting by a lake for a few hours! Will definitely wants to do it again, hopefully we’ll be up and running quicker than we were today after the steep learning curve!
Pigmy Pony
06-07-2026, 06:47
Glad to hear you had a great day Alex, I knew you would. When it comes to father-and-son time there's nothing better. Some people would find the whole idea a bit boring, but not me - I think the time spent in reflection and switching off from all the everyday nonsense for a few hours has got to be good for physical and mental health.
And with the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads on your doorstep you'll have some of the best coarse fishing in the country :)
I can imagine you being more like Bob Mortimer than Paul Whitehouse :D
What do you do with the fish you catch: cook them or throw them back?. Whatever, it looks like you and Will had a great time.
Pigmy Pony
06-07-2026, 08:44
What do you do with the fish you catch: cook them or throw them back?. Whatever, it looks like you and Will had a great time.
If you were East European you would almost certainly cook and eat them, even though 'coarse' fish aren't great to eat. I certainly wouldn't bother. "Catch and release", while not enforced by law, is encouraged. And there are rules around catch limits and fish sizes.
Yes, I have tried carp once (in a restaurant, not caught myself) and it was horrible! Most commercial lakes don’t allow you to do anything other than catch and release immediately these days, much better for the fish, only real exception seems to be when you are match fishing.
Pigmy Pony
06-07-2026, 08:55
Yes, if you want to eat what you caught, sea fishing is the way to go.
Just had the car serviced and MOT'ed. All good, especially the bill which was half of what I was expecting! :dance:
All that and Marco's return - I think I'll have to have a lie down. :)
Mikeandvan
21-07-2026, 21:10
Just had the car serviced and MOT'ed. All good, especially the bill which was half of what I was expecting! :dance:
All that and Marco's return - I think I'll have to have a lie down. :)
Spend the spare cash on some records, I'm sure the missus will understand.
The town in Italy where my family come from:
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/xq70/921/5DosNx.jpg
...and somehow I ended up in Wrexham!:doh::D
Marco.
Looks like it's a steep climb back up from the shops.
Yeah, you'd love it!:D
Marco.
It does look very beautiful.
It's medieval, mate: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barga,_Tuscany
Quite a bit of history...
Marco.
The European Gnome Sanctuary run by the Gnome Liberation Front! :eek: Methinks that red telephone box donated by the Scots, and now used as a library, needs a few more books to widen the locals' interests! :D
Pigmy Pony
31-07-2026, 19:22
The European Gnome Sanctuary run by the Gnome Liberation Front! :eek: Methinks that red telephone box donated by the Scots, and now used as a library, needs a few more books to widen the locals' interests! :D
:doh: There is not a single part of this that makes sense to me - have I slept through something?
Read the wikipedia link provided by Marco in his post above.
During the summer, the whole town is filled with Scots (who own chippies back in Scotland) attending the fish and chips festival: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-62504297
I've been, it's great... Live music, with all the pubs open into the wee small hours:cool:
Marco.
:doh: There is not a single part of this that makes sense to me - have I slept through something?
No, daftee, you need to read links that people have taken the time to post:ner:
Marco.
Pigmy Pony
01-08-2026, 06:33
No, daftee, you need to read links that people have taken the time to post:ner:
Marco.
:doh: Yeah, I just looked at the pictures, it's what I'd normally do with historical stuff... and I know you're the same with books, because you've said so :ner: Anyway, I've read it now, was actually quite interesting. And a beautiful place to enjoy a fish supper. So how do you say "Can I have mushy peas with that" in Italian? :D
But I'm not totally ignorant, I knew about the Paolo Nutini connection :)
But I'm not totally ignorant, I knew about the Paolo Nutini connection :)
I would have kept quiet about that. :D
Pigmy Pony
01-08-2026, 07:18
I would have kept quiet about that. :D
So I perhaps shouldn't mention that I have two of his albums, and one of them's a vinyl double :doh: In my defence they never get played.
So I perhaps shouldn't mention that I have two of his albums, and one of them's a vinyl double :doh: In my defence they never get played.
:lol: You could convert them by immersing them into boiling water to soften and reform them into fruit bowls; or perhaps more appropriately into a bowl for nuts. :D
Lol, don't diss da Paulo - he's my second cousin (no jokes).
Marco.
:doh: Yeah, I just looked at the pictures, it's what I'd normally do with historical stuff... and I know you're the same with books, because you've said so :ner: Anyway, I've read it now, was actually quite interesting. And a beautiful place to enjoy a fish supper. So how do you say "Can I have mushy peas with that" in Italian? :D
But I'm not totally ignorant, I knew about the Paolo Nutini connection :)
Yeah, I'm not a big reader. Mushy peas? Lol, no such thing over there, but you could try: Posso avere i piselli cremosi con quello?, and see what kind of look you get!
Marco.
We should all go there on a jolly: https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/a-day-trip-to-barga/
Marco.
Lol, don't diss da Paulo - he's my second cousin (no jokes).
Marco.
So how many of his records do you have in your collection?
We should all go there on a jolly: https://www.visittuscany.com/en/ideas/a-day-trip-to-barga/
Marco.
We have been to Tuscany, and visited Lucca a few years ago. Not been to Barga, but would like to see the Gnome Sanctuary, just to make sure they are all wearing kilts!
Actually, it's not a bad suggestion: picturesque scenery and architecture, plenty of good food, wine and lager - along with our very own fluent Italian guide. :)
Marco Tours 2027?
Aint gettin' on no plane!
Like the idea but my passport expired years ago.
Aint gettin' on no plane!
Like the idea but my passport expired years ago.
It's a bit of a trek, but if you start now you should make it in time for Autumn next year, so as to meet up with rest of the party on Marco Tours.
So how many of his records do you have in your collection?
Lol, 2 CDs - his music isn't really my thing, but he's a good bloke.My dad and his uncle used to go shooting together.
Marco.
We have been to Tuscany, and visited Lucca a few years ago. Not been to Barga, but would like to see the Gnome Sanctuary, just to make sure they are all wearing kilts!
Actually, it's not a bad suggestion: picturesque scenery and architecture, plenty of good food, wine and lager - along with our very own fluent Italian guide. :)
Marco Tours 2027?
Yes, Lucca'a a cracking place, been there loads of times.
Fly to Pisa and hire a car. Barga's about an hour and a half away, or we could go in my new camper van:)
Marco.
Aint gettin' on no plane!
Like the idea but my passport expired years ago.
Renew it, mate. Some of the totty there is more 'scenic' than the best views:eyebrows:
Marco.
Just found a pic of the fish and chips festival:
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/xq70/923/tZPKB6.jpg
Marco.
Pigmy Pony
01-08-2026, 17:34
Just found a pic of the fish and chips festival:
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/xq70/923/tZPKB6.jpg
Marco.
Lol - the largest gathering of Weegies on holiday outside of Blackpool... I assume some of those will be Italian though? I think I've told you this before, my daughter's in-laws hail from Tuscany. She went over there a few years ago - their family loved her because she has such a monster appetite. I think she came back about a stone heavier :)
I don't know exactly where she went, I'll be seeing her tomorrow, so I'll ask her.
Lol - the largest gathering of Weegies on holiday outside of Blackpool... I assume some of those will be Italian though? I think I've told you this before, my daughter's in-laws hail from Tuscany. She went over there a few years ago - their family loved her because she has such a monster appetite. I think she came back about a stone heavier :)
I don't know exactly where she went, I'll be seeing her tomorrow, so I'll ask her.
Yes, it would be good to know. They're all like me, Scottish born with Italian parents:)
Marco.
Emyrs trying to look menacing...
https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q70/5/sgyb.jpg
Ginger toms rule.
Marco.
Went out shopping lunchtime and when we returned we discovered the fridge had packed up. These thing happen when you least expect them - still it had behaved without fault for nearly 50 years.
So tomorrow we will go to Currys to see what they have got in stock, and when they can deliver. It is always the way: arranging a date for delivery when one's immediate diary is more or less full.
Pigmy Pony
12-08-2026, 19:20
Can you not arrange for a neighbour to take delivery? That's what I'd be doing.
50 years lol - and I thought my fridge was old at 25. Although I don't know its real age as I bought it second-hand.
Pigmy Pony
13-08-2026, 10:06
I see on the news that Bullshit Barbie is leaving, this time for good. The previous time (a couple of months ago while she had a baby) didn't work out so well, her temporary replacements I think really struggled to "inform" the American people of the Trump Administration's latest achievements whilst keeping a straight face.
Maybe Draft-dodger Donald himself will take on the job, as no one can do anything as well as he can, including lying about his lies.
I think the fact that she was considered 'disposable' in remaining on board Airforce 1, whilst Trump and others (including his golf caddy!) flew off in another anonymous plane, upon learning that Airforce 1 might be targeted by an Iranian missile, might have something to do with it.
Pigmy Pony
13-08-2026, 11:37
Yes, that sort of thing is bound to make you feel undervalued. I thought it was just the press who were used as unwitting decoys, but it seems no one is safe when Trump is around, even less so when he leaves the area.
In slightly related news, the expected thrashing of the Republicans at the hands of the Democrats in the upcoming Midterms, will give the Democrats the power to subpoena, which is a big thing apparently. And rather than go after Trump with impeachments (which he'd probably worm out of anyway), the plan is to go after the companies and organisations which appear to be complicit in the rapidly increasing wealth of Trump, his family, and friends.
To properly piss him off, then sit back and watch him implode. Should be interesting :) I'm not well up on politics, so there will be details here I'm missing or misunderstanding, but I think I've got the gist of it.
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