The Advice Thread

[sycophantia]

A few, CB750, CJ250 (worst bike I ever had), MZ250, Z400 twin, XS850/sidecar, XJ900/sidecar, GSX750F, Varadero 1000 + a few that have slipped my mind, had fun on all of them big or small.
I must admit to a fancy for a big 70s Z or twin/triple 2 stroke, recently sold a GT250 that I'd part restored but lost interest and lack of space.
You should probably scratch your itch, yes there's an element of risk on a bike but it sounds like you're all over it regards safety, just employ the defensive riding tactics you've learnt and you'll be fine.

 

[sycophantia]

A few, CB750, CJ250 (worst bike I ever had), MZ250, Z400 twin, XS850/sidecar, XJ900/sidecar, GSX750F, Varadero 1000 + a few that have slipped my mind, had fun on all of them big or small.
I must admit to a fancy for a big 70s Z or twin/triple 2 stroke, recently sold a GT250 that I'd part restored but lost interest and lack of space.
You should probably scratch your itch, yes there's an element of risk on a bike but it sounds like you're all over it regards safety, just employ the defensive riding tactics you've learnt and you'll be fine.

If you want carry on our conversation we probably ought take it elsewhere.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

I have a reasonably old Konica Minolta Dimage Z6 camera. Still in good working order, new batteries etc but when I plug it into my laptop it says (on the camera) 'Windows does not recognise initialisation'.
It's my daughter's birthday treat tomorrow and we're going for a walk in the woods with HAWKS and OWLS!
I kinda wanted to use this lovely little camera.
Is there anything I can do please?
Is it just a case of finding some new drivers?

 

[Tom Hark]

I have a reasonably old Konica Minolta Dimage Z6 camera. Still in good working order, new batteries etc but when I plug it into my laptop it says (on the camera) 'Windows does not recognise initialisation'.
It's my daughter's birthday treat tomorrow and we're going for a walk in the woods with HAWKS and OWLS!
I kinda wanted to use this lovely little camera.
Is there anything I can do please?
Is it just a case of finding some new drivers?

I think it's more likely Windows being unable to read the SD card. If there's nothing important on it, you could try formatting it from the camera menu. Or you could try using a new/different SD card. That's all I've got.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Excellent!
Thanks for replying.
I'll start on that in the morning.
That said, it's a relatively new 2GB card (the largest it will handle), but I'll put something else in.
Thanks.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Has anyone had an Endoscopy?
Got one coming up on Friday...

 

[The Bear]

Has anyone had an Endoscopy?
Got one coming up on Friday...

Yes I've had one before. At the same time as a colonoscopy in fact.

Because of that they drugged me up with sedatives before doing either. The Endoscopy was first and I don't remember much about it. Always ask for the throat spray. It tastes like a chemical banana flavour but stops you getting a sore throat afterwards.

If that's all you're having you'll probably have to be drug free and alert. They may be able to give you a mild sedative, I don't know.

There'll be a bit of discomfort and possibly some gagging as it goes in, but it doesn't last long and it's just one of those things you have to endure for the greater good unfortunately.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Ah, you're very good!
They gave me an option to have a gen anaesthetic but it would have been 5 hours out of my life and I MUST have someone drive me home. Well, that wasn't gonna be a runner, so the local one on the back of the throat it is.
I believe its basically a tube with a light and a camera at the business end.... How thick is it?
Black pudding, Cumberland sausage, Tesco sausage, thumb, little finger, pencil....?

 

[BillyDee]

When I was booked in for one, nil by mouth the morning before, got there in the afternoon and was asked "didn't anyone tell you it was postponed?"
Fucking starving I was, for nothing...
When I did have the rescheduled one, I had a "mild sedative". Was sparko within seconds, took me ages to come round afterwards (and might not have been as cordial to the nurse as I would normally be ).
So, knew absolutely nothing about any of it. Throat felt OK afterwards though.
Which probably isn't very helpful...

 

[ROVERT47]

Seriously try it. It’s just good fun for an hour. Any age. I’m not exactly young by the way!

Just done it, fantastic, drank more beer in an hour than prematch in the Leccy Club.
As someone once said, “it’s hotter than the sun”.

 

[The Bear]

Ah, you're very good!
They gave me an option to have a gen anaesthetic but it would have been 5 hours out of my life and I MUST have someone drive me home. Well, that wasn't gonna be a runner, so the local one on the back of the throat it is.
I believe its basically a tube with a light and a camera at the business end.... How thick is it?
Black pudding, Cumberland sausage, Tesco sausage, thumb, little finger, pencil....?

How did it go?

 

[Wolf Hunting]

How did it go?

Pretty good thanks.
A little uncomfortable as the damn thing goes down your throat and at the same point when he's pulling it back out, a double kind of reflex, but apart from that it was fine. Seems I have a slightly swollen something or other but absolutely nothing to worry about at all.
Interesting that when I asked him, 'What was that silver thing you pushed down the main tube?'
'That was a little device that takes a sample of tissue that we check...'
'Oh right, so you send that off for a biopsy?'
'No, we've tested it and it's all clear.'
Wow! That was quick!!
His parting advice was, 'Never be afraid of taking those tablets take them every day if you need to, but whatever you do, be very concerned about heartburn. Heartburn is very damaging don't tolerate it!'
Righty ho...

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Right out of left field this one...
Walking along the beach yesterday right next to the large breakwater that protects the River Boyne from getting clogged up from the beach, I noticed squares of concrete about 10" square covered in barnacles and about 2" thick and they had been drilled and bolted to the face of the boulders with brass bolts, also covered in barnacles the same size but on one, I noticed a small red plastic covered electrical wire bolted to the front and running behind the block, seemingly into the boulder. there were about 20 of these but only down towards the end of the breakwater which is more or less under water, except at low tide obviously. There were none of these blocks further up the thing...
Anyone any idea what they might have been? Some sort of sensor or something like that...?

 

[MARKakaJIM]

Right out of left field this one...
Walking along the beach yesterday right next to the large breakwater that protects the River Boyne from getting clogged up from the beach, I noticed squares of concrete about 10" square covered in barnacles and about 2" thick and they had been drilled and bolted to the face of the boulders with brass bolts, also covered in barnacles the same size but on one, I noticed a small red plastic covered electrical wire bolted to the front and running behind the block, seemingly into the boulder. there were about 20 of these but only down towards the end of the breakwater which is more or less under water, except at low tide obviously. There were none of these blocks further up the thing...
Anyone any idea what they might have been? Some sort of sensor or something like that...?

Some sort of electrolysis setup up to create deposits which offset the erosion of the breakwater? Read about something before using that sort of concept to create artificial reefs.

 

[Wolf Hunting]

Some sort of electrolysis setup up to create deposits which offset the erosion of the breakwater? Read about something before using that sort of concept to create artificial reefs.

How would that work? Do they drill a hole in the boulder then plug or cover it with this square cap after putting something in the hole?
It certainly didn't look like any of them were ever gonna be taken off...
And wouldn't the amount of deposit created be absolutely tiny? (Don't know anything about electrolysis...)
I'll see if I can upload a photo...

 

[MARKakaJIM]

How would that work? Do they drill a hole in the boulder then plug or cover it with this square cap after putting something in the hole?
It certainly didn't look like any of them were ever gonna be taken off...
And wouldn't the amount of deposit created be absolutely tiny? (Don't know anything about electrolysis...)
I'll see if I can upload a photo...

Not sure, was just a bit of a punt to be honest!

The thing I read with reefs that stuck a metal cage underwater that was connected to a small power supply, think they used wave/solar or a combination of both to generate that, and then you ended up with a load of calcium deposits that built up around the metal. Then nature comes along to make itself home and the whole thing starts to snowball into something more complete.

If it's a similar thing you've seen, perhaps the blocks you saw started like as metal plates and they've already been covered with deposits via electrolysis?

 

[Tredman]

Cathodic protection is quite common on pipelines. If the rocks had a high metal content could be that.

 

[leedswolf]

There's a gas pipeline from Drogheda to IoM. Possibly cathodic protection for the submerged pipeline?

 

[Tredman]

 

[Paul]

Does a parents estate have to go into probate ? Even though the will is quite specific? My brother and I are a fair way off making any decisions yet, but we want things done right.