New Grump of the Day

[JanJonWestWales]

the room is below a cellar.

Amazing that you've managed to get sunlight to penetrate that deep into the bowels of the earth!

Fixed :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Feltwell]

I have to say Wobs old chap, that's a proper rant. Well done - marvellous.

Well, Wobs, you must be feeling very proud. You've had praise from the Rantmeister himself!

Oy!

I'll have you know that I'd get very upset if that wasn't true.

:wink:

 

[Penners]

I'll have you know that I'd get very upset if that wasn't true.

In fact... you'd probably have a grump about it.

 

[Feltwell]

Maybe we could job share Penners?

Hmmm, old and grumpy - which one of us is better qualified....... :wink:

 

[Feltwell]

Yes, bravo wobs, a rant par excellence.

I also feel your pain, Feltwell, as we too are blessed with a motoring product of fine German pedigree, albeit from the Stuttgart stable. I don't even want to think about blown headlamps as when I open the bonnet (a thankfully rare occurrence) I'm confronted with two warning stickers proclaiming that there are 20,000 volts within the headlamp assembly! :shock:

I suspect mine is the same! However, am I right in remembering that a simple static electricity shock is also in the tens of thousands of volts range, but very low current, and it's the current that kills you?

Still, I'm not volunteering to try sticking my hand inside the headlights! I suppose a "Danger! 10 amps!" sticker wouldn't be quite so offputting to the great unwashed.

 

[Flyfisher]

Oh, I'm sure it's all safe enough, I was just another example of ever-increasing complexity in modern cars that renders them mostly a DIY-free zone, especially the electrical side of things. Of course, it's all lovely when everything works (and the lights are certainly far better than those on my LR Defender!) but one just knows that even the most minor repair (or more usually a whole unit replacement, as nowhere seems to truly 'repair' anything these days) is going to mean a 3-figure invoice . . . probably starting with at least a '5'. :evil:

Still I can always console myself that I can usually fix my old tractor with nothing more than a few spanners. Indeed, its only bit of electrickery is the battery, starter motor and a 'glowplug' - not a sealed-box-computer-control-unit anywhere

 

[malcolm]

I find modern cars reasonably repairable on a DIY basis. My newest car is 16 years old - a high spec Peugeot riddled with ECUs. The average garage mechanic is to complex electrics as the average tradesman is to old houses so not always a lot of use. I have Chinese knock off dealer software, and there are old car forums with the enthusiasm of old house forums for support.

My oldest car is nearly 60 years old. More than half the age of the Edwardian half of the house. Second oldest is 50 this year. I have a Grump - the garage and workshop are still years away.

With that I want to add another if it is within the rules. I caught flu on the aeroplane last week. Lost the weekend so two jobs plus a building project me isn't looking forward to next weekend.

 

[paulc]

I caught flu on the aeroplane last week. Lost the weekend so two jobs plus a building project me isn't looking forward to next weekend.

Also getting held up on jobs round here - Had planned on starting the final phase of plastering on Saturday. Instead, got a call to take a look at a bandsaw that was playing up (turned out to be nothing more than guide rollers in need of a clean & lube).. Finally got to start on Sunday, and now have another delay due to running out of the final top coat halfway across the ceiling.

 

[a twig]

I suspect mine is the same! However, am I right in remembering that a simple static electricity shock is also in the tens of thousands of volts range, but very low current, and it's the current that kills you?

It is an abundance of both that kills you. Power = Voltage x Current (P = VI) as I'm sure everyone remembers from school. So huge Voltage with tiny Current, or huge Current with tiny Voltage and you are fine. You can shock yourself a lot and still survive as this gentleman demonstrates - proof:

https://www.facebook.com/522454457816173/videos/997269480334666/

 

[Penners]

Maybe we could job share Penners?

Hmmm, old and grumpy - which one of us is better qualified....... :wink:

But if we shared the job, presumably diplomatic protocols would prevent us from getting grumpy with each other.

Where's the fun in that? :evil:

 

[Feltwell]

True, very true!

 

[a twig]

Having only just the other day remarked to our neighbour how impressed I was that our 20 year old Vaillant boiler is still soldiering on, it decided to throw a massive hissy fit the other night.

Got a plumber coming round to get it back on its feet tomorrow morning - think the "change to Combi Storage boiler" plan will be going ahead rather sooner than originally planned...

In the mean time ploughing through logs trying to keep the house warm via the woodburner. I notice that as the boiler croaked, the weather forecast promptly changed to cold and wet instead of dry and sunny as well... :evil: :x

 

[Penners]

I notice that as the boiler croaked, the weather forecast promptly changed to cold and wet instead of dry and sunny as well...

Murphy's Law of the Perversity of Inanimate Objects.

It'll get you every time.

 

[Penners]

By the way, Murphy has many other laws, postulations and observations that seem to be appropriate to this thread. For example:-

Murphy's Corollaries
1. Murphy's Law may be delayed or suspended for an indefinite period of time, provided that such delay or suspension will result in a greater catastrophe at a later date.
2. The magnitude of the catastrophe is directly proportional to the number of people watching.
3. The magnitude of the catastrophe is exponentially proportional to the importance of the occasion.
4. If an outcome has a 50% chance of occurring, its actual probability of happening is inversely proportional to the desirability of the outcome.
5. If two corollaries of Murphy's Law contradict each other, the one with greater potential for damage takes precedence.

He knew a thing or two, that Murphy.

 

[malcolm]

Trying to project manage from abroad is making me grumpy. Angry really. Plasterer turned up without materials but with his material mixing monkey. Not sure exactly what he did bit assume I'm supposed to be paying for it. Didn't find out until the evening.

BA is making me grumpy too. Not content with the long delays on the flight out they decided to cancel the flight back. There goes my theraputic joist hanging planned for Friday.

I'd rather just be doing it all myself. Money was the issue with that.

 

[Penners]

Abroad? Went there once. Didn't like it.




A quote that my grandfather claimed to have overheard once from an old duffer at a nearby table, in Simpson's In The Strand.

 

[LadyArowana]

Abroad? Went there once. Didn't like it.

Not to mention the heathen foreign kit kats!

 

[Penners]

Actually, Milady, you're absolutely right! Foreign Kit-Kats just don't taste the same.

What's more, they have foisted on us their abominable sealed plastic wrapper, in place of the correct Kit-Kat wrapper of silver foil within a paper sleeve. I didn't vote for Brexit, but I'm convinced that this was one of the principal reasons that the majority of the British public did so. :evil:

 

[paulc]

Doris blew past this afternoon and took half a dozen tiles off the roof. :evil:
Fortunately, the ones that landed in the garden don't appear to be damaged, so I'll be up a ladder in the morning putting them back.

Hopefully no one else has suffered any storm damage in the winds today.

 

[Flyfisher]

Doris flattened some of our post and rail fencing and uprooted a tree across our lane, but no damage to the house thankfully. The sun is now out and it's a lovely day for being outside for the clearing up.