Modern Vespa

The average person passes between 400-600ml urine in one secretion.
Flushing a toilet uses 9-12 litres of potable water.

I have a bidet in "my" bathroom (to wash my privates.)
Recently, I have taken to also using it as a urinal as well. At my age with my prostate, sitting down is far more comfortable and productive. When finished, I use the mixer tap to wash down any residue using only about a cup of water.

I dared to suggest to my wife that women should also have a urinal available to pee in, instead of wasting large amounts of potable water to flush.

Her response was that urinals are smelly and barbaric...!

Only when used by smelly barbarians.

🤣 I'd say 600ml is quite high for a micturition, but entirely possible (you don't buy beer... you rent it).

Anyway - urinals smell because the of user error (a lot misses the actual urinal). Akin to aiming a large fire hose I suppose? 🤭

Tried that and chewed the wrench-type fitting on my PD-A520s... before I could even begin. Consider yourself a Jedi master!

My printers and computers are all moved in to my new work area.

But now I have issues.

I'm still getting the issue where I lose web browsing ability on my PC. It will have all other network capabilities, I am just unable to browse the web on any web browser.

I submitted a ticket with IT yesterday about it. This morning I got in to work and discovered that all network services to the PC are non-functional. I've rebooted twice, but it still doesn't work.

Luckily, I have a work-issued MacBook Pro. Except it doesn't have all the software I need, and I don't have admin rights to be able to install it.

Add to that the fact that the IT Tech that is assigned to this site is not very helpful. The techs I had at the other site are pleasant and more than willing to do whatever I needed when they came down. This guy only wants to do exactly what is asked for initially, nothing more.

This isn't really pissing me off, so much as making me feel a little down.

I learned yesterday that my 98-year-old grandmother died that afternoon.

On my recent vacation trip, I was able to visit with her, so that helps.

Her birthday is this coming Sunday (August 14). So she was 5 days short of 99.

All of my grandparents have now died. I know I'm luckier than most that at the age of 54 I still had a grandparent living.

Sorry for your loss Monogodo!

98 years old. How amazing. Hope you get a chance to celebrate her life!

monogodo, Glad you had at least one grandparent around that long.

On my mother's side I lost my grandfather 9 years before I was born and his wife 9 years after I was born. On dad's side lost grandad when I was 12 and grandmother when I was 34. Both of them lived halfway across the country so I only knew them in person a few times.

Sure wish I had had more time to know them especially the grandfather who passed 9 years before I was born. No telling how different I would have been if I had the chance to know him. This guy as a young married man left his wife and two kids in England to find a new life in the USA and then sent for them to join him. Then WWI hit and he traveled to Canada to join the Canadian army to fight for England. Came home from that and went on to have two more boys and two more daughters.

Just realized he did all this in his short 54 years on earth!

For most of the time I was growing up, both sets of grandparents lived less than 20 miles from where we lived. We considered it a special trip to visit them.

Within 2 years of graduating HS, I was commuting 20+ miles each way to work. And by the time I was 21, I'd regularly go on 50+ mile bike rides on the weekends, and 20-30 mile bike rides during the week.

It pisses me off that we had that mindset while growing up.

My maternal grandfather helped investigate the bombing of the Army Math Research Center in Madison back in the 60s. My paternal grandfather built the house that they lived in. My grandmothers raised 4 (dad's side) and 5 (mother's side) children, and had some amazing experiences, too, having been born in the 1920s.

And I recall it was maybe once a year, around Christmas, that we would have a phone call from my dad's parents up in Minnesota and each of us had only two or three minutes to talk because the long distance call was so expensive!

I had the close family. My Uncle lived across the alley on the same block
and my mom's parents were one block away.

My Dad's family lived in Vancouver Canada. Long drive to Vancouver
from Minneapolis. We visited them only once when I was 13 years old.

Bob Copeland
Frostbite Falls Minnesota - Although hot this Summer!

I love/struggle with this xkcd comic 😬😔

thanks to jimc for reminding me of it recently https://modernvespa.com/forum/post2562830#2562830

One of my responsibilities is fixing issues that users may have with their copier access cards.

The main issue that comes up is the fact that the Security department ordered cards with an overlapping card number range as what we had for the copiers, and didn't check with us, so some Security Cards have numbers that are already in use as Copy Cards. It's an easy fix, as long as I have the correct information.

An email from today: I can't do anything with that information, so I emailed her back, and copied the employee: Her response: What I can gather from the above is that his security card has a duplicate number to an existing copy card. So when he tries to print, he can't retrieve his prints, nor can he scan. I think she's confused on the terminology between copying and printing. He should be able to copy, just not print. If I know the name that comes up when he scans his card, I can disable that card and assign the number to his account, thus enabling him to do what he needs to do. But they haven't given me the name.

In short, people don't read instructions.

"I'm having a problem!"

ok, is it A, B, or C?
If it's A, then do this.
If it's B, I need this information.
If it's C, I need this other information."

"It's B. Please help."

Ok, please provide the information I requested.

And I know that she won't respond today, and later next week I'll get an email asking why I haven't fixed it.

I go through things like that trying to help diagnose problems for people on a heavy equipment forum some times.

Sometimes when you ask a question to clarify the real problem they respond with information that is in no way connected to the problem.

Then like your person possibly not understanding the difference between copying and printing. I run into some that will say "my engine won't crank" when in fact it is cranking over but not starting. Some don't understand the difference!

The 2 different people who attempted to barge into my lane on the highway yesterday without checking their mirrors.

And the idiot that wanted to talk to me at a set of lights with the opening gambit of - That's a big bike.

Errr, yes.

Cool thread.
Today I'm getting PO'd at the price for a cheap red plastic gas can for my garage. So far Ace Hdwe is the lowest at 18.99. Seems all gas cans have doubled in price!

fucking google is pissing me off as always. And friends wonder why I stopped working. Google's very lucky I'm not in the US or I'd come and kick every single one of them in the shins with the biggest boots I can find.

Sheesh, if you were closer I'd give you one. Feels like I'm swimming in them...bought an extra, then my mom passed me a couple....

Seven. I believe we have seven. I dunno where they come from.

Looks like we're unexpectedly wealthy all of a sudden.

Kind of on topic. For many years I have had a 1 gallon red plastic gas can I carry on a mount between the sidecar and my Sportster. In over 20 years I have only needed to use it maybe twice, once for a guy on the 401 up in Canada that ran out of gas a couple miles from home.

Well for some reason this year I lost the filler cap off it. Figured I must have not tightened it when I filled it with fresh gas a few weeks before. As I had another identical can I did not use at home I took the cap off that and put it on the can mounted to the Sportster.

Guess what a couple weeks latter when I got off the sidecar outfit in the garage at home notice cap is missing again! After some searching on line I actually manage to find replacement caps to fit the can. This time I decide it will not happen again I drill a small hole in the edge of the cap and use a couple strands of copper wire to safety wire the cap. Actually makes it look good!

f'n plumber trying to bill me for zero service.

I rang them a couple of weeks ago and described a problem. they said who they'd need to send (particular skills). they sent someone who looked at it for 2mins and then said "I can't help, I'll have to send a different guy". and they want to bill for that? seriously. they can take their bill and stick it.


(gas plumbing)

I couldn't of helped you with that too. Why didn't you ask?

I assumed you'd be busy with your sheep

I heard a thump from the street late last night and kitty alerted me to something out on the road. Ugh.
So this morning I had to wander the neighbourhood to find the owner of the dead cat.

My neighbor across the street that refuses to stop feeding the wild Canada geese... They are pooping everywhere and waking up the entire neighborhood. (The geese, not the neighbor). They are filthy, dirty animals. I'm at a loss... Most everyone is complaining to me since I live across from them. The wife feels sorry for the geese and the husband listens to her every command. We chase them back into their yard but that only lasts for a short time.... Ideas?

Bob

Is this why in your profile it reads: Location: Moving.....?

How about using a starting pistol fired into the air?, surely the geese would get spooked enough to give your area a wide berth?

the whole house stinks 'cause the power supply in my workstation / server blew up.

so now I'm sitting on the front porch watching the rain with all the doors open.

(Luckily I did have a spare power supply on the shelf)

Put out some bread laced with bicarbonate of soda. It really messes with their digestive system.

Either that or a shot gun.

I'm overweight. Like, seriously overweight. That's not what's pissing me off, though (although I am bothered by it).

I received a letter this weekend from my dad. In it were two cartoons and an article about diet. The two-page letter can essentially be summed up as, "You're fat. It's unhealthy to be fat. You should make better eating and exercise choices so that you stop being fat."

Yes, dad, I know I'm fat. Just because you're what I consider to be underweight (he's 5'10" and if he weighs 135# I'd be shocked), it doesn't mean that I can get to that weight, too. Pointing out my shortcomings is not going to motivate me to fix them, it's just going to piss me off and make me not want to talk to you.

Yeah, better just not to care about his own son and walk away.

People care about you mate. Take it for what it is.

BVBob/Touring300,

Same problem here in Minnesota. They can crap your lawn full pretty
fast.

My blushing bride learned a solution that works pretty well. She goes out
on the front lawn a bangs pots and pans together. After a couple of
pot bangings, they quit coming around.

Bob Copeland "Geese no more"

Monogodo,

Hey, you just have excellent taste buds and enjoy the culinary side of life.
Next to sex, (and for me a good cigar and brandy) dinning is a real joy
in life.

I was up a bunch of pounds and feeling sluggish - also, I take a pill for blood
pressure. Due to my work schedule and laziness, I just could not get to
working out or dieting.

I am still not thin (5'9" 190 lbs). I was up to 231 lbs at an anuual physical.
I blame my wife's really good cooking. (Not my fault - right!)

I did only one thing and lost 40 lbs. Everyday for lunch, I had one plain
turkey sandwich with mustard (Mustards zero calories) and some fruit.
I could then come home at night and face my blushing brides cooking.
I have kept the weight off for five years - still eating turkey sandwiches.
I not losing more weight because half the time, I know eat out for lunch.

Obviously, many things work and most don't want to do anything.

Bob Copeland


Yes, to darn good of a cook.

I know he cares about me.

He could have very easily talked to me about it when I was up there visiting in July.

But no, he chose to be passive-aggressive about it (with the comics), and talk down to me about it in the letter.

It's one thing to say, "Hey, I'm worried about your health."

It's another to write a two-page letter explaining why the body gains weight, and that in order to lose weight one needs to burn more calories than one consumes, and to make assumptions about my life that he has no idea about. He's assuming that my wife and I are sitting around gorging ourselves on unhealthy foods. We're not. There are other factors besides diet and exercise that have contributed to our weight gain. He hasn't talked to me about what those factors might be, nor has he tried to understand our point of view. And by writing a letter and mailing it (not even email), it's a one-sided attack. It's like launching a nuclear missile - once it reaches its target, there's no chance of retrieving it if it was sent in error. Had he called me, or spoke to me when I was in the same room as him, I could have answered a lot of his assumptions and set him straight. By doing it in a letter, he took the path to his conclusion.

Some more information: At my last annual physical earlier this year, my doctor once again proclaimed my heart to be healthy. My bloodwork results also showed my cholesterol levels have improved. My Dad, meanwhile, started running in the early '80s, and ran several marathons throughout his life. He has always been active, and always eats very healthy. Yet he has high cholesterol, and had to have quadruple bypass surgery a few years ago.

Tempting, but they'll likely get accustomed to it, circle and return.

If they're present on your lawn, you might try a motion-activated sprinkler....though that's a bit problematic too close to a sidewalk. You don't want the neighbors turning on you next....

Everyone has an Uncle who smoked non filters all his life and lived to 95.

There's an exception to every rule.

Take it for what it is. He cares about you.

Geese update: Since Friday they haven't fed the geese. They did leave for a getaway on Friday night but haven't fed them even though they've been home since Sunday morning. I think either they saw and heard me on their ring doorbell or another neighbor told them of my (and everyone else's) displeasure with this situation. The guy HAS to be loved by everyone so this is a blow to his ego... This morning a guy down the street walked up with his mean-ass dog and chased the few geese that did show up. He then stood in front of the house that's feeding them and stared. Loved it! Retired policeman suggested both he and I toss firecrackers when they come around. Good idea even though I'm not a fan of fireworks. What a goofy thing to have to deal with. I had utility work done here and the landscaping crew will be showing up this week to restore parts of my yard. Hence the reason I really want these things gone!

Bob

(Not knowing anything about your family dynamic) To me, taking the time to compose (and mail) a handwritten letter shows a personable approach to what could be an uncomfortable subject to bring up in person. I do not see a letter as a one-sided attack, rather a chance to put it in your pocket, re-read it and think about what you might want to write back. Emails often keep the door open for an immediate, reactive, response.

You now have the choice to put your thoughts and feelings into a reply letter addressing his points one by one, pick up the phone, or pay a visit. All on your terms.

If you want to lose weight I can recommend walking. Start with a mile and then 2 all the way up to 10 a day.

Cut out sugar and snacks and you'll look great in 6 months.

Find an easy walk and add 10 minutes to it every week.

Don't expect big changes to happen rapidly. A pound a month is a lot over two years.