*****This Volume is now closed. Please see Volume 74, which can be found here*****
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In this thread you may ask any question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.
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Hi folks,
Due to declining sales and the losing of a fleet contract our small fleet dept no longer requires a full and a part time member of staff. The part timer can handle the new lower level of business.
The full timer has been offered a new role at our other branch, this involves an extra 10 miles travelling each way and whilst the salary will remain the same the hours of emplyment are longer. Surely they should offer her at least a pro-rata increase in salary?
The main thing that seems strange though is the way in which they wish to process the transfer, they are looking to terminate her current contract and start her on a new contract in the new role. This will involve a 3 month probation, she has been with the company for just over 9 months and has already served one probation period.
From my basic knowledge of emplyment laws after 12 months of continuous employment she would be protected by various employment laws but doing things this way it seem like she will be back at square one and have no rights. Also as a new starter she will not be eligible for sick pay for the first 6 months.
Does this seem right to you? I just want to give her some advice before she signs the new contract and is bound by it.
Cheers
Kev
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Is your other branch exactly the same company? Each company is s separate legal entity even if they are in the same group under common ownership: so it might be that her contract is with a different employer, e.g. Snooks (Slough) Ltd as opposed to Snooks (Maidenhead) Ltd.
That said, they could be more generous and waive the need for a probation period and give her her sick pay entitlement: there's nothing to stop them altering the standard contract in her favour. Someone needs to ask the personnel manager or whoever the equivalent is.
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the company is a major PLC and the other branch is the same company as far as i know.
I think it will be a case of don't agree too much until the new contract has been received and read in full.
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Her alternative would be redundancy which at 9 months would be precisely nothing.
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Her alternative would be redundancy which at 9 months would be precisely nothing.
I think that might be a slightly pessimistic view Mark.
I think, at the moment, her alternative is negotiation. It's possible that they'll say no, and then her alternative is redundancy, at which point it'd be sensible to accept their initial offer. It (probably) can't hurt to ask though, if she thinks she deserves more than they're offering.
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OK, I could have put it better.
CLearly they would like to keep her. Whether this is because she is good at her job or because they have high moral standards is interesting but not important. Given that then I would agree that she should at least ask for some advantage.
It may even be that if they have not spelled out that her alternative is redundancy then there is some potential argument around constructive dismissal.
However, she needs to be careful and reasonable, and not too quick to stand on her rights, since their duty to someone with such a limited term of service is almost nil.
Provided that they can show that the work has gone away, rather than moved, and provided that they can show a reasonable thought/slection process behind the choice of her as the person to leave, then she's without alternative.
If the job has moved, then this may fall under TUPE (transfer of undertaking) and as such is significantly more complex - however I cannot offhand remember the qualifying period for TUPE and I don't have time to look it up.
If it is genuinely a different job then her bargaining power will be limited to the fact that she is a known and employed quantity and otherwise they would have to recruit an unknown quantity.
Better ?
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Picking up Mark's comment about the selection process, if she does the same job as the part timer, then theoretically the 'new' role should be open for both of them. The employer would need some kind of selection process to decide between them (assuming current full-timer is interested in part-time).
But apart from that, I think she should hold out for continuous service and more money pro rata.
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Does anyone know the name of the font used on US license plates? I don't need the exact font, but a close equivalent would do. It's for a brochure.
Thanks!
The UK font is called Charles Wright by the way - save that for your next pub quiz!
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Which state? it varies from state to state.
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Any will do really, RF, just trying to get the look of a US number plate for a brochure. Googled away for hours but no luck. Searching for license plate and registration plate typeface and font.
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Can't answer your question I'm afraid but there was an interesting article in Creative Review a couple of months back about how the font used on US roadsigns had been changed, with a consequent decrease in accidents.
--
Matthew Kelly
No, not that one.
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There is no legal font for US plates, and the basic cheap supplied font varies form state to state
www.ricksplates.com/
California basic font is
www.emigre.com/EF.php?fid=115
Do you knw while having a google peek I found an old typewriter font called "vomit"?
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Rebecca
Can't help with the name of the font but I do know that special fonts owned by 'fonthouses' start at around £350 per licenced copy.
Was doing a similar job needing a vehicle manufacturers corporate font and came up against this cost.
Good luck
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Thanks for your help everyone.
When will HJ publish these Q & A's in a book?! Central Heating could have a volume of it's own...
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I have found myself involved in a most peculiar situation regarding an eBay sale:-
On behalf of a friend, I posted an auction for a large piece of domestic electrical equipment. It sold for just over £100 and the buyer sent me a cheque by return.
The auction conditions clearly stated that it was for collection only, and within 14 days of auction end. This was over six weeks ago, and, despite a phone call promising collection, the buyer has still failed to turn up or confirm a specific time of collection.
What is the legal position, and what to do?
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Doesn't help you, but some years back when I lived in darkest deepest Kent I sold an Aga cooker to someone through the local paper. He paid me cash (c £300 IIRC) and said he'd would call to arrange collection.
It stood in my garage for over 3 months and I couldn't get hold of the guy. Eventually out of the blue I got a call, and he collected it. Turned out he'd been on an extended holiday at one of HMs establishments...
ISTR that the general view was that there WAS a certain period of elapsed time after which, so long as I had made all due effort, I would have been entitled to resell the item - but not sure about the money side. I guess you'd have to refund, less an amount for "storage" and admin.
No doubt someone will know the right answer...
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legal position? not sure.
Usual ebay forum advice - contact buyer by various means giving deadline for collection failing which item will be relisted and money refunded. Not ideal, but that's the advice usually given.
You could also post on ebay forums if you haven't already.
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Technically they are in breach of contract.
Your best course of action would probably be to write to the buyer, reminding them of the terms of the sale and giving them a specific length of time to collect the goods. Inform them also that should they fail to do this, you will dispose of the item and use the moneys supplied by them to cover your costs in doing so. Any funds left over should be returned to the buyer. I assume you've already cashed the cheque?
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Duchess's answer reminds me of another incident, when I was on the receiving end. A company sent me a souped up keyboard for my Spectrum, together with invoice (£70, a lot at the time!) but I had never ordered it (although it was a useful but ugly piece of kit).
On advice, wrote to them telling them they were in error and they could collect the goods by appointment. They responded with a £5 cheque for p&p. I responded to say thanks for the fiver, but they could collect.
They didn't, within the time frame, so it became mine. As did the fiver. Never heard from them again...
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Consider dealing with this as a Landlord of goods left behind.
Section 12 Torts (Interference with goods) Act 1977 sets out a lawful procedure.
Send Registered letter to buyer who is now the owner specifying that;
Goods ready for collection and will be kept for 3 months. If unclaimed after this date will be sold. Claim should be made to cover any expenses incurred (storage, sale etc). Any excess cash over this has to be given to the owner of the goods.
Have a look at:
www.tinyurl.com/94iu
DVD
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Thanks all.
I am reluctant to 'get heavy' over this, but it is getting to be a real problem for my friends who are lumbered with a rather large lump of someone elses property.
The buyer has contacted me twice but it hasn't translated into action.
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DVD, your answer reminded me of something that happened about 12 months ago, perhaps you have the answer. I handed in a mobile to the local police station and was told that if the goods were not claimed they would not revert to me after the statutory period. When I questioned the grounds for this, I got a very woolly answer. Something along the lines that the goods would be destroyed since they could be of no use to me! They also claimed that this was a local force decision. How did they know that the battery would not fit my phone? Any comment?
--
pmh (was peter)
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Rules and regs pmh.
Used to be when handing in found property, if goods suitable, then finder retains then after 3 months yours. Items of high value obviously taken over but again if not claimed in 3 months returned to finder or sold by auction. Gak etc destroyed.
Various Police property Acts give avenues to have Magistrates decide on ownership of an item and also for CC"s to make policy regarding found property and property other than found, retention and disposal.
DVD
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How about this one then? I acted for the owner of a car park, in which someone had left a 15 yr old Alfa Guillietta Spider. The registered owner was in Gibraltar and would not respond to letters or calls. We eventually got a court order entitling us to sell it and put the money in an account. We were entitled to deduct car park charges up to the point of sale, which nearly amounted to the value of the car.
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www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=30...1
Re. the above.
Firstly, thanks for all the replies.
Fuel flow isn't a problem: plenty coming through when tickled.
Blocked carb: Carb has now been cleaned out, and apart from slow running jet looking a bit merky, everything seems fine. Still the same problem.
Air filter: Did not exist! The foam which was in there had disintegrated sometime before the start of the last decade I think. New foam and clean out, still same problem.
Choke: Is always off.
This (I think), leaves about 3 possibilities:
- My dad's convinced new petrol might help. I don't know what's in there at the moment, but it's run on Unleaded before and has been running on this can of fuel twice at start of the year. So I'm sceptical.
- Ignition system problem. The points were last checked in 1984, so that may just be it. But seems to have a spark when it feels like it! Haven't checked for spark existance though.
- Speed governor. This is connected, but might not be working as you say L'escargot. The only way we could tell I suppose would be to hold throttle open manually or watch it carefully.
These three things will be the next to be checked. Any comment? Again, it seems to be that it will run for a while then stop. Then refuse to restart. When it does start it only runs for a second or two then dies. Seems to have little power. Compression's OK, no sticking valves, FSH.
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Mike Farrow
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"it will run for a while then stop. Then refuse to restart. When it does start it only runs for a second or two then dies."
Similar problem just cured on my Omega, it's your Crankshaft angle sensor.
Joking aside, maybe it's something heat related (mine was) though I know nothing about engines so really can help.
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<< Again, it seems to be that it willrun for a while then stop. Then refuse to restart. When it does start it only runs for a second or two then dies. Seems to have little power. Compression's OK, no sticking valves, FSH.
Sounds as if it might be running too rich. I wonder if any of the jets have been taken out and replaced with the wrong size?
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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I spent half a day with the SIL trying to get his motorbike which hadn't been used for a season started.
Eventually drive down to the motorbike mechanics shop for advice and he said right away that its your petrol gone off.
"We get this all the time with a bike which hasnt run for a long time."
Went back and drained the tank and the carbs etc.
Started right away........
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I spent half a day with the SIL trying to get his motorbike which hadn't been used for a season started. Eventually drive down to the motorbike mechanics shop for advice and he said right away that its your petrol gone off. "We get this all the time with a bike which hasnt run for a long time." Went back and drained the tank and the carbs etc. Started right away........
The lighter fractions of petrol evaporate over time and this may make starting difficult. But once an engine has started it should keep running even if the petrol is "stale" or "gone off".
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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What about an inlet air leak that increases (due to expansion of metal parts?) as the engine warms up? Carburettor gaskets damaged?
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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As I suggested before it seems to me to be more likely an ignition system problem and if your points have not been checked or re-set for over 20 years it could well be that they are badly pitted .
Alternatively it could be that the adjusting screw has vibrated loose causing the gap to vary , sometimes allowing you to start the engine and then as soon as the engine starts vibrating the gap changes causing the cutting out.
Reset the gap and smooth off any pitting with an emery board or if necessary replace the points if they are badly worn.
Another possibility is that the plug lead core has broken and the lead needs replacement.
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Air filter: Did not exist! The foam which was in there had disintegrated sometime before the start of the last decade I think. New foam and clean out, still same problem.
Perhaps the foam you put in is more resistive than that which you took out. Foam acts like a choke and, as we know, choked engines misbehave when they get hot.
Just as an experiment, try running it without the foam to see if that gives you a clue. You may then need some choke.
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OK thanks chaps.
Helicopter,
definately a point problem, they are worn quite a bit, having developed a definite 'step' between the contact plates, and have hence mis-aligned. Solution will be new points (easier said than done?) in not so distant future, however it's now working (!) having removed all the oil which had found its way onto the points and filed step down a bit.
Turns out the govenor is just a bit flap which litterally sways in the wind as the air passes through the "turbine" blades on the flywheel.
Places to buy points anyone?
Thanks again!
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Mike Farrow
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Mike - I'm glad to see my many years of trying to sort out my old motor bike problems in the sixties and seventies have helped .
You do need to check and set the correct gap carefully with feeler gauges. I am not sure what it should be ( although the recommended gap always used to be around the thickness of the card on a fag packet ).
Suffolk is now part of Atco Qualcast group - itself part of Bosch and is still based at Stowmarket in Suffolk so they may be able to help if you contact them.
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Here we go Mike - Try this link:-
www.oldlawnmowerclub.co.uk/detlistbymow.asp?Mower=...k
Happy Mowing - I prefer my Flymo - I have this thing about rotor blades...
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Thanks helicopter.
I think new points are the only way to go, the step is still there as the files are quite blunt! Getting rid of the oil was the main help I guess.
We've got the manual, which helpfully lists all parts and their numbers. I've found a couple of websites that seem to offer spares for mowers, whether they sell parts so far back I don't know, but it's not like they change these things every year like car manufacturers. My dad seems to hope that the same points will have been used on a motorbike or two. Fingers crossed.
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Mike Farrow
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Think I should do some more execise (mad, I know!), so thinking of getting a new pedal bike; don't fancy the secondhands, so where's a good place to buy them new cheap ?
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Well there is Ebay, got RF juniors latest bike from there after his other one was nicked.
But suprisingly after you add postage and stuff, your local bike shop and or halfords is very competitive. Plus the bike shop will give you a free 6 week check after sale.
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I wanted a new bike for myself and went to a small shop that had traded in Raleighs for over 100 years. Far more knowledgeable than Halfords and I bought three bikes - one each for my boys and one for me. It was hybrid. It looks like a regular city bike, but has slightly more knobbly tyres and some suspension and 21 gears.
I used it in a 50 mile sponsored bike ride last year and it went fine. Not sure about me though!
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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I'd thoroughly endorse Espada's advice about using a proper bike shop, like local garages if we don't use them we'll loose them.
You might need to spend £150-£200 to get something worthwhile. Avoid cheap bikes with full suspension, it's not necessary unless you're going to do serious off road stuff, and if you are you'll need better suspension than you get on a cheap bike! Just adds weight and complication.
Try the Claud Butler Pine Lake which is alumininum framed and reasonably light but comes with 21 gears etc. You'll still find earlier versions of its' predecessor the Ravanna (now a suspension bike) at discount if you shop around.
Don't forget to add lights and possibly a saddle upgrade to yuor budget.
Ex day rental bikes can be a good bargain if you are near the kind of tourist areas where such facilities exist.
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helicopter Jr imported his 'good' bike from USA via a friend in BA.Much cheaper there.
He then bought a cheapo trade in second hand bike from the local dealer when he went to Cambridge.
Just as well cos the cheapo disappeared sometime during his second year.
Bike theft is certainly the biggest crime in Cambridge.
If you live anywhere near there or Oxford you could go along to the auctions of bikes which have been lost or stolen and recovered . Hundreds of them , some better than others.
Dont forget a good lock when you buy.
I went to a friends for Sunday Lunch a 10 years or so ago and his son and a 15 year old friend were riding their pushbikes around the garden.
The friends bike looked quite smart with suspension, special wheels etc and I casually enquired of the cost - I was gobsmacked when he said around £5,000!
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The Trek's with rigid frames are pretty good. I ride a hardtail 4500 with disc brakes, that set me back £500 and will probably upgrade soon. Don't forget a helmet.
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Following on from Espada's advice to use a "proper" bike specialist, Evans Cycles are a good independent chain of bike stores. Don't think they do much for less than £300, mind.
www.evanscycles.com
I'm about to buy a Trek road bike from them for £350.
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When I went up to Cambridge I acquired - from a dealer near home - for £50 a second-hand Rayleigh Wayfarer. It died after 3 years, when the frame cracked in a puff of rust when I hit a parked car. Next two bikes were made from assorted odds and ends found at the bottom of the bike shed - spending money on a bike seemed like a waste of beer money. A £75 Mountain bike was, frankly, a waste of money - pedal bearings went after a couple of years, & £15 in the bike shop later I still couldn't manage to strip it down to replace them as it had rusted solid. The bike is actually still going, but that's another story. £130 of road bike - with a 4 speed hub gear was - and is - the best; on 'offer' from a bike shop.
Mountain bikes have very low gearing which I find irritating. De railleur gears, whilst offering a higher efficiency - iirc (doubtless somebody will correct me) about 92% compared to 70% for hubs (although more modern hubs are probably more efficient) are apt to come off at inopportune moments. And yes, properly adjusted they shouldn't, but they are a right pig imho.
You don't need a mountain bike.
You don't need 30 million gears - you'll only ever use 4 of them.
You don't need a helmet; there's a strong school of thought (not, strangely, supported by helmet manufacturers) that the odds of a helmet improving matters in a crash are negative.
You do need decent lights. A good halogen front light was a revelation!
Don't bother with a second hand bike. you don't know where it's been & they are inordinately expensive compared to new.
On the other hand, if you want to spend £5,000 on your bike, then as I scarcely spent 10% of that on my car, I'm probably not the right person to ask!
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You don't need a helmet; there's a strong school of thought (not, strangely, supported by helmet manufacturers) that the odds of a helmet improving matters in a crash are negative.
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Sorry Mr Cartographer, but I must take issue. There would be one less Alfa-driving moderator here but for £45 of helmet (replaced by the manufacturer at cost of £15 as part of their lifetime replacement package - they use the destroyed ones for R&D)
I don't fancy anyone's chances in head v . kerb without a helmet, even at walking pace. Now head v. Transit? ::shudder::
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I'll second that. My mate got separated from his bike (details unknown due to excess of alcohol, but it snapped the front forks clean off) but his helmet was very flat at the front and split front to back. I hate to think what such an impact would have done to an unprotected head...
I always wear a helmet now - feels very odd without it - like driving a car without a seatbelt on!
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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I have no axe to grind here, before anybody jumps down my neck for suggesting irresponsible activity. If I did have an axe to grind, I'd post links to back up the following unattributed assertions...
Bicycle helmets are pretty flimsy things. They protect against minor injuries, but are of little assistance against major injuries. Motorbike helmets are a little better but not much use in a high speed impact. Under certain circumstances, the geometry of an impact can cause worse damage with a cycle helmet than without.
Finally, the risk per hour spent travelling in a car of serious head injury is about the same as the risk per hour spent on a bicycle. So should all car passengers wear helmets?
Anyway, that's the end of my patchy knowledge on this subject.
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Bicycle helmets may appear flimsy,they are only made of polystyrene,but it does absorb a lot of energy from an impact,usally getting destroyed in the process.Your skull would not do as good a job.I have twice had my head saved by one and would not ride without.On what basis do you make your final assertion?A car would have to be in a serious accident for the occupants to recieve a head injury,a bike rider only has to fall off.
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Bicycle helmets may appear flimsy,they are only made of polystyrene,but it does absorb a lot of energy from an impact,usally getting destroyed in the process.Your skull would not do as good a job.I have twice had my head saved by one and would not ride without.On what basis do you make your final assertion?A car would have to be in a serious accident for the occupants to recieve a head injury,a bike rider only has to fall off.
Met lots of folks with head injuries. Cars, industrial accidents and being a bladdered pedestrian featur most. Pedal bikes fifth or sixth.
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Bike helmets can cause more injuries than they save if not well fitted.
Mind you, my mate with a bike shop loves them - he makes at least 100% profit on them, in some cases 4 or 5 times what he paid.
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Whenever I use "an" or "a" I do so either because it feels right, or because I have knowingly been educated otherwise (such as "an hotel") when it feels wrong. Really, though, I haven't a clue what the actual rule is.
Hopefully a grammar expert will be along in a moment to help me!
TVM
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An precedes a noun starting with a vowel e.g. an apple
A precedes a noun starting starting with a consonant e.g. a banana.
Of course, being the English language, there is the odd exception. I think "a university" is correct for instance.
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I think the only reason for 'an'in the firdt place was to make it 'feel right' so SjB you are right first time. Hotel is a French word which some people used to pronounce with the h not sounded - hence 'an hotel' - perhaps a little archaic now.
But it's still an honour to reply to you!
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An unique or a un1que plot that thickness to an unacceptable degree.
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Anything beginning with "U" goes with 'a' rather than 'an' because it sounds like it begins with a "y", not a vowel. I think if it sounds like it begins with a vowel, it's an 'an'. If not, use 'a'.
So
an apple
an umbrella
a unicorn
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Mike Farrow
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'Lo all.
I'm currently at university studying computer science and physics, with aspirations of becoming a professional pilot. While my flying experience doesn't extend beyond a couple of flying lessons.
Fortunately, the few sponsors that are still available appear to prefer applicants with little or no experience so they can train them in their own image.
What I'd like to know, however, before I start ringing airlines and pestering them, is whether it's possible to get any form of work experience at airports.
Anything will do, I'm not picky provided it gives me a bit of insight and looks good on my CV. I feel, however, that there might be unpleasant security restrictions which make this sort of thing impossible.
Would appreciate advice / suggestions from anyone more knowledgeable than me on the particular subject!
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Fortunately, the few sponsors that are still available appear to prefer applicants with little or no experience so they can train them in their own image.
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There used to be an annual show at a London Hotel purely about careers in the cockpit. I do not know if they are still run.
BA used to ask "Who wants to be a pilot?" and then reply "We are looking for people to train as managers and then they can learn to fly." What I'd like to know, however, before I start ringing airlines and pestering them, is whether it's possible to get any form of work experience at airports.
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Try
www.oxfordaviation.net/about/about.htm
and talk to them first as you may be just wishful thinking.
I understand they have an extensive selection process and then train pilots to a wider spec. Those pilots are then offered to airlines. Else I guess the cost is probably in the £50K - 80K range these days.
There are one or two other schools that train commercial pilots.
What airports can you get to if work is available?
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Jesse - I hope that you do not think that being a professional airline ( or helicopter) pilot is a glamorous job. Very unsociable hours in very unsociable places - your life is not your own believe me unless you are very lucky and get a long term job with a national carrier.
Safety is an issue also if you try and get in on the ground floor with some airlines - mentioning no names but the remoter parts of Africa and ex USSR countries spring to mind.
Most of my company pilots are going from job to job on short term bachelor contracts purely for the money , flying in a non air conditioned greenhouse in desert conditions , frequently in temperatures of 45 degree c +. We call them flutterbys.
I have just spoken to a very good friend who is HR head of a major middle east airline and he is very knowledgeable on pilot employment. Unfortinately for you they employ only their own nationals.
He advises that you should go on to their website try the BA cadet scheme.
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Try a look at this before you do contact BA - a real pilot from experience writes-
Sorry to disillusion the enthusiastic amongst you ....But being a pilot aint what it used to be....
I've been in this business for many years now and have watched employment conditions and pay getting worse every year. I fly long haul at present and have been told that if I want to keep my job I must relocate...the lousy re-location package on offer is going to mean that I will have to pay out of my own pocket to relocate...quite substantially.....
Some airlines call for you to pay for your own type ratings,one even charges you just to look at your CV!!!!!!.On top of all this you will have to pass sim rides every 6 months, a medical every 6 to 12 months depending on your age...and at 60 the CAA will take your licence back. Companies go in and out of buisness at an alarming rate...so unemployment is very likely at least once in your career...all this movement means that pensions can be hard to arrange. I'm afraid that companies don't value us at all. We seem to be a necessary expese that, if they could do without,... they would. I could go on,.....be carefull. Flying can be great fun....working for airlines aint. You might be asking...if he aint happy why doesn't he leave.....Well I'm working towards doing just that. I can't afford to work for an airline anymore. If you have a good job/career ...I suggest you try to excel in it and keep your flying private. That way you will continue to enjoy aviation.
So take the rose coloured spectacles off and take a good in- depth look at the Industry before you commit a penny. Or you are likely to become another lamb to the slaughter.
If you want even more disillusion see www.pprune.org from which this screed was taken.....
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...one even charges you just to look at your CV
Yes indeed. I recall reading a few years ago that Ryanair introduced such a scheme, where the fee was £50.
Infact, a friend who recently joined another short haul airline as a pilot, confirmed just a few weeks ago that if he'd failed with his initial application, and then applied to Ryanair, he would have had to fork out to have his CV considered. It looks like the rule still applies.
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Actually SjB - I heard the other day that Ryanair stopped their employees charging their mobile phones at work on the company electricity...I'm not joking.
Jesse - If you want to be a pilot don't let me put you off but you really have to love it and go in with your eyes open.
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Oh and another thing - You will need to pass a class 1 medical costing around £400 - If you haven't got that you will not be flying anywhere.
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Oh and another thing - You will need to pass a class 1 medical costing around £400 - If you haven't got that you will not be flying anywhere.
And keep passing your medical.
A classmate of mine became a commercial pilot with a well known international carrier til one day he failed the medical and that was the end of that career.
The anti social hours that most work is certainly not good for your health.
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Actually SjB - I heard the other day that Ryanair stopped their employees charging their mobile phones at work on the company electricity...I'm not joking
I know you are not, helicopter! The cabin crew on my last Ryanair flight back from Sweden were talking about the subject.
May be there was a silver lining in being red-green colour blind after all! ;-) (Yes, I too wanted to fly on leaving college twenty three years ago, and the lowest day of my life was when I was told that I couldn't)
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I don't think he's planning to leave his university course, but looking for work experience as part of his degree?
I would think that provincial airports would be a good place to start for placements even though they may be more office based - there may be an opportunity to do some flying hours?
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Hi
I've, ahem, mislaid the manual for my Samsung "American" Fridge Freezer. I've changed the filter, but can't remember how to reset the filter light. Can anyone help please???
Thanks
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www.samsung.co.uk
Go to support, choose download center and you can locate and download a manual for your fridge.
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Wow, what a great idea. Sadly, no downloads for mine....
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Try American site Samsung.com. Shows e-mail contact if you can't find manual.
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Seems near I live we have several builders whose jollies include extending their houses .... anyway, last year summer was hell as Mr Builder #1 was making noise into the evening, including the weekends; I now have Mr Builder #2 at it, nicely over the Bank Holiday weekend whilst most 'normal' people want to do 'mad' things like sit in their gardens and have some peaceful time .... anyway, what's the law in this regard - in know when we purchased our (new build) home, the building contractors could only work 8-4 I think at w/ends ? Can people with jack-hammers go at it into the evenings ?
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Look up local council environmental health and complain. Some of them have out of hours response, which is relevant as it's a bank holiday.
Not aware of any actual limitations on working hours for building sites except those dictated by the planning permission or other third party. Pretty sure that Environmental Health have power to act as it is a nuisance. Mostly when i have prepared tenders, the hours are at the discretion of the Employer (person who's paying), and they normally are 8 - 5.30 or similar.
Or alternatively, have a chat and ask him to keep it down.
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If these works required planning permission, the planning dept will almost certainly have set working hours conditions. Ask at you local planning office.
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Could anybody tell me please why concentrated orange juice is supposeidley not as healthy as 'Normal' orange juice?
tia..
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We need to know what concentrated Orange Juice is first.
In its original form, Orange juice takes up a lot of bulk and therefore expensive to ship around the world. So its concentrated. The only way you can concentrate it is to remove some of its content. They try to remove most of the water to reduce its bulk, then add water back near the point of sale in the supply chain.
You cant remove content without removing some of its healthy bits.
Also concentrated orange juice is dependent on the quality of the water added again, plus most of it is treated in some way (pasteurised, homogeonised etc) as Orange juice concentrate is stored for a long time, sometimes nearly a year. Its traded as a commodity.
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Im a newbie to Ebay and won my first auction today and payed by Paypal and sent an email to the seller asking when he would be posting it-(1st class recorded).Can any experienced ebayers please let me know if there is anything else I should do/ask from the seller for the transaction to go through smoothly.
Many thanks
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You've done waht you need to do. Make sure you check out the seller's feedback, easily overlooked in the heat of the moment. The
Seller should e-mail you with delivery arrangements but don't worry if they don't.
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Pugugly I checked his feedback and he has no Neutral or Neg Feedback,38 Positive, been a member since 2002 but never sold anything before! I was a bit worried about that but I think I got a good price so fingers crossed!
Also what happens if it goes walkies in the post? is it just tough luck...!
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Depends on how he sent it (and what it is and what its value is) Parcel Force (for instance) gives you £500.00 insurance for loss.
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Also what happens if it goes walkies in the post? is it just tough luck...!
Interestingly, that happened to me recently on an item I purchased. I contaced the seller, who sent me the receipt he got from the post office when he posted it,(good thing he kept it!) and an invoice with the value. I picked up a claim form from my local post office, sent the receipt & invoice and got a refund from the post office. Took a few weeks, but I did get my money back.
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I have a Diplomat dishwasher (yes, those sold at MFI) which is only about 4 years old but has never been very good. As it has finally packed up, I am going to get a Bosche. It's a "semi integrated".
I've already ordered it, on the following assumptions:
The door panel will fit easily and properly
Physically getting the old one out and the new one in will be no more complicated than undoing and replacing a couple of screws and some pipes.
Am I deluding myself? If so, does anyone have any tips please?
Thanks
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The door panel will fit easily and properly
Only if your existing dishwasher is semi integrated, and the panel is the same size.
I wouldn't have a clue about the rest of it, but good luck!
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Did this myself earlier this year. Given that I am seriously mechanically incompetent, it was quite straight forward, just as you state.
As long as both are semi-integrated you should be fine, they usually come with various spacers to assist with teh door sizes.
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>>The door panel will fit easily and properly
Almost certainly. - Just provided that both are "semi integrated".
>>Physically getting the old one out and the new one in will be no more complicated than undoing and replacing a couple of screws and some pipes.
Probably easier than that. Pipes are hand tight, although they can be stiff to remove to a pair of grips may come in useful. Worst thing that can happen is that the pipes are not quite long enough to be connected with the dishwasher out of its space. Should that occur, I recommend investing in some slightly longer ones to make life now, and forever into the future, somewhat easier.
The doors are a silly, fiddly, but basically simple job.
>>Am I deluding myself?
You may well be, but that is probably nothing to do with your dishwasher - new or old.
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We (or rather HE) managed OK when we replaced a Smeg semi-integrated with a Bosch. The instructions were a nightmare as they were 100% pictorial and took some working out.
Fitting the door panel nearly flummoxed us both until we realised that the whole sheet of instructions was also the template for attaching the fixings to the door panel.
The only minor problem was that the water pipe had a kind of filter cartridge attached and wouldn't fit through the existing gap in the cupboard back, so we needed to cut a bigger hole.
Since we've had the Bosch we realise how poorly the Smeg 'washed' the dishes. The Bosch is excellent.
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This is all quite encouraging, thanks. Interestingly, I have a suspicion that Smeg are made by Diplomat (or vice versa) so I am effectively doing the same swap as you Rebecca.
Thanks all!
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My brothers current contract is up and he is thinking of getting a 3G phone. What are the pros and cons?
On the O2 website it shows that 3G coverage is not brilliant. Also, to me anyway, it seems the pros ie video calling etc are only worthwhile if someone else has the same phone. And no doubt it will cost a fortune as well. He is not into downloading tones and pictures etc.
I remember hearing that the phone companies were struggling to try and recoup their investment in 3G. Is this something that he should maybe leave for another year until it is more improved?
Also I note that in O2 website the 3G phones are not bluetooth - is there a reason for that? Or is it a case of by paying for the 3G technology, you need to forego some other features that you may expect to have?
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If you go and look at the Orange website, they are giving away an additional 3G phone (2 in total) with their contracts.
Two phones for the price of one.
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"My brothers current contract is up and he is thinking of getting a 3G phone. What are the pros and cons?"
In a word - DONT
3G coverage is appaling, the phones are still too big and battery life is still bad compared to regular phones. All the peopel I know who took up 3g are all waiting for contract end to dump it.
there will be a time for 3g, its not yet.
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I seem to be agreeing with RF an awful lot these days but "don't do it Bobby".
My mate has a Motorola something or other and it is huge. You can watch video on it no problem but the best way I can describe the size is fatter than a Sky remote but about the same length.
Ridiculously big, no coverage and does nothing mine can't do except stream video (which I have no interest in doing myself).
Great for the gimmick factor - trying to find a pocket big enough for it is another matter. If anyone's seen Phoenix Nights where Max installs the car alarm and trys to put the remote in his pocket, then that's what the phones are like!
--
Adam
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>>there will be a time for 3g, its not yet.
I wouldn't be so sure. A WiMax (long distance, doesn't go through walls) and WiFi (short distance, does go through walls) hybrid might cause a 3G bypass. It may just be that it never happens and that the future is one of hybrid phones capapble of attaching to WiF, WiMax, GSM, GPRS, VHF and any other comm link going.
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"future is one of hybrid phones capapble of attaching to WiF, WiMax, GSM, GPRS, VHF and any other comm link going."
yup, that the way it is going to be. Nothing actually quite or probably will ever meet cellular technology for that "ring out or be reached anywhere even while moving" phone type thing, and cellular will never meet that wifi/wimax/line of sight microwave "here i am in one place not moving at the moment so set me up a fast gigbit reliable data link" type thing
but a combination of the two? thats the way to go.
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Whilst watching a film last night, listening in surround sound, the center speaker would intermittently decrease in volume with the main speakers at the same time producing digital garbage, before normal service then resumed. A few seconds later, the same fault would occur again, and so on. Having spent many thousands of pounds on the equipment, and after ruling out cabling faults, I feared an expensive repair around the corner.
It was then that I noticed the rather large spider sitting almost out of sight, bridging several of the speaker outputs on the back of the amplifier!
Encouraged to leave his home, and given a new one in the garden, the amplifier then worked perfectly again.
At no time were any cables or connections disturned, but given the low voltages involved, surely the spider wasn't the cause?!
Seems mighty coincidental, though!
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>>At no time were any cables or connections disturbed
After having checked their integrity in the first place, I should say, after which point the fault remained. It was only with the spider evacuated, during which operation no equipment was touched, that the fault appears solved.
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the "slk" that spiders use - when fresh - is actually wet and conducts electricity quite nicely
Also some of the hairy spiders have damp "fur".
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Seeing as it got deleted along with all the chit chat remarks, "thank you".
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