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I Have A Question - Volume 160 - Dynamic Dave

***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 161 *****


In this thread you may ask any question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.

It does not need to be motoring related. In fact, in this thread it should not be.

No Questions About PCs. They now go in another thread.
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Nothing that risks the future of this site (please see the small print for details www.honestjohn.co.uk/credits/index.htm )

Any of the above will be deleted. If the thread becomes difficult to maintain it will simply be removed.

However, as has been said a couple of times, there is a wealth of knowledge in here, much of which is not motoring related, but most of which is useful.

This is Volume 160. Previous Volumes will not be deleted,

A list of previous volumes can be found here:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=18847


PLEASE NOTE:

When posting a NEW question, please "Reply to" the first message in this thread, i.e. this one. This keeps each question in it's own separate segment and stops each new question from getting mixed up in amongst existing questions. Also please remember to change the subject header.

cigarettes prices in Demark - Dry bearings
Does anyone know the price of cigarettes in Demark,ie.20 Rothmans king size?
cigarettes prices in Demark - Armitage Shanks {p}
Info here

www.cancer.org/downloads/TOB/Denmark.pdf

Seems to be $4.48 for 20 imported cigarettes. I didn't check the date of this info
cigarettes prices in Demark - bedfordrl
I worked on a farm in Denmark in the mid eighties and they had this thing about chewing gum, in the local shop there was a whole cabinet full of what must of been hundreds of different types, maybe a good way to give up the fags ?.
cigarettes prices in Demark - cheddar
"Sorbits" is not a nasty rash, rather a Danish chewing gum if I recall correctly.
cigarettes prices in Demark - Marc
Sure you're not thinking of "snus", see link below :

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5004608.stm
cigarettes prices in Demark - cheddar
Sure you're not thinking of "snus", see link below :


No Sorbits, this is slightly rude so link made inactive:

dazbert.co.uk/sites/rudefood/index.php?page=food/sorbits.htm
cigarettes prices in Demark - Dry bearings
Thanks for that AS.The figures relate to the year 2000 it seems,a rough guide anyway.I'm going t o Denmark shortly and intended bringing some home.
I only smoke 5 or 6 a day.
cigarettes prices in Demark - PhilW
£2.86 a pack according to
www.the-tma.org.uk/page.aspx?page_id=43

Enjoy your 5 or 6 a day
--
Phil
cigarettes prices in Demark - Dry bearings
Thanks for the info.philW. Higher than I expected really.Daughter often gets me them from Switzerland.£1.40.They are still cheaper than here.
I enjoy one after a mealactually,and a couple of T-breaks.l
Cheers!
Drug testing - Big Bad Dave
What happened to those volunteer blokes whose heads "swelled to the size of beach balls" when they were given some drug in a test situation last year?

Did they die? Make a full recovery?

Was anyone prosecuted?
Drug testing - Nsar
Frum June this year. I Googled "drug trials"+disastrously there's a lot more there

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5121824.stm

Drug testing - Big Bad Dave
Eeuw, nasty.
Drug testing - bell boy
Eeuw, nasty.


beware false 'profits' baring gifts
no way would i ever give my body to medical science while im still using it
Drug testing - BazzaBear {P}
The whole thing was horribly mis-reported by the press. I fidn the idea of anyone being prosecuted very unlikely.
What exactly did the drug company fail to do that they should have to prevent this happening?
Haven't got time at the mo to go into details, I may later on if I can.
Drug testing - Big Bad Dave
"What exactly did the drug company fail to do that they should have to prevent this happening?"

Not giving it to them all at the same time seems the most glaringly obvious
Drug testing - mini 30 owner
Awfult - but I love the quote from the fella himself

""I wouldn't want anyone else to go through this - even people that I'd call enemies. It's undignified," he told BBC medical correspondent Fergus Walsh. "

Even chavs have hearts - ahhhhhhh
Drug testing - BazzaBear {P}
Back again - but rushed again.
Basically, these drugs are tested as well as possible on animals first, the plan for the trial in man is subjected to review by an independent committee of experts and laypeople before anything is done. The volunteers involved are given all the relevant information that exists on the drug. Everything possible is done to make the trials as safe as they can possibly be. But it is unavoidable that, at some point, there has to be a first group of people to take the drug. If the drug has an effect which is specific to humans and is not seen in lab tests, then something like this can happen. That is always a risk, there is no way to reduce it to nothing.
The trials are insured to a high degree (I think usually £15million per volunteer) so if anything does happen the volunteer should have the best possible medical care.
I don't see where it leaves room for suing or prosecuting.
I have taken part in a clinical trial before - not a chance in hell I'd volunteer for a first into man study though.
Drug testing - mini 30 owner
He's not too bright a lad, don't know much about the others - they were offering him 2K

Having read the interview, to what degree is this lad capable of informed consent?

Drug testing - Dalglish
The trials are insured to a high degree (I think usually £15million per volunteer) so if anything does
happen the volunteer should have the best possible medical care.
I don't see where it leaves room for suing or prosecuting.


later reports on this story may cover some of these issues, see:
4 july - news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5146692.stm
25 july - news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5213264.stm
13 oct - news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6044634.stm

Furniture Query - Dude - {P}
Would anyone please know whether it is possible to remove dark stain from solid oak furniture, in order to restore it to a light oak colouration.??

Any help or advice would be much appreciated.
Furniture Query - Nsar
I wouldn't hold out much hope, but there is a company called Strippers who stock a wide range of these kind of products and they have a really good and knowledgable help-desk.

I can't recall their web-address and i hesitate to recommend Googling that term but trying a few combinaitons of words like Strippers+varnish+paint might omit some of the more "arresting" sites!
Furniture Query - Nsar
I'm in a generous mood......
www.stripperspaintremovers.com/I_want_to_remove.htm

Furniture Query - mjm
And how many other sites did you look at, just to eliminate them?
Furniture Query - Nsar
It's a dirty job, but.....
747 engine configuration - Pugugly {P}
Just watched 5th gear and the Toureg towing the 747 thing. Now the jet had 4 engines (nothing odd about that) but this Jumbo had two engines either side in a single Pod on the inner side of the wings (Like one set of B52 engines) - any ideas ?
747 engine configuration - wemyss
Didnt see the programme but I recall someone once telling me that he travelled on a Jumbo from the far east I believe and it had three engines on one wing. He made enquiries and was told it was the usual way of transporting an engine back to the UK for repair back at base.
747 engine configuration - rtj70
"Didnt see the programme but I recall someone once telling me that he travelled on a Jumbo from the far east I believe and it had three engines on one wing. He made enquiries and was told it was the usual way of transporting an engine back to the UK for repair back at base."

My wife used to work for a travel company in the archives of the maintenance arm. Can confirm engines are indeed transported on the wings of functional planes so you might see an extra one very occasionally.
747 engine configuration - Pugugly {P}
The Air India Jumbo that crashed in mid-atlantic was carrying a spare engine in a fairing under a wing. This sad ability to remember aeronautical trivia linked to crashes is a family trait with two generations of air obssesives in the family.

The telly jumbo had four engines grouped in two nacelles on either wing - a definate oddity. Google has failed me.
747 engine configuration - henry k
.. it had three engines on one wing.

>>.... Can confirm engines are indeed transported on the wings of functional planes..
>>
In the industry is is surprisingly called 5th pod and looks like this
tinyurl.com/yjjxwh
747 engine configuration - rtj70
Just checked my copy of Auto Car and indeed for the towed plane two engines off one mount under the wing... Just checked the Boeing site for some 747 pictures of recent planes and none like that. Intriguing and was it part of a "cheat"?
747 engine configuration - rtj70
Maybe it was this plane that was used? Also used in a Bond film?

www1.airliners.net/open.file/1070481/M/
747 engine configuration - SjB {P}
Maybe it was this plane that was used? Also used in
a Bond film?
www1.airliners.net/open.file/1070481/M/


Indeed; read my post from 22:07 and you'll see it was from Casino Royale
747 engine configuration - Pugugly {P}
Intriguing and was it part of a "cheat"?>>


Possibly, losing the weight of one real jet engine is significant.
747 engine configuration - SjB {P}
Casino Royale

tinyurl.com/qotm6
747 engine configuration - Pugugly {P}
Wow - impressive response ! Now is this the same Jumbo as seen on Top Gear.
747 engine configuration - SjB {P}
Wow - impressive response ! Now is this the same Jumbo
as seen on Top Gear.


Yes
747 engine configuration - rtj70
We went to see the film yesterday and got in as the opening titles rolling so we'd missed the opening scene. Assume this was in that part of the film because I didn't see it otherwise. Shame view of Lake Como (end scene) was so brief... was there in the summer at Bellagio...
747 engine configuration - rtj70
Doh. Nobody correct me. This is the plane the terrorist tries to destroy of course. I'm still peeved that I missed the first few minutes of the film 'cos wife was late so assumed it was in opening sequence.

So I assume this plance probably does not fly like this (mocked up to be a new plance) .... so the Toureg never towed a REAL 747 ;-)
747 engine configuration - Stuartli
>>was there in the summer at Bellagio...>>

Delightful place, as is the whole of Como. Stayed at the Villa D'Este, one of the world's leading hotels, which used to be the residence of European aristocrats.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
747 engine configuration - rtj70
We stayed in a small family run hotel above Bellagio (Hotel il Perlo). No air-con worried us but it cools down so much at night.

I'm plugging them because the views and quality of stay for us was excellent (some rooms might not have views and singles no onsuite). But after we had the big accident on the way there from the airport (HGV ran into the hire car) it was a magnificient place to recover and the family that runs it were very good to us.

And some local restaurants (that were excellent for food) picked us up and brought us back to the hotel free of charge. Standard service.

But this is off topic apart from my car crash in the Fiesta ;-) Multiple pile up (Fiesta, HGV, tanker etc.) and probably brought Milan Malpensa to a stand still for quite some time. Apologies if anyone missed a flight on 28 July from Malpensa.
747 engine configuration - Happy Blue!
So does this modified 747 actually fly? and on how many engines? 2 or 4?
747 engine configuration - cheddar
No it wont fly, the inner nacells are mock ups, also the engines would be only four approx 17,000lb thrust low bypass turbofans, i.e. similar to the eight engines fitted to a B52 though half as many where as a 747-400 has four hign bypass turbofans of around 60,000lb thrust each.
747 engine configuration - cheddar
Seems it is actually a modified 747-200, nevertheless it would have a total of around 200,000lb thrust in std spec.
747 engine configuration - rtj70
It was originally BA, then European Aircharter and finally Air Atlanta Europe. Since it first flew with BA 02/05/1980 maybe it was withdrawn from service and parked on Dunsfold for things like the mock-up of Miami airport in the latest Bond film?

I doubt it could fly with four smaller engines (well it probably would because a 747 will probably fly on 2 proper ones) but no safety margins.

I assume the film needed a plane that looked a bit different and did not want to go down any CGI/model path.
747 engine configuration - rtj70
What is WFU in the context of planes:? For the aircraft in question:

History of the aircraft

02/05/1980 British Airways G-BDXJ
10/03/2002 European Aircharter G-BDXJ Ceased operations 17/03/04
01/01/2005 Air Atlanta Europe G-BDXJ Wfu at Dunsfold 21/06/05
747 engine configuration - cheddar
.>> What is WFU in the context of planes:? >>

WFU = Withdrawn From Use
747 engine configuration - rtj70
Ah... so last owners flew it for nearly six months and dumped in at Dunsford :-) Was 25 years old and had had problems at times.

So it does not fly and had engines changed that could not get it off the ground. They look smaller and lighter so could a Touareg tow a real 747?? To be honest it probably would (how powerful are the tow trucks at airports) but this has muddied the waters for me.
747 engine configuration - henry k
.....(how powerful are the tow trucks at airports)

Re Tow trucks for 747s etc , there are basically two types
1.the older brute force tow trucks with a tow bar
2.The newer, smaller, lower power types that lift the nose wheel onto a platform at the trucks rear.

belaz.minsk.by/production/series.php?lang=en&serie...0
www.lufthansa-leos.com/uploads/Aircraft_Tow_Tracto...g
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Ground.handling.a...g

and the newer type
www.lufthansa-leos.com/uploads/Aircraft_Tow_Tracto...g
747 engine configuration - drbe
>> >>
belaz.minsk.by/production/series.php?lang=en&serie...0
www.lufthansa-leos.com/uploads/Aircraft_Tow_Tracto...g
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Ground.handling.a...g
and the newer type
www.lufthansa-leos.com/uploads/Aircraft_Tow_Tracto...g


May I say How much I enjoyed the photos in this post. Perhaps the Lufthansa tug got my vote.

Oh and a new word for me - 'tuggage' yes; I like tuggage.

I'll get my anorak.
747 engine configuration - Group B
No it wont fly, the inner nacells are mock ups, also
the engines would be only four approx 17,000lb thrust low bypass
turbofans,


So if they had to put fake engines on the retired jumbo, why didnt they fit authentic looking fake engines? Was it mocked up like this just for the film, so they thought "we got these small engines cheap, not many viewers will notice"?
747 engine configuration - BazzaBear {P}
So if they had to put fake engines on the retired
jumbo, why didnt they fit authentic looking fake engines? Was
it mocked up like this just for the film, so they
thought "we got these small engines cheap, not many viewers will
notice"?


Well, the plane was supposed to be an all new 'super-jumbo'. So I guess by using engines which were too small, and getting the perspectives right, they were able to make the plane look a lot bigger than it actually was.
747 engine configuration - Citroënian {P}
Saw the intro to 5th Gear last night and the 747.

"That's not right", said I. "I'm sure a 747 can't have those engines"
"You need to get out more" replied the present SWMBO.....

But many thanks to all who've replied, I'm glad I now know why it's the way it is....Casino Royale is an excellent movie, imho
-- You know, it\'s not like changing toothpaste
747 engine configuration - Group B
Well, the plane was supposed to be an all new 'super-jumbo'.
So I guess by using engines which were too small, and
getting the perspectives right, they were able to make the plane
look a lot bigger than it actually was.


Aha, I see! I've not seen the film yet..
It's down to me? - Spospe
When I was a bit younger we all said:

"It's up to me"

Now we all seem to say:

"It's down to me"

Does anyone remember when the changeover happened and why?
It's down to me? - Stuartli
Because life has its ups and downs?
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
It's down to me? - PhilW
"when the changeover happened and why?"
Probably about the same time as people started saying "I'm bored of" instead of "bored by" or "bored with", started using the word "like" every other word, and, instead of "he said" and "she said" as in "He was like" and "She was like", used "independant" instead of "independent", say kilOMetres" instead of "kilo-metres" (it's a kilo of metres not a kilOM of etres" - do you say cenTIMetres? milLIMetres)? say nucular instead of nuclear, etc, etc
--
Phil
It's down to me? - L'escargot
........... started using the
word "like" every other word, and, instead of "he said" and
"she said" as in "He was like" and "She was like" ............


I've noticed that, and it doesn't make any sense to me either.

--
L\'escargot.
It's down to me? - L'escargot
Now we all seem to say:
"It's down to me"


Not all of us ~ I don't for a start.
--
L\'escargot.
It's down to me? - deepwith
"It's up to me" I thought was when you were trying to do something i.e. improving your life or similar. "It's down to me" seems to be more a taking of responsibility for something.
Recyclable plastics - L'escargot
We've been instructed by our council that only two types of plastic are allowed to be put in our recycling wheelie bin, namely PET 1 and HDPE 2. Unfortunately packaging manufacturers aren't very precise with their markings. For instance is PET 01 the same as PET 1, and does a 2 in the triangle but with no letters (as on our milk bottles) mean it's HDPE 2? Do you have a similar problem and how do you solve it?
--
L\'escargot.
Recyclable plastics - daveyjp
Do you have a similar problem and how do you solve it?

We have a large green recycling bin which at the last collection acquired a huge sticker on it telling you what you can and can't recycle. OK stuff like glass is easy, but when it gets to plastics and details of what they can and can't take it gets rediculous. Life's too short for me to look at every piece of plastic to see if there is a mark on it (in some cases you can put the bottle in, but not the cap!), so now our bin takes paper and cans, nothing else.
Recyclable plastics - L'escargot
OK stuff like glass is easy,


You're lucky that glass is easy. We're banned from putting glass in the recycling bin, and can only put it in the domestic waste bin if we're physically incapable (the council's words, not mine) of taking it to a bottle bank.
--
L\'escargot.
Recyclable plastics - daveyjp
Sorry - I meant it in the context that it's easy to exclude glass as this is banned from our recycling bins too.
Recyclable plastics - adverse camber
>>You're lucky that glass is easy. We're banned from putting glass in the recycling bin,
>>and can only put it in the domestic waste bin if we're physically incapable (the council's
>>words, not mine) of taking it to a bottle bank.

Depending on how many empty bottles I generate, I can easily become 'physically incapable' ;)
Recyclable plastics - Dalglish
.. Do you have a similar problem and how do you solve it? ..


you will probably find that, like most local authorities, your council employs at least one (if not a dozen) recycling-advisor(s), whose job it is to help you with answers to these questions!

if we are to take recycling seriously, then an esential starting point should be to give recycling information/advice on each package as to how it should be dealt with after use.
Recyclable plastics - Stuartli
Our local council has recycling collections for glass, tins and garden waste - plastics still have to go in the normal refuse bin...::-)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Recyclable plastics - L'escargot
you will probably find that, like most local authorities, your council
employs at least one (if not a dozen) recycling-advisor(s), whose job
it is to help you with answers to these questions!


I've rung them twice (freephone) and on both occasions the advisor appeared to be singularly uninformed on the subject of plastics. One as much as said "Just do what the instructions tell you"!
--
L\'escargot.
Recyclable plastics - mini 30 owner
It's interesting with recycling and plastics especially - I believe council targets are set by 'weight' i.e. must recycle 200 tonnes for example

I suspect that this makes light, bulky items o much less interst to councils as thay are more troublesome in terms of reaching a target

Why are manufacturers still making packaging out of non-recyclable materials?

Yoghurt pots - consumed by millions - recycled by nobody - because of the particular compound used - anyone know why?
Recyclable plastics - Dalglish
Yoghurt pots - consumed by millions - recycled by nobody - because of the particular compound used -
anyone know why?


probably because it has no consequential costs on the manufacturers. i remember reading - probably on this forum - recently that disposable cameras used to be non-reusable and made from non-recyclable plastics, until the manufacturers were made to include this environmental cost. now apparently most are either re-usable or recylable.
Recyclable plastics - Dalglish
.. I've rung them twice (freephone) and on both occasions the advisor appeared to be singularly uninformed

>>

my previous post should have had a ;-) at the end.
because i had rather expected that if your council did have its dozen advisors, they would themselves be fit for the recycling bin as you appear to have discovered to be true ! :: ;-) ::

Recyclable plastics - L'escargot
its dozen advisors, they would themselves be fit for the recycling
bin


No, I would say they were fit only for the black general rubbish bin, the contents of which goes on a landfill site. I wouldn't wish for them to be recycled on to any employer! ;-)
--
L\'escargot.
kiddies pressies - wd 40
What does the team think.....

would be suitable presents for an assorted bunch of kids, 2-12yrs old, whom one olny sees once a year or less, given that money is an issue as there are about twenty of them, and while the easy solution would be a selection box each, chocolate is to lazy an option
kiddies pressies - BazzaBear {P}
50p and a clip round the ear.
kiddies pressies - deepwith
Daily Mail are doing a "kids go free" offer on pantomimes round the country!!
kiddies pressies - Mapmaker
I suggest that you do nothing. TWENTY! Even if you find something at £2, that's £40. And HOURS to wrap them all. I'm sure they'd rather see you than the presents. :-o no really.

Frankly, I'm sure they don't care. And if uncle WD40 brings nothing, they won't complain. Or remember. There are presumably dozens of uncles and aunts providing presents.

Failing that, a large tin of Quality Streets. Let 'em throw up.

I was trying to think about something that you could make yourself... but I bet it's not worth the effort, it's Christmas, it'll be binned.

What about a job lot of (pre-war) National Geographic back copies from eBay? Get a reputation for being bonkers and then they won't miss the presents. And from about the age of 7, I loved reading back copies at the dentist. The younger ones will llike the pictures - and they won't care anyway.

Or get hold of a book with a load of plates in it (£2). Cut the plates out, and mount them on card, and give them to the children.

I don't know whether you're eccentric enough to get away with it. I would (be).
kiddies pressies - andymc {P}
Pliers, a beginner's guide to dentistry, nineteen long straws and one short one.
--
andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
kiddies pressies - Vin {P}
For a quid per kid:

tinyurl.com/y7ynuq

They really are good fun. Much more fun than a quid would suggest. They are also light and small (uninflated)


V
Stable door leaking in bad weather - BazzaBear {P}
First stable door I've had, and I notice that while it has a rubber seal all around, it doesn't have one between the top and bottom half. Is this normal, or is this lack the reason why it's leaking there?
If it is needed, I take it I can get the sealing strips from any DIY store, and it's reasonably obvious how to fit?
Stable door leaking in bad weather - Nsar
I think you need a brush strip which wil have to fit into a groove cut along either top or bottom door - top would be better as it won't show, but slightly more fiddly as you'll have to take the top half off to cut the groove.
Sealing strips or V-strips won't work, they're nbot designed for surfaces which move across each other.
Stable door leaking in bad weather - L'escargot
Distortion of either or both parts of the door can result in rain leakage. I gave up with mine and in the end had a conventional door fitted.
--
L\'escargot.
Leaking Aqualisa shower - BazzaBear {P}
We have an Aqualisa Aquavalve 200 shower, attached to a shower pump, which has been leaking since before we bought the house. By leaking I mean that there's always a trickle from the head (although little enough to not set the pump off.
I've just had a plumber replace the thermostatic cartridge in the hope of fixing this, but it's actually made it worse. The cartridge he's taken out was missing several parts, and this has apparently damaged the shower as a whole, meaning that the new cartridge has failed to fix the problem. The trickle is now enough for the shower pump to be constantly on unless switched off at the plug.
Anyway, the plumber has basically said that a new shower is required, but looking at this page on Aqualisas own website:
tinyurl.com/ylh854
My logic seems to say that, since the cartridge has already been replaced, pretty much the only thing left is the body, part 1. Admittedly, my logic is based on no plumbing knowledge at all, so what do people think?
If this is likely to work, it's a hell of a lot cheaper than a new £400 shower.
Leaking Aqualisa shower - henry k
or give Aqualisa a call
tinyurl.com/yhzd7w
Leaking Aqualisa shower - Stuartli
We have an Aqualisa shower (run off a multipoint) and we had to replace the cartridge some years ago. The plumber who did the work had a heck of a job to get it out (limescale), so I showed him how to "drift" it out, something he had never previously known.

The shower head itself will slowly trickle out water when turned off unless you empty the contents before putting it back in the holder - I'm at a loss to understand why it should drip for so long otherwise as there is a long journey gravity wise and no pump involved, only the force of the water when the multivalve is operating. It's a new multivalve, the first having packed up after about 16 years.

The missing parts you mention are, presumably, the curved metal pieces in front of the cartridge turned by the hot/cold knob.

Incidentally we paid £310 for the Aqualisa many years ago and that was a reduced price one-off offer at a local plumbers' merchants.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Leaking Aqualisa shower - Big Bad Dave
Aqualisa?

Ring Edward Woodward
Paypal via email, fees? - andymc {P}
I see that the Paypal site now says I can send a payment simply to another person's email address - I didn't realise this was possible. Does this mean that the other person doesn't need a Paypal account themselves? Also, what sort of fees does Paypal charge for doing this? I've tried the Help section on the Paypal website, but haven't seen the information I'm looking for.
Cheers.
--
andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
Paypal via email, fees? - andymc {P}
Sorry, just spotted the bit about fees. First question still stands though.
--
andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
Paypal via email, fees? - Chad.R
AFAIK all you need to send money is the receipients email address. However they cannot access the money without a Paypal a/c.
Photos and Dry cleaning - JH
If you're in the mood for a mildly philosophical question; why is it that I can take a CD or memory card to a photo shop offering a one hour service and have prints in my hand one hour later but if I take clothes to a dry cleaners offering a 4 hour service, at 9 on a Saturday, the lady behind the counter always says "You can collect them at 4 on Monday"? Do dry cleaners exist in another dimension where time passes more slowly?
JH
Photos and Dry cleaning - Stuartli
One's a positive and the other a negative service...:-)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Photos and Dry cleaning - bell boy
everything seems black and white to me :-)
Photos and Dry cleaning - adverse camber
there is an entire song about this. Cant remember the title but it was the Bonzo Dog Do Dah Band iirc.

'But the sign outside says 4 hour clean'
'That's only the name of the shop'
Aldi Traveler Camera - BobbyG
Anyone any experience / comments on the attached camera that goes on sale tomorrow

uk.aldi.com/special_buys/productnl_492.html

Apparently Traveler is a "trading" name of Medion who make their computers and other stuff which is usually recommended.

On the same topic, my current digital camera has a screen and a viewfinder but most cameras now have bigger screens and no viewfinders. Does this present problems when viewing / taking pictures in the sunlight or in the dark? I would guess it uses more battery power as well, with my current Canon I can switch the screen off to save batteries.
Aldi Traveler Camera - mjm
I have an Olympus which is used for general family type photography. It has no viewfinder. The next camera, when it is needed will have one.

In sunlight especially the screen is only a sort of "rough guide" to the actual shot. The generally bright light swamps the screen.

In reality, with typical non-action photos, I can see what I have taken and have another go if necessary.

I would suggest a camera with a viewfinder is better than without.
Aldi Traveler Camera - PhilW
Agree with mjm.
I have 2 digital cameras and use the viewfinder 80% of the time - maybe because I'm old fashioned and feel more comfortable with it, partly because I don't have to put on glasses to use viewfinder whereas I do to use screen, and partly because, in bright light I find the screen v. difficult to use, sometimes impossible. Also easier to read settings display (flash on or off/exposure values/shutter speed etc) through viewfinder.
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Phil
Aldi Traveler Camera - rtj70
Cannot comment on that camera (Who knows the spec) but nobody should be fooled by more mega-pixels on a compact camera.

Typically the sensor is tiny (1/2.5") and cramming in more pixels has a few effects:

- People are wowed by more pixels (you're fooled)
- You get more noise - the senor pixels are smaller
- Above 5m pixels unless you print A4+ prints it's actually irrelevant and you get more noise

For higher mega-pixel you need a bigger sensor (as in digital SLRs) and a lense that can resolve the additional resolution. Current consumer dSLR's go from 6M Pixel to 10.2M Pixel but for normal size prints the extra pixels make no difference either. For 10+Mega Pixel to be needed, unless cropping, you'd need to print at A3+ sizes.

Of course a digital SLR has better, inter-changeable lenses, etc. Basically a whole lot better than compacts. Check out www.dpreview.com.

You can tell I'm thinking of getting a digital SLR (maybe Nikon D40 or Sony Alpha 100 or Pentax D100).

OP You don't say what Canon you currently have. You might find the Aldi camera no better. And for reference Amazon have a Canon PowerShot A620 Digital Camera [7.1MP, 4 x Optical Zoom] for a bit more and you'd find that cheaper... which makes me want to rant on about digital zoom which is pointless.

Aldi Traveler Camera - rtj70
"You can tell I'm thinking of getting a digital SLR (maybe Nikon D40 or Sony Alpha 100 or Pentax D100)."

Of course the Pentax is the K100 with Image Stabilisation. Doh.

Seriously, mega-pixels after we got to 3-4 MP is not that relevant. Quality optics make a bigger difference and the ability to use a camera with higher simulated ISO settings with lower noise.

Aldi Traveler Camera - Stuartli
As the owner of a Nikon F40 SLR body and AF Tamrom 28-200mm zoom, plus an Ashai Sportmatic 1.8, just two of many single and twin-lens reflexes I've owned over the years, I would hate to try using one without a viewfinder...:-)
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Aldi Traveler Camera - rustbucket
>>On the same topic, my current digital camera has a screen and a viewfinder but most cameras now have bigger screens and no viewfinders. Does this present problems when viewing / taking pictures in the sunlight or in the dark?

I would not buy a camera without a viewfinder as in sunlight the screen is practically useless,it is only usefull for viewing a picture after the event in the shade.I also ensure it can take std AA cells as you can purchase these anywhere in the event of rechargables going flat. As stated by others a good quality lens after 3-4 Mpixs is a huge factor.A lot of cheap digitals are let down by the lens.


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rustbucket (the original)
Aldi Traveler Camera - rtj70
For the non-techies out there, when I say a sensor is 1/2.5", which a common size for a compact digital camera, you might want to look here:

www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=sensor+sizes

So a typical sensor with around 5-7 MP might be 5.76 x 4.29mm which you have to admit is quite small when you think it needs light to hit it for a good exposure. A digital SLR with an APS-C size sensor might be more like 23.7 15.7 mm which anyone can see is a lot bigger. The latest Nikon DLSR is the D40 (only just released) which is only 6MP but the sensor will be around 23.7 15.7 mm. And there's a proper size lense to go with that.
Aldi Traveler Camera - Pugugly {P}
We have a Fuji Finepix camera in work (ok I use it at home as well but it doesn't make me a bad person but possibly liable for taxation under new loony rules), it has a screen and an electronic viewfinder. Apart from eating cameras it spot on brilliant.
Aldi Traveler Camera - Stuartli
>>Apart from eating cameras it spot on brilliant.>>

I presume you mean batteries...:-)
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Aldi Traveler Camera - Baskerville
I have a Canon Powershot A620, with screen and viewfinder--I wouldn't want to be without the viewfinder. I occasionally sell illustrated articles to glossy lifestyle magazines and take all my pictures with this sub-£200 camera, which despite being a "consumer" compact camera is certainly good enough for that kind of work. I'd recommend it as an alternative.

tinyurl.com/y9cj69 (Amazon)
stats question. one for Number Cruncher? - tyro
I have 50 jars, each with 40 beads - 14 green, and 26 red.

From each jar, I take (at random) 10 beads, and put them in a bowl, which thus has 500 beads.

What is the probability that the number of green beads outnumbers the red ones?
stats question. one for Number Cruncher? - SjB {P}
14 : 26 = 1.85 against.

The number of jars is irrelevant since you take the same amount from each, they all countain the same number of beads, and the mix is the same.
stats question. one for Number Cruncher? - tyro
Sorry if I have misunderstood your answer, but I think you have given the probablity of choosing one green bead, which is 14/40 = 0.35 (or 1.85 against).

My question is - if you choose 500 beads at random, what is the probability of 251 or more being green?
stats question. one for Number Cruncher? - Vin {P}
Infinitesimally small. My stats isn't good enough, but I created a few hundred sample sets using Excel. In very few cases were there more than even 210 green ones.

No doubt someone will be along with a more accurate answer, but the result will be vanishingly small.

V
stats question. one for Number Cruncher? - Vin {P}
After an internet search my maths is now good enough.

Probability of 251 or more being green: 0.00000000000233108868440321

Probability of 250 or more being green: 0.00000000000438502035941316

The chance of being killed by lightning in the United States is equal to about 0.00000032

V

P.S. Why do you want to know?

stats question. one for Number Cruncher? - tyro
Thanks Vin.

I'm impressed with both your maths and your internet searching ability!

Why do I want to know? Well, the different colours of beads represent different kinds of people - and the issue is basically about if a certain group constitutes a minority (35% of the population), and yet are a majority in a certain organisation, how likely is it that this could be explained by chance. And the answer is, erm, pretty unlikely!
stats question. one for Number Cruncher? - pmh
Known as "recruiting in ones own image" IIRC. (and strictly verboten!)

However if you are recruitng team players (to fit into an existing org) you can understand why it it happens!


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pmh (was peter)