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Edited by Dynamic Dave on 15/11/2009 at 16:17
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Hi,
Now that I have collected a bit of wisdom on how to run companies and spent a career in consulting I'd like to offer a bit of it back in a volunteer role such as school governor, or director of a community group.
Any reliable databases of opportunities?
Thanks
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Any reliable databases of opportunities?
No idea though a good question.
I my experience it is networking, being tapped on the shoulder by someone who knows or has been informed about your skill set, I am a trustee of a charity, interesting and rewarding to be able to make a difference.
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Try your local town/borough/county council for a data base or start with Citizens Advice Bureau.
Significant (including legal) responsibility can go with some appointments these days, I believe.
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The education department of your local council will point you in the right direction for school governor appointments.
At one time there was a shortage of people willing to act, not sure if that's still the case.
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Try appoaching your local schools, they may not have a vacancy immediately (bet some of them have though) but will probably keep your details on record for the time they will need you.
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In Edinburgh there is this
www.volunteeredinburgh.org.uk/default.asp
& there are links to related sites within southern Scotland. Presumably a similar setup could be available elsewhere.
Tony
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Some of these roles now require the official check before anyone can take them on (not that I'm suggesting you have ever done anything improper!); that may hold up your start in such voluntary work because of the time probably needed to undertake the check.
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Yes stuart is right, any role that involves, children, young adult, the vunerable or community, will require a CRB check.
Edited by Altea Ego on 02/10/2009 at 20:42
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I work in a Hospice that has lots of voluntary workers of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds.
If you are wanting onto a board of some sort, then I think this will really only come through networking and someone on a particular board willing to propose you / second you.
But we have directors, accountants, bus drivers, taxi drivers, unemployed all volkunteering on a regular basis either in admin roles, driving roles, reception, therapy, hairdressing etc.
Maybe start at your local hospice and take it from there?
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@ AE...Oh darn it, there's my devious plan stuffed at first base...
Thanks all
Edited by Nsar on 02/10/2009 at 22:45
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Why?
Volunteers are the lifeblood of communities.
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Start by becoming a blood donor.
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In Rugby Union (I don't know about other sports) the referee is linked to the touch judges and the fourth official by two way radio, called, oddly enough Reflink. It is possible to rent or buy radios to listen to these transmissions - quite legally.
Does anyone know on which frequency they transmit?
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A cheap radio scanner will do the job, but the frequency varies from ground to ground. They also change the frequency for big games so you can't buy an official reflink receiver at a game then use it again.
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A grammatical question.
Wading through Faulkes' latest novel ( :-( ) I noticed he used the word "till" as an abbreviation of until. To my way of thinking it should be " 'til " or was my education a waste of money ?
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Until and till are two different words with the same meaning in terms of time.
I don't think until is abbreviable (a word I just made up) which is what you want to do.
I take it that "wading" isn't a compliment, but clearly your education wasn't a waste in that it left you with an enquiring mind and an interest in language.
Edited by Optimist on 03/10/2009 at 18:41
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Very disappointing book - I enjoyed most of his stuff, mainly the "French Trioligy" - This was hard work but I paid 12 quid for it so had to finish it.
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Was this One Week in December? I quite enjoyed it but thought that the ending was a bit feeble. Try Engleby, one of his earlier ones; that will ring bell with anyone who has lived thru the English public chool system!
Edited by Armitage Shanks {p} on 03/10/2009 at 23:01
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My feelings exactly. Failed to deliver on a climax...
Edited by Pugugly on 03/10/2009 at 23:04
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A pedant writes....Engelby was published in 2007 so one of his later ones. V good though.
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I read Engleby - Weak in December was 08. Human Traces was a good if rather turgid read but a nicely crafted book.
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Yes, till is a respectable word in its own right although its Old English meaning was a bit different (meant something like 'while'). In Middle English developed its present meaning of until, and has been used like that ever since.
Don't often use it myself though, except in speech of course.
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til or 'til is an acceptable word as indicated at:
www.yourdictionary.com/examples/til
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til or 'til is an acceptable word as indicated at:
I didn't realise it until I heard it in the Countdown programme, but if enough people start using a different word or phrase it becomes incorporated into the English language and gets an entry in the Oxford English Dictionary. Definately!
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...Definately!...
I hope the above spelling of definitely was an attempt at irony, Les.
Spellings are very resistant to change, but English is a living language which is evolving all the time.
Usage at one time deemed to be incorrect can become acceptable over a period of years.
For example, 'less' and 'fewer' are rapidly becoming interchangeable as fewer people know there is a difference.
When no-one knows the difference - and it may take less time than we think - the two words will be interchangeable.
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I do accept the changes to our language and useage but I do find some of them quite odd! There is a new trend to call the ground, outside, the floor. There are fights in the street and someone falls on the floor and gets kicked a lot!
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...There is a new trend to call the ground, outside, the floor...
AS,
That is just plain ignorance and the result of letting someone fresh out of one of our wonderful comprehensives read/write the news.
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There are some expressions that really irk, such as: "The first time ever" or "for the very first time."
If something is the first it doesn't need additional emphasis.
Also the incorrect use of the apostrophe; for instance car advertisements stating: "We have 100's of used cars available."
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The one that grates on me is "first published".
When a book is published, it's published. If it sinks without a trace but is later taken up and re-published, then it's re-published.
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Traffic bulletins often describe a road as 'completely closed' - it's either closed or open.
"I reversed back into the space," is another one, as if it's possible to reverse forwards.
Off motoring, but 'head-butt' is routinely used when describing a fight, but is strictly speaking incorrect.
A 'butt' in this context is a blow with the head, so the word 'head' is superfluous.
After all, we don't say 'fist punched' or 'foot kicked' do we?
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I use to know someone who began virtually every sentence with: "I, myself, personally, think that..."
Then there are the people who keep saying: "You know" or "Ya know", "at this moment in time" (now) or (usually politicians) "The facts of the matter are..." (mainly when lying through their teeth!)
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Don't start me off on this myself, yourself nonsense.
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>>Don't start me off on this myself, yourself nonsense.>>
Actually I missed a word out. It should have been: "I, myself, me, personally think that..."
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OK. Here's a few that drive me nuts because they almost entirely without meaning.
"What we have to do, going forward, is....." What other direction can you go in?
"Lessons have been learned". Often heard when the same catastrophic failure to get something right is occuring for the sixth time.
"I am disappointed". Doesn't mean anything at all now, so can be used when the train is late or when your dad has been murdered and the sentence is pathetically short.
But you can console yourself with the thought that, going forward, lessons have been learned.
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Optimist - you can go backwards or sideways; not in the context of advancing obviously! Another horror is "We shall put measures in place to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again". I also hate "I was, like, totlally shocked" etc
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Also the incorrect use of the apostrophe; for instance car advertisements stating: "We have 100's ............
It's sometimes called the "greengrocer's apostrophe". tinyurl.com/58vp8
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...Definately!... I hope the above spelling of definitely was an attempt at irony Les.
Definately! It's sometimes known as the "Backroomers' affirmative".
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Yes till is a respectable word in its own right although its Old English meaning was a bit different (meant something like 'while').
In parts of t'north, including whence I came, 'while' means 'until', as in "I won't see you while Monday" etc.
There used to be a sign at an unmanned level crossing near Todmorden that read "Wait here while lights flash".
If anybody had taken this literally in the local dialect ...
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'Really' or 'very' unique drive me mad.
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PIN number, LCD display or:
door mirrors!
Edited by bathtub tom {p} on 04/10/2009 at 21:44
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its Old English meaningwas a bit different (meant something like 'while'). In Middle English developed its present meaning of until and has been used like that ever since.
Does this explain why people from Sheffield say: "I'll be in the pub 6 while 8", rather than "6 till 8"? I'd often wondered where they got that from, looks like it may be archaic. I thought they were just being difficult. :-)
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>>Does this explain why people from Sheffield say: "I'll be in the pub 6 while 8"
See post above -
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=78893&...e
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Been noticing little ice stalactites in the freezer in the last couple of weeks. Door seal seems fine but the body of the freezer where it meets the seal is hot to the touch. Not radiator hot but more than warm.
The fridge seems to have been runing extra cold and I have turned it down
Any clues to cause and is it repairable.
The thing cost me about 600 sheets about 10 years ago so it doesn't owe me much but I'd rather repair, not least because it is no doubt burning lots of energy.
cheers
Edited by Nsar on 03/10/2009 at 21:32
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It may just need a new thermostat. If it is running too cold the compresor is working, and maybe too hard if the compressor is hot.
Edited by Old Navy on 03/10/2009 at 21:38
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I don't believe the warmth around the seal is a fault.
Some/all freezers have a heating element here to stop the seal icing up.
Can't comment on the stalactites.
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Defrost the freezer completely - and I mean completely,
Dry it off and then restart it.
It might cure matters as somtimes the thermostat can get covered in ice and lead to over cooling/under cooling.
Costs nothing but time and it may do the business.
We had similar issues with MiL 's fridge freezer and it is now OK
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Thanks folks, will try the total defrost.
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I suppose they come under the heading of QI, but curious to know why the sudden influx of American car ads on HJ? Are we going global? Is Lud being read in California? Is Bell Boy actually JR? Is gordonbennet driving a Mack and shooting pool in desert diners? We should be told....
;-)
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Humph, I reckon you are really David Letterman hence the new job!
Ads for American cars? I haven't noticed unless you mean Infiniti which is to Nissan what Lexus is to Toyota and sold here now.
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looking for a new recorder, I noted some on the highstreet labelled Freeview+
Is this any different from common or garden freeview - I've checked out the freeview website and can't find any reference to it
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The "+" part of the name simply refers to the capability to record Freeview.
There's also a system for the free satellite service called Freesat+, being the same idea.
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There are at least some Freeview recorders that aren't labelled Freeview +.
I think it refers to recorders that support live pause, chase play and series link. Presumably the '+' was used to make it sound like Sky +, which has much the same feature set.
Edit : wiki has a longer list than me, see 'features' :-
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeview_plus
Edited by SpamCan61 {P} on 05/10/2009 at 16:01
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To get the "+" tag, they have to conform to certain technical specifications. If they don't, then they may still have the ability to record, but don't qualify for the branding.
Not that hardly anyone knows what it means anyway...
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They have an inbuilt Freeview tuner/dual tuners.
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When I hit the reply button below the post I want to reply to it still appears at the bottom of the thread, so what am I doing wrong?
Pat
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Try looking at the 'threaded' view - see link above first post in thread.
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...and read the IHAQ instructions as to which message to reply to :-)
{now detached from the freeview question to one of its own}
{edited again to get rid of the unnecessary apostrophe in the word "its"}
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 06/10/2009 at 14:32
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>>Try looking at the 'threaded' view
I find that doesn't always work either.
Edited by bathtub tom {p} on 06/10/2009 at 11:47
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>>Try looking at the 'threaded' view I find that doesn't always work either.
What do you mean? The threaded view just shows why your post hasn't appeared directly underneath the post you replied to (because others have already replied to it).
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So why did my response earlier on the Freeview+ query end up under the Reply Button thread?
I see it's since been correctly situated...:-)
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So why did my response earlier on the Freeview+ query end up under the Reply Button thread? I see it's since been correctly situated...:-)
I did notice that one of your posts mentioned it was in the wrong place, but there was a mod comment (DD?) that you had replied to the wrong post IIRC. However I can't see that now, and I didn't look at the threaded view to see what had happened. Or was that in another thread?
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It was posted directly underneath the Freeview+ comment to which I was responding...:-)
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It was posted directly underneath the Freeview+ comment to which I was responding...:-)
As I said, I didn't investigate - I'm just reporting what one of the mods had written. I would ask them.
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Well, you've lost me!!
That means I don't stand much chance with the Mods Essay competion then:)
Shall I just fly the white flag now?
Pat
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Looking at a thread in 'threaded' view:
post A
__post B (reply to A)
____post C (reply to B)
If you post D in reply to A:
post A
__post B (reply to A)
____post C (reply to B)
__post D (2nd reply to A)
If you now post E in reply to post C, it will appear below it:
post A
__post B (reply to A)
____post C (reply to B)
______post E (reply to C)
__post D (2nd reply to A)
If you then reply to B:
post A
__post B (reply to A)
____post C (reply to B)
______post E (reply to C)
____post F (2nd reply to B)
__post D (2nd reply to A)
Does that help?
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...Does that help?....
No. :)
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...Does that help?.... No. :)
:O
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Now I'm even more confused !
Pat
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The forum is hierarchical when it comes to the threads. So Focus is right in how he describes it as working.
As a data structure it is like a tree with replies branching off (hence the concept of a tree structure). when viewed flat it might look like a reply is in the wrong place but viewed threaded it is correct.
Within a branch of the three, if there are multiple replies to the same post they are shown in date order.
What makes it more complicated is when someone replies directly to a post in a long list of posts (as that is the one they are responding to) so the new post makes a new branch and is higher up the list.
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Me thinks Focus wants a mod's job......... :)
Posted this in reply to his explanation - don't know where it will end up!!
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Me thinks Focus wants a mod's job......... :)
lol!
Posted this in reply to his explanation - don't know where it will end up!!
Allow me to explain... :-)
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... now if I follow up my post just now with this one which respond to Focus' post higher up then it starts a new branch of the thread. Because there is already one branch with replies these will all appear first (the tree is collapsed) and then this new branch.
So in fact although this is a reply to a branch/post higher up it appears at the bottom for now.
Sorry to complicate things ;-) But it's simple really. A multi-topic thread like IHAQ etc obviously makes it more complicated but allows a single thread to have more than one topic/subject.
See this is below my other post... seeing it threaded might help.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_(data_structure)
Edited by rtj70 on 06/10/2009 at 18:57
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>>>Within a branch of the three<<<<
There's no hope now, they're multiplying.
Pat
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Oops. I suppose it's too late to edit my typo now :-)
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Good Morning my learned friends.
If I leaflet a whole batch of cars say in a Hospital or Supermarket car park clearly a load of them are going to end up on the ground. As tracing me will be easy from these who is responsible for the litter? Me or the 'owner' of the flyer, i.e. the owner of the car?
Thoughts please.
Best regards.................Martin D
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Whoever hands out the leaflets.
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One option is to approach people as they return to their cars and hand them a leaflet.
The ones who refuse to take one would not have read it had it been left on their windscreen, and if you get the odd 'bite' - which you will - you are on hand to make the most of it.
Bear in mind the supermarket/hospital managers may well have something to say about what you are doing.
I suspect most people putting out flyers reckon to blitz a car park and get the job done before anyone in authority has the chance to respond.
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If I leaflet a whole batch of cars say in a Hospital or Supermarket car park >>
Assuming this is some sort of promotion for you, are you absolutely sure this is the best way to get the message across?
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I hate people sticking things under my wiper blades. I would be tempted to come round and stick it up your builders cleavage
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Or is Martin asking advice so he knows which builder to go after as he has been a victim?
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I hate people sticking things under my wiper blades. I would be tempted to come round and stick it up your builders cleavage
Good evening RF. I would welcome the opportunity for you to attempt to do so.
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>> If I leaflet a whole batch of cars say in a Hospital or Supermarket car park >> Assuming this is some sort of promotion for you are you absolutely sure this is the best way to get the message across?
No Sir, not sure at all, but I NEVER give up trying. A pound is a pound so to speak.
Best regards............M
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I wish you luck.
Grandmother, eggs and all that, but have you tried your current client list to see if there's anyone who might like some work done by a builder they know at a mutually advantageous price?
Cheers.
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If I leaflet a whole batch of cars say in a Hospital or Supermarket car park clearly a load of them are going to end up on the ground. As tracing me will be easy from these who is responsible for the litter?
"You" haven't dropped litter, you have left your flyers under the wipers. The car's occupant(s), if they remove it and discard it on the ground, have dropped litter. They should remove it and put it straight into a litter bin/recycling receptacle (if available), or take it home and put it in the recycling. They might be tempted to give it back to you, but I don't think you have to accept it. They might be tempted to forcibly return it to you, putting it somewhere upon your person from where it would not be easily dislodged - whilst I appreciate the sentiment, I think you might be entitled to complain.
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the act of leavingflyers under windscreens can be seen as "littering"
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Not sure that it is the best way to get the message across.
Though if it is a privately owned carpark (supermarket etc) and you have their permission then the littering is their problem.
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the act of leavingflyers under windscreens can be seen as "littering"
By you perhaps. By me, maybe. However, placing it is not "littering". The person who discards the leaflet is the person littering. This is usually the driver, but could be a passenger or passer-by, for instance.
Edited by FotheringtonThomas on 07/10/2009 at 14:43
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In answer to the OP, it is you who is littering.
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Environmental Protection Act 1990 Part IV S87 covers litter.
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I'm not sure on the littering but I consider the placing of the flyer to be vehicle interference. I would avoid any company that used that approach.
I know I shouldn't get as agitated about it as I do but it probably dates back to when I had a car with wiper blades that would come off in your hand if you tried to move them.
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One of my competitors once had the cheek to do this in PCWORLDs car park. I used to and still do very occasionaly deliver leaflets through peoples houses that way I can target the area. Even in my local area there are roads which I have done lots of jobs and others where there is no demand at all.
I tend to have more sucess with targeting middle to higher income areas but not the too rich or poorer areas.
I find university lecturers tend to make customers because they tend to be generious and also have a bit of spare money especialy if their other half is one too you can end up with joint incomes of £100k.
I would never put flyers on a car because its opening myself up for being accused of damage. It is also not the target market.
The dumbest thing I heared saw was a driving instructor that stuck a load of flyers in a city centre bar at 10:00am at night on a saturday! I bet she must have got a load of wind up calls from that.
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stuck a load of flyers in a city centre bar at 10:00am at night on a saturday!
Huh?
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meant 10pm :) my sleeping pattern is wrong, for me 10:00pm is like 10:00am for most people :).
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meant 10pm :) my sleeping pattern is wrong for me 10:00pm is like 10:00am for most people :).
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Dont fly long haul, Rattle, you wont know what day it is! :-)
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Once upon a time, long, long ago, well - quite recently actually, I bought a PVR to replace my VCR but found it to be a bit of a hummer!
So, I returned it to ebuyer, they tested it, found it to be faulty, and issued me with a full refund.
So ebuyer is ok - ok!, but most of us knew that anyway :)
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Thanks for the update perro; personally I view eBuyer the same way as 7dayshop; i.e. they had a somewhat mixed reputation a few years back but seem much better now, it's 5 years plus since I had any hassle with either despite using both regularly.
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>>>I view eBuyer the same way as 7dayshop; i.e. they had a somewhat mixed reputation a few years<<<
I was expecting some hassle from them as I didn't use their on-line returns facility, I just sent it back via RM to be signed for so das ist gut!
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Sky signal breaks up in rain, seems mainly during heavy downpours - anyone suggest a solution, pse?
thanks
EH
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Move to Spain, but avoid the plain.
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I am not at home and can't visualise the hand control but there is a menu which shows signal strength and quality, don't quite see the difference! My guess is that you have got a weak signal which is finally cut out by the rain and this may be because your dish has moved out of alignment, strong wind or someone up a ladder near it. I will repost when I get home.
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The signal level on the Sky box unsurprisingly measures the RF signal level, the quality gives an indication of how much of the signal is being successfully decoded. It is possible to have high level but poor quality - although it is only measuring one of the many frequencies received by the digibox. Agree root cause is probably slight dish misalignment or foliage slightly obscuring the dish. If lots of people are having the same problem then very heavy rain at the uplink site is probably the cause.
edit: from memory the signal test is on Services -> system setup
Edited by SpamCan61 {P} on 07/10/2009 at 22:05
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the likely cause is water has got into the connector on the LNB, and its starting to fail.
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Fair point AE!, I'd say if the problem stops as soon as the rain does then it's slight dish misalignment, if it persists for some time after the rain stops then water ingress as you suggest.
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We have a similar problem with analogue UHF TV. Basically we are on the edge of the transmitter service with other houses and trees further restricting our line of sight to the mast
IME you need to appraoch this very logically only changing one thing at a time. Your physical location and any obstructions between you and the satellite are factors you're stuck with. Check the disg alignment then the LNB, particularly for water penetration. Is the downlead as short as it cna br and of the best quality? Same for the aerial fly lead and the way it connects to your Sky Box.
In our case the answer was that the builders had used cheap co-ax and then wandered all over the house with it getting frm the chimney to the lounge immediately below.!!
Edited by Bromptonaut on 08/10/2009 at 00:18
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