tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.comments2024-01-13T20:03:54.394+00:00Rob's Bookshop BlogRob Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09601911258083548441noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-47242207469024958302019-12-20T09:27:43.090+00:002019-12-20T09:27:43.090+00:00Rob, not sure if you've seen this recent news:...Rob, not sure if you've seen this recent news: http://radiomatarranya.com/2019/12/20/salten-les-alarmes-al-matarranya-per-un-projecte-que-preveu-construir-4-parcs-eolics/?fbclid=IwAR2sseD2FcZJ8JNDtVLZnbrvqWekMRhR29aEdsoj6cD_U6AlwtvrAdFVkTEAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-82357812411404268902019-02-03T12:39:00.558+00:002019-02-03T12:39:00.558+00:00And here is a comment from and old and respected c...And here is a comment from and old and respected colleague which adds goodly number of reminiscences:<br /><br />And a national conscience was shared except for the spivs<br />And a spiv wasn't president of the USA<br /><br />But when footballers were all on a fixed wage which was NOT decent.<br /><br />And central heating was unknown, you bought your coal at a discount in the summer and fan heaters were new.<br /><br />And Jack Frost ice patterns formed on the inside of bedroom windows.<br /><br />And when you turned on a light the bulb went pop and put the house in darkness.<br /><br />And you plugged the iron into the light socket because there wasn't a power socket ( round pin!) in every room.<br /><br />And banks and bank managers were trusted but banks closed at 3pm (don't even ask about Saturdays)<br /><br />But you had to make a good case to the manager for borrowing from banks unless you were middle class enough to have investments that you didn't want to break into.<br /><br />And personal financial advisers did not sell you credit you did not need.<br /><br />And John Bloom sold the new front loading washing machines door to door.<br /><br />Woolworths sold paper collars to put on your shirts.<br /><br />My grandmother who had worked in service sent my grandfather's shirts to the laundry.<br /><br />And there were pig bins in the street for your waste food.<br /><br />And the ministry of agriculture paid farmers a premium for each rabbit's tail they presented.<br /><br />And bicycles had three gears or one exept the few with four hub gears before these disappeared.<br /><br />And most of the bikes were made by British owned Raleigh in Britain.<br /><br />And TV police programmes were not about murder.<br /><br />And black and white Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour films seemed to be on TV every Sunday afternoon.<br /><br />And you could take your Ford car to the factory at Dagenham where apprentices would fit an exchange reconditioned engine.<br /><br />And Ford cars had manifold vacuum operated screen wipers which stopped when you put you foot down to go up a hill.<br /><br />And old cars had to go up very steep hills backwards because they did not have a fuel pump.<br /><br />And Police boxes were as usual as Ford Prefects. ( get it??)<br /><br />And buses conductors issued coloured tickets which we collected.<br /><br />And only 4% of people went to university I thought it was only 2%.<br /><br />And London Telephone exchanges had names.( part of which you dialled)<br /><br />And trunk telephone calls were set up by the operator who had to check whether the connection was good enough to talk over.<br /><br />And hospitals had nurses homes.<br /><br />And no one knew who Alan Turing was.<br /><br />Not all radios were superhetrodynes.<br /><br />And the Archers replaced Dick Barton Special Agent on the Light Programme.<br /><br />And the radio weather forecast was a full 5 minutes.Rob Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09601911258083548441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-26703657872716010422019-02-03T12:27:07.192+00:002019-02-03T12:27:07.192+00:00This list was sent to me by Bjorn Runngren of Swed...This list was sent to me by Bjorn Runngren of Sweden<br /><br />Before people carried books around and even read them.<br /><br />People believed in Father Christmas. <br /><br />Common pastime during the winter was skiing and skating.<br /><br />Then we had the cold war and now it's the hot war.<br /><br />Before a spade was called a spade. Rob Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09601911258083548441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-40233884267666294982018-09-22T20:25:02.071+01:002018-09-22T20:25:02.071+01:00Your stories remind us that no absolute truths exi...Your stories remind us that no absolute truths exist. The premise is wrong, i.e. that our brain is first and lastly logical and just a little emotional like the scum on the sea’s waves. Actually, it’s the other way around. This state of our mind has fostered reams of ridicule and we are ourselves delighted in making fun of our brain’s shortcomings. The latest proof of this Is Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking Fast and Slow. After having read it there is just one comment: “so what?” <br />If we didn’t have any biases, cognitive dissonances or emotions, we would be a completely different animal. Or why not a robot as we are slowly approaching a robot like state of mind from being stereotyped by social media (internet). Forget biological evolution, which has been overtaken by technological evolution, which is so fast and unpredictable that we have lost control of it. “Earth, we got a problem.”<br />So why are there no absolute or universal truths? If there had been they would since a long time ago been thought out. We have had to do with our own laws, manmade like time, before and after, limits, endlessness, eternity, etc. just to cope with life.<br />It is said that libido is the ultimate drive for life, for animals as well as for mankind. Not so, this is where we differ. Our lust to hang on to life and live (long after we lost our libido and money) is our curiosity, to see what’s around the corner (to be transformed to the fly on the wall). <br />Not knowing anything, just being suspended in the air and revelling in the unfolding of world events that is true happiness. Happiness through aporism. QED!<br />bjorunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12857207695636829098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-29000491081155873502018-09-22T19:35:22.208+01:002018-09-22T19:35:22.208+01:00Your stories remind us that no absolute truths exi...Your stories remind us that no absolute truths exist. The premise is wrong, i.e. that our brain is first and lastly logical and just a little emotional like the scum on the sea’s waves. Actually, it’s the other way around. This state of our mind has fostered reams of ridicule and we are ourselves delighted in making fun of our brain’s shortcomings. The latest proof of this Is Daniel Kahneman’s book Thinking Fast and Slow. After having read it there is just one comment: “so what?” <br />If we didn’t have any biases, cognitive dissonances or emotions, we would be a completely different animal. Or why not a robot as we are slowly approaching a robot like state of mind from being stereotyped by social media (internet). Forget biological evolution, which has been overtaken by technological evolution, which is so fast and unpredictable that we have lost control of it. “Earth, we got a problem.”<br />So why are there no absolute or universal truths? If there had been they would since a long time ago been thought out. We have had to do with our own laws, manmade like time, before and after, limits, endlessness, eternity, etc. just to cope with life.<br />It is said that libido is the ultimate drive for life, for animals as well as for mankind. Not so, this is where we differ. Our lust to hang on to life and live (long after we lost our libido and money) is our curiosity, to see what’s around the corner (to be transformed to the fly on the wall). <br />Not knowing anything, just being suspended in the air and revelling in the unfolding of world events that is true happiness. Happiness through aporism. QED!<br />bjorunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12857207695636829098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-52348359732535834902018-06-05T19:31:19.473+01:002018-06-05T19:31:19.473+01:00enjoyed THE raconteur** 1:1 in THE Lamb & Flag...enjoyed THE raconteur** 1:1 in THE Lamb & Flag, but his writing almost as good- Many more beers chats and (perhaps) songs to come old boy!<br /><br />* wit and gourmet to be encouraged - prctice makes perfect<br />Peter Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00843337841781172217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-27576656430673595562018-06-01T17:51:05.951+01:002018-06-01T17:51:05.951+01:00This page definitely has all the information and f...This page definitely has all the information and facts <br />I wanted concerning this subject and didn't know who to ask.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-34310803833824219962018-05-14T21:35:24.451+01:002018-05-14T21:35:24.451+01:00I was able to find ɡood info from your articles.
...I was able to find ɡood info from your articles.<br /><br />informativе post : 10 Lessons About Encryption Software You Need To <br />Learn Before You Hit 40 & Three Wayѕ To How To Encrypt A Passworɗ Ϝor Free PeгsuasivelyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-33844142370402993912018-01-26T11:38:21.377+00:002018-01-26T11:38:21.377+00:00Bob you have critically examined INDIA and very we...Bob you have critically examined INDIA and very well exclaimed the plot of country.<br /><br />Myself SUDHANSHU SHARMA met you at The Company Garden(Alfred Park), Allahabad.Sudhanshu Ravi Rajaram Sharmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08479438725473407315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-14177908058272837572017-11-27T09:58:29.984+00:002017-11-27T09:58:29.984+00:00I must thank you for the efforts you've put in...I must thank you for the efforts you've put in writing this blog.<br />I am hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts from you later on as well.<br />In fact, your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own blog now ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-66087491753049873932017-11-15T09:56:35.682+00:002017-11-15T09:56:35.682+00:00Life ain't nothin but a funny funny riddle.......Life ain't nothin but a funny funny riddle....thank God I'm a country boy!<br /><br />PeterUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14155940674509893881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-49450911961024814542017-11-14T21:51:08.233+00:002017-11-14T21:51:08.233+00:00A good friend told me on good authority that my us...A good friend told me on good authority that my use of the spelling Catalunia is not at all usual and she is correct. There are various forms of the name of this part of Spain in use and, in trying to avoid the English version and yet not use accents, I have ended up creating another variants. Sorry about that I will in future use the Spanish version - Cataluña and have now changed it in the above blog.Rob Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09601911258083548441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-64206598776012041522017-10-08T23:08:30.807+01:002017-10-08T23:08:30.807+01:00Lenn and I are currently reading Animal Farm, so t...Lenn and I are currently reading Animal Farm, so this is timely. I'll tell him about what's happening there.Peternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-18282686814502930822017-07-02T18:52:59.229+01:002017-07-02T18:52:59.229+01:00Congratulations. Glad it was a good do. Best wishe...Congratulations. Glad it was a good do. Best wishes to you both. Sue xxSnoophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11842481314029200038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-9993663111222153762017-06-30T15:57:16.346+01:002017-06-30T15:57:16.346+01:00Hi, I do think this is an excellent site. I stumbl...Hi, I do think this is an excellent site. I stumbledupon it ;) I'm going to revisit once again since i have book marked it.<br />Money and freedom is the greatest way to <br />change, may you be rich and continue to guide <br />other people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-52543536291303789132017-01-21T18:49:06.932+00:002017-01-21T18:49:06.932+00:00You are quite right of course, it should read '...You are quite right of course, it should read 'the majority of those who voted in the UK voted to leave'Rob Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09601911258083548441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-78888496880294379532017-01-21T18:06:08.004+00:002017-01-21T18:06:08.004+00:00You can't actually say 'the majority of th...You can't actually say 'the majority of the UK, had voted to leave' Brexit.Oxford EXPOSEDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13655751498850432056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-35428875348371030092016-10-11T13:25:38.232+01:002016-10-11T13:25:38.232+01:00I've just got back from a short trip to France...I've just got back from a short trip to France, the Alsace region - very expensive. Over 8 Euros for two coffees! Blimey, how do they do it? Spain sounds good value though.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14155940674509893881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-17412870675946441502016-07-20T06:00:13.342+01:002016-07-20T06:00:13.342+01:00A smashing account- now linked from the OGG websit...A smashing account- now linked from the OGG websiteAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-57614594852321613482016-06-21T14:40:23.597+01:002016-06-21T14:40:23.597+01:00congratulations all round for all mentioned in the...congratulations all round for all mentioned in the (as ever) interesting blog. Commiserations to us all upon the result of Brexit -- no winners in the short term. Just hopes that UK can improve things from WITHINPeter Ashbyhttp://www.ashby-projects.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-45678550798129696272016-03-13T13:44:03.774+00:002016-03-13T13:44:03.774+00:00Well done! Words are a kind of archaeology tracing...Well done! Words are a kind of archaeology tracing ancient people and their way of living and thinking.bjorunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12857207695636829098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-61588670611909773822016-02-20T19:53:05.145+00:002016-02-20T19:53:05.145+00:00That's profound Sue, not sure what it means th...That's profound Sue, not sure what it means though.Rob Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09601911258083548441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-61147633634169596102016-02-20T11:15:03.313+00:002016-02-20T11:15:03.313+00:00The day we don't need lawyers is the day we...The day we don't need lawyers is the day we'll need more judges!<br />SueAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-42925714441125853112016-02-19T23:56:53.796+00:002016-02-19T23:56:53.796+00:00Good pointsGood pointsRob Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09601911258083548441noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4422005607172524546.post-24549077611455976002016-02-19T20:42:47.686+00:002016-02-19T20:42:47.686+00:00Actually I would rather flip the question of robot...Actually I would rather flip the question of robots by instead talking about the robotisising of the human. It’s apparent for everyone with a smartphone that it has become a third part of the brain or a portable brain. Very few can today do much without accessing the external brain. We have become dependent on social media in order to be confirmed and “liked”. We are expecting more from machines and less from people. Gradually what partially defines a human being, empathy is grated.<br />For people entering education today as professionals within healthcare will thus be less empathetic. Hence the argument about empathy will be a non-issue.<br />It has been possible for the last three years to implement AI diagnostic systems (IBM Watson is standing ready to take over) but of course everyone is defending its profession.<br />However two rationales are going to force medical persons to give in. The first is the escalating cost at NHS and the other is that diagnosing patients today has become very difficult and complex. There are several reasons for this. They are populations have become highly heterogeneous (migration), new diseases coming from travelling (Ebola,Zika, etc) and international trade and mutations. <br />Moreover all beds in the hospitals and clothes worn by patients will be embedded with sensors, which communicate with the HOC (hospital operating central) by wireless internet.<br />For many of as elderly it will be a case of the turn of the screw, but for young people growing up who has been computer lobotomised this what they are expecting. <br />bjorunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12857207695636829098noreply@blogger.com