1st ade

A group of us are trying to secure a small property, canal-side, such that members of that group have easy access and that the general public is, at least, discouraged (Think tool store) We currently have a reasonably secure padlock and an awful lot of keys. But if someone leaves the area and doesn't hand their key back we can end up buying a new lock and re-issuing a large number of keys. The costs mount up. A combination padlock has been suggested. The problem is that anyone who knows the combination can re-set it. So an individual could decide to lock everyone else out. We have found one (very expensive, ~£140) combination padlock which can be set once and once only. If we have to, we'll buy one and then, once a year bin it and buy a new one (and program it with a different number). But, as a Danish friend said, "It's shooting Starlings with a Cannon" There must be a market for a combination lock where anyone who knows the number can get in but only one person can change it. Mustn't there? If anyone has any thoughts, please shout. (For info - there is no power available and we don't want to go down the road of adding swipe card readers or electric locks) Thanks - in anticipation

I'm an (amateur) scuba diver. We dive a lot in a local lake which is also a nature reserve (with the permission of the local authority). At one point this summer we were approached by a woman who said that the lake should be filled in as it was unsafe; her four year old and seven year old frequently played near the lake and could drown. I asked her if she supervised said children and "she was too busy". She also allowed them to cross a busy road (60 MPH limit) on their own to get to the lake. I'm deeply sorry for the parents of the child who fell off the gas pipe. But children (like anyone) need to learn what hurts and what doesn't. Early on, that falls to their parents, later to their teachers and at some point to themselves. As an aside, my 14 year old Grandson plays many games on his PS4. Most of the games (even the non-violent ones) involve first person action leaping across rooftops, jumping drawbridges etc. At some point a screen appears Game Over - Try Again. There comes a time when we need to educate our children that, in real life, there is not always a "Try Again" option.

We bought the V6 Animal a few weeks ago at Argos for £250 (which included a box of extra tools). Well impressed - apart from the little filter which keeps falling out!

Interesting you say that. When I was a lad (as the advert goes), leaving home to go on holiday was almost a ritual. Gas off, water off, pull the fuses for every circuit except the downstairs ring; then a visual inspection of every room downstairs that nothing was plugged in except the freezer. Back door locked and deadbolted - bins and fridge emptied - all windows closed and bolted - all interior doors shut - out the front door and go. These days it's more - "walk out, lock door". We've come back from holiday to find lights left on, the TV left on, three pints of (not fresh) yoghurt in the fridge where the milk used to be. So far (thank goodness) we have not returned to find either my soldering gear or Mrs 1st Ade's iron (ducks quickly) sitting in a puddle of molten plastic but it's only a matter of time.

It seemed to be spoken of as "in the next series" (although they obviously have some footage in the can) rather than the next episode.

Greenie - priceless!

Our local bus's have contact-less charging, as the engineer explained "like a giant version of charging an electric toothbrush". They reckon that the driver's ten minute tea break will allow the batteries to get a 10% charge - don't know how many KW/h that is. I'm just waiting for the local Prius driving Taxi drivers to work out how to park over the bus charging plate and fill the "tank" for free!

The other (but related) reason is copyright protection - some devices (such as a Blu Ray Player) should* recognise recording devices and either refuse to play copyright material at all or deliberately degrade the signal. A splitter could be used to fool the player into thinking it's feeding a screen (which is OK) whilst making a "perfect" digital copy on the side. * - According to the HDMI specification and DCMS (Digital Copyright Management System). I couldn't possibly comment on whether it is permissible to make back up copies of material which you own. I'll leave that for a Friday.

Me too. A rolled up copy of the Metro through the spokes works well.... And for those lacking humour, I'd be prepared to stand up in court and ask how I was able to put said paper in their rear wheel if I hadn't already been on the pedestrian crossing in front of the stationary traffic.

Thanks - I'll try. Ade

With apologies for the quality of the photo - Samsung phone was all I had with me. The female duck pictured has what looks like the plastic tie (sorry, there is probably a more technical term) from a four pack of beer round its neck and stuck tight in its bill. It can eat (at least the floating duck pellets I carry while walking the dog) but the plastic obviously won't rot and if the duck grows the plastic will cut into its neck. It also has the chance of getting caught on undergrowth and the duck starving to death. I tried to tempt the duck where I could catch it with the aforementioned duck food but there were too many other ducks around competing and chasing it off. If any boats are cruising round bridge 69 in Wolverton please keep your eyes out. Being afloat you may have more luck than me! Any other ideas (throw a net over the duck from the bank?) or suggestions of who I can contact?

Me to - but there seems to be less and less incentive to actually use them. I'm a Fire Warden at work - I've been shown the video on how to use fire extinguishers (it's now considered too dangerous to train using a real fire). But the ruling from building management is more and more turning to "If (and only if) you are trapped in a corner, no one else is around, the fire is becoming more intense and you are really, really convinced you are going to die then consider using the extinguisher". I'm not sure if there are credible stories of amateurs being injured (or worse) fighting small fires or this is more of the "We can't take the risk of an employee being injured putting out a fire in the waste basket" brigade.

So send them a list of your mooring sites for the last five years, copy CRT in on the letter - two birds, one stone!

Two and a half years ago mine, and Magpie Patrick's, Mother passed away. She'd moved to Marple in 1971; MP and I grew up round there and in particular round the canal, locks and adjacent parkland which we played in and around as children. Mum's friends and family thought a bench, in an area she loved walking round, for walkers to ease thair aching feet, would be a fitting reminder. CRT asked for in excess of £2k with the "promise" of extras if it wasn't a straightforward job (there are already a few bench's, some with tables, some with dedications along the lockside). The local park asked for a few hundred quid to do the same job for a bench overlooking the canal, concrete base, survey and all. Many friends came as the bench was dedicated by the local vicar, MP and others. After the event the park wrote to my father apologising that he had been overcharged and refunding the difference. The local park's gain was CRT's loss. (and if anyone is visiting Marple it's the bench nearest the stocks (visible in the background)) Rest in Peace Mum (and sorry for wandering off topic)

More details please! Did it work previously and now doesn't (in which case something has failed - belt tension? Diode Pack?) or has it always done this.