DaveP

Inputs: USB stick mp3 player/radio HTC Wildfire phone (mp3's and radio) iPod touch Car radio in the stern Networked hard drive that acts as an iTunes server/mp3 repository Outputs: Lounge: powered PC speakers - flying audio lead connected to TV/phone/etc as needed Bedroom: travel speaker with usb charged battery plays from usb/memory cards and aux in Stern: car radio speakers (also plays memory cards and has an aux in) The radios are not dab; given I mostly listen to R4 and World Service, high fidelity isn't my highest priority on them. I have been looking into devices that could be remotely controlled, connect to the network, and play out to each of the lounge, bedroom or stern; but nothing suitable has been sighted yet.

Generally wherever I've found myself for the night. Doubly so if there's a pub in the offing. [Mind you, I did make sure that a couple of north-west towns beginning with 'B' were seen only in daylight hours].

I've spoken to the Electoral Reform Services person who's managing the election. The voting will be full STV for the 4 posts, therefore it's worth putting up conning four people to stand. If you want to find out more about STV and how it works, take a look at http://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/?PageID=483 The important thing to note is that although you have only one vote, if your preferred candidate is either elected or eliminated your vote is transferred to your next preferred unelected/uneliminated candidate (until the four have been elected). Thus it's important not only to have four candidates but also for us to express our preferences in the same order together. I've run many elections under STV for a student union (15,000 voters, 30% turnout for the senior posts); the reallocation process is hellish on paper, but now we have computers it's a doddle.... Cheers, -- Dave Parry

i also have a couple of semi-feral ones currently sheltering from the cold...

... and once the parent is a charity, the profits can be remitted free of tax - that is, of course, if there hasn't been a management buyout on the cusp of BW's transfiguration.

Of course one can seek employment whilst continuously cruising - it's when you _get_ a job that the issues start occurring. I was looking for posts that bore some relation to my knowledge, experience and skills - which meant nationwide. Once the year was up, I took a job that had nothing to do with my previous employment, paid a fifth of my previous income and was only going to last eight months. But it was employment, it was a great experience, and I've learnt a lot from it (and met a lovely bunch of people to boot). It was during the last month or so in the job that I started having 'interesting' conversations with local BW licence enforcement...

I signed on as CC for a year - in 2009. Most JCP's were happy for me to use their address as a correspondence address. They were happy that they could get me on a telephone. I had a problem with Congleton who insisted on daily signing - and wouldn't relent even though the journey took up to 5 hours (buses from Bosley Locks were very inconveniently timed and they wouldn't pay for the diesel for me to commute with the boat; that said, they did refund the fares and it did mean that I could pick up the shopping.) Everyone else was happy with two-weekly attendance - Kidderminster, Skipton, Huddersfield, Stafford & Banbury. There seems to be a difference between No fixed Abode (ie homeless and therefore seen as needing to sign on daily) and No Permanent Address (ie moving around but not needing to sign on daily) - I complained about Congleton's attitude but didn't get a reply (which didn't answer any of the points I'd raised) until after I'd got a job (funnily enough just as I went ot sign on at Banbury). Another useful bit of paper is an ES90 - this is used to allow a signee to be away from their 'home office' to look for work; it enables them to sign on at another office on their signing day. Needs to be agreed in advance with the advisor and nominate which office you will sign at. I was able to use up to 2 of these befroe either returning to my 'home' JCP or starting a new claim at a new JCP. But an issue was raised (fortunately just as I got a job) as to whether the ES90's were limited per claim (ie use twice and then move to new office claim, or only two in your whole period of unemployment).

I suspect they were all genuine - merely rather further from a close match than one would expect or like. If your JCP advisor tells you to apply for that job, you do - or face possible sanctions...

I'm still down on the Med but I'm making a start on the trek home in a couple of days - biking over to Bilbao to catch the ferry up to Pompey.

Yahbut; last year you didn't even get within 5 miles of your mooring Chris: trying to set a better record this time?

Posting on facebook with photo from this arvo Linky thing

Ensure your neighbour with the keys knows where the blended whisky is and not the single malts.

Maybe the new owner wants it moved anyway - if not to your place? Norty Steve - you could always try selling his boat 'by mistake'.... -- Dave

I did the HNC from West to East the week before last as a singlehander (mostly - I had crew to 14w). Compared to two years ago I felt that the locks were generally in better condition - although some were definitely in need of attention; the was plenty of water apart from the short pound between 37e and 38e was critically low probably due to the bottom gates of 37e being more leaky than wikileaks. It can be difficult to get into the side when mooring up for the night, the Stalybridge moorings have been taken over by Canada geese and their droppings, I got taken by surprise by the low pipe bridge in Marsden, and the Slaithwaite guillotine lock is a right pain to close down as there are no mooring bollards nearby to secure the boat to. But it's a spectacular waterway in fantastic landscape, the tunnel crew are lovely, informed, and helpful people, and the pubs are mostly excellent. I'll be heading back that way without a question. -- Dave

Fishing on Lake Naivasha in a dinghy and being attacked by a hippopotamus. Lost all the fishing gear whilst escaping. Fortunately not the fish we'd already got.

Currently North-bound queue at the Napton Top Lock is 12 boats and a rumoured 2.5hr. I'm breaking out my gin supplies - since I'm the 12th boat.

Indeed they do - in the north of the city. One of the first things I checked before putting my bid in for a mooring in Wakefield...

It's about 2 hours from the Tramway (Morrisons) moorings to Nell Bridge. Sorry, don't know about the popularity of Kings Sutton moorings.

Which is also why one should also sound one's whistle without an approaching boat - to prevent motor vehicles from crossing the bridge whilst you are passing under it; both to prevent it collapsing onto your vessel and to generally confound the landlubbers.