The new news 24 thread

[richardmorris]

[Ghosty]

2 hours ago, vulgalour said:

Rejection letter acquired but with a very important caveat.  The interviewer was disappointed they couldn't give me the job and actually wanted to hire me but I didn't get enough 'points' for her to be allowed to do so.  Turns out, the NHS want you to basically memorise the job description - it's 5 pages long - to demonstrate you know about NHS protocols.  Unfortunately, I've not worked for the NHS since 2008 so I'm a little rusty, and I could not memorise enough of the info to apply.  I also got tips on where I needed to elaborate an answer, where I need to show 'personal experience' rather than 'work experience' and told quite firmly to apply again.

So weirdly, I feel really good about not getting the job because now I have a really clear path open to me for actual applications.  My face and experience fits NHS admin, which is a job I've enjoyed doing in the past, I just need to swot up on terms and such and keep applying.  I can narrow my job-hunt field now at least, because I can see a path to take.

This makes for very interesting reading - I'm currently trying for exactly the same career change, having been repeatedly told I'm underqualified for all the IT jobs I apply for, at the same or lower grade than the job I had before. Appreciate the insight!

[cort1977]

2 hours ago, vulgalour said:

Rejection letter acquired but with a very important caveat.  The interviewer was disappointed they couldn't give me the job and actually wanted to hire me but I didn't get enough 'points' for her to be allowed to do so.  Turns out, the NHS want you to basically memorise the job description - it's 5 pages long - to demonstrate you know about NHS protocols. 

This is very true and very stupid. My wife didn't get a physio job once because the protocols she was meant to know were only accessible to existing NHS workers! Returning from overseas she had no way of reviewing them, despite 20 years clinical experience.

[mintwth]

3 hours ago, vulgalour said:

The interviewer was disappointed they couldn't give me the job and actually wanted to hire me but I didn't get enough 'points' for her to be allowed to do so. 

@Ghosty

Having to score enough 'points' isn't uncommon with bigger organisations. If you know someone who works for the organisation ask them if they can get hold of a score sheet for you. 

It's much easier to score highly if you know what you're being marked against.

[JJ0063]

Today’s trailer buying mission took me to the seaside. Hunstanton for a little box trailer. 

[andy18s]

9 hours ago, richardmorris said:

I saw one of those ferraris pull up to a local Co-Op in Loggerheads when we were still living there,and the driver popped in to get some milk.

I had a quick 2min chat with him when he returned, and I got some photos I'll post if I can find them....

[Snake Charmer]

6 hours ago, mintwth said:

MOT failed 🙁

(Broken spring and headlamps need a polish.)

Nay too bad, unless the springs are bastards to replace. You would not like the bill for this customers service, Mot and brake check. Add, two refurbished front calipers, 4 brake lines and fluid. 🫣

[mintwth]

1 hour ago, Snake Charmer said:

Nay too bad, unless the springs are bastards to replace. You would not like the bill for this customers service, Mot and brake check. Add, two refurbished front calipers, 4 brake lines and fluid. 🫣

Aye, not too bad. Although I may end up with a bill to rival theirs. I was already planning a full suspension refresh. I'm taking the broken spring as a sign to get on with it. 

[Yoss]

We keep seeing a little rat in the garden. He wasn't really bothering me but Mrs Yoss wasn't happy and the dog even less so. We have small mouse traps as we have previously had tiny mice in the kitchen cupboards but he wasn't going to fit in those so ordered some bigger traps like these. 

They turned up this afternoon so I loaded them up with bits of bruised apple and a couple of the dogs meaty strips. Within an hour we had him. 

He's very small for a rat but bigger than a mouse, certainly the mice we've had here anyway. So he's either a youngster or he's a not a common rat. He squeaked a lot every time I put my hand near the cage. 

I took him (or her) for probably his (or her) first fast Škoda ride to some woods a couple of miles away. 

 

And let him go here. He is in this picture somewhere. 

He's had a decent meal to see him on his way. Every single piece of apple and meaty strip had completely disappeared so he should be okay for a while. 

The dog is still jazzed from the whole episode. 

 

[The Vicar]

I don't know if this is just a terrible design flaw by Fiat Lancia or if I'm just a complete idiot:

In my defence, the bonnet hold fits perfectly into the hole..

In other news, my Ypsilon is 1 today:

[juular]

2 minutes ago, Yoss said:

We keep seeing a little rat in the garden. He wasn't really bothering me but Mrs Yoss wasn't happy and the dog even less so. We have small mouse traps as we have previously had tiny mice in the kitchen cupboards but he wasn't going to fit in those so ordered some bigger traps like these. 

They turned up this afternoon so I loaded them up with bits of bruised apple and a couple of the dogs meaty strips. Within an hour we had him. 

He's very small for a rat but bigger than a mouse, certainly the mice we've had here anyway. So he's either a youngster or he's a not a common rat. He squeaked a lot every time I put my hand near the cage. 

I took him (or her) for probably his (or her) first fast Škoda ride to some woods a couple of miles away. 

 

And let him go here. He is in this picture somewhere. 

He's had a decent meal to see him on his way. Every single piece of apple and meaty strip had completely disappeared so he should be okay for a while. 

The dog is still jazzed from the whole episode. 

Thank you for doing this humanely. Rats are awesome creatures.

[Yoss]

28 minutes ago, juular said:

Thank you for doing this humanely. Rats are awesome creatures.

Rats do seem to get a bad press don't they. I mean we tolerate squirrels and pigeons but not rats it seems. I realise if you get an infestation something would need to be done but one little rat on his own in a semi rural area isn't doing anybody any harm apart from frying the dogs brain. 

Here's one of the mice I found in the garage. 

This shows how tiny he was. 

I have no problem with him living in the garage but you hear about them chewing wiring so I thought I ought to do something about it. Not only that but he had got in to the bird food I keep in the garage removed all the sunflower seeds, taken them from one side of the garage to the other, shelled them all and placed all the empty husks in an old margarine tub that I kept some quarter inch sockets in. 

I bought some of these small mouse traps and he just ate his way out. Just to take the piss more he started moving nesting materials in to it. 

 

[Dyslexic Viking]

That is a pretty useless mousetrap.

[hairnet]

6 hours ago, richardmorris said:

 

still 2cv

[hairnet]

9 hours ago, Snake Charmer said:

nice datsun m9

[Yoss]

3 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

That is a pretty useless mousetrap.

We caught two mice in the kitchen with them, (or the same mouse twice) and they worked fine but obviously this mouse got bored waiting for me to let him out. 

[hairnet]

51 minutes ago, The Vicar said:

 if I'm just a complete idiot:

 

 fits perfectly into the hole..

 

 

MISSUS!!!!

idiot - no

108 has one but the hole is in the turret next to the scuttle - on the oppsite side - no idea why when front is always better

[Snake Charmer]

10 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

That is a pretty useless mousetrap.

A photo of the mouse with his head looking out of the fake mouse chops he chewed his way through would be funny!

[richardmorris]

I’ve just heard that a friend of my parents, who got me interested in Citroen CXs as a child and was the 2nd owner of my 2cv has died. I think it was mesothelioma as he’d recently been diagnosed but he hadn’t been well for a while. Not sure, but 85ish. When I talked with him at Easter he seemed  to be in good health.

 

edit. Lung collapse and brain eneurism both related to the mesothelioma. Not a good end is it.   

[Zelandeth]

1 hour ago, Yoss said:

We keep seeing a little rat in the garden. He wasn't really bothering me but Mrs Yoss wasn't happy and the dog even less so. We have small mouse traps as we have previously had tiny mice in the kitchen cupboards but he wasn't going to fit in those so ordered some bigger traps like these. 

They turned up this afternoon so I loaded them up with bits of bruised apple and a couple of the dogs meaty strips. Within an hour we had him. 

He's very small for a rat but bigger than a mouse, certainly the mice we've had here anyway. So he's either a youngster or he's a not a common rat. He squeaked a lot every time I put my hand near the cage. 

I took him (or her) for probably his (or her) first fast Škoda ride to some woods a couple of miles away. 

 

And let him go here. He is in this picture somewhere. 

He's had a decent meal to see him on his way. Every single piece of apple and meaty strip had completely disappeared so he should be okay for a while. 

The dog is still jazzed from the whole episode. 

 

Looks like a juvenile to me.  Hopefully he'll enjoy the new location.  

It's funny how when you've had them as pets for a while that you become much more adept at spotting them out in the wild I found.

Do miss them, just gets hard with how short their lives are.  Plus having two large dogs would make it untenable these days, and very unfair on the rats.  They can be incredibly entertaining little buggers though, and as many people have said, bloody clever.

[loserone]

I can totally get why you would keep pet rats, but in the last month I've shot five squirrels and two rats.  

[richardmorris]

1 hour ago, hairnet said:

still 2cv

Oh I’m tempted with the chapron styled Bentley.  Cost per mile in the 2cv this year is around £20 with parts, insurance and labour. Although the recent bills on the Bentley are worse… £5500 for door and roof lubrication?

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, Yoss said:

Rats do seem to get a bad press don't they. I mean we tolerate squirrels and pigeons but not rats it seems. I realise if you get an infestation something would need to be done but one little rat on his own in a semi rural area isn't doing anybody any harm apart from frying the dogs brain. 

Here's one of the mice I found in the garage. 

This shows how tiny he was. 

I have no problem with him living in the garage but you hear about them chewing wiring so I thought I ought to do something about it. Not only that but he had got in to the bird food I keep in the garage removed all the sunflower seeds, taken them from one side of the garage to the other, shelled them all and placed all the empty husks in an old margarine tub that I kept some quarter inch sockets in. 

I bought some of these small mouse traps and he just ate his way out. Just to take the piss more he started moving nesting materials in to it. 

 

I remember when you originally posted about this, I LOLed so hard I had tears in my eyes.  Still one of my all time favourite AS stories.

[Yoss]

7 hours ago, wuvvum said:

I remember when you originally posted about this, I LOLed so hard I had tears in my eyes.  Still one of my all time favourite AS stories.

And there's me thinking everything I wrote was instantly forgotten.

[Metal Guru]

13 hours ago, Yoss said:

Rats do seem to get a bad press don't they. I mean we tolerate squirrels and pigeons but not rats it seems. I realise if you get an infestation something would need to be done but one little rat on his own in a semi rural area isn't doing anybody any harm apart from frying the dogs brain. 

Here's one of the mice I found in the garage. 

This shows how tiny he was. 

I have no problem with him living in the garage but you hear about them chewing wiring so I thought I ought to do something about it. Not only that but he had got in to the bird food I keep in the garage removed all the sunflower seeds, taken them from one side of the garage to the other, shelled them all and placed all the empty husks in an old margarine tub that I kept some quarter inch sockets in. 

I bought some of these small mouse traps and he just ate his way out. Just to take the piss more he started moving nesting materials in to it. 

 

I had a rat in my garden and found many tunnels under my shed so called pest control. The guy told me pigeons are a far bigger health hazard but wasn’t allowed to tell me how to get rid off them.

We subsequently got a cat and haven’t seen a rat since but apparently there’s hundreds of mice. 

[juular]

17 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Looks like a juvenile to me.  Hopefully he'll enjoy the new location.  

It's funny how when you've had them as pets for a while that you become much more adept at spotting them out in the wild I found.

Do miss them, just gets hard with how short their lives are.  Plus having two large dogs would make it untenable these days, and very unfair on the rats.  They can be incredibly entertaining little buggers though, and as many people have said, bloody clever.

They are so bright I think we as humans can't fully appreciate it, because we (intentionally or not) equate intelligence with human-like behaviour. Their ability to just 'survive' is phenomenal, as is shown by their ability to completely foil traps, complete complex tasks and puzzles and to find food in the most insane of environments. 

It's not just their survival intelligence that's impressive though, their emotional capacity is incredible.  Having them as pets you quickly realise how emotional they are, more so than dogs I'd say. I've not had many other pets that can show actual concern for both fellow rats and their human companions. I've said it before, but looking into the eyes of a rat you can see there's not just a cold animal stare, but a fellow being.

It's a tragedy they don't live longer. Having had several dogs, I'd still rather have rats any day. They're just better.

[Marshall2810]

Changed the wheels on Dad's Triumph thing back to standard steelies for him. It looks quite unusual and nice but he wants it back to standard ride height. Also like the quarter light windows. 

 

[Back_For_More]

That is a thing of beauty......... If he ever loses interest in it - please, PLEASE let me know should it become available. 

I miss my 2500S badly.... 

[Marshall2810]

18 minutes ago, Back_For_More said:

That is a thing of beauty......... If he ever loses interest in it - please, PLEASE let me know should it become available. 

I miss my 2500S badly.... 

Thanks, its a really nice thing. He will certainly lose interest and we're talking @HMC levels of automotive turnover 😂

He plans to have a few bits welded, painted and get it as stock as possible (from what he's said briefly) Will let you know if/when 👍

[Snake Charmer]

12 hours ago, Marshall2810 said:

Thanks, its a really nice thing. He will certainly lose interest and we're talking @HMC levels of automotive turnover 😂

He plans to have a few bits welded, painted and get it as stock as possible (from what he's said briefly) Will let you know if/when 👍

I remember many years ago seeing an estate for sale with a Stag engine and Ferguson Formula 4 wheel drive in need of restoration. Instant want as the estate was a cool car as a kid, a V8 with Ferguson Formula even more so but 45p in the bank scuppered my Triumph ownership!