A Submarine Weekend - kinda

Another weekend, another day acting as a guide on HMS ALLIANCE at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. The big turnout would seem to indicate that t was either a rainy day (it was), or that the summer holidays are almost here (they are); the 4 guides were taking a tour of 25 people through every 20 minutes.

This weekend I was able to cross the generations. It's always good to chat to the older, more experienced guides for it's always possible to learn something new about the boat (more in a later blog) but the tours often include other older submariners. This weekend I encountered a Chief Stoker from the modern day HMS VANGUARD,

HMS VANGUARD S28

HMS TAURUS P399

and an old salt who served on the previous T Class of submarines, and on X craft (Coincidentally, this article appears in today's Daily Mirror). Both were able to give me the benefit of their experience and that will enable me to give a better tour next time I'm there.

Then there's always the kids :) When you get the good ones, they are so curious and so well informed and they are a joy. Some do seem to have fairly gruesome ideas that involve either the destruction of the boat, or the world, or where is the dead body is kept if someone dies. Then you get the one who will cling to his mum with his cuddly toy and not even say hello. I'll take the former every time.

X24

Images from Wikipedia

Grumpy Online People

Something I’ve noticed on-line these days is how harshly some people respond to articles and blogs. They seem unconstrained by manners, consideration of feelings, or reasoned thought If an article (for article read blog or any other type of post) differs from their point if view, or suggests a technology is better than the preferred one, then their immediate response is to post text that is abusive or derogatory, rather than structured or considered debate. No doubt this is enabled by the anonymity of the Web, but also by the fact that they are able to respond immediately.

Ah well. It takes all sorts to make a world

Facebook Video Chat

Hallo guys,

Facebook has just added a new feature, and unless you're fellow minor-geek, you may be unaware of it.

They've added video chat to your chat window.

Facebook has done this in association with Skype which is probably the biggest name in video chat/messaging. If you want to use it, it's dead simple.

First, click on the name of the individual with who you wish to chat.
At the top of the Chat window you'll see the little camera icon.
Click on that.
You'll now get asked if you want to install and use the that feature so accept that and a download will start.
Just let that run and accept the default options that pop up.
There will be a small file installed and Hey Presto, you're up and running.
Comb your hair, check your teeth for cabbage and chat away,

On Facebook you can only videochat to one person at a time but the new Google+ allows you to chat to up to 10 people at a time. I should point out that Google+ is still only open to a few testers at this moment. On that point, you'll notice that many of the Google products are being redesigned with a cleaner, simpler look, and the latest to undergo  amake over is Youtube, although you have to opt into it at the moment. If you'd like to have a look at it, follow this link. You can always change back to the old format.

http://www.youtube.com/cosmicpanda

Collagen

An extract from www.lifecanbegood.co.uk 

COLLAGEN, used in anti-aging creams to combat wrinkles, is now being used to restore health to diseased and painful joints.

A study at the University of Munich and Stamford University in the US on 2,000 men and women with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee found it reduced pain and increased mobility in more than 75 per cent of cases.
Patients who took supplements of collagen hydrolysate daily for three months were able to reduce pain-relieving medication significantly. Few side effects were reported.


The findings could offer relief for more than eight million people in the UK suffering from painful joints and reduced mobility caused by arthritis. Many rely on anti-inflammatory medications but these can damage the gut lining, causing ulceration.


Used by British Olympic athletes to speed their recovery from sports injuries, collagen supplements help to restore joints to health. Collagen is the most common protein in the body. "We need it for healthy joints, physical resilience and the ability to recover from injuries," explains Professor Greg Whyte, senior physiologist at Liverpool University and advisor to the British Olympic Team. "Yet we lose 1.5 per cent of our collagen every year after 25. By 40, we have lost 30 per cent."


James Greenwell, former Great Britain pentathlon team captain, began taking collagen hydrolysate supplements six years ago, after ripping tendons in his ankle. He was so impressed he set up proto-col to research collagen supplementation.


"My physio gave me 12 weeks to make a recovery,’ says James. ‘I took 15 capsules of collagen hydrolysate a day and I’d recovered most of my joint function in less than a month."


The form of collagen you take is vital, he says. "Collagen hydrolysate is the form that is proven to be effective in trials," says Professor Whyte.


Greg Whyte was the man rsponsible for advising Eddie Izzard during his 43 marathons in 51 days

A Blog of Bits

Some random jottings

Electric Toothbrushes


After a few years of being encouraged by dentists to get an electric toothbrush, we finally succumbed and surrendered the battery operated ones. This new fang-polisher is wonderful with the difference in the end result being quite noticeable. And, ever the one to be easily amused, this Braun prompts you every 30 secs over 2 minutes to move to another mouthy quadrant and start cleaning that area.

Google+


I've been testing out the new Google+ social networking site, and it's showing promise. It  has a very clean look, as do many of the Google suite products. It's system of arranging friends and contacts, called Circles, is very simple and very efficient and it allows posts to be made only to specific Circles, or to everyone should you wish. It has an integrated video chat called Huddle and integrates to Google Talk. No doubt other features will be added as we move through the beta testing stage. There is already a lot of hype and discussion about being a Facebook 'killer' although i think that's premature as FB is now well established and many users wll be loathe to make the move. We'll see.

Repatriations


I'd posted earlier about the repatriations when they move to Brize Norton; more specifically about the rubbish that was being repeated. I'm glad to see that someone who has been intimately involved with those ceremonies has written to debunk the stories, and I'm pleased to be able to provide a link here:

Repatriation ceremonies in 2012

Random photographs

The Seven Ages of Man and Broadcasting House

Broadcasting House at 0900 on BBC Radio 4, is always worth listening to on a Sunday morning. It's always an interesting collection of current affairs, or newspaper reviews, and of slightly sideways looks at items of interest in the current media. Today they acknowledged the forthcoming Dilnott Report by asking Sir Ian McKellen to read the following:

The Seven Ages of Man: Shakespeare:

"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players,
They have their exits and entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages. At first the infant,
Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.
Then, the whining schoolboy with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden, and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice
In fair round belly, with good capon lin'd,
With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws, and modern instances,
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon,
With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side,
His youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide,
For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice,
Turning again towards childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything."

Amazing coincidence Number 91387

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I was taking a group through HMS ALLIANCE last week. As a diver I recognised the Scapa Flow polo shirt one of the visitors was wearing and remarked upon it, and continued with the tour.  A friend commented on a Facebook post of mine today where I said I would be guiding today, that it was his diving club that were on the boat; their diving trip had been blown out so were filling their time. A minor, so slightly amazing, coincidence.

One of today's trips included an original crew member of HMS ALLIANCE, a comms tech (another name for an intelligence gatherer, and some Poles who were sailing back to Poland having started in Brest.

And if anyone knows about the strongbacks on the Tube Space doors, and the locking rings, I'd like to hear from you.