AlanB
@alanjbanks.bsky.social
Retired Doctor. Four wonderful grandkids.
Servant of 4 yr old Staffie.
Love vinyl.
Model Railways in various scales.
Member of the tofu eating, leftie wokerati. Not keen on tofu, but I've eaten it.
Now, a Green Party member.
Ban Blood Sports.
Servant of 4 yr old Staffie.
Love vinyl.
Model Railways in various scales.
Member of the tofu eating, leftie wokerati. Not keen on tofu, but I've eaten it.
Now, a Green Party member.
Ban Blood Sports.
I must have done something right. There are 30 fish in there, and I can't see even 1.
They've all got a home to go to.
Mind the frenzy at feeding time is quite something, too.
Malawi cichlids and cuckoo catfish.
They've all got a home to go to.
Mind the frenzy at feeding time is quite something, too.
Malawi cichlids and cuckoo catfish.
December 6, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I must have done something right. There are 30 fish in there, and I can't see even 1.
They've all got a home to go to.
Mind the frenzy at feeding time is quite something, too.
Malawi cichlids and cuckoo catfish.
They've all got a home to go to.
Mind the frenzy at feeding time is quite something, too.
Malawi cichlids and cuckoo catfish.
Wordle 1,619 2/6
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Lucky with the first guess.
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Lucky with the first guess.
November 24, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Wordle 1,619 2/6
🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Lucky with the first guess.
🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Lucky with the first guess.
My grandson William is now an U17 international footballer. Plays for 🇹🇼 Taiwan. They drew 0-0 yesterday against a strong Lebanon.
An exceptional young man of whom I am extremely proud.
An exceptional young man of whom I am extremely proud.
November 23, 2025 at 8:18 AM
My grandson William is now an U17 international footballer. Plays for 🇹🇼 Taiwan. They drew 0-0 yesterday against a strong Lebanon.
An exceptional young man of whom I am extremely proud.
An exceptional young man of whom I am extremely proud.
Who knew that voting in Labour would bring in shades of nazi Germany?
Their assault on refugees is not what I voted for.
Labour are tearing up the social contract, going much further than the tories. Reform will be wetting themselves with glee.
VOTE GREEN. Join the green party now.
Their assault on refugees is not what I voted for.
Labour are tearing up the social contract, going much further than the tories. Reform will be wetting themselves with glee.
VOTE GREEN. Join the green party now.
November 18, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Who knew that voting in Labour would bring in shades of nazi Germany?
Their assault on refugees is not what I voted for.
Labour are tearing up the social contract, going much further than the tories. Reform will be wetting themselves with glee.
VOTE GREEN. Join the green party now.
Their assault on refugees is not what I voted for.
Labour are tearing up the social contract, going much further than the tories. Reform will be wetting themselves with glee.
VOTE GREEN. Join the green party now.
It's a hard life for a dog.
November 12, 2025 at 11:32 AM
It's a hard life for a dog.
Wordle 1,607 2/6
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🟨⬜🟩🟨🟩
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November 12, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Wordle 1,607 2/6
🟨⬜🟩🟨🟩
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I hate Evri.
Thank you for your attention in this matter!
Thank you for your attention in this matter!
November 6, 2025 at 5:34 PM
I hate Evri.
Thank you for your attention in this matter!
Thank you for your attention in this matter!
That's taken longer than I thought it would. After 3 weeks and six days, the aquarium filter has cycled and could in theory be stocked with fish.
I'm now going to let the filter mature somewhat, so I can start with a larger initial population.
Plants in a few days.
I'm now going to let the filter mature somewhat, so I can start with a larger initial population.
Plants in a few days.
November 1, 2025 at 7:27 PM
That's taken longer than I thought it would. After 3 weeks and six days, the aquarium filter has cycled and could in theory be stocked with fish.
I'm now going to let the filter mature somewhat, so I can start with a larger initial population.
Plants in a few days.
I'm now going to let the filter mature somewhat, so I can start with a larger initial population.
Plants in a few days.
Just had a jolly hockey sticks robot try to sell me solar panels.
Very weird.
Very weird.
October 29, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Just had a jolly hockey sticks robot try to sell me solar panels.
Very weird.
Very weird.
Only a bureaucracy could come up with a system where one is given money with one hand and another takes it away.
I've been given £200 winter fuel allowance as I'm old and live alone.
Turn page over, they will repay themselves through the tax system. Costs taxpayer to give me nowt.
I've been given £200 winter fuel allowance as I'm old and live alone.
Turn page over, they will repay themselves through the tax system. Costs taxpayer to give me nowt.
October 22, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Only a bureaucracy could come up with a system where one is given money with one hand and another takes it away.
I've been given £200 winter fuel allowance as I'm old and live alone.
Turn page over, they will repay themselves through the tax system. Costs taxpayer to give me nowt.
I've been given £200 winter fuel allowance as I'm old and live alone.
Turn page over, they will repay themselves through the tax system. Costs taxpayer to give me nowt.
Too many choices.
Wordle 1,576 6/6
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Wordle 1,576 6/6
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October 12, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Too many choices.
Wordle 1,576 6/6
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Wordle 1,576 6/6
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That's the hardscape done. Let the glue go off and fill with water.
Should have fish by December. I want to be able to put 24 to 30 juveniles in all at once. This minimises aggression as they get older. Therefore a fully mature filter is needed.
Lake Malawi cichlids are the intended occupants.
Should have fish by December. I want to be able to put 24 to 30 juveniles in all at once. This minimises aggression as they get older. Therefore a fully mature filter is needed.
Lake Malawi cichlids are the intended occupants.
October 5, 2025 at 3:06 PM
That's the hardscape done. Let the glue go off and fill with water.
Should have fish by December. I want to be able to put 24 to 30 juveniles in all at once. This minimises aggression as they get older. Therefore a fully mature filter is needed.
Lake Malawi cichlids are the intended occupants.
Should have fish by December. I want to be able to put 24 to 30 juveniles in all at once. This minimises aggression as they get older. Therefore a fully mature filter is needed.
Lake Malawi cichlids are the intended occupants.
This just got delivered. Looking forward to getting this up and running.
September 30, 2025 at 1:50 PM
This just got delivered. Looking forward to getting this up and running.
Reposted by AlanB
Eating at Výtopna Railway in Prague 😃
September 27, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Eating at Výtopna Railway in Prague 😃
Reposted by AlanB
In discussion with a computer scientist from the University of Cambridge last night:
Me: "you've described some of the things that AI is good at. How would you describe the category of things it's not good at?
**pause**
Him: "Anything where it has to be right".
Me: "you've described some of the things that AI is good at. How would you describe the category of things it's not good at?
**pause**
Him: "Anything where it has to be right".
September 26, 2025 at 5:14 PM
In discussion with a computer scientist from the University of Cambridge last night:
Me: "you've described some of the things that AI is good at. How would you describe the category of things it's not good at?
**pause**
Him: "Anything where it has to be right".
Me: "you've described some of the things that AI is good at. How would you describe the category of things it's not good at?
**pause**
Him: "Anything where it has to be right".
Thanks to Google lens I now know what this leaf is from. Found at nursery 10 yrs ago. No one knew what it was.
It grows 2m a year and produces Ash type leaves 800mm long.
I cut it back severely every winter.
It's a Black Walnut and can grow to 40m.
Juglans nigra
Not your suburban garden tree
It grows 2m a year and produces Ash type leaves 800mm long.
I cut it back severely every winter.
It's a Black Walnut and can grow to 40m.
Juglans nigra
Not your suburban garden tree
September 23, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Thanks to Google lens I now know what this leaf is from. Found at nursery 10 yrs ago. No one knew what it was.
It grows 2m a year and produces Ash type leaves 800mm long.
I cut it back severely every winter.
It's a Black Walnut and can grow to 40m.
Juglans nigra
Not your suburban garden tree
It grows 2m a year and produces Ash type leaves 800mm long.
I cut it back severely every winter.
It's a Black Walnut and can grow to 40m.
Juglans nigra
Not your suburban garden tree
I want this on my headstone.
September 18, 2025 at 7:49 PM
I want this on my headstone.
The glorious colours of Autumn.
September 17, 2025 at 5:44 PM
The glorious colours of Autumn.
It's 12⁰C.
It's bucketing down.
It's rather comforting sitting here listening to the rain on the window.
Now comes the interminable question.
Do I turn the heating on????
It's bucketing down.
It's rather comforting sitting here listening to the rain on the window.
Now comes the interminable question.
Do I turn the heating on????
September 14, 2025 at 2:38 PM
It's 12⁰C.
It's bucketing down.
It's rather comforting sitting here listening to the rain on the window.
Now comes the interminable question.
Do I turn the heating on????
It's bucketing down.
It's rather comforting sitting here listening to the rain on the window.
Now comes the interminable question.
Do I turn the heating on????
Introducing the Nige FrogFace incense burner.
Yours for a lot of money at a Reform meeting now.
Yours for a lot of money at a Reform meeting now.
September 7, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Introducing the Nige FrogFace incense burner.
Yours for a lot of money at a Reform meeting now.
Yours for a lot of money at a Reform meeting now.
Been told you need more exercise?
EAT SOURDOUGH!
GIVE YOUR JAW MUSCLES A WORKOUT.
More tips on healthy eating to come, or not.
EAT SOURDOUGH!
GIVE YOUR JAW MUSCLES A WORKOUT.
More tips on healthy eating to come, or not.
September 4, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Been told you need more exercise?
EAT SOURDOUGH!
GIVE YOUR JAW MUSCLES A WORKOUT.
More tips on healthy eating to come, or not.
EAT SOURDOUGH!
GIVE YOUR JAW MUSCLES A WORKOUT.
More tips on healthy eating to come, or not.
Wordle 1,537 2/6
Flippin' 'eck!
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Flippin' 'eck!
🟨⬜⬜⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
September 3, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Wordle 1,537 2/6
Flippin' 'eck!
🟨⬜⬜⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Flippin' 'eck!
🟨⬜⬜⬜🟨
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Out of hours, primary care in England is broken.
My neighbour fell down stairs yesterday. Taken by ambulance to A&E. Observed overnight and xrays, no fracture.
Sent home, elderly widow. No analgesia.
I saw her at 7pm. In severe agony.
Called 111, how do we get her some pain relief?
1/2
My neighbour fell down stairs yesterday. Taken by ambulance to A&E. Observed overnight and xrays, no fracture.
Sent home, elderly widow. No analgesia.
I saw her at 7pm. In severe agony.
Called 111, how do we get her some pain relief?
1/2
September 2, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Out of hours, primary care in England is broken.
My neighbour fell down stairs yesterday. Taken by ambulance to A&E. Observed overnight and xrays, no fracture.
Sent home, elderly widow. No analgesia.
I saw her at 7pm. In severe agony.
Called 111, how do we get her some pain relief?
1/2
My neighbour fell down stairs yesterday. Taken by ambulance to A&E. Observed overnight and xrays, no fracture.
Sent home, elderly widow. No analgesia.
I saw her at 7pm. In severe agony.
Called 111, how do we get her some pain relief?
1/2