Tom V
@smbm.bsky.social
A slight tangent but The Cuckoos Egg by Clifford Stoll is a fascinating true story from the early days of the internet. Plenty of interesting history in there though not the major focus of the book.
August 14, 2025 at 4:07 PM
A slight tangent but The Cuckoos Egg by Clifford Stoll is a fascinating true story from the early days of the internet. Plenty of interesting history in there though not the major focus of the book.
This seems like an excellent way to provide jobs for the boys and waste loads of money. Our water companies are natural monopolies, there is no competition and never can be, so why should they remain private companies paying dividends to shareholders. Why can every single penny not be reinvested?
July 21, 2025 at 3:40 PM
This seems like an excellent way to provide jobs for the boys and waste loads of money. Our water companies are natural monopolies, there is no competition and never can be, so why should they remain private companies paying dividends to shareholders. Why can every single penny not be reinvested?
Scheme was set to run for 3 hours in the morning and 3 in the evening, so no incentive for local hospitality businesses to invest in outside tables and chairs, especially given the debacle of the Bedford Place pedestrianisation getting cancelled early.
June 25, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Scheme was set to run for 3 hours in the morning and 3 in the evening, so no incentive for local hospitality businesses to invest in outside tables and chairs, especially given the debacle of the Bedford Place pedestrianisation getting cancelled early.
Portswood has a dedicated bypass that was presumably built at great expense and cleared a huge amount of housing and has created a huge obstacle to pedestrians for a large distance in the city.
June 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Portswood has a dedicated bypass that was presumably built at great expense and cleared a huge amount of housing and has created a huge obstacle to pedestrians for a large distance in the city.
The council have no interest whatsoever in limiting the movements of motorists in a serious way.
They tried to pedestrianise Portswood recently but consulted so much the scheme was useless. They did not LTN the surrounding residential roads so traffic increased and the scheme was swiftly scrapped.
They tried to pedestrianise Portswood recently but consulted so much the scheme was useless. They did not LTN the surrounding residential roads so traffic increased and the scheme was swiftly scrapped.
June 25, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The council have no interest whatsoever in limiting the movements of motorists in a serious way.
They tried to pedestrianise Portswood recently but consulted so much the scheme was useless. They did not LTN the surrounding residential roads so traffic increased and the scheme was swiftly scrapped.
They tried to pedestrianise Portswood recently but consulted so much the scheme was useless. They did not LTN the surrounding residential roads so traffic increased and the scheme was swiftly scrapped.
There are 2 schools and a college on or next to Hill Lane and 3 schools on roads that join it.
All of the roads are residential roads.
Southampton is very densely populated.
All of the roads are residential roads.
Southampton is very densely populated.
June 25, 2025 at 5:48 PM
There are 2 schools and a college on or next to Hill Lane and 3 schools on roads that join it.
All of the roads are residential roads.
Southampton is very densely populated.
All of the roads are residential roads.
Southampton is very densely populated.
They also steadfastly refuse to tackle pavement parking or make HMO occupiers take bins back in so pavements are blocked often.
They design and are proud of terrible junctions like this (see how there is a van on the pavement too): www.google.com/maps/@50.918...
I got hit by a car at this junction
They design and are proud of terrible junctions like this (see how there is a van on the pavement too): www.google.com/maps/@50.918...
I got hit by a car at this junction
www.google.com
June 25, 2025 at 5:38 PM
They also steadfastly refuse to tackle pavement parking or make HMO occupiers take bins back in so pavements are blocked often.
They design and are proud of terrible junctions like this (see how there is a van on the pavement too): www.google.com/maps/@50.918...
I got hit by a car at this junction
They design and are proud of terrible junctions like this (see how there is a van on the pavement too): www.google.com/maps/@50.918...
I got hit by a car at this junction
They also pledged that the only route capable of carrying a bus lane across the Itchen River would not have bus lanes.
Have done half arsed pedestrianisation schemes that are bad for everyone because they try to please everybody instead of just pleasing non motorists.
Have done half arsed pedestrianisation schemes that are bad for everyone because they try to please everybody instead of just pleasing non motorists.
June 25, 2025 at 5:34 PM
They also pledged that the only route capable of carrying a bus lane across the Itchen River would not have bus lanes.
Have done half arsed pedestrianisation schemes that are bad for everyone because they try to please everybody instead of just pleasing non motorists.
Have done half arsed pedestrianisation schemes that are bad for everyone because they try to please everybody instead of just pleasing non motorists.
Southampton are reversing some sections of 20MPH limits that will have very minimal impact on journey times: www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/2526046...
The council here have been building new parking spaces on green space, building sections of bike lanes that don't join up, disappear at junctions etc
The council here have been building new parking spaces on green space, building sections of bike lanes that don't join up, disappear at junctions etc
Speed limits set to change in weeks as 20mph is scrapped
The council have U-turned a decision to make a number of city centre roads 20 miles per hour.
www.dailyecho.co.uk
June 25, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Southampton are reversing some sections of 20MPH limits that will have very minimal impact on journey times: www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/2526046...
The council here have been building new parking spaces on green space, building sections of bike lanes that don't join up, disappear at junctions etc
The council here have been building new parking spaces on green space, building sections of bike lanes that don't join up, disappear at junctions etc
I hope you are part of this @darrenpaffey.bsky.social and @laboursatvir.bsky.social
June 23, 2025 at 10:37 PM
I hope you are part of this @darrenpaffey.bsky.social and @laboursatvir.bsky.social
Or something I can respond to in the app. Or they can somehow authorise themselves back to me with a memorable phrase or whatever.
June 7, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Or something I can respond to in the app. Or they can somehow authorise themselves back to me with a memorable phrase or whatever.
By building infra that stops and starts at random, diverts through sketchy parks with high crime rates, completely ignores junctions when things get difficult, gives way to minor side roads etc etc, they will not create additional cycle trips.
Wasting money sets back build proper infra.
Wasting money sets back build proper infra.
June 1, 2025 at 6:17 PM
By building infra that stops and starts at random, diverts through sketchy parks with high crime rates, completely ignores junctions when things get difficult, gives way to minor side roads etc etc, they will not create additional cycle trips.
Wasting money sets back build proper infra.
Wasting money sets back build proper infra.
I know they think I’m being hostile, they have told me so, but the amount of money that’s been wasted on cycling infra that cannot work is staggering.
If they’re not going to do it properly they should not do anything and spend the money on something else.
If they’re not going to do it properly they should not do anything and spend the money on something else.
June 1, 2025 at 6:15 PM
I know they think I’m being hostile, they have told me so, but the amount of money that’s been wasted on cycling infra that cannot work is staggering.
If they’re not going to do it properly they should not do anything and spend the money on something else.
If they’re not going to do it properly they should not do anything and spend the money on something else.
I’ve used quite robust language with my Cllrs here in Southampton to try to get them to understand that what they should build is a problem that is already solved, the only question is whether they have the guts to do it.
Anything else is a waste of money and should not be considered.
Anything else is a waste of money and should not be considered.
June 1, 2025 at 6:13 PM
I’ve used quite robust language with my Cllrs here in Southampton to try to get them to understand that what they should build is a problem that is already solved, the only question is whether they have the guts to do it.
Anything else is a waste of money and should not be considered.
Anything else is a waste of money and should not be considered.
The irony here is that the Southampton Labour administration are actively hostile towards anyone trying to get about without a car. Anyone wanting a more pleasant city with fewer car trips through residential and shopping areas.
May 30, 2025 at 11:35 AM
The irony here is that the Southampton Labour administration are actively hostile towards anyone trying to get about without a car. Anyone wanting a more pleasant city with fewer car trips through residential and shopping areas.
Exactly, I refuse to engage, I ask them to prove who they are and they get all defensive.
The downside is I then have to sit in 20 minutes of hold music on an outbound call at my end to get my payment cleared.
The downside is I then have to sit in 20 minutes of hold music on an outbound call at my end to get my payment cleared.
May 27, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Exactly, I refuse to engage, I ask them to prove who they are and they get all defensive.
The downside is I then have to sit in 20 minutes of hold music on an outbound call at my end to get my payment cleared.
The downside is I then have to sit in 20 minutes of hold music on an outbound call at my end to get my payment cleared.
I pointed out that this was creating the perfect conditions for fraud, setting a precedent of making outgoing calls to customers and asking them to confirm their details. They did not seem to care.
My payments kept getting flagged even though I had made payments before to the same accounts too.
My payments kept getting flagged even though I had made payments before to the same accounts too.
May 27, 2025 at 4:10 PM
I pointed out that this was creating the perfect conditions for fraud, setting a precedent of making outgoing calls to customers and asking them to confirm their details. They did not seem to care.
My payments kept getting flagged even though I had made payments before to the same accounts too.
My payments kept getting flagged even though I had made payments before to the same accounts too.
I've had a lot of issues with Co-op bank opsec.
They kept flagging transfers to my building society regular saver for fraud checks but would then ting me and ask me to confirm my details and I kept asking them to prove who they were, after all, they rung me, and they said they were not allowed to.
They kept flagging transfers to my building society regular saver for fraud checks but would then ting me and ask me to confirm my details and I kept asking them to prove who they were, after all, they rung me, and they said they were not allowed to.
May 27, 2025 at 4:09 PM
I've had a lot of issues with Co-op bank opsec.
They kept flagging transfers to my building society regular saver for fraud checks but would then ting me and ask me to confirm my details and I kept asking them to prove who they were, after all, they rung me, and they said they were not allowed to.
They kept flagging transfers to my building society regular saver for fraud checks but would then ting me and ask me to confirm my details and I kept asking them to prove who they were, after all, they rung me, and they said they were not allowed to.
I used to work in a record shop where we sold gig tickets from the counter in the basement:
Customer: Do you sell gig tickets?
Me on the till right next to the stairs: Yes they are sold from the counter downstairs
Customer: Where's that?
Me: It's down stairs, I don't know how it could be clearer?
Customer: Do you sell gig tickets?
Me on the till right next to the stairs: Yes they are sold from the counter downstairs
Customer: Where's that?
Me: It's down stairs, I don't know how it could be clearer?
May 27, 2025 at 3:04 PM
I used to work in a record shop where we sold gig tickets from the counter in the basement:
Customer: Do you sell gig tickets?
Me on the till right next to the stairs: Yes they are sold from the counter downstairs
Customer: Where's that?
Me: It's down stairs, I don't know how it could be clearer?
Customer: Do you sell gig tickets?
Me on the till right next to the stairs: Yes they are sold from the counter downstairs
Customer: Where's that?
Me: It's down stairs, I don't know how it could be clearer?
This is very common in Southampton, almost universal on some roads. Cllrs actively don't care. If it's not cars then its bins permanently out on the pavement, or often both. Council have powers to deal with it but actively choose not to exercise them.
April 23, 2025 at 10:00 AM
This is very common in Southampton, almost universal on some roads. Cllrs actively don't care. If it's not cars then its bins permanently out on the pavement, or often both. Council have powers to deal with it but actively choose not to exercise them.
And boiled or roast chicken (again no salt), she loved human food so if we could get some with low enough salt content that was something she would eat as a treat.
April 19, 2025 at 1:38 PM
And boiled or roast chicken (again no salt), she loved human food so if we could get some with low enough salt content that was something she would eat as a treat.
Ruby also loved prawns, so if we could ever find low or no salt prawns we would always buy them.
April 19, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Ruby also loved prawns, so if we could ever find low or no salt prawns we would always buy them.
I am pretty sure it was these ones: www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/dr...
She continued to get Dreamies too and we pretty much just fed her as much as she wanted, she always had renal biscuits to graze on and we gave her wet food as often as she wanted it.
She continued to get Dreamies too and we pretty much just fed her as much as she wanted, she always had renal biscuits to graze on and we gave her wet food as often as she wanted it.
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www.zooplus.co.uk
April 19, 2025 at 1:25 PM
I am pretty sure it was these ones: www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/dr...
She continued to get Dreamies too and we pretty much just fed her as much as she wanted, she always had renal biscuits to graze on and we gave her wet food as often as she wanted it.
She continued to get Dreamies too and we pretty much just fed her as much as she wanted, she always had renal biscuits to graze on and we gave her wet food as often as she wanted it.