Dave's Place on the Web

Now that I am retired I have the opportunity to learn and do lots of those things that work got in the way of.

(OK, being honest, it’s just an electronic ego trip.)

FREEDOM!

Something has dawned on me, since I retired a lot of my time has still,effectively, been controlled by others, either tutors in college or managers in voluntary organisations. I still do voluntary work, but have taken the option of controlling this myself. Satisfaction and freedom of action!

INTEREST S:

Almost anything to do with how we use language, slang, puns, plays on words, quotations, malapropisms and the communication of ideas.

Æthelflæd was the daughter of King Alfred the Great and came to be elected Lady of the Mercians; noble beauty, warrior princess, diplomat...

Absolutely anything that might give a giggle, jokes and pictures etc.

Including Terry Pratchett, even if others think this is not sci-fi. Pratchett is a very talented user of the English language and great fun.

Pictures taken in the city of Gloucester (that’s the English one),

Just a few of the tricks and ideas I have worked out over the years.

Over 50 and not in full time work? Need something to stimulate the grey matter?

Look for the U3A on the web, it’s a world wide movement that is nationally supported and locally organised.

Member run the groups (which may be cultural, academic or physical) and share their enthusiasm, skills, know-ledge or experience with others Some groups invite talkers on a specific subject or arrange trips to museums, theatres etc.

There are no exams and no qualifications are offered, it is just for the interest.

The small annual subscription is used to run the local group, with a portion towards the national organisation..

Click here for the UK link.

Click here for the worldwide links.

His hoodie reads, “TERRORIST ACTION GROUP”.

Apart from it being in poor taste in the wrong place he might get his head kicked in by extreme right wingers who think he supports terrorists, or by terrorism supporters who think he is against them.

He’s not bad,

just sad.

Email addresses

will not be published

Contact me

PICTURE OF A PILLOCK

After my heart attack, in 1998, it was inevitable that the old pump would deteriorate as time went on. It reached the stage where there was a danger of the dreaded, and potentially fatal, Ventral Fibrillation (all long time fans of “Casualty” will know it as, “He’s in VF, get the defibrillator!”.

So, I was suffering from Atrial Fibrillation (not so dangerous, just debilitating, and VF was a clear danger. I was voted as being a suitable for some electronic insurance. Ordinary pacemakers just keep a steady rhythm, it takes something extra to monitor what is going on and do the extra job needed.

An “ICD” is a pacemaker basically, but is capable of giving the heart an electric shock if it misbehaves outside of the limits that the doctor has programmed into it. The programming is done by placing a pick-up loop over the site of the device and talking to it via a box of tricks a bit like a laptop. Monitoring can also be done over the telephone line through another box for some makes (not mine yet). This saves a trip to the hospital and about an hour of the doctor or specialist nurse’s time for routine monitoring.

As a technician, who owns a telephone that needs recharging almost every day, I would love to know how this constantly active pacemaker cum monitor cum defibrillator can last up to 10 years on the same battery. After that it is scrapped and a new one is installed. So despite the “in-joke” amongst ICD implantees our scrap value is not really enhanced by several thousand quid - the thing is scrap itself in the end.

I am doing my best (via voluntary work) to ensure that the cost will have some outcome other than an extension to my life!

“WHAT’S AN ICD?” I HEAR YOU ASK.

Humanism comes in many forms, just like any other belief system, this is part of my personal slant on it.

To translate, select and copy the text and then paste into

BABEL FISH

Are you British? Got a blog? Then register with:

www.britblog.com

DAVE’S PLACE

You are visitor number

QUICKNAV: ÆTHELFLÆD FUN STUFF SCI-FI SCENE IN GLOUCESTER HUMANISM TIPS STUFF

I am now part cyborg! I have had an ICD (a pacemaker with extra bells and whistles) fitted and feel much better for it.

We are all going to die, can’t avoid that. What we can

avoid is the total “waste” that our bodies will become if

they are simply disposed of without making use of

the organs they contain..

Donation can change that and prolong life!

The independent site is now closed but this will link to some of the info from it, such as the guide to the small claims court and sources of further information.

I am a humanist, in every way that I can define that, by nature - but am I an atheist?

“Atheism” is a word that attempts to define a “condition” in terms of the very thing that it appears to deny. How can such a word make any logical sense? I am going to have a go at defining my ideas on this. If you are interested click here.

WELCOME to Dave’s Place! This not a blog, no day-by-day bits, there might be the odd rant though! Think of it as more of a magazine, mainly my stuff, but other’s can contribute, with attribution and links where appropriate.

Copy what you want that isn’t actually copyrighted but please give me a link or a credit!

Personal philosophy: Welcome the new, but don’t throw the old away until the new proves itself.

Growing old is mandatory - growing up is optional.

The biographical bit: I’m a grumpy old ... Yes, that about covers it.

(Just don’t get me started on misbehaving kids, arrogant people, loud music, supermarket trolleys, politicians . . .)

Some thoughts on God, goodness, the invention of the wheel and, er, stuff.