Nice People 13: Nice Save

Generali

ukmaggie45 wrote: »

Yeah, it's not very user friendly though - you have to turn a dial to P (stands for Programme) and then choose one of 3 settings, one of which is macro. Got that far, but it still wouldn't focus. Maybe it just doesn't like reflective objects! TBH most of my photography is just point and shoot, hardly ever need to do close up stuff. Though if I go back to e-baying stuff I'll have to get it sorted out! :rotfl:

Yeah, focus with macro photography is hard and if you have reflection (I think) it's going to confuse the sensors even more.

I'd try with photographing something still and non-shiny like a potato or a jigsaw piece. It may well be that you have to focus manually in some way.

ukmaggie45

silvercar wrote: »

Ancient!

Apart from the cloth looking well worn, they print (in black ink) on the bags now, rather than stitch their name. Also the green tag would either be white or be a duck-egg blue cord. I could try and take a picture of the modern equivalent if you are interested.

My guess is 20s, I know MiL had a tiara at one point (possibly from her MiL), we used to joke about it. But it just got so fragile it fell to pieces. My guess is the bag is what it came in, but I don't know, and I don't think it would be a good plan to ask now. ("Don't mention The Flat!") I rather like the stitched on label. I think that prob there was something to pull the bag shut, but that's missing now. I'll never have a modern version of the bag - unless we win the lottery! :rotfl:

ukmaggie45

Generali wrote: »

Yeah, focus with macro photography is hard and if you have reflection (I think) it's going to confuse the sensors even more.

I'd try with photographing something still and non-shiny like a potato or a jigsaw piece. It may well be that you have to focus manually in some way.

If I ever get the time I'll spend a few hours playing with the camera. Preferably in daylight! Too dark to try anything else now. My previous camera (also a Canon) was great for macro, it just did it easily if you turned the dial to the macro setting. This camera (Canon PowerShot SX30 IS is really too complicated for me!

PasturesNew

To photograph a shiny surface - get a clean mirror and angle it so you can see the item in the mirror - then photograph the mirror image. That way you're not reflected or in the way or anything.

CKhalvashi

silvercar wrote: »

If you are trying to create another low cost airline, and using old planes, it wouldn't be too terrible to leave the livery unchanged initially.

Full-service and new stuff is the most viable option at the moment.

Only viable used stuff is the ex-MH 734's, and even then only in combi configuration, of which the cost isn't viable for stuff that's 20+ years old already, then there's no guarantee of being able to nick enough cargo contracts from Silk Way.

michaels wrote: »

I think CK is looking for a deal on brand new planes from a manufacturer who having spent a fortune designing and building a small jet is desperate for customers as airlines are generally very conservative and seem to work on the basis that 'no one ever got fired for buying a boeing or airbus'.

The main problem is that Airbus/Boeing don't make anything small enough (well, there is the 717, but anything coming on the market seems to be going to Delta), and whilst a relatively unknown brand isn't the most ideal solution, the risk of using it against the higher costs of anything of a similar size is worth it. Interjet say they're getting 300+ block hours/month with 99+% dispach reliability, and Aeroflot are saying the same, so it's can't be so bad bet.

As soon as this part is sorted, it's down to the legal bods to sort the rest of the applications, and it's certainly not something I want to get drawn into full-time. Put money in, do a little work with it, take profit out is my investment strategy.

I can't afford to single-handedly bail it out if it goes wrong, and this is why I'm not the one making any final decisions and it's largely a group effort, and also why we're trying to get it right on the first time.

I am amazed he has the time and energy needed to launch an airline with all his other businesses but I guess some are driven to be serial entrepreneurs and such people deserve our respect.

Thank you, although most of it isn't my doing. For a lot of the figures, it's been a case of requesting incoming historic passenger numbers direct from both airports, and in others it's been a case of looking at indirect passenger flows, mainly through Moscow and Istanbul. It's easy/fast stuff, when you're able to get through to the right person.

I've done the research, someone else can do the planning now. I don't like leaving things half way through, but can't face the thought of spending hours negotiating on one slot; incredibly boring stuff IMO.

It's also important to remember that some of what I own, I don't run, largely because I want a life outside of work

bugslet wrote: »

Anything out of rush hour is pretty OK. Are you coming up the A1 or the M1 - the lads for some reason generally prefer the A1 and last time I did it before Xmas there was only a short section of road works. Personally I use the M1 but only up to the M6 junction and then veer off back home to Salford/Runcorn.

A1 from Cambridge is the plan, purely as it's the fastest/shortest. Navigation says about 3h20, so I'll leave at 5am, and hope I'm there on time

LydiaJ

silvercar wrote: »

My worry would be night feeds, does one twin waking up mean you wake the other to feed at the same time?

I wouldn't, I don't think. My big idea with night feeds was to do them lying down, but I don't see how you could do that with both at the same time. Unfortunately I'm not still in contact with the friend that did it, so I can't ask her.

Generali wrote: »

Mrs Generali is 'mummy', she insists on it. As a result The Girl winds her up by calling her Mum.

I've been clear that the Generalissimos can call me Gen, Generali, Mr Generali, Daddy or Dad as they see fit. As a result they always, always call me Daddy.

LNE was Daddy and I was Mummy when our kids were little. By the time he died they were interchangeably calling me either Mum or Mummy but he was keen that they continue calling him Daddy so they mostly did. As time passed after he died, they definitely switched to calling me Mum all the time, and then started referring to him as Dad, and wanting me to refer to him as Dad rather than Daddy too. When we talk about him now, we always say Dad, even though they didn't call him that when he was alive.

SingleSue wrote: »

Ex took it to another level....he used to say YOUR son when one of them was being naughty!

Well, he certainly seems to think they're just yours and no concern of his now. :mad:

Doozergirl wrote: »

While I'm in the mood for complaining, when did the use of 'myself' become so prolific? No one speaks like that so why do they think it's the correct way to write?

Letter from teacher reads "My self and the pupils...". Surely, it should be "The pupils and I..."

It's like a virus. People do it when they want to talk 'properly', except they're not. It makes me cringe. Incorrectly educated people trying to talk 'posh'.

I hate that too.

Generali wrote: »

The one that gets me is when people incorrectly try to correct 'you and me' to 'you and I'.

And that one as well.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

CKhalvashi wrote: »

The main problem is that Airbus/Boeing don't make anything small enough

Embraer 19X series and Bombardier CRJ are the main competitors, and proven solutions with widespread adoption.

Initial purchase/lease costs are higher new with those, but lower used, than the Superjet. The real question is lifetime engine maintenance costs, Powerjet are a relatively unproven entity, albeit backed by two big players.

Western airline take up of the Superjet has been poor, a few to Mexico and Belgium, nobody else yet AFAIK, agree the interior layout and space is good, avionics and airframe design consultancy is good, and initial operating cost estimates are competitive.

But....

There's still a big reputation hurdle to get over for European routes, Russian airliners have a poor safety record, not necessarily because of bad design, but the reality is lax maintenance enforcement standards with financially struggling operators and an ageing fleet have taken their toll.

And the factory demo pilots flying a Superjet full of customers into the side of a mountain didn't help....

Notable that a high percentage of launch orders for the Superjet have fallen through or failed to be delivered due to financial problems of customers.

Generali

@Hamish - you've written eloquently a few times about aircraft which I think I'm right in saying isn't your industry. How do you know so much about them? Is it an interest or a previous career?

Generali

PasturesNew wrote: »

Random/daft question, but .... how would you know/be able to find out if a parent had a child out of wedlock, years before you were born, that was, say, adopted? I doubt you'd be able to find out and it'd have to be up to any such person to find you... on the basis that you have absolutely no idea that they ever/even existed.

Different surnames on the birth certificate?

vivatifosi

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Embraer 19X series and Bombardier CRJ are the main competitors, and proven solutions with widespread adoption.

.

I've flown on both of those and found them very comfortable. I also like the little Fokker turbo props but if a boy needs his jets...

Incidentally Hamish, I saw a Swiss army axe a couple of days back and thought I must mention it in case it could be useful for your travel toolbox.