Stranger in a Strange Land

[gvallee]

1 hour ago, Ed Rooney said:

Where do you get the boat to where they play those Desert Island Disks? 

 

https://edostrange.blogspot.com/2020/09/strange-indeed.html

 

 

 

200% with you on that one Edo. Complicated technology keeps imposing itself onto our lives. My vehicle radio set doesn't even have a simple on/off button. I couldn't figure out how to turn it off when a garage mechanic left it on. I never use it. Exceptionally today I used its DVD player to listen to David Attenborough because we had an all-day driving.

 

I have nostalgia when life was more simple. I remember when each year, I used to let go of my property rental, terminate my job contract and go to Brazil for several months. Upon my return, I used to reverse everything, find a new job and place to live, it was easy, just a change of address here and then. Now?? Gee, I wouldn't dream of the complications. All those on-line sites to be updated, oh no sorry for that you have to come in person, oh you didn't use your phone for 30 days, etc, etc... Arghh... Enough to drive you mad. Of course, I enjoy the positive side of technology, the Internet etc, but I still hate its complications.

[Ed Rooney]

My ex-host at BBC Radio Oxford tells me DAB means Digital Audio Broadcasting. That's David Freeman on Jazz FM at 5 PM today. David told me how to tune this sucker, but none of it worked. I need a nap. I mean siesta. 

Edited September 27, 2020 by Ed Rooney

[Robert M Estall]

I've got a bedside DAB and an FM in my office next door. Both are tuned invariably to BBC Radio 4 which is where we find Desert Island Disks (Cat Stevens this morning) I know they reach me a couple of seconds apart which is OK, no need to stand on the small landing between where I can neither sleep nor work. The FM in my small Camper does have an on/off button and I have to be careful to turn it off or it will drain my battery in a day or two. I usually have a spare for the times when I am in someplace remote, but hooking up the cables is a bit of a pain.

 

I have a simple mobile which I use only as a telephone. I think it can do more but I don't bother. It drives my wife nuts! When we are out she often asks if I have it turned on. The answer is usually YES but as the only people who have the number is herself and our son who is likely to be in the back seat there is little point. And Vodaphone who will pester me with offers if I make  a call and they realise I am alive. It's a cheapskates special; It's free until I make a call, then it charges me £1 and I can make as many calls as I want for the rest of the day. The battery lasts a week!

 

Lots of on-line sites require updates, the only ray of hope is my Bank who employ voice recognition and no longer ask me to answer security daft questions. About a year ago I called them up and after a couple of the daft questions announced that their system had listened and I would not be questioned again as they would automatically recognize me in the future. Amazingly, it works!

Edited September 27, 2020 by Robert M Estall

[Ed Rooney]

I managed to get David Freeman's Blues and Boogie show on Jazz FM on my MacBook (5 to 7 on Sundays). He used to do the best author interviews. It's good to hear his voice again. 

[John Mitchell]

Reading your latest blog post, Edo, I was reminded of Marshall McLuhan. I was a big fan of his writings during my university days, and he remains my go-to media nerd/guru. He had it all figured out back in the 60's. This quote of his came to mind immediately:

 

"We are as numb in our new electric world as the native involved in our literate and mechanical culture." (1964)

 

(You could now replace "electric world" with "digital world".)

 

P.S. I still have an on/off transistor radio that I bought in the early 70's. It works great for FM. 🙃

Edited September 27, 2020 by John Mitchell

[Betty LaRue]

I have an echo tower. I can ask Alexa “what is the temperature”. Or set the alarm to 7 am and wake up to Willie Nelson singing. I can say, “play 80s pop” or 70s country. Soft jazz.  Or whatever I want. When I leave the house, I say, “Alexa, play bird sounds” and my Echo bird has birdsong to listen to while I’m gone. She starts tweeting and whistling in anticipation the minute she hears me ask Alexa for it. African Grays like to mimic.

But when I asked Alexa yesterday to get Oklahoma Sooner Sports Radio FM107.7, she kept giving me that number station from somewhere else, which was playing music that made me want to kneel down and worship the Porcelain Throne.
I must’ve tried 6 times and gave up. Alexa would say, “Hmm, I don’t know that one” or give me THAT station again.

Funny, she got it for me last Saturday.
Yeah. Frustrating.

Edited September 27, 2020 by Betty LaRue

[Bryan]

We've a couple of DAB radios, and the most recent has a power supply built into the plug, so that, I assume, only 5 volts reach the radio. This means that I am reasonably happy to take it into the bathroom with me and can lie in the bath listening - don't try this at home kids.

 

At 7pm on radio 3 is the Intune mixtape, thus avoiding The Archers on radio 4. Then there is the football phone in on local radio, but the match commentaries sound dead without spectator noise. 

 

If I had to choose between TV and radio I'd probably opt for radio, but we've just watched a BBC documentary on the evolution of written language and that was fascinating if a little hard on the brain.

 

I'm currently concerned that the knives are being sharpened for a sustained attack on the BBC, life would not be the same without advert free and reasonably intelligent Auntie.

 

[spacecadet]

3 hours ago, Bryan said:

We've a couple of DAB radios, and the most recent has a power supply built into the plug, so that, I assume, only 5 volts reach the radio. This means that I am reasonably happy to take it into the bathroom with me and can lie in the bath listening - don't try this at home kids.

I am probably being a bit of a granny here, but unless it's an isolation transformer you're not protected completely. A fault in the power supply could still give you a mains-voltage shock. The risk is quite slight, especially with a plastic chassis and miniature circuit breakers in a modern domestic supply, but it's not zero. I would not want to be touching it or having it near the bath.

Edited September 28, 2020 by spacecadet

[Bryan]

6 hours ago, spacecadet said:

I am probably being a bit of a granny here, but unless it's an isolation transformer you're not protected completely. A fault in the power supply could still give you a mains-voltage shock. The risk is quite slight, especially with a plastic chassis and miniature circuit breakers in a modern domestic supply, but it's not zero. I would not want to be touching it or having it near the bath.

 

Sure your right Mark, but I used to take the 240 V set into the bathroom before acquiring this one, so a quantum improvement! I live in fear of her indoors deciding to do away with me and throwing the radio into the bath, but, having known her for over 50 years, suspect that the risk is slight  🙂

[Vincent Lowe]

On 27/09/2020 at 10:50, Allan Bell said:

Experience: Both radios are on the same station and when I stand about halfway between the two the sound from the DAB radio is about 2 - 3 seconds behind the sound from the FM radio. (ie: DAB radio is slower to produce the sound than the FM radio).

 

WHY?

 

Allan

 

 The original analogue signal has to be encoded before transmission then has to be decoded in the receiver, so there is a slight delay in transmission, then another while your radio is doing it's stuff.  Also depends on the processor inside the receiver - some are faster than others.

 

Apparently, Classic FM delays the FM signal to bring it more in sync with the DAB signal.  I didn't know that until I followed this link...

 

http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/advice/faqs/default.asp?search=Products&id=15

Edited September 28, 2020 by Vincent Lowe

[Michael Ventura]

Edo, as you may know, you can stream thousands of radio stations thru your computer or laptop for free....even stations you liked back in NYC.  Nearly every station around the world can be streamed.  Of course one caveat is that you need a decent internet connection at home.

[Ed Rooney]

That is what I do, Michael. I check NPR most days, and in addition to the American programming, they have BBC World Service. So I find myself here in the UK listening to the BBC from NYC.  🤪

[Thyrsis]

On 27/09/2020 at 14:01, Ed Rooney said:

My ex-host at BBC Radio Oxford tells me DAB means Digital Audio Broadcasting. That's David Freeman on Jazz FM at 5 PM today. David told me how to tune this sucker, but none of it worked. I need a nap. I mean siesta. 

Looking for a photo of what David Freeman looked like at the time he interviewed Ian in the ‘80‘s, I came across this image of Libby Purves...the woman she is talking to is wearing an identical Laura Ashley dress (RIP) to the one I got married in!!

 

Edited September 29, 2020 by Thyrsis

[Allan Bell]

16 hours ago, Vincent Lowe said:

 The original analogue signal has to be encoded before transmission then has to be decoded in the receiver, so there is a slight delay in transmission, then another while your radio is doing it's stuff.  Also depends on the processor inside the receiver - some are faster than others.

 

Apparently, Classic FM delays the FM signal to bring it more in sync with the DAB signal.  I didn't know that until I followed this link...

 

http://www.ukdigitalradio.com/advice/faqs/default.asp?search=Products&id=15

 

Thanks for that information and the link.

 

Allan

 

[Ed Rooney]

Doc, thanks for a World Radio connection. Interesting to Mowgli around on. I have a number of others:  https://www.radio-uk.co.uk

 

Understand that when I publish a new blog it's what's going on at that moment; things seem to be changing everyday with radio, WiFi, my building. . . .

[John Morrison]

On 29/09/2020 at 11:39, Ed Rooney said:

things seem to be changing everyday

 

And now Liverpool is going into semi-lockdown. Inconvenient... or a photo opportunity... or maybe both. Stay safe, Edo...

[Ed Rooney]

Yeah, if these lockdown rules get any tighter, I may have to call Sir Paul.

[Ed Rooney]

Bon dia, tots!

 

https://edostrange.blogspot.com/2020/10/reluctant-nomad.html

[Michael Ventura]

1 hour ago, Ed Rooney said:

Bon dia, tots!

 

https://edostrange.blogspot.com/2020/10/reluctant-nomad.html

Another great installment Edo. I always look forward to your blog on Sundays!

[Allan Bell]

1 hour ago, Ed Rooney said:

Bon dia, tots!

 

https://edostrange.blogspot.com/2020/10/reluctant-nomad.html

 

Good blog again Edo. Sorry to hear that you are still considering yourself a nomad as I thought from earlier posts you sounded as though you were settled. I mean you seemed pleased to be able to access all the amenities you needed and life seemed easier than your time in Spain at least. Yes the weather is not too good but it is changing the world over so there is no place which is going to escape that. At the moment I am writing this in lovely sunshine and blue skies. But it will most likely be wet and windy this afternoon.

I have read what you wanted out of a settled life in the past posts while you were gallivanting around the globe after losing you abode in NYC and sorry you have not achieved what you wished for yourself yet.

I know it is a personal thing and only you will know when you are settled but, would you like to post you updated wish list here and see if your on-line friends can help out.

 

Help this ignorant friend out and tell me what a brown cafe in Amsterdam is please.

 

Allan

 

[Ed Rooney]

Allan, because my circumstances have changed almost daily in these last 7 months, my position has had to change too. What I think today is not what I will think tomorrow. 

 

Ah, the brown cafes. I'm going to let Wim or one of our other Dutch forum members answer that one. 

 

Maybe Wim is in the States, so:

 

"Brown cafes are traditional Amsterdam bars/cafes. The name comes from their dark, cozy interiors with lots of wood made darker by years of cigarette smoke." 

Edited October 4, 2020 by Ed Rooney

[John Walker]

Good morning to you Edo (I had to look Bon dia, tots up 😀 )

 

Enjoyed your blog as always.  Like Allan, I thought you would feel settled in Liverpool.  It seemed to fit all your needs.  It would have been so much better, if this bloody virus hadn't arrived.  Liverpool is such a vibrant place in normal times.  I doubt there's anywhere in the World that's perfect at the moment.   I live in the lovely city of Canterbury but it's changed beyond recognition.  We have a population of around 50,000 residents and over 50,000 students.  It's estimated 30,000 freshers arrived 2 weeks ago.  One of the universities already has a Covid outbreak and now staff at Wetherspoons are positive.  Being over 70, I can't safely enter my own home town even though I only live 5 minutes walk away.  Residents have lost their city.
I hope you find happiness and settle soon Edo.

 

John

[Ed Rooney]

John, no one anywhere feels settled or safe, because they're not. And I'm not looking for perfection. 

 

Today was spent trying to get a flu jab. I had a letter from my NHS office and spent an hour on the phone Friday waiting for them to pick up and give me my slot time for the jab. My slot, I was told, was 1:25PM today. I got there early. The building was shut, no one there, no one answering any of the bells. A nice Italian man (a doctor who works for the NHS) was also outside for his jab and asking me questions about what I thought was going on. So more confusion and no flu shot. 

 

The politicos keep saying they don't want the NHS to be overrun. This situation looks as they are overrun. At 86 with both hay fever and cough-variant asthma, if I get Covid-19 I'm dead. In fact, getting the flu might kill me. 

 

"We're all in this together," they keep saying. Sadly, that means we're all in trouble.

 

Edo

[Ed Rooney]

'Bon dia, tots' means 'good morning, all' in Catalan, the language spoken in Mallorca, where I once lived for 3 to 4 months. The view in the blue dusk image was taken from my terrace. 

 

Edited October 4, 2020 by Ed Rooney

[John Mitchell]

We're all strangers in a strange land now, Edo.  It sounds as if you've found a relatively good port in which to ride out the storm. Some lands are stranger than others.