WBMT.....What baffled me today

I suppose this could have gone into WAMT more so than here. I just wanted biros so I ordered a pack of 12 from Amazon. Sold by Amazon,shipped by Amazon. £7. 20. They have just arrived. I will never order them again. I'll wait until one of us goes down town, using our free travel bus pass, and get them from WH Smith . The box they were in measures 7cm (3") X 15cm(6") but it was inside a cardboard envelope..35cm(14") x 25cm(10"). When you see the journey they've had it does make you wonder why we're paying a 'carbon tax' and Miliband wants people to have wind turbines in their back gardens and measures re petrol/diesel cars etc all in the name of reducing carbon emissions.

The journey from.......from Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia. Cologne and Bonn are in that region. Start from the bottom and work up. I've moved the date to the bottom of each section, underlined it and put it in bold text to make it easier to follow ..it was at the top of each section, after the journey details. I've also moved the times to infront of the action....much easier to follow.

:eek:

12.36pm.Delivered to letterbox
Gloucester, GB

10.57am.Out for delivery
Swindon, GB

12.45am.Package arrived at the final delivery station
Swindon, GB

Today..Thursday 10th.


11.47pm.Package departed an Amazon facility
Bristol, Bristol GB

8.21pm. Package arrived at an Amazon facility
Bristol, Bristol GB

2.59pm.Package departed an Amazon facility
Rochester, Kent GB
Wednesday July 9th


11.13pm. Package arrived at an Amazon facility
Rochester, Kent GB

9.39pm. Completed customs clearance.
Rochester, GB

9.28pm.Initiated customs clearance process
Rochester, GB
Tuesday July 8th


11:06 pm (to UK)

9.53pm.Completed customs clearance at country of origin.
Gr�ce-Hollogne, BE


8.32pm.Initiated customs clearance process
Gr�ce-Hollogne, BE


1.15pm. Package departed an Amazon facility
Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia DE


Package arrived at an Amazon facility
Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia DE

Package left the courier facility
Monday July 7th.
 
Interestingly, some while back I ordered Pentel gel ink refills and they came from Germany too.......they took about 2 weeks. I am still working my way through the box of 12 pieces (6 left)

FWIW we have an independent, management owned, stationers and though I don't buy much, they do sell a whole range of Biros colours as singles against their nice wide range of stock.

We, in the main when can, buy from local independent shops
 
I ordered 2 items through Amazon 10 day ago. One, from China arrived on Monday, the other was from a UK supplier and arrived today, via RM 48hr tracked...
 
Reminds me of something my son told me. Many years ago he worked for Cable&Wireless who, among other things, serviced many electronic cash registers in shops and garages. The service blokes would tell him what electronic bits they needed and he would order them.
He said most of the time, irrespective of where the item was sent from or where it was going to, at some point in the journey it would go via Milton Keynes - from Manchester to Dundee was just as likely to go through MK as something from Bristol to Dundee.

Dave
 
Tringa said:
Reminds me of something my son told me. Many years ago he worked for Cable&Wireless who, among other things, serviced many electronic cash registers in shops and garages. The service blokes would tell him what electronic bits they needed and he would order them.
He said most of the time, irrespective of where the item was sent from or where it was going to, at some point in the journey it would go via Milton Keynes - from Manchester to Dundee was just as likely to go through MK as something from Bristol to Dundee.

Dave
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Them there hubs based distribution systems send parcels some, apparently, some strange routings :thinking:
 
Box Brownie said:
Them there hubs based distribution systems send parcels some, apparently, some strange routings :thinking:
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Basically, the quickest route through a delivery system is not necessarily the direct route. When you're delivering parcels, it can be quicker to go south before going north...

Royal Mail heavy carrier Clyst Sy Mary A3052 Sidmouth trip GX7 P1140920.jpeg
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
Basically, the quickest route through a delivery system is not necessarily the direct route. When you're delivering parcels, it can be quicker to go south before going north...

View attachment 457700
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Yes, logistics routing is I understand a combination of a science with a splash of artistry thrown in.
 
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JohnC6 said:
I'll wait until one of us goes down town, using our free travel bus pass, and get them from WH Smith
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And you'll never know how much of a round-the-world trip they have been on before they got to your local branch.

At least Amazon are transparent about it, and they are absolutely world class at logistics, so, while counter-intuitive, your pens almost certainly got to you in the most money- and environmentally-effective manner.
 
Contax said:
And you'll never know how much of a round-the-world trip they have been on before they got to your local branch.

At least Amazon are transparent about it, and they are absolutely world class at logistics, so, while counter-intuitive, your pens almost certainly got to you in the most money- and environmentally-effective manner.
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Well, that's a very good point..:D

You've convinced me. When I need some, I'll get them from Amazon again and stop fretting.. :)
 
Box Brownie said:
Interestingly, some while back I ordered Pentel gel ink refills and they came from Germany too.......they took about 2 weeks. I am still working my way through the box of 12 pieces (6 left)

FWIW we have an independent, management owned, stationers and though I don't buy much, they do sell a whole range of Biros colours as singles against their nice wide range of stock.

We, in the main when can, buy from local independent shops
Click to expand...

Gel ink ! That's what I wanted but couldn't remember that name .. Next time..gel ink. I've made a note of that :)
 
JohnC6 said:
Gel ink ! That's what I wanted but couldn't remember that name .. Next time..gel ink. I've made a note of that :)
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These are ones I bought for my Pentel Energel pen...I think I have the pen about 6-7 years???

IMG_20250710_212705624~2.jpg
 
JohnC6 said:
I'd go for 0.9mm-1.2mm. Medium. Yours,at 0.5mm are classed as 'fine'; Anyway, I've screen grabbed your photo. :)
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Yes, IIRC I used to used 0.7mm but I found them a bit blotty. The finer one 'works for me' :)
 
I can understand the concern. A few months ago, I needed a replacement bulb for a refrigerator so drove to a local electrical shop (the type that seems to have everything) but sadly, not my bulb. I tried 2-3 other shops consuming almost 2 hours and several litres of petrol. I gave up and later that day ordered the item from Amazon which was very cheap and arrived the next day. We now tend to buy from Amazon about twice a week and I do have concerns about the amount of packaging wasted, I would be willing to make more sacrifices but Donald Trump is causing immense damage to the planet by promoting fossil fuels etc.

Dave
 
Treadmills - why cant i run on them?

Did a 10k run a few weeks ago so I can run. Did 0.2m on treadmill and had had enough!!
 
They make cracking clothes racks, don't they!
 
Nod said:
They make cracking clothes racks, don't they!
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Yep my missus decided to get one
After 2 weeks was never used
Bloody thing was heavy and and difficult to store away, just took up space in the end a charity took it away
 
I think this is the right thread for this. Maybe it should have gone in the 'funnies' thread.That seems to be more for jokes, though.

I put milk into muesli to soften it,especially the currents/sultanas and leave it a while. We're trying out a new muesli brand and I said to my wife. I'll go and put some milk on my muesli. At the time, I was listening to LBC Radio,Nick Ferrari via Alexa and Alexa interrupted him with.. "I've added milk to your shopping list" :D
 
JohnC6 said:
I think this is the right thread for this. Maybe it should have gone in the 'funnies' thread.That seems to be more for jokes, though.

I put milk into muesli to soften it,especially the currents/sultanas and leave it a while. We're trying out a new muesli brand and I said to my wife. I'll go and put some milk on my muesli. At the time, I was listening to LBC Radio,Nick Ferrari via Alexa and Alexa interrupted him with.. "I've added milk to your shopping list" :D
Click to expand...
Now that is smart "she" knows what you will be even before you know :LOL:
 
God help you if you have a robot vacuum and explete "F*** me!"...
 
Nod said:
God help you if you have a robot vacuum and explete "F*** me!"...
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I want to know if all these devices are programmed with the "three laws of robotics"! :wideyed:
 
Honest question, once Alexa has added milk to your shopping list do you print it out or it simply for ordering online? We don’t shop online as I’d miss out on the specials in the wine, beer and spirits aisles, and we mix shopping with having lunch out beforehand.
 
mj4456 said:
Honest question, once Alexa has added milk to your shopping list do you print it out or it simply for ordering online? We don’t shop online as I’d miss out on the specials in the wine, beer and spirits aisles, and we mix shopping with having lunch out beforehand.
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No we don't print it out. We don't use it anymore. I assume you don't know how it works. It's very good. If you realise you need something from the supermarket you just tell Alexa to add it to the shopping list. Alexa is linked to my wife's iPhone. She just scrolls through the list in the supermarket but,for whatever reason, more often than not, there's no signal inside the supermarket so we're back to just writing out a list. Alexa has obviously recalled that we used to make shopping lists .

That's nice to have lunch out. We'll sometimes we go to a garden centre and have a coffee/cake which is very nice.
 
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Thanks, not had an interest in Alexa etc, if I’m going to the shops I’m given a list, but my wife looks around before she/we go for the weekly gathering and stores the list in her head, plus I think main meals are planned on the fly as she wanders the shelves.
 
This has baffled me for some time and I suspect the numbers are possibly all spoofed.

I get occasional calls to a '3' number that all come from the Midlands /North from caller identified businesses such accountants, hairdressers, butchers etc

I never answer them and never had a message left.....I block them all!

None too sure but I think they started around when Vodafone took over '3' :thinking:
 
Calories!

McCain hash browns - 73cal each when air fried, 68 when oven baked - but the air fryer is a sort of oven???
 
ancient_mariner said:
Probably more fat leaks out during longer, slower cooking.
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I was thinking along similar lines ......

The 'normal' oven, the fats will drain but an air fryer vapourises the fat and re-deposits it on the food & possibly it's first effect is searing the surface so that the fat stays in/on the food?
 
Following a GP appointment, when I was referred to a hospital consultant, I got a call from someone at the GP surgery the same day who had a chat and booked an appointment for me - next Thursday at 11:15.
At 19:00 that evening I got 2 messages at the same time on the NHS app. The first that I opened confirmed the appointment although the attached letter did have the last 3 pages repeated. The second that I opened cancelled the appointment.
The next day at 16:00 I got another 2 messages at the same time on the NHS app. They were exactly the same as the ones from the previous day.
I tried phoning one of the numbers which was given for cancelling an appointment but I got a long recorded message saying that this could be done via the NHS app
I opened the app to find that it had a red dot by appointments and clicking through I was directed to a page where I could book an appointment, I booked the same day as the original but at 10:20
I then got 2 messages on the NHS app, one confirming the appointment and one linking to a letter with all the details
The next day I telephoned the number in the letter which it said should be used to contact them , they specifically warned against using the NHS app or the NHS general number.
They confirmed the 10:20 appointment and said that the confusion was due to the GP surgery booking 2 appointments, one at 10:20 and one at 11:15. When I said that I had booked the 10:20 appointment they said that they did not know what had happened but the 11:15 appointment was cancelled.
The same day I got a letter from the GP confirming the 11:15 appointment
Today I got a letter from the NHS confirming the 10:20 appointment and a letter confirming the 11:15 appointment in the same envelope.
I just hope that when I go tomorrow I will get an appointment at some time.
UPDATE
The sage continues
I got there today 20 mins early for my 10:20 and had to book in on a screen which finally welcomed me and told me to wait.
After an hour the nurse informed us that the screen was not communicating all the time with the reception computer and about 20 of us were not on the system.
I was seen about 15 mins after that and was examined. They decided that a growth had to be removed from my scalp and would be done today. after 30 mins I was told that it would not be today and another appointment was made.
When I got home my wife noticed that the arrow they had inked on my scalp pointed to a mole which has been there for years and not the new growth that I was concerned about.
I emailed them with a photo and explanation but the email came back undeliverable - I checked I had the email correct from the letter and my wife also checked it
I then phoned the only number on the letter which was for appointments, they gave me the dermatology numbers
I rang dermatology but they do not answer the phone after 14:00
 
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Suvv said:
Following a GP appointment, when I was referred to a hospital consultant, I got a call from someone at the GP surgery the same day who had a chat and booked an appointment for me - next Thursday at 11:15.
At 19:00 that evening I got 2 messages at the same time on the NHS app. The first that I opened confirmed the appointment although the attached letter did have the last 3 pages repeated. The second that I opened cancelled the appointment.
The next day at 16:00 I got another 2 messages at the same time on the NHS app. They were exactly the same as the ones from the previous day.
I tried phoning one of the numbers which was given for cancelling an appointment but I got a long recorded message saying that this could be done via the NHS app
I opened the app to find that it had a red dot by appointments and clicking through I was directed to a page where I could book an appointment, I booked the same day as the original but at 10:20
I then got 2 messages on the NHS app, one confirming the appointment and one linking to a letter with all the details
The next day I telephoned the number in the letter which it said should be used to contact them , they specifically warned against using the NHS app or the NHS general number.
They confirmed the 10:20 appointment and said that the confusion was due to the GP surgery booking 2 appointments, one at 10:20 and one at 11:15. When I said that I had booked the 10:20 appointment they said that they did not know what had happened but the 11:15 appointment was cancelled.
The same day I got a letter from the GP confirming the 11:15 appointment
Today I got a letter from the NHS confirming the 10:20 appointment and a letter confirming the 11:15 appointment in the same envelope.
I just hope that when I go tomorrow I will get an appointment at some time.
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:headbang:
 
I saw my GP on Tuesday re chest pains(again), Wednesday am hospital called with an appointment for today, been and home, some good, some not so, going to tweak my medication, but also an appointment for an angiogram will arrive soon to check the heart/blood system, remedial work as required, hopefully not when we are due to be holiday.
Ah well, better safe than sorry, but at least things move quickly with the cardio dept unlike audiology who are quoting 10 months for a hearing test.
 
mj4456 said:
at least things move quickly with the cardio dept unlike audiology who are quoting 10 months for a hearing test.
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Being deaf as a door post won't kill you, unless you get run over by a bus.:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

BTW good luck with your treatment
 
seaodyssey said:
Being deaf as a door post won't kill you, unless you get run over by a bus.:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

BTW good luck with your treatment
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Cheers, chances of getting run over by a bus increasing here, more and more battery powered so quieter, an annoying whine rather the old diesel rattle.
 
Add in the fact that it tends to be the higher registers that vanish (or get covered by tinnitus) and it makes looking even more important!
 
WBMT is why it's only the over 70s who appear to be being targeted for compulsory eye tests for driving. IMO, ALL drivers should have to prove that they can (still) see a number plate at 20 metres. (TBH, I'm in favour of regular testing of capability to drive too.)
 
I don’t think our present government likes the over sixties/seventies full stop!

We are expensive to maintain.
 
Surely if that were the case, they'd stop funding our medication rather than spending millions (if not billions) on keeping us alive to the detriment of the younger generation...
 
You could be right Nod, but consider the political backlash from the grey vote at the next general election? It would be suicidal to effectively alienate retirees from NHS treatment.
 
Only those left alive...
 
Two years 8 months seems a long time for a 'death by dangerous driving' offence to get to court but that's what's happened here. I imagine it's at the longer end for time re investigations which can take a long time. The 32 year old male driver pleaded guilty and because of that the judge said it would be taken into account re sentencing. I don't have any objection to a lighter sentence for an early plea, depending, but this driver was at speeds of up to 140mph in a Mercedes and fled the crash scene. He deserves no reduction for a guilty plea especially as the judge said he had no option considering the evidence....then why take it into consideration ? The maximum sentence is life and the guidelines are 2-18 years. Minimum disqualification is 5 years starting upon release of a driver. The high speed put him in the 'high culpability" section A of the guidelines. It's A-C. The starting point is 12 years.


www.bbc.co.uk

Woman died in high speed crash on Christmas Day in Brent Cross

Evan Forde, from Bedford, was driving a black Mercedes car when he crashed into the back of a BMW.
www.bbc.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk
 
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