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You forgot the "because". "Because Jerry is our most qualified and trusted IT/coder/computing expert, he is not an Apple adopter." Makes sense that way! 😜

I Can't stand Bikes where you are always looking for a Higher gear, especially on long trips. The endless buffeting behind semis and busses with the Occasional Rock or tyre tread, is One of the reasons I hate Riding on fast highly trafficked Roads. I once did over 1100 Kms in one Hit. The last 350 of it being in Heavy rain. I don't recommend that. Nev

Have you counted the number of open pit mines opened up, just to get gold? A pretty yellow metal that has a small level of industrial use - but which mostly gets uselessly socked away from sight for decades, after being mined! Alluvial gold mining is one of the most destructive methods around.

...and possibly a cheapskate and shady dealer as well.

What? I am aghast! (Sp?) Unfknbeleeevable! Our most qualified and trusted IT/coder/computing expert is not a Apple adopter? No. I don't believe it.

I Knew a Girl whose figure was her fame but then her fame spread. Nev

Interesting article about emissions in China. Here is the short version A new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), published on Carbon Brief, shows that China’s greenhouse gas emissions have been flat or declining for the past 18 months, starting from March 2024. This puts China on track for a possible full-year emissions drop in 2025, which would be symbolically significant because China has previously left its peak-emissions timeline vague. Key Findings Power sector: Even though electricity demand grew sharply from July–September 2025, power-sector CO₂ emissions stayed flat. Renewables boom: China added 240 GW of solar and 61 GW of wind in the first nine months of 2025, setting up another record-breaking renewables year. Solar electricity output grew 46% in Q3; wind grew 11%. Transport: Rapid EV adoption reduced oil-related transport emissions by 5%. Industry: Emissions fell in cement and metals by 7% and 1% respectively; steel emissions also declined. Chemical sector: Emissions rose 10% due to growth in plastics and chemical production, partly offsetting reductions elsewhere. Context and Challenges China is still off track for its 2020–2025 carbon-intensity target (emissions per unit of GDP), meaning deeper cuts are needed. Analysts note China has a history of under-promising and over-delivering on climate goals. China’s newly submitted 2035 climate plan (NDC) commits to reducing net economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 7–10% from their peak. Global Perspective COP30 officials praised China for driving down renewable energy costs globally. A new UN analysis including China’s updated pledge says current global climate commitments put the world on track for a 12% emissions reduction by 2035, up from 10% in the previous assessment. Here is the longer version: https://www.euronews.com/green/2025/11/11/have-chinas-carbon-emissions-peaked-new-analysis-shows-they-havent-risen-in-18-months

Hop on a Honda, and go! An advert from about 1968 I think.

Lithium is one of 34 critical raw materials listed under the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and a key component of the EU’s ambition to shift away from fossil fuels. However, the EU still relies heavily on lithium imports particularly from Chile, which holds 42% of global reserves and produces 30% of the world’s supply. Chile’s Salar de Atacama is home to one of the world’s largest lithium mining operations. These operations affect water-scarce regions inhabited by Indigenous communities, raising serious concerns about environmental degradation and water depletion. As I said, there are lots and lots of examples. Don't just show a picture of a coal mine and say this is bad.

A Battery would have helped that. Power companies supply electricity. Not LOAN people Money. IF you want to Pay LATE, you are being subsidised by those who Pay on time. Nev

Anything in a freezer should be ok for 30 hours without power, especially if you don't open it. Was it all in your fridge?

We suffered through a 30hr power outage Wed-Thurs, have to throw out $150 worth of food. This was just after paying my concession elec bill of $437, but which really ended up as $587. Had it been paid outside of the due date, the bill would be $600 + $150 rotten food = $750 It's not solar or wind that determines if I get cheaper electricity, it's due dates. Actually, it should be illegal to charge like that. Due dates shouldn't affect concessions.

That picture isn’t actually an argument against wind turbines — it’s an argument for better mining standards, which applies to all forms of energy. Every energy technology, including coal, oil and gas, requires huge amounts of mined materials. Fossil fuels require steel, concrete, copper, and aluminium too — plus they involve continuous extraction of fuel forever. Wind turbines, by contrast, require one-time mining, then they produce energy for 25–30 years with no fuel burned and no ongoing extraction. 1. Wind uses far less total mined material over its lifetime than fossil fuels. Coal and gas plants need constant mining and drilling for fuel. Wind needs materials once, then no more digging. 2. Minerals for renewables are increasingly coming from countries with strong environmental and labour standards. Australia, Canada, the US and Scandinavia are ramping up production of nickel, copper and rare earths precisely to avoid reliance on poorly-regulated mines. The solution is improving supply chains, not ditching clean energy. 3. Wind turbines don’t use many “rare earths” anyway. Only some turbine designs use them, and manufacturers are rapidly shifting to rare-earth-free generators. 4. Fossil fuel extraction also happens in countries with poor environmental controls — and much more of it. Oil spills, coal sludge, gas flaring, and abandoned wells cause orders-of-magnitude more environmental damage than the mining required for renewables. 5. Modern wind turbine materials are highly recyclable. Copper, steel and aluminium — which make up most of a turbine — are recycled at very high rates, reducing mining needs over time. 6. Showing a single mine doesn’t prove wind is bad; it just illustrates that mining should be cleaner. If the standard is “this technology requires mining,” then all energy sources fail. The real comparison is: Mining once for decades of clean power (wind) vs Mining and drilling continuously and decades of pollution (fossil fuels).

Not a song, I believe - but Fatty Arbuckle, the 1920's actor/comedian.

No one shows the holes in the ground to get the copper, rare earths, nickel, aluminium etc to make the turbines and new distribution lines. Much of that in third world countries with poor environmental controls. For example, this is an Indonesian nickel mine. Lots of other examples if you want them.

I posted an explanation of what the term "Nett Zero" meant. It is possible to continue to use fossil fuels as long as suitable alternatives are found to reduce pollutants already created. It is quite clear that the correct solution is a mixture of renewables and non-renewables. Does anyone ever consider the temperature raising effects of the combustion of fuels? Isn't the fundamental reason we burn fuel the production of heat? Even if we use renewably sourced electricity for smelting, we are still putting heat into the environment.

After today's ride. I may need the CBT you refer to! Here is the map of toiday's ride: Yep - that's how far away the CAA/CASA medical examiner is. We have a closer CAA examiner, but she works part time and is booked up months ahead. All up, 5 hours in the saddle - mainly motorway and dual lane carriageway A roads (like motorways) + single lane A roads. It was a grey day today, to boot! The ride there wasn't too bad,. This time I remembered by ear plugs - made a big difference. But my helmet isn't as comfortable as it was when I first tried it on. I am going to have to put it up for sale, swearing on mt first and second born's life it hasn't been dropped - which it hasn't been.. Of course, I would never trust anyone to be honest, so I am not sure why I would ask anyone to trust me, but there are plenty of helmets for sale of farcebook marketplace, so will see how it goes. But, apart from having a purpose for this ride, it gave me a lot of time to really assess the bike. And since the route took me within 200m of the location I purchased it from I don't need to go over old ground. On the motoraway, I stayed mainly at 70mph, except for where there were roadworks, or on the way home, queues south of Bristol thanks to peak hour traffic queuign to get off the motorway at various junctions. I did occasionally take it up to slightly past 80, but sat mainly at 70. The good bits: Oodles of power throughout the range of speeds/gear combos. 6th pulls at 40 miles and hour or beyond 80. Comfortable riding position, egronimically as one would expect (mainly). The Delkovic cans aren't too imposing, but have a reasonablye good warble/grumble sound. Bike is well weighted, handles well on the motorways and twisties and despite its weight/size is very easy to ride. It puts a smile on one's face The storm guards worked a treat - I did have to only intermittently put the heated grips on - and even then I would argue I was being way too soft. The bad bits: For touring, it revs too high for the touring speeds in my opinion. It makes it quite noisy. It could use another gear or one can purchase aftermarket sprokects with one tooth less than the standard, but that negatively impacts acceleration. It's thrirstier than I thought. People on forums qere quoting 200 - 225 miles on a 19 litre tank. I was lucky to get 180., Howeve, I checked the CBF1000 forums and did some research, and although the owners manual is OK with 95 RON, the forums are reporting best fuel efficiency with 98 or better RON. The side stand is piddly and hard to deploy while seated on the bike. The hydarulic hoses from the brake master cylinder block the fuel gauge - you have to always look over them. The oil level viewing glass is recessed too far and is a pain to check unless it is on its centre stand (not always practival due to cambered surfaces). The obvious stator issue - Should be good for a while, but one needs to check the oil is topped up! None too impressedd by the dipped and high beams... But, it could be because they are old globe. May get touring lights anyway. The "ain't perfect, but doesn't really matter bits: Buffeting is worse than I thought given the screen it has. Wake turbulence from trucks seemed to throw one around a liltte more than expected given the weight of the bike. I guess being slightly taller makes it more susceptible. The ride itself was, in the end quite tiring. The drizzle held off and the weather was relatively warm at about 9 degrees, until light started fading. Then the mercury dropped and a fine drizze appeared, thickening to almost a light shower at some places. Once it was dark, the oncoming headlight beams were refracting off the droplets on the visor making it hard to jiudge distances and see lane markings on the motorway in the dark. To top it off, the pervious pilot had run late, so I left later, which meant in peak hour, which on the motorway, is not a great experience. Can't put the cover on tonight as it was raining when I got home. Partner won't allow me to put it on the patio because of the brittle tiles which will cost us more than the bike to replace. So the bike is naked this evening. The dilapidated garage still has too much stuff in it.

Here comes the rain again by the Eurythmics.

Seems your notoriety has spread far and wide.

A saucer of Milk for both of you. Nev

Aye, Apples secondhand are still expensive

Sounds very therapeutic Jerry. It's definitely improved your typing. And every time you mention CBT, I am seeing 'Cognitive Behaviour Therapy'.