After some not

[Diogenes of Synope]

After some not inconsiderable reading and risk to my own sanity, I have
come to the conclusion that she is barking mad.

Said the barking mad bloke in the barrel.

So maybe not *that* much risk to my sanity. ;-)

--
Dodgy.

[nokky]

On Mon, 11 May 2020 09:24:01 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of
Synope wrote:
>
> After some not inconsiderable reading and risk to my own sanity, I have
> come to the conclusion that she is barking mad.

Yes, I think I should have just lit the paper and stood
well back. Last time she plonked me for just looking at
her funny. Oh, well, you live and learn...

> Said the barking mad bloke in the barrel.
>
> So maybe not *that* much risk to my sanity. ;-)

Heh.

[Diogenes of Synope]

Nokky mate. Good to see you back. All that 'Steve' stuff was ok for
annoying the mad woman with but no-one should live with a fake ID for too
long. Confuses the brain. ;-)

She accused you of looking at her funny? HTF did you manage that?

I don't think that you ever played on alt.fiftyplus.friends, but if you
had, you would recognise little Frannie's style from back then. Not her
personally, I never knew her till quite recently, but there were several
OPs on afpf that would constantly claim to have 'killfiled' evil people
and yet carried on, just as though they hadn't.

Many different types on usenet but the 'I live for conflict' types are at
the same time hilarious and troubling. I wonder if Fran tells her friends
on other groups that you are stalking her in real life. That's the next
stage of her obvious dementia. If she was a USian, she'd be threatening
you with the FBI by now. ;-)

--
Dodgy.

[nokky]

On Thu, 14 May 2020 10:25:02 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of

Synope wrote:
>
> On Wed, 13 May 2020 23:14:14 +0100, nokky wrote:
>
> > On Mon, 11 May 2020 09:24:01 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of Synope wrote:
> >>
> >> After some not inconsiderable reading and risk to my own sanity, I have
> >> come to the conclusion that she is barking mad.
> >
> > Yes, I think I should have just lit the paper and stood well back. Last
> > time she plonked me for just looking at her funny. Oh, well, you live
> > and learn...
> >
> >> Said the barking mad bloke in the barrel.
> >>
> >> So maybe not *that* much risk to my sanity. ;-)
> >
> > Heh.
>
> Nokky mate. Good to see you back. All that 'Steve' stuff was ok for
> annoying the mad woman with but no-one should live with a fake ID for too
> long. Confuses the brain. ;-)

Hah! You're absolutely right, Dodgy!

> She accused you of looking at her funny? HTF did you manage that?

I think it may have been a smiley with the tongue
sticking out... Okay, maybe I may have wound her up a
little more than that, but not much. Honest, guv.
Anyway, she plonked me sharpish. This time though she's
dug her heels in.

> I don't think that you ever played on alt.fiftyplus.friends, but if you
> had, you would recognise little Frannie's style from back then. Not her
> personally, I never knew her till quite recently, but there were several
> OPs on afpf that would constantly claim to have 'killfiled' evil people
> and yet carried on, just as though they hadn't.

Never posted there, but that does sound familiar.

> Many different types on usenet but the 'I live for conflict' types are at
> the same time hilarious and troubling. I wonder if Fran tells her friends
> on other groups that you are stalking her in real life. That's the next
> stage of her obvious dementia. If she was a USian, she'd be threatening
> you with the FBI by now. ;-)

No doubt :-)

[Sn!pe]

Yo, nokky!

It's good to see your back; where's yer bin, d00d?

--
^Ï^ <https://youtu.be/_kqytf31a8E>

My pet rock Gordon just is.

[Diogenes of Synope]

On Fri, 22 May 2020 11:22:48 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:

> It's good to see your back;

Are you fed up wiv his front then? ;-)



--
Dodgy.

[Sn!pe]

Hooray! I knew someone would get it.

How are you doing, Dodgy? I'm just coming out
of a spell of the glums; it must be cabin fever.

[Diogenes of Synope]

On Fri, 22 May 2020 22:22:36 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:

> How are you doing, Dodgy? I'm just coming out of a spell of the glums;
> it must be cabin fever.
>

Doin' all right really. I go through gloomy periods myself at the moment
so I sort of feel your pain (but only 'sort' of). I'm intending to resume
work in June so I have that move to semi normality to think about.
Perfect timing cos the great garden makeover will be finished this
weekend, depending on the weather, so I'll need a reason to get up in the
morning.

And also in early June, my super exciting new telescope should arrive and
I'll be able to gaze at some stars before the skies get polluted again.

So roll on June. ;-)

--
Dodgy.

[Sn!pe]

Diogenes of Synope <dodgyknees...@googlemail.com> wrote:

Sob story and apropos of not much: I am now in my 12th week
of lockdown. That's what comes of being in an at-risk group.
I've been out of the front door three times in that time:
once to collect Mrs S from shopping (before lockdown was
compulsory and I didn't get out of the car); once to briefly
visit my next door neighbour in his front garden so that he
could witness my signature on my new Will, and once for an
hour in the car to keep the battery up and save me from going
right up the wall. At least we haven't had the Dreaded Lurgy!

We're lucky: we have a nice garden to sit in and no real
money worries so it's just about being isolated and maybe
dead before time. I wish t'Internet was a bit more interesting
though, for the wet days or when Mrs S is watching a chick-
flick on the haunted fishtank. I'll be box set bingeing next...

Nice one about the telescope, I hope you get some excellent
viewing. Try not to spot any killer asteroids en route to
poor old Terra, afflicted by plague as it is.

[Diogenes of Synope]

On Sun, 24 May 2020 00:31:46 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:

> Sob story and apropos of not much: I am now in my 12th week of
> lockdown. That's what comes of being in an at-risk group. I've been out
> of the front door three times in that time:
> once to collect Mrs S from shopping (before lockdown was compulsory and
> I didn't get out of the car); once to briefly visit my next door
> neighbour in his front garden so that he could witness my signature on
> my new Will, and once for an hour in the car to keep the battery up and
> save me from going right up the wall. At least we haven't had the
> Dreaded Lurgy!

I locked myself down on March 13th. I wasn't ever told to although I am
over 70 and have mild COPD. I panicked and didn't leave the house for a
week, even though, Mad Boris didn't shut us down *officially* till the
following week. We've been out once in a while. Sunday evening treat when
the feds aren't out in force. And I walk to the local shop with Wendy but
stay outside.

> We're lucky: we have a nice garden to sit in and no real money worries
> so it's just about being isolated and maybe dead before time. I wish
> t'Internet was a bit more interesting though, for the wet days or when
> Mrs S is watching a chick- flick on the haunted fishtank. I'll be box
> set bingeing next...

We're the same, reasonable garden, nice to sit out in and watch the
feathered things eating fat balls. Our real bit of luck is when the
school next door is empty, we get to wander the playing field and on into
the woods beyond. Secret entrance, see. It's actually called 'the school
gate' but it's out of sight from the main road so no-one ever goes there.
Except us.

No real money worries either, so you know WTF. TV is pretty rubbish these
days. Hardly surprising. Just glad they finished filming 'Killing Eve'
before the shit hit.

> Nice one about the telescope, I hope you get some excellent viewing.
> Try not to spot any killer asteroids en route to poor old Terra,
> afflicted by plague as it is.

Couldn't decide what to buy so I settled for an 8" reflector with a
degree of star finding. I did fancy an all singing all dancing 'tell it
the name of the star and it does it for you' jobby, but it would seem,
from reading copious amounts of stuff, that setting the thing up
accurately in the fist place can be every bit as frustrating as trying to
find distance stuff with a spotter. Just hope I've made the right choice.
Roll on June. Probably won't have a clear sky till Christmas once I've
unpacked it. ;-)

--
Dodgy.

[Sn!pe]

Diogenes of Synope <dodgyknees...@googlemail.com> wrote:

> On Sun, 24 May 2020 00:31:46 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:

[...]

> I locked myself down on March 13th. I wasn't ever told to although I am
> over 70 and have mild COPD. I panicked and didn't leave the house for a
> week, even though, Mad Boris didn't shut us down *officially* till the
> following week. We've been out once in a while. Sunday evening treat when
> the feds aren't out in force. And I walk to the local shop with Wendy but
> stay outside.
>

Similar, March 6 for me, except my COPD is not mild,
hence my cautious approach.

BTW, and I really don't want give offense now: could we
please leave politics [spit] and politicians [spit, spit again]
out of our nice, civil, chat? I respect that you and I might
not share the same opinion and I think that political fallout
has ruined far too many friendships, not to say froups.

>>
> > We're lucky: we have a nice garden to sit in and no real money worries
> > so it's just about being isolated and maybe dead before time. I wish
> > t'Internet was a bit more interesting though, for the wet days or when
> > Mrs S is watching a chick- flick on the haunted fishtank. I'll be box
> > set bingeing next...
>
> We're the same, reasonable garden, nice to sit out in and watch the
> feathered things eating fat balls. Our real bit of luck is when the
> school next door is empty, we get to wander the playing field and on into
> the woods beyond. Secret entrance, see. It's actually called 'the school
> gate' but it's out of sight from the main road so no-one ever goes there.
> Except us.
>

That sounds triffic, I envy you. It's very suburban here
and quite hilly so walking can be a bit difficult. There
are a few nice riverside walks over there >>------>
but they're somewhat infested with the young and beautiful
joggers and the like being somewhat inconsiderate towards
vulnerable old farts (so Mrs S tells me), so I'll give that
a miss until the course of the epidemic is a bit clearer.

>
> No real money worries either, so you know WTF. TV is pretty rubbish these
> days. Hardly surprising. Just glad they finished filming 'Killing Eve'
> before the shit hit.
>
> > Nice one about the telescope, I hope you get some excellent viewing.
> > Try not to spot any killer asteroids en route to poor old Terra,
> > afflicted by plague as it is.
>
> Couldn't decide what to buy so I settled for an 8" reflector with a
> degree of star finding. I did fancy an all singing all dancing 'tell it
> the name of the star and it does it for you' jobby, but it would seem,
> from reading copious amounts of stuff, that setting the thing up
> accurately in the fist place can be every bit as frustrating as trying to
> find distance stuff with a spotter. Just hope I've made the right choice.
> Roll on June. Probably won't have a clear sky till Christmas once I've
> unpacked it. ;-)
>

That sounds very nice. Myself, I've never felt the urge
to try astronomy - it's usually too cold in the middle of
a cloudless night!


Va bgure arjf: vg frrzf gung abxxl vf abg rawblvat uvf
Hfrarg eranvffnapr ng cerfrag naq znl qebc bhg ntnva.
Gung jbhyq or n cvgl, V'ir rawblrq uvf pbzcnal. :(

[Diogenes of Synope]

On Sun, 24 May 2020 23:31:10 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:

> Similar, March 6 for me, except my COPD is not mild,
> hence my cautious approach.

In which case, I don't blame you. I went into full 'I'm going to die'
mode, and I've never actually ever been told that I have COPD. I was
diagnosed with asbestos damage but it was only a year later when I got a
text saying it was time to meet the COPD nurse, that I first heard the
four letters in one sentence.

> BTW, and I really don't want give offense now: could we please leave
> politics [spit] and politicians [spit, spit again]
> out of our nice, civil, chat? I respect that you and I might not share
> the same opinion and I think that political fallout has ruined far too
> many friendships, not to say froups.

My reference to 'madness' was pretty much apolitical since they've all
been mad as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure that nurturing a desire to be
PM ought to be first and guaranteed proof that the funny farm should be
next stop.

Some's madder than others and almost all have been madder coming out than
going in, but really calling him mad was neither an indication of my
political persuasion or my thoughts on his sanity. The zip wire photo
sorted that one. ;-)

But yes, fine by me. No more politics. ;-)

> That sounds triffic, I envy you.

There's a small glade in 'our' bit of the wood that I could happily sit
by the babbling brook and listen to birdsong for hours. I'm tempted, next
time the school is on holiday, to head down there at dawn just to listen
to the chorus. Or maybe I'll wait till autumn when dawn is a bit
later. ;-)

It's very suburban here and quite
> hilly so walking can be a bit difficult. There are a few nice riverside
> walks over there >>------>

Not sure where in the capital of Wessex you live but there's only one
river and probably only one walk. From Alresford to Woolston. And most of
it, the bits that I've walked anyway, are pure delight.

> but they're somewhat infested with the young and beautiful joggers and
> the like being somewhat inconsiderate towards vulnerable old farts (so
> Mrs S tells me), so I'll give that a miss until the course of the
> epidemic is a bit clearer.

One of my favourite bits is from The Bridge Inn and Shawford to Compton
Lock and beyond, and that was always marred by bloody fishermen

>>
>>
> That sounds very nice. Myself, I've never felt the urge to try
> astronomy - it's usually too cold in the middle of a cloudless night!

This is a major snag with astronomy as a hobby. Add to that, light
pollution and crappy weather, and you really have to be dedicated.

I'm half hearted dedicated. First time I saw Saturn's rings I was excited
but the stuff I really want to see now, deep sky stuff, is impossible to
find without electronic help. Hence the upgrade. Just hope it works as
well as they claim it does.

> Va bgure arjf: vg frrzf gung abxxl vf abg rawblvat uvf Hfrarg
> eranvffnapr ng cerfrag naq znl qebc bhg ntnva.
> Gung jbhyq or n cvgl, V'ir rawblrq uvf pbzcnal.

Indeed, he has always been one of the good guys, but us good guys are
getting fewer and farther between. Sadly. Hey ho!



--
Dodgy.

[Steve]

On Thu, 28 May 2020 15:42:10 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of
Synope wrote:
[...]

> Indeed, he has always been one of the good guys, but us good guys are
> getting fewer and farther between. Sadly. Hey ho!
>

Aw, shucks <blushes>.
I'm not feeling quite as grumpy as I did, so I'm sticking
a toe back in the murky water and if it doesn't shrivel
and fall off...

[Diogenes of Synope]

On Sat, 30 May 2020 11:17:40 +0100, Steve wrote:

> On Thu, 28 May 2020 15:42:10 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of Synope wrote:
> [...]
>> Indeed, he has always been one of the good guys, but us good guys are
>> getting fewer and farther between. Sadly. Hey ho!
>>
>>
> Aw, shucks <blushes>.

You were supposed to have left usenet and never read that. How
embarrassing. ;-)

> I'm not feeling quite as grumpy as I did, so I'm sticking a toe back in
> the murky water and if it doesn't shrivel and fall off...

I keep reading *that* group but I'm becoming less and less impressed with
every passing %/Aus post. Shame really. For a short while it was just
like the olden days.

We can only hope that the 'Return of The Nokk' breathes life into the
remains. ;-)

--
Dodgy.

[Sn!pe]

Diogenes of Synope <dodgyknees...@googlemail.com> wrote:

[...]

> I keep reading *that* group but I'm becoming less and less impressed with
> every passing %/Aus post. Shame really. For a short while it was just
> like the olden days.
>
> We can only hope that the 'Return of The Nokk' breathes life into the
> remains. ;-)

It seems that that recent returnee who posted as "me" knew
the outspoken Aussie from some time ago and hasn't seen fit
to hang around. A pity - that person posted well.

dog in the manger: 1
group: nil

[Steve]

On Sun, 31 May 2020 09:18:42 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of

Synope wrote:
>
> On Sat, 30 May 2020 11:17:40 +0100, Steve wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 28 May 2020 15:42:10 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of Synope wrote:
> > [...]
> >> Indeed, he has always been one of the good guys, but us good guys are
> >> getting fewer and farther between. Sadly. Hey ho!
> >>
> >>
> > Aw, shucks <blushes>.
>
> You were supposed to have left usenet and never read that. How
> embarrassing. ;-)

Heh!

> > I'm not feeling quite as grumpy as I did, so I'm sticking a toe back in
> > the murky water and if it doesn't shrivel and fall off...
>
> I keep reading *that* group but I'm becoming less and less impressed with
> every passing %/Aus post. Shame really. For a short while it was just
> like the olden days.

Yes, well, she likes to be argumentative and he likes
being a prick. I don't mind an argument up to a point,
but there is no point arguing with a prick.

> We can only hope that the 'Return of The Nokk' breathes life into the
> remains. ;-)

Steady on!
I'm not the messiah.
I'm a very norty boy! :-)

[Steve]

On Sun, 31 May 2020 17:14:48 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:
>
> Diogenes of Synope <dodgyknees...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>
> [...]
>
> > I keep reading *that* group but I'm becoming less and less impressed with
> > every passing %/Aus post. Shame really. For a short while it was just
> > like the olden days.
> >
> > We can only hope that the 'Return of The Nokk' breathes life into the
> > remains. ;-)
>
> It seems that that recent returnee who posted as "me" knew
> the outspoken Aussie from some time ago and hasn't seen fit
> to hang around. A pity - that person posted well.
>
> dog in the manger: 1
> group: nil

Yes, Judith was involved in a flame war with Fran, Janet
and someone called Graham in the distant past. Fran
prolly came back and stuck around more because Judith had
returned. Random abuse from a certain squiggly poaster
and snide remarks from Fran prolly didn't give Judith
much of an incentive to hang around. Shame, innit.
That froup is really grumpy.

[Diogenes of Synope]

On Sun, 31 May 2020 21:32:05 +0100, Steve wrote:

> but there is no point arguing with a prick.

True enough.

> Steady on!
> I'm not the messiah.
> I'm a very norty boy!

Rumour has it, that that is also true.

But is it?

--
Dodgy.

[Steve]

Ackshirley, not nearly enough.

[Sn!pe]

It's hard work being norty at my time of life.

[Diogenes of Synope]

On Thu, 04 Jun 2020 10:15:10 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:

> It's hard work being norty at my time of life.

Dunno about hardwork but it usually involves pain.


--
Dodgy.

[Steve]

On Thu, 4 Jun 2020 10:15:10 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:
>
> Steve <n...@mail.thanks> wrote:
>
> > On Sun, 31 May 2020 20:51:32 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of
> > Synope wrote:
> > >
> > > On Sun, 31 May 2020 21:32:05 +0100, Steve wrote:
> > >
> > > > but there is no point arguing with a prick.
> > >
> > > True enough.
> > >
> > >
> > > > Steady on!
> > > > I'm not the messiah.
> > > > I'm a very norty boy!
> > >
> > > Rumour has it, that that is also true.
> > >
> > > But is it?
> >
> > Ackshirley, not nearly enough.
>
> It's hard work being norty at my time of life.

Speshly when all your hard work goes unnoticed.

[Steve]

Duh! Now I get it!
For me it's my wrists, (not wot you're thinking), it's
the pushups, it's a killer on them.

[Sn!pe]

Wot are pushups, Steve? Is it those fruity ice lollies
in a plastic tube such as we got at the skool tuck shop?

[Sn!pe]

Azanom have just delivered my new SooperT0rll
dressing-up outfit.

[Steve]

On Thu, 4 Jun 2020 23:29:51 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:
>
> Steve <n...@mail.thanks> wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 4 Jun 2020 16:21:14 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of
> > Synope wrote:
> > >
> > > On Thu, 04 Jun 2020 10:15:10 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:
> > >
> > > > It's hard work being norty at my time of life.
> > >
> > > Dunno about hardwork but it usually involves pain.
> >
> > Duh! Now I get it!
> > For me it's my wrists, (not wot you're thinking), it's
> > the pushups, it's a killer on them.
>
> Wot are pushups, Steve? Is it those fruity ice lollies
> in a plastic tube such as we got at the skool tuck shop?

<https://preview.tinyurl.com/y7rhas8v>

[Sn!pe]

Steve <n...@mail.thanks> wrote:
[...]

> > > > > It's hard work being norty at my time of life.
> > > >
> > > > Dunno about hardwork but it usually involves pain.
> > >
> > > Duh! Now I get it!
> > > For me it's my wrists, (not wot you're thinking), it's
> > > the pushups, it's a killer on them.
> >
> > Wot are pushups, Steve? Is it those fruity ice lollies
> > in a plastic tube such as we got at the skool tuck shop?
>
> <https://preview.tinyurl.com/y7rhas8v>

Wunderbar!

[Diogenes of Synope]

Pushups? I just managed four. How many are you up to?

Nearest thing I get to being norty is speeding on my motorbike - unless
you count simply *starting* my evil diesel Tranny - and just riding my
bike involves pain to my wrists, elbows, knee and, now and then, hips.


You may ask, is it worth it? To which I reply 'of course it frigging is'.
A life without a perfectly 'legal' 'plod' up the 272 now and then would
be like life without life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to9A1nJoCgM

Jubbly.


--
Dodgy.

[Steve]

On Sun, 7 Jun 2020 14:01:31 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of

Synope wrote:
>
> On Thu, 04 Jun 2020 23:02:57 +0100, Steve wrote:
>
> > On Thu, 4 Jun 2020 16:21:14 -0000 (UTC), Diogenes of Synope wrote:
> >>
> >> On Thu, 04 Jun 2020 10:15:10 +0100, Sn!pe wrote:
> >>
> >> > It's hard work being norty at my time of life.
> >>
> >> Dunno about hardwork but it usually involves pain.
> >
> > Duh! Now I get it!
> > For me it's my wrists, (not wot you're thinking), it's the pushups, it's
> > a killer on them.
>
> Pushups? I just managed four. How many are you up to?

Depends what sort of incentive I have.
Prolly not more than 4 before my wrists make me cry out
in pain.

> Nearest thing I get to being norty is speeding on my motorbike - unless
> you count simply *starting* my evil diesel Tranny - and just riding my
> bike involves pain to my wrists, elbows, knee and, now and then, hips.
>
>
> You may ask, is it worth it? To which I reply 'of course it frigging is'.
> A life without a perfectly 'legal' 'plod' up the 272 now and then would
> be like life without life.
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to9A1nJoCgM
>
> Jubbly.

Reminds me of the Barron Knights lyric, "shot off up the
high street like Barry Sheene...".