PaulAA

John It might indeed be a driver problem. Have you tried uninstalling the usb driver? Equally, the equipment may simply be incompatible with XP - the packaging should give you some indication of which OSs it is suitable for. The Inspiron 1300 is an old machine and a quick check on the potential to upgrade the OS to something newer suggests that even W7 is unlikely to work, so it may simply be a question of biting the bullet and getting a new(er) laptop. I used to buy refurbished equipment for the office and a decently specced year-old Dell laptop can be had for very little. As Ian and Nick have observed, reinstalling any Windows OS involves a lot of brain damage. Dell outlet is offering an Inspiron 15 with W10 for £245 here. Paul

Thank you, John! I have been on the look-out for something digestible about the Kurchatov Polygon! The closest I've been is Novosibirsk (close on the map, but a day's travel from the Polygon). In this neck of the woods, disaster tourism is focused on Chernobyl and, about ten years ago a then-assistant of mine joined a tour going there from Warsaw University. His biggest challenge was getting hold of a Geiger counter, for which he needed (as a private individual) a permit... and a plausible explanation. Apparently, an unquenchable desire to enter a radio-active zone was not seen as an acceptable reason. Paul

Thank you, both. Yes, I have an in-line fuel filter, but common wisdom has it that petrol in Poland has a higher ethanol content than in the West. Being a lowly carb car, it has a mechanical fuel pump, but the quantity of the stuff piddling off the front valance was impressive. Not. I will do some float chamber thumping when I return to the ranch tomorrow and report. John, the carbon cannister is merely a capture device at the end of the overflow pipework, so no more than an obstruction to identifying the source of the streaming fuel. Cheers Paul

Chaps I have twin HS6s on an ex-US TR6, which have performed faultlessly for two years. This morning, they did not. Although the engine started and ran smoothly enough, a strong smell of petrol revealed that fuel was evidently being pushed down the overflow into the carbon cannister and flooding quite lavishly onto the garage floor. To help me target the cause, would this be symptomatic of a broken float, a contaminated jet or something else that hasn't crossed my mind? Advice much appreciated. Paul

Haha! Thanks, John. Some of our roads are now better than the ones in the advert... not all, though. Spitfires do frequent service as wedding cars here - plenty of room in the passenger area for the popular 'bay window' wedding dress Paul

Hi Roger I notice an older post of yours on tssc responding to a question about identifying the symptoms of approaching failure. You described the 'click' and now you have me worried: all UJs newly replaced on a TR6 and I still hear the 'click' when I pull away. Apologies, John, for the thread drift. The boys are making fabulous progress! And google will have been their friend with the Russian-speaking mechanic. What a stupid question... Paul

When AtB was closed earlier this year, the question of ownership of the information contained in the many and varied threads therein arose. Ostensibly, this was solved by the contents being transfered to the members' section. But if, as some have suggested, access to the whole forum is now potentially in doubt, this would raise a more fundamental question about the ownership of a wealth of unique information. Because it has been given freely cannot make the TRR the sole owner and arbiter of it. Or..?

Haha, Menno, I enjoyed that 'oversight' as well, until I engaged in a PM correspondence with a certain senior person around the time of the closing of AtB, to suggest market strategies to widen the appeal to younger owners/drivers/fans and where sources of suitable expertise might lie within the membership. Oddly enough, shortly after I suggested the potential role of the Overseas bod in providing a point of communication and reference for non UK members and explained why my membership had lapsed, the correspondence ceased, the blue thingy disappeared and so did access. access. Better to do that than waste time on a bit of gentle arm twisting and encouragement, eh.

After an exchange of terse emails with the former Overseas director, I began to observe that he was a regular visitor to the forum, but never posted. Lurking, watching.

The first half of 2016 was the big opportunity, when Apple shares dipped below $100... Here we are, two years later, and they are north of $210... Bugger...

Hi Peter There was an interesting profile of Frank Field in the G a couple of days ago: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/03/frank-field-labour-mp-brexit-birkenhead It's a great deal to absorb in one MP - pity he doesn't offer mix'n'match packages to soften the impact of the whole monty. My sister, in a neighbouring constituency, seems to swing between fervent support and abject teeth-grinding dismissal... Marmite man indeed. Paul

All the best, Nick. Really hope this is the home run for you. Cheers Paul

Damned poor treatment of Darren. When I was a member of the TRR, he was one of the few younger members with an interest in widening its appeal, strengthening its grip on new media and looking for ideas to maintain loyalty and value. To a distant observer, it would appear that somebody with an opinion and the willingness to express it has become anathema to the values of the current Board. Thank goodness for Sideways, I say! Paul

John There is a rumour that Binky 19 will cover individual reclining and massaging rear seats. Possibly with rain-activated rear-facing jump seats. Time - and the Funk - will tell. Paul

John, in all sincerity, I don't. As I alluded to in my second post, yesterday (when I posted my thin witticism) was a far from illustrious day. Architecture is a bit of a curate's egg, but overall it has taken me to many unusual places (my speciality is big commercial - I have a life-threatening allergy to private clients) and provided me with a degree of comfort in my middle age. I spent ten years as a director in a global practice and now run a small consultancy, which gives me an unusual degree of veto on the type of commissions we accept... having my cake and eating it, as it were. Yes, I was being ironic about JKM. He is a singularly dreadful individual with the most regressive and appalling views on women, religion, foreigners, the EU, neighbouring countries, etc., etc. Like Farage, he is devoid of a moral compass and takes his salary as an MEP whilst does absolutely nothing to justify it. Unfortunately, his views are not unique here in Poland. Nick, I think the political pipe dream applies to practically any jurisdiction in the world... with the possible exception of New Zealand. I wish I could afford to live there! Paul PS Am I at risk of being modded for introducing politics? I deserve it...