Gondor's Grumblings

[Rick Lowe]

"There's no such thing as Coincidence." - L J Gibbs.

[Gondor]

Coincidence is not causation though

Gondor

[Rick Lowe]

Cause and Effect can be influenced by it, though...

[Gondor]

This morning I was notified by a member of the Tornado SIG that they are now 3D printing Sea Eagle Missiles with pylons for the Tornado. I decided to order three pairs of missiles, one for the Tornado and the other two for the Maritime Strike TSR.2 that I have part built. All over grey and in late 12 Squadron markings just like the Tornado GR.1B's flew at the end of their career. I might add some mid-life updates to the TSR.2 as it will have been in service for some time by then.

Gondor

[Gondor]

One of the nice things that the company I work for has done is to change the bonus scheme to quarterly rather than annual. This means that that every three months if we reach the targets set we get a bonus with a minimum amount for just reaching that target and an incremental increase dependant on percentage above that target. So Thursday was when I got a very nice pay packet which has now been depleted two days later. Dam internet shopping 
So several books will be on their way to me, only four kits but lots of bits to go with kits I have in the stash. Orders have included upgrade parts for two Airfix FGR.2 Phantoms one will be a whiff, parts through the Tornado SIG to improve/upgrade a few Tornados I have in the stash. An order of decals and various other items from Hannants which will allow me to move parts from one kit in my stash to another it in the stash to help whiff that build with an idea which Campbell helped to coalesce.
Obviously the various threads for stash and library aditions will be updated in time but I could not help but tease everyone with the purchases.

Gondor

[NARSES2]

One of the nice things that the company I work for has done is to change the bonus scheme to quarterly rather than annual.

Much better way to do it    British Steel/Corus eventually went from annual to quarterly just as I was retiring    MInd you as they became Tata the day after I left it probably all went to pot anyway 

[Nick]

One of the nice things that the company I work for has done is to change the bonus scheme to quarterly rather than annual.
Gondor

We used to see a huge staff turnover just after the annual bonus was paid out. Then it changed to a summer/winter season bonus so all the student workers were motivated and could go back to university with a large lump sum. Then it got reduced to low value gift cards and free pizza and more free tickets to places we had free entry for anyway. And then they scrapped the whole lot.
Bunch of money grabbing corporate ******** 

[Gondor]

Not been too well, my Diverticulitis has been playing up a bit so not trusting myself to wander too far from the bathroom I phoned in sick today, I do have a commute of roughly forty miles so far better to be safe than sorry.
Anyway, it's been a good job too, so far I have had four trips of the RCD today, three in just over an hour  makes it difficult to get anything done on the PC at times. The last time I was in the middle of ordering a reference book on RAF training units.

Gondor

[NARSES2]

Hope it clears up soon mate

[Gondor]

Hope it clears up soon mate

Thanks, I do too. The electricians have been and not found anything wrong. I beleuve that they are going to recommend that my Circuit Board be changedto a more modern one that will also help narrow down any fault to a particular circuit rather than being one of five 

Gondor

[Gondor]

Got some prep work carried out this afternoon for some priming if the weather is calm and dry enough. Mostly resin bits for the TSR.2 but some parts for an F-4M as well and some parts for a Hunter too.
Talking of which, with the arrival of the Flightpath set for the Hunter I am going to press ahead with one I started the best part of two years ago. Decided that for this build I would not try and scratch build the intakes so the fact the Flightparth set has intake blanks is good as well as enough ladders for two aircraft so it looks like I may end up with the cockpit open.
Music has been interesting recently. Found out that I have next to no MP3 music of Kraftwerk so I have bought a couple of CD's by them, only Tour De France has arrived so far, Man Machine is on it's way as well. The Beatles released their final song which was good but not fantastic to my ears, certainly listenable. I have also been listening to Harry Whitley Music on You Tube doing covers, this has got me listening to ASIA so I am hopeing that a seller on ebay will accept my offer for their first album. ASIA ties in with some of the other music I have, Yes and King Crimson being the two main ones which feature members in the band so it will be interesting to hear the result of such a mix.

Gondor

[Gondor]

I got my Asia album, their first album Asia! Several tracks I was familiar with, takes me back to the 80's when I was living and working in Cornwall while with the RAF. At that time I was getting into Led Zeppelin and Rush along with David Bowie. Ah, the good old days.......

Back to now though, where age is greater and the body feels it. Not really enjoying feeling cold most of the time now, so I have been pleased that my cat came home today and quite happily spent over an hour on my lap while I was watching some YouTube video's Steve Hackett with his Genesis Revisited band Live with Orchestra, I can thoroughly recommend watching or listening to that ensemble as it is as good or even slightly better than Genesis Studio albums as the orchestra adds that certain something to the mix.

Model wise, I have ordered the eduard Bf-109G-2/G-4 double kit and the new Airfix Bf-410, the 410 has been dispatched where as the 109 has not yet..... but I suspect that is due to Hannants being a little busy with this weekend. Not a worry as after pawing over the contents it will probably go into the stash for a while.

Gondor

[Gondor]

So a week has passed, a very slow week both at work and at home. Work wise there is an ever decreasing number of sub assemblies to work on due to some shortages but also because, for me at least, one sub assembly is faulty with loads of variables that could be causeing the problems we are getting and this sub assembly has to provide it's output in very, very, very small degrees of rotational movement so it has to be right and what we are getting is not good enough. But that's the down side. The up side to work is that I am in a fairly isolated section of the building so I can get away with not doing much as no one can see what I am or not doing, which is part of the reason I am sometimes of the forum duering week days 
Other news is that I have just booked my hotel for Telford next year! It's been something like six years since I was last there and this will only be my third visit. Booked into the Ramada from the Friday through to the Monday as I don't fancy driving back to Scotland overnight. The last time was terrible as there were roadworks on the M54 eastbound as well as everyone else trying to head home. That time it was around midnight that I got home, not keen on doing that again so I am staying the Sunday night and travelling home in what daylight there is on the Monday. I think I will wait untill next year before I put in for holidays but I will put in for them early so I can't use them up by accident.
Actual modeling has not really happened this week and with the poor weather at the moment I am not exactly feeling like doing much at the moment, but we will see.

Gondor

[NARSES2]

Glad you're booked for 2024 Alistair    and apologies for my delay in getting back to you, but I spent over 12 hours in bed with my cold and only surfaced around midday I'm afraid.

[Captain Canada]

Nice ! I received my 25 year service award last year, and blew most of it on frivolities.