Archive for October, 2005
Cottage industry
From a concerned individual
I let a self catering cottage. Recently, I have been considering renting to a friendly sounding group for a week. However, of late, the have shown themselves to be rather strange, disorganised, and generally disquietening. Now, I don’t want to hold this against them, and I’m sure they will not do any damage, but I’m hoping you may be able to give some advice before I trust my cottage to them.
One pearl of wisdom on “Cottage industry”
Provide common sense...
Ghosts in the machine
A haunting question
Could you good chaps help me out with a bit of advice. I’m wondering if ghosts really exist ? The appear in some form or another in so many cultures.
One pearl of wisdom on “Ghosts in the machine”
-
Consultant L Says:
November 8th, 2005 at 11:12 amGhosts don’t exist in our or any other culture. They are merely figments of our imaginations, possibly brought on due to stress, grieving or an over-riding desire for there to be an afterlife. Sometimes physical but explainable phenomena can cause events that appear to be “ghostly”.
Provide common sense...
Lots of Hot Air
Recently asked by someone with regards to energy efficiency
would it be a good idea to attach a heat recovery unit to an air conditioning unit as every time they go by it they note it is giving off a lot of heat
One pearl of wisdom on “Lots of Hot Air”
-
October 27th, 2005 at 2:03 pmBrains are good. They are present in very basic forms of life (e.g. earthworms). It is well known that dinosaurs had small brains.
Provide common sense...
Providing a service
This from the free market economy
What advice would you have for a service provider regarding
services and opening times on public holidays ? When I was living in England I found that, on public holidays, public transport becomes even worse than normal, just when folk might just want to make use of it to reduce carbon emissions. Similarily, many shops I might have spent money in were closed. Is it sensible buisness practice to close when people have time to idle away?
One pearl of wisdom on “Providing a service”
-
October 27th, 2005 at 11:23 amthere are two roads open to us and I think this could be an entire topic of discussion
1. Bank Holidays should have everything open. this would be great for those on holiday but if everything is open this would require more people working therefore less holiday time
2. Bank Holidays should be holidays for all (well sorry but the emergency services may have to work). Depending on what people are wanting to do this would be great. Say you wish to go off to the hills, other than the transport this would not be a prob. But should you wish to go off skiing this would force lots of folk to be working.
As a common sense consultant I am forced to say that we should all take bank holidays as breaks. Folk should chill, relax and contemplate their navel - not enough of this is done these days
K
Provide common sense...
Eager Beaver
Scotland asks
You recently had a go at Scotland over the re-introduction of Beavers. What is your views on this now that england is going ahead with the reintroduction? http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/4380276.stm
Provide common sense...
The Toast of Wales
From the far off land of Wales
recently while staying in a Welsh hotel, I was asked at breakfast whether I wanted brown toast to which I responded yes. Some minutes later I received my toast which was white. When queried the lady replied it was brown and had she over cooked it for me? Does this hotel gain pedant points or are the welsh just backward?
One pearl of wisdom on “The Toast of Wales”
-
October 27th, 2005 at 11:03 amThe Welsh are not backwards; instead, full points to the hotel (and indeed yourself) for pedantry. Well done all. Perhaps next time you could stipulate brown bread toasted until brown, using a Dulux paint chart to indicate the exact shade of brown.
Provide common sense...
Does sun cream go off?
A concerned sun lover querys shop advice
Purveyors of sun cream advise that sun cream will go off after a year and should be thrown away. Is this true or is it a shopkeepers ruse to make you buy more of their products?
3 lacklustre pieces of inspiration on “Does sun cream go off?”
-
October 25th, 2005 at 10:53 amIt would seem that sun cream does indeed have a lifespan, and according to one product on Amazon (Dr.Hauschka Sunscreen Lotion), mineral sun creams last longer than chemical ones and also do not require strong preservatives. New legislation (I think) requires all cosmetic products to have a ‘use-by’ type symbol which give the length of life of the product once opened (e.g., 24 months). I have also come across this comment, which is from the States I presume:
“Sunscreens, like many other products, have a limited shelf life and become less effective over time. Consumers should check the expiry date of their old sunscreen containers and replace them if they are out of date”. - from http://www.bchealthguide.org/healthfiles/hfile26.stm -
October 25th, 2005 at 3:04 pmI have no knowledge of this, and always use factor 8 if i use sun cream at all. i am, after all, Scottish
-
October 27th, 2005 at 11:39 amoh come on. one day we are told we need to take more Vit D supliments and the next to keep out of the sun. Can we not just live a balanced life with a bit of everything.
Oh and yes Sun screen does go off
October 31st, 2005 at 2:30 pm
I can completely understand your concerns. Maybe you should send them a long list of rules and regulations and also maybe suggest some IT training for them. I am sure they will turn out to be lovely folk but to make sure I would suggest liberally filling a glass with whisky and leaving them to it!