Take a 2019 Tea Break with Delta

[Mike Harte]

One of the biggest rip-offs in the UK, and probably the majority of Europe, is the cost of spectacle frames. Some moons ago, I had a client who was one of the major importers/distributors of frames in the UK, and the cost to opticians was, in the main, in single digits and that even included all the main "designer" frames; the mark up, including at the big chains such as Boots and Specsavers, is/was horrendous.

Having said that, I would only buy my own specs at a registered optician who would be responsible for ensuring that the optical prescription was correct on new specs, and also to ensure that the frames are the correct size/fit for the patient.

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

One of the biggest rip-offs in the UK, and probably the majority of Europe, is the cost of spectacle frames. Some moons ago, I had a client who was one of the major importers/distributors of frames in the UK, and the cost to opticians was, in the main, in single digits and that even included all the main "designer" frames; the mark up, including at the big chains such as Boots and Specsavers, is/was horrendous.

Having said that, I would only buy my own specs at a registered optician who would be responsible for ensuring that the optical prescription was correct on new specs, and also to ensure that the frames are the correct size/fit for the patient.

The trouble is though Mike with opticians, they can usually see you coming

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

One of the biggest rip-offs in the UK, and probably the majority of Europe, is the cost of spectacle frames. Some moons ago, I had a client who was one of the major importers/distributors of frames in the UK, and the cost to opticians was, in the main, in single digits and that even included all the main "designer" frames; the mark up, including at the big chains such as Boots and Specsavers, is/was horrendous.

Having said that, I would only buy my own specs at a registered optician who would be responsible for ensuring that the optical prescription was correct on new specs, and also to ensure that the frames are the correct size/fit for the patient.

The service element is certainly important but as my need for prescription glasses for distance work (like driving) was quite a mild prescription and the same for both eyes (more or less exactly) and has now seemingly lapsed, I suspect I would have been happy enough with cheapos for situations with increased risk of accidental damage.

For reading glasses - having a few around that are good enough for short periods and cheap enough that breakage or damage is not an issue seems like a reasonable choice. Some seem better than others but they are all at least usable and for a fiver or so I'm not worried.

The only ones that have broken - due to a design weakness - were the cheap but not as cheap pair I bought from my optician's offerings next to his reception desk! Lasted just a few months of not very regular use but the problem was the arm design was susceptible to failure from minimal inadvertent strain.

I do have a problem with frame width sometimes - a slightly wider than typical frame (a few mms) is desirable and not always available. Especially with plastic arms.

However I noticed that a place I have used before for reading glasses was offering 2 new styles of a type I like and both were slightly wider than the ones in that generic style that I have been using for a few years. So I bought both and they are exactly as described. £22 for both, in soft cases, delivery included and arrived next day.

[bauble]

Anyone at Donington this weekend?

[grantp]

Originally Posted by bauble

Anyone at Donington this weekend?

Saturday evening for a couple of hours.

[Brian A]

Originally Posted by bauble

Anyone at Donington this weekend?

Already arrived, and scrutineered. Means that we get a lie in tomorrow morning as our qualifying session is not until 10:20 with race at 14:30. We'll even be home at a civilised time with this timetable - quite a rarity

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by bauble

Anyone at Donington this weekend?

You, I assume, as the Morgan Challenge racers are there!

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

You, I assume, as the Morgan Challenge racers are there!

Mike! You know me too well.

All day Sunday.

[delta]

Originally Posted by bauble

Anyone at Donington this weekend?

Been up today to sort out our Dr Bob . All good now painting workshop floor . The high life of an international race driver .

[Mike Bell]

Don’t know about anyone else, but having watched the black and white footage of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing again, and listened to the story of the whole event- I’m in awe of what an incredible achievement it was! When the LM lands and the fuel readout shows only a few seconds of burn left, that’s close.......

[Peter Mallett]

Agreed Mike. Amazing story and to put it into context, as has been said, most 1970s digital watches had more computing power than the entire Apollo 11 capsule and landing module.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

Agreed Mike. Amazing story and to put it into context, as has been said, most 1970s digital watches had more computing power than the entire Apollo 11 capsule and landing module.

Yes, one commentator suggested a modern fridge had more computing power, but that may a bit of an exaggeration!

When the LM took off from the moon’s surface, Armstrong’s heart rate was only in the 90s, according to what was said on the C4 docu last night, Aldrin’s a bit higher at 120. Just shows what an amazing man Armstrong was......

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Look on the bright side Mike.

Are you talking about sun glasses here? My point of "view" is the same!

Just thoroughly tested an MX5 at Nogaro. What a nice track it is, interesting and 2.24 miles long. Being a car of rental mine is definitely not the best of the batch but enough to bring back all the racing feelings. A necessary come back to the school but a little bit frustrated by the lack of power and the slow maximum speed.
Bauble thanks to you many of my mates call me Gerry now!

[Mike Bell]

Would be good to visit Nogaro, as I always hear good things about it! The B19/SLR owner has an interesting new car for 2020, and I’ve already suggested when it’s ready we test at Nogaro, so much more of an adventure than Silverstone......

[Willmaz223]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Would be good to visit Nogaro, as I always hear good things about it! The B19/SLR owner has an interesting new car for 2020, and I’ve already suggested when it’s ready we test at Nogaro, so much more of an adventure than Silverstone......

I wonder what...?

[Mike Bell]

Not for me to tell, but it’s a small step up from the B19 and will run in CER2....

[Gerard C]

Yes Nogaro is a great track often sunny, good food around and mainly people are helpful…*I say mainly. A long straight and very interesting corners to test both driver skills and chassis abilities. I takes a while if not more to learn all the tricks putting you from fast to very fast tho…

[Tel 911S]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Don’t know about anyone else, but having watched the black and white footage of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing again, and listened to the story of the whole event- I’m in awe of what an incredible achievement it was! When the LM lands and the fuel readout shows only a few seconds of burn left, that’s close.......

If anybody is interested , here is a restored video of the moon landing .
https://youtu.be/S9HdPi9Ikhk

But you do need some spare hours .

[Alan Morgan]

I can also recommend the documentary series "Chasing the Moon" available on BBC iPlayer. No talking heads, no narration, just superb archive footage and contemporary and modern comments from the people involved. The sequence about the Apollo 1 fire was chilling.

I hadn't realised that the person responsible for the return journeys of the Apollo missions was a 25 year old female maths graduate.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Alan Morgan

I can also recommend the documentary series "Chasing the Moon" available on BBC iPlayer. No talking heads, no narration, just superb archive footage and contemporary and modern comments from the people involved. The sequence about the Apollo 1 fire was chilling.

I hadn't realised that the person responsible for the return journeys of the Apollo missions was a 25 year old female maths graduate.

Gee, thanks Alan! That’s 5hrs to watch, and I’m into episode 1 already.....

[E.B]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Don’t know about anyone else, but having watched the black and white footage of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing again, and listened to the story of the whole event- I’m in awe of what an incredible achievement it was! When the LM lands and the fuel readout shows only a few seconds of burn left, that’s close.......

Yeah I watched a doco which included 'the forgotten files', showing lots of unseen behind the scenes stuff.... apparently the pre-selected landing spot had turned into a crater and Armstrong had to cruise around looking for another more suitable spot to land, hence the fuel shortage. But what a cool dude Armstrong was. Nothing seemed to phase him.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by E.B

Yeah I watched a doco which included 'the forgotten files', showing lots of unseen behind the scenes stuff.... apparently the pre-selected landing spot had turned into a crater and Armstrong had to cruise around looking for another more suitable spot to land, hence the fuel shortage. But what a cool dude Armstrong was. Nothing seemed to phase him.

Forgot to mention that as the computer was controlling the landing at the pre-selected site, Armstrong had to ditch the computer's help and had to find a suitable landing spot via camera and do the revised site landing manually!

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Are you talking about sun glasses here? My point of "view" is the same!

Just thoroughly tested an MX5 at Nogaro. What a nice track it is, interesting and 2.24 miles long. Being a car of rental mine is definitely not the best of the batch but enough to bring back all the racing feelings. A necessary come back to the school but a little bit frustrated by the lack of power and the slow maximum speed.
Bauble thanks to you many of my mates call me Gerry now!

Lucky it is not Mohammed.

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by E.B

Forgot to mention that as the computer was controlling the landing at the pre-selected site, Armstrong had to ditch the computer's help and had to find a suitable landing spot via camera and do the revised site landing manually!

The stories I heard on the radio were that they launched the LM about 15 seconds too late and so overshot the original landing site. Hence Armstrong took over, and had to overfly boulders before choosing a new site on the fly.

Apparently there were two audio feeds. One the public could hear and one private just to Houston. The comment "boulders" on the tapes should have been sent to the private feed and went public by mistake.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[S griffin]

It's amazing how they managed to do all that at the time. Just shows how intelligent the astronauts were. And to think as tech has increased we haven't been back to the moon for a long long time