Garage
As part of the ongoing tidying and fixing of the garage it became apparent that the roof was leaking. Closer inspection indicated that almost the whole of the edge strip where the roofing felt bends over the edge had split. On getting onto the roof I also discovered that the original installation in several places had left voids and the local gulls had pecked holes through. All these edges now patch fixed but I think we may need a replacement garage roof next year, part of the problem is some sagging between the joists so that on a flat roof, the water simply puddles rather than running off. I have never liked felted, flat-roofs, this one is now 44 years old and showing its age.
Gales
The forecast threats of gales sharpened the mind to the need to get the garage roof fixed, or at least bodge-patched, rapidly. Stella and I got much of it done on Sunday. The finishing off work I did during Tuesday. It seems to have survived the gale; hopefully, it will last through to the Spring when we can see what needs to be done for a proper re-roof. Ideally, I would hope to go for a change with some extra wedge shaped walling at the ends, new joists on a slope and the flat felted roof roof replaced with corrugated sheeting. The alternative is to have it re-felted and then put a sun-deck up there too. The forecast gale; when it arrived was less strong than many we have had recently. I think we escaped quite lightly this time around.
Gunge
So that brings me to gunge, despite wearing riggers gloves, and the oldest set of workwear I could find, the bitumen based roofing felt jollop gets through the tiniest of cracks. Yes it will scrub off, and needs to be as it is mildly hazardous, but how do you get it out from under finger nails?! Despite days of scrubbing there is still an un-shiftable layer underneath the finger nails.
Google, Facebook and changes
Cropped Screen Shot showing the, to me at least, pointless changes to Google.
Google have made, and are making further, changes. I can see the logic in the behind the scenes changes to how they are to index websites that are not structured in a way that is responsive to the device being used to access it. Technology has changed, Google needs to reflect that; yes it if forcing work onto web designers to ensure compliance but that is work that should be undertaken anyway to keep the websites current. What I really can’t see the point in though, and Twitter did the same thing recently, is the switch to round icons and rounded edges to search boxes etc. This seems to be just a design fad and change for change’s sake.
The same can be said of Facebook’s annoying changes made recently (one example below); from a user’s perspective they are just annoying and are making social media, at least the FB aspect of it, more difficult. Shooting one’s self in the foot comes to mind, make it harder to use and people won’t bother adding their content, less content less viewers, less viewers, less adverting revenue. This does not appear to require a genius to see.
Facebook no longer supports Publicise connections to Facebook Profiles, but you can still connect Facebook Pages. Please select a Facebook Page to publish updates to.
GDPR, was it pointless?
Now this is shaking down was it pointless? Today I startled one of the junk callers as they were clearly from the slightly more responsible end of this annoying trade. It was a human caller, not a recording, and obviously not expecting what she got. I definitely think my request that my details to be removed from their database under GDPR was not what she was expecting! Since doing that I have now decided I can use this regulation to my satisfaction. How? The next time someone rings I am going to ask them to supply me with my full details, as held under GDPR, and log their’s too so I can check compliance. On receipt of the info’ I will then add to their workload by asking them to remove it! Let’s annoy these blighters back!
Of course the counter problem is that regarding most of these annoying SPAM and Junk callers/emailers the GDPR is totally pointless – if you are spamming you are hardly likely to be operating within, or with a care for, the law or bothered about compliance with it. Very pleased though to note from the news that the regulations do have teeth and the first high-profile offender has been fined.
Writing and editing
Moving on from the G’s another SLS Journal done and published. All that needs doing now, and all is one of those words with a hidden meaning, is update the website with the latest contents. Why has all got a hidden meaning? The answer is simple, it appears to be an easy job, but in actuality is a lot of fuss and faff making changes to around a dozen pages to varying degrees of alteration. It will be done but may be delayed a bit.
SLS Journal cover