The new balance

For the tech-heads amongst us,

if you should ever want to pick up caller id with a GSM modem, you should know that the usual AT commands to initialize the feature on the receiving modem don't work. So, for Google's benefit, these are useless:

• AT+VCID=1


• AT#CID=1




The correct string to use is:
AT+CLIP=1

Thanks to smotbd in this Experts Exchange article about a completely different problem (scroll to toward the bottom).

This afternoon the weather was absolutely beautiful, and there were several gliders up from Wycombe Air Park. I thought I'd pop up there (a couple of miles at the most from Mum's) and take a look around.

I started by dropping into the office, logbook in hand. That broke the ice with the receptionist immediately, and we got chatting about prices for flying in the club. Finally, she radioed the launch point and the CFI, Mike Cotter gave me the go-ahead to enter the field and pay them a visit.
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As much for my reference as anything, I'd like to make a note about the new Linux Broadcom drivers for wireless chipsets. It all went wrong for me when I upgraded kernels. Thankfully, I can still hook up via my phone.

Firstly, the README is very useful...

Secondly, this is the important bit:

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Managed to work out the widget thingie. Why they make it so complicated defeats me. Anyhow, here's the progress of the appeal. Do donate if you can: it's a good cause which may make a difference for Jamie in the future.

See the Guardian article on traffic light removal in Ealing.

A comment from one user: PhilippaB at 06 May 09, 2:07pm

The electric traffic light ...is a device inimical to the British character of waiting our turn. The British people should be trusted. When given freedom, a spontaneous order emerges, not anarchic chaos. We form a polite queue.

Isn't there then a danger that at busy junctions/crossroads, traffic will be slowed down even more as people wave each other on with cheerful cries of "after you, my good man!" - "no, please, I insist, after you!" - "Oh, really, you are too kind, good sir, but I really must insist!" - "Nay, sirrah, the privilege is yours!" etc etc.

Thus, traffic lights could be seen as actually speeding traffic up, by preventing drivers from being rendered immobile by their innate sense of generosity and fair play.

More tea vicar?

Wonderful. The British sense of humour.

Nokia, with all their technical capability, seems to have totally eschewed the concept of a normal ringtone. You know, one that sounds like you work for an exclusive agency just behind Bond Street. I am consequently indebted to Peter for his excellent tone.

I've been borrowing Dad's huge Citroen Synergie. I've had a few problems with it, but none as bad as yesterday's...




...the exhaust pipe, which I now realise to be as old as the car has literally rotted and turned to brown dust. Here's a picture. Nasty, isn't it? The problem point is after the cat and just at the join to the small box.



The car sounds like a tractor - I literally have to coast past pedestrians to avoid attracting attention (this car doesn't normally turn heads). In addition, the fumes are coming out under the car and getting into the cabin, which is unhealthy and unpleasant. Interestingly, the performance has improved dramatically, effectively making the engine note and road behaviour like that of a hypothetical "sports tank". I assume the improvement in acceleration and extra torque is due to the car not having too much difficulty in expelling the exhaust gas.

Well, I'm obviously not driving it any more as running without any exhaust compression could damage the engine, according to Dad, but on a bank holiday weekend, I can't get anyone to mend it, either. And no temporary fix will work as the metal is so fragile.

Here's the musing:

What about some thick, spray-on, heat-proof foam? If no part were available, you would simply align the two broken components, support them temporarily and spray the gloop around the join. It would expand and set hard, fixing the pipe in place.

Anyhow, muse over. I'll have to get it fixed on Tuesday, but I might be able to order the part before then.