Richard Broom Photography

Photographs, Video and Stuff

Archive for ‘April, 2019’

The T1154 and R1155

The T1154 transmitter and the R1155 receiver were the first radios I used to transmit and receive signals (in my teens in the 1960s). These transmitters and receivers were used in Royal Air Force heavy bombers and other aircraft during World War 2. These transmitters and receivers used Morse code and the morse code signal used to ‘chirp’ (sounded a bit like a demented bird on drugs!). Some ‘chirping’ Morse code here.

Transmitter (top), receiver (bottom) – Richard Broom Photography
Courtesy Wikipedia and the Imperial War Museum

The Not Stinging Nettle

Sue tells me that, whilst the plant/weed shown in the first image below looks like a stinging nettle, it isn’t and you would not be stung if you touched it. I will not be testing this hypothesis. If it looks like a stinging nettle, then it will sting you. I apply the same logic to snakes. If it is a snake, it is poisonous!

For comparison purposes, the image at the bottom of this post is a stinging nettle.

The Not Stinging Nettle (apparently)
The Stinging Nettle – definitely!

The Pooch

Our dog, Katy, who just loves sniffing around in the grass. Katy is a Dutch breed of dog known as Fryske Stabij or Stabyhoun. Dog’s like Katy are meant to be excellent at catching moles and rats. It is fair to say that Katy has never caught anything in her life! It has been said that a Stabyhoun is “not an expert at any particular skill.” That about sums it up and we have a dog with no skills whatsoever unless you consider finding and ripping tissue (especially kitchen paper towels) into a million pieces for no apparent reason to be a skill.

Katy – Richard Broom Photography

The Poo Sucking Pump

If, like we do, you live on a boat then the human waste (AKA pee and poo) has to go somewhere. And so, we have a sealed (very much sealed) tank on the boat known as the Black Tank and, every now and then, we go to the ‘Poo Sucker’ which empties the gently fermenting contents of tank into the town sewage system. Dumping human waste into the sea, canals and rivers is not allowed. Pumping out is a very quick, easy and fragrant process. The image shows the machine which sucks out all the waste.

Lucie
Our boat, Lucie

THE BOOK REVIEW (BR 1) – Trustee From The Tool Room

Well, I have done the odd film review (usually out of the ordinary films) in the past but now it is time for the odd book review too! I’ll go to any lengths to bore people rigid!

Please see my most recent film review + links to other film reviews here.

I’ve been working my way steadily through books I read many, many years ago and I came across a Kindle version of Trustee from the Tool Room written by Nevile Shute . I must have read the book for the first time in the 1960s. Nevile Shute wrote several books which were made into films – notably, A Town Like Alice and On The Beach

Now, you might think a book published in 1960 would be outdated but a good story remains a good story no matter when it was written (think Dickens here).

Trustee From The Toolroom was written before satellite communications, satellite navigation, cellular telephones, fibre optics, wifi and the Internet. This book will take the form of a nostalgia trip for the old geezers like me and, for youngsters, it will provide an interesting insight into the way things used to be before we were deluged with the technology that surrounds us today and the technology we now take for granted. And, by today’s standards, you might find some of what might be described as politically incorrect language just a little jarring but this is a book of its time.

Engineers and technical people might enjoy this book.

Reading Trustee From The Tool Room is a little bit like watching one of those old black and white films from way back. Basically, it is the satisfying story about an unassuming yet talented and skilled man who goes sets off an extraordinary adventure for valid and noble reasons. Like I said, a good read.

I give Trustee From The Tool Room a Richard score of 9/10

THE FILM REVIEW (FR 13) – Margarita, with a Straw

Well, I am back to blogging again and so I really must tell you about this film – Margarita, with a Straw. This really is a “Don’t miss” film.

I wondered, when I saw this film on Netflix, it it was my kind of film. I nearly didn’t watch it, but I am so glad that I did. I’m not sure how I missed this film which came out in 2014. The film points firmly towards the emotional difficulties and frustrations suffered by people who suffer from cerebral palsy.

The film is just WONDERFUL! It is such an uplifting film on so many levels. It was so good, I watched it through twice! The lead actress, Kalki Koechlin truly nails her part in this intriguing film – a simply stunning performance.

Margarita, with a Straw

I give this film (new award scoring system for the rebirth of this blog) a well-deserved Richard Score 10/10!

Interesting background to this excellent film here.

My Earlier Film Reviews:

Film Review 12 – Unfinished Sky

Film Review 11 – Jab Harry Met Sejal

Film Review 10 – Deception

Film Review 9 – Thi Mai

Film Review 8 – Jab We Met and Dhanak

Film Review 7 – Marguerite

Film Review 6 – Queen

Film Review 5 – The Spanish Affair & The Spanish Affair 2

Film Review 4 – Rust and Bone

Film Review 3 – The African Doctor

Film Review 2 – Arctic Heart

Film Review 1 – The Art of Loving

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