Isolated Blurt Thread

[OzoneRed]

Yesterday I came back from a few days away. We visited a garden attraction on the way home and had lunch there.

When we wanted to leave the car wouldn't started with a message "Starting Prevented" - the immobiliser had operated. I tried for some time and then called out the Automobile Association emergency mechanic. When he arrived, the car started first time.

He tried his electronic diagnostics equipment but that showed no faults. To be sure we drove the whole way home without stopping the engine. As soon as we had arrived, I tried restarting the engine only to receive the same message "Starting Prevented".

I left the car overnight and used my other Volvo to get basic shopping.

This morning I tried again - "Starting Prevented".

I thought. What was different when the AA man started the car. My wife told me - the bonnet (US = Hood) and the two front doors were open.

I opened the bonnet and left it open. The car started first time, and every time. I shut the bonnet. The car still restarted. The immobiliser must have reset itself. So now, if I want to start my car, I have to open the bonnet, start the car, shut the bonnet, and then drive off...

Resetting the immobiliser would mean a visit to a Volvo dealer and a couple of hundred pounds charge. I'll keep opening the bonnet!

Have you considered replacing, or jimmying, the sensor which tells the immobilizer the state of the bonnet?

 

[oggbashan]

Have you considered replacing, or jimmying, the sensor which tells the immobilizer the state of the bonnet?

It can only be removed, reprogrammed, or replaced by a Volvo dealer at a cost of several hundred pounds. Interfering with it would make it impossible to start the car.

 

[Handley_Page]

It can only be removed, reprogrammed, or replaced by a Volvo dealer at a cost of several hundred pounds. Interfering with it would make it impossible to start the car.

Had a look at the Haynes manual for it ?

 

[oggbashan]

Had a look at the Haynes manual for it ?

Yes. I have the Haynes manual.

It says "Only a Volvo Main Dealer can work on this."

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I have been completely physically exhausted the last couple of days. I don't know exactly why either.

 

[Handley_Page]

I have been completely physically exhausted the last couple of days. I don't know exactly why either.

Good Luck

Yes. I have the Haynes manual.
It says "Only a Volvo Main Dealer can work on this."

How about an enthusiasts group on Yahoo or similar ?
I ask because the 'black box' doing the nasty to the immobiliser must start with something simple, like a switch of some sort.

 

[oggbashan]

...

How about an enthusiasts group on Yahoo or similar ?
I ask because the 'black box' doing the nasty to the immobiliser must start with something simple, like a switch of some sort.

The online advice is the same: Don't touch! It will immobilise the car permanently.

But - having started the car with the bonnet open, the sensor appears to have reset itself. It is starting first time (or has for the last six times). If the problem happens again, I will open the bonnet, start the car, and continue...

 

[Handley_Page]

The online advice is the same: Don't touch! It will immobilise the car permanently.

But - having started the car with the bonnet open, the sensor appears to have reset itself. It is starting first time (or has for the last six times). If the problem happens again, I will open the bonnet, start the car, and continue...

Anyone would think it was Magic, not electronics.

 

[_Lynn_]

"Sleep," the doctor said. "Your heart and brain will love you," she said.

But she forgot to tell me how to turn off my brain so I can sleep.

 

[glynndah]

Anyone would think it was Magic, not electronics.

Reversing the order makes just as much sense: Anyone would think it was electronics, not Magic.

 

[oggbashan]

Reversing the order makes just as much sense: Anyone would think it was electronics, not Magic.

The immobiliser, and the sensors, are linked into the Volvo's computer system. Any attempt to alter it shuts the car's system down and that can only be reprogrammed by a Volvo dealer.

The good point: Volvos are very difficult to steal or to break into without the Volvo key and key fob. They cannot have their system hacked electronically. The code for the immobiliser and the ignition changes EVERY time the doors are locked or unlocked AND when the key is inserted in the switch.

The bad point: Only a Volvo dealer can sort out a problem using their very expensive equipment that they had to pay thousands of pounds to buy, and hundreds of pounds a year to keep updated.

 

[Handley_Page]

The immobiliser, and the sensors, are linked into the Volvo's computer system. Any attempt to alter it shuts the car's system down and that can only be reprogrammed by a Volvo dealer.

The good point: Volvos are very difficult to steal or to break into without the Volvo key and key fob. They cannot have their system hacked electronically. The code for the immobiliser and the ignition changes EVERY time the doors are locked or unlocked AND when the key is inserted in the switch.

The bad point: Only a Volvo dealer can sort out a problem using their very expensive equipment that they had to pay thousands of pounds to buy, and hundreds of pounds a year to keep updated.

A very valid point, Ogg.

 

[oggbashan]

Yahoo Adult Groups

Before I joined Literotica I used to frequent Yahoo Adult Groups, and contribute to the discussions. I enjoyed interacting with reasonable people.

Then Yahoo started deleting and blocking some of the groups before they had a major flawed redesign of all their groups, adult and not. Since then the groups have deteriorated and many Adult groups are spam infested and/or abandoned by their moderators.

In the last couple of days I have been reviewing my membership of Yahoo Adult groups, deleting my stories from them where I can, and leaving dozens of them because they are no longer worth visiting.

Ten years ago I was a member of at least fifty active groups which had relevant daily posts. It was difficult to keep up with the activity. Recently, despite remaining a mamber of nearly 150 groups, less than five are active even weekly.

Even the non-Adult Yahoo Groups I belong to seem to have withered away.

Was it a deliberate policy by Yahoo? Or has other social media replaced Yahoo Groups?

Back to reviewing/deleting and ending my membership. I have left a dozen groups this morning.

 

[NaokoSmith]

I'm assuming they don't just let you hang out.

I hear their support staff is excellent.

Ogg - sorry to hear about the Yahoo groups. That does sound very strange.

We had a very lovely lunch. Although my students have all been radicalised by the module we are studying so they were passionately discussing the course and related issues One is going to leave her job as a nanny now, as an act of class warfare. (Seriously )

Yesterday I finally managed to strip down ... don't get too excited! my bicycle chain, clean and oil it. It had got rusty and was sticking and even squeaking! How lovely it was on the schoolrun this morning (in spite of having to take the violin which bangs my head as I go). It's such a pleasure bumping up and down on a well-oiled machine

 

[oggbashan]

...
Yesterday I finally managed to strip down ... don't get too excited! my bicycle chain, clean and oil it. It had got rusty and was sticking and even squeaking! How lovely it was on the schoolrun this morning (in spite of having to take the violin which bangs my head as I go). It's such a pleasure bumping up and down on a well-oiled machine

Congratulations on being well-oiled.

Back in the 1970s I was elected as THE Cycling Officer for the Youth Hostels Association for SE England.

Why? No one had ever seen me riding a bicycle.

That was the most telling point in my favour.

The cyclists were split into two factions - the serious cyclists who would cycle hundreds of miles around hostels and the cyclists that just used a bicycle to get to a single hostel and then walk. They detested each other.

The second reason for electing me?

It was one of the few committee meetings that I was unable to attend because of work commitments. I was elected in my absence.

Apart from trying to restore harmony among the two cycling groups, I assumed responsibility for sixty hire bicycles scattered around the hostels. No one had looked at them for over two years. During the three years I held the post I travelled around SE England servicing and repairing the hire bicycles. I still have my cycle repair box with obscure items such as a chain splitter and re-riveter and parts for hub dynamos. Only two weeks ago I gave away my box of light bulbs specially made for cycle dynamos - to a cycle dealer who restores vintage bicycles. Most people have stopped using dynamos because modern LED lights are much more effective.

My isolated blurt:

My older Volvo passed its MOT this morning. The only advisory is a partly worn tyre, but I have a new tyre on a second spare wheel. I'll get that fitted in the next couple of hours and the partly worn tyre (and wheel) can be the spare spare...

Edited for: The spare spare is the wrong size! It's off my old, scrapped Volvo and is too large. But the car's spare was in better condition than the partly worn tyre so that's now on instead of the partly worn tyre.

But I've arranged my cars' paperwork poorly. Both have their MOTs due on two consecutive days, and both insurances renew within the same fortnight. The road tax used to expire in the same month too, but now I pay by direct debit that isn't such a large expense at the same time.

 

[SweetMaj]

I take my medication "Pancillin" and go to sleep...

Then I wake up exhausted and have to take another "shot"...

Then I go to sleep...

Then I wake up and...

 

[NaokoSmith]

...

Then I go to sleep...

Then I wake up and...

Oooh! I am 'under' SweetMaj

 

[NaokoSmith]

Unable to resist popping quickly in for this little blurt, which Ogg and HP will find highly entertaining.

This missive just in from our new VC:

In my last communication to you I reflected on what colleagues had been telling me in my first few weeks and made a strong commitment to taking a "Students First" approach. ...
I am now announcing a number of decisions ... We will:
• Make an unprecedented investment in research, including the Strategic Research Areas (subject to Council agreeing the budget)

So ... we are putting the student first by investing in research. Right. So unlike any other university (not).

Unfortunately in our august institution (which was set up with the mission of providing a university education for non-traditional students who have missed out on it, not at all with the aim of conducting research on a level other universities do), those with power are all heavily invested in research. The people with permanent jobs mostly do research, out of which admittedly they write the teaching materials. Our managers do research, usually at the expense of spending time managing us. Some of us who teach have full time jobs at other universities, where they do research. We who concentrate on teaching for This Place are not allowed to do research. Ours not to reason why. We are on very poorly paid and casualised contracts, and isolated from each other, a situation which looks likely to be continued for the foreseeable future!

 

[Handley_Page]

Unable to resist popping quickly in for this little blurt, which Ogg and HP will find highly entertaining.

This missive just in from our new VC:

In my last communication to you I reflected on what colleagues had been telling me in my first few weeks and made a strong commitment to taking a "Students First" approach. ...
I am now announcing a number of decisions ... We will:
• Make an unprecedented investment in research, including the Strategic Research Areas (subject to Council agreeing the budget)

So ... we are putting the student first by investing in research. Right. So unlike any other university (not).

Unfortunately in our august institution (which was set up with the mission of providing a university education for non-traditional students who have missed out on it, not at all with the aim of conducting research on a level other universities do), those with power are all heavily invested in research. The people with permanent jobs mostly do research, out of which admittedly they write the teaching materials. Our managers do research, usually at the expense of spending time managing us. Some of us who teach have full time jobs at other universities, where they do research. We who concentrate on teaching for This Place are not allowed to do research. Ours not to reason why. We are on very poorly paid and casualised contracts, and isolated from each other, a situation which looks likely to be continued for the foreseeable future!

It seems that the "White Heat" of technology referred to by PM Harold Wilson has cooled a good bit, then.


PS. I notice the trend in gibberish, BTW.
'Strategic Research Area' ? Is that as opposed to 'Tactical' ?

 

[NaokoSmith]

It seems that the "White Heat" of technology referred to by PM Harold Wilson has cooled a good bit, then.


PS. I notice the trend in gibberish, BTW.
'Strategic Research Area' ? Is that as opposed to 'Tactical' ?

I think in this case the 'gibberish' is a tactic designed to try to desguise from us thick lecturers that the VC is not focussing on 'students first' at all .

Aha! the ultimate compliment! My epic fantasy romance novel has been 1-bombed! The votes go
Ch14 -5
Ch15 - 5
Ch16 - 4.33
Ch17 - 3.67
Don't get envious of those 5s, there are only ever two or three votes! I have fewer 'views' than some of you have votes, LOL.

I saw the 1 on Ch.17 last night and of course I knew it was a troll. Only the most ardent of fans has clung on this far, the ones who would give the chapter a 4 or not vote if they weren't sure about it. I was a bit worried that the chapter was too slow but there appear to have been two 5 votes during the night, so I guess it must be OK.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Well, at least I know now where the one-bombings of my chapters are coming from. So glad to have that little mystery cleared up, LOL.

 

[MagicaPractica]

"Sleep," the doctor said. "Your heart and brain will love you," she said.

But she forgot to tell me how to turn off my brain so I can sleep.

*hugs* I have two methods. One, I start trying to think through a story I'm working on - almost always puts me to sleep. Second, I have a mantra of six positive affirmations that I say three times each. Somehow, over the years, I've managed to link them to a state of relaxation. Guided visualizations can help too, you can find them online these days. Good luck.

 

[_Lynn_]

*hugs* I have two methods. One, I start trying to think through a story I'm working on - almost always puts me to sleep. Second, I have a mantra of six positive affirmations that I say three times each. Somehow, over the years, I've managed to link them to a state of relaxation. Guided visualizations can help too, you can find them online these days. Good luck.

Your first method gets me into trouble. I want to (or do) get up and write. The second sounds good (as long as I don't hunt for something when I should be asleep).

 

[Handley_Page]

Your first method gets me into trouble. I want to (or do) get up and write. The second sounds good (as long as I don't hunt for something when I should be asleep).

 

[oggbashan]

I have been to a Wine and Wisdom evening tonight.

Unusually, our team didn't win. We came fifth out of seventeen. Our excuse is that too many questions were about movies and modern pop music when almost all our team should have grey hair.

But I drank a whole bottle of wine by myself. I don't think it affected my performance, only my interest in the result.