strum

Today, Kodi won't open. The opening screen ('first time') runs, but then I'm thrown back to the Android box's Home screen.

This is an Android box, running Kodo 21 - successfully, for years. Worked fine, yesterday.

Is my Android box deliberately strangling Kodi, or is there some wider problem?

There's an abandoned bike - presumably stolen - round the back of Holroyd House, Bedminster. Photo at https://strum.co.uk/bike.JPG

Maybe someone here knows its owner.

Has this word/concept been invented this year?

I've been watching TV cookery progs for 60 years or more, and I've never come across it before.

I'm looking to upgrade my Android box (specifically to play H265), but I also want to load BBC iPlayer & my VPN on it.

I've already bought one box (T95+) which won't load either of these - presumably locked down in China. I've asked questions about this on Ebay/Amazon, but the answer (AI) isn't clear.

Is there any way to identify which boxes are open to all apps and which are locked down?

This morning, I was muttering to myself about having three separate inspection appointments in the month of February - all different days, all requiring me to stay in & wait for someone (who, given prior experience, might not turn up).

Then, I decided to express my grumble in an email to my BCC councillor (Ed Plowden). In reply, he expressed sympathy, but made no promises.

But, within a few hours, BCC re-scheduled two of the appointments, so that the three visits will all happen in one afternoon.

Result!

Thanks to Ed.

As title. I like the idea of Desi pubs. I think they might do well here.

I've been away from Linux for a while. Previously on Mint+Mate, I lapsed into Win10.

Now Win 11 is pushing me away - especially for machines with insufficient storage and/or memory.

So, what recommendation for 'efficient' distros, since Mint+Mate doesn't seem to be available any more?

Particularly for 2Gb RAM, 64Gb SSD notebook (Venturer).

How do I tell Moto to stop wasting my time with 'Monthly Apps Setup' routines - & definitely not installing tacky games apps I don't want?

For those who had given up on this series - it was bitty & inconsistent - can I urge you to catch up on the finale?

The plot was as chaotic as ever, but it was laced with a shower of delicious little gags, exquisitely timed & delivered. Well worth catching.

MOIST

Have I been wrong, my whole life?

I have always believed that the cross on top of a square denoted a steeple (usually square in plan), while a cross on top of a circle denoted a spire (pointed).

But, looking up 'steeple' on Wikipedia, it states they're both 'steeples'. Cross-checking on OS, the square one denotes 'tower', & the circle denotes 'spire'.

Surely, both are 'towers', but one is 'steeple', the other 'spire'.

Or am I wrong?

PSA for National Lottery players: the app now charges double per line - because it automatically selects two lotteries (Wed & Sat), even if you only want one. You are expected to spot this double-dealing, and deselect the one you don't want. I have complained but been brushed aside.

I think we're wrong to attach the 'terrorism' label to every outrage, especially when we don't fully understand what went on.

The murders in Southport were awful, shocking & evil - but were they terrorist?

We didn't call Dunblane terrorism. We didn't call Hungerford terrorism - because they weren't terrorism. They were evil acts, causing profound misery - just like Southport.

What do we gain by lumping these events in the same pigeonholes as 7/7 & Manchester Arena? Does anyone believe that Prevent can prevent sheer, motiveless evil? Can every potential target (millions of them) be made secure?

There have always been evil acts by evil people. We mourn. We bring whatever justice we can to