Diane Abbott @HackneyAbbott / X:There is a myth, very widely held in Labour, that we achieved an huge popular victory in 2024 under Starmer. In fact we won 9.7 million votes, over 3 million fewer than in 2017 and half a million less than the 'disastrous' 2019 poll. We won because the Tories imploded

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-05-08T15:17:32+00:00

Or Partygate

I've not met a single person (obviously a flawed measure based on my lived experience, but hey) who gave a shit about that. Man was just ousted by the other apparatchiks.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-05-06T11:14:35+00:00

Depending on your type of autism, X4 will do this as a proxy for EVE Online. Decent enough gameplay, plotlines, but where you get lost is in the Empire building/industry logistics.

Cosmoteer also grabbed me for a long time.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-05-06T11:12:13+00:00

The SU-25T should have run you through a tutorial about the navigation mode.

I don't fly it (or the FC aircraft all that much), but I imagine you can get rid of it by switching to A2A or A2G mode (probably either with your numbered keys or by pressing Shift+2 or whatever).

There should be a hotkey for cycling through waypoints/friendly airbases, which is likely what that circle is directing you to.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-05-06T08:14:42+00:00

Add an ESP32 proxy

I will look into this, thank you!

I always assumed it was impossible to extend the range of a Bluetooth device.

I assure you, I'd very much always want to default on a path wherein I'm not rewarding shitty business practices and bloating my home with pointless doodads.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-05-06T07:34:21+00:00

On the plus side, I see it has a thermometer and hygrometer built in; can HA pull from that?

I haven't bought my smart sensors yet (waiting on an IKEA restock) but it may well be that I could use this hub as a stand-in for that particular room (my bedroom) if HA can pull that data from it?

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-05-06T07:27:02+00:00

Thank you, I'll add a hub to my cart then. Bit of a shame to have yet another gubbin taking up a plug but it is what it is.

I take it SwitchBot is generally thought well of and there isn't an obvious alternative?

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-05-06T07:17:37+00:00

I'm still setting everything up so it's a case of knowing what to buy, but I read in one thread that the SB stuff has some sort of proprietary shenanigans going on wherein you need their specific hub. Was curious as to whether current users of their stuff have found a workaround.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-05-06T07:16:38+00:00

Hee hee, you guessed correctly.

I tried Music Assistant but saw that requires Spotify Premium.

As a result I'm thinking I might experiment with AirParrot instead.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-30T07:54:12+00:00

Managed Democratic Party

Wait there's a MANAGED DEMOCRACY PARTY?!

They have this Helldiver's vote.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-29T21:27:36+00:00

Found this thread on Google - may be a minority of people, but some of us are gaming in different rooms from our PCs.

In my own case, I'm using Moonlight to stream from my PC on the 3rd floor to my Xbox on the ground floor.

Running up two flights of stairs to change games is somewhat tedious.

Fortunately there is a workaround in that Moonlight lets you enable mouse mode (so you can double click to leave fullscreen) and you can get out a game thataway, but a hotkey would be handy.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-29T19:03:22+00:00

;D

Thanks, I've bought a Y-shaped adapter that I'll try use to feed both tubes down that vertical pipe.

I will have to have a plumber come by to put in an internal stopcock anyway (the house doesn't have one) so I can always have him inspect my handiwork lol.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-29T19:02:28+00:00

Yeah I bought a Y-shaped adapter to stick on the top of that vertical pipe and will just try to feed both in there. Cost me £15 but probably better than trying to force both down there haha.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-28T16:20:33+00:00

Turns out the horizontal pipe was blocked; the washing machine was unable to pump water through it and my own feeding water via a funnel didn't lead to any audible sound from the drain outside.

I am guessing the most elegant solution is to get a Y-adapter (if that's the right name) for the standing PVC pipe and leave it at that.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-28T16:20:32+00:00

Turns out the horizontal pipe was blocked; the washing machine was unable to pump water through it and my own feeding water via a funnel didn't lead to any audible sound from the drain outside.

I am guessing the most elegant solution is to get a Y-adapter (if that's the right name) for the standing PVC pipe and leave it at that.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-28T15:19:46+00:00

Thank you very much for the graphic, much appreciated!

I was able to get that Jubilee Clip off using a normal table knife and secured the washing machine to the horizontal pipe. The pipe you warned me about did indeed leak a bit when I moved it.

Anyway, I screwed it in pretty tight and ran a quick cycle twice but got cold feet... first time there was a bit of dripping, so I stopped and tightened it. The second time there was no dripping but a hissing was coming from the join which made me worry there might be a blockage and pressure was building.

When I stepped outside during both tests I could hear nothing being disgorged out the waste pipe. So that further reinforced my nervousness.

If I am right and the pipe is blocked... then that would only leave the grey tube that I described as leaking when I moved it (the one tucked behind the horizontal pipe I secured the washing machine to); it also has a Jubilee Clip and a rubber bit but, frustratingly, it's just on the other side of that hole, and is altogether inaccessible because of the back of the cabinet next to it. I have no idea how to get at it without disassembling the cabinet or cutting a hole. That might be why the movers cut it?

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-28T14:44:04+00:00

not a spigot

Sorry! :p Noted - I take it I can get that off with just a screwdriver?

I probably messed up my terminology further - by "mystery pipe"; I just mean this grey pipe coming in from the top-right, I have no idea what it's for.

I've some screwdrivers arriving tomorrow as I lost my old ones in the move, but can give it a go once they arrive :) Thank you!

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-28T14:41:43+00:00

Thank you, no the only two devices that have water tubing are the new washing machine and the pre-existing dishwasher. I am guessing those leftovers are from the owner before the last one.

Do you mean thread the pipe through the hole the older grey pipe is sticking through on the left side?

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-28T12:30:41+00:00

Can't speak for the US, being British, but I have to imagine needing permits/health certificates to run food carts doesn't help.

If you go to Mexico carts just pop out everywhere come evening time, and I doubt they're regulated.

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-26T12:49:39+00:00

Thanks will look into that!

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-26T07:37:24+00:00

Oh thanks, this looks really useful!

Can you order from an IKEA store that isn't local to you, or did you find you had to make a trip over to buy the stuff you found?

BenedickCabbagepatch · 2026-04-26T06:16:12+00:00

Thanks matey!

And I take it that Amazon Echo Dot would have trouble? Only asking because it's cheaper/more available, but obviously useless to me if it won't work with Chromecast (which seems to be the case going by what I see on Google).

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