Nostr notes by Hugh

More telephones. ...

2026-05-23T05:39:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…68rt
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More telephones.

It's almost 9am and I'm at this insalubrious bus ...

2026-05-22T23:45:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…q8th
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It's almost 9am and I'm at this insalubrious bus terminal, smelling of diesel fumes.

More popular than the public transport is the tonkatsu restaurant here, that has a queue of hundreds stretching around the terminal 😅😂 Seriously!

Clearly this is excellent tonkatsu!

(Sadly I cannot take a photo, as it obviously contains many people)

It's also worth sharing a photo of the dispatcher's ...

2026-05-22T06:35:54Z

In reply to nevent1q…txrn
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It's also worth sharing a photo of the dispatcher's console, used on the Shinkansen platforms.

Their role seems to be solely to open and close the platform edge doors, and some associated safety checks.

Looks pretty cool through!

Time for some more phones? Seems like the Shinkansen's ...

2026-05-22T06:32:39Z

In reply to nevent1q…wvwa
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Time for some more phones?

Seems like the Shinkansen's character is keen on them too!

Back to trains: the Kamome Shinkansen is the silliest railway. ...

2026-05-21T09:37:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…ql37
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Back to trains: the Kamome Shinkansen is the silliest railway. It's the shortest Shinkansen, and goes from Nagasaki to the middle of nowhere in ~20 minutes.

Why is that? Politicians in the next prefecture don't want the Shinkansen...

So instead, you get shuttled between Takeo-Onsen and Hakata where you can connect with the rest of the Shinkansen network.

Maybe one day they'll join it all up...

Naturally, there is also a payphone here - priorities. Being ...

2026-05-21T08:40:38Z

In reply to nevent1q…qezg
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Naturally, there is also a payphone here - priorities.

Being particularly remote and inaccessible, I wonder when it was last used? It's working, of course.

On the surface there are various buildings in an advanced state ...

2026-05-21T08:38:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…2wvy
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On the surface there are various buildings in an advanced state of decay.

I particularly enjoyed the solitary digger, sitting on the spoil heap and looking out to sea 😢

On the island is Ikeshima Coal Mine; which operated from the ...

2026-05-21T08:31:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…6jst
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On the island is Ikeshima Coal Mine; which operated from the ~1950s through to closure in the late 90s.

Most of the "island" is actually spoil from under the seabed, and the surface buildings are largely abandoned and rotting away. But you can go on (a very limited) tour!

The mine itself is there and used for training, although the future of that is uncertain. Unfortunately access underground is not generally available :(

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B1%A0%E5%B3%B6%E7%82%AD%E9%89%B1

It's now time to catch a ferry to a tiny island just off the ...

2026-05-21T01:31:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…gdcy
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It's now time to catch a ferry to a tiny island just off the coast; requiring the negotiation of two buses to the middle of nowhere - that was a little strenuous.

This is really quite rural Japan!

I don't really know how you'd do this trip without Google Maps; it's extremely hard to find information about these routes unless you read/write Kanji. Even with Google Maps, actually finding the right bus is a challenge and requires Google Translating images.

Some more Kyoto ICC photos. #architecture #brutalism ...

2026-05-19T13:00:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…qs68
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Some more Kyoto ICC photos.

#architecture #brutalism #BrutalistArchitecture

And in the same spirit as @npub1lkv…4trs, today I visited the ...

2026-05-19T12:54:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…chsk
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And in the same spirit as Jana (npub1lkv…4trs), today I visited the International Conference Centre in Kyoto to appreciate the fascinating "metabolistic" architecture.

The home of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, but its cuboid cousin in Tokyo is more famous: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_International_Conference_Center

It's set in a lovely and extensive park, which was fun to explore.

#architecture #BrutalistArchitecture #brutalism

I know what we're missing: more telephones. Some of these are ...

2026-05-19T12:40:36Z

In reply to nevent1q…n5lm
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I know what we're missing: more telephones.

Some of these are imposters; they're not actually branded as NTT.

I heard fedi likes trains (especially @npub1zpx…8vpf). So ...

2026-05-19T07:03:21Z

In reply to nevent1q…qdf7
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I heard fedi likes trains (especially aetios HATES GOOGLE (npub1zpx…8vpf)). So here's some trains!

That thing looks absolutely terrifying!

2026-05-19T05:14:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…32z9
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That thing looks absolutely terrifying!

Some random gebakje photos from today: 1. JR reservation system ...

2026-05-18T09:03:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…elyw
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Some random gebakje photos from today:

1. JR reservation system (MARS)
2. DENSO instrument cluster from the 80s
3. DENSO BMS and battery
4. Brother Takeru

The last is the most interesting and I'd never heard of it; Japanese wiki here: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%BD%E3%83%95%E3%83%88%E3%83%99%E3%83%B3%E3%83%80%E3%83%BCTAKERU

In classic Japanese style, everything must be a vending machine. And so this is a vending machine for software! You insert a floppy disk, make your selection and boom.

Sadly this didn't catch on 😔

Luggage lockers are underrated and we should have them in the UK. ...

2026-05-18T07:53:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…ksdc
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Luggage lockers are underrated and we should have them in the UK. Plentiful and happily exactly the right size for my suitcase.

I guess if your case is considered oversized by Shinkansen standards then you're out of luck.

Tied to the indefatigable IC too, so no receipt to misplace...

(I know why we don't, Japan seems to manage...)

Some more telephones, to balance things out. One is on a ...

2026-05-18T07:48:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…ywv6
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Some more telephones, to balance things out. One is on a Shinkansen!

A station is being rebuilt here in Nagoya. So they are paying a ...

2026-05-18T05:03:03Z

In reply to nevent1q…m2nd
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A station is being rebuilt here in Nagoya.

So they are paying a person to stand in direct sun and blow a whistle, each time a train approaches. As you can see, the worksite is completely bounded by fencing.

It looks like a horrible job.

Now for some hydroelectric infrastructure photos from the rather ...

2026-05-17T13:26:07Z

In reply to nevent1q…qljt
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Now for some hydroelectric infrastructure photos from the rather pretty Kuobe Gorge.

This is definitely extremely touristy, and there's a much more interesting infrastructure tour available once they fix the earthquake damage 😬 Still, nice to see some green!

There are multiple dams going up the gorge; each flowing into each other. The railway was built to support construction and is still used today to get material up the gorge.

Brief interlude to declare that I've found the best bar in ...

2026-05-17T13:01:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…y7xm
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Brief interlude to declare that I've found the best bar in Osaka. It was absolutely rammed yesterday; people just kept coming!

Open very late, serves good (local) beer, fried chicken and gyoza. What's not to like?

Everyone coming through the door gets a personal welcome from the chef 🙂

GPS: 34.6735112, 135.4983739
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aZki1FDEbTVSFhPT6

Some more Expo 70 photos. ...

2026-05-17T12:54:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…hcsp
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Some more Expo 70 photos.

Note that the UK pagoda (presence) was typically tasteful and ...

2026-05-16T08:35:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…hwt8
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Note that the UK pagoda (presence) was typically tasteful and muted; not trying too hard to be conspicuous but yet prominent enough to stand out from the crowd. /s

It appears the obsession with flags is deep rooted.

And a study in brand guidelines and iconography for the World ...

2026-05-16T08:27:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…vl57
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And a study in brand guidelines and iconography for the World Expo 70, held in Osaka that year - my favourite :neocat_heart:

Which other event needs iconography for a Monorail? 😁

#design #iconography

Some more telephones, because apparently this is a thing now. ...

2026-05-16T08:18:26Z

In reply to nevent1q…3le5
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Some more telephones, because apparently this is a thing now.

Other important infrastructure in Tokyo: The ubiquitous NTT ...

2026-05-15T13:17:30Z

In reply to nevent1q…rwez
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Other important infrastructure in Tokyo:

The ubiquitous NTT phone, in very well kept and working phone booths (cc. Eloy. 🔜 BornHack (npub1xcp…a2qc) I've definitely seen these on eBay)

CYBER, whilst grabbing sushi with ripper (npub1p7s…2qzt)

My Suica has been vandalised! It transpires this has a leuco ...

2026-05-15T06:52:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…vv0h
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My Suica has been vandalised!

It transpires this has a leuco rewritable coating, so special products (like this 1 day season) are literally lasered onto the front (including a map!) and overwritten/removed once used.

Extremely extra but very cool. I've never seen one of these in the wild before.

https://www.ricoh.com/technology/tech/062_laserrewritable

Salted herring and tuna broccoli salad is the ideal breakfast ...

2026-05-14T22:11:27Z

In reply to nevent1q…qkk0
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Salted herring and tuna broccoli salad is the ideal breakfast 👍 Japan has already won me over.

Other Western tourists are eyeing the options with great suspicion!

The local currency here. ...

2026-05-14T09:16:58Z

In reply to nevent1q…7r3q
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The local currency here.

Time for plane no. 2. I enjoyed the 10 minutes spent landside at ...

2026-05-14T02:45:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…vxgn
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Time for plane no. 2.

I enjoyed the 10 minutes spent landside at Shanghai.

Culturally, even though this is a fairly major international airport, it felt very different to the West.

The sheer number of staff milling around! The immigration agents had a sort of parade with their stamps.

Security felt rather dated in comparison, although certainly effective. My bag was dissected several times!

Departing London; little bit moist. Shanghai 🔜 Pleased to have ...

2026-05-13T12:02:34Z

Departing London; little bit moist. Shanghai 🔜

Pleased to have an entire row to myself 😁

Apparently it's normal, in Germany, to have multiple phases ...

2025-11-28T07:25:37Z

Apparently it's normal, in Germany, to have multiple phases to domestic properties? 🤔 Indeed, your oven will expect 2/3 phase.

Is the UK weird in having high-current single phase as the norm?

(3-phase in homes becomes more common as people install car chargers etc.)

Huh; dynamic pricing strikes again. My breakfast was included in ...

2025-11-12T23:21:35Z

In reply to nevent1q…8c54
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Huh; dynamic pricing strikes again.

My breakfast was included in the rate and was not €90 extra.

I would also not pay an extra €90 for breakfast at that particular hotel.

Which hotel are you staying at?!?

2025-11-12T23:18:42Z

In reply to nevent1q…25jd
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Which hotel are you staying at?!?

I think I'll keep my phone permanently in "do not ...

2025-11-11T14:34:14Z

I think I'll keep my phone permanently in "do not disturb" mode.

It's much less distracting.

My team is hiring 🚀 If you're interested in Big Data or ...

2025-10-03T12:21:59Z

My team is hiring 🚀

If you're interested in Big Data or Big Compute and enjoy figuring out how to process TBs of data ingestion, transformations & queries on a daily basis, then please consider joining us.

We're a small & friendly team split across London and Tallinn (beautiful city), where this role is based.

Happy to answer any questions 🙂 Boosts appreciated.

https://wise.jobs/job/senior-platform-engineer-analytics-platform-python-in-tallinn-jid-2039

#getfedhired #jobseu #jobs

Hard drive neutralised :neocat_gun: ...

2025-09-12T19:00:58Z

Hard drive neutralised :neocat_gun:

I'm living in the wrong part of the world 🥺

2025-07-17T21:06:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…8g9u
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I'm living in the wrong part of the world 🥺

Blinkenlights :neocat_magnify: ...

2025-05-24T16:34:23Z

Blinkenlights :neocat_magnify:

No one comes to visit the UK for the sake of it, they're only ...

2025-05-24T10:46:17Z

No one comes to visit the UK for the sake of it, they're only coming to take Yorkshire Tea back with them

Hmm maybe I should do this. I'm not sure it's something ...

2025-04-15T00:26:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…wz8r
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Hmm maybe I should do this. I'm not sure it's something the NHS does...

I'm not holding my breath (yet) but credit where credit is ...

2025-04-04T13:53:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…evwn
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I'm not holding my breath (yet) but credit where credit is due: the Andrews & Arnold Ltd (AAISP) (npub1sv0…rq9x) Ethernet team seem to have corralled CityFibre into: accepting a signed Wayleave, agreeing we've consented to the design documents and accepting that there are now no blockers to the civils work 🎉

I hope to be a very grateful and happy customer shortly! It really demonstrates the importance of small firms who're willing to go the extra mile for their customers - $otherISP just brushed me off.

Thanks again RevK :verified_r: (npub12hz…ynw4) 🆎 (npub1z23…qh88) 🙏

👀 Having a degree of FOMO about not being there! (I'm in ...

2025-04-03T14:06:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…xu27
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👀 Having a degree of FOMO about not being there! (I'm in Ireland)

May be about on Monday, depending on your location and availability? :)

Oh, you're here for Kubecon? 👀

2025-04-03T12:56:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…j9cj
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Oh, you're here for Kubecon? 👀

CityFibre are the most useless infrastructure provider. A year ...

2025-03-26T11:05:08Z

CityFibre are the most useless infrastructure provider.

A year later they've cancelled the Andrews & Arnold Ltd (AAISP) (npub1sv0…rq9x) order several times, been given the signed wayleave several times (after finally accepting that the freeholder isn't a massive corporate) and I've even sent them *their* design documents they supplied: *3* years old and apparently forgotten.

A&A have been awesome throughout and have gone above and beyond.

However we still have no idea whether CF will even accept the wayleave, let alone install!

Could a #Forgejo expert help me understand how the OAuth2 client ...

2025-03-23T20:50:06Z

Could a #Forgejo expert help me understand how the OAuth2 client is supposed to work?

Odd behaviour:
- Despite setting the option to automatically create the account, they're prompted to enter their username & email manually on first login
- HTTP local auth doesn't seem to work with OAuth2. I think it should attempt a PKCE challenge and throw the user out to the IdP in the browser. Instead, they can't login.

Documentation seems to be lacking. Am I doing something very wrong?

Interesting to see your working here, thank you! Small point: ...

2024-12-22T13:17:17Z

In reply to nevent1q…pun4
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Interesting to see your working here, thank you!

Small point: your post appears to have been published in the future 🙂 (2025-12-22)

Hmm, it might be a little tricky in that case - wasn't sure ...

2024-12-18T22:58:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…vg0w
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Hmm, it might be a little tricky in that case - wasn't sure if you'd be around over the weekend and into next week :)

Nice! Welcome back? Let me know if you have some time and would ...

2024-12-18T21:48:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…q8p0
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Nice! Welcome back?
Let me know if you have some time and would like to meet up 🙂

Was an image of said bagel shop supposed to be attached? 😅

2024-12-16T07:23:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…se49
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Was an image of said bagel shop supposed to be attached? 😅

Interrail works best when you're doing lots of regional ...

2024-11-26T23:33:52Z

In reply to nevent1q…jhsn
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Interrail works best when you're doing lots of regional multihops or big distances across borders.
Work out the cost per day on your pass. If you're going to the next town over on a day trip, it's probably best to buy a ticket for that rather than spend an Interrail day.

(In case you didn't know, with Flexi passes you activate on the first day, and then on subsequent days within the validity period)

Yeah it really can be unfortunately, and especially in the ...

2024-11-26T23:31:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…2ef9
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Yeah it really can be unfortunately, and especially in the summer.

Interrail reservations are quota controlled separately to other tickets so they sell out quickly.

SNCF are particularly bad for making everything they can reservation required. The app will tell you, but it's broadly all TGVs and sleepers plus some others.

Anything DB (except sleepers and a couple of cross-border NL ICEs) don't require reservations, same with NS and SNCB. DSB too I believe.

Yes. Depends what you want tips on? Trains? Reservations? ...

2024-11-26T23:09:04Z

In reply to nevent1q…4vfs
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Yes. Depends what you want tips on?
Trains? Reservations? Accomodation?

I strongly recommend https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Nicky-Gardner/Europe-by-Rail-The-Definitive-Guide-18th-edition/31002199 as a starting point for good routes, and things to see on them.

Also Man in Seat 61.

Interrail Pass app is fine for most things.
There's a little known SNCB booking engine for Eurostar reservations which _doesn't_ require a pass number to check availability.

Jon Worth (npub10ra…24jw) is permanently on Interrail and can answer most questions 🙂

Does anyone have any recommendations for an IdP that isn't as ...

2024-11-17T20:23:53Z

Does anyone have any recommendations for an IdP that isn't as Java-y as Keycloak? Ideally something a little lighter weight.

Does he oppose a bridge? :) Mastodon != Fedi fwiw. (Btw this ...

2024-11-15T21:07:40Z

In reply to nevent1q…xxwp
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Does he oppose a bridge? :)

Mastodon != Fedi fwiw.

(Btw this wasn't supposed to be snarky or rhetorical; I genuinely don't know what his position on this is!)

I don't really want to use Bsky directly; I want federation ...

2024-11-15T19:27:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…pp4u
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I don't really want to use Bsky directly; I want federation to reach the point where I can interact with folks on there as seamlessly as every other fedi server.

The Dodo pubs in Oxford are solid (Rusty Bicycle, Rickety Press, ...

2024-11-11T22:32:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…ke4w
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The Dodo pubs in Oxford are solid (Rusty Bicycle, Rickety Press, Up in Arms). Can recommend their cocktail menu too.

If you want quirky then the Mad Hatter does decent pizza and is... interesting. Their website is awful but you can just rock up most nights and there's often live music.

Other pubs available. Fancier dining is also possible but afraid I don't have much more than student recommendations :)

I went to see a staging of Waiting for Godot - it's on at the ...

2024-10-24T22:00:15Z

I went to see a staging of Waiting for Godot - it's on at the Haymarket.
Overall I enjoyed the play; it's a complex script with some deep underlying messages. At the core, I would say it's a story of unconditional love & friendship.

However, I was disappointed by the staging. It seems everyone goes for a classic, bleak and spartan backdrop.

To me the incongruity of the protagonists with the unrelenting passage of time is key to the central message.

I would set it on a Tube platform.

Is this a suggestion i should join Bsky? 👀 I looked at doing ...

2024-10-19T07:53:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…v58s
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Is this a suggestion i should join Bsky? 👀

I looked at doing it, but their 'PDS' documentation was poor and it seemed more like a fig leaf for 'own your data' than a serious attempt.

Are the issues you see with Mastodon specifically or fedi as a whole?

Has anyone written something that optimizes the cost of commuting ...

2024-10-18T09:05:23Z

Has anyone written something that optimizes the cost of commuting Vs the difference in house prices for certain categories?

eg.
an annual season from RDG to PAD is £5600
from EPS to WAT is £2844

From cursory glances the difference in house prices for a 1 bed flat is around £20-30k. So it would take approximately 7-10 years to 'recover' the train fares in the increased house price, however of course that £30k is equity you've gained (minus the interest).

So it seems a worthwhile problem.

If it helps, mine (from MoJ) didn't. I imagine not, as the ...

2024-09-25T19:48:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…nfgx
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If it helps, mine (from MoJ) didn't.

I imagine not, as the font file is rather tightly controlled. You're not supposed to use it on a live service that hasn't gone through the GDS Service Assessment.

And each department has different suppliers for IT equipment, so things like that wouldn't be standard across the board 😅

(There are framework contracts like G-Cloud for stuff like Microsoft licencing and AWS, I don't think hardware goes through that)

This is kinda before my time, but I don't think it's how ...

2024-06-09T10:53:41Z

This is kinda before my time, but I don't think it's how phones are supposed to work 🤨

not sure! Andy being whom?

2024-06-08T04:36:44Z

In reply to nevent1q…kkzy
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not sure! Andy being whom?

Local pub knows their clientele well! One for next year ...

2024-06-07T18:42:17Z

Local pub knows their clientele well!

One for next year Stephen Early (npub1mfg…v5nz)? 😛