Steve Walker

If it really is spare, and you're happy to share it, no problem. The reason I wouldn't do it is that I work from home and it would compromise security too much for me to be comfortable. It isn't so much that someone could access the internet from my network, more that getting onto my LAN bypasses the first layer of security of my systems.

Just googled those, you're right about the roach resemblance. I'd love a large tank with a good sized shoal of tinfoil barbs, they're gorgeous fish. Ain't going to happen in this house, though; the missus *really* wants a rift valley cichlid tank, as do I, but after much debate we agreed there was absolutely nowhere to put one. It would make a lot more sense than a soft water tank with the tap water round here, though. You're also right about the retailers. The place I use is a little family business run by real enthusiasts. Some of the other outlets are scandalous. One of them had white spot running rampant in the display tanks, dead and dying fish and severely emaciated clown loach on display. They were also selling small rainbow trout (in terrible condition, fin rot and saprolegnia), barbel and chub for garden ponds.

The honest and the lazy dishonest, I suppose.

Make it less available and they will make time to do it. Cracking WEP encryption isn't something the average PC user would know where to begin with, though. If I lived in high density housing where I didn't know my neighbours, I might worry about it, given that there are WEP crack tools available on the web. Other than screw it down tight (enable WEP, disable DHCP, disable SSID broadcast, disable UPNP, restrict to known MAC addresses, ensure that hosts on your network are themselves secure) I'm not sure what else you can do; use a wired network or build a Faraday cage round your house, perhaps It's just like securing your house, if someone is sufficiently motivated to break in, they will find a way. If they know about the formula on your PC for a secret bait irresistible to carp, they might eventually hack their way in, otherwise I shouldn't think they'll bother.

It's fairly easy to secure a wlan against the casual interloper anyway; disabling DHCP and restricting the MAC addresses of devices which can connect will be enough to deter someone who will give up at the first problem. Enabling WEP isn't difficult (not on mine, anyway) and although WEP is crackable[0], I think it's unlikely anyone would go to that much effort. [0] WEP Strength

Terrible. Chances of them ever being caught are roughly zero, of course. Sadly, there is a downside to angling being so inclusive and cutting across all social strata; we get our fair share of pondlife.

As I understand it, the thing with the Xmas decorations was more to do with your second point than with any ethnic or religious minority objecting; well-meaning idiots getting upset on their behalf and without their consent. It seems to be part of the culture of corporate cowardice within local government and service provision; everyone desperately covering their arses in case they might get sued or, worse, denounced as "institutionally *(ist / phobic / whatever)". The sad thing is that if you talk to the individuals concerned, they'll admit privately that they think it's a load of b*llocks, but they're all too scared to mention that the Emperor's bits are on display. By and large, all people want is to be left alone to live in their own way, within the law. When they step outside of those bounds they need to be jumped on from a great height, of course.

Ken, I think it's unlikely that mine were wild-caught, given that they seem easy to breed and weren't that expensive. As you say, it seems unlikely that they would breed if the pH and hardness were intolerable, usually excess hardness prevents fertilization of the eggs. In the past, I've occasionally had goldfish make a full recovery from dropsy, but it's been caused by osmotic stress through a big ulcer, not through kidney failure. Quarantine, salt (to reduce the osmotic stress) and TLC. With tropicals, it always seems lethal. I think I'll just have to sit this one out and not buy any more. It's a shame, because they're pretty, active (read bloody greedy) fish. Remind me of roach, a bit.

Could be. The fish shop I got them from is one of the best I've come across, and they are pretty fussy about their fish, but you never know. I suspect that most captive-bred tropicals are as inbred as an Alabama trailer park.

They're a species of sculpin, they're all like that! Here's one of its cousins: Ugly Bugger

Interesting one, this. I've got some colombian red-tail tetras (Hyphessobrycon columbianus) in a South American community tank. We initially bought six fish, and within a few days they were at it like rabbits. We soon had a shoal of fry, but we started losing the original fish one at a time to dropsy. Full-on pinecone effect with water blisters. By the time the dozen or so fry had reached about an inch, we had lost all of the original fish. As the fry have grown, they too have succumbed one by one, so we are now back to 6 fish. In my experience, although dropsy is caused by bacterial infection, it's almost always down to water quality. In this case, the water quality has remained fine throughout. It's slightly harder and less acid than I would like, but well within the tolerances of all species present. I'd also expect to see other fish suffering if it were a water quality issue, but I've had no problems. It's a mature, well-planted 190 litre tank with a couple of small angels, corydorus, neon, cardinal and black phantom tetras, a plec and a couple of clown loach to keep the snails down. I've tried a proprietary anti-bacterial medication, but I've no faith whatsoever in them, and it didn't work. I now remove any fish immediately they show any signs of developing dropsy. So, anyone else come across problems with these critters? As far as I know they are no more sensitive than any of the other species present, so I can only guess that they brought some pathogen specific to them with them.

Goldfish do commonly change colour as they get older. I've got a couple which started off bronze (as usual), gradually turned orange, and are now white.

Ah. I'm an exiled Mancunian living near Swindon. Been here for about 6 years.

Suggests the bin is a little too dry, IMO. I've got some in compost heap, they get very upset whenever I turn it over.

Actually, I'd say that a series like "A Passion For Angling" is right up BBC4's street. From their website: "We show a wide variety of programmes including drama, documentaries, music, international film, comedy and current affairs. BBC Four aims to offer an intelligent alternative to programmes on the mainstream TV channels." APFA was a thoughtful and intelligent series which, by dint of the beautiful photography and whimsical stories, ought to appeal to people outside of the angling community. It wouldn't fit in BBC3's remit, which seems to be some decent comedy [endlessly and tediously repeated] and some sub-satellite crap (Mind, body and kick-ass moves?) As for the audiences issue, well, they find room for endless coverage of golf, snooker, darts, tennis, etc. There are an awful lot of anglers out there, I think the right programme in an early evening slot could do very well. I don't think the BBC is "institutionally anti-angling", although I wouldn't be surprised to find that there are some who consider it politically a bit dodgy. Rather I suspect that angling is seen (wrongly) as appealing to a narrow demographic of old, white, male viewers, and that it doesn't fit with the trendy metropolitan image the Beeb likes to portray. Perhaps if we could get Chris Yates to catch some carp while breakdancing on a skateboard round an inner city canal bank?

From the Wiltshire & Frome topics, I gather that a few people live or have lived round here. Who's still in the area then?

Funnily enough, I've just seen a very large eel in a glass case, caught from "Ashton Keynes pit" in the 70's. I'm not sure which water that is, mind.

Doctor Hook

Assuming you're on Windows, you don't need a third-party FTP client, you should be able to upload files via FTP using internet explorer. Key in the FTP address and hit return. You should get an access denied error of some sort. Then right click on the screen, select 'Login As', enter your user name and password and you should be away. Once that's working, you can add it to "My Network Places" and tell it to remember your user name and password, and you can then just use the FTP folder as if it were a local directory. Don't do this if your PC is not secure, obviously. As for the visual designer, Front Page smells of poo. If I want to create simple HTML pages I use the designer built in to Visual Studio .NET, but that's an expensive product I have for work use, and using it for HTML pages is like buying a 14M pole when a crab line would do. There are loads of free HTML editors out there, probably best to download a few and give them a go. Web Matrix is also overkill for HTML only development (it's really meant for ASP.NET work) but it is free, it does have a visual HTML editor and being aimed at hobbyist programmers rather than at hobbyist graphic designers it may be less likely to screw about with your HTML than Front Page. [ 04. August 2005, 06:05 PM: Message edited by: Steve Walker ]

South Cerney Angling Club has some excellent waters, but most of them aren't available on day ticket and a card is 45 quid per annum, 20 quid for a week. There are two small commercial-style waters which are day ticket, however, which are good if you like that kind of thing. SCAC Web Site There is a day ticket water near Waterhey on one of the little roads between the B4040 and Ashton Keynes: map I've only fished it once, and blanked, but it was a hot day and there were loads of stonking tench hanging in shoals just under the surface. On the right day, it could be very good. Also, there's Coate Water in Swindon. I've never fished it, but it's very popular. There may be some free or day ticket stretches of the Thames. Apart from the free stretch at Cricklade, I've only fished the club stretches on the SCAC card. The Cricklade stretch is OK for stalking chub and for spinning for chub, pike and perch, but most of the fish are small. It's a bit of a drive from North Wilts, but the River Marden near Calne used to be fishable on a day ticket from the tackle shop. It's a Bristol Avon tributary with good chub, barbel and roach. If he decides to give that a go, let me know, because depending on which of those species he wants, he needs to look at different stretches.

It does, but it doesn't do the worms much good. I remember one evening when I was a kid, a mate and I were walking down a quiet residential street after dark, and it was chucking it down with rain. We looked down at the ground and noticed that there were *loads* of lobworms coming up out of the gaps between the paving stones. Lucky we weren't sent to the loony bin, but we got loads of them for bait.

As Peter says, it's unlikely. With a lightly stocked koi setup, very strong flow and some kind of gravel stream section you might be able to provide the habitat and the water quality, but I think you'd have problems with the water temperature.

Very sad. Being able to read before they start school gives kids a huge head start, and the only way to really learn to read (and, more importantly, to write) is to read for pleasure. I bet they've all got playstations or televisions in their bedrooms, though.

Nah, I'm an ex-aquatic biologist turned IT bod. Science is more fun, but it isn't well paid. The biochemistry textbook is from an arse-numbingly boring course I was made to do during my first degree.

More clever-clever than funny, I agree.