In article ,
Martin wrote:
On Fri, 24 May 2013 17:12:01 +0100, Tom Gardner
wrote:

If you can find an astronaut with no vestibular (semi-circular
canal) function, I will be a little surprised.

I'd have thought that was a distinct advantage for an astronaut.
I suspect when the fluids float around in the labyrinths they
generate all sorts of spurious signals that cause nausea.
No signals = no nausea.

If you can find somebody with no vestibular (semi-circular
canal) function, who can walk about without falling over using only
his sense of touch I will be a little surprised.

Then prepare to be surprised. I am just one such - but, then, I
am lucky because I have had a lifetime to adapt.

I can even ride a bicycle and ski, but I need a very stable one
of the former, and it took me 150 hours to learn the latter where
people with normal abilities take 30.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 24/05/2013 22:39, Martin wrote:
On Fri, 24 May 2013 13:01:20 +0100, David Hill
wrote:


Tools slipping out of my hands. Failing to realise that what I
am relying on for balance (and I balance entirely by touch) is
not stable. But the former is the main one, and applies to
almost every user of potentially dangerous tools. It's a known
cause of industrial accident, in most cases a price worth paying
because of the reduced risk - but sometimes it is the protective
gear that is the main risk.

If astronauts can cope, so can you, Nick :-)

Yes
But
Astronauts undergo at least 2 years if intensive training

Not to do gardening. It isn't rocket science.

No, the compost would be a problem in the space station and they
wouldn't do well outside
But they do have a lot of training how to use tools in space with heavy
gloves.

I wonder how brambles would grow in low gravity.

In article ,
Martin wrote:

If you can find somebody with no vestibular (semi-circular
canal) function, who can walk about without falling over using only
his sense of touch I will be a little surprised.

Then prepare to be surprised. I am just one such - but, then, I
am lucky because I have had a lifetime to adapt.

I can even ride a bicycle and ski, but I need a very stable one
of the former, and it took me 150 hours to learn the latter where
people with normal abilities take 30.

I have had recurring vestibular (semi-circularcanal) function
problems. I couldn't stay standing up without leaning against
something or holding on to something. You must be almost unique.

That is normal - I may be a bit unusual, but I am by no means
unique. There are a fair number of people around who have had
none since birth and you won't notice - many of those will be
profoundly deaf, too, of course. I have heard about someone who
lost his vestibular function in old age (20s) and adapted as well
as I have - now that IS rare!

I almost certainly lost the function after I had learned to walk
and while still very young, so I could still develop new neural
pathways (both for balance and hearing), which is why I am lucky.
But using both all day is very, very (physically) tiring - I can
carry a 50 lb pack all day over Scottish hills and be less tired
than after a day of interacting with people.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

wrote:
In article ,
Martin wrote:

If you can find somebody with no vestibular (semi-circular
canal) function, who can walk about without falling over using only
his sense of touch I will be a little surprised.

Then prepare to be surprised. I am just one such - but, then, I
am lucky because I have had a lifetime to adapt.

I can even ride a bicycle and ski, but I need a very stable one
of the former, and it took me 150 hours to learn the latter where
people with normal abilities take 30.

I have had recurring vestibular (semi-circularcanal) function
problems. I couldn't stay standing up without leaning against
something or holding on to something. You must be almost unique.

That is normal - I may be a bit unusual, but I am by no means
unique. There are a fair number of people around who have had
none since birth and you won't notice - many of those will be
profoundly deaf, too, of course. I have heard about someone who
lost his vestibular function in old age (20s) and adapted as well
as I have - now that IS rare!

My father had severe otosclerosis at 14 eventually followed
by a botched operation that permanently deafened him in one ear.
He had significantly diminished vestibular function, and relied
on sight and proprioception when skiing. That was less than
optimal when the clouds were heavy.


I almost certainly lost the function after I had learned to walk
and while still very young, so I could still develop new neural
pathways (both for balance and hearing), which is why I am lucky.
But using both all day is very, very (physically) tiring - I can
carry a 50 lb pack all day over Scottish hills and be less tired
than after a day of interacting with people.

Listening requires a lot of concentration if you are deaf

Martin wrote:
On Fri, 24 May 2013 23:05:45 +0100, David Hill
wrote:
I wonder how brambles would grow in low gravity.

out of control?

No change there, then

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:09:37 PM UTC+1, Tom Gardner wrote:
I have some brambles and roses to clear and would like

to have a /thick/ pair of leather gloves so I don't

experience involuntary acupuncture.



I currently have one glove which is completely made of

thick (1mm, probably 2mm) leather. It does resist

thorns almost completely.



Having looked in my local garden centre and DIY shops,

all I can find is a myriad varieties of sort and/or thin

and/or fleecy gloves that have leather on one side.



Any hints as to how to locate heavy-duty leather gloves

would be appreciated. Or anything else that is suitable

for brambles (and preferably homicidal macaws, but

that's another story).



Thanks

I use Briers Lined Hide gloves for just about everything from gardening through to carrying heavy sharp objects. I keep a pair in the car as well as in the garden shed, those in the car come in very handy if you have to change a wheel as I recently found out - dry and clean hands afterwards.
The only place I've seen them sold recently is Waitrose.

"80/20" wrote in message
...

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013 6:09:37 PM UTC+1, Tom Gardner wrote:
I have some brambles and roses to clear and would like
to have a /thick/ pair of leather gloves so I don't

experience involuntary acupuncture.
I currently have one glove which is completely made of

thick (1mm, probably 2mm) leather. It does resist

thorns almost completely.
Having looked in my local garden centre and DIY shops,

all I can find is a myriad varieties of sort and/or thin

and/or fleecy gloves that have leather on one side.
Any hints as to how to locate heavy-duty leather gloves

would be appreciated. Or anything else that is suitable

I use Briers Lined Hide gloves for just about everything from gardening
through to carrying heavy sharp objects. I keep a pair in the car as well
as in the garden shed, those in the car come in very handy if you have to
change a wheel as I recently found out - dry and clean hands afterwards.
The only place I've seen them sold recently is Waitrose.

As has been mentioned on here before. I and others wear welding gauntlets
for such work. Very thick and inexpensive from machine tool retailers.

Mike

Tom Gardner wrote:
I have some brambles and roses to clear and would like
to have a /thick/ pair of leather gloves so I don't
experience involuntary acupuncture.

I currently have one glove which is completely made of
thick (1mm, probably 2mm) leather. It does resist
thorns almost completely.

Having looked in my local garden centre and DIY shops,
all I can find is a myriad varieties of sort and/or thin
and/or fleecy gloves that have leather on one side.

Any hints as to how to locate heavy-duty leather gloves
would be appreciated. Or anything else that is suitable
for brambles (and preferably homicidal macaws, but
that's another story).

Thanks for all your help.

The gloves I found in the builders' merchants and
similar were "bog standard" and didn't have thick
enough leather for me to feel they would be useful.
Most of them also had woven material on the back
of the hands, which definitely isn't good enough.

Eventually I found some welders gauntlets in Arco.
Their leather is noticeably thicker and they have
an extra lining as well. Having just removed 10%
of the brambles, only one thorn went through the
glove, even though I was sometimes pulling on the
bramble as hard as possible to get the very long
stems out. I had far more pricks where the d*mn
things caught me elsewhere.

So, the welders gloves (enable me to) do the job.
Thanks for all your help and advice.