The Night Mail

[AndyID]

10 hours ago, rockershovel said:

It's a component in the at times, laboured relationship between England and Scotland. The English mostly believe in the Union, so much so that they will put up with the Scots for the sake of it. 

 

However they also know that the Scots cannot resist being suckered into acting as French cats-paws. Scotland was, for many years England's Afghanistan; an ungovernable, rugged badlands exporting little of value and much that was undesirable, where tribalism, endemic civil war and a sense of grievance ruled the roost. 

 

The Romans simply built a wall. 

 

They actually built two but abandoned the second pretty sharpish. It's also worth remembering that the Auld Alliance still survives and is remembered with affection by citizens of both nations.

[J. S. Bach]

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

In regards to the above, I’ve just had a brilliant idea: let’s invent the sport of “International Shed Building” with @Winslow Boy as honorary president. Then I can take on the role of “Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs”, @Happy Hippo can take on the role of Executive Director, @polybear can be Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, with @PupCam, @SM42, @Dave Hunt, @bbishop, @jjb1970, @jamie92208 and others taking on other senior roles as appropriate.

 

Of course, with “International Shed Building”, being such a lucrative and important sport, it goes without saying that the ISB committee is entitled, no requires, to be flown everywhere by private jet or – if going commercial is unavoidable – in First Class. Accommodation must always be in a suite in the best 5-star hotel in those places that we have to visit to assess the suitability of their bid as a location for future ISB games.

 

Now, we have two applications from cities and countries who want to host the next International ISB Games: Dubai (the UAE) and Melbourne (Australia). Who’s available next week for a 10 day all-expenses-paid fact finding mission?

I already have three sheds, will that be an advantage?

[J. S. Bach]

14 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

There are quite a few posters on here who proudly boast of having avoided the Paris Olympic opening ceremonies. ...snip...

 

31 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Well if they didn't hold it at 3 in the morning I'd have watched it.

 

Frankly I'm glad its over  - I was getting tired of reading posts in ER with one hand on Google translate.

Well, I did not know that it was on the air AND. I did not know even that there were an olympics going on or even where it was being held.

 

14 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

 ...snip... I wonder if they would be so proudly absent if the ceremony had been in London for  Olympics held in Britain?  ...snip...

Honestly, I would not attend even if it were being held right here in Chester.

 

 

 

Edited July 27 by J. S. Bach

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[Dave John]

"There are quite a few posters on here who proudly boast of having avoided the Paris Olympic opening ceremonies.  I wonder if they would be so proudly absent if the ceremony had been in London for  Olympics held in Britain? "

 

Aye I would be completely absent. Add to that all the commonwealth  games and cycling idiocy foisted on Glasgow. 

 

I may due to economic circumstances be forced to eat their bread , but I'll be damned if I'm  going to watch their circuses. 

Edited July 27 by Dave John

[Northmoor]

4 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

Honestly, I would not attend even if it were being held right here in Chester.

Unless you actually have no interest in any sport at all - some people genuinely don't and I can respect that - I think you miss something by never attending a once-in-a-lifetime event if you have the chance.  There are only a few sports I enjoy and athletics isn't one I take any interest in at all, but when the Olympics were in London, we certainly tried to get tickets (but failed).  We got some for the Paralympics, which was some of the most inspiring sport I have ever seen.

[Craigw]

27 minutes ago, Northmoor said:

Unless you actually have no interest in any sport at all - some people genuinely don't and I can respect that - I think you miss something by never attending a once-in-a-lifetime event if you have the chance.  There are only a few sports I enjoy and athletics isn't one I take any interest in at all, but when the Olympics were in London, we certainly tried to get tickets (but failed).  We got some for the Paralympics, which was some of the most inspiring sport I have ever seen.

 

I am not that thrilled by the Olympics and only casually follow them. I did not go to the Sydney Olympics in 2000. My wife tried to get tickets but it was crazy, so she gave up. We did get tickets to the Paralympics though and it was a fantastic day. Even cynical me is inclined to agree that you really should go if you have the opportunity. The Sydney ones were a rare time that nobody grumbled and complained, it was a moment in time where we saw the best of people and that is without even mentioning the athletes who were competing in the Paralympics. If they do not inspire you then nothing will. I totally agree with you Northmoor.

 

Regards,

 

Craig W

[pH]

Question - what do you think would be the subject matter of a book with the title “Show-me Katy”  as found on my bookshelves?

 

I think you would probably guess wrongly. It’s a pictorial history (mostly of the final four decades) of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas railroad (“Miss K-T” -> “ Miss Katy” -> “{The} Katy”) in Missouri (the “Show Me” state).

[jjb1970]

I used to visit the energy corridor in Houston regularly,  which is the Katy freeway, called that because a lot of the oil and gas companies are located along it.

[pH]

30 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

I used to visit the energy corridor in Houston regularly,  which is the Katy freeway, called that because a lot of the oil and gas companies are located along it.

I’m not sure what you mean? The Katy freeway (as interstate 10 is known at that point) is so called because Katy is the first town it comes to west of Houston city limits. (And the town of Katy is  named after the railroad.) The MKT entered Houston from the west through Katy and the line of the railroad was used when the freeway was widened in the 2000s. MKT had been absorbed by UP  (through the Missouri Pacific) in 1988/9 and UP had other routes into Houston so didn’t need the ex-MKT route.

 

Edit - sorry, I’ve just realized what you meant - that the Katy freeway is called the energy corridor because of the gas and oil companies with offices along it. Again - apologies!

Edited July 28 by pH

[rockershovel]

7 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

They actually built two but abandoned the second pretty sharpish. It's also worth remembering that the Auld Alliance still survives and is remembered with affection by citizens of both nations.

It's my understanding that the Auld Alliance (specifically, the Treaty of 1295) was superseded by the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh which ended the Siege of Leith and ended the three-way warfare which had plagued the Borders for many years (at least notionally).

 

The Scots refer to the English as The Auld Enemy. The English laugh, for them (and despite "two World Wars and one World Cup") the "Old Enemy" is France, and always will be. 

 

Portugal was notionally England's "oldest ally", resulting in the Peninsular War and the sending of an under-strength and militarily useless division to France in WW1. My parents used the phrase to denote unwanted offers of assistance, from whatever source; I imagine the 1970s Revolution there has rendered it null and void. 

 

Whether Berwick on Tweed has now concluded peace with the Tsar of All The Russias, I neither know nor care. I'm sure it isn't high on Mr Putin's to-do list. 

[iL Dottore]

9 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

When you say 'honourary' that still means I get paid doesn't it?

No.

 

But you get generous expenses: meals, travel, accommodation, “necessary items to improve the travel experience”, “stress-reducing hobby items”, “attire for bid defence visits” and more can be claimed as an expense.

 

In fact for just reading this one post you can claim £50 for “administrative activities”

[Winslow Boy]

11 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

No.

 

But you get generous expenses: meals, travel, accommodation, “necessary items to improve the travel experience”, “stress-reducing hobby items”, “attire for bid defence visits” and more can be claimed as an expense.

 

In fact for just reading this one post you can claim £50 for “administrative activities”

Let me think about it.

[Oldddudders]

Is it time to invoke Arthur "Two sheds"  Jackson?

[polybear]

13 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

Let me think about it.

 

I think a suitably-sized "garden office" (aka very big, very fancy posh shed) could be justified in order to enable Wubbleyuubee to undertake "official duties" in a quiet atmosphere...

Does that help?

 

(Incidentally, Bear knows of at least one Contractor at the G.E. who has just such an "office" - complete with very large Laptop Monitor on the wall (aka TV screen) that's all been paid for "with the help of the Taxman"......)

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

8 hours ago, Northmoor said:

Unless you actually have no interest in any sport at all - some people genuinely don't and I can respect that - I think you miss something by never attending a once-in-a-lifetime event if you have the chance.  There are only a few sports I enjoy and athletics isn't one I take any interest in at all, but when the Olympics were in London, we certainly tried to get tickets (but failed).  We got some for the Paralympics, which was some of the most inspiring sport I have ever seen.

I'm not anti sport and have attended two Rugby World Cups and went to watch the Rugby Sevens in Birmingham as part of the Commonwealth Games.

 

RWC Japan was outstanding, RWC France less so because of their terrible organisation and administration in both Bordeaux and Nice.  (Nantes was good, but then it was in Brittany where they are more Welsh than French🤣).

 

Birmingham was excellent, except we both ended up with Covid, which was a nice farewell gift.

 

If Glasgow gets the 2026 CG, then I will apply for some tickets.

[rockershovel]

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

No.

 

But you get generous expenses: meals, travel, accommodation, “necessary items to improve the travel experience”, “stress-reducing hobby items”, “attire for bid defence visits” and more can be claimed as an expense.

 

In fact for just reading this one post you can claim £50 for “administrative activities”

... and of course these are tax free...

[Winslow Boy]

43 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

I think a suitably-sized "garden office" (aka very big, very fancy posh shed) could be justified in order to enable Wubbleyuubee to undertake "official duties" in a quiet atmosphere...

Does that help?

 

(Incidentally, Bear knows of at least one Contractor at the G.E. who has just such an "office" - complete with very large Laptop Monitor on the wall (aka TV screen) that's all been paid for "with the help of the Taxman"......)

 

 

It's the amount of paperwork that's going to be involved that's worrying me Bear. I'll have to collect the receipts and fill in all the paperwork, most likely in triplicate. Then when it gets rejected because you forgot to include the alcohol free pick me up as you were considering whether to have curly fries with the pizzia, you've have the hassle.

[rockershovel]

12 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I'm not anti sport and have attended two Rugby World Cups and went to watch the Rugby Sevens in Birmingham as part of the Commonwealth Games.

 

RWC Japan was outstanding, RWC France less so because of their terrible organisation and administration in both Bordeaux and Nice.  (Nantes was good, but then it was in Brittany where they are more Welsh than French🤣).

 

Birmingham was excellent, except we both ended up with Covid, which was a nice farewell gift.

 

If Glasgow gets the 2026 CG, then I will apply for some tickets.

RWC 2019 was quite outstanding and did a lot to convince me that the Brave Blossoms deserve to be a top tier side. 

 

They meant business and they delivered. A sport which isn't generally distinguished for administrative excellence can't afford to lose people like that. 

[ian@stenochs]

1 hour ago, rockershovel said:

It's my understanding that the Auld Alliance (specifically, the Treaty of 1295) was superseded by the 1560 Treaty of Edinburgh which ended the Siege of Leith and ended the three-way warfare which had plagued the Borders for many years (at least notionally).

 

The Scots refer to the English as The Auld Enemy. The English laugh, for them (and despite "two World Wars and one World Cup") the "Old Enemy" is France, and always will be. 

 

Portugal was notionally England's "oldest ally", resulting in the Peninsular War and the sending of an under-strength and militarily useless division to France in WW1. My parents used the phrase to denote unwanted offers of assistance, from whatever source; I imagine the 1970s Revolution there has rendered it null and void. 

 

Whether Berwick on Tweed has now concluded peace with the Tsar of All The Russias, I neither know nor care. I'm sure it isn't high on Mr Putin's to-do list. 

With friends like the French, who needs enemies? 

Edited July 28 by ian@stenochs

[SM42]

We didn't  try for tickets for London 2012. 

 

However being on the doorstep, it would be a shame to not go. 

 

So we stayed with friends in London.

 

We stood outside Buckingham Palace to watch the cycling stage of the women's triathlon and then move to, I think, Green Park for the men's 10k walk.

 

The Iranian entrant in the latter seemed a little alarmed at the supporter he got bringing up the rear. 

 

All in all a good day and at least I can now say I've been to an Olympics. 

 

ION.

The wedding wound up at 4am. There is a wedding lunch later which could drag on till late evening.

 

Andy

Edited July 28 by SM42

[polybear]

18 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

It's the amount of paperwork that's going to be involved that's worrying me Bear. I'll have to collect the receipts and fill in all the paperwork, most likely in triplicate. Then when it gets rejected because you forgot to include the alcohol free pick me up as you were considering whether to have curly fries with the pizzia, you've have the hassle.

 

The Taxman, recognising that ER'ers are fine, upstanding pillars of society are totally trustworthy has approved a special dispensation and NO expenses paperwork is required...it's all verbal...

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

9 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

The Taxman, recognising that ER'ers are fine, upstanding pillars of society are totally trustworthy has approved a special dispensation and NO expenses paperwork is required...it's all verbal...

 

 

TNM on the other hand are wicked individuals full of low cunning and other undesirable traits...

[Oldddudders]

3 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

TNM on the other hand are wicked individuals full of low cunning and other undesirable traits...

Some of us aim to be merely despicable on a good day!

[polybear]

33 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

Some of us aim to be merely despicable on a good day!

 

Bears are despicable when there's a very good chance of getting away with it...