Early Risers.

[Two_sugars]

Goodnight all . .  .Sleep well. . . . 

[southern42]

Polly,

I’ve given up correcting the changes imposed by Apple. Most Americanisms  date back to the early 18th century when English did not have a standard. Shakespeare was particularly “loose” using famously “color” and “colour “ almost equally.  Then Noah Webstar, I think, standardized the usage. Actually I believe a lot of American spellings make a lot of sense although “glamour” is the same as is “Endeavour” (as used by NASA).

 

Best, Pete.

 

I realise, I don't generally use the Oxford ize suffix outside of calligraphy.  It's so much easier to write "s" with my normal handwriting but, working with calligraphy pens, "z" has more decorative opportunities when between other letters,  while a decorative "s" is useful at the end of words or line of words.

 

I hate it when words get automatically (wrongly) changed when I'm texting on my iphone.  Takes the biscuits when you start keying a serious word like "hospital" to see it change to "holiday"!  Not funny. 

 

Ed.  CUNY is The City University of New York with a number of colleges in the boroughs of NY.

 

Duncan.  Chester is easy to get to on the Euston - Holyhead supervoyager.  City bus service immediately outside the station takes you straight into the city (fare currently £1 single) or if you come by car there is a park and ride service. 

 

 

Time for bed said Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzebedee.

 

Good night all.

Nos da.

[Gwiwer]

 

 

Rick, I'm pleased that you have reached a decision and hope it proves to be the correct move in the long term - not a very pleasant way to be treated by an employer!

 

Thanks Jock.  

 

It could have been a lot worse.  It's a scenario we were all aware of right from the outset.  If you like think of it as a fountain where new staff are assigned to the biggest and busiest station in order to cut their teeth and learn fast before being dispersed around the network.  And there's always a door open via the internal vacancy network to return at some future time.

 

It's been a busy weekend with this and other major decisions having to be made "on the fly" and apparently it's not over until a corpulent female has given voice.  There might yet be a rear-guard action brought about to keep me at the current location based upon customer feedback and work performance.

 

The main thing is I am still employed - and there was never any doubt about that being the case - and as things stand today it's a lot closer to home with a number of benefits to set against the quiet and potentially boring nature of the new role.

 

Best wishes to yourself Jock.  I read more than I reply to here.

 

And good wishes to all ERs.  Happy Sunday.  It's EN (Early Night) here as I book on at 04.15 tomorrow.

[NGT6 1315]

The only way to get an appointment is book it two weeks ago.

 

I just notified the crew of the Federation Timeship Relativity to prepare for a temporal incursion.

 

Morning all.

[AndyID]

Things you do for your kids!

 

Our daughters announced they are coming here at the beginning of July for a week. One lives in New Jersey, the other in California. That means we have to accommodate four adults and three grandchildren. As this ain't Texas, our house is not all that big.

 

So, I'm going to pop down to Southern California to pick up our trailer (caravan) and haul it back here so we can use it as a mobile spare room. It's only 1400 miles - each way!

 

Actually, I really don't mind at all. It's quite entertaining hauling the thing on California freeways. The official speed limit for any trailer in CA is 55 MPH, but everyone ignores that because it's clearly insane!

 

I won't be using the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). Did that once with trailer. Never again!

[trisonic]

Actually I’m with you, Andy. I do like long road trips over here in the ‘States - must be all the “Road Trip” books I read in the sixties, I suppose.

 

Best, Pete.

[Smiffy2]

Morning all. You notice that 'good' was absent.

 

Woke early for the loo and blew my nose - huge nosebleed. Great way to start the day!

 

Going back to bed, but I suspect it's coffee time. Raining outside, comme une vache pisse. Lidl later. It's one mad whirl of hedonistic pleasure, here.

[trisonic]

I get that nosebleed thing too. My Wife has no sympathy: “Don’t bleed over everything in the bathroom!”

 

Best, Pete.

[AndyID]

Morning all. You notice that 'good' was absent.

 

Woke early for the loo and blew my nose - huge nosebleed. Great way to start the day!

 

Going back to bed, but I suspect it's coffee time. Raining outside, comme une vache pisse. Lidl later. It's one mad whirl of hedonistic pleasure, here.

 

What you need is a good old sing-song. This Whelk chappie should be just the job.

 

[AndyID]

I get that nosebleed thing too. My Wife has no sympathy: “Don’t bleed over everything in the bathroom!”

 

Best, Pete.

 

MrsID was a nurse. I get really worried if she shows any sympathy.

[NGT6 1315]

Actually I’m with you, Andy. I do like long road trips over here in the ‘States - must be all the “Road Trip” books I read in the sixties, I suppose.

 

Best, Pete.

 

From what I'm hearing about road conduct in North America, I'm having the impression that speed limits are usually adhered to much more stringently, too. If this observation is correct, I suppose it makes travelling by road much more relaxed than, say, on too many German autobahns which too many drivers seem to mistake for free-for-all racetracks nowadays...

[Coombe Barton]

It's been throwing it down for much of the night in Devon. Grateful that we changed from tent to caravan a few years back.

[AndyID]

From what I'm hearing about road conduct in North America, I'm having the impression that speed limits are usually adhered to much more stringently, too. If this observation is correct, I suppose it makes travelling by road much more relaxed than, say, on too many German autobahns which too many drivers seem to mistake for free-for-all racetracks nowadays...

 

It varies from state to state. Here in Idaho you are pushing your luck at 5 MPH over the speed limit, but in California you are expected to drive at least 5 MPH over the limit. But it's nothing like Germany. I was there last year and my associate insisted in driving his Cayenne like Jackie Stewart in a F1 race.

[NGT6 1315]

It varies from state to state. Here in Idaho you are pushing your luck at 5 MPH over the speed limit, but in California you are expected to drive at least 5 MPH over the limit. But it's nothing like Germany. I was there last year and my associate insisted in driving his Cayenne like Jackie Stewart in a F1 race.

 

Yes, there are indeed many such characters out and about the roads here. Sometimes, it makes me wonder if petrol might still be too cheap...

[AndyID]

Yes, there are indeed many such characters out and about the roads here. Sometimes, it makes me wonder if petrol might still be too cheap...

 

A major problem here is idiots texting on their phones while driving. One of them rear-ended our one month old VW Jetta. He left the accident before the cops came, but I got his license plate. They picked him up later for DUI (driving under the influence) and he had to spend some time in jail.

[Gwiwer]

Interesting to compare the difference in driving styles and habits when one travels the planet.  And the different attitudes to enforcement.

 

Germany seems to preciously guard its status as the last nation with unlimited speed on some roads.  Australia introduced a limit a few years back on the previously unrestricted outback roads in the Northern Territory.  Away from any habitation it's now 130kph or around 85mph. 

 

I find that driving in mainland Europe is less predictable than in the UK and speed limits are less widely respected but - varying somewhat by nation - are often enforced quite strictly if you're caught.

 

In Oz the trend is to drive a little above the limit.  Tolerance varies by state but here in Victoria is officially 3kph over.  In reality you could contest that as it's borderline for speedo accuracy and in practice I don't know anyone who's been done for less than 10kph (6mph) over.  There's a lot of rogues out there who think it's their right to weave across all lanes, drive at ridiculous speeds and tailgate you into the bargain.

 

UK drivers generally observe the limit to within 1 - 2 mph and are among the most predictable and best drivers I have shared roads with.  

[AndyID]

Interesting to compare the difference in driving styles and habits when one travels the planet.  And the different attitudes to enforcement.

 

Germany seems to preciously guard its status as the last nation with unlimited speed on some roads.  Australia introduced a limit a few years back on the previously unrestricted outback roads in the Northern Territory.  Away from any habitation it's now 130kph or around 85mph. 

 

I find that driving in mainland Europe is less predictable than in the UK and speed limits are less widely respected but - varying somewhat by nation - are often enforced quite strictly if you're caught.

 

In Oz the trend is to drive a little above the limit.  Tolerance varies by state but here in Victoria is officially 3kph over.  In reality you could contest that as it's borderline for speedo accuracy and in practice I don't know anyone who's been done for less than 10kph (6mph) over.  There's a lot of rogues out there who think it's their right to weave across all lanes, drive at ridiculous speeds and tailgate you into the bargain.

 

UK drivers generally observe the limit to within 1 - 2 mph and are among the most predictable and best drivers I have shared roads with.  

 

When we moved her 20 years ago, there was no daytime speed limit in Montana. The speedometer on my car only went up to 85. I suspect I was doing around 100, but I found it a bit too tiring, and I was a getting nervous about the tires.

[NGT6 1315]

A major problem here is idiots texting on their phones while driving. One of them rear-ended our one month old VW Jetta. He left the accident before the cops came, but I got his license plate. They picked him up later for DUI (driving under the influence) and he had to spend some time in jail.

 

Speaking of mobile phones: While hands-free sets are now mandatory by law, I keep seeing too many motorists disregarding this rule and driving single-handedly. It's a mystery to me how you can even begin to control a car single-handedly, except if you have automatic transmission, perhaps. Which I should add was the one item that for me made city driving even begin to become bearable.

 

I think part of the problem concerning enforcement of speed limits is that the contention of many speed cameras just being there to grab money from poor hapless motorists (aaah…) is, in general, brought up fairly quickly, and always good as a rabble-rouser. I don't think I need to explain what I think of such statements, do I?

[New Haven Neil]

 

Germany seems to preciously guard its status as the last nation with unlimited speed on some roads.  snip<  

 

 

Not quite right - a little rock in the Irish Sea also has no upper limit in de-restricted zones.  And no dual carriageways.

[Coombe Barton]

Well, Dartmoor's disappeared. At least the view of it from the caravan is now uniform grey cloud.

[Tony_S]

Morning all.

Grey and soggy outside this morning. Robbie seemed keen to go out but needed to do his paw drying dance (Aditi's contribution to his training) when he returned.

Tony

[New Haven Neil]

I feel much the same, Tony.  However I had to dry my own......

 

it is forecast to improve, but given the wind I don't think it's going to be very comfortable out today.

[Ian Abel]

Speaking of mobile phones: While hands-free sets are now mandatory by law, I keep seeing too many motorists disregarding this rule and driving single-handedly. It's a mystery to me how you can even begin to control a car single-handedly, except if you have automatic transmission, perhaps. Which I should add was the one item that for me made city driving even begin to become bearable.

 

I think part of the problem concerning enforcement of speed limits is that the contention of many speed cameras just being there to grab money from poor hapless motorists (aaah…) is, in general, brought up fairly quickly, and always good as a rabble-rouser. I don't think I need to explain what I think of such statements, do I?

Dom,

  The bigger mystery in the US is how anyone can drive AT ALL since most of them use one hand "apparently only in an emergency", most of the time they appear to be driving using mind power best I can tell. Whilst it's illegal in many (most/all?? not sure) to text whilst driving, that doesn't stop0 too many folks, and talking on the phone without using a hands-free is pretty usual/normal even again where illegal! I regularly see folks talking on the phone whilst drinking a cup of coffee or performing other functions, and therefor driving with their legs/knees under the wheel, scares the crap out of me!!

 

Currently overcast here in Dawlish, though not raining, yet! Not sure what we're up to today, weather dependent, possibly go into Torquay...

Edited May 31, 2015 by Ian Abel

[NGT6 1315]

Dom,

  The bigger mystery in the US is how anyone can drive AT ALL since most of them use one hand "apparently only in an emergency", most of the time they appear to be driving using mind power best I can tell. Whilst it's illegal in many (most/all?? not sure) to text whilst driving, that doesn't stop0 too many folks, and talking on the phone without using a hands-free is pretty usual/normal even again where illegal! I regularly see folks talking on the phone whilst drinking a cup of coffee or performing other functions, and therefor driving with their legs/knees under the wheel, scares the crap out of me!!

 

I vividly remember having seen someone driving whilst reading a newspaper laid out on the steering wheel some years ago!   The mind boggles at what might have happened if they had lost hold of the paper and the pages spread all around them...

Edited May 31, 2015 by 1216 025

[Killybegs]

As our weather is coming your way, once the torrential rain is over, you should have sunshine, showers and bitterly cold winds. I am so glad I got that grass cut yesterday.

 

When we were staying over in France, my friend Ron told me that there is virtually no tolerance on speeding. More than 1km/hr over the limit and you are likely to get booked. Allegedly,  35% of motorists get booked for speeding each year. Does that ring true Ian? Whether this was just Brittany (where the N12 generates a huge revenue), or country wide, I am not sure. When you consider how many things are 'standardised' in the EU, it's amazing that they haven't gone that way on speed limits.

 

Steph has gone off to work in the motorhome today as she reckons there will be plenty of parking space on Bank Holiday Sunday! She doesn't normally work weekends but, as they were short staffed, she agreed to work yesterday and today. She won't get paid, but will be able to take three days back for the two worked.

 

I think I will do a little 'office work' (filing - what ever happened to the paperless office?) and then repair to the train room. With the Giro over to all intents and purposes, there will be no temptation to sit in front of the box watching the racing this afternoon!

 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.