Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[JohnDMJ]

Good evening !

John, I'll admit not knowing how this is regulated in UK law, but over here, if you apply for leave in writing at least 3 months before the event, employers are legally obliged to grant it. Simply said, the Law prohibits them to refuse you that leave period! It sort of states to employers that 3 months is sufficient time for them to arrange a replacement to do the job. I've used that rule frequently and for a long time, obtaining leave for (mostly) model railway related events

 

Unfortunately, it is writ in my Contract of Employment that this period is taboo. I have gotten away with it for many, but not all of the affected periods during my employ! As mentioned, 2013 was also a failure. Thus-far, the company has,  IMHO,  been 'generous'!

 

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all

[southern42]

' Night all and nos da.

[BR60103]

Re NHS

At university, my poli sci professor said he had been with the government when the NHS was being set up. One of their studies suggested that it would be cheaper to treat everyone who showed up at the hospital than set up a bureaucracy to check on who was registered or paid or whatever it was.

[AndyID]

I thought I better alert everyone that I have been posting in the Peco bullsh!t bullhead topic (and I'm not alone).

 

May we be spared the Wrath of Ian Khan?

[AndyID]

Morning all.  I have to apologise for the continued absence and stress this is caused by an insufficiency of waking time.  Sharon is away on academic business in Canberra all week and due back tomorrow 5pm; I am on late shift so not home until turned midnight meaning that we shall be as ships in the night with different sleeping patterns.  She also claims to have far too much on her plate.  We await the Good People of the UK Department of Rubber-Stamping granting her visa.  Once that is done the need to achieve stuff here cranks up by another notch.

 

Provisional quotes obtained for shipping contents of home from A to B (once we know where exactly B is, that is) and a quote from a specialist business to have the cat flown over too.  All affordable.  Not cheap but within the ballpark we had discussed.  

 

Typical Spring here.  Warm and sunny one minute, cold and wet the next.   Attending the Palace in between sorting everything into "Keep", "Not keep" and "Undecided".   I may yet be able to keep the greater part of the model collection though a few items have already found new homes.

 

Thoughts with friends here.  Best wishes to all.  I'll pop in when I can and am only ever a message away by PM.

 

Should you be returning to the UK, I wouldn't recommend bringing a car with you. My friend Ian from Sydney had a position at Glasgow Uni, and he brought his Toyota Corolla Estate with him (this was around 1973). I doubt if it's even possible to do that these days!

Edited October 22, 2016 by AndyID

[AndyID]

Some time ago there was some upheaval in the US when Obama MediCare was set up. CNN did a series of comparisons of foreign health programs, including a number of European systems, the Dutch was one of them. Turns out that compared to the US system the Dutch have a higher life expectancy, lower costs and better access (more doctors, lower waiting times). I know the CNN report is available on YT, but best search for it yourself as typically I can't find it now And typically, I just did

 

 

doing some more digging, this is Austria:

Not sure I'd want that

 

Japan:

 

The NHS:

 

Down Under:

 

Sweden:

 

HTH!

 

I only have experience with UK's NHS and in five of the US states. It seems to me that the US system, despite its many flaws, worked better than the NHS.

 

One of our major concerns about emigrating to the US was health-care, but from our perspective, it always seemed to work very efficiently. In my case that included surgery and treatment for cancer.

[chrisf]

Good morning one and all

 

The C word [C*****mas] made an unwelcome appearance yesterday in the form of a suitably but prematurely titled draw from a certain charity.  This finally galvanised me into writing the stiff letter that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago.  I asked the charity to remove me from its mailing list with immediate effect and mentioned my unease at the amount apparently being spent on trying to get me to part with more money, adding a reference to my details having fallen into the hands of another charity operating from the same address and speculating that an offence under data protection legislation might have been committed.  Two lots of draw tickets and one pile of guff relating to a prize draw went into three prepaid envelopes and off I went to the pillar box.  As the charity is Macmillan and I am a cancer patient I continue to feel uneasy about all this.  However, there is such a thing as greed.  When I finalise my Will it may contain a bequest to Macmillan but sufficient of that unto the day.

 

No-one could have been left unmoved by the sombre broadcast material about Aberfan.  I had been at university for three weeks when the disaster occurred and knew it had happened but I never knew the whole shocking story until this week.  Those responsible through their negligence deserve to rot in hell if such a place there be.  After hearing the moving piece by John Humphrys on Today I discovered that he had been the first reporter on the scene, working for commercial television [TWW] and aged only 23.  What a man!

 

As far as I know the weekend will be quiet and undemanding.  May others be similarly blessed.

 

Chris

[Barry O]

Woo hoo won.....a £5 prize from euromillions. Now what can I do with such wealth as this happens once in a blue moon?

 

A parcel to prepare and post then umpiring from 1pm till 6pm. Busy day!

 

With both Herbert's leaving home her indoors is planning some redecoration of the bedrooms. I have suggested that this can only be done next spring as she wants some plaster adhered to walls before paint is applied.

 

Have a great day!

Baz

[Gwiwer]

Should you be returning to the UK, I wouldn't recommend bringing a car with you. My friend Ian from Sydney had a position at Glasgow Uni, and he brought his Toyota Corolla Estate with him (this was around 1973). I doubt if it's even possible to do that these days!

Cat. Not car. That wasn't a typo

[AndyID]

Cat. Not car. That wasn't a typo

Nope. Cat had nothing to do with it. Ian's car did.

 

Take two Advil, and see me in the morning.

 

EDIT: BTW, Ian died twelve years ago. The cigarettes got him.

Edited October 22, 2016 by AndyID

[grandadbob]

Good morning all,

Dry start and there is the possibility of some sunshine later.

Unusually for me I slept soundly all night but have been informed by a grumpy Mrs GDB that she didn't and lays the blame firmly at my door. Snoring was mentioned.

I have taken her a cup of tea and suggested she stay where she is for a while. (Mainly so that I don't get a further ear bashing)

It seems that we have run out of bread ( I blame the supply dept aka The Boss for that) so a visit to a shop is required shortly.

After that I will gird up my loins and take paint brush in hand and sally forth unto the railway room to attack the track.

As is usual on a Saturday afternoon I will watch a Rugby match and possibly probably have a couple of pints as well.

Have a good one,

Bob.

[DDolfelin]

 

The C word [C*****mas] made an unwelcome appearance yesterday in the form of a suitably but prematurely titled draw from a certain charity.  This finally galvanised me into writing the stiff letter that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago.  I asked the charity to remove me from its mailing list with immediate effect and mentioned my unease at the amount apparently being spent on trying to get me to part with more money, adding a reference to my details having fallen into the hands of another charity operating from the same address and speculating that an offence under data protection legislation might have been committed.  Two lots of draw tickets and one pile of guff relating to a prize draw went into three prepaid envelopes and off I went to the pillar box.  As the charity is Macmillan and I am a cancer patient I continue to feel uneasy about all this.  However, there is such a thing as greed.  When I finalise my Will it may contain a bequest to Macmillan but sufficient of that unto the day.

 

It seems they can't help themselves.

Some may recall the Annie Head Shave appeal.

I agreed to broadcast it on here with Andy's help on the strict understanding that no further importuning for more money would follow.

Yesterday I received a wad of begging material.

It's counter productive because now any efforts planned will go elsewhere as there are other very similar organisations doing such work.

I've already received offers of follow up donations (not via RMW) from the States for my next endeavour.

It will still be for Hospice Care of Children, just not the same Hospice and different Children.

[Coombe Barton]

Hab god a stinking code abd sore froat.

 

Not flu, 'cos I've had the jab, just painful.

 

Shopping calls, however. As I'm in bad company (home alone) can't delegate.

[28XX]

Gone are the days when giving to charity was an activity most of us did in private, or where the total raised was not attributable to one individual. E.g. a jumble sale.

[emt_911]

Morning all. An excellent nights sleep was had. Even to the point of sleeping through the alarm.

 

A trip to Beckenham in a while and maybe a bit of modelling this afternoon.

 

Time for another coffee.

 

Have a good dayeveryone

[jamie92208]

Morning all fro the village west of Dean Wood and East of Tong. Up reasonably early this morning. Breakfast then out to church. At present I'm the only one who knows how to fill, heat and empty our baptistery, which isn't particularly difficult. as we are emigrating I offered to train anyone else who was interested the next time we had a baptism. (Baptist's use total immersion so it's a pool 7' by 4' and 4' deep.) By chance another church is using our baptistery tonight so it was an ideal training opportunity. You need to start at least 9 hour before the service, 6 hours to fill and 3 to heat. I wasn't expecting anyone to turn up but one lady did. Anyway the baptistery has been dusted down, the cobwebs have been cleared and it is now filling. I've got to turn at 3 and then at 6 to sort things out. That sorts my day out though if the sun comes out I may actually get a window stained. I may also get tasked with various jobs by the domestic authorities as the outlaws plus No2 son and daughter in law are coming for dinner tomorrow. I believe that I'm going to be entrusted with making an apple crumble.

 

Anyway regards to everyone.

 

Jamie

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. Just a quick look in this morning, off very shortly to the toy fair at Brentwood followed by a quick dash up the A12 to the show at Chelmsford. I did intend to get up at 07:30, woke up at 07:15 rolled over and woke up an hour later so in a bit of a rush. Be back later.

[Killybegs]

Dropped into my local builders merchant for a few bits and pieces yesterday and found one of the 'girls' unpacking the Christmas stuff. Needless to say, I commented that it was a bit early. Oh, she said, if I don't start now I won't have finished unpacking by Christmas. They sell an enormous number of those ghastly large outdoor decorations - reindeer, fat men in red outfits, etc. Presumably people must throw them away after the event and buy new ones next year. What a waste of money but good for business, especially with the cutbacks in the construction industry.

[28XX]

C******** has been in full swing for a week or more as I noted at Webbs of Wychbold when I ran the gauntlet of it to spend a £5 voucher at Hobbycraft.

[grandadbob]

Blimey John, as someone who spent his whole working life at a traditional builders merchant I am horrified! If my firm had started flogging that sort of stuff I think I would have retired even earlier than I did.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Weather currently reasonable with the sun occasionally peeking out from behind the clouds - the G word has been mentioned with reference to cutting the grass but it's too soddi sodden to do that and I'd probably drown in the amount of water I'd be likely to harvest so 'deferred'.  No doubt 'tidying the dining room' will also make an appearance before long as well.

 

My first 'offer' of charity C.....mas cards appeared yesterday included with the latest magazine from the pension fund.  I don't normally buy any from that source although the Railway Benevolent Fund is a proper good cause although as one of the cards features a picture of the money pit the leaflet ipaid an even earlier visit to the recycling bin.

 

Incidentally talking of helathcare the Australian system of course isn't free at the point of delivery except for emergency treatment - visit a GP and you have to pay and of course you pay for prescriptions if you're a non-contributor to the relevant insurance scheme.  I'm a firm believer in the idea that non-contributors (apart from families of those who do contribute of course) should be forced to pay for all non-emergency NHS treatment as the country simply cannot afford to carry on dishing out free treatment to the world and his wife etc - the Australian system strikes me as a good example of the way things could go.

 

Have a good day one & all

Edited October 22, 2016 by The Stationmaster

[Horsetan]

...Then we had a neighbour, apparently a preacher, who was deadly dull and added no value. I am certain Sherry's ordained cousin, Sarah, could have done a better job. ....

http://youtu.be/xJhbP4q32vs

[Rugd1022]

Morning all,

 

Firstly, I must offer my profuse apologies for mentioning 'C*******s' in my last post, I appear to have unleashed a monster. Oops, sorry folks!

 

As I sit here typing away the view outside is of the burgeoning Autumnal shades in the garden and beyond, what a lovely sight it is. I shan't be paying too much attention to the vista this afternoon though as I'm gurding the old loins for my maiden voyage from Toton with 6Y07, having recently signed the road. Much concentration required of course, not to mention a kit bag full of the required equipment for executing this momentous operation, namely : a flask of piping hot tea, a tin of Heinz finest cream of chicken soup, two slices of bread for dipping into the aforementioned soup, a spoon, at least two old car magazines and a book on Jensen Interceptors to pass the time between arrival in the worksite at Leagrave and waiting for my relief to turn up in the wee hours of tomorrow morning. Oh, and an up to date A-Z of Toton!

 

Stay safe all