Early Risers.

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[monkeysarefun]

10 hours ago, DaveF said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That bridge reminds me of the one we saw in Ross in Tasmania.

 

 

 

 

 

It was built by convicts in the 1830's and took five years.  Not due to ineptness or laziness but because of the chronic shortage of skilled  labour most convicts  also did work on the side for free settlers. The number  of hours they spent doing required government work (bridges, roads etc) was pretty civilised by the standards of the day, basically 9 to 5 - so they spent the extra time working for free settlers, thus work on government projects was pretty minimal.

 

In addition at Ross, most of the stone quarried and dressed for the bridge was "acquired" by local settlers and gentry in order to build their houses and outbuildings - using the convict labour after hours, so basically the well-off  got free stone and free labour..

 

(From a Ross history website):

 

The sqirearchy of Ross seemed to take for granted that the convict department existed solely for their benefit. Governor  George Arthur, could not allow such an affront to his dignity, and sent in a special constable - Jorgen Jorgensen, with a team of men to clean up the town.

This still did not work, and the bridge was only completed when Arthur ordered two skilled masons to the town, Daniel Herbert and James Colbeck, to work under a sensible military superintendent, Captain Turner. It is important to note, although convicts Herbert and Colbeck were sent there to get on with the bridge it was very much the carrot used to get production out of them not the stick - let alone the lash! They were to be allowed to take on outside work, and they were to receive conditional pardons on finishing the bridge. This worked - the bridge was now built, with its extraordinary decorations, in good time.

The icons on the bridge, 186 in total, took approximately 15 months to complete and comprise of animals, birds, insects, plants, Celtic designs, and heads of local personalities and authoritarians. The sandstone was quarried locally and was ground and cut by convict chain gangs.

The bridge was opened in 1836 by Governor Arthur and the remains of the old ones were detonated.

 

 

All up, if you survived the voyage and managed to keep your nose clean and so avoid the hell on earth of the secondary punishment settlements at Norfolk Island, Port Arthur or Macquarie Harbour, you could end up quite a way ahead as a transported convict, compared to your previous life in say a London slum. Most were given a type of freedom in the form of a ticket of leave pretty early into their sentence, most were free to do their own thing after hours, many were given plots of land to tend themselves  and grow their own food, and many went on to build substantial wealth compared to what they would have been able to do  if they hadn't been convicted and transported. 

 

 

Ross surrounds.

 

 

Random Tassie-ness:

 

"People cant get a decent view of Mt Roland from here!"

 

"No worries, we'll build a lookout!"

 

 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[monkeysarefun]

39 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

Gentleman’s ‘toy trainset’ !!!!!!!

 

 

At any one time that blokes got a uteful of the worlds deadliest snakes - he can call it whatever he wants I reckon!

Edited November 26, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[Tony_S]

46 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

 as I soon realised that the cylinder wasnt going to be big enough. I’ll leave the story there.     

I once had a medical for Essex County Council. I am sure the doctor was a bit odd. First of all she asked if my chest wall was abnormal as she couldn’t hear my heartbeat. I suggested she placed the stethoscope in her ears. Next while I was on the couch she asked if I could fill her bucket (a large yellow plastic bucket) with a urine sample. I said I thought it was a bit big. She then held up a one litre measuring cylinder and asked if I could fill that. Much to the amusement of the nurse I asked “from over here?” 
 

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

In a local Publix (Rock Hill, SC) grocery store, look carefully:

 

You will see:

 

😺

 

 

 

That looks very like the  British section of our local Intermarchè with many of the same brands. Thecptices aren't too much different  either.

 

Jamie

 

Ja

Edited November 26, 2022 by jamie92208

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Despite having the nephews and Syd round I managed to get a VAT return sent off which is something that I’ve been trying to get done all week.

Before that SWMBO, the dogs, younger nephew and myself went to the garden centre for elevenses and had to make a quick exit. One of the patio heaters was faulty and I noticed flames were coming out from where the gas tank is situated. I jump up and turned the gas off but the flames persisted, partly  due to the rubber gas tubing being alight. The staff, mainly teenagers working weekends  seemed not to know what to do. They didn’t even know where the fire extinguishers were kept. The outside  seating area was evacuated and we left as a senior member of staff arrived. Bit frightening but no snakes or spiders involved!

I’m here chin-wagging with you lot as I’ve been banished to the spare bedroom. The main bedroom is full with dogs nephews and SWMBO. I’m not complaining as it sounds like chaos in there.

Hope Baz has had a good day and Simon is keeping well.

Goodnight,

 Robert 

 

[monkeysarefun]

2 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

That looks very like the  British section of our local Intermarchè with many of the same brands. Thecptices aren't too much different  either.

 

Jamie

 

Ja

Exactly the same here in Woolies and Coles too.  Maybe there's some organisation of expats somewhere who runs the global distribution of Stuff From Home.

[polybear]

34 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

I once had a medical for Essex County Council. I am sure the doctor was a bit odd. First of all she asked if my chest wall was abnormal as she couldn’t hear my heartbeat. I suggested she placed the stethoscope in her ears. Next while I was on the couch she asked if I could fill her bucket (a large yellow plastic bucket) with a urine sample. I said I thought it was a bit big. She then held up a one litre measuring cylinder and asked if I could fill that. Much to the amusement of the nurse I asked “from over here?” 
 

 

Bear watched an episode of George Gently this afternoon - someone made mention that the useless Doctors end up working in Industry (such as Occy Health Docs etc.).  As to whether there's any truth in that I've no idea.

When Bear first ended up at The House of Fun the Doc there was most excellent - no surprises really, as he was a retired R.N Surgeon General(?) (one of those in OH mentioned that he was in charge of medivac during the Falklands); after he retired the place started to go right downhill - it ended up as a Litigation Avoidance Dept.......) 

Edited November 26, 2022 by polybear

[pH]

3 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

In a local Publix (Rock Hill, SC) grocery store, look carefully:

 

That is obviously the ‘ethnic’ section! 
 

(Seriously, though, in one of our local supermarkets, UK brands are kept in the ‘ethnic’ section of the shelves.)

[Compound2632]

3 minutes ago, pH said:

(Seriously, though, in one of our local supermarkets, UK brands are kept in the ‘ethnic’ section of the shelves.)

 

Are you suggesting an incompatibility between a thing being both British and ethnic?

 

And indeed, what could possibly be more ethnic than pickled onions or faggots?

[pH]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

All up, if you survived the voyage and managed to keep your nose clean and so avoid the hell on earth of the secondary punishment settlements at Norfolk Island, Port Arthur or Macquarie Harbour, you could end up quite a way ahead as a transported convict, compared to your previous life in say a London slum. Most were given a type of freedom in the form of a ticket of leave pretty early into their sentence, most were free to do their own thing after hours, many were given plots of land to tend themselves  and grow their own food, and many went on to build substantial wealth compared to what they would have been able to do  if they hadn't been convicted and transported. 

Similar to what happened to British Army sappers here in BC. They were sent to BC in the early days of the colony (most troops here were Engineers) - not quite in the same way as convicts to Australia, though. But at the end of their enlistment, they were offered the choice of a return to the UK or a grant of free land here. Many took the second option - they had practical skills and would never be able to buy land back in the UK. There’s actually an area of the city of New Westminster, at one time the provincial capital, called Sapperton because that’s where most of the land grants were.

[pH]

10 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

Are you suggesting an incompatibility between a thing being both British and ethnic?

 

A Filipina lady here told me her family had been going out for dinner and she’d asked her kids where they wanted to go. The choice had been ‘ethnic’, specifically Scottish. She had agreed, so they did go to McDonald’s!

[Gwiwer]

2 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Check out the lame Trojan Horse style attempt the Brits have done  to try to sneak Marmite in under our noses here;

Because the Sanitarium mob, who have also appropriated "Weetbix" which is a poor version of Weetabix, had a product out called "Marmite" first.  It isn't Marmite.  It's not even close.  So taking the Aussie "mate" concept right into their faces "Our Mate" is the real McCoy and apart from the name is the same as those who love it here would know.  

 

I am on record as describing Vegemite as tasting like brown cold-cream.  I'll also go on record as saying that Sanitarium "Marmite" is worse than that.  

 

Quite why a nation which calls itself developed (other opinions are available) cannot produce its own foodstuffs in flavours other than "ultra-bland" always mystified me.  

 

2 hours ago, polybear said:

6 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

 Democracy Sausage 

 

 

That all seems rather civilised to this Bear - I can't see it working too well in the UK though.  Imagine all the variations you'd need in order to keep everyone happy - straight, vegan, vegetarian, Muslim, Sikh etc.  Oh yes, plus numerous cooking appliances in order that people won't complain their food has been "contaminated" by other types of snagger.  A total minefield.

Potentially yes but why is that different to Australia?  Culture and attitude, that's why.  Not that it is necessarily a good (nor a bad) thing either way.  But there's a much stronger ethos down-under of "take it or quietly ignore it" which hasn't been around in the UK for some time.  Instead we bend over backwards to oblige as many different people from as many ways of life as we can (and still fail to please them all) rather than just offering what's there on the basis of "you don't have to have it".  

 

I don't see any Australian polling booths offering native bush tucker (though one or two may do so now) and I also don't see too many indigenous Australians being elected (or event nominated for election) to represent the peoples.  Come to that I suspect that, mandatory voting or no, a sizeable proportion of the indigenous population are disenfranchised through failing to register or simply failing to give up their traditional ways to the "Whitefella".  

 

A friend and former colleague from the Palace of Attendance is standing in the local elections today as a Socialist.  The system may mean she collects some preference votes but as a minority party she is unlikely to be elected outright.  Forthright and inclusive as she is she made apologetic mention when nominated that she wasn't a "true Australian" but a third-generation migrant.   

 

In other news a frustrating evening was spent trying to coax a video clip from the desktop to the phone for use on a phone-only app.  It used to be simple to click-drag between Apple platform apps but no longer.  It isn't even possible to "synch" an iPhone with a Mac computer any more when using the current operating systems.  Even the route via iTunes (which was fussy but worked) can no longer be used.  I was forced to open the AirDrop app which I have been trying to avoid and send the clip that way.  Once used I immediately set my AirDrop to "Discoverable by no-one" to prevent anyone else dropping in.  I do not trust cloud services.  Full stop.  

 

 

[Gwiwer]

24 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

faggots?

Curiously that does not trigger the profanity filter yet the name of the country wherein most model railway items are made does, as does the descriptor of persons with that nation as their nationality or ethnic origin.  It also prevents me using an accepted word for the best Sunday crockery.  

 

A strange beast is the internet.  

[Tony_S]

46 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

distribution of Stuff From Home.

Well they have got to do something with it now that we have all given up that stuff and eat organic quinoa snacks and drink kombucha. 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Tony_S

[Tony_S]

8 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Curiously that does not trigger the profanity filter yet the name of the country wherein most model railway items are made does, as does the descriptor of persons with that nation as their nationality or ethnic origin.  It also prevents me using an accepted word for the best Sunday crockery.  

 

A strange beast is the internet.  

It doesn’t trigger the filter on my iPad. 

[Tony_S]

30 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

 I do not trust cloud services.  

In the past I have used the “place it near” option to transfer settings etc from one iPad t another. However my new iPad would not complete the process so I had to use the iCloud backup option yesterday. However after a while,even that slowed down. Eventually I noticed on the settings screen the vpn setting seemed to be flickering. I think the setting for vpn to be on on the old iPad had been copied over, but the app providing it (Defender) hadn’t yet. I tried prioritising the Defender app to jump the transfer queue but everything still seemed stuck. I selected “use mobile data” (my iPad has a SIM card) for the app download and everything was fine. I suspect turning off or disabling the vpn before copying would have been a good idea in hindsight. Apart from that, everything went well, nearly all the passwords transferred and all of the emails, downloads and iTunes did. 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Tony_S

[Erichill16]

3 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

That’s a lovely photo. Life is Good.😀 
 

I’m quite envious, Lucy isn’t a “cuddly dog” (although she’s smart enough to have figured out that a decent cuddle will be rewarded by a generous treat).  
 

Lucy also keeps me company when I model, although our tastes are more Pink Floyd and Mozart.
 

I reckon I can guess who’s “the boss” in that picture!

Hovis is as you say a ‘ cuddly dog’ whereas Syd isn’t that bothered about cuddles, he’s happy for a tummy rub etc but won’t come and sit with you. 
Syd can be a complete PIA at times, running off with shoes and pulling items off the airing rack and there’s no way to do any gardening when he’s about. He’s very playful with his toys and always challenging you to chase him or play fight with him. He also loves dog baskets. He had four at our house and has now claimed the two we got for Hovis but we aren’t allowing him to use the cages we got for Hovis for her ‘safe space’.

Hovis just isn’t bothered with toys, baskets or anything like that. I think it must be because she never had them during her upbringing. She does have a keen sense of smell and pulled the lead out of SWMBO’s hand and made off after a chicken yesterday. We’re not quite sure about the outcome, there were feathers all over but the chicken did manage to escape. A lesson has been learnt.

 

‘The Boss’ is taking the picture.😉

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

Because the Sanitarium mob, who have also appropriated "Weetbix" which is a poor version of Weetabix, had a product out called "Marmite" first.  It isn't Marmite.  It's not even close.  So taking the Aussie "mate" concept right into their faces "Our Mate" is the real McCoy and apart from the name is the same as those who

They're just muddying the waters and confusing us. "Our mate?" Sounds condescending and a little lame, should have gone with "V8 Mate" and used the stuff out  of  the sumps of actual V8s.

[Ozexpatriate]

1 hour ago, Gwiwer said:

yet the name of the country wherein most model railway items are made does

China?

 

No tricks. Posted directly as typed. It's not RMweb-related.

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

8 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

V8 Mate

There's a product here called V8. It's vegetable juice, reputedly made of eight different vegetables*.

 

* Tomatoes, Carrots, Celery, Beets, Parsley, Lettuce, Watercress, Spinach (from the website)

 

Basically Bloody Mary mix if you add hot sauce. It's made by Campbells. I don't remember if they sell it under this brand in Australia.

 

Edited November 26, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[Gwiwer]

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

It doesn’t trigger the filter on my iPad. 

RMW simply left blank space the last couple of times I typed China or Chinese.  Let's see what this does.  

 

Edit - it seems the objection to those words has been revoked.  Phew!  I wondered what they had done.  

Edited November 27, 2022 by Gwiwer

[PhilJ W]

9 minutes ago, Ozexpatriate said:

There's a product here called V8. It's vegetable juice, reputedly made of eight different vegetables*.

 

* Tomatoes, Carrots, Celery, Beets, Parsley, Lettuce, Watercress, Spinach (from the website)

 

Basically Bloody Mary mix if you add hot sauce. It's made by Campbells. I don't remember if they sell it under this brand in Australia.

 

It used to be available, or something like it here in the UK about sixty years ago. 

[Gwiwer]

18 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

should have gone with "V8 Mate" and used the stuff out  of  the sumps of actual V8s.

Or that quintessentially-Australian product which is named after the expletive used by many when things don't quite go as planned.  

 

 

Not a spoof - verification :https://www.nulon.com.au/products/aerosols/start-ya-bastard-instant-engine-starter from which we learn that one of the "causes" of engines failing to start is "Frail people who are not strong enough to pull a start cord quickly enough"

Edited November 27, 2022 by Gwiwer