Proceedings of the Castle Aching Parish Council, 1905

[Compound2632]

Just now, rocor said:

Only five years to go to the 60th anniversary of The Wrong Box. So a boxed set could be produced for LSWR enthusiast.

 

The packaging might present a challenge to the designers...

[rocor]

1 hour ago, Compound2632 said:

 

The packaging might present a challenge to the designers...

 

A miniature of a glass sided coffin?. Or then again, perhaps not!. 

[rocor]

A question regarding the image from The Wrong Box. G6 or not G6?.

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, rocor said:

A question regarding the image from The Wrong Box. G6 or not G6?.

 

I believe that the rolling stock in the crash scene was all a rather well-researched mock-up. Once you start looking at still, this becomes evident: 

 

 

Although I understand a genuine LMS Standard 3F 0-6-0T appears, painted green at Bath Green Park.

Edited April 2, 2021 by Compound2632

[Northroader]

Looks as if they worried about brakework as much as I do

[Edwardian]

3 hours ago, rocor said:

Only five years to go to the 60th anniversary of The Wrong Box. So a boxed set could be produced for LSWR enthusiast.

 

 

 

It's quite advanced stock for the 1889 date of the novel!

 

But, then, it's a very free adaptation anyway.

 

I am nonetheless very fond of it.

 

It seems to me that the John Barry main theme is great for running trains to ....

 

 

 

 

We seem to have lost the knack of making these delightful, slightly macabre, but good humoured period romps. 

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, Edwardian said:

It seems to me that the John Barry main theme is great for running trains to ....

 

I do like a nice bit of Barry!

 

Perhaps that could be rephrased... 

[Annie]

4 hours ago, Northroader said:

Looks as if they worried about brakework as much as I do

I think that LSWR engine's acting is a bit wooden.

[Regularity]

3 hours ago, Annie said:

I think that LSWR engine's acting is a bit wooden.

Wasn’t it in another film?

 

Ah yes, “The Adams Family”!

[Edwardian]

In the news ...

 

Having followed the tale of the Post Office Horizon prosecution scandal on R4 last year, I was pleased to see the Court of Appeal start to overturn the convictions. The egregiousness of the Post Office's behaviour can hardly be exaggerated.  The human cost to the victims has been terrible. An extreme example of abuse of power, perhaps, but a perfect example of why I have so little trust in the various emanations of the State.

 

In other news, according to his former -buddy Dominic - I can-see-clearly-now-I've-driven-to-Barnard-Castle - Cummings, our Prime Minister lacks honesty and integrity. I mean, really, who knew?   

 

 

[Nearholmer]

It’s fascinating/horrifying to watch a man who seems to believe he has a right to direct the country, despite not having bothered to ask permission from the electorate, attacking a man who has asked the electorate, but really believes that he was born to be World King, and is therefore accountable to nobody but himself.

 

They should both be put in the stocks and have barrel-loads of cold humility poured over them, in the hope that a tiny bit soaks in.

 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Nearholmer

[Compound2632]

26 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

They should both be put in the stocks and have barrel-loads of cold humility poured over them, in the hope that a tiny bit soaks in.

 

Laughing at them would, I think, sting most.

[Edwardian]

Since writing, another Dom, Dominic Grieve, has spoken on the wireless. Now, Grieve was, as was pointed out, a remoaner who lost the whip and who described a Downing Street press office turned into a ''lie machine'' to brief against him. He is no lover of Cummings and no supporter of Bozza. One can, thus, find reasons to disbelieve him due to bias, should one wish to. 

 

But, Grieve, who to my mind, values the rule of law and has adhered to the ethics of the Bar, ultimately sacrificed his political career in a principled stand, having previously opposed the unconstitutional prorogation of parliament.  He seems to be a world away from our opportunistic and self-aggrandising Prime Minister.  So, when Grieve says that the PM is an ''integrity vacuum'', and that his colleagues know it, it tends to support the critique of Cummings, who, wholly egregious though he may be, certainly knows where the bodies are buried.  

[Hroth]

As is said,  "Never trust anyone who aspires to high political office". Or those who seek power, sitting on their coat-tails.

Who to trust is a puzzler, to be sure.

 

As for the Post Office debacle, I hope all those victimised by software that is still in use and is still buggy get more than adequate compensation.

 

[Nearholmer]

FWIW, which I’m sure is nothing, I think that a fair bit of  what Cummings says/advocates in a general sense (leaving aside this particular rumpus) makes good, logical sense - he is a very intelligent guy. The trouble is he knows he’s intelligent, and extends that to an assumption that everyone else is pea-brained, and worthy only of contempt.

 

Choosing between them is like being asked which dog turd you’d rather step in.

 

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by Nearholmer

[Northroader]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_Vennells

[drmditch]

Poor 'Information Systems' work has, in my formerly informed view, been on the increase for the last decade.

Some days I am grateful to be a 'retired' person.
Does that make me an idle layabout?
 

[Annie]

8 minutes ago, Northroader said:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_Vennells

Bloody Hell!  I am completely appalled by what this woman has done.

[Caley Jim]

In my opinion compensation should come directly out of her pockets! 

 

It Always seems to me that these people can simply shrug their shoulders and walk away scoot free!  (vis. Fred the Shred) 

 

Jim 

[Hroth]

55 minutes ago, Northroader said:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_Vennells

 

45 minutes ago, Annie said:

Bloody Hell!  I am completely appalled by what this woman has done.

 

21 minutes ago, Caley Jim said:

In my opinion compensation should come directly out of her pockets! 

 

It Always seems to me that these people can simply shrug their shoulders and walk away scoot free!  (vis. Fred the Shred) 

 

Jim 

 

It beggars belief.

 

Quote

As of April 2021 Vennells remains a member of the Ethical Investment Advisory Group of the Church of England

 

A post she seems totally unsuited for. She wouldn't know ethics if it bit her bum, and probably thinks "Ethics" is a county in South East England...

 

 

 

 

[Edwardian]

1 hour ago, Northroader said:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paula_Vennells

 

Absolutely appalling and completely shocking and, yet, sadly unsurprising. I despair of this country's institutions and the people who run them.

 

I would also be unsurprised if she doesn't believe she's done anything wrong and now feels aggrieved at the outcome for her.  

[DonB]

What about the responsibility of the computer program makers ?? They are not getting much "bad press" so far 

[Edwardian]

3 minutes ago, DonB said:

What about the responsibility of the computer program makers ?? They are not getting much "bad press" so far 

 

Fujitsu bosses knew about  Post Office Horizon IT flaws says insider

[rocor]

1 hour ago, Caley Jim said:

In my opinion compensation should come directly out of her pockets! 

 

It Always seems to me that these people can simply shrug their shoulders and walk away scoot free!  (vis. Fred the Shred) 

 

Jim 

 

She will need to have very deep pockets, as the final payout from the Post Office Group is estimated going to exceed £300 million.

 

How much of this the victims of this travesty will receive is open to question. In December 2019, the Post Office paid out £58 million to sub-postmasters who were awarded compensation for past false prosecutions of monetary theft, of this £43 million was for legal cost.

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, DonB said:

What about the responsibility of the computer program makers ?? They are not getting much "bad press" so far 

 

58 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

 

Fujitsu bosses knew about  Post Office Horizon IT flaws says insider

 

They bear some of the responsibility, it is said that the system has been upgraded, so work has been ongoing, the cost of bug fixes will have been borne by them.

 

The problem in dividing responsibility is how the system specification was developed, what user requirements, desired by the Post Office, were initially addressed and how many changes were subsequently required to provide additional functionality. Projects of all sizes suffer from feature creep which can have unexpected side effects. 

 

User training is another problem. Who was responsible, who created the user documentation and who implemented training programmes?  This can also be an area with dual responsibilities.

 

The Post Office, as the "employers" are getting it in the neck at the moment, I'm sure blame spreading for the Horizon system will ensue.