Early Risers.

[Ozexpatriate]

7 minutes ago, Coombe Barton said:

... some of the the attitudes "over there"

It is, I think, reflective of, and exacerbated by, the general sense of tension experienced during the pandemic and the political climate in an election year.

 

The smart phone is a world changing invention. I think the cultural impact of the smart phone will be something as transformative as Mr. Watt's improvements over Mr Newcomen's invention were during the industrial revolution. In this case the 'citizen journalist' is able, via the smart phone video camera, to lay bare to the world systemic racism that was previously hidden under officialdom and denial.

 

It is not one event. There was a sequence of four, recent high-profile incidents (three of them captured on video) that demonstrated systemic racism in the US. The pressure has been building. At the same time, scenes of armed protests over pandemic lockdown have, in my opinion, additionally stoked the fears of those subjected to systemic racism. It inevitably comes to a head. Political leadership has inflamed this rather than helped.

 

I dare not say more.

[roundhouse]

The part of downtown Portland had rails in the road and the canopy form the modern building so I think that I recognised it as being very close to Pioneer square. The orange one was just on the news threatening to bring in the army aswell as the national guard.

 

What a strange world we are now living in with polarising views being provoked. the hatred that's appearing on social media is startling (even with me posting strong words last weekend). I have a few modeller / friends not on RMweb that I haven't seen in over a year or avoid me at shows due to differing views over Brexit despite me trying to remain in touch. Glad that I have stopped watching the daily briefings but one interesting item on the news was one of the non political people making a statement that the PM would have stopped  a day or so had he been there.

Edited May 30, 2020 by roundhouse

[Happy Hippo]

37 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

I have a few modeller / friends not on RMweb that I haven't seen in over a year or avoid me at shows due to differing views over Brexit despite me trying to remain in touch. 

They are not your friends, and if that's their attitude, it just proves they never really were.

 

I have no friends, I'm not sure why.

 

Could it be my habit of inviting myself to their houses, turning the garden into a muddy hollow, walking the mud all over the house and eating all the food and drinking all the alcoholic beverages.  I'm  certain  I'm polite to my hosts, and due to my impeccable manners would never think of using the bathtub as a lavatory, I am able to talk about a number of subjects that are not railway related.  I'm also very popular with the ladies.

 

What's not to like?

[The Stationmaster]

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Are there no French parallels where regional conflict has long memories - perhaps the French Wars of Religion - which would serve to explain how such things are not easily forgotten? 

Dozens of them - it's just that not being French we don't hear very much about them.  When LGV Nord was being planned there was a major battle between Amiens and Lille over the route because both of them wanted it to go through, or at worst very near, to their city centre; Lille won and got the line.  But that battle of wills was little more than a centuries old contest between the two places.  Calais/Boulogne/Dunkerque is another one and of course there was a bit of contest there for which one would get the Channel Tunnel coming out of the ground fairly near by but that too was really a continuation of longstanding rivalries between ports.   And in rural France and the regions there is quite often ill-feeling about Parisians, a friend of ours who lives in Nice always used to call people who drove or parked basly Parisiens..

[Happy Hippo]

This is what I look like if I'm going out on the town:

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by Happy Hippo

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. My computer shut down about an hour ago. I switched it off for a couple of minutes and then I just closed what I was doing and switched it off and waited for it to cool down. I've placed a cold can of drink up against the part that got warm but still checking it every 15 minutes and I will be switching it off for a while again soon.

Edited May 30, 2020 by PhilJ W

[brianusa]

12 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Instead I'll just express condolences to NHN and the Fraggle Rock team and hope that our American correspondents aren't caught up in the current insanity there.

 

Sadly the riots have spread across the country; it doesn't take long these days.  Seattle was the latest victim and as one mayor said, " its not about Floyd anymore". That  poor guy was the excuse for mostly minority looting and destruction of property. Happens every time!  One day the US will figure out an answer, until then it will happen again and again as an "unarmed black man" suffers once more and is eagerly videoed for some TV news!

      Brian.

[New Haven Neil]

Evening.

 

Mixed day as you might expect - thank you all for your thoughts.

 

After supportive duties this morning we headed off to the woods for Mrs NHN to work it off shooting (inanimate) things. Then a treat dinner out, carried out from a favourite restaurant.  Busy day really, but odd feelings as you might imagine.

 

The target is a painted pheasant on the canvas in the bright patch against the hedge, centre back.  Not sure it'll zoom in as it is a reduced photo, 42 yards from the red peg according to the target setter, Richard. Looks closer in the photo, but she's the world champion so have no doubt it's right as its her practice course.  Yes........Debs hit first shot.....she's getting a bit good.  It helped to unwind a little, two hours to go around the glen, good exercise.

 

[PhilJ W]

Well the computer hasn't shut down any more but I'd better switch it off for now,

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers, m‘luds.

 

Quiet evening out here. Not a lot else to report really, so I hope you’re enjoying whatever you may be up to.

 

Later (maybe!).

[Coombe Barton]

... and not understanding ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2020/05/30/working-methods/

[jamie92208]

3 hours ago, Barry O said:

yes its a Barrrrrrooooow thing!

Baz

Yes the Furness district of Lancashire that we used to hear about every night on the radio weather forecast. Obviously as a native of Cumberland I can look down on the warring southern jessies where I di missionary work for 60 years.

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

I meant to ask earlier, where do les rosbifs fall on the spectrum of 

• Les paysans des Charente
• Les Allemandes
• Les Parisienes

We have been very well received in our village but have occasionally heard muttering about "Les Anglais" in shops. My response is to then reply in French which produces embarrassment.  

 

Anyway we have some news tonight, we finally have a new mayor, Chrystal, a scion of the Marchet clan has now been chosen. Her brother in law, Roland was very pleased when we chatted to him tonight.  We also think that she will do a good job.  And we had a lovely video char with Rachel Laura and of course Emily this morning.  Despite all the horrors going on around us this cheered us up.

 

Jamie

[Barry O]

Goodnight all.

Stay safe out in the USA everyone.

 

Baz

[J. S. Bach]

7 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Here's a question to ponder:

How many part of RMWeb do you visit?

Regularly

 

Occasionally

 

Never

Regular = Wheeltappers, mostly ER

Occasionally = Sirdouglas' O gauge, and Piedmont Blues blogs

Almost Never = the rest of RMweb

 

[tigerburnie]

Evening all, a nice day in our first one out of lockdown up here, our daughter came over for a short visit, we sat in the garden, she brought her own lunch, a very odd situation but very rewarding, video calls are good, but not the same meeting person to person, even if we were 2 metres apart. Bats have been checked and are whizzing round the garden, now I can travel a bit in the car I might go looking for different species another night.

Take care all and stay safe.

G'night.

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

Day spent cleaning/tidying the shed but managed to get some modelling done, not much but it counts. No ramblings tonight.

Goodnight all, and take care, especially our Friends from across the Atlantic,

Robert

[Simon G]

1 hour ago, New Haven Neil said:

Evening.

 

Mixed day as you might expect - thank you all for your thoughts.

 

After supportive duties this morning we headed off to the woods for Mrs NHN to work it off shooting (inanimate) things. Then a treat dinner out, carried out from a favourite restaurant.  Busy day really, but odd feelings as you might imagine.

 

The target is a painted pheasant on the canvas in the bright patch against the hedge, centre back.  Not sure it'll zoom in as it is a reduced photo, 42 yards from the red peg according to the target setter, Richard. Looks closer in the photo, but she's the world champion so have no doubt it's right as its her practice course.  Yes........Debs hit first shot.....she's getting a bit good.  It helped to unwind a little, two hours to go around the glen, good exercise.

 

I assume that there is no chance of anyone lurking unaware in the woods the other side of  the target?  They could get an unpleasant surprise if she misses the target! 

[The Stationmaster]

10 minutes ago, Simon G said:

I assume that there is no chance of anyone lurking unaware in the woods the other side of  the target?  They could get an unpleasant surprise if she misses the target! 

I get the impression that she doesn't miss.

[Simon G]

It was the ex Health and Safety Manager in me briefly resurfacing!

[AndyID]

Anybody seen the spool of line for my trimmer/strimmer? I sure it must be somewhere or maybe I used it all. It's either in the shed, the garage or my workshop. I'm fairly confident it's not in the kitchen.

[laurenceb]

31 minutes ago, Simon G said:

I assume that there is no chance of anyone lurking unaware in the woods the other side of  the target?  They could get an unpleasant surprise if she misses the target! 

Methinks that they would get an unpleasant suprise anyway. Neil has said that the range is mashalled

Night awl

Edited May 30, 2020 by laurenceb

[Dave Hunt]

4 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

I have no friends, I'm not sure why.

 

Probably because of a tendency to red rugby shirts and pannier tanks.

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Another day spent in the sunshine with a paint brush in my hand, but much progress has been made, all the blue paint has now been applied. Although I did run out of it just before dinner, so I had to make a fresh batch, luckily as I’m quite careful with the amounts of paint I use when it comes to mixing paint, the second batch was so close in shade to the first that (like Ernie Wise’s hairpiece) you cant see the join, when the 2 paint batches are side by side. Tomorrow I’ll make a start on the painting of the trim and trellis ‘windows’ etc white. 

 

Tonight’s tea was a nice quick one, a chicken and beef stir fry, followed by a bottle of wine. 

 

Goodnight all 

 

 

[newbryford]

13 hours ago, Chris116 said:

I fear you could start a problem by having Lancashire and Yorkshire together! I don't think they have ever forgiven each other for the Wars of the Roses. 

 

Just watch (and listen) what happens when a room of "arguing" Lankies and Yorkies has a southerner enter.................