The Night Mail

[jamie92208]

44 minutes ago, DenysW said:

Yes, but nowadays the the words provoke derision rather than respect. An anthem that proclaim the UK rules the waves? You're avin' a larf. And that it's citizens will never be slaves - presumably because we were more on the dishing-out end than the receiving end - back in the days when that was profitable, of course.

Plus the fact that it relates to Britain,which includes  Scotland and Wales. 

 

Jamie

[Northmoor]

51 minutes ago, DenysW said:

Yes, but nowadays the the words provoke derision rather than respect. An anthem that proclaim the UK rules the waves? You're avin' a larf. And that it's citizens will never be slaves - presumably because we were more on the dishing-out end than the receiving end - back in the days when that was profitable, of course.

You're quite right, I should have suggested Land of Hope and Glory.........

 

Of course there's nothing to say your National Anthem must have words - Spain's doesn't - so perhaps we should have something recognisable throughout the world and suitably uplifting for the crowd as our teams take to the pitch.  On that basis, I recommend Yakkety Sax, best known as the theme to The Benny Hill Show.

[pH]

23 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Plus the fact that it relates to Britain,which includes  Scotland and Wales. 

 

Jamie

Interesting that this discussion is now taking place on page 1746.

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, DenysW said:

Yes, but nowadays the the words provoke derision rather than respect. An anthem that proclaim the UK rules the waves? You're avin' a larf. And that it's citizens will never be slaves - presumably because we were more on the dishing-out end than the receiving end - back in the days when that was profitable, of course.

 

Might be worth looking at the actual words rather than a jaundiced PC view of them.

 

The "slaves" bit has nothing whatsoever to do with African slaves, far from it.

 

It's about the subjugation of European people under "Tyrants" which was what was left of The Holy Roman Empire. Mainly the Catholic French and Spanish that was constantly at war with Britain.

 

I'm afraid people should start reading history rather than trying to rewrite it to fit a narrative!

 

 

Jason

[Hroth]

53 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

Plus the fact that it relates to Britain,which includes  Scotland and Wales. 

 

Jamie

 

Just shows a spot of inclusivity...

 

[Tony_S]

2 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

I'm afraid people should start reading history rather than trying to rewrite it to fit a narrative!

Rule Britannia was written at a time therefore that it was ok for Britons to be free of tyrants but slavery within the British Empire wasn’t banned until 1838. 
Great Britain became a world power by exploiting its empire. Perhaps it is time for a song about Britain today to play at sporting events , saving the National Anthem for State Occasions.  Perhaps a competition on the television like the Eurovision Song Contest but for England only.  

[Happy Hippo]

Now in Reading.

 

Next stop is bed: I need an early night for a change.

[New Haven Neil]

Just catching up - interesting discussion about making music, that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

 

As it happens Mrs NHN, who is a tone deaf musical desert, was bought a cheap ukulele by friends for her 60th last week, more as a joke than anything.  I gave it a go this afternoon following a You Toob eejits guide, and managed two chords, but wow the damn things are tuned strangely.  My head still retained violin tuning from, errr 42 years ago so expected the strings to increase in pitch across the whatever it is, but they aren't in tonal order.  Odd.  So my G D A E (impressed, Steve??  ;-)  ) memory was blasted out of town.  The end result was a bit of a strum, two chords and the realisation my slightly arthritic, stumpy, short fingers aren't up to it!  I'm not going to be worrying James Hill, that's for sure.

[Tony_S]

13 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Just catching up - interesting discussion about making music, that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

 

As it happens Mrs NHN, who is a tone deaf musical desert, was bought a cheap ukulele by friends for her 60th last week, more as a joke than anything.  I gave it a go this afternoon following a You Toob eejits guide, and managed two chords, but wow the damn things are tuned strangely.  My head still retained violin tuning from, errr 42 years ago so expected the strings to increase in pitch across the whatever it is, but they aren't in tonal order.  Odd.  So my G D A E (impressed, Steve??  ;-)  ) memory was blasted out of town.  The end result was a bit of a strum, two chords and the realisation my slightly arthritic, stumpy, short fingers aren't up to it!  I'm not going to be worrying James Hill, that's for sure.

Being somewhat tone deaf doesn’t help my musical attempts. I have identified a bit of a hand problem I am trying to overcome. However years ago when I first tried to play an guitar it was the tuning that defeated me. The note on a pitch pipe or tuning fork sounds nothing like a plucked string to me so although I could tune one string from another the original wasn’t necessarily correct. I then got a clip on tuner which makes it easy. I also have an app on my iPad ( there are loads of other ones) called Fender Tune. It also has a ukulele setting.  Allegedly playing a stringed instrument even with dodgy digits is good for those fingers.  We shall see. 
 

Edited February 12 by Tony_S

[Hroth]

17 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Just catching up - interesting discussion about making music, that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

 

As it happens Mrs NHN, who is a tone deaf musical desert, was bought a cheap ukulele by friends for her 60th last week, more as a joke than anything.  I gave it a go this afternoon following a You Toob eejits guide, and managed two chords, but wow the damn things are tuned strangely.  My head still retained violin tuning from, errr 42 years ago so expected the strings to increase in pitch across the whatever it is, but they aren't in tonal order.  Odd.  So my G D A E (impressed, Steve??  ;-)  ) memory was blasted out of town.  The end result was a bit of a strum, two chords and the realisation my slightly arthritic, stumpy, short fingers aren't up to it!  I'm not going to be worrying James Hill, that's for sure.

 

The uke has what is called "re-entrant" tuning, making for easy chord shapes.  Easy compared with a guitar, or a lute or whatever.

 

I remember that when tuning, it sounds like saying "my dog has fleas"...

 

[New Haven Neil]

25 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

The note on a pitch pipe or tuning fork sounds nothing like a plucked string to me so although I could tune one string from another the original wasn’t necessarily correct. I then got a clip on tuner which makes it easy.

 

I tuned it from the you tube I was watching, and then found one of those gadgets in the box afterwards - I was spot on. Mrs H has no idea within a semi-tone.

[Tony_S]

2 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

I tuned it from the you tube I was watching, and then found one of those gadgets in the box afterwards - I was spot on. Mrs H has no idea within a semi-tone.

I am sure Mrs H would have been far closer than I could be. The clip on tuners are wonderful devices for me. 

[Northmoor]

My son passed Grade 5 exams on the clarinet (whose teacher suggested he may have perfect pitch) and my daughter Grade 3 on the violin.  Mrs Northmoor never did an exam after Grade 1 violin so this isn't inherited.  So at least my total lack of musical talent has a happy ending.

[Winslow Boy]

Just now, Northmoor said:

My son passed Grade 5 exams on the clarinet (whose teacher suggested he may have perfect pitch) and my daughter Grade 3 on the violin.  Mrs Northmoor never did an exam after Grade 1 violin so this isn't inherited.  So at least my total lack of musical talent has a happy ending.

Skipped a generation that's all.

[Darlington_Shed]

4 hours ago, New Haven Neil said:

managed two chords, but wow the damn things are tuned strangely

 

Don't forget: there is no international law regarding instrument tuning. Tune it to anything you like - top strings of a guitar, violin, cello, open chord, anything. Whatever works for you. It only matters if you're going to play with other musicians and instruments.

 

Joni Mitchell - whom god preserve - built a career on her own custom tunings.

[J. S. Bach]

Having been railfanning (trainspotting?) for a very long time, tonight was a first for me. The flashers at the CSX/J. A. Cochran Bypass crossing were flashing and the gates were down with nothing in sight. After a moment or so I heard a strange single-note air horn blowing for the crossing. A Sperry Rail Detector car slowly crossed the road.  In all those years this was a first for me!

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[BR60103]

One of my friends is very into folk music. I lent him my 5-string banjo (that I never learned to play). He said he had the same problem with it as the ukulele: the nearest string is the highest.

I think that ukulele tuning matches guitar top 4 - except for the string that's an octave too high. So guitar chord fingering works on it.

 

[BR60103]

The Canadian national anthem was written in French and later translated. The Quebecois don't sing it because it's about Canada. The rest of us can't keep up with the changes in the words to match changing social feelings.

Of course, I know the original words to the American national anthem but don't dare sing them. To Anacreon in Heav'n, where he sat in full glee...

[jamie92208]

7 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

Skipped a generation that's all.

Funny how genes get passed on.  Though both my brother and I had the musical bits passed on to us, only my brother got the sporting genes from  our games teacher mother.  She could play any ball game and my brother got those genes.  Wheras when I kick a ball, the direction it takes is governed by some sort of random event generator.  Certainly not by my intentions. 

 

Jamie

[bbishop]

12 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Now in Reading.

 

Next stop is bed: I need an early night for a change.

So did I, instead I was finding illustrations for an article (written by Norman Pattenden) on rates for agricultural traffic.

[Happy Hippo]

Bacon for breakfast this morning.  Not sure what the rest of the day will bring,but I assume it will involve a walk around the local nature reserve. 

 

Meanwhile at the Hippodrome, a friend is on stand by to recieve my timber thicknesser which is due to arrive today.

 

As with all commercial offerings it will work somewhat better after it has been modified. In the case of a table top thicknesser, this means making a drop on, full length bed, to prevent 'Snipe'.

Edited February 13 by Happy Hippo

[SM42]

Dzien dobry

 

We have arrived in the motherland. Got in at an ungodly hour, (that nowadays I only see when I'm ar work,) and breakfast beckons. 

 

A friend's  daughter flew out with us and first job of the day is to deliver her to the station so she can continue her journey to her grandparents. 

 

Last night was my first experience of the brave new world of travelling to Europe by plane.

 

Long queue at passport control as had to be photographed, ( as did any other non  EU passport holder) which slowed the  queue down.

 

It was not helped by people who don't understand the concept of the word stop, ( the photo machine was just before the desk) so each person being photographed had to wait till half a dozen people shuffled out of shot.

 

Mrs SM42 and friend were through in minutes on the auto gate, took me about 30 minutes  but there you go. 

 

But I'm here now and some early train watching beckons. 

 

Just need to work out where the handbrake is in the hire car next. 

 

Got more chance to find it in daylight

 

Andy

[Happy Hippo]

6 minutes ago, SM42 said:

Dzien dobry

 

We have arrived in the motherland. Got in at an ungodly hour, (that nowadays I only see when I'm ar work,) and breakfast beckons. 

 

A friend's  daughter flew out with us and first job of the day is to deliver her to the station so she can continue her journey to her grandparents. 

 

Last night was my first experience of the brave new world of travelling to Europe by plane.

 

Long queue at passport control as had to be photographed, ( as did any other non  EU passport holder) which slowed the  queue down.

 

It was not helped by people who don't understand the concept of the word stop, ( the photo machine was just before the desk) so each person being photographed had to wait till half a dozen people shuffled out of shot.

 

Mrs SM42 and friend were through in minutes on the auto gate, took me about 30 minutes  but there you go. 

 

But I'm here now and some early train watching beckons. 

 

Just need to work out where the handbrake is in the hire car next. 

 

Got more chance to find it in daylight

 

Andy

If it is anything like our new car, it's a small lift up switch on the bottom of the centre console. I prefer something the size of a helicopter's collective pitch lever.

[SM42]

Found it. 

 

It's a button on the dash, hidden by the steering wheel,  low down on the left.

 

The obvious place, in the centre console, is taken up with buttons to turn off all sorts of god knows what sensors and the brake hold button  which, like a cup of coffee,  is not much use when parking. 

 

Give me a nice mechanical lever any day. 

 

It also has one of those annoying and dangerous lane assist features that steer you into the parked car, tree or oncoming traffic you were avoiding but at least the car then  beeps at you  just before you hit it to warn you about them. 

 

What happened to simple?

 

Are car manufacturers so samey that they need an arms race of pointless (and often dangerous technology, lane assist,  constant warning of things you can see in front of you and touchscreens I'm looking at you here, especially the latter, rather than the road) to get us to buy theirs instead of another make?

 

Andy

Edited February 13 by SM42