Early Risers.

[PeterBB]

On 04/11/2022 at 12:31, Dave Hunt said:

 

A few years ago I found a large heap of fly tipped rubbish on some farmland when I was walking my dog. Amongst it were two plastic bags with address labels on . At that stage I lost interest in trying to report it and gave up. It's not always that easy to do your civic duty. 

 

Dave

Ditto some years back.

[PeterBB]

On 04/11/2022 at 13:48, TheQ said:

Sadly I've been served a few bread and butter puddings that the gods would definitely reject, school dinners definitely and the odd military version did not need bowls,

 

B&B pudding is something completely different, tends to be 'sloppy' and cannot be used as part of 'daily' rations in 'going out' days. 

 

LAte to read  - others had also commented on this.

Edited November 5, 2022 by PeterBB
Read more of the blogs

[TheQ]

Evening Awl,

You may have notice the lack of my drivel today, that's because I travelled some miles to inspect many, sets of parallel bits of metal.

Most impressed I was too, a better set of such things than I've seen for some time.

At one point though I thought they'd been modelling my life story, several such units were of places I'd lived near all over the country..

 

Getting there was some what interesting, I'd pre programmed this gadgets navigator with the destination and route I would like . Just after I set off the screen started changing pages from map to select route to other pages. I had to stop and reboot the thing, reselect the route from favourites, and set off again.

 

After going about thirty miles I noticed her inside the box was sending me onto smaller and smaller roads.. so I stopped and looked at the destination, she was trying to put me into a field in the middle of Norfolk.

At that point I gave up with it, looked up the shortest route to the A47, and returned to my old route.

 

On the return I tried again, knowing the first 30 miles was common to old and new routes. As it was OK for those miles, I trusted it for the new route and it worked.

The new route uses lesser roads but is traffic free and a much more enjoyable drive.

I'm going to reload the programme I suspect the latest update has stuffed it.

 

 

Only One purchase at the show, a complete loco kit for £30!!! Ok it's old, and might need some updating but I'm happy with it.

 

I suspect a lot of this "stay in your class stupidity" is post WW2.

From the pre WW2 generation,

One grandfather was a ganger on the railways, that grandmother looked after the children, all 4 children went to grammar school, 2 of the 4 went to university, 

The other grandfather eventually an RSM in the Army, with a non working wife, had 5 sons, one became a manager of an oil refinery, one a very senior police officer, one a very senior civil servant (dad), one was a founder member of the Trogs band, only one stayed was a "lower level" staying as a civilian mechanic for the army.

[Ozexpatriate]

10 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

I'm afraid I have seen (and been the victim of) a lot of pigeon-holing and preconceptions of people's status. I don't know how much is an English (or British?) trait and how much it's people being people [anywhere].

Generally, I like to think that people (as individuals in a personal setting) are much the same everywhere. 

 

However, having said that, there continues to be a English* class consciousness that is not present in the same way in the colonies, though they have their quirks.

 

* It may not be fair to attribute this to other British countries.

 

Australia is relatively egalitarian, though they can exercise "tall poppy syndrome**" which is sometimes deserved and sometimes capricious. Before social changes in the 1970s Australians were exceptionally racist (it was enshrined in national immigration policy) and if you wanted "in" to the "establishment" conservative side of things you had to go to a CofE school. I don't think these aspects are nearly as strong today - though there certainly are vestiges.

 

** Tall poppies get cut down - meaning successful people are vilified for thinking they are "better", even if they don't.

 

The US is an odd mixture. Success is *mostly* lauded. The English "what does your father do? and school or regimental tie" classism does not exist in the same way, but there are financial / net worth strata. The closer you get to a colonial influence - like Ivy League schools (many of which were created in colonial times) and so-called "Boston Brahmins" the more you find something akin to English classism. 

 

Like everywhere, money is a door-opener. Systemic racism is real and has a big influence in generational wealth. Without getting into politics there's a lot of weird culture war stuff over educational status, but this is relatively recent. In the south people will openly ask "what church do you attend?"

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by Ozexpatriate
Clarification

[Ozexpatriate]

3 hours ago, The White Rabbit said:

I've never been part of the British Army but have seen bits of it at work closer than many people and know (and can appreciate) the worth of good NCOs - 'skilled working class' people without attitude or airs and graces.

The backbone of every military force since Roman Centurions.

 

Whether they are Chief Petty Officers or Sergeant Majors - the value of NCOs is demonstrated by their having a separate career path from commissioned officers and why there are positions like "Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps" in the USMC.

[Ozexpatriate]

33 minutes ago, TheQ said:

I suspect a lot of this "stay in your class stupidity" is post WW2.

Perhaps the "meritocracy" of the war emergency gave people from that generation a pass from the historical classism in English society that dates at least back to feudalism v. peasants and the aristocracy v. working classes.

 

Once the war and post-war austerity ended, things went back to 'normal', or at least a 'new normal'.

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by Ozexpatriate

[PeterBB]

Grandfathers, both born circa 160 years ago, were respectivelyn RN then fireman pre WW! and the other a compositor (never saw him do anything except sit by the fire smoking but he was 80 years older than us at the time and never spoke to us) ... Dad, one of his youngest was an horologist who while encouraging us to do 'better' was quite  disappointed that neither of us showed interest. Before that became his lifelong work - kept going until unable to do so in his late 80's-  he worked for Tower Bridge Co. where he met mother who worked in the office and was aked to leave 'because she was taking up too much of his time' - pun. unintended. 

 

Taken a while to catch -up and can no longer remember other things apart from Seeing Chris F back and the ER PM and team and its relationship to LDC; White Rabbits photographs, Japanese visits, things that run on parallel lines, Gwiwer's interesting anecdotes and the following 'convict' stories.  The main problem is the time tasken to catch up and the odd 'ticks' that did not show up.

 

That has reminded me  - does anyone else have to go through the 'forgot password' reset everytime they want to access ER? 

[Ozexpatriate]

3 minutes ago, PeterBB said:

That has reminded me  - does anyone else have to go through the 'forgot password' reset everytime they want to access ER? 

No. Never. That would be irritating indeed. Do you use an "incognito" browser or some kind of setting that prevents 'cookies' from being saved?

[Coombe Barton]

... Incredulity highlights today ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2022/11/05/levelling/

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

Australia is relatively egalitarian, though they can exercise "tall poppy syndrome**" which is sometimes deserved and sometimes capricious. Before social changes in the 1970s Australians were exceptionally racist (it was enshrined in national immigration policy) and if you wanted "in" to the conservative side of things you had to go to a CofE school. I don't think these aspects are nearly as strong today - though there certainly are vestiges.

 

 

Agree - I've never encountered or heard of any "class" based discrimination, the religion thing seems to have disappeared too, at least among the general population (at least one recent "conservative"  PM was catholic) and  Australia is now recognised as one of the most racially diverse country in the world, with over half the population born elsewhere, or having at least one parent who was, much to the dismay of traditional old-school racists on talkback radio. One side of politics still tries to fan the flames with its demonising of middle east "terrorists" and "boat people" causing traffic problems in Western Sydney  or something but most of them got kicked out in the last election.

 

Job-based snobbery is also unwise, one thing preventing it is that even many of what might be considered  "low skill" or blue collar  jobs are surprisingly well paid, for instance the threat of being a "street sweeper" is never brought up here, since its not the  ticket to a life of economic restriction that it might be considered  elsewhere , in fact they possibly earn almost as much as  the teachers issuing the warning...

 

https://au.talent.com/salary?job=street+sweeper#:~:text=The average street sweeper salary in Australia is %2475%2C789 per,up to %24100%2C646 per year.

 

 

 

Presently anyone who can get there is guaranteed a 6 figure sum working in the mines, even as a cleaner. 

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2022 by monkeysarefun

[simontaylor484]

I have had to relent and turn the heating on for an hour i amnfrozen stiff and have turned in. 

[Ozexpatriate]

26 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

... the religion thing seems to have disappeared too, at least among the general population (at least one recent "conservative"  PM was catholic)

My "conservative things" reference wasn't so much specifically political party membership, but perhaps better described as the 'establishment' - like a barrister with ambitions to be a QC, someone with ambitions for senior management in banking or governmental roles, or a naval officer as examples. It's not the case today.

[The White Rabbit]

1 hour ago, PeterBB said:

... That has reminded me  - does anyone else have to go through the 'forgot password' reset everytime they want to access ER? 

 

Not for me, though I have stopped signing in/out of RMW and just X the page top right when I've done. I have RMW's home page saved as a bookmark so open it that way, then go to ERs. No particular problems over the last few weeks, though one afternoon a few posts wouldn't rate for me, it was the day a few others had worse problems with and posted about on here, tagging Andy. Next visit everything was fine. Your problem sounds more serious though I'm afraid I've no idea how to fix it.  

[Erichill16]

8 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

My paternal grandfather worked on the railways and my dad and his elder sister both went to college. For this to happen their mum (my Grandma) sold her wedding ring to fund my Aunty’s education so goodness knows how they funded father. 
 

I was rudely interrupted by the return of SWMBO and mil so couldn’t finish my post so here is the rest of it.

My mother was encouraged by her parents  to finish with school as soon as possible and get out and earn a living. Mum’s  dad worked as a foreman at Manvers coking plant. 

An example of contrasting  ‘working class’ families attitudes.
 

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. I get my cable TV from Virgin Media. I was flicking through the TV guide this evening and found three interesting programs back to back on what I think is a Virgin Media test channel, it is labelled Virgin HD and has no ads. The programs were respectively about the New Forest, the Peloponnese and the Isle of Wight. The latter two programs even had a bit of railway interest, quite a bit about the I-O-W steam railway on the last one. If you are on Virgin its channel 228. 

[Tony_S]

17 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

An example of contrasting  ‘working class’ families attitudes.
 

My mother’s older brother gained a scholarship to transfer to a grammar school at age 14. It would have covered everything but he had to go out to work as the family needed the money he could earn. Mum’s older step sister was also considered to be very bright. She was very active in trade union work.

My Dad was an only child and his family made it possible for him to stay in education until he was 16 and start an apprenticeship. 

[Ozexpatriate]

28 minutes ago, Erichill16 said:

My mother was encouraged by her parents  to finish with school as soon as possible and get out and earn a living.

4 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

My mother’s older brother gained a scholarship to transfer to a grammar school at age 14. It would have covered everything but he had to go out to work as the family needed the money he could earn.

My Dad was a teenager in the early 1950s. He took the Post Office examination at 14 and my grandparents took him out of school to earn money for the family. He started as a telegram delivery boy. There's a photograph of him with his bicycle in a Queensland State Schools textbook.

 

Ultimately he would be forced out of the Federal Government (Department of Housing and Construction) into early retirement at 55.  In the later years of his employment he would be frustrated by being passed over for promotions given to younger people with degrees.

 

All of his children have University degrees.

 

[Tony_S]

My brother didn’t do well in his A level exams and didn’t get the grades required for what he wanted to do. He said he would immediately start looking for work as he didn’t want to take any more money from the family. Dad told him he could go to the Tech College and resit for however long it took if necessary. However he was shown an advert for a technician apprenticeship at GEC Telecommunications where they provided the practical training and theory at Coventry Technical College. At the end of the course he was able to compete for posts with those who had been through the degree course route. He had been a radio amateur since he was 14 so he was quite happy working at something that had been a hobby. 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone 

 

Ava decided to do some sewing today, so she started one of the sewing kits Sheila and I bought her last week, a sugar skull! Considering it’s a good 4 months since she last did any sewing, she’s done very well and remembered how to do it. When she gave up due to the bad light she’d completed the outline of the skull and will start doing the decorative parts next week. 

 

On the subject of education, despite being ‘bright’ (the teachers assessment not mine) I hated school, especially academic subjects, so didn’t try particularly hard, but I loved the practical subjects and I excelled at those. I never wanted to go to university, I just wanted to leave and get a job! By this time my parents were divorced and my father was 4000 miles away in Canada, so there was no input from him. I can remember was my grandfather (mum’s father) instilling the importance of getting an apprenticeship, as he had to leave has at 14 and support his family (he had 2 younger brothers)  as his own father had died very young. I did quite well at college and gained a few City & Guilds certificates. When I changed jobs in 1990 I was given the chance, in fact encouraged to go back to college and further my education, all paid for by the company. So I took up the opportunity and over a 6 year period I gained an ONC, HNC and HND in electrical and electronic engineering. 

Edited November 6, 2022 by BSW01

[BSW01]

Goodnight all 

[J. S. Bach]

An interesting day today. First, I had some Jamison's Irish whiskey for the first time, interesting flavor. Second was  a snake in the lobby of the motel; a real small one that I scooped into a dustpan and dumped him outside in a nearby field. The look on the desk clerk's face when I finally persuaded him that I was not kidding and he saw the snake! 😺 My only complaint is that I had left my phone in the room so no photos. 😿

 

Anyway, Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[zarniwhoop]

Well that was the quietest 5th November I can remember. For the past few years I've usually gone out and driven around locally, looking at the fireworks in the air, then come home and seen some amount of distant rockets. Last year I recall there was much less.

 

This year I looked at the weather forecasts and thought "*#!@ that for a game of soldiers", so I got my messages yesterday  (that's "did my shopping" in English). Looks like the weather wasn't actually as wet as forecast, but a somewhat misty/damp evening. And I saw zero fireworks. There were a couple of distant sounds that might have been bangers, but nothing visible.

 

Oddly, a week ago there was an amount of local fireworks just after 8pm. I was sat at a computer and heard some bangs, then looked out and the whole (short) street was intermittently lit from overhead, but I never managed to work out where they were coming from. Not sure if tonight's lack of fireworks was because everyone is just too poor, or because of fears about climate change.

[Ozexpatriate]

2 hours ago, zarniwhoop said:

I got my messages yesterday  (that's "did my shopping" in English)

My mother says "did the messages". I hadn't heard that expression in a very long time and one time remember looking at her like she was from Mars until the penny dropped. These days I prefer "running errands".

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, Ozexpatriate said:

My mother says "did the messages". I hadn't heard that expression in a very long time and one time remember looking at her like she was from Mars until the penny dropped. These days I prefer "running errands".

 

Officially you "go the messages", as in,

 

"Did you go the messages?"

 

😀