Early Risers.

[monkeysarefun]

3 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

However, it does indicate that the presence or absence of the death sentence in itself is a rather blunt indicator of questionable value to assessing a society.

Like everything that is sh1tty in the world, it also falls disproportionately on the poor, the mentally ill, the immigrants and the vulnerable, while those with money, connections or influence manage to avoid any  possibility of it. 

[jjb1970]

On a brighter note, and to mention the unmentionable on a model railway enthusiast site (trains), I just ordered a model of one of these in N by Tomix, a Kintetsu 80000 series.

 

These are standard gauge, there's a huge misassumption that Japanese railways were 3'6" before they introduced standard gauge with the shinkansen. Actually there have been quite a lot of standard gauge lines, mainly in the 'private' railways (I'm not sure that term makes any sense given JR was privatised a long time ago).

 

The colour of these is rather lovely, image is from the official Kintestsu.co.jp web site.

 

 

[Tony_S]

4 minutes ago, monkeysarefun said:

Like everything that is sh1tty in the world, it also falls disproportionately on the poor, the mentally ill, the immigrants and the vulnerable, while those with money, connections or influence manage to avoid any  possibility of it. 

When my son was in his last year at Utrecht University he was supposed to go somewhere and  do some research relevant to his Human Geography masters course. He was really interested in the lives of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Singapore. He gave up on that idea. He wasn’t going to get a visa if he stated that was his reason and if he went on a tourist visa was quite likely to be arrested. Young friends of his from Singapore had originally given him the idea that that community was worthy of study. He mentioned it to some family members who are Singapore residents (some born there too) and they were very hostile about studying such people.  In the end he didn’t go. His university really wanted him to be accredited to a local institution and all their requests were ignored, even those from people at Utrecht with academic connections to Singapore. So Matthew’s only trips to Singapore were his social ones to see friends.

He ended up doing his research with the Polish community in Cork. The support from the university there was superb and when he started his PhD research on modern migration in Dublin, the Irish Research Council were going to fully fund him. After he died we were very touched by the response from the Research Council sending condolences to us but saying it was a loss for Ireland too.

Tony

[jjb1970]

Singaporean people can be very touchy about criticism of their country and get very defensive. And the government is famously averse to any criticism, real or implied. For all I love the country, there are darker sides. 

 

In some ways the plight of the Bangladeshi workers is less troubling than maids. Whereas the Bangladeshi's in shipyards, construction etc at least have companionship from co-workers and the government does apply some protection (though to people in Britain it would look woeful) a lot of maids are young women barely out of school away from their homes in other SE Asian countries living on their own. Most Singaporean families treat them well and look after them, but some treat them appallingly and treat them like slaves. Every now and again there are stories in the news about how a maid has been mistreated and abused in shocking ways.

[TheQ]

Saudi Arabia only got rid of official slavery in 1961, many don't believe it, as since the Koran says the best thing you can do is free a slave, you've got to have slaves in the first place to free.

 

The cheap labour from Bangladesh or the like, are treated terribly by the locals. Often go unpaid, and you can't leave the country till you sign saying you have been paid...

 

[Tony_S]

13 minutes ago, jjb1970 said:

Every now and again there are stories in the news about how a maid has been mistreated and abused in shocking ways.

Worldwide there seem to be some terrible stories about maids being abused. Often young women from the Philippines.
MiL told us about a young girl they employed in Delhi when Aditi was a toddler. A neighbour had found this girl wandering about. She had been a servant somewhere local and had been dismissed and basically left to fend for herself. She didn’t know how to contact her family. Anyway MiL employed her basically to run around and clean up after the toddler. They managed to get in contact with her family. However the maid became ill and was taken to hospital. MiL’s family said they would pay for whatever but the maids family basically abducted her from hospital and was never heard from again. Police were not interested. 

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, jjb1970 said:

Singaporean people can be very touchy about criticism of their country and get very defensive. And the government is famously averse to any criticism, real or implied. For all I love the country, there are darker sides. 

 

In some ways the plight of the Bangladeshi workers is less troubling than maids. Whereas the Bangladeshi's in shipyards, construction etc at least have companionship from co-workers and the government does apply some protection (though to people in Britain it would look woeful) a lot of maids are young women barely out of school away from their homes in other SE Asian countries living on their own. Most Singaporean families treat them well and look after them, but some treat them appallingly and treat them like slaves. Every now and again there are stories in the news about how a maid has been mistreated and abused in shocking ways.

 

And this is the country some of our politicians hold up as a shining example for us to follow. Heaven preserve us from Singapore-on-Thames!

[jjb1970]

4 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

And this is the country some of our politicians hold up as a shining example for us to follow. Heaven preserve us from Singapore-on-Thames!

 

While it is not perfect, there is actually an awful lot Britain (and the west in general) could learn from Singapore.

 

Public transport is outstanding. Healthcare is superb. Education standards are very high. It's clean and everything works. And it's extremely safe. Corruption is low and government services while very bureaucratic are also very efficient. None of those things are to be sniffed at.

 

The problem when judging anything is that depending on perspective people tend to either see what is good or what is bad.

 

The big downside is the power of the government, even locals admit it is basically a benign authoritarian state. However, as I said earlier in ER, government doesn't interfere in people's lives any more than the British government. And you don't have to look very hard to find shameful treatment of migrant workers in Britain.

 

 

[PeterBB]

13 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

The density gauge in which it was installed broke apart. It makes you wonder whether someone chucked it (broken?) in an reused Amazon delivery box. Presumably the investigation will consider how the (damaged/non-functioning?) gauge was packaged.  One wonders whether there is residual radiation in the packaging, truck or truck driver?

 

BBC:

ABC:

Sounds like it was busted to begin with.

 

And therefore 'leaking' ... the half-life of tbis is tremendous, we used a simlar but probably smaller sized source one for checking our isotope counters.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. The eczema has quietened down now. So much so that I have not used any dressings today just the aqueous cream. Not much sign of Arthur Itis this morning either and I hope it stays that way.

[PeterBB]

5 hours ago, grandadbob said:

Good morning all,

  According to local news plans are in to demolish it and replace with 1015 flats including a 21 storey tower block. This huge development includes plans for just 126 car parking spaces and over 1750 cycle parking spaces.  Parking in that part of the town is bad enough so I foresee problems.....lots of them.

Time to gettamoveon.

Have a good 'un.

Bob.

Rather surprised to see that there are so few parking spaces as I recall in the 60s it was difficult enough to park anyway.  Cycling through as I did for work when based at Sutton rather than St Helier Hospital the hills were quite a drag, especia;ly on a fixed wheel of 78".

Edited February 2, 2023 by PeterBB

[iL Dottore]

Just a provocative question: but why the hell are we getting all bent out of shape about historical slavery, when there is modern day slavery - or it's very close equivalent (human trafficking) - to fight and shut down?

 

Call me a cynic, but I wonder if the minimal attention paid in many quarters to modern day slavery is due to the fact that actually trying to do something about modern day slavery is a lot more dangerous and poorly paid than railing against historical slavery from the well paid comfort of the media or academia...

[Winslow Boy]

5 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Walking the “Wolfpack” this morning I was ruminating upon my forthcoming menu for my friends.

 

Unless something else comes up, I’ve decided to do a hybrid Tuscan/Emilia Romagna meal:

 

Antipasti: mini piadina with Mortadella and a glass of Negroni

 

Primi: either tagliatelle al ragú di cinghiali (wild boar) OR a Tris di Primi (tortellini in brodo, Cannelloni alla piacentina, risotto ai funghi porcini) OR Tortellini alla boscaiola.

 

Secondi: Arrosto Misto. OR Polenta con Salsiccia OR Agnello spezzettato alla bolognese (contorni: patate al forno and/or bietola al burro.

 

Dolci: Mela Croccante OR Castagnaccio with sweet ricotta.

 

Obviously I won’t be cooking all 10 dishes (12 if you count the contorni). What would you enjoy from the above?

 

 

I'll have the ham and egg please and if you haven't got that I'll have fish and chips. Oh and do you have mushie peas?

[Danemouth]

3 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

I'll have the ham and egg please and if you haven't got that I'll have fish and chips. Oh and do you have mushie peas?

 

and prunes and custard for afters?

 

Dave

[iL Dottore]

2 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

I'll have the ham and egg please and if you haven't got that I'll have fish and chips. Oh and do you have mushie peas?

I'm sorry, but we are fresh out of ham, egg, fish, chips and mushy peas...

 

May I advise you that the @polybear All-Day Caff and Beary-Scoff Nosheria will be glad to provide you with your sustenance needs....

[Winslow Boy]

12 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Just a provocative question: but why the hell are we getting all bent out of shape about historical slavery, when there is modern day slavery - or it's very close equivalent (human trafficking) - to fight and shut down?

 

Call me a cynic, but I wonder if the minimal attention paid in many quarters to modern day slavery is due to the fact that actually trying to do something about modern day slavery is a lot more dangerous and poorly paid than railing against historical slavery from the well paid comfort of the media or academia...

 

Never tackle something hard when there's a much easier option.

 

 

[Danemouth]

5 minutes ago, Danemouth said:

 

and prunes and custard for afters?

 

Dave

 

Thinking back to my schooldays in the 1950/60s I swear kitchens of Fitzalan Technical High School had three taps - "Hot", "Cold" and "Custard" - we had it that often!

 

Dave

[Winslow Boy]

8 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

I'm sorry, but we are fresh out of ham, egg, fish, chips and mushy peas...

 

May I advise you that the @polybear All-Day Caff and Beary-Scoff Nosheria will be glad to provide you with your sustenance needs....

 

How about some spam then?

[Winslow Boy]

1 minute ago, Danemouth said:

 

Thinking back to my schooldays in the 1950/60s I swear kitchens of Fitzalan Technical High School had three taps - "Hot", "Cold" and "Custard" - we had it that often!

 

Dave

 

With the blob of jam so that you could stir it in and turn it pink. Ah the good old days.

[DaveF]

Dull windy and mild on the coast in Northumberland today.

 

Yesterday started with the usual house jobs, I now have a very clean kitchen with everything in the right place for once.  Then I drove to the beach and had a good walk on the sand to the west pier and up on to the internal harbour road to look at a ship and boats moored there.  The sea looked calm but there was actually quite a big swell, several times I almost had to run up the beach to avoid getting wet while I was walking along the water's edge looking at seaweeds and shells.

 

I was back home in time for coffee, the podiatrist rang to see if I could go over in the afternoon rather than in  acouple of weeks time as he had a cancellation.  That suited me as the toenails might have turned into claws if they were left much longer.  His place is only about 15 minutes drive away, as usual I was able to park almost outside the door.

 

I had a letter from the consultant who did my endoscopy, apparently the verdict is that the inside of my colon is "reassuring, with a small amount of diverticulosis", as expected at my age.  Better still the two polyps removed were benign, not cancerous.  The larger one (20mm long) may have played a part in the problems and pain I'd been having before it was removed.  Certainly things are working better now.  I was also given recommendations for my diet, including more fibre if I can tolerate it.  I must also drink plenty (I think that means liquids not alcohol).

 

To be honest it is a load off my mind.

 

In the evening I had some e mails asking for photos for a book and a magazine.  After lunch I watched Eisenbahn Romantik on SWR TV (German via satellite).  They are showing a programme from the long running series every weekday 1.15 - 1.45p.m. (UK time) this month.  It is always enjoyable.  Many are avaiable on YouTube.

 

The evening involved 'Allo'Allo, Onedin Line (TPTV Encore), music on Radio Eviva and a look at the latest Beamish Magazine which I receive as part of my "Friends of Beamish" membership.

 

David

 

 

 

 

 

[Compound2632]

36 minutes ago, iL Dottore said:

Just a provocative question: but why the hell are we getting all bent out of shape about historical slavery, when there is modern day slavery - or it's very close equivalent (human trafficking) - to fight and shut down?

 

Call me a cynic, but I wonder if the minimal attention paid in many quarters to modern day slavery is due to the fact that actually trying to do something about modern day slavery is a lot more dangerous and poorly paid than railing against historical slavery from the well paid comfort of the media or academia...

 

One can compare the early 19th century self-satisfaction of having abolished slavery in the empire verses the condition of many of the poor, urban and rural, at home.

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, jjb1970 said:

 

While it is not perfect, there is actually an awful lot Britain (and the west in general) could learn from Singapore.

 

Public transport is outstanding. Healthcare is superb. Education standards are very high. It's clean and everything works. And it's extremely safe. Corruption is low and government services while very bureaucratic are also very efficient. None of those things are to be sniffed at.

 

The problem when judging anything is that depending on perspective people tend to either see what is good or what is bad.

 

The big downside is the power of the government, even locals admit it is basically a benign authoritarian state. However, as I said earlier in ER, government doesn't interfere in people's lives any more than the British government. And you don't have to look very hard to find shameful treatment of migrant workers in Britain.

 

 

 

That's as maybe but here we're heading in the direction of a more authoritarian state but without the benefit of the trains running on time. 

[Danemouth]

26 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

With the blob of jam so that you could stir it in and turn it pink. Ah the good old days.

 

I remember the blob of jam with either rice pudding or semolina on the days when they didn't serve custard.

 

As for prunes many years later I was in a small restauraunt in Earls Court where my main course was rabbit with prunes - it was really nice! The starters on that occasion was prawn coctail and the pudding peach melba. Goodness knows why I remember that particular meal 😀

 

Dave

Edited February 2, 2023 by Danemouth
Spelling

[DaveF]

A few photos from my look at the beach and harbour (technically the south harbour) yesterday.

 

 

Beach, lighthouse and offshore wind turbines

 

 

Fishing boats.  The red one is a coble which are becoming less common in many parts of the north east.

 

 

Normand Navigator and REM Supporter in the south harbour.  Moored alongside each other.

 

 

Waves on south beach.

 

 

David

 

[polybear]

9 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

As I mentioned in another post, keeping such individuals for the duration of the rest of their life in a prison where they are permanently kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours of each day with only a bit of sky to look at and are who are exercised in a concrete courtyard where, again, they can only see sky is not really a humane alternative to the death penalty.

 

For anyone on a whole life sentence in Prison where the D.P. isn't an option then personally I'd much rather they were held in inhumane conditions - if they're on a WLS then they truly are thoroughly evil b'stewards.

 

9 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

In two weeks I get to stretch my culinary legs (so to speak), as a good chum of mine and his wife are finally coming to dinner as our various schedules have at last overlapped. But I’m at a bit of a loss as what to do.

 

Pizza & Chips (or curly fries if you fancy being adventurous), followed by LCC with Salted Caramel Ice Cream.  With a couple of Flakes stuck into it.

 

9 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Whatever I do it will not involve pizza and chips (sorry @polybear) 

 

Bvgger.

How do you do that??

 

7 hours ago, jjb1970 said:

I don't think the low figure in Singapore is down to the death sentence (though that may be why drug abuse is a lot rarer, most executions are for drug offences, not murder), it'd take real research to analyse and will be a combination of things. The Police here are very visible and enforcement of petty crime is rigorous, it may be that by stamping on low level crime they prevent escalation into more serious crime. I really don't know.

 

It seems that in the UK the vast majority of crime is somehow linked to Drugs - sort that problem (Bear can suggest a few ways....😉) and you're well on the way there.

 

4 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

Good heavens Herr Doktari a man of your learning and you haven't figured how to implement something like that. Its simple. Every time you see someone dropping a piece of litter they get shot. The ones that survive won't do it again and the ones that don't survive won't do it again. Simplezzz.

 

How'd you fancy being Bear's new Minister for Crime & Punishment WB?

 

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

A bit excessive, perhaps.

 

But our resident “Hanging Judge @polybear” 🤣 might approve 

 

"Hanging Judge?"

Nah - too quick......

(Though it does have rather good Environmental Protection attributes)

 

1 hour ago, iL Dottore said:

I'm sorry, but we are fresh out of ham, egg, fish, chips and mushy peas...

 

May I advise you that the @polybear All-Day Caff and Beary-Scoff Nosheria will be glad to provide you with your sustenance needs....

 

And at a minute fraction of the cost of those on Ristorante iD's Menu......