JohnDMJ

Good Evening Awl, for it seems brighter and quieter than previous evenings of late. I will dive straight into the hard or soft water debate! Since 1967, my parents' houses have been fitted with water softeners; some mistakes were made in the design of the plumbing system as all houses involved were purchased 'off plan' so could have been modified any which way. However, only one of the two cisterns and the garden tap was ever on the incoming feed; the whole of the bathroom (in the UK sense of being the place where the bath tub resides!) was on the softened side. Now I have my own house where I have installed a water softener and have three feeds to all wet locations: Cold Hard to both cisterns and garden tap Cold Soft to bath, basin, boiler, appliances (dish and clothes washers) and 100degree Celsius tap Hot Soft water to central heating and all 'normal' hot water outlets. Nett result: only one lot of salt required to satisfy four appliances! (Contrary to popular belief, softened water is harmlessly drinkable!) (Other references are available!! 54 years of drinking softened water does not seem to have done me any harm! [Although I bow to those that know me's better judgement, of course!])

Good Evening awl, although there remains doubt over the opening word! A light snack and an early night are envisaged. Elsewhere, the logic employed by train schedulers does vary from country to country and depends, to a large extent, on the type of service offered. The UK tends to be very much point-to-point whilst Switzerland, for example, relies on changing trains. In the latter case, the preference is to bunch trains together at the connection stations with timings based on how many platforms need to be traversed to reach the target train; on this basis, the distinction between 'door closure' time and 'departure' time can be significant as you will not always arrive 10 or more minutes ahead of your departure! Interestingly, the most efficient I have seen my local station operate was during the rail strikes a few years ago. Only two services in each direction were offered: Chichester to London and Bognor to Brighton (via Littlehampton). Due to the track layout, trains heading UP worked and connected well; trains heading DOWN did not always as the guard was often all too keen to keep to the timetable than to provide a service (although some did)! iD, Indeed, there has only been one new episode of JRJ this year but, in many respects, it was refreshing. In a parallel universe (in which I note your participation), it has already been observed that the two original presenters were keen to take the limelight; Russell not so much and the guest was allowed to contribute more; Nathan less so. It is commented in this parallel universe that the new presenter was chosen for having an interest in railways but more to bring Ryo into the forefront with conversation rather than set interview.

With respect, you, as an employee tied up in the 30 second farce, seem to have missed my point. Simply, the time published in any form of timetable represents the time at which the doors close. The train departs up to 30 seconds after this event. European countries such as Germany, France, Netherlands, Switzerland have mastered this concept. It seems that this is beyond comprehension in the UK!

Sir, I beg to disagree! I tend to dot the Ts and cross the Is!!

I can see this is going to get messy! Every other country in which I travel considers the published time of the train as the Door Closure Time. It is ONLY in the UK, as far as I am aware, that such practice is deemed impossible. Yes, I am aware that Virgin at Euston have the two minute rule and that Southern have the 30 second rule; IMHO, both are in breach of Trading Standards for failing to operate the advertised service. The Public don't see the WTT so, as far as they are concerned, it is meaningless! I have raised this with schedulers on both Southern and South Western only to be rebuked that the train has to depart on time rather than close its doors on time. IMHO, absolute madness (and with a strong whiff of excrement of bull)!

Hello! (I make no reference to Noon deliberately for fear that some poor individual may reference Peter Noone of Herman's Hermits! No MIlk Today, then!) That's a totally different goat! "Doors may close up to 30 seconds before departure." What a totally imbecilic notion!!!! Outside of the UK, every other country seems to have adopted the sensible notion that the times given in their timetables are the DOOR CLOSURE times with departure being a few seconds later. If only the numskulls in the UK TOCs could get their heads around this ... Scenario: I had a taxi to the station for the 13:00 train; I arrived at the station at 12:59:45. My train had departed at 12:59:40. Polite words fail me! Oh, and before anyone wants to shoot the timings down, this ONLY happens in the UK!! Abysmal is an understatement!

Noon is DEFINED as 12:00:00 mid day. 12:00:01 is AFTERNOON!

Good Morning Awl, and, although the latter is still true, the veracity of the former may be considered dubious! Rain again this morning has obstructed my plans to cut the hedge at the front and side of my domicile (mains powered hedge cutter!) but I may later acquire a pair of secateurs to at least recover the twigs overhanging my neighbour's garden. Forecast suggests swimwear might be an appropriate dress code for this operation! Elsewhere: IIRC, that was Carry On Regardless which featured the hapless Gang under the guise of the "Helping Hands Agency". Also, ISTR that SU billed himself as "'Professor' Stanley Unwin"!

Next to the late lamented 'Groan' Button!!

Good Evening awl, for it may yet turn out to be! Despite a relatively dry day, automatic wipers detected some damp bits on the windscreen whilst driving home. Talking about medical examinations and tests, I have to pass by the local hospital tomorrow to return their portable ECG monitor which was fitted today (I will refrain from pointing out that it was EARLIER today for it is already fitted and I try to avoid stating the B******G obvious!) In other news: WTF is a craft beer? When Fuller's of Chiswick bought out Gales of Horndean, they spent a fortune on finding the right formula to make the Chiswick brew taste the same as the Horndean brew. I remain unconvinced! However, as far as I'm concerned, if a beer ain't conformant with the, at least, 500 year-old Purity Laws, it ain't a beer! Under said Laws, a beer is made from water, barley, yeast and hops. NOTHING ELSE! It is the flavour of the water, the way in which the particularly chosen variety of barley is cracked (I shall avoid using the Oxford Comma here) and the type of hops used which determine both the style and flavour of the beer. We all have our own definitions of so-called real ale and craft beers, but, for me, it couldn't be simpler than the Purity Laws!

Good evening all, for it was! Sarcastic thanks for publishing hereon this evening's result; tomorrow will be totally insufferable at work and on a day when we need to start concentrating on the task in hand for the next few days rather than mere mundane trivia! <rant over> Thanks for the warning, though!

I know, I exaggerated slightly! With 22 jobsworths and only one pig's bladder, they are right to share it! Gives them all an equal chance of going off injured cos they miskicked said bladder and broke a toe nail!

I can not bite my tongue any more so I'm 'jumping in' here! (And I may be blunt!) Sports. I find the concept of professional (as in getting paid for participating) sports completely abhorrent and overrated. Can't they get a 'proper' job and contribute (non-financially) to the community? Amateur (unpaid) sports, on the other hand, provide a, generally, low key, competitive recreation from the daily 'grind'. OK, so there is an argument that vehicle technology has improved through F1 'racing' but I gave up on that when I recognised the "it's your turn to win this time" syndrome which was often easily spotted! When it's all boiled down, the 'professional' sports people are on a par with the likes of actors, comedians and other performance artists, i.e. merely providing an escape mechanism from the normal humdrum existence. What's your job? I kick an inflated pig's bladder around a grassy area for up to 90 minutes, sometimes longer. And what's yours? I throw myself off a ten metre high concrete platform into a pool of water head first.

Morning awl (whether it is Good or not remains subject to verification!) No major plans for today other than to just bumble along Saturday fashion. However: Ergo, every driver who parks on their own drive is equally guilty, usually needing to cross the pavement so to do! Sounds like a model based on the Cantonal Switzerland!

Mixed responses. I agree that I added IoW after stating '5'. As an Engineer, one day I may learn to count*! The water used to make the brew was, I believe, the major factor; Chiswick being a tad remote from Horndean, much adjustment to the brew was necessary to try and retain the flavour! * Counting (especially as company stock take is looming!), doesn't that comprise 1, 2, many? (Will be interesting to see who gets the double entendre therein!)

Good Evening, and to mark the progress towards the closure of another POTS day (it's a full 08:00 - 17:00 hour day Mon thru' Fri here; no Early Push Off!), here are a few observations: Not only said breach, but also breach of PCI which carries a £500,000 fine for starters; it grows daily, as I understand it. Back in the 90s, I was on the board of the Management Company of the flats where I lived, Mandeville Court, London E4. If you follow the link, you will see that there are two archways on site. We asked the Fire Brigade how they would cope with, as was usually the case, cars parked and unattended either side of the arches. Their response, IIRC, was 'No Problem, our engines are reinforced and we would just go through'! As for insurance, don't even bother to try a claim! So the UK (currently) comprises 5 distinct regions: Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, The Isle of Wight* and England! * I speak as a (IoW, other variants are available) Caulkhead, given my ancestry, and a former resident! Walking home on one occasion (of many, I should, perhaps, add), I was confronted by a car parked with two wheels on the pavement. As it happened, a police car was coming towards me so I flagged it down and asked the opinion of the occupants of this. Their response: "We don't like it but we can not enforce its prohibition!" That said, there was an occasion when I visited the shop adjacent to a former brewery in Horndean, Hampshire; because I 'pavement parked' to facilitate unloading of empties, the occupants of a police car chose to draw to my attention that I had obstructed the pavement causing someone to circumvent my vehicle by going out into the road (of B classification) with her pram. True, The Highway Code is more a Guide than The Law, but how many non-car-drivers realise that it ALSO applies to them? (As users of the general highway) Tactful? BTW, Electric Scooters (mimicking the type on which you have one foot firmly placed on the scooter, using the other to provide propulsion), hover boards, Segways, electric bicycles, and electric scooters are, I believe, not Street Legal in the UK except under certain conditions. The riders are operating a powered vehicle without a suitable license and without insurance, to name but two potential violations. I wasn't aware that Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson worked for the current police force! ("I see no ships"!)

I had forgotten the divergence of the two routes on the 'Southampton' side of Fareham!

Back again! Advances in new power technology are vast and the future of the battery-powered train is with us, albeit not yet in the UK! Hydrogen Cells and other techniques are being explored! As previously stated, FGW still use Diesel hydraulic units so could, if the line was clear, transported from Southampton to places East. In other news, and diversifying somewhat, I have been amazed and increduled by the lack of understanding that exists in the retail chain. I read many threads, including of this forum, that proclaim that Retailer A is selling this for £X whilst Retailer B is cheaper. I then further read, as a complaint, that the supplier to both retailers is selling this for full RRP. Why am I not the only one not surprised by this? If the supplier undercuts his trade customer, there goes another supply route. The trade customer retails at a price commensurate with making an adequate profit on the deal. Thus, all are happy as the supplier has made his profit and so has the retailer, no matter how small. If the retailer is really cute, he will spot the limited items and mark them up as above RRP! When the box shifters sell out and so do the RRP traders, he then has stock to sell at HIS price! At the metaphorical end of the day, the consumer chooses from where to buy; if he decides on the supplier, he pays full RRP; if he shops around, he gets a better buying price but may not get as good customer service! How wrong can you be? Sorry guys, Rant over but after you hear it day after day after day!

Good Evening, if one can describe it thus. Delay of the arrival of strimmer cable from the house of South American folk has resulted in the professional services of a local practitioner to express an opinion (along, no doubt, with the customary sharp intake of breath!) Elsewhere, Should be OK if the FGW (diseasle) services can get through! I believe this to be a misquote of a former Vicar of the Eastleigh Parish who, in his writings for his son, based them on stories from the Works; "Coughs and Sneezles spread Diseasles!"

IIRC, my substitute for a meal on 25th December last comprised poached egg with bacon on toast! I recall the adage that people have dogs whilst cats have people. I find it interesting that my neighbour's cat tolerates me as I approach my front door, however, if I see her in the back garden and she sees me, there is a black and white streak of disappearing cat!

Morning Afternoon Awl, for it is still thus. (it was morning when I started!) Shopping shopped and 'essentials' now stowed. G word on hold on the basis of no trimmer cord and a certain CBA factor! Elsewhere: As an, effectively, orphaned hermit, I would love the companionship of a dog or cat. However, I recognise that I would not be able to give them a suitable and satisfactory lifestyle. Thus, I remain solitary! That looks like a very (un)overcrowded 377! Contrary to popular belief, life does not run to a timetable. One has to be flexible and adapt to the ambient conditions. Let us replace Ian Anderson's (Jethro Tull) 'Living in the Past' with Fleetwood Mac's "Don't Stop"! I couldn't agree more!

Art'noon awl, Strimmer cord nowhere in sight; contemplating, as it isn't raining, trimming the font hedge.

I ended up paying a two-figure sum for someone to retrieve beds and dressing tables for disposal.

Evening awl, for it is thus and marks the end of another POTS day (note: no E) before the start of the two shortest days of the full week! Rain and lack of cord for the strimmer (the house of the usually amazin' failed to deliver in time today!) has put paid to my plans for trying to drag said two days out as long as possible and I am unable to resort to chemical means to regain control of the back garden. I note: Today was most definitely a 'beach and sporting wear' rather than a "finery and 'Dressed to the Nines*'" day; I chose shorts and T Shirt for work! In other social(?) media, I have noted someone posting under a suitable 'nom de plume' reflecting this attitude! * Amusing thought: the after effect of wearing stiletto heels on wet grass sounds like a cut of bacon: lean back!

My triple hernia (by keyhole) and my first and third endoscopies were under general anaesthesia.