The BBC headline about the ancient pregnant tortoise found in Pompeii is in itself interesting but even better is the subtitle ‘The reptile’s 2000 year old remains are discovered by archaeologists buried in volcanic ash and rock’.
But they're not rail passengers until they're travelling on a train. And of course potential rail travellers could always travel by car or bus and still be passengers. A horribly confused piece of news.
But they're not rail passengers until they're travelling on a train. And of course potential rail travellers could always travel by car or bus and still be passengers. A horribly confused piece of news.
Exactly...
If they'd said *Intending passengers told not to attempt to travel during rail strikes* that would have made more sense, but there are too many words...
Where did the word *commuter* come from, and when? Those of us who travelled daily to work by Train, in the days when Trains had Slam-Doors, Compartments, and proper Seats, were known as *Season Ticket Holders*.
I believe it's originally an American term, for habitual travellers who "commuted" the full daily rate by buying a season ticket. Apparently it goes right back to the mid-1800s but I don't recall hearing it used in Britain until relatively recently.
This thread has been quiet for over a fortnight, but I can't resist posting a headline today from the Guardian. It's for an article by Michael Rosen.
"Covid killed so many of us – now the UK government fears our tears and rage"
Except that outside the realm of superstitious metaphysics, the government has nothing to fear from those whom Covid killed. It's those that it didn't whose tears and rage the government needs to fear.
Bless it, the Grauniad doesn't have paywalls. That is indeed a very good article; those of you on Farcebark ought to check out Mr. Rosen's letters "from" our soon-to-be-former Prime Minister - they're hilarious.
It may be apocryphal or just my memory playing tricks on me (or both), but I seem to recall a centenarian giving the response of "Not dying" in answer to the question as to what he (or she) attributed his (or her) long life to.
I remember hearing of an old lady who took up smoking at the age of 90, on the basis that she'd had a good innings and if she enjoyed it, it wouldn't really matter if it killed her!
From the BBC News website: "Man fleeing Wiltshire crash scene attacked by emus".
BTW a reporter on the BBC lunchtime TV news accused Sunak and Truss of "mud-slinging". Doesn't sound a responsible use of water in the current drought.
From the BBC News website: "Man fleeing Wiltshire crash scene attacked by emus".
That's apparently a true story. The emus appeared on our local television news last night.
It happened in Malmesbury, which means that even if you didn't see the film click, you can know that the emus must have been flightless birds rather than Electric Multiple Units.
From the BBC News website: "Man fleeing Wiltshire crash scene attacked by emus".
That's apparently a true story. The emus appeared on our local television news last night.
It happened in Malmesbury, which means that even if you didn't see the film click, you can know that the emus must have been flightless birds rather than Electric Multiple Units.
I remember David (possibly apocryphally) quoting a teacher in rural Norfolk who had an acronym that she put on children's report cards - NFN, which stood for Normal For Norfolk.
NFN was known for being in Doctors notes but the habit rapidly stopped when patients gained access to their medical records. I am also familiar with several other acronyms in medicine which are still used verbally these days.
I remember David (possibly apocryphally) quoting a teacher in rural Norfolk who had an acronym that she put on children's report cards - NFN, which stood for Normal For Norfolk.
I was doing the briefing for Greenbelt volunteering last time, and one thing they said was "If you see anything unusual .. unusual for Greenbelt that is." Having been to another festival recently, there is "Normal" and "Festival Normal" and "Greenbelt Normal" (and "Bluedot normal")
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But they're not rail passengers until they're travelling on a train. And of course potential rail travellers could always travel by car or bus and still be passengers. A horribly confused piece of news.
Exactly...
If they'd said *Intending passengers told not to attempt to travel during rail strikes* that would have made more sense, but there are too many words...
/tangent alert/
Where did the word *commuter* come from, and when? Those of us who travelled daily to work by Train, in the days when Trains had Slam-Doors, Compartments, and proper Seats, were known as *Season Ticket Holders*.
Except that outside the realm of superstitious metaphysics, the government has nothing to fear from those whom Covid killed. It's those that it didn't whose tears and rage the government needs to fear.
It's a good and moving article, by the way.
Not sure if it might be behind a paywall, but yur tiz:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/16/covid-deaths-virus-200000-britain-trauma-loss
Suspected Fabergé egg found on Russian oligarch’s superyacht
Of what heinous offence or crime against humanity is poor Mr Egg suspected? Or is purely his association with a Russian oligarch which is suspect?
We need "The Antiques Roadshow" experts!
Surely the secret to a long life is not dying?
Man Dies After Being Strangled by Snake That Police Shot Dead
Ummmmmmmm, oooooooooooooooo-kay.
<snakes ... shudder>
BTW a reporter on the BBC lunchtime TV news accused Sunak and Truss of "mud-slinging". Doesn't sound a responsible use of water in the current drought.
It happened in Malmesbury, which means that even if you didn't see the film click, you can know that the emus must have been flightless birds rather than Electric Multiple Units.
Rod Hull would have been proud.
What a shock! They must have got quite emu-tional.
https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/20589020.beautiful-floral-crotchet-mysteriously-appears-bicester/
It wouldn't have taken much Googling for her to find out it's called "yarn-bombing". How on earth did she get to be a "senior multimedia reporter???
Hats off to the "crotchers" though - what a pretty thing!
Or that it is quite common, nad has been for a few years. Worth repoting on because it is beautiful, but not like it is a new phenomenon.
Strange things happen in Norfolk.
Excuse me, that is only if they graduate from the finest university in East Anglia.
I was doing the briefing for Greenbelt volunteering last time, and one thing they said was "If you see anything unusual .. unusual for Greenbelt that is." Having been to another festival recently, there is "Normal" and "Festival Normal" and "Greenbelt Normal" (and "Bluedot normal")
Activists call for renaming of Pork Pie Roundabout in Leicester
Details here
Penguin cuts off Meal Prep King cook after misogynistic rant,
and
Hail Mary! Statue’s trip down the Wye raises chicken pollution issue.
Not sure the grammar of the sentence about the monks at Belmont Abbey is theologically quite correct!
Oh THAT is where it got to.
"Mystery of half-billion year old creature with no anus solved"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-62580967