Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Is this one on the stake?

No!

The irony, though, was not lost on me.

[tikay]

Congrats on the bink, bet you're glad you decided to flick in

Some photos:

http://www.theguardian.com/travel/gallery/2014/aug/01/winners-of-the-national-geographic-traveler-photo-contest-2014-in-pictures?CMP=fb_gu

Yes, flick it in. Must have had 20 PM's & texts which used that ridiculous term. It's all somewhat platitudinous.

Loved the photos though Dan, thanks.

The winner was quite outstanding, I thought.  

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Binkage!

Have just snaffled one of the recently released posh tickets for the Jagwahrs v Cowboys game, having left it too late to get sensibly-priced ones a few months ago.

Hopefully, the other games have some returns and a blonde meet up of sorts can happen in the autumn.

Yes, I thought the Fred gathering last year was all rather good fun, though I can't see that happening again, as Fred slowly descends into puerile squabbles, disguised digs & in-fighting. Such a shame really, but it is what it is.

I missed the NFL game in London last year, as I was working, but if a bunch of folks were up for it, I'd certainly try & be there.

I quite enjoy these, to me, "strange" foreign sports.

Whilst in Vegas, I watched an NBA game in some God-forsaken bar with 2 rather oddly-contrasting but equally badly-attired Brits, one who was rather posh, & the other was some sort of Geordie if I recall correctly. We were sat next to a pool-table that had been "felted" to look like a sofa. Andy Bradshaw, who had binked $65,000 the previous day, got a round in, & was polite, pleasing & hospitable.

All rather surreal, one way or another.   

 

[tikay]

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fascinating for you

Quite enjoyed that Rich. In track miles, the split is almost 50-50 I believe.

What a thing of wonder the London Underground (including overground) is. 250 miles in total, some 4 times greater than Crossrail, which is being vaunted (with good reason) as a modern miracle of Civil Engineering. The traditional "Tube" was built over a century ago.

I try & use it as often as I'm able, the punctuality, cleanliness, reliablity & frequency astonishes compared to back in the day.

Even so, the sheer volume of folks using it beggars belief. I exited at Edgware Road Stn one night last week at around 6.30pm, & the queue to get in the station was some 200 yards long. They have no escalators there, either, so every punter has to use a clunky passenger lift. There are stairs you can use - 140 steps I seem to recall - but they were, for me, a step or two too far. I know, I tried them.   

[Tal]

Binkage!

Have just snaffled one of the recently released posh tickets for the Jagwahrs v Cowboys game, having left it too late to get sensibly-priced ones a few months ago.

Hopefully, the other games have some returns and a blonde meet up of sorts can happen in the autumn.

Yes, I thought the Fred gathering last year was all rather good fun, though I can't see that happening again, as Fred slowly descends into puerile squabbles, disguised digs & in-fighting. Such a shame really, but it is what it is.

I missed the NFL game in London last year, as I was working, but if a bunch of folks were up for it, I'd certainly try & be there.

I quite enjoy these, to me, "strange" foreign sports.

Whilst in Vegas, I watched an NBA game in some God-forsaken bar with 2 rather oddly-contrasting but equally badly-attired Brits, one who was rather posh, & the other was some sort of Geordie if I recall correctly. We were sat next to a pool-table that had been "felted" to look like a sofa. Andy Bradshaw, who had binked $65,000 the previous day, got a round in, & was polite, pleasing & hospitable.

All rather surreal, one way or another.   

Not a Geordie. Brummie.

[tikay]

Trying<a href="http://s1360.photobucket.com/albums/r655/IanGas/?action=view&current=fc0591cccc350ae99231e73ac9a15bde_zps31bc1bdc.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1360.photobucket.com/albums/r655/IanGas/fc0591cccc350ae99231e73ac9a15bde_zps31bc1bdc.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" />[/url]

Hope you don't mind Ian, but your link took me to a funny place, where I spotted a wonderful contrast in taste, fashion & style.

In one, we see what the well-dressed Gent should be wearing. Top marks, Sir. In the other, we see a fashion disaster. Top Shop, Sir.

Hard to imagine the lower-class - say Kimber & his ilk - wearing those lemon strides. I could see Tal in that top hat though.

Breeding & class, as with racehorses, you can't fake it.   

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Not posted for a long time but that was an Underground Map showing walking times between stations, zzzzzzzzzzz

More of the same Ian, we love that sort of nonsense here.

[tikay]

Something for your ippy, sir?

http://mrandmrswow.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/airport-not-just-for-anoraks/

Have you ever done one of these simulation things? I've no idea about them, but heard a chap on the radio the other day talking about them. He has a game where he runs a train station, arranging all the signals, directing platforms, making announcements on the loudspeaker and so on.

This is the closest I can find on a quick search:

http://www.uktrainsim.com/

Why did you have to post that?

Trying to resist......trying very hard.

[tikay]

Trying<a href="http://s1360.photobucket.com/albums/r655/IanGas/?action=view&current=fc0591cccc350ae99231e73ac9a15bde_zps31bc1bdc.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1360.photobucket.com/albums/r655/IanGas/fc0591cccc350ae99231e73ac9a15bde_zps31bc1bdc.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" />[/url]

slightly perplexed by the inclusion of the fictional 'British Museum' station.  From a quick look I can't see any other landmarks that have been arbitrarily included.

Sorry I could not reply properly yesterday, young lady.

The station most certainly is not fictional. & it still exists, though it is no longer in use.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Museum_tube_station

Anyway, moving on, how is married life? Has His Gattership cried "bs" yet?

[Karabiner]

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white=overground

fascinating for you

Quite enjoyed that Rich. In track miles, the split is almost 50-50 I believe.

What a thing of wonder the London Underground (including overground) is. 250 miles in total, some 4 times greater than Crossrail, which is being vaunted (with good reason) as a modern miracle of Civil Engineering. The traditional "Tube" was built over a century ago.

I try & use it as often as I'm able, the punctuality, cleanliness, reliablity & frequency astonishes compared to back in the day.

Even so, the sheer volume of folks using it beggars belief. I exited at Edgware Road Stn one night last week at around 6.30pm, & the queue to get in the station was some 200 yards long. They have no escalators there, either, so every punter has to use a clunky passenger lift. There are stairs you can use - 140 steps I seem to recall - but they were, for me, a step or two too far. I know, I tried them.  

There are two Edgware Rd. underground stations a couple of hundred yards apart, one for the district and circle lines and the other for the bakerloo.

I'm almost certain that one of them has escalators.

[AlunB]

shaded=underground

white=overground

fascinating for you

Quite enjoyed that Rich. In track miles, the split is almost 50-50 I believe.

What a thing of wonder the London Underground (including overground) is. 250 miles in total, some 4 times greater than Crossrail, which is being vaunted (with good reason) as a modern miracle of Civil Engineering. The traditional "Tube" was built over a century ago.

I try & use it as often as I'm able, the punctuality, cleanliness, reliablity & frequency astonishes compared to back in the day.

Even so, the sheer volume of folks using it beggars belief. I exited at Edgware Road Stn one night last week at around 6.30pm, & the queue to get in the station was some 200 yards long. They have no escalators there, either, so every punter has to use a clunky passenger lift. There are stairs you can use - 140 steps I seem to recall - but they were, for me, a step or two too far. I know, I tried them.   

You don't use it much then

[tikay]

shaded=underground

white=overground

fascinating for you

Quite enjoyed that Rich. In track miles, the split is almost 50-50 I believe.

What a thing of wonder the London Underground (including overground) is. 250 miles in total, some 4 times greater than Crossrail, which is being vaunted (with good reason) as a modern miracle of Civil Engineering. The traditional "Tube" was built over a century ago.

I try & use it as often as I'm able, the punctuality, cleanliness, reliablity & frequency astonishes compared to back in the day.

Even so, the sheer volume of folks using it beggars belief. I exited at Edgware Road Stn one night last week at around 6.30pm, & the queue to get in the station was some 200 yards long. They have no escalators there, either, so every punter has to use a clunky passenger lift. There are stairs you can use - 140 steps I seem to recall - but they were, for me, a step or two too far. I know, I tried them.   

There are two Edgware Rd. underground stations a couple of hundred yards apart, one for the district and circle lines and the other for metropolitan and some other lines.

I'm almost certain that one of them has escalators.

Correct, the Circle/District/Hammersmith & City Line line one does, but I came up on the Bakerloo Line from Waterloo, that goes to a different "Edgware Road" Station, which is the north side of the A40 Westway.

Rather odd they have two different stations with identical names. There are two entirely different "Hammersmith" stations, too.   

Fascinating stuff.

[tikay]

shaded=underground

white=overground

fascinating for you

Quite enjoyed that Rich. In track miles, the split is almost 50-50 I believe.

What a thing of wonder the London Underground (including overground) is. 250 miles in total, some 4 times greater than Crossrail, which is being vaunted (with good reason) as a modern miracle of Civil Engineering. The traditional "Tube" was built over a century ago.

I try & use it as often as I'm able, the punctuality, cleanliness, reliablity & frequency astonishes compared to back in the day.

Even so, the sheer volume of folks using it beggars belief. I exited at Edgware Road Stn one night last week at around 6.30pm, & the queue to get in the station was some 200 yards long. They have no escalators there, either, so every punter has to use a clunky passenger lift. There are stairs you can use - 140 steps I seem to recall - but they were, for me, a step or two too far. I know, I tried them.   

You don't use it much then

[AlunB]

shaded=underground

white=overground

fascinating for you

Quite enjoyed that Rich. In track miles, the split is almost 50-50 I believe.

What a thing of wonder the London Underground (including overground) is. 250 miles in total, some 4 times greater than Crossrail, which is being vaunted (with good reason) as a modern miracle of Civil Engineering. The traditional "Tube" was built over a century ago.

I try & use it as often as I'm able, the punctuality, cleanliness, reliablity & frequency astonishes compared to back in the day.

Even so, the sheer volume of folks using it beggars belief. I exited at Edgware Road Stn one night last week at around 6.30pm, & the queue to get in the station was some 200 yards long. They have no escalators there, either, so every punter has to use a clunky passenger lift. There are stairs you can use - 140 steps I seem to recall - but they were, for me, a step or two too far. I know, I tried them.   

You don't use it much then

I think I, like most Londoners, have a love/hate relationship with the tube. It is indeed all the things you describe, apart from clean. I think not dirty would be a fairer description. But it is also unbearably hot in the summer, absurdly crowded and a place where I am certain people go to hone their lack of compassion and consideration for their fellow man.

[tikay]

shaded=underground

white=overground

fascinating for you

Quite enjoyed that Rich. In track miles, the split is almost 50-50 I believe.

What a thing of wonder the London Underground (including overground) is. 250 miles in total, some 4 times greater than Crossrail, which is being vaunted (with good reason) as a modern miracle of Civil Engineering. The traditional "Tube" was built over a century ago.

I try & use it as often as I'm able, the punctuality, cleanliness, reliablity & frequency astonishes compared to back in the day.

Even so, the sheer volume of folks using it beggars belief. I exited at Edgware Road Stn one night last week at around 6.30pm, & the queue to get in the station was some 200 yards long. They have no escalators there, either, so every punter has to use a clunky passenger lift. There are stairs you can use - 140 steps I seem to recall - but they were, for me, a step or two too far. I know, I tried them.  

You don't use it much then

;)

I think I, like most Londoners, have a love/hate relationship with the tube. It is indeed all the things you describe, apart from clean. I think not dirty would be a fairer description. But it is also unbearably hot in the summer, absurdly crowded and a place where I am certain people go to hone their lack of compassion and consideration for their fellow man.

"not clean"?

Maybe not, but MUCH cleaner than it used to be. Back in the day they even had "smoking" carriages, just imagine what they were like.

The advent of free newspapers - Metro, & Evening Standard - is another great thing, but it means people discard them willy-nilly, & that makes a mess inside the carriages. When we had to paid 3d for the Evening News, we took it home. Why? Because we PAID for it.

I have a peculiar theory about this matter, in that I have a hunch that TfL deliberately do not go to too much effort to keep cleaning this mess up, because it is one of those things that no matter what you spend, it will continue. In fact, the MORE you spend, the more litter is likely to be generated. Perhaps we should blame the litterbugs rather than the train operator?

It's sort of like the toilets @ DTD. They used to have a man in there full-time trying to keep the place clean, but people still peed all over the floor. So they did away with the man - not literally - & now patrons moan at how dirty the toilets soon become.

Or another example, lets say "Customer Care" in Online Poker. The BETTER the Customer Care service, the MORE customers will use it. I know it sound bizarre, but it is true. There is literally no limit to what a business can spend on Customer Care, but it gets past the point of being cost-effective, & if the service is too good, it gets used a lot more. I think something like 90% of CC contacts are made by the same 10% of players, too, the high-maintenance (= high-cost) ones.

All counter-intuitive, but true.

As to the Tube being unbearably hot & over-crowded, yes & yes, but it's a pretty big ask to solve. I'm sure many parts of the world would die to have something as good as the London Underground. Not ideal, far from it, & no, I don't have to use it for the daily commute, so I'm a bit one-eyed perhaps, but all in all, I am convinced it is a true modern miracle. For sure, it is FAR better than it used to be.

You ever used the Paris Metro? Their trains have rubber tyred wheels, good God, no class those Frenchies. The sound is all wrong.  We want metal on metal. Only poncey railways use rubber tyred wheels.