So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[Turnip]

^^^^
...
We alleged adults are like children sometimes. We need to be protected from ourselves.

Now that’s for sure...

https://darwinawards.com/

 

[Trenchfriend]

Darwin, yes.

2003, we had an really bad accident here on our secondary railroad. Northbound railcar's driver just took off from the crossing-point station, not waiting for southbound railcar coming for crossing! Back then, we hadn't "intermittent automatic train running control" on the track. So, both railcars bumped together with circa 40 kph, both total loss, because of the front destruction and distorted frames. One eldery woman dead, dozen heavy injured, dozens light injured.
Yes, why he just took off, instead of waiting for the crossing?

 

[tonyb]

^^^^
Kinda surprising such safety systems weren’t in place then.

 

[Trenchfriend]

^^^^
Kinda surprising such safety systems weren’t in place then.

Yeah, I wondered, too. But our 18 km long railroad was and still is the lowest category and back then, after Deutsche Reichsbahn, Deutsche Bahn AG provided the transport services on this track and they economized to death, as they still do today. Since 2012, another railcompany operates the track, luckily.

Five months after the first accident, the next happened near the same point! But this time because of a miscommunication. Again both railcars bumped together, but this time they saw each others frontlights early and crashed with the slowest speed and only minor damage. And only two passengers.
After that, the basic safety system was installed.

 

[Edward]

These things are a genuine PITA to be rid of. After several minutes of attempting to bag ’em up, with the miserable things clinging to me and the side of the box (and my shirt) and falling on the floor, I just made sure I had all the stuff the peanuts were protecting removed and put the little white devils back in the box and taped it shut. Now I have to get one of those big ol’ black plastic “contractor” bags to wrap the box in, lest the garbage man break the box open and let the wind scatter the things all over the neighborhood.

View attachment 282359

Our first family cat, back in the eighties, loved to sleep outdoors in Summer, so my Dad built him a 'catnel', as we called it, out of an old tea chest with a sloping roof and PVC stapled on to waterproof it. We tried some of these peanut in it briefly for insulation and comfort (his favourite thing to sleep on was paper out of a shredder), but he hated them - stuck in his claws. He slept on the roof of the catnel like Snoopy for a night to make a point so we'd take them out.

Time for my annual reminder that the "war on Christmas" thesis originated in the 1950s, in the teachings of the noted anti-Semitic, Nazi-leaning "Reverend" Gerald L. K. Smith. This worthy taught that Jewish businessmen created the myth of Santa Claus as a way to de-Christianize the holiday. The latter day adopters of the theory leave that part out -- at least in public -- but they swallow the rest of Smith's package whole, right down to the ridiculous idea that the historical abbreviation "Xmas" is a method of "x-ing" out Christ.

Few of the traditions we associate with Christmas date back much further than the middle of the nineteenth century. Christmas wasn't a Federal holiday in the United States until 1870.

Quite so. Similar here; aside from Scotland (since 1871), Christmas Day did not become an official 'bank holiday' across the whole UK until 1971; prior to that it was a "common law" holiday - recognised on the basis of observance and tradition only (hence why Scrooge only very reluctantly gives Cratchett Christmas Day off in 1843's A Christmas Carol and expects him back at work "all the earlier" the following morning - 26th December, Boxing Day, did not become a recognised bank holiday in the UK until 1971 also.

^^^^^
In my earliest years I got the sense that “Xmas” was somehow anti-religious, but no one leaving me with that impression ever articulated the reason for that thinking. It just was, like all those other things the grownups didn’t wish to discuss, not so much for my benefit as their own.

At some point I figured that the X was a symbol for Christ, that guy who got nailed to a pair of crossed lines and died a slow and agonizing death thereon. (Helluva way to go, eh?) So it seemed an even more Christ-affirming expression, what with the allusion to the events of Holy Week. I mean, hell, there’s nothing extraordinary in being born. But that rising from the dead stuff? That’s noteworthy.

I can only assume it's on the basis that the time chosen to celebrate the birth of Christ was shared by so many earlier religious traditions across Europe, whereas Easter had fewer (although there were some, based on the Spring Equinox). Notably, the early Christian Church celebrated Easter, so far as we are aware, long before Christmas; the earliest known celebration of 25th December as a festival to mark the birth of Christ is in the early mid 4th Century - 336AD. There are records of the resurrection being celebrated by early Christians in the second century AD. Not completely conclusive proof, but it's# a good indication. The early church considered marking birthdays as pagan, so that doubtless had an impact.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We alleged adults are like children sometimes. We need to be protected from ourselves.

If the past nine months prove anything, it's that.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Nine months already. It's amazing how time flies when you're not enjoying yourself.

 

[tonyb]

If the past nine months prove anything, it's that.

And those who most loudly assert that they have no need for external controls on their behavior are the very people who most need those controls.

Freedumb!

 

[tonyb]

...
I can only assume it's on the basis that the time chosen to celebrate the birth of Christ was shared by so many earlier religious traditions across Europe, whereas Easter had fewer (although there were some, based on the Spring Equinox). Notably, the early Christian Church celebrated Easter, so far as we are aware, long before Christmas; the earliest known celebration of 25th December as a festival to mark the birth of Christ is in the early mid 4th Century - 336AD. There are records of the resurrection being celebrated by early Christians in the second century AD. Not completely conclusive proof, but it's# a good indication. The early church considered marking birthdays as pagan, so that doubtless had an impact.

The history of “religious” holidays is a study in marketing. Gotta get the masses to buy what you’re selling.

 

[Edward]

Nine months already. It's amazing how time flies when you're not enjoying yourself.

With the wife being on the vulnerable list, we've not really left lockdown since we went into it early in March. I feel I've adapted remarkably well to homeworking, though Herself would tell you I do far too many 12 hour days and I've gotten very bad for working weekends (better than I was in July, though).

I still feel weirdly like I've been too busy to really "experience" lockdown, but I can't complain, given how many people I know have lost their jobs with it all. I'll be glad when things get back to "normal" for teaching purposes, though - and I've missed travelling. Hoping we'll be able to have our postponed wedding reception and honeymoon in 2021/22.

 

[Touchofevil]

^^^^
Yeah, that behavior oughta get penalized. A fine of several hundred dollars per infraction might go a long way toward curbing the practice, provided there is active enforcement. Penalties are meaningless if the scofflaws expect never to be cited.

And then you will get the complaint that law enforcement should be chasing after real criminals.

 

[tonyb]

^^^^
Of course. There’s nothing at all unusual to hear those who have received a traffic citation to complain of the unfairness they’ve suffered for such a “minor” thing, while rapes and murders and armed robberies are going unsolved.

The traffic code saves lives. Violating the traffic code threatens lives. It’s a minor thing only if lives are a minor thing.

I’d welcome more stringent traffic enforcement. Maybe I’d get a ticket. I’ve let the speedometer needle get over the right side of the posted speed limit. It’s rare for me to run a “pink” light, but it’s not unheard of. Should I get cited, I’ll pay the fine and hope it doesn’t affect my insurance rates.

 

[Turnip]

^^^^
...and hope it doesn’t affect my insurance rates.

WHAT???



That’s unthinkable here...

 

[belfastboy]

^^^^
As I’ve mentioned before, I witnessed a young woman lying on the pavement (she died shortly thereafter) who had done exactly that thing — attempted to cross four lanes of moving traffic.

I like to believe that people will do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do, and frequently they do. And frequently they don’t.

We alleged adults are like children sometimes. We need to be protected from ourselves.

Yep, I look back on so many things I have done in my life and I can only shake my head and thank providence that I am still here. I worked construction back in the 60's when safety & PPE were unheard of......I was 16 and had a V8 with a 4 barrel carb and bald tires ...... was pretty sure I was bullet proof.........

 

[Trenchfriend]

Question about the US armed forces:

In military movies, there are often officers seen standing next to the protagonists, seemingly watching the duty.

Are they "Chief of the watch" or similar?

 

[Harp]

Question about the US armed forces:

In military movies, there are often officers seen standing next to the protagonists, seemingly watching the duty.

Are they "Chief of the watch" or similar?

First cup of coffee but take a whack at it. Officer of the Day is pulled by commissioned;
Charge of Quarters, "CQ" as in the GI barracks slang "got the Q". Like it was syphilis or gonorrhea or something.
The Q is enlisted junior grade E-4 corporal.Specialist 4 rank or sergeant.

 

[tonyb]

Yep, I look back on so many things I have done in my life and I can only shake my head and thank providence that I am still here. I worked construction back in the 60's when safety & PPE were unheard of......I was 16 and had a V8 with a 4 barrel carb and bald tires ...... was pretty sure I was bullet proof.........

Yeah, ain’t that the truth.

I don’t have to be told that it is a “gendered” observation (unlike so many these days, I do believe there’s a difference between boys and girls, and while we often make more of those differences than the science would warrant, it remains that we humans can’t entirely escape the laws of biology) that young men are far likelier to engage in such risky behavior than are men of more advanced ages and women of most any age.

I know that it is mostly good luck that kept me from suffering more serious injuries than I did during my bulletproof years.

As I’ve mentioned before, my district is a gathering spot for people (young men overwhelmingly, of course) who race one another on the public roadways. (We had another fatality last week, 2.1 miles from here; a road rage incident this time, involving a handgun, and yes, a young man was the shooter.) During summer evenings, when I turn off the A/C and pop open the windows and hear those screaming car and motorcycle engines I can’t help but think how it just doesn’t occur to those boys that their mothers may have to identify them down at the morgue.

 

[GHT]

WHAT???



That’s unthinkable here...

Logic dictates. You collect a traffic citation, that means your driving is questionable, which means that you are at risk of being in a collision, which means that being a risk you must attract a higher premium. Our insurance companies would increase your premiums just for a mis-spelling on the application form. Mis-spelling means you're stupid, which means you're higher risk and so on. OK, I made that last sentence up, but believe you me, when it comes to being creative in increasing premiums, insurance companies are past masters at it.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Insurance is pretty much the same thing as gambling -- you pay in money and the house rigs the game so you get back as little return as possible. The only conceivable difference is that the atmosphere in a casino is more congenial than you find in an insurance office, and you feel good on the off chance that you actually get a payout.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Yeah, ain’t that the truth.

I don’t have to be told that it is a “gendered” observation (unlike so many these days, I do believe there’s a difference between boys and girls, and while we often make more of those differences than the science would warrant, it remains that we humans can’t entirely escape the laws of biology) that young men are far likelier to engage in such risky behavior than are men of more advanced ages and women of most any age.

I know that it is mostly good luck that kept me from suffering more serious injuries than I did during my bulletproof years.

As I’ve mentioned before, my district is a gathering spot for people (young men overwhelmingly, of course) who race one another on the public roadways. (We had another fatality last week, 2.1 miles from here; a road rage incident this time, involving a handgun, and yes, a young man was the shooter.) During summer evenings, when I turn off the A/C and pop open the windows and hear those screaming car and motorcycle engines I can’t help but think how it just doesn’t occur to those boys that their mothers may have to identify them down at the morgue.

It's a proven fact that testosterone does things to the brain. I heard a fascinating radio interview years ago with a person transitioning from female to male, describing the aggressive mental changes that came once he started taking testosterone. Anyone who's ever watched a teenage brother grow up recognizes all the symptoms.