Whaaattt?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Tidemark, Aug 17, 2024.

  1. Obelix-Vendée

    Obelix-Vendée Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2024
    Messages:
    3,096
    Gender:
    Female
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Vendée, France.
    Ratings:
    +9,406
    The first modern canals were mid 18th C @pete and, whilst we might have ruled the waves, I don't think we ruled the world and the physical labour was British and Irish.

    I was in Athens once in my 20s, having a coffee, when a Frenchman sat at my table and got chatting. He started on about the British empire and asked me what it had ever done for its dominions - I said trade, roads, railways, administration and government systems. Too boring he said. France gave its dominions poetry.
     
    • Funny Funny x 3
    • Like Like x 1
    • Informative Informative x 1
    • Escarpment

      Escarpment Total Gardener

      Joined:
      Mar 14, 2024
      Messages:
      2,236
      Gender:
      Female
      Location:
      Somerset
      Ratings:
      +8,228
      I think we Brits did pretty well on the literature front as well. The French are better known for philosophy and rudeness.
       
      • Funny Funny x 5
      • Agree Agree x 1
      • Ergates

        Ergates Enthusiastic amateur

        Joined:
        Mar 14, 2024
        Messages:
        1,060
        Gender:
        Female
        Occupation:
        Retired
        Location:
        East Devon, UK
        Ratings:
        +4,845
        Well, as if we didn’t need another example of the BBC waste of money and resources, why on earth did they edit a speech to make Trump look bad? Just broadcast what he says, and what he writes on Truth Social. Job done.
         
        • Agree Agree x 5
        • Escarpment

          Escarpment Total Gardener

          Joined:
          Mar 14, 2024
          Messages:
          2,236
          Gender:
          Female
          Location:
          Somerset
          Ratings:
          +8,228
          Thing is those things weren't built by government, they were built by private enterprises - hence why we ended up with so many regional railways. And the various brands of underground railway - District, Metropolitan etc - originated as separate private companies. A lot of them failed, and lost all their investors' money. Slums in London were cleared to build the underground railways without any consideration of rehousing the residents, so they poured into the next set of slums making them even more overcrowded.
           
          • Informative Informative x 2
          • Like Like x 1
          • NigelJ

            NigelJ Total Gardener

            Joined:
            Jan 31, 2012
            Messages:
            9,078
            Gender:
            Male
            Occupation:
            Mad Scientist
            Location:
            Paignton Devon
            Ratings:
            +29,011
            Because the programme wasn't easily available in the US, if it had been his minions would have been all over it like a rash and given him some extra "Whine a Lot" in his feed.
            They only realised what had happened when the Telegraph flagged it up last week.
             
            • Like Like x 2
              Last edited: Nov 14, 2025
            • NigelJ

              NigelJ Total Gardener

              Joined:
              Jan 31, 2012
              Messages:
              9,078
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Mad Scientist
              Location:
              Paignton Devon
              Ratings:
              +29,011
              Rolls Royce modular nuclear reactors are based on those supplied to the UK nuclear submarine fleet for a long time now.
               
              • Like Like x 2
              • Informative Informative x 2
              • Obelix-Vendée

                Obelix-Vendée Total Gardener

                Joined:
                Mar 13, 2024
                Messages:
                3,096
                Gender:
                Female
                Occupation:
                Retired
                Location:
                Vendée, France.
                Ratings:
                +9,406
                Yes, a lot failed but many succeeded @Escarpment and improved transport, communication and job prospects for many and nobody ever cared much about people in slums before the 1950s when govt started urban renewal programmes which were not entirely successful - rogue builders and architects, poor materials and breaking up of communities to put the in high rises.

                People believed, and some still do, that the poor are poor because they are feckless or lack ambition. Now, the more aware mongst us, know it's about opportunity - decent housing, decent education, living wages, health care.
                 
              • Fat Controller

                Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

                Joined:
                May 5, 2012
                Messages:
                29,786
                Gender:
                Male
                Occupation:
                Public Transport
                Location:
                At me 'puter, GCHQ Ashford Office, Middlesex
                Ratings:
                +57,149
                Having worked for a French company up until the start of this year, I can say with certainty that they still absolutely excel at rudeness.
                 
                • Funny Funny x 7
                • pete

                  pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

                  Joined:
                  Jan 9, 2005
                  Messages:
                  56,454
                  Gender:
                  Male
                  Occupation:
                  Retired
                  Location:
                  Mid Kent
                  Ratings:
                  +110,190
                  Yep, but can we manage to put up a building to house them without a series of problems.
                  I dont have much faith in our ability to do much these days.
                   
                  • Agree Agree x 1
                  • pete

                    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

                    Joined:
                    Jan 9, 2005
                    Messages:
                    56,454
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Retired
                    Location:
                    Mid Kent
                    Ratings:
                    +110,190
                    Which brings me to the point of how does he know its damaged him if he didn't know about it, apparently someone from the White House spotted it in the news night programme earlier.
                     
                    • Like Like x 1
                    • shiney

                      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                      Joined:
                      Jul 3, 2006
                      Messages:
                      67,254
                      Gender:
                      Male
                      Occupation:
                      Retired - Last Century!!!
                      Location:
                      Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                      Ratings:
                      +134,075
                      Metropolitan line being built 1867
                      upload_2025-11-14_22-20-42.jpeg

                      District Line 1869
                      upload_2025-11-14_22-20-42.jpeg

                      Metropolitan Line 1866
                      upload_2025-11-14_22-20-42.jpeg

                      I remember it well! :whistle:
                       
                      • Like Like x 9
                      • pete

                        pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

                        Joined:
                        Jan 9, 2005
                        Messages:
                        56,454
                        Gender:
                        Male
                        Occupation:
                        Retired
                        Location:
                        Mid Kent
                        Ratings:
                        +110,190
                        We ruled a fair amount of the world via the Empire, not just the waves.

                        But we dont have people that get their hands dirty nowadays, they are all either university graduates or layabouts, we have masses off sick with anxiety, and import manual labour from abroad.
                        We cant even pick our own fruit a veg let alone put up a building, can't build houses because we dont have the workforce.
                         
                        • Like Like x 1
                        • Escarpment

                          Escarpment Total Gardener

                          Joined:
                          Mar 14, 2024
                          Messages:
                          2,236
                          Gender:
                          Female
                          Location:
                          Somerset
                          Ratings:
                          +8,228
                          Good old cut and cover technique. And we complain about road works today!

                          My London ancestors were landlords (I suspect slum landlords because they were paid weekly and owned buildings in little courts) and had to sell their properties to the Metropolitan line company, who then didn't stick to their agreement for actually paying them. I know this because it ended in a court case which I ordered the documents for.
                           
                          • Informative Informative x 6
                          • shiney

                            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                            Joined:
                            Jul 3, 2006
                            Messages:
                            67,254
                            Gender:
                            Male
                            Occupation:
                            Retired - Last Century!!!
                            Location:
                            Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                            Ratings:
                            +134,075
                            @Escarpment I have some other photos of the building of the stations and lines that came from a friend still involved up in transport the City.

                            The site for Blackfriars station with an iconic background
                            upload_2025-11-15_6-57-18.jpeg
                             
                            • Like Like x 5
                            • Escarpment

                              Escarpment Total Gardener

                              Joined:
                              Mar 14, 2024
                              Messages:
                              2,236
                              Gender:
                              Female
                              Location:
                              Somerset
                              Ratings:
                              +8,228
                              They are fantastic photos @shiney, the best ones I've seen.
                               
                              • Like Like x 2
                              • Agree Agree x 1
                              • Friendly Friendly x 1
                              Gardeners Corner is dependent on Donation to keep running, if you enjoy using Gardeners Corner, please consider donating to help us with our operating costs.

                              Share This Page

                              1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                                By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                                Dismiss Notice