On Saturday, we all walked to Greenwich from Canary Wharf and spent some time poking around the observatory.

On the way there we walked through Millwall Park and saw some cows and lots of blackberries ready for picking.

Also on the way there we stopped by the library to get information about library cards.

Also on the way there we had ice cream cones while we walked under the Thames river using the footpath. It was very busy on the High Street when we got there.

We walked through the park and there were lots of people playing on the grass. The hill going up to the Observatory was very steep and [Child 3] rode on Dad’s shoulders.

We stood on the Prime Meridian which was pretty cool, knowing that we were on the logical start of the world clock. Funny thing is that there’s a statue/monument that has a little plaque on it, which everyone was crowding around for photo opps… even though the actual longitude measurement line runs around the entire world. We simply took our photos on the line itself a few yards away from the monument and avoided the crunch.

On the way back [Child 3] and [Child 1] got big gumballs (pokyballs) from a tree and we stopped by the floating Chinese restaurant on the way back. Yum!

On Sunday we went picking blackberries in Millwall Park which was very nice, as we made jam from the berries to put on our vanilla ice cream while we all watched the Magnificent Seven on TV and cuddled on the bed.

On the way home from picking berries we stopped by the Quaystone church and heard music inside. We didn’t go in because we had bags of berries and dirty clothes but we’ll visit next weekend.

Also on the way home we got some ice cream at the cafe near by the flats. [Child 3]’s ice cream fell on the ground and the owner of the shop gave him a new ice cream cone.

Before bedtime all the kids played marble games and everyone had fun.

Wonderful weekend!

On Saturday, we all walked to Greenwich from Canary Wharf and spent some time poking around the observatory.

We stood on the Prime Meridian which was pretty cool, knowing that we were on the logical start of the world clock. Funny thing is that there’s a statue/monument that has a little plaque on it, which everyone was crowding around for photo opps… even though the actual longitude measurement line runs around the entire world. We simply took our photos on the line itself a few yards away from the monument and avoided the crunch.

On Sunday we went picking blackberries in Millwall Park which was very nice, as we made jam from the berries to put on our vanilla ice cream while we all watched the Magnificent Seven on TV and cuddled on the bed.

Other stuff happened but these were the highlights. Wonderful weekend!

…this time it’s the customer, not the employee who’s preparing to lose a gasket.

My laptop power supply died this month. It’s not actually the supply that plugs into the wall (I found out after £100 and weeks later) but the part inside the laptop itself.

Called Compaq to ger service. “Not a problem,” they said, “just give us your address and we’ll dispatch a courier tomorrow to come pick it up.”

This was on the 13th of July. Today is the 23rd of July. My laptop is still sitting here sad and neglected. Thank God for internet access from work!

The problem is not with Compaq’s support staff; they’ve done a right bang-up job taking care of me.

The problem is with the “Unidentified Postal Service” (whom shall remain nameless for now) who can’t seem to find the flat. That is kind of silly but what really steams me is that the courier who can’t find the flat isn’t fessing up to that; he or she is simply dropping off the mailing box at some random location and saying that they’ve left the ball in my court.

After three unsuccessful attempts to help the courier company find me, I decided to ask Compaq to change my mailing address to my work location instead. Today is the big test to see if the courier company can find one of the largest companies in this part of London.

And I can’t simply use my own courier company even though I prefer to use a Federally-known company known for its Express service and superior mailing capablities. If I do that my warranty is void. So I’m stuck entrusting my lappy to the Unidentified Postal Service instead. Grrr…

Daily phone calls. Definitely. Without question the best way to ensure that you will have things ‘sorted out’ after the initial email or phone call.

Speaking of emails, don’t email for service, call. Follow up the phone call with an email to yourself and the other party. If email is the only way to get ahold of your service person, ask them to provide a telephone number.

Then call daily, and sometimes twice a day. Take names. The person on the other end of the phone will probably not document the fact that you called.

I called in a service repair on my laptop on the 13th of this month. A mail courier (company to remain nameless for the time being) was supposed to be dispatched the same day to pick up my ailing machine. It’s now 6 days later and still the company hasn’t seen fit to find my address. I lost 2 days because the hardware vendor “didn’t get the order” in the system until I called back to see why the mail courier hadn’t shown up.

Then I emailed my apartment mgmt company to let them know I was planning to leave at month’s end. this was on Tuesday of last week. A rep was going to call me back on Thursday to let me know what the landlord’s response was regarding the request. Today is Monday. I called back to see what’s up and found that the person I spoke with had left the company and had failed to pass on the info.

I know these issues aren’t unique to the UK, but it seems like this is the norm here instead of the exception. A good friend of mine here is battling a utility company and debt collection agency over mistaken identity and we don’t know yet who is winning. So far he seems to have the upper hand but the other side may come back with another collection notice at month’s end.

was shocked at first to see notices at grocery stores and gov’t service counters warning customers that physical abuse of employees was not tolerated by the establishment. Now I understand the reason for the notices… 🙂

I’m not getting violent but I am getting very temperamental and I have a long fuse….!

One thing I noticed being away from Texas is the smell of English Dirt. Yes, the stuff on the ground under the grass.

Now this may seem like a strange thing to notice but I did notice it the other morning as I passed a gardener tending a flowerbed by the flat. As I walked by the flowerbed, the unique smell of turned-over earth caught my attention.

Now it’s a smell not unique to England. As a child, I spent some time in the Northern part of the States (Wisconsin) and as normal kids do, I spent a considerable amount of time digging in the dirt, playing with toy trucks, burying Mom’s silverware, etc.

Now in Texas, especially in the Southeastern part of the State, the dirt there is not so much dirt as it is sandy clay. Some dirt-like qualities are introduced by bits of trees and vegetation that dies and eventually crumbles into the mix but for the most part it is a generally sticky mess. Anyone who doubts this can try running through the “mud” next to any riverbank in Livingston, TX. I can guarantee you that it’s sticky enough to pull your boots off in the process.

The other very striking aspect of the dirt in SE Texas is the gassy, oily scent that comes with clay sand with dead vegetation mixed in. It’s not a horrible thing but anyone who lived through house reconstruction after Houston’s recent flooding can attest to the unique smell of Texas dirt in the house.

Now this Northern stuff, by conrast, is almost aromatic. Certainly took me by surprise and back a few years to my childhood.

I can see why the English enjoy gardening so much. I may take it up as well while I’m here.

At least it would give me an excuse to play in the dirt with my toys.

It’s a sad thing when lawmakers feel the need to fix a mistake that “mistakenly revived a colonial-era law giving Virginia workers Sundays off if they request it and subjecting employers to criminal penalties for forcing someone to toil on the Sabbath.”

Seems to me that the colonial-era dudes knew something we’re starting to forget…

Also makes me wonder if the same line of thinking that makes our lawmakers provide a “revision that was greeted by loud groans, rolled eyes and nervous snickers in the restive Senate” will make our coloniel-era Consitution of the United States outdated as well.

And in Virginia as well! These guys should be ashamed of themselves. Founding fathers are banging on their coffins now for sure.

—————————–
Virginia Corrects Law Giving Sundays Off
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20040713/ap_on_re_us/sundays_off

Tue Jul 13, 5:37 PM ET

By LARRY O’DELL, Associated Press Writer

RICHMOND, Va. – With just one dissenting vote, Virginia lawmakers Tuesday corrected an embarrassing legislative mistake that gave all workers the right to take Sundays off as a day of rest.

The bill was approved 36-0 in the Senate and 79-1 in the House of Delegates. Gov. Mark R. Warner then signed it into law; it took effect immediately because of an emergency clause.

“There was a real feeling of, ‘Oops!’ It is in many ways remarkable that it doesn’t happen more often,” Warner said.

The action came at a rare special session convened by the governor to correct the blunder.

Earlier this year, lawmakers mistakenly revived a colonial-era law giving Virginia workers Sundays off if they request it and subjecting employers to criminal penalties for forcing someone to toil on the Sabbath.

The mistake alarmed a wide range of businesses with weekend or round-the-clock shifts to cover, such as hotels, factories, stores, utilities and restaurants. It was supposed to go into effect with the first weekend in July, but was blocked by judge who issued a 90-day emergency order.

“I regret the fact that we had to come back here and do this,” said Sen. Frederick Quayle, sponsor of the original legislation. “I think that perhaps a lot of us have learned lessons from this.”

The mistake occurred when legislators repealed the outdated “blue laws” that restricted trade on Sundays. The legislation inadvertently repealed a list of businesses exempt from Virginia’s “day of rest” law.

The mistake slipped past legislative staff members who draft bills, legislators, the attorney general’s office and Warner, who signed the bill.

Over the past several days, employees around the state soon began notifying their bosses they intended to take their day of worship off.

Delegate Mitchell Van Yahres questioned why lawmakers were so quick to fix a bill at the bidding of businesses.

“I still haven’t heard anyone speak up for the employees. All I hear is conjecture about how the day-of-rest provisions might be abused, how employers will suffer and how the sky is certainly falling,” said Van Yahres, who cast the lone dissenting vote.

The cure was not without confusion as overly cautious lawmakers parsed the meaning of every word and phrase. A Senate committee fretted for more than an hour in a sweltering room before sending an amendment to a House committee. Delegates then made a minor revision that was greeted by loud groans, rolled eyes and nervous snickers in the restive Senate.

Ok kids here is a lesson.

I had a limit of how much money we were going to spend on rent. It was a lot higher than Mom thought it was going to be.

When we went out for coffee around the corner, she and I saw a notice for the flat we liked. It was exactly the amount for my budget. It was not cheap, but exactly what I said I would pay for the rent.

I was not worried or stressed about how much the rent would be. I didn’t know why. I cared about how much the rent was going to be, but just wasn’t worried about it. Mom and I put down the hold deposit today.

Also today I got a telephone call from my recruiting agency. They were verifying that my contract had been extended through March of next year, which was very good news. Then came the best bit of all…

In addition to my contract extension I also got a pay raise. A 15% increase! Most U.S. companies grant from 3% to 5% in a good year. Getting a 15% increase is unbelievable. This takes effect in September of this year. I wasn’t expecting an increase. I was just happy to stay on an extra six months.

I thank God that He is taking care of our family. He loves all of us and wants to give us nice surprises.

We put down a holding deposit for the nice penthouse today! Yay everyone’s excited. The place is beautiful. I pray we can find something to do with our large furniture that won’t fit in the lift.

Visited the Natural History Museum with the family. Wow this place is big!

We also survived a fairly claustrophobic rail ride with all the kids and us parents intact… Central & District lines were down, and the S. Kensington stop was closed. Made a slight detour en-route to the Victoria Line and walked from Knightsbridge instead. Being about lunchtime on a Saturday, the rails were quite packed and somehow we all made it! And best of all no one cried mutiny on my watch.

There was a huge open-air concert at Hyde’s Park this weekend which probably contributed to the crunch.

Also there’s a huge Greenpeace ship from Amsterdam docked outside the flat. I wonder whom they plan to run over or ram…? Hee hee…

Visited the Natural History Museum with the family. Wow this place is big!

We also survived a fairly claustrophobic rail ride with all the kids and us parents intact… Central & District lines were down, and the S. Kensington stop was closed. Made a slight detour en-route to the Victoria Line and walked from Knightsbridge
instead. Being about lunchtime on a Saturday, the rails were quite packed and somehow we all made it! And best of all no one cried mutiny on my watch.

There was a huge open-air concert at Hyde’s Park this weekend which probably contributed to the crunch.

Also there’s a huge Greenpeace ship from Amsterdam docked outside the flat. I wonder whom they plan to run over or ram…? Hee hee…

I need this to get to work…

Reuters – Zipped into a bag, it looks like a large umbrella. Unfolded, it plies the streets like any other bicycle.

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oddlyenough/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20040708/od_uk_nm/oukoe_singapore_bicycle

Clive Sinclair peddles world’s smallest folding bike

Thu Jul 8, 5:01 AM ET

By Puja Vaswani

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Zipped into a bag, it looks like a large umbrella. Unfolded, it plies the streets like any other bicycle.

The “A-Bike” is the brainchild of British inventor Sir Clive Sinclair who made history in the 1970s by developing the world’s first pocket calculator. He described it as “the world’s smallest, lightest foldable bicycle”.

“My original thought was that if you could have a bicycle that was dramatically lighter and more compact then ones that exist today, you would change the way in which bicycles could be used,” said Sinclair.

The mini-bike, unveiled in Singapore this week and set to go on sale worldwide in 2005 at a price of nearly US$300 (162 pounds), is built for riders as heavy as 112 kg (247 lbs) and is height-adjustable. It takes about 20 seconds to fold or unfold.

Like the U.S.-made Segway scooter, the idea was to find an innovative way of navigating congested cities.

Its wheels are a quarter the size of those on a regular bicycle, but Sinclair promises a smooth and sturdy ride for most cyclists. “You require no extra energy to ride the A-bike and it can go up to 15 miles per hour (24 kph),” he told Reuters.

Constructed mainly of plastic and with pneumatic tyres, the 5.5 kg (12 lbs) bicycle folds into a package of less than 0.03 cubic metres (1.1 cubic ft) and is expected to go on sale in the United States, Britain and Japan in the second quarter of 2005.

Sinclair also invented the first pocket television in 1984 and the futuristic C5 electric tricycle in 1985. He said he hopes the bicycle will attract yachtsmen, urban city executives, campers or anyone needing transport for a short trip.

Research and development started five years ago in a collaboration between Sinclair’s UK-based Sinclair Research and Hong Kong’s Daka Designs.

Daka chairman Pat Ma said Singapore was chosen to launch the invention because of its prosperous population and compact size. In addition, Daka is to list its shares in the city on July 16.

“Singapore has a small controlled market and it’s a city that uses mixed modes of transport,” Ma said.

Other foldable bicycles on the market include the 8 kg (17.6 lb) Handy Bike, which sells for around US$200, and the JD Bike, which weighs 8.5 kg (18.7 lb).

Choo Chee Kong, chief executive of SBI E2-Capital, which is lead managing Daka’s initial public offering, said he had already been approached by five groups in Singapore to distribute the bicycle.

Sinclair, awarded a knighthood by Margaret Thatcher’s government in 1983 for leading what was seen as a renaissance in British industry, says the next step for the A-bike is to add an electric motor in a few years.

We had a bit of trouble with a summer storm that caused a lot of wind and damage. Well, our family wasn’t personally affected but others i nthe area were.

One of the BBC news sites had a comments section and one of them caught my eye. The ironic humor and calmness of the English personaliy wasn’t lost on me:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3874683.stm

“My roof got blown off this morning. My family have had to stay at my sister’s house. People say these things come in threes, I just hope my house doesn’t get looted. What a fine summer.
Chris, Hampshire”

“A normal train journey to work today became delayed for 1.5 hours after it hit a fallen tree just outside Ascot station. Whilst in motion, yet after the brakes had been applied, the driver emerged from his cab to reassuringly tell us ‘we are about to hit a tree’. Nobody was injured but if the driver had not made his exit, he could have been impaled on the branch that smashed through the front window!
Mark, Camberley, UK”

There is quite a debate on spanking children here in the UK. (Here it is called ‘smacking’.)

Some folks want to make it a crime to do so. They say that children have just as much a right as an adult to be free from assult. For instance, if I don’t like what my co-worker does, and I belt him one, I can be arrested for assult.

My two cents’ worth? This is an invalid argument — that being, children have an inalienable right to be free from physical discipline. The argument states that children have the same rights as adults. Here’s my problem with that argument:

1) My co-worker is a grown man. My hope is that he will understand and respond to conversational speech in an adult manner.

2) I am not morally or legally responsible for my co-worker’s actions. In a like vein, I am not going to pay for his medical bills should he decide to stick peanuts up his nose.

3) Should I choose to spank my co-worker against his wishes, I should hope he would cite me for assult, what with points 1 and 2 being valid above. Unless he would WANT me to spank him, and then I’ve got a bigger problem on my hands, figuratively speaking.

4) In many cases, children’s pressure points are different from adults’ pressure points. What keeps a project manager from having to break up this type of conversation from two team members: “Bill, Sally’s looking at me again…!” “Am not!” “You are too, you geek ” “Bill, Sally kicked me “…? Ok you’ve probably listened to or participated in such a conversation at work but what for the most part makes this a silly scenario? Adult attitudes and pressure points. For the most part, a 30-something adult responds to the fear of embarassment differently from a 7 year-old. That’s what makes children so refreshing and young. However, it also keeps children from fully comprehending our adult conversations… and adult discipline. In some cases, a firm but fair swap on the bottom is part of the guiding process we adults need to administer.

I agree that there are limits to spanking. Some parents are too aggresive in this area, as all parents are in one area or another. My own kids rarely if ever get spanked anymore, as they are more cognizant of their surroundings. Also, their pressure points have changed. Grounding a 2-year-old from the Playstation has no effect on the 2-year old as much as a quick spank on the hand will.

Back to work now…

…leaving a couple of Americans nearly in tears, and certainly red in the face with emotion.

A couple of folks (1 guy and a gal) are heading back to NY after spending a few weeks here with the Brit team. As per protocol, a small number of folks gethered in a semi-circle in front of the departing ones, and after a small heart-felt speech, the group started clapping. The applause rippled into the rather large room of people, and most everyone clapped with appreciation.

The Americans were as surprised as was I when I first saw this happening, and didn’t know what to say. Thankfully no one in the group asked for a speech from them because I don’t think they could have stammered out anything that would have made any sense.

Ok we’re legal now… and I need to store my copy of the license in a safe place in case we need to show proof.

It was a half-day trip taken by the wife and kids…

I’ll ask them to append to this post to report on how the visit went. Time for lunch with them now as they alight from the Jubilee Line station near work…!

The nerve of these employees! Wanting a day off work. For shame.

What’s next? They want to be PAID for it, too? What’s this world coming to?

————————-
Subject: Day-Of-Rest Law Worries Va. Employers (AP)

Date: Thu, 01 Jul 2004 15:51:16 GMT

AP – Because of a legislative oversight, a new Virginia law requires businesses to give workers Saturdays or Sundays off if they want it, alarming some businesses with weekend and round-the-clock shifts to cover.

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/topstories/*http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20040701/ap_on_re_us/sundays_off

Adventure to Windsor Championship Dog Show tomorrow morning(http://www.dogsontour.com/showdatesinfo.cfm?ID=28)

…not far from Windsor Castle, the largest occupied castle in the world (http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page557.asp)

The kids are now experienced railsurfers. We’ve gone a few times in the Underground and DLR and they’ve kept up wonderfully.

So far we’ve come home with the same number of children and they are even the same ones we left home with! ‘magine that.