11th July, 2025: Waterloo.
It’s not often I start a post with ‘Hmmm … ’
But I’m going To start this one with ‘Hmmm … ’.
Hmmm …
Why have I started it like that?
Because I saw some news, yesterday.
That tells me the Royal Mail, the service that delivers our post, has been given regulator approval: to reduce the number of second-class deliveries, per week.
From the six days a week it now operates under, to five days a week over the course of ten working days.
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, one week, and Tuesday and Thursday, the next.
Hmmm … again …
I can appreciate why the Royal Mail is doing this.
It’s an effort to keep costs down.
I both understand, and appreciate, that.
But … ?
I get a lot of mail from various places: usually medically linked, but occasionally from other sources.
These are usually sent by second class post: as that’s cheaper.
My concern … ?
Is simply that this reduced service will mean delays in getting important medical information.
And increased cost to the National Health Service: when they use first class post for urgent mail.
What is a body to do … ?
When I work that out, I’ll let you know!
~≈📮≈~
As you’re very aware, by now, I’ve been watching the US series, Max Headroom, over the past few days.
And been playing a game I call Actor Spotting whilst watching it.
I spot an actor I know … and give myself a pat on the back for recognising them.
Thus far? I’ve caught Robert O’Reilly and Rosalind Chao — Gowron and Keiko O’Brian from Star Trek — and W. Morgan Sheppard — Mark Sheppard’s dad — as Blank Reg*.
Who, along side Max himself, gets some of the funnier lines.
When I watched last night’s episode, “Dream Thieves”, it didn’t take me long to recognise Jenette Goldstein — Private Vasquez, from Aliens — as a villainous TV executive.
Granted, the series could do with remastering for blu-ray: the DVD version, the only version I could find on Amazon, has seriously ropey picture quality.
But … ?
I’ve got a fun game I can play, whilst watching the show.
Let’s move on.
Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga†, Mum‡, Irene§ and Debbi¶ putting in their answers: with Olga and Debbi scoring five out of five, and Mum and Irene on four.
Let’s see how everyone does with today’s themed question set, shall we?
Q1) London Waterloo opened on 11th July of which year of the 1840s?Q2) Waterloo is a what: railway station, sea port or airport?Q3) As Waterloo is the end of its line, it’s a ‘T’. Which ‘T’?Q4) The station is in the Waterloo area of which borough: Lambeth, Lewisham or Newham?Q5) Finally … ? The station shares its name with a what: battle, waterfall or pigeon?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …
Q1) The final original model of which car rolled off the production line: on 10th July, 2019?A1) The final Volkswagen Beetle..Q2) The car in question was designed by Ferdinand who?A2) Ferdinand Porsche. (The only thing to outsell the Beetle is the VW sausage. Yes: it’s a sausage … )Q3) The US Episcopal Church voted to allow same-sex marriages on 10th July, 2012. The Church is what: Catholic, Orthodox or Anglican?A3) Anglican.Q4) Lin and Megan Russell were murdered: on 10th July, 1996. Their killer was finally convicted in which year: 2000, 2001 or 2002?A4) 2001.Q5) Finally … ? The 44th state to be admitted to the USA was admitted on 10th July, 1890. Which state was it?A5) Wyoming.
Here’s a thought …
“The main entrance is to the south of the junction of Waterloo Road and York Road.”From the Wikipedia entry on London Waterloo.
And an ABBA tune …
The next ten question set is due on 15th July: it’s about the Northwest Territories.
Comments will be published, tomorrow morning.
Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.
Decisions about scores are final.
Thank you for coming: have a good day.
* With all due respect to Morgan’s son, Mark? If Max Headroom ever gets remade, the only person to cast as Reg would be Ralph Ineson: he’s the only person whose voice would fit!
(Mark played an FBI agent called Canton Everett Delaware III in a couple of episodes of Dr Who. He was perfect, as far as I’m concerned: he sounded like an FBI agent! OK, OK, with the exception of Gillian Anderson, Sheppard’s the only person who sounds like an FBI agent!)
† What gets me, Olga? Is that I told them I’d got through to the AnyDesk page about online scams that used use their software, told them I had the page in front of me! Several times! It took them a while before they put the phone down. And that was after I asked them if they were a scammer!
Personally? I think AI text can be spotted. But that’s getting harder and harder to do: especially with text based results. That said … ? X has had trouble with its Grok AI, just recently.
While we’re on the subject … ? Did anyone mention what’s called the Turing Test? It’s a test: to see if AI can be spotted. You’re in a room: talking to an AI in a second room, a human in a third, and talking through a messaging app of some sort. If you can’t tell which is which, the AI has passed the test.
‡ Hello, Mum!
§ I’m keeping my fingers crossed, Irene. And legs, eyes and toes. Now, talking about aftershave …
¶ I generally do, Debbi. But, occasionally, stringing them along can be fun. And, this time, it’s given me a valuable piece of information: there’s a cross-platform app that lets intruders take control of my Mac.
It probably would have helped that actor: keeping hydrated is a very good idea! (Actually … I’ve got that clip added to a lot of the upcoming Teaser adverts: we’ll have to see how that works out.)
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