Buracracy lives forever

The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? Don't know if this story is true but it is a fun read.

Well, because that's the way they built them in England, and English engineers designed the first US railroads. Why did the English build them like that?

Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the wagon tramways, and that's the gauge they used. So, why did 'they' use that gauge then?

Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they had used for building wagons, which used that same wheel spacing. Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing?

Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break more often on some of the old, long distance roads in England. You see, that's the spacing of the wheel ruts. So, who built those old rutted roads?

Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (including England) for their legions. Those roads have been used ever since.

And what about the ruts in the roads?

Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match or run the risk of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome, they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. Therefore, the United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot. Bureaucracies live forever.

So, the next time you are handed a specification, procedure, or process, and wonder 'What horse's ass came up with this?', you may be exactly right. Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the rear ends of two war horses. (Two horses' asses.)

Now, the twist to the story:

When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah. The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.

So, a major Space Shuttle design feature, of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system, was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's ass.

And you thought being a horse's ass wasn't important? 

Announced at church services.

The sermon this morning: ‘Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: ‘Searching for Jesus. ‘

The church will host an evening fine dining. super entertainment and gracious hostility.

Ladies don't forget the rummage sale, it's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

At the evening service, tonight's sermon topic will be ‘What is Hell? ‘Come early and listen to our choir practice.

Don't let worry kill you off let the Church help.

The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind, they may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

Ms. Charlene Mason sang ‘I will not pass this way again ‘, giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

This evening at 7:00 pm there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and prepare to sin.

For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

Low Self-Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7:00 pm. Please use the back door.

Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

Pot luck supper this Sunday at 5:00 pm, prayer and medication to follow.

The Associate Minister unveiled the Church’s new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday. “I upped my pledge, Up yours!”

This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Ms. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar. 

Trick or Treat

 Over the years we have had many fun evenings going out with the children trick or treating.  Now our children are grown and our only grandchild lives in  Australia so no more going out with the children. We now decorate the house with spooky ghosts and jack-o-lanterns and fill the candy bowl with treats and welcome the children of the neighbourhood. The little ones are the most fun because they are not sure what is going on. Their parents dress them in strange clothes and take them out after dark, which is unusual and then take them to strangers' doors. Once at the door they yell "Trick or Treat", ring the bell or knock. They do not know what to expect. The stranger opens the door and gives them a treat. It is a joy to see their eyes light up with surprise and wonder. A few just stand there waiting until mom or dad, says we need to go and say thank you. They say or mumble thank you and go with mom or dad or sometimes both.

I enjoy all of the children that come to my house, although over the years the numbers have fluctuated from a high of 75 to a low of 30. I know that many of you receive more than I do, and some of you get less, but whatever the number, the fun is in the costumes and the spirit of fun that the evening brings.  I came across the following and leave it with you as a reminder to be gentle and kind this Halloween.

Walks through Victoria BC trails

My brother has set up a series of videos of his walks through the trails around his hometown,  the city of Victoria, BC, Canada, which are available on YouTube He has to-date uploaded 7 videos and they are fun to watch. Please take a look at his videos and subscribe to them.

In each video, he tells a bit of the history of the trail or tells a story or recites children’s poetry. Here are the videos and links to them

Lake Ida Anne SD 480p Lake Ida Anne and Sechfield trail. The video is taken in Langford a town outside of Victoria. The trail is shot with a time-lapse camera. The walk is short, but it feels like a real forest trail even though houses surround the trail. Lake Ida Anne is a city fishing lake. It is stocked with catchable-sized trout. Children, families and the handicapped can easily fish there. Every year children are taught to fish on this lake.

Esquimalt Lagoon in Colwood close to Victoria, B.C. It is a park and migratory bird sanctuary. Two comments from viewers state: Most interesting and enjoyable. Wonderful storytelling. Your rendition of "Sea Fever" by John Masefield was pleasingly appropriate. A very descriptive video. The scenery is beautiful! Very well done and you are a natural talker!! Good job! Looking for more videos from u!

Still, Lake Video Plus Story This video is a still lake video with the natural sounds of the lake in the background. I will also read the first ten pages of the novel "Li" as the video of the lake continues.

Millstream Creek trail follows the creek through a suburban forest. We pass a school and a playground. There is also a nut tree and a crab apple tree. My favourite part of the trail is the wooden bridge crossing the creek about 3/4 way through the trail. I have included a poem about recycling in the audio.

Upper Thetis Lake trail off of this trail is the Seaborne trail that goes to Munz Road. I also read children's Mother Goose poetry that is updated to include today's world including Covid. This video has good views of the forest.