Heading in to do Americas Newsroom (10:40am hit)
Re: my photo- Watch The Gap is what it said here in the United States. in England, it’s “mind the gap.”
Is this the most pressing concern of a commuter? “The gap” refers to the space between the car and the train. I’ve never seen anyone fall into the gap- I’m sure it has happened, but I’ve seen several people fall onto the tracks. And I’ve seen several people almost have their heads crushed because the were leaning over the tracks while not being aware a train was thundering toward them.
Shouldn’t the warning be “Don’t Get Hit By The Train” or “stand back! 48 people fell into the tracks last year at this station alone!” …something like that?
I may be wrong, of course, generally these things develop because the people who run the system see a need. At least that was the way it worked for a few centuries, it’s changing now, but back when Mind The Gap Was first introduced, the world was not as stupid. (People are not more stupid now, but they behave stupidly as is required by current standards and practices)
Perhaps “The Gap” is what causes the most injuries, liability claims, etc. your thoughts are welcome.
Thank you for reminding me. I wanted to talk about our post-show hangout in Memphis and here it is:
“The Bonds of society”
"The first bond of society is the marriage tie; the next our children; then the whole family of our house, and all things in common."
– Marcus Tullius Cicero
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Someone is turning three this weekend!
On the road to Pittsburg PA.
Picture: Bluebird’s first ‘Peepaw shoulder ride’ (I could see the sidewalk fortunately)
“Conversations with GROK”
“What is the origination of the phrase ‘getting off Scot free’?”
The phrase “getting off scot-free” (often written as “scot-free” or “scot free”) means escaping without punishment, penalty, harm, or payment—essentially getting away with something consequence-free.
Contrary to a common misconception, it has nothing to do with Scotland, Scottish people, the Dred Scott Supreme Court case (a frequent folk etymology, especially in the US), or anyone named “Scott.” The spelling sometimes gets folk-etymologized into “Scott free” or “Scotch free,” but those are incorrect.
The true origin traces back to medieval taxation in England:
• The word “scot” comes from Old Norse skot (meaning “contribution,” “payment,” “shot,” or “tax”), which entered Old English and Middle English. It referred to a municipal or royal tax, levy, or one’s share of a communal expense (like poor relief, municipal charges, or a contribution to ...
