Pedantic question about standardisation

[lxdude]

I don't because I leave alone and in any case I leave in Italy

In which country do you return?

[lxdude]

On the subject of trains - When I was a child, everyone referred to those places trains stop at to let people on and off as railway stations. Now they call them train stations which doesn't sound right. I think it's another Americanised thing over here.

Oh yes, you call them railroads don't you?!!


Steve.

That's how we were trained!

[Leigh B]

....each town set it's clocks according to the true local time, usually ascertained by the suns' zenith.

Until fairly recently this was quite important, because the date (day of the month) changed at noon rather than at midnight.

This presents all sorts of problems for people researching ancient histories and such.

- Leigh

[Leigh B]

That's how we were trained!

You're lucky you weren't railroaded.

- Leigh

[lxdude]

Just let things be. I think world standardization is imperialism. The world is becoming too much the same with Starbucks, Walmart and McDonalds expanding like the creeping crud. Let each country have their own quirks in language.

Hey, you just used the word "standardization" in a thread about "standardisation". So you're doing your part!

[wiltw]

Because 'real' fish and chips do not come with fries...but instead, hand cut potatoes that look more like big wood chips rather than skinny potato material squeezed out of machines.

Ah...the fish and chips I use to get in New Zealand...25 years ago now.

ah...the fish and chips I used to be able to get in San Francisco...40 years ago, at Foghorn Fish & Chips in the famous Haight Ashbury district! Large pieces of cod, large hand cut chips with the skin still on them, malt vinegar and sea salt...sitting on our flat roof, drinking beer and watching the San Francisco 49'ers play (American) football while eating fish and chips. The nostalgia!

[cliveh]

ah...the fish and chips I used to be able to get in San Francisco...40 years ago, at Foghorn Fish & Chips in the famous Haight Ashbury district! Large pieces of cod, large hand cut chips with the skin still on them, malt vinegar and sea salt...sitting on our flat roof, drinking beer and watching the San Francisco 49'ers play (American) football while eating fish and chips. The nostalgia!

That's another thing. Why is America one of the few countries in the world that doesn't understand the true value of football, as played by the likes of Brazil and most countries on the globe?

[wiltw]

When I read this I mentally "pronounced" it as "refer to a quarter as a fourth..." then was briefly confused. 1/4 may be called a quarter or a fourth. Some of this is age dependent. I am more likely to call it a quarter and my wife, who is enough younger to have newer speech patterns, is more likely to say "a fourth."

Point out to your wife, that to have one's body cut into four pieces is the be 'drawn and quartered' and not 'drawn and fourthed'

[zsas]

You must mean soccer Clive. Well, what is interesting is many kids play soccer in their youth as it is one of the most popular youth sports, although, for entertainment purposes baseball, football, basketball abd hockey are the big ones here.....golf and NASCAR too

[rorye]

ah...the fish and chips I used to be able to get in San Francisco...40 years ago, at Foghorn Fish & Chips in the famous Haight Ashbury district! Large pieces of cod, large hand cut chips with the skin still on them, malt vinegar and sea salt...sitting on our flat roof, drinking beer and watching the San Francisco 49'ers play (American) football while eating fish and chips. The nostalgia!

Wilt, have you tried Picadilly Fish and Chips on Polk St.? They're the closest I've found to the real thing in the US.
No white pudding suppers though...