I've been meaning to write this for a while as we encounter strange and unusual things that may be a way of life here and even could be in place in US but having encountered them in a different context does make them stand out. Maybe there is an explanation for some of these things.
So, first, a "Family Butcher." The sign is prominently displayed on, yes, butcher shops. I'the ve tried to find out why these two words, and if there are varieties like "Adult butcher," "Child butcher." And did not find anything. Edited on Oct 1, '13 Mom said that perhaps family means this is a family business? Maybe?
TV License. One of our friends grumbled about the same thing. If you get a TV and/or TV service you are responsible for 150/50 pound annual license fee for color/bw respectively. You just don't expect that kind of fee coming. If you are a senior citizen you get a discount. But the lucky break of 50% off comes if you are blind or visually impaired. So imagine the choice the blind person has to make - color or no color?
No Fishing! There is a long (500 meters or so) pond near the Hampton Palace. Towards one end, there is a sign on one side that says "No Fishing to the Right of This Sign." Correspondingly, there is a sign "No Fishing to the Left of This Sign" on the other side. The sign effectively removes about of 5 meters of the pond from the fishing operations. What is so special about these last 5 meters of the pond?
Separate cold and hot water faucets. One produces scalding hot water, the other, the opposite of that. Washing ones hands and face becomes a special experience designed to try to break the sound barrier in the 8by8 inch space. This design seems to be predominant at homes and in restaurants. Dan's parents explained that this may go back to the times when hot water was really expensive and you really wanted to make sure you only use it at special moments. And you generally filled up the sink with some warm water to wash your face, brush your teeth, wash your hands, socks, underwear, feet, children, dishes. Given that we are in the 20th century and this building was built 10 years ago, it must have been left here to keep the beautiful tradition going.
No complaints! Sometimes I go on and on about how the state of customer service is comparatively awful. Our TV still does not work.. and the engineer had failed for show up to 3 appointments already. It is an act of god to get a service person to visit. And trying to return anything to the store in an exercise in unthinkable. There is apparently very simple explanation for this. Calling the company to make a complaint costs money. Sometimes the prices start at 80 pence ($1.30) per minute. And mind you they do keep you entertained while you are waiting on the line. So that may be why no one calls to complain... and service just does not get better. I was watching the news this week (Dec 11-12) and heard the announcer say that thanks for the government action for some industries the price will be reduced to 10 cents per minute. We are spoiled rotten in US. Calling the customer service in the UK is ungrateful and expensive proposition, much like trying to flash the toilet.
Will add more as we remember some old ones or find new ones
So, first, a "Family Butcher." The sign is prominently displayed on, yes, butcher shops. I'the ve tried to find out why these two words, and if there are varieties like "Adult butcher," "Child butcher." And did not find anything. Edited on Oct 1, '13 Mom said that perhaps family means this is a family business? Maybe?
TV License. One of our friends grumbled about the same thing. If you get a TV and/or TV service you are responsible for 150/50 pound annual license fee for color/bw respectively. You just don't expect that kind of fee coming. If you are a senior citizen you get a discount. But the lucky break of 50% off comes if you are blind or visually impaired. So imagine the choice the blind person has to make - color or no color?
No Fishing! There is a long (500 meters or so) pond near the Hampton Palace. Towards one end, there is a sign on one side that says "No Fishing to the Right of This Sign." Correspondingly, there is a sign "No Fishing to the Left of This Sign" on the other side. The sign effectively removes about of 5 meters of the pond from the fishing operations. What is so special about these last 5 meters of the pond?
Separate cold and hot water faucets. One produces scalding hot water, the other, the opposite of that. Washing ones hands and face becomes a special experience designed to try to break the sound barrier in the 8by8 inch space. This design seems to be predominant at homes and in restaurants. Dan's parents explained that this may go back to the times when hot water was really expensive and you really wanted to make sure you only use it at special moments. And you generally filled up the sink with some warm water to wash your face, brush your teeth, wash your hands, socks, underwear, feet, children, dishes. Given that we are in the 20th century and this building was built 10 years ago, it must have been left here to keep the beautiful tradition going.
No complaints! Sometimes I go on and on about how the state of customer service is comparatively awful. Our TV still does not work.. and the engineer had failed for show up to 3 appointments already. It is an act of god to get a service person to visit. And trying to return anything to the store in an exercise in unthinkable. There is apparently very simple explanation for this. Calling the company to make a complaint costs money. Sometimes the prices start at 80 pence ($1.30) per minute. And mind you they do keep you entertained while you are waiting on the line. So that may be why no one calls to complain... and service just does not get better. I was watching the news this week (Dec 11-12) and heard the announcer say that thanks for the government action for some industries the price will be reduced to 10 cents per minute. We are spoiled rotten in US. Calling the customer service in the UK is ungrateful and expensive proposition, much like trying to flash the toilet.
Will add more as we remember some old ones or find new ones
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