So, the Maid on the Shore has successfully hoodwinked the rapist captain and his rapist crew

[conuly]

and sung them all to sleep and stolen all their hoarded gold and jewels and, idk, silk and spices and shit, and then she rows back to shore... using a broadsword? I mean, doesn't the boat already have oars? Actual oars, which will work better for their intended purpose? She doesn't need to jury-rig something, she can just steal his sword and row back in the normal way!

**********************

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Comments

[spiralsheep]

Detroit nearly had under-and-over monorails in the 1970s (8 min vid):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vca3EF4C5xU

:-)

[conuly]

Cool!

[ckd]

The article on suspended monorails starts out saying

the technical complexities of suspended monorails—particularly their vulnerability to weather conditions, difficulty in switching tracks, and structural requirements—made them suitable only for niche applications.

It then goes on to show the Chiba Urban Monorail system without mentioning that its design solves the first two of those problems. (It even has two lines which run together for the first three stations before splitting!)

The SAFEGE/SIPEM style of suspended monorail uses an enclosed box girder with a slot along the bottom; the trains' bogies ride inside the girder on rubber tires and the trains hang below them rather than riding above them as with a traditional train. This allows them to climb steeper slopes than a steel-on-steel system and protects the running surface from rain, snow, leaves, and all that.

Switching is done by having an internal pivoting plate (horizontal for SAFEGE, vertical for SIPEM) that moves the bogie in the correct direction.

[conuly]

Thank you :)

[lauradi7dw]

Yeah, but broadsword and oar rhyme, almost, sort of, if Frankie Armstrong is singing it.

[conuly]

Lots of things rhyme with oar. More, boar, war, bore, soar, floor, nor', nor, sore....

[lauradi7dw]

Sounds like you're ready to write a song.

[conuly]

Maybe, if it's not too much of a chore.

[thewayne]

Stan Rogers also did a fantastic version, and many other great like ballads. Sadly he is no longer with us, lost his life while rescuing people from an aircraft fire.

[lauradi7dw]

In the time before GPS in cars, my daughter called me from a phone booth somewhere in Quebec asking for directions, after there was a detour. I looked on an atlas, said something like "take highway 10 toward Sherbrooke" and then she had to wait for a minute while I sang a chorus of Barrett's Privateers before going on to direct her to US 89.

[thewayne]

Classic!  My wife and I used to duet Stan on road trips while driving.  I've been singing two songs of late: a set of alt lyrics to Ringo's Your Sixteen that I wrote (and perform in Lord of the Rings Online), and Poco's Crazy Love.

[watervole]

My daughter and I were filking Barratt's Privateers only yesterday!

We both know the song so well that changing the words for a different purpose is easy. (A day volunteering in a 1642 era village - as an American film company want to see if it's a potentially useful set for them. We're both regulars there)

I'd tell you the words, but phrases like - Now I'm a broken woman in a latchet shoe - probably wouldn't make much sense!

I'm English, but learnt some Canadian history from Stan. He was a fabulous singer.

[greenwoodside]

There's a French version of Maid on the Shore where she escapes by telling her unwanted suitor/would-be kidnapper sth like, "Welp. This is a shame. My dad won't like it. He's the town hangman btw, did I mention that?"

"Um, I think you should leave. Right now. Have a nice day!"

[conuly]

Gosh, look at the time!

[greenwoodside]

Completely forgot that me and my crew were all scheduled to wash our hair right now.

[kareina]

If I were the maid who had been on the shore, and was now making my escape, with a pile of loot in compensation for having been captured, I might choose to row with a broadsword so that, if any should wake and follow after me, I wouldn't have to first put down an oar before taking up the sword with which to defend myself. This presupposes that, in addition to points in singing, I had also learned some basic sword fighting skills before wandering alone on the shore...

[minoanmiss]

Point, and if we assume some magic then the sword would work for rowing.
OTOH, an oar might make a good weapon too, providing distance and bludgeoning.

[conuly]

I mean, it's a magical slumber, and she did it, she must know she's got nothing to worry about.