Posts by SuperHoopMango

Blighty's super-duper F-35B fighter jets are due to arrive in a few weeks

Spelling?

Just a quickie....

Please can we at least get the spelling right?

It's R.A.F. Coningsby, not Conningsby! I flew flight simulators up there on a 2 day detachment from R.A.F Neatishead when I was a dopey-scopie!!

The bunker at the end of the world - in Essex

Re: "watch a Russian Bear bomber go overhead"

As posted to the RAF Neatishead thread, on here some weeks ago, I was in RADAR, and thus we could "see" the paints of the bomber coming over. We knew where it was coming from so a quick run up to the flight deck and we could see the shape of it in the sky.

Yes, you could hear it....but getting "eyes" on it was far more exciting....at least to this, then, 19 year old scopie!

< for the payload of the Bear-H!

"It is scary to think that on that day Russian bombers were coming down the north sea and if the secret talks had not succeeded in america the missiles in Norfolk would have been fueled and WW3 would have started."

Russian bombers have always been coming down the North Sea! That was what the QRA force were for. A quick scramble and escort the ruskies back out of our airspace.

To nicely tie in with something else that has happened in these last few days...

I was on HMS Ark Royal in the late 80's, on detachment from the RAF, and was able to stand on the flight deck and watch a Russian Bear bomber go overhead. This was around the north of Scotland on exercise!....Ahhhhh....happy days!

<<< That's for "Channel night"!!

Peak Apple: First 'profit slip' in a decade - and, boy, it's gonna be BIG

Re: Poor results?

Yes....thanks for that!

I come onto El Reg to get AWAY from the shit season that my team, QPR, are having....and You have yto go and bring it up!

Use a different analogy next time, please!!

Thanks!

Move over, Mythbusters: Was Archimedes an ancient STEVE JOBS?

Eureka!

And you don't smell so good yourself!

StreetView spots possible roadside nookie down under

If you read down the reddit thread, the bloke involved has popped up to say that it WAS a set up.

They saw the car and got ahead to pose. Apparently there's pic to prove the car....

Reg man bested in geek-to-geek combat - in World War 3 nerve centre

No...it would never have been target number 1... but probably in the top 20!

Anyway, all this talk of bunkers reminds me of the signs for "Secret Nuclear Bunker" that are in Brentwood, Essex, for the secret nuclear bunker in Kelvedon Hatch!!!

That's always made me smile when I drove past there!

Re: Where it is?

Depends where you're coming from!

I can still give directions from RAF Coltishall, Norwich, Gt Yarmouth, Northants....!!!

I knew the roads around there like the back of my hand! Coming from Wroxham, as you get to Horning, turn left at the staggered crossroads, follow road down, then turn right towards camp. Follow road around outskirts of base, until you get to the main gate!

From Yarmouth, it'll be a right turn at the crossroads!!

Should i, perhaps, point out that the bunker did indeed open up as the Ops Room in the early 90's? I can remember going down there to see all the new tech being installed in about 1990...and also having exercises that required us to be in the bunker....so it wasn't completely devastated!

I also remember a small hill in the middle of the camp that I and 3 mates had to dig out to fill sandbags when the IRA were known to be watching the camp from a farm building up a local track. Standing on that hill and watching a Jaguar fly past, BELOW my eyeline, remains an amazing memory!

I may be back during the day to add to these memories!

Bring back Memories

Good god... I never expected to come on El Reg and see my old Ops Room.

That brings back so many memories from the late-80's. Standing behind the perspex with a chinograph pen in my hand, learning to write backwards. If you look closely enough you can see Phantoms from Wattisham marked up as C44+8. IIRC that's 4 IR and 4 radar guided missiles, plus plenty of cannon ammo!

Also, in the bottom left, you can see the details of the QRA flight from RAF Leuchars, with an RAF Marham tanker, all ready to go!

I will deffo be taking my son to see a bit of personal history on the 2nd weekend in April!

Spies in the sky: The leaps and bounds from balloons to spook sats

Ahhhhhh...the SR-71! Such a beautiful bird!

Back in the day (late-80's to be more precise) I was a scopie in the RAF. This usually involved sitting at a radar station and watching the traffic. With a 15 second cycle, you would generally see 4 radar slashes within a cm or so on the screen. There was always a lot of excitement when we knew the Blackbird was due home, as the paints would be massively spaced!

I was also involved in flight simulators....and we had the capability to mimic the SR-71....Oh happy days!

<<< I hear she likes a man in uniform!

Dish boss on ad-skipping service: 'I don’t want to kill ads'

Seeing an Ex in an ad!

Now, on my BT Vision box, I can skip forwards by 30s and miss large chunks of adverts....

but that STILL doesn't prepare you for the shock of seeing an ex in an advert!

<<< She looks a bit like him too!!!

Re: Advertising

Well explained!

So it only SEEMS like they're louder...and you are also quite correct on the fact that ads pay for commercial television. However, I struggle to watch much on those channels, and rely on good ole Auntie Beeb. And I pay for that already!

Re: Advertising

Annnnnnd breathe!

Agreed that adverts are a major PITA....especially how they ramp up the sound levels.

Tracy brothers are back: Thunderbirds Are Go! again in 5... 4... 3...

Well, that's just a load of horsemeat....

OR IS IT????

Originality?

There is no such thing in TV and films anymore, it seems.

had a friend who has just come back from 4hr each way flights and he said that out of 6 films he saw, 5 were part of a franchise/sequel/prequel.

Oh, to have SOME originality!

(Mind you....has anyone seen Utopia on Ch4? Well worth a watch....imho)

<<<<< cos it's the only way to get through most films....

Zuck on it, Google: 'Public' Facebook events are dead to you

Christ-on-a-Bike!

There really are a load of holier than thou sorts on these threads, isn't there?

Don't use Facebook or Twitter, and that means you can claim your FREE golden halo!

Anyway, the general concensus of washing powder, bogroll, breakfast etc etc etc is a complete load of hogwash! Both of these sites can be a thriving community for like-minded souls...but NO....you lot just believe that crap you read in the papers. If you've never signed up for them, how do you know?

And as for "I've never used FaceAche but I know it's rubbish".... what a complete spanner! That's like saying.... I've never driven a BMW, but I know that they are ALL shite!

Mine's the one that's ready for walking out the door and leaving you f**kwits to it....

Which qualifications are worthwhile?

Re: Lost in a field of chaff

That should, of course, read "I'm NOW IT manager!"

Also, building home systems has little relevance to either public or private sector....in my experience.

One thing I would suggest, is that if this is an area you want to go into.....Bone up on Deployment services, as this is where all the system builds come in. There is no REAL hardware building....but OS deployment is critical, and understanding it could be enough to get your foot through a door.

Lost in a field of chaff

Hope you can read through all the chaff, and find the wheat that you're after!

Anyway....My 2 pence!

Around 5 years ago, I found myself disallusioned with the work I was doing. So, after chatting to someone in IT, they advised doing the A+. I took an online course WHILST I worked and found this to be really straight-forward. I had been like you and had built home systems. I thought this would stand me in good stead! When I moved house, I tried to move job. I got VERY lucky and was offered a 3 month temp contract at a local college. They weren't actually interested in my qual, they just saw the enthusiasm.

That contract got extended, and then extended, and then made permanent! 5 years on, and I have moved again. I'm not IT manager for a small company. From little acorns....

Don't let the doommongers and cynical old gits put you off. If you have a passion for IT, then go for it.

Good luck!

MEGAGRAPH: 1983's UK home computer chart toppers

Re: Was I the only one...

After a little research, and a bit of head thumping....

Voodoo Castle was the game! Can't remember much else about it though!

Too much of that <<< in the intervening years!

Re: Was I the only one...

Ahhhhh..... The Commodore Vic 20.... My introduction to the world of computers!

Whack that 8kb memory cartridge in the back, and load up some MAMMOTH games! (Ok, not really mammoth, but that's how it seemed to a 14 year old boy!)

OR....

Whack in your games cartridge and play a text based adventure.... I can't for the life of me remember what it was called...but I do remember calling my Dad to witness my completion of it!!

Re: Here's a sobering thought...

Indeed....and when you realise that "Elite" ran in about 1/4 of that 190kb, I strongly agree with your conclusion of profligacy!

Re: Worst. Graph. Ever.

This is a joke, right?

Left axis is chart position (1 to 20)

Lower axis is date from July to December.

(Quick explanation IN CASE you weren't joking!)

Brits are so outraged by Amazon, they voted it TOP for shopping

Outraged by tax?

Yes, absolutely....But as pointed out before.... That's a government issue.

If you were given a way to pay less tax and it was totally LEGAL, would you not do the same?

Now, what's that that the postman has just delivered? My parcel from Amazon.... MAKE them pay MORE tax!!!

North Korea releases first computer game

The 80's called and would like their programmers back....

That's 8 mins of my life that I'll NEVER get back!

And considering I only have 34 mins left before the Mayan Apocalypse that makes me very unhappy

Micro-computer bakers open Raspberry Pi shop

Ahhhh.... Those were the days!

Going through 2 pages of code for the Commodore Vic20, saving every so often in case you got lost (knocked your ruler off the page....) and then typing "run".

Then the obligatory 2 hours of searching for the mistakes! Happy days!

London Blitz bomb web map a hit-and-miss affair

Re: Fascinating but.....

Actually, I think it would be a good thing if ALL sides in the war did the same.

Yes, we firebombed Dresden, and bombed many other German cities. The reasons for this are well-documented and don't need going over again. But what about Coventry and any other major city you care to name?

By doing this sort of project, it may even show the folly of war???

Downward smiley for my obvious naivety at the thought that this sort of info COULD change the world

Microsoft notices Xbox gamers actually slack-jawed TV fans, adds 43 new apps

Holier-than-Thou Non-Believers

I don't suppose that it occurs to any of you that ask "why people pay for Xbox Gold" that there ARE people out there that enjoy playing multiplayer games?

My stepson (14) LOVES his Gold membership and when I get the chance for a bit of mindless shoot/stab/kill I like it too.....The only difference being I'm not too proud to say so.

The commentards on here like to think they are high and mighty, and somewhat above the rest. Keep that arrogance...I enjoy reading your idiocies!

Paris....because I reckon she likes to have her buttons pushed....

Boffins spot 7 ALIEN WORLDS right in our galactic backyard

Re: baubles

http://glasssculpture.org/artglass/holiday/ornaments.html

And here IS that link!

But at $345 for the Solar System.... *gulp*

Don't think I'll get that past the missus!

Isn't it time that someone made Christmas baubles that looked like that?

They would look great hanging off the tree!

Android users: More of them than fanbois, but they don't use the web

Re: £36 and $65 contracts are the norm for iThingsies.

Why?

Why would you bring a reasonable point to a shit-slinging contest?

I was really getting into the iOS/Android argument, and you bring up a common sense point! Not fair!

Anyway, as an Android user with an almost 2 year old Galaxy S, I use the browser occasionally, if I'm out. Other than that, a laptop or PC will do for me. I use MY phone to it's fullest potential, but fully expect to go to the S3 when I upgrade.

Now, on the 1st page someone made reference to a 65 year old user who may not even KNOW they've got a smartphone, if it's a basic Android.... Well, guess what? I have a 65 year old mother who is most impressed with her mid-range Droid! And also uses it for a myriad of tasks.... From shopping to booking tickets, to alarm clock and diary.

Not ALL OAP's are full of technofear!

Bond fans: Test your 007 trivia, now!

Re: Hmm.

16/50....

Which, I think these days, is enough for an A* mark?

British judge: Say you're sorry Apple... this time like you MEAN it

Working with blokes who are complete fanbois is very difficult...but then this comes up!

They still insist that Apple are right, and can do no wrong...and question how the courts can compel Apple to post this apology. It takes ALL my time to explain jurisdiction, and contempt of court....And still they don't understand!

Oh well....Looking forward to seeing what Apple put up instead!

*Big Brother because they're ALWAYS watching me!

MULTICOLOURED TARANTULAS found UP TREES in Brazil

Re: Arachnophobia

Do you see what happens?

Someone mentions spiders and my spelling goes to pot!

What is this "Arachnophoblia" that I've mentioned??

Arachnophobia

Won't someone think of the children?

Have none of you seen Arachnophoblia? It only takes one of the little buggers to get flown over here....met a local lass....Implant her will a million offspring, and I'll be scared to move!

Explosion = What we should be doing to the spiders that are bigger than 1cm

Robot rover Curiosity sets out on first long Mars trip

Re: Looks like it's still trying to figure out how to work the camera.....

So, basically, you're saying that Curiosity is drunk?

That's what has generally happened when you get pictures of feet....

Google pushing Jelly Bean updates to Android devices

Re: The Truth? You can't handle (or recognise, apparently) the truth.

This is true... I currently run ICS on the Galaxy S, and am aware of JB builds taking place at the moment. I expect JB to be available in the next couple of weeks....

It will deffo be going on my phone!