Posts by Dr_N

Hey, Walkers. What's the difference between crisps and chips? Answer: You can't get either of them

Only because modern tiny packets of tiny-sized Monster Munch are an abomination.

Remember when you thought fax machines were dead-matter teleporters? Ah, just me, then

Re: NHS still faxing

Don't visit Japan then. You'd spend the whole trip on your back.

French Banking

Up until relatively recently French banks would only accept instruction confirmation via fax. Never email.

Hence the Psion 5's fax program and GSM fax subscription (for the incoming fax acknowledgements) were de rigueur for a budding turn-of-the-century road warrior.

50 years have gone by since the UK's one – and only – homegrown foray into orbit

Re: "The easiest thing you can do is pour concrete"

No need to pour it. Not when you can grow it!

https://metro.co.uk/2021/10/27/talkradios-mike-graham-doubles-down-on-concrete-grows-claim-15493471/

UK science suffers as lawmakers continue to dither over Brexit negotiations

Re: I'll take the bait

@AC

Alok Sharma did get a Physics/Electronics degree (I did not know that) and then went straight into accounting. Which kind of sums up UK politicos' feeling about tech, perhaps?

Phil O'Sophical> It would be nice to think that science could be funded in a way that would be to the benefit of all, without petty politics getting involved.

You are assuming any UK government, in the last 30-40 years, gave two shakes of a rat's arse about science and technology in the UK. They don't.

They even sold off the state military R&D.

If there is no shortterm gain for their chums, they are not interested.

And to be fair they just don't understand it. Especially this latest buch of no-hopers. Name one cabinet minister who has an inkling about (or a background in) science and/or technology...

Judging by the way your face lit up, my inbox just got more attractive

Re: Henry!

Potemkine!> "Naruto" had plenty of great generic songs. Another kind of nostalgia...

The Halfords-a-like French car service/shops ?

https://youtu.be/72yT16ZcLAE

Re: Trend Setting

If Mr Dabbs is in France, it's "domestic maid", non?

PocketView

Doesn't sound like something useful for the person who has one. But perhaps it could be used to identify people in a crowd? Someone you're meeting? Or plague carriers? At least it was not displaying a poo emoji, Mr Dabbs.

All I want for Christmas is a delivery address that a delivery courier can find

"Simply turn it on, wait for it to count down to zero and then blow until it beeps,"

Sage life advice for multiple scenarios.

Get real: Say what you like about your app but don't be surprised if I trollsplain

Re: Seen any Red Bull drinkers with wings?

Not as bad as in the pre-internet era, when a mate was very non-plussed to not get a room at the Hotel de Ville. (When arriving late one night in a town in the middle of nowhere.)

Re: R-PUR

The black version definitely has a "Bane" look to it.

Re: "They docked at the ISS this week."

"The White Stuff" ?

"In to Stella" ?

Mr Dabb's new (real life) superhero persona...

KnightSoil ™®

Intel's €80bn European chip plant investment plan not bound for UK because Brexit

Re: Deal done

Yet Another Anonymous coward> British piocfurlongs

It's early, but you deserve it.

Computer shuts down when foreman leaves the room: Ghost in the machine? Or an all-too-human bit of silliness?

Re: Sockets wired through light switches?

It's in every apartment I've rented, ever. Maybe I'm renting them wrong?

Sockets wired through light switches?

That's standard in France. No ceiling lights but one or two sockets through the room switch. Very annoying.

Pretend starship captain to take trip in real space capsule

Shatner, famed for some nerdy TV show

TJ Hooker, right? Right.

Anonymous: We've leaked disk images stolen from far-right-friendly web host Epik

Re: *looks around quiet, crowded theater* FIRE FIRE FIRE!

Especially as it is "theatre" not "theater".

UK.gov presents its National Space Strategy: Space is worth billions to us. Just don't mention Brexit, OK?

"Space Bridge" ?

Another Boris vanity project everyone in the country can quickly get over.

2FA? More like 2F-in-the-way: It seems no one wants me to pay for their services after all

French Bank 2FA

Do you not have the card reading code generator that you have to insert your carte into and tap your PIN. So as to get an authentication code for each transaction, Mr Dabbs?

The one you don't travel with. And then work out you can use someone else's. From a completely different UK bank.

If anyone can explain why Jupiter's Great Red Spot is spinning faster and shrinking, please speak up

Strange things on Jupiter?

It has to be the Biogs. Call for Dan Dare.

Samsung is planning to reverse-engineer the human brain on to a chip

Call-Me-Kenneth says,

"Get ready, Fleshy Ones..."

Nothing works any more. Who decided that redundant systems should become redundant?

What's inside? Pain?

Only in June, Mr Dobbs.

Chuddie sizes in France are definitely off kilter. Took me 10 years to find ones that fit. Before that I ended up buying them from M&S, before they pulled out. (For reference the ones that are ok with a UK 'physique' are DIM.)

One-size-fits-all chargers? What a great idea! Of course Apple would hate it

Re: Buy cheap, buy twice

I am surprised how many people don't use multi-port supplies from Anker, Aukey, RavPower et al. They are excellent.

The ones I get bundled with any kit go straight in the eco recycling bin. (To be dumped in a 3rd world country or illegally incinerated, probably.)

US Congress ponders setting up permanent UFO investigation office

Re: America's Native Criminal Class

Just because they own/run casinos, it does not make them criminals.

Something phishy: Tech recruiters jabbed by fake COVID-19 Passport scam

Re: I wish I could filter for emoji.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So I’ve scripted a life-saving routine. Pah. What really matters is the icon I give it

New Product Pitch

Mr Dabbs> Sure, there are plenty of ways to sneak out of an online meeting quietly for a few seconds to nip to the loo

Zoom Nappies™® ?

Re: French Delivery

No one came close to SERNAM for utter merde service. Although GLS do try very hard.

French Delivery

Can be a bit hit-or-miss.

But kudos to one of the guys who, after calling and understanding I wasn't home, picked me up from the village (where I was quaffing cafe) and drove me the 500m back to my place.

Just so he could hand over the big parcel he was delivering.

Who says the French can't do customer service?

Aside: No French event is complete without a Johnny tribute act.

You walk in with a plan. You leave with GPS-tracking Nordic hiking poles. The same old story, eh?

Re: Nearly 100

This is blatant post-count whoring.

Re: You may have forgotten

Hunting starts this weekend so it'll be useful hunting accessories. Wine, beer, pastis etc

You buy French kit? Brave man.

Re: My current set of hexes

Upvote AND beer icon for you, sir.

Computer and data scientists should be as highly regarded as 'warriors' says top UK cybergeneral

Re: Wasn't there a James Bond quote

The plot of Oxidizepussy?

Bepanted shovel-toting farmer wins privacy payout from France TV

Re: Don't get it

John Brown (no body,)> They were trespassing on private land

They should have gone armed with shotguns and said they were chasing a wounded animal. It's a free pass to go anywhere in France. Amateurs.

This is not the tech unicorn you are looking for... and other stories

Re: Unnervingly dystopian vision of the future

Demon Seed?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075931/

Guntrader breach perp: I don't think it's a crime to dump 111k people's details online in Google Earth format

Re: Amazing target miss from "Ernie"

And they're off ... !

https://www.sudouest.fr/environnement/chasse/gironde-un-homme-blesse-lors-d-un-accident-de-chasse-a-listrac-medoc-5818326.php

https://www.nicematin.com/faits-divers/un-homme-grievement-blesse-par-balle-a-la-tete-dans-un-accident-de-chasse-dans-le-var-713151

Re: Amazing target miss from "Ernie"

They are drunk thugs in France, for the most part.

Hunting season starts this Sunday. Let's be careful out there, people.

Spot the dog? No, we couldn't either because Spot is a robot employed by United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

Re: RotM

Like the 'Gooney Bird' Concorde from Nemesis the Warlock?

Re: RotM

They are pretty cool. Some apps seem to get people riled. But in general I think they have potential.

A speech recognition app goes into a bar. Speak up if you’ve heard it already

Re: Palm glyphs

Bravo! (Have a Sunday pint.)

Re: Hmmm

Have heard real one twice: Forest fire and Flooding. Just need earthquake and I'll have a the full house.

Re: Hmmm

First Light> I remember studying in Brest years ago

I read this as, "studying breast".

Mr Dabbs> When I am at work on the first Wednesday of any month, I book out 12 noon to 12:30 pm on my agenda as "unavailable." Besides, it's bloody lunchtime, n’est-ce pas?

Blocking lunchtime in Outlook worked for about 3 month. Until the, "Mutter, mutter, bloody French long lunches, mutter mutter" attitude took over and people started ignoring them.

Civil Defence Siren

I tend to open the window to share its dulcet tones if on a call. It adds a certain ambience to the proceedings.

Arms not long enough to reach the plug socket? Room-wide wireless charging is on the way

You are Magneto and I claim my $5.

Repurpose as insect zapper?

Could we use this tech to terminate mosquitos ?

Re: "...37 per cent efficiency..."

Only if you keep bats.

When everyone else is on vacation, it's time to whip out the tiny screwdrivers

Re: Tiny Screwdrivers

Fry's used to be rammed with all sorts of great useful travel tools/knives/gadgets/torches. Not so much these last years.