Posts by TWB

Re: You mean the Martini Clock!

Here here! It was always that to our family on our occasional jaunts up the M4 to London when I were a lad.

Re: Ah, that was it

'Why on earth would you join PN??!!'

Because I had been with Talktalk.

Re: Wot no Kathy Klugston?

Eigh-ut might confuse too many people.

Nice to know someone else here listens to R4 (I like her)

Re: So if you wrote a book...

I'd be pissed off but I don't think you'd need to go to prison.

Re: Next on the list

The thing is with real shops like Maplin is that you can get the item in your hand and see if it seems OK, so I will stuff form them I need now (like others have said), but also stuff I can have a damn good look a t from all angles, checking stuff you cannot see in an online catalogue.

But I do wonder how long they might last as well.

Re: Not tha cheap

@Doctor Syntax - I have my own domain and separate email and it is giving my problems and Mrs TWB does not want an email address with the same domain.

But I agree with you completely.

Re: Mini Moke link

Thanks for that - our family had an Australian Moke for years - it became my first car and I used it for years. It was the most fun car to drive and even though not that fast, it felt fast as it was close to the road and open and you could see each corner and squeeze through small gaps. It was my only car for many years.

I sold it eventually as I now like sedate comfortable travel (got married!)

Anyway - back to the Land Rover.....

Re: Customers think TalkTalk is doing the right thing

'Virgin got out of the DSL business and sold it to TalkTalk.' - and that's how some of us ended up being TT customers - I'd leave if I could take my wife's virgin.net email with me/us (I've tried to get a domain name for her but her resistance to change is very high - other suggestions welcome - divorce too extreme)

Still, TT do save me 24p a month compared to Virgin!

Re: Recharging time

When this issue is mentioned I find it odd that no-one thinks that maybe electric cars will run on standardised rechargeable batteries which get swapped at charging stations - probably replacing the petrol station network over time.

So you drive up, the charge in your batteries is measured, a machine removes them, puts in new ones and you pay for the amount of top up charge that you have just been given - less what you had removed. Could be done in less time it takes to fill a petrol car. Obviously this would not work with current EVs as the manufacturers are still experimenting with vehicle design, but if the battery mounting/compartment(s) was standardised on every new EV, this should be straightforward. Lots of problems, but nothing the reg readers could not imagine overcoming (this is what proper engineers do)

The charging station itself would be automated and slowly charging all the depleted batteries (or maybe collecting them for sending off to much larger automated charging stations. In either case grid power consumption could be dynamically controlled to help control demand to the generators and grid (maybe by dynamic pricing! Ughhhh...) Maybe you could have up to 100 batteries on charge at a time, but if demand needs to be reduced that would get signalled and it can be reduced to 50, 20, 10, none etc.

With a standardised battery, manufacturers could 'sell' their vehicle as having 1, 2, 3 or more slots. 1 battery for small economy EVs. 2 batteries for general use (small hatchbacks). 5 batteries for show offs (high performance willy extensions)

Also as battery technology improves (I am an optimist) new better/higher capacity would filter down, older 'worn out' batteries could be serviced/recycled by large efficient factories.

Re: First time I have to totally disagree with you, Tim

Thanks itman for that - I hate to say it - I am sure I'll be in a minority - but I found your comment was much easier to read and follow than anything Tim has written here. I'm not sure I fully agree but I'm getting so philosophical these days I cannot make my mind up.

Having said that I have enjoyed reading TIm's articles here over the year and challenging my preconceptions and wish him well.

Re: You need deep pockets for any class on 787 with BA

When I fly, I enjoy the flight but hate the airport parts*, so for me a direct flight would be worth it - but then I count flying as a luxury that I only do every few years, so I like to make it as stress free as possible.

* getting to/from the airport, worrying about mislaying my tickets/passport/luggage, checking in, security (do they have to be so unpleasant? I am always polite and helpful), going through the airport, having to wait at the gate for so long etc etc.

Re: Putting a target on your back

Exactly how I feel.

KIA vs Ferrari

Ferrari don't make any hatchbacks or what I consider practical cars, but otherwise I know what you mean.

Re: You lucky poeple who sleep on planes

I'm 49 (thanks for asking) and have never been able to sleep on planes, in fact I'm not very good at sleeping in a chair and they don't allow you to lie down in the aisle for some reason.

My FIL 'learnt' how to grab naps anywhere while he did his national service in the RAF - I've never been much of a napper - drives my wife mad - but then she is a light sleeper at night.

Re: All of our updates are on a Friday

I guess your business is not 24 hour....

We usually find changes on a Thursday prior to a bank holiday weekend only start to show as problematic at 5pm on Friday, when all the people who know the details and how to roll them back are generally escaping and uncontactable.

We are getting new procedures soon....

Re: Worrying @Boltar and @AC

Well I feel a bit of a dunce now - but better informed (so thanks in a way), I had a look in Keychain (never opened it before) and saw that there are some passwords there. I did not realise that for some systems (typically Apple stuff) it stored them there whether you liked it or not. When the pop-up had appeared in the past 'Do you want Keychain to store this password' - I had always said no.

I guess my browsers store some passwords - I do occasionally reset them clearing certain logons but I type in passwords for things like online stores and banking when I need them - don't know how risky it is being logged into the register often - I tend to have different passwords for everything.

Being a miserable git (or whatever term takes your fancy) I've not really got into the social media stuff

Re: Location/Venue?

Just seen 'Clerkenwell' - did I miss that earlier? - apols if I did and for the poor typing/proof reading