h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*locks the doors*

Goody a lock in.

*DD starts to pour the drinks*

Evening all. Do I smell pigeon sandwiches?
A good strong please. (I'm drinking strong coffee in another forum, so this should balance it out... I don't want to get anti-drunk. Hmm. What book is that from? Anyone know? I suspect Discworld. Why do I ramble so much in brackets? Perhaps I should stop)

I can get you a pigeon sandwich if you want one. I have a good supply of pigeons.

*wakes from dream of being locked in a pub with Lego addicts*
Ahah! Just resting my eyes - honest. Mine's a please. Any solids available to go with that?

Have you seen this book:

LEGO Crazy Action Contraptions: A LEGO Ideas Book (inc. 60 Special LEGO TECHNIC pieces)
Dan Rathjen

Klutz Press; ISBN: 1570541574

Here's the Amazon UK reference:
[Unsuitable link removed by Moderator]

*wanders in*

sigh, what a day... anyone serving or is it a free-for-all?

My pleasure, FC. What's it to be? Another white russian?
*to Amy*
Ah. Thank you - I hadn't read that. I need to further my researches. As well as computer-controlled railways, I have this theory about Lego designs ..
*looks round to see if They are listening*
... I think it's somehow related to the mice running the planet, but I can't prove the link yet.

love to hear that theory Kes.... and actually another WR sounds great.

how's your day been?

*mixes large WR, presents it in appropriate language*
Zdrazdvuitye, tovarish FC - zdye vashe Bili Russki
*resets language chip*
Cheers.
My day? Don't ask about my day. Oh, alright - I'll tell you. Managed to survive work - left computers to fend for themselves - went home to relax and ended up spending three hours trying to get a MIDI keyboard to talk (via PC) to a printer. Great concept - save time writing out score - play it on keyboard, transcribe direct to paper - it'll save hours - apart from the three I spent getting it to work.

And then there's the Lego thing. Don't tell me you haven't noticed it?
You remember a few years ago, Lego came out with designs for delivery vans - they had no bonnet - windscreen and front all one line - sloping down at about 80 degrees. Then, a while later, real delivery vans started to look just like that.
*slurps drink nervously*
And jet skis - they came out in Lego first.
And those railway maintenance trucks - the ones that can climb onto railway tracks and lower railway wheels - I saw them first in Lego.
*looks in a disturbed way at empty glass*

*smiles*

hmm.... *goes to her brothers lego collection to see*

I didnt realise! Maybe all these inventors play with lego, and then things go from there...

and that computer thing sounds a real drag. not to worry *hops over the bar* refil on its way!

Thank you - thirst is a terrible thing.
Well, after I got the link-up working, I was playing away, the printer was churning out scores, I played a wrong note, and realised that the piano keyboard doesn't have a backspace key .... So I have to go back to the memory buffer & use software to edit the score file anyway ....
What's going to happen if too many architects's get into Lego? I don't fancy living among pink plastic holiday resorts, jungle forts ... maybe even hundreds of shoe shops?
Mustn't let anyone start designing Super Zappo planetary destructor ray guns in Lego either...
Once I start thinking about it I can't Le' go!

LOL! hehe..... here you go Kes... one

and the thought of pink hotel complexes.... *shudder*

at least you got it sorted in the end anywya! How many times have I done something then not backed it up and ended up losing it...

After an initial period of trusting the immortality of machines (and losing all important data), you get backup paranoia, which can last several years. (I have shelves full of data backed up onto assorted magnetic media for which replay devices exist only in museums). Then you realise that you've never revisited anything you backed up, so you stop backing up. Then the data loss cycle starts all over again.

But talking of back-up - I mixed far too much WR a while ago. Check out the jug behind the bar if you like.

LOL! you want another as well? *pours 2 WRs*

some of my stuff is on a 3 1/2 floppy disk, which we still used until only a few years ago... years after everyone else transferred! That was something.... An Amstrad I think it was, along with my old BBC computer I used to play games on! Takes me back...

hmmm.
*tries WR. Gets a different Georgia (former SSR) on mind. Blinks*
Hah. Ooh. Ah. Thanks, but the next one'll be another , I think.
Nothing wrong with the old BBC. That's exactly what I use for the Lego train. It's got an 8-bit port, and I use each bit to read sensors or toggle motors. The BBC has those reserved patches in RAM where you can write machine code inserted directly into good ole' BBC Basic.
*realises that mouth has got ahead of brain. Fears is sounding like inebriate childhood reversion. Attempts intellectual come-back*
Ish'll have unuther one'v them Rushy thingys. Hic!

I think I need one to understand that computer-talky bit! here... one ... all I used my BBC for was to play games on... hmm. thats all I really use this computer for as well.... maybe things dont change that much!

People play games - that's a constant.
The games people play - that's a variable constrained by available time, hardware and invention.
So maybe as the hardware gets better, the potential for being more inventive at gaming improves.
On the other hand, maybe I need a drink.
*glugs the , starts to feel more sober and awake, totally fails to recognise danger sign*
Is there anything to eat around here. I thought I saw a sandwich a while ago?

looks behind bar... some crisps... though I can pull you out a sandwich from my void if you want.... what do you fancy?

*grabs another 2 while she's behind the bar*

Crisps please - preferably potato flavoured rather than anything syntho. Being an ex-chemist I know exactly what they use for salt and vinegar flavour!
Ah. Is this another drink I see before me? I suppose I'd better stay in that case - or in this bar. Thanks. Cheers.
*excessive force applied when opening packet, but many crisps remain on the bar*
I blame the Swiss - they invented Cellophane wrapping. Should've wrapped all the cuckoo clocks in it.
*selects crisp from dry patch and munches*