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

The thing that annoys me about the promotion of DAB is the propaganda about its seemingly unique features. For example they always go on about DAB radio's ability to show you text.. um, FM has had that for years; it's called RDS and has been fitted to all but the very cheapest radios since the early 90's , yet DAB advertising would have you believe that text and program information on the display is something new and unique to DAB.

And yes, the 'crystal clear' stuff. Well anyone who uses anything other than the bit of wire that comes with radios (i.e. a proper fm aerial on the roof or high up) will experience plenty crystal clear fm sound. And even when it's not clear, the sound will gradually hiss or fade, rather than the horrendous gargling sound you get when a dab signal fades.

DAB radios in cars are probably ok if you only drive around a tight geographical area. If you're driving any distance it's constantly on/off or delayed and pretty infuriating.

I often plug my tablet/phone into the hi fi to enjoy the digital channels which sound comparatively turgid via my DAB device's output. Does anyone use a high-end DAB, and does it actually sound any good?

I use my phone to listen to the digital channels, or rather the BBC digital channels.

I have DAB radio used off the mains, it's usually OK (I listen to R4 & 6music) but lately the reception has been variable for DAB & very bad on our old FM radio.

Today's PH: People who don't read their emails.

Especially those that are asking for something from you, and then are chasing it up at the wrong dates, because they haven't read the emails where you tell them exactly when they'll be ready.

PH: Recipes which have obviously been converted from imperial to metric, meaning you're asked to faff around with ridiculous quantities. Who wants to measure out 113g? It can't be that hard to regig the recipe for 100g, and anyway, 113g is such a precise amount the suggestion is you need to weigh it fastidiously, whereas the equivalent 1/4 lb lets you know it's not so important.

The way I go about converting imperial to metric is to say 25g equals 1oz. It doesn't, but it's close enough and easier than fiddling about with 28g equals 1oz. Other than that, I use imperial when I'm cooking at home and the few cookery books I have give measurements in both.

I have a Pure Sensia and it sounds superb. It is in my bedroom - top floor in a 3 storey house.

I have a Magicbox in the room where I have my computer on the 1st floor. I just turned it on to see what it is like at the moment because it varies. I'm about to turn it of and go internet for Radio 5 because it is burbling slightly.

On the ground floor, in my kitchen I have a Bush which behaves oddly. Every few months it burbles really badly and no matter what you do to the aerial, it carries on burbling. Move it to a different part of the kitchen and it behaves properly again for a few months.

I'm really cheesed off that Jazz FM (not available on FM) has no DAB signal here in N Herts and that I can only get it over the net.

I also have a tiny portable (Technika? Tesco's own brand) that cost me about £15 that I take to football with me and that is brilliant.

PP.

This afternoon's PH: Not knowing whether I can afford to buy something.

Something I would really like to buy has come onto the market. This is very possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity and could over the next few years turn into an amazing investment. The problem is, it's very likely to be out of our financial reach, but we don't know yet.
We're going to have a good long sit down and think this evening to work out how much we believe it's actually worth, and how much we think we can scrape together from all over the place (including possibly re-mortgaging the house), and then tomorrow I'm going to go along and have a chat with the current owner to see what sort of sale he's looking for, and how much, or whether he'd consider leasing it short-term with an eye to sell in the short to long term.

But I really want this, I really think I could do amazing things with it, but I don't know if I can afford it. And that's bugging me.

I've heard the Apple Smartwatch doesn't live up to the hype though.

Pastey
Thought you might be tempted when you re-tweeted it.
I don't think I have had any of their beers while in Manc.

Good solid beers, but it's the location/setup that makes it perfect.

PH Jokes which need extremely contemporary references in order to be understood. For example, when I heard "Why does Santa put chimneys on Tinder? Because he wants them to be swept right. " I found I had to research Tinder in order to get the reference to sweeping. I'm sure this is fine for all the hip young people to whom using Tinder is second nature, but I've never used it, so now I feel old.

It is Student Results Week, and so a current petty hate are students who think they should determine their own grades and complain,
'I'm a 1st class student but my marks have given me a 2:2 - please remark all my work higher so I can get the 1st I feel I deserve.'
It doesn't work like that. All work is second marked and then the marking is confirmed by external examiners to confirm that the marking is in line with national standards while other external examiners ensure that the university's regulations are correctly applied through the entire process. Students don't get to choose what marks they think they should get (there is, of course, an appeals process for cases in which students feel a mistake has been made, but that is different).
Maybe if they had a attended more lectures, worked harder, planned their assignments better they would have come out with a 1st. Who knows? But you get the grade you've earned and have to accept it.
There are students who in the last few years have gone through hell and faced all sorts of problems and, despite this (possibly using the Uni's support services), have come out with, say, a 3rd which under the circumstances is a real victory.

<BB<

Gods forbid you should find yourself not being the target audience for something, quotes.

Not-so PH: all the people crowing about the 'victory' that is persuading the SNP to vote against relaxing the English fox hunting laws (which will, in fact, bring them in line with Scotland's) without a care for what this action does to their political integrity.

>>Gods forbid you should find yourself not being the target audience for something, quotes.

I accept that I cannot expect culture to wait for me to catch up. My PH was that it makes me feel old.

Which brings up a petty hate of mine: The inexorable forward push of time.

I don't mean aging exactly. I mean I want to be able to lie in a darkened room for days and have it be a single night. Everything's moving too fast! I can't stop and truly appreciate things.

Also I can't go back in time and see cool things like the Lighthouse at Alexandria or a fully intact Colosseum or the Pyramids with their outer limestone shell.

No, instead I'm stuck in the boring old present. With boring old internet, and boring old modern medicine, and boring old fireproof buildings, and boring old sewage systems, and boring old refrigerators, and boring old microwaves, and boring old....



I just want mastery over time. Is that so much to ask?

People who write arcane messages on conversation threads, if you don't want to converse, or just post a link then do it by messaging, the clue is in the forum title, conversation.

Mr X, have a holiday on the Isle of Wight, you'll be 60 years back in time the moment you step off the ferry, no Tardis required!