Bits and Bobs 51

TheVision · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 6:56

The going live phone number was 081 811 81 81 and it had a catchy jingle which every body who is now in their mid 40s ish can recall at a moments notice.

Mr Russell · **Joined:** 6th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 12443

Which was subsequently RUINED by them having to shoehorn the extra 1 in after the leading 0 when BT changed all the area codes

Warhead · Noob as of 6/8/10

TheVision wrote:

The going live phone number was 081 811 81 81 and it had a catchy jingle which every body who is now in their mid 40s ish can recall at a moments notice.

Thanks. I'm in my early 70s, so I guess I'm excused.

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 26825

Ah, in that case, do you remember the carrier pigeon code for Saturday Morning Beowulf?

Oo Ooo Coo Ooo Coo Ooo Ooo Coo Ooo Coo Ooo

Zardoz · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 9:17

TheVision wrote:

The going live phone number was 081 811 81 81 and it had a catchy jingle which every body who is now in their mid 40s ish can recall at a moments notice.

You youngsters… it was all 01 811 8055 in my day.

Zardoz · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 9:18

You could call 5 Star shit on that one.

markg · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 16787

Or call Matt Bianco a bunch of wankers.

Kern · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 9:27

London W12 7RJ

BikNorton · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 10326

Mimi wrote:

Ah, in that case, do you remember the carrier pigeon code for Saturday Morning Beowulf?

Oo Ooo Coo Ooo Coo Ooo Ooo Coo Ooo Coo Ooo

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 26825

2, Lock-keepers Cottages
Old Ford Lock
London
E3 2NN

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 26825

I just had a call from a number I didn't recognise. The caller, in a modern LME accent, young male, said 'I got a missed call from this number'. I said 'oh, I'm sorry, I don't think that was me'. He said 'Well, I don't know if your phone is just phoning out random numbers but this is the number it came from, so I don't know why your number would just call out but this...' (and he spoke a lot in a short time, but mostly in circles). When he finally takes a breath I apologise said it must have been a mistake, wished him a good day, and hung up.

He was a bit forceful, but not rude. But I can see from my outgoing calls that I didn't call out to that number, ever.

I blocked and deleted the number, which was silly as I should have Googled it first, but tell me, because I feel old now, was this a scam of some kind, or something else? Or could he somehow have had my number appear from a missed call even though it didn't originate from my phone?

Jem · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 10:59

Mimi wrote:

Or could he somehow have had my number appear from a missed call even though it didn't originate from my phone?

Yes, spoofed numbers are quite common. I had a whole load of it a while back and someone got really aggy with me on the phone. I blocked his number in the end.

Malc · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:01

I am currently in a zoom training session, however, for the last 10 minutes or so, the trainer has been on mute, and whilst still sharing their screen is clearly looking at a location sharing website and giving someone directions to a very small town in Germany.

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 26825

Jem wrote:

Mimi wrote:

Or could he somehow have had my number appear from a missed call even though it didn't originate from my phone?

Yes, spoofed numbers are quite common. I had a whole load of it a while back and someone got really aggy with me on the phone. I blocked his number in the end.

Thank you, Jem! That’s good to know, because I couldn’t work out what the angle was.

Malc · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:13

Malc wrote:

I am currently in a zoom training session, however, for the last 10 minutes or so, the trainer has been on mute, and whilst still sharing their screen is clearly looking at a location sharing website and giving someone directions to a very small town in Germany.

Turns out his mother, who has Alzheimer's, had left her care home, but luckily had her phone on (with said location sharing on) her, and he was guiding the care team to her location.

She is now back safely.

Malc · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:14

Jem wrote:

Mimi wrote:

Or could he somehow have had my number appear from a missed call even though it didn't originate from my phone?

Yes, spoofed numbers are quite common. I had a whole load of it a while back and someone got really aggy with me on the phone. I blocked his number in the end.

That's also another way how scammers can appear to be calling from a legit organisation, as the caller id says the right company name.

Kern · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:16

I recently had someone attempt a video call over WhatsApp. I didn't answer but found a setting to reject unknown callers ( Settings - Privacy - Silence unknown caller ).

I usually don't answer unknown numbers on my mobile anymore unless I'm expecting something. I keep on thinking about removing the landline phone because 99% of calls are junk and I only use it to call the parents.

markg · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 16787

I think that some weird sentimental attachment is the only reason for us keeping the landline, can't remember the last time it was any use. Even my eighty odd year old parents call us on our mobiles.

TheVision · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 11:38

I still have a land-line because Virgin Media make the Internet bill cheaper with it. I haven't had an actual phone plugged into it for years.

markg · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 16787

We're on fibre so it's not even an actual landline that might still work if the internet is down.

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 26825

Malc wrote:

I am currently in a zoom training session, however, for the last 10 minutes or so, the trainer has been on mute, and whilst still sharing their screen is clearly looking at a location sharing website and giving someone directions to a very small town in Germany.

Turns out his mother, who has Alzheimer's, had left her care home, but luckily had her phone on (with said location sharing on) her, and he was guiding the care team to her location.

She is now back safely.

That’s good to know that there was a safe resolution.

TheVision · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 13:52

markg wrote:

We're on fibre so it's not even an actual landline that might still work if the internet is down.

That's a good point. We're on fibre too and I seem to remember them sending me a little dongle that goes in the back of the router to plug a phone into.... Never bothered with it.

Grim... · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 15:26

TheVision wrote:

The going live phone number was 081 811 81 81 and it had a catchy jingle which every body who is now in their mid 40s ish can recall at a moments notice.

Also the number to call for Ghost Watch.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38980

TheVision wrote:

I still have a land-line because Virgin Media make the Internet bill cheaper with it. I haven't had an actual phone plugged into it for years.

Same. But I have a phone plugged in because I'm not sure what combo of child doctor/dentist/school/optician/exorcist still has it listed as a primary contact

BikNorton · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 10326

TheVision wrote:

markg wrote:

We're on fibre so it's not even an actual landline that might still work if the internet is down.

That's a good point. We're on fibre too and I seem to remember them sending me a little dongle that goes in the back of the router to plug a phone into.... Never bothered with it.

You can always UPS it, which is what telcos will be doing for vulnerable people, which does still rely on the exchange being on an unaffected circuit. Which is likely these days as exchanges coalesce around fewer big ones.

That's what I did on smart meter day, got an inverter that turns Makita batteries into 240V and plugged the fibre ONT, router and main WiFi node into it.

DavPaz · **Joined:** 27th Jun, 2008 **Posts:** 38980

I was speaking to a BT guy the other day about the closure of old exchanges and he told me that keeping the old exchanges running accounts for over 1% of the UK TOTAL POWER USAGE.

I was stunned.

He also told me that a big chunk of the old analogue lines are in places like lifts where they are legally required, but not easy to replace

Kern · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 17:24

I've heard that one of the reasons telephone boxes become defibrillators is that it's cheaper and easier than disconnecting the power supply.

BikNorton · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 10326

Just imagine how many hundreds of tonnes of copper are in the exchanges, there's an argument reclaiming the lines is never going to be viable but the exchanges have to be literal gold mines right?

Giphy "literally archer":
https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTNiYzllNzE3N2Rtdm93ajkwcXQ3bXZheWpkZ2hkZXZnbTIya2M4ZGI2ZGg2ZnFxbiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/kCSovCsbu7XnW/giphy-loop.mp4

BikNorton · **Joined:** 30th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 10326

Sigh. Maybe using the giphy tag should just earn the user a half hour ban or something.

MaliA · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 17:54

Giphy "ban them all":
https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTNiYzllNzE3aWU2emwyZHM1aGZscHJxYjJsaXEzZTJ1ejJwdHNidG1wOGdsYWNveSZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/hHlwMiWzwek4fDXcb1/giphy-loop.mp4

Grim... · **Posted:** Fri Sep 05, 2025 17:56

BikNorton wrote:

Sigh. Maybe using the giphy tag should just earn the user a half hour ban or something.

What do you mean, that was perfect?

Mr Russell · **Joined:** 6th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 12443

viewtopic.php?style=26&p=352921#p352921

I had a call out of the blue from a number that I didn't recognise asking to confirm my date of birth and address and I used this technique, giving the date of birth as one year out. The confusion was audible and I then also explained the same reasons, but it shows how long I've been thinking about this and waiting for an opportunity to put it into practice

KovacsC · **Posted:** Fri Sep 12, 2025 17:50

Erm…

Thanks I think

MaliA · **Posted:** Fri Sep 12, 2025 18:08

You're welcome. I heard you were missing one.

Mimi · **Joined:** 27th Mar, 2008 **Posts:** 26825

I like the name on the address label

GazChap · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2025 10:02

Frightening thing is, there's no address on it...

Malc · **Posted:** Mon Sep 22, 2025 14:15

I just googled the phrase

"Russ Kane in his funny little plane" and the AI overview retuned the following:

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!

Quote:

"Russell Kane in his funny little plane" refers to the phrase used by the Capital Radio traffic reporter Mick "Motorway Mick" Tarrant to describe the comedian Russell Kane, when Kane was a "Flying Eye" reporter for Capital Radio in the 1990s and early 2000s. The specific plane was a small, often blue, private aircraft used by the radio station to report on traffic conditions.
Details of the phrase
Origin: The phrase was coined by Capital Radio DJ Mick Tarrant in reference to Russell Kane's job as a traffic reporter.
Context: Kane was known as the "Flying Eye" because he reported on traffic from a plane while the other "Flying Eye" reporters were on the ground.
The "Funny Little Plane": This was a nickname for the small, private aircraft the reporters used to survey traffic from the air.
Russell Kane's career
Capital Radio: Russell Kane was a traffic reporter for Capital Radio for about two decades before leaving the station in 2004.
Transition to Comedy: After his time as the "Flying Eye," Kane went on to become a successful comedian, presenter, and writer.

Which gives you some insight on how far AI has to go

Mr Russell · **Joined:** 6th Apr, 2008 **Posts:** 12443

And yet I have no idea which of those bits are true or not

Zardoz · **Posted:** Mon Sep 22, 2025 15:48

Yeah right, all you Russels keep your funny little secrets up in your funny little planes… well now we demand transparency!

Be Excellent To Each Other

Bits and Bobs 51
Where IS area 51?

Who is online

Be Excellent To Each Other

Bits and Bobs 51 Where IS area 51?

Who is online

Bits and Bobs 51
Where IS area 51?