Yes, Swiss scientist Fritz Zwicky coined the term “dark matter” which is impressive, but he also coined the term “spherical bastard” to describe people who are bastards no matter which way you look at them, and I think that should be celebrated more.

Top centre looks like he just walked off the set of "The League of Gentlemen".

Bottom left is Kenny Everett.

Apparently the Inner London Crown Court clerks use them to announce when the judge enters the court:

I dunno man, it's Dundee...

Anatidaephobia: The irrational fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is spying on you.

(With apologies to Gary Larson)

Who among us hasn't measured out a *checks lab notes*...

WHO THE FUCK DECIDED TO USE POUNDS OF WATER?

*cough* 100μm *cough*

😉

Kids nowadays. They're so... NICE!

One of our elderly neighbours now lives alone - her husband's been in residential care since last year.

Since then, my 11yo pops round at least once a week to spend time with her and make sure she's ok (she's a bit unsteady on her feet.)

The kids are alright 🙂.

This explains why the main door into (for example) 70 Whitehall is so large.

Hi @mattgreencomedy.com - following on from the dance chat, you'll be delighted to hear that Trump's little boogie has a name. It's called the "Two guys at once."

26 years is amazing. The closest I can get is my Dell 2408FPW 24" flat screen monitor, which turns 18 next month. It will be able to buy a beer 3 months before my eldest child 😀.

Sadly, it is showing its age - there are a couple of fixed vertical lines of cyan and more that disappear after a while.

A screenshot from the movie "The Matrix" in which Neo/Thomas Anderson (played by Keanu Reeves) takes an object from a hollowed-out copy of "Simulation and Simulacra" by Jean Baudrillard.

Perhaps he should be referred to as Pope Neo?

Using non-corporate communication channels (e.g. WhatsApp, private email, SMS) for government business (HTML)

Footnote 1 refers to this page, which addresses WhatsApp, and explicitly stated that records should be kept.

Section 5.15 of the UK government ministerial code: Use of non-corporate communication channels In general, it is expected that ministers and civil servants should use government systems for all government business. Any use of non-corporate communication channels for government business engages ministers’ obligations to keep accurate public records. Ministers in this position must follow the government guidance.[footnote 1] Footnote 1 points to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-corporate-communication-channels-for-government-business/using-non-corporate-communication-channels-eg-whatsapp-private-email-sms-for-government-business-html

I have no doubt that disappearing messages are being used. My point is that government-issued devices should be managed centrally and that capability should be blocked.

Anyone conducting government business on a personal device should be dismissed immediately as a breach of the ministerial code.

I'm no expert on MDMs (I do server infrastructure) but if government is do dependent on WhatsApp for comms, it should be centrally configured to archive messages for audit and compliance. If this can't be done, its use should be blocked on these devices without exception.

Absent one endpoint (McSweeney) there may still be another one somewhere...

Also, if these are government-issued devices, they must surely be registered with a mobile device management (MDM) solution to control what can be done with them, and enable remote wipe if necessary (among other things.)

Plenty of chat about McSweeney's (government-issued) phone being "conveniently" stolen (I subscribe to the 'shit happens' school of thought on that, FWIW) but WhatsApp messages have a sender and a recipient.

I can't wait to see how this would pan out in, say, the English Premier League.

Edmund: Cup of coffee, Darling?

Darling: Oh, thank you.

Edmund: Baldrick, do the honours.

Baldrick: (comes from kitchen) Sir. (to Darling) Sugar, sir?

Darling: Three lumps.

Edmund: Think you can manage three *lumps*, Baldrick?

Baldrick: I’ll rummage around, see what I can find, sir.

I'm pretty sure it's a slice of shoe

Is it possible that Ollie Watkins was inadvertently asked to do Mandelson's vetting?

"The wheel is spinning but the hamster has died."

Alien was first shown on British TV in 1982. My parents were watching it when I wandered into the front room having woken up in need of a drink of water.

It was the single most terrifying thing I had ever (and probably have ever) seen.

I was eight years old.

Peter Stefanovic: lawyer, filmmaker and occasional NBA replacement 😉

"Come with me into the light."

Or alternatively

"For the avoidance of doubt, you're going to hell and sooner than you might think."

Have a great time over there - my wife stayed in San Francisco for a while (with the same friends now in Boston) and we hope to get over there at some point, but we've no idea when (or if) as things stand.

I'd rather watch the games here knowing that I can enjoy a few pints without the possibility of being deported thanks very much.