The Off Topic Topic

[Josquius]

Indian coworker had a strange occurance.

Phone call from someone saying they're from immigration and there's various problems with his visa status.
Checking the number it is a legit UK government phone number. And they know all his details. Passport and visa number and everything.
They're going to send somebody round his place to collect the correct papers.

But something seems off so he offers to meet them at the local police station instead.
They don't like that.

He gets in touch with the immigration authorities by dialling them... This is a known scam.

Fucking hell.
What could have happened here?
This is a guy with a  good level of English and a decent job but imagine someone without such a level of communication who is just barely there....

Rogue elements in the immigration authorities trying to scare immigrants?
Phone number spoofing?
Google search hacking combined with a  rogue landlord?

[Admiral Yi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxtT_N9vMu4

This is pretty weird.  Graduates of the US Naval Academy picking their first assignments based on merit, in a NFL draft day setting.

[mongers]

Composite photo of crater nr Mars's north pole showing 1,000 - 2,000 cubic kilometres of ice on the planet's surface:



Full detail here:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46645321

[Admiral Yi]

Methane ice I assume.

[mongers]

Methane ice I assume.

Nope water ice. 

I meant to post this in the space thread and at the same time berate Tim for not enthusing about it. 

More details here:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Mars_Express/Mars_Express_gets_festive_A_winter_wonderland_on_Mars

A better picture:

[Admiral Yi]

What is this thing with slagging on people for not doing something they've done before?  I personally find it pretty annoying.

[mongers]

What is this thing with slagging on people for not doing something they've done before?  I personally find it pretty annoying.

You missed the smilie, also it's not slagging off, but affectionate; we need Timmay's unadultered enthusiasm for space stuff, but he's elsewhere, real life. :gasp:

[Eddie Teach]

Timmy News Service has been getting scooped a lot. 

[derspiess]

That's about the only thing from Buffalo Trace we can find around here.  Can't find the actual bourbon anywhere.  Wish I had known that before I used most of my last bottle to make bourbon balls.  They are kick-ass bourbon balls, at least.

Most of their bourbons are getting scarce on store shelves, yeah.  Demand for their stuff is astronomical right now.

It's my favorite, but I'm baffled as to why just recently demand hit the roof.

[celedhring]

Separatist protester tries to pull a Tiananmen in front of police cars during yesterday's riots. The Catalan police, however, seems to give less fucks than the PLA.

https://twitter.com/Mr_morq/status/1076138641930498054

I honestly don't get the whole gimmick where the Catalan government relentlessly fuels protests, and then sends the police to kick them in the nuts. Then again this is now Catatonia.

[Liep]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxtT_N9vMu4

This is pretty weird.  Graduates of the US Naval Academy picking their first assignments based on merit, in a NFL draft day setting.

Kinda fun too, and good to see Europe being most popular

[Admiral Yi]

Kinda fun too, and good to see Europe being most popular

Agree about the fun.

But I did see two Spain, one Virginia, and one Washington state.

[Threviel]

Separatist protester tries to pull a Tiananmen in front of police cars during yesterday's riots. The Catalan police, however, seems to give less fucks than the PLA.

https://twitter.com/Mr_morq/status/1076138641930498054

I honestly don't get the whole gimmick where the Catalan government relentlessly fuels protests, and then sends the police to kick them in the nuts. Then again this is now Catatonia.

To be fair, it's harder to get out of a tank and the PLA don't carry non-lethal weapons.

[Josquius]

Why is it that the far right has become so obsessed with there being 200 genders (or however many) lately?

[Oexmelin]

It allows the right to repackage age-old homophobia and misogyny while maintaining minimal appearances with regards to gender equality - especially now that gender equality has become a useful tool against islam and immigration.