Ahh, yes. The mythical MiG 31, with the variable Geometry canards!


I use Firefox as a backup browser. Bit slow, but it does the job!

Well, it's nice to see that when I'm not around the thread doesn't just fall over!

Firefox, great film, great book. "Boris Glazunov stays home today." No idea about the browser, I've never used it.

Right, normal service is resumed - today's word is:

flibble

flibble

A scrotum with three balls. Derived from the three-ball juggle.

As in

I'll bet Three-Ball-Dickey flibbles when he walks!

Genuine definition, albeit gross and grossly obscure ....

You're not wrong there!

Does anyone remember Mr Fibble from Red Dawf?



Mr. Flibble
Mr Flibble and RimmerMr. Flibble is a hologramatical hand puppet penguin. He is fluffy and malevolent, and often "very cross". In the episode Quarantine, Arnold Rimmer wore Mr. Flibble on his hand and together they terrorised the rest of the crew. Rimmer had been infected by a hologramatical virus, the "Hex virus", which gave him mental powers, but also made him completely psychotic. Both Mr. Flibble and Rimmer were armed with the power of Hex vision. When they attack with this power, their eyes glow red, and then a deadly beam of energy is discharged from their eyes.

Arh classic telly

Julien

No he doesn't, some blighter stole the fences .........

or;


1. flibble
to make a funny face (from TV's "The Electric Company") I flibbled and scared my little brother.
get this def on a mug

2. Flibble
The act of running away whilst flailing your arms around in a distinctly un-manly fashion.
-Additional Notes; Can also involving screaming or crying, but defiantly not shouting, that’s far too manly for a flibbler.

3. flibble
Lost for words in amazement in a sexual environment.

4. flibble
to dance while typing, involving lots of movement of the upper body and rhythmic typing.
I'm attemting to make the flibble a more popular sport.

5. flibble
Another sign of affection used over the internet

6. flibble
Comical filler for spontanious speach, usesd as a form of random speech to brighten up a conversation. It can be adjusted to fill in for any word in a sentence and transfomed to many diffrent states such as verbs, nouns e.c.t
Craig: Ian...
Ian: yes?
Craig: FLIBBLE!
Ian: FLIBBLE!

7. flibble
Rubbish, balderdash, etc. Don't give me that flibble.

8. flibble
A randomosity, when one is amused or insane. Other forms include 'flibulosis' (as in, 'do you suffer from flibulosis?') the verb, 'to flibble' (as in, 'you've been flibbled', 'can i flibble you?') 'Mr Flibble' (as in, 'Mr Flibble says you've been very naughty', 'if I come round tonight can I see Mr Flibble?') Derived from a penguin handpuppet named Mr Flibble in Red Dwarf who accompanied and advised Rimmer when he was slightly not himself.
'hehehe flibble'

I had to delete a few from this list as definatly NOT suitable for here

Julien

Mr Flibble was indeed what I had in mind when posting the word. My second-favourite penguin, after Frobisher. Top marks to Julien!

Was Frobisher from Dr Who?

Also what happened to Pingu? he's a famous penguin!


Julien

He was indeed. For those not in the know, he was a shapeshifting alien who got stuck in the form of a penguin, and travelled with the Doctor in the comic strip in Doctor Who Magazine in the 1980s.


He's third on the list.

I thought he could be found on websites that don't like Airfix.
Edgar

Pardon?

I dont know, another day and obi-jiff is MIA again!

Todays word is Aardvark

A bit late, but there you go.

Julien

F-111 Aardvark
Nicknamed 'Aardvark' because of its long, slightly upturned nose, the F-111 evolved in response to a joint services requirement in the 1960s for a long range interceptor (US Navy) and deep-strike interdictor (USAF). The F-111 was a multipurpose tactical fighter bomber capable of supersonic speeds. The aircraft was one of the more controversial aircraft ever to fly, yet it achieved one of the safest operational records of any aircraft in USAF history and became a highly effective all-weather interdiction aircraft. The F-111 provided many firsts among weapons systems. It was the first production aircraft with variable swing wings that could be swept back or brought forward to increase efficiency. It also had the first terrain-following radar, allowing it to fly at night at high speeds and low altitudes, as well as the first crew escape module. The aircraft was produced in seven different variants with the first production aircraft delivery in October 1967 and the last delivery in September 1976. F-111's are no longer in the Air Force inventory but were a major part of the fighter force for many years.

The Tactical Fighter Experimental (TFX) Program called for developing a single aircraft to fulfill a Navy fleet defense interceptor requirement and an Air Force supersonic strike aircraft requirement. The mission requirements were impossible to achieve, especially since planners placed priority upon the Air Force requirement, and then tried to tailor a heavy land-based aircraft to the demands of carrier-based naval aircraft. The naval version, the F-111B, was never placed into production. The Air Force aircraft was produced in a variety of models, including the F-111A, F-111D, F-111E, and F-111F fighter-bombers; the FB-111A strategic bomber; the F-111C for the Australian Air Force; and an EF-111 electronic warfare version. The US Air Force versions were retired in 1996, but the Australians plan to operate their fleet until well into the twenty-first century.

This aircraft was one of the more controversial aircraft ever to fly, yet it achieved one of the safest operational records of any aircraft in USAF history and became a highly effective all-weather interdiction aircraft. The last four F-111Fs in the United States Air Force returned to their birth-place for the F-111's retirement and naming ceremony 27 July 1996 at Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems in Ft Worth, Texas, where the first F-111 rolled out of the (then) General Dynamic's mile-long plant Long known unofficially as the "Aardvark," the name became official at the ceremony.



Infra red picture of Aardvark with new born (hard to see) and keeper Colchester Zoo Jan 2007

Whilst I'm here, can anyone tell me how to make my aardvarks soft again?




W

Aardvark: subject of the sort of clichéd platitude that's only ever uttered at the least helpful moment and makes you want to lamp the person using it. To wit: "aardvark never hurt anyone".

Take their Viagra away.
Edgar

Funnily enough, Aardvark is on my list of potential words of the day. I can cross that one off now!

Today's word is:

Bod

1963 Bod created by Michael and Joanne Cole for their children see http://www.herecomesbod.com/index.html

or;

Biochemical oxygen demand or BOD is a chemical procedure for determining the rate of uptake of dissolved oxygen by the rate biological organisms in a body of water use up oxygen. It is not an precise quantitative test, although it is widely used as an indication of the quality of water. BOD can be used as a gauge of the effectiveness of wastewater treatment plants. Its heducation init!

Julien

Ah, Bod. I can still whistle the theme tune.

It refers to a former BMer who is to Airfix what Don Quixote was to windmills. And since Airfix are above criticism on BM......

The list of websites he's found on gets shorter every day


That's stretching credibility a little Nev... try "Airfix are given a fair hearing", as are other companies that produce models.

Have you just got a job in the Labour media office?

I used to think our ice-dwelling bird made some fair points and was unfairly treated, but then I realised he really has issues with Airfix. As someone who knows him commented to me at a model show "its a shame, he used to be quite a good modeller"

Nowt wrong with Airfix. Well, apart from the fact that they have too many old tools still in use (but name me a long-standing model company that doesn't), and they seem to have made some basic errors on the new Mk.IX Spit (as I haven't handled the kit yet, I'm reserving final judgement). Oh, and some of their decals were unusable (though they're much better of late). And they won't scale down their near-perfect Lightnings and late Griffon Spits and Seafires. But they're all minor points. Airfix was my first love, and it will be my last. Airfix of the future, and Airfix of the past.

Righto, ladies and germs, stand by for action, because today's word is:

stingray

I think Troy Tempest has the right idea, going for Marina, who can't speak, over that gobby Atlanta!


Then again there's always that torpedo thingy!

Sting Ray torpedo:

The early 1960s concept was to provide the Royal Navy with a British-built torpedo to replace the imported Mk 44 and Mk 46 US weapons. In the 1950s the Royal Navy was equipped with British designed and built Mk 30 air-dropped torpedoes. These were passive homing weapons which relied on detecting the noise from submarine targets. However, as submarine noise levels reduced, these weapons became ineffective. Nuclear submarines could easily out-run and out-dive the Mk 30.

A design for a British Mk 31 torpedo, which would have used active echo-location sonar, failed to receive Government approval for production and US Mk 44 torpedoes were purchased for the Royal Navy in the 1960s. These were later replaced by US Mk 46 torpedoes.

A desire not to be dependent on US torpedo purchases led to a research programme starting in 1964 to develop a British torpedo. Initially designated Naval and Air Staff Requirement (NASR) 7511, it was subsequently designated the Sting Ray torpedo.

Design studies in the mid-1960s proposed that a tank of polyethylene oxide be carried behind the warhead. This polymer would be exuded at the nose to reduce the drag coefficient. Experiments using buoyancy-propelled torpedoes in 1969 had shown reductions in the drag coefficient up to 25%. However, by 1969 this scheme had been rejected in favour of carrying a larger battery.

The homing system developed in the mid-1960s incorporated a spinning magnetic disc onto which the acoustic correlation algorithms were etched but this was replaced by integrated circuit technology when the disc sometimes failed to survive the impact of the weapon with the sea from high altitude launches.

The original warhead concept was for a simple omnidirectional blast charge. However, studies in the 1970s showed that this would be inadequate against the large double-hulled submarines then entering service. A directed energy (shaped charge) warhead was used in the production weapon.

The original in-service version (Sting Ray Mod 0) entered service in 1983. It is propelled by a pump jet driven by an electric motor. Power is supplied by a magnesium/silver-chloride sea water battery. The propulsion method combines high speed, deep diving, agility and low noise levels. The weapon is provided with target and environmental information by the launching platform. Once launched it operates autonomously, with tactical software searching for the target using active sonar and then homing in without any further assistance. The software is designed to deal with the employment of countermeasures by the target. The weapon is designed to be launched from fixed wing or rotary winged aircraft and surface ships against submarine targets. Sting Ray has a diameter of 324 mm (12¾ inches) and a length of around 2.6 metres (8.5 feet). It has a launch weight of 267 kg (589 lb), and carries a 45 kg (99 lb) Torpex warhead. It has a speed of 83 km/h (45 knots) over a range of 8,000 metres (4.3 nautical miles).

Sting Ray Mod 1 is intended to prosecute the same threats as Sting Ray Mod 0 but with an enhanced capability against small clad conventional submarines via a shaped-charge warhead, and an improved shallow-water performance. It shares many hull components with the original weapon.

Sting Ray Mod 0 also uses a shaped charge warhead.

Velly intelesting, as they say.

The stingrays are a family—Dasyatidae—of rays, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They are common in coastal tropical marine waters throughout the world, and several species are known to enter fresh water. Other types of rays also referred to as "stingrays" are the river stingrays (family Potamotrygonidae), the round stingrays (families Urolophidae and Urotrygonidae), the sixgill stingray (family Hexatrygonidae), and the deepwater stingray (family Plesiobatidae). For clarity, the members of the family Dasyatidae are sometimes called "whip-tail stingrays".

While most dasyatids are relatively widespread and not currently threatened, there are several species (for example Taeniura meyeni, Dasyatis colarensis, D. garouaensis, and D. laosensis) where the conservation status is more problematic, leading to them being listed as vulnerable or endangered by IUCN. The status of several other species are poorly known, leading to them being listed as Data Deficient.

chuffin heck there's too many big words in there!



I once had curried stingray in Singapore and bloody nice it was too

Created by the legendary Gerry Anderson, STINGRAY was the precursor to Thunderbirds, the smash hit series currently enjoying a huge revival on television. STINGRAY made television history when it was produced in 1964 as it marked Britain's first television series filmed in colour - something demanded by the lucrative US television market.

The series was originally transmitted in black and white as colour television was not launched in the UK until 1967. However, recent repeats of the eternally popular STINGRAY adventures have been transmitted in their full colour glory and Carlton Video have remastered all the episodes to ensure they are shown to their full advantage on Video and DVD.

Set in the year 2065 in the underwater world of Marineville, the surface world is at peace and united under one democracy. Having conquered the galaxy, man has turned his attention to the exploration of inner space, the oceans that cover three fifths of the world and provide a vital new source of mineral resources. But this inner sanctum is peopled by many alien races, who are hostile to the 'surface' people whom they see as invaders of their domain. One group, the Aquaphibians, a race of undersea warriors ruled by Titan, have sworn to invade the surface world and destroy the forces of the World Security Patrol an international organisation set up to preserve world peace.

At the hub of this organisation is the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP), an ocean police force which patrols the seas of the world, protecting it from enemy threats.
WASP's most powerful asset is the sleek and deadly underwater craft STINGRAY, captained by the enigmatic Troy Tempest.

Captain Troy Tempest has constant support from a complex cast of characters, amongst whom are George Lee Sheridan, known to his colleagues as Phones due to his expertise on the Hydrophone underwater communication system;Marina, a tail-less mermaid from an underwater continent, rescued by Troy and Phones from her enslavement by Titan. Unable to communicate vocally with her friends, Marina understands what is said to her and makes herself understood by the expressive use of her hands. Marina's muteness is due to the fact that she was sworn to silence by Titan who warned her that if she ever spoke again, her people and her city would be destroyed. Passionately in love with Troy, Marina engages in friendly rivalry with Atlanta, the assistant communications officer on STINGRAY who fell passionately in love with Troy on their first meeting and constantly tries to get him to propose - despite the fact that she feels Troy's heart lies with Marina.

see http://www.stingray.uk.com/ they dont make telly like that any more.

Julien

Also you missed out the used by the RAF bit;

The Sting Ray is a lightweight, air-launched, electrically-powered, homing torpedo carried by the Nimrod MR2 and MRA4 for use against either deep ocean or coastal water submarine targets. It is powered by a seawater battery, and combines low-noise and excellent manoeuvrability with a high-speed attack capability. The Sting Ray is an autonomous weapon which, having received pre-launch, search pattern information from the launch aircraft, uses its active sonar and tactical software to search for, localise and attack its submarine target. The Sting Ray’s in-built, tactical software enables it to deal with complex countermeasure defence scenarios used by its target.

After being launched, the torpedo descends by parachute until it enters the water. The torpedo then activates its propulsion system, which discards the parachute and carries out an immediate check to determine the water depth. If the water is shallow, the torpedo runs at a fixed height following the contours of the sea bed. The torpedo’s on-board computer, which controls the acoustics and the homing and attack profile, carries out a search pattern based upon the pre-launch inputs of safety ceiling, initial search depth, magnetic variation and torpedo heading, until the target has been acquired. The target is classified and identified from the return signals and, once acquired, the torpedo starts homing onto it. The torpedo is able to determine the target’s speed, heading and depth, thus enabling the weapon to select the best attack-profile and optimum impact angle to ensure the torpedo’s shaped charge works to maximum effect when penetrating a submarine’s hull. Should the Sting Ray miss its target, it has the ability to turn and home in again for another attack. The current version of the Sting Ray torpedo, designated Mod 0, is receiving a major performance upgrade. The new version will enter service with the RAF as Mod 1.



Julien

And:

"Steve Irwin, the passionate conservationist who shot to international fame as the Crocodile Hunter, was killed today in a freak accident while diving off the north Queensland coast.

In a bitter irony, the man who risked his life handling one of the world's most dangerous reptiles was mortally wounded by a stingray, a usually passive sea creature which attacks only if threatened. Irwin, 44, was stung in the chest by the stingray's barbed tail, which whips up in a reflex action. The accident happened while he was filming a TV documentary called Oceans' Deadliest at Batt Reef, near Port Douglas.

A member of the production team said he had gone out to film a sequence on stingrays when he swam over the venomous bottom-dweller, which has large pectoral fins like wings and can grow up to 4 metres long.

His producer, John Stainton, said: "He came over the top of the stingray and the barb went up into his chest and put a hole in his heart." Barely conscious, he was hauled back on to his research vessel, Croc One, and taken to the nearby Low Isles.

Yes, and some of them look foreign

Steve Irwin was once asked which of Gerry Anderson's programmes he liked best. His reply: "Crikey mate, as much as I love Thunderbirds, there'll always be a special place in my heart for Stingray."

No-one's yet mentioned the best-looking Corvette of them all, so I thought I would.

Do you mean the 1963-67 Corvette Sting Ray, or the 1969 onwards Corvette Stingray? I'd go for the 1963 split rear window Sting Ray coupe every time, meself.

Oh yes, me too.

Top man!

Chuffin 'ell, I only get so long for lunch, AND I have to get home and back again!

Bl**dy touchy Crab Air types....

Okay, ladies, gentlemen, and weasels, as I'm on holiday now, Julien will be taking charge of Word of the Day for the next week. I hope you accord him the same lack of respect you've shown me! I might drop in from time to time just to make sure

I am da MAN!

To celebrate we will have a special Saturday word MARVIN

Julien

Is that because Obi's paranoid by any chance??

Marvin, Hank. Former lead guitarist with the Shadows; recently retired. One of the finest exponents of the guitar, from his generation.
Edgar

Brain the size of a planet, and that's the best you can come up with?

Oh come on – be gentle with him!! It's his first time AND it's a Saturday . . .











(Actually I'm not sure that this is his first time, but I really can't be bothered to go all the way back through this thread!!)

No it isn't, he hijacked the thread last weekend!

was not me

Just someone else in a large weasel costume!

Julien

Marvin

Marvin, the Paranoid Android is a fictional character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series by Douglas Adams. Marvin is the ship's robot aboard the starship Heart of Gold. He was built as a prototype of Sirius Cybernetics Corporation's GPP (Genuine People Personalities) technology. Marvin is apparently afflicted with severe depression and boredom, in part because he has a "brain the size of a planet" which he is seldom able to use. Indeed, the true horror of Marvin's existence is that no task he could be given would occupy even the tiniest fraction of his vast intellect. Marvin claims he is 50,000 times more intelligent than a human, (or 30 billion times more intelligent than a live mattress) though this is, if anything, a vast underestimation. When kidnapped by the bellicose Krikkit robots and tied to the interfaces of their intelligent war computer, Marvin simultaneously manages to plan the entire planet's military strategy, solve "all of the major mathematical, physical, chemical, biological, sociological, philosophical, etymological, meteorological and psychological problems of the Universe except his own, three times over," and compose a number of lullabies. He seemed to find this last the hardest, and only one, "How I Hate the Night", is known.



One of the few redeming features of the "film" was the Marvin character.

Julien

No, it's actually because I'm a Martian.

Even though he did have this terrible pain in all the diodes down his left side.

Bill Nighy as Slartibartfast was pretty good too, and the guest appearances from the original TV Marvin and Arthur. And Stephen Fry as the voice of the Book. Apart from that, I thought it was pretty pants, especially the faux happy ending. I'm not surprised there doesn't seem to have been much talk of a sequel.

Incidentally, Douglas Adams wanted the name Slartibartfast to sound as rude as possible, without falling foul of the BBC censors. Apparently he started with "Phartiphucknobz," and worked back from there.

Righto peeps, I'm off to Milliways for a slap-up meal. Anyone know what the Dish of the Day is today?

Pan Galactic Gargle Blasters anyone?

Julien

Ooh yes please. Then I must be off, I've an appointment with Eccentrica Gallumbits...