tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post586544248947757447..comments2024-03-28T10:08:38.560-04:00Comments on The Adventures of Roberta X: Pocket MemeRoberta Xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-66628027779720772222008-09-09T10:33:00.000-04:002008-09-09T10:33:00.000-04:00I've always admired the really skilled operators w...I've always admired the really skilled operators who copied in their heads and cruised above 50wpm. Knew a couple of guys who were good to past 60wpm. (Hanging out with talent had no effect on me; I peaked at 15wpm.)<BR/><BR/>The absolute best I ever saw, though, was in an old movie. Either "Dambusters" or "633 Squadron", don't remember which. The squadron was finally sent on their mission and was reporting back to the air field radio room, where the radio operator was translating the beeps and blaps from the speaker for the commanding officer. The code was clear, moderately slow speed and easy to copy. So easy that the operator onscreen was verbalizing the message two words ahead of the Morse.<BR/><BR/>Takes real skill, that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-4737893678249352472008-09-08T22:56:00.000-04:002008-09-08T22:56:00.000-04:00Vast pocketage would be kewl! --Why not go for it...Vast pocketage would be kewl! --Why not go for it?<BR/><BR/> meaninless Morse is very annoying; worst of all is the randon-element-length jumble. If it's even in close to a 1:3 ratio on dits and dahs, it's less bothersome. Then there's the huge long message that is sent, in clear, with just six letters. Sorry, it doesn't work that way.<BR/><BR/> Old movies do a better job of this, perhaps because more people knew one or the other telegraph codes.Roberta Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-50934595921359803702008-09-08T19:29:00.000-04:002008-09-08T19:29:00.000-04:00The only thing I have in my pocket is my knife, an...The only thing I have in my pocket is my <A HREF="http://www.knivesplus.com/smith-wesson-sw-2000.html" REL="nofollow">knife</A>, and a Leatherman Wave on my belt. I wear a photographer vest most of the time, and I usually carry more junk in the pockets than most people do in the trunk of their car.BobGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15405172215849046373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-67128399849055856412008-09-08T17:47:00.000-04:002008-09-08T17:47:00.000-04:00Ironically, one of my favorite movies, On The Beac...Ironically, one of my favorite movies, <I>On The Beach</I>, features Morse code as an important plot device, and the denouemont [sp?] is that it is meaningless. They always knew it was gibberish, but they had to investigate it anyway.Turk Turonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02648721047835980871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-11952800614698517822008-09-08T15:33:00.000-04:002008-09-08T15:33:00.000-04:00Does it bother you (too) when you hear Morse in a ...Does it bother you (too) when you hear Morse in a movie or TV show and it's meaningless? That just bugs me no end.Ride Fasthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01665658134264970252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-19248653258652330842008-09-08T06:31:00.000-04:002008-09-08T06:31:00.000-04:00Gregg- I listed all handguns, long guns, knives, m...Gregg- I listed all handguns, long guns, knives, machetes (fairly large "collection" of these working tools), tomahawks, and night sticks. My collection has diminished in the knife department since I gave most of my collection to my son, but my gun collection has increased considerably since then. Now the original meme was any weapon within arms reach so that does not include all of the weapons scattered throughoout the house. I guess that I am still paranoid.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-31025293321293156282008-09-08T02:52:00.000-04:002008-09-08T02:52:00.000-04:00Roberta, No worries, I also carry two knives at...Roberta,<BR/> No worries, I also carry two knives at all times. One is an old buck single bladed pocketknife I got free when I worked a magna cigarette promotion 18 years ago. Which is useful for mundane knife chores and well doing anything I might damage a blade doing. T'other is my Gerber Applegate Fairbairn covert folder (or the standard folder when I'm in the mood for something a mite bigger. I haven't yet found a folding knife that suits me better as a defense knife. BTW, I love Kershaw knives, I've got an old Kershaw lockback that was my theatre knife 21 years ago. It stripped miles of wire, cut well, everything that is used to secure things in a theatre and never slipped from my hand when I was on the fly floor or above.<BR/><BR/><BR/>AndyJ,<BR/> Someone would have to define "weapons" as EVERYTHING within reach is a weapon, or can be utilised as such. OTOH, I have a fair number of non-improvised weapons within arms reach of the 'puter. Then again it IS in my home office.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-17816381409699493462008-09-07T22:48:00.000-04:002008-09-07T22:48:00.000-04:00AndyJ: I've carried the little Japanese knife in a...AndyJ: I've carried the little Japanese knife in a back pocket for nearly a decade; I'd be lost without it. It's flat and handy, but as it has neither spring nor lock, it's an acquired taste.<BR/><BR/> The Kershaw holds a nice edge, suitable for skinning wire and cable if I keep it honed, and it's a locking, one-hand-opening, <I>non-switcheblade</I> knife. It's a better backup to the Star.<BR/><BR/> Turk: it's a generally useful skill. I don't <I>believe</I> she'll take over 30 meters. Still, if it was a choice between her or some digital mode.... [Jack Benney} I'm thinking... [/Jack Benney]Roberta Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-59324007972290798502008-09-07T20:50:00.000-04:002008-09-07T20:50:00.000-04:00You're teaching Morse to Tam?Jeez, and I was worri...You're teaching Morse to Tam?<BR/><BR/>Jeez, and I was worried about the Large Hadron Collider ...Turk Turonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02648721047835980871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-17560964996096554802008-09-07T17:16:00.000-04:002008-09-07T17:16:00.000-04:00The MAD OGRE had a similar meme a while back, exce...The MAD OGRE had a similar meme a while back, except that he wanted everyone to list all of the weapons that were in arms reach of your computer. I sent my list in and got the question back....... Are you paranoid or something? <BR/><BR/>Question....why the Japanese carpenter's knife AND the Kershaw?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com