good timing
Some great ideas here, shame it's too late to buy any of them before Xmas now...
Christmas time is here and we all know what that means: family feuds, nativity plays, decorative trees and brussel sprouts. Such are the joys of commercialised religion. But while you worry about where the gift money will come from, there's no need to worry about what you're gonna get. We've put together a selection of what's …
It would seem the demographic has moved more than a trifle.
I, me, personally, have no need for, do not want, and see absolutely zero use for any of the afore-mentioned "let's rip off the consumer" goods ... I guess I'm a fuddy-duddy now. I can live with that :-)
Anything on that list other than number 10 turn up in any of my presents this year, or any year, and the local charity shops would be having a quick visit from me just as soon as they are open again.
No, I never return, or sell on, unwanted Christmas presents.
No idea what that says about me though.
I instantly though car maintenance.
Would have saved lifting a head when I had a passenger back inlet cam sproket jump last year to check valves, all 6 were fine.
Moral is alway use new stretch bolts.
Boffin pic. because fitting cam timing belts is at that level!
"I instantly though car maintenance."
Eh? Let's break this down ...
"Would have saved lifting a head"
Pulling a cylinder head ...
"when I had a passenger"
Non-driver's side (not a bike, then ...) ...
"back"
Towards the rear of the frame ... Not a transverse engine.
"inlet cam sproket"
Intake valve's cam gear's chain/belt ...
"jump"
Belt, then ...
"last year to check valves"
You looked at 'em? With a fucking low-end TV camera? Me, I usually get all measury & shit ... There is a reason that feeler gauges and degree wheels were invented, you know ...
"all 6"
Six passenger-side intake valves? So either a V-12 or a V-6 with dual intake valves per cylinder, then? With a timing belt, not a chain? Some things make you want to go "hmmmmm".
"were fine."
Possibly true, even though your timing belt had stretched enough to jump a tooth ... but surely you had an inkling that you had to do some serious mechanical work on your engine, thanks to the sudden performance hit? No wrench I know would need a video camera to diagnose this kind of failure ...
"Moral is alway use new stretch bolts."
Not certain where the stretch of a bolt comes in in this kind of scenario ... Torque, yes, but stretch? In valve gear? Maybe you have some kind of prototype desmodromic system that I've never worked on ...
"Boffin pic. because fitting cam timing belts is at that level!"
Ah. I see. You are not a wrench. I'd insert a "fail pic", but icons are for AOLers ...
I agree with those who say it's a bit late for this, but disagree with the amount. Ten years ago, a geek guide for shopping posted with three days to go would have been perfect, because most geeks I know wouldn't have started shopping yet. Unfortunately, as we run out of noughties, it's more likely that we'll all have shopped on-line and actually be done on time. Although I guess this might come in handy for those who are frantically getting replacement presents for those that have got stuck in the post.
Care to update the guide with how much cheaper they're likely to get in the sales? (There are such a thing as new year's parties, so I concede it still has its uses.) I'd be quite tempted by the wand remote (seen one, it's quite, er, swish) if the price halved.
1. Lock-in sux for me, as do absurdly high ebook prices, and the screen is still too small (where is the Kindle DX?), so is no good for computer reference books, so I'll pass and get a more versatile 10" Android tablet instead, when the damned things are in stock, grrr!
2. LOL, got a pretty good rechargeable one for £40 at Aldi, several months ago, it takes SD cards and make this look very poor value.
3. Embarrassing T-shirts are for sad attention seekers, rather like those stupid LED watches.
4. Bought a Roomba years ago, they didn't clean nearly as well as a Dyson upright, had a tiny dirt bin, and quickly wear our and break; the design hasn't changed much since, so this model looks terrible value at £400!
5. Embarrassing, Harry Potter wannabe tat.
6. Looks cool, but far too expensive, and the geek-hostile 'iPhone' dependency kills it for me.
7. Why irradiate your wrist, or put up with probably pathetic battery life and signal strength.
8. Doesn't interest me, I'll leave this for budding astronomers, the paperback book "Anathem" seems far more interesting.
9. Bought better from Firebox.
10. I've already owned/used a Champion Swiss Army knife, for many years, and a Lidl multi-tool; this looks plain overpriced, in comparison.
There's more geek fun with stuff like Android devices, and other hackable stuff, stuff you can't mod is so boring!
Some of the best gadgets I bought are an i7 12GB PC, a 24" BenQ LED Monitor, an Exposure Strada Mk2 (UK) bicycle light, and Shimano XTR M970 bicycle brakes; that is value, and bought while buying more appreciating PMs, rather than wasting £1000's on rapidly depreciating black-box consumer tat.
I'll get my shiny suit and winged hat now.
Being an fan of sharp shiny objects I don't know why anyone buys victorianox/swiss army/leatherman offerings
They're not very good and the alternative and cheaper options I've had a far superior.
Got a leatherman type tool from Lidl that was strong, the blades were actually sharp and hold an edge nicely and the plier...prongs....whatever they're called, the grippy bits :) don't twist.
Bought several knives from poundland (other pound a purchase shops are available) that surpasses any of the expensive ones I've ever used and as they cost a pound it matters little that i lose them :)