00:41 <UmbralRaptor> D: https://twitter.com/diodelass/status/921085502685700099

00:41 <kmath> <diodelass> Just my semiregular reminder that I'm not really very safe as a visibly trans girl even in my mostly welcoming physics department

14:58 <Pinkbeast> I wonder if I can invent a device for punching VTEC in the face over the Internet

15:01 <UmbralRaptor> Please do not punch my car.

15:01 <Pinkbeast> I'd punch all cars but it would hurt my hand, but I mean Virgin Trains East Coast, whose redeeming characteristics are a) they don't pretend to be the LNER b) er c) that's it

15:02 <Pinkbeast> a) is not so far out since WorstGroup now pretend to be the GWR, which is a fucking travesty

15:41 <UmbralRaptor> I'd say that a train is your problem.

15:42 <Pinkbeast> The trains are fine (albeit we are losing the Class 91s, sigh, for some modern bi-mode nonsense), it's the operator that's ghastly

15:42 <UmbralRaptor> Reasonable engine thing that people will modify to be loud: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/VTEC

15:44 <UmbralRaptor> Also, my antitrain view is not hugely affected by the DC Metro system. They do at least hit highway speeds, but frequency of service and costs are, uh, ambiguous. Also, cheapest metro ≈ most expensive bus

15:44 <Pinkbeast> Shock as car culture wrecks public transport

15:45 <UmbralRaptor> The system is modern, though. Everything post-1970.

16:09 <egg> UmbralRaptor: come to switerland!

16:09 <egg> (I mean the buses are good too, but so are the trains)

16:09 <UmbralRaptor> egg: EPRV IV

16:11 <egg> when is that again

16:11 <UmbralRaptor> 2019 IIRC

16:11 <egg> blarg

16:12 <UmbralRaptor> The probability of nuclear war before then is <0.5

16:12 <egg> >_<

16:24 <Pinkbeast> egg: The trains are excellent but crikey they're expensive, AIR

16:25 <egg> Pinkbeast: well no, everything is

16:26 <Pinkbeast> egg: That too, I admit, although I care more about essentials like food and trains

16:33 <Pinkbeast> I think the smoking (not on trains) bothered me more than the prices

16:33 <Pinkbeast> The most alarming train thing was getting off a train at Bonaduz onto the tracks

16:34 <egg> Pinkbeast: smoking on trains? how long ago was that

16:34 <egg> ah, misread

16:36 <Pinkbeast> I remember us traipsing round errr some town between an endless series of eateries with "smokers welcome" signs and thinking, fuck's sake, could you point us to the one where they're _not_ welcome? The smokers can hardly be needing these signs when they can go in anywhere

16:37 <egg> Pinkbeast: hm, I think the legislation may have changed on that front

16:38 <egg> (for eateries, bars are a different matter)

16:38 <egg> I don't remember seeing smoking inside while dining other than at a bar

16:43 <Pinkbeast> It's possible, this was... 2011

18:05 <Iskierka> https://twitter.com/GlennF/status/921059200679030784

18:05 <kmath> <GlennF> Super-rational, logical, male exemplar engineer who relies on data for everything when confronted with request for… https://t.co/875KN8RcMl

19:45 <UmbralRaptor> Anyway, have some random weirdness http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article179929871.html