Random Daily Banter

[briantrumpet]

how did purplepenguin work out that Ian H was in the Civil Service Clup from the photos he posted?

There’s no publicly available explanation of how PurplePenguin identified Ian H as a member of the Civil Service Club from his photos. The connection appears to be based on visual clues, but the exact reasoning hasn’t been disclosed online.
Here’s what might have happened, based on typical methods of deduction:

🕵️ Possible ways PurplePenguin could have made the link​

• Recognizable location features: The Civil Service Club has a distinctive interior and exterior, including its bar, restaurant, and outdoor beer garden near Whitehall. If Ian H posted photos taken in or around these areas, someone familiar with the club could recognize it instantly.
• Visible signage or branding: If any photo included signage, menus, or other branded materials from the Civil Service Club, that would be a direct giveaway.
• Contextual clues: Details like the style of furniture, layout, or even the type of events shown (e.g., comedy nights or walking tours) could match known features of the club.
• Metadata or captions: If Ian H included location tags, timestamps, or descriptive captions, those could have hinted at the venue.
• Cross-referencing with known members: If PurplePenguin had prior knowledge of Ian H’s affiliations or connections, they might have used the photos to confirm suspicions.

Unless PurplePenguin publicly explains their reasoning, we’re left with educated guesses. If you’re trying to understand or replicate the deduction, looking closely at the background details in the photos and comparing them to known images of the Civil Service Club would be a good start.

 

[briantrumpet]

At least that wasn't an AI fail, unless you think Copilot should have told me to stop asking ridiculous questions.

 

[briantrumpet]

It's been refurbished recently (not that we could tell).

The Bridge Inn was relatively recently refurbished too, with a coat of paint.

About 1995, I think.

 

[briantrumpet]

Anyway, isn't it time for you to put your clothes back on, so you can take them off again for Formal Dinner 2?

 

[Ian H]

Anyway, isn't it time for you to put your clothes back on, so you can take them off again for Formal Dinner 2?

We're not invited.

 

[briantrumpet]

We're not invited.

Maybe you were supposed to be the magician then. Could you improvise by pulling a rabbit out of your thong?

 

[PurplePenguin]

At least that wasn't an AI fail, unless you think Copilot should have told me to stop asking ridiculous questions.

It is a little bit of an AI fail though as deep down it knows the answer.

My methodology was to pick the most obscure beer, check CAMRA website which suggested a few Greene King pubs and the Civil Service Club. I then dismissed the Greene King pubs as they wouldn't hold formal events and looked at photos of the Civil Service Club to match a distinguishing feature. First it was the chairs, then the BAR sign and then the picture of the phone booth confirmed. Proud that I solved the pointless puzzle, I returned to stun you all only to discover my efforts were even more pointless than I had first thought.

 

[briantrumpet]

It is a little bit of an AI fail though as deep down it knows the answer.

View attachment 10725

My methodology was to pick the most obscure beer, check CAMRA website which suggested a few Greene King pubs and the Civil Service Club. I then dismissed the Greene King pubs as they wouldn't hold formal events and looked at photos of the Civil Service Club to match a distinguishing feature. First it was the chairs, then the BAR sign and then the picture of the phone booth confirmed. Proud that I solved the pointless puzzle, I returned to stun you all only to discover my efforts were even more pointless than I had first thought.

Damn, that's fine sleuthing, especially for someone who must have better things to do.

 

[briantrumpet]

God, I feel old.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

God, I feel old.

I used to love these bits from Tomorrow's World, none of them were ever actually the "thing of the future" though. There is a great bit in 'The West Wing' where NASA want more money for exploration. Leo decries how technology just stalled calling the internet "a more efficient delivery system for gossip and pornography" and wants to know where his jet pack is. I always think this is fairly prescient, most of the technological developments of the last 20 years (thinking largely internet/social media related) seem to have been more destructive than constructive. I want my jet pack too, at least that would have been fun!

 

[briantrumpet]

I used to love these bits from Tomorrow's World, none of them were ever actually the "thing of the future" though. There is a great bit in 'The West Wing' where NASA want more money for exploration. Leo decries how technology just stalled calling the internet "a more efficient delivery system for gossip and pornography" and wants to know where his jet pack is. I always think this is fairly prescient, most of the technological developments of the last 20 years (thinking largely internet/social media related) seem to have been more destructive than constructive. I want my jet pack too, at least that would have been fun!

I can't see mobile phones taking off.

 

[First Aspect]

I used to love these bits from Tomorrow's World, none of them were ever actually the "thing of the future" though. There is a great bit in 'The West Wing' where NASA want more money for exploration. Leo decries how technology just stalled calling the internet "a more efficient delivery system for gossip and pornography" and wants to know where his jet pack is. I always think this is fairly prescient, most of the technological developments of the last 20 years (thinking largely internet/social media related) seem to have been more destructive than constructive. I want my jet pack too, at least that would have been fun!

I notice that since they've used a British Leyland car, the electronically controlled warning sounds are going off all the time.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

I can't see mobile phones taking off.

As I said, terrible predictions! I remember being in 6th form and a girl turned up one day with an early Nokia, she would have been the first person in school to have a 'modern' mobile. I remember thinking, "this will never take off, you can just call someone from your home phone". My ability to see the potential in things is clearly rather limited!

 

[briantrumpet]

As I said, terrible predictions! I remember being in 6th form and a girl turned up one day with an early Nokia, she would have been the first person in school to have a 'modern' mobile. I remember thinking, "this will never take off, you can just call someone from your home phone". My ability to see the potential in things is clearly rather limited!

Mind you, if you'd said that the 'quartic' steering wheels of the Austin Allegro weren't going to take off, you might have had a point.

 

[briantrumpet]

Talking of James Burke, you've probably all seen this, but it still brings a smile. No second take.