Things you always wanted to know the answer to [Vol. 3]

[walm]

Europa1 said:

The DPA contains exemptions around the detection and prevention of crime, but not sure off the top of my head if they would cover the electicity supplier whistleblowing or if they only apply when the Police come asking for records/information.

Surely it's possible to phone up n-power and ask "any 3-beds using 10MW per day?"? /Holmes
Also, some criminals might like to reduce overheads by not paying full price for the power they use, what with being criminals and all. /Moriarty

[Moonhawk]

OpulentBob said:

The aurora borealis.

Are all the videos you ever see on the news etc sped up to appear more "fluid"? Or does it really ripple like that in real time?

Depends on the video I guess - but it certainly can change that fast.

I took this video (actually individual photographs stitched and interpolated) while working out in Iceland earlier in the year - I made the video run as close to 'real time' as I could. It's certainly how I remember it happening.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQj5HYevP7c

[anonymous-user]

Brilliant. That answers it! Thank you

[FiF]

P-Jay said:

227bhp said:

Has anyone ever used a recorded customer phone call for 'training purposes'?

I client of ours listens into 10-20 calls their staff made / took a day looking for issues to address, it's not a call centre either - Finance Company, to make sure their guys are looking for the right opportunities and portraying the values or something.

Yeah, it's there to settle arguments between their customers and their staff as well.

In the case which led to the SFA banning Brandeis metal traders and sanctions against some of the investigated traders, weeks were spent listening to recordings of calls to gather evidence for and in defence of the complaint by Herbert Black ofmisdealing and unfair practices relating to his account.

[227bhp]

FiF said:

P-Jay said:

227bhp said:

Has anyone ever used a recorded customer phone call for 'training purposes'?

I client of ours listens into 10-20 calls their staff made / took a day looking for issues to address, it's not a call centre either - Finance Company, to make sure their guys are looking for the right opportunities and portraying the values or something.

Yeah, it's there to settle arguments between their customers and their staff as well.

In the case which led to the SFA banning Brandeis metal traders and sanctions against some of the investigated traders, weeks were spent listening to recordings of calls to gather evidence for and in defence of the complaint by Herbert Black ofmisdealing and unfair practices relating to his account.

They always state 'Calls may be recorded' so they are actually recording ALL calls then?

I have no hidden agenda btw, just spent a lot of time on the phone lately.

[SpeckledJim]

walm said:

Europa1 said:

The DPA contains exemptions around the detection and prevention of crime, but not sure off the top of my head if they would cover the electicity supplier whistleblowing or if they only apply when the Police come asking for records/information.

Surely it's possible to phone up n-power and ask "any 3-beds using 10MW per day?"? /Holmes

Maybe not allowed to be as general a question as that, I don't know.

But once you've flown a helicopter over town with an infra-red camera, and the roof of number 16 Acacia Avenue is lit up like a beacon, perhaps that's all the evidence they need to ask "is 16 Acacia Avenue getting through a lot of electricity?"

[FiF]

227bhp said:

FiF said:

P-Jay said:

227bhp said:

Has anyone ever used a recorded customer phone call for 'training purposes'?

I client of ours listens into 10-20 calls their staff made / took a day looking for issues to address, it's not a call centre either - Finance Company, to make sure their guys are looking for the right opportunities and portraying the values or something.

Yeah, it's there to settle arguments between their customers and their staff as well.

In the case which led to the SFA banning Brandeis metal traders and sanctions against some of the investigated traders, weeks were spent listening to recordings of calls to gather evidence for and in defence of the complaint by Herbert Black ofmisdealing and unfair practices relating to his account.

They always state 'Calls may be recorded' so they are actually recording ALL calls then?

I have no hidden agenda btw, just spent a lot of time on the phone lately.

I reckon it's all calls nowadays, digital storage is so cheap. In the case mentioned the time line of the offences was 96/97, wire recorders then iirc.

[Shakermaker]

SpeckledJim said:

Maybe not allowed to be as general a question as that, I don't know.

But once you've flown a helicopter over town with an infra-red camera, and the roof of number 16 Acacia Avenue is lit up like a beacon, perhaps that's all the evidence they need to ask "is 16 Acacia Avenue getting through a lot of electricity?"

Or with the snow last week, if it wasn't on the roof of one house, but was on all the others, there's perhaps some suggestion there that they have a lot of heat in the loft for some reason...

[popeyewhite]

FiF said:

227bhp said:

FiF said:

P-Jay said:

227bhp said:

Has anyone ever used a recorded customer phone call for 'training purposes'?

I client of ours listens into 10-20 calls their staff made / took a day looking for issues to address, it's not a call centre either - Finance Company, to make sure their guys are looking for the right opportunities and portraying the values or something.

Yeah, it's there to settle arguments between their customers and their staff as well.

In the case which led to the SFA banning Brandeis metal traders and sanctions against some of the investigated traders, weeks were spent listening to recordings of calls to gather evidence for and in defence of the complaint by Herbert Black ofmisdealing and unfair practices relating to his account.

They always state 'Calls may be recorded' so they are actually recording ALL calls then?

I have no hidden agenda btw, just spent a lot of time on the phone lately.

I reckon it's all calls nowadays, digital storage is so cheap. In the case mentioned the time line of the offences was 96/97, wire recorders then iirc.

Calls are more often recorded for training purposes rather than simply having a recording of all calls for the settling of disagreements. If training isn't ongoing the calls are seldom recorded. This is from an insurance broker friend so may be correct, but knows more than me anyway.

[Europa1]

SpeckledJim said:

walm said:

Europa1 said:

The DPA contains exemptions around the detection and prevention of crime, but not sure off the top of my head if they would cover the electicity supplier whistleblowing or if they only apply when the Police come asking for records/information.

Surely it's possible to phone up n-power and ask "any 3-beds using 10MW per day?"? /Holmes

Maybe not allowed to be as general a question as that, I don't know.

But once you've flown a helicopter over town with an infra-red camera, and the roof of number 16 Acacia Avenue is lit up like a beacon, perhaps that's all the evidence they need to ask "is 16 Acacia Avenue getting through a lot of electricity?"

Or more likely, "Is 16 Acacia Avenue getting through any electricity at all, but number 14's meter is whirling like a dervish?"

[Dr Murdoch]

How do they move broken down trains?

[vtecyo]

David87 said:

I appreciate this is an unlikely situation, but what if you were a Domino's Pizza delivery driver and wanted to use something such as an E46 M3 CSL to do your deliveries? Where would you attach the magnetic light-up sign? It wouldn't stick to the carbon fibre roof, nor the plastic (?) boot lid. Would you not be able to do the job?

Guess what we've just had delivered.

Drivers don't have to use them, they just get paid extra (50p or a quid a go I think) if they do. I learnt that from working in a branch for 2 weeks whilst in sixth form. Along with that I should try harder in sixth form.

[Shakermaker]

Dr Murdoch said:

How do they move broken down trains?

With big diesel powered shunters, usually.

Virgin Trains have got theirs named after characters and vehicles from Thunderbirds, or certainly used to.

Like these

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_5...

[SpeckledJim]

Dr Murdoch said:

How do they move broken down trains?

They push/pull them with a train?

[Silent1]

SpeckledJim said:

walm said:

Europa1 said:

The DPA contains exemptions around the detection and prevention of crime, but not sure off the top of my head if they would cover the electicity supplier whistleblowing or if they only apply when the Police come asking for records/information.

Surely it's possible to phone up n-power and ask "any 3-beds using 10MW per day?"? /Holmes

Maybe not allowed to be as general a question as that, I don't know.

But once you've flown a helicopter over town with an infra-red camera, and the roof of number 16 Acacia Avenue is lit up like a beacon, perhaps that's all the evidence they need to ask "is 16 Acacia Avenue getting through a lot of electricity?"

With the increased usage of LED lights now and better insulation it's not actually that obvious any more, the smell from the vented air is more likely to get them noticed unless they use an activated carbon filter on the exhaust.

[SpeckledJim]

Silent1 said:

SpeckledJim said:

walm said:

Europa1 said:

The DPA contains exemptions around the detection and prevention of crime, but not sure off the top of my head if they would cover the electicity supplier whistleblowing or if they only apply when the Police come asking for records/information.

Surely it's possible to phone up n-power and ask "any 3-beds using 10MW per day?"? /Holmes

Maybe not allowed to be as general a question as that, I don't know.

But once you've flown a helicopter over town with an infra-red camera, and the roof of number 16 Acacia Avenue is lit up like a beacon, perhaps that's all the evidence they need to ask "is 16 Acacia Avenue getting through a lot of electricity?"

With the increased usage of LED lights now and better insulation it's not actually that obvious any more, the smell from the vented air is more likely to get them noticed unless they use an activated carbon filter on the exhaust.

My suburban weed farm gen is clearly out of date, ta!

[DoctorX]

SpeckledJim said:

They push/pull them with a train?

Or maybe a 'Mog? Very cool.

http://www.mercedes-benz.co.uk/content/unitedkingd...

[Corpulent Tosser]

Not something I have always wanted to know the answer to, more something that I wondered about this morning watching the news.

Why is the country Gambia referred to as The Gambia ?

[sooperscoop]

Corpulent Tosser said:

Not something I have always wanted to know the answer to, more something that I wondered about this morning watching the news.

Why is the country Gambia referred to as The Gambia ?

I think it refers to "The Gambia river".

According to Wikipedia 'The Bahamas' is the only other one.

[wiggy001]

sooperscoop said:

Corpulent Tosser said:

Not something I have always wanted to know the answer to, more something that I wondered about this morning watching the news.

Why is the country Gambia referred to as The Gambia ?

I think it refers to "The Gambia river".

According to Wikipedia 'The Bahamas' is the only other one.

Tell that to everyone discussing "The Ukraine".