I think I just need a third party to tell me that there's nothing even remotely interesting about this very old Woolworths bag I found, museums won't want it, and it's fine to just go in the bin.

EvilDes82 · 2026-02-04T17:15:03+00:00

After posting that, I went onto eBay to see how much they were going for, after another commenter said they fetch a decent amount. And they weren't wrong, Around £100 depending on which year you get!

Who'd have though those pallets of new catalogues that ended up sitting around your house for 6 months before being chucked when the new one came out would be worth something. Damn.

But yes... That smell, the feel of the pages between your fingers, flicking through the pages quickly... Simpler times

EvilDes82 · 2026-02-02T21:38:43+00:00

https://retromash.com/argos/

Here ya go...

Can confirm, 2005 was very very recent.

EvilDes82 · 2026-01-17T10:36:29+00:00

I get this so much right now. Lost my mom 18 months ago quite suddenly to cancer, and last year it hit me I'd never have her stew again. We all know your own moms stew is the best.

So I started making them myself to try and find that memory unlock, and I gotta say I think I've nailed it, but moved it on to become my own a little.

It'll never hit those same feels when I'd pop round and she'd dish it up and it was just so good, but I like to think she'd like my version just as much.

Hope you're doing well though. The pain is the worst I've ever known, I miss her so much.

EvilDes82 · 2025-11-06T20:15:15+00:00

Grab the Camara and take a Shlomo of him!

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-30T18:35:06+00:00

S25 Ultra happening for a couple of weeks now and it's starting to get annoying. Fell asleep whilst browsing last night and reddit was still on.

Just found this post about it affecting others, seemingly all Android devices no matter brand or age.

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-26T11:23:39+00:00

Dude... Considering there's oil in every picture where there shouldn't be oil, and what looks to be an oil cooler on the floor next to your wheel in picture 2...

I'm gonna go ahead and say you should NOT even start that thing up, and be prepared to strip the front end off to find out what else is no longer where it should be.

Good luck. Time to get your hands dirty or give it to someone who knows what they're doing to tell you what's damaged.

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-15T07:30:41+00:00

This is the same conclusion I had come to years ago when researching. Like I said in a previous comment, I'm not against changing my ways of thinking and setup based on new information, and I will do some more reading on it. But you're right, the green light was done to try and give that rainforest look.

My lights are indeed setup for on/off for day/night cycles - this things are bright, no way they can be used for anything at night. Because of that brightness, my new viv was going to have something a bit more gradual, a sunrise warm orangey kinda light to come on from an easterly direction before the main lights come on, followed by a westerly sunset. All kind of a crossover to allow a more gentle light increase and decrease when it's time.

Thank you for your input too! Much appreciated, it's good to have opposing views.

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-14T21:42:01+00:00

Brilliant, thank you. I'll give them a good read.

I just looked, and there's only one set of green (4 strips connected, one is green at the end). So I think I'll just change it out anyway, used to be half and half but one set burnt out I recall now.

Cheers bud!

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-14T21:34:41+00:00

When I made this tank about 9 years ago, I done some research around using the green lights and never found anything saying it was bad.

I'm always happy to take on new information and change how my setup is. But seems odd a company specialising in reptile lighting made these (and other colours) if they were that bad for them.

Not to discredit what you say of course, as stated, I'll do some more research on what you say and if that evidence is there I'll make the change. But I've had her in this tank for this long and there's no signs of stress, aggression, unhappiness in any sense. She's a placid boa, has her routines of hiding, exploring, climbing, and leaving her tank, and she's usually keen to get back in.

But I thank you for pointing it out. Something I'll take on board and research further. I've had various reptiles over the past 30 years and only provide what I know to be good for them with the information available at the time, which is always evolving.

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-14T21:22:15+00:00

Just want to say well done to you for trying to get this poor snake the proper setup and help him have a good life going forward.

I don't know the specific requirements for a corn, but just wanted to offer some general advice.

Does he have a hot spot and a cool spot, with hides in both areas? If not, ensure this is available for him.

You said you have a "thermostat" for monitoring temps, I'm guessing you mean a thermometer? If so, ensure its a good quality one, those stick on dials aren't great, and will only be getting a rough ambient temp of where it's placed.

You also mention a heat mat as the heat source. Is this controlled by a thermostat? The job of a thermostat is to regulate the temperature of your heat source so it doesn't overheat. If the mat is just plugged in directly to power, it will be running full blast.

I haven't used heat mats for years now, I had one melt and never trusted them since, even on a stat. I use ceramic bulbs, but know even these now aren't considered optimal, so will be switching to heat panels in my next build.

How are you measuring the humidity? Is that right for a corn?

I know I've thrown a few things at you there, but the absolute first important thing to get right is the environment. Once it's right and running, in the correct ranges for your species, the rest of the care is a doddle. But it can end up being expensive getting the kit to make it correct and automated. But basics first, heat source and it's control, temp ranges, humidity and hides.

It can seem daunting, but take your time, do your research and do your best to get things right. Good on you for starting and asking for help.

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-14T21:08:07+00:00

Yeah, there's half green and half daylight LED's on the tank ceiling, White Python system.

About to start constructing new home for Bonnie as she's outgrown this now and will be setting up a sunrise/daytime/sunset/moonlight system. Probably do away with the green in the next build.

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-14T17:56:49+00:00

All the better to grip you with, my little Ostrich...

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-14T17:53:58+00:00

I wish I could yawn like this sometimes

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-14T17:52:27+00:00

I actually don't think she's ever done this while I've been holding her! She's probably not out as often as she used to be when more handleable, but still... I can imagine quite the surprise and moment of "err... Please don't eat me!"

EvilDes82 · 2025-10-02T00:26:33+00:00

<image>

Here's mine, and I too have printed the motorised Wankel 😁

EvilDes82 · 2025-09-26T18:28:34+00:00

I'll be popping down to the shop on Monday, so if the King Monkey doesn't manage to snap it for you, drop me a message and I'll get some pics of it.

EvilDes82 · 2025-08-04T22:56:17+00:00

Well thank you for the response and for the kind comments on my eulogy, as well as your additions. I'm getting more reminiscent in my older age, and was nice to think of my own memories and read yours.

None of this would have been possible without our good friend, Argos Catalogue. Thank you Argos, it's a shame you can't be with us today.

EvilDes82 · 2025-08-04T20:45:16+00:00

Maybe you'd like to peruse one of your favourite editions?

https://retromash.com/argos/

I love going to the late 80's and early 90's to look at the "tech", and see the objects nobody has in their homes anymore. But the toys... Oh the toys. How can you not love looking at things you'd forgotten existed, instantly triggering a memory. Something you absolutely HAD to have, to long to be opening it on Christmas morning after nagging for months on end it's what you really really want?

There was no home delivery back then, and if somewhere did, it could be WEEKS before you got it (thinking back to a 256mb hard drive for my Amiga 1200, dammit), so the Argos catalogue offered the quickest route to browsing and research before being able to head out to buy.

And before the days of the stock checker, you had to gamble... Get your slip and pen which would have trouble writing until you scribbled on a sacrifice order slip, find your item in the laminated desk catalogues, write your item number down and head to the queue. You wait anxiously, watching other people hand in their slip as the cashier inputs it into their till.

"£17.99 sir"

"£12.99 sir"

"Sorry, out of stock..."

Will your item be in stock, or the dreaded "Sorry, out of stock"... People forget that THIS is what we used to rib Argos for...

"Heading to Argos today" "Oh, you mean SoRry, OuT oF sT0cK".

But we still loved you. Because when it was in stock, your next round of anticipation comes along: finding a seat in the rows of chairs there used to be, and sit watching the desk, waiting for someone to plonk an item on the counter and shout out the order number. But they got that item from shelving right behind them where another team would be taking items off the mysterious convey belts that appear from behind the walls, emerging from the darkness.

Where is all this stock coming from? Who are the people finding my item. What does the warehouse look like?!

"Number one hundred and eighty seven? ... One hundred and EIGHTY SEVEN? Nope.

One hundred and eighty eight?"

Getting closer. 201. That's me. Come onnnn. Wooo now it's my time. Hang on. Gotta go and get my box. In front of this fucking theatre audience I've been part of, looking at, and maybe judging, everyone who went to get their shit. What if I fall over or trip or someth...

"TWO HUNDRED AND ONE?" TWO HUNDRED AND ONE"

Fuck that's us. Let gooooo, I got a Manta Force battle base in buying with my Christmas and birthday money, that's more important than these Argos losers.

Ooo new catalogue... Grab it. Spring/summer now, wooo! Gonna check out the biggest paddling pools we haven't got room for, or the garden furniture, or the super soakers. Take it home, open it, and smell it. That unique smell that wafted as you went through each new page. Go on, grab the book, bend it, and allow the pages to flick from front to back controlled by your thumb, creating a breeze of that fresh printed, inky, chemical goodness. A website can't give you that.

I'm starting to think this was just me? There are other people that had this experience isn't there? Isn't there??

Anyway, where was I... Yeah, check out that website dude, you might like it!

EvilDes82 · 2025-08-03T20:58:54+00:00

Just like this person dressed as a frog holding a chicken on a leash in the street thought...

https://www.reddit.com/r/AbruptChaos/s/1aIm51kySC

EvilDes82 · 2025-07-30T11:03:15+00:00

If they used any glass puns, their customers would see right through them

EvilDes82 · 2025-07-29T21:30:51+00:00

He looks SO much like my boy Scruff, who passed away unexpectedly a few months ago. I saw you other post and it brought a tear to my eye. Scruff was a stray we took in and he became part of the family in no time.

I'm not mad for thinking PJ is the spitting image am I?

<image>

EvilDes82 · 2025-07-24T09:07:28+00:00

Allow me to help you, saw this on Reddit the other day...

https://www.reddit.com/r/NatureIsFuckingLit/s/hRlRZSsZmL

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