PSTOIC

The Management requested that all members indicate their availability for the 2026 Annual PSTOIC Dinner via a comprehensively scoped two‑option Doodle poll. As Olivier helpfully cautioned, “Choose wisely, as any mistake will be severely reprimanded.” Andy provided an early preview of this year’s Historical Medal and has since submitted a full technical account of its construction. Apologies for absence were received from Jon D.

Following a period of extensive negotiations, logistical modelling, and several moments during which The Management briefly questioned the meaning of existence, it was agreed that the dinner would return to last year’s venue of acceptable culinary performance: Wildwood, Covent Garden. The alternative Piccadilly option (Smoky Boys) was deemed operationally unsuitable due to its walk‑ins‑only policy. Proceedings commenced with a pre‑dinner sharpener at the Bow Street Tavern. Attendance was notably strong, with sixteen members present, including new participants and long missed old friends made appearances.

Historical entries for this year’s theme included:

• Alan – Rare Hi-fidelity Elcaset audio tape
• Alex – Old coin collection
• Andy – Old capacitor and resistors
• Helen & Jan – Nokia 5110 mobile phone
• Kevin – “OB Unit 3” Photos, Cursed audio samples player (*banned)
• Martin – Granite stones from Old London Bridge (now relocated to Arizona)
• Matt – Neo Cyclostyle Duplicating Apparatus
• Olivier – Late Soviet-era lapel pins
• Rex – MP3 player (Rickroll warning), Casio Blood Pressure Monitor watch, Motorola phone
• Rob – Windows for Workgroups 3.11 floppy disks, VGA-Planets game floppy disk
• Ronjoy – Solar Trump (possibly hysterical not historical?)
• Yazan – Model of Prague’s oldest running astronomical clock

After a quite significant amount of discussion and praise for this year’s historical submissions, Hugh announced this year’s winners:

• 3rd Place
  Alex’s old coin collection
• 2nd Place
  Olivier’s lapel pins
• 1st Place
  Matt’s duplicating apparatus

PSTOIC Hosting

Thanks go to Rob for paying for the 2025-2026 renewal/upkeep of pstoic.com.

Theme 2027

After a post-event Whatsapp poll, the theme was voted as “Bring something clearly wrong”

Additional report and photos from Martin here.

Reposted from http://www.g7oli.co.uk/bodge_events.py?23-pStoicJan2024  (where there are more photos). Thanks to Martin.

Bodgers Assemble 2025: The Controversy Chronicles

First off, a massive shoutout to Olivier and Rex for orchestrating this year’s Bodgers Assemble. January rolled in with the Annual PSTOIC dinner, and we stuck to last year’s winning formula. We kicked things off with pre-dinner drinks at Bow Street Tavern at 18:00, followed by a meal next door at Wildwood Restaurant. The date that wasn’t to be missed: Saturday, 11 January 2025. The theme? “Bring Something Controversial.” Let’s shake things up a bit.

Andy, Rebecca & Megan

Now, a bit of drama: Wildwood called Rex at 11am on the day, wondering where we all were. Fast forward to Rex arriving at the restaurant, breezing past the queue, and confirming our table. Winter Warmer was on tap at Bow Street, and we welcomed back Andy, Rebecca, and Megan.

Canada based Ledda was in town so wins the prize for furthest trip to the meetup.  As a pre-dinner warm up, Matt brought in a logic interface board from a pipe organ for us all to analyze. Olivier added an acceptable bodge for the fuse.

Apologies for absence were received from Alex, who submitted an early remote entry for the year’s controversial theme.

Controversial entries for this year’s theme included:

• Alan’s Invermectin Tablets
• Alex’s Rachmaninoff 2nd Concerto Op. 18 (remote entry)
• Andy’s Animal Farm DVD, UFO Crash Landing in Rendlesham book, Better Living Catalog
• Kevin’s Non-standard LED driver
• Ledda’s “illegal” F rated LED candle lamp
• Matt’s Extinction Rebellion starter pack, Wind turbine, Stamped pride flag
• Olivier’s Prince’s lyrics (YouTube link)
• Rex’s Make America Great Again hat
• Ronjoy’s Solar Trump
• ???? Starmer’s blackouts

After a bit of discussion, voting was carried out in three stages. First, everyone voted to select their top four entries. These four entries were then narrowed down to two by Rebecca, Megan, and Martin. Finally, to add to the controversial theme, ChatGPT was asked to pick the most controversial item from the final two entries (which it was a bit reluctant to do).

This year’s medal by Andy

Results:

• Joint 3rd Place: Ronjoy – Solar Trump, Andy – Animal Farm DVD
• 2nd Place: Alan – Invermectin Tablets
• 1st Place: Rex – Make America Great Again hat

Thanks again to Andy for creating this year’s medal. The theme for 2026? Bring something historical.

Reposted from http://www.g7oli.co.uk/bodge_events.py?23-pStoicJan2024  (where there are more photos)

Thanks go to Olivier for organising this year’s Bodgers Assemble (10 people). It was great to welcome Ledda to the meetup, as she now lives in Canada. We sadly had apologies from Andy Bennett, Rob and Andy Clark, but their presence next time will be expected!

Ledda

Olivier, or more correctly the Assistant vice-Deputy to the adjunct Deputy sub-Chair of the Committee volunteers The Democratic People’s Co-operation of PSTOIC helped to arrange a dinner fit for Royalty at a premium location in the world’s most exciting City. Nothing less than the best for the Comrades at PSTOIC! This year’s theme was bring something hot. “Voting” for the date was done via a Doodle poll providing a single date choice to choose from.

The Revolution was arranged to start with pre-dinner drinks taking place at the proletarian pub called “Bow Street Tavern” followed by food next door at Wildwood restaurant. Use of the pub’s Tardis might have been required as the suggested date was for January 2023. Numbers were up again this year, although apologies for absence from Rob (been ill for the past week).

Entries for this year’s theme included:

• Alan’s LCD Hot Air Gun
• Alex’s smoked paprika and AMD CPU
• Andy’s slightly warm wire brushed wrench (remote entry)
• Kevin’s “Hot or Not” meter electronics project
• Martin’s Guinness World Record hottest Pepper-X chilli seeds
• Olivier’s smartphone ammeter / load (repeat entry)
• Rex’s 3D printed red “Hot”
• Wildwood’s Tabasco sauce

Andy, due to preparations for moving house, was not able to send a medal for this year’s winning entry… ChatGPT provided a temporary replacement hot themed medal. Alan suggested a one vote per person voting system…

• Joint 3rd Place
  Alan and Alex

but way ahead…

• 2nd Place
  Martin
• 1st Place
  Kevin

The theme for 2025….

Bring something controversial

That’s if you believe this write up from a 1990’s Imperial College magazine about clubs and societies at the college.

Photo credit: Andy Clark

The photo is from the filming of the short-lived gameshow “Going for Coppers”.

Going for Coppers

A mini-meetup was organised at short nortice last week as a VSPP (very special pStoic person) was in London.

The plan was to meet at the “refurbished” Imperial pub off Leicester Square followed by a meal at the Happy restaurant nearby. We hadn’t realised that Wednesday was live music night at the pub. The special guest was Ledda, a long overdue visit from Canada. Alan, Alex, Kevin, Martin and Matthew also made it.

A big Thank you to those who contributed to the renewal/upkeep of pstoic.com.

It is hoped that the annual pSTOIC dinner will be on January 13th 2024 (or possibly the 6th). A reminder that the theme is “Bring something hot” – these dates have been approved by the VSPP as she said she can make this date.

Here’s a possible suggestion for the 2024 theme from Ledda’s dessert:

Many thanks to Martin for this report, please visit http://www.g7oli.co.uk/bodge_events.py?22-pStoicAug2023 for full report and photos.

Coming Soon: September Londno meetup with another far-away Bodger…