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Man-Shaped Robots Harass Britain Once Again

Posted by Soulskill on from the typical-government-IT-project dept.

NotRicky writes: The UK's terrible string of luck with violent robots continues. The man-shaped metal monstrosities that have plagued the country at seemingly random times throughout history rose up once more yesterday. No one yet knows their source, or what phenomenon — natural or man-made — keeps drawing them to that area of the world. While initial reports indicated trillions of dollars worth of damage and countless lives lost, the re-establishment of communications paints a much more hopeful picture. The British government remains quiet about the situation, politely refusing foreign aid and letting one of their intelligence agencies direct efforts to restore order. Reporters and camera crews are having difficulty documenting the situation — it's not clear whether this is due to interference from the government or simply the chaotic nature of the robot uprising. A medical professional on the scene was quoted as saying, "It's simple, really — even the flattened brick you call a computer can undelete, can't it?"

20 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Please stop, these aren't funny. by damn_registrars · · Score: 1

    A great April 2nd story would be how Slashdot drove its readership away with bad April Fool's jokes.

    That would be even harder to believe than an April Fool's joke claiming that slashdot still had readers before today.

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    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
  2. I think I've figured it out. by wcrowe · · Score: 2

    Perhaps Dice outsourced the /. April Fools jokes to Trevor Noah.

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    Proverbs 21:19
  3. Re:Please stop, these aren't funny. by Translation+Error · · Score: 3, Funny

    They're bringing back Beta for the day?

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    When someone says, "Any fool can see ..." they're usually exactly right.
  4. Re:Please stop, these aren't funny. by khallow · · Score: 1

    I think it'd make an even better April 1 story. After all, we've been through this a bunch of times.

  5. I didn't click any links by rossdee · · Score: 2

    I didn't click any links but my guess based on the summary was Cybermen

    1. Re:I didn't click any links by bigrockpeltr · · Score: 2

      That was my first thought too!! time to remove earpieces and not volunteer for any upgrades...

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      $ unzip, strip, touch, finger, grep, mount, fsck, more, yes,fsck,fsck,fsck,umount, sleep
    2. Re:I didn't click any links by DerekLyons · · Score: 1

      I was hoping it was the Cybernaughts, but nooooo... Slashdot went the cheap and easy route.

  6. Re:Oh, please, no more... by cayenne8 · · Score: 1, Insightful
    Hey...at least slashdot is TRYING to bring back the April Fools day stories. The past few years there were none.

    I suppose it takes a few trying to get started again before getting the hang of it..

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    Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  7. yay robots! by jrjarrett · · Score: 2

    I, for one, welcome our new cybernetic overlords.

  8. Re:Overlords by CronoCloud · · Score: 1

    Cyberman sympathizer detected! EXTERMINATE!:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  9. What an idea! by ai4px · · Score: 1

    If I ever decide to wage war on a country, I will do it on April 1, not September 1st like the 3rd reich. No one will expect that! I'll have 10-15 days of free reign before anyone figures out it's not an April Fools prank. 1)invade the EU on April 1. 2)something something something 3)mumble mumble... 4) profit?

  10. Pictures of the aftermath by fdamstra · · Score: 1

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/new...

  11. Those ain't robots by amoeba1911 · · Score: 1

    They're actually dentistry tools that have been abandoned over the past few decades. The Brits (never having stepped in a dentist's office) are confused and frightened.

  12. Just be glad it's not... by dpilot · · Score: 1

    oversized salt-shakers shrieking, "Exterminate!"

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    The living have better things to do than to continue hating the dead.
    1. Re:Just be glad it's not... by irving47 · · Score: 1

      aren't they usually referred to as "pepper-pots" :) not that i know if/what difference there is..

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      I had a sucky sig.
  13. This is why one should be prepared by Bosconian · · Score: 2

    Robot Insurance.

    http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/old-glory-insurance/n10766

    For when the metal ones decide to come for you.

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    Scarce, scared, scarred, sacred... -Col. Bruce Hampton
  14. Can't be true ... by bledri · · Score: 1

    ... it's not Christmas time.

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    Some privacy policy Slashdot.
  15. Currency by JustNiz · · Score: 1

    >> trillions of dollars worth of damage

    Pounds, dear boy. Pounds! We're still not quite just another US state yet.

    1. Re:Currency by Livius · · Score: 1

      Only US-owned assets were destroyed. No big loss.

  16. Re:Great by Des+Herriott · · Score: 1

    There's a difference between a little bit of fun and a torrent of shite.