[yabid] a Man from U.N.C.L.E. book ques re: batteries...

[danny burstein]

they're close enough to SF that I'm hoping
people will be kind and gentle with me..

Yeah, you all know what jogged my memory. We won't
mention it here..

In one of the books Napolean is smuggling something
past Customs. It's designed to look like, iirc, a
small flashlight.

Napolean tells, umm, the tech guy... this wouldn't
work 'cuz the border agent would try turning it on.

He replied that yes, the light would work, because
he had placed a small mercury cell (remember those?)
in the tip of the battery, and that would provide
enough power to set off the light.

Sound at all familiar? Thanks

_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
***@panix.com
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

[b***@dontspam.silent.com]

Post by danny burstein
they're close enough to SF that I'm hoping
people will be kind and gentle with me..
Yeah, you all know what jogged my memory. We won't
mention it here..
In one of the books Napolean is smuggling something
past Customs. It's designed to look like, iirc, a
small flashlight.
Napolean tells, umm, the tech guy... this wouldn't
work 'cuz the border agent would try turning it on.
He replied that yes, the light would work, because
he had placed a small mercury cell (remember those?)
in the tip of the battery, and that would provide
enough power to set off the light.
Sound at all familiar? Thanks
_____________________________________________________
Knowledge may be power, but communications is the key
[to foil spammers, my address has been double rot-13 encoded]

This is in The Rainbow Affair by David McDaniel.

"This is designed for the smuggling of small valuable items past any
customs system in the world. It looks like a torch cell, and is
carried in a torch."
"An old gag," said Illya. "If the flashlight doesn't work, they check
the batteries."
"So old no one would be likely to try it. Except that this one works.
Built into one end is a 1-1/2 volt mercury cell. The body of the case
is lead-shielded to protect film from fogging. Film, by the way, is
always sent exposed but unprocessed. Unless the container is opened in
a darkroom, the information is destroyed."

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

Post by b***@dontspam.silent.com

Post by danny burstein
they're close enough to SF that I'm hoping
people will be kind and gentle with me..

This is in The Rainbow Affair by David McDaniel.
is lead-shielded to protect film from fogging. Film, by the way, is
always sent exposed but unprocessed. Unless the container is opened in
a darkroom, the information is destroyed."

That's good for the mission, I guess, but if they get to the point of
finding film in your flashlight, you, personally, are pretty much hosed.

[danny burstein]

In <***@4ax.com> ***@dontspam.silent.com writes:
[snip]

Post by b***@dontspam.silent.com

Post by danny burstein
Napolean tells, umm, the tech guy... this wouldn't
work 'cuz the border agent would try turning it on.
He replied that yes, the light would work, because
he had placed a small mercury cell (remember those?)
in the tip of the battery, and that would provide
enough power to set off the light.
Sound at all familiar? Thanks

This is in The Rainbow Affair by David McDaniel.
"This is designed for the smuggling of small valuable items past any
customs system in the world. It looks like a torch cell, and is
carried in a torch."
"An old gag," said Illya. "If the flashlight doesn't work, they check
the batteries."
"So old no one would be likely to try it. Except that this one works.
Built into one end is a 1-1/2 volt mercury cell. The body of the case
is lead-shielded to protect film from fogging. Film, by the way, is
always sent exposed but unprocessed. Unless the container is opened in
a darkroom, the information is destroyed."

Thanks!

Now please do NOT tell me youhad this exchange
memorized from reading the novel over a half
century ago..

[b***@dontspam.silent.com]

On Sat, 21 Sep 2024 20:20:01 -0000 (UTC), danny burstein

Post by danny burstein
[snip]

Post by b***@dontspam.silent.com

Post by danny burstein
Napolean tells, umm, the tech guy... this wouldn't
work 'cuz the border agent would try turning it on.
He replied that yes, the light would work, because
he had placed a small mercury cell (remember those?)
in the tip of the battery, and that would provide
enough power to set off the light.
Sound at all familiar? Thanks

This is in The Rainbow Affair by David McDaniel.
"This is designed for the smuggling of small valuable items past any
customs system in the world. It looks like a torch cell, and is
carried in a torch."
"An old gag," said Illya. "If the flashlight doesn't work, they check
the batteries."
"So old no one would be likely to try it. Except that this one works.
Built into one end is a 1-1/2 volt mercury cell. The body of the case
is lead-shielded to protect film from fogging. Film, by the way, is
always sent exposed but unprocessed. Unless the container is opened in
a darkroom, the information is destroyed."

Thanks!
Now please do NOT tell me youhad this exchange
memorized from reading the novel over a half
century ago..

No, your description rang a bell so I just went looking.