Posts by John Brown (no body)

Re: Nuclear power on the moon

Out of...erm...curiosity, how does Curiosity's nuclear power source work on Mars?

Re: This has been talked about for years...

Yes, unless they are planning on taking a nuclear power generator or a large number of solar panels, then it's not going to happen. Energy intensive processes require intense energy. The newer flexible and lighter solar power generating materials might be a good option. They could just be rolled out across the ground.

Re: Is it just me or...

"will soon burn up in the atmosphere contributing to high-level "climate change" gasses while also converting valuable resources to ash. Ash which the rest of us will eventually breath."

WTF are you wittering about? High level climate change gases for sats burning up on re-entry? The amount, if any, is negligible. And ash? Are you serious? Any one single active volcanic eruption will emit many, many orders of magnitude more of both ash and climate changing gases in a single day of activity than the entire human space program has ever done.

We are sad to announce that British Airways has gone into liquidation and no longer holds any assets. Unfortunately, that means the GDPR fine cannot be paid.

In other news, Brexit Airways would like announce it has acquired a huge number of assets at fire-sale prices and will commence operations immediately.

Re: Differences...

There may be exceptions for "legal stuff". IANA(GDPR expert)

Re: Differences...

To be fair, it is a local rag. There's little point in local rags regurgitating national stories unless it relates directly to the locals and can put a local spin on it.

Re: Self Worth and Esteem

"Love it or hate it, if you don't want to become public then don't go public... Youtube and Facebook are a bees nest full of nasty....."

Someone owns the copyright to those images. It's not really all that different to taking a publicly broadcast TV show or film and making your own copy. It's a grey area if it's for personal use, but once you start either disseminating it or using it for commercial gain, then you on the wring side of the law in most jurisdictions, including the USA. The problem is that it's probably a civil matter and down to the copyright holder to try and enforce their rights. On the other hand, maybe the scale makes it criminal matter? IANAL so maybe someone can jump in and clarify.

Re: Legality

"You can look at a picture. That does not give you the right to copy the picture and monetize it."

I wonder how many of those photos scraped up by Clearview are publicly published but owned by Hollywood stars and studios? I suspect it may time to buy some popcorn. As you say, it's one thing to look at a publicly published photo, it's quite another to make a copy and yet another thing then use that copy for commercial gain.

IIRC under UK anti-porn laws, having a digital copy is classed as "making".

Re: Smokescreen

"They already know who did it, they just don't want to admit how they know, so...blame Google..."

Isn't this already happening with the security services? Wasn't there cases where the FBI really didn't want to explain how they knew the accused did it such that they either got off, took lower charges and thus smaller sentence etc or had to find "alternative" evidence?

Re: Wait a minute

But is it GDPR compatible informed consent and will it work if you say no?

Re: just going to add

Likewise, me too. I always seem to pick the item that won't scan at the supermarket.

I once got sent to fix a printer at a Formule One "hotel". Now THAT was budget! The rooms had a metal tubeular framed bunk beds, double on the bottom and a single on top, a rail to put your own hangers on and a "table" with no proper top to rest a suitcase on. That was pretty much it. I can't remember if there a a TV or toilet in the room, but there no bath or shower. There was a shower room for every 6 or 8 room which was basically a large cupboard opened by your room key that "self cleaned" after you left.

Formule One are/were the very bottom end of Accor chain.

Re: Charity and Anarchy

"Waitrose ...And lots of carrots and apples"

Do they sell the "rubbish" in large enough quantities for you? Would it not be cheaper and easier to get these at the local fruit and veg shop? Our local one always has a sack of apples marked as "horse feed". Or is only the best good enough for your horse :-)

"I'm easily amused by such things, but it remains one of the funniest things I've seen in my life"

I tried to read this out to my wife. She ended up reading it herself as I was too convulsed on the floor to get all the way through, having already read it to myself and knowing what was coming next! The three glasses of wine probably helped to bring out my inner teen.

Re: 2019?

To an extent you are right, but being disingenuous with your statements. Chlorine washed chicken is not in and of itself a health hazard, but the reasons for doing it may well be. ie much of US chicken production is done in poor conditions such that they need to disinfect the chicken carcase to make it safe. It's partly an animal welfare issue, but also a case of unhygienic processing methods. Keeping the process "clean" throughout production is better for our health than relying on a single end-of-process disinfection.

Re: "UK’s departure from the UK"

So, you are saying only Scots born should be allowed to vote on independence? They already tried to gerrymander the vote by lowering the voting age down to 16.

Re: "...fail to gain any upside from the UK’s departure from the UK"

"The United Kingdom of East Lancashire and South Yorkshire."

Is that the one with a pink rose as a symbol?

Re: Conservative and Unionist party

"Northumbria independence is next.

Tek bak control, sithee"

I had a bit of a double take there, wondering why a Yorkshireman would be interested in Northumbria before I remembered those southerners down Yorkshire way are part of the Ancient Kingdom of Northumbria. As is Edinburgh of course, which will help put paid to the West Lothian Question once and for all.

Re: Upgrade from Windows 7

The electricity cost for a year or two of running would probably be more than the price of a Raspberry Pi. Much as it's a horrible feeling to scrap a working computer, sometimes, the economics (and maybe even the green credentials) just don't add up.

Re: Thing is

And yet the same global warming being blamed for the more intense fires is being challenged by planting more trees in urban areas to absorb pollution. Decisions, decisions.

“The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.”

Andrew Carnegie.

And like most of the so-called robber barons of his era, look at the nasty and ruthless ways he made his money. Rich men buying their way onto heaven.

(Atheist here, but back then, few were.)

Re: Hypocritical

"AWS then"

What makes you think AWS or even Amazon as a whole will still be around in 10 or 20 years? The roadside is littered with "big" names from the past of the IT industry.

Re: I guess

"I'll hazard a guess you're not a Brit. We make jokes about the grimmest of events - it seems to be a coping mechanism, and deeply rooted in our culture. It's not a sign of disrespect or dismissing the gravity of an awful event."

Correct. And it's much cheaper than having a therapist on speed-dial :-)

Re: I guess

"Gluing, of course, is not really an option for steam boilers."

Why not? You just need the right type of "glue" and a very high temperature, such as from a sustained electric spark :-)

Re: I guess

and the airlines for saving a few pence by not installing the light that says "MCAS on"

If an MCAS light did come on, most pilots would see it and go "WTF is that?". IIRC from an earlier article, the only mention of MCAS in the flight manual was in the index.

Re: Inconsistent with Boeing values

"I feel Boeing's biggest regret is being found out, as an arms manufacturer I doubt they will lose much sleep over some passenger deaths."

I wonder how the eventual fine for American Boeing will compare with the fine for foreign VW?