* Posts by Barrie Shepherd

454 publicly visible posts • joined 6 Feb 2008

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Attacks on UK fiber networks mount: Operators beg govt to step in

Barrie Shepherd

You can't get blood out of a stone so fines don't work they don't pay them or do so at £1 a month off their UC payment.

As for operators suing for damage again the crims have nothing (which is a part of the problem) so there is nothing to take to pay for damage.

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Root cause

"Or sabotaging the water delivery infrastructure?"

The Water Companies seem to be managing that quite well on their own so no help needed.

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Transportation

Only agreement / space for 200 there

Barrie Shepherd

"Yes, removing people who are genetically predisposed to violence from the gene pool had a long lasting effect of reducing violent crime in the UK."

But the ones that were not caught lived on to breed and we are where we are :-)

Bricking it: Do you actually own anything digital?

Barrie Shepherd

Re: "I have a lot of physical books.... there's only a few I actually go back and read again"

Government is doing their best to close public libraries down in many towns by removing funding from the councils that run them.

England's village green hydrogen dream in tatters

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Why not just make methane?

Why bother with all that?

The old towns gas was 40-50% hydrogen with 30% ish methane. The pipes carried it OK. The problems came when they put dry natural gas through the system and all the tarred wet joints dried out. That led to the gas leaks / explosions following the great natural gas conversion programme.

Barrie Shepherd

Before Natural gas we used to heat our homes with towns gas from the gas works.

I wish people would understand that this was between 40-50% hydrogen with methane and a little carbon monoxide.

So why all the fear sbout going back to a similar composition? The nimby's and government departments who have closed down evaluations have done the country an inustice.

Health crusaders prep legal challenge over NHS mega contract with Palantir

Barrie Shepherd

What could possibly go wrong?

All that that data about patients together with "the number of beds in a hospital, the size of waiting lists for elective care services, or the availability of medical supplies" being stored by a US company, with track record in supporting spying activity, and data being available to Big American Pharma.

"We see that the NHS is running low on stores of drug1234 - so they will be buying some soon - tell marketing to raise the price 20%"

"We see that the NHS waiting list for cataract operations is lengthening get our private hospitals in the Uk to start a marketing campaign for private cataract operations"

Senate bill aims to stop Uncle Sam using facial recognition at airports

Barrie Shepherd

" "Facial recognition has nothing to do with the government intruding on people's personal privacy. It has to do with validating that the person presenting themselves to travel is indeed who they claim to be.""

The old you have "nothing to hide so you have nothing to fear" argument of government employed experts when the government want to do something questionable.

Photo validation can be completed locally by comparison of a live image with the Passport image at the machine - so what is the justification to send the images off to servers for storage? Simple data and biometrics collection on a grand scale.

Tesla sues Swedish government after worker rebellion cripples car biz

Barrie Shepherd

Re: I am enjoying this dispute

Regrettably he was not alone! I have come across similar individuals during my woking life.

What's really going on with Chrome's June crackdown on extensions – and why your ad blocker may or may not work

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Time to unleash AI on adverts?

But you still end up with a blank screen while you wait for the wanted material to play :-)

Google dragged to UK watchdog over Chrome's upcoming IP address cloaking

Barrie Shepherd

...........they should focus on passing bills to reduce child poverty.

..........they should focus on passing bills to reduce poverty.

Barrie Shepherd

Re:British habit of making the tea when the adverts come on

Was there not a case made, when VCR's became popular for timeshifting that advertisers wanted the fast forward buttons banned so that people could not skip the ads?

The world has apparently not grown up.

UK may demand tech world tell it about upcoming security features

Barrie Shepherd

The result of this rank stupidity will be that every IT product developed or manufactured in the UK would have the same security risks, or at least thought to have, as the Government claims Huawei equipment has - it's just a different administration sniffing around.

Barrie Shepherd

Listening to him reading it it sounds like he was bored to death with it.

Ofcom attempts to thread the needle in net neutrality update

Barrie Shepherd

The first thing Ofcom should insist on on is transparency - for the user - on what the Network Providers are doing - especially on what traffic is blocked/restricted/ports mucked around with etc.

I'd like to think the same should apply to the mobile networks - but maybe these are exempt from Net Neutrality?

Millions of smart meters will brick it when 2G and 3G turns off

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Why smart meters ?

To add insult to injury - those who don't have smart meters are having to pay for them anyway - Ofgem juist bung it all on the standing charge.

Barrie Shepherd

I don't need to know what the smart meter does, whether it uses 2G/3G/4G/AnyG, whether it can turn the power off or read my mind.

All I need to know is that the government wants me to have it - which means it will not be good for me - so no thank you.

Barrie Shepherd

Re: No corruption here.

So the countries usage of AA batteries increases by tens of millions to keep the smart meter display working

Your ex isn't the only one stalking your social media posts. The Feds are, too

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Yawn...

Pretty sure they still do that. It's a US requirement to enter the US - they have no concept of airport transit - you have to be processed at the first port you land in irrespective of whether you are staying in the US or not.

Barrie Shepherd

I won't be holding my breath!

Boris Johnson's mad hydrogen for homes bubble bursts

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Capacity

"Commonly referred to as “town gas” or “illuminating gas,” it was a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methane, with small amounts of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Depending on the gasification process, hydrogen concentrations ranged from 10 per cent to 50 per cent."

When the distribution network was converted to Natural gas there were many leaks - because the dry Natural gas dried out the 'wet' joints. So it is quite possible to distribute Hydrogen, CO and methane.

Power grids tremble as electric vehicle growth set to accelerate 19% next year

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Cost of refining oil

I'm no petrochemist but my limited understanding is that the refining of oil will still have to continue even if we don't use the petrol and diesel fractions.

We still need the other fractions for jet fuel, lubrication products, pharmaceutical products and a whole range of other chemicals so I don't get the "Stop Oil" or "EVs will save refining of oil" arguments.

Where are all the chemists when you need them?

Barrie Shepherd

Re: If have the extra power to refine more petrol...

Don't forget we are all going to have heat pumps as well to add to the load.

Barrie Shepherd

Can the Grid and Street Distribution handle it.

A good video from Paul Jewell, System Development Manager at National Grid, telling us whether the grid in the UK will be able to cope with the significant increase in electric vehicles and heat pumps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uG4xv3oLeQ

Barrie Shepherd

Re: For many of us, hybrids make more sense than BEVs

".....charging your EV from a 13A socket will be no more legal than running a road vehicle on Red diesel."

How will they know? Teams of CAPITA men walking the streets at night sniffing out cables 13 amp plugs and TVs tuned to BBC?

The electrons in the battery cannot be stained with an ID dye.

Barrie Shepherd

Re: For many of us, hybrids make more sense than BEVs

The story is not that clear.

When you buy liquid fuel you are paying the government 53 pence for each litre in addition to the oil cartels and garage operators.

When you charge your EV what you pay goes to the charge point operator and the electrical distribution and supply cartel.

Why can a garage operate a building, storage and all the other stuff they do for the profit from fuel sales but EV charger operators are charging like wounded bulls?

Soon the government will want it's revenue stream back from the EV chargers as well - that's only fair.

Barrie Shepherd

Re: For many of us, hybrids make more sense than BEVs

I suspect that when the government work out how to recover the lost Duty & VAT from liquid fuel sales charging any form of EV will be more expensive.

Why these cloud-connected 3D printers started making junk all by themselves

Barrie Shepherd

It's just the Internet, the IOT, The Cloud - what could possibly go wrong?

Last rites for the UK's Online Safety Bill, an idea too stupid to notice it's dead

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Computer MOT

"The issue was that a car had hit the green box at the end of the road,"

OneDrive too many!

California DMV hits brakes on Cruise's SF driverless fleet after series of fender benders

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Well forget the second accident

I can see the Lord Mayor of London rubbing his hands with glee.

"I'll put a new charge out there - the NAVZ charge - Not Autonomous Vehicle Zone - anyone in a vehicle will be charged £12.50 a day if they don't have fully autonomous driving controls fitted" "It's to save the children from being hit by these terrible manual drivers."

Google 'wiretapped' tax websites with visitor traffic trackers, lawsuit claims

Barrie Shepherd

Re: The Register uses Google Analytics among other tools to keep track of readership size

"You do know that useage of Google Analytics is illegal under GDPR?"

From a UK perspective the ICO infers it's all OK so long as you get permission - The usual ICO fob off "Get the client to tick a box about cookies and all will be OK"

The ICO is, IMHO, another Quango, not fit for service, who spends more time allowing industry to do suspect tings than outright protecting it's paymasters (the UK Taxpayers) by banning all tracking.

The ICO apparently have teeth lets see them digging them into some flesh then.;

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) upholds information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

The ICO has specific responsibilities set out in the Data Protection Act 2018, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Freedom of Information Act 2000, Environmental Information

Regulations 2004 and Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003.

Since 25 May 2018, the ICO has the power to impose a civil monetary penalty (CMP) on a data controller of up to £17million (20m Euro) or 4% of global turnover.

The DPA2018 and UK GDPR gave the ICO new strengthened powers.

White House: Losing Section 702 spy powers would be among 'worst intelligence failures of our time'

Barrie Shepherd

If they loose it they will just take a feed from GCHQ

Another redesign on the cards for iPhone as EU rules call for removable batteries

Barrie Shepherd

This should stop the complete waste of batteries caused by the disposable vape market - hopefully.

Australia to phase out checks by 2030

Barrie Shepherd

Re: They still exist?

Well my HMRC tax refund came by cheque, ERNIE pays out with a 'Warrant' which is identical to a cheque, British Gas sent me a refund cheque so I guess they still exist and have benefit - and long may they do so.

Fresh GDPR ruling says even 'minor anxiety' could mean payouts for EU folks

Barrie Shepherd

Bring back the 'Man on the Clapham Omnibus' to decide what is upsetting/worrying/frightening - less the Karens take over completely

NYPD blues: Cops ignored 93 percent of surveillance law rules

Barrie Shepherd

Substitute "UK Police" in place of NYPD and you would probably have a pretty good idea of the situation in the UK.

British govt tech supplier Capita crippled by 'IT issue'

Barrie Shepherd

Sounds like revenge of the TV License dodgers was behind it.

China debuts bonkers hybrid electric trolley-truck

Barrie Shepherd

Good plan, re-invent the train.

Barrie Shepherd

Why are you all laughing our beloved government is ahead of them. Spending a load of £ on a similar crackpot ( but probably proposed by a funding donation to a party) idea on the M180.

https://trans.info/en/uk-government-to-fund-electric-road-system-trial-on-m180-near-scunthorpe-248190

Catholic clergy surveillance org 'outs gay priests'

Barrie Shepherd

Re: One Question

I was under the impression that Gaydar, a leading App (althogh a website) in its day had passed away and was no longer the App of first, second, third, fourth....... choice.

Amazon convinces FCC it can avoid space junk chaos

Barrie Shepherd

"This is iridium all over again."

Wasn't Iridium only saved because it provided 'emergency' communications for the US military (and presumably US three letter organisations)?

Barrie Shepherd

"The reason they are choosing low Earth orbit is for ping time which is mainly a concern of gamers."

I think ping time is mainly the concern of the financial institutions and their search for the 'instant' transaction.

They built a microwave system across from the UK to Europe and around the financial cities because it was faster than satellite/cable/fibre optic.

Financial institutions will be more than happy to pay well over the odds, and certainly more than gamers, for shortest ping - particularly from Europe to the USA and Asian markets.

Surprise! China's top Android phones collect way more info

Barrie Shepherd

I remember when I only had a choice of basically three mobile phone manufacturers. One from Finland, one from America and one from Germany. It was so long ago that spyware etc. was not even a concern !

How the world has 'advanced'.

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Chatty

The data just goes to the appropriate 3 letter Agency of the appropriate country.

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Blaw yer ain trumpet

"However, if they buy the information from a corporate provider then that's perfectly OK."

They don't have to do that - GCHQ and ASIO collects it for them and NSA do a similar thing for the UK and Australia. Been going on for years.

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Seems to be the modern thing to do

NSA will also have a copy of most things GCHQ have just in case UK Courts tell GCHQ to delete some illegally gathered data - and vice versa.

Then of course ASIO down under has a back up copy of the lot hidden in the depths of Pine Gap.

They are all at it and they all give the finger to any oversight should a Court dare to intervene.

McDonald's pulls plug on Wi-Fi, starts playing classical music to soothe yobs

Barrie Shepherd

Use of Muzak is not a new concept.

British Rail used to play "Uplifting" marching music, Sousa type, at Waterloo Station in the morning rush hour, the objective to make passengers walk briskly along to minimise congestion,

In the evening peak they played soothing music so that commuters were calmed on their way home and would , hopefully, not vent their daily troubles on BR.

By all accounts it worked!

Shag pile PC earned techies a carpeting from HR

Barrie Shepherd

I once 'informally advised' another Department Head that one of our Area Engineers was proposing to carry out an activity that was at best financially dubious and at worst illegal. The guy intervened and stopped the action - even sent me a 'thanks' email..

Unfortunately the person I 'dobbed in' was mates with my Chief Engineer who apparently ranted and raved when given the 'half story' by his mate.

Fortunately I was on leave at the time. When I returned from leave my boss advised me to keep a low profile. After some weeks I got a call to go visit the Deputy Chief Engineer, standing in his office the conversation went like this;

"You know why you are here?

"No idea"

"Well you upset XXXXXX (The Chief Engineer) over that issue about questionable financial matters."

" But ............."

"Don't say anything! just consider yourself reprimanded and we will let it rest there"

"OK, thanks,"

"OK - you can go............by the way it had the right outcome - but I did not say that"

It's been 230 years since British pirates robbed the US of the metric system

Barrie Shepherd

Re: Hooray for Avoirdupois and pounds, shillings and pence

Don't let a bit of truth get in the way of a Mail story.!

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