* Posts by Danny 2

2212 publicly visible posts • joined 6 Jul 2009

Elon Musk's latest launch: An unsolicited Twitter takeover

Danny 2

Great post Mark, pun unavoidable.

Thousands of wee British blogs got plenty of attention when we called out Alisher Usmanov, but the bad type of attention from posh Londongrad lawyers. You couldn't even post about it on newspaper forums who were scared they'd be sued too, although you could here IIRC - security through obscurity?

You don't buy Twitter to trumpet your views but to muzzle other opinions. The inequity, the inequality is , well it's not what I signed up for. It's dystopian.

If Isaac Asimov was alive today then he'd kill himself tonight. If Philip K Dick was alive today then he'd kill himself yesterday.

Danny 2

Re: Money can't buy maturity

Well, it certainly suggests he planned to buy more from day two, when an underling told him about the stock restrictions of being on the board.

I just don't buy him. For a guy touted as being 'the smartest guy in any room' he must only be in very empty rooms.

Me, I never learned Latin. I know 'caveat emptor' means buyer beware, but what is the equivalent for beware of the buyer?

Maxwell, Murdoch, Musk.

Swedish firms ink deal to make green hydrogen with wind power

Danny 2

Re: Oxygen by product

@Tom 7

Well done you! Both for your proposal and for apostrophising 'wasting'.

Wind energy can't be considered wasted if it is used to some useful purpose. You can't waste the wind. For many decades we use electricity to pump water uphill to reservoirs at night so it can flow down again during the day when it's needed to generate more electricity - AKA a huge battery.

Energy efficiency is irrelevant when the energy is free.

My garden is covered in sunshine and very little is flowing on me, very inefficient but not wasteful.

Danny 2

Re: Oxygen by product

Actually Orkney is doing well on hydrogen. They have a lot of turbines but not enough connection to the grid so they using it for trucks and ferries - and apparently soon an aircraft.

H2 in Orkney – The Hydrogen Islands

Google Play pulls sneaky data-harvesting apps with 46m+ downloads

Danny 2

Data Brokers - Last Week Tonight

The latest episode of John Oliver's comedy show warned about data brokers and trackers, and is well worth watching.

It included a quote from researchers published in Nature, "99.98% of Americans would be correctly re-identified in any dataset using 15 demographic identifiers."

And this quote from The Markup, "...data broker spending on lobbying in 202 rivalled the spending of...Facebook and Google."

Oliver made the point that the one time Congress did act quickly on privacy was when a reporter asked to see Congressman Robert Bork's video rental history.

This is where it gets funny. Oliver used data brokers to fish for men aged over 45 in a 5 mile radius of the US Capitol, who searched for divorce, massage, hair loss, or mid-life crisis. He then targeted the group with ads for things like Ted Cruz erotic fan fiction, getting over 600 identifiable hits which he is threatening to release unless they criminalise the practice.

China, India face tech brain drain through US universities

Danny 2

Immigration

Economic immigration favours the talented, the skilled,the useful, and of course that is a deficit on the nations who trained them, invested in them and need them. I oppose the NHS taking doctors and nurses from developing nations.

However a recent El Reg article alerted me to the fact that there are 26 million plus in China. To put that in context, that is more than Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland combined. Surely they could spare a few doctors?

DARPA says US hypersonic missile is ready for real world

Danny 2

Re: What the heck was Pershing II then?

"we are having difficulty doing something that was developed and deployed in the 70's and 80's"

These are the next generation hyperbolic missiles. Personally I don't care what speed the missile that kills me and my family arrives. Send it next month delivery. Better yet, I'll pick up and collect it when it suits me.

UK spy agencies sharing bulk personal data with foreign allies was legal, says court

Danny 2

Re: ROTM - IT Surveillance Threshold

Hiya EM,

I posted far and wide at the start of the millennia that democratic resistance to a state would soon be impossible due to the technological imbalance between states and corporations versus citizens. I cite China and the US as examples that prove my point.

I protested the invasions and occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq, and our state dropped a tonne of bricks on me - blacklisted, questioned for terrorism, my family harassed, and really annoyingly accused of being a fascist. In case it needs to be said, peace protester, anti-fascist. I'll be doing a NVDA outside the Russian consulate when/if I'm fitter.

Our state had my fingerprints and DNA on my first arrest 20 years ago, and I'm sure they still do but it's kind of shitty they are sharing them. I'd maybe want to visit Canada or New Zealand, can't risk that now despite no convictions.

My heart breaks for Russian peace protesters who know they will be arrested, imprisoned, beaten-up, excluded. And I am furious at the hypocrisy of our politicians condemning Russian state acts without admitting their own crimes. Last week Tony Blair said the invasion of Iraq was maybe a mistake. Aye, ye think so Tony? Is that right? I guess that makes everything alright then.

I loathe Nietzsche who was never a philosopher just a master of bon mots. "Battle ye not with monsters lest ye become a monster."

As always Nietzsche was wrong, we have to battle monsters but keep our finger off the trigger.

I seem to have strayed off topic somewhat. Initially I opposed DNA collection like I opposed CCTV, on principle. I don't really mind now. I don't rape or murder anyone, and it is the status quo.

You were the guy who was stabbed for wearing a puffer jacket, right? When I was 11 I was beaten up by a catholic thug for wearing a snorkel jacket. I was a good fighter, but he just pulled down my hood and repeatedly kicked me in the face. Fatal flaw in the jacket design but I thought I was just battling the cold.

It cheers me up to see you posting here, and not many things cheer me up.

Heroiam slava!

China rolls out bots to enforce ‘temporary closed-off management’ of Shanghai

Danny 2

26 million plus residents

To put that in context that is more than Falkirk and Edinburgh combined, even during the festival. I don't think I'd want to leave home surrounded by that many people, it's a Judge Dredd dystopia. Imagine the weight of their telephone books..

NASA astronaut returns to Earth on a Russian Soyuz

Danny 2

A Cloud In Trousers

His Russian pals placed a NASA cap on his head when he landed.

Scientists and engineers are just better than other people, more rational, and the further we get from earth the better we get.

I rated the ISS as the best present I've ever been given. I get an alert on my phone when it passes overhead, with video of the clouds above Scotland from above. The air that we breathe was exhaled by our so-called 'enemies', which is more apparent in a wee tin can.

DARPA to build life-saving AI models that think like medics

Danny 2

The Stupidest Song Ever Written

M*A*S*H* is what is now called a 'trigger word' for me.

I loved the TV series, loved the movie, bought the soundtrack and loved that too, especially the theme song, Suicide is Painless.

I've since witnessed the aftermath of two horrific suicides that obviously were the opposite of painless, and wondered if they were lured into it by the song. I'll spare the gory details as I've mentioned them here before.

Numerous websites and social media are rightly condemned for encouraging suicide, as that song should be, but swept up in that are rational advice on how to do it painlessly. I know how, I choose not to. When I choose to I hope society has evolved so I can lie back on an NHS bed and press a button.

Ukraine security agency shutters Russian disinformation bot farms

Danny 2

Hibs! Orphans! World Cup!

[Offside and off topic]

Last Thursday Scotland were meant to play Ukraine in qualifications for the football World Cup. This was postponed due to many of the Ukrainian players being under fire in a war and unable to get time off.

Coincidentally, a Scottish football charity, Hibs Dnipro Kids managed to survive Home Office red tape and bring fifty Ukrainian orphans to Scotland.

The World Cup is on a time limited schedule but the occupation isn't so I devised a fair solution. Decide the qualifier by playing the Dnipro kids against fifty random Scottish orphans of the same age. At Hampden, all proceeds going to the kids.

I'd bet all my money on the Dnipro Kids, because they are Hib's kids. Anyway, there is a Donate button on the webpage I linked to.

Ukraine uses Clearview AI to identify slain Russian soldiers

Danny 2

Do Russian soldiers have an ID number on their uniform?

Yes, they wear an ID number that their family would know. The face recognition will be to gain more information on the unit, as has already been said, hopefully not just for propaganda.

The morality off this in context is Russia is leaving it's dead and refusing attempts to bury civilians.

Hackers remotely start, unlock Honda Civics with $300 tech

Danny 2

Re: Steering Wheel Lock Anyone?

"Not so if it's a more valuable car"

I knew a software tester in a very poor area of Glasgow who bought a sports car, the only one in that postcode. Never had any trouble after that, everyone assumed he was a drug dealing gangster.

Conversely, someone 'keyed' (scratched with a key) a whole line of very posh cars but skipped my wee Micra which they obviously pitied.

IT outage at Scotland's Heriot-Watt University enters second week

Danny 2

It's probably a disgruntled student

HW produces the best engineers in Scotland, and has done since the seventies. [Disclaimer: I didn't go there but kudos to the alum posting here.]

HW for engineers, Edinburgh for lawyers, Glasgow for biologists, St Andrews for royalty/oligarchs.

Now what might have pissed off HW students in the past two years? Lockdown without a return of fees, Zoom lectures, the 35 bus to the campus. I was going to say the closure of Edinburgh nightclubs but that wouldn't affect them.

Distributor dumps Kaspersky to show solidarity with Ukraine

Danny 2

The only good Russians...

are in Russian prisons.

For any Russian entity to be treated seriously they first have to call the war a war, and then condemn it.

"There is a war between the ones who say there is a war and the ones who say there isn't"

Lockbit wins ransomware speed test, encrypts 25,000 files per minute

Danny 2

@Morten

Just today..leftover from last person being root on the system

Can I ask what you did? That person is obviously a risk to your employer, and therefore your job.It would be understandable if you reported them and asked for their rights to be limited - or sacked. It would also be understandable if you had a quiet word with them, but both options are risky.

My boss made a huge security gaff that I found and fixed, and I slagged him mercilessly, but only in private because we were on good terms.

Danny 2

Kudos to the coder

We might not agree with their aims, but being the fastest is admirable coding. I remember spending nights to strip excess machine code. Lockbit - evil, da, but efficient!

[Leni Riefenstahl's cinematography might seem cliched today in the age of Trump/Putin rallies but recall she was innovative]

C: Everyone's favourite programming language isn't a programming language

Danny 2

Re: Nothing new...

@yoganmahew

It's funny because it's true! Every electronics engineer could code in assembly, nd so C was the only place to go when hardware was outsourced to Asia.

In the late 90s my twentyish peers were talking in hushed tones about an older deceased engineer who could read hex code. When I was their age everyone could, I still could, but I thought better of boasting about that as I was trying hard to fit in. "Yeah, how about that JavaScript and BritPop?"

I've disliked young people since I was young.

Testing for COVID with the sound of a cough? There’s an app for that

Danny 2

Re: "I'm on the train"...

I've not found a GP in two years and in November resorted to A&E, who kindly gave me a trainee doctor for twenty minutes. I'd assumed all my symptoms were a disease but she reassured me.

Why am I so weak? "Muscle loss due to malnutrition"

What are the constant shooting pains in my legs? "Lower back injury"

What about the awful constipation? "That's just tough shit I'm afraid"

I told her I was grateful for her time, and to invite me when she swapped to stand-up comedy.

Danny 2

Re: "I'm on the train"...

You joke, but my long-standing smokers' cough stops me from taking public transport to avoid panic. On the other hand, I can use it to scare away maskless shoppers so I've not had covid.

My sympathies to the folk here with the BA2 'stealth' variant. My very fit, triple jabbed nephew has been laid low with it, and it amazes me that we are ending free testing and mask rules at the height of infections.

[Off topic/ too much information: I've lost 20% of my weight and most of my muscle recently, and one nasty side effect was constipation. Turns out a good coughing fit in the smallest room greatly aids bowel movement]

UK's largest union to Arm: Freeze job cuts now

Danny 2

Piss & Off

ARM should/could relocate it's R&D to P&O ferries to avoid minimum wage.

Or...we briefly nationalise it so the current incompetent management can be replaced. ARM is a vital national asset in current circumstances. As is P&O.

Coding in a war zone: A Ruby developer's life in Kharkiv

Danny 2

There is a war

@Zolko

I was moved by this article partly because I see the similarity in coding and poetry - both are about removing redundant characters and leaving meaning.

The USuk involvement in the Yemen invasion is appalling, but the difference is here we can call that a war. Russians can't call the Ukraine invasion a war on penalty of a 15 year prison sentence. Freedom of thought, freedom of expression is vital and instructive.

"There is a war between the ones who say there is a war and the ones who say there isn't" ~ Leonard Cohen

Make peace with your neighbor and stop complaining that the entire world should rush to your rescue.
When a neighbour bursts into your house, kills your wife and children and sets fire to the house, is a peaceful response rational?

You then mention Hungary was betrayed by the west in '56, as if that is justification for betraying Ukraine today. That's a logical fallacy, a coding error, it proves the opposite of your point.

Thanksgiving (1956) by E.E. Cummings

a monstering horror swallows

this unworld me by you

as the god of our fathers' father bows

to a which that walks like a who

but the voice-with-a-smile of democracy

announces night & day

"all poor little peoples that want to be free

just trust in the u s a"

suddenly uprose hungary

and she gave a terrible cry

"no slave's unlife shall murder me

for i will freely die"

she cried so high thermopylae

heard her and marathon

and all prehuman history

and finally The UN

"be quiet little hungary

and do as you are bid

a good kind bear is angary

we fear for the quo pro quid"

uncle sam shrugs his pretty

pink shoulders you know how

and he twitches a liberal titty

and lisps "i'm busy right now"

so rah-rah-rah democracy

let's all be as thankful as hell

and bury the statue of liberty

(because it begins to smell)

AI drug algorithms can be flipped to invent bioweapons

Danny 2

>model APIs where you can cut off access

Clippy - It looks like you are developing a nerve agent. Would you like some help?

"We didn't do this but...We didn't want to go that extra step. But..."

But they obviously seriously considered it!

Conflict in Ukraine disrupts fragile supply chain recovery

Danny 2

Re: Hmm

"Millions are being paid to stop near 50% of wind energy production due to grid instability and thats just in Scotland."

Scotland calling Planet Codejunkie, Scotland calling Planet Codejunkie, come in please! Whit the fyook ur ye spraffing aboot?

Scotland is a net exporter of both electricity and energy due to our early implementation in off shore and on shore wind. No supply failures, our biggest coal station just demolished, nuclear being decommissioned due to cost of replacement more than safety, pumped hydro storage and hydrogen generation going great guns.

Admittedly Shell and BP are profiteering, war profiteering, but even Tories are calling for a windfall tax on them. Our housing stock is woefully under-insulated, but apart from that we are fine.

You should really speak to a Scot before spouting the pollution that comes from the Trump organisation.

Danny 2

Chinese tyres helping Ukraine

A European tyre expert reported that the Russian trucks stranded in mud due their tyres coming off were using cheap rip-off Chinese versions of Michelins.

A US tyre expert on Channel 4 news said the same thing last night, highlighting a stranded air defence vehicle. "If they aren't fitting decent tyres on a $20 million truck then they won't be fitting them on the ordinary trucks".

Napoleon said infantry march on their stomachs, emphasising logistical support as crucial - well, mechanised infantry need decent tyres.

Sony Interactive Entertainment pulls PlayStation from Russia

Danny 2

Re: War ... huh ... what is it good for?

Frankie, prepare your thinking cap or have your mind blown!

Laibach - War (NATO, 1994)

Formed in Yugoslavia, Laibach were the first Western band to gig in North Korea, mostly playing The Sound of Music hits.

Ukraine invasion: We should consider internet sanctions, says ICANN ex-CEO

Danny 2

Re: Now that I can get behind

"shouldn't such actions at least be democratically legitimised"

Putin isn't a democrat. He is violently denying democratic self-determination to a neighbouring nation.

Democratic considerations don't apply to the enemies of democracy. As soon as the Kremlin is denazified then these measures can be reversed.

Russia mulls making software piracy legal and patent licensing compulsory

Danny 2

Re: Russia is considering

"I no longer dismiss absurd comments that if they do press this magic 'red button', it will either not work"

This is supposedly written by a FSB analyst -

The only cynical thing I can add is that I do not believe that VV Putin will press the red button to destroy the whole world.

33 First of all, there is not one person who makes the decision, at least someone will jump out. And there are many people there – there is no “single red button”.

34 Secondly, there are some doubts that everything successfully functions there. Experience shows that the higher the transparency and control, the easier it is to identify deficiencies. And where it is unclear who and how controls, but always bravura reports – everything is always wrong there. I am not sure that the red button system is functioning as declared. Besides, the plutonium charge has to be replaced every 10 years.

35 Thirdly, and most disgusting and sad, I personally do not believe in the willingness to sacrifice a man who does not let his closest representatives and ministers near him, nor the members of the Federation Council. Whether out of fear of coronavirus or attack, it doesn’t matter. If you are afraid to let your most trusted ones near you, how will you dare to destroy yourself and your loved ones inclusive?

Danny 2

"all those Russian sci-fi and disaster movies"

I was going to suggest terrible Hollywood remakes of the classic Russian films but Clooney beat me to it with Solaris. The Untouchables baby-carriage rolling down the steps - The Battleship Potemkin.

Speaking of Sean, The Hunt for Red October.

One brilliant anti-war Russian movie I would recommend is The Cuckoo. Finnish soldier, Russian soldier, and a Sami woman who cares for them.

Russia acknowledges sanctions could hurt its tech companies

Danny 2

Re: So....

Russian airlines now having their jets seized at international airports by the leasing companies, according to Meduza. S7 has canceled its international flights after having a jet seized in Armenia. Could end most Russian international flights if correct.

Danny 2

Re: Oh yes, I'm used to living in basements...

"and even exemption from military service."

Not being conscripted into a war is quite the perk, I'll need to add that to my next contract negotiation. Being able to call the war a war would also help.

Russia’s invasion kicks Senate into cybersecurity law mode

Danny 2

Human nature

The argument for not making ransomware payments illegal is that they will still happen but unreported masking the scale and nature of the attacks. I'm not arguing that, just stating the rationale.

A British TV journalist this morning pointed out that so called humanitarian corridors aren't humanitarian because "if I'm punching you in the face and I stop for a minute that doesn't make me a humanitarian."

A lesson not lost on Vladimir "Why are you hitting yourself?" Putin given he shelled the corridors. Only humans can be inhumane.

Switzerland's SWIFT data centre under guard after Russian banks excluded

Danny 2

@eldakka

"You couldn't drop me some map pins"

The US one is Culpeper.

The Dutch one faces a Heineken factory on stilts to save it from flooding. A bit worrying that the Heineken stilts are higher than the SWIFT centre.

The Belgian set-up is the most impressive, the buildings all look like marble clad national museums. With staff tennis courts and cordon bleu free lunches. No point phoning them from 11am to 2pm.

I didn't know about the Swiss one, when I was there they were looking for a safe far east place for better time-zone coverage. I guess the Swiss one is for the legal neutrality.

Operations can fully switch between centres in two minutes if one of them are nuked - that's disaster recovery when it's fully funded.

EU cuts off key Russian banks from SWIFT system

Danny 2

Re: A spelling question.

I read that as how it is spelled locally, ending in an 'i'. Slava Ukraini!

[Off/on topic: SWIFT is as unhackable as it gets. They have their own internal security division plus co-opted employees who are foreign intelligence officers. Without ever naming agencies my boss would introduce me to them, "This is Paul, French intelligence, David, Polish intelligence, John, American intelligence." I replied, "Hi. Danny, Scottish intelligence."

They all exchanged glances except my Dutch colleague who spat out his coffee laughing.]

[Off/on topic: Germany has just seized the super-yacht of Alisher Usmanov. His lawyers, Schillings, took down thousands of British websites calling him a kleptocratic war-criminal. I was so annoyed at Schillings that I started to phone their other clients to warn them who they were employing, and the reputational risk they were taking by association. I got through to Naomi Campbell's manager whose first words were a weary, "What has she done now?"]

Tech world's Ukraine response mixes evacuation efforts, ad bans, free phones, infosec FUD

Danny 2

Re: death to russofascist pigs in kremlin

Heroiam slava!

Danny 2

Re: Dear Ukraine...

"Russian leadership: Fuck off.

This shitshow is 100% the fault of Putin and his cronies. I don't believe the majority of the Russian people want this war"

I stand by my post David. By solely blaming Putin for all war-crimes you are allowing the "I was only following orders" argument. It is a soldiers legal duty to disobey illegal orders.

So the sailors who fired on Snake Island should be prosecuted. Their captain should be prosecuted. Their admiral should be prosecuted. Not just Putin.

Prosecutions of Nazi war criminals didn't end in Nuremberg, nor should they have. Putin will fall, and many Russian military will still need to fear Den Haag.

Widespread use of indiscriminate weapons such as multiple rocket launchers against civilian areas, as used on Monday in the city of Kharkiv, suggested that the Kremlin, having failed to land a knockout blow in the first days of the war, was prepared to unleash more desperate methods.

The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said he would seek court approval to open an investigation into possible war crimes or crimes against humanity in Ukraine.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/28/russian-rocket-strikes-kill-dozens-in-kharkiv-as-ukraine-russia-talks-begin

Danny 2

Re: Ukraine, we love you:-) Russia: Fuck off.

Russian warship, go fuck yourself!

Of course Putin is ultimately responsible but good men don't obey mad men. Every commander, every soldier, is legally responsible for their own actions and decisions. Wars have laws.

Russia is the advanced persistent threat that just triggered. Ready?

Danny 2

Finland and Sweden...are both independent and neutral

5,000 anti-tank weapons of the model “Pansarskott 86”, a single-use anti-tank launcher known internationally as Bofors AT-4, would be sent to Ukraine...

Sweden officially abandoned its stance of neutrality at the end of the Cold War but remains officially “non-aligned” and outside military alliances.

https://www.thelocal.se/20220227/sweden-to-send-bofors-anti-tank-weapons-to-ukraine-in-break-with-doctrine/

Danny 2

They can't even give the young men they sent to Ukraine enough petrol to run the tanks or food to sustain themselves

Russia had to invade or withdraw because they sent their troops to invasion positions too early. Those troops were tired, cold and hungry by the time they were ordered in. A local in Belarus reported the camp near him was drunk on vodka that they bartered for with diesel fuel. The troops going in now will be better rested but hopefully more aware of the true situation.

Ukraine seeks volunteers to defend networks as Russian troops menace Kyiv

Danny 2

SWIFT non-sanctions

Germany started feeling pressure to ban Russia from SWIFT, once demonstrators learned what that is.

It's now been widely proclaimed that some Russian banks will be banned from SWIFT, although which banks and when remain unknown.

This is whitewashing, distraction. Plugging only some holes in a leaky bucket leaves you with a leaky bucket.

Danny 2

"I want to say a few separate words to those few European governments which are now trying to water down the sanctions packages, including the banning of Russia from SWIFT, and I will not be diplomatic.

Some countries are trying to leave loopholes excluding a number of banks so that they can apply some measures with their left hand, while continuing to trade with Russia with their right hand. Stop doing this now. Stop trading with the blood of Ukrainian men, women and children. This is not a metaphor but the reality of what you are doing...

It is critically important that Russia is disconnected from SWIFT on the fullest possible extent, all possible banks. Don't play political games and stop earning money soaked in our blood. "

~ Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian Foreign Minister

All Russian entities (banks, corporations, individuals) should be thrown off SWIFT today. As should any entity that also uses the Russian alternative to SWIFT (I've heard two estimates of 23 to 37 EU banks).

Danny 2

Re: Eurovision

The British entry should be the English band 'The Ukrainians'. 30 years of folk rock including Ace of Spades.

Britain also needs to start seizing Russian homes and yachts, giving them to Ukrainian refugees.

And ban all Russian sports people from all competitions, like we did with apartheid South Africa.

US imposes sanctions as Russia invades Ukraine

Danny 2

Re: Sanctions schmanctions

Apologies if I wasn't clear I fully agree with you.

There has been a lot of nonsense about SWIFT on the TV, such as it would be technically difficult to remove Russia. I worked there, it's not difficult at all, simple sysadmin.

The real difficulty is Russia has developed it's own financial messaging system and 37 European banks are connected to it. So, SWIFT should disconnect Russia and disconnect any entity that uses the Russian system.

Danny 2

Re: Sanctions schmanctions

Many EU nations need SWIFT to pay Russia for the gas and oil they are still buying. Ignore the temporary suspension of the new pipeline, Russia is still getting hundreds of millions of Euros a day for fossil fuel exports.

'Hundreds of computers' in Ukraine hit with wiper malware as conflict continues

Danny 2

Re: I have my copy

The Nuclear Survival Handbook: Living Through and After a Nuclear Attack Paperback – 1 Jan. 1980,

I'm surprised you can still buy this online, it was a pre-prepper prepper bible with a lot of good knowledge but scary stuff too. Teenage Danny memorised the home-made napalm recipe, although to my credit I never used it. (Step1: Melt the polystyrene into the petrol...)

For Brits: What's the difference between a £1 bottle of Morrison's Ghost Chili and pepper spray? A water pistol.

For The Ukrainians, learn from the Finns. When bombing a park of military trucks then only light to sixth Molotov cocktail. Build up a decent puddle first.

I no longer wish to survive a nuclear war, at best I hope to survive until a nuclear war.

Danny 2

Denazify the Kremlin

I argued here against Iran being thrown off SWIFT. I think Russia should be but it will have far less effect now because they learned from the Iran ban. SWIFT is an independent organisation based in Belgium, not London and NY as reported elsewhere, so the Iran ban was only possible when the US threatened to issue international arrest warrants for the senior staff/founders.

Every possible pressure should be brought on Putin swiftly, which means full sporting and cultural sanctions as well as financial sanctions. He is not fit to control more than half the worlds nukes,and our best hope is a palace coup.

Anyone who downvotes this post will face consequences they have never seen.

Sun sets: Oracle to close Scotland's Linlithgow datacentre

Danny 2

My last permanent job offer was a Sun offshoot in Linlithgow, a new type of hard drive. Closed due to tech redundancy between job offer and starting date.

I asked an American girlfriend what she liked most about Scotland. "The clouds." I was insulted because I'd driven her to Glen Coe and other beauty spots, so I said, "You must have clouds in Pittsburgh". "Yes, but you have all the different types of cloud, all at once, and all the time."

The dark equation of harm versus good means blockchain’s had its day

Danny 2

Run out

This Guardian article is a burn on social media, but it ends on a great burn on crypto-currencies.

I could quote it with permission because I used to be internet-friends with the author, like I'm internet-friends with some of you. Great article and great comments, spun my head around.

[Off topic but my best advice for all of you, friends or not, is go for a run. I can't run now, unexpectedly and without explanation. I always loved running when nobody was watching and assumed I'd have decades more. I mocked my last two young fit girlfriends by racing them running backwards, treasured memories. Go outside and run 50m, run back, savour it like you are a child.]