Posts by Patrician

More missions, less money, higher risk: NASA's back to the '90s playbook

Re: More samples available

"And if you designed a new telescope to launch using Starship then" you'll be waiting a long, long time based on current Starship progress.

England's school phone ban gets teeth, just in time to bite no one

It's a good system but, who will pay for the Yondr pouches, school budgets are already tight enough and, will the schools insurance increase due to them storing all those phones onsite?

Microsoft to auto-launch Copilot in Edge whenever you click a link from Outlook

If it's a company machine and MS software is corporate policy, then it's company data and not mine that MS are scraping . The only loser will be the company after all.

Europe shrugs off tariffs, plots to end tech reliance on US

Re: The scope is not large enough

Trump could just be the first; remember, people voted for him and many of those still support him and his parties ideals.

SpaceX halts Falcon 9 flights after second stage anomaly

"But magicians have calculated that million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten."

Reminds me of Nobby Nobs and Sgt Colon trying to hit the "vonables" of a dragon and trying to make it a one in a million shot, which comes off nine times out of ten.

Concorde at 50: Twice the speed of sound, twice the economic trouble

Re: Not even a NASA exemplar?

It was an eclipse:-

"In 1973, scientists used the supersonic Concorde 001 to chase the June 30th solar eclipse, achieving an unprecedented 74 minutes of total darkness over the Sahara by flying in sync with the moon's shadow, allowing for extended observation of the solar corona and setting a record for sustained totality"*

* source Wikipedia

Re: Some Boring Stuff

The Vulcan wasn't supersonic so there wouldn't have been a sonic boom from them.

Re: The real reason it was banned in the USA

That Vulcan howl is quite something; I've seen one several times in my youth and every time it took me by surprise just how loud that plane was.

Concorde's profitability was badly damaged when the Americans wouldn't let it fly above the speed of sound, even after they allowed it to land at New York; it was nothing to do with the noise and everything to do with the fact that Europe beat them to it with a supersonic airliner. It was sour grapes and nothing more.

"The Project (Boeing 2707): After a federal competition, Boeing was selected in 1966 to build the Boeing 2707, which was intended to be larger (250–300 passengers) and faster (roughly Mach 3, or three times the speed of sound) than the Concorde."

"Timeline: The US program was formally announced by President Kennedy in 1963, shortly after the Anglo-French agreement for Concorde was signed. While Concorde's first prototype flew in 1969, the Boeing 2707 was intended to begin testing in the early 1970s."

UK prime minister stares down barrel of ban on social media for kids

"There's also the lack of knowledge and skills for many parents to effectively supervise online use."

Then they should dammed well learn!

One criminal, 50 hacked organizations, and all because MFA wasn't turned on

Re: The email address is all you need

For some reason a lot of people think that the answers to "Security Questions" has to be real; of course it doesn't, it just has to be memorable by the user. The answer to "Mothers Maiden Name" could be "Grumble Thistleweave" as far as the questioning system is concerned.

Mysterious X-37B spaceplane flies again, this time carrying a quantum GPS alternative

"quantum inertial sensor designed to support navigation when GPS is unavailable"

Didn't Leonard and friends invent something like a few years ago?

End well, this won't: UK commissioner suggests govt stops kids from using VPNs

If somebody took their family, with young teenagers, to Amsterdam for a weekend, maybe to see the Anne Frank museum amoungst others, who's responsibility is it to make sure those young teenagers don't get to the red light district and "see something that will damage them for life"? The Dutch police? The Amsterdam city council? Of course not, it's the parents job; same goes for porn on the internet. And if they don't understand how to do that then they need to damned well learn and stop expecting somebody else to do their parenting for them.

Europe hits Meta, Apple with €700M in fines for flouting DMA

Re: Cue the snowflake whinging

I really hope everybody stays at home; no protests, no onlookers, only deserted empty streets. As a narcist, Trump would be humiliated much more that by protests.

America's National Science Foundation tells DEI, misinfo studies: You're fired

Re: There are only 2 sexes

Actual literal real world biological people born intersex prove you and the judges wrong.

Americans set to pay more on all imports: Trump activates blanket tariffs

Re: Liberals

That is a really uneducated comment; none of those you listed are "liberals".

Microsoft tastes the unexpected consequences of tariffs on time

Re: The BREXIT Bonus

Can you point out specific ways that they’re not being delivered efficiently now?

China's EV champ BYD reveals super-fast charging that leaves Tesla eating dust

Re: Aaaarrghh

Fuel cells are not the answer; they take electrical energy to produce the hydrogen, that is then converted back to electrical energy to power the vehicle. Losses are incurred both ways; better to cut out the hydrogen "middleman" and use straight electrical.

OK, Google: Are you killing Assistant and replacing it with Gemini?

Re: A new experience

Well, that is the question isn’t it; what about my Nvidia Shield TV, Google TV, Max hub etc? I use assistant on those much more that I do on my phone.

UK must give more to ESA to get benefits of space industry boom, says Brian Cox

Re: spend more

There's always one:-

Key benefits of the space industry, just a very short list:

Communication Technologies:

Satellite communication networks enabling global connectivity

GPS navigation systems for precise location tracking

Improved telecommunications infrastructure in remote areas

Environmental Monitoring:

Satellite imagery for tracking deforestation, climate change, and natural disasters

Monitoring weather patterns and forecasting severe weather events

Oceanographic research and monitoring

Disaster Response:

Rapid assessment of disaster damage through satellite imagery

Communication support during emergency situations

Efficient coordination of relief efforts

Healthcare:

Development of new medical technologies and treatments through space research

Telemedicine applications connecting remote areas to medical professionals

Advanced imaging techniques like MRI and CT scans

Navigation and Transportation:

Precise navigation systems for maritime and aviation industries

Optimized logistics and delivery routes

Development of autonomous vehicle technology

Materials Science:

Creation of new materials with superior properties by utilizing microgravity conditions

Advanced manufacturing techniques like 3D printing optimized for space applications

Scientific Discovery:

Understanding of the universe, planets, and celestial bodies

Research on the effects of space radiation and microgravity on the human body

Exploration of potential resources in space like asteroids and the moon

Economic Growth:

Job creation within the space industry and related sectors

Innovation and technology transfer to other industries

Investment opportunities in space-based services and infrastructure

Apple drags UK government to court over 'backdoor' order

"So we need people to actively use encryption and private messaging as a matter of habit, all the time, not just for exceptional items. Otherwise using encryption will mark you out as a person to be suspicious of."

I use WhatsApp for all messages a phone calls for that very reason and run a VPN on my 4/5G service on my phone.

Trump nukes 60 years of anti-discrimination rules for federal contractors

“workers who are now paid more”

Trickle down economics doesn’t work, has never worked and never will work; wealth stops at the top and goes no further. Fourteen years of Tory government demonstrates that.

Christmas 1984: The last hurrah for 8-bit home computers

Re: The video game crash of 1983

Have a beer for the Mote in Gods Eye reference

Guide for the perplexed – Google is no longer the best search engine

Just tried Perplexity AI and as a search tool it’s pretty useless; searching for, for instance, “nvidia” provides an overview of Nvidia the company, but what I wanted was a link to their website. So not that useful really.

Now Online Safety Act is law, UK has 'priorities' – but still won't explain 'spy clause'

Re: But...HOW?

If the service has no infrastructure in the UK and is just a web service, like FaceBook, UK law will not apply; the website/service could be banned and blocked in the UK but the owning companies would not be subject to UK laws.

Re: But...HOW?

It wasn't; the website/app was banned in Brazil.

Re: But...HOW?

This law is for public relations only and will be impossible to enforce. The majority of the "tech" companies involved are not UK companies and would not be subject to UK laws anyway. Woe betide any government that came between the great unwashed and Facebook!!!

Imagine a land in which Big Tech can't send you down online rabbit holes or use algorithms to overcharge you

Re: Some good ideas but at what cost

I think this happens because "anyone mildly disagreeing with the prevailing orthodoxy" is arguing against LGBTQ civil/human rights in some way.

Unbreakable Voyager space probes close in on a 50 year mission

Re: CVHOAXdtcm

Wow, what a great way to show how little science you understand; you’re correct in that there is no combustion, in space, but rockets do not rely on combustion or thrust for their acceleration in the same way an aircraft does.

The combustion happens inside the engines using a fuel and an oxidant, these two combine to “burn” and cause the gases to expand and its’ that expansion that causes acceleration using Newtons 3rd law of motion; “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”.

You can demonstrate this for yourself by using some roller-skates and throwing a house brick behind you; the result will be that you move in the opposite direction to the way you threw the brick.

Huawei's farewell to Android isn't a marketing move, it's chess

Re: Can't understand the apps

But the "few good basic ones" are a different set of a few good basic ones that I need/use; now multiply that difference by the multiple millions and you'll find the need for "gajillions of apps".

NHS would be hit by 'significant' costs if UK loses EU data status, warn Lords

Re: The reality of Brexit...

"they are looking in the crystal ball and guessing"

So are you

Re: The reality of Brexit...

"it was done and not a bad thing"

Care to post all the, measurable, positives the UK has benefitted from since leaving the EU?

Lebanon: At least nine dead, thousands hurt after Hezbollah pagers explode

Re: Conspiracy

They could do the same to any vehicle with smart equipment; doesn't need to an EV to be able to do that.

So you paid a ransom demand … and now the decryptor doesn't work

Re: Hope springs eternal

Have a beer for the Discworld reference

Boeing's Calamity Capsule returns to Earth without a crew

Re: Helium?

They were leaking before it launched though.

Re: What’s the point?

How very short sighted and unimaginative of you!

What is this computing industry anyway? The dawning era of 32-bit micros

Re: Meanwhile, at home...

The joys of a multi-config autoexec.bat; I remember running the below:-

1. Using a QEMM config

2. Using Himem

3. Standard

4. Stripped out bare minimum for Ulitima 8

5. Using unidriver.sys for Sim City 3000 and Transport Tycoon (My graphic card at the time had the capability to run VESA but some games for some reason, just would not detect that capability hence the use of unidriver.sys)

'Right to switch off' initiative aims to boost economy by beating burnout

Re: Hmm

@codejunky

"As much as they choose to work for"

And if all employers are offering similar terms and conditions as they do in the U.S. what happens then?

Re: Hmm

I bet you still believe trickle down economics works too?

Julian Assange to go free in guilty plea deal with US

Re: Embassy

How even minded of you.

Re: Embassy

Sorry that happened but that does not mean that all rape allegations are by, default, true.

Re: Embassy

"Let's call it what it was, it was an allegation of rape"

Exactly, that's what it was; an "allegation" only.

Battery electric vehicles lose their spark in Europe as hybrids steal the show

Re: EV

"the air in cities has never been cleaner"

Does not mean it can't be even cleaner, nor does it mean it shouldn't be cleaner.

Not all hybrids are battery hybrids though.

"Range was also a factor, with non-BEV drivers wanting at least 500 km of range,"

500km is 310 miles; most new BEV's can get that range, so they've got what they ask for....

Venerable ICQ messaging service to end operations in June

Re: Definition of "enshittification"

"from an eBay seller"

Who will almost certainly be a Chinese outlet selling "cheap and awful Chinese items of highly dubious quality".

Brexit border system outage puts perishable goods transport in peril

Re: "dozens of lorries were being held at the government's control post... for up to 20 hours"

"Eh? Are you blaming the power outage or bureaucratic hold-ups? And either of those is brexit?"

The "bureaucratic hold ups" wouldn't exist if not for brexit.

Re: "As is still the case."

"At what point? We were in the transition period since voting leave in 2016 so which bit did you get wrong?"

As we were within the transition period we were still fully subject to all EU regulations.

"Technically yes. In theory. Less so in practice. But it does assume the UK gov being better run than all the member govs and the EU gov."

So you agree with me then?

"That is because we were outside the EU by that point"

As pointed out above, although we were in the transition phase, we were still completely subject to all EU regulations; but we still managed to source our own vaccines and not be a part of the vaccine fund.

Re: Laurel & Hardy in "Nothing but Brexit "

It wasn't happening prior to brexit though...

Re: "dozens of lorries were being held at the government's control post... for up to 20 hours"

The subject of this article is the obvious one.