Posts by bombastic bob

VMware declares energy-guzzling blockchains 'immoral'

"immoral" to "waste" energy? Pfff...

funny how these people decide for THE REST OF US what's "moral" and what isn't...

I think the value of bitcoin these days tracks the cost of producing more of them. That being said, if it costs less than the value of bitcoin, you make a profit by mining them. Simple economics.

Back in the 80's there was quite a bit going on with respect to "Co-generation", that is, using otherwise wasted heat from generating electricity for things that made sense, like creating hot (and chilled) water from the engine's jacket heat and exhaust heat. it works pretty well, and you get electricity and hot+chilled water for the cost of maintaining the machinery as it tends to pay for itself.

I suppose that peltier devices and other kinds of heat pumps could be used in various ways to do the same thing with the heat dissipated by a bank of CPUs mining out bitcoin. This would make ECONOMIC sense (which is ALL that matters when you are trying to make a profit).

"Morality" with respect to energy usage - that just *SICKENS* me! If I buy something, whether it's a computer, or electricity from the local utility, it's MINE, DAMMIT! Who _CARES_ how it's used? M.Y.O.B.!

The glorious uncertainty: Backup world is having a GDPR moment

Re: Not my field of expertise

"how do you remember to forget them on a restore?"

Ironically, you'll probably need to "remember" them in a "forget" data set. Google will have to "remember" them in a "forget" algorithm, too, so that search results don't show whatever it is that's supposed to be "forgotten". And don't even get started on www.archive.org [it's a GREAT resource for 'forgotten' data files and web pages that you might want to research, but are no longer available].

I guess www.archive.org could just make it impossible for EU people to access it... or "remember" to "apply the 'forget filters'" if you have an EU IP address or something.

I like the idea of GDPR in principle, but I think the actual mechanics of it will have too many unintended consequences [like for backups].

Half of all Windows 10 users thought: BSOD it, let's get the latest build

Re: They say history repeats itself.

"inadvertently breaking a bit of code from some third party who was not following the rules"

more like "deliberately breaking a bit of code from some third party who was not following the NEW rules"

yeah, fixed it for ya. Rapid direction changes, and demands that everyone ELSE keep up, is what Micro-shaft has been infamous for since ".Not" and C-pound.

MH370 search ends – probably – without finding missing 777

Someone probably knows where it is/was

someone probably knows where the plane (or it's beeper) is or was, but isn't telling because it might reveal classified capabilities of (let's say) Navy sonar equipment.

And saying "search here" just wasn't enough.

Well the Titanic was found after almost 100 years. So eventually, this too will be found. There will always be at least SOME interest in solving this mystery.

Court says 'nyet' to Kaspersky's US govt computer ban appeal

maybe they should just...

maybe they should just use an operating system that NEEDS no anti-virus!

something "other than windows" at any rate. I have a couple of suggestions (FreeBSD, Linux). And the source is already publicly available.

Kaspersky's lawsuit had one major flaw: they were trying to COMPEL the CUSTOMER to NOT to drop their services and products. That's just silly.

Law forcing Feds to get warrants for email slurping is sneaked into US military budget

Re: It makes no sense

"Why would they need to write another law to say something that is already covered in the 4th amendment of the US bill of rights?"

Never underestimate the ability of politicians and crooked "gummint anyone/thing" to pervert what is in the Constitution, twist it to their own "definition", say it's "living/breathing" so they can interpret things INTO it, and so on, instead of looking at it in a common sense way, as intended, and ALLOW it to limit what gummint can do and how they must share power between the 3 branches.

Hence, you get a law that reads like "common sense" and basically re-states what the Constitution already says. And it gets "snuck in" with other important legislation that NOBODY wants to go on record as having NOT voted 'yes' on (no 'no' or 'abstain' allowed this time, re-elections are in a few months, primary elections underway).

SpamCannibal blacklist service reanimated by squatters, claims every IP address is spammy

deliberate attempt at irony

when a spammer blocking service URL is taken over by spammers, malware pushers, etc..

really it's just a form of revenge. I hope their registrar has a policy about that... (time for a takedown)

Have you heard about ransomware? Now's the time to ask: Are you covered?

I have to wonder...

I have to wonder whether the 'insurance' will PAY THE RANSOM and _NOT_ prosecute to the full extent of the law. This has been the case in the past, with car insurance in the USA, where "at fault" drivers were sued for various extortion-level "pain and suffering" claims [like in Cali-Fornicate-You, where "at fault" insurance still exists], and insurance companies "just settle" and have various terms in the policies that try and limit customers from using the legal system for that purpose, etc.. example, you may NOT be able to sue in small claims court for your 'deductible' amount, without having your insurer take legal action against you.

And of course, this kind of "policy" by the industry would only ENCOURAGE the 'fender bender' scams. In some cases, people have been known to deliberately walk out into traffic and "get hit" [or fake it really well] to scam insurance companies. (A lot of this was happening in the Monterey area a while back).

Anyway, my biggest concerns here are that "the insurers" will PAY OUT MONEY to scammers, hence making it lucrative for the scammers, while simultaneously making THE INSURED pay for it, even if it's indirectly.

I'd rather take the chance on the ransomware instead, practice "safe surfing", and do frequent backups and offline storage of anything important.

Re: Insure AFTER Checking Security ?

ack - like homeowner's insurance might require you to get some kind of inspection done, or life insurance might require a physical. This is _reasonable_ cost cutting on the insurance company side, which generally means more affordable rates for customers.

But I can't help thinking of cyber insurance being similar to, let's say, a bunch of thugs smashing up your home or business, then "the mob boss" asking you if you want to buy an insurance policy, which is basically "ensuring we don't come along and smash your home/business up again".

So it's still extortion, just on a different level. probably earns more money for the mob boss, too...

Cold call bosses could be forced to cough up under new rules

Re: Split their noses open with a boat hook

pick anything good from the lyrics of "what do you do with a drunken sailor"

my favorite: "shave his bollocks with a rusty razor"

New Windows Servers are like buses: None for ages, then two at once!

Re: In-place upgrade?

wait until the equivalent of GWX "happens" - your exchange mailboxes suddenly 'migrated' and you're like W.T.F. just happened? [especially when it breaks and/or you get a 2D FLATSO TheMetro config screen]

just sayin'.

FYI - I migrated several-year-old Cyrus IMAP on a FreeBSD server late last year with no hitches at all. Had to replace the hard drive, that's why. it's all running happy on ZFS with compression and replication enabled, and no data losses, EVAR.

just sayin'. again.

(so, WHY do you need Exchange?)

RIP to two 'naut legends: A moonwalker and a spacewalker

Re: I disagree

"We have become a safety obsessed society"

unfortunately so.

That, coupled with the desire to "not let kids feel bad" because "someone else does better", even by taking away grades and sports scoring, to "protect" them. Sad.

"Helicopter parenting" too. Whatever happened to "go outside, and play, don't come back until dinner" ? [this made it possible to get things done without kids constantly underfoot].

Re: Two more childhood heroes gone

I think that "real heroes" are being DISCOURAGED nowadays. This is because it's "not fair" for one person to excel, because it makes "everyone else" "feel bad about themselves" [in the minds of the elitists that are trying to 'groom' our children into becoming easily herded 'sheeple'[. From eliminating grades and scoring in sports, to attempting to "equalize outcomes" from a socialistic/communistic standpoint, if you want to be "hero" nowadays, it's a MUCH! STEEPER! CLIMB!!!

So yeah, we need more heroes. MODERN heroes that REALLY ARE heroes. Examples to us all [especially the youngest generation].

Re: Only four left

"Time to step up to the plate again."

I totally agree. The last several U.S. Presidents have mentioned things like this. Let's hope the current one actually delivers on it.

A base on the moon would be ideal for a LOT of things, from sciency stuff to mining rare earth materials, and researching/developing more efficient means of travel to/from Earth and Moon.

NASA's moon race with USSR developed technologies that are STILL in use today. "Collateral Technologies" I guess you could call them. THIS ALONE is reason to do it. Keynsian economists should LOVE the idea. After all, you're creating jobs by "buying space stuff". [and when they don't buy 'space stuff', instead favoring "other kinds of spending" that include 'crazy trains' and 'bridges to nowhere' and "people who aren't looking for work", you know it's just the usual corruption and 'corporate welfare' and 'vote buying' going on instead of ACTUAL Keynsian economics].

So yeah, EU should be going to the moon, too. And UK [post-brexit]. I'd be *stoked* if there were a UK space program sending people to the moon. ('Thunderbirds are GO' - heh)

NASA, private industry, UK, EU, Russia, China, everyone going to the moon (and a '2001'-like ISS as a stopping off point would be a good addition, too). I think this would do nicely for the 21st century.

Activists hate them! One weird trick Facebook uses to fool people into accepting GDPR terms

Re: Being honest about data-collection isn't an option anymore is it ?

"A LOT of American companies are resorting to sneaky tactics"

Not THAT many, just a few high profile ones from what I see.

Yet, if they have to 'sneak', there must be something inherently wrong with what they're doing.

It reminds me of GWX.

Softbank's 'Pepper' robot is a security joke

Re: Default password ?

"How did they fix the OS so that the root password was unchangeable? They made a very special effort to mess it up this badly!"

or maybe this was added as an 'extra security layer' to something that didn't have ANY security at all?

according to THIS reference, it appears to use something called 'ROS' aka 'Robot Operating System' and a framework called NaoQI. [It's probably pronounced "now chi", my best guess]

The 'NaoQI OS' is described as "the name of the operating system that manages our robots. It was custom-made by us, and it is this system that gives the robot his basic personality and enables him to come to life as soon as you switch him on. As soon as they are activated, our robots look, listen and are already active within their environments."

Anyway, I'd say the problem is either the basic 'ROS' itself, or something that was done in the NaoQI framework that has poor security.

/me has to wonder if a BSD-based operating system would have been a good choice, or Linux if they don't mind open sourcing the basic OS part...

Trump’s new ZTE tweet trumps old ZTE tweets that trumped his first ZTE tweet

Re: Toddler

because it's what I do, punctuation and capitalization for *EMPHASIS*.

Re: da drumpf! da drumpf!

"He pulled out of the Paris accord because he wants Americans to die from pollution related diseases"

So you read his mind to make this determination?

FUD.

He pulled out of the Paris accord because the U.S. must make MORE concessions than ANY OTHER COUNTRY (especially countries like China and India). Besides, man-made global "climate change" is a FARCE, based on pseudo-science and political manipulation by a small number of elitists, who want to keep "theirs" but make EVERYONE ELSE sacrifice the good things in life (especially in the USA), the good things that were brought about by relatively inexpensive electricity, petroleum, coal, and natural gas.

"They" want control, power, etc. and want to sacrifice "the rest of us" for their own personal motives, so "they" invent "climate change" because it was convenient to do so during a normal warming period between the early 1970's and the mid-2000's (a ~70 year cycle that's obviously repeated itself - 1900 cold, 1935 warm, 1970 cold, 2005 warm, 2040 cold - do not doubt me or research it and prove me wrong!)

Showing a normal 2-3 degree celsius warming period as a "hockey stick" chart, that looked like it was increasing out of sight with no end to it, was a nasty trick to play on the world, ESPECIALLY when it did the same thing between 1900 and 1935 (then went back down again until 1970'ish, where the 'hockey stick' graph begins).

my conspiracy theory is better than yours. heh.

Re: "Everyone is allowed to make a mistake"

"It stems from the belief among liberal elitists that being liberal is smart, and therefore that not being liberal is dumb"

Beer, sir, for DARING to point out the truth in the face of all of the (organized?) opposition.

It's both smug AND arrogant to always assume that NOT thinking "liberal" means that you're "intellectually challenged".

(as far as I'm concerned, liberalism is all 'feel' not 'think' anyway, hardly intellectual)

Re: Toddler

@AC and other 'Trump Hate' posters

Reading down the comments, it might as well be a George Soros sponsored media blitz campaign, and a set of "me too" bots. It's all "pandering to the perception" with respect to Trump, again, and totally getting it WRONG.

As far as I can tell, Trump's strategy is all 'Art of the Deal'. The desired result is a win-win. Making ZTE/China LOSE so you can JUST PUNISH them (and 'win') isn't the way it works, at least not if you want to SUCCEED later down the road. "Win/Lose" is what you get in a boxing match. "Win/Win" is what you do in an honest and successful business. I think it's a refreshing change.

And Trump voters are _NOT_ worse off. Unemployment rates at record LOWS, especially for women and minorities, and the economy is growing FASTER than it _EVER_ did under OBAKA.

You anti-Trump'ers just don't want to admit the good news is happening. So you bury the good news with a bunch of Anti-Trump FUD, pander to the perception, and say "me to" to one another like all of the FUD is "accepted fact" (when it's not). (this is a typical misinformation trick, by the way, and if I looked I'd probably find things like it listed in Saul Alinsky's book "Rules for Radicals")

(howler monkey downvotes expected in response, yeah)

Max Schrems is back: Facebook, Google hit with GDPR complaint

Re: This will go nowhere in court...

actually, offering services using illegal policies is, by definition, illegal as well.

If Google and Faece-b[itch,ook] want to offer these services to people in the EU, then they must abide by EU laws and regulations. That's pretty much an international agreement, as far as I understand it.

And what I'd like to see is a *BIT* more privacy protection everywhere else BESIDES the EU, too. A "global opt out" might be a good start.

I suspect this 'MYOB' charity is a bit like "EFF meets the ACLU"

Re: Oh yes...

chum chum ... ??? (oh theme from jaws! l[aw]yers = sharks! got it)

America's comms watchdog takes on the internet era's real criminals: Pirate pastors

Re: FCC enforcement of radio spectrum usage

you agreed? well, I *DO* make sense! Welcome aboard!

(related note: CAPS where I want them, for emphasis, along with *ASTERISKS* and other punctuation, based on how I see the need - it's how I speak, so it's also how I _write_ - monotone IS so boring, after all)

FCC enforcement of radio spectrum usage

(topic)

is what the FCC is really there for. Also regs for 'unintentional radiators' (i.e. electronics gear with a CPU in it, broadcasting on RF frequencies) and things that might interfere with radio reception. Oh yeah, and those telephone things. [re-classifying internet as "a phone" was an Obaka-era power grab, and is NOT their jurisdiction]

This _IS_ their normal jurisdiction, by the way. But I'd agree that streamlining things for Puerto Rico might be helpful. The FCC however isn't responsible for installing telephone poles and cell towers. But if it's in ANY way obstructing them, yeah I'd be unhappy with them. [I'd suspect environmental wackies doing the obstructing before FCC is blamed]

And yeah, sometimes pirate stations cause problems with legit RF usage. But I suspect that if nobody complains, they'll be left alone.

[this is like making fun of the meter maid that tickets cars all day whenever the parking meters expire...]

US websites block netizens in Europe: Why are they ghosting EU? It's not you, it's GDPR

Re: Overreach

yeah, there's the "has a presence in the EU" problem, as well as an advertising model that's incompatible. So just like those viewers who happen to be running ad blockers and/or script blockers, anyone affected by GDPR is now in "the ghetto" as far as they're concerned.

My opinion: if they're gonna be like THAT about it, I don't WANT their damned content!

As Tesla hits speed bump after speed bump, Elon Musk loses his mind in anti-media rant

Re: Some truth and some fiction

"Model 3 was suppose to sell in the $35K range and turn Tesla into a profitable company by Q4 of 2018. Now Musk is saying that Tesla needs to sell $78K model 3's first to prevent death of the company"

his product selection is a little too "boutique" (i.e. limited selections, targeting high income earners) and even a minor failure hits the bank account pretty hard.

Unionization isn't really "the problem". The "big 3" automakers have had unions for DECADES.

I think the problem with Tesla motors is the business model itself. They're selling cars that only rich people can afford, based on the premise that electric is better than gasoline, while facing battery capacity disappointment and, *ahem*, a move towards GETTING RID OF SUBSIDIES FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

as an example, THIS article from last December says that Germany dropped all subsidies for Tesla vehicles. And there's the whole "tax reform" movement. I suspect people are pretty tired of "subsidizing the rich" with their tax money, going towards cars that ONLY the rich can afford...

And so this directly affects the marketplace. And the Model 3 is no longer "the people's car" it was being promised to be. And so NOW you get a high tech "new, shiny" cool-factor car that has half the range of a gasoline powered car, and can't live up to advertised expectations.

It's not the fault of the press that this happened. I think it was just a series of bad decisions, and the release of technology a *bit* too early (the self-driving part, anyway).

Anyway I don't hope Musk fails or anything. Reality just is what it is.

Re: Let the experiment begin!

"Now, will they have read the article before rating it"

I admit to only skimming it...

Microsoft patches problematic OS to deal with SSD woes

Re: Masterful PR tactics

RH asks money for support. But last I checked, Fedora is still free.

And to get rid of systemd, how about Devuan? [works for me]

I really hate it when FUD is so obviously FUD.

Hold on. Here's an idea. Let's force AI bots to identify themselves as automatons, says Cali

I doubt a law will make a difference.

a) robo-calls are ALREADY illegal, except for politicians [they exempted themselves, of course]

b) the 'do not call' list exists, but the robo-dialers IGNORE it, already illegal but they don't care

c) robo-callers NEVER identify themselves - if they did, I'd report them to 'donotcall.gov'. It's always "press 1 to speak to a human" or whatever

If I could personally "take care" of the humans who run these operations, I'd do it. They flaunt the law, so _I_ should be able to as well, right? </joking-but-not-really-joking>

In any case, they're already flaunting the existing laws. Adding more laws won't solve anything. ACTUALLY PROSECUTING THEM would. Jail time would be appreciated. These bottom-feeding nuisances need their "come-uppance" at the earliest possible opportunity.

Microsoft gives users options for Office data slurpage – Basic or Full

Re: Corporate users?

What now?

Abandon MS Orifice, particularly 'Virus Outbreak' (aka 'Microsoft Outlook') and switch to Libre Office.

That's my suggestion. Don't worry, the cost savings and increased security/privacy will outweigh any "disadvantages" that might occur along the way. Once everyone gets used to it, you're all set!

Re: Firewalls?

Ummm... what "vital" service does Microsoft offer

Well if you're a programmer and need MSDN stuff [for example] that might be considered "vital" to your profession.

Otherwise, for 'mortals', I'd say "NOTHING".

Re: Dear Microsoft

Libre Office and Open Office are looking a LOT better these days!

I wonder if Corell, Lotus, and Word Perfect might resurrect something to compete, making "no slurp" their primary FEATURE?

US Senator Ron Wyden to Pentagon: Encrypt your websites

Re: Here's an Idea

"Maybe we need to convince Americans that Encryption is like a gun"

Back in the early 90's, it was. Exporting encryption technology carried restrictions such that "strong" encryption technology could not be exported. This resulted in a number of _BAD_ things, from 'weak' https in U.S.-written web browsers, to Korea's SEED encryption (which is ActiveX based among other BAD things).

So yeah, this paradigm of 'encryption as a weapon' - already tried, and the unintended consequences were just *BAD*.

Re: Why is self-signed such a bad idea ?

"the problem is that the largest PKI trust chain out there - which includes the most common Web browsers - doesn't recognise the DoD as a trusted root CA"

sounds like "someone" didn't pay "someone else" enough PAYOLA to 'play in their sand box'.

Yeah, I bet it's POLITICAL. Well, my earlier suggestion was for the DoD to issue their own root certs (being their own root CA basically) _AND_ at the same time, if "the world" won't play, then they ISSUE THEIR OWN BROWSER, too.

While they're at it, I'd appreciate a firefox fork that had the "old school" interface (no flatso Australis, no hamburger, 3D looking buttons, nice colors). And, of course, one that ACCEPTS the DoD's CA.

I think it's time that the DoD stop using 3rd parties (especially akamai) for certs and ONLY issue their own. Browser makers will just have to get on board and recognize the DoD's root certs.

If they won't, then it's time for the DoD to "issue it's own browsers", too. Wouldn't be that hard...

EmDrive? More like BS drive: Physics-defying space engine flunks out

Re: The Germans don't watch youtube enough

the problem with photon propulsion is that the energy required is highly inefficient. the existing ion drive using a heavy element gas is much better, since thrust = delta momentum = delta velocity * mass of propellant.

To double thrust you either double delta-velocity or double mass. If you double delta-velocity, then delta-kinetic-energy is QUADRUPLED.

So shooting photons has nearly zero mass times "speed of light squared" energy, as compared to something considerably less relativistic speed-wise, and the mass of a heavy nucleus. It may consume fuel, but the ion drive wins every thrusting contest this way.

Yeah the dream is sticking out your solar panel and having an electric no-fuel thruster, but it would be SO inefficient...

President Trump broke US Constitution with Twitter bans – judge

Re: The Question is...

"All because one man in a powerful position can't tell the difference"

more like: All because ONE CAREFULLY SHOPPED-FOR JUDGE and a handful of money-grubbing l[aw]yers want to INJECT CHAOS into the system through FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS AND FRIVOLOUS 'DAMAGE' CLAIMS, as usual. These sewers suers are the REAL problem...

About to install the Windows 10 April 2018 Update? You might want to wait a little bit longer

Re: Not Avast Me Hearties!

looks like Avast FAILED to recognize Win-10-nic as "the virus"...

Re: QA Anyone?

Micro-shaft doesn't do 'QA' any more. They fired all of their QA staff just before releasing Win-10-nic upon the masses. Yeah no $#!+ this really happened!

Re: Steve

Re Linux: "I switched 2 years back. Much happier now. I only miss paint"

gimp can do most of what MS Paint does [and without "the ribbon" or "the metro"], and a LOT more.

As for anti-virus causing this: At least in Linux and on the BSD's, you really DO NOT NEED anything *like* anti-virus [unless you lack the intelligence to NOT do things as 'root' all of the time, or mis-configure sudo to be promiscuous with permissions].

This is because Windows has been 'insecure by default' for a VERY, LONG, TIME!

So when "the fix" becomes "the cause", you KNOW it's F.U.B.A.R.!

/me points out that fixing any Linux system [that might have been root'd or virus'd] generally means inserting the Live CD/DVD, booting the optical media, going to a recovery console, and re-installing the base OS packages. it would require a *little* computer savvy, but not a whole lot. Compare THAT to fixing a windows system with the problem described by this article. yeah.

Hitler 'is dead' declares French prof who gazed at dictator's nashers

Re: Conspiracy Theories?

"So if Hitler died in 1945 who DID shoot Kennedy then ?"

I'm tempted to say "yer mom" but I won't. Heh.

Well, the general conspiracy surrounding Kennedy is that a) Oswald was a lousy shot [confirmed by my uncle, by the way], and b) he was NOT working alone.

At the time Kennedy was succeeding in the area of civil rights, particularly with respect to the way black people were being unfairly treated in the southern states (like Mississippi). It's a fair bet that someone(s) in the Demo[c,n]rat party wanted him to 'go away'. LBJ claimed to be 'pro civil rights', but there's enough secondary evidence "out there" to prove he really wasn't. Although I doubt LBJ was behind it, the conspiracy would be "someone within the government" hired Oswald, and also had someone staged on 'the grassy knoll' who made the fatal shot. And when you look at what's being investigated at the moment with respect to the U.S. DOJ and FBI in particular, it's not that much of a stretch.

[last time I was in Dallas, well, the ONLY time anyway, I could've gone to the mini-museum they apparently have there, but I didn't. I wasn't that bored, and it was only a 2.5 day business trip]

As for Hitler's remains, I think the Russians did NOT want anyone DISproving that it's Hitler. The fact that it was PROVED to be Hitler must be a sigh of relief for more than a few people. Russia was probably the biggest single victim of Hitler's activities during WW2. As I recall they suffered more casualties than anyone else, or at least that's what Stalin wanted everyone to believe. So yes, they have a vested interest in knowing that THEY have Hitler's dead body, and it's definitely Hitler, if for no other reason than a bit of national pride. And no conspiracies allowed [from their perspective, I'd say].

Re: Um… Why?

"And do people who voted for Trump, or for Farage, ever wonder how someone like Hitler could ever have gotten into power?"

I know _exactly_ how Hitler rose to power. In fact, in the 'Star Wars' universe, it's very much like the way that Emperor Palpatine did HIS rise to power. Yeah, I noticed.

a) identify a 'crisis', and work both ends against the middle, by identifying 'a villain' (even if it's fabricated)

b) appear to be 'the savior' and [with natural ability to motivate people] get yourself put in charge [even if it means assassinating your way to the top]

c) dissolve the parliament so that you become dictator [this is the most necessary step]. Just rendering the parliament irrelevant isn't enough.

that pretty much sums it up, I think

Re: Still I don't understand why Russian doesn't allow full tests.

conspiracy theories may obfuscate other things that are just as "conspiracy worthy" but may either be embarrassing or implicate other criminal behavior that "they" want kept under wraps...

It may be that the Russians don't want Hitler's body turned into an object of religion, or bring too much attention back to a period of time that should be remembered "a certain way". Also there was some kind of DNA analysis done on one of the bone fragments many years ago and the conclusion was (as I recall) that it was female DNA. I call B.S. on that in general, but who knows, maybe Hitler was an 'xx male' [which is 'a thing', xx males typically have undersized genitalia and are sterile but in other ways look and act 'male'].

In any case the Russians are sticking with their story that Hitler is dead, and they have the body. I think this last analysis pretty much nails THAT coffin shut. Good riddance to the world's worst A-hole, EVAR.

/me reminded of Hitler in a French Maid outfit, getting his daily pineapple, in 'Little Nicky'

The future of radio may well be digital, but it won't survive on DAB

Re: There are plenty of reasons NOT to use IP

"2) multicast is your friend"

and the router bandwidth that it would require is NOT. Just sayin'.

On a related note, about 30-something years ago (in the USA) the AM band was almost dead. NOBODY listened to music stations on AM. There were attempts at AM stereo, but it doesn't address the fundamental problems. Quadrature detectors in AM receivers help a LOT, but you still get a lot of noise. Yet, just about every car still has an AM radio. Why?

Well, AM was basically saved by the news/talk format. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, MIchael Reagan, Dr. Laura, Glenn Beck, and many others [including local talk hosts and nighttime shows like 'Coast to Coast AM'] basically re-opened the AM band with shows that people could listen to while driving, working, or whatever. For drivers, there are the frequent traffic updates. And so AM is still "a thing" around 100 years after the first radio transmissions.

As for FM, digital exciters can improve the quality on the modulation side, and digital music playback in the studio gets rid of the pop/hiss/scratch of vinyl. FM quality is extremely good (at least here in the USA).

This is all because AM and FM broadcasters (including the PBS and college stations) need to compete for an audience, here in the USA. I'm not sure about how the BBC is set up, but it seems to me that there isn't a significant amount of competition for them on radio. That's probably the driving force for 'change' even when 'change' isn't for the better. You know, like what Micro-shaft did with Windows "Ape" and Win-10-nic.

(I'm quite happy with FM radio quality and AM programming out here on the left coast of the USA, and the fact that ancient radios can still receive it)

/me wonders how you can teach electronics to a kid when crystal radios no longer receive anything?

Astronaut took camera on spacewalk, but forgot SD memory card

Re: Next NASA manual...

how to insert/remove an SD card while wearing space gloves...

Boffins detect antimatter thundering down from Hurricane Patricia

in effect, storms causing nuclear reactions

did Tesla learn about this 100 years ago?

Now I wanna build a million volt Tesla coil to test the theory...

OK now let's speculate on how this might affect a FUSION reaction... if high static potentials can cause electron/positron pair production, what ELSE can you create with it? A wormhole?

heh, mad science rules!

Microsoft, Google: We've found a fourth data-leaking Meltdown-Spectre CPU hole

Re: So who else...

"The fourth variant can be potentially exploited by script files running within a program"

and I too, run 'NoScript' for reasons that now include THAT --^^^

US Congress mulls expanding copyright yet again – to 144 years

Re: Creative Commons

using 'pay/donate if you like it' is kinda like shareware. I'm sure it works, but artists will probably starve.

It also takes power away from MPAA and RIAA (etc.)

Unfortunately, the existing system [even though it picks the winners and losers] is more lucrative to actors, artists and musicians.

Re: Copyright extensions need to stop

"the history of that little ditty that gets sung at just about everyone's birthday party"

not 'the birthday dirge', right?

(to the tune of 'Volga boatmen')

Oh, happy BIRTH-day

Oh, happy BIRTH-day

Misery and despair, people dying everywhere

Oh, happy BIRTH-day

You're getting OLD-er

Re: Copyright, Patents all screwed.

"If your song suddenly resurges after 30 years"

A resurgence of 80's music, WITHOUT copyright protection? TOTALLY AWESOME!

[and it would shed the light on how lousy most "modern" music is, by comparison]

On a related note, Smash Mouth did pretty well with retro-60's stuff. A case in point!