Posts by First Light

Rackspace literally decimates workforce: One in ten staffers let go this week

Re: OMG

Wouldn't they have to chop off their hands for it to be literally literal?

Autonomy founder Mike Lynch loses first stage in fight against extradition to US

Re: Secret handshake?

Who do you believe was bribed? The extraditing magistrate or the civil court judge or someone else?

Re: FT

If convicted, as a white collar criminal he'll be in a low security federal facility, aka Club Fed. Some even have tennis courts.

I no longer have a burning hatred for Jewish people, says Googler now suddenly no longer at Google

Re: So, what if...

I don't believe the situations are equivalent.

Most Soviet citizens knew what their government was saying was BS and communism was a relatively recent phenomenon.

In this guy's case I suspect the anti-Semitism was religious and cultural in nature and therefore much more virulent.

Jackie 'You have no authority here' Weaver: We need more 50-somethings in UK tech

Re: Jackie Weaver

Come on - Jackie rocks!

You, robo-car maker, any serious accidents, I want to know about them, stat – US watchdog

Re: Circumvention by obfuscation

That report was investigated and adopted under the Trump admin. Perhaps the Biden admin Agency will be less forgiving toward manufacturers: this new rule appears to indicate a different approach.

Cross-discipline boffin dream team issues social media warning: FIX IT NOW!

Academics are already teaching critical thinking skills. Alot of those skills come through humanities courses but no one wants to study humanities any more because they are all studying computer science or data analytics to get IT jobs.

There are many great ideas about education: graduates of UCL's Institute of Education are full of them. But policymakers don't listen to such people. The UK has had abysmal Education Secretaries for some years but that's not the fault of academics.

We're doomed!

My problem with social media is the infantilization of dialogue and intrapersonal conduct. Immature adolescent behaviour has become normal adult conversation. See eg Chris Whitty getting harassed. Somehow social media has permanently extended adolescence, at least for many more people than would have been the case without it. People need to get back to growing up, dealing humanely with those they disagree with, and respecting the wisdom and expertise of others.

John McAfee dead: Antivirus tycoon killed himself in prison after court OK'd extradition, says lawyer

Re: US prison system

He would have to be tried and sentenced first. That's one possible outcome it's NOT a mandatory sentence.

Would you leave him alone with your underage female relatives?

Re: US prison system

He could easily have taken up citizenship of another country and renounced his US citizenship thus avoiding all US taxes for life.

Re: Colourful?

It's an obligation of US citizenship. You can renounce your US citizenship if you want.

He didn't break rules to make a statement about the rules. He was just a nutter.

Re: Have you thought that through?

He was a flight risk and had evaded extradition in the past. It was reasonable for a judge to lock himup.

Snipes

Wesley Snipes spent time inside for tax evasion. As the article points out, you just have to file your taxes. He could have paid an accountant.

Disappointed at the commentariat's idolization of this horrible man. Just because you are dissatisfied with your boring IT job and suffering from suburban ennui, doesn't mean this mentally ill criminal was some kind of hero.

Re: Great bloke ...?

He wasn't doing it to make a statement - he behaved the way he did because he was nuts.

Please do not trivialize rape. I hope it never happens to you or yours.

In South Korea the new normal future of work is ... a 52-hour work week! (Down from 68)

I suspect the quality of work performed after 50 hours would decline. Two people doing the 80 hours rather than one person will probably do a better job of it.

Dozens of Iranian media websites devoured by the Great Satan, apparently

Re: With any luck...

Lets hope.

Maybe they can take it down everywhere and not just in Iran?

Indian mega-corp Tata unveils surprise 5G networking business

Re: Well as Modi...

Current Airtel plan: 698 rupees for 84 days, 2 gigs a day. That's £7! Then add 50 gigs extra for the life of the plan for £3.

India tells Twitter to obey its laws — or make wielding them easier

Re: Pick and choose

This is more about political power rather than bribe-seeking. It's an attack on freedom of speech. The laws have been designed to rein in the expression of dissent.

Re: Democracy ??

No. India is significantly more corrupt. Votes are bought before elections and there are many examples of those who are elected being bribed to switch parties afterwards.

South Korea has a huge problem with digital sex crimes against women says Human Rights Watch

Re: "The women [..] were often blamed"

The situation seems a bit insane. Definitely a reason for me as a female to avoid visiting there.

UK government bows to pressure, agrees to delay NHS Digital grabbing the data of England's GP patients

Re: 1st July, 1st September

A conspiracy theory requires a basic level of competence in government, which it does not appear to possess.

Global Fastly outage takes down many on the wibbly web – but El Reg remains standing

Re: Changing times

I was able to change the mind of someone who was starting to believe that ludicrous idea by pointing out that there isn't enough bandwidth or tech infrastructure in the world to transmit, store and manage all whatever data would be generated.

Just what is the poop capacity of an unladen sparrow? We ask because one got into the office and left quite a mess

Re: Semi related

Durians!! Banned on the Singapore MRT!! For obvious reasons . . .

This week in AI: Man arrested after cops say he rode in backseat of Autopilot Tesla

Re: Already back and (not) behind he wheel

Either he is nor rich enough to hire a driver, or too cheap to hire one.

There may have been problems with the JEDI deal but you still wouldn't have won, Oracle told by US govt

Re: Going through the motions, but northing will change.... hence....

But yet again the Reg uses a Star Trek photo - I guess it's a thing

Crane horror Reg reader uses his severed finger to unlock Samsung Galaxy phone

Re: Not all fingers are equal?

From Scientific American on disappearing fingerprints:

The elasticity of skin decreases with age, so a lot of senior citizens have prints that are difficult to capture. The ridges get thicker; the height between the top of the ridge and the bottom of the furrow gets narrow, so there's less prominence. So if there's any pressure at all [on the scanner], the print just tends to smear.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lose-your-fingerprints/

WTH are NFTs? Here is the token, there is the Beeple....

We could redistribute some of it . . .

Ex Netflix IT ops boss pocketed $500k+ in bribes before awarding millions in tech contracts

Re: "His actual sentence, however, will be balanced by US Sentencing Guidelines"

What do you bet he ends up in Club Fed with tennis courts and his lawyers work on an appeal reducing whatever sentence the judge hands out? Add in early release and the sporker will do more time in worse conditions than Mr. White Privilege.

Bill to protect UK against harmful foreign investment becomes law

Re: Russian Oligarchs

Yes, they were in a rush to launder those dirty roubles. Nice washing machine you provided there.

Working from a countryside plot nestled in a not-spot? Consultation opens on new rural mobile planning laws for bigger masts, wider coverage

Re: More Masts?

Why not more, smaller masts rather than fewer, larger ones?

Would be so cool if everyone normalized these pesky data leaks, says data-leaking Facebook in leaked memo

Accidental leak?

Wondering if it was "accidentally on purpose" by someone disgusted at the concept. I'd like to believe that someone at FB thought it was BS.

Harassers and bullies succeed in tech because silence is encouraged

Reverse psychology

A friend of a friend had a handsy boss in the late 90's NYC. He would put his hand on her shoulder, her back, etc. The old feeling the bra strap routine.

One day she went to work wearing a black bra and a see-through white shirt. She had large breasts and the boss spent the whole day avoiding eye contact. He never touched her again. It adds another angle that she was Black and he was White. It was a very smart move on her part.

Re: I've been around long enough

Equal pay for equal work is a problem for you?

Re: People really need to stand up for themselves

Some abusers are clever about selecting targets who are too damaged by life experiences to be able to speak up.

Re: You think it's bad in tech...

Nah the film industry is full of right wingers like the movie producer that let lil scaredy cat Wayne LaPierre hide out from scary liberals on his yacht.

Re: Has anyone ever seen a non-disparagement clause in their contract ?

Yes but if it's someone who brings in alot of bucks, like an obnoxious surgeon or a lawyer bringing in multiple millions to the firm, or a Scott Rudin, who voluntarily stepped back, not because companies refused to work with him, then it's nit so easy.

Added to that, abusers especially sexual harassers often pick their victims carefully.

Re: Rednecks incoming.....

In some jobs unions train people. A friend was an architect in NYC and he said union contractors always did a better job than non-union. Cost more, but did better work. I'm in favour of people bring paid well to do a good job.

iPhone XR caught fire after getting trapped in airline passenger's seat

Just an iPhone . ..

Thank Elon* it wasn't a Tesla given that horrendous fire in Texas.

Elon is the new God. Old God, take a back seat in Elon's sort-of-but-not-really self-driving car.

Re: Clumsy while sleeping

Sorry you are so distrustful of people. I've never had anything stolen from me on a plane and I've slept on lots of long-hauls. Sounds like you could do with some cognitive behavioral therapy to address what sounds like an irrational fear.

If they can afford to fly that far internationally they are probably not after your stuff.

God bless this mess: Study says UK's Christian beliefs had 'important' role in Brexit

ESL

Trying to find a way to make this about the ESL . . .

GOP Jesus

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ2L-R8NgrA

Re: AKA: People

If only the UK government *would* deal with it like mature adults and put the necessary agreements into place. Brexit is a long way from over: so many issues are in the TBD file. Brainwashing the public into believing it's actually over has been a stroke of genius.

Bank of England ponders minting 'Britcoin' to sit alongside the Pound

Totally Off Topic - ESL

Isn't there some tech angle the Reg can shoehorn into a piece about the European Super League? I want to read some quality snark about it.

Pentagon confirms footage of three strange craft taken by the Navy are UFOs (no, that doesn't mean they're aliens)

Called "the God-shaped hole in human consciousness."

Time travel

Bored snotty teenagers from the future breaking the time laws . . .

Easily distracted by too many apps, too many meetings, and too much asparagus

Re: Tut, tut, tut

Sadly, it appears there is such a thing. Although since it's on March 31 it's easy to think it's an early April Fools.

Your version sounds much more interesting.

Tut, tut, tut

What? Wrote an article about World Backup Day that he deleted? Very naughty!!

Can't believe no one has commented on this so far.

Although I did have to google it to see if it was actually a thing and not his April Fools contribution.

Diary of a report writer and his big break into bad business

Re: A (La)TeX user writes:

WP was an immensely superior product.