* Posts by Chris G

6754 publicly visible posts • joined 18 Oct 2007

We're all stuck indoors, virtual reality tech should be hot. So why is Magic Leap chopping half its workforce?

Chris G

Re: Targeted change

"To better prepare Magic Leap for the future, we have told half our staff to 'Hop it'".

FIFY

Personally, I find the world around me, sufficiently real and interesting to have no need for Augmentation or Virtualisation.

Vietnam alleged to have hacked Chinese organisations in charge of COVID-19 response

Chris G

Re: So just why it needs to look at China's virus-fighters is unclear.

A number of companies were already in the throes of moving to Vietnam as a result of the trade war with the US, C19 has spurred on others to consider the same, clearly Vietnam doesn't expect China to be happy about it, and need more insight.

Why should the UK pensions watchdog be able to spy on your internet activities? Same reason as the Environment Agency and many more

Chris G

Re: Sunset clauses and jury oversight are needed.

Fat chance of anything remotely as clear and democratic as that happening.

You only have to look at the narrow minded approach of cops and authorities to the current lockdown to guess at how these agencies will abuse access to everyones data.

If the police currently are unable to provide the necessary service to these agencies, the police forces should be expanded sufficiently to cope, I'm not in favour of larger and larger police forces but at least they would come under one set of regulations.

There does still need to be improved oversight and review as to necessity for the act in general, preferably via judicial review.

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Light-powered nanocardboard robots dancing in the Martian sky searching for alien life

Chris G

Roboroach

I remember reading that UC Berkeley and Russian researchers have both come up with robot cockroaches, maybe swarms of those could be developed to explore Mars. Use a PV carapace to extend their range and for more remote exploration drop them by helicopter.

Let's face it, everywhere man goes he takes rats and 'roaches with him.

Boffins examine interstellar comet Borisov to find out what its home was like. Pretty unpleasant, it seems

Chris G

Re: certainly hope

"Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz: "What do you mean you didn't get the notice? For heaven's sake, mankind, we sent the notice right through the heart of your pitiful system."

'To make it up to you I'll recite some poetry.....................'

Frippin' heck: Watch out, chin-stroking prog rock fans. King Crimson distributor Burning Shed says it's been hacked

Chris G

Perhaps

They'll have the Discipline to Beat this setback.

Saw King Crimson play at Hyde Park supporting the Stones in '69, even with all the line up changes over the years, I have liked the music they have turned out.

House of Commons agrees to allow Zoom app in Parliament, British MPs will still have to dress smartly

Chris G

Re: "a glimpse of Michael Gove in a leopard onesie"

There's no chance of catching Rees-Mogg appearing in a onesie unless it is a one piece suit of Parliamentarian armour.

Getting a pizza the action, AS/400 style

Chris G

Re: Pineapple good. Pepperoni bad.

"interesting2 depends on the origin/s of the contents, doner ranges in quality from CMOT Dibbler unnamed and unknown animal/anatomy to some of the excellent doner I get from a local Morroccan kebabista, though I can't recommend any doner when it's cold form the night before, for a morning after hangover breakfast.

Chris G
Devil

Re: Pineapple good. Pepperoni bad.

Pineapple on a pizza is an aberration and an abomination,it is against both the laws of nature and civilised behaviour. It is akin to putting sultanas into an otherwise decent curry, in such directions lies the route to hell and damnation.

Chris G

56!

That tower of pizza was probably unstable.

Police drone fliers' wings clipped to prevent them bumping into real aircraft

Chris G
Mushroom

Re: Mixed measurements

"Don't rely on a man who flew a drone to get the plane down"

Better to inflate the autopilot, at least he won't have vertical landings as a normal occurrence in his program.

UK government to take equity in struggling startups with £250m 'Future fund'

Chris G

Re: 8%!?

Exactly!

This is not very supportive when its at 8% and only over three years.

Contact-tracing or contact sport? Defections and accusations emerge among European COVID-chasing app efforts

Chris G

Testing! testing!

While contact tracing is obviously useful, it seems more is spoken about it than the value of knowing who actually has C19 as soon as possible. I realise developing a simple, fast, effective and economical test is not that easy but catching it earlier and prevent contact sooner would reduce the potential number of contacts significantly.

But then what government doesn't like to keep tabs on it's population?

NASA makes May 27 its US independence day from Russian rockets: America's back in the astronaut business after nearly nine years

Chris G

Space Xcellence

Say what you will about Musky but he is delivering, if a little late but ahead of Boeing, who should be ashamed of themselves.

Still no banana after having been awarded 1.6 times as much money and having massive previous experience.

Good luck for everything going to plan!

As nice as Pai: FCC chairman comes out in favour of Ligado Networks' 5G proposal, despite criticism from airlines and military

Chris G

Pai paid per pie?

See title.

In case you need more proof the world's gone mad: Behold, Apple's $699 Mac Pro wheels

Chris G

Re: Re Cycle Wheels

I think your rules have yet to be translated into Spanish.

The riders that go past my house most (covid-19 free) weekends, break most of those rules.

In winter the keenest seem to be the greybeards, some of them ride in weather that makes me want to light the fire and open a bottle of wine.

Chris G

Re: Some one has to say it

Mmm! Apple rolls, I hope they have cinnamon and sultanas in them!

Chris G

These are wheely gweat!

I wonder if they are user serviceable when they clog up with cat fur, fluff and pizza crumbs?

Still there is always the option of using the services of a pimply genius to get you rolling again.

At $175/corner don't wheel it wong.

It's official! Space travel increases the brain size of astronauts, even when they're back on Mother Earth

Chris G

Re: Rotating stations..

Rotating space stations may well be doable as stations but far less practicable as spacecraft. To make them function well, size is everything and the energy to get a space station sized craft moving, braking and manoeuvring is not trivial and would put some interesting stresses on the structure. Have a look at Real Engineering on YT. Can we make artificial gravity.

Chris G

Re: This is a spanner in the works.

Looks as though the only way mankind is going to achieve a significant presence in space is either via bio- engineering humans nor coming up with science fiction's artificial gravity.

Or a tap on the head!

Amazon assembles team of boffins, devs, project managers and more to figure out mass coronavirus testing

Chris G

Will I stay or have I gone?

Workers who contract the virus or are quarantined will receive two weeks paid leave and unlimited time off.

That sounds a lot like being let go with two weeks money in lieu of notice, or am I missing something?

The bane of Spain comes mainly on the plane. Good luck Barcelona: You've bagged the MWC contract again

Chris G

Gotta picka pocketa two

Credit should be given where it's due, the dips in Barcelona are world class, they come from Columbia, Algeria, Romania and many other countries.

If a Guild of Pick pockets exists anywhere, it will be Barcelona.

If you visit, all pockets should have zips and Kevlar razor resistant linings, same with bags, anything not in a sealed bag or pocket should be chained to you and be sure to regularly count fingers and limbs.

I prefer exhibitions in Madrid, a nicer cheaper city with less crime overall in my experience.

Choose your own thrill ride: A Florida slidewire or catching a rocket by helicopter

Chris G

Re: re: catching rockets

Is there anywhere I can see a helicopter catching a rocket stage?

That ought to be interesting.

As Amazon's stock price soars and Bezos adds to his billions, affiliates face massive cuts in their commissions

Chris G
Devil

Re: Put the boot in

I saw on the News today that Amazon are threatening to pull out of France completely over the French being upset about workers lack of protection from infection while working.

Let's face it, if a few workers die, it's not as if there are more looking for work right now so why bother to protect them?

GrubHub, DoorDash, Postmates and Uber Eats sued by hangry, overcharged coronavirus customers

Chris G

"We are going to be very strong on food supply."

Whatever that means, I doubt that it includes ensuring the poor get a sufficient share of it.

Most of his vacuous statements like that, usually mean he has no clue but wants to sound as though he's on top of whatever it is and it is sufficiently content free that he can wriggle out of difficult questions later.

So, just another shit head politician!

Stop worrying – Larry Ellison and Prez Trump will have this whole coronavirus thing licked shortly with the power of data

Chris G

Re: Volcanic Island

Does anyone know if oily snakes live on volcanic islands?

To be fair data does have an important part to play in health but it can also send people on wild goose chases and can't replace actual research.

There is, also a risk of large scale health data on everybody being misused.

Wanted: An exit strategy from the overt surveillance of smartphone contact tracing

Chris G

Re: What about Google?

Not only does it need government input, it needs governments to specifically ban commercial use across the board.

While governments are at it they should also be limiting themselves and their agencies from being able to abuse this technology.

Simon can add to his list Social Services and Local government abuse, as happened before with the RIPA.

Suspicious senate stock sale spurt spurs scrutiny scheme: This website tracks which shares US senators are unloading mid-pandemic

Chris G

Re: Not selling airline or hotel stocks when this spread from Wuhan...

Considering the demographic of most cruisers and the C19 propensity for striking down that same demographic group, I suspect bookings on Cruises will only pick up on hospital ships.

Apollo 13 set off into space 50 years ago today. An ignored change order ensured it did not make it to the Moon...

Chris G

Re: Lucky 13

'Shut the fuck up and listen' was written into CAA rules when I worked on light aircraft air frames.

I was a very junior engineer but if I wouldn't sign off on a checklist the aircraft couldn't fly until I did.

As far as I know that was the law. What I do know, is twice in three years I refused to sign off although an owner was creating merry hell about flying to Boulogne for lunch or something because I had genuine concerns about cracks or wear in a part and my boss stood by me.

Guess what's heading to trial? IBM and its tactic of yoinking promised commissions after sales reps seal the deal

Chris G

Re: In a previous life

A few decades back I worked for a well known copier company, if a new client had more than three sites for installations under one contract the sale was considered to be under the national sales department, but they were supposed to pay you a percentage of the whole.

What they wiould do if you hooked a large multi site contract was to break it down into two site contracts or some other trick to make sure the best you would get was an envelope with a couple of Debenhams vouchers in it.

The beancounters would try to find a way to reduce commission on every sale anyway.

Shit company and shit job! I quit and got a degree in robotics instead.

Ransomware scumbags leak Boeing, Lockheed Martin, SpaceX documents after contractor refuses to pay

Chris G

Re: You are not really familiar with computer security, are you?

To expand on your real world analogy, real world security is mostly about making it harder and more difficult to enter premises or steal a car.

It doesn't make it impossible to enter, given enough time and some tools anyone can break into a bank vault or office but time is whatvreal word thieves don't have, they will be discovered and caught.

Infoscabs on the other hand can operate unseen and mostly undetected usually until it is too late, even when they are detected, it is usually only their virtual presence o are difficult to catch and prosecute physically.

Chris G

Re: Anti-mortar system?

Badminton racket?

Good choice, at least compared to a cricket bat.

Hi, Google Duplex here, trying to book a haircut for a socially inept human. Sorry, 'COVID-19'?... DOES NOT COMPUTE

Chris G

Table reservation or book a haircut.

That's quite clever but what I really want is self buttering toast.

Signal sends smoke, er, signal: If Congress cripples anonymous speech with EARN IT Act, we'll shut US ops

Chris G

If you follow the money

It will be the very people who promote encryption publicly who are likely to profit the most from an end to most encryption. Currently, many of those who provide encrypted platforms are the same people who make a living out of selling as much of everybody's data as possible, makes you wonder what kind of conversations their lobbyists have behind closed doors.

French pensioner ejected from fighter jet after accidentally grabbing bang seat* handle

Chris G

Double ejection

I am willing to bet ad he exited the aircraft the departing passenger experienced a second ejection.

The landing for the pilot must have been something of a brown trouser moment too.

Upstart Americans brandish alligators at the almighty Reg Standards Soviet

Chris G

Re: The alligator is not a unit of measurement

Personally, if you have an Osman between you and an alligator, let him have the Osman.

Plenty for him to chew on, while you are legging it.

Chris G

Re: Standard seconds

Could there be a standard term to describe the indeterminate part of your life spent waiting while a musak recording is interspersed with ' please wait, your call will be answered as soon as an operator/human/chatbot is available'.

Perhaps a 'Limbo' or a 'Purgatory'.

Chris G

Those big snappy things in African rivers are crocodiles, no alligators in Africa.

I think there may be numerous other snappy things in African rivers but none of them are naturally occurring alligators.

Chris G

If you can get a large alligator and are keeping it between you, I suppose it had shared pet status and you can take it walkies together (provided you stay either side of the alligator.

Out of curiosity, how wide is an alligator?

I assume they are restricting this rule to American alligators as the only other extant species is ... Chinese.

COVID-19 is pretty nasty but maybe this is taking social distancing too far? Universe may not be expanding equally in all directions

Chris G

Dark energy

Since we can't detect it directly, or touch it, feel it ,or measure it. I was wondering I f I could blame it the next time I get caught speeding.

":I was dring along minding me own business yer honour when suddenly my car went faster sndvfaster of it's own accord, I think I passed through a band of Dark Energy".

Think I'd get away with It?

Watch out, everyone, here come the Coronavirus Cops, enjoying their little slice of power way too much

Chris G

Re: So glad I don't live there anymore

I live in the Valencia region and I have to say the population is pretty much self policing.

I have been stopped once in the village 6Km from me by the Policia Local, they asked me if I was OK and doing alright..

Everywhere here is orange and almond groves and like all farming it doesn't stop soit is easy to go for a sensible stroll inthe country, just wear a mask and take a bug sprayer or a chainsaw with you.

Chris G

Re: Lord Sumption

Is Lord Sumption's first name Ass by any chance?

The last thing any plod considers himself, is just a citizen.

Kieron I wuld love to be able to upvote the article, all police forces constantly complain about lack of manpower and resources but whenever there is an opportunity to increase their ability to control the population they will find the resources and manpower no matter how petty it may be.

I was talking t my ex- wife in the UK, who told me when she also bought plants that were on sale in the same supermarket where she was shopping for essential items, she was tutted atby staff and other shoppers for buying nonessentials.

These are the kind of people who think children shoud be kept on a lead and sow grass seed with a tape measure. Small, narrow, bored little minds!

Capita inks deal with NHS to 'bring back staff': Workers get an hour of training to recruit and vet retired doctors, nurses

Chris G

Re: Simple test

I think one of those spellings is an Irish christian name.

Chris G

£400,000 profit from a turnover of £3.7 billion?

Either the inefficiency is of epic proportions or there are some very creative accountants working there.

As Zoom bans spread over privacy concerns, vid-conf biz taps up Stamos as firefighter in totally-not-a-PR-stunt move

Chris G

Stamos's self congratulatory blog post is on a medium that steals as much data from your visit as possible.

So I am sure with his background and posting there, he is at least knowledgable about privacy hoovering.

WeWork sues SoftBank over 'AWOL' $3bn shares purchase – which included millions lined up for ousted CEO Neumann

Chris G

Wework is just another letting agency and like anyone in the real estate business, should realise it is full of bubbles.

Most bubbles that grow too fast are inclined to burst.

Particularly considering the current pandemic, I don't see a bright future for shared workspaces.

'Anything' related to remote working is a winner for Euro disties, but classic enterprise hardware? That's another story

Chris G

Cloudy destiny

The cloud will be expanding so fast that in places it will thin out a bit leaving holes for the unwelcome to come innand poke around.

I can see WFH thing is going to not only change the view of some bosses regarding work space requirements but also terms of employment, there is likely to be a whole new style of contract coming soon.

There is also the thought that if you have to dedicate a part of your home as a workspace, you should be paid for it, in the same way others receive a tool allowance.

Reg fashion special: Top designer says 'video chat accessories' are in for spring!

Chris G

Re: Fashion is easy!

I just had to Google twerking.

Consider yourself off my Zoom list!

Chris G

What would we do without fashion?

Answers on a postcard can be posted in any receptacle affixed to a lampost.

It's nice that fashion designers should think of those working from home in these difficult times, obviously want them to look their best, the fashion companies will go all out to have those designs manufactured by children in sweatshops that are located in countries that have no lockdow in place.

Might I suggest a line of pre-pizza stained T shirts for those working from basements?

Antarctic science put on ice by coronavirus – next summer's expeditions restricted to essentials and robots

Chris G

Re: Antarctic stations have “tonnes” of toilet paper

Right!

I'm off to the Antarctic to get some bog roll.

I may be some time!