Posts by Kiwi

Re: Also

Thta's one of the excuses the anti-wind-power lobby used in the UK, that tens of thousands of birds would be killed. When it was pointed out that their beloved pet moggies kill tens of millions, that argument went quiet...

We had that crapfest here in Kiwiland with a twit going on against cats (and quite a few of his followers now go around harming family pets (ie family members) by poisoning/shooting/trapping etc).

DOC (Department of Conservation) piped up and said the cat population was actually a good thing, because while they do kill some native birds and other creatures, they also kill rats, rabbits and ferrets who do more damage to the native wildlife than cats do - if the rats/ferrets/cute widdle bunny-wunnies had been imported without also importing cats there would be NO native wildlife left in NZ.

When all the rats, ferrets, possums, rabbits etc etc are all gone, then we can get rid of the mutts and when the last mongrel dog has left, then we can feed the cats on the imported birds. Only when the last non-native things are gone (after all deforestation for sheep/cattle also wiped out a lot of natives!) can we get rid of cats as well.

If you want an idea of whether or not the issue with wind farms killing birds is real, go to your nearest wind farm and look at the amount of local birdlife. If you find thriving populations around these things then the lobby was wrong. If you find almost no birds around these things then the lobby was right. Don't expect to find many birds dead on the ground though, unless the farm is in a migration path during a migration season when you visit. Either the birds avoid them and live, or generations have been dying in them and the local population has been gone for years.

Also take note of the noise, flashing light/shadow etc of these things. That's before we get into the visual pollution side of them, the destruction of land (and further habitat destruction!) , the massive amounts of pollution in creating their sites (how much carbon^[1] from just the foundation of each tower?), the roads for the transportation of the towers as well as the diesel pollution from the trucks that transported them - and the backup power stations needed to supply power the instant the wind stops (and by instant I mean instant - another power source has to be "up to speed" for each wind tower - although with improvements in battery technology and "grid storage batteries" starting to be developed that won't be such an issue).

Even if you don't care about the bird life, wind power is a terrible idea most of the time. It would be best used for moving water between lower/upper hydro lakes or large-scale water storage for town/cities (ie wind power is used to move water to high storage tanks which gravity-feed into the town, and runs the treatment plant that stores enough water for several days).

^[1]CO2 is actually good for the environment - it's one of the key ingredients in making plants and if we want a greener earth we need more CO2 in the atmosphere! Less CO2=less plant food=less plants=less green!

Pass me one of those cocktail napkins.

You're probably right about the math. Wind isn't much better (of course you can always dry and burn the dead birds for more fuel...)

Maybe they could at least put some of their money and space into building large battery banks? That would allow the "grid" to provide more solar power and the company then gets what they want during the day and stores some excess for later use. It'll also allow for some better load balancing if their battery bank can sell back to the grid, allowing for perhaps slower but more effecient generators to come on line (rather than having to have a spinning genny for every wind turbine (ready to provide power the instant the WT cannot a battery bank can fill the gap between when the WT stops and another generator starts).

I had initially thought maybe they could make many of their internal walls "powerwalls" but then if a fire takes hold anywhere in the DC...... All that heat and 'interesting' metals and any water used to extinguish the fire..... -->

(That'd be a GREAT idea Google! You can use it for free - 1) lots of powerwalls inside your buildings and 2) water for your sprinkler system....)

Re: Airbnb....

It's had no MOT for 6 months, could that be because the last but one failed and they know it will fail again and don't want to pay up? When that crashes and burns will the police be responsible for not acting on the tip off?

Crazy idea I know but..... What would happen if you were to politely talk to the person and offer to help them get it resolved if there's some decent reason they can't do it for themselves?

Most safety things on cars aren't that hard to resolve. Car wreckers sell decent 2nd hand tyres (at least round these parts) that might only last a season but only cost a tenner instead of a month's grub, electrical faults generally are simple to locate and fix (though some can be a prick).

Never know, you might get a good enduring friendship out of it. Or you might prevent a situation where you're the innocent victim in the crash dealing with life-changing injuries.

(Not every one is worth talking to, and not everyone can manage to talk in the right manner, use your own judgement)

..." or is this more like WINE in reverse?"

Are you saying the MS Linux implementation is backwards?

Bootnote: RE: Terminal, bloody sure there is a MS VP reading my comments on 'ere so I will henceforth refrain from giving MS ideas ...

I dunno.. I think I'd like to give MS VP's some "terminal ideas"....

Re: But why?

It's not just easier, it's a LOT easier.

It's not just "a LOT easier" - it made us a family again.

Used to be I'd avoid visiting some close relatives when travelling. People I love dearly, but if I was only passing through their town (rather than stopping for a few days) then I wouldn't want to spend my time there messing about with their machines.

That'd often lead to arguments about what was/wasn't being done, maybe they weren't keeping their AV up or were doing other things. I'd spend my time at their house fixing their computer, arguing with them about things, and leaving only to have to stop somewhere nearby for some relax-time before spending a few more hours on the road.

Now I stop off every time I pass, at least for a coffee if not for a meal. The computer is seldom mentioned, perhaps the odd query about how to manage something better (eg taught the old guy how to use "mail merge" about 6 months back) otherwise it just works, reliably. They haven't lost data since the day I made the switch. Did have a scare when the old HDD bit the dust but a simple functional backup system meant all their critical stuff was saved and re-installation was a breeze that took a little over an hour (OS + updates + config + getting email installed and updated via IMAP + browser back to what they had)

Common comment from them is "why didn't you do this before?" (alongside "Why did no one tell me my computer could be so easy to use?").

There is just so much less stress to life when you ditch Windows and run a decent OS!

Re: But why?

"Properly installed.and setup Linux systems don't require hand-holding."

That's the thing - "properly installed and setup"... Windows simply doesn't need that faffery. I've just used what came from the shop.

The regular broken drivers during updates? The addition of unwanted features, or loss of much-loved ones? The constant malware battles?

What about the massive fight a few years back by many to keep W10 (and related nagware) from the machines of people who simply did not want W10?

What about the effort expended when W10 did make its way on to machines despite the clear "GO AWAY AND LEAVE ME ALONE" expressed by users?

The constant changing of 'privacy' settings, and reverting them to MS defaults rather than the ones the users want? Constant changes to other MS-defaults rather than leaving other (non-privacy) settings alone?

You might just accept whatever slop MS dishes out for you today. Others of us don't want to contanstly be fighting our systems, or having to go on (sometimes fairly long distance) call-outs to help family or friends keep their systems running.

As Jake said - with my family now when I visit it's for a feed and a catch up, not to be locked away fighting a borked computer. And as I've said here before, I run Linux because I am lazy - I want my machine to work or to play games, NOT to need work or hours of faffing around just to get the damned thing to boot again. Certainly, when I turn it on I expect it to be ready in a minute and when I turn it off I expect the lights to go dark in seconds, not hours of "installing fuckdates, please grasp the meaning of the word "eternity" while I have to go and do something else because any hope of using my computer this month has now evaporated.

Re: I looked at the MS link provided

The problem will now become Microsoft's increasing presence on the board of all things Linux. They will corrupt it from the inside because they want to control it and they have the money to buy the necessary influence, as we've already seen.

Might not work out to be so bad.

If we can just get Pottything and MS arguing over who is going to screw it up the most and the fastest, we may find they spend so much time trying to argue with each other that they leave the rest of us alone.

Worth a shot. We've tried getting Pottything to listen to reason, mebbe he'll listen to utter insanity instead... Maybe some good will somehow come from it.

Re: But, but, but ...

Hell, I barely care(d) about emoticons.

Beer, on the other hand ...

So that'd be a care beer then?

I'm going I'm going.....

Re: Time to get a Theresa May face mask

Not sure how highly regarded Ms May is among the police.

I suspect wearing a Theresa May mask may involve a few "accidental" shootings

How many deliberate shootings - by people on themselves when they think they may've inhaled the same air she recently exhaled?

Re: Alistair Dabbs

if someone says 34, and there is no 34, rooms start at 134 or c34, that's a no brainer.

Good chance they (as with Mr Dabbs) were a little scramble brained and got digits flipped or weren't sure of the floor #. I've had to check on my room number once during a long conference, no clue what room I was booked into or even what floor.

Similar asking someone what their birthday is, if they can't remember of the top of their head, it likely isn't their ID.

For the better part of 50 years I've not had to think much about my DOB. For the last couple of years I do have to think about it. For the last 50 years my brother has not once remembered his birthday, even when he has one of the best reminders of what day it is (no one else forgets it when told). The older you get the harder it is to switch tracks with the brain, especially if you're not expecting such a question. The faster they answer that question may be a good sign they've been rehearsing the answer. Someone over 30 answers that question straight away? Check. Someone been out on the town doesn't answer it? They're probably hoping their hearing will recover, mind all over the place, and never heard or understood your question.

but just by asking - will actually make a would be thief want to leave and not deal with it, while someone wanting in the room will - which is why he was let in.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha NOPE!

I used to teach people this. If you look like you're supposed to be there no one will question you. If you look out of place everyone will question you. Go around a suburban environment in a hard hat and safety vest with a clip board and you'll get pretty much whatever information you ask for, if you appear confident. Almost no one will even question why someone is walking around the streets wearing a brand new super-clean almost fluorescent-white hard hat. You're more likely to be robbed by staff anyway, or staff are more likely to be an accomplice. That security hero who does all that dangerous work you were talking about? He ain't loyal to you. You give him the worst job, pay him SFA and treat him like shit. Of course he's going to be wanting to 'skim off the top' so-to-speak (I know not all guards are like this).

If I want to walk into somewhere I'm not supposed to be, to get something I'm not supposed to have, you can bet the first thing I will work on is making people ignore me because they have no doubt that I am supposed to be there and I have every right to take whatever it is I am after.

Hey - my post is very disliked, awesome, lol. Doesn't mean I'm wrong though.

Doesn't make you right either. That said, I share your sentiment - the more often I get massively downvoted the more I know I'm the only one on here with any brains! :)

Re: @Len After 50 weeks

The US is hardly likely to want to become a haven for Interpol's most wanted, regardless of the party in charge in the white house.

I think you'll find it's the other way round. No one would want to use the US as a haven, regardless of what is on offer over there.

Re: Exchange?

> That'll be a sight you don't want to see, and one you'll never forget

I imagine a very ugly person with a 20 mm cannon in his living room. Thanks for that mental picture.

Nope. Just me lounging around in my underwear.

Sans underwear.

(El Reg - can we have a "mindbleach" icon please? Till now --> best way to clear your mind and remove all traces)

Re: Saying God did it, with extra steps @ rich 11

The response, How about reading something that isn't the Bible, is nothing but a bigoted anti religious comment and ignores the fact that people like Keppler were very religious.

They also want to look to a lot of modern scientists as well. Lots of 'religious' types in there, and more coming by the day from the sounds of it (admittedly my reading and viewing material has a tendency to increase the possibility of 'confirmation bias'...)

Re: Evolution of the Hubble Constant

(But yes, CO2 levels are rising... Which is probably not good.)

CO2 - makes plants grow better, will contribute to desert areas growing again and more abundant crops and more plants being able to process other pollutants and other wonderful things.

Sadly, when we burn stuff that gives us this wonderful amazing gas, we also burn a hell of a lot of other garbage that really is nasty.

Even worse, the peeps doing a lot of "we must do something" crap to prevent "climate change" without thinking about what they're really doing - without counting the cost so-to-speak. EG if you get rid of your reasonably new petrol car and replace it with a hybrid or electric "coz environment", you've more likely done more harm than good (OTOH if you dispose of your car when it's relatively 'past it' that's another matter)

Rising CO2 = Great! MORE please! Rising other pollutants OTOH, no thanks.

Re: Just waiting for the inevitable

If the only French drivers you know are Parisians, consider yourself lucky.

Does it count if I direct a lot of "French" at the local drivers?

(especially those who ironically drive a Suzuki Swift....)

The problem here is that the list is (unconstitutionally) vague and, well, dumb.

I think I can help with a couple...

For example: no "satin cap or bonnet ... for any reason". Does that include sating Yarmulkes? It not, how do you know? If so, that's an impermissible infringement by the government on one's free exercise of religion...

While in some respects visually similar to some caps, a Yarmulke is NOT a cap, so not an issue. Other types - well look to the local culture and you'll see what it is.

No attire "that could possibly be pajamas"? That would include a lot of fairly innocuous t-shirt and loose trousers outfits....

Pyjamas are generally pretty obvious as to what they are. T-shirt and trousers aren't pyjamas. If they were, they'd be called "Pyjamas" instead of "t-shirt and trousers"

"Jeans torn from your buttocks (behind) to all the way down showing lots of skin"? That implies that jeans torn... that don't show lots of skin are OK, right?

A couple of my gardening jeans have the knee gone in them. They don't show lots of skin (although with my knees, I doubt anyone will want to see enough of them to carry out any measurements). Others have jeans with lots of rips in them, some in rather inappropriate places for the overly-prude (ie 90% of yanks if their lawmakers and tv 'standards' are anything to go by!)). Some wear jeans that cover less than the average micro-filament wire.

"Leggings that are showing your bottom and are not covered ... from the front or the back"? If the front is covered but not the back, is that OK? And define leggings? Would capri-length trouserings count?

"Bottoms" generally aren't visible from the front. Unless you're talking about "front bums", which are generally called "breasts" or "tits" not "bottoms". Some people have been known to wear panties and leggings, nothing "more appropriate" for being out and about. Not bad if she's hot (or he - if that's your thing), pretty NOT good if she's an average Texan with a BMI > 60 or male (unless that's your thing).

"Men wearing undershirts will not be permitted" is just dumb: it's seems likely there's an implied "without an overshirt" implied, but who knows?

Yeah, I guess they messed up there. Still, depending on the type of undershirt worn, it might be a good idea to keep such men well away from kids.

And it closes with "any attire that is totally unacceptable for the school setting", which leaves me wondering what the previous laundry list of forbidden outfits was all about...

Pretty obvious. Gang colours (if that's a problem in Texas, clothes with offensive pictures or messages, burka's with everything but the crotch covered, trench-coats with deep candy-filled pockets.......

And so on. And while the intent seems very well intentioned, the overall message is that this principal, Carlotta Brown, is incapable of writing concisely, is sloppy in her language,

Looks pretty clear for a starting point, able to be refined later as things go.

and is vague about the law as it applies to constitutional limits on school power,

IANAL, but I don't really see anything wrong with it (so long as you know the difference between a "bonnet" and a "yarmulke" :) ). Their land, their rules. Your "freedom of expression" ends at my boundary, especially where my family is involved.

which all in all is a sad indictment on the education system in Texas: how _DID_ she get that job?

By showing she cares about the wellbeing of the sproglydytes even if the sperm/egg donors don't? By showing she has a decent grasp of basic En'grish?

Re: Spidey sense

They did much the same for me. I was asked by friends moved from overseas to look through some and I did spend some time looking into them. Nord did beat out the others even though their advertising campaign raised flags with me.

I gave my results to these people and they settled on Nord. I also use the app on a couple of my machines for now for monitoring/testing, and I am seeing a concern with this machine in that while I run Devuan, the Nord app is now insisting on SystemD as a dependency.

Nord people take note : I do not consider that multitentacled blob to be safe, and that is a black mark for the future. While Nord requires systemd it is put into the category of "cannot be trusted".

Re: False Equivalence in Spying

Which of these is intent on slurping all foreign tech, producing it domestically, and then selling it world-wide?

Oh easy! That'd be the US!

Which is intent on crushing its neighbors and expanding its borders to the ends of the earth?

Easy again, also the US (although they are going it from multiple points around the rest of the world and are leaving their neighbours as a 'buffer zone' for now).

Maybe it's not a great idea to put an unfriendly expansionist imperial power in a position to remotely control critical national infrastructure.

Right, got it. So don't trust the US or buy hardware from them then.

(I still got a ways to go to reach 1500 downvotes, in case any one wants to help me out???? :) )

Re: "China is not using 5G to spy on people."

"China is not using 5G to spy on people."

It's awfully tough to prove a negative. Some would say impossible.

Thus I'd say point 1 is at best arguable.

Pretty sure 5G isn't exactly widely rolled out right now. So quite certain that China is not using 5G to spy on people.

In a few years time, when it is rolled out, I can say I am pretty sure that China IS using it to spy on people where and when they can, just like every other government and city council and everything inbetween.

What about the articles/videos doing the rounds online that claim 5G will produce seriously dangerous levels of radiation? Is there any truth in this? Is it just another lie?

Probably bollocks.. If not, well your bollocks will be the first to go....

Seriously... We have large amounts of radiation in various forms and across a wide range of the EM spectrum. This is just another form of it. The sun probably spews a billion times that amount of radiation out anyway, of that and several other types.

If the people behind it are making sure it's not coming near their homes then you have something to worry about. If they're trying to make their areas get it first, you have nothing to worry about.

Re: All well and good.

3G - there are places in the UK where 2G is unavailable - and in parts of some towns even basic mobile phone calls cannot be made. (One example that I have seen is in the town of Portree on the Isle of Skye where there are areas with no signal.)

We have the same here in NZ. Several providers got rid of their 2g networks before the 3g infrastructure was finished (I am talking within the last 6 months BTW).

Lots of talk about 4g and 5g and fast fibre, I know people in places where even basic ADSL is patchy.

Re: Chinese law

And let's be honest : do you really think there is a country wherein a company based in that country can say no to the police or government of that country ?

It's possible that there are suitable laws in one or more countries against various levels of 'wire tap'.

What is less likely are people 'patriotic' enough to insist on following those laws rather than being 'patriotic enough' to follow what the police/government claims as being "in the national interest" ('But TERRORISM!!!!!!!!11111!!")

And then they also have to overcome the fear of reprisals. When my family was having issues with the local plod, we would strangely be more likely to be stopped for 'random traffic checks' with people even well outside the area (eg cousins of mine) getting stopped. Our businesses got a massive upswing in uniformed police officers being customers - although the presense of a couple of police cars parked out front did little to get us non-police customers (till they realised I told a few of our customers that the police were using us for a lot of their work now thus improving our image of trustworthyness :) ).

Oh, and they'd often come in when we were busy and fairly loudly talk about how they're there looking for stolen stuff. Even an uncle who owns a tyre and mag shop had a large number of visits (larger than normal) from officers demanding to check the 2nd hand stock for stolen items. That he did not carry any 2nd hand stock was immaterial of course.

Even if you refuse on solid legal grounds, TPTB can make it not worth your while. So even if there are legal grounds for a business to refuse to follow an illegal wiretap order, how many will follow it on patriotic grounds and how many more will follow it out of either fear of reprisals or simply a desire to live a peaceful life with as little police interference as possible?