* Posts by codejunky

7085 publicly visible posts • joined 24 Oct 2011

Locked out of Horizon Europe, UK commits half a billion to post-Brexit research

codejunky Silver badge

Re: If this was anything other than post-Brexit

@Lars

"Why do you claim AstraZeneca won"

Because they did. And the number of doses they were to deliver was below the amount they were on track to deliver anyway. The EU not having a leg to stand on.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: The brexit gift

@AC

"Countries joining the EU have to agree to adopt the Euro. But they don't have to do this and can't be made to use the Euro."

And so in one line you take the match and burn your entire comment. Whoops.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: The brexit gift

@Dan 55

"Try reading this:"

Thats a lot of text to say AZ was right. The EU screwed up the contract and in the end the court told AZ they must deliver a quantity which AZ was already going to exceed.

"And then, sadly, the wheels fell off the AZ cart when the blood clotting problem for certain age ranges was discovered by the EMA"

Yup which is what happens when in a crisis we dont have time to test to a high standard. How many died from not getting vaccinated due to propaganda by certain European leaders while they still tried to steal more vaccine from the UK we dont know.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: "the UK remains open to association" @heyrick

@heyrick

"Which would have gone down spectacularly well with the rest of the world...

So, no, I don't think being somewhere between a pariah and a rogue state that reneges on its international obligations is at all the right direction to be moving in."

Noting that you are talking about the putting of a hard border in Ireland, that would be the EU breaking such an obligation but actually ROI breaking it under EU direction. The UK expressed no interest in a hard border only to keep deliveries to NI free flowing. Now compare that to what we have where NI is effectively annexed once the remainers interfered with the negotiations.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: "the UK remains open to association"

@Nick Ryan

"I'm still waiting on an actual benefit of brexit to normal people. Apparently there are loads... come on, list five."

I like this. You are waiting for an actual benefit (1) go on name 5. Oh how the goalposts have shifted. Maybe some of you guys are coming around to reality. Maybe

codejunky Silver badge

Re: "the UK remains open to association"

@Adair

"Politics at it's most poorly and shabbily conducted, but as the old saying goes: 'marry in haste, repent at leisure'."

That would be politics. One of the reasons I dont think government is particularly good at running important things in general and why another level of incompetent government (EU) on top of what we can argue is incompetent government here is a bad thing.

"The point being that given what was/is at stake, whether you're for, against, or indifferent, there was no mandate of any substance to inflict such a fundamental and unplanned change on the whole nation."

And yet since the time of labour we were promised some say over our membership of a supranational political group yet we never had a vote to surrender the country to the EU. And on the first vote we got we said leave.

codejunky Silver badge
Devil

Re: If this was anything other than post-Brexit

@Richard 12

"If any other country signed an agreement then immediately refused to abide by it, what would you say about that?"

AstraZeneca won the court case!

codejunky Silver badge

Re: The brexit gift

@Charlie Clark

"There are lessons to be learned on allsides."

Stick with the science would be the big one I expect. But for the purposes of the comment I responded to the EU fiasco would have been in addition to the UK failures.

codejunky Silver badge
Devil

Re: "the UK remains open to association"

@Charlie Clark

"consider those who didn't think it was worth voting"

So the EU utopia of hope and light wasnt worth getting off their arse and voting. Must be so humbling the remain in the EU argument couldnt even muster the motivation to get people to even vote. Wow what a laughing stock.

codejunky Silver badge
Devil

Re: "the UK remains open to association"

@Adair

"Pays us to always remember that that 'majority' was very small, practically within a margin of error"

It must be especially humbling to know remaining in the EU couldnt even gain that much support

codejunky Silver badge

Re: The brexit gift

@Fonant

"No, the EU haven't robbed us of anything. It's the Tory Brexit that has removed those benefits from us."

Ah ok. Again I dont see great loss but ok.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: The brexit gift

@werdsmith

"Like I said, you are extremely funny in your indignant response and desperate denial."

You aint worth the typing so I copy and paste one of my previous comments concerning this-

"It was politically untenable for the UK gov to throw in with the EU procurement when we finally left the EU. It would be UK supremacist to believe the UK is better run than every member country in the EU and every one of them joined the joint procurement under pressure from the EU. Some countries such as Germany actually had a plan and binned it to join the EU joint procurement. So why do you believe the UK gov is so superior as to remain but reject the joint program? Do you truly believe the UK government is superior to all the other member governments?

But thats not the end! The EU screwed up so badly they were desperate. They stole vaccine destined for export and made direct threats against the UK to steal vaccine destined for here! Without the weight of EU law and our EU membership to abuse they tried to steal from the UK! So why do you believe they wouldnt have done so as members and of course would use the union as the excuse to redistribute?"

https://forums.theregister.com/forum/all/2022/04/08/after_minimum_viable_product_rollout/#c_4443058

codejunky Silver badge

Re: The brexit gift

@Fonant

Nice list but since these are not things stolen from the UK we have not been robbed by the EU (from that list). Thankfully I dont see much of a loss from that list.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: The brexit gift

@werdsmith

"Any EU nation was free to do its own thing with vaccinations"

I am sure you have run away from this conversation before when you had nothing to add. At least you aint claiming the EU's dignity wasnt hurt by its screw up.

"Just like the Euro currency is not compulsory"

Unless you sign up to join the EU.

"People who attempt to defend Brexit using the covid vaccinations are showing their absolute barrel-scraping desperation."

Pointing out the truth is barrel scraping. Hmm, I guess your comment is on par with your usual 'contributions'.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: The brexit gift

@b0llchit

"Your dignity..."

Nope still got that. Especially during the Turkish sofa incident where the president got confused about what gender equality is. Or the embarrassing fiasco with vaccinations. Glad not to be associated with that even with our government infighting to preserve the status quo

codejunky Silver badge

Re: The brexit gift

@Will Godfrey

"... the one that continues to rob the country, and marginalise us."

Rob us of what? What did they take/steal from us (in this article)?

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Has the Register given up on editors?

@Andy 73

"goes on to quote a completely out of context figure."

You got there before me. I had to read the article twice to confirm one number had a time frame and the other didnt.

Biden administration earmarks $13b to modernize electric grid

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Damn

@David Hicklin

"That's the fault of the market not the cost of producing the stuff"

Which was to prop up the expensive renewable crap. Pre-war the prices were rising and 25% of our energy bills were to prop up green monuments.

codejunky Silver badge

Damn

"US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. "We are moving swiftly to deliver cleaner, cheaper energy to every American community by building a modern and reliable electric grid.""

I hate that when I hear something that sounds as reasonable as that I think 'forget the oxy, just a moron', because I instantly assume they are going to be demanding monuments to a sky god in hope its beaming smile and flatulence will provide the power needed. Obviously there is nuke and hydro etc but unfortunately my go to assumption for such proclamations is a lack of energy and higher prices.

Twitter set for more layoffs as Musk mulls next move

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Requirements

@juice

"Anecdotally, pretty much everyone I know with any form of left-wing leanings has left Twitter. So I suspect that the platform as a whole has taken a lurch to the right"

It kind of depends what could be considered centre. Jumping right from Mao and Stalin could still leave you in socialist/communist territory.

EU reaches agreement on satellite comms project: Opens Iris

codejunky Silver badge

Re: How's ours getting on?

@Will Godfrey

"Weren't we supposed to have our very own all British setup in place (or at least in development) by now?"

Are you saying the EU is following the UK's lead?

Israel sets robotic target-tracking turrets in the West Bank

codejunky Silver badge

Understandable

Reduce the risk of attacks using non-lethal defences.

Amazon founder Bezos to donate 'majority' of $126bn fortune

codejunky Silver badge

Re: @Potemkine!

@John Brown (no body)

"Amazon are also on record as stating they want to automate more to "solve" the upcoming labour shortage."

That sounds even better. Again a self solving problem.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: @Potemkine!

@John Brown (no body)

"They shouldn't need to unionise to get that, but that seems to be the only way forward."

Why? Its a self solving problem. If people wont stay because its not a good job they will leave. Amazon must then either change or go under. No union needed to change that.

codejunky Silver badge

@Potemkine!

"As they have so many billions to give away, it's a proof they are not taxed enough, and low taxation is not an incentive but a steal from the collectivity."

That is an insane comment. That they have succeeded and as a result earned more money than most of us can imagine is somehow a sign they need to be robbed at the point of a gun? And in what insane world would we want them to be taxed more when we have seen how wonderful our governments (around the world) are at handling money? Who could seriously believe the government is better at handling money excusing the naivety of youth?

codejunky Silver badge

Re: "he could start by winning around critics"

@fxkeh

"Nonsense! It's much easier to impress people who hold a neutral position on you than your critics."

Especially considering the critics probably have green eyes and an authoritarian complex

Republican senators tell FTC to back off data security, surveillance rules

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Simple approach?

@I could be a dog really

"I can't see why people have downvoted you for that !"

I have a fan club. The text doesnt matter they just like to downvote. Occasionally a pet troll responds with irrelevant nonsense.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Simple approach?

@I could be a dog really

"That's not because of GDPR, that's the age old problem of people who can't be arsed to understand even the basics - a variation from a few years ago when all sorts of things were being banned "because 'elf-n-safety'."

Thats a pretty good comparison to make with the crusade of health and safety clipboard nazis because the fear of being on the wrong side of the crusaders was huge. Anything even employee stupidity could potentially be used to attack the company and cost in legal fees if not penalty. As a result there was such a fear that draconian muppets were employed to make our lives miserable (I suffered one for a while).

All the effort to make life uncomfortable for the big guys makes life difficult for the smaller ones.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Simple approach?

@AnotherName

"Maybe businesses should look at the toughest of all the states' rules and just stick to that set."

Why? The whole point of states is to allow for difference. Hobbling yourself by assuming the most strict rules will leave you behind the competitor who doesnt tie themselves up that way.

"That way there's no need to apply different rules in each state and their customers get the best level of protection wherever they live."

Except is the protection good or bad? Over strict rules have caused problems where they dont need to be. Even a guy asking if the injured stray dog he saved was ok was met with 'cant tell you because GDPR'. Next time he probably wont bother as he suspects they probably put it down. Various problems for legal guardians of the elderly even when those guardians can prove they have the authority (power of attorney). The more resistance met the more likely people will seek a competitor.

"But then again, maybe they aren't really interested in consumers' privacy and data protection..."

Maybe the focus is on serving the customer not tickbox hell. I am not against data protection but there is a balance.

Country that still uses fax machines wants to lead the world on data standards at G7

codejunky Silver badge

Re: @ParlezVousFranglais

@Roland6

"I see you didn't keep up with the news..."

Oh wow! You are right I didnt see the article 3 days ago. I bet this is an exciting time for remainers after so much disappointment to finally have something to crow about and get the thrill of something they can point to.

"But then you didn't specify the criteria for your No.1 rating.. :)"

Good you know the difference.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: @ParlezVousFranglais

@Roland6

"Was Is No.1 in Europe..."

FIFY.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: @ParlezVousFranglais

@AC

"But we do have versions in the UK?"

No. We have the second largest financial market in the world and the No.1 in Europe that the EU envies.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: @ParlezVousFranglais

@myithingwontcharge

"Define "success". Those are three of the most repugnant and culturally toxic companies on the the planet."

They are successful. Succeeded and continue to do so. You can disagree with them but thats your opinion vs the many who keep these businesses succeeding.

"The fact that the EU has nothing like them proves the EU system works."

Really? The EU looked in envy at these successful companies and couldnt understand why they couldnt make such success. Maybe more regulation was the answer! And so no luck. If failing in that manner is proof the EU 'works' then it explains a lot.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: EuroCloud

@fg_swe

Looks like you are trying to make a point?

codejunky Silver badge

@ParlezVousFranglais

"So the chances of bringing the whole of the US up to GDPR standards are non-existent and the EU won't agree without it."

The problem with saying 'bringing up to' such and such standards suggests that those standards are good. It might be the case or it might not be. For example we dont see an EU version of Google, Amazon, Facebook or any other such global successes the US has that the EU envies.

codejunky Silver badge

@Hans Neeson-Bumpsadese

"(which I take as meaning "GDPR may or may not affect us but we can't be bothered to do any research so we're taking the path of least resistance and just blocking you. Have a nice day")"

Cant blame them really. If a place wants to be difficult you have to weigh up the value of putting in the effort

Commercial repair shops caught snooping on customer data by canny Canadian research crew

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Hmm

@ecofeco

"Try harder."

Your source is wikipedia? I think you might need to apply your own comment. Try harder.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Hmm

@Zippy´s Sausage Factory

"I'm not an American but if the information wasn't legally obtained, doesn't the 4th amendment come into play? "

Me either I just know GDPR doesnt apply. I find it interesting how excited people are to hit the downvote button. I suspect I upset Biden lovers.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Hmm

@vishal vashisht

"It's ILLEGAL to look. Under GDPR especially. regardless of who it is and what is/was found, those techs should be fired AND FINED."

After giving the hard drive contents to the FBI (in the US so no GDPR) the IT repair guy was worried he would be 'disappeared' as NOTHING was done about it. So went to a lawyer to make it public. This article being about North America.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Hmm

So far 12 unhappy biden lovers? Not a word to say about it. Had it been one of the Trump kids there would be a lot of comments I am sure

codejunky Silver badge

Hmm

This is a tough one. Snooping isnt good but then Hunter Biden and various others wouldnt have been caught 'behaving badly' without looking.

Worried about your datacenter carbon footprint? Why not put it in orbit?

codejunky Silver badge

Remember

This is a government study to figure out using green madness. The launch Co2 will probably be discounted by some clever guestimate of Co2 savings before it gets up there. Or just be ignored in the name of green. When it comes to green madness everything is flexible including the price

Starlink purchases 'Twitter takeover' ad package, Musk dismisses it as 'tiny'

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Tiny by Musk's standards

@that one in the corner

"but large when measured by any normal person."

I did wonder that. When dealing with numbers of certain magnitude what is large to one can be small to another

Musk tells of risk of Twitter bankruptcy as tweeters trash brands

codejunky Silver badge

This should make people happy

How long have people wanted twitter to vanish down the hole of oblivion? Numbers I expect increasing when they tried to 'fact check' a certain way.

Sizewell C nuclear plant up for review as UK faces financial black hole

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Daft

@rg287

"No they don't. They stick it in an offshore savings account."

If thats true then they lose money. Not only that but the money isnt sitting in an account but being lent out by the bank and being used in the economy (of the country it is in).

"If they're already "rich" then they will be able to bankroll a small start-up regardless of whether the top rate of tax is 40% or 45%"

Really? What is rich? Assuming you are in the UK then thats one of the richest countries in the world, assuming you earn a middling wage you are the rich-

https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/07/21/are-you-in-the-global-middle-class-find-out-with-our-income-calculator/

"If you were referring to "picking winner" NESTA-type investments then I'd agree. But the government should be building the future in terms of infrastructure and services so that people have the security to risk quitting their job and going-alone. Good public transport. Energy security. Health. Education. Housing."

Except government does 'pick winners' and doesnt do a great job at the energy, education, health, housing. Tax's are shooting up and civil servants are looking to strike.

"All investments that successive governments (and "the market) have either done a so-so job on, or failed entirely to deliver. We don't need to pick a winner. We need to build it ourselves."

Unfortunately government will always want more, money and power.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Its ok

@ArrZarr

"Sure, the sanctions on Russia have caused hella problems"

But the problem is pre the war. The war exposed part of the fatal flaw but the problem is and was that we were pulling together to replace energy generation with monuments. The problem is that a utopia dream resulted in countries turning off power generation, not replacing it and their utopia dream requires the use of even more electricity and gas.

Reality as I point out is that to have energy we must produce energy. The fantasy of having energy but not producing it is how the people in charge have been pulling together. That is literally why we have an energy crisis, public services looking at closing things to save energy and our costs across the board going up so much. And its not just the UK, and its a direct result of collaboration by those in charge to pull together for our *brighter future*.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Daft

@bpfh

"No but the decisions the UK made does have direct effects: I’m now considered an immigrant rather than just another European working here, I need to prove why I want to stay with my family rather than it being “just normal”."

Thats an issue of the country you reside. Maybe you could look at it as their hostility to foreigners even after you lived there so long or whatever. Thats nothing to do with the UK, the UK shouldnt be tied to the EU just because of how the country you chose to move to decides they should treat you.

"Different work laws, different family laws, different residency laws, none of these applied until 2 years ago"

And yet you say you were there since 1991. Yet thats how that country chooses to treat you. Thats not the UK doing that. As you say you left the UK to live there.

"I won’t say I’m a substandard citizen now, but there has been a lot of negative effects, and I have lost rights that it would have been nice to keep"

It sounds like thats what you're saying. And while they might have been 'nice for you' that does not give much of a reason why the UK should be forced to remain or why you who left in 1991 should be deciding if the UK should be run by the EU.

"which is why I said that I could not have my say in a decision that did - and still does - directly affect me, and will continue to do so until I bite the bullet and request nationality."

And here is the answer. You left the UK for a country you preferred back in 1991 and are still there 30 years later! Yet you havnt requested nationality? Why? And why not now? Why do you consider that 'biting the bullet'? What is wrong with that?

EU set to sign internet satellite deal, as UK frees up spectrum

codejunky Silver badge

Re: If only...

@Will Godfrey

"we were a major player in some sort of union of countries, we could be part of, and reap the benefits cost of all this."

FIFY

Europe wants Airbnb and pals to cough up rental property logs

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Thankfully we are out

@Dan 55

"Airbnb does indeed provide what they want, until it doesn't."

So its a self solving problem that people wont use airbnb then so what are you complaining about? But of course they do so you are wrong and we are back to people choosing airbnb because it provides what they want.

"I know you're going to claim relying on stories getting around is much better than proper regulation though, because that's your thing."

Not sure if that sentence was meant to make sense? Maybe a word is muddled? But I am pointing out that airbnb is in business because people choose to use airbnb because it provides what they want. Your hyperbole comment not having any impact on that.

codejunky Silver badge

Re: Thankfully we are out

@Dan 55

"In a recent survey, 9/10 guests did not want to stay somewhere which burned to the ground while they slept. The remaining 1/10 were a pyromanics and believed onerous government regulation deprived landlords of an income from a key niche market."

Understandable. But since that has no relevance to what you responded to it is a worthless comment. If people were so afraid their airBnB was gonna burn down they wouldnt book them. That they book airBnB means it provides what they want. Come back better