Posts by Nolveys 811 publicly visible posts • joined 6 Nov 2012
@AC
(over a barrel) is a nautical term, which derives from the practice of hanging a drowned, usually unconscious person over a barrel to clear their lungs of water. The fate of the "patient" was determined solely by the actions of those administering the treatment. In other words, he was at their mercy.
Thanks, that was informative. As most of the people here are taxpayers you should also explain the term "in the barrel".
Canucks...aim to do more with less.
I remember that by the time the CH-124 helicopters were replaced they all had extra gauges installed to measure the change in mass due to parts falling off. The pilots had to really be on the ball and use both the fuel gauge and the parts meter to try and ballpark how many parts had been lost. This would often become more difficult as the flight went on as the fuel gauge would often fall off.
It was generally not recommended to fly with less than 80% of the parts still attached. For longer missions crews were provided with large baskets full of binder twine, duct tape and chewing gum.
@kernel
"“This is a complex challenge that necessitates multidimensional solutions across a series of steps to get back to a full operating capability."
Or, as we would say in English, "We have no effing idea!"
I took that to read "I'm so used to drowning in bullshit that I don't even notice anymore".
I sure hope there's a good barrier between the infotainment systems and the stuff that makes the things go.
@Doctor Syntax
The way pay has always been in science, and the way it seems to be going in IT, both seems to be mugs' games these days.
Nail on the head there. The only people who seem to be making good money these days are those who can somehow skim off the top or downright steal or extort (or work for the government). Anyone who does actual work for a living is screwed.
If I had a kid and they said they were going into computing as a career I think I'd have the same reaction as Thomas Jane at the end of The Mist.
Any terrorist with even a modicum of competence could figure out how to communicate in a cryptographically secure way. A one-time pad, a pencil, a piece of paper and a grade-four education would be enough. Adding voyeur software to phones and breaking secure software isn't going to help catch terrorists.
The Five Eyes Neo-Stasi are pushing for this anti-encryption nonsense so they can spy on law abiding citizens, not to catch terrorists. Theresa Hymenolepis May is proof of this, if she actually gave a shit about terrorism then she wouldn't have made cuts to the one group that can actually do something against terrorism, the police.
I'm beginning to wonder if any politicians actually want to stop or even reduce terrorism. Terrorism has proven itself time and time again to provide our wonderful rulers with carte blanch to do pretty much anything they want. A few dozen people getting blown to pieces in exchange for a golden ticket is pretty cheap, yes? Especially since it isn't directly attributable to the politicians, it's not like starting a farce of a war or burning billions on blatantly idiotic projects.
The notion that any of these policies have anything to do with the public good is laughable.
In my school we had no stall doors and there was no soap. Needless to say it had to be a pretty severe emergency to get me to use one. Especially since there was always some kid ready to smack me into the wall or throw water on me.
Ah, grade school/high school. Nothing says "welcome to our fucking society" like spending almost one's entire childhood in a place designed to resemble a prison.
I don't know why this hasn't caught on yet (dailymail.co.uk) It's clearly a more rational and cost-effective solution to the self-driving car problem.
"Neither commissioner with responsibility for the intelligence agencies, nor their inspectors, has ever conducted a formal inspection or audit of industry in this regard."
"Well, what would you say… you do here?"
"Bob, I already told you! I deal with the politicians so the stasi don't have to!! I have people skills!! I am good at dealing with people!!! Can't you understand that?!? WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!!!!!!!"
In the private sector, yeah, sure, pay yourselves as much as you like.
...as net income goes infra-red, employees are treated like fish to be made into sushi and fleets of buses are purchased because throwing your customers under one bus just isn't enough.
@Esme
And it surprises me how many folk still seem unaware of the Bigelow Aerospace habitats
The one that's currently stuck to the ISS will be done testing in April of 2018 and it seems to be doing very well. I really look forward to seeing where the technology will be going after that.
drugs usable for voluntary euthenasia could be provided
IMO we could use that on this planet too. The idea that life ends when the heart stops as opposed to sometime between being able to go for a walk and spending ten years hooked up to a respirator, screaming from dementia seems a bit off to me.
@Tom 7
Bull managed to get a 50kg shell to 40km
Wikipedia says it was 180 kg to 180km. Then, because the US was angry with Canada for not supporting their invasion of Vietnam his funding was cut. The was assassinated for making weapons for Iraq.
Pity, if it weren't for political BS we might be able to send stuff into space relatively cheaply today. Oh well, I guess it's more important to have the money for endless war.
Greetings, humble subjects. I've heard that some of you took issue with my helicopter the last time you were graced with my presence. Do you like the one I have now? It's five stories tall with it's own landing bay and banquet hall. I wonder if any of you know how many of your annual salaries it takes to keep it in the air for an hour. Well, that number has just gone up.
I was going to share a special surprise with you today. Since our policy has changed to support more reasonable restrictions on travel spending we, your rulers, had decided to help you out. There was this marvellous Canadian invention that they came up with in the 1930s called "Bennett Buggies". We had purchased a fleet of these highly cost effective and stylish vehicles for you. However, since so many of you seem to have problems with our travel restrictions we have decided to update our policy. There will be no travel without approval and we have instructed your local magistrates to never approve travel. Since we won't be needing the Bennett buggies any longer all of the horses have been shot.
Thank you for your unquestioning loyalty and support. Do please try to be less filthy and unwashed the next time I grace you with my presence. One last thing, that one there, yes, the worried looking one, have her shot. Cheerio!
(Ginni boards her massive helicopter which then takes off, making a sweeping turn that causes the massive blades to puree half of the audience)
...getting deliveries from someone driving an '86 Chevette that sounds like an unbalanced washing machine and leaving in its wake a great black plume. Though I imagine the filthy, unwashed child in the arm that the driver isn't using to carry the package will be a bit depressing.
...but why did the helicopter take off and perform an almost 270' degree left turn when he could have just turned 90 degrees right and still headed off in the same direction?
They had a tank of urine on board to dump on the crowd of employees, the sweeping turn dispersed it better.
Come on MS, admit it, this platform is as dead as the proverbial Dodo. Put the few people still running it out of their misery.
I don't think MS's relationship with Samsung is all that great at the moment, they'll probably have a hard time getting their hands on the proper batteries to finish the job.
There's actually a video available about being a contractor at IBM, you can find it here.
COM automation – which is a Windows-specific technology for calling native code
The world would be a better place if referring to a program, api, library, protocol or whatever piece of software as "a technology" would cause a pissed off badger to materialize in the underwear of whoever made the statement.
IBM's so ahead of the game that those responsible for the fault in security were proactively sacked many months ago. Also, those responsible for sacking the people who were sacked have been sacked. Those that IBM hired to replace the other people who have been sacked wish it to be known that they have just been sacked. The QA has been completed in an entirely different style at great expense and at the last minute in India.
Eh, we kinda wanted to do both stories and decided to save time and roll them together. No harm, no foul, right?
That should probably read "Yeah eh, we kinda wanted to do both stories and decided to save time and roll them together, eh. No harm, no foul, eh? W'doncha take a seat 'n the chesterfield ni'll getcha beer."
Most companies use Microsoft for a wide array of things.
What does that have to do with trust? I have several clients who extensively use MS products who absolutely loathe the company.
I don't trust my ISP, I don't trust the government, I don't trust my bank. That doesn't mean that I don't use their services.
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