Posts by bombastic bob

Re: efficient insertion of Mentos is key

if I could do an instantaneous release I could build a soda bottle rocket with the mentos-diet-coke reaction.

The idea would be to cap the bottle with the mentos [and release mechanism] inside, using a 'rocket engine' cap [of my own design], and use some kind of pull-string arrangement (through the nozzle). Then you pull the string to launch it. I've already got a nice nozzle design, complete with fin/legs to spin it, as OpenSCAD files that can be 3D printed, if anyone wants to look on github for them. Maybe it could help El Reg launch another space plane?

Re: The Diet Coke bottles were kept at 27 degrees Celsius (80.6 degrees Fahrenheit)

the curve for dissolved gas in water isn't linear. The maximum point is around 2 deg C, with a minimum of around 60C (as I recall), but then it increases again after that, assuming you apply enough pressure to the water to stay liquid, so that very hot water under pressure can hold onto even more dissolved gas than 34 degree water at 1 atmosphere pressure. Or something like that. And according to a few online references, several types of gasses have different curves and minimum points. In general, however, it follows the pattern I described. But none of the online references bothered to extend the curve past the boiling point at sea level atmospheric pressure, because they're not concerned about managing the water chemistry of a pressurized water nuclear reactor...

Re: Windows Server 2000

"Seeing the real problem"

someone already posted a valid suggestion - millisecond rollover, and an algorithm to test for periodic timing that was poorly written. [during rollover you might end up with a "storm" of data collection for a brief period of time, as one example, or NO DATA COLLECTED AT ALL - even worse]

Again, my working with microcontrollers has already gotten me to discipline myself with respect to these kinds of maths so that the controller can run for MONTHS unattended, as you would expect it to, and not have a rollover issue after 49.71 days, or anything reasonbly close to that, depending on whether your millisecond timer is actually happening every 1.024 milliseconds...

Re: Windows Server 2000

maybe they had it working on the ultimate answer (or the ultimate question)

Re: Millisecond roll-over?

I've run into that problem (32-bit millisecond timer rollover issues) with microcontrollers, solved by doing the math correctly

capturing the tick count

if((uint32_t)(Ticker() - last_time) >= some_interval)

and

last_time=Ticker(); // for when it crosses the threshold

[ alternately last_time += some_interval when you want it to be more accurate ]

using a rollover time

if((int32_t)(Ticker() - schedule_time) >= 0)

and

schedule_time += schedule_interval (for when it crosses the threshold)

(this is how Linux kernel does its scheduled events, internally, as I recall, except it compares to jiffies which are 1/100 of a second if I remember correctly)

(examples in C of course, the programming lingo of choice the gods!)

do the math like this, should work as long as you use uint32_t data types for the 'Ticker()' function and for the 'scheduld_time'; or 'last_time' vars.

If you are an IDIOT and don't do unsigned comparisons "similar to what I just demonstrated", you can predict uptime-related problems at about... 49.71 days [assuming milliseconds].

I think i remember a 'millis()' or similarly named function in VxWorks. It's been over a decade since I've worked with it though. VxWorks itself was pretty robust back then, used in a lot of routers and other devices that "stay on all the time". So its track record is pretty good.

So the most likely scenario is what you suggested - a millisecond timer rolling over (with a 32-bit var storing info) and causing bogus data to accumulate after 49.71 days, which doesn't (for some reason) TRULY manifest itself until about 51 days...

Anyway, good catch.

Re: grep is cheap

I like to do things such as poking fun by using the 'F' word *FEEL* in place of a DIFFERENT 'F' word, and it's obvious to everyone what I really mean. So nanny-bots won't pick up on 'FEEL'. I've also seen 'onion' jokingly bot-swapped for the word 'soy' in one particular forum.

The obviousness is that bot-nanny-moderator-artificial-STUPIDITY ain't gonna work.

DARN that CRUD, *FEEL*ing mentally challenged "Twitterers" !!!

^^^ example

(and don't forget the spelling errors b0rking the filters)

Re: Meatball

yeah, the old meatball logo looks more "science fiction"-y than the worm.

Re: So?

I figured it was an opinion anyway, but it WOULD be interesting to see some science.

I'll put some science in here regarding male homosexual sheep, who were born with part of their brains "female sized" - a part responsible for aromatase metabolism with respect to testosterone, as I recall. These sheep had clear developmental differences in their brains, which was directly linked to their behavior (homosexuality). That being said, it's most likely a propensity and not a guarantee, but even so, becomes an actual medical issue of possible "female brain in a male body". And that's what I think the "what's wrong is the body" statement is really referring to.

So ^^^ there is some science. Does it help?

Re: So?

"Trans children from conservative SOME religious families may need help from outside sources"

I'd agree with the fixed version. Overgeneralizations about conservatism aren't helping [just as overgeneralizations about gay and trans people aren't helping].

Being 'different' is something you have to deal with all of your life (learn and master martial arts at a young age, and be confident - I suggest THAT for ANYONE).

Being a genius in a world of 'normals', believe it or not, can be JUST as frustrating... maybe even WORSE! (Flowers for Algernon - Charlie was "different" and socially isolated at both ends of the intelligence spectrum, but at least when he was mentally disabled, he was happy).

Re: So?

Understandable AC, but how much effort must the REST of the world make in order to satisfy the apparent needs of the trans community? How come "live and let live" is NOT the solution? You cannot change others, but you CAN change yourself. By being as unoffensive as possible you will greatly help your cause, because people will see you as an example of a trans person and say "I know someone..." and be less likely to be prejudiced, bigoted, offensive, etc. towards trans-people in general.

[this applies to religions, too - if members of a particular religion, let's say Westboro Baptists, show the world that they're no longer hating specific groups of people (a very un-christian thing I might add, captain obvious says) but instead are doing good things without compromising their religion, people would be more tolerant and even accepting of them]. OK they're probably not ready to do a gay or trans wedding, but still... and as far as I'm concerned, bigotry is a form of avarice which is ALSO a sin. So if they reject people for ONE type of sin, they should reject themselves for the OTHER kind, too.

ok captain obvious isn't helping now, so no need to thank him. heh.

Re: So?

if it's a voluntary service that PARENTS want, I agree with giving it to them. Generally, however, I think it's better to deal with it like this: warn your kid about the internet, trolls, pedos, child exploiters, whatever, and just say "there is a LOT of stuff on the internet you really don't want to see, really disgusting shock sites, bizarre human behavior, sick and disgusting things like pictures of somebody's crap, and the kinds of things you really don't want to fill your mind with. There's not enough brain bleach etc. etc. etc.".

Then you kinda monitor what's going on, but keep the channels open. Seriously, if you treat a kid as being responsible, and give him the knowledge and parental availability for making rational decisions on his own, chances are he WILL make rational decisions on his own at an age where you still have a LOT of influence, and that's likely to last the rest of his life.

Either that, or shelter your kid like a "preacher's kid" might be and watch ALL HELL break loose when he turns 18 and discovers porn, sex, drugs, bizzare human behaviors, and so on (kinda like what OFTEN happens to PKs in college or in the military).

(ironically chosen icon)

Re: Wow!

"Indeed, and all it shows is that Bezos is just another repressive tycoon who cares not for human health or welfare."

to assuage his own guilt, like so many rich liberal types in his kind of position, he'll gladly donate zillions of dollars to various "charitable causes" [but I would suggest that many such 'charities' are _REALLY_ "buying something" after all...]

Re: Unions

unions like Teamsters more or less gave unions a bad name.

A good union will provide the employer with skilled labor at a reasonable price, manage the payroll and benefits and vacations and absences and seasonal temporaries and training and labor relations and OSHA and all of that OTHER "HR Crap" that is SUCH a pain in the butt.

A bad union strikes for ANY reason and asks for too much money from the employer to the point where people get fired or the company goes out of business (right Hostess? San Diego operations closed down and Hostess had to sell their business to 'Little Debbie', who has turned it around, but apparently NOT in California, where wages would have had to be too high).

So yeah the 'need' for a union in general (rampant widespread exploitation and unsafe working conditions) has been generally prevented by other gummint regulations. But the 'good' aspects of a union would make them worth keeping.

/me points out that if I were to build a factory someplace, I'd contact the local unions and look for good prices, or at least get an idea of what the prevailing wages are and weigh it against the value added by a union force vs the possible additional cost.

Re: One Sided Reporting

correct. and those are only the KNOWN infections.

It is quite possible that back in December and January, when travel between U.S. and China was still open and on-going, that a LARGE number of asymptomatic people (and a few symptomatic ones) traveled with Corona Virus from China to the USA and landed in California, exposing California to the virus back in December and January [when I quite likely would have been exposed].

Back in December, the company I've been doing contract work for had a manufacturing related problem with a piece of equipment that's important to a new contract. To improve quality, they sent a few engineers to China [not sure where, I did not go] where they worked on getting the assembly-related issues and some design issues resolved. So far so good, right? After coming back, one guy was feeling kinda sick [I was in the office that day] with symptoms similar to Corona virus. I jokingly said that he'd make all of the rest of us sick, too, even though we were all 'generally careful' to not be exposed. But a week or two later, I had mild symptoms similar to what is describe for Corona Virus [and so did my kid, who still lives with me as an adult]. AFTER that was over, Trump issued the travel ban to China when they disclosed that the virus was spreading in Wuhan and they were trying to mitigate it. No blame, just fact.

And so, did I get Corona Virus? I think I did. And so did anyone I came into contact with, mostly grocery stores and other people at the office. But there were NO KNOWN CASES of this virus being published in the news. And yet, it was probably HERE.

And so, have people in California ALREADY been largely exposed to the Corona Virus? Not from me (or my co-worker) per se, but by the MANY THOUSANDS of people who were flying back/forth to China over that 2-3 month period from November 2019 through January 2020.

Given THAT, what are the NEW projected numbers for fatal corona virus cases? They might be a whole lot LOWER... [and if there's a test for Corona Virus antibodies, and I "pass", I should be able to return to work on-site, right???]

Re: One Sided Reporting

if that were the case I wouldn't read it

Re: Troll

I would've been one of the first to criticize this if it were truly one-sided. It does leave questions in my mind, but this is an ongoing story that I expect to see more info on as time moves forward...

[not sucking up, seriously not, heh]

Now, if we could just get CA's "governor in name only" NUISANCE (and other states) to stop it with shutting down the REST of our jobs, some of which just can't be done off site [or depend on on-site people to make the work possible], we'd be much better off. I wouldn't mind practicing social distancing on site, but I want the OPTION TO BE ON SITE. [now that the supply lines for medical supplies are going into place and extra hospital beds being made available, it's time to GO BACK TO WORK].

That being said, our Amazon employee in question, who MAY have been fired for complaining too hard, should at least have been grateful for being able to SHOW UP for that job... unlike SO many others right now!

And, of course, Amazon shouldn't be firing whistle-blowers. Additional investigation into this is welcome.

Re: Not gonna happen.

"Perhaps when someone discovers the anti-graviton"

I actually figured out (through various maths) how to create gravity waves, essentially by spinning a heavy gas within a super-strong magnetic field at a high rate of rotational speed (approaching relativistic velocities). To be useful, it would probably require a prohibitively large amount of power, an impossibly strong magnetic field, etc.. But it would look an awful lot like the magnetron in your microwave oven. That being said, if the drone were the size of a 'big rig' [and consumed even more fuel] then MAYBE it could be done...

Maybe anti-grav could be "the next thing" after fusion power plants have been successfully operating for >100 years...

Re: "Futurist predict"

"small towns do not have the money to bury all wires and get rid of them in one go"

San Diego has had a budget for "undergrounding" the wires since the 90's. In fact, back when the 'Tank Guy' went on a rampage with a stolen tank, knocking over power poles and running over cars and fire hydrants, I called into a radio station and mentioned that if the power poles had been 'undergrounded' in front of the National Guard Depot he stole the tank from (I lived very close to there at the time) then my power would not have gone out for several hours. Needless to say (I suppose but I'll say it anyway) the wires STILL have not been "undergrounded", because, politics. Problems with my phone line (on a telphone pole, naturally) over the last decade just underscore that fact even more.

The problem: gummint and political correctness. The city (or a lawsuit, or SOMETHING) apparently "requires" that a POOR NEIGHBORHOOD be 'undergrounded' for every alleged RICH NEIGHBORHOOD. This means that utilities can't just coordinate doing large chunks of the city efficiently. Oh, NO, you have to work in WHO lives there and political correctness... and so NOTHING! GETS! DONE!!!

That means wires wires wires and drones beware.

Re: Er ...

yeah I wonder what would happen if a 5lb box of 'stuff' were to fall 200 feet onto a car... sorta like a boss's nephew or unwanted consultant falling out of a 3rd floor window?

(a new definition for "air mail")

Re: Why ever?

I'm sure there are other nitrate-based chemicals that an be imported for that occasional need of ammonia or nitrate-based fertilizer, in larger quantities than human kidneys can produce.

This does beg the question, HOW MANY people and HOW MUCH BEER would be involved in such a construction project on the moon? I know construction workers would appreciate the beer, and no doubt give willingly of the precious pee in order to move the project forward.

Establishing a brewery on the moon, though, might make it all worth while.

Moon Brew! Regolith Ale! Luna-brau! OK I'll stop now...

Re: we have seen that a waste product...could also be used

marking our territory like dogs with fire hydrants...

Re: What goes around comes around

I'd think a portable air-filled tent would do it (to shield against vacuum while concrete cures).

Re: What goes around comes around

I've heard "make it out of glass" - since regolith is basically SiO2 and Al2O3 (and apparently other things like Titanium) it should be possible. i don't know what effect the Al compounds would have on the glass making though. It'd be a worthwhile experiment to try making moon-glass, see if it's worthy as a construction material. If properly heat treated and thick enough, it'd make an interesting dome, wouldn't it? If nothing else, THERE's your bricks for the piss-n-regolith concrete.

Re: ESA have been working on urine recyc for years on the ISS

"smells like an uncleaned nightclub toilet "

I was thinking "gasoline station" but yeah...

Might also help to spike that mixture with some CAO (aka lime) which would let them make regular old concrete. But I guess the idea was to use "lunar-only materials" so unless there's a limestone quarry on the moon, they're stuck with regolith and piss.

I don't anyone doubts the need for proper trials. however, you also have to consider how many physicians are now trying this out on their own, and some (in New York City, specifically) have been indicating that they have promising results of having done so. Anecdotal evidence is NOT a clinical trial , but it IS evidence, and should be considered when making the choice between getting that particular medicine, or dying (so yeah only the sickets patients would be given something that is 'experimental').

For most people, of course, they won't need it.

Keep in mind that clinical trials can take YEARS and as such, won't be very helpful *RIGHT* *NOW*.

Re: Advice

10Mb of:

a) rule 34

b) embarrassing photos of the CEO and/or spouse

c) your favorite online comics

d) cat video

e) rule 34 cat video

etc.

I actually disabled the 'reply all' button in Thunderbird, but I'm pretty sure I can make it happen anyway with a right-click [/me verifies - yep, it's there!]

carbon footprint - what Santa Claus leaves in snow [after being in so many chimneys].

If I were to hit 'reply all' I might attach something from a shock site...

I didn't think anyone here would question the validity of a copyright of a COMPLETED work, such as an entire software library. What is at issue here is the patenting and/or copyright of an API, which is much like the patenting or copyright of a "general idea".

Patents are supposed to be VERY specific and apply to a specific invention. Copyrights are for written works, etc. and "fair use" allows a portion of that work to be used by others without paying royalties.

So the real debate is, can you patent an API? (I believe it is too much "a general case" and not specific enough to a specific invention for a patent to be granted). And can you copyright an API? (if the API were for a specific copyrighted work, such as a software library, and the library itself is copyrighted, then the API, a portion of that library, is subject to "fair use").

Any restrictive deviation beyond what I just mentioned would simply be a FEEDING TROUGH for BOTTOM-FEEDING L[aw[YERS. And you know the L[aw]YERS are the ONLY ones who WIN this kind of CRAP!

"You can't have business without government interference."

Calling reasonable regulation 'interference' implies that all businesses are inherently DISHONEST, and require 'interference' (through regulation) to protect us poor saps from those *EVIL* *CORPORATIONS*.

I don't buy that kind of viewpoint at ALL.

'Regulation' does not equal 'Interference'. 'Regulation' creates order out of what might become chaos, such as requiring all businesses to register in the form of a 'business license' [to verify zoning laws, etc.] or limiting the occupancy of a building for fire safety reasons. That's really not "interference" when it's done properly.

Re: Conservative?

'conservative' is what you'd call the opposite of 'activist'. By 'conserving' it implies sticking to the way things are being done already, or holding onto traditional values, or making changes slowly and with overall approval (rather than doing so rapidly, radically, and "in your face" if you don't like it).

What IAP is calling "conservative" is most likely "right-wing". "Right wing" is as bad as "left wing", just different details. Same ulimate outcome, though: less freedom for all, more power and control by government.

(bullhorn icon because it's kinda like a political stump speech)

"Government interference in business doesn't seem to me to be a particularly conservative position."

Most definitely, it is NOT conservative.

What we have here, perhaps, is a "Conservative in Name Only" organization. I read their main page, and from what it says, they SOUND like a decent bunch of people interested in OUR privacy and not letting "big tech" get away with manipulating elections, etc..

Yet shilling for Oracle's lawsuit against Google over the Java API is *NOT* "conservative"!

If IAP claims to be CONSERVATIVE and PRO-PRIVACY and even PRO-FREEDOM (I did not see that specifically, but 'conservative' would imply that), then they can NOT uphold the concept of an API patent or copyright, without being HYPOCRITES.