Posts by I ain't Spartacus

"Counterpoint the surrealism of the underlying metaphor", death's too good for them...

Re: planet is surrounded by spy satellites

Bahboh,

OK. Quickly searched for your example of Meteosat.

It's a weather satellite, not a spy sat, so wasn't designed for looking for small things on the surface, so much as weather patterns.

According to the info here:

The Meteosat-8 satellite belongs to the second generation of Meteosats and is much more capable than the first generation Meteosat-7 — delivering imagery from 12 instead of 3 spectral channels, with higher spatial resolution and with an increased frequency, every 15 instead of every 30 minutes. Of the 12 spectral channels, 11 provide measurements with a resolution of 3 km at the subsatellite point. The twelfth, so-called HRV (High Resolution Visible) channel of SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager), provides measurements with a resolution of 1 km

So the High Resolution camera has a resolution of 1km, and records an image every 15 minutes. You might be able to see the flying saucer from Independence Day, but you've got bugger-all chance of seeing any planes.

Re: planet is surrounded by spy satellites

The planet is surrounded by spy satellites, pointing their cameras at interesting places. Not the very, very empty Southern Indian Ocean. Which is empty.

Did I mention there's bugger-all there?

Yeah, but we want to find them. Not to cause them to hide and refuse to answer our signals.

Or worse, declare war on us.

Re: The stuff of life found everywhere

Except, strangely, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave....

Nope. It's life Jim, but not as we know it.

Thinks... Does pond slime come in orange as well as green...

That children thing's not a problem. You could gamify the whole situation.

You have to achieve certain objectives in your fumblings with the sex-bot Shaggadelic 2000^TM. When you manage to engage the sensors in just the right way, then you get a LovelyBaby3000 through the post. Perhaps delivered by a driver dressed as a stork... You get a new bigger sized one each year, making clothes purchases far more predictable.

Then pay a vast sum of money to send it off to AI University.

Re: Catalonia Government is spreading false information

democracy. Democracy means respecting the others, and using laws to change the laws.

jordipalet,

Democracy is about losers as well as winners. And minorities as much as majorities.

So democracy only works if the loser accepts that they've lost, and that this was fair. In the long term it also only works if the majority respect minorities. If they don't, then the minority who can never win (because they're a minority) may decide that the system is stacked against them - and so they stop believing in it. This may result in mass non-voting, civil disobedience, people refusing to pay taxes, even violence, terrorism etc.

What it is very unlikely to lead to, is those people believing in the system, or that it has their best interests at heart.

So if the Spanish government refuses to deal with Catalan national feeling by legal/political means and negotiate, what will happen next? So far we've had the regional politicians attempt to solve this by getting people to vote. Pro-independence parties got a majority last election. So you can't claim there isn't a large amount of support for the idea.

If Spain will not allow any legal means to deal with this issue, and people believe passionately in it, then they will call those laws unjust. And they will break them.

This will be the Spanish government's fault.

Therefore the Spanish government must do something else. While a majority of Catalan people are still likely to vote to remain Spanish.

No. I think it's just a clash of competing ideas. If you're spanish and reasonably nationalist, maybe you feel that Catalan secession is an attack on you. I mean Catalonia hasn't been an independent state in a very long time.

A bit like some English people took the idea of Scottish independence somewhat personally - and certain people in the EU have reacted to Brexit. Perhaps some combination of hurt pride, hurt feelings, feeling of an attack on what you thought was a common group.

But if you're Catalan and don't feel Spanish, this makes no sense. If you can persuade enough Catalan people to agree with you, then what business is this of the rest of Spain? You're offski, and any attempt by them to keep you in the union is basically colonialism.

Then I'm sure there's loads of people in the middle. Who'll be the ones who decide in the end. Will the rest of Spain continue to just say no, and ignore the problem? If they do will most Catalans accept it, as they have much internal autonomy and independence isn't worth the hassle? Or will things turn nasty - and the extremists on both side poison the relationship to such an extent that secession becomes inevitable?

Terrorism is illegal. Campaigning for Catalan secession is not.

I agree that the referendum itself is illegal - which gives the Spanish government the right to take action against the Catalan regional government. But it doesn't give them the right to close down websites discussing the referendum.

Re: Catalonia Government is spreading false information

This is politics. The law matters, but is not a shield a government can always hide behind. Particularly if the government has the power to change that law.

If a law is unjust (or even seen by a large number of people as unjust), and you refuse to even negotiate on changing that law - then what are people supposed to do? The Catalans are not a majority in Spain. All they can do is gather the biggest democratic mandate they can (their regional elections) and see what happens.

If the Spanish government is unwilling to even discuss the matter, then what you are saying is that there is literally nothing the Catalans can do. Unjust laws have often been removed because of campaigns of non-violent protest against them. Which often involve breaking them.

The next step then depends on how strongly people care about the issue. If they care deeply, and are unable to remove what they see as an unjust law by non-violent means, what will they do next? Go home and forget all about it? Or will some resort to violent means? And if a government stifles all legal protest, then also the non-violent ilegal type, what should it expect next?

ESmub68,

I didn't want Scotland to leave the UK. But it turns out that about 45% of Scots currently do. Refusing to have a referendum was not going to make that number smaller. So we had one. The discussion all came out in the open.

Because the result was close, that won't be the end of it. After a few years things may settle down, we'll probably have to have another referendum and maybe that will settle matters, as it did in Quebec.

But if Scots don't feel that democracy is working for them, because they're in a country whose institutions they don't think meet their needs - then they should be independent. I think the UK has given them about as much autonomy as our system can cope with. If they still decide they need more, then we're either going to have to totally re-write our constitution (and maybe create an unwanted system of regional government in England) or they will decide to separate.

Which would be sad. But is not rebellion. It is their democratic right.

Catalonia has never been a Spanish colony. Although in lilving memory people have been imprisoned for speaking the language. By the Spanish government who banned that language.

Do you think this is likely to make Catalan people feel:

a) warm and fuzzy feelings for the Spanish government, or

b) distrust and possible dislike?

Hmmmmm? I wonder...

So question, what do you do about it? If Spain refuses to engage with reasonable Catalan requests for discussions on a referendum on independence, then what will happen next? Will the Catalans decide that Spain are right, and their national feeling is just something they've imagined? Or will this unite the majority who don't want independence with the minority who currently do?

If Spain forces Catalans to be part of Spain when a large majority don't want to be, what is the difference then whether you call them a colony or not?

The sensible thing to do is to negotiate now. If Spain acts reasonably now, then everyone may get some of what they want. The secessionists get a referendum which they lose fair-and-square, and Spain gets to stay a whole country.

The alternative is far more uncertain.

ESmub68,

Your english is fine. It's difficult working in another language.

And I understand your point, about the Spanish constitution. BUT, what if your constitution disagrees with international law?

Chapter 1 of the UN Charter calls for the right of self-determination of peoples.

That's a foundational document of international law, which Spain is signed up to. So if a large majority of Catalan people don't want to be Spanish, what then? What gives the rest of Spain the right to tell them?

Not that this is simple. It's fair to set rules for referenda. But is it really acceptable to just say no? If Spain uses force to stop Catalans expressing their freedom, at what point does that make Catalonia just a colony of the rest of Spain?

True, but unhelpful.

If enough people have a reasonable political ambition, just making it illegal doesn't work. The Spanish government can stick their fingers in their ears while the pressure for a referendum grows, and hope that it all blows over as the economy continues to recover - but that's a high risk ploy. Support for secession may just continue to grow, until it's unstoppable.

Or they can act like a mature democracy, and have talks about it, followed by a referendum.

One problem is that this isn't like Scotland. There's no economic debate here, Catalonia pays in a huge amount more than it receives from the Spanish treasury. They're one of the economic power-houses of the country. So they've already got plenty of local autonomy - meaning it may come down to the rest of Spain accepting they've got to take a little less for the central pot, or risk losing it all. Or it may just be that having a referendum lances the boil - and the Catalans want to feel they've been listened to.

Re: FC Barcelona

What about creating a joint Catalan-Scottish league? Solves both problems.

Re: re. Scotland had its referendum. With few problems

So what exactly happened when the subject was floated a few months back, that Scotland should vote for independence again before the UK jumps the EU boat? Some unspecified threats from London.

Nope. No threats, specified or unspecified. The UK government said they wouldn't pass a referendum bill. The SNP complained loudly. But polls showed that there was only something like 30% support for another referendum, even though 45% voted for independence last time. And the polls still show that about the same percentage support independence.

Then there was a general election at which the SNP lost support and the unionist parties won some seats back. Now referendum talk has gone quiet. Unsurpisingly really.

It is not unreasonable for the UK government to say that Scotland has voted to stay in the EU, and has to wait its turn for another go while the whole government is busy with Brexit. It would appear that many Scots agree.

The Spanish government refuses to even have talks about holding a referendum on independence for Catalonia. Something that's politically stupid, morally wrong and in breach of the UN charter.

There's already been a referendum in Northern Ireland on whether they wanted to remain in the Union or not. Back in the 70s. There was also a referendum on the Good Friday agreement.

There was a majority in the Catalan assembly to hold this referendum - so they got to hold it. Not circumstantially in majority either, it was one of the main issues in the last regional election.

The Northern Irish assembly doesn't work the same. If there isn't a coalition formed with parties from both communities in it, there is no Northern Irish government. So without parties from both nationalist and unionist communities involved - this couldn't happen.

However I don't think any UK government would stop a referendum in Northern Ireland. We've just had one in Scotland, there's broad agreement that the Scots will get another go after Brexit if they want it, and few people would object if Northern Ireland wanted to vote.

Admittedly things get stickier if the leaving devolved assembly break the law. But the difference in the UK is that there shouldn't be a need to, as central government is flexible enough to allow the votes. If the Spanish government ignore a greater than 50% win for separatist parties calling for a vote - then they've no right to complain if they get ignored in return.

Self-determination is a human right, enshrined in the UN charter. Part of being a real democracy is accepting that, even if you don't like the result. If the Catalans feel they should be a separate country, then that is their right.

Re: re. Franco would be proud.

Scotland had its referendum. With few problems. It's pretty much agreed that they'll get another one, after the Brexit fun-and-games are all over.

Perhaps, in this case, the Spanish government might learn something from the British...

It's surely much easier to stop the referendum from happening than to deal with it if the result goes against. Obviously if there's only a turnout of 2% it'll be fine - but it looks bad enough stopping it from happening - let alone suppressing a result you've lost.

As I understand it, the Catalan assembly doesn't have the power to call this referendum - and it may even take a change to the constitution for the central government to allow one. But much better to face it early than wait - as support for independence looks to be growing. Pro-independence parties got a majority in the regional elections (for the first time ever I think), as I understand it on the promise of this referendum rather than because a majority want independence.

Re: Internet of Silos

I got a Google Chromecast - to watch a bit of iPlayer and NFL online. Which is fine, other than crap UI sometimes, which I can cope with.

Then I got the Amazon Prime trial. And not only was there not a Chromecast button on their app - but they'd also blocked the Chrome browser plug-in - so I couldn't cast it the hard way either.

With Kindle, they were hardware agnostic. I lost a lot of trust in their brand that day. Now, how do I know they'll keep that up with music and books, given they keep pushing into hardware devices?

You'd think disabled people who cant get out much would have investigated the net years ago.

It's almost as if they were suffering from an impairment to their ability to do stuff - and that this was holding them back somehow...

For example, braille is harder to use than text. It's slower to produce, slower to read, physically harder to do and takes up loads of space. My Mum is qualified as a VI teacher in her 40s - and has taught braille ever since. But she was never able to read it by feel - not a problem as she just looks. But many people who go blind later in life, also can't - and end up having to learn moon. Which uses bigger shapes - and thus takes up even more space. A blind kid I know did Lord of The Rings in English at school. It's a 13 volume book, each volume being 2' square and an inch thick.

Speech and listening area also slower than typing and reading text. And create problems if you try to do them in noisy environments.

Though you can now get a brilliant screenless laptop called a Braillenote (other brands may be available) which has either a 20 or 40 character braille display done with moving pins. But they are quite hard to use.

A few years ago, a company created a satnav. Entirely voice interface. But the layers of menus required to get most sat navs to work how you want, meant that only the brightest blind people with the best memories could operate it. Nested menus are so much easier to navigate when you can see them / and don't have to hold the menu structure in your head. So what you can now get is a sat nav where it tells you where you are. Thus if you get on the right bus / train, you know where to get off. It is either programmed for a specific destination from your home PC, or you can press the save this location button - so you can navigate your way back somewhere.

If you're deaf/blind then of course voice interfaces are bugger-all good to you.

If you suffer from certain physical disabilities, then you're only going to get on the net voice-activated if you've got someone else to physically set up the system for you.

Plus, as a general rule, some people are better at problem-solving than others. And that difference applies to disabled people as much as anyone else. They just have more problems they need to solve, and often less money/help to be able to solve them with.