Re: Mono-crystalline sapphire doughnut
Transparent aluminum!
Posts by laird cummings
588 publicly visible posts • joined 22 Aug 2007
British boffin builds cool maser after argument with wife
Scientists find safer way to store hydrogen
Friday 17th August 2012 14:49 GMT 
Niche purpose
Never mind the grand schemes to save ourselves from ourselves - I know of at least one immediately practical use for the NaBH4 technology: In nuclear submarines.
Nuclear submarines create their own O2 supply via electrolytic cracking of water. The Hydrogen from that is essentialy a waste product and atmosphere contaminant - and a potential serious safety threat if the "Bomb" should vent or purge in-board (which happens often enough to give A-Gangers grey hairs).
H2 is also a waste product of the acid reactions in the ship's storage batteries - Indeed, there is a specific piece of equipment (which is noisy and a pain to manage) on board for burning unwanted H2 out of the atmosphere in-hull.
Most of the waste H2 is, however, simply vented overboard. The ability to store and accumulate the H2 on-board has a useful application beyond providing an alternative waste-product control: The tored H2 can be injected into the fuel stream of the boat's emergency diesel generator.
So - Atmosphereic contaminant sorted, waste gas storage, handling, and disposal issue sorted, an annoying bit of gear (mostly) idled, and a (minor) increase in fuel efficiency for the diesel generator.
I know - Entirely too practical a line of thinking for an el Reg commentard, but there you have it.
Apple lawyer: 'I promise I am not smoking crack'
Friday 17th August 2012 14:56 GMT
RE: "...pure histrionics..."
Stop watching newsreels.
Having sat juror in major civil trials, it's very much about strategy, tactics, and control of the narritive. The side that can make its story the most compelling persuasive wins. Histrionics are a *very* dangerous tactic which can backfire badly and skilled lawyers use them very sparingly.
'Perry Mason' moments are exceedingly rare in trials where large dollar sums are at stake.
Assange's fate to be revealed at high noon
Thursday 16th August 2012 17:14 GMT 
Whee!
I see some people still have fantasies that the US really gives a rats a$$ about Assange and is willing to waste time and effort on him - because CLEARLY hes' the biggest threat on the US' radar!
Not.
If the US really wanted him as badly as the various fantasists (who problaly wank off on the thought that Assange still matters), he'd have been snatched long ago.
Give it up. Go find a less-impluaible over which to pleasure yourselves.
US appeal dismissed in Dotcom case
Thursday 16th August 2012 16:43 GMT
Re: Good
US Federal law enforcement has been a confluence of arrogance, ignorance, incompetence, and ego ever since the days of J. Edgar. Possibly even before that. It's mostly, I think, due to the fact that they're largely useless on a day-to-day basis, and must find ways to justify their existance.
Kim DotCon is slimy, but the US District Attorney in this case is slimer.
Designer punked fanbois with asymmetric screw
Kim Dotcom pressing on with Megabox music service plans
Reg readers scrap over ultimate bacon sandwich
Friday 10th August 2012 19:14 GMT
No damn sauces.
Ever.
For the Best, go with the basics:
Lightly-toasted bread, swabbed with a small amount of bacon grease. Smoked bacon fried to that perfect junction between crispy and pink. Add slice of tomato, small-ish leaf of lettuce.
Done.
Heritics add a slice of onion, but we know what to do with heritics. And cheese is right out.
Asteroid miners to strap 'scopes to new Virgin Galactic rocket
'Zombie bullets' fly off US shelves after wave of undead attacks
Monday 25th June 2012 20:27 GMT
Re: meh
"...5.56 and the 7.62 Cal rounds are primarily military rounds..."
Nope.
They're also known as .223 and .308, respectively. They're VERY common civilian calibers.
9mm is a poor choice for varmint hunting - and is generally considered only marginal when fighting people, come to think of it. Varmint hunting requires accuracy, which generally calls for a long-gun. And in many cases, varmints are exceedingly wary,* which means you need range, as well - meaning the long-gun is now a requirement. .17 and .22 are fine for small varmints, but to take larger critters, you need something with a bit of 'oomph' to it.
*One wonders why?
Thursday 14th June 2012 16:39 GMT
Re: Disgusting...
"In the USA, the naked body is more offensive than a gun.
How fucking sad."
Dude.
Have you SEEN many of our bodies..?!
As for firearms? Well you said it yourself - they're tools. Tools are not disgusting - they're just tools. Learn how to *handle* your tools, and you never need be ashamed of 'em.*
.
*If you accidentally conflate this semi-intentional double entendre with the thought of naked American bodies, you're on your own - I ain't supplying the brain bleach.
Monday 11th June 2012 19:42 GMT
Re: Go backwards
Too far backwards - 12-pounders take too long to reload. I do rather like the chainshot option, though. :D
No - what you want is a nice old French 75mm model 1897. With cannister. 15 rounds per minute - aimed. Can easily be served by four persons (your typical family, for instance), and can be reasonably served by three, or even two in a pinch. Highly portable, fairly compact, will easily fit in a typical suburban garage, or in a larger garden shed. Doesn't even require motor transportation, for short-distance moves.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_de_75_mod%C3%A8le_1897#Rapid_fire_capability
Monday 11th June 2012 19:33 GMT
RE: rifled barrel in the shotgun
Some slug guns have rifled barrels, but that's generally not necessary. Use rifled slugs, instead.
From my old Beretta 1200FP, I could place five-for-five in a patch the size of palm of my hand at 100 yards - Not precisely tack-driving, but more than sufficient to the need.
Assange: Australian neglect made me flee to Ecuador embassy
Friday 22nd June 2012 14:37 GMT
Jeebus is Funny
"...trying to stop himself being executed for doing nothing wrong."
Assange is a fantasist with a massive ego problem and delusions of potence. He *has* to be enemy #1 of the US, or he's just a pissant little gadfly of limited relevance and even less power. Bin Laden, he is not - though he somehow magically thinks the US is actually threatened by him and his games. Megalomania, I'd say - and apparantly, you actually believe him, which I find rather entertaining.
'Kindness of America' snapper shot himself in 'act of self-promotion'
Wednesday 20th June 2012 21:54 GMT
Re: America Strong!
"If "clear changes in government and social policy" are the aim, here's a thought: try campaigning. Try marching. Try petitioning. Heck, as a last resort you could even try voting."
Never said it was foolproof. Never said it was the only way.
But there are times when an armed and focused group of citizens is the only appropriate answer.
Sadly, apathy is ever more becoming the way of the land, and with it, eventually, this answer will cease to be availalbe when needed.
Monday 18th June 2012 18:48 GMT
Re: America Strong!
Actually D.A. M., you've got it ENTIRELY wrong.
The weapons are NOT for hunting. They're very specifically for keeping tyrants afraid. Especially those in our own government.
Hunting is a fringe benefit.
Now, of course, all the various discredited arguments will appear about how it's never been used*, never will be used**, can never work***, etc. etc.
Also, I will be heavily down-voted heavily by people whom really do not / do not wish to understand.
*Except in places like the Whiskey Rebelion, Matawan. Wounded Knee, Colorado Coal Strike, Branch Davidians, etc. etc.
**See above as a small sampling.
***In each case, despite officially being on the 'losing' side, clear changes in Government and social policy were implemented immediately afterwards.
Assange's Ecuador asylum bid has violated £200k UK bail, say cops
Wednesday 20th June 2012 21:38 GMT
@AC; Wednesday 20th June 2012 15:49 GMT
Do you *honestly* think Sweden is going to allow a rendition of such a high-profile individual? Do you honestly think the US is going to expose rendition pratices to the kinds of scruitiny that making Assange 'vanish' would cause?
If so, you're living in a paranoid cloud cuckoo land.
Nope. Assange is just a moral coward.
Brit judge orders Facebook to rip masks from anonymous cowards
Monday 11th June 2012 21:11 GMT
Re: Will Facebook take any notice
"What is the bet that said US company will completely ignore the UK court, which will be helpless since it does not actually have juristriction."
My bet? Zuck & Co. will happily roll over for the court order. They want good relations with other countries, as there's money to be made, and rolling to a court in this case will in no way hurt their image. All they need is a plausible excuse.
Monday 11th June 2012 18:50 GMT
Re: Anonymous posting
"You may not like what a person says to you, but that is still their right to say it..."
Actually, not entirely true. Courts have repeatedly ruled that some forms of speech are NOT protected, and you have no right to 'unprotected' speech.
Defamitory, inciting, and provcative speach that boils down to what one justice called 'fighting words' are on the short list of things that may put you in legal jeopardy. Likewise, the classic "fire" in crowded theater - Unless there really *is* a fire.
In this case, the instigators have accused a person of specific, reprehensible crimes without recourse to court judgement or evidence - accusations that very plausibly have been injurious to her social and financial well-being. Indeed, an un-informed third party might well act on those baseless accusations, thereby plausibly placing her physical safety in jeopardy. That puts the bullies squarely in the cross-hairs of the law.
In short - your right to be a mouthy annoyance ends when your words cross certain lines.
Now - Has actual harm been done? I dunno. This is why we have courts - but in order to get a judgement, first we need to know who these idiots are.
Monday 11th June 2012 18:40 GMT
Re: torn
I'm on the opposite tack.
Attacks such as she experienced can cause real social harm, which can translate into real economic harm. I hope she gets the names, and drags the idiots kicking and screaming into the light.
Now - whether or not actual harm has been done, and what should be done about it, is a matter for a court (and maybe a jury). But wishing failure upon her cause seems a bit prejudiced to me. I'm hoping she gets her day in court, and that the jerks responsbile get theirs, too.
Mr Sulu causes DDoS panic after posting link on Facebook
Flying Dutchman creates dead cat quadcopter
Thursday 7th June 2012 19:20 GMT
@ Stoneshop
" ...his prime motivation was to improve Orville's bird-chasing abilities, albeit posthumously. The latter condition slightly defeats the purpose..."
I would suggest that, given as he now has four flailing buzz-saws, one to each cardinal direction, his abilty to catch those birds he chases has been radically advanced.
Mine's the one covered in bits of feather.
1,000 Foxconn iPad workers trash dorms in riot against guards
Thursday 7th June 2012 18:43 GMT
Re: Prison or Place of Employment?
Actually, the presence of guards* makes sense, even in a non-sinister reading of the reports.
Any time you have large numbers of people in close contact, especially what appears to be a large number of unmarried males, you're going to have some problems - Everything from stupid drunks to gambling to personality clashes, and beyond. A certain amount of authority present to keep the worst of things from getting out of control seems proper.
Clearly, there weren't enough guards present to prevent a riot. There may have only been enough present to *start* a riot.
* No idea how MANY guards there are, to be sure - that's not mentioned anywhere. Could be a handful, could be a batalion. No way of knowing, from the reports.
Man's car warns of AIR RAID OVER LONDON
US mayor and son charged with hacking into opposition site
SpaceX Dragon, first private ship to the ISS, launched successfully
Tuesday 22nd May 2012 15:32 GMT
Re: A great step forward
@Loyal Commenter;
Not to mention a cost-based decision to go with a single o-ring, in place of the two that had originally been designed (which double-ring would almost certainly have held). Plus the political decision to launch on an unusually cold Florida morning, despite engineering warnings about the temperatures, plus...
Most every catastrophe requires a lengthy chain of mis-steps before it occurs.
A single success does not a successful design indicate. Wehn we've got a *string* of successful Falcon launches, *then* I will laud SpaceX.
Crazy Texans dunk servers in DEEP FRYERS
SpaceX joy as Space Station robo-arm grabs Dragon's tail
Cameron's F-35 U-turn: BAE Systems still calls the shots at No 10
US space programme in shock metric conversion
Tuesday 22nd May 2012 17:23 GMT
Re: Good luck with that
Never mind the jingoism... There's the entrenched tail of legacy systems and social inertia. Not so much that them dang Yuro-peeans use it, but more along the line of "why should I have to re-learn how to measure things? The old system works just fine for me." Add to that the "well have to replace everything issue." There's an entire infrastructure that will need re-working - from our road sinage (and there's a LOT of that!) to machining and tools, down to the very fasteners we use.
That's a huge undertaking, and there frankly isn't much political will for it.
The Metric System (which most of us frankly *can* use quite well, when pressed) will simply have to continue its slow infiltration.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
