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Archive for the ‘Technology’ Category
Metaklett
Posted in Technology, tagged steel velcro on 5 September, 2009 | 2 Comments »
How many Eurobureaucrats does it take to change a light bulb?
Posted in Technology on 25 August, 2009 | 7 Comments »
Such irony. Once upon a time it seemed likely that forcing people to buy, and then to pay to dispose of, compact fluorescent lamps would be highly profitable for certain people in the EU, such as Messrs. Philips of the Netherlands, who manufacture them, and the mysterious organisations which arrange their safe disposal (they being [...]
Sour grapes
Posted in Technology, tagged software on 29 May, 2009 | 4 Comments »
My irresistible urge to spit in holy water has riled Blind Steve right up.
Of course that which he says, from the point of view of the usual undervalued and overworked IT fellow, is quite true. And I am obliged to him for this, the like of which I have not seen since the Binary Bible [...]
“I never dare drive an engine.”
Posted in Technology, tagged DLR, Tube trains on 29 May, 2009 | 11 Comments »
[I.K. Brunel]
There is not, and has not been for some time, any point whatever in employing people to drive trains. Particularly not tube trains.
Bristol Dave is wrong to suppose that drivers continue to be employed to act
…as a mannequin because people won’t get on a tube without a driver.
Should Dave ever go to London he [...]
If it ain’t broke…
Posted in Technology on 29 May, 2009 | 6 Comments »
Once upon a time I learned computer programming.
The computer in question was the size of a modest supermarket, and one communicated with it by sending it neatly-ordered piles of 80-column Hollerith cards. In the post. Eventually one would receive in return an enormous pile of greenbar, which would consist on the first sheet of an [...]
Luminous efficacy
Posted in Technology, tagged CFL lamps on 24 May, 2009 | 4 Comments »
The lone voice does not cite a source, but has a story about how the EU, having banned everything except the CFL type lamps in the manufacture and recycling of which it has an interest, will now ensure that the power consumption of these devices (about which the whole issue was once supposed to be) [...]
Accelerometer
Posted in Technology, tagged accelerometer, mobile phones on 21 May, 2009 | 2 Comments »
It says in The Register that ‘not evil’ Glooge has filed a patent on how to track people using their mobile phones, despite their not being GPS-enabled.
Apparently the ‘not evil’ megacorporation will use data from the accelerometer in the phone to work out who you are and what you are up to, so it [...]
Technology Bill of Rights
Posted in Technology, tagged Bill of Rights on 19 May, 2009 | 3 Comments »
InfoWorld, found by Slashdot: Paul Venezia on the subject of a ‘Technology Bill of Rights’.
The impetus for the creation of the Bill of Rights was the tyranny of the rulers in Britain and its effect on the colonies. As with much of human history, it takes a significant problem to cause the creation of a [...]
The day ACPO got their gadget
Posted in Technology, tagged ISA on 10 May, 2009 | 7 Comments »
While everyone is rejoicing in the discomfiture of the Enemy Class, life goes on.
The Times reports on the trials of a gadget which will (initially) be fitted to buses and taxis; it controls the speed of the vehicle, and can slow the vehicle down upon command.
It is said to be based upon satellite tracking.
The Times [...]
Santa responds to ACPO’s letter
Posted in Technology, tagged engine-stopping ray, vehicle tracking on 17 April, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
From Boing Boing:
Sales are booming for lo-jack style devices designed to remotely kill cars when their owners fall behind on payments… they contain GPS units that make the car’s location continuously available to the dealer, credit-company (and others) so that they can more easily repossess the cars… the company promises to throttle the engine [...]
