@sjvn Making me feel old 😬. I was one of the first 3 VMS programmers on the first VAX sold in Ireland (and RSX on PDP 11 earlier. Followed shortly after by all the things in yr bio footnote, in the US). I can remember the promo video extolling the unimaginable 4.3 gigabytes of VM. It was a blast.
The video was confidential at the time and was "borrowed" from a locked room in Galway in order to make the sale (an entrepreneur jumped out the window and took it to Dublin). 🤣
@JoePajak On a visit to UK last summer I visited Kelmscott Manor (former home of William Morris). We passed a woman collapsed in the road nearby being made comfortable by local people pending arrival of an ambulance. Passed a few hours later and saw she was still waiting and heard that she would be for hours more. Shocked (and relieved to have left UK).
Do people who are not oceanographers know that elephant seals have been helping us collect temperature and salinity data in inhospitable areas of the ocean for the last 20 years?
@fizzily@davidho Are you a vegan? Refusing all medications tested on animals? Wearing shoes and clothing produced with zero environmental impact? Walking everywhere?
Maybe it would be an idea to consider the value of the data and the cost of alternative methods of acquisition vs temporary inconvenience to one animal?
If you think the researchers (and funders) didn't consider the ethics you haven't ever done any biological research.
On September 3, 1967, Sweden switched to driving on the right side of the road, to align their traffic standards with everyone else.
Looking at how many countries around the UK and Ireland actually drive on the right side of the road, it really is astounding to me, these two countries never thought of following the common standard.
@randahl Part of Ireland is still controlled by the UK after centuries of colonisation, ethnic cleansing and oppression. It's not reasonable to blame the Irish for maintaining cross-border compatibility as long as partition persists (it will not last forever). The day after reunification Ireland will join Schengen. Other changes will follow but we'll likely keep UK electric plugs and sockets as they're superior (see YouTube for details).
@campuscodi it isn't stupid. The Wayback Machine doesn't get to override EU law. The rights of Europeans not to be subjected to indiscriminate and pervasive surveillance without consent should be set aside to suit the Internet Archive?
The gull is a Black Headed Gull in summer plumage. On Reddit some years ago there was a pic of several on a wall with one with black head (winter plumage). Caption: spot the IRA member.
Contrary to what some Brexiters believe, the decision makers on the future of Gibraltar are the Gibraltarians, in consultation with the UK Government | Debbie Eade
@raghnallborders Ireland was coerced into the UK, never voted for it, fought for hundreds of years to get out of it, still forced at gunpoint to accept partition of the country.
@raghnallborders I attended a Hogmanay party here a few years ago (have some Scottish friends--lived there for 5 years) and FWIW all had switched from NO to YES voters since Brexit. Mostly academics - Ireland gets first class applications from GB (surprise!)
All, and most of their families here, had, like my wife, applied for Irish citizenship in order to retain freedom of movement. I should think all have it by now. And they can (and will) vote anti-Tory.
@mwl I spent half an hour trying to give you money on kickstarter today (first time I'd logged in in years; have funded several things in the past). Had to give up.
"Oops.... Please unblock your adblocker"
Made no difference. I've opened a ticket but even that was a palaver. You might be losing out if my experience is indicative. I almost quit.
@dajb The trick is to move country and stay for several years. Then it's all novel and there's little friction. One learns relatively little merely passing through places and cultures.