On Sun, 28 Nov 2021 11:34:01 -0600
Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:

> Yes. "Nuclear" is too broad, we need that sort of detail.

Indeed it includes the three F's

Fission, Fusion and Family.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/

On 28/11/2021 16:01, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
> On Sun, 28 Nov 2021 08:14:46 -0600
> Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:
>
>> In which context, allow me to commend NASA's Astronomy Picture of the
>> Day, https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/
>
> Spectacular I didn't know we had pictures that good of any comets.
> Page bookmarked - I might see about making it into a backdrop generator.
>
Just 'lens flare' innit?
:-)

--
The Deuchars BBB#40 COFF#14
Yamaha XV750SE & Suzuki GS550t
http://www.Deuchars.org.uk

On 29/11/2021 10:55, ChrisND @UKRM wrote:
> On 28/11/2021 16:01, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>> On Sun, 28 Nov 2021 08:14:46 -0600
>> Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:
>>
>>> In which context, allow me to commend NASA's Astronomy Picture of the
>>> Day, https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/
>>
>>     Spectacular I didn't know we had pictures that good of any comets.
>> Page bookmarked - I might see about making it into a backdrop generator.
>>
> Just 'lens flare' innit?
> :-)
>
Oops no, I now see I was looking at the wrong day.
Shudduv looked yesterday obvs.

Ahem A Rivet's Shot said:
> On Sun, 28 Nov 2021 08:54:32 -0600
> Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:
>
>> i'm reminded of a New Scientist article (earlymid80s) on the history of
>> the pushbike. That's a fairly simple obvious design, you'd think ?
>
> Hmm Penny Farthing - I tried to ride one once and just kept falling
> off.

TBF, I did that first time on a more-usual one.

> It makes you wonder how many Heath Robinson gadgets we use today
> could be replaced by much simpler mechanisms if only someone would dream
> them up.
>

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

On 27/11/2021 12:57, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>
> Yep there was a widespread assumption in the 50s that nuclear power
> was the answer to all our power problems. There are many who argue that the
> pebble bed designs or some other design inherently incapable of melting
> down or exploding could be. Unfortunately almost all the research money went
> on reactors capable of making plutonium for bombs.

That's because most government finance for science is to produce things
with military applications, and most private finance for science is to
produce better pornography. So far, the only slightly pornographic
association that radiation has is Bikini.

On 2021-11-28, Nicholas D. Richards <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
> In article <slrnsq6qi9.c0j.bap@localhost.localdomain>, Bernard Peek
><bap@shrdlu.com> on Sun, 28 Nov 2021 at 11:38:49 awoke Nicholas from
> his slumbers and wrote
>>On 2021-11-27, Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
>>> On 25/11/2021 20:16, Tone wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Whist I in no way condone people-trafficking, the problem is the
>>>> suffering the refugees are subject to in their own countries.
>>>>
>>>> The solution is to give them safe passage.
>>>
>>> Or to do something about the initial cause. The Kurds need a proper
>>> homeland rather than being an oppressed minority in three countries,
>>> Afghanistan needs re-occupying and the Taliban wiped out, Syria needs
>>> some resolution one way or the other, and Yemen needs to have Saudi
>>> Arabia stop bombing it and the UK stopping giving arms to Saudi Arabia
>>> to bomb Yemen with. The UN could be a force for good if the veto of the
>>> five permanent members of the Security Council was abolished.
>>>
>>Afghanistan is still the graveyard of empires. Conquering it and defeating
>>the Taliban is probably not possible at any price. It's a big country with
>>lots of places to hide in.
>>
>>The biggest cause of crime, including terrorism, is poverty. Building some
>>sort of productive industry in the country in the country is going to be
>>more effective, much cheaper but not fast. While the Americans still think
>>that 100 years is a long time they aren't going to have an effective foreign
>>policy.
>>
>>As I've said before, global warming is threatening existing coffee producing
>>areas. Setting up coffee plantations in Afghanistan could fix multiple
>>problems.
>>
>>
> cf Kenyan Ground Nut Scheme. That went well.
>
> Apparently the opium poppy grows well there.

Looking at what seems to be the taliban solution to drug dealing, a
short rope and a long drop, and seeing what is happening in our towns, I
think that we might learn something there.

--
greymausg@mail.com
That's not a mousehole!

On Mon, 29 Nov 2021 14:33:41 +0000, Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk>
wrote:

>On 27/11/2021 12:57, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>
>> Yep there was a widespread assumption in the 50s that nuclear power
>> was the answer to all our power problems. There are many who argue that the
>> pebble bed designs or some other design inherently incapable of melting
>> down or exploding could be. Unfortunately almost all the research money went
>> on reactors capable of making plutonium for bombs.
>
>That's because most government finance for science is to produce things
>with military applications, and most private finance for science is to
>produce better pornography. So far, the only slightly pornographic
>association that radiation has is Bikini.

I quite like what the Canadians have been doing for years: not
particularly interested in blowing people up, their reactors use
non-enriched fuel, produce a hellavalot of that there ele trickery and
the leftovers are conveniently useful for medicine and research.

I believe they are now looking at constructing a new generation of
reactors: I hope the old philosophy holds good with these too.

Nick

On 2021-11-28, Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:
> Mike Fleming said:
>> On 25/11/2021 20:16, Tone wrote:
>>>
>>> Whist I in no way condone people-trafficking, the problem is the
>>> suffering the refugees are subject to in their own countries.
>>>
>>> The solution is to give them safe passage.
>>
>> Or to do something about the initial cause. The Kurds need a proper
>> homeland rather than being an oppressed minority in three countries,

Which Kurds? AFAIK, there are three aspirants.

>> Afghanistan needs re-occupying and the Taliban wiped out

<quote>
Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
</quote>

There is one thing about the recent fraud/war. The imaginary US
allies, the losses of material, all were to the real benefit of the
fraudsters in The US. What use is a Humvee to someone who own two
goats or a black hawk helicopter?

>>, Syria needs
>> some resolution one way or the other,

Syria is recovering quite well on their own, they are trying to restart
their tourist trade, and need to stop the US from stealing their oil
reserves.

>>and Yemen needs to have Saudi
>> Arabia stop bombing it and the UK stopping giving arms to Saudi Arabia
>> to bomb Yemen with.

++

>>The UN could be a force for good if the veto of the
>> five permanent members of the Security Council was abolished.
>

>> and as for Palestine ...

Oh, goodie, this one needs a good answer, send you suggestion (I would
recommend snailmail) to Mossad, side-the-Israeli-only-road, Ramallah
>
>

--
greymausg@mail.com
That's not a mousehole!

On 2021-11-29, Maus <Greymaus@mail.com> wrote:

>>
>> Apparently the opium poppy grows well there.
>
> Looking at what seems to be the taliban solution to drug dealing, a
> short rope and a long drop, and seeing what is happening in our towns, I
> think that we might learn something there.

Opium farming in Afghanistan is one of the few industries they have that are
doing well. Just goes to show that the death-penalty doesn't jbex any better
in other countries either.

--
Bernard Peek
bap@shrdlu.com

On 2021-11-28, Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:
> Bernard Peek said:
>>
>> As I've said before, global warming is threatening existing coffee producing
>> areas. Setting up coffee plantations in Afghanistan could fix multiple
>> problems.
>
> If coffee sold for more than opium.

Per gram or per tonne?

There is a limit to the demand for opium. Nobody has yet found any limit to
the demand for coffee.

--
Bernard Peek
bap@shrdlu.com

On 2021-11-29, Mike Fleming <mike@tauzero.co.uk> wrote:
> On 27/11/2021 12:57, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>
>> Yep there was a widespread assumption in the 50s that nuclear power
>> was the answer to all our power problems. There are many who argue that the
>> pebble bed designs or some other design inherently incapable of melting
>> down or exploding could be. Unfortunately almost all the research money went
>> on reactors capable of making plutonium for bombs.
>
> That's because most government finance for science is to produce things
> with military applications, and most private finance for science is to
> produce better pornography. So far, the only slightly pornographic
> association that radiation has is Bikini.

I have studied the porn-frage for many years, and I have come to the
conclusion that girls look more appealing in bikinis than bare.

--
greymausg@mail.com
That's not a mousehole!

On 2021-11-28, Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:

>>
>> There are several different isotopes pf plutonium. Pu-239 is the one they
>> use in bombs. Half-life abput 25K years. It's very toxic though so avoid
>> eating it.
>
> Yes, that was my point.
>
> Also, Military Applications. I'd be a lot more accepting of nuclear
> power if it wasn't for the bombs.

True. That's one of the reasons why Thorium-233 appeals to some. Also the
reason why it doesn't appeal to some others.

--
Bernard Peek
bap@shrdlu.com

Mike Fleming said:
> On 27/11/2021 12:57, Ahem A Rivet's Shot wrote:
>>
>> Yep there was a widespread assumption in the 50s that nuclear power
>> was the answer to all our power problems. There are many who argue that the
>> pebble bed designs or some other design inherently incapable of melting
>> down or exploding could be. Unfortunately almost all the research money went
>> on reactors capable of making plutonium for bombs.
>
> That's because most government finance for science is to produce things
> with military applications, and most private finance for science is to
> produce better pornography. So far, the only slightly pornographic
> association that radiation has is Bikini.

I unforget reading artiles on "the Plutonium Economy", a few decades
back. General conclusion - if it wasn't for the military, no-one'd take
any amount of money to have anything to do with it.

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

Maus said:
> On 2021-11-28, Nicholas D. Richards <nicholas@salmiron.com> wrote:
>> In article <slrnsq6qi9.c0j.bap@localhost.localdomain>, Bernard Peek
>>>
>>>As I've said before, global warming is threatening existing coffee producing
>>>areas. Setting up coffee plantations in Afghanistan could fix multiple
>>>problems.
>>>
>> cf Kenyan Ground Nut Scheme. That went well.
>>
>> Apparently the opium poppy grows well there.
>
> Looking at what seems to be the taliban solution to drug dealing, a
> short rope and a long drop, and seeing what is happening in our towns, I
> think that we might learn something there.

Personally, I think the Saudi influence can go too far.

I also think it's a pity we couldn't have been paying top yankeedollar
for their best-quality hashish.

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

On 29 Nov 2021 15:22:04 GMT
Bernard Peek <bap@shrdlu.com> wrote:

> On 2021-11-29, Maus <Greymaus@mail.com> wrote:
>
> >>
> >> Apparently the opium poppy grows well there.
> >
> > Looking at what seems to be the taliban solution to drug dealing, a
> > short rope and a long drop, and seeing what is happening in our towns, I
> > think that we might learn something there.
>
> Opium farming in Afghanistan is one of the few industries they have that
> are doing well. Just goes to show that the death-penalty doesn't jbex any
> better in other countries either.

Before the Americans kicked them out they were doing pretty well at
keeping it down with that approach by all accounts. Once the Americans
moved in and the place was a disaster area the trade picked up - reportedly
aided by having quite a lot exported on American military aircraft -
sufficiently to depress the retail price of heroin. If they're left long
enough to do it I expect they'll get it suppressed again as well as a lot
of other things unfortunately.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/

Maus said:
> On 2021-11-28, Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> Or to do something about the initial cause. The Kurds need a proper
>>> homeland rather than being an oppressed minority in three countries,
>
> Which Kurds? AFAIK, there are three aspirants.

They're getting massively crapped on in Iraq & Syria. Also Turkey since
forever. They don't get so much coverage in Iran.

> What use is a Humvee to someone who own two
> goats or a black hawk helicopter?

You could move your goats around a lot more easily, and fetch spares
for the hecilopter ?

>>> and as for Palestine ...
>
> Oh, goodie, this one needs a good answer, send you suggestion (I would
> recommend snailmail) to Mossad, side-the-Israeli-only-road, Ramallah

OMG, now even the snails are terrorists !

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

Ahem A Rivet's Shot said:
> Bernard Peek <bap@shrdlu.com> wrote:
>> On 2021-11-29, Maus <Greymaus@mail.com> wrote:
>>
>> >> Apparently the opium poppy grows well there.
>> >
>> > Looking at what seems to be the taliban solution to drug dealing, a
>> > short rope and a long drop, and seeing what is happening in our towns, I
>> > think that we might learn something there.
>>
>> Opium farming in Afghanistan is one of the few industries they have that
>> are doing well. Just goes to show that the death-penalty doesn't jbex any
>> better in other countries either.
>
> Before the Americans kicked them out they were doing pretty well at
> keeping it down with that approach by all accounts. Once the Americans
> moved in and the place was a disaster area the trade picked up - reportedly
> aided by having quite a lot exported on American military aircraft -
> sufficiently to depress the retail price of heroin. If they're left long
> enough to do it I expect they'll get it suppressed again as well as a lot
> of other things unfortunately.

Apart from the sheer profits, there was also reporting to the effect
that fighting had completely trashed the agricultural land,
drainage/irrigation/etc, to the point where poppies were the only viable
plants of any value to anyone.

I also suspect that the Tanibal may have enough trouble with their own
people not listening to the cooler heads, without external "help".

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

On Mon, 29 Nov 2021 10:55:16 -0600
Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:

> I also think it's a pity we couldn't have been paying top yankeedollar
> for their best-quality hashish.

That was the mujahadin (or however you spell it) - rumour had it
that nobody ever dared fake their red and gold seals. These days squishy
hashish has usually been adulterated with something cheap and nasty.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/

On 29-Nov-21 15:25, Maus wrote:

> I have studied the porn-frage for many years, and I have come to the
> conclusion that girls look more appealing in bikinis than bare.

Extensive research needed.
Gizza grant.

--
Sam Plusnet

In article <slrnsq9s0s.6a8.bap@localhost.localdomain>, Bernard Peek
<bap@shrdlu.com> on Mon, 29 Nov 2021 at 15:22:04 awoke Nicholas from
his slumbers and wrote
>On 2021-11-29, Maus <Greymaus@mail.com> wrote:
>
>>>
>>> Apparently the opium poppy grows well there.
>>
>> Looking at what seems to be the taliban solution to drug dealing, a
>> short rope and a long drop, and seeing what is happening in our towns, I
>> think that we might learn something there.
>
>Opium farming in Afghanistan is one of the few industries they have that are
>doing well. Just goes to show that the death-penalty doesn't jbex any better
>in other countries either.
>
I thought that one of the only things that the Taliban are efficient at
is collecting taxes.
--
0sterc@tcher -

"Où sont les neiges d'antan?"

On 27/11/2021 21:55, Peter wrote:
> Tone <email@address.com> wrote in news:snu8kr$g84$1@dont-email.me:
>
>> Giving them safe passage is a tad easier.
>>
>> It might also help to solve our harvesting, NHS and care employment
>> shortfall if we accept them.
>
> "Harvesting, NHS" made me think of Ishiguru's "Never let me go". I
> suppose it's a solution theoretically but I'm pretty sure there are laws
> against that sort of thing.

Also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jigsaw_Man

On 28/11/2021 14:16, Richard Robinson wrote:
> Mike Fleming said:
>> On 25/11/2021 20:16, Tone wrote:
>>>
>>> Whist I in no way condone people-trafficking, the problem is the
>>> suffering the refugees are subject to in their own countries.
>>>
>>> The solution is to give them safe passage.
>>
>> Or to do something about the initial cause. The Kurds need a proper
>> homeland rather than being an oppressed minority in three countries,
>> Afghanistan needs re-occupying and the Taliban wiped out, Syria needs
>> some resolution one way or the other, and Yemen needs to have Saudi
>> Arabia stop bombing it and the UK stopping giving arms to Saudi Arabia
>> to bomb Yemen with. The UN could be a force for good if the veto of the
>> five permanent members of the Security Council was abolished.
>
> and as for Palestine ...

One of the reasons for abolishing the veto of the five permanent members.

Ahem A Rivet's Shot said:
> On Mon, 29 Nov 2021 10:55:16 -0600
> Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:
>
>> I also think it's a pity we couldn't have been paying top yankeedollar
>> for their best-quality hashish.
>
> That was the mujahadin (or however you spell it)

In a different alphabet. WTF8, anyone ?

> rumour had it
> that nobody ever dared fake their red and gold seals. These days squishy
> hashish has usually been adulterated with something cheap and nasty.

80s euroblack, little scraps of red cellophane. Diesel, according to one
FOAFOF story of an actual analysis.

--
Richard Robinson
"The whole plan hinged upon the natural curiosity of potatoes" - S. Lem

My email address is at http://qualmograph.org.uk/contact.html

On Mon, 29 Nov 2021 18:46:40 -0600
Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:

> Ahem A Rivet's Shot said:
> > On Mon, 29 Nov 2021 10:55:16 -0600
> > Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:
> >
> >> I also think it's a pity we couldn't have been paying top yankeedollar
> >> for their best-quality hashish.
> >
> > That was the mujahadin (or however you spell it)
>
> In a different alphabet. WTF8, anyone ?

I certainly don't know how to spell it in the right alphabet.

> > rumour had it
> > that nobody ever dared fake their red and gold seals. These days squishy
> > hashish has usually been adulterated with something cheap and nasty.
>
> 80s euroblack, little scraps of red cellophane. Diesel, according to one

Weren't they out of the picture by the time that stuff and the rock
hard "soap bar" with embedded bits of plastic appeared. There was talk of
CAMRH (Campaign for Real Hashish).

> FOAFOF story of an actual analysis.

That sounds like the analysis the police published, with wax, used
oil, heroin and a little hashish (why bother).

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith
Odds and Ends at http://www.sohara.org/

On 29/11/2021 14:28, Richard Robinson wrote:
> Ahem A Rivet's Shot said:
>> On Sun, 28 Nov 2021 08:54:32 -0600
>> Richard Robinson <richardR@privacy.net> wrote:
>>
>>> i'm reminded of a New Scientist article (earlymid80s) on the history of
>>> the pushbike. That's a fairly simple obvious design, you'd think ?
>>
>> Hmm Penny Farthing - I tried to ride one once and just kept falling
>> off.
>
> TBF, I did that first time on a more-usual one.

I did it first time on a motorcycle.