John Looney
@bigvalen.bsky.social
Site Reliability, lover of crafting, science and history. “Ecrasez l’ infâme”.
If you can't avoid a jaywalker in a car, you shouldn't be on the road, of course.
October 11, 2025 at 3:12 PM
If you can't avoid a jaywalker in a car, you shouldn't be on the road, of course.
I literally just invented it as I was typing, trying to work out the cost per meter of multimode fibre vs. 500kv cable...turns out the price difference is about 1000x :-)
October 9, 2025 at 8:48 PM
I literally just invented it as I was typing, trying to work out the cost per meter of multimode fibre vs. 500kv cable...turns out the price difference is about 1000x :-)
Very very few datacenter workloads are happy to load shift, unfortunately. It requires you to have the same data in multiple places, and be OK with driving user latency up (inference) or duplicating enormous datasets (training). Easier to just pay for storage.
October 9, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Very very few datacenter workloads are happy to load shift, unfortunately. It requires you to have the same data in multiple places, and be OK with driving user latency up (inference) or duplicating enormous datasets (training). Easier to just pay for storage.
You do lose some power, even at 200kV.
The real problem is that grids are under enormous pressure to allow new connections, and can delay adding wind farms and solar parks for YEARS. This can be called stranded power, and big power users chase it.
It's easier to move gigabits than gigawatts.
The real problem is that grids are under enormous pressure to allow new connections, and can delay adding wind farms and solar parks for YEARS. This can be called stranded power, and big power users chase it.
It's easier to move gigabits than gigawatts.
October 9, 2025 at 7:17 PM
You do lose some power, even at 200kV.
The real problem is that grids are under enormous pressure to allow new connections, and can delay adding wind farms and solar parks for YEARS. This can be called stranded power, and big power users chase it.
It's easier to move gigabits than gigawatts.
The real problem is that grids are under enormous pressure to allow new connections, and can delay adding wind farms and solar parks for YEARS. This can be called stranded power, and big power users chase it.
It's easier to move gigabits than gigawatts.
I wonder if the minister is secretly relieved that they don't need to go through with it. They can just say "no" to the police.
October 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM
I wonder if the minister is secretly relieved that they don't need to go through with it. They can just say "no" to the police.
Any chance we could get some hilarious 1970s safety TV ads, do you think ? Some 'oul lad giving a leg up to a kid, trying to hang posters on a pylon, which then cuts to a mother in a car full of posters, who hears a zap, a clatter of dropped zip ties, and asks "Mikey ? Joe ?" in a nervous manner.
September 26, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Any chance we could get some hilarious 1970s safety TV ads, do you think ? Some 'oul lad giving a leg up to a kid, trying to hang posters on a pylon, which then cuts to a mother in a car full of posters, who hears a zap, a clatter of dropped zip ties, and asks "Mikey ? Joe ?" in a nervous manner.
My first earthquake. My rational mind assumed someone had come into my room and was trying to shake me awake. I guess, no more sleep for me.
They should really schedule these things at night. Much more convenient.
They should really schedule these things at night. Much more convenient.
September 22, 2025 at 10:14 AM
My first earthquake. My rational mind assumed someone had come into my room and was trying to shake me awake. I guess, no more sleep for me.
They should really schedule these things at night. Much more convenient.
They should really schedule these things at night. Much more convenient.
I made a lovely leather coat, based on a 17thC Irish great coat. It's magnificent for winter weather, except that the pockets are really low...didn't realised that they were set assuming you were riding a horse. Which, I tend to do, rarely.
September 18, 2025 at 11:21 AM
I made a lovely leather coat, based on a 17thC Irish great coat. It's magnificent for winter weather, except that the pockets are really low...didn't realised that they were set assuming you were riding a horse. Which, I tend to do, rarely.
The 2nd amendment was designed to ensure people could protect the ones they loved. Or something. I'm not expert on what was in the brains of 18th century revolutionaries who were convinced the English would attack again, at any time.
September 17, 2025 at 1:57 PM
The 2nd amendment was designed to ensure people could protect the ones they loved. Or something. I'm not expert on what was in the brains of 18th century revolutionaries who were convinced the English would attack again, at any time.
Many of the newly built DCs are taking power "behind the meter" for that reason, bypassing the grid. It's not great, for the grid, or consumers, long term. But the processes around onboarding new grid connections was not designed for the level of tumult that these datacenters has brought.
September 14, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Many of the newly built DCs are taking power "behind the meter" for that reason, bypassing the grid. It's not great, for the grid, or consumers, long term. But the processes around onboarding new grid connections was not designed for the level of tumult that these datacenters has brought.
Love the idea that Dev was somehow noteworthy in the Ireland of the 1930s for misogyny.
September 11, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Love the idea that Dev was somehow noteworthy in the Ireland of the 1930s for misogyny.
"Googlieness" was a continuous internal debate that happened everywhere, at every level. It meant mirth, or intensity, or a strive for engineering perfection, or a tolerance for diversity, or an intolerance for political expedience. I remember an internal document of over 100 proverbs, Aesop style.
September 7, 2025 at 3:07 PM
"Googlieness" was a continuous internal debate that happened everywhere, at every level. It meant mirth, or intensity, or a strive for engineering perfection, or a tolerance for diversity, or an intolerance for political expedience. I remember an internal document of over 100 proverbs, Aesop style.
I think Google had a huge number more principles that were very heavily communicated internally. Like ... hundreds, maybe. Unlike Amazon and Meta, they didn't come from above, they could come from anywhere. Because they weren't codified, the post 2014 Oracleification eroded them.
September 7, 2025 at 3:04 PM
I think Google had a huge number more principles that were very heavily communicated internally. Like ... hundreds, maybe. Unlike Amazon and Meta, they didn't come from above, they could come from anywhere. Because they weren't codified, the post 2014 Oracleification eroded them.
Be careful of what you wish for. There are Irish folks who left, and became a LOT more conservative. Not everywhere is more liberal than Ireland, and where you move to changes your outlook a lot.
There is a lot to "if you still have a passport, you must register for taxes, and you get a vote".
There is a lot to "if you still have a passport, you must register for taxes, and you get a vote".
August 12, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Be careful of what you wish for. There are Irish folks who left, and became a LOT more conservative. Not everywhere is more liberal than Ireland, and where you move to changes your outlook a lot.
There is a lot to "if you still have a passport, you must register for taxes, and you get a vote".
There is a lot to "if you still have a passport, you must register for taxes, and you get a vote".
If growing up means not owning beautiful things, it sounds like a terrible idea.
August 12, 2025 at 9:43 AM
If growing up means not owning beautiful things, it sounds like a terrible idea.
Before a revolution happens, you see it in the creative arts. You hear poets and songwriters predicting change. You need playwrights and scriptwriters praising failed revolutionaries.
The UK has none of this. Their politicians are deaf to the need for change. Memes about using VPNs aren't enough.
The UK has none of this. Their politicians are deaf to the need for change. Memes about using VPNs aren't enough.
August 10, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Before a revolution happens, you see it in the creative arts. You hear poets and songwriters predicting change. You need playwrights and scriptwriters praising failed revolutionaries.
The UK has none of this. Their politicians are deaf to the need for change. Memes about using VPNs aren't enough.
The UK has none of this. Their politicians are deaf to the need for change. Memes about using VPNs aren't enough.
Heh. Reminds me of that Comic series "Canon Law", about a Catholic Canon, called "Law", who solves crimes his own way...with a magnum 45. So many puns.
lightningstrikecomics.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/c...
lightningstrikecomics.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/c...
Canon Law Preview Post
Hey guys, Just a little update to let you all know that Lightning Strike Comics will be making an appearance at 2 conventions next year in the UK. On May 19th-20th we’ll be at Kapow! in Londo…
lightningstrikecomics.wordpress.com
August 10, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Heh. Reminds me of that Comic series "Canon Law", about a Catholic Canon, called "Law", who solves crimes his own way...with a magnum 45. So many puns.
lightningstrikecomics.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/c...
lightningstrikecomics.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/c...
That's up to the company that runs the grid. They can also setup Power Purchase Agreements and do this every few years. Unfortunately, because it takes EirGrid suppliers up to ten years to build a new power plant, and the Irish population grew 20% in 15 years, they ran low.
August 10, 2025 at 6:34 PM
That's up to the company that runs the grid. They can also setup Power Purchase Agreements and do this every few years. Unfortunately, because it takes EirGrid suppliers up to ten years to build a new power plant, and the Irish population grew 20% in 15 years, they ran low.
I buy Osprey books for the articles.
August 8, 2025 at 10:34 PM
I buy Osprey books for the articles.
Fascinating. Will it deal with the weird obsession with rules? Rule following, even when nonsensical and unfair, is the basis for colonial participation.
August 6, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Fascinating. Will it deal with the weird obsession with rules? Rule following, even when nonsensical and unfair, is the basis for colonial participation.
Seems it started a after after WB was refused the rights to do an animated American version of F5. Wow.
August 3, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Seems it started a after after WB was refused the rights to do an animated American version of F5. Wow.
Fucking what ? Really ? Aaaaaaah.
August 3, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Fucking what ? Really ? Aaaaaaah.