John Clear
@jclear.bsky.social
I beat computers into submission to support my aviation habit.
The worst is when that harmonic is on 121.5mhz (emergency frequency).
When I was in CAP, I located a fax machine, and heard first hand stories of an arcade machine and pizza oven, transmitting on 121.5.
When I was in CAP, I located a fax machine, and heard first hand stories of an arcade machine and pizza oven, transmitting on 121.5.
November 27, 2025 at 5:27 AM
The worst is when that harmonic is on 121.5mhz (emergency frequency).
When I was in CAP, I located a fax machine, and heard first hand stories of an arcade machine and pizza oven, transmitting on 121.5.
When I was in CAP, I located a fax machine, and heard first hand stories of an arcade machine and pizza oven, transmitting on 121.5.
Thanks for posting this, I just got my 2012 laptop extended for another year.
October 14, 2025 at 2:28 AM
Thanks for posting this, I just got my 2012 laptop extended for another year.
This is consistent across multiple modern vehicles. Pedestrians approaching from the left at just the wrong rate/angle will be hidden by the left A-pillar until they are in front of the car.
Commercial vehicles have blind spots but don't have massive A-pillars since they don't have crash standards.
Commercial vehicles have blind spots but don't have massive A-pillars since they don't have crash standards.
October 12, 2025 at 4:22 PM
This is consistent across multiple modern vehicles. Pedestrians approaching from the left at just the wrong rate/angle will be hidden by the left A-pillar until they are in front of the car.
Commercial vehicles have blind spots but don't have massive A-pillars since they don't have crash standards.
Commercial vehicles have blind spots but don't have massive A-pillars since they don't have crash standards.
Modern safety standards have caused A-pillars to increase in size, causing huge blind spots.
I've nearly hit pedestrians several times that were approaching from the left at just the right rate/angle to stay hidden behind the A-pillar until stepping in front of the car.
I've nearly hit pedestrians several times that were approaching from the left at just the right rate/angle to stay hidden behind the A-pillar until stepping in front of the car.
October 11, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Modern safety standards have caused A-pillars to increase in size, causing huge blind spots.
I've nearly hit pedestrians several times that were approaching from the left at just the right rate/angle to stay hidden behind the A-pillar until stepping in front of the car.
I've nearly hit pedestrians several times that were approaching from the left at just the right rate/angle to stay hidden behind the A-pillar until stepping in front of the car.
A moronic state law doesn't requite a NOTAM. There is enough garbage in the NOTAM system without this trash.
October 3, 2025 at 6:00 PM
A moronic state law doesn't requite a NOTAM. There is enough garbage in the NOTAM system without this trash.
Orbital data centers are a long way off from being anywhere close to a reasonable solution.
Getting rid of heat is really hard in space, and data centers are just giant inefficient heaters.
Submerged data centers are a slightly less insane idea.
Getting rid of heat is really hard in space, and data centers are just giant inefficient heaters.
Submerged data centers are a slightly less insane idea.
September 20, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Orbital data centers are a long way off from being anywhere close to a reasonable solution.
Getting rid of heat is really hard in space, and data centers are just giant inefficient heaters.
Submerged data centers are a slightly less insane idea.
Getting rid of heat is really hard in space, and data centers are just giant inefficient heaters.
Submerged data centers are a slightly less insane idea.
One of the data centers I have equipment in is a massive five story building. On a busy day, there are maybe 50 people. At least the parking lot is appropriately small.
Other data centers I'm in are converted office parks, and have parking lots sized for cube farms with only a dozen spaces used.
Other data centers I'm in are converted office parks, and have parking lots sized for cube farms with only a dozen spaces used.
September 19, 2025 at 2:22 AM
One of the data centers I have equipment in is a massive five story building. On a busy day, there are maybe 50 people. At least the parking lot is appropriately small.
Other data centers I'm in are converted office parks, and have parking lots sized for cube farms with only a dozen spaces used.
Other data centers I'm in are converted office parks, and have parking lots sized for cube farms with only a dozen spaces used.
In general aviation terms, 153 is a lot. A quick look at the totals for last year puts Pilatus as the #6 manufacturer in terms of volume and revenue of the ~30 listed.
gama.aero/wp-content/u...
gama.aero/wp-content/u...
gama.aero
August 19, 2025 at 12:06 AM
In general aviation terms, 153 is a lot. A quick look at the totals for last year puts Pilatus as the #6 manufacturer in terms of volume and revenue of the ~30 listed.
gama.aero/wp-content/u...
gama.aero/wp-content/u...
And why I try to fly direct even if the times suck.
June 28, 2025 at 3:37 AM
And why I try to fly direct even if the times suck.
That's a Star Wars villain.
June 28, 2025 at 3:32 AM
That's a Star Wars villain.
Jungle Primary in practice is worse than standard primaries and FPTP.
Often, the most funded candidate campaigns for the weakest challenger in the primary so they have an easy win in the general. (Ex: Schiff wanting to face the weak Republican in the general over Katie Porter).
Often, the most funded candidate campaigns for the weakest challenger in the primary so they have an easy win in the general. (Ex: Schiff wanting to face the weak Republican in the general over Katie Porter).
June 23, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Jungle Primary in practice is worse than standard primaries and FPTP.
Often, the most funded candidate campaigns for the weakest challenger in the primary so they have an easy win in the general. (Ex: Schiff wanting to face the weak Republican in the general over Katie Porter).
Often, the most funded candidate campaigns for the weakest challenger in the primary so they have an easy win in the general. (Ex: Schiff wanting to face the weak Republican in the general over Katie Porter).
The blimp race they did in NYC for the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986.
May 21, 2025 at 4:56 PM
The blimp race they did in NYC for the 100th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty in 1986.
Microsoft Excel? That is just animal cruelty.
May 7, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Microsoft Excel? That is just animal cruelty.
TEB takes the bizjets to give EWR some relief.
May 5, 2025 at 9:55 PM
TEB takes the bizjets to give EWR some relief.
Some are just staffed with EMTs. The main difference is that paramedics can administer drugs and EMTs generally can't. There are other things that paramedics can do but EMTs can't but that is the ELI5 version.
April 21, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Some are just staffed with EMTs. The main difference is that paramedics can administer drugs and EMTs generally can't. There are other things that paramedics can do but EMTs can't but that is the ELI5 version.
Not super rare at the time. That was before Aeroflot had access to western planes.
Pulling up to SVO to leave, I had a great shot of the gleaming white Pan Am 747 towering over all the dingy Soviet-block planes. Sadly lost with the lost film. :(
Pulling up to SVO to leave, I had a great shot of the gleaming white Pan Am 747 towering over all the dingy Soviet-block planes. Sadly lost with the lost film. :(
April 17, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Not super rare at the time. That was before Aeroflot had access to western planes.
Pulling up to SVO to leave, I had a great shot of the gleaming white Pan Am 747 towering over all the dingy Soviet-block planes. Sadly lost with the lost film. :(
Pulling up to SVO to leave, I had a great shot of the gleaming white Pan Am 747 towering over all the dingy Soviet-block planes. Sadly lost with the lost film. :(
Probably a Tu-134 or Tu-154.
No pics of the entire trip because the photo lab lost my film. Trip was in 1990.
No pics of the entire trip because the photo lab lost my film. Trip was in 1990.
April 17, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Probably a Tu-134 or Tu-154.
No pics of the entire trip because the photo lab lost my film. Trip was in 1990.
No pics of the entire trip because the photo lab lost my film. Trip was in 1990.
He's always been a piece of shit.
Just sometimes he randomly managed to do some good on the side.
Just sometimes he randomly managed to do some good on the side.
April 17, 2025 at 3:55 PM
He's always been a piece of shit.
Just sometimes he randomly managed to do some good on the side.
Just sometimes he randomly managed to do some good on the side.
Yep.
The sound of silence in a data center is really eerie.
The sound of silence in a data center is really eerie.
March 31, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Yep.
The sound of silence in a data center is really eerie.
The sound of silence in a data center is really eerie.
Even with N+1 redundancies, things can still go dark.
I had a 1MW data center go dark because the electricians were doing IR scans of the switches and when putting the cover back on the main transfer switch they bumped the switch. City, UPS and generator power where fine, but the switch was off.
I had a 1MW data center go dark because the electricians were doing IR scans of the switches and when putting the cover back on the main transfer switch they bumped the switch. City, UPS and generator power where fine, but the switch was off.
March 31, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Even with N+1 redundancies, things can still go dark.
I had a 1MW data center go dark because the electricians were doing IR scans of the switches and when putting the cover back on the main transfer switch they bumped the switch. City, UPS and generator power where fine, but the switch was off.
I had a 1MW data center go dark because the electricians were doing IR scans of the switches and when putting the cover back on the main transfer switch they bumped the switch. City, UPS and generator power where fine, but the switch was off.
Why does jurisdiction move with the kidnapping victim in ICE cases? In normal kidnapping cases, the location where it occurred is usually where the case is prosecuted.
If jurisdiction moves with the person, all ICE has to do is play hot potato with the victim and they can avoid the courts.
If jurisdiction moves with the person, all ICE has to do is play hot potato with the victim and they can avoid the courts.
March 27, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Why does jurisdiction move with the kidnapping victim in ICE cases? In normal kidnapping cases, the location where it occurred is usually where the case is prosecuted.
If jurisdiction moves with the person, all ICE has to do is play hot potato with the victim and they can avoid the courts.
If jurisdiction moves with the person, all ICE has to do is play hot potato with the victim and they can avoid the courts.