Recent posts

#1

Off the Record / Re: Out And About.

Last post by mongers - Today at 05:00:03 PM

Very cool

I have feeling the coolest British hillforts are in Scotland, though not seen enough of them yet.

Though a few weeks ago I was passing through Dorchester so made a detour to Maiden Castle, pretty iconic and made somewhat cool for being where Terence Stamp accidentally hits Julie Christie with a sword. as the character are filmed amongst the green ramparts. 

The film, I don't need to mention it do I.

#2

Off the Record / Re: The China Thread

Last post by HVC - Today at 04:49:21 PM

Wouldn't it be great if western companies start ignoring Chinese patents

Irony is the rarest of rare earth metals 

#3

Off the Record / Re: The China Thread

Last post by Zanza - Today at 04:48:46 PM

Just a remark: The five minute charging needs incredibly powerful chargers (1 MWh DC) and the appropriate grid, especially if there is a whole bunch of these chargers. I am a bit sceptical whether the necessary investments into the grid and power generation capability would pay off compared to charging slightly slower. Maybe that's where the exponential growth in photovoltaics in China comes in, but balancing such a grid must be a nightmare.

#4

Off the Record / Re: The China Thread

Last post by Josquius - Today at 04:47:25 PM

Wouldn't it be great if western companies start ignoring Chinese patents

#5

Off the Record / Re: The China Thread

Last post by crazy canuck - Today at 04:39:15 PM

It sounds like China has already won. The US just doesn't realize it yet

China's biggest automaker, its biggest battery maker and its biggest electronics company have each introduced systems that can recharge electric cars in just five minutes, all but erasing one of the most annoying hassles of E.V.s, the long charging times. China has nearly 700,000 clean energy patents, more than half of the world's total. Beijing's rise as a clean power behemoth is altering economies and shifting alliances in emerging countries as far afield as Pakistan and Brazil.

The country is also taking steps that could make it hard for other countries, particularly the United States, to catch up. In April, Beijing restricted the export of powerful "rare earth" magnets, a business China dominates, unless they're already inside fully assembled products like electric vehicles or wind turbines. While China recently started issuing some export licenses for the magnets, the moves signal that the world may face a choice: Buy China's green energy technology, or do without.

From the NYTimes

#6

Off the Record / Re: General issues

Last post by Maladict - Today at 03:31:26 PM

It looks like topic numbers jump from 167xx to 16777xxx

edit: sometime around October 2023

#7

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Syt - Today at 01:46:20 PM

I loved The Bear S1/2, but eventually watching a show about people destroying themselves and their partners emotionally and even physically in pursuit of the phantom of professional greatness was a slightly uncomfortable watch. 

Too close to home?

S4 is more wholesome and has the characters trying to overcome that - a lot more upbeat IMO.

#8

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by celedhring - Today at 12:58:04 PM

I loved The Bear S1/2, but eventually watching a show about people destroying themselves and their partners emotionally and even physically in pursuit of the phantom of professional greatness was a slightly uncomfortable watch. 

#9

Off the Record / Re: TV/Movies Megathread

Last post by Syt - Today at 12:44:09 PM

S4 of The Bear. S3 was a bit overly "big" IMO with guest stars (John Cena! famous chefs!), but seems the writers strike forced things to go "small" again, focusing on personal drama and hang ups. It's very slow paced, with many drawn out dialogues - unlike previous seasons which caused me mild anxiety with its stressful kitchen scenes (best exemplified by S3's "Doors").

It works for me with its drive for arthouse-ish psycho-drama, but YMMV (A LOT!).

#10

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Syt - Today at 11:45:37 AM

Nothing special, just the King of Sweden playing darts with some skinheads in the 90s.