Daily Tech News 11 February 2024

Top Story

California is looking to ban plastic shopping bags. (SF Standard)

Didn't they already do that, you ask?

Well, not quite. A decade ago, the state banned those flimsy single-use shopping bags stores gave away for free, permitting only heavier, more expensive, reusable shopping bags.

This quite predictably increased the amount of waste, so they're going to do it again.

Tech News

How much does it cost to delivery a terabyte of data?

Linode charges $5. DigitalOcean and Vultr charge $10. Microsoft Azure charges $80, Amazon charges $90, and Google Cloud charges $110. (Get Deploying)

AWS is what makes Amazon its profit, not shipping trillions of packages to billions of customers.

And what makes AWS profitable is overcharging you for simple services once you're locked in.
BunnyCDN - which I hadn't heard of before - starts at $5 per terabyte. (Bunny)

It looks quite good. The volume network - that part that costs $5 per terabyte - only has nodes in seven countries, but the regular network, starting at $10 per terabyte, is everywhere.
Why companies are leaving the cloud. (InfoWorld)

It's fucking expensive.
Bluesky Social is now open for users to sign up. (Tech Crunch)

It's probably dead, but I'll take a look before officially declaring the time and cause.

Disclaimer: Mostly dead is still partly alive.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:00 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 G'day, Pixy!

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 04:03 AM (njWTi)

2 hiya

Posted by: JT at February 11, 2024 04:04 AM (T4tVD)

3 WTH with the plastic bags? I re-use the damned things every day... why can't stores just let people bag their stuff?!?

Ugh

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 04:05 AM (njWTi)

4 Oh, right.

Calizuela...

Stoopid fktards

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 04:06 AM (njWTi)

5 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at February 11, 2024 04:11 AM (+YRf1)

6 I have a half-dozen reusable bags. Grocery shopping is so much easier.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at February 11, 2024 04:12 AM (w6EFb)

7 I gotta get to sleep. Nice seeing y'all!

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at February 11, 2024 04:13 AM (w6EFb)

8 California has gotten so good at governing that they now only pass laws to fix the problems caused by their previous laws.

Or all of their problems.

Posted by: Pete Bog at February 11, 2024 04:15 AM (BHL6B)

9 G'night, Miley! Good seein' ya!

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 04:16 AM (njWTi)

10 'Nite Miley !

Posted by: JT at February 11, 2024 04:16 AM (T4tVD)

11
Last thread, I mentioned I got off on a tangent of reading up on the history of the Internet, starting with ARPANET.

Did you know the original ARPANET had a "Sarah"? Sarah is the stereotypical operator of a small time telephone exchange, such as Mayberry or Hooterville. You know, Barney picks up his candlestick phone, and hollers, "Sarah, get me Juanita at the dinner!". Sarah then, at her old school switchboard, makes the connection with tip and ring plugs.

While that was used for comedic effect, it has more than a kernel of truth basis. Old maids still living with Ma and Pa, made ideal operators for small towns and rural areas in those days.

Well, ARPANET had Sarah or sorts....

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at February 11, 2024 04:19 AM (w6EFb)

12 Grandma had a wall-phone, with that huge heavy ear-piece like on a candlestick unit...

Pick it up & tap the (whatchamacallit?) a few times, ask for whoever person or biz... wait... connect... Anna? I think was the local operator?

LOL.

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 04:23 AM (njWTi)

13 New York has had a ban on the thin plastic bags for a couple of years, I've gotten use to it and the new ones last a long time. Paper bags (my childhood experience) cost from free to 5 cents or more. CVS has the nicest paper ones with handles and are free. Not at other stores especially super markets. Some local convenience stores still use the thin plastic bangs, so who knows what the law says, as usual it all depends on where you live. In the country, plastic is still used, in many areas. The state probably thinks us country folks are to stupid to know the so called law.

Posted by: Colin at February 11, 2024 04:24 AM (/z/eU)

14
Sarah of ARPANET was a nice lady who was a secretary for somebody at Stanford Research Institute. You know the modern DNS system, the system that allows "friendly names" to be mapped to actual IP addresses. That was developed in the '80s.

Well originally, it was done with a "hosts" file, which contains a list of name to address mappings. That still exists, and a local hosts file on your system will still override all the DNS and other host name mapping systems in use.

In the early days, this secretary at Stanford Research got herself placed in charge (she didn't ask for it, it was thrust upon her) of maintaining the master "Hosts" file for the whole system.

She was the original Internet Sarah, who knew what number belonged to which name.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley (w6EFb) at February 11, 2024 04:25 AM (w6EFb)

15 At least she wasnt a Karen .... wait, ...

Posted by: Ciampino at February 11, 2024 04:30 AM (qfLjt)

16 Posted by: Ciampino at February 11, 2024 04:30 AM

No, Anna/Sarah wasn't a Karen necessarily, but she sure was a Gladys Kravitz!!!

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 04:32 AM (njWTi)

17 Good morning! Currently 52 and rain here in Cowtown, and it's gonna be windy and rainy all day with the temps not getting any higher. We have several of those synthetic bags for the grocery store because we shop at Aldi, but those flimsy plastic grocery bags you get everywhere else are good for use in the bathroom trash cans.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at February 11, 2024 04:33 AM (YRsIm)

18 I use the cheapo plastic bags for car trash and wastebaskets. "Re-use" is part of the "recycle" triangle, right?

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 04:36 AM (njWTi)

19 Yeah, those flimsy plastic bags were perfect for wastebaskets and the like.

Local supermarkets here have gone back to paper bags, but the bags they're using are actually quite good, so I don't mind.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at February 11, 2024 04:45 AM (BLOW1)

20 I do miss the service from the kids that can organize and fill your paper bag at the speed of light in the checkout line. The last time we went to Mexico, the local grocery store still had that.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at February 11, 2024 04:46 AM (YRsIm)

21 This is for a special guy from my (long ago, in Japan) past...

I'll always remember you, Mark

youtube.com/watch?v=GZQKILDM_dY

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 04:47 AM (njWTi)

22 My fave grocery store still has baggers, and still offers nice, heavy duty, paper bags... or the flimsy plastic ones...

They will even load it all into your car. Nice!

If only they would unload it all at home, too-- LOL

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 04:54 AM (njWTi)

23 youtube.com/watch?v=pZuzdx3Kid8

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 05:00 AM (njWTi)

24
Discrimination
Exclusion
Incompetence

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 02:07 AM (njWTi)

That is perfectly accurate!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 11, 2024 05:03 AM (gSZYf)

25 a local hosts file on your system will still override all the DNS and other host name mapping systems in use.

Posted by: publius, Rascally Mr. Miley

My local hosts file is over 2000 lines long, it has all the mal sites that a large business had about 4 months ago.
I trust the local host file more than I trust DNS mapping.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 11, 2024 05:05 AM (lgDr6)

26 Oh, and good morning.
My better half's shift changed and I find it easier to switch my waking hours rather than trying to get back to sleep after she leaves.

Posted by: AZ deplorable moron at February 11, 2024 05:06 AM (lgDr6)

27 Haha, CBD, thanks... it just seemed *natural* ya know?

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 05:07 AM (njWTi)

28 Urban dwellers here in Gavinfornia simply got accustomed to paying for plastic bags and nothing changed. And that's where all the litter and garbage accumulates on roadsides and cyclone fencing. So, as usual, the city-suburban leftists just don't live by the standards they set for everyone else.

Take away their "recyclable" 20oz designer-artisan water bottles and they'll shriek like spoiled children. All of them are damn fools.

Posted by: 13times at February 11, 2024 05:12 AM (0oM0J)

29 EMT is up.

Posted by: Outside of Life at February 11, 2024 05:12 AM (89Sog)

30 "Urban dwellers here in Gavinfornia simply got accustomed to paying for plastic bags and nothing changed..."
-------

Teh Democratische Peoples Republik of Washington State is similar.

I travel there often, but (thankfully!) live in Idaho. Got to bring my own bags or boxes if I don't want to pay extra after shopping there. Jeez!

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 05:17 AM (njWTi)

31 24
Discrimination
Exclusion
Incompetence

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 02:07 AM (njWTi)

That is perfectly accurate!
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at February 11, 2024 05:03 AM (gSZYf)

Well done, JQ!

Posted by: m at February 11, 2024 05:18 AM (p0NY/)

32 Our grocery chain has online shopping that will include doorstop delivery if needed. Their system is highly organized and runs smoothly. Used properly the expense is tolerable, one great feature is shopping and having them bag it. You simply show up at a designated well marked area in the parking lot, quick phone call and they run it out to you.

As stated, properly used the service is a winner.

Posted by: irongrampa at February 11, 2024 05:20 AM (KATBx)

33 Time to revisit George Carlin on "plastic"?

Posted by: m at February 11, 2024 05:22 AM (p0NY/)

34 (p0NY/)

Oh, hahaha, LOL, that hash is *awesome* !!!!!

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 05:24 AM (njWTi)

35 George Carlin: And if it’s true that plastic is not degradable, well, the planet will simply incorporate plastic into a new paradigm: the earth plus plastic. The earth doesn’t share our prejudice toward plastic. Plastic came out of the earth. The earth probably sees plastic as just another one of its children. Could be the only reason the earth allowed us to be spawned from it in the first place. It wanted plastic for itself. Didn’t know how to make it. Needed us. Could be the answer to our age-old egocentric philosophical question, “Why are we here?”

Posted by: m at February 11, 2024 05:26 AM (p0NY/)

36 34 (p0NY/)

Oh, hahaha, LOL, that hash is *awesome* !!!!!
Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 05:24 AM (njWTi)

Oh, yay! I got a p0NY again!

Posted by: m at February 11, 2024 05:26 AM (p0NY/)

37 In typical socialist Democrat form CA did not "ban" plastic bags to lower waste volume but to create a source of revenue/tax under the guise of "caring". Problem is, payment for those heavier bags is entirely unenforceable as the fee collected goes entirely to the state which means stores couldn't care less if people were pressing the "yes I used a bag" button and most people just selected NO regardless how many bags they used. Stores already had cost for the bags worked into the high food prices we pay here. Way to go Sacramento. Another smooth move.

Posted by: Son of Dad at February 11, 2024 06:16 AM (8JB5s)

38 31 24
Discrimination
Exclusion
Incompetence

Posted by: JQ at February 11, 2024 02:07 AM (njWTi)

Good one. I hate when DEI takes a seat in the cockpit.

Posted by: JM in Ill -- Behold the Manchurian Candidate at February 11, 2024 07:15 AM (wSodC)

39 Click on the plastic bag ban link
There's a photo of the dimbo pol sponsoring the bill, a bunch of awfls & teens behind her. and someone covered with plastic bags as some kind of trash monster
Trash monster guy is the pnly black guy in the photo
The optics lol

Posted by: vmom stabby stabby stabby stabby stabamillion at February 11, 2024 08:09 AM (DpEcY)

40 I have to keep reminding people that the technical definition of a cloud is "somebody else's hardware and software".

Posted by: EndOfPatience at February 11, 2024 08:18 AM (kVvSz)

41 >>>Once the Super Bowl is over, Swift is expected to fly to Australia later in the week to continue the tour.

uh-oh

(from sports.yahoo.com)

Posted by: m at February 11, 2024 08:30 AM (p0NY/)

42 Moore's Law is Dead has been saying for a while that he really doesn't expect cloud gaming to ever take off, because every time it gets easier and cheaper to host things on the cloud, it also becomes easier and cheaper to do them locally, too.

I almost wonder if cloud business has exactly the same problem, but avoided noticing it until now because the MBAs were so certain they were going to offset costs they hadn't done the math until now?

Posted by: Voyager at February 11, 2024 08:57 AM (S3d13)

43 Addendum: I'm expecting they're not going to deliver well on AI either. The expense in AI is training, but once you've got a well trained model for your task, you don't need nearly as many banks of H100's in your server racks.

And I would not be surprised to see *tons* of H100's hit the used market one about half or so of the companies that brought into the bubble realize that AI does nothing for their application.

Posted by: Voyager at February 11, 2024 09:01 AM (S3d13)

44 >>>It's fucking expensive.

Word order was crucial here.

Posted by: m at February 11, 2024 11:10 AM (p0NY/)

45 43 Addendum: I'm expecting they're not going to deliver well on AI either. The expense in AI is training, but once you've got a well trained model for your task, you don't need nearly as many banks of H100's in your server racks.

And I would not be surprised to see *tons* of H100's hit the used market one about half or so of the companies that brought into the bubble realize that AI does nothing for their application.
- - - - - - - -
Corollary to "Well Trained" - There are too many butchers behind the scenes with their thumbs on the scale. Someone with power didn't like the response, so they forced the devs to put in digital blinders. So now, you ask for certain things, and the AI will reply that it cannot do that. And so the training gets distorted, because people get distorted, and the end result will likely become GIGO - Garbage In, Garbage Out.

Posted by: Another Anon at February 11, 2024 11:12 AM (hwP7U)

46 Commierado banned plastic shopping bags. Last year stores could still use them but had to charge ten cents per bag at the point of sale.

As of January 1st, no more plastic bags. But us proles are allowed to buy a paper sack for a dime.

We're still allowed the bags in the produce and meat sections, though. I always grab extra for when I scoop the cat box.

Posted by: ChupaMe at February 11, 2024 01:37 PM (fzebt)

47 If some one wishes expert view concerning blogging and
site-building afterward i suggest him/her to pay a quick visit this web site, Keep
up the fastidious job.

Posted by: parenting.ra6.org at February 11, 2024 02:53 PM (Rzagy)

Processing 0.01, elapsed 0.0143 seconds.
15 queries taking 0.0072 seconds, 56 records returned.
Page size 43 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.