Daily Tech News 17 April 2024

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The modern world depends on a handful of ships. (The Verge)

Specifically, the 22 ships designed and dedicated to repairing the undersea cables that make the internet inter.

It's a good article, and it covers the whole history of undersea cables and cable repair:
Field fared no better. Twelve years after he began, he had endured severed cables, near sinkings, and had one "success": a cable laid in 1858 that prompted celebrations so enthusiastic that revelers set fire to New York City Hall. The cable failed weeks later.
We need more of this.

The only problem is that as you scroll through it, every so often it hits an image gallery and scrolls sideways.

I'm impressed they found something worse than the experimental UI over at YouTube.

Tech News

Google's ethnically diverse Nazis are staging a sit-in to protest the company having a contract with Israel. (MSN)

It's so helpful the way the useless idiots self-identify so that they can be fired.

Google won't take the opportunity, because at this point it's idiots all the way down.
Nvidia's 4070 or AMD's 7900 GRE? (Tom's Hardware)

The two cards are priced within $10 of each other. The 7900 is 15% faster on non-raytraced games; the 4070 is 15% faster on raytraced games.

The 7090 has more memory; the 4070 uses less power.

If you're running AI workloads, the 4070 is a clear winner, running Stable Diffusion in half the time.

Either card is a pretty good option though.

Or just get a Radeon RX 580 which for $80 can deliver 500fps in Minecraft at 4k resolution.
Samsung is to receive $6.4 billion - all direct funding, not loans - under the CHIPS Act to build a $40 billion chip factory in Texas. (AnandTech)

I'm not a huge fan of government handouts, even when it's not my government and not my tax dollars, but as I've said before, almost everything the government spends its money on is worse than this.

Disclaimer: Rubber ducky, joy of joys; when I squeeze you, you make noise.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:11 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2024 04:12 AM (fwDg9)

2 PIXY 's THREAD IS NOOD
Posted by: Skip

pics?

Posted by: The Inquiring Mind of Miklos at April 17, 2024 04:14 AM (oGyF9)

3
In Pennsylvania you MUST be a citizen to vote.

This is what the border crashers are being told:

You do not need documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. You can vote if you simply swear you are eligible.

Houston, we have a problem.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 17, 2024 04:21 AM (RKVpM)

4 Skip and I are having breakfast ay Mammy's Kitchen in Myrtle Beach

The rest shall do as they please.

Mercy upon your souls, 'cause you missin' out.

Posted by: Miklos likes the buffet at April 17, 2024 04:25 AM (oGyF9)

5 We need to 'expose' all these illegals as R voters!

THAT'll stop them

Posted by: JQ at April 17, 2024 04:26 AM (njWTi)

6 Breakfast buffet... mmm mmm!

Plate o'hash browns, covered with sausage gravy and couple over-easy eggs... buttered toast to mop it all up...

Cold milk to wash it down.

Hot coffee to cleanse the palate.

Posted by: JQ at April 17, 2024 04:32 AM (njWTi)

7
I'm not a huge fan of government handouts, even when it's not my government and not my tax dollars, but as I've said before, almost everything the government spends its money on is worse than this.

When Biden tells Xi, 'Don't' (as in don't invade Taiwan) I'm certain it will be just as effective as when he used that same word on Putin and Iran. Six point four billion to this administration is about six minutes spending. A fvcking trillion dollars in new debt every 100 days. I'm not saying it's hopeless, but I have lost my hope, and I'm wasted and I can't find my home.

/ h/t Steve Winwood

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 17, 2024 04:38 AM (RKVpM)

8 Hot coffee to cleanse the palate.
Posted by: JQ

Covfefe with chicory, a three (3) beignets

Posted by: Miklos fonm Cafe du Monde at April 17, 2024 04:39 AM (oGyF9)

9 Chicory? Eeesh. That stuff grows in my yard. It's an ugly weed with pretty blue flowers.

Guess I should let it grow, harvest & roast the roots -- for the Burning Times.

Posted by: JQ at April 17, 2024 04:42 AM (njWTi)

10 When I worked in Noo Awlins restaurants, the only "palate cleanser" was some variety of alcohol.

Posted by: Miklos actually met *loosens tie, tough crowd* at April 17, 2024 04:46 AM (oGyF9)

11 Need to prepare for the worst.

It's *almost* a given that, even IF Trump (is allowed to) win... b@st@rds in DC will not let him take office. He will be incarcerated at least.

What will we actually face, come January 20, 2025?

Doesn't matter "who" the D's put there, ya know. It's WHAT they will do.

I'm not telling anyone what to do, nor am I asking advice... Just... THINK about what may be coming.

Same as you, DbZ. Lost my hope.

Posted by: JQ at April 17, 2024 04:51 AM (njWTi)

12 Burnt my toast, not a good start.
Off to Philadelphia, see you from the road
Forward Dog 9 out

Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2024 04:51 AM (fwDg9)

13 Guess I should let it grow, harvest & roast the roots -- for the Burning Times.
Posted by: JQ

If the roots are good, all be well in the Spring.

Posted by: Miklos, the Chance Gardening Economist at April 17, 2024 04:53 AM (oGyF9)

14 Have a good day, Skip!

Posted by: JQ at April 17, 2024 04:53 AM (njWTi)

15 'Lightning Man - The Accursed Life of Samuel Morse' has some interesting bits about the first attempts at the undersea cables.

It also has the odd bit of trivia in that when Morse was studying art, which he felt was his true calling, in Europe, he wrote a newspaper column recounting his travels. In that column may have been the first mention in a US English language publication of pizza. Morse did not approve.

Posted by: Epobirs at April 17, 2024 04:59 AM (/0z9K)

16 “This, plus the timing of the faults, indicated it wasn’t the quake that broke the cables but the underwater avalanches it triggered.”

Some think an underwater avalanche was a force multiplier that created the 40m Omoe Peninsula tsunami on 311.

@1 minute.
youtube.com/watch?v=qHGfkfHV5rQ

Posted by: 13times at April 17, 2024 05:06 AM (Qv+f+)

17 Yeah, the ewetub interface is horrible now. I figure it is permanent.

Posted by: Aetius451AD at April 17, 2024 05:07 AM (di6C2)

18 SpaceX - Falcon 9 - Starlink Group 6-51 - LC-39A -
Kennedy Space Center - Space Affairs Live
SpaceX targets Wednesday, April 17, for a Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Liftoff is targeted for 5:26 p.m. EDT, 21:26 UTC, and 23:26 CEST, with backup opportunities available until 9:24 p.m. EDT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Thursday, April 18, starting at 5:05 p.m. EDT.

https://www.youtube.com/live/DpO6uwMWns8

Posted by: Ciampino - ROCKET SCIENCE today, yep at April 17, 2024 05:18 AM (qfLjt)

19 Another 311 video. The videographer captured the tsunami effect from start to finish. Watch the whole thing. Note the gawkers at the tidal barrier. I hope they lived.

youtube.com/watch?v=I-Bnk_tyMW8

Posted by: 13times at April 17, 2024 05:18 AM (Qv+f+)

20 ☕

Posted by: Don Black at April 17, 2024 05:20 AM (oCjPU)

21 That Verge article is pretty interesting, Pixy! Thanks for sharing it.

Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 17, 2024 05:21 AM (YRsIm)

22 Morning, 'rons and 'ettes.

Posted by: olddog in mo at April 17, 2024 05:31 AM (ju2Fy)

23 Looking at the picture of the crew of one of the cable ships, they don't seem very diverse.

Somebody needs to fix that.

Posted by: Bruce at April 17, 2024 05:32 AM (DeG4V)

24 There is a great book, by Arthur C. Clarke of all people, on the laying of the first trans Atlantic undersea cables.

Posted by: Weasel at April 17, 2024 05:32 AM (RG6z4)

25 Oops! The book is How the World Was One. Highly recommended.

Posted by: Weasel at April 17, 2024 05:33 AM (6Mj+v)

26 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at April 17, 2024 05:37 AM (sAmhv)

27 Evening and morning to all you early risers and late toilers! I'm back from my workout, have showered and fed the Killer Kittens From Outer Space, and am now chowing down myself. How's your Camel Day look so far?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 17, 2024 05:39 AM (omVj0)

28 At least this time of morning there isn't traffic to deal with

Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2024 05:40 AM (/vSYF)

29
The 1976 movie 'Car Wash' comes to mind. The cashier in the movie was played by Melanie Mayron, a name that I heard many a time on the speaker system at my suburban Pennsylvania high school. Anyway, towards the end of the movie the character Abdullah pronounces, “It’s all falling apart, man. It's all falling apart.”

That is my assessment of where the USA is right now. Bottom of the ninth, six runs behind, with the bottom of the order coming to the plate.

Posted by: Divide by Zero at April 17, 2024 05:41 AM (RKVpM)

30
Google won't take the opportunity, because at this point it's idiots all the way down.

There's no Elon Musk waiting in the wings to acquire Goggle and thus purge it of its gaggle upon gaggle of idiots. Tough titty toenails for you, Goggle.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 17, 2024 05:41 AM (xG4kz)

31
Every time I see the Verge cited here, my mind summons up Jim Varney's call line, "Hey, Vern".

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 17, 2024 05:45 AM (xG4kz)

32
Rubber ducky, joy of joys; when I squeeze you, you make noise.

To be honest, so do all animals I encounter -- but they only make it once.

-- Lennie from "Of Mice and Men"

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 17, 2024 05:53 AM (xG4kz)

33 Google might fire them. They can outsource those jobs to Bangladesh or India, I would imagine.

These Jew hating protestors. I keep thinking about a title of a book. Haven't read it but probably should.

'Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds'.

I just wonder how many of these protestors actually know what they are protesting.

Posted by: Puddleglum, cheer up for the worst is yet to come at April 17, 2024 05:54 AM (sAmhv)

34 @3

>>In Pennsylvania you MUST be a citizen to vote.

Literally, no one is checking any of that sh*t.

And as we have seen, entities have been using the SSA to probe for valid SS numbers, the smash cut to all of this is that the voter registration systems and voting systems in this country are, in the main, a joke, and our elections are less legitimate than Blue Finger Iraqi Elections.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 17, 2024 06:11 AM (XV/Pl)

35 You have to be a citizen to vote in Pa, pfffft

The street ballot boxes are open, sign any name and drop it in, they ain't checking it but ate counting it

Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2024 06:19 AM (/vSYF)

36 You have to be a citizen to vote in Pa, pfffft

The street ballot boxes are open, sign any name and drop it in, they ain't checking it but ate counting it
Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2024 06:19 AM (/vSYF)

Must be HONGRY !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2024 07:18 AM (T4tVD)

37 Burnt my toast, not a good start.
Off to Philadelphia, see you from the road
Forward Dog 9 out
Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2024 04:51 AM (fwDg9)

If ya had a rotten egg, ya could have a 3 Stooges Breakfast !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2024 07:19 AM (T4tVD)

38 Burnt my toast, not a good start.
Off to Philadelphia, see you from the road
Forward Dog 9 out
Posted by: Skip at April 17, 2024 04:51 AM (fwDg9)

Have a good one and stay safe Skip !

Posted by: JT at April 17, 2024 07:22 AM (T4tVD)

39 Disclaimer: Rubber ducky, joy of joys; when I squeeze you, you make noise.

...

Posted by: m at April 17, 2024 10:20 AM (o3SCB)

40 I picked up my 4070 specifically for its comparatively low power draw. Less power = less heat, which is critical for the gaming system in my closet.

Posted by: Caiwyn at April 17, 2024 10:52 AM (BaIXK)

41 I know few will read this, but the fact that the guy who wrote the Verge article used the term "secretive" annoys me. There's nothing really secret about undersea cables. Those ships don't work in secret, they just do work that's so far removed from the end user that they get ignored by all but the people who understand how the technology works. So, it's not secretive, it's ignored.

Posted by: Cybersmythe at April 17, 2024 12:24 PM (iZEhM)

42 and just exactly how many containers can those cables carry across the ocean?

Posted by: ontoiran at April 17, 2024 05:25 PM (AaCDb)

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