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Off Topic The "That's interesting"/geek thread

Discussion in 'Queens Park Rangers' started by UTRs, May 25, 2018.

  1. Steelmonkey

    Steelmonkey Well-Known Member

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    ****ing.Stay.There
     
    #401
  2. QPRski

    QPRski Well-Known Member

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    #402
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  3. QPRski

    QPRski Well-Known Member

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    #403
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  4. Steelmonkey

    Steelmonkey Well-Known Member

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    Won't be long til the military have something working along these lines - next up it'll be the real Iron Man.....
     
    #404
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  5. QPRski

    QPRski Well-Known Member

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    Very true. That is why this application is so laudable!
     
    #405
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  6. kiwiqpr

    kiwiqpr Barnsie Mod

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    Lost Scrolls Charred By Mount Vesuvius Will Soon Be "Virtually Unwrapped"
    Admin October 05, 2019 0
    In 79 CE, as Mount Vesuvius rained hell down on the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum below, a fine set of scrolls laid in a private library near the coastline. Along with much of the towns and their people, the scrolls were carbonized through a blast of hot volcanic debris, searing them into lumps of brittle carbon that are too fragile to unravel.

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    Now, almost 2,000 years on, a team of researchers say they finally have the technology to decipher the papyrus text.
    Scientists from the University of Kentucky have employed the help of Diamond Light Source, a synchrotron light source science facility in the UK, to blast the carbonized scrolls with high-energy X-rays to pick up on subtle hints of ink that are invisible to the naked eye. They will then use artificial intelligence to “fill in the gaps.”
    “We do not expect to immediately see the text from the upcoming scans, but they will provide the crucial building blocks for enabling that visualization," Professor Brent Seales, director of the Digital Restoration Initiative at the University of Kentucky, explained in a statement. "First, we will immediately see the internal structure of the scrolls in more definition than has ever been possible, and we need that level of detail to ferret out the highly compressed layers on which the text sits.

    “The machine-learning tool we are developing will amplify that ink signal by training a computer algorithm to recognize it – pixel by pixel – from photographs of opened fragments that show exactly where the ink is – voxel by voxel – in the corresponding tomographic data of the fragment,” he added.
    This particular set of scrolls, consisting of two complete scrolls and four fragments, were found alongside thousands of other papyri in 1752 around the ruins of a Roman villa near the Bay of Naples. Collectively known as the Herculaneum papyri, the texts are thought to be the only surviving library from antiquity that exists in its entirety. The texts that have been successfully studied namely contain writings of a philosophical nature that provide a fascinating insight into the world of the Roman Empire.
    Many of these scrolls remain tightly closed and impossible to read in their current state. There have been attempts to physically unfurl a handful of the closed Herculaneum scrolls, however, the researchers say these have been “largely disastrous.” As such, many of the texts have remained untouched and their wisdom unknown.
    Judging by the team and technology being used this time around, the scrolls are in safe hands. Professor Seales, the computer scientist leading the work, has previously been involved in efforts to use imaging techniques on all kinds of ancient documents, including the En-Gedi scroll, the earliest copy ever found of an Old Testament Bible scripture.
     
    #406
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  7. QPRski

    QPRski Well-Known Member

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    #407
  8. kiwiqpr

    kiwiqpr Barnsie Mod

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    Boyan Slat's Ocean Cleanup Project Successfully Retrieves Plastic From The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
    By Daksha Morjaria
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    Boyan Slat's non-profit Ocean Cleanup was able to successfully collect floating debris from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (Credit: theoceancleanup.com)
    Boyan Slat has been dreaming of cleaning up the world's oceans ever since he was a teenager. On October 2, 2019, the now 25-year-old announced that System 001/B, an autonomous retrieval system developed by his non-profit Ocean Cleanup, had successfully trapped plastic debris floating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Located between Hawaii and California, the approximately 617,763 square-mile mass of waste is the largest accumulation of ocean plastic in the world.
    "After beginning this journey seven years ago, this first year of testing in the unforgivable environment of the high seas strongly indicates that our vision is attainable and that the beginning of our mission to rid the ocean of plastic garbage, which has accumulated for decades, is within our sights," said Slat.
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    25-year-old Boyan Slat is leading the effort to clean our oceans (Credit: theoceancleanup.com)
    Slat first became aware of ocean pollution during a diving vacation in Greece in 2010, when he observed more plastic on the beaches than fish in the sea. In 2013, the Dutch teenager, who had always dreamed of becoming an aerospace engineer, decided to forgo higher education and instead establish The Ocean Cleanup. The foundation's mission was to create an environmentally-friendly, large-scale solution to remove the ever-increasing plastic debris from aquatic ecosystems.
    Though the idea sounded feasible, creating an autonomous, scalable device, which did not harm marine creatures, was no easy task. It took five years, 273 models, and six prototypes before Slat's team of 70 scientists and engineers launched the U-shaped, solar-powered System 001, or "Wilson," off the coast of San Francisco in October 2018.
    System 001 comprised a long floater that sat on the surface of the water and a skirt that hung beneath it. The floater provided buoyancy, while the skirt prevented debris from escaping underneath and channeled it into the retention system. A cork line above the skirt stopped overtopping and kept the skirt afloat. However, though the solar-powered "Wilson" easily scooped up the garbage, it was unable to retain it, primarily due to the difference between the speed of the system and and the plastic debris.
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    It took the Ocean Cleanup team six years to develop a a working prototype to help remove plastic debris from the Pacific (Credit: theoceancleanup.com)
    Undeterred by the minor setback, Slat's team spent the next year testing a new prototype with a parachute sea anchor that allowed for faster-moving plastic debris to float into the system. Though this solved the issue of the speed differential between the water and debris, it caused a large amount of the plastic to rise above the barrier and escape. This was fixed by increasing the size of the cork line. System 001/B, launched off the coast of Vancouver, Canada, in June 2019, successfully completed its inaugural mission collecting a vast amount of ocean garbage that ranged from large fishing nets to barely discernible micro-plastics.
    “We now have a self-contained system in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch that is using the natural forces of the ocean to passively catch and concentrate plastics … This now gives us sufficient confidence in the general concept to keep going on this project,” Slat said.
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    Slat hopes to clean up 50 percent of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch by 2024 (Credit: theoceancleanup.com)
    The social entrepreneur and his team plan to continue improving the device and building additional units so they can be deployed to oceans worldwide. They hope to make it more durable, so it can retain plastic for up to a year or even longer before collection is necessary. Slat's dream is to remove 50 percent of the trash in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch within the next five years, and 90 percent of all ocean plastic by 2040! The reclaimed polymer will be brought back to shore and transformed into premium products.
    “I think in a few years’ time when we have the full-scale fleet out there, I think it should be possible to cover the operational cost of the cleanup operation using the plastic harvested,” Slat said.
     
    #408
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  9. Steelmonkey

    Steelmonkey Well-Known Member

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    Kurt Cobain cardigan sells at auction for $334,000

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    The iconic mohair cardigan sold in New York alongside Kurt Cobain's custom Fender Mustang

    A stained, cigarette-burned cardigan unwashed in nearly three decades has sold at auction for $334,000 (£260,000).

    Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain wore the green button-up during the band's MTV "Unplugged" performance in 1993.

    It has not been cleaned since he last wore it.

    The iconic piece of clothing is now reportedly the most expensive sweater ever sold at auction after it was snapped up in New York on Saturday.

    Darren Julien, president of Julien's Auction, called Cobain's mohair cardigan "the holy grail of any article of clothing that he ever wore".

    Cobain's custom-made Fender Mustang guitar - which he used during Nirvana's In Utero tour - was also on sale, and fetched $340,000 (£265,000). It had been on display at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for several years.

    The artist achieved colossal success after forming Nirvana in 1987, but struggled with fame, depression and drug addiction.

    He killed himself in April 1994 aged 27
     
    #409
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  10. QPRski

    QPRski Well-Known Member

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    #410
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  11. QPRski

    QPRski Well-Known Member

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    #411
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  12. QPRski

    QPRski Well-Known Member

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    #412
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  13. kiwiqpr

    kiwiqpr Barnsie Mod

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    Researchers hack Siri, Alexa, and Google Home by shining lasers at them
    MEMS mics respond to light as if it were sound. No one knows precisely why.
    Dan Goodin - 11/5/2019, 7:00 AM
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    Sugawara et al.
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    Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant are vulnerable to attacks that use lasers to inject inaudible—and sometimes invisible—commands into the devices and surreptitiously cause them to unlock doors, visit websites, and locate, unlock, and start vehicles, researchers report in a research paper published on Monday. Dubbed Light Commands, the attack works against Facebook Portal and a variety of phones.
    Shining a low-powered laser into these voice-activated systems allows attackers to inject commands of their choice from as far away as 360 feet (110m). Because voice-controlled systems often don’t require users to authenticate themselves, the attack can frequently be carried out without the need of a password or PIN. Even when the systems require authentication for certain actions, it may be feasible to brute force the PIN, since many devices don’t limit the number of guesses a user can make. Among other things, light-based commands can be sent from one building to another and penetrate glass when a vulnerable device is kept near a closed window.
    The attack exploits a vulnerability in microphones that use micro-electro-mechanical systems, or MEMS. The microscopic MEMS components of these microphones unintentionally respond to light as if it were sound. While the researchers tested only Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, Facebook Portal, and a small number of tablets and phones, the researchers believe all devices that use MEMS microphones are susceptible to Light Commands attacks.
    A novel mode of attack
    The laser-based attacks have several limitations. For one, the attacker must have direct line of sight to the targeted device. And for another, the light in many cases must be precisely aimed at a very specific part of the microphone. Except in cases where an attacker uses an infrared laser, the lights are also easy to see by someone who is close by and has line of sight of the device. What’s more, devices typically respond with voice and visual cues when executing a command, a feature that would alert users within earshot of the device.
    Despite those constraints, the findings are important for a host of reasons. Not only does the research present a novel mode of attack against voice-controllable, or VC, systems, it also shows how to carry out the attacks in semi-realistic environments. Additionally, the researchers still don’t fully understand the physics behind their exploit. A better understanding in the coming years may yield more effective attacks. Last, the research highlights the risks that result when VC devices, and the peripherals they connect to, carry out sensitive commands without requiring a password or PIN.
    “We find that VC systems are often lacking user authentication mechanisms, or if the mechanisms are present, they are incorrectly implemented (e.g., allowing for PIN bruteforcing),” the researchers wrote in a paper titled Light Commands: Laser-Based Audio Injection Attacks on Voice-Controllable Systems. “We show how an attacker can use light-injected voice commands to unlock the target’s smart-lock protected front door, open garage doors, shop on e-commerce websites at the target’s expense, or even locate, unlock and start various vehicles (e.g., Tesla and Ford) if the vehicles are connected to the target’s Google account.”
    Below is a video explaining the Light Commands attack:
    LightCommands v3 2
    Low cost, low power requirements
    The paper describes different setups used to carry out the attacks. One is composed of a simple laser pointer (price $18 for three), a Wavelength Electronics LD5CHA laser driver ($339), and a Neoteck NTK059 audio amplifier ($27.99). The setup can use an optional Opteka 650-1300mm telephoto lens ($199.95) to focus the laser for long-range attacks. The laser driver and diodes are intended for lab use, a condition that requires an attacker to experience with lasers to successfully assemble and test the setups.
    Light Commands demo with inexpensive setup.
    Another setup used an infrared laser that’s invisible to the human eye for more stealthy attacks. A third setup relied on an Acebeam W30 500 lumens laser-excited phosphor flashlight to eliminate the requirement to precisely aim a light on a specific part of a MEMS microphone.
    One of the researchers’ attacks successfully injected a command through a glass window 230 feet away. In that experiment, a VC device was positioned next to a window on the fourth floor of a building, or about 50 feet above the ground. The attacker’s laser was placed on a platform inside a nearby bell tower, located about 141 feet above ground level. The laser then shined a light onto the Google Home device, which has only top-facing microphones.
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    Enlarge
    / A diagram of the building-to-building attack using Light Commands.
    Sugawara et al.
    Building-to-building Light Commands attack.
    In a different experiment, the researchers used a telephoto lens to focus the laser to successfully attack a VC device 360 feet away. The distance was the maximum allowed in the test environment, raising the possibility that longer distances are possible.
     
    #413
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  14. UTRs

    UTRs Senile Member

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  15. kiwiqpr

    kiwiqpr Barnsie Mod

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    can anyone help this bloke out

    Jacob Nbonu <[email protected]>
    Tue 19/11/2019 12:38 PM
    • You

    Dear,
    Greetings and my sincere apologies for writing without prior notice even though I feel honored to write to you. Be assured that the content of this email will benefit you and I in all good ways. Pardon my method of writing if you do not fully understand what I have written. I assure you that I will do my best to explain it in such a way that you will fully understand every bit of word.

    Some years ago, an employee or rather a contractor to a reputable company here in my country lost his life with his immediate family but before this mishap, he made a certain deposit in my bank which on maturity we sent him a notification, which I did, but got no response. I learned about the tragedy later on.
    Despite the amount of labor I put in, I have failed so much in an attempt to locate his people regarding this deposit.

    Consequently, I want to move this money out of my country and will need your help. I have made a very good preparation on how this can be done securely using my expertise and training in banking.
    As I said, it will be done securely and we both stand to benefit legitimately.
    For more information, please kindly reply to this email.
    I appreciate your participation.
    Kind regards, Jacob
     
    #415
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  16. QPRski

    QPRski Well-Known Member

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    #416
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  17. Steelmonkey

    Steelmonkey Well-Known Member

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    Saw this story on the news this morning, very heart-warming.....

    Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker: Dying fan gets early screening
    • 29 November 2019

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    The Star Wars fan watched the film on Friday morning

    A dying man and his family have been allowed to watch the new Star Wars film before it goes on general release.

    Rowans Hospice in Waterlooville, Hampshire, sent out a plea on Twitter asking for an early screening of the movie, which is due out on 20 December.

    The hospice said: "This is our most desperate hour. Sadly, time is not on his side for 20th Dec."

    In a statement, the man said the "biggest thank you" after a copy was couriered to the hospice.

    On Thursday, Disney chief executive Bob Iger confirmed on Twitter: "On this Thanksgiving, we at @Disney are grateful to be able to share #TheRiseOfSkywalker with a patient and his family @RowansHospice. May the force be with you and with us all!"

    The patient's statement said: "During what is a such a horrible situation to be in, you have helped make some wonderful memories and bring some joy to my family.

    "I am a huge Star Wars fan and what I am going through is completely dire - and to top it all I thought I was not going to see the film I have been waiting to see since 1977.

    "I still can't believe it - the only way I can describe it is that I feel like I have won a million pounds."


    Rowans chief executive Ruth White said things had "happened quickly" following the the initial tweet which was sent after a staff member had struck up a conversation with the patient after seeing a Star Wars tattoo on his leg.

    "It was delivered with lots of disclaimers and paperwork and lockdown effectively, so only the family could see it.

    "There is such joy today but everyone's eyes are glistening with the sadness of it - it's amazing and sad in similar measure."

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    Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the last film in the current Disney trilogy
     
    #417
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  18. QPRski

    QPRski Well-Known Member

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    A very nice gesture in a sad story.
     
    #418
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  19. Uber_Hoop

    Uber_Hoop Well-Known Member

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  20. Steelmonkey

    Steelmonkey Well-Known Member

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    I heard the inventor on the radio other day - he's hoping to put them into production soon......retail value £300K!
     
    #420

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