Westminstenders: War and Weirdos

[RedToothBrush]

With weirdos set to run No10 and Trump seemingly having started a new war in the Middle East, 2020 already looks set to be a cracking year.

To start off your year, it turns out that chinese curse about interesting times is actually a fallacy...

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_you_live_in_interesting_times

Happy New Year.

May we make 2030...

If the "Best Before" date isn't yet printed on the medicines, they've got an infinite shelf life.

Meanwhile following on from the Galileo GPS point ... whilst it would be tempting to think this solves the problem, I have a feeling the UK doesn't have the breadth and depth of expertise needed to translate this into a viable proposition. It will be a bit like Here's what you could have won, if you hadn't pushed so many experts out of the country

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/register-lecture-can-portable-atomic-clocks-end-the-uk-dependance-on-gps-tickets-84596379047

The global order is in flux: Trump in the Whitehouse wages wars using trade and aid as weapons. Britain teeters on the brink of leaving the European Union.

And yet, the UK is completely dependent upon both for satellite mapping, navigation and communications technology.

The US-based GPS is a network of more than 30 satellites used by billions of phones, handsets and other devices in this country. The European Union plans to double the footprint of satellites with a system the UK had, until Brexit, contributed to building.

University of Sussex researchers are working on what they believe could offer Britain ticket out of this two-way way bind. The answer? A system that employs portable, optical atomic clocks as a means of extremely accurate time-keeping and that completely ends the need for navigation system here on Earth to talk to an orbiting network of satellites.

Dr Alessia Pasquazi from the Epic Lab at the University of Sussex’s School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences is developing the idea and she joins us at The Reg’s first lecture of the year and the new decade to introduce this technology, discuss its potential and map the road to adoption.

Alessia will explain how portable atomic clocks improve on GPS and Galileo, discuss recent breakthroughs in the research, and she examines the hurdles that remain. This being the new year and a new decade, Alessia will look into the immediate and deep future to look at what lays in store for optical atomic clocks in the mighty, multi-billion-dollar space and telecommunications industries.

Join Alessia at Bloomsbury's Rugby Tavern on Jan 23. Doors open at 18:30 UK time for a 19:00 start. Refreshments will be served at 19:45 followed by an audience Q&A. Tickets here.

Was that irony? Medicines have expiry dates not 'best before' I suspect that only homeopathic concoctions would have ultra long shelf lives - but those are woo again :)

Was that irony? Medicines have expiry dates not 'best before'

It's a post-Brexit joke. I've lost the will to explain the workings . I got it anyway. Sometimes when it's been a long thread you need to put in a little something just for yourself.

I'm fully stocked up with homeopathic remedies, thanks ....

The Ukraine 737 is very odd. Reports of engine trouble, but this was at altitude and not during takeoff when that would be most likely.

Air to ground comms would yield more explanation.

This could be described as scaremongering, from its tone, but it is the Express

There is not a lot that is new in that Express article, a lot of ‘this could happen’ ‘that could happen’ and I would put money on those conflicts either dying down or running on and on in their current form for years (continual willy waving). I fully expect the media to go into overdrive on this situation though (at least until Brexit takes over towards end of the month).

I think there needs to be an anxiety trigger warning on these threads.

The last thing Boeing need is a safety scare ...

Dec 2019:

"UKspace is hugely encouraged that the Government recognises the vital role that “A new National Space Council and UK Space Strategy will help the UK lead the way in this fast-growing, high-technology sector, creating thousands of jobs across the country and generating opportunities to strengthen the UK’s global influence while keeping people safe.”

"Additionally, it’s clear that Government has listened to the growing voice of the UK space sector, stating that “the Cabinet-level National Space Council will help put space at the heart of Government policy and help us deliver a UK Space Strategy.The Space Strategy will boost future funding and lead to a dedicated innovation programme to support future space exploration and exploitation of technology developments by funding cutting-edge British innovation in AI, robotics and satellites.”

"We look forward to working with the Minister for Space, and hope that this renewed commitment extends to establishing a new UK global satellite navigation system, which was one of five key policy recommendations in the UKspace 2020 Manifesto."

"Looking ahead to the start of a new decade, we hope the Government’s plans will foster an environment in which the whole UK space sector will have the opportunity to thrive and move towards our target of growing its annual revenues to £40bn per year by 2030."

www.ukspace.org/queens-speech-sets-out-environment-for-space-sectors-growth/

Also Nov 2019:
"UK Space Agency confirms £7.35 million funding to support small satellite launch from Cornwall."

www.virgin.com/news/ps735-million-grant-uk-space-agency-support-air-launch-cornwall

"Minister Skidmore said: “We want the UK to be the first country in Europe to give its small satellite manufacturers a clear route from the factory to the spaceport.That’s why it’s so important that we are developing new infrastructure to allow aircraft to take off and deploy satellites, a key capability that the UK currently lacks.Today’s announcement will help the UK to harness the commercial opportunities offered by the global space industry and put the UK firmly on the map as Europe’s leading launch destination.”

Yes, well this all depends on having the staff to build this new technology and with a Government busy discouraging EU citizens from coming here, and UK people leaving, it could easily not happen.

At the moment, it's yet another pie in the sky promise from a Government populated by men who are most interested in willy waving rather than formulating proper industrial strategies.

Yes, well this all depends on having the staff to build this new technology and with a Government busy discouraging EU citizens from coming here, and UK people leaving, it could easily not happen.

Not just that. The UK experts in the field are already employed across projects for the ESA. I'm guessing that magic money tree will need another shake to bribe tempt them back (if they want to come).

Also it might be instructive to look at existing rocket launch sites and the infrastructure they require. I can't see Kernowans being thrilled at their country country being turned into a rocket launching facility.

Ukrainians have just withdrawn statement saying cause of accident was engine fire.
Hear Hooves think horses ...

I can't see Kernowans being thrilled at their country being turned into a rocket launching facility.

• This ere space: Wherzit?
• Tis tother side of Plymouth, Boy.

It would be disastrous for Boeing if a rumour took hold that their planes had been loaded with malware by the US government who can bring one down at will on orders from POTUS.

Imagine a worldwide Twitter storm suggesting that, and the havoc it could cause as across the planet passengers refuse to board Boeing - or US made - or Western made - jet airliners.

Oops.

At the moment, it's yet another pie in the sky promise from a Government populated by men who are most interested in willy waving rather than formulating proper industrial strategies.

Talking of the rather dishy Grant Shapps

www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/grant-shapps-ashington-blyth-trains-17521599

There's no accounting for Tory taste

Yes, well this all depends on having the staff to build this new technology and with a Government busy discouraging EU citizens from coming here, and UK people leaving, it could easily not happen.

Surely the finest minds on these fair isles are the 17 million Leave voters who know and can foresee everything? Aeronautics, nuclear medicine, astrophysics, nothing is beyond these great polymaths (whilst also, most assuredly, not being experts). We've already seen just upthread how insulin, until now a disulphide-linked 2-polypeptide-chain hormone of limited stability, will by the sheer power of positive thinking become a resilient and inertly stable magic molecule.

Talking of the rather dishy Grant Shapps

Is that you, Belinda?

"We had in our manifesto £500m for Beeching reversals and I am here to say that we have the money, we know where the route is, we are going to do it.

Despite British Governments choosing to overspend on rail projects making you wonder if they are putting in gold plated rails and sleepers, this isn't a lot of money.

Mr Driscoll [lab North of Tyne mayor] said: “Ministers do like their photo opportunities, don’t they? But spin and PR won’t get us any trains. We’ve already submitted a detailed business case proving the benefits of reopening the Ashington-Blyth-Newcastle line. It’s time he got his chequebook out.”

"Talking of the rather dishy Grant Shapps" 😂

All join in the singing:
"should have gone to Specsavers !"

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. How to bring a country down with absurdity.

Uri Geller applies for job at No 10 after Dominic Cumming appealed for ‘weirdos’ and ‘misfits’

www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/01/07/uri-geller-applies-job-no-10-dominic-cumming-appealed-weirdos/

Well, they know what they voted for.

We had in our manifesto £500m for Beeching reversals

So that'll be £499m on consultants and gold-plated contracts, and £1m on a lick o' paint, and rebranding Oxford "London Oxford" ?

I am reminded the 1987 Tory approach to lack of nurses due to abysmal pay was ... an ad campaign.

Trying to find any dishy pol ....

Dan Jarvis of Labour is alright < photo >
and .... < hopeful for any others of any party >

< lowers the Westministender tone >

"We had in our manifesto £500m for Beeching reversals"

That'll do about 1 short section of a new line

Reversal would need 50-100 BILLION

Do you ever read your own links @Clavinova?

You have referenced a contingency plan to “to transport small consignments of medicines” to keep supplies going over Brexit. How far do you think £25 million is going to go?

With nuclear medicine the supply chain is built around lorries, the only thing they can do to safeguard supply long term is to rebuild the supply chain around air freight, at huge additional cost; and plan long term to build facilities to produce them here at great expense.