Interesting Links for 16-05-2018

[andrewducker]

Tunnellers hand-dig 90 tonnes of earth from Edinburgh sewer

(tags: edinburgh construction )

Russian fleet hunts British submarine in Mediterranean (a month old, but I missed it at the time)

(tags: russia uk ocean submarine )

What drinks do Jedi like? (A song)

(tags: alcohol StarWars montypython song )

Americans Can't Have Audi's Super Capable Self-Driving System

(tags: automation driving cars )

Inside the biggest comic book collection in the world

(tags: comics )

Trump threatens to use US trade talks to force NHS to pay more for drugs 

(tags: NHS usa medication trade )

As D.I.Y. Gene Editing Gains Popularity, ‘Someone Is Going to Get Hurt’

(tags: genetics )

Police Realizing That SESTA/FOSTA Made Their Jobs Harder; Sex Traffickers Realizing It's Made Their Job Easier

(tags: abuse law usa sexwork OhForFucksSake )

Attentive adults increase children's ability to empathize

(tags: empathy psychology children )

What is the slowest music humanly possible?

(tags: music time video viaSwampers )

Some calories more harmful than others

(tags: food health sugar )

How the two companies which dominate the world of glasses merged into one. "It’s not really bribes; it’s the way it works"

(tags: glasses business )

When you're asked to write software to help kill people

(tags: military software ethics )

White House can’t explain how Chinese financing of Trump-linked project doesn’t violate Constitution

(tags: politics business China usa )

Setting up a social network for sex workers is an incredibly positive step. So, of course, US law makes it incredibly hard

(tags: sexwork viaPatrickHadfield socialnetworking )

Footage emerges of distressing home visit by immigration officers

(tags: immigration uk OhForFucksSake )

Comments

[miss_s_b]

I'd like to thank you for that harmful calories link, which inspired me to cherry pie and custard for lunch.
One day my contrarian streak is going to get me killed...

[(Anonymous)]

When you're asked to write software to help kill people

'At the time, I thought nothing of the fact that I’d be supporting the military. Besides, they’re the good folks right? My dad was in the military. So was my grandfather. It was good money, a great opportunity, and a close friend of mine had gotten me the gig. Life was good.'

[…]

'On the other hand, I care a lot about not killing people. The company’s goal is to build things for the military. If my goal is not to let this happen, then there isn’t a good fit for me at this company.'

So hang on… he was happy to take a job supporting the military but shocked, shocked I tell you, to find out that he was helping them kill people?

What pray tell did he think that the military is for?

[threemeninaboat]

That glasses article is absolutely true.

[skington]

I despair of contemporary journalism. (Partly because the only source of news for this is the press release.)

If you're going to write an article about how sometimes machines aren't up for the job, and you need to hand-bore tunnels (albeit using modern techniques where you can), would it kill you to tell us why tunnel-boring machines won't work?

Most of the article about the Edinburgh sewer was complete filler. Here, I'll get a more readable version for you:

Two tunnellers have helped Scottish Water progress a major new sewer beneath Edinburgh by hand-digging 90 tonnes of debris.

The century-old sewer under Haymarket Terrace was built by Victorian water pioneers in the capital but is now being upgraded to meet the city’s modern needs.

And while high-tech equipment is being used on the project, a challenging section required a more hands-on approach with the pair – Gerard Boyce and Thomas Peoples – using tools to literally dig their way through a 20-metre stretch.

Working over a two week period in a trench beneath Haymarket, one of the busiest transport hubs in the capital, the two men shovelled between six and nine tonnes per day.

The busy junction outside Haymarket Station was hand tunnelled to avoid damaging a complex web of utility infrastructure such as electricity, gas, telephone lines and broadband.

[...]

“The two tunnellers used modern equipment such as gas detectors, laser technology and hydraulic drills to cut the rock face whilst the earth was then shovelled by hand into a traditional cart on rails, which was then lifted by crane back onto the surface.”

Now you have space to say why stuff needed to be done by hand, and why tunnel-boring machines won't work.