mastodon 4.7.3A Welsh/Aussie #HPC geek with lifelong interests in archaeology, history, astronomy and computing.
Cardiff -> Aberystwyth -> Malvern -> Melbourne -> Berkeley -> Philadelphia.
If you're ever thinking "oh my work will never come to anything" spare a thought for Robert Recorde of Tenby in Wales. 🏴
He invented the equals sign (=) in 1557 (the year before he died) "to auoide the tediouſe repetition of theſe woordes : is equalle to" - and was promptly ignored for 61 years before being picked up again in 1618.
Passenger: I thought you said I was in seat 12C?
British Airlines gate person: I did, what’s wrong?
Passenger: it says I’m in seat 53.6F!!?!
BA gate person: oh this is a codeshare operated by American Airlines. It’s the same seat.
#DadJoke
Today 129 years ago (1897-05-13 UTC) Marconi sent his first ever radio message across open sea from Flat Holm(*) to Lavernock in South Wales. 🏴 This little invention has come a long way since then!
Map is from the National Library of Scotland's awesome service: https://maps.nls.uk/geo/find/marker/#zoom=13&lat=51.3954&lon=-3.1586&f=0&z=1&marker=51.4037,-3.1683&from=1449&to=2001
(*) Holm is derived from the old Norse "holmr" meaning a small island. I grew up in Cardiff and knew this area well.
RE: @acarsdrama@live.acarsdrama.com
GPS jamming on departure from Gdansk, Poland. Flying to Stansted airport near London. Maybe FR533? #avgeek
Crepuscular rays over Chestnut Hill in Philadelphia last night.
#PAwx #photography
Sad to hear of the loss of Peter G Neumann, I'd been reading The Risks Digest on and off for decades and it's always been an interesting and thought provoking collection of articles from the contributors.
PGN was 93 according to his obituary, but still working full time at SRI. He published his last instance of The Risks Digest on 2026-04-12. @risko@www.csl.sri.com
Report of his passing: https://lwn.net/ml/all/CAEoi9W7rpLzdJzYJ3-F0KVJo-wQXa7UawUYtUoUUYy36m5e_3Q@mail.gmail.com/
Obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/obituaries/peter-g-neumann-dead.html
#itsec #multics
Maik Meyer on the comets-ml list with a warning about how the MPC #comet orbit database has been harmed by some recent changes there. https://groups.io/g/comets-ml/message/35370
No photo as too busy working out what I was seeing as we sped past in the airport shuttle, but just saw a Lufthansa 1926-2026 centenary livery jet at SFO.
#avgeek
Ah needs permission to quote that - what the Sky drama robot reported was:
OS SYR /FTMCOOL YEAH NY WHNTS 210 OR MORE ON REROUTE SO FAR NOT TOO BUMPY BUT PHL IS IN MELTDOWN MODE
The UK National Archives has found a new copy of the US Declaration of Independence in its archives, seized from an American privateer off Portugal in December 1776. It's the only copy of an Exeter Declaration known to reside outside of the US. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/the-collection-blog/from-our-volunteers/finding-a-new-copy-of-the-us-declaration-of-independence/
A bit late for #PhillyFriday (especially as I just invented it) but it was taken on Friday. 😇 #Philadelphia
This is taken from near Suburban Station in the centre of the city, looking back towards the Philadelphia Art Museum / Museum of Art. I believe that's the original LOVE statue in the foreground.
"I'm going to vote for the hedonists this election."
"Oh really? Who are they?"
"The After Party"
#puns #politics #TheTroubleWithPoliticalJokesIsSometimesTheyGetElected
