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WeakShock

@weakshock

Tech worker and sometimes writer. Cryptography (not crypto), photonics and computing.

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19.09.2023
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Latest posts by WeakShock @weakshock

Let's also not overlook @ITARviolation as a handle, it really works with the bit

28.02.2026 09:20 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Getting enjoyment in the progression from "Prince Andrew" to "Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor" to "a Norfolk man in his 60s" - if this keeps up we might end up at a proper crimewatch nickname. "The Beast of Sandringham" has a nice touch to it.

19.02.2026 23:00 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

if the primary objection Andrew can muster is that nobody should be profiting from our power generation then it sounds like a decent argument for socialising it

11.02.2026 13:26 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

In addition to the examples below, I know that at least one fusion research facility (Culham Center for Fusion Energy) uses a flywheel to store up energy for test shots, as they need to generate a million-amp plasma current via RF coupling, and you can't exactly pull that straight from the grid

31.01.2026 12:02 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
How Grid Forming Technology is changing | National Energy System Operator Grid Forming technology is a control technique that enables inverter-based resources (e.g. wind, batteries, solar photovoltaic systems etc) to act as a voltage source behind an impedance, or in simple...

Definitely a thing in the UK at least: www.neso.energy/news/how-gri...

31.01.2026 11:57 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I believe this is something that people are starting to consider - "grid forming" inverters that do some clever stuff with power ICs to provide "simulated" grid behaviours (inertia, phase unification etc) from domestic battery storage.

31.01.2026 11:55 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

That's a grand total of 8 64-bit RISC-V cores, almost certainly built on a fab process that is extremely mature (read:old) because node feature sizes matter in radiation-dense environments. You are not sending an Nvidia card built on a TSMC 3NM process anywhere that doesn't have a magnetosphere.

30.01.2026 18:45 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Leaving aside the incredibly incorrect assumptions about heat+power, what about the radiation? Do you know what typical space-rated electronics look like, and *why* they look like that? For reference, this is a contemporary space-rated chip for edge AI applications www.microchip.com/en-us/produc...

30.01.2026 18:41 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

This is just sweet chilli revanchism

28.01.2026 12:53 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I really love that they have the lil bioshield riding the explosion upwards, that's a level of attention to detail that I wasn't expecting

27.01.2026 20:09 ๐Ÿ‘ 7 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It reminds me of all the weird tradeoffs software devs have to make behind the scenes. We didn't complete the "remove MP" feature to spec so instead we stick them in an array that gets purged periodically, but to do that they have to be converted to ofType:Steward first

23.01.2026 17:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 8 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Contemporary Xbox controllers have solid build quality and are supported by everything on PC that has controller support. They aren't the cheapest (running around ยฃ50) but they're also not the priciest by far, and are probably the best you can get r.e cost/benefit.

25.12.2025 10:12 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

...and to Tiny Tim, who will NEVER die. He bows to the fiddlers and sashays backwards and throws back his head and laughs deep in his throat and he is a great favorite, Tim. He wafts his cap as he pirouettes under the lamps and hangs his little crutch upon the wall. He says that he will never die.

24.12.2025 09:15 ๐Ÿ‘ 225 ๐Ÿ” 48 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It's so goddamn good - it doesn't just stick the landing on the high-concept technothriller side of things, it also manages to carry a commentary on venture capitalist/startup hubris that still feels fresh today

20.12.2025 17:33 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I think they're doing this with Tomb Raider Catalyst

13.12.2025 13:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I'm in the same boat r.e not keeping up and I had the same assumptions referenced in the article r.e the challenges of energy density for large trucking. I suspect we'll one day look back at battery technology progress in the same way we look back at the gap between Apollo 11 and the Wright brothers

11.12.2025 14:00 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Breakaways. They used to have so much chocolate on them that they'd make a distinctive "snap" when you bit them and now they're just shit shortbread. Pretenders to the throne. Choco Leibniz still hits the spot though.

10.12.2025 23:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I made the dreadful mistake of watching Silicon Valley before a career in tech (in a startup no less) so I have retrospective moments of "ohhhhh, so that's.... they weren't being hyperbolic about that"

10.12.2025 09:05 ๐Ÿ‘ 6 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I saw this and said "wait *Textron*? The people who make Cessna and Beechcraft?" and yup, it's a real Yamaha situation where the parent company of Textron aviation also has a hand in making tanks

10.12.2025 02:29 ๐Ÿ‘ 3 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Iirc The Silver Sevens casino and resort in Vegas also used to be called Terribles - owned by the same guy, I believe

29.11.2025 00:25 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

But who would be her second (kaishakunin) to deliver the killing blow (daki-kubi) at the moment of greatest agony (having to not be chancellor anymore)

26.11.2025 13:27 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It's not perfect minmaxing r.e price but full points for maximally disgusting, evocative enough that I can *feel* the queasy heartburn that comes after

21.11.2025 10:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It's like one of those accidents they have with pig slurry pits where someone gets knocked out by methane and someone else runs in to help them and also gets knocked out (repeat X times until someone calls an ambulance) except that in this case the pig slurry keeps making people horny for slop

14.11.2025 18:30 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Apollos are legitimately shit but they're also even more bargain basement - 300+ is more the domain of the Carrera lineup and while it's certainly possible to pick a dud from amongst them, they are on average considerably better. Point taken r.e hub gears though.

12.11.2025 08:48 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I'd dispute this - I bought a fairly basic rigid frame hybrid bike in that exact price range for use as a commuter and with regular maintenance it's absolutely fine. It's the stuff sold with features that don't fit the price range (e.g full suspension mtbs for ยฃ250) where things get dire.

11.11.2025 21:16 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Discover - Pocket Casts Listen to your favorite podcasts online, in your browser. Discover the world's most powerful podcast player.

I'm not entirely sure how helpful this is r.e your requirements, but so far I've been using PocketCasts (pocketcasts.com) and I haven't had an issue either finding a podcast directly on it, or linking a podcast RSS feed to it

25.10.2025 12:42 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Just develop a sense of proprioception that extends beyond your body. Merge with the machine and become one. I am only ~5% joking.

06.10.2025 16:17 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Lmao

01.09.2025 12:25 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
An image of a twitter post by Bakoon reading "ahh yeah here he comes, big double d, r budd dwyer himself, looks like he brought a bag lunch, smart"

An image of a twitter post by Bakoon reading "ahh yeah here he comes, big double d, r budd dwyer himself, looks like he brought a bag lunch, smart"

Per the original @bakoon.bsky.social post except he actually pulls one of these out

01.09.2025 10:25 ๐Ÿ‘ 24 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I think this is on the money - my hunch is that until now the only available source of open-ended conversation in clear language that can focus on a specific topic has been other humans, and so the presence of such a capability incorrectly suggests the presence of related capabilities such as reason

28.08.2025 10:55 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0