Oh no, you!
Somewhat relevant, I would like to recommend this one: https://thedailywtf.com/articles/classif-wtf-the-virtudyne-saga
It’s a fun read about a company that grew because of the 90’s IT bubble, and how it all came crashing down when the bubble burst and it was obvious that the investors would probably never get any return on their investment.
It was the equivalent of 8 dollars, so I think I’ll survive.
Apart from my mortgage, I’m finally debt free, and I’m running a surplus every month after all the bills are paid.
Well, except what we jokingly refer to as my “cripling gambling-induced credit card debt”; I returned some bottles while at the store the other day. The payout wasn’t a lot, but enough to cover the mundane items I was buying. Instead of dealing with the bottle return receipt I pushed that button where it buys you a small lottery ticket instead and the money is donated to red cross. Not surprisingly, I didn’t win. When at the checkout counter I realized that my GF still had my usual card after borrowing it earlier, so I had to use my credit card to pay the laughably small sum.
Yup, square cube law applies here as well.
RSR is the only Clancy book I’ve read. Is it comparable to his other books?
Yeah, the time period in which it was released definitely plays a part. I just find that anything in the book that isn’t geekery about army/navy to be tacked on. Such as the Iceland plot with that woman whose name I cannot care enough about to remember. “Yes, a book probably needs a subplot like that.”
Currently waiting for my order at burger King. I was headed out the door to pick up some plywood in the nearest town, just as two of my kids returned from school. They asked if they could come too. We’re currently about to head back, but wanted to pick up something for the one hour drive back.
“Obama was fine” ???
Did you not see his tan suit? The humanity…
Price: Don’t remember. I fired off a message to the guys in manufacturing, I’ll let you know if they have a price. We go through quite a few of these annually, so we have a bulk discount when buying them.
How: Magic, I guess. Also, I found a link to the ones we use: https://www.microchip.com/en-us/products/clock-and-timing/components/atomic-clocks/embedded-atomic-oscillators/csac
When we prepare for deployment, they’re connected to a docking unit which provides a clock pulse derived from a GPS signal for high precision. Then the battery pack is attached, the subsea unit is assembled, and everything is deployed, usually via ROV. It’s important that it’s kept powered the entire time upon retrieval docking, as we can then calculate a linear drift value and correct for this in the recorded data.
UPDATE: We bought “Maaaaaaany thousands” of them in 2018, and we paid 1850 USD per chip. Come to think of it, I remember hearing claims back then that we’d bought 75% of the worlds supply.
Some work related trivia I’d like to share with you: My job involves deploying sensors on the seabed to record data. These sensors are battery powered, and rely on highly precise timekeeping to be correct. These devices are synchronized before deployment, and upon retrieval ~2 months later we want none or as little clock drift as possible.
Tumbleweed sounds
I’m glad you asked: we achieve this by using CSACs - Chip Scale Atomic Clocks. They are pretty much what the name Implies, and after synchronization it is able to keep the time much better than anything else. Normal clock drift upon retrieval is usually less than a millisecond, and that drift is due to (uninteresting factors not directly related to the CSAC itself)
CSACs cost a small fortune, but they’re the size of a matchbox and make it all possible. It’s amazing how small atomic clocks can be.
Northern scandinavian, here.
This depends on where specifically. Near the ocean it’s not that cold at the moment (well, depends what you’re used to, I guess. I get around fine with t-shirt and a light jacket. Temp varies between 5C and 15C nowadays.
But in general, I suggest you bring a sweater , some woollen socks, and a jacket that can handle rain/slush/snow. Staying dry means staying warm. Dressing with layers is better than one thick coat.
Snow will set in soon, though, so if you’re going to be working outside I recommend some gloves. Preferably two pairs, so one can dry off while you’re wearing the other pair.
May I ask where specifically you’re going? Coast vs inland makes A LOT of difference. Humidity can make 5C near the coast feel colder than -20C inland. Plus wind isn’t as much of a factor far away feom the ocean.