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8,000 suns [Sep. 7th, 2008|04:25 pm]
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The PS10 solucar install was amazing!
Some fun facts:
  • 11MW of electricity at full power
  • 4 MW/m² of thermal energy on the collector, at the top of a 100m tower.
  • Nuclear reactors only produce 400kW/m² of thermal energy, 10-times less.
  • The collector is made of 5 panels, 5m x 12m. Their construction is a closely guarded secret and we were very privileged to be taken all the way to the top of the tower directly under them!
  • The 624 heliostats have mirrors that are 120m² and are curved to focus a beam up to the collector. The closer heliostats have a greater curve than those further away.
  • The heliostats are not always all focused on the collector. Sometimes, they are pointed at a "standby" point, usually during system start up.
  • The heliostats are moved into the collector in stages so as not to destroy the tower in the process.
  • At full power, the thermal energy at the collector is equivalent to 8,000 suns.


We were near the outer edge of the heliostat field, and had our photo taken with the tower behind us at full power, and the bright spot was painfull to look at, it was almost as if we were looking into another sun.
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Tomorrow: Off to see the PS10 solar power tower [Sep. 6th, 2008|06:53 pm]
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[Bigger File]
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Posted from the blackberry via LJ2MESeville [Sep. 6th, 2008|10:52 am]
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So far I still can't remember if I've been here before. I suppose I could search through me online life to find out, but I reckon it might be funner to try to find out by walking around some more.
Got in last night at 1:30 and had a few beers at the local Irish pub. Someone needs to tell those bartenders that some beers are served with mostly head, and that you let them settle.
These guys kept pouring out the head and refilling the glass, which of course produced more head which they continued to pour out and start again. Took 'em ages!
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Posted from the blackberry via LJ2MEFirst post! (fr [Sep. 5th, 2008|02:23 pm]
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Just downloaded LJ2ME while having breakfast in a café in Switzerland. Gotta love technology.
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Brunei Stop Sign [Jun. 18th, 2008|02:37 pm]
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One of our project guys took this picture in Brunei, presumably at an airport.
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This weekend [Sep. 15th, 2006|11:24 pm]
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Well, in and amongst all the confusion and boredom of the last couple weeks, we have achieved the following:
  • Resigned

  • Submitted what should be my last expense cheque

  • Started the afterwork drinking, or rather, stepped it up a notch

  • Made contact with an immigration agent

  • Made contact with 2 different shipping companies

  • Had some of the longest discussions with coworkers ever

  • Learnt so many new tidbits about the company that make me say "god I"m glad I'm outa here"

  • Cleared up the last bills for the cancelled utilities and unused credit cards in canada

  • God access back into the australia bank

  • Attempted without success so far to transfer funds from Canada to Australia using only PayPal

  • Cleared out the laptop

  • Backed up files and documentation onto the personal server and the USB drive

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I Changed Policy Today [Jul. 24th, 2006|02:34 pm]
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In the meeting the the HR dickbag, we discussed the Company's "Short Term Temporary Assignment" policy. The policy, dated September 2003 stated:


The following applies to employees who will be on a temporary assignment for a minimum of 6 weeks up to eighteen months, with the intent that the employee will be returning to their home base and maintaining their resident status. This only applies to employees of the Company, and for the purposes of these assignments, will not cover the costs for spouses or family dependants.


I had been preparing to go to Cuba for the last two and a half months on the premise that it would be handled just like any other extended site trip, and since the policy became official in September 2003 I could probably list a dozen instances where the company had paid for the spouses of employees to travel for less than 18 months (myself included). I appealed to the dickbag's sense of family by saying, "c'mon man, I know you're a family guy; you can't tell me that if you were going somewhere for a year and a half, you wouldn't expect the company to send your wife and your new baby with you". To which he replied:


"If it was important to me, I'd pay for them to come with me, or I wouldn't take the position"


What are you supposed to say to that? My reply was going to be: "fine, then I don't accept the position" but didn't get a chance because the Regional Business Manager stepped in and said that they should be able to work something out. The dickbag said that he would prefer it to be official.

I pretty much ended the discussion with this:


Well, I find the policy unreasonable, and I don't accept it.


Three hours later, I'm informed that I will get everything I asked for, and further, that dickbag will change the policy to match what I asked for.
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Flight Update [Jul. 8th, 2005|08:30 am]
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10 July
5:15 to frankfurt arrive 08:55 flt 635
14:20 to calagry 16:05 flt 9638

3 Aug
17:55 to frnkafurt 11:20 flt 9639
14:00 to cairo 18:55 flt 588
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