Comment posted A83 closed in both directions by Mel Gibson.
The Turing test is a test of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour. In Turing’s original illustrative example, a human judge engages in a natural language conversation with a human and a machine designed to generate performance indistinguishable from that of a human being. All participants are separated from one another. If the judge cannot reliably tell the machine from the human, the machine is said to have passed the test. The test does not check the ability to give the correct answer; it checks how closely the answer resembles typical human answers. The conversation is limited to a text-only channel such as a computer keyboard and screen so that the result is not dependent on the machine’s ability to render words into audio
Recent comments by Mel Gibson
- Democratic deficit as Government ignores Information Commission ruling
So, an outer flotation ring to support the seal net, with an outsize sinker tube to maintain rigidity. Any tidal movement will affect both inner and outer net. Some contact isn’t a problem, provided the outer net is robust enough to stop a seal (I believe one can get submarine netting these days, so seal proof material ought to be available).
Then, make the outer net of a suitable mesh size to deter large predators such as seals, but not trap smaller diving birds.
Finally, the outer net can be cleaned using the same methods that you use for cage nets surely?
Until the industry addresses this, even if just for PR reasons, you will always incur the wrath of the antis and be a soft target. - Democratic deficit as Government ignores Information Commission ruling
It appears to be technically possible to secure the nets that contain the salmon on such site, so perhaps a similar mechanism could be used for a seal barrier? - Democratic deficit as Government ignores Information Commission ruling
Some discrepancy between your figures Mark, and those obtained by Don Staniford under FOI, and it really is this misuse of statistics that I am raising in this and other threads.
I fully agree with you that barrier nets are the only sustainable answer, and it is a frustration to me that the salmon industry don’t just get on with it and end this soft target that the antis use.
Having said that, lethal pest control is nothing new and deemed perfectly acceptable for other species in food production or simply cohabiting with humans (cue Jnr hick). - McDonald’s breakfast advertisement features Argyll
In a survey carried out in Aberdeen (by the Aberdeen Licensing Forum) in August 2012, it was found that over two thirds of the population have at least five alcohol sales outlets (excluding pubs) within a five minute walk from their home, with the majority of the remainder having less than fifteen minutes to travel to a sales outlet (again, excluding pubs).
Alcohol addiction, related diseases including obesity, physical injuries from abuse and general anti-social behaviour are a worse blight on our nation than a few overweight kids enjoying a burger.
Why pick on MacDonalds? - McDonald’s breakfast advertisement features Argyll
I think you’ll find that rather than Aberdeen, Coatbridge was identified as the fat capital of the UK not that long ago.
Fast food outlets? Plenty.
Affluence? Hardly.
High disposable income and fast food consumption aren’t necessarily linked, and I would like to see the statistics to back up the theory that, on average, there is a higher percentage of obesity (better term than ‘fat kids’) in Aberdeen compared to Oban.
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If we had competition on ferry services across the Firth of Clyde then for a lot of people taking a vehicle ferry between Dunoon and Gourock might be a viable alternative option to the A83.
Currently of course this alternative route is a private monopoly.
You may wish to contrast the situation on crossing the Firth of Clyde with that on the Firth of Forth where literally billions are being spent on providing bridges which anybody will be able to cross free.
I do not think there is a sensible argument for bridges or tunnels on the firth of Clyde ( though at those prices why not ? ) but at least let us have some competition on ferry prices or restrict them to a reasonable level!
Look how much it costs for a family of tourists to make the crossing to Cowal. What does it cost for a commercial vehicle to cross? Should we not have a reliable, robust and fairly price transport system in the West of Scotland?
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The Western Ferries service is surely unlikely to be that much more expensive than a competing service, so the viability of a ferry as an alternative to the A83 is unlikely to change if there was once more a vehicle ferry on the town route.
The ideal would be free – or road equivalent tariff – ferry services on every route, on the principle that vehicle operators pay for the infrastructure through road tax, and you’d charge foot passengers what they’d pay if they could do the same trip by bus.
I would have thought that ideally a tunnel would be preferable – no more weather related delay and disruption, and for passengers bus (and train) services could be better integrated.
It’s the capital and operating costs versus those for new ferries and termini, but also putting a cost on weather disruption of ferries, or conversely weighting the tunnel costs for its ‘dependability’ value.
With regard to the A83, my recollection in the past has been that when blizzards close the Rest the weather also stops the ferries, and so I’d prefer the tunnel option.
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Sorry Robert you fail the Turing test.
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Meaning?
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The Turing test is a test of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour. In Turing’s original illustrative example, a human judge engages in a natural language conversation with a human and a machine designed to generate performance indistinguishable from that of a human being. All participants are separated from one another. If the judge cannot reliably tell the machine from the human, the machine is said to have passed the test. The test does not check the ability to give the correct answer; it checks how closely the answer resembles typical human answers. The conversation is limited to a text-only channel such as a computer keyboard and screen so that the result is not dependent on the machine’s ability to render words into audio
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What on earth does it matter that the crossing to Cowal is run by a private monopoly? The west coast islands all have ferry services run by a monopoly too! The only difference is that it is the taxpayer that has to fund them, via the hopelessly inefficient behemoth that is known as Caledonian MacBrayne.
As for the suggestion that RET be applied to the Hunter’s Quay service, were the same formula applied that the SNP already applied to west coast communities, then fares would actually have to be raised!
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Careful, Jim – you’ll enrage ‘ferryman’.
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It matters because an eminent economist has argued that what is now a monopoly service is the most expensive ferry crossing in the world, making profits well in excess of industry norms.
I did not mention RET. The Scottish Government should simply cap the profits at an acceptable level, I believe it is within their powers to do so.
What is the justification for not doing that? They are spending billions on crossings of the Firth of Forth which will be free to use, yet to cross the Firth of Clyde you have to pay dues to a private company.
The situation regarding tolls on the Skye bridge was deemed unacceptable, what is the difference here.
The A83 is going to be in trouble for many years even once an emergency road is in place. Having access to a large part of Argyll controlled by a private company is not acceptable.
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One advantage of a fixed link would be that any government would find it difficult to charge tolls when all other bridge and tunnel tolls have been abolished.
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Most expensive in the world? Hard to believe that statement ferryman.
Was always led to understand the Colintrive / Rhubodach was most expensive ferry crossing in Europe considering time taken and distance covered for passage. £18.25 return for journey
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All is explained here;
http://www.brocher.com/Ferries/expensiveferry.htm
Colintraive-Rhubodach is described as a contender but when you take these factors into account Western is flagged as being the top;
(a) Length of crossing: the shorter the crossing, the cheaper it should be.
(b) Volume of traffic: the more traffic the service carries, the cheaper it should be.
(c) Nature of service: the more basic the service, the cheaper it should be.
The prices are a bit out of date, but so are traffic volumes which have increased (now a monopoly) and the service has not changed.
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I think this is quite interesting. This problem caused serious inconveince to my family yet there are hardly any postings here apart from an automaton. Does this mean that ForArgyll is really a complete fiction?
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For comparison see today’s BBC Scotland News report on Highland Council’s public consultations on possible solutions to the A890 Strome Ferry bypass.
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I’m surprised that the disruption and extended journey times don’t seem to be flagged on the West Coast Motors and Scottish Citylink websites, and it would be very useful to have an emergency timetable for the route south from Inveraray to Campbeltown (and from Tarbet to Glasgow?) to avoid passengers having to stand at bus stops in foul weather for goodness knows how long. Any chance of this, Citylink / West Coast?
I know that traffic gets glued up on the A82 diversion route between Tarbet and Ardlui due to the very substandard road, but even so it must be possible to predict the ‘earliest delayed timings’, surely?
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Scottish Citylink’s response to why the ‘Service Updates’ section on their website doesn’t mention the disruption caused by the A83 closure is to say that they think the road might reopen soon. In this weather, I somehow doubt that.
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Now open again, apparently.
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This is really quite interesting. The raod closure caused my family serious inconvenience yet there are hardly any post here. Does this mean ForArgyll is not really read or is serviced mainly, as seems to be the case, by an automaton?
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Only recently discovered ForArgyll – needs more publicity!
My fear concerning ‘The Rest’ is that there will be a terrible tragedy before anything is done to solve the current problem. As usual too much talk and not enough action! Get rid of Trident from the UK and we would have more funds for public safety and much more.
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