Happy 50th Birthday Gatchaman

科学忍者隊ガッチャマン (Science Ninja Team Gatchaman) was followed by Gatchaman II then Gatchman Fighter with various compilations, OVA remakes and film projects over the years.

Gatchaman Intro/Outro (Original format)

To people of a certain age, the show is better known as the 1978 American adaption, Battle of the Planets. Gatchaman was adapted again as G-Force: Guardians of Space in 1987. Gatchaman II and Gatchaman Fighter were adapted as Eagle Riders in 1997.

Battle of the Planets intro

Battle of the Planets made some cuts to Gatchaman for the US market. Toning down the violence

Battle of the Planets vs Gatchaman

and deaths

Difference between Gatchaman and Battle of the Planets

EHRC

Dear MP,

I write to you in LGBT+ history month about the EHRC and the news of the leaked guidance today.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/3ab5my/leaked-ehrc-guidance-trans-people-gender-recognition-certificates

This is very worrying and seems at odds with the Equality Act 2010. A point of view backed up in both statute and case law over the last ten years.

https://www.lawcentres.org.uk/policy/news/news/kirklees-law-centre-wins-landmark-transgender-discrimination-case

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2021/1623.html

As a trans woman if this guidance became official. Removing my existing rights. I would be at risk in both genders’ toilets outside my home. Limiting my options of participating in society. This is all against a backdrop of increased attacks on LGBT+ people. Something I have experienced myself.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/03/recorded-homophobic-hate-crimes-soared-in-pandemic-figures-show

and the news of the EHRC holding meetings with anti-trans groups

https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxdzwn/ehrc-trans-rights-leaked-emails

I’m sure you have seen the recent Council of Europe report. Naming the UK alongside Hungary, Poland, Russia and Turkey. As countries with “extensive and often virulent attacks on the rights of LGBT+ people”.

https://www.itv.com/news/2022-01-26/uk-named-alongside-russia-in-lgbt-hate-report-due-to-transphobia

Seeing the Labour party come out is a small positive light, against all this worrying news

https://www.vice.com/en/article/3abq78/we-need-to-make-the-uk-safer-for-trans-people-labour-says

Being a dual citizen of Ireland and the UK. I can’t help comparing the two countries. The difference is quite stark.

On Trans rights. Ireland brought in their own Gender recognition act 2015. Without the secretive, discriminatory and medicalised process we have in the UK. In the UK, we had a consultation in 2018, with the finding delayed for years and then ignored.

I hope you can receive from the Government and EHRC an explanation for the very dramatic change by the EHRC

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/our-work/news/our-statement-sex-and-gender-reassignment-legal-protections-and-language

Yours sincerely,

Zoe

USB Controlled Relay

As noted in my look at the ScreenBar. Not being able to control the light from my PC was one of the downsides. Since then I’ve got to some Elgato Key Lights. Since I spend an increasing amount of time on video calls. This moved lack of USB control from a minor point to something a little more annoying. That prompted me to go look for a solution. USB relays do seem to be a thing. Which gave me an idea.
Continue reading “USB Controlled Relay”

Building an Animatronic Tail

My friend Rah and I were chatting and she happened to mention how cool it would be to have a tail. I joked that I bet someone had built one using an Arduino. A quick search showed that indeed a few people had and even a tentacle. Rah’s next question was would I built one, fast forward a couple of years and I’ve finally got around to starting. Taking a 3D printable design as my starting point.

Continue reading “Building an Animatronic Tail”