Statics & Statistics

Captain Qahn's picture

"Have you ever walked across the room to pet your dog, but got a shock instead? Perhaps you took your hat off on a dry winter’s day and had a “hair raising” experience!"

"In a year when mysterious monoliths literally appeared out of nowhere, you'd think the first real detection of alien life would be a stone's-throw away. Well, 2020 didn't bring any little green men, but it did bring astronomers closer to finding extraterrestrial life than ever before. From organic molecules turning up around the solar system to mysterious radio signals finally being traced back to their source, here are some of the biggest findings of the year about where aliens may be (and definitely aren't) hiding in the universe."

https://www.livescience.com/alien-clues-in-2020.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QnpyVzigng

Nonchalent...

"Space exploration also offers its rhythmic certainties. Grand missions require long-term planning and set celestial schedules. Whatever unforeseeable events may happen down here, good or bad, we know that 2021 will offer some grand new adventures up there. Even if there are accidents or malfunctions, the coming year promises to be a banner one in our ongoing peek into the solar system. And no matter what we say or do or think, the cosmos will continue its steady dance, delivering eclipses and conjunctions and other visual delights to anyone willing and able to look up."

http://lucy.swri.edu/

https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/space-2021

"Chances are, you will not personally be flying into space in the coming year. You probably won't be building a robotic probe to navigate beyond Earth (although I hope a few of you are involved in the process). But there are no limits on who can enjoy the beauty of the universe. All you need is a clear, dark sky and maybe a simple pair of boots"

lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd8jh9QYfEs

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Captain Qahn's picture

Alpha Spaghetti

"‘American space technology is tinfoil post-Bauhaus, Mies van der Rohe minimalist, with no room for an ounce of fat anywhere.’

One look at a sign reading ‘Do not enter rough area infested with poisonous snakes’ and James was back on the bus, making him realise he didn’t have the right stuff, where ‘the whole object is to deprive events of their excitement by reducing them to routine’.

‘One day the romance will come back… We just got used to the idea of people going up through the air and out of this world.’"

"Examples of reasonable excuses to leave the home: 

(a) obtain or provide— 

(i) food and medical supplies for those in the same household (including animals in the household) or for vulnerable persons, 

(ii) supplies for the essential upkeep, maintenance and functioning of the household, or the household of a vulnerable person, 

(b) work or provide voluntary or charitable services, where it is not possible for the person to do so from home, 

(c) access, provide or receive childcare, education or training, including a support service for parents or expectant parents, 

(d) lead an act of worship, 

(e) provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person, 

(f) visit a person detained in a prison, young offenders institution, remand centre, secure accommodation or other place of detention, 

(g) provide or receive emergency assistance, 

(h) provide or obtain medical assistance, including accessing any of the following— 

(i) audiology services, 

(ii) chiropody services, 

(iii) chiropractic services, 

(iv) dental services, 

(v) ophthalmic services, 

(vi) osteopathic services, 

(vii) services relating to mental health,

(viii) vaccination services, 

(i) accompany a person obtaining medical assistance, or visit a person receiving treatment in a hospital or who is residing in a hospice or care home, 

(j) avoid injury, illness or other risk of harm, or support someone who is doing so, 

(k) move home or undertake activities in connection with the maintenance, purchase, sale, letting, or rental of residential property that the person owns or is otherwise responsible for, 

(l) participate in or facilitate shared parenting arrangements, 

(m) fulfil a legal obligation or participate in legal proceedings where it is not possible for the person to do so from the place where the person is living, 

(n) vote, or register to vote, in an election (including to vote as proxy),

(o) donate blood, 

(p) access public services, including any of the following, where it is not possible for the person to do so from the place where the person is living— 

(i) social services, 4 

(ii) services provided by the Department for Work and Pensions,

(iii) services provided to victims (such as victims of crime), 

(iv) asylum and immigration services and interviews, 

(q) access services provided by voluntary or charitable services, including food banks,

(r) access waste disposal or recycling facilities, 

(s) obtain money from or deposit money with a business mentioned in paragraph 2(3)(j) or 

(k), where it is not possible for the person to do so from the place where the person is living, 

(t) undertake exercise or recreation— 

(i) outdoors, 

(ii) that starts and ends at the same place, which place must be— 

(aa) in the local government area in which that person lives, or 

(bb) within 5 miles of such local government area, and 

(iii) is either undertaken— 

(aa) alone, 

(bb) with members of that person’s household, 

(cc) in a gathering within [a specific legal] meaning  

(u) where the person is a professional sportsperson, or the coach of a professional sportsperson, coach, train or compete, 

(v) attend a solemnisation of a marriage or registration of a civil partnership, 

(w) attend a funeral or to travel for compassionate reasons which relate to the end of a person’s life, 

(x) feed or care for an animal, including obtaining veterinary services,

(y) where the person is a member of an extended household, visit a member of the household which forms the other part of the extended household in the place where that other member is living, and 

(z) facilitate the formation of an end of term household, where either or both of the student or the other household which will make up the end of term household live outwith the same area or, as the case may be, in a Level 4 area. "

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/04/trump-biden-inauguration...

"The murk surrounding Donald Trump’s likely whereabouts on his last day as president has thickened considerably with news that an official plane he has used in the past is due to fly to Scotland the day before Joe Biden’s inauguration."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTrSncxwGBE

"And since Mars is extremely far away, our email transmissions were delayed by 20 minutes each way to mimic the actual communication lag to be experienced by Martian explorers. It wasn’t your typical Hawaiian vacation."

"“Transitions, which all of us have experienced, are a crucial part of the successful transfer of power. They often occur at times of international uncertainty about US national security policy and posture,” the former defence secretaries wrote. “They can be a moment when the nation is vulnerable to actions by adversaries seeking to take advantage of the situation.”"

"“In my experience, there is no such thing as luck... Maybe that’s why they tend to shoot from the hip, which as we all know makes it notoriously hard to aim (even if it works for John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Indiana Jones and, well, Han Solo).”"

"The new legislation does not include an expiry date."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WK4HHaNhcgU

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18986093.lockdown-full-list-reasonab...

"Dodos actually still exist, but in real life they closely resemble pigeons. The story about them being extinct was made up to prevent panic... "

"There are actually only four known elements, "Earth", "Wind", "Fire" and "September". Nuclear power is actually the name given for when there is a higher density of fire in one place than normal."

Oh Dear ... ;-))

https://www.theguardian.com/science/brain-flapping/2012/dec/13/moon-land...

 

 

 

Captain Qahn's picture

Presidential Departure

"European Union nationals wishing to continue living in the UK must apply under the EU Settlement Scheme by June 30 2021...new rules requiring immigrants to meet a £25,400 salary threshold may pose issues for some sectors, although foreign graduates will be allowed to work after they study.

He said: "Despite the additional bureaucratic processes and visa fees, EU migration will continue for graduate professionals in areas like law, science and academia.

"The Government has committed to allowing the NHS to recruit the staff it needs – but has not done the same for social care."

"For the first part of the application process, you will need a compatible Android phone or IPhone 8.0 (or above) to scan your identity document yourself. The ‘ID Document Check’ app will be available for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus following an upcoming iOS software update. This can be your own phone or tablet or someone else’s. In this case, you will not need to visit an office, you can complete the identity verification on your own phone from your home."

https://www.flightradar24.com/54.25,-0.47/8

"The spread of disinformation on social media is one part of that story, but so is the rise of alternative rightwing media outlets, the lack of investment in public media, the demise of local news outlets, and the replacement of shuttered local newspapers with hyper-partisan online outlets."

https://www.gov.uk/frontier-worker-permit

"Mainstream media outlets still follow a traditional top-down broadcast model: an authoritative source produces the news and sends it out to consumers. The rightwing media ecosystem, which developed through talk radio, on the other hand, operates as a network of media personalities interacting with each other, “a community telling stories to their own community"

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/01/disinformation-us-electi...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuEHtZ0bn1I

"It’s crucial to understand that the way people process information is through entire narratives, not individual facts, Wardle said. Trying to combat disinformation through factchecking or debunking individual false claims just turns into an endless, fruitless game of “whack-a-mole”."

Ceremonial Chains ...

https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/news/politics/second-time-lucky-sca...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxIGu3oIxCE&list=PL8Lpw39GxwbMH_9K_sJvlS...

Thought.

 

Captain Qahn's picture

The Thought Police

""Cancel culture" refers to the removal of support, including the boycott of someone, usually a celebrity or public figure, who has expressed an opinion that is perceived to be offensive.

Speaking about the issue, the star, who is also a free speech campaigner, told the publication it filled him "with fear about the future".

"The problem we have online is that an algorithm decides what we want to see, which ends up creating a simplistic, binary view of society," he said.

"It becomes a case of either you're with us or against us. And if you're against us, you deserve to be 'cancelled'.

"It's important that we're exposed to a wide spectrum of opinion, but what we have now is the digital equivalent of the medieval mob roaming the streets looking for someone to burn.

"So it is scary for anyone who's a victim of that mob and it fills me with fear about the future."

Atkinson's comments come after more than 150 writers and academics signed an open letter denouncing cancel culture last year."

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/entertainment-news/rowan-atkinson-...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRFrwSCo9sc

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-55544616

https://www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/about-us/meetings-and-agendas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01R_lP51Pw0

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jan/06/terrawatch-the-south-atl...

lol

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/jan/06/silence-your-inner-...

Capt. 'Bob''s picture

The Wold Has Had Enuff

"It's just a safe space where they can relax and gather their thoughts a little bit."

"Hundreds of people took part or watched on as snowballs were thrown in Leeds's Hyde Park on Thursday afternoon."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-leeds-55669639

How Wonderful.

"We're all a product of our upbringing and I was very fortunate with the parents I had, my great grandparents came to this country escaping tyranny."

I think I won the lottery in life to be British and if I can make a contribution, I couldn't be happier."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iCaXTXf1Dw&ab_channel=YotaMoe

"The post-holder is officially appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the government."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rj_jlUGW48&ab_channel=J%C3%A9r%C3%B4meL...

"Its "third country" status means home companies can no longer be involved in the way they once were."

"Putting aside the dubious morality of a rule that runs counter to the World Health Organization’s founding principle that “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being”,...There’s nothing like a globally rampant infectious disease to highlight the fact that the health of “natives” cannot be separated from that of “aliens”."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFSAWiTJsjc&ab_channel=Ioanna17

"“This could be a disaster. Nothing seems more certain to break the public than giving hope before taking it away, and doing it repeatedly.”

He said the government “has adopted a strategy devoid of any commitment to liberty without any clarification about when our most basic freedoms will be restored and with no guarantee that they will never be taken away again”.

He added: “People are telling me they are losing faith in our Conservative party leadership because they are not standing up for our values as a party. If we continue forward with a strategy that hammers freedom, hammers the private sector, hammers small business owners and hammers the poor, inevitably the prime minister’s leadership will be on the table: we strongly do not want that after all we have been through as a country.”"

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/14/northern-white-rhino...

lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn2oPN1cDQg&ab_channel=HDFilmTributes

“The attitude of the council does not compute, it just does not make sense,”

Bless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV4Jd3muGs8&ab_channel=ShirleyBasseyMusi...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-55667711

fascinating..

"this page was last edited on 4 December 2020, at 14:32 (UTC)."

Hmmm ...

Lazy People

"In fact, neither Roundheads nor Royalists had “short back and sides”

https://uk.angloamerican.com/

"The purpose of the group is to facilitate liaison between local stakeholders about construction, providing updates about progress and to enable any concerns to be raised and resolved. Agendas, minutes and presentations from each meeting can be viewed by clicking on the links below."

https://uk.angloamerican.com/our-community/liaison-group-forum

It is just not good enough.

https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/news/cavaliers-versus-roundheads-57...

Corrupt In the Nest ...

Imagine a world where 75% of the population are under 30 ...

https://siriusminerals.com/investors/

I particularly like this one :

"These figures are understood to be a "best estimate" as authorities are still trying to establish the full scale of the data wipe."

https://siriusminerals.com/downloads/annual-report-accounts-2019/

"Review of 2019Although the year saw some significant construction progress (notably the start of tunnelling from Teesside) and some notable sales and marketing successes (with the addition of three major international sales agreements), the year was dominated by the search for additional (or “Stage 2”) financing. This was ultimately not successful, and culminated in the sale of the Companyto AngloAmericanat 5.5p per share in early 2020.The deal secured the future of the Project, including jobs and economic opportunities for people in the region. The offer from AngloAmericanprovided certainty to shareholders after a tumultuous year in the financial markets, in which many factors outside the Company’s control, such as US and China trade disputes, political uncertainty, Brexit, perceived Projectconstruction risks, and fertilizer market uncertainty combined to create an environment that was not conducive to the raising of finance for a single asset companylike AAWL.In early 2019 the Companywas continuing to seek loan guarantees from the UK Government’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority (“IPA”), which was essential to the success of the original debt raising plan. During these protracted discussions with the IPA, the Companyreceived a conditional proposal from JP Morgan Cazenove offering a capital markets-based alternative fundraising package which would not involve the IPA(the “Alternative Proposal”). The Alternative Proposal required an equity raise and a $500 million bond issue in order to access a $2.5bn revolving credit facility. If implemented successfully, this was expected to provide enough liquidity to complete the Project. The Companybelieved that the Alternative Proposal potentially offered a more flexible and attractive solution to its Stage 2 financing requirements and therefore paused discussions with its existing prospective lenders to pursue it.Despite a successful equity raise in May2019, and placing of convertible bonds raised in escrow, theAlternative Proposalcouldnot be finalised due to an inability to raise the $500million of senior secured notes required by the Alternative Proposal due to market conditions. The UK government Strategic Report2was again asked for financial support via future guarantees in the bond market, but it declined. With no government backing and extremely challenging financial markets, the Companyhad no option but to withdraw from the Alternative Proposal in September 2019.The Companythen embarked on a strategic review period starting on 17 September 2019(“Strategic Review”), slowing down construction activity in order to preserve cash while it assessed other development options and engaged with other potential finance partners. In November 2019 the decision was takenby the Company’s Directors at that timeto revise the development timeline to reduce up-front costs and de-risk the Project. However, the year ended withno firm offers of financeand this put the future of the Project(and ultimately the Group) in doubt.As part of the strategic review, AngloAmericanhad been approached (together with a wide range of potential partners) with a view to coming on board as strategic partner. However, inJanuary 2020the Company receivedanoffer of 5.5p per share for the entire issued share capital from AngloAmerican.Given a lack of alternatives, and the likelihood of administration or liquidation if the Acquisition did not go through, the Board who was in place at that time unanimously recommended the offer. The Acquisition was effected by means of a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement of AAWL (previously SM Plc) under Part 26 of the Companies Act 2006 (the “Scheme”). The Scheme was approved by AAWL’s shareholders on 3 March and was sanctioned by the High Court on 13 March 2020. The Scheme became effective on 17 March 2020.Since then, the Project has continued to progress. Although work has been made more challenging by the COVID 19 crisis, mitigation measures have been implemented across all construction sites, based on construction industry guidelines as a minimum standard. While these practices make work more difficult, they are essential and part of the ‘new normal’ to which all businesses must adapt. Consistent with the public statements that it made when the Acquisition was announced, AngloAmericanintends to update the Project’s development pathway and so at the date of this report has not yet approved the full development pathway through to first production. AngloAmericanintends to conduct a full review of theProject which may involve changes to previously announced Project development assumptions in relation to timing, production levels, product pricing and the view of other market factors. This review is expected to be finalised by the end of 2020"

Daylight...

"Such lazy labels are, of course, no better than crude caricatures."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGPl86DBNNs

I'll give you "stressed'"  you  **** bunch of 'pyjamas'!!

Grrr...

Best not mention Pygmies..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJmKStqugMc

Ah, So...

Hogwarts.

A Rubber Button

"The leaders of most of the world's biggest economies will get a brief taste of the English seaside this June as they gather for the G7 summit.

Cornwall's Carbis Bay, known for its sandy beach and clear waters, will be the venue for discussions on debt, climate change and post-Covid recovery.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson called it the "perfect location for such a crucial summit".

"Two-hundred years ago Cornwall's tin and copper mines were at the heart of the UK's industrial revolution and this summer Cornwall will again be the nucleus of great global change and advancement," the prime minister said.""

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqwA5A9Ezd8&ab_channel=JasonBieler

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/16/us-capitol-rioters-donal...

Hmmm ...

https://jasonbieler.com/

"Visit Cornwall chief executive Malcolm Bell said the summit would "not only showcase the beauty of Cornwall but give us the opportunity to communicate our heritage, culture and the connections"."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkb9SIe4WWo&ab_channel=LissD

an “active practitioner of yoga”?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55678267

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6mJw50OdZ4&ab_channel=NemanjaPuric

"... an Arizona man who wore horns, animal skin and face paint while carrying a spear and entering the Senate chamber, said Trump should do the “honourable thing and pardon those of his peaceful followers who accepted the president’s invitation”."

pmsl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ4t_3amr3M&ab_channel=ClassroomGuidance

"Most homes will have access to kitchen facilities and store cupboard ingredients so a baked potato with some cheese on would make a nutritious lunch."

"The National Maritime Museum Cornwall in Falmouth will host international media...

The government said it would announce more of its plans "in due course"...

The G7 meeting comes five months ahead of UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow in November."

 

 

Captain Qahn's picture

Citizens Smith

"We’ve already seen how keen people are to travel as soon as they’re released from lockdown captivity. I think it is likely Yorkshire will see a tourism boom. The question is: do we want one?"

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/feb/06/inactivity-is-an-on...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BApsqmZRYLE

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/yorkshire-and-ro...

"...and encourage visitors back to cities."

lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UORP9EDSboc

"Oh sure, you know how lucky you are, if you have a warm and comfortable place to live when so many don’t. But a person could live in a full-on palace and still, at this point in a generation-defining global pandemic, think, “If I have to spend one more day looking at this cornicing and those enormous wall sconces, I will genuinely hurl myself off the balcony.” So allow me to share the greatest tip of all time for making your home more fun: get some wallpaper."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRDqDiDtio4

Trading Places.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/feb/06/bidding-war-opens-to-dec...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTMRHTgszts

Back to the Pantheon... ;-)

A Precautionary Measure

"Work to restore Scarborough's South Cliff Gardens could get underway in a matter of weeks after the Borough council appointed a contractor to carry out the works.

£7m will be spent bringing the 200 year old gardens back to their former glory."

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/yorkshire-coast-law-fir...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-56034431

"The 200-year-old gardens include 14 timber and concrete shelters, believed to be the largest number of historic shelters in any public garden in the country and feature 19th Century Egyptian gates, Italian steps designed by Joseph Paxton, iconic Italian gardens, Holbeck Clock Tower, the world’s first beach chalets, rose garden and the much-loved Clock Café.

As part of the project a boarded up tunnel built in 1874 beneath the railway tracks of the cliff lift will be reopened to the public.

The tunnel was used to join the gardens so people could pass beneath the cliff lift before structural issues saw its enforced closure.

The project will also restore the historic infrastructure of the gardens, improve habitat management and provide new facilities that will complement the gardens’ historic setting and encourage greater community use. Heritage features will be restored, a new and innovative play area will be built and original heritage horticultural displays installed."

Bingo...

“After almost three weeks underground I am coming up. This means there will be more food for the others so they can resist for longer”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Unu_aOXurQ

https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/retro/27-things-...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfF4Jq478_s

"To the casual eye, the robot looks exactly the same as the Curiosity rover that Nasa put down in Gale Crater in 2012. But "under the bonnet", the new vehicle is quite different, with an enhanced suite of instruments that will enable it to address a new set of scientific questions."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN2zM8ybqMw

“I have to force officials and ministers to the table, to watch them sit through a presentation, maybe ask a question, and then vacantly walk away.”"

lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_Gkf6EvAh0

Keep Busy.

A Perched Phenomenon

"Temperatures in Earth's core, which starts at 2,890km (1,800 miles) below the surface, can reach 5,400°C, about the same temperature as the surface of the Sun. This heat moves upward over time and molten rock known as magma creeps toward the surface, carrying enormous heat.

Geothermal energy companies drill wells and as hot water rises through the well, the heat is extracted and used to make electricity or to heat homes nearby.

Many researchers have long been excited about geothermal's potential to bring about a greener heating system. It is not a new market - Italy's Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested the first geothermal power generator in 1904...."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55885086

""I've never seen anything like this in my life. It was completely bizarre," he said.

"When I saw it I though to myself, what on earth is that?," he added.  Steve said that the animal was "far too large," to be a dog, and said that it didn't have similar movements to any animals that he has seen around the area before.

"It looked to be absolutely huge, it is just unexplainable. It looked to be really muscular," Steve added

He explained how it ran through the fields, changing directions multiple times, before chasing after a hare and running into the distance.

Steve said he wondered whether it was a "big cat," that had escaped. He said: "I know some people keep exotic pets, so maybe one of them has got out.""

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/16/lightning-strike-survivo...

Oh.

"It must be really warm in Space, 'cos there's no clouds to block out the Sun "

Vacuums.

"So, if they were to jump on the Moon they would just fall off and land on the Earth."

Alpamare?

Hmmm ...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p081swwr/the-infinite-monkey-cage-...

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/feb/18/end-of-neanderthals-link...

It's been a busy week ;-0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujMxXOHJloI

"Some parts of space are hot! Gas between stars, as well as the solar wind, both seem to be what we call "empty space," yet they can be more than a thousand degrees, even millions of degrees.

However, there's also what’s known as the cosmic background temperature, which is minus 455 degrees Fahrenheit. So what would a thermometer in space reveal? Somewhere between those extremes — depending on whether it's in the sun or the shade.

Here's what’s going on: Most of the gas in space is too thin to warm anything up. Essentially, there are not enough gas particles to "bump" into and transfer heat to an object. So if you were in space, but shielded from the sun, you would radiate away nearly all your heat pretty quickly and cool to the cosmic background temperature. Step (or float) into the sun, and you’d be warmed. Either way you'd need lots of protection!"

"One quarter of the gravity at 6371 kilometres above the surface, which is far higher than people are ever likely to go without acquiring a stable orbit. The International Space Station is at altitude of just over 400 kilometres. The Karman Line at 100 kilometres is the official definition."

Bless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn9-FkcbwGA&list=RDQFdfEchEzis&index=2

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/where-is-the-edge-of-...

"“What you don’t see is satellites dipping down to 70 and coming back out,” he says. “There is a fairly sharp boundary, a decently sharp boundary, between how low the perigee can be and where you just won’t make it back out again.”"

“That’s democracy”

"A large meteor blazed across UK skies on Sunday night, delighting those lucky enough to spot it.

The meteor was spotted shortly before 10pm and was visible for around seven seconds."

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/01/uk-meteor-huge-flash-as-...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySO8QzNCCXY

“Cave spiders are not for everybody. But you know, I don’t think they’re particularly interested in people."

 

Captain Qahn's picture

Every Cloud

"Scarborough Borough Council had applied for £25 million for each of Scarborough and Whitby from the Towns Fund but instead the two towns will share a pot of £37.3 million.

Scarborough is to get £20.2 million and Whitby £17.1 million.

The Towns Fund was promoted as a way to invest into places across the country that are in danger of being “left behind” economically.

Scarborough Council leader, Cllr Steve Siddons said he was “delighted” at the success of the bids."

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/towns-fund-cash-for-sca...

"“It’s quite difficult to get a pitch to play this way given the modern technology available to us groundsmen these days, so we thought the best way to bring back the good old days was to plant some potatoes across the entire pitch."

https://newsthump.com/2021/03/02/natures-perfectly-designed-killing-mach...

"In Scarborough these included:

  • £6 million for a 16km Local Cycling And Walking Infrastructure Plan that would connect the town centre to Scarborough’s colleges and the Cinder Track.
  • £5m for Scarborough Harbour regeneration
  • £1.8m for interactive wildlife sculptures and hides.
  • £1.4m to create a “FabLab+” in the town centre.
  • £7m to overhaul the “gateway to Scarborough” from the train station with a new “public realm” and commercial properties.

In Whitby, projects previously announced included:

  • £10m to build and set up the Whitby Maritime Academy.
  • £2.6m for carbon neutral “self-build” homes for local residents.
  • £3m to expand Pannett Art Gallery and Whitby Museum.
  • £1m to improve the Grade II listed Town Hall and Market Square
  • £750,000 to create a “Whitby Innovation Hub”.
  • £2.3m to pedestrianise Whitby Swing Bridge.

Cllr Siddons said the council may look to see if funding could be secured from elsewhere for some of the projects if the cost could not be covered from the Towns Fund award"

https://www.worldbookday.com/mc-grammar/

Never, Mind.

"From the ancient Egyptians pioneering smelling good (a heady mix of fat and perfume plonked on your head, so that it would gradually melt throughout the day and make you smell all lovely and fragrant), to Coco Chanel turning fashion for women on its head, this show brings you the Horrible History of looking good. Featuring some of fashion's greatest innovations, pioneers, and victims, we look at how the way people have dressed has had an impact on their lives. We visit ancient Rome, where wearing a cumbersome five-metre toga was the law and elsewhere, while in 'Viking Eye for the Saxon Guy' some marauding Vikings take time out of their busy pillaging schedule to give Dave the smelly Saxon some tips on looking good, and smelling a little bit better. We visit Henry VIII, who is having online beef with the Holy Roman Emperor over (literally) dressing to kill, as they argue over who's the best armour maker. Other royals featured include Elizabeth I (who is busy making her courtiers look exactly like her), and King Louis XV who, along with some of his courtiers, has dressed as a hedge for a fancy dress party, so that he can hide from his wife. Also, the Macaronis discover that their outrageous stylings aren't fashionable any more, the Victorians advise us on how to properly dress for mourning, and we look at some of the least practical shoes ever."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6lTcZ5qoUk

"Sales of plywood for boarding up shop windows are understood to have risen more than fivefold since the news broke, and the police have been advised to keep a safe distance."

Sleep Tight.

 

'the Shared Rural Network'

"I wouldn't consider an upgrade any more than I would get rid of a dependable friend because they aren't wearing the latest fashions."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56252465

"The investment BT has made in rural areas to date means we already have the infrastructure in place needed to extend our 4G coverage footprint further, minimising the number of new sites we need to build."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNCpgBO-0LE&ab_channel=Renash30

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56367719

Captain Black's picture

Garden Variety

""It was an amazing day and Prince Philip and her Royal Highness the Queen, they met certain dignitaries and I was waiting for them with my wife on the decking where they were going to sit to see a show that was being put on by Tony Peers.""

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-56713953

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byKvAEpWxuA&ab_channel=DoctorWho

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/science-environment-56690949

Birds of a feather...

"I was unable to distinguish between a lockdown effect and garden-variety adolescence. I spend my days on elaborate theories. Why do they find me so annoying? Is it just months of my being so excessively proximal, and how do I reverse it? Should I get myself a shed? Why do they hate mornings so much? Is it because 2020 spat them out of the coursing river of life, and, if so, how do you get them to leap back in? Or, wait, is it because teenagers all find their parents annoying, and all hate mornings?...

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/11/school-pupils-lost...

 

Captain Black's picture

'Eco Anxiety'

"Riders on The Big One at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, which is more than 200ft tall, were forced to climb down from the ride after it broke down near the top on Sunday afternoon.

Staff from the Pleasure Beach had to scale the ride before guiding riders to safety, reports Lancashire Live.

Nobody is believed to have been injured.

The £12m ride opened in 1994, when it was the tallest and steepest ride in the world. At a whopping 213ft tall it remains the UK's highest ride."

https://www.blackpoolpleasurebeach.com/whats-on/walk-big-one/

lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHKucPOCUus

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/19257875.protest-deep-sea-mining-held-y...

I don't like heights.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AduIbUgZNEk

Another Day another Dollar...

Wuthering or Otherwise.

Not that I'm complaining..

"This is your second time clinching this award. Care to share how you have been able to develop a winning streak mindset?
When excellence becomes a lifestyle, success is guaranteed. Our focus has not been on winning competitions but being part of the solution to the global issues, and making an effort to make our world a sustainable place."

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/19337464.families-pushed-city-house-pri...

Failure is not an Option.

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/19344363.brits-enjoy-blockbuster-four-d...

"So many expect everything on a plate. Please Mr prime minister can you give all young people £500k for free so they can buy a nice home as its not fair they have to get a job and work for it...."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szUEkiRPQwQ

https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2021/jun/02/so-many-rev...

The value of nothing ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a27YX-ToMM4

The Green List

"The Dragon cargo capsule – also brand new – is delivering the first of three sets of high-tech solar panels designed to bolster the space station’s aging power grid.

Astronauts will conduct two spacewalks later this month to help install the two roll-out panels alongside solar wings that have been in continuous operation for 20 years."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57176807

"Professor Dave Tappin, of the British Geological Survey, commented: "The research highlights the importance of applying new scientific techniques to older-studied events, thereby improving our knowledge of their impact.""

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/jun/03/spacex-rocket-heads-to-i...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mQYn5txqc0

https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/g7-summit-carbis-cornwal...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJxlNYb8sJQ

"“We just don’t know the potential for that to be a vaccine-defeating mutation, and we don’t want to take the risk as we come up to 21 June and the review of the fourth stage of the unlock,” Shapps said in a TV interview."

Oh

"The Common Travel Area (CTA) is a long-standing arrangement between the UK, the Crown Dependencies (Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Isle of Man) and Ireland that pre-dates both British and Irish membership of the EU and is not dependent on it.

Under the CTA, British and Irish citizens can move freely and reside in either jurisdiction and enjoy associated rights and privileges, including the right to work, study and vote in certain elections, as well as to access social welfare benefits and health services."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQwf4tapSk

""Though there is no similar threat from Norway today, the UK could still be at risk from flooding events from potential volcanic eruptions around the world, such as those predicted in the Canary Islands.""

Somin to do with 1922, Amsterdam and the Good Friday Agreement.

Allegedly.

The Out Laws of Physics

"“Why is a delay even on the cards when businesses and people‘s mental health are far more at risk?

“I stand with Andrew Lloyd Webber and I am tempted to open at full capacity providing my venue agree.”"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uxQjydfBOU

"Even the nearest, Proxima Centauri, is 25tn miles from Earth. Our fastest rockets would take 75,000 years to reach it. Neither humans nor Klingons are built to withstand such trips."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jun/14/aliens-resemble-ai...

Captain Qahn's picture

Geo Sparks

“There are many important geological sites in this area, including the chalk areas, Filey Brigg, Speeton, Flamborough and Spurn, while Holderness is the only area left of Doggerland – an area that existed at the end of the ice age."

https://unesco.org.uk/geoparks/

https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/19409774.the-simple-fact---not-every-on...

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/jun/29/ai-20th-anniversary-steven-...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEzPhZ3MpC0

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/heritage-and-retro/heritage/groups-bid-t...

Oh.

A Phreatomagmatic Plume

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57534978

lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOYiEWgUDVA

Captain Qahn's picture

A Bold Rewiring

"“To adjust our steel industry and our chemical industry so it becomes climate neutral will amount to an enormous reduction of emissions, the like of which history has never seen before. That’s why I believe it can be done without preaching abstinence or proscription. As a society we have the technological means to become climate neutral and still remain an industrial nation.”

Scientists question whether technological research can come up with game-changing innovations over the next decade. Work on “negative emissions” technology – sucking the CO2 out of the air to compensate for the ongoing release – has yet to yield a breakthrough, for example.

Unlike countries including the UK, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium, Germany has yet to commit to a concrete date for phasing out petrol or diesel-powered passenger cars.

Germany started shutting down black coal plants in 2020 and has vowed to exit coal power completely by 2038, a move that Laschet, a miner’s son, said “will probably lead to the greatest reduction in CO2 since the start of the industrial age”."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwBjLCAodLw

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/09/joint-co2-targets-must-not...

"A commission spokesperson said. “So far everything that had to be done was done, so we have no indication whatsoever that the overall figure will be contested.”

Soliloquies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRWDpEIbCXk

"At Shakespesare's Globe . London until 17 October Live streamed on 10 July and 7 August."

fascinating..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbOzgIvRZic

"Orbits above the Earth are becoming cluttered with old hardware, which risks colliding with, and destroying, those operationally useful spacecraft that provide us with important services such as Earth observation, meteorology, and telecommunications."

Live Long & Prosper.

https://newsthump.com/2021/07/10/england-fans-practicing-with-catapults-...

Captain Black's picture

'Havanna Syndrome'

"The city council in St Petersburg, Florida, called for a state of emergency last week saying that crews need help getting the dead sea creatures cleaned up from the beaches. In the Pinellas county area, more than 800 tons of dead fish and sea life have washed ashore – and the smell is already hitting the cities."

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jul/17/florida-red-tide-fertili...

"Although a natural occurrence (Spanish explorers remarked on the Florida red tides in the 1500s)"

https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/plants-algae/what-exactly-red-tide

https://www.fws.gov/panamacity/resources/Envirothon%20Study%20Guides/Red...

"They’ve added a new word to our vocabulary. Ready, class? Repeat after me."

Pyrocumulonimbus.

"When they form above fires, pyrocumulonimbus clouds can make the blaze spread even faster. Sometimes they can also create their own lightning, which can spark more fires. But in some cases, they can also cause rain.

When the weather cools into the evening, the clouds can pose a danger as they fall to the ground."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57796128

""Shell UK country chairman added: “If our bid is successful, Shell and Scottish Power are fully committed to working with Scottish communities and businesses to help develop supply chains and expertise which could make Scotland a world leader in floating wind."

“This first term deal is an important step in scaling up the market for carbon-neutral LNG and we are very grateful to our valued partner PetroChina for their collaboration in enabling this industry milestone,” executive vice president for Shell Energy""

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8QQhre07Zc

"Nasa calls pyrocumulonimbus "the fire-breathing dragon of clouds", because they funnel smoke like a chimney into the Earth's atmosphere, while hurling thunderbolts, wind and rain."

Area 51... ;-0

"Just after 5pm, on Thorpe Lane, Robin Hoods Bay, there was a report of popping sounds at the road side, moving the road surface, which was possibly an underground fire. This was found to be a false alarm with the ‘moving road surface’ attributed to road damage caused by traffic at the road edges and the popping sounds coming from shotguns being used in nearby fields.

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/busy-night-for-yorkshir...

Really?

"Deckchairs will be available to hire again from Monday"

Captain Qahn's picture

A Bonus Year

"The missing material generating the extra gravity needed to hold galaxies together was dubbed “dark matter”. Astronomers initially thought it could be made up of stars too small or dim to be seen from Earth or by other candidates – such as neutron stars.  However, new generations of powerful telescopes showed these were not viable possibilities."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA8ZBJWo73E

"The hunt for dark matter began last century when astronomers found that galaxies appeared to be rotating too quickly to remain stable. Observations indicated they must have masses 10 times greater than their visible contents – stars, planets and dust clouds – otherwise they would tear themselves apart."

https://www.slb.com/who-we-are

"“It could be that in looking for wimps, we’re looking for our keys under the street lamp,” added Ghag. “Dark matter could be a lot weirder than we have assumed so far. It could be made of tiny black holes. Or it could be made of something that’s a million times lighter than a wimp and detecting that will be very hard. So we will have to be a lot more sophisticated in our attempts at detection.”"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLi8fTlDEag

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/08/dark-matter-one-last-pus...

Cripes ...

https://drillordrop.com/2021/02/28/death-of-anti-fracking-campaigner-ian...

“Despite years of effort, we have yet to see a single flash like that, however. We need greater sensitivity.”

https://ianrcrane.com/#clip=cjfg7pmiwoow

Awwe..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpdXbQ

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/08/living-world-time-...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hs6iXpInTA

Captain Qahn's picture

Nuanced Approaches

"Over the next few days, the team will be spending more time analysing the data we have, and also acquiring some additional diagnostic data to support understanding the root cause for the empty tube. This would not be the first time the Red Planet's surface has played hard-to-get with robots' analytical tools."

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/aug/09/allotment-wars-how-...

"Nasa's 2007 Phoenix lander found the local soils in Mars' "Arctic" region to have a sticky consistency that made it difficult to get a sample into the robot's onboard laboratory. And the agency's 2018 InSight lander struggled, and ultimately failed, to drive a temperature instrument into the ground. The sub-surface was unexpectedly resistant."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv4yJHPiNWM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58148756

Captain Qahn's picture

Digital Brocolli

"The tower was built in 1969 and currently supplies digital TV signals to a large area of north-east England."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/09/1000-year-old-remains-in-f...

"People are being advised not to retune televisions and radios, but rather be patient and use catch-up services instead"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gStdVdVqx7k

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/09/it-wasnt-built-to-eat-br...

lol

https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-de...

"A story of rocks and wreckage...."

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/scarborough-fossil-fest...

"For the moment, we can only look at the craggy face of our old companion and wonder what stories it has to tell."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84ZyRbb20-4

Sounds like a plan.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/aug/13/imagination-key-re...

Captain Qahn's picture

Old School

"We could either wrap around that support, like we normally do, or we let things happen unplanned and ad hoc, which would be very difficult to control..."

https://www.lgcplus.com/politics/governance-and-structure/cumbria-to-fig...

"Cumbria CC on Monday wrote to Robert Jenrick claiming that the planned reorganisation of local government in the county is illegal, in what could be the first step of a legal challenge against the move."

"The council has referred to a decision announced on the same day that North Yorkshire would be governed by a single unitary authority. The authority has pointed out that Cumbria Council Council is led by Labour, the largest party, and supported by the Liberal Democrats in a joint administration, while North Yorkshire is controlled by the Conservatives.

A spokesperson for Cumbria County Council explained: "After careful consideration, Cumbria County Council has taken the decision to issue a pre-action protocol letter to the Secretary of State following its decision to create two new unitary councils for Cumbria.  "The pre-action protocol letter is the first step towards ‘potentially’ pursuing a Judicial Review (JR).

"The government will now consider the information in our letter and respond. We will then review their formal response before deciding on our next steps."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lGzJwksSv4

https://www.lancs.live/news/local-news/cumbria-county-councils-legal-cha...

"In a letter to Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick, the council has said:

The Cumbria Decision was unlawful in that the SoS [Secretary of State]:

a. left out of account necessarily material considerations which his own guidance requires to be taken into account;

b. failed to conscientiously consider the consultation responses of CCC [Cumbria County Council] showing why the Two Unitary Approach did not meet the SoS’s own guidance and would not deliver that which his guidance required;

c. failed to understand or apply his own guidance in terms of the required scale of the new unitary authorities and provided no reason to depart from that guidance; d. failed to recognise that the Two Unitary Approach is predicated around the creation of a mayoral combined authority to ensure co-ordination on key matters thus adding a new tier of local government administration, undermining the savings claimed and the need for which was a key reason why a Single Unitary Approach was appropriate here;

e. for no valid reason, acted inconsistently with his approach in North Yorkshire where a Single Unitary Approach was adopted – in the case of North Yorkshire factors in favour of a Single Unitary Approach were relied on but the same factors equally applicable to Cumbria were ignored in the Cumbria Decision;

f. appears could have been motivated by the possible party political advantage that splitting Cumbria in two may secure for his party. If this was a factor in the decision, it would be an abuse of power and unlawful;

g. acted irrationally; and

h. failed to provide adequate reasons addressing the principal controversial issues.

The council has asked for a response to the letter by 4pm on Monday, August 23."

https://www.lancs.live/news/local-news/appleby-horse-fair-live-thousands...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06EbMhzwLBw

"It is clear that the Tory government both nationally and locally are not interested in democracy but only in keeping their hands on power. If they truly valued democracy they would not scrap the PR voting system for Mayors and Crime Commissioners but would extend it to local and national elections. Sadly at the moment they have too much power and self interest to do so."

https://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/19512572.government-interested-power/

Captain Black's picture

City of Culture 2025

"The 20 applicants are bidding to host a year of cultural festivities in 2025.

The culture secretary said the number of applicants was "testament to the huge success of City of Culture"

"The winner will be announced by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in May 2022.

Those long-listed will be awarded grants of £40,000 for the first time to support the next stage of their applications."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58271913

"This record number of applications from all four corners of the country is testament to the huge success of City of Culture in generating investment, creating jobs and boosting local pride.

"This prestigious prize creates a fantastic opportunity for towns and cities to build back better from the pandemic and I wish all bidders the very best of luck.""

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgvl7KVHYSQ

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-58272630

Bah ...

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/scarborough-boroughs-we...

Captain Black's picture

'Villager Jim'

"Cities in England could be granted national park status – affording urban areas the same level of environmental protection as natural landscapes – as part of a new review of open spaces...

The proposals are in response to an independent review led by the journalist Julian Glover on natural landscapes in England. He proposed that all national parks be run by one authority, rather than by separate entities."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-58271871

“Our landscapes are national treasures, and we are committed to ensuring that they flourish as havens for nature and are places that everyone can visit and enjoy."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geCfrrS4GKo

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/21/english-cities-could...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx4Hjq6KwO0

'Swinging a Broom'

"Europe's Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) is designed to map Mercury's terrain, generate height profiles, collect data on the planet's surface structure and composition, as well as sensing its interior."

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/29/our-cheeky-pet-cocka...

"While the initial submersion of flora and fauna under the river of molten rock is devastating, in the longer term, it may prove beneficial, bringing minerals from the Earth’s core to the surface and providing a habitat both underwater and on land for colonisation by species, experts said."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58754882

"Esa promises to run all the pictures together to make a little movie, most probably for release on Monday."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YqPKLZF_WU

Captain Qahn's picture

A Regular Revision

https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/news/politics/council/scarborough-m...

"The dilemma of the dancing grannies has prompted some to seek out tech solutions. One went viral online this week: a remote stun gun-style device that claims to be able to disable a speaker from 50 metres away."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/08/chinas-noisy-dancing-grann...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhyaAPsT1LU

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/new-proposals-to-transf...

"“Square dancing is a problem left over from history. Many elderly people feel that the whole China is built by their generation. They have the absolute voice and status. We young people have done nothing, and of course are not qualified to question them.”"

Captain Qahn's picture

Carry On Strolling ...

"As is contest tradition, the winners of Eurovision bag the right to host the event the following year.."

"No objections were made against the latest Scarborough plans, although councillors did question why this location was chosen for the sculpture and why people would have to pay to enter the English Heritage castle grounds to see it."

https://arts.cern/

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/unsightly-amusement-rid...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVYqB0uTKlE

The Wild Eye trail ...

https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/news/people/will-they-sink-or-swim-...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p78-PJnAYvc

Window Shopping

"The station gateway is the single biggest aspect of the Scarborough blueprint to transform the town centre.

The council’s ambition is to radically improve the area around the railway station to create a more attractive entry into Scarborough for visitors and residents."

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/oct/20/vikings-settled-north-am...

"The 1970s concrete cladding on Pavilion House would be removed and replaced by glazing to give the building a modern look and to enhance its environmental credentials."

https://www.space.com/32644-cosmic-rays.html

The proposal for the former Comet building is for it to be demolished and replaced with high-quality office accommodation. It is earmarked for a new digital workspace called FabLab."

"The scheme costs would be met by income from the sale of other council property (the Town Hall and local democracy) and the already approved invest-to-save fund which was set aside to buy property in Scarborough.

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/council-to-buy-two-scar...

Meanwhile:

"A scale model of the solar system, a decommissioned North Sea oil platform and a pop-up forest will form part of a major UK arts event planned for 2022."

"Among its ambitions are the formation of "a travelling convoy" and the development of "a new alien music genre" through bouncing music off the Moon."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANS9sSJA9Yc

Oh. OK:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEPTlhBmwRg

The Green House effect ... :

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/scarborough-borough-cou...

Absolutely nothing to do with Jerry Hall.

"If Pavilion House is refurbished privately for low-quality residential units it would very much remain a brutalist blot on the landscape."

Fag Packet stuff...

"... there has been "substantial demand" for the proposed new office space and that the council has received a statement of intent from the NHS, police and Beyond Housing to effectively create a “public sector hub” at Pavilion House."

lol

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58998367

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-g3v1Z34Hk

Air Conditioning.

A Hard Glare

"Planning permission had previously been granted by Scarborough  Council in 2019 for 43 flats to be built in the vacant office block.

The lower floor of the building is home to retail units, including Sports Direct, which will not be affected by the planning application.

As the building has no on-site parking available, a nearby car park is not in the ownership of the applicant, it is hoped residents will make use of public transport instead.

The application states: “The application site is located within Scarborough Town Centre, which provides a variety of shops, services and public transport infrastructure."

https://www.thescarboroughnews.co.uk/news/environment/scarboroughs-uglie...

Oh just a minute ...

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/buying-scarborough-buil...

"the vast majority of our fellow citizens" want to live in a "pluralistic society" but a minority of people take "a different view"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vuovf6hMNXI

"Councillor Carl Maw says if the council didn't step in then the buildings would probably have been developed for residential use."

Cheap Flats?

The Blindingly Obvious.

Ere, check out the basement of that block ... it's huge.  Accessible by that old Underground pub... ask that King bird.

Keep Busy.

Bunkers not Bonkers.

 

Captain Qahn's picture

The Final Stretch

"Around the world, more places are struggling to cope with more extreme rainfall, a phenomenon scientists have linked to climate change. As temperatures rise with global warming, more moisture evaporates into the atmosphere, causing heavier rain."

Enjoy:

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/nov/12/you-be-the-judge-sh...

"Our flat is full of half-drunk mugs that she’s lost track of. She doesn’t know how long they’ve been sitting there. I will open the curtain in the morning and there will be three mugs, all full, all with the teabag still in, sitting on the window ledge."

Capitalism...

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/10/cop26-doomed-net-zero

Oh, OK:

"I don’t think teabags are single-use – you can drink from the same one up to three times. People brew tea for up to five minutes, so I make lots of mini brews with the same bag. I’ve found that an oily scum sticks to the side of the mug after one go – you brew that out with subsequent usage."

lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhumCu3fzMI

OOOh

"Countries will be asked to come to the next COP in Egypt next year with more ambitious pledges to cut their emissions of greenhouses gases."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-59253838

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8v2hav5qDU

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/12/the-good-bad-irn-bru...

Captain Qahn's picture

'Back-and-Forth'

"India, along with China, pushed for the last-minute change to "phase down" rather than "phase out" coal.  But why?

"A big part of their position can be summed up by comments from India's environment and climate minister Bhupender Yadav earlier. He asked how anyone could expect developing countries to make promises on phasing out coal when they have still to deal with their development agendas and eradicating poverty.

On top of that, four million people are employed in India's coal industry - and in the last decade the country's coal consumption has nearly doubled. It continues to import large quantities of coal and is planning to open dozens of new mines in the coming years despite pledges to invest massively in renewable energy.

An average Indian still consumes far less power than a Brit or an American."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhEaHcQgyLs

"In response to a question, Alok Sharma, who has led this summit, says he wishes the 11th hour watering down of the agreement on coal had not happened.

But he says, "we do have language on coal, on phase-down" and that no-one would have thought that line would have been retained at all earlier in the summit.

The line calling for the "phase-down of unabated coal" and an end to "inefficient" fossil fuel subsidies is unprecedented in a COP agreement, experts say, even if it was weakened."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-59253838

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQXCELBPI6Q

"While he may not be enthused with the deal, Shadow business minister - and former Labour leader - Ed Miliband has nothing but praise for Alok Sharma.

He says Sharma, a Tory MP and minister of state at the cabinet office, has shown himself to be a "person of decency, integrity and commitment".

Throughout the afternoon, the COP26 president has been seen flitting between various delegations, discussing the text and working to get the deal across the line."

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/11/13/climate/cop26-glasgow-climate-su...

"Rich countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan and much of western Europe, account for just 12 percent of the global population today but are responsible for 50 percent of all the planet-warming greenhouse gases released from fossil fuels and industry over the past 170 years.

President Biden and European leaders have insisted that countries like India, Indonesia and South Africa need to accelerate their shift away from coal power and other fossil fuels. But those countries counter that they lack the financial resources to do so, and that rich countries have been stingy with aid."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsbX1PZq5TA

"Like a free-standing dresser, but without the open shelves, such cabinets typically came with a meat safe, a pull-out work surface, and a flour hopper (a funnel-shaped thing that dispensed the self-raising Be-Ro straight into the York Mix bowl).

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/nov/13/worried-about-waste-and-hav...

Captain Black's picture

'A Spectral Rainstorm'

"When muons encounter an object, some pass right through while others get stopped in their tracks. That means muons can be used to see inside things that would otherwise be inaccessible, from nuclear reactors to the depths of Egypt’s pyramids.

"To perceive these features, volcanologists could use muon detectors, which range from the size of a suitcase to the area of a small apartment. Scientists could place detectors around a volcano’s flanks, or even fly one around the volcano with a helicopter.

The endless muon rainstorm will shower the volcano at an angle. Some of the muons passing through one side of the volcano’s flanks will reach detectors on the other side; those that don’t will cast subatomic shadows on the detectors, revealing which parts of the mountain’s insides are denser and which are more vacuous."

"Telling people to use different words is easy..."

"Calculations of its orbital waltz indicate that it began trailing our planet in a relatively stable manner about a century ago,  and it will continue to pirouette around Earth for several centuries to come. But where did Kamoʻoalewa come from? It is difficult to study the object with telescopes because of its tiny dimensions and its tendency to hide in the shadows."

"As it repeatedly loops around Earth, this shy body never gets closer than 9 million miles, which is 38 times farther out than the moon. It gets as distant as 25 million miles away before swinging back around for a closer encounter."

"If an astronaut were standing on the moon during a lunar eclipse, they'd see the Earth pass in front of the sun - solar eclipse. They'd also see the Earth's atmosphere scatter and refract the light from the sun, so the Earth would appear to be surrounded by a reddish glow on the edge of its disk. Since the blue wavelengths coming from the sun are scattered by our atmosphere, the light that reaches the moon is reddish — and we see that effect when the moon is almost totally obscured by Earth's shadow."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8QQhre07Zc

"The next time the sun is shining, go outside. There may not be a cloud in the sky, but you will be standing in the middle of a spectral rainstorm."

lol

Multiply by 0.165. You'd weigh about 80 percent less!

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19723764.houchen-welcome-shell-op...

Mars's gravity is 38 percent of Earth's... 

"Houchen told the Northern Echo: “It’s fantastic news that Shell is bringing its HQ to the UK as it looks to drive forward its clean energy ambitions, making our country a world-leader in this vital, growing sector."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axRAL0BXNvw

“We’d welcome them with open arms if the company is keen to set up shop right here, joining the other energy companies already committed to game-changing low-carbon developments.”

Trollolol ...

"If you haven't got a job, go and apply for another job - if you have got a job, keep your nose out of my business or if you've got nothing nice, don't say it."

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/11/opinion/inflation-history.html

Captain Qahn's picture

Beyond the Moon

"“Space is just extremely enormous, and satellites are very tiny,” Musk said. “This is not some situation where we’re effectively blocking others in any way. We’ve not blocked anyone from doing anything, nor do we expect to.”

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/dec/30/elon-musk-rejects-mou...

""Previously this whole place would have been an absolute hive of industry - noise and smoke. They were building dredgers which pretty much helped to build the world," he adds.

"Building new harbours, new docks, expanding waterways, creating better trade routes.""

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-59644117

"Webb is currently heading to an observing position some 1.5 million km from Earth on its nightside. It should arrive at this location in late January.   Already the astronomical facility is beyond the orbit of the Moon."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59831870

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35jlyFMfkJo

"Manufacturers have already tried to address such criticisms with design changes to make satellites less visible from Earth."

'Bottle Tops'

"Robert Goodwill, the Conservative MP for Whitby and Scarborough, described the situation as a "complete mystery" and "a matter of great concern".

He said: "I'm vainly hoping that at some point Defra will say 'there's a Second World War vessel that has some munitions on and it's leaking out and that's what's causing it'.

"But to affect such a large area and for traces of chemical either in the water or in the dead fish not to be seen is really quite a mystery."

He added that he would be "happy" to hear from fishermen about how it was affecting their income.

"If we could pinpoint some particular spill or discharge that has caused it then of course compensation would be available following action taken against that, but we have no real way of knowing what's caused it."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-60054264

"The 1920s are known for glitz, glamour, jazz and modernisation, but the reality of post-war, post-flu pandemic Britain was, for many people, very different."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j04VQthbV0s

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-60068412

 

A 'Level' Crossing

"Space observers believe the rocket – about four metric tonnes of “space junk” – is on course to intersect with the moon at a velocity of about 2.58km/s in a matter of weeks."

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/concerns-over-scarborou...

"The exact spot the rocket will hit remains unclear due to the unpredictable effect of sunlight “pushing” on the rocket and “ambiguity in measuring rotation periods” which may slightly alter its orbit."

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/jan/26/out-of-control-spacex-ro...

"Council officers are preparing a feasibility study report on the idea which will be presented to the councils Planning and Development Committee in March."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vCxgFf72PQ

OOh... ;-)

"P&O Cruises is partnering with Aardman, the creators of Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep, to bring a range of character-based activities for all generations to newest ship Iona."

Join the Dots ...

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/jan/26/star-trek-actor-nichelle...

"“That’s a terrible thought," he added. "But hopefully that will give people pause and they will start to engage more with not just rewilding, but nature recovery and strategic ecology and thinking more broadly about our landscape and how we relate to it and what we need from it.”"

Testing Times.... I simply luurvve the Flat Earth Xociety...

Shall we take a Peak?

Ouchie Couchie.

Captain Qahn's picture

Land Banking

"The central claims of the Net Zero Scrutiny Group are nonsense. Energy bills are increasing not because of feeble green levies, but because the global price of fossil gas has boomed."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/10/labour-nato-britis...

""It will be incredibly costly and difficult to rectify this mistake""

Ya don't spose Cuadrilla could do a better job than Yorkshire Water...

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/09/costs-going-green-...

lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GchEVSx9XEA

 

Captain Qahn's picture

'Ultra Violet'

"They were, at the beginning, merely a collection of enthusiastic and slightly eccentric sea swimmers. But everything changed when Yorkshire Water revealed plans to "improve" water quality by building a long sea sewage outfall pipe in Scarborough's North Bay."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-60349021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPbDwgRmlQQ

"Puzzlingly, Neptune is a vibrant shade of cobalt blue, whereas Uranus has a pale green tint—and now, scientists may know why.."

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-why-neptune-and-uranus-a...

lol

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/feb/15/rocket-on-collision-cour...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIs5StN8J-0

Perculating.

Captain Qahn's picture

Uncle Sam

"After the Second World War, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at the Palais de Chaillot, in Paris. The Declaration represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled. It is essentially an acknowledgment that we should remember and understand the value of each human being, regardless of their nationality, color, race, sex, gender, country of origin, language, or otherwise.

As the world becomes more and more connected and globalized, it’s important to remember that a ‘global monoculture’, or a homogenization of cultures, kills off traditional cultures and unique traits of people. Embracing cultural diversity – in all aspects of life – is the answer to avoiding a global monoculture. The phrase ‘cultural diversity’ can also refer to having different cultures respect each other’s differences. "

"Councillor Carl Les, the son of a Polish refugee, said while he understood the threat of agents of Russian President Vladimir Putin infiltrating refugee groups coming to the UK, due to the scale and severity of the situation facing Ukrainians the UK must take some of the risk."

https://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/20154640.government-urged-speed-ref...

"No matter what profession you enter, you'll find yourself working with employers, coworkers, and clients from diverse backgrounds. By experiencing diversity, you are laying the groundwork to be comfortable working and interacting with a variety of individuals of all nationalities."

https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2021-03-25/debates/551D918C-86C5-424...

"Research consistently shows that we learn more from people who are different from us than we do from people who are similar to us."

https://www.thisisthecoast.co.uk/news/local-news/last-chance-to-vote-for...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H5386XBr80

"True Vision provides information for victims and the public about what hate crime is, why it is important to report it when it happens, and sets out the range of ways hate crimes can be reported, including via a new online reporting form."

 

Captain Qahn's picture

Counter Productive

"The mean temperature on the planet keeps going up with every tonne of fossil fuel we burn. At some point you’re going to surpass all of these different milestones. It’s no secret that the fossil fuel industry has been planning to make as much profit as they can from extracting and selling fossil fuel, no matter what happens to the planet, to us, and to future generations."

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/may/21/peter-kalmus-nasa-sc...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzV3SKPsZSU

"At 2.0 kelvin helium becomes a superfluid, called helium II, that has extraordinary properties," Fauve said. For instance, it conducts heat hundreds of times more efficiently than copper, and it has such low viscosity — or resistance to flow — that this can’t be measured, he added."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG-OlGA_DbQ

“Their actions divert police resources away from the communities where they are needed most … and we are seeing parts of the country grind to a halt … this is reprehensible behaviour and I will not tolerate it.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/21/priti-patel-in-fresh-bi...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8U2Wt3s_7k

"Lower temperatures can be achieved with very specialized cooling systems that can reach a fraction of a degree above absolute zero, where all motion stops."

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/may/21/boeings-starliner-capsul...

"It takes a 10-day silent retreat once a year to kind of build up the batteries."

Rosie the Rocketeer.

'Rooted in Reality'

"The winner of the new comedian award will receive a paid commission to write and perform in a 30 minute audio pilot under the mentorship of a BBC comedy commissioner."

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/22/goodbye-to-the-age...

"Comedians who are selected from the entry process will compete in six regional heats that will be televised on BBC Three in autumn, with the grand final screened on BBC One."

"“I’m telling you now, if you’re umming and ahhing about applying to this year’s awards, just blooming go for it.”

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/8CnTFchPBBJw6vrfptJ66g/bbc-new...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwWfE4DAyao

Entries close on Sunday July 3 at midnight.

Captain Qahn's picture

'Gene Editing'

"Tomatoes naturally produce lots of the chemical pre-cursor of vitamin D but the plants normally use this to make other biochemicals they need."

"Again, I could feel myself resisting. Couldn’t we just be getting on with this without the hippy stuff?"

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/may/23/i-feel-totally-seen...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv3yDQ83Jcc

"... imagine my feet were connecting with the ground some five storeys below. That I was putting down roots and was in touch with the Earth’s gravitational pull"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xIukLhFxng

A Bullshit Radar.

A 'Poetic Endeavour'

"Whether it is your bike or a garden fork that you forgot to put away, most of us are familiar with the rapid rusting that happens when iron-containing objects are exposed to the elements."

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/25/cow-you-see-me-spanish-tow...

"Boeing's new astronaut taxi has landed safely back on Earth, wrapping up its long-anticipated and crucial demonstration mission to the International Space Station (ISS)."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB1xsMvIiAo

 "And if the core does get spots of rust this could explain the slower seismic waves observed in some areas of the lower mantle, such as deep underneath northern Mexico, where a chunk of crust from North and Central America is thought to have landed about 200m years ago."

https://www.space.com/boeing-starliner-oft-2-landing-success

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nloyFe6CzeY

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/may/25/terrawatch-earth-core-ru...

"It’s a kind of ode to the sky and how it changes throughout the day."

Hmmm ...

https://www.guidetomusicaltheatre.com/shows_m/merrie_england.htm

Werq The World.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/02/it-felt-like-history-itsel...

"Everyone has the right to voice their opinion."

Benefitz Betty's picture

'The Curse of Minerva'

“As the British people have been happy to use both imperial and metric measurements in their daily life it is good for the government to reflect that now we are free to change our regulations accordingly.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/28/lord-browne-the-man-who...

"Measuring in pounds and ounces was an “ancient liberty” as he heralded a “new era of generosity and tolerance” towards traditional measurements where council workers sitting in coffin-like battleships, shoot fireworks at one another."

https://hellopoetry.com/poem/4299/the-curse-of-minerva/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/may/28/why-shouldnt-greek...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG4LnFdrS3I

"Only its foundations now poke out of the waves like the legs of a dead spider."