Early Risers.

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, BSW01 said:

Today is Sheila’s birthday

Happy Birthday, Sheila.

[woodenhead]

It's the little things that make a big difference, January being the darker month of the year does seem to bring out the black dog for many of us and for some it is harder than others, so I hope bear is back soon.

 

On Wednesday I got a present, at work, a box of socks no less from Selfridges - why, because a website I'd developed such a long time ago came to the attention of a newer manager and she told me it had transformed how they managed their staff.  Sometimes I think I am invisible but on Wednesday I had a nice reminder that what I do still matters.

[Hroth]

 

Just had my ears lowered.

 

My eartips are saying "Eh? Is it spring already?"

 

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

Thanks to the research of ER overseas motoring correspondent with his nose to the ground @Erichill16, we can combine @iL Dottores  love of Japan, with his love of old school pommy  Jagwars, to offer him this:

 

https://www.mitsuoka-motor.com/global/lineup/viewt/

 

 

More than just a  modified Nissan Micra. Much more.....

They've been in production for 35 to 40 years. There was several running in the UK and some may still be on the road. Problem was they were 'grey imports' and difficult to get spares for or even get them serviced.

[PhilJ W]

7 hours ago, Ozexpatriate said:

And so it is.

 

Low-orbital space is not really that much bigger than airspace for jet aircraft. We could do some rough maths.

 

I wasn't going to bother but what the heck.

 

Starlink altitude is 340 km - 614 km. Let's say an altitude of 500 km for grins.

Jets at 35,000' are about 11 km.

 

Approximating the maneuvering space to be a surface (which it is where avoiding maneuvers are required - it's not necessary at differing altitudes).

 

The radius of the earth is 6,371 km.

 

A = 4 π r ^2

 

So the area of a sphere* of radius 6,871 km (Starlink-ish) is only 16% larger than the area of a sphere of radius 6,382 km (jets).

 

* Yes I know (there's a 'physicist' joke in there)

 

It's hardly different from air traffic control.

 

An added complication is that the bands that geostationary satellites (such as used for satnavs) can orbit are a lot narrower. This is because the satellite stays in orbit by matching its speed to the rate at which gravity is trying to make it fall. Too little speed and it will fall and burn up in the atmosphere, too much and it will fly off into space. As it happens navigation satellites have to be 'tweaked' every so often to retain accuracy.

[PhilJ W]

Morning all from Estuary-Land. A good night last night, no callouts from bladder control and not much fuss from Arthur Itis. The only fly in the ointment was as I got up I had terrible cramp but fortunately that soon passed but was very painful while it lasted. Bright sunshine at the moment so a bit of the G word while it lasts.

[Tony_S]

10 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

An added complication is that the bands that geostationary satellites (such as used for satnavs) can orbit are a lot narrower. This is because the satellite stays in orbit by matching its speed to the rate at which gravity is trying to make it fall. Too little speed and it will fall and burn up in the atmosphere, too much and it will fly off into space. As it happens navigation satellites have to be 'tweaked' every so often to retain accuracy.

I think you are confusing GPS satellites with communication satellites. 

[The White Rabbit]

Morning awl,

 

Positive vibes to Bear Towers, been there myself (mainly 'thanks' to the NHS) and I'm very glad things are improving. Perhaps the cure is one of those prescriptions pharmacists can't fulfil, but - like Jerome K Jerome's case - is one of those which need taking elsewhere? 

 

An hour muddling or fighting the evil machinations of CC every eight hours.

One dish of pizza (and curly fries?) every lunchtime

Two helpings of LDC every evening

Twelve really dirty jokes every 24 hours

A few friends, worthy of the name

One comfy bed sharp at ten. 

 

 

Also, fingers crossed for Dave, more best wishes that way too.  

 

And - while I won't claim I fit the motoring homepage's description seen earlier of 'playful and beautiful' 😉, I did see an article earlier which was a bit more cheerful (and less political!) than most of the news, brought back some memories: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/feb/14/he-always-deseeds-my-tomatoes-17-little-gestures-that-make-you-feel-loved - a little bit of solace goes a long way. 

[PhilJ W]

1 minute ago, Tony_S said:

I think you are confusing GPS satellites with communication satellites. 

The same applies to everything orbiting the Earth from the tiniest item to the ISS. Even the Moon* would go flying off into space if the orbital speed increased.

*The Moon is slowly moving away from the Earth but only at the rate of 10cm (4 inches) a year.

[PhilJ W]

2 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Oooh, oooh, oooh.

Can I have one, please?

Pretty please with knobs on!
Me want!
ME WANT!

 

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

I think it may be a bit smaller than the Jaguar it has been influenced by. Probably on a Nissan Micra/Juke  sized floorplan? They have a dealership in Monaco so not so far for @iL Dottore to check out!

It's based on the Nissan Micra floorpan which like the Mini has grown fatter over the years. They are usually Japanese home market only and VERY expensive, perhaps that is why the only European dealership is in Monaco.

[Sidecar Racer]

2 hours ago, TheQ said:

Hmmm jaguar front end bonded to a modern London taxi back end

 

 That was my impression at first glance too .

[Tony_S]

15 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

The same applies to everything orbiting the Earth from the tiniest item to the ISS. Even the Moon* would go flying off into space if the orbital speed increased.

*The Moon is slowly moving away from the Earth but only at the rate of 10cm (4 inches) a year.

I do actually understand orbits but the satellites for sat nav are not in a geostationary orbit unlike communications satellites, well, at least modern ones.  The original Telstar was in a lower orbit and allowed about 30 minutes of communication from the US to the UK 

[Tony_S]

16 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

the only European dealership is in Monaco.

We were on a coach tour returning to Monaco. It was about a month before the Grand Prix. However that day there was some sort of supercar rally. Our tour bus somehow was in the cavalcade, definitely not intended.

Tony

 

[Hroth]

9 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

We were on a coach tour returning to Monaco. It was about a month before the Grand Prix. However that day there was some sort of supercar rally. Our tour bus somehow was in the cavalcade, definitely not intended.

Tony

 

 

I hope you waved at everyone and looked important!

 

[southern42]

😁

' afternoon all from red dragon land .

Soggy landscape drying up, 8.5C. Might be warmer if the sun comes out.

 

But that is not what the big smiley is for. Something long with flanged wheels has been dispatched from the far sou'west, no doubt itching to stretch its vocal chords. <<Poop, poop>> I was a much, much younger lass when it was pre-ordered... and even younger when I rode in the cab of the real one, and younger still when I rode in its seats for the first time. Guess I will be somewhat distracted and steamed up with expectation for just a wee bit longer...

 

 

Time, now, to get sorted for the arrival of the more mundane C&C groceries later this afternoon.

Take care. Be good. Be patient.

Polly

[Gwiwer]

Afternoon all. 
 

Second training watch completed to the satisfaction of all concerned. 
 

The view from the office wasn’t too shabby either. That there was a view at all was a pleasant surprise.  With warm moist air over cool land we could have had more dense fog. 
 

 

[iL Dottore]

1 hour ago, PhilJ W said:

 

It's based on the Nissan Micra floorpan which like the Mini has grown fatter over the years. They are usually Japanese home market only and VERY expensive, perhaps that is why the only European dealership is in Monaco.

I think that it depends upon the model. The Viewt (the Jag Mk II tribute) costs ¥2.25 million in Japan so about £17000 or so. A quick Google search revealed a number of Viewts for sale across the globe, but I didn’t drill down for Switzerland.

 

The appeal of the Viewt got me thinking: how much of a classic car is actually copyrighted? Obviously, the names Jaguar, Rolls-Royce and Bentley are copyrighted up to the hilt and beyond, but what about classic car shapes and design?  With modern 3-D scanning, modern CAD software and modern production techniques. I don’t think it would be all that difficult to create a perfect replica body shell of say, for the sake of argument, a Jaguar Mark II or Bentley S2. I think that with some appropriate tweaks such a body shell could be mounted on a suitable donor chassis and also modified to meet current safety standards, although, (and here I really do not have any idea and I’m wildly speculating) perhaps for very small production run vehicles different standards apply than for large production run vehicles from the big manufacturers).

 

These essentially identical to original replicas would not be cheap – being a practically bespoke build, but I would view such replicas like I view an artist’s signature model guitar: a way to get a vintage guitar (in all but age) at a less than bank busting prices (my Fender Custom Shop, David Gilmour Black Strat was but a tiny fraction of the $5 million the real David Gilmour Black Strat fetched at auction).

Not everyone has the reddies to buy a 1952 Bentley Continental R

(yours for a mere US$ 995,000) But a high quality replica that costs the same as a mid-range BMW would, I think, be sought after.

 

Were such replicas possible, I would speculate that the replicas could get Bentley, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce, et cetera, rather worried as a lot of  potential customers of theirs would turn away from their bloatmobiles for that classic Jaguar/Bentley/Rolls-Royce look.

 

If a replica of the 1952 Bentley Continental R above was identical in comfort and style to the original, I wouldn’t be particularly fussed if it didn’t have the Bentley name or badge on it. I would certainly get one if I could – although I would insist on it being finished in British Racing Green with red leather interior.

[Coombe Barton]

13 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Afternoon all. 
 

Second training watch completed to the satisfaction of all concerned. 
 

The view from the office wasn’t too shabby either. That there was a view at all was a pleasant surprise.  With warm moist air over cool land we could have had more dense fog. 
 

 

Take it you're in the lookout on the Cape?

 

Kenidjack Castle is where I met, by chance, in 1999, Willie Alford, the traction engine owner of Truthwall who was walking his Jack Russell. He told me the story of the loss of sand in Porth Ledden due to failed tin ore extraction in the 1920s. Solved a lot of the mystery as that bay is where both Tristram escaped to Ireland and Athelstan launched his assault on the Vikings on the Isles of Scilly, and I couldn't;y see how on those rocks you'd be able to land boats.

 

[NGT6 1315]

Cheers everyone. Bit of a proper lifesign at last…

 

This sinusitis that has developed in recent days certainly is something aggro. Let’s just say the past few nights have been non-events and I certainly feel accordingly. Haven’t dozed off in daytime like I’m currently doing for a long time for sure.

 

Stay safe…

[PupCam]

Morning (pre-munch) All!

 

4 hours ago, iL Dottore said:

Oooh, oooh, oooh.

Can I have one, please?

Pretty please with knobs on!
Me want!
ME WANT!

 

I fear Flavio is rather unwell.   Quick quick, get the doctor.    Oh no, he is the doctor ......

 

We need a Plan B

 

4 hours ago, BSW01 said:

Today is Sheila’s birthday,

 

Happy Birthday to Shelia

 

2 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

An added complication is that the bands that geostationary satellites (such as used for satnavs) can orbit are a lot narrower. This is because the satellite stays in orbit by matching its speed to the rate at which gravity is trying to make it fall. Too little speed and it will fall and burn up in the atmosphere, too much and it will fly off into space. As it happens navigation satellites have to be 'tweaked' every so often to retain accuracy.

 

GPS constellation satellites aren't geostationary which is why your GPS receive knows (and sometimes tells you) how many satellites are visible at any instant at your location amongst many other things.  They operate at an altitude of ~12,500 miles somewhere in between the low earth orbit stuff  (Starlink ~300 miles, ISS ~ 250 miles etc) and the very narrow geostationary altitude at around ~ 22,300 miles. 

 

2 hours ago, Tony_S said:

I think you are confusing GPS satellites with communication satellites. 

 

Agreed

 

42 minutes ago, Gwiwer said:

Afternoon all. 
 

Second training watch completed to the satisfaction of all concerned. 
 

The view from the office wasn’t too shabby either. That there was a view at all was a pleasant surprise.  With warm moist air over cool land we could have had more dense fog. 
 

 

 

Where is your office Rick?       I often look at the St Ives webcam (when doing my BP) and note there's a Coast Guard station there and I wondered if that was where you went but from that view it doesn't look like it!

 

ION

 

Sometimes I think my humour is wasted.     Moving on  .....

 

Pergola status: 

      2 Upright made ................................................................  3 to go

      1 Horizontal beam made ................................................. 2 to go

      0 Cross boards (with twiddly ends) made ..................... 5 to go

      2 Uprights & 1 cross beam erected and Crecoted ....... Tick

 

Whilst up a step ladder Crecoting the embryonic new pergola an Apache  flew over east to west about 100 yards south of me.     If it was above 500'   I will definitely  eat my hat.    If only I'd had a decent camera to hand.  Indeed, if only I had a decent camera!

 

Anglian Water have turned up today to dig up the pavement approximately 30' south of the recently excavated and filled hole containing the nice shiny new electrical connection to the first nice shiny new pole.    Whilst I don't think the water leak that has appeared very, very, very recently can or should be linked to the recent electricity board shenanigans I can't help thinking of this 

 

 

All being well I'll be meeting up with the Bear tomorrow with the intention of going to look at some unmentionable objects running on parallel bits of metal.

 

Right, it's munch time.

 

TTFN

 

 

Edited February 16 by PupCam

[TheQ]

Oops

Edited February 16 by TheQ

[Hroth]

@PupCam  The Gasman!  The Gasman!

One of my all time favourites, I have a tape recording of me shouting to my parents that it was on the radio.  I must have been 6 or 7...

 

[TheQ]

On this day 16th February 1966, LAC John Cheeseman started a fire in the R3 bunker at RAF Neatishead.

 

Sadly he caused the death of three fireman

Divisional Officer, Gordon Dix,

Leading Fireman Herbert Durrant ,

Fireman, John Holman.

 

Aestimemur Agendo

Let us be judged by our Actions.

 

[The Lurker]

1 hour ago, Coombe Barton said:

Athelstan launched his assault on the Vikings on the Isles of Scilly,

 

Now that is something I knew nothing of - vikings on the Isles of Scilly or Athelstan's assault. I don't recall Michael Wood mentioning it on the telly all those years ago - or in his book (I was given the recently revised and updated version last year). And nor do I recall that detail from my degree, where I did choose to do quite a bit about the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings. Time for some research when I get a moment away from work. which I suppose i had better return to.

[Coombe Barton]

13 minutes ago, The Lurker said:

Now that is something I knew nothing of - vikings on the Isles of Scilly or Athelstan's assault.

Athelstan vowed to build a church at St Buryan if he evicted the vikings. He did and the remains of his church are incorporated into the north east of the existing building.

 

And here's some of the story  https://classic-sailing.com/article/the-isles-of-scilly-archipelago/#:~:text=In the mid-12th century,in Syllingar and plundered it.”

 

Edited February 16 by Coombe Barton
Addition, not Typoman this time