Mythocentric Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 (edited) Well done Young Bill, its ALWAYS nice to get paid for your efforts. Thank you Andrew! Young Bill? When the young lady from Israel, Kay, e-mailed me for info I think she was a bit gobsmacked when I told her how old I was! Theres a general belief that people who work in computer art are all "young creatives" (Horrible term!) so I was more than pleased to put her right! As for getting paid, well that usually takes months for it to filter through, especially where Russia is concerned. The copyright laws over there seem to consist of "we'll take what we want and theres naff all you can do about it". On the other hand they did contact me through my agent who is married to a US National Guard officer, Joe, so if they don't cough up I might just be able to order up an air strike on their office! Nuclear holocaust anyone? Bill, I'd have thought NASA might be using some of the stuff you've put on here, relating to the "Plutonians" that NH may have found! Not impressed by the lack of material being put onto the web from the NH team. Jeff They're probably keeping a low profile Jeff while they photoshop all the pyramids, buildings, etc., out of the pictures! I don't know about NASA using my stuff but there is a certain alien conspiracy site which is rather excited about a photograph of the Yacht Race Office at Morecambe taken at dusk which includes a strange unidentified object high in the sky! Consensus so far is that it is genuine proof. The uploader didn't give his real name but I have the strangest feeling that he might be getting in touch again sometime in the near future and giving them a lesson in Photoshop compositing! Repeat after me: "You are a very evil person William. You are a very evil person.............." :devil: Regards Sauron, eer! Bill Edited July 20, 2015 by Mythocentric 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted July 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 21, 2015 Our recent travels have been westward. The road from Tiverton to Crediton was closed so we had to go via Exeter and the A30 to Lydford the A30 round the top of Dartmoor is a mad race track. Later back on the A30 from Bodmin to Hayle is was still a mad race track you cannot believe there is enough room for all that traffic at the tip of Cornwall. Perhaps there is a return loop somewhere and it all just comes back again. Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 A quick update! I've just found out what was causing my laptop to crash! Turns out it was one of Microsoft's innumerable updates which appears to be incompatable with everything, including Windows. I popped it into my local computer shop yesterday to get it checked out and the owner started laughing when I described the problem! It took him around 10 minutes to fix the blasted thing (i.e. He removed the stupid @@@@@, @@@@@ update!)! It seems that Microsoft have a lot of explaining to do (AGAIN!). I only wish I'd known that before I did a full system recovery!!!!!!!!!! On a brighter note I've just finished installing everything to the new Workstation and it's running like a dream! (I think I'm in LURVE! ). Also the new bits have just arrived for my kaliedoscope and it actually works so I'm now an official apprentice astronomicker! I only hope Jeff doesn't mind answering the million and one questions I've got!!! :nono: Regards Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 21, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 21, 2015 That's a very positive post, Bill. I'm pleased you got both the computer and telescope problems sorted. I'll be more than happy to try to answer any astronomical questions you throw my way! Jeff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Thanks Jeff! Much happier than I was last week, though theres still the possibility that a certain Bill Gates could gain the addendum 'Deceased' if I ever meet him! I'm delighted with the telescope and I can't wait to get going, though Sara did make me promise not to use it until she arrives on Friday. Still I suspect I might just have a play with it tonight, weather permitting! (Hee Hee!). A couple of questions at the moment. I'm going to order an external power pack this week and I'm wondering whether it would be appropriate to aquire a x2 Barlow while I'm at it? Also I would be pleased if you could recommend any appropriate books to steer me in the right direction. I'm going into Lancaster on Thursday to pick up PSP X7 and I'll be passing Waterstones on the way, so I may as well pop in. Regards Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 21, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 21, 2015 Right, Bill. Where do I start? I've looked up the spec of your scope and see it has a 650mm focal length giving magnifications of x26 (25mm eyepiece) and x72 (9mm eyepiece). With the mirror aperture at just over 5", you could reasonable push the magnification - given British atmospherics - to around x200 on most nights, and x250 at best. So a 2x Barlow would be a good buy, immediately giving you x52 and x144 with your existing eyepieces. At f5 the images should be bright and x26 will easily accommodate a full moon in the field of view! As for books, it all depends on your level of knowledge. Assuming you want something practical for starters, you can't go wrong with "Turn Left at Orion" by Guy Consolmagno or "Nightwatch" by Terence Dickinson. A Philips Planisphere would also be useful. The books are readily available from Amazon if Waterstones has nothing to keep you happy! Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emt_911 Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 A quick update! I've just found out what was causing my laptop to crash! Turns out it was one of Microsoft's innumerable updates which appears to be incompatable with everything, including Windows. I popped it into my local computer shop yesterday to get it checked out and the owner started laughing when I described the problem! It took him around 10 minutes to fix the blasted thing (i.e. He removed the stupid @@@@@, @@@@@ update!)! It seems that Microsoft have a lot of explaining to do (AGAIN!). I only wish I'd known that before I did a full system recovery!!!!!!!!!! On a brighter note I've just finished installing everything to the new Workstation and it's running like a dream! (I think I'm in LURVE! ). Also the new bits have just arrived for my kaliedoscope and it actually works so I'm now an official apprentice astronomicker! I only hope Jeff doesn't mind answering the million and one questions I've got!!! :nono: Regards Bill I can totally sympathise Bill. I got home 2 hours ago and fired up the laptop. It wouldn't connect to the network. I had to do a system restore to remove one of the f*****g microsnot updates before it would work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock67B Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Evening all, Bill, I take it that the Microsoft update was the one which came up last week with in fact ten updates - they must have known it was corrupted as they did a further three update application the very next morning. My PC was working as normal after this! Great to hear you've finally got your little 'gizmo' rigged and running, I wish you many happy hours and late nights to come, Kind regards, Jock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 (edited) Cheers Jeff! That's just what I needed so that's on the list together with a t-ring adaptor for my camera, which I'd almost forgotten about! The latest book I have is Patrick Moore's Yearbook of Astronomy for 2010 so I'll chase your recommendations down. I also found a booklet from Philip's called Guide to the Northern Constellations which comes with the Planisphere so it's probably lurking around somewhere. All I have to do is start digging through the pile of junk I call my filing system! (Probably easier to buy a new one!). I popped outside a while ago to check the sky and found the usual cloud cover for this time of year. That's the downside of living in a cloud-formation area so it looks like the winter months are going to be prime for me. I only hope I don't end up at Lancaster Royal one night with my eyeball frozen to the eyepiece! Duncan and Jock. You have my sympathy! It's among that batch of 10 updates and apparently it's caused problems for an awful lot of people! That's typical Microsoft I'm afraid. Issue patches to fix the bugs then issue patches to fix the bugs caused by the patches then issue patches to fix the patches until it gets so unwieldy it all collapses under it's own weight, at which point they bring out another new bug-ridden OS and start the process all over again and make even more money! That's why my new workstation is a Mac (I'm definitely in LURVE! :tender: ). I must admit, there were times last week when I almost dug out my old Amiga 1200! Remember them? Plug it into the telly and away you went, not to mention it's massive 16 Mb of RAM! I still have one lurking at the back of the wardrobe which apparently is now worth three times what I paid for it in the first place! Regards Bill Edited July 22, 2015 by Mythocentric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emt_911 Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 I'd love to change from thebloatware from Seattle, unfortunately most of the manufacturers software for my job will only run on it. I do have a ZX81 and Amiga 1200 upstairs. I might have to dig them out to make sure that they still work. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 22, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 22, 2015 Quick post. Another evening of lunar photography - a few pleasant hours now analysing the results. Here's a quick pic to keep Bill, Jock and Andy happy.... And Jason, thanks for the hilarious voicemail. Photos will be in the post tomorrow!!!!! Jeff 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 (edited) A couple of book series for the readers among us! I've been reading the 'The Railway Detective' series by Edward Marston for a while now and I'm about a third of the way through and, so far, thoroughly enjoyable! Set in the 1850's the main characters, Inspector Colbeck and Sergeant Leeming investigate a series of cases set on the Victorian railways across the country. Well-rounded characters and plenty of authentic detail for the period. The second series deals with Flavia de Luce, a precocious 11-year-old amateur sleuth and budding chemist (with an affinity for poison's). Written by Alan Bradley, I've read the first two so far, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and The Weed That Strings the Hangmans Bag. An excellent insight into the world of a child in the 1950's, Flavia lives in a tumble-down stately home with her dysfunctional family and an ability to get into 'situations' often with hilarious results. Enjoy! Regards Bill Edited July 23, 2015 by Mythocentric 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted July 23, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 23, 2015 Moon moon moon, telescope moon. Time for a change of discussion, how about your favourite car that you have ever owned. I had a Renault Clio 182 for a while, 182 BHP engine in a shopping trolley, fast as you like . Not my favourite though, that was the car I had when I was 21, a Mk1 1300E, best handling car I have ever driven. God do I wish I still owned it..... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark axlecounter Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Hi everybody. Wow Jason !!!!!! like that a lot. I have driven one once it came in for a service but I was never aloud out of the car park. My first car was a festa 1.1 pop plus with 4 seed box and a leaky sunroof lol. My second car was the best, An x reg corsa was a 1L with 3 pots but then the fun begins. I put a c20xe engine in and boy did that move. I had to set off in 2nd gear because it kept spinning and snapping the drive shafts. I wish i still had it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 23, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 23, 2015 Moon moon moon, telescope moon. Time for a change of discussion, how about your favourite car that you have ever owned. I had a Renault Clio 182 for a while, 182 BHP engine in a shopping trolley, fast as you like . Not my favourite though, that was the car I had when I was 21, a Mk1 1300E, best handling car I have ever driven. God do I wish I still owned it..... I found that those Escorts handled far better with a couple of BR 'universal' point clips in the boot (preferably three) as the added weight stopped the back end doing anything of its own volition. I could almost manage Yeovil Jcn to Frome in even time (very late at night) with one of our BR ones 'adjusted' in that way. However I don't think the couple of dozen detonators I kept in the boot made much difference. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 One of my mates, Mark Neuman used to have a Mk 1 Escort RS. Superb handling (probably due to the near solid shock absorber settings) and acceleration. I well remember one memorable night travelling down to Almwych with stone walls zipping past at close quarters with just the headlights and spots for illumination as Mark tried to establish some kind of journey time record, fortunately with success being a keen amateur rally driver. My own favorite was my first car, a Mini Cooper. Lovely machine despite it's slightly weird sideways driving position. I think one of it's finest moments was 'shutting down' some guy in an E-Type Jag (renowned for lifting the front end from a standing start under acceleration) when he tried to burn me off from the traffic lights on the Blackburn Ring Road. I held him right up to 70 mph, after which I slowed up (you could just hit the ton on a good day!) and watched him pass me glaring as I waved! Regards Bill 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 23, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 23, 2015 Moon moon moon, telescope moon. Time for a change of discussion, how about your favourite car that you have ever owned. I had a Renault Clio 182 for a while, 182 BHP engine in a shopping trolley, fast as you like . Not my favourite though, that was the car I had when I was 21, a Mk1 1300E, best handling car I have ever driven. God do I wish I still owned it..... Can I remind everyone that ANY topic, within sensible reason, is open for discussion here. You can start a topic at ANY time. If nobody is willing to contribute then the ongoing discussion is going to remain the one between bill and myself. No offence taken, but if nobody contributes then you get what is served up..... Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted July 23, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 23, 2015 I didn't know that Jeff, hence why I didn't start a conversation about cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark axlecounter Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Where's rob gone. Is he ok Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 23, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 23, 2015 I didn't know that Jeff, hence why I didn't start a conversation about cars. We've had motor-bikes a few pages back which I know bu**er all about. Cars - I'm not in your league as my pride and joy for 6 years in the late 70s was a 45bhp Mini 1000. But I loved it more than any car since. Jeff Where's rob gone. Is he ok Mark, I'll send you a PM..... J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark axlecounter Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Ta Jeff. I got run over by a mini when I was 10. That's why I look so ugly pmsl. When I was working as a mechanic I was given a service on a mini to do. Let's say I was scared of the little car. Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeeleyBridge Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 (edited) Escort mk1s had suspension? Could have fooled me McPherson struts coming straight through the top of the inner wing and bonnet wasn't unusual though. A bit like the wheels dropping off "italian job" minis at traffic lights. hat coat AA patrol... Edited July 24, 2015 by HeeleyBridge 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PeterBB Posted July 24, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 24, 2015 Mixing it - 1- looked up Pluto on the NASA website last night ... interesting pictures. 2- First car - a 1938 Austin Big 7. Main lasting memory was driving down a twisty Box Hill late at night and realising that the headlamps seemed to pierce the darkness like glow worms. 3 - Most unreliable car a Vauxhall 2300 Estate and most costly in tyres a Triumph Herald Estate. 4 - I once had a Ford Escort Estate (Peugeot diesel engine) which was great and mpg fantastic but unfortunately someone else thought that too so when I next saw it it was minus engine and gear box in a recovery garage. Cheers, Peter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 My favourite car was a '68 Sunbeam Stiletto. . . . .ported and polished head, R17 cam, and re-jetted carbs. Thrashed the Kn4ckers of it for about 18 months. . .48 mpg taking it steady, but, thrashing it was down to about 18. Great fun and still brings a smile to my face 40 years later. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted July 25, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2015 Quick reversion of subject.... The latest data from Pluto - what an interesting place! All that active "geology" (plutology?), a dynamic atmosphere, double-"planet" system and several moons. There'll be a clamour to restore its status as a planet in the coming months. Jeff 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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