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birchbirch

@birchbirch@mastodon.social

40+ years as an IT professional (retired) but I look to the skies when I can. Grew up in the Apollo era, so bookshelves are creaking under biogs and mission reports (and Pratchett and Banks). Gave impromptu guided tour for 4 families at KSC one day. Also presented Apollo 11 40th anniversary event for son's class at local infants school, then invited back to repeat for the whole school. Live too close to London for light pollution not to be an issue. Did I mention Lego? Or Single Malts? MUFC.

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markmccaughrean, to random
@markmccaughrean@mastodon.social avatar

“What was the best space film you ever saw?”

“Well, I’ll tell ya. I seen a lot of ‘em & most of ‘em are just pictures on a wall. But there was one film I once saw which I think truly did have the right …

… What was the best film I ever saw? Well, err, you’re looking at it 😄”

😉

birchbirch,
@birchbirch@mastodon.social avatar

@markmccaughrean I have long maintained that only one true "space film" has ever been filmed...

Cue Richard Strauss...

markmccaughrean, to random
@markmccaughrean@mastodon.social avatar

Ouch 😬

Fingers crossed for my friends in the ESA mission operations team & colleagues from industry as they work to restore the solar electric propulsion system to full power 🤞

The SEP system is critical to adjust Bepi’s trajectory between the various Mercury flybys, slowing the spacecraft down ahead of entry into orbit around this enigmatic innermost planet in December 2025.

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Operations/Glitch_on_BepiColombo_work_ongoing_to_restore_spacecraft_to_full_thrust

birchbirch,
@birchbirch@mastodon.social avatar

@markmccaughrean Should the team continue to encounter difficulties might I suggest a call out to this organisation? They have a proven track record in making on-site repairs somewhere in that vicinity...

markmccaughrean, to random
@markmccaughrean@mastodon.social avatar

It’s on, sports fans 🙂

That said, it’s a couple of hours before sunset still here in The Netherlands, but this is definitely worth keeping an eye on 👍


birchbirch,
@birchbirch@mastodon.social avatar

@markmccaughrean Not a hope :-( The neighbours' PIR ruins our night vision before we can leave the house... Moonlight, tree cover, and good ol' light pollution, does for the rest...

markmccaughrean, to LiverpoolFC
@markmccaughrean@mastodon.social avatar

Was reminded today that this past weekend saw the 50th anniversary of the FA Cup final between Liverpool & Newcastle, which the former won 3-0 ⚽️

Which in turn reminded me that I have an original programme from the day – I didn't go, but someone I knew did & they gave me this immediately after 🤷‍♂️

For some reason, I think it might've been my dad, but then why didn't I get to go ... 🧐

The centre page spread of the 1974 FA Cup final programme, listing the teams, as well as advertising two upcoming England international games at the bottom.
A picture of the Liverpool FC 1973-74 team, from the 1974 FA Cup final programme. The 16-man squad , including many famous faces for Liverpool fans of a certain generation, is shown along with the manager, Bill Shankly.
A picture of the Newcastle United 1973-74 team, from the 1974 FA Cup final programme. The 17-man squad is shown along with the manager, Joe Harvey, and trainer Keith Burkinshaw.

birchbirch,
@birchbirch@mastodon.social avatar

@markmccaughrean Had you been at the stadium you might have missed one of the all-time great post-match comments which was broadcast live on the BBC... "What about your f**king Super-Mac now then?!"

birchbirch,
@birchbirch@mastodon.social avatar

@markmccaughrean This touched a nerve too. My father exclusively smoked No.6 until he gave up in the early 70's... But my angst comes from my Grandad always sending me "up the road" to buy him a packet of 10 filterless Woodbines at the newsagent and to use the change to buy whatever sweets(*) I wanted.

In modern terms, I was a sugar-addicted, pre-teen mule of nicotine and assorted carcinogens.

Oh, and Larry Lloyd grew up across the cul-de-sac from his house.

(*) Trebor Mints

markmccaughrean, to Netherlands
@markmccaughrean@mastodon.social avatar

Well that (partly) sucked 🙄

Meant to ride about 50km, but the conditions were ok, so detoured to a longer route 🚴‍♂️

Starting drizzling around 60km 🌧️

Hadn’t taken any food, so bonked at 70km 😰

Had a puncture at 78km, about 3km from home. Too far to walk in cleats, so fixed it.

Much heavier rain came at that point, of course ⛈️

Managed to sit on cycling glasses when I got home, soggy. Superglue time 💧

Oh well … 🤷‍♂️

🚴‍♂️
🇳🇱
📷

birchbirch,
@birchbirch@mastodon.social avatar

@markmccaughrean Where's the 'Tuneless Whistle' emoticon when you need it?

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