The "And in other news..." thread

[najaB]

Just for context, some of the reporting has said that the probe landed 'upside down'. It was actually supposed to land on its side, so while it is true that it's landed with the end the fire comes out of pointing to space, it's actually only rotated through 90° or so from what was planned. As noted in the article above, what appears to have happened is that a thruster either burned too long or or short and imparted more rotation than intended so that the probe shot past the desired orientation.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Just for context, some of the reporting has said that the probe landed 'upside down'. It was actually supposed to land on its side, so while it is true that it's landed with the end the fire comes out of pointing to space, it's actually only rotated through 90° or so from what was planned. As noted in the article above, what appears to have happened is that a thruster either burned too long or or short and imparted more rotation than intended so that the probe shot past the desired orientation.

Yes, I've seen some such reports. I quoted the BBC article because it does at least make clear at the start it's a 90° error rather than a 180° error.

 

[Ediswan]

Just for context, some of the reporting has said that the probe landed 'upside down'. It was actually supposed to land on its side, so while it is true that it's landed with the end the fire comes out of pointing to space, it's actually only rotated through 90° or so from what was planned. As noted in the article above, what appears to have happened is that a thruster either burned too long or or short and imparted more rotation than intended so that the probe shot past the desired orientation.

Adding some detail, my recollection from watching the live broadcast is that it was intended to touch down conventionally, then immediately rotate onto its side. Why was not explained.

 

[najaB]

Adding some detail, my recollection from watching the live broadcast is that it was intended to touch down conventionally, then immediately rotate onto its side.

I thought it was supposed to get to a couple of metres above the surface with zero horizontal velocity and minimal vertical velocity, and then impart a rotation so that it fell onto its side.

What might have happened is that the last-minute avoidance manoeuvre meant that the probe was still travelling sideways so it might have landed as intended but the horizontal motion imparted additional rotation.

 

[Gloster]

Adding some detail, my recollection from watching the live broadcast is that it was intended to touch down conventionally, then immediately rotate onto its side. Why was not explained.

Because it is a general news item, not a scientific report. There is only so much (not very much) information that the average punter can absorb about a technical subject that they are not familiar with. Of course, if it were football…

 

[brad465]

Reminds me of when New York resident "Liz line" went viral on Twitter after the naming of the Elizabeth line, and when a "Liz Truss found fame as she got to the @liztruss handle before the short-lived PM:

Tom Holland's Avengers bonus sent to Tom Hollander in error

The White Lotus star said the Spiderman actor received a seven-figure first bonus for Avengers.

www.bbc.co.uk

It is not every day a million dollars shows up in your account by accident.
But The White Lotus star Tom Hollander has revealed it happened to him when he received a paycheque intended for Spiderman actor Tom Holland.
Speaking to Late Night host Seth Meyers, Hollander said: "We were with the same agents briefly and people in the accounts department got confused.
"It's been very difficult, because you know I was here first but he's enormously famous," he added jokingly.
Explaining how he discovered the accidental payment, Hollander said he was watching a friend in the theatre who was being paid £300.
"I sat smugly in the audience having just done a BBC show for £30,000 or something which was going to get me through the next year or so, and I was thinking, 'Well, this is marvellous, I'm very prosperous.'"

At the interval, he checked his emails and saw one containing a payslip labelled as "Box office bonus for The Avengers".
"It was an astonishing amount of money," the 56-year-old told Meyers. "It was not his salary. It was his first box office bonus. Not the whole box office bonus, the first one. And it was more money than I'd ever [seen]. It was a seven-figure sum."
"My feeling of smugness disappeared," he added.
Holland, who is dating Euphoria star Zendaya, has played Spiderman in six Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
Hollander said: "I obviously don't actually get mistaken for him, but in non-visual contexts, I'm mistaken for him all the time.
"Talking to utility companies... or when I'm introduced to somebody's very excited, then confused, then disappointed children."
While similar names can cause confusion, even more mix-ups have occurred when two celebrities have the same name.
In November 2022, physicist Brian Cox and actor Brian Cox told the BBC how their identical names have caused confusion.
The pair said they each often arrive somewhere to find that people were expecting "the other" Brian Cox.
Physicist Cox even said he had to use a different name when a hotel told him that their system couldn't handle two separate bookings under the same name.

 

[gg1]

Reminds me of when New York resident "Liz line" went viral on Twitter after the naming of the Elizabeth line, and when a "Liz Truss found fame as she got to the @liztruss handle before the short-lived PM:

Tom Holland's Avengers bonus sent to Tom Hollander in error

The White Lotus star said the Spiderman actor received a seven-figure first bonus for Avengers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Not quite as amusing as Theresa May sharing her name with a porn star.

 

[birchesgreen]

As per the image below off the BBC News website this morning, the Japanese Moon probe has landed on its nose.

I guess this is, quite literally, a satnav fail...

Here's the link, with a quote below the screenshot: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-68091389

View attachment 151099

Like my parking

 

[Sun Chariot]

Not quite as amusing as Theresa May sharing her name with a porn star.

Gives a whole new meaning to Chief Whip

 

[Ediswan]

I thought it was supposed to get to a couple of metres above the surface with zero horizontal velocity and minimal vertical velocity, and then impart a rotation so that it fell onto its side.

I found this video, which appears to support your description. The rotation seems to be to allow very simple landing gear.

 

[najaB]

I found this video, which appears to support your description. The rotation seems to be to allow very simple landing gear.

Scott Manley posted a video explaining what went wrong - apparently one of the two landing engines blew itself to pieces. They actually caught an image of the nozzle departing the vehicle!

 

[Ediswan]

New bridge, a new level of reliability.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-68202591

A £121m bridge broke down just two days after its official opening, leading to an apology to road and river users.
A technical issue on the Herring Bridge in Great Yarmouth saw road vehicles forced to use alternative crossings for a "few hours" on Saturday and Sunday, Norfolk County Council said.
Further tests have had to be carried out by engineers on Monday morning.
Road users may continue to expect delays while the issue gets fully resolved, the council added.

 

[Fermiboson]

Strictly speaking better than the alternative of a dangerous bridge continuing to be used!

And in other news, an Argentinian security official had just opened a totem to road safety in the town of Neuquen, broadcast live on TV… only for a car to run straight into said totem, at high speed, behind him.

 

[AndyPJG]

Man jailed for stealing dummies from babies in Harlow
A man who stole dummies from babies' mouths has been jailed.
Josh Guilder took the soothers from five children around Harlow, Essex, between February 10 and August 7 last year.
The 23-year-old's lawyer said at an earlier hearing that he was living in a tent and "has never been weaned from dummies".
Guilder, of no fixed address, was jailed for 14 months at Chelmsford Crown Court.
Essex Police said one of the children involved was assaulted.
The thefts were reported to have happened in the Staple Tye Shopping Centre, Woodcroft, Parsloe Road and Cooks Spinney areas, the force said.
Guilder was arrested on 15 August, following a police appeal, and charged with five counts of theft, three of common assault, and a public order offence.
He was convicted of all the offences at Colchester Magistrates' Court on 20 November and sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday.
District commander for Harlow, Ch Insp Paul Austin, said: "I know these incidents caused concern in our community and I'm pleased we've been able to identify the person responsible and hold him accountable.
"It can never be acceptable that people in Harlow feel concerned about going about their daily lives or with their children and my officers have worked hard to get this result."
He thanked the community for its support during the investigation.

BBC News- Essex

 

[Sun Chariot]

BBC News- Essex

If he was a book, he'd be Stealing for Dummies

 

[High Dyke]

BBC News - French matchstick Eiffel Tower record bid ruled out over wrong matches

French matchstick Eiffel Tower record bid ruled out over wrong matches

A French enthusiast who wanted to beat the world record is told he used the wrong matches.

www.bbc.co.uk

Richard Plaud, 47, from Montpellier-de-Médillan in western France, was told by the Guinness World Records that his 7.19m (23ft) tower did not qualify because he had used the wrong kind of matches.

His model took eight years, 706,900 matches and 23kg of glue to build.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

BBC News - French matchstick Eiffel Tower record bid ruled out over wrong matches

French matchstick Eiffel Tower record bid ruled out over wrong matches

A French enthusiast who wanted to beat the world record is told he used the wrong matches.

www.bbc.co.uk

I'd say that's a bit unfair because most crafts shops do sell matches without heads for modelling - therefore, that type of match IS readily available on sale to the general public. All he seems to have done is order a large batch of headless matches.

 

[PG]

BBC News - French matchstick Eiffel Tower record bid ruled out over wrong matches

French matchstick Eiffel Tower record bid ruled out over wrong matches

A French enthusiast who wanted to beat the world record is told he used the wrong matches.

www.bbc.co.uk

I guess he struck out on that one...

 

[brad465]

His record bid went up in flames.

 

[dgl]

His record bid went up in flames.

or not as it would seem, as you can't strike headless matches

 

[birchesgreen]

Guinness World Records seem to be aiming for the most petty award there.

 

[edwin_m]

I'd say that's a bit unfair because most crafts shops do sell matches without heads for modelling - therefore, that type of match IS readily available on sale to the general public. All he seems to have done is order a large batch of headless matches.

Not very environmentally friendly to expect potential record-holders to strike thousands of matches for no good reason. And probably not that safe either!

 

[PG]

Guinness World Records seem to be aiming for the most petty award there.

It seems they have relented after all and granted him the world record

Mark Mckinley, a director at Guinness World Records, said: “We’re really excited to be able to approve it ... We’re happy to be able to admit that we were a little bit too harsh on the type of matches needed in this attempt, and Richard’s attempt truly is officially amazing.”

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It seems they have relented after all and granted him the world record

Common sense prevails, for once.

 

[AndyPJG]

BBC News - French matchstick Eiffel Tower record bid ruled out over wrong matches

French matchstick Eiffel Tower record bid ruled out over wrong matches

A French enthusiast who wanted to beat the world record is told he used the wrong matches.

www.bbc.co.uk

As per posts above, now an about face...
BBC News-Europe

World record for matchstick Eiffel Tower after U-turn
A model of the Eiffel Tower has been officially deemed the world's tallest matchstick building a day after being ruled out by Guinness World Records (GWR).
The 7.19m (23ft) tower had been disqualified on Wednesday for being made out of the wrong type of matches.
GWR said on Thursday it was too harsh at first and congratulated model-enthusiast Richard Plaud on his record.
Mr Plaud, 47, said this week had been an "emotional rollercoaster".
It took Mr Plaud eight years to build the model, which is made out of 706,900 matches and 23kg of glue.
....more

 

[edwin_m]

They've been burned by the bad publicity, and had enough of getting all the stick.

 

[High Dyke]

They've been burned by the bad publicity, and had enough of getting all the stick.

 

[brad465]

When being drunk leads you to be a bit too honest:

Driver calls 999 to report himself for drink-driving in Knaresborough

The man is arrested after telling police he is "drink-driving and doesn't know what he's doing".

www.bbc.co.uk

A man has astonished police by calling 999 to report himself for drink-driving.
North Yorkshire Police said the call came in just before noon on Monday from a man who said he was "drink-driving and doesn't know what he is doing".
The driver, who is in his 50s, told the call handler he was in Knaresborough and had had "a heavy weekend".
Officers said he was three times over the drink-drive limit when he was located 15 minutes later.
He was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and remained in custody, a force spokesperson added.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Not external news but... a perfect thread coupling on the forum just now...

Keir Starmer and the Labour Party
Now playing
Football

 

[najaB]

Not external news but... a perfect thread coupling on the forum just now...

Keir Starmer and the Labour Party
Now playing
Football

View attachment 152408

Perfect!