There's been plenty of reminders in the news that a six ton satellite is about to crash toward Earth as the laws of gravity overcome millions of dollars worth of investment in orbital technology. No-one knows exactly where it's coming down, or exactly when. Apparently my chances of being hit by lumps of melted NASA hardware are something like 1 in 3200. Given that a satellite of this size crashes to Earth every year, that does make my future look little better than standing at the target end of a shooting range used by blind people. Thing is though.. If satellites as big as double decker buses crash every year, why is this the first one we've been told about?

Is it no coincidence that Facebook is receiving a facelift? Are we to believe that cloud gaming began at the same time this satellite crashed as being a mere accident? Or that a hiolidy jet lands in the wrong airport? Or that the projected state of Palestine is being taking seriously for the first time? Or maybe NASA is out to get me for making lame jokes?

Way Too Fast

I note with something of a groan that scientists have measured a neutrino, a tiny sub-atomic particle, as travelling a teeny bit faster than light. By now the internet pundits are probably licking their lips with forum posts claiming that science is wrong, that God has given us a sign, that James T Kirk could become a reality in the next century, and that salt sucking alien monsters will thrive in the worlds drier hotter climate.

There's many possibilities. One is that the clocks were not perfectly synchronised, or that the curvature of the Earth has distorted the calculation of a particle that travels through solid substances without much difficulty in a straight line, or simply that this neutrino is a very naughty particle and must be spanked severely. i hope this isn't going to be another 'cold fusion' episode.

Well Intended Reminders

On my way here I stopped at a pedestrian crossing and pushed the button. At this particular spot it's wise not to step across the road if it looks clear, because the blind bend often has cars piling around it at a fair old speed. Sure enough a hot hatch growled into view. I was a bit startled by the sudden braking, and noting that the vehicle had stopped and that someone else was crossing the road from the other side, I decided to step across.

It turns out the car had braked to avoid the pedestrian and the lights weren't in my favour. Oh well. At least the Highway Code says I have right of way if traffic is stationary. Unfortunately the driver hadn't read that bit. Finally losing his patience, he swerved around me and accelerated away with a loud reminder to look next time, which whilst understandable, isn't going to impress the police at all.

So read the Highway Code next time, you dozy wazzock!