Curiosity Drilled the MaT

"MaT" being an acronym for Martian Terrain.  Sorry, stretching a bit, but I couldn't resist.

Yes, Veronica, I Do Mean Mars


     The Beeb - unashameadly one of BOOJUM!'s media touchstones and inspirations - has a sidebar article about the Martian rover Curiosity, which celebrates a year of operations.  We may have, perhaps, become a bit blasé about Martian robotic exploration, so here's a comparison shot:

That child's toy at the front is Sojourner; the dining-table-on-wheels at left is Opportunity, and the frackin' huge thing at stage right is Curiosity

 

From Tonka toy to Landrover in 15 years.  Also, remember that the Curiosity rover is tootling along on a planet one-third of a billion miles from home.  Light, the fastest thing around, takes a maximum of 24 minutes to get from Earth to Mars.

     No sign of Deja Thoris* yet, but my fingers are crossed ...

 

Cake Day

     As I will be 52 on August 17th, a Saturday, it had been decreed that the following day, Sunday 18th, will be declared "Cake Day".  No, you don't bring a birthday cake; au contraire, I bake the cakes, you come and consume them. Having it on a Sunday allows me time on the Saturday to get some serious baking in.  There will also be ice-cream; I'm not sure what flavours yet.  Peach?  Pecan & Pistachio?  Vanilla and toffee ripple?

     Time, and the cupboard contents, will tell.

 

The simultaneously fearsome and impressive Hummingbird Bakery Carrot Cake



* There are pictures but they are far too saucy - there might be vicars or young people reading this blog!