Once again I am not referring to "Stranger Things", because there's a gap between "Strange" and "R", although I confess out of sheer mischief I posted it all in upper case as it is then easier to make a mistake about what you're reading*. Having said that, I would really appreciate Series Two having something from The Comsat Angels on the soundtrack, as they were contemporaries of Joy Division.
None of this, of course, has anything to do with what follows, because that's how we roll here.
Bring Me The Horizon -
No! Once again you anticipate incorrectly. STOP DOING THAT! I do not refer to the rock band from Sheffield - coincidentally home to the Comsats as well - but my whole title would have been "Bring me the Horizon programme about strange signals from outer space". See? See what assuming gets you?
One of the puzzles about CETI (Communication with Extra-Terrestrial Intelligences) is a lack of signals. If there are alien civilisations out there, why aren't they chatting? You wouldn't expect to get a green-skinned version of "The Archers" on a daily basis, but still, there does appear to be a paucity of signals.
That is, until the Lorimer-McLaughlin Signal. Art?
 |
| Make of it what you will. Undoubtedly science, though. |
This was defined as a 'Fast Radio Burst' that was very intense and also very distant.
So what was it?
Well, it took a while before more apparent FRB signals cropped up. There was an odd pattern to them, however; they only appeared at lunchtime. With a bit of digging it was discovered that these fake FRB's were caused by - microwave ovens.
Mr. Lorimer not happy. Art?
 |
| No, really, he wasn't happy. |
The plot continues to thicken, as after this potential dampener of squibs, other astronomers began to find FRB signals, in current and historical records. Whoopee for Lorimer! And his wife, the McLaughlin bit, and their three cute kids.
So what are they? Ol' Lol dismissed the possibility of them being signals from alien civilisations, and the consensus today is that they are caused by two neutron stars colliding.
 |
| Small |
These things can mass 20 times that of the sun, at a tiny fraction of it's size, so when they go whanging into each other, you can imagine the sparks fly, as does the FRB. Afterwards all that's left is a memory and radiation.
"Horizon" then finished with what ought not to happen if FRBs are caused by the mutual annihilation of these pocket monsters - an FRB was generated. Then it was generated again ...
Well, that's the astronomy part of BOOJUM! covered. We shall now move on to - tanks!
"Troop Leader" By Bill Bellamy
Not, I hasten to add, simply a leader of troops, although he did that, too. A 'troop' in this sense is the smallest tactical unit of an armoured unit, the 8th Royal Irish Hussars; because they were cavalry a unit of three tanks was a 'troop' and four troops formed a 'squadron', they 8th RIH being the parent regiment. Bill started off in the Second Unpleasantness on a long journey from Glasgow to Benghazi in late 1943, only to be sent back to the UK. By that time, you see, the bally Teutons and their Roman chums had been kicked out of Africa.
When Bill next goes into action, he is in charge of an 'A Echelon'. Art?
 |
| Full of these |
The A Echelon vehicles held the immediate fuel, lubricant and ammunition supplies that the armoured squadrons would need to refurbish with daily; if your tanks have no fuel or ammo, they're not really good for anything. Logistics, don't you know.
There we shall leave Bill, for rest assured we will be coming back to him. O Yes indeed!
Finally -
Because it seems to be back in commission, I would like to leave you with a reminder that the blog "Atomic Toasters" is worth a visit if you have any interest in either technology, the odd and unusual, or all three combined. Here's an image I nicked from them -
 |
| The ultimate in cars. No question |
However, since they nicked it from another site who may well have nicked it from elsewhere, nobody is likely to spill the beans on me. Their link -
Now, you may have though that you could get away with a mere mention of my favouritest band ever - but you'd be wrong. Art?
 |
| The Comsats in Iceland. The country, not the supermarket. |
* I'm a swine like this; it's why people hate me so.
No comments:
Post a Comment