Posts
It takes more muscles to frown than to smile. So smile!
I would like to show a fave pic of mine. It is of the Mars Phoenix lander parachuting towards the surface. I find this picture amazing. It really does show the ingenuity of mankind. The ability to monitor and take photos of such is wonderful, don't you think?
Description
In this view, the 10 kilometer-wide crater
Heimdall lies on the
north polar plains
of Mars. The bright spot highlighted in the inset is
the Phoenix
lander parachuting toward the surface.
The picture was captured on
May 25th by the HiRISE camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance
Orbiter.
Though the lander looks like it might be dropping straight
into Heimdall, it is really descending
about 20 kilometers in front of the crater,
in the foreground of the scene.
The orbiter was 760 kilometers away from Phoenix when
picture was taken, at an altitude of 310 kilometers.
Subsequently the orbiter's camera was also
able
to image the lander on the surface.
The parachute attached to the backshell and the heat shield were
identified in the image, scattered nearby.
Of course, the Phoenix lander itself is
now returning much
closer views of its landing site as
it prepares
to dig into the
Martian surface.
It just landed!!
680-million-km (423-million-mile) from Earth. Amazing!
I am currently watching Live coverage of the The Phoenix Lander. Its programmed to set down near the North Pole of Mars, and, over the next three months, sample alien soil and ice and look for conditions conducive for ancient microbial life.
Wonder if it will succeed? Its no easy feat landing something that big at that distance!
An old article which I find interesting. The future web will put "all the data in the world" at the fingertips of every user, Sir Tim said. An optimistic outlook on the future of the tubes.
Data is knowledge, and knowledge is power. Freedom of information from a project that was created as a decentralised military computer network. Funny eh!
I find social networking and collaboration with individuals over the net an exciting prospect. It overcomes boundaries, governments and ideologies. Convergence of various technologies will happen in time.
The world will seem to shrink.
I popped out for some shopping yesterday and whilst sat in the car eating some Sushi I observed a few old aged drivers attempting to park. Below I note my observations:
- They drive really slow. I mean REALLY slow.
- Lots of hesitation on where to park, even though there is loads of space.
- Coming to a stop in the middle of the road.
- Reversing.
- Coming to a stop again.
- Forward.
- Coming to a stop again.
- Repeat points 4-7.
- Turning into a parking place, then putting on the indicator.
- Mounting the curb.
- The driver typically cannot see over the steering wheel.
I think aged drivers should stop driving once coordination skills disappear. How else do they get shopping, I hear you say? Who is to blame for this? Blame the Supermarkets. All the local shops are closing, hence forcing the aged drivers to take to the wheel.
Revenge is sweet.