Thursday, August 4, 2016

News


Some items that you may have missed . . .
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NASA to study asteroid that could destroy Earth


From news.com:

NASA is planning to launch a probe to study an “Armageddon” asteroid that could one day pulverise the Earth. The asteroid, named Bennu, crosses Earth’s orbit once every six years and has gotten ever closer since it was discovered in 1999, reports the New York Post. In 2135, Bennu will fly between the moon and Earth — a hair’s breadth in space terms, the Sunday Times of London reported.


I know just the man for the job, we should either clone him or cryogenically freeze him now so that we have him available when the time comes, like Austin Powers . . . 


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Skydiver jumps without a chute, falls 7,600 metres to land in a teeny weeny net:


Guinness World Records has confirmed a new record by Luke Aikins (USA) for idiocy for a risky daredevil stunt by leaping 25,000 ft (7,600 m) from a plane without wearing a wingsuit or a parachute. The stunt – named ‘Heaven Sent’ – is officially the highest skydive without a parachute ever. During the freefall, the 42-year-old American had only his body and a GPS unit to direct his movements towards a 10,000-square-foot net he needed to land in, in order to survive the jump. 




It puts one in mind of the riddle:
Q: What is the last thing you hear before a redneck dies?
A: “Hey y’all, watch this.”
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A Kings Cross landmark updated:

You know the massive flashing Coca Cola sign at the top of William Street in Kings Cross? . . .


It was constructed in 1976 and is undergoing an overhaul with 800 lamps removed to be replaced with a more energy efficient billboard. Restoration is almost complete but workers picked an unfortunate stage to knock off work for the day . . .


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Museum Unveils Henry VIII's Flagship


The Mary Rose was a warship of the English Tudor navy of King Henry VIII. After serving for 33 years in several wars against France, Scotland, and Brittany and after being substantially rebuilt in 1536, she saw her last action on 19 July 1545. While leading the attack on the galleys of a French invasion fleet, she sank in the Solent, the straits north of the Isle of Wight. The wreck of the Mary Rose was rediscovered in 1971. It was salvaged in 1982 by the Mary Rose Trust, in one of the most complex and expensive projects in the history of maritime archaeology. The surviving section of the ship and thousands of recovered artefacts are of immeasurable value as a Tudor-era time capsule. 

Following a 34-year, $50 million odyssey, the ship has resurfaced on display at The Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth, U.K. Also on display are some of the 10,000 artefacts recovered.


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Australians threaten to boycott the 2016 Census amid security concerns their personal data will be 'a honeypot for hackers'


This year, providing names in the Australian Census of Population and Housing on August 9 is compulsory, and personal information will be retained for four years. Previously, providing a name was optional and they were kept only until other Census data had been recorded or for up to 18 months. Those who don’t fill out the Census will face fines of $180 per day, while those who submit misleading information could pay up to $1800. 


There goes listing my religion as Jedi.

Btw, if you want a paper census form instead of entering the information online, call 1300 820 275 – ypu have until mid September to lodge.


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