Humor Random Comments Thread

[Sbb1413]

I found a website called Worldometer(s), which gives us a "real time world statistics", including population, CO₂ emissions, Google searches, COVID-19 cases and deaths etc. I have discovered this from a media outlet using it as a primary source for COVID-19 statistics. I found the website amazing, and decided to share this website to my OF buddies. This is not intended to be an advertisement.

 

[Notebook]

Algae proteins partially restore man's sight

The patient was completely blind before the treatment - now he can see and count objects on a table.

www.bbc.co.uk

Well done them, good news.

 

[Notebook]

Re above:
The second photo in the article titled "The patient, seen undergoing tests in the lab, has not been identified".
There is a toilet-roll on the table next to the patient.

I wonder if this is intentional humour? When panic-buying broke out in the UK, toilet-rolls were the highest priority. It became an icon in the months following to have
toilet-rolls somewhere in a picture if it related to Covid.

 

[Notebook]

An international team of researchers has created the largest and most detailed map of the distribution of so-called dark matter in the Universe.
The results are a surprise because they show that it is slightly smoother and more spread out than the current best theories predict.
The observation appears to stray from Einstein's theory of general relativity - posing a conundrum for researchers.

New dark matter map reveals cosmic mystery

The most detailed map of dark matter in the Universe is puzzling physicists.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Notebook]

Well, news to me:

First AWAC?

 

[Notebook]

I think their are a few Arduino users here, so if anyone can give some advice on this it will be most welcome.

I have a four-octave keyboard wired as a 4x12 matrix. One wire connects all keys in an octave, 12 wires got to each note, all C, all C# etc. I also have a ATMega2560 available.

Can I connect the four "octave" lines to the 2560 i/o pins set as outputs "Low", then the 12 "note" lines to the 2560 i/o pins set as "input_pullup"?

Polling the inputs will detect a key press. as they go from hi to low?

That's the starting point.

I'm worried I'm missing something here. Not happy with connecting a pin directly to ground, even if it is through another pin. I realise the potentially high pin is an input, but...

All input appreciated, G.

 

[tl8]

I think their are a few Arduino users here, so if anyone can give some advice on this it will be most welcome.

I have a four-octave keyboard wired as a 4x12 matrix. One wire connects all keys in an octave, 12 wires got to each note, all C, all C# etc. I also have a ATMega2560 available.

Can I connect the four "octave" lines to the 2560 i/o pins set as outputs "Low", then the 12 "note" lines to the 2560 i/o pins set as "input_pullup"?

Polling the inputs will detect a key press. as they go from hi to low?

That's the starting point.

I'm worried I'm missing something here. Not happy with connecting a pin directly to ground, even if it is through another pin. I realise the potentially high pin is an input, but...

All input appreciated, G.

Yes, that is the way to do it. If you have one side as Input Pullup and the other side on a output, you can poll all the lines as required.
Once you have detected an input, you will need to cycle the outputs to find the exact button that was pressed.

 

[Notebook]

Thanks tl8, I was hoping it was that easy...
I've wired up the small jumper board to the 2560 sockets. I'll just enable one octave to start with till I get the software working.
Then I just need to copy/paste x3 to get the other octaves working....joke!

 

[tl8]

Thanks tl8, I was hoping it was that easy...
I've wired up the small jumper board to the 2560 sockets. I'll just enable one octave to start with till I get the software working.
Then I just need to copy/paste x3 to get the other octaves working....joke!

Once you get one octave working, your going to need to set one octave pin high at a time and see if the input changes. Otherwise you will know the note, but not the octave.

 

[Notebook]

Indeed, I knew it would more complex.

 

[tl8]

Indeed, I knew it would more complex.

Look, just be happy I didn't suggest interrupts

 

[Notebook]

I like Interrupts!

Long time ago our boss bought a Z80 single-board kit for us to play with:

Nascom - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Not everyone was interested but I got quite into machine-code for a bit? Eventually someone made an assembler that was very good. Compared with typing in hex digits and saving on cassette tape.
Realised then I was never going to be a programmer and stuck with my soldering-iron.

 

[Notebook]

Good time to invade England.

Major design flaws in Army's new armoured vehicles, report shows

The Army has ordered 589 Ajax vehicles, but a leaked report details numerous problems with them.

www.bbc.co.uk

"Francis Tusa, a defence analyst, described Ajax "as the Army's Nimrod" - the planned Maritime Patrol Aircraft scrapped in 2010 at a cost of £4bn, without a single aircraft entering service.
Mr Tusa said the only thing the Ajax programme seemed to have delivered so far was tinnitus."

 

[Urwumpe]

Good time to invade England.

Major design flaws in Army's new armoured vehicles, report shows

The Army has ordered 589 Ajax vehicles, but a leaked report details numerous problems with them.

www.bbc.co.uk

"Francis Tusa, a defence analyst, described Ajax "as the Army's Nimrod" - the planned Maritime Patrol Aircraft scrapped in 2010 at a cost of £4bn, without a single aircraft entering service.
Mr Tusa said the only thing the Ajax programme seemed to have delivered so far was tinnitus."

Well, we had similar problems with the Puma IFV development. They had to completely redesign the suspension halfway during the trials, because the soldiers got seasick inside it. Its a very expensive tank now for the German tax payer, but the result is quite nice. Especially if you compare it to the old Marder.

Funnily, your Ajax uses exactly the same engine and gearbox as the Puma IFV. Both MTU 10 cyl Diesel, both Renk HSWL 256.

Only difference - the Ajax uses classic torsion bar suspension, the Puma uses a special gas dynamic suspension, for lowering the maximum sound level inside the Puma from 126 dB to merely 96 dB compared to the initially planned torsion bar suspension.... Who does not learn from history, is chosen to repeat it....

(And what a luck: I was tall enough to barely fit into the Marder as soldier back then, for the Puma I would be 5 cm too tall and wouldn't have been able to become Panzergrenadier.)

 

[Notebook]

Those are ridiculous sound levels, why so high?
My cousin was in the R.E.M.E for a few years in Germany, can't remember where, Ramstein?
Worked on Centurion tanks, so tells you the era. Was happier there than Northern Ireland!

 

[jedidia]

Those are ridiculous sound levels, why so high?

I assume "maximum sound level" refers to when they're firing the gun... ?

 

[Urwumpe]

I assume "maximum sound level" refers to when they're firing the gun... ?

No while driving at full speed. Thats sound transmitted from the tracks to the chassis.

 

[Urwumpe]

Those are ridiculous sound levels, why so high?
My cousin was in the R.E.M.E for a few years in Germany, can't remember where, Ramstein?
Worked on Centurion tanks, so tells you the era. Was happier there than Northern Ireland!

I doubt he was at Ramstein, which is still a 100% US base. As R.E.M.E, I would say, Rheindahlen was more likely if it started with the letter R.

Could also have been Wolfsburg, the famous Major Ivan Hirst (one of our local historic figures) was from the R.E.M.E, who was responsible for quickly rebuilding the Volkswagen factory after the war - the Royal Army was the first big Volkswagen customer right after the war, ordering 20,000 Beetles already in September 1945.

 

[Urwumpe]

And while we are talking about Wolfsburg: Some less intelligent individuals of self-declared environmentalists had occupied the construction site for the new gas-steam-powerplant, because burning natural gas (and later hydrogen) is evil. Or so. Yeah, it is still a coal powerplant, that is getting completely rebuild (should switch to gas later this year). Again, I have no idea, what their message is, except them shouting out to the world, what a bunch of anal canals they are.

I have no idea, luckily for them, they did it right on the day AFTER I left Wolfsburg. I would have offered my services ("Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap") to the police otherwise....

 

[Tex]

What's up my old friends? Hope you guys are all well! I'm installing Orbiter again. This should be fun!