Our gliding flights in the Pyrenees were going well. A friendly rivalry arose with the two pilots of another glider and we were determined to outdo one another.
Today was my turn as pilot in command of our 2 seater, Whisky Bravo. The tug plane took us from Santa Cilia airfield on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees towards the local hill where there was some rising air. [Read more…] about Forced Landing
Today one of the boldest, most audacious and exacting feats of space engineering will be attempted. The European Space Agency (ESA) will attempt to land Philae, a lander module, from the Rosetta spacecraft onto a comet known as 67P Churyunov.
Rosetta has already made 3 orbits around the sun and is near to completing a fourth. [Read more…] about Comet Rendezvous
We are not to have fluoridation in this part of the country. Southampton City Council is against it. We have to ask why and our leaders do not tell us.
There is no doubt that our dental health is poor and that fluoridation is a cheap and effective way of improving it. [Read more…] about Fluoridation – Have We Tripped Ourselves Up?
It’s surprising what scientific principles are illustrated when taking a shower. Here are three that I have observed recently:
Do you remember those 1980s showers that were fed (via the hot water cylinder) from the cold water cistern in the roof? The cold water storage tank was only a few feet above the shower, so there was insufficient water pressure to give a decent flow at the shower. [Read more…] about Shower Science
µWhat do sick people do in Sri Lanka? Anyone can see a doctor free of charge.
If they go to the hospital, they will be seen. Any required medication is provided free. Repeat medications can be obtained from the hospital.
There is no general practice as we know it and some rural patients [Read more…] about Traditional And Modern Medicine in Sri Lanka
“What’s for dinner?”
“Your favourite tonight; mealworm and mash.”
“Did you get those nice mealworms from Waitrose?”
“Better than that; these are our first crop of home-grown from the shoebox in the garage.” [Read more…] about Mealworm and Mash
Now is the time of the foxglove. It grows naturally and is therefore regarded by some gardeners as a weed but it is a noble flower. Upright and stately in a royal purple colour it rises above others as a bright symbol in shady places.
Why Foxglove? This strange name for the flower has been around since the 14th century and was sometimes called ‘folksglove’. [Read more…] about The Foxglove
Heroes are rare by their nature. The best ones do not know that they are heroes, they have to be recognised by you. Anyone proclaiming himself a hero has excluded himself from the class.
During my time at school it was announced that Lieutenant-Commander Peter Twiss had broken the world speed record by 300 mph [Read more…] about Meeting a Hero
The head of my department at the University took on two foreign students but he did not have the patience to supervise them. He wondered how the young, green lecturer would cope. I came to be supervisor of two Egyptian men ‘of mature years’ as it is quaintly put. That is, older than most students reading for higher degrees.
It took them a while to overcome the culture shock and get their English up to a reasonable standard. [Read more…] about Immigrants
A clear blue sky with not a cloud is sight suggested a difficult day of soaring. Thermals are usually under clouds and if there are no clouds, are there any thermals and where are they?
Thermals are large bubbles of warmer air which rise from the ground. If you have ever watched a lava lamp you have an idea of how they work. Unlike a lava lamp you cannot see the bubble. [Read more…] about Soaring The Pyrenees
After a six-hour drive through France and Northern Spain beneath low cloud and many showers of rain, I passed Pamplona and the weather changed. The cloud broke up and the sun shone from a blue sky. The weather improved over the next 50 miles to Santa Cilia.
Met with my colleagues who sadly had not been able to fly as the wind was blowing at 27 knots [Read more…] about Sharing The Sky With The Vultures
Fifty years ago on 28 March 1964, Radio Caroline stated broadcasting. It’s quite difficult with our plethora of pop music radio stations (most of them playing the same old crap) to realise just what a revolution In British broadcasting history Radio Caroline was.
Let me set the context.
In the 1960s British broadcasting was [Read more…] about Radio Caroline: Golden Anniversary
