CaaC (John)

'WAKEY WAKEEEEEE'

Astronomy Picture of the Day 2018 November 8 Mars in the Loop Image Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel (TWAN) Explanation: This composite of images spaced some 5 to 9 days apart, from late April (bottom right) through November 5 (top left), traces the retrograde motion of ruddy-colored Mars through planet Earth's night sky. To connect the dots and dates in this 2018 Mars retrograde loop, just slide your cursor over the picture (and check out this animation). But Mars didn't actually reverse the direction of its orbit. Instead, the apparent backwards motion with respect to the background stars is a reflection of the motion of the Earth itself. Retrograde motion can be seen each time Earth overtakes and laps planets orbiting farther from the Sun, the Earth moving more rapidly through its own relatively close-in orbit. On July 27, Mars was near its favourable 2018 perihelic opposition, when Mars was closest to the Sun in its orbit while also opposite the Sun in Earth's sky. For that date, the frame used in this composite was taken during the total lunar eclipse. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap181108.html Edit: @Stanor whoever Admin/Mod is around, I meant to post this in 'The Jeopardy of Landing on Mars' thread in the 'News & Politics' Forum but went and posted this in here by mistake, any chance of moving (merge) it, please?

Mystery monkey: the history of unique Xenothrix fossil revealed A mysterious extinct monkey from Jamaica that is unlike any other in the fossil record has South American roots, according to new evidence. DNA extracted from fossilised bones suggests the monkey first colonised the island 11 million years ago. It had no predators there and it evolved strange features not seen in living monkeys today. But the animal went extinct a few hundred years ago, likely due to hunting and habitat loss. Scientists say the discovery highlights how vulnerable unique island animals are to extinction. "It was a really weird animal indeed," Prof Samuel Turvey from international conservation charity, Zoological Society of London (ZSL), told BBC News. "Possibly with legs like a rodent; body maybe like a slow loris. Because it's so weird no-one's been able to agree what it was related to." The researchers extracted ancient DNA from the fossilised cave bones of the Jamaican monkey, Xenothrix mcgregori. DNA evidence shows it was a type of titi monkey with some unusual morphological features, not a wholly distinct branch of evolution. "Evolution can act in unexpected ways in island environments, producing miniature elephants, gigantic birds, and sloth-like primates," said Dr Ross MacPhee of the American Museum of Natural History. More stories you might like: Mystery ape found in ancient tomb 'Living fossil' heading for extinction 'Oldest animal painting' found in Borneo cave Titi monkeys are small tree-dwelling animals found across tropical South America, with long soft red, brown, grey or black fur. They are active during the day, and very vocal, with an elaborate system of communication. Xenothrix's ancestors likely reached Jamaica from South America after being stranded on natural rafts of vegetation that were washed out of the mouths of rivers. Other animals, such as large rodents called hutias, that still survive on some Caribbean islands, probably arrived in the same way. The islands of the Caribbean have been home to some of the most unusual species to have ever walked the Earth. The region has also experienced a very high rate of mammal extinction, likely caused by hunting and habitat loss by humans, and hunting by animals brought in by early settlers. The research, published in the PNAS journal, also reveals that monkeys must have colonised the Caribbean islands more than once. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46187670

Had his good days but a lot of bad days, lovely diver though

Don't know if this is a good thing or not, the guy is 33 years old. Ashley Young: Manchester United in talks to extend right-back's contract By Simon Stone BBC Sport 4 hours ago | Man Utd Manchester United are in talks with right-back Ashley Young about a one-year contract extension. Young, 33, is one of United's longest-serving players, having joined from Aston Villa for about £17m in 2011. He has been captaining the side in the continuing absence of Antonio Valencia through injury after Paul Pogba was removed as stand-in skipper by manager Jose Mourinho in September. Young's existing deal is due to expire at the end of the season. Negotiations are at an early stage, but he is keen to stay. Young arrived at United as a wide attacking player but reverted to full-back - first under Louis van Gaal, then Mourinho. He has made 214 appearances for the Red Devils, winning the Premier League and FA Cup. Young has 39 England caps and started five games at the 2018 World Cup, including all three knockout matches. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46185981

A bat out of Hell

The funniest thing I ever saw was when I was in Australia around 1963, we had a black cat called Christmas and an Australian Gala called Pops (a Gala is a form of a parrot) he would always be screeching out as he hated flys, he had his wing clipped to stop him flying away but he was a lovely old parrot and we had him for years, we kept him in our dining room and he would happily pop in and out of his cage, sometimes just sit on top or climb down and walk around the floor. One day I was sitting in the lounge on a hot summers day and I noticed it had all gone quiet and I could not hear Pops screeching, so I made my way into the dining room to see why it was all quiet and there was Christmas the black cat holding down this pigeon he had caught and there was Pops merrily away pulling all the feathers out of the pigeon, I sware to this day they were both in cahoots (Christmas & Pops) on having a pigeon for dinner, the poor pigeon was still alive and when I rescued it and released it outside it flew away completely bald on top and half of its body, and I sware this is the truth and I actually witnessed that!! A Gala

No need for Superman, Supergran wades in.

Ronaldo and Rooney, what a combination, those were the days, sigh.

Big Brother is watching you Pep. Manchester City: Pep Guardiola asked to explain pre-derby referee comments 6 minutes ago | Man City Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been asked by the Football Association to explain comments he made about the referee before Sunday's derby with Manchester United. Premier League bosses are not to speak about match officials before fixtures. But before his side's 3-1 home win, Spaniard Guardiola responded to a question that suggested Anthony Taylor might be biased in United's favour. He has until 18:00 GMT on Thursday to respond. Guardiola had said: "He is going to try to do the best job like we try to as managers and football players. "Mr. Taylor is going to try to have a good game. The important thing is to focus on our game and, of course, knowing which opponent we are going to face and that is all. "Hopefully he can make good decisions for both sides and it will a good game. All England and all Europe is going to watch us. That is the most important pleasure." https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46184790

Scientists finally know where they're sending the new Mars Rover Jackson Ryan 2 hrs ago © CNET The ExoMars rover might not know its name, but it almost certainly knows where it will be touching down when it reaches the surface of Mars in 2020. Oxia Planum, a flat plain rich in iron-magnesium clays, is first preference as the mission's landing site after the fifth and final meeting of the Landing Site Selection Working Group (LSSWG) in Leicester, UK, reports the BBC. Oxia Planum has long been in discussion as the landing site of choice because it offers a tantalizing opportunity to search for signs of life due to its geological composition and altitude. The first meeting of the expert panel in 2014 concluded it "exhibits fewer problems than any of the other sites." The clay-rich surface suggests that water once flowed through the location -- and where there is water, there may be biosignatures that suggest life once existed there. The location provides the mission with the best chance of safely landing the rover while still allowing it to meet its scientific goals. However, a second site, Mawrth Vallis, is still in contention for the ExoMars landing site, though it appears Oxia Planum will get the nod because it provides a slightly safer option, with few challenging topographical challenges or slopes. Mawrth Vallis was one of the sites considered for NASA's Curiosity mission and their Mars 2020 mission because, like Oxia Planum, it is rich in clay minerals. The final decision on where to land the rover will be decided approximately a year out from launch. Once the ExoMars rover touches down and rolls off its lander, its suite of instruments will allow it to visualize and analyze the Martian soil. It will be able to drill up to a maximum of 2 meters into the ground and contains spectrometers and analyzers targeting biomarkers allowing researchers to understand the origins and evolution of life on Mars, should they find it. The ExoMars program, a collaboration between Russian space agency Roscosmos and the ESA, was established to learn more about the red planet, including searching for signs of life. It features two distinct missions. The first part took place in March 2016, sending the Trace Gas Orbiter into Martian orbit and landing an experimental module, known as Schiaparelli, on Mars soil. The latter was scheduled to land on Mars in October 2016, but a software glitch caused the module to crash land. Here's hoping the as-yet-unnamed rover makes it through the tricky landing. © Provided by CBS Interactive Inc. whereonmars-screenshot-5651 https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/techandscience/scientists-finally-know-where-theyre-sending-the-new-mars-rover/ar-BBPBHEF?ocid=chromentp

Hamilton wants F1 domination for Merc skysports.com 6 hrs ago Lewis Hamilton says his and Mercedes' fifth world championship is only the beginning as the Silver Arrows plot further domination of F1. Two weeks after Hamilton secured the Drivers' Championship at the Mexican GP, Hamilton's victory in Brazil confirmed Mercedes' coronation as Constructors' Championship for a fifth successive season. Hamilton wins after Verstappen hits OconMercedes win fifth Constructors' ChampionshipFull race result from Interlagos "I want to continue to help elevate Mercedes to make them the most successful brand of all-time," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1. Ferrari remains the most successful team in F1 history with 16 titles. "I am so proud to have been part of it - and here's to many, many more," added Hamilton. "They give me the tools and I try to do the best I can with it. I'm proud that I'm able to sometimes bring a little bit more than is needed or that it's capable of, but that's what I live for." In an awed eulogy to the Silver Arrows star driver, technical boss James Allison paid a fulsome tribute to Hamilton. "You have to say that this year Lewis has made the difference for us," Allison told Sky F1. "He keeps putting it on pole, when it's wet he's always at the front, and in the races, we can make mistakes and he will recover it by doing something on the track that nobody saw coming, and he spends the whole year not making a mistake. "He is the consummate racing driver." In a rare interview, Peter Bonnington, Hamilton's race engineer, added: "It has been an awesome year and he had driven perfectly. "It has been unreal journey and l would love for it to continue. " Mercedes have won a championship double in every season since 2014 but believe this was their toughest triumph yet. "It was a very difficult season, "said team boss Toto Wolff. "But that makes the championship victory all the more enjoyable." https://www.msn.com/en-gb/sport/formula1/hamilton-wants-f1-domination-for-merc/ar-BBPA9zS?MSCC=1542017553&ocid=chromentp

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/formula1/45190875

@The Artful Dodger@Dr. Gonzo I was only 15 then with long hair, sigh

@nudge can you view this one ok, the same one but from YouTube.

It's coming up ok on my post and when I quoted you and it came up ok in that? maybe because I took it from my Facebook page, leave it with me and I will have a sniff around for it elsewhere.

https://www.facebook.com/manchesterunited

Minister Jo Johnson quits over Brexit and calls for new vote 3 minutes ago Video > https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46155403 Jo Johnson has quit as transport minister and called for the public to have a fresh say on Brexit. The MP, who is Boris Johnson's brother, said the withdrawal deal currently being negotiated with the European Union "will be a terrible mistake". Arguing Britain was "on the brink of the greatest crisis" since World War Two, he said what was on offer wasn't "anything like what was promised". Downing Street thanked him for his work but ruled out another referendum. Jo Johnson voted to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum while his brother Boris, who quit as foreign secretary in July, was a leading Brexiteer. Q&A: The Irish border Brexit backstop Brexit: All you need to know DUP accuses PM of breaking promises His brother praised his decision, saying they were "united in dismay" at the PM's handling of the negotiations. Cabinet ministers have been invited this week to read the UK's draft withdrawal deal with the EU. Theresa May has said the withdrawal deal is 95% done - but there is no agreement yet on how to guarantee no hard border in Northern Ireland. On Friday the DUP, whose support Theresa May relies on for votes in the Commons, said they cannot support any deal which included the possibility that Northern Ireland would be treated differently from the rest of the UK. In an article sent to journalists, the MP for Orpington in Kent said the deal was being finalised in Brussels and Whitehall but the choice being presented was either, to back an agreement which would leave the UK "economically weakened with no say in the EU rules it must follow" or a "no-deal Brexit" which would "inflict untold damage on our nation". He described this as "a failure of British statecraft unseen since the Suez crisis" but said even a no-deal Brexit "may well be better than the never-ending purgatory" being put forward by the prime minister. But in a warning to his brother and fellow Brexiteers, he added: "Inflicting such serious economic and political harm on the country will leave an indelible impression of incompetence in the minds of the public". The "democratic thing to do is to give the public the final say", he argued. Serious impact? (More vv)

As I said, he seems to have had a lot of injuries since he left United and it makes me wonder now why LVG sold him but Welbeck said at the time... On 9 March, Welbeck scored his tenth goal of the season in a 3–0 win at West Bromwich Albion. At the end of the season, Welbeck declared his intention to leave United to play as a striker elsewhere after what he described as his unhappiest season, stating: "I've been playing on the left for a while and it's got to the time when I want to stake a place up front" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Welbeck He had played up front at United and as a winger, so I don't know where the Gunners have played him when he played but he was out a lot of the time since he joined Arsenal with knee injuries so I don't think Arsenal missed him and they got by without him.

I hope Danny is ok and gets back quickly as I liked this guy at United, he seems to be injured a lot though since he left? Arsenal fear, forward Danny Welbeck has suffered a "very big injury" after he was carried off on a stretcher during his side's Europa League game against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday. It ended goalless at Emirates Stadium as the Gunners secured a place in the last 32, but the match was overshadowed by the 27-year-old England international's ankle injury. "He is at the hospital. The news is that we are going to wait, but we think it's a serious injury," said Arsenal boss Unai Emery. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46130548

Ryanair plane seized by French authorities in cash row A Ryanair plane has been seized by French authorities in a row over money in the latest problem for the airline. The French civil aviation authority grounded the Boeing 737 on Thursday at Bordeaux airport, before it was due to fly to Stansted with 149 passengers. It said the move was "a last resort". The dispute was caused by French subsidies paid to Ryanair for flights from Angoulême regional airport between 2008 and 2009, which the European Commission later deemed illegal. The French civil aviation authority did not say how much money was involved, but regional airport officials said the sum was €525,000 (£457,000). The authority said the plane "will remain immobilized until the sum is paid". Ryanair profits hit by strikes and higher fuel costs Ryanair sacks staff who 'slept on floor' Ryanair tops airline compensation appeal claims "It is unfortunate that the state had to take such action, which led to the inevitable inconvenience of the 149 passengers on board the immobilised plane," the French civil aviation authority said. "Those passengers were able to eventually reach their destination later that evening on another Ryanair plane, but with a five-hour delay." It is the latest in a series of setbacks for Ryanair, which has recently faced a series of strikes by pilots and cabin crew across Europe. But despite flight cancellations, Ryanair reported an 11% rise in traffic in October, as it carried 13.1 million passengers. The stoppages contributed to a 7% fall in profits to €1.2bn (£1.06bn) for the six months to 30 September. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46152849

You do have kind people nowadays and not a lot of sadistic bastards that harm animals...