Soggy biscuithood....and beyond

[Pedro]

Wow TA, that news is a bit huge isn't it?  

Ah, the iced gem (reckon that should be "jem")....it was in my avatar....about 4,000 posts ago in a different world where Frost*erisks had an extra leg....

[Mouse]

Love the Bourbon one, Pedro! Yes, if we recall RHippo's post from a thread I cannae be bothered to search for, the six-legged Frost*erisk is the Arabic version.

My biscuit of choice at the moment are Malted Milks. Ooooh, they are delicious...  

[Trapezium Artist]

Wow TA, that news is a bit huge isn't it?  

Indeed: quite a departure for both the US and Europe, to be honest. But given that we have pretty convergent ambitions, aiming at returning samples from Mars to Earth in the mid-2020s, it makes sense look at a joint program that maximises the science we can do along the way.

Will keep all you space fans posted  

[catherine]

And us robotics fans!    This is something that my team might end up working on in the fullness of time!

[Pedro]

...aiming at returning samples from Mars to Earth in the mid-2020s...

No-one would have believed that in the first years of the 21st century....  

[RacingHippo]

When my sons were small, their preferred way of eating an Iced Gem was to bite off the icing and then discard the unwanted biscuit-y bit.

Sorry? You mean you're supposed to eat that bit too?

Actually I used to bite the icing off and give the biscuitey bit to my big sis, who really, really didn't have a sweet tooth. It was a good deal.

And us robotics fans!    This is something that my team might end up working on in the fullness of time!

If you lived nearer I'd introduce you to an old friend by the name of Bernard Mosley, who builds robots. His company has built a Mars Rover which he's hoping will get onto one of the planned missions. It's great fun to play with

[Mouse]

My Brother builds robots to take part in Robot Wars style tournaments. Most of them weigh hardly anything and are the size of my hand, but every now and then he comes out with something like this...



Not anywhere near the same league as the space exploration stuff, but it's fun to bash things with.  

[RacingHippo]

I can see a fundamental flaw with that design, Mouse.
The wheels should be on the bottom!

Bernard built one for the Official Robot Wars on telly. It was a tank-like thing called "Hefty"*... which got about 2 minutes of fame on telly before conking out and consequently losing.

Here it is:


The website for it is archived here. The diary is a good read if you have the time. And the style section / guided tour is fascinating if you're into robotics.


* Actually "F.T.": F***ing Tank.

[Mouse]

I can see a fundamental flaw with that design, Mouse.
The wheels should be on the bottom!

The wheels come out both sides of the robot, so that if it gets flipped over, it can still run around on it's top. It's technically unbeatable, unless it goes down the arena pit, or gets trashed, or gets cleaved in half, or gets thrown out of the arena, or its killswitch is triggered, or if chocolate gets in the electronics, or...

That tank thing is awesome.  

[catherine]

What ho! I'm a Cadbury's Boaster
That means I'm responsible for most o'
The posts that you see
They were mainly by me!
I'm a truly prolific Frost* poster!

I used to be a fine fig roll
I had body, and rhythm, and soul
Plus a yummy fig filling
But I never was willing
To dance, at the Peel, on a pole.

I aspire to become an Iced Gem
Let no-one my ambitions condemn
A gem that is iced
Has often sufficed
With brandy, for loosening phlegm.

On this, the momentous occasion of my 1000th post, I would like to thank:
Frost* for the music, the gigs, the CDs and the madness
My family, for coping with me hooting with laughter while visiting the Frost* forum
My cat Isaiah, for covering me with ginger hairs at every possible opportunity
My fellow forumeers - I couldn't have done it without you!

Do I get a telegram from the Queen now?

Catherine xx

[Pedro]

A kila-post delivered with style!
Congratulations, Ma'am.  

[Mouse]

Congratulatinos indeed! Now go forth and eat biscuits to celebrate!  8-)

[Pedro]

Go forth and multi-buy?

[rogerg]

catherine, that 1000th post is absolute WIN!!!!!   8-)

[catherine]

Thanks Rog and Mouse and Pedro!