vast distances wow

[Paul M]

Hmm yes, I seem to recall that it was around this time that the 'Health & Safety Executive' was formed.

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Only kidding Paul, sorry mate I couldn't help it, it's my sick twisted sense of humour!

Well, I must say that I do have a slightly truncated middle finger on my right hand after loosing an argument with a planing machine

The planer worked a treat. It's the same length as the finger either side now

I got off lightly compared with quite a few I've worked with

[Andymac79]

Years ago when I used to work with woodworking machinery a colleague started working out how long the 300mm saw blade we were operating at 5500 rpm would take to roll to certain cities.

Just for fun we then calculated how long it would take to reach the Moon and then the Sun if it were rolling along a pathway at that speed.

Can't remember the figures and I'm supposed to be doing some jobs now so won't start working it out again!

Pretty boring story really

Haha, brings back memories... We worked on something similar, my old mate has been an MOT tester for 20 odd years, he (so far) pumped his pit jack to a distance of about 90000 feet, it would take him about 290,000 years to jack a car to the moon. Maybe quicker if he did some jacking on the weekend.

[Treeden]

Well, I must say that I do have a slightly truncated middle finger on my right hand after loosing an argument with a planing machine

The planer worked a treat. It's the same length as the finger either side now

Ha ha... sorry Paul (again!) but that made me laugh!

I spent a fair while in engineering, but to be honest I don't remember doing any similar calculations whist on the job (so to speak ). I can't even recall any really humerous self-inflicted accidents althought their must hast been some good ones? The only one that comes to mind at the moment is a recurring one that involved swapping drill bits on a pneumatic drill without disconnecting the air line first. Amazing how fast a chuck key can accelerate when you accidentally press the trigger while tightening the chuck. Even more amazing was that despite the surge of sharp stinging pain that followed, I never once dropped the drill!

[JonnyN]

I know what you mean, but I wouldn't use the word insignificant. I prefer to think that this beautiful pale blue dot of ours, that we call 'home', may well prove to be one of the most rare and treasured places in the universe.

... I just wish we could learn to look after it!

When I say insignificant I mean in the grand scheme of things in terms of size compared to the rest of the universe! As in a single grain in a sea of sand type analogy

[Treeden]

When I say insignificant I mean in the grand scheme of things in terms of size compared to the rest of the universe! As in a single grain in a sea of sand type analogy

I know what you mean, and it’s true as far as size comparisons go. I just think that no matter where our future leads us in terms of galactic or even inter galactic exploration, this single grain of sand that we call home is probably going to prove to be one of the most beautiful, rare and highly-prized grains in the whole darn dune!

The sad truth of it is that the most likely long-term outcome for us as a species is that we will continue to abuse this wonderful world of ours, and continue to plunder and exploit its natural resources until the time comes when it can no longer support us.

Then we will set out on a frantic, last minute journey to find a new home. We will find many worlds that are not suitable and will end up running out of time and settling for something that will just about allow us to hang on and eek out a meager existence.

We will then tell our children stories of a beautiful blue/green planet that had oceans, mountains, deserts, lakes and rivers. We will tell them stories about the days when you could lie outside and enjoy the warm sunshine, about the days when the fresh, clear rain would pour down and wash the dirt and grime from our towns and cities. Then they will look out of the windows of the enclosed domes that we have built to protect us from the harsh, unforgiving and lethal environment that has become our new home, and they will try to imagine such wonders….

"Oi, cheer up you miserable old git!"

Sorry, I day dream sometimes....

[kirkster501]

The example I always like is the one from SPM I read many years ago in his Guide To The Stars.. IF the earth-sun distance, 93 million miles (i.e. the Astronomical Unit) is represented as one inch, the nearest star is four miles away and Rigel would be 900 miles away. M31 would be 2 million miles away.

Astonishing.

[Paul M]

Ha ha... sorry Paul (again!) but that made me laugh!

I spent a fair while in engineering, but to be honest I don't remember doing any similar calculations whist on the job (so to speak ). I can't even recall any really humerous self-inflicted accidents althought their must hast been some good ones? The only one that comes to mind at the moment is a recurring one that involved swapping drill bits on a pneumatic drill without disconnecting the air line first. Amazing how fast a chuck key can accelerate when you accidentally press the trigger while tightening the chuck. Even more amazing was that despite the surge of sharp stinging pain that followed, I never once dropped the drill!

I've seem some funny ones and some not funny ones. My own finger put me in hospital for 3 days waiting for the orthopaedic surgeon to fix it! TBH, I was the only one not laughing!

I saw one one chap in his 20's take off most of his 1st and 2nd fingers and half his 3rd and little finger on his left hand.

One chap who was working for me in my workshop took of his 1st finger on his right hand off. I didn't find it until 3 days later. I went a left it on a colleague's computer keyboard....how he laughed....not!

Back in the day, a Spindle Moulder operator (spindle hand) would rarely have a full set of digits. It was eye opening to see the kind of wounds that they'd just wrap a bandage (or the kitchen towel) round and just carry on. A hangover from the days when they wouldn't get paid if they went to hospital and would find someone else taking their job if they went on the sick.

Now I work in the fairytale, never never world of big employer utility company.