Notices by Matt Gray (mattgrayyes@chaos.social)

You hear about buoyancy but never guirlancy

Nice to see that everyone is referring to the new pope by his chosen name.

🏳️⚧️ Do the same for trans people! 🏳️⚧️

Moving Picture Resource Experts Group

While most will cheer, clap, & relax when the launch is over, the Satellite Operations Team are only getting started.

During this Launch & Early Orbit Phase, they gradually test and switch on the various parts of the satellite, unfold its solar panels & antennae, and steer it into its final orbit.

You can watch the launch live on Tuesday 29th April at 0915 UTC (1015 BST, 1115 CEST)

And Matt Gray is Trying: Spaceflight Operations should come out at some point next month!

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/Biomass/Watch_Biomass_launch_live

It’s time for ESA’s BIOMASS satellite to launch!

You can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/live/EEhmFO_Y_WE?si=WgzQOk-h5Ev5-QeJ

On Tuesday the European Space Agency plan to launch BIOMASS, their new Earth Explorer satellite!

ESA invited me to film the next Matt Gray is Trying with the BIOMASS Spaceflight Operations team as they practiced for the big day a few weeks ago!

Designed to get crucial info about our forests, it's the first P-Band RADAR in space.

Internet hive mind:
Will I fit in a Suzuki Twin?
I’m 6’4” (193cm) and my head often touches the ceiling in cars.

Please only reply if you have personal experience.

Bob Mortimer for Pope

If Dick Van Dyke was to end the year revealing a new-found love for both men and women, you could call the documentary The Bicentennial Man.

Finder's channeling the old Windows file copy estimation.

@mattround
Something something shrinkflation

It’s April fools day beware of bullshit.

🏳️⚧️ Trans Day of Visibility 🏳️⚧️

We’re already visible, we need protecting.

Here’s one way you could help:

If you’re in a conversation with someone idly saying something transphobic you could say “that's not the case”, ask them to stop (if it's safe for you to do so), or leave.

Especially if you're a white man:
Your privilege means your words / actions
can have more weight.

It's very easy to repeat things we've heard without considering if it’s baseless or illogical. I've done it too!

It has come to my attention that Volkswagen’s most successful spare part, the Currywurst sausage, is trending again.
I tried it a few years ago!

https://www.tiktok.com/@mattgrayyes/video/7049859132869938437

If we can have bean-to-cup coffee machines, surely that means we could have pellet-to-nozzle 3D printers?

(I’m joking please don’t explain 3D printers to me)

When I realised I had access to an X-Ray machine, I immediately went to a toy shop!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUQZb1RJO9w

Beep

Looking for advice if anyone’s specifically had experience laser cutting all the way through 5mm side-pressed bamboo with a CO2 laser without it setting on fire etc. please

I’m all good engraving it.

It’ll cut all the way through if it’s going slowly enough to set on fire but even with many passes if it’s going fast enough to not set on fire I can’t get it to cut all the way through. (8x at 200mm/60% gets most of the way in some areas)

I’m using a 60W HPC LS3060

https://kitronik.co.uk/collections/bamboo-sheets/products/3296-5mm-bamboo-side-pressed-caramel-600mm-x-400mm-sheet

The new M4 Mac Mini has a badly designed power button, hidden underneath at the back. Look at this fun solution!

https://amzn.to/3Quddkt
(Not an ad. I haven’t tried this. It looks fun though!)