Personal chat thread

[wjfox]

Today a friend and I visited the Natural History Museum!

A major display is currently running – Patagotitan mayorum, one of the largest known creatures ever to walk the earth!

Some of you might remember the diplodocus that used to welcome visitors in the main hall. Well... this thing is QUADRUPLE the weight of that, and a whole 12 metres longer than the blue whale!

37 metres / 57 tons!!!

We also had a tour of the "Spirit Collection", which includes many weird and wonderful specimens like a giant squid, gulper eel, coelacanth, sharks, and masses of other preserved sea life. And we even got to see Charles Darwin's collection!

If you're in London, then I strongly recommend checking this out. The titanosaur display runs until January 2024.

[wjfox]

Just a quick video from a recent journey home.

Gherkin now looking swamped by more recent skyscrapers.

[Ozzie guy]

Going to see Oppenheimer in "gold class" tonight.

Which basically means good seats not a lot of people and you can order food/drinks.
I don't do much these days so it is a good outing.

[wjfox]

Going to see Oppenheimer in "gold class" tonight.

Which basically means good seats not a lot of people and you can order food/drinks.
I don't do much these days so it is a good outing.

Hope you enjoy it. Let us know what you thought of it.

[wjfox]

Baby bird in my garden.

I heard a loud chirping outside, and saw something fall into this box. When I opened the door, it went silent and was just sat there like this.

[erowind]

That bird is adorable!

WjFox I wish you had a thriving forest behind your house, I can tell you would appreciate one. If you’re ever visiting Northern Appalachia for some reason lmk I’ll show you all my favorite forests.

There’s an old growth white pine grove I love here that has trees 180ft tall.

[erowind]

Dug up an old photo from a few years back for everyone. Behold the magnificent White Pine with myself for scale!

[Powers]

[wjfox]

This evening I had my first ever experience in VR!

Despite being a massive tech enthusiast, I'd never tried it before.

A friend and I had dinner at a Prezzo, then went to the Royal Institution. They were doing a virtual presentation of the Square Kilometre Array. This will be the largest radio telescope ever built.

The show was only 30 minutes, and the group was very small (maybe a dozen or so people), but I got a real sense of 3D/immersion that was very cool, especially when flying over the deserts of Australia. It was narrated by Brian Cox.

I will probably get a VR headset with my next desktop PC, which I plan to buy in 2025 or so. They'll hopefully be a bit cheaper by then.

[Certain Russian user]

Once again, after about a year-long break, visited this place. Didn't read too much, even less interested to discuss anything, just don't like to lurk in shadows. As for my humble person, I currently live in nice place that in your language called something like "Ecovalley", the southern suburb of Samara beyond Samara river (see picture below). To those sadistically expected and gloated... oh sorry, I meant worried about me... no, I'm not in the army, neither I "cope and seethe" under heavy yoke of your mighty sanctions (believe me or not, the common man like me doesn't even see the difference). Nor I "deeply ashamed" / "fell into poverty" as some of you predicted. In turn, I hope you guys are OK and your personal present and future will not be disappointing.

PS Joe, mate, why did you disappeared from my radar? Did I say something very wrong? I don't remember anything like that, but if even... it wasn't a deliberate insult, I just prefer the sharp honesty over smooth and insincere politeness.