* Posts by mike

12 publicly visible posts • joined 6 Jul 2007

5,000-year-old 'ice man' was shot to death

mike

I personally loved

the Bond shot. It made me laugh.

Mobile shields man from death bullet

mike
Flame

Guy Fawkes

Guy Fawkes recently provided a similar story - and I was there. While doing wildfire patrols on the evening in question (www.capefires.com) we ended up at one of the designated fireworks areas in Cape Town (in South Africa you need a permit to let of fireworks, except at Guy Fawkes, and then only in designated areas).

The evening got pretty crazy, and as we were right next to the sea, we ended up doing primarily first aid (ie min fire risk). The pinnacle was reached when one crazy ass fired a rocket at his cousin (ie horizontally, not up) which hit him on the left breast - which appears to have been where his phone was. Crappy Samsung slider, but it was blown into about 5 pieces, and his shirt burnt, etc. We cleaned him up, the police were too lazy to arrest the guy for attempted murder (prob the paperwork), and the victim was taken to hospital in the back of the police van when he started getting rather (very) white and shaky.

True story, I promise. It was amazing there weren't other serious injuries.

Black widows: Coming soon to a kitchen sink near you

mike
Thumb Down

Re: pestilential birds

If dealing with birds - ever heard a hadeda/sacred Ibis? Crows sound positively delightful in comparison. Especially when they (hadeda) nest outside your bedroom window and get up with the sun at 4am.

Our fruit gets eaten in the kitchen by starlings that hop in through open windows - and they've crapped on the windowsill, carpet and fabric sofa.

Still, their bite doesn't atrophy...

mike
Alert

Old hat...

Here in South Africa widow spiders (button spiders, locally) are par for the course. I've got a depression in my thigh from one of the bastards, or something similar - muscle got eaten away by bite, then came out as pus and othe nasties after the whole thigh went a nice bright soft-tissue-infection red.

My dad had an even worse bite (thigh, again) which still looked horrendous 3 months after the event (when I first saw it). He was in bed with fever for a few days, and a clump of tissue 'fell out' - my mom's words, and she's a nurse. Hope and pray they don't make it up there to you...

US satellite returns first hi-res snap

mike
Happy

@Tim Robson

You have your satellites pointing the wrong way - imagine what we'd see if the NSA pointed it's satellites up - ET would have been found years ago. Hubble was the first time they actually pointed a good camera away from earth, from space. Before that, they were always peering down.

Inquirer celebrates spammer murder-suicide

mike
Thumb Down

Family murders are all too common

in my country. Life is simply too cheap. However, I can't imagine any publication here would go in the direction of the Enquirer regarding such an event. Topping ones' self is all well and good, but leave the innocents and bystanders out of it.

Only Darwin awards can really be addressed humourously.

Bus-spotting paedo terror bust: Shock CCTV image

mike
Heart

Who would have guessed...

that so many *random* events could come together like this!

I am VERY impressed by your efforts!

All that's missing now is Forrest, Forrest Gump, and his ability to influence popular culture and be in the middle of such momentous occasions!

Independent dubs El Reg lesbian

mike
Unhappy

Ok, so they changed it...

Bleugh...

That's offsides, modifying your article once you get caught out...! I take it The Independent is not the sort of publication to print retractions, just repost?

Shifty...

mike
Paris Hilton

Can you quote?

The Independent has caused no slight on your good name, especially one of sexual orientation:

"Now, an on-line magazine called The Register has put forward a solution."

That's taken directly from the article linked to by your good self, Sir.

Paris, because it's obligatory, and because her studious nature would ensure she CHECKED THE OFFENDING ARTICLE FIRST!

How BA handles lost luggage complaints: Shock picture

mike
Happy

Hilarious

I love it! Your little playmobil set seems to match any occasion...

Extend your phone's camera - with a telescope

mike

Optical zoom on an SE K700i

I also used the binocular technique with an SE K700i - the problem with game viewing in Zim is that the animals tend to be rather far away - and dangerous. An American hitch-hiker we picked up (in Zimbabwe, 2005 - lack of food and any transport caught him by surprise) got a nice shot illustrating the set-up.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=129644&l=0778c&id=720900516

I won't post the photo of said American being "nipped" by a lion. Sorry.

El Reg to bite hand that feeds ICT?

mike

Is LESS Paris Hilton an option?

I vote for barryred's suggestion...yes, and LESS Paris Hilton. In fact, could we not have a poll on whether we want to hear any about her, ever?