Michael Merrifield

Emeritus professor of astronomy at the University of Nottingham. All my own views. Here for interest, so anyone who doesn’t interest me gets blocked.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

Time to update my pinned post, just because this selfie makes me very happy.

(Monku View Point on @hermisland, 26 July 2022 at 11PM. 2s exposure on @SonyAlpha 6600 with Samyang 12mm f2 lens, pushed to ISO 10000, just reprocessed with @Lightroom’s amazing AI noise reduction.)

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@Hookademus I don’t think it’s funny at all. I think you are. Bye.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

It isn’t complicated. Either Mr Vine was unaware that the bus driver was about to pull across in front of him, in which case he is guilty of careless cycling, or he was, but continued anyway to generate better social media content, in which case he is guilty of dangerous cycling.

[OpenChiswick @OpenChiswickW4]

Why floating bus stops are necessary on cycle lanes to make cycling an inclusive mode of transport for everybody. 👇

Remember: London bus drivers kill somebody every 3 weeks.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

Maybe a touch more contrast?

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@Hookademus “Victim”. 😂

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

Very pleased that University senior management has finally accepted that intransigence is not the same as strong leadership.

https://t.co/zc9clF3Cae

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

Trying my hand at slightly artier photography…

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@DOwen88637138 @Microlambert It is literally the preamble that sits above all the specifics. What I bother to do is my business, which is why you are now muted.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@DOwen88637138 @Microlambert It doesn’t work that way. Since both could’ve prevented the incident, both are responsible.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

How Does UKRI Spend Its Budget?

They don’t seem to want me to know...

https://t.co/atkrUWY9YY

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@SumoRabbit123 Not even right according to the Highway Code — whoever starts it, everyone is required to stop it.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@TraceyWhitefoot It has certainly been atmospheric around Nottingham recently!

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@21percentgroup Being old enough to have actually done vivas as an external examiner, to decide degree borderlines, I can confirm that they assess something completely different from the exam marks that they were supposed to calibrate.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@Pulturner2 They both failed to follow the Highway Code. And if the bus driver were exploiting his failure to generate social media engagement, he would deserve to be getting just as much grief.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@WalkerMarcus Oh no, I seem to be agreeing with you again…

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@ediz1975 @DitchLegacySM @theJeremyVine Clearly, both failed to respect the Highway Code, as either could’ve prevented the incident. And if the bus driver had put out a video for social media engagement, he would’ve deserved equal opprobrium.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@Pulturner2 No-one. The Highway Code is very clear on the subject.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@WalkerMarcus It’s been going on a fair while, at least since Sarah’s Law was first discussed in Parliament in 2000.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@chris_mcsweeny The Highway Code is very clear: it doesn’t matter who “caused the situation”; there is an onus on all road users to defuse it (not to exploit it for social media engagement).

You did know that, right?

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

@ronmanagernottm I am waiting for Mick “not the ears”McManus.

[Michael Merrifield @AstroMikeMerri]

Jonathan Ross:

2004: Joked about David Walliams picking up 15-year-olds.

2008: Made obscene prank call with Russell Brand.

2026: is horrified by Walliams and Brand. Apparently has no idea who could’ve enabled their conduct.