OFF TOPIC: Jodrell bank "to close"

Apologies for the off topic post (although it does, sort of, kinda, in a way, have a tenuous link to Classic Computing). The Government has announced the closure of the Jodrell Bank radio telescope in Cheshire, UK - to save just ?2.5m/year. This is, obviously, a major disaster for astronomy, physics, etc. in the UK. The Lovell Telescope (i.e. the big dish at Jodrell Bank) was build in 1952 & was the world's largest steerable radio telescope. It's still the 3rd largest to this day. Obvuiously, there's been loads of old computers on the site, although sadly I have no details. Maybe someone else knows? Anyway - an e-petition has been set up to try to persuade the Prime Minister (the odious Gordon Brown) to keep it open... Please do sign it if you're a UK resident or recent ex-pat. -------------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE do not reply to this post on this list (unless it's to relate some kind of ClassicCmp related story about Jodrell Bank). ESPECIALLY *please* don't reply just to say "I signed".... -------------------------------------------------------------- Many thanks. Link to the petition: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/RadioAstronomy/ News in the Times: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article3492504.ece Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovell_Telescope Many thanks, and I apologise most humbly for hijacking the list for this post. Cheers, Ade. No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.6/1315 - Release Date: 06/03/2008 09:07