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back to article Rasp Pi skydive: Ballsy Baumgartner best beware Brit bionic Babbage Bear

Austrian high-altitude geezer Felix Baumgartner had better watch his back, because there's a furry Brit contender for the world skydiving record preparing to leap into the void from a breathtaking 39,000m. Tomorrow (Saturday), weather permitting, Raspberry Pi Mascot Babbage Bear will ascend to the stratosphere over the green …

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  1. Robert Helpmann??
    Childcatcher

    Godspeed Mr Bear

    From the product page:

    His duties* include (but are not limited to):

    Protecting you from magic blue smoke.

    I hope this will not be an issue with any of the electronics involved, but it's good to have some insurance, just in case.

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  2. Anonymous Custard

    Bionic Babbage Bear of Borg better beat Baumgartner's breathtaking balloon bound.

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    1. Alister
      Reply Icon

      Blimey!

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    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      @Anonymous Custard

      "Bionic Babbage Bear of Borg better beat Baumgartner's breathtaking balloon bound."

      Unless it goes horribly wrong, in which case it will be:

      "Bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger bugger."

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  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    A bit like Steve Austen then

    'First up, the poor chap's had his right eye surgically removed to allow installation of the PiCam'

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  4. Pen-y-gors
    Thumb Down

    I am shocked - SHOCKED

    at this appaling cruelty to a defenceless bear. How could he? Surely the electronic gee-whizery could have been put in a little backpack, with the webcam in a helmet? There is no need at all for this brutal disemboweling and disemocularising in an attempt to turn Ted into some bionic half-borg, half bear.

    Shame on you sir, SHAME! The Ursine Defence League know where you live!

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    1. Mr Young
      Reply Icon
      Coffee/keyboard

      Re: I am shocked - SHOCKED

      Don't worry, bears of the future will appreciate the heroic efforts of these early pioneers - "Today I'm going to rip some humans throat IN SPACE!". I feel a little scared now...

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    2. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Up

      Re: I am shocked - SHOCKED

      Surely the only cruelty here is that the op was probably done without anaesthetic? The plucky chap has had an inoperative glass eye replaced by a high tech one that can see.

      Good man that bear!

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    3. Martin Budden Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: I am shocked - SHOCKED

      Don't worry, all teddy-surgery is performed by qualified specialists.

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    4. James Micallef Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Unhappy

      Re: I am shocked - SHOCKED

      I don't know about the Ursine Defence Leauge knowing where you live but the RSPCA certainly do

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  5. Ged T
    Terminator

    Terminator Beginnings: The Bear Truth

    With so much on-board tech, cameras for eyes, Sky-high launch platforms, dead-pan expression, is this the start of real life imitating art?

    Farewell, plucky bear...

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  6. SW10
    Trollface

    ...and wir attracting the kidz, narteyemin, yeah?

    "Along the way, he been honing his Raspberry Pi flight computer system"

    is a good effort, but maybe

    'Long the roadz him bin pimping hiz P'eye, lak, to mek er blingin flaght compooter, narteyemen?

    would be better?

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    1. Pen-y-gors
      Reply Icon

      Re: ...and wir attracting the kidz, narteyemin, yeah?

      I think I've found a bug in Google translate - it reckoned that was English. Although it did suggest:

      Did you mean: Long the roadz him bin pimping hiz P'eye, lak, to make a blingin flight computer, narteyemen?

      I have no idea what it means....

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      1. Anonymous Coward
        Reply Icon
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: ...and wir attracting the kidz, narteyemin, yeah?

        Bless your heart! It's quite simple, really! Let's just break it down, somewhat:

        Long the roadz = All along

        him bin pimping hiz P'eye, lak = he has been promoting the use of his RaspberryPi

        to mek er blingin flaght compooter, = to make an exceedingly goog flight computer,

        narteyemen? = innit?

        There now. Better?

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        1. Anonymous Coward
          Reply Icon
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: ...and wir attracting the kidz, narteyemin, yeah?

          Bendithia eich calon! Mae'n eithaf syml, mewn gwirionedd! Gadewch i 'jyst dorri i lawr, braidd yn:

          Long the roadz = Pob hyd

          him bin pimping hiz P'eye, lak = mae wedi bod yn hyrwyddo'r defnydd ei RaspberryPi (mae fel cyfrifiadur Dragon diwrnod olaf ...)

          to mek er blingin flaght compooter, = i wneud cyfrifiadur hedfan hynod o dda,

          narteyemen? = innit?

          Yno nawr. Gwell?

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          1. Pen-y-gors
            Reply Icon

            Re: ...and wir attracting the kidz, narteyemin, yeah?

            Llawer gwell, diolch. Pam na ddywetsoch chi hynny yn y lle cyntaf?

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            1. Allan George Dyer
              Reply Icon
              Joke

              Re: ...and wir attracting the kidz, narteyemin, yeah?

              There seems to be an epidemic of keyboard failures here. The consonant keys appear to be reppeatinng. Perrhhaps ssolch llanfr ddyotsccy ammlly llochylloch yn lllllllylllllllllllllllll

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            2. Paul Johnston
              Reply Icon

              Re: ...and wir attracting the kidz, narteyemin, yeah?

              What does ddywetsoch mean?

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          2. Anonymous Coward
            Reply Icon
            Joke

            Re: ...and wir attracting the kidz, narteyemin, yeah?

            Bendithia eich calon! Mae'n eithaf syml, mewn gwirionedd! Gadewch i 'jyst dorri i lawr, braidd yn:

            Been a while since I've seen ROT13 in action, I must say.

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  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What,

    No radiation sensor?! I'd be especially interested to see if there is a sudden increase this evening when that large CME hits.

    Also useful would be a 3 axis magnetometer.

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    1. Robert E A Harvey
      Reply Icon
      Headmaster

      Now you are being ridiculous

      >Also useful would be a 3 axis magnetometer.

      What would a bear use a magnetometer for?

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  8. Christopher Lane

    Does anyone know how this works from and aircraft/air traffic control point of view?

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    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Coat

      Indeed - a 747 ingesting the payload as it ascends.

      Doesn't bear thinking about.

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    2. Lester Haines (Written by Reg staff) Gold badge
      Reply Icon

      You have to have a NOTAM from the CAA.

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  9. John Gamble

    The Flight of the Cybearg

    Blowing raspberries[1] at us from above...

    ---

    1. Also known as the Bronx Cheer in the U.S. Sorry, I don't know if there's a Brit equivalent term.

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    1. Jonathan Richards 1
      Reply Icon

      Re: The Flight of the Cybearg

      I don't know about blowing raspberries, but in that first picture B.B. appears to be pissing himself. This is either because he is anticipating the flight, or he can see some web-cam-fitting bastard approaching with a scalpel...

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  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Where is the outrage from all of the union sympathizers? Here you have a bear that didn't elect for that surgery, being made to work in unsafe conditions and isn't even getting paid for it. This bear does not have the working conditions he was promised. He should go on strike.

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    1. smudge
      Reply Icon
      Pint

      You can add "being forced to work on statutory holidays" to that, because they are planning to have another go on Bank Holiday Monday.

      Because of an equipment malfunction, the bear didn't jump from his platform, but still landed safely in a field, and got some damn good photos on the way.

      I raise my glass to Babbage Bear!

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      1. graeme leggett Silver badge
        Reply Icon

        perhaps if/when he survives the next one, he can have an extra day's holiday in lieu. Or if he likes the south east - Lewes.

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  11. preppy

    Bear in the Air

    The surgery is COMPLETELY unacceptable!!

    What's wrong with a helmet-cam, as used by all other dare-devil leapers?

    It's a disgrace! You should all be ashamed of this flagrant abuse of defenceless bears.

    PS Where's the video footage?

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  12. Martin Budden Silver badge
    Coat

    He's not taking much equipment up.

    Just the bear necessities.

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  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ! ! ! THE END OF THE WORLD IS AT HAND ! ! !

    Has anyone considered what might result if an inter-galactic craft piloted by bears (Ursus space-farus) should be cruising by and snatch him up? Perhaps thinking they were saving his life? Only to discover that their warm, cuddly friend has been cruelly gutted and stuffed in the name of science?

    Surely we we all face their wrath in the form of planet-busting fusion bombs!

    Oh, woe is us.

    Stan.

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