This is My Brain

OK, a starter for ten. My geo brain output.

I need more input!


But bear with me reader. I'm not convinced this is a true reflection. It appears to have split joined pairs.

And there is no mention of shoes. [other blog]

Harry Beck Influences the Rivers

I thought I'd blogged about Harry Beck the other month but apparently not. Harry Beck was the innovation behind the 1930s revolutionary overhaul of the London Tube Map. Before his cartographic inspiration the map was a chaotic mish-mash (as opposed to 'mash up') of geographically correct lines. But, for this purpose, geographically precise mapping was not needed - clarity was. Anyway, after reading the fascinating (in my geeky eyes) book I was interested to come across an article by Daniel Huffman, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who has taken Harry's concepts on board with respect to rivers. I'd best not blog any of his images here as they aren't my copyright, but follow the link to see what I'm talking about.

And on a different, but of course geospatially related, subject, I came across some pod casts from the Pennsylvania State University today about how geographical information is used throughout the world. I was very taken by this one from Kenya. Towards the end of the video you see them mapping rape crime and then posting watch-keepers at the 'hotspots'. Golly, what a difference.

Work Speak

You know you work too much when

1. You tell your daughter to look on the J: drive for a photo.
2. You answer your home phone "good afternoon, Ruth Adams"
3. You tell your kids to 'wait one'.
4. You think 'days off' are so you can do RICS business.
5. You write VMT to your brother in an e-mail.
6. Your husband tells you off for talking too fast (it's those Lt Cdrs I work with - it seems to be a prerequisite of joining up that you have to speak rapidly).
7. You know the safe combination better than your pin number.
8. You keep calling the Minerals and Waste group of the RICS Mine Warfare.
9. You write e-mails to your mother with UNCLASSIFIED in the subject matter.

Anyway. Back to the inbox...

Ruth 0 - Trig Pillar 1

Had a great morning out on Dartmoor on Sat with a surveying friend. Of course I had to bag a trig, not to mention spotting lots of bench marks at which, annoyingly, Glyn is far better than me.

Bel Tor trig is a somewhat unloved Tor and not on the beaten tourist track. This means it is covered in spiky gorse and hidden rocks. And also broken sticks which caught my knee at one stage.

Fantastic views! (although Glyn seems to be distracted by a local cow me thinks).

This is the first time I've drawn blood in the course of duty