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

Falmouth Maritime Museum

Have just had a mini break in Falmouth with my daughter. A magnet for me, unsurprisingly, was the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. Bank Holidays are probably not the best time to visit a place like this - I had to restrain myself from elbowing off some enthusiastic button-whacking (but inattentive) kids from various interactive exhibits. Of course, no queue to take photos of the old toys.


I was very excited to find this chart in the Lighthouse exhibit.
I gave the museum permission to use this in my last job. And everyone must read the Lighthouse Stevensons. Of all the places to try to build...

There were some fun navigation exhibits which encouraged visitors to use charts, met data etc to choose the safest and most efficient passage through an area. I wish I could transport this whole area to the Science Museum.

The polar exploration exhibition "On Thin Ice" was fine. Of course seeing anything re: Shackleton, Scott, Franklin etc is fab but I've read an awful lot around the subject so there was nothing new. I'm not complaining of course but I suspect I need a visit to SPRI next to sate my appetite.

I loved the tower which is built below the water line so you can see the tide come in and out.

I want one of these at home!

Aside from the maritime pull were a few benchmarks which I spotted. I earned brownie points from my daughter for not stopping and embarrassingly photographing them. Also spotted RFA Largs Bay alongside.

Walked up to Pendennis Head and spent a while checking out the iso light at St Anthony and other various navigation marks in the Fal. A spotters holiday eh?

Back to Normality

Had a bit of ash cloud dodging earlier this as circa 7 us of tried to fly into Edinburgh for an RICS Global Geomatics Professional Group Board (GGPGB for those in the know ). A great meeting on Thurs with international phone ins. Some of the new board members are absolute gems and I pale in the light of their experience and knowledge.

Apart from that my brother has been doing the geo geeking for me. He has just had a weekend in Canterbury and I asked him to find the BM on the cathedral. Alas it was mainly scaffolded up so he found me one on the Dane John mark.

I think he's humouring me...

How Short is a Flight?

After our runway discussions I happened to fall into a bar with similar surveyors who started discussing how short a flight was. Of course, we all know how short a flight is, with a paper aeroplane etc, but we were out numbered by one of our members who has flown from Kirkwall to Westray. A record 2 mins apparently. In my eyes this is hardly enough time to fasten your seatbelt!

The obvious contender is from Logan Air - Westray to Pape Westray of 2 mins too. Anything shorter readers? It has to be scheduled to count.