Category Archives: topographical

memes, topographical

June Quiz Questions

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Each month we’re posing six pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month.
As always, they’re designed to be tricky but not impossible, so it’s unlikely everyone will know all the answers – just have a bit of fun.

Geography

  1. In which country is Angel Falls, the world’s largest waterfall?
  2. Switzerland is made up of how many cantons?
  3. Which continent has land in all four hemispheres?
  4. In what country is the Chernobyl nuclear plant located?
  5. What’s the capital city of Tanzania?
  6. Area 51 is located in which American state?

Answers will be posted in 2 weeks time.

current affairs, environment, topographical

No New Town Here

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So the London Borough of Enfield – just a couple of boroughs away from me, and close to my home town – has withdrawn from the government’s “new town” programme. Basically the council, which has recently changed from Labour to Conservative run, has told the government there will be no “new town” building on the proposed sites at Crews Hill and Chase Park.

I know the Crews Hill area (although not recently) and it is an open, relatively unbuilt area which is a nationally important horticultural centre, including garden centres and plant nurseries; plus pet shops with reptile and bird specialists; and a popular equestrian centre. Consequently there has been significant local opposition to the government’s plans.

map of London Borough of Enfield
London Borough of Enfield, showing the planned “new town” development areas.
See the Station marked “Grove” at top right: that was where I spent my childhood.
Source: LB Enfield

Most of the two areas is designated Green Belt land, and should therefore be protected from development to ensure a green, environmentally friendly, area around the capital.

country scene
Around Crews Hill Golf Course

The Enfield council now says that the commitment to increase housing (required by the government, and the London Plan) will now concentrate on using brownfield sites and redevelopment of existing facilities.

I strongly believe this is something which needs to be exhausted before there is ever consideration of building on Green Belt or Metropolitan Open Land – which councils are overly prone to chip away at; this little bit won’t matter; and then this bit; and this bit; until the whole is gone, which I’m seeing locally. There seems too little concern for the environment; just more and more development – because it brings in money for the council.

[Aside: I also believe that any building which is less than 50% occupied for, say, three months should be required to be converted into housing. This would not only increase housing but also clamp down on speculative build.]

Enfield’s stance is not (just) a question of NIMBY-ism or party politics, but a strike for common sense, respect for existing communities, and the law.

More power to a council – any council regardless of political persuasion – with the guts to stand up to, and call out, the government. We need more of this if we are to keep the place pleasantly inhabitable and environmentally sound.

There are a number of media reports on the decision, including this from The Guardian.

history, natural history, science, topographical

Monthly Links for November

Christmas is creeping ever closer, but before then we must have this month’s collection of links to items you may have missed.

Science, Technology, Natural World

The first test image from the new Vera C Rubin telescope has found a tail on galaxy M61 (above). [££££]

Meanwhile a rather strange planetary system has been spotted with three planets circling a pair of stars.

The planet which crashed into Earth, thus creating the Moon, came from the Inner Solar System. [££££]

Recently a very tiny asteroid buzzed past very close to Earth.

Here’s a tribute to Betty Webster, the much ignored woman who discovered the first black hole.

Coming back to Earth … How did a medieval Oxford friar use light and colour to find the composition of stars and planets?

A recent scientific study has found that there are four key ages in your brain’s development – and they’re not quite when you think they are!

A curiosity … It seems we have an internal lunar clock (as well as the solar one) and it’s getting disrupted by light pollution.

Scientists now calculate that the first kiss dates back some 21 million years – so it wasn’t between humans! (Sculpture below is by Brancusi)

The diversity of our dog breeds can apparently be traced back to the Stone Age.

They seem to have memory, but what do trees remember? [LONG READ]

Environment & Ecology

In the UK, on the Isle of Wight, the “White-knuckled Wolf Spider” has been rediscovered.

Would you believe that London is home to a hairy snail (above), which is now subject to conservation efforts?

Meanwhile, an exceptionally rare pink grasshopper (below) has been found in New Zealand.

History, Archaeology, Anthropology

Archaeologists have discovered a massive ancient Egyptian fortress in the middle of the desert.

In the UK, the find of several Bronze and Iron Age log boats is revealing details of Fenland prehistory.
From

There’s a project which is mapping ancient Roman roads, and they’ve recently added 60,000 miles from right across the Roman Empire. [££££]

Here’s Going Medieval on the Dark Ages.

Well who would have thought it? Finds – including 25 shoes (one, below) – from ancient vulture nests are shedding light on 600 years of human history! [££££]

London

As so often our London section is mostly historical …

There’s a new book, The Boroughs of London by Mike Hall and Matt Brown. It’s getting lots of great reviews.

Meanwhile Londonist has an article by Matt Brown on the history of the London Plane Tree. [LONG READ]

Ongoing work under the Houses of Parliament has turned up evidence of prehistoric tools and a lost medieval hall.

In another Londonist post Matt Brown (again) continues his work revealing the detail in John Rocque’s 1746 map of London by colouring it in. He’s now got to Wapping, Rotherhithe and Shadwell (snippet below). [LONG READ]

Still with Matt Brown, and following on from the previous item, he appears to have found the lost island of Shadwell.

And coming right up to date, the 20-year old gates of City Road Lock on the Regent’s Canal are being replaced, allowing a quick peek at the workings of a lock.

Shock, Horror, Ha ha ha!

And finally, for your delectation, here’s a history of slang for virginity – and some links to similar articles from the same author.

amusements, memes, science, topographical

April Quiz Answers

Here are the answers to this month’s five quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.

Geography

  1. There is a very small (180 square miles) landlocked sovereign country between France and Spain with a population of approximately 75,000. What is the name of this country?  Andorra
  2. What is the world’s largest coral reef system?  Great Barrier Reef
  3. What is the only US state that borders just one other?  Maine
  4. What does the Beaufort scale measure?  Wind Strength
  5. On which continent is the volcano Mt Erebus?  Antarctica

Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2023.

amusements, memes, science, topographical

April Quiz Questions

Each month we’re posing five pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. As before, they’re not difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers – so hopefully you’ll learn something new, as well as having a bit of fun.

Geography

  1. There is a very small (180 square miles) landlocked sovereign country between France and Spain with a population of approximately 75,000. What is the name of this country?
  2. What is the world’s largest coral reef system?
  3. What is the only US state that borders just one other?
  4. What does the Beaufort scale measure?
  5. On which continent is the volcano Mt Erebus?

Answers will be posted in 2 weeks time.

amusements, topographical

On Postcards and Penguins

Where is the southernmost post office in the world? Falkland Islands? Patagonia? South Georgia? French Southern and Antarctic Lands?

Nope. None of those. Go even further south to Port Lockroy in Antarctica.

Yes, Port Lockroy, which is on Goudier Island off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula, has a small post office which handles 70,000 pieces of mail every year – despite being inhabited only during the Antarctic summer season.

Port Lockroy

The bay in which Goudier Island sits is a regular stop off for cruise ships, consequently the Post Office is visited by 18,000 people a year. As well as being a post office, Port Lockroy has a small (tourist) shop, and a small museum; the workers (usually just 4 or 5 during the Antarctic summer) also double as scientists, observing and recording the gentoo penguin population for the British Antarctic Survey.

Port Lockroy Shop

The post office and museum are maintained and operated by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust (UKAHT), a charity committed to conserving historic buildings on the Antarctic Peninsula. The funds raised from the sale of souvenirs and postage fees go directly to supporting the conservation of UKAHT’s six historical sites in the area.

The 2022-2023 team made this short video during their stay …

It’s a bit of a cheat but you don’t have to go all the way to Antarctica to send a postcard from there! Earlier this autumn UKAHT were selling postcards that would be sent from Antarctica when this season’s team arrived (and had dug the base out from under last winter’s snow). Each postcard cost £20, could be personalised with your message, and sent to anyone anywhere in the world.

So of course I had to do this. I love esoteric things like this. My card arrived about a week ago – much sooner than expected given it’s somewhat byzantine journey (see this blog post). The postcards, like all the base’s supplies from stock for the shop to food, are shipped from the UK to Port Lockroy – in this case in the team’s luggage rather than on a supply ship.

Once stamped and franked the cards are bagged and surrendered to the next (suitable) visiting ship to travel to Stanley in the Falkland Islands (a trip of at least 5 days). From there they take the twice weekly flight to RAF Brize Norton in UK, where they are consigned to Royal Mail for transit to their destination (which could be anywhere in the world).

Here’s my card, front and back …

Port Lockroy Postcard

If you want a postal curiosity, keep an eye out next August/September as UKAHT may again be selling postcards like this to raise funds. You’ll be supporting British heritage in Antarctica, and valuable wildlife and climate research, but also contributing to a handful of young people getting the opportunity of life-changing experience. I shall certainly do this again if the opportunity arises.

amusements, topographical

June Quiz Answers

Here are the answers to this month’s five quiz questions. If in doubt, all should be able to be easily verified online.

June Quiz Questions: World Geography

  1. Until 1930, what was the Turkish city of Istanbul called? Constantinople
  2. What country has the most islands in the world? Sweden, with 267,570.
  3. What is the largest desert in the world? Antarctica
  4. What country is located between France and Spain? Andorra
  5. What is the smallest country in the world by area? Vatican City at 0.49 sq km

Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2022.

amusements, topographical

June Quiz Questions

Again this year we’re beginning each month with five pub quiz style questions, with a different subject each month. They’re not difficult, but it is unlikely everyone will know all the answers, so hopefully you’ll learn something new, as well as have a bit of fun.

June Quiz Questions: World Geography

  1. Until 1930, what was the Turkish city of Istanbul called?
  2. What country has the most islands in the world?
  3. What is the largest desert in the world?
  4. What country is located between France and Spain?
  5. What is the smallest country in the world by area?

Answers will be posted in 2 weeks time.

amusements, memes, ramblings, topographical

Things What I Done in London

Last week London blogger Diamond Geezer posted a list of 100 Things I have Done in London. Given that he spends his life out and about in London it is naturally an eclectic and interesting list.

Despite being essentially a Londoner, I can’t compete with DG. However I thought it would be interesting to see what I have done within the bounds of Greater London. And there are some unusual things.

First of all I share just these five things with DG (I’m surprised it is quite so few):

  1. Voted for an MP who actually won
  2. Done jury service
  3. Been underground to watch Mail Rail while it was actually operational – and in my case long before it was branded Mail Rail
  4. Bought my first top shelf magazine
  5. Endured a pandemic

Then I can add:

  1. Been through the red channel at Heathrow
  2. Had lunch with a Herald, and paid the bill
  3. Had tea tête-à-tête with an Earl
  4. Been in A&E at Barts Hospital
  5. Had lunch at the Mermaid Theatre (aged 11) – and was served a whole trout as a starter
  6. Been aboard RRS Discovery (which carried Scott & Shackleton on their first journey to the Antarctic) and the Cutty Sark
  7. Travelled from Charing Cross to Greenwich and back by boat
  8. Travelled down the Thames (and back) from Tower Pier by paddle steamer
  9. Seen Shakespeare performed at the Globe Theatre
  10. Caught the last train home
  11. Caught the first train in from home
  12. Been to the old Billingsgate Market before dawn
  13. Been to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party
  14. Been to exhibition openings/private views at V&A and the V&A Museum of Childhood
  15. Been to an exhibition opening at the Wallace Collection with Simon Russell Beale
  16. Sung in a choir in St Pauls Cathedral
  17. Been to a play reading at the College of Arms
  18. Run conferences at the Wallace Collection and Naval & Military Club (the In & Out)
  19. Been on a tour of the Houses of Parliament
  20. Dined at five London clubs: Garrick, In & Out, Reform, Oxford & Cambridge, Travellers
  21. Had Sunday Lunch at the Ritz
  22. Eaten prunes & custard in a Lyons Corner House (aged about 4)
  23. Been part of a group who formed a literary society, which is now a registered charity
  24. Been to the Chelsea Flower Show (twice; first aged 8)
  25. Rescued several cats
  26. Caught a train to or from every major London rail terminus (of all the London termini I think I’m probably missing only Blackfriars and Cannon Street)
  27. Been “back stage” at Wallace Collection, V&A Museum of Childhood, College of Arms
  28. Been shown round the research labs at the Royal Institution by the then Director, Prof. Sir George (later Lord) Porter
  29. Had sex in a Bayswater hotel
  30. Been to a Christmas Lecture at the Royal Institution
  31. Travelled the old North London Line to/from Broad Street
  32. Had (and used) a BL Readers Ticket, when they were hard to get and gave admission to the iconic BM Reading Room
  33. Drunk a pint in the Pavilion at Lord’s
  34. Been to a Test Match at Lord’s – several times including the one when Bob Taylor was allowed out of retirement to keep wicket as 12th man against New Zealand on 25 July 1986
  35. Played cricket against the Bank of England
  36. Written computer code for Lloyds Register of Shipping, OCL and Thompson Travel
  37. Met Ian Rankin, having arranged for him to speak at a conference
  38. Got married
  39. Been the guide on a coach tour of London
  40. Been in the audience at a conference to hear Prince Charles speak

And I’ve no doubt N will be along and remind me of curiosities I’ve forgotten.

amusements, topographical

September Quiz Answers

OK, so here are the answers to this month’s quiz questions. All should be able to be easily verified online.

September Quiz Questions: World Geography

  1. What’s the smallest country in the world? The Vatican
  2. Where is the lowest point on the Earth’s surface? Challenger Deep, at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, 11,034m below sea level
  3. Three world cities have longer metro systems than London. Name one of them. Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai
  4. In what country would you find Angkor Wat? Cambodia
  5. What is the largest desert in the world? Antarctica

Answers were correct when questions were compiled in late 2021.