What It Must Be Like Inside The Hauer-King House
I took these pictures as I passed through West Ham station today, as its method of construction reminded me of the Hauer-King House in Islington.
The light shows interesting patterns, but I think it would get on your nerve after a time.
Fighting The Algae
I walked through the New River Walk in Islington this morning and the Council were doing their best to fight the algae.
The theory is if you put bales of barley straw in water infected with the algae, it helps to combat it.
They don’t seem to be having much success, but then I didn’t when I tried it years ago in one of my ponds.
The Hauer-King House
I came across this house in Douglas Road, Islington this morning.
The Hauer-King House
There’s more about it here on the mimoa web site.
I bet it was a devil’s own job to get planning permission.
I’d love to have a look round.
Peer-To-Peer Lending Is Different In The US
I like peer-to-peer lending and have quite a large sum invested. But after reading this article in the Financial Times, I’m pretty certain that if I lived in the United States, I wouldn’t touch peer-to-peer lending with a bargepole.
The reason is that in the United States, institutional investors get first pick of the borrowers and are developing software, so that the retail investors gets what’s left.
In the UK, the Peer-To-Peer Finance Association has moved to ban this practice and make all investors equal.
The day they give preference to institutions, my money will be withdrawn gradually as it becomes available.
I think we all have to remember that one of the causes of the Financial Crash of a few years ago was greedy bankers, who felt they were a class above the vast majority of people, who have made their money by sheer dint of hard work.
Whatever you do, read the article in the FT. It’s a cracker!
And also look at the Peer-To-Peer Finance Association web site!
A Must Read Article On The Tesla Powerwall
I have a Google Alert set for Tesla Powerwall and usually it just picks up pretty boring stuff, but this article from ecomento.com is better than most. It does state this.
The Tesla Powerwall won’t really make economic sense for most US customers until the price drops – considerably. The people who buy one now will help fund the research and development that needs to take place to drive battery prices down in the future.
So as with a lot of new technology, with my engineer’s hard hat on, I think it will be best to wait until the cost of solar panels, Powerwall-like devices and all the other electronics and control systems needed, have been proven to be reliable and have dropped in price.
My house here has a flat roof, which would be ideal for solar panels, so I’m watching the technology and will buy them, when the payback is less than five years.
Why five years? It’s the length of our fixed term parliament, so hopefully the financial conditions won’t be mucked up too much by a change of governmen.
Lottery Grants To Museums And Heritage
This article on the BBC web site details the grants to various museums and heritage organisations.
I am pleased that one local to me; the Geffyre Museum is getting a grant.
The Geffrye Museum in London, which specialises in the history of the English domestic interior, is being given £11m.
The funding will allow the development of a new entrance from Hoxton station, accessible spaces for the collections, library and archive, new learning facilities and a new cafe.
The second entrance from Hoxton station is to be welcomed and I hope they make sure that the cafe serves gluten-free offerings.
One thing I feel strongly about is that all lottery-funded attractions, should have good access for those like me, who can’t or don’t drive.
Obviously some on today’s list like the Geffryre and Science Museums and Lincoln Cathedral are accessible by rail, but this isn’t always the case.
Jodrell Bank is a place, I would like to visit, but on looking up travel information on their web site, it has to be a taxi from the nearest stations. That is just not good enough and a real pity considering that Jodrell Bank lies virtually alongside the rail line between Manchester and Crewe.
Jodrell Bank And The Manchester-Crewe Railway
A station would be expensive, but I’m certain that many European countries would have provided something better than expecting visitors to take a taxi, especially as the nearest station at Goostrey is only served by one train an hour. It would be interesting to see what would happen, if the service was twice an hour and there was a free shuttle bus to Jodrell Bank.
In my view anything that makes science more accessible and also puts Jodrell Bank on a sound financial footing is to be welcomed.
Ukip Founder Calls Party BNP-Lite
I was listening to BBC Radio 5 Live yesterday, when in a fascinating interview, Alan Sked, the original founder of Ukip, called the party BNP-Lite.
I certainly wouldn’t touch either toxic bunch of ists with a bargepole; mine or otherwise.
Thames Tideway Tunnel Site – Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore
Index Thames Tideway Tunnel Sites Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore
Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore is going to be a major site for the construction and operation of the Thames Tideway Tunnel.
This Google Earth image shows the area of the site.
Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore
Note the pier for the river boats and HMS President in the angle between Blackfriars Bridge and the Victoria Embankment. Compare this image with this visualisation clipped from the Thames Tideway Tunnel web site.
Blackfriars Bridge Foreshore
The pier for the river boats will obviously be moved downstream and I found the works for this a few days ago and wrote about it here.
The first thing anybody will notice here is the relocation of the pier, which Thames Water say won’t happen until the new one is ready. At the moment the current pier is looking a bit tired, as these pictures show.
The text system for the Next Boat works.
Thames Tideway Tunnel Site – Albert Embankment Foreshore
Index Thames Tideway Tunnel Sites Albert Embankment Foreshore
The Albert Embankment Foreshore site must have given the Secret Intelligence Service kittens, as it is going to be located across the front of their famous building. I also went to a lecture at University College London, which said that in the river at this point, there are prehistoric structures.
Thames Water say this on the Thames Tideway Tunnel web site.
Work will comprise construction of a new area of reclaimed land in the foreshore, in front of Camelford House for a shaft approximately 48 metres deep with an internal diameter of approximately 16 metres. Connection to the existing sewers will be made within a second new area of reclaimed land underneath Vauxhall Bridge and in front of the Vauxhall Cross building. These two areas will be connected under the foreshore. The shaft is required to transfer sewage flows from the combined sewer overflows to the main tunnel.
Once construction is complete there will be new public space extending into the foreshore providing a viewing platform to Central London, benches and intertidal terraces. The Thames Path will be widened to allow pedestrians to be diverted in front of (rather than underneath) Camelford House.
It is certainly a large set of works in the area, which they also say will link the Clapham Storm Relief and Brixton Storm Relief sewers to the new Thames Tideway Tunnel. This is a visualisation of how the completed site will look
Albert Embankment Foreshore
Joseph Bazalgette would be pleased at the expansion of his Albert Embankment. These are a few pictures I took around Vauxhall Bridge.
There is certainly scope to improve the river in this area.
It’s My Fault HaHa!
I just had to post this story from the BBC, about how an Ipswich fan punched a hole in his ceiling when Ipswich equalised against Norwich and the scorer; Paul Anderson offered to pay for it.
Can you imagine the fuss of a Liverpool or Chelsea player did this for a fan living in Leeds!
The Anonymous Widower 