Articles In Today’s Times
In addition to World’s Top Wealth Fund Puts Billions Into Britain, there were other articles worth blogging about in today’s copy of The Times.
Build New Homes Away From Roads, Heath Watchdog Says
Surely, this very sensible! The distance can of course be vertical!
Plastic Packaging Used To Make Car Parts In Upcycling Revolution
Scientists working for the US Department of Defense have shown it is possible to convert recycled PET bottles and other packaging into useful long-life products.
Corbyn’s Favourite Firebrand Is Suspended In Antisemitism Row
My father believed that there was little different between the extreme left as represented by Stalin and the extreme right as represented by Hitler.
Agent Orange Shows Fatty The Third The Art Of No Deal
The title of this post is my translation of the front page headline of today’s Evening Standard.
- Agent Orange is Spike Lee’s nickname for the current US President.
- Fatty The Third is how the Chinese refer to Kim Jong-un on social media.
These two imbeciles deserve each other!
World’s Top Wealth Fund Puts Billions Into Britain
The title of this post is the same as that of a news story on the front page of today’s copy of The Times.
There is a subtitle to the article.
UK will be stronger after Brexit, Norwegians say.
Some points from the article.
- Norway’s wealth fund is worth £740billion.
- The fund owns £62billion of UK investments.
- Britain is the third largest market for their investments.
- The fund works to a thirty-year-plus investment strategy.
- The fund is co-owner of Regent Street.
- The fund is a top five investor in companies.
I feel a smidgen of pride, that Artemis, which was the project management software, that I wrote; in the late 1970s, had played small part in the creation of Norway’s wealth from oil and gas.
Is Brexit Stoating About Coming To An End?
As a Control Engineer, I know that all systems tend to an equilibrium.
As we approach the 29th of March, I see signs of actions, that are nudging us towards a deal, that will be acceptable to enough people.
- Corbyn and May still have their own internal party problems, but both have moved slightly to a position, that could get a deal through Parliament.
- The EU was also said to be more accommodating about a change to the backstop, by a Government minister.
- Honda’s closure of UK manufacturing, seems to have added a dose of reality. Even though, I don’t feel Brexit was the major reason for closure.
- Hard-liners on both sides seem to have stopped shouting so loud.
- Companies are taking decisions, that will work in all eventualities.
- The City is still announcing more mega office and residential towers, as are Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester, to name but three cities.
It’s just like an airliner landing after a very bumpy flight from Australia, where somebody forgot to load any alcohol! A lot of panic, but then reality kicks in.
I think we’ll see a deal passed by Parliament in time for a March 29th Brexit, despite the Democratic Unionist Party saying No! They always do, as it’s the only word in their political dictionary, which is the smallest book in the world.
Enough of the Labour Party will vote for it and the Rees-Moggies will reluctantly give their support.
I will be relieved when it’s all over!
Royal Mint Gardens
Royal Mint Gardens is a housing development to the East of Fenchurch Street and Tower Gateway stations.
These are a few pictures of the development.
But this doesn’t tell the full story.
This Google Map shows the position of the development.
Note.
- Fenchurch Street station is towards the top-left corner of the map.
- The c2c tracks running to the East from Fencurch Street station.
- Tower Gateway DLR station is just to the right of the centre, just above the green space.
- The tracks of the Docklands Light Railway running to the East from Tower Gateway DLR station.
The three concrete towers at the right of the map, lying to the South of the railway tracks, are the three structural towers of Royal Mint Gardens.
This Google Map shows a close up of Royal Mint Gardens.
Note how the Docklands Light Railway splits into two to the East of the development.
- The Northern pair of tracks skirt the development to the North to go to Tower Gatewat DLR station.
- The Southern pair of tracks go underneath the development to go to Bank DLR station.
The new development has put the Bank branch in a concrete tunnel.
So in an area of the world, where land is a very expensive commodity, this area is being used twice at the same time.
Royal Mint Gardens On The BBC
BBC London television has been covering various aspects of the building of Royal Mint Gadens in local news for most of the day.
The developer, the architect, Network Rail and the reporter, all seemed very positive about what is being created.
The architect felt up to 250,000 houses could be created on similar sites across London.
How many houses could be built over rail lines in the rest of the UK?
Conclusion
Building over rail lines like this, will increasingly be seen as a way of adding new housing in densely populated cities.
Woodsmith Potash Mine: Showcasing The Future Of Underground Technology
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Mining Technology.
These are some points from the article.
- Yorkshire is the world’s only source of mined polyhalite.
- £3.2billion has been invested.
- A 32 km. tunnel is being dug to bring the plyhalite to Wilton on Teesside.
- At 1.5 km deep, it will be the deepest mine in Europe.
- Sirius are saying it will reduce the UK’s trade deficit by 7%
It is a fascinating read, which lays out the financing and engineering of one the biggest projects in the UK.
5,120 Tonne Loading Test Above Moorgate Tube Station
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on IanVisits.
Ian’s article is a fascinating insight into how the foundations of some new tower blocks will be tested.
It is a must-read.
Ban Gas Hobs And Heating In Six Years, Ministers Told
The title of this post is the same as that as an article on the front page of yesterday’s copy of The Times.
This is the first paragraph.
Gas boilers and cookers should be banned in new homes within six years to meet Britain’s legally binding emissions targets, the government’s climate change advisory body recommends today.
I don’t like gas, as I find that naked gas flames affect my health, so I cook electric.
In addition to its role in carbon dioxide production, I don’t like the safety problems with gas.
Would the Grenfell disaster have been so serious, if there had been no gas in the building?
Institutional Investors ‘See Energy Storage As Most Interesting Renewable’ Option
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Energy Storage News.
This is the first two paragraphs.
A new poll has identified energy storage as the most promising technology for institutional investors keen on renewable assets, amid plans by many to ramp up allocations.
Nearly two-thirds of all asset owners and managers quizzed by the firm chose batteries and other energy storage technologies as the renewables subsector with the greatest potential.
I suggest you read the rest.
The last paragraph talks of Arlington Energy building a portfolio of 1GW of energy storage and gas peaker projects and has raised £200million for starters.
If I was an engineer involved in the development of nuclear power, I would be seriously thinking of looking for a new challenge.
The Anonymous Widower 