The Vehicle Hire Loophole
It is being reported that the car that was used as a murder weapon yesterday was a hire car from Birmingham.
Let’s suppose a country has elected a President, who is against opposition, women, the gay community, Jews, Sikhs, Hindus, Christians and dogs.
Inevitably, a large demonstration will happen in Trafalgar Square.
So the President sends a hitman to hire a suitable vehicle to cause as much death and destruction as he can!
The hitman presents a valid passport and driving licence at Heavy Metal Rent-a-Weapon at Heathrow Airport and he is on his way.
But how many times has the average person hired a car at an airport and driven into the nearest large city?
How do you sort the terrorist from the tourist?
Bolting The Stable Door
After the murder of Airey Neave in the Palace of Westminster by a bomb, many people felt that the car park was a security risk.
The attacker yesterday, who murdered PC Keith Palmer, would have been unable to enter the grounds of the Palace of Westminster if that road entrance and the car park had been closed.
The attacker might have caused more carnage to members of the public and others, but I suspect he would have met the same fate fairly quickly, as there are always armed officers around that area, outside of the Palace.
Nearly two years ago, I wrote What Are We Going To Do With The Palace Of Westminster?
What I said then was probably the rantings of a madman, but after the events of yesterday, we need to act in a very radical manner to preserve our fragile democracy.
Sibling Wars
I agree with the princess in this story on the BBC, which is entitled Genetically-modified crops have benefits – Princess Anne.
But I doubt her elder brother does!
Would You Trust Your Weight On A Thirty Metre Long Plastic Bridge?
I might as I’m only just over sixty kilograms, but others might not!
But never underestimate the power of World Class engineering.
This article in The Construction Index is entitled Mabey and Arup Launch Plastic Modular Bridge.
The bridge has the following characteristics.
- Built of metre long sections bolted together.
- Up to thirty metre spans.
- Installed without heavy machinery.
- The bridge is 70% lighter than steel.
- Low maintenance
The first bridge has been installed over the railway at a Site of Special Scientific Interest In Oxford.
I feel that Arup have designed this bridge system for purposes other than permanent structures.
This Google Map shows the centre of Tadcaster.
The road bridge that connects the two parts of the town was swept away by floodwater, as this BBC report, which details the destruction and rebuilding shows.
The new system couldn’t replace a road bridge, but there must be many instances around the world, after a an earthquake or floods, where the first thing that the rescuers need is a bridge to access a destroyed town or village.
The size and low weight of this bridge system, means it could be an early arrival.
There is more about the Pedesta bridge on Mabey’s web site.
A Good Day Out In A Wheelchair
I have a friend, who is not the best on her feet. As she was in London on business and wanted to see Hockney exhibition at Tate Britain and I have a Membership at the Tate, which allows me to take a guest into any of the exhibitions at any time, I took her to see the pictures.
We arrived at Tate Britain in a taxi at the side entrance and in the entrance one of the staff indicated we could use the wheelchair in the entrance hall.
Judging by the number of similar chairs, I saw, it wasn’t the only one, but possibly the last one yesterday at that time.
So I pushed my friend around the exhibition, which because it was timed entry, although not for Members, wasn’t that busy.
I’d never pushed a good wheelchair before and it was surprisingly easy.
But what surprised me, was the helpfulness of Tate staff, who a couple of times cleared a way through the crowds, so I could push my friend through.
We were even able to use the Members Room, where I got another surprise. They now do gluten-free sandwiches and egg was on the menu! So I indulged!
At the end of the visit, we walked to the front of the Tate, where there were at least four waiting taxis, one of which took us to my friend’s hotel.
By the end of the day, the designer in me, was saying that had all been well thought out.
I wonder if other museums and galleries are so disabled-friendly.
A Neat Seat
These pictures show some seats by Vauxhall Bridge, as part of a new development.
The idea is so brilliant and probably affordable, I’m surprised I haven’t seen something like it before.
My Meter Installation
This may seem an odd post, but I want to have the pictures easily available, as fitting a smart meter to my house seems to be an obstacle course.
Let’s hope it means, that I don’t take any more pictures!
A Man Who Changed History
I’d never heard of the British colonial administrator; Sir Cosmo Haskard, until I read his obituary in The Times.
In the 1960s, he was the Governor of the Falkland Islands, when Harold Wilson’s government was seeking to transfer sovereignty of the islands to the Argentinians. He realised the islanders wouldn’t be a favour and fought a virtually one-man campaign to stop the transfer. The Times tells the story in detail, but I can’t find it elsewhere.
It is a fascinating tale, but without the efforts of Sir Cosmo, the history of the world would be very different.
Shooting The Messenger
This article on the BBC is entitled White House bans certain news media from briefing. This is said.
The White House has barred several major broadcasters and newspapers from attending an informal press briefing.
The BBC, CNN, the New York Times and others were excluded from an audience with Press Secretary Sean Spicer, with no reason given.
If you don’t like the messenger, perhaps they’ve not the problem, but what the message might be.
Recent stories on the BBC web site include.
- Mexico Warns US Over Border Wall Funding
- India Shocked Over US Bar Shooting
- Trump Aid Pressed FBI On Russia Reports
- Caithlyn Jenner To Donald Trump “Call Me!”
But those who voted for Trump think he’s right.
Supporters thought that about Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Saddam Hussein, Qaddafi and Hitler.
Politicians should be wary of being selective with the messages they will accept.
Especially, when you consider that many English speakers throughout the world, get their American world news as it effects them from the BBC or CNN and not from Trump TV!
How Norway Will Keep Britain’s Lights On
This is the title of an article in today’s Times about the building of the North Sea Link, which is described like this in Wikipedia.
The North Sea Link (also known as North Sea Network Link or NSN Link, HVDC Norway–Great Britain, and Norway–UK interconnector) is a 1,400 MW subsea high-voltage direct current electricity cable under construction between Norway and the United Kingdom. It is a joint project of the transmission system operators Statnett and National Grid plc and is due to be completed in 2021.
To put the size of the North Sea Link into context Hinckley Point C nuclear power station will generate 3,2000 MW, so we get 44% of the power reliably for as long as Norway’s hydro-electric power system functions.
The Times article also lists other interconnectors in which National Grid are involved.
- 160 MW system (1961) – 100 MW – co-owned with the French.
- 2000 MW system (1986) – 2000 MW co-owned with the French.
- IFA2 – 1000 MW co-owned with the French
- BritNed – 1000 MW co-owned with the Dutch.
- NemoLink – 1000 MW co-owned with the Belgians.
- Viking Link – 1400 MW co-owned with the Danes.
- ICELink – A possible 1000 MW link to Iceland.
- A possible second connection to Norway
- A possible second connection to the Netherlands.
In addition, there are other links like FABlink and NorthConnect, where National Grid don’t have an interest.
It’s not all importing of electricity, as recently because of troubles with their nuclear plants, we’ve been exporting electricity to the French.
As a control engineer, I think all of these interconnectors are sound investments, as Europe can mix the erratic sources of wind, wave, tidal and solar with the steady outputs of nuclear, coal and hydro.
This Wikipedia article called Wind power in the United Kingdom says this.
The United Kingdom is one of the best locations for wind power in the world, and is considered to be the best in Europe. Wind power contributed 11% of UK electricity generation in 2015, and 17% in December 2015. Allowing for the costs of pollution, particularly the carbon emissions of other forms of production, onshore wind power is the cheapest form of energy in the United Kingdom In 2016, the UK generated more electricity from wind power than from coal.
So back wind up by steady sources from the UK and Europe like nuclear and hydro-electric, when the wind stops and all is well with the lights.
And of course, as many of these interconnectors are bi-directional, when we have excess power, countries in Europe who need it can import it.
Who sits like spider in the middle of this web? – National Grid of course!
All those, who think that coal is a good idea, should be made to sit on the naughty step.
The Anonymous Widower 