Every now and then, someone in Britain publishes a book or makes a TV program which extoles the virtues of some Briton who did something important. A few years ago, Dave Sobel wrote the book Longitude, which told the story of John Harrison, who in the 18th century succeeded in producing watches robust enough and accurate enough that mariners could then determine their longitude. (Longitude is hard, as you must know both the time and the position of the stars. Latitude is easy, because you can do it with the stars alone). People bought this book in huge numbers, and Harrison's achievements are now consequently quite well known. (Harrisons clocks and watches can today be seen in the Greenwich Observatory, which is well worth a visit, also because Greenwich is an extremely nice spot, with a large park including the observatory surrounding the hill, and a nice view.
The one good thing to have come out of the BBC's recent effort to find the Greatest Briton is Jeremy Clarkson's superb documentary about Isambard Brunel. He isn't the greatest ever Briton, but the British are much more aware of what he did than they were a couple of months ago. You hear his name being mentioned in the media and other contexts now. (How long this will last, remains to be seen). For now though, his is great. Just this morning I was on a train approaching London Bridge from the south-east. There was a rather well spoken English chap sitting near me, having a conversation with a couple of travelling companions. He was talking about the various buildings nearby, and how warehouses were being refitted as residential property, and how Dickens had once worked in one of the arches of the railway to Greenwich etc. He mentioned that he had been through the Rotherhithe tunnel, which had been built by "Brunel" in 1840.
I was very tempted to pipe up that there were actually two Brunels: and the tunnel , which was the first tunnel in the world to be built under a navigable waterway, was actually built by Marc Brunel, not Isambard. (While Marc Brunel was an important engineer, he was nowhere near as important as his son, which is why if you just say "Brunel" you are referring to Isambard). However, this is England and you don't do this. (If you are in London and are going to Greenwich to see the observatory, it is well worth going through the tunnel, however. To do this, you have to go on the East London Line of the underground, which is orange on Harry Beck's famous map.
I'm an Aussie presently living in London. This blog normally consists of my random thoughts on a variety of subjects, ranging from politics to telecommunications technology, movies cricket, urban design, beer, cheese, and whatever else comes into my head.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Blog Archive
-
►
2013
(4)
- ► 09/08 - 09/15 (2)
- ► 09/01 - 09/08 (1)
- ► 02/10 - 02/17 (1)
-
►
2012
(3)
- ► 02/05 - 02/12 (1)
- ► 01/29 - 02/05 (2)
-
►
2011
(20)
- ► 12/25 - 01/01 (1)
- ► 10/16 - 10/23 (1)
- ► 10/02 - 10/09 (2)
- ► 09/25 - 10/02 (1)
- ► 09/04 - 09/11 (2)
- ► 08/14 - 08/21 (2)
- ► 08/07 - 08/14 (1)
- ► 07/31 - 08/07 (1)
- ► 07/24 - 07/31 (1)
- ► 07/17 - 07/24 (1)
- ► 07/10 - 07/17 (2)
- ► 05/08 - 05/15 (1)
- ► 04/24 - 05/01 (1)
- ► 04/03 - 04/10 (1)
- ► 03/13 - 03/20 (1)
- ► 02/20 - 02/27 (1)
-
►
2010
(26)
- ► 12/19 - 12/26 (1)
- ► 12/05 - 12/12 (1)
- ► 10/31 - 11/07 (2)
- ► 10/03 - 10/10 (1)
- ► 09/12 - 09/19 (1)
- ► 08/22 - 08/29 (2)
- ► 07/25 - 08/01 (1)
- ► 07/04 - 07/11 (1)
- ► 05/23 - 05/30 (2)
- ► 05/16 - 05/23 (3)
- ► 04/04 - 04/11 (2)
- ► 03/14 - 03/21 (1)
- ► 03/07 - 03/14 (1)
- ► 02/28 - 03/07 (1)
- ► 02/21 - 02/28 (1)
- ► 02/14 - 02/21 (2)
- ► 01/10 - 01/17 (1)
- ► 01/03 - 01/10 (2)
-
►
2009
(13)
- ► 12/27 - 01/03 (1)
- ► 12/13 - 12/20 (2)
- ► 12/06 - 12/13 (1)
- ► 11/15 - 11/22 (1)
- ► 11/08 - 11/15 (1)
- ► 11/01 - 11/08 (2)
- ► 10/25 - 11/01 (1)
- ► 08/30 - 09/06 (1)
- ► 07/05 - 07/12 (1)
- ► 05/17 - 05/24 (1)
- ► 02/01 - 02/08 (1)
-
►
2008
(27)
- ► 12/28 - 01/04 (1)
- ► 07/20 - 07/27 (1)
- ► 06/29 - 07/06 (1)
- ► 06/22 - 06/29 (1)
- ► 05/18 - 05/25 (4)
- ► 05/04 - 05/11 (2)
- ► 04/27 - 05/04 (2)
- ► 04/13 - 04/20 (1)
- ► 04/06 - 04/13 (1)
- ► 03/30 - 04/06 (5)
- ► 03/09 - 03/16 (2)
- ► 03/02 - 03/09 (1)
- ► 02/24 - 03/02 (1)
- ► 02/10 - 02/17 (2)
- ► 02/03 - 02/10 (1)
- ► 01/27 - 02/03 (1)
-
►
2007
(121)
- ► 12/16 - 12/23 (1)
- ► 11/25 - 12/02 (2)
- ► 11/18 - 11/25 (1)
- ► 11/04 - 11/11 (1)
- ► 10/21 - 10/28 (1)
- ► 10/14 - 10/21 (2)
- ► 09/23 - 09/30 (1)
- ► 09/16 - 09/23 (3)
- ► 09/09 - 09/16 (1)
- ► 08/19 - 08/26 (1)
- ► 08/12 - 08/19 (2)
- ► 07/29 - 08/05 (2)
- ► 07/22 - 07/29 (2)
- ► 07/15 - 07/22 (4)
- ► 07/08 - 07/15 (5)
- ► 07/01 - 07/08 (4)
- ► 06/24 - 07/01 (10)
- ► 06/17 - 06/24 (5)
- ► 06/10 - 06/17 (5)
- ► 06/03 - 06/10 (3)
- ► 05/27 - 06/03 (5)
- ► 05/20 - 05/27 (4)
- ► 05/13 - 05/20 (2)
- ► 05/06 - 05/13 (2)
- ► 04/22 - 04/29 (8)
- ► 04/15 - 04/22 (1)
- ► 04/08 - 04/15 (6)
- ► 04/01 - 04/08 (6)
- ► 03/25 - 04/01 (12)
- ► 03/18 - 03/25 (10)
- ► 03/11 - 03/18 (8)
- ► 01/21 - 01/28 (1)
-
►
2006
(27)
- ► 12/17 - 12/24 (2)
- ► 09/24 - 10/01 (1)
- ► 07/16 - 07/23 (1)
- ► 07/09 - 07/16 (1)
- ► 06/25 - 07/02 (3)
- ► 06/18 - 06/25 (1)
- ► 03/26 - 04/02 (1)
- ► 03/05 - 03/12 (2)
- ► 02/26 - 03/05 (1)
- ► 02/19 - 02/26 (5)
- ► 02/12 - 02/19 (5)
- ► 02/05 - 02/12 (1)
- ► 01/22 - 01/29 (2)
- ► 01/08 - 01/15 (1)
-
►
2005
(117)
- ► 12/25 - 01/01 (1)
- ► 12/18 - 12/25 (1)
- ► 12/04 - 12/11 (1)
- ► 11/20 - 11/27 (1)
- ► 11/13 - 11/20 (1)
- ► 10/30 - 11/06 (2)
- ► 10/23 - 10/30 (1)
- ► 10/16 - 10/23 (7)
- ► 10/09 - 10/16 (1)
- ► 10/02 - 10/09 (4)
- ► 09/25 - 10/02 (4)
- ► 09/18 - 09/25 (2)
- ► 09/11 - 09/18 (4)
- ► 09/04 - 09/11 (5)
- ► 08/28 - 09/04 (3)
- ► 08/21 - 08/28 (2)
- ► 08/14 - 08/21 (2)
- ► 08/07 - 08/14 (1)
- ► 07/31 - 08/07 (2)
- ► 07/24 - 07/31 (1)
- ► 07/17 - 07/24 (5)
- ► 07/10 - 07/17 (2)
- ► 07/03 - 07/10 (2)
- ► 06/19 - 06/26 (1)
- ► 06/05 - 06/12 (1)
- ► 05/29 - 06/05 (3)
- ► 05/22 - 05/29 (3)
- ► 05/15 - 05/22 (1)
- ► 05/08 - 05/15 (1)
- ► 05/01 - 05/08 (2)
- ► 04/24 - 05/01 (2)
- ► 04/17 - 04/24 (5)
- ► 04/10 - 04/17 (2)
- ► 04/03 - 04/10 (2)
- ► 03/27 - 04/03 (3)
- ► 03/20 - 03/27 (5)
- ► 03/13 - 03/20 (2)
- ► 03/06 - 03/13 (6)
- ► 02/27 - 03/06 (3)
- ► 02/20 - 02/27 (2)
- ► 02/13 - 02/20 (2)
- ► 02/06 - 02/13 (3)
- ► 01/30 - 02/06 (2)
- ► 01/23 - 01/30 (3)
- ► 01/16 - 01/23 (3)
- ► 01/09 - 01/16 (2)
- ► 01/02 - 01/09 (3)
-
►
2004
(336)
- ► 12/26 - 01/02 (1)
- ► 12/19 - 12/26 (2)
- ► 12/12 - 12/19 (1)
- ► 11/14 - 11/21 (1)
- ► 11/07 - 11/14 (1)
- ► 10/10 - 10/17 (1)
- ► 10/03 - 10/10 (2)
- ► 09/19 - 09/26 (2)
- ► 09/12 - 09/19 (2)
- ► 09/05 - 09/12 (1)
- ► 08/29 - 09/05 (3)
- ► 08/22 - 08/29 (8)
- ► 08/15 - 08/22 (6)
- ► 08/08 - 08/15 (5)
- ► 08/01 - 08/08 (6)
- ► 07/25 - 08/01 (5)
- ► 07/18 - 07/25 (3)
- ► 07/11 - 07/18 (7)
- ► 07/04 - 07/11 (6)
- ► 06/27 - 07/04 (9)
- ► 06/20 - 06/27 (6)
- ► 06/13 - 06/20 (10)
- ► 06/06 - 06/13 (9)
- ► 05/30 - 06/06 (9)
- ► 05/23 - 05/30 (9)
- ► 05/16 - 05/23 (8)
- ► 05/09 - 05/16 (13)
- ► 05/02 - 05/09 (10)
- ► 04/25 - 05/02 (7)
- ► 04/18 - 04/25 (8)
- ► 04/11 - 04/18 (11)
- ► 04/04 - 04/11 (8)
- ► 03/28 - 04/04 (10)
- ► 03/21 - 03/28 (11)
- ► 03/14 - 03/21 (8)
- ► 03/07 - 03/14 (12)
- ► 02/29 - 03/07 (11)
- ► 02/22 - 02/29 (17)
- ► 02/15 - 02/22 (8)
- ► 02/08 - 02/15 (8)
- ► 02/01 - 02/08 (13)
- ► 01/25 - 02/01 (10)
- ► 01/18 - 01/25 (13)
- ► 01/11 - 01/18 (17)
- ► 01/04 - 01/11 (18)
-
►
2003
(796)
- ► 12/28 - 01/04 (9)
- ► 12/21 - 12/28 (14)
- ► 12/14 - 12/21 (13)
- ► 12/07 - 12/14 (13)
- ► 11/30 - 12/07 (6)
- ► 11/23 - 11/30 (14)
- ► 11/16 - 11/23 (14)
- ► 11/09 - 11/16 (8)
- ► 11/02 - 11/09 (9)
- ► 10/26 - 11/02 (14)
- ► 10/19 - 10/26 (11)
- ► 10/12 - 10/19 (17)
- ► 10/05 - 10/12 (19)
- ► 09/28 - 10/05 (11)
- ► 09/21 - 09/28 (16)
- ► 09/14 - 09/21 (11)
- ► 09/07 - 09/14 (13)
- ► 08/31 - 09/07 (15)
- ► 08/24 - 08/31 (13)
- ► 08/17 - 08/24 (10)
- ► 08/10 - 08/17 (14)
- ► 08/03 - 08/10 (10)
- ► 07/27 - 08/03 (13)
- ► 07/20 - 07/27 (12)
- ► 07/13 - 07/20 (10)
- ► 07/06 - 07/13 (15)
- ► 06/29 - 07/06 (15)
- ► 06/22 - 06/29 (16)
- ► 06/15 - 06/22 (15)
- ► 06/08 - 06/15 (14)
- ► 06/01 - 06/08 (15)
- ► 05/25 - 06/01 (8)
- ► 05/18 - 05/25 (12)
- ► 05/11 - 05/18 (13)
- ► 05/04 - 05/11 (15)
- ► 04/27 - 05/04 (18)
- ► 04/20 - 04/27 (16)
- ► 04/13 - 04/20 (19)
- ► 04/06 - 04/13 (22)
- ► 03/30 - 04/06 (28)
- ► 03/23 - 03/30 (16)
- ► 03/16 - 03/23 (29)
- ► 03/09 - 03/16 (16)
- ► 03/02 - 03/09 (28)
- ► 02/23 - 03/02 (23)
- ► 02/16 - 02/23 (21)
- ► 02/09 - 02/16 (21)
- ► 02/02 - 02/09 (15)
- ► 01/26 - 02/02 (24)
- ► 01/19 - 01/26 (22)
- ► 01/12 - 01/19 (13)
- ► 01/05 - 01/12 (18)
-
▼
2002
(301)
- ► 12/29 - 01/05 (19)
- ► 12/22 - 12/29 (2)
- ► 12/15 - 12/22 (24)
- ► 12/08 - 12/15 (23)
-
▼
12/01 - 12/08
(25)
- I wrote this piece on the corporate machinations ...
- Well, today I did something new. My laptop had a p...
- Following up what I had to say about how demograph...
- The following sentence was found in a Shania Twa...
- Okay, I have now added a site search feature to th...
- The Economist now has an leader (subscription on...
- Admittedly, I probably wouldn't be posting this i...
- The Onion again Above: Implicated in the pres...
- The bizarre world of fashion Leading fashion...
- Every now and then, someone in Britain publishes a...
- Okay, here is the piece on cellphone software that...
- John Quiggin makes the exceptionally good point ...
- I see that Will Smith may be cast in Alex Proyas...
- The New York Times has an article on the Dutch f...
- This very interesting article in the Boston Glob...
- Over at the The Eye of the Beholder, several peop...
- Transport Blog has a discussion of the weird, reg...
- Dear mythical Mr Podmore That would be Isambar...
- Eric Raymond has a good piece which makes an obv...
- Henry Copeland ( via Instapundit ) comments tha...
- There is a profoundly irritating article in yest...
- If you haven't yet done so, make sure you particip...
- Mathew Bates points to a column from Paul Sheehan...
- This is really a worry. Jolly good, wot! Anyo...
- Australia-England cricket has been one sided since...
- ► 11/24 - 12/01 (17)
- ► 11/17 - 11/24 (18)
- ► 11/10 - 11/17 (14)
- ► 11/03 - 11/10 (16)
- ► 10/27 - 11/03 (11)
- ► 10/20 - 10/27 (15)
- ► 10/13 - 10/20 (17)
- ► 10/06 - 10/13 (16)
- ► 09/22 - 09/29 (1)
- ► 09/15 - 09/22 (5)
- ► 09/08 - 09/15 (3)
- ► 09/01 - 09/08 (4)
- ► 08/25 - 09/01 (2)
- ► 08/18 - 08/25 (4)
- ► 08/04 - 08/11 (4)
- ► 07/28 - 08/04 (5)
- ► 07/21 - 07/28 (2)
- ► 07/14 - 07/21 (2)
- ► 07/07 - 07/14 (5)
- ► 06/30 - 07/07 (4)
- ► 06/23 - 06/30 (4)
- ► 06/16 - 06/23 (2)
- ► 06/09 - 06/16 (4)
- ► 06/02 - 06/09 (3)
- ► 05/26 - 06/02 (9)
- ► 05/19 - 05/26 (2)
- ► 05/12 - 05/19 (5)
- ► 04/21 - 04/28 (2)
- ► 04/14 - 04/21 (5)
- ► 04/07 - 04/14 (5)
- ► 03/31 - 04/07 (2)
No comments:
Post a Comment