I reflect on how amazing it is that I’m here at all, sailing along nearly three miles up in a flimsy contraption made of wood and quivering fabric, suspended on air, sustained only by the wind rushing under the wings. I think how not long ago the aeroplane didn’t exist at all, no man had … Continue reading Arthur Gould Lee: No Parachute & Open Cockpit
Revell 1/96 Saturn V: S-IVB Aft Interstage
Having finished building the S-IVB third stage of my Saturn V, I moved on to the S-IVB Aft Interstage—a conical support structure that separated the 6.6m-diameter S-IVB above from the 10-m diameter S-II second stage below. The real thing was assembled into the Saturn V stack as part of the S-IVB, but after launch it … Continue reading Revell 1/96 Saturn V: S-IVB Aft Interstage
Côte d’Azur (2018)
Back to France again. While we generally prefer to explore new places rather than to return to previous destinations, the Boon Companion and I make an exception for the Côte d’Azur, which we visit regularly for a blink of off-season sunshine. This time we avoided some late snow in Scotland, to bask under clear blue … Continue reading Côte d’Azur (2018)
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Dron Hill: The Hard Way
Dron Hill (NO 288321, 211m) 12 kilometres210 metres of ascent Dron Hill is an outlier of an outlier of the Sidlaws. I didn’t include it in my Sidlaws Gazetteer because it felt like it might be one of the Braes of the Carse, but it actually doesn’t feel like it belongs there either. Either way, … Continue reading Dron Hill: The Hard Way
Septentrionate
sɛpˈtɛntrɪənˌeɪt septentrionate: to tend, or point, to the north This word septentrion and its derivatives are hardly anglicized; they are harsh, unnecessary and little used, and may well be suffered to pass into disuse. Noah Webster, American Dictionary Of The English Language (1828) The Septentrion is pictured above—the seven stars that make up the asterism … Continue reading Septentrionate
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Timothy Caulfield: Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?
I’d love to feel pure, happy and lighter. Okay, I’m not sure what that would feel like, but it sounds better than I usually feel. Who wouldn’t want to feel like that? Given the warm and friendly vibe on the Goop website—it was, after all, to quote the website, “created to celebrate all life’s positives”—I … Continue reading Timothy Caulfield: Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?
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Revell 1/96 Saturn V: S-IVB Stage
It’s been a while since I made any progress on this kit. Last time, I described building the Spacecraft/Lunar Module Adapter and Instrument Unit assembly. Moving down the launch vehicle, this time I’m building the S-IVB stage, which was the third stage of the Saturn V—the “small” one that pushed the Apollo stack into Earth orbit … Continue reading Revell 1/96 Saturn V: S-IVB Stage
Braes Of The Carse: Abernyte Circuit
Tinkletop Hill (NO 260304, 184m) Gallows Knowe (NO 272311, 162m) Rossie Hill (NO 277310, 173m) Kirkton Hill (NO 260318, 253m) Forehill (NO 243320, 250m) 16 kilometres 520 metres of ascent Well, a look at the map suggests that “circuit” isn’t quite the right word, but I’m hard pressed to come up with anything better. This … Continue reading Braes Of The Carse: Abernyte Circuit
Territories That Crossed The Date Line: Part 2 – 1900 To Present
The Date or Calendar Line is a modification of the line of the 180th meridian, and is drawn so as to include islands of any one group, etc, on the same side of the line. When crossing this line on a westerly (true) course, the date must be advance one day; when crossing it … Continue reading Territories That Crossed The Date Line: Part 2 – 1900 To Present
Territories That Crossed The Date Line: Part 1 – Up To 1900
Constrained by extreme necessity, we decided on touching at the Cape Verde Islands, and on Wednesday the 9th of July, we touched at one of those islands named St. James’s. […] In order to see whether we had kept an exact account of the days, we charged those who went ashore to ask what day … Continue reading Territories That Crossed The Date Line: Part 1 – Up To 1900