Saturday, 1 December 2012
Thursday, 29 November 2012
Motorcycle
Like many others I have long harboured a significant curiosity for two wheeled transport, I've been cycling in London off and on since about 2004, and so it wasn't too much of a stretch to consider motorcycles. It's been a long time coming but on Friday (7 September 2012) I passed my bike test; a staging post on a journey which started back in 2008.
Back in 2008, I was working at Tethys Petroleum and decided on a whim to sign up for my CBT which I duly undertook with an outfit based out of Culham Industrial Estate. I booked a few days before, and pleading urgent meetings left my grandparents early to head off to Culham, to spend the day on a motorbike. Suffice to say I caught the bug, unfortunately work kept me much to busy to take any further action.
Fast forward a few years and a promised invite to a motorcycle stag do again galvanised me into action and I booked my 2nd CBT, the previous having sadly lapsed, and spent another day on bikes. This time in and around West Byfleet & New Haw. AND IT WAS GREAT!!!
Next step was step was the DAS. In true BULL BY THE HORNS style, against the better judgement of my riding instructors at Griggsy's Rider Training, I took a weeks leave from the office to spend a sunny week in late summer MESSING ABOUT ON BIKES. The hope was that I'd breeze through and buy a bike the week after, that's not quite how it's gone but more on that later.
The Riding
Other more eloquent people have written extensively on the joys of two wheels I'll leave that to them for now, suffice to say that apart from the Ulnar Fasciitis I had a great time, and yes a week on a bike is better than work! :)
The Test
Now at risk of boring you I'll just explain that the test is in two parts; MOD1 & MOD2. The first is a test of low(ish) speed riding and control skills, and what's more it's great fun. The latter is the test out on the open road when you have to hold it together, avoid daft mistakes and ride safely for between 20 and 40 minutes.
After a couple of days training; in the Car Park of the British Legion club in New Haw, down a narrow dead end lane somewhere toward Cobham,
After a couple of days training; in the Car Park of the British Legion club in New Haw, down a narrow dead end lane somewhere toward Cobham,
 |
| MOD 1 |
MOD 1
So back to the hazard avoidance; well this is all James Bond...ride at a cone as fast as you dare (30 miles/hour) and then bear down on footpeg and handlebar to Ames you dashing past 5 feet to either side. If you're small I recommend you learn fre, inflate your tires first... ;) It made it a great deal easier, after I'd already passed the test, by the skin of my teeth of course.
So I managed that bit of the test, despite the unexpected change of test venue; next up MOD 2 after 2 days of intensive practice out on the open roads around Aldershot and the Surrey heathlands.
MOD 2
The day dawned bright, and I was raring to go. So much in fact that I managed, in my haste, to leave behind license and MOD 1 certificate. I am incredibly fortunate to have wonderful house mates, one of whom jumped on a train and came to West Byfleet (from Fulham no less) to deliver my license and paperwork directly into my, now sweaty, palms.
CBT - March 2012
DAS - September 2012
Bike: What to buy?
Monday, 10 September 2012
Cycle Safety
There are a host of issues surrounding cycling for leisure and or transport in UK towns, cities and rural areas...we all recognise the benefits of cycling to the cyclist and the wider community but there are still significant barriers, not least fear so I'll deal with that first.
A whole host of us will never cycle purely through fear, we are risk averse but that's a topic for another post... Cycling in London doesn't need to be nearly as threatening, as dangerous or as terrifying as it proves for many individuals.
The key to all these is, in my view, self-consciousness; by which I mean we do not wish to 'put out' other road users by taking up our rightful space in the road. This has resulted in a belief that segregation of road users; i.e. cycle paths is the solution, it's really not!
The solution is for road users who are secure in their vehicles to make space, and allow time for slower moving and more vulnerable road users, i.e. pedestrians and cyclists.
Now experience, and statistics appear to bear out my analysis, suggests that at present most motorists do not drive in a manner which makes sufficient allowance for vulnerable road users. Generally most motorists are not hardened criminals, and they're not looking to maim or murder those more vulnrable than themselves. What then is the cause?
How long is it since you took your driving test, how carefully do you check the for other road users before pulling away, if you've failed to see a cyclist who is responsible?
Suitable punishment for dangerous driving. Punish the crime not the result... i.e. punishment same regardless of cyclist killed or not. Confiscate license - add people to public transport...boost public coffers, increase numbers using public transport.
Cyclist responisbility:
Training
Insurance, personal and liability
Security
Facilities: bike storage, showering facilities
FEAR
A whole host of us will never cycle purely through fear, we are risk averse but that's a topic for another post... Cycling in London doesn't need to be nearly as threatening, as dangerous or as terrifying as it proves for many individuals.
The key to all these is, in my view, self-consciousness; by which I mean we do not wish to 'put out' other road users by taking up our rightful space in the road. This has resulted in a belief that segregation of road users; i.e. cycle paths is the solution, it's really not!
CYCLE PATHS KILL
The solution is for road users who are secure in their vehicles to make space, and allow time for slower moving and more vulnerable road users, i.e. pedestrians and cyclists.
SHARE THE SPACE
Now experience, and statistics appear to bear out my analysis, suggests that at present most motorists do not drive in a manner which makes sufficient allowance for vulnerable road users. Generally most motorists are not hardened criminals, and they're not looking to maim or murder those more vulnrable than themselves. What then is the cause?
COMPETENCE ?
How long is it since you took your driving test, how carefully do you check the for other road users before pulling away, if you've failed to see a cyclist who is responsible?
Suitable punishment for dangerous driving. Punish the crime not the result... i.e. punishment same regardless of cyclist killed or not. Confiscate license - add people to public transport...boost public coffers, increase numbers using public transport.
Cyclist responisbility:
Training
Insurance, personal and liability
Security
Facilities: bike storage, showering facilities
Wednesday, 15 August 2012
Linguistic Evolution
So linguistics & evolution, huh?
I came across an entertaining little article while looking for an article about the links between Indo-European and other languages...a creationist was suggesting that evolution of humanity and language from star-dust was just too much to take it. But that wasn't what caught my eye, what really tickled me is above! Check out the tiny monkey on the left of the line above, apparently he is the source of our "dancing gene"! :)
Only I think I missed out. :(
I came across an entertaining little article while looking for an article about the links between Indo-European and other languages...a creationist was suggesting that evolution of humanity and language from star-dust was just too much to take it. But that wasn't what caught my eye, what really tickled me is above! Check out the tiny monkey on the left of the line above, apparently he is the source of our "dancing gene"! :)
Only I think I missed out. :(
Thursday, 12 July 2012
Bing is a stinking pile...
Mini rant as I have been trapped into using Bing by my work email client and it is TERRIBLE! It fails to recognise addresses not in the Western World. That being the case why would anyone use a Microsoft machine out of choice?!
The result of the same search in Google & in Bing:
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=3rd+%26+4th+Floor,+Vipul+Plaza,+Suncity,+Sector+54+Gurgaon+%E2%80%93+122+002+India&ie=UTF-8&hl=en
http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?q=3rd+%26+4th+Floor%2c+Vipul+Plaza%2c+Suncity%2c+Sector+54+Gurgaon+%E2%80%93+122+002+India&mkt=en&FORM=HDRSC4
So Bing is an EPIC FAIL. Again!
MINI RANT OVER - MY APOLOGIES...
Thursday, 21 June 2012
Drilling Fluids & Food Additives
When BP suffered the blowout of their Macondo well back in April 2010 the associated press coverage resulted in a huge number of my friends and colleagues asking questions about drilling fluids, a dark art even to even those of us in the industry.
In answer to their questions I asked them if they'd been to Malham Cove, visited the White Scar Caves or remembered much of their geography lessons from school. I'd then explain that, yes, the mud mechanics will use ANYTHING that might have the right shape, size, consistency to suit the required behaviour of the mud, required to fill the voids in the rock and prevent losses of the valuable fluid.
This results in the incorporation of the weird, wonderful and downright strange, from peanut husks to golf balls. Now this article by Noah Brenner, in Upstream illustrates a side to this debate that I hadn't previously considered. Guar is apparently used as a thickener for drilling mud, as well as being widely used in foods. Now it's cost has risen 'exponentially' and it's observed as a credible threat to the shale gas exploration that has provided the largest excitement in the North American industry for the past few years.
According to Gregory Vermeychuk the Guar used by the Oil Industry and that used in foods are different, the land used for growing the beans can be of low quality, and other cash crops have a greatly higher value. So perhaps the growing price of Guar will simply become an acceptable cost in the already costly environment of the shale gas plays.
P.S. - A key benefit of Guar is that in common with other leguminous beans, it fixes nitrogen improving the soil it is planted in.
In answer to their questions I asked them if they'd been to Malham Cove, visited the White Scar Caves or remembered much of their geography lessons from school. I'd then explain that, yes, the mud mechanics will use ANYTHING that might have the right shape, size, consistency to suit the required behaviour of the mud, required to fill the voids in the rock and prevent losses of the valuable fluid.
This results in the incorporation of the weird, wonderful and downright strange, from peanut husks to golf balls. Now this article by Noah Brenner, in Upstream illustrates a side to this debate that I hadn't previously considered. Guar is apparently used as a thickener for drilling mud, as well as being widely used in foods. Now it's cost has risen 'exponentially' and it's observed as a credible threat to the shale gas exploration that has provided the largest excitement in the North American industry for the past few years.
According to Gregory Vermeychuk the Guar used by the Oil Industry and that used in foods are different, the land used for growing the beans can be of low quality, and other cash crops have a greatly higher value. So perhaps the growing price of Guar will simply become an acceptable cost in the already costly environment of the shale gas plays.
P.S. - A key benefit of Guar is that in common with other leguminous beans, it fixes nitrogen improving the soil it is planted in.
Science, Petroleum & Open*
Well tomorrow I am off to Carlton House Terrace for the launch of the Royal Society's report on Science as an open enterprise.
It's an idea of great interest to me, in the Oil & Gas Industry where do we draw the line between maintaining our commercial edge by protecting knowledge, and ensuring that we remain at the cutting edge of our professions as scientists? How important is Good Science!? Sven Treitel maintains that we must publish or perish... 52 Things You Should Know About Geophysics.
I look forward to a view of the issues, from outside the industry. Time allowing I'll also hope to be trialling OpenDTect over the next few weeks, making use of proprietary 2D and well data, publically available 3D and whatever else I can get my hands on. I'll try to remember to post a few of my findings.
For now, a plug for OpenDTect... http://www.opendtect.org/. You find seismic interpretation software that is free to share, and a free to use seismic dataset.
A few other resources below:-
- Satellite Imagery - http://zulu.ssc.nasa.gov/mrsid/mrsid.pl
- Digital Elevation Model - ftp://topex.ucsd.edu/pub/srtm30_plus
- UK Onshore Geophysical Library - http://www.ukogl.org.uk/academic.htm
{Run by Lynx Information Systems; if you're in academia there are funds available, to make available seismic at no cost. Well locations and tops are also available...} - Opensource GIS - http://www.qgis.org/
- Seismic Data Directory - http://www.geo.mtu.edu/spot/SeismicData/
I am often delighted by the variety and quality of freely available material, and thankfully, my perception is that the availability is growing.
If anyone knows of a source of freely available, high resolution, offshore satellite imagery please let me know.
Saturday, 16 June 2012
Safari in a VW Polo
As I hadn't been to South Africa before the opportunity of a weekend in tropical Kwa-Zulu Natal couldn't be allowed to pass, so on leaving the Sanco Spirit after nearly 4 weeks at sea I organised to hire a VW Polo and drive up the coast for Safari in the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Game Park.
A bit of web research turned up Ciske, and the Hluhlala Guest House where I stayed for the weekend. Ciske is a great host, made me feel most welcome and kicked me out the door within minutes to send me to the Emdoneni Cat Sanctuary where I saw African Wildcats, Caracal and Serval. The highlight was meeting a cheeta, a pretty surreal experience I am sure that you'll agree. When I returned Ciske had organised a delicious lamb supper! :)
The following day I decided to head North to the beach at Sodwana Bay. There the guys at Sodwana Bay Lodge found space for me on a dive accompanied by a dive master. Another great day under the African sun and it was back to Hluhluwe for supper at the Protea Hotel.
An early start, with a packed lunch and I set of the spend the morning on Safari, by VW Polo, in the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park. Wow! Highlights included a lone elephant, zebra, & giraffe...but next time I am going to take longer as I didn't manage to track down the big cats.
As I didn't have to catch my flight until the Sunday evening I spent the final day on a last ditch attempt to track down those elusive big cats in the Mfolozi section of the park. Unfortunately, still no luck...and I think Safari definitely requires more time and patience. By the time I hit the N2 again at Junction 375 I was feeling the pinch in terms of getting my hire car back, and making my flight. It's great fun travelling by the skin of your teeth, and South Africa's motorways are great! So needless to say I needn't have worried.
When I got the King Shaka International Airport the guys at Hertz were a pleasure to deal with, the BA lounge offered a much needed shower, and best of all BA upgraded me to First Class for the trip home! So flat beds in 1st and I arrived back at LHR ready and raring to get on with a new weeks work!
A bit of web research turned up Ciske, and the Hluhlala Guest House where I stayed for the weekend. Ciske is a great host, made me feel most welcome and kicked me out the door within minutes to send me to the Emdoneni Cat Sanctuary where I saw African Wildcats, Caracal and Serval. The highlight was meeting a cheeta, a pretty surreal experience I am sure that you'll agree. When I returned Ciske had organised a delicious lamb supper! :)
The following day I decided to head North to the beach at Sodwana Bay. There the guys at Sodwana Bay Lodge found space for me on a dive accompanied by a dive master. Another great day under the African sun and it was back to Hluhluwe for supper at the Protea Hotel.
An early start, with a packed lunch and I set of the spend the morning on Safari, by VW Polo, in the Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park. Wow! Highlights included a lone elephant, zebra, & giraffe...but next time I am going to take longer as I didn't manage to track down the big cats.
As I didn't have to catch my flight until the Sunday evening I spent the final day on a last ditch attempt to track down those elusive big cats in the Mfolozi section of the park. Unfortunately, still no luck...and I think Safari definitely requires more time and patience. By the time I hit the N2 again at Junction 375 I was feeling the pinch in terms of getting my hire car back, and making my flight. It's great fun travelling by the skin of your teeth, and South Africa's motorways are great! So needless to say I needn't have worried.
When I got the King Shaka International Airport the guys at Hertz were a pleasure to deal with, the BA lounge offered a much needed shower, and best of all BA upgraded me to First Class for the trip home! So flat beds in 1st and I arrived back at LHR ready and raring to get on with a new weeks work!
Gissar, nr Dushanbe, Tajikistan
So this a quick recap over travel a few years ago, as a way of creating some more content for my blog. And because Central Asia is awesome and not on many peoples 'do to list'...
The image below is of the Gissar (Hissar) Fortress, or Qala. It's described in the link below. http://www.advantour.com/tajikistan/hissar/fortress.htm
FYI - I've written this on my iPhone. ;)
The image below is of the Gissar (Hissar) Fortress, or Qala. It's described in the link below. http://www.advantour.com/tajikistan/hissar/fortress.htm
FYI - I've written this on my iPhone. ;)
Friday, 15 June 2012
Fly-fishing in Sweden
Fly-fishing in Sweden
As you do, I emailed a few friends when I discovered I was headed for Copenhagen for the EAGE conference asking for suggestions for good weekend fun. Hemant bailed but George excelled himself by suggesting fly-fishing on the Morrums River in Sweden.
As you can see from the picture above Morrums is a little picturesque. Better yet it is the spawning ground for some collosal Baltic salmon! Catches while we were fishing for 14kg and larger.
QuantumGIS
Quantum GIS
While I've been a long term user of GIS, in many guises, the cost of commercial packages is extortionate so I was delighted to discover QGIS. I've still not entirely got to grips with it but I am getting there slowly, and I'll try to keep a record of my success here.http://www.qgis.org/
So far largely I've succeeded in displaying rasters, but only having converted all to LatLon before displaying them. Next step, converting coordinates on the fly! :)
EAGE2012
EAGE 2012
EAGE seems as good a event as any to use for a first blog post, particularly as I got to catch up with some great friends. And a whole host of interesting talks, there were a couple of events I'd like to catch up with next time.
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