Predicting Magnetic Storms

I was musing a while back about the GPS system, and what would happen if it suddenly went missing.
This weeks New Scientist says:

Over the past two decades, several solar flares and magnetic storms of varying intensity have hit Earth. Solar flares are surges of X-rays, gamma rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation, and they can damage electric grids, fry satellite electronics and endanger astronauts in space. Even passengers and pilots on aircraft flying over the poles are at risk.A team at Montana State University in Bozeman are automating the process of studying the sun, and have developed computer programs using image-processing techniques to identify changing features on the sun's surface.

Accurate forecasts of the sun's activity could prove very useful, and not just for the GPS system. Any electrical or electronic equipment could be compromised.

At 2:45 AM on March 13 1989, electrical ground currents created by the magnetic storm found their way into the power grid of the Hydro-Quebec Power Authority. Giant capacitors tried to regulate these currents but failed within a few seconds as automatic protective systems took them off-line one by one. Suddenly, the entire 9,500 megawatt output from Hydro-Quebec's La Grande Hydroelectric Complex found itself without proper regulation. Power swings tripped the supply lines from the 2000 megawatt Churchill Falls generation complex, and 18 seconds later, the entire Quebec power grid collapsed.

http://www.solarstorms.org/SRefStorms.html

The cosmonauts on the Mir station were subjected to daily doses of about twice the yearly dose on the ground, and during the solar storm at the end of 1989 they absorbed their full-year radiation dose limit in just a few hours.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomagnetic_storm

Money without Banks?

The New Scientist editorial poses the question "Can citizen banking neuter the fat cats?"
The editorial refers to an article about Peer to Peer banking, Essentially cutting out the middle man (and his cut) from money transactions.
P2P lending could cause more money to circulate in the real economy, if interest payments could go directly to the masses, rather than to banker bonuses etc.
This remind me of several systems that use mobile phones to transfer money amongst users. Would you trust your phone company more than your bank?
http://thinkafricapress.com/economy/mobile-money-sparks-banking-boom
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8194241.stm

Malta Holiday

It took a while plugging away at the Internet, but we finally booked ourselves a holiday in Malta. The hotel we stayed at turned out to be quite good. It was rather spoilt at our arrival though. The desk staff told us that the hotel was working on winter times and the pool and bar were closed - we would have to wait for the room to be free elsewhere. This later turned out to be false. The housekeeping staff were excellent, but rather let down by the front desk.

We spent a fair bit of time relaxing by the pool or in a bar near the sea.
On the 11th of November we visited the air museum. Diane's farther is chairman of 249 Squadron Association, and I am an associate member.
http://www.maltaviationmuseum.com/
http://merlinsovermalta.gdenney.co.uk/

We also spent some tome in Valletta. Returning to the Anglo Maltese League that we visited on a previous trip.
http://rfaaplymouth.org/talhandaq/thgallery/displayimage.php?pid=3043
http://www.rfaaplymouth.org/talhandaq/thgallery/displayimage.php?album=1&pid=3949

Wedding Bells

Much nervousness at having to compose a Best Man's speech for my great friend Mike King.
In the end the day went off very well.
I managed to not tell any of those important stories that the blokes know about anyway, and somehow got away with the rest.
Hard work following two other good speakers, one of whom had already given a guitar recital during the signing of the registers.

We hired our gear from Anthony Blay in Wokingham, and looked good but were still outshone by a beautiful Bride.

The wedding was at Warfield church, and the reception at Stirrups.

Tag Rugby

Bracknell Rugby Club hosted a fine day of Tag Rugby.
Schools from around Bracknell competed in a game where  each player wears either a belt or shorts with Velcro tags and the aim of the game is to remove the tag from the player in possession of the ball.

The Borough Mayor had the task of decorating everyone afterwards.

Bracknell Rugby Club says:
Tag rugby is a non-contact sport with the emphasis on running and passing whilst staying on the feet. Training takes place at BRFC in Lily Hill Park between 10.00 and 12.00 on a Sunday.
We welcome any new players whether; new to the game, graduating from Rugby Tots or just starting to play at school. The RFU doesn't allow children to play competitive rugby before the age of 6 but they can start training with us from reception year at school. They will then stay with the U7s until the end of year 2.
http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/bracknell/m/team-info-3488.html

It was very pleasing to see Meadow way Primary school do so well!
http://www.meadowvaleprimary.co.uk/news/?pid=3&nid=1&storyid=71

Book Party

It is always interesting to meet a colleague from the past and catch up.
This was a special catching up as he has written a book about nothing.

I missed taking more videos or pictures, because the home made demonstrations of the power of nothing were very good.

Thinking About Nothing: Otto Von Guericke And The Magdeburg Experiments On The Vacuum. 

So far the book has proved very interesting!

Conservative Party Conference

The various staged debates and other stuff in the main area were a little bit interesting. The fringe events and the bar gossip ware more exciting..
Whilst I found the conference interesting, Diane wore herself out with retail therapy.

Amongst others, I attended an interesting thing about google and the UK, and a CPRE event about keeping food local.
The Comedy Store at Deansgate Locks provided an interesting venue for FOREST.and campaigns to keep pubs open.

Both myself and Diane went to the church service and enjoyed the local children singing.

It was a bit of a dash getting back for the NAG meeting on the Wednesday, and in the event we did arrive a bit late.