The Calculation of Longitude at Sea

The Harrison Chronometer

Amazing how one can go through life in total ignorance of matters right under our nose? Something that occurred to me of late, when I came across the saga surrounding the business of calculating Longitude at Sea and the chronometer invented by John Harrison.

  His original idea was prompted by a competition created by the 1714 Navigation Act which offered £20,000 to the person who could find a simple and practical method for the precise determination of a ship's longitude.The Act was passed by Parliament in July of 1714. But it was to be 10 years or so around 1724/5 when Harrison came to London seeking assistance. He approached Edmond Halley the 2^nd Astronomer Royal who felt he knew little of clock making and sent him to George Graham a clock-maker to help develop the appropriate timepiece

  My interest in this subject came about when I picked up on a suggestion from France that the East/West Greenwich Timeline should be moved to run through Paris. I soon realised I needed to look into this suggestion more closely and figure out what the devious ‘Frogs’ were up to, as I researched the reason behind this move.

  I soon figured what it was all about, as I was aware that for decades, both Paris and Frankfurt had frothed at the mouth over the City of London’s dominance of Financial Markets. It occurred to me when I came across a fascinating book ‘This England’ by John Burke with a forward by Sir Arthur Bryant.

 The forward explained London’s significance to international trade by the fact that it sits athwart The European/Atlantic trade-routes with exceptional geographical potential for commercial and strategic opportunity.  Almost entirely due to the fact that Greenwich is the point where East meets West and the 'Burghers' of Paris were attempting to use EU dogma to take advantage of this fact of life for themselves.

  Scurrilous I reckoned and decided they should not be allowed to Slip it past us on the Blindside, when attention is diverted by the on-running saga of Brin - Brout or Brexit. To be finally determined by referendum via the British Parliamentary System. Before the end of 2017 something we are now pretty sure will take place in the summer of 2016.

  The business of moving the East /West timeline to Paris however will not be resolved by Brexit nor will it go away. The French Republic will raise it again and again. In much the same way Argentina uses Falkland Islands Sovereignty as a Political Football to shore-up national pride in the South Atlantic, whenever Nationalist sentiment needs a boost       

  Our Longitude Act  is an Act of Parliament by the United Kingdom passed in July 1714 at the end of the reign of Queen Anne. It established the Board of Longitude and offered  a monetary reward  to anyone who could find a simple and practical methods for the precise determination of a ship's longitude. The Act of 1714 was followed by a series of other Longitude Acts, which revised or replaced the original.

  But it was to be 1765 before the matter of awarding the prize was settled and even then the Board of Longitude was playing jerk-off with John Harrison to make him reveal the secret of his timepiece - so it could be copied universally.  It awarded only half of the prize money with the other half dependent on revealing his methodology. Insofar far as I can determine, his secret rested on modification of the balance movement, calculated to speed up the ticking of the timepiece at the heart of the Harrison chronometer - to a rate that matched the angular rotation of Planet Earth.

  In this way he managed to cross the Atlantic to Barbados to an accuracy hither too unknown which confirmed Harrison’s Chronometer had kept time within the most stringent limits of the 1714 Act. The margin of error being just 39.2 seconds or 9.8 miles (15.8 km) at the latitude of Barbados. 

Researched courtesy of Wikipedia. 

Watch this space, I'll be Back 

 

Yours truly,

Daz.

Donald Trump Reigns Supreme IMO

Dave Black	20:19 (12 minutes ago)
to opinion@derbytelegraph.co.uk, me

Dear Ed,

Rarely am I moved to bother responding to Derby's misguided authors; about errors of judgement in published emailings. But the gentleman mercilessly sledging Donald; probably the greatest president since Roosevelt, now making America great again, is begging  to be put right. From day one Donald has set out to restore America as an example to the world. Primarily; by updating his armed services and the economy, to world beating standards. Then using this renewal to create dialogue; where previously, strife existed with former Communist Hegemonies across the globe. Taking on situations to redress imbalances in trade and immigration where previous incumbents feared to tread. Withdrawing US troops to ease tensions where others like Blair and his acolytes exacerbated tensions to have their wars on false premises. By persuading Arabs and Israelis to get on together. Need I say more other than to point out the amazing records on Wall St throughout his tenure in the White House. With the USA  stronger militarily, bigger and better financially than ever before. The US is now in a position to  impose economic sanctions in favour of bombs and missiles. To bring recalcitrant nations to heel and restore economic imbalances in trade. For as former Democratic President Bill Clinton famousiy pointed out: "It's the Economy Stupid," 

Yours truly,

Dave Black

MadVlad Episode VII

Its Economics Wot Calls the Shots Vlad!  

A recent Guardian piece can be seen to be singing from the Dave Black Hymn Sheet, as claims that Vlad the Lad is caught in the crossfire of Economics, as I have frequently pointed out via Twitter. 'It was economics that did for the USSR & will do for Vlad; with his version of expansionism, when the realities of modern day living for the masses, kicks-in.

Died in the wool Communist zeal is exactly what it sez on the tin, but forget the ‘died in the wool’ bit. You can attempt to pull it over your own eyes, in the name of expediency, but in the end you’re fooling no one but yourself. So eventually Vlad; you will see this macho posturing stuff for what it is, as your place in the pecking order of reality will kick-in. It always does mate, in the general scheme of things, reality economics is the final arbiter.

So you can't say you haven't been warned Vlad; though whether you follow me on Twitter or read the blogs at my Google Blogsite I can't  say, but you should! For you of all people must know by now; that a bit of straight John Bull, can go a long way and you know it makes sense you 'Son of a Gun'

Watch this space, I'll be back!

Dazzoir.

Pandemics down the Centuries

Introduction

                                      Covid-19

So much has been said about what has and is being done to control this dreadful disease. Though it seems to me; we learned little or nothing from previous pandemics down the centuries, and if nothing else.

   Strikes me this one should provide a wake up call for all humanity to pull together in sorting out how this one came about. By creating measures to deal with the next one that comes at us. For surely as night follows day; another pandemic will at some point in the future happen again.

For almost two thousand years and possibly even before we learned how to record such matters of interest. Plagues and pandemics.have killed millions. But with regard to this instant TV analysis in respect of Coronavirus Type Covid 19.. Where reporters bleat we should have done this or that. I refer you to the tweet I used to introduce this piece about the historical record of Worldwide Pandemics. About being alert for the next one. For surely we hope it can be dealt with; quickly and efficiently in the light of this present experience. Though it depends entirely. on the rate at which the spread of such infections can be ascertained and controlled. Being alert to the ways in which they are transmitted and the measures needed to contain it.

See below: for the way previous pandemics have played out to get things in perspective. Though far reaching effects from of this one could be economic. A broken money system for one thing. With all this Funny Money; click of a mouse stuff, swilling around in treasuries across the globe. With no way; to equate it with anything, of value. Other than a Gold/Silver ratio of 15/1 but that was ended in the 1700s. 

Isaac Newton was Master of the Mint and was overruled by Parliament as the Gold/Silver Ratio was changed. It repatriated all Europe's gold the England, as the English traders and merchants used silver to buy it up their gold.  The rest is history; as we are learning today, while the economics of our present day monetary system have yet to be fully recognised by national banks and tackled head-on.    

Previous Plagues and Pandemics

Hiv/Aids pandemic (2005/12) Death Toll 36 million. Cause Hiv/Aids

Flu pandemic (1968) Death Toll  1million. Cause Influenza

Asian flu (1956/58 Death Toll 2 million. Cause Influenza 

Flu pandemic (1918) Death Toll: 20 -50 million Cause: Influenza

Sixth Cholera pandemic (1910/11) Death Toll: 800,000+ Cause: Cholera

Flu pandemic (1889/90) Death Toll: 1 million Cause: Influenza

Third Cholera pandemic (1852/60) Death Toll: 1 million Cause: Cholera

Black Death (1346/53)  Death Toll: 75 – 200 million  Cause: bubonic plague

Plague of Justinian (541/42) Death Toll: 25 million Cause: bubonic plague

Antonine plague (165 ad) Death Toll: 5 million Cause: unknown

  

Ride the Winds of Change

Pelican Crossings can Kill

 Ride the Winds of Change: at any Pelican crossing. The lights are go, cars free to move. But you see too late, they've not started moving. Happened to me astride my 500cc A7 Beezer. See the graphic shot of such a life threatening moment; courtesy of Derby Telegraph, not a few hundred yards, from my own front door a few days later.

          

                                         

                                            

 Problem was; when I tried to do something about it no one wanted to know: 

Firstly: I tried the traffic management  at  my  Local City Council. I suggested some kind of warning sign should  be  posted. Forget  it they said,  with some total inane excuse  which to all intent and purpose amounted to a fob-off.

  
   Secondly: I canvassed  a  local  MP. Who just happened  to be  the Minster of Transport in Parliament. But he shuffled  it  off  to some jobsworths at  his  Ministry and it  was  soon lost  in another mysterious fob-off.

  Thirdly: I tried the traffic management the County Council who run this annual thing with the roadside posters ~Think Bike ~ plastered everywhere and they didn’t even respond. 

  
Forthly: Next I tried to interest the reporter responsible for the front page, shown above.  He agreed to make time, but never came back to me.

 So in the hiatus caused by this virus thingy; by way of occupying myself, with things needing time to play catchup, I prepared this blog. I’d been to Freedom of Information to check if similar accidents had occurred in any kind of pattern on Pelican Crossings. But they don’t separate out accidents on Crossings they just get lumped in with general road accident statistics.

  Here: you run into the situation where it costs an arm and a leg, if you wish to pursue the separation of the statistics and there it rests. But being a persistent Barsteward I just keep plugging and anytime soon. Maybe if there is another horrific accident; where a pile of cars finish up in someone’s front room, as a few kids innocently playing snakes and ladders or monopoly are flattened ~ who knows?    

daveblack198@yahoo.com

The Dave Black Novels

 Chursleigh

Growing up on the Chursleigh Estate in the latter days of WWII. Jack Cutler becomes involved with some local bigwigs, Needing access to deliver surplus supplies, to outlying villages. They prevail on him; to make use of his access, to a tractor and trailer.

  

  They create a consortium to take advantage of the new situation, as the war in Europe comes to an end. They've built up a kitty and use it to buy up the freehold; to a wartime bomber Station built on Chursleigh land holdings during the war. They use this kitty to pay-off the Chursleigh overdraft at the local National Provincial Bank in exchange for the former Bomber Station. When it's repatriated to the Chursleigh Estate, as the war ends.

  
  The consortium goes from strength to strength; until a final break up occurs, Squadron Leader Guy Shard RAF son of the Manor; comes home from war in the Burmese Jungle. He was thought to be Missing in Action, but managed to survive. Now he's back and sets about sorting out what has gone on in his absence

. He takes over running of the Estate from where he left off. But is soon approached by Sir Godfrey Bright; to be Chief Executive at his Bright Aeroplane Company. He's turned to building civil airliners; as the UK Airlines go head to head with the Yanks, Read on about all that follows; in this postwar saga of who dares wins. In the battle for command of the trans-Atlantic Airways.

*  *  *  *  *

Another Time Another Place

With roots in the Russian revolution; as WWI, draws to its end. Alexander Popov flees the raging mob to escape to the USA and prepare a home for his pregnant wife to join him when the baby is fit to travel.

  
  In the aftermath of the revolution, as his ancestral estate is taken over and destroyed by the raging communist mob, they lose touch. Changing his name to Alex Popper; he arrives in the USA, to become a Bigtime Boy in the Solomons Brothers Partnership on Wall Street. But is accidentally killed; in a showdown with Ralph Solomons, the senior partner. But he covers it up as a suicide, in the Wall Street Crash of '29.

  Angie Pilkington: Alex's personal assistant; suspects what happened and keeps, a log. Hoping she can find a way to expose Solomons and discover what really what went on. When the son Alex never knew; rises to the higher ranks of the Soviet Hierarchy. He's sent to the United Nations as the Soviet Envoy and goes looking for the father, he never knew.

  In reality though; he's been sent to forage postwar USA for computers and technology for the Soviet war machine. But he'is using his position too; to equip a secret base he's created, in the foothills of the Vladayskaya. He's carrying out research on a system he's developing to program computer remotely. He's out to find a way of destroying Western economies of the the West's Allies and to take control of the Politburo..

  Retired Canadian Agent 'Jig' Prendergast; is coaxed out of retirement by Desmond Chandler; a new Canadian Minister of Telecoms and Comms. He's out to get to the bottom of what's going on. When a second Canadian airliner; on it's way to Moscow, disappears off the radar, over the Arctic wastes of Northern Canada.

*  *  *  *  *

Bigboys Games

Impressed by the way Prentice dealt with the villians who murdered his daughter. Alexander Maxwell, Lord Stigwell of Bashwell Higham hires him to make waves in his centuries old Victorian Merchant Trader. Drastic overhaul is needed; as the new millennium beckons. But Stigwell has bitten off more than he can chew; as Prentice goes off message.

  A big bold future beckons as Prentice ropes in Carson Holdings and Sean Blairgower's Tartan Property Empire; to create Standish Holdings Plc. But it turns out to be a marriage made in haste; that lurches from crisis to crisis, as Simon Horburg scion of a the Horburg Merchant comes looking for a bargain basement takeovers. While Eastend barrow boy Charlie Clikker lurches from emerging bankrupt to golden boy in harness with Jack Greensmith and his brand new Internet eBank.

  Who will come out on top: Prentice with his burgeoning Empire of Derring-do. Charlie Clikker and his Provident Court Trust Fund or Simon Horburg playing games that the others can only aspire to?           

Available now from Gooogle Play in ePub
&
Lulu.com  in Print 

Equity Release ~ Money ~ Money ~ Money It's a Rich Man's World

The Real Truth about Equity Release 

 Ever wonder why the re-tweet and response rarely match? Then suddenly realise you've stumbled on the truth, more by accident than design. The Banks and Building Societies have morphed in to Casinos; they're playing fast and loose using everything within their grasp, leading double lives

They've been stopped from using your deposits to create money out of thin air. Messrs Carney/Osbourne saw to that. Stopped 'em dead in their tracks on that one. The funds they lend now have to be raised from commercial sources.

  Though never at odds for long; with the idea of exploiting hidden assets. They had to come up; with something new, to fill this void in their existence. There had to be a way to get the 'Unwashed Masses' on the team sheet.

 They'd tried 'Funny Money'; click of a mouse stuff,  but soon realised it didn't make the kind of returns, they were accustomed too. At least; not on any kind of scale, they'd previously enjoyed. The 'Day of Reckoning'; came around all too soon, with UK Treasury the main beneficiary.

  Though with piles of loot; by way of assumed assets, lying dormant on their books, often for decades. It suddenly occurred there had to be a way to access these undeclared assets.

Several possibilities had cropped up over the last  decade; as they brain stormed the problem, which hadn't really amounted, to anything much. Until 'Bright Spark' decided; to take a peek at undeclared Property Values.

  To discover; a veritable 'Treasure Trove of enhanced value, had lain there undisturbed for several generations. Bingo: the 'Holy Grail' was rediscovered, well almost? The trick would be; how to unlock it, without creating obligations. Obligations all but impossible; for the retired to meet, on any kind of regular monthly basis.

  So a few 'Brain-Stormin' sessions later and 'Easy~Peasy'. They could take a stake in these individual property portfolios/ not by re-mortgaging or raising funds from commercial lenders. But by building a balance sheet based on accumulating assets. Right there under their big fat noses. 

  This was the assumed value; accrued by individual property holdings, for want of a better description. In this way a whole new 'Ballgame' was at their fingertips. "But it could all end in tears," 'Bright Spark' observed. Though he was readily air-brushed aside, for it was all hands to the tiller.

  A few ads on Primetime TV fronted by some well known 'Celebs'; should assuage any silly notions or romantic concerns, from beneficiaries about the final account. The legators would all be dead and buried; they contended. Long before any niggling queries arose of that nature. If they needed to fend off the attention; of the No Win No Fee Briefs. 

 Be good to assess the extent; as to the possible take-up we can expect, added the Chief Exec. He knew one of the most disturbing aspects of this entire imbroglio; would be the moment when beneficiaries realised, the Bankers & Building Societies had first call in respect of existing liabilities

  In addition: annual inspections would be necessary in respect of gas, electrical installation and insurance obligations. When they were taken into account; as the final reckoning at last saw the harsh 'Light of Day' 

  "But of course; it defies all logic, in respect of the age old max. An Englishman's Home is his Castle," observed 'Bright Spark'. "There are also aspects of this real deal; which may or may not be readily apparent, in the present climate where super-hot pricing prevails."

  "In addition;" 'Bright Spark', continued, "aspects of this particular kind of deal; may not at first sight manifest themselves, in any significant way. Unless or until fundamentals of the Housing Market begin to change." i.e. "A severe price reversal occurs. To bring about the situation we know as 'Negative Equity'."

  "There have been instances of this; in the not so distant past, as the walls came tumbling down," he added. "So in the present analysis; when we are dealing with a broken monetary situation, where the bank notes in issue are nothing more than IoUs it is a case of:-"

"Caveat Emptor: as reality dawns and you realise you've been Tangoed - Bigtime."

Watch this space, I'll be back,

Daz.