What Happens in Silwood Park Stays in Silwood Park

This evening, I'll be taking the train (and, apparently, replacement bus service) to Ascot to get myself over to Imperial College's Silwood Park campus for environmental fluctuations, recovery, and resilience of biological networks, which is part of their program on Grand Challenges in the Ecosystem and the Environment (GCEE).

Take a look at a a map of the local area, which covers Silwood, Windsor Park, and Maidenhead. Based on the names of some of the places on this map, it looks like I'm going to be pretty close to a Hellmouth. Also, this map is a great example of how awesome the Brits can be sometimes with their naming conventions. It would be pretty damn awesome, for example, if "Cheapside" has evolved to be a posh, expensive location filled with luxurious mansions. ("Unfortunately, I can't afford to live in Cheapside.")

Update: I have reached the center for population biology that Imperial College has at their Silkwood Park campus, and there are rabbits all over the place here. There is something right with the world.

Spectacular Abandoned Haunting Grounds

This list (and, especially, the accompanying pictures) of abandoned places --- which might be haunted (who knows?) --- is really awesome. The explorer in me wants to set sail right now!

Of course, there is a glaring omission. My old Caltech apartment ought to have been included. Criminal.

(Tip of the cap to Maria Satterwhite.)

Unfortunate Town Names

Great Britain seems to have several unfortunate town names. This includes the hamlet of Shitterton, which is located near Dorset in the Piddle Valley (which is, of course, near the River Piddle). No, I am not making this up. Crazy Brits! (Maybe I should go visit Golden Balls, which is near Oxford.)

On another note: Hmmm... That appears to be 10 blog entries in the past two days. Sometimes that is what happens when I spent too much time in front of my computer. I suppose I can try to be silent for a while, but a lot of interesting things have come my way lately. What can I do?

(Tip of the cap to Bernie Hogan.)

The "Atlas of True Names"

As this blog entry points out, the Atlas of True Names is awesome.

Imagine if places had names based on their original meaning---names like Land of the Red People, United States of the Home Ruler, Sibling Love, Virgin's Land, City of Many Fish, Island by a Strait, Cape of Strangers, Fire Cleared Land, Currentown, Land of Calves, Land of 40 Tribes, River that Flows into the Sand, Minor Farm, Long Beach (oh wait...), Meeting Place, Bay by the Stranger's Fort, and Land of the Rebellious One. Wouldn't that be great?

(Tip of the cap to Ernie Barreto, though I technically saw this through his comment on a post by Bert Vaux, who was giving a hat tip to Ernie.)

Great Britain is a very strange country.

Great Britain is a very strange place. Just consider some of the location names you can find around here. I couldn't make this stuff up.

I remember having a discussion with (Mike)^2 a year ago during my first visit home from the UK. I pass a town called Maidenhead on the train between Oxford and London, and Mike pointed out mountains (I think it was mountains) called something like Greater Cockup and Lesser Cockup.

Tip of the hat to Justin Howell for sending along this blog entry that linked to the New York Times article above. (Also, I agree with the blogger that this is the: Best. New York Times. Article. Ever.)