This Side Up

 

Way back when I was in the scouts, we were taught that there were three Norths.  There is magnetic north, true north and grid north. 

Magnetic north is the actual one associated with the globe and its physical attributes.  It is the one your compass uses. However, it tends to drift, depending upon earth’s tilt and rotation.

In 1960, true north was 14° off center from magnetic north, due to the tilt of the earth, but that figure varies.  That leaves grid north, which is the designation drawn on maps.  Mathematically calculated to compensate for the flat representation of a spherical shape.

You might think that knowing these distinctions would provide a little comfort when trying to find my way somewhere.  Nothing helps.  With both hands and a flashlight, I couldn’t tell you which way is up.

Consequently, I rely heavily on my car’s GPS.  Should that fail, my best scenario would be to have a tank full of gas, because I’ll be driving in circles for some time.

What this tells me is that education isn’t always the answer.  Having retained the above facts for 66 years only shows me that I have the ability to recall a few odd facts but putting them to use, not even close.

 

 

 

 

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