View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Tuesday 1 December 2009

Tuesday 1 December

The start of the final month of 2009, and it's World AIDS Day. In memory of those that have died of AIDS, all over the world. And their number is higher than you might think. A vaccine is not yet on the scene and a cure is not either. Twenty-five years ago, I wrote an essay on the subject. Although the life expectancy of AIDS sufferers in the developed world has improved, the prospects in the developing world remain abysmal - and will remain so for as long as the drugs companies see fit to charge exorbitant prices for their AIDS treatments to the Third World.

Here in Stornoway, it is a windy morning, with a force 7 blowing through. The temperature, which had gone down to -2C yesterday at 7pm, is now up at +6C. The rain has just commenced and will carry on for a while; in the Highlands and on high ground, it will fall as snow. Local blogger breascletemick took some stunning pictures on Sunday of our highest peak, the Clisham, from his position, some 30 miles to the north. You can view them here.

More later.