Remembering Today - 22 February

On this day in 1917, these four men from the Isle of Lewis fell in action in the Second Battle at Kut-al-Amara in Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq. RIP.

Sergeant NEIL MORRISON

Last address in Lewis: 4 Dun Carloway,
Son of Angus and Annie Morrison, of 4, Doune Carloway, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: 1st Seaforth Highlanders
Service number: 130
Date of death: 22 February 1917 at the age of 36
Killed in action in Kut
Memorial: Basra Memorial, Iraq
Memorial reference: Panel 37 and 64
Lewis Memorial: Carloway

Lance Corporal DONALD MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: 12 Garenin,
Regiment or division: 1st Seaforth Highlanders
Service number: 3/6965
Date of death: 22 February 1917
Killed in action in Mesopotamia
Memorial: Basra
Memorial reference: Panel 37 and 64

Private DONALD GUNN
Last address in Lewis: 5 Knockaird,
Regiment or division: 1st Seaforth Highlanders
Service number: S/7070
Date of death: 22 February 1917 at the age of 23
Memorial: Basra
Memorial reference: Panel 37 and 64
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross

Private JOHN M MACKINNON
Last address in Lewis: 8B Ranish,
Son of Mrs. Christy MacKinnon, of 8, Ranish Lochs, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: 1st Seaforth Highlanders
Service number: 317256
Date of death: 22 February 1917 at the age of 21
Killed in action in Mesopotamia
Memorial: Basra
Memorial reference: panel 37 and 64
Local memorial: North Lochs, Crossbost

Remembering Today - 21 February

On this date in the First World War, these two men lost their lives in the service of King and Country. RIP


Private DONALD MACLEOD

Last address in Lewis: 20 Fivepenny,
Regiment or division: 1st Seaforth Highlanders
Date of death: 21 February 1915 at the age of 34
Killed in action in Givenchy, France
Had previously served in Egypt
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross

Seaman COLIN MACKINNON
Last address in Lewis: 15 Ranish,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMT Carlton
Date of death: 21 February 1916 at the age of 23
Ship sunk by mine
Local memorial: North Lochs, Crossbost

Sunday 22 February

Overcast, grey but reasonably mild. Temperature of 9C this afternoon, not too bad for late February. Looking at the longer range forecast, it appears that the worst of the winter is over.

Over in Australia, a day of mourning has been held for the 209 known (and more unknown) victims of the deadly bushfires that raged in the south of the country two weeks ago. The risk of more bushfires is increasing as conducive weatherconditions look set to move in.

Saturday 21 February

Pleasantly surprised to find my camera returned by mail today - only took 2 days from Holland. So, on we go. It is a cold, windy and at times drizzly day in Stornoway, best spent inside. Went to the bus station and the shop at midday, but that was enough for me.

Last night, I discovered that bus services here in Lewis are going to deteriorate as of March 27th. Several of them will be joined together, as the town bus service will be abolished. Buses to the airport will be hitched on to the Point service. For the latter, no operator has been found, as the tendering exercise went wrong, in addition to a few oversights. This was all organised by our local council, who overlooked a few minor details. Sigh.

Distance

Isn't it easy to sit at your computer, and read a blog. Or two. Or perhaps one hundred. Maybe even several hundred. That's how many are on my Google Reader. Many of us write down their lives on their blogs. Whether publicly or to a select few, we impart those bits of our lives to the world that we choose to disclose. Many a time, it is particularly at the darker moments of life that we write. And blogging being what it is, we appreciate comments left by friends, acquaintances or distant readers.

However.

How can you place yourself in the shoes of the writer. What makes you think you are selecting the right words and turn of phrase to suit the occasion. Well, it is fairly straightforward when you talk about a death in someone's circle. It is also fairly clear when a blogger says they have had a diagnosis of serious illness - or someone very near and dear has. You can't go far wrong there, can you? No, not really.

Where it can go very badly wrong is in situations where someone is discussing the challenges they face in life. Money may be tight. Relationships that are strained. Past events that are haunting them. Guilt, remorse.

Call me naive, but I'd think that in our blogging community, we are there to support each other. Seems there are exceptions to that rule. I can't believe that there are actually people who see fit to criticise the way someone has dealt with a situation in their life - to come to the point of this post (once more) - which they have described in a blog. How can you, exclusively through this medium, gauge what was right and wrong? I mean, how can you if you weren't there. And even if it was patently incorrect, what right does anyone have to criticise? Nobody.

Nobody whose blog I read fits the above bill. It applies to nobody that comments in this blog either. I am merely highlighting the shadowside of blogging, which sometimes peeps above the horizon of one or two blogs I come across.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is trying to think of recovery. May require $5bn. Not a huge sum, if you consider that the US government recently put aside 300 times that amount for its recovery from the economic downturn. The new Prime Minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, has said that for the moment several foreign currencies may be adopted. I wonder what he is going to do about inflation, which is running at 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000%. That's 10 sextillion percent. Anyway, I'm pleased that at least they appear to recognise that there is a problem that they should solve, rather than blaming everybody else for it.

Friday 20 February

Pouring with rain, bit of a breeze going - wet day in Stornoway, what more do you want for an excuse to stay in all day. There is a stack of good books to be read, I may do a bit of work on my collection of pictures on Flickr. On the other hand, someone is going out to Ness later on, and I might just join them for the ride. No chance of taking much in the way of pictures in weather like this. We shall see what transpires.

47 people on board a Boeing 747-400 were hurt when their plane hit severe turbulence east of Tokyo. The flight from Manila to Los Angeles via Tokyo was coming into land at the Japanese capital when turbulence struck. Six people flew up and hit the ceiling of the cabin hard, leaving several holes. They are seriously ill in hospital in Tokyo.

I have less than pleasant memories of a flight from Rome to London in 2001, when the plane hit turbulence over Southwest London. The flight had flown straight into a rainstorm with very strong up- and downdrafts. One person suffered a panic attack, another had an epileptic fit. The exclamation of the person next to me, as we touched down, was "Terra!" - Earth. Otherwise, it was eerily quiet as we bumped up and down.

Lost in translation

Irish police were left red-faced in the wake of the hunt for the country's worst driver. He managed to rack up dozens of traffic violations and fines, and forces up and down the Republic were on the hunt for Polish man Prawo Jazdy. Except... Prawo Jazdy is Polish for driver's licence.

Which reminds me of foreign tourists in the Netherlands who are driving for miles, looking for the town of Doorgaand Verkeer. This features on hundreds of signs, particularly in larger towns and cities. Never with a distance indication, something that is quite common in Holland. Doorgaand Verkeer is a Dutch fata morgana, as it stands for Through Traffic.

Closing notes

Went out on the bus at 2.30pm for a wee trip to the Callanish Stones, 18 miles west of here. It was freezing cold, although the mercury was at 7C. The Stones sit on the top of a broad hill, and are very exposed to any amount of wind. Whether the flattened grass and broken shrubs had anything to do with the January 17th hurricane is not entirely clear. Also went for a walk to the nearby quayside, where that little blue and white boat is slowly sinking into the mud. At 4.30pm, the bus turned up to take us back to Stornoway the long road - 27 miles through Carloway and Barvas. It was a quiet afternoon, with hardly a sound, apart from the wind. Pictures are uploading as I type.

I also had the good news that my camera will be returning to me early in the new week. It had to go in for repairs just after New Year, when it gave up the ghost. My father very kindly gave me his camera to use in the meantime, and I have taken just over 100 pictures with it since I took it into fulltime use on February 3rd.

I watched some good television tonight; Sky 534 had the closing episode of Andrew Marr's programme on Britain from the air, and Billy Connolly is touring Canada. I did not watch Jade Goody's programme - I saw some recent pics of her, and the poor woman looks ghastly. Neither did I finish watching that absolute cr*p about St Kilda, hosted by Kate Humble. I can't stand Springwatch / Autumnwatch on account of the chemistry between her and Bill Oddy, but the absolute garbage she and co-presenters came out with about St Kilda put the shutters on for me.

A few pictures from this afternoon:

Houses at Callanish


Callanish Stones and Loch Roag


Boat at Callanish Pier


Carloway

Thursday 19 February

Fairly bright day, but a shower just moved by to the south. Nonetheless, will be popping out on the bus later for a visit to the Callanish Stones and a run round the West Side.

A helicopter has crashed into the North Sea, but all 18 on board are safe and sound. The chopper remained afloat, conditions were favourable and rescue services were on the scene immediately. The aircraft came down near the ETAP oilfield, 125 miles east of Aberdeen. An investigation has been launched.

It is reported that social networking on-line is actually bad for your health. Because it replaces social networking face-to-face, the way we perform as persons is altered and not for the better. Gulp.

Remembering Today - 18 February

Today on this day during the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King and Country. RIP.

Private RODERICK MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: 4 Battery Park, Stornoway
Son of Alexander McLeod, of 4, Battery Park, Stornoway, and the late Mrs. McLeod.
Regiment or division: 7th Seaforth Highlanders, Labour Corps
Service number: S/16375, transf. to (588562)
Date of death: 18 February 1919 at the age of 34
Died of wounds
Interred: Sandwick Cemetery
Memorial reference: L. R.1910. 683.
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial

Fight Pink

This website, aimed at those fighting breastcancer, or having survived it (or are related to or friends of) features our own Kelly, sister of Kim [demandnlilchit], who passed on in December 2007. Call round and admire.

Sheep notes

Three years ago, someone reported a lamb head-butting a golden eagle near Balallan in Lewis. On another occasion, a golden eagle was seen running on the ground after rabbits. Personally, I once was in a car which was forced to stop on the B8011 road in Lewis because two (female) sheep decided to have it out there and then in the middle of the bridge across the Grimersta River, 3 miles west of Garynahine. Only after they had stopped head-butting each other was the vehicle able to proceed.

Grimersta River at the bridge

Sheep, unfortunately, are frequent victims of road traffic. It is up to the owner to remove the remains from the roadside. Whether it is such a good idea to dump the carcass in the ditch is questionable; I once had the doubtful pleasure of watching a sheep's remains slowly disintegrating in the ditch beside the cattlegrid at Marybank. You can't help but notice it when you walk past. If only on account of the smell.

Carcass at the Marybank cattlegrid, July 2005

Sheep are held to be stupid animals, but that is not really fair. If possible, a ewe will go back to the spot where it was born itself to give birth. At this time of year, when lambing time is nearly here, any sheep that ends up on its back may not be able to regain its feet - and could die. I have righted several sheep in remote parts of Lewis which I found on their backs. They were happy to run off at once. Others that I found in distress were beyond help - their eyes had been pecked out. The one I pulled out of a bog near Loch Eastaper, north of Laxay, was very grateful - and immediately started tearing at the grass.

Sheep and lamb at Bragar, May 2005

Social networking revisited

Putting into practice what I commenced on Sunday, and boy, did it work out the way I feared. Twittering along, Facebooking to my heart's content, reading journals and writing on all said sites, the day flew by. Oh, mind you, I did find time to go into town to seek out that mysterious boat that came in at 11 am; only to find it had sneaked out whilst I was having lunch. Only got a picture of Cuddy Point plus wreck-buoys and of Lews Castle from King Edward Quay.



I think I'll leave Twitter for what it is, keeping an eye on it on a once-a-day basis (like this time of the night). Facebook will carry on as it has since we were kicked off AOL, as will the journals. Deb has alerted us to a change in the Terms of Service of Facebook; if you are on there, check it out. I'm not too fussy, but if you have very unique content, links etc, beware.

It is close on 10.30pm, the lorries are rumbling past my window on their way to be shipped to the mainland on board MV Muirneag in an hour's time.

Closing schools is an emotive issue in these islands, and the local council have their ties in a twist over it. After voting for, against, for [that was the voting record of one council session last August] closure of the secondary extension of the primary schools (two years of secondary education in the local primary) in 4 locations, the Education Secretary to the Scottish Government threw the whole plan out. Yet, the council have now said they will continue with the closure plans never mind what, as not doing so would blow an £12m hole in their finances. No, I don't understand it either.

Tuesday 17 February

Bright morning, after the mist and drizzle of the early hours cleared. Temperature has inched up to 11C, so we're having a pretty mild day.

Couple of items in the news today, which caught my eye. A haemophiliac patient has died suffering from variant-Creutzfeldt-Jacobs Disease (the human version of mad-cow disease), although he did not have any symptoms. He was the first case to emerge as a result of being given contaminated blood products.

There is a continuing row in the Western Isles about the closure of schools and the role of councillors. A local website carries calls for resignations of some of them - the closure plans were torpedoed by the Scottish Government as being incompetent.

Just as I close this post, the sun has come out.

Ads

Some advertisements on the Internet are just plain stupid. One company, trying to pander its creditcard off on unsuspecting punters can rest assured of an absolutely 0% (yes, zero) success rate. After saying which normally disqualifying criteria will be considered, it says that everyone will be EXCEPTED.

Remembering Today - 16 February

Today on this day during the First World War, these men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King and Country.

Private DONALD GRAHAM

Last address in Lewis: Outend Coll,
Son of Alexander and Annie Macleod Graham, of Out End Call, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: 2nd Canadian Field Artillery
Service number: 41793
Date of death: 16 February 1915 at the age of 28
Accidentally killed in France
Served 5 years in India.
Interred: Bois Guillaume Communal Cemetery
Memorial reference: I. B. 17A
Lewis Memorial: Back

Private DONALD MACDONALD

Last address in Lewis: 9 Gravir,
Son of Malcolm and Christina MacDonald, of 51, Balfour St., Glasgow, Scotland.
Regiment or division: 21st Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment)
Service number: 123779
Date of death: 16 February 1917 at the age of 24
Killed in action in France
Interred: Ecoivres Military Cemetery, Mont-St Eloi
Local memorial: Pairc, Kershader

Private ROBERT STEWART
Last address in Lewis: 4 Scotland Street, Stornoway
Regiment or division: Seaforth Highlanders
Date of death: 16 February 1915
Died of wounds
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial

Remembering Today - 14 February

Today on this day during the First World War, these two men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King and Country.

Private JOHN CAMPBELL
Last address in Lewis: 18B Gravir,
Son of Peter and Effie Campbell, of r8 [18B], Gravir, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.
Regiment or division: 2nd Seaforth Highlanders
Service number: S/ 22755
Date of death: 14 February 1919 at the age of 20
Died of influenza in France
Interred: La Louviere Town Cemetery
Memorial reference: A. 3.
Local memorial: Pairc, Kershader

Seaman JOHN MACDONALD
Last address in Lewis: 34 South Shawbost
Brother of Donald McDonald, of 16, Clyde St., Dumbarton. Native of Shawbost, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Merchant Marine, HMS Partridge
Service number: 3478B
Date of death: February, 14th, 1915 at the age of 31
Drowned when cutter was upset by HMS Sutlej
Memorial: Chatham Naval, panel 14

Monday 16 February

Misty, grey and wet here today. Funny thing is, the sun does peep through the clouds from time to time. Overnight low 9C, temperature at the moment 10C, with a brisk westerly wind. The Atlantic firmly in control today.

Heard on the news that two nuclear submarines, one British, the other French, managed to collide in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. That's no mean feat. The Atlantic is 4,000 miles wide, up to 15,000 feet deep and some 12,000 miles north to south. Yet those two banged into each other. Incredible. No radiation was released, neither were any warheads. Both vessels were seriously damaged, with the British HMS Vanguard having to be towed back to Faslane, and the French Le Triomphant managing to regain Brest under its own steam. Looks like the French came off 'triumphant'.

For several weeks, a yacht has been lying in a corner of Stornoway harbour, demasted and damaged in an autumn gale. The vessel has now gone to the bottom, but still protruding from the water. Stornoway Port Authority has marked the spot with wreck buoys and issued a formal Notice to Mariners. Regulars to my own Stornoway pictures will recognise the blue bulk of MV Muirneag in the background; the yacht actually lies just off Cuddy Point.
Picture courtesy Hebridesnews.

Social networking

I'll be having to make some choices in the near future, as to which sites to use for social networking. At the moment, I'm keeping this blog, reading about 300 blogs on Google Reader, I'm on Facebook, I'm on Twitter - cripes, I'll be chained to this here computer all day if I'm not careful. Hey! I already am (chinking noises in background as he moves in his chains).

With regards to the blogs, there are less than 100 that I actually keep up to date with; and I'll have to scrap a heap of applications on Facebook. There are about 300 of them in use as well. I may end up using Twitter on special occasions, as I can update there by mobile phone. I can also do that with Facebook, as some will have noticed on days I am travelling to and from Holland.

So, how do you cope with your Internet commitment?

The Onion

I continue to be humorously appalled by The Onion's Radio News, but today, I caught them out on a rare factual blunder. In today's bulletin, they stated that President Bush (sic!) had reacted with a dance to news that the US tops the pops in the teen pregnancy test scores. Seems Doyle Redland has not caught up with events since January 20th...

Sunday 15 February

Overcast but fairly bright afternoon, with the highest temperatures we've seen in two weeks: +9C. Elsewhere in the country, the mercury will reach the dizzying heights of 11C. That will send the snow melting in no time at all.

Anyone using the Firefox browser to access their Hotmail account will be unable to do more than read one message; you can't do anything else after that. Hotmail will give you a message: Please refresh your browser window. When you access your Windows Live Hotmail account from more than one computer, we ask you to sign in again to help keep your account private and secure and that's about all. An error thread has been commenced here, and any users are requested to leave their Hotmail address on there. I've used Hotmail for exactly 9 years, without major problems until now. Accessing the service through Internet Explorer goes without a hitch.

Miep Gies, the Amsterdam woman who helped to hide Anne Frank during the Second World War, is celebrating her 100th birthday today. She is displaying modesty about her role in helping the persecuted Jews, saying others did far more. Anne Frank kept a diary, which Mrs Gies hid after the girl and her family had been taken to a concentration camp. Anne died there in 1945; her father published her diary in 1947.

Evening notes

It is reported tonight that former BB contestant Jade Goody only has months to live, following a diagnosis of metastatic cancer - cancer that has spread. Her partner has proposed to her, and she is getting her affairs in order. You can only admire her bravery - I have never pulled any punches in the past in voicing my less than favourable opinion of this celebrity, but in a situation like this, I am prepared to alter my view.

On an equally gloomy note, I was reminded of Torvill and Dean's ice-dancing triumph in Sarajevo in the Winter Olympics of 1984. Their 4-minute routine to the strains of Ravel's Bolero has gone down in the history books, but in my mind, the name Sarajevo has become synonymous with brutality on a breathtaking scale in the early 1990s. One of its perpetrators, Radovan Karadjic, is currently standing trial in The Hague on an indictment of war crimes; number two, Ratko Mladic, is still at large.

It made me quite ill today to view a picture of a woman who had not cut her fingernails in 30 years. They had grown to a combined length of 28 feet (8.4 m) - and she lost them in a car accident. How on earth can you live with nails like this?


Right folks, I'm off to bed - hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day.

Saturday 14 February

St Valentine's Day today (some suggest it should be St Raphael's Day, but who's fussing, not me), and I hope those looking for love find it coming their way today. Out in the Hebrides, we're going downhill slowly, with a few spots of rain on the window and a steadily strengthening southerly wind. The weather will remain changeable for the foreseeable future (what's new) as low pressure systems pass north of the British Isles, with trailing weather fronts bringing us rain. I should stress that we had hardly any snow worthy the mention, unlike other parts of Scotland. I'm certainly not complaining about the +8C on the thermometer this lunchtime.

A man who had become disoriented on the moors near the Pentland Road in the centre of Lewis was located safe and well during the night. As darkness fell last night, he contacted the Coastguard by mobile phone saying he had lost his bearing in mist and fog near the Pentland Road. Coastguard teams searched the area on foot during the night. Once the helicopter became available after a medical emergency near Inverness, its crew located the man by the light on his mobile phone at 2 am.

I have visited that part of Lewis several times on foot my self, but would not have done so yesterday. I took no pictures yesterday, precisely because it was drizzling. When I was doing long walks, back in 2005, I would venture out in all weathers - but not to the moors with visibility as poor as yesterday. However, fog and mist can catch anyone out, and I'm glad this person was finally located safe and sound. Just a few images of the area to indicate the terrain.

Flying, and kids

After yesterday's aircrash at Buffalo, news came this evening that a British Airways jet had a hard landing at London City Airport. The front wheels of the aircraft collapsed on landing, and it came to a halt on the tarmac. The slides were activated and all passengers and crew evacuated safely with only a few minor injuries.

So a 9-year old has written a book on dating. That is already quite odd, but how about a boy of 13 fathering a baby with a girl of 15? Methinks that sex education could have prevented this unfortunate situation.

Remembering Today - 13 February

On this day during the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King and Country. RIP.

MALCOLM MACDONALD
Last address in Lewis: 34 South Shawbost
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve
Date of death: 13 February 1915 at the age of 31
Drowned
Local memorial: West Side, Bragar

Friday 13 February

Today is a bad day for those suffering from paraskavedekatriaphobia. Out here, there is only 10 hours left of it, so not long to go now. Yesterday was a bad day for the family and friends of those on board flight 3407, which crashed near Buffalo NY at around 10pm local time. All 48 on that plane perished, as well as one person on the ground. There are at present no firm indications on the cause of the tragedy - weather might have had a role to play. One of our bloggers, Donna of Ds Designs, lives in Buffalo, and I'm awaiting an update from her.

Remembering Today - 12 February

On this day in the First World War, these two men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King and Country. RIP.

Seaman ANGUS THOMSON
Last address in Lewis: 3 Habost, Ness,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, MFA Eleanor
Service number: 4413/A
Date of death: 12 February 1918 at the age of 29
Ship sunk by torpedo
Memorial: Portsmouth Naval
Memorial reference: 31
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross

Seaman KENNETH MACASKILL

Coinneach Aonghais
Last address in Lewis: 6B Gravir,
Son of Angus and Annabella Macaskill, of Gravir; husband of Christina Macaskill, of 6, Gravir Lochs, Stornoway. Father of Donald Alex.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, MFA Eleanor
Service number: 8819A
Date of death: 12 February 1918 at the age of 33
Ship sunk by U-boat in Irish Channel
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 30
Local memorial: Pairc, Kershader

JLand Central

Since our move to Blogger in October 2008, we have had a blog for the community called JLand Central. It has lain dormant since before Christmas, but I would like to highlight it once more as a place where messages can be posted for the benefit of the whole community. This includes technical issues, requests for information on who now blogs where, or perhaps one of the journals you read has not been posting for a while.

Please drop a line to Sugar, Jeannette (Outside Looking In), Yasmin, Stuart or myself.

Wilders bewildered

Geert Wilders was barred from entering the United Kingdom today. He is controversial for stating that the Koran should be compared to Hitler's book "Mein Kampf", and banned likewise. His film "Fitna" shows footage from 9/11, the trainbombing in Madrid in March 2004 and the bombings in London in July 2005, interspersed with readings from the Koran and sermons from extremist Muslim preachers.

The above mentioned atrocities were justified by the guilty, (ab)using verses from the Koran; I am not a scholar of that Book, but like the Bible, people twist, distort and use its writings for their own ends. Mr Wilders is taking advantage of that by generalising grossly, tarring all Muslims with the same brush, saying they are all murderous extremists.

As I said in my posting from last night, it is a cause for grave concern when people like him manage to get themselves elected to parliament. The Dutch government should look at society there and check what is wrong. The British government should make a similar check, as there are peers of the realm who are prepared to entertain someone of Mr Wilders' convictions.

Freedom of speech is a great virtue of our society, and should be cherished closely. It should however never be allowed to be abused to sow intolerance, distrust, hatred and violence. Mr Wilders erred on the wrong side of that balance. It is ironic that he has joined the very people he so despises (Muslim extremists) in the list of 270 names, banned from entering the United Kingdom since 2005.

It is deplorable that the Dutch government fails to see the finer points of this problem - in July 2005, fifty-two people lost their lives on the London public transport system as a result of four suicide bombers, who acted out of religious fanaticism. Since then, community relations in the UK have come a long way, and the government in London was well advised to deny entry to someone who might well have unsettled that balance.

Thursday 12 February

The day started out soaking wet, with pouring rain until daybreak. Things got progressively better as the morning wore on, although it is now mainly overcast if quite bright. Large amounts of snow are causing problems on the eastern side of the UK as milder air is making its way in from the west. The forecast maximum of +8C does not appear attainable at this stage of the day - the thermometer over at the airport (3 miles from here) is at 5C.

The controversial Dutch MP Geert Wilders has been held at Heathrow Airport after being denied entry to the UK. He will now duly be returned to the Netherlands. The Dutch ambassador was also at Heathrow to express his country's opposition to the ban on Mr Wilders.

I am pleased to note that Pope Benedict XVI has moved to limit damage caused by the reinstatement of holocaust denier Bishop Williamson. The pontiff has stated that he was unaware of the bishop's views, and apologises for any distress caused. The Jewish community in the USA has expressed relief at this. I have to say that I find it almost beyond belief that it was not known in the Vatican that Bishop Williamson was a holocaust denier.

Wilders

The BBC reported this evening that Dutch MP Geert Wilders has been banned from entering the United Kingdom. Mr Wilders, who heads up the Freedom party PVV, gained prominence in March 2008 through the publication of a 15-minute video called Fitna. Fitna is an Arabic word, translated as strife in some instances. The film has been put on the Internet, and was due to be shown to the House of Lords by Mr Wilders.

He has now been denied entry to the UK as his presence is held to be harmful to community relations. Mr Wilders faces trial in Amsterdam for inciting hatred. The Dutch government is thought to be undertaking diplomatic moves to undo the ban.

Quite frankly, this being the year 2009, we can do without the outmoded views disseminated by Mr Wilders. Muslim extremism, which peaked around the time of the 9/11 attacks in 2001, has been increasingly superseded and sidelined in countries like Iraq and even Iran. Pragmatism seems to be taking over, in spite of festering sores like Palestine / Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr Wilders has gained prominence on account of problems in Dutch society surrounding migrants, integration (more to the point: lack of) and misinformation. When people holding views like his start to become popular, it is time for government and community leaders to open their eyes and check what is wrong. And fix it. Seventy-five years ago, a failed artist from Austria came to power in Germany, by promising the residents of that country a solution to their economic woes. His name was Adolf Hitler.

Posted on behalf of

Some of you may remember Cathy [chatzeekay on AOL], who battles with brain injuries following accidents and abuse. She could not resume a journal on Blogger (yet), and has asked me to relay this message. Please note that I have done a direct copy and paste, and the message is exactly as Cathy typed it. Her typos result from her medical condition.

i know i ave not stayed in touch. and its been rough going for me and the hands, and the rest, how is journal land on the otherside. i have not been on the computer at all in some time, and wante dto write a small summarry of things, but have not been able to has of yet, just like a update of such to pass along to my friends that i misss so much. i keep strong even though its rough and still have my courage , and of course my faith and my prayers, i know you will not forget of me i hope no one does. but please let everyine know that i am doing alright and i contuie to strive towards my goals. if i get my summary complied i hope you can post it on your journal, i have not been reading journlas. cause so much has been overwhemling for me, th epain to type is unbearble, hope all is well with you and your famliy, catherine courage,

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Traffic carnage

This afternoon, a long-fingered resident of Stornoway found himself at the receiving end of a case of "from the frying pan into the fire". After being forcibly removed from his home on the seafront, he ended up losing his life on the mean streets of the town. The pink resident had been extricated by parties unknown, reported to be wearing white or grey, using a long, yellow implement to gain access to his home. This had been done without prior warning, just as the unfortunate was enjoying mussels for lunch. Struggling madly, he managed to gain freedom from the grasp of his captors, but fell whilst crossing a street near his home. Unable to get out of the way of traffic, he was run over and killed instantly.

Remembering Today - 11 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King and Country. RIP.

Deckhand DUNCAN MACLEOD

Last address in Lewis: 41 Park Carloway,
Son of John and Catherine Macleod; husband of Catherine Macleod, of 41, Mill Park, Carloway, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Navy, HMS Pembroke
Service number: 9665/DA
Date of death: 11 February 1919 at the age of 51
Died of illness
Joined up in November 1917 although at age 48. Served from 1915 until invalided in 1917
(This line quoted directly from the Roll of Honour)
Interred: Dalmore Cemetery, Lewis

Wednesday 11 February

A very cold start to the day here, with the mercury down to -4C at 7 am, an hour before sunrise. Right now, we've gone up to +6, due to bright sunshine. Clouds have now crept in, but it remains a bright day. The weather is not as nice in southwestern England. Two bus crashes have left more than 40 people injured, following the formation of ice. Across in the USA, a tornado has ripped through a town in Oklahoma, leaving 15 dead. This time of year is unusual to have tornadoes in the Mid West.

Sunset notes

The sun set five minutes ago, after a bright afternoon. The clouds have slowly moved away south, and we're all set for a cold night. Over on the Scottish mainland, the overnight low is expected to be about -9C. Further east, heavy snow is once more on its way into Aberdeenshire. The winter is by no means over, although I'd like to think that the Western Isles is having the best of the weather.

Here in the island of Lewis, planning permission has been granted for an electricity converter station at Gravir, 27 miles south of Stornoway by road (15 by sea). It will be the exit-point for all power generated by windfarms in the island. The electricity plant is expected to be huge, and a colossal blot on the landscape. The vote in the local council was not unanimous, with concerns raised over the impact on roads and landscape.

Gravir in July 2007

Remembering Today - 10 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King and Country. RIP.

Private MALCOLM MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: 17 Knock, Point,
Son of John Macleod, of 17, Knock Point, Stornoway, Scotland. Also served in R.N.R.
Regiment or division: 15th Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment)
Service number: 447137
Date of death: 10 February 1919 at the age of 28
Died of pneumonia in Belgium
Interred: Huy (La Sarte) Communal Cemetery
Memorial reference: I. B. 19.
Lewis Memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Tuesday 10 February

Bright and sunny with some (rain) showers. The remnants of snow that were lying around since the weekend have melted, as temperatures have risen slightly. +4C is still no great shakes though. Further south, rain and snow are wreaking havoc in England as a winterstorm moves across. I am not very pleased with the BBC who are relaying coverage of bankers being grilled by members of parliament on the reasons for the current financial crisis in the UK in particular. However topical that may be, I do grudge being denied television coverage of other major news events, such as the Australian bushfires, and having to watch City fatcats making excuses to cover their greed.

Remembering Today - 9 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Private LOUIS MACKENZIE

Last address in Lewis: 1 Callanish,
Regiment or division: 2nd Seaforth Highlanders
Service number: 8867
Date of death: 9 February 1915 at the age of 31
Died of shrapnel wounds at Netley Hospital
Interred: Netley Military Cemetery
Memorial reference: N. 326
Lewis Memorial: East Loch Roag, Callanish

Remembering Today - 8 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Piper JOHN MACLEOD

Last address in Lewis: 39A Balallan,
Son of Marion MacLeod, of 39A, Ballallan Lochs, Stornoway, Scotland, and the late Donald MacLeod.
Regiment or division: 67th Western Scots Canadian Infantry
Service number: 103327
Date of death: 8 February 1919 at the age of 37
Died of wounds, sustained in January 1918 in France. Invalided to Canada where he died.
Interred: Victoria (Ross Bay) Cemetery
Memorial Reference: N. 18E. T.
Local memorial: Kinloch, Laxay

Sunset, sunrise

Sunset

8 February

Sunrise

9 February

Thrift journal restarted

The frugal living journal, which used to exist on AOL, has been restarted here on Blogger by Lisa-Jo as Our Thrifty Thoughts. If anyone would like to make contributions to this journal as a writer should contact Lisa Jo direct. Please relay on your own journal if this has your interest.

Monday 9 February

Overcast day, but it started brilliantly sunny. Recent snowfalls on the Scottish mountains have left them eminently visible on the distant horizon - I'm about 40 to 70 miles from the mainland. Sunrise this morning at 8 was a blaze of colours, and in one of my later entries I'll link to a few images.

I am horrified to learn that the death toll of the Australian wildfires could exceed 200. It is indeed incomprehensible that someone could deliberately start, if not restart, those fires, knowing that they would be fanned out of control by the strong winds. The stories are heartrending, and I'm referring to the news media for details.

Bishop Williamson, who gained infamy in recent times as a Holocaust denier, has been sacked from the post as director of a seminary in Argentina. It now emerges that the Vatican was unaware of his views regarding the Holocaust, and Pope Benedict XVI has expressed his unreserved support for Jews. I find it a wee bit incomprehensible that these views were unknown to the Holy See.

Sunday 8 February

Bright but hazy and very cold out here. According to the Met Office, the mercury at 11 am stood at -1.9C, after an "overnight" low of -4.2C at 9 am. As I type, the mercury at coldspots Loch Glascarnoch and Tulloch Bridge is still below -7C. Aviemore went down to -14C apparently. Leaving the cold to one side, we're still having the best weather in the country. Southern England is due more snow today, and a winterstorm tomorrow.

The exact opposite in terms of weather is happening in southeastern Australia, where firestorms have claimed more than 80 lives, razing several communities to the ground. Reports quote winds of 60 mph and more fanning the flames. Temperatures have risen to 46C out there - I think I prefer our current frosty weather.

Encouraged by the successful emergency landing in the Hudson River a few weeks ago, two more planes have endeavoured the method. In Australia, a plane successfully landed in shallow water, and its passengers could wade ashore. A plane in Brazil was less lucky, when it was forced down by heavy rain. Although 4 survivors were found, several bodies were found in the wreckage of the aircraft.

Health matters

In the period that I have been writing Northern Trip (on AOL) and Atlantic Lines, I have come out very outspoken against the Big Brother programme and its participants. More so, since BB is actually a Dutch invention. One object of my objections was Jade Goody, a contestant in the 2002 edition of the show in the UK, who stood out for having a big mouth that was commonly engaged before her brain was. A few years ago, she gained more infamy by participating in a Celebrity version of BB and opening her mouth too wide again.

Ms Goody was diagnosed with bowel cancer last August, and it has since emerged that the disease has spread. She has used her celebrity status to promote awareness of cancer, which is a good thing. Last night, Jade underwent a 4-hour operation to remove a growth on the bowel, which was causing much pain. Whilst realising that metastatic cancer is not usually curable, I do hope that Jade's illness has a positive outcome. I am happy at any rate that she is using her status as a celebrity for a positive cause.

Remembering Today - 7 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.


Seaman ALEX MACKAY
Ailig Ruadh or Alastair Dhomhnaill Aonghais
Last address in Lewis: 15 Valtos,
Son of Donald and Annie Mackay, husband to Christina, father of 3 children
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, SS Vedamore
Date of death: 7 February 1917 at the age of 48
Ship sunk by U-boat
Survivor from sinking of HMS Hermes
Lewis Memorial: Uig, Timsgarry

Saturday 7 February

Bright and sunny day, but quite cold in the brisk northerly wind. The thin layer of snow may melt in the afternoon sun, and I do think we're having the best weather in the country. I do not envy those in England who may find themselves in a 12 to 15 degree frost overnight tonight. More snow is on its way to the southern parts of the UK over the weekend, so this cold winter is not over by a long shot.

In recent days, there has been ongoing coverage in the news media about the credit crisis and particularly bonuses for bankers. I think it is a complete outrage for bonuses to be paid to bankers anywhere in the world, for adopting the policies that have led to the current crisis. They are the ones that were selling debts, in other words air, between each other, getting rich in the process. For instance, the Royal Bank of Scotland, currently 70% in public ownership, says it has to pay the bonuses in order to retain its top bankers. Methinks they can do without those bankers if they caused the bank to be taken into partial public ownership. I have also noticed that the banks continue to rake in money from their customers in order not to have to change their modus operandi.

A few months ago, news emerged of a so-called City fat cat taking his own life. Whilst deploring suicides for whichever reason, my sympathy wore thin when I read that this particular chap was holding down a lavish lifestyle, throwing parties in sumptuous locations across Europe at very frequent intervals. It struck me that he probably was unable to cope with the loss of earnings and therefore a loss of face for not being able to hold down said lifestyle.

For as long as banks and other financial institutions do not realise and own up to the fact they are mostly responsible for the current financial crisis, this same crisis will not be resolved any time soon. A complete overhaul in attitude is required, not just on the part of the banks. People do not seem to remember that when you borrow money it also has to be paid back at some stage. Creditcards, storecards and the like are all very nice and convenient, but you don't see you are spending money - until the day the final demand comes in.

Remembering Today - 6 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Seaman NORMAN MACIVER
Tormod Thormoid Mhoir or Tormod Thormoid Mhurchaidh
Last address in Lewis: 25 Valtos,
Son of Norman and Mary Maciver, of 25, Daltos Uig, Stornoway, Ross-shire.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Inconstant
Service number: 3817A
Date of death: 6 February 1915 at the age of 28
Drowned after he was washed overboard
Memorial: Chatham Naval
Memorial reference: 14
Lewis Memorial: Uig, Timsgarry

Friday 6 February

Bright and sunny day, with some snow on the ground. It does not feel cold, although the mercury is only +3C. I'm glad I'm not in England, with all the snow they are having down there. I hope they manage to get enough roadsalt to grit the roads; stocks are apparently running low. The salt quarry at Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland is working flat out, so hard in fact that they cannot stop to talk to the BBC.

I heard this morning that the West Highland Railway has been voted the most scenic railway journey in the world. I could not agree more; it is my favourite rail trip in the UK. The 154 miles from Glasgow to Fort William and Mallaig pass through some stunning mountain scenery, by Corrour Station (not served by public road) and on to Glenfinnan and Mallaig. The most remarkable feature for a few years was a toilet bowl, which sat on a knoll by the railway, a few miles south of Corrour Station in 1995. One year later, I passed the same way again, and a teddy bear was sitting on the toilet. Yet another year later, both toilet and teddy had disappeared.

Hurricane update - 5 February

In the southern hemisphere, the cyclone season is cranking up to its high point. At the moment, cyclone Gaël is moving west towards Madagascar, 300 km north of La Reunion. Before the storm reaches the Big Island, it is expected to veer sharply south. Gaël will continue to strengthen, and could reach up to 115 knots in strength - that is equivalent to winds of 210 km/h. The islands of La Reunion and Mauritius are feeling the effects of Gaël, with winds of 100 km/h on exposed coasts of La Reunion, and up to 80 km/h on Mauritius. A swell of 3.5 to 7 metres is running on the north to east coasts of La Reunion. All cyclone warnings are cancelled on Mauritius, but La Reunion remains on Yellow Alert. Malagasy residents are closely monitoring the progress of Gaël, but are not expected to suffer a direct hit; its rainbands and the periphery of the core of winds could affect the east coast of Madagascar. The point where Gaël will veer south is to determine the level of impact on the Big Island, and that is where the uncertainty lies.

Concerned residents of La Reunion, Mauritius and Madagascar should closely follow the 12-hourly updates on the JTWC website, or the 6-hourly updates on the website of RSMC La Reunion (in French).

Thursday 5 February

So, I'm back in Stornoway, and I brought the winter with me. Temperatures down to +2C today, with frequent hail and snow showers. Although there is not much wind, a heavy swell in the Minch is keeping our freight ferry in port.

Elsewhere in the UK, 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm) of snow is causing extensive disruption to travel, and ain't I glad not to be among all that now. There is a lot of discussion going on about ineffective gritting and clearing, but if snow is not an annual problem, then there is not much point keeping a huge infrastructure in place to tackle it. Question of priority. However, planning for such an eventuality would make dealing with it a bit easier.

I have resumed my photography using a digital camera, given to me to use by my father.

Tuesday 3 February

Along the M25


In Terminal 5 at Heathrow

Wednesday 4 February

Pitching in the Minch


View from Loch Broom

Thursday 5 February

Thin layer of snow in Stornoway

Remembering Today - 4 February

On this day in the First World War, these men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. RIP.

ANGUS MACDONALD

Last address in Lewis: Islivig,
Regiment or division: New Zealanders
Date of death: 4 February 1917
Died of wounds

Private MALCOLM MACDONALD
Last address in Lewis: 2, Stag Road, Stornoway
Son of John and Bella MacDonald, of Lower Bayble; husband of Isabella MacDonald, of 2, Stag Rd., Stornoway.
Regiment or division: "B" Coy. 4th Seaforth Highlanders
Service number: 3135
Date of death: 4 February 1919 at the age of 34
Interred: Eye / Aignish Cemetery
Memorial reference: B. 45

Remembering Today - 3 February

On this day in 1915 (during the First World War), these eleven men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. They perished with the sinking of HMS Clan Macnaughton, which struck a mine northwest of Ireland. RIP.

DONALD FINLAYSON

Last address in Lewis: 19 Aird Tong,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS "Clan MacNaughton"
Service number: 2289A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 29
Drowned in sinking of ship Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Lewis Memorial: Back

Leading Seaman JOHN MACLEOD

Last address in Lewis: 25 Aird Tong,
Son of Mrs. P. MacLeod, of 25, Aird of Tong, Stornoway, and the late Peter MacLeod.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS "Clan MacNaughton"
Service number: 3092A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 23
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Lewis War Memorial: Stornoway, Back Division, plaque 7

Seaman DONALD CAMPBELL
Last address in Lewis: 7 Arnol,
Son of Norman Campbell; husband of Christina Campbell, of 26, North Bragar, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 4018B
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 40
Drowned in sinking of ship Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Local memorial: West Side, Bragar

Seaman DONALD MORRISON
Last address in Lewis: 41 Borve,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 2395D
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 46
Died in sinking of Clan MacNaughton
Left six orphans
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 14
Local memorial: North Lewis, Borve

Seaman KENNETH MACAULAY

Last address in Lewis: 3 Breasclete,
Son of George and Christina Macaulay, of 3, Breasclete, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 4971B
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 30
Drowned in sinking of ship Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Lewis Memorial: East Loch Roag, Callanish

Seaman DONALD FINLAYSON (jnr)
Last address in Lewis: 11 Brue,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 2289A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 22
Drowned in HMS Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 14

Seaman DUGALD KENNEDY
Last address in Lewis: 2 Calbost,
Son of Donald and Kate MacKay Kennedy, of 2, Calbost, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 5424A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 17
Drowned in sinking of the Clan MacNaughton
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14
Local Memorial: Pairc, Kershader

Seaman NEIL MORRISON
Last address in Lewis: 9 Calbost,
Son of John and Marion Morrison
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 22
Drowned in sinking of the Clan MacNaughton
Was a survivor of the sinking of the Hermes
Local Memorial: Pairc, Kershader

Seaman DONALD CAMPBELL
Last address in Lewis: 26 North Bragar
Son of Norman Campbell; husband of Christina Campbell, of 26, North Bragar, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 4018B
Date of death: February, 3th, 1915 at the age of 40
Died in sinking of ship
Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial
Memorial reference: 14

Seaman DONALD MARTIN

Last address in Lewis: Portvoller,
Son of William and Mrs. Martin, of Port Voller Point, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 6803/A
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 21
Enlisted after outbreak of war and had just completed 3 months' service
Drowned in sinking of ship
Memorial: Chatham Naval, panel 14
Lewis Memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Seaman DONALD MURRAY
Last address in Lewis: 33 South Dell,
Son of Murdo and Catherine Murray, of South Dell, Ness; husband of Mary McDonald Murray, of 33, South Dell, Ness, Island of Lewis.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Clan MacNaughton
Service number: 3275C
Date of death: 3 February 1915 at the age of 37
Left widow and 5 children
Memorial: Chatham Naval
Memorial reference: 14
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross

The epic journey - postscript

The Calmac website advises me that MV Clansman did not depart Ullapool as scheduled this afternoon at 5.35pm due to the weather conditions. Neither will it sail tomorrow, on any of its sailings. Seems I was very lucky in getting on the boat this morning, as it was the last sailing until Friday at the earliest.

The epic journey - part 3

Well, I made it. Forty-three hours late. At 1.45 pm this afternoon, MV Clansman docked at Stornoway, and I stepped ashore in Lewis. Originally, I was to have come back by plane at 6.50pm on Monday 2 February, but it did not quite work out that way. Instead of 12 hours, it took me 55 hours.

This morning, I left the Royal Highland Hotel beside Inverness's railway station and went to the bus station. The station building was dark and deserted, so I could not buy a ticket. The driver had to sell me one. He left 5 minutes early, and we reached Ullapool without any problems whatsoever. Dire warnings were out about snow, but there was only a thin wreath of white on the higher summits, and some slushy stuff by Loch Glascarnoch, the highest point on the A835 between Garve and Ullapool. Reached the latter place at 9.30 am. MV Clansman turned up just after 10, and headed back out to sea 45 minutes later. We had a very rough crossing, and I think a lot of crockery got broken, judging by the sounds from the gallery and the desperate running around from a member of staff. Not everybody enjoyed the trip, there were a few green faces around. The weather is pretty dismal, snow, sleet, rain, and barely +2C. That's 7 degrees down on the previous weekend's performance.

So, the epic journey is finally at an end.

The epic journey - part 2

Awoke at 6 am, and packed my bag, checking on the television whether the weather was suitable for travelling. It didn't look to bad, all things considered. The taxi turned up to return me to bonny Gatwick for half the fare that last night's cab had charged. The latter was an airport taxi, which generally fleeces the punters who don't know any better. Gatwick was slightly better organised than yesterday, and things were moving.

Not for me. Although the plane for Glasgow was leaving at 8.25, I was not booked onto it. I'm livid about that, because I had gone out of my way to rebook my flights. And it had not been done. Grrr. A kind BA employee booked me on a flight out of Heathrow at 2.05pm, which would have me back in Stornoway by 6.50pm. It required me to take a coach to Heathrow, and once on the motorway, there were problems. An accident on the M23 north of Gatwick, and one on the M25 near Reigate caused a delay, but nothing too serious.

Arrived into Heathrow's Terminal 5 at 9.30 am, in plenty of time for my flight. Terminal 5 was a nightmare. People were dossing down on the floor, queueing left right and centre, and it was a miracle that there wasn't a riot. Large numbers of cancelled flights, and after I had queued for 90 minutes, my flight was also cancelled. Before I was told that, the couple in front of me found that they had missed their plane, and they threw a wobbler at the poor girl in the check-in desk. It took nearly half an hour before they accepted that they had missed the plane.

I rang BA at 12, and they rebooked me to a flight at 4.35pm. I had a long wait ahead of me. Terminal 5 was finally getting its act together, and an area was allocated to people going on shorthaul, European or domestic flights. I was allowed in there by 2.35pm. Well, things began to look up from there. I was actually checked in, taken through security and lo and behold, at 4.35 I was on the plane. Which was not going anywhere for another hour, because the luggage was late and the truck that was going to push the plane away from the stand decided to malfunction. Take-off by 5.45, and we witnessed a nice dusk.

Glasgow was reached an hour later, and by 7pm I found myself on the bus into the city. With some fastfood in hand, I managed to get on the 7.41 train to Perth, from where a different train took me to Inverness in two and a half hours. Pity it was dark; it is one of the most scenic railrides in the country. And here I am, in my second hotel, closing down the day.

More tomorrow!

The epic journey - part 1

All seemed well this morning, when I left at 7.45 to go to the railwaystation at Arnhem. Schoolkids rode the bus 1 stop (quarter of a mile) to school - no, five minutes' walk really is too far today. Left Arnhem on the train at 8.46, as per schedule, but things started to go awry when we stopped at Amsterdam's Bijlmer station. Normally, the service would branch off direct to Schiphol Airport, but due to a points failure, we had to go straight ahead to Amsterdam Central Station, thence back south to the airport. This took rather long, and we arrived 25 minutes late. No problem, I had planned to arrive 2 hours ahead of schedule. Not knowing I'd depart 2 hours behind of schedule.

Heavy snow had closed Heathrow, and Gatwick was the only airport open around London. So, boarded the plane and it set off at 2pm - to arrive into Gatwick at 2pm. Don't forget about the hour's time difference between the continent and the UK. It was murky and snowy out there, but the runway was clear. I hared through the airport towards the departures lounge - to be met by a scene of mayhem. All domestic flights were cancelled - including my onward connection to Edinburgh. That put a serious spanner in the works. It meant an extra overnight stay. But my baggage was put through to Stornoway, so I had to go and salvage that. Thanks, Gatwick luggage staff: it worked. Next step, a bed for the night. From there, I hoped to get some internet access (which I'm using to type this), and by 4.30pm, I was on my way to a rather expensive little hotel at the back of beyond. All as a result of a foot of snow in southern England. It did look very pretty by the way.

Meanwhile at the airport, dozens of people were sitting in a colossal queue at the enquiries desk, waiting to reschedule their flights. This queue meant a 5 hour wait. No thanks. I rang the travel agent who had booked this flight (on the web), and they rebooked me on the 8.25 to Glasgow, which (combined with a 5 hour wait at Glasgow) will put me into Stornoway at 4pm tomorrow. Well, seeing is believing.

Thanks to some sandwiches from my dad, I had not quite starved, but I was hungry by 6 o'clock. Food wasn't served till 7, and when I did order it took 45 minutes to arrive. Because the place was bombed out. Tomorrow, a taxi will pick me up at 7 am to return me to the paradise called Gatwick Airport.

Those on Facebook are already aware of this odyssee - I'm taking the opportunity to give further details.

Remembering Today - 2 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Private K MATHESON
Regiment or division: 6th Cameron Highlanders
Service number: 5362
Date of death: 2 February 1919
Interred: Barvas Cemetery

Able Seaman WILLIAM MURRAY
Last address in Lewis: 16 Knock, Point
Son of Malcolm and Christina Murray, of 16, Knock, Point, Stornoway.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, 2nd Reserve Battallion Royal Naval Division
Service number: R/2220
Date of death: 2 February 1920 at the age of 22
Interred: Eye / Aignish Cemetery
Memorial reference: E. 4. 27

Gunner JOHN MACLEOD

Last address in Lewis: 19 Knock, Point,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS President III
Service number: 5415/A
Date of death: 2 February 1919 at the age of 28
Died of pneumonia in Glasgow
Interred: Aignish / Eye Cemetery, Lewis
Memorial reference: E. 3. 30
Lewis Memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Remembering Today - 1 February

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Lieutenant JOHN MACKENZIE
Last address in Lewis: Keith Street, Stornoway
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Implacable
Date of death: February, 1st, 1920 at the age of 58
Discharged due to ill health in 1918
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial

Remembering Today - 31 January

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Master Mariner JOHN MACKAY
Iain Uisdean

Last address in Lewis: 31 Valtos,
Son of Hugh and Ann Mackay
Regiment or division: Merchant Marine
Date of death: 31 January 1919 at the age of 47
Died at home
Invalided October 1916 with pulmonary trouble
Was sailing on the Australian Coast and received his Master's Certificate in 1911.
Lewis Memorial: Uig, Timsgarry

Voice comments

I have put on my sidebar the possibility to add a voice comment. It's only a phonecall away; you can even do it on-line through your PC's microphone. To do it by mike, you need to click on my name in the widget and you can add a voice comment from there. Look forward to hearing from y'all.

Blogger returns

I noticed that Mary [frankandmary] has rejoined us on Blogger. She is now writing a journal called Rejected Truth. If you haven't already found her, pay a visit.

Remembering Today - 29 January

On this day in the First World War, these three men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Seaman COLIN CAMPBELL
Last address in Lewis: 47 North Tolsta
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Aquamarine
Date of death: 29 January 1916 at the age of 48
Was swept overboard and drowned
Leaves widow and 6 children
Local memorial: North Tolsta

Leading boatman MALCOLM MACIVER
Last address in Lewis: 7 Steinish
Son of Kenneth and Henrietta MacLeod MacIver, of 12, Branahuie, Stornoway; husband of Annie MacIver, of 7, Steinish, Stornoway, Isle of Lewis.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Jupiter
Service number: 225994
Date of death: January, 29th, 1916 at the age of 48
Died at Port Said
Interred: Port Said War Memorial Cemetery
Memorial reference: J. 17

Leading Seaman DONALD MACDONALD
Last address in Lewis: 20 Knock, Point
Regiment or division: Merchant Marine, SS Glenfruin
Date of death: January, 29th, 1918 at the age of 30
Ship sunk by U-boat
Lewis Memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Remembering Today - 28 January

On this day in the First World War, these three men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Private DONALD MONTGOMERY
Last address in Lewis: 29 Lower Garrabost,
Regiment or division: 7th Cameron Highlanders
Service number: 3/5518
Date of death: 28 January 1917 at the age of 19
Killed in action
Memorial: Thiepval
Memorial reference: Pier and Face 15B
Lewis Memorial: Point (Garrabost)

Private WILLIAM MURRAY
Address not recorded
Regiment or division: 2nd Gordon Highlanders
Service number: 29012
Date of death: 28 January 1920
Interred: Eye / Aignish Cemetery
Memorial reference: E. 3. 76

Private DONALD MACAULAY
Last address in Lewis: 12 Murray's Court, Stornoway
Regiment or division: Gordon Highlanders
Date of death: 28 January 1915
Killed in action
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial

Pictures

As I reported on the Shell Gallery, I have now scanned in a series of pictures taken over the past month in Lewis. Apart from the graveyard pics from North Tolsta, there are a few others as well, shown below. Enjoy!


Preparing for the powercut - that never was


Sunrise, 13 January


Sunset, 9 January


North Beach, Stornoway, the day after the big storm

Remembering Today - 27 January

On this day in the First World War, these two men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Leading boatman JOHN MACAULAY
Last address in Lewis: 56 North Shawbost,
Husband of Elizabeth Macaulay, of Dunnet, Thurso, Caithness.
Regiment or division: HM Coastguard, Butt of Lewis Signal Station
Service number: 198280
Date of death: 27 January 1919 at the age of 37
Died in an accident at Butt of Lewis
Interred: Bragar Cemetery
Local memorial: West Side, Bragar

Seaman NORMAN MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: Stornoway
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Andania
Date of death: January, 27th, 1918
Ship sunk by U-boat
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial

Remembering Today - 26 January

On this day in the First World War, these three men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Carpenter THOMAS MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: not recorded
Regiment or division: Merchant Marine
Date of death: 26 January 1917
Drowned in torpedoing of SS Ava

Seaman DONALD MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: 22 Swordale,
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Pembroke
Service number: 2223/D
Date of death: 26 January 1917 at the age of 38
Died of illness at home
Interred: Eye / Aignish Cemetery
Memorial reference: E. 2. 52

Quartermaster MURDO SMITH
Last address in Lewis: 25 Leurbost
Son of Isabella Smith (nee McLeod), of 25, Lurebost, Lochs, Stornoway, and the late John Smith.
Regiment or division: Merchant Marine, SS Ava
Date of death: January, 26th, 1917 at the age of 30
Ship sunk by U-boat
Memorial: Tower Hill
Local memorial: North Lochs, Crossbost

Remembering Today - 25 January

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Seaman DUNCAN NICOLSON
Last address in Lewis: 22 Gravir,
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Nicolson, of 22, Gravis, Lochs, Stornoway, Ross-shire. Was present at Antwerp, 1914.
Regiment or division: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Laurentic
Service number: 5305/A
Date of death: 25 January 1917 at the age of 22
Drowned in sinking of HMS Laurentic
Memorial: Chatham Naval, panel 26
Local memorial: Pairc, Kershader

Burns Night 2009

Is there, for honest poverty
That hings his head, and a' that;
The coward-slave we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a' that!
For a' that, and a' that
Our toils obscure, and a' that
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The Man's the gowd for a' that -

What though on hamely fare we dine,
Wear hoddin grey, and a' that,
Gie fools their silks, and knaves their wine,
A Man's a man for a' that.
For a' that, and a' that,
Their tinsel show and a' that;
The honest man, though e'er sae poor,
Is king o' men for a' that. -

Then let us pray that come it may,
As come it will for a' that,
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth
Shall bear the gree, and a' that.
For a' that and a' that.
It's comin yet for a' that
That Man to Man the warld o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that

Blogging

Please be advised that I am currently blogging on the Shell Gallery until 2 February.

Remembering Today - 24 January

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Private MALCOLM MACLEOD
Last address in Lewis: 35 Bayhead Street, Stornoway
Regiment or division: Scottish Rifles
Date of death: 24 January 1917 at the age of 19
Died of wounds sustained previously day at casualty clearing station
keen to serve in the war, he joined up in Glasgow and got himself drafted for foreign service after only 3 months' training. After a fortnight at the Base he was sent into the firing line, and on his second day in the trenches was mortally wounded
Local memorial: Lewis War Memorial

Wind & rain

Winter in the Western Isles of Scotland isn't so much cold, more like wet and windy. Last Saturday's 100 mph winds were extreme, but by no means unheard of. I am at a latitude of 58 degrees north, but on an island in the North Atlantic, 40 miles off the north coast of Scotland. The 'warm' Gulf Streams laps our shores, although water temperatures of 10C / 50F do not rank as particularly tropical. However, if you cast your eyes west towards the equivalent coast in North America, you'll come across Labrador. Currently, their daytime maximum temps range from 0 to -20C (that's 30 to 0F). Ours rarely sink below zero in the daytime.

In summer, temperatures are equally moderate; last summer's highs of 25C / 77F were very unusual. It is found to be 'hot' if the mercury exceeds 20C / 68F.

When I travel to Holland tomorrow, I shall be flying via Glasgow and London Gatwick. The latter airport will be lashed by winds up to 60 mph, so I can look forward to a fair bit of disruption. And waiting at airports is one of my least favourite pastimes.

22 January

Blustery old day, but mainly dry. Sun is out as I type, and that has been the rule through the morning as well.

Gather that Obama felt he had to retake his oath of office, after the Chief Justice and himself fluffed their lines on Tuesday. Better double safe was the mostly likely line of reasoning.

A subsidy for the golf course at Scarista in Harris has been withheld by Sportscotland, because the course is not open on Sunday, out of respect for Sabbath observation in the island. Sportscotland have stated that it will only award subsidies if there is no discrimination present in the facility in question, and if it is open 7 days a week. Scarista's golf course is located in the dunes right above the beach on the western shore of the island, with stunning views to the mountains in North Harris. The Western Isles MP has come out forcefully against the decision, but in my mind, the closure of Scarista on Sunday is one of those unfortunate contradictions. It ranks shoulder to shoulder with planes flying out of the airport at Stornoway on Sunday, but no ferry out of the port.

Tomorrow, I shall be travelling to Holland for a 10-day visit, partly to celebrate my father's birthday. Although my last visit ended only 17 days ago, it is one of those important milestones that follow the death of a close relative. Unless I find something else to write about before tonight, I shall resume posting on the Shell Gallery on Saturday 24 January. That will also be the day that the Remembering Today entries will continue on Atlantic Lines. There were no casualties from Lewis that fell on January 21st, 22nd or 23rd in any year of the First World War.

Remembering Today - 20 January

On this day in the First World War, these four men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Seaman EVANDER MACDONALD
Son of Angus and Catherine Ferguson McDonald, of Back, Stornoway; husband of Catherine McLennan McDonald, of 15, Coll, Back, Stornoway, Ross-shire.
Last address in Lewis: 15 Coll
Service, unit: Mercantile Marine, SS Bulgarian
Service number: 2797/C
Date of death: 20 January 1917 at the age of 40
Ship sunk by U-boat
Memorial / cemetery: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 26
Served in the South African War.

Seaman MURDO MACLEOD
Son of John Macleod, of 18, Lower Shader, Barvas, Stornoway.
Last address in Lewis: 18 Lower Shader
Service, unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Victory
Service number: 4444/A
Date of death: 20 January 1919 at the age of 28
Was invalided home and died there
Memorial / cemetery: Barvas Cemetery
Local memorial: North Lewis, Borve

Leading Seaman ALEX MORRISON
Son of Norman and Annie Morrison, of Stornoway, Ross-shire.
Last address in Lewis: 19 South Dell
Service, unit: Royal Naval Reserve, SS Bulgarian
Service number: 3763/A
Date of death: 20 January 1917 at the age of 29
Ship sunk by U-boat
Memorial / cemetery: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 26
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross
Survived sinking of HMS Fisguard

Seaman ANGUS MORRISON
Son of Norman and Annie Morrison, of Port of Ness, Stornoway; husband of Cathrine Morrison, of 32, Habost, Port of Ness, Stornoway.
Last address in Lewis: 19 South Dell
Service, unit: Royal Naval Reserve, HMS Louvain
Service number: 2782/B
Date of death: 20 January 1918 at the age of 35
Ship sunk by U-boat
Memorial / cemetery: Chatham Naval Memorial, panel 30
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross

This is the posting for 20 January, although today is January 21st

The final Bushism

When Barack Obama entered the Oval Office at 8.35 am this morning, he observed a minute's silence. He then opened the note, left by his predecessor George W. Bush, marked: "For number 44, from number 34".

Source: NOS.nl,
translated by myself.

EDIT: BBC.co.uk reports that the note was actually marked "For number 44, from number 43". Sounds like the NOS tripped up badly here.

Out of date

Was browsing the web, when I came across a website, claiming to be for the ferry service between Rosyth (near Edinburgh) and Zeebrugge (Belgium). This link was discontinued last autumn, but could be resumed later this year. Visiting the superscotland.com site, I came across a competition. No, I did not make an entry.

All entries must be received no later than April 30th 2003

Think someone has abandoned their site and never looked at it again.

21 January

Reaasonable day, with brightness and some showers around. Temperature stands at a meagre 5C / 41F. I gather that the severe cold in the eastern USA has abated somewhat. Tropical cyclone Fanele has made landfall in Madagascar this morning; I am awaiting reports of its impact. The last bulletin from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center on this system (before it came ashore) suggested that maximum sustained winds around Fanele's centre would peak at 115 mph.

Any GPs out there interested in a job in Applecross? This tiny community, facing the Isle of Skye on the Scottish mainland, is short of a family doctor, and is pulling out the stops to attract applicants. Read more here.

Evening notes

Barack Obama is now the 44th president of the USA, and he made an impressive speech at his inauguration, just after midday EST (5pm GMT). One of his first acts is to close the prisoncamp at Guantanamo Bay on Cuba, an order that will be issued within 48 hours.

Guantanamo Bay means Bay of Pigs, and there are serious allegations that the prisoners held there have been treated like pigs by their custodians. Who themselves behaved like pigs in doing so. Good riddance to a stain on America's record. Holding suspects without prospect of a fair trial under any jurisdiction is in total contradiction to anything the Land of the Free stands for. If any of the people held at Guantanamo is suspected of any wrong doing, they should be afforded a fair trial under international law, such as the International Courts at The Hague.

As I said in my mobile posting on Facebook, words have to be matched by actions. The closure of Camp Delta is a positive move. In his speech, Obama openly listed the problems he faces as president of the USA, both at home and abroad. He carries a burden of expectation, to which his speech only added.

Tropical cyclone Fanele is approaching the Malagasy coast, and will deal a hammerblow as a category III hurricane. That is already bad enough if it happens on the American Gulf Coast or Florida, but for a nation like Madagascar, it is devastating. It has felt the pinch from both sides, as tropical cyclone Eric, a minor tropical storm, swiped the country's east coast with heavy rains.

Hurricane update - 20 January

Tropical cyclone Fanele has done the dirty on Madagascar, and has intensified explosively to a category II hurricane. At present, the storm is headed for the southwesterly provinces of the island nation, and will strike tomorrow morning at 0600 GMT (1000 hours local time) with winds of 90 knots or 160 km/h.

PLEASE RELAY

20 January

After a clear night and nice start to the day, Tuesday is now a rainlashed and windswept old day. So, it'll be a good excuse for watching television, the inauguration of Barack Obama as 44th president of the USA. I wish him well at this difficult time.

Now that Israel has ended its military operations in Gaza, the resulting damage is becoming clear. As per usual, Israel's iron fisted approach will only serve to further antagonise the Palestinians against them, driving people into the hands of extremists. Allegations that same extremists set up positions deliberately near schools and hospitals cannot be independently verified. On the other hand, firing rockets at Israeli civilians targets out of Gaza was bound to elicit a response from Israel. This festering sore will continue to fester, with no hope of a resolution.

The weekend storms here in the Hebrides have left a trail of damage; more than a dozen cars had to be written off at Arnol, 15 miles north of Stornoway, after a wall collapsed on top of them. Conservatories and greenhouses were blown away and electricity supplies were interrupted. South Beach Street, part of the main thoroughfare in the town of Stornoway, has been closed to traffic because scaffolding on the Town Hall was destabilised by the 100 mph gusts of wind. They were left by a company, since gone bankrupt, which was repairing crumbling masonry late in 2008.

Remembering Today - 19 January

On this day in the First World War, these two men from the Isle of Lewis lost their lives in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Sapper FINLAY SMITH
Last address in Lewis: 19 Habost, Ness,
Son of Mary Smith, of 19, Habost, Ness, Stornoway, Scotland, and the late John Smith.
Regiment or division: Canadian Engineers
Service number: 887744
Date of death: 19 January 1919 at the age of 29
Wounded in action in France and lost the sight of this left eye. Returned to Canada after discharge and died of pneumonia.
Interred: Saskatoon (Woodlawn) Cemetery
Memorial reference: War P. 44. B. 55. G. C.
Local memorial: North Lewis, Cross

Private DONALD SNEDDON
Last address in Lewis: 39A Balallan,
Regiment or division: Cameron Highlanders
Date of death: 19 January 1916
Local memorial: Kinloch, Laxay

Hurricane update - 19 January

Tropical cyclone Fanele is currently in the Mozambique Channel, between Mozambique and Madagascar, to the southeast of Africa. This system is carrying winds of 50 knots (up to 60 mph), and will slowly gather further strength before making landfall in southwestern Madagascar on Thursday as a category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The storm will likely make landfall in the Southwestern Region (Atsimo-Andrefana, in Toliara province). Bearing in mind the impact of other cyclones on Madagascar (one of the poorest countries on earth), the effect of Fanele will most likely be severe.

PLEASE RELAY

19 January

Although the highest of the winds have disappeared, the weather remains wild and windy in the islands. It prompted some unusual measures last night, when a woman gave birth to twins prematurely at 27 weeks in the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway. A Royal Navy Sea King helicopter brought two consultants from Glasgow, but conditions were deemed too severe for the helicopter to take the babies and doctors back. So, the duty Hercules was scrambled from RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire to take them over to Glasgow, where they arrived at 7 am this morning. The babies are described as being in a very poorly condition; their mother remains in hospital here in Stornoway, but is expected to join them tomorrow.

President-elect Barack Obama will be sworn in tomorrow; a day after Martin Luther King day, which is today. MLK would have celebrated his 80th birthday today. He was assinated 40 years ago. Whether the election of a dark-skinned president goes some way towards realising King's dream is the object of many a person's hope in America, like I wrote yesterday. I hope it does.

Remembering Today - 18 January

On this day in the First World War, this man from the Isle of Lewis lost his life in the service of King & Country. RIP.

Seaman MURDO MACKAY
Last address in Lewis: 13 Aignish
Son of John MacKay, of 13, Aignish, Stornoway.
Regiment / service: HMS Vivid, Royal Naval Reserve
Service number: 3093/A
Date of death: 18 January 1917 at the age of 26
Died in Plymouth Hospital
Memorial / cemetery: Aignish / Eye cemetery, E. 3. 60
Local memorial: Point (Garrabost)
Took part in the defence of Antwerp and was one of the few RNR men who escaped after the fall of that city, making his way on foot across Holland dressed in clothes given to him by a friendly Dutch farmer.

Grief

I read a blog, written by American author Elizabeth M. Parsons. Today, she wrote about Letting Go. How do you handle grief, in other words. My response was:

Every person is the sum total of their personality and their experiences in life. Grief is a natural and necessary emotion to come to terms with loss. It cannot be banished altogether, as that would warp your personality. The people that have passed on were once an integral part of your life, so sadness at their loss is normal. However, neither can you allow grief to take over your life, as that would carry the same peril.

Read Liza's post, and leave a comment - both there and at this post.

Obama

Barack Obama will be inaugurated as 44th president of the United States of America on Tuesday, January 20th. Expectations are high, from a multitude of quarters. George 'Dubya' Bush is bowing out as one of the most impopular presidents in US history, and the reasons for that are well documented.

Obama, as a dark-skinned man, carries a burden of expectation from non-white Americans. Several decades on from the abolition of segregation in America, there are still vast differences between various sections of society related to race and ethnicity. The emphasis seems to have shifted a bit towards Latino Americans (from south of the Rio Grande), on account of a large influx of illegal immigrants. But the disaster created by hurricane Katrina in 2005 has underlined the problems still existing regarding African Americans.

American foreign policy does not serve to make it friends in every corner of the globe. The newly ended war in the Gaza Strip was a timely reminder of the festering sore called the Middle East. America's unwavering support for Israel and its iron-fisted approach towards the Palestinian problem at the very least raises eyebrows. The Palestinian problem is one of the Israelis own making, after kicking out hundreds of thousands of people from their homes in the 1940s, and then leaving them without hope or prospects in sprawling refugee camps on the periphery of the Jewish state. A fertile breeding ground for extremist nutcases, using religion as a pretext for any old atrocity, citing the treatment of Palestinians as justification for their deeds. I do not foresee a resolution for the Palestinian question under Obama's tenure of the White House (2009-2012).

Iraq does give food for hope, and I'm not saying that to fill this post with words. The Iraqis themselves have kicked out a large section of Al-Qa'eda militants of their own accords. It is a justified demand that foreign troops remaining in their country leave at the earliest opportunity. In spite of a steady trickle of car-bombs in Baghdad and other places, this could still be achievable in Obama's time as 44th president without Iraq descending into anarchy and succumbing to the lure of Al-Qa'eda or indeed Iran-inspired extremism.

Generally, I hope that Obama manages to avoid the mistake, made by every US president since 1776, that solving any foreign problem with an impact on the USA just requires despatching the US Cavalry and think of the consequences later. Will Obama manage to kick out Robert Mugabe?

18 January

Well, we weathered the storm and have come out the other end without problems. Apart from a town-wide bindance and some stray litter, nothing much has been damaged as a result of the storm. There was a fire in the town overnight, but that was not related to the wind. It has claimed one life.

The winds continue to cause disruption on ferry sailings, as more gales (this time of force 8 only) are forecast, particularly further south.

Sunday dawned grey and cold, and when I went out for an exploratory walk at lunchtime, some pretty heavy snow was falling. Temperatures are too high for it to settle.