Autumn 2009

Today sees the start of the northern hemisphere's autumn season, as the sun crosses the equator on its way south. The weather, as I already indicated in my previous post, is suitable for the time of year, at least here in the Western Isles. I am noticing the changing of the season also by the fact that the sun gets lower and lower in the sky. In my position, about 4 feet from the window, the sun does not reach me in the summer. It is beginning to do so now, and as the year progresses to its close, I'll have to close the curtains in the latter part of the morning - else I will not be able to read the screen.

Another sign of the changing of the seasons is seen in the behaviour of the starlings. Large groups of them are swirling around the town, but not nearly as large as the massive colonies of hundreds of thousands that are seen in southern England. One day, they'll all have gone south. To be replaced by individuals that have come in from higher latitudes to winter in the relatively mild climes of the Hebrides.

Winters here are not severe in terms of temperature. Your average daytime maximum will be around 7C / 45F, and frosts are not common. The lowest overnight temperature I've seen since 2005 is -6C, and that was in March. Snow too is not common either, with the deepest fall of 10 cm / 4 inches lasting exactly 24 hours on February 2nd, 2008.

What makes winters severe in the Western Isles is the wind. Last winter saw a storm with winds gusting to 110 mph, and January 2005 produced a hurricane with gusts to 135 mph. Even if these extremes are uncommon, gales are common: on average once a week will the wind blow at 40 mph or higher. High winds, and that need not necessarily be at galeforce, can persist for days on end, with low, grey clouds scudding by, with drizzle, rain and hail. Daylight hours are at a premium by December, with the sun rising at 9.15 am and setting at 3.35 pm.

Many people who see these islands in summer, under glorious blue skies see them at their best. Some may elect to come and live here. Not all can live through a Hebridean winter.

Tuesday 22 September

Changeable day in Stornoway, with frequent showers, a strong westerly wind and intermittent sunshine. Wind should abate after touching galeforce through the night and earlier this morning. Our freight ferry, the Muirneag, has not done its customary overnight crossing to and from Ullapool, leaving me thinking the shops will be empty today. The normal ferry is due in at 1.15pm, with supplies.

The River Clyde in Glasgow is the scene of a whale or dolphin rescue this morning. It was reported that a northern bottlenose whale of 5 metres / 17 feet in length had been spotted under a bridge a mile west of the city centre. Equipment is being brought it to aid with the rescue efforts.

The BBC reports that autism rates in children appear to be the same as those in adults, dispelling fears over the safety of the MMR vaccine. Ten years ago, a now discredited scientist published a report, linking MMR with autism in children. It led to a dramatic drop in the uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, causing an upsurge in the incidence of those diseases. It is worth stressing that these 'childhood' illnesses can carry serious complications both in children and adults, and those can be life-threatening. Although the scientist behind the MMR scare has been discredited in his field, uptake of the vaccine continues to be below the rates what they were prior to 1998.

Monday 21 September

Autumn is nearly upon us according to the calendar, but it has been around in the Western Isles for the last two months or so. Apart from a brilliant June and first half of July, summer was not really ever here. It is a miserably wet afternoon with some strong winds about. We are under severe weather warning for heavy rain and high winds - gales are imminent. No improvement for tomorrow either.

Last Saturday, I scanned the first copy of the local Roll of Honour, which was published in 1915. The second edition, which was published in 1921, has formed the base for my research so far. Just transcribing the 1915 edition, and see where any discrepancies lie. I have already noticed a number of portraits that were not in the 1921 Roll, so a promising source. Currently on page 11 out of 109.

Sunday 20 September

After a sunny spell just before midday, the weather has clouded over, the wind picked up and a drizzle commenced. Autumn continues, as it has done for a while. The Sunday sailing left Stornoway at 2.30pm, and will be back at 9 tonight. It remains very busy with visitors, although the main tourist season ended a month ago. The road-equivalent tariff, which was introduced on the ferries a year ago, continues to favour the Western Isles. It has slashed the fares across the Minch by half. It's not quite fair on other islands, excluded from the RET pilot study.

Veterans of the airborne landings at Arnhem in 1944 have laid wreaths at the graves of their comrades in the cemetery at Oosterbeek. It could be the last time they'll hold this commemoration.

Image courtesy BBC

Cycling in Scotland

It has come to my attention that the Scottish Government is reviewing its policy on cycling. As part of this, they have raised the possibility that cyclists could be taxed. I have never heard such a ludicrous idea in all my life. In a consultation on the subject, question 10 reads: Should all road users pay road tax? If so, how much should it be for cyclists and how could it be enforced?

It is generally held that cycling, if practicable in terms of distance, is a very good alternative to car use. It causes no pollution, no traffic jams and is good for your health. If anything, the Scottish Government should promote the use of the bicycle by making the purchase or use of cycles tax-deductible (happens in Holland), making roads safer for cyclists (by provision of a cycle-lane or widening the roads. Not taxing them, for goodness' sakes.

If you read this in the UK, please take part in the consultation. As I said, this is the most ridiculous idea I've heard on this issue.

Operation Market Garden

Sixty-five years ago last Thursday, the airborne landings commenced just west of the city of Arnhem in eastern Holland. On 17 September 1944, the Allied forces had been on campaign through western Europe for 3 months, after the successful landings in Normandy on 6 June. Airborne troops were parachuted into the area between Ede and Arnhem to engage the German forces, which were occupying Holland at the time. Although the Allies managed to penetrate into Arnhem, they failed to seize the Rhine bridge there. Fierce fighting in the city dislodged them from forward positions. Poor communications as well as a stronger resistance than anticipated forced a withdrawal south across the River Rhine.

Arnhem and Oosterbeek were evacuated, and looted by the Germans. Holland north of the Rhine remained occupied until the early spring of 1945. In the wake of the failed action at Arnhem, the Netherlands' railway network in the occupied sectors went on indefinite strike. This caused major problems for the Nazi forces, but also for food supplies - by the spring of 1945, thousands of people in the major conurbations in western Holland had starved to death. Others survived by eating flower bulbs. The Allies finally managed to cross the river at Remagen, between Cologne and Koblenz, in February 1945.


Picture courtesy www.gelderlander.nl, credits Pouw Jongbloed

Today, veterans gathered on the Ginkelse Hei [Ginkel Heathland], some 15 miles west of Arnhem, to watch another parachute jump. Others laid wreaths at the War Cemetery at Oosterbeek. The German ambassador to the Netherlands also laid a wreath.

Saturday 19 September

A cold, cold Saturday, in spite of the intermittent glimpses of the sun. A paltry 12C / 54F shows on the thermometer, a strong southerly wind blows. Hope it'll warm up a bit later on. Another ship is in port: the Hanseatic Sailor, which was in before. It is here to collect products from the Fabrication Yard. She has visited Stornoway before: this picture shows Hanseatic Sailor on 30 July, coming in past the Arnish Lighthouse.


Talking of pictures, I have changed the front pic again to a more recent one. Two weeks ago, I went down to Harris, which is the mountainous end of the Long Island. The pic shows the hamlet of Maaruig / Maraig, situated some 6 miles north of Harris's main town, Tarbert. The road to Rhenigidale is new, it was only built in 1987. It is a crazy rollercoaster - starting at 500 feet above sealevel, it plunges down to sealevel in a mile, then rises steeply back up to 500 feet under the hill known as Toddun, only to dive back down to sealevel at the village of Rhenigidale. That's 2,000 feet of descent and ascent within about 4 miles. Before 1987, you'd take a boat out of Tarbert or Scalpay and take yourself to Rhenigidale across the water. If you felt fit, you'd walk from Tarbert (it's about 5 miles), but involves an equal amount of going up-and-down.

Yesterday, I completed the on-line memorial for Harris, and this includes references to two places that are no longer inhabited. The island of Scarp, located some 20 miles northwest of Tarbert, was abandoned in 1971. It is the final resting place of two casualties of the First World War. The village of Molinginish was abandoned in 1963, when the final two residents died. The remains of the township include two cottages which are still in use; Molinginish can be reached on foot by branching off from the track that links Rhenigidale to Tarbert. The Arnish Lighthouse blog did a write-up on this village in December 2005.

On the subject of abandoned villages, the district of Eishken in southeast Lewis was cleared in 1820. It is a large area, with some large mountains on it (by Hebridean standards). Beinn Mhor rears up to more than 1,700 feet. Eishken had 36 townships in it at the start of the 19th century. I've managed to trace 27:


1 Bhalamos Beag
2 Bhalamos Mor
3 Caolas an Eilean
4 Bagh Ciarach
5 Ceannamhor
6 Scaladale Beag
7 Scaladale Mor
8 Stromas
9 Brinigil
10 Bagh Reimsabhaigh
11 Smosivig
12 Glean Claidh
13 Brollum
14 Ceann Chrionaig
15 Mol Truis
16 Mol Chadha Ghearraidh
17 Ailtenish
18 Budhanais
19 Ceann Loch Shealg
20 Eilean Iubhard
21 Isginn [Eishken]
22 Steimreway
23 Cuiriseal
24 Gearraidh Riasaidh
25 Bun Chorcabhig
26 Gilmhicphaic
27 Ceann Sifiord

Friday 18 September

An autumnal day, cool and quite breezy. Feel sorry for the wedding party who are going to have pictures taken on a beach this afternoon. Meanwhile here in Stornoway, the 'successor' to Woolworths, which folded at the end of 2008, is opening at midday. Same range of products, including pick-n-mix. The company, WeeW, has conducted a weeks-long publicity campaign, with a formal opening last night. The shop will open for sales within an hour of this post going live.

It remains quiet on the hurricane front, with one typhoon in the open Pacific and a tropical storm (Marty) fading rapidly near Mexico. The Atlantic has only had 6 named storms, and the way things are going that isn't set to increase rapidly. I'm sure it's a reassurance for those in Hurricane Alley, but bear in mind what hurricanes &c are for: dispersing heat from the tropics to higher latitudes. It is reported that sea surface temperatures are approaching all time highs.

Blog reading

Gone through my Google Reader, and visited quite a few blogs. For the first time this month in fact. It was like coming home again - yes, I realise I'm repeating myself. Will try to make a routine to read blogs, rather than play inane games on Facebook. I do note that many people have the same problem. It will be exactly a year ago at the end of this month that we were notified of AOL's decision to axe their journals functionality. It's been AOL's loss, but much worse, our loss. Quite a few bloggers have disappeared from the blogging scene, unfortunately. AOL?

Thursday 17 September

A cold day today, with the mercury down at 13C and what is called a thin wind, of the variety that blows straight through you. Not very nice.

TV channel BBC4 has been showing a documentary about the present state of the Harris Tweed industry in these islands. I was asked to comment on this, something that I am a bit reluctant to do, knowing more about the history of the industry than I can post on an open internet blog. The documentary gave a factual account of the dire straights that the Clo Mor is finding itself in. I'll try to summarise in a few lines.

Harris Tweed is a trademarked product. Only cloth that has been handwoven and produced in the Outer Hebrides can be called Harris Tweed. Wool is turned into weaving yarn by a factory, who then delivers the bobbins with yarn to the weavers. These are commonly crofters, who have a weaving loom set up around their home. In amongst the one thousand and one other jobs, they'll weave the yarn into the tweed that the factory has ordered. Said mill will then collect the finished tweed and process it into cloth that can be turned into whatever final product is required.

Until the beginning of this year, there were 3 mills in the islands, based in Stornoway, Shawbost and Carloway. The Stornoway mill had been taken over by a Yorkshire textile magnate, Brian Haggas, who wanted to reduce the number of tweed patterns from 8,000+ to 4. Yes, four. After the weavers had finished weaving the tweeds, 70,000 jackets were made and put into storage. Where they lie to this day. As there is no demand for production of more jackets, the Stornoway mill was mothballed in March. Harris Tweed, in its thousands of different guises, remains in demand, demand that the much smaller mills in Shawbost and Carloway (covering 20% of islandwide production capacity pre-closure-of-Stornoway) are struggling to meet.

Unless the Stornoway mill comes back into operation, the glory days of Harris Tweed are over. Nike shoes, Alfa Romeo carseat covers and funny dolls will not generate the work that used to exist for the weavers.

Choi-wan

Supertyphoon Choi-wan has passed the Northern Marianas islands as a category V storm, with winds of 160 mph. The island of Alamagan received a direct hit yesterday, with winds of 145 to 150 mph. The 15 residents there are all safe, including an infant aged 4 days. Although there appears to have been some damage to homes and infrastructure, nobody is reported hurt across the island chain.

Choi-wan is continuing on its west-northwesterly course, maintaining its category V status for the next day or so. The storm will curve away north and northeast, losing its strength in the face of the mid-latitude jetstreams.

Wednesday 16 September

Quite a bright day with good sunny intervals, but with a cool northwesterly breeze. Yesterday, there was good news when the rocket testing range in South Uist, 80 miles south of here, was saved from closure. Proposals had been put forward to reduce the site, with the potential loss of 125 jobs. That would have been a hammerblow for a community of only a few thousand, where jobs are already at a premium. When the range was opened in the 1950s, people protested against its coming. It's slightly strange to note the bruhaha against its possible closure. The initial plans would have saved the Ministry of Defense some £50m ($30m); but the redundancy payments and potential jobless benefits would have outweighed that. The politics surrounding this issue are interesting on a local level, but I won't bore you with that just now.

I couldn't help noticing that the Australian navy has intercepted a boat full of migrants some 400 miles north of its western coasts. The 60 potential asylum seekers were duly taken to Christmas Island, 1500 miles northwest of Australia. I am noting this event, as there have been 4 such incidents in just the past week; and there has been an outburst of overt racism down under against immigrants of any sort, legal, illegal, long in the country or not. Local media carry an assessment of the political situation that has arisen as a result.

Tuesday 15 September

A quiet morning in the islands, with some brightness in amongst the scattered light showers.
It's not quiet around Guam, where supertyphoon Chon-wan has passed over Alamagan Island with winds of 130 knots. Yep, that's 145 mph. Gusts up to 180 mph. A supertyphoon is equivalent to a category V hurricane, so it's no use going out with an umbrella. People are advised to stay in their shelters. I'm trying to monitor events from the other side of the globe, but the Saipan Blog has not been updated since yesterday. I'm not too concerned though, apart from Alamagan Island.

On the theme of "everything can make you ill", it is now suggested that it's not healthy to take a shower. Disease-causing bacteria congregate in the showerhead, and when you turn on the shower, you're bombarded with a barrage of Mycobacterium avium, which can give you pneumonia. Doctors have found that as people move out of their baths to take showers, incidence of such disease has increased. Mind you, taking a bath isn't healthy either. You end up soaking in the filth that has soaked off your body. As you step out, it gleefully sticks to your skin again.

Monday 14 September

Overcast and misty, with clouds down to a few dozen feet above sealevel. There is a breeze, but not enough to lift the clouds.

There will be more than just a breeze around Guam, where typhoon Chon-wan is poised to come trundling through with winds of 90 mph and more around its centre. The storm will strengthen further after passing through the Northern Marianas Islands, but its future course beyond the middle of the coming week is uncertain.

One of the local producers of Harris Tweed has denied it was seeking to de-scottishify its products. What?? It was suggested that the released of the Lockerbie bomber would taint Scottish products in the American market, hence moves to de-scottishify. You can't remove any reference to the Scottish origins of Harris Tweed from the product. That's ludicrous. And whoever thought up that gut-wrenching neologism probably been de-brained beforehand.

Cloudscapes and sunsets

Sunset at Stornoway, 11 September

Lowly cumuli on a grey sky at Stornoway, 11 September

Cloudscape at Stornoway, 9 September

Mountain-related clouds over the hills near Reinigeadal, Harris, 6 September

Cloudscape at Stornoway, 6 September

Sunset at Grimshader, 5 September

Moon over Stornoway Harbour, 5 September

Sunday 13 September

Overcast this morning, and what looks like a very fine drizzle. No wind - probably hordes of midges out.

Been hearing a lot about a Tea Party in Washington DC (on Twitter), and what is called 9/12 - although the implied connection with 9/11, the day before, is being attacked by some in the States. Apparently, many people attended a rally in DC to protest against plans by the Obama administration to spend nearly a trillion dollars on healthcare. The BBC put their number at 15,000, the organisers at 2 million. Anyway, Mr Obama (in my humble opinion from across the pond) should be applauded for wishing to extend health care cover to those 20% in the US who currently don't have that. Having read several on-line journals written by people who rank among that 20%, I am positively shocked at that situation.

The UK is unique, in that the NHS is in principle free to its users (apart from contributions for medicines, dental work &c). In continental Europe, healthcare provision is paid for through national insurance contributions mixed with private healthcare insurance. There is nothing wrong with private healthcare, but a state should always look to support those that can genuinely not afford to go private. The scare tactics being used, like quoting illegal aliens receiving kidney dialysis on the US government, are false and reprehensible. A doctor is compelled by his Hyppocratic oath to minister to all who need his services, irrespective of who they are. Or, more to the point, how much money they have. It is in that respect where the US healthcare system has gone off the rails.

Here in the UK, to continue on that theme, there is a shortage of dentists for tending to NHS patients. They prefer to do private work, exclusively. Pays better. IMHO any doctor or dentist working in the UK should be forced, by law, to take a set percentage of NHS patients as part of his workload.

The Falling Man

Watched a documentary tonight about the Falling Man, the undescribably image of one of the people who fell from the WTC in New York on 9/11. As my tribute on this blog indicates, people tried to identify the man pictured, and initially concluded it was Norberto Hernandez. This was disproved. It then turned out to be Jonathan Briley, who worked in the Windows of the World restaurant, where Norberto Hernandez was employed as a chef. But, does it really matter who was captured, falling hundreds of feet to his death?

No.

It matters more what the image stands for. And that transcends identity, ethnicity or nationality. It surmounts the politics, security and other implications that the dreadful events of 9/11 had. It brings it back down to the individual. Like the tombs to the unknown soldier that are scattered across the world. For it is the not knowing of the identity that gives the image its power.

9/11 will be remembered through the years, its acute pain lessened as time passes. If I can, I'll continue posting Norberto Hernandez' tribute on 11 September each year. Whether under the auspices of Project 2996, or under my own steam. Norberto's memory will live on. As will the memory of the several thousand others who died that day, 8 years ago.

Saturday 12 September

Equinox approaching rapidly, and it's getting dark by 8pm now. Nice sunset last night, will post pictures at a later stage. The island's shores are plagued by jellyfish, which are not just a nuisance. If they get into fishfarms, they are capable of killing the salmon - in 2002, £3m worth of farmed fish were killed in a fishfarm south of Stornoway.

Image courtesy Hebrides News

J-landers are reminded that Lisa Arthur's Facebook site was hacked, and is now closed down. She has reopened a new account. I am glad, in a way, that the hackers chose the wrong person. Everyone who knows Lisa is aware she's housebound, if not bedbound, due to her ill health. So it was pretty obvious it wasn't her over in London, asking for money.

Hurricane update - 12 September

While Fred, Linda and Mujigae fade into the history books, a flurry of new systems take over. Mujigae will have brought heavy rains to southern China and northern Vietnam - keep an eye on the news feeds for that.

Further east, along the 152nd degree longitude east, we find tropical depression 15W. This will strengthen rapidly and come barging through the Northern Marianas Islands on Tuesday as a 65 knots typhoon. Guam and surrounding islands are on typhoon or tropical storm watch. A previous tropical cyclone elicited the response from there that they'd crack open a beer and see what's doing on the beach.

The Philippines, more specifically Luzon, are feeling the effects of tropical disturbance 91W, which is referred to as Nando locally. This could develop into a formal tropical cyclone, but the Philippines will find the rains from 91W already more than enough to cope with. By the end of this week, 15W will come to haunt them as a powerful typhoon, although that is far from certain, actually. The latter system is still 30 degrees in longitude away to the east.

Missing - body found

Last weekend, a 17-year old jumped into the Falls of Foyers off Loch Ness and disappeared. Yesterday afternoon, search teams found the body of a man, thought to be that of Laurence Parrott. Formal identification is yet to take place (at time of typing, 5pm on Friday).

It reinforces the call, made by HM Coastguard yesterday to refrain from tombstoning. This teen-craze, which has risen in popularity, involves people jumping off high cliffs or piers without knowing what lies at the bottom. Assuming it is deep water, many have come to grief in shallow pools, having not taken into account the tides. Some have lost their lives. Videos of youngsters from the Isle of Lewis engaging in similar acts of lunacy were / are on Youtube, but some of the videos have been taken down by the website following complaints.

Late posting out of respect for the victims of 9/11

9/11 - eight years on

When this post is published, it will be exactly eight years to the minute that the first aircraft hit the World Trade Center in New York. The events of what is now referred to as 9/11 are only too well known.

My thoughts are with all victims, whether identified afterwards, or not. In New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

My thoughts are with the passengers and crew on the four flights destroyed. My thoughts are with the victims killed in the World Trade Center. My thoughts are with those emergency workers who lost their lives trying to save others'.

My thoughts today are with the families of those who perpetrated these atrocities, for they lost too. Even before the events of September 2001, they lost their loved ones to a delusion of hate that is not of the religion they claimed to be faithful to. Hatred leads to destruction - as shown seven years ago. Forgiveness is a pillar of Christian faith, as it is one of the Islamic faith. Whether those that lost a loved one in 9/11 can find it in themselves to forgive is beyond my scope.

But first and foremost, my thoughts are with Norberto Hernandez, whose tribute I filed on Northern Trip, the predecessor to Atlantic Lines, in 2006 and 2007. The searches for Norberto on Google are contaminated with references to the Falling Man, who was in fact another victim, Jonathan Briley. This confusion has led to much anger and anguish, something the families of both men could do well without.

Norberto, rest in peace.

This entry, as stated above is dedicated to the memory of



Norberto was a pastry chef from Elmhurst, working in the restaurant Windows on the World on the 106th and 107th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York. After the attacks, he was reported missing for a week until parts of a torso and an arm were found in a collapsed stairwell. DNA testing and finger printing reveiled that these were the remains of Norberto. It also invalidated claims that the image of the Falling Man was that of Norberto; this was another victim of 9/11 who will be the subject of a different tribute.



At the time of the attacks on the WTC, Norberto was aged 42 and had been married for 25 years. He was the fourth of ten children by his parents’ marriage, and also had six half-siblings through his father. His parents separated when he was young. Norberto himself had three daughters, three grandchildren and 37 nephews. He was a man of Puerto Rican origins, and had hoped to spend his final days there. Instead, after 9/11, a funeral service was held and his remains cremated in Puerto Rico.

His sister Luz described Norberto. “He was quiet, kind”, she said. “He was a handsome man. Everybody loved him, you know. Everybody.” Norberto’s nickname was Bible, as he was very dependable. Together Forever was his motto.

Norberto started work in Windows on the World at the age of 17, washing dishes. He was interested in cooking, so a manager paid for his tuition at cooking school. Norberto became pastry chef and worked up to 10 hours a day. His sister Luz said that he made cakes, desserts, cookies and bread. His cakes were fabulous.

Outside work, Norberto loved sports, and was a fan of a Puerto Rican boxer, Felix Trinidad Jr. Four days before the attacks, he rang his mother and asked her to play “I would cry but I have no more tears” four times.

In the immediate aftermath of the plane striking the North Tower, Norberto called his sister Luz. “He said: ‘Yeah, don’t worry, I’m OK”.They were disconnected, and when Luz tried to call back she could not get through. Other accounts from Windows on the World tell that smoke and dust filled the restaurant after the strike, and that people lay on the floor to escape the worst of it. Air was beginning to run out at the time of the last contact.

These are the facts that I have managed to pull together from the Internet.

From the little that I have learned of Norberto, he came through as a gentle giant. Although 6’2” (1.84m) tall, he was always listening, and talked later. His family suffered a double loss, as Claribel Hernandez (his sister-in-law), a secretary working elsewhere in the North Tower, was also killed in the attacks. Norberto was close in the family and responsible, which earned him the nickname Bible. He loved his work, and by the look of one of the images, loved to impart that knowledge to others around him.

September 11th, 2001, dawned as a brilliantly sunny morning in New York. Two planes were flown into the two towers of the World Trade Center, leading to their collapse within 2 hours. The destruction of so many lives was brought about by mindless hatred and madness, fuelled by religious zealotry which was not based on any writing in any scriptures in any religion.

Norberto may have heard of that on news reports, but it was probably quite far from him. He was a man that lived for his family, always there for them. A diligent worker, putting in up to 10 hours a day, loving his creations from the oven. Travelling to the WTC on the Subway every morning, his thoughts were probably far from what was to happen not that much later on that fateful Tuesday.

Two thousand nine hundred and ninety-six are known to have died that day, or in its immediate aftermath. Norberto’s ashes were scattered in his homeland of Puerto Rico. His memory lives on in his family, and in the memory of those that read this. He is deeply missed by those close to him.

To Norberto Hernandez

Rest In Peace


Links
http://www.jrn.columbia.edu/studentwork/terror/sep19/three_lives.asp
This link is no longer operational

I have attempted to contact the University of Columbia to use the material in this link, but have not received a reply. As it is central to the tribute, I have used it, and acknowledge the writer, Sarah Clemence.

http://www.poetrykit.org/pkl/tw6/tw4conte.htm


This is a poem by Barbara Phillips, from which I have used some factual references to Norberto. It refers to him being the Falling Man though.

http://www.unitedinmemory.net/gallery.php

I have been granted permission by UIM to reproduce the commemorative quilt for Norberto.


http://www.queenspress.com/archives/coverstories/2001/issue38/coverstory.htm

The poster, pictured above, proclaiming Norberto as missing after the attacks, hung on a walkway of Manhattan for more than a week

Lochs galore

The eastern part of the island of Lewis, south of Stornoway, is referred to as Lochs. For obvious reasons. Driving down the minor sideroad to Grimshader, Ranish and Crossbost, you encounter nothing but lochs (Scots for lakes). The sea is never far away either, with several sealochs (obviously connected to the sea, in this case the Minch) penetrating deep inland. Loch Erisort, 10 miles south of Stornoway, reaches 15 miles from the sea to the village of Balallan. These are the site for several fish and musselfarms. Setting the scene for a scenic drive this afternoon, with the sun out.



Coming down the B897 (which branches off the main road south from Stornoway to Tarbert), first popped into Ranish, which overlooks Grimshader on the far side of the loch. Incidentally, the sideroad within Ranish takes you to the Loch Erisort side of the peninsula. It is fronted by a 360 foot high hill, which I once traversed in pouring rain, in my footloose days back in 2005. Beinn Mhor - to the Gaelic speakers among you, this name will not come as a surprise. The big hill. Doubling back into Crossbost, the road plunges down to the little bay at the end of the road. The churchyard, at the Leurbost side of the village, has seen me several times for war graves business.



We then continued through Leurbost to the junction at Cameron Terrace, then on to Achmore. The map above is incorrect, by the way. The main road is not the A858, which veers northeast out of Achmore. This is a narrow, single-track, road to Stornoway. Although it cuts the distance to town from 12 to 9 miles, it is by no means faster. It rises to 500 feet above sealevel at Beinn a'Bhuinne, past shieling huts and peat cuts. Pity that my camera battery gave out at that point, after sustaining me through about 250 pictures. Here are some of the 50 I took today.


Lochs


Fidigarry, entering Ranish


Shack at Ranish


Ranish


At the end of the road in Crossbost


Leurbost


Lochs at Achmore


Achmore

Tuesday's storm

So we had a 50 mph storm on Tuesday. Someone's dustbin was emptied by the gale; bin on its side, contents blown away. A sailor got into difficulties after he had to give up his anchorage in Glumag Harbour, for a vessel that was due in. Said vessel rode out the storm outside the harbour until Wednesday morning. He was towed into port by the lifeboat. A heavy gale always generates interesting images, see below.


Lifeboat to the rescue




Heavy seas at the Coastguard Station

Thursday 10 September

A nice, sunny day in Stornoway, where we have another cruiseliner in: the Hebridean Princess. Pay £7,000 for two weeks bobbing about on the waves in the Hebrides. No thanks, I'll use a Calmac tub to do that.

Another cruiseliner was in the news for the wrong reasons: the Balmoral, carrying more than 1,800 passengers and crew, was afflicted by the winter vomiting bug. The ship last docked at Invergordon, 25 miles north of Inverness, earlier in the week and headed for Portree in Skye. Due to the poor weather, she diverted to Tobermory. The ship's owners now state that the bug was brought on board by a passenger, who did not stay in her cabin as advised. She spread it to nearly 80 other passengers.

Wednesday 9 September

To quote the National Hurricane Center, nines must have gone wild today. It's 09/09/09, and at 09:09:09 it was nines all the way. Tropical storm Erica, somewhere in the eastern Pacific, had its 9th warning at 09:00 GMT on 09/09/09 and thus we can continue for a little while yet.

At any rate, it's quietened down greatly since yesterday - we're down to force 4, and it was nice and fairly sunny. Cruiseliner Astor was hiding off Lower Sandwick today, as its tenders went back and forth to take its passengers ashore for tours of the island. A cargo boat, due in yesterday, docked at the Fabrication Yard. I don't know what it's doing there; the Yard is a mile away, and I cannot discern what its two cranes are taking on or off board.

Spend part of the afternoon looking up more information for the Uist war memorials; only have Barra left to do, which is about 150 names.

Reading of blogs

I have fallen way behind with the reading of blogs, and hope to catch up at some stage. Sorry if I have missed anything of note.

Tuesday 8 September

Overcast and very windy indeed. The wind is touching galeforce, and is expected to rise further to force 9, which involves windspeeds of 45 mph sustained. There are warnings out for gusts up to 80 mph later this afternoon. As I type, spray is blowing over the causeway across the water. We have no ferry service to Ullapool at all today (both crossings cancelled), and there is major disruption right across the west coast of Scotland. Planes are flying normally, although I wouldn't fancy a flight out of here today. If you want to monitor current conditions at Eoropie, 25 miles north of Stornoway near the Butt of Lewis, you can have a look here.

Monday 7 September

Overcast today, and rain approaching from the Atlantic. This will be followed by our first autumnal gale tomorrow, which could see winds up to 45 mph. It's September, and we're not allowed to forget that.

Hurricanes, I hear you ask? Well, it'll be the peak of the season very soon, but the Atlantic isn't up to much. The Pacific sees a regular procession of tropical cyclones, some off the coast of Mexico, some in the Western Pacific off Asia. Nothing remarkable. Yet.

On Friday, it will be 8 years ago since the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, that have gone down in history as 9/11. I'll be posting my tribute to Norberto Hernandez, as part of project 2996. It will be the only posting for the day, and I'll attempt to post at 1.46pm (UK time), which was the time the first plane flew into the WTC in New York on 11 September 2001.

Pictures - 6 September

Maaruig / Màraig



Rhenigidale / Reinigeadal


Cloud nearly at road level north of the Maaruig junction


Arivruaich / Airidh a'Bhruach



Kinloch Seaforth / Ceann Sìphoirt


Loch Eishken / Loch Eisgein


Sideabhal


Balallan from the Eishken road



Loch Erisort Inn


South Lochs from Keose


Harbour at Keose / Ceos

East coast trip

This afternoon, we headed off for the eastern reaches of Lewis (and Harris) by car. First port of call was the tiny village of Keose, tucked away 2 miles off the main road between Stornoway and Tarbert. After freeing a small bird, that had managed to get itself locked into a creel, we had a look round and returned to the main road. Lunch was taken at the Loch Erisort Inn, in the shape of fish and chips. This used to be operated as the Claitair Hotel (still on the beer sign), but was refurbished a few years ago. The Loch Erisort Inn stands in the district of South Lochs, which I know very well after staying there through the winter of 2004/5. Nothing has changed round there. We then headed up another side road, to Eishken. If only to see it whilst there are no wind turbines on the hills. It is a wild and desolate area, with a savage natural beauty. Its native inhabitants were removed to make way for sheep. I think the year 1820 is still referred to as the Year of the Sheep. Eishken Lodge is the base for shooters and fishers who go round the empty peninsula, which once hosted 36 villages. Back on the main road, I found a new memorial to that disaster of Scottish history called Bonnie Prince Charlie. He had landed at Arivruaich (according to the memorial, although my info says it was on an island near Lemreway, 20 miles to the east) and sneaked over to Kildun Cottage at Arnish (just across the water from my current position) to request sanctuary in Stornoway. The burghers declined this hot potato but didn't shop BPC either. Crossed the border into Harris and promptly drove into the clouds (at 500 feet above sealevel) on our way to Rhenigidale. This village didn't have a road until 1987 - everything had to be brought in by boat or on foot. The main village in Harris, Tarbert, is 4 miles away, but that involves an ascent of 1,000 feet along a 1 in 2 incline. Upon return to Stornoway, I found I had taken 192 pictures today. Uploading these 244 MB will take a while, so I'll post some of the pics in another entry.

Sunday 6 September

Brightening up after a wet start, and a bit breezy. It is forecast to be more than just "a bit breezy" on Tuesday. We are on warning for severe gales and heavy rain (up to 40 mm / 1.6") for that day. The first autumn gale. The equinox is just over a fortnight away, so no surprises there.

As the weather is clearing up, we're hitting the road for the afternoon, so I'll return this evening with pictures.

Saturday 5 September

Overcast after a rainy start - strange thing was that at 4 am, the moon was still shining brightly. Weather changes so rapidly out here, it's hard to keep up with it. On the tropical front, things have quietened down. Hurricane Jimena is no more, tropical storm Erika has fizzled out due to contrary winds and tropical storm Dujuan is not going to bother Japan, I don't think.

I felt a bit queasy after reading that the man who married Jade Goody shortly before her death has been arrested on suspicion of rape. The only reason this horrible crime gained the headlines to the extent it has is that he was married to Z-list celebrity Jade. And the only good she ever did was draw attention to cervical cancer and the importance of taking smears and acting on them.

Locally, the council has approved the planning application for the Eishken Windfarm. This involves 39 turbines, each standing well over 400 feet tall on hills that overlook the Harris Hills and a large area of scenic beauty. Including the Callanish Stones. Can't say I'm happy with it.

Friday 4 September

Overcast and wet today, but not nearly as wet as northeastern Scotland. The area east of Inverness has had rainfall totals of nearly 100 mm (4 inches), which has caused serious problems with flooding. Apart from blocked roads and railways between Inverness and Aberdeen, about 400 people were evacuated from their homes at Elgin and others at Fochabers. The rain is moving away east, leaving folk to clear up the mess.

When, like me, you are interested in the news, and will reflect it on your website or blog, it is advisable to use reputable sources. The BBC is one of my primary sources. Two newspapers in Bangladesh ended up with one giant embarrassment, after they used a story from The Onion website, without realising that this is a satirical outlet, which makes up its own stories based on historical fact. Read more here. Yes, it's on the BBC, so it's OK.

Thursday 3 September

Overcast but fairly bright this morning. Heavy rain elsewhere in Scotland, but the Hebrides is having the best weather in all the country. May get a little drizzle, but nothing that is likely to produce flooding.

Today, 70 years ago at 11 am, the Second World War was declared by the United Kingdom, France and other nations. Germany had ignored an ultimatum to withdraw from Poland. Neville Chamberlain's radio announcement will be replayed over and over again today.

The Scottish Government is to unveil plans to hold a referendum on independence for Scotland, likely to be held in 2010 if the SNP get their way. Opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament will combine to thwart these plans, making it unlikely that said referendum will be held in this session of the Parliament (which will end in 2011).

More later.

Lockerbie - the political fall-out

Today, the Scottish Parliament debated the decision to release the convicted Lockerbie bomber Al-Megrahi on August 20th. MSPs were critical of the way the Scottish Government had handled the situation. A vote was taken on the issue at 5 o'clock this evening, and the government were defeated by 73 votes to 50, with one abstention. There will be no vote of no-confidence in the Scottish Government.

The focus of attention is now moving south of the border to the UK government. Prime Minister Gordon Brown is firmly in the spotlight, with revelations that he is reported to have said that he didn't want Megrahi to die in jail.

Although I dislike the SNP administration in Edinburgh, I support their decision to free Megrahi, as I believe it was taken for the right reasons. I feel it is disingenuous of the UK government not to fully brief the Scottish Government of the whole state of affairs surrounding Libya - but then, there is no love lost between Labour and the SNP. As I disapprove of this issue being turned into a political football, I am not going to devote any more posts to it.

Wednesday 2 September

Bright start to the day, but cloud is gradually increasing. Rain is on its way in from the southwest, but not before the afternoon is out.

Hurricane Jimena (I keep misspelling its name) is heading into Baja California, but is weakening all the while. By landfall, later today, it'll be a category I or II system; fears were for a category IV strike. Tropical storm Erika is an incoherent storm off the Leeward Islands, which is set to head northwest. It won't come to very much, as atmospheric conditions are not very conducive towards strengthening.

A powerful earthquake has struck the Indonesian island of Java at 0821 GMT today (0921 BST or 0421 EST). Centred at position 8.0S 107.4E, the Indian Ocean basin was put on tsunami watch, which was cancelled within the last hour. Some damage was caused to buildings in the west of Java.

1 September 1939

The armed forces of Adolf Hitler's Germany invaded Poland on this day, 70 years ago. The invasion triggered the cascade of alliances which was to lead to the declaration of war two days later. Great Britain and France had pledged to come to the aid of the Poles, and sent an ultimatum to Berlin to withdraw or else. Poland fought back valiantly, but its army had no chance. After a month, Poland was overrun from west and east - the Soviet Union taking its cut as a result of the pact between it and Nazi Germany, signed in August 1939.

The lights went out 70 years today. It would be nearly 6 years before they were on again.

Tuesday 1 September

Summer is over with September on the calendar. Not that August was much of a summer month here at any rate. The only real vestige of summer was the midges. Anyway, not complaining: I prefer moderate temperatures to the heatwaves they've been having on the European continent. And I prefer it even more to the hurricane conditions that will affect the south of the Baja California peninsula later today. Hurricane Jimena is bearing down with winds of 155 mph near its centre. That will decrease somewhat, but it's not going to be a teaparty.

I quote the relevant paragraph from the NHC website: "Interests in the hurricane warning area are advised that strong winds will precede the arrival of the center by several hours, so preparations need to be completed very soon. Remember not to focus on the exact forecast track since dangerous impacts extend some distance from the center. Jimena will be approaching the Baja peninsula at an oblique angle, and small deviations left or right of the forecast track could result in large errors in both the location and timing of landfall."