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,

---

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.