The sun set at half past three this afternoon, but invisible to us here in Stornoway. It has been blowing a near-gale all day, and the ferry had a hell of a time crossing from Ullapool. MV Isle of Lewis has stayed in port here, and is not setting forth again until the morning - weather permitting.
Helen's news struck a chord with me, hence the terseness of my note on Call for Support. My mother, as you know, passed away on 1 May last; her mother died last Friday. This coming Christmas and New Year aren't going to be easy on anyone who has suffered a bereavement this year - or any year. Those newly widowed will feel the emptyness and loneliness keenly, as will their children.
Monday, 15 December 2008
Monday 15 December
Guess what? It's blowing another hoolie out here, and it's lashing down with rain.
Guess what? Local radio said the day would start bright and sunny. Think they had yesterday's forecast in front of them.
Guess what? Some people had too much to drink over the weekend, so the courthouse will be full today.
Guess what? I'll write some more later.
Guess what? Local radio said the day would start bright and sunny. Think they had yesterday's forecast in front of them.
Guess what? Some people had too much to drink over the weekend, so the courthouse will be full today.
Guess what? I'll write some more later.
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Rabies
A case of human rabies looks likely to be confirmed in Northern Ireland. A man was admitted to hospital in Belfast, and tests have proved positive for the disease. This is commonly transferred through a bite, and this victim is thought to have sustained an infected bite on an overseas visit.
Rabies is a notifiable disease in the United Kingdom, almost always fatal. The last case in Ulster was in 1938, and the last time the disease was transmitted by dog-bite in the UK was in 1902. As any overseas visitor knows, stringent measures are in place to prevent importation of the disease into the country. Even on the quaysides here in Stornoway, you will find notices prohibiting the import of mammals.
It reminds me of an episode 3 years ago, when a polar navigator docked at Stornoway after sustaining damage in Atlantic gales. His two dogs jumped ashore, in spite of having been warned to keep them tethered, and led police on a brief merry chase around town.
Rabies is a notifiable disease in the United Kingdom, almost always fatal. The last case in Ulster was in 1938, and the last time the disease was transmitted by dog-bite in the UK was in 1902. As any overseas visitor knows, stringent measures are in place to prevent importation of the disease into the country. Even on the quaysides here in Stornoway, you will find notices prohibiting the import of mammals.
It reminds me of an episode 3 years ago, when a polar navigator docked at Stornoway after sustaining damage in Atlantic gales. His two dogs jumped ashore, in spite of having been warned to keep them tethered, and led police on a brief merry chase around town.
Sunday 14 December
Christmas just 11 days away, and I notice people going shopping on a Sunday and at all sorts of hours of the day and night. Not here - shops (with one exception) are closed until tomorrow morning.
The northeast of the US has been visited by a severe ice-storm, from New York state eastwards. This has downed large portions of the electricity grid - so don't be surprised if some journalers don't make an appearance. Several people have died through carbon monoxide poisoning, by using oil-powered generators in an unventilated space. The weather here is fairly bright and calm.
Down in New Zealand, a climber has died on Mt Cook, after he fell 500 metres / 1,600 feet. His companion was left in the open for 2 days, until a helicopter found a weather window to rescue him off the mountain. Summer is nigh down there, but you cannot underestimate the hazards of mountaineering.
The northeast of the US has been visited by a severe ice-storm, from New York state eastwards. This has downed large portions of the electricity grid - so don't be surprised if some journalers don't make an appearance. Several people have died through carbon monoxide poisoning, by using oil-powered generators in an unventilated space. The weather here is fairly bright and calm.
Down in New Zealand, a climber has died on Mt Cook, after he fell 500 metres / 1,600 feet. His companion was left in the open for 2 days, until a helicopter found a weather window to rescue him off the mountain. Summer is nigh down there, but you cannot underestimate the hazards of mountaineering.
Saturday, 13 December 2008
Wood sculptures
Author Elizabeth M Parsons (one of my internet contacts) is writing about wood sculptures on her blog. In reply, I'm posting pictures of wood sculptures in the Castle Grounds, the local country park around Lews Castle on the outskirts of Stornoway.
Saturday 13 December
A better day, even if it's overcast and grey. No wind to speak of, which makes a difference to yesterday's force 8 gale. It kept the ferry in Ullapool through the day, and many other ferry services along the west and north of Scotland were disrupted or cancelled.
I just nearly fell off my chair at the latest verbal diarrhoea from Robert Mugabe. He referred to the current cholera outbreak in his country as "a calculated, racist, terrorist attack on Zimbabwe", using biological weapons. The perceived reason was the overthrow of aforementioned Mugabe. It just gets worse and worse by the day. If ever there was a case for forcible regime-change, it's that country.
A regime that was overthrown 63 years ago, that of Adolf Hitler, still leaves it legacy in Germany. Not in the way I usually speak about these matters. The town of Rügen, on the Baltic coast, sports a holiday resort 1930s/1940s style, constructed for the Nazi elite of the day. Since 1990, it has lain empty as a concrete shell near the sandy beaches. Now the German authorities are contemplating turning the buildings into a holiday resort noughties style. Don't see it taking off somehow.
I just nearly fell off my chair at the latest verbal diarrhoea from Robert Mugabe. He referred to the current cholera outbreak in his country as "a calculated, racist, terrorist attack on Zimbabwe", using biological weapons. The perceived reason was the overthrow of aforementioned Mugabe. It just gets worse and worse by the day. If ever there was a case for forcible regime-change, it's that country.
A regime that was overthrown 63 years ago, that of Adolf Hitler, still leaves it legacy in Germany. Not in the way I usually speak about these matters. The town of Rügen, on the Baltic coast, sports a holiday resort 1930s/1940s style, constructed for the Nazi elite of the day. Since 1990, it has lain empty as a concrete shell near the sandy beaches. Now the German authorities are contemplating turning the buildings into a holiday resort noughties style. Don't see it taking off somehow.
Friday, 12 December 2008
Diets, vitamins and homeopathy
I have a thing against dieting. Look, I could do with losing a few pounds myself. But there are ways of doing that without resorting to all sorts of unhealthy alterations to your diet. I also appreciate that there are people who genuinely do have a problem getting rid of excess weight. Some people suffer severe psychological distress because of their obesity. Or their perceived obesity. I remember meeting a woman who was in floods of tears as she mentioned her excess weight (for which she had been prescribed medication by a doctor). I would not have described her as fat. Young girls, in a quest for identity, sometimes think that less is best, and anorexia nervosa is a recognised eating disorder.
Nonetheless, I was horrified to read this morning that a woman had died after drinking a gallon of water in 2 hours. It is called water poisoning (anything taken in excess is bad and can kill you), and it had brought on swelling of the brain. This lady, from West Yorkshire, had been on a diet regimen that spans 12 weeks, and involves an intake of 500 kilocalories per day (normal for a woman is 2,000), backed up by regular fluid intake, soups and bars. The company that supplies the regimen states that it gives clear guidance on the amount of water to consume.
Whilst I'm on my high horse, I'll also take a swipe against multi-vitamin preparations. They're a rip-off, let me tell you. If you keep a normal, balanced diet, you don't need vitamin supplements. Should you run short, you can buy, or ask for a prescription for, the requisite single vitamin. Some years ago I had a look at the contents of multivits, and the amount of some vitamins can only be called homeopathic. Oh, that's another high horse.
I don't believe in homeopathy. Mind you, if you find it benefits you, don't stop just because I don't believe in it. The reason I don't believe in it is plain and simple laws of nature. Take kitchen salt. Good ole sodium chloride (NaCl). 48 grams of the stuff, that's an ounce and a half, contains 6 * 1023 molecules of NaCl. Now go to homeopathy. They say that if you dilute something by 1 part of substance into 10 parts of 70% alcohol, and continue to do that, it will increase in potency. By the time you have diluted 23 times, you are left with 6 molecules of NaCl in your little bottle of alcohol. By the time you've done it 100 times, you'll be lucky to find 6 molecules in any of 1077 bottles. Bearing in mind the pharmacological rule that a substance has more effect if there is more of it there, I think we're basically looking at a load of balderdash.
Nonetheless, I was horrified to read this morning that a woman had died after drinking a gallon of water in 2 hours. It is called water poisoning (anything taken in excess is bad and can kill you), and it had brought on swelling of the brain. This lady, from West Yorkshire, had been on a diet regimen that spans 12 weeks, and involves an intake of 500 kilocalories per day (normal for a woman is 2,000), backed up by regular fluid intake, soups and bars. The company that supplies the regimen states that it gives clear guidance on the amount of water to consume.
Whilst I'm on my high horse, I'll also take a swipe against multi-vitamin preparations. They're a rip-off, let me tell you. If you keep a normal, balanced diet, you don't need vitamin supplements. Should you run short, you can buy, or ask for a prescription for, the requisite single vitamin. Some years ago I had a look at the contents of multivits, and the amount of some vitamins can only be called homeopathic. Oh, that's another high horse.
I don't believe in homeopathy. Mind you, if you find it benefits you, don't stop just because I don't believe in it. The reason I don't believe in it is plain and simple laws of nature. Take kitchen salt. Good ole sodium chloride (NaCl). 48 grams of the stuff, that's an ounce and a half, contains 6 * 1023 molecules of NaCl. Now go to homeopathy. They say that if you dilute something by 1 part of substance into 10 parts of 70% alcohol, and continue to do that, it will increase in potency. By the time you have diluted 23 times, you are left with 6 molecules of NaCl in your little bottle of alcohol. By the time you've done it 100 times, you'll be lucky to find 6 molecules in any of 1077 bottles. Bearing in mind the pharmacological rule that a substance has more effect if there is more of it there, I think we're basically looking at a load of balderdash.
Friday 12 December
Horrible day, lashing rain, strong winds, mediocre temperatures. December at its worst. I'm not an early riser by habit, but today is one day that's best spent tucked away under the duvet.
Those that have followed me from AOL days may be familiar with my Australian buddy Petar Vodogaz, who sends his regards - if he didn't do so directly to you himself. We share an interest in tropical cyclones (hurricanes), and in the coming months, we'll be keeping an eye on developments south of the equator.
Will post more later today, if the muse finds me.
Those that have followed me from AOL days may be familiar with my Australian buddy Petar Vodogaz, who sends his regards - if he didn't do so directly to you himself. We share an interest in tropical cyclones (hurricanes), and in the coming months, we'll be keeping an eye on developments south of the equator.
Will post more later today, if the muse finds me.
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Thursday 11 December
Gradually increasing cloud cover, which leads to some phenomenal cloudscapes. It's been a good week in that respect. Today, a nationwide sale starts in Woolworths, a British department store. The sale is the pre-amble to a shutdown of the chain, which is currently in administration. Buyers are being sought, but things are looking bleaker by the day. In most British towns and cities, Woolies would not really be missed. It will be badly missed in Stornoway. We don't have that many shops selling a variety of household and other items, and what else we do have is mostly (a lot) dearer. No I'm not plugging Woolies. I'm just bemoaning the imminent loss of a useful shop.
Robert Mugabe, 9-digit inflation man, may well become an ostrich in his next life. He is already going round with his head firmly stuck in the sand over the cholera outbreak in his country. Mugabe has declared that there is no cholera in Zimbabwe, which is in stark contrast to the fact that 800 people have already died of the disease and it is spreading across his country's borders. Naturally, everybody else gets the blame. Read and weep.
Robert Mugabe, 9-digit inflation man, may well become an ostrich in his next life. He is already going round with his head firmly stuck in the sand over the cholera outbreak in his country. Mugabe has declared that there is no cholera in Zimbabwe, which is in stark contrast to the fact that 800 people have already died of the disease and it is spreading across his country's borders. Naturally, everybody else gets the blame. Read and weep.
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Euthanasia
A widely publicised programme is currently being aired on a satellite TV channel, showing a man as he is assisted to die. Leaving to one side the question whether it is in good taste or decency to show someone's death on television, it does highlight the problems surrounding euthanasia in the UK.
In Holland, euthanasia has been regulated since the late 1970s, following a test-case. When someone expresses the desire to have their life terminated, a second medical opinion is sought. All options are discussed with the patient, and when both doctors are satisfied that there is no prospect of improvement of the condition, and that quality of life will only deteriorate, euthanasia can be arranged. Following the death of the patient, the doctor will fill out a death certificate and notify the judicial authorities of an unnatural death. If the public prosecutor is satisfied that the euthanasia has met all the required critera, no prosecutions will follow.
Euthanasia is naturally a subject of high emotion and potential for pitfalls and abuse. Whether the Dutch model would work in the UK is open for debate. There are those in favour and opposed to the practice. At present, anyone in Great Britain wishing to end their life will have to attend a clinic in Switzerland. Should euthanasia be carried out in the UK, prosecution will follow for those assisting the patient in ending their life.
In Holland, euthanasia has been regulated since the late 1970s, following a test-case. When someone expresses the desire to have their life terminated, a second medical opinion is sought. All options are discussed with the patient, and when both doctors are satisfied that there is no prospect of improvement of the condition, and that quality of life will only deteriorate, euthanasia can be arranged. Following the death of the patient, the doctor will fill out a death certificate and notify the judicial authorities of an unnatural death. If the public prosecutor is satisfied that the euthanasia has met all the required critera, no prosecutions will follow.
Euthanasia is naturally a subject of high emotion and potential for pitfalls and abuse. Whether the Dutch model would work in the UK is open for debate. There are those in favour and opposed to the practice. At present, anyone in Great Britain wishing to end their life will have to attend a clinic in Switzerland. Should euthanasia be carried out in the UK, prosecution will follow for those assisting the patient in ending their life.
Wednesday 10 December
Another great day for cloudscapes, even if the temperatures are not all that great: 5C / 41F. No prospects of that getting any higher soon, if anything, there is an advance warning of heavy snow fall in the north and east of the UK on Saturday.
Cathy (Dare to Think) had an interesting entry yesterday on the issue of the space-time continuum. Some 15,000,000,000 years ago, the Big Bang occurred, creating space and time. Echoes of that event still reverberate around the universe, which led Cathy to believe that you could get flashbacks from times past. She imagined that in December 2088, her home would be a park, and anyone passing through the park could come across a ghostly lady sipping cappucino tapping away at a computer keyboard, the way it was in December 2008.
I do not agree with that notion. In my opinion, there is only one constant in the Universe, and that is time. It marches forward at a set pace, which cannot be altered, stopped or reversed. It is the 4th dimension. Anything that has happened in the past cannot be changed, because it would have repercussions on the here and now. I'll give an example from my perspective here in Lewis.
In 1919, a troopship (HMY Iolaire) sank outside the harbour at Stornoway, drowning more than 200. As a result, a young man in one of the villages was forbidden from ever going to sea. He eventually emigrated to Canada, married and had children and grandchildren. Reading about the tragedy, one of the grandchildren contacted me, saying that without the tragedy she would never have been born. Point I'm making is that should someone (be able to) return to 1919 and alter the course of the Iolaire, this would have profound and immediate implications here and now. The lady I'm speaking about would cease to exist, e.g..
As for events leaving an imprint for posterity, well, I'm afraid I do not buy that either. Noise leaves an echo, correct. Events have consequences, and we see those consequences on a daily basis. But, in contradiction to Cathy's theory, atoms and molecules behave in a random fashion (called entropy), and only congregate as a result of random interactions, which, as a result of the laws of physics, lead to events. What went before is lost. A water molecule does not remember that it has fallen out of a cloud of other H2O molecules, into a huge basin of more H2O, imbibed by a bag of bones and flesh called a human being, and passed out again by said human being.
An attempt at philosophy. Feel free to take pot shots.
Cathy (Dare to Think) had an interesting entry yesterday on the issue of the space-time continuum. Some 15,000,000,000 years ago, the Big Bang occurred, creating space and time. Echoes of that event still reverberate around the universe, which led Cathy to believe that you could get flashbacks from times past. She imagined that in December 2088, her home would be a park, and anyone passing through the park could come across a ghostly lady sipping cappucino tapping away at a computer keyboard, the way it was in December 2008.
I do not agree with that notion. In my opinion, there is only one constant in the Universe, and that is time. It marches forward at a set pace, which cannot be altered, stopped or reversed. It is the 4th dimension. Anything that has happened in the past cannot be changed, because it would have repercussions on the here and now. I'll give an example from my perspective here in Lewis.
In 1919, a troopship (HMY Iolaire) sank outside the harbour at Stornoway, drowning more than 200. As a result, a young man in one of the villages was forbidden from ever going to sea. He eventually emigrated to Canada, married and had children and grandchildren. Reading about the tragedy, one of the grandchildren contacted me, saying that without the tragedy she would never have been born. Point I'm making is that should someone (be able to) return to 1919 and alter the course of the Iolaire, this would have profound and immediate implications here and now. The lady I'm speaking about would cease to exist, e.g..
As for events leaving an imprint for posterity, well, I'm afraid I do not buy that either. Noise leaves an echo, correct. Events have consequences, and we see those consequences on a daily basis. But, in contradiction to Cathy's theory, atoms and molecules behave in a random fashion (called entropy), and only congregate as a result of random interactions, which, as a result of the laws of physics, lead to events. What went before is lost. A water molecule does not remember that it has fallen out of a cloud of other H2O molecules, into a huge basin of more H2O, imbibed by a bag of bones and flesh called a human being, and passed out again by said human being.
An attempt at philosophy. Feel free to take pot shots.
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Facebook warning
A so-called internet worm, Koobface, is on the loose on Facebook. It has only affected a small percentage of users. More info on this page on the BBC News website.
Tuesday 9 December
The sun set two hours ago, but I'm only just getting round to doing an entry. Was fairly bright through the day, but I did catch a shower on the way into town. Going into town means a walk of less than 10 minutes, but don't underrate the Stornoway pavements. I didn't realise how bad they were until I tried pushing a shopping trolley along my street. It was brand new, but was forever trying to argue with parked cars. The roads themselves are OK, just the pavements (sidewalks for folks across the pond) are atrocious.
What did I go into town for? Christmas cards and stamps. They have all been written, addressed, adorned with postage and stuffed into the letterbox. Folks in the UK should have it tomorrow, folks in Europe by the end of the week and those in the US between 1 and 2 weeks from today. Total of cards sent: 19. Anyone else that would like a card can just email me with details, and I'll endeavour to oblige.
Morton (Caring n sharing), I am pleased to announce, left hospital this afternoon to tell those of us on Facebook that he had returned home. It was too close for comfort, he said.
What did I go into town for? Christmas cards and stamps. They have all been written, addressed, adorned with postage and stuffed into the letterbox. Folks in the UK should have it tomorrow, folks in Europe by the end of the week and those in the US between 1 and 2 weeks from today. Total of cards sent: 19. Anyone else that would like a card can just email me with details, and I'll endeavour to oblige.
Morton (Caring n sharing), I am pleased to announce, left hospital this afternoon to tell those of us on Facebook that he had returned home. It was too close for comfort, he said.
Monday, 8 December 2008
Pentalina
A new ferry ship, the Pentalina, is currently heading north up the Minch, as shown in this AIS [Automatic Ship Identification] screenshot from 5.38pm this evening.
The catamaran is capable of carrying 350 passengers and 32 to 58 cars as well as 9 lorries. She is yet to be fitted out completely. The ship was built in the Philippines and has safely negotiated the pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden on Friday. She is expected to arrive in Orkney waters tomorrow.
Pentalina will take up the run between Gills Bay on the northern coast of mainland Scotland and St Margaret's Hope in Orkney, a crossing that will take her 45 minutes.
Monday 8 December
Quite a bright morning, with the odd shower. Sun is low in the southern sky, only 8 degrees (a hand's width) above the horizon. This evening, after sunset, have a look to the southwest. You'll see two bright stars fairly close together. The brightest is the planet Venus, the other is Jupiter. They are nearly 1 billion miles apart, and were in conjunction (in apparent closest proximity in the sky) last week. I missed that event due to cloudy skies. Later in the evening, look south for the constellation of Orion. The Dog Star (Sirius) is located to the left of Orion, lower in the sky. Readers in the southern hemisphere will see Sirius higher than Orion.
Discard any pork from (Northern) Ireland purchased after last September. Dioxins (extremely poisonous compounds) have been found in pig feed, used in at least 9 Ulster farms, leading to levels of dioxin 200 times above the limit of acceptability. There is low risk to health if you have eaten Irish pork in recent weeks.
Discard any pork from (Northern) Ireland purchased after last September. Dioxins (extremely poisonous compounds) have been found in pig feed, used in at least 9 Ulster farms, leading to levels of dioxin 200 times above the limit of acceptability. There is low risk to health if you have eaten Irish pork in recent weeks.
Sunday, 7 December 2008
Christmas Tags
I'm displaying each Xmas tag in an individual entry, as well as in a block at the top of my sidebar. Many thanks, so far, to Connie and Sugar. I've got more archived tags from the last couple of years, mainly courtesy Donna, which I'll put up in the next few days and two and a bit weeks.
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