Monday, 23 November 2009
23 November 1939
Today is the day in 1939 that HMS Rawalpindi was sunk by Nazi German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. The brief battle has gone down in naval history as an incredible display of bravery on the part of the Rawalpindi's crew. After trying to hide themselves from the Germans in the North Atlantic fog south of Iceland, they were ordered to surrender by the Scharnhorst. In response, the captain of the Rawalpindi said: never. And he fired a shell at the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau to underline his point. Bear in mind that the Rawalpindi was a converted passenger liner, kitted out with a gun and some armour plating. The Scharnhorst had to reply in kind, and sank the Rawalpindi. The bravery was noted by the German admiralty (sic!). All but 37 of the Rawalpindi's crew were lost in the sinking. Their sacrifice was not in vain; before battle commenced, the Rawalpindi had been able to signal the position of the German battlecruisers to back to base on the Clyde, and an armada of British warships was heading north to intercept. More on this story here.
Monday 23 November
Sunny intervals and drizzly showers is the theme this morning. Not much in terms of wind. That may change later today or tomorrow, but as the low pressure centre once more takes up residence over Lewis, we won't get the (severe) gales forecast for further south. As I said in last night's post, we have been very lucky so far.
Down in Cumbria, Cockermouth has been reopened to residents and business owners. They were allowed to return to the centre of the town from 10 am this morning to inspect their properties and initiate repairs etc. These could take months to complete, with the drying out process taking up to 6 months alone. The Calva Bridge at Workington still stands, but has a 30 cm dip in the central arch, meaning it is going to collapse, either of its own accord or in a demolition. People are advised not to travel using their sat-navs, as they are not programmed to take account of closed bridges and roads. Get the maps out, is the advice. Something I heartily concur with at any time.
Down in Cumbria, Cockermouth has been reopened to residents and business owners. They were allowed to return to the centre of the town from 10 am this morning to inspect their properties and initiate repairs etc. These could take months to complete, with the drying out process taking up to 6 months alone. The Calva Bridge at Workington still stands, but has a 30 cm dip in the central arch, meaning it is going to collapse, either of its own accord or in a demolition. People are advised not to travel using their sat-navs, as they are not programmed to take account of closed bridges and roads. Get the maps out, is the advice. Something I heartily concur with at any time.
Sunday, 22 November 2009
Rough weather?
Not here in the Western Isles. Don't believe me? Have a look at these pics, which were all taken in the last 7 days. The only day that could remotely be classified as 'rough' was Thursday, and even that was 'only' at force 6.
Sunday 22 November, 7.40 pm
Sunday 22 November, 9 am
Saturday 21 November, 12.25 pm
Friday 20 November, 4.50 pm
Friday 20 November, 12.25 pm
Thursday 19 November, 10.15 am
Wednesday 18 November, 8.40 am
Tuesday 17 November, 2pm
Sunday 22 November, 7.40 pm
Sunday 22 November, 9 am
Saturday 21 November, 12.25 pm
Friday 20 November, 4.50 pm
Friday 20 November, 12.25 pm
Thursday 19 November, 10.15 am
Wednesday 18 November, 8.40 am
Tuesday 17 November, 2pm
Wet feet - day 4
Cumbria is once more afflicted with heavy rain and gales. An average November day, if it wasn't for the catastrophic floods of Thursday and Friday. Eleven bridges have collapsed across the county, one collapse was caught on amateur video. One more, at Workington, is unstable and liable to come down at any moment. Even if it stays upright, it is so severely undermined that it will require to be replaced at any rate. The Calva Bridge has been in position for a century and a half. The bridge situation is making life extremely difficult. To travel from the north to the south of Workington, e.g., requires a detour of 90 miles, through Penrith and Carlisle.
Residents and business owners have started to make their return to homes and premises in Cockermouth and Workington, only to find total devastation. The owner of a chemist shop took one look and ran away, according to the BBC reporter. The cost of this disaster to home owners alone is at least £50-100 million. The cost of repairing or replacing infrastructure can be added to that.
Residents and business owners have started to make their return to homes and premises in Cockermouth and Workington, only to find total devastation. The owner of a chemist shop took one look and ran away, according to the BBC reporter. The cost of this disaster to home owners alone is at least £50-100 million. The cost of repairing or replacing infrastructure can be added to that.
A Jland death
Lori, (of Lori's Love Tribe) from Sunshine CO, passed away this morning (22 November 2009) at 4.30 am local time, after a heroically fought battle against cancer. At the moment of diagnosis, last summer, it was already incurable.
I have asked one of her neighbours in Sunshine, our own David, to write a tribute for Silent Keyboards / Jland Angels. This will be posted by myself as soon as it becomes available. I was not a reader of Lori's blog, and am saddened that I only came to know of this lady in the last hours of her life, probably at the moment of her death. Reading back through the journal, I will go so far as to say that a great person has been lost to the community of Sunshine, and to Jland / Bloggerville.
I have asked one of her neighbours in Sunshine, our own David, to write a tribute for Silent Keyboards / Jland Angels. This will be posted by myself as soon as it becomes available. I was not a reader of Lori's blog, and am saddened that I only came to know of this lady in the last hours of her life, probably at the moment of her death. Reading back through the journal, I will go so far as to say that a great person has been lost to the community of Sunshine, and to Jland / Bloggerville.
Sunday 22 November
Overcast and presently fairly bright. The barometer is at a low point, 975 mbar, and will probably dip another 10 points to level out between 960 and 965 mbar later this afternoon. The centre of a low pressure system will pass directly over us - and we're in the eye of the storm. Further south, conditions are pretty atrocious, according to the radar pictures.
Bridges in Cumbria remain a focus for concern; one, in the town of Workington, is on the point of collapse. More than half a dozen others, out of 1800 in Cumbria as a whole, are being assessed for structural soundness. The closure of bridges is going to lead to colossal traffic chaos; travelling from the north of Workington to the south requires a diversion of up to 100 miles.
Bridges in Cumbria remain a focus for concern; one, in the town of Workington, is on the point of collapse. More than half a dozen others, out of 1800 in Cumbria as a whole, are being assessed for structural soundness. The closure of bridges is going to lead to colossal traffic chaos; travelling from the north of Workington to the south requires a diversion of up to 100 miles.
Saturday, 21 November 2009
Wet feet - day 3
Just watched the news bulletin with the latest from the towns of Cockermouth and Workington, which are just beginning to dry up after the devastation, wrought by Thursday's and Friday's floods. The image is one of a ghost town - Cockermouth has no power at present - in a state of devastation. The main street in Cockermouth has the weird sight of miles of knitting yarn, wrapped around lampposts etc, after a wool shop was destroyed and its contents washed out onto the street. A clothesline, with the bottom half of white laundry stained a dull brown by the filthy flood waters. The tales of survival and rescue. More rain is on its way to Cumbria, and the danger is not yet past.
Après un rêve
That is the title of a song, composed by Gabriel Fauré in 1878. You can search YouTube for a recording of it. I copy the translation in English:
Drowsing spellbound with the vision of you
I dreamt of happiness, burning mirage,
Your eyes were gentler, your voice was pure and sonorous
You shone like the dawn-lit sky
You called me and I left the earth
To flee with you toward the light
For us the heavens opened up their clouds
To reveal unknown splendour, glimpses of divine light...
Alas, alas, sad awakening from these dreams
I call out to you, oh night, give me back your lies
Come back, come back, radiant one
Come back mysterious night.
I thought it singularly appropriate for the deeply tragic tale of Brian and Christine Thomas. They were on holiday in West Wales in July 2008 and had parked their campervan on a site near the village of Aberporth. Late in the evening, the campsite was invaded by local youths in cars, who sped around the site, with screeching tyres and brakes. The couple moved to another part of the campsite to be rid of the nuisance.
It was after half past three in the morning, when Brian heard someone coming into the campervan. He jumped out of bed and commenced to struggle with one of the boyracers, in order to get him out.
Except, it wasn't a boyracer. Brian awoke from a nightmare, to find he had been struggling with his wife and had strangled her. He rang the emergency services to tell them. He was committed for trial on a charge of murder. Medical evidence revealed that Mr Thomas was suffering from a sleep disorder, which meant that it was impossible to distinguish between dreams and reality. As a result, he was acquitted on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The couple had known each other for 40 years.
Drowsing spellbound with the vision of you
I dreamt of happiness, burning mirage,
Your eyes were gentler, your voice was pure and sonorous
You shone like the dawn-lit sky
You called me and I left the earth
To flee with you toward the light
For us the heavens opened up their clouds
To reveal unknown splendour, glimpses of divine light...
Alas, alas, sad awakening from these dreams
I call out to you, oh night, give me back your lies
Come back, come back, radiant one
Come back mysterious night.
I thought it singularly appropriate for the deeply tragic tale of Brian and Christine Thomas. They were on holiday in West Wales in July 2008 and had parked their campervan on a site near the village of Aberporth. Late in the evening, the campsite was invaded by local youths in cars, who sped around the site, with screeching tyres and brakes. The couple moved to another part of the campsite to be rid of the nuisance.
It was after half past three in the morning, when Brian heard someone coming into the campervan. He jumped out of bed and commenced to struggle with one of the boyracers, in order to get him out.
Except, it wasn't a boyracer. Brian awoke from a nightmare, to find he had been struggling with his wife and had strangled her. He rang the emergency services to tell them. He was committed for trial on a charge of murder. Medical evidence revealed that Mr Thomas was suffering from a sleep disorder, which meant that it was impossible to distinguish between dreams and reality. As a result, he was acquitted on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The couple had known each other for 40 years.
Saturday 21 November
Cloud is increasing in the Western Isles of Scotland as another vigorous low pressure system scoots in off the Atlantic. Its centre will pass directly over the islands, but bring gales to points south. In addition to more rain, which is the last thing required down in the Lake District. Methinks that 15 inches in the one day last Thursday was more than enough.
Locally, a war of words is in full swing over an environmental designation. The sea around Barra is home to sandbanks and cold-water reefs which are a unique habitat. The idea has been mooted to promote the area to a Special Area of Conservation, but that has certain strings attached. Fishing, to name but one, would be restricted. And that touches at the heart of the economy of the isle of Barra. Cue a war of words.
More later.
Locally, a war of words is in full swing over an environmental designation. The sea around Barra is home to sandbanks and cold-water reefs which are a unique habitat. The idea has been mooted to promote the area to a Special Area of Conservation, but that has certain strings attached. Fishing, to name but one, would be restricted. And that touches at the heart of the economy of the isle of Barra. Cue a war of words.
More later.
Friday, 20 November 2009
Wet feet - day 2
A police constable has drowned in the floods, which have swept the Lake District this week. PC Bill Baxter was crossing a bridge as it collapsed under him. His body washed up on the shores of the Irish Sea, a few miles from Workington from where he was swept away. Moments before, he had stopped a bus and tanker lorries from crossing the bridge in the A597 road, which runs along the coast of Cumbria.
Hundreds of people were evacuated by helicopter from Cockermouth, east of Workington, as the two rivers that converge at the town rose. Waterlevels in the main street reached 8 feet, and late last night, the water flowed at an estimated 20 to 25 mph. The water has now receded, leaving behind an indescribable mess.
Other places affected by flooding include Keswick and Kendal, in the Lake District, as well as Langholm and Dumfries in southern Scotland. The rainfall totals reached 15 inches in 24 hours; one third of the annual rainfall total for London. It was brought on by a front, which ground to a halt over northwestern England, pumping huge amounts of moisture from the tropics northeast to the British Isles. Another low pressure system is moving in, but this will scoot through with force 9 gales in the northwest (i.e. my neck of the woods).
My sympathies go out to PC Baxter and his family of 4 children, his colleagues and friends.
Hundreds of people were evacuated by helicopter from Cockermouth, east of Workington, as the two rivers that converge at the town rose. Waterlevels in the main street reached 8 feet, and late last night, the water flowed at an estimated 20 to 25 mph. The water has now receded, leaving behind an indescribable mess.
Other places affected by flooding include Keswick and Kendal, in the Lake District, as well as Langholm and Dumfries in southern Scotland. The rainfall totals reached 15 inches in 24 hours; one third of the annual rainfall total for London. It was brought on by a front, which ground to a halt over northwestern England, pumping huge amounts of moisture from the tropics northeast to the British Isles. Another low pressure system is moving in, but this will scoot through with force 9 gales in the northwest (i.e. my neck of the woods).
My sympathies go out to PC Baxter and his family of 4 children, his colleagues and friends.
Second Life
Second Life, a virtual world, was all the hype some 3 years ago. The BBC was wondering if it is still a hype. No, is the simple answer.
I joined SL in 2006, but found it a singularly awkward set-up to handle. Apart from that, the folk whose avatars I came across were unpleasant, unhelpful and rude. I was not prepared to spend money on a site like that, and certainly not if there was not going to be any interest. I know someone who is doing a lot on SL, but was not really prepared to help, was in fact condescending about my professed lack of knowledge or perceived difficulties. It is a niche set-up for the select few - and I'm avoiding the word anorak here.
I joined SL in 2006, but found it a singularly awkward set-up to handle. Apart from that, the folk whose avatars I came across were unpleasant, unhelpful and rude. I was not prepared to spend money on a site like that, and certainly not if there was not going to be any interest. I know someone who is doing a lot on SL, but was not really prepared to help, was in fact condescending about my professed lack of knowledge or perceived difficulties. It is a niche set-up for the select few - and I'm avoiding the word anorak here.
Friday 20 November
A showery day in the isles today, but nothing as compared to the massive floods in Cumbria, NW England. Up to 370 mm, 14 inches, fell in the mountains there, and all this water had to go somewhere. Like turning into a 20 mph torrent in the streets of Cockermouth and washing away bridges (like at Workington on the coast). At the moment, a search is underway for a policeman who went missing in the collapse of a bridge at Workington overnight. The imagery on TV last night was unbelieveable, and it is worse in daylight. More rain is on the way in from the Atlantic, with high winds.
I am pleased with the appointment of Herman van Rompuy as president of the EU. Van Rompuy was appointed Prime Minister of Belgium a year ago, after attempts to form a national government ran into protracted difficulties. He was brought in as a safe pair of hands, and if he has been able to keep the perennially frought politics of Belgium in line, then he can also sort the EU out.
More later.
I am pleased with the appointment of Herman van Rompuy as president of the EU. Van Rompuy was appointed Prime Minister of Belgium a year ago, after attempts to form a national government ran into protracted difficulties. He was brought in as a safe pair of hands, and if he has been able to keep the perennially frought politics of Belgium in line, then he can also sort the EU out.
More later.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Wet feet
The people in Cumbria (the Lake District) are suffering wet feet this evening. The RNLI (Lifeboat) is sending an inland rescue team to the town of Cockermouth, 25 miles southwest of Carlisle, and the TV News showed the town of Keswick under a good deal of water. I know Keswick quite well, having visited several times in 1999 and 2004. This is the result of rainfall, 110 mm (4½ inches) at Keswick, with unconfirmed reports of 276 mm (11 inches) elsewhere in the county.
Flooding is no laughing matter. The water itself is filthy, contaminated with raw sewage and what not. When it comes inside the house, everything it touches can be considered destroyed. Once the water has receded, it will take 6 to 12 months to dry out the house and make it fit for human habitation again. Flood waters stink - as I know of my own experience, having crossed (by bicycle) a flooded road under 2 feet of water in 2000. Yes, I know, a dangerous undertaking. I hope the people in Cumbria are safe tonight.
The weather forecast remains unfavourable, with more wind and rain in the offing over the weekend. Saturday and Sunday is going to be extremely windy in my area.
Flooding is no laughing matter. The water itself is filthy, contaminated with raw sewage and what not. When it comes inside the house, everything it touches can be considered destroyed. Once the water has receded, it will take 6 to 12 months to dry out the house and make it fit for human habitation again. Flood waters stink - as I know of my own experience, having crossed (by bicycle) a flooded road under 2 feet of water in 2000. Yes, I know, a dangerous undertaking. I hope the people in Cumbria are safe tonight.
The weather forecast remains unfavourable, with more wind and rain in the offing over the weekend. Saturday and Sunday is going to be extremely windy in my area.
Thursday 19 November
Overcast and breezy, with the odd spot of rain. It's more than the odd spot they are getting in northern England and the rest of Scotland: a horrendous day down there, with little sign of improvement.
I am still monitoring the bulk carrier "Almi", which has been Not under command for the past two days or so. The ship, 42,000 dwt, is tracking back and forth in the Minch, between Tiumpan Head and Stoer Point. Don't know what is going there, but there is no Coastguard activity in the area, so I assume all is well.
More later.
I am still monitoring the bulk carrier "Almi", which has been Not under command for the past two days or so. The ship, 42,000 dwt, is tracking back and forth in the Minch, between Tiumpan Head and Stoer Point. Don't know what is going there, but there is no Coastguard activity in the area, so I assume all is well.
More later.
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Windy nook
Blowing a force 6 to 7 out there, with occasional rain. And it's going to get worse, with severe gales in the offing over the next few days. Not necessarily for us, but all points in the west of the UK. Cumbria could be in line for as much as 8 inches of rain (200 mm), which makes flooding a distinct hazard.
Nothing more to report on the hurricane front: the Atlantic season is effectively over, although the northwestern Pacific season still has 6 weeks left to run. Anja has disappeared from the weather charts in the southern Indian Ocean, the first of presumably many storms in the southern hemisphere summer. A nasty looking storm appears to be lashing the northeast of Argentina, if the satellite imagery is anything to go by. However, I have no Spanish and the Google Translator is usually awful.
London is a long way away from Stornoway, and I watched this morning's state opening of parliament with a degree of bemusement. Her Majesty appeared to be battling a cold, and I even discerned a sniffle in amongst all the Bills, set to be introduced by Her government. A General Election is due by May 2010 at the latest, so all those policy statements sounded more like a party manifesto.
The wind continues to blow outside, but I'm signing off here for the night. Tomorrow is another day.
Nothing more to report on the hurricane front: the Atlantic season is effectively over, although the northwestern Pacific season still has 6 weeks left to run. Anja has disappeared from the weather charts in the southern Indian Ocean, the first of presumably many storms in the southern hemisphere summer. A nasty looking storm appears to be lashing the northeast of Argentina, if the satellite imagery is anything to go by. However, I have no Spanish and the Google Translator is usually awful.
London is a long way away from Stornoway, and I watched this morning's state opening of parliament with a degree of bemusement. Her Majesty appeared to be battling a cold, and I even discerned a sniffle in amongst all the Bills, set to be introduced by Her government. A General Election is due by May 2010 at the latest, so all those policy statements sounded more like a party manifesto.
The wind continues to blow outside, but I'm signing off here for the night. Tomorrow is another day.
Wednesday 18 November
Bright and sunny this morning, although still quite cold - just over 5C / 41F at the moment. The "Almi" that I thought had departed is still about in the Minch, but slowly moving about to stay away from rocky shores. This is quite a large bulk carrier, 180 m / 600 ft in length, and a girth of 31 m / 100 ft, with a tonnage of 42,000 dwt.
Normally, if you get lost, you stop and ask for directions. OK, us men have a reputation for not doing so, and one Australian chap decided to keep going. And going. Until he was 370 miles from home - in Melbourne, rather than Sydney. He realised he was lost, but liked to drive.
Jump from a height into water? For heaven's sake DON'T. Down in southern Scotland, a teenage girl was killed after falling onto rocks in a pool near Dumfries. She was going to jump, then tried to abort, but was already too far gone. The 16-year old died a day later in hospital. I have seen footage on YouTube of local youngsters jumping off breakwaters and cliffs, out of bravado. You don't know what is below the water, if there is much water at all (tide) etc. Tombstoning? You could well find yourself below a tombstone with that trick.
Normally, if you get lost, you stop and ask for directions. OK, us men have a reputation for not doing so, and one Australian chap decided to keep going. And going. Until he was 370 miles from home - in Melbourne, rather than Sydney. He realised he was lost, but liked to drive.
Jump from a height into water? For heaven's sake DON'T. Down in southern Scotland, a teenage girl was killed after falling onto rocks in a pool near Dumfries. She was going to jump, then tried to abort, but was already too far gone. The 16-year old died a day later in hospital. I have seen footage on YouTube of local youngsters jumping off breakwaters and cliffs, out of bravado. You don't know what is below the water, if there is much water at all (tide) etc. Tombstoning? You could well find yourself below a tombstone with that trick.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Not under command?
I am currently watching Ship AIS, which shows shipping around Stornoway (and other ports). One of the vessels, the Almi, caught my attention, as it is marked as Not under command. That is a worrying sign. Last time that happened, the ship in question ran aground. As the map below shows, the Almi is currently drifting east, some 15 miles east of Tiumpan Head in Lewis and 7 miles west of Stoer Head (due east of Tiumpan Head). I hope the Coastguard is in contact - might give them a bell.
I can add that the ship has been marked not under command since 8.30pm this evening. Before then, the Almi was travelling southwest down the Minch at 12 knots, although it is headed for the St Lawrence River in Canada - for which it need not go down the Minch. I suspect the vessel has some sort of mechanical failure.
I can add that the ship has been marked not under command since 8.30pm this evening. Before then, the Almi was travelling southwest down the Minch at 12 knots, although it is headed for the St Lawrence River in Canada - for which it need not go down the Minch. I suspect the vessel has some sort of mechanical failure.
Earthquake
This afternoon, at 1622 GMT, an earthquake occurred with a magnitude of 6.8 on the Richter scale. Its epicentre was located near the Queen Charlotte Islands off the Canadian west coast, some 400 miles northwest of Vancouver. The quake was felt only as 'weak' in Prince Rupert, 300 miles to the north and other towns in the region. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre erroneously reported that a tsunami was generated, but this was NOT the case.
Sunset notes
The sun has set on another short day - it has graced us with 8 hours of its presence today. In a month's time, that timespan will be only a little over 6 hours. The weather has cleared up nicely, and only on the distant horizon do some cumulus clouds loom. The weather radar shows a new band of patchy rain or showers, moving slowly up from the southwest. Visibility is reportedly good, 40 km / 25 miles, but the cloud is obscuring my view of the Applecross Forest. The barometer is low, at 989 mbar as one low pressure system moves away and another approaches. The one following on behind is in the middle of the Atlantic and set to bring us very windy weather on Thursday. And depression no 4 looks pretty hefty at the end of the 84-hour period that the weathercharts show me. November is here, and boy, will we know about it.
Locally, the Pairc Trust, which seeks to take over the land of the Pairc Estate in South Lochs (12 miles south of Stornoway as the crow flies, but 30 miles by road) is going to ballot the residents whether to proceed with a hostile buy-out bid. Under landreform legislation, introduced in 2003, any community is entitled to buy the land off the landowner, willing or unwilling. Until now, community buy-outs have commonly proceeded by amicable arrangement between community trust and land owner, but Pairc may see the first hostile buy-out bid.
In November 2004, just after I came to Lewis, the residents of Pairc voted for a community buy-out; the first such move in the Western Isles. Now, five years later, other bids have succeeded: North Harris, Benbecula, South Uist & Eriskay, Galson - but Pairc is still mired in legalistics, brought about by the land owner who does not want to sell. Why not? Because there are plans afoot to build a hugely profitable windfarm in the Pairc Estate (pop. 400), something that would make the land owner quite rich. Will this windfarm actually go ahead? Well, the presence of golden eagles in the district could put a spanner in the works. For they are a protected species of bird, and windturbines are known to cause the death of many an eagle - those of my readers in California will be aware of that.
Locally, the Pairc Trust, which seeks to take over the land of the Pairc Estate in South Lochs (12 miles south of Stornoway as the crow flies, but 30 miles by road) is going to ballot the residents whether to proceed with a hostile buy-out bid. Under landreform legislation, introduced in 2003, any community is entitled to buy the land off the landowner, willing or unwilling. Until now, community buy-outs have commonly proceeded by amicable arrangement between community trust and land owner, but Pairc may see the first hostile buy-out bid.
In November 2004, just after I came to Lewis, the residents of Pairc voted for a community buy-out; the first such move in the Western Isles. Now, five years later, other bids have succeeded: North Harris, Benbecula, South Uist & Eriskay, Galson - but Pairc is still mired in legalistics, brought about by the land owner who does not want to sell. Why not? Because there are plans afoot to build a hugely profitable windfarm in the Pairc Estate (pop. 400), something that would make the land owner quite rich. Will this windfarm actually go ahead? Well, the presence of golden eagles in the district could put a spanner in the works. For they are a protected species of bird, and windturbines are known to cause the death of many an eagle - those of my readers in California will be aware of that.
Tuesday 17 November
Overcast and quite wet this morning in Stornoway, although there is some brightness creeping up from the south. The current rainfront is moving away to the northeast, with bright spells following along over the Uists. Another belt of showers is showing up on the radar to the north of Ireland, midway between Barra and Malin Head.
And our local authority is cutting back on the number of hours their gritters are on the road. Is that a case of being on the slippery slope? I'm only being half funny there. A few years ago, someone died on the island's main route, the A859 Stornoway to Tarbert road, when his car skidded off the road on a patch of ice. Which was supposed to have been treated.
Anyway, I'm going to have a coffee now, and after that I'll continue comparing two listings from WW1 Rolls of Honour, one published in 1916 and one in 1921. I have already dug up more than 400 missing names, and as I have 1500 names left to go through, there'll be more discrepancies.
And our local authority is cutting back on the number of hours their gritters are on the road. Is that a case of being on the slippery slope? I'm only being half funny there. A few years ago, someone died on the island's main route, the A859 Stornoway to Tarbert road, when his car skidded off the road on a patch of ice. Which was supposed to have been treated.
Anyway, I'm going to have a coffee now, and after that I'll continue comparing two listings from WW1 Rolls of Honour, one published in 1916 and one in 1921. I have already dug up more than 400 missing names, and as I have 1500 names left to go through, there'll be more discrepancies.
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