Libya

The greatness of a nation is measured by the way it treats its enemies. Well, Libya does not score too well on that scale, judging by the way its former leader and his cronies were dealt with upon discovery. I'm not saying Gaddafi cum suis deserved any better, but the protestations of the new Libyan leadership that they did not want Gaddafi dead sound a tad hollow.

In civil wars, the first line of this blogpost becomes incredibly difficult to maintain, and the acrimony that has gripped Libya since February is testimony to that. In fact, the pent-up hatred against the totalitarian rule of Gaddafi has come pouring out like from a freshly lanced boil. There will be the inevitable settling of accounts, some going back to 1969, when Gaddafi came to power. I have no illusions that things will stay ugly in Libya for a long time. Some say Sirte, which provided succour to the dictator, should not be reconstructed.

I am not so naive as to expect an instant national reconciliation in Libya. I can only hope for that, given time.

Hurricane update - 24 October

Hurricane Rina formed yesterday evening as a tropical depression, but has exploded to hurricane force within 18 hours. The storm, which is slowly headed for the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, will be at 105 knots (120 mph) by the time it reaches that area. Rina will veer round to the northeast at the end of the forecast period.

The resort of Cancun lies near the path of this hurricane.

Monday 24 October

Quite an acceptable day, with good sunshine at times and relatively high temperatures - we got up to 16C / 60F today. As I type this, the sun is dipping towards the horizon and it's cooling down. Although there is not much wind, the 5.35pm ferry sailing from Ullapool has been delayed for about 12 hours until 5 am tomorrow morning due to adverse weather conditions. The shipping forecast shows a galewarning for our area.

I went into town this afternoon for a few bits in the shops, and could not help but notice how quiet things have become since the Royal National Mod ended on Saturday. Last week, the place was very busy - but not nearly as much so today.

Sunday 23 October

A repeat of the past few days. Wet and windy to start with, followed by a calming of conditions - but remaining dull and grey all day. The last of the Mod-goers disappeared to the mainland on today's TWO Sunday sailings. As well as 6 passengers on the first Sunday sailing out of Tarbert, in Harris, which is proving controversial down there. Ferry company Caledonian MacBrayne say they have decided to put fare-paying passengers on board the MV Hebrides, which leaves Tarbert early on Sunday morning at any rate (to go to Lochmaddy in North Uist), after consultation with local people. Sections of Harris society claim that there has been no such consultation. However, there was already a Sunday ferry in Harris: it goes to Berneray twice on the Sabbath.

The Europeans have launched another part of their Galileo satellite group into space, which, by 2015, will start to form an alternative GPS system. In recent times, NATO exercises in the Minch have jammed GPS signals. I was agog at the storm of protest that blew up, because local mariners proved to be incapable of navigating without GPS. What is wrong with using your eyes and a map? I mean, GPS is not as perfect as it may seem. It still has a margin of error of about 15 feet, which can be rather a lot at times. And I have seen it going wildly off the scale in the mountains - when I was in Switzerland, it put me a full mile away from my actual position. You can't miss being in the middle of a town, can you?

Saturday 22 October

The day started very wet and very windy, causing a 2 hour delay to the first ferry departure to Ullapool. Gradually, the wind abated, the rain stopped, and by 4pm, the sun came out. We had a glorious sunset - briefly.

Gaddafi appears to have been summarily executed, within an hour of being captured. I hope this does not give an indication of what the new Libyan regime is going to be like. The signs are not good; they are already bickering over where Gaddafi will be buried, as well as over who gets which job in government. Gaddafi was a complete bastard - but it would have reflected better on the NTC if they had applied the laws of war.

The Scottish National Party has proposed alternatives to full independence for Scotland - taking more powers from Westminster, leaving foreign affairs and defence to London. It is probably designed to attract more votes in favour of independence at a future referendum, which the SNP government have pledged to hold before 2016.

Mod 2011

Contrary to 2005, I only attended one competition in this year's Royal National Mod, which took place in Stornoway this week. After I post this entry, there will only be the final concert at the Sports Centre tonight, and the massed choirs in Perceval Square on Saturday morning - if the weather is bad, it'll be in the Nicolson Institute. Glancing at the forecast, I'd suggest to head for the Nicolson.

The one competition I attended was competition A302 (Area Choirs), which took place at Stornoway Town Hall earlier today. Five choirs took part, singing one prescribed piece (Tir nam Beann Ard) as well as a piece of their own choice. Click on one of the links below to hear a recording.

The winner was Nairn Gaelic Choir in the competition overall, as well as being awarded highest marks in music. Dundee Gaelic Musical Association was awarded highest marks in Gaelic.

Dundee Gaelic Musical Association
Choice
Prescribed

Largs Gaelic Choir
Choice
Prescribed

Nairn Gaelic Choir
Choice
Prescribed

Ar n’Oran (Ottawa)
Choice:
Prescribed:

Portree Area Gaelic Choir
Choice
Prescribed

Stornoway Town Hall

Following the controversy over the refurbishment of the interior of Stornoway Town Hall, I would like to share the images I took inside the Hall today, whilst attending a competition of the Royal National Mod (see next post).

Ceiling and rooflights


Windows at rear of hall - now visible


The Hall from the back


The Hall in 2006

Gaddafi is dead

After nearly 42 years in power, Col Muammar Gaddafi is reported to have died of wounds, sustained in a gunfight at Sirte earlier today. It brings to a conclusion a revolution that has lasted for eight months.

It also brings to an end the life of a man who has the blood of thousands on his hands. Images are being relayed on television at present of Gaddafi's bloodied remains being dragged through the streets of Sirte, a gruesome sight. However, those completely pale into insignificance when compared to the atrocities meted out to the people of Libya by its leader, when they rose up against him.

I derive no joy from Gaddafi's death. My thoughts are with the families of his victims, in Libya and outside that country.

Wednesday 19 October

A bitterly cold day, starting with a shower of snow. Temperatures lifted through the day, but 6C is well below the mark for mid October. Went to the Gaelic Showcase at the Nicolson Institute and picked up a copy of a book that shows photographs from the Southern Isles [Scarp to Mingulay] from the first half of the 20th century. Although the landscape is recognisable, the conditions for the people have changed beyond recognition. Scarp and Mingulay were abandoned in 1971 and 1912 respectively. The Gaelic language organisation Bord na Gaidhlig was giving out free copies of a Scots Gaelic thesaurus, a hefty 500 page tome, quite invaluable for any student and / or speaker of the language. I don't speak nor understand Gaelic, except for a few words and phrases.

At an event in the evening, a man from Nova Scotia was crowned Bard, an ambassadorial position that he will hold for 3 years. It is for the first time in history that a non-Scot was awarded the title. I refer to the link for further information.

Tuesday 18 October

A very wild day, with galeforce winds from the northwest, making it a bitingly cold day. The mercury was stuck down at 7C / 45F. The ferry service is disrupted as the Isle of Lewis is not coming back to Stornoway until tomorrow lunchtime, at 1pm. This means a fair amount of disruption for the participants in the Royal National Mod, which is rolling on across town. I was just told that a large number of competitors were booked to come across this evening. A small tragedy has cast a shadow over the Children's Mod: one youngster's toy bunny was lost at St Columba's Church Hall on Lewis Street during the 5-7 year olds' solo singing competition on Monday. Anyone who has found Bunny is asked to call the number displayed on the link. The Mod will run until this coming Saturday. 

Monday 17 October

Well, that was some day and no mistake. In terms of weather. It is cold (only 5C / 41F) and that has shown itself in the form of precipitation: hail and thunder. You may find that an odd combination, but in this part of the world, thunderstorms only occur in winter, when very cold air flows over the top of slightly warmer air at the surface. So, these were the gardenchairs:



It is Mod week, but I don't have much opportunity to attend the competitions or final concerts. I'll be tuning into Isles FM for live coverage. TV viewers in the UK can watch a summary on BBC Alba - which carries English subtitles. I hope.

Saturday 15 October

After the heavy rain that started the day, it cleared up to a fairly sunny but very windy day. The wind made it feel cold, at times bitingly so. Nonetheless, no rain is the only thing I would wish, so no real complaints. It will get colder over the next few months, so I'll get used to it yet.

Yesterday, the first legal single malt whisky produced in Lewis was launched at an event in Stornoway. The Abhainn Dearg distillery set up production in 2008, and now that three years have passed, its product can be described as whisky. At an earlier stage, it marketed an precursor product that boasted of 65% v/v alcohol, which is mind-blowingly strong - no, I didn't try it! The article I'm linking to is from the Am Paipear [The Paper], the local newspaper for the Uists.

The tropical cyclone season for the northern hemisphere has quietened down; the only system I am monitoring at present is called Irwin, a system that has been meandering in the Eastern Pacific Ocean between 105 and 120 degrees longitude West. Early on in its career (it has been on the go for nearly 10 days), it reached hurricane strength, but it got strangulated by its little sister Jova, which left cold seawater and a stirred-up atmosphere behind.

People of the Book

I have obtained a copy of the Qur'an, the Muslim Holy Book, for the purposes of study. Islam is one of the major religions of the world, and has a high profile in news events. Not always for the most positive reasons, but neither has its older brother, Christianity. The Qur'an is a slow read, as you have to read each verse and each chapter with full attention. The translator (for I have an English-language copy) warns of the dangers of misinterpretation, giving several examples of how the texts of the Qur'an have been warped to suit people's intentions.

Having gone through the first major sura [chapter], the parallel with the Old Testament is unmistakeable. Moses, Aaron, Abraham, David, Goliath, Saul, Solomon, Mary, Jesus (to give but a few examples) are all referred to by name. The differences between the Bible and the Qu'ran are also patently obvious. The Qu'ran directly refers to the Christians and the Judeans as People of the Book (hence the title of this post).

It is a fascinating read, as it grants an insight into Islamic culture, and by virtue of that, an insight into some of the events of the last few decades in the world.

I think it is highly deplorable that Islam has been given such a bad name by a tiny minority who abused the religion for political motives. It should not be forgotten that it was Arabic culture, where Islam is rooted, that granted us the phenomenon of the zero, without which we would not all be sitting by our computers, doing all these marvellous things on the WWW. In order to understand what goes on in a major religion of the world, it is imperative to read its holy text and do so with an open mind, which is what I am trying to do.

Friday 14 October

An overcast and at times wet day. It wasn't really cold, although the strong wind served to mask the 13C temperatures. The force 6 winds caused a 30 minute delay on the ferry today.

The news is headlined by the resignation of the UK Defence Secretary, Liam Fox. Mr Fox had allowed a personal friend to assume a role within the MOD that the man had no right or clearance to assume. As a result, his position became untenable, and he resigned earlier today.

Here in Stornoway, the Royal National Mod has kicked off, although the main competitions do not start until Monday. The children (aged 5 to 17) are first, with the adults competitors lining up from Wednesday onwards. Those within the UK can see coverage of the Mod on the BBC Alba channel on Freeview.

Thursday 13 October

An overcast and breezy day today, feeling cold in the wind. The mercury stayed at 12C through most of the day, which isn't bad for mid-October.

I just spotted an article on local news website Hebrides News, which claims it has overtaken the local weekly paper Stornoway Gazette in terms of readership. The article goes on to state that people are gradually switching from printed newspapers to on-line news sources - a trend that is perfectly understandable, as sites like Heb News, however imperfect at times, are updated continually, whereas newspapers only come out once a day or (as in the case of the Gazette)  once a week. It is a trend that is not only shown in the Hebrides, but worldwide.

Tomorrow will see the start of the Royal National Mod, which is held in Stornoway for the first time since 2005. I intend to attend some of the competitions, in spite of the fact that I do not speak or understand Gaelic. The Mod is a showcase for Gaelic culture, not only comprising of music, but also of theatre and sports. Its competitors can be as young as age 5. The event will run until Saturday 22 October.

Wednesday 12 October

A bright and sunny, if not very warm day. Hardly a cloud in the sky. The mercury just about managed 13C, but is presently on its way down to last night's low of +2C / 36F. Chilly. Went to the post office this morning to dispatch a cubic foot of wool to someone, which weighed 1.63 kg (about 3.5 pounds in old money). And you wouldn't believe the smell. As a relative of mine once famously said: "Everything smells of sheeeeeep!"

 I am not known in these islands as a protagonist of renewable energy schemes, certainly not of windfarms. However, wavefarms (which generate power from the action of waves) is something I do look on favourably. The Pelamis sea-snake is an unobtrusive set of cylinders, linked together, which float on the surface of the sea. The waves move the joints between the cylinders, which powers a generator. A proposed wavefarm off Great Bernera could generate enough power for 7000 homes.

And then there is this almost ridiculous row that I chanced upon when browsing the BBC news website for a link for the above story. Two women in Stornoway both laying claim to the same cat, which wanders from house to house. Tut.

Tuesday 11 October

A bright and fairly sunny day, interspersed with occasional downpours. It was cold, with the mercury barely making it into double figures. I went into town in the morning to obtain further tributes from the 1944 editions of the Stornoway Gazette, related to the Second World War. I shall transcribe these and link them to the WW2 tribute site for this island.

Locally, about 100 job losses have been announced at two major employers: the main Co-op superstore on Macaulay Road and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (the council). The Co-op is shedding 24 full-time equivalent posts, meaning that 50 people will be paid off. The Comhairle is getting rid of 50 staff. This is devastating for a small community like Lewis; the town of Stornoway has a population of about 9,000, to put it into perspective. The Co-op staff to be laid off are mainly part-time workers.

Monday 10 October

The day started bright and sunny, but by midday, the showers started. Looking at one passing to the south of us at the moment (5.40pm), there could be hail in amongst the precipitation. With the mercury at a cold 9C, that is certainly not to be ruled out.

There was a controversy locally today due to a major NATO exercise in the Minch and around Cape Wrath. GPS signals were being jammed by the Ministry of Defense as part of the exercise, but there were complaints from fishermen and ferry operators. GPS allows mariners to pinpoint their location accurately, helping them to avoid underwater hazards such as reefs and wrecks. The MOD has now suspended the jamming of the GPS signals. Local contacts also tell me that satellite TV reception was affected, as was radio-link Internet access. 

Report illegal migrants

Prime Minister David Cameron has moved down the dangerous road of urging people to report illegal migrants. I am not in favour of law-breaking, and am not in favour of people gaining entry to the country when they are not entitled to do so. However, Mr Cameron's idea could play into the hands of the xenophobic elements within society, and lead to a witchhunt. It smacks to me of events in Germany and Nazi-occupied territories of the 1930s and early 1940s, when people were rounded up and carted away for their religion or under other pretexts. Yes, I am overreacting, but this appeal really leaves a filthy taste in my mouth.

Hurricane update - 10 October

Hurricane Jova is threatening the Pacific coastline of Mexico. The latest forecast shows the storm blowing ashore on Tuesday afternoon local time as a category IV hurricane, with winds of 115 knots if not higher. At the moment, a hurricane warning is in force from Punta San Telmo to Cabo Corrientes and a tropical storm warning from Lazaro Cardenas to Punta San Telmo. Apart from the high winds, Jova will also come with up to 15 inches of rain, which could unleash flashfloods and mudslides, as well as a substantial storm surge.

Jova is the 10th storm of the East Pacific season, and the 5th major hurricane in that basin this year. Irwin is following in its wake, but is a weak tropical storm, beaten down by the outflow from Jova which is not far away to its east.

Hurricanes are Nature's safety valve, serving to funnel excess heat from the ocean in the tropics away to higher latitudes. Whilst the cloud tops may be as cold as -85C (-65F) at 10 miles above the surface, the temperature in the eye at the same altitude can be as high as +19C (66F). A hurricane (typhoon or tropical cyclone, all the same thing) requires water temperatures of at least 26C / 80F and an absence of windshear (winds blowing at different speeds and/or directions at different levels of the atmosphere). Once ashore, a tropical cyclone will rapidly weaken and dissipate.