Monday 12 November

Overcast, wet and initially windy. However, the wind has died down now. I finished reading a book that tried to depict Britain under Nazi occupation during the Second World War. That, of course, complete conjecture and the author, Norman Longmate, has made a creditable effort to describe the invasion and its aftermath. What I found fault with is the relative understatement of the atrocities committed by Nazi forces in occupied Europe, which the author tip-toed past. He laid heavy emphasis on the occupation of the Channel Islands, the only British territory to be occupied by Hitler's forces. However, that occupation appears to have been relatively benign, and not representative of the occupation of other countries, like France, Holland or Belgium.

I have started on the phenomenon of e-books, and purchased a novel, written by a fellow blogger, Stuart Rogerson. Another book I currently have on the go, Crime and Punishment, by Dostoevsky.

Did you ask about hurricanes? None about, and only one tropical disturbance, near Brunei, which is not likely to develop much further.

Religion

I recently finished, after a year, reading the Qu'ran, the holy text of Islam. Due to the sensitive nature of the subject in hand, I decided not to write a review on Goodreads.com, but will do so nonetheless on this relatively obscure corner of my internet output. The Qu'ran is vastly different from the Bible, being a series of revelations to a Prophet, transmitted through the Angel Gabriel from God. The Bible is a collection of scripts, which were written by many different hands, in different languages at different times, over a period of four to five thousand years.

The translation I read served to make the book accessible to me, also highlighting the many areas that Christianity and Islam have in common. However, there are also one or two statements that render the two religions incompatible. Islam states that God does not have a son - although it does acknowledge Jesus as a prophet (note lowercase). The Holy Trinity is a cornerstone of Christianity, I need not remind you. However, the Qu'ran also says, through the Prophet, that "God gave man the Torah, and he did not listen. God gave man the Gospel, and he did not listen. God gave man the Qu'ran, and he did not listen". In other words, in my opinion, Islam is the younger brother of Christianity, and a very vocal one at that.

I am profoundly saddened that, like Christianity, Islam has been hijacked for political ends, and used as justification for mass murder. I do not read or understand Arabic, but appreciate and acknowledge the  vast cultural heritage that the Arabian peninsula has to offer - do not forget that it was Arab scholars that invented the concept of the zero, without which we would not have the computers we are all working on today.

I shall reread the Qu'ran in the future, because it is a huge work with a huge impact that you cannot appreciate from just one reading. I shall also reread the Bible, in order to reacquaint myself with the Scriptures from that Book.

BBC

After a monumental failure in editorial control at Newsnight, the Director General of the BBC, George Entwistle, finally did what he should have done some time ago: resign. I am outraged to hear he is given a year's pay upon departure, "because he is helping with the Jimmy Savile case". Entwistle was torn to shreds by, first, the Culture Media and Sports Committee of Parliament, and last week by John Humphrys on BBC Radio 4. The man is plainly incompetent out of his ivory tower, and Mr Entwistle should be out of the BBC altogether, not be permitted to finish what he started off bungling in the first place. I am disgusted with Chris Patten, chairman of the BBC Trust, who stands up for the former DG because he's such a nice guy. Yes, I'm sure I'd be happy to buy George a pint down the pub myself, but this old-boys network should not come into a management structure. If that persists, Chris Patten himself should resign. It is symptomatic of a culture where malpractice is covered with the mantle of fraternal love and "he is such a nice guy". That is precisely the sort of attitude that allowed Jimmy Savile to abuse women and children between 1958 and 2011. Nobody would say anything about Jimmy, because he was such a good guy, and, well, we all know Jimmy, and didn't you enjoy it??

I have previously stated on this blog that I am a supporter of the BBC, and have been for nearly 30 years. The organisation has a high standard of journalism, but nobody is perfect, and things go wrong, even in the best-run enterprises. The test is how malpractice is being dealt with - and there have been two serious instances at the BBC where malpractice was uncovered, and it was not dealt with properly. The BBC is not a private enterprise, the broadcaster is (partly) funded by license fee money, paid by viewers in the UK - £150 per annum.

Autumn day

Rivers running down the glass
Distorting the view outside
A rapid patter of drops
and an impatient buffeting by wind

Visibility quite poor
but there isn't much to see
today is an autumnal day
as chill makes way for mild

Darkness falls near four fifteen
and daylight's getting very short
Six weeks left till solstice day
and we'll hunker down some more

Bowed down into the wind
Minimising time outside
warmed by a cosy fire
ignoring mother nature's ill temper

Remembrance Sunday (II)

They gather round
under clearing skies
remembering those
gone on ahead

Through war and strife
the trumpet sounds
and all fall silent
to contemplate

The sun comes out
and the trumpet calls
Awake!
A  new day dawns

The wreaths remain
We will remember
Their today
For our tomorrow

War memorials

For an island of about 20,000 inhabitants, Lewis has a surprising number of war memorials, sixteen. The largest is situated just outside Stornoway and consists of a tower, with a circle of 23 plaques below. They used to be in the tower, but that is severely affected by ingress of water, so they were placed outside.


Other locations are

Garrabost (Point)


Braighe na h-Aoidhe & Melbost


Back


North Tolsta


Cross (Ness)


Borve


Bragar


Carloway
 

Tolsta Chaolais


Breasclete


Great Bernera


Timsgarry (Uig)


Crossbost


Laxay (Kinloch)


Kershader (South Lochs)

Sunday 11 November

Remembrance Sunday today. I watched the parade in Whitehall in London at 11 am, then walked the 40 minutes to the local war memorail for a ceremony at 1pm. The shortest route on foot leads through the local golf course. There were about 150 people present at the war memorial. The minister of one of the local churches conducted proceedings, which included the laying of wreaths by military and civilian dignitaries. After the singing of hymns and psalms, the national anthem closed the ceremony at half past one. I returned through a practically deserted town centre. It was a chilly day, but the threat of showers receded and the sun even came out. As I type this, at 7pm, we are not far above freezing.


The below pic shows the crowds gathering at the memorial.

Lewis War Memorial

Twenty-three plaques
More than fiteen hundred names
Standing in a circle
Below a prominent tower

Looking out over the town
Over the Minch
which they all had to cross
but never to return

Looking out over the island
At the villages near and far
From where they flocked
Eagerly but with hidden trepidation

In a circle near the top
their names are remembered
Parish by parish
In each World War

On land, in France or Mesopotamia
Out at sea, in the Atlantic or in the Mediterranean
In the skies over Britain and Europe
or even further from home

But closest to home
Within view of the tower now
The two hundred who drowned
at Holm Point, as 1919 started

Twenty-three plaques
More than fifteen hundred names
Remembered by theirs
Remembered by us all

Saturday 10 November

Quite a reasonable day, with showerclouds in abundance, but not much rain falling. The result was the inevitable mix of cloudscapes and rainbows. We maintained a reasonable temperature of 9C, and while the barometer rose, the showers started to peter out.

I could not help but notice that the leaves on the fuchsia bush are turning yellow. Not something that merits the news headlines, but in previous years, the gales had blown both blooms and leaves off by now. Not this year. We have had very few days with high winds this year, and (likewise in the Castle Grounds) has allowed mother nature to put up a fine display of autumn colours.

I have made a good start with my two new books. The first one, If Britain had fallen, gives a chilling account of what might have happened if the Germans had mounted a successful invasion. I'm about 1/3 of the way through, and I'm blessing my stars that this never came to be. The second one, Crime and punishment, is a very wordy but intriguing novel by Russian writer Dostoevsky, and the first twists and turns are already appearing - I'm on page 37 (of nearly 500).

Want a mince pie? Sorry, they've all been eaten :-)

Calum Zachary

Hey, where are you?
Need a word, real quick
You and I, well, what do you say?
Be together for good

But listen, we're poor
Can't get any land
Your folks have so little
splitting it would leave even less

Don't get me wrong, though
I'll be yours alright
We are as one
And will always be

Look, come look, who's that?
He's here for the money
What my dad hasn't got
Hasn't had for so long

Hey, where are you?
Got some news, bad and good
We've got to leave the island
Dad's been turned off his land

Come with me tonight
Nothing left here for us
We'll start a new life together
Take our chance, wherever

They were to meet on the pierhead
To start afresh somewhere
The moon set early though
and darkness shrouded all

He could not find his lady
She could not find her man
He therefore went to America
without his love by his side

His name was Calum Zachary
A name living on in song
echoing his loss
across the waves and years

Friday 9 November

After last night's wind and rain, the day dawned fairly brightly, but with intermittent heavy showers. The temperature was no great shakes either, managing 9C / 48F, achieved soon after midday. The afternoon only got colder.

My heart bled when I heard the terrible privations having to be endured by Anders Breivik as he continues his 21-year sentence (mininum) for the murder of 78 people in Norway last year. At least he has a comfy prison cell for the rest of his life; his victims' lives were cut short by him. I hope he is now deprived of the oxygen of any further publicity.

St Kilda has been awarded an international award for preserving architecture. The group of islands, 45 miles west of North Uist, was abandoned by its permanent residents in August 1930. The houses were restored by the National Trust for Scotland, and the main island is home to a tracking station for test missiles, fired from a range in South Uist. The St Kilda Centre, which is due to be constructed at Mangersta in Lewis is yet to be put up.

To Canada

The man walked down the road
his knapsack slung over his shoulder
although he had gained some land
he had lost his neighbours

There had been only one way out
to Canada
Cutting down trees
building the Pacific railway

Gratitude had led to this separation
for the man left his family behind
sending back money
that he had earned over there

His neighbours were behind with the rent
And as he had saved the proprietor's life
The reward was a piece of land
taken off his neighbours' croft

The man did not ask for a reward
even less for more land
however useful
And certainly not at the expense of his neighbour

So he walked down the road
His family staring after him
As he disappeared in the distance
Never to return

Death of army cadet

Five years ago, in August 2007, an army cadet from Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, drowned following an accident in Loch Carnan, South Uist. Kaylee Macintosh had become trapped under a RIB after it overturned, and her absence had not been noticed for 90 minutes. When the boat was finally turned over, the cadet was found drowned underneath.

It is reported today that the officer in charge, Major George Maccallum, has admitted at Inverness Sheriff Court charges on health and safety issues at the time.

Kristallnacht

9 November 1938 - an organised mob of Nazi forces and sympathisers go on the rampage in towns and cities across Germany, smashing and destroying Jewish-owned property and businesses. It was to be a marker, to what was to come during World War II - the extermination of anyone deemed sub-human by the warped mind of Adolf Hitler and his henchmen. Jews topped their league of the unfit, closely followed by gypsies, the mentally ill and many many others. The Reichskristallnacht was a night of infamy, and not just to Germany.

For Hitler was allowed to get away with literally murder for several years beforehand. In 1936, he occupied the Rhineland which had been ceded to France at the end of the First World War. The League of Nations, a toothless talkingshop, cried wolf but had no bite. In March 1938, Nazi forces marched into Austria to join that country to Germany, an event referred to as the Anschluss. Neville Chamberlain flew to Munich to meet with Adolf Hitler on 30 September 1938, returning with the infamous phrase: "Peace for our time". Six weeks later, the Reichskristallnacht took place, a sign of ill omen. Only a few months later, Germany invaded the Sudetenland area of Czecho-Slovakia, and again, nobody moved a finger to stop. In September 1939, Hitler thought he could get away with the invasion of Poland. But instead, it prompted the outbreak of the Second World War.

The lights have gone out in Europe, it was said at the time. The lights in Europe were extinguished in 1914, and had not been relit, not even at the end of the First World War. The Versailles Peace Treaty of June 1919 contained all the ingredients for another war, which duly materialised.

9 November

Light fills the room
refracted by hundreds of
finely cut crystals
hanging from the chandelier

A fire demurely crackles
in the hearth
filling the room
with warmth and comfort

A waltz gently plays
and couples glide
in tender embrace
along the polished floor

Darkness rules outside
as does the November chill
wafting along city centre streets
with marked windows

Light flares up rudely
as a bonfire shoots tongues
of fire into the night sky
illuminating the scene

Light flares up further
refracted by thousands
of crystals scattered
along streets of darkness

Gaping mouths where windows were
Glass pulverised into countless crystals
Fire spreads
consuming the culture

Books are burned
their writers were deemed unfit
for the country whose Leader
sought to exterminate

The millions of fragments
of broken glass, of crystal
scatter the light of the fire
burning the synagogues

Soon the worshippers
will follow the fate of their temple
The light of the fire
overshadows the continent

Dying into dull embers
the dancers fade into shadows
as the light goes out over Europe
on Kristallnacht

Thursday 8 November

What started out as quite reasonable day with good sunny spells, has now gone downhill at a rate of knots. As I type this (just after 11pm), a force 7 southerly wind is lashing us with spells of rain. A major Atlantic depression, whose influence on weather extends from Iceland to the Azores, is pushing frontal systems in. These will be followed by cooler weather. Conversely, or perhaps perversely, after being hit by snow this week, New York will be enjoying temps of 17C in the next few days.

I have to observe, with considerable sadness, that after a day's respite, vitriol has returned to the internet regarding the re-election of Barack Obama as president of the USA. I can very well imagine that those who did not relish the prospect of Mr Obama's second term are perhaps disappointed that Mr Romney did not get in. But it is not done to assail others, who hold differing political opinions, on-line. I think it would be much better if politics was given a rest for a couple of weeks. Here in Scotland, we are facing 98 weeks of independence debate (read: garbage), and things will be getting a lot worse than over the USA, I'll give you that as my opinion.

Stulaval

Now derelict on the shore of Loch Reasort
Little Luachair stands
Years back a carpenter came
over the hills from Bowglass

After job's end he was left
with some planks
which he carried back
below the frowning cliffs

A sound of hammerblows
echoed below the face
of stern Stulaval
Regular and slow

Turning around
the carpenter espied
nothing
and nobody

But the tapping
continued
Soon he descended
over the hills into Vigadale

Reached home but
his hearth was cold
and nobody around
except his wife, no longer alive

The carpenter hammered
his wife's coffin
An echo of the hammerblows
Below cold Stulaval

Wednesday 7 November

A better day, in terms of weather, than yesterday, but still hefty showers interspersed with reasonable sunny spells. It's become rather milder than of late, with the thermometer rising to a respectable 11C / 52F this afternoon. Went out for a walk round the harbour, and to buy a book. One of the local bookshops sells classical novels for £2 each, so my choice ended up Crime and punishment by Dostoevsky. As I said, slightly tongue-in-cheek, some light bedtime reading. Another book that I have ordered is a chilling account of what Great Britain would have looked like under Nazi occupation during WW2. It's something that fortunately never came about, but am nonetheless intrigued how this topic will be covered.

I was sad to learn that Dad's Army star Clive Dunn (lance-corporal Jones) has died at the age of 92. Apparently, Dunn specialised in acting roles that were much older than himself. Most of us will know the keyphrases like "No panic, no panic!" etc.

Barack Obama was elected for a second term in office as president of the USA first thing this morning. The election has changed nothing in political terms, and Mr Obama will have quite a job getting his legislation through an opposing parliament, being the House of Representatives. By my observation, the USA is deeply divided and remains so.

In spring

I met you on the rising road
that sunny afternoon in April
Innocent eyes looking up
as I looked down

The dark mountains loomed
over the deep waters
under the rays of the
springtime sun

A first spring with
gentle winds from
the distant seas
carrying aloft the shadows

Their calls mocked
at what they had taken
not caring, in fact
relishing and enjoying

She was expiring
as I approached
only a step or two
from the roadside edge

You did not know
but looked at me to explain
what was beyond your days
and was to befall you too

The sun shone through
the pink ears of the young lamb
The ewe was breathing its last
after being blinded by crows

Tuesday 6 November

An overcast, grey and mostly wet day. The drizzle kept visibility down to just about 1 mile, with the lighthouse and the fabrication yard only just about within sight. There was a strong breeze today, but that did serve to keep our temps at an unexpectedly mild 10C / 50F, the highest in the land. This often happens in the winter half-year, when mild air off the Atlantic warms us up.

This evening, momentous news came through from the island of Scalpay, just off the coast of North Harris, 8 miles east of Tarbert. A ballot was held among its residents, 78.2% of whom turned out to vote whether to take their island into community ownership. Scalpay is owned by a man called Fred Taylor, but he has decided to gift the island to its residents. 197 were in favour, only 8 against. A second question was whether to go it alone, or under the umbrella of the North Harris Trust, a body that took control of that area of Harris a few years ago. Votes were 110 in favour, 96 against.Apart from being a new addition to the list of areas now under community ownership, it is also historical because up to now, the people from Scalpay did not really regard themselves as from Harris - separate islands.

Today, as we all know, the USA is voting for its next president. We shall learn within 12 hours of this post going live whether #45 will be Barack Obama or Mitt Romney.