Winter Olympics

A shadow was cast over the start of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, after a luger from Georgia was killed in an accident. He crashed, following which he was catapulted over a wall and slammed into a pole. A decision is to be taken whether the luge competition will proceed as planned.

Hurricane update - 12 February

Tropical cyclone Rene is currently traversing American Samoa, east of the dateline. The storm will gain intensity and impact the southern islands of that archipelago as equivalent of a category I hurricane. NOAA Pago Pago is issuing warnings. I am keeping a very close eye on the forecast track for this storm, as it appears to be making a beeline for the North Island of New Zealand in 5 or 6 days' time.

Screen

Posted last night about my malfunctioning screen. This is what greets me at start-up:

Friday 12 February

Nice and bright today, with the odd light, short shower. The latter was not in the forecast, but it did not bother anybody much. Three herons were having it out in the corner of Stornoway Harbour that I overlook. There was also this continuing battle to outwit the seagulls, who will swoop in to gobble up any bread left outside. The trick is to place it under bushes or against a tree trunk. Gulls want to have space around them to spread their wings, and enclosed spaces make them nervous. A tree trunk constitutes an enclosed space, to their mind.

I was shocked to read the list of service cuts, proposed by our local council. It is one thing to keep the council tax at the same level, a policy imposed by the Scottish Government in Edinburgh, it does mean that less money is coming in each year - on account of inflation.

Sunset was once more stunning: