Friday, 3 April 2009
Closing notes
And I'm shutting up shop for tonight, as my headache developed into the nasty variety this afternoon. Shame, but the bright sunshine did not help at all. More tomorrow.
Ferry troubles
Our ferry had a spot of bother with an on-shore stiff breeze this pm. Upon reaching the harbour, the MV Isle of Lewis could not safely berth at number 3 pier, so she shunted round to the far side of the pier and disembarked and embarked footpassengers. At 2.50pm, she moved to number 1 pier, from where MV Muirneag had meanwhile departed to wait outside the harbour, to repeat the process for cars. Nonetheless, the ferry has just returned from the evening crossing from Ullapool, 80 minutes late.
Friday 3 April
Trying to shake off a developing headache, but with the weather being what it is, I'm probably not going to succeed: Brilliantly sunny today, but with a hazy in the distance and a brisk southerly wind. We are once more defying the forecast for a maximum temperature of 12C: the mercury has inched up to 14C in actual fact and could go a degree or so higher yet.
A very sad story today about an elderly man who lost his home to a lottery scam. We are all familiar with scam emails, saying we have won a huge amount in a lottery - that we never bought tickets for, or submitted any details towards. Letters to that effect also do the rounds, and at least two people in southwestern Scotland have fallen victim to that.
General advice: ignore emails and letters like that. If it seems too good to be true: it usually is.
A very sad story today about an elderly man who lost his home to a lottery scam. We are all familiar with scam emails, saying we have won a huge amount in a lottery - that we never bought tickets for, or submitted any details towards. Letters to that effect also do the rounds, and at least two people in southwestern Scotland have fallen victim to that.
General advice: ignore emails and letters like that. If it seems too good to be true: it usually is.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Evenings opening out
The ferry came in at 8.10 pm this evening, practically in full daylight. Now that the equinox is past, and the clocks have gone forward, the evenings are really lengthening. At 9pm, there was still a little light in the sky. It never ceases to amaze me.
I read somewhere this week that with the advent of Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites, the emphasis is shifting away from blogs. In our community, kicked out of AOL last October, this is particularly in evidence. In a way, it is a shame. Facebook has gone through a revamp, which is not exactly an improvement. Twitter is something that can easily overwhelm you.
Earlier this week, I received a copy of my photobook Lewis Light. And it was less than perfect, with blotches and all. So I complained, and I am getting a new copy, for free, from Lulu.com. Good service, but I'll hang fire until I receive the new book.
I read somewhere this week that with the advent of Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites, the emphasis is shifting away from blogs. In our community, kicked out of AOL last October, this is particularly in evidence. In a way, it is a shame. Facebook has gone through a revamp, which is not exactly an improvement. Twitter is something that can easily overwhelm you.
Earlier this week, I received a copy of my photobook Lewis Light. And it was less than perfect, with blotches and all. So I complained, and I am getting a new copy, for free, from Lulu.com. Good service, but I'll hang fire until I receive the new book.
Thursday 2 April
Nice sunny if blustery day. Temperature no great shakes, 10 degrees, but then we are surrounded by the cold, cold Atlantic.
In the North Sea, 200 miles east of here, an operation is now underway to recover the bodies of 8 men still missing from the helicopter which went down off the Aberdeenshire coast nearly 24 hours ago. The remains of the 8 found yesterday were brought ashore at Aberdeen overnight. AIS Aberdeenshire is showing a clutter of vessels off Rattray Head. All flights with the type of helicopter involved in this incidents have been cancelled today.
Police have confirmed that the body recovered from Loch Bi in South Uist a few weeks ago is that of Simon Macmillan, who went missing on Boxing Day 2008. His funeral will be held in the island on Saturday. He was 21; his death is not treated as suspicious.
In the North Sea, 200 miles east of here, an operation is now underway to recover the bodies of 8 men still missing from the helicopter which went down off the Aberdeenshire coast nearly 24 hours ago. The remains of the 8 found yesterday were brought ashore at Aberdeen overnight. AIS Aberdeenshire is showing a clutter of vessels off Rattray Head. All flights with the type of helicopter involved in this incidents have been cancelled today.
Police have confirmed that the body recovered from Loch Bi in South Uist a few weeks ago is that of Simon Macmillan, who went missing on Boxing Day 2008. His funeral will be held in the island on Saturday. He was 21; his death is not treated as suspicious.
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Closing notes
Approaching midnight after a day of experimenting with Flock (too cluttered, although potentially useful) and monitoring a tragedy some 200 miles from here. I think all hope is now fading fast for the 8 people still missing from that helicopter that went down off Rattray Head, north of Aberdeen. Eight bodies have been recovered from the water and are currently en-route to Aberdeen on board MV Caledonian Victory. The AIS for North East Scotland told its own story, with a clutter of ships in the area of the accident earlier this evening.
More tomorrow.
More tomorrow.
Helicopter crash - update
Latest reports suggest that all 16 on board the helicopter, which crashed into the sea 40 miles north of Aberdeen, may have died. The bodies of 10 were spotted in the water, indicating that the aircraft crashed rather than made a controlled landing on the water.
These reports are as yet unconfirmed.
These reports are as yet unconfirmed.
Aurora Borealis
The Northern Lights should become more noticeable over the coming few years. In the year 2012, the sun should reach a maximum in a 11-year cycle of activity. This means that areas of Earth near its poles (both North and South) will see an increase in the Northern / Southern Lights. Apart from it being pretty, the Aurora can accompany severe magnetic storms in the earth's atmosphere. This is caused by charged particles being blasted our way by the sun. As they are captured by the ionosphere (a layer in the atmosphere), they can generate a magnetic pulse. In an event in March 1989, this pulse was so strong that it tripped out electricity networks across the USA and Canada. The accompanying Aurora was visible as far south as Cuba.
Flock - part 1
The one thing I am not liking about Flock is the way they handle imported feeds. I downloaded my feeds from Google Reader, and I have those categorised into two sections for J-land (blogs I read regularly, and others I have on file), news, Scottish blogs, etc. Well, that got messed up a little on uploading into Flock. Can live with that though.
You can also write blog posts through the browser, monitor Twitter as well as Facebook. I am getting less enthusiastic about Facebook, but that is nothing to do with Flock.
You can also write blog posts through the browser, monitor Twitter as well as Facebook. I am getting less enthusiastic about Facebook, but that is nothing to do with Flock.
Blogged with the Flock Browser
Helicopter ditching
A helicopter is reported to have ditched into the North Sea off the east-coast of Scotland at around 2pm this afternoon, an hour ago. A major rescue effort is underway, with lifeboats, a reconnaisance aircraft and search-and-rescue helicopters being directed to the area, 35 miles east of Crimond in Aberdeenshire. Will update as news comes in.
Back in February, a Puma helicopter ditched into the North Sea about 125 miles east of Aberdeen. An alarm is thought to have failed, and the aircraft had flown into a fogbank upon approaching the oilplatform it was heading for. All 18 on board survived the incident without injury.
Back in February, a Puma helicopter ditched into the North Sea about 125 miles east of Aberdeen. An alarm is thought to have failed, and the aircraft had flown into a fogbank upon approaching the oilplatform it was heading for. All 18 on board survived the incident without injury.
Flock Browser
I am currently exploring the Flock browser. It has come a long way since I first looked at it a few years ago. Today's version allows you to pull all your social networking strands together in the one browser - Twitter, Blogger, Facebook, Flickr, Photobucket and others. Looks like a useful piece of kit, and one that is not very widely used.
Wednesday 1 April
So what April Fool fooled you? Or what April Fool did you play on others? I nearly got taken in by Google's Cadie (see their homepage today), much like Google Tisp a few years ago. Remember that? Internet connection through the sewerage system.
Nice sunny day in Stornoway, but I do not trust the cloudscape or the fact that we have a reasonable breeze going at the moment. It is supposed to get up to 16C this afternoon; could yet happen, it's 12C at the moment (midday).
A yacht that came adrift in galeforce winds at Rodel, Harris, last week had tried to tie up to a mooring buoy. Unfortunately, the buoy was no longer attached to the seabed. This had apparently been reported for the past 3 months, but no action was ever taken. The yachtsman had sought shelter in Rodel Bay because of the conditions. The buoy is owned by the local council, and they are now looking into the matter. The yacht was holed below the waterline and nearly sank.
Nice sunny day in Stornoway, but I do not trust the cloudscape or the fact that we have a reasonable breeze going at the moment. It is supposed to get up to 16C this afternoon; could yet happen, it's 12C at the moment (midday).
A yacht that came adrift in galeforce winds at Rodel, Harris, last week had tried to tie up to a mooring buoy. Unfortunately, the buoy was no longer attached to the seabed. This had apparently been reported for the past 3 months, but no action was ever taken. The yachtsman had sought shelter in Rodel Bay because of the conditions. The buoy is owned by the local council, and they are now looking into the matter. The yacht was holed below the waterline and nearly sank.
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Watching the grass grow
That is the impression I had upon switching on BBC News just before 8pm tonight. It showed a plane on the tarmac at Stansted Airport near London, and the caption said that Barack Obama had arrived in the United Kingdom. So, we are supposed to sit pretty and get bored out of our minds watching a plane sit in gathering darkness, waiting for the president of the United States to walk down the steps? Where is the real news? Worse is to come.
Over the next couple of days, twenty leaders and heads of government of various countries across the globe will be attending a meeting to natter about the gathering economic crisis, row about ways to combat it and stuff their faces with grub and booze. Yes, I'm being thoroughly disrespectful, but I am getting bored out of my box with all this talk, talk, talk, whilst nothing changes. Government ministers claiming expenses for their hubbies watching dirty movies at home while they are away, bank directors feathering their nests with the full knowledge if not connivance of the government. And it just goes on. Does anyone care that economic growth is now expressed in negative figures? No.
People are interested in the consequences for their jobs, their personal finances. Are they going to be laid off, will their home be repossessed, their cars or other items. Will they be able to let their kids go to university. Will they have a pension to look forward to after they retire - or will it all be gobbled up by greedy bankers, who cannot let go of a lifestyle of gluttony. They will not and cannot. One so-called fat cat committed suicide last year over that prospect. Says enough.
Meanwhile, it was a matter of global interest that Barack Obama hopped down those steps onto British soil this evening. Some would say it was of global importance. Perhaps it is. The practical results, down on the farm or at the coalface, is all that matters in the short or long run. If the course of this recession, now projected to possibly last 5 years, is not altered, then it will all have been a colossal waste of time and money.
Over the next couple of days, twenty leaders and heads of government of various countries across the globe will be attending a meeting to natter about the gathering economic crisis, row about ways to combat it and stuff their faces with grub and booze. Yes, I'm being thoroughly disrespectful, but I am getting bored out of my box with all this talk, talk, talk, whilst nothing changes. Government ministers claiming expenses for their hubbies watching dirty movies at home while they are away, bank directors feathering their nests with the full knowledge if not connivance of the government. And it just goes on. Does anyone care that economic growth is now expressed in negative figures? No.
People are interested in the consequences for their jobs, their personal finances. Are they going to be laid off, will their home be repossessed, their cars or other items. Will they be able to let their kids go to university. Will they have a pension to look forward to after they retire - or will it all be gobbled up by greedy bankers, who cannot let go of a lifestyle of gluttony. They will not and cannot. One so-called fat cat committed suicide last year over that prospect. Says enough.
Meanwhile, it was a matter of global interest that Barack Obama hopped down those steps onto British soil this evening. Some would say it was of global importance. Perhaps it is. The practical results, down on the farm or at the coalface, is all that matters in the short or long run. If the course of this recession, now projected to possibly last 5 years, is not altered, then it will all have been a colossal waste of time and money.
Evening notes
Quite a mild afternoon, and the 14 degrees C at 2pm was most certainly not forecast. As per usual. I am now looking out across the basin towards a placid cloud scene. Although the sun is not out, it is looking very springlike. The hooded crows are smashing shells by dropping them from a great height. Yet another Norwegian trawler called into port this afternoon - the Ronge. Within the space of a week, we have seen more than half a dozen fishing vessels from Norway in this port, one as a result of an emergency when its nets fouled the propellor.
In August 2007, I mentioned on the old Northern Trip blog the plight of people trying to cross from Africa to Europe by boat. Until a few years ago, the main route was from northwest Africa to the Canary Islands (Spanish territory), but a surge of refugees is also using a route between Libya and Italy. Today, it is reported that more than 200 people drowned in a boat when this was affected by severe weather.
I remember that in the late 1970s, many people fled Vietnam as 'boat people', and I have met Vietnamese people in Western Europe in the early 1980s who had come that way. The Africans I mentioned above are coming from south of the Sahara, fleeing grinding desperate poverty, trying to get a better life. An even more atrocious story keeps emanating out of Yemen, when refugees of the lawless nation of Somalia are put across the Gulf of Aden, and more often than not abandoned on the high seas.
In August 2007, I mentioned on the old Northern Trip blog the plight of people trying to cross from Africa to Europe by boat. Until a few years ago, the main route was from northwest Africa to the Canary Islands (Spanish territory), but a surge of refugees is also using a route between Libya and Italy. Today, it is reported that more than 200 people drowned in a boat when this was affected by severe weather.
I remember that in the late 1970s, many people fled Vietnam as 'boat people', and I have met Vietnamese people in Western Europe in the early 1980s who had come that way. The Africans I mentioned above are coming from south of the Sahara, fleeing grinding desperate poverty, trying to get a better life. An even more atrocious story keeps emanating out of Yemen, when refugees of the lawless nation of Somalia are put across the Gulf of Aden, and more often than not abandoned on the high seas.
Tuesday 31 March
It is brightening up here in Stornoway after a wet morning. I've been cleaning out the archives, copying stuff into address books and what not, disposing of anything not needed. Made a huge difference. And having a fireplace is most handy for getting rid of confidential material.
The row about the bus service in Lewis is continuing, but I have to say in all fairness that saying that timetables change 3 times in as many days just because there is a (different) Saturday service is taking it too far. Having said that, there is only a reduction in service, no correct timetables (at bus station, in the stances, with the drivers or on the council's website).
I just wished they would leave Jade Goody to rest in peace. I've had it with all the revelations about her final moments, who will and won't attend the funeral and all that. It's making me feel quite ill.
The row about the bus service in Lewis is continuing, but I have to say in all fairness that saying that timetables change 3 times in as many days just because there is a (different) Saturday service is taking it too far. Having said that, there is only a reduction in service, no correct timetables (at bus station, in the stances, with the drivers or on the council's website).
I just wished they would leave Jade Goody to rest in peace. I've had it with all the revelations about her final moments, who will and won't attend the funeral and all that. It's making me feel quite ill.
Monday, 30 March 2009
Needle alert
There is a batch of counterfeit needles in circulation in the United Kingdom. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued an alert, which I relay:
The counterfeit needle details are: Novofine Needles 31G (0.25mm x 6mm) lot number 08J02S labelled as manufactured by Novo Nordisk Ltd. People who have these insulin pen needles should stop using them. They can return any affected needles to their pharmacist where they should also be able to obtain replacements.
There is no assurance that these counterfeit needles are manufactured to the appropriate quality standards. The possible consequences of using these counterfeit needles could include adverse reactions; pain and discomfort; infection and difficulty in attaching the needle to the pen injection device.
MHRA Director of Device Technology and Safety, Clive Bray said,
“Please check the Novofine needles that you are using. If you are unsure about the needles you have, then please visit your pharmacist as they can assist you. Alternatively contact Novo Nordisk Ltd. The MHRA has issued a Medical Device Alert (MDA) today to healthcare professionals including pharmacists and specialist diabetic health workers. They have been asked to quarantine any affected stock and to stop supplying the affected needles. We encourage people to report faulty medical devices and suspected counterfeits to the MHRA by calling our Adverse Incident Hotline on 0207 084 3080 or via our website."
The counterfeit needle details are: Novofine Needles 31G (0.25mm x 6mm) lot number 08J02S labelled as manufactured by Novo Nordisk Ltd. People who have these insulin pen needles should stop using them. They can return any affected needles to their pharmacist where they should also be able to obtain replacements.
There is no assurance that these counterfeit needles are manufactured to the appropriate quality standards. The possible consequences of using these counterfeit needles could include adverse reactions; pain and discomfort; infection and difficulty in attaching the needle to the pen injection device.
MHRA Director of Device Technology and Safety, Clive Bray said,
“Please check the Novofine needles that you are using. If you are unsure about the needles you have, then please visit your pharmacist as they can assist you. Alternatively contact Novo Nordisk Ltd. The MHRA has issued a Medical Device Alert (MDA) today to healthcare professionals including pharmacists and specialist diabetic health workers. They have been asked to quarantine any affected stock and to stop supplying the affected needles. We encourage people to report faulty medical devices and suspected counterfeits to the MHRA by calling our Adverse Incident Hotline on 0207 084 3080 or via our website."
Time of the month
Ladies, do you find you turn into a shopaholic in the week before 'that' time of the month? There could an explanation for it, in terms of hormonal changes. And if you find it a problem, well, don't go shopping at 'that' time of the month. More here.
Monday 30 March
Reasonable day, with some brightness in amongst the clouds. The Uist freighter Nord Star was hauled up onto the Goat Island slipway this morning. She is a relatively large boat and only just fits on. Received my copy of my photobook Lewis Light, that I promoted a week or so ago, and am not entirely impressed. Printing of some pictures has left blotches on the photographs (phooey, Lulu), and I noticed that some of the captions were wrong (phooey, Guido). Oh well, keep correcting. Will feedback to Lulu about the print quality. I don't like having to shell out £20 and more for that, let alone innocent punters.
Sunday, 29 March 2009
The Binfight in the Creed Park Corral
In May 2006, the local council launched a scheme whereby all the residents of the island of Lewis were eligible to receive free 3 composting bins. Everybody could call round at the Creed Park recycling centre, 2 miles south of Stornoway. Well, everybody did turn out that Saturday morning. The morning that the Stornoway Half Marathon was being run around the town as well. Result: a tailback on the A859 road which leads past the centre - and tailbacks are unknown here. At the centre, police tried to stop people driving in, but they just blew past, saying "we are entitled to our bins, so we'll get them!". In the end, there were not enough bins for everybody...
Oh, the bins were later spotted in use as chicken coops and sheep shelters.
Oh, the bins were later spotted in use as chicken coops and sheep shelters.
Sunday 29 March
Pretty abysmal weather today with strong winds and continual rain. Not expecting much improvement into the week until Wednesday, when the weather pattern shifts from west to east. Shame; yesterday was a nice day, except for the low temperatures. So, I'll close this post with some of yesterday's pictures.
Courtyard in the Bridge Centre
Bridge Centre from the Inner Harbour
Bar area in An Lanntair
I am returning to An Lanntair tomorrow to take pictures without people in them; as you know, I'm very reluctant to publish pictures of people on this blog without their consent.
Courtyard in the Bridge Centre
Bridge Centre from the Inner Harbour
Bar area in An Lanntair
I am returning to An Lanntair tomorrow to take pictures without people in them; as you know, I'm very reluctant to publish pictures of people on this blog without their consent.
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