On Monday, 30 November (St Andrews Day), the Scottish Year of Homecoming is coming to a close, with a host of events, the BBC reports. However, a number of those events have had to be scaled down due to lack of money. Personally, I have seen very little of the Homecoming. Most of the events appear to have taken place in major population centres, like Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness. It all started on Burns Night, 25 January. The First Minister, Alex Salmond, has been a keen protagonist of the Homecoming. It is supposed to have been good for tourism - something that accommodation providers can't seem to agree with. Particularly here in the islands, there has been a 30% increase in visitor numbers, for a number of reasons.
1. A reduction (up to 50%) in ferry fares
2. An exchange rate with the Euro which discouraged European travel
3. The recession, also discouraging expensive foreign holidays
Nobody I came across ever mentioned the Homecoming. In fact, I haven't seen an American visitor all summer, and they are supposed to have come flocking back to the Old Country in droves. Well, they sure didn't come here.
Yes, you correctly detected a huge degree of sarcasm. OK, I'm not a born Scot, but having lived in the Western Isles for 5 years, I'd like to think that I have a fair idea what Scotland is about, in the first decade of the 21st century. And it's not all about Robbie Burns, however good a writer and poet he was. It's not all about clans, claymores and that eternal fool and historical disaster Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Scotland in the 21st century is a country that is indeed acutely aware of its history, which is in parts bloody, tragic and full of oppression. However, we no longer live in 1746, thank goodness. This is the year 2009 AD, and Scotland is an integral part of the United Kingdom. As a lone entity, it would have a severe struggle to keep afloat in an economical sense. England and Scotland have fought together, without distinguishing between either home country, in two world wars and many other conflicts since. I will go so far as to say that a stronger Scottish Parliament, with more powers devolved from London to Edinburgh would be a good thing. It certainly would be better if the current frosty relationship between Downing Street and Bute House (the respective seats of Prime and First Minister) were to thaw and improve to a decent level of cordiality with a normal flow of communication.
Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, is leader of the Scottish National Party, whose stated aim is a fully independent Scotland. He will not be the man to bring about the aforementioned improvement in relations, as that (in his mind) will not lead to an independent Scotland. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is not able to effect this change either, as he has way too much on his hands, keeping his premiership alive until the next elections, in May 2010.
There are indications that the Conservative Party under David Cameron, could take office after the next general elections in 2010. After the last elections, in 2005, exactly one Scottish Conservative MP was returned to Westminster, a trend not likely to be reversed anytime soon. If there is a Conservative Prime Minister, working with an SNP administration in Edinburgh and a host of Labour MPs, we don't need to hold our breath for the onset of improved relations between London and Edinburgh either.
Saturday, 28 November 2009
Things we get used to
Carlene wrote a thought-provoking post this morning, about the things we get used to. She describes how happy she was in the early 70s, in spite of having so little money. So what things am I taking for granted that weren't around in the 70s?
Well, in the 70s, I was a youngster at school. We did not have TV in the house, and it did not make an appearance until 1980. So we had this valve-radio, tuned into radio plays and the news. It kept us occupied on dark winter's nights. I am one of three siblings, and we'd play card games, board games, you name it. Mum and dad read books to us, or we would go to the library and come back with stacks of books to read ourselves. We had a record-player, on which a limited collection of 33 or 45 rpm vinyl records would be played. You first had to plug the player into the radio with a DIN-standard connector. Personal computers? We had barely heard of computers; my uncle worked for IBM and he had to process those cards with holes punched into them. A far cry from the 32 GB flashdrives I see for sale in the shops these days. My dad did not own a car, as his office was only a mile and a half down the road, so he jumped on his pushbike for 38 years. Going on holiday meant jumping on the train for a couple of hours, then on the ferry for 2 more hours and be in a holiday cottage in the dunes by the seaside. No radio there at all. Gathering pine cones to fire the heater. And going to the toilet in a separate toilet block, outside. Our holiday was at Easter, so it was freezing at night. Foreign holidays did not commence until we were all at secondary school (high school) in the mid 70s.
I sometimes marvel at the things that are almost deemed compulsory. Like this machine that I spend so (too?) much time on. Music centres, compact discs, DVDs, televisions, laptops, desktops, palmtops, internet capable mobiles (that's what I call a waste of money). Christmas is 4 weeks away, and the adverts make me reach for the anti-emetics already. Why is it necessary to spend hundreds of pounds or dollars or euros on Christmas presents? Won't something less expensive not do the job as well? I have seen small kids nearly drowning in toys; I am a Tom and Jerry fanatic, so the kiddies channel that they appear on also showers me with toy adverts. Toys that kids, I'm sure, are bored with within one minute flat. I did not have acres of floorspace taken up with toys when I was little. But I was quite happy and content with the likes of Lego, that I did not abandon until well into my teens.
Money cannot buy you happiness. It sure makes life easier if you have more of it. Possessions do not make you happy per se, although, again, they can make life easier. You can be quite happy yet be as poor as a church mouse, like Carlene was when she married Danny. And you can be as rich as Solomon, yet be as miserable as anything.
Well, in the 70s, I was a youngster at school. We did not have TV in the house, and it did not make an appearance until 1980. So we had this valve-radio, tuned into radio plays and the news. It kept us occupied on dark winter's nights. I am one of three siblings, and we'd play card games, board games, you name it. Mum and dad read books to us, or we would go to the library and come back with stacks of books to read ourselves. We had a record-player, on which a limited collection of 33 or 45 rpm vinyl records would be played. You first had to plug the player into the radio with a DIN-standard connector. Personal computers? We had barely heard of computers; my uncle worked for IBM and he had to process those cards with holes punched into them. A far cry from the 32 GB flashdrives I see for sale in the shops these days. My dad did not own a car, as his office was only a mile and a half down the road, so he jumped on his pushbike for 38 years. Going on holiday meant jumping on the train for a couple of hours, then on the ferry for 2 more hours and be in a holiday cottage in the dunes by the seaside. No radio there at all. Gathering pine cones to fire the heater. And going to the toilet in a separate toilet block, outside. Our holiday was at Easter, so it was freezing at night. Foreign holidays did not commence until we were all at secondary school (high school) in the mid 70s.
I sometimes marvel at the things that are almost deemed compulsory. Like this machine that I spend so (too?) much time on. Music centres, compact discs, DVDs, televisions, laptops, desktops, palmtops, internet capable mobiles (that's what I call a waste of money). Christmas is 4 weeks away, and the adverts make me reach for the anti-emetics already. Why is it necessary to spend hundreds of pounds or dollars or euros on Christmas presents? Won't something less expensive not do the job as well? I have seen small kids nearly drowning in toys; I am a Tom and Jerry fanatic, so the kiddies channel that they appear on also showers me with toy adverts. Toys that kids, I'm sure, are bored with within one minute flat. I did not have acres of floorspace taken up with toys when I was little. But I was quite happy and content with the likes of Lego, that I did not abandon until well into my teens.
Money cannot buy you happiness. It sure makes life easier if you have more of it. Possessions do not make you happy per se, although, again, they can make life easier. You can be quite happy yet be as poor as a church mouse, like Carlene was when she married Danny. And you can be as rich as Solomon, yet be as miserable as anything.
Saturday 28 November
A bright start to the day, with stunning visibility - 60 miles or so. The sun rose just after half past eight, and will not come very high in the sky at all. I am at latitude 58 north, leaving the sun with just over 8 degrees of height over the horizon at midday. Went down the hardware store, which is located opposite the slaughterhouse. A vehicle had pulled up, which was towing a trailer full of sheep. They stood very calmly, blissfully unaware that they were not long for this world anymore. When I left the store, they had been taken inside.
A train crash in Russia, between Moscow and St Petersburg, has claimed at least 25 lives. A crater has reportedly been found at the trackside, giving rise to speculation about a terrorist bomb attack. Until a couple of years ago, Moscow was the scene of several bomb attacks by Chechen rebels.
More later.
A train crash in Russia, between Moscow and St Petersburg, has claimed at least 25 lives. A crater has reportedly been found at the trackside, giving rise to speculation about a terrorist bomb attack. Until a couple of years ago, Moscow was the scene of several bomb attacks by Chechen rebels.
More later.
Friday, 27 November 2009
Castle Grounds
Although the mercury is making a nosedive, I went out for a walk around the Stornoway Castle Grounds this afternoon. Had not been there for quite a while, so a few changes were noticed. Here are some of the pics I took on the hour long jaunt.
Autumn colours by the Shoeburn near the Woodlands Centre.
Little and large
Lazy Corner
Lews Castle
Cromwell Street
Autumn colours by the Shoeburn near the Woodlands Centre.
Little and large
Lazy Corner
Lews Castle
Cromwell Street
Friday 27 November
Quite a nice day, if a little chilly. As November draws to a close, winter is making steady in-roads, and the mercury is set to sink further over the next few days. Whereas California is basking in summerlike temperatures (LA was at 80F yesterday), we'll be at half that number (40F / 5C) come the weekend.
The BBC has an excellent article today, which makes for difficult reading, as I already mentioned on Facebook. It is the story of one of the Nazi death camps in Poland: Sobibor. It is testimony by survivors as told in the article that puts the lie on those that still seek to deny that the Holocaust ever happened. Lest we forget.
Once more, the A9 has claimed lives. Those in northern Scotland rely on that arterial route to travel from Inverness to Perth and beyond to Glasgow and Edinburgh. It is a notorious route, 110 miles of actually quite monotonous driving. Although the A9 leads through spectacular scenery, as a motorist you can't afford to take your eyes off the road. It is a two-lane highway, with dual-carriageway sections. It is at the end of dual carriageway sections that accidents happen, but not exclusively. Last night at 7pm, three cars were involved in a collision at Dalwhinnie, 40 miles south of Inverness. Two occupants died; two others were conveyed to hospital in Inverness with injuries. There are repeated calls to make the A9 dual carriageway all the way from Perth to Inverness - if memory serves, this carries a price-tag of £180m. The Scottish Government that is presently in power preferred to allocate that money to building a network of trams in Edinburgh. That is now in progress, but behind schedule and over budget.
The BBC has an excellent article today, which makes for difficult reading, as I already mentioned on Facebook. It is the story of one of the Nazi death camps in Poland: Sobibor. It is testimony by survivors as told in the article that puts the lie on those that still seek to deny that the Holocaust ever happened. Lest we forget.
Once more, the A9 has claimed lives. Those in northern Scotland rely on that arterial route to travel from Inverness to Perth and beyond to Glasgow and Edinburgh. It is a notorious route, 110 miles of actually quite monotonous driving. Although the A9 leads through spectacular scenery, as a motorist you can't afford to take your eyes off the road. It is a two-lane highway, with dual-carriageway sections. It is at the end of dual carriageway sections that accidents happen, but not exclusively. Last night at 7pm, three cars were involved in a collision at Dalwhinnie, 40 miles south of Inverness. Two occupants died; two others were conveyed to hospital in Inverness with injuries. There are repeated calls to make the A9 dual carriageway all the way from Perth to Inverness - if memory serves, this carries a price-tag of £180m. The Scottish Government that is presently in power preferred to allocate that money to building a network of trams in Edinburgh. That is now in progress, but behind schedule and over budget.
Thursday, 26 November 2009
Thursday 26 November
First of all, happy Thanksgiving to all the folks in the States. Here in Lewis, Thanksgiving is also celebrated: it is the only place in the United Kingdom to observe this religious festival in November. Elsewhere, a harvest festival is celebrated in September. Other than the religious link, I don't think there is much in common with the American holiday.
The weather today is nice and sunny - at the moment - although the radar is showing some light showers out in the Atlantic which are headed our way. I've just filled up the bird feeders, which are being emptied at a phenomenal rate. November is nearly over, and the temperature is slowly declining: a max of 9C / 48F today.
I have been sending out Google Wave invites; still got 4 in hand, so anyone who is interested please email me on adb422006 [at] gmail [dot] com.
Over in the States, there is a huge debate going on about the funding of health care. It is an issue that naturally interests me. Having read journals over the past 3 or 4 years, the problem has become quite graphically illustrated to me. Today, I posted an entry on Call for Support for Christina - and if you read her entry, you'll see the point I'm making. It is atrocious that any person combating cancer or any other major disease has to worry about money to fund their treatment. That should be taken care of through taxation or the equivalent of national insurance contributions, or even private health care insurance, to such an extent that you don't have to worry by the time you need health care.
The weather today is nice and sunny - at the moment - although the radar is showing some light showers out in the Atlantic which are headed our way. I've just filled up the bird feeders, which are being emptied at a phenomenal rate. November is nearly over, and the temperature is slowly declining: a max of 9C / 48F today.
I have been sending out Google Wave invites; still got 4 in hand, so anyone who is interested please email me on adb422006 [at] gmail [dot] com.
Over in the States, there is a huge debate going on about the funding of health care. It is an issue that naturally interests me. Having read journals over the past 3 or 4 years, the problem has become quite graphically illustrated to me. Today, I posted an entry on Call for Support for Christina - and if you read her entry, you'll see the point I'm making. It is atrocious that any person combating cancer or any other major disease has to worry about money to fund their treatment. That should be taken care of through taxation or the equivalent of national insurance contributions, or even private health care insurance, to such an extent that you don't have to worry by the time you need health care.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Storms
Our gale appears to be over. The ferry, officially cancelled, sailed out of the bay half an hour ago, and apart from heavy showers, the weather has quietened down quite a bit. The showers look set to continue, with a decidedly rashy look to the satellite picture this afternoon.
What has far from quietened down is the latest typhoon. Nida, located west of Guam, has intensified explosively from 65 knots yesterday at this time (3pm GMT) to 150 knots today - 85 knots in 24 hours is extremely fast. That equates to a category V hurricane with sustained winds of 175 mph, gusting to 210 mph. I don't want to be there. Nida will strengthen even more as all the components needed for this scenario (warm ocean waters and no windshear (no difference in windspeeds up and down the atmosphere)) are in place. Fortunately, this supertyphoon is not threatening any land.
What has far from quietened down is the latest typhoon. Nida, located west of Guam, has intensified explosively from 65 knots yesterday at this time (3pm GMT) to 150 knots today - 85 knots in 24 hours is extremely fast. That equates to a category V hurricane with sustained winds of 175 mph, gusting to 210 mph. I don't want to be there. Nida will strengthen even more as all the components needed for this scenario (warm ocean waters and no windshear (no difference in windspeeds up and down the atmosphere)) are in place. Fortunately, this supertyphoon is not threatening any land.
Wednesday 25 November
Strong winds lashing the Hebrides, but as yet nothing really exceptional. The ferries are disrupted up and down the west coast, and drivers are warned to be careful on exposed stretches of road - like the major bridges in Scotland. Spectacular cloudscapes with heavy showers moving through.
There is fury in the land over the decision of the Supreme Court (formerly the House of Lords, Law Lords) to disallow the Office of Fair Trading to assess the fairness of bank charges. Banks in the UK charge up to £39 for an unauthorised overdraft, whereas in fact it only costs the bank £4 to deal with the issue. Two years ago, a campaign was started to force the banks to repay to customers the excess charged - which will now not happen (at the present time).
I am trying out the Google Chrome browser, and so far so good. It is faster than Firefox, but still has glitches in it. And I don't like the way my bookmarks have been rearranged. May go back to FF at the end of the day.
There is fury in the land over the decision of the Supreme Court (formerly the House of Lords, Law Lords) to disallow the Office of Fair Trading to assess the fairness of bank charges. Banks in the UK charge up to £39 for an unauthorised overdraft, whereas in fact it only costs the bank £4 to deal with the issue. Two years ago, a campaign was started to force the banks to repay to customers the excess charged - which will now not happen (at the present time).
I am trying out the Google Chrome browser, and so far so good. It is faster than Firefox, but still has glitches in it. And I don't like the way my bookmarks have been rearranged. May go back to FF at the end of the day.
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Tuesday 24 November
Windy and a spot or two or rain this morning. The wind will pick up further to gale force later today; severe gales are possible tomorrow. Seems we're finally getting a dose of the November storms up here, well after everybody else had them.
Although people are now being allowed back into their properties in Cumbria, more flooding could be on the way. The same weather system that is bringing gales to the Hebrides is propelling 4 inches of rain towards the Lake District. Tales of complete devastation in people's homes and businesses emerged throughout Monday.
More later.
Although people are now being allowed back into their properties in Cumbria, more flooding could be on the way. The same weather system that is bringing gales to the Hebrides is propelling 4 inches of rain towards the Lake District. Tales of complete devastation in people's homes and businesses emerged throughout Monday.
More later.
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.
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