Another beautifully sunny day, with some clouds looming to the south. That is the northern boundary of a large cloudmass that stretches right across the United Kingdom. Sometimes northwest is best.
Spent a few hours in the library digging out more tributes to the Fallen of the Second World War for the year 1945. War was coming to a close, and I have only looked at papers until 10 August, which was the last edition of the Stornoway Gazette published before the surrender of Japan. In those eight months, there were around fifty tributes, but it has struck me that some of them were published up to a year after the death of the serviceman concerned. Tomorrow, I shall transcribe these tributes and place them on the WWW.
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Monday, 7 November 2011
Monday 7 November
A beautifully sunny day, with the mercury cresting at a reasonable 12C in the afternoon. As I type this, at a quarter to eleven at night, we're down at 5C / 40F. It's November, what do you expect?
Michael Jackson's physician, Dr Conrad R. Murray, has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter through the administration of propofol to the singer. Propofol is an agent normally used in the operating theatre, and should be used with life-support machinery as it is a muscle relaxant. Using it outside the OR is at best irresponsible. However, in view of the high profile of Michael Jackson, I have this feeling that Dr Murray is being hung, drawn and quartered even before his guilty verdict. Dr Murray made a grave mistake by giving in to the incessant demands from MJ for something to put him to sleep. Using propofol was crass. Dr Murray should have been dealt with by his professional body, not through the courts. But who am I.
I have completed the transcription of tributes from the local paper for casualties from the Second World War from the year 1944. Only the year 1945 remains, and I hope to complete that in time for Armistice Day, this coming Friday.
Michael Jackson's physician, Dr Conrad R. Murray, has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter through the administration of propofol to the singer. Propofol is an agent normally used in the operating theatre, and should be used with life-support machinery as it is a muscle relaxant. Using it outside the OR is at best irresponsible. However, in view of the high profile of Michael Jackson, I have this feeling that Dr Murray is being hung, drawn and quartered even before his guilty verdict. Dr Murray made a grave mistake by giving in to the incessant demands from MJ for something to put him to sleep. Using propofol was crass. Dr Murray should have been dealt with by his professional body, not through the courts. But who am I.
I have completed the transcription of tributes from the local paper for casualties from the Second World War from the year 1944. Only the year 1945 remains, and I hope to complete that in time for Armistice Day, this coming Friday.
Medicane!
Sunday, 6 November 2011
Sunday 6 November
As I type this, the M5-motorway in Somerset has reopened to traffic in both directions. The motorway had been closed following a fatal collision on Friday night, involving 34 vehicles, claiming 7 lives and injuring 51 others. The police is investigating the cause for the crash, for which fog, smoke from a fireworks display or excessive speed have been variously blamed.
It has been overcast in Stornoway today, and the wind has blown at force 6 to 7 all day. Not particularly strong by our standards, but noticeable. Gusts are reaching galeforce. Nonetheless, our ferry has completed its customary Sunday crossing, so all appears to be well.
I was saddened to find out about the death of a family friend in southern England at the age of 79. We had known him (and his family) for 35 years, but ill health in both families meant we had been out of touch for about a decade. Nonetheless, without divulging details, I would like to pay tribute to him, as being one of those good people in the United Kingdom that welcomed us into their midst in the mid-1970s. It ultimately led me to move to Great Britain in 1997.
It has been overcast in Stornoway today, and the wind has blown at force 6 to 7 all day. Not particularly strong by our standards, but noticeable. Gusts are reaching galeforce. Nonetheless, our ferry has completed its customary Sunday crossing, so all appears to be well.
I was saddened to find out about the death of a family friend in southern England at the age of 79. We had known him (and his family) for 35 years, but ill health in both families meant we had been out of touch for about a decade. Nonetheless, without divulging details, I would like to pay tribute to him, as being one of those good people in the United Kingdom that welcomed us into their midst in the mid-1970s. It ultimately led me to move to Great Britain in 1997.
Saturday, 5 November 2011
New Blogger Interface
Blogger has been floating a new user-interface. And I give it a thumbs-down.
There is a serious flaw in the procedure for adding pics to the blogposts: if you do so using a pic on a URL, it does not work. And I just don't like that wishy-washy look. Furthermore, I often write blogposts with several open windows, in order to copy or transcribe information from one window to another. The blogpost in the new interface does not properly wrap; what you type tends to disappear under the sidebar to the right.
Anyone else got any thoughts on this? You can access the new look by clicking on "Try new interface" from the Dashboard (www.blogger.com) after logging in.
There is a serious flaw in the procedure for adding pics to the blogposts: if you do so using a pic on a URL, it does not work. And I just don't like that wishy-washy look. Furthermore, I often write blogposts with several open windows, in order to copy or transcribe information from one window to another. The blogpost in the new interface does not properly wrap; what you type tends to disappear under the sidebar to the right.
Anyone else got any thoughts on this? You can access the new look by clicking on "Try new interface" from the Dashboard (www.blogger.com) after logging in.
Saturday 5 November
It's Guy Fawkes night again, and a lot of fireworks are set to go off across the United Kingdom. Even in these islands, bonfires have been set up, ready to light. This one I spotted on the football pitch at Laxay, 12 miles south of Stornoway
It was a sunny day today, after a night which saw the mercury dipping close to freezing.We went out in the car to Tarbert, the main village in Harris, 37 miles south of Stornoway. I shall post further pictures in a separate entry. A belt of showers lay over the hills near Arivruaich, and on the way back they had hardly moved. The westerly wind, running up against the Eishken hills, prompted the precipitation. Had lunch at Tarbert, a look in the Tourist Information Office, then returned north. Sunset is at 4.30pm at the moment, and we came back just after 4pm. The 37 miles along the island's main road, the A859, takes an hour in the car.
A journey along the M5 motorway in southwestern England, near Taunton, proved to be the last journey for at least seven people. A motorway crash, involving 34 vehicles, claimed the lives of 7 and injured more than 50. The death toll is likely to rise, as some of the vehicles were burned to the ground - nothing left of them. Aerial pictures show a number of jack-knifed lorries and some very badly burned cars. The weather, foggy and wet, is thought to have been an exacerbating factor. Some of the worst accidents occur in thick fog, particularly if it occurs in patches or banks. Firework displays nearby could have served to worsen the fog as small particles will have acted as condensation points for water.
It was a sunny day today, after a night which saw the mercury dipping close to freezing.We went out in the car to Tarbert, the main village in Harris, 37 miles south of Stornoway. I shall post further pictures in a separate entry. A belt of showers lay over the hills near Arivruaich, and on the way back they had hardly moved. The westerly wind, running up against the Eishken hills, prompted the precipitation. Had lunch at Tarbert, a look in the Tourist Information Office, then returned north. Sunset is at 4.30pm at the moment, and we came back just after 4pm. The 37 miles along the island's main road, the A859, takes an hour in the car.
A journey along the M5 motorway in southwestern England, near Taunton, proved to be the last journey for at least seven people. A motorway crash, involving 34 vehicles, claimed the lives of 7 and injured more than 50. The death toll is likely to rise, as some of the vehicles were burned to the ground - nothing left of them. Aerial pictures show a number of jack-knifed lorries and some very badly burned cars. The weather, foggy and wet, is thought to have been an exacerbating factor. Some of the worst accidents occur in thick fog, particularly if it occurs in patches or banks. Firework displays nearby could have served to worsen the fog as small particles will have acted as condensation points for water.
Friday 4 November
Quite a nice day today, with some good spells of sunshine and moderate temperatures. I'm not grumbling at the low teens (50s F) at this time of year.
The birds found the feeders and we were treated to the familiar scenes of squabbling starlings, flocking sparrows and the collared dove picking the seeds that had fallen down from the feeders. By mid-afternoon, the seed-feeder was empty, but by that time there were some distinctly obese birds fluttering around, so I'm not refilling in a hurry.
I also received three Postcrossing cards - one from Austria, the others from Finland and Holland. I had not previously received a card from Austria. It showed the birthplace of famous composer Franz Liszt. I embed a rendition of part of his first pianoconcerto. Does it surprise you that he also wrote a piece named after Mephisto - the devil?
The birds found the feeders and we were treated to the familiar scenes of squabbling starlings, flocking sparrows and the collared dove picking the seeds that had fallen down from the feeders. By mid-afternoon, the seed-feeder was empty, but by that time there were some distinctly obese birds fluttering around, so I'm not refilling in a hurry.
I also received three Postcrossing cards - one from Austria, the others from Finland and Holland. I had not previously received a card from Austria. It showed the birthplace of famous composer Franz Liszt. I embed a rendition of part of his first pianoconcerto. Does it surprise you that he also wrote a piece named after Mephisto - the devil?
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Thursday 3 November
A nice autumn day, and with the thermometer at 14C / 57F, not feeling at all cold. Washed the salt spray off the windows after yesterday's high winds deposited a fair layer of the stuff. Also swept the leaves away that had come away from the sycamore trees out the back. The red-hot pokers never came to anything at the end of September, after the flower stalks were broken by a gale. The rowan trees have also had their leaves blasted off, but there are large buds promising a continuing fight against the elements in 2012. And, in spite of the mild conditions, I have hung the birdfeeders back on the tree. Assorted birdseeds in one, peanuts in the others. There were no takers, but as soon as conditions become harsh over the next few weeks, I'm sure our little feathered friends will be back. And an advance notice to the local seagulls: any bread that's put out at times of snow is not going down your hatches.
I am continuing to transcribe the tributes from the Stornoway Gazette from the year 1944, copying onto the blogsite, and linking them to the relevant entry on the tribute website.
I am continuing to transcribe the tributes from the Stornoway Gazette from the year 1944, copying onto the blogsite, and linking them to the relevant entry on the tribute website.
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
Tuesday 1 November
November came in with quite reasonable weather. There were some heavy showers in the morning, but they receded as the afternoon went on. Not terribly warm, but then I wouldn't expect much above 11C at this time of year. As I type this, at 10.40pm, the wind is beginning to pick up although the sky is clear. Jupiter is rising in the east - early in the morning, Orion is high in the southwest, followed as ever by his faithful hounds, crowned by their stars Sirius and Procyon. Winter is my favourite time for stargazing, if only because it's impossible in summer at this latitude (58 north).
The RNLI is expected to rubberstamp the establishment of a lifeboat station at Leverburgh in Harris. At present, there are two lifeboat stations in the Outer Hebrides, one at Stornoway and the other at Castlebay. These two locations are 140 miles apart, and Leverburgh sits virtually halfway. The other advantage is that Leverburgh sits on the Sound of Harris, and thereby on a passage into the eastern Atlantic towards St Kilda.
I am continuing to transcribe tributes from the Stornoway Gazette to servicemen from the islands who gave their life during World War II in the year 1944. Once that is complete, probably tomorrow or Thursday, there remain the first eight months of 1945.
Thanks to those of you who accepted my invites on Goodreads. I am not a very assiduous book reader, and have run into difficulties with the Count of Monte Christo. The Qur'an is not easy reading either, but I do have slightly easier reading in a tome on the rise and decline of railways in mainland Britain, from 1819 until the present day.
The RNLI is expected to rubberstamp the establishment of a lifeboat station at Leverburgh in Harris. At present, there are two lifeboat stations in the Outer Hebrides, one at Stornoway and the other at Castlebay. These two locations are 140 miles apart, and Leverburgh sits virtually halfway. The other advantage is that Leverburgh sits on the Sound of Harris, and thereby on a passage into the eastern Atlantic towards St Kilda.
I am continuing to transcribe tributes from the Stornoway Gazette to servicemen from the islands who gave their life during World War II in the year 1944. Once that is complete, probably tomorrow or Thursday, there remain the first eight months of 1945.
Thanks to those of you who accepted my invites on Goodreads. I am not a very assiduous book reader, and have run into difficulties with the Count of Monte Christo. The Qur'an is not easy reading either, but I do have slightly easier reading in a tome on the rise and decline of railways in mainland Britain, from 1819 until the present day.
Monday, 31 October 2011
Monday 31 October
Although it's not cold today, it certainly is very breezy. Had to remove the bulb from an outside light fitting, 10 feet up on a wall, but the force 6 wind nearly carried the stepladder away.
In South Harris, it has been confirmed that the fire that killed an elderly man in Leverburgh was not suspicious. Kenny Mackenzie, who was in his early 80s, was found dead in his home yesterday after the firebrigade was called.
UNESCO has voted to admit Palestine as a full member, prompting the USA to withdraw its funding. UNESCO receives 20% of its funding from the US. Palestine is not a fully fledged state, but exists in an awkward limbo as Palestinian Territories, in Gaza and on the West Bank of the River Jordan. An even more awkward situation exists between the Palestinians and the Israelis following more than 60 years of confrontation. The origins of the conflicts have long been obscured by extremism on both sides, confused by religion and an abuse of historical facts or fiction. The Israelis and Palestinians are condemned to live with each other, and I feel that there is a way to make this happen in such a way that both communities can co-exist if not co-habit. The current sheer bloody-mindedness on both sides is a recipe for continued disaster for the world at large.
Happy Halloween.
In South Harris, it has been confirmed that the fire that killed an elderly man in Leverburgh was not suspicious. Kenny Mackenzie, who was in his early 80s, was found dead in his home yesterday after the firebrigade was called.
UNESCO has voted to admit Palestine as a full member, prompting the USA to withdraw its funding. UNESCO receives 20% of its funding from the US. Palestine is not a fully fledged state, but exists in an awkward limbo as Palestinian Territories, in Gaza and on the West Bank of the River Jordan. An even more awkward situation exists between the Palestinians and the Israelis following more than 60 years of confrontation. The origins of the conflicts have long been obscured by extremism on both sides, confused by religion and an abuse of historical facts or fiction. The Israelis and Palestinians are condemned to live with each other, and I feel that there is a way to make this happen in such a way that both communities can co-exist if not co-habit. The current sheer bloody-mindedness on both sides is a recipe for continued disaster for the world at large.
Happy Halloween.
Hallowe'en 2011
Reposted from 2010
Hallowe'en is not a tradition I grew up with, and I've only grown more familiar with it since I came to the UK, 14 years ago this month. It is a relatively inoccuous event, although I resent, like the gentleman in the pic above, the abuse of black cats just because they have black fur.
I'll just stick to the black cat as depicted in this graphic. My family had a black tomcat for 15 years in the 1970s and 1980s, and he was the friendliest creature you could care to find. Other cats, around at the time, would agree or disagree with that vehemently; other toms would get a sound thrashing out of him, whilst the females of the species got all they ever wanted out of him and more.
Donna provided me with this graphic 4 years ago, and I'm glad to see she's slowly getting back in the habit. She was also behind this graphic
which had us trick-or-treating through J-land, meaning this image is at least 4 years old. I had two Hallowe'ens in J-land (2006 and 2007); J-land was closed on Hallowe'en 2008. I was sitting in an airport lounge at Aberdeen when news came through that our blogs had gone. I've never understood why they had to be deleted, rather than being kept in an archived status. It caused a lot of upset, and I've not forgiven AOL for it.Hallowe'en has a serious side to it. Its full name is All Hallows' Eve, the day before All Hallows, when we remember those that have passed away. 1 November will be the day, 3½ years ago, that my mother passed away, and I'll bear that in mind on the day. Others who have recently lost loved ones or friends will be kept in mind on that day. November is also the month that I post the links to journals whose bloggers have gone before, and I'm closing this admittedly sombre post with that.
In remembering those that went before us, we will gain strength from their memory and the fortitude they showed in adversity.
One Girl's Head Noise (UK) - Pam, RIP 16 April 2006
There are no Sundays - Jim, RIP April 2007
The Diatom Project - Walt, RIP 27 April 2007
Pennie's Pieces of Ohio - Penny, RIP 1 October 2007
My Reason for Reasoning - Barbara, RIP 20 November 2007
Lahoma's Laments - Lahoma, RIP 25 December 2007
I shaved my legs for this??? - Kim, RIP 26 December 2007
Sylvia Boiling, RIP 2 May 2008
Dribble by Chuck Ferris - Chuck, RIP 1 July 2008
Lori's Love Tribe - Lori, RIP 22 November 2009
Just Plain Bill, Bill, RIP 28 November 2010
A journey of another kind, Jane, RIP 30 May 2010
Daria, RIP 22 January 2011
Angie Marshall, RIP 30 January 2011
Lori Johnson, RIP 16 February 2011
Rebecca Robertson, formerly as Journeyzpath (Summer 2011)
Say it Baldy, Sam Shafer, RIP 29 June 2011
Gypsypaths, Carol Martinez, RIP 28 September 2011
Sunday, 30 October 2011
Sunday 30 October
The day after the clock changed, and the weather was so abysmal that we put the lights on at 3.30pm. Wind and rain. The ferry was two hours late leaving Stornoway, due to "technical difficulties". As it stands at present, it won't be back until about 10.30pm, an hour and a half late. Oh, Russia has decided to stay on summertime year-round.
Reports came in a little earlier of a housefire between Leverburgh and Strond in South Harris, which has claimed a life. No further details are known at present, as (presumably) next-of-kin will have to be informed. As everybody knows everybody else, whoever lost their life today will be widely mourned.
Before the weekend, Dutchman Vincent Tabak was found guilty of the murder of landscape artist Joanna Yeates in Bristol in December last year. Tabak strangled his victim, inflicting 43 injuries on her in the process, put her corpse in the boot of his car as he went shopping. He then dumped her remains in a ditch by the roadside outside Bristol and went on his merry way. Initially, his landlord was accused of the murder, but increasing amounts of evidence began to emerge against the Dutch engineer. At his trial, it was not mentioned the depraved nature of some of his internet searches, but Mr Tabak can expect to remain in prison for at least 20 years, having been sentenced to life in prison. As they say where he came from, he'll soon have tobacco of that [meaning, he'll soon be fed up with it].
Reports came in a little earlier of a housefire between Leverburgh and Strond in South Harris, which has claimed a life. No further details are known at present, as (presumably) next-of-kin will have to be informed. As everybody knows everybody else, whoever lost their life today will be widely mourned.
Before the weekend, Dutchman Vincent Tabak was found guilty of the murder of landscape artist Joanna Yeates in Bristol in December last year. Tabak strangled his victim, inflicting 43 injuries on her in the process, put her corpse in the boot of his car as he went shopping. He then dumped her remains in a ditch by the roadside outside Bristol and went on his merry way. Initially, his landlord was accused of the murder, but increasing amounts of evidence began to emerge against the Dutch engineer. At his trial, it was not mentioned the depraved nature of some of his internet searches, but Mr Tabak can expect to remain in prison for at least 20 years, having been sentenced to life in prison. As they say where he came from, he'll soon have tobacco of that [meaning, he'll soon be fed up with it].
Saturday, 29 October 2011
Saturday 29 October
Not a very nice day in terms of weather, starting with high winds and heavy rain. Although the wind slowly abated, the rain took most of the day to die away. Yesterday's cancellation of the evening ferry from Ullapool led to a delay through today's service, but eventually less than one hour. The MV Isle of Arran is covering for the Muirneag on the freight run.
Tonight, the clocks go back by an hour, bringing the 2011 period of summertime to a close. Our American friends have an extra week of Daylight Savings, but the weather in the eastern USA does not pay heed to such artificialities - a snowstorm (Nor'easter) is blowing through the eastern States. There is another debate about Double Summertime in Great Britain, an idea I am strongly opposed to. Here in Stornoway, it would lead to sunrise at 10.15 am in December; and a ridiculous sunset time of 11.30pm in June. The December sunrise time will leave everybody going to work and school in pitch darkness - in Scotland that is. But in England too, sunrise won't be before 9 am.
Friday, 28 October 2011
Friday 28 October
Although today started reasonably well, in terms of weather, things have turned quite wild since lunchtime. As I type this, the wind has picked up to 30 mph, gusting to 50 mph. The ferry is not coming back this evening, but will instead be delayed at Ullapool for twelve hours, returning to SY at 8 am tomorrow morning. The ferry Isle of Arran just put into port, presumably to relieve the Muirneag, which is on our freight run. The Muirneag is an aging lady of the sea (she was built in 1979) and is due to be scrapped in 2013. I am not aware of any firm decision on her replacement. The Isle of Lewis is also beginning to feel its age (25 years), and there are two options. One big ferry plying continually between Ullapool and Stornoway; or two new ferries.
Thursday 27 October
Quite a reasonable day in terms of weather, with some sunshine. The flowerpots outside the front door no longer have flowers in them, just some matted remnants of pansies and lobelia. So, they have been removed until we get bulbs in them by next month.
Over in Mexico, hurricane Rina is falling apart off Cancun, so the 100 knot hurricane is not going to materialise. Just as well, wouldn't like to see people's holidays spoiled, let alone holidaymakers getting hurt as a result.
The Stornoway Gazette carried a frontpage article about a formal complaint that a patient at the Western Isles Hospital had lodged over her experience as a surgical patient. Apparently, the consultant and his understudy had fallen out in front of the patient over whether a pre-op assessment had been carried out, or was necessary. It is not on to have a row like that, but then the Health Board made matters worse by appearing to water down the apology to the patient. So, a representation is going to the Scottish Ombudsman. Pity it had to be all over the Two Minutes' Silence (as some people call the Gazette; 2 minutes being all the time required to read it - not my words).
Over in Mexico, hurricane Rina is falling apart off Cancun, so the 100 knot hurricane is not going to materialise. Just as well, wouldn't like to see people's holidays spoiled, let alone holidaymakers getting hurt as a result.
The Stornoway Gazette carried a frontpage article about a formal complaint that a patient at the Western Isles Hospital had lodged over her experience as a surgical patient. Apparently, the consultant and his understudy had fallen out in front of the patient over whether a pre-op assessment had been carried out, or was necessary. It is not on to have a row like that, but then the Health Board made matters worse by appearing to water down the apology to the patient. So, a representation is going to the Scottish Ombudsman. Pity it had to be all over the Two Minutes' Silence (as some people call the Gazette; 2 minutes being all the time required to read it - not my words).
Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Wednesday 26 October
A nice day, in spite of some spots of rain at 2pm, with nice sunset colours at six o'clock this evening. After Saturday, sunset times will be 5pm. Nice one, not.
Tomorrow, the annual book festival Faclan will kick off in Stornoway and elsewhere in the Outer Hebrides. Authors and publishers will showcase their latest creations, and talks will be held by various writers. I am not going to any of these, but am highlighting this to show that there is a lot going on in this island, in spite of it being the down season.
The mailman brought me no fewer than 4 postcrossing cards today, from the USA, Byelorussia, Taiwan and Turkey. I have now received 60 cards, since enrolling with postcrossing in February; I have despatched 65 so far, 6 in tomorrow's mail. Two of those are taking a long time to arrive; one has been in the system since mid-August, winging its way to Taiwan. I hope.
Tomorrow, the annual book festival Faclan will kick off in Stornoway and elsewhere in the Outer Hebrides. Authors and publishers will showcase their latest creations, and talks will be held by various writers. I am not going to any of these, but am highlighting this to show that there is a lot going on in this island, in spite of it being the down season.
The mailman brought me no fewer than 4 postcrossing cards today, from the USA, Byelorussia, Taiwan and Turkey. I have now received 60 cards, since enrolling with postcrossing in February; I have despatched 65 so far, 6 in tomorrow's mail. Two of those are taking a long time to arrive; one has been in the system since mid-August, winging its way to Taiwan. I hope.
Tuesday 25 October
Another fairly non-descript day in the Outer Hebrides. In fact, it was overcast, cool and with a bit of a breeze. Following the departure of the Mod, the town of Stornoway appears to have settled into a mode of "onset of hibernation". People going about their daily business, shops full of the usual - including Hallowe'en stuff, and autumnal colours in the Castle Grounds.
Autumn is rather more violent down in Ireland, where several inches of rain caused chaos in Dublin and killed two people in flooding. Across the Atlantic, a hurricane is slowly growling its way towards the Mexican resort of Cancun, which could be struck with winds of 110 mph in the next few days. The name of the storm is Rina, as I reported yesterday.
Autumn is rather more violent down in Ireland, where several inches of rain caused chaos in Dublin and killed two people in flooding. Across the Atlantic, a hurricane is slowly growling its way towards the Mexican resort of Cancun, which could be struck with winds of 110 mph in the next few days. The name of the storm is Rina, as I reported yesterday.
Monday, 24 October 2011
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.
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.
The resort of Cancun lies near the path of this hurricane.
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