Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Hurricane Ivan
More reports are coming out in the wake of Hurricane Ivan, which struck Madagascar on Sunday. Again, report courtesy L'Expresse de Madagascar, translation Google, edits yours truly.
HURRICANE IVAN
HUNDREDS OF CASUALTIES
Hurricane Ivan claims more and more casualties. The official report mentions two deaths in Fénérive East. Other sources point to the death of nine people at Sainte-Marie.
The Hurricane Ivan has caused a lot of damage. The official assessment is still awaited.
19h Until yesterday, only two are known dead in the district of Fénérive East. More than 700 people are registered homeless in Toamasina I, I Andilamena and Mahajanga according to information from the national office of risk management and disaster (BNGRC).
More than 500 were identified at Andasibe and I Mandritsara. No official report has been received on Sainte-Marie. Information from unofficial sources have confirmed yesterday that nine people had died under the rubble of the hotel Antsara.
Short of food
An experienced operator of the island tells us: "I was able to reach Santa Maria by the BLU available on our boat. Employees of the boat added that two other people had died in Santa Maria. The population is short of food and had no water or electricity for 24 hours. The port has disappeared with all the boats docked there and the city is overwhelmed by the rising waters. The hotels along the beach were destroyed."
Two dikes broke. The roads are cut off because of trees littering the streets. Yesterday, the crew of BNGRC failed to confirm these data, even if a team was dispatched to an assessment by helicopter.
An emergency meeting yesterday invited government ministers, meeting led by Prime Minister Charles Rabemananjara to the Interior Ministry to Anosy. It has been said that the rescue organization is difficult in districts that remain unreachable.
"Everybody in every district should join hands to accelerate relief now," said the prime minister. The executive secretary of BNGRC present at the meeting also recalled that the prepositioned stocks are still available in these localities affected.
Out at sea
The weather forecast for Ampandrianomby announced eighteen hours ago that Ivan could move from Morombe to Betioky Atsimo. The strong tropical storm has weakened to a remnant low. The cloud mass generated by its passage leads to intermittent rains in most parts of the island. Ivan is moving toward the south-southwest with a wind speed of about 65 km per hour.
All warnings on the Menabe regions, and Melaky Atsimo-Andrefana are still valid. The popupaltions likely to be in the path of this depression are expected to remain on their guard and stock up on food and drinking water. Fishermen are still formally discouraged and even prohibited from going out to sea.
The figures
District of Sainte-Marie: 9 people under the rubble
District Fénérive East: 2 dead, 271 affected
District Soanierana Ivongo: Administrative buildings and damaged school
District Foulpointe: the pontoon bridge submerged by water
District of Toamasina: 155 people homeless
District Nosy Varika houses downs and rivers flooded neighborhoods
District Andilamena: 30 homeless people, destroyed 19 cases, 9 dead horse
Mahajanga District I: 542 people homeless
Moramanga District: 4863 affected in the town Andasibe
District Brickaville road 20 km from Toamasina Brickaville to cut as a result of the rising waters
District Mandritsara: the city flooded with 60%, 90 affected
District south Midongy: rising waters
District Befotaka: rising waters and blocked roads to rural villages
HURRICANE IVAN
HUNDREDS OF CASUALTIES
Hurricane Ivan claims more and more casualties. The official report mentions two deaths in Fénérive East. Other sources point to the death of nine people at Sainte-Marie.
The Hurricane Ivan has caused a lot of damage. The official assessment is still awaited.
19h Until yesterday, only two are known dead in the district of Fénérive East. More than 700 people are registered homeless in Toamasina I, I Andilamena and Mahajanga according to information from the national office of risk management and disaster (BNGRC).
More than 500 were identified at Andasibe and I Mandritsara. No official report has been received on Sainte-Marie. Information from unofficial sources have confirmed yesterday that nine people had died under the rubble of the hotel Antsara.
Short of food
An experienced operator of the island tells us: "I was able to reach Santa Maria by the BLU available on our boat. Employees of the boat added that two other people had died in Santa Maria. The population is short of food and had no water or electricity for 24 hours. The port has disappeared with all the boats docked there and the city is overwhelmed by the rising waters. The hotels along the beach were destroyed."
Two dikes broke. The roads are cut off because of trees littering the streets. Yesterday, the crew of BNGRC failed to confirm these data, even if a team was dispatched to an assessment by helicopter.
An emergency meeting yesterday invited government ministers, meeting led by Prime Minister Charles Rabemananjara to the Interior Ministry to Anosy. It has been said that the rescue organization is difficult in districts that remain unreachable.
"Everybody in every district should join hands to accelerate relief now," said the prime minister. The executive secretary of BNGRC present at the meeting also recalled that the prepositioned stocks are still available in these localities affected.
Out at sea
The weather forecast for Ampandrianomby announced eighteen hours ago that Ivan could move from Morombe to Betioky Atsimo. The strong tropical storm has weakened to a remnant low. The cloud mass generated by its passage leads to intermittent rains in most parts of the island. Ivan is moving toward the south-southwest with a wind speed of about 65 km per hour.
All warnings on the Menabe regions, and Melaky Atsimo-Andrefana are still valid. The popupaltions likely to be in the path of this depression are expected to remain on their guard and stock up on food and drinking water. Fishermen are still formally discouraged and even prohibited from going out to sea.
The figures
District of Sainte-Marie: 9 people under the rubble
District Fénérive East: 2 dead, 271 affected
District Soanierana Ivongo: Administrative buildings and damaged school
District Foulpointe: the pontoon bridge submerged by water
District of Toamasina: 155 people homeless
District Nosy Varika houses downs and rivers flooded neighborhoods
District Andilamena: 30 homeless people, destroyed 19 cases, 9 dead horse
Mahajanga District I: 542 people homeless
Moramanga District: 4863 affected in the town Andasibe
District Brickaville road 20 km from Toamasina Brickaville to cut as a result of the rising waters
District Mandritsara: the city flooded with 60%, 90 affected
District south Midongy: rising waters
District Befotaka: rising waters and blocked roads to rural villages
Scotland, England, UK
Was asked to clarify the situation with the three above mentioned entities, so will oblige.
Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. Formally speaking, the name runs "the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Other constituent parts of Great Britain are Wales and England. For now, I'll focus on Scotland.
For several hundred years, Scotland was an independent nation, with its own monarchy and government. In 1707, after a particularly disastrous effort by Scotland at establishing a colony in the Americas, a move was initiated to merge England and Scotland into one nation. This was rubber stamped by the establishment, but not everybody agreed.
The Jacobite rebellions of 1715 and 1745 tried to reestablish the Scottish monarchy, but as we all know, they were an unmitigated disaster. The Old Pretender didn't make it in 1715, and Bonny Prince Charlie, the Young Pretender - well, don't start me off on him. He got trounced in 1746 at the Battle of Culloden, and only escaped by the skin of his teeth.
Following the 1745, the English set about pacifying the Highlands. Mind you, in spite of all the romanticised stories, the 1745 uprising was far from universally supported. Many clan chiefs saw the trouble it could and (eventually) would cause. Pacifying the Highlands was basically an exercise in ethnic cleansing avant-la-lettre. It would carry on for nearly 150 years.
Ethnic cleansing in the 18th and 19th century meant burning people's roofs over their heads and telling them to get on that ship in the bay which would take them to a new life in Australia or the Americas. More often than not, the ships would founder on the way there. After civil unrest in Great Bernera (Lewis) in 1874 and the Braes area of Skye in the 1880, the Napier commission came to northern Scotland to hear of conditions on the ground for itself. It amassed 13,000 pages of evidence and introduced legislation, which gave cottars and crofters security of tenure, making it much more difficult to evict them. Bearing in mind that many landlords were lowland Scots or English, there was a fair degree of bitterness.
In the 20th century, the Scottish National Party was established, which has as its declared aim to regain independence for Scotland. By 1997, the Labour administration in London agreed to devolve certain powers to a Scottish parliament in Edinburgh and a Scottish Executive [government] was set up. It could deal with matters of law and order, health, transport etc. So far, it does not have powers to raise taxes. Defense is also not devolved. The first two sessions of the Scottish Parliament, 1999 to 2003 and 2003 to 2007, gave the Labour Party a majority. Elections in May 2007 turned the tables.
The Scottish National Party became the largest party in the Scottish Parliament by 1 seat. Its leader, Alex Salmond, is now First Minister, and in the slightly awkward position of being MP and MSP [Member of Scottish Parliament] at the same time. The SNP came to power due to dissatisfaction with Labour over the war in Iraq and as a result of a botched election. Poorly designed ballot papers and a poorly executed election process left 100,000 people disenfranchised; on average, 10% of ballot papers were deemed spoiled, although more often than not, this was judged only on the say so of a machine.
The SNP has set the wheels in motion towards an increased degree of devolution. It still aims for independence for Scotland, but being in a minority administration, a ballot on full independence will be blocked by other parties.
Full independence for Scotland will not work, in my opinion. The economy here is not sufficiently strong or diverse to cope with that. At present, the North Sea and East Atlantic oil industry is a central pillar of the economy, but whether the central UK government is prepared to relinquish this vast source of income is at best doubtful. I also feel that an all out campaign for independence would stir up a lot of mutual resentment and antagonism. Rather than doing a Kosovo, Scotland could and should be given greater devolved power, and develop a mature relationship with its southern brother.
Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. Formally speaking, the name runs "the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland". Other constituent parts of Great Britain are Wales and England. For now, I'll focus on Scotland.
For several hundred years, Scotland was an independent nation, with its own monarchy and government. In 1707, after a particularly disastrous effort by Scotland at establishing a colony in the Americas, a move was initiated to merge England and Scotland into one nation. This was rubber stamped by the establishment, but not everybody agreed.
The Jacobite rebellions of 1715 and 1745 tried to reestablish the Scottish monarchy, but as we all know, they were an unmitigated disaster. The Old Pretender didn't make it in 1715, and Bonny Prince Charlie, the Young Pretender - well, don't start me off on him. He got trounced in 1746 at the Battle of Culloden, and only escaped by the skin of his teeth.
Following the 1745, the English set about pacifying the Highlands. Mind you, in spite of all the romanticised stories, the 1745 uprising was far from universally supported. Many clan chiefs saw the trouble it could and (eventually) would cause. Pacifying the Highlands was basically an exercise in ethnic cleansing avant-la-lettre. It would carry on for nearly 150 years.
Ethnic cleansing in the 18th and 19th century meant burning people's roofs over their heads and telling them to get on that ship in the bay which would take them to a new life in Australia or the Americas. More often than not, the ships would founder on the way there. After civil unrest in Great Bernera (Lewis) in 1874 and the Braes area of Skye in the 1880, the Napier commission came to northern Scotland to hear of conditions on the ground for itself. It amassed 13,000 pages of evidence and introduced legislation, which gave cottars and crofters security of tenure, making it much more difficult to evict them. Bearing in mind that many landlords were lowland Scots or English, there was a fair degree of bitterness.
In the 20th century, the Scottish National Party was established, which has as its declared aim to regain independence for Scotland. By 1997, the Labour administration in London agreed to devolve certain powers to a Scottish parliament in Edinburgh and a Scottish Executive [government] was set up. It could deal with matters of law and order, health, transport etc. So far, it does not have powers to raise taxes. Defense is also not devolved. The first two sessions of the Scottish Parliament, 1999 to 2003 and 2003 to 2007, gave the Labour Party a majority. Elections in May 2007 turned the tables.
The Scottish National Party became the largest party in the Scottish Parliament by 1 seat. Its leader, Alex Salmond, is now First Minister, and in the slightly awkward position of being MP and MSP [Member of Scottish Parliament] at the same time. The SNP came to power due to dissatisfaction with Labour over the war in Iraq and as a result of a botched election. Poorly designed ballot papers and a poorly executed election process left 100,000 people disenfranchised; on average, 10% of ballot papers were deemed spoiled, although more often than not, this was judged only on the say so of a machine.
The SNP has set the wheels in motion towards an increased degree of devolution. It still aims for independence for Scotland, but being in a minority administration, a ballot on full independence will be blocked by other parties.
Full independence for Scotland will not work, in my opinion. The economy here is not sufficiently strong or diverse to cope with that. At present, the North Sea and East Atlantic oil industry is a central pillar of the economy, but whether the central UK government is prepared to relinquish this vast source of income is at best doubtful. I also feel that an all out campaign for independence would stir up a lot of mutual resentment and antagonism. Rather than doing a Kosovo, Scotland could and should be given greater devolved power, and develop a mature relationship with its southern brother.
Tuesday 19 February
Nice, sunny morning with only a few wisps of high cloud about. Not warm though, it's only just above 4C / 39F at the moment.
Tropical cyclone Ivan is no more, but could reemerge over the open waters of the Gulf of Mozambique, east of Madagascar, and regenerate. It looks every which way that will actually happen.
Tropical cyclone Nicholas is grazing the coast of Western Australia with winds in excess of 70 mph. At 9 am, it was due west of Exmouth, and its stormforce windfield was crossing the coast of the Northwestern Cape. Will keep an eye on developments through Radio Australia WA Northwest.
Was not entirely surprised to learn that Fidel Castro will not seek reelection as Cuba's president. The 81-year old leader has not been well of late. He came to power in a Communist revolution in 1959, and has been a pain in the backside of the US for those 49 years.
"Order, order", Mr Speaker is in the limelight for using his accrued airmiles to give relatives a reduced fare on planes. And that's not allowed. The Commissioner for Standards in the House of Commons is investigating.
Tropical cyclone Ivan is no more, but could reemerge over the open waters of the Gulf of Mozambique, east of Madagascar, and regenerate. It looks every which way that will actually happen.
Tropical cyclone Nicholas is grazing the coast of Western Australia with winds in excess of 70 mph. At 9 am, it was due west of Exmouth, and its stormforce windfield was crossing the coast of the Northwestern Cape. Will keep an eye on developments through Radio Australia WA Northwest.
Was not entirely surprised to learn that Fidel Castro will not seek reelection as Cuba's president. The 81-year old leader has not been well of late. He came to power in a Communist revolution in 1959, and has been a pain in the backside of the US for those 49 years.
"Order, order", Mr Speaker is in the limelight for using his accrued airmiles to give relatives a reduced fare on planes. And that's not allowed. The Commissioner for Standards in the House of Commons is investigating.
Monday, 18 February 2008
Attitude
In the last 24 hours, I have come across three instances in J-land where people had a problem with the content of journals. One person couldn't take the doom and gloom anymore, two writers had negative feedback on the content of their entries.
I'm not talking X-rated (AC-rated), the issue was one person writing the memoirs of her life, which are pretty tough reading admittedly. She now feels she has to hold back. Another writer gets nasty comments from people who cannot take the fact that her life is ruled by a multitude of medical conditions.
I take the line that if you don't like what you read, you close the window. Yanno, wee red X in the top right corner? Many people feel that by writing down their experiences, it helps them to cope with them. Never mind whether it happened today or many years ago. If it isn't nice, well, tough. Those folk had to live through that.
Rant over.
I'm not talking X-rated (AC-rated), the issue was one person writing the memoirs of her life, which are pretty tough reading admittedly. She now feels she has to hold back. Another writer gets nasty comments from people who cannot take the fact that her life is ruled by a multitude of medical conditions.
I take the line that if you don't like what you read, you close the window. Yanno, wee red X in the top right corner? Many people feel that by writing down their experiences, it helps them to cope with them. Never mind whether it happened today or many years ago. If it isn't nice, well, tough. Those folk had to live through that.
Rant over.
Diana Inquest
Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car crash in the Alma Underpass in Paris in the early hours of 31 August 1997. It is one of those days where everyone remembers what they did when they heard the news. Fast forward 10 years and nearly 6 months.
An inquest has been on-going into Diana's death, and today it was the turn of Mohammed Al-Fayed. Mr Al-Fayed is the father of Dodi, Diana's gentleman-friend, who was killed outright in the crash. He was called to give evidence to the inquest today, and I can only describe it as lurid and bordering on the permissible. I don't know if you can get away with calling the Duke of Edinburgh, husband to the Queen, a Nazi.
I think I'll link to the BBC report and let you make up your own mind.
Mr Al-Fayed is on record as stating there was a conspiracy to get rid of Diana before today's hearing. I think it was a grieving and embittered man speaking today, who has never got over the death of his son, and by the sound of it, never will. I could feel sorry for him for that reason.
An inquest has been on-going into Diana's death, and today it was the turn of Mohammed Al-Fayed. Mr Al-Fayed is the father of Dodi, Diana's gentleman-friend, who was killed outright in the crash. He was called to give evidence to the inquest today, and I can only describe it as lurid and bordering on the permissible. I don't know if you can get away with calling the Duke of Edinburgh, husband to the Queen, a Nazi.
I think I'll link to the BBC report and let you make up your own mind.
Mr Al-Fayed is on record as stating there was a conspiracy to get rid of Diana before today's hearing. I think it was a grieving and embittered man speaking today, who has never got over the death of his son, and by the sound of it, never will. I could feel sorry for him for that reason.
Tropical Cyclone Ivan
Article courtesy L'Express de Madagascar
Translation Google
The passage of hurricane Ivan leaves a bitter taste in Sainte-Marie. Nine people were yesterday buried beneath the rubble of a hotel. The town is completely destroyed. Strong winds of 135km / h were recorded.
Ivan has disrupted air traffic and airport tarmacs were almost deserted.
YESTERDAY
Hurricane Ivan leaves bad memories in the town of Santa Maria. He began at 6 am in the city with gusts of wind of 137km / h destroying several buildings. The hotel Antsara in the district of Ankirihiry in the Bay of Antsarahaka collapsed. Nine people were there buried beneath the rubble. A distress call from one of the victims to his father living in Antananarivo alerted the man in question.
"Around 8:30, my daughter called me to tell me she was with nine people in the rubble of the hotel, without further details," said the father, contacted by telephone.
According to him, he tried to call his daughter back and contacting all his acquaintances in Sainte-Marie to no avail. Yesterday, the telephone networks of Orange and Celtel were down. Residents of Sainte-Marie were suddenly cut off from any communication with the outside world. The team from the National Bureau of risk management and disaster (BNGRC) also had trouble to get in touch with the local authorities.
Yesterday evening, the victim's father knew nothing of the fate of her daughter. He did not know if relief had reached her or not. The damage does not stop there because the official report received from the advance BNGRC indicates a heavy toll.
Several houses were affected and many trees were felled across the city. With all the roads, people and the equipment are struggling to move because the sea is beginning to reach the tarred roads. According to the BNGRC, it was difficult to receive further information from Sainte-Marie because SSB radio was also broken.
Heavy toll in the East
Hurricane Ivan has made other victims throughout the island. As in the Ambatoroka district in the capital, a couple, whose wife is pregnant, was injured and was transferred to an emergency hospital Ampefiloha. He was buried under the rubble of a wall which collapsed following the torrential rains. The couple has fortunately survived despite some injuries.
After Sainte-Marie, Hurricane Ivan passed through the town of Ampasimbe district, Fénérive East at 9 am, then in the District of Vavantenina at noon with winds of 137km / h. It was at 15h in the district of Andilamena where he also caused enormous damage. As the destruction of the office of the chief medical officer, a public primary school and from the stands of the football stadium without talking about the deterioration of the masts. The regions of Alaotra Mangoro, Atsinana and Analanjirofo are most affected.
The city of Toamasina I also was not spared by the passage of Ivan. In addition to the cutting of some streets, the population is isolated due to lack of telephone communication. Also, water and electricity were cut during the storm. At the same time, no earthly connection was possible on the RN2 because movement of taxis
The official report of BNGRC advance 60 people homeless in the District of Toamasina I. They were able to be housed in the building Soavita. At the same time, the team from UNICEF and BNGRC spoke on emergency relief. Eleven soldiers of the body of the
Civil Protection were dispatched yesterday to unblock the road crossings of the East.
Ivan weakens
The hurricane Ivan crossed many districts. Yesterday around 19h, it was located in the district of Tsaratanàna with a speed of 15km per hour and gusts of wind of 150 km / h. Although its strength weakens, the weather service to Ampasampito provides that the hurricane could move in the district of Anjozorobe, north of the capital. The toll could worsen in the affected districts over the next few days.
Translation Google
The passage of hurricane Ivan leaves a bitter taste in Sainte-Marie. Nine people were yesterday buried beneath the rubble of a hotel. The town is completely destroyed. Strong winds of 135km / h were recorded.
Ivan has disrupted air traffic and airport tarmacs were almost deserted.
YESTERDAY
Hurricane Ivan leaves bad memories in the town of Santa Maria. He began at 6 am in the city with gusts of wind of 137km / h destroying several buildings. The hotel Antsara in the district of Ankirihiry in the Bay of Antsarahaka collapsed. Nine people were there buried beneath the rubble. A distress call from one of the victims to his father living in Antananarivo alerted the man in question.
"Around 8:30, my daughter called me to tell me she was with nine people in the rubble of the hotel, without further details," said the father, contacted by telephone.
According to him, he tried to call his daughter back and contacting all his acquaintances in Sainte-Marie to no avail. Yesterday, the telephone networks of Orange and Celtel were down. Residents of Sainte-Marie were suddenly cut off from any communication with the outside world. The team from the National Bureau of risk management and disaster (BNGRC) also had trouble to get in touch with the local authorities.
Yesterday evening, the victim's father knew nothing of the fate of her daughter. He did not know if relief had reached her or not. The damage does not stop there because the official report received from the advance BNGRC indicates a heavy toll.
Several houses were affected and many trees were felled across the city. With all the roads, people and the equipment are struggling to move because the sea is beginning to reach the tarred roads. According to the BNGRC, it was difficult to receive further information from Sainte-Marie because SSB radio was also broken.
Heavy toll in the East
Hurricane Ivan has made other victims throughout the island. As in the Ambatoroka district in the capital, a couple, whose wife is pregnant, was injured and was transferred to an emergency hospital Ampefiloha. He was buried under the rubble of a wall which collapsed following the torrential rains. The couple has fortunately survived despite some injuries.
After Sainte-Marie, Hurricane Ivan passed through the town of Ampasimbe district, Fénérive East at 9 am, then in the District of Vavantenina at noon with winds of 137km / h. It was at 15h in the district of Andilamena where he also caused enormous damage. As the destruction of the office of the chief medical officer, a public primary school and from the stands of the football stadium without talking about the deterioration of the masts. The regions of Alaotra Mangoro, Atsinana and Analanjirofo are most affected.
The city of Toamasina I also was not spared by the passage of Ivan. In addition to the cutting of some streets, the population is isolated due to lack of telephone communication. Also, water and electricity were cut during the storm. At the same time, no earthly connection was possible on the RN2 because movement of taxis
The official report of BNGRC advance 60 people homeless in the District of Toamasina I. They were able to be housed in the building Soavita. At the same time, the team from UNICEF and BNGRC spoke on emergency relief. Eleven soldiers of the body of the
Civil Protection were dispatched yesterday to unblock the road crossings of the East.
Ivan weakens
The hurricane Ivan crossed many districts. Yesterday around 19h, it was located in the district of Tsaratanàna with a speed of 15km per hour and gusts of wind of 150 km / h. Although its strength weakens, the weather service to Ampasampito provides that the hurricane could move in the district of Anjozorobe, north of the capital. The toll could worsen in the affected districts over the next few days.
Monday 18 February
Fairly bright day this morning as the sun tries to break through the clouds.
Down in Madagascar, Tropical Cyclone Ivan has had a devastating impact. I'll post an article from one of the country's newspapers in the next entry. Western Australia is currently being buffeted by Nicholas, which is a category 1 hurricane, off Exmouth.
Up here in the north of Scotland, a woman had to be airlifted off the mountains of Glencoe after she fell 50 metres down Coire Odhar in Glen Etive, round the corner from Glencoe. She was taken to the Belford Hospital in Fort William for treatment. The lady was with a party of 14 climbers when the accident occurred.
The Northern Rock bank is to be taken over by the government. As a result, shareholders are likely to be left with precious little of the original £12 a piece shareprice. Such is the lot of the shareholder, you win some, you lose some. It is actually the bank's own fault, apparently, having adopted a business model unsuited to current market conditions. Aided and abetted by a dithering government, the UK taxpayer can now shell out several thousand pounds a head to keep this bank afloat.
Down in Madagascar, Tropical Cyclone Ivan has had a devastating impact. I'll post an article from one of the country's newspapers in the next entry. Western Australia is currently being buffeted by Nicholas, which is a category 1 hurricane, off Exmouth.
Up here in the north of Scotland, a woman had to be airlifted off the mountains of Glencoe after she fell 50 metres down Coire Odhar in Glen Etive, round the corner from Glencoe. She was taken to the Belford Hospital in Fort William for treatment. The lady was with a party of 14 climbers when the accident occurred.
The Northern Rock bank is to be taken over by the government. As a result, shareholders are likely to be left with precious little of the original £12 a piece shareprice. Such is the lot of the shareholder, you win some, you lose some. It is actually the bank's own fault, apparently, having adopted a business model unsuited to current market conditions. Aided and abetted by a dithering government, the UK taxpayer can now shell out several thousand pounds a head to keep this bank afloat.
Sunday, 17 February 2008
Call for readers
66,212%
Another sordid recordbreaking statistic from Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe. The country's percentage of inflation stands at 66,212% according to its central bank. Unofficially, it is estimated to be running at 150,000%. President Mugabe is standing for re-election next month.
US President George W. Bush has called for a fair poll in March, which is actually quite unlikely. Zimbabwe's opposition has long been subjected to a sustained campaign of violence and harassment by Mr Mugabe's authorities and followers. It is more than probable that we'll see our octogenarian dictator returned to power, to continuing his campaign of misrule and destruction of the country he was so proud to have liberated from the clutches of colonial Britain.
Ian Smith's Rhodesia was a disgrace on the face of Africa, with its apartheid system. We're better off without it, and Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo did well in ousting Mr Smith. It is a bitter disappointment to see that Mr Mugabe is not one bit better than the man he removed.
US President George W. Bush has called for a fair poll in March, which is actually quite unlikely. Zimbabwe's opposition has long been subjected to a sustained campaign of violence and harassment by Mr Mugabe's authorities and followers. It is more than probable that we'll see our octogenarian dictator returned to power, to continuing his campaign of misrule and destruction of the country he was so proud to have liberated from the clutches of colonial Britain.
Ian Smith's Rhodesia was a disgrace on the face of Africa, with its apartheid system. We're better off without it, and Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo did well in ousting Mr Smith. It is a bitter disappointment to see that Mr Mugabe is not one bit better than the man he removed.
AOL Community Photo Challenge - Winter Blues
How wintry can you get, and how gloomy. In the middle of the last snow shower of our day-of-snow, February 2nd, 2008. Stornoway, as seen from Cuddy Point.
Debate on Islam
I think I should make it clear that there are rules for adherents to the Islamic faith, which only apply to the faithful. It is written quite specifically in the Koran that the Christian and Judaic faiths are acknowledged and held in deep respect. Islamic rules are also quoted as not applicable to the faithful of different faiths.
Alongside with that, I would hold it to be common courtesy not to cause offense, if it is well known that (e.g.) the portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed would do so.
The groundrule is that when you're in Rome you do as the Romans do. However, if people are coming in from a different background, you give some consideration to that. I would never serve pork to a Jewish or Muslim person. Conversely, when visiting East Asia, I would expect my hosts to refrain from serving me cat or dog.
Finally, the amount of leeway given to people of a different ethnic or cultural background has decreased in recent years. I can understand that the word Islam or Muslim is tantamount to a curse in some quarters following 9/11. It may be worth bearing in mind that the perpetrators of atrocities such as that abuse religion as a pretext for their crimes, and there is no justification in any religious texts for terrorism.
Alongside with that, I would hold it to be common courtesy not to cause offense, if it is well known that (e.g.) the portrayal of the Prophet Mohammed would do so.
The groundrule is that when you're in Rome you do as the Romans do. However, if people are coming in from a different background, you give some consideration to that. I would never serve pork to a Jewish or Muslim person. Conversely, when visiting East Asia, I would expect my hosts to refrain from serving me cat or dog.
Finally, the amount of leeway given to people of a different ethnic or cultural background has decreased in recent years. I can understand that the word Islam or Muslim is tantamount to a curse in some quarters following 9/11. It may be worth bearing in mind that the perpetrators of atrocities such as that abuse religion as a pretext for their crimes, and there is no justification in any religious texts for terrorism.
Sunday 17 February
Reasonably bright day, with some chinks in amongst the clouds. It looks as if Australia could just about dodge a silver bullet, in the shape of tropical cyclone Nicholas. That storm is moving further west than anticipated, and could stay off Cape Cuvier, near Exmouth.
Madagascar has taken the full impact of category 3 cyclone Ivan this morning. The storm will continue across the island and will weaken substantially. It could reemerge into the Mozambique Channel and resume its career of tropical cyclone. A nightmare scenario for the people in the Zambezi valley, who are already coping with the ravages of flooding, partially man-made.
The fire at the Grand Hotel in Brighton was put out with no casualties and only water damage, as far as I can gauge. Hundreds of guests and staff were quickly evacuated after the fire broke out on the 6th floor. Its cause is being investigated.
Madagascar has taken the full impact of category 3 cyclone Ivan this morning. The storm will continue across the island and will weaken substantially. It could reemerge into the Mozambique Channel and resume its career of tropical cyclone. A nightmare scenario for the people in the Zambezi valley, who are already coping with the ravages of flooding, partially man-made.
The fire at the Grand Hotel in Brighton was put out with no casualties and only water damage, as far as I can gauge. Hundreds of guests and staff were quickly evacuated after the fire broke out on the 6th floor. Its cause is being investigated.
Saturday, 16 February 2008
Fire at the Grand Hotel
A major fire has broken out at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, with smoke reported to come out of the roof. All guests and staff have been evacuated to safety, whilst firecrews deal with the blaze. The fire started on the first or in the basement of the hotel.
The Grand Hotel was seriously damaged in 1984, when the IRA bombed it during the Conservative Party conference there. Prime Minister at the time, Margaret Thatcher, was not injured, but several people died.
The Grand Hotel was seriously damaged in 1984, when the IRA bombed it during the Conservative Party conference there. Prime Minister at the time, Margaret Thatcher, was not injured, but several people died.
Freedom of expression
Once again, the Netherlands are sharply in the focus of a debate about freedom of expression on Islam. Four years ago, filmmaker Theo van Gogh was shot and killed on the streets of Amsterdam by a Muslim extremist. He had just made a film called Submission, about abused women in Muslim society.
Now, Dutch MP Geert Wilders has made a movie which claims the Koran, the Muslim holy book, is an incitement to murder. The Iranian minister for Justice has called on his Dutch counterpart to ban the film, but the government in The Hague has refused to intervene, saying the issue is freedom of expression. Mr Wilders has been advised to leave the country for his own safety.
A few years ago, a row blew up in Denmark over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. It is not permissible to portray the Prophet, as that is held to be blasphemy. Twenty years ago, Salman Rushdie got an Islamic death warrant tagged onto him for publishing that most unreadable of books, Satanic Verses. I doubt whether any of the people who were screaming loudest in protest had actually read a letter of it.
It is important to strike a correct balance between freedom of expression and respect for different beliefs. Mr Van Gogh got mowed down for portraying an ugly side of Islamic society, that of abused women. Nowhere in the Koran is there mention of women being subjugate to men, I have been reliably informed. He had a justifiable cause. If it is important in a religion not to portray the Prophet Mohammed, Islam's counterpoint to Jesus Christ (who is held to be but a minor prophet in Islam), then you don't portray him.
I am under the impression that Mr Wilders' film is about misinterpreting texts in the Koran, perpetrated by extremists within Islam. Or terrorists, using the religion as a pretext for their atrocities. He will have to tread a very, very fine line indeed how he goes about this. Because, would anyone of a Christian persuasion appreciate having the Bible call an incitement to murder? Given the past 500 years in history, I'd be tempted not to disagree with that.
Now, Dutch MP Geert Wilders has made a movie which claims the Koran, the Muslim holy book, is an incitement to murder. The Iranian minister for Justice has called on his Dutch counterpart to ban the film, but the government in The Hague has refused to intervene, saying the issue is freedom of expression. Mr Wilders has been advised to leave the country for his own safety.
A few years ago, a row blew up in Denmark over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed. It is not permissible to portray the Prophet, as that is held to be blasphemy. Twenty years ago, Salman Rushdie got an Islamic death warrant tagged onto him for publishing that most unreadable of books, Satanic Verses. I doubt whether any of the people who were screaming loudest in protest had actually read a letter of it.
It is important to strike a correct balance between freedom of expression and respect for different beliefs. Mr Van Gogh got mowed down for portraying an ugly side of Islamic society, that of abused women. Nowhere in the Koran is there mention of women being subjugate to men, I have been reliably informed. He had a justifiable cause. If it is important in a religion not to portray the Prophet Mohammed, Islam's counterpoint to Jesus Christ (who is held to be but a minor prophet in Islam), then you don't portray him.
I am under the impression that Mr Wilders' film is about misinterpreting texts in the Koran, perpetrated by extremists within Islam. Or terrorists, using the religion as a pretext for their atrocities. He will have to tread a very, very fine line indeed how he goes about this. Because, would anyone of a Christian persuasion appreciate having the Bible call an incitement to murder? Given the past 500 years in history, I'd be tempted not to disagree with that.
Call for support
Please call round at Chip and Karen's blog as they suffered a miscarriage on February 8th. They had been expecting their first child.
copied from Call for Support
copied from Call for Support
Hurricane update - 16 February
Tropical cyclone Ivan is heading for Madagascar. It is a category 3 hurricane, which will slam into northeastern Madagascar on Sunday. Its effects will be devastating, particularly as cyclone Indlala made landfall in the same area a year ago. That one was also a category 3 system.
Tropical cyclone Nicholas will be making landfall in Western Australia, near the town of Exmouth tomorrow evening local time. It will be a category 3 hurricane as well, with winds up to 115 mph near the centre. Its effects will be of similar magnitude as Ivan's, and I hope that residents in the Pilbara are prepared.
Tropical cyclone Nicholas will be making landfall in Western Australia, near the town of Exmouth tomorrow evening local time. It will be a category 3 hurricane as well, with winds up to 115 mph near the centre. Its effects will be of similar magnitude as Ivan's, and I hope that residents in the Pilbara are prepared.
Saturday 16 February
Overcast and misty here this morning. A naval vessel, HMS Bulwark, briefly appeared on the horizon. She is too large to dock at Stornoway. The harbour can accommodate vessels with a draft of up to 7 metres (24 feet). Bulwark draws 10 metres (33 feet). The naval ship now heading southeast down the Minch.
Steve Fossett has been declared dead by a court in Chicago. He took off from an airfield in Nevada last September and has not been seen since. Aerial searches, nor searches by thousands of Internet users (including myself) on Google Earth have yielded any trace of the record breaking adventurer. He leaves an 8-figure sum of money, and several records of landspeed and ballooning ventures.
Do I care that Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills are having a problem sorting out their divorce? No I don't. Celebrity news just does not register with me.
Steve Fossett has been declared dead by a court in Chicago. He took off from an airfield in Nevada last September and has not been seen since. Aerial searches, nor searches by thousands of Internet users (including myself) on Google Earth have yielded any trace of the record breaking adventurer. He leaves an 8-figure sum of money, and several records of landspeed and ballooning ventures.
Do I care that Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills are having a problem sorting out their divorce? No I don't. Celebrity news just does not register with me.
Friday, 15 February 2008
Kosovo
The Serbian province of Kosovo is set to declare independence on Sunday. Kosovo was the scene of a bloody civil conflict in 1999, when Serbian forces suppressed moves towards independence. Their campaign was called off following a bombardment of Serbia itself by NATO forces.
Kosovo's population is predominantly of Albanian origin, although areas in the north of the province are mainly Serbian. The atrocities of the 1999 war have left deep divisions between the two communities. Serbia is strongly opposed, as is its sponsor Russia. Nonetheless, the Belgrade administration has ruled out the use of force if Kosovo does break away. Diplomatic and economic measures will be used instead.
Although the situation has calmed down in the Balkans since the end of armed conflict, Kosovo remains a dangerous powderkeg. The province is claimed by Serbs as the cradle of their nation, the site of the Battle of the Thrush of 1389, where the Turks were fought.
I think it says enough that more than 600 years have passed and they're still hearkening back to a piece of antediluvian history. And that applies to both sides.
Kosovo's population is predominantly of Albanian origin, although areas in the north of the province are mainly Serbian. The atrocities of the 1999 war have left deep divisions between the two communities. Serbia is strongly opposed, as is its sponsor Russia. Nonetheless, the Belgrade administration has ruled out the use of force if Kosovo does break away. Diplomatic and economic measures will be used instead.
Although the situation has calmed down in the Balkans since the end of armed conflict, Kosovo remains a dangerous powderkeg. The province is claimed by Serbs as the cradle of their nation, the site of the Battle of the Thrush of 1389, where the Turks were fought.
I think it says enough that more than 600 years have passed and they're still hearkening back to a piece of antediluvian history. And that applies to both sides.
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