Tropical cyclone Nargis is heading for Myanmar (Burma), and will reach that country's west coast on May 2nd, Friday, with winds at category 1 strength, that's up to 80 mph. Landfall is expected northwest of the capital, Yangon (Rangoon), probably near the resort of Sandoway.
Tomorrow is 1 May, and we're within weeks of the Atlantic hurricane season. In some years, the first tropical system can occur in the first weeks of May, so if you're in Hurricane Alley: BE PREPARED.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Mr LSD is dead
Albert Hoffman has died in Basel, Switzerland, at the age of 102.
He discovered LSD (lysergic acid diethylamine) in 1938. He was experimenting with a crop-fungus, called Claviceps Purpurea. This forms so-called ergots on wheat and related plant species.
In the Middle Ages, people would eat rye-bread, made from infected rye, and it would send them mad. It was referred to as St Anthony's Fire.
Hoffman discovered the hallucinogenic properties of LSD, when he accidentally ingested some his invention. He described the effect as: "Everything I saw was distorted as in a warped mirror". LSD causes hallucinations, which may recur even after ingesting only a single dose.
Derivatives of lysergic acid are used in medicines, such as older migraine preparations (ergotamine) and in obstetrics (ergometrine), to prevent bleeding.
He discovered LSD (lysergic acid diethylamine) in 1938. He was experimenting with a crop-fungus, called Claviceps Purpurea. This forms so-called ergots on wheat and related plant species.
In the Middle Ages, people would eat rye-bread, made from infected rye, and it would send them mad. It was referred to as St Anthony's Fire.
Hoffman discovered the hallucinogenic properties of LSD, when he accidentally ingested some his invention. He described the effect as: "Everything I saw was distorted as in a warped mirror". LSD causes hallucinations, which may recur even after ingesting only a single dose.
Derivatives of lysergic acid are used in medicines, such as older migraine preparations (ergotamine) and in obstetrics (ergometrine), to prevent bleeding.
Contrasting Queens
This is an adjusted repost from an entry I did on 30 April 2007.
This month, April, sees the official and biological birthdays of two of Europe's Queens, and I'd like to contrast them, as contrast they do.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [...], was born on 21 April 1926. She celebrates her birthday in private, with no public ceremony. On the second Saturday of June, the ceremony of Trooping the Colour is taken at Horseguard's Parade in central London. Until 1987, the Queen would take the parade on horseback, but her advanced age has excused her from that now: she takes it seated in a carriage. There is a whole website dedicated to the ceremony, which I would like to link to.
Queen Elizabeth II will be on the throne until her death. Prince Charles is next in line for the throne, but there are voices of doubt within the UK, whether he should give way to his eldest son, Prince William.
Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was on born on 31 January 1938. She too celebrates her birthday in private, but a public ceremony takes place on 30 April. Her mother, the late Princess Juliana (who was Queen between 1948 and 1980), had her birthday on that day. Juliana had the people come to her palace at the town of Soestdijk, east of Amsterdam, for a file-past. Beatrix decided to come to the people. Each year in her reign (she ascended the Orange throne 28 years ago) she visits two towns in one of the twelve provinces in the Netherlands, with a clutter of relatives in tow. Public festivities are laid on in all towns in the country. Read more here.
I foresee Queen Beatrix abdicating, like her mother did, to make way for her eldest son, Willem Alexander. He is 41 this year. Beatrix was 42 when she ascended the throne in 1980.
This month, April, sees the official and biological birthdays of two of Europe's Queens, and I'd like to contrast them, as contrast they do.
Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [...], was born on 21 April 1926. She celebrates her birthday in private, with no public ceremony. On the second Saturday of June, the ceremony of Trooping the Colour is taken at Horseguard's Parade in central London. Until 1987, the Queen would take the parade on horseback, but her advanced age has excused her from that now: she takes it seated in a carriage. There is a whole website dedicated to the ceremony, which I would like to link to.
Queen Elizabeth II will be on the throne until her death. Prince Charles is next in line for the throne, but there are voices of doubt within the UK, whether he should give way to his eldest son, Prince William.
Her Majesty, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands was on born on 31 January 1938. She too celebrates her birthday in private, but a public ceremony takes place on 30 April. Her mother, the late Princess Juliana (who was Queen between 1948 and 1980), had her birthday on that day. Juliana had the people come to her palace at the town of Soestdijk, east of Amsterdam, for a file-past. Beatrix decided to come to the people. Each year in her reign (she ascended the Orange throne 28 years ago) she visits two towns in one of the twelve provinces in the Netherlands, with a clutter of relatives in tow. Public festivities are laid on in all towns in the country. Read more here.
I foresee Queen Beatrix abdicating, like her mother did, to make way for her eldest son, Willem Alexander. He is 41 this year. Beatrix was 42 when she ascended the throne in 1980.
WWW = 15
The World Wide Web as we know it celebrates its 15th birthday today. MSN has devoted an interesting webpage (sic) to this momentous occasion, which I'm more than happy to link to.
What changed when the Internet came into your life? I have posted the same question on Magic Smoke, so leave a link to your reply on a comment there. Here is my answer.
Before the WWW:
1. If I wanted to look something up, I would go to the library and read a book
2. I would make phonecalls and write letters
When the Internet came into my life:
3. I found I could gather information from across the globe at a click of a mouse
4. I could listen to radiostations from all over the world without fiddling with a shortwave radioset. That did spoil the thrill of listening to Radio Australia on SW.
5. It was possible to interact with people in real-time from all corners. It did spoil the thrill of receiving a letter, weeks later after writing your own, from a far-flung outpost.
6. It became possible to learn about any part of the world in an instant, without leaving your desk chair.
And I can go on for yonks.
What changed when the Internet came into your life? I have posted the same question on Magic Smoke, so leave a link to your reply on a comment there. Here is my answer.
Before the WWW:
1. If I wanted to look something up, I would go to the library and read a book
2. I would make phonecalls and write letters
When the Internet came into my life:
3. I found I could gather information from across the globe at a click of a mouse
4. I could listen to radiostations from all over the world without fiddling with a shortwave radioset. That did spoil the thrill of listening to Radio Australia on SW.
5. It was possible to interact with people in real-time from all corners. It did spoil the thrill of receiving a letter, weeks later after writing your own, from a far-flung outpost.
6. It became possible to learn about any part of the world in an instant, without leaving your desk chair.
And I can go on for yonks.
Wednesday 30 April
Nice sunny day, with a bank of cloud to the east. The wind is from the northeast, but the weather radar shows a bank of cloud draped northeast to southwest across the country, some 100 miles away. That isn't going anywhere in a hurry.
I have very little time for football players, who run about on a grassy pitch for 90 minutes per week, and earning ridiculous amounts of money for it. And building the most appalling mansions. And engaging in cross-dressing sessions.
Here in Stornoway, 36 jobs have been axed at the local Harris Tweed mill, which lies about half a mile away on the eastern side of town. The place was taken over by a new owner last year, and business has been shrunk rather badly.
I have very little time for football players, who run about on a grassy pitch for 90 minutes per week, and earning ridiculous amounts of money for it. And building the most appalling mansions. And engaging in cross-dressing sessions.
Here in Stornoway, 36 jobs have been axed at the local Harris Tweed mill, which lies about half a mile away on the eastern side of town. The place was taken over by a new owner last year, and business has been shrunk rather badly.
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
Bright afternoon
which about sums things up this end. I'm feeling a bit better (thank you), although not all bugs have been knocked on the head yet. A few nasties remain, lurking in corners.
The oil prices have gone through the roof, everybody that drives a vehicle is squealing over the petrol prices. Sorry, I don't drive. The hauliers are complaining that they can't pass it on to their customers (like they don't, tsk). Yet, BP has announced a huge profit ($7.8 bn) in the first quarter of 2008. Someone is making a lot of bucks out of all this, and why? Here in the UK, we're paying in excess of $10 a (US) gallon - in my part of the country it is £6 a UK gallon. The US gallon is 3.78 litres, the UK gallon 4.54 litres. The taxman nets quite a bit of that apparently. So, I restate my question: why is the price of oil gone so mad?
The oil prices have gone through the roof, everybody that drives a vehicle is squealing over the petrol prices. Sorry, I don't drive. The hauliers are complaining that they can't pass it on to their customers (like they don't, tsk). Yet, BP has announced a huge profit ($7.8 bn) in the first quarter of 2008. Someone is making a lot of bucks out of all this, and why? Here in the UK, we're paying in excess of $10 a (US) gallon - in my part of the country it is £6 a UK gallon. The US gallon is 3.78 litres, the UK gallon 4.54 litres. The taxman nets quite a bit of that apparently. So, I restate my question: why is the price of oil gone so mad?
Tuesday 29 April
Overcast with occasional light rain, but not much wind. As yet feeling cool, with the mercury at 8C. It's early yet though.
Got a polite email back from the Burmese Met Department, saying they would consider putting warnings in English on their website. Meanwhile, they were a wee bit out in their forecast for tropical cyclone Nargis, which will make landfall in northern Myanmar on May 2nd, according to them. My information is that this will happen a day later, and my sources are pretty reliable.
In Jersey, a second man (aged 68) has been arrested in connection with alleged child abuse at the former children's home at Haut de la Garenne. More than 100 people allege to have suffered abuse at the home, where fragments of teeth, bone and a child's skull were unearthed during the investigation.
I was horrified to learn that the state of Virginia in the US was struck by 3 tornadoes yesterday afternoon. More than 200 people were injured, and a lot of damage done to the area around Suffolk, VA.
Got a polite email back from the Burmese Met Department, saying they would consider putting warnings in English on their website. Meanwhile, they were a wee bit out in their forecast for tropical cyclone Nargis, which will make landfall in northern Myanmar on May 2nd, according to them. My information is that this will happen a day later, and my sources are pretty reliable.
In Jersey, a second man (aged 68) has been arrested in connection with alleged child abuse at the former children's home at Haut de la Garenne. More than 100 people allege to have suffered abuse at the home, where fragments of teeth, bone and a child's skull were unearthed during the investigation.
I was horrified to learn that the state of Virginia in the US was struck by 3 tornadoes yesterday afternoon. More than 200 people were injured, and a lot of damage done to the area around Suffolk, VA.
Monday, 28 April 2008
Information - in Burmese
I just found the website for the Burmese Meteorological department, but - it was all in Burmese. Sorry, this is Myanmar I'm talking about.
I was looking for information on that hurricane which could be heading their way across the Bay of Bengal later this week, but I can't do much with stuff like:
I was looking for information on that hurricane which could be heading their way across the Bay of Bengal later this week, but I can't do much with stuff like:
Amstetten
This town in central Austria hosts the house of horrors, where Jozef Fritzl kept his daughter imprisoned for 24 years, sexually abusing and fathering 7 children by her. When one of those died, the corpse was incinerated - illegally. Fritzl has admitted to his heinous crimes.
Footage on TV this evening showed the subterranean passageways which were home to Elisabeth Fritzl for 24 years, never seeing daylight. Two of her offspring had never seen daylight in their lives (5 and 18 years). Mr Fritzl's wife did not have a clue what was going on beneath her feet. She believed that Elisabeth had gone missing in 1984. The cellars were hidden behind bookshelves, and were soundproofed. Read more here.
Footage on TV this evening showed the subterranean passageways which were home to Elisabeth Fritzl for 24 years, never seeing daylight. Two of her offspring had never seen daylight in their lives (5 and 18 years). Mr Fritzl's wife did not have a clue what was going on beneath her feet. She believed that Elisabeth had gone missing in 1984. The cellars were hidden behind bookshelves, and were soundproofed. Read more here.
Monday 28 April
Overcast this morning with a little wind. The rainfall radar shows rain not far away, although the bulk is falling over Highland Scotland. Not too cold, 12C / 54F.
My focus will be on the above tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, now named Nargis, which has blown up into a hurricane. The storm is expected to pack winds of 115 knots (that's 130 mph), gusting to 135 knots (155 mph) by the middle of the week, and will still not be anywhere near land. As I indicated last night, Myanmar and Bangladesh can expect to be hit hard by this system by the end of the week.
The strike at the Grangemouth oil refinery is in full swing, but tankers are delivering relief supplies of fuel. The refinery will be started up again by tomorrow morning, but it is not clear (to me) how long it will be before fuel supplies return to normal. Panic-buying is inevitably occurring, with some petrol stations running on empty already.
My focus will be on the above tropical cyclone in the Bay of Bengal, now named Nargis, which has blown up into a hurricane. The storm is expected to pack winds of 115 knots (that's 130 mph), gusting to 135 knots (155 mph) by the middle of the week, and will still not be anywhere near land. As I indicated last night, Myanmar and Bangladesh can expect to be hit hard by this system by the end of the week.
The strike at the Grangemouth oil refinery is in full swing, but tankers are delivering relief supplies of fuel. The refinery will be started up again by tomorrow morning, but it is not clear (to me) how long it will be before fuel supplies return to normal. Panic-buying is inevitably occurring, with some petrol stations running on empty already.
Sunday, 27 April 2008
Hurricane update - 27 April
Tropical cyclone 01B has formed in the southern Bay of Bengal, and promises to become a serious hurricane. Although the forecast does not range beyond 3 days, the storm will be packing winds of 85 knots by that time (that's 95 mph). Its point of landfall is not within the forecasting scope, but could be anywhere from Bangladesh south into Myanmar. If the rate of intensification, currently forecast, continues, then cyclone 01B could well be quite a devastating system.
Kidnapped for 24 years
A man of 73 has been arrested in the Austrian town of Amstetten, accused of kidnapping his daughter and fathering 7 children with her since 1984. The woman is now 42 years of age. One of her babies died shortly after birth. The youngest two only saw daylight for the first time in their lives as they were led out by police. More on this disturbing story from the BBC website.
Sunday 27 April
Fairly bright but blustery morning, with some showers later in the day. The wind is whipping the water in the basin up into white riders, not seen that for a while.
The Grangemouth refinery is now on strike, with only a skeleton staff on to keep the place on "hot stand-by" which should allow a quick resumption of production after Monday. Meanwhile, the megaphone diplomacy between management and workers continues - they are talking to everyone apart from each other. Extra fuel supplies are being shipped in by tanker from elsewhere in the UK and Europe.
Chechnya is one of those forgotten wars. It is a region in the south of Russia, which sought independence from Russia / Soviet Union in the 1990s. Boris Yeltsin, the then president, tried the iron fist approach. It failed, and cost thousands of lives. Relative peace is now reigning in the region's capital, Grozny, although the place crawls with armed men, and rubble is still very much in evidence. As is the threat of more violence. Read more here from this chilling report.
The Grangemouth refinery is now on strike, with only a skeleton staff on to keep the place on "hot stand-by" which should allow a quick resumption of production after Monday. Meanwhile, the megaphone diplomacy between management and workers continues - they are talking to everyone apart from each other. Extra fuel supplies are being shipped in by tanker from elsewhere in the UK and Europe.
Chechnya is one of those forgotten wars. It is a region in the south of Russia, which sought independence from Russia / Soviet Union in the 1990s. Boris Yeltsin, the then president, tried the iron fist approach. It failed, and cost thousands of lives. Relative peace is now reigning in the region's capital, Grozny, although the place crawls with armed men, and rubble is still very much in evidence. As is the threat of more violence. Read more here from this chilling report.
Saturday, 26 April 2008
Evening notes
A very blustery day here, but mostly dry. As I said a little while ago, fairly mild as well.
The Somali pirates continue to ply their trade. A Spanish fishing vessel and its 26 crew were released unharmed after a ransom of $1.2m was paid to the pirates. Somalia, in the Horn of Africa, is a country without government and ruled by various warlords. The US tried to intervene there in the 1990s, without success.
The recount in Zimbabwe has brought no reversal in favour of Mugabe, I'm relieved to learn. The outcome of the presidential elections will be known on Monday - to the candidates and their agents. When Johnny Public will know is anyone's guess.
A train was robbed near Marseille, France - for cushions bearing the Playboy logo. The train was brought to a halt by sleepers being placed across the tracks.
The Somali pirates continue to ply their trade. A Spanish fishing vessel and its 26 crew were released unharmed after a ransom of $1.2m was paid to the pirates. Somalia, in the Horn of Africa, is a country without government and ruled by various warlords. The US tried to intervene there in the 1990s, without success.
The recount in Zimbabwe has brought no reversal in favour of Mugabe, I'm relieved to learn. The outcome of the presidential elections will be known on Monday - to the candidates and their agents. When Johnny Public will know is anyone's guess.
A train was robbed near Marseille, France - for cushions bearing the Playboy logo. The train was brought to a halt by sleepers being placed across the tracks.
Saturday 26 April
After a night of rain and wind, the day has turned quite blustery with the odd shower. It is fairly mild, with temperatures of 13C / 57F at present. Down in southern England, it is rather warmer, with the mercury topping 21C in London. I'm not going out as I've not been feeling too good over the past few days.
I was very sad to learn that the jazz musician and BBC radio personality, Humphrey Littleton, has died at the age of 86. I knew Humph best as the host for the spoof radio game show "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue", which featured such famous items as "Morning Crescent" and "Swanny Kazoo", not to mention Samantha who had to go off to meet her gentleman friend, usually accompanied by a double-entendre.
The oil refinery at Grangemouth has now shut down complete ahead of tomorrow's industrial action. Fuel supplies should not be jeopardised, although the government is losing £50m a day once the pipeline from the North Sea oilfields shuts down at 6 am tomorrow morning. The strike is over pension rights.
I was very sad to learn that the jazz musician and BBC radio personality, Humphrey Littleton, has died at the age of 86. I knew Humph best as the host for the spoof radio game show "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue", which featured such famous items as "Morning Crescent" and "Swanny Kazoo", not to mention Samantha who had to go off to meet her gentleman friend, usually accompanied by a double-entendre.
The oil refinery at Grangemouth has now shut down complete ahead of tomorrow's industrial action. Fuel supplies should not be jeopardised, although the government is losing £50m a day once the pipeline from the North Sea oilfields shuts down at 6 am tomorrow morning. The strike is over pension rights.
Friday, 25 April 2008
Close of day
Closing proceedings early this evening. It is raining heavily outside, and it won't be light for any extended period beyond 9pm.
Angola is allowing the Chinese freighter, reportedly carrying arms for Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, to dock. Only goods destined for Angola will be permitted to be discharged. Luanda is an ally of Harare, but the ship with ammo is probably too hot a potato for them to get involved in. Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean authorities claim the country is under attack from its coloniser (the UK) and its allies. Robert Mugabe is living in the past by the sound of things.
The hurricane season in the southern hemisphere is in its last week, and will come to a close on April 30th. Two weeks later, the Eastern Pacific and 4 weeks later the Atlantic season will kick off. The Northwestern Pacific spawned a typhoon last week, so the focus is definitely shifting north.
If you live in Hurricane Alley, please review your preparations and contingency plans.
Angola is allowing the Chinese freighter, reportedly carrying arms for Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, to dock. Only goods destined for Angola will be permitted to be discharged. Luanda is an ally of Harare, but the ship with ammo is probably too hot a potato for them to get involved in. Meanwhile, the Zimbabwean authorities claim the country is under attack from its coloniser (the UK) and its allies. Robert Mugabe is living in the past by the sound of things.
The hurricane season in the southern hemisphere is in its last week, and will come to a close on April 30th. Two weeks later, the Eastern Pacific and 4 weeks later the Atlantic season will kick off. The Northwestern Pacific spawned a typhoon last week, so the focus is definitely shifting north.
If you live in Hurricane Alley, please review your preparations and contingency plans.
ANZAC Day 2008
[image courtesy baggas.com]
Petar [pvodogaz], now blogging on LiveJournal, reminds us that today is ANZAC Day. The Australian and New Zealand boys were sent to Gallipoli, west of present-day Istanbul, to mount an attack on Turkish forces during World War I. Due to misfortune, poor navigation and various other causes, the soldiers ended up on the wrong beach, one that was fronted by a high cliff. The Turkish soldiers, who sided with Germany, could just mow them down with their machine guns as they crested the top. It was slaughter.
Friday 25 April
Pretty cloudy after overnight rain, but the sun does put in an appearance. In between a shower or two, which is just happening.
The fuel panic in Scotland is spreading UK wide. The refinery at Grangemouth is the landing point for oil from North Sea platforms, and the planned strike (next Sunday and Monday) could cut off one third of the UK's supplies. Here in the far north, our fuel is delivered by tanker boat, which is due to resume deliveries by Tuesday. The Border Heather left Stornoway at 8 this morning.
Mugabe's police have stormed the head-quarters of the opposition MDC under the pretext of looking for criminals. However, they have also taken away computers and dozens of activists. This is not going well at all.
The fuel panic in Scotland is spreading UK wide. The refinery at Grangemouth is the landing point for oil from North Sea platforms, and the planned strike (next Sunday and Monday) could cut off one third of the UK's supplies. Here in the far north, our fuel is delivered by tanker boat, which is due to resume deliveries by Tuesday. The Border Heather left Stornoway at 8 this morning.
Mugabe's police have stormed the head-quarters of the opposition MDC under the pretext of looking for criminals. However, they have also taken away computers and dozens of activists. This is not going well at all.
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Late light
Over the next few weeks, I am going to once again display my usual pictures of "how light it still is at such a late hour". The sun set at 9 pm tonight. By late June, this time will be 10.35pm. Here are a few pics.
8.55pm
9.37pm
10.14pm (extended exposure)
8.55pm
9.37pm
10.14pm (extended exposure)
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