Cancer

On of my wife's friends has, out of the blue, been told she has breast cancer that has spread. It was a total shock. It was picked up by a routine screeing. She had had no pain or warnings. She has been told she has less than 5 years to live. Both my father and grandfather died in their 60s of heart conditions. I know my time is limited. Maybe I'll live to 95 or I could die next week. However I have hope. What she has been told is, in effect, a death sentence. I'd find this hard to accept. Clearly she is very worried. She has not been helped by her doctor who was rather uncaring about the whole thing. With cancer there is always hope. Some do recover and surely she should have been told this

Australian In-laws

For the last few days we have been hosting our son's Australian in-laws so my blogging has been restricted. This morning, they returned to my son and family in Kent. It was very good to see them.

EU referendum

The UK votes in a referendum on whether to remain in the EU or leave on June 23rd 2016.

Like many, I am undecided.

The UK is not a world power with an empire - this went years ago. The EU is a gravy train for bureaucrats and is an unelected quango in the main creating so many laws that most small companies cannot keep up with them.  At the same time, WW3 starting in Europe has not occurred and as long as there is an EU is unlikely. There is much wrong with the EU, but much of it is a force for good. The EU needs to reform.

No I am still undecided.

What I do know is this is a very important decision which will effect us for years to come. I think the vote will be very close. Should we vote to leave, I think others will follow too not many years down the line.

My gut says leave but my logical self says stay in. The best outcome would be if the EU was a real force for good in the world. It puzzles me why so many countries seem to accept it as it is.

UPDATE 1400z:  I am really fed up with NEGATIVE messages and spin.

Interest Rates

The Fed has indicated that interest rates in the USA could rise as early as June. In the UK, the FTSE 100 has fallen as a result. In the UK we have had low interest rates for years now and young people have no idea about living with higher rates and all this means. Debt suddenly becomes expensive, mortgages go up and savings rates improve. There is also the issue of balance of payments as foreign governments become more reluctant to lend us money to live beyond our means.

Chibok girls - Nigeria

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36321249 .

The BBC reports that the first girl abducted in 2014 has been found. If this had happened in the UK or USA can you imagine how this would have developed?

More Devon

A view of Burgh Island in the evening sunshine. We did a short stroll this evening from the cottage where we are staying which is very close to the coast.

Devon

So, I was going to do some radio operating from a bench on the coastal path, but instead we went for a walk along the coastal path in the glorious sunshine. In all I walked about 3.5km, which in my current state is quite good. Years ago this would have been trivial.  The first image is Thurlestone, Devon looking towards Burgh Island.

Earlier in the day we were in Salcombe where I was brought up.  These days it has become gentrified with locals priced out and local shops replaced with clothes shops for the well heeled.

Nuclear Fusion and Cars in the Future

There is lots of research going on into nuclear fusion.  Unlike nuclear fission which is used today and results in long-term nuclear waste, nuclear fusion could use the almost endless supplies of non-polluting deuterium in seawater. It is probably decades away from being commercially possible as the technical challenges are immense. Research is starting to yield results though.  Nuclear fusion holds the potential for almost endless, low cost, energy.  It could hold the keys to the future, but it is not yet possible, although the research must continue. This is one area where worldwide collaboration would benefit us all.

As for electric cars, although a "good idea" I think range is a real killer. Most journeys are short, I know, but ranges of several hundred miles on a single charge are really needed and I just can't see this even with the best battery technology likely in the next few decades. Replacement batteries for electric cards are very expensive. No, this is an area where a lot more research is needed both in transport for the masses in an age beyond carbon and in battery technology. We need some "thinking outside the box" in these areas. Cars that do not need diesel or petrol are essential. We have to crack this one and come up with good solutions.

BBC under threat?

Who doesn’t love CBeebies? Kids love it, and so do parents. BBC children’s programmes, like CBeebies, allow us those precious few minutes in a day to make a cup of tea. And we can trust that our kids are watching quality TV.

But children's TV as we know it is under threat. It's being reported that the government plans to take money away from the BBC’s children’s programmes. They want to give money-making channels a chance to compete for children’s shows.

The government is expected to announce the cut to the BBC children's budget this Thursday. So a big petition, standing up for advert-free BBC children's television, will show that there's huge public opposition to the government's plans.

Please can you sign the petition to save BBC children's television?  See  http://38d.gs/21NJSjN

Personally  I have a problem with children being bombarded with adverts for things they do not need. The BBC is good as it is. There is a danger our government will ruin it.  Save it!

Corsican wind?

Years ago we spent a couple of great holidays on Corsica. My wife is trying to do a quiz in the paper and is stuck on a wind in north east Corsica with the second letter "i" and the last letter "t". I tried Googling to no avail. I thought I knew this, but obviously I don't.

American hotels and breakfast

One of my first surprises on trips to the USA was that few (no?) hotels offer breakfast. They expect you to get this down the road. Most have places to eat very nearby, but if you are not used to this it comes as a surprise. I have an old work colleague who is in Indiana for a conference and he was caught out.

Once, in eastern Canada, we stopped for breakfast at a roadside cafe. There were 6 fried eggs and lots more on the plate. It was huge. We did not go hungry!

Weather - settled spell ended

Yesterday we probably had the last warm and sunny day of the current spell, so we spent a lot of the afternoon in the garden with our son Tim. On the right is our ornamental cherry tree (full of blossom) and on the left our garden shed with the new bird-box just to the left of the shed window. It is probably too late this year but maybe it will be used next spring? Today it is dull and raining!

Next door's sumac tree is only just in leaf. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumac .

9th May 2016

Life on Mars?

See http://www.theworldweekly.com/reader/view/magazine/2014-12-18/there-may-be-life-on-mars-after-all/2909 .

Sunshine

Well, today we probably saw the last of our warm, sunny weather. Tomorrow rain is forecast. We have had very few settled period  this year with mostly low pressure systems and maybe a few sunny days. In the last few days we have had warmth and sunshine and the garden has really come on.

UPDATE 2220z:  It has been raining here now for several hours.  Ho hum - was that it? Spring and summer over?

Sepura Shares

Shares in my old company Sepura (SEPU) ended the day nearly 5% up. They fell heavily a few weeks ago.

See http://www.lse.co.uk/ShareChart.asp?chart=intraday&sharechart=SEPU&share=sepura .

Shed

Garden Shed

Yesterday I did most of the re-sealing of my garden shed. I still have a bit to do in the sunshine later as well as the garden bench, a gate and the bird table. I am taking it in easy stages as I get tired easily these days.

At least the last few days have been sunny and warm - ideal for these sorts of jobs.

Stroke update

2.5 years after my cerebellum brain bleed, I am still suffering. The worst are the poor speech, the profound exhaustion I suffer after most mental or physical exertion and feeling drunk all of my waking hours.

To others I look fine. This is part of my frustration: everyone thinks I am fully back to normal, whereas I know different. It is very very hard to accept.

Secure blog connection

Set your link to this blog to https://qss2.blogspot.com if you want a secure link. This is a recent Google change. The old link should still work. Note the https:// and not http:// in the URL.

RRS Sir David Attenborough

The new polar research vessel has been named after Sir David Attenborough and not Boaty which was the outcome of a popular vote. I think this is the right decision.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36225652 .

Change - a fact of life?

It probably happens to everyone and certainly does here. One go along a path that is little changed for years and then something happens to change things - like someone stops working, you move, or someone close dies. I guess we all have to accept that change happens. It is part of life. When it happens it comes as a shock, but one has to move on.

In my case I had a stroke 2.5 years ago. At the time I expected to make a full recovery: 2.5 years later I still drive and walk and my intellect is still fine but my voice is very poor, I tire very easily with almost any physical or mental effort, and life is still a fog. Oh how I miss being my old self.

Names you no longer hear about

If you live in the UK the names Peter Skellern and Richard Stilgoe may sound familiar. These pianists and singers were popular in the 1980s but I have not heard them or seen them for many years. As far as I know both are still alive, but they seem to have dropped from view. Perhaps they've had a change of career?

Sepura shares

Although a long way below their peak, Sepura (SEPU) shares are rising again today despite a large fall in the FTSE 100 share index. At the moment they are trending upwards.

See http://www.lse.co.uk/ShareChart.asp?chart=intraday&sharechart=SEPU&share=sepura .

Lichfield, Staffs, UK

We were in Lichfield for my brother-in-law's 70th birthday party, so I was not able to update the blogs. It was a good family get-together. I guess it won't be too long before some of us meet for funerals! It will be some years before there is a round of grandchildren's weddings. For some of these we may be around, but it is unlikely we'll see them all get married. Still, this is how it has always been since time began.

Lichfield is a small city to the north of Birmingham. It has a very nice cathedral with three spires. Unusually, the cathedral is made in red sandstone. It has some fine carvings over the entrance. Lichfield itself is charming with many fine old buildings and a pedestrianised centre. There are 2 large lakes near the cathedral. I guess at one time these were stocked with fish for monks nearby?

Bury St Edmunds

Bury St Edmunds is our favourite place to shop. It is a bit further than Cambridge but easier to get to. It is a classic Suffolk market town with charming shops and a good market twice a week. Most of the people you see are true locals from the area with Suffolk accents.

In Cambridge it seems that a good proportion of the people are from China!

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bury_St_Edmunds .

Sepura share rebounding?

See http://www.lse.co.uk/ShareChart.asp?chart=intraday&sharechart=SEPU&share=sepura .

Shares in my old company seem to be bouncing back after heavy falls earlier due to a profits warning. I retired 8 years ago, which is a long time. I am very out of touch. Sepura design, make and sell TETRA and DPMR radios with a focus on public safety. They sell worldwide to more than 100 countries. On the whole, I enjoyed my time there.

Alibris (again)

Yes, you guessed, another "special offer" today. I just ignore them. Silly, stupid marketing.

Witchford walk

This morning the sun shone.

As I write this, we have hail again!

On the walk we saw baby moorhens, swallows, house martins, a blackcap, a chiffchaff and a buzzard among the many. It was a shortish walk but tired me out. It is years since I was last in this village near Ely.

The name "Witchford" comes from witches. Not far away is the village of "Coveney", which must also have past connections with witchcraft centuries back.

Hail

We had a very mild and wet winter followed by a cold spell in February and March. Here we are at the end of April with a wind from the north 7 deg C, hail, and now thunder! We have had daffodils in flower since the end of November. The weather is crazy! Because of the storm risks, I have disconnected all my amateur radio gear.  There has just been another hail storm and the grass is now white!

Alibris UK "bargain"

Well, this must be a bargain - NOT!  Yet again, they are offering "up to £20 off". I must get at least 3 a week from them. Never, EVER pay the full price as there is always a "never to be repeated" special deal.

Yes, this IS the place to go for secondhand books, but why treat us as idiots?

See http://www.alibris.co.uk/ .

Police and Crime Commissioner Elections

On May 5th we have elections locally for a new Police and Crime Commissioner. I have received no postal correspondence, haven't a clue who holds the post currently, and frankly don't care. I shall not vote as I feel I have no data on which to base my choice. What a shambles! The sad thing is this probably cost us all millions.

President Obama and the EU referendum

In the UK referendum I am likely to vote "IN" to remain in the EU but I get saddened by all the negativity and "spin" on both sides in this debate. The intervention by the current US president Obama does little good.

We have not had a trade deal with the US before and who is likely to benefit? Well, the USA of course.

Mr Obama, your intervention, although possibly well meant, is probably going to encourage people to vote "OUT".

It is fine to have an opinion (like I am amazed by the support in the USA for Mr Trump) but if you were in the EU Mr President you would not want the centralism in Brussels.  The EU needs to change and the UK is better in there shaping it in my view.

Your intervention is likely to backfire Mr Obama and is not helpful I am afraid.

UPDATE 2200z:  President Obama is quoted as having said that a trade deal with the USA could take "up to 10 years if we left the EU". Should we be voting to leave then?

Britain and the EU

Just watched the second Nick Robinson BBC2 programme about Britain and the EU. Some decent information in this series. If you are looking for real information,and NOT spin, I suggest you watch this on iPlayer or Catch-up if you can.

Trains talk

Just been to an excellent talk at Burwell Museum on "Railways in Burwell" by Steve Crane. It was well attended.

More talks - see the Museum's website at http://www.burwellmuseum.org.uk/ .

FTSE 100

At the moment the UK share index the FTSE 100 is down 0.46%.  There is plenty of time for it to fall further or recover.

Burwell Museum Talk Today

See http://www.burwellmuseum.org.uk/ .

Thursday 21 April 2.00 
Steve Crane, Burwell Museum’s Collection Manager 
"Railways in Burwell".
 
Talks are followed by tea and biscuits.   Free with museum admission. No admission charge for season ticket holders, Friends and museum volunteers.

Oxborough Hall

Today we visited Oxborough Hall in Norfolk. This is a splendid moated Tudor house owned by the National Trust. The Bedingfield family has lived here for 500 years.

We ate at Hingham in a small cafe where we had been before.  Hingham is where Abraham Lincoln's ancestors came from. It is between Norwich and Watton. It is a lovely place.

See http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburgh-hall
See http://www.lincolns-of-hingham.co.uk/

Swallows - at last

Yesterday, I was questioning if the number of swallows returning on migration was down as I had seen none so far in East Anglia, although there are daily sightings in Devon.

Well, today I saw 2 in Norfolk. By this time in April I have usually seen several, but not this year. I am sure numbers are down. At least I have now seen some.

Fewer Swallows?

Usually by this time I have seen quite a few swallows here in East Anglia, UK. They migrate from deep in Africa and I usually see them here from April 7th. In South Devon they are usually arriving by the beginning of April.

Swallow (Barn Swallow)

I know there are swallows around in Devon - they appear every day in the reports - but I am surprised not to have seen any up here yet. I may have seen one last week at Felixstowe Ferry but I was not certain. I definitely saw a house martin.

So, I am beginning to wonder if there are fewer swallows about this year as by now I would be seeing them quite commonly on telegraph wires. Of course, it could just be that I have been unlucky.

Swallows usually fly south from mid-September. They take a long and hazardous trip twice each year. Their forefathers have been doing this for thousands of years. I hope they still do long after I am gone. It is quite humbling really.

See http://www.rspb.org.uk/…/discover…/birdguide/name/s/swallow/ .

BBC's weak attempts at regional accents

At 1200-1215pm local time BBC Radio 4 has a series looking back 100 years to ordinary people in WW1.

Call me a grumpy old man, but I get appalled by the BBC's weak attempts at local regional accents. It really grates on me. It is not just the BBC. Why can't they get rural accents right? You can always tell a BBC Radio 4 drama a mile off! I guess they assume most listeners won't notice or care.

I watched the film "Warhorse" . It was appalling: a Dartmoor, Devon village was actually filmed in Wiltshire I think. It looked nothing like Devon. The Devon accents were very very bad. No excuses: they spend millions making these films and need to get the basics right.

No, get the accents right please!

Front Garden in Spring

This is a photo of our front garden yesterday. The windmill is in view on the right. Spring has nearly sprung: all the trees are now starting to look green or are in bud. Mind you, we still had a frost on Sunday morning.

Spring sunshine

Today started with a frost and ice on the car roof, but it has been sunny all day. The garden is still not in its "spring glory" yet, but it soon will be. There are buds or leaves appearing everywhere at last.

I like the lighter evenings too. It does not get dark here now until after 8pm. In June it is light until after 10pm.

Soon be time to hear swifts screaming in the evening sky. Great.

EU referendum

There is a poor quality debate on this matter. We vote on whether or not to remain in the EU in less than 10 weeks but the quality of the arguments is very poor.

The UK has looked towards the EU as a common market and never with a view to a political union. Many in Europe see it as a way to keep peace in Europe. At the moment I am still inclined to vote "IN" but the politicians here are certainly not winning hearts and minds on either side.

The debate needs to be more positive! All I hear are fear and uncertainty.

Late spring?

A few months ago everything seemed to be early. We have seen daffodils in flower right through from late November. Some places have loads of daffodils in flower and even some snowdrops still. Yet, if anything, spring is late here. It is now way in to April but I have yet to see a swallow in this area.  My laurel hedge is hardly growing. The grass has only been cut a few times. Odd. Yes there  are buds coming out, but spring is definitely not early here.

That EU referendum again

It is now 10 weeks until people in the UK hold a referendum to decide whether or not to stay in the EU. At the moment I am voting "IN" but I have been appalled by the campaigns so far. What comes across are fear and uncertainty. No-one seems to have anything positive to say! I hope this changes.

FTSE 100 and the world economy

At the moment the UK share index, the FTSE 100, is down about 0.48% today, no doubt spooked by Chinese growth slowing. The world economy is not that healthy and we could well be heading for another downturn. If the end result is a fairer world this would not be a bad thing.

EU referendum

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36024492

As a "floating voter" in the coming EU referendum I am not impressed by the £9M government publication going to each home and the negativity of the "IN" campaign.

Surely if staying in is a good thing, there are positive messages, not just more negative comments, that can be shared? My instinct is to vote "IN" but I may well change my mind.

I have a brain and intend to use it. I need to hear positive reasons to stay in the EU. All this negativity is counter-productive.

Innocent until proved guilty?

A recent case has arisen in which a man found guilty of a serious crime has professed his innocence  to a number of other charges. Mud sticks and innocent people get tarred even when they are innocent. Personally, I think no-one should be named until they are proved guilty of any crime. The law is an arse if innocent people are found guilty by the mob.

Alibris

Each and every week I get an email from Alibris with so much off for a very limited time. Do they think I really am stupid?

These offers are so often and so regular that I doubt anyone buys from them at the un-discounted prices. I hate these ploys. It is years since I have used them.

Their sad marketing tricks do not impress me one bit.

UPDATE 14.4.16 1050z: Yet another amazing "deal" has come in by email. Oh yes.

FTSE 100 - little change?

At lunch the FTSE 100 UK share index was down 0.09% at 6194.5. At the moment it is hovering around yesterday's closing figure.

Alibris amusement

Each and every week I get an email from Alibris with so much off for a very limited time. Do they think I really am stupid? These offers are so often and so regular that I doubt anyone buys from them at the un-discounted prices. I hate these ploys. It is years since I have used them. Their sad marketing tricks do not impress me one bit.