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Tuesday 17 January 2017

Blackbirds

Every other Tuesday I have been going in to Cambridge on the service bus to my U3A course on Polar Studies at the Scott Polar Institute. As the speaker today was commanded to go to the Economic Forum in Davos, we had a different speaker at short notice: he was very good.

On the way in, I just relax and count the bird species I see. Usually it is between 8 and 12 different species, although in total I have seen many more.

What struck me today was the vast number of blackbirds. They were everywhere. I am not sure why there seem to be so many: are the marking territory or seeking mates?

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/b/blackbird/. The image on the LHS is on the RSPB site.

There are some waxwings in Cambridge. These birds come from Scandinavia and are quite rare most winters. I have yet to see one. They are often seen eating berries in supermarket car parks.

EU and the UK pound

Since the Prime Minister clarified our position on leaving the EU following the BREXIT vote, I see that the UK pound is up against every currency. I guess people had already factored in that we are leaving the EU and are happy to have some certainty now.

Although I have said this before, it would not surprise me if the Euro lost a lot of value this year. The EU is in grave danger of falling apart.

I voted to "remain" in the EU, but many nations want free trade but NOT a United States of Europe. France is France. Germany is Germany, etc..  National identity IS important.  Originally the EU was about maintaining peace in Europe, but it has grown a lot in recent years and has rather lost its way.  Basically I think the EU is "a good thing" but it must not be a "gravy train": it should serve the people of Europe.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/market_data/currency/default.stm .

Monday 16 January 2017

Aortic Aneurism

AAA (abdominal aortic aneurysm) screening - this available free to all males in the UK in their 65th year or older. I did not know and was not screened until today. All clear. If you are male and in this category get checked. Ring your nearest AAA clinic (in Cambridge this is 01223 256909). If you do have an issue it CAN be fixed with a stent.

Sunday 15 January 2017

Wars


Most wars seem pointless.

In the Vietnam War (looking back) we were fed what those in power wanted us to hear. The trouble is getting factual data is often hard.

The UK, Saudis and Yemen

British bombs are falling on Yemen as 1.5 million children face starvation. This must stop. There's a line that must never be crossed - and it’s called the Arms Trade Treaty. By refusing to stop British bombs falling on Yemen, the UK government has crossed that line. Please write to your local MP: po.st/RedLineYemen and urge them to draw a #RedLineForYemen.

We happily trade with corrupt regimes like Saudi Arabia selling them arms so they can fight our wars by proxy. It seems we are just interested in their money. Does the UK government think this is right?

Thursday 12 January 2017

Snow?

Usually when the Met Office predicts snow here we get rain. We may get snow here tonight or tomorrow, but I'll believe it when I see it!

New Zealand Blog

My wife was cleaning a shelf and came across a photo album of our 2009 trip to New Zealand. It is amazing what you forget. Luckily, we did a blog and can look back and recall the visit.

If you get a chance, do go. At every turn it is beautiful and the people are warm and welcoming. It is NOT like the UK. Yes, the people speak English and lots of the birds in towns are English ones, but the wild places are not the same, with wild tree ferns and many trees quite different. 4 million people instead of more than 60 million helps!

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Spring around the corner?

At least both morning and evenings are getting lighter now. Although evenings started to get lighter from mid-December, mornings only started to get lighter this week.

Things growing are later than last season when some daffodils were out in late November. This winter it has been colder and there are only a few snowdrops out so far.

Spring is coming, but it will be some weeks yet.

Different roads

As I get older, I must think about things more. Often I wonder what life would have been like had I taken a different fork in the road: gone to a different university, done that PhD, taken a different job, not had children, married someone else, taken the job offer in California and so on. I expect everyone wonders this sort of thing. In a multiverse, maybe we do follow all possibilities but we are not aware of them. I often wonder.

See http://www.bartleby.com/119/1.html .

Sunday 8 January 2017

Plymouth Argyle

Well, my old local football team Plymouth Argyle (League 2) held Liverpool to a 0:0 draw in the FA cup match today. This earns them a replay (and money) in Plymouth.

Saturday 7 January 2017

Dreary January

January is an odd month. Kids have gone back to school, the post is quiet, nights are still long and everywhere feels "dead".
By the end of the month things have already started to change with first signs of new life in the garden, days getting longer and the hope of spring not too far away. January always seems a long, dark, dreary month.

By contrast, February flies!

Tuesday 3 January 2017

Panto

It is a UK tradition to go to a pantomime with children at Christmastime. Pantos are usually daft with the lead woman played by a man, with lots of ad libs and jokes. We went to Aladdin in Ely Maltings as we did last Christmas (different panto theme). We went a few days after Christmas and everyone enjoyed it.

Had we gone in Cambridge, it would have been much more expensive. The panto runs until next week. Great family fun.

See https://thelittleboxoffice.com/kdtheatre .