A day of modestly good news...ah

Having had the experiences with UK Social Services that I have, I'm heartened by the dropping of the planned Child database. Anything that gives these people, a number of whom have some very strange ideas indeed in my personal experience, less power can only be an improvement. The current scandal over the SS trying to seize the unborn child of Trainer and ex-Jockey Vicky Haigh has been quite alarming. Surely that sort of measure should only be applied if a child is in genuine danger, not just because Ms Haigh had a stand up row with her ex at a petrol station. A more sensible decision would have been to drag both parties before the beak and tell them to stay clear if they couldn't stand the sight of each other. Mind you, in my experience, UK Social Services don't always (some never) do sensible. My reflexive response to the statement "I'm a social worker" is generally to nod, smile, and look for the nearest exit without telling them my name.

On a more cheerful note, recent family discussions about the near to medium term, and what the next generation is going to get up to have all centred around Vancouver and the west coast. Youngest is talking about getting Canadian experience for six month after she's graduated to see if she likes it, as is Eldest. However, as a parent, one should always be aware that these are merely discussions. Although preparing contingency plans in case they both decide to turn up on the same day may be a good idea.

There's even more work than of late, so blogging has had to take a back seat. I just don't have the time to do everything.

The bagging of Bin Laden should come as good news to all sides of the religious divide. That is, if the news of his death is not an exaggeration, and not like the famous Nizam of Hydrabad, who was allegedly feeling 'much better' after his widely reported demise. Ironically, Bin Laden's boys have to date reportedly killed more Muslims than any other religious grouping. Funny that, seeing as they apparently want to 'defend Islam' against all us wicked 'Crusaders'. Not that I'm a 'Crusader' myself, my antecedents were all peasant and Yeoman farmers to a man (And woman). None of us C of E, either. As a historical note, most 'Crusaders' were the Templars and Hospitallers, who were driven from the Jerusalem area by the 1300's. Later on these groups were denounced as heretics, murdered and their fortunes plundered by the European Church and Nobles of the time. So the 'crusader' thing is a bit of a reach really.

Just as an observation, without Bin Laden and his cohorts ramming of Airliners into the World Trade Center, we might have been spared a couple of wars. So I for one am not sorry he's been slabbed. In a corner of Hell the fires will be burning a merry little glow of welcoming. The only trouble is, that he's probably inspired a lot more of the suicidal fruitcake fraternity to keep the pointless slaughter going for a while. The cell structure of Al Qaeda will remain without its figurehead, and many more will die for one man's vanity.

Oh well, what the hell, it's Canadian Federal Election day tomorrow, so I shall watch the results come in online, and although I can't vote yet, our local incumbent has my best wishes. She's a good constituency MP, and that buys my vote every time, even if I don't totally agree with her Party's policies.

The last Royal Wedding

Mrs S and I were discussing this particular topic today. The usual squishy smarmy media overkill, the hyped up 'threats' of a few people who really need to go out, get a job and do something positive with their lives. The whining about 'heavy handed policing' before the couple have even walked down the aisle.

I was particularly amused that Brown and Blair haven't been invited, and vouchsafed that the only thing that would make me watch is if at the end when the happy couple were making their vows, the two ex Prime Traitors were dragged off to the Tower for a little off the top. A new block and freshly sharpened axe being mere courtesy details. I'd love to have the ticket concession for that particular event. I could retire.

"We should be so lucky." Said Mrs S. "I could do with a giggle."
"I won't watch. Seen one Royal Wedding, seen 'em all." I replied.
"It'll be the last one." She opined.
"Really?" Quoth I. A little surprised.
"The Royal family will cease to exist in it's current form in the next ten years. The EU will see to that." She continued.
"I know Charley boy is getting cosy with the Commission. You don't think someone has offered him the top job do you?" I posited.
"All a bluff. No politician worth his salt wants a hereditary hierarchy, unless of course it's his progeny." Mrs S shrugged.
"So you reckon it's game over for the Windsors?" I asked.
"Afraid so." She said. "I used to be quite fond of the Royal Family."
"I still won't bother watching." I said. "Even if it is the last."
"Got enough DVD's for viewing this week?" She asked.
"Sure." Said I, and that was the end of the discussion. Red Dwarf and the latest series of House MD it is, then. I'm working that day anyway.

By the way: It can (and has been) cogently argued that Queen Elizabeth the second has broken her coronation oath. Therefore, if said oath was ever a two way bargain between Monarch and Subject, one could be forgiven for thinking that neither she and the 'firm', nor the government of the UK, has any sovereignty left over UK born residents at all.

As an additional thought; to show loyalty, one must swear or affirm it in front of witnesses. An oath of fealty to any authority can never simply be assumed without at least some tacit or overt agreement from all parties.

Funny things, oaths and promises.

Busy...

It's Spring. There's lots to do outdoors. Bowstrings to shoot in, fish to hook. You know how it is.

Oh, and cleaning. Clearing log stores for next years supply. Evicting the spiders webs. Cleaning the pool. Getting ready for Summer.

Krisuvik comparison

Just been looking at the latest swarm activity around Krisuvik, Iceland. The activity seems to be migrating away from Kleiforvatn under the lava fields to the West. Depth seems to have retreated to the 3-7km level, so for the moment, until any other developments are forthcoming, I'd say the threat of an immediate eruption is receding.

There's been a little shallowish grumbling under Grimsvotn which might indicate a minor eruption will be underway shortly. This is nothing unusual, and generally results in glacial floods as lava melts the ice above.

I'm still hacking away at a post about the planet and electromagnetism, but every time I try, there's been a new development. So, back to the drawing board.

I'm also feeling more tired than usual. Mrs S is back from hospital, and I spend the time I'm not at my new job running errands and generally making sure she's comfortable. It's also playing havoc with my sleep pattern, which isn't too wonderful as I'm currently working in shifts (and very pretty I look, too).

Hi ho. Time for bed. Zzzzzzzzzzz.

Sometimes...

Sometimes you get dreams so vivid they seem like reality. Last night was a case in point. I swear I dreamed an entire movie and novel combo; characters, plotlines, the whole nine yards. With a full supporting cast of Zombie like creatures, and various feeders off human life force. A really stonking bad guy, and a cast of all too human heroes and villains. A battle against subtle and not so subtle forces of repression.

The dream almost had the feel of a false memory, but nowhere can I find a record of a similar piece of work in any of my previous reading or viewing. Multiple searches can find nothing even vaguely genre related apart from a couple of early sci-fi disaster type movies from the late 50's.

Where it all began was with Delcatto's question about power generation from the Earth's magnetic field which has had me thinking about various related issues. A decent end result should be done and dusted in ninety days if I buckle down to serious work. A 90,000 word novel, and a cut 'n paste job of dialogue into a screenplay. Everything is so well mapped out I could almost do it in my sleep. Which is ironically where the process got kickstarted.

I'll give it a whirl and see where the thought takes the idea.

Bárðarbunga and general Iceland tremor activity

There's been a lot of media interest in Bárðarbunga recently, and I've posted the two screengrabs from the Icelandic Met Office Earthquake web site. The top picture was a record of recent tremor activity from 6th January 2011. The lower was snapped today. I've annotated it with rough approximations of where various volcanoes are, and what was happening today. Not a lot is the answer. Which of course doesn't make very good copy, but it is accurate.

What does this portend? We don't know.

Update: The man whose quotation began the scare, Dr Pall Einarsson, is also quite rightly annoyed about how his interview has been twisted in the lamestream media. A classic demonstration of how the search for dramatic 'stories' can make black look white and conjure non-existent bogeymen out of the slightest shadow.

Volunteerism

I do around nine to twelve hours voluntary work every week and one of the things I've noticed over the past two years has been a significant decline in the number of volunteers. I wasn't sure why until recently.

Put simply, a volunteer is someone who gives up their time, often with expenses completely unpaid and often using their own tools. Yet I'm seeing a sea change in voluntary work locally that has led to a shrinkage in the numbers of people giving up their time for good causes. It's got to the point where even the local branch of the Red Cross has been struggling to keep volunteers.

The problem as I see it is the increasing 'professionalisation' of the voluntary sector. The increase in paperwork necessary for prospective volunteers has gone from a single sheet waiver and CRB check, to a number of quite heavyweight legal documents, reference checks, and more in depth Criminal Record Bureau checks. In short, it's becoming more of an effort to volunteer. This puts a proportion of people off.

The skill levels required of volunteers are also increasing. Where once professional qualifications were not required, now they are being increasingly demanded by non-profits because their public liability insurance demands it. A transformation is occurring where volunteers are becoming more like unpaid part time workers. Again, this is another demotivating factor.

No one has yet suggested that volunteers clock in and out, but I think with the current crop of new management moving into relatively well paid Executive posts at National level, it's only a matter of time. These guys are coming in with brand new shiny university degrees in their hot little hands, and don't really understand what makes a volunteer tick. I've met a few, and while their enthusiasm can be infectious, the whole pep rally thing kind of palls after a while. Especially when there's another form to sign. It's more intense, and makes for a slightly less friendly environment, which is one of the reasons people volunteer.

This transformation in voluntary work may prove the last straw for many people who volunteer, as while respective charities need them more and more, there will be fewer people willing to jump through the extra hoops to provide the help said charities provide.

If this is the model for Cameron's 'big society', they need to stop and very carefully think it through again.

Now if only....

Got an email from a friend regarding the draft of a science fiction MSS I'd sent to him. He liked it, and is eagerly awaiting the next in the series.

Considering I've been very remiss on the serious writing side of things over the past four months, I was quite pleased with his response. I was rather expecting "Nah Bill. Load of crap." So I was quite pleasantly surprised.

I'm about half way through the sequel, and I've already plotted out the paths to the final denouement in the third MSS. Yet recently there's been too many distractions to buckle down and finish what I started.

Now if only I could get a mainstream publisher interested..... Bugger! where'd I put those plot and character notes?

Todays earworm is....

This.....


Hits you when you're perusing seven and eight year old photo albums. Still can't find the one of Mrs S and I in the brand new motorcycle leathers I'd just bought for us. It's in here somewhere, dammit!

Oh yes, and I took this mornings test with a stinking head cold and still scored over 90%. Another one for the CV.

Lurgi

No wonder I've been feeling out of sorts for the past couple of days. My recent mild sense of disconnectedness and distraction has morphed into a nose that was not so much running as speeding, sore throat, mild fever, and general feeling of malaise, as in run down - by a truck. One of the many seasonal lurgi has come to call. Nothing major, just enough to put me off my game for a while. The fever broke about half an hour ago, potions have been employed, and full health is but hours away.

Although you wouldn't have thought I was poorly at work today, hands and body just got on with things whilst Mr Brain took a day off. Fortunately most of todays tasks did not require any high level cogitation, or dealing with less than forgiving mortal mouths, and I could just wing it in comfort.

Passed an exam with flying colours yesterday, despite feeling slightly crook. Probably got a higher mark because I went through the whole thing twice, just to be certain. Still kicking myself over two silly mistakes, but when it comes to real life, I don't miss much so I'm not really fussed. Another piece of paper, and something I can use as leverage for a rise. It's all good. I've got another test on Friday, not such a hard one, but still tough enough to keep me on my toes. A quick skim through the text book at bedtime tonight should be sufficient to load the neurons with the necessary patterns to recognise. The rest, as they say, will be in the lap of the examiners.

Can't be arsed with all the idiocy in the news. I'm sure theres a lot of stuff flung out into the public domain just to see who bites, and at the moment I'm simply not that interested. Got told I was 'another weirdo' who didn't watch TV, by guess who, another self confessed non-TV watcher. Although I think he was kidding me, but I was too foggy headed to care.

Still tripping over boxes of 'what the hell did we ship this for'? My mother has for some reason packed two of my Dad's old golfing trophies. Maybe it's a hint, although I still share Sam Clemens opinion that Golf is a waste of a good walk. Whenever asked by a golfing friend what my handicap is, I always answer truthfully "My Swing." Well, you're good at what you do well, and golf will have to remain one of those things I don't do well. Many small white balls may have reason to be truly thankful for this small mercy.

Tried out my small hunting bow, only to have the old bowstring go 'kerchiong' on me at full draw sending the bow leaping out of my hand to bounce off the wall nearly twenty feet away. Well, it had been in store for the past four years, I suppose the damp must have got at the Dacron bindings. Mrs S gave a shout (God alone knows why, she was in the next room), and I retrieved my 45lb draw toy with a slight expression of embarrassment. I suppose the local Deer will be safe until I get a new bowstring made and shot in properly. That will have to wait for the weekend.

Time for bed.

Irrevocable

Today's word is irrevocable, that which may not be revoked, or a position from which there can be no retreat. A watershed, a Rubicon if you will.

Today we unpacked the last of our 'settlers effects'. A lot of books and photo albums, framed pictures, half written MSS, my second Bow and enough arrows to fight a small medieval war. Enough kitchenware and crockery to open a small restaurant, and various sentimental items.

Maybe it was because I was so distracted that I forgot to drink my morning coffee, but right this minute I'm feeling a little disconnected. A trifle lost. The big project of emigration has come to a close and I'm not 100% sure of what to do now apart from what I was doing anyway.

Oh sod it, that will have to do until I and our girls are eligible for citizenship.

Busy

A busier than normal week looms ahead.

Item 1: Settlers effects. Apparently these are in Vancouver (But we've only the shippers word for that). We were informed that they had arrived January 2nd and that we would be told where to turn up for the customs check. Last Friday I had a conversation with an ever so slightly nervous and evasive sounding manager who assured me that they were having trouble scheduling drivers. Don't know what it was, but something in her her tone made my bullshit detector array twitch like a caffeine freak on amphetamines. We are told clearing customs may necessitate a trip to Victoria, which I really don't have time for. Then there is being at home for the delivery at 24 hours notice, which might royally screw up our schedule.

Item 2: My, ahem 'Crash course' in the ICBC motor vehicle damage claims system continues when the parts arrive for my poor wounded (And brand bloody new!) SUV rear ended last Tuesday. From my perspective it's all pretty painless, but time consuming.

Item 3: Change of employment. Now I am a permanent resident of Canada I can legally take any job that I can get hired for. An interview for a very nice job indeed is in the offing, which has to fit in with all my other work / voluntary work, chasing after Customs Officials / Shippers, getting cars fixed etcetera that this week has to throw at us.

Everything could all go pear shaped quite easily, and very probably will, knowing my luck. Damn, there's my cynicism again, knew I'd left it somewhere.

So it's not just me then?

Digest, contemplate.

Inspired by Scoakat.

What an interesting day it's been

A number of relatively shallow tremors have occurred under Torfajokull, which last erupted in 1477. There is some ongoing shallow activity under Katla, but nothing apparently significant at this time. Unless there's some news about ground movement or other volcanic indicators, you can't make any guesses one way or another. Apparently it differs from others because it undergoes Silicic eruptions, which I'm told creates 'stickier' magma.

Other things today; oh yes Mummylonglegs has pulled her blog "And there was me thinking". Maybe she'll resurface under a wordpress or other ID. Her voice will be missed.

On a personal note MML, drop me a line if you start blogging again. You and your Squids were always part of my mornings entertainment.

What else? Oh yes, a dozy item in a Ford F150 rear ended my car, my brand new bloody car! My stationary brand new bloody car. Grrr, snarl, growl.. However, the collision seemed to do more damage to his pickup, and only superficial damage to our small SUV. Said gentleman claimed he couldn't stop in time, although I hadn't felt any ice as we crossed the self same stretch of road less than half a minute earlier. He was all apologies, and said his brakes hadn't worked. I saw no point at getting mad at him. Okay, fine, maybe, but to teach him to stay a little more alert at the wheel in future, there's a bill for a couple of thousand dollars winging it's way via ICBC. I am rather upset by the whole business, but Mrs S and I have already sorted the estimate and the claim through the very efficient claims system here (Even if there are tales of people having their hand in the ICBC's cookie jar). We took it to a recommended body shop and the parts have been ordered. We've no excess to pay, and by late next week Thumper should be good as new.

The snow promised began falling just before dusk, and we're waiting to see what kind of coverage results. The city is already making provision for a heavy fall, road sanders have been out, and free parking provision has been made in case some places are made inaccessible. What a refreshing change from the mindset of UK local authorities.

Oh what an interesting day it's been. I'll be glad when it's all over.

Bring it on

Just seen this via Environment Canada's Weather service for our little enclave.

Logs are dry and ready. Batteries purchased in case the power goes. We have food, we have warmth. Bring it on.

Update: According to the forecast the snow will turn to rain by mid Wednesday. We're good to cope with any floods as well.

Oh, snow

Awoken around ten to five this morning by a selection of thumps and bumps outside the window. Thinking that we had some form of wildlife problem, Mrs S got out of bed to peer through a gap in the curtains. "Bill?"
"What?"
"It's been snowing."
"Oh."
"It's falling off the roof."
"Can't be that cold then." I rolled over and went back to sleep, to be confronted by the images below at eight in the morning.
A modest sprinkling of three to four inches coats everything, but I'm not concerned despite all the nonsense being shunted about cold weather being (Yet another) symptom of the farcical 'global warming'. It's a busted flush, a nonsense to scare the gullible and small children who don't have a grounding in Physics.

We have winter tyres and a brand new 4x4, the log store is well stocked. Warming? what warming? Winter still has three more months to run.

Zzzzzzzz.

Risk and fear

Out and about yesterday, bargain hunting for kitchen gear in the sales. Mrs S had baggsyed the drivers seat, so I'm relaxing in the co-pilots position letting my mind wander. Found myself thinking about the mechanics of the risks we all take on a daily basis. For example, sitting in the front passenger seat in traffic at some eighty kph could be compared with falling face first off a wall. Say there was no engine, windscreen, seat belt or airbag in front of me and I came to an abrupt halt, there is a distinct chance that I would not survive. Particularly if that sudden halt was occasioned by a solid concrete wall. Yet many people take equivalent risk daily without even a single nod towards the consequences. To even fully consider the consequences would mean you'd spend your days in a permanent state of abject grovelling terror.

A century ago such a mode of travel would have been inconceivable. Yet today most of us shrug off even the merest notion that we are an eyeblinks inattentiveness from serious injury or death. Then you see the self same people worrying themselves sick over stuff with an infinitesimal risk factor, like pesticide residues, mobile phone radiation, or having the occasional drink. As they say over here, go figure.

For my own part, I'm rather glad that I never listened to the worry warts who said moving to Canada was foolish; "No Bill, you'll never make it, not qualified enough" (Shows how much they knew about me, eh?) Mrs S and I stepped up to the plate, and despite a couple of strikes (If you'll forgive the Baseball metaphor), made it along with the rest of our little clan.

There's a saying that the unexamined life is not worth living. It occurs that part of that examination must come from serious tests of the mind, body and spirit. A simple physical challenge like a Marathon is not sufficient to qualify. Any such experience must leave an indelible mark between the ears, and destruction test a persons self doubt to be truly valid. Needless to say, this entails considerable risk, especially financial.

Sometimes I've been given to thinking that if I'd known what the immigration road ahead had been like; I'd have thought twice back in 2001 before giving my solemn oath to Mrs S that we would emigrate. Instead of taking a deep breath, nodding, and saying; "Though hell itself should bar the way." Let me tell you, there's a considerable downside to this trying to do the right thing all the time. In the intervening nine years we've pretty much destruction tested our relationship and both become more than we were. All because we decided to confront our natural fear of the unfamiliar and manage the inevitable risk of taking a chance.

I'm enjoying it so far. I think.

Melting

A minor thaw has set in this afternoon, which has meant tranches of snow is sliding off the roof with a sound like someone is shifting particularly heavy items of furniture about up top followed by mini avalanches grumbling down onto the deck. Dog is fretting, and has taken to skulking in the bathroom with his head tucked behind the toilet. God knows why he does this, because this fright of loud noises isn't anything he got from us.

It being what we call a 'snow day' when everything bar essential services shuts down, I've been upping my intellectual input by watching 'Jude the Obscure'. Unfortunately, our technology has given up in protest, and our cheap little DVD player refuses to play any more. Got to the scene where Jude's illegitimate son is paraded in front of his new wife to be before it stopped and the power light began to flash rapidly. Who says machines don't have some sensitivity? Apparently ours baulks at overlong BBC productions of Thomas Hardy novels, although it will quite cheerfully play Ciaran Hinds' performance in the 'Mayor of Casterbridge'. Yet stuff what is a visually unblemished copy of Jude the Obscure in and the damn thing goes on strike. Definitely weird.

Brrr!

Just picked this little weather warning up for the next 24 hours. Now the guys on the prairies will view 5-15cm of snow as risible and barely worth a mention, but they tend to get a more powdery snow than us in our more maritime climate. Snow over on the Island tends to be heavy and wet by comparison to the stuff they get further east. It also compacts into ice very quickly, which compounds any hazard.

However, chez Sticker is fully equipped for all eventualities, even student protests, although the one we mainly get is along the lines of "Awwww Mum!" Our two have their flights booked and paid for, and are busy trying to get themselves organised enough to spend the festering season with us, grandparents, Aunts and friends. That's Canada, Northern England and France. All right for some, eh?

Baby it's cold outside

Minus six to be precise, and no surcease forecast for the next day or so. Now I know for our hardier brethren out on the prairies that's still shorts and T-shirts weather, but for us softies here on Vancouver Island it's cold!

Log fire is lit 24/7, and yesterday our venerable old Battlebuses starter solenoid was frozen solid, so last night I rigged up the block heater to prevent the wind chill freezing the engine. For those not familiar with the device, a block heater is an electrical heating system you plug into the mains which keeps the engine compartment above freezing for easy cold starts.

Aside from that, it's business as usual. The new Winter tyres are making easy travelling on the snow and ice, and we're getting where we need to be. No problemo.