deathly

What a rubbish night's sleep.

To quote ellefurtle from yesterday, I woke up still asleep this morning.

I recall still being awake, tired and too hot at 3.11 this morning. At that point I'd beren in bed just shot of two hours (I was later than intended because I suddenly remembered I had to type up the quiz questions for tonight's quiz). It might be cooler outside, but it was still hot in the bedroom until well past insane o'clock. The wind had got up and was slamming the blinds against the windows; I couldn't work out how to get up to close the bathroom window and stop the cross current of air that was creating the problem, without waking Furtle, who was fast asleep and cuddled up. She's been feeling a little poorly (not too bad, but enough) all evening, so not waking her up seemed best.

When I did doze off, I know I had odd dreams, but they have faded and I have no idea what they were, now, other than they were strange.

It seems that when I did drift off, Furtle woke up at some point, ironically, because she got up and closed the window... That might have been around 5.00 because although I don't recall her getting up, I do remember looking at the clock. So, between three and a half and four hors of sleep followed by work. I'm reading the quiz questions tonight: right now I don't feel like doing it, but by then I should have my twentieth wind.

I shall have to take precautions to ensure that I don't wake up in Morden this morning.

deathly

What a rubbish night's sleep.

To quote ellefurtle from yesterday, I woke up still asleep this morning.

I recall still being awake, tired and too hot at 3.11 this morning. At that point I'd beren in bed just shot of two hours (I was later than intended because I suddenly remembered I had to type up the quiz questions for tonight's quiz). It might be cooler outside, but it was still hot in the bedroom until well past insane o'clock. The wind had got up and was slamming the blinds against the windows; I couldn't work out how to get up to close the bathroom window and stop the cross current of air that was creating the problem, without waking Furtle, who was fast asleep and cuddled up. She's been feeling a little poorly (not too bad, but enough) all evening, so not waking her up seemed best.

When I did doze off, I know I had odd dreams, but they have faded and I have no idea what they were, now, other than they were strange.

It seems that when I did drift off, Furtle woke up at some point, ironically, because she got up and closed the window... That might have been around 5.00 because although I don't recall her getting up, I do remember looking at the clock. So, between three and a half and four hors of sleep followed by work. I'm reading the quiz questions tonight: right now I don't feel like doing it, but by then I should have my twentieth wind.

I shall have to take precautions to ensure that I don't wake up in Morden this morning.

License to kill

TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


I am an armchair conservationist at best. No point pretending otherwise. I see the reports in the news and I read other people’s comments about this and that and I think to myself that something should perhaps be done. By someone.

I don’t doubt, for example, that climate change is happening and that the consequences for humanity and the world humanity has created look as though they might be quite severe. I remain unconvinced that the statistical sample is big enough to suggest that all climatic changes and/or events are down to human action or inaction. I wouldn’t rule it out, though and I think there is probably enough evidence to suggest that humanity has at least helped accelerate a natural process possibly beyond the ability of the planet to compensate in the short term. And before he gets the wrong end of the stick, I wouldn’t like hekai to think that I am in anyway undervaluing or otherwise dismissing his concerns on climate change. Something should, perhaps, be done. Quite what, I’m not sure, though I realise that Pete will furnish me with long and well-argued lists of options, if I let him!

Anyway, despite the pros and cons of various arguments and the validity of this research over that and the likely consequences of action over inaction, even I can see the blindingly obvious – and here I move away from climate change and onto what I perceive to be firmer ground.

The Tiger: In 1900 there were thought to be around 40,000 tigers in India. That’s probably only a fraction of what there would have been had they not been hunted. Nonetheless, it was a viable population. Today, India has 1,411 tigers in the wild. That is half what it was in 2002. In China, there are thought to be between 30 and 40 tigers left – though tiger farms have another 5,000 in captivity. Note that these are tiger farms, not zoos. Ostensibly these are tourist attractions, but the potential income from tiger bone wine dwarfs what the owners can make from tourism. Can anyone say with a straight face that they are not farmed for tonics, ointments, unguents and all manner of quack medicines, quite apart from the value of their pelts.

The dwindling world stock of tigers is likely to be pushed that much closer to extinction after China quietly approved the sale of products extracted from them. These products already fetch a high price on the black market and now the trade, in China at least, is legal.

I doubt there will be any tigers left in the wild in ten years.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6819403.ece

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article6819264.ece

So what does China produce that we simply must buy? Something should perhaps be done. By someone.

License to kill

TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


I am an armchair conservationist at best. No point pretending otherwise. I see the reports in the news and I read other people’s comments about this and that and I think to myself that something should perhaps be done. By someone.

I don’t doubt, for example, that climate change is happening and that the consequences for humanity and the world humanity has created look as though they might be quite severe. I remain unconvinced that the statistical sample is big enough to suggest that all climatic changes and/or events are down to human action or inaction. I wouldn’t rule it out, though and I think there is probably enough evidence to suggest that humanity has at least helped accelerate a natural process possibly beyond the ability of the planet to compensate in the short term. And before he gets the wrong end of the stick, I wouldn’t like hekai to think that I am in anyway undervaluing or otherwise dismissing his concerns on climate change. Something should, perhaps, be done. Quite what, I’m not sure, though I realise that Pete will furnish me with long and well-argued lists of options, if I let him!

Anyway, despite the pros and cons of various arguments and the validity of this research over that and the likely consequences of action over inaction, even I can see the blindingly obvious – and here I move away from climate change and onto what I perceive to be firmer ground.

The Tiger: In 1900 there were thought to be around 40,000 tigers in India. That’s probably only a fraction of what there would have been had they not been hunted. Nonetheless, it was a viable population. Today, India has 1,411 tigers in the wild. That is half what it was in 2002. In China, there are thought to be between 30 and 40 tigers left – though tiger farms have another 5,000 in captivity. Note that these are tiger farms, not zoos. Ostensibly these are tourist attractions, but the potential income from tiger bone wine dwarfs what the owners can make from tourism. Can anyone say with a straight face that they are not farmed for tonics, ointments, unguents and all manner of quack medicines, quite apart from the value of their pelts.

The dwindling world stock of tigers is likely to be pushed that much closer to extinction after China quietly approved the sale of products extracted from them. These products already fetch a high price on the black market and now the trade, in China at least, is legal.

I doubt there will be any tigers left in the wild in ten years.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6819403.ece

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/leading_article/article6819264.ece

So what does China produce that we simply must buy? Something should perhaps be done. By someone.

Quiz Night

A quick reminder to anyone in North London that the quiz is on as usual in the Griffin at Whetstone.

I am asking the questions tonight, so if you want to come along and be rude...

Quiz Night

A quick reminder to anyone in North London that the quiz is on as usual in the Griffin at Whetstone.

I am asking the questions tonight, so if you want to come along and be rude...

Chelsea hoist by own petard!

This made me laugh!

It won't stick, mind - the Russian has too much money and that's all that counts in football these days, but for a while, Chelsea FC will squirm on the hook until the billions of roubles take effect. A thirty point deduction would have covered the issue to my way of thinking. Poorer clubs get walloped with that, why not this mob?

Chelsea hoist by own petard!

This made me laugh!

It won't stick, mind - the Russian has too much money and that's all that counts in football these days, but for a while, Chelsea FC will squirm on the hook until the billions of roubles take effect. A thirty point deduction would have covered the issue to my way of thinking. Poorer clubs get walloped with that, why not this mob?

Sleight of Hand in Africa?

You couldn't make it up and it would have been funnier if there had been no rioting...

The new leader of Gabon is Ali Bongo. Well, Ali Ben Bongo, but you get my drift.


Leader of Gabon...

Sleight of Hand in Africa?

You couldn't make it up and it would have been funnier if there had been no rioting...

The new leader of Gabon is Ali Bongo. Well, Ali Ben Bongo, but you get my drift.


Leader of Gabon...