Archive for the ‘Environment’ Category
Obama Stoops To Bully
It's A Tough Job
I suppose it was bound to happen eventually but I am deeply, deeply disappointed in President Obama’s treatment of Tony Hayward. It’s not worthy of him.
As I’ve written previously, Tony Hayward undoubtedly made some mistakes in his earlier handling of the oil spill crisis but, apart from two or three minor gaffes (which have no substantive effect on the real issues at all), I’d like to know who could have done any better and how?
As Barack’s biggest fan I’m not going to give up on him. I’m just sad to see him playing Big Bully Yankee. It’s undignified, unnecessary and he should reflect on how often when America exercises its power without proper thought it ends up hurting its own. No country on earth has sustained more friendly fire, blue-on-blue casualties. I thought the era of dumb and dumber was behind us.
Tony Hayward is a brave man probably doing the most difficult job anyone in the oil industry has ever been faced with. Obama should be backing him up, not undermining him. BP shareholders should be asking themselves who they could replace him with. There is no one with his experience.
Tony Hayward, BP And The Oil Spill
Good Job
I am really very impressed with BP’s Chief Executive. He is doing the best possible job for his company – and probably for all concerned. His appearance on the Andrew Marr show this morning was an object lesson in how to handle such a crisis. He is suitably contrite. He is direct, honest, loyal, everything that any board of directors or committee of shareholders could ask for. Crucially, in the TV age, he looks right. His appearance is an exact match for his message.
Here is a man who is worth every penny of a salary I would expect to run to hundreds of thousands of pounds.
I’m no fan or friend of big oil companies. There’s little doubt in my mind that BP and Esso/Exxon, the world’s biggest, operate an effective cartel on fuel prices. They’re so big that no government can do anything about it.
I don’t think you can blame BP for the disaster although obviously it is responsible. Clearly, you have to ensure that all possible safety standards and procedures are complied with but, given that, it could have happened to any oil company, anywhere. There’s no more greed in BP than anywhere else. It’s just a business trying to make a profit like any other.
I deplore the oil spill just as I approve of motherhood and apple pie. I understand that Obama has to give BP an appropriate amount of flak but the important point is how it is dealing with the disaster and all its consequences. From what I see I think we should all be grateful that Tony Hayward is the man in charge.
UEA Offline To Email
Leaks like A Sieve
We all know how indiscreet certain people at the University Of East Anglia’s Climate Change Unit were recently. Not only was the content of their emails outrageous, dishonest and reprehensible but their email system was so insecure that it resembled a sort of digital colander.
Now, in a classic, public sector, knee jerk overreaction, it is virtually impossible to get an email through to UEA. My son, Richard, is there doing a law conversion course after graduating in PPE last year. Every email I send him is bounced back to me as “unacceptable content”.
It’s only the sort of correspondence that might pass between any father and son. There’s no cocaine deals, terrorist plots, child porn, not even any attempt to falsify information on which the future of the world might depend. I did send him the latest draft of my novel which I think did have the odd swear word in it. Dear me, I think that must be it! Trouble is I don’t think Amazon or WH Smith accept novels these days without swear words in them.
Fortunately, Richard and I are super-duper, super-sophisticated hackers right at the leading edge of technology. We had a bright idea and used a different email address. Now why didn’t the Climate Change Unit think of that?
Paradise Valley
Heaven On Earth
You can read my latest Paradise Valley story here
…and all the other Paradise Valley and Walking The Dog stories.
The Obnoxious People Of Bovingdon
My parents live in a small Hertfordshire village not far from Watford. It’s commuter land, only 45 minutes by train to central London but on the edge of the delightful Chilterns countryside. It’s not quite as gorgeous as Dorset but the dogs and I enjoy the change of scenery when we visit about once every month.
The nearest place to find anything more than a village shop is the small town of Bovingdon. Every time I visit there I am dismayed, horrified even at the boorish, selfish and obnoxious behaviour of the local drivers.
There’s nowhere to park in Bovingdon but that doesn’t stop them. They park half on, half off the pavement in the most dangerous and inconsiderate places, often right opposite each other. The town is full of ostentatious, gaudy four-wheel drive Toyotas, Mitsubishis or, God preserve us from even more oriental invaders, Kias. Does no one buy British any more? These tasteless and clumsy status symbols are thrown about with abandon, aggression and a complete absence of any manners. My 17 year old nephew was literally forced off the road last week by yet another woman who simply cannot judge the width of her vehicle and so drives in the middle of narrow country lanes.
Of course, I am sure that there are many very nice and responsible people in Bovingdon but you can drive through the High Street at anytime of day to see recurrent displays of the most selfish, inconsiderate and dangerous behaviour.
There is one other observation though that, for me, condemns these unpleasant people out of hand. As I walk the dogs around the local countryside I am disgusted at the fly tipping and the disgraceful amount and variety of rubbish in the hedgerows. It’s difficult to understand why this wealthy and privileged part of the country is full of so many nasty, selfish and dirty people.
What If The Volcano Doesn’t Stop?
It might start by ruining the holidays of the wealthy. Then it might be inconvenient for business if executives can’t get to their high powered meetings. The supply of out of season fruit and vegetables from Kenya would disappear.
The eruption might not stop for days, weeks, even months or years. It might get worse. See here for what happened 227 years ago when a volcano in Iceland erupted and be afraid, be very afraid!
The Day After Yesterday
That would shock us all out of our comfortable little lives wouldn’t it? We wouldn’t all be so concerned about the Leaders TV debate then would we?
Some might say we are overdue, maybe even deserve a catastrophe on Planet Earth.
Who knows?
This could be the start of it.
After The War On Drugs
This is well worth 10 minutes of anybody’s time.
The extraordinary impact that “The War on Drugs” has on our world should not be underestimated. The ludicrous and failed idea of prohibition means that 95% of all street crime and 75% of all organised crime is as a result of illegal drugs.
Legalise all drugs. Regulate, control and tax the supply chain. Pull the rug from under organised crime. Remove the necessity for drug victims to rob and steal. Save billions of pounds/dollars and millions of lives. Transform our society.
Transform Drug Policy Foundation is an extraordinary organisation whose time has come.
Chav City
Bootiful
I have no sympathy at all for those stupid enough to have got themselves caught up in this vulgar triumph of cash over taste. By definition that means that the banks are heavily involved, once again debasing and diluting the real wealth created in the real world.
Something about Dubai had a bad taste from day one. The sort of acrid, bad taste that you know there’s something deep, deep down that is bad.
In fact that’s the only thing to say about Dubai – bad taste.
Village Idiots Or Village Idiocy?
We are very fortunate in Great Britain to have clearly defined borders. Our status as an island has enabled us to avoid much of the evil and wickedness that has plagued continental Europe. Throughout history neighbour has turned upon neighbour and viciousness and persecution have been rife. Hitler did not start the persecution of the Jews. Particularly in France and the low countries, they were persecuted across the centuries. Between Poland and Romania there is an enmity that defies belief.
Much that is great in Britain has evolved from our island culture but we have not escaped the darker side of human nature. Much that is worst in Britain can be seen in the petty jealousies and behaviours of village life. Just as insidious and cruel as the persecution of the Jews is the way that gossip, resistance to change and selfishness runs deep in British village life.
You Know Who You Are!
They nearly always start with “I’ve lived in the village for more than X years…”. X needs to be at least 20 and for real seniority you need to be able to boast of 30 or 40 years residency. Then, according to this idiotic doctrine, you have some sort of right to impose your view of the world on your neighbours. Just because you were there first?
It is to the eternal shame of rural villagers in Britain that the Vestas wind turbine factory on the Isle Of Wight is to close. There is simply no market for onshore wind turbines in Britain because the “NIMBYs” (Not In My Back Yard) object at every stage and shove the problem of energy and ecology onto someone else.
I won’t be actively campaigning for, say, 10 wind turbines along the top of White Horse Hill but what right would any of us have to object? If you want to switch your kettle on or watch TV or enjoy a hot bath in the depths of winter, you need to be prepared to compromise, particularly if you want your grandchildren to enjoy a future on this planet. In any case, wind turbines have a beauty and elegance of their own. Look at the way that we now revere some of the great aqueducts built in the 19th century – before the days when the small minded, selfish, blue rinse brigade were able to resist any and all change.
It’s not just about planning and environment though. It’s a more general problem about attitudes towards others and our own selfishness. Gossip, whinging and a failure to welcome and include others and the change that they bring are the symptoms of this British disease. So next time you hear them start with “I’ve lived in the village for more than 40 years”, be careful. The chances are that what comes next is going to be selfish, small minded rubbish.
Paradise Valley – Heaven On Earth
Today I started a new blog on Paradise Valley, the beautiful heaven on earth where I am so fortunate to live.
This will be where I write about walking my dogs , Capone and Carla, and all our adventures in deepest Dorset.
Peter Reynolds 