Bridges, I have a fascination for them. I like the metaphors they generate, the idea of two sides meeting in a sort of 'set in stone' harmony.  Harmony ( The term harmony derives from the Greek ἁρμονία (harmonía), meaning "joint, agreement, concord") (Pinched from Wikipedia), seems to have many facets, and is very subjective. Concorde from the outside was not very harmonic, unless the sound of four RR Olympus 593s in full reheat, floats your boat. Anyway, back to the lack of thread. Time. Yup, that common or garden commodity that everyone can use, or fritter away, to their heart's content. In good old Blighty, we have set our clocks to Zulu, or GMT, if you prefer, or even UTC. I for one would like to see the damned clocks left alone form now on. If you don't like it, get up earlier, or later, whatever. Not much in the way of bridge building, but it does mean that Midday is actually Midday! The sun is at it's local highest point. Above the thick cloud cover. So I suppose really it doesn't matter.
There are at least 3 bridges in the photo. One a road over water, one a Railway over the road. The last one a disused railway over a disused road. Well, both are now tracks and footpaths.

We was looking for that new fangled public transport thing that our esteemed leaders are trying to foist upon us poor pheasants in rural Flatshire. As you can see, with the aid of modern digital technology, and a time machine, we went back to the future in rural Hillyshire to see how it was done. Pre Beeching that is. We did have a major rail junction in our village. Now we have roads that are barely two way, and in places barely single track. No fault of the council though, bad weather, lack of funds and so much heavy traffic and I mean Heavy, in weight. Sugar beet and other crops that were once carried by rail, are now transported on roads designed for much lighter traffic. As for public transport. There isn't any.

PS, a full tank of fuel for the car (Simple and effective) yesterday was: £60 + !!! Still and all, does what it says on the tin, and with a full load of 5 plus luggage, 29mpg isn't bad for an old girl.

Technology for technologys sake

 

   I hate technology for technologys' sake. One of the things I really hate are mobile 'phones (or portable telephonic apparatus) that do so much more, and yet fail in their basic function. To be telephones. All I wnt from a mobile phone is to be able to: A; call someone and be able to hear them. B; have someone call me etc. Our company have been given these blackcurrant thingies. They are all singing and all dancing, and huge, and fragile. Now, I have broken quite a few 'phones so giving me one of these is a waste of time and money. It would not survive 10 min. I use my own fairly robust handset, and with it's bluetooth ear piece, I can work/drive and converse relatively easily. Sound is usually fine except in Flatshire, where the current provider's signal is not good. The pointless blackcurrant thingy will stay in it's box. 

   GPS is another of the things I hate. Well, not GPS as such, but  SatNav. I can read maps, I actually like the Ordinance Survey maps, and with 'Google Earth' (other mapping products are available, I am sure) I can pre plan a journey long before setting out. Including 'cut and runs'. (Alternate routs, just in case). The photograph at the top of this page is of my Mother's Sextant (Ooer missus). Yes, she could navigate, and use up to date technology, admittedly old technology. If the Spams ever put GPS into crypto mode, the sextant will still work. You'll be stuck under a bridge, or in a river.

Car

 

Simple and effective.

Gaddafi is dead. It's a shame that he will not stand trial. I suspect we will never now find  who ordered the bombing of flight  103and other atrocities. With him alive, there was always the bargaining point.
I was supposed to go to the clean up at Lockerbie, to pick up pieces of humanity scattered across Scotland. Unfortunately, or more the point, fortunately, I was stuck in the Station Medical Centre with a nasty virus. Many of my colleagues went, and didn't have much fun scouring the countryside for body parts. I suspect it was even worse for the poor sods that then had to identify and then 'assemble' those parts into individuals. I always feel guilty about that. There I was, in a warm bed ( admittedly drugged into a stupor ) and my mates were picking up small pieces of  Human Being, in the cold.

People in public

It's a mystery to me as to why anyone would want to be a politician. From observation of our 'leaders' it appears that the more someone wants to be a politician, the less suitable they are. In the past, before TV, no one really knew what their MPs looked like or really sounded like. The meeja was more interested in reporting facts than muck raking in an increasing circulation war. Now all politicians seem to want to be are celebrities, kowtowing to the meeja. They want to be popular and respected and be politicians. There is much more to being a leader than winning a popular vote. They don't seem to realise they are not on a TV game show. And although they can not loose, we, the tax payer do loose.

Willful neglect

Amy Winehouse. Now there is a name to conjure with. Died at a young age, all that talent lost (apparently). Well to be honest, watching the implosion that was Amy, my first thoughts were 'serves you right'. To be honest, so were my second and third ones too. But really and truthfully, like many others that have gone in a similar way, one wonders about her  'friends'. The ones that parasited her limelight. Who told her that it was her right to 'live it up' and then ride on the wave of her success. Not caring that they were not helping her to self destruct. I reckon M Jackson was in a similar boat. All the sycophants taking his money and his life but not telling him 'No'.

The youngest had a 'sleep' over last night. They were still making noises at 0130.They were up at 0700... I was somewhat outnumbered, at one point there were 14 females in the house. I hid in my workshop.

 

Of Dragons and Moths

Well, Autumn has finally decided to play. The Dragonflies have been making the most of the warm evenings, catching smaller insects for their tea. Fascinating creatures and so nimble in the air. I tried to capture them flying but failed miserably. Well I have some blurs. On the other hand I did catch a Moth that is probably covered with squished insects.

 

Whilst thinking about insects, there is a chap who writes a good yarn. His characters  have attributes of insects, eg, Beetle Kinden are stoic and have abilities in some degree of some kinds of beetle for instance, flight. Or better yet, read the books :-)  http://shadowsoftheapt.com/  will explain better than I.