Our poor abused planet!

4 September

Sunday again, another week gone by that oor Liz will get share of and won’t know about. Not that she would worry about it even if she did know about it.

Jan has taken a liking for those escape to the country shows on telly. Being a nosy sod I don’t mind them either. Some of these buyers want to move into some beautiful areas of the UK and in one show I noticed something that I’ve rarely seen before on telly – purple fringing. It happens when photos of darker areas against brighter areas. In this case it was trees on a blue sky that the fringing became apparent. It’s something we photographer keep an eye on just in case it appears on our shoots. So it’s not just the part-timers who produce it then …

I don’t know if you saw it on the news the other day, but a loop-hole in telly licence system has been closed. Now you will need a licence to watch the BBC IPlayer. It will add some dosh to their coffers for a few more expensive executive lunches I suppose; or it would do if they can find them using it. I can see it being a sad to police. According to the news I item I saw on the news the other day, a waring message will appear on your screen when you try to use it. Sounds good I suppose but how long will it be before some hacker has cracked it; no bets being taken folks.

Our planet is having a shake about again folks. Yesterday there was two quakes in the US, both, around the 5.6 level. A 7.1 happened just off the coast of North Island, New Zealand. Several others have been going off in various places too. But the real biggy in terms of damage was the one in Italy. We only hear of the larger quakes, all the smaller tremors happen without any fuss at all; unless that is, it happens where there are few quakes at all. Like here in the UK.

The last one I can remember here was while we lived in Bed’th. I could hear Jan’s wardrobe doors rattling and I thought she had fallen or had a fit – she was fine. Actually, that was only quake I’ve felt. According to the UK’s Geological Survey, 15 UK quakes over the last 50 days, ranging from 0.4 to 1.9 in magnitude. Perhaps we should be grateful for that eh. What surprise me though, is that we don’t get a lot more.

The UK sits close to the western edge of the Eurasian Plate, the only plate close to us. The major quakes happen a lot closer to the edges, that’s why the west coast of the US are on a continued alert. However, back here in the UK, so much of island has been undermined over the years by coal mining mainly. There are huge areas of land that have nothing, or little holding them up. Salt mining is another issue that has left vast caverns underground.

What we do have happening in sink holes, not many I suppose but enough to cause major headaches for home owners and people trying to get mortgages in the areas where they may a possibility. Add in the new fracking system and we could be in for more quakes in the future. And that course doesn’t include the possible environmental damage that it can cause. The US is having major problems over it with water tables being contaminated by it. How many times have you heard, ‘Whatever happens over there will soon be over here.’ Well, hold on to your hats, it’s here and it won’t be long before we feel the effects.

Photo time …

Jan and Kile at the zoo.

Today’s funny …

Why did the theatre manager find a new job?
He wanted a change of scenery.