We Saw This In Reykjavik - Read The Sign And I Hope You Smile 😊

Helen and I walked from Vikinggar in Largs to the pencil. It was a lovely day. This is a photo taken while we were at the pencil looking across the Clyde to Cumbrae and Arran. (at Largs Pencil Monument)

A view from The Clyde during today's swim. High tide at 13:00. Entered water at 13:10. Swam by myself. 422m in 15m50s. Fresh westerly breeze Force 5. 6 minutes out and 9 minutes back against the waves. Water temperature 9.9 degC. (at Greenock Esplanade)

Reflections on Scottish Independence as set out in "A Green Yes"

On September 18, 2014 Scotland will vote whether or not to become an Independent Country.  Currently I am reading the White Paper issued by the Government of Scotland titled "Scotland's Future".  I am about 45% of the way through it and expect to reflect on it once I have finished it.  Currently I am undecided as to how I will vote.  That is why I am reading "Scotland's Future".  

The Scottish Green Party supports Independence and they have issued a document which sets out their main reasons for supporting Independence.  This blog is to reflect on this document.  

Extracts from "A Green Yes" that I like:

Whichever way Scotland votes, the referendum will leave some people celebrating, and others deeply dismayed. It’s vital that celebration does not turn into divisive triumphalism. The result will be far more readily accepted by the losing side if the winners act with respect and a constructive spirit; that will be as difficult for some as losing would be. (page 4)

Oil and Gas

Some still make the case for a Yes vote with tired old slogans about “Scotland’s oil”. Even if there was no environmental consequence from burning fossil fuels, Scotland’s remaining reserves would only offer an economic future for a few more decades. Greens want an independent Scotland to be successful far longer than that! 

But the hard truth, for all fossil fuel nations, is that we can’t even afford to burn what we have. The world has far more fossil fuel in existing reserves than can safely be used, if we’re remotely serious about preserving a liveable environment. So as well as opposing new extraction from deep-water oil drilling, opencast coal, and unconventional gas technology such as fracking, we need to leave a great deal of our oil and gas in the ground, or support a more diverse range of petrochemical uses which don’t involve greenhouse gas emissions. 

Scotland has the skills to do that, and with the usable portion of oil and gas funding public investment in renewables to replace future revenue, we have the opportunity to make this transition rapidly. The UK will only ever see North Sea oil as a revenue source; Scotland could see it as a springboard, taking us from reliance on polluting and finite energy sources to the cleantech of the future. (page 6) 

The document "A Green Yes" has the following section titles:

A Green Yes

Could Westminster Deliver?

Will Holyrood Deliver?

Transition

Developing a Constitution

Parliament and Democracy

Currency

Ending the 'Tyranny of Big'

Oil & Gas

Welfare

Closing the Wealth Gap

Peace & Security

Employment

Immigration/Asylum

The document is quite short, only 8 pages long. From reading this document the main points that I take away are:

They remind us that the White Paper sets out the current Government of Scotland's view on what should happen post independence but that post independence these policies would need to be decided democratically by whichever parties form a new government.  To that end they state, "The development of a written constitution should be led by a new constitutional convention, to be established before the end of 2014, with political parties involved but not in sole charge.  

"A Green Yes" suggests that the Government of Scotland should have a "Plan B" with regards to currency because in the longer term they expect Scotland to have it's own currency and as an interim measure having a "Plan B" would improve the negotiating position of the Government of Scotland when discussing a Currency Union with the Rest of the UK.  

"A Green Yes" recognises that if every other oil producing nation in the world takes the view that it is their right and duty to produce every barrel of oil then there are significant implications with regards to climate change.  Based on the above extract they seem to have a realistic view that Scotland will not shut down the oil wells the day after independence but are suggesting that after this Scotland should be striving to leave the oil in the ground and using what oil is produced as a springboard to "Cleantech of the future".  The document is silent on Nuclear Power but I am not optimistic about the ability of the Scottish Green Party to embrace nuclear power.

"A Green Yes" has a strong emphasis on reducing inequality.

"A Green Yes" reminds me that when/if Scotland becomes an Independent Country that the expectations set out in "Scotland's Future" are uncertain.  The future is like that.  I would expect that some of the things that Government of Scotland wants will not come to pass or will only be achieved with greater than expected cost.  Other things will go better than expected.  If we want certainty we are in the wrong world.  

I am still undecided about which way to vote in the referendum.

You can find "A Green Yes" at:

http://www.scottishgreens.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/11/Green-Yes-document.pdf

You can find "Scotland's Future" at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/11/9348

There were dolphins or porpoises off The Esplanade in Greenock last night - or maybe Nessie on holiday 😊

Posing them will help you find work in two important ways.

10 Job Interview Questions You Should Ask

Thoughts on Prague

We just came back from a break in Prague. We had a good time by walking around a lot, eating & drinking and being with each other. Given my interest in dome cities what would I take away from the visit to guide me about my dome city design. This is a list of things go liked about Prague and I would hope that these things would be available (if required) in a dome city. 1 - Great walk ability 2 - green space easily accessible from the city centre 3 - affordability 4 - friendly and honest people 5 - good public transport 6 - a lively centre in the evenings with plenty of entertainment, bars and places to eat I will discuss these things more in future blogs.

After this morning's open water swim the blood was rushing back towards the skin. I was on my own and swam 417m in 13:28. Highest tide coming in. Northerly wind onto the beach gentle breeze Force 3. Water temperature 8 degC #openwaterswimming #rwsabc #greenock (at The Royal West of Scotland Boat Club)

These are the Group Photos from the New Year’s Day Swim at RWSABC in Greenock.  24 of use went into the water to get wet.  The majority went for a 5 to 10 minute swim.  Gerry Malone, Ernie Currie and Colin Campbell went for the “normal” 2 km swim.  Conditions were rough with a north wind making it bouncy. 

This is a photo that Stacey Hearl took before our swim this morning. Stats for today's swim entered water at 8:12am 307m, 11m (5 minutes going out, 6 coming back) Water Temp 8 degC High tide at 9:26 Fresh Breeze from the west, Force 5. It was behind us on the way out. #rwsabc #openwaterswimming #greenock (at Greenock Esplanade)

How do you get through all your emails? I don't

Tonight I am feeling a bit down. I was working on my emails at home when I remembered an important email from a student that needed a reply.  I first had to find the email which took a few minutes.  I then looked out some information.  I couldn't find the exact information I needed but I think I found enough to make a reasonable reply.

The student had written to me about resitting an exam in their home University.  This is a pretty big deal because of the cost involved in travelling from her home country back to Paisley to take a 2 hour exam.  There would probably be some accommodation and meals expenses also.  The email I was responding to had come in on the 9th of December and I was replying on the 17th.  Unfortunately, the 9th of December was beyond the cut off date for making an application to sit the exam outwith the University.  I told her this, gave her some other information and even provided an alternative that might be a better solution.  At that point I was thinking I have done as much as I can.  

I then went to file her email and guess what I found? I found another email from the same student dated 3 October.  I had never even opened this email.  It must have gotten buried before I saw it.  I am now feeling pretty down because had I picked up the first email the ideal solution could maybe have been implemented.

I do wish that this student had pestered me a bit more.  I don't hold it against someone to send a second email if the first hasn't had a response.  In addition, I have my phone and mobile numbers at the bottom of my emails.  Why don't people pick up the phone or text more?

There isn't much more to say. After I finish writing this I have to go an email the student and say I am sorry but I don't think my words are really enough.