Wednesday, February 12, 2025

What is a Smash-mouth ?

On the radio this morning they're interviewing  a lady in New York about  Vice President Vance and his speech to an AI conference in Paris. Despite his cogency she says he gave the impression of being a  'smash-mouth'. This is a word neither of us has ever heard before. A quick Google search shows that it's an American word designating "a style of football characterized by rough, aggressive play and, typically, strong offensive rushing". 

The weather remains 'blustery'. This is another way of saying awful. Our local deer are again nestling in the shelter of the stone walls to avoid the wind ... and the sleet.  The beach rangers are up early. They're expecting high tides and are concerned about the birds nesting in the sand dunes at the start of the mating season.

Here in town Valentines Day beckons. The bakers window displays heart shaped sponges with 'Love' piped in large red letters across them. A restaurant  bill board  promises  ' Magical Valentines Dinner. 3 courses and half bottle of wine ( per table ) for £20. Booking essential '.  Angus wonders what exactly you can get for £20 these days and whether it would justify the term 'magical'. The lady in the florist is cheerful and busy although the students tend to buy their flowers in Sainsbury's.


To get out of the wind I pop into the fancy art gallery. They're setting up a new exhibition. A small oil in a deep, dark, frame is considered.


You know the art gallery is 'fancy' because it has a chair with a cushion. I've never seen anyone sit in an art gallery chair but you can imagine international collectors using it to  ponder the canvases on offer before making a careful and leisurely choice.


There is another dog statue.


After the art gallery there's time to wander down to the book store. The bookstore always has a selection of books that are unmistakably British.


Having lived in France I'd agree with this :https://x.com/AHVanBuskirk/status/1888051029595324859

Aztec death whistles. The things you learn :https://peterfrankopan.substack.com/p/aztec-death-whistles

The miracle of the Gulls:https://birdhistory.substack.com/p/the-miracle-of-the-gulls

Thank you to the BBC for introducing us to todays 'remarkable' person of interest - Buddy Carter - who comes from Georgia and is a Congressman :https://buddycarter.house.gov/uploadedfiles/redwhitebluelandact.pdf



Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Dreich.

We wake to find there's a gale blowing in hard from the East. After its long journey over the North Sea the wind arrives on the coast with a force strong enough to penetrate even the thickest of coats. There's a bit of sleet mixed in. On the field facing the kitchen a group of deer are lying, sheltering, on the grass in the lee of the old stone walls. That's the first time we've seen them do this so the weather must be challenging. The blustery conditions don't seem to deter the local farmers who have joined together for a ploughing competition. They're clustered around their tailgates drinking coffee and catching up on the latest farm news.  What a way to start the day !

At the cafe in town where 'William met Kate' ( allegedly ) the lights are on and the first of the mornings customers are tucking into a bacon roll. It is improbable that the heir to the throne - or his security team -  would meet his girl friend here but who wants to spoil a good story ?


Down by the shore one of the new mobile saunas is now up and running. A group of mothers have dropped their toddlers off at the nursery and are getting ready for a quick dip in the bay. A plume of smoke issuing from the saunas chimney indicates that the steam room will be warmed up and ready for them when they return. From the cheerful conversation and laughter it can be assumed that everyone is enjoying themselves. 


Further down the beach a group of a dozen or so lads are out surfing. The dog walkers look at them with muted bafflement. 'Students !' the unspoken assumption.

On our way back home the rain/sleet has set in again.  The local bus slows down to 4 mph so as not to disturb two horses as it passes them on the road into town.

So starts a bitterly cold morning in a small town by the North Sea where anyone sensible - students and young mothers excepted - is warmly settled indoors out of the weather. This is the sort of morning when many of the students will opt for a 'lie in'. 



Important thinking for a university town like this. Not sure how the 60-70% reduction in faculty would go down :https://hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/its-later-than-you-think

Back to basics :https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking/square-one-fallacy

The Rolls Royce of bird boxes:https://peakboxes.co.uk/shop-swift-boxes




Monday, February 10, 2025

The Robin in the lobster creels .

The bank sends an e-mail.  "Congratulations ! You've been banking with us for 36 years. As a sign of our appreciation keep an eye on your inbox. A sweet surprise may be waiting ! "  What's the betting this will turn out to be a voucher for 10% off a Valentines Day meal at McDonalds rather than a better interest rate ?

This morning a new White House name appears on the morning news. Paula White. I'm sure we'll hear more about her - quite possibly a lot more. She comes from Apopka Florida and, seemingly, has a private jet.

After the long dry spell the rain has returned. The local famers will be happy with this but we, and the motley collection of dog walkers on the beach,  are less keen. This mornings excitement is provided by a Schnauzer that manages to get on top of the sea wall and then can't get down again. The dog walkers are of an age where clambering up sea walls is inadvisable . The Schnauzer is eventually rescued by a passing student who half leads, half carries it, to the old life boat ramp where there is an emotional reunion.


The harbour deserted. The local fisherman seem to have set off to to sea early.


A Robin has made its home in the lobster creels. It is entirely unbothered by our presence.

In the salt water pool a solitary student swimmer. I'm guessing he had a liquid  lively night after the Scotland-Ireland match and has decided this is the best, and possibly only, way of bringing body and mind into some semblance of unity ahead of a nine am tutorial. It goes without saying that Scotland lost.

The Pret a Manger staff have demonstrated a philosophy of 'optimism in action' by setting out a row of tables and chairs on the pavement.



Legal Haggis :https://davebarry.substack.com/p/the-haggis-menace

Hindsight:https://www.edwest.co.uk/p/i-say-the-americans-really-won-the

The USPS is very valuable :https://gopostal.substack.com/p/usps-is-a-failed-sovereign-wealth



Sunday, February 9, 2025

A last minute surprise.

We're getting used to bizarre news  but this mornings lead story that the Heritage Foundation wants President Trump to deport Prince Harry for alleged drug abuse surely takes the biscuit. From the ensuing brouhaha I'm guessing that all the figures involved adhere to the view that 'all publicity is good publicity'. 

There's snow on the hills to the North of us but on this side of the estuary it's mild and largely sunny. It should be added that the wind has a bite to it that requires a hat and gloves. As we set off down the farm track to the shore the towers of town are just visible further down the coast. A dozen or so Shags and five large Eider Ducks our companions this morning. 


We pick up some Lemon sole and Turbot in the fishmongers.


'The Font ' considers buying some Monkfish but thinks better of it. Monkfish requires a lot of preparation. We also pass on some razor clams that have just come in.

England beat France 26-25  in a surprise, nail biting, finish to the 6 Nations rugby match. From four o'clock onwards a large proportion of the students and younger townsfolk are in the hostelries . Scots tend to support the French which explains why there is a large cry of anguish when the final whistle is blown. The pub landlords seem to have had an excellent afternoon. 

One of the reasons for moving to a college town was the constant stream of things that go on. We missed this lecture although I had intended to go. It seems a tour of 18th century Vermont politics somehow 'slipped' my mind.


How could I never have heard about Spirit Bears ? :https://environment.co/facts-about-spirit-bears/

This is the best place in the world to see them. Getting there is, not surprisingly, difficult :https://spiritbear.com/



Saturday, February 8, 2025

Looking for good news.

For some reason we're invited to hear the former Irish Taoiseach and the Scottish First Minister give an evening talk on world affairs. This is held in the medical building which is located in the modern and utilitarian 'science campus' part of town. 


In our day lecture theatres were places you wouldn't want to linger. Today, they're bright and cheerful and the seats are both padded and comfortable. We spot a solitary, and slightly bored looking, security man. You don't see many of those here .

The Taoiseach finds it interesting that America has had 3 Presidents that claim Irish descent whereas Scotland has had at least 20 but has never developed a Scots lobby to match the powerful Irish one. He observes that both Ireland and Israel are small countries that manage to punch well above their weight in DC. In fact Dublin and Jerusalem are superpowers when it comes to their lobbying clout. He adds that all this lobbying clout will be needed to avoid damaging tax changes.


The Scottish First Minister spouts all sorts of starry eyed platitudes about how membership of the EU would solve all the countries problems. There's no one as pro-EU as Angus but I'd like to temper my enthusiasm until I've seen the outcome of the French and German elections. The questions are once again thoughtful. Two Scottish girls, two American girls, and an Indian medical student are in no mood to be fobbed off  with platitudes. Their questions are probing and the two speakers, despite their efforts to be diplomatic, can't hide their growing unease about the state of the world.


On our way home we stop off in the pub facing the Divinity School for a restorative dram. Behind the bar there's a small blackboard offering Soup of the Day: Whisky with H2O croutons. This is a textbook example of Scottish humour. By the time we've finished our drinks the take away from the local Indian is ready. The bar is full of laughing youngsters enjoying life which is the perfect palliative to a night of geo-politics.



Scotland are playing Ireland in Edinburgh tomorrow  afternoon:https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ZiqM4Ko11f4 I'm sure the presence here of all these political worthies ahead of the game is entirely coincidental. For the match the pubs in town ( or those with widescreen televisions ) are reserving tables for £25 a head - 2 pints included. They are all sold out.

Friday, February 7, 2025

Some quotes never go out of fashion.

The sunrise highlights a quotation on an old courtyard wall. 'The Font' informs me its a quote from Tennyson. I pretend to know this although to be entirely truthful I'd have to admit that I knew it once but, like so many things, I've subsequently forgotten it.  Some quotes never go out of fashion.

We've been to a breakfast where a figure in the last US administration gives his views on the world. He says that the unravelling of USAID is the cause of rejoicing in Beijing. He actually says that ' champagne corks are popping in Zhongnanhai ' but Angus isn't entirely convinced that China's leadership are big on champagne celebrations. The students at the breakfast ask remarkably adult questions which again makes me unashamedly optimistic about the future. Everyone can agree that the old order is changing.

51 years ago as a student Angus discovered that steak pies were something he could cook - or at least warm up. As he pops into the butcher for some fillet steak, he is delighted to find that they are still being made. 

A couple and their labrador are enjoying breakfast at the Brewdog by the roundabout. The labrador doesn't seem entirely happy to be out on the pavement when he could be enjoying the warmth inside. His glumness may also have something to do with not being invited to share in his family's bacon rolls.


Further down the road a young woman is first in the queue at the Shawarma House. 



So starts a bright but chilly Friday morning in a small, quiet town by the North Sea.


I'd like to go here: https://www.edwest.co.uk/p/journey-to-the-imperial-city

Is this the future ? : https://x.com/onlydjole/status/1887115477429764295

Bob Marley on the BBC this morning as we drive back up the hill :https://youtu.be/yv5xonFSC4c

Idiosyncratic electrical engineering :https://spectrum.ieee.org/alan-turings-delilah




Thursday, February 6, 2025

'Vague'.

Another day of clear skies and bright sunshine. The land around us used to be owned by one farmer but on his death was divided among his three sons. All of them are out ploughing this morning. Their tractors followed by flotillas of large, white, worm seeking gulls. Down by the heron pond a mini bus is disgorging a group of 'seasonal ' workers wrapped up in bobble hats and scarves. Two of the farming sons are barely on speaking terms due to some long festering dispute over a field boundary. The exact nature of the dispute remains 'vague' and quite possibly forgotten. The middle brother acts as an intermediary.

This mornings radio news well summed up by the presenter who says ' There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen'. 


The hardy Hebridean sheep are happily nestled down in the long grass out of the wind. Their paddock has a five foot fence around it which keeps them safely separated from passing dogs.


Four Japanese golfers are having a whale of a time. Their laughter drifts across the fairway towards us. The wind is coming from behind them and gives their drives an unexpected, but welcome, push.


Back at the car park a rather fine old fellow silently tries to tell his mistress that he's not quite ready to go home. He plonks the ball down in front of her three times and stares it at it. With a barely discernible shrug he then quietly accepts that his morning outing is over. 

Freshly baked scones in the farm shop.

Truffle and Rosemary crisps . Is this a flavour too far?


Thursday morning music:https://youtu.be/4JWYIY3icUg

The Moon is different :https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/moon-two-grand-canyons/

Possibly true:https://nicholasdecker.substack.com/p/the-peter-principle

On line humour adapts to world events :https://x.com/MichaelAArouet/status/1887174539131376126