We're all doooomed (Not) again

Forgive my scepticism, but that's becoming more and more of a conditioned reflex. If it's not one thing it's another. Was pootling around my reading list and had a look at Anthony Watts blog, which carried the following headline:“The good news is, if this sucker blows, global warming is not going to be a problem.“ About news items regarding the recent swarms of earthquakes in the Yellowstone Caldera. Previous observations in 2004 indicate that a similar bout of Earthquake 'swarms' were due to the movement of Hydrothermal fluids rather than Magma. Doomsday looks like being postponed again. Ain't that a bitch?

I seem to recall a Horizon 'Documentary' on the BBC back in 2000 which gave you the impression that Armageddon was but a heartbeat distant. Had the programme makers faithfully reported what the USGS researchers at Yellowstone were saying they would have gotten a slightly less than sensational story; but the headline 'World might end one day - but not just yet eh?' might not be conducive to increased viewing figures. Just like that other load of complete and utter garbage 'An inconvenient truth'. The Western world passed the edge of an all time gullibility event horizon with that pile of deeply flawed crap. You can tell I wasn't impressed with the movie or its 'science' can't you?

What is it with all these 'the world is going to end' scenarios? There is so much good stuff going on out there in life that we have to ill wish and frighten ourselves into misery just for a change? Like teenagers going to watch schlocky horror movies. This is the part of the human condition I've never been able to fully comprehend; so many people would rather believe a thousand over sensationalised negative fictions rather than one rather mundane positive fact. 'Millions of people no longer starving'; 'Living standards better than twenty years ago'; 'Fewer than ever not dying of infectious diseases'. Maybe the people who regurgitate negative nonsense just want to make themselves look important. In the words of the old Cole Porter song;

Have you heard,
It's in the Stars,
Next July we collide with Mars

Stuff it; I have other things to do, and a nice large measure of Malt Whiskey beckons. Time to feed Wife a sizeable Vodka and Orange. She's earned it for putting up with an old grouch like me.

Just a voice in the wilderness

Tidying up the MSS for marketing (3rd re-write so far) and took a break to give Dog a walk. I never realised the woods could be so noisy. A neighbours dog, barking over half a mile away was almost deafening. Falling Maple leaves that have plated the paths and trails with gold make a surprisingly loud papery rattle as they bounce from twig to twig in their leisurely plummet towards the ground. The far off noise of a Woodpecker trying its best to get a migraine with the loud 'pock-pock-pock' of their burrowing into tree trunks with their beaks. Dog panting like an unfit asthmatic. Squirrels arguing in the distance over who gets the last of the nuts. Not forgetting the irritating buzz of an outboard with a faulty or no muffler, running at full tilt down the neck of the Narrows.

Am trying to avoid thinking about the US elections, although it seems the world and next doors cat has an 'Opinion' on the matter. The Mainstream Media seem to want Barack Obama for the next US President from what I can see, and if he doesn't win by a huge landslide, there are a lot of people who will be looking very red faced if he doesn't. Me, I think that the US public will vote for who they vote for tomorrow, and there's an end to the matter. Just so long as whoever gets the job doesn't make a complete mess of things, I'm pretty much okay with that.

That's about as non-partisan as I get; although if they go ahead with the ludicrous carbon 'cap and trade' regulations, may the good Lord have mercy on the US (And world) economy. The UK's bunch of economic illiterates seem to think that passing the 'climate change bill' will change the climate (It won't). Might totally screw the economy, but as the UK is hopefully a part of my past, I really am not that concerned. Sorry for sounding so uncaring, but when I was there I lobbied my MP, wrote to the papers, voted my conscience, but I was in a minority. The part of the electorate that went to the polls disagreed. That's Democracy for you.

Now I'm just another ex-pat, making my way the best way I can until my permanent residency application gets processed. I'm in Canada, I'm gainfully employed and contributing to the Canadian economy. All I need is a sympathetic agent or publisher, and who knows?