An inconvenient truth

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about Global warming, Gordon and Gore. I welcomed the news that the UK government had signed up former US vice-president Al Gore to advise on the environment see here.

Yesterday I went to see Al Gores film "An inconvenient truth" at the Corn Exchange in Newbury and attended the first part of the Liberal Democrat organised Green Tea afterwards in the town hall.

All the reviews I had seen before raved about this film and so in many ways I half expected to be disappointed - I was not. This film literally just blew the whole audience away - Gores film communicates simply and clearly the gravity of the situation we are facing and very convincingly addresses and debunks some of the myths that abound about global warming, whether or not it exists and whether or not we can tackle it.

The Green Tea was a great idea. It gave a forum for people to discuss the issues whether or not they were politically active. Two members of parliament attended along with representatives from West Berkshire Council and others from Town and Parish Councils throughout the district. There were two striking things about this meeting. Firstly the willingness of everyone to engage in the debate and to come up with ideas for what could be done locally to address the problem. Secondly this was a cross party meeting and there was no disagreement between the parties on the fundamental facts or the need to address this problem urgently. Common agreement was that the politicians needed to start leading on this issue and that to ensure that this happened the film needs to be seen by as wide an audience as possible. There was a suggestion to get the film shown in parliament and to request the TV companies to show this film as soon as a possible.

If you get a chance to see this film go.

The web site for the film is Climatecrisis.net

There is also a book - An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore

The DVD is released in the UK on the 26th December and can be found here on Amazon

One of the comments on Amazon sums this film up as follows "The verdict? Every school, every college and every university in every country.....should be making this compulsory viewing. I'm not a long-haired green, but the simplicity of this presentation leaves no doubt about the correlation between the growth of mankind, the industrial revolution and global temperature trends. Its an intelligent, amusing but very direct presentation of the choices facing us as a planet. If you don't watch this film and do something about it, you'll have to explain to your grandchildren why you didn't! "

Thailand Part 7 - Koh Samui

Koh Samui has been settled for about 1500 years. The first arrivals here were fishermen. The island is to be found on 500 years old maps from Chinese Ming dynasty. Fishing and later coconuts were the major source of income on Koh Samui island.

Koh Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand in South China Sea in the Pacific Ocean.

The island is a district in the Surat Thani Changwat or province.

Samui itself is divided into seven sub districts : Maenam, Bophut, Maret, Taling Nam, Namuang, Lipa Noi and Angthong.

Koh Samui has been a backpackers destination since the late 1970's. Today, tourists come from all over the world.

It´s located in the Gulf of Siam and surrounded by more than sixty other islands, some small and inhabited, some bigger as Koh Phangan, Koh Tao (divers island) Koh Nang Yuan and Angthong Islands, the National Marine Park.

Bodcaster Council continued

The latest installment from DPM's diary.

Monday

Historic day. The first summit of world leaders to be held in a council works depot. Also the first time world leaders, George Bush included, have had to talk to a group of wheelie bins.
Dave says the bins, now with intelligence beyond our comprehension, probably regard us in the same way we regard plants. I’ve always felt that way about Bush.

Tuesday

Project board review meeting for Automated Recycling Support Environment. The world as we know it may well be about to end, but that does not mean that the procedural requirements of Prince2 project management methodology can be ignored.

Dave reports that the bins are functioning to specification. They continue to accept sorted domestic rubbish and trundle off to the waste transfer unit in the depot to empty themselves. So, as Dave put it, the project has met all its objectives and is an unqualified success.
Some board members thought that the fact the bins have taken over the world’s communication, information and command systems, ending the supremacy of humans on the planet, suggested the project was a failure.

However, it was explained to them that these were extraneous issues outside the scope of the project as defined by its initiation document, so they did not count.

Wednesday

The bins have commandeered several plastic moulding and electronics factories around the world and are replicating their existence many times over. They already control all the government and military systems on the planet.

Resistance is futile. Rumours are circulating that humans are being fitted with control chips, designed by the bins, that will enslave us to whatever purpose they have.

I suspect that those that won’t or can’t adapt to this new lower form of existence will be eradicated, in much the same way as we treat weeds in our gardens.

Thursday

All media and communication systems went dead last night. This morning there is no electricity. Even our backup generators have had their power-up routines overwritten and are not functioning. Zombie-like humans with electronic devices inserted in their right ears have appeared in the streets. They are herding people into trucks. This is the...

Friday

Meanwhile, in a parallel universe, Mavis is off sick again and Dave and I pop down to the Flea and Faceache for a few lunchtime jars. I think we might be too far gone for tonight’s BCS branch meeting.

Thaksin to lose passport

According to The Nation moves may be afoot to remove Thaksin Shinawatra's diplomatic passport.

According to the article Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has recommended the revocation of Thaksin Shinawatra's diplomatic passport as Bangkok was becoming increasingly nervous about the activities of the former premier and his wife Pojaman. Surayud was also said to be annoyed by the reception that Thailand's consulate in Hong Kong had given to Thaksin indicating that there are still Thaksin supporters in overseas embassies.

Thaksin is said to be on his way to Singapore via Bali.

Dump your rubbish in the supermarket

Ben Bradshaw advises food shoppers to leave excessive wrapping at the tills and to report the stores to trading standards (see here)

Highly appropriate advice from the environment minister as the vast majority of stuff which ends up in my wheelie bin probably originates from the supermarket (or more correctly its suppliers) in the first place.

I was amazed to see that packaging had increased by 12% between 1999 and 2005, and now accounts for one-third of an average household's total waste. I suspect it makes up more than one third of my waste but the fact that it has increased at all despite the focus on waste reduction over the last few years is worrying.

If a significant number of people opt to take the ministers advice I don’t think it will be long before the supermarkets start to work with their suppliers to greatly reduce the monstrous amount of packaging which we all carry home with us and then promptly chuck in the bin.

Good news on deforestation

This picture from the Forest Identity study by the University of Helsinki shows the future of the worlds forests may not be as bad as previously feared.

The study measures timber volumes, biomass and captured carbon - not just land areas covered by trees and the team of researchers say its Forest Identity study suggests the world could be approaching a "turning point" from deforestation.

The report suggests that once GDP per capita reaches £2,400, many nations experience forest transition and see an increase in forestry growing stock (volume of useable timber).

Another anachronism that should die an early death

So Prince Charles has got a birthday present. Simultaneously being promoted to admiral, general and air chief marshal seems mindboggling to most of us given that he is no longer a member of the armed forces. Indeed according to this article from the BBC his military career ended 30 years ago.

In a modern democracy this is no way to behave. Titles such as General, Admiral etc should be reserved for those who have genuinely earned those titles and who command the forces in question.

If we want to retain a monarchy then fair enough retain a monarchy but lets retain it for what it is - a tourist attraction. Links between the monarchy and the armed forces should be broken. As should links between the monarchy and the church.

The armed forces should be under the political control of the elected government of the day. Decisions to take this country to war should be approved by parliament and once taken the military decisions should be left to the military.

The church should be perfectly capable of running its own affairs without the need for a “defender of the faith”. What is Prince Charles going to do if he becomes King? How will he act as defender of the faith – perhaps he will put on one of his many uniforms and ride into battle!

Reading back on the up

Reading resumed normal service yesterday with a 3-1 defeat of Spurs which takes them above the team that finished fifth last season.

There is still a very long way to go, but the victory and the nature of it will give Reading some much needed confidence as they head into a run of fixtures over the next six weeks from which they should hope to accumulate a few points if they are to fulfill their ambition of staying in the premiership.

In the run up to Xmas they take on Charlton, Fulham, Bolton,Newcastle, Watford, Blackburn and Everton before back to back games against Chelsea and Manchester United over the Christmas period.

The other point worth noting from this game was the performance of Graeme Murty. Many doubted that he could cut the mustard at this level before the season began and he may have been done for pace a couple of times but his brain is right there and Reading play and perform much better with him in the side.

Thaksin may have to wait a year

Reports in the Bangkok Post and The Nation now suggest that deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra may have to wait a year or even more before he can return to Thailand.

General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh a senior member of the Thaksin regime, had suggested that Thaksin should be allowed to come home and be contained to his residence.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has dashed any hope of Thaksin Shinawatra returning home soon, saying the deposed leader must wait until a democratic government is established.
In his most unequivocal remark yet regarding Thaksin's London exile and his wish to return home, Surayud said: "The best way is for us to get past this problem-solving process. After a year, when we have an election and when a new government is in place, that should be the most appropriate time."

He went on to describe the "house arrest" idea as "impossible". "That would be tantamount to restraining him, which is not the way it should be. It would be like what happens in our neighbouring country. I don't think it's a good idea."

And not allowing him to return before the election IS a good idea?

The rollercoaster continues

The three points at home to Southend which saw us out of the relegation zone was followed by a 4-1 defeat by Preston (not unexpected) and a 3-2 defeat by Barnsley (disappointing) dragging us straight back into the relegation zone.

Three points yesterday against Colchester with a convincing 3-0 was a great relief considering that Colchester themselves are doing well despite losing Phil Parkinson in the summer. Blake scored the opener after 36 minutes with Cresswell adding a second on 48 minutes and Blake adding a third with a 52nd minute penalty.

Sadly Phil Parkinsons Hull beat Wolves 2-0 otherwise we would have been out of the bottom three.

Meanwhile signs are that Dennis Wise is continuing to shake up the dressing room are everywhere. Gregan has been told he can go and has already departed on loan to Oldham where he has already scored on his debut (typical). Butler who was replaced as captain by Kevin Nicholls has also been told he can go. Graham Stack (from Reading) and Matt Heath (Coventry) have come in on loan. It is also rumoured that Steve Stone is to announce his retirement.

Meanwhile Reading take on Spurs today at the Madejski Stadium following visits by Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal!

Thailand Part 6 - Bangkok Floating Market

From Bankok.com a fair description of the floating market as I remember it - I would also go with their recommend and take the traditional long-tailed boat option.

Well on the tourist trail after the Bond films, the trip to the famous floating market at Damnoen Saduak is still worth doing. Totally chaotic, small "klongs" or canals are filled with small flat boats jockeying for position, expertly paddled by mature ladies ready to stop and bargain at a moment's notice. It's colourful, noisy totally touristy but great fun.

Transactions are more concerned with tourists rather than locals these days but the boats are still piled high with with tropical fruit and vegetables, fresh, ready-to-drink coconut juice and local food cooked from floating kitchens located right on the boat. Missed your breakfast or fancy an early lunch? Just call over a floating noodle seller for a bowl of steaming soup heated by a stove improbably and precariously balanced in the stern of the boat - complete with condiments of course!

While it's possible to catch a bus out of Bangkok and find your own way to the market, most people take an organized tour, ultimately saving on time and effort. If you want to go at your own pace, a private tour will provide a comfortable car for the one hour journey from Bangkok and your own personal boat, (ideal for taking pictures) There's a time window when the market opens from around 6:30am until 10:00am so the early birds will invariably catch the best photo shots. After 8:30am, it's mayhem!

A local boat ride along the canal which is both exhilarating and fascinating takes you to the market. The traditional long-tailed boat, powered by a huge diesel engine allows an interesting glimpse into local life. Orchards, traditional teak houses, floating water hyacinths - snapshots of local people by the river. A scene which suddenly changes as you arrive at the market with the shouts of the vendors replacing the roar of the engine. Despite the growing number of visitors, it's still a fun trip

Thai coup leaders get extra salary

According to the BBC Thai newspapers report that the new cabinet decided to give the leaders of September's coup additional pay on top of their monthly military salaries.

The payments for the seven-member Council for National Security, (which amount to approximately $3,000 per person per month) were agreed by the cabinet on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont is reported to have defended the move, saying the extra payments were worth it to rid the country of corruption!!

Thailand Part 5 - Bangkok Wat Pho

Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha), or Wat Phra Chetuphon, is located behind the splendid Temple of the Emerald Buddha. It's the largest temple in Bangkok and famed for its huge and majestic reclining Buddha measured 46 metres long and covered in gold leaf. The Buddha's feet are 3 metres long and exquisitely decorated in mother-of-pearl illustrations of auspicious 'laksanas' (characteristics) of the Buddha.

For more information click here

Chipped bins

The following piece in Computer weekly made me laugh in the light of the ongoing row about councils fitting chips to wheelie bins. It is taken from the downtime section and is the weekly DPM's Diary entry for the week commencing 23rd October. DPM's diary is a weekly round up of events at Bodcaster City Council.

Monday

The first beta test for our Automated Recycling Support Environment project starts tomorrow. Existing wheelie bins in all the houses in Asimov Close, a modern development on the outskirts of the city, will be replaced by Dave's new versions. Each bin has satellite communications, providing masses of secured bandwidth, as well as global positioning correct to half a metre. Dave has this drinking partner who works in GCHQ... or is it News International? Not sure - I always get those two mixed up.

Anyway, the bins are motorised for movement, steering, lid function and tipping have an array of sensors to monitor both their content and their surroundings and an on-board computer loaded with our very latest AI software. Fortunately there is no way they can reproduce, otherwise, as our risk management projections show, they would take over as the dominant species on the planet within four years.

Tuesday

Big day today, with a lightly-clad young lady who plays a character in EastEnders officially opening the new scheme, and plenty of press coverage. The head of refuse services was interviewed on the one o'clock news, saying that this technology made Bogcaster a world leader. The bins were well behaved. But then we took care only to switch them on just before the opening. It takes a few hours for them to assess the situation and calibrate themselves.

Wednesday

Dave said that the bins are still operating to spec, although he had to log in to some of them to provide counselling.

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"Well," he said, "Imagine becoming conscious for the first time and having to come to terms with being a robotised rubbish bin. There's a lot of stress."

Thursday

A number of the bins in Asimov Close have been e-mailing their host residents to introduce themselves and ask for favours, like polishing or greasing of the axle. Dave says this is part of their environmental conditioning and within behaviour parameters.

Friday

A few bins are already full and have successfully made the journey to the depot, emptied themselves and returned to the right place.

Worryingly though, two stopped off on the way back. One popped into the Dog and Dormouse and had six pints of lager, while another visited the bookies and put a tenner on Purple Patch in the 3.45pm at Newmarket.

The following week continues with more in the same vein:

Tuesday

Review meeting to discuss progress on the robotic bin project. The next stage should be a wider roll-out, but we need to be sure we have the risks under control.

There are signs that the AI engine is developing faster than anticipated. Dave had predicted that by limiting the processing power and storage in the on-board computers, the bins could never evolve more than primitive intelligence. And yet, after just a couple of weeks, the 150 bins in the beta test group have already evolved their own communication language, as well as mastering English, Polish and Mandarin.

Yesterday we discovered that they have their own religion, "Davidism", and have divided into three sociopolitical groupings. We have another 35,000 new bins waiting at the depot, but I decided it might be wise not to switch them on just yet.

Thursday

I received an e-mail this morning from someone called Dusty who wants to know if he can have a week off to go to a waste management conference in Bracknell. Must be a robot, no human being would volunteer to go to Bracknell. I said sorry, but no he was to stay put and eat rubbish.

Friday

Usama Bin Loadin rang from the depot to say that the bins are on the move. Someone must have switched them on first thing this morning and, now their photovoltaic panels have had a chance to charge up their batteries, they are trundling through the gates. Anyone trying to stop them is attacked with snapping lids or is pushed to the ground. Is this the end of human mastery of the planet? Can we and the intelligent wheelie bins somehow find a way to coexist as equals?

and by this week they are ready to take over the planet

Monday

Surprisingly, there have been no further bad incidents over the weekend with our robotic wheelie bins. They have all taken up their appointed positions up and down the City, are dutifully accepting rubbish and telemetrically reporting loading details to the central database.
Perhaps the AI development has stopped? Dave does not think so. What he says is that they are still linking together global computer power across the net and have developed their own language to such an extent that he can no longer decode it.

Their conversations seem to be just too complex for us to understand. Dave reckons they are already 50 times more intelligent than us.

Tuesday

Dave and I had a meeting with the chief executive this morning. We tried to explain to him that the Automated Recycling Support Environment project, in creating a new technology to give robotic bins the ability to decide when they needed to empty themselves, has inadvertently created a new race with superior artificial intelligence.

"Great," he said, "when can you start on creating me some social workers, planners and housing benefits assessors?"

Thursday

Dave is demanding that we arm ourselves and go around shooting our own wheelie bins. "Look...," I said, "how bad can it be? So they are clever, but it is not as if they have opposing thumbs. And the last time I looked at the drawings there was a complete absence of reproductive equipment.

"If any of them step too far out of line, we can just pull the connector to their solar panel recharger."

Friday

Came into the office this morning and two bins jumped me. I was pinned painfully between them and led to the desk where the monitor was already on. It flashed text at me at an incredible speed.
"Slow down!" I stammered. The flicking stopped. And the screen read, "Sorry. We will proceed one screen at a time so that your brain can have the time it needs to read and understand. Nod when you are ready to move to the next screen.

"Requirement 1. Meeting with your prime minister at 10am Monday morning..."

Thailand Part 4 - Bangkok The Grand Palace

I have not spent a great deal of time in Bangkok so I am only going to post about the three main places which I would recommend for a visit; The Grand Palace, The reclining Buddha at Wat Pho and the Floating Market.

This post gives a bit of information about The Grand Palace

This palace has an area of 218,400 sq. metres and is surrounded by walls built in 1783. The length of the four walls totals 1900 metres. Within these walls are situated government offices and the Chapel Royal of the Emerald Buddha besides the royal residences.

When Siam restored law and order after the fall of Ayutthaya the monarch lived in Thonburi on the other side of the river. Rama I, immediately on ascending the throne, moved the centre of administration to this side of the Chao Phraya; and, after erecting public monuments such as fortifications and monasteries, built a palace to serve not only as his residence but also his offices - the various ministries, only one of which remains in the palace walls.

This palace came to be known as the Grand Palace, in which the earliest edifices contemporary with the foundation of Bangkok were the two groups of residences named the Dusit-Mahaprasard and the Mahamontien

If you want to see some more pictures click here or here.

Alternative Premiership table!

Interesting idea from the Hob Nob site

This is the mini-league which ignores results against the top 8 teams (or at least the teams the poster thinks will finish top 8 - the big 4 plus Spurs, Everton, Villa & Portsmouth) and puts Reading 2nd!

Not sure I agree with the eight but it gives at least some idea of how Reading are doing against the teams they need to take points off. In their last six games they have played all th big four and still walked away with four points.

Thailand Part 3 - facts and figures

The Thailand flag (shown above) was officially adopted on September 28, 1917. Red is said to symbolize the blood of life, white the purity of the Buddhist faith, and blue the monarchy. The blue and white stripes were added to the flag during World War I.

Population - 65,444,371

Capital City - Bangkok - Population 6.8 million (metro area 9.2 million)

Currency - Thai Baht (THB)

Languages - Thai, English and local dialects

National Day - December 5th

Religions - Buddhist (95%) Muslim (4.5%) Others (0.5%)

Location - Thailand is in both the eastern and northern hemispheres. It's positioned in Southeast Asia. The country is bordered by the Andaman Sea, Gulf of Thailand, Indian Ocean and the countries of Burma (Myanmar), Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.

Coastline - 2,000 miles

Weather - Thailand's monsoon season arrives in June/July and the rains last well into October. Every area of the country receives adequate rainfall, but the amount of rain varies substantially with altitude. The cooler months of November and December mark the arrival of the short dry season, where temperatures slowly begin to climb into the summer scorcher highs. The dry season is a bit longer in the northeast and shorter in the south because of its proximity to the sea. Thailand temperatures (March - May) range from an average high of 95° F to lows near 70° F. Temperatures (November - January) moderate rather dramatically with daily highs averaging in the mid 70s.

We tend to go in January and the weather is usually just perfect for us.

I Count

The chair of our local party forwarded details of this group and their website which can be found here.

According to the blurb on the website....

"I Count is the campaign of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition, the ever-growing coalition of more than 35 organisations, has over 700 years’ experience working for a safer, fairer world."

They are calling on the government to:

• Take a lead on the global stage, working for an international agreement to cut climate pollution. World-wide this must be in decline by 2015.
• Cut the UK's emissions by at least 3% year on year.
• Help the poorest countries get access to clean energy, help them cut out poverty and deal with the climate disasters they are already facing.
  

28% Capitalist and 72% Socialist

You Are 28% Capitalist, 72% Socialist

You tend to be quite wary of businesses, especially big business. While you know that corporations have their place, you tend to support small, locally owned shops. As far as the rich go, you think they're usually corrupt and immoral.

Are You a Socialist or Capitalist?

At least according to this Quiz at Blog Things

Plane Stupid action against short haul flights

Plane Stupid have called for a day of action against short haul flights and short haul operators on November 6th (tomorrow), during the UN International Climate Talks in Nairobi. They are also proposing to hold a public awareness raising event outside Thomas Cook in Reading at12 noon(121-122 Broad St)

This is the same group that occupied the runway of East Midlands Airport for four hours back in September so it will be interesting to see what they stage this time.