GREENYGREY’S RAMBLES

Watched a good BBC documentary about the 2005 7/7 bombings on Tuesday, and the conspiracies that have grown on the Internet since.

Blair Government Secrecy and Spin

The Blair government seems to have played into the conspiracy theorists’ hands by withholding evidence and not holding a full enquiry.

The Main Conspiracy Theorist

The main conspiracy theories are said to have been promoted by a mysterious video on the Internet and sent to people on DVD called the Ripple Effect.

At the end of the documentary there is a surprise ending, so if you think the truth is out there, and you want to know what it is, I recommend watching the documentary.

From the Wright Stuff this morning it seems that Ronnie Biggs doesn’t have much sympathy from the public after he was denied parole from Home Secretary Jack Straw despite the parole board recommending it.

White Collar Crime

Maybe it’s not surprising in the current climate of public anger about political and banking greed, but it’ll be interesting to see if anybody gets prosecuted for the political fraud, and what sentences they get.

Ronnie Biggs’s Crime

Ronnie Biggs took part in a robbery crime a long time ago, and the gang received a sentence of thirty years.

A train driver was coshed during the raid and he never fully recovered before dying.  It was terrible that this happened, but it was not murder, and at most one of the gang was guilty of manslaughter.  Biggs always denied it was him that did it, and as he was a petty crook at the time it may well not have been.

Biggs should be sorry for the crime and resulting death and I’m surprised if he isn’t.

Maybe if he didn’t show remorse it was because he felt that it was being forced upon him by a hypocritical state.

Comparing the Great Train Robbery to Other Crimes

The sentences were probably harsh because it was a Royal Mail train, and it was therefore a crime against the state.

But terrorists have received less sentences while planning to kill and mutilate as many people as they can.

Baby P’s killers may be out in a few years, and serious repeat paedophiles often get less than ten years.

Too Late for Ronnie Biggs

It’s probably too late for Ronnie Biggs now anyway, as he’s too sick to enjoy freedom.   

The June statistics for Greenygrey’s Rambles are in, and it was another super month for the website thanks to your visits and my work…oh, and the Greenygrey made a few appearances, although I suppose it does have a good excuse for its absence.

No World Records, but Two Season’s Best

The stats for June showed that there were 638 Unique Visitors (that’s you lot…if you were here in June), less than a 100 below the best set last month of 728.

Visits was also only second to last month, with 1447 in June compared to 1562 in May.

The Pages was a season’s best, with 4979 in June beating 4248 from March.

Hits was also a season’s best, with 12588 beating March’s 12228.

Bandwidth was 106.24, with the season’s best March’s 140.95.

Thanks for all your visits, and I hope you continue to look in on the Greenygrey in July.

New Development in the Folding Mirror Structure

Over at the Folding Mirror site, there’s been an exciting new development in the theory and structure of our favourite reflecting poetry form.

Hi Greenygrey ramblers, here’s part 1 of my special rambling report from my holiday trek.  As you know, I’ve been showing support to the Idaho wolves in the North Rockies, and travelled up to the Thompson Spirit Way wolf town in Manitoba.  Despite the best efforts of Defenders of Wildlife, my wolf friends in Idaho face being wiped out, as the governor is sooo anti-wolf, so it was nice to get away from all that tension for a few days in a wolf-friendly town.  I must just add that there are many people in Idaho who love wolves, and are doing their utmost to protect them.

I Don’t Know in Idaho

In my epic ramble of 2008 I wrote I didn’t know in Idaho, and I still don’t know: why some people are sooo anti-wolf. 

Travelling north I made good progress through Idaho, and briefly passed through Wyoming.

Morn Ta Nah in Montana 

I slept on the edge of Montana, and crossed the border after a veggie brekkie.  Early in the morning I bumped into a guy in Laurel that I’d met on my first ramble.  He was then looking for a lonesome pine, but this time he was looking for his mate, Hardy. 

We had a good chat before I left him to continue his search.  I didn’t ask if they ever found that lonesome pine, and presumed not, as they were quite hopeless.  As I couldn’t help him with his search, he didn’t even say ta, and I could’ve done with a ta to brighten up the early morn.

Passing through Billings I stopped by the side of the road and got billed for not having any tax and parking without permission.  I said I’m a werewolf not a car by dammity, but to no avail.

I then got some good miles in before Miles City, and felt hot by the time I got to Glendive, so I dove into a lake in the glen.

Not long afterwards, I came across a wolf pointing north-east on the edge of Wolf Point.  I stopped and asked if that was the direction to Thompson, but it just kept pointing in a surreal kind of way.  I thought it was the way anyway and continued north.

Next Week: Find out how I received a surprise Sasquatch welcome when I crossed over to Saskatchewan.

Exciting and delighting The Pages Issue 6 is now available for free from the Apprentice Writer website.

It contains some work from this writer and his werewolf pal known as the Greenygrey.

Speaking of the Greenygrey one, we’re hoping to have a report from GG on its holiday trek from Yellowstone to Manitoba tomorrow.

Cheers, and hope you’re enjoying the sunny weather (still greenygrey here at the moment, but they’re promising a sunny afternoon).

 Today is armed forces day in the UK. 

Armed Forces Day 

It was going to be another national holiday, but has instead been put back to a Saturday. 

Another day off for the country in the summer would have been nice, but not to be. 

Still, better than nothing, although using the bank holiday Monday at the end of May would have been better than a Saturday.

Although I don’t think all the armed services are always perfect, or all the decisions made on their behalf by politicians and generals are correct, those serving in the British armed forces over the last century have on the whole done a great job, and kept the country and world freer than it would otherwise have been.

Most soldiers join up out of a feeling of wanting to do service for their country or because of poverty and a lack of alternatives, and either way they should be supported for their tough tasks in difficult situations.

It would be nice to think that Afghanistan will be the last conflict involving British forces, but it is unlikely.

Recycling Week

On a different but also serious note, it has also been recycling week this week.  There’s still time to pledge some extra recycling to save the planet, or at least slow the deterioration, and good luck if you do.

Over the last couple of days two of the 70s and 80s icons I grew up with have passed away.

Farrah Fawcett

Farrah Fawcett was one of the faces of the 70s and 80s, and after she became an international celebrity with her role in Charlie’s Angels her look was copied around the world.

She later became a mother and family woman, as well as acting in more serious roles, but has been struck down at a much too early age.

Michael Jackson

I was never a big fan of Michael Jackson, being into new wave or heavy metal and rock while Michael Jackson focused on disco and pop, but I liked his collaboration with Eddie Van Halen on Beat It, and Jackson’s Earth Song.

I think he was a tragic figure who tried to do good, but was caught up in the fantasy world that he grew up in.

Commiserations to all their family, friends and fans.

Nine years ago I made my one and only visit to the Glastonbury festival and had a great time.  So I hope the 2009 crowd also have a good long weekend, with lots of revelry and some classic moments. 

 And same to all the other festival goers across the country.  And everybody else enjoying the warm mostly sunny weather dominating the UK at the moment.

Thanks for all your visits, and especially on Saturday, where the high numbers had me looking in the big book of Greenygrey world records to see if any had been beaten.  Unfortunately not, but a couple came mighty close.

Moon Landing 40th Anniversary

Funny what I was writing about sleep being cool, as I didn’t have a good one last night, although the Sunday one had been very nice.  Anyway, I used my early rise to watch a two hour documentary on the first moon landing, with its 40th anniversary next month.  Apollo 11 Mission.

Saturn Images

That was enough space travel for one day, but then I came across new images that have just been released from Saturn, its rings and moons.  Nice stuff.  Saturn images

Got the World Science newsletter this morning, and its got lots of good new stories and research, with some of the highlights being:

1. Birds might not be evolved from dinosaurs after all
2. Jellyfish are taking advantage of their predators going extinct to take over the oceans
3. Black holes might be denser than thought, with one measured at the equivalent of 6.4 billion suns: yes, billions!
4. Being conscious takes a lot of energy: must be why sleep is so cool!!

New Poetry

Also put a new Folding Mirror poem up on site this morning about a parachutist, the cloud, Earth and space, so please follow the link over if you’re intrigued!