23 October 2012 (Tuesday) - Stuff

An old friend got married yesterday. I can vaguely remember there being some talk of a wedding a while back. But the memory is very vague - if there was any talk it was a long while ago and I'd forgotten all about it in the meantime. It came as something of a surprise this morning when I found out about the wedding. I had a text message from a miffed friend who was also surprised by the news. In a typical sign of the times the announcement was received via Facebook.
There are various theories about weddings. There's no denying that they aren't cheap. And certainly they are for the people getting married. And if people want a ceremony just for themselves then that is entirely their choice and I respect it. But I still feel that I would like to have been a part of what happened yesterday. After all the chap's been quite a major part of my life for a long time and he has featured on quite a few blog entries over the years.
 
And so to work. I stopped off at the farm shop to get some veg (well, it is on the way). Whilst there, I thought I'd get myself a chocolate frog for my way home. I do get a bit peckish when on the 10pm finish. They didn't have any chocolate frogs but they did have chocolate Milky Bar Kids. I quite like white chocolate, but I would have preferred a chocolate frog.
Finding myself driving to work in daylight (a novelty these days) I found myself looking for places where I might hide geocaches. Three phone boxes are obvious candidates for future hides. Mind you I can't help but wonder how long phone boxes will last. Only the other day Lacey asked what a phone box was all about.
 
Being Tuesday the clans gathered. Being on a late finish I didn't get to go along. Usually in such circumstances I would go home to an empty house. But not today. I came home to find the pestilential pup fast asleep. He looked up and wagged his tail when he saw me, and slowly dragged himself out of his basket. All very cute.
I then spent a few minutes clearing bone fragments from everywhere. My Boy had been round with a lamb bone for Fudge, and he'd chomped the bone to destruction. His jaws are quite powerful. My other grand-dog's gob isn't quite so strong - as "Daddies Little Angel TM" has found out. Whilst she playing tug-o-war with him, Sid let the rope go, and "Daddies Little Angel TM" now has a black eye. Unfortunately photos are not forthcoming.

Meanwhile some Italian scientists have been found guilty of manslaughter. The so-called experts led the public to believe that a predicted earthquake wouldn't be anything to worry about. So the public didn't worry, and a major quake hit. People died. The crux of the matter was summarised in something the Daily Telegraph wrote: "At the heart of the case was a question of whether the government-appointed experts gave an overly reassuring picture of the risk"
There is a school of thought that the scientists are not guilty of manslaughter because earthquakeology is not an exact science. There is another school of thought that if so-called experts don't actually know what they are talking about then they shouldn't talk about anything. The general public believe experts; and if so-called experts are making pronouncements which they shouldn't then they are undermining the entire concept of science.
There was a lot of discussion on the Internet about this topic. As usual I'm in a minority of one. Perhaps I'm too close to the subject of scientists being held accountable for their mistakes. But why is it fine for me to be crucified whilst it's fine for everyone else to stuff up?
 
Not that I'm bitter or anything...

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