Alex's Beachcomber Blog

Not quite sure what it means but....

2012-01-05T17:18:00.000+02:00

Rare Moon mineral found in Australia

Updated January 06, 2012 01:09:56

A mineral brought back to Earth by the first men on the Moon and long thought to be unique to the lunar surface has been found in Australian rocks more than 1 billion years old.

Named after Apollo 11's 1969 landing site at the Sea of Tranquility, tranquillityite was one of three minerals first discovered in rocks from the Moon and the only one not to be found, in subsequent years, on Earth.

Australian scientist Birger Rasmussen said tranquillityite had "long been considered as the Moon's own mineral" until geologists discovered it, by chance, in rock from resources-rich Western Australia.

In search of secrets on the far side of the moon

2012-01-01T17:18:00.000+02:00

Can't help wondering what effect this may have!

Lunar mystery ... both sides of the moon are shown in this undated image. Photo: AP/NASA TWO NASA spacecraft are slipping into orbit around the moon to try to answer persistent questions about Earth's celestial companion.

It wasn't me, promise! Water spout at Hastings

2011-12-07T19:08:00.001+02:00

Remember! Remember!

2011-06-26T12:48:00.003+03:00

I know, but I couldn't resist posting this, from a book I am reading. It is by Annie Brassey and called "Sunshine and Storm in the East"

"The sea was rushing up violently like an immense fountain jet, while from the cloud above, which was intensely black, an inverted cone came down to meet the sea. Another waterspout, farther off, looked like a long back trough, pouring down from the heavens above into the cone shaped fountain in the sea beneath"

[Alex, somewhere between Paxos and Corfu - is this near you? Though this happened in 1874!]

Umm - from Sandy

2011-05-30T17:28:00.001+03:00

I know what Alex said about the blog and I understand why, but just wanted to share this. (May be my only contribution!)

THE green flares of the aurora australis seen on Saturday night were the brightest they have been in seven years, says Astronomical Society of Tasmania spokesman Bob Coghlan.

Mr Coghlan said the natural light show was caused by photon oxygen emissions in the Earth's upper atmosphere reacting against strong solar winds, causing an eerie green glow.

Aurora Australis lights up the night

The Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis

Hail and Farewell.

2011-05-27T18:19:00.002+03:00

Dear Readers,

there are things afoot which make it difficult to keep up this blog currently. It is not dead, just in abeyance (it's an interregnum - Lexie)

I had hoped to score last minute English points with 'abeyance', but maybe Lexie will get them for 'interregnum'. (Joke)

Thank you for visiting,

Alex

Another delicate beauty.

2011-05-16T19:30:00.000+03:00

A Thing of beauty is a joy forever

2011-05-14T19:25:00.000+03:00

2011-05-10T12:19:00.001+03:00

Join the dots!

2011-05-07T10:17:00.000+03:00

A crab - but what sort?

2011-05-05T17:37:00.000+03:00

Looks like a knight in armour going full tilt.

Underwater playground

2011-05-04T11:32:00.000+03:00

My mind boggles - so I blog!

2011-05-03T15:27:00.000+03:00

No one knows what dark matter is – astronomers merely detect its gravitational pull on normal matter..........

.....Earth's velocity relative to the surrounding sea of dark matter changes as the planet orbits the sun.

New Scientist

And I thought we'd put paid to all that! See The Stone Summons

What makes these odd low tide 'slugs'?

2011-05-03T13:13:00.000+03:00

Bearing in mind this was originally an IT project.......

2011-05-02T19:06:00.003+03:00

I read somewhere in passing that you could now add static pages to blogger. I decided to look into this (on the search for extra points maybe?) So I did a search and the first I don't know how many hits came up with completely clueless hits and laborious (marks for English usage?) instructions. So I was very glad when I eventually followed this link http://technicallyeasy.net/2010/04/how-to-create-pages-in-blogger/

And maybe, if I had been doing more blogging lately, I wouldn't even have needed that (not that I want to sound ungrateful.)

When you click on New Post you get options -

New Post
Edit Posts
Edit Pages
Click on Edit Pages, add your content and follow instructions/choices - Simples Lexie!

Tracy Island?

2011-05-02T10:29:00.000+03:00

Heart Muscle?

2011-04-30T11:18:00.000+03:00

Didn't make it!

2011-04-29T17:43:00.002+03:00

I so wanted to get to the 3,000 mark, by 19th March, or 1,000 visitors for the past year, but not even there yet, despite Lexie's hard work. But I've just checked - didn't put the counter up until over a month after I started the blog, so maybe enough visitors beforehand to count?

Google Stats say

Pageviews all time history

2,695

and they didn't start until May 2010!

Beachcombing - low tide

2011-04-29T17:10:00.000+03:00

2011-04-26T20:51:00.000+03:00

Smallest sea glass collection in the world?

2011-04-20T09:45:00.000+03:00

2011-04-17T13:12:00.000+03:00

2011-04-15T11:10:00.000+03:00

2011-04-12T18:00:00.001+03:00

Something's afoot, as you truly say.

2011-04-08T10:06:00.000+03:00

Just as well you told me about that weird language. I had enough trouble with 'summat's afoot'! But, me too. Or should I say Emay ootay! Atwhay aboutway Exielay?

Summat's afoot!

2011-04-06T19:01:00.002+03:00

Iway oundfay Eterpay!

Hi Alex,

2011-03-31T22:54:00.002+03:00

There is the other point too, mentioned after the photo (great photo!) which people who've read the book (The Stone Summons - - - - also on Kindle )
will realise.

Sorry, will get back to beachcombing soon - promise! (Though, it is YOUR blog!)

Hello Anonymous!

2011-03-31T22:50:00.003+03:00

But I think I know who you are!

The photo is relevant to beachcombing because:

Moon affects tides
Tides bring in Flotsam & jetsam
Flotsam, jetsam and other items are what beachcombers collect (along with the odd treasure or two when the gods are kind.)

Super Lunar Perigree

2011-03-30T23:37:00.002+03:00

This photo is everywhere on the net, so I hope Anthony Ayiomamitis. does not mind that I share it also. See his fantastic website at http://www.perseus.gr/

I looked very hard, but there were no signs. Yes, I know it is the wrong side, but it felt like you should be able to see.

It's out to get you!

2011-03-22T09:42:00.000+02:00

It's a pebble!

2011-03-21T12:31:00.000+02:00

When I first saw it on the beach I thought it was a lamb's head, but then I thought a calf, it made me think of Keat's Ode on a Grecian Urn for some reason. Maybe because I have to learn it for school, and trying to learn it, I wondered it it was describing Alex's village.

In a fret!

2011-03-19T10:25:00.000+02:00

"'T'is beginning to rain

"No, 'tis only fret off the sea."

["Rudolf the Red knows rain Dear!"]

At first sight the seagulls almost look like writing on the sand (yes, sand!)

Bad photo!

2011-03-17T19:19:00.001+02:00

This is a very delicate shell, with the letter 'S' quite clearly showing on it, but the photo makes it look m ore like a fish!

Is this someone famous - or is it you?

2011-03-03T19:00:00.000+02:00

Beachcombing with a vengeance

2011-03-02T14:22:00.002+02:00

Cannons found in Panama believed to be from Sir Henry Morgan shipwrecks
Archaeologists have recovered six cannons from the ships of Welsh privateer Sir Henry Morgan, the first artifacts found in Panama to be linked to the man who remains a legend there...................

At the edge of the Lajas Reef, the team found what appeared to be a field of six cannons, all covered with layers of sedimentary rock that had built up over centuries...............................

At least two more guns are buried in the sand, along with an anchor, ceramics, bottles and other artifacts

Apparently this is a freaky flicker!

2011-03-02T10:53:00.000+02:00

Treasure!

2011-02-28T15:51:00.000+02:00

Alex's Mum's judgement of Solomon in case of claims!

He sells seashells on the seashore - not to mention fish

2011-02-27T15:47:00.000+02:00

Drfitwood & pebbles

2011-02-25T12:44:00.000+02:00

Weird piece of driftwood, like some arcane animal.

Aboriginal art on the Sussex seashore!

2011-02-23T18:40:00.000+02:00

Not bragging but... by Alex

2011-02-21T19:21:00.002+02:00

"Previous research had shown that the Earth's core rotates faster than the rest of the planet. However, scientists from the University of Cambridge have discovered that earlier estimates of 1 degree every year were inaccurate and that the core is actually moving much slower than previously believed – approximately 1 degree every million years......"

We could have told them that! Though it is possible that original estimates were right, and it was our actions that slowed it. Read about it - The Stone Summons

Petrifying wood?

2011-02-07T09:34:00.002+02:00

I have found wood that looks like it is on the way to pertrification, and stones that look like they were once wood, so have been hoping to find, and think I have, a mix of the two. The top of this is hard to the touch and feels like stone, sort of calcified, but underneath it is clearly still wood.

What do I see?

2011-02-06T12:49:00.000+02:00

At first I am unsure, it is a blowy, blustery day, and suddenly I glimpse this glint in the shingle.

Amazingly, it is a golden Christmas tree bauble, dunped by this sea > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

but undamaged.

Shinglescape by Poseidon

2011-02-05T10:36:00.002+02:00

I took this photo thinking that Poseidon was a great artist, the way it was arranged, then looking through the lens I realised it looks like a dog , or maybe a deer.

Hag Stones

2011-02-04T11:32:00.000+02:00

Hag Stones, also known as Witch Stones, Fairy Stones, Holy Stones and Eye Stones, are stones with naturally formed holes running clean through them. These, all collected from the beach, protect my Gran's front door and back wall.

From: http://mcrocks.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3041429
One of the most widespread magic devices to protect both man and beast was a pebble with a natural hole in it, also called ‘hagstone’, ‘witch-stone’, or (in the north-east) ‘adder-stones’. They were believed to repel witchcraft, and consequently any disease caused by spells or the evil eye; in particular, they prevented hag-riding. The earliest allusion is in a 15th-century charm against nightmares.Small ones could be carried in the pocket or hung up over the bed; larger ones were used in stables over Horses to prevent witches from riding the horses at night and bringing them back sweating and frothy. A variation, still known in the mid-20th century, was to hang the stone on the stable door; usually the doorkey or a bit of old chain would be attached to it, reinforcing its power with that of iron. Boatmen in Weymouth fastened them to the bows as charms to keep their boats safe. Small fossil sponges of the species Porosphaera are commonly found with natural holes in them; in Victorian times, necklaces of them were sold ‘for luck’ in Brighton (Sussex), and were much worn by women of fishing families.Some cultures believed that you could see Fairies or goblins by looking through the hole in the stone.

Another face!

2011-02-03T09:52:00.000+02:00

The left eye has a pebble in it, which makes it look alive.

Deck the (underwater) halls.....

2011-02-01T10:48:00.001+02:00

I walked along the tide line and there was all this greenery - more than this! Yew, pine, bay; it was as if the sea creatures had been having a party, and the decorations had washed ashore!

Pathway across the sea

2011-01-29T20:19:00.000+02:00

The Corona Beach Garbage Hotel is made of recycled waste collected from European beaches

2011-01-28T18:41:00.000+02:00

A NEW hotel has opened in the heart of Madrid proudly declaring that it's completely rubbish.

More of a wooden shack than a five-star establishment, the walls of the Beach Garbage Hotel are strewn with detritus dragged up by the tide, recovered from landfills or snapped up at flea markets.

Photo full of memories - Alex

2011-01-27T16:37:00.000+02:00

Short Sharp Science: Speeding star creates bird-like space sculpture - check photo in article

Wow! This brings it all back, what a great feeling. But oh,Karaghiozi, where are you now? (This > is my photo from my Facebook page, if you want to be my friend!)

Runes

2011-01-26T20:06:00.000+02:00

So There! [Alex again]

2011-01-24T23:25:00.001+02:00

Betelgeuse 'not likely to explode in 2012'

Cold water poured on twin sun dreams
"...................

That story is helping fuel internet rumors and doomsday theories by confounding the impending supernova with the Mayan calendar's conclusion in 2012 - which some believe is a prediction of the end of the world.

But there's no reason to think Betelgeuse will blow in 2012, Mr Plait explained, or even this millennium................"

Flotsam & jetsam!

2011-01-23T12:07:00.000+02:00

There's a simple mnemonic that helps distinguish flotsam from jetsam. Flotsam (or floatsome) are those items which are floating as a consequence of the action of the sea. Jetsam are those which have been jettisoned by a ship's crew (although that may float too of course).

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/flotsam-and-jetsam.html

Pier remains

2011-01-22T20:08:00.000+02:00

Hi, this is Alex! (Excuse me Lexie, while I post to MY blog!)

2011-01-22T18:45:00.003+02:00

The English newspaper The Telegraph today has a report I first read four days ago, I thought about blogging it then because it is within my sphere of interest - but first I checked it out on the web. I could find nothing of substance that validated it, so left it, Is The Telegraph guilty of sloppy reporting? Even if the journalist is a better researcher than me, he hasn't cited any validating sources, so is still being irresponsible in my opinion.

It will be interesting to see if this story escalates.

"'Second sun' on its way
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/space/827553

The Earth could find itself with a 'second sun' for a period of weeks later this year when one of the night sky's most luminous stars explodes, scientists have claimed."

Trawler coming into harbour!

2011-01-21T20:02:00.000+02:00

A baby 'Scream'

2011-01-20T18:04:00.000+02:00

See here for the orginal

apparently Andy Warhol did his own version too

and you can see Little Scream's big brother from our competition - here.

Just sitting there!

2011-01-19T20:01:00.000+02:00

View through a 'brick'!

2011-01-14T10:35:00.000+02:00

Hollow sort of brick (lots of them around) presumably from the pier and I used it to take the photo of the pier, putting the camera lens up to the hole (with some difficulty, trying to juggle camera and brick)

My favourite!

2011-01-12T18:46:00.000+02:00

This is the pinky grey stone I mentioned earlier, I have seen much bigger bits than this.

Stone

2011-01-11T17:30:00.001+02:00

It looks like a parcel wrapped around with string.

(I've found the rocks always look better in situ when they are still wet form the sea; often when they dry out what attracted me is lost.

Beachcombing rewards

2011-01-10T22:53:00.002+02:00

Went down to the beach today despite the bitterly cold wind; not another soul in sight and what did I espy, unbelievably, just alying on the pebbles, but a £5 note!

It was far too cold to take a photo ( and anyway, the note might have blown away by the time I had extracted my camera from my pocket.) I honestly looked around for an owner, but as before, no one else was braving the biting wind.

I am just hoping that I don't now get a lot of claimants, as Alex did when he found the koumboloi. See Judgement of Solomon

2010-12-30T15:29:00.000+02:00

Still a lot of this all over the beach; the first piece I saw was like a large brick, with a runnel in it, and the pinky streak you can see in the ones above. At first I didn't know what it was, well I still don't really, but I think it must come from the pier, because there's so mcuh of it. It is a creamy yellow, with a pink streak, and very light.

Smiley Face!

2010-12-29T10:24:00.000+02:00

See other examples at HERE.

Treasure?

2010-12-28T17:17:00.002+02:00

I found this stone, or half stone on the beach and it seemed obvious that it had had a crystalline structure of some sort in the cavity. You may be able to see the glitter from remaining glitter.

I assumed the sea had broken it, and spent some time looking around for the other half. Then I looked for similar stones - I found one easily enough, and cracked it open easily - but alas, there was no treasure inside.

I was telling a friend's father about it later, and he suggested that there had been human intervention. I hope to spend more time looking and seeing if I can find my own treasure.

New Year Resolution

2010-12-27T18:06:00.003+02:00

Well, yes - obviously I know it isn't New Year yet, but I feel bad about letting Alex and all you others down - so am going to try and do better!

These are more pier finds, as well as shells and a stone. There is hardly a day on the beach when I don't come back with a stone or pebble that has fascinated me. There's grey quartzy type of stone, with pink in it (okay, I never claimed to be a geologist) and stones with lovely brown, black and orange colours, they look abit like some Australian Aborigine painings I have seen - but the colurs are best before the stones dry out.

I have acouple of its of charred timber, one of them has a bolt in it, and two bits of metal lacework in the second picture are bits of melted metal.

Oh, and I hope you all had a Very Happy Christmas - Καλά Χριστούγεννα

I know - it's been ages!

2010-12-02T19:41:00.004+02:00

Yes, I do have my camera back, and I will try to find time to document my earlier finds, but for the last few days it has been a bit difficult to beachcomb! See above, taken today.

And for those of a romantic turn of mind: (Very Dickensian, which is quite appropriate, as he had two aunts in Hastings, and spent some time staying with them.

Well! That didn't work did it?

2010-11-09T21:17:00.003+02:00

Tried blogging the photo from Picasa but desn't seem to have worked, so, hopefully, herewith!

So quick & simple - and done.

2010-11-09T21:02:00.000+02:00

As you might be able to guess, I haven't got my camera back yet!

But I was feeling a bit guilty about failing Alex, so I had this great idea to use the webcam on my eeepc.

Couldn't get it quite right (actually was trying to photograph six shells I picked up today!)

It was very stormy yesterday and there was fresh pier debris. I love the beach in a storm - I love the beach. (That's 'full stop')

Hello there!

2010-11-02T22:15:00.002+02:00

Hi, I am Alex's solution; my name is Lexie Godbehere and Alex has asked me to take over his blog for a while. He has asked Sandy (Sandy Godbert) too, but she hasn't answered yet.

As is so often the way, my new, birthday camera had to go in to be repaired the same day Alex contacted me. (Lens error!) So you will have to wait for photos but I have collected lots of things!

First shells; I read somewhere on the web that because Hastings is a pebble beach there are no shells. Load of....!

And you may have heard that our pier got a bit burnt; there are loads of bits and pieces all over the beach so I picked up a couple.

Then, of course, there are the pebbles - every day I walk on the beach and every day I pick up pebbles, the shapes, the colours; of course, I do keep hoping I will find something worth lots of money, or of great importance.

I did find a mobile phone, still working and the owner was very pleased to get it back, and I found a pair of Prada sunglasses- well, it said PRADA on the side.

I am aware......

2010-11-01T18:51:00.002+02:00

....I have been so caught up in family matters and other things I just haven't had time to blog, let alone beachcomb! I do have an idea in mind, so don't stop taking a quick peek occasionally and I will try and get my idea up and running.

Meanwhile, you might find this interesting (well, I did!) -
http://sites.google.com/site/marijsak/thestonesummons

http://sites.google.com/site/mjsakbiog/biography

Sorrow! My heart hurts for my friends in Hastings

2010-10-07T23:57:00.002+03:00

So many friends have told me about the Battle for Hastings Pier, and how hopeful they all were that they could get it reopened - and now it has been burnt down! I am sure it was an accident, but how sad for everyone.

But it must be something about the people of Hastings - they still haven't given up and are hoping that something can be done.

After I heard it on the news I had a look online and here are photos etc.

Hippo Campus

2010-09-24T13:02:00.000+03:00

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2010/09/hundreds-of-baby-seahorses-cau.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news

A record-breaking 918 baby short-snouted seahorses were born at London Zoo's aquarium on Monday and caught on camera.

Famed for their unusual gestation process - whereby the male is equipped with a 'brood pouch' and goes through pregnancy and birth - seahorses are notoriously hard to breed:

http://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/newshastings/A-century-of-seahorses-born.6384428.jp

A century of seahorses born at Blue Reef - Hastings
.............more than 100 seahorses were born at the aquarium. The tiny short-snouted seahorses, which are notoriously difficult to rear in captivity, were born as part of a nationwide breeding programme............................

"These babies were born from parents that were rescued after accidentally being caught by fishermen. .....................................

First-Ever Halley Comet Sighting: It Was All Greek

2010-09-11T05:09:00.000+03:00

I caught this from the newsfeed at the bottom of the blog.

..........the mention of a comet falling somewhere in the Hellespont region of northern Greece, either in 466 or 467 BC. Hintz and Graham write that records from the time describe how the meteor fell even while a continued to burn in the sky. (It subsequently became a tourist attraction for the next 500 years.) However, most of the subsequent commentary focused on the meteor, giving the appearance of the comet relatively short shrift.

Fast forward to 1705. That's when Englishman Edmond Halley correctly predicted the return of a comet seen in 1682, which returned to pass by the Earth in 1758. Since then, scientists have been able to project backwards the comet's return trips, which typically take place every 75 to 76 years.

Using computer simulations Hintz and Graham suggest that what we now call Halley's comet might have been visible for about 80 days during the summer of 466 BC.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-20016110-501465.html

Beachcombers - contributions/corrections welcomed!

2010-09-08T06:34:00.001+03:00

strandjutter, موجة طويلة, 比奇科默, tulák - velká příbojová vlna, Pikk ranna-Aal, rantajätkä, 1. vague déferlante - 2. propre à rien - 3. personne qui ramasse des objets sur les plages, Strandgutsammler, frangente, 大波 (Onami), Okeano banga, موج خروشان دریا و اقیانوس, 1. przybrzeżna fala morska - 2. człowiek żyjący z tego, co morze wyrzuca na brzeg, бродяга, 1. ola - 2. raquero - 3. persona inútil, lodosçu, ביטשקאָומער

Strandloopers ahoy

2010-09-01T16:23:00.002+03:00

Sounded Dutch or Afrikaans to me. Anyway, I have had an email from the writer of a blog called Finds of a Strandlooper who is interested in beachcombing blogs and if you want to know about the origins of the word, go look on her blog.

She pointed out that my beachcombing has been rather neglected, and it is true that I have been fascinated lately with things to do with weather and cosmic disturbances.

But I am still beachcombing!

Success!

2010-08-31T07:23:00.001+03:00

I am now a bona fide Facebook member and I am really pleased with my profile picture. Go take a look - I haven't fixed the security settings yet.

Not again!

2010-08-30T08:29:00.002+03:00

So eager to sign up to Facebook now I legally can - I thought! Forgot to take into account the time difference.

Thanks for all the birthday wishes, will reply individually in due course.

Happy Birthday to me. Facebook! Here I come

2010-08-30T08:24:00.000+03:00

Now why does that sound familiar?

2010-08-05T18:46:00.000+03:00

Solar fireworks set to follow sun blast

A WAVE of violent space weather has begun rolling over the Earth after a huge explosion on the sun.

Scientists say the wave of supercharged gas should buffet the natural magnetic shield protecting the Earth, possibly sparking spectacular displays of the auroras known as the northern and southern lights.

Several things here strike a bell, ring a chord (or something)

2010-07-21T14:31:00.001+03:00

Extraterrestrials strafe Bosnian with meteorites

'I have no doubt I am being targeted by aliens'

By Lester Haines •

Posted in Bootnotes, 20th July 2010 09:01 GMT

A Bosnian man whose house has been hit six times by meteorites has come to the conclusion he's done something to hack off ET, the Telegraph reports.

Radivoje Lajic, 50, from the village of Gornji Lajici, near Prijedor in northern Bosnia, has suffered half a dozen strikes since November 2007

Alright already - I've got the message.

2010-06-26T18:00:00.002+03:00

Tropical Storm Alex forms in Caribbean

The above headline, or variations thereof, has been sent to me by 59 people - and counting.

Please, no more, oh the tribulations of fame!

Great idea?

2010-06-14T19:04:00.003+03:00

I thought I would get in touch with Scholastic publishers and see if they were interested in the educational potential of my blog (you're right, yet another school project! English/IT/Social networking!) and I was intending to suggest that this could be linked to The Stone Summons, which after all tells about living in three different countries.

But first of all it was a mire trying to find out how to make contact, then of course, it was impossible to find out who to contact, well there are addresses there, but if I write a letter and send it by the postman, it won't fit into the requirements of the project.

I have been able to document the steps I have taken, include some links about different, what is the phrase, top honchos (?) Barbara Marcus, Lisa Holton and Dick Robinson and to articles more or less related to my subject.

None the less, I a feeling a bit of a failure at the moments.

Stellar explosion sends shrapnel our way

2010-05-31T19:27:00.002+03:00

AN EXCESS of high-energy particles hitting Earth may be shrapnel from a stellar explosion 800 light years away.

After analysing the distribution of around 4.3 billion muons detected between June 2007 and March 2008, the IceCube team has found a small but clear excess of cosmic rays coming from the direction of the constellation Vela, hinting that the relatively close Vela supernova remnant may be responsible - but maybe not! It may be, is quite likely to be, detritus from our own cosmic adventure! See above!

Ball lightning is all in the mind

2010-05-20T19:48:00.002+03:00

Article here

Physicists in Austria say they have solved the conundrum of "ball lightning", mysterious glowing spherical apparitions which baffled boffins have struggled to explain for centuries.

According to Austrian physicists there is in fact no such thing as ball lightning in reality. Rather, powerful magnetic fields created by ordinary lightning affect the brains of humans nearby so that they see things which aren't there.

I respectfully beg to differ, having had my own ball lightning experience!

See Sorry, really busy! , 3rd paragraph.

Kids under 13 aren't allowed on Facebook, but that hasn't stopped many of them from joining

2010-05-20T19:44:00.003+03:00

Not that it's a hobby horse, or anything, am just waiting until August.

But I thought this was quite weird. Togetherville, a social network for kids ages 6 to 10, hopes to lure them into a more age-appropriate setting. It's free to join, and kids' accounts must be created by their parents using their own Facebook logins

Since the point is they can't join Facebook until they are 13, why isn't it for people aged 6 - 12?

I bet, unlike Facebook, you won't find the 11 and 12 year olds lying about their ages in order to register, could be wrong though!

Cabbages & Kings

2010-05-10T18:52:00.002+03:00

(And just in case you're wondering, Sandy, you are the 'Kings' bit, obviously!)

Just came across a neat visitor counter - of course, I have been using Cluster Maps for some years now, so feel a loyalty to them, but I also like Flag Counter's display.

And Sandy has accepted my apology (or rather, she says she was only teasing.)

And Barney says a blog is no place for personal communications, I'm not sure why not; never mind, come August I can emote on Facebook - not!

My Yiayia says it is hanging out your dirty linen in public - and we don't do that, after all, as all my class mates know, following my paper on Greek festivals, we Greeks celebrate Clean Monday. (Καθαρή Δευτέρα)

Humble apologies, Sandy

2010-04-29T18:26:00.004+03:00

My friend Sandy, who lives in Tasmania, is deeply insulted. She says when she emailed me to say she had found a stone just like Karaghiozi I didn't believe her, and what is more I wrote that in this very blog! See Weirder & more weirder

Yet when Cressida sent me a photo of what she had found, I obviously believed her. (Amazing! Incroyable! Απίστευτο! Невероятный!) Well, Cressida and I have been in the same class since we were both 8, and I have met her several times at school get togethers, so I was sure she wasn't spamming me. (Hope I am not going to get egg on my face, Cress?)

And, in my defence (I think) I later blogged that I did believe! (Twin stones?)

Friends, Sandy? (Did it in purple, just for you)

Amazing! Incroyable! Απίστευτο! Невероятный!

2010-04-26T18:53:00.003+03:00

A class-mate from England, Cressida, has sent me this photo; she says ever since she read about Karaghiozi (so alright, I did copy Lexie and name my stone!) she is always on the lookout to see if she can find him. (Or Peter) So she was quite amazed to come across this the other day.

If it had been a few months ago, she could maybe have entered it in the competition; I removed the link after the winner was announced but you can still view the entries here.

Hot spots!!!

2010-04-21T17:24:00.002+03:00

Everywhere I turn someone is telling me about hotspots! Hotspots in Iceland (light relief) Bill Bryson's A Short History of Practically Everything (βεβαος, there's an awful lot not in there I want to know.) And just now finished a long lesson at school - on hot spots! Well, me, I know about hot spots. And it is much more fun to read it in The Stone Summons ( Buy Now!)

But not me! Well, only on Buzz, and they allow it.

2010-03-30T17:13:00.001+03:00

I posted "Incidentally, the reason I can't sign up to Facebook -not yet 13! (Not for any of the reasons suggested by some of my so-called reputable classmates!) So how come I know several other people across the world (including some of the above!) who are signed up who are also not yet 13! Surely they didn't lie!"

Apparently they did.

A quarter of underage children have social networking profiles

By OUT-LAW.COM • Get more from this author

Posted in Law, 29th March 2010 15:07 GMT

One in four underage children have profiles on social networking sites, according to research by media regulator Ofcom. The survey found that 25 per cent of eight to 12-year-olds surveyed have a social networking profile.

Children under 13 are not allowed to have a profile on the major platforms, including Facebook, Bebo and MySpace, under those sites' terms of use.

Weird weather fascinates me.

2010-03-28T17:16:00.003+03:00

Just came across this really interesting (though somewhat old, in the scheme of things) article on weird weather, has some good photos too, so I thought I'd share it.

http://www.firstscience.com/home/articles/earth/weird-weather-page-1-1_1265.html

See especially the Water spout photo on page 4 (being socially responsible about copyright, and not reproducing it!) "The same goes for much larger waterspouts over the sea. These are huge vortices of seawater spiralling up into stormy clouds above, and you can see why ancient mariners talked about monsters from the deep."

This relates to our experiences in The Stone Summons ( Buy Now!)

I see 'Bang Goes the Theory' is back, but they're still not interested! (Who'd believe we get the BBC, way out here.)

Experiment!

2010-02-25T15:01:00.001+02:00

"ASANAY ayssay atthay itsway "appyscray" Arsmay overray, Iritspay

- ichwhay ashay entspay ixsay earsyay owlingpray ethay ochreway

ildernessway ofway ethay edray anetplay - aymay inallyfay ebay

uffedstay. Oggedbay inway away andsay aptray, ethay achinemay

isway unableway otay alignway itsway olarsay anelspay

orrectlycay orfay ethay omingcay Artianmay interway, eaningmay

atthay itway illway obablypray expireway omfray ethay oldcay."

Thanks - Lifehacker!

2010-02-23T16:59:00.002+02:00

They have practically done my latest IT project for me, or at least given me a good start! In a blog called "Which Social Network Is Right For You?" (or alternatively, "Which Social Network Is Right For Me?") they compare the various features of Google Buzz, Twitter, and Facebook, including privacy, use and management, access/openess, and mobile experience.

Incidentally, the reason I can't sign up to Facebook -not yet 13! (Not for any of the reasons suggesrted by some of my so-called reputable classmates!) So how come I know several other people across the world (including some of the above!) who are signed up who are also not yet 13! Surely they didn't lie!

Turned down again!

2010-02-10T19:33:00.002+02:00

Here we go! School IT project on Social Networking. I suggested I should use our school as a case study, as it must qualify as social networking, but I was turned down, with derision, if I may say so. So now I am doing a comparison with Buzz and Facebook. Am going to post this to Facebook, and also on my blog (herewith!)

Fell at the first hurdle, well, second actually. Did the Buzz entry straight forward and immediate, tried to sign up to Facebook and was told I was ineligible! Guess why?

Beachcombing.....

2010-02-06T19:45:00.002+02:00

Came across this on the beach and it started me wondering. For a start, it would have been more serendipitous if it had been St Valentine's Day, but where did it come from? Has it washed ashore from somewhere across the Mediterranean, has it fallen from a bride's bouquet, or been thrown overboard in remembrance or mourning. Was it yours?

Fire in the sky - the Aurora Borealis

2010-02-04T17:26:00.001+02:00

from News.com - Australia

I've had a revelation!

2010-01-30T18:24:00.004+02:00

As one does, Lexie said when I was relaying the information to her (relaying, rather than telling, texting, emailing, for good reason!) We (school) were having a debate on global warming / climate change, man made or not and I had to be for, which rather annoyed me. And lots of the research I did bore out my own feelings, rather than those I had to convey in the debate.

I was rather proud of myself, well, on two counts really. I managed to turn it around to say that we shouldn't castigate ourselves for having caused it (because we obviously haven't, climate change has been going on for aeons; I would have loved to go to a frost fair on the Thames, but they only occurred during a mini ice age. There were vineyards in England in the Middle Ages - see how useful research is) po, po, po - to get back to what I was saying. We shouldn't castigate ourselves, but that is no reason why we shouldn't aim for a green footprint, conserve water, energy etc. where possible. Loipon, that was the first count, and the second count was, well, maybe I blinded them with science (it's seems to be a common occurrence!) but I won the debate! Well done me!

Well, that wasn't the revelation, the revelation was, in the light of reports like this "NEW evidence has cast doubt on claims that the world’s ice-caps are melting, it has emerged. Satellite data shows that concerns over the levels of sea ice may have been premature. It was feared that the polar caps were vanishing because of the effects of global warming. But figures from the respected US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that almost all the “lost” ice has come back. Ice levels which had shrunk from 13million sq km in January 2007 to just four million in October, are almost back to their original levels. Figures show that there is nearly a third more ice in Antarctica than is usual for the time of year. The data flies in the face of many current thinkers and will be seized on by climate change sceptics who deny that the world is undergoing global warming." [The Express] and many more like it.

Could it be perhaps, that the summons stones effect in slowing the earth spinning, not only slowed time but also affected the speed of climate change. Makes sense to me.

Oh yeah! Summons Stone not nuclear!

2010-01-26T19:19:00.002+02:00

Only nukes can stop planetsmash asteroids, say US boffins

Nix on the 'world free of nuclear weapons', Mr President

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/01/25/only_nukes_can_stop_asteroids/