Swifts

About this time of year, swifts start to fly south. For a few months they are part of the British summer. They sleep and feed on the wing. The screaming swifts are a common summer sound.

Then you realise they are not here. I am sure we'll see more still, but they are moving south. By September most will have gone.

Funny how I treasure the day when the first swift of the year is seen. To me, it is a sign that life goes on. This year we seem to have had fewer swallows and house martins. Luckily here swift numbers have held up. Several people have erected swift nest boxes.

See https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/swift/

Car Insurance

Well, I  have been with my current car insurer for ages. Most years I have to ring up to tell them it is too much and get a better quote. This morning I did this again and they dropped a very little. So I told them to let their policy lapse and I'd look around. I have got the same cover for very much less, even allowing for introductory offers.

Now, wouldn't you think they would want to keep a loyal customer who has never made a claim? No, they have lost me now, probably for ever. Crass stupidity!! Their loss - not being able to see this.

In my view, the insurance industry is mad. Surely, they should give loyal, good customers a good deal to prevent them going elsewhere. Instead I get an idiot in a call-centre who couldn't care a jot. As I said, their loss, not mine. They deserve to lose all my business in future years, and they probably will now.

SETI

SETI = Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence

We have probably been searching of extra-terrestrial life now for about 50 years. Years ago, the famous Drake equation predicted the chances of finding intelligent life as quite high. All these years later we have still not found any signs! No sign of any extra-terrestrial life, let alone intelligent life.

Perhaps we are truly alone in the universe? Perhaps we are looking in the wrong way?

Should we succeed, it could be transformative. However, I am beginning to have my doubts.

Years ago I recall reading "We are not alone" by Carl Sagan. Perhaps we are alone?

Personally, I think we should keep looking, but I am quite surprised that we have found nothing at all.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Search_for_extraterrestrial_intelligenc

Bee

A bee on a flower at Ickworth, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk  yesterday.

Holme next the Sea

When on holiday last week at Holme next the Sea in Norfolk we had glorious weather. Most mornings we did a walk before breakfast.

Church blog updated

https://eachurches.blogspot.com/ has been updated to include Holme next the Sea in north Norfolk, which we visited last week.

Innocent until proved guilty?

Today we heard that a well known UK singer had won substantial damages from the BBC. Several years ago the police raided his house searching for evidence of child abuse and the BBC "in the public interest" hired a helicopter to film it all.  He was not even charged.

Now, if such an accused is found guilty the full force of the law will fall on him or her. If innocent, their reputation will be tarnished for ever. There are several occasions when reputations have been ruined without due cause.

The answer is simple: people are innocent and anonymous until proved guilty in a court of law. There is no place for innocent people being judged by the mob and the press. Saying such intrusions are, "in the public interest" is wholly wrong in my view. It is gutter journalism at its very worst.

BBC - serves you right! Pay up please NOW.

See  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44871799.