Hamish

'Jackson' - Johnny and June Carter Cash

US foreign policy...reminds me of one of the best bumper stickers I've seen over here...... 'Yee-ha is not a foreign policy'

Salmon decline is due to a number of factors, commercial fishing and the loss of habitat both being very important. As are diseases and genetic contamination relating to hatcheries and, especially fish farming. Although dams try and incorporate fish ladders etc, a lot of research has shown that fish don't use nearly in the same numbers as would pass if the dam wasn't there. But more importantly, dams disrupt the natural processes of rivers that create and maintain instream habitats (not just for salmon but for all species). Read the book 'King Of Fish' by David Montgomery, it is a very good read and very informative. I can speak with a modicum of authority on the matter as this is what I did my PhD in and what all my subsequent research has been about. I hope Mee doesn't consider this as me being arrogant :001:

Hydro-power destroys river systems which are the arteries of the environment. They stop natural physical processes from operating (the transport of water and sediment downstream) which significantly impacts on the habitats of all species that live in rivers. The management of river systems for hydropower and water-supply is one of the main reasons why salmon are nearing extinction around the world. I could develop this into a full-blown rant but I'm going to stop here. Suffice to say that ALL sources of power supply have associated negative impacts to the environment. There's not such a thing as a 'clean energy source'.

...one of the reasons I consider myself Scottish and not British.

Yes I do. Why would you think I wouldn't? I've never said Israel are justified in the specific actions they are undertaking.

There's nothing that you're saying that I disagree with. I just feel it's a very complex situation and not as simple as one side being the sole aggressor. It is quite ironic that in 1948 the British were not keen on the establishment of Israel...

I'll warn you that I'm fairly militant when it comes to large hydro constructions :008: :001: Messing with our beautiful rivers and their wonderful fauna!!!!

I'm going to start the Boleskin Massive. Anyone with a broad-minded taste in music is welcome. :001: And Bucket, thanks for the info, that's what I'd sort of assumed.

I'm going to help in spreading the word of decent music in south Loch Ness side! :001:

FW, I was expecting the phrase 'huge erection' to appear somewhere in your post... You're losing your touch! :001:

OK, maybe I'll need a gun lisence too. For self-defence. :001:

I need some advice on property issues in the Inverness area and hope someone can help. Having been out of the country for nearly 3 years, I'm out of touch with housing issues in the area. But I get the impression that the market is quite 'healthy' (i.e. expensive). So I was wondering if now is a good time to consider building your own place? So my question is really whether building costs have gone up in line with the housing market or if it's (relatively speaking) cheaper to build? I've got the chance of a reasonably priced bit of land with planning permission on south Loch Ness side and I'm tempted... Any advice would be gratefully received! Cheers :003:

Mmmmm, fish and chips! The Californian version of them just aren't the same. Looking forward to coming back soon to re-aquaint myself... :001:

'Change Of Ideas' - Bad Religion

OK, could you quote me the bits I've written in this thread that would question my 'sanity & information'? I can't really see how you can perceive my posts as having taken anything but an objective viewpoint. Or do you subscribe to the increasingly popular paradigm of 'everything Israel does must be bad'? I'm not saying what they're doing is good or even appropriate (not by a long way) but I think your argument is a wee bit too biased the other way...

Look, I've got the Lord of the Tokers on my avatar, you've got to be nice to me! :015:

I don't understand, are you implying that Cheney & Rumsfeld are NOT a real threat to world peace?

You're mistaking my reserved tone for objectivity! :001: And I absolutely think the likes of Cheney & Rumsfeld are a real threat to world peace - what sane and informed person doesn't?

Johnboy, I think from the tone of my posts it would be obvious that I am NOT a Bush supporter! But I don't think that George W. Bush the man is the real problem, it's the regime he's the figurehead of.

Jonboy, Please don't fall into the mistake of assuming that because someone lives in the US they are not aware of world politics, a Bush supporter or willing to accept everything Israel does. That is a very inaccurate stereotype. There are many people I know here who are VERY anti-Bush, VERY anti-Iraq war (more so than British folk I'd say) and VERY aware of what's going on in the world. What the US has done over the past 5 years is an embarressment to a lot of Americans. But people need to have a balanced view of things and saying that the current situation is ALL the fault of Israel is very innaccurate. To reiterate though, I am NOT in support of the manner in which Israel have responded but neither am I of Hezbollah's terrorist tactics (and no matter how you look at it, they are terrorists).

I'm afraid the statement is a fact. Not a nice fact but a fact nonetheless. My general point is that the knee-jerk blaming of Israel in this is not very objective. Both sides are to blame for the current situation and it began well before the initial attack and kidnapping by Hezbollah.

Don't you get pictures on Californian TV of blown up women & kids strewn around everywhere, Hamish? Whatever is going on behind the scenes, nothing but nothing can possibly justify that..... Can it? Yes, it's quite horrific. But there are dead Israeis too. However, if there had been a totally unrestrained attack the deaths would be in the thousands. I'm not justifying what Israel's doing in any way but there does seem to be an automatic condemnation of them as soon as they respond in any way. It's a very complicated situation that is quite depressing to think about.

I would say that on the face of it at least, Israel's response has been excessive. But, then again, none of us know exactly what's going on behind the scenes...

Couldn't agree more!! I would argue that you can dance just as easily to rock music! My lasting image of dance fans from my days working in a club is of very sweaty, ill-looking folk with an unsettlingly similar appearance to Gollum from the Lord Of The Rings films. And it was more convulsing that dancing! :001: Although, maybe it was the fact they were Aberdonians rather than dance fans :001: :001: