The River Tay at Flisk January 30th

After a dull and overcast week or two the sun made its presence enlivening the views. The temperature has hovered around 0 degrees C all day, clear and crisp.

The River Tay from Flisk looking West into Perthshire.

looking West from Flisk over the River Tay, snow capped mountains on the horizon.

Flisk north fife January 30th looking across to Dundee.

Losar: Standard Tibetan, Chhaang, Beer, K?la (Buddhism), Chinese New Year, Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung, Tsagaan Sar, New Year, Tibetan calendar, Tibetan cu

Losar, Tibetan new Year. Twice I've had the total pleasure of experiencing such at Rumtek Monastery Sikkim. If you enjoy all pervasive happiness, cooked meats, mo mos, chang, cupsie and other delights then join in where it is celebrated. Tamang Gurung in Nepal or Tsagaan Sar in Mongolia also.

Losar: Standard Tibetan, Chhaang, Beer, K?la (Buddhism), Chinese New Year, Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung, Tsagaan Sar, New Year, Tibetan calendar, Tibetan culture, Tibetan people, Tibetan Astrology (Paperback)
High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Losar is the Tibetan word for "new year." Lo holds the semantic field "year, age"; sar holds the semantic field "new, fresh". Losar is the most important holiday in Tibet. Losar is celebrated for 15 days, with the main celebrations on the first three days. On the first day of Losar, a beverage called changkol is made from chhaang. The second day of Losar is known as King's Losar. Losar is traditionally preceded by the five day practice of Vajrakilaya. Although it often falls on the same day as the Chinese New Year, it is generally not thought to be culturally directly connected to that holiday. It is culturally more related to Tsagaan Sar in Mongolia than to the Chinese New Year festivity. Losar is also celebrated in Bhutan, although different regions in the country have their own respective new years. The Nepalese New Year, referred to as either Losar or Lhochaar, is celebrated by the Sherpa, Tamang and Gurung people, who usually count their age by calculating Lho. To Buy Losar: Standard Tibetan, Chhaang, Beer, K?la (Buddhism), Chinese New Year, Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung, Tsagaan Sar, New Year, Tibetan calendar, Tibetan ... culture, Tibetan people, Tibetan Astrology
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Mahakala Rumtek Sikkim

Mahakala wrathful and protecting deity. At Rumtek Monastery Sikkim, Indian seat of The Karmapas the last two weeks of this lunar month before the new year (Losar) it is customary for a continuous Mahakala Puja to take place with all instruments for reasons touched on below.

Khenpo Karthar reminds us ("Relating to the Mahakala Practice," Densal:

"Mahakala is seen standing on the corpse of two human bodies, thus symbolizing the death of negativities and the complete uprooting of negative patterns to such a point that, like a dead body, they will not come to life".
It is very important that we know these symbols of Mahakala because many times we have mistaken notions that he may be a clinging spirit or harmful, evil being, perhaps even the Lord of Death ready to devour and attack. One would find great difficulty in relating to the various symbols without understanding that our awakened compassion is the essential quality of the being of Mahakala.

Mahakala has never been known to harm one being, even in the slightest manner, because he is constantly benefiting beings through the continuous play of the enlightened mind."

Very briefly, according to Vajrayana, protectors should never be seen as something separate from oneself. Protectors actually have two levels which we can relate with. On the relative level, there are protectors like Mahakala, Palden Lhamo, Dorje Lekpa or Ekazati.
There are numerous sadhanas (practices) associated with these protectors. But ultimately, it is our own rigpa (the natural mind which is empty, spacious and open) that is the protector. The sadhanas usually have a structure where the meditator visualizes him or herself as a particular protector. The meditator is reminded again and again that his or her own nature is never separate from the protectors'. Some teachers further explain that in a way, these protectors are simply our own awareness and mindfulness. Because we are beings with both body and mind, it is easier in the beginning for us to focus on some being with a form - the various protectors. By meditating on their enlightened form - the various attributes and
ornaments (these are related to different enlightened qualities and activities), one is to actualize these same enlightened qualities in oneself. In a sense, we can say that the protectors are our own awareness and mindfulness appearing in enlightened forms. With right awareness and mindfulness, we will be able to relate to things as they truly are (the wisdom aspect) and carry out the bodhisattva activities (the compassionate aspect). Therefore, the effectiveness of these protectors are directly related to our own level of awareness and mindfulness. A teacher explaining that the law of karma is the real protector. Here, he means that if one were to truly understand cause and effect, one will then abstain from performing any negative actions but instead only cultivate good.
"Protectors, like other Buddhas and deities related to one's practice, should NEVER be seen as separate from one's natural mind, one's rigpa. And to be mindful at all times of cause and effect is perhaps the most direct protector one can get."

At 7000+ft on the edge of temperate rain forest in Sikkim North India stand New and Old Rumtek Monasteries. Gangtok, the Capital, lies across the mile deep valley shrouded by cloud.

Cottage for Sale Falkland North Fife 2010

Honeysuckle Cottage for sale Falkland North Fife

Offers Over £280,000

· Highly Desirable Traditional Detached Stone Cottage
· ‘C’ Listed and within Conservation Village
· Extended to Offer Flexible Accommodation
· Within Walking Distance of All Local Amenities
· Private Secluded Garden
· Hall, Lounge
· Large Dining Kitchen
· Four Double Bedrooms
· 2 Bathrooms
· W.C. Compartment
· Ample Storage Cupboards
· Gas Central Heating From a Combi Boiler
· Large Garden Grounds
· Off Street Parking
· Large Timber Garden Shed
· Home Report Available
For further particulars Click.

A Farewell to Harvey Holton North Fife

Today more than 200 friends and relatives gathered at Dundee Crematorium to witness Harvey Holton's last physical journey. He much remains in mind and will do so through his poetry, yesterday his obituary was published in The Scotsman fittingly on Robert Burns Day. Both much loved and liked, convivial and a joy.

Harvey's arrival.


During the ceremony poems were read by Kevin Isherwood, Graeme Russell and Cello playing by Ron Shaw.

How to Live: Montaigne

This morning my ears pricked and attention focussed on the radio. BBC, Radio 4 Started the week with Andrew Marr taking with Sarah Bakewell about how the views of 16th century philosopher Montaigne can be applied to modern times. Lets See!



How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer.
How to get on well with people, how to deal with violence, how to adjust to losing someone you love - such questions arise in most people's lives. They are all versions of a bigger question: how do you live? How do you do the good or honourable thing, while flourishing and feeling happy? This question obsessed Renaissance writers, none more than Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (1533-92), perhaps the first truly modern individual. A nobleman, public official and wine-grower, he wrote free-roaming explorations of his thought and experience, unlike anything written before. He called them 'essays', meaning 'attempts' or 'tries'. Into them, he put whatever was in his head: his tastes in wine and food, his childhood memories, the way his dog's ears twitched when it was dreaming, as well as the appalling events of the religious civil wars raging around him. "The Essays" was an instant bestseller, and over four hundred years later, Montaigne's honesty and charm still draw people to him. Readers come to him in search of companionship, wisdom and entertainment - and in search of themselves. This book, a spirited and singular biography (and the first full life of Montaigne in English for nearly fifty years), relates the story of his life by way of the questions he posed and the answers he explored. It traces his bizarre upbringing (made to speak only Latin), youthful career and sexual adventures, his travels, and his friendships with the scholar and poet Etienne de La Boetie and with his adopted 'daughter', Marie de Gournay. And as we read, we also meet his readers - who for centuries have found in Montaigne an inexhaustible source of answers to the haunting question, 'how to live?'. How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at an Answer
I think it's a must.

Street Atlas of Fife and Tayside

Street Atlas of Fife and Tayside.
This detailed, colour atlas of Fife and Tayside gives comprehensive coverage of the region from Brechin and Montrose in the north-east to Stirling in the south-west and including Kincardine and Queensferry. The mapping is based on Ordnance Survey data and gives the user complete coverage of all urban and rural areas. The mapping is at a scale of 1.75 inches to one mile, with large scale mapping 3.5 inches to 1 mile in the south and for the following towns: Arbroath, Auchterarder, Brechin, Carnoustie, Crieff, Cupar, Dunblane, Dundee, Forfar, Glenrothes, Kinross, Kirriemuir, Leven, Montrose, Perth, Rattray and St Andrews. The mapping is also complete with postcode boundaries. The atlas is ideally suited for both business and leisure use. There is a route-planning map at the front and the main maps show every named road, street and lane clearly with through-routes highlighted. School locations are marked and emergency services, hospitals, police stations, car parks and rail and bus station locations are all featured. There is a comprehensive index of street names and postcodes, including schools, industrial estates, hospitals and sports centres. These are highlighted in red. To buy from £0-11p. Street Atlas Fife & Tayside

Burns Supper North Fife

Burns Supper Companion. All over the world including north fife folk will be celebrating Burns Night and Supper.
In 1801, some five years after Robert Burns' death, nine of his friends sat down to dinner in what is now known as Burns Cottage in Alloway. By then an inn, it was in the 'auld clay biggin' where Robert Burns had been born that the first Burns Supper took place. They gathered to celebrate his extraordinary life and to gave thanks for his friendship. It was a simple evening, where they reminisced about his work, sang a few songs, roared with laughter remembering the fiery barbs from his skelpin' tongue, made speeches and drank toasts to his memory. Little did they know that this fellowship and remembrance would resonate down through the centuries and span all across the world. Over the years, the informal theme from that evening has developed into the mystical ritual known as Burns Night. The traditional format of the evening is laid out in "The Burns Supper Companion" according to the Burns Federation and some of the oldest Burns clubs in existence. This fascinating insight into the traditions surrounding Burns Night includes a biography of Robert Burns, poems, songs and quotations, simple speeches and even a recipe for haggis. It is the essential guide for anyone intending to hold or attend a Burns Night of any size or ilk, or for those who simply have a keen interest in Burns and the great traditions that have been laid into place in his honour. The Burns Supper Companion

Robert Burns Poems

We are coming up to Burns Night, 25th January


Complete Poems and Songs of Robert Burns.
A reviewer Peter Durward Harris states:-
This book contains all Robert’s poems, including epitaphs, plus all his song lyrics, but not the sheet music, because he did not compose any music. Of course, there is one song of his, Auld lang syne, which is extremely well known, although not many people are aware that he was its writer. This is not a biography, though some brief historical details are provided. If you want an in-depth biography, you must look elsewhere.
Robert Burns wrote about every topic you could imagine - love, nature, politics, people, anything that was topical in the late eighteenth century. Among the most famous poems are A red red rose (including the line Till a’ the seas gang dry my dear), To a louse (including the line O wad the Power some giftie gie us) and To a mouse (including the line The best laid schemes o’ mice and men).
The poems and songs are presented chronologically in the order of date written. Personally, I would have preferred the book divided into chapter, with each chapter covering a different theme, but it doesn’t really matter. There is an index of first lines as well as an index of titles.
A glossary is provided to allow translation from Scottish to English. People sometimes joke that Britain and America are two countries separated by a common language, but this glossary is a reminder that the same can be said about Scotland and England. I cannot say how easy or difficult you will find the dialect. I was born of Scottish parents so I learned a bit as a child even though I was raised in England. Hopefully, you will most of it reasonably straightforward with a bit of practice. The quality of the poetry makes it well worth the effort.
Within the main book, at the bottom of each page, footnotes are provided to set the context of the poem or song where this is deemed useful. For example, Ballad of the American war has footnotes giving brief details of events between 1775 and 1784, so you will immediately realise that the poem doesn’t just focus on the war itself, but also its aftermath. Well worth the read and purchase.Complete Poems and Songs of Robert Burns

Lodge for sale St Andrews North Fife

Lodge for sale St Andrews North Fife. The Lodge, Cauldside Farm, Strathkinness High Road, St Andrews.
Offers around £550,000
Property Type : Detached
Public Rooms : 3
Bedrooms : 6
Bathrooms : 5
Garden : yes
Garage : no
Pagan Osborne are delighted to offer to the market The Lodge which is a traditional detached bungalow that has been sympathetically extended and modernised by the current owners to form an exceptional family home within a semi-rural location, yet ideally located for the historic town of St Andrews. Within the 0.5 acres or thereby grounds is the detached cottage which is presently used for holiday lets but may be utilised as an office, guest accommodation or for permanent family use.

The Lodge is formed over one level and affords excellent privacy with an outlook over farmland. The subjects comprise feature lounge with gable end bay window and a vaulted ceiling with exposed beams. There is a hand built, solid oak fireplace with a fuel burning stove and French doors lead onto the garden. The room has ample space to be used as a lounge/dining room if preferred; family room that could be a separate dining room or 5th bedroom, impressive farmhouse style kitchen and open plan dining room. The kitchen has excellent storage within traditional styled units and a range cooker provides a focal point to the kitchen. Throughout this area is a slate tiled floor and French doors from the dining area lead onto with the rear garden and a decking area for outside dining. There is four double bedrooms (master en suite) and second 'Jack and Jill' en suite between bedrooms two and three. The modern family bathroom is conveniently located between the formal living areas and bedroom accommodation with a traditional style white suite including a roll top bath. The accommodation is completed by a utility room which in turn connects to the Wet room.

The separate cottage was completed in 2009 and, as mentioned, is used as holiday accommodation to provide additional income. Suitable for wheelchair access the cottage has an open plan lounge, dining and modern kitchen area with integrated appliances in the kitchen. There are two double bedrooms (1 en suite) and a bathroom with separate shower cubicle.

The Lodge is set in an enclosed courtyard with ample parking for The Lodge and adjacent cottage. The gardens are fully enclosed with views on all sides to the surrounding farmland. Internally the properties have been superbly maintained and offer genuine flexibility and income potential. The Lodge and the cottage have mains electricity and mains water. There is private drainage via a bio-disk system and both properties have oil central heating.

With the proximity to St Andrews an early viewing is recommended to appreciate the blend of modern living with the out of town setting on offer.
Images.
Pagan Osborne Property Services
Solicitors and Estate Agents
106 South Street
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9QD

Tel : 01334 475151
Fax : 01334 477219

E-mail : property-standrews@pagan.co.uk
Website : www.paganosborne.com

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English

The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English.
Translated and edited with an introduction by Geza Vermes.

‘He will heal the wounded and revive the dead and bring good news to the poor’

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the Judean desert between 1947 and 1956 was one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time. These extraordinary manuscripts appear to have been hidden in the caves at Qumran by the Essenes, a Jewish sect in existence before and during the time of Jesus. Written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, the scrolls have transformed our understanding of the Hebrew Bible, early Judaism and the origins of Christianity.
This is a fully revised edition of the classic translation by Geza Vermes, the world’s leading Dead Sea Scrolls scholar. It is now enhanced by much previously unpublished material and a new preface, and also contains a scroll catalogue and an index of Qumran texts.
‘No translation of the Scrolls is either more readable or more authoritative than that of Vermes’
The Times Higher Education Supplement
‘Excellent, up-to-date … will enable the general public to read the non-biblical scrolls and to judge for themselves their importance’
The New York Times Book Review. Buy now. The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English: Complete Edition

The Egyptian Book of the Dead

The Egyptian Book of the Dead. This and the last post are books which give insight into how to deal with the certain fact of death. It's a great unknown of course and one that is final, but is it?
The Book of the Dead is a unique collection of funerary texts from a wide variety of sources, dating from the fifteenth to the fourth century BC. Consisting of spells, prayers and incantations, each section contains the words of power to overcome obstacles in the afterlife. The papyruses were often left in sarcophagi for the dead to use as passports on their journey from burial, and were full of advice about the ferrymen, gods and kings they would meet on the way. Offering valuable insights into ancient Egypt, The Book of the Dead has also inspired fascination with the occult and the afterlife in recent years. Click to buy. The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Penguin Classics)
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The Tibetan Book of the Dead

The Tibetan Book of the Dead. A reviewer has stated.
This is one of those books everyone should read in their lifetime. I found it moving, and so very peaceful and has made me realise death is nothing to fear. Its not an easy book to read without any knowledge of Buddhism, but with my limited amount of knowledge (I'm still learning) I understood the book. Its a book I will re read over the years. To Buy The Tibetan Book of the Dead: First Complete Translation (Penguin Classics)

Corbiehill North Fife

Corbiehill North Fife, home of Harvey Holton.



A recent poem by Harvey Holton.

Picnic

A wee wicker basket

Wi knives

Forks

Plates

Cups


Pieces

Flaskes o tea
Bags o sugar
Biscuits
An a big tartan travelin rug
Spreid evenly oan the saft gress


The wund whustles her gentle chinge
In the trees
The lift derkens an a saft smirr
O fine rain blaws in



Mak guid the hap



Life

Efter awe

Is nae picnic

Harvey Holton January 19th

The empty chair. Harvey, there in mind. Today I visited Anne Holton at Corbiehill to commiserate about Harvey, there were many callers and preparations for the funeral taking place. Sudden death of anyone, particularly when close is a salutary lesson, reminding us of being in the same queue but not knowing where.

Harvey Holton 1949-2010 North Fife

On Friday 15th Harvey Holton, Poet moved on. He is and will be greatly missed by many, a good friend and a joy to be with.

Harvey at home.



Scots Poet Harvey Holton reads from his publication Finn at his home in North Fife.

Nowhere Boy

Today I went to Dundee Contemporary Arts film theatre to watch Nowhere Boy, a film of John Lennon's childhood. Sam Taylor-Wood has created a moving story which touched me and surely all who watch it. I am contemporary to John Lennon and went through art schooling at the same time. Transformative times for sure, the story ends at the beginning of Beatlemania. Well worth a watch if you get the chance.



Forth coming films at DCA Dundee.

North Fife Photographs Ballinbreich

Higham Woods to the South of Ballinbreich. The recent snowfalls though now on the thaw allow one to see into the woods in a way not possible when the trees are in leaf. The wood is much frequented by Roe Deer which can be a hazard to themselves and motorists on meeting. Below is a casualty last year.



To the East of Ballinbreich Castle the fields run down to the River Tay, due to the remaining snow subtle indentations are displayed making an unusual linear design.

The Gardeners Year North Fife

As the snow melts and the days get warmer it's time to get out there and prepare the garden, you will not regret. In times of austerity and getting back to the basics of existence why not grow it and eat it.
The Gardeners year North Fife. Best-selling author Alan Titchmarsh brings us the definitive guide to gardening throughout the year. This ideal gardening companion was released to coincide with a BBC2 6 x 30 television series to be broadcast in early 2006. It still holds true for today."The Gardener's Year" is not about quick fixes, design makeovers or hard drudge, but simply about knowing what you should be doing in your garden, when, and why. Month by month Alan gives us the low-down on how to keep your garden looking its best. In-depth and packed full of useful tips, it includes advice on everything from what seeds you can plant out in your vegetable plot in May, to how to keep your hanging baskets looking stunning in September. Alan's most recent gardening books "How to be a Gardener 1 & 2" were the fastest selling gardening books ever with sales of over 1 million copies to date. Alan Titchmarsh, the Gardener's Year
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Kitchen Garden North Fife

This is the time of the year to think about preparation of the garden, what to grow, how to grow it. here in North Fife we too have a kitchen garden that provides. Any of us if we have a plot or patio pot etc can grow food/herbs. There is nothing better than eating really fresh foods, come on, do it.
The Kitchen gardener by Alan Titchmarsh. Allotments with ten-year waiting lists; fruit and veg seeds outselling those of flowers - Britain is growing a passion for home produce and the time is right for the nation's favourite gardener to provide the definitive book on the subject. Alan's comprehensive guide will tell you everything you could possibly want or need to know about fruit and veg and how to grow it, including herbs, baby veg, salads, every-day fruits plus gourmet or unusual varieties, and how to fit them into today's stylish small gardens. As well as providing the key facts needed to yield good results and what to do when things go wrong, the text is sprinkled with Alan's personal observations, anecdotes, culinary tips and quirky historical uses.The book takes a very practical approach, starting from scratch for the benefit of anyone who's never grown their own before, but is also ideal for those with some experience who might be growing edibles in a new way - perhaps in a small space that needs to look attractive, or on a new allotment. Lavishly illustrated throughout with over 250 photographs and artworks, this inspirational and authoritative fruit and veg bible from the UK's best-selling and most influential gardener will become a classic in the genre. The Kitchen Gardener: Grow Your Own Fruit and Veg
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Garden Vegetables North Fife

Vegetables in a small garden. I am conscious here in north fife of the hands on benefit of just doing. More and more it's becoming apparent that there will be fresh food shortages, to safeguard against dearth or expensive products it is almost imperative each of us self provide. This book guides us to a means of being productive and self sufficient. Simple steps to gardening success, from the experts at the RHS Follow RHS show-how and know-how for a garden that looks great all year round (whatever size it is). From root veg to herbs and salads, inspirational tips and techniques on choosing the right seeds, growing organic, finding the best site, fertilisers, pest protection and more guarantee success. Get perfect results: whether you’re a green-fingered guru or a gardening novice. For more step-by-step gardening advice, pick up other titles from this series. Anyone who grows food will extol on the wonderful qualities of really fresh food.Vegetables in a Small Garden: Simple Steps to Success (RHS Simple Steps to Success)
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Slumdog Millionaire

Tonight unusually I watched a film on channel 4 TV. Fantastic, moving and heart wrenching Slumdog Millionaire was a delight. It is worthy of all the awards it has received.

Slumdog Millionaire. Danny Boyle (Sunshine) directed this wildly energetic, Dickensian drama about the desultory life and times of an Indian boy whose bleak, formative experiences lead to an appearance on his country's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Jamal (played as a young man by Dev Patel) and his brother are orphaned as children, raising themselves in various slums and crime-ridden neighorhoods and falling in, for a while, with a monstrous gang exploiting children as beggars and prostitutes. Driven by his love for Latika (Freida Pinto), Jamal, while a teen, later goes on a journey to rescue her from the gang's clutches, only to lose her again to another oppressive fate as the lover of a notorious gangster.

Running parallel with this dark yet irresistible adventure, told in flashback vignettes, is the almost inexplicable sight of Jamal winning every challenge on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?," a strong showing that leads to a vicious police interrogation. As Jamal explains how he knows the answer to every question on the show as the result of harsh events in his knockabout life, the chaos of his existence gains shape, perspective and soulfulness. The film's violence is offset by a mesmerizing exotica shot and edited with a great whoosh of vitality. Boyle successfully sells the story's most unlikely elements with nods to literary and cinematic conventions that touch an audience's heart more than its head. --Tom Keogh
Treat your self and others. Slumdog Millionaire [DVD] [2008]

The official tie-in screenplay of the hit movie directed by Danny Boyle. Contains: the complete shooting script; colour photo section; foreword by screenwriter Simon Beaufoy; introduction by Danny Boyle; exclusive Q&A with Danny Boyle; complete cast and crew credits. Slumdog Millionaire: The Shooting Script

The Body Language Handbook

The Body Language Handbook. In THE BODY LANGUAGE HANDBOOK, the authors use candid photos of real people in stress-free situations, then juxtapose them against others showing the same people responding to different kinds of stimulus to illustrate the power of body language. By going step-by-step from the holistic to the detailed, you'll quickly discover when body language indicates something significant and when an itch is just an itch. You'll learn how to: · Identify the basic mechanics of human communication. · Observe what is culturally normal...and when abnormal matters. · Read changes in body language. · Avoid misunderstandings. · Project the right message. · Protect yourself from manipulation. THE BODY LANGUAGE HANDBOOK will not only teach you how to read the body language of others, it will, also, make sure you send the signals you want to send. Increase your power of communication in the office, in a courtroom or classroom, at home and in any social setting, even the poker table! Published on the 20th January, be amongst the first to acquire this useful knowledge. Body Language Handbook: How to Read Everyone's Hidden Thoughts and Intentions

Ducks Flisk North Fife 2010

With all the snow we've had recently the ducks have been off the lay. They always waddle off to the same hedgerow nibble the occasional dead leaf and mainly sit until it's time to head home at nightfall, eat provided veg matter and pellets before settling down for the night.

River Tay Ice at Newburgh Jan 10th North Fife

Is the duck real? I'm actually not sure, it seemed live at the time.

Looking East from Newburgh on the Tay estuary towards Dundee.

Robertson's Pier Newburgh. When walking on the ice at the left end of the picture my leg crashed through a layer or two up to mid thigh sending my camera flying and on return did it again. Happy it wasn't over water at least.

Boat icebound in the Newburgh Ice.


Today at Newburgh watching the ice flows pass by, the river was reasonably quiet but the strong north easterly wind was something else. The temperature was a tad above freezing but with the wind chill factor bare handed camera work became a pain.

The River Tay Jan 9th 2010

A cold misty day overlooking the Tay at Newburgh, North Fife. From home I left shrouded in a Haar off the north sea which cleared at Ballinbreich on the barony road.


The River Tay today Jan 9th 2010. As flagged in previous posts the ice flows are growing, over the coming days I'll try and get closer and take a look.

Out Building for sale North Fife

85 High Street, Newburgh North Fife out building for sale. One of two lots. More.

The Tipping Point

Thoughts are a phenomena of mind, existent yet owned by no one, shared by many expressed by some and are viral in effect. Malcolm Gladwell explains it, sort of.

The Tipping Point. How little Things Can Make A Big Difference.
THE TIPPING POINT is the biography of an idea, and the idea is quite simple. It is that many of the problems we face - from crime to teenage delinquency to traffic jams - behave like epidemics. They aren't linear phenomena in the sense that they steadily and predictably change according to the level of effort brought to bear against them. They are capable of sudden and dramatic changes in direction. Years of well-intentioned intervention may have no impact at all, yet the right intervention - at just the right time - can start a cascade of change. Many of the social ills that face us today, in other words, are as inherently volatile as the epidemics that periodically sweep through the human population: little things can cause them to 'tip' at any time and if we want to understand how to confront and solve them we have to understand what those 'Tipping Points' are. In this revolutionary new study, Malcolm Gladwell explores the ramifications of this. Not simply for politicians and policy-makers, his method provides a new way of viewing everyday experience and enables us to develop strategies for everything from raising a child to running a company.
"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviours spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of mimetics will recognise this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.

For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanise the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston", he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference