Monday, September 7, 2009

Reflecting on the past


See what I did there? The reflections pictures were so last week. But I came across this from my 2007 visit to the Lockerbie Memorial in Scotland and hadn't remembered the silhouette in it. properly shot it could probably reflect the empty Scottish countryside behind me. To me that's the tragedy of Lockerbie - not just the 200 or so people who were on the plane and their families, but the sheer randomness of Lockerbie and the cracked glass way the effects of these things spread. I'm not commenting on the current prisoner release issue; it's not the kind of blog, plus my heart and head conflict. But I did want to remind myself of what it felt like visiting the site, and lo and behold there was this neat silhouette for our collection. (And one I'd much rather, ahem, stand behind than my frivolous shadow on the beach).

23 comments:

DarceysDad said...

Ack! Lockerbie ...

No such conflict here, tin. I was one of the first cars allowed back southbound on the A74 the day after the crash. I've never seen devastation like it before or since, and I hope to God it stays that way. (One of my company's trunker drivers was close enough to the crash for it to light up his rear-view mirror.)

If, and I agree it's a big IF, Megrahi was guilty, then a "compassionate" release on ANY grounds is an obscene insult to the bereaved and their families.

If he wasn't guilty, then a "compassionate" release is an insult to Megrahi, and to the intelligence of every UK, US and Libyan citizen. Our government should be ashamed of itself . . . but as ever, it won't be.

Sometimes I despair ...

goneforeign said...

Tit for Tat:
Iran Air Flight 655, also known as IR655, was a civilian airliner shot down by the United States Navy on Sunday 3 July 1988, over the Strait of Hormuz.
The aircraft, an Airbus A300B2 operated by Iran Air as IR655, was flying from Bandar Abbas, Iran, to Dubai, UAE, when it was destroyed by the U.S. Navy's guided missile cruiser USS Vincennes, killing all 290 passengers and crew aboard, including 66 children,[1] ranking it the seventh among the deadliest airliner fatalities

steenbeck said...

Nice post, Tin. Very reflective.

tincanman said...

I was hoping it would reflect well on me.

treefrogdemon said...

It took me about 5 years of living here before I stopped thinking 'plane crash!' whenever I saw the name Lockerbie on a sign...

DsD, ex-LBA said...

@ tfd - I had managed to break that link in my brain too, but then I joined DHL as an Ops Manager. During company induction at that time, Aviation Security made a point of telling new starters that DHL were actually the first suspects for having put the bomb on PanAm103 - the company had over 4 tonnes of customer freight in the hold, and had to account for every single packet.

The insights I got into the whole international freight business during my time there don't half make you think ...

TatankaYotanka said...

I've got to know Lockerbie a little in recent years through visiting Kagyu Samye Ling ,the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Eskdalemuir and as tfd says, it's hard not to think of those horrifically random events when you pass through the town. I've never visited the memorial though, so I'll look it out when I'm up there next month. Me and Mrs TY abandoned plans for a late trip to Greece and are going to mooch around Dumfries and Galloway ... not staying at Samye Ling on this visit, got a far more swanky roost sorted near Thornhill.

treefrogdemon said...

Fancy a jar at some point, then, TY & Mrs TY?

tincanman said...

I guess you aren't coming through Birkenhead?

TatankaYotanka said...

Ummm, well ...

now you come to mention it; Mrs YT has never been to Liverpool and what with all this public funded Beatles advertising that's going on at the moment, I, being a considerate, not to mention doting, husband have booked us into the Express Hilton on Albert Dock on the way up so she can do the Radical Mischieferry tour ... apparently they have their own specially liveried coach and everything. I'm gonna take a book ... and a Beatle wig.

tincanman said...

Time in there for a cuppa?

Or, if it is a Thursday, you can come with me to puppy training classes. (I'm doing very well. I can sit up and beg for a stick)

TatankaYotanka said...

tfd ... are you on the coast somewhere? Mrs TY is from Glasgow and I'm from the Midlands. Neither of us has ever done the left or right angle turn to divert into Dumfries & Galloway proper. If it takes a jar to loosen your tongue on local must do/sees then I'll pack an extra pound note ;)My expectations are entirely based on Five Red Herrings. The place we're staying at apparently organises otter shooting, is that the done thing, they're somewhat scarce down here?

TatankaYotanka said...

Hey this is sooo much better than most of my internet dating experiences!

But Don't tell Mrs TY ...

We're going to be in Liverpool Sunday 11th/Monday 12th

TatankaYotanka said...

Oh, sorry tfd, apparently that's ghillie shooting, the otters are taken out by kestrels and finished off by red squirrels.

treefrogdemon said...

Hmm, TY, I think you may mean pheasant-shooting - the season starts on Oct 1. I can see otters from my house (sometimes) which looks out over Kirkcudbright Bay, but I've never found Lord Peter sleuthing around in these parts, more's the pity. Kirkcudbright does feature in Five Red Herrings, as does Gatehouse of Fleet, which is about 8 miles away.

tincanman said...

I'm 6' 2'', full curly head of hair with buns of steel. I like bubble baths and strolls on the beach and still have most of my own teeth.

TatankaYotanka said...

Of course. So, that's you taking the picture ... behind the guy blocking your view of the poignant memorial. My goodness some folk are such boobies and totally unaware of personal space issues.

tincanman said...

It's the lens

TatankaYotanka said...

Ok tfd, I've got this straight after checking in with Mrs TY; it's otter spotting, off road ghillie chasing in Land Rovers driven by red squirrels, and apparently breakfast is served in your room by birds of prey. I'm packing Ray Mears and several extra pound notes in case there's a hostage situation.

treefrogdemon said...

Little-known facts no. 571: when I first came to Scotland 9 years ago pound notes were still common...but I haven't seen one now for many's the day.

TatankaYotanka said...

I've still got one in my wallet from out trip to Edinburgh for the rugby earlier in the year. Fantastic for frightening London bar staff ...

Unknown said...

Check this out, Tin:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/garden/08Puppy.html

tincanman said...

oh god, what am i getting myself in for.

When we got a dog we said the same things that guy said. We'd have a 'good' dog. No jumping on people when they entered the house, etc. We said we'd put big efforts into it, think about what we were doing, be consistent, etc etc. So having to go to a pro is a bit of a defeat.

Oh well, bad with dogs good with children, right? Come on, someone? They do say that, right?