More BBC illiteracy

An article on the BBC website [link] yesterday reported on a recent geophysical survey of the Isle of Iona for archaeological sites.
The BBC’s article begins: Evidence of previously undiscovered historic burial sites may have been found on the Scottish island of Iona.
This intrigued me; what was the BBC unsure about? It seemed that the writer had uncertainty about the discovery of the evidence, not its interpretation, which makes for an odd news story.
Here’s the narrative of the article:

Evidence of previously undiscovered historic burial sites may have been found on the Scottish island of Iona.
NTS said the more interesting result came from Martyr’s Bay where there is a mound beside the road where skeletal remains were excavated in the 1960s.
The trust’s head of archaeology, Derek Alexander, said: “The geophysical survey shows that on the landward side, this mound may have been revetted (walled) by stones and surrounded by a shallow ditch. This could be a sign of burials.” [My emphasis]

Okay, okay, I’m being picky, but grammar and sentence construction is there for a reason, to communicate meaning to the reader. In this case it’s a fail.

Take the first step on an exciting and wonderful journey

I was prompted to write the following letter by an article in the Argyllshire Advertiser, a.k.a. the Squeak, of 3rd May and a subsequent letter to the editor published the following week … and I’ll explain more below the fold.
The title of this post was the sub-heading for the letter in today’s paper.

Dear Editor,
I was greatly amused to see the report on alleged psychics at Inveraray Jail in the Argyllshire Advertiser the week before last. Although they did rather give the game away with the quote, “We could make it up but we don’t – what do we have to gain from that?” Well, a whole-page advertorial in the Argyllshire Advertiser for one, and no doubt a trail to their doors of the credulous and vulnerable with pockets waiting to be picked for another.
Your letters correspondent last week didn’t spot the scam,

IDAHO – May 17th

Today is the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. I’m going to celebrate the day here on this blog and I invite you to support it yourself in whatever way you can.
Social and cultural change doesn’t just happen, however much it seems as if it does. It requires the positive intentions of people of good will to stand up, speak out and challenge prejudice and reactionary attitudes against social ills. It’s the same with homophobia and transphobia – we can all make a difference simply by acknowledging it remains a serious issue which affects the happiness and wellbeing of many in our society.
So, go to the www.idahouk.org website, and find out more.

Cone transformations I

Hitch-hiker toad

This picture is from four weeks ago, when the toads were heading to their ancestral spawning sites. Click to enlarge.
It was taken with my Canon Ixus 105, a compact camera without manual focus, so sharpness is pure chance!

Evening Seascapes II

This view is taken from close to Keills, at the end of a long peninsula that lies between Loch Sween and the Sound of Jura. The view is across the Sound of Jura to the Isle of Jura, at the point where Jura’s West Loch Tarbert nearly bisects the island. We were in for a stormy evening and the sun was setting behind growly clouds. I chose a manual exposure to capture the drama of the scene and the ominous weight of the clouds.