via guardian.co.uk

I found this article on the Guardian website, having watched the orcas at SeaWorld in August and feeling a little uncomfortable about the whole experience this is an interesting debate:

A legal bid to free five orcas from captivity at SeaWorld on the grounds that their "enslavement" is in violation of the US constitution is a "strategic error", a conservationist has warned.

The case, brought by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) against SeaWorld in the US, to be heard this week, has triggered controversy over applying the 13th amendment – which abolished "slavery or involuntary servitude" in America – to non-humans such as killer whales.

n the UK, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society senior biologist Philippa Brakes said that taking a large-brained mammal, which would naturally range in groups over a huge area, against its will and putting it alone in a situation where it was harming itself because of its misery "amounts to slavery".

But she said most of the public would not necessarily see it that way, and they enjoyed seeing orcas and dolphins in marine zoos without being aware of the "hideous lives they're leading".

She said those concerned for the welfare of mammals, in captivity and in the wild, should use the increasing body of science that showed that they were intelligent creatures capable of suffering in order to argue for their interests to be recognised – not as equal to humans, but still "persons" with rights.

The science showed that cetaceans are big-brained marine mammals which form complex societies and even have different cultures within species in different parts of the world, she said. And it was important to take people along with the movement towards recognising the legal rights of non-humans.

"It's more than court cases, it's really about changing people's attitudes and understanding," she said.

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A chilly walk in the snow with the dogs before it all disappears!

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Pink = Snow. The rain (blue) is changing to snow as it comes inland and hits the cold air, as forecast.

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Take the snow boat (Photo credit: James Ridgway) repetition likely!

Last night was very chilly indeed as was forecast:

Because of all this cold air It's safe to say that it is going to snow. The question is when and how much. At the moment the snow forcast is suggesting that the snow pushes in during tomorrow afternoon and that around 5 cm will be lying on the ground by midnight.

Simon Keeling's latest Vodcast explains all:

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Snow is coming, my weather mate Simon explains all:

Here is the snow chart for midnight Sunday as seen in the video:

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Shaws Diamond has another crack at Southwell today. She's in a weak race with only 6 runners, so things are on her side. However, it remains to be seen whether the surface suits.

She's currently trading around 10/1 and the race is off at 4.30.

UPDATE:

Blimey, this was the worst run I've seen her do. She finished 5th but last.

Shaw's Diamond was well away on the outside and travelled into third place as the field went into the bottom bend.

Adam Beschizza took the mare onto the inside as they went around the bottom turn but started to push her along on the crown of the bend.

On straightening up the front two took three lengths out of the rest of the field and Shaw's Diamond came quite wide into the straight.  She ran on well enough up the straight, but found the rest of the field coming back to her, losing a couple of places.

The winner went well clear in this race, whilst the rest of the field finished quite tightly bunched.  Unfortunately the mare was unable to hold the other challengers and finished at the back of the group.

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I do like steam trains, but I am not a steam nut. This means that I do not spend every weekend with them or on them. Unfortunately most of the clientele attracted to Galas on preserved lines are nutters, some of which are very scary. This is the only down side to what is a good day out. Oh and the cold of course, I never seem to visit this railway when it is warm.

After setting out very early on a Saturday morning to ensure that we made the first train of the day and that we also got a parking space, we arrived in the middle of Leicestershire by a railway that once ran from the midlands to London. Partially closed in the 1960s, a section in the East Midlands was rescued by puffer nutters and restored to working order. It is the only preserved main line railway (ie more than one track and higher line speeds) in the country so is quite special as a result. On this occasion 10 steam locos were working, which is pretty rare. This included one which has just been restored and a famous 'End of Steam' loco, Oliver Cromwell. It worked one the last steam trains in 1968.

Overall, despite the weirdos and the cold, it was an enjoyable day out and with freight trains, postal trains and lots of passenger trains running about it was like stepping back into the past.

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Our co-owned nag heads to the track again today, this time to Southwell. She has never raced here before which is significant because the track surface (Fibresand) is different from the other All Weather tracks. However, she showed promise on it a couple of weeks ago whilst in a training gallop so her trainer has decided to give her a shot a t it. She also drops back to 7f which is her ideal trip.

The race is off at 3.30 and she's currently on offer for 20/1, which would make a very nice each way bet.

UPDATE:

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She finished 7th and seemed to run well after a break. I still think the mile is too much for her and its good to see that her trainer is stepping her back to 7 furlongs next time out. She should run again on Tues 31st at Southwell.

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Last summer I spent a few days doing a side project for the CBSO with the CBSO Chorus. This was singing some of Anthony Hopkins' compositions. As well as acting he writes music, which I had no idea of until we did this. It was good because we were doing something a bit different and I got to meet the man himself when he sat in on one of our reheasals. We did two concerts with him, one in Birmingham and the other in Cardiff.

One of the concerts was recorded 'live' for possible relase by Classic FM. It was relased last week and has stormed to the top of the Specialist Classical Chart and is hovering just outside the Top 40 on Amazon.

So, I can now say that I have (albeit indirectly) had a No.1 album! 

You can get it here.

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Our co-owned nag, Shaws Diamond, is making her first run of 2012 today. After a winter break she returns in the 5.00 at Wolverhampton this afternoon.

Her trainer, Derek Shaw said "If we already had a run under our belts after the break I'd fancy our chances.  As it is, I think we still could be thereabouts - but I won't be surprised to see her travel really well but then weaken a furlong out because she's just lacking that race fitness and the edge it puts on a horse."

"I'm just delighted that she's back and looking and feeling great as she's a lovely mare to have around the place and there certainly won't lack any commitment from her in this race.  Although I think she can run well, tomorrow I would just settle for her coming back safe and sound becuase there still plenty of racing left in her this winter."

As he says, whatever the result tomorrow, the primary goal will be to see her fit and happy after the race in order to plan another group of races for her.

Given the positive vibe Derek has given it might be prudent to back Shaw's Diamond each-way.  However, it's probably wise to give horses a wide berth coming back after a break.

I will be there and will tweet her progress from the racecourse.

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All were in the news this week, but alas not because they were docked with each other.

Discovery is in its final phase of decommissioning in preparation for its ferry flight to the Smithsonian in April. The aerodynamic tail cone to cover space shuttle Discovery's main engines will provide a smooth airflow during the piggyback ride atop the modified Boeing 747 carrier jet. This comes after the shuttle was shut down for the final time, the orbiter going cold and dark forever.

Atlantis is staying at Kennedy Space Centre and will be on the spot where I stood in August which was, until recently, occupied by the replica shuttle Explorer. Construction of the 65,000-square-foot, 6-story-tall exhibit will begin soon in preparation for receiving the spacecraft early next year and a planned summer 2013 grand opening to the public. Plans for Atlantis call for the orbiter to be displayed on support struts at an angle, its 60-foot-long payload bay doors open just like the ship was flying high above Earth, and spectators being able to walk around to see all of the vehicle's exterior.

Finally the International Space Station was caught flying by the moon, not literally of course but the images captured make it look as if it was way out of orbit! This remarkable image was taken in Houston as the station orbited 243 miles above the planet. The science complex is the brightest man-made object in the night sky. 

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