Category: Personal

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False Debate

Well, I have had this communication as a draft title since 8 April 2014. I thought I should write some more on sceptical thinking matters since I wrote the piece on osteopathy. I have returned to this matter today because for the last few days the virtual world has been lit up by the news that the BBC are no longer going to be allowed to have quacks and frauds on TV programmes to give the “two sides to every story”.

In a nutshell you take a generally accepted view on reality and interview an expert in that subject and then because you can’t appear to be biased you give a nutter the chance to speak about what they think. So you might have someone on the news or science programme discussing evolution and to “balance” the argument (there is no argument, evolution is pretty much done and dusted) you get some religious nut who really thinks the Earth is 6000 years old and therefore evolution can’t exist.

When a view of reality is considered fact (as far as we can accept it) you then have to understand that it takes a huge amount of evidence to over-throw those views and not just someone from a lobbying group going on about how climate change doesn’t exist.

Here’s the link to the Telegraph’s new story.

Just in case you were wondering, here’s some things that are scientifically accepted:

  • Gravity
  • Evolution by natural selection
  • Immunisations
  • Anthropogenic Climate Change

Here are some things that are considered bullshit:

  • Young Earth creationism
  • Homoeopathy
  • Chiropractic
  • Osteopathy
  • Reflexology
  • Zero loss power machines
  • Astrology
  • Crystal energy

Here are some things you are welcome to argue the toss about but there is never going to be proof of the positive:

  • Existence of god and or gods
  • Telepathic powers
  • Mediumship
  • The “soul”
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OIC

At the beginning of June I travelled to RAF Cranwell to attend my Officers’ Initial Course. I have recently been commissioned into the RAF VR(T) and I had to complete this course before I could formally wear my rank tabs. I wanted to get the course done quickly so that I could then go on a week’s camp and not have to wear the white (trainee) rank tabs.

I drove up on the Sunday and Warned In to the mess [what normal people would call “checking in”]. We had a briefing and were told about the expectation of behaviour and where to be at what time and in what uniform. It was quite exciting.

The first day was a mixture of classroom activity and drill. It turned out that some of us weren’t very good at drill and we had to work quite a lot on the basics, which wasn’t too bad as the older ones of us needed the practice. Our homework for the day was to prepare a presentation in groups. I was not selected as course leader, which would have been good fun, but at least I wasn’t responsible for a bunch of people I had never met before.

Tuesday morning was our first inspection and I had spent some time shining my shoes to make them lovely and also ironing my shirt. My trousers I had left as they were. I passed the inspection but there were some points to work on: seams in shirt sleeves and tying my tie a bit straighter. We presented our talks and the feedback was pretty accurate. We had more classroom activities and plenty of drill. Tuesday evening Mark and I went for a drive to Lincoln, just to get out in to the normal world for a while.

Wednesday was another inspection and my comments were just to work harder on everything. The day was very busy with more drill, more classroom stuff and finally a lesson on leadership and a small command task in the ATF building. This was a good precursor to our work on Thursday. Wednesday evening was mostly about preparing uniform and helping a couple of others learn how to “bull” their shoes. The Flight Sergeant has asked me to help a couple of the other members of the course and so I had to make sure their shoes were shiny, but I helped them rather than do it myself. Some of the female members of the course had found an interesting currency to barter for shoe shining services from the Navy pilots staying at Daedalus mess.

Thursday was the final inspection from the Squadron Leader who was also ex-Queens Colour Squadron, so he knew about how to look good. The only comment he had for me was to lower my chin by a few degrees. That pretty much means that I maxed the uniform part of the inspection – I was very happy about that. For the rest of the day we were doing command and leadership exercises in the ATF building and also in “The Hanger” used by the Officer and Air Selection Centre. Think of “The Crystal Maze” but without all the fancy sets. My leadership task went OK and the feedback was good. The best part of the week was having the Flight Sergeant and Warrant Officer commanding us over a particular obstacle set. It was great to be shouted at and have everyone working together efficiently. We also had about 20 minutes to talk to them about how to use these skills in the field.

Thursday evening we had a lovely silver service meal in the mess. The Red Arrows flew by as the RAF Officers on their IOT had passed out that day and the Arrows were planned as part of their celebrations.

RAF Cranwell Meal
RAF Cranwell Meal

The Friday was about a final few lessons, our individual feedback and our graduation. We weren’t allowed to graduate in College Hall and so we had to have our celebration in Daedalus mess. It is a shame as I have not yet walked across the “commissioning carpet”. There is a carpet in College Hall that only commissioned officers are allowed to walk across. This would have been the final part of our ceremony but I will have to wait for another visit to RAF Cranwell.

The week was great fun, I met some lovely people and above all I surpassed my personal targets for the week. It’s a shame it was only one week, two would have been perfect!

RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell

As we were told at Cranwell: It’s all about credibility.

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Rainbow

Here’s a picture of a rainbow over Barrack Block 15. Lovely times.

20140629-085802-32282109.jpg

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Station Visits

This communication is another in the long running series about my cadet experiences in the Air Training Corps. I have a sneaky feeling that I didn’t always fill my 3822 in all the time as I am sure there were more visits than this, but this is the only record I have. To see other communications on this topic just search for 3822 in the box on the right.

30 Jul 1986 RAF Neatishead – RADAR
22 Nov 1986 RAF Uxbridge – Range
26 Aug 1987 RAF Little Rissington
18 Feb 1988 USAFB Mildenhall – RADAR and refuelling
13 Apr 1988 Trodos Radar Station – RADAR
1 May 1988 RAF Alconbury – Propulsion
27 Jul 1988 RAF Waddington – Swimming pool
27 Jul 1988 RAF Cranwell – Leadership
16 Aug 1989 USAFB Lakenheath – Everything
17 Aug 1989 RAF Coltishall – AEF
18 Aug 1989 RAF West Raynham – Supply, RTU, Fire
6 Aug 1991 RAF Swinderby – Airfield
7 Aug 1991 RAF Newton – AEF
9 Aug 1991 RAF Donna Nook – Bombing Range

As a teaser the next set of communications considers my shooting career in the cadets and will, I assure you, be scintillating.

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Special Courses

Continuing the interestingness of my Air Cadet record of service I now give you the section on Special Courses.

Junior NCO Course – Carver Barracks
30/31 March 1989 L98A1 Training – Carver Barracks
21 May 1989 SNCO Drill Instructor – Carver Barracks
22 – 27 October 1989 Adventure Training – Blackshaw Moor
21 – 26 October 1990 Adventure Training – Anzio Camp

There will be more to follow. This was a short section of the 3822.

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Quite Proud

I have received my commission in to the RAF VR(T). For those of you who don’t know, the VR(T) branch of the RAF is for adult uniformed officers in the cadet forces. I am officially now Pilot Officer Parish RAF VR(T). I am attached to Maidstone Grammar School Combined Cadet Force, RAF Section.

Commission
Commission

I have completed some duties already and I am looking forward to doing more in the future. I shall inform you of bits and pieces, but on the whole this isn’t really the correct forum for me to write or say anything about work as this website is public. The CCF unit is attached to the school where I work and so I will write communications when I think it is suitable. It’s a bit like my twitter account: I am quite aware that everyone can see it and so I control what I write. My friends know the real me, not necessarily the readers of these communications.

 

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Accomplishment

According to my Up by Jawbone band, I have completed 3,500,000 steps since I started wearing the device. This isn’t really the total amount I have walked because there have been periods of time where the band hasn’t worked properly and I’ve been waiting for a replacement and also I didn’t use it for about a year when I ran. So, ultimately, my real total of steps is far more.

Up Steps

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Rio 2

This was a special film because it was #1’s first cinema trip. However, as a film, it was bad. There wasn’t really a decent story, or rather there was and it was just handled poorly. There were random songs all over the place. There was a football section (yawn). All in all it was pretty poor. The animation was pretty good but that isn’t enough to save a film, there needs to be a story. Even #1 got bored and he’ll watch any kind of rubbish.

I rated this film a 4 on IMDB. This score when standardised is really a 2 but IMDB don’t allow zero stars. See this communication here for more guidance on my IMDB ratings.

One amusing observation was that the cinema was full of grandparents looking after their grandchildren because it was half term and, I guess, parents were at work. One old dear in front of me was eating her sandwiches, which is better than all the crap they serve in the foyer. As my grandma used to say (she was an avid cinema goer, but didn’t like it when they swore):

You pay to watch a film, not eat your lunch.

She was a wise old lass.

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LDN

I decided late on Saturday that I would go to London for the day on Sunday 25th May. The weather was forecast to be good and I had a rail voucher from my disastrous return journey from seeing Therapy?. Essentially this was a free trip to see some stuff. I planned to spend some time at the British Museum and see what’s there. A few years ago I had listened to a podcast series about the history of the world in 100 objects and it was fascinating. One day, I’d like to take the time to listen to it all again and actually see all the objects.

I got the train from Ebbsfleet International as it is really the easiest way for me to get into London, and the British Museum is in the area of St Pancras [kind of]. I got into town and then took the Northern Line to Russell Square and then walked across the square, with fountain, to the museum. It was OK but didn’t knock my socks off. I think another trip another time, sans children, will help me appreciate it more.

A short walk then followed to get to a golden arches restaurant and decisions about what to do with the afternoon. Perhaps I’d try a river cruise? The weather was nice and it’s a good way to take in the history of out major city. Tube time it was, on my own I would have walked, and this was the route we took:

Central Line from Tottenham Court Road to Bond Street but Bond street was closed and so I changed to the Piccadilly line at Oxford Circus.
Oxford Circus to Green Park to change to the Jubilee Line.
Green Park to Westminster.

The seat of our government looked lovely in the sun and the sound of Big Ben calling out the hours was a delight. The queues for tickets for the sightseeing cruises were massive. Really not worth trying. I had an ice cream as I pondered where to walk, Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden maybe. Fortuitously, once the ice cream was finished the queues for one of the ticket offices was quite short and there was a sailing in twenty minutes. Tickets were bought and I got a third off because I had a travel card. Quite impressed.

The commentary was acceptable and I enjoyed the cruise although I was worried about getting sunburnt on top of my head [I long ago lost any natural protection]. London really is a rather special place, even when there are so many tourists around. For some reason I don’t consider myself a tourist although I last lived in London in 1996!

The return trip was about two hours. My personal highlights were all the pubs along the river shore and the houses of famous people that were pointed out: Sir Ian McKellan, Dame Helen Mirren, Michael Crawford. It was really pleasant.

The journey home was simplified slightly by not needing to get to Tottenham Court Road. It was still a pain, I hate having to change lines on the underground.

Westminster to Green Park.
Green Park to King’s Cross and St Pancras.

The super fast train from St Pancras takes 18 [yes, eighteen] minutes to get to Ebbsfleet and so I can be from home door to walking outside of St Pancras is just under an hour. It is far better than using the line through Maidstone.

A really pleasant day overall. I don’t miss living in London, although I am glad that I have and at a time in my life when I could get out and about and see things easily. Mind you, when you live there it doesn’t seem as special as when you visit. I really like my current sweeping views over the Kent countryside living now in [or very close to] and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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