Well, apologies for the significant gap in this blog, I was distracted by a rather big tome to read, AERA by Markus Heitz. At over 700 pages of fantastic fiction (in both senses of the word) it seemed just so much more important than the background chatter on Brexit and POTUS across the pond.
Now however, as my eyes turn again to a more worldly look at - the world, it seems that in addition to having a chemical attack on the UK's soil by an agency allegedly linked to the Russian military or even the Kremlin, Trump and Putin are squaring off for a more direct confrontation in Syria. With much of the world supporting the UK in its reaction to the Novichok attack in Salisbury, the sudden use of chemical weapons in Syria, most likely by the Assad regime, could not go unchallenged. The UN had been stymied in its attempts to investigate the matter further by Russia's veto. Russia, the current main military ally, with Iran, with the Assad regime.
With Russia threatening to shoot down any US missiles fired at Syria, President Trump replied:
"Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and “smart!” You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!"
The heightened rhetoric on both sides and the complexity on the ground in a weaponised Syria makes for a risky strike environment, whatever the rights of opposing the use of chemical weapons. This could turn out to be either a mega-bluffing game between two super-powers or the start of a major conflict. And we have little say in what happens. The Prime Minister will be holding a cabinet meeting on the situation, with possibly the UK joining the strikes.
Kuwait Airlines has already cancelled all flights to neighbouring Beirut for the foreseeable future.
At least I had an enjoyable day yesterday in London. I walked past Euston Station and stopped off at the Wellcome Collection to look at three current exhibitions. There was a short walk further to stop of for a quick lunch at the George Farha cafe, then on to the Grant Museum of Zoology. As this opened at 1 pm and I had to be at the Natural History Museum at 2pm for a committee meeting, this was a short 15 minutes to see the interior. The main magnet for any microscopist due to the myriad of slides on display was an illuminated booth. I took a panorama picture which makes it appear larger than it really is:
The extremely entertaining evening talk to the Quekett Microscopical Society was by the Senior Curator of Hemiptera (flies to you and me), Erica McAlister. Check out her book 'The Secret Life of Flies'.
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