Does anyone know Eynon Hanfstaengl?

Following a recent posting on an Overgrown Path leads to a mini-biography of "Putzi" Hanfstaengl, an early financier of the Nazi party who switched sides after the "Night of the Long Knives". There is a reference to a grandson, Eynon - probably this man. What intrigues me is the very Welsh forename. Is there a personal Welsh connection with the Hanfstaengl family? One assumes that "Putzi" was interned for a time on the Isle of Man as were so many escaping Germans, of whom the British authorities were suspicious. However, that link appears tenuous, and it must be the next generation which connects with Wales.

Marine Conservation Zones

The Welsh Government will be going out to consultation in early 2012 (rather later than planned) on the identification of Focus Sites for marine conservation. It seems that these will form a long-list, from which will be drawn up a shorter list of Potential Sites, leading eventually to three or four highly protected Marine Conservation Zones. These sites will support ecosystem recovery, enhancing resilience, and should improve our understanding of the marine environment. Progress on the process is logged here.

The RSPB is asking us to watch out for the public consultation when it opens. The organisation says that this will be a great opportunity to speak up, save Welsh marine wildlife and help ensure a sustainable future for our fragile seas. In the meantime, it asks for support via its online "Stepping up for Nature" pledge at www.rspb.org.uk/marinepetition/ and writing to our Assembly Members to urge the Welsh Government to step up for Welsh seas.

Network Rail devolving

It is not clear from the official announcement, but it could be that Network Rail managers in Wales could have more autonomy in future. The announcement speaks of devolving routes rather than regions, but this must be seen as a move towards making the rail infrastructure corporation more responsive to local concerns.

Localism

There is a good posting on the constructive way in which the Localism Bill has proceeded through Parliament:  http://www.libdemvoice.org/liberal-democrats-localism-bill-25853.html It was heartening to see on BBC-Parliament last week Andrew Stunell accepting on behalf of the government amendment after amendment from the Lords,winning grudging acceptance from the Labour front bench.

Contrast that with the way the Labour-Plaid Cymru coalition arrogantly forced through the Assembly the measure that gives ministers powers to merge or amalgamate councils with minimum debate and consultation.

"Natural tremors, triggered prematurely"

In yesterday's "Material World", Prof. Ernie Rutter, co-author of the report into the recent Lancashire minor earthquakes, linked to hydraulic fracturing near Blackpool, said that several minor earthquakes a year could be expected in the area naturally. The science of hydraulic fracturing, which has been used in the oil industry for many years to increase the productivity of ageing wells, was well known. All that Cuadrilla's activities did was to induce tremors which would occur in the natural order of events.

However, on the same programme, Prof. Stuart Haszeldine sounded a warning that the Blackpool tremors, although minor and not causing any damage, were greater than would have been expected.

It seems to me that the precautionary principle should apply here.

There are previous posts here and here.

Tobacco is a gateway drug

For some time I have felt that as many people have started on the path to addiction to hard drugs via tobacco as through cannabis. Logically, those who advocate harsh treatment of dealing in cannabis, as a gateway drug, should apply the same punishment to sellers of cigarettes.

Now it seems that evidence has been found that nicotine has a physical effect which might accelerate cocaine addiction. In experimental mice, "nicotine actually changes the expression of genes linked to addiction". It will be interesting to see whether the logical follow-up experiments will be carried out. As the "Discover" article says, "alcohol and marijuana are frequently described as gateway drugs, and it will be interesting to see if they do anything similar to the brain".

Yet another blow to the Post Office network

NSI (the former National Savings) is closing its Easy Access savings account. No new accounts may be opened from the end of this month, and it will operate for existing users only until 27th July next year.

Its interest rate may be minuscule, and certainly does not keep pace with inflation, but having access to ones money over the counter at post offices can be a virtual life-saver in areas where there are few bank branches and not many more ATMs. Bank branches are still closing but, thanks to Liberal Democrats in government, there will be no local post office closures during this parliament. A paranoid might suspect clearing bank pressure as being behind NSI's move.

Campbell Christie

Another figure from my past has departed this life. It was obvious to us more moderate members of the CSCA (an ancestor of the PCS union) in the 1960s that the Christie brothers were interested more in the wider political field than the lot of ordinary clerical civil servants. The CSCA was no more than a stepping stone. Campbell Christie's subsequent career, as detailed in this Independent obituary, confirms this impression.

However, we should be grateful for the enthusiasm he showed for the Scottish Convention, which led to repatriation of powers to a Scottish Parliament and thence to devolution (though of regrettably fewer powers) to Cardiff. It needed a pressure group outside of the Scottish Liberals to make the concept acceptable. One thing that the obituary does not make clear is that today's major beneficiary, the Scottish National Party, shunned the Convention.