Editorial September 2008

You know what’s its like, that is if you use public transport as I do, you wait 20 minutes for a bus service that allegedly runs at seven minute intervals, and then three turn up. Well, this edition of Charnia is a bit like that. I, in common with most newsletter or journal editors, have a mantra that I deliver from time to time to any passing member or members, that goes something like, ‘If you have anything you’d like to submit for Charnia, then I’d be only too grateful…… ‘ The take-up rate for such requests is, statistically, negligible. However, for this edition I have received, well, almost several articles, more or less freely offered, and I have had to actually hold items over until the next edition in January. Long may this trend continue – and that means you! Nevertheless, for this edition, in order to include everything of importance, including a detailed abstract (in reality more a small paper) of the GA anniversary lecture by Jim Rose on November 5^th, I’ve had to sacrifice some of the illustrations I normally include.

Usually, the interval that contains the summer programme is my favourite time of the Section year, because its then that we get to go into the field and see lots of lovely ‘live’ geology. But this year for nefarious reasons my (and the Chairman’s) attendance has been, frankly, poor. Please don’t feel we’ve fallen out with you, it just seems that on every excursion weekend things like new kitchens or, in the Chairman’s case, long work-related secondments away from Leicester, have intervened. Unfortunately, it looks like we will also miss the last one to the Lapworth Museum, as we will be returning that day from the north.

We of the Saturday Seminar sub-committee have now had a few meetings, and I’m pleased to announce that we will indeed be presenting a meeting in March next year that looks in detail at some of the great historical figures of our science and their pioneering work, including of course Darwin (as geologist) in his 200^th anniversary year. We also plan to integrate into the programme the current standing and applications of the inspirational ideas of these great men. We hope to inveigle some of the big names into speaking at the seminar and have feelers out at this very moment. Watch this space, as they say.

Finally I’m sure you all join with me in wishing a speedy recovery to committee member Dick Aldridge, who was taken seriously ill towards the end of August. We hope to see him back amongst us soon.

Andrew Swift