Monday 30 June 2014

SPORT IN JULY

One of the great advantages of being a teacher is having the whole of July as holiday (well, almost; I had to work today and will do so again tomorrow, but then I am off until 6 August). Because July is a great month for sport.

First, for doing it. If the weather is even half decent, then I will have a good cycle ride pretty well every day. I unfortunately pulled a muscle in my back last night, unhitching the trailer I had used to transport my son and his stuff to his lovely new apartment in Odense. So my fitness programme won't start until later in the week. Thereafter, I will be getting into serious shape.

Secondly, for watching it. Wimbledon started last week, and the business end of the tournament is now beginning. There's something about Wimbledon that lies deep in British folk's genes. Even my mum, who is possibly the least sporty person I have ever met, watches Wimbledon, though she tends to base her opinions on non-sporting criteria. She likes Roger Federer, for instance, because he is always elegant, has a family with small children, and speaks fluent English. Rafael Nadal, on the other hand, another great player, gets the thumbs-down, because he doesn't always shave, looks moody and Mediterranean, and fiddles with his bottom before every serve.

Then the Tour de France starts on Saturday. The Tour gives me lots to think about during my own rides, particularly when going uphill (if I struggle doing 1km at an average of 5%, how would I fare doing 15km at an average of 8%?). It also gives me lots to watch when I get back.

This year we also have the added benefit of the World Cup. Football can be disappointing, if the teams spend more time trying not to lose than if they try to win. But now that Ingerland are out, and the tournament has reached the knock-out stage, it gets more interesting.

Thirdly, for talking about it. My elder son is in Copenhagen, and my second son has just moved out after lying on the sofa and talking to me about sport for 6 months, so there is just my wife and daughter at home at the moment. But they quite like both Wimbledon and the World Cup, and can even be persuaded to watch the Tour if it's exciting enough. My daughter currently has a soft spot for Nick Kyrgios, the new 19-year old star of men's tennis. But I can't work out if that's because she admires his serve, or just admires him.

Throw in some mowing, rose tending, eating outside and a week's family holiday on Bornholm, and July's set fair to be a good month.

Walter Blotscher

Sunday 29 June 2014

THE ORIGINS OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR (2)

Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of the assassination in Sarajevo of the Archduke Francis-Ferdinand, the heir to the Austria-Hungarian Empire. The event is widely held to be the start of the First World War; but as I argued in my earlier post, this is too simplistic.

If you don't believe me, then go out and buy The Sleepwalkers, which I am currently reading. Christopher Clark's magisterial book expands that thesis in much more detail. It should also be required reading for any modern politician itching to go to war.

Walter Blotscher

Friday 27 June 2014

BRITAIN AND THE E.U.

What is David Cameron up to? I know that he has some bolshy backbenchers, who have cornered him into promising an in-out referendum on Britain's membership of the E.U. However, opposing Jean-Claude Juncker to be the next President of the Commission doesn't seem to me to make it more likely either that he can renegotiate Britain's relationship or win that post-negotiation referendum. In particular, in forcing a vote on the matter for the first time in the E.U.'s history, a vote which he lost 26-2 (the only support came from Hungary), he simply managed to hack everyone else off. Other European leaders who were not enthusiastic about Mr. Juncker (Holland and Sweden certainly, Germany maybe) ended up supporting him, when they could see that a protest would not succeed. Mr. Cameron fought on to the bitter end.

He of course is saying that he is fighting for a principle, and that it doesn't matter being defeated, provided that one is right. The problem is that this is just another version of the "everybody else in Europe is stupid, we are the only ones that are sensible" argument that has long bedevilled Britain's relationship with the E.U. People who are called stupid are unlikely to give lollipops to the people who call them stupid.

Britain seems to be sleepwalking towards an E.U. exit. That would be a catastrophe, in my view. But perhaps it needs a catastrophe for the Brits to work out that they no longer run the world in the way they used to.

Walter Blotscher

Thursday 26 June 2014

VOLDSBOLD

Voldsbold (literally "violence ball") is a Danish game a bit like British Bulldog. Two teams, lots of violence, a complete absence of rules. The only difference is that you have to put the ball at the other end of the pitch, as in rugby.

Today my two classes, black and white, played each other before dinner. Black deservedly won 5-2. But what surprised me was just how violent it was. Very violent.

Walter Blotscher

Wednesday 25 June 2014

WORLD CUP FASHION

Ingerland and Luis Suarez notwithstanding, the World Cup has started well, not least in providing a lot of goals. However, there are two things that irritate me, neither of which has anything to do with the football.

The first is the increasing habit of top players to wear different coloured boots. In my day (admittedly some time ago) football boots were always black. Then they became coloured, which was also OK, provided that they were not lime green. But I draw the line at having one red and one green boot, that's just naff.

The second is this year's standard haircut, which is a sort of a cropped Mohican on the top and bald on the sides (think Mario Balotelli). While this can look pretty cool on black people such as Mr. Balotelli, it tends to look naff on small white people like the Swiss guy I saw this evening.

Just to make things crystal clear, I can confirm that all of my pairs of sports shoes are of the same colour, and that I do have hair on the side of my head.

Walter Blotscher

Monday 23 June 2014

A NEW MOSQUE

Denmark has freedom of expression and religion enshrined in its constitution. However, freedom of religion doesn't necessarily mean enthusiasm for another religion, as was demonstrated last week.

The country has just got its first proper mosque (i.e. one with a minaret and other things such as a cultural centre and cinema), a purpose-built structure in Nørrebro in Copenhagen. The 6,700 sqm building cost kr.150 million, and was funded by the former Emir of Qatar. It was consecrated last Thursday.

You would think that this was an opportunity for the great and the good to turn up, and thereby show that integration doesn't just mean becoming good little (Christian) Danes, but can also include people of different colour and religion. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The royal family, the Bishop of Copenhagen, and the country's party political leaders all stayed away.

That was a mistake, in my view; gestures matter. The next time that politicians talk about pork meat balls being served in kindergartens, expect a loud raspberry from Muslim parents.

Walter Blotscher

Sunday 22 June 2014

ADOPTION

The combination of longevity, careers for women, contraception and falling sperm levels gives many good things, but more babies is not one of them. Denmark, and other European countries, are storing up trouble for themselves, because there are not enough new Danes to take care of the old Danes of the future.

Adoption might help alleviate the problem, but even here things are not going the right way. The number of couples approved as eligible for adoption has plummeted in recent years. In 2005 it was 1,183, but that had halved five years later and fallen to 238 in 2013. This year is predicted to be even lower; a mere 55 couples had been approved in the first four months.

There is no one reason for this downward trend. The economic situation probably plays a part; the cost of adopting has risen sharply. But there has also been a string of scandals in the media, usually involving parents in very poor countries who (it is alleged) either part with their children in return for benefits which do not materialise, or are forced to part with them against their will. That makes prospective adoptive parents rather twitchy.

Whatever the reason, it is not a good development. Denmark needs more Danes. In the interests of national solidarity, I am willing to help and make myself available. Any takers?

Walter Blotscher

Friday 20 June 2014

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WIFE

It's my wife's birthday today, so congratulations to her. Various people came round for drinks this afternoon, and yet again I was reminded of the oddities of foreign languages.

In English we tend to say congratulations to the person concerned when it's their birthday. They do that in Danish as well; but they also say congratulations to people connected to the person concerned. Since I am connected with my wife by being married to her, they say to me "congratulations on your wife" (tillykke med konen), even though it's her birthday, not mine.

I find this odd in itself. But what makes it really odd is that it's also said by other people who are themselves connected to her. Like her mother or her sister. This results in the slightly absurd situation (as happened today) where my mother-in-law greets me and says congratulations on your wife, and I greet her and say congratulations on your daughter.

The only explanation I can give is that Danes don't have enough things to congratulate themselves on.

Walter Blotscher

Thursday 19 June 2014

INGERLAND (3)

Ingerland were dreadful against Uruguay this evening, losing 2-1 in a match they really had to win if they are to have any chance of qualifiying for the knock-out phase of the World Cup. Theoretically, it is still possible for them to make it; but the permutations are so complicated that I think it is highly unlikely. In which case, Ingerland will have gone out in the group stages for the first time since 1958.

I have to say I am not surprised. The so-called "group of death" was always going to be tricky, with Italy and Uruguay of the quality teams and Costa Rica as a dangerous floater. I didn't think that England would get through, so I wasn't too depressed when they lost tonight. Their play was far too predictable, there was no incision and very little creativity. The sad truth is that Ingerland are no longer very good at football.

Walter Blotscher

Wednesday 18 June 2014

NATIONAL INCOME

The usual measure for a country's annual national income is Gross Domestic Product or GDP. But it's not the only one. Gross National Income takes GDP and adjusts it for payments to foreign workers, and income from investments abroad. So if Danish company gets paid a dividend from its foreign subsidiary, this increases GNI, but not GDP.

Since it is in principle good that Danish subsidiaries can send profits back to the motherland, it is good if a country's GNI is higher than its GDP. In that regard, Denmark is sitting pretty. In absolute terms, its GNI is nearly 4%, or Kr.25 billion, higher than its GDP. During the past 10 years, GDP has grown by an average of 0.6% a year; yet GNI had grown by an average of 1.5% a year. Most of this difference is due to pension funds' and companies' investing abroad, and thereby generating foreign income.

The difference between the two measures of income is not always positive. It is in France, Germany and Holland (just); but it is not in Italy, Austria or Portugal. Most surprisingly, it is not positive in the U.K., traditionally seen as a major investor abroad. That is a fact that the current British Government is unlikely to highlight.

Walter Blotscher

Tuesday 17 June 2014

POETRY

In 2012 there were no poem anthologies in the list of the top 50 most sold books in Denmark. Today there are four. Given that poetry is a minority taste, that's quite a change.

The reason is the one anthology that was on the list in 2013, and which has sold more than 100,000 copies; Yahya Hassan. The author of the eponymous work is a 19-year old of Palestinian origin, who grew up in a heavily immigrant area of Aarhus. What brought his work to the notice of others was his criticism of Islam and of Muslims in Denmark, whom he portrayed as idle and prejudiced. Coming from someone of his background, the criticism hit home.

My school colleagues say that the poetry - as opposed to the message - is really good. However, as poetry isn't really my thing, I don't think it will be on my list of summer reading. Though I like the fact that the lyrical form seems to be making a bit of a comeback.

Walter Blotscher  

Friday 6 June 2014

SINGAPORE

I am off to Singapore early tomorrow morning for a week on a school trip, with a colleague and four pupils. We are going to a conference on water, where the students will present a project they have been working on.

I have never been to Singapore, so it will be fun. Back blogging in 10 days or so.

Walter Blotscher

Thursday 5 June 2014

GEARS

I am back from my short holiday in England, and picked up my bike from the bike repairman, who lives opposite my mother-in-law. While I was away, he put on a new gear block and chain, and sorted out the gear cables.

What a difference. Two weeks ago, I was riding on the small ring, and struggling. Today I was on the big ring, and the the chain was going smoothly round. It just goes to show how important it is to have the right gears.

Walter Blotscher