MY MOTHER-IN-LAW (2)
My mother-in-law turned 80 today, so congratulations to her.
Being 80, deciding how to celebrate the day became a complicated affair. There is a party in two weeks' time for her immediate family (20+), plus siblings (being one of 11, there are many of them); and close friends and neighbours were invited to brunch this morning. But what to do on the day itself if you are a member of the immediate family but not a friend or neighbour (i.e. like me)? The answer was one of those curious Danish social customs which I am learning to navigate after 25 years of experience. Although not officially invited to anything, we were supposed to turn up unannounced for afternoon coffee at the rather precise time of 15.00. Don't ask me how I was supposed to know this, I just was.
Such customs are in fact more widespread than you might imagine, particularly in rural areas. It reminded me a bit of the golden wedding I went to some years ago (of my wife's aunt and uncle). People turned up early in the morning to sing for them as a surprise. We were then invited to eat and drink something in a house which was miraculously decked out for 30+ guests at 8.00 am.
As a foreigner, this can be confusing. However, as I say, I have had 25 years of getting used to it. So I was at my mother-in-law's - quite by chance, of course - at 15.00 sharp, and thoroughly enjoyed the coffee, buns and cake that just happened to be there.
Walter Blotscher
Saturday, 30 November 2013
Friday, 29 November 2013
MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES (3)
Back in April I was gobsmacked at how low mortgage interest rates could go. Today I am even more gobsmacked.
The rate on the so-called F1 loan (a variable rate mortgage in which the rate is set once a year) has fallen to 0.11% for 2014 at Nordea Kredit and 0.15% at NyKredit/Total Kredit. That means that with charges you can borrow kr.1 million and only have to pay around kr.500 a month after tax.
This is starting to get ridiculous.
Walter Blotscher
Back in April I was gobsmacked at how low mortgage interest rates could go. Today I am even more gobsmacked.
The rate on the so-called F1 loan (a variable rate mortgage in which the rate is set once a year) has fallen to 0.11% for 2014 at Nordea Kredit and 0.15% at NyKredit/Total Kredit. That means that with charges you can borrow kr.1 million and only have to pay around kr.500 a month after tax.
This is starting to get ridiculous.
Walter Blotscher
Thursday, 28 November 2013
MINCE PIES
The school where I work has a Christmas market each year. The pupils make various things, and the proceeds go to charity. Being English I thought that I should contribute with something English. What represents an English Christmas better than mince pies?
Before we could make them, I had to overcome a cultural misunderstanding. I told the head of the kitchen that I would be using mincemeat (sent from the U.K., since it is not available here), which made her all nervous. Apparently there are lots of Danish health and safety rules in a school when you are dealing with meat, and she didn't realise that mincemeat has nothing to do with meat!
Sorting that out took a while, and then this evening we were ready to go. A team of seven put together 45 mince pies which will be sold on Sunday. Two were slightly broken, so we divided them up between us. Not as good as my mum's, but still pretty good for a first ever attempt.
Walter Blotscher
The school where I work has a Christmas market each year. The pupils make various things, and the proceeds go to charity. Being English I thought that I should contribute with something English. What represents an English Christmas better than mince pies?
Before we could make them, I had to overcome a cultural misunderstanding. I told the head of the kitchen that I would be using mincemeat (sent from the U.K., since it is not available here), which made her all nervous. Apparently there are lots of Danish health and safety rules in a school when you are dealing with meat, and she didn't realise that mincemeat has nothing to do with meat!
Sorting that out took a while, and then this evening we were ready to go. A team of seven put together 45 mince pies which will be sold on Sunday. Two were slightly broken, so we divided them up between us. Not as good as my mum's, but still pretty good for a first ever attempt.
Walter Blotscher
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
SORG OG GLÆDE
What do you do when your wife kills your 9-month old daughter with a kitchen knife in a fit of depression? That's the theme of Sorg og Glæde ("Grief and Happiness"), the new film by the well-known Danish director Nils Malmros. It's particularly relevant for Malmros, since that is exactly what his own wife did in 1984 to their baby. They are still together, though they have never had any other children.
Such a personal tragedy could have made the film sentimental, mawkish even. Reviews were mixed, the one in my paper rather damning. I saw it this evening and thought it was rather good. If you know the story and how it pans out, then the whole thing hangs on the quality of the acting, the cutting, the cinematography. And they were all excellent.
It also seems to appeal to the locals in my home town. A full house last night, around 50 tonight, a wet Wednesday at the end of November. Gravity from tomorrow, the Counselor next week, Hunger Games 2 before Christmas. They will all be rather different.
Walter Blotscher
What do you do when your wife kills your 9-month old daughter with a kitchen knife in a fit of depression? That's the theme of Sorg og Glæde ("Grief and Happiness"), the new film by the well-known Danish director Nils Malmros. It's particularly relevant for Malmros, since that is exactly what his own wife did in 1984 to their baby. They are still together, though they have never had any other children.
Such a personal tragedy could have made the film sentimental, mawkish even. Reviews were mixed, the one in my paper rather damning. I saw it this evening and thought it was rather good. If you know the story and how it pans out, then the whole thing hangs on the quality of the acting, the cutting, the cinematography. And they were all excellent.
It also seems to appeal to the locals in my home town. A full house last night, around 50 tonight, a wet Wednesday at the end of November. Gravity from tomorrow, the Counselor next week, Hunger Games 2 before Christmas. They will all be rather different.
Walter Blotscher
Tuesday, 26 November 2013
IT'S ALL ABOUT BATHS
The current Danish Government is a three-party left-of-centre coalition, reliant for its Parliamentary majority on the support of the very left-wing Enhedslisten. However, that support has been less and less forthcoming in the course of the Government's two-year life, mainly because Enhedslisten thinks (rightly, in my view) that the Government has been ignoring it.
One area of politics where Danish minority Governments always face pressure is on the Budget. If a Budget is not passed, then it automatically leads to a vote of confidence; which, if lost, results in a fresh general election. So, for the past two months, the Social Democratic Finance Minister has been having endless discussions with Enhedslisten about what should be in the 2014 Budget. Those discussions have intensified in the past week because of the combination of a deadline for getting the bill ready and the results of last week's local elections. Enhedslisten had a good local election, and wanted to use that result as a springboard for putting their fingerprints all over the Budget.
In the end, it all came down (somewhat surrealistically) to a discussion about baths; should the elderly in an old people's home have the right to have a bath or a shower at least twice a week enshrined in law or not? The Government said no; matters to do with the elderly fall to local authorities, and although the Government was prepared to provide more money for the elderly in the form of block grants, it was not prepared to tell an individual local authority precisely how that money should be spent. Enhedslisten, on the other hand, wanted the right enshrined in law, not least because promises to give money to particular local authority areas have not always resulted in money being spent in these areas. It may seem bizarre that the Budget for a whole country should hang by such a thin thread; but hang it did, and there was no agreement when talks between the two sides broke up earlier today.
Enhedslisten does not have to present a Budget, but the Finance Minister does. So it was not so surprising that less than six hours later, he had stitched up a Budget deal with the right-wing opposition. The extra money for the elderly was still on the table, but he had to swallow some tax cuts and other goodies in order to get it through.
Why did the opposition agree to pass a Budget, why didn't they go for a vote of confidence instead? The judgement is almost certainly the one that if they had done that, then the Government and Enhedslisten would have made up and supported each other. Better to let the mistrust between the Government and its nominal support turn more and more bitter. The next general election is less than two years away, and the opposition can afford to wait.
Walter Blotscher
The current Danish Government is a three-party left-of-centre coalition, reliant for its Parliamentary majority on the support of the very left-wing Enhedslisten. However, that support has been less and less forthcoming in the course of the Government's two-year life, mainly because Enhedslisten thinks (rightly, in my view) that the Government has been ignoring it.
One area of politics where Danish minority Governments always face pressure is on the Budget. If a Budget is not passed, then it automatically leads to a vote of confidence; which, if lost, results in a fresh general election. So, for the past two months, the Social Democratic Finance Minister has been having endless discussions with Enhedslisten about what should be in the 2014 Budget. Those discussions have intensified in the past week because of the combination of a deadline for getting the bill ready and the results of last week's local elections. Enhedslisten had a good local election, and wanted to use that result as a springboard for putting their fingerprints all over the Budget.
In the end, it all came down (somewhat surrealistically) to a discussion about baths; should the elderly in an old people's home have the right to have a bath or a shower at least twice a week enshrined in law or not? The Government said no; matters to do with the elderly fall to local authorities, and although the Government was prepared to provide more money for the elderly in the form of block grants, it was not prepared to tell an individual local authority precisely how that money should be spent. Enhedslisten, on the other hand, wanted the right enshrined in law, not least because promises to give money to particular local authority areas have not always resulted in money being spent in these areas. It may seem bizarre that the Budget for a whole country should hang by such a thin thread; but hang it did, and there was no agreement when talks between the two sides broke up earlier today.
Enhedslisten does not have to present a Budget, but the Finance Minister does. So it was not so surprising that less than six hours later, he had stitched up a Budget deal with the right-wing opposition. The extra money for the elderly was still on the table, but he had to swallow some tax cuts and other goodies in order to get it through.
Why did the opposition agree to pass a Budget, why didn't they go for a vote of confidence instead? The judgement is almost certainly the one that if they had done that, then the Government and Enhedslisten would have made up and supported each other. Better to let the mistrust between the Government and its nominal support turn more and more bitter. The next general election is less than two years away, and the opposition can afford to wait.
Walter Blotscher
Monday, 25 November 2013
EXPENSIVE PROPERTY
Kensington and Chelsea is an inner London borough much favoured as a place to live by wealthy Brits, royalty, and foreign billionaires. The properties there are some of the most expensive in the U.K.
Just how expensive was brought home to me by a statistic I read the other day. The tax paid on home sales in that borough in the 2012-13 fiscal year exceeded the tax paid on all home sales in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put together.
I can safely say that I will never live in Kensington and Chelsea.
Walter Blotscher
Kensington and Chelsea is an inner London borough much favoured as a place to live by wealthy Brits, royalty, and foreign billionaires. The properties there are some of the most expensive in the U.K.
Just how expensive was brought home to me by a statistic I read the other day. The tax paid on home sales in that borough in the 2012-13 fiscal year exceeded the tax paid on all home sales in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put together.
I can safely say that I will never live in Kensington and Chelsea.
Walter Blotscher
Sunday, 24 November 2013
IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER
One of the great things about sport is that until the final whistle blows, anything can happen. Two rugby matches this weekend proved that point yet again.
On Saturday, England played New Zealand at Wembley in the semi-final of the rugby league World Cup. New Zealand, the holders, had had a great tournament, scoring almost at will. But England have improved recently and really felt that they had a chance. It was a bruising contest, with England starting well, followed by New Zealand coming back and going ahead. Then, with 13 minutes to go, England scored a converted try to lead 18-14. The last period was frenetic, as New Zealand threw everything at the English defence, which held. Until a high tackle on a New Zealand forward led to a penalty and one last chance for the visitors. Shaun Johnson somehow eluded two England players to score a try to level the scores at 18-18; and then kicked the decisive conversion for a 20-18 result with the last kick of the game.
Today the New Zealand All Blacks were taking on Ireland at rugby union. The All Blacks are world champions and were aiming to become the first team in the professional era to win all their test matches in a calendar year. In 109 years of trying, Ireland have never beaten them, losing 26 of 27 matches, with only one draw back in 1973. However, New Zealand had nearly lost to England last weekend and were looking a bit end-of-season tired. Ireland came out roaring, scored three tries and led 19-0. New Zealand fought back gradually, but Ireland defended doggedly and it was still 22-17 as the clock ran down. With 30 seconds left, New Zealand were awarded a penalty, decided to run it, and finally scored a try almost two minutes after normal time (in rugby union the game continues after normal time until the first stoppage, and the try was the first stoppage). Aaron Cruden missed the conversion; but the Irish had run out too quickly, he was allowed to take it again, and he made it, giving New Zealand a 24-22 win.
If you were a New Zealand rugby fan, it must have been a great weekend. For everyone else, it was just great to watch.
Walter Blotscher
One of the great things about sport is that until the final whistle blows, anything can happen. Two rugby matches this weekend proved that point yet again.
On Saturday, England played New Zealand at Wembley in the semi-final of the rugby league World Cup. New Zealand, the holders, had had a great tournament, scoring almost at will. But England have improved recently and really felt that they had a chance. It was a bruising contest, with England starting well, followed by New Zealand coming back and going ahead. Then, with 13 minutes to go, England scored a converted try to lead 18-14. The last period was frenetic, as New Zealand threw everything at the English defence, which held. Until a high tackle on a New Zealand forward led to a penalty and one last chance for the visitors. Shaun Johnson somehow eluded two England players to score a try to level the scores at 18-18; and then kicked the decisive conversion for a 20-18 result with the last kick of the game.
Today the New Zealand All Blacks were taking on Ireland at rugby union. The All Blacks are world champions and were aiming to become the first team in the professional era to win all their test matches in a calendar year. In 109 years of trying, Ireland have never beaten them, losing 26 of 27 matches, with only one draw back in 1973. However, New Zealand had nearly lost to England last weekend and were looking a bit end-of-season tired. Ireland came out roaring, scored three tries and led 19-0. New Zealand fought back gradually, but Ireland defended doggedly and it was still 22-17 as the clock ran down. With 30 seconds left, New Zealand were awarded a penalty, decided to run it, and finally scored a try almost two minutes after normal time (in rugby union the game continues after normal time until the first stoppage, and the try was the first stoppage). Aaron Cruden missed the conversion; but the Irish had run out too quickly, he was allowed to take it again, and he made it, giving New Zealand a 24-22 win.
If you were a New Zealand rugby fan, it must have been a great weekend. For everyone else, it was just great to watch.
Walter Blotscher
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