THE EXCEPTION THAT PROVES THE RULE
I used this expression in my post yesterday. When I did so, I was reminded of a comment from one of my Danish colleagues, who said that he had never understood it. How could an exception prove a rule?
This is one those paradoxes that turns out not to be a paradox at all. Because prove is in fact a bastardisation of the French word epreuve, which means a test or a challenge. In other words, the expression really means the exception that tests the rule. Which is pretty logical.
Walter Blotscher
Tuesday, 30 September 2014
Monday, 29 September 2014
UKIP
With the exception of the Celtic fringes, third parties tend to do dreadfully in British politics. For more than 300 years, a combination of demography and the first-past-the-post system has produced two large political groupings; originally for or against the Crown, nowadays broadly right of centre (Conservative) or left of centre (Labour). Labour replaced the Liberals at the beginning of the last century, but otherwise the system has pretty much remained the same throughout. The current Conservative-Liberal coalition is the exception that proves the rule.
The UK Independence Party, whose only coherent policy is to leave the E.U., has done better in European and local elections, where proportional representation is the norm. In this year's European elections it came first, narrowly beating Labour into second and the Conservatives into third, and winning 24 of the U.K.'s 73 seats. It is now trying to break into the British Parliament. Will it do any better than the Greens, Social Democrats, British National Party and other odds and sods who have failed in the past?
Its strategy seems to be to get Eurosceptic Conservative MP's to defect, resign their seats, and thereby force a by-election under the UKIP flag that they will then win. By-elections are a rather curious British idea. If a Danish MP, for instance, dies, goes on maternity leave, or gets fed up with being in Parliament and wants to leave before time, then their seat gets taken over by the next person on the party list. However, under FPTP, there are by definition no party lists, so no substitutions.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage has so far managed to persuade two Conservative MP's to embrace his strategy, both from areas south and east of London where people are concerned about immigration, particularly of the European sort. The by-elections will be held this autumn, and UKIP has a very good chance of winning at least one of them.
The timing couldn't be worse for the Government. A general election is due in 2015, and both immigration and the UK's tortured relationship with the E.U. will be high on the agenda. The irony is that by voting for UKIP (and thereby splitting the right of centre vote), it is more likely that Labour will be part of the next Government. The fact that voters know that and still vote for UKIP shows just how hard it will be for David Cameron to remain in office.
Walter Blotscher
With the exception of the Celtic fringes, third parties tend to do dreadfully in British politics. For more than 300 years, a combination of demography and the first-past-the-post system has produced two large political groupings; originally for or against the Crown, nowadays broadly right of centre (Conservative) or left of centre (Labour). Labour replaced the Liberals at the beginning of the last century, but otherwise the system has pretty much remained the same throughout. The current Conservative-Liberal coalition is the exception that proves the rule.
The UK Independence Party, whose only coherent policy is to leave the E.U., has done better in European and local elections, where proportional representation is the norm. In this year's European elections it came first, narrowly beating Labour into second and the Conservatives into third, and winning 24 of the U.K.'s 73 seats. It is now trying to break into the British Parliament. Will it do any better than the Greens, Social Democrats, British National Party and other odds and sods who have failed in the past?
Its strategy seems to be to get Eurosceptic Conservative MP's to defect, resign their seats, and thereby force a by-election under the UKIP flag that they will then win. By-elections are a rather curious British idea. If a Danish MP, for instance, dies, goes on maternity leave, or gets fed up with being in Parliament and wants to leave before time, then their seat gets taken over by the next person on the party list. However, under FPTP, there are by definition no party lists, so no substitutions.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage has so far managed to persuade two Conservative MP's to embrace his strategy, both from areas south and east of London where people are concerned about immigration, particularly of the European sort. The by-elections will be held this autumn, and UKIP has a very good chance of winning at least one of them.
The timing couldn't be worse for the Government. A general election is due in 2015, and both immigration and the UK's tortured relationship with the E.U. will be high on the agenda. The irony is that by voting for UKIP (and thereby splitting the right of centre vote), it is more likely that Labour will be part of the next Government. The fact that voters know that and still vote for UKIP shows just how hard it will be for David Cameron to remain in office.
Walter Blotscher
Sunday, 28 September 2014
CHILLIES
Last night, at the school where I work, my colleague gave a lecture on the chillies that he grows in his greenhouse. That was interesting in itself. But not half as interesting as the tasting we did afterwards. I am proud to say that I ate a piece of Carolina Reaper, which is reckoned to be the hottest chilli in the world.
When I say piece, I mean a very small piece, smaller than a peanut. Given its size, it was incredible the effect it had on my body. It was like a petrol bomb exploding in my mouth. Because I have eaten spicy food before, I managed to cope with its effect better than some of the students; but it was still a challenge. I drank lots of milk (better than water, since it contains fat) before I managed to get the heat under control.
My colleague promises another tasting later in the year. I am up for it.
Walter Blotscher
Last night, at the school where I work, my colleague gave a lecture on the chillies that he grows in his greenhouse. That was interesting in itself. But not half as interesting as the tasting we did afterwards. I am proud to say that I ate a piece of Carolina Reaper, which is reckoned to be the hottest chilli in the world.
When I say piece, I mean a very small piece, smaller than a peanut. Given its size, it was incredible the effect it had on my body. It was like a petrol bomb exploding in my mouth. Because I have eaten spicy food before, I managed to cope with its effect better than some of the students; but it was still a challenge. I drank lots of milk (better than water, since it contains fat) before I managed to get the heat under control.
My colleague promises another tasting later in the year. I am up for it.
Walter Blotscher
Friday, 26 September 2014
AUTOPSIES
Whether or not to carry out an autopsy ought not to be something which changes a lot over time or across countries. At least I would have thought so.
As it happens, it does. The number of autopsies carried out in Denmark has fallen dramatically in recent years, from 2,915 in 2007 to 1,736 in 2010 and a mere 1,120 in 2013. The fall is all the more remarkable, given the dramatic developments during that period in (for example) research into inherited diseases.
Denmark is also out of kilter with the rest of the Nordic world. Only 4% of deaths result in an autopsy, compared with 7% in Norway, 11% in Iceland, 14% in Sweden and 30% in Finland.
Is it because all of those dark Scandinavian murders are carried out in Finnish forests? Or is the reason more prosaic? It is the police who are mostly responsible for ordering an autopsy. Danish police forces were reorganised (and reduced) some years ago, and there is a general feeling that they are short of cash. Not ordering an autopsy is an easy way to save money.
Walter Blotscher
Whether or not to carry out an autopsy ought not to be something which changes a lot over time or across countries. At least I would have thought so.
As it happens, it does. The number of autopsies carried out in Denmark has fallen dramatically in recent years, from 2,915 in 2007 to 1,736 in 2010 and a mere 1,120 in 2013. The fall is all the more remarkable, given the dramatic developments during that period in (for example) research into inherited diseases.
Denmark is also out of kilter with the rest of the Nordic world. Only 4% of deaths result in an autopsy, compared with 7% in Norway, 11% in Iceland, 14% in Sweden and 30% in Finland.
Is it because all of those dark Scandinavian murders are carried out in Finnish forests? Or is the reason more prosaic? It is the police who are mostly responsible for ordering an autopsy. Danish police forces were reorganised (and reduced) some years ago, and there is a general feeling that they are short of cash. Not ordering an autopsy is an easy way to save money.
Walter Blotscher
Wednesday, 24 September 2014
DAGPENGE (2)
As recently as August, the only official figure on the number of people falling out of the dagpenge system was 34,000, a drastic rise on the prognosis of 2-4,000 published when the reform of the dagpenge system took place in 2010.
However, the latest data show that that number is already out of date. The most up-to-date figure from the end of May 2014 is 41,028.
Dagpenge is the third rail of Danish politics and is going to cost Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt her job.
Walter Blotscher
As recently as August, the only official figure on the number of people falling out of the dagpenge system was 34,000, a drastic rise on the prognosis of 2-4,000 published when the reform of the dagpenge system took place in 2010.
However, the latest data show that that number is already out of date. The most up-to-date figure from the end of May 2014 is 41,028.
Dagpenge is the third rail of Danish politics and is going to cost Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt her job.
Walter Blotscher
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
PLANNING LAWS
The disadvantage of living in a rich, well-ordered society is that there are lots of rules. And nowhere are there more rules than in the area of planning. As an example, no new building is allowed within 300 metres of the coast; and there are severe restrictions in the area up to 3km from the coast. Since Denmark has lots of coast (nobody lives more than 52 km from the sea) that's a big restriction. Local authorities in particular chafe at the straitjacket these rules impose in developing tourism.
So they were quick to welcome the Government's announcement this week that 10 tourist development projects will be allowed within the 300 m area as an experiment. They quickly followed up that welcome by saying that ten were not nearly enough. But it's a start.
Walter Blotscher
The disadvantage of living in a rich, well-ordered society is that there are lots of rules. And nowhere are there more rules than in the area of planning. As an example, no new building is allowed within 300 metres of the coast; and there are severe restrictions in the area up to 3km from the coast. Since Denmark has lots of coast (nobody lives more than 52 km from the sea) that's a big restriction. Local authorities in particular chafe at the straitjacket these rules impose in developing tourism.
So they were quick to welcome the Government's announcement this week that 10 tourist development projects will be allowed within the 300 m area as an experiment. They quickly followed up that welcome by saying that ten were not nearly enough. But it's a start.
Walter Blotscher
Monday, 22 September 2014
A PRACTICAL PIG
Today was a day for doing practical things.
First, our new oil tank arrived, and was installed. Secondly, our new satellite dish was set up at the cinema, meaning that we can now have live shows from the Royal Theatre and elsewhere. Thirdly, I took my lawnmower to be repaired.
All in all, I got a lot done.
Walter Blotscher
Today was a day for doing practical things.
First, our new oil tank arrived, and was installed. Secondly, our new satellite dish was set up at the cinema, meaning that we can now have live shows from the Royal Theatre and elsewhere. Thirdly, I took my lawnmower to be repaired.
All in all, I got a lot done.
Walter Blotscher
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