CYCLING WEATHER
The best cycling weather is probably hot and dry; you do exercise and get a tan at the same time (well, on bits of your body; you can end up looking like a Neapolitan ice cream, coloured at the extremes and white in the middle).
Or, as it was today, cold and misty. That's because in both cases, there is unlikely to be a lot of wind, which is what really matters.
Today I did 45km in the mist. It was terrific.
Walter Blotscher
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Monday, 28 November 2011
U.K. HOUSING POLICY (2)
In my earlier post, I pointed out that the already crowded U.K. is likely to get even more so during the course of the next 40 years, as it becomes the most populous country in Europe.
The 2010 figures for net migration demonstrate clearly why this will be so. Immigration remained stable at 591,000, but there was a slight fall in the number of people emigrating. So net migration (the crucial figure for population, and so housing) rose to 252,000, the highest figure on record.
The Government has promised to bring this figure down to the tens of thousands by 2015, but it is difficult to see how. Expect this issue to rise up the political agenda during the remaining life of this Parliament, as the shortage of affordable housing becomes worse.
Walter Blotscher
In my earlier post, I pointed out that the already crowded U.K. is likely to get even more so during the course of the next 40 years, as it becomes the most populous country in Europe.
The 2010 figures for net migration demonstrate clearly why this will be so. Immigration remained stable at 591,000, but there was a slight fall in the number of people emigrating. So net migration (the crucial figure for population, and so housing) rose to 252,000, the highest figure on record.
The Government has promised to bring this figure down to the tens of thousands by 2015, but it is difficult to see how. Expect this issue to rise up the political agenda during the remaining life of this Parliament, as the shortage of affordable housing becomes worse.
Walter Blotscher
Sunday, 27 November 2011
ROGER FEDERER (2)
The Fedster is back. Tonight, playing in his 100th tour final, he beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three sets to win his 70th career title. More importantly, it was the ATP World Tour Finals, only open to the best eight players in the world over the course of the year; and it was his sixth victory in the event, moving him ahead of Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl on the all-time list.
There was much to celebrate. Winning such a prestigious tournament at the relatively old age of 30, to make an end-of-year tally of three tournament victories in a row; defending the title he won last year; going through the tournament undefeated; and beating, both in the round robin stages and the final, Tsonga, a player who can beat anyone in the world on his day (as Federer himself learned to his cost at this year's Wimbledon).
However, the most satisfying aspect is probably the fact that all three of his main rivals - Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray - were suffering from niggling injuries and failed to make the semi-finals. Murray had to retire from the tournament with a groin problem. Djokovic has had an amazing year, winning three of the four Grand Slam tournaments and becoming the world number one in the process; but ever since he won the U.S. Open in September, he has been plagued by a shoulder problem, retiring injured in the Davis Cup semi-final and being defeated twice this week. While Nadal has had to retire from tournaments in recent months, and was comprehensively stuffed by Federer in their round-robin match.
One of the most underrated aspects of Federer's game is its simplicity, which makes him less likely to pick up an injury when under pressure. He is the only one of the top four to use a one-handed backhand (the more natural stroke); and although his serve is not the hardest in the world, it is by far the most simple and elegant. Murray is generally injury-prone, one reason why I don't think he'll ever win a major. A large part of Djokovic's success this year has been his hustling in defence, which is bound to catch up with you in the long run. While Nadal imparts such huge torque and sidespin on the ball that shoulder and knee problems are always likely.
So, at the end of 2011, it is the old man who is looking best of the four. The others have all said that they will be recovered in time for the Australian Open at the end of January. But the sorts of niggles they have are unlikely to go away completely. My tip for Melbourne is Federer.
Walter Blotscher
The Fedster is back. Tonight, playing in his 100th tour final, he beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in three sets to win his 70th career title. More importantly, it was the ATP World Tour Finals, only open to the best eight players in the world over the course of the year; and it was his sixth victory in the event, moving him ahead of Pete Sampras and Ivan Lendl on the all-time list.
There was much to celebrate. Winning such a prestigious tournament at the relatively old age of 30, to make an end-of-year tally of three tournament victories in a row; defending the title he won last year; going through the tournament undefeated; and beating, both in the round robin stages and the final, Tsonga, a player who can beat anyone in the world on his day (as Federer himself learned to his cost at this year's Wimbledon).
However, the most satisfying aspect is probably the fact that all three of his main rivals - Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray - were suffering from niggling injuries and failed to make the semi-finals. Murray had to retire from the tournament with a groin problem. Djokovic has had an amazing year, winning three of the four Grand Slam tournaments and becoming the world number one in the process; but ever since he won the U.S. Open in September, he has been plagued by a shoulder problem, retiring injured in the Davis Cup semi-final and being defeated twice this week. While Nadal has had to retire from tournaments in recent months, and was comprehensively stuffed by Federer in their round-robin match.
One of the most underrated aspects of Federer's game is its simplicity, which makes him less likely to pick up an injury when under pressure. He is the only one of the top four to use a one-handed backhand (the more natural stroke); and although his serve is not the hardest in the world, it is by far the most simple and elegant. Murray is generally injury-prone, one reason why I don't think he'll ever win a major. A large part of Djokovic's success this year has been his hustling in defence, which is bound to catch up with you in the long run. While Nadal imparts such huge torque and sidespin on the ball that shoulder and knee problems are always likely.
So, at the end of 2011, it is the old man who is looking best of the four. The others have all said that they will be recovered in time for the Australian Open at the end of January. But the sorts of niggles they have are unlikely to go away completely. My tip for Melbourne is Federer.
Walter Blotscher
Saturday, 26 November 2011
LOCAL RULES
There was a lot of discussion about local rules at this year's neighbourhood street party. Things have now moved from discussion to the next stage.
A couple of weeks ago, I got a letter from the kommune, saying that we would after all be being coupled to the town sewage system. When we bought this house in 2002, we were told by the kommune that we were so far out in the country that we would never be part of the public system. Instead, we had to invest in a new septic tank, together with associated drains, pumps and filter systems. All of this cost a lot of money; so to be told that the investment was now redundant and that we would have to fork out a lot more money for a new connection was galling, to say the least. After fairly loud telephone protests from me, the kommune went away to have a rethink. Eventually they said that because our system was less than 10 years old, we could escape. Some of our neighbours think that this is but a temporary reprieve; we shall see.
The other issue is the 31 December deadline for implementation of the rural letter box law. Yesterday I went out and bought a new letter box; and today I set the stand in concrete by the side of the road outside the house. Tomorrow I shall finish it off, and attach the box itself. Then I shall sit down and wait for the postman to tell me on Monday that I have put it in the wrong place.
Walter Blotscher
There was a lot of discussion about local rules at this year's neighbourhood street party. Things have now moved from discussion to the next stage.
A couple of weeks ago, I got a letter from the kommune, saying that we would after all be being coupled to the town sewage system. When we bought this house in 2002, we were told by the kommune that we were so far out in the country that we would never be part of the public system. Instead, we had to invest in a new septic tank, together with associated drains, pumps and filter systems. All of this cost a lot of money; so to be told that the investment was now redundant and that we would have to fork out a lot more money for a new connection was galling, to say the least. After fairly loud telephone protests from me, the kommune went away to have a rethink. Eventually they said that because our system was less than 10 years old, we could escape. Some of our neighbours think that this is but a temporary reprieve; we shall see.
The other issue is the 31 December deadline for implementation of the rural letter box law. Yesterday I went out and bought a new letter box; and today I set the stand in concrete by the side of the road outside the house. Tomorrow I shall finish it off, and attach the box itself. Then I shall sit down and wait for the postman to tell me on Monday that I have put it in the wrong place.
Walter Blotscher
Friday, 25 November 2011
ARAB DEMOCRACY (5)
Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world, has become the litmus test of the Arab Spring. Western-oriented Tunisia has managed the transition to democracy; reactionary kingdoms such as Saudi Arabia have not, and are unlikely to. Egypt, sitting in the middle, could go either way.
Getting rid of former President Hosni Mubarak was, it turns out, the easy bit. Power shifted to the army, long a malign influence in Egyptian politics, and seems to have got stuck there. Parliamentary elections are due to take place on Monday; however, many Egyptians do not believe that these will result in the requisite changes, and would like the military to give up power in advance. In particular, they are incensed that so many people over the past 6-9 months have been tried by military tribunals rather than civil courts.
And so there have been fresh demonstrations recently, and they have turned violent. The army has apologised, but is that enough? The next week, I believe, will show which way Egypt will go; and so - in due course - which way the whole Arab world will go.
Walter Blotscher
Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world, has become the litmus test of the Arab Spring. Western-oriented Tunisia has managed the transition to democracy; reactionary kingdoms such as Saudi Arabia have not, and are unlikely to. Egypt, sitting in the middle, could go either way.
Getting rid of former President Hosni Mubarak was, it turns out, the easy bit. Power shifted to the army, long a malign influence in Egyptian politics, and seems to have got stuck there. Parliamentary elections are due to take place on Monday; however, many Egyptians do not believe that these will result in the requisite changes, and would like the military to give up power in advance. In particular, they are incensed that so many people over the past 6-9 months have been tried by military tribunals rather than civil courts.
And so there have been fresh demonstrations recently, and they have turned violent. The army has apologised, but is that enough? The next week, I believe, will show which way Egypt will go; and so - in due course - which way the whole Arab world will go.
Walter Blotscher
Thursday, 24 November 2011
LOCAL CUSTOMS
The village where I live has a village hall. Five or six times a year, the locals are invited to eat together in the hall. Tonight, on a cold November evening, there were about 75 of us, sitting down to traditional fare, helped down by beer and schnaps. Before we started, we turned on the lights on the big Christmas tree that stands over the road in the garden of Joergen Cat's house.
It was very nice, though I feel a bit woozy writing this. I am now going to watch the Thanksgiving day American football on the tele.
Walter Blotscher
The village where I live has a village hall. Five or six times a year, the locals are invited to eat together in the hall. Tonight, on a cold November evening, there were about 75 of us, sitting down to traditional fare, helped down by beer and schnaps. Before we started, we turned on the lights on the big Christmas tree that stands over the road in the garden of Joergen Cat's house.
It was very nice, though I feel a bit woozy writing this. I am now going to watch the Thanksgiving day American football on the tele.
Walter Blotscher
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
GAY MARRIAGE
Denmark has a state Lutheran church. In other words, the state owns all of the buildings, employs and pays the priests, and the Queen is its titular head. There is even a Church Minister in the Government and a church income tax to pay for it all (though you can opt out of that if you object).
The country also has an enviable reputation of tolerance for homosexuals. Yet until today, it was not possible for homosexuals to be married in a Danish church. This caused resentment, not least because the policy was not dependent on the religious whim of (say) the Pope, but continued by successive Governments otherwise committed to full equality under the law.
Research shows that only a minority of priests and citizens (around 20% in each case) object to the proposed change. Similar minorities used to object to the ordination of women and the remarriage in church of divorcees, and those changes went through smoothly enough. I suspect that this new one will as well, when it comes into effect next year.
Walter Blotscher
Denmark has a state Lutheran church. In other words, the state owns all of the buildings, employs and pays the priests, and the Queen is its titular head. There is even a Church Minister in the Government and a church income tax to pay for it all (though you can opt out of that if you object).
The country also has an enviable reputation of tolerance for homosexuals. Yet until today, it was not possible for homosexuals to be married in a Danish church. This caused resentment, not least because the policy was not dependent on the religious whim of (say) the Pope, but continued by successive Governments otherwise committed to full equality under the law.
Research shows that only a minority of priests and citizens (around 20% in each case) object to the proposed change. Similar minorities used to object to the ordination of women and the remarriage in church of divorcees, and those changes went through smoothly enough. I suspect that this new one will as well, when it comes into effect next year.
Walter Blotscher
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