Author: Mark Watts

Nerdy type who enjoys mathematics, computer programming and web programming (including this site). Avid collector of degrees. Other interests are music, especially opera and choral, cryptic crosswords (only The Times Quick Cryptic, not the 15X15), sailing, skiing (cross country and downhill), hiking and biking. Used to also love running until poor knees let me down.

GIN sailing September 2, 9, 11

Our season started late due to the Covid scare. Then it really started, although we limited the number on the boat to 4 for social distancing.

First outing was September 2. Apart from Mark and Dave only Tony Keefer signed up. Deborah brought him to Crans so she joined us and we had a very pleasant gentle drift before ending up with a couple of beers in the buvette. Sadly no photos.

September 9 was the first outing to be oversubscribed. Six wanted to sail so we took the first 4 to reply: Mark, Dave, Peter D, Phillip. A lovely little breeze took us across the lake then up to Prangins (just 2 tacks). Then we hoisted the spinnaker for a downwind run home. The wind dropped at exactly that time so we had a slow spinnaker drift for a while then started the motor and opened the beers. Still a good day out.

The spinnaker team:- sheet, helm, guy
Captain Bligh

That left Rob MacKenzie and Rudi so we had another outing on Friday (September 11). Unfortunately Rudi could not come so is was only Rob and myself plus a stowaway who was tossed overboard. Again not much wind but a pleasant drift.

This is how we treat stowaways
Essential beers after the sailing

Donizetti does Tudors

A real treat from the Met this week. They are streaming one opera per night free and this week has 3 Donizetti operas.

Last night was Anne Boleyn with Anna Netrebko superb in the title role. a shame if anyone missed it.

Tonight (Wed April 29) it’s Mary Stuart with Joyce DiDonato playing Mary.

Tomorrow it’s Roberto Devereux starring Sondra Radvanovsky and Elīna Garanča. I’m told it’s worth watching for Sondra Radvanovsky’s acting alone and Elīna Garanča is always very easy on the eye. They are both excellent voices too.

Check out these free operas at
https://www.metopera.org/user-information/nightly-met-opera-streams/

Cultural things to do during the coronavirus lockdown

Opera from the Met

I’ve just learnt that the New York Metropolitan opera are providing free streamings of some of their great opera broadcasts from the last 14 years.

Further details here

https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/coronavirus-the-metropolitan-opera-to-stream-free-operas.html

The stream will be free and will present encores of The Met’s acclaimed Live in HD series. The performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be available to stream for 20 hours. The first week’s schedule, outlined below, will be featuring timeless classics as Carmen, La Bohème, and La Traviata.

Virtual museum tours

Here is a link to information about some of the world’s great museums which are offering virtual tours via the web. I’ve not looked at any of these yet but the list is impressive.

https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours

BBC Programme on Quantum Entanglement

There was a very interesting programme on BBC 4 last Thursday, 16/01/2020, 22:00 about quantum entanglement. I had recorded it and just got round to watching it. I wanted to let you know in case anyone else with Swisscom TV wants to watch it before it’s a week old.

What I like about the program is that it gives the history, starting with the 1927 Solway conference and onto Einstein’s paper and the work of John Bell. It does not try to describe any of the mathematics but rather gives one of the clearest explanations I’ve seen of the physical phenomenon and what they are currently doing to verify it.

I already sent this as a note to members of the GIN Kulture group since I definitely believe this qualifies under our definition of Culture. Since there was reasonable interest I’m adding it to the blog.

Brian Allardyce refers us to an article by the Austrian Academy of Sciences at oeaw.ac.at in case you missed the programme. This describes what they did.
https://www.oeaw.ac.at/en/detail/news/quantum-entanglement-confirmed-with-light-from-distant-quasars/

I also found an interesting YouTube video which goes a step backwards and explores the origins of Quantum Mechanics and spends some time on the endless arguments between Bohr and Einstein at the 1927 conference. These are referred to in the BBC programme but only related to entanglement whereas the disagreement was much more fundamental.

Here is the link
https://ch.video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=solvay+conference#id=19&vid=e36e4a2e5c40902eb79a7761d344a8b9&action=view

3rd Annual Dave Knewstubb Memorial Ski Outing

There were 5 GIN members and 2 associate members (if that means anyting) for our annual outing to Champéry on January 15th. Mervyn, Peter and Mark drove from Commugny while Rudi and David (almost bootless) met us there. We also met up with Mervyn’s chums, and regular skiing outing participants, Brian and Alun. Thatcher cried off due to too much skiing at Verbier and crunchy baguettes.

The weather was great, the snow surprisingly good and the company also great.

Naturally we raised a glass to Dave K over an excellent lunch at la Cantine des Dents Blanches.

Thanks to Mervyn for organising and driving plus for arranging some good weather.

Biking to Gex and beyond, September 3

Our illustrious leader was unavailable (holiday in Crete) but did send us this

so we were ably led by Peter D: up the hill at Bonmont, over to Gex, then to Echenevex to find a closed restaurant and on to the Maison Blanche golf club for lunch and well earned beers.

After lunch we returned to Gex where we found the old railway line and followed it all the way back into Divonne.

A great bike ride. Thanks to Peter and Steve for waiting for me.

Total of 52 km (a few further for Steve) and 545 m dénivellation

 

Wine tasting, August 30

Dave selected some excellent Italian reds for this tasting and laid on a good spread including a superb brie.

There were 6 wines with the descriptions Dave found on the internet below

 

F – Cannonau

Full body, nice and beautiful aroma. Purple and velvet color. Nice balance of tannin and low acidity. Scent of leather, slightly earthy, dominent of dark plum, dark berries.

A – Barolo

Clear, medium ruby. Clean, moderate intensity aroma of blackberry, violet. Dry, high acidity, strong tannins, full body and prolonged finish.

C – Tripudium

Dark cherry colour, an intense nose of ripe red berries, slightly spicy, reminiscent of juniper, cloves and violets, a rich prelude, full-bodied on the palate with distinct tannins, subtle nuances, a long, intense full-bodied wine from Sicily’s southern climes.

D – Corvina

Corvina produces light to medium body wines with a light crimson coloring. The grapes’ naturally high acidity can make the wine somewhat tart with a slight, bitter almond note.[2] The finish is sometimes marked with sour-cherry notes

 

E – Primitivo

Bouquet is a bit flat with cherry notes. The palate delivered aromas of cherry, blackberry, dried plum, pepper notes followed by a sweetness. Spices could be a bit more. Noticeable Tannins but flat in acidity.

B – Ser Lapo – Chianti Classico

Medium ruby with slight watery rims. Classic nose of earthy characters and balsamic notes, plum and cherry, cedar wood and leather. On the palate well balanced, great acidity and good structure.

 

Details of all the wines, including prices

Participants: Dave Gwilliam (host), Brian Allardyce, David Stieber, Terry Gale, Mark Watts, Ian Cappin

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