Richard's blog

Author: richard

  • A Year Without Handshakes and Hugs

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    Reading Time: 3 minutesWe are over a year into the pandemic that I wrote about for the first one hundred days, and stopped writing about because I thought that the Swiss Government was getting close to eradicating the disease, or at least getting it down to 0 new cases per day. Do you remember June…

  • A Saturday Walk During A Pandemic

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    Reading Time: 2 minutesLast week it was comfortable and warm so it was tempting to go cycling. This week it has gone back to being cold. Yesterday it was cold and windy and today was cold but sunny. I went for my usual walk but rather than listen to a podcast I watched TikTok videos…

  • Another Pandemic Weekend Without Plans

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 3 minutesNormally at this time of year, as the snow melts and the temperatures increase the opportunity for spring and summer sports returns. These sports are via ferrata, outdoor climbing, hiking and more. This year is different because although today is Friday no plans have been made for the next two days. There…

  • The Year-Old Pandemic

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    Reading Time: 3 minutesThanks to the incompetence of leadership during this pandemic Switzerland went from a low of 21 cases per day in June 2021 to a high of 3600 or more over Christmas. This is really a shame. For a short period up to the 21st of June Switzerland really looked as if it…

  • Walking Through Mud

    Walking Through Mud

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 4 minutesIn normal times we can walk along clean paths, without walking through the mud because we can walk within a meter or two of people. During a pandemic though, the recommendation is to be at least two meters from people. Many agricultural paths are not that wide, especially when people walk two…

  • How To Be A Realistic Optimist During a LockDown.

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    Reading Time: 5 minutesDuring the first lockdown in March I believed in the rationality and logic of others to help bring a pandemic to a close within a reasonable amount of time. Now that we’re in the Post-Christmas and New Year lockdown I feel that the likelihood of a normal summer is low. That’s why…

  • The COVID-19 Dynamic European Restriction Map

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    Reading Time: < 1 minuteCOVID-19 rules, restrictions and regulations are dynamic and changing much like drone rules. In Europe before you fly you should visit the local flight rule maps, to see where current restrictions are. Information ranges from “You need third party insurance with coverage for up to two million in damages” or “In…

  • Experiments With Time Machine

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    Reading Time: 2 minutesRecently I was using a one terabyte drive to backup a half terabyte drive and it would take four and a half hours to backup and I think I may have figured out why the software was taking so long. It’s because it was never designed to be used as I am…

  • On the Prospect of Re-confinement

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    Reading Time: 3 minutesToday let’s comment on the prospect of Re-confinement. Plenty of people, when lockdown ended, decided that now was the time to start doing group activities, without masks, and without waiting for the transmission rate to get down to zero. As a prize they had a relatively normal summer, with good memories, stories…

  • Forced to Wear Mask Outdoors

    Forced to Wear Mask Outdoors

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    richard
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    Reading Time: 4 minutesSwitzerland is currently toying with the idea of forcing people to wear masks outdoors but it’s not clear whether this would be for cities or whether it would be for villages and even rural walks. If the obligation to wear a mask at all times is enacted then I have two reactions.…