Menu Home 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 Contents Recent Updates Site search About Categories 2020 Do not disturb Do not disturb This website is sleeping. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-12-27 09:00 Words: 155; reading time: 1 minute Scrapbook for November Scrapbook for November Pricks R Us | Captain Foresight | Election eve | Nigel Farage in search of a cause | Deniers Posted on UTC 2020-11-01 02:01 Words: 1,773; reading time: 8 minutes Cynthia's shade Cynthia's shade Hades hath no fury like a poet scorned. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-11-10 05:03 Words: 7,976; reading time: 36 minutes A Considerable Speck A Considerable Speck A sentient creature exercising good judgement. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-11-05 08:12 Words: 387; reading time: 1 minute Quote and image of the month for November Quote and image of the month for November Quote: Hermann Hesse, Im Nebel. Image: Giovanni Giacometti, Nebbia (Maloja). Posted on UTC 2020-11-01 05:02 Words: 1,799; reading time: 8 minutes Scrapbook for October Scrapbook for October Social media filtering | Swiss healthcare | Website changes Posted on UTC 2020-10-01 02:01 Words: 605; reading time: 2 minutes Herbsttag, Autumn Day Herbsttag, Autumn Day Rainer Maria Rilke's farewell to autumn – or, why great poetry should be read slowly. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-10-31 12:12 Words: 1,520; reading time: 6 minutes The end of Covid-19 The end of Covid-19 With a bang, not a whimper. Posted by Mad Mitch on UTC 2020-10-29 06:03 Words: 654; reading time: 2 minutes Swiss tease Swiss tease Sleepy Joe? No. Hunter's laptop? No. Burisma? Ignorance is Swiss bliss. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-10-25 07:12 Words: 869; reading time: 3 minutes Goethe's Römische Elegien Goethe's Römische Elegien The master's midlife crisis. [8 pages] Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-10-21 06:42 Words: 304; reading time: 1 minute Scrapbook for August Scrapbook for August FoS website changes | The guess: the new real | Only a matter of time… | Page view statistics | The Slough of Despond, then and now | This cannot end well | Sweet-rationing in the UK | Too clever by half | Hobby horse, gnomic edition Posted on UTC 2020-08-01 02:01 Words: 1,710; reading time: 7 minutes Sanity-checking insane energy Sanity-checking insane energy Does not compute. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-08-21 06:22 Words: 1,723; reading time: 7 minutes Plague notes, ad interim Plague notes, ad interim Where are we and how did we get here? Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-08-17 12:15 Words: 3,923; reading time: 17 minutes Updated on 2020-08-20 Butch browsing Butch browsing Google Chrome, the coding man's browser of choice. Posted by Austin Morris on UTC 2020-08-14 10:43 Words: 827; reading time: 3 minutes Updated on 2020-08-14 The lady in waiting The lady in waiting Kamala Harris, the great unwanted – even by Democrats. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-08-13 14:14 Words: 638; reading time: 2 minutes After the Swiss party After the Swiss party 2 August: Sunday morning coming down. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-08-02 15:23 Words: 1,130; reading time: 5 minutes Paying the Harvesters Paying the Harvesters A close look at Léon Augustin Lhermitte's magnificent painting. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-08-01 03:05 Words: 4,867; reading time: 22 minutes Swiss National Day, 1 August Swiss National Day, 1 August Gottfried Keller's poem Sommernacht. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-08-01 03:04 Words: 999; reading time: 4 minutes Scrapbook for July Scrapbook for July The Railway Man prince | Eighteen shades of incompetence Posted on UTC 2020-07-01 02:01 Words: 237; reading time: 1 minute Hot Romans Hot Romans The dog days of the Roman Warm Period revisited in the Tibullan guide to climate change. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-07-29 09:25 Words: 1,187; reading time: 5 minutes Born in the USA Born in the USA The forces of destruction are not at the gates; they were born within them. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-07-20 07:13 Words: 1,064; reading time: 4 minutes Blacking out for Britain Blacking out for Britain Government by nonsensical directives enforced by law — a bit like COVID-19, in fact. Posted by Austin Morris on UTC 2020-07-16 16:32 Words: 890; reading time: 4 minutes Updated on 2020-07-18 Friedrich Rückert's Über alle Gräber Friedrich Rückert's Über alle Gräber Recovering a particularly poignant poem from the Kindertodtenlieder Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-07-10 10:55 Words: 1,913; reading time: 8 minutes Winston Churchill's love of horses Winston Churchill's love of horses The wartime prime minister was an excellent rider with a lifelong love of horses. Posted by Werner Vogt on UTC 2020-07-09 16:15 Words: 950; reading time: 4 minutes Schubert in da hood Schubert in da hood Franz Schubert growing up with family, friends and neighbours in a close-knit community. [8 pages] Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-07-08 14:24 Words: 1,177; reading time: 5 minutes Scrapbook for June Scrapbook for June Lieder evening in Vienna | 'Latest comments' change | Barn wall smiley Posted on UTC 2020-06-01 02:01 Words: 162; reading time: 1 minute Scrapbook for May Scrapbook for May Not the Age of Reason | 'Latest comments' panel | Clap for the NHS | What would Treebeard say? Posted on UTC 2020-05-01 02:01 Words: 848; reading time: 3 minutes Hidden Schubert Hidden Schubert The Schubert materials we can't show you. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-05-29 10:44 Words: 930; reading time: 4 minutes The Atzenbrugg enlightenment The Atzenbrugg enlightenment A review of Oliver Woog's book Franz Schubert und sein Freundeskreis in den Schlössern Atzenbrugg und Aumühle. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-05-19 09:33 Words: 5,404; reading time: 24 minutes Franz Schubert und sein Freundeskreis in den Schlössern Atzenbrugg und Aumühle Franz Schubert und sein Freundeskreis in den Schlössern Atzenbrugg und Aumühle Announcing a recent book by Oliver Woog, the concert guitarist and Schubert researcher, which throws new light on the party life of the young Schubert crowd. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-05-11 10:11 Words: 488; reading time: 2 minutes Oiling the Swiss paywall media Oiling the Swiss paywall media The Swiss government wants to lubricate the inaccessible with lots of nice slippery money. Posted by Mad Mitch on UTC 2020-05-01 10:44 Words: 1,513; reading time: 6 minutes Scrapbook for April Scrapbook for April Who's that train? | Schubert portrait 'Young Franz Schubert' Posted on UTC 2020-04-01 02:01 Words: 592; reading time: 2 minutes The American shambles The American shambles November: hoping for the least worse, whoever that might be. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-04-28 10:44 Words: 989; reading time: 4 minutes Updated on 2020-04-30 Scrapbook for March Scrapbook for March COVID-19 sanity check | Disgusting | Thuggery | New site navigation | Saint Joseph's Day | Can the UK National Health Service cope with COVID-19? | Do not touch me, woman | Two inspectors call | And don't step in the excrement | Country music for the doolally | The Schubert guide to handwashing | Before social media Posted on UTC 2020-03-01 02:01 Words: 1,893; reading time: 8 minutes Purging the planet Purging the planet A breathing space for the Earth. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-03-29 10:03 Words: 325; reading time: 1 minute Exposing yourself to COVID-19 Exposing yourself to COVID-19 But just a little bit, of course. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-03-24 15:33 Words: 3,648; reading time: 16 minutes Updated on 2020-04-01 The Trump insight The Trump insight COVID-19: the cure must not be worse than the disease. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-03-23 10:33 Words: 258; reading time: 1 minute Beyond bananas Beyond bananas Meghan and Harry's message to a grateful world. Posted by Austin Morris on UTC 2020-03-19 16:08 Words: 853; reading time: 3 minutes Laughing at the afflicted Laughing at the afflicted Shouldn't do it, but we need something to pass the time in our isolation cells. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-03-18 08:14 Words: 875; reading time: 3 minutes Quote and image of the month for March Quote and image of the month for March Quote: Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, Säerspruch. Image: Albin Egger-Lienz, Der Sämann. Posted on UTC 2020-03-14 14:02 Words: 469; reading time: 2 minutes COVID-19: time to start worrying? COVID-19: time to start worrying? Even the normally sunny disposition of Matt Ridley is clouding over. Nobody panic. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-03-12 13:20 Words: 3,698; reading time: 16 minutes Updated on 2020-03-26 Sheep Herding for Dummies Sheep Herding for Dummies The art of letting no crisis go to waste. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-03-10 10:18 Words: 604; reading time: 2 minutes The greening of Boris™ The greening of Boris™ Climate sceptic to climate alarmist in six months. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-03-08 14:20 Words: 314; reading time: 1 minute Mr Cherry Mr Cherry Certainly gone, but still not forgotten. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-03-08 10:12 Words: 1,986; reading time: 9 minutes In praise of maturity In praise of maturity Let's stop listening to the revolting young. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-03-05 15:43 Words: 1,418; reading time: 6 minutes Over the waterfall Over the waterfall Avoiding the rending pain of re-enactment. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-03-02 12:52 Words: 476; reading time: 2 minutes Mining the data mountain Mining the data mountain Putting content online is only the first step – just try and find it again… or bend it like Google. Posted by George Meredith on UTC 2020-03-01 09:17 Words: 2,252; reading time: 10 minutes Scrapbook for February Scrapbook for February More COVID-19, among other things | Government by weirdo | Lest we forget | Brexit smoke and mirrors Posted on UTC 2020-02-01 02:01 Words: 1,531; reading time: 6 minutes Trust me, I'm from MI5 Trust me, I'm from MI5 Searching for signs of intelligence in the UK intelligence services. So far, none found. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-02-25 16:22 Words: 1,446; reading time: 6 minutes Coughs and sneezes spread diseases Coughs and sneezes spread diseases You are a dot on the Blue Marble, now learning to live and die with COVID-19. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-02-25 11:04 Words: 1,025; reading time: 4 minutes Updated on 2020-02-26 Social media on the couch Social media on the couch And its users. 'Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad.' Posted by George Meredith on UTC 2020-02-20 10:25 Words: 2,918; reading time: 13 minutes Swiss neutrality decoded Swiss neutrality decoded Beware the Swiss, bringing encryption equipment. Posted by Mad Mitch on UTC 2020-02-14 11:02 Words: 1,850; reading time: 8 minutes Updated on 2020-02-15 The Swiss news magazine Republik, circling the drain The Swiss news magazine Republik, circling the drain Good. Posted by Thersites on UTC 2020-02-10 11:16 Words: 408; reading time: 1 minute Du bist die Ruh, swipe right edition Du bist die Ruh, swipe right edition A lonely reader of the New York Review of Books looking for Miss Perfect. Posted by Prudence Crowther on UTC 2020-02-09 10:04 Words: 521; reading time: 2 minutes Du bist die Ruh D 776 Du bist die Ruh D 776 Another masterpiece from Friedrich Rückert's Oestliche Rosen (1819/1822), masterfully set to music by Franz Schubert (1823/1826). Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-02-09 10:04 Words: 3,905; reading time: 17 minutes Thuringia voted! Thuringia voted! Three months ago. The last election worked so well that they had better have another one. Posted by Mad Mitch on UTC 2020-02-07 14:04 Words: 1,126; reading time: 5 minutes Quote and image of the month for February Quote and image of the month for February Quote: Bertolt Brecht, Fragen eines lesenden Arbeiters. Image: Albin Egger-Lienz, Mann und Weib. Posted on UTC 2020-02-03 14:17 Words: 1,705; reading time: 7 minutes 17 May, the end of Switzerland? 17 May, the end of Switzerland? Jumping from the referendum frying pan into the EU fire. Posted by George Meredith on UTC 2020-02-01 13:12 Words: 1,048; reading time: 4 minutes A book burning A book burning The Frankfurt Book Fire of 1758. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-02-01 08:02 Words: 1,886; reading time: 8 minutes Scrapbook for January Scrapbook for January Peter Schreier (1935-2019) Posted on UTC 2020-01-01 02:01 Words: 147; reading time: 1 minute Democratic discontent Democratic discontent The Centre for the Future of Democracy is worried. They will be when the tumbrils get there. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-01-30 14:22 Words: 1,596; reading time: 7 minutes Quote and image of the month for January Quote and image of the month for January Quote: Siegfried Lenz, Heimatmuseum. Image: Anshelm Schultzberg, A Winter Morning after a Snowfall in Dalarna. Posted on UTC 2020-01-25 11:13 Words: 478; reading time: 2 minutes Jägers Liebeslied D 909 Jägers Liebeslied D 909 Franz von Schober's much ado about nothing sinks without trace, taking Schubert's rubber ring with it. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-01-24 09:03 Words: 2,860; reading time: 13 minutes Die Sterne D 939 Die Sterne D 939 Musical mission impossible: Leitner's terrible poem and Schubert's attempted rescue. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-01-20 14:15 Words: 1,895; reading time: 8 minutes Franz Schubert and Franz von Schlechta Franz Schubert and Franz von Schlechta Cracking the door, but just a little bit. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-01-17 16:43 Words: 4,553; reading time: 20 minutes Fischerweise D 881 Fischerweise D 881 Franz Xaver Freiherr Schlechta von Wssehrd's mediocre poem, rescued by Franz Schubert. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-01-15 10:21 Words: 4,770; reading time: 21 minutes Schubert portrait Whac-A-Mole Schubert portrait Whac-A-Mole As soon as we whack one, another one pops up. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-01-05 10:48 Words: 6,876; reading time: 31 minutes Updated on 2020-02-16 Ueber allen Gipfeln Ist Ruh' D 768 Ueber allen Gipfeln Ist Ruh' D 768 One genius stands on another's shoulders: Goethe and Schubert. Posted by Richard on UTC 2020-01-01 08:14 Words: 10,235; reading time: 46 minutes
