Cambridge on a winter Tuesday

Bridge Street, Cambridge

Every Tuesday I travel into Cambridge for my weekly U3AC course called "Digital Maps in the Computer Age".  I am enjoying the course very much.

Cambridge Punts

Usually I drive to the "Park and Ride" car park at Newmarket Road and get the bus into town. The U3AC course is at the U3AC headquarters in Bridge Street, which is about 30m from where the punts are on the River Cam. From here you can punt right up via St John's, Trinity, Clare and Kings College. The secret is not to leave your punt pole behind. It is easily done. Luckily the Cam is not too deep.

Mill grindstone

Outside "our" 200 year old windmill next door are a couple of very old grindstones once used inside the mill to grind corn. They hope to grind corn in the mill again later this year. I expect they will use new grindstones.

This is a photo of one of the original grindstones.

Debts UP since the crash

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31136707 .

Despite everything and plain common sense, the level of debt in the world has gone up since the crash and we risk yet another financial melt down. It seems to me that governments, companies and individuals all have to reduce their debts and live within their means. This means pain and some hardship. The trouble is it is possible to borrow money at very low cost at the moment. When this is no longer possible we'll all be in deep trouble.

Lies?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31253409 .

It seems all politicians make rash promises before a General Election and then find out lots of reasons to sidestep them after they win power. I am no Conservative friend, especially after the news on the HSBC bank today, but the latest "promise" on paid paternity leave from Labour I take with a pinch of salt: pure electioneering gimmicks.

Drones

Increasingly, unmanned drones are being used for non-military uses such as aerial photography. I have seen some very good examples of this recently.

However, the military use of drones is also increasing and this is a concern. From the comfort of a control bunker thousands of miles away, controllers can "take out" unwanted individuals or groups without the risk of pilots being captured or shot down. This is open to abuse and error. It is "war by proxy". The worst that can happen is a few drones get shot down. The risk is totally innocent people are impacted or killed.

At the moment drones are mainly being used by The West.  What happens if terrorists get their hand on these?

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-31290147 .

Pensioner bond extension

The very attractive 1 and 3 year NSI over 65 bond offer is to be extended to May. Many pensioners have already signed up as they pay, even after tax, high interest rates by modern standards. If this is an attempt to encourage saving in the UK, then it is working.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-31241867 .

High streets

The economic downturn and the internet have had a huge impact on UK High Streets. In some towns a fifth of all shops are vacant. Clearly the "model" will have to change.   Already there are far more coffee shops and similar. Maybe the internet giants will start to have more of a presence on UK High Streets?

Whatever evolves, town centres will be quite different in 10 years time. Maybe the John Lewis model will be the example? I.e. have some large city centre stores which sell goods but also a healthy, non-competitive, internet business too?

Perhaps more than most, book shops have suffered. Virtually any book can be found on the internet in just a few seconds. Even in Cambridge, quite a few bookshops have gone. Many small book traders prefer to do all their business on the internet.