Bletchley Park code breaker

Bill Tutte memorial (behind red car)

Bill Tutte was a local man (he lived near Newmarket) who worked at Bletchley Park as a code breaker during WW2.  He was probably more important than Turing, although his code breaking remained a national secret until not many years ago. The work Tutte did was used to intercept Russian traffic in the Cold War! There is now a memorial to him in Newmarket, as shown in the photo.

Fed raises interest rate

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35117405

It has started.  Gradually rates will rise across the world . People had better get ready for life when borrowing costs more. I can remember when interest rates hit 15% and mortgages were very expensive.

Pruning

At the moment it is unseasonably mild for December in the UK. Often at this time of the year it is very misty and cold but at the moment it is about 14 deg C and every chance of it getting even warmer. The grass is still growing.  

Today, in between bursts of total exhaustion (stroke after-effect), I pruned two bushes in the garden. Working outside it felt more like April than December. I also noticed quite a few bulbs pushing through. Unless we get a really cold January we will soon have daffodils in bloom in the garden. Another 2 weeks?

FTSE 100

At the start of the year, some commentators were predicting the FTSE 100 UK share index would end the year above 7000.  It briefly exceeded this, although currently it is below 6000. A late rally might see it end the year in the low 6000s. I think expecting it to end the year above 7000 is wishful thinking.

Getting ready for Christmas

Last year's real tree has been in the pot in the garden all year. To our surprise it has new shoots and, apart from a list (corrected by re-potting the roots when we brought it into the house) it is good for this Christmas too. The lights and decorations are now going on.

On Sunday the first grandchildren arrive. Over Christmas we'll see all the children and grandchildren.  It will be busy time, but I hope all the little ones and all their mums and dads have a lovely time.

Strictly

Actually, I watch very little reality TV but I do quite enjoy "Strictly" on BBC TV. This is a knock-out dancing competition. This year, the standard is very high and it is hard to see who will win. It is many years since I enjoyed ballroom dancing with Ann, my old girlfriend in my teens. These are distant memories now.

Climate change - progress

So all the countries at the Paris climate summit have reached agreement. This is just the start, but it shows a willingness to work towards a world which does not have dangerous warming. As someone pointed out on BBC TV this morning, the cost of choosing a non-carbon path has significantly reduced, so it is less burdensome to choose clean energy.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35084374 .