tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.comments2022-02-08T21:09:07.588+00:00Roger Neill's BlogRoger Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comBlogger917125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-72281134149167576912017-03-23T23:01:59.039+00:002017-03-23T23:01:59.039+00:00Turner's poem ("Romance") was in The...Turner's poem ("Romance") was in The Puffin Book of Verse, which my grandmother gave to me in the 1950's, when I was just a child. That poem haunted me when I was young. Today when a friend who lives in Ecuador posted an article about Chimborazo being arguably higher than Everest, I was once again reminded of Turner's spellbinding words.Dormilonahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10166428524620504175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-91652416169063875322015-02-10T16:02:23.288+00:002015-02-10T16:02:23.288+00:00This is spooky. I was thinking about you (and your...This is spooky. I was thinking about you (and your father) a few days ago, and wondering where you were in the world. I see you're in Paris. I've friend-requested you on LinkedIn and on FB. Let's hope that flushes out an email address, so that we can address you question properly.<br /> Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-58149911725510798322015-02-10T10:08:11.523+00:002015-02-10T10:08:11.523+00:00Roger, I am typing up Dad's (Brian Weekes) let...Roger, I am typing up Dad's (Brian Weekes) letters from his 3 month world trip for Lintas in 1959 - he speaks of Ivor Cooper, and many others of the era - do you know of any resource about that time at Lintas that I could contact?Barbara Preyssashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02952528139744538236noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-22404338255304402272014-12-07T17:18:52.930+00:002014-12-07T17:18:52.930+00:00How very exciting - and mysterious!
Looking forwa...How very exciting - and mysterious! <br />Looking forward to finding out when you are ready to reveal...Julia Bindmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06242677466700609241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-3319109797161470182014-12-05T21:34:55.609+00:002014-12-05T21:34:55.609+00:00From Shane Wohlers:
Congrats, on hitting 600, R....From Shane Wohlers: <br /><br />Congrats, on hitting 600, R. Will miss the posts but I look forward to reading the fruits of your self-imposed blogging exile!Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-82450992549731767082014-12-05T20:30:41.769+00:002014-12-05T20:30:41.769+00:00I will miss your insight and humour but of course ...I will miss your insight and humour but of course can re read the favourites! Good luck with the long writing endeavour - whatever it is.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-48161303653814253502014-11-30T13:22:41.077+00:002014-11-30T13:22:41.077+00:00From Raj Marwah:
still'n'all, sad... not...From Raj Marwah: <br /><br />still'n'all, sad... not quite the game we grew up with...Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-4426551437765644102014-11-30T09:32:00.299+00:002014-11-30T09:32:00.299+00:00Re-complacency, this was the sort of response from...Re-complacency, this was the sort of response from Jonathan Agnew that I had in mind: <br />“Nowadays, with so much more cricket being played around the world, instances of batsmen being hit on the head are more frequent. But whether or not that results in injury is largely down to luck.”<br />They don’t take that attitude, thank goodness, when someone gets injured or killed in a much more dangerous “sport”, Formula 1! <br />Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-32911859042317263452014-11-29T17:36:10.454+00:002014-11-29T17:36:10.454+00:00From Richard Sykes:
Yes, that's an interesti...From Richard Sykes: <br /><br />Yes, that's an interesting issue and your position seems entirely reasonable. I suppose the problem is balancing protection with the need for the batsman to have good visibility. At first glance it seems as though it should be straight-forward. But I'm not sure it is. For the protection to work, the grille needs to be clear of the end of the batsman's nose by... well, by what, I don't know. But clearly by a sufficient margin for the thing not to jam into the batsman's nose when it's hit at speed. The further the top bar of the grille from the batsman's face, the lower it needs to be in order not to interfere with the line of vision. And the lower it is, the bigger the gap between peak of helmet and grille for the ball to pass through. I wonder whether we'll now see moves towards grilles,or moulds of some sort, which follow the contours of the face, thereby allowing a narrower space between top bar and the peak of the helmet.Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-12080896137177459142014-11-29T12:48:16.079+00:002014-11-29T12:48:16.079+00:00Richard, I do think that balls going through the h...Richard, I do think that balls going through the helmet grille is completely unnecessary and unacceptable. Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-59413870389820228362014-11-29T12:45:58.923+00:002014-11-29T12:45:58.923+00:00From Richard Sykes:
An interesting piece on the ...From Richard Sykes: <br /><br />An interesting piece on the Phil Hughes tragedy. But I think your first paragraph is uncharacteristically unfair. Or perhaps your laudable concern for brevity leads you to elide your point. I have not seen any report suggesting that Phil Hughes' death is "all part of the game". On the contrary, most reports I've read acknowledge that the blow which ended Phil Hughes' life will reverberate across the sport, which may never be the same again, and that those most closely involved in the event may struggle to return to the field. The response to which I think you refer is that which says "let's not immediately conclude that the right response is to ban bouncers from the game", because aggressive bowling is "all part of the game". <br /><br />That short bowling, as a means of intimidating and unsettling the batsman, has been part of the game for a long time is undoubtedly true. It doesn't mean it should or will remain so. I make no judgement on the should question. I think it quite possible that its role will change, perhaps disappear. It is difficult to imagine that any fast bowler- not just the unfortunate Sean Abbott - will be able to send down a fast bouncer with quite the same conviction for as long as this event remains raw and present, which will be a long time. And without conviction, bowlers lose rhythm, they lose their potency. I suspect short bowling will not just be ethically questionable, but in practice I think it will be physically difficult for many bowlers to do it well now. And then, if it does continue, how many times will fielding sides be prepared to deal with the sickening lurch that all will now inevitably experience every time a batsman doubles up after taking a blow on or above the neck? The macho "it's all part of the game" mantra has been true for a long time, and it's arguably contributed to the excitement of the sport. It will be difficult for it to continue to be true, however much one might want it to.<br /><br />On the question of helmets, I'm not sure that the manufacturers are necessarily wholly to blame for inadequacies. There was an interesting short piece in the Telegraph on Friday by Nick Hoult, concerning helmet safety. Nasser Hussain is calling for improvements but, referring to the need to balance protection with mobility and vision, says that putting bits on the neck was never considered. And when Bryce McGain, a former Australian player, wore a new-style helmet back in 2009, he was mocked by commentators as looking like Darth Vader or RoboCop. I don't suppose anybody will mock a batsman for any form of protective gear around head and neck now.<br />Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-5181988399751795972014-11-28T19:54:36.422+00:002014-11-28T19:54:36.422+00:00It's only three months since Stuart Broad, pla...It's only three months since Stuart Broad, playing for England against India, sustained a broken nose when the ball went through his helmet grille. And, the month before, Somerset's Craig Kieswetter had surgery for a broken eye socket from a similar malfunction. Blows to the unprotected back of the head are far more common than the few reported. I'm amazed that there have not been suits for damages. Perhaps professional players sign away all their rights.Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-40850759423143081092014-11-28T19:53:58.557+00:002014-11-28T19:53:58.557+00:00From Jacqueline Bradley:
My older cricket friend...From Jacqueline Bradley: <br /><br />My older cricket friends and relatives suggest that historic lack of protection meant batsmen were less cavalier and good at ducking.. Also that the 20 over game has led to flashing out. Apparently the only really safe helmet would be similar to that worn by racing drivers and bikers. Which the players reject as too restrictive and cumbersome. Actually, I have only seen grief stricken commentary, particularly a Facebook campaign to support Sean Abbott. Twitter has been overwhelming aghast and comforting to the family and Sean.Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-10187365559258115382014-11-24T10:34:50.155+00:002014-11-24T10:34:50.155+00:00From Simon Wills:
The problem with parliament is...From Simon Wills: <br /><br />The problem with parliament is that it is full of people like Emily Thornberry and Michael Gove and has almost nobody like this left.Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-44829142860090421402014-11-21T15:18:27.400+00:002014-11-21T15:18:27.400+00:00Let's just hope I don't have the same effe...Let's just hope I don't have the same effect on Kirsty Wark, Bettany Hughes, Dan Cruikshank and Andrew Graham-Dixon (where did he go wrong?) Of course, the answer is not to watch, and by and large I don't. But when I did, there was much shouting and groaning.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-61617123248988253422014-11-21T11:14:24.764+00:002014-11-21T11:14:24.764+00:00Yes, David, it's not easy these days being pro...Yes, David, it's not easy these days being pro-Europe and pro-immigration. <br />Seems to me that without all those immigrants our economy would still be in the tank. And that's aside from all the cultural enrichment. Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-70626567560651182812014-11-21T11:10:15.402+00:002014-11-21T11:10:15.402+00:00And so bland, David. And so bland, David. Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-1922157895255588632014-11-21T10:29:00.713+00:002014-11-21T10:29:00.713+00:00I have to say I left myself open to suspicion amon...I have to say I left myself open to suspicion among the nearest and dearest when Jill Dando (who lived very close by) was murdered. There was even a certain macabre humour in that the 'wanted' poster image looked just a little like me without my specs on. <br /><br />Heaven knows I never wished her ill, but I always used to shout at the telly whenever she was on simply because she was so ubiquitous.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-12438164057418555122014-11-18T23:11:44.803+00:002014-11-18T23:11:44.803+00:00What's so transparent is how petty and sad our...What's so transparent is how petty and sad our island bickerings about Europe must seem to the Ukrainians for whom it's a matter of life and death.<br /><br />Not that some reform isn't needed. But as you say this is not the way to go about it. Total lack of statesmanship. And the pro-Europeans aren't doing enough to spell out the case here either. Again it's a case of the best lacking all conviction, or seeming to.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14506881804082382739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-74171608247888812112014-11-18T09:02:16.864+00:002014-11-18T09:02:16.864+00:00Of course, you’re quite right, A Non. I hate to co...Of course, you’re quite right, A Non. I hate to confuse my little e-postcards with complexity.<br />I might extend my suggestion about the underlying motives of the Tory Party, by proposing that the Germans and the French, for rather different reasons, would prefer to see the back of us.<br />Sleepwalking out of Europe is the image I have in mind.<br />And if that were to happen, the possibility of influencing the reform of the EU would be gone forever.<br />Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-70764893240980026772014-11-18T08:59:29.434+00:002014-11-18T08:59:29.434+00:00From A Non:
Well, it certainly looks like that t...From A Non: <br /><br />Well, it certainly looks like that to some people (including some of the people from across the world I had dinner with earlier tonight in Berlin).<br /><br />But I think your post ignores the point we are in in the electoral cycle: it is the week of a by-election, perhaps the last before the election, that Ukip look set to win. Unless Cameron wins the next election or, at the very least, can stay in office at the head of a Coalition, it doesn’t matter what he thinks because he won’t be there to negotiate. So of course he can’t sound like a federalist or say anything that risks him being painted as one. And you are perhaps a little harsh, given that he has had some successes in Europe.<br /><br />I don’t personally think there is a secret agenda to leave the EU at the top of the Tory Party (nor a secret agenda to stay under any circumstances as others claim). My view is that the slogan from the 1999 European elections (‘In Europe, not run by Europe’) - an election the Tories won despite being at a very low ebb - is the most accurate description of the true Tory position such as it can be defined. Cameron’s commitment to renegotiate is a more complicated way of saying the same thing. I think he genuinely believes it. But you still might well have appoint on negotiating strategy when it comes down to it.<br />Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-64137946311316149782014-11-17T08:44:53.971+00:002014-11-17T08:44:53.971+00:00From Roger Mathews:
The thing is, Roger, that we ...From Roger Mathews:<br /><br />The thing is, Roger, that we don't know what he does behind closed doors. What he says in public, is the stuff politics have to say. What really matters is what he says in private.<br />In this case it is difficult because his heart is not in it. He has always been very pro European, and is doing this to keep his party together rather than from the heart.<br />Interestingly we seem to be getting to the point where the Scots decide our next government. Either they do not rush to vote for the Scot Nats, in which case Millebrand will get his majority, or they do, in which case Millebrand will be in coalition with them. I am not sure how we avoid this.<br />Oh dear......<br />Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-83418124400161741982014-11-08T10:43:46.824+00:002014-11-08T10:43:46.824+00:00From Julie:
Thanks for this Roger, it's been...From Julie: <br /><br />Thanks for this Roger, it's been a very good year & we also just won number 1 gastropub at the Oxfordshire restaurant awards on Tuesday which is very exciting. <br /><br />Great to be a part of this village as a local and a place to come and eat.<br />Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-90175196828508177442014-11-05T11:48:05.903+00:002014-11-05T11:48:05.903+00:00From Leo Schofield:
This version is pretty good....From Leo Schofield: <br /><br />This version is pretty good. <br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_m7eNyWfs4 <br /><br />I like Baker but she sounds hectic rather than eager.<br /><br />But for an example of sublime lieder singing I can't go past this encore from a recital in Tokyo of one of the finest sopranos of our age.<br /><br />http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDA5NDExNTg0.html <br />Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6923996475133985425.post-15357611450999019602014-11-04T08:35:05.941+00:002014-11-04T08:35:05.941+00:00From Tully Potter:
It is certainly worrying that...From Tully Potter: <br /><br />It is certainly worrying that students take no interest in good music.<br /><br />As we have already observed, their answers (and sheer ignorances) on University Challenge beggar belief.<br />Roger Neillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16716925882482994792noreply@blogger.com