| Here we've had an eclectic mix of snow, rain and beautiful sunshine.
On TV at this very minute is the New Year's address of Switzerland's new president (the members of the federal cabinet take turns being president, one year at a time).
This year it's Moritz Leuenberger, a preacher's son from Zurich. Unlike last year's stuffy pres, Leuenberger has a sense of humour. On the evening news they showed him goofing around on the set trying on different ties. It took them over four hours to get satisfactory takes of three five-minute addresses: one in German, one in French, and one in Italian. "That's federalism", as the Swiss say.
"I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything."
-- Viscount Melbourne |