Ireland’s EU Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy, has conceded that voters in most EU countries would reject the stalled Lisbon Treaty.
via Ireland commissioner says most EU countries would reject Lisbon Treaty – Telegraph.
With 63 of 69 seats declared:
As Mark Mardell writes:
It’s an important result. As a whole it confirms the mood of the British electorate towards the EU. It is also significant in terms of its impact on the Conservatives. It is pretty clear if you compare the local elections with the Euros that the Conservatives lost votes to UKIP. They want those votes back in time for a general election. So if there was ever any argument for them soft-pedalling their hard line on the EU it’s gone. Those who’ve argued for a range of policies, pulling out of the centre-right group, arguing for a referendum, for a new relationship with the EU, will have their hand strengthened.
via BBC – Mark Mardell’s Euroblog. Mardell also writes of the EU-wide failure of social democracy, a failure which should surprise no one familiar with the political economy of freedom and equality before the law.
An idea for another time:
What is Motorail? Normal passenger trains dont carry cars or motorbikes, just passengers and sometimes bicycles. However, special Motorail trains carry cars & motorbikes using car transporters attached to the back or front of the train. These run on a limited number of holiday routes, usually on certain days of the week, usually summer-only.
via A guide to Motorail trains in Europe: Taking your car by train.
Time to go home, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
Left Austria today after two weeks. Spring is fully underway there.
Inspired by the documentation for Wee Planets, I created this panorama with Hugin, an outstanding tool for aligning, joining, blending and correcting images. I simply followed the installation instructions and threw six relatively carelessly-taken photos at it to obtain this result. It was reported as a “very bad fit” by Hugin, which may indicate the quality that can be achieved with care. The original size is available here.
Hugin includes everything needed to quickly create panoramas: I did not have to use separately autopano-sift or Enblend.
Great fun and highly recommended.
A good time to complete Booker and North’s extensive history of the European Union — “The Great Deception – Can the European Union survive?” — seemed to be these last few weeks, as I visited Portugal, France, Germany and Austria. It was an enlightening read.
I have visited most countries in western and northern Europe, perhaps all except Finland, Eire and the Balkans. I have also worked and toured widely in North America, the Middle East and Asia: those trips were a great pleasure but Europe is home and I love it. The political structure that is the European Union is another matter.
There runs through human history the idea that mankind could be happy, if only the good and wise were allowed to rule the rest, free of the inconvenience of democratic accountability. The European Union is yet one more embodiment of this idea.
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The runs in this shot are presently closed, but covered in snow, horrible melting snow. If the temperature drops and a little snow falls, an Easter ski here may yet be feasible.
A worthwhile drive:
So we visited Salzburg, with its endless squares and vistas.
Follow the link from the photo for more.
Follow the link from the photo for more.
Dachstein ice palace, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
The ice sculpture in the Dachstein Ice Palace is remarkable. With its dark blue glacier ice, this Grecian scene was simply beautiful. The figures from Ice Age were stunning, particularly the Mammoth:
Ice Mammoth in the Dachstein glacier, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
The Dachstein Ice Palace is well worth the €7 entrance fee: recommended.
Kite skiing, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
Good practice for the water?
Saab in Austrian Alps 3, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
Despite recent heavy snow, roads were clear at all altitudes. Click on the photo for more shots from today.
IMG_3464, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
Reasonably pleased with this gently modified shot.
Austrian Alps 3, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
Flachau, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
It has now snowed heavily for two days since this photo was taken. Should be fun at the top later today if the sun comes out.
Altenmarkt Snow, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
These rooftops and roads were clear last night and the snow is still belting down.
My associates tell me that it’s snowing too much for a ski. I’ll probably go find a minor, uncleared road to enjoy.
Altenmarkt house, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
A few shots of the modern and the genuinely old. Click the photo for more.
Flachau from Eben, originally uploaded by stevenjbaker.
Today’s venue was the charming small ski area of Eben. The day began dull with snow falling before brightening to what is now glorious sunshine.
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