24-hour binge nonsense
With all the chatter about "forcing 24-hour drinking through the Commons" (Michael Portillo), one could be forgiven for thinking that the government was compelling pubs to stay open twice round the clock. In fact, the first two thirds of all applications for the new licences resulted in just 550 applications to serve drink at any time of day or night have been granted in Britain. These include only 160 pubs (out of a total of 55,000) together with 110 hotels, 75 clubs and around 200 supermarkets. That is around 1 per cent of all licensed premises. Another common misconception is that those with 24-hour licences intend to stay open the whole time. But publicans are not philanthropists, and will only incur the extra costs of longer hours if they expect to sell more booze. In most cases, the 24-hour option has been chosen to give them flexibility, so that they can stay open longer on special occasions. Overall, the outcome is that rather over half of all pubs will stay open for between an extra half hour and two hours on three days a week. On the other hand, do not expect the new rules to lead to "more civilised" drinking. Staggered closing times will bring more staggering from pub to pub and move the whole process later into the night.
Peakbagging dispute Statistical controversy has broken out in the innocuous sporting activity of peakbagging. The most intense focus is on the "seven summits," the highest peaks on each continent. The completion of all seven is the ultimate peakbagging challenge. But which are the seven?
Asia is easy, that's Everest at 8,850 metres. Next is Aconcagua in South America at 6,962m, the highest peak for which specialist snow and ice techniques are not needed. A group of elite British fell runners recently went up and down in a single day wearing rubber-studded running shoes. Denali (or McKinley) in North America (6,195m) and Africa's Kilimanjaro (5,895m) are also unequivocally their continent's highest. So is Antarctica's Vinson, at 4,897m a simple snow plod, once you actually get there. Europe is the first argument. Is it the accessible Mont Blanc (4,810m), or Elbrus in the Caucasus at 5,633m? Mountaineering hazards aside, the latter is in a war zone, though recent climbers report no armed clashes. The bitterest controversy is Australasia. Australia's own Kosciuszko at just 2,229m is like an easy Scottish Munro, a morning's stroll. There are much higher and harder peaks in New Zealand, but they don't count, not being part of the continental shelf. The real dispute is over the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia's Papua province, at 4,884m. Surrounded by dense jungle in an area of terrorist activity, the final 200 metres to the summit require a "hard very severe" rock climb. Small wonder most plump for Kosciuszko.
Green America Europe has signed up to the Kyoto treaty, but since 2001 greenhouse gas emissions here have risen. In wicked America, they have fallen, admittedly by only 1 per cent. But the US has made astonishing progress on the environment over a longer period of time. Over the last 30 years, the US economy has grown by 150 per cent and energy consumption by 45 per cent. But air pollutants are down 29 per cent, toxic emissions by 48 per cent, sulphur dioxide levels have halved, and airborne lead levels are down no less than 97 per cent.
Peakbagging dispute Statistical controversy has broken out in the innocuous sporting activity of peakbagging. The most intense focus is on the "seven summits," the highest peaks on each continent. The completion of all seven is the ultimate peakbagging challenge. But which are the seven?
Asia is easy, that's Everest at 8,850 metres. Next is Aconcagua in South America at 6,962m, the highest peak for which specialist snow and ice techniques are not needed. A group of elite British fell runners recently went up and down in a single day wearing rubber-studded running shoes. Denali (or McKinley) in North America (6,195m) and Africa's Kilimanjaro (5,895m) are also unequivocally their continent's highest. So is Antarctica's Vinson, at 4,897m a simple snow plod, once you actually get there. Europe is the first argument. Is it the accessible Mont Blanc (4,810m), or Elbrus in the Caucasus at 5,633m? Mountaineering hazards aside, the latter is in a war zone, though recent climbers report no armed clashes. The bitterest controversy is Australasia. Australia's own Kosciuszko at just 2,229m is like an easy Scottish Munro, a morning's stroll. There are much higher and harder peaks in New Zealand, but they don't count, not being part of the continental shelf. The real dispute is over the Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia's Papua province, at 4,884m. Surrounded by dense jungle in an area of terrorist activity, the final 200 metres to the summit require a "hard very severe" rock climb. Small wonder most plump for Kosciuszko.
Green America Europe has signed up to the Kyoto treaty, but since 2001 greenhouse gas emissions here have risen. In wicked America, they have fallen, admittedly by only 1 per cent. But the US has made astonishing progress on the environment over a longer period of time. Over the last 30 years, the US economy has grown by 150 per cent and energy consumption by 45 per cent. But air pollutants are down 29 per cent, toxic emissions by 48 per cent, sulphur dioxide levels have halved, and airborne lead levels are down no less than 97 per cent.
