Grassmarket

Salami tactics, an old Russian speciality. Ask a what “salami tactics” are. Another old tactic. “Frightened citizens in neighbouring country ask brave Russian troops to fraternally intervene”. First used in 1920.

Very good coverage of the Scottish Champs at the moment on the BBC - pictures, commentary etc. There’s also coverage on the Scottish Curling YouTube channel but it’s in the supermarket car park tradition. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/scotland/60481706

The Russian economy has always been weak, but its army is usually strong. They see a unique, probably never to recur, opportunity with a weak & divided Europe, a senile man and a corrupt oligarchy running America and a China with whom they share a common interest in overturning the post-Cold War state system.

Exactly. To a certain kind of Russian nationalist - which does not remotely mean all Russians, or even all Russian nationalists, but does include important Russians like Nicholas I, Stalin & Putin - everything that was once Russian is still Russian. And that their historical legacy will be defined by how much of it they get back. There is even a Russian name for it - государственная школа - the School of the State, the people for whom the welfare of the Russian State itself is the supreme goal of politics.

Not so much a joke as an agent, I'm afraid. As I said the other day, Putin had everything on everyone who had been remotely involved in German politics, East & West, from the 60s to the fall of the Wall. I'm quite sure that Merkel, like anyone who had a decent career at the mid levels of the SED, had done things that she would not wanted to come into the harsh spotlight of modern opinion.

I don’t think this is good news at all. If Putin’s attack starts to go seriously off-timetable he’s simply going to retaliate with massive bombardments on civilians. Like the Kaiser in Belgium 1914.

There's also an Aerials scheduled for Yaroslavl' at the weekend. Obviously & will not be boycotting...

So just & then. Quite the reunion.

Back in the 1980s it was my theory that the West could swiftly defuse any Russian invasion just by leaving crates of vodka & porn by the side of the road. Worth a try now.

They’ve been bribed or blackmailed. Putin knows what they all did back in the days, both sides of the Wall. Schröder should have been flung in jail for life. The fact that he wasn’t convinces me many others are on the golden ruble. Plenty of ours too, btw, it’s not just Germany.

Oof for a nightmare second looked like Zubarev was going to win. Ivarsson 20/20, but down on ski speed. Mareček surely won now.

Campbell Wright might have blown his win 0 0 0 2. Maybe he’s OK. His early speed is still the best & no-one else is shooting better. And of course as soon as I type it Uldal goes faster. Mareček also on the case. Ski race between him &

Don’t really support one. I’m not from the heartland. In general, the underdogs.

Still weeks behind, but can recommend the four stages of the Tour de Provence if you’re looking for something to watch.

Wow, clear shoot for Iva Moric, that is unbelievable under those conditions.

have a prospect! Anna Berger ski speed is pretty good….just the nine misses though.

Beijing conditions for the girls! Cold & a blizzard. Geez, people could ski off-piste & never be seen again.

Ole-Einar was first married to biathlete Natalie Santer; don't know if there were children.

Create an artificial city-centre course - it's been done before, there's a regular one in Moscow, not to mention the Steel Factory Big Air we had in Beijing - for both Alpine Team and the two Snowboard Parallel Slalom events to ensure absolute equality between lanes. Also brings the event to a new audience. Mixed team snowboard cross - as others say, there is no way this can be made into a workable, fair event. Biathlon pursuit - Hold time trial mini sprint four shoot qualifiers on Day 0 and use that as the basis for full 60 person pursuit on Day 1. No penalty loops, just a 15 second* time penalty for each miss. *Or whatever time penalty is needed to produce a roughly three minute gap between first and sixtieth place at that start.

And another race starting tomorrow on ES Player/Discovery, the Tour of Galicia. That is Galicia , not Galicia or Galatea . Always good racing in these Spanish regional mini-tours. https://ograncamino.gal/?lang=en

Think he might be Dag’s son, not O-E’s

Yeah, but has the coolest flying reptiles. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60407928

Good news is that ALL the races, both Youth & Junior are streaming live. https://www.biathlonworld.com/news/youth-junior-champs-preview/QnptnvV0E4OEWcLBBCf5B

Adam Kszczot takes his farewell to Polish fans. Will race in Madrid & then I guess to the Comms mike or whatever. Big win for Ewa Swoboda over Elaine Thompson-Herah, so she’ll be looking forward to Belgrade.

Another Olympic drug test fail - Laura Barauero from Pairs Figure Skating. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-olympics/60480117