It was another beautiful day in Yorkshire. The sun shone. It was hard to imagine we’re in the middle of a pandemic – apart from the people queueing at the shop wearing facemasks.
I walked up my hill and looked over the land spread out before me, breathed the air and felt great.
Meanwhile, our dappy government is refusing to embrace the future. Instead of encouraging people to work from home, increasing efficiency, personal wellbeing, reducing pollution, freeing up office space for conversion to much-needed homes, and reducing congestion in our cities, they are trying to drive people back to work. They want to keep the same model of transport and support all the sandwich bars.
Big deal. We would be far better off working at least the majority of the time from home. The transport system could be adapted and the sandwich sellers would have to diversify. The future would look much better without the congestion and pollution. Time to grasp the nettle.
Instead, they are blackmailing the civil servants to have to go in and then they are going to put pressure on. Nuts!!
It seems the tests are not accurately showing who has the virus. It’s showing up fragments of the virus from an old disease.
Our world-beating government and media have downplayed the Russian vaccine. How could it be possible that the Ruskies could come up with it first? They had to be cutting corners! It is bound to be unsafe or ineffective. Well, the reports seem to indicate that it is safe and effective. So what happens now? Do we buy the vaccine off the Russians and swallow our pride? Or continue to languish in this doldrums of a pandemic?
I bet Trump is in a bit of a quandary. He’s desperate for a vaccine before the election and his Russian friends would surely give it to him. Could he sell that to the US population though?
You have to laugh.
On the Brexit front, all those things labelled Project Fear by Dominic Cummings are coming to pass. The break up of the Union, the loss of jobs, the damage to the economy, the extra tariffs and red-tape, borders in Ireland and the diminution of Great Britain. We’re on our way to becoming third rate! Well done Johnson!
Schools are back and the Covid rate of new cases is surging – up to 1940 yesterday with 10 deaths. As the deaths are a few weeks after the first symptoms we can wait with bated breath to see if the death rate is going to shoot back up or if the virus has weakened.
Meanwhile, in Trumpland the cases have surged past 50,000 yesterday with another 980 deaths. They have shot back past Brazil (with 50,163 new cases and 888 deaths) to regain top spot in incompetence and stupidity.
I like one of Railis jokes today – what borders on stupidity – Mexico and Canada. Trump really has made a laughing stock of the USA.
Anyway, stay safe everyone. Another day – who would have thought??
Today was another warm but cloudy day. I used it to climb up the ladder and paint the upstairs windows. I don’t much like climbing high up ladders, particularly with a pot of paint and a paintbrush. It feels kind of dangerous. The good news is that I haven’t fallen off yet.
I went for my customary 10K walk up my hill, wrote a poem and did some work on the Roy Harper book.
It’s been a good day so far.
As far as Corona virus goes – not quite so good. The kids are all going back to school and it looks as if this might not be such a good idea. Dewin sent through this connection to SKWAWKBOX with some sobering thoughts and news.
The SKWAWKBOX reported on Thursday that the number of coronavirus outbreaks in schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland had rocketed – and that five English schools had been hit only a couple of days after pupils returned to the classroom. 81 schools in Northern Ireland and Scotland, which reopened schools earlier, were affected – up from 53 just five days before.
Those numbers were badly obsolete almost as soon as they were reported.
Before the end of Thursday, the number of schools hit across the UK had broken 100 – and in England, it had risen from 5 to 11.
Those numbers represent a near-doubling in Scotland and Ireland in just five days – and a more than doubling in England with a single day. The numbers by the close of school hours were as follows:
• Wales 1
• England 11
• N. Ireland 15
• Scotland 73
Northern Ireland has commissioned a new emergency ‘Nightingale’ COVID-19 hospital in expectation that its increasing infection rates will become a fully-fledged ‘second wave’.
Transmission among pupils has now been confirmed, while studies have already demonstrated both that children carry the same viral load as adults – and that the virus can spread like wildfire both within schools and from them to families and the surrounding community,
Given the backdrop of rising numbers – 1742 new cases yesterday – it looks like this is about to skyrocket. The second wave is imminent.
Then we come to the issue of the obnoxious Tony Abbott being given a high position as a Trade Negotiator. When asked about this sickening imbecile and his misogynism, racism and climate denial this is what Johnson said:
‘I obviously don’t agree with those sentiments at all, but then I don’t agree with everyone who serves the government in an unpaid capacity on hundreds of boards across the country, and I can’t be expected to do so.
What I would say about Tony Abbott is this is a guy who was elected by the people of the great, liberal, democratic nation of Australia. You’ve been to Australia – it’s an amazing country, it’s a freedom-loving country, it’s a liberal country. There you go. I think that speaks for itself.’
It’s the usual wriggling nonsense. He doesn’t go on to say that Australia booted him out of office pretty quickly because he is such a repulsive character.
But this is the company Johnson keeps these days. If they are not extreme right-wing nutcases they are not in.
Speaking of right-wing nutcases – in the USA there were another 42973 cases but Brazil still pipped them with another 43,773. And still a lot of people support the two imbeciles. Another 1078 deaths in the States – taking the total up to 189,000 (a figure that can squarely be laid at Trump’s door) while Brazil slipped into second place with just 834 deaths. I say just – but each one of those deaths is a tragedy for family and friends.
Anyway, I’m off to do the painting. Take care everybody! Stay safe.
Quite a pleasant day in Yorkshire. The sun was breaking through and it’s warm with a westerly breeze. It made for a pleasant walk up my hill. Work continues on my Roy Harper book – I’m on Chapter 23 now! Looking good.
Back in Covidland we see the same old pattern of uselessness. Contact in or ‘world-beating’ Track and Trace was a woeful 43% of contacts in Bradford – and not much better elsewhere – ranging from 48%-49%. It’s simply not good enough.If we had a PM who was as good at doing as he is at promising we’d be alright – as it is we’re not.
Some people are having to travel 100 miles to get tested. It’s pathetic!
I want a system that tells me the risk I have in my own locality and will quickly track, trace and isolate anyone with symptoms. Until that happens I don’t feel safe.
Anyone who believes all the guff from the windbag about safe travel and safe working conditions in offices is in cloud cuckoo land. It is obvious that they just want the economy performing.
I’m fed up with all these lies, bluster and misinformation. They are even making it hard to get up to date details. The virus is on the increase again – up to 1508 new cases and 17 deaths. That’s not looking good as we head into winter.
Job redundancies are starting to kick in – Costa are talking of 1650 job cuts. It’s the start of a long list.
Cases are going up again across Europe with planes from Crete and Greece having multiple cases.
The low death rates are the one good thing in all this gloom. We’re still not sure why. Is the virus becoming less lethal or is it just a lower age profile and more testing? Time will tell.
The NHS are doing a great job (still with no sign of a pay-rise). They are trying out a lot of new treatments which seem to be effective.
There is the survivors blood plasma – containing antibodies.
Immunodepressing steroids – such as dexamethasone (cheap).
Remdesivir – the antiviral used on Ebola (bought up by the USA – so you won’t be trying that).
There’s Interferon B – that cuts down inflammation.
Or you can pray to Jesus (only recommended to those who don’t mind dying).
My advice is to put off having the illness until they’ve got the whole thing sussed or we have a vaccine so you don’t need to get it at all.
I see herd immunity is back on the table in the States. They don’t seem to mind if it kills 3 million+. At least the economy will function and Trump will be re-elected.
In the battle for worst leadership Bolsonaro is still out in from – Brazil has another 46,934 cases yesterday with 1184 deaths. Trump with the USA could only muster 37,630 new cases and 1184 deaths (still that is 180,000 deaths – we’re going to pass the number killed in 1st, 2nd World Wars, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq combined – not bad going Trump). Hold a few more rallies, stir up a lot more protests and get that virus spreading – you’ll soon outdo Bolsonaro! Tell your base it’s a hoax and that distancing and face masks are a Deep State commie plot.
Take care everyone – the end is nigh! Stay safe til it comes!
It was warm and sunny here in Yorkshire. That’s lucky because we have had a bit of a disaster. Our hot water cylinder is corroded and leaking. It’s soaked the carpet and is not covered by insurance. We’re having it fitted today which has curtailed my walking. I’ll need to do that later!
It has provided me with time to work on editing my Roy Harper book. I’m now a quarter of the way through. Every gloomy cloud has a shower of rain that does some animal or plant some good!
Perhaps that will be the case with Covid? Out of this catastrophe, we might forge a better political system. It has undoubtedly shown these inept populist politicians up for what they are.
Here in the UK, we continue our jittery journey, juddering along, restarting the economy and schools, locking down areas, like Glasgow, and opening others, with mixed messages still rife and track and trace still not good enough.
The government arrogantly continues its course, choosing not to talk to people but simply issue orders. How much more smoothly would all this operate if only they started talking to people – teachers, businesses, councils. They might not be making so many dire decisions and U-turns. We might receive clearer instructions. Johnson is even refusing to meet with the bereaved families group. Talk about the invisible man. It seems that Dominic Cummings is absent so poor Johnson is hamstrung. He daren’t do anything without Cummings pulling the strings.
I watch all the arrangements taking place to prevent the spread of Covid and I raise my eyebrows. They are only as good as their weakest link. What is the point of bubbles, hand washing and distancing in classrooms if the kids mix after school or on the school bus? It’s the same in shops and businesses. You can have all the measures in place but if you share a loo, don’t have good ventilation or contact each other you are going to be spreading the disease. It seems to me that a lot of the stuffing going on with one-way systems, handwashing and distancing is for show – to comply with regulations. I have my doubts as to how effective any of it is.
Meanwhile, in the battle of incompetence, Bolsonaro still has his nose in front. Brazil has another 42,659 cases and the USA is just behind with 41,535. Likewise, with the death rate – Brazil has 1215 new deaths compared to 1091 in the USA. I don’t think this is going to get much better soon. The virus spreads easily and unless people start isolating or taking measures to slow the spread, we are going to have a lot more tragedy.
As for me, as a biologist I know the risk, I’m isolating, not going in shops and only meeting people outside. Life’s a risk but there is no reason to take unnecessary extra risks.
Stay Safe everyone.
The country has gone back to school but it’s hardly normal. Kids are not getting a full education and there is little chance of catching up. The kid next door is receiving 6 2 hour sessions a week. I wonder what is going to happen to these kids. Those who are intelligent and have parents that care have been doing regular school work but those from less advantaged backgrounds are slipping behind.
Today we went for a long walk up on to the wolds. It was warm and beautiful. The wolds are incredible – chalky gullies and hills. We passed six people in the whole six hours. Butterflies, wildflowers and green. But I’m a bit down. I can’t summon up the energy. I think this lockdown is wearing me down.
Back home I was playing some Blue Cheer and working on my Roy Harper book. Still feeling jaded today. Tomorrow’s a new day!
In the UK we have 1406 new cases and three deaths. We’ll see if going back to school spreads the disease.
In the USA Trump is strutting about claiming to be the god of law and order while America burns in the division he is creating. I bet he gets elected. Meanwhile, there’s another 35,648 new cases and 488 deaths.
In Brazil, there are 45,961 new cases and 553 deaths.
Nothing much happening really. You stay safe!
