The Corona Diaries – Day 270

Posted on by Opher

I was up early today because I have a long journey to meet up with my youngest son. It was dark and overcast but I did an early walk up my hill – 270 consecutive days of more than 10,000 steps a day. I’ve been doing a two hour walk a day.

In the car I’m going to be playing Sean Taylor, Phil Ochs, Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix. I’m looking forward to the drive.

I’ve listened to what the politicians are saying and couldn’t give a toss. I’ve listened to what the scientists are saying, and using my biological knowledge, I know it makes sense. The politicians are a useless bunch of tossers. They’ve engineered a total disaster.

I am amazed so many people still think they have done a good job. A number of people have said that I couldn’t have done better. They are wrong. If I had been in charge I would have done it a lot better. Here’s what should have happened:

a. To be aware that it is inevitable that a major pandemic was bound to happen.

b. To set up a team to keep an eye open and sort out strategies (Obama did that)

c. To have the NHS ready with a set of strategies.

d. To stock chemicals for testing and PPE.

e. To produce an investigation/report on our readiness to combat a pandemic (They did that in 2017 – the Cygnus report – then they ignored it.

f. To monitor what was going on in China and begin planning.

g. To monitor what was going on when it started spreading.

h. To shut all borders and have testing and tracing for all people allowed in. (we allowed 2 million to come into the country without any testing, monitoring or follow-up. – madness)

i. To set up testing, track and trace while numbers were small enough to contain.

That is precisely what the likes of Vietnam and New Zealand did!

The UK, USA and Brazil arrogantly ignored what was going on. Trump disbanded Obamas teams. All three played it down – said it was a small flu, nothing to worry about. They were unprepared, complacent and too late. There was no shutting down borders, no testing and containment and no preparations and strategy.

They said that nobody could have seen this coming. Bollocks. We have been warned for decades. We’ve had SARS, MERS, HIV, EBOLA. We knew a pandemic was coming. They were just too stupid and complacency.

A government’s prime task is to keep their population safe. They have no excuse. They did not do what they should have done.

When you vote in clowns and conmen you are inviting a disaster!

Stay safe my friends – we are ruled by populist morons!!

Today’s Music to keep me SsSSAaaANnnneEE in Isolation – Jimi Hendrix – Electric Ladyland

Posted on by Opher

One of the most exciting acts I’ve ever seen. A great album. The biggest tragedy.

(10) Jimi Hendrix “Electric Ladyland” (1968) – Full Album – YouTube

The Corona Diaries – Day 269

Posted on by Opher

Another bright sunny day in Yorkshire if a little damp and chilly. It was great to walk up on to the hills and look out over the green wintry landscape. I think that without my daily walks I would get pretty depressed.

Back home I’ve been playing some great Frank Zappa.

Out in Coronaland everything is going haywire. The rates in the USA (244,365 new cases with 3607 deaths) in Brazil (70,574 new cases with 936) and the UK (25,161 new cases with 612 deaths) are all greatly on the rise. It does not bode well for Christmas does it?

Neither Trump nor Bolsonaro seem to give a damn about the huge number of deaths. As long as they can make a lot of money and play golf they are fine.

There is a big battle going on in the UK. The politicians are hoping that allowing everyone to get back together for Christmas will make them look good and raise their popularity ratings. They are the good guys who want families to have a good time and see each other.

The scientists are looking at it with horror. They see millions of people crossing the country, taking the virus with them, and meeting up with their relatives and friends. They see covid trains and coaches, covid Christmases and covid meals and covid parties. Then all those people head off back having picked up the virus to take back to work or another bunch of friends. They look over to the USA and what is happening following Thanksgiving. Thousands are dying. You can measure the cost of Thanksgiving in tens of thousands of lives. They believe we will measure the cost of Christmas and New Year in tens of thousands. They are worried that the virus is out of control.

You see, if you get on top of it, with low numbers and good testing, tracking and tracing, you can contain it. In New Zealand and Vietnam there were no new cases yesterday and no deaths. They are doing it right.

In the UK, USA and Brazil, our clowns and pompous fools are making a mess of it. Their arrogance and complacency has killed hundreds of thousands of people.

Nevermind, we’ve got Brexit to look forward to!

All the best – stay safe!!

The Corona Diaries – Day 268

Posted on by Opher

A dull and cloudy day today. It did not deter me from taking my daily walk. I managed 12 kilometers. A little bit further than normal. I did a distanced walk with one of my friends. A chance to talk and discuss. I miss having a natter.

Having sorted the whole world out you should all start seeing an improvement soon!

Back home I’ve been playing some Kokomo Arnold and doing a bit of reading.

Life goes by in the sky nothing to do with you and I. A repetitive pattern. It’s getting boring.

Meanwhile, out in Coronaland it is also more of the same.

I’m still boggled that Trump has the nerve to keep denying the election result. He’s got some front to carry on with his lies. He’s no fool. He’s just made half a billion and hoping to get in a lot more. The longer he can drag it out the better. It could be a billion by the time it’s through. He’s a real conman!

I’m even more boggled by the idiots who are sending the money in.

Here in the UK we’re in a wrangle over Christmas. They’ve relaxed the rules and are now beginning to panic. All those families crossing the country and meeting up. They know there’s going to be a big price to pay. We saw it with Thanksgiving in the US. The scientists are going berserk.

January should be interesting. A great splurge of new cases and deaths along with massive job losses due to Brexit. 2021 is sure going to start with a bang!

Nothing happens by chance. You reap what you sow.

That is obvious when you look at the table below.

In Vietnam there were prepared. They had strategies in place. As soon as the epidemic started up they shut the borders, brought in testing and monitored all people coming into the country and those showing symptoms. By getting on top of it from the beginning they controlled it. Only 35 deaths,

In New Zealand they took note of what was going on and did the same as Vietnam.

In the USA and Brazil they made very light of it, denied it was a problem and called it a hoax, fake news, a democratic plot, a small flu, offered bogus cures and told everyone to carry on as normal – result 304,000 and 183,000 deaths.

In the UK they ignored the 2017 Cygnus report, were unprepared with no stocks of PPE or chemicals for testing. They complacently watched as China, Italy and Spain started to suffer – and complacently did nothing. By the time it had taken off here it was too late. It was out of control and they still dithered. The borders weren’t shut. The NHS wasn’t prepared. There was no testing or tracking. Result – 64,908 deaths!

The differences are due to leadership – nothing else!

CountryNew Cases yesterdayDeaths yesterdayTotal Deaths
The USA201,6492957304,000
Brazil25,193433183,000
UK20,26323264,908
Vietnam4035
New Zealand3025

Stay safe!!

Today’s Music to keep me SSsAAAANNNnEEEE in Isolation – Kokomo Arnold – Bottleneck Guitar Trendsetters

Posted on by Opher

I was reminded of this yesterday. It was an album that I used to play a lot when I was in my teens. I hunted it out and played it again. It took me back. Great bottleneck guitar! I doubt it’ll really keep me sane though!

(10) Busy Bootin’ – YouTube

(10) Casey Bill Weldon & Kokomo Arnold ” The Twelves ” ( The Dirty Dozens ) – YouTube

(10) Back Door Blues – YouTube

The Corona Diaries – Day 267

Posted on by Opher

A strange sunny day though extremely wet! Nothing dried! We went for an early walk with dew and puddles! It looked good out on the fields though!

Back home I’ve been doing some reading and playing some Elmore James. Great stuff! That slide guitar is awesome.

Out there in Coronaland the same madness prevails.

In the USA there is still no sign of a national strategy as the deaths now top 301,000. When you consider there was only 116,516 American deaths in World War 1 it gives you an idea of how badly Trump has done. He’s responsible for the deaths of nearly three times the number that were killed in World War 1. That takes some doing! And it isn’t over yet. There were another 201,073 cases with 1678 deaths. Long way to go.

You might think it would get him off the golf course – but no!

Yesterday the Electoral College gave the election to Biden – 306 to 232. You’d think that might shut Trump up with all his lies about fraud – but No!

He’s making a fortune out of this – half a billion dollars and rising!! He sure knows how to con people!!

In the UK our invisible chancer is in another dithery pickle. We’ve got the oven-ready deal on the rocks. No doubt he’ll pull something out at the last minute and claim victory. Whatever comes out will be a mess. What a farce!

At the same time we have Covid numbers rising just before Christmas. We saw what a mess the USA made of Thanksgiving – the creation of thousands of deaths. Looks like we’ll do the same with Christmas!

I bet New Zealand – with no new cases or deaths – will be having a great Chstmas.

Here, the scientists are warning of disaster while Johnson sits on the fence.

In Wales the schools are doing on-line teaching in the last week. That makes sense to me. Better than having all the kids in school picking up the virus and taking it to Granny’s for Christmas. Johnson says no.

A recipe for disaster!!

I’m off back for another dose of Elmore.

Stay safe!! The end is nigh!!

The Corona Diaries – Day 266

Posted on by Opher

Bright sunny day today – and my disposition was a bit sunnier to match!

I went for a walk up my hill in the sunshine. It was still a tad chilly.

Back home I did some reading and played some Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. My – they were good!

No editing today. I’ve finished. One last read through and then a further edit! But I’m having a break!

I painted our new gates with wood stain. It looks a bit patchy and crap. I’ll have another look tomorrow.

The things we do while we’re waiting around to catch Covid.

Out there in Coronaland it’s all more of the same – endless repetition, facemasks and distancing. It’s the new norm. We’re all waiting around to catch Covid.

Today is a big day in the States – the electoral college votes today. That seals it for Trump and his daft campaign to overthrow democracy.

Except it wasn’t quite so daft as it seemed. The morons sent him lots of money. He’s made half a billion dollars so far. If he stretches it out a bit more he’ll have made a billion! He’s very keen on taking money from suckers!

there was never any chance of him altering the result. He lost by 7 million+ votes and knows it. All these silly lawsuits were a way of getting all his brainwashed followers to send in the cash! He’s not as daft as he sounds. He’s a master conman.

It’s also taken attention away from the mess he’s made of Covid. Another 183,814 new cases yesterday with another 1,357 deaths. He’s nearly killed 200,000 Americans!! No other President comes near! He’s also made a basket case out of the economy! A double!!

Of course, Trump’s supporters will say it’s just the virus. They’re wrong. It’s the management of the virus. Trump did it all wrong.

It’s amazing to think how arrogant the West was at the beginning. There was an assumption that the Virus would devastate the populations in Africa and Asia – the density and poverty coupled with poor facilities would prove to be killing fields. That’s not the case though. Vietnam with just 2 new cases today! Makes Trump and the USA look like fools. A total of 35 deaths compared to 200,000! That’s stupidity for you! Or is it just callousness? He’s not stupid when it comes to exploiting people and making money.

Meanwhile pressure mounts for Biden to expose all Trump’s illegal doings when he gets into office! Lock him up!! Ha Ha!! After the all the silly chanting aimed at Clinton that would be ironic.

Here in the UK we’ve watched the spike after Thanksgiving as we head into Christmas. The experts are telling us there’s going to be a big one here in January following Christmas. The NHS are pleading for a short lockdown. Sadiq Khan is asking for schools to go online for the last week!

As usual our government will dither and our clown will be invisible!

As we are guided by the xenophobic hands of the extreme ERG, for which nothing else matters apart from their extreme brand of nationalism, we find ourselves actually threatening our neighbours and erstwhile partners with warships! How easily wars can start! The nutcases are in control!

Hancock had another of his half-hours – claiming that there is a new variant of the Covid-19 virus that is responsible for the outbreaks in the South. The scientists say bollocks! Funny how it only elicits a response when it affects southerners. The north is expendable!!

Try and survive until the vaccine arrives!! Stay safe!!

The Corona Diaries – Day 265

Posted on by Opher

Rainy day Blues – miserable grey clouds – darkness – relentless rain – short days – no sun – mirroring my mood.

Today everything seems pointless and down.

Instead of going out for a walk in the cold and rain I did an hour and a half’s walk in doors listening to a play on the radio. The play wasn’t brilliant. Walking indoors wasn’t brilliant either!

It makes you question why we have chosen to live in the temperate cold rather than a more exotic warmth. I’m missing the sun and its warmth.

So I spent some time reading – just a light bit of Stephen King – but he gets you hooked. Then I went and played some Dylan and chose Bringing It All Home – a bit of electric genius. A great album of poetry and music.

It perked me up a bit.

On a positive note I finally completed this round of editing! I now have two books edited. I’ll print this one off and then give it a good read and see what needs doing. But not yet. I’m lacking the energy and inclination.

Meanwhile, out in Coronaland the madness continues. We elect narcissistic sociopaths masquerading as our friends and they proceed to screw us over – but, as we invested our hopes in them we still support them.

Trump keeps challenging the election so that all the suckers keep sending him money. Somehow they don’t see the irony. All the poor fools who can’t afford a cent send in money to a billionaire who pretends to care! He and his loathsome family are making a fortune! Ivanka’s just bought a $30 million mansion! Yep – keep sending the cash suckers! He sure needs it!

Bolsonaro is still relaxing the environmental laws and pocketing the backhanders so the rainforests are blazing away, the animals screaming, the ranchers pocketing the loot and the poor dying of covid.

Johnson, with his oven-ready deal for a world-beating future, is leading us to the edge of the cliff. We either have a No-Deal Brexit or a Hard Brexit. We’ll count the cost in wasted billions, hundreds of thousands of job losses, rising prices, more poverty, more austerity, more cuts – and it’ll all be Europe’s fault! The gullible public will agree with every xenophobic bit of jingoistic nationalism streaming in vitriolic bile from the likes of the Daily Mail, Daily Express, Sun and Telegraph. While we all suffer you can bet your boots that Johnson, Rees-Mogg and their band of snooty liars will come out of this with a few million more stuffed in the bank!

They’ll dump Johnson soon and he’ll find his way through the revolving door into the land of milk and honey!

These three ignorant, selfish, greedy men are presiding over an unfurling tragedy that they don’t really care about. The USA – 207,444 new cases with 2,259 more deaths, Brazil – 43,900 new cases with 686 deaths, The UK – going up again – 21,501 new cases with another 520 deaths.

How many deaths does it take before these three morons take responsibility?

Vietnam and New Zealand – 4 new cases each with no deaths!!

Germany goes into lockdown over Christmas but we’re relaxing the rules! Watch out for mass deaths! The USA and Brazil don’t give a shit about the deaths – just as long as the economy works! Trump is probably enjoying the death-rate – that’ll serve them right for not voting for him!

As for me? I’m taking no chances. I’m staying out of the way and locking down until I get my jab!

Stay safe!

Today’s Music to keep me SsSSAaaAnnnNeEeE in Isolation – Bob Dylan – Bringing it all Home.

Posted on by Opher

An amazing departure in lots of ways. He dumped his acoustic for an electric sound and created something totally different. He adapted his poetry into something else. He changed his whole image.

The result was this brilliant album.

The Corona Diaries – Day 264

Posted on by Opher

A rainy morning in Yorkshire and I was working outside putting new gates up. I became very wet and cold.

Indoors I warmed up with a blast of Pink Floyd from 1967! Good for the heart!

I managed a bit of editing before heading off up my hill. It’s about a five mile walk with a bit of up and down. Not so much fun in winter as it was in the summer though it can be interesting. I’m not tending to see as much in the way of wildlife. Perhaps that’s just that the traffic’s back?

It looks like America is in real trouble as new cases soar to a record 280,514 yesterday with another day of 2951 deaths. That’s terrible. It is really out of control. With Christmas coming and people travelling and getting together it is going to go berserk.

So much for a hoax. Trump, who had a whole team of doctors, telling everyone not to be frightened of the virus. Well there’s another 3000 people who maybe should have been a lot more frightened than they were!

So good to hear that Trump’s latest ploy to steal the election, the Texas plea to throw out all the democrat votes, has been unceremoniously chucked out by the Supreme Court. I think that as he’d loaded the court with his own people he really thought that they’d ignore the law and back him! Thankfully they didn’t.

I wonder what ploy he’ll try now to undermine democracy? He’s all the makings of a tyrant! I notice he’s trying to kill off as many as possible. As if Coronavirus isn’t bad enough he’s sending a bunch of people to the electric chair.

Let’s hope that when the probes into his business deals and tax fraud is done he gets what he deserves!!

In Brazil Bolsonaro is encouraging more burning of the rainforest. Another despot and environmental vandal that needs a spot of justice – his ‘just a little flu’ killed another 672 yesterday and the new cases went up to 54,428. There is no justice! He’s busy lining his pockets too.

Here in the UK our clown is dragging the country towards a No Deal Brexit – a loss of billions, a blow to GDP and a loss of 300,000 jobs. Just what we need in the midst of a pandemic. These Brexiteers are the most extreme nationalists. They just want little Britain at any cost but you can bet your life they won’t be paying for it. That’ll be us!

Our Covid levels are worryingly rising steeply just before Christmas as our death-rate remains high at 424.

We’ve lost nearly twice as many yesterday as New Zealand has done in the whole pandemic!

Appalling management!! New Zealand had no new cases yesterday and haven’t had a death for weeks.

With our incompetent bunch of clowns how are we going to be able to get millions vaccinated? Oven-ready vaccines? World-beating jabs? Or is it more of their incompetent chums who’ve never done it before?

Stay safe!