Thursday 16 July: Compulsory face masks didn’t stop a second Covid wave elsewhere

Posted on by Geoff Graham

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Today’s letters (visible only to DT subscribers) are here:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2020/07/15/letterscompulsory-face-masks-didnt-stop-second-covid-wave-elsewhere/

933 thoughts on “Thursday 16 July: Compulsory face masks didn’t stop a second Covid wave elsewhere”

  2. Looks like the pandemic is over, the mainstream media are back on climate change, unusually warm weather in Siberia.
    Looks like the worldwide shut down has failed, perhaps they will try a second wave shut down.
    I was thinking, why don’t we put masks over exhaust pipes, that should solve the problem.

    1. 321394+up ticks,
      Morning HJ,
      Seeing as the mass uncontrolled immigration long successfully running ongoing campaign via Dover etc, and the indigenous replacement still the order of the political day will the electorate even consider replacing the 650 highly dangerous politico’s & the proven time & again treacherous lab/lib/con coalition party.

    2. Punitive action… like, freezing Huawei out of the 5G contracts, you mean? Or, sending a gunboat – except there aren’t any.

  6. Morning, all Y’all.
    Sunny, warming up past 12C.
    Another day acting as housepainter. I’d rather sit in the sun & watch the eagles, damselflies and butterflies, but needs must.

      1. Quite so, B3. If it isn’t bankrupt at £2tn then one wonders when it ever could be.

        1. UK national debt is not two trillion. Gordon Brown left us a debt of over 12trn. The Conservative’s failure to cut spending radically added another 4tn to that in simple inflationary costs and interest payments.

    2. We should never have had the lock down. You have to let the virus run its course less deaths in the end like Sweden. Its not the black death. If you catch corvid you will get over it in 97% of cases or even more.

        2. Perhaps now is the time to recommend the excellent book “Storm Crow” [and the sequel “Non de Guerre”] by Jeff Gulvin!?

      2. Good morning, John. You are absolutely correct. I live in Sweden and life goes on as (nearly) normal. I may travel around, go shopping and meet friends. No one wears a mask, though we naturally exercise common sense (without being told) and we don’t shake hands, hug, or stand close to each other. Discipline is self-discipline and we all use common sense.

        I do not know of anyone who has caught this virus, nor do any of my friends or acquaintances. There may have been quite a few deaths but the vast majority of these were very elderly people in care-homes, mainly in the Stockholm area, and not the general public. As a consequence our economy is much healthier than it is in countries where bullying Big Brother governments are doing their utmost to control every aspect of people’s lives.

        1. It’s an extension of what we always do/did with elderly or poorly friends and family.
          Once elderly aunt hit her 80s (particularly as she lived alone on a Suffolk farm) we used our common sense.
          A sniffle or a sore throat and we re-arranged our visits to her.

    3. 321394+ up ticks,
      Morning C,
      Up & down these Isles there are peoples of foreign extraction many are clearly running an anti English / GB way of life / culture, they are gaining positions of power then running their own ghetto centres for change.
      The city as it stands currently, Capital of this Country, safer by far under the Kray brothers regime is the future.

      So will there be more of the khan ilk, things are now at such an odious pitch you can guarantee it.

    4. Who would willingly waste 3 hours a day on a train, paying 10,000 a year to stand in the armpit of other people when they could get up at 8 and start work by 5 past and finish at 5 with a 5 minute commute downstairs?

  8. Morning all.

    SIR – If anything should inform our Government about the pointlessness of face masks, it is Israel’s experience.

    Despite masks being compulsory, even on the beaches, Israel is experiencing the world’s worst second wave. Initially, the country had one of the strictest lockdowns, so this may have been caused by the economy opening up too quickly. However, it does not affect the fact that 
face masks appear to have done nothing to help.

    Dr Felicity Griffiths

    Cobham, Surrey

    SIR – As a lifelong Tory voter and one-time supporter of the Prime Minister, I am rapidly losing faith in him. The “Boris bounce” has become a confusing deflation.

    First, Mr Johnson was pictured wearing a mask while holding a pint of beer, which he obviously did not intend to drink, as he didn’t want to encourage people to remove their masks. But then, while giving a television interview, he realised that he couldn’t be heard, so had to tear it off.

    Advertisement

    Face coverings will put people off going shopping, just as things were returning to normal. Confusion is a mild word for our situation. Chaos is better.

    Dr Terry Langford

    Lymington, Hampshire

    SIR – If the Government is serious about encouraging people to return to their offices, it needs to take a different approach.

    Many employees have adjusted to working from home – and they like it. Compulsory masks will not persuade them to return; rather, they give the impression it is dangerous to do so.

    The new normal will not be going to work and buying a sandwich wearing a mask. It will be working from home without one.

    Harvey Ainley

    Whitchurch-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

    SIR – No doubt many people are furious about compulsory face masks. However, people felt the same when car seat belts and motorcycle helmets were made mandatory. Today, many are thankful for being saved from serious injury, or even death, by a seat belt or helmet.

    Face coverings might not save one personally from Covid-19 – but they could save a vulnerable person.

    Jon Summers

    Probus, Cornwall

    SIR – Wearing a mask is one thing, 
but I am worried about the exit strategy.

    After a vaccine has quelled the virus, will we be told to wear masks in public if we have a cold? Protect the NHS. Save lives.

    Keith Macpherson

    Clevedon, Somerset

    SIR – In my local Boots, I have just seen a woman wearing a face mask, but lifting it every time she sneezed and coughed. I despair.

    Dr Michaelagh Walker

    Canterbury, Kent

    1. Bless her. I get that. If she didn’t lift it, it would be sodden. Use a hanky.

      1. I’m in full agreement with you, Sue.

        Dr “Michaelagh” (is that a man or a woman?) hasn’t thought that one out. Walking around with a sputum- and phlegm-filled face muzzle stuck to your physog is in the same category of unhygienic crassness as failing to change a babies nappy.

    2. “Face coverings might not save one personally from Covid-19 – but they could save a vulnerable person” says Jon Summers. ” How? Or, if you prefer, prove it!
      There is not a shred of reliable evidence from any source anywhere that indicates that scarves, masks made from T-shirts, or even proper masks up to PFE3 standard do any good at all. There is some suggestion that they make things worse for the wearer.
      There was real statistical evidence, anecdotal evidence, and big numbers which showed that seat belts actually prevented a lot of injuries and reduced the severity of those suffered. None of that exists in respect of face masks. None of it.

  9. SIR – I have reservations about some of Dominic Cummings’s strategic plans, but he is correct to describe Britain’s new aircraft carriers as a farce.

    Admiral Lord West (Letters, July 15) suggests that a look at the “detail” will show the global benefits of the carriers. If Lord West does precisely that, he will see that these assets are a legacy of Cold War thinking.

    The reality is that we simply do not have the ships or resources to defend the carriers at sea, and we struggle to recruit the manpower to operate them.

    When you add the need for hugely expensive, limited-capability F-35B aircraft to operate from the carriers, Lord West’s call for consideration of “detail” destroys his own argument.

    We no longer have the resources or the appetite to remain a global military policing power. There are far cheaper and more effective ways of delivering humanitarian aid.

    The 2021 defence review will provide a long-overdue reality check.

    Group Captain Alan Ferguson (retd)

    Hadleigh, Suffolk

  10. SIR – Frances Atkinson (Letters, July 14) has every right to be proud of her husband’s wartime record and the fact that he is a centenarian but, in my opinion, this is not a qualification for receiving a free television licence.

    My husband qualified for a free licence two years ago and we accepted it. We will now lose this benefit but are fortunate enough to be able to afford the fee.

    Many people over 75 live very comfortably. Many of the same age (for whom television is their only companion) struggle to make ends meet. The latter should continue to receive the benefit of a free licence, but it should not be age-dependent.

    Mary Marshall

    Ilkley, West Yorkshire

    A time for kindness

    Sunday roast, such as pork with all the trimmings

    For many, a Sunday roast, such as pork with all the trimmings is the highlight of the week – particularly if cooked by a kindly neighbour CREDIT: Andrew Crowley

    SIR – My 91-year-old neighbour has been in total lockdown since March. During this time a local taxi driver and his wife have provided Sunday lunch (with all the trimmings) not only to my neighbour but also to another nine vulnerable people living alone. The food was delivered ready for reheating and was apparently delicious.

    This kind act gave great pleasure and reinforces the truth that out of adversity comes the opportunity for real compassion.

    Sara Bastin

    Stroud, Gloucestershire

    2. “pork with all the trimmings is the highlight of the week – particularly if cooked by a kindly neighbour”
      But what about the poor vulnerable Muslims?

      1. I have never understood the silly expression, “with all the trimmings”.

        The main meal on a Sunday, in the UK, normally comprises meat, along with gravy, various vegetables, and possibly a sauce; they are all in intrinsic part of the meal. They are not “extras” or “trimmings” but an essential part of it.

        You don’t have “toast … and all the trimmings” when you simply mean butter and marmalade.

        2. Crackling with pork, Yorkshire pudding with beef, stuffing with poultry would possibly qualify as ‘trimmings’.

          1. … mint sauce with lamb. All expected standards for the meal, not “trimmings”.

            “Trimmings” suggests extras.

      2. When I was a teenager on Saturday mornings I used to travel by bus to visit my grandparents & stay for lunch. Sometimes my grandmother cooked pork fillet in a casserole & told me it was ‘chicken-pork’. Perhaps that is the solution.

  11. Morning again

    SIR – A review of Capital Gains Tax (Business, July 15) may well not lead to tax rises, but it is worrying to think a Conservative government should understand so little about the tax.

    The CGT rate is lower than the income tax rate because inflation indexation was removed. This means that long-term investors pay tax on illusory “gains”. Raising the rate would be political suicide.

    Most countries don’t apply CGT on the sale of long-held assets for that very reason.

    It is precisely long-term community investors (critical in local economies) who would be hit by any rise in CGT – and most of them would be Conservative voters.

    Rodney Atkinson

    Stocksfield, Northumberland

  12. Investigation shows errors in Florida virus positivity report: Hospitals say actual rate much lower. 14 July 2020.

    An investigation into a state-issued daily coronavirus testing report in Florida shows possible errors in positivity rates, with two hospitals confirming the data are inaccurate.

    The investigation into data from the Florida Department of Health, conducted by Fox 35 News, showed labs reporting a 100% positivity rate in testing, meaning that every single person who was tested was positive for the coronavirus. Several other labs had high positivity rates upward of 80%.

    One hospital, Orlando Health, responded to the investigation and confirmed that the report is inaccurate, saying that its positivity rate was 9.4% and not 98% as the report stated.

    Another hospital, Orlando Veteran’s Medical Center, is listed in the report with a positivity rate of 76%, but the hospital says the actual number was 6%.

    Morning everyone. I don’t think this will be on either CNN or the Beeb in the near future!

    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/investigation-shows-errors-in-florida-virus-positivity-report-hospitals-say-actual-rate-much-lower

  13. SIR – We are heading to France in early August, taking the Channel Tunnel for the first time in years. We shall miss our breakfast feast on the ferry, with white cloths and silver service, which took up most of the crossing. A true start to the holiday.

    Jacqueline Davies

    Faversham, Kent

      2. The silver service restaurants on earlier P&O ferries were excellent and, as Jacqueline Davies states, were a great place to sit out the journey between Dover and Calais. A decent meal served at the table by competent waiting staff, peace and quiet, no children getting under your feet, it was excellent. With the downgrading of the ferries’ catering to greasy spoon cafeteria fodder I now much prefer the tunnel.

        Edit:grammer ;@)

  14. ‘Morning again,

    SIR – I have reservations about some of Dominic Cummings’s strategic plans, but he is correct to describe Britain’s new aircraft carriers as a farce.

    Admiral Lord West (Letters, July 15) suggests that a look at the “detail” will show the global benefits of the carriers. If Lord West does precisely that, he will see that these assets are a legacy of Cold War thinking.

    The reality is that we simply do not have the ships or resources to defend the carriers at sea, and we struggle to recruit the manpower to operate them.

    When you add the need for hugely expensive, limited-capability F-35B aircraft to operate from the carriers, Lord West’s call for consideration of “detail” destroys his own argument.

    We no longer have the resources or the appetite to remain a global military policing power. There are far cheaper and more effective ways of delivering humanitarian aid.

    The 2021 defence review will provide a long-overdue reality check.

    Group Captain Alan Ferguson (retd)
    Hadleigh, Suffolk

    You are spot on, Gp Capt Ferguson. Brown’s job creation scheme, possibly the most expensive yet useless in the history of such things, was doomed from the outset, and it is something of a miracle that it survived the usual checks and balances for such a costly and bizarre project. However, we are where we are…but I somehow doubt that any future defence review will produce a solution whereby one or both of the carriers are declared to be redundant – as indeed they were from the moment they appeared on the drawing board. Admiral Lord West is just another leftie fantasy merchant who refuses to accept the reality of a totally inept decision. He should have known better.

        1. We can only go to war if the EU approves and is willing to provide escorts.

          Even after we’ve left the EU.

          Clever Eh?

    2. Navy man for carriers, airforce man against.
      Colour me surprised.
      Navy got the big boy’s toys this time, airforce is peeved.

      1. Got it in one!! [although in this case, the Crab is almost certainly right]

        1. You see the carrier groups that the US Navy have for each carrier – surface ships, supply ships and submarines, all to protect the carrier. Effectively, more than the entire Royal Navy for one (enormous) ship. The UK doesn’t have the resources for that, and cannot reruit them, either.
          Stand by for the defence review to sell off at least one carrier – maybe to the Argentinians.

          2. Apparently thi is a true (documanted) story.

            A US carrier fleet was steaming through the English Channel when another vessel was sighted on the radar, ahead and in their path. The Captain of the fleet made an urgent loudspeaker announcement.

            Captain: “The is the captain of a large US naval fleet heading your way. I request that you make immediate turn to starboard to avoid a collision,”

            Reply: “No. You make immediate turn to starboard to avoid a collision.”

            Captain: “I’m not playing with you fellah. I demand that You divert to starboard with immediate effect.”

            Reply: “No, you divert to starboard with immediate effect.”

            Captain: “We are a large US fleet of aircraft carrier, submarines, cruisers and frigates. If you don’t divert to starboard, now, I shall have to take direct action to remove you in order to save my fleet.”

            Reply: “We are a lighthouse. F*ck off!”

          3. Apparently this is a true (documented) story.

            A US carrier fleet was steaming through the English Channel when another vessel was sighted on the radar, ahead and in their path. The Captain of the fleet made an urgent loudspeaker announcement.

            Captain: “The is the captain of a large US naval fleet heading your way. I request that you make immediate turn to starboard to avoid a collision,”

            Reply: “No. You make immediate turn to starboard to avoid a collision.”

            Captain: “I’m not playing with you, fellah. I demand that You divert to starboard with immediate effect.”

            Reply: “No, you divert to starboard with immediate effect.”

            Captain: “We are a large US fleet of aircraft carrier, submarines, cruisers and frigates. If you don’t divert to starboard, now, I shall be obliged to take direct action to remove you in order to save my fleet.”

            Reply: “We are a lighthouse. F*ck off!”

          6. Alleged to have happened somewhere, locations include Canada and Ireland.

          8. Stand by for the defence review to sell off at least one carrier – maybe to the Argentinians.

            So we can use it for target practice?

    3. I imagine the admiral probably wanted a new boat to swan about in. The armed forces do delight in their infighting.

    1. Good morning Peddy

      I hope couscous is good for your digestion. I find it can have a repetitive effect!

      1. ‘Morning, Rastus.

        It was fine-grained & absolutely delicious. No repeating on/from me.

  18. On the TV news last night once again the BBC informed us that we now have conclusive proof that man-made global warming is about to destroy Europe.

    I admit that I am no scientist but I must also admit that I am cynical.

    I cannot help thinking of Lewis Carroll’s Hunting of the Snark:

    “I have said it twice:
    That alone should encourage the crew.
    Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice:
    What I tell you three times is true.”    .

    And Brer Rabbit repeatedly implores Brer Fox not to throw him into the briar patch when he wants above everything else to be thrown into the briar patch.

    As our friend Peddy will remind us, constant repetition of the same refrain does not necessarily make something true.

    1. Constant repetition does convince many:

      The NHS is the envy of the world

      A modern aircraft carrier can operate safely without escorts

      All whites are racists

      …….do you want more constantly repeated examples?

      1. I think the NHS is the envy of the world. Well, the world’s public sector. It must idolise the employment of millions of pen pushers in heathcare, the opportunities for unionisation, expense, and sheer control over the population under threat of the most fundamental elements.

  19. One curiosity of Trump’s deal with Erdogan that released a lot of Islamic State fighters from Kurdish internment camps is that they are turning up in the Philippines, a former US colony and long America’s most loyal Pacific ally and the only Christian country in the region.

    No doubt that is being spun as a triumph by friends of the Trump/Erdogan/Bolsonaro/Netanyahu axis.

    Knowing the current Philippines President, he wouldn’t bother about putting them in camps, then bombing the guards. He’d just shoot them.

    I think it would be more sporting to send the IS mercenaries to Moscow to give bored Russians an exciting day out hunting.

    1. I have lost track of what the rules are now. Is it one metre or two metres distancing? Are we allowed to go into other people’s houses or must we be outside? How many people at one time are we allowed to meet?

      This government is a farce. What is needed is clear leadership. That has been lacking from the very start. I now do what I think is sensible rather than try to work out what the rules are this week.

      1. That’s what happens when you have 45 years of the government merely needing to copy out EU directives rather than govern. It will take some years for a race of governing politicians to re-grow.

    2. I’d never heard that German expression before, Peddy. It’s an excellent one.

      1. It’s intended as a pun relating to food shops as well, Elsie. That’s why I chose it.

  21. Good morning all

    My car has an oil leak and a couple of other problems , so it is now in the capable hands of the guy who has repaired our cars for years.

    He is a genuinely nice bod, and we were amazed to hear that all through lockdown he had been busy .. He has 4 small 3d printers in his office .

    New technology is amazing … He has been making visors for the NHS .. and had printed/ constructed 1,000 sets in the empty hours of lockdown , and is still producing them , even though he is busy fixing cars now.

    Whilst we were there delivering the car, a scrap metal collector was busy collecting all the spent metal, things like brake discs and other bits and pieces that engines need, I asked what happens to stuff like that, and I was told that metal waste isn’t despatched to China any longer , and he hadn’t a clue, except he gets enough money for scrap to take him off to Barbados or Teneriffe!

    I guess that many people have lockdown stories , but the NHS visor one takes some beating.

    1. ‘Morning, Belle.

      It saddens me to be the one to break it to you that disc brakes are not part of the engine.

    2. Shropshire Lodges have been manufacturing visors (they bought 3D printers) and donating them to the NHS and care homes.

  22. Koronavir anti-coronavirus drug has been released in Russia. 15 JUL, 23:03

    The Koronavir drug for the treatment of the novel coronavirus, has been released in Russia, the R-Pharm statement made public on Wednesday said.

    “Koronavir is one of the first drugs in the world that fights not the complications from SARS-CoV-2, but directly the virus itself,” R-Pharm’s press service stressed.

    It’s impossible to make even a guess as to the effectiveness of this drug with so little information but at least they appear to be making an effort.

    https://tass.com/society/1179063

      2. It’s an early draft layout for the mise-en-scène of “Coronation Street”.

    2. Thank you. I was trying to work out what it was. A rolled up piece of rare beef did seem unlikely.

  24. Oh deary……

    The State of Texas today had to remove 3,484 cases from its Covid-19 positive case count, because the San Antonio Health Department was reporting “probable” cases for people never actually tested, as “confirmed” positive cases.

    1. A bit early for a small glass of something – a big mug of coffee is more my thing at 10:00.

      1. For some reason I am totally exhausted today, Herr Oberst. So farewell all NoTTLers (pro tem) I am now off to bed. Zzzzzzz…

        1. I’m wrecked too – excessive roof work yesterday, but the weather is good & we gotta finish… so, back up there again, a scrotum-tightening experience hanging over the edge to paint barge boards – whilst being shouted at by lovely little Pied Wagtails, who reckon the roof is their space – and, to prove it, pooped dramatically on my fresh paint!
          You can go off wagtails, you know… might at least have let the paint dry first :-((

    2. Saved for later. BBC R3 is playing Bach’s Auch mit gedampften (Cantata no.36, BWV.36) as I type.

  26. I emailed my MP about the BBC last week and have recently received a reply.

    Dear Minty.,

    Thank you for your email about the TV licence.

    I have been calling for a review on funding for the BBC for a long time now – it will come to the stage in the not too distant future where the changing nature of TV and peoples’ viewing habits mean we have to have a big conversation about whether the license fee is even relevant any more.

    Please be assured that I will continue to raise this privately with colleagues in Westminster.

    Kind regards.

    This piece of contemptuous sophistry does not of course address the fundamental problem with the BBC that I set out in my email; that it is a Cultural Marxist propaganda outlet and needs to be shut down.

    3. “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction … or two … or three … or seven hundred and eight nine!” Isaac Newton.

      I wonder how many dry runs he had before it all worked together?

  29. ”So many chimneys, Holmes…. do you think there’s more than one Santa ?”

    ”Yes, Watson, I do. First there’s Santa Claus who visits only at Christmas with his sleigh and reindeer bringing presents and joy to everyone.

    In addition, I think there’s super generous everyday Santa who drops sackfuls of dollars down selected chimneys all year which is probably why so many individuals are in a ”strong relationship” with him.

    ”Ooooh, that’s awesome, Holmes, how do I get into a ”strong relationship” with super generous everyday Santa ?”

    ”First you have to become a really important politician, Watson, then you have to sip champagne with him at Davos, have the right connections, and do exactly what he says. It looks a sure way to get a sackful of dollars down your chimney every day if you have a colluding inclination……..”

    ”In May 2017 the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) granted Cameron’s appointment as a Director of U2 Frontman Bono’s One Foundation which is also supported by Bill Gates and George Soros’s Open Society”

    https://powerbase.info/index.php/David_Cameron

    1. Santa will be cancelled for Christmas this year for going blackface down that chimney.

  30. The BBC – sadly we have to make 500 employees redundant.

    Also we are spending £100 million of the licence fee on diversidee programs to shove even more unwanted woke dogma down the throat of our declining audience.

        1. We’ve never given money to Children in Need.
          In fact, we give the whole shebang a miss.

      2. indeed, they have announced they are reducing the scope of the news, so it can be better targeted and centralized. Andrew is the wrong sort of kneel, so he must go.

        They had this dreadful woman (I think it was how it identified itself) rapping hate in front of a hoodie with a ghetto blaster. The BBC’s caption was “singer”. Now I know about singing, and this ain’t that. Besides, singing has been banned; only rapping is allowed now. Rita Chakribati then gave a little knowing smirk to the viewers as if to assert “you know this is what you want to listen to”.

    1. Wasn’t the silly new statue skipped ?
      Did i read that Lewis Hamilton was asking for a Knighthood and has changed his name to Neal ?

          1. He’d love that at the palace.
            I doubt if it happened he be remembering that the only way he’s got to were he is is because he’s a got a dedicated team of experts behind his every move. And millions of pounds of advertising revenue in the company coffers.
            Knight hoods perhaps he hasn’t noticed, are for mainly individual efforts.

          2. And a nice car to pose in, courtesy a company that used slave labour – in living memory, as opposed to in his fantasy world.
            The man is a total cnut.

          3. The thing about people like him and many others of similar Ilk Is, he insists he’s black, which terribly and knowingly maligns, in this case his own mother. Apparently his father cleared off when he was two years old leaving her to bring him and his brother up.

    2. Sigh,no of course we’ll never be rid of her,the evil parasite will suck on our society for the rest of her life no doubt breeding a flock of jihadibrats to follow in her footsteps
      Pure poison

    3. These half witted judges are totally unfit for purpose [except for Common Purpose?]

    4. This country is now the sick person of the whole world. And it’s not just a strain of virus. The ‘Mental health issues’ we hear so much about, seem to be pouring down from the top echelons.

    5. 321394+ up ticks,
      Morning Bob,
      To be quite truthful about it, if there was a GE tomorrow
      this issue would be reflected via the ballot booth regarding the outcome .
      She will be granted ALL the amenities for her defence the state can offer and once her innocence is proved then compo will be the next issue.
      There is NO left / right that currently is a tag only, we are
      divided as a nation by the governance parties AKA the lab/lib/con coalition on one side vee the peoples on tother.
      Cut to the quick the peoples will agree to the way she is
      handled by the establishment via the ballot booth proven by the fact of how many have already returned.
      The ballot booth voting pattern dictates more of the same
      things just getting worse on a daily basis,as can be clearly see say, over the last two decades.

    6. Well …. colour me surprised.
      How many dead babies will she pop out while the appeals crawl through the courts.

      1. They won’t be dead this time – they will be born here. More fuel to her appeal. Dreadful specimen.

    7. Matthew V.44

      “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

      But does this mean you should endanger your own people’s lives by admitting such people to live amongst you?

      And of course in Kipling’s poem “If” – which was voted Britain’s favourite poem – these words occur:

      Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
      And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

      But Kipling, like St Matthew, does not tell us if it is really wise to encourage those who hate you to live with you.

    8. Not necessarily.

      Looks more like a profitable way to squeeze money out of the taxpayer under Legal Aid.

      1. Hopefully in a skip, unless mayor decides to keep it safe and hold a referendum on its restoration.

      2. As the little boys who tried to sell us things as they rowed around the boats in Bequia harbour in 1984 said:

        Hey skip, hey skip
        Wanna buy some limes?
        I can introduce you to my sister
        I can show you good times.

        In this context skip was short for skipper.

        [From a song by RCT]

  37. ‘Compulsory face masks never stopped a second wave elsewhere.’
    Maybe they are the cause of it.

    2. There appear a number of virologists stating that the lockdown restrictions are delaying the acquisition of “herd immunity” and is likely to be a major factor in a 2nd wave.

      1. Just as families – particularly the children – without pets are more prone to illness. Especially the snuffly ‘general malaise’ type ailments.

        1. As discovered by Dr. Jenner, exposure to the more innocuous pathogens of a particular group has long been known to boost immunity to others of that group.

          3. That’s sad Anne. He’s now a stale pale male.

            I’m sure that BLM will tear down his statue.

  38. The Al-Beeb, Sky etcetc appear shocked at the job losses coming down the road

    What did these idjits THINK was going to happen as they screamed for tighter and tighter lockdown??

    Cause

    Effect

    With these vast jobless numbers being quoted, any normal patriotic Guvverment
    would announce the total closure of the immigration system.

    That does not apply to the scum who rule us though.

    1. The same igjits were surprised that unemployment had dropped by historic numbers the month after lockdown restrictions started to be eased. I believe that the same experts were surprised by the high unemployment levels in April.

      Shock, hysteria .

  40. Quinn’s Black Power/BLM statue removed overnight from Bristol plinth. Smart move.

    1. Sooner or later (and very probably sooner) someone would have vandalised it or pulled it down, thus causing even more bad feeling and division. Good to see the Mayor of Bristol realised this, and moved quickly to remove it.

      2. Smash it to bits, chain the sculptor to it and throw him in the harbour.

        Then haul him out and send him a bill for the costs.

  41. Of course one more interesting thing about former Prime Minister Cameron is how he accidentally forgot to mention Open Society and billionaire S in his autobiography, ”For The Record”.

    Despite apparently, as far as one can see, having Open Society and billionaire S money in his pocket. Assuming his directorship is a paid position, as I expect it is.

    ”In May 2017 the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) granted Cameron’s appointment as a Director of U2 Frontman Bono’s One Foundation which is also supported by Bill Gates and George Soros’s Open Society”

    I wonder why Dave forgot ?

  42. Investigation shows errors in Florida virus positivity report: Hospitals say actual rate much lower. July 14, 2020 04:17 PM.

    An investigation into a state-issued daily coronavirus testing report in Florida shows possible errors in positivity rates, with two hospitals confirming the data are inaccurate.

    The investigation into data from the Florida Department of Health, conducted by Fox 35 News, showed labs reporting a 100% positivity rate in testing, meaning that every single person who was tested was positive for the coronavirus. Several other labs had high positivity rates upward of 80%.

    One hospital, Orlando Health, responded to the investigation and confirmed that the report is inaccurate, saying that its positivity rate was 9.4% and not 98% as the report stated.

    Another hospital, Orlando Veteran’s Medical Center, is listed in the report with a positivity rate of 76%, but the hospital says the actual number was 6%.
    The investigation’s results come a week after a physician in Bay County, Florida, questioned the belief that the positivity rate in the county was at almost 22%.

    “We’ve got what’s called a denominator problem — the denominator is the number of negative cases, or negative tests, or total tests, and the numerator is positive tests,” Dr. Jon Ward said after analyzing the reported positive and negative tests. “I looked at it, and it [PanCare] showed 280 positives and zero negatives, and that just came up really fishy because I knew a lot of people who had gone to PanCare and tested negative,” said Ward.

    This is from Fox but it bears the stamp of truth!

    https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/investigation-shows-errors-in-florida-virus-positivity-report-hospitals-say-actual-rate-much-lower

    1. Trump was right – the more testing they do, the more cases they find! Cut the testing!

      2. The failing is not I the number of cases found, it is the point that they did not report how many negatives there were. So it is still 15,00ish new cases every day.

    2. From Fox? Well you will not see this type of story on CNN unless it is undercounting of positives.

      Does thepositivity rate mean anything? Number of cases yes, number of tests maybe but the ratio of positive to negative tests seems rather nebulous.

  43. ”UK’s daily death toll is INFLATED: Academics say fewer than 40 people are dying of Covid-19 per day and accuse government of adding historic deaths in batches ‘for some time’

    The way officials spread out historic deaths causing ‘confusion’, experts say

    Department of Health still recording more than 80 fatalities per day

    But hospital deaths, which account for two thirds, are significantly lower

    Dr Jason Oke and Professor Carl Heneghan said official tolls have ‘inaccuracies’ ”

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8529269/Daily-death-toll-INFLATED-fewer-40-people-dying-day-UK.html

    1. The BTL comment that, “Covid-19 is giving genuine viruses, who`ve lived amongst us for donkeys years, a bad name….” made me smile.

  45. I emailed my MP about the BBC last week and have recently received a reply.

    Dear Minty.,

    Thank you for your email about the TV licence.

    I have been calling for a review on funding for the BBC for a long time now – it will come to the stage in the not too distant future where the changing nature of TV and peoples’ viewing habits mean we have to have a big conversation about whether the license fee is even relevant any more.

    Please be assured that I will continue to raise this privately with colleagues in Westminster.

    Kind regards.

    This piece of contemptuous sophistry does not of course address the fundamental problem with the BBC that I set out in my email; that it is a Cultural Marxist propaganda outlet and needs to be shut down.

  46. This missive from my totally useless MP has just slimed its way into my e-mail inbox:

    “Dear Mr Thomas,

    Thank you for contacting me about recent protests, and I apologise for the delay in responding on this important matter

    In this country we have a long-standing tradition that people can gather together and demonstrate, and the right to protest peacefully is a fundamental part of our democracy.

    I appreciate why people are choosing to protest at this time with the anger and feelings of injustice that have been awakened following the death of George Floyd in the US. Here in the UK, we have made great strides, but, as the Prime Minister has acknowledged, there is much more to do in eradicating prejudice and creating opportunity. I know that the Government is committed to that effort.

    During the Coronavirus pandemic, I cannot emphasise enough how important it is for those gathering to observe the guidance on social distancing. At the current time because of the threat we face from Coronavirus and the difficulty of social distancing in crowds, I would advise people against attending protests.

    I would like to make clear that under no circumstances do I believe that protests should become violent. The rights to a peaceful protest do not extend to harassment, intimidating behaviour or serious disruption to public order. We have all seen scenes of thuggery and violence by a minority in the crowds. Let me be clear, those responsible must be held to account in the courts.

    Of course, the responsibility for the maintenance of public order lies with the police, who have a range of powers to manage protests. How they deploy their powers and the tactics they use are rightly an operational matter for the police but I am pleased that we live in a country where policing is by consent. Our world-class police officers continue to put their own lives on the line to protect the public during the protests, despite sometimes coming under attack. As a country, we ask our police officers to do the most difficult of jobs, and they are respected around the world for the excellent work they do.”

    1. What a load of stereotyped waffle. Even better than the party line tripe my own MP writes.

    2. …I am pleased that we live in a country where policing is by consent.

      Excuse me while I vomit!

      2. 321394+ up ticks,
        Afternoon AS,
        Bp 129/69, bs, 6.5 cholesterol 4,0 diabetic check up, ALL within the no worry zone.
        I put a lot down to not supporting any known lab/lib/con MPs.
        The itch factor from voluntarily wearing a hair shirt is not for me, many must have skins like rhino’s donning one after each GE since Mrs Thatcher.

    3. Soft shoe shuffling politician .

      Another twerp, Westminster is full of them .

      I want to feel reassured that we are in safe hands, well, we are not .

      There is no manly muscle amongst any of them , apart from their pricks that is !

    4. Soft shoe shuffling politician .

      Another twerp, Westminster is full of them .

      I want to feel reassured that we are in safe hands, well, we are not .

      There is no manly muscle amongst any of them , apart from their pricks that is !

  47. As if we should be surprised…

    The Government has responded to the petition you signed – “Ban non-stun slaughter in the UK”

    The Government would prefer animals to be stunned before slaughter but is committed to protecting the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.

    The government’s position is that, while we would prefer animals to be stunned before slaughter, we are also committed to protecting the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs. This is a fundamental issue of religious freedom and belief and that is why we will not ban religious slaughter We do, however, expect industry to provide consumers with the information they need to make informed choices.

    Council Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing makes it an offence to cause any animals avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations. In particular, animals must be stunned properly so that they are unconscious and unable to feel pain during the slaughter process. In this legislation, the only exception to the rule that animals must be stunned before slaughter is where animals are slaughtered in accordance with religious rites.

    The Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (England) Regulations 2015 (WATOK) implement and enforce Regulation 1099/2009 and contain stricter national rules which provide greater protection for animals at the time of killing, including for religious slaughter.

    Where an animal has been subject to religious slaughter without stunning, it is not lawful to shackle, hoist or move it in any way until it is unconscious. Systematic checks must be carried out to ensure that animals do not present any signs of consciousness or sensibility before they are released from restraint and do not present any signs of life before undergoing any further processing. Slaughterhouse operators must have Standard Operating Procedures in place that specify the actions to be taken if an animal still presents signs of life.

    National regulations on religious slaughter have a long history. Religious slaughter was first debated in Parliament in 1875. The Slaughter of Animals Act 1933 introduced a legal requirement for stunning of animals prior to slaughter, and contained an exemption where animals were slaughtered for specific religious communities. Over the years, the rules governing religious slaughter have developed to provide additional protection for animals slaughtered in accordance with religious rites and have maintained the long-standing exception for Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.

    Animal welfare is monitored and enforced in all approved slaughterhouses by Official Veterinarians of the Food Standards Agency. They will monitor that all animal welfare requirements are met to ensure that animals are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering.

    The Government is actively engaging with religious communities and other stakeholders on issues relating to religious slaughter, with a view, among other things to minimising non-stun slaughter volumes.

    Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The next petition must be for proper labelling and traceability so that the public can make its own choice.

    1. The government’s position is that, while we would prefer animals to be stunned before slaughter, we are also committed to protecting the rights of Jews and Muslims to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.

      They should be committed to protecting the rights of the animals and the Laws and Customs of the British people!

        1. Good morning, Spikey

          Just as feminists are silent about the way Muslim women are treated.

          Why cannot the British government say quite clearly that:
          British Law trumps religious law.
          Britain has an established Christian Church. If your religious law is more important to you than obeying British law then you must find another country in which to live?

          1. 321394+ up ticks,
            Morning R,
            Currently submissive pcism & appeasement rule the roost.

          6. Hear here!
            I fear however that our state religion will prove a Trojan Horse. Democracy will see to it that other religions must have equal rights and recognition. And we all know where that will end.
            An appropriate subject for a statue in Bristol would be Enoch Powell.

          7. I like the idea of a statue of Enoch Powell – should occupy the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square.

      2. 321394+ up ticks,
        Morning AS,
        Surely,surely, it is clear to see the whole 650 politico’s should be committed ( medically) before
        normalisation & rectification of these Isles can be attempted.

      3. Stuff them. If they want something done to suit them, they can do it in their own country.

        I’m sick and tired of being told we have to pander to people who are – and want to remain – apart.

      4. The Danes – not exactly a byword for repression – have banned non-stun slaughter.

    2. 321394+up ticks,
      Morning WS,
      “The next petition must be for proper labelling & traceability”
      Surely in such an animal loving Nation as the UK this result can, via people power, be reflected via the ballot booth, or does the party first mode of voting overrule decency of action ?

      1. If that’s the last goat in the country, now I know why there was no goat’s milk in W/rose yes’day.

    4. The Government must seriously consider banning the slaughter of animals, mainly sheep and goats, outwith a licensed slaughterhouse. Hundreds, if not thousands of sheep and goats , are slaughtered in this way The meat hygiene and animal health and welfare legislations are being ignored. How long can the UK public tolerate such lawbreaking.

      2. For ever. The government says it’s OK. When and why did a British Government accord such “rights” to anyone to mistreat animals so badly? The government’s position is that we are also committed to protecting the rights of Muslims to rape children and commit murder and slaughter in accordance with their jihadi principles? When did alien religious practices trump our laws and traditions?
        How far do we allow alien “religious beliefs” to be practised in this country contrary to the religious belief of Christians and the law of the land?
        What about cannibalism as practised in Irian Jaya and elsewhere?

      3. Licensed and centralised slaughterhouses are only for people that don’t matter.

        Those that do matter just drive into the fields in the small hours with their Subarus and white vans, and prepare the animals for kebab houses that way.

        The UK public tolerate such lucrative lawbreaking because they have to. Didn’t Margaret Thatcher once argue “There is No Alternative”?

  48. So if the hypothesis below is correct, and please correct me if it is not, then that means the UK is looking at the biggest political scandal ever…

          1. I am evil; there was an advert on ITV calling for us to donate £2 regularly to the millions in Sudan, Afghanistan, Belgian Congo and other sh1tholes because they were at risk of dying of Covid 19. My reaction was, “good! Fewer of them will starve then.” Hell, here I come!

  49. Putin’s World War 3 plan exposed: ‘Attack on London looms’ after China-Russia deal. 16 July 2020.

    VLADIMIR PUTIN has remained tight-lipped amid rising concerns on the international stage towards China, and former Ministry of Defence minister Tobias Ellwood says there is reason for concern, predicting “we are heading towards a conflict,” during an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk.

    Yes it’s all here. Another World War 3 exclusive from the Express. Unfortunately Vlad is so tight lipped that he doesn’t actually say anything at all; mostly because the entire article is actually about China!

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1310282/putin-news-world-war-3-russia-china-london-attack-huawei-xi-jinping-donald-trump-spt

    1. As the proponents of the Black Lives Matter movement claim that all white people are racist, that means that no white man or woman may enter the store.

        1. I can’t use their stuff, because it’s too highly scented.
          Damn nuisance, as it means I can’t boycott them.

  51. Tilehurst: Man knocked unconscious in robbery, 16 July 2020.

    A MAN on a mobility scooter was knocked unconscious and left with a broken jaw in an attack while sat at a park with a friend.

    The main offender is described as an Asian man, aged in his thirties, and around 5ft 8ins tall.
    He was clean shaven, had a stocky build, and was wearing a blue top and navy tracksuit bottoms.

    The second offender is also described as an Asian man, aged in his thirties, and 5ft 11ins tall.
    He was wearing blue shorts and a white top, was clean shaven and of a slim build.

    The third offender is described as an Asian man in his thirties, and 5ft 11ins tall.

    This is a local paper, the Reading Chronicle, so they probably don’t know the Home Office rules!

    https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/18584137.tilehurst-man-knocked-unconscious-robbery/

      1. Was just about to make the same comment! Thank goodness I did the readundery bit!

    2. Another “Reading three” then. The first ones disappeared from view quickly, didn’t they?

    3. Police wre not available to investigae as they are all looking for people in shops without face masks.

  52. There was little discussion about our big new aircraft carriers yesterday. Too big to be allowed to sink.
    That was the thinking applied in the case of the big banks going bust. Vast sums of taxpayers money were handed over to save the banks. However, nothing was done to prevent a repeat on an even larger scale.
    Maybe all the big banks should have been broken up into separate companies, by division, by speciality and by region. Thus one big bank would become perhaps 100 smaller banks. We could then allow a smaller bank to fail, if they messed up.
    (I am baffled as to how a bank that pays 0.1% interest on deposits, and charges 25% interest on credit cards can possibly fail.)

  53. Good morning, all. Bonfire lit at 07.30 – all done and dusted bar the chuntering to get rid of the last bits.

    Have come in to read the paper. I’ll bet there’s lots of exciting black news…..

  54. More guff on Russia.
    “The foreign secretary goes on to say that there is “no evidence of a broad spectrum Russian campaign against the general election” but that “any attempt to interfere in our democratic processes is completely unacceptable”.”. (Note to BBC: it’s “Foreign Secretary”)
    So nothing happened but it could have done, eh, Mr Raab?
    (Note to security services: if it takes more than a fortnight to trace a leak you are not doing your job properly any more than is the department that wrote the leaked report. How useless are you?)
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53433523

    1. He shouldn’t have agreed to go to the Police Station! If they want to arrest him they should get a warrant!

    2. He shouldn’t have agreed to go to the Police Station! If they want to arrest him they should get a warrant!

      2. Have the police nothing better to do? Oh yes. Of course they do. They choose to harrass people because it’s easy to visit some white fellow for saying what he thinks rather than a knife wielding black thug.

  56. Seen picture of grovelling / black power salutes again at the test cricket. Lost all respect for them. Bet they wouldn’t dare do it if there were fans present.

  59. If anyone’s interested in dehumanisers: Sainsbury’s 10-pack single-use £8; Aldi 2-pack reusable £3. Anyone else with any tips, please post on here. Perhaps the mods can pin a post for a few days for all to see (if anyone thinks it’s worth it).

    Now that the virus that dies out of doors apparently no longer does, I expect the next ruling will to be wear one everywhere you go. If so, look out for the vigilantes. Wear your mask to save your teeth.

    A former work colleague rang me this morning. He’s in his early 70s and a really decent and kind bloke (not at all grumpy like we Nottlanders). He’s involved with one of our local churches but has had to withdraw from all that so even he’s feeling a bit frustrated. He’s naturally more wary because of his age and also because of the advice of his son, a pathologist in Brum. He didn’t pass on to me much that we didn’t already know but one snippet was interesting: that a second wave is probable but that it will be less severe because the DNA of the virus has mutated and is making it less virulent. Look out for this in the media – but look hard.

        1. Well worth reading and very moving. All on Kindle or in paperback. His widow also wrote a book called “An elephant in my kitchen” – I read that while we were in Kenya earlier this year.

    2. Much like when the US Treasury gave taxdollars to the arts in the US. The Kennedy Centre, a Democratic Party home from home, recieved $25M. They promptly put all their staff on furlough (more support from the taxpayers) and ‘donated’ $5M to the Democratic Party!

  67. I have already commented on this:

    “Shamima Begum wins right to return to UK to challenge stripping of citizenship
    The Home Office plans to appeal the decision on the grounds of national security and ‘keeping the public safe’    ”

    It occurs to me that part of Shylock’s punishment in The Merchant of Venice was that he should have to become a practising Christian or else be banished from Venice.

    Maybe the same rule should apply to Shamima Begum and to all those who hate Christians as Britain has its established Church and those who hate Christians are, ipso facto, enemies of Britain and should be banished.

    1. Sadly, Christianity has become an irrelevnce in this country now.
      I was brought up as a Christian, my sons were baptised, I think Christ showed a good way of life, but I can’t remember the last time I went to a church service apart from funerals, and they are mostly humanist now, in crematoria.

      The Archbastard has shown that even churches are irrelevant now, as he banned them from opening for even private prayer.

      1. I hate the humanist funerals at crematoria – they always seem terribly banal with a total lack of gravitas. I intend to give instructions for a BCP funeral and might design a gravestone in Latin perhaps decorated with some of the traditional symbols of death (hourglass, skull etc).

        2. If my life doesn’t matter, why should my death?

          I expect my body and any of my belongings that cannot be shifted quick on Ebay will go in the skip, and all my writings and thoughts posted here cancelled.

          Just like being discarded at work or getting a letter ending “we wish you all the best for the future” when applying for a job and doing my bit in helping them to meet Equality & Diversity targets.

          1. Hmm. How long does it usually take to sell a corpse on eBay? Our children have advised me that I will be bent into a black bag and put into the bin.

          2. You could help by always sleeping in the fully foetal position, it’ll make it easier to bag you.

        3. I don’t like humanist funerals either. There is no sense of closure without prayers and a good sing-song. I’m going to have a BCP service as well (in church) and I’ve got a list of hymns I want as well as music and readings. The only thing is, I’m not going to appreciate it!

          1. Yes the same here – the hymns I want are Now the green blade riseth (to the Basque tune), Jesu Lover of my soul, and Thine be the glory to finish. Haven’t given any thought to readings, but rather fancy Purcell’s Funeral music for Queen Mary (if I had the funds would employ an early music group to play it , but that is beyond my finances, so would have to be recorded).

          2. I want Spitfire prelude as the introit, a reading of High Flight, Ecclesiastes and Isaiah 40 (they shall mount up like eagles), God is Our Strength and Refuge (to the tune of the Dambusters March), I Vow to Thee My Country and to leave the church for the graveyard to Con te partirò. There should be a portrait of me in the cockpit of a Spitfire for people to contemplate during the service, so they can see what I was like in my prime 🙂 I doubt I’ll get a standard bearer, though, despite all the fund-raising I’ve done for RAFA and the RAFBF. At the graveside, I’d like the huntsman to blow “Gone to ground”. Pretty much wraps it up 🙂

          3. Sounds as though you should get a great send off if all goes according to plan. I like readings from Isaiah – I must look that one up.

    4. As long as she wears a mask, TPB will consider it to be perfectly reasonable for her to be here. Oh I forgot, she has a built in mask already, her returning was never in doubt.

    1. Well the statue’s already down so you don’t need to pick up an angle grinder………..
      ‘Morning Anne

    1. Once she’s back she’ll demand compensation.

      Lots of compensation.

      Lots and lots of compensation.

      1. 321394+up ticks,
        Afternoon J,
        I believe that is a follow on and also for all the others once she has lifted the re-entry latch.

    2. Once she’s back she’ll demand compensation.

      Lots of compensation.

      Lots and lots of compensation.

  74. Escaped from the utter madness that passes for government for 48 hours sur l’eau. It was great being away from fairy tale headlines masquerading as reality.

    An eclectic range of craft passed by including these:

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/475a6fe102264fafeb934333c199abee527202f7cfa521b95445412ffc65af9b.jpg
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2de9d7d9a694a03887344138c6cb60d23b9b61f4877072ee324a17145b562ac7.jpg
    The second one is I believe a replica Manchester ship Canal Tug. MS Frodsham

      1. I’ve only called on Martin’s services once to test my battery bank. There is an ‘AA” service for boats imaginatively named: “Canal & River Rescue”

    2. I understand the concern while the lake is filling; the Nile flow will be reduced. But once the lake is full – then surely the normal flow will be resumed…

  76. Russian hackers attempted to steal UK’s Covid-19 vaccine research, Downing St says. 6 July 2020 • 2:00pm

    Russia has been accused by the Government of trying to steal Britain’s research into a Covid-19 vaccine in a state-sponsored cyber attack.

    The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) told Boris Johnson it had the “highest level of confidence” the Kremlin was behind the “ongoing” attack, which was also verified by the US and Canada.

    Both Oxford University and Imperial College London, the two British teams trying to develop a vaccine, are understood to have been targeted. Security sources refused to say whether any attempts to steal information had been successful.

    Did they Novichok the mice? I’m sorry, my credulity is exhausted. The Skripal Saga gave it a big kicking and then there was the Dossier and Bounties for the Taliban. Am I now expected to believe that research data is stored on computers connected to the internet? That they are sending it via email? Good luck with that. I’m not buying it!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/07/16/russian-hackers-attempted-steal-covid-19-vaccine-research-downing/

  78. Good morning, all!

    Yes I know that the Govt. ignores petitions, but this is to crowdfund actual lobbying and information as to people’s rights re. TV licence. Defund the BBC is organising this fundraiser – I’ve chipped in a little bit. Over to you, if you wish to contribute. I can’t afford to fund these things very often – the last time I chipped in was re. Darren Grimes.

    https://gf.me/u/ycsqpi

      1. Yes, I heard about TA and then it all seemed to go quiet. I’ll have to catch up.

  79. In the last month I have read two WW2 books, one fiction and one a factual appraisal of a famous bombing attack. The first book has been in my bookcase since 1981. It is Leslie Thomas’s “The Magic Army” which is set in 1944 in the South Hams where a large area of homes and farms were taken over by the US military to train their raw recruits for the D-D invasion. The interaction of the US troops with the UK troops and the local population who were evicted from their properties is dealt with in a humorous way. The story ends on D-day in a sombre, fearful mood after a large number of soldiers were drowned earlier following an attack by German E-boats on their poorly protected landing crafts out on an exercise. I checked the area on the Google Map and the farmland and houses seem to have returned to normal.
    The second book is the recently published paperback “Chastise. The Dam Busters”by Max Hastings. He has researched the Dambuster Raid from its conception through to the Raid and the aftermath. I had reservations about this book but enjoyed it thoroughly. Bomber Harris does not come out of it well and surprisingly Guy Gibson’s disdain for his underlings gets an airing. The Labrador gets mentioned and its name was the codeword for the destruction of the main dam.

      1. Good afternoon Plum – Thanks for posting that concise report of the eviction of the villagers and the aftermath. I wonder how people would react to such disruption these days.

    2. I’ve left off buying Chastise because one of the reviews said it was “revisionist”. Of course Butch doesn’t come out of it well – he wanted to pound the cities rather than go after strategic targets like the oil factories. Gibson was, I think, a troubled character, although undoubtedly brave. Even at school he was always in hot water and his death was probably due to failing to listen to advice (he was flying a Canadian built Mosquito and they were differently configured from British manufactured aircraft).

  80. Prime time viewing on ITV tonight:

    8pm: ‘Stephen Lawrence Has Britain Changed?’ … ‘Killing of George Floyd by white police officer triggered global protests …’ followed by:

    9pm: ‘The Murder of Stephen Lawrence’

    Be interesting to see what the viewing figures are.

      3. Try the National Theatre’s production of Amadeus from 7:00pm on you tube..

    2. How many young black men were killed by other young black men in London this past week?

      1. They tend not to mention the colour of the victims let alone the perpetrators. I can only guess that it doesn’t matter.

    3. Black boys get murdered every day in London…….. by other black boys. The difference in this case was the killers were white. Still, I won’t be watching.

      1. Another one yesterday (shot) at Stonebridge Park NW London
        It’s Harlesden now shot 8 times.

        1. I think there are far more murders nowadays than in Stephen’s time. His murder was shocking – but these days nobody cares more than a day or two. That is what has changed.

          2. Got a lot more publicity than the poor white lad who was tortured and murdered because he was white.

    1. Maybe Boros fears being exposed as a China and Open Society stooge ?

      Chris Grayling is very close to No 10.

    2. Maybe Boros fears being exposed as a China and Open Society stooge ?

      Chris Grayling is very close to No 10.

    3. Apart from his association with Bercow he sounds well qualified for this position – so why remove the Whip? Why not just accept that there were two candidates and the best one won?

      1. Now you are being reasonable, N. Politics isn’t like that, it’s much more kindergarten.

      3. It confirms the idiocy of the people supposedly running this government. Lewis is a good man, experienced in defence matters and a brexiteer. Mere petulance because their man was rejected by the commons.

  85. Tweet from Robin Page

    When did Boris turn into an idiot. Doesn’t like elections at Westminster. Says Build, Build Build when he should be saying Stop,Stop, Stop. Has an urban animal rights mistress who thinks people go “trophy hunting”puffins – backkground – urban London.

  86. DT Story

    Black Lives Matter statue of Jen Reid removed from Colston plinth
    Bristol council workers arrived in the early hours and loaded the sculpture into a skip

    They have done something right for a change!

    Now who’s going to lead the campaign to put Colston back on his plinth?

    1. Don’t get too excited Richard, it’s just the beginning of yet another controversy.
      I read that some scots people have been shouting at English tourists to get the F**k out of here.
      All nicely set up by the controversial tribalist Olga Krankie.

      1. Was her “begging” Boris for £5m more rejected outright? Krankie is a traitor to the Union.

  87. The Human Rights Act 1998……..

    Looks likely agreed when George Soros lavishly entertained Tony Blair to a ”getting to know you” meeting at the New York Plaza Hotel in April 1996…. and a central feature of Soros’ likely mission to transform Britain over the coming decades… as we can see today.

    Likely ably assisted by all subsequent UK Prime Ministers, all apparently closely linked to Open Society who wanted to continue the Blair/Soros project.

    How did they end up so rich ?

    2. “Don’t you know who I am?”
      “No”.
      “Oh, I see – it’s because I’m black”.

    3. One of the doormen at County Natwest was given a severe reprimand when he refused entry to a self important Executive Director who wasn’t carrying his compulsory ID.

      If I had been the CEO I would have bollocked the SIED and praised the doorman.
      Given the revolving door, hire ’em, fire ’em culture the DIED might well have been an ex-SIED and coming in nefariously.

      One upshot was that the main entrance then had a mug’s gallery of “very important” ED’s. The security guards crossed them out as they were fired and put up the new faces. It only took a few months for there to be more crossed out on the original set than still remained.

      Gawd it was a ghastly place.

      1. MOH refused entry to a group of suits one Saturday morning claiming they were there to do an Audit. No ID no entry. Checks with head office eventually gained them access but v,red audit faces..

        1. Remember a similar event at one of our computer centres back in the day. The chairman and a couple of empty suits roll up, talked their way past the general office security guy, and promptly headed for the computer area. Of course the door had a key lock system, so they rang the bell, and when our senior operator opened it, they did a “we are here from headquarters to inspect the computer room. Said SO points to the key lock and says “You can come in when your key card will open that lock”, and promptly shut the door. All hell broke loose, but our systems manager said, “No he was doing his job. Those were his express operating instructions, no authorization, no admittance”.

        2. Good for her.

          A colleague used to tell a tale of how he arrived at a Branch and said “I’m from the Inspection Department” and was immediately admitted without an Id check.
          He said he wanted to start with the cash count in the safe, fairly normal practice in those days.
          He was taken down to the vault and he then told his escort to fill his briefcase with bundles of £50 notes.
          She was dumbfounded and stammered “but your from Inspection Department”, but obeyed.

          His response was “Next time ask for Id.”
          A lesson well learned one might have thought.
          I pointed out to him that if there had been a shortage when the real cash count took place who did he think would be blamed. He changed tactics!

      3. I have a friend who looks ridiculously young for his age. On his first day at a particular hospital, he was caught wandering around by a senior staff nurse and given a right bollocking; told in no uncertain terms that students were NOT to walk around the wards unaccompanied

        He had to wait until she finally drew breath to explain that he was the new consultant . . .

      1. It’s awful stuff. Came in a mixed case of beers, all the others are fine. It has none of the qualities I want from a beer and lots that I don’t.

        1. Is that the same company that produced a reasonable “export” beer in the ’60’s

          5. Two pints of Marston’s Pedigree and half a pint cockles is the best hangover cure known to man.

    3. Oh, bad luck. Had my first pint(s) for months in a pub last evening. Wasn’t too unlike the old normal, save for the copious hand sanitiser, and the need to scan a QR code at the door, and enter your details. And I don’t know what they’d cleaned the tables with, but they were sticky. Still, progress, of a sort, I suppose…

      2. My two pints, (see post from last night) in the King’s Head were the first time I’d been in a pub since lockdown.
        Sadly, the Barley Mow is still shut.

    1. I have to say I’ve rather given up caring about the stabbings – if they were back in Africa or Jamaica or wherever they originated, we wouldn’t be worrying overmuch about them stabbing each other. London is pretty much another country now.

      1. People who are moving down here from London say pretty much the same .
        Friends I know who commute to work say they don’t want to return to their offices they would rather save nearly £6K in fares , working from home .

    2. NFL. Normal For London.
      Why interfere with cultural norms? We’d not get any thanks for it.

    1. Strangely enough, Sos, I went round to see Korky the Kat a week ago and was given a courgette from his garden. I’d never tasted one before but cooked myself a courgette meal at the weekend and really enjoyed it. Mind you, Korky’s real name is not Professor Stanley Unwin.

      1. Courgette is best eaten very young. Like babies.

        More seriously, courgette is a splendid vegetable: steamed, sauteed, spiralised, sliced into salads; we try to harvest them at about the 3 – 4 inch stage. The problem with them is that they grow like Topsy and need to be harvested daily or they soon turn into marrows, which are absolutely foul.

        1. My grandmother used to do stuffed marrow. It was very good, although I didn’t like plain marrow at all.

          1. My father loved baked, stuffed, marrow, but I suspect that that was because the rest of the family hated it.

            The only use for large marrows, that I have found, is marrow rum. And if one gets it right, it makes a superb home brew.

            Very potent and without distillation.

            Get it wrong and you’ve wasted a lot of brown sugar.

            BLM!

          3. Easily done.

            Use an old stocking and put the topped and seeded marrow in it after removing the old woman to hold it together.
            Cut the top off the marrow carefully and clear all the seeds.
            Put the brown sugar, soft and heavy, not demara crystal, into the marrow and press it in.
            You might consider adding a yeast but I’ve done it without. On balance I would go for yeast until you’re confident.
            Put the top back on and seal it, duct tape or similar serves.

            Then puncture the base, probably five medium knitting needle holes, so that the liquor can drain into a container. Watch it very carefully for mildrew or other molds.

            The link gives a pretty good idea.

            https://www.instructables.com/id/Marrow-Rum-or-Booze-from-Otherwise-Useless-Vegeta/

        2. I once made marrow jam (wartime recipe). It was vile! I don’t know about marrow rum, I’ve never tried it.

          3. My mother once made marrow whisky but I was too young to try it. IIRC father enjoyed it though.

          1. That looks very good.

            Many thanks.

            We had a Carmargue rice, corriander, chilli, shredded carrot and lime dish this evening,

            A Mary Berry recipe. It was brilliant. There’s more to it than that, but you’ll get the gist. We had it with Jubilee Chicken

        5. I’ve never tried eating babies, Mr Sos, although Mr Harry Lime (The Master) assures me he likes nibbling the ears of Babes!

      2. Give the Dandy Front Pager (as I affectionately call him) my very best wishes when next you call on him.

        1. Richard, he is very much aware of how much all NoTTLers care for him and wish him well. Were I to give him individual greetings from each of you it would take a good hour between saying “Hello” and asking “How are you?” But rest assured that I always remind him that collectively you all send him your best wishes.

      3. Good evening Elsie, strangely enough a neighbour this year offered me some courgette plants. I have never bothered before but was not inclined to offend him with his kind offer.
        Being a courgette novice, I had no clue how many plants I should accept, his words of “take as many as you need” nudged me to the thought of 3 should suffice. My word, when they start to deliver and ripen you could be overwhelmed with them.
        Never had we eaten so many, the favourite recipe being fried bacon pieces, sliced mushrooms, courgette with garlic and chilli flakes all in a tomato passata sauce poured over spaghetti.
        Taste so different when you pick them and cook them within an hour.
        Don’t tell Bill, but Trombetti may be next to try!

        1. They are also good puréed and added to chocolate cake. Or in a puréed soup.

    2. They were from a reputable seed merchant as well. The packets have been recalled because several families became unwell as a result of eating the produce. Good job I don’t grow courgettes.

      2. Apparently it is believed that they were accidentally cross-pollinated with another plant. Hence the bitterness and indigestibility.

        2. Isn’t that the case with all marrows, courgettes, and squashes? Bitter wet flavour. Utterly horrible.

      2. When I lived in London I gave it a miss.

        By contrast, my flat mates, one of whom (a serial Lefty of the champagne variety) became the chief planner at Westminster and would always attend. I believe there was an underlying desire to be seen to be involved and supportive of a bunch of criminals pretending to be having fun. The same type attend the cattle fields of Glastonbury.

        The event was a sort of concentrated opportunity for drug dealing, theft and intimidation. This was disguised under a very thin veil of having ‘fun’ known as Carnival (Mardi Gras).

    2. If she were to win her case and have her British citizenship restored, she would have to be given a new identity and protection indefinitely, at major cost to the taxpayer.

      2. And of course – -the massive claim for “compensation” from the culture she hates.

      1. I’m sure that is not a word you use often. No profanity is beyond the pale where the shedevil murderess is concerned.

  99. This is not a paid advert just for information.

    Since the demise of Lea & Perrins ( being bought by Kraft) I found that Hendersons is still being made by the same family. It is a little more robust than Lea & perrins but is real good.

    https://www.hendersonsrelish.com/

          3. Do you chop your anchovies & melt them in the fat before frying your mushrooms?

            In Germany I used to be able to buy the fillets packed in salt, not in oil. They were much better.

          5. I’ll be frying a skate wing tomorrow. I shall anchovise the butter/oil mixture first.

          6. Skate wing with black butter we used to eat this in Rouan, delish. has to be very fresh.

          8. I’m not convinced at all about this “umami” propaganda. For centuries it has been known that the tongue has four areas for discerning the four distinct kinds of flavour. Front: sweet. Middle: salt. Sides: sour. Back: bitter. As far as I’m aware medical science has not discovered a fifth tongue area that only picks up this fictitious “umami” area.

            All flavours consist of one, or more, of: sugar, salt, sour and bitter in varying combinations.

            Savoury flavours (of which “umami” is claimed to be) are salt-based and, as such, it is this middle area of the tongue that picks up this flavour stereotype. Just as sweetness has variations, usually as the result of a food item having small degrees of the other three flavour types (i.e. salt, sour and bitter); so do savoury flavours, which are still predominantly salt-based.

            “Umami” is nothing more than a marketing tool.

          9. umami
            /uːˈmɑːmi/

            Learn to pronounce
            noun
            noun: umami
            a
            category of taste in food (besides sweet, sour, salt, and bitter),
            corresponding to the flavour of glutamates, especially monosodium
            glutamate.

          10. That’s just an example of a dictionary falling for the propaganda. Monosodium glutamate is a salt (the clue is in the “sodium” bit). “Umami” is also a salt.

      2. Note how Kraft are trying to hide behind Heinz, Heinz went down the pan years ago nothing they produce is as good as it used to be.

        1. What happened to good old Crosse & Blackwell? Their soups and other products (original Branston Pickle) were always far superior to Heinz.

          1. Were!

            We bought some Branston pickle and found that it was a new improved flavour – mainly turnip or Swede. The colour was right but everything else was off.

          3. No Aldis in Sweden. No Netto any more either. We do have Lidl but most of its produce is geared up to the (lack of) taste of the Swedes.

            I have to rely on websites, such as Brit Superstore, for necessities, such as jars of Colman’s Mustard. I order my tea from Wilkinson’s of Norwich. I can get superb coffee beans, though, here in Sweden. Arvid Nordqvist’s Nero and Molto espresso beans are as good as you can get, anywhere.

        2. I avoid Heinz where i can. I bought some spaghetti hoops from Lidl this morning. 13p a tin.

          3. She doesn’t eat pasta. She’s dieting.

            I sometimes want a simple lunch reminiscent of childhood.

  100. That’s me for the day. Very successful bonfire. Now a glass of red medicine.

    Have a jolly evening being aggrieved about something.

    A demain.

    1. Not me, Bill. I just ignore all the grievances – they’re aggravating. As Colin Powell once said: “Pay the King his shilling, then do the right thing”. For me that means I will wear a mask wherever the law insists I do, but will use my discretion in every other scenario.

      1. Good evening Elsie – This is exactly what I intend to do but could draw the line if they insist on a mask being worn outside. I need good fresh air to keep healthy.

        1. I will comply (unwillingly), but continue to feel resentful and avoid occasions where I am forced to wear them to the best of my ability.

          1. I understand that Conway, but holding resentment only harms you and not those imposing or enforcing the restrictions. Rather like sticking pins in a Voodoo Doll – hurts the pin-sticker more than the person the doll represents.

          2. I won’t brood on it, but I will feel resentment when I put it on. It will be a case of “don’t get mad, get even”.

          3. I’m getting as even as I can by stocking up before next Friday.
            After that, the occasional fresh food foray and the internet.
            I am sick to the back teeth with this drift interspersed with arbitrary diktats.

          4. Same here. I have to get MOH to phlebotomy tomorrow, so afterwards, as I’ll have the car out, it will be a major shop of non-perishables or things that will freeze.

          5. My Mothers friend texted me a while ago to say that the flea botanist had visited. Took me ages to work out WTF…

          7. Doyoufeel a sharp stabbing pain just below your right shoulder?

            No? Give me a moment I will move the pin

          9. How CAN you say that. Millions of Haitians know just how wrong you are…{:¬))

          10. Fear not, Conwy – the useless idiots will change their minds again (and again)

      2. I’ve been to a small function today, where everyone was wearing the damned things, except me. I succumbed to HG’s constant kicks and put on my mask-of-death. Peer pressure and sore shins drives one.

        The gathering were not very appreciative when I pointed to each of their masks and showed where the exhalation was being concentrated and sprayed at the person next to them.

        I suspect I might not be invited back!

  101. OT – one of our dearest French chums is “unfamiliar” with e-mail, even though she has an address..

    I have just finished a long, newsy letter in which (inter alia) I have explained to her that there are a dozen e-mails in her in box. I shall post it this afternoon!

  102. There was little discussion about our big new aircraft carriers yesterday. Too big to be allowed to sink.
    That was the thinking applied in the case of the big banks going bust. Vast sums of taxpayers money were handed over to save the banks. However, nothing was done to prevent a repeat on an even larger scale.
    Maybe all the big banks should have been broken up into separate companies, by division, by speciality and by region. Thus one big bank would become perhaps 100 smaller banks. We could then allow a smaller bank to fail, if they messed up.
    (I am baffled as to how a bank that pays 0.1% interest on deposits, and charges 25% interest on credit cards can possibly fail.)

    2. The banks *didn’t* get tax payers funding. Only one did.

      The banks were not too big to sink. Brown didn’t want them to because it would have exposed his utter stupidity and fiddling with the banking code.

      Banks make pots of money. Pots and pots and pots.

  103. Smack forehead time, whilst watching the local Bbc news. The reporter asked two young black girls whether they thought the COVID-19 crisis was responsible for the recent upturn in gun and knife crime in London. “It might be because they are stir crazy”, said one. Neither mentioned the fact that the lockdown had been eased and the flow of illegal drugs was resuming.

    1. …and that there was lots of stabby-stabby and murder before the relief of lockdown.

  104. Evening, all. We all know the compulsory face masks are a waste of time now – too little, far too late. It’s a face covering saving exercise. As one of my friends remarked they want us all to wear burkas.

    1. I love Dilbert even more than I did before, if that’s possible.
      It is the job of cartoonists to poke fun at dictatorial extremists, not kneel down in front of them or keep silent.

  106. Who’s next? Judges are accused of ‘opening floodgates’ to MORE ISIS brides and up to 150 terrorists after Home Office LOSES bombshell High Court case to keep Shamima Begum out of UK

    Shamima Begum fled UK with three friends aged 15 to join ISIS after flight to Istanbul and bus through Turkey
    She married a Dutch jihadi and they had three children – all of whom have died of sickness or malnutrition
    Begum stripped of her British citizenship because of her Bangladeshi heritage wouldn’t leave her stateless
    But 20-year-old’s legal team, led by civil rights group Liberty, says decision is illegal under international law
    Today Court of Appeal found her favour after tribunal found against her – and said she should return to the UK

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8529165/Shamima-Begum-return-Britain-battle-right-remain.html

    1. You remind me of a nice example of Labour Party hypocrisy, uttered by its erstwhile ‘leader’.

      Corbyn a year or so ago: “We demand the return of Shamima Begum to the UK at once, she was only a 16 year old immature child when she decided to join ISIS and cannot be held accountable for her actions at such a young age”

      Corbyn before his recent demise: “We demand that 16 year olds be given the vote in the UK, they are responsible and free-thinking young adults”

    3. There is no compulsion on us (the UK) to arrange for her return. She can be left to find her own way.

    4. Thinking out loud here, I’m no legal expert. She doesn’t have a British passport at the moment, so how does she travel to the UK – on a Bangladeshi passport? If so, presumably she can be stopped from entering the country as an undesirable alien, so wouldn’t be able to exercise the ‘right’ to consult her lawyer etc. in the UK.

      1. Will she need to be quarantined for fourteen days?

        That would be a great excuse for BLM type riots outside the prison / luxury hotel.

        Oh look she absconded.

        1. If allowed back into the UK, she would immediately be spirited away to some secret location (indeed no-one would know she is back in the country until after her arrival). My suggestion is to find a legal way of not letting her back into the country, thus rendering the Appeal Court’s judgement ineffective.

    1. I vaguely remember T Cell count was important for people infected with HIV.

      I also read a report that said the Covid virus was man made. Made from several other viruses. Including fragments of HIV.

      1. There were also reports that the virus was made in the US and smuggled into China during some athletics event.

        I guess that we will never know.

    2. I vaguely remember T Cell count was important for people infected with HIV.

      I also read a report that said the Covid virus was man made. Made from several other viruses. Including fragments of HIV.

  108. An interesting program on our local TV last night, called Political Blind Date, it pairs up two politicians from opposing parties to discuss issues. Last night there were real diffences, the leader of the national lefty ndp with our Ontario conservative Premier – image Trump and Lammy trying to talk civily about anything.

    It was TV so as Bill says, don’t believe anything but it was interesting to see the two polar opposites gradually move from antagonism towards acceptance of the others views then a joint building of possible solutions.

    If only politicians could learn to act that way instead of grandstanding sound bites for TV.

    1. No sooner said…

      No 10’s Orwellian approach to The Science has entered its most chilling phase
      Before, expert debate was merely biased. The risk is it now becomes non-existent.

      SHERELLE JACOBS
      DAILY TELEGRAPH COLUMNIST
      16 July 2020 • 6:00am
      Sherelle Jacobs
      If “following The Science” turned out to be a trap for the Government, “putting The Science into practice” is the only political escape route. Such is No 10’s conclusion, as it trades in one devious narrative for another even more ruthless. It makes strategic sense: deferring to scientists proved an invaluable tactic for ministers, but it had the unfortunate side-effect of trashing the economy. It also caught Downing Street in a vicious cycle; propelling the experts into the spotlight only highlighted the divisions in scientific opinion – and the absurdity of No 10’s position.

      But if the Blair years were all magicians’ optics, we are now in an era of “quantum politics”. It starts with the theoretically impossible feat of shoving The Science in the back of a Whitehall drawer at the same time as shamelessly using it as cover. Downing Street’s formula for achieving this is ingenious: to pretend The Science is obvious to the point of irrelevance. After all, if the right way of dealing with a crisis is indisputable, then politicians need neither take ultimate responsibility for their decisions nor rely on experts.

      ADVERTISING

      Ads by Teads

      To this end, the scientific advice group Sage has been usurped by a new operation, the Joint Biosecurity Centre. While the former will now meet less often, the latter will provide real-time analysis of spikes and advise on clamp-down measures, such as closing workplaces. In other words, the most influential scientific body in the country is no longer a forum, but a mechanism – a slick operational outfit that will implement rather than inform policy – and dazzle the media with tactics inspired by counter-terrorism in the process.

      The JBC occupies a dangerous new space in British politics where the gleam of pseudo-science meets the glare of the surveillance state. Whodathunk that this next-generation hybrid would be headed by GCHQ’s Clare Gardiner – an epidemiologist who also happens to be a senior spy?

      This week’s face masks psychodrama offered a glimpse of the new phase that the JBC might signal; a world where science is no longer just biased, but categorically not up for discussion. As ministers clashed over the question of whether masks should be mandatory, the debate over whether they work was cunningly sidelined. Nor did the country seem to notice that the Government’s move to make masks compulsory in shops contradicted Sage’s scepticism over the evidence in their favour.

      Which hits on the volatile vulnerability of Britain’s highest scientific authority. Throughout this crisis, Sage has swung from painful irrelevance – contesting in vain the Government’s bizarre quarantine measures, for example – to stoking hysteria with doom-mongering modelling. This week, its more activist-minded members seemed to respond to No 10’s latest rejection with a barely-concealed bid to re-style Sage as a lobbying outfit.

      In that it may yet succeed. In recent days, the media has savoured a paper commissioned by Sage head, Sir Patrick Vallance, which warned that a second winter wave more deadly than the first is a “reasonable” worst-case scenario. Few probed the paper’s reasoning – from its pessimistic assumption that the infection rate may need to reach 70 per cent for the country to achieve herd immunity to its failure to factor in treatment breakthroughs like dexamethasone.

      Whitehall, of course, has form with “unreasonable” worst-case scenarios, long predating the notorious Imperial College lockdown paper. A decade ago, in an investigation into the quality of emergency scientific advice during a flu scare, the Commons Science & Technology Select Committee expressed concern that the then government’s “reasonable” worst case scenario seemed to be “influenced by the need to find a reasonable level of public expenditure for contingency planning rather than outlining the worst scenario that might realistically happen, based on the best available evidence”.

      These suspicions were swept under the carpet; after all, a plastic definition of “reasonable” worst-case scenarios has, over the years, suited both Sage’s scientist-activists and politicians who dislike being advised to do things for which they lack the means. But in the end, this obscure technocratic quirk unleashed total systems failure: when the pandemic hit, ridiculous projections were touted as viable. Astute scientists quickly twigged that action with substantial, unquantifiable costs (like lockdowns) were acceptable; actions with substantial, quantifiable costs (like testing) were sidelined.

      If career science led us over the cliff, our only route from rock bottom is to go back to basics, and follow the evidence. We could start with focusing on the vulnerable, rather than fixating over face masks. Rolling out new 20-minute Covid tests across care homes and creating a single organisation dedicated to monitoring hospital-related infections should be top of the list. And as experts continue to ponder points as basic as whether it’s possible to get Covid twice – and even whether the virus precedes the outbreak in Wuhan, now more than ever No 10 needs to be open to the evolving scientific debate.

      In other words, it should be wargaming realistic scenarios with laser precision, at the same time as keeping an open mind. Instead it is preparing for the apocalypse with paper swords.

      Related Topics

      1. We can still blame the media and their appetite for instant news.

        In years gone by a scientist would pose an idea for discussion and review, nowadays the idea becomes fact and is plastered all over the news as fact.

  110. If anyone’s interested in dehumanisers: Sainsbury’s 10-pack single-use £8; Aldi 2-pack reusable £3. Anyone else with any tips, please post on here. Perhaps the mods can pin a post for a few days for all to see (if anyone thinks it’s worth it).

    Now that the virus that dies out of doors apparently no longer does, I expect the next ruling will to be wear one everywhere you go. If so, look out for the vigilantes. Wear your mask to save your teeth.

    A former work colleague rang me this morning. He’s in his early 70s and a really decent and kind bloke (not at all grumpy like we Nottlanders). He’s involved with one of our local churches but has had to withdraw from all that so even he’s feeling a bit frustrated. He’s naturally more wary because of his age and also because of the advice of his son, a pathologist in Brum. He didn’t pass on to me much that we didn’t already know but one snippet was interesting: that a second wave is probable but that it will be less severe because the DNA of the virus has mutated and is making it less virulent. Look out for this in the media – but look hard.

    1. It was in the media a couple of weeks ago. But really, they haven’t a clue whether any mutation will be more or less unpleasant.

    2. Amazon will sell you 100 for £7.80. They prolly come impregnated with Covid.

      Churches are largely still no-go areas anyway. We’re open for two hours, twice a week for private prayer (use hand sanitiser on the way in and the way out, only one person allowed in the building at a time, most of it cordoned-off with red and white tape and warning notices in every direction. Resembles a post nuclear bomb site. We have our first funeral of the year towards the end of the month. No singing allowed; they’ve even decided against any organ music. Can’t be too careful…

      Sunday worship (allowed since 4th July) may recommence in September; at the moment, only around 25% of churches in Guildford have risked opening. Singing is illegal. At best, we’re permitted a single cantor, behind a plexiglass screen. Or a small professional group of singers, provided that they and the congregation are outside. My once perfectly respectable job as organist and choir director has effectively been proscribed for the foreseeable future, possibly forever.

      1. “My once perfectly respectable job as organist and choir director has effectively been proscribed for the foreseeable future, possibly forever.” – I’m sorry about that, Geoff, that’s a right bugger, and totally unnecessary. Who is making all these weak-kneed decisions that the Church should close down ans effectively vanish up it’s own fundament? Do they actually want a Church after all?

        1. At Parish level, we want to get back to normal ASAP. But our congregation is largely in ‘shielding’ territory, and may not be willing to risk attendance in person. The average age of my two choirs is even older.

          I keep hearing Bishops and the like pontificating about “this wonderful new opportunity to re-invent Church, and get rid of these horrendously expensive old buildings.” I suppose, since Common Purpose has been inextricably linked with the CofE since its inception, I shouldn’t be surprised. As far as they are concerned, the future is Zoom. They ran away when the virus arrived. And surfaced occasionally to excoriate Dominic Cummings, and take the knee to Black Lives Matter. Welby is hunting for offensive white art representations of Christ, and the new Archbishop of York has decreed that Jesus was black.They lobbied the Government to lock down all the churches (initial guidelines said they should remain open for isolated prayer). The idea that singing is somehow dangerous is beneath contempt. Do they think people only exhale when they are singing? In fact, breathing tends to be far more controlled when singing, than when talking. But the fuckwits can’t see this.

          When St Margaret’s, Westminster can summarily disband its choir, sack its organist and terminate Sunday services, when it had a thriving congregation (before lockdown) of 200-300, what hope is there for small village churches?

          “Do they actually want a church at all?”. It would appear not. I have a few alternative exit strategies in the planning stage. Without feet, I’m not much of an organist anyway. Time to retire, methinks…

          1. Rant appreciated, Geoff, and agreed with.
            So, whatever happened to the C of E wanting to increase congregations? They must have given up. A pity, there was a lot of good there, and comfort for unordained folk. Guess they’ll have to become Methodists or something… personally, I tend towards the Friends – less BS, but the buildings aren’t the same, sometimes small, majestic and old places where their soul seeps into you, soothing and relaxing at the same time.
            :-((

          2. There must have been 40 of us on Sunday (spread out all round the building, of course) and we weren’t allowed to sing, although Stuart played the tunes on the organ. Next week we will be allowed to hum along – yay! Chester diocese seems to be keener on getting things moving, thankfully.

    3. I’ve just taken delivery of a pack from Amazon: 50 for £20, came in 2 days.

      2. We use the reusable ones. Have 2 of those each and you can wash, dry and wear again. I like having a lining inside mine, to help breathing inside them.

        1. The hospital says I can use a scarf instead of a mask. It it’s good enough for them, it’ll be good enough for the shops.

          2. Apart from the fact I am sure I had it in February and thus am unlikely to get it again, at least in any form worse than a bad cold, I haven’t worn a mask since lockdown began and I have been fine.

  111. I cannot remember the limitations on what I can watch on TV without a TV licence. I seem to remember the restrictions extended beyond BBC programmes but I may be wrong. My intention is to avoid BBC TV programmes for as long as I can after 1 August and not pay the licence until I cannot manage without BBC TV.

        1. You need a TV licence for BBC iPlayer, molamola, as explained to Peddy earlier. It didn’t use to be the case but sometime last year (I think) the BBC changed the rules. Mr Lineker costs them a few bob, you see.

        2. Asks you if you’ve got a licence – of course, you don’t have to be truthful …

          1. So, even though it’s not live it’s technically illegal if you don’t have a licence?

          2. I understood you had to be watching it live (or have recorded it live to watch later) to need a licence. I just happen to know that iPlayer asks you if you have a licence to continue.

          1. Both of those are capable of receiving ‘live telly’, I think. I would like to know the precise ins and outs.

      1. It’s very cleverly worded, OLT. Note how they drop the word “live” before “TV/broadcast” without drawing attention to the fact that non-live none-BBC programmes and films may be watched free of charge.

    4. Any broadcast TV, plus iPlayer. Or anything you record of the aforementioned. The rules allow you to have a TV. The Capita goons are liable to pressure you into connecting the aerial, and using this as evidence that you’re watching TV.
      Au contraire. Despite BBC’s efforts to tell you otherwise, ownership of a does not mean that you require a licence.

      1. Good evening Geoff – All the more reason for the BBC to become self sufficient. They have too dominant a position. The situation is much worse than I thought.

    5. If you are feeling combative, there are various web sites that give all the advice that you need to avoid paying and avoid being caught. I suspect most of those who are taken to court have self incriminated believing the thug at the door has a right of entry. With a family, it is difficult to constantly sit behind drawn curtains hoping that no one will give the game away if the chap calls when I am out.

      2. True Johnny but you can go the The ITV Hub and watch any non-BBC TV programme free of charge provided the programme has already been broadcast.

  112. 321394+ up ticks,
    May one ask what are priti pets, views on begum the terrorist breeder and her quest in legalising the return of terrorist to the United Kingdom.
    Let us, the decent peoples, see some Tommy Robinson type action the establishment proved they can do it for nefarious purposes let us observe them do it for the decent peoples safety & well being.

  113. Simon Hopkinson inspired Tandoori Chicken. It has been marinating in spicy yogurt since yesterday morning. Served with a salad and a dry Martini.

    Don’t all rush round. Only enough for me and the ankle biter.

    1. Wel. if you have to insult me and call me an ankle biter. OK I am on the way.

          5. ;-))
            A stick of wet celery… see where you are coming from (as it were).

          6. That was me at the beginning. I won’t post the pic of me at the end covered in blood, vomit and piss…..

          10. Not eat? Garnish always confuses me – nearly ate a huge, dragon-carved crrot in the middle of our Chinese meal once, but was fortunately stopped by SWMBO

          18. There was a rooftop Bar and Pool. The Pool was closed at that time of night but i went skinny dipping anyway. After several LII Tea. When i came out i started dancing on the tables waving my pants around my head.

            I haven’t been back to that Hotel for some reason.

        2. I’m on the right side of the water, me. I’m coming Grizz, I’m coming!
          (the border is open today, too!)

          2. Hoi!
            (sobs quietly)
            Anyhow, I’m all besmirched with green & white paint. Looks like I made up with Multicam camouflage… and my hands are all full of holes, so not exactly ready for nice dinner. Maybe another day…

    2. I am currently marinating one bag of lamb chunks, one bag of pork chunks, and one bag of beef chunks, all in a marinade of lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and olive oil. My guests, tomorrow night, each have phobia about certain meats (the lamb is for me).

      Tomorrow I shall impale those meaty chunks onto a number of my huge, homemade kebab spears, and barbecue them. I shall serve them with a tzatziki, spuds, mushrooms, sautéed onions and mixed peppers, and a mixed salad.

          1. Lamb and any available offal.

            Dolly eats anything including bits of wood, wire, plastic, socks and shoes.

          4. Eventually Mongo will be a therapy dog. He’s doing really well with his training. He struggles a bit around the really nasty chemicals in the cancer wards but he’s a good boy.

          8. My current dog loves tomatoes. His aged companion used to eat them, but the expression on his face as he was trying to get them down him showed that he was only doing it because his pal was!

  115. All the “papers” use ad feed to send ads appropriate to one’s location, interests. This one was from the Daily Mail today:

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/192b5c72e036b0d53a099c2d55e43c757e5e833cbb90b71900559cff6e6c293a.jpg

    It’s not far away, and it is a ‘Best Western Plus” hotel, but when I saw the ad, my first thought was how much extra do they charge?

    p.s. thanks for the Birthday wishes – I am now officially an acetate, not a vinyl…

    2. There are adverts on the Daily Wail site?

      There’s an offensively ad heavy website. I sent them screenshot of their site and suggested they fill in the mass of white space. Their reply wittered something about blocking adverts being unfair on websites. I countered with hijacking my browser and forcing a four layer redirect was unacceptable as well. Thus javascript is disabled for them as well.

    3. I stayed in the town of “Cross Keys”*, Lancaster County, PA, some years ago. The food I was served by the local Mennonites and Amish was superb.

      [*Former name of Intercourse.]

      1. Amish food is very tasty – and very filling; OK if you are off the plough your fields behind a team of horses, but a bit too much for the rest of us!

        1. The Good & Plenty restaurant served platefuls of fillet beef steaks, fried chicken, salads, corn muffins, apple butter, a mixed vegetable pickle called chow chow (no, not the dog!), and freshly home-baked bread. You paid a reasonable fee on entry and ate until you were full. All empty serving plates of whatever were instantly replaced. Pudding was Shoo-fly pie. Utterly yummy.

          1. One of those places you waddle out of, having consumed the equivalent of a couple of day’s food in one sitting. They are still there and still serving those “family style” meals.

          4. Wow, Jack. Thanks.

            That brings memories of 37 years ago flying back. Good to see they are still going and still serving delicious Chow-Chow and Shoo-Fly Pie. I’ve made Chow-Chow a few times now. It is wonderful with a cold buffet.

        1. Not forgetting Thomasville, near York, Pennsylvania, which is the same general area.

        2. Funny you should mention that. I did bypass the place en route east from Watkins Glen to Lake Luzerne in the Adirondack Mountains.

    4. Reminds me a of a note I saw in a hotel I stayed in when travelling in Cambodia

      ‘No prostitute in the hotel pleases’

      Thanks for heads up I said – the beer is still OK though isn’t it?

    2. They lock a man up for reporting the rapes, but they don’t lock up a rapist.

      All because they’re Muslims.

  117. Apropos the garbage that my MP sent me – I decided that I would reply. This is what I said:

    “Dear Mr Mayhew

    Quite frankly, I am appalled that you should write as you do. The Central Office “cut and paste” propaganda job just shows how completely out of touch you are with your constituents.
    To be able to demonstrate is one thing. For tens of thousands to march, shoulder to shoulder, through our cities in total disregard for the virus regulations – committing criminal damage and looting, while the police stand and watch – is another.
    The death of a black drug addict in Minneapolis (however regrettable) is nothing whatever to do with the United Kingdom.
    It is obvious that neither you nor your colleagues in government, know that the BLM movement is a Marxist organisation dedicated to the total destruction of capitalism and the defeat of western democracy. Far from being supported, the outfit should be proscribed and its leaders prosecuted.
    Once, there was policing by consent; “citizens in uniform”. Those days are long gone. Of course, there are many courageous police officers who understand their duty and carry it out. But their leaders are politicised and corrupt. To see police officers “bending the knee”, dancing with Extinction Rebellion, to wear rainbow badges – is quite sickening, especially when they stand and watch crimes and vandalism being committed and run away when challenged by drunken mobs.
    I had thought that you were a Conservative – but it is clear that you are the worse sort of liberal democrat. Nothing will persuade me ever to vote for you – or the Conservative Party – again.

    Yours sincerely”

    5. Excellent letter, Billy.

      You have encapsulated everything that is wrong with government today.

      1. Thanks, Grizz- and I didn’t even get on to the handling of the Plague….

        I thought I would stop when I had totally riled him.

    7. Well done you and you must know Bill that you speak for many millions of utterly fed up brits……….. BTW. Has MI6 been round to see you yet ?

    8. Great response Bill. The Conservative Party left you, you didn’t leave the Conservative Party.

      1. I said similar in response to a chap who sneered at me, “I’m a Conservative” when I was campaigning for UKIP. I replied that I had been, but the Conservative party left me.

  118. It’s been some years since I could taste anything apart from salt, sweet, sour & bitter, but nosedrops prescribed by Dr are having some effect. Was captivated by a woman’s perfume at dinner (lovely), and just now got some cheese from the fridge – it smells like someone farted in there (not lovely). But, after 5+ years of food tasting like wet cardboard with only the texture and temperature changing, this is definitely to be welcomed – farts ‘n all.
    :-))

      1. My sense of taste got completely skewed by 3 months of hospital food 2 years ago, but it came back.

      2. No idea. It was before my stroke, and came & went for a couple of years depending on whether I had a cold. Dr suspects polyps, hence the spray, and maybe he’s right. It’s just magic to have flavour (even limited) wirh food, and even to be able to smell sweaty armpits… :-o)

    1. Our local post office had two people at different positions behind the counter, and a notice outside saying “only one person allowed in at a time!”

  120. Apropos of nothing in particular, here is a gem I heard today. My daughter was talking to an Austrian girl, who told her that in their English classes in the school, they learned that “Britain is a nation of immigrants.”
    A55hole teachers.

    3. When my elder son was doing his Business Studies course in Düsseldorf, English was part of the obligatory curriculum. The E. teacher was hopeless & he was constantly correcting her. In the end she said sarcastically, “Why don’t you take over?” He did, for several weeks & all the marks in the class went up.

      1. Firstborn’s English teacher used him as part of the learning material… smart lady!

  121. I had hoped that The National Theatre’s production of Amadeus was going to be special – but I’m just not awoke to enjoy it

  122. Good night all.

    Lemon sole fillet a la meunière with a butter/lemon/anchovy/parsley dressing, washed down with a glass of Montgravet SB, followed by summer pudding.

    1. Fish, fruit followed by fruit.

      Gak.

      I had quiche (I want to call it flan, the warqueen calls it frittata) and tikka in sour cream. Then I ate proper cake.

  123. “Everybody on the left keeps preaching diversity, unless it’s diversity of thought, diversity of philosophy, or diversity of ideology,”

        1. Yo Boss

          Then, what ‘select’ group of people, will be the next victims.

          Of course in 100 years time, history will repeat itself with White Lives Matter

  124. Shamima Begum – just a reminder.

    There of course is the option to arrest her immediately for war crime charges/ treason / terrorism (pick one) if she sets foot in the country.

    We have options – does the Government have a spine if their appeal against the decision fails?

    1. Wowsers – respect. Shoehorning ‘spine’ and ‘government’ into the same sentence.

    2. Within a week she’ll be accepting more money and benefits than a British pensioner with more then 50 years work behind them.
      How disgustingly sad and ridiculous is that ?

    3. That last question will begin nonne, then – a question expecting the answer no.

      1. I suspect there’ll only be civil disobedience if she gets her just deserts and is rejected.

        1. So (© Cathy Newman) you’re saying she should be sent into the Sahara.

          1. Gobi or Sahel or any desert, just so long as it isn’t the wastelands of this country.

    5. I believe that it was said that, had she been in this country, she would be in prison anyway. So hopefully even if she wins her appeal she will still be locked up. For a loong time (if not ever).

      1. Are you kidding? 6 months, then out for a lifetime on bennies and a hero’s welcome down her way.

        1. We all know that Banglsa. will refuse to take her and then our pathetic HO will just say “oh. OK then”.

          1. Since Daddy’s in Bangladesh, can we push the ‘right to family life’ schtick?

          2. Hah! We can, but the PTB will probably allow him to come here, avec new wife(ves), kids and all. “Do have a mansion on us”.

          4. Then deport her to Syria, her last known abode there, and let the Syrians deal with her.

  126. That’ll learn ya Harry..
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6037e99a61aac46e5b31d685811eecceb15db4ab3bcd6c563d2120e8c61bf465.jpg

    A five-year-old schoolboy was left in floods of tears after thieves stole the entire contents of his honesty stall which he runs from his parents’ glamping site.
    Harry Clare sells eggs, which he collects from his family’s chickens himself, and goat’s milk as well as soap and lip balm from a table top based outside the site near Rosebud Meadow in Malvern, Worcs.
    Each morning he goes to restock before school and retrieve any takings which have been left inside the honesty box placed next to a price list for his products.
    But when he went to check his stall on Tuesday he noticed that someone had stolen all of his stock, leaving behind just his table and sign.

    Harry has since received hundreds of messages of support and offers of donations from well-wishers across the globe while police have been called to investigate.

    All’s well that ends well eh Harry….

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/15/schoolboy-five-left-tears-thieves-steal-entire-contents-honesty/?li_source=LI&li_medium=liftigniter-onward-journey

    2. Some of the BTL comments were beyond belief. I’m a cynical old bat, but these were … beyond anything I could dream of in my sourest of moments.

      1. Jonathan Bagley
        16 Jul 2020 11:42AM
        At £1.50 for 6 eggs and £2.50 for bit of vaseline, he’ll be back on his feet in no time. Sorry, couldn’t resit……I’ll get my coat.

    3. A sixty-seven year old man is in floods of tears after thieves stole the entire culture of his country.
      Stephenroi used to collect stories of heroism and fortitude placing such articles in the public domain so others could be inspired.
      However, when he went to check the news headlines this morning he found that the culture developed over a 1,000 years had been stolen, leaving just an empty husk and some very obnoxious signs.
      Stephenroi has yet to received hundreds of messages of support and offers of donations from well-wishers across the globe while no doubt police have been called to investigate his wrong think.

  127. The tsunami that devastated ancient Britain just over 8,000 years ago: New evidence shows how massive tidal wave in 6,200 BC swept away Doggerland that linked UK to mainland Europe and inundated East Coast

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/032e1177595f6fe2a2cf99ac8c8f68fdf3b7587ed7cfc60f0403d1148d612f28.jpg

    The giant tsunami event, known as the Storegga Slide, was caused when an area of seabed the size of Scotland – around 30,000 square miles – under the Norwegian Sea suddenly shifted.

    For those unfortunate enough to be caught within the tsunami run-up zone, it would have been devastating, according to the researchers.

    There are our ancestors having a barbecue afterwards. All the blacks were swept away in the tsunami!

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8529237/Scientists-new-evidence-land-splitting-tsunami-8-150-years-ago-Englands-coast.html

        1. They may have been responsible for feasting on the very last one:
          “Most woolly mammoth populations disappeared during the late Pleistocene and early Holocene which began 11,500 years before present…”

          3. Wow…. I’ve never even seen it on the menu…. you must dine expansively (sic)

          4. I have a Larousse which details how to cook (Ndovu look away now) an elephant’s foot. The first line of which is dig a 4 foot pit!

      1. I don’t know about mammoth bones, but there should be a lot of aircrew bones at the bottom of the Channel.

      2. The area was part of the land bridge to Europe during the Palaeolithic and part of the Mesolithic. I believe the archaeology is being seriously damaged by modern fishing trawlers.

      2. Ever tried working with Sütterlin? I have several books printed in the same. You can get used to it.

        1. We have a farm bible in that font. Looks like the language is sort of German-Danish, but as we struggle with the font, it’s difficult to tell properly.

    2. The bastards…glad I saw the original (in 1969). I’m surprised they didn’t go the whole hog and describe Guy Gibson as a war criminal!

      1. Incidentally, the inscription is wrong…Gibson was awarded bars to both his DFC and his DSO. In other words, he had two of each, a remarkable record. Back to the drawing board?

          1. I could easily count on the fingers of one hand those whom I consider to be true heroes, and Gibson is one of them.

          2. To me, Bomber Command aircrew (average age 22) all meet that category. Chop rate was nearly 50% yet night after night they got into their aircraft and braved the weather, possible mechanical failure, the fighters and the flak to try to press home the attack. Long hours in the dark, not knowing when the end might come. Takes a very special sort of courage, that.

      2. Some time ago I put up a photo of the grave, complete with his name on here. Then I had a computer crash and lost all the photos of my Lincolnshire holiday.

        1. Not the grey green greasy banks of the Limpopo, a tad long for the round collar marker.

    1. I stopped sending money years ago.

      My Charities

      St Dunstan’s : Blinded Servicefolk (but has had a name change): I have served with some of them

      Sally Army: lots of my family served in it and the band played at the end of our road, when I was nobbut a lad: They do good

      Cancer Research: Had it,recovered

      Stopped

      National Trust, They are Woke

      RNLI; Now a taxi service for immigrants

      1. Sally Army I have oodles of time for and always give to them
        St Dunstans yes yes yes
        Cancer Research , yes yes yes.

        Air ambulance yes !

      2. I mainly support animal charities. I stopped regular contributions to WWF because of their support for trophy hunting; Oxfam and Save the Children because of their scandalous behaviours, overpaid CEOs and the fact that they’ve saved too many children. I do support the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya.

  133. There are a lot of idiots around, looking for something which may cause offence to someone.
    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/16/fire-service-bans-black-country-flag-designed-12-year-old-due/

    Fire service bans Black Country flag designed by 12-year-old due to ‘potential link to slavery’
    The red, black and white emblem was designed by Gracie Sheppard in 2013 to commemorate the industrial heritage of the West Midlands area

    A fire service has been criticised for banning a Black Country flag designed by 12-year-old schoolgirl because it features a chain with a “potential link to slavery”.

    The red, black and white emblem was designed by Gracie Sheppard in 2013 to commemorate the industrial heritage of the West Midlands area.

    Selected by public vote, it is proudly displayed on homes and buildings across the region on July 14, known as Black Country Day.

    However, West Midlands Fire Service has now refused to display the flag at its stations, claiming the chains pictured on it may have historically been associated with the slave trade.

    The service pledged its support to the Black Lives Matter movement and said it wants its staff to instead celebrate Black Country Day “in alternative ways” until they have established what the chains represent.

    The move has prompted a backlash by local residents and MPs, who point out that the chains represent the chainmakers who were common during the Black Country’s industrial heyday.

    The colours of the flag were inspired by the words of Elihu Burritt, the American consul to Birmingham, who in 1862 described the region as “black by day and red by night” – a reference to its industrial activity. The white part represents glassmakers.

    Marco Longhi, Conservative MP for Dudley North, said he would continue to fly his flag in Westminster, adding: “I am disappointed and angry to hear that fire brigade bosses are attacking a piece of art that reflects our proud industrial heritage.

    “The Black Country Flag is known all over the world, it is a great shame these bosses seem to have no understanding of what it represents and what it means to the people of the Black Country.

    “I suggest that fire brigade bosses reflect on their decision and instruct local fire stations to fly the flag with pride. I also believe an apology is due to Gracie Sheppard who designed the flag when she was a schoolgirl.

    “This is political correctness gone mad and will no doubt anger the vast majority of Black Country folk.

    “I am more than happy to meet with the out-of-touch bosses, who have tried to politicise the Black Country Flag, to aid their understanding of our proud history and traditions.”

    Steve Edwards, chairman of the Black Country Festival, added: “This is not a case of pitting the plight of our Black Country ancestors against the horrendous treatment of the people who were enslaved.

    “It is saying that in many cases working-class Black Country people and Black slaves were victims of the very same people who profited from their labour.”

    Phil Loach, Chief Fire Officer of West Midlands Fire Service, said: “We’re proud of being an inclusive fire and rescue service, with staff from all walks of life who serve many diverse communities across the West Midlands – the bostin’ Black Country included!

    “Many of my colleagues hail from the Black Country and, I know, are immensely proud to have been born, raised and to have families here.

    “Having been made aware of claims about the flag’s imagery and the potential link to slavery, we asked our staff to celebrate Black Country Day in alternative ways on this occasion, so we could gain a fully rounded view.

    “West Midlands Fire Service is absolutely clear on its position of supporting the campaign prompted by Black Lives Matter – which resonates directly and personally with a growing number of our staff – and is continuing to consider the information available about the flag.”

      2. It looks as though the white bit represents a glass kiln. Quite clever, I thought.

        1. L’homme est un roseau, mais c’est un roseau pensant. They don’t do much thinking these days.

    3. Phil Loach – grow a pair mate – tell the perpetually offended to eff off!

    4. Chain making was a cottage industry in the Black Country. Grief, these people are ignorant!

    6. The Chief Fire Officer is quite obviously uneducated and unaware that appeasement of idiots makes him an even bigger idiot.

      God help us and protect us from these cretins.

        2. If some BBLM (sic) fascist complains, I would not be remotely surpriseed if it was chainged. (sic)

    9. I think it’s very racist of them to use the word “link” which as we all know is a reference to chains which is a reference to slavery.

      1. And, when you dial 999 to say that your house is on fire, and the operator asks, “Do you have a link?”…….

        I’ll get me hi-viz…

  137. With the increasing regulation and subordination of the people by thick politicians and dishonest health advisors I have a question:

    Folk continue to walk the streets and travel on trains whilst chewing bubble gum. When I commuted to London it was a commonplace to discover spent chewing gum stuck to the underside of tables and ledges. On occasion I would discover the sticky stuff attached to the sole of a shoe, usually when applying pressure to the accelerator or clutch pedal of my car.

    I reckon that chewing gum is probably a major spreader of Covid-19 yet there is no mention of this obvious contaminant by our supposed medical experts. Just as Chinese are associated with spitting, so our lot are associated with chewing gum, and other repulsive habits, nose and ear picking on trains being readily observed.

    Edit: So what the fuck are the idiots doing about it? (Prompted by Peddy).

    1. Maybe that’s why there’s been no great excitement in Singapore over Covid. Tyggis is illegal, afaik.

    2. How do you think I feel when on the first day I wore a new suit one knee of my trousers came into contact with some chewing gum that some git had stuck on the underside of the table? It ruined my trousers….

      1. If it ever happens again:

        Ice on the gum makes it very brittle and you can gently remove it without harming the knap of the cloth.

      2. Beats flapping the mouth with talk coming out. As long as the mouth is closed to chew, of course, so you can’t hear squelch, squelch, squelch…

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