Wednesday 17 February: Does the PM have the courage to stop Britain’s slide into Covid tyranny?

Posted on by Geoff Graham

An unofficial place to discuss the Telegraph letters, established when the DT website turned off its comments facility (now reinstated, but not as good as ours),
Intelligent, polite, good-humoured debate is welcome, whether on or off topic. Differing opinions are encouraged, but rudeness or personal attacks on other posters will not be tolerated. Posts which – in the opinion of the moderators – make this a less than cordial environment, are likely to be removed, without prior warning.  Persistent offenders will be banned.

Today’s letters (visible only to DT subscribers) are here:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2021/02/17/letters-does-pm-have-courage-stop-britains-slide-covid-tyranny/

675 thoughts on “Wednesday 17 February: Does the PM have the courage to stop Britain’s slide into Covid tyranny?”

    1. ‘Morning, Rik.

      No one runs education. The concept was abolished in the late 1960s. It was replaced by programming and brainwashing.

        1. I’m back…at least temporarily from being PNG..

          …but I’ve been warned for orders that I must not argue with the mods…no matter how much sh78te they spout….

          ..my view….bollox to that..if you post…I reckon you’re fair game….unless this mob has turned into the Guardian where every commentator cries at being challenged…

  3. No doubt arriving on these shores shortly……………

    Oregon :

    The education department mailed the manual to teachers as part of Black History Month.

    “The manual enumerates signs of “white supremacy culture in the mathematics
    classroom,” which include a focus on “getting the right answer,” an
    emphasis on “real-world math,” teaching math in a “linear fashion,”
    students being required to “show their work,” and grading students based
    on their demonstrated knowledge of the material.

    “In order to
    embody antiracist math education, teachers must engage in critical
    praxis that interrogates the ways in which they perpetuate white
    supremacy culture in their own classrooms, and develop a plan toward
    antiracist math education to address issues of equity for Black, Latinx,
    and multilingual students,” the manual declares”
    These people are terrifying…………….

    1. Ah, that’s why I wasnt very good at maffs, it was anti Welsh.
      Can I claim a backdated upgrade of my O level from C to A and £1m compensation for the trauma?

      2. That explains why I am so bad at maths, then. It’s the Welsh part of my heritage that’s been disadvantaged by English numbers rather than the fact I am really, really bad at number crunching.

      1. Only ‘cos you’ve not washed behind your ears this morning.

        When I was a slipshod washer as a nipper mum would say, “There’s enough muck behind your ears to plant a row of ‘taters!”

      1. Sadly all too accurate!
        Before old Arthur retired from the track inspection trains, he was one of the originals working with Ray Lewis on developing the systems used, he was in charge of the TRU with a young graduate as a trainee third man.
        Whilst getting the system ready to record during a transit run he asked the graduate to go & make the tea.
        The graduate refused, pointing out his educational status, so Arthur went to the lead cab and asked the driver to stop at the next station.
        When the train stopped he told the graduate to get off his train and go back to the office!

        1. And in real life…? I can remember stacks of stories like that….all of ’em, some what exaggerated…

  6. Good (very early for me) morning all. VW here BTW, Alf is still tucked up fast asleep. I woke up at 5. blasted 35, couldn’t get back to sleep, then all the pipes start heating up. My words some people are up early/late!

  7. Morning, all Y’all.
    Snowing, barely minus temperatures. Rain forecast for the weekeknd… :-((

  8. Good morning all.
    Sat up in bed with laptop trying to resist getting up because it’s chucking it down outside.
    Unfortunately I have a VERY serious Out of Tea Error developing.

  9. Europe launches recruitment drive for female and disabled astronauts. 17 February 2021.

    European space chiefs have launched their first recruitment drive for new astronauts in 11 years, with particular emphasis on encouraging women and people with disabilities to join missions to the Moon and, eventually, Mars.

    The European Space Agency (ESA) said on Tuesday that it was looking to boost the diversity of its crews as it cavassed for up to 26 permanent and reserve astronauts.

    Morning everyone. Within twenty years we have gone from seeking excellence in both physical and psychological terms to leadership by the inadequate and the handicapped. The society being constructed in the West is one of derisory qualifications; victimhood being its foremost requirement for advancement. Can such a society stand against someone like China, who despite their Marxist Credentials, are fierce nationalists devoted to the pursuit of success and merit? There is still some historical leeway of course but even the United States is slipping and Europe is essentially lost.

    https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/feb/17/europe-launches-recruitment-drive-for-female-and-disabled-astronauts

    1. A certain person is being criticised in the US for “his unwoke attitudes regarding race, sexuality, gender and class.”

      “He is a tool of imperial oppression. This is about white supremacy and colonization. He should be set aside or deemphasized to make room for modern, diverse, and inclusive voices.”

      Who on earth could be the target of the latest cancel culture du jour? None other than William Shakespeare!

      Apparently “Educators grappling with these questions are teaching, critiquing, questioning, and abandoning Shakespeare’s work, and offering alternatives for updating and enhancing curricula”.

      This is a further example of the inexorable decline in western civilisation.

      1. Don’t let them cancel Winston Churchill. Spiked 17 February 2021

        A school has dropped Churchill’s name from one of its houses, after its students said he was ‘a figure who promoted racism and inequality, unfairly imprisoning and torturing many’. In addition, an academic panel at the Cambridge University college named after him argued that Churchill was a white supremacist. He led an empire that was ‘worse than the Nazis’, they claimed.

        The West is essentially committing suicide! There doesn’t need to be a war, it will collapse of its own accord!

        https://www.spiked-online.com/2021/02/17/dont-let-them-cancel-winston-churchill/

        1. “Its students said”?

          First of all, schools don’t have students, they have pupils.

          Second of all, can its ‘students’ quote some examples please?

          1. Churchill’ s decisions in WWI led to the unnecessary slaughter of the ANZACS on Turkish Beaches…..

            …guess what my ethnic background is….go….on…don’t be shy…

        3. Nah..s’no more garbage than the Uni’ Mob saying they wouldn’t fight for King and Country…

          ..personally, I thought they’d have gone after WSC for his decisions that lead to the massacre of the gallant – check – extremely Gallant ANZACS on the killing grounds that were the beaches of Gallipoli…..

      2. 329511+ up ticks,
        Morning S,
        Using the dead once again to fuel their odious campaign, old shaky Will would have knocked out an anti twatology sonnet were he still around.

        1. No he wouldn’t…he would’ve worked out who had the loot – the patronage – and kissed their ar3e….

          1. 329511+ up ticks,
            Evening GB,
            In that context only, bums on seats,
            All’s well that ends well.

            ps, Long time no hear,

      3. It’s the teachers (Educators?) who cannot get to grips with Shakespeare, who are at fault.

        Educators sounds so Communistic, like Commissars..

        1. Shakespeare….boring s78te…the sort of subject that can’t kill you through boredom…you just wish it could….

      4. As I posted somewhere yesterday, an excellent idea! I look forward to seeing onstage the vast canon of the many African playwright contemporaries of Shakespeare!

    2. Have you heard Joe Biden’s latest pronouncement on China? He basically said that China is quite right to pursue its own national policies and minorities, Taiwan and Hong Kong are none of his affair. This is the supposed leader of the “Free World” talking. He has also rescinded the various policies that had been installed to prevent China taking over important infrastructure in the USA.

      1. You need to get down and get with it, Dean. Uncle Joe’s only tapping up the commies so’s they’ll send him a few orphan’s from Tibet to practice his hands-on healing, Bro. Joe’s a tribal elder and has powerful medicine, Dude.

        2. Hey, Beatnik, Joe’s known as “China Joe” and he’s best buddy with the head honcho in Beijing- bought and paid for by China. He’s now delivering the goodies as promised, Dude. “Handsy-grabby Uncle Joe” needs to exercise his fingers as they do the walkin’ all over those young kids.

        3. Do you do you mean Joe the Globalist is only following in the steps o’ Maggie and Ronnie .The PM “..Hmm..steel industry…why should I as PM protect those jobs from unfair foreign subsidised competition…of course I won’t..after all..they are Trade Unionists…the enemy within….f89k ’em…I as PM would prefer to see UIK workers on the dole instead of Red Voters employed…..after all, why should I, with my seat in wealthy landowning Linconshire….give a f89k about those shipbuilders who vote Red but face massively subsidised competition from my mates abroad….” And for the record before anyone starts to whine..the New Red Scum are just as bad…

      2. [crackly radio 1934] [RP Announcer]

        “Have you heard The Kings latest pronouncement on the Empire? He basically said that the Empire is quite right to pursue its own national policies and minorities, Africa and Hong Kong are none of any other nations affair. This is the supposed leader of the “Free World” talking. He has also rescinded the various policies that had been installed to prevent the US taking over important infrastructure in the World..”

        1. Well, I followed your example and had a couple of pancakes with a smear of treacle. Delicious, but I hope they haven’t seriously affected my diet. The recipe I “invented” was one level dessertspoonful of plain flour, one egg and one third of a cup of milk. Fingers crossed I’ll still lose weight this week.

          1. What is this life
            If, full of care,
            We have no time to
            Stand and stare …

            Or have the occasional treat?

            If you gain a little weight this week (or remain the same) then, so what? You’ll lose it next week when there is no Pancake Day.

    2. It’s been snowing all night long, here, on a southerly wind! Just 0ºC and the snow is wet (like a Liberal) but 2″ have settled.

      1. ‘Morning Grizz. Cloudless, blue sky here. The sun is turning the overnight dew into steam. Highs of 17C-19C for the next 5 days. Time to get the shorts out…..

  11. Morning all

    SIR – Lord Sumption has highlighted how our freedoms are being eroded. But is anyone in the Government listening?

    Having extricated ourselves from the tyranny of the undemocratic European Union, we now face being enslaved by the tyranny of Covid fear.

    Boris Johnson knows how to please a crowd, but does he have the courage and vision to avert the nation’s slide into totalitarianism?

    Catherine Castree

    Fetcham, Surrey

    SIR – Lord Sumption should know that the draconian restrictions on individual liberty during the Second World War were followed by a flowering of freedom and democracy such as this country has rarely seen. I have no fears about authoritarianism after lockdown.

    However, the selfish individualism that has been peddled as “liberal democracy” over the past 40 years has been shown by the pandemic to be inadequate, unequal and ultimately unsatisfying. Good riddance to it.

    Advertisement

    We can, as we did in 1945, create something more just, equal and caring for the future. We should have learnt over the past year that we are bound together. We can only be healthy if everyone is healthy. We can only be free and democratic if everyone has liberty and democracy.

    Dr Imogen Wedd

    Tonbridge, Kent

    SIR – Boris Johnson has said that he wants the current lockdown to be the last.

    How reassuring that our politicians have the power of prophecy. Will there definitely be no more dangerous mutations? Are they sure that Covid will never be a disease that seriously affects the young?

    What they certainly can claim is that our past reluctance to lock down helped make Britain a world-beater when it comes to Covid deaths per hundred thousand of the population. Currently, this stands at 175, as against Japan’s six and Australia’s four.

    The self-styled Covid Recovery Group, which opposes what it sees as draconian restrictions, will have noted that Australia has imposed a new lockdown in Victoria since the discovery of fewer than 20 new cases there. Currently in Britain we have around 10,000 positive tests per day and have spread our own variant to other countries.

    A world-beater indeed.

    Dame Esther Rantzen

    Bramshaw, Hampshire

    SIR – During the BBC’s Look North programme on Monday, there was an item about the police raiding a number of “house parties” in Scarborough.

    In an interview a policeman said: “Inside we found these three people, drinking alcohol, having a party, some form of cheese board on the side.”

    I didn’t know whether I should laugh or cry.

    Tony Ruberry

    Penrith, Cumbria

    1. Catherine Castree, Boris is actively pushing the United Kingdom in the direction of totalitarianism!
      This is nothing new.
      As Mayor of London, he sent an email to TfL that resulted in an advertisement being pulled from the side of a bus by TfL, purely because some people who had Boris’s ear did not like the advertisement.
      What more evidence do you need that Boris is no friend of liberty?

      1. 329511+ up ticks,
        Morning BB2,
        You can still hear echo’s of make boris PM he makes us laugh, when there was a lull in the cries of “we won the referendum” now leave it to the tory’s.

      2. Johnson, with Hancock’s help, has dug himself in to such a deep hole that he has to keep digging to save his sorry skin. He must win the war he started or face the dire consequences. His latest thrashing about i.e. ‘cases’ must fall below a thousand, is reminiscent of Hitler in his Berlin bunker in 1945. There, the by then completely unhinged Fuhrer was directing the movement of not only non-existent armies but of non-existent formations down to battalion level. Johnson’s reasoning is looking similarly unhinged and despotic, grasping at ever more ridiculous reasons to inflict restrictions on the people. Currently the Tories are living up to their, “Party before Country reputation.” It’s time for the people to take back their Country.

        1. Excuse me for thinking they have now moved onto the My Wallet Before Party, Country Nowhere phase!
          How else is it possible to explain their robotic obedience to Schwab and Soros’s reset, green fraud etc?

          Latest nonsense is some study purporting to show that woodstoves produce x amount of particles in the air – they are clearly working up to banning these fiendish devices by which citizens might retain some degree of independence from the electricity grid.
          I am fed up with government policy being dictated by science, which is fake as often as not.

          1. I have to admit that I’m not certain whether it’s ideology or financial reasons that’s driving this fiasco. Hancock has previous with the WEF, Soros and Gates, sucking up to all three since at least 2017, so ideology may be his main driver.

          2. They can get him to sell out his country for nothing, by flattering him? Not sure that isn’t worse!

            Incompetence is playing its usual large role in British politics of course.

            Upon reflection, flattery has always been a big weapon for the WEF. Common Purpose is based on flattery and making “future leaders” feel special. Millionaires are supposed to feel flattered when they get invitations from billionaires to hobnob at Davos.
            How depressing!

          3. Rather like Bliar, we’re never sure whether it’s ideology or venality which is the main driver.

    2. Who was it, I wonder, who described Esther Rantzen as “a jumped up typist”? Seems they were right!

    3. Dr Imogen, my dear, your catchphrases, “We can only be healthy if everyone is healthy. We can only be free and democratic if everyone has liberty and democracy.” are the very foundations of totalitarianism.
      Have you missed out “Strength through Joy” and “Arbeit macht frei”?

    5. “Lord Sumption should know that the draconian restrictions on individual liberty during the Second World War were followed by a flowering of freedom and democracy such as this country has rarely seen. I have no fears about authoritarianism after lockdown.” I don’t know what Imogen has her doctorate in, but it seems likely that it will be how to distil fairy dust from unicorn droppings. In WW2 the government were on our side. That hasn’t been the case for decades. They won’t give up easily now they have us where they want us.

    6. “Lord Sumption should know that the draconian restrictions on individual liberty during the Second World War were followed by a flowering of freedom and democracy such as this country has rarely seen. I have no fears about authoritarianism after lockdown.” I don’t know what Imogen has her doctorate in, but it seems likely that it will be how to distil fairy dust from unicorn droppings. In WW2 the government were on our side. That hasn’t been the case for decades. They won’t give up easily now they have us where they want us.

  12. Test and Trace failure

    SIR – The debacle of people being hauled off to quarantine hotels is further proof of the total failure of Baroness Harding and her Test and Trace army.

    Forcing people into hotels seems to be entirely based on the idea that they cannot be trusted to self-quarantine in their homes or other specific places.

    I travelled back to Britain from a red-list country 10 days ago. I completed the mandatory passenger locator form online 48 hours before travel and produced it upon entry to Britain. I have since be quarantining at home but have not been contacted by anyone from Test and Trace to check. I find that quite astonishing.

    It would be more effective to make Test and Trace do its job than to lock people up in hotels on the assumption that they cannot be trusted.

    Douglas Coleman

    Bowdon, Cheshire

    1. Well, the BBC and other social media has broadcast plenty of complaints from the poor people trapped in a single room in quarantine hotel.
      From their tone and attitude it is perfectly obvious that they cannot be trusted to self-quarantine.

  13. Quote of the day: “Everybody knows I like kids better than people.”

    From the fearless leader of the United States of America to Anderson Cooper of CNN!

  14. Bible bonus

    SIR – Peter Newton’s letter (February 9) about Lord Vestey’s inspection of his Blue Star Line ship reminds me of a story told by my late brother, who was also a master mariner, but with the Blue Funnel Line (Alfred Holt and Co).

    Holt used to board his vessels, unannounced, when they were docked in Liverpool and place a £5 note in the midshipmen’s Bible. The ship would then sail to the Far East. When it returned, Holt would return and check whether the money was still there.

    This practice soon became known to midshipmen, and the first thing they did on boarding was to check the Bible.

    Robert Walker

    Oakham, Rutland

    3. If we’d had those type of goalposts in the 1950s, one of my class mates wouldn’t have found a Roman brooch as the groundsman prepared the pitch for the hockey season.

  16. Good morning again.
    The Out of Tea Error finally drove me out of bed!
    3°C outside with the extra bonus that the rain has stopped, at least for now leaving a dull and overcast morning.

    2. When we ran out of milk last week I started raking about for something to make a drink that did not require milk. Getting to the back of a kitchen cupboard I found a jar of Ovaltine. Use By date was 2016, and when I opened it the contents were in a solid block. It went into the bin. Behind it I found a big pack of Chocomix milk shake powder. Use By date is 2004 but the contents seem fine. They don’t really work with water though.
      thr milkman now back on track.

  17. Inside Putin’s ‘torture dungeons’: Former nuclear bunkers where prisoners ‘are mutilated with surgical tools’ in Ukraine. 17 February 2021.

    • It has been claimed that more than 200 people are being held captive in cells
    • The prisons are allegedly being run by Kremlin-backed Ukrainian separatists
    • Photographs have been released allegedly showing chilling torture dungeons.

    This is just a cheap smear job of course but it does illustrate the ongoing Propaganda War being waged against Russia and Putin. To those who are inclined to belief I would point out that the “torture dungeons” do not belong to Putin in any conceivable sense and that there have been several prisoner exchanges where the Ukraine captives have been in better shape than their Donbas opposite numbers and with no evidence that they have been tortured.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9266871/Former-nuclear-bunkers-prisoners-mutilated-surgical-tools-Ukraine.html

    1. Why would anyone bother? Torturing prisoners is a waste of time. “Who are you working with?” – just check their phone and their emails…
      On the other hand are they being tortured just for the fun it? They are East europeans after all.

    2. Images of alleged torture? Has anyone checked the e-mails of the moon-faced, clickbait-chasing churnalist Piers Moron? He has form.

  18. Inside Putin’s ‘torture dungeons’: Former nuclear bunkers where prisoners ‘are mutilated with surgical tools’ in Ukraine. 17 February 2021.

    • It has been claimed that more than 200 people are being held captive in cells
    • The prisons are allegedly being run by Kremlin-backed Ukrainian separatists
    • Photographs have been released allegedly showing chilling torture dungeons.

    This is just a cheap smear job of course but it does illustrate the ongoing Propaganda War being waged against Russia and Putin. To those who are inclined to belief I would point out that the “torture dungeons” do not belong to Putin in any conceivable sense and that there have been several prisoner exchanges where the Ukraine captives have been in better shape than their Donbas opposite numbers and with no evidence that they have been tortured.

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9266871/Former-nuclear-bunkers-prisoners-mutilated-surgical-tools-Ukraine.html

  19. Regarding my question, yesterday, about who used the catchphrase — “Easy, ‘Rico!” — in a 1960s TV drama, Elsie didn’t know since she doesn’t watch the telly.

    The answer is Eliot Ness (played impeccably by the wonderful Robert Stack) to his fellow, and very excitable Italian-American Untouchable colleague, Enrico Rossi (played by Nicholas Georgiade).

    Was I alone in watching and enjoying that programme?

    1. Milk is milk. It comes from a female udder. All female mammals (including humans) have udders.

      “Udder milk” How simple can it be?

      Personally I think describing milk as anything other than “milk” is a tautology and idiocy. The facile term “Breast milk” is an abomination.

        3. Have you noticed the Uni. is based in Canberra….why is that so many capital cities create so many utter Loons…

      2. If men can produce milk, does that mean women can produce sperm?

        There is a heavy bias towards reporting the offended sensibilities of pretend women and very little about language to be used around and about pretend men.

        Not that I support either, but here is another area of inequality starting to open up.

      3. I believe the term ‘breast milk’ is used to differentiate from powdered milk and cows’ milk, all of which can be given to a baby.

    1. His argument is not ‘anti-vax’. He is expressing misgivings about the Covid-19 vaccinations, which have indisputably not undergone long-term testing.

      1. “We Just Don’t Know the Long-Term Side Effects of Basically Modifying People’s DNA and RNA”

        No, indeed. My ‘misgivings’ are based on that; or whether the choice is between an Auschwitz-Zeneca or a Belsen-Pfizer ‘vaccine’! I firmly believe dark forces are at play and I want nothing to do with any of it.

        1. And the fact that HMG has given blanket immunity to Big Pharma from lawsuits generated by the New Flu Vaccine injuring or killing anyone…

      2. You’re right, but it just further exposes the rank hypocrisy of the wealthy elites. One rule for them, one for the rest of us – I am (wrongly) labelled an anti-vaxxer for expresing the same very valid concerns. I bet Zuck doesn’t have any barrier to him jetting around the world or going to his fave $500 a head restaurant when he wants.

        I mean, has anyone seen ANY of them (I don’t mean film stars or politicians) get a bona fide vaccine in public and not at a venue/with a clinician of their choosing (e.g. to substitute the ‘real’ vaccine for, say, a saline soultion with a fake label on the vial)? Surely they would do so to ‘encourage’ others to take the jab?

        1. What angers me is that the views of these “celebs” are considered more worthy of publicity than yours or mine. It really is incredibly patronising that we are supposed to be in awe of their “wisdom” simply because they are computer geeks or similar.

    3. Siding with Elon Musk. It’s been reported that Musk has stated that neither he nor his family will be taking the vaccine. From what’s been reported, Musk is no fan of Gates.

  22. It’s so strange how the MSM ties itself in knots about vaccine passports.. but they never ask the obvious question as appeared in Conservative Woman….

    Why has the Conservative Party turned into Bill Gates’ Lapdogs?

    If that question was answered correctly, there would be no vaccine passports… because there would be no Conservative Party and no Prime Minister Johnson.

    1. 329511+ up ticks,
      Morning PP,
      Facts show governance party’s are of ill repute, politico’s
      creatures of the night, short time / all nighter’s pro biggest coin, rubber stampers.

      80k plus exs, basic, then unlimited opportunities to make more by crook or by crook.

      By the by who has the certs / passport
      printing franchise ?

    2. Because Gates is a Globalist with oodles of loot…exactly the sort of person Boris the Globalist adores….

  24. 329511+ up ticks,
    Seems like not purchasing eu merchandise is beginning to bite via just word of mouth among the UK indigenous, aka, people power, methinks if the same people power was used in a concerted effort starting with the next
    voting opportunity regarding the lab/lib/con coalition political group, then
    much needed change WOULD occur.

    The revolt ( treachery) of the revolting politico’s needs very serious adjustment as in eliminating via the polling booth, and a complete new set
    back in their place downstairs within this UK manor.

      1. 329511+ up ticks,
        BB2,
        If that is the case then that is proving beneficial for the goodies
        & that is highly unusual for the MsM.

        1. I had a terrible night. Had to keep getting up and walking around because of the pain.

          At 9.45AM i am getting a call from the Haematologist about all the blood tests i have been having.

          Will know more then.

          1. I can’t say more than this, I’m feeling really sorry you are going through all this pain .

            Do you have pain relief prescribed , you are in a bad place at the moment .

            Hope Dolly is a comfort for you . KBO 🤞

          2. I have Co-codamol but try to stick to Ibuprofen as the Co-codamol makes it difficult to think straight. And it’s difficult to keep down. The Doxycycline for a separate condition makes me nauseous At least i can go back to bed later this morning and catch up.

            Dolly is as always a joy and a comfort.

          5. Morning, Phil.
            Having an animal at home is more important than we realise, until events like yours happen.
            Bill really missed Spartie; he can be a self-centred little b*gger, but his self interest is so naked that it’s funny. And with “It’s all about ME” goes, we like to think, genuine affection.
            I’m sure the thought of getting home to a routine that both of them love, contributed to Bill’s quick recovery.
            Keep us posted; will your GP/consultant gets things moving rapidly as things do not seem to be improving.

          10. Good morning

            The Haematologist called this morning. She was concerned about my travails of last night as she thought i should have been seeing improvement. She said if it gets worse or my foot changes colour i should call 111 immediately to get me in to hospital. So they are up to date and on the ball as it were.

            They are still awaiting the results of the genetic tests to see where the problem lies and i might need to continue with the blood letting indefinitely.

            The good news is my abdominal scan showed no serious problems except for a small gall stone. No need to do anything about it unless it starts causing pain.

            Onwards and upwards.

            These little dogs have such big personalities. Dolly lets me know exactly what she wants and i give it to her. Must go, belly rub time !

  27. Whatever happened to long-sleeved football shirts?

    Seriously DT?
    Did you really pay someone to write an article on something that is no more than a pub question?

    2. One big reason why I gave up the Telegraph was the number of fluff articles written by Ophelias.

    3. I have heard ladies bemoaning the loss of short football shorts, “There’s no point in going any longer”. I explained about the ball and goals. “Whaaa?”

      1. Tell the ladies to watch Aussie rules football if they want to see a flash of gonads.

        They do balls and goals too.

  28. Good morning,all. The MR had her jab – very efficiently organised. They were doing 250 people in 2 hours. One wonders why they can’t be as efficient when life is “normal” and one feels unwell……and would like to see a GP but is blocked by Irma Grese on the reception desk…

    She fainted twice in the night – but claims to be OK now. I shall coddle her.

    1. Because normal doesn’t involve the grotesque megalomaniac Gates who wants to “vaccinate the entire global population” with an untested vaccine on a conveyor belt irrespective of clinical need.

      1. Gates, non too popular in India, I believe. That’s around 18% of the current World population.

  29. Macron is using Islam to outmanoeuvre Le Pen. 17 February 2021.

    An Islamic terror campaign began in 2012, when Mohammed Merah went on the rampage across southern France, shooting dead soldiers and three Jewish schoolchildren. Nine years later hundreds of men, women and children have been murdered.

    Those are the incidents that make global headlines, which leave police officers standing outside churches and soldiers patrolling the transport network. The extremists that commit such attacks are few. More prevalent — and arguably more dangerous — are those engaged in an insidious intellectual assault on Republican values. A poll in January revealed that 53 per cent of secondary school teachers have been challenged in class by a pupil for ‘religious reasons’ and 55 per cent have self-censored to ‘avoid an incident’.

    The highlighted section is of course far more dangerous to the host culture than a few bombings and shootings since it inexorably changes the nature of the country. Mass immigration is actually a death sentence to the status quo and the indigenous population, just as it was to the Romans and the Amerindians. We; Nottlers in particular, because of our median age, can see the changes taking place. Soon we will reach a tipping point and the land that we and our ancestors lived in and loved will be no more!

    https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/macron-is-using-islam-to-outmanoeuvre-le-pen

    1. 329511+ up ticks,
      Morning AS,
      That time is rapidly approaching via continuing abuse of the ballot booth.

    3. I shall probably die before this tipping point is irrevocably reached but my sons will not.

      The Strange Death of Europe by Douglas Murray should be compulsory reading for all those in the Sixth Form before they go on to university.

        1. The Madness of Crowds…a boring retread of the notion, “Individuals can be clever, crowds are stupid…”

          1. The concept of boredom is nothing more than a mind affliction; affecting only those who possess none of: imagination, intellect or wit.

  30. OT – if any of you have Netflix and want half an hour of humour and laughter – try “Pretend its a City”. A short docu by Martin Scorsese about Fran Lebowitz – a humourist. We laughed out loud – not often that happens.

    1. Blair is the ground elder of British politics. Nothing seems to eliminate him. He sneaks around underground, throttling any sign of life.

        1. Apparently the Romans introduced ground elder as a salad vegetable.
          Forget the wine, the roads, the aqueducts ….

          2. I’ve just passed something that looks better than Blair – in fact it IS better than Blair

  32. Stolen Car

    The light turned yellow just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection.

    The tailgating woman was furious and honked her horn, screaming in frustration, as she missed her chance to get through the intersection… dropping her cell phone and makeup.

    As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up.

    He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a holding cell.

    After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.

    He said, “I’m very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the ‘What Would Jesus Do’ bumper sticker, the ‘Choose Life’ license plate holder, the ‘Follow Me to Sunday-School’ bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk, so naturally…

    …I assumed you had stolen the car.”

    1. I saw that the other day TB perhaps they have blowers in mind with redirected wind turbines………oh hang on !!

  34. 329511+ up ticks,
    Lock-downs the never ending story, the consented lock-downs
    are here to stay all the time the governance party’s have a membership
    following in the ballot booth giving consent to the Dover race re-placement
    campaign ongoing.

    A Gordian Knot,
    Put in place via the lab/lib/con coalition group,

    dt,
    Exclusive: Covid lockdown to continue until cases drop below 1,000 a day

    Without a Lynchpin party in opposition.

    1. The absence of an Opposition is a particularly worrying aspect of this nonsense. Labour are away with the fairies as usual!

      1. 329511+ up ticks,
        Afternoon BB2,
        Many of us had one under construction with Batten leadership
        it was proving to be too successful and created an element of fear amongst the closed shop & helpers , ie party before Country brigade.

  35. Do you believe in conspiracies?….

    The elite long ago stated that the world’s population should be no more than 500 million while others say they are trying to bring the advanced nations to their knees…even the replacement of white folks.

    Covid strikes and thousands of elderly wiped out in care homes.

    Lockdown forces abandonment of routine treatment for life threatening ailments such as cancer.

    Mental health issues cause many to commit suicide.

    A quickly cobbled together vaccine with no long term effect testing is rolled out with the elderly receiving the first jabs.

    Priority is given to the wealthier countries who receive the jabs first.

    Good job the conspiracies are just that…they are just that…aren’t they?

  36. Good Moaning.
    Patient sitting up in bed with a bowl of porridge and small dog pretending he’s not watching every mouthful.
    Later I have to do real nursey stuff and hang around while MB has a bath.

          2. I also make it partly with milk. 1 cup of oats, 1 cup of milk, 2 cups water +salt. Microwave 2 min, stir, 1.30 sec, stir, 40 sec, stir, 30 sec, stir, 30 sec, stir, sprinkle cinnamon on, stir, add sultanas, stir – result nice creamy tasty porridge
            Morning Grizz

          3. Morning, Spikey.

            1 part oats, 2½ parts water, 12 twists of the salt mill. Bring to boil in a small saucepan and stir with a spirtle as it simmers for three minutes. I then add a squirt of Acacia honey (around 1 tbsp) and a little full-cream milk and stir it all through. I often eat it straight out of the saucepan!

            I bet there are as many different ways of making porridge as there are people making it.

          6. Agree, milk and water mixture is the best. Sheep milk and water is my favourite.
            I eat porridge with unsweetened stewed apples.

            In the Alps, they eat porridge with salt as well. Celtic heritage. They also have a traditional Christmas cake which is similar to a Scottish black bun, and they still celebrate the old Celtic festivals – they remember the dead on 1st November, they erect a May Pole and they jump over the fire at midsummer.

        2. DB [who was Irish] did the same,
          no milk either; he had a bowlful
          of yer proper porridge at 06.00
          every morning and the ‘full Irish’
          at 10.00!

    2. Take his blood pressure when he is in the middle of doing something else….(a patient writes)….

  37. Morning all.
    So much for the much expected double figures from the weather people.
    Perhaps they should be in government ……………oh hang on !!!
    And now they have announced another strain of virus, the Nigerian version.
    Where did that come from………….oh don’t tell me !!
    And when will our government learn.

  38. DT Headline: Wednesday 17 February: Does the PM have the courage to stop Britain’s slide into Covid tyranny?

    Well, George Orwell wrote this in “1984” 75 odd years ago, and nothing has changed:

    “We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end.”

    1. Yup…all politicians thirst for power….which is why anyone who stands for election ought to be barred…if random lottery is good enough for jury service, s’good enough for picking which ‘spud-guns and hedgehogs’ get to run the UK….

  39. For cat lovers only:

    Feline affection. We have a door directly from the kitchen into the garage. Last evening, Gus rushed to the door and squeaked piteously (he can’t miaow). He jumped up to the door handle. I picked him up, comforted him and opened the door to show him that no one was there. Down again, he rushed back to the door squeaking…

    I put him in another room and went into the garage. Nothing there. Full search. Nothing. Shut door and went to find Pickles. No sign. Gus rushed back to the door…

    Opened door again – and Pickles slid back into the kitchen from the garage. He must have sneaked into the garage while I wasn’t looking.

    Much brotherly love – sniffing, licking, paw over shoulder. Not a dry eye in the kitchen…!

  40. Well, we are awaiting the arrival of our Plumber/gas fitter. Lovely new boiler fitted yesterday but a part missing from the flue kit. So not turned on yet. I don’t mind but I have know Graham for years, I had to help him out, getting up onto the roof and I fitted the flue pipe flashing and cut some more tiles to suite the surround I must have made a good job of it, it has rained all night not a drop penetrated. While it was all drained down i also removed the towel rail in the bath room and replaced the broken element. And No leaks.
    24 hours after prep, Sourdough ready to go into the oven and new batch of everyday bread to make.
    Slayders.

    2. I’m so glad my ‘old’ boiler packed up (it had about 5 different things wrong with it, likely costing £750+ to fix, assuming I could find a plumber willing to work on it [very unusual boiler requiring special training] and they could source the parts [not easy]) in 2019 rather than over the last year.

      After a few hiccups in the first month or two after it was installed (very glad of the 10 year warranty), it’s been running well – one less thing to worry about during the current hard times.

      I remember a near neighbour (who had the same old boiler [original fit on the entire housing development]) had to wait an entire month before their plumber could get the required parts, and luckily for both he didn’t need the specialist training because the broken parts were the more ‘standard’ ones, unlike three of my one. They had to buy electric heaters and had no hot water throughout that month (October 2020). Lucky it wasn’t this past month, given how cold it was.

      1. We were in a similar situation too expensive to repair given the 28 years it had been running Andy and no hot water. But I managed to get the CH working with a bit of fiddling and limited hot water by topping up the boiler with cold water and turning the hot taps on. But the excess overflowed into onto the patio at the rear of the house and froze. As i had managed to get heating. I put Graham off from last week because of the snow and frosts. He’s almost finished and we will also have a ten year warranty. As a registered Baxi installer he has also fitted the filter and draining device, then at each service the residue from the pipe work can be flushed out. It also has an accessible reservoir for the inhibitor. And the bonus is this new boiler will be far more efficient and cheaper to run.

  41. Today’s topics reign supreme….

    Having read what Biden is saying over on the US pages of Breitbart and the BBC news this morning you may be pleased to know that we progressed from being centre right to far right and now white supremacists.

    How on earth did we manage that?

      1. I met him once, he was a decent down to earth guy.
        The company I worked for were converting an large old shop into a pub near Amersham.

  43. I see that all the Civil Service ‘Sir Humphreys’ are out in full force today, pooh-poohing the planned re-opening and forcing it into the long grass by stating that cases must come down 93% and the NHS remains ‘at full stretch’ despite more than a third of ‘COVID’ hospitalisations leaving hospital just within the past 2 weeks.

    Given only a mximum of 500 people from the under 65 and health group have died in a year with COVID and the older age group and clinically vulnerable will be completely vaccinated by April (with a decent amount of protection against serious complications from COVID with their first jab), why should there be any delay in re-opening?

    All this talk of mutations is rubbish, given the remainder of the adult population won’t by completely vaccinated until late summer, if not early Autumn, which means there’ll be more than enough time for new variants to emerge and more than enough unvaccinated hosts even if 100% of adults accepted the jab. To be honest, this is all a smokescreen to improve the take-up of the vaccine in the under 60s, especially the young and to further push vaccine passports, especially to areas of life other than international travel.

    The argument for them anyway for the otherwise healthy under 60s is therefore not valid if everyone in the vulnerable category is already protected, at least against serious illness even if the jab doesn’t fully protect against catching COVID. If combined with already proven (and cheap) treatments such as vitamin D, zinc AND hydroxychloroquine (the latter was successfully used to prevent serious illness in SARS [COVID-1] but has conveniently been forgotten by the powers-that-be, probably becuas it worked an President Trump promoted its use [including by using it successfully himself]), deaths from COVID would likely drop to almost nothing, aside from a few already near death patients, who probably would saly have died from getting a cold or suchlike.

    It rather says a lot about our politicans and media that precious few of them – and, it appears, none in significant positions of power and influence, have the stones to stand up to the Civil Service and Big Pharma/Business Establishment who are pushing the authoritarian measures to suit their own agendas and £££.

      2. Fk the science. Science is proving to be an extremely poor master of government.
        The idiots like that fool Dawkins have been encouraged by the left to “win” the argument against Christianity and drive it out of the Establishment.
        This is the result – a phoney pandemic and a fraudulent green movement, oppressing people based on science.

        Churchill observed that Christianity was sheltered in the strong arms of science, but if last year showed us anything, it is that science is a tyrant when not sheltered in the loving arms of Christianity.

        1. Is there any visible evidence that this is a Christian country? Is it in our music? Our books, newspapers, our social media, our mass media, our TV, our films, our BBC, our Parliament, our laws?

      3. “He who follows is always behind”

        I remember a schoolmaster telling me this when I was 13 years old. And another schoolmaster told me that the job of the scientist is to question the science because he will never advance if he doesn’t.

    2. ‘Afternoon, Andy, the cases would tumble if they only stopped using the flawed PCR tests and treated CV19 like a virulent influenza.

    3. That’s the scientists that is…real Sir H’s have never, ever studied anything as ‘real-life’ as science or engineering….

  44. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/17/starmer-must-rein-sadiq-khan-late/

    “Starmer must rein in Sadiq Khan before it’s too late

    Starmer seems to understand that he must drop the Metropolitan woke act to win the next election. But the London mayor evidently doesn’t

    17 February 2021 • 7:00am

    The blinkered excitement that surrounded last year’s Black Lives Matter marches at last appears to be fading. At the recent England versus Scotland rugby international many players, including Billy Vunipola, refused to ‘take the knee’. The Crystal Palace striker Wilfried Zaha has also dismissed this gesture as “degrading”. And now, at last, the Home Secretary Priti Patel has said she would never take the knee either. It has taken much longer than it should have done, but the truth is beginning to circulate widely: BLM isn’t just a loose group of well meaning social activists who enjoy a protest – it’s a political organisation which would like to see Western capitalism brought down.

    Those of us who have tried to explain this since last summer can begin to breathe a sigh of relief. But there is one man who should now be worried: the Labour Party leader, Sir Keir Starmer.

    Last June, Sir Keir ‘took the knee’ in his parliamentary office and then posted a picture of himself in the pose on his Twitter account. Jumping on this bandwagon was a huge error. Internal Labour Party research, backed up by Lord Ashcroft, shows that voters in so-called ‘Red Wall’ seats believe that the London-led Labour Party is completely out of touch with them. It doesn’t take a genius to work out why. Most people’s priorities relate to a good education for their children plus home and job security for themselves, so they don’t take particularly well to an MP genuflecting in support of a hardline left-wing group.

    The Labour Party will only regain many of these Red Wall seats – and will only have a chance of winning the next general election – if it dumps the metropolitan woke act and reconnects with the vast majority of voters in this country. I think Sir Keir understands this, which is why, after years of deriding national flags (who can forget Emily Thornberry’s 2014 tweet from Rochester of a white van driver’s house draped in the cross of St George) Labour has suddenly decided that the flag is acceptable. All Islingtonians have been put on notice: patriotism is the name of the game from now on. This approach may work for Starmer, but it is clear that he still has a major battle to fight with one man in his party, Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.

    The BLM protests were chaotic, to put it mildly. The Cenotaph was desecrated and Churchill’s statue in Parliament Square was daubed with graffiti, among other outrageous acts. In the confusion, the law-abiding majority was silenced, while those who peddled lies shouted loudest, informing us that our past was to be cleansed.

    Into this nightmarish scene stepped Khan to announce he was setting up a Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm. This month, he unveiled the members of this sinister-sounding enterprise. Its aim is clear: to remove statues, change street names and alter the imagery of London so that it can reflect the ‘diverse’ city as it is now. Khan believes that it is for him, as a here-today-gone-tomorrow local politician, to eradicate London’s Victorian history if it comes to it.

    The problem for Sir Keir – a London MP – is that some members of this commission will, I predict, cause him and the Labour Party huge embarrassment. The group appears to be made up of hard left anti-British activists who are not representative of proud Londoners. Take Toyin Agbetu. He is described as a social rights activist, but many would consider him a hard left extremist: in 2007 he heckled the Queen during a service at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade, and then threatened to punch a security guard when restrained. Does he know anything about the role played by the Royal Navy over decades in stamping out slavery? I am not convinced he does.

    Another commission member, Aindrea Emelife, is an art historian. She does not appear to be any more objective than Agbetu. Indeed, she expressed delight at the removal of the Colston statue last year, saying this unlawful act gave her “a rush of adrenaline”. Will any statue in London be deemed acceptable by Ms Emelife? The only thing she has guaranteed to protect and defend is the importance to London of the LGBTQIA+ community.

    Perhaps the worst of all, though, is Lynette Nabbosa, who describes herself as a “Business Lecturer with a background in financial inclusion”. She has said that white supremacy is a British phenomenon, writing “No matter where you find examples of white supremacy, all roads lead back to my country of birth [Britain].” I won’t even attempt to refute these ludicrous and dangerous statements. That Khan has put her in a position where she will have a say in determining what streets and statues in London are allowed to remain untouched is unspeakable.

    London may be a different place to the rest of the country, but it is not that different. Put to one side questions of how Khan’s group was assembled or who determined that any of the commissioners was worthy of sitting on this panel, and just remember this: hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money will be spent trying to dismantle London’s history – against the wishes of the silent majority – by this cabal of unelected “social activists” appointed by a Labour mayor. Surely that won’t be popular.

    Sir Keir Starmer must rein Khan in, and he must do so very quickly for two reasons. From his own point of view, if he doesn’t, a steady stream of toxic publicity will emanate from this commission which will swamp the Labour Party, further alienating the patriotic North. The wider point, though, is that the people who pay Khan’s wages never asked for this Orwellian monster to be created and they do not want it.

    Will Starmer act in the public interest or is he happy to give Khan the chance to lose him the next election by an even bigger margin than Jeremy Corbyn achieved in 2019?”

    1. Whilst the political side of me wants Khan to keep going so that he destroys Labour’s chances at the next election, I don’t want London irrecovably ruined by his antics, and frankly the Tories aren’t exactly ‘Tory’ these days.

      Almost the entire political class in this nation needs (proverbially) sweeping away, and the activist Left Wing permanently dismantled in our Civil Service and media. Plus social media needs to be seen as ‘unfashionable’ so that it either effectively dies or is so sidelined that the twitterati mob never again features in decision making in public life – weather in government or business.

      1. 329511+ up ticks,
        Afternoon EA,
        In a country of decency the lab/lib/con reps, would have been recognised as being destroyed by the JAY report.

    2. Er, metropolitan woke isn’t an act, it is who they are. Khan is being honest when he sets up Commissions to dismantle British history.

      2. ‘Afternoon, bb2, “Khan is being honest…”

        Or so he believes but we know not to buy it.

    3. 329511+ up ticks,
      Afternoon Anne,
      Is there really still a political appetite to support & vote for these proven odious,treacherous party’s under the stupid dangerous statement by many ” there was no
      alternative”

      .Most peoples I MUST believe would put their children’s welfare well before any education issues and these governance groups have been responsible for untold thousands of mentally scarred kids via foreign intakes of paedophilia activist, ie mass uncontrolled immigration, ongoing.

    4. At the time of the Reformation “the reforming mobs in the years after 1560 were no less zealous in Glasgow than elsewhere in the country. But the affection of the ordinary people of Glasgow for their cathedral was such that the organised trades of the city took up arms to protect it”.*
      Every other church in Scotland was damaged or destroyed. Glasgow cathedral was the only church to retain its stained glass.
      There is an apocryphal story that the reforming mob approached the protective cordon and were told “anyone who throws a stone will be buried under it”. That stopped them.

      Of course, today such people will be called vigilantes and would be violently dispersed by our police to allow the mob to wreck, loot and burn. Well, we’ve seen that recently have we not?

      *https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glasgow/cathedral/index.html

    5. I’ve just got to ask; how exactly is Keir S. supposed to rein in Khan….

      …Starmer elected Red One by 275,780 Labour party members…

      Khan…elected by 1,310,143 members of the public to be London One….

        1. The flesh was mushy and a different smoke technique was used . We prefer the firmer flake of kippers and the genuine flavour .

          We also used to buy huge kippers from Waitrose , but even they have shrunk in size .

          Years ago we used to love Machrihanish kippers , they were the size of dinner plates .

          1. Arbroath Smokies are hot-smoked T_B, so they are already cooked. They just need warming up. If you cook them they will go mushy! Kippers are cold-smoked and need cooking.

          2. Flaked into Cullen Skink they were superb. I’m doing a Kedgeree with the other pair.

            I prefer them to kippers because they have a milder smoke and don’t repeat on me for the rest of the day.

          3. Eat half a raw tomato with kippers and they won’t repeat on you. I use ordinary smoked haddock (undyed) for kedgeree but have never attempted Cullen Skink.

            The last time I had Cullen Skink was in the Cullen Bay Hotel, a real time-warp of a place.

          4. Thanks for the tip.

            Though Cullen Skink is Scottish it is made just like Chowder. Makes a very hearty soup.

            The hotel looks homely. I’m not keen on ultra modern places.

          11. Our local Grand Frais has no smoked haddock at the moment but it does have some very plump smoked Hareng

          13. And hot-smoked food is better if eaten straight away whilst still warm. It is never the same when reheated.

    2. I received two pair of Arbroath Smokies recently. They are delicious. Pop into some butter foil and bake for 12 minutes then eat with your fingers.

    2. 329511+ up ticks,
      Afternoon TB,
      Just sent of, support & vote for the lab/lib/con coalition
      can maim & kill.

    3. Thanks Belle. I filled it in and gave them both barrels.
      Oddly. the introduction explains that violence against women and girls also includes violence against men…

    2. And illegals burn down and trash the accomodation they get – because they want a hotel. Disgusting freeloading self obsessed foreigners who feel they should get everything handed to them – and complain when they don’t.

      Anyone seen any figures for deportations in the last 12 months? Priti and Dan getting paid for doing NOTHING.

    3. 329511+ up ticks,
      Afternoon TB,
      Bloody good post, bloody good bloke keep him in mind as governance material for when the electorate regain their integrity & self respect and ditch the dirty, double dealing,
      dastardly, lab/lib/con coalition political sh!tehawks.

  49. A grim legacy: Libya’s revolution ten years on. 17 february 2021.

    A decade ago this week, the West cheered as Libyans began a revolution against Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Where did it go wrong?

    The regime, though, was fast crumbling, and by that October, Gaddafi was dead. It seemed like job done. Mr Mhani returned home to the UK, mindful of a court summons for unpaid bills, and NHS colleagues who were still covering his absence.

    “The mistake, with hindsight was thinking that was the end of the journey, and that we would just turn into a prosperous, democratic nation,” he says. “It felt like the country was in capable hands, and a lot of people just took their feet off the gas.”

    Unsurprisingly the names Cameron and Sarkozy appear nowhere in this 2200 word piece. They were the architects of this disaster, just as Blair was for Iraq. All three should have been prosecuted for War Crimes at the Hague, for criminal stupidity, if nothing else. No country that has Islam for its religion is going to become a Democratic State. It’s like expecting Nazi Germany to support Gay Rights or the Soviet Union promote Free Speech. It simply cannot be!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/02/17/grim-legacy-libyas-revolution-ten-years/

    1. St. Tone was not the architect of Iraq. All he did was give Dubya the excuse to do what he was itching to do. Further, Tone asked the Americans three times if they had a plan for after the invasion and was each time assured that it was all in hand, but in fact they had no plan, had done no planning, they thought military victory was the end. The CIA opposed the invasion. Further, the State department was kept well out of it and it was all handled by the Pentagon. Turned out they had exactly one Arabic speaker in their entire organization. No wonder the Baath party trounced them politically.

      1. All those neoCons in bed with the Establishment Blairites. Probably so many of them turned on Trump because he managed to broker so many Middle East peace treaties and never went to war during his term in office. That and their stocks in the military industrial complex may have gone down due to a lack of new orders.

    3. Algeria, next door to Libya, is a secular democracy. The Algerians are more bloody-minded than the Libyans though. Plus they have regular assaults on their political system from islamics.

    4. Did quite a bit of work in Libya in the Ghaddafi years, and whilst he was clearly a nasty bastard (and a short-arse), the general level of prosperity and security in the country was pretty good, and improving. Toppling him, for whatever reasons, has been an unmitigated disaster, and I feel so sad for the country and it’s citizens. It’s also opened for illegals crossing to Europe in huge numbers.

  50. My letter of complaint to Sainsbury’s has received a fairly swift reply. They have confirmed that they have permanently closed all their meat, delicatessen, and fish counters.
    They have not responded to my complaint that they are offering extra points to those who use a Nectar app. I don’t have a smartphone so no app.

      1. We just have. They now deliver in our area so we placed our first order for delivery this coming weekend.

        1. Our small, local one is good – though when I go into Waitrose I can see just how basic the choice is.

        2. Morrisons is better than Waitrose.

          Better quality, better choice, cheaper prices and none of the overwrought pretentiousness of Waitrose’s overrated and overpriced range.

          1. Waitrose is quite expensive but there is much more choice than our small Morrisons. But then it’s a much bigger store.

          1. For years I avoided Morrisons like the plague. When it opened in Fakenham, it was shoddy and staffed by off-hand people. I became a Tesco customer.

            When the lurghi struck, we went to Tesco – to be shouted at, hectored, “bullied” (in the modern sense), forced to use a pointless one-way system and then queue for half an hour for a cashier.

            We then tried Morrisons. Calm, collected, civil staff, minimum of “rules” – lots of common sense. Good range of stuff – better veg than Tesco. Interesting wine and beer at good prices.

            Since April 2020, we have used no other. And it is two miles nearer. Only downside – their range of cat food is limited.

          2. Their range is limited – but our store is small so that’s to be expected. They have reduced the range of veg not wrapped in plastic – but I presume this is for the current “hygiene” reasons. I like to be able to pick out a leek that hasn’t been “trimmed” but there are none of those now.

            The staff have nearly all worked there for many years – and are all helpful, polite and friendly.

            We had to queue in the car park last year until the first lockdown ended but never since – just walk straight in. No one-way system, though there was a way to the checkouts which meant going around the far end, but that seems to have stopped now.

          7. I made the mistake of going to Tesco (I don’t normally shop there, but there are one or two items I can’t get elsewhere) when the pan[dem]ic struck. Whata mistaka to maka! One way system so I had to traverse the whole store to get the two items I wanted – and woe betide me if I missed an item and needed to backtrack. Then, the queue to pay stretched halfway round the store. 🙁 I never went back! I’d rather go without than suffer that.

      3. Whilst my local Morrisons recently closed (a new Aldi & M&S drove many customers away), the next nearest one (a much larger shop) is excellent (and still has a BIG deli counter and open).

        I’ve noticed that the better run Morrisons stores tend to be the older ones, including those that are former (successful) Safeway stores. The newer ones, such as my now former local one and the one in my parents’ town are less well managed and not as good.

        I also find that, contrary to the media perception, Morrisons aren’t expensive, in fact they often are cheaper than Tesco, at least for a good amount of my weekly shopping basket, and I often prefer them on quality/taste, especially fresh stuff. I’ve tried my loca Aldi, and apart from about 3 or 4 items, they aren’t that different on price even when the quality is the same as elsewhere.

        One thing I have noticed is that Aldi rarely do deals on multibuys, thus on things like soft fruits in summer, the other stores (including Morrisons) can be quite a bit cheaper. The best thing about Aldi – at least as regards my local store – is that they have had less issues with low stock/shortages than rival stores I’ve been to, but then they do have a much more limited range of food.

        Note that just in case I had to self-isolate for 2 weeks+, I’ve bought Aldi’s own UHT, longlife skimmed milk. I personally can barely taste the difference between it and regular milk, and more importantly, it is DIRT CHEAP, at around 5p per litre carton (the other stores sell theirs [no different tasting]) whereas its wtice the price elsewhere or around 70-75p a litre for a box of six 1Ltr cartons. It’s actually CHEAPER than their ordinary milk (compared to a 2pint bottle, not a 4 pint one)!! No other shop does that.

        2. I really dislike UHT milk!

          There is an Aldi not far from her ebut I’ve never used it. Also a Lidl is planned, but there is only so much need for food in a given population, which means customers defect from one store to another.

          1. My mum also hates UHT milk, though I don’t think she’s had any in a good while. It may well be (she prefers semi-skimmed milk and don’t like skimmed) that the skimmed milk version is easier to ‘mimic’ regular milk than those with more cream in them.

            I also use my stock (6x 1L cartons) to balance my use of normal 2 or 4 pint bottles, as they never provide enough for 1 week for me, whether I have porridge (8 days for a 4 pint bottle) or weetabix (6 days for a 2 pint bottle). That the UHT milk is both cheap and comes in 1 litre cartons (~1.75 pints) can get me through the remaining days without having to make a special trip to the shops just for milk.

          2. It used to be called sterilised milk with a crown cork on the bottle. It was horrible. I used to deliver it to only one house on my milkround as a 10 year old boy, and it was a dump.

          3. I keep at least four 4pt cartons of full cream milk in the freezer. I opened one 2 days ago dated Nov 2020 and it was perfect

          4. We have normal full cream silver top milk delivered in glass bottles by the milkman twice a week. I usually buy an extra one on Fridays so we use about a pint each day unless we want extra for a pudding, or something.

          5. In Hawick where we habitually go to shop, Morrison’s is 150 yards from ALDI which is 100 yards from Sainsbury’s, which is 100 yards from Lidl, which is 50 yards from Iceland, but Farm Foods is nearly 300 yards away.

    3. Did I miss something, Horace? What were you complaining about? I hardly ever shop at Sainsbury’s so am not really up to speed with what they do.

      Closing all their fresh food counters doesn’t sound like a good move.

      1. Our local Tesco has closed their deli counter as well. Think it is done all over from what I have heard.

          4. The deli counters were closing before anyone had even heard of Wuhan. In the Irvine Tesco, where the counter used to be there are cold units displaying wrapped deli items and part of the old deli counter is now a Gregg’s!

      2. Nectar are offering multiple points if you use their app at selected stores, including Sainsbury’s.
        We have a Nectar card and keyring fobs. I don’t have smartphone and the Sultana does not download apps.
        I also complained that their quite good and well-priced deli counter was the only one within 20 miles and now they have closed it. Their range and quality generally is going down.

        I’ve been miffed with them in the past when, for example they offered extra points for buying petrol, but randomly. The woman in front me at the kiosk received 100 times normal points, and I received normal points. How to upset customers…

        1. I used to get Nectar points at the local garage and then spend them in Sainsbury’s on a bottle of wine. But the garage no longer does Nectar and I don’t often fill up as I hardly go anywhere at the moment.

          I have a smartphone but I don’t download apps if I can help it.

  51. Just had a phone call from the local surgery about a bit of confusion from a few days ago – Practise manager had got it sorted, Hooray. Then came the inevitable – “Have you booked your Covid jab?” – “No – I don’t want one thanks” – “OK” – Me – Gobsmacked, No argument or discussion. , , , Now waiting for the vacc squad to kick my door in, hold me down at army gunpoint – and JAB.

    1. My, “Not at this time, please” on the ‘phone was only met with, “Oh, all right then” but I’ve since had another text plus a letter and leaflet in the post. The letter and leaflet are pure propaganda and appallingly fact-free.

      1. #MeToo, Sue, 5 letters so far and a daily text message. I delete the texts and file the letters.

        I work on the basis that if they send nonsense, I’ll ignore it.

    2. I have just had my third ‘written warning’ from the nhs this morning i.e. request that I make an appointment for the jab. I phoned the surgery two weeks ago to state that I wished to decline their kind offer of vaccination – this was after two nhs letters, an email and a voicemail left on my mobile (which I regard as really intrusive). I am not sure how they got my mobile number as it is only for friends and family (I have since blocked that particular number). They are very persistent which I find sinister. I regard this persistence as harassment now.

      2. The MR had a letter yesterday, inviting her to make an appointment for vaccination. From the NHS. At a cost of – say – £3.

        The “Clap the Joined Up NHS” should surely have known that she had a appointment at 6 28 pm yesterday for the, er, vaccination.

          1. I didn’t make myself clear. The pointless NHS invitation letter must have cost the NHS – at least £3 for paper, typing and postage.

          2. Aaahh. It was the £3 that caught my eye, as that was the sum mentioned (almost as a by-the -way) in the scam so I did not overthink your statement. I hope the MR is feeling good today.

        2. I told my surgery I declined the jab and they assured me they would put a code next to my name so I wouldn’t be bothered. About three or four days later I got yet another letter from the NHS telling me to book an appointment. It was, of course, accompanied by a letter in at least a dozen languages. Just how much that has cost I dread to think. Translation don’t come cheap (I know, I used to do it).

  52. Victoria Beckham’s sister Louise Adams ‘takes £13-pound-an-hour job as Covid testing centre parking attendant’ in Essex – three years after closure of her clothes store
    Louise Adams is reportedly working as a supervisor at drive-in Covid test centre
    She’s ‘responsible for ushering cars as they wait for swabs at the Essex facility’
    Staff at the testing centre are believed to be paid between £13 to £19 per hour

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9267683/Victoria-Beckhams-sister-Louise-Adams-takes-job-Covid-testing-centre.html

    I thought everyone assisting were volunteers?

    1. No, they work 13hours on site with 12 hours pay at £10 an hour. Four days a week. Four off. Supervisors I suppose get more.

      1. Yep, families are rather odd , aren’t they .

        I think the Beckhams are really weird with narcissistic personalities .. very unhealthy attitude to life .

  54. Thoughts from the bath.
    It occurred to me that the USA entered the war in Europe solely in order to acquire German aeronautical and rocket technology. Had they not done so the Soviets would have done so. It was nothing to do with aiding the UK. or altruism
    On a brighter note we saw a rainbow yesterday from the kitchen window. A complete bow from one field to another about a mile away. Perfect and a surprise because it was in a clear blue sky.

    1. It occurred to me that the USA entered the war in Europe solely in order to acquire German aeronautical and rocket technology.

      This seems unlikely if only because of the time lag and reluctance to engage at all. Had Hitler not declared war on the United States after Pearl Harbour there is considerable doubt that they would have done so even then!

      1. Well, that may be the case. I tend to look at patterns. Although the US was at war with Germany, they only needed to protect their own coastline.
        They did not need to invade Europe simply because they were at war?.

      2. Roosevelt had to find a way to bring the US into the war. If Japan had taken the Pacific Rim (and subsequently Hawaii) and Germany had taken the UK (with Ireland’s help) then the US would have been fighting on both its shores.
        Pearl Harbour was the catalyst for the US to enter the war. And thank God for that. Even if FDR did engineer the attack.
        Edit – and thank God the UK managed to hold on until 7 December 1941.

        1. Roosevelt had to find a way to bring the US into the war.

          Which kind of gives the game away – that the ostensible reasons for the war were not those stated. Germany and Japan offered no existential threat to the US (or Britain for that matter).

          If Japan had taken the Pacific Rim (and subsequently Hawaii)

          Japan’s war aims are well known – to secure a land empire on the mainland of SE Asia. They had no intention or even the slightest hope of actually defeating/invading the US. The purpose of the attack on Hawaii is clear – to damage the USN early on and give Japan just long enough to fortify/build naval and air bases on islands in the Western Pacific. These bases were supposed to then deter a US counter attack long enough to secure the mainland conquests. Their hope being that it would then be a fait accompli. The US then having to adapt to a new status quo. This was obviously a massive gamble and it failed.

          Germany had taken the UK (with Ireland’s help)

          The Germans had no obvious path to invading Britain. Not before Barbarossa and certainly not afterwards. Sorry, but I can’t see any realistic scenario involving Ireland. If there was one then the British military situation would have to have been so dire that Ireland would no longer matter anyway. Furthermore Britain could easily have invaded Ireland. Whereas any German attempt would have been a military catastrophe.

          the UK managed to hold on until 7 December 1941

          With the Battle of Britain over it was clear than any vaguely realistic invasion time frame had been pushed way out into the medium/long term – years into the future. And then any remaining threat of invasion vanished on 22 June 1941.

          The Pacific and Europe may be connected here. If Britain had made peace in 1940/41 then would Japan still have attempted their 1941 campaign? It was already a massive gamble to take on the US but to take on the British Empire as well?

        2. Roosevelt had to find a way to bring the US into the war.

          Which kind of gives the game away – that the ostensible reasons for the war were not those stated. Germany and Japan offered no existential threat to the US (or Britain for that matter).

          If Japan had taken the Pacific Rim (and subsequently Hawaii)

          Japan’s war aims are well known – to secure a land empire on the mainland of SE Asia. They had no intention or even the slightest hope of actually defeating/invading the US. The purpose of the attack on Hawaii is clear – to damage the USN early on and give Japan just long enough to fortify/build naval and airbases on islands in the Western Pacific. These bases were supposed to then deter a US counter attack long enough to secure the mainland conquests. Their hope being that it would then be a fait accompli. The US then having to adapt to a new status quo. This was obviously a massive gamble and it failed.

          Germany had taken the UK (with Ireland’s help)

          The Germans had no obvious path to invading Britain. Not before Barbarossa and certainly not afterwards. I can’t see any realistic scenario involving Ireland. If there was one then the British military situation would have to have been so dire that Ireland would no longer matter anyway. Furthermore Britain could easily have invaded Ireland. Whereas any German attempt would have been a military catastrophe.

          the UK managed to hold on until 7 December 1941

          With the Battle of Britain over it was clear than any vaguely realistic invasion time frame had been pushed way out into the medium/long term – years into the future. And then any remaining threat of invasion vanished on 22 June 1941.

          The Pacific and Europe may be connected here. If Britain had made peace in 1940/41 then would Japan still have attempted their 1941 campaign? It was already a massive gamble to take on the US but to take on the British Empire as well?

    2. It occurred to me that the USA entered the war in Europe solely in order to acquire German aeronautical and rocket technology.

      This seems unlikely if only because of the time lag and reluctance to engage at all. Had Hitler not declared war on the United States after Pearl Harbour there is considerable doubt that they would have done so even then!

    3. The U.S were selling oil to the Germans while we were fighting them. And of course the Rothschilds were bankrolling the concentration camps from Wall St.

      Special relationship?

      2. The US were supplying equipment to Britain and France while supposedly neutral and furthermore Roosevelt extended USN activities far across the Atlantic – attacking U-boats. In the hopes of provoking a German response?

        1. Yeah and what about good ole Prescott Bush didn’t J. Edgar Hoover have to shut his bank down for “trading with the enemy” or something like that?

          “Operation Paperclip” wasn’t for nothing of coarse they were grabbing everyone of any usefulness while putting the rest on trial at Nuremberg……
          I still want to know why Rear Admiral Richard Byrd come back from Antarctica after his cut short “Operation High-Jump” in 1947 where he massed a great fleet for what he called an “expedition that was military in nature ” if I remember correctly was the words he used before cutting the six month mission short and coming back early talking about enemies in Flying Saucers flying pole to pole!? If what the Russians say is true then Byrd was defeated by a break away civilization in Antarctica in 1947 and it gives credit to what Grand Admiral Donitz said in 1943 “The German submarine fleet is proud of having built for the Fuhrer, in another part of the world, a Shangri-La land, an impregnable fortress.” I just wonder?

    4. The Americans,saw the damage the V1,s and the V2,s did to the UK and wanted to get their grubby hands on the Rocket Scientist’s
      before the Russians.Instead of finishing the Germans off,once and for all.

      1. Here a PCSO would be sent to warn the homeowner against doing anything. This really is blatantly turning into an invasion and a war.

        1. 329511+ up ticks,
          Afternoon W,
          Yes,yes, that is regarding the governing politico’s and their supporter / voters, but what about the likes of those coming in via Dover what side will they be on ?

        2. I have always felt that this is what will be happening here in the not-too-far-distant future, and they will use race/hate laws to prevent us from defending ourselves and our homes.

        3. Keep a big bluddy dog with big teeth, to see off not only the plastic policeman but also any Muslims who might want to invade.

          As well as not being able to swim, they have an inherent fear of dogs.

          You farmers could turn the pigs on them, especially if you have a big-tusked boar.

    3. Ok for soldiers, not for economic migrants from poor nations who are used to 4-star treatment back home…

  56. Whilst I appreciate that many people here have already had their first COVID jab, NZ doctor Sam Bailey has just released her latest YT video, where she describes her work on the revised edition of the book ‘Virus Mania’ (3rd Ed), now available from Amazon.

    She does advocate us younger folk (I’m not that young, but not in the vulnerable groups) not taking th jab because we don’t know about the longer term effects (if any) yet which could have a much greater impact on the under 60 otherwise healthy group than those more vulnerable. I am seriously contemplating buying the book, given what I’ve been reading and hearing about the people and organisations behind the pandemic response and vaccines.

    Here’s the video:

    https://youtu.be/OyagOj1yZis

    As before, other videos in her library are available, including on the flawed PCR COVID tests (the updated book covers what’s been going on this past year with COVID) and other issues surrounding the pandemic.

  58. The UK’s Tony Blair has now been admitted to the heart of the Boris Johnson administration, and Mr Blair looks to have been an expert at getting public money out of the system… and straight into the pockets of friends and cronies, and very likely into his own pockets too…….

    Judging by the evidence, Tony Blair was likely running, in effect, a policy and law departmental store for the Davos billionaires while he was in office.

    This way for devolution and speech laws…. that way for climate change, open borders and human rights.

    If you had enough dough, you could have had anything you wanted within reason… and now that Tony Blair is tutoring Boris Johnson, it’s pretty obvious Mr Johnson has probably opened his own policy and law departmental store too.

    Now, it’s this way for Net Zero and Build Back Better and that way for C-19 response and the Great Reset. HS2 ? Third floor, just beyond the Northern Ireland tunnel.

    Trade offs, kickbacks and brown envelopes ? That’ll be Accounts on the top floor.

    After all, the others were apparently at it since the 1990s, so Mr Johnson will likely think as Mr Major and Mr Blair are worth $75 million plus each, why not me too ?

    1. Tony Blair is at the heart of the Johnson administration in the same way that Trump is still President.

        1. There are many reports that he offered his advice, including ‘secret talks’, i.e. Blair called Hancock and Hancock politely took the call. There are no reports that the govt. has accepted his advice.

          This is a ‘run up a flag’ exercise that Blair frequently goes in for, except this one is more desperate than most because absolutely no one with any political nous believes a word of it.

          1. Come on…….

            Hancock is being his evasive best, that means there’s something here, and Blair never goes anywhere if there are no $millions…………

            ”Asked whether Mr Blair had been advising him, Mr Hancock told Sky News: “I talk to all sorts of people all the time. Pressed on the question, he said: “Well, I’m not going to go into private conversations, I talk to all sorts of people and we take ideas from lots of sources.”

            ”Some suggestions made by Mr Blair seem to have been adopted; the government announced on 31 December that first doses of the coronavirus vaccines would be prioritised.”

          2. He took a phone call from Blair from the look of it, and probably can’t remember that much of what was said because it wasn’t important. BTW, that’s not how politicians do “being evasive”, that is “what on earth are toy talking about?”.

          3. Phone calls aren’t mentioned, so that’s just your assumption.

            The implication of the wording is clear. There have been meetings between Blair and the Health Secretary and that has happened on a number of occasions.

            ”Secret talks covered vaccines and mass testing”.

            Talks are generally understood as meetings or Zoom, not phone chats.

  60. Listening to the ‘Planet Normal’ podcast, it was noted that Jeremy Hunt (ex-Health Secretary) had been pushing the line that there should be lockdown until cases were down to 1,000 a day which the expert Dr John Lee said was absolute TWADDLE with no scientific merit. Imagine my despair at seeing precisely this yardstick in an earlier headline in today’s ‘The Daily Mail’ (story has since disappeared due to Duke of Edinburgh going into hospital).

    1. As I understand it the medical advice has been to add another three likely symptoms suffers from which should get Covid Tests. They admit this will significantly increase the number of False Positives. It’s almost as if some don’t want to see an end to Lockdown ever….

  61. Duke of Edinburgh admitted to hospital after feeling unwell. 17 February 2021.

    The Duke of Edinburgh will spend his second night in hospital tonight after being admitted following a short period of feeling unwell, Buckingham Palace announced.

    His admission was “a precautionary measure”, on the advice of a palace doctor.

    Instinct tells me that it’s nearly over!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2021/02/17/prince-philip-hospital-news-health/

    3. If it is nearly all over, Minty we may rest assured it will be diagnosed as another Covid death, hitting the highest and lowest in the land, Follow the scientific opinion advice.

      1. But…..but….but he’s had the jab, NtN! And much publicised, it was. This will perplex their heads, now do we we go for maximum publicity for the covid debate – it can get anyone, whoever you are, but on the other hand it’s not saying much for the efficacy of the jab. Which we all know is useless. But they don’t want us to know that. So we all go along with it anyway. My guess is they will go for natural causes at his age.

      2. Should he die within 28 days of the jab will it be jab-related?

        It would be if he had been diagnosed a positive Covid test.

    4. The world will be poorer for the loss of him, forthright opinions and all.
      I suspect HM will quickly stop wanting to be Queen all alone, and will abdicate soon after.

      1. I think Her Majesty will give up most of her responsibilities to Charles, William and Katherine but i don’t believe she will abdicate. It’s not how she runs the Firm. Her job Her responsibility.

        1. And she made it very clear :

          “I say to you that my whole life, whether it will be long or short, shall be dedicated to your service and the service of our great Imperial family to which we are all a part of.”

          About the quote: Princess Elizabeth speaking to the Commonwealth at Cape Town in 1947.”

      2. I don’t think she will want to continue without him, to be honest, either as Queen or as a person. I do hope he makes a swift recovery. George VII is not my cup of tea.

    5. ‘Instinct tells me that it’s nearly over!’

      I very much hope your instinct is wrong,
      Minty; He has been a magnificent support
      to H.M. and I believe, a levelling influence
      to her, … she was very young and innocent
      of guile, as her ‘advisers’ were and are not!

      1. On another thought……….
        should your instinct be correct, I shall
        be most interested to see how HMG
        deal with the 2m. distancing rule/law[?]
        Who the eff will observe HMG’s decision
        that the funeral will be ‘private at the
        express request of HM’?
        Ha bloody Ha!!

  62. Cat and small dog owners, of whom there are many on NTTL, please take extra care of your pets.

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/dcad13190b235dd7658c853d3b438cbd80d7444f4b72ba8f5b1edc06af101357.jpg

    I didn’t know that this was so prevalent but I suspect with our plastic Police Farce are all tied with harassing lone walkers, beating up demonstrators and little old ladies, I don’t suppose that they have the time or man-power to track down these evil people.

    Sometimes, Ar5book can be useful.

    1. Future headline
      “Bound bodies of dog and cat kidnappers found in deserted warehouse with peanut butter smeared on the remains of their genitals*”
      *Rats love peanut butter

    3. I have blocked off access to the front garden for my dog (he’s not happy about it!) because it will be a while before I can get gates fitted to the side of the house. It has stopped him standing at the front gate (where people walk past on the pavement and could easily reach over to grab him). He might as well hang a sign round his neck saying “steal me!”. Some years ago, a riding acquaintance of mine had her cat stolen from the wall outside her house (and she lived in a very rural location; it just happened to have a road running past the house). She saw it happen, but they had driven away before she could get out of the front door.

    1. So you’re going to give a lecture on how to Zoom today, your students do the test today and mark it tomorrow? 😉

      https://youtu.be/yrC6Xbm8_3M

      Sorry about the poor sound – I had the choice of that or abd picture and good sound. Mark IT.

  65. Go woke, go broke.
    Kongsberg Jazz festival has decided that they don’t want sponsorship from Kongsberg Group here in Norway, a rather successful defence contractor making high-tech missiles and the like. The festival reckons they don’t like money from defence… the uproar has been huge, with not a voice in support, and the festival seem to have just realised that, without some good luck and a following wind, they just committed suicide.
    A shame to lose a good Jazz festival, but HA! HA! HA!
    Arseholes.

  66. Ahem

    https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/065/915/679/original/6e159500fdec9a7c.jpeg

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4a8079f69a752bf55685eb6c0fb5464ed7a27fbc329ad55053295dfd3c261751.jpg

    https://cdn.locals.com/images/posts/originals/35991/35991_kgyhhnnivrvyg4e.jpeg

    Aaaand Awkward

    https://twitter.com/JamesOKeefeIII/status/1361827707152171008
    Edit
    Forgot this,expensive upgrades for ever?? Sounds familiar…………..
    https://twitter.com/goddeketal/status/1362049396997820416

    3. Is that his ‘COVID software upgrade patch’? Given his OSes’ penchant for getting hit by computer viruses far easier than competitors, that doesn’t bode well. I wonder how much personal fortune he has invested in vaccine producers – separate to his foundation’s ‘funding’ and how much he is likely to make out of annual or even more vaccinations on ‘COVID variants’?

      1. If you had Bill Gates’ billions, and his brainpower, what would you and your wife be doing to help mankind?

        1. Refuting the crap “science” that they promote.

          And, as an observation, Bill Gates’ brainpower isn’t particularly exceptional, he’s just a particularly ruthless bastard.

        2. I would be building libraries and donating funds to churches for pipe organs. Gulbenkian was a philanthropist.

          Paul Getty paid for our Mappa Mundi and chained library building at Hereford Cathedral.

          Simon Sainsbury donated millions to our Restoration of the Interior of Christ Church Spitalfields and the family donated millions to UEA.

          On his own admission Gates does not have a philanthropic bone in his body. He is a Eugenicist, appears to want to impose medical genocide on the world’s populations and to make even more money in so doing.

    1. You ‘ often think this Government is hell bent on destroying this country’?

      No ‘think’ about it, Plum, it’s an effing racing certainty!

      Please excuse my choice of words!

      1. I agree with the first sentence (it’s already well on the way). The second, alas, I am not so sure of.

    3. Once, it was the government and the People against the virus.
      Now, it’s the government and the virus against the People.

    4. If Johnson is unsure about ending restrictions before July he must either postpone the G7 meeting in Carbick Bay Cornwall or publish the Covid Protocols which he will impose on the politicians, their security guards, their civil servants, journalists and UK citizens and police who will be involved in attending to these participants in the many hotels in local towns.
      Cornwall has been less affected by Covid than most other counties and if the participants bring Covid to Cornwall there could be a flare up of the outbreak.
      The PM will then have to make a decision about his beloved Climate conference In Glasgow when he is going to [ab]use this country with his ideas for reducing UK carbon emissions which are insignificant in world terms.

        1. I have written much the same to my MP (Owen Paterson). I said that the Conservatives appeared to have signed up to the disastrous Labour “tax and spend” philosophy after he sent me a reply stating how much [borrowed] money they were going to pour at the problem (in this case closures of pubs). We need to get people working, earning, producing and creating wealth. Once upon a time these were standard Conservative beliefs.

  68. I have just been looking up Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson to try to decide why he deviated from the No Deal Brexit which he said would be good for the UK.
    He was born in Upper East side New York on 19 June 1964.
    He went to Baliol, Brussels School, Eton and Oxford University.
    Wikipedia have for Languages English but no other. For degrees there are none although I understood he had one or more from Oxford University.
    Who do you Think You Are? traced his ancestry to Ali Kemal who was a Hafiz in Quaran.
    I have decided Boris is a worldly man who does not have the same devotion to the UK as we have.
    I had the picture of the PM’s Ancestry but I am told it was unsafe to attach.

      1. We were told you have three choices, work, sport and social.

        You can do one exclusively, (a first, a Blue, marry well) you can do work and another and do reasonably well, if you work hard.

        Sport and social…!

    2. No one is perfect in politics, but I can assure you that Boris and his father Stanley are thoughtful and well-mannered individuals.

      1. I’m not convinced that that is necessarily a commendation for high office.
        Hell’s teeth I’m thoughtful and well mannered, when needs be…

      1. Evening Bob. It was his family tree from Ali Kemal down to Boris and his siblings. Ali Kemal learnt the Koran off by heart. All this info is available on the internet so there was nothing new in what I wrote. The PM will have to tell why he ignored the No Deal Brexit which was there for the taking and what we were told we were voting for in 2016. The EU 27 vote at the end of the month on whether or not to accept the deal.

  69. Darren Grimes twitter = I doubt I’m alone thinking it pretty outrageous
    to UK taxpayers that there are parliamentarians in our country arguing
    that conditions in our military barracks are good enough for our troops,
    but “unacceptable” to house those supposedly leaving behind war and
    whatever else!
    I can’t comment,I can’t afford yet another front door……………..

    3. it is a complete shambles. Fresh food exports to the EU have more or less stopped. The new system whereby everyone in the EU who sells goods to the UK has to register with HMRC and collect VAT on their sales and pay it to HMRC is bizarre.

      1. It’s sent the cost of horse transport to the EU through the roof, too. They really do NOT have a clue how trade/commerce works.

          1. I was thinking of our lot. If they had had any idea how trade works (or, indeed, how anything in the real world works) we wouldn’t be experiencing this mess.

    1. That witch Pelosi should be impeached for abuse of power and wasting the valuable time of the US Congress.

      1. CNN, NBC Paid Antifa Activist for Footage From Capitol Breach as reported in The Epoch Times.

        Apparently the ‘plain to see’ agitator Sullivan, who changed outfit after the shooting, was paid 35,000$ by each news outlet for footage he took of the fake riot at the Capitol.

        It is almost certain that the breach of the Capitol was planned beforehand and that Pelosi and Schumer would have had to be involved in facilitating it to damage President Trump.

        1. I would not be surprised.

          What would surprise me is that any of them are ever held to account.

      2. CNN, NBC Paid Antifa Activist for Footage From Capitol Breach as reported in The Epoch Times.

        Apparently the ‘plain to see’ agitator Sullivan, who changed outfit after the shooting, was paid 35,000$ by each news’s outlet for footage he took of the fake riot at the Capitol.

        It is almost certain that the breach of the Capitol was planned beforehand and that Pelosi and Schumer would have had to be involved in facilitating it to damage President Trump.

      3. More, someone should remind her that actually, she is responsible for the riots. Her usual blame anyone else is just the tedious Left wing deflection.

  75. I should not have told my thatcher that I am a Trumper. An otherwise calm and sensible man he scoffed and told me I was mad. He thinks Biden will be good for America and that Trump should be locked up in a mental hospital. Proof that Trump Derangement Syndrome is more infectious and damaging to clear thought than Covid-19. Oh and I will die and infect people if I do not submit to the vaccination push.

    It was an emergency call out as a demented squirrel, presumably suffering from TDS, had eaten through a lead chimney flashing and dislodged straw whilst burying acorns in the thatch.

    All in all a most depressing encounter.

      1. Yup. Your words echo my wife’s who scolded me for talking politics.

        Same as in a pub where it is better never to speak about religion or politics and stick to discussing the weather.

          1. It’s a sad day when you can’t have a discussion without people flying off the handle and becoming demented with rage aboutwhat’s usually an innocuous difference of opinion.

          5. I remember a few Irish pubs. In the Landor in Clapham North you would be standing at the bar when a chap from County Cork would be knocked out by a man from some other competing county. There would be a loud thud as the poor bugger’s head hit the boards.

            Then again I had just returned to Clapham Common on the Tube and witnessed a brawl outside The Alexander pub on South Side. I intervened when I realised the chap on the deck lived in the flat below mine. Big mistake, the two of them decided to set about me.

            Thankfully they were too drunk to succeed as I made a hasty withdrawal.

            Edited: Pub in Clapham North was the Landor on Landor Road. I checked.

          6. Kilburn High Road was a prime area for Irish and Irish inhabited pubs.

            I do remember one instance when the piano was thrown out of the pub’s front window, quickly followed by the pianist and his stool.

          7. I imagine in Dublin they ponder the writings of James Joyce, the works of Keats and the bawdy writings of JP Donleavy such as The Onion Eaters, The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthasar B and other interesting works.

            Well it is either that or Rugby and that other game where they knock themselves senseless and bloodied with a hard ball and curved sticks.

          8. I presume you mean shinty. I had to play it at junior school. I still have the lumps on my shins!

          1. The worst threats to my thatched roof have been fireworks and Chinese lanterns (effing Chinese on both counts).

            Both chimneys are lined, the wood burning stove with stainless steel twin-wall and the oil fired Rayburn flue with stainless steel as required by current regulations. In addition we have smoke detectors.

          2. I bet your insurance premiums are sky high, nonetheless. I had some friends who had a thatched cottage and I know they were paying exorbitant rates even in the eighties.

          3. Yup. I received a reduction for the last two years from around £120 pounds to just under £100 per calendar month. This was following a visit from a twenty five stone assessor. The insurance is for house and contents and is with NFU Mutual.

          4. I have heard good things about NFU Mutual; my friends who used to run a (plant) nursery speak highly of them.

          5. Apologies for hijacking with a ranting grumble – all insurance is a con. You pay and they take and provide nothing in return.

            When you do get through to them that yes, they cover the problem you’re having and expect to pay for and no, a storm smashing scaffolding down and against your roof is not ‘lack of maintenance’ or ‘wear and tear’ and that yes, you do expect them to pay for the repair and no, they should tripled – fecking triple! your next insurance premium because you’ve been paying these same sewage for ten years now.

          6. I have to say, when the “hurricane” that was denied blew my chimney down and caused the debris to wreck the roof, my insurance paid up with no problem. I don’t recall an exorbitant hike in the premiums, either.

      1. He is the best thatcher in Suffolk in my experience. He renewed my long straw thatch about twelve years ago and it is still looking good.

        He lives in Sudbury which might explain the derangement. There are some very odd looking folk in Sudbury which I put down to interbreeding.

        The encounter proves that this Covid-19 masking and lockdown is dividing the nation in the starkest possible way.

  80. Look here , if we had never had it so good post war , and Britain had thrived and grown rich , nice new towns , good industry etc , why was it ruined by importing the third world and recreating poverty again.

    Britain messed up and made a rod for it’s own back .. and when we see articles and excuses like this , one just wonders what life would have been like for all of us if all the nonsense hadn’t been encouraged !

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/17/englands-poorest-areas-hit-by-covid-perfect-storm-leaked-report?utm_term=Autofeed&CMP=twt_b-gdnnews&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1613585562

    On Tuesday deprivation and ethnicity were for the first time recognised as risk factors for severe Covid in new modelling, which led to 1.7 million more people in England being advised to shield and 800,000 being fast-tracked for vaccines.

    “It said that “existing socioeconomic inequality” had left black, Asian and minority ethnic communities at greater exposure to Covid-19 as they were more likely to live in cramped and multigenerational housing in deprived areas and hold public-facing jobs.”

    Despite this, the report noted: “Guidance around how to self-isolate safely in high-density housing does not appear to exist for England as it does for Scotland and Northern Ireland.”

    1. “It said that “existing socioeconomic inequality” had left black, Asian and minority ethnic communities at greater exposure to Covid-19 as they were more likely to live in cramped and multigenerational housing in deprived areas and hold public-facing jobs.”

      Given the size of many house extensions near me, I doubt they are as cramped as is suggested. As for multigenerational, my Grandmother lived in our three-bedroomed terraced house in Small Heath along with my parents and twelve* of us kids. We never felt deprived.

      *I’m number eleven.

      3. That’s because you weren’t woke, John. You just thought, this is life and we just have to make the best of it (and I expect you did). Nobody told you that you were a “victim” or that your “rights” (sod your responsibilities) were being abused. I am sure you turned out a far nicer and more resilient person for it.

      4. I was one of five children living in a 3 bedroom house with a scullery and outside loo. The wall lamps in the main rooms were coal gas with a pleasing green glow to the filaments.

        The fires in all rooms were coal fired and the living room fire was needed constantly. The only occasions when other fires such as those in the bedrooms were lighted was if any of us fell ill and were confined to bed by the doctor.

        The first fridge we acquired was a gas fuelled fridge.

        We had a copper for mashing clothes and a mangle in the yard. My mother would send sheets to a nearby Chinese Laundry.

        1. Gosh, I remember our first fridge being gas, and coal fires, but we survived to tell the tale!!

        2. We had a mangle as well until Dad finally bought Mom a washing machine when I was about eight (1964). I was called in from playing in the garden and they took my shirt off me so the salesman could demonstrate the machine. A modern miracle!

  81. Evening, all. The answer to the headline question is, “of course not”. He is being held by the short and curlies by a greeniac and the pan(dem)ic suits the divide and rule agenda for the Great Reset perfectly.

  82. Ex-Labour peer Lord Ahmed, 63, ‘raped boy who was also abused by his brothers’ and ‘tried to rape girl’ while a teenager in Rotherham in the 1970s, court hears
    Lord Nazir Ahmed is accused of two counts of attempting to rape girl under 16
    He is also accused of indecent assault against a boy and rape of a boy under 16
    He is on trial with brothers, Mohammed Tariq, 65, and Mohamed Farouq, 70
    Farouq accused of four indecent assaults against boy, Tariq is charged with two
    Charges against three siblings relate to two alleged victims in 1960s and 1970s

    Ahmed, who denies the allegations, and his two brothers, who were ruled unfit to plead, went on trial today at Sheffield Crown Court.

    Jury members heard the alleged offences took place at various addresses in Rotherham, South Yorks., where the men grew up

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9270401/Lord-Ahmed-63-two-brothers-sexually-abused-boy-1970s-trial-hears.html

      1. There’s nothing British about those characters.

        How long have these abuses really been going on?
        How long did this character get to be a peer?

      1. Much depends who you ask. If you’re neck deep in the trough and happily sloshing around in tax payers cash, the science is settled, never to be raised – as it’s not science, it’s a religion.

        If you’re an actual scientist trying to understand and manage actual climate change it’s an on going field of study, not an economic cause.

    3. Didn’t somewhere else say that there’s been massive ice growth in the arctic?

      It’s all tiresome. Mankind isn’t responsible for these winds moving about, it’s all down to this big sphere we’re on and the millions of miles away sun. I don’t understand how shutting down our economy will have the slightest difference on those objects.

      1. Massive ice growth is clearly due to global warming as well….

        How is your remote job going?

    4. Dr Tim Ball speaking in 2019, noted that the real cause of the severe cold outbreaks in the United States is a wavy Jet Stream.

      The Jet Stream is a thin band of strong winds that flow rapidly around the planet from west to east at approximately 10 km altitude. The Jet Stream divides warm air masses, typically found at low latitudes towards the tropics, from cold air masses, usually found at high latitudes near the poles.

      However, a very wavy jet stream, as we are experiencing now (and have many times in the past), allows frigid Arctic air to move south to normally warmer latitudes and warm tropical air to push into Polar latitudes. The result is an increase in extreme weather events, including the cold outbreaks in the USA. It has nothing to do with global warming. In fact, the most common cause of a wavy Jet Stream is global cooling. History shows that severe weather increases with a cooling world, not a warming one.

      As to fears of more cold outbreaks due to global warming, Ball laughed, “They’re making it all up!”

      Edit to add: Dr. Tim Ball, an environmental consultant and former climatology professor at the University of Winnipeg in Manitoba

        1. “heat can be transported into the Arctic by winds. “We see this process for instance during El Niño events. Tropical warming, caused either by El Niño or anthropogenic greenhouse emissions, can cause global shifts in atmospheric weather patterns, which may lead to changes in surface temperatures in remote regions, such as the Arctic”, said Kyle Armour, co-author of the study and professor of Atmospheric Sciences and Oceanography at the University of Washington.”

        2. There are a number of multi-decadal oceanic cycles, El Nino/La Nina being one of them. How they fit together is not yet properly understood, it is looking as if the AMO (Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation) may be a major driver due it’s influence on the Arctic seas. There are a number of things that might happens as these oceanic heat patterns change. Nobody knows, except El Nino makes the atmosphere warm, La Nina makes it cold.

        3. There are a number of multi-decadal oceanic cycles, El Nino/La Nina being one of them. How they fit together is not yet properly understood, it is looking as if the AMO (Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation) may be a major driver due it’s influence on the Arctic seas. There are a number of things that might happens as these oceanic heat patterns change. Nobody knows, except El Nino makes the atmosphere warm, La Nina makes it cold.

      2. Wavy jet streams are strongly associated with Solar Minima, although the causal relationship is not clear. If we are south of the jetstream it’s warm, if we are north of it, it’s cold. We can expect heatwaves interspersed with cool wet weather in the summer, unless it gets stuck somewhere like it did in 1976.

        One of the reasons the Arctic has been very warm in recent years is because we are seeing jetstreams right up close to the North Pole, dragging warm weather with them. Horrorbin had an on screen orgasm about one.

        1. Dear God please let us not have a summer like 1976 again. It would be hell on earth as the climate hysteria brigade would go into overdrive banning everything in sight.

          1. It all depends where the jetsream sits, big loop north of us then hot, damn hot, in from the west straight over us then windy and wet. If it loops south of us then cold and wet. Generally it moves around a lot, but sometimes it stays still for weeks.

          2. I remember being introduced to the attributes of the Westerly Circum-Polar Vortex in 1970 as part of the ‘S’ Level Geography curriculum.

          3. 2005 was as hot in Wales. I could go out on a bike at 7am in warm weather, ride up into mid-Wales, lunch in the pub, top up on the way home, get home at 8pm in warm weather. It was wonderful.

            I once called into Tesco on my way home for emergency beer, covered in salt from condensed sweat and road shite. The checkout lady did not hide her disgust.

          4. No snow here this winter , just a few frosty days , cold wind, lots of rain , past couple of days have been mild .

            All we wanted was a bit of snow, it has a cleansing effect.

      3. The Jet Stream and the Gulf Stream both affect the weather, the latter particularly the maritime nations it runs alongside.

    5. As usual the Guardian has it the wrong way around. The wobbly jetstreams are warming the Arctic, not vice versa.

  84. Just as a matter of interest, why are we, and our Government in particular, so concerned about this Arab princess? Don’t they have enough to worry about?

    1. I dunno..maybe the boss of HMG fancies f89kin’ the Arab bird and Carrie in a oner..well, I suppose, technically, f89kin’ ’em in a three some….

      1. You haven’t been away long enough and since your posts are mainly repulsive, you are now blocked forthwith on my viewing of NTTL.

    2. My thoughts exactly .

      We seem to get on our high horse pretty quickly , kidnapped children in Northern Nigeria don’t get a mention , we don’t see the press condemning Paki rapists in Britain, yet a missing Arab princess creates a furore.

    3. Surely it is the feminists who should be protesting and throwing things at the Arabs’ embassy?

    4. They conveniently forget this sage advice, ‘Never get involved in another families squabbling’.

  85. BTL Comment from The Slog.

    kfc1404 on February 17, 2021 at 12:31 pm
    If asked, which body part was the most washed in 2020, I believe most would say the hands. I would disagree, I would say it the brain.

    1. Maybe Tony’s message isn’t that far fetched….

      DT EXclusive:

      “Exclusive: Parents to test children for Covid twice a week
      Schools will only carry out checks once under deal for phased return to classrooms

      1. Things continue to get better:
        Again from the DT:

        “Millions of pounds in taxpayers’ money is set to be wasted on paying for empty hotel rooms after SNP ministers drastically overestimated the number needed for Scotland’s “completely unworkable” quarantine system.

        Michael Matheson, the transport minister, last week boasted about securing 1,300 rooms after block booking entire hotels in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh, as he prepared for a huge influx of international travellers expected to be caught by Scotland’s stricter regime.

        However, it has emerged that as of Tuesday, just 14 people are in quarantine north of the border. Industry sources believe the low number is at least partially explained by a glaring loophole in the rules.”…..

    1. Is it one of Cochrane’s many pseudonyms or is it a separate entity? It seems strange when Cochrane hasn’t been around for a while, and then this one turns up after months and months of absence.

      1. It’s Gunner all right.

        And after a few days of peace and quiet…

        PS I’d hesitate to call him a troll.

    1. “Those who burn books today, burn people tomorrow.”

      …and I can’t be arsed to look up who said that first.

  91. 14 Mar 21 – Gestational Parenting Sunday?
    Has Hallmark printed the cards yet?

    Academics at an Australian university, recommend alternatives to “mother” and “faher. Instead of “mother”, the authors suggest “gestational parent” – and instead of “father”, they suggest “non-birthing parent”.

          1. Hi John, we are fine, 2nd covid shot in 10 days. No did not see your Valentine’s meal…..what did I miss??

          2. Wot I posted.

            “Devon Red Ruby Chateaubriand, slow-roasted sundream tomatoes, buttered purple sprouting and baby potatoes, topped with a classic red wine (shallot-based) jus. Wasn’t bad, if I do say so myself!”

          3. Wow…(to be all-American for a moment!!) I am impressed. Jack is culinary challenged…..he will if I direct!! The kitchen is my domain.

          4. I like cooking for the pretty one – she’s usually appreciative.

            Had/have large patchwork family, so me and the ex (whom I still love and get on with) have always catered for family events etc. My younger son once coined the phrase “never knowingly under-catered”* as an epithet.

            * take-off of John Lewis ” never knowingly undersold”.

          5. Had a long day today, battened down the hatches, ready for snow storm that took out Texas to arrive overnight! See you on the morrow! Goodnight!

    3. It can only be a matter of time before someone pops up saying those terms are excluding men, sorry non-birthing parents.

  92. Oh well, what else could you expect.

    Ed Balls is crowned the WINNER of Celebrity Best Home Cook: Politician dedicates victory to his dementia-stricken mother Carolyn after beating Tom Read Wilson in tense final
    The former shadow chancellor, 53, was crowned the series champion after Wednesday’s final
    Ed beat out fellow finalists Rachel Johnson and Tom Read Wilson to be named winner and was awarded the Golden Spoon
    The politician dedicated the victory to his mum Carolyn, who has dementia, saying he learned many recipes from her as a child
    Celebrity Best Home Cook saw a slew of stars tasked with impressing Mary Berry, chef Angela Hartnett and Chris Bavin with their kitchen skills

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9270569/Ed-Balls-crowned-WINNER-Celebrity-Best-Home-Cook.html?ito=push-notification&ci=78763&si=7271111

    1. Are Ed Ball and Yvette Cooper still together?

      Ed Balls is far less horrible when he has nothing to do with politics.

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