Wednesday 23 December: Politics closed France to lorries, not an assessment of coronavirus risk

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/2020/12/23/letters-politics-closed-france-lorries-not-assessment-coronavirus/

900 thoughts on “Wednesday 23 December: Politics closed France to lorries, not an assessment of coronavirus risk”

    1. Is Geoff a civil servant, Stormy? My State Pension, normally payable 4-weekly on a Thursday and expected on Christmas Eve has arrived in my bank account today (Wednesday). Not that I am complaining, but I understood civil servants were on full pay, so I am puzzled that they have been apparently given a “day off” tomorrow!

      1. Not heard of automation, Elsie? Even in my day, we used to advance people’s payments so they got it early at Christmas and other holiday times.

        1. You’re right, Ndovu. It occurred to me much later (after my post) that the reason for the early payment might well be to ensure those with a tight budget would have sufficient funds sufficiently early enough for last-minute Christmas Eve shopping.

  5. Tony Blair calls for millions to be vaccinated in January in ‘radical acceleration’ of programme. The Independent – 23 December 2020.

    Tony Blair has called for the UK’s vaccination plan to be “altered and radically accelerated” in response to the emerging threat posed by the new variant of coronavirus.

    The former prime minister has warned that the timetable for mass vaccination – hoped to be achieved by the spring or summer – would cause “colossal” damage to the nation’s health and economy.

    Morning everyone. Well that’s settled that! Avoid getting vaxxed at all costs!

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-tony-blair-vaccine-oxford-b1777894.html

      2. Profit in his own land?

        I assume that you know that the British government is buying the vaccine from Belgium rather than from Britain.

    5. ‘Morning Minty. Bliar was on Toady this morning, but in my case for only a few seconds. Odious little creep.

  7. Still awake enjoying a few cognacs. Does this make me first poster?

    Edit: perfectly sober after a decent meal and a few bottles of wine between us. I assume the rest have retired for the evening.

        1. 327657+ up ticks,
          I think you have a case on a technicality were as I goodmorninged GG on the prior page I believe.

  8. Was pondering while waking up this morning…

    The Chinese are ahead of us on driverless car development. The reason is because in the West, we try to make driverless cars work on our roads. In China, they simply adapted the roads for the cars.

    I think their world vision is the same. They don’t want each of their peasants to have a car and a foreign holiday as we have long aspired to. Instead, they want to pull the peasants in the West down to the level of their peasants. That is what all this saving the planet, great realisation, Christmas-is-more-meaningful-this-year BS is all about.

  9. Sex and Good English!

    On his 74th birthday, a man got a gift certificate from his wife. The certificate paid for a visit to a medicine man living on a nearby reservation who was rumoured to have a wonderful cure for erectile dysfunction (it means he couldn’t get a hard on).

    After being persuaded, he drove to the reservation, handed his ticket to the medicine man, and wondered what he was in for.

    The old man slowly, methodically produced a potion, handed it to him, and with a grip on his shoulder, warned, ‘This is a powerful medicine, and it must be respected. You take only a teaspoonful, and then say ‘1-2-3.’ When you do that, you will become manlier than you have ever been in your life, and you can perform as long as you want.”

    The man was encouraged. As he walked away, he turned and asked, “How do I stop the medicine from working?”

    “Your partner must say ‘1-2-3-4,'” he responded, “but when she does, the medicine will not work again until the next full moon.”

    He was very eager to see if it worked so he went home, showered, shaved, took a spoonful of the medicine, and then invited his wife to join him in the bedroom. When she came in, he took off his clothes and said, “1-2-3!”

    Immediately, he was the manliest of men.

    His wife was excited and began throwing off her clothes, and then she asked, “What was the 1-2-3 for?”

    And that, boys and girls, is why we should never end our sentences with a preposition, because we could end up with a dangling participle.

  10. Had to cancel golf because of the mud and the forecast.
    It could be a while before we get the chance again with the planned lockdowns on their way.

  11. Good morning, all!
    An interesting tweet, from “Sleepy Joe’s” Security adviser:
    @jakejsullivan·
    22. des.
    The Biden-Harris administration would welcome early consultations with our European partners on our common concerns about China’s economic practices.
    https://twitter.com/jakejsullivan/status/1341180109118726144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1341323863586684929%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es3_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aftenposten.no%2Fverden%2Fi%2F0KvwwA%2Feu-lederne-haaper-paa-avtale-med-kina-foer-nyttaar-naa-faar-de-klar-twitter

  12. France shooting: search for suspect after three police killed. 23 December 2020.

    Three gendarmes have been shot dead, and a fourth wounded, in central France, while responding to a domestic violence incident, the interior ministry has said. A search is underway for the suspect.

    A 48-year-old man shot the officers on Tuesday night at an isolated hamlet near Saint-Just in the Puy-de-Dome region, after police tried to rescue a woman who had taken refuge in a house, according to news channel LCI.

    One has to smile at the alacrity with which information appears when it doesn’t involve you know who!

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/23/three-police-shot-dead-in-central-france

  13. Telegaffe:
    Brexit breakthrough remains beyond reach as fishing row prevails
    Michel Barnier says talks are in the ‘final push’ but EU says it is prepared to keep negotiating after deadline

    Tier 4 to be widened on Boxing Day as virus mutation ‘bleeds’
    Government sources warn there is ‘high chance’ of full national lockdown in New Year as daily cases hit new record

    Ports Deal struck to end chaos — but backlogs for days as supermarkets bring in rationing
    Forgive me, but all the discussion and pictures I’ve seen over the last few days have shown full shelves, and comment has been “surprisingly full, for this close to Christmas”. Those of you in the UK, what’s the actual case where you live? Has there been any shortage?

    2. Both my wife and I went shopping separately in different supermarkets yesterday (in Kent). No queues, no shortages. And yet I read reports in the papers yesterday of people queuing outside shops from 5:30 a.m., with one queue being ‘a mile long’. A case of the MSM creating panic-buying where none exists?

      1. I have always said that this country needs to deal with the following three items, in order of priority:
        1) Leave the EU
        2) Drain the swamp (especially the MSM)
        3) Tackle the ROP problem

        1. ‘Morning, Elsie, during 1 & 2, time must be found to also leave the ECHR, repeal the Human Rights Act and start some massive deportations that should continue into 3.

    3. Did an early morning shop at Tesco this A.M. and every thing fully stocked and not too busy, the only gap on the shelves I saw were where the Cheesy Wotsits usually hang out, I fear this must say something about our little town ( pop 24,000 with a Tesco, Asda, Aldi, Lidl and a B&M but no Waitrose ).

          3. My large chest freezer is full, my cupboards are full of tinned food – in fact I have enough food to last 3 months with the exception of fresh fruit and veg, cheese and cream for the cat. Oh and a months supply of frozen milk. There again I’m always stocked to this extent

          4. We are similar. If we can be cut off by snow for a week, as has happened, we could be cut off for much longer.

      2. A friend of ours rushed to Tesco’s at 7.05 and was surprised to find only one other shopper in the whole supermarket.

    4. A report just in from Sainsbury’s Beckenham. The shop was heaving early this morning. Ten times the number usually there at around 7:00 am. My friend counted 20 shoppers…..

      1. Our local Sainbury’s was offering extra Nectar points for shopping on the last two days “as they would be quieter”. Strangely they were thronged…

    10. Morning Obs, we had an online food delivery from the supermarket yesterday, 86 items and it all arrived, albeit with 8 minor substitutions. An orange pepper instead of a yellow pepper and a different brand of free range eggs for example is no reason for the buffoon to roll over to little Napoleon in France.
      Of course that would mean we have a PM with a backbone, something we don’t have.

    11. Last time I went shopping (Monday) everything was normal. There weren’t even any queues outside (and not many people in front of me in the queue to pay). I decided against going after riding today because the weather was so foul and it was dark at 3pm.

  14. Telegaffe:
    Brexit breakthrough remains beyond reach as fishing row prevails
    Michel Barnier says talks are in the ‘final push’ but EU says it is prepared to keep negotiating after deadline

    Tier 4 to be widened on Boxing Day as virus mutation ‘bleeds’
    Government sources warn there is ‘high chance’ of full national lockdown in New Year as daily cases hit new record

    Ports Deal struck to end chaos — but backlogs for days as supermarkets bring in rationing
    Forgive me, but all the discussion and pictures I’ve seen over the last few days have shown full shelves, and comment has been “surprisingly full, for this close to Christmas”. Those of you in the UK, what’s the actual case where you live? Has there been any shortage?

  15. Tier 4 Covid restrictions to be widened on Boxing Day. 23 December 2020.

    A swathe of areas hit by surging coronavirus rates are likely to be placed into Tier 4 restrictions from Boxing Day, ministers will announce on Wednesday.

    Ministers are expected to sign off plans for tougher measures for many areas at a meeting of the Covid-O operations committee as concern grows about the virus mutation spreading from the South-East.

    Government sources have warned that there is a “high chance” of a full national lockdown in the New Year.

    Of course there will be such and a Tier 5 shortly after one imagines! What is missing from this is the admission of defeat. Their measures have failed and simply postponed the inevitable. The virus will win through and kill just as many, if not more, than if it had simply been allowed to have its way. As an added corollary we will have a destroyed economy and a fully-fledged Police State to add to our problems!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/12/22/tier-4-widened-boxing-day/

    1. The Lockdown Tears will stop at Level 10, the highest number Boris and Co can count to, without removing their shoes

    2. Einstein: The definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over, and expect a different result!

      1. Although, to be fair, Professor Fergusson’s model apparently did manage to produce quite different results from identical inputs!?

  16. The wife has been to Waitrose already this morning, got to go back later to collect the main order unfortunately.
    No reports of any shortages although theyare out of Turkeys and roast joints which is to be expected really if you hadn’t pre-ordered.

  17. Food for thought. I subscribe to a very useful site that helps explain computer glitches, how to… and is generally computer friendly and helpful.

    I think some NoTTLers may find this article, recently published there, quite useful and thought-provoking:

    Why Are There So Many Internet Jerks?

    For ‘jerk’ insert troll?

    https://askleo.com/why-are-there-so-many-internet-jerks/

      1. Thank you for that, Datz. I followed the link and read a few selected pages of the story available on the Amazon site. I have now ordered a used copy and look forward to receiving and reading it early in the New Year.

    2. There wasn’t much funny on that site, Tom. I’m disappointed…. oh, jErks!
      Better get to Specsavers… :-((

  18. Morning all

    SIR – Closing down Dover to Calais freight movements (report, December 22) may well have been purely political.

    Under Covid health and safety rules in the European Union, all drivers delivering to factories (or collecting), have to stay in their cabs. The lorries are loaded or unloaded by the warehouse staff.

    When drivers arrive in the United Kingdom, the shrink-wrapped pallets are offloaded by the receiving warehouse – again with the drivers remaining in their cabs.

    This being so, there was no reason to stop freight travel to and from Europe – unless the EU was trying to show us what a no-deal Brexit might look like.

    By blocking movement of these trucks, the risk of Covid spreading must have been increased, as the drivers left their cabs and started mixing together.

    Bruce Murray

    Hayling Island, Hampshire

    SIR – I nearly choked on my porridge when I heard of the impending crisis (provoked by delays at Dover connected with coronavirus) in the delivery of fresh items such as strawberries and raspberries to the shops. Who on earth eats these in December or January?

    Lionel H Judd

    Wendover, Buckinghamshire

      1. Now, now, Peddy! (Good morning, btw.) As the past summer has progressed I have taken a daily tub-full of raspberries from my garden and frozen them, along with some donated by Korky. I intend to have some with cream on Christmas Day after my main meal as a change from Christmas Pudding. I am NOT a moron!

        1. I think he was alluding, Auntie Elsie, to those who throw money away on sub-standard, flavour-free imported fruit; not the exceptional produce of one’s own garden.

          I too have some exquisite frozen raspberries from the garden; far too good to use to make a jelly with (frozen ones from the supermarket are good enough for that).

          At the New Year I shall make a trifle. The bottom will be some offcuts from a Battenburg cake I made back in September and stored in the freezer. I shall make a fresh lime jelly (with lime juice, lime zest, water, sugar and gelatine), use some of the excellent frozen raspberries, then a vanilla crème patisserie, topped with whipped cream and shavings of Lindt 70% chocolate.

        2. Raspberries frozen in season are definitely not the same as those flown in from across the World during our winter. You can’t beat hone-grown. Same with dawdies.
          I am not having Christmas pudding this year; instead, I shall have figs in Cognac.

          Oh, & before I forget, you are not a moron, Elsie.

      2. Our family has a recipe for a strawberry cheesecake, which is a favourite with many and it’s usually made as part of the Christmas feasting, with frozen berries from the previous summer – frozen strawberries are mushy, but that doesn’t matter if you are going to pulverise them in a cheesecake as the flavour is still there. A few years ago someone realised that despite four gardeners having grown strawberries no one had remembered to freeze enough for the cheesecake… but we were able to find some at the Co-op on Christmas eve (to prevent a riot amongst the family members who don’t eat Christmas pudding). But that was very much the exception and the result of an oversight.

        As it’s a recipe which makes about 10 portions (and requires the use of most of the utensils in the kitchen) I don’t suppose that anyone will be making it this year. I’m seriously considering having cheese-on-toast on Friday and simply pretending that it’s just another day.

        1. Student Son is home from Derby Uni & t’Lad will be coming over tomorrow to stay until Sunday or Monday, so we’ll have 5.
          Dr. Daughter is on roster over Christmas so is due to come down for the New Year

        2. I don’t suppose that anyone will be making it this year.

          Not if you don’t post the recipe, you little temptress!

          1. Here you are then: but remember that this recipe carries a waistline warning… it is very more-ish and not at all thinning!

            Strawberry Cheesecake

            4 oz butter (or margarine if you prefer), melted and added to
            8 oz crushed digestive biscuits
            Press into an 8 or 10 inch spring release, loose bottomed tin
            (you can use half digestive and half ginger if you like and it works fine with gluten free digestives if needed)

            8 oz full fat cream cheese
            1 x 14 oz (400g) tin Nestles condensed milk (or other equivalent brand)
            12 oz pureed strawberries
            6 tbsps lemon juice
            1 sachet powdered gelatine (or equivalent gelatine sheets)
            1/4 pt double creamed, whipped till thick

            Beat the cream cheese together with the condensed milk, stir in the strawberry puree.
            Dissolve the gelatine in the lemon juice over a pan of hot water and add to the mixture, letting it cool a little first.
            Gently fold in the whipped cream.
            Pour onto the biscuit base and set overnight in the fridge (it does need to be overnight, it won’t set in a couple of hours)

            Enjoy.

      3. Morning, Peddy.
        Strawberries available all year takes away the pleasure of the first of the season’s strawberries. We wait until local ones are available – they actually taste of something, not just wet.

    2. There was a delightful scene from Astérix whereby the Romans kidnapped Panoramix the Druid in order to extract the magic potion formula from him. Astérix and Obelix set out on a rescue mission, but were captured and locked in a cell with Panoramix.

      The wise old Druid then said that he would divulge the formula, but would need some strawberries. “It’s the middle of winter – where on earth am I going to get strawberries?” exclaimed the interrogator. Caesar himself then ordered a ship out to get hold of strawberries, which were brought in at great cost, including the pirate ship which sank in the attempt to steal the valuable cargo.

      At last, Panoramix was presented with the fruit. “Now you can make the magic potion”. However, Panoramix, Astérix and Obelix ate all the strawberries. “How did you find the strawberries?” Panoramix asked. “Salty” Astérix replied.

    3. Since the driver is responsible for the roadworthiness of the vehicle and security of the cargo, how do they inspect and test the securings from the driver’s seat? Or are they absolved of any blame if there’s an accident or loss of cargo en-route?

      1. Add to that the fact that not all loads are palletised and Mr Murray’s letter is one of ignorance rather than fact.

        It wasn’t unusual for drivers to be asked to sign forms saying that loads had been handled in exemplary H&S fashion which were known by all to be pure fiction, but if you didn’t sign you didn’t get loaded.

        None of the drivers I worked with would have set off on an international run without checking the load – and some of them would drive the forklift if necessary.

        I do remember (many years ago) that our local haulier’s son, who had just passed his HGV test, forgot to secure the back of a tipper – and spilled 17 tonnes of sprats (which should have been heading for the fish-meal factory) all down the road as he drove up the steep bank from one of the Banffshire fishing villages. From memory the fine was in thousands and the bill from the county for cleaning the road wasn’t much less. His father was not impressed, to say the least.

          1. It wasn’t his finest hour… he was a rather wild young man though he did grow into a responsible family man later. He was never in his father’s league as a businessman.

            The locals complained that even after the council had cleaned up the pavements reeked of fish (it was summer-time) for days.

  19. SIR – Boris Johnson must deserve the award for the most spectacular own-goal of the year by panicking the rest of the world into isolating Britain, through his attempts to cow the population with misinformation and selective use of statistics on Covid.

    Dave Annear

    Newquay, Cornwall

    SIR – Any one with half a grain of sense would have known that if you announce to the world that the virus in the Britain is out of control, then France will close its borders to Britain.

    Graham Walker

    Billesdon, Leicestershire

    SIR – Given that Kent has been showing some of the highest numbers of this new variant of Covid-19, could there not be a possibility that it was brought into Britain via Dover from mainland Europe?

    Diana Davies

    Harrogate, North Yorkshire

  20. Strenuous negotiations just to speak to a GP

    SIR – I have, after strenuous discussions with a bored receptionist, been offered a GP telephone consultation to discuss an X-ray.

    The X-ray was taken the day after the GP requested it. The consultation offered to me is three and a half weeks after the X-ray was taken, Covid being the excuse offered. But since GP surgeries refuse to deal with Covid patients, why is there this delay?

    Carol White

    Northwold, Norfolk

  21. SIR – Having more or less supported the measures imposed on the country this year, I now give up.

    The last-minute Christmas restrictions have resulted in crowded, super-spreader train journeys. Instead of people spending five days in relative isolation with a few family members, they are now cramming into supermarkets to stock up for an unexpected stay-at-home Christmas.

    To top it all, my wife, who is extremely vulnerable, was advised by her GP surgery not to call under any circumstances, as it was operating a reduced service until December 29 in order to carry out deep cleaning – despite the fact that no one can visit, as some staff are self-isolating.

    It has at least 13 doctors, who have not provided much of a service since March, but now we are told not to bother them at all and call 111 if it is urgent. My wife’s carers and district nurses are visiting daily – but where are our GPs?

    Peter Knowles

    Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

    1. Having more or less supported the measures imposed on the country this year, I now give up.

      I applaud your fortitude Mr Knowles. I gave up long ago!

    2. My professional colleagues or at least some of them have behaved in a manner which would be incomprehensible to those of past generations . They have neglected their duties to an extent that demands investigation and prosecution. The most egregious failure is to deny life saving treatment to those with covid.

  22. Joe Biden says US will hit Russia with cyberattacks in retaliation for data hack. 23 December 2020.

    Joe Biden last night suggested he would launch retaliatory cyber attacks against Russia in the wake of a recent massive data breach of the US government.

    “Let us determine what the extent of the damage is. I promise you there will be a response.” Mr Biden’s suggestion that his response would be “in kind” was the clearest indication yet that he intends to target Russian infrastructure with cyber attacks, rather than simply imposing financial penalties.

    The Russians of course with a history of repelling foreign aggressors, the world’s largest nuclear arsenal and a formidable army are simply going to sit back and watch this happen!

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/12/22/joe-biden-says-us-will-hit-russia-cyberattacks-retaliation-data/

    2. The Russian retaliation will be.

      “It’s a fair cop, we ensured that the tally machine software was rigged to ensure Biden was elected”

    3. I thought that it was the Chinese, or at least Trump says so.

      There goes the element of surprise then, unless they have already embedded access code in Russian systems.

    4. Are you sure Araminta?

      It was only a few weeks ago that President Trump warned about this, and Mr Biden pooh-poohed his comments, as did most of the MSM.

  26. Tony Blair on BBC Radio 4 News this morning. He was quite sympathetic to the Government’s approach to Covid. His idea is to use the vaccine in one dose at the outset and get as many people protected as possible and give the second dose when vaccines are available. This was the approach advised by an expert on the same programme earlier. I think the % difference in immunity fell from 95%n to 91% for the Pfizer vaccine if 1 dose was given. I agreed with TB’s wish to introduce ID cards in the UK and I am fully aware that ID cards are a NO NO for commenters on this site but in this era of multiculturism it is essential to be able to identify individuals to reduce fraud and other crimes. I am not a fan of TB but his 7 point plan for Covid is on his Foundation website.

    1. Morning CS I’d have no problem with ID cards as long as the information stored on them was agreed with me prior to issue. During all my working life I had to carry some kind of ID but it obviously didn’t carry any personal details.

      2. It doesn’t matter what is on the card, they just need an identifying code like a national insurance number on the card.

        A quick link to online databases through the highly touted 5G network and they could have everything they need.

        The only thing stopping this is government IT incompetence

          1. Especially since BA, Delta, Virgin Atlantic and Qantas have all stated that they won’t carry you unless you can produce a vaccination certificate.

          2. Assuming that is true, Janet, (and I have no reason to doubt you) then that’s four airline companies I shall never deal with again.

          7. Just let him know how many you want – preferably in a range of names. He does a good line in passports, too.

      1. It’s amazing what info is embedded in or available through Swedish ID cards, which are compulsory.

    3. I wouldn’t have a problem with ID cards as long as the law restricts who is authorised to ask to see your ID and in which circumstances. I visit the Netherlands a few times a year and the rules are clearly defined:

      On the street, only certain officials may ask to see proof of identity. They are:

      police officers
      ticket inspectors on public transport
      special enforcement officers like labour inspectors and forest wardens.
      These officials may not ask to see proof of identity without giving a reason. Situations in which they may do so include:

      traffic management (for instance, if a cyclist rides through a red light);
      the maintenance of public order (when people’s safety is at stake);
      the investigation of criminal offences.
      If you are unable or unwilling to identify yourself in such situations, you will be liable to prosecution. You risk being taken to a police station, to establish your identity. You may also have to pay a fine.

  27. I’ve had to wait until the 23rd before I first experienced clear blue skies and sunshine. December has been a mild but dull and cloudy month so far. This morning’s touch of frost and brightness is quite exhilarating.

    1. Same here, Grizz.
      Poor car all frozen shut – the rain that was on the door seals then froze overnight. ’twas a bugger to get the door open!

  28. 327657+up ticks,
    Morning Each,
    Just pondering, now that the instruction manual is resting between the dispatch boxes in parliament and non believers can be deceived why do we not have a lie detector test for new political entrants, whilst running a test & trace going back at least three decades on ALL MPs ?

    Sample of ten,
    ” What are your future intentions regarding these Isles”

    Save a great deal of tears, stress, & future frustration.

    Forewarned is forearmed.

  29. Here we go again;

    Panic was spread. And guess whose filthy fingerprints are found?

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9078611/Is-new-Covid-variant-REALLY-infectious-children.html

    Scientists researching the new variant of coronavirus say they have no proof it is more infectious in children.

    Professor Neil Ferguson, a SAGE adviser and Imperial College epidemiologist, said yesterday there is ‘a hint that it has a higher propensity to infect children’.

    But members of COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) today said they are ‘not familiar’ with any data to suggest this might be the case.

    And guess who the Government appears to believe?

    Ferguson needs to be locked up and then throw away the key.

    1. Keep the key, thow away Ferguson, from a great height.

      Or, is there something in his character, that mkes him an ‘Untouchable’?

  31. Half way through making a loaf. Just realised that it is foggy outside. Not what was forecast.

  32. Reality strikes

    We have just recived this. from the TinTentery, that we have been going to in Spain, for the last 6 Years

    From Alannia Resorts

    We want to wish you Merry Christmas and happy New Year.
    Hopefully next year everything returns to normality, and we can

    enjoy what welove so much, an incredible and fantastic holidays.

    Merry Christmas!

    They need us.

    It has been overlooked/ignored. that longer break could be taken using Visas (no not the Credit Cards)

  33. This testing malarkey is a farce. And a scam. Medical people are being refused it. People who have been in contact with someone who tested positive are refused it. Airlines demand it – but you have to pay £150 (at Boots – other rip off agents are available).

    In yer Narfurk we have mobile test centres – but the details and whereabouts are only published for the PREVIOUS week. Joined up? I think not, Halfcock.

    1. One of my ex colleagues has just taken a job with Test and Trace. Done from a phone at home and comes with a final salary pension, no less. We were wondering how it cost £22bn.

        2. the Ontario lockdown rules allow golf courses to remain open. Round here, golf courses might open in mid April if we are lucky.

          Either botched rule setting (how unusual for government) or they are not telling us the truth about how long it will go on.

  34. ‘Morning All

    Nicked,a fine summary

    “Just updating my list of this virus’s apparent magical properties:

    Can spread asymptomatically, unlike any other virus.
    Can be caught more than once, unlike any other virus, but the vaccine will still work.
    Has an incubation period of weeks, unlike any other virus.
    Can be spread by your pets, unlike any other virus.
    Can be stopped my a mask, unlike any other virus.
    Should be measured by positive cases rather than illness, unlike any other virus.
    Can hang around on paper surfaces for hours, days even, unlike any other virus.
    Can mutate to a new strain, and the vaccine for the old strain remains effective, unlike any other virus.
    Can become more virulent, and yet more deadly, unlike any other virus.
    Can make safe drugs like HCQ dangerous, unlike any other virus.
    Can make other illnesses disappear, unlike any other virus.
    Is less infectious when eating a meal, unlike any other virus.

    And yet anybody who doesn’t believe that this virus has such novel, almost supernatural properties, is a conspiracy theorist.”
    I’ll add a couple more
    Can be defeated by a Scotch egg
    Knows the time and only attacks after 22.00 hours

  35. Some very sensible Letters today, especially that by the chap about the hard Left proposals by the Law Commission, which to me is now no better than an activist group and most of the Civil Service.

    And, for once, a sane article on COVID from the Telegraph itself (well, a million monkeys typing must get it right at some point):

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/could-sars-cov-2-evolving-become-transmissible-less-lethal/

    A pity that all their other COVID articles scarmongering about the ‘mutation’, including the paper’s headline article on the new variant ‘bleeding’ thus justifying extra Tier 4 lockdowns from Boxing Day, are the usual pile of dog doo.

    I hope that the MSM pays a heavy price for their part in making the ‘pandemic’ far worse than it should’ve been. They will need to get in line though, given how many people and organisations share the vast majority of the blame. Yesterday’s articles trying to shift blame away from the incompetent and possibly complicit civil servants on the PPE and testing farces just show how things will be going in the coming months.

  36. Funny how this “deadly new variant” only affects Britain. Amazing how it missed the Continong…. I wonder how it managed that…?

  37. How on earth did they come up with a name like “NERVTAG”? –
    Sounds all the world like the title of a 1960’s horror movie – you can fair see the strapline on the posters –
    “Coming from Somewhere Out There – To Get You”

  38. 327657+ up ticks,
    breitbart,
    Govt Scientists Suggest Tier 4 Lockdown Could Become Nationwide, Last Until Easter

    If it become Nationwide & regular ongoing would THAT alter the voting pattern regarding the lab/lib/con coalition close shop ?

    Mass uncontrolled immigration / mass foreign paedophile actions etc,etc
    do not seem to upset that said pattern.

      1. I had already noted that.

        An electric meter and a water meter

        They come from Lancashire though

      2. I had already noted that.

        An electric meter and a water meter

        They come from Lancashire though

  40. Now the news is all about Tier 4 just about everywhere until the Spring. The Spring, that time of year when Winter flu viruses begin to wane and die as they did earlier this year. Johnson’s problem then is how to keep the fear factor, if not building, but as it currently is. Perhaps he will not need to build the fear, perhaps he has a plan as he is on record stating, “…a very different World,” at or around Easter.

    Will the plan be ‘back to normal’, as if that could happen after his scorched earth policies these last 9 months, or has he decided on the ‘New Normal’ and start legislating to further destroy the Country under the guise of repairing all the damage he and his Cabinet of have created. Remember, Johnson is a man to whom lying is as natural as breathing, a serial philanderer, a man who is fine with words and slogans e.g. Get Brexit Done. How could anyone trust this man ever again?

  41. Bournville, and it’s raining cats and dogs. I once asked a Frenchman (in Budapest), the equivalent in his language and he said “Il pleut comme vache qui piche” (sorry, v.rusty French)

  42. Thinking of Lancashire (outside the big cities) and what popular culture it generated post-war (obviously pre-war it was huge with George Formby and Gracie Fields) my thoughts alighted on:

    The Clitheroe Kid

    Mrs Wainwright, detective

    An earlier police series (in late 70s/early 80s) whose name I forget

    Ecky-thump episode of the Goodies (an episode, with the Rolf Harris Safari Park, which was a favourite of my kids)

    There’s probably quite a bit more …

    1. David ‘Bumble’ Lloyd (“We flippin’ murdered ’em!”), AKA Mr H Jarse
      Jon Anderson of Yes (another son of Accrington)
      All of Barclay James Harvest
      Fred Dibnah

        2. Hence the beard ?
          Did you hear his story about mountaineering and camping in the freezing cold ?
          Hilarious.

          1. No, Eddy. When Brian Blessed played the Fancy Smith character, he was invariably clean shaven.

            The actor is, indeed, a very funny character with countless real life stories to tell.

          2. The story he told was about some one having ‘a bathroom break’ out side the multiple occupancy tent and in a hurry to get back because of the well below zero temps. But the proceeds were very quickly frozen and solid and the was wind blown back into the tent. Not a popular presentation.

      2. Liverpool = Big Cities. Z-cars theme always played as teams enter at Everton (and at Watford, which I can’t explain)

    1. ” demand that the government should do whatever the scientists tell it. ” – – why not – they do whatever racing drivers and football players tell it.

    1. You’re not wrong Bill and i hear Boros has called Toy Boy the C word out loud. LOUDER BOROS MUCH LOUDER

        1. I take it you mean Boros of course, not Macron and his small minded attempt to fence us in. As i have often said they never got over Agincourt did they, let alone Waterloo and Trafalgar.

          1. To be fair the French officer in our syndicate on the RN Staff Course did attend Trafalgar Night and admitted to enjoying it! Sadly the Italian got the hump and boycotted Taranto Night, but you can’t please everyone!

  45. A question for the moderators.

    Would you like us to flag the infestation that has appeared if we spot any?

    2. I’ve only just arrived today and see that Herr Oberst has got it sorted – but there may be others, so if you spot them, please do flag.

          2. the lastt spam attack like this one was just after last Christmas – some of these appear to be Russian.

      3. OK
        I asked because I noticed some since he posted.
        I didn’t want to have the mods inundated with messages.

          1. I just zapped another one. At least I hope it was, posted by someone new with a great site reply by another new account.

  46. More and more people are testing positive. I may need some further education but from what I can understand of the farrago of different information from the government and media, a positive test indicates not only someone with active virus, but also someone who has had the virus and is now better.
    That being so a high number and a high proportion of positive test results is a good thing. Such results indicate that we are moving closer to herd immunity.
    When we have herd immunity, won’t everyone test positive? So why is there panic, when the desired result is in sight?

    1. What will happen, as time goes by, when everyone in UK tests positive for Covid

      Will the dreaded Big C be recorded as the cause of death for everyone who dies ie Covid 100% Fatal, or will
      sanity rule and we just get on with our lives, minus of course the cowardly GPs, who will sabbaticalying in distant
      climes in the sun.

      Acceptance of Big C will put it on a par with:

      Common Cold
      Annual Flu’.
      Measles
      Mumps
      etc

      Which will not suit the Big Reset PTB at all

    2. Afternoon Horace and Nottlers.

      What we, the public, wants is not necessarily what government and TPTB want!

    3. What will happen, as time goes by, when everyone in UK tests positive for Covid

      Will the dreaded Big C be recorded as the cause of death for everyone who dies ie Covid 100% Fatal, or will
      sanity rule and we just get on with our lives, minus of course the cowardly GPs, who will sabbaticalying in distant
      climes in the sun.

      Acceptance of Big C will put it on a par with:

      Common Cold
      Annual Flu’.
      Measles
      Mumps
      etc

      Which will not suit the Big Reset PTB at all

    4. Only the desired result for those of us who are sane and want to get back to normal, Horace. For the government, this is something to be avoided at all costs, hence the discovery of the new, mutant, super-infectious/contagious, latest strain.

  47. Dear Mr Macron

    Burning be on you, Macron! You shall have no soul, nor spirit, nor
    body, nor shade nor magic nor bones, nor hair nor utterance nor
    words.

    You shall have no grave, nor house nor hole nor tomb. You shall
    have no garden, nor tree nor bush. You shall have no water, nor bread
    nor light nor fire.

    You shall have no children, nor family nor heirs nor
    tribe. You shall have no head, nor arms nor legs nor gait nor seed. You
    shall have no seat on any government.

    Your soul shall not be permitted to
    come up from the depths, and they shall never be among those permitted
    to live upon the earth.

    On no day shall you behold God, but you
    shall be bound and fettered in the nethermost abomination and your soul
    shall never enter into the glorious light for ever and ever.

    Merry Christmas from Nottl.

    Apologies to Frank Herbert.

  49. Two months ago over one thousand students at two universities close by tested positive for Covid-19. I have heard no more. Are they all dead?

    1. Students? I think Pot Noodle sent them 4 lorries full of emergency survival rations. They should all be OK.

    3. I read that all students at Cambridge who were tested, tested negative! Not heard any more about that, either.

  50. The writer is correct to criticise the idea of regional government in England but how English are we? I’ve often felt Englishness is rather more varied and diffuse than Welshness and Scottishness simply because the country is so much bigger and with so many more historical influences. Then, of course, there is the problem that a large proportion of the more recent immigrant population is encouraged to despise Englishness (and Britishness). His analysis of Labour’s attitude is certainly accurate.

    Labour will never win while it refuses to speak for England

    The party’s misguided obsession with devolving power to regions is at odds with the sense of Englishness many of us feel

    ROBERT TAYLOR

    More than 40 years after the West Lothian Question was first asked, Labour has flunked it yet again. Keir Starmer’s speech on devolution this week was a perfect opportunity to surprise us all, break with the past and pledge to correct the British constitution’s anti-English bias. But his analysis contained only rehashed platitudes and same old, same old.

    The wind-the-clock-back feel was capped by his announcement that Gordon Brown is to head up Labour’s “Constitutional Convention”. Yup, it’s that same Gordon Brown whose undistinguished premiership was characterised by endless waffle about the “nations and regions of Britain” – the nations, needless to say, being proud old Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while the regions are the North West, North East, the Midlands and so on. What about England? Labour’s computer says no.

    It can’t be repeated often enough that every nation of the UK has its own democratic representation – except England. To be fair, the Tories haven’t shown enough interest in correcting the democratic outrage they inherited, but at least they made an attempt with English Votes for English Laws.

    But Labour? You’ve got to be kidding. Far from considering some kind of English parliament, to match the privileges Labour gave to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland 20 years ago, the party has been marching in the opposite direction. With Brown in charge, it seems likely that the Constitutional Convention will merely resurrect tired old proposals to break up England into cities and regions with their own assemblies, all competing against each other and encouraged to forge their own identities. England, as a result, would be divided into its constituent parts.

    Yet, if ever Labour wanted to dig its own grave, this is the way to do it. England not only constitutes more than four-fifths of the UK population, but its people are reporting an ever-greater sense of Englishness and a weakening feeling of Britishness – just like many Scots, who are Scottish first and British a distant second.

    The figures are hard to come by, because polling companies take little more interest in the English question than politicians. But when they do, they find startling answers. For example, 61 per cent of English people who express an opinion want an English parliament, and – this one is dynamite – 49 per cent want England to be completely independent. So, when’s the referendum, eh?

    These figures are growing all the time, and you would have thought Labour might pay attention. But no. Not even a dismissive snort. Labour can just about bring itself to wave the Union Flag – though even that was too much of a stretch for Jeremy Corbyn – but the flag of St George is beyond the pale. Find me a Labour politician passionate about England and I’ll show you a reselection.

    In fact, when former Labour shadow minister Tristram Hunt begged his party to celebrate Englishness and embrace its culture, he was shortly afterwards run out of politics for good. Labour is far more comfortable with the likes of Emily Thornberry, who mocked a Rochester resident for draping his house in England flags. She might just as well have called the English a basket of deplorables, and been done with it.

    Ok, Britain’s Left has always turned its nose up at England. But it’s now gone far beyond George Orwell’s notion that Englishness is “slightly disgraceful”, and we’ve got to the stage where Labour appears to hope that by breaking England into bits and pieces, and persuading them that Westminster is the enemy, people will stop this embarrassing habit of feeling English and start devoting their loyalty to their region instead. It’s fine to be from Manchester, admirable to hail from the North West, great to feel British and praiseworthy to be European. Just don’t mention England.

    Well, dream on, Labour. It might suit the party’s lefty, knee-jerk ideology to resist English democratic representation, but the tide is going one way. And if Labour ignores that obvious trend, choosing instead to re-heat its ill-fated attempts from 2004 to set region against region, it’ll suffer once again at the ballot box, particularly in that crumbling red wall.

    Former Labour parliamentary candidate Naushabah Kahn nailed it when, after a failed attempt to win election, she bemoaned the perception that Labour is the “anti-English” party. It was her version of Theresa May’s “nasty party” moment. It was very honest. But it was also five years ago. Remarkably, Labour still hasn’t learned.

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/12/23/labour-will-never-win-refuses-speak-england/

    1. As I’ve traced my family history back several centuries in all branches – I can report that I am definitely English. That may of course include some Norman or Viking, and there is a Welsh line. But I’m English!

      1. You might be English as you were born there, but no one born before the 5th century AD was ‘English’ since there was no such place.

        England “Angle-land” only came about after the invasion of the Angles (along with the Jutes and Saxons).

        1. Correct. I have puzzled Scots who smiling told me Scotland had never been conquered by the Romans ‘like England’ by pointing out that at the time my people were living in northern Germany plotting to take over the world as people in northern Germany tend to do, but in our case, successfully. Then I tell them about Tacitus …

          1. I’ve corrected Scots myself in the same way, plus I point out that the Scots were mostly still in Ireland at the time.

        2. True – but that goes back quite a long way. I’m English – I was born here and so were most of my ancestors (apart from the Welsh ones) going back 10 generations or more.

      2. Well, i would love to have been a Viking descendant but probably Norman is most likely. Apple-ogies.

        2. “You have to admire Sir Arthur; he always manages to give the impression that God must be an Englishman”

          55 Days At Peking Film

    2. Labour only speaks for the middle and upper middle class woke urbanites – even when Corbyn and Momentum were in charge – most of them are in that group, and many who originally were working class left that behind years ago when they got rich of being an MP, etc. Whilst many Tory MPs are closer to the working class person, especially newer MPs Up North, many still don’t really know what they want, rather like many US Republican congressmen and women, who don’t know (or care) why Trump won so many working class people over in 2016.

      In both nations, a split could easily occur in BOTH major parties, between the radical Hard Left and the Establishment Cronies for the US Dems and UK Labour, and the more Blairite/Establishment/Remainer ‘Tories’ and the socially conservative UKIppers/Brexit Party supporters/actual conservatives who support Brexit and similar minded former Labour supporters.

      Interesting for the media, but VERY BAD for the country unless our ‘faction’ can gain the ascendency and win an election. Otherwise it’s Euro-style coallitions and possibly even re-rentry to the EU after the next General Election for us, and if Biden and his cronies/CCP controllers use the system to keep power, the world could be in for some VERY dark times ahead.

      1. 327657+ up ticks,
        Afternoon EA,
        By NOT acknowledging the fact that the lab/lib/con ARE a coalition party, as one, a close shop, & vote accordingly the Country WILL be in for some VERY dark times,guaranteed.

      2. I do not think of being British, I was born in England and am English with a Canadian passport.

        On t’other hand, the boss was born in Scotland, she is now owner of what they call a lair – don’t call her English.

    3. We all have a number of loyalties and sense of belonging when it comes to this stuff. One can be a proud Londoner, Englishman and Briton (as I am) or a multitude of other combinations. Britishness has been dominant for a few centuries, but in reality that has meant domination by England throughout the last 100 years or so as the English population has grown at a faster rate than the number of people living elsewhere across the UK. There’s no sign that this demographic imbalance will alter, so it is hardly surprising that more people in Scotland want independence as they see their votes having less and less influence on the UK. NI has always been ignored and Wales sits somewhere between the two. I suspect this all means the UK will break-up, which I’ll regret, although if I was Scottish I’d probably vote SNP.

    4. I can’t recall ever thinking of myself as “British”, I’ve always been English (apart from a brief flirtation in my teens with identifying with my Welsh heritage). I reject “Britishness” even more now when any Salim, Hussein or Mo can rock up, get a passport and pretend to be “British”.

  51. Signing off now. I’ll be back later to see if you have all been good boys and girls !

    Going out to break some covid rules and breathe at people..

  52. Why wasn’t anyone addressing the fact before now that we must have let millions of lorry journeys cross the channel and throughout Europe for the first nine months of this plumdemic with not a thought to the spread of the virus?

  53. Am I alone in thinking that careless Covid talk by Matt Hancock has imposed pain and inconvenience on millions of people over the Christmas holiday period. He is a first-class plonker.

    3. Was he the one that said the new strain of COVID was ‘out of control’ in the UK, promting the wave of border closures to us? If so, he should resign.

    1. No. He was a local nut case – well known for domestic violence and child abuse. Deeply rural.

      The gendarmes who went out were a special “family abuse” unit.

      Poor sods.

  55. Looks like I’ve woken up this morning to yet another new strain,
    my ankle this time.
    The less you do the more little niggles you get for some reason

      2. I would not have accepted being disciplined for using a perfectly acceptable English word. My anger at those attempting it would have been roof-lifting.

  57. SIR – My worst Christmas ever (Features, December 22) was when my brother inked a Hitler moustache on to the beautiful blonde doll my sister had just given me. Over 60 years on, the memory still lingers.

    Jane Moth
    Snettisham, Norfolk

    This reminds me of a Christmas Day prank I played on my 10-year old brother. I had bought a “Tiny Tears” doll for my niece but I wrapped it, first, as a present for my brother. The look of thunder on his face as he unwrapped it was priceless. I then explained the prank and re-wrapped it for my niece before handing him his real present.

    By doing that I was hoist by my own petard since he has gained revenge and played dozens of pranks on me in the years since then.

    1. Not quite in the same vein, but at my dad’s company Christmas children’s party I, a boy of 9 years of age, received a present which when opened was a nurse’s outfit. I’ve never quite been the same.

  59. Blockade looks so choreographed and co-ordinated !

    First MPs go home and the lights are turned off in parliament.

    Then, Mr Gates’ allies, Mr Johnson, Mr Hancock, Mr Whitty and Mr Vallance suddenly discover a strange and frightening ”mutant virus” which is sure to scare the bunnies straight back into their burrows.

    Informed, as they were, by Mr Gates’ scientists that this new ”mutant” will allegedly affect more people. One of whom is the Gates paid ”expert” Mr Ferguson!

    Cue for an extensive Tier 4 lockdown with more to come.

    Moments later, Mr Gates’ and Mr Soros’ allies across Europe isolate Britannia and start a blockade likely to last at least a week.

    Result… chaos and UK food shortages in a few days.

    I think there are far too many ”coincidences”, particularly considering how the Soros network operates, and that the early stage of ”Great Reset” is being served up !

    Meanwhile, the individual who manages the UK economy, Mr Sunak, has vanished. No surprises there as the UK economy is being wrecked.

    1. A couple of weeks back I invited you all to join the dots between the raising of the “threat” level in the South East and Brexit.

      Seems you failed to do that Polly.

  60. 327657+ up ticks,
    May one suggest that if given another opportunity to vote one would consider the death of the three monkeys a beneficial boon and in regards to the lab/lib/con coalition, DNR would prove a peoples lifesaver.

    breitbart,
    NHS Gets Political, Chiefs Call for Brexit Delay Because of Coronavirus.

    1. From the NHS’s point of view they still got their cash – they got extra from charity walks etc – they have spent little on treatment while they have delayed/cancelled treatment – and they are getting paid for NOT seeing patients. They must LOVE it. From people who have been to our local hospital – they all say the same – like a ghost town – staff – -and no patients. I have had ambulance crews tell me they have done 12hr shifts – and only 2 calls. Sat around for hours some days.

      1. And in the meantime – the wonderful Nightingale Hospitals have quietly been dismantled and decommissioned.

          1. Because so many private individual are billionaires, I think politicians lose all sight of just how enormous a sum of money a billion pounds actually is.

          2. Agreed Bill – they could have given all that to Crossrail to get another couple of yards finished.

      2. I live between Charing Cross and Hammersmith hospitals. In normal times there’s a constant flow of ambulances with their sirens blasting up and down my road. Very quiet since March. A few still but very few.

  61. I’ve just received an uptick from hopon.
    If you’re out there still, hope all is well with you and welcome back, please join in again.

    1. I hope he’s ok – I realised last week we hadn’t seen him for ages. If he replies to you – give him my best.

          1. Oh yeah? I had to take my trousers off when I had an ultra-sound scan. Mind you, it was on my leg.

          5. Too right. They spent an hour apart this morning, and on reuniting, Gus put his paw round Pickles and licked him!

          6. Too right. They spent an hour apart this morning, and on reuniting, Gus put his paw round Pickles and licked him!

    2. Getting desperate eh?

      Total b.s. the shipping industry is so screwed up that the ballots will still be mid pacific, stuck in container.

  64. A spot of better news for ex-pats living in France. Barclaycard say the will NOT cancel. Lloyds Bank says it has “no plans” to close UK bank accounts….

    (There is no charge for this information!)

        1. Morning Grizz, my other gripe is that Discus tells me I have to log in to post a picture – and I’m already logged in

      1. Funny thing, Datz, is that I only enabled it yesterday (after ‘pruning’ most of the stored cookies in my cache). I’ve just taken your advice and disabled it and now all seems well again. Thanks.

      1. It’s a bit dearer than in the UK but not much. The London Pride (shown on photo) is from the supermarket where, by idiotic Swedish law, no beer over 3·5%ABV may be sold.

        To buy the stronger (i.e. normal strength) stuff you have to go to the nanny-state shop—the Systembolaget—and pay a bit more.

        1. I like our version, Vinmonopolet. The staff are knowledgeable, and the range amazing (though one may have to order). Price – you kind of get used to it!

          1. When b-i-l was travelling back and forth to Norway – he always found that bottles (full of local spirituous liquors) were very welcome gifts to fellow engineers 😉

          3. I’m sure it’s excellent, but perhaps not quite in the Talisker/Glenmorangie/Glen Livet (many other such poisons are available) bracket? Unless he is prepared to let it age, in wood, for 10/12/14/or more years… A friend sent father an 18 yr old Glenfiddich special edition for their 65 anniversary a week or two ago.

          5. As I mentioned a couple of days ago, W/rose have closed their shop in Shrewsbury town centre. My nearest W/rose is, therefore, in Telford and that’s a 60 mile round trip and the difficulties of navigating around Telford when you get there.

            I’ve got Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Tesco more locally as well as a couple of Co-ops and the shop in the village which is a Spar (and where I do all my Post Office bits and pieces). So I think I will manage with those. I don’t need any whisky anyway, I got a bottle and a half of Laphroaig and a low flyer if I want to make toddy.

          6. Not yet, but he plans to experiment with whisky-fying the hooch this coming spring. We’ll see how it goes.
            Sounds like my kind of friend!

          7. It’s even got a special, one-of, label with their names on it. They can be ordered from the distillery, but I’m scared to even think about the price.

            Whisky, like trees, takes time. A minimum of three years in bond for a grain whisky and minimum of 8 years for a single malt (although you seldom see them younger than 10 year old nowadays). If you keep them for 18 – 25 years the angels take quite a large share.

            If you have space to store and can get hold of (or make) wooden barrels, it might be quite fun to see what you get after 5 years or so.

        2. It’s odd how the attitude to ABV has changed.
          In the mid 60’s, when I started going to pubs, I’m fairly sure no one was interested at all, and that most beers would have been around the 3.5 mark anyway.

          1. A lot of what are known as “session beers”, i.e. bog-standard bitters and milds are still around the 3·5 mark. The “best” bitters, with more flavour, strength and body, are around the 4·3—4·5 mark.

          2. The local that we use when we’re in the UK fits that description spot on.

            They have one bitter there all year round, under 4, and usually three or four local guest ales, seldom much above 4.5, depending on the season.

            It’s a brilliant pub because they get in everything from milds to porters, so there is always something to suit most tastes

          4. In the mid-60’s you’d have beers listed by their OG; Original Gravity, the specific gravity of the wort before fermentation began.
            The theory being that the higher the OG, the more sugar hence the stronger brew when it all fermented.

          6. In the 60s and 70s the Chancellor kept putting up the duty on beer. It was an easy way to bring in revenue. Breweries were given little notice. A few days before the Chancellor delivered the Budget Speech, or the Autumn Regulator, the brewery Finance Director would receive a sealed envelope with the Duty Increase details inside. If the Chancellor announced in his speech that there would be an increase, the envelope could be immediately opened. If the Chancellor did not announce a Duty increase the envelope had to be returned unopened.
            The Duty was based on OG. So to maintain sales and profits, breweries typically lowered the OG. Presumably on the basis that the average bar customer would have no idea what original gravity was. It was also seen as an opportunity for the breweries to slip in a small price increase that might not be noticed. I was working in Scottish & Newcastle one year when the duty went up. The MD of Tennent’s Lager phoned our Sales Director and asked how much we would be increasing the price of Harp Lager. Our director told him and Tennent’s Lager went up by the same amount as Harp. However, the OG of Tennent’s was significantly higher than that of Harp and the increase did not meet the duty increase and therefore rather reduced Tennent’s profits until they twigged. All good fun!

      1. Lots do. They also make their own hooch, which is illegal, but—and get this—the shops sell bottles of colourings and flavourings specifically for home-made bootleg spirits!

        On one hand, independent wine-dealers and off-licences are banned; but bootlegging has a blind eye turned to it. You couldn’t make it up!

    3. Not even from microbreweries, Grizz?
      My favourites are Nøgne Ø IPA (proper strength – 8%) and NSB (Numedals Stasjons Bryggeri) who do a lovely English IPA (not over-hopped) and a great stout. All bottle-conditioned.

      1. There are numerous good microbreweries, Paul, but they have to sell their wares via the Systembolaget and not independently or through the supermarket (unless they are a watered-down pissy 3·5).

        1. I buy beer from vinmonopolet, as it’s proper strength. Drawback is the %alc related taxes…

    4. I always enjoyed singing To Be A Pilgrim in the chapel at school – especially the verse about hobgoblins and the foul fiend not being able to daunt one’s spirit.

      1. I hated it when that hymn was ‘modernised’ and all traces of hobgoblins and foul fiends expunged. I refused to sing the new words at Sunday School and tried to raise my voice with the correct version.

        1. The 4th edition of the Church Hymnary (pub. 2005) still has the original words, so I don’t know who meddled with your Sunday School edition.

          1. The new version was also in the school hymn books. It had the silly words “He who would valiant be” replacing the traditional “Who would true valour see”. It was a messed-about, sanitised version of the original.

            Apparently, the original version is now getting back in favour. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Be_a_Pilgrim

          4. We had the original in our school hymnbooks (between 1964 and 1976). I don’t remember ever encountering a bowdlerised version (though I’ve met them for other hymns).

          6. No. Not really very likely in Aberdeenshire.

            As far as I remember (it was a long time ago) it was the standard Scottish Hymnal which included Psalms in metre. There was no “school” hymnbook as such.

  68. There is an element of a larf about the Great Dover Queue. Most of the drivers are yer furriners. A lot of them French and Spanish – whose countries arbitrarily imposed the ban. Sad that they won’t be home for Christmas….. Very. Ho ho..

    1. They could always return home by rubber boat.

      Plenty available in Dover.

      Plus – the French authorities are unable to see them.

    2. And the MSM is warning that there may be food shortages after Christmas. This despite the fact that all the lorries queued up at Dover are leaving the UK (so can’t be bringing food in), and that lorries have still been arriving on ferries coming into Dover from Calais. Perhaps geography is not journalists’ best subject.

  70. Narfurk (a hotbed of the Plague – at least two dead in the last two months) will be in Tier 4 from Saturday.

      2. As Antony said in his stirring address to the Roman people after the assassination of Julius Caesar:

        If you have tiers to shed prepare to shed them now.

        1. 327657+ up ticks,
          Afternoon R,
          Mine were shed on hearing ” job done, leave it to the tory’s” tears of bloody anger that was at how easy it was for fools to lose a Nation.

    2. To amplify – in North Norfolk District – since the Plague began – there have been 68 deaths “related to” Covid.

    1. All as I feared – carefully choreographed to make it appear that the ‘impossible’ has somehow been achieved. Suspect it was all sewn up weeks ago.

      1. We have been stitched up from the moment we dared to vote to be free. Unfortunately, we didn’t realise it at the time.

        1. I missed that.
          The new version of All Creatures is quite interesting………all local people and set in the 1930 Yorkshire dales ??

  75. Anyone who clicked on the link posted in reply to Anne by an unknown poster (followed by a crowd of others), that led to a “finance advice” site had better run virus scanner.
    I’ve deleted the thread and banned the OP, but when I checked the link, McAffee lit up and went “TILT!”.
    I’ve never had an audible alarm from McAffee before… 🙁

          5. Yes – she was the one who posted a link which Oberst found contained a virus. Most of the others were just acolytes.

    2. Oh hell, I did click on it on my iPhone. It was odd because it wouldn’t let me back out. My phone seems OK. But what to do?

          2. Your notifications might tell you…… my phone’s a Sansung so it’s android but I’ve never used any anti-virus as we’re on Linux here.

          4. Be very careful of that blanket assurance…. it is not entirely accurate. Apple claims that their phones are secure, which is not the same thing as being secure, as plenty of people have learned to their cost. If your iOS is up to date you are probably OK, if not then you are probably not OK.

            I’m an android user, and I have anti-virus on it. My tech adviser says “if it’s connected to the internet, it needs protection, never take the manufacturer’s word as gospel”.

    4. Just deleted and banned the bitcoin scammer and liking friends
      We must have appeared on some list {:^((
      Edit just run malwarebytes,picked up one new adware threat now quarantined

  76. Hancock announcement re new tiers…

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55428017

    The health secretary told the Downing Street briefing the old tiering system was not enough to control the new variant of the virus.

    He said cases had been rising in some of the places close to where the current tier four restrictions are, such as East Anglia, which had seen a “significant number” of the new fast-spreading variant.

    “It is therefore necessary to put more of the East and South East of England into tier four.”

    Areas moving to tier four are: Sussex, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambridgeshire, Hampshire, with the exception of the New Forest, and the parts of Essex and Surrey not already in the toughest restrictions.

    Mr Hancock also announced that other areas would move into higher tiers.

    Areas moving to tier three are: Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, including the North Somerset council area, Swindon, the Isle of Wight, the New Forest and Northamptonshire as well as Cheshire and Warrington.

    Cornwall and Herefordshire will move into tier two.

    1. I thought Cornwall was to be placed in Tier 4 because of the return of all their Pirates. The Aaarghh rate has gone off the top of the scale….

        1. I am now convinced it is just a ploy so that we all go down on our hands and knees begging to be vaccinated….so we can be permitted to roam.

          1. But there isn’t enough and it’ll take years…

            And even if you are done, you’ll still need a mask and keep distance etc etc.

            The plan is simple. Crush the human spirit. Concentration camps without the expense and inconvenience of buildings, guards etc.

    2. We’ve been locked up as well.

      If lock ups worked, we wouldn’t need them. It’s simply absurd. Just to wait until after Christmas – just to avoid the backlash. Now we’ve got a virus that not only knows the time but also the date.

      It’s absolutely flippin’ tedious.

    3. We feel that the only way to deal with this chaos is to rejoin the EU.

      We wonder how many politicians feel the same?

      …but then they’ll get their 30 pieces of silver, which we won’t.

      1. Hi Phizzee do you have any idea how long ago Anne’s post was? Have just “joined in” today but Oberst doesntussy how long ago her post was.

          2. Found the location!
            It was a post close to the first post, by a photo of illegals getting out of a zodiac on a pebbly beach.

          4. I think we had something similar to this a couple of years ago when a response would arrive in bold type saying something like. You can make $5000 a day by clicking here. One of the many scams going around.

        3. There is an infestation of the creatures replying to various threads and then replying to each other.

    3. Call me an old fogey – and many do – but I always treat newcomers with suspicion until they have shown themselves to be in the NoTTLer mould.

      1. If they can’t be reeled in by a fish pun, they are not genuine. Little gem of a thread running on lettuces on t’other site!

    1. My word it’s day break here at last it’s been so dark and miserable. Fitting in such trying times.
      But brightened up by getting the bins out and watching a red kite perched high up in a neighbours tree. ……………🎵do they know it’s Christmas 🎶

      1. I rather liked the Banner lower down the attachment.
        I’ll be back………….. talking to Bruce in Melbourne.

    2. I have never yet managed to get and answer to the question..

      If a person has too small a viral load to produce symptoms how come they have sufficient viral load to pass on infections?

      I am met with silence every time I ask this.

  81. That’s me. Just had a smashing skype with No 1 grandson. Bright, hard-working, optimistic about the future of the economy. Very heartening.

    Market day tomorrow. Have a jolly evening planning your new life in tiers.

    A demain.

    1. Oh for Bluff King Hal or his feisty younger daughter.
      That is outright treason; for which the Blair creature abolished the death penalty.
      (Ponders deeply.)

  83. The UK government. Unparallelled experience and excellence in shutting stable doors, after the horse has gone.

    This is in line with our long standing practice of allowing the denizens of the pits of the planet to come here with no health checks whatsoever, allowing them to bring TB, new variant TB, yellow fever, pneumonic plague, hemorragic fevers and anything else without let or hindrance. So not a surprise.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55428953

    1. I’m trying to post a reply to Herr Oberst but I’m not sure if it’s showing. this is actually addressed to all NOTTLers:

      “Thank you, Herr Oberst.

      I’ve had a helluva day.

      It started with a purported phone call from Amazon, which didn’t ring any alarm bells as I’ve had to talk to them in this past week to sort out the defective printer.

      Gradually it became apparent that it was a scam, and after at least 2 hours (from which my brain is just about recovering) my bank sorted out the problem and blocked them. All I can say is thank goodness I have never used phone banking, because this is the way they tried to get into my account.

      I can’t give any more details, because even a distorted brain like mine couldn’t keep up with the contortions.

      The scammers have now become clever enough not to ask for card details as they know this now alerts even the most naive into spotting trouble.

      The bank have warned me that Amazon don’t make phone calls, but, because of the issue I mentioned above, that had not been my experience.

      I will email my pet computer nerd about running a virus scan, though I’m not sure if it’s needed with a Mac.”

      1. For some reason, I wasn’t getting any notifications, Anne. Didn’t mean to ignore you, honest.

  84. Can’t believe it is only just Happy Hour,
    Had a few wines already and waiting for the curry to arrive

  85. I see that Hancock is at it again, now we’ve got the ‘even worse’ South African strain of the virus (it MUST be racist) that tramits EVEN MORE rapidly, conveniently forgetting the sage words (ahem) from non SAGE but eminent scientists who say that with viruses, the easier they are to spread, the less deadly they are. Is he working for the French as well as the World Economic Forum?

    1. Of course it is more transmissable. It got here from South Africa. It didn’t even have a passport or a visa. Where is the next farce coming from – – Mars????

    1. On a recent police program two large patrol cars were trying to stop another car. One of the police got in front then slammed the brakes on – so did the target car. The 2nd police car rammed straight into boot of the target car to which the female police driver ( sorry ladies ) reported as – ” I have stopped him from the back “. The tea I was drinking went everywhere. Best laugh in ages.

        1. Having spent 4 years in Catterick and working for two Teesside based firms, I can tell the difference but I must admit, it took some time.

    1. I’m not quite sure I get the stormtroopers’ dartboard joke. Is it that, in the Star Wars films, they rarely manage to get a shot on target?

  88. 327657+ up ticks,

    breitbart,

    UK Govt Begins Work on QR Code Coronavirus ‘Freedom Passports’,
    Denies System is ‘Imminent’

    Read that as ” ready for issue as soon as the word comes from brussels”
    PASSPORTS TO SERFDOM.

    I would say that the underworld is, if not in front, will be on par in the issuing dept.

    1. Get ready for the new uniforms of the Covid Marshalls. Now to be named Covidaleks. . . .obey . . . .OBEY . . . ..OBEY

  89. Hancock has now announced that there is a newer variant of COVID-19 from South Africa than the original UK new (Kent) variant.

    If there is any agreement at all on trading terms with the EU before the end of the year it will have to be with gloved hands.

  90. Dover is blocked by lorries and cars with no access to the port for lorries released from Manston. The police are unable to deal with the problem. Surely lorries could be released from Manston to return to where they set off in the UK. Some drivers will fail the unreliable Lateral Flow test. What will happen to them? Conditions are apparently disgusting for the stranded.

    1. The PCR test just gives false positives, the LF one false negatives. Hurried and not fit for purpose.

    3. The govt are offering lateral flow tests (like contra flow I suppose) and taxpayer-funded accomodation to any of Manu Macron’s victims who test positive.. Backlog expected to last until New Year’s Eve or beyond. I would guess that most of the captive drivers are not French, so they won’t be able to complain.Of course, the owner-operators will probably be in worse debt if they ever get home.

      1. They are testing at Manston. The trucks (and cars) which are at the front of the queue – and already in Dover – are not being tested. Unsurprisingly they are very unwilling to return to Manston for testing and find themselves 4,000+ vehicles further back in the queue (even if the gridlock in Dover allowed them to turn around). The trucks from Manston can’t get into the port at all, because the way is blocked by all the untested trucks and cars.

        It should have been blindingly obvious that they needed to start their testing at the front of the queue; but someone, apparently, knew better.

  91. If you haven’t decided on stuffing to have with your Christmas dinner this is good we’ve been using it all our married life and is ideal for turkey, Chicken or veal.

    FORCEMEAT STUFFING

    Melt 2oz Butter or Margarine and add 4oz white breadcrumbs, ideally from a stale loaf, with herbs (we use mixed 1 teaspoon herbs and half teaspoon parsley and finely grated rind of a lemon. Season well with salt and pepper. Stir in enough egg and milt to bind the mixture together. (2-3oz chopped ham or learn bacon can be added for a richer stuffing with a little grated nutmeg and/or powdered mace).

    We normally do a double lot and cook it separately in a small dish. It goes very will with cold meat or crumbled in other dishes. The original recipe came from the Stork Magazine cookbook we obtained when we got married.

    Hope you enjoy it.

    2. Hi, Alf, and thanks for that. I adore stuffing in all its guises, from bog-standard Paxo sage and onion to more exotic ones with sausage meat and chestnuts etc. I can eat it on its own or in a pork sandwich.

      Over here, in Sweden, though it is viewed with suspicion! They don’t ‘get’ it in the same way that they don’t ‘get’ dumplings and Yorkshire pudding.

      Forcemeat stuffing: one of life’s little pleasures.

      2. I can undersatnd people being concerned about eating mixed up all sorts of things if the do not know where it comes from and who made it and exactly what is in it. I know I do..

  93. Well………..Classic fm are doing their annual Carol of the Year event on radio right now. We listeners can vote for our favourite carols. There is so much choice. Might it be Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Silent Night, or maybe In the Bleak Midwinter, although the Midwinter Solstice was yesterday.

    So many wonderful carols to choose from…. but my favourite carol is Carol from the Dog and Duck. In skimpy skirts, with her festive balloons well blown up and in danger of popping (out), the way she pulls those pints is biblical. Oh Come All Ye Faithful… and they probably will!

      1. Love carols, love hymns, love blues, love jazz, love soul, love rock, love pop, love classical, love country & western, love folk.

        HATE rap!

  94. When Mr Hancock says ”work even closer” with Davos… does it mean in lockstep on everything ?

    https://twitter.com/MattHancock/status/956851034797891584

    To include Net Zero, Build Back Better and Great Reset obviously.

    As he’s working ”even closer” with Davos, how close was he working before ?

    As Mr Hancock wants ”Net Zero” and ”Great Reset”, wouldn’t the best way to achieve that be to trash your own economy ?

    ”Coincidentally”, trashing the UK’s economy is exactly what Mr Hancock is doing.

      1. I couldn’t agree more. I bet folks in Herefordshire are ecstatic; they went down to Tier 1 – oh, joy! – and now, days later, they are back in Tier 2 (effectively lockdown again).

  95. Evening, all. I thought, after the last few days, things couldn’t get any worse, but the people supplying the materials to fix my studio roof are on holiday now until 5th Jan 2021, the builder and scaffolders have shut down until next year as well and the pièce de résistance – the proprietor of the restaurant where I and a couple of friends had booked to have lunch on Boxing Day has just rung me to say they have been put in tier 3 and they have had to close. Fat chance of finding an alternative in Shropshire at this late stage. Plod is out in force, ignoring the burglaries, muggings, etc, to ensure that anybody driving into Wales will be fined. I am not harbouring nice thoughts about this lot in Westminster, what with no hunting (it’s been suspended due to the government’s guidelines) and no outing for a meal. At the same time the pillocks are claiming that the new variant “from South Africa” has been found here. Why would that be, I wonder? Couldn’t possibly be because the numpties have still got the borders wide open and are trawling the Channel for invaders to help here, could it?

    1. Yo Conway

      Send the plod to the Trotting Mare Caravan Site, on the A528 out of Ellemere

      The English Welsh border passes through the some caravans.

      Some tintent owners could be arrested for going to bed

      I used Bing maps and just followed the road from Ellesmere towards Bangor on Dee

      1. I am still trying to make up my mind whether to go for drink or drugs. Arthritis is still a pain (literally), so if I take strong (ie prescription) painkillers to zap it, I have to lay off the booze. I shall definitely choose drink tomorrow (and over Christmas).

  96. Just arrived at Knoll House Hotel. Will post some pics when i get back. If i get back.

    There are only 12 other guests so i think i may clean up on the quizzes and bingo. The staff are charming and of course personal service is the order of the day. 🙂

    Cream Tea in a minute and at 5.30 Champagne and Canapes. Then dinner. I feel pampered and spoilt.

    https://www.knollhouse.co.uk/

    1. The walk up Ballard Down will give you great views if its sunny tomorrow – a 30 mile panorama

          1. Except for the alcohol and the odd party i lead a monastic life. Mostly because i have no choice. 🙁

    4. Should you not be at home? Tier 4 and all that?? Have you reported yourself to the police yet?

      1. My area is/was tier 2 when i left. Southampton and Portsmouth have gone into tier 4. I think the motorway is tier 1.

        I did call the Police but i just got a recorded message !

          1. The staff are very protective of their regular guests and have already armed the trebuchets against marauding covid marshalls.

          2. Are the trebuchets strong enough to send “replacements” back to France? Or past the halfway mark at least.

    5. A few minutes’ walk from Studland Bay….

      Popular with the naturists in the summer one would imagine!

  97. Discurse is preventing me posting replies. It refuses to accept them – then, when I press “post” again, says I have already made the comment.

  98. Well, it looks like the UK is going to be sold out tonight. Get your cheque books out, folks, we’re going to need a new political party.

    Let’s call it the Reform Party.

        1. 327657+ up ticks,
          Evening Itp,
          Seriously question the leadership on recent past activities, and I am a very serious anti lib/lab/con coalition people.

          The leadership is IMO yet another
          mis-leader, group peoples good intentionally, leadership highly suss.

  99. DT headline – suitably amended….

    “Brexit latest news: EU member states prepare to implement deal as Brussels waits for white smoke flag…”

    1. And in other news, at a Downing Street press conference today, Boris Johnson reveals the new, post-Brexit UK Flag – a white cross on a white background.

      1. I wonder if Boris Johnson is aware of just how little faith people have in his courage, resolution and his ability to stand firm against the EU’s malign mission to humiliate Britain.

        And if he is aware of it I wonder if this awareness will make him surrender all the more readily or whether it will make him determined to prove us wrong in not having faith in him. Maybe at last he can allow himself to sincerely inspired by the words of a previous Conservative prime minister whom he claims to admire:

        “We shall never surrender.!”

          1. Has to be done, Paul. I have to send abroad for proper ready-made Colman’s English.

            Jeremiah Colman made his fortune from the mustard people left on their plates. He never made a penny out of me!

          2. In a pub in Salisbury about ’78 or ’79 an American tourist ordered a ham sandwich and, when it was delivered, proceeded to ladle the mustard on.
            “Excuse me,” I quietly said to him, “That’s English mustard. I think you’d better try it first!”
            He did so and with an exclamation of “Hot Dog!” proceeded to remove 90% of what he’d applied!
            I got a pint off him and a good natter for a half hour!

          6. I visited a traditional Senf factory in Cochem a few years ago. It was quite a revelation.

          8. First of all the process of creating Senf & the very pungent fumes. The commentary was entirely in German.

            Then afterwards the tasting area, where there were dozens of different varieties with added herbs & spices & even fruit. We could try them all if we wanted to, but I tried just 1/2 dozen.

          9. Is the creation process very complicated? It’s mere idle curiosity on my part as I don’t like anything resembling mustard.

          10. The process I saw seemed fairly simple, but it was a working museum, so it was all very one-pot traditional. What happens in a modern factory I have no idea.

          11. I occasionally buy senf from Polski Skleps where it comes in a ½ pint (or should that be ¼ litre?) beer glass. Goes well with frankfurters.

          12. Earlier I had a delicious home-made sausage roll for my dinner. I wrapped some German brätwurst in puff pastry and baked them. I had mine, though, with some Branston pickle.

          15. Mum used to put strong Colman’s mustard on my fingers when I was a young lad in an attempt to stop me biting my nails. I would go to bed, get under the sheets, and lick it off at leisure! I love good mustard.

    2. I remember cheese pie at school. The whole school smelled like a farmyard when it was being cooked – -but it tasted LOVELY.

    3. Oh………I’d have starved……..cheese pie – YUK, mashed potato -YUK……. I don’t care for baked beans either, though I’d probably have eaten some of those. The porchetta sounds ok though.

      1. It’s a good thing we don’t all like the same things: a boring life it would be if we did. I’m wagering that there are things you find delicious that I wouldn’t touch with a bargepole.

  101. Judgement of any ‘Brexit Deal’ that emerges should perhaps be evaluated in the light of the treaties, trickeries and traitorous conduct perpetrated by some Prime Ministers over fifty years:

    Theresa May 2016 – 2019 Conservative
    David Cameron 2010 – 2016 Conservative
    Gordon Brown 2007 – 2010 Labour
    Tony Blair 1997 – 2007 Labour
    John Major 1990 – 1997 Conservative
    Margaret Thatcher 1979 – 1990 Conservative
    James Callaghan 1976 – 1979 Labour
    Harold Wilson 1974 – 1976 Labour
    Edward Heath 1970 – 1974 Conservative

    The Maastricht and Lisbon Treaties in particular, have a nasty smell …

    1. Both parties have much to answer for. I would put most of the blame on the first five on your list. with Blair and Major the worst two.

      1. 327657+ up ticks,
        JN,
        Those listed above are nothing new they & party inclusive have been know to be at major fault inclusive of treachery especially over the last three decades, yet the support for the odious three party close shop is still there, clearly shown via the polling booth time & again.

  104. Apparently, the BigSpending Bill from Congress which Trump is threatening to veto because it contains so little in direct payments to citizens and small businesses has been found to contain clauses on page 4493 to prevent the Presudent from invoking the Insurrection Act (against the planned BLM/Antifa city burnings, riots, when/if Trump us declared winner on 6 January) …

  107. Off topic

    Our Christmas celebrations, such as they are this year, have started.

    Hooray.

    We always offer our handyman/gardener a glass or two of mulled wine and some form of Christmassy cake and his presents. We were extremely fortunate to “inherit” him when we moved here, he is absolutely brilliant.

    It is at that point that the festivities begin for us. A shame we’re on our own, but we’re making the most of it.

    1. Hope you bought him a new ride on mower as a present just like the Old Ted adverts on TV a decade or so ago….

    2. I am sure he appreciates being inherited too.

      Merry Christmas cheer to you and Mrs Sosraboc and any little Sosrabocs. 🙂

      1. He seems to like working here. He loves the property, and when we ever get away he visits daily to be sure everything is OK. I suspect he’s worked here for well over 30 years. We trust him implicitly and he has keys to everything, he’s fiercely protective of the old place.

        Thank you. And similar to you and your dolly-bird

        The little ones are in Oz
        {:-((

        1. All the pleasure of owning a place, the pottering around doing things and seeing the results, with none of the headaches. Win, win!

          1. You might well be right.

            He keeps all the machinery in working order, if necessary taking things home for repair, and never charges us except for new parts.
            And even then, if he has the appropriate bits in his workshop, or can make them, he doesn’t charge us.

  109. Apparently, the BigSpending Bill from Congress which Trump is threatening to veto because it contains so little in direct payments to citizens and small businesses has been found to contain clauses on page 4493 to prevent the Presudent from invoking the Insurrection Act (against the planned BLM/Antifa city burnings, riots, when/if Trump us declared winner on 6 January) …

        1. Yes, there’s been a crop of them today… I think there was one fairly late last night too. Each one seems to be a different incarnation, making them tiresome to find and remove.

          Jules mentioned a few hours ago that flagging them was useful.

        2. One has just responded to one of your earlier posts, so you’ll find it in your notifications. Norwegian Paul said the the link from one this morning was a virus, so handle with care.

          11. Some of the accounts are old – but have made very few posts – I guess these are made just for spamming sites like ours.

      3. Thank you, Jennifer.

        I found a few, you flagging the others made it
        possible to delete them without coming out of
        the page after every one.

      1. The WHO also changed their meaning of the term ‘herd immunity’ to only include via vaccines. Coincidence? I think not.

      2. The WHO also changed their meaning of the term ‘herd immunity’ to only include via vaccines. Coincidence? I think not.

    5. Just noticed that someone in the replies is claiming that ‘asymptomatic’ is the same as ‘healthy’. I can only assume they have no medical knowledge.

          1. I think my Gt Grandmother was a TB carrier – most of her siblings and four of her children died of TB. She lived to be over 90. That’s bacterial, though, rather than a virus.

          6. I may have been inoculated when the family moved to Kenya in ’47. I have a scar on my let leg from some jab or other even to this day, although it is now very faint.

  113. Breaking News – To inspire confidence in the Vaccination Tony Blair is going to let his son have the MMR live on tv

    3. He’s going to let the MMR live?

      I’ll bet it’s really relieved not to have to be injected into a Blair

  114. Can the post, in reply to mine, from “Lena” be deleted please. Another bad link. I’ve blocked Lena. Don’t know if that helps.

  115. Good night all.

    A tasty Spanish omelette for supper, with red onion, garlic, red pepper, potato & 3 eggs.

    1. Sounds good – we had boiled eggs with soldiers – OH not feeling too good today. I might be eating that duck by myself on Friday.

      1. Dann bestell für mich gute Besserung an ihn.

        When I was a student I ate a whole roasted duck in one sitting. It was supposed to last 2 days, but when I got to 1/2way, I forgot to stop eating.

        1. We used to shoot quite a few teal. You could probably have eaten two of them at a sitting.

          Did you find the recipe?

          1. Yes, thank you very much.

            My last boss once gave me a brace of teal which he had shot. I ate them one at a time. He also used to slip me the occasional trout. I find that I just can’t eat the quantities that I used to, so most evenings I have just one course.

          2. I rather meant that you could have eaten two in your hungry youth.

            I used to eat far more than I do now, and in those days I was skinny… life isn’t fair :-((

      1. Yes, I’m sure it would & it doesn’t take long if you plan well. You can ring the changes, e.g. by adding chopped green beans or any of a variety of herbs.

  116. Thank you, Herr Oberst.
    I’ve had a helluva day.
    It started with a purported phone call from Amazon, which didn’t ring any alarm bells as I’ve had to talk to them in this past week to sort out the defective printer.
    Gradually it became apparent that it was a scam, and after at least 2 hours (from which my brain is just about recovering) my bank sorted out the problem and blocked them. All I can say is thank goodness I have never used phone banking, because this is the way they tried to get into my account.
    I can’t give any more details, because even a distorted brain like mine couldn’t keep up with the contortions.
    The scammers have now become clever enough not to ask for card details as they know this now alerts even the most naive into spotting trouble.
    The bank have warned me that Amazon don’t make phone calls, but, because of the issue I mentioned above, that had not been my experience.
    I will email my pet computer nerd about running a virus scan, though I’m not sure if it’s needed with a Mac.

      1. Fingers crossed.
        I’m surprised by how much it has shaken me.
        The first call came when I was dealing with the turkey man who needed help because he’d hurt his back, so I may have been caught on the hop because I was already distracted.

    3. We’ve had two “Amazon” calls in the past week.

      Dial 1471 and they were both mobile ‘phone numbers.

      1. Write their numbers down and see if Amazon has a fraud dept that would be interested to learn of them. . .also if you have a home phone that has caller display on you can see the callers number without even lifting the receiver. Some even show if the caller has blocked their number, or if it is international.

      3. If you wish to report a suspicious email claiming to be from Amazon that you believe is a forgery, you may submit a report. You may also forward phishing emails and other suspected forgeries directly to stop-spoofing@amazon.com

      4. If you wish to report a suspicious email claiming to be from Amazon that you believe is a forgery, you may submit a report. You may also forward phishing emails and other suspected forgeries directly to stop-spoofing@amazon.com

      5. Write their numbers down and see if Amazon has a fraud dept that would be interested to learn of them. . .also if you have a home phone that has caller display on you can see the callers number without even lifting the receiver. Some even show if the caller has blocked their number, or if it is international.

          1. I also found the Telephone Preference Service works. Took a couple of weeks but the reduction in cold callers was great. ( only works from UK calls ).

          2. We tried that some years ago but people got round it. We’ve had these phones for almost four years now and the problem has disappeared.

      6. Had yet another one today. Different woman’s voice, but the same message. No point in blocking it as the caller ID is spoofed and changes each time. Perhaps the telephone companies should be obliged to pass on the actual caller’s number as well?

    4. Is that from the link reply to your post this morning? We had a lot of spammers here but that sounds much more serious.

      2. Not sure. It may be sheer co-incidence, but after this morning, I’m now paranoia personified.

    1. My reason to be cheerful today – – – Car has gone through the MoT – only advisory is 2 tyres getting ready for renewing.

    3. I’m already in Tier Four,
      Haven’t noticed any difference really,
      Apart from no tennis,
      Have a sore knee anyway,
      Mother in law isn’t coming Christmas Day.

  118. Just listened to this professor talking sense about the new variant.

    SARS-CoV-2 UK variant: Does it matter? https://youtu.be/wC8ObD2W4Rk via

    @YouTube
    Virology Prof dismembers SAGE/NERVTAG’s cataclysmic interpretations of ‘new variant / mutant’, which led to border closures, escalating lockdowns & other myths. Fearmongering most likely explanation. Why?

  119. Spare a thought in advance for those who’ll be spending Christmas upstairs. Parts of Devon, Somerset and South Wales have had more than two inches of rain today on top of recent heavy falls.

    2. Flood barriers are up in Ironbridge and Shrewsbury; riverside paths are underwater in Bridgnorth, fields are flooded at Atcham. Bewdley has the barriers up, too (also on the Severn, but not in Shropshire).

      1. And it’s spreading itself across acres of Montgomeryshire too.

        Back up to 6 metres (and rising) at the local bridge. It hasn’t been below 5.5 metres for over a week now.

  120. Thought for the day:

    It looks like we might be getting close to a Brexit deal and giving away the fish quotas.

    Let’s tell them they can have a significant % of the entire quota for the next five years.

    THEN tell all fishermen that to ensure future supplies ALL fishing, apart from rod and line, is banned for the next five years.

    The EU can, of course, take their generous rod and line share.

    1. That would be the best way, by far, to create a brilliant sustainable UK fishery. The best catches of fish have always been immediately after WWI and WWII.

      1. If the EU had half a chance, they would do to the North sea and British waters what was done to the Grand Banks off Canada.

          1. Problem is, nobody owns the fish, so they fish every damn fin out of the sea before someone else does, and there’s no incentive to preserve numbers.

    2. I would find it more acceptable to have an increase in the price of fish by reducing fishing pressure than an increase in the price of energy by mad subsidies of ‘green’ energy supplies.

    3. If you let them fish in British waters for the next five years they’ll scrape it clean as an act of vengeance.

      3. 327657+ up ticks,
        Evening J,
        Scorched seabed policy, same as the lab/lib/con
        coalition party are running in regards to
        England / GB.

  122. Goodnight!

    Keep flagging the trolls for the night-shift mods to deal with – I don’t think Richard is here though.

  123. Good point raised on Going Postal.
    With the number of Christmas adverts featuring black families, where the hell did they find so many black dads??

    1. I have noticed that even the notification of my changed refuse collection dates features a black woman (in cartoon form). Around here, any coloured people would be known personally because there are so few of them.

      1. Come on, Anne and BoB, they’re not responsible black dads, they’re just acting the part for large slabs of wonga.

  125. Putting Matt Hancock behind a lectern to demonstrate his hypocrisy, stupidity, lack of personal responsibility and his obvious venality is an insult to the English people.

    I am not anti vaccines but remain wary about the mRNA versions and of any vaccine which has not been rigorously tested. Testing takes years not months.

    We are still allowing thousands of well groomed men of fighting age into our country via the French coast. Many of these will spread disease and represent an importation of strains of the Corona virus from God knows where. Why is no one questioning this lunacy and yet putting up with pronouncements by Hancock which diminish our quality of life on a daily basis.

    It seems that Soros is funding thousands of corrupt politicians (more so in America) in order to destroy nation states. Everything points to Hancock and Johnson having taken Soros money. There is no other explanation for this wanton destruction of our country and diminution of our lives.

    We already know that Ferguson, Whitty and Vallance are corrupted by Bill Gates and pharmaceutical interests.

    1. What a complete mess they have of things. They have no idea what they are doing. I can think of so many people that could do a far better job than this government.

      1. 327657+ up ticks,
        Evening JN,
        Now try looking at it through the eyes of brussels
        and witness success ALL the way.

        Condoned time & again via the UKs ballot booths.

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