Twitter is a great place to gain news of what is going on in the world. The news is often wrong, deliberately fake, and often just as slanted one way or the other by the publisher. That said one thing that has become obvious is the decline of some newspapers, the Guardian in particular.
Once a famous Liberal paper, noted for the left of centre stance, good journalism, and objective writing now it has dissolved into a middle class women's mag in which news is less important than the daily whine of a wee girl about her hard life, even though she has never done a days work in her life. The online version is over filled with the virus, understandably to some extent, but still too much. The pandemic means less income for struggling papers and now the female editor, who had gained some cash from readers, watches her sales drop and lowers the quality in a desperate down market lunge. Twitter is filled with Guardian stories often good ones, surrounded by items like the one above. "Birx's ever-changing scarves captivate the internet." I have not added the comments found below this item, mostly from men, but the general idea is that 'this is not news.' Sometimes it appears the 'Guardian' wishes to be the 'Daily Mail!' This follows the general trend of the media in which journalism is replaced by a down market approach, see the dramatic failure at the 'Daily Telegraph' which now sells less than the 'Times.' Murdoch's press is actually improving with changes at the 'Times' and 'Sunday Times,' and a willingness to use journalism, even though as yet they do not upset Rupert. The 'Times' sales are steady it appears.
Woken by the news at 3 minutes past 8 am I rose ready to face a day full of adventure and excitement. I have so far been somewhat disappointed in the day. Grey clouds overhead until now, no post coming through the door, no aircraft overhead either, however the traffic has increased somewhat. I wonder if the Lock Down has reached a stage where people are beginning to rebel and seeking to travel at any excuse, just to be out of the house? Today, being Market Day, brings people out to the market, which has only one fish van and one fruit and veg stall at the moment. Otherwise it is queue at the supermarkets and the butchers. Actually two 'health food' shops are open, if you can afford the prices. Habit brings people out but for what? It is almost 11:30 am and I have so far done nothing, the dust is beginning to lie on me as I type, maybe I ought to move more? There again if I dust, clean, wash and all the rest of it the whole process requires the same work in a few days time. Surely it is better to leave it all until next week and do it then, when the new month begins? Only a woman would fuss...
Such timing! With PMQs approaching Boris manages to avoid this by finding a new baby, this time admitting he is the father. She managed to hide it well, was it induced or just another publicity stunt that will actually have no foundation whatsoever, like the 'Nightingale Hospital?'
Here we have the media gushing over this baby, unlike the seven (or is it eight) he ignores or who do not wish anything to do with him, let alone those aborted and murdered just for his lazy sake. Now we are supposed to gush over this stunt and watch as Boris avoids responsibility for answering questions in the House. Is he off for today or for two weeks? Will he run away like the coward he is for longer? Tony Blair was instructed by his awful wife to take months off when their child arrived. Tony pointed out he was PM and therefore it was not possible to run from such a job, Boris appears to have a different view on things.
Am I longing for a return to Tony Blair and his 'obey the US' policies? No, but recently I have wished he was back, I have even wished Theresa and Thatcher were back in power, at least they led from the front, even if they were wrong.
Carrie thanked the NHS staff, but which hospital? Was it really NHS? Does this child really exist? Carrie of course is a friend of the Right Wing peoples. She has contacts with the Elliott's and those Right Wing nutjobs in the US who now provide staff to run this nation, Dominic Cummings amongst them. She is no innocent wee girl.
So, Boris returns, the media are ecstatic, 'The Boss is Back' they proclaim.
They fail to question why he was not around when people were dying and why he failed to take appropriate action to prevent such deaths. The 'Nightingale' Hospital, and all similar ventures, have proved to be yet again empty gestures. No patients admitted there unless they bring the staff to work on the also. Along with imitation 'Churchillian' phraseology we have empty hospitals and no equipment nor staff. Very typical Johnson.
He has however made it clear there will be no quick end of the Lock Down, this is good, however we know he speaks out of both sides of his mouth and I expect his paymasters will be getting some money opportunities very soon indeed.
I wonder if he will take PMQs on Wednesday or avoid it through a doctors appointment perhaps?
I wonder of Keith has the ability to actually oppose him if he does take the stand. This will be interesting, even though I am not sure I wish to sit through 30 minutes of disappointment.
There is a blindness in many people these days. I found it clearly in those who voted for Brexit, there was no room for an alternative, Brexit was all, no-one wished to debate, Brexit or nothing was the idea. In the US we see similar happenings. Crowds gather to oppose Lock Down as they do not want the government telling them what to do. They gather because the usual suspects, the anti- climate change, anti-Vaccination, and anti- whatever is popular people tell them to gather. Obeying them is OK, especially when the President tells them to oppose the local Governor.
The President himself, not renown for intellectual offerings, has in recent days Tweeted many confusing Tweets, including revealing a desire to find a new TV station to replace 'Fox TV' because it no longer appears to believe him. Having told people to inject disinfectant to cure a virus, his friends say it worked, and now appears to have tipped over the edge finally will it be possible that he can be removed and sectioned before the November Presidential vote? Possibly his daughter might bump him off and take his place, she would like that...
Another day of joy and gladness today. The grey clouds and east wind cheered the morning and the afternoon was so slow that I got the paint out again and finished the windows in the East Wing. This I had been avoiding as the east wind that has hung around for over a week comes hurtling through the window freezing this place even if outside the world is in T-shirt mode. No doubt my limited health will fall apart again after an hour or so of the draught. At least that is another job off the 'to do' list. Tomorrow much time will now be spent trying to open it again...
Much of my day has otherwise been spent seeking proper news on Twitter. It is becoming my first place for news, even if much of the news is fake and half the rest contradicts what everyone else says. The normal media appears to be a numbers count where nobody stops to ask questions. For instance, if a car crashes and someone dies the police investigate, if thousands die the numbers are quoted and life goes on. Something missing somewhere?
The most interesting news comes from the infighting at the 'Times' and 'Sunday Times' where editors have or are changing and soon they will be run as one title. That title, starting with the Sunday edition will be more of a liberal-ish paper aimed at the young at heart. Rupert appears to think the 'Telegraph' can keep the old readership as most of them are dying off, and the Conservative Party is helping that. His mate Boris is unhappy with the Sunday paper for publishing the truth about him, so watch this space any time soon, Michael Gove certainly is watching.
The only other noticeable thing is I appear to be putting on weight, I wonder how...?
An excellent book! Well worth a read. I was given this a couple of ears ago and was put off reading it because I had ploughed my way through Max Hastings book 'The Secret War.' That book, while interesting, takes a lot more reading than this one does.
Outside of the MI5 & MI6 government individuals mentioned the main stars are the intriguing, if not unbalanced, personnel who put their lives on the line as double crossing agents during the Second World War. A Peruvian lass who liked to gamble, a Pole who wished to rule, a French woman who almost blew it when her dog was killed and a Spanish chicken farmer and a Serbian who like the woman. All these turned into excellent double agents. Many Germans who came into the country as spies had no intentions of wearing a uniform and getting bullied, pushed around and shot, spying was an easy out. A few who landed were not up to the double agent game and were jailed, some too pro Nazi were executed, these few however played a big part in the final victory especially their work concerning D-Day 1944.
The agents completely fooled the German intelligence services. Not only were they believed long after the war by some but medals were awarded by the Reich and an Iron Cross or two, and large amounts of cash, reached the spies in the UK. Wars are won and lost on intelligence, and as we all now 'Military Intelligence' is often questioned by the troops at the sharp end.
This is a fast moving book,well written with many details on the contacts between spies and their masters both at home and abroad. The details are clear, the stories intriguing and by the end the biggest lie of all, that General Patton was going to land an army at the Pas de Calais, succeeded in forcing all the enemy generals to keep that area well protected for over a month, during which time the real invasion at Normandy has successfully taken place and began the move up north. his lie went right to the top of the Reich with Adolf himself satisfied with his successful spies, even after the invasion was under way.
The war over they returned to he real world. Some more successfully and happily than others. Their tales are told here. This is a book well worth a read, especially if you wish to take up spying, allowing for the fact that amongst the operatives aiding the lies to the Germans were men who were also sending all the information into Mr Stalin at the Kremlin. It is often easier to find foreign spies than those amongst you.
Muscle aches tomorrow. For no good reason I suddenly rose and cleaned the fridge this afternoon. This is one of the many 'to do' jobs that ought to be ignored. Instead I got up and did it! I think the strain of Lock Down is having an affect.
Indeed in these past few days the strain has shown. My mind was very dull, confusion as to what to do, lack of ability to enjoy anything, and little of interest in anything available was becoming the norm. Then this morning I came across this picture I took some time ago.
Edward and Eliza Wicks have lain in the graveyard behind the Congregational Church in Bocking End for 140 years without troubling anyone. I just thought this morning I might have a look to see if they were important. It appears he may not have been important but he would have been known in the town, he was an Inland Revenue Officer. Moving from London, being born in Holborn, he made his way to Castle Hedingham for a while and then moved into Braintree, not far from here. There again at that time everything was not far from here.
In spite of being born in 1812 he was not 'Baptised' into the Holborn Church until 1836 when he would have been 24. I wonder if he had found a woman and wished to marry her there? Certainly he had a first born only three years later and that is Staffordshire where he must have moved to gain the money to keep the wife. Two other children followed there before coming into the large village of Castle Hedingham and what a place that would be for a child to grow up at that time! Of course schooling would be forced upon them, and that would spoil the fun but it would enable them to benefit greatly as the Victorian economy grew in the middle of the century. Braintree may have appeared 'bustling' in comparison with previous homes but it would still be suitable for the kids.
Living in this small two up and two down house, with no piped water until 1861 and then only if you could afford the 1/6d weekly, and with five children most of the time makes you wonder how they survived. Consider the females fussing, consider the young child, there is always one, consider the washing, consider the vast dresses filling the room, consider marrying the girls off to the first tender approach. That however did not appear to work. Still four of them with the parents in 1871.
The wife Eliza dies in 1875, Edward follows in 1878 aged 66. Being buried in this graveyard indicates they attending this rebellious fellowship regularly rather than St Michaels the Anglican Parish Church. Indeed I think that was in rather a poor state at this time, Essex rebels remember their loyalty to Parliament under Cromwell and may even in the 19th century have avoided the church.
The Wicks story is not going to make news, they may have made friends, maybe not if the girls were still unmarried in their 20's. We will never know. The name is common in Essex, I would trace the family but really canny be bothered now, and I am thinking of visiting Tesco for bread. However, this little study refreshed my stale mind wonderfully. I needed it if you didn't.
The bustling Saturday market, one fruit and veg stall, one van selling fish, that is the result of Lock Down. Even the Tesco queue is sparse. The town is hiding.
The Bustling High Street. Four people in view, two others pass by, rather close I thought, and a handful wait outside 'Iceland,' six feet apart. I was glad I had visited the butcher earlier in the week, there were two customers today and I didn't wish to wait.
In Edwardian days the scene to the left was very different. Then the area was filled with cattle or sheep on this day, the public houses, three of them in the area to our right alone, filled with farmers and their men lunching, arguing and buying and selling. Today Tesco dominate. Beyond the Old Town Hall lay a 'Fair Field' where the Fair would arrive annually generating much pleasure and much money. Before the war a Cinema opened and found favour with the populace.
Having dragged myself across the park, dog walkers and a child or two with mum, and around the town I made my way home through the crowds. It was interesting how people kept a good distance from me, interesting also that when a party came close the expectation in their eyes was for me to move, not them! The other person owns the pavement even if there are so few around!
Almost opposite me stands this 'Arts & Crafts' house. This is very much in keeping with many other such houses along the main road. These were the offerings of the Courtaulds who built them for their workers. The man who got this must have been quite high up in the ranks. All feature red brick interspersed with blue and Tudor like chimneys above. The Courtaulds built houses, offered doctors, schools and even hospitals to the towns around. All such buildings are still in very good condition and still occupied.
The rest of the time is spent looking out the window wishing I had a dog to walk when the sun shone. Someone else could feed them.
Friday has been the usual Lock Down day of joy and happiness. I began by following up a comment I made on the local facebook page. They had all been out clapping and banging and sending up fireworks to 'support the NHS staff.' I suggested they may be better writing to their MP and making the point that this government ought to respect such staff by paying them better.
I forgot this was a Tory area and those who supported my idea were outnumbered ten to one.
Sadly, after a 'debate,' if that is the word, with many who did not like my idea as 'political' which it was not, I dislike all parties, and one female who failed to understand what was written, along with the type of abuse received from the 'Daily Mail/Express' reader,' the admin removed the post.
Typical!
However I had followed this up with another making more suggestions. By nine am this morning I was banned from the page and the post removed. I had wondered how fake Boris's illness had been. The sheep considered this rude...
Once the major job of the day has been attended to, the needless argument come to a result, the tea made, the chocolate released, I then have much time to read books. How come I have only read a wee bit off the vast array around me? Two books are in the process of reading yet one is not a quarter of the way through and the other just over half way, what have I been doing? It is one of those great puzzles in life, when there is time to do something absolutely nothing gets done! Even the whisky has been abandoned, cards to be sent lie unwritten, dust begins to re-emerge after having been strenuously removed just over a week or two ago.
I must do more tomorrow....
Hold on, tomorrow is Saturday, doesn't that mean something? It used to.
Now with no football there is no way to differentiate the days. Sunday brings church, but only online, no-one leaves home. Many are trapped inside for three months, maybe more, news is not spread about, fear of the virus keeps strangers at bay when outside, fear of virus keeps neighbours six feet apart.
Never mind, all is on the hands of our disappearing PM and his cabinet. What could possibly go wrong...?
The inability to wander abroad increases the limitations of my intellect and outlook. Thus once again I make mention of Tesco! The traffic being light this morning, lighter than normal for an Easter Monday, I wended my way to Tesco via Sainsburys car park. There was no queue here and none at Tesco either. Inside, once I had mopped the basket handle and received instruction on the one way system, I and a handful of old men wandered about, not always following the arrows on the floor, attempting to collect enough for a week. This done, staff conversed with, money paid £32, I waddled home, two bulging bags weighing me down.
Having dumped things in appropriate places, boiled the kettle and began to plan the next step I discovered the two pints of milk left in the bottle were off! Grrrr!
Around three I decided the traffic was still calm so I made my way to Sainsburys for milk. As hoped there was no queue, no offer to wipe handle either, and I soon gathered another £32 worth of goods along with the milk, no I don't know how either, chatted up the young lass at the checkout to no avail and hobbled home with another two heavy bags.
At least the satisfaction of gathering all I require took from the wearisome business and I relaxed until I made what passes for evening meal around here. As the aroma of properly cooked food wafted across the landing from next door, where the delightful young wife cooks proper food for him, I took the bundle of sausages from the fridge only to discover it was mince, rather like this blog.
As I had prepared everything for sausage.egg and chips, I was a bit annoyed. Anyway I cooked mince and will use it later this week, but as I reached for instant chips I discovered there was only a few left. I needed to return soon for chips!!! Will this never end?
Anyway, my eggs stuck to the pan, again, and the chips were not that good.
Another good day of joy an laughter in Lock Down Britain...
Oh one of my women, a beautiful, ex-model, with money, did contact me on the basis that I was a 'vulnerable adult.' Offering to shop for me as long as I buy chocolate and leave it with her!!!
'Vulnerable adult?' Since when was I considered an 'adult?'
One of the joys of Spring is sitting in my bed in the evening with the late sun shining brightly, then turning into fancy sunsets as it gores down far over the field.
Thus it was last night. It would be again tonight, if I could drag my hulk off the couch and go through. The thing is during the day I am now placed in the 'Summer Palace' position, where more light gets in and I am more comfy.
The disadvantage is that I am thus tempted to switch on the TV and scrawl through it again and again in an attempt to find something to watch, in these days this is important. As you will realise this is a failed endeavour. Nothing is worth watching today, one programme might have been but my feeble aerial could not receive it. Not much lost really.
The radio is poor also just now and variety is not the spice of life today.
Good job I am not one to complain.
Today we hear of over a thousand deaths, no news on the number who recovered, usually about ten times as many, nor the number who died of other things, unknown but possibly of the virus, and no news of testing everyone. There was a grumble that enough equipment has gone to the NHS but they misuse this, an interesting number of replies on Twitter to that one, and the people are beginning to wonder when journalists will appear and question this government about their work. I would not expect that in a hurry.
I expect at least 18 months of this. If I am right consider the implications. Business hampered, few working, lack of money, evictions, mortgage failures, economic collapse, even if the banks are stronger it will be difficult. The WTO claim the worst could be like the 1930's again! I see no answer until a vaccine arrives, and do not trust this lot to offer it willingly or properly.
The immediate future is not looking good.
One day soon we will be back here again....
'Thursday Trivia?' What am I on about? It's always trivia on here!!!
For a start there is this brute!
Every time it 'ping's' I rush to see what unimportant item of tat has been sent by one of my few compatriots. Tat it is, and tat it will remain yet I rush, putting aside important things just to be disappointed. The other day crossing the field I took it out just in case I had not heard the 'ping' while it was in my pocket! I felt lost for a while yesterday, then realised I had left the phone elsewhere and was missing it!
I may not charge it up later....
"Lexophile" describes those that have a love for words, such as
"you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish", and "To write with a broken pencil is pointless."
I changed my iPod's name to Titanic. It's syncing now.
I got some batteries that were given out free of charge.
A will is a dead giveaway.
A bicycle can't stand alone; it's just two tired.
The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine last week is now fully recovered.
He had a photographic memory but it was never fully developed.
I didn't like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.
I stayed up all night to see where the sun went, and then it dawned on me.
I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I just can't put it down.
Just as I was closing up last night I noticed the 'Pink Moon' glimpsed through cloud. Of course it is not 'Pink' and, so NASA tell me, it is not made of cheese either. They would say that wouldn't they. What they say about Trump signing an order claiming the right to 'Mine' on the moon may be clear to most of us. So there I was, squeezing out the small kitchen window, trying to avoid the TV aerial and grab a shot of my moon. It turned out 'no bad' after all. Mind you, my nieces husband got a similar picture, so they must have a moon up there in West Lothian also. Not as good as mine...
Excitement missed! Some shouting outside today. But by the time I got my head out the window it was almost over. Three chaps, of late teen age, had been urged to leave the skatepark. They did not look like locals and one in particular, large and loud, did not appear happy with the situation. There was more to this than just keeping people indoors as two men in dark outfits with no insignia were also in the park.
They black clad officer, now four together. discussed the situation while the three gentlemen making their way East informed them of their opinion in words I do not catch but intrigued the constables so much they hared off out of view to get a better knowledge of the terms used. Out of vision, isn't it always the way, cars slowed, voices of struggle were heard, and cars stopped then moved on again slowly, each filled with individuals reaching for their mobiles. It is not difficult to presume drugs were involved here, plus a degree of antagonism not related to being forced indoors, although I suspect someone might be forced inside tonight!
Camera at the ready and I missed it all! Bah!
As the day wore on I kept thinking it was Sunday. The slow traffic, the empty park, nothing on TV, it was slow and quiet and with the neighbours being even quieter than usual it was all very strange.
I was very tired last night, put my head on the pillow and slept. I woke up at 12:30 and was awake for ages! I then awoke at 8:24! By the time breakfast was over it was lunchtime, I was so far behind.
The relative warmth, 63% by lunchtime, was helpful. The park was not busy but people exercising in family groups appeared often. Remain indoors yes, but we need air and sunshine.
I tried to capture the flowers, all small things and too far away from me for the mobiles camera to get properly, hence enlarged and fuzzy. This time of year brings many colours to the gardens and are a delight to see, I love the blue ones.
Tomorrow my exercise will be stretching my muscles. I walk so slow I was overtaken by a snail at one point. Our thoughts will be with Boris while he genuinely suffers the virus. I doubted him at first but look forward to a new Boris coming out of this, a spiritual renewing as well as physical rebuilding. This horrid episode might well see an improvement in the NHS after this.
