Wednesday Wittering

 

 

Just on Nine I slogged my weary way to Sainsburys this morning in 67%F of heat (that's about 19C to foreigners).  Three days in a row the sun has shone, this, as you will realise, is a clear indication of a storm to follow.

At the supermarket I took a basket as always and perused the shop for the few items I needed.  The picture above claims to be representative of the most popular trolley in supermarkets.  I always take a basket, partly because these days I can only carry so much but also because it makes progress around the store much easier and quicker.  To pass aged men with no idea what they are doing, bar obeying orders of 'she who must be obeyed,' and women with trolleys packed with expensive shopping most of which they could easily avoid, you require a basket.  For many years this has speeded up the shopping trip.  Certainly it can get heavy, but a well organised basket can carry a fair amount, at least that is what the cost at the checkout indicates to me!  £20:18 for that lot?  There again this is cheaper today because of the diet, without the cakes, beer and other fattening items omitted once again I am saving money.

Once again I noted the indifference to the checkout operators from those pedalling vaccines.  There ought to have been an urgent requirement for such as these to be vaccinated first.  These people meet the public daily, as indeed do postmen, bus drivers (several of whom died from the virus) and dustbin collectors alongside other council workers.  We realise NHS workers and care staff ought to have been offered the 'jab' first, but how many received it?  In Scotland they did do the care homes first, one good thing from Nicola, but how many missed out?  It is 'unfortunate' that these other front line workers, who face us daily, are considered so unimportant.

 

We can ask here how many missed out taking the 'Jab' because they believed the anti-vax nonsense spouted by many who fell for conspiracy movements?  Why do people think a virus would contain a bug that transmits your details to Bill Gates?  He already has all your details through Microsoft, as indeed has Google, Facebook, and all sorts of other organisations, let alone those 'official' government departments that can look you up if required.  Why believe the Bill Gates lie?  Do you really think he needs to know about your boring life?  

This I suppose belongs to the politicians need to polarise the world to advance their personal position.  One of the oldest political motives, 'divide and rule,' this has been around since the dawn of time.   How many have died by avoiding the 'jab' because of such polarisation? 

 

One of the most obvious examples of 'Divide & Rule' is found here, with Rupert Murdoch.  He, in all his grubby papers, along with the 'Daily Mail' and 'Daily Express,' have encouraged their readers to believe the country was flooded with immigrants, all the fault of the Labour Party, and that such immigrants were given priority over housing, benefits, and opportunites, all of which were being denied to the indigenous white 'working class' population.  

This has worked.  

In similar fashion lies re the EU has led to many Labour people voting to 'Leave' because they felt hard done by.  However, the benefits regarding tax dodging for the owners of such papers was not made clear, or ign ored altogether.  Now, a collapse of the UK economy which will hit the white, and indeed immigrant, population very hard indeed has arrived, will the Brexiteer white understand why he is laid off?  Or will he blame the pandemic?

We see how successful 'Divide & Rule' has been.  The areas of northern England, once industrial heartlands, now desert like places, has seen the Labour voting population not just die off but change their voting habits and support the new incoming Conservative member, why?  Do they agree with Tory policies?  Do they know what those policies are?  This is highly unlikely, however, they have heard that the Tories will 'Control immigration,' and protect the local natives from a Muslim takeover.  

That is all that was required.  

Lies about Muslims, frequent in the 'Yellow Press,' re immigrants, mostly black, and the EU citizens flooding in also, (no comment ever made re the 3 million UK citizens in the EU by the way) all added up to a fear campaign that benfits the Tory party but not the voter. 

The result of this lie, added to the inept situation in both the Conservative and Labour Parties has led to a feeble government since 2010.  With no opposition bar the SNP who cannot have sufficient influence in the Hosue, and the dead Labour Party, there is nothing to stop the Tories doing whatever they wish.  Add also the instability withing the party producing Boris Johnson as Prime Minister and we are left with a chaotic situation unsurpassed in UK history.  It times of strife in the past serious politicians came to the fore, today none can be found.    

I have just discovered what the amendments to the constituencies will mean if allowed to go through, a vast number of increased Tory seats, and Boris and his mob ruling for ever!

Glory?

 

 

Bank Holiday Mutterings

 

 

This bright shining star reappeared very early this morning.  I lay down before ten last night and the sky was still quite bright, and as I drowsily woke around 5 am the sky was a similar colour.  

How wonderful!

The sun makes a difference to life.  No wonder those who see clouds and gray skies much of the year develop a cynical outlook on life, no wonder those in sunny climes often smile more.  

I required to visit Sainsburys and while there chatted to a bored security guard, a black man willing to smile more than most others.  He could afford to, nobody was there.  Quite why the shop opens at 8 am on a Bank Holiday is unclear, Sunday hours would suit surely?  Later I intended to wander around the public gardens in the sun but felt the need to return home and lounge all day instead.   

 

 

Thanks to our inept PM's refusal to stop flights from India, the 'Indian virus' now appears to be sweeping the nation.  Thousands of people have entered the country via Heathrow, many bringing the virus, some without knowing this.  Boris, who fears 'LockDowns' will soon be having another one, even though the last one has not yet been totally eased.  We know this will happen, the press have been warning us of this recently, a kind of official message from Downing Street to lay the foundation of LockDown again.   How many more will die before this man is brought to justice I wonder?

Joanna Cherry MP

I note Joanna Cherry and the SNP heirarchy have been continuing their tiff.  This time it may be the use being made of money 'ring fenced' for Independence, thus allowing Indy to take a back place.  Another gent stood down from his position recently indicating some things are not going well in the Bunker.  No doubt in a very short time Joanna will be welcomed into the arms of Alex Salmond...hold on..welcomed into the arms of 'Alba' as another MP, making 3 in Westminster.  That would both please and upset Nicola.

 

Ok, the publicity stunt to keep bad news off the front page has worked with his friendly media, but this leaves only one question, how long will this one last?  

I suspect once he has been taken out of office, and preferably put before a court, his beloved will be off, gathering her dog, child and cash, and seeking another to help build her career.  But then, I am just a little cynical about all this, are you?

 

Self-Service Tills

 Dave Walker

 

I'm tense these days.  Two months of fighting laptops which have minds of their own, and are still expressing them, are not helped by having to reach Sainsburys at lunchtime.  Many people enjoy wasting a day and a half queueing up at checkouts, I am not one of them.  Many people enjoy the crowds pushing and shoving, all wearing masks of course, while wondering why the shop has changed the layout and moved the one thing you require to a far distant shore. I am not one of them.

Once you have evaded the monstrous mass you find the checkouts, at least those with staff, have a long queue, mostly six feet apart, and with trolleys stuffed to the brim with things they really do not need. A change to 'Own Brand' rather than the expensive brands bought would save some people £30 a shop in my view.  I learned not only that the taste is not much different but 'Shops own brands,' which today go under various names, often contain less unhealthy stuff, and are much cheaper.  

The waiting proletariat looked set for the duration, panic buying for 'Lock Down' has begun, and so I went to the self service checkout.  

These machines, brought in to save the company money on staff costs, are supposed to ensure you can leave quickly, this is a lie!  My experience of Technology recently encourages me to avoid such beasts, today I had to use one.  It did not take long until I was banging my head on the scanner, just like the two men behind me and the woman at the far end.  The one member of staff on call to deal with all these tills stood screaming 'HELP!' at the rear  while waving a white flag, meanwhile the manager, with the help of another fresh member of staff and the security guard popped Valium into customers mouths. 

Eventually we made it up the road.

I noticed one man, one of those behind me, walking somewhat dazed, not as dazed as he will be when he gets home and discovered he has a car waiting at the supermarket car park still.   Another was seen to have half finished his cheap Brandy bottle, bought I suspect, in case he had to use the checkout by hmself.

There were still lines of people, the same ones, at the checkouts as I left.

 

Shoppers Paradise...

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?'

Tuesday Toddle

Not long after 7:30 I ambled out into the bright morning sun.  The wind was blowing lightly from the north east leaving a white film of frost upon the scene.  Having a big car did not stop Jack Frost alighting on you.

I passed Sainsburys, fooled at first into thinking it was not open, realising later they were just controlling the numbers entering, for safety's sake.  This mattered not to me as I was heading for Tesco.   At first the lack of people fooled me here also, was it open?  In fact few people were around, and inside a similar control system was in operation.  The staff directing customers to keep apart and use certain doors.  All good and proper I thought.  I was less happy as they then chose to close the aisles I was heading for.  Stock was low, a consignment had just arrived and they closed the aisles to fill the shelves quickly.  Why not keep them open and fill shelves slowly thinks I?  That way I can get what I wish and you make money!  Reason was not around this morning.  

However , I managed to obtain sufficient to keep me going for a few days and discussed with the excellent checkout lass the world and its problems and put them to right.  Well, we thought so.  No crush at this checkout, the crowds not yet arriving.  I suspect they too made them wait outside later in the day.

It is a strange world in which we live.  Police patrol the park ensuring folk do not lie around in the sun.  Supermarkets employ security guards to quell the potential squabbles over goods.  A cough while walking ensures those closest to you become the furthest away.  Business is boarded up, shops closed, football ceased, economic woes abound at all levels, and Michael Gove still thinks he ought to be in charge.

I wandered about making use of the mobile camera, when I could understand how to use it.  The sun shone and the sky was blue, people passing kept more than six feet away from me, fear is greater than reality!  I expected empty streets at this time but as there is no morning rush, at least not the usual rush it was quiet.  Occasional souls remained freezing at bus stops, trying not to breathe.  The Crows continued to empty dustbins of what food scraps they could find, a lack of takeaways affecting their feeding habits I note, and life continues but at the moment nobody really knows what to do.  How do we react to a virus attack?  This is not a Hollywood movie, praise the Lord, this is serious.  The brute is out there, determined to get us, political leaders handle it in various ways, some blaming others for the mess, some diligently trying the best system they can find, the UK bumbles along claiming to have the best NHS in the world yet failing to provide proper equipment for the staff!  10 years of abject failure to prepare may have a hand in this.  Of course the 3 years old in the White House is handling the emergency with his eyes closed and his wallet wide open, no matter how many suffer.

    
The idea of the Tories saying 'Save the NHS' is quite ironic considering what they have done to the NHS since Thatcher was king!  Saving money has cost a great deal and the Labour Party failed to do anything about it, bar PFI scandals of course.

A second attempt to obtain goods, this time from Sainsburys, was postponed when I saw the queue. It was not worth the wait, I could 'make do and mend' if required.  So I wandered and came back via the park, hoping no police were about or I would have to pretend I was exercising. 

 
Tonight the Chancellor offers cash to the self employed to help them survive.  Generous say some, where does the money come from say others?  He appears to talk in 3 month cycles, I hope he plans in 6 month cycles.  I doubt this beast will finish within 18 months.  Here's hoping.  
So it is on with our new life, not that mine changes much, but around me much changes and will continue to change.  A new depression may be in the offing, good times are not around the corner.
And walking in the chilly air has brought back my cough and throat problem!

Sunday Sainsburys

Having come close to zero on the basics I had to run up to Sainsburys this morning.  I chose to go just as they opened at 10 am in an effort to avoid crowds and ensure there would be something on the shelves.  How wrong I was!  The place was teeming!  Teeming, not with the ‘usual early morning crowd’ I see but with the ‘desperate to ensure I find it crowd’ that now fills the shops. 

The shelves were half empty, many totally bereft, a deliberate policy by the store itself.  What was left was being rummaged through by several at once, none giving way to their neighbour.  I confess that as I speeded along, I also fell into the barging way off life.  It was the only way to get past their trolleys.

Neighbourliness was noticed among men of certain age, we accommodated one another, offering looks that spoke towards the panic-stricken trolley pushers.  I obtained quickly most of what I wanted, plenty of actual ‘food’ to be found though I had to make do with overpriced ‘Nurofen’ as paracetamol, considerably cheaper and more reliable, was unavailable.  In fact, I got what I wanted mostly, few limitations for me, I suggest few for others also, but the nation is in panic mode.

I was reared during a time of rationing, though I did not understand this at the time.  I never did without, though we did not have much, and the society approach contained much of a ‘Just accept it and get one with it’ attitude.  They realised the position and made the best of it.

Today, after 75 years of peace and huge prosperity few can manage without the luxuries they have come to take for granted.  In fact, having to ’do without’ anything is now a crime, someone must be held to account!  Wealth does not make you happy, it makes you dependent on wealth! 

We now enter a period of ‘war like’ stress.  Not because our intellectually limited Prime Minister says so but because this virus will change our way off life, possibly for the next two years.  It may take that long to find a vaccine.

Two years of self-imposed isolation, two years of deaths all around (however Dominic Cummings is content this will only be among pensioners), two years with no sport, no pubs or cafes, no gatherings even in churches.  Only those who have seen war in the flesh can understand what this means.  How will our people cope?

The Christian church must now repent, put itself right before God and do things his way.  Those who weaken the faith must be opposed and if necessary, removed.  The church must proclaim the Good News loudly and often, it cannot do this while it is wounded by self-acquired injury. 

There must be an open display in this broken world in spite of self-isolation and wise precautions.  Depending on whom you believe, and there are far too many voices offering their opinion on how to deal with the virus, we may have indeed half a million deaths, possibly many more, and that will affect all of us!  The church must proclaim Christ crucified, the reason for this and Gods love, in spite of this plague.  Jesus has seen many more plagues than this, worse have been and will be again. 

The Christian needs to commit to his God, put his life right, and proclaim Good News, whatever happens round about.     

From the window I watched many people self-isolating together.  A man with his child kicking a ball, quite understandable, several primary school types on the skatepark, and many walking about in groups of four or five, possibly families other youths, all keeping close to one another.  

Sainsburys have this new rule, which I walked into.  A black mark one metre (3 ft 6 in the real world) from the cash desk is where the next customer must stand.  I ignored this until the lass in front pointed out the queue behind.  The leading woman smiled and I moved on.  I joined three men in a line, "I'll join the men, they will be quicker than the women,"  said I.  The men, of similar age to myself, nodded agreement with almost a smile.  Then we waited, and waited, a women was at the cashier failing to make her point. 

While the first man in the queue stood on the black line I was intrigued to note that we stood in the usual line, behind one another, not a metre apart, just a couple of inches.  I turned around once or twice and coughed, nest time I looked the women behind with a trolley had been replaced by a man with a basket.  Fear makes cowards of us all.  I possibly could have indicated the cold virus is not the same as the Chinese one but that may have been too much.  

Anyway, we men got through in due time, considering one another carefully, I almost said 'closely' and a few inches apart was close.  The cheerful young lady at the cash desk did her bit happily, she is not a week day staff, and I gathered my precious possessions and limped home in the freezing sunshine.   

Throughout the Empire, which since Brexit involves the Home Countries and Tristan de Cuna, people are gathering in crowds.  One pub in Greenock refuses to close, people go there, along with a dozen police officers trying to shut the place, Portobello Beach throngs with crowds, parks, gardens, and other open places are busy with people isolating together.  All the while the Mothers, this is Mothers Day after all, are left at home ignored!  For their own safety!

I must admit had I lived closer and mum had been alive I would still go round there.  She might not want me, I may disturb the soap operas she watched, but I think one of us would go.  

Clearly we are indeed living in a dangerous situation.  Made worse by an incompetent government happy to let pensioners die (allegedly).  At first I thought the fuss was exaggerated, I admit I was wrong there.  The more I look at it the more I begin to think this could take more than a year, possibly more than two years to clear.  The economic effect will continue long afterwords.  All we have trusted in is being taken from us, the strained looks on the faces in Sainsburys revealed that.  People do not know what to do, most have no emotional position from which to survey the situation.  I am not sure I have.  This is strange and new.  I can put my trust in Jesus, but that does not mean all will be well in every way, many of my friends are not as young or healthy than they were.  I am tempted to say 'The lights are going out all over Europe' but they will remain on...

Shop Book

For a society close to ‘Lock Down,’ I considered there was an awful lot of traffic passing me at half past eight in the morning.  Twitter had informed me the usual roads were ‘Slow Moving,’ and it has become obvious that not many people can work from home.  Builders, postmen, gardeners, as well as supermarket staff must get up early and trudge to work.  Politicians might think it clever to tell people to stay indoors but how will they all be fed?  How will these people pay bills if the work is closed down, redundancy given, or they are just left with nothing?  Some policies must emerge ‘on the hoof’ but a little bit more thought is required here.

School kids ahead of me did not appear to be discussing virus possibilities as I slowly made my way to the panic shop.  I was in truth glad I could not hear what their topics of conversations were, that might put me off breakfast! 

As I crossed the car park I coughed somewhat roughly.  A man fifty yards ahead turned and looked at me, contempt and fear showing in his eyes.  Fear of that virus is cutting into people.  Even the young men faint. 

Sainsburys have taken action to limit panic buying.  The shelves are half full, a deliberate policy, thus preventing items running out.  However, I questioned the lack of red lentils and an attractive young assistant soon procured some for me, she found brown lentils first then thoughtfully came after me with red ones, how helpful I thought, though to be fair most staff are in this shop.  Now I wish I had kept both as this panic filled mob may continue to live in fear and remove all such from the shelves.

Paracetamol was bereft, those that do not require it have got it, those that need it now cannot get it.  We may end up with rationing and doctors’ certificates at this rate. 

Wine and beer was available in abundance, quite why they have not panic bought that I know not.  When sick wine is often the best thing to take, it goes down well, offers some nourishment, and an abundance makes you forget your illness and fall asleep.  Or so I am told…

There are of course vast amounts of foodstuffs and other needful to be had, no-one needs to starve to death, and a supply of daily papers are available if the toilet rolls are still hidden away.  Potatoes exist, some frozen chips are still to be found, and while pasta has disappeared rice in various forms can be obtained.  Clever people can vary their diet with a quick wander around the store.  Really clever people can make use of their garden and plant what they will require later in the year.  I wish I was one of them. 

Just thinking, if the virus hits 80% of the people then food transmission to the shops will be hindered.  Add to this the lack of veg coming from this nation, no EU fruit pickers allowed, then a veg shortage might well appear.  If the drivers get sick, having seven or fourteen days off, and relief drivers unavailable, that will increase the fun at the shops. 

Tomorrow I panic buy tins!

The only flaw this morning was one of my favourite checkout lasses bursting into giggles as she informed me the total came to £33!  “33,” I said.  “I only made it £7:29.”  More giggles from her and the customer following.  To them, seeing my debit card smouldering as I pushed it into the slot was delightful, there appeared to be little delight for me.  However, the checkout girl mentioned that over the weekend some 30 such cards had been refused, not enough credit.  This was the result of panic buying too much.  This £33 was much more than I had expected and is caused by not counting up the totals as I go, something I always used to have to do, there again I may just blame the red lentils, not the bottle of Chianti…

You may remember I began this book some time ago, it mysteriously got lost under a pile of other books that I was wading through.  Some people adore this man, I found it  wee bit boring and hard going.  However he has a five programme series on BBC Radio 4 Extra.  The first programme can be found here.  He is easier to listen to than to read I must say.