Showing posts with label Virus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virus. Show all posts

Sunday 31 January 2021

Sunday Sunshine

 

After days of gloom people came out to see the sunshine today, dog walkers, joggers, old folks, couples and those with children.  I avoided them all!  

 
These Daffodills have been coming through since December, the rain, and now sunshine might tempt them to show themselves in the chill northern wind.  End of January, Spring getting closer, clouds getting thinner (Ha! fat chance) and the days getting longer!


The socially distant were enjoying the day.  I was just glad to get outside, the first time since Friday, and walk around.  The clever people tell us it may be two or three years before enough people have been properly vaccinated and the threat dealt with.  Many are unhappy with that.  Hmmm...some places in Africa and elsewhere they are in danger of all sorts of disease, they appear to cope better than we do.
The pandemic has shown how wealth has eroded our ability to cope with stress.  The nation does not knwo how to suffer, therefore nonsense about the virus not existing, or being dangerous continue, crowds form, partygoers party en masse, and the virus spreads.  We have been knocked out of our routine and do not like it.  Maybe the routine was wrong anyway?


These guys were knocked out fo their routine, their ambitions altered, their hopes dashed also.  We call them 'Heroes,' and wonder why we are different.  We are no different, they just had to get on with life as it is, so do we.


Anyway, when I go out, I dress like this, just in case...


Sunday 6 December 2020

Clebs and Vaccine...

 
The papers this morning offer many stories like this.  'B' celebs jumping on the cheap publicity bandwagon by volunteering to 'take the jab' to 'encourage' others to do the same.  Looking around the list and noting the growing demand (in the press) for royalty and other 'important' persons to be given the vaccine first I thought to myself how much they differ in approach to myself.  Instead of these needless individuals I suggest weeding the herd, avoid this lot, give the vaccine to those who need it, those in the forefront of society today, supermarket workers, postmen, dustbin men, nurses in hospitals and local surgeries, doctors, hospital staff, porters and receptionists, care workers and other support workers.   Give the vaccine to those who need it, keep it from those we can easily do without and by who's loss we would all benefit.  You can add all press men to those that do not require vaccinating also!
 
Nothing else happened...
 

 

Saturday 17 October 2020

Saturday Cogitation

 
 
I've finished a book!
This is the first book I have got through in ages.  This is not from having ceased trying to read, I just could not be bothered with all the big words.  The effort to read was too much, possibly 'Lock Down' having an effect, but few words other than those required to identify items on supermarket shelves or football results were asked for by me.  This obviously did not stop me buying books!  The shelf is creaking with unread words, none in cuneiform but some dealing with that sort of thing, others just cheap, old books, that were a sudden desire.  They are now collecting dust until the right time to read them.  One lass sent me the wrong book, they all look the same don't they?  When I pointed this out and offered to keep the wrong, but perfectly acceptable book, and happily pay for it she allowed me to keep it for free.  I doubt she paid much in the first place, it is quite aged.  That was good.  I think she may be working for home for 'pin money' selling books she has collected from all around.  Good luck to her.  'Be Inspired' is the name she goes under on Amazon, though the rest of the books in her bookshop did not inspire me today.   I will however keep a look out.
Paiul Theroux's book is a condensed version of his travels.  I like his books, well written and honest. The tales do occur some time ago but allow us a glimpse into the lives of many in far flung places often in difficult times.  'The Great Railway Bazaar,' 'The Old Patagonian Express,' 'The Kingdom by the Sea,' where they miss Edinburgh for no good reason, and other travels are detailed.  These are shortened versions of his books put together in 1991 so a bit dated but still worth a read I say.  
I of course paid little for it.  


Did you know that there is an election occuring in the USA?  They kept that quiet didn't they?
It appears that the present President, a madman by all accounts who suggested first that the Coronvirus did not exist, even though he was informed about this in January, and then told his subjects to take Bleach to cure it!  Two did and died apparently.  He also caught the virus, he says, and recovered informing his people not to be afraid of the virus.  He ignored the 200,000 dead and millions till suffering while it appears he tries to stifle free health care in the US.  
Joe Biden is the other man.
That's all we need to know to vote for him, whoever he is.
 
 
As I look up from this monotonous Celtic v Rangers game I note the traffic has not lessened this Saturday in spite of the county being in a tighter 'lock down' from today.  Nothing appears to have changed, most here obey the rules and Saturday shoppers are ignoring them as much as usual.  To many football matches to watch for me to stir outside but as the death rate is higher I suspect the care homes are suffering a bit once again.  That is, both patients and staff!
 

Thursday 18 June 2020

Second Covid 19 Virus Wave approaching


I notice how the media today is filled with people desperate to get into the local pub.  CafĂ©'s and restaurants seek urgently to open, at least in part, and it appears the threat of a deadly virus has faded somewhat.
It is understandable that a business wishes to reopen, much loss has occurred and many may never recover, this is extremely sad, especially for the small coffee shop close by that we had begun to frequent on occasion, I doubt he can have much cash put aside.  MP's and MSPs are pressurising the leaders to reopen everywhere, Cafes, restaurants, shops, Zoo's, almost anything and everything that has been closed down.  Of course in some areas the public reaction has been to make out Lock Down has ended anyway so lets just get on with it.
There is a problem with this, Covid 19 is still around.  What drugs that have been found to work are still only a partial help, and then only for some.  The deadly virus is still with us and while returning to normal is good it may also be deadly! 


Only a few days ago while I was out there were few people to be seen.  Tonight I visit Sainsburys and the car park is busy.  While we all avoid one another it is clear people have forgotten about the danger.  This is not completely forgotten just pushed to the side a wee bit.  I suspect large town centres where large shops are considering opening are less safe than Sainsburys.
The second wave is on the way...

Sunday 7 June 2020

I Wonder...


I was wondering, as I listened to Alistair Begg chat this morning, about the the 'Black Lives Matter' protests.  I mean, protesting a police officer killing someone is fair enough, there are few who would disagree outside f the 'Daily Mail' readership.  There again protests such as this raise the polarisation Trump and his cronies wish to use to get votes.  His voting public mainly still want him to remain.  There again how many parading vociferously in the streets are merely jumping on a bandwagon, this weeks 'cause' and next week back to XR environmentally blocking the streets.  We all like a good cause we can join, this is indeed a good one, but are we now over doing it?
Certainly the wee boys who want to throw things at policemen, loot and destroy will always join one, we saw that yesterday in London,certainly the Right Wing trolls will point the finger everywhere but at the guilty, certainly the media will offer a one-sided untrue story of the proceedings.  
However what is really going on here?
For one thing I have not noticed any remarks re the dead man's life. What was he like?  Had he a record?  Was he decent?  This is important as having seen two men in wheelchairs shot, one shot dead the other by a 'rubber bullet' to the head from close range, we know the police in the US are often thugs.  So what sort of man was George Boyd? I have no idea, and I guess most parading have no idea either.
Brutality from the US cops against a black man is not unusual, why?  Is this because the US culture is 'Shoot first and ask questions later?'  That is a culture many UK servicemen have recognised in times past, it has not changed.  Cops shot at and abused by black men, and women, often involved in drug or other crimes can easily become tempted to consider all blacks the same.  Just as blacks then consider all police the same.  It happens here in the UK just as it has always done.  Bad men have never appreciated the role of the constabulary.
Notice this only concerns Black men and women, Latino's are next when it comes to police abuse in the US, yet they are not mentioned at all, could Blacks be discriminatory?  Or do we not talk about that, and indeed the black on black murders?  No-one among the white chattering class mentions this or the possible causes.  Why?
So we have peaceful protests, a scared desperate President, Brutal police, especially those unidentified, and angst among the caring and the bandwagon jumping set.  
Do 'Back lives Matter?'  Indeed!  'All Lives Matter!'
I put that up on Twitter several times and when I do the white enforcers call me racist!
You see it is one important item that matters, the 'soup of the day' if you like.
The fact is all lives do matter, but Trump has divided the nation, indeed the west, forcing us to take sides,if we don't we are 'racist,' 'wrong,' or at best 'do not understand.'  Poppycock!
We are all human, we all matter, the inept situation in the US should not divide us, instead we ought to recognise what we are.
(Here's the Jesus bit, you can go now)

There was division in the bible.  Jesus made it clear that in following him we could divide our family, lose friends and jobs, become considered enemies of the state, all because we stand up for him. That is the price truth costs.
Paul emphasised the need to stick with those who followed Jesus, not those who followed a differing God.  The OT is full of the people of Israel going their own way and following the world, no good it did them too.
So there is a division in this world, those who follow Jesus and those who do not, there is no other division.  All, whatever colour or lifestyle and called to 'repent' and find forgiveness and new life, no matter the past.  
Indeed 'Black Lives matter' Jesus died for them all, so let them come to him and find real life.  
Indeed 'All Lives Matter' because God loves us all, he died for all, no matter what some evangelicals in the USA Midwest think.  All matter, all require salvation through Jesus cross.

One other thing.  Covid 19, how many will be found to have contacted this horrid virus after parading in the streets?  How many cops will find guns no use against a virus?  Many are annoyed that having remained indoors for the most part others have joined together to spread the virus amongst one another.  I hope they survive.



Wednesday 20 May 2020

Courageous or Daft...?


The temperature is high, around 75 at times, and here at Southend Beach we see thousands of people, 'social isolating' themselves together!  This is being repeated all over the country, parks are full of such sights.  Crowds gather forgetting the virus and glad to be out in the much needed sunshine.  Is it safe?
NO!
Of course it is not safe!
While it is safer to be outside than indoors with others where virus and germs can be transferred it is not possible to accept that such crowds can be safe, especially from such a virus as Covid 19.  The men in the Labs do not understand the make up of this virus as yet, how can they deal with it?  Yet the Brexit voting Essex individual decides they are 'safe' in this crowd.
Shops opening will make things worse, today MacDonald's in Chelmsford opened for 'Drive Thru' orders and Spelling lessons.  Several Twitter posts from those who control the traffic in the county mentioned this as the cause of tail backs!  I believe it was 'Costa Coffee' yesterday blocking streets in similar fashion also.  


Here we see three waves of Spanish Flu from the pandemic of 1918/19.  The first wave was small but deadly, as the third was small, but larger than the first.  However it was the second wave that killed the majority.  Men in war are forced to move around, workers also, little chance of proper 'Lock Down' then.  However, there is control now, it has been allowed to slip and soon we will face a depressing return to numbers being spouted, lying numbers at that, regarding the latest victims of this virus and government incompetence.   How many on the beaches or in the parks will catch this virus?  One in ten will not survive.
Possibly they might wish to consider the idea of gargling with salt water as a cure.  Like me you will wonder if this is from the 'Donald Trump Health Society' but in fact it comes from a study by clever clogs at Edinburgh University, so it must be good.  I have heard many times that such gargling can aid cold cures, but never tried it as I thought it 'old wifey' to be honest.  I may change my mind as they claim some folks had an improvement in their symptoms when gargling.  More research required.


Friday 17 April 2020

Fumbling Friday...


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...?   



Saturday 11 April 2020

Mutterings...


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....



Sunday 22 March 2020

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...

Saturday 14 March 2020

Viral Panic is Catching



My intention was to rise early, I tend to rise near 6 am in Spring like weather, wander around Tesco as soon as it opened and miss the virus laden crowds.  I awoke around 5 am, dozed through the World Service News, the Shipping Forecast, (In days of yore Alvin Liddel would end the late night Shipping Forecast with "Goodnight Gentlemen, and good fishing."  Not enough boats out there now to make it worthwhile,especially as they only speak Spanish."), the 'Farming Today' girls, always girls while the farmers are always men, and then just about six I managed to actually rise out of the pit. 
This is not the time to take a 'selfie.'
My plans died as the rain came down.  It continued well into the morning so breakfast was taken and plans to return to bed wandered through my mind.  However just about 11 am I actually made it out, the rain had stopped, as had the postman, wet, desperate to go home and enjoy the day, and with no mail for me.  
Trudging gaily down the Avenue, passing a woman who gave me a look of fear, either because she thought I was bad or she saw me cough, why fear missus, over the road stands the huge Police Station!  Another neighbour ignored me, his wife does not like me, and I wandered into the throng attending Tesco.
For a laugh I looked for 'paracetamol,' the empty shelves were a giggle, no soap on the other side bar the expensive stuff no-one wants.  I suggested they claim bleach is in short supply and they could get rid off all the plastic bottles full that were on display. 
Gathering my few needs while trolleys barged into me the drivers distracted by pig ignorance and stupidity, I made my way to the checkout via the beer stall.  Even there several sections were empty, deliberate I reckon, some shops do this to ensure stocks and to stop dafties taking everything.  At the checkout it intrigued me that football is suspended because of the fear of passing on virii.  Yet some experts claim it is not easy to catch virii in such crowds, it comes via face to face contact and here the girls, and its mostly girls, though some Saturday lads are on, the girls face people all day! Now who is in the most danger?  Football crowds or such women?
I coughed cheerfully over the Lesbian like lass who cheerily threatened to 'Nutt me' as I packed my bag.  I like this shop, proper women.  We debated the crap in the 'up market' Saturday press, neither of us willing to pay £500 for a pair of boots as in last weeks 'Times.'  I chose the 'Guardian' today, £3:40!  So that I have plenty sections to throw away during the week.   
I jostled my way out the only entrance, in amongst short sighted people who think you and everyone else will get out off their way, clambered down the steps, checked the skies and headed home avoiding the pleasures off the Saturday Market.  Few stalls out today and not too many people around either.  All at home stuffing toilet rolls into cupboards or under beds. 

             New Scientist

I must wash my hands before writing this.  
This new bug is indeed dangerous, and I am probably the one to get it!  My bug returned this week, usual symptoms, and hopefully will be gone by tomorrow, but why does it keep returning?  Especially when I have had lots to do this week and little energy when required.  I am going to demand out church seeks a person with the gifts of healing, for others sake obviously...

This I found on Twitter this morning and may be worth a read.



Psychologist: Social, & Environmental research, & behavioural factors in Anti-Microbial Resistance. Emeritus Professor, University of Liverpool.

1. The govt strategy on Coronavirus is more refined than those used in other countries and potentially very effective. But it is also riskier and based on a number of assumptions. They need to be correct, and the measures they introduce need to work when they are supposed to.
5:32 PM · Mar 13, 2020·
2. This all assumes I'm correct in what I think the govt are doing and why. I could be wrong - and wouldn't be surprised. But it looks to me like. . .
3. A UK starting assumption is that a high number of the population will inevitably get infected whatever is done – up to 80%. As you can’t stop it, so it is best to manage it. There are limited health resources so the aim is to manage the flow of the seriously ill to these.
4. The Italian model the aims to stop infection. The UKs wants infection BUT of particular categories of people. The aim of the UK is to have as many lower risk people infected as possible. Immune people cannot infect others; the more there are the lower the risk of infection
5. That's herd immunity. Based on this idea, at the moment the govt wants people to get infected, up until hospitals begin to reach capacity. At that they want to reduce, but not stop infection rate. Ideally they balance it so the numbers entering hospital = the number leaving.
6. That balance is the big risk. All the time people are being treated, other mildly ill people are recovering and the population grows a higher percent of immune people who can’t infect. They can also return to work and keep things going normally - and go to the pubs.
7.The risk is being able to accurately manage infection flow relative to health case resources. Data on infection rates needs to be accurate, the measures they introduce need to work and at the time they want them to and to the degree they want, or the system is overwhelmed.
8. Schools: Kids generally won’t get very ill, so the govt can use them as a tool to infect others when you want to increase infection. When you need to slow infection, that tap can be turned off – at that point they close the schools. Politically risky for them to say this.
9. The same for large scale events - stop them when you want to slow infection rates; turn another tap off. This means schools etc are closed for a shorter period and disruption generally is therefore for a shorter period, AND with a growing immune population. This is sustainable
10. After a while most of the population is immune, the seriously ill have all received treatment and the country is resistant. The more vulnerable are then less at risk. This is the end state the govt is aiming for and could achieve.
11. BUT a key issue during this process is protection of those for whom the virus is fatal. It's not clear the full measures there are to protect those people. It assumes they can measure infection, that their behavioural expectations are met - people do what they think they will.
12. The Italian (and others) strategy is to stop as much infection as possible - or all infection. This is appealing, but then what? The restrictions are not sustainable for months. So the will need to be relaxed. But that will lead to reemergence of infections.
13. Then rates will then start to climb again. So they will have to reintroduce the restrictions each time infection rates rise. That is not a sustainable model and takes much longer to achieve the goal of a largely immune population with low risk of infection of the vulnerable
14. As the government tries to achieve equilibrium between hospitalisations and infections, more interventions will appear. It's perhaps why there are at the moment few public information films on staying at home. They are treading a tight path, but possibly a sensible one.
15. This is probably the best strategy, but they should explain it more clearly. It relies on a lot of assumptions, so it would be good to know what they are - especially behavioral.
Most encouraging, it's way too clever for Boris Johnson to have had any role in developing.