Protest!

 

 

 I read this morning that the total known number of Coronovirus victims was 26,696,160 with the deaths recorded at 876,149.  Some 25,000 or so died when dumped on Care Homes by the English government clearing the NHS to deal with the virus.  The number of NHS and Care Home staff who have died from this disease I know not.  Now we know some figures are disputed, 46,000 or so as a UK total appears small say some, but clearly people are dying from this disease, Health workers tell us this, doctors and nurses, people in that world at all levels indicate this pandemic is real and still some do not believe it.

This lot for instance, in Edinburgh, indicating paedophiles are more dangerous than Covid 19, a lie that began in the USA where all such absurd theories begin.  They refuse to wear masksbecause TV Lies!

Now weare all aware of TV lies, the Tory party runs most of the press lies in this country, but Doctors and research workers whostudy such virus types are less likely to inform the public of a lie than any media mogul.

Such protests have occurred in several places, along side the virtue signaling XP environment protesters looking for a day out. Emotion, as always lies at the root of such demonstrations.  Tell the people to fear, offer scientific sounding information, shout loud and keepit simple stupid and the followers will come.

It is as if all thought today has been replaced with emotion.  Considered professional opinion, not always correct to be sure, is ignored for the far fetched and fearful offerings from a few.  I see David Icke, who thinks the royal family are descended from alian lizards I believe, is once again out and about.  His walking about spouting such stuff is one thing people believing him is what worries me, they might live next door!

Without God people need something to believe, politics, lifestyle, even a dog or cat or football team can fill that need, but it always fails.  Those protesters catching virus's of various types from one another will surely inform the wolrd of their sickness and how they caught it, will they not?

 

'Dell Boy' and Meat!

 

This morning DPD, a proper courier service delivered to me, as one of his 132 drops, and that before he starts collecting, this 'refurbished' laptop.  So far, this appears faster than my struggling old one, less crumb filled than my bust other one, and almost all has been added that is requred.  Indeed some things have arrived I did not know I still possessed.  One problem was the Microsoft licence sticker was missing from the bottom.  However, a short phone call and the young lad at the other end fixed this via something called 'Team Viewer,' which I had never heard off.  This allowed him to do all that was required fromhis end, quicker and more correct in the end.  

Costing only £239 I did not expect much, however, the service was as required, the laptop is much cleaner than Grade 2 normally is, and my phone call was quick and easy but I pay for it!  Almost next day delivery, the adaptor arrived but the laptop took two more days.  It all appears professional and efficient. If this old thing lasts me one year I will be happy, and all looks OK so far.

 

 

The empty fridge reminded me that meat was required.  So I trotted off to Tesco but passing the butcher, the only real one left in town, I noticed he had several varieties of 'specials' on the go.  So I went in, spent just over £40 on a bag of meat that will last at least a month if not longer.  The freezer is now stuffed full of sausages, chicken, spiced meats and no vegan will be near me for a while!  

 

I have done little but glance at the news today, I noted fake £20 notes are going around, these are the type used in TV and films, they look real bar from little things like the word 'POOND' on the reverse, which some folks in Aberdeen might not notice.  The biggest brothel in Europe is closing because of the Corono Virus, I am not sure why, 'Sickly Come Dancing' returns soon and an exciting horde of people I have never heard off will be participating, are you pleased?  'Bread and Circus's' for the masses I say.  Trump stands accused (There's phrase you often hear) of calling dead US soldiers 'Losers,' amongst other things, that could affect his vote more than police brutality.  A married teacher is accused of having it off with a 15 year old pupil.  Where were such teachers when I was at school?  And there are people confused, say the English press, and it is all English owned, people are confused because Scotland says one thing re quarantine and virus, England another.  Why confused?  Follow Scots lead, you will find it is the safer option.        

Nosy, me?

 

Now as you know I am not nosy, but I wonder what is going on in the park? 

When crowds of kids gather there it is either a drugs party, a gang fight or loud music sufficient to wake the dead.  As I have no interest in being woken I am left wondering what is happening?  

It does look like a school 'do' of some sort, several overfed teachers/assistants standing about gossiping while mothers delights wander about attempting to get nearer their favoured boy/girl, or indeed to escape the less favoured ones.  

Balloons aplenty can be seen, hydrogen filled, no music is heard, no excessive use of the skatepark, no obvious leader announcing this that or the other.  This is annoying, as one renowned for not being nosy I do wish to be informed  regarding events occurring outside my door.  

Ah 'Lock Down,' it makes the small things in life exciting!

On my way back from Sainsburys I noticed the crowd had gathered closer together and were listening to a man with a mike muttering things.  Not possible to hear what was said, it reminded me of the old Tannoy system at Waverley Station.  The high pitched voice of the wel educated woman would resound around the station, bouncing off the high glass ceiling above, echoing from one wall to another and leaving everyone completely baffled and rushing to the nearest porter to ask about their train.  

The Nation

 

I believe it was PMQs again today.  I did not bother to watch.  Too many lies, unwillingness to answer questions, no facts to be heard, and all interest lost thanks to this inept man and his hordes.  How soon until he goes?

Once in a Corn Moon...

They are at it again.

Once more we have a 'Corn Moon,' also known as a 'Harvest Moon,' which I thought we had earlier? Maybe that was a year ago?  One man claimed this is also the 'Blue Moon' and I am getting confused.  So is my camera, the brute was a yellowish green last night, though squeezing out through the kitchen window did not leave much room for playing with camera bits.

At least the clouds cleared long enough to see the thing.  Now, late in the day, I notice the sun is almost shining.  I must manage to get out into it sometime...

Politico

Donald is at it again.  Heading into a town where he is not wanted, surrounded by protection he intends to encourage #White Supremacist' style individuals in the hope of getting votes.  The deliberate desire to cause division may be reprehensible but our Donald knows how to succeed.  He, like Dominic and Boris, clearly are following the Hitler propaganda book.  Divide and rule, point the finger at an easy enemy, fix them and all will be well.  Worked well for Adolf but in the long term it failed.  Donald, like Boris, does not think long term however, today counts, nothing else.  The papers will be full of it tomorrow...

   

Nothing Happened Again...

 

Usual routine, rain, high winds, storm warnings, gales, today cold sunshine.  Typical August weather.  With today being a Bank Holiday in England, one of the most important ones, we ought to expect rain and cold, it's the usual thing.  Often people complain, as if this is abnormal weather.  Quite normal, just annoying as the northerly wind comes right through my window and freezes me no matter what I do.

Call me cynical if you will but I think something is afoot.

Hints keep appearing that Boris will step down.  This is inevitable after Brexit when he would run away and leave others to clear up his mess.  However there are rumblings amongst Tory MPs who are unhappy at the confused state of affairs: Boris is being blamed.  Hmmm... blame Boris while Dominic hides?  However even the 'Daily Telegraph,' Boris's own hand out sheet, has begun to criticise the Virus handling situation, this is not a good happening for Boris.

So, is he making a run for it early?  Is Dominic under orders to remove him?  When the press are fed such stories you know the situation in the Halls of Power (Dominic's office) is changing.  

Where is Boris...on a Scottish Photo shoot again...?

The 'Byline Times,' one of the better reads for important stories, offers this non surprising fact, Brexit is inspired, if not run by, Hedge Fund Managers lining their pockets.  Who would have thought it?  Greedy people at the top are risking the economy to get rich, no surprise there.  So, proof positive that No Deal is where we will end up, economic collapse and who will pay for it?  The Brexiteers will!  

 

A Month of Joy...

So, the adaptor cable broke, so, I sent off for a new one.

Then we had the struggle to update the old, slow, laptop.

Then we waited the new adaptor.

We waited.

And waited.

Contacted the man.

Ina  day or two it came.

Different from the original, however the words looked OK.

It overheated.

I took it out.

I replaced it.

It went back in.

It went 'phut' and left a burning smell in the air. 

Darkness came on me.

I sent for a proper one.

'Hermes' were to deliver this.

I waited.

Refer to first paragraph here.

Nothing happened.
I contacted sender.

They said 'Hermes' had address problem, contact them.

Contacting 'Hermes' is as easy as searching through their many pages, eventually finding a 'thing' called 'Holly' who is delighted to speak to you like any other computerised machine would do.

I left my details, informed that the correct people would be informed, 'give time, etc...' 

I waited.

Eventually, having found one or two more delivery pages I noticed they had attempted to deliver, could not find me.  Now remember they have spent 6 months delivering to the woman next door easily enough, but could not find me, though we use the same door.

This road has stood here for over four thousand years.

The house was built in 1832.

The front door has had three brass numbers at the top for over 50 years.

Yet they could not find me.

I confess I lost it this week.

The lack of laptop, aching knees, tiredness, lack of ability to get through to Hermes' and inability to do anything about the situation bar go back to 'Holly' and vent my spleen rather more rudely than is acceptable.  I shouted at them I shouted at the roof, I shouted at God.

None of this helped.

Once again they attempted to deliver today.

I sat back, cool, calm and cheered.

About 11:30 their local office rang up, 

"Where are you?"  

"He can't find you."

By now I was laughing.  Here was a man honestly trying to do his job through a courier who still could not find me.  I gave some instructions, then afterwards remembered how I ought to have directed him, an easier way.  However, 40 minutes later he was at the door.

Now using what I assume to be Bulgarian drivers who not only do not speak English, this one refused to utter a word, but are unused to the street layout of English towns.  Made worse I must say by this councils daft way of numbering places.

Then it was I realised the difficulty.  

My number is 100, however the house almost opposite is numbered 19.

This driver, like others, notice high numbers far down the road and do not realise that also opposite at the  beginning of the road are an old school, court house and gardens, all which push the numbers down the road.  When you consider most find us easily enough we must add in East Europeans difficulty in adjusting to the ways of the locals.  Next door is a Polish lass, Poles find it easy, those further south struggle, much to the delight of the 'Daily Express' reader.

However, the part has arrived!

Trumpets were blared, crowds cheered, massed bands walked past playing 'Sousa' marches.

All was well.

I opened package.

I plugged it in to my better laptop.

I pressed the button.

Nothing!

There was some battery left, what happened?

What happened was the 'Phut' of the cheap adaptor has also 'Phutted' my laptop!

Instant online search for help brought no joy.

I have spent the rest of the afternoon sitting here staring into space, images of me falling from the Eiffel Tower, or the Empire States Building,' or the 'Forth Bridge' were running through my mind.  Thoughts of a small gun at the temple, US police style, saccharine (or is it strychnine?) swallowed while jumping off the Lowestoft Ferry hang about keeping me company... 

I will sleep well tonight.

I admit I let myself get too stressed by this.  Maybe 'Lock Down' has played a part, maybe I am just a miserable git!  Several tell me so, mostly female I should indicate.  This has not been a good month, and using this old laptop has not helped, so slow, keeps jumping about, and causes stress!

'Lighten our darkness O Lord.'

  

The Sea! The Sea! I Wish I Saw the Sea!

 

"Oh to go down to the sea again

          To the lonely sea and the sky."

Well I got as far as the front where I removed some weeds and cleared up a wee bit.  That and aches makes up my day.  I did this job because I thought 'Hermes' were delivering and I wished to be at the door to ensure he did not run away again.  Naturally it is tomorrow he is coming...

At least I was outside for a while.

How I miss the beach at Bournemouth!

There are other small coves around where it is possible to enjoy the sea, especially when few are around.  My dream home would have the right sea view in front of me and not far behind a railway, preferably a 'Heritage' railway, running steam every so often.  The view is somewhat different at the moment.  

One day when I am rich...

A stolen picture, taken from 'Edinburgh Past & Present' on facebook.  I even forget the lassies name, sorry.  She took this while landing at Edinburgh Airport (still called 'Turnhouse' by me!).  This is the area where I spent my first two years and then entered the school almost hidden high on the top left of the picture.  The view from the house we moved to looked over the Forth towards Fife, a super view, and on that page people often post pictures of sunsets and dawns to make me jealous.  I see trees and a park...  

This could be a worse view of course.  When I came here I was offered a basement in Dovercourt with a car park behind.  The view, and the mould on the wall, now attended to, was not to my liking, so here I reside.  Dovercourt is by Harwich which is a famous Submarine base, this was attractive but the flat was not.  The wee town itself was a bit rundown in spite of the tourist possibilities.  Not that I saw any submarines there now.  Sometimes I wish I had tried to 'go to sea' as so many used to in the past.  The idea of a rough crossing may have been what put me off.  Interestingly, my father was living just up from Granton Harbour having gone to the school just above the dock, yet he joined the army in 1925 when he could get no work.  I often wonder if he had tried for a seaman's job or if the waves put him off also?  The ships he saw as he grew up and paddled by the beach included the 'Grand Fleet,' or at least part of it based at Rosyth.  These must have impressed him, and he showed me where big guns once stood to defend the harbour, yet maybe a bullying corporal in the army was better than a ship rising and falling in the waves?

Better than most of the jobs I did have.

 

Cricket Saturday

 

Now, filling the day with cricket is fine if it means watching England lose.  It is less entertaining when they are running away with things.  Forced to endure this all day, until saved by the return of Scottish football at 5:30, my life was ebbing away as England piled on the runs.  

The Pakistani bowlers were not all failures, however the enemy made use of the watered pitch, yes another episode clouded by rain, and groundsmen working in the enemies favour.  When I returned after watching a decent football game for once, unfortunately Celtic did get their goal, I found Pakistan had already lost several wickets and were planning how to get home.  

Nothing else happened.

It is a surprise to me that at such a time as this I am not reading very much.  This may be because two books contain over 700 pages of small font filled stuff, the other books are not grabbing me the same, or something is holding me back, Lock Down I say.  I started to read one book the other day and realised it had been lying there for weeks.  Laptop trouble, sloth and other usual daytime time wasting activities may have hindered but I am surprised at how little I have read.

High Above Us...

 

This, as you know, is the 'Green Moon' from a week or two ago.  Quite why this is called a 'Green Moon' I forget, however the fact is the moon now changes colour with a regularity that did not happen in my youth.  

Up there, in the pale blue sky hidden behind Edinburgh gray clouds, lay a moon, known as, 'the moon!'  There was a song referring to a 'Blue moon,' but few if any know why it was a 'Blue Moon' and fewer still cared.  This past few years we have seen 'Blood Moons,' this 'Green Moon,' and was there not a 'red' or 'orange' moon also?  There appears to be more 'moons' today than in the past. 

I wonder why?

What would have happened if the US astronauts had landed on a 'Blood Moon' or a 'Blue Moon?'  Would this have meant they had to postpone the operation, or do it again when the colour changed?  Would the Commies have landed on a 'Blue Moon' or waited until a 'Red' one came along?  The world is full of questions we can never answer.

You may realise I am bored today...

Allowing for 'Easyjet' withdrawing from Stanstead and Southend airports, cash problems apparently, there are very few aircraft high above us these days.  Mostly it is the few 'Ryanair' flights to sunny, drunken Spain that pass above, though a lot do go to the Easter Europe hotspots for cheap beer nowadays I see.  Otherwise it is those 'Fed-Ex' types that are the most regular flights above us.  Daily one arrives from China, full of electronic equipment that explodes on use and coronovirus to keep the world spinning along.  When I first came here one such aircraft didn't quite make it.   A South Korean 747 took to the air but failed to beat the 'critical point' and came down across the road in Hatfield Forest.  I believe this was early in the day and only the three crew were lost, locals may have had their own views on this mind.  This means the skies are clearer, except when clouds bringing rain pass over, a wind storm coming tomorrow it appears.  If the skies are clearer, less traffic on roads, surely 'Lock Down' has brought many benefits in the air?  Too late for all the muck already about but at least life is a wee bit better now.

My attention was caught the other day by a woman (was she late 20's or early 30's, I canny mind) who had sex with a 15 year old male.  The Law sees this as a crime, the judge seethed at her 'abuse' while admitting the boy was 'enjoying himself immensely,' and jailed her for 2 years.

What got me was the fact this is seen as a crime while same sex marriage is considered normal, men claiming they are woman can do so legally, and make use of women's facilities to other women's annoyance, and gay acts bot male and female are considered normal.  

It is a strange world where a more normal sex act, even if rather unwise, is a crime while abnormal ones are legalised.

The lunatics are indeed running the asylum.

'Daily Star' & the NHS

 

I am beginning to like the front page of the 'Daily Star.'  

Each day they have more sarcasm/satire on the world around us than any other paper.  I sometimes get the feeling that as 'The Daily Mirror,' which owns them, keeps throwing out journalists from both the 'Star' and the 'Express' the people inside are less bothered about upsetting the folks upstairs.  They all expect the boot any time soon anyway so they are losing the fear.  

While all papers are free to attack Gavin Williamson these days, and they love a 'witch-hunt' don't they,  it is the 'Star' that appears to feel 'free-er' than the rest of the right wing pack.  Of course while Williamson or Hancock or whoever is in the news Boris can run around pretending he is in charge.  And let us not forget he is indeed in charge, as long as he obeys Dominic.

I await the 'Star' reporting on Dominic with a sad degree of glee I must say.

   

Because Hancock says 'Public Health England' has failed he, at around midnight last night, announced he was scrapping it and replacing it with something else.  Dominic's muppet has had this planned for a while, others have announced it already, but no surprise that the woman leading it is one who has aided a donation of around £100,000 to Mr Hancock already this year.  Dido Harding, for it is she, was head of 'Talk Talk' which got the 'wooden spoon' two years (her years) in a row for being the worst for customer service.  Naturally she became a Peer, as she is paying money to the Tories, then became head of the NHS (that is Serco) 'Test and Trace'  which has failed miserably.  She is therefore the right person to head this new organisation, one for which she has no knowledge off, no abilities for, and no experience.  Looks like another winner here.

U-Turn & Cricket

 

Another day another Government U-Turn.

The 'A' level results were chaotic and  clearly incorrect, in similar fashion to the Scots results. This is another of Dominic Cummings 'algorithms' at work.  It appears Cummings control of everything is not as efficient as he would like to believe.  Schools, the NHS, parliament itself, the Civil Service, the MOD and anything he has touched has shown a remarkable ability to fail when under pressure.  I will not even mention the PPE scandals!  

Where is Boris while this is happening?  Would Blair or Thatcher disappear when such an event has occurred?  Boris did appear to say something but he was only voicing Dominic's words, when will he use his own?

Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, is the one taking the flack.  Keeping their jobs like this can only go so far, one day one of them, possibly Williamson, might admit it is all Dominic Cummings doing and explain clearly what is actually going on.  I hope they have the guts soon.

BBC

With the help of pre-arranged thunderstorms England managed to avoid defeat against Pakistan by simply flooding the pitch.  How underhand can you get?  Enabling violent storms, followed by incessant heavy rain, just to ensure England do not lose, as indeed they would have had the game finished when it ought.  The ton of sawdust used on the pitch to limit the opposition bowlers did not help as much as they had hoped.  Indeed had the game continued more batsmen would have gone.

I wasted a whole afternoon watching this, once it eventually began.  Worn out by shopping, cleaning, soup making and other things watching cricket was all I had strength for.  

   

BBC Disappoint

 

Last night I watched some of the VJ-Day commemoration on the BBC.  To say I was disappointed is putting it mildly.  What ought to have been a time of listening to those who served became an excuse for absurd pictures and music designed to drown out the speaker.

Splashing the film of the speaker onto the buildings of Horse Guards Parade must have appealed to some joker in the BBC but it neither appealed nor did the job intended.  Not only was it difficult to see the individual it was hard to hear them with the music played over their speech.

The men who spoke on the 'Voices of the Great War' were allowed to speak, usually in answer to questions we do not hear.  On TV or Radio they come over clearly and respectfully.  Last night while the speakers were respectful the programme was not and clarity was lost.  This I thought insulted those recording their story for us.

The music, the bandsmen excellent as always, was used disrespectfully to cover the voice.  I suppose we were to see heightened emotion?  The story itself carries the emotion, we do not require childish additions from people who spend too much time in theatre and not in the real world. 

This was a failure for me, I turned it off after a while.  It appears the BBC today is incapable of understanding the war, the attitudes of the time, or how to reflect such people to the world outside.

Maybe of course it is the world that cannot understand and requires a 'Disney' like approach to subjects.

A Wander on VJ Day

 

When the rain stopped lashing down Costa Rica style I sauntered out to see if there were any pictures available.  The threat of more rain, it went off only for an hours, made me hurry somewhat.

Dripping leaves, berries, or whatever they are, knocked, along with the leaves, from trees.  Roads wet, drivers not slowing down, forgetful of slippy roads, and puddles aplenty but none in a place where I could make a picture!  Bah!

The market was suffering badly.  Few stalls, only three regulars and not even the fish van bothered to turn out today.  Heavy rain keeps people indoors, so off I went home.

Today however is VJ Day, 'Victory over Japan Day.'  This marks 75 years since the signing of the Japanese surrender and the official end of the Second World War.  Far too few understand this today, some only concerned with the dropping of two Atom Bombs on Japan, no concern for the millions suffering under Japanese occupation or the 12,000 British troops murdered in Jap POW camps.  Add to that the Empire forces from Australia, India and Africa who endured the longest soldiers campaign of the war and consider how happy people were at wars end.

There was therefore a short service at the public Gardens to commemorate this day and the men involved.  Only 16 were invited, and I, once informed by devious means, secured a place by boldly walking in uninvited.  The virus hinders crowds even at such ceremonies.  The thunder expected at that time remained far away and only now has the rain returned.  Very respectful of it I must say.

  

Thus satisfied, though ignored by most others, I made my way home to prepare for the evening football and other joys on offer tonight.  Pie and chips, all that was found in the fridge, was not found to be a joy in the end...

Dreicher Friday

 Dreicher Friday indeed!

Trapped by rain teeming down until after lunch.  More of this to come, lasting for several days they say.  Not doing much for the cricket or indeed anyone else.  Many paces near and far are having a wet time, many a car trapped in streams of water it appears.  

I risked a walk this afternoon, dressed for the rain, searching the new type pawn shops.  Last week my niece and her daughter, the car mechanic, drove up to Wester Ross with the dog for a few days away.  White sand beaches, no other people in sight, the Rottweiler happy paddling in the shallows chasing a ball, or anything else that moved.  With an Eagle soaring overhead, and they would quickly identify it, I suggested my great niece got herself a better camera so she could catch pictures of such, she has the talent.  I also suggested her dad bought one for her, much harrumphing in background, not just because he was left behind while they went north!  

So I checked Ebay first, then wandered into our two modern pawn shops, actually there is a third, a bit suspicious that one but I forgot all about him, and searched the cameras there hoping for a bargain.  I was shocked at how little they had in stock.  Usually there are an abundance of cameras today there were none bar a couple of old film cameras worth less than the £10 price tags.  Only one, too expensive, camera was suitable and so that was out.  I was surprised but the lass in one told me how bad things had been.  People are not buying, nor are they selling old phones or ipads.  Even the pawn shops are struggling, how much worse can it get.  I noticed both shops had only two employees, the larger shop usually has half a dozen.  When such shops suffer how can the rest cope?

So it was back to cricket before the rain comes on and stuff my face with yesterdays leftovers again.