EDUCATION AND TAGS

So the government thinks this years teacher assessed grades are viable enough to enrol more students into medical school. I hope this is not a measure wrought out of expediency – medical care is too important for that.

GROUSE MOORS

Almost 350.000ha within our National Parks are devoted to driven grouse moors. These moors are heavily managers with mountain hares, stoats and foxes are legally slaughtered, and hen harriers and golden eagles illegally slaughtered (hen harriers have also been shot on the Queens Sandringham Estate).

Elaine Thompson-Herah: Instagram blocks gold medallist who shared race win

A study commissioned by the FA found 359 accounts on twitter with explicitly racist abuse. Action taken – zero – update 11 arrests made . Thompson-Herah’s account was taken down because she may have broken copyright rules for olympic sponsors by sending clips of herself wining the gold medal to friends.

Beyond the absurdity of the detail here is the fact that accounts can be taken down rapidly if financial interests are involved, but not racist abuse.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Whilst it was good to see Starmer criticising Johnson for ‘a cabaret of soundbites’, it is also ironic that that was basically what he did yesterday. Where are the policies from anyone which the public can consider and debate?

COVID VACCINATIONS

A concern. This area has an incredibly high take up rate, but there are problems. I have a friend whose daughter if off to university. Having only just turned 18 she has not been able to get vaccinated before. Her appointment yesterday was cancelled due to a lack of vaccine! Attempts to rebook have been unsuccessful as she and her mother do not drive, and suggested sites are not on bus routes. The university suggested a site 7 miles from the campus.

DOMESTIC STUFF

I am drying tomatoes in the dehydrator before packing them with olive oil. Herbs have been dried – with more next week if the weather is dry (it makes sense to pick them on sunny days – of which we have not had many recently). So 9 different mints dried so far, and oregano, rosemary, thyme and basil.

CLIMATE CHANGE

Johnson’s climate spokesperson prefers to drive a diesel car. She stated that she had to do trips of 200-250 miles and seems unaware that a 80% charger can take 20 minutes. However it does highlight the need to roll out the necessary infrastructure for electric cars to really takeover the market.

BLAMING THE YOUNG

I know that the young did not vote for the nasty party, but this government seems vindictive. Young at University have been put under house arrest earlier in the pandemic, have had to pay top whack for an experience that was far from what they signed up for. Those most likely to lose their jobs are … the young. Education has been disrupted and the best that Williamson can come up with is free Latin Lessons for a few. Now they are being blamed for any future surge in infections because they have been reluctant to get vaccinated.

OLYMPIC FASHION

I am not known for fashion statements! Has anyone else noticed how boring the USA kit is? Also the Canadian one reminds me of Manchester United against Southampton with the grey strip. Yellow shirts seem to be doing well, maybe augers well for Norwich City this season, or even Watford.

COVID

Macron stated, in response to the cry of liberty on the streets, “What is your freedom worth if you say to me ‘I do not want to be vaccinated’, but tomorrow you infect your fathers mother or me”.