Well none of us in our Bragging Rights Only Competition saw that one coming. Palace thrash Spurs 3-0. several of us had it down as a draw, but 0-3 was not expected. I will wait for half time before adding next comments – 7+ minutes to go.
Ig NOBELS
I had never heard of these until today. Established in 1991 by an American magazine called the Annals of Improbable Research awards are made to … just that, the zany and the improbable. A previous winner, Andre Geim went on to win a Nobel prize for developing graphene (although his Ig Nobel was for research levitating amphibians! I have no idea what that is about! But the key is that research can sometimes throw up something unexpected, and that means we should encourage a certain amount of eccentricity in our lives.
COVID
Vaccine levels in North Somerset are 87.6% one jab; 82.1% 2 jabs. I am surprised it is not higher – Scotland has almost everywhere at over 90%, even 95% for once jab and over 85% for 2. Yet Scotland has a higher rate of infection than England where some areas are 55% one jab. Does this make sense? Schools went back earlier than England so we will see what happens next week. North Somerset level is 395 and Sandford is 414 per 100000 (7 days to 5 September). At least 2 teachers have tested positive ing the last week at Churchill.
COVID VACCINE
Surely no one believes anything Johnson says. At the G7 he stated that the whole world would be vaccinated by the end of next year. WHO set a target of of this month to jab 10% of the population in all countries. December deadline is 30% with no chance of success. COVAX has channelled just 4% of vaccines to poorer countries. By January we will collectively have produced enough vaccine for every adult on the planet. So what is going wrong?
EMMA RADUCANU
PASTA CONCERNS
The hot dry spell has hit the durum wheat crop in Canada, whilst the wet spring has already affected the Italian crop. Climate change hitting spagbol and pizza is a real crisis.
Prices for pasta are expected to rise by 50% in line with recent price rises of the wheat. I shall stock up on ‘OO’ flour.
OUT OF HIBERNATION
Gavin Williamson? In a rambling speech to the Universities conference he managed to criticise many aspects of universities including debates about statues, inadequate teaching, antisemitic incidents, non-disclosure agreements to silence victims of sexual assault, inadequate facilities for disabled students. And then an increasingly casualised workforce, too much money spent on corporate activities and marketing.
HURRICANE LARRY
Likely to lash into Bermuda later today, at the moment is too far north to affect USA. 9th of September is early to have reached L in the alphabet of storms and there are 6 or 7 weeks of potential hazards to go.
ELECTORAL FRAUD
With one prosecution for fraud after the last election it would seem an expensive waste of time to require identity cards with photo’s. However it is my belief that this is the first step to identity cards for all. This government has shown a huge amount of control freakery over Covid, with vaccination passports almost certain to be introduced to nightclubs and some outdoor events – fortunately we can rely on the government to mismanage this – probably self certification or something equally pointless.
SELFISHNESS
I guess most people vote for selfish reasons, a party suggesting less tax, or more jobs, or better policing, or even less immigration. However we all know (apart from the extremely bigoted or delusional few) that the party we vote for does not represent every single view we have on the plethora of important issues.