Why do you have a lawn? If you can answer positively and say you use it for whatever, that is fine. How many people mow a small lawn using electricity or petrol, for no other purpose than to stop the grass growing? I am not advocating concrete or even plastic grass – but what is the point?
COVID
BREXIT IMPACTS SO FAR
It is difficult to separate Brexit and Covid impacts, especially as both are virus’ which keep mutating!
But lets have a go. Northern Ireland is slowly descending back into troubled waters with the government stuck in its dogma. Industries like fishing have been hit hard – I guess that as most fishermen seem to have voted for Brexit, that they cannot read? Imports from Europe have slowed, prices have risen. We might notice this more in the summer when fresh fruit and veg from the Mediterranean is due. A shortage of labour is reported across hospitality and agricultural sectors – whilst Patel is busy trying to send Europeans home, the industries are trying to recruit. I am not sure the dire shortages in the building industry are down to Brexit or Covid, probably a bit of both. New trade deal with Australia has not been welcomed by farmers or environmentalists.
Basically the Cabinet was selected to be Pro-Brexit with people of undoubted ability cast aside (by Cummings? Certainly by Johnson). The trouble seems to be that they did not, have not, got a plan (or a clue) on how to deal with the problems (entirely foreseeable) that have and will ensue.
They are still basking in the view that this is a government which gets things done – KILLING OLD PEOPLE IN CARE HOMES, BREXIT, ENRICHING THEIR BUDDIES, SELLING OFF PARTS OF THE NHS, VACCINES, and maybe they dissolution of the United Kingdom, and more likely the selling of patient data from the NHS. This last one has not been touted yet – but wait and see!
COVOD – PLEASE TELL ME!
I am not particularly bright, but not stupid either! letting Johnson and co died on whether to release all restrictions on 21st June is akin to asking a monkey to type out “A mid-summers night dream”. there are 2 basic questions I believe I would like answers to, and then I will make my own decision.
Firstly there seems to be a rise in infections in some areas (although thankfully not here at the moment), does this matter? Is it young fit and healthy people not really being affected? And therefore not a medical problem or issue.
And secondly by the 21st June we will hopefully have about 80% vaccination. Is this enough to prevent another wave?
If the answer to these questions is yes I would guess we can go ahead with no restrictions. However if there is any doubt at all, the reduction of restrictions must be nuanced. there is no place for politics here. Any chance of another wave of serious infections must put welfare before economics. And I am sure lots of people suffer from metal problems due to the lockdown, but these should be dealt with properly, not just ascribed to lockdown and used as an argument to do away with all restrictions..
Why can’t we have an honest government which sets out the risks clearly and concisely. I suspect modelling would be able to put potential figures on different activities. If you want to criticise me that is cool – but I would suggest that all outside activities are fine. Family gatherings should be governed by intelligence (anyone feeling ill?) and limited hugging, etc..
Indoor gatherings are much more complex. Restaurants might have to reduce capacity to ensure more space, pubs might need a limit on numbers or opening? Weddings with mix of ages and alcohol are possibly the most difficult to judge. But the government needs to be firm and set out the problems. Would a wedding with make inside and social distancing, or vaccine passports work? Everything should be done to ensure a new normality returns, but not at any cost.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Interesting votes at major oil company annual meetings. But Gazprom and Aramco are outside the ‘democracy’ of shareholder votes. So governments should adjust their tax take according to the zero carbon credentials. It can be that easy!
But of course we have a government that is long on rhetoric and short on policy and action. They will continue to import goods from abroad and not add these products carbon footprint to our total.
21 JUNE 2021
INTERNET
98% of internet traffic flows through submarine cables. I want to know more. How have they planed for seismic activity? There are probably only a few Trans-Atlantic cables to the UK, how many with Europe? Did Brexit affect these? I am sure the mega important links are via satellite, but are these affected by atmospheric conditions?
CROWD FARMING
I have just received my second purchase from Crowd Farming Both times the deliveries have been fast and the quality excellent. Firstly clementines then olive oil. The price is ok – not the cheapest but organic olive oil for £10 ltr is not bad.
HUGE ICEBERG
A massive iceberg has calved in Antarctica. Probably nothing to do with global warming but impressive at 170km x25km
MOUNT NYIRAGONGO
Geography news! I think the DRC could have done without this! The city of Goma with 2 million people is within 10km of the volcano, lava reached the edges of its airport. The photos as ever with a volcano are impressive as shown here.