Floods in London after 70mm of rain fell in 90 minutes. Yes that is heavy rainfall but should not have led to flood waters a metre high. The reason being that we have paved over vast areas of our cities and towns to create parking spaces. What we really need is to create more sponge type areas. mature trees can absorb 250lts or more per day, with the added benefit of ameliorating temperature extremes, and during hot spells providing welcome shade and habitats for wildlife.
COVID RESTRICTIONS TO BE LIFTED
Personal discretion to replace legally enforceable rules. he cannot even enforce the rules within his own cabinet, let alone expect the country to act sensibly. Even with supposed legally enforceable rules there are many round here who do not wear a mask in the shop. It might be a small percentage, but how many does it need to spread the virus? Javid says we have to live with the virus and manage the risks. Does he really think passing responsibility for sensible behaviour to the individual is managing the risks. Did he not see the scenes at Wembley, in pubs and then notice the furore over the racist abuse on social media.
REFLECTIONS
Firstly the eloquence of Gareth Southgate in defeat. No hiding behind rhetoric or falsehoods. Straight answers and an apology. Secondly, we were out thought tactically by a better, if rather dirty, side. Our boys will mature and I believe be a formidable unit in the next World Cup, if they can survive the heat of the Arabian desert!
HOW GOOD IS THE VACCINE?
Johnson has banged on about the vaccine for so long that he must hope we forget about how pathetically useless he is. With Covid shutting down swathes of the country it may be time to actually evaluate how effective it is, BEFORE we reduce restrictions. As ever the maths does not make much sense. 87% of adults have been vaccinated once, 65% twice. So about/less than 10 million have yet to be jabbed. Deaths are way down on the past, but hospitalisations creeping up (and impacting on the already huge backlog). The Health Secretary reports that maybe 100000 new cases a day may occur over the next month.
HARD TO BELIEVE
Vaccinators have been threatened, and centres have had to deploy staff to explain why they cannot give a second job earlier than 8 weeks. Security guards have been hired in some places. Has the population of this country always been so selfish that they would threaten staff whose job and ethos is to save lives, for their own gratification of a week or two in the sun with a hangover? No sign of Whakapapa here! Maybe we should just cancel return flights!
WHAKAPAPA
COVID FACTS
I am assuming the following are true. Case of Covid could reach 100.000 a day (Secretary of State for Health); cases in Central Oxford – a university student area- have reached 2011 per 100.000. Other university towns and cities are also reporting higher levels of the virus, Students have not been prioritised for vaccination. the Secretary of State for Transport has not published research into Covid connections with amber list countries. The Secretary of State for Education has not had a positive thought regarding education, probably ever. The NHS is cancelling operations due to increased numbers of covid cases, and staff having to self isolate. Covid is affecting people from poorer areas and BAME backgrounds disproportionately. The WHO has recommended that all countries lift restrictions slowly.
BUY A WOOLLEN JUMPER
Whilst New York is fitting air purifiers in every classroom, and Belgium is fitting CO2 monitors in public buildings, our wonderful government thinks rhetoric will ventilate our schools and public buildings. So my recommendation for the winter will be to buy extra layers to keep warm – bamboo t-shirts are wonderfully soft, nice woolly jumpers (we have a glut of wool in the Uk, and throw open those windows!
WE NOT I
So Sunak, Whateley and Jenrick have all publicly stated that they will drop wearing the mask asap. This basically sums up the nasty party. Wearing a mask protects others rather than oneself. So obviously a party of self righteous egoists would drop them as fast as they can, whilst being led by a liar and someone for whom personal responsibility seems to have been surgically removed.
WILLIAMSON SETS OUT BID TO BECOME PM.
With a statement that basically said nothing new, and answering questions in the house with even less information Gav set out his stall to become PM when Mr.Bozo gets tired of playing the game!