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.
HEATWAVE UK
Western Canada and the USA are continuing to suffer from extreme temperatures, not just hot but life threatening. The concerning thing is that British Columbia is in a very similar geographic position regarding latitude and proximity to ocean currents and continental air mass. So there are no geographical or meteorological reasons why the UK could not suffer a similar wether pattern. Politicians – you have been warned – so act now!
A EURO RECIPE FROM SOMERSET
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
GARDEN
Tomatoes and cucumbers join strawberries and raspberries and redcurrant that I have got from the garden this year – along with all the herbs.
Making strawberry jam later with strawberries bought from Draycott, maybe add a leaf of a mint near the end?
geog.3 5th edition
I have just received my copies of the book. Very proud.
FREEDOM DAY
On July 4th in the USA more than 180 people died from gun related incidents as reported by CBS. The freedom to carry a gun. 200 people die every year in the UK from drink related driving incidents. The freedom not to wear a mask – deaths not calculated yet. The freedom to travel to and from India after restrictions were placed on Pakistan and Bangladesh, thus allowing the Johnson strain to spread, deaths still rising (TBC).
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.