Belgium apparently has ‘Bad news for coronavirus’

Since I’ve given up on the usual news, I thought I’d mention this for others who are also fed up with ‘the media’.

This is possibly a sad day, and possibly also bad news for many more, as it may mark the end of days when it’s acceptable to go out wearing a face-covering and be able to make rude, but honest, faces at all the idiots and morons that seem to fill the streets nowadays.

The most recent ‘release’ I enjoyed this face-covering option for was during a recent bus trip. I’m not sure how many of my fellow travellers would have joined in (but their faces showed growing irritation), but I think a woman on the phone was potentially close to the end of her existence as she talked (more like shouted) to some poor sod non-stop (for the half-hour I was on board) in some sort of guttural foreign/non-English language, who never got the chance of getting a word in during that time, or realised they could just have hung up, and ended her tirade, unless they were too scared of what she would do to them if they did hang up, and she arrived home none too pleased with them.

The way some people behave in public makes me wonder if their minders are lying dead, out of sight, in a pool of blood somewhere nearby.

Bad news for coronavirus

You know what I mean.

Nice Mug

Am I the only one missing lockdown and quarantine?

It’s almost worrying (or maybe it IS worrying) to take one of my now seldom glances at the news, especially local news for Glasgow.

Looking at the most recent headlines is making me think of one of the old lines often used in plays/films etc made during World War II…

“Don’t you know there’s a war on?”

I’m quite serious, and wonder if someone shouldn’t be creating a web site or, horror of horrors, a Facecrook page, listing the names of all the businesses, proprietors, and owners who place their business above the lives of their customers (and everybody else).

While I don’t propose to get into politics or specifics, it’s pretty clear that the political opportunists are happy to take full advantage of the pandemic to launch various nonsensical attacks on the government and political leaders with claims that they’ve made a mess of things, and have either not done enough, are not doing enough, or have done all the wrong things to combat the spread of coronavirus.

It’s hard to give such claims any credit, given the empty streets and closed shops/business I see on the few occasions I venture out.

Similarly, given the number of cases of action now being taken against gatherings which break various rules regarding travel and group sizes, all of which break government advice/rules, it’s hard to see any justification for those claims of inadequate action.

Most recently, I noticed that rising infection numbers meant that Glasgow retained a higher level of lockdown than most of the country, where restriction were eased recently.

Yet the only publicity I saw in the media was business, or business owners, complaining vociferously about the restrictions being kept in place, as their business would suffer.

EXCUSE ME!

Are they suggesting people should risk infection and potential life changing after effects, even death, so that these business can re-open in the face of rising infection numbers?

To misquote a phrase from the past…

“Don’t you know there’s a pandemic on?”

Forget any risks, remove the restrictions, so long as we can open for business, and get some money from them before they die, or have their health ruined.

(I add that as the media has long concentrated only on numbers of dead, but reading a little deeper will show the shocking effects of this infection on people who catch it and survive, only to suffer lasting and sometimes disabling after effects – something the media seems to have failed to notice to any significant level).

Sadly, or maybe fortunately for me at least, none of the business complaining about being unable to reopen are the type that I have any need for, and would never cross their thresholds anyway.

But, given their owners are clearly more interested in money than lives (and their customers, which is a little odd, since if they kill them, who will buy what they tout?), I really do wish someone who has the time and interest WOULD create a site listing post pandemic boycott businesses – those interested only in themselves regardless of the cost to others.

Back in MY little world, having wandered out after the easing of lockdown was announced, I’m kind of sad I didn’t take more advantage of those days, as the streets and roads are already noticeably busier than they were only a few weeks ago.

Maybe that was just the weather – I think I heard some say it was the coldest May for 20 years.

Missing lockdown and quarantine

When routines are broken

One of the military’s greatest strengths is probably also one of major weaknesses.

It seems to depend on training and routine to get operating procedures burned into their personnel’s minds.

There’s little point in having the latest weaponry if those using it have to dither and refer to instructions before they can deploy it.

Imagine flying a supersonic warplane at about 1,000 mph and travelling 3,000 feet in the 2 seconds it takes to find a button or switch.

But, that can be a problem if ‘The Plan’ does not include every scenario.

We used to employ lab staff from various ‘establishments’ near Glasgow, and while they were great when working on items they’d seen, when they were handed items not encountered before, their faces went blank and their eyes glazed over – then their hands came out, and they waited expectantly for a procedure to placed there.

Wasn’t going to happen.

I’ll avoid details to ensure identification is not possible, but perhaps illustrate the problem by drawing an analogy with washing vehicles, and say their response was akin to having staff who normally washed cars come and ask for instructions on how to wash a van or lorry.

I was reminded of this as I neared the shops recently – maskless!

Shopping Mask Cat

Since I last mentioned this stupid mistake, I’d managed to add ‘Mask’ (actually face covering since I refuse to pay some profiteer for masks), I’d altered my routine to avoid forgetting this accessory, and it had become automatic.

But, find something that alters that routine and introduces a different step at some point, and like the military, your automated routine will probably fail.

In this case I had been forced to use a pocket for some extra goodies last time out, and there was still something in it.

Removing that from the pocket as I got ready meant my mental checklist thought that the ‘Mask’ box had been ticked, so when I did a superficial review as I stepped over the threshold, there was no alert generated.

I was over two thirds of the way there when I thought about what was in my pockets again, and a little alarm bell started to ring – and that was when I realised I had been tricked by that ‘alternate’ action substituting for the intended one.

Still, at least I didn’t carry on all the way to the door before discovering this mistake.

Mask Fine Cat

How – many – damned – times?

What I want to know is, Why don’t the memory cells start working until I’m exactly halfway between the shops and home?

Shopping Mask Cat

Guess the road to eggs, bread, milk is paved with wine, beer, chocolate.

That wee wummin’s back, and she’s made another great video!

Flushed with success after her first video clearing the air with regard to the big orange moron travelling to Scotland in a few weeks, to escape whatever…

She’s made another one with advice about the pandemic.