Weekly Reflections #2

Headlines that caught my attention 17th July - 23rd July

Weekly Reflections 02

Week 17th - 23rd July

“Freedom Day”

Much of the news this week has been Covid related, not surprisingly as the 19th was “Freedom Day” and it is framed against the backdrop of Coronavirus cases rising in 98% of places in England.

Putting aside the observation that to call this day, Freedom Day was antagonistic and divisive, we are forced to question some of the decisions made by the UK government. 

Balancing economic, social and political pressures is not easy.

Mr Johnson appeasing those backbenchers who perhaps have been less supportive of many of the ‘lock-down’ measures whilst trying to follow his own rhetoric of ‘data not dates’ restrictions were lifted despite a rise in Covid (delta variant) cases.

His reasoning seems to have a certain logic, there are more infections but hospitalisations and deaths are not following the same curve. However, the scale of the increase in infections could have given cause for a little more caution.

With reports of 44.104 daily infections reported (coronaviris.data.gov.uk 21st July) surely there must be some concern. Maybe the immediate concern isn’t hospitalisation or death, but such an increase in infections surely increases the potential for mutations and thus other strains of the virus.

This observation caused one commentator to identify the UK as “Plague Island’ since we are a key transport hub between the USA and Europe.

Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak were told by the NHS app to self-isolate after being in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid 19 (possibly Sajid David) before this week began. We were then told of a mysterious and previously unannounced ‘testing exemption scheme for which Johnson and Sunak had been randomly selected.

One of the organisations said to be a part of this testing scheme claim no knowledge of it but questions about the non-random randomness of the selection of these leaders resulted in the quickest U-Turn in government decisions. A mere two and a half hours after one of Mr Johnsons ministers had presented ‘the case’ for these guys not to isolate themselves, there was the announcement that they would now be isolating. The test-pilot scheme has not been mentioned since.

It’s a kind of irony that Mr Johnson was in self-isolation on the Freedom Day that he had previously announced.

Australia Says Go!!

Celebrities who are only celebrities because they have extreme opinions bother me. Katie Hopikins, who I know from her previous opinions that compared migrants to cockroaches, the ‘’staged’ photo of a dead Syrian refugee abd that people with dementia should not ‘block’ hospitals has had her contract terminated with the Australian company that engaged her for an appearance in Big Brother (Australia).

I would have thought that her extreme opinions would have been a concern however it seems that her statements about Covid and the “lockdown Hoax” were beyond the pale. So a fine, a cancelled contract and what amounts to deportation were her rewards. I wonder why we actually pander to these celebrities who have little but their overbearing and extreme opinions.

Fat Shaming MP

When it comes to opinions then perhaps our politicians take the biscuit.

You may remember the Scott Benton (MP Blackpool, South) form last weeks refections. Yes, he’s the one who was given some freebies by some businesses linked to the Gambling Community. This is the same Scott Benton who in June was asking thethe Government to authorise a new ‘regional’ or ‘Super-Casino’ in the town. 

So, when Blackppools Labour leader mentioned in a tweet the accepting freebies from a betting firm was like him accepting a free pasty, Mr Benton responded that  Mr Colldash seemed to have had "more than one free pasty".

You need to remember that Mr Benton co-chairs a parliamentary group on eating disorders and so his comment can be considered in that light. Obviously a lack of awareness here.

Is this fair?

Sharon Vitalis’ father came from the Caribbean during the Windrush period. He served in the RAF for 13 years and whilst posted in Germany Sharon was born.

Sharon herself has worked in the NHS for more than 15 years and has two children who were born in the UK. Yet, she has been refused British status under the Windrush Scheme!

Because she was born in a Germany whilst her father was posted there!

Surely this can’t be right or fair. 

Sharon is potentially going to have to spend a lot of money to fight her case!

She is just one example of the unfair treatment of people who not only have a right to be in the UK, but who have worked in this country, paid their dues and are being mistreated by a clumsy, bureaucratic, insensitive, uncaring system!

On a more positive note

Mussels Can Help Filter Microplastics Out of Our Oceans Without Any Harm to the Molluscs, or so we are being told by researchers in Plymouth.

These rock clinging, enthusiastic filter feeders, absorb microplastics and then excrete them, while doing no harm to the organism.

One preliminary report suggests that one adult mussel can filter feed through 15 gallons of water a day, and that a 6-mile bed of mussels can remove 25 tons of particulate matter a year.

Go you mussels!

Sources:

BBC 

Independent 

Guardian

Good News Network

Medium.com