Seen in the News

[chinatyke]

How unlucky can you be!?
Was overcrowding an issue China?

How unlucky can you be? That's what I thought, just when you think things can't get any worse your hotel falls down around you.

The cause is being investigated by the Ministry of Emergency Management. I doubt if it was overloaded and would think it is more likely to be shoddy construction. This building was only about 5 storeys high. 49 survivors have been pulled out so far,

[Stanley]

I saw that report and had the same reaction. Bit like a Princess cruise ship sinking while quarantined.....

[chinatyke]

At the moment there are 48 people rescued including 10 dead, and 23 others missing and trapped. Our local news said the building collapsed during alterations and the owner is in custody. Buildings are usually made of reinforced concrete columns, beams, floors and some walls. The none load bearing walls are built of block or brick after the main structure and these can be removed easily without affecting the structural integrity. Too often people remove or damage the wrong wall. It is very common to remove walls during alterations, we did it at both our new apartments.

[Tripps]

I'm watching some ceremony from Westminster Abbey to do with the Commonwealth. All overshadowed by it being the last 'royal' engagement of Harry and Meghan.

There is a young lady piper with two fiddlers and two dancers outside the door. I recognise the tune. Its Farewell ye banks of Siciiy

I don't know why but it makes me really emotional. The Italians seemed pleased to see the Brits/Scots then.

[Stanley]

Sorry to be out of step but what I saw was not common wealth but conspicuous consumption, display and deference when at the same time families are being evicted and kids are going hungry.
I apologise if this offends anyone but I have read too much history and my sympathy for the plight of the poor exceeds any lingering deference I was taught as a child. A classic example of wrong priorities.

[Tizer]

Whatever next?
`Bacon saved after pedometer-eating pig's poo starts farm fire' LINK

[Stanley]

It's quite amazing what pigs will eat. There was a copper water pipe in the sty at Hey Farm and it was permanently polished by the pigs licking it. I suppose they knew it was a vital mineral. When I was evacuated to Burr's Mount Farm in Derbyshire in 1940 I remember the pigs being partial to a lump of coal, they ate it like toffees! Mr Hancock said it seemed to do them good.....

[Tizer]

I'm glad to see the FT's Tim Harford (the `More or Less' man) agrees with me about the dangers of giant dams...
`The spectacular failures and successes of massive dams' LINK

[Stanley]

I forget where it was but I saw a report about another dodgy dam and thought of you Tiz.

[Tizer]

Mrs Tiz says I worry too much!

[Stanley]

I wouldn't argue with Janet! However, like you, certain things disturb me and I keep an eye on them. Currently there is plenty to be concerned about. I am only too well aware of the fact that I am neither omniscient or omnipotent. (Think Ozymandias.)

Later at 07:30. The Australian GP has been cancelled due to Covid19.

[plaques]

Matt Hancock saying the lockdown on the over 70s may be possible but not yet. In an attempt to put the UK on a World War 2 footing it has been suggested that all over 70s will be tattooed with their date of birth on their forearm and made to wear a scull and crossbones patch on their outer garments when they leave home. Failure to do so will mean the confiscation of all their toilet rolls and baked beans. Other sanctions may be possible.

[Big Kev]

Matt Hancock saying the lockdown on the over 70s may be possible but not yet. In an attempt to put the UK on a World War 2 footing it has been suggested that all over 70s will be tattooed with their date of birth on their forearm and made to wear a scull and crossbones patch on their outer garments when they leave home. Failure to do so will mean the confiscation of all their toilet rolls and baked beans. Other sanctions may be possible.

[PanBiker]

Careful Plaques and Kev, you'll have Maz on your case for not "getting real". Apparently acting responsibly should not include a bit of humour.

[chinatyke]

Black humour!

They won't be tattooed, it will be microchips, big data, and Big Brother overseeing it.

[Stanley]

That struck me as well Ian. Brilliant post P. I've always wanted a tattoo.....
Worth going back and listening again to the lady from Health Scotland who was on Broadcasting House yesterday. Clear, calm common sense. Very refreshing and thin on the ground at the moment.
Recognise that most of the 'news' we are hearing is reaction to a growing recognition of the economic effects and these in turn are driven by dodgy and inflated news. It's a vicious circle.
Go and look at this LINK and see some real facts about causes of death annually in the UK. Then compare and contrast with Covid19.
Have look at the Flight Radar site, long distance aviation has almost completely shut down. Just one minor unintended consequence. (LINK)
Implanted chips.... I admit I hadn't thought about that China! Nice one.

[Stanley]

One for David. See THIS article in the Racing Post about the plight of horse racing and high street bookies. We could see closures accelerated. What will take their place? A resurgence of high interest loans?

[Whyperion]

Why are the Americans Queuing to buy Guns ?

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report on the government's reaction to the dangers of overcrowded prisons. No doubt focussed by the fact a warder was confirmed as infected yesterday. Yet another time bomb in the system. A disaster waiting to happen. Don't forget the psychological effect on the remaining prisoners, it's not going to help management.

[Tizer]

This is useful information. It provides a handy concise set of responses to use against racist misinformation and lies...
`How to argue with a racist: Five myths debunked' LINK
Probably the most important bit is in the first part: So, the biggest genetic difference within the human race is between white people and black people, right? Wrong. Firstly, all humans share almost all the same DNA - a fact that betrays all of our recent origins from Africa. Secondly, there is more genetic diversity on the continent of Africa than in the rest of the world put together. Two people from different tribes in Southern Africa will be more genetically different from each other than a Sri Lankan, a Māori and a Russian. We might categorise people as white, black or brown, but these visual variations don't accurately reflect the genetic differences - or rather similarities - between us.

And this later section is relevant to family history as well as race...
DNA can tell you some interesting things about family history - and it's very useful for identifying close family like lost siblings or biological parents - but its powers are profoundly limited by fundamental biology. Over time, descendants start to shed the DNA of their actual ancestors, and the amount that vanishes builds up over the generations to be huge.. You carry DNA from only half of your ancestors dating eleven generations back. So it is possible that you are genetically unrelated to people you are actually descended from as recently as the 18th Century. "You are descended from multitudes, from all around the world, from people you think you know and from more you know nothing about," says Dr Rutherford, "You will have no meaningful genetic link to many of them."

[PanBiker]

Too complicated Tiz, how can you expect the folk to understand who buy toilet roll to protect against respiratory illness and the ones that maintain that the earth is flat or buying guns in the solution to all ills?

[Cathy]

Thanks Tize. Loved it. Makes so much sense.
We are all the same, we just live differently in different countries, but in a way we have all lived the same way.
Makes sense to me to explain it that way anyway.

[Stanley]

Thanks for that bit of common sense Tiz.
Ian, I have no doubt that you are right in that it's too complicated for some but there are sensible people in the world as well. Cathy is dead right, she understands it.
More 'heard' then seen actually. I have had my sleep and am listening to the latest news. It would appear that the full enormity of the situation is dawning on the government. I told Susan and Mick that I believed this was going to happen yesterday before these announcements. I know that at times you think I am a pessimistic old bugger but think on this.... What happens if due to under-staffing parts of the banking system fail (Remember the NatWest lock outs from accounts?) Use your heads, make sure you have a cash float about your person! Think 'worst case'.
On a more serious note, we all know about the effects that the stress of modern life has had on people taking their lives, particularly the young. All this doom and gloom is going to do nothing to improve that situation.
[If you think that is going over the top I hope and pray you are right. I'd love to be wrong on that one.]

[Whyperion]

Out of the prisons into lockdown in society !
I Wonder if the UK view now to effectively halt international travel worldwide should have been done three weeks back (hindsight is a wonderful thing). Actually the UK view is fairly irrelevant as the rest of the world has effectively stopped voluntarily or by government dictact.
In the post office yesterday morning, they had run out of cash (waiting for the delivery wagon) to pay out pensions. I have a small stash in the normal tea caddy places.

[PanBiker]

Ian, I have no doubt that you are right in that it's too complicated for some but there are sensible people in the world as well. Cathy is dead right, she understands it.

Of course she did but my point was that it would be beyond a lot of folk. It would be like water off a ducks back in a conversation with a racialist bigot.