Seen in the News

[Marilyn]

Hope they all get Covid!

[Stanley]

I've been reviewing THIS BBC coverage and it's incredible. This is a US President inciting the more rabid of his supporters to attack the institution they are all sworn to uphold, the Constitution. My Whatsapp feed from the States is buzzing.
On the bright side, Biden has won the two senate seats that were up for grabs in Georgia and so the Republicans have lost control of the Senate.
Later.... see THIS sad BBC report of the children charged with murder after the stabbing in Reading. I find this as shocking as the US news.

[Tizer]

Run this short video and if you look carefully you'll see cars lying in the hole or upended showing the scale of the event...
`Huge sinkhole appears in Italy hospital car park' BBC

[Tripps]

I was going to comment on Private Eye, which I am finding increasingly long winded and irrelevant these days. No shortage of content - most contributors are at home with nowt else to do I'd guess, but it simply isn't nimble enough to compete with modern digital media. Two cartoons made me smile this week though, which is above average.

Exhibit 1. From Guido Fawkes

Not ony does that illustrate the above point, but also perhaps gives a flavour of the BBC's entire attitude to Brexit. Casts a bit of doubt over their motivation for all I see. Made worse by the fact that I now have to pay the Licence fee.

[Stanley]

I'll defend PE David, lots to be long winded about at the moment.
Something that is disturbing me at the moment in the BBC news coverage is the fact that contributors from the education sector being interviewed about the state of education are being asked if they endorse Gavin Williamson, I heard it on Question Time last night.
I hold no brief for Williamson and in fact suspect that he is incompetent but I don't think it is any part of the BBC interviewer's duties to try to elicit these views from interviewees.

[Big Kev]

Sadly there are some complete morons in this country. When the government say tighter restrictions may be needed, perhaps it just needs tighter enforcement of the current restrictions.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-55609185
I wonder if these morons realise that the restrictions are for their benefit. If the hospitals are full of covid patients where do they think the 'usual' hospital traffic will go to be treated? Unbelievable behaviour.

[Stanley]

As you say Kev, it's hard to believe that anyone hasn't realised the simple truth of what is happening. Perhaps the nurse who said that these are people who have never had to zip up a body bag is right. During the war it was hard to argue against a bombed house and dead bodies. Today we shield people from the consequences, perhaps we should be publishing pics of the bodies in an effort to shock the moron's.
Later. I note that pressure is mounting in the US to take immediate action against Trump. Doubtful whether this will act to get him out of the White House but I think it might concentrate his mind and I expect to hear of moves to secure further pardons and actions he has been planning to protect him and his family. He will want to make sure that these are not hampered by any sanctions against him.
I see also that he's having one last jolly in Air Force One, he's going to Texas to have a rally at the only bit of wall he has built.

[PanBiker]

Impeachment can carry over to after he is no longer President and has various benefits not least that he would be unable to stand for any elected position in the future. It would also deny him of the fairly substantial security provision by the CIA and monetary allowance made available to ex Commanders in Chief. He would effectively become just an ordinary citizen. Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke.

[Tizer]

Some claim that a President can be impeached even after he has left office; other say unlikely... Washington Post

[PanBiker]

I can't see any reason why not, most crimes are prosecuted long after the event itself. They still have 9 days to raise the charges while he is still in office anyway. It's only a vote in the Senate (which the Democrats now control) to start the ball rolling, support also from a number of Republicans. Long arm of the law and all that.

[Tizer]

Trump's not only gathered a lot of supporters he's also made a lot of enemies. When he loses the protection of the secret service he'll want his own private army. We can guess where he'll get help - remember this a couple of weeks ago?...
`Trump pardons Blackwater contractors jailed for massacre of Iraq civilians' Guardian

Just what he needs to look after him and train up some of his supporters: Blackwater

[Stanley]

True Peter, and very powerful enemies as well. He knows this and I am waiting for the next surprise move this week. Be sure there will be one.

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report of PM Johnson cycling seven miles from 'home' when everyone else has been told to stay local. I see the two ladies fined in Derbyshire have been let off. Anything to do with this report? That's what the Cummings affect does to us ordinary folk. It leads us to suspect there is one law for them and one for the rest. Don't they realise this?

[Gloria]

I noticed on the news last night two videos of Boris cycling, one in 2016 and one in 2019, what was the idea of that?

[Wendyf]

Probably because there are no photos of the sighting in the Olympic Park. According to the BBC news report he was seen and reported by one woman.

[Big Kev]

I think it's just a case of 'Boris bashing' to be honest. There's no evidence to suggest he didn't actually cycle from no10 to Stratford and back, which is within the exercise guidelines, and as Wendy says it's just a story based on one person claiming to have seen him.

[Stanley]

Noticeable though that No 10 didn't deny he was there....

[Big Kev]

Indeed not but, if he was cycling within the exercise guidelines, I can't see how it makes national headlines...

[Tripps]

I can't see how it makes national headlines.

Probably because a lot of commentators are driven more by deep hatred of the Prime Minister and his party, rather than concern about the virus.

[plaques]

I noticed on the news last night two videos of Boris cycling, one in 2016 and one in 2019, what was the idea of that?

I guess the paparazzi are having a rough time following celebrities on the off chance of taking a scoop photograph. The very existence of the picture will act as proof that they were breaking the covid rules and possibly news agencies who use them considered as accomplishes.

[Big Kev]

I can't see how it makes national headlines.

Probably because a lot of commentators are driven more by deep hatred of the Prime Minister and his party, rather than concern about the virus.

Good point...

[Gloria]

I can't see how it makes national headlines.

Probably because a lot of commentators are driven more by deep hatred of the Prime Minister and his party, rather than concern about the virus.

Good point...

Very good point.

[Big Kev]

It's being discussed on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2 now. I think the government need to specify what they deem to actually be 'local'. Fancy asking the public what they think with Vine winding them up...

[Wendyf]

On my trip to Skipton and back this morning (outside my area for medical reasons) and on a walk this afternoon (into Yorkshire, no good reason) I saw plenty cyclists and walkers. No one was asking them how far they were from home, they were just benefiting from the fresh air and exercise.

[Tripps]

It's just the talking point of the moment. It will pass.

We don't hear a lot now about Scotch Eggs.