Remembrance

 

Gunpowder

Covid-19 may have put a stop to mass public firework displays this year but we can still pause and reflect on the true meaning of Bonfire Night. Yep, that's right: religious persecution and intolerance LOL. Have a great evening everyone.

Stay Indoors

England's second national lockdown begins. We've been promised, come what may, this will end on the second of December. Before then Parliament will review and debate the situation and there would be nothing to prevent the implementation of a third lockdown!

The Unknown Warrior

The UK's Royal Mint, in collaboration with the Imperial War Museum have issued this beautiful five pound coin to mark Remembrance 2020. The Unknown Warrior, an unnamed British soldier, rests in Westminster end of the nave of Westminster Abbey. The tomb forms a focal point for the nation's collective act remembrance for all those brave men and women who fought for our freedom.

Hammer Time

It's almost that time of year again when spooky goings on can only mean one thing: get ready to draw the curtains, switch off the lights and pretend no-one is in!

Alternatively there is always this offering from the lovely Kate Bush:

For those interested in these things, Lisa-Marie Walters and tribute act Moments of Pleasure do a very good take on this and many other Kate Bush tracks. Check your Socials, as they say!

Another Chance To See

A short while ago the BBC announced they had purchased broadcast rights to the back catalogue of one the US networks. Pleasingly this included the entire run of the excellent rebooted Battlestar Galactica from around 10 years ago. It really hasn't aged at all. Episodes are being broadcast on BBC 2 and it is also available in binge friendly format on the iPlayer. Happy days: so say we all!

Close Encounter

Could this be Mars, keeping our Moon company?

Fanderson

Have been getting in touch with my inner Gerry Anderson fan or Fanderson as they are known. What do you think of these t-shirts LOL?

FAB, as they used to say on Thunderbirds.

Trick Or..?

Many will know I'm not overly keen on the annual practice of celebrating Halloween. However I noticed today my local Sainsbury was stocking this seasonal set. How tempted was I LOL?

Comrade

Who'd have thought after all these years, I would join a Trade Union LOL? Yes: it's true!

Responsibility

Just heard a Scottish university student being interviewed, from her locked down accommodation. Feel for her that her education has and continues to be disrupted. However I really can not believe she has blamed the uni because they weren't prevented from partying.

Whatever happened to personal responsibility? What does she think has been going on for the past six months?

Keep It Real

We are all aware by now what a nasty virus Covid-19 is, that it has shown little or no mercy to the elderly or to people with serious underlying health concerns. However a report in today's Times suggests a little proportion and perspective is needed at this time.

In the UK, like most countries, citizens have been advised to maintain social distance and to stay at home. To effectively starve the virus of the ability to reproduce. But is staying at home really the safest option? As this table below from the Times indicates, dying following an incident within the home setting is nearly as common as fatalities due to Covid-19. Let's also not forget, the virus isn't by any stretch the highest cause of  daily death in the UK; I'm sure the same will broadly by true of other countries.

Having said all this, it is each individual's duty to follow the instructions given and to look out for others. The reproduction R rate across this country is currently around 2. It needs to be controlled and brought back under 1, until such time as an effective vaccination program is available. Hand washing, social distancing, limiting contact with others and face coverings have to be the norm at least until Springtime.

To keep things in perspective, reproduced here is the table of daily UK fatalities from the Times.