The European Union will ban travellers from outside the bloc for 30 days in an unprecedented move to seal its borders amid the coronavirus crisis.
The measure is expected to apply to 26 EU states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. UK citizens will be unaffected.
Many mantras and dogmas are being overturned rather quickly. So many finger-wagging lectures have held that “immigration cannot be stopped”, that “migrants cannot be stopped”, that “the world is on the move” and that “refugees cannot be stopped”.
And it was all drivel. When circumstance dictates, it can all be stopped.
The NHS is woefully ill-prepared for the Chinese Flu. It lacks beds, ventilators and personal protection equipment an much else besides. But as of today, as it does everyday, it splurges fortunes on political commissars. This is the NHS jobs portal right now –
Some people think that the National Health Service is a health service. This is a deep misunderstanding. It is a vast, woke bureaucracy which exists to benefit itself. It just happens to have some ancillary health services as well, but this is secondary. Don’t think I’m joking.
This is how we end up in this absurd situation. The point of the NHS is simply to employ lots of bureaucrats who would, quite frankly, be happier if this pesky health care stuff would just go away.
Massive state economic controls? Jobs being lost? The economy tanking?
The elderly dying off?
We appear to have elected Extinction Rebellion to Downing Street, George Monbiot to the Treasury and some fool put David Attenborough in charge of the NHS.
If you like these exciting days then you’ll love the future too, because this is exactly what the commie/green movement is all about.
Some US politicians try to stigmatize China with #COVID19, which China strongly condemns. China urges the US side to stop this groundless accusation, the Chinese FM spokesperson said on Tuesday in response to US President Trump’s “Chinese Virus” tweet.
It’s no “groundless accusation” to say that primitive Chinese appetites and filthy hygiene standards created the Yellow Peril Wuhan Flu. Because of them, this latest Oriental disease will kill thousands of people and screw the global economy.
It’ll do this after after the Communist Party of China and its mouthpiece, the Peoples Daily, lied and lied and lied about the Wuhan Flu. Along the way they persecuted the brave people who tried to blow the whistle. Some critics have disappeared.
The only reason to hear from the Communist Party of China is when it begs forgiveness and offers reparations. Until then they can shut their mouths and shove their hurt feelings.
Legend has it that on this day the Christian missionary and bishop Patrick dies in Ireland. He will be revered for his works and life, and by the seventh century he will have become Ireland’s patron saint. Patrick’s thoughts on green beer and ‘Kiss me I’m Irish’ t-shirts will be lost to the ages.
Unless there are any Taiwanese or Singaporeans here, I can’t imagine that anyone is remotely impressed with how their country’s political leadership has dealt with the coronavirus. Most of them have been late, reactive, or much worse.
We’re now reading of epidemiologists who’ve been sounding the alarm for some time. Most of us didn’t hear their speeches or read their books, as epidemics isn’t exactly the sexiest subject in town.
But five years ago, one of the most famous people in the world gave a speech from a very visible platform. He said that our countries, all of them, were woefully unprepared for the virus that would ineveitably follow ebola.
After 60 months, we remained very unprepared when Mr. coronavirus came to town.
I didn’t even know that Gates gave this talk. I don’t know that any politicians, including those who were running for president in 2015, said anything about it. What were they talking about that was more important than this?
Britons have been advised to stop non-essential travel and social contact. It’s Pubmaggedon now. Within a few days the elderly, people with health conditions and pregnant women will be asked to stay at home for 12 weeks. Reported cases in the UK are lifting, so these measures have been brought forward.
The EU is to implement a Trump-style travel ban. All non-essential entries will be halted for 20 days initially. Schengen is dead for now. Borders are back in fashion, right across the continent.
Canada’s Justin Trudeau imposes a Trump-style travel ban. Only citizens and permanent residents will be allowed entry. It appears that diversity is no longer our strength.
Bang: The first human vaccine trial begins today in Seattle. That was quick. Good luck to the volunteers.
Airlines are taking a complete hammering. Hardly anyone is traveling. The research firm Centre for Aviation predicts that most airlines will be bankrupt by the end of May without financial support.
Most of my life I worked an average 60hr work week. Then I got sick, we shall put aside all the drama and financial disasters that then ensued and get to a problem that still haunts me and I believe is the number one killer of people when they’ve worked their whole lives, and suddenly find themselves retired.
Time…. I’ve got too much time on my hands…. as now so will most of you.
If it was retirement I have a very complete list of things that you can do to fill your time and stay alive, but we’re only talking a week for all and two or three for a select few. That means no groups, charities, or volunteer work. A couple of good books will do if you are more sedate and that is your cup o tea. However with limited time 1-2 weeks, and bound to the confines of our own comfortable prisons essentially on house arrest that just leaves…..
BINGING
Get yourself comfy in front of the boob tube, set yourself a place for your drinks and food…. then grab the clicker!
Now we all have some sort of subscription service Prime, Hulu, Netflix, or standard cable/satellite with On Demand some like me might even have a KODI build. No matter we all have access to thousands of videos. What were you watching that you lost track of, what have you wanted to watch but just haven’t had the time ? Well now you do…..
A list of suggestions from me, and I would appreciate the same from you since I’ve already seen most of what I wanted.
Prime Shows: Hunters, haven’t seen it but the cast is headed by Pacino 1 season, Jack Ryan, based on Tom Clancy novels 2 seasons, The Expanse, best SciFi in years 4 seasons, Carnival Row, sherlock holmes setting with fey in the world 1 season, Good Omens quirky and good 1 season. House, all of it.
HULU Shows: Castle Rock, all of Stephen king tied into a very bizarre but good series, Catch 22, I started the series but never finished, Hulu has an impressive Library of series like Justified, Sons of Anarchy, Boston Legal, It’s always Sunny in Philadelphia, American Horror and many others.
Netflix : You can just go nuts here…. Altered Carbon, we live forever take all the problems of today and continue them into the future (very good), Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage (best soundtrack), skip the Iron Fist (not really) but watch the Defenders, Person of Interest, very cheesy but good tv, Sherlock, if you haven’t seen it watch it, a million other shows plus every episode of every Star Trek series.
Those are a short list my recommendations of shows, what are yours ?
It seems that the Secretary of State for Health has been doing other things these last few months instead of ensuring the NHS has enough equipment to deal with an unavoidable epidemic. I already knew that Matt Hancock is mediocre. We can know be reassured that he’s a moron. This is one reason for the delaying strategy; the NHS is hopelessly short of being prepared.
"If you produce a ventilator, we will buy it. No number is too high."
Health Secretary @MattHancock says "the thing the NHS needs now more than anything is more ventilators", and the has been "buying as many as we can".
Italy is reporting that 368 people died over the last 24 hours. In Spain, 97 people have lost their lives and there are 2000 new Covid-19 cases. The numbers everywhere are increasing rapidly. Switzerland reports 800 new cases.
Germany will impose temporary controls on its borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and Luxembourg on Monday to stop coronavirus spreading.
Other EU states are also taking radical action, with Austria banning gatherings of more than five people from Monday.
The Republic of Ireland is asking all pubs to shut until 29 March and schools in the Netherlands are to close.
The moves follow strict measures taken by France and Spain on Saturday.
The Stereophonics gigged in Cardiff last night. Bath held a half-marathon today. All involved are out of their minds. The first line of defence, and the strongest, is every one of us. How we all behave has the greatest potential impact. Everyone should be keeping away from everyone else already, as much as possible. We all have to nip to the supermarket, but gigs and fun runs are not essential.
ATW does not operate on fresh air! We have running costs and if you want to give us a hand, once a year, then HIT THE TIP and feed the beast that is our hosting company!
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