The EU has exported 21,000,000 doses of COVID vaccine to the UK, while the UK has exported a grand total of zero to the EU.
These are partly cmmercial decisions taken by the makers, but also a policital decision by the EU, its member states, the US and UK. The US and the UK export no vaccine doses between them, and the EU has little choice as the contracts signed by the big pharma in the bloc have contracts to honour.
All that could be stopped. Today.
If we wanted.
I have written before about the vaccine not going to reach the poorest countries until next year, maybe even later. And in the meantime, hundreds of thousands of the poorest people will die.
We, the UK, the EU and US have decded that is the way it is going to be, so create the situation where one nation might block exports to another becausr they are keeping all doses for themselves.
It is madness. And greedy.
The copyright for the vaccines should be open source, common knowledge, so that the vaccine can be made all over the world, for the whole world.
Instead of this.
I have my vaccine and might have my second dose in may None of my colleagues in Denmark, Italy or India have theirs, though in India frontline staff get theirs frst, which we could do, if we really wanted to. But don't.
India is blocking eports of the vaccine too, but that is not making front pages in the Mail and Express.
Saturday, 27 March 2021
The two Brexits. One last time, with feeling.
There were two Brexits: one political and the other economic.
Political Brexit satisfied any "mandate" from the referendum, in that the quest was should the UK remain a memeber or or leave the European Union, the point where the Articles of the European Union no longer applied to the UK was on January 31st 2020.
Everything else that followed, was an economic decision, made by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, and voted through, with minimum scrutiny (in one 5 hour sitting). That was the TCA.
So, if regulations are too strict or have too high a price for a sector or industry, then the UK can, as a sovereign nation, negotiate something different.
Refusing to means that the economic hit that economic Brexit has is made by the UK and the UK alone.
In an interview on TV this morning, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives (a small group) refused to say if he supported relaxing the measure on exports by alighnment. He just repeated that the fishing industry must be helped.
Well, rather than pumping it full of public cash, why not let it become viable once again and allow it to export freely, the choice made that it currently can't is the very hard Brexit negotiated by Frost under direction from Johnson.
This is the loss in trade, yer on year between January 202 and 2021:
We can stop this, today, if as a nation we are honest with ourselves about the economic sanctions we have imposed on ourselves and exporters.
Otherwise there is just more economic hardship ahead.
Political Brexit satisfied any "mandate" from the referendum, in that the quest was should the UK remain a memeber or or leave the European Union, the point where the Articles of the European Union no longer applied to the UK was on January 31st 2020.
Everything else that followed, was an economic decision, made by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet, and voted through, with minimum scrutiny (in one 5 hour sitting). That was the TCA.
So, if regulations are too strict or have too high a price for a sector or industry, then the UK can, as a sovereign nation, negotiate something different.
Refusing to means that the economic hit that economic Brexit has is made by the UK and the UK alone.
In an interview on TV this morning, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives (a small group) refused to say if he supported relaxing the measure on exports by alighnment. He just repeated that the fishing industry must be helped.
Well, rather than pumping it full of public cash, why not let it become viable once again and allow it to export freely, the choice made that it currently can't is the very hard Brexit negotiated by Frost under direction from Johnson.
This is the loss in trade, yer on year between January 202 and 2021:
Otherwise there is just more economic hardship ahead.
Friday, 26 March 2021
Thursday 25th March 2021
Sometimes, things take us by surprise.
And then, looking back we can see there were signs.
Anyway, during the audit I ended up shouting at someone from where we were auditing. And although that isn't the whole story, what I did was unprofessional.
Not just shouting, but later described as agressive. And if I am honest, I was very angry, my hands were shaking.
And I didn't realise it.
Until later, when someone called me to ask if I was OK. I had forgotten the incident, and then I began to think that my attitude to work has changed, months of frustration and IT failures, coupled with by bad shoulder causing me to sleep poorly and then COVID, lockdowns an all on top of that.
Well, Afterwards I thought about it and thought that ploughing on is no good, next week is a short week, so either take holiday or as sick.
A plan formed.
I would work as normal on Friday, and then have ten days off until after Easter.
Job done.
Makes you think though.
And before that, that morning and all week, I thought things were improving. Getting better, a war forward, which shows what I know to be honest.
We did the usual stuff in the morning, then Jools leaves for work, I put out the bins and have breakfast before being ready for work at eight.
Meetings, there are always meetings, starting at seven and then with just a ten minute break, straight into the audit.
During which I shout.
And get angry.
Once that finishes, I go out for a walk, to unwind and drown in my thoughts. But a walk outside is always good.
It is spring. And its even official.
A few more plants flowering now, and all else is showing bright green fresh growth.
It seems a time for optimism, so I am.
Across the fields to Fleet House, past the pig's copse, (still no pigs) then up to Windy Ridge, I see a fresh Peacock butterfly and snap it.
And back down Collingwood to home and for a fresh brew, and back to work.
But that morning, Jools had had a ton of gravel delivered, and what was needed was some old fashioned manual labour to clear my head. The gravel was delivered in a large bag, which had been left on the drive, and now the gravel had to make it to the bottom of the garden to Jools' new work area.
So I grab the barrow, a spade, and began to shovel, loading the barrow up and totter up and down the garden nine ties, with a break between each three trips to let my back calm down.
I guess I had done a third of the bag by the end, but dinner needed preparing, and in a twist to the usual, I make courgette fritters with korma powder rather than cayanne pepper as we had run out of the latter.
I mix and grate and mix some more and it is done, until Jools returned from the office, just as dusk was falling..
I fry the fritters, and straight away it tastes like some Indian street food might, I guess. But once cooked and dipped in garlic mayo they were really good indeed.
And for the evening, there was England playing the might of San Marino at an empty Wembley, where the three (young) lions knock in five, and should have had twenty, really. But was was the point.
By the time the game ended at half nine, I was shattered, so climbed the stairs, wearily.
And then, looking back we can see there were signs.
Anyway, during the audit I ended up shouting at someone from where we were auditing. And although that isn't the whole story, what I did was unprofessional.
Not just shouting, but later described as agressive. And if I am honest, I was very angry, my hands were shaking.
And I didn't realise it.
Until later, when someone called me to ask if I was OK. I had forgotten the incident, and then I began to think that my attitude to work has changed, months of frustration and IT failures, coupled with by bad shoulder causing me to sleep poorly and then COVID, lockdowns an all on top of that.
Well, Afterwards I thought about it and thought that ploughing on is no good, next week is a short week, so either take holiday or as sick.A plan formed.
I would work as normal on Friday, and then have ten days off until after Easter.
Job done.
Makes you think though.
And before that, that morning and all week, I thought things were improving. Getting better, a war forward, which shows what I know to be honest.
We did the usual stuff in the morning, then Jools leaves for work, I put out the bins and have breakfast before being ready for work at eight.Meetings, there are always meetings, starting at seven and then with just a ten minute break, straight into the audit.
During which I shout.And get angry.
Once that finishes, I go out for a walk, to unwind and drown in my thoughts. But a walk outside is always good.
It is spring. And its even official.A few more plants flowering now, and all else is showing bright green fresh growth.
It seems a time for optimism, so I am.Across the fields to Fleet House, past the pig's copse, (still no pigs) then up to Windy Ridge, I see a fresh Peacock butterfly and snap it.
And back down Collingwood to home and for a fresh brew, and back to work.But that morning, Jools had had a ton of gravel delivered, and what was needed was some old fashioned manual labour to clear my head. The gravel was delivered in a large bag, which had been left on the drive, and now the gravel had to make it to the bottom of the garden to Jools' new work area.
So I grab the barrow, a spade, and began to shovel, loading the barrow up and totter up and down the garden nine ties, with a break between each three trips to let my back calm down.
I guess I had done a third of the bag by the end, but dinner needed preparing, and in a twist to the usual, I make courgette fritters with korma powder rather than cayanne pepper as we had run out of the latter.
I mix and grate and mix some more and it is done, until Jools returned from the office, just as dusk was falling..I fry the fritters, and straight away it tastes like some Indian street food might, I guess. But once cooked and dipped in garlic mayo they were really good indeed.
And for the evening, there was England playing the might of San Marino at an empty Wembley, where the three (young) lions knock in five, and should have had twenty, really. But was was the point.By the time the game ended at half nine, I was shattered, so climbed the stairs, wearily.
Trust me, I'm a copper
Last weekend there were disturbances in Bristol, the pictures of which were used to justify the illiberal new Police Act.
At the time the Police said that several officers had suffered broken bones.
Today the Police Force withdrew that statement.
No bones, police or otherwise, were broken.
These are the same forces that attacked miners at Orgreave Colliery, blamed supports for their own deaths at Hillsborough and executed Jean Charles de Menezes for looking foreign and wearing a hoody.
Not all police are evil, most are not. But giving police broad powers to decide what can and cannot take place, not on actual evidence, but on the possibility could very well be turned to political uses. Indeed in the last two weeks we saw protets by women of a murder by a policeman be broken up in London, but men marching through London protesting about measures that saves all our lives was allowed to go ahead.
Increasing powers and criminal charges that arise could very well be used as a pretext to deport people that otherwise have the right to stay here, possibly threatening the lives of EU citizens who already have been through hell and will never have a piece of documented evidence that they have the right to stay, just a record on a Home Office computer.
And now the Home Secretary is planning on more expulsions and repariations, you don't have to be Dominic Cummings to see where this is going.
At the time the Police said that several officers had suffered broken bones.
Today the Police Force withdrew that statement.
No bones, police or otherwise, were broken.
These are the same forces that attacked miners at Orgreave Colliery, blamed supports for their own deaths at Hillsborough and executed Jean Charles de Menezes for looking foreign and wearing a hoody.
Not all police are evil, most are not. But giving police broad powers to decide what can and cannot take place, not on actual evidence, but on the possibility could very well be turned to political uses. Indeed in the last two weeks we saw protets by women of a murder by a policeman be broken up in London, but men marching through London protesting about measures that saves all our lives was allowed to go ahead.
Increasing powers and criminal charges that arise could very well be used as a pretext to deport people that otherwise have the right to stay here, possibly threatening the lives of EU citizens who already have been through hell and will never have a piece of documented evidence that they have the right to stay, just a record on a Home Office computer.
And now the Home Secretary is planning on more expulsions and repariations, you don't have to be Dominic Cummings to see where this is going.
Thursday, 25 March 2021
Wednesday 24th March 2021
Today, was the first day of a three day audit, with at least four hours each day given over to an MS Teams meeting with five auditors and more from the department we were auditing.
It would be a dull day.
Probably.
Its the usual start to the day: coffee and check the news and what has happened in the world via Twitter.
Nothing new, really.
Jools is all cught up again with work, so works in the garden some before heading out, as I start work at seven for an hour of meetings before the audit, another online meeting, would begin.
I try to break early to make a second coffee and breakfast before settling down and so the dance begins.
It lasts not quite the full four hours, and there was a break which I used to walk round the darn to check on the tadpoles and flowers. And take pictures.
And back to work with some toast.
A little bit of toast.
And marmalade.
I mute the mic while I munch on thick, nearly burnt toast.
There is a ton of stuff to do after the audit, I mean its hard to know where to start, but as soon as you start, there are questions that need to be asked, and then another meeting, which lasts the full hour, and then a meeting with Kit from Chennai, its half eight in the evening there, and I am horrified she arranged a meeting for that time. Once the meeting ended I told her to turn of her computer.
I had done nearly nine hours, so I turn my computer off.
I turn round and I am being studied by at least three cats. Not Scully as she is on the naughty step, or in the naughty garden several houses away after she stalked and attacked Poppy again, though Poppy bounced back quickly this time, helped by some kitty kibbles.
Too cold and cloudy to go out, so I listen to the radio, write and when time comes, make dinner which was easy defrosted and reheated ragu with pasta and a small handmade stuffed focaccia loaf.
It should have been a dry day, but a meal such as that demanded wine.
I has wine.
I had been laying awake the previous morning from half three. Not bad shoulder, but wasn't that. Just my stupid brain started going, and all my usual tricks to send it to sleep, failed.
So, I did try to watch Finland play later in the evening, but it was a poor game, played on a poor Finnish pitch, it was 0-0 at half time with Bosnia, and little prospect of goals, even from Pukki. So, it came as no surprise to find I missed a cracking second half which ended 2-2 and Bosnia missing a penalty.
So it goes, so it goes.
It would be a dull day.
Probably.
Its the usual start to the day: coffee and check the news and what has happened in the world via Twitter.
Nothing new, really.
Jools is all cught up again with work, so works in the garden some before heading out, as I start work at seven for an hour of meetings before the audit, another online meeting, would begin.
I try to break early to make a second coffee and breakfast before settling down and so the dance begins.
It lasts not quite the full four hours, and there was a break which I used to walk round the darn to check on the tadpoles and flowers. And take pictures.
And back to work with some toast.A little bit of toast.
And marmalade.
I mute the mic while I munch on thick, nearly burnt toast.
There is a ton of stuff to do after the audit, I mean its hard to know where to start, but as soon as you start, there are questions that need to be asked, and then another meeting, which lasts the full hour, and then a meeting with Kit from Chennai, its half eight in the evening there, and I am horrified she arranged a meeting for that time. Once the meeting ended I told her to turn of her computer.
I had done nearly nine hours, so I turn my computer off.I turn round and I am being studied by at least three cats. Not Scully as she is on the naughty step, or in the naughty garden several houses away after she stalked and attacked Poppy again, though Poppy bounced back quickly this time, helped by some kitty kibbles.
Too cold and cloudy to go out, so I listen to the radio, write and when time comes, make dinner which was easy defrosted and reheated ragu with pasta and a small handmade stuffed focaccia loaf.
It should have been a dry day, but a meal such as that demanded wine.
I has wine.
I had been laying awake the previous morning from half three. Not bad shoulder, but wasn't that. Just my stupid brain started going, and all my usual tricks to send it to sleep, failed.
So, I did try to watch Finland play later in the evening, but it was a poor game, played on a poor Finnish pitch, it was 0-0 at half time with Bosnia, and little prospect of goals, even from Pukki. So, it came as no surprise to find I missed a cracking second half which ended 2-2 and Bosnia missing a penalty.
So it goes, so it goes.
Of course it makes sense
So, with every promise made of Brexit being broken, UK industries, exporters and citizens facing huge delays, cost and massive increase of paperwork.
And then with 126,000 dead, billions upon billions spaffed on PPE and failed track and trace, the Prime Minister comes up with the only common sense solution, and that it to make every Government building in Britain fly a Union Flad 24/7.
Of course, that will stop the impending break up of the union.
I have nothing about the flag in particular, but generally, when politicians get wrapped up in a flag, its usually not good news.
The flag is draped over the coffins of soldiers killed in the endless wars Governments have seen fit to involve us in, but Ginger Spice also had knickers made of one, so let us say what folks really mean. It only counts when they say it does.
Let them put a flag on every building, if they want, but have an inquiry into the disaster that is Brexit and another one into the Government response to COVID. Have them at the same time and I'll put them all up. Me and my back.
I am a quality professional, apparently, and one of the key things we lear is root cause analysis and lessons learned. Find out what went wrong, srt it out so it doesn't happen again.
THis might help now if there is to be a third, or is it fourth, wave here in the UK, learning what the shitgibbon did wrong before might mean we don't do it again and kill 20,000 people who otherwise might live.
Johnson has also spaffed £2,500,000 on a new conference/media briefing room. It looks like it was bough in Ikea. That a podium, four flags, chairs and a AV system with carpet and paint could run into seven figures is astonishing, but goes to show that conservatives like to spend taxpayer's money, but resent when the other side do. They all become fiscal sharks.
Well, Johnson in the end, might have spent £500 billion (£ 500,000,000,000) on COVID, and who do you think is going to pay for it? Not his mates in the city who bet against the UK in Brexit, but you and me. And Brexit on top of that. Thanks to fullfact.org, we can stimate that at £130,000,000,000. So, the UK economy is missing £630,000,000,000 since 2016.
And that's using US billions, by the way, a UK billion is 1 with twelve zeros.
And then with 126,000 dead, billions upon billions spaffed on PPE and failed track and trace, the Prime Minister comes up with the only common sense solution, and that it to make every Government building in Britain fly a Union Flad 24/7.
Of course, that will stop the impending break up of the union.
I have nothing about the flag in particular, but generally, when politicians get wrapped up in a flag, its usually not good news.
The flag is draped over the coffins of soldiers killed in the endless wars Governments have seen fit to involve us in, but Ginger Spice also had knickers made of one, so let us say what folks really mean. It only counts when they say it does.
Let them put a flag on every building, if they want, but have an inquiry into the disaster that is Brexit and another one into the Government response to COVID. Have them at the same time and I'll put them all up. Me and my back.
I am a quality professional, apparently, and one of the key things we lear is root cause analysis and lessons learned. Find out what went wrong, srt it out so it doesn't happen again.
THis might help now if there is to be a third, or is it fourth, wave here in the UK, learning what the shitgibbon did wrong before might mean we don't do it again and kill 20,000 people who otherwise might live.
Johnson has also spaffed £2,500,000 on a new conference/media briefing room. It looks like it was bough in Ikea. That a podium, four flags, chairs and a AV system with carpet and paint could run into seven figures is astonishing, but goes to show that conservatives like to spend taxpayer's money, but resent when the other side do. They all become fiscal sharks.
Well, Johnson in the end, might have spent £500 billion (£ 500,000,000,000) on COVID, and who do you think is going to pay for it? Not his mates in the city who bet against the UK in Brexit, but you and me. And Brexit on top of that. Thanks to fullfact.org, we can stimate that at £130,000,000,000. So, the UK economy is missing £630,000,000,000 since 2016.
And that's using US billions, by the way, a UK billion is 1 with twelve zeros.
Wednesday, 24 March 2021
Tuesday 23rd March 2021
Last week my macro lens jammed.
In fact I think it has been playing up for several weeks, if not months, as extreme macro shots were very under-exposed. Photo-editing fixed it, but clearly not all was well.
And then the iris jammed, not for long, but for 15 minutes, and I did panic.
As I said before, orchid season is coming, and so I said I could not be without a macro I could no rely on, so I ordereda new Canon 180mm f3.5 L series.
It looked a beast, but in fact has no image stamilising gear, so is just good optics.
I bought in Tuesday last week, and got notification that a label had been printed for dispatch, and the order showed on Canon's systems as left the warehouse.
And then nothing.
So, I called Monday, and it turned out the warehouse is in Holland and Brexit got in the way. Although the good news was that it was about to clear.
Two hours later I get notification that it had cleared customs and UPS were going to collect it. Over Monday night it travelled down from Cheshire to north Kent, and the delivery date changed from Wednesday to Tuesday, although not all parts of the UPS tracker app showed that.
So, I was expecting it Wednesday, but it came a day early.
Which is nice.
But first there is work, and before that the getting up, checking the shoulder to see if it was better, which I wasn't sure. I have been doing my exercises, rubbing cream on and all that, maybe it was slightly better?
Maybe.
Jools had to leave for work early as on Monday they had been subjected to a hack, and her account had sent 8,000 scam e mails, people had replied and so on and on. So, work stopped on Monday as they sorted it out, and now she was behind.
So, at twenty past six she left, and I get dressed, log on to work, sort mails out. At about half eight I make breakfast, and seeing as the sun shone, and there was little wind, I went to eat the fruit and yogurt on the patio wearing my slippers.
I rock.
For ten minutes life seemed fine.
And then back to work, as we have to sort out more audit dates, make calls and the stuff auditors have to do before the actual audits.
Soon enough my entusiasm has all been used up. I get little support and feelings of, well, I don't know.
And then there was a knock at my door.
A man with a lens.
My lens.
I take it, get a camera to record me opening it, I mean, you were expecting me to, right?
To be honest, the lush packaging gave way to what does't feel like much, weighs half what the Sigma does, but has better focussing and optics.
I look at it, take one last shot and for it to the 6D.
And go into the garden, snapping everything, just a little further away than with the Sigma thanks to 30mm extra focal length.
I go back to work, throw some grenades and pack up for the day, deciding to go out for a walk.
Not far, just along the road to the footpath, up to Collingwood then along to Fleet House and back.
I don't see much, but take a few snaps. There'll be other times to really test it.
Back home I make taco filling, having made the sauce over the weekend, I add defrosted chicken and mix it together to get the flavours infused, and add half a tin of chipotles.
It would be bold.
Sadly, there was cat trouble: Scully chased Poppy up the stairs into the bedroom, and I went after her, seeing her tail sticking out of the wardrobe made that easy, but poor Poppy had done nothing wrong. I chased Scully out, and when in yet another meeting, Poppy must have got out, and we did not see her the rest of the day.
I really thought she wasn't coming back, and that made me very sad indeed and angry at Scully. Each time she sauntered in I chase her our, japping a finger at her, shich is what she and her brother hate.
Sigh.
Jools comes back home so I cook dinner, warm the taco shells, and dish it up on the table so we could spoon the molten lava into the shells before eating them up.
I just manage to eat one of the chipotles, and that hurt going down.....
There was no football to watch, so at half nine I go to bed to try to catch up on my reading, which I have rather neglected. Still no sign of Poppy
In fact I think it has been playing up for several weeks, if not months, as extreme macro shots were very under-exposed. Photo-editing fixed it, but clearly not all was well.
And then the iris jammed, not for long, but for 15 minutes, and I did panic.As I said before, orchid season is coming, and so I said I could not be without a macro I could no rely on, so I ordereda new Canon 180mm f3.5 L series.
It looked a beast, but in fact has no image stamilising gear, so is just good optics.I bought in Tuesday last week, and got notification that a label had been printed for dispatch, and the order showed on Canon's systems as left the warehouse.
And then nothing.
So, I called Monday, and it turned out the warehouse is in Holland and Brexit got in the way. Although the good news was that it was about to clear.
Two hours later I get notification that it had cleared customs and UPS were going to collect it. Over Monday night it travelled down from Cheshire to north Kent, and the delivery date changed from Wednesday to Tuesday, although not all parts of the UPS tracker app showed that.
So, I was expecting it Wednesday, but it came a day early.Which is nice.
But first there is work, and before that the getting up, checking the shoulder to see if it was better, which I wasn't sure. I have been doing my exercises, rubbing cream on and all that, maybe it was slightly better?
Maybe.Jools had to leave for work early as on Monday they had been subjected to a hack, and her account had sent 8,000 scam e mails, people had replied and so on and on. So, work stopped on Monday as they sorted it out, and now she was behind.
So, at twenty past six she left, and I get dressed, log on to work, sort mails out. At about half eight I make breakfast, and seeing as the sun shone, and there was little wind, I went to eat the fruit and yogurt on the patio wearing my slippers.
I rock.For ten minutes life seemed fine.
And then back to work, as we have to sort out more audit dates, make calls and the stuff auditors have to do before the actual audits.
Soon enough my entusiasm has all been used up. I get little support and feelings of, well, I don't know.
And then there was a knock at my door.A man with a lens.
My lens.
I take it, get a camera to record me opening it, I mean, you were expecting me to, right?
To be honest, the lush packaging gave way to what does't feel like much, weighs half what the Sigma does, but has better focussing and optics.
I look at it, take one last shot and for it to the 6D.And go into the garden, snapping everything, just a little further away than with the Sigma thanks to 30mm extra focal length.
I go back to work, throw some grenades and pack up for the day, deciding to go out for a walk.
Not far, just along the road to the footpath, up to Collingwood then along to Fleet House and back.I don't see much, but take a few snaps. There'll be other times to really test it.
Back home I make taco filling, having made the sauce over the weekend, I add defrosted chicken and mix it together to get the flavours infused, and add half a tin of chipotles.
It would be bold.Sadly, there was cat trouble: Scully chased Poppy up the stairs into the bedroom, and I went after her, seeing her tail sticking out of the wardrobe made that easy, but poor Poppy had done nothing wrong. I chased Scully out, and when in yet another meeting, Poppy must have got out, and we did not see her the rest of the day.
I really thought she wasn't coming back, and that made me very sad indeed and angry at Scully. Each time she sauntered in I chase her our, japping a finger at her, shich is what she and her brother hate.
Sigh.
Jools comes back home so I cook dinner, warm the taco shells, and dish it up on the table so we could spoon the molten lava into the shells before eating them up.
I just manage to eat one of the chipotles, and that hurt going down.....
There was no football to watch, so at half nine I go to bed to try to catch up on my reading, which I have rather neglected. Still no sign of Poppy
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