Lockdown and affairs

[Prudence V]

On the weekend, a small paragraph in one of the U.K. papers quoted Petronella Wyatt (one of Boris Johnson’s former lovers) as stating that the real reason the Tories were keen to end lockdown wasn’t because of the economy, but because so many of them were having affairs and missing their lovers, and hating being locked down with wife’s they were really unhappy with. (She suspected that, for the rest, they just missed golf). 
 

Wuhan’s divorce rate skyrocketed when they lifted lockdown, so I wonder if the same will happen here. 

[Prudence V]

And of course yesterday , the right wing papers launch a “dead cat” story they’d been sitting on for weeks, about a scientist who sits on the SAGE committee advising government, who weeks back allowed his lover (who’s in an open marriage) to visit him at his home, twice (in the early stages of lockdown). The scientist resigned from the committee immediately - unlike the government minister (who makes, rather than just advises on, policy) who had broken lockdown more than once, or the PM who had travelled to his second home (breaking lockdown), etc. But hey - we need to distract peoples attention from the U.K. having the worst death rate per capita in the world, from Covid19, and this story features sex! Between a scientist (cue nerdy picture)! And a hot, married blonde (naked, with a huuuuuge picture, far bigger than the scientist’s picture, despite her being a private citizen)! It was blatantly obvious what the agenda is, yet most papers carried the news in some form or other. 
 

I’m guessing sex sells - especially when people are locked down with their spouses, and so not getting any (or not getting any from those they want it with). 

[elaine567]

We have the entire right wing media producing a pick n mix set of options as to how Boris is going to ease the lock down.
I guess to gauge public support on behalf of the Govt.
They haven't a clue what to do.
Not a thinking man among them.
Spin merchants, designed to deliver Brexit.with slogans and lies.
They are scrabbling about completely out of their depth.

At least in Scotland we have Nicola.
Today
"Nicola Sturgeon has warned it could be "catastrophic" to drop the stay at home message as she announced that the lockdown is to be extended in Scotland."
Thank God for Nicola.
No nonsense, no pussy footing around, clear and concise.
 

[elaine567]

2 hours ago, Prudence V said:

It was blatantly obvious what the agenda is

Agreed
News: More than 30000 people have now died, we are the worst affected country in Europe.
The public: Oh dear, but now is not the time for investigation or criticism.

News: Professor Ferguson's lover has visited his flat twice.
The public: OMG OMG OMG the rotter...Hang him from the yardarm.

I think now is exactly the time for investigation and criticism, before they are allowed to cock it up even further...

[sothereiwas]

2 hours ago, Prudence V said:

we need to distract peoples attention from the U.K. having the worst death rate per capita in the world

Well you can always compare yourselves to NYC. 

[pepperbird]

6 hours ago, Prudence V said:

On the weekend, a small paragraph in one of the U.K. papers quoted Petronella Wyatt (one of Boris Johnson’s former lovers) as stating that the real reason the Tories were keen to end lockdown wasn’t because of the economy, but because so many of them were having affairs and missing their lovers, and hating being locked down with wife’s they were really unhappy with. (She suspected that, for the rest, they just missed golf). 
 

Wuhan’s divorce rate skyrocketed when they lifted lockdown, so I wonder if the same will happen here. 

Is this supposed to be impressive?

 

[Prudence V]

15 hours ago, pepperbird said:

Is this supposed to be impressive?

 

Impressive? 🤯

I think it was supposed to be amusing, in its original form. It’s placement in that paper would suggest that - as well as the fact that they had to remind people who Petronella Wyatt was, as he’s had so many lovers since then. 
 

My intent was irony. But I guess to get that, one needs both an understanding of context (the prurience of the right wing in the U.K., the nature of political scandal in the U.K. - “if it’s Labour, it’s money, if it’s Tory, it’s sex” - and the specific history of Boris Johnson, for example) and an understanding of the nature and function of irony. 

[Prudence V]

19 hours ago, elaine567 said:

News: More than 30000 people have now died, we are the worst affected country in Europe.
The public: Oh dear, but now is not the time for investigation or criticism.

Boris: Now is not the time for international comparisons. David Spiegelhater said so!
David Spiegelhalter: That’s a gross misrepresentation of what I wrote! Now is exactly the time to make international comparisons, but we should make sensible comparisons...

 

 

[pepperbird]

8 hours ago, Prudence V said:

My intent was irony.... but to get that, one needs an understanding of the nature and function of irony. 

🤣

aw, i guess I'm just not witty enough to understand irony. I guess I'll have to leave that to the intelligentsia of the group.😊

[some_username1]

On 5/7/2020 at 4:52 PM, elaine567 said:

We have the entire right wing media producing a pick n mix set of options as to how Boris is going to ease the lock down.
I guess to gauge public support on behalf of the Govt.
They haven't a clue what to do.
Not a thinking man among them.
Spin merchants, designed to deliver Brexit.with slogans and lies.
They are scrabbling about completely out of their depth.

At least in Scotland we have Nicola.
Today
"Nicola Sturgeon has warned it could be "catastrophic" to drop the stay at home message as she announced that the lockdown is to be extended in Scotland."
Thank God for Nicola.
No nonsense, no pussy footing around, clear and concise.
 

On another forum I post on there is a guy who will come up with excuses to defend the government ad nauseum. He thinks the only thing they have got wrong so far is having the daily briefings as they just give the public a stick to beat them with.

According to him the highest death count in Europe is not that bad because you can’t compare country to country, the PPE is not the government’s fault apparently because it’s the NHS’s job to procure it. Most everything else he lays at the scientist’s door because they are advising the government badly. The irony is that, although a British national he hasn’t actually lived in the U.K. for over ten years yet can quote chapter and verse on how the infrastructure operates currently and how it absolves the Tories of all blame!

Honestly, it’s incredible how Johnson and his cronies have still got people on-side. Their performance during this pandemic has been utter trash. Even the good bits (the bail out) they have implemented badly leaving people in limbo and small businesses unable to claim vital loans. Our NHS is a lion being lead by sheep. Just awful.

[Philosopher]

On 5/8/2020 at 12:51 PM, Prudence V said:

Boris: Now is not the time for international comparisons. David Spiegelhater said so!
David Spiegelhalter: That’s a gross misrepresentation of what I wrote! Now is exactly the time to make international comparisons, but we should make sensible comparisons...

 

 

It is funny how the UK government never compare their death toll to Germany, Austria, Greece or Portugal in their briefings. In one of the government’s briefings they dismissed Germany’s and a couple of other countries with relatively low death tolls as ‘outliers’ as if they somehow just got lucky. 

[elaine567]

The press briefings are all a  jolly good, self congratulatory pat on the back as to how well the Govt. has handled this crisis.
Boris is lazy and useless in reality. He is a "playboy". When the going gets tough, he is nowhere to be seen. 
He has managed to abdicate responsibility and even his much anticipated "statement" this evening is prerecorded...

[Prudence V]

This “opening up” has been garbled and confused. We’ve had notices from several small businesses (our pet groomers, window cleaners, electrician) that they’re back in business, and a strict instruction from our Vice-Chancellor not to return to campus but to carry on working from home. Visit Cumbria has had to post notices prominently warning tourists to stay home because they’re not welcoming visitors until they’re sure it’s safe to do so. Scotland, Wales and NIreland remain on lockdown. 
 

And still the deaths keep piling up.