Coronavirus: Pandemic and Panic

The Gaffer · 09-22-2021, 05:07 AM

LoL re Emma, yes, I think the Daily Express had a full-height headline saying "send these migrants back" (meaning the desperate people trying to cross the channel in rubber dinghies) right beside a full-height photo of the lovely Emma in her tennis gear winning the US Open. Never mind post-truth, we're living in a post-hypocrisy world now.

Re: making you weep. Yes quite. Here's something that actually made me weep. The right-wing have lately taken to attacking the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution - a charity staffed by volunteers who, whatever the weather, will come out to sea and save you if you are in trouble). They have been saving migrants' lives in the North Sea and bringing them to shore.

Something about that was like a morgul blade to the heart. I'm a sailor myself so I know the risks well, and the fear. It's utterly barbaric, not just that people think we should be sending these people back to their deaths, but that they feel that they can say it out loud.

It's toughest for younger folks I think. My middle son is now old enough to understand what a feckin dog's breakfast we've made of his world. When I was his age all we had to worry about was nuclear war. I guess at a very crude level it's not as bad as that (though it's not gone away!), but the difference is, climate catastrophe is pretty much guaranteed, you've no chance of buying a house unless you're already minted and the economy is collapsing before your eyes.

Still, I should stop all this Remoaning nonsense and drown my sorrows in a bushel of warm beer.

(Actually, that's what I have been doing

)

In other news, we've had actual Covid in the house here. Youngest (14) got it the first week back at school. She self-isolated like a trooper and the rest of us (double vaxxed) didn't get it. Phew!

09-22-2021, 05:07 AM	#31
The Gaffer Elf Lord Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: In me taters Posts: 3,288	LoL re Emma, yes, I think the Daily Express had a full-height headline saying "send these migrants back" (meaning the desperate people trying to cross the channel in rubber dinghies) right beside a full-height photo of the lovely Emma in her tennis gear winning the US Open. Never mind post-truth, we're living in a post-hypocrisy world now. Re: making you weep. Yes quite. Here's something that actually made me weep. The right-wing have lately taken to attacking the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution - a charity staffed by volunteers who, whatever the weather, will come out to sea and save you if you are in trouble). They have been saving migrants' lives in the North Sea and bringing them to shore. Something about that was like a morgul blade to the heart. I'm a sailor myself so I know the risks well, and the fear. It's utterly barbaric, not just that people think we should be sending these people back to their deaths, but that they feel that they can say it out loud. It's toughest for younger folks I think. My middle son is now old enough to understand what a feckin dog's breakfast we've made of his world. When I was his age all we had to worry about was nuclear war. I guess at a very crude level it's not as bad as that (though it's not gone away!), but the difference is, climate catastrophe is pretty much guaranteed, you've no chance of buying a house unless you're already minted and the economy is collapsing before your eyes. Still, I should stop all this Remoaning nonsense and drown my sorrows in a bushel of warm beer. (Actually, that's what I have been doing ) In other news, we've had actual Covid in the house here. Youngest (14) got it the first week back at school. She self-isolated like a trooper and the rest of us (double vaxxed) didn't get it. Phew! Last edited by The Gaffer : 09-22-2021 at 05:10 AM.