[Watchman]

Luckily I hate popcorn

[Andy McDandy]

Had an anti-mask Magna Cunta Freeman on the land in Kendal library yesterday. Came in looking for a confrontation with staff, spent the best part of a hour harassing staff while claiming he was being picked on, then left when another user told him to fuck off.

He later put up a video on YouTube saying that the customer was a member of staff, so spent a good chunk of today listening to drunken people rambling about how awful we were on our answer phone. Plus a death threat or two. Nothing serious, just arseholes phoning libraries at midnight and sneering that we're hiding from them.

Apparently he's doing the rounds of the north west. Tried it in a vaccination centre too, and when they kicked him out claimed a victory in shutting it down.

What a wanker!

[Bones McCoy]

Had an anti-mask Magna Cunta Freeman on the land in Kendal library yesterday. Came in looking for a confrontation with staff, spent the best part of a hour harassing staff while claiming he was being picked on, then left when another user told him to fuck off.

He later put up a video on YouTube saying that the customer was a member of staff, so spent a good chunk of today listening to drunken people rambling about how awful we were on our answer phone. Plus a death threat or two. Nothing serious, just arseholes phoning libraries at midnight and sneering that we're hiding from them.

Apparently he's doing the rounds of the north west. Tried it in a vaccination centre too, and when they kicked him out claimed a victory in shutting it down.

What a wanker!

Remember the guardian angels.
Folks who travelled the underground intervening in violent incidents.

It occurs to me that we could use a similar public service today.
Anonymous citizens who make a point of twatting twats.

Seriously, these guys (and it's usually guys) need to experience the wrong end of a good beat-down.

[MisterMuncher]

Caution: That was the Westboro Baptist Church business model. Behave sufficiently poorly that someone eventually knocks your bollocks in, then sue the assailant.

[Cyclist]

A view of Johnson's "Freedom Day" plan, from more than 1200 top scientists and doctors around the world.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 2.html?amp

Warning: Contains words not recognised in the Tory Dictionary, like "unethical", "criminal", "dangerous", and "completely wrong".

[Malcolm Armsteen]

⅔ of Spike's classes now isolated.
Ne positive case today was reported to the school late, they got the news whilst all the kids were mingling for Sports Day.

Spike reports feeling unwell, but has tested negative.

But next week they won't need to isolate, so that's OK.

[Cyclist]

Fingers crossed for both Spike and Fizz. I hope they come through this madness unscathed.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Cheers. Fizz is fine, but Spike (she now signs herself 'Spike') is showing signs of the stresses of the last year. Kids have lost a very great deal.

[The All New KevS]

Over 50k new cases today.

Three days ahead of schedule as well.

[Arrowhead]

Over 50k new cases today.

Three days ahead of schedule as well.

Plus another 49 deaths. Presuming these typically lag 2 or 3 weeks behind cases, what on earth are we going to be looking at by the start of August? We’re going to be losing a hundred people a day again, aren’t we?

[kreuzberger]

The thing about Chris Whitty is that, to a school bully, he looks like a bit of a wimp. Add Eton to that list of schools and some weakling swot who "only" went to Malvern is probably the fairest of game.

But look at the supine body language and that submissive gaze. If you are measuring someone's worth by their handiness in a bar brawl - or a restaurant trashing - he really isn't your man. That is, in my view, why a couple of scraggy arsed estate agents felt at ease with picking on him and why, to their eternal but fully expected shame, a couple of Met plod were initially happy to look the other way.

A penny to a quid says that Johnson has a right ball, running Whitty ragged with the vaguest of promises of ermine. And, as the Covid numbers begin to soar, none of the stenography corps will press him on it. They have made their choice and are backing the bully so there is no way that they will shove back to allow the victim some headroom. All the while, poor old Chris has nowhere to run for shelter or support - Jenny Harries, oh, per-fucking-leaze - so "bodies piling up" remains the only game in town.

Of course, he could have chucked it on many occasions before, Autumn and Christmas are two obvious examples, but now, the windows of opportunity are slamming shut. If Christopher John MacRae Whitty CB FRCP FFPH FMedSci is to get out of this with his trousers and his reputation intact, he needs to walk in time for Sunday's press.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Very much agree.

[Samanfur]

I still want somebody to ask Harries how that comment she made on the 2nd of March last year about the next phase of the pandemic being "quite an exciting adventure" has worked out.

She seems to've gone very quiet for a while, though.

[Andy McDandy]

I can't imagine that a knighthood is that much of a bribe to someone who is well established in their own career. Yes the title is nice, and the kudos too, but it's not like buttering up some useless back bench placeholder.

I can only imagine either serious blackmail material, or the promise of a serious payout or directorship on NHS PLC. Or some truly impressive notion of duty.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Lots of countries have made fuck ups with Covid. I've not read of too many foreign Whitty equivalents walking out.

I assume they're all in the same boat- sometimes they persuade their politicians to do the right thing, sometimes they don't, and if they're not happy they try to get out there that they're not happy.

I don't think "swot" is the right word for Whitty. He's not an overpowering man, but he's clearly ambitious- he's got an MBA and a qualification in economics. He's very practical, he's not the specs who learns his Latin verbs. I'd guess he thinks Johnson is a moron.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I can't imagine that a knighthood is that much of a bribe to someone who is well established in their own career. Yes the title is nice, and the kudos too, but it's not like buttering up some useless back bench placeholder.

I can only imagine either serious blackmail material, or the promise of a serious payout or directorship on NHS PLC. Or some truly impressive notion of duty.

Misplaced patriotism?

[kreuzberger]

These days, a K is only the half of it. See Frost and Baroness Glitter of Warrington for the current going rate.

The thought of Kompromat had also crossed my mind but I just don't think that Whitty has it in him. Hey, who hasn't been filmed with hookers and blow at the Scratchwood Travelodge but I see him more as a man who would be watching YouTube episodes of Coast if at a loose end.

I don't denounce him for this, but I see him as a friendless, gutless individual who has nowhere to turn to for advice. After all, the British state can be merciless if you really do start to kick up a fuss.

[davidjay]

Last March I asked my wife when she thought it might all be over. I'm usually wildly optimistic/naive and thought within three months. She's a lot more practical than I am and said it might take until this summer. Even she was wrong. It's been a clusterfuck on top of an omnishambles on top of a fiasco and there is only one man to blame. Never mind freedom rallies, we should be demanding that incompetent bastard's head on a spike.

[Nigredo]

With vaccines in play, I should have gradually been unclenching my sphincter at this point. Instead, this unmitigated spread of Delta has caused such tightening that I could probably crush coal into diamond.

I remain fearful at the possibility of another loss in the family, or at the very least for someone to be maimed in a life-altering way by it.

[davidjay]

With vaccines in play, I should have gradually been unclenching my sphincter at this point. Instead, this unmitigated spread of Delta has caused such tightening that I could probably crush coal into diamond.

I remain fearful at the possibility of another loss in the family, or at the very least for someone to be maimed in a life-altering way by it.

This, with brass knobs, silver bells, balloons and whistles.