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Tuesday, 4 January 2022

Wigs and Politics



Some North Korean forced labor camps giving more “production tasks” than last year

The Kaechon camp has received lots of thread to make knitted clothes, eyelashes, wigs and especially crocheted caps, knitted caps

It isn't easy to reconcile this with the "great life-and-death struggle" in North Korea though. Wigs and false eyelashes seem to lack something when it comes to the indomitable spirit and purity of the socialist revolution. 

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un has warned of a "great life-and-death struggle" for his nation as he marked the end of his 10th year in power.

In a New Year speech, Kim spoke of a need to "push forward" with national defence build-up plans "without any delay".

But, in summaries of the speech published by North Korean state media, there was no specific mention of the United States and only passing reference to relations with South Korea and "external affairs".

Hardly Outspoken



EU on brink as majority of French call for end of bloc as we know it despite power grab

In the poll by Ifop-EuropaNova, commissioned by Le Journal du Dimanche, released on December 25, the majority of those asked call for an end to the EU. Once those polled who answered 'undecided' were excluded, 58 percent called for an end to the bloc, despite France taking over the rolling presidency. Of the 1,022 asked, 40 percent - which was the majority - called for a Europe of nations with greater sovereignty for France.

This was in contrast to the 29 percent who called for a more integrated Europe.

Although Emmanuel Macron will now take power of the Council of the EU, one outspoken critic labelled the bloc as "outdated and ineffective".

It could be said that "outdated and ineffective" is likely to be a fair approximation of the the majority view in this polling population. Not an "outspoken" view at all.

Monday, 3 January 2022

Cry Wolf



Covid: Lincolnshire hospitals declare 'critical incident' over staff shortages

A critical incident has been declared at four Lincolnshire hospitals because of staff shortages due to Covid-19.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust said it was taking "additional steps to maintain services" at all its hospitals in Lincoln, Boston and Grantham.

The trust's medical director, Dr Colin Farquharson, said there were "significant staffing pressures due to absence related to Covid-19".

But he said essential services "remain fully open".

Strewth - yet another 'critical incident'. At some point a penchant for the dramatic is bound to attract diminishing returns in terms of sympathy. 

Things may or may not be critical in Lincolnshire, but hand-waving doesn't fit well with a professional approach to the problem. And it's extremely boring. Critically boring I'd say.

Horoscope for 2022

 





The stars are unequivocally vague for 2022. It doesn’t matter what your zodiac sign may be, the pandemic has fused them together into a single astral melange. Not surprising as the entire astral plane has been locked down due to unforeseen pandemic measures. Even the end of 2021 was unforeseen. Even so, the stars do have something to say -





January could begin tempestuously with indications of friction around the issue of contraband lard and the latest coronavirus variant – Ballsache which affects the entire population. Long, shouty walks may help here.

February seems quieter although the media are still deeply concerned about pointy graphs where the pointy bit is nearly vertical. As Venus minces into the fifth quadrant it is likely that awkward people will ask awkward questions about all this, but the stars suggest that listening to awkward people can damage your health. Be warned and steer clear of fake dishwasher tablets.

March is curiously interesting because lunar spangling in the Fourth Layer could lead to an unusual degree of vexation among Virgos. Everyone but Virgos should be fine apart from some indications that Mercury is in the ascendant and we know what that means.

April is entirely mysterious and although the stars clearly have much to say, they are keeping quiet about it. My guess is that it is something to do with Dark Forces or a new version of Ludo.

May is destined to be bright and cheery with lots of ideas, lots of good intentions and lots of interest in electric walking sticks. Unfortunately an astral glitch right on the cusp of Mars may well indicate that the walking sticks are really cattle prods. This could cause difficulties in queues at the Post Office. Those insulated trousers could come in handy.

June is a complete surprise because Boris finally manages to comb his hair, although the charts are somewhat mixed on this one. It could be that ‘comb’ is really ‘bomb’ because we know what Mars is like, but then it wouldn’t make sense and the iron laws of astrology would be violated. Although ‘hair’ may be ‘lair’ but whose lair? Or is it Blair?

July sees a little more clarity in the third quadrant of some strange behaviour by Venus. It seems to suggest that people who still wear masks in the street may begin robbing banks, but as banks are mostly closing down very few problems are likely to ensue. Unless Mercury cuts up rough with Jupiter of course, but that would be the end of everything.

August could be dull, especially as everything seems to be gravitating towards astral lockdown. A little late, but sometimes the stars just don’t know what is going on even within the Sixth Mesopause.

September is likely to be much less dull with lots of training days, Zoom conferences and numerous PowerPoint presentations packed with bullet points. All very invigorating apart from a lack of biscuits due to supply chain problems connected with Astral Zone Omega. Thanks to some vexatious trolling by Venus this not likely to be resolved in time.

October is best avoided by anyone born under Aries, Libra, Capricorn or Bedsock. Just take a break and relax is what the stars advise. Or some of them do, the others are sulking elsewhere.

November seems likely to be astrally delightful with enormous helpings of success, progress, emotional peace and cake. Nothing is likely to go wrong and anyway the huge asteroid soon to be barging its way past the Lunar Third isn’t really that big. Or is it?

December just isn’t there for some reason.


Sunday, 2 January 2022

Leg count



US weekly podcast host Christina Garibaldi: “How has her [Meghan] style evolved since leaving the Royal Family?”

Eloise Moran, an author for Lady Di Look Book replied: “Absolutely yes, it’s evolved, I think we’ve kind of seen her ditch the classic tropes of what it means to be in the Royal Family...

So it’s very kind of young billionaire outfit, and it was kind of in the same way, Princess Diana used to visit New York and she kind of had this very business she wardrobe.

I think she definitely took cues from that, I think we saw that in the black and tan looks that she wore which was a collar palette that Princess Diana was so adopted when she went to New York...

“And in her short dress that she wore to Global citizen concert and it was a Valentina little white shift dress with lot of legs and high heels. I think you can see that there is almost a relief on her and she is a lot of freedom in her style.”

Even if she kind of left the Royal Family behind in an almost relief style sense, she must kind of retain the stuffy old two legs look. Even if she would like to have a lot of  legs and high heels and be kind of young even though she isn't.

Sounds like a culling opportunity to me



COVID-19: Contingency plans drawn up over fears a quarter of public sector workers could be absent due to Omicron

Boris Johnson is tasking ministers with contingency planning in a bid to reduce possible disruption to public services and supply chains caused by the current record-breaking number of COVID cases.


I didn't realise they had gone back to work. Whenever we walk past our council offices they seem to be empty. 

Saturday, 1 January 2022

By the sea



Former prime minister given most senior order of knighthood

Tony Blair is to be knighted with the highest possible ranking in the New Year Honours List, Buckingham Palace has said.

The former Labour prime minister, who held the keys to Number 10 between 1997 and 2007, will be appointed a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, the oldest and most senior British Order of Chivalry.


Still, I refuse to be downhearted. We are on holiday by the sea at the moment, so this morning we trundled off along the seafront in the rain, stopping off for an early coffee and a bun. 

It was also good to see a few hardy souls taking a dip in the sea too. I couldn't do it - far too nesh. I'd like to see Tony Blair do it though - 

"Go on Tony - just go out a little further. It will look good on the photo. Everyone will want a copy."