Intellectual vacuum ...

 Waking up this morning to the news from the UK that hospitality venues are to close at 10.00 pm from Thursday. And then the moronic Health Secretary, when asked, could not definitely say whether pubs and restaurants might be closed by the weekend. Left hand, right hand, joined-up thinking, strategic planning - all are absent in the intellectual vacuum that is the British Government.

One only needs to cast one’s mind back to the end of July when Boris was urging people to return to their offices, spend till you drop and then the Chancellor unveiled a package which encouraged people (but only people who could afford it) to “Eat out to help out”. This particular initiative took my breath away. Here one had the tax payer subsidising those who could afford to eat out to have cheaper food ... whilst at the same time food banks were reporting record demand from people on the breadline.

And then, after a month or six weeks of such largesse, with summer receding - the number of infections start to rise and keep rising. With schools and universities restarting, and people beginning to return to the office (in order to stop Pret A Manger and other over-priced sandwich sellers from going bust), it was revealed that testing in some areas was being rationed, as nobody had realised that infections might rise in the autumn.

If it wasn’t so tragic, it would be laughable. I don’t doubt for a second that our lovely dog, Daisy, could manage things better.

Cricket without the crowds ...

 Now that cricketers have stopped all the Black Lives Matter nonsense (at least the England and Australia teams have) I decided to watch the one-day international match on Thursday. It was good to get televised sport again - given our month-long exile from the internet - but what a strange experience. You could hear the gentle hum of conversation from the crowd, but there was no crowd.

I am watching another match this afternoon from a deserted Old Trafford and, in the background (ever so faintly) I could hear the gentle rhythm of a steel band. Someone at Sky was playing the wrong background noise. It made me appreciate how much live sport (when watched on television) relies on the atmosphere generated by the crowd.

Back on Fantasy Island (as I now think of the UK) and the dear old government have indeed lost the plot with both Brexit and the Covid-19 crisis. They are ruling by ministerial diktat without the Commons being allowed to participate. Ten million tests a day (compulsory, perhaps) and digital passports which will allow people to return to work, and be monitored all the time. I can just imagine a Covid Marshall (think John Wayne in a hi-vis jacket) confronting people and “Let me see your papers”.

A totalitarian nightmare awaits without a return to the Rule of Law and government by consent.

“Bye, Bye, Cyta, Goodbye”

 Well after eight years with Cyprus’ national telecoms company, it was time to say goodbye. Weeks and weeks have gone by and we have been fobbed off, lied to and ignored - and all the time they were collecting our direct debits. I pointed out to them that we had a contract with them. It was simple ... they connected us to the internet and we paid them. Well no more.

I contacted a local firm, highly recommended, and within a day they arrived, sorted out WiFi internet (a very steady 35 Mb download speed) and were done and dusted within an hour.  Cyta ironically emailed us to say that they “may” be able to get a team out to us next week, and once service was restored, they would investigate my complaint.

That was the final straw. The only problem we have is that our tv provider needs to fiddle about in Switzerland so that we can stream our programmes.

News from the UK amused us today with the announcement that “Covid Marshall” would patrol the streets to disperse groups of more than six people. They will have no powers of arrest, no powers to fine people and you can just imagine the indignation of people as yet another version of “Plastic Policemen” stride amongst them ...

Jesus wept ...

Bloody Cyta

 After twenty days we still have no internet, thanks to Cyta. Looking at alternatives tomorrow and shall be back online soon.