‘Tis serious: the killer ‘Troll from Trondheim’ has arrived!

 

Firstly, a health warning: avoid the dead tree press this morning at all costs! They’ll make you sick because they have one theme only: the ‘Aitch and Em Show’. You can check them out in the usual place (link). I’ll only say this: the photo of her, without makeup, gracing the DM’s page, made me ask: does one really want to wake up to that face on the pillow next to one? I’ll refrain from saying what I think of people who’ve clearly spent their lives exclusively on taking ‘private’ photos and videos of each other. I’m sure there’s a psychological diagnosis for that sort of behaviour.

This morning’s online editions have more serious news items at the top of their pages. Since we’re British, let’s start with the weather: it’s freezing and there was snow. Schools in Scotland were closed because there were 5cm of snow on the roads. Well, 5cm are 2 inches, the usual amount of snow at which everything comes to a grinding halt in the UK – nothing new there.

This cold snap comes from the Arctic and has been given the lovely name ‘Troll of Trondheim’. Well, I suppose the weather boyos and girlies would have had difficulties calling it ‘Putin’s Beast from the East’ this time. The Met Office has adapted their ‘warnings’ to local conditions. They haven’t put out an amber or red warning for sunny Cardiff, cold at it is, but have done so for other places, according to The Times:

“The Met Office’s yellow alerts warn of some disruption due to icy surfaces, with people told to expect ice patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths. […] The Met Office has issued a number of weather alerts for snow and ice for parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and the east coast and southwest of England over the coming days. Conditions could be treacherous for motorists and rail journeys are expected to take longer than usual.” (link, paywalled)

Why warn us about rail journeys – do they not know that there are strikes on? Of course, they needed to tell us to stay indoors to avoid falls on icy roads! These would inconvenience Our Sacred Cow which is struggling as usual because people are sick. At this point, for light relief, you might like to read Richard Littlejohn’s comment in the DM. Me, I’m just cross that nobody told me to put on my coat, woollen scarf, hat and gloves before stepping out into my back garden – I might have frozen to death without Met Office Guidance!

Of course, given this cold snap, we’re provided with warnings from the National Grid. The DT writes:

“The country’s grid operator has warned that electricity supplies will be tight on Friday and Sunday amid low wind levels and a cold snap sweeping the UK. It indicated it may need to use “enhanced actions” to shore-up supplies. These include a new scheme under which households can sign up to be paid to use less electricity to avert blackouts, for example by switching off the washing machine. Running extra-coal fired [sic!] plants is another option.” (paywalled link)

Oooh – but we can’t run extra coal-fired plants: the Net-Zeroists would like that! Think of the Planet! And where’s the outcry from all those wimmin working their socks off in offices who can only use their washing machines in the evening when electricity usage spikes because it’s dark? Turning off the telly clearly is not an option. Obviously, it’s the fault of ‘white Patriarchy’, with cold weather and white snow keeping wimmin chained to the sink!

As for yon Sacred Cow – it’s odd that the MSM aren’t screaming from the rooftops about the one issue which usually is at the top of their front pages: children dying. Perhaps it’s less important now that older people are also dying from this Strep A infection:

“Fifteen children have died from strep A infection as cases continue to rise across the UK. New weekly figures show 13 children under 15 have died in England since September, with two other deaths of children recorded in Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK Health Security Agency raised the alarm over the infection last week, when six young children were confirmed to have died. Today they said 60 deaths had been reported across all age groups in England, with 23 of these in people aged 75 and over.” (link, paywalled)

There are two bland sentences in this report which angered me. One is that “Health officials […] think the rise is due to increased social mixing after two years of lockdowns during the pandemic”, implying that keeping everybody masked up and locked down would have prevented this outbreak.

Here’s the other one: “Infections can be treated easily with antibiotics, but parents and pharmacists are struggling to obtain the drugs because of supply issues caused by rising demand.” Supply issues, is it? A ‘temporary disruption’, as the Chief NHS pharmacist called it (link), is it? That’s alright then – we’ll just buy in more, and meanwhile don’t get sick …

Don’t ask if our wonderful NHS has simply not stocked sufficient amounts because they needed to spend all that money on covid vaccines! Moreover, aren’t antibiotics of the devil anyway, not to be used? Let’s not ask if those parents were actually able to see their GPs and get a prescription … one does need a prescription for antibiotics, correct? As for the elderly dying of this disease: cynical old me wonders if a surreptitious triage has been going on: drugs for kids but not for gramps.

I leave you with news from the Armed Forces. One is that their Christmas Leave has been cancelled (link, paywalled). After all, Middle England must be able to fly to their holiday destinations over Christmas while the Border Farce will be on strike: passports must be checked. I wonder how many dinghy people will take advantage of this situation. The vision of the Royal Navy being reduced to a cross-channel taxi service is nauseating.

The other Armed Forces news is that “A woman has taken over as the commander of a naval base in the wake of submarine sexual abuse accusations. Commodore Sharon Malkin has taken the helm at HM Naval Base Clyde, […] “ (paywalled link). You’ll be pleased to hear that she was “Head of Customer Support Team for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, following her promotion to Commodore in June 2021.”. I’m sure Putin and his Navy, especially their submarine Command, will be quaking in their snow-covered boots.

And finally: the “Just Stop Oil activist who climbed a gantry over the M25 told a court that the stunt had “ruined his life”. My heart bleeds … see this:

“Judge Tony Baumgartner referred to a letter Beswick [that ‘activist’] had written and said: “He’s accepted that this has completely ruined his life. It’s really disrupted his relationship … His partner is at risk of losing rented premises.” (link, paywalled)

See, kiddies: actions have consequences. ‘Tis a lection ‘activists’ and politicians should have learned by now. Perhaps they ought to’ve listened to granny and gramps who warned them. 

Have a nice day – but refrain from participating in snowball battles. You don’t want to fall and burden our poor, creaking Sacred Cow, now do you!

 

(Image credit: ‘Biscotte’)

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