Odds and Ends Wednesday 21st December 2022

Scary or scare-mongering? A Covid “mega wave” sweeping across China is a threat to the entire world, the WHO have said in a stark warning.

Scientists predict that there will be over one million Covid-related deaths next year after China’s rapid lifting of lockdown restrictions caused a sharp spike in cases across the country.

Protests in China at the measures that remained in place long after the world emerged from lockdown, and no doubt the pressure being put on China to get its economy open from the rest of the world because we all like the cheap products that China workers make because they are paid poverty wages to make that iPhone, those Primark clothes, I’m not implying that workers make rubbish products, probably some of the most skilful workers in the world will be in China but anyway I digress, the pressure on China could be a double edged sword because Covid-19 has not gone away. There were 35,466 new cases in the UK on December 15th, it has not gone away, but is the warning scare mongering or is the worst still to come, I hope not as I really don’t know how much more the planet can take.

I hope not – The Met Office have warned that an Arctic Freeze will strike between Christmas and New Year as temperatures are expected to plunge as low as -13C.

Predicting the weather is like trying to predict if Dundee FC will win a game when they should on paper. I found last week when the temperature dropped really hard going, I don’t know if it was the amount of weight I have now lost, my advancing years into my 50’s, but either way keeping the house warm last week, well warm enough that my son and myself didn’t freeze to death was an eye opener to say the least when I saw the cost of it. I really hope we do not get any more really cold weather, none of us can afford it least of all the poorest and most vulnerable.

It didn’t have to be this way – Speaking at a rally organised by For Women Scotland outside the Scottish Parliament ahead of the second day of debate on the legislation, Cherry told the crowd: “It has been said repeatedly by the First Minister that this bill gives no new rights to trans people, and she is actually right about that.

“What the bill does is it gives new rights to everyone so that anyone can self-identify as the opposite sex with minimal safeguards. And those of us who have worked with the survivors of sex abuse and violence abuse know that some predatory men will take advantage of this to get access to vulnerable women.”

While I noted yesterday that I won’t pretend to understand all the parts of this debate you have to take notice of someone like Joanna Cherry when she makes a legal observation, I hope she is wrong but I fear she is right. If, and again I hope it doesn’t, something does go wrong then the blame will lay with Nicola Sturgeon in the eyes of many. From what I have read, and as best as I can understand the issues, the Equalities Act 2010 protects both the Transgender community and women’s exclusive safe spaces, was there a real need to create all of this division and hate, for what, Sturgeons vanity.

Traditional Calendar Wednesday 21^st December 2022 – Even though I am off work now it has been a busy week so far with tidying the house bit by bit, walking every morning as usual early, my crown tooth breaking today and not being able to get a dentist appointment until 13th January (typical) I am still doing my best to relax a bit.

I was able to listen to the Springsteen album my brother got me for me birthday, it is a good live album but Springsteen does good live albums. I’ve never seen him live, he is touring next year but the prices are shocking to say the least. The cheapest ticket for Murrayfield next May is over £300, I am sorry that is just not on and no matter how much I would love to see Springsteen live in concert there is just no way that is decent and not exploitation. So Bruce Springsteen will not be getting to see this Bruce at Murrayfield and I don’t have any problems just listening to the albums.

While I am actually looking forward to Christmas in some ways this year compared to last year, mainly because I am in a better place, my kids will be around, I also understand that this year in particular is going to be tough for lots of people for lots of different reasons. Loneliness, money concerns, cold and hunger, homelessness, will all be worse this year living under the rule of the scumbag Tories. I try to add things to the foodbank box, I hope every little helps, but here are some numbers that may be of help to someone in need at this challenging time for many.