Sunetra Gupta Censored?
According to Sunetra Gupta, Professor of Theoretical Epidemiology at Oxford University, she’s finding it difficult to get journals to publish the work of her and her team. Many journal editors consider it “dangerous” because it challenges the lockdown orthodoxy. The Evening Standard has more:
“We’ve found it difficult to publish our work in mainstream journals,” she said, adding “sadly anything that deviates from the consensus has been met with criticism – not simply of the science, but we’ve been labelled as saying things that are dangerous.”
Professor Gupta, who regards herself as on the Left politically, is concerned about the impact of lockdown on the poorest and most disadvantaged. She welcomes the re-opening of schools since“evidence is mounting that early exposure to these various coronaviruses is what enables people to survive them”.
Praising the return of schoolchildren to the classroom, she said that while children might transmit the virus, trade offs have to be made and that “we can take strong measures” to still protect the vulnerable who need to shield.
Scientists like Sunetra Gupta and Carl Heneghan of Oxford’s Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine are the academics our political leaders should be listening to to get a wider perspective, particularly as real-world data consistently backs up their ideas and contradicts the outlandish predictions of Neil Ferguson and his team at Imperial College London. It is disturbing that leading academics like Professor Gupta are finding themselves frozen out of prestigious platforms because their ideas are deemed “dangerous” by biased scientific journal editors.
Worth remembering this isn’t the first time a scientist who’s research challenges the conventional Covid wisdom has had difficulty getting a paper published. Gabriela Gomes also had a paper rejected. The reason given by the editor of the journal in her case was: “Given the implications for public health, it is appropriate to hold claims around the herd immunity threshold to a very high evidence bar, as these would be interpreted to justify relaxation of interventions, potentially placing people at risk.”
As Sue Denim pointed out in Lockdown Sceptics: “The scientific establishment has started working backwards from their preferred social policies to whatever research supports that goal. For as long as they believe they are fighting a heroic moral battle against vaguely arrayed ‘forces’, trust in them will continue to fall.”
Social Distancing is Holding Us Back
Jeremy Warner hit the nail on head in the Telegraph yesterday when it comes to the Government’s contradictory strategy on social distancing and getting people back to work.
Go back to the office and help save the economy, the Government urges, but how can this be done while social distancing remains in place and ministers warn that crowding together in confined spaces, such as commuter trains, may spark a renewed outbreak?
Much office space is condemned to working at no more than half capacity as long as social distancing is required, and some tower blocks, reliant as they are on transporting workers at speed between floors by elevator, a good deal less. What in any case is the point of coming back to the office if social distancing removes many of the team building benefits of physical interaction?
It is primarily this constraint, not the attractions of home working, that keeps employees away.
The Government cannot have it both ways; it either thinks the pandemic a still clear and present danger to life and the NHS, or it thinks the risks to the economy of continuing as we are the more potent threat.
I’m pretty sure I know which, yet ministers run around like headless chickens, apparently terrified of what their scientific advisers might say, or worse still, the opinion polls, if they engage properly with a back to work strategy.
Instead they act like Wilkins Micawber, vainly hoping that something will turn up to rescue them from a problem largely of their own making. A vaccine would do the trick, they say, or perhaps mass, instant diagnostic testing. That too may save us. Indeed it might, but in the meantime, it is like waiting for Godot. They can’t even get their act together on common-or-garden swab testing; what hope for 20-minute spit tests?
Let the fit, young and healthy work as normal, and the vulnerable make their own choices as to what risks they should take. This has been the obvious solution from the start, yet we have allowed ourselves to be guided by China’s brutalist example of economically crippling lockdown.
Well worth reading the whole thing.
Postcard From Dumfries
We’ve published a new postcard today – this one from Dumfries in Scotland. Like most British towns, most of the locals are only half-heartedly complying with social distancing rules.
People of all ages and states of mobility passed by my bench and I was surprised at the variation in facial appearance due to the wearing or not wearing of face nappies. Many shoppers were wearing their masks under the chin, sliding them over their mouth as they entered various shops and trade outlets. Many others were wearing their masks in the open air, but interestingly only covering their mouths. I guessed that this was to get some oxygen into their starving lungs. As it was obviously lunch break there were several groups of schoolchildren making their way towards the fast food outlets, some still wearing the masks that had no doubt been worn in school. The ones that did have masks had them slung in carefree style under their chins. This tempting target drew the attention of other kids, who delighted in stretching the elastic ear fastenings and then letting go, causing one lad to rip off the mask and surprisingly deposit it in a nearby bin instead of tossing it in the gutter alongside other discarded masks. No social distancing by these kids, bless ’em.
Worth reading in full.
Europe’s ‘Second Wave’ Has Fizzled Out
Ross Clark in the Spectator points out the ‘second wave’ Emperor has no clothes.
Has the Covid ‘second wave’ already run out of steam? On July 9th, just when Britain was reopening the hospitality sector and other businesses, the World Health Organisation announced that the pandemic was ‘accelerating’. Much of the coverage in Britain also implies that we are possibly in the early stages of a second wave. But that talk is lagging behind the data. Globally, the number of new recorded cases peaked on July 31st at 291,691 and has shown a slight downward trend ever since. In terms of deaths, they peaked at 8,502 on April 17th and have also been on a slight declining trend ever since. On the worst day in the past week – September 2nd – 6,312 deaths were recorded. Most of the worst-affected countries are now showing downward trends in both daily cases and deaths, including the US, Brazil, Russia, Peru, Colombia, South Africa, Mexico, Chile and Iran. Among the top dozen worst-affected countries, only India is now showing an upwards trend in deaths. Spain and Argentina are showing slight upwards trends in new cases, but not deaths. All these figures, of course, have to be read in conjunction with a huge increase in testing – so a slight increase in new cases does not necessarily imply that the disease is in fact spreading.
Worth noting that Spain is the only European country to see an uptick in Covid hospital admissions in the past few weeks – which, as an early adopter of mandatory face nappies, only goes to show how ineffective they are. Here are the graphs for new admissions since the Ministry of Health began reporting daily figures again two weeks ago. Looks pretty flat – wouldn’t be surprised if that’s as high as it’s going to go.
Carry On Covid Camping
A reader writes to tell us about his camping holiday in Scotland. Bedwetters everywhere, unfortunately.
I’m on a biking and camping tour of Scotland. In Shetland, I phoned three campgrounds, and two of them appeared to be closed. The other one answered the phone and said that the toilet and shower facilities weren’t open so it was impossible for me to camp there.
In Orkney, I found a campsite where I could camp. I managed to book online while hiking to the Old Man of Hoy – the internet is everywhere. I arrived at the campground and set up camp as far from other people as I could. When the warden arrived, she politely informed me that I had to move because if I’d consulted the PDF file they’d sent me while hiking on Hoy I would have seen I’d been allocated a campsite number. Moving my tent was a challenge in the howling gale and had no effect on anyone’s likelihood of contracting Covid.
This campsite only allows one person in the toilet/shower at one time. There is one gents, one ladies, and one disabled. The host kindly lets anyone use any of them, because otherwise you have to queue up and freeze your arse off at 8am in the wind. Since people are always walking past each other, outside and in the camp building, sometimes without masks, it’s difficult to see how these token gestures reduce the risk of infection. The warden explained that it’s the law and the police would close the campsite down if they saw it was being broken.
It seems to me that this is all the consequence of desperate efforts by the Nic Sturge-on regime to look like it’s doing something. The entire country is now entangled with these useless bureaucratic laws, which take no account of actual conditions in Scotland’s diverse camping facilities. I’m reminded of the character in Yes Minister who says “something must be done – this is something – therefore this must be done”. It’s like encouraging people to donate aluminium saucepans to melt down to make aircraft engines in World War Two, despite knowing that it’s not possible. Having whipped the population into a state of near frenzy with fear, the First Minister now feels obliged to do something – anything – to give the appearance she’s managing the crisis.
Man Pepper Sprayed and Arrested For Not Wearing Mask On Train
Shocking scenes reminiscent of Kim-Jong Dan’s Victoria arrive in Britain. Someone needs to tell the police that the law allows for exemptions and people are not required to prove it. Good write-up in the Telegraph, which quotes a human rights expert saying the British Transport Police officer in the video was wrong to try and forcibly remove the man from the train.
Following the incident, Vicki Prais, an independent human rights consultant, said: “The government guidance makes clear provision for exemptions to wearing a face mask including on health related grounds.
“Moreover, the guidance provides for exemption cards which individuals may, if they so wish, carry with them but are not obliged to do so.
“The measures deployed by the police in this instance appear to be a disproportionate response to the incident. In the first instance, the police should have questioned the individual further about his medical condition and reasons for not wearing a mask.”
We’ve reached out to the gentleman concerned to see if he’d like us to help raise money for his legal defence fund. Will keep you posted.
Students Need Face to Face Teaching
A Lockdown Sceptics reader, Professor Roger Watson from the University of Hull, has been in touch to say he was one of 104 academic signatories of a letter in the Times on Friday rejecting the UCU’s demand to move all teaching online this year:
Sir, The general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU) has demanded that all university teaching be moved online this coming year (“Universities risk being generators of a second wave”, Aug 31). As university staff and UCU members we reject this demand and wish to see a return to face-to-face teaching as soon as possible.
Educational research shows that online learning greatly decreases student attainment and increases drop-out rates, especially for the most disadvantaged students. This is because teaching is ultimately about creating meaning through human relationships, which can only truly be cultivated in person. Technology can support but never replace face-to-face interaction, which is vital not just between students and teachers but among students. Moreover, students have also been denied sociability long enough. Many have been cooped up for months, with mental health problems soaring. Disadvantaged students, in particular, lack the quiet space and IT equipment needed to engage in online learning. Compared with these well-established harms, the risk of Covid-19 has declined across society, and has always been minuscule for young people.
Remote-working provisions should, of course, be made for all students and staff who are vulnerable or co-habit with those who are. The rest of us should be allowed to return to campuses with modest restrictions.
Attending a Keep Britain Free Meeting in Lewes
A reader went along to a Keep Britain Free meeting in Lewes and has written to tell us about it.
Earlier this week I went to a local Keep Britain Free meeting and came away with mixed feelings, rather like some readers reported about the Trafalgar Square demo. These mixed feelings might resonate with other KS readers so I thought a few reflections might be helpful.
This was apparently the third such meeting, attendance having swiftly grown to 50+. It was great to see such a varied crowd not buying in to the Establishment line. I went with a near neighbour who had connected via the LS forum and we were both attracted by the clear and practical KBF mission to oppose all the terrible lockdown regulations. However it soon became clear that this was a side issue for many. There was soon an unruly chorus articulating various conspiracy theories about vaccines, Bill Gates, Big Pharma and the new world order. While some of this stuff may contain a germ (or indeed virus) of truth there seemed to be little awareness that this is a highly contested field. The Bill Gates stuff I find particularly hard to swallow: the guy has made a fortune so why exactly would be want to collude in a century old conspiracy to exterminate half the world’s population?! And while there are no doubt dark forces manipulating events to sell a vaccine it is hard to see that this plot started in 1913, given the huge advances in life expectancy and health standards we have seen since.
It seems some of the conspiracy theorists are animated in much the same way as wokies in that they already know the Truth so are not that interested in debating, persuading and listening. Things which I as a Spectator reading conservative libertarian hold dear. And which are vital if a common sense campaign is ever to succeed. I can’t believe Simon Dolan meant to just create an echo chamber for some of the more outlandish interpretations of the current mess. For every person attracted by the David Icke roadshow I wager that a dozen potential sceptics will be put off.
So my neighbour and I were left wondering if we wouldn’t just be hopelessly outnumbered but we’ll probably give it another go in the hope that a meeting can be chaired in such a way as to focus on pragmatic outcomes which can win support for the cause.
“Irrational and Disproportionate” – New Legal Challenge to Quarantine Laws
A solicitor is taking the Government to court over its quarantine dartboard shenanigans. Details provided by a colleague of Francis Hoar, one of the barristers who is acting for Simon Dolan and who is now acting for this gentleman as well.
A businessman and his family are suing the Government after they were placed into quarantine following their return from an overseas holiday in Croatia.
The father – who is a UK solicitor but is remaining anonymous to protect the identities of his two school-aged children – has instructed lawyers to launch Judicial Review proceedings, claiming the Government has wrongly imposed quarantine laws with no scientific justification. The Statement of Grounds names Transport Secretary Grant Shapps as the respondent.
The businessman has also launched a crowdfund campaign via legal funds platform CrowdJustice to support the case.
The lawyer seeking Judicial Review over travel quarantine is represented by barrister Francis Hoar of Field Court Chambers, who also represents Simon Dolan in his judicial review. It is being brought on six grounds, which are as follows:
1. There is insufficient scientific evidence to establish that the legislation is necessary to protect public health and it is therefore unlawful (ultra vires) under the Public Health Act;
2. Indiscriminate quarantine is a violation of the right to liberty under Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights and does not fall within limited exceptions as not every person returning from an affected country is infected or potentially infected;
3. It is a disproportionate breach of Article 5 even if it could fall within the above exception; and also a breach of the right to a private and family life (Article 8);
4. It is irrational and disproportionate generally;
5. There is no policy behind the addition or removal of countries from the ‘safe list’ and no scientific evidence to support an arbitrary limit of 20 cases per 100,000; and
6. There is no scientific evidence justifying removing Croatia (and Austria and Trinidad and Tobago) from the safe list in the latest amendment.The claimants have asked for the case to be dealt with by the High Court urgently and have asked for a hearing in early October.
We wish them every success. You can support the crowdfunder here.
Round-Up
- ‘My run-in with the New York Times‘ – Andrew Sullivan in the Spectator on getting cancelled for refusing to renounce an article he wrote 26 years ago
- ‘Schools asking children to wear face masks even when there is no local lockdown‘ – The Telegraph picks up the story of the over-zealous schools
- ‘Why has Switzerland handled this crisis better than almost anyone else in Europe?‘ – Jonathan Saxty in the Telegraph puts in a word for the wisdom of crowds and the power of direct democracy to keep politicians honest and earthed
- ‘Delays to cancer treatment cost me dearly. A Covid-only NHS is failing many more‘ – Laura Fulcher in the Telegraph talks from personal experience about the tragic consequences of delays in cancer treatment
- ‘Demands grow for introduction of airport coronavirus tests‘ – They’re used by 30 countries, but the Government here keeps making lame excuses such as ‘it might give a false sense of security’
- ‘Justice is no longer blind in the face of toxic identity politics‘ – Leo McKinstry in the Telegraph decries the double standards applied by law enforcement to lockdown protesters and those who take up more fashionable causes like race and climate change
- ‘Health chiefs admit rationing of coronavirus tests‘ – Supply isn’t keeping up with demand and tracing is only reaching around two thirds of contacts. It doesn’t exactly bode well for trying to reopen through mass testing
- ‘Tony Abbott can help Global Britain do deals, unless it capitulates to the woke mob‘ – Tony Abbott is the new Toby Young, says Matthew Lesh in the Telegraph
- ‘Covid death rates dropped as doctors rejected ventilators‘ – Turns out they were killing people, as sceptics pointed out. Shame we ordered so many
- ‘The Lefties pulling Johnson’s strings‘ – Harry Dougherty in Conservative Woman asks why the Government’s SAGE advisory committee has Communist Party members but not Professor Carl Heneghan
- ‘Wokeness is a cult of purity‘ – Excellent piece from Patrick West in spiked about the nonsense of “cultural appropriation” and its divisive ideological underpinning
- ‘Ireland’s Travel `Green List’ Under Review, Minister Says‘ – When Ireland had a spike in infections it realised it hadn’t thought through its policy pegging travel restrictions to its infection rate
- ‘We’ve Been Doing It All Wrong?‘ – Omar Khan in Medium looks at the serious problems with the PCR test
- ‘”Lockdown made my miscarriage far more traumatic“‘ – The miseries of lockdown are truly bottomless
- ‘Covid – why terminology really, really matters‘ – Dr Malcolm Kendrick on how cases aren’t what they used to be
- ‘Tyler Cowen on herd mentality and herd immunity‘ – Interview in UnHerd with the US economist
- ‘Greater Manchester lockdown eased but fears rise for Leeds‘ – Leeds is lined up next in the world’s most expensive game of whack-a-mole
- ‘Is Sweden’s coronavirus strategy finally silencing the doubters?‘ – Sweden’s case count stays rock bottom, but the world is being slow to learn the lesson
- ‘Going to school “does not increase risk of young children catching coronavirus”‘ – New PHE study shows the same thing as all the other studies
Love in the Time of Covid
We have created some Lockdown Sceptics Forums that are now open, including a dating forum called “Love in a Covid Climate” that has attracted a bit of attention. We’ve also just introduced a section where people can arrange to meet up for non-romantic purposes. We have a team of moderators in place to remove spam and deal with the trolls, but sometimes it takes a little while so please bear with us. You have to register to use the Forums, but that should just be a one-time thing. Any problems, email the Lockdown Sceptics webmaster Ian Rons here.
Small Businesses That Have Re-Opened
A few months ago, Lockdown Sceptics launched a searchable directory of open businesses across the UK. The idea is to celebrate those retail and hospitality businesses that have re-opened, as well as help people find out what has opened in their area. But we need your help to build it, so we’ve created a form you can fill out to tell us about those businesses that have opened near you.
Now that non-essential shops have re-opened – or most of them, anyway – we’re focusing on pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants, as well as other social venues. As of July 4th, many of them have re-opened too, but not all (and some of them are at risk of having to close again). Please visit the page and let us know about those brave folk who are doing their bit to get our country back on its feet – particularly if they’re not insisting on face masks! If they’ve made that clear to customers with a sign in the window or similar, so much the better. Don’t worry if your entries don’t show up immediately – we need to approve them once you’ve entered the data.
“Mask Exempt” Lanyards
We’ve created a permanent slot down here for people who want to buy (or make) a “Mask Exempt” lanyard/card. You can print out and laminate a fairly standard one for free here and it has the advantage of not explicitly claiming you have a disability. But if you have no qualms about that (or you are disabled), you can buy a lanyard from Amazon saying you do have a disability/medical exemption here (now showing it will arrive between Oct 7th to Oct 16th). The Government has instructions on how to download an official “Mask Exempt” notice to put on your phone here. You can get a “Hidden Disability” tag from ebay here and an “exempt” card with lanyard for just £3.99 from Etsy here.
Don’t forget to sign the petition on the UK Government’s petitions website calling for an end to mandatory face nappies in shops here (now over 30,400).
A reader has started a website that contains some useful guidance about how you can claim legal exemption.
And here’s a round-up of the scientific evidence on the effectiveness of mask (threadbare at best).
Shameless Begging Bit
Thanks as always to those of you who made a donation in the past 24 hours to pay for the upkeep of this site. Doing these daily updates is a lot of work (although we have help from lots of people, mainly in the form of readers sending us stories and links). If you feel like donating, please click here. And if you want to flag up any stories or links we should include in future updates, email us here. If you want us to link to something, don’t forget to include the HTML code.
And Finally…
Discussion
Comments
This week across the site:
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to the Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
It’s rather frustrating when those who are opposing the mandatory vaccines and implicating Bill Gates are labelled conspiracy theorists!
There is plenty of convincing evidence imo that there is indeed some substance to this being true. Bill Gates is carrying the torch of Rockerfeller’s influence on medicine!
The Gates family are known to have a history on population control (Bill’s father was active in Planned Parenthood).
The 5G argument for me is in regards to ‘bio-security’ surveillance – digital health passports, thermal imaging, social distancing controls, and a social credit system. Just look how it’s being implemented in China!
So regardless if you believe in this or not, i’d urge people to join the groups and attend the rallies and bring the more ‘rational’ arguments to the table.
Also, please don’t bash Simon Dolan for creating an echo-chamber, he isn’t really in control or has any really involvement in these groups. He is just creating a movement to get people to become active. These groups are independently run from what I understand.
An interesting piece in the Scotsman suggesting that patience with the unscientific, unreasoned and unexplained decrees is coming to an end.
“Nicola Sturgeon’s Covid decrees are wearing thin on Scotland – Brian Wilson
Politicised Covid briefings and ill-considered edicts issued by the Scottish Government are not helping the fight against the virus, writes Brian Wilson”
https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/nicola-sturgeons-covid-decrees-are-wearing-thin-scotland-brian-wilson-2962225
Enjoyed seeing Mark Dolan of Talk Radio cutting up a mask live on the studio whilst slagging off the Mask Madness. Well done Mark. It’s on You Tube.
He’s Woke now and XR but in his early days he wrote some memorable songs.
Donovan: Colours
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FATrsvKTtV4&list=PLUI8BPuMaCLne9WPeek57yQxqjTc__jte
Na. Never liked Donovan. For some reason I feel like I should but I am always instantly turned off.
Prefer John Martyn
https://youtu.be/Kg_Utj4Aljc
Just watching BBC news.. Still fearmongering .
But at least now when they show cumulative death figures (in huge print) they now stick a message in very tiny print at the bottom “death from any cause within 28 days of a positive covid test”
Which basically means the figure is pointless. But I think the BBC still show the figure on the basis that most viewers are so brainwashed they dont notice
And they still talk about cases and infections – and not positive tests
Also report on XR protests etc . Are the organisers getting fined £10000?
Hell no!
No one ever mentions Vietnam either. I think Asians, on the whole, were immune to the worse effects of Covid-19. Caucasians and Latinos not so much.
It has been suggested that people in the Far East have a lot of cross immunity from SARS.
Singapore has racked up nearly 50,000 positive tests since its last death
I haven’t looked at what’s happening in Vietnam recently but there is a theory they actually had it before China (and didn’t particularly notice it as you might not if there wasn’t such a fuss about it). I don’t know if there is much evidence for this theory other than Vietnam is next to China and has a lot of bats.
Especially those of you who don’t subscribe to or buy the spectator (and so can’t read the article) but also those who do should listen to this week’s The Edition podcast
https://www.spectator.co.uk/podcast/the-covid-trap-will-society-ever-open-up-again-
The first item is an excellent discussion with Johan Norberg (who wrote the cover piece and is a Swedish writer) and Gerard Baker (Editor at large of the Wall Street Journal)
Discarded the mask. Next time will be Halloween. Try it.😎👻
Check the situation in the Czech Republic. Less deaths than Sweden. Do it!
Why “do it” ? What conclusions would w draw? That the Czech Republic and Sweden are very different countries?
Today in the window of a tattoo shop in Newcastle I saw a stylish sign in tattoo-gothic script saying: ‘No entry if you show symptoms of Covid/ Homophobia/ Racism.’
An interesting category error. The second two are political phenomena (and putting up signs about them is a political position). The first is a disease. Yes, as a disease it does have political aspects (some of the co-morbidities are linked to socio-economic status; and do you have access to healthcare if you become seriously ill with it?), but the virus itself is not a political entity. Here though it is treated as if it were a political evil. It’s been entirely moralised. And I think it’s noteworthy also that the person suffering from the disease is guilty as a result: this is of course the mandatory mask line. Everyone must mask up to protect other people. Guilt and poison emanate from me; my breath is death-dealing. My spirit is toxic.
The virtue-signalling aspect of mask-wearing is enraging to those of us who perceive it, but I hadn’t reflected before on why the signallers are so motivated. It may be because they fear that they are unclean; that they really do pose… Read more »
I’ve infected exactly zero people yet these martyrs who I am constantly reminded to think of – those in ICU and the morgue – have actually spread this nasty virus yet receive zero flack.
As the Septics say… Go figure.
Why the soul searching? Just don’t go anywhere near such a toxic shop.
Category error as you say, but my guess is that they genuinely don’t want customers with Covid in proximity to the tattooist, and they just added the other two items as a bit of virtue signalling.
It’s not technically an error to not want three things in your shop just because two of them are in different categories. I don’t want wasps, carbon monoxide, marmite or homophobia in my kitchen. They’re different kinds of thing. But I don’t like any of them.
Politically it’s quite unusual to say “no Covid”. One of the interesting (and most harmful) things about the Covid cult is all the quarantining and masking of the healthy. It’s like if someone actually had Covid people imagine they would want to be all caring and look after them, and even let them in their shop, or certainly do their shopping for them and deliver it carefully in a sealed plastic box with a rainbow card saying things like “keep fighting” and “get well soon”. But if you _don’t_ have Covid you have to endure a mask and other privations to show how concerned and unselfish you are, and if you don’t it’s OK to blast you with pepper spray. Human nature can be quite strange.
Isn’t there a thing called a “Celtic triad” or something like that? The late Michael Wharton in his Peter Simple guise used to create them, this sort of thing. “Three things to avoid: salad dressing, a polka-dot umbrella, and a Mahler symphony.”
Actually it’s a Welsh triad. A Celtic triad is a bit different.
Interesting. Nothing is free from the toxic politics have now. Yet that is the battleground.
Thats why voices like Carl Henegen have been so important. They are cutting through the politics with evidence. They are inviting real debate on the issues, not just a shouting match filled with clichés.
The next step is for those voices to get polticial though. They have gained a platform that many others could not have due to their academic standing. If they can just get angry, we might see this move.
Scenes from Melbourne are very disturbing.
So asymptomatic Covid carriers are welcome? Odd!
How long till the road side testing and vaccinations? How long till we’re imprisoned for refusing to be tested/vaccinated? How long till they take your kids from you because you refuse to be tested. I believe the British public are such scumbags that they’ll cheer when they see their neighbours children taken by the state and the parents jailed for non compliance. They’ve been going on about Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory but the people have become spineless cowards terrified they’re gonna die of a virus and have decided that nothing but the total destruction of liberty and freedom will do. They have no fucking right to sing Rule Britannia, these people aren’t the children of the heroes of the 2nd world war but cockroaches and vermin who’ll stand by and watch the state murder people like me. They’ll actually think i deserve it. Hell when they’re standing on the Gallows themselves they’ll still think it’s for the public good.
There is no hope whatsoever. This isn’t going away. We are all fucked like you won’t believe. They’re coming for everything. You’re cars, your gas, your meat, your words, your pensions, your kids, your savings, your travel,… Read more »
New video from Australia. 10 seconds. The last second is truly something.
https://twitter.com/oliviakingia/status/1302209911451979778?s=20
i’d watch but i’ll never click on a link to Twitter
just youtube australia lockdown protest …plenty of videos..
i’ve seen them. When the cops are arresting pregnant women for Facebook posts then we know we have the same tyrannical style government the poor Chinese plebs have to put up with
https://m.twitch.tv/videos/732064013
Video of the main speakers from Holyrood today. The first 15 mins of the day had sound issues, this video starts as those issues were being sorted. Skip to 2 mins in for the start of the speeches.
Professor Richard Ennos
Dr Malcolm Kendrick
Professor Delores Cahill
Chair/MC Councillor Paddy Hogg – he was excellent.
So I ordered a couple of “protest” masks from this vendor through Etsy. While I almost never go anywhere these days because of the mandate, I thought I should have a few on hand so at least I can register my disdain if I do put one on. He just sent this to his customers:
We were notified by Etsy that our listings had been deactivated. They told us:
“Etsy prohibits items or listings with misinformation that risks the health or safety of the public.”
Can you believe that?
Masks with messages that do not conform to the Official Narrative are classified as a risk to the public.
When I read that email from Etsy, I was pretty upset.
I mean, I was angry!
First, we’re all ordered to wear masks. Next, we’re being told which words we’re allowed to show on our masks. The noose is narrowing.
Yes. It makes the world feel a very claustrophobic place.
The mask literally makes me feel claustrophobic. So now it’s literal and figurative.
Freedom of expression has been under attack for the past few years, but after the last few months it’s in serious danger of vanishing completely.
Why not just take a blank mask and add your own words with a marker pen? Maybe something colourful about Boris or Matt? If you wear it inside out, the message will be clearer as it’ll be black on white? And don’t forget to poke a few holes in it so that you can breathe properly…
Mask nobheads #1
https://twitter.com/SamuelitoWang/status/1296449137966284805?s=20
Does anyone have an explanation for China?
The reported covid deaths and cases per head of population are among the lowest in the world.
Their population density is not especially low.
I’m not aware they have world-beating healthcare.
They have lots of densely populated cities, and high mobility of people.
The virus started there, with a high number of cases in a small area, and spread globally, but not apparently in China.
They either have a secret formula we’re not aware of, or they are lying about their covid cases, or simply not bothering to record them or look for them.
I would start with lying and go from there, when it come to China.
So no different to the U.K. then.
I’ve been asking the same question and am wondering when/if the MSM will ever ask this question. They’ve supposedly had fewer deaths than we have in Canada, which beggars belief. They’re partying it up in Wuhan with no distancing or masks and we’re still under virtual house arrest??? All I know is that they’re not registering asymptomatic “cases” like the rest of the world, but this doesn’t explain their crazy low death rate or how the virus didn’t leave tens of thousands dead in the other large cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Something fishy going on, and the stench probably didn’t come from a wet market…
Could it all be a scam……..
Been arguing all day with people claiming its a hoax. I don’t think the evidence supports that. At least not in entirety. But it has definitely been an opportunity that has not gone untaken…
I’ve been asking the same question and getting pelters for it.
The virus appears to have started in Wuhan with people dropping in the street and the imposition of the most draconian lockdown. But the rest of China had no lockdown. 6 months later and Wuhan is enjoying a fairly normal existence while things are still locked down in the west.
There was talk of this emanating from a lab and talk of bio-hazards. That would at least explain part of the UK govt response.
But why was Europe so badly affected and the far east relatively unscathed in comparison. Why Wuhan and not China? Where did the virus start and how did it propagate – and what happened to the talk of bio-hazard escapes?
Friends who are medical workers in Spain all believed back in April this was the result of a release of a bio hazard. That question now goes unanswered…
Strange.
The way they measure cases is probably a bit stricter i.e. part of it is probably that they’re reporting fewer asymptomatic positive PCR swabs as cases.
They’ve stopped testing asymptomatics
In my opinion the secret is that the virus is not that dangerous and without the harm, withdrawal of medical treatment and chaos in care homes as a result of lock down we would barely have noticed it ourselves. China never did a national lockdown and its likely the lockdown in Wuhan was largely theatre. The virus has already circulated through China and now the Chinese population has or is very close to heard immunity and because life continued largely as normal their death rate continued largely as normal.
No doubt if China tried hard enough it could come up with more positive PCR test results then most countries due to its size but why would any sane or even insane group of people waste time and resources in that way.
The CCP already has a tight enough grip on the people of China and they have no need to use the covid fear and panic on the people of china to control behaviour.
Have to wonder if they’re doing so well why mainstream media aren’t singing their praises on how well they’ve handled it all. In fact I can’t actually think of anybody who’s said it.
Ironically it seems to me that China has taken the Nelson approach, put the wrong end of the telescope up to your dodgy eye proclaim you see no virus and carry on regardless. The UK mass testing programme is like looking for grains of sand on the beach and then proclaiming a national panic every time you find one.
If tomorrow the UK gave up mass testing, masks, lockdowns etc. and just had a programme of protecting the vulnerable; would that work OK? could we then just carry on regardless?
As to the way this whole thing started in China it is undoubtedly both literally and metaphorically fishy.
Imagine wearing this on public transport or inside a shop or bank:
https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2018/09/hieronymus-bosch-costume/?fbclid=IwAR3FjlFtnb3XIfhZUNa5Zyzj_zB_VRJxgezGlP2zPR99wBTm1gD_P5JUBUU
It is technically a face covering so surely they won’t object.
Bank robberies might increase. That’s why they need track and trace apps. Can only see the whites of our eyes now, no more facial recognition.
Yep, its Fopp – used to shop there quite a bit when I lived in Edinburgh.
“Australian Govt’s OWN WEBSITE admits Covid tests are totally unreliable
Therapeutic Goods Administration, a government office, claims there is “little evidence” to assess “clinical utility” of PCR or blood tests”
https://off-guardian.org/2020/09/05/australian-govts-own-website-admits-covid-tests-are-totally-unreliable/
I think we should all be focusing on this single issue. It unmasks (hehe) this whole nonsense. They are building an authoritarian infrastructure on sand with these tests. And it is not hard for lay people like myself to understand.
Over the past week it is the single issue I have been brining up with people. Its always been there as a criticism but now it’s hitting the mainstream. It’s a cornerstone.
Great reply from your staff. I had a similar question when I was offering a visitor an audio guide and I replied “yeah, I can’t see any dust.”
Well folks its been a while since I posted on here. Everything got a bit much for me so decided to take a break from internet/news and its done me the world of good.
My son has been back to school for three weeks and his improvement in mental health has been amazing. They have to sanitise going in and after playtime etc, but after finding out he couldnt get drunk through the alcohol on his hands him and his mates dont bother. He told me that the teacher doesn’t shout at them for not doing it either. Have to say i am loving his new p7 teacher. My son had a sore throat thursday morning. He wasnt wanting to go to school but my husband kicked him out the door as he had a busy day at work. I was already at work. Anyways he said to the teacher about his sore throat. She told him he’ll be fine and remember to drink lots!!! Im not usually one for giving Xmas presents to teachers for just doing their jobs but if she carries on like this I think I might have to reward her with something.
I’m enjoying being… Read more »
Great report!
I really do think that most people, apart from the hopeless zombies, are aching to get back to the real normal. Keep pushing for it, folks!
A lovely post. Well done.
Many thanks for sharing your encounters over the past few weeks. That teacher deserves a gong for doing her job and using common sense.
I think you’re right about people being scared about their own jobs now. Furlough will be ending next month and the continuing insanity of antisocial distancing and masks will accelerate the demise of many more shops and even visitor attractions.
And TPTB looks like are running scared, hence why they’re ramping up the fear porn. They should do well to remember and heed this warning (apologies to the Book of Daniel):
MENE, MENE – Their days are numbered
TEKEL – They have been weighed on the balances and are found wanting
(U)PARSIN – The Kingdom will be divided by rioting and unrest
Glad you’re feeling more positive but the tide is hardly turning if no-one is standing up to Sturgeon yet.
I hope you give that Saturday staffer a bonus!
Greetings Fellow Sceptics!!!
As Mr Bart and I are continuing our boycott of anything indoor (window shopping, visiting museums and heritage sites), today we did a long walk from King’s Cross to Kensington Park (via Regent’s Canal). A few observations:
no antisocial distancing whatsoever a few people muzzled outdoors hilarious seeing muzzles flapping along people’s hands or the side of their face. The men particularly look like they’re carrying a doll’s handbag farce of people putting on their muzzles whilst going into say a cafe then on the way out remove said muzzle and shove it into their pocket or bag had lunch at a Weatherspoon’s pub and got asked for our details. We said no and that was about it, no further questions asked, no hassle no antisocial distancing and muzzles on floating restaurants and boat tours along canal Walked past a riverboat cafe on Little Venice with a sign that said “Face masks required inside” Surprise, surprise; the cafe was empty Paddington Station a virtual ghost town – was able to take photos of architecture and war memorial without any problems at all We think that what we’re seeing here is some half hearted compliance with the guidelines… Read more »
Forgot to add:
Can’t they see it, the cretins?
Masks= no clients.
End of.
Unfortunately they are cretins so can’t see it.
Even dropping an anvil over their heads won’t help.
What worries me is if the Mengele Brigade realize this and ramp it up with another appearance of the Scary Fairy.
Good point. They see people enjoying themselves and hence why we’re getting the usual scare stories.
Coach party from Lockdown Sceptics?
But obviously you won’t have a large enough space!! Any town squares or parks nearby!
Like the sound of your Saturday staff BTW.
Please keep me a seat!
Good news on the mask front. Its not being enforced.
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/uk/police-face-mask-fines-coronavirus/
No surprise that LBC aren’t reporting it as “good” news! What’s the general tone of the comments? (can’t bear to look myself, don’t want to get depressed by hordes of zealots this late in the day)
No comments as of now, 20:30.
Zombies struck dumb with horror?
The Red Guards are back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olXipfCKUoo
I’ve got a headache today. I’d better stay in until the 19th September. I don’t want to be responsible for inadvertently killing people in Tesco.
Hey, stay cool. I saved more than seven billion people’s lives today by not going within six feet of them.
Don’t worry the shit they sell in shops pretending to be food is killing enough people already
Just saw this twitter link posted in a comment on off guardian…not too sure what to make of it?
https://twitter.com/Philly852/status/1302117331372515328?s=20
Alison McDowell
@Philly852
So about those Covid-19 test kit exports from 2017? Hmmm….what did big pharma Switzerland (also UN, global finance, and blockchain crypto-valley) know 2-3 years ago? What? Did the World Bank think no one would look? https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/ALL/year/2017/tradeflow/Exports/partner/WLD/nomen/h5/product/300215
The product code, 300215, is described as “Immunological products, put up in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail sale” in various databases. Maybe the items have recently been renamed in the WITS listing and elsewhere? I can’t think of any other rational explanation.
I’m highly dubious about this. I’m waiting to see some considered opinion as I don’t know enough about this particular system to come to a conclusion.
Just saw this posted in a comment on off guardian…not sure what to make of it…?
Alison McDowell
@Philly852
·
12h
So about those Covid-19 test kit exports from 2017? Hmmm….what did big pharma Switzerland (also UN, global finance, and blockchain crypto-valley) know 2-3 years ago? What? Did the World Bank think no one would look? https://wits.worldbank.org/trade/comtrade/en/country/ALL/year/2017/tradeflow/Exports/partner/WLD/nomen/h5/product/300215
I remember Fopp when it was in Cockburn street. used to go over every monday and buy records. Avalanche too.
Did you spot this one?
https://twitter.com/PippaTaLula/status/1301956792931450881
Police being questioned why Corbyn is arrested for protesting against masks while organisers of other protests are ignored.
Brilliant – well done that girl. Love her closing comment!