24th April 2020 - Why don't we trust our Media?, Poems and Port

Thought for the day :"Without a doubt, the best Robin Williams role is Mrs. Fire."

LINK JOHNS HOPKINS
Office of National Statistics

Was a little late to bed last night.

I have a tendency to watch the midnight news on Sky and "the papers" though I haven't read a paper in many years with the possible exception of a freebie on the train or aeroplane. Lately I have flicked over onto CNN - the only US channel that we have available here and have been getting to know the main broadcasters for that time of night - which often coincides with the daily briefing from the White House. I see some differences in the broadcasting style - Interviewer will normally make a very long statement outlining everything that the interviewee is likely to say, while the interviewee waits patiently for the questioner to stop.. then the interviewee will thank him/her for allowing them onto the programme and confirm what was asked. And the interviewer will let them finish until the end! Even if it is quite a long statement!

Interesting questions like "Trump today has suggested injecting disinfectant to kill the virus" is not treated with hilarity or horror - but is discussed by the official "health advisor" as "the sort of thing that a patient may ask a doctor" and refuses to criticise the President for foolish and stupid statements. "Perhaps Ultra Violet light can be shone inside the body - you can look at that as a possibility". After a full interview it is left to the interviewer - in this case Anderson, to suggest that this is something that people should not be doing at home...
The news style is very gentle - and appears to be trying to be "informative" - talking with clearly either stupid people or those who are too scared of losing their position in government to talk candidly..... Let us watch Dr Birx - His medical advisor as he suggests some of his ideas...

As a result a glass or two of Port seemed the best thing to quell the exasperation and it was well after 2.30am when I got to bed last night  - so was a little slow on the rising this morning.

I learned a new word today - Ultracrepidarian.
Definition: one who is presumptuous and offers advice or opinions beyond one's sphere of knowledge. The meaning of this word comes from a story in antiquity, in which the famed Greek painter Apelles one day heard a cobbler criticizing the way he had rendered a foot in a painting.
(It is a verb and a noun...)

I woke to some suggestions regarding Trumps ideas...

In other slightly interesting information I saw a little snippet that pointed out that the Trump millions originally were the result of Life Insurance payment after the 1918 Flu pandemic...

Still, the style of press and media coverage across all channels does little to impress me. The coverage over Brexit (remember that?) and the need for 24 hour news led to the drivel that appeared where everyone piece of information was repeated and analysed - the Vox Pox (happily now they cannot walk down the street of Brummigan to ask what the "people" think) and this has now set the standard. We had months of daily "BREXIT CRISIS" and so the media now starts everything with "Virus Crisis" and finds new things to worry people about under the guise of "investigative journalism" and holding the Government, NHS, Local Authority, or Public to account, and throwing the worst possible view on any possible future. Don't get me wrong.. I do not suggest that we shoudl be doing a Trump "It will all go away" - but incessant criticism can only lead to depression.

I am not surprised by the poll from Sky

How our mighty media have fallen..
So more fool me for staying up late...  Must be pressure from the Shut Down !

In other news..

Pam Ayres? She's 73 and still going strong. This is her latest ode to coronavirus...

I'm normally a social girl
I love to meet my mates
But lately with the virus here
We can't go out the gates.

You see, we are the 'oldies' now
We need to stay inside
If they haven't seen us for a while
They'll think we've upped and died.

They'll never know the things we did
Before we got this old
There wasn't any Facebook
So not everything was told.

We may seem sweet old ladies
Who would never be uncouth
But we grew up in the 60s -
If you only knew the truth!

There was sex and drugs and rock 'n roll
The pill and miniskirts
We smoked, we drank, we partied
And were quite outrageous flirts.

Then we settled down, got married
And turned into someone's mum,
Somebody's wife, then nana,
Who on earth did we become?

We didn't mind the change of pace
Because our lives were full
But to bury us before we're dead
Is like a red rag to a bull!

So here you find me stuck inside
For four weeks, maybe more
I finally found myself again
Then I had to close the door!

It didn’t really bother me
I'd while away the hour
I'd bake for all the family
But I've got no flaming flour!

Now Netflix is just wonderful
I like a gutsy thriller
I'm swooning over Idris
Or some random sexy killer.

At least I've got a stash of booze
For when I'm being idle
There's wine and whiskey, even gin
If I'm feeling suicidal!

So let's all drink to lockdown
To recovery and health
And hope this awful virus
Doesn't decimate our wealth.

We'll all get through the crisis
And be back to join our mates
Just hoping I'm not far too wide
To fit through the flaming gates!

And so - another day in the Tavern Studio...

No 10 : An old favourite - Fiddler's Green - the fabled "heaven for Sailors"

Best get on and think about the history of Pembroke Consistory of the Scarlet Cord.

Cheers !