28 November Does our concern for covid-19 and its effects on society amount to an obsession? Just because we are sick and tired of it does not mean that we can just ignore it mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry, travel Our writings on this subject have been interpreted as being obsessive. Is that really the case?
12 November Scientists not entirely agreed about how long pandemic will last and hospitality businesses in jeopardy Prosperity for hospitality is going to be dependent on the way the pandemic moves forward mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, insolvency, masonry A new report has come up with figures showing that the hospitality industry is still in dire straits with its revenue down 45% on the comparable period to the end of quarter 3 in 2019.
11 November Time to stop running around like headless chickens and communicate! If we work together we can look after each other and protect each other from covid mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, community, masonry Society is in a bit of a muddle, to put it mildly, over what to do about covid-19. What is needed is for people to take a step back and think about it logically.
25 October Divisions over covid gradually increase This surely is a time for tolerance to allow everyone to feel safe mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, local pub, masonry As has been said many times, the covid pandemic is the most serious crisis since the second world war and normally in times of difficulty people tend to pull together.
23 October Christmas now thought to be at risk - say experts Experts are now advising people to take their own defensive actions against catching covid mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry The call from experts to the government to do something gets louder and this is now coupled with the risk of a lockdown Christmas.
18 October Lateral flow tests much more reliable than previously thought, a new study says This is really good news for people who want to see society remaining safe mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry The new study which says lateral flow tests are more reliable than previously thought appears to bring very good news!
17 October Covid new cases now exceeding 300000 in seven days Probably time to start getting concerned about where the graph is going to level off mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry Just a short news item today – to report that the seven day rolling total of new cases in the UK has now exceeded 300000, and stands at 300081.
12 October Dr David Nabarro says we left things too late with covid Leaving things too late always causes complications and makes things worse mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry It’s always nice to see Dr Nabarro interviewed on television and he has almost become a household name during the pandemic.
9 October UK is now covid’s Europe hotspot. Why is that? No wonder travel restrictions are being lifted – the risk is beginning to look like going the other way! mediation, hospitality, holidays, Covid-19, masonry, travel When you look at the Johns Hopkins table of cases and deaths, it is quite shocking to see that the UK is practically at the top of the list, number 4 in fact in terms of official case numbers.
8 October Getting used to covid? Now remember flu! The double whammy you want to avoid It is as important to be vaccinated against flu as it is covid say the government mediation, hotels, Covid-19, masonry Covid has brought a considerable number of challenges to society over the past twenty one months. Now here comes another – flu will be back.
6 October Let’s face it – are covid deaths just “a statistic” to you? They are just numbers Does it matter if your friends and family get covid? mediation, Covid-19, masonry As we know, the vast majority of people who catch covid-19 survive the experience; it may not be nice but the virus usually goes away.
19 September SAGE professor not happy with relaxation of holiday rules! Time for organisations to adopt their own safety measures! The important measure is protect yourselves even when things look stable; don’t leave it too late! mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry It’s always the way – you cannot please all of the people all of the time and the relaxation of travel regulations seems to fit the bill in that respect.
12 September Government change of mind about covid passports happens over breakfast The workings of the government in England are really hard to understand at times mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry Wondrous are the workings of government. The health secretary said one thing in an interview with Sky and then changed his mind when appearing on the BBC a little while later!
6 September Covid passports not popular with music industry If cases go on rising like this it is likely that event restrictions will become quite severe mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, masonry The government minister for vaccinations Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed that vaccine certificates will be required for entry into nightclubs and other mass indoor venues from the end of September.
5 September Daily new cases – statistics continue to play with our minds Covid passports coming up! mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, masonry Today’s figure is a fraction less than yesterday’s – we have 37011.
30 August France requirements for vaccinations now increased from 30th August France has adopted a very different approach to the UK; covid passes are an essential document if you want to go places mediation, holidays, Covid-19, masonry, travel, France France tightens its grip on areas of activity in the country where vaccinations are compulsory.
21 August Not everyone is as well off as the British as certain covid sufferers are denied ICU treatment in Guadeloupe! Widely differing opinions of the safety of the people are beginning to emerge in the UK now mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry, travel So really how bad is coronavirus in the UK? Could it be worse?
20 August Now that the covid restrictions have been lifted, is it safe to go and mix with people again? What about meetings? Personal responsibility – that’s what we have been given to keep ourselves safe. Use it wisely! mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry When the government lifted the covid restrictions, it seems that the majority of people thought that this meant that it was safe to go out and resume normal life.
19 August Sibelius – freemason and one of the most masterful composers who ever lived Masonry has had many composers but Sibelius has something unique mediation, masonry, arts Jean Sibelius was Finnish and was born in 1865 and lived a long life, dying in 1957. For some of us he was contemporary!
18 August Long covid – do you know how serious this can be? It is important that you understand the risks involved in getting long covid mediation, hospitality, aviation, Covid-19, masonry s the days go by we begin to learn more about long covid.
17 August Is it time to start thinking about reverse lockdown? Perhaps the new normal in the short term is the stay–at-home society mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, insolvency, masonry Has the British government lost its grip over the handling of covid-19 such that it has decided to allow a free-for-all and we just “hope for the best”?
16 August Another week – another rise in new cases The trend is upwards at the moment, subtle but discernible mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, community, masonry Normally after the weekend the record of new cases is lower, reflecting the fact that apparently not all cases get into the system as quickly.
15 August Does our caring society still exist or has personal selfishness simply taken over? The “I’m all right Jack” approach isn’t going to save granny and grandpa mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry The government’s grand scheme of attempting to bribe young people to have their covid vaccinations with taxi rides and take away meals is not proving quite the success they would like.
14 August ONS surmises that peak of covid cases is past Government website really is excellent in terms of giving you the statistical information you need mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, masonry ONS data is usually somewhat in arrears. This is probably because they prefer to wait for a stream of data rather than just jump on the first information available.
11 August Have you been vaccinated against covid? Do you think you are safe? Better check this out You really do not want to get long covid; it might kill you mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, masonry Putting aside the anti-vaxxers and the others who have not yet had jabs, amounting to 25% of the adult population still, you could feel the relief as people gradually got their vaccinations.
8 August Covid really playing with our minds now We are not really any wiser as to which way the pandemic is going at the moment. Weird! mediation, hospitality, holidays, Covid-19, masonry, travel A couple of weeks ago smiling tv reporters were telling us that the toll of new cases of covid-19 had dropped “off the edge of a cliff”.
27 July New cases dropping. Are they really? Now is the time to be careful and watch your back. Some uncertainty as to the meaning of the current figures mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry Don’t hold your breath but new cases are down again. It does look like this is a sustained drop.
26 July New cases dropping? Is it all beginning to end? Are buffet meals really safe? Let’s hope everyone’s relief is not a flash in the pan mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry The past week has seen a consistent drop in new cases in the UK, indeed a 15% drop over the previous seven days.
20 July Why are people afraid of needing to use covid passes to get into venues? What happened to the freedom to live? mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, masonry The Prime Minister, always one for the dramatic, certainly let out a new piece of strategy yesterday which seems to have shocked the country, or at least part of it.
19 July Freedom Day in England? For some a dramatic release and others just another day We enter the new normal with some degree of uncertainty and trepidation. A couple of weeks will no doubt tell us whether it turns out as predicted mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry, travel We have gone through a lot in the past sixteen months with all the shutdowns, lockdowns, restrictions, mask wearing, social distancing etc. We all know what we have had to put up with.
14 July Utter confusion over the way forward – government steadfast. Why? Brace yourselves. What do you put your chances at avoiding covid-19 now if you live in England? mediation, hospitality, holidays, Covid-19, masonry, travel The attitudes of different people across England and indeed the UK are beginning to get frenetic.
13 July England dropping restrictions – how must others feel? Has this really been properly thought about? Government advice is that covid passes should be required for “large events”. What is a large event? Surely any event which pushes people together tightly is going to be risky? mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, masonry, travel Is the decision of the British government to relax restrictions a selfish act which has little regard for the needs of others or does it herald the way for the rest of the world?
12 July It’s official – restrictions to be relaxed from 19th July It would be nice to be able to go and out believe you are safe but your safety will shortly be your own responsibility. No good relying on government any more mediation, hospitality, holidays, Covid-19, masonry, travel At the point of writing the precise relaxations are not yet known but we expect to hear from the Prime Minister shortly following the announcement from the Health Secretary in Parliament. By the time you read this probably the announcements will have been made.
11 July Lies, damned lies and statistics. Take note! Experts tend to speak the truth but we don’t always get to hear them. Some hard hitting facts today though mediation, Covid-19, community, masonry As the full expression goes – “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.”
10 July Reminiscences – what have we learned with 400 blogs? It is still a covid world but a changing one Where are we all now 16 months later? And the rollercoaster hasn’t ended its ride yet mediation, hospitality, holidays, Covid-19, insolvency, accountancy advice, masonry It’s a “home day” today – a day when I wonder what I have achieved with the 400 blogs I have now completed. You can read them all and see for yourself!
7 July We are still facing a pandemic but perhaps not one which kills everyone It is probably impossible to predict the nation’s state of health over the next 12 months in relation to covid issues mediation, hospitality, hotels, holidays, Covid-19, local pub, community, masonry There is no doubt that when coronavirus became a reality everyone became dead scared. And they were right to.
6 July Masks? Big questions looming as we face relaxation of legal restrictions Mask or no mask? What was previously a simple matter suddenly will become a very complex one with potentially far-reaching results mediation, hospitality, hotels, aviation, holidays, Covid-19, local pub, masonry There was a time when no one was very keen on masks; now everyone is worried about whether lifting restrictions is coming too soon. How fickle we are!
4 July Will you ditch your mask or keep using it? They say everything will go back to normal but that may be something of a stretch mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, local pub, masonry As the days pass, the likelihood of social-distancing restrictions being lifted appears to increase.
2 July Covid-19 is here to stay. Time to start planning your future Looks like the government will shortly be washing its hands of keeping you safe mediation, hospitality, hotels, holidays, Covid-19, local pub, masonry, travel The government has made it clear that their concern all along has been to “protect the NHS” and in their eyes this objective has now been achieved.
16 June Compulsory vaccinations are here – they were bound to come sooner or later To ensure your future freedom, double vax is absolutely essential mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, masonry, travel The big question will be is this government policy the tip of the iceberg or is this going to be the full extent of the requirement?
14 June Sorry for hospitality but basically a sigh of relief Breaks put on lifting of restrictions. This will please many mediation, hospitality, Covid-19, masonry So the PM has pronounced but we all knew what was coming because of the controlled leaks over the weekend.
9 June Covid is turning our world upsidedown. Do we know where we are Just because we may do it does not mean that it is going to be safe. Full risk assessment of getting gack together is essential mediation, hospitality, hotels, holidays, Covid-19, local pub, community, masonry, travel There are now so many different rules and regulations in relation to coronavirus and differing levels of information that people are beginning to lose track, that is if they have not already done so.
8 June Those who refuse to be vaccinated – should we be sympathetic or not? Sympathy is running out for anti-vaxxers mediation, hospitality, hotels, holidays, Covid-19, local pub, masonry, travel The question has been raging on now for months as to whether there should be a UK vaccination passport or certificate and it is very clear that there is mixed feeling over this.
27 May Update on covid passport Gradually the position over covid passports is changing – you are going to need them mediation, hospitality, hotels, holidays, Covid-19, local pub, masonry, travel Do you remember the covid passport? This was the document which was never going to be introduced according to government thinking at the time.
18 May Brilliant! Covid passport now available on line The best way of showing we are likely to be clear of covid-19 is to show our covid vaccination certificate – now available mediation, hospitality, hotels, holidays, Covid-19, local pub, masonry, travel What a bit of luck people are allowed to change their minds! From saying some months ago that the government had no intention of providing any form of covid passport, now they have.
17 April God bless Prince Philip in his travels to that Grander Place Above Good bye to a true British gentleman mediation, community, masonry Today is a day both of mourning and celebration
16 April Poll finds hospitality industry expects covid passports to be introduced. What really are the issues? What is “covid safe”? Is there a percentage which you can put on “safety” and how will the high risk members of society decide to handle it? mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, masonry It is perhaps something of a surprise but a new poll finds that hospitality businesses are anticipating that vaccination passports will be required for pubs and restaurants once they have fully opened up.
6 March Queen’s planes to be sold off – what is reasonable to keep for a modern day head of state? It is important to keep things in realistic proportion. Times are a’changin’ mediation, aviation, community, masonry, travel Going back centuries, the country’s wealth was more or less all held by the Crown and the aristocracy. The ordinary people by and large had nothing.
23 February Vaccination passports – now the Prime Minster says they are under consideration. What groups of people may be pressing for these? People are going to want to feel safe before their confidence in returning to normal life is going to be regained mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, masonry Now that the Prime Minister has outlined the road map out of covid-19 restrictions, the debate has again turned to the issue of vaccination passports which we have mentioned a number of times now.
15 February Vaccination passport – this is as inevitable as the day is long! It will be essential for people in many different areas of life to be able to prove that they have been vaccinated mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, community, masonry, travel The question of a vaccination passport is hotting up and the Health Secretary Matt Hancock has admitted on television that the matter is being discussed with other countries which are likely to require such a passport to allow people to go there.
4 February Can employers insist that their employees are vaccinated against Covid-19 or indeed their customers? It will definitely become “those who have and those who haven’t”. And it will become as divisive as everything else during this pandemic mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, accountancy advice, masonry, travel The question as to whether any party has a right to insist that any other party must be vaccinated has been raised before and as yet there are no definitive answers – indeed there are various possibilities.
25 December It’s Christmas – time of good cheer - hopefully! For each of us perhaps Christmas means something different but in the UK it is important. mediation, Covid-19, community, masonry, arts I remember many years ago in the nineties when I was in the USA doing my flight training, it was November and one day I went into a big shopping mall – I think it was in Memphis. Everywhere hanging from the ceiling were great big posters with the words “Christmas is all about giving”.
15 December Why an immunity certificate will be essential for clubs and societies as well as the hospitality industry In order to be reintegrated we shall all need to prove we have taken the necessary steps to protect ourselves and those around us mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, community, masonry It does appear that we are approaching a crisis point with regard to coronavirus cases. After having another complete lockdown, it does appear as if that did not do the trick beyond a certain levelling off of cases but now it is over, it looks like the transmission of Covid-19 has gone into overdrive
6 September Grand Lodge 140th anniversary commemorated by postage stamp issue showing the wrong man! It cannot be denied that there is a humorous side to this; good job it was not a much more serious issue mediation, community, masonry, arts This is an account of one of those great errors that sometimes creep into life. The Grand Lodge of Romania celebrates its 140th anniversary on 8th September so the country decided to issue a set of commemorative stamps.
27 August Is confidence to go out returning or not? Fraternal societies do not think so. Are we becoming a “stay at home” society? It looks like the majority are more comfortable staying put mediation, hospitality, hotels, local pub, community, masonry Having reported yesterday that the eat out to help out scheme has been a great success, the truth is that there is still a great deal of concern in society over the level of Covid-19 and the risks associated with it.
16 July Even how we say our final goodbyes has been changed by Covid-19 Our lives change in ways we would not normally have envisaged mediation, Covid-19, community, masonry I am not sure what inspired me to start writing daily news blogs just after the lockdown had started. I suppose it was because I saw that the changes in our lives were going to be so startling that people needed to take stock and think about them, especially as the populace seemed to be rushing around like headless chickens with no very specific aim in mind
12 June Fraternal societies and other “talk groups” – how are they affected by the pandemic? A short look at a huge group which has had little or no mention so far. mediation, hospitality, hotels, Covid-19, local pub, community, masonry We have talked a great deal about damage to business, the economy, charities, the arts, the church and many others. But there is a sector of our society about which little has been said and which deserves a mention. Fraternal societies and groups such as Round Table,
17 May I was taught to be cautious but is it time to throw caution to the wind? With views continuing to polarise do we need again to look at the world wide statistics? mediation, hotels, Covid-19, masonry I have talked about the world wide statistics on the covid-19 figures several times now but as the news diverges, it seems to me that perhaps the figures are pretty much valueless. What is more is that people are beginning to hot up the blame game.