Happier Corona Pop Times

In the heady happy times of early retirement way back in 2010, I blogged about a fond childhood memory of Corona Pop.     Little did I know how that name would come to be remembered in future years with much more sinister   connotations.       Dashing the childhood recollections of older people everywhere.    (You can see my earlier blog by clicking on the Archive for November 2010)

Was it a strange premonition or an unhappy coincidence ?

The pandemic has certainly demolished a cherished brand name.     If you Google corona now you get Corona virus, Corona cases, Corona deaths, Corona lockdown and Corona vaccine.   Whatever happened to cherryade, lemonade, orangeade, limeade and best of all dandelion and burdock ?

In my childhood days growing up in South Wales, every child looked forward to the sound of the rattle of bottles on the pop lorry each week.     Reward for good behaviour  and doing your homework.      You even got to keep thrupence on the return of every empty bottle.

Back in the 1930’s they sold 170 million bottles a year.     The Corona  Company was started in a little town at the bottom of the Rhondda Valley  by Mr. Evans and Mr. Thomas.    Originally delivered door to door on horse drawn carts then later on lorries with a uniformed man with a peaked cap.

The children of tomorrow may never know the innocent joys of all those bubbly flavours.

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Rugby Shields 🏉🏉🏉🏉🏉🏉

Following on from my series of blogs on Rugby in the era of Coronapop, it is now obvious that this season is over.     So I have been thinking about how we can start the next season without the silly rules that have been dreamt up by the RFU “old farts”.

We have been through the SOCIAL ISOLATION stage when all the players stayed at home and were paid for doing nothing.     That must have been extremely difficult for them.       Now they are in the SOCIAL DISTANCING phase where they can start training for the re-opening of the game.    Passing the ball might be a problem with all those germs, but they should be OK if they wear gloves.

The critical problem is starting a contact sport without having any contact.    Up until now the “old farts”  have not been able to figure this out.    Prime Minister Bodj, sparked an idea for a great strategy for rugby using his classical education.     It is based on SHIELDING as deployed by the Romans.

The players will have PPE similar to that worn by gladiators.    Helmets, Brest plates, shoulder pads and …… sandals?    Sadly, or gladly, there will be no weapons, even for the Saracens players.       But, in Bodj’s words, the game-changer will be the the use of shields by all the forwards.    The shields will allow  lots of pushing and shoving without any personal contact.

The referee and the linesmen will will be encased inside plastic bubbles, which might limit their movement around around the pitch.   If there is a wind, they may get blown about a bit, but that should add to the fun.   Especially if  all three officials end up down one end of the pitch and the play is at the other end🤡      The other slight problem  is that the players won’t be able to hear the whistle when the ref  is in his bubble🤡     The “old farts” are still thinking about that !

BREAKING NEWS.       Before I could finish this blog Prime Minister Bodj decided the game could restart in August.
That will mean the 9 games left in the 2019/2020 season can be completed in August and September, with the Premiership finals played in October.    The “old farts” are delighted by this news, because the 2019/2020 season will overlap with the start of the 2020/2021 season.    The extra dosh will come in very handy, although the players may have to play two, three, or four games a week for a few months, if you include the Autumn Internationals and the remaining European games.

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What the “K” ?

The Coronapop storyline is getting more and more tangled in a whirlwind of doctored communication.     Or perhaps I should say “doktored kommunikation”.

Because in my post last week  I said that the Government was moving it’s strategy to give greater konsideraction to the “K”.   Unfortunately they failed to explain what the K was all about.

The term comes from a scientific paper, so you may think the answer is elementary.  K  is the periodic table symbol for POTASSIUM.  Obviously that makes sense ?   But before you rush out to buy vitamin K, think again.    That is not the magik Kure.

I did read something about koagulating blood and klotting, but it’s not about that either.  That’s a Kell factor I think, but let’s not get konfused.

Kissing is definitely a no no, surely it can’t be that.   Although they did have rapid spread in France and they do a lot of kissing there.

It is related to the variation in infected peoples kontacts and the klusters they go to.   People with a low K are the super spreaders.

I hope that’s kleared up the konfusion about K.

P.S.  —— It is not why they are killing all the mink in Holland, that is more to do with the R.

Keep washing your hands in the sink.     Stay off the drink.    Stay alert and think.

And whatever you do, don’t get on a Publick transport double deckker without a mask.

OK

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Triple lock out

This is a continuation of the Coronapop triplelock story.      Bodj’s first lock down was supposed to last for 3 weeks and then another three weeks, with no remission for good behaviour.        Most people followed the rules  and the sombrero was squashed by about 30,000 people who died, …. or perhaps it was nearer 60,000 people …. “the scientists” couldn’t really agree on the number.
Now we had all flattened the hat, Bodj said we could all be let out on parole, providing we stuck to some new rules.     The rules were very clear providing we all STAY ALERT and don’t move from country because the rules are different in each  country because of the R.

Oh and by the way people over 70 were vulnerable so they have to stay locked in.   Maybe forever !    If you are under 60 you can gather again but only outside and not inside,    And only in groups of 6 or eight or 10.     TWO metres apart although Bodj is looking at that.
It’s good of Bodj to clear that up, because if we don’t stick to the new rules the could go up and we want it to go down.    It seems there is still some sombrero flattening to do.
If the R goes up there could be a second wave —— not to be confused with a second clap.     Clapping is good for the NHS second waves are not.    If the second wave comes Bodj might have to declare another lock in, or lockdown,  or lock  up …..or maybe all of them.

Now they are starting to stop worrying about the R, so they are letting everybody out.     But, in future we must keep an eye on the K.      Of course they forgot to mention what the K is all all about.       And if the K  gets to be too big, or maybe too small, we are all going to be locked up again.      It was bad enough when we just had to grasp the daily numbers, now we have a Coronapop alphabet to learn👿

And we haven’t yet talked about TEST, TRACK AND TRACE 🤡

and wash your🧤🧤.

And Stay Alert.    And  Protect the NHS.   And Stay Home. —— oops no, don’t stay home , that was yesterday.

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Coronapop Koan

Over the grey green grass,

Roll the gathering clouds.

It only takes a single flower,

To lighten even the darkest hour.

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Coronapop Strategy

Coronapop has got us all in a pickle.   Nobody more so than our once bold Prime Minister Bodj.        In January he was riding the crest of a Brexit wave.     He had liberated us from Europe —- well almost.      A dream start to his premiership.    Then along came Coronapop to turn his dream into  a NIGHTMARE 👿

He has been Bodjing it ever since.    A phoney war to begin with, nothing much happened and he popped of on holiday.      Even  when he came back, the problem seemed far away in China and a bit closer to home in Italy, but Bodj didn’t panic.   We had race meetings, football matches and Steriophonics concerts to go to.
It’s OK to go outside in large groups, so “the science” told us.   OOPS!

Things were starting to hot up a bit when rugby matches had to be cancelled.   Then all these “scientists” started to appear.    Professors of this, that and the other.   Obviously people to follow,  except they often had conflicting opinions on which direction to go.      The data was changing by the day.    That dammed Coronapop just wouldn’t  keep still.   So Bodj took pot  shots at any thing that moved.     He was trying to “flatten the peak”.     Or was Bodj “squashing the sombrero”, which he must have brought back from his holiday.

It is all hard to do without the right PPE.    But most of us hadn’t a clue about Portly People Effigies, or Ping Pong Elephants, or Practically Perfect Exercise, or any other PPE’s.     So we all went out and bought toilet rolls instead.     Then Bodj told us to “Wash your hands” several times a day or more, ——- so we bought soap.

By now we were a bit more confused.     So to stop us all running around like headless, infectious chickens Bodj declared we should “Stay at home”.    Rather like detention at school, we had to write down one hundred times —- “I must stop buying toilet rolls”.

The next thing we know.   We are all “locked down”.    Apparently because “the scientists” now say we shouldn’t be gathering in groups, in fact we shouldn’t be gathering at all.    And even if we did gather,  we should be 2 metres apart, which is more of a   g —- a —- t —- h —- e —- r.

So now we are we are hunkered down in our bunkers, eagerly awaiting Bodj’s daily broadcast on whether  we should be locked down or gathering.   Except Bodj himself  can’t do the broadcasts, because he has Coronapop and has to stay locked down in Number 10.    He had been clearly doing too much gathering.    Shortly after had had to go into hospital.     Probably because he had also been doing too much dithering.

Not to worry, there are plenty of Cabinet Ministers who are more than happy to play Prime Minister of the day and be onTV pretending they’re know what they are talking about.     They can always bring along “the scientists “ to explain any numbers greater than 1.

Our esteemed leaders tell us they have had CLEAR strategies all along.    I agree.

  • Bodj started with the “ head in the sand strategy”.
  • Then he moved on to “ a knee jerk reaction strategy”.
  • When that didn’t work he tried “ the rabbit in the headlights strategy “.
  • When the lockdown came it was time for the “kick it down the road strategy”.

As Prime Minister Bodj says “ You can’t say we haven’t had a strategy “

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Coronapop Rugby 🏉🏉🏉🏉🏉

The Committees of the Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and now World Rugby  have all got themselves in a complete tissy,  trying to react to Coronapop.    For the last few weeks they have continued their delusion that rugby can start up again by the beginning of July.     That way they think they can complete the 2019/20  season as if nothing had ever happened.

They are in a rarefied world of their own.    It is all about the money they can secure from selling TV rights and sponsorship.    Club seasons are interrupted by International matches that attract more revenue.    Central contracts rob club sides of their best players for half the season.      They have long forgotten the fans or that they themselves used to be rugby players☹️

Now it is obvious,  even to the thickest prop forward, that Rugby is a contact sport,  the “ old farts “ are working on how to maintain social distancing during the game.    Here are some of their very best ideas:-

  • Reduce the number of players from 15 to 13.   A bit like Rugby League.
  • Don’t contest line-outs, just restart the game.     A bit like Rugby League.
  • Scrap scrums, award a free kick instead.     A bit like Rugby League.
  • Forbid mauls, have another free kick.     A bit like Rugby League.

It took a lot of brains to work this out.    Prop forward brains 🤡

Guess who the two players no longer required will be ?

🏉The new game will be called “Rugby League”🏉

P.S.     By the way the fans won’t be able to watch the games live, but they will be able to watch it on “pay” TV channels.

P.P.S.    I doubt this means they will refund our season tickets !

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Coronapop News Storm

Once upon a time we were all obsessed with the weather.    Waking up each day to find the forecast in the news, on the hour every hour.    It didn’t really matter if it was accurate, in fact it frequently wasn’t, but still we tuned in to see what we should wear.    “Wrap up warm” ….. or “take an umbrella” ….. or “no need for a coat today“.

Now Coronapop has us all captivated in a totally different way every day👿

We all have to learn a new language first.   Take a degree in virology and epidemiology.   Be guided by the SCIENCE.

Then you may have the faintest chance of keeping up with the news.     So long as you understand the difference between DNA and RNA.   And worryingly the infection rate and the case fatality rate.    Most of all you need to know about the R, or is it the RRRRRR   or the ARRRGH!    Which ever one it is, it is definitely important.

But that’s not all.    You need to know about the numbers, lots of numbers that change every day faster than the weather.   Like the spin of a Public Health slot machine.      KA-CHING.     2,345,678 people have now been tested, some of them several times, that is 9876 more than yesterday.     KA-CHING.    123,456 have tested positive for Coronapop up from 93,345 yesterday when the numbers were lower because of the weekend.       KA-CHING.   5,678 have been admitted to hospital  and there are now 30,079 people in hospital 12,876 in intensive care.   KA-PLONK   Sadly 456 have died today, which is 234 less than yesterday.   Got it ?   Of course these figures might not be right because they don’t include people in the community, nor the people in Northern Ireland where the figures haven’t arrived yet.   And by the way these figures may be double this when you add on all the people who haven’t been tested.   Or people whose tests are just false negatives, in which case they will have to come back next week.     SCHHUSH!   Don’t mention the 21,234  “excess deaths”👿

Now you have a grip on the numbers, it is important to understand the military tactics being used to control Coronapop.       Operation “Lockdown” means you shouldn’t go out for three weeks, or maybe 12 weeks, we will let you know in three weeks depending on the R.    Of course you can go out for food and a walk, only a short walk.    And don’t talk to anybody unless they have a mask or a plastic bottle on their head or you are 2 or 3, or better still 20 meters away.    This is called “distancing “.    Until you get back home when you will be “isolating” or “ shielding” depending on how many co-morbidities you have.

It should all be CLEAR to you now, as obviously you can see we are following the science,  FOLLOWING THE SCIENCE!

If for some inexplicable reason you are sill confused, just remember our daily stock phrases:-

  • STAY AT HOME  ————– most of the time
  • WASH YOUR HANDS ——- all of the time
  • STAY ALERT ——————— always
  • WASH YOUR HANDS ——- again and again
  • PROTECT THE NHS ——— forever
  • WEAR A MASK —————- or don’t

👿Just like the weather this advice may change tomorrow👿

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LLLP —-“Rust Bucket Cruise”

At the request of Prime Minister Bodj, the Last Laugh Looney Party is turning its attention to the redistribution of wealth and tax reform, when the Coronapop is finally contained.      This is a huge subject which runs into 2,734 million, trillion pages of advice from Her Majesty’s Revenue Collectors.    It makes jobs for thousands of civil servants, who work tirelessly sending out incomprehensible forms and reminders and threatening letters until they get a large chunk of our hard-earned money.   All so Bodj’s Government

can spend it for us.

In the meantime a host of accountants, many of whom used to be civil servants, work tirelessly for those earning most money, to help them pay as little tax as possible.   That is how we end up with 90% of the wealth of the UK  being in the hands of only 5% of the people.

The LLLP  will recommend radical moves to change that.    In stark contrast to every previous Government that has promised to stop tax avoidance and yet nothing seems to happen.    So the LLLP will introduce a REPATRIATE UNHAPPY SAILORS TAX.   This will be entirely voluntary 🤡

The LLLP first step will be to set a new standard rate of tax of 10%, which everyone will pay except children, ….NHS staff, … care workers ….. and …… all pensioners.  This new system will be so simple that we won’t need all the civil servants and accountants,

Secondly, the LLLP will introduce a national “maximum” wage of £50,000 a year.  I know people will say that would lead to a mass exodus of wealthy  people from the UK, but unfortunatly that will be rather difficult for them during the Coronapop lockdown.   Especially after their private jets have been impounded.

So hear comes the voluntary bit :-      Everyone earning over £50,000 will be asked to voluntarily donate their excess income to the LLLP EMERGENCY RECOVERY FUND.    If they don’t wish to do that, they will be given a free luxury cruise around the Isle of Wight,  indefinitely until they have a change of heart.

Sir Richard Branson is one of the first passengers, now that his airline has gone bust.  Closely followed by Sir Phillip Green,  since he shed so many crocodile tears over having to close all his shops.     Thirdly we welcome onboard Fred the Shred, the “ ex Sir”, who used to rundown the Royal Bank of Scotland.    The low interest bankers👿 stock market speculators 👿 and no-win-no-fee lawyers 👿 are kept down in the lowest decks locked in  inside cabins and only allowed on deck for one hour a day until they hand over their ill-gotten gains.

The LLLP rust bucket will be named HMS Fat Cat     This is the first of many ships that will join the new Coronapop cruise fleet 🤡

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LLLP Climate Change

This is the next crazy idea from the Last Laugh Looney Party for Prime MinisterBodj to consider in response to the Coronapop virus.

Every World leader has been pontificating about climate change for years.   Targets have been set with fingers in the air and little or no chance of success, except for the certainty that the politicians will be long gone by the time their planned deadline is due to arrive.

Now Coronapop has shown us the way forward :-

  • Stop all private cars on the roads, that will reduce thousands of accidents a year.
  • Ground all planes indefinitely and turn all airports into solar power stations and wind farms.
  • Permanently dock all cruise ships and convert them into luxury hotels for the homeless and luxury prisons for the feckless.     The smallest, dirtiest, most cramped, rust buckets will be reserved for tax exile billionaires who have had their yachts, private planes, multiple homes, holiday villa’s and islands confiscated by the tax man.
  • Public transport will be required to run on time and be spotlessly clean, after all railway staff have been “retrained” by the Japanese.
  • HS2 will be scrapped saving untold £billions.
  • Mobility scooters will be given right of way on all highways, but will only be available to the elderly, the disabled, pregnant mothers and parents with under school aged children.
  • Everyone else will have to go on foot or  cycle for short journeys to improve the health of the nation.

There probably will be even more crazy ideas from the LLLP 🤡

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