THE MONDAY MOAN - A once a week spot for us to moan about the stuff that perhaps we should all be moaning about that little bit more...
There's a thing out there, a thing that makes no sense, well, unless you look at it through the corner of your eye, sideways, askance...
Prior to Covid all thought was guided by Greta and we were collectively about to expire from climate change. Prior to that it was Brexit and the political turmoil, economic confusion and abject mismanagement that had us fearful for our futures. Prior to that it was Isis, who kept changing their name and morphing, same people but somehow scarier if the press made them as slippery as eels. Prior to that is was Al-Qaeda who, it turns out, are an organisation originally recruited by the CIA to help the Mujahideen defeat the Russians. It would appear that some 'thing' would like to have us all kept in a permanent state of fear.
Since the Covid guidelines and laws and advice and rumours have been in place, from the Local Authorities and the Welsh assembly and the UK Government and the internet police and the real police's interpretation of such, there has been much to debate and to laugh at and to wonder why about... Here are a few of those things...
And here's a thing.. The number 61 double decker bus that plies it's trade through Canton has been doing so for the past six weeks, and doing so with a couple of people max sat on it's sad and lonely seats. What idiots at Cardiff Council thought it was a good idea to maintain this service with this gas guzzling monster? It makes no sense!
And here's a thing... The waterside walkway that is five metres wide that leads cyclists and walkers away from The Oystercatcher in Penarth Marina and towards the barrage has, for some unexcusable reason, been closed to cyclists. So, cyclists are directed to stay on the road while those on foot have not one but two choices of safe off road route. It makes no sense!
And here's a thing... Welsh.Ass has decided, in their wisdom, to take a more draconian route than UK.Gov. This despite the death rate in Wales being similar to that of England. This has led to confusion and worry and economic hardship. The decisions of local authorities has compounded this madness. It makes no sense!
And here's a thing... In early March the CDC stated that vitamin D was essential in the battle against Covid and furthermore scientists agree that sunlight destroys coronavirus. But we have been advised, during a period of extraordinarily fine and sunny weather, to stay indoors... It makes no sense!
And here's a thing... Where are the police? I've regularly seen groups of people out, from the get go. Bute park has been patrolled by the coastguard! The last actual police officer I saw was three weeks ago and she was sat outside the cafe in Bute park with 'all of us' having a coffee. Given the collapse in reported crime wtf are the police doing? They must be doing something. It makes no sense!
And here's a thing... Police Update! I was walking through Bute park a day ago and was shouted at by a group of six mountain biking men who clearly had been drinking and were disgracefully cycling in a group. They were soon followed by 10 more. I watched a police van, first police presence for three weeks, drive slowly across the field and the bikers came round again, en mass. The police, although by now stopped and clearly having had sight of the bikers, did nothing as the bikers approached their van and then cycled on... So, what are they for? It makes no sense!
And here's a thing... Golf! Yes, we can all go play a round of golf now but of course we can't visit a beach or have a picnic or see a family member who lives outside of our household or drive to somewhere with less people about for a walk. Given that England is getting back to sensible living why is it that Wales is not BUT you can go play golf? It makes no sense!
And, so, here's the thing... The overall feeling I get from the crisis is one of knee jerk reactions and fear mongering. The UK.Gov acted on ludicrously incorrect advice and the Welsh.Ass went further still. We have been cowed into what is likely an illegal lockdown, a subjugation of our human rights, and this in actuality mostly by our polarised peers. People are afraid of dissenting against the perceived consensus for fear of being immediately attacked by the righteous masses.
I am not claiming to have any answers, to me it makes no sense, but I feel it is right for me to be able to question and to state an opinion without fear of being pilloried. But that fear has been part of our lives for years and more recently it's fires have been stoked by all branches of the establishment and now it is an inferno. Intolerance of those with different opinions is the new normal.
And so the fear is all pervasive, it's top down and bottom up with the masses reacting to government and news agencies and those governing and selling stories, in order to maintain popularity and sales, mirroring and magnifying the reaction.
It's getting hotter here, don't you think...