This is Northumberland Calling 6.1.23

New Year but... edition

As Britain is in the grip of its worst flu season for a long time (everyone seems to have a cold/flu), the NHS is having difficulty coping and over the counter remedies are in short supply (why keep a huge stock when there hasn’t been an outbreak for over two years?). To recreate Lemsip (a tried and trusted British cold remedy), take 2 paracetmol, and drink hot lemon with a spoonful of honey. Sage tea works a treat for a sore throat (seep sage leaves in boiled water for 5 min). Try not to go to the shops when you are sick even if it is just the shop in the village as other people might not wish to share your germs, particularly the elderly. Little things do help. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nhs-crisis-excess-deaths-before-christmas-at-highest-level-for-two-years-3fwlxzhr9

A Black Lives Matters UK organizer has been charged with two counts of fraud, relating to money she raised  but did not deliver during the summer of 2020. There is apparently an explanation. The case will be heard in the Crown Court and the first hearing for that will happen at the end of January. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/03/black-lives-matter-colston-statue-protest-xahra-saleem-fraud/

The award for misleading headlines – a BBC presenter complained that social media trolls had put Asian people off from visiting the countryside by claiming that it was too white and middle class. Nothing could be further from the truth claimed the presenter, Nihal Arthanayake of Sir Lankan descent. Most people are just really happy to see you and really happy to be out in the countryside in his experience. No awareness that some of this false perception  was stoked by the BBC during the summer of 2020.  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/03/british-countrysides-white-middle-class-image-puts-asian-visitors/

An amateur archaeologist appears to have decoded the mystery of the dots and dashes in cave paintings. It has to do with hunting and when the various animals give birth, rather than anything supernatural. It just took someone approaching the problem from a different angle.  Quel Surprise. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/05/mystery-ancient-dots-stripes-europes-caves-solved/

In a surprise to  no one, wining and dining are a key to  diplomatic efforts says the Foreign Office  as Labour questions the cost of various lunches held in the early summer. I would humbly suggest thinking about the late Queen’s jubilee and the timing but I could be wrong. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/05/wining-dining-key-diplomacy-says-foreign-office-defends-4500/

The story behind the story is often more interesting in celebrity/royal watching. And so it is with the Spare Me Having to Read the Harry’s Tome story. First an editor with the Guardian who has a long history of ‘obtaining books before publication’ manages to get an English edition copy and leaks a few pro Harry stories (personally sticking up for the bullied staff was a decent motivation for William to grab him by the collar. And what is it with the fragile dog bowl? The photo released of the kitchen shows two stainless steel ones.). Not a peep from the H& M camp and the Guardian is known to be on their ‘approved’ list.  Then Page 6 gets into the act with sort of old news about Harry’s costume choices as a 20 year old. Why they didn’t lead with Harry’s frostbitten todger at William’s wedding? I have no idea. Finally though, Spanish booksellers decide – let’s put the book on sale. Cue huge scramble among journalists to get a copy and spill the beans before Random House Penguin convinces booksellers to withdraw copies and the story about the todger is revealed to the underwhelmed public. Somewhere a Random House Penguin executive was going Spare and having a very bad day, watching their promotional strategy disappear. Reason for no advance copies? The content is dull and picayune  and no one would buy it if they knew.  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2023/01/05/prince-harry-memoir-spare-published-five-days-early-spain/

Finally a two-legged fox has been discovered in Derbyshire and has become an internet sensation. The fox lives on spam and dog food as well scavenging from local rubbish. Various recuse centres have said the fox looks healthy and appears well fed thus there is no need to rescue it. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/01/05/two-legged-fox-does-not-need-rescuing-living-spam-dog-food/

My revised ms is due next Friday and I should make the deadline (hint non-negotiable). It is getting to be stronger read. There are reasons why I love my editors.