A new experience

Recently The Ringing Room has been developed for bellringers. I popped in for a session yesterday.

Before I did so, I wanted to acquaint myself with Zoom, even though I have used Skype and Google Hangouts (Meet) before. A friend obliged and I felt comfortable.

It was a useful first experience and we all discovered how the website works. It is not like real ringing but at least one can interact with others. There are several bellringing programmes which you can use on one's PC or device to ring in solitude but the social aspect of ringing is something many do not understand.

Bullying online

Just a quick follow up to my post yesterday. Somebody posted on Facebook that they were going to have a disco locally by setting up a sound system in their garden from 6pm to 9pm - "for the children". I didn't hear it if they did so I was not affected.

Their Facebook posts and replies went as follows:

• Can’t wait for the moaners
• Set some fireworks off and really get them moaning
• or “rocket sky bombs” as one miserable woman said
• with everyone safe and dancing in their own garden??? Sounds like nothing to moan about.....
• I wasn’t moaning but some sado will

 You may have your own views.

I am a curmudgeon

So, we have the weekly clap for the NHS started by Annemarie Plas (if that is right. See here). I am all for solidarity and have my own reasons to be grateful to the NHS as my one (!) blog reader will know.

I have not clapped yet, but felt a little guilty last night as my next door neighbour - who is a nurse - was outside her door clapping as I closed my curtains.

I am uncomfortable, generally speaking, doing what others tell me to do just because 'everyone is doing it'. OK I do share things on Facebook if I think they amuse me or may amuse my 20 or so friends on there. I do not repost things if they say "Let's see how many people will repost this" or "I bet this doesn't get reposted". Isn't that moral blackmail?

No, the worst thing about the NHS clap is that it has stopped just being a clap. It seems to be an excuse to make a load of noise. Well, if you want to bang a saucepan so folk can hear you that is one thing. Around here, there the Clap seems to have turned into an opportunity to get out amplifiers and sing songs loudly. Sorry, but this invades my privacy. And what is the point of the fireworks? Luckily I have only seen these on the local Facebook page but I have heard the general racket.

I am happy for people to continue to clap but I do not think one should feel pressured into doing so. I just hold the NHS workers in my thoughts. I do not pray, I merely appreciate what we have in this country.

Bah, humbug.

We're Doomed

Private Frazer used to say "We're Doomed"

Well, if we are (and I hope we are not) it will be because people are just stupid. I am not myself immune from the stupid bug but there are hoards of folk, including politicians, who have acted and spoken with little thought as to the consequencs.

Paul Joseph Watson (below) sums it up well - as he always does. Stupid people do not follow the rules, then they change their tune.

To my shame, I posted on a blog I follow that I remembered the fuss over the Y2K bug and likened the current situation to that. I fell into a trap because I feel the media people do hype things, and news is not news unless there is plenty of speculation involved (this is why I do not listen to PM on the BBC). So, when we should believe what we hear, they have already lost their credibility.

What we need is accurate reporting. Stop crying "Wolf" and get people to understand what is best. Stop dragging up experts who contradict each other.