Interesting

[felltrumpet]

I feel we could start a new thread ‘fine soprano performances’.
Listening there the Norman 4 last songs now; haven’t heard for a couple of years. Very fine, not quite to my tastes; too slow and sentimental. There’s a Karajan documentary where he makes her sit and listen to the orchestra to get the balance right in the Liebestod from Tristan. She doesn’t look impressed, but then sings it so wonderfully. Such a powerful voice.
I’d heard about the booing many years later from my trumpet teacher, who was playing at that gig. Disgraceful. Callas had it in Milan in Norma.
Haven’t heard Opera North for a couple of years since they did Gianni Sicchi and Rite of Spring. Looking forward to live music when tones change(if there are any professional companies and orchestras left)

[noel]

It seems common sense (and press pressure) prevailed in the end: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-55625062

[Witton Park]

It seems common sense (and press pressure) prevailed in the end: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...shire-55625062

Bit embarrassing for Hancock who supported the fines over the weekend.
https://order-order.com/2021/01/10/h...going-on-walk/

[felltrumpet]

I’m normally anti-Boris, but I feel a 7 mile (14 round trip) is perfectly OK, if he did it from home.
It is more important he sets an example of getting out and keeping physically and mentally healthy.
Did he put anyone’s life at risk with his actions? Did he endanger his own? Will people still do daft things?

[Llani Boy]

There are 56 athletes named Boris Johnson on Strava. The vast majority have no activities whatsoever so probably put up by prats thinking they are being funny.

None of them show a ride around Olympic Park.

On a serious note, if it turns out that he got a lift to Olympic Park for his ride then so what. He is the PM after all and if his security advice is to go somewhere like that to ride his bike rather than the city streets then that's fine with me.

I'm sure that if it was his choice he would prefer to go from his front door.

This tells us more about our press than the PM.

[noel]

https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/...20210111204185

Guilty as charged. Although I'm yet to embrace winter wild swimming. I have a friend who's happy to break the ice before taking a dip!

[anthonykay]

I’m normally anti-Boris, but I feel a 7 mile (14 round trip) is perfectly OK, if he did it from home.
It is more important he sets an example of getting out and keeping physically and mentally healthy.
Did he put anyone’s life at risk with his actions? Did he endanger his own? Will people still do daft things?

Painful as it is for me to say anything nice about Boris, he's done nothing wrong here. Why are the press going after him for this? It's not as if there's nothing substantive that they can hound him for!

[Flem]

I thought the Queen had given Johnson access to the grounds of Buckingham Palace for him to use for exercise when he came out of hospital. Has she rescinded that permission? I can't say I'd blame her if she has.

It seems to me that there are three important issues about the Johnson bike ride and the discussion surrounding it. One is the question of leadership and the role of leading by example. (Or not leading by example, as the case might be.) The second is the importance of clarity and consistency of communication. The third is whether, given the purpose of the restrictions, a "how many angels can dance on the head of a pin" type analysis of what Johnson did is appropriate and relevant. Regarding this latter issue, there's a good article by Ed Conway (Economics and Data Editor at Sky News) on the Sky News website:

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-...uries-12185275

[Graham Breeze]

Painful as it is for me to say anything nice about Boris, he's done nothing wrong here. Why are the press going after him for this? It's not as if there's nothing substantive that they can hound him for!

Alas Anthony when you are PM you have to deal with the scurrilous attacks of the gutter press. And apart from The Guardian there are also the tabloids, snapping at one's heels like rabid dogs. I think the only useful function of journalists is to make ambulance chasing lawyers look good.

In a spirit of solidarity with Boris I cycled 35 miles today - mostly country lanes, I didn't speak with anyone, no-one came near (how could they as I zipped along?) and I only saw one police car containing one fat policeman who would have struggled to run 35 yards to clap me in irons.

But if I end up in the Scrubs - well at least I will have my Knighthood from Boris to comfort me.

[Mossdog]

No 'picnics' but protest marches (again) are all OK at the height of a pandemic.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-55631618