Hidden Cardiff

Our son has just moved out into an apartment at Atlantic Wharf in Cardiff and visiting him to take a few bits this morning, we took the opportunity to have a walk around. It was an eye opening experience, as it's not a part of Cardiff that we know very well, although we've driven past thousands of times. It's not quite the Bay and it's not quite "town".

East Bute Dock
This is (more or less) the view from his apartment window.

He's got a one bedroomed apartment in the left hand block in the photo below. From here he can walk straight out onto the path around the dock.

As you turn around the top end of the dock you walk past County Hall, Cardiff Council's offices.

County Hall

As you continue to walk along the left side of the Dock (walking towards town), there's some construction going on adding to the flats and apartments already there. You might also pass a fisherman or two. Apparently there are some big carp (and no doubt other fish) in the dock, and there are some serious anglers about - we passed one kitted out with three rods, and enough gear that he looked like he was on a week long exhibition. About half way down the dock, you come to a feeder canal. Crossing over a small bridge and following the path of this canal takes you to a part of Cardiff I've never seen before.

The feed canal entrance to the dock

The canal

Plenty of wildlife

A pleasant canalised walk

Towards Tyndall St and town

Junction of the canal and bearing right back towards
Atlantic Wharf and the dock

It's a lovely little walk alongside the canal, although sadly and possibly inevitably strewn with litter. As an aside, why can't people take their little home with them. Or those dog owners that take the trouble to clear up after their dogs and then leave the poo bags hanging on railings, or thrown into the bushes?

Anyway, following the canal round back to the wharf, you go past the impressive Spillers Bakers building erected in 1893 and now presumably converted to flats.

Spillers Bakers building

Passing the town end of the dock, you turn back up the other side of the basin adjacent to, but largely hidden from the A4234. Trees line one side of the path with the basin on other, fishing platforms regularly spaced along its side.

Fishing platform

About half way along, there's a disused but preserved crane, which is an impressive piece of machinery.

The crane

The path alongside the basin

I have to say, it was a pleasant walk. The circular walk we did was only about 1.3 miles, but has shown me a part of Cardiff I knew very little about. I'm quite jealous that my son has this on his doorstep. In the summer, and hopefully once the Covid restrictions have been lifted this will be a lovely place to wander and maybe stop off for a drink at one of the local cafes or dare I say it, hostelries. And less than 10 minutes walk in the other direction, he has Cardiff Bay with all its eateries and watering holes. 

Lockdown or Loosedown?

O'Shea's webcam Barry Island

The above image was taken the Sunday after Christmas when Wales was supposed to be a couple of days into its latest and more severe national lockdown (now along with the rest of the UK). However, the evidence of many is that the current restrictions are far from tight, and certainly in my experience with adherence levels nowhere near those we experienced in the first lockdown back in March 2020.

With the current surge on Covid cases across the UK, the constantly repeated 'stay at home' message seems to be flying tight over the head of many.

Perhaps its down to fatigue. As a nation, the UK has endured almost 10 months of differing levels of restriction. Confusingly different messages depending on which parts of the county you live in. Statements from the Prime Minister that Christmas would be 'near normal'. People ARE fed up, but we have to hang in there.

The brilliant news of several vaccines being approved and starting roll out is cause for optimism and hope. But it's going to take time. Todays news in Wales at least, is saying that the plan is to have offered/given all adults a vaccine by the autumn (though whether that's the start or end of autumn isn't clear), but who's arguing about three months here or there?

But that means we are still going to have to live with restrictions of some degree until then at least, and let's not fool ourselves - the Governments ability to deliver on it's promises and timelines hasn't been great these last few months.

So whilst there is light at the end of the tunnel, we're stuck with the restrictions for now. People need to listen and abide by them. But there are things happening that perhaps contribute to the idea that things aren't quite as bad as they are being reported.

Elite sport is one. In the first lockdown pretty much all sport stopped. Now we've got football wall to wall every day, international rugby is around the corner and so on. Yes, they're (supposedly at least) in contained, controlled "bubbles" and are being regularly tested, but it's evident that this isn't wholly working with many players contracting Covid, in some cases enough to have matches called off through lack of players or putting out makeshift teams as Derby did in the FA Cup this weekend. Whilst there are still no crowds (save a short period for some clubs just before Christmas), watching the players you'd be hard pushed to think there's still a global pandemic. And watching scenes from Crosby at the weekend of Tottenham's visit to Marine FC in the FA Cup, with people lining the streets, there was definitely no 'stay at home' going on there. Worse, there have been several reports of footballers breaching guidance to varying degrees. I'm not just picking on Crosby, and I'm not just picking on football - I'm a fan and season ticket holder myself and would be desperate to get back to watching Cardiff City (well perhaps not so much at the moment the way they're playing). No, my general point is that there's enough "stuff" going on to make people think there's near normality in some areas, which may then be impacting their own behaviours and bending the restriction guidance. It certainly gives ammunition to the 'covid deniers'.

I don't like the restrictions. I'm fed up of them, but if it helps keep the NHS from being overwhelmed (although I think they're pretty close to it now), I'll do my bit. I wish others would too.

The legacy of Donald Trump

I'm not a fan of politics, though I accept they are necessary. Of course, we have our own interminable politicians in the UK, of which there are very few that I would trust as far as I could throw them. Foreign politicians, are no doubt on the whole equally as bad, although there are a few apparent exceptions - New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacina Adern, the most notable who seem to do many things right and for there right reason, and understand and empathise with the people that voted for them.

I'm not quite sure what brought America to vote Donald Trump, a businessman (of sorts), reality TV show 'celebrity' but mostly golfer in as the 45th President of the United States four years ago (maybe they put something in the water before voting opened), but his tenure has had many bizarre, some scary and some just downright jaw-dropping moments including escaping impeachment by the skin of his bright white teeth. There are many that say once his Presidency is done, there are other questions for hime to Unser as well.

But if any one was in any doubt about this apparently narcissistic and occasionally delusional man, he's saved the best/worst (delete according to preference) in his refusal to accept defeat in last November's election, acting like the boy whose toys have been taken away from him in alleging voter and election fraud and that the presidency has been 'stolen' from him. All objections and allegations on this front appear to have been investigated and rejected, and yet still he will not concede. And yesterday, confirming that, it appeared that he encouraged, if not incited his followers to the Capitol building where Joe Biden's victory in the November election was being ratified, whereupon they stormed the building in scenes like something out of a movie, and unfortunately it seems where at least four people lost their lives in the resulting riot. And Trump's response to this was to say to these people? "...we love you; you're very special".

The global reporting on yesterday's scenes shows a level of insurrection that would have seemed impossible in what is arguably the West's biggest democracy (God knows what Vladimir Putin was thinking as this unfolded but he was probably having a little smirk to himself over a tot or two of vodka).

What legacy does the 45th President of the United States leave in his wake. Will he be fondly remembered for his caring policies, his sound judgment on foreign policy (I of course jest with both of this comments).

No, I think what he will be remembered for is the carnage that he arguably incited on the eve of his leaving office, which for me is best summed up in a tweet I saw this morning.

Day 1 vs Day 1,448

Please God America, never vote in someone like Trump again. And the most scary thing. Remember, he still has the nuclear codes.

Social media? It's anything but social

Image from https://www.mindfuljourneyman.com/blog/tmi

Remember BSM? Before Social Media. Life ran at a gentler pace. We got news from the radio, television and of course the newspapers. For many families a once a day update either over the morning coffee with the local or national rag, or on the evening and late night news - the BBC or IT depending on your preference. 

I'm not saying those platforms were not without their flaws. Stiff upper lip BBC, the more liberal (at the time) ITV, and the papers - the broadsheets and red tops with their undoubted political bias and sometimes (especially the red tops) ridiculous (and definitely made up) stories, but it all happened at a calm pace.

Now, we have social media. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and a plethora of other "platforms" pinging us with in your face news and comment 24/7. Before I get too far into this post, in full disclosure, I'm a user of all the aforementioned apps (and others).

Driven by the uptake in mobile devices over the last two decades, there are undoubtedly real positives to social media. Breaking news don't have to wait until the 6pm television news broadcast or the next days paper. We know stuff the minute it happens through Twitter post. I guess that's good, but it can be constant and also distracting, especially if you have notifications tuned on and your device is pinging, vibrating or just lighting up every few moments.

It's also great for sharing - the ability to share comment, photo's  audit and video with friends, family (and mostly complete strangers) can be fun as well as useful. I imagine that my children will stay in touch with friends from school all there life now, whereas I lost touch with many of my friends when I moved away from where I grew up (luckily, and through the very platform of social media) I've been able to reconnect with some of my best friends in the last couple of years.

The first is that it's far to easy to get overloaded

However, there are some significant downsides to social media too.

Some people believe what they read without any thought as to the accuracy of what's being said. Fake news, either unintentional or deliberate is a pervasive ailment in today's society. I have "friends" on some platforms who I'm sure just blind hit "share" or "retweet" without any thought as to the source or truth of the "stories" they are passing on. And that's when there's even a story. Some of the crap content on these platforms is unbelievable. I think I've mentioned before the type of post that urges you to name (for example) the car you passed your test in or your top 10 places to visit. Many people assume this is a game and give their info and share publicly, not considering that the "bots" that harvest all this stuff could be used by nefarious people to identify passwords. 

But the above is the tip of the iceberg. Often naive individuals who don't know what they are doing. As opposed to those who deliberately set out to misinform for reasons of their own making.

Sadly, throughout this pandemic and the Brexit shambles (the two hottest topics of news in the last year), we've seen more and more people using social media to flaunt their message, often seemingly doing this for the clicks and/or shares or to deliberately create controversial responses. The trouble is no one knows who to believe any more.

I'm paraphrasing something I read here, but who would you rather believe about issues around the pandemic? A qualified, practising medic or other health practitioner working on the front line, or Bob from down the snooker club who knows a friend of a friend who thinks Covid's only a cough?

The sad reality is that many people believe Bob, because they follow him on Twitter or Facebook and he's a good laugh or support the team they support. 

Confusing the situation even more, are those who probably should know better, but for some reason want to stir the message. There are plenty of examples of actual/alleged health professionals who if not Covid deniers directly, are certainly giving the message that it's not as bad as an Intensive Care consultant I follow on Twitter is saying. I cannot directly prove what the IC consultant is saying either, but I know who I'm more likely to believe.

Then there are are examples of supposed "experts" in their field who are saying the pandemic isn't as bad as it's being portrayed. 

When you delve into any of these posts and their replies, and other comment, it becomes a mire of disinformation, contested opinions and potential untruths wrapped around a very real and critical issue. And all of this is being played out in near real time, on multiple platforms where people are soaking it up through their platform of choice, and relaying it onwards. 

I have seen (I'm sure we all have) some horrific statements, accusations and comments that I can't believe that any sane and reasonable person would dare to say. But it's all "OK" because it's people hiding behind their alias on Twitter or Facebook. And it can be/is depressing. There's so much crud there, it's difficult to differentiate the real and positive stuff from the codswallop and bile.

So what to do? I could just turn it off I suppose, but I can't I'm addicted to - well I'm not sure if it's my device or the content it delivers, but I use social media for many good things, so I'm going to keep going.

Separating the wheat from the chaff is the challenge

Update:

Somewhat co-incidentally, a person I follow on Twitter posted this today...

https://twitter.com/TechnicallyRon/status/1346092859146055680

I'm still here! Unfortunately so is Covid and Brexit

I've done it again....

My last post was on 28th October where I opined about the frustration of not being able to play golf in a local (well Wales wide) lockdown. Well a lot's happened since then.

The Wales' "firebreak" lockdown ended (yay!) and my good lady and I managed to get away for a couple of days to Pembrokeshire in West Wales for a couple of days after the firebreak ended. We had three days of glorious weather and the place almost to ourselves. As well as being away in a fabulous place with my wife, it was a release from looking at the 4 walls of the house and staying broadly within this locality for the last x months which was certainly good for the soul.

I got back on the golf course and shot my best ever score both gross (91) and Stableford points (43) and in doing so won the day's Men's Handicap competition. I won't be flying off to enjoy retirement in the sun on my £17 winnings though I'm very proud of my achievement. Breaking 90 is my next target.

Then as we approached Christmas it started to become apparent that despite all the local lockdowns and firebreaks, Covid cases were ramping up again, and despite advice that up to three families could meet up for up to 5 days over Christmas, that quickly became no meeting up (more or less) at all.

We, like most families therefore experienced a strangely quiet Christmas seeing no-one, and conducting  Zoom calls with our families rather than having them round the table tucking into turkey, and following Christmas Day we lurched into the next lockdown/firebreak/tiered restrictions (I't getting hard to remember the terminology now).

We're seeing more and more medics (genuine practising medics and healthcare professionals) stating the severity of the situation and the pressure on the NHS, especially emergency and intensive care services, with the concerns that this is likely to get much worse before it gets any better. Compounding the problem is the identification of a new variant of the Covid virus which is proving far more transmissible (though not apparently more severe) than the original. This seems to be exercising lots of people, but this is what viruses (virii?) do - they mutate all the time. That's why we need a flu jab every year (those of us old enough, or at risk enough to need one that is).

At the same time, we continue to see Covid deniers in mainstream media and unfortunately on the streets including the horrific sight of a protest outside a London Hospital on New Year's Eve with protesters chant "covid is a hoax". Honestly, this is beyond deplorable, and if I had my way we'd lock these people up, or take them one by one unmasked and un-PPE'd into a Covid pressured ITU to show them how bad things are. Sadly, whatever response is given to these people (and there are some well known and high profile people amongst them), they just won't believe anything that's said - they seem to be beyond all reason. As an aside, I think much of the media has behaved very poorly throughout the pandemic, reporting often for clicks/views than sensible and clear reporting and holding powers that be to account for their actions and decisions.

And now we are all back in some sort of national lockdown for the foreseeable future. Personally I can't see anything changing before February at the earliest. Annoyingly everything varies a bit from region to regions and UK country to UK country (I can't play golf in Wales in effectively a Tier 4 lockdown) but I could if I was in England for example. Travel (even local) is advised against unless deemed essential and all non essential retail, and hospitality (restaurants, pubs etc) remains closed - although thankfully you can still get a takeaway. Currently there's also a massive hoo-ha going on about whether schools should return this week and the risks and or impact on children getting or transmitting the virus. 

My main consolation with everything being shut is that I got a rather severe haircut just before Christmas so I'm good for a few weeks yet!

* as an aside, my earlier post about golf still stands. It's brilliant for my mental health to get out in the fresh air playing golf with a couple of mates, and the chances of transmitting or getting Covid out on the course must be negligible. Why can't we do this? Its got to be better for you than being cooped top indoors.

On the brighter side (if there is actually one), two vaccines have been approved in the UK and roll out has started. However, it's going to take months yet before we see the benefit of this as we'll need a significant number of the population vaccinated before we can start to reap the benefits of these vaccines. Even the vaccination programme has changed though - the Pfizer vaccine is a two dose 21/28 days apart protocol, but now the view is that we should vaccinate as many people as possible once and then worry about second doses. Sensible I suppose, but for those that have had one jab, this was on the basis they'd be getting second one. There is no data (that I'm aware of) about whether delaying a second jab of the Pfizer  vaccine for at least 12 weeks is acceptable, bad or not ideal but ok. I suppose we'll see.

And then there's Brexit (or Brexshit as I like to call it). We're officially out of the EU now, and whilst the "deal" we've got has been lauded in some quarters, we're still going to be a damn site worse of now, after the last four years buggering about than we ever were before it. But it's done, and we just have to live with  it. (it would be interesting to see how many of the covid deniers voted for Brexit).

So ultimately, we're still in the shit, but at least there is a (faint) light at the end of the tunnel. If we're anywhere near normal by June it'll be a miracle, but hey ho.

Anyway, I'll try not to leave it so long until my next post.

Happy New Year folks.....(I said that last year and look what happened.....)