To Kafeneion > Grapevine / News Briefs
18/01/22
Maik:
Sixty five new cases of coronavirus confirmed on Kefalonia yesterday by EODY, five on Ithaka.
Today's bank rate:
1 GBP = € 1.1617
1 USD = € 0.8514
Based on Alpha Bank exchange rates, these are widely used by exchange agencies in Greece.
Other banks likely to offer a different rate which may be marginally higher or lower.
Banks and foreign exchange offices normally charge standard 2% commission.
You may get a better rate changing your holiday money in advance at e.g the Post Office.
NB: some f-ex agencies advertise "No Commission".
Invariably, they deduct commission before they (don't) advertise the rate.
Foreign exchange offices are businesses, not charities.
Ten day weather forecast for Kefalonia:
This is an overall forecast, due to the mountainous terrain the weather can be very localised.
Updated forecast @ weather.com
Day, Date Hi°/Lo° Wind sp Wet Forecast
Tue 18/01 14°/06° 22 km/h 03% Sunny
Wed 19/01 12°/08° 12 km/h 01% Sunny
Thu 20/01 14°/10° 14 km/h 56% Showers probable
Fri 21/01 14°/07° 23 km/h 79% Light rain probable
Sat 22/01 09°/03° 36 km/h 56% Showers & strong winds probable
Sun 23/01 08°/04° 18 km/h 19% Mostly sunny
Mon 24/01 08°/04° 19 km/h 19% Sun & cloud
Tue 25/01 08°/05° 16 km/h 19% Mostly sunny
Wed 26/01 10°/06° 15 km/h 12% Sun & cloud
Thu 27/01 11°/08° 14 km/h 23% Sun & cloud
Maik:
--- Quote ---Dominic Cummings says PM was told No 10 garden party ‘broke the rules’ but said it should go ahead
Email sent by ‘very senior official’ will show prime minister ‘lied to parliament’ ex-chief aide claims
Dominic Cummings says evidence will show Boris Johnson “lied to parliament” when he denied knowing about the No 10 garden party, plunging his position deeper into jeopardy.
An email sent by “a very senior official” warned the “bring your own booze” event broke Covid rules, the exiled former chief aide claims – blowing apart the prime minister’s defence that he thought it was “a work event”.
In an explosive blog post, Mr Cummings wrote: “Not only me but other eyewitnesses who discussed this at the time would swear under oath this is what happened.”
--- End quote ---
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/no-10-party-boris-johnson-lockdown-b1994817.html
Still tricky to believe dodgy Dominic, evidence would substantiate what he's claiming.
Maik:
--- Quote ---Braintree missing cat found after owner hears meow on vet's phone
A cat missing for eight months has been reunited with its owner after she recognised his familiar meow on the other end of the telephone while on a call to her vet.
--- End quote ---
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-60030533
:)
TonyD:
--- Quote from: Maik on Tuesday, 18 January, 2022 @ 03:05:54 ---
--- Quote ---
--- End quote ---
Still tricky to believe dodgy Dominic, evidence would substantiate what he's claiming.
--- End quote ---
Cummings has long declared it his aim to get Johnson removed frim office, as retribution for his summary dismissal.
The newspapers don't make this clear when they repeat Cummings' drip, drip, drip of accusations.
Personally I don't get it
The so called "parties" appear to be amongst people already gathered at work.
They would be drinking tea, coffee, water...
But when the wine glasses come out instead...Boom!
Even the alleged email inviting people to "bring booze" appears to have been to those already gathered working in the office.
I've worked places where the tea trolley, come Friday lunchtime, became the booze trolley. It happens. It's part of (some) office life
All the claims I've read are in respect of this group of already gathered office workers.
That puts the Party claims into context for me, even with the "into the early hours" added emphasis.
When does a drink in the office become A Party? When the radio's turned on? When the pizza delivery arrives? When someone shouts out a joke?
(Yes, I know - "Politics" - but just attempting to inject a bit of balance)
Maik:
Yes, actually I agree with you. If it was just people working together staying a bit late and having pizza and plonk together after work, well, where's the harm? I don't actually see any.
But I gather it's not just people who work in the same physical office space, e.g. it would be a big office to have 100 invites issued. Similarly, Carrie Symonds is clearly identified in the garden party photo and she's not an employee.
Here's a quote from ITV News website:
--- Quote ---Two Downing Street parties are alleged to have been held the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral in April last year, while the country was in a period of national mourning and mass indoor social mixing was still barred, The Telegraph reports.
It was said that advisers and civil servants gathered after work for two separate events to mark the departure of James Slack, Boris Johnson’s former director of communications, and one of the PM’s personal photographers.
The two parties later merged together and had 30 people in attendance, with witnesses saying that alcohol was drunk and guests danced to music.
--- End quote ---
The key here, for me anyway, is "The two parties later merged together". Definite no-no, under the rules at the time.
I've just been watching BBC news and apparently an invite for one 'party' was sent to the entire building, so people who weren't working in the same office.
Additionally, Downing Street staff have admitted, directly or in effect, to parties having taken place. As Allegra Stratton said in her famour video clip, " "Is cheese and wine all right? It was a business meeting...and it was not socially distanced."
If I recall, that mock interview was taped four days after the party in question and Stratton was responding to a question from Ed Oldfield, a Downing Street staffer, who asked what Stratton would say if asked about a ""Downing Street party on Friday night". This was before these parties were revealed and in the news - a Downing Street staffer was describing the event as a party. And as Stratton admits, the party - sorry, "works meeting" - wasn't socially distanced.
Pretty clear they were regarded as parties by the organisers and attendees. What makes matters worse is Johnson's handling of the matter. He isn't credible, he's revealed himself - as when he supported Cummings - to regard himself and his cronies above the laws his government makes for the rest of us. He's now widely seen as a liar intent on saving his own neck no matter at what cost to people loyal to him.
Fortunately for the Conservative Party there's far better leaders waiting in the wings.
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