Grumble: It's dark at 16:00 hours.
Glory: It's dark enough at 16:00 hours, for me to light up some tealights on my window sill.

Glory: It's dark enough at 16:00 hours, for me to light up some tealights on my window sill.

Best not do that!

I've done that for years, in special tealight holders, and I know very well the dangers of having too many, too close.
The window sill is wide, and made of marble, and it's nothing flammable even close to the tealights.

It's worse.

Nonessential stores need to close at 18:00h
Essential stores and bars/restaurants need to close at 20:00h

It's worse.

Nonessential stores need to close at 18:00h
Essential stores and bars/restaurants need to close at 20:00h

One government's nonessential is one citizen's essential....

You get used to it. :(

You get used to it. :(

Not if you work swing or graves

Certainly would have irritated me when I did shifts from 0700 to 2100 hrs. Mind you, before the Tesco near work started opening 24/7 I was still stuffed of my shift ran over.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/19/the-netherlands-rotterdam-police-open-fire-as-covid-protest-turns-violent?CMP=fb_gu&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR1fTyYdZtINhDhYcc7qWmOpFrS9T0iT8SRIryOAYjDLioEZ-dVtAhy4ha8#Echobox=1637407759

And here in UK incompetence continues to reign.

Well, if you're being bombarded with stones, street furniture, bikes and heavy fireworks with the power of hand grenades, and warning shots do nothing, then you're allowed to empty your whole gun on the approaching mob as far as I am concerned.

Glory: UK Met Office has added metres per second to the options to view wind speed along with knots, kilometres per hour and miles per hour. Not sure when it changed but metres per second didn't used to be an option.

Our newest covid-19 semi-lockdown measures:
- Non-essential stores, restaurants, bars, theatres, museums, zoos, events, and theme parks closed between 17:00 and 05:00h
- Supermarkets close at 20:00
- All sports accommodations closed between 17:00 and 05:00h; when games are held during the day, no public allowed.
- All schools stay open.
- Want to visit someone? Use a self test and stay 5 feet apart.

It's hilarious.

Our newest covid-19 semi-lockdown measures:
- Non-essential stores, restaurants, bars, theatres, museums, zoos, events, and theme parks closed between 17:00 and 05:00h
- Supermarkets close at 20:00
- All sports accommodations closed between 17:00 and 05:00h; when games are held during the day, no public allowed.
- All schools stay open.
- Want to visit someone? Use a self test and stay 5 feet apart.

It's hilarious.

Proof the virus is genetically engineered if it only infects people between 17:00 and 05:00.

LOL, you'd think that.
No, these times are "to spread the movements of people".... because if you have less time to go to the store, there won't be more people in there? 🤔

And now there's Omicron, and it's reached Belgium.
Covid: New variant classed 'of concern' and named Omicron
:(

LOL, you'd think that.
No, these times are "to spread the movements of people".... because if you have less time to go to the store, there won't be more people in there? 🤔

Absolutely, because you will be more afraid the person next to you is a spreader, so you will take more precautions.

And now there's Omicron, and it's reached Belgium.
Covid: New variant classed 'of concern' and named Omicron
:(

And Italy, and Germany, and the UK and most probably The Netherlands. It's here to wreck Christmas.

If you rearrange the letters of the new COVD variant "Omicron"....
what word do you get? Moronic!

From https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2021/11/the-netherlands-will-shut-down-from-5pm-to-5am-apart-from-essential-services/

The Netherlands will virtually shut down from 5pm to 5am for at least three weeks from Sunday, as the cabinet struggles to reduce the spread of coronavirus, now at some 22,000 new cases a day. Prime minister Mark Rutte told reporters at Friday evening’s press conference that a year ago, he and government health advisors thought the pandemic would be under control by the summer. ‘The reality is different,’ Rutte said. ‘And I am sure later evaluations will show that there were mistakes.’ In particular, Rutte said he blamed himself for failing to convince people to follow the basic rules. ‘Fewer than 50% of people are now having a test if they have symptoms,’ he said. ‘I take responsibility for that. We should do it better.’ With hospital admissions continuing to rise – there are now 528 coronavirus patients on an intensive care ward – action needs to be taken to reduce contacts between people by at least 20%, Rutte said. ‘All the current rules remain in place and from Sunday, between 5pm and 5am, in principle the Netherlands is closed,’ Rutte said. ‘This means events, concerts, theatres, cafes, bars, museums, gyms and sports clubs, with a couple of exceptions.’ Essential shops and services, such as pharmacies can open until 8pm and restaurants and snack bars can offer a takeaway service.

Social distancing
In addition, social distancing and face masks are being brought back in all places where coronavirus passes are currently required. In effect this means capacity will be reduced to one third. Shops too are to be limited to one customer per five square metres. Talks will also take place with church leaders with the ‘urgent request’ to stick to the rules followed by the rest of society, Rutte said. Furthermore, it is even more important that people restrict their travel around the country and work at home as much as possible, Rutte said. Visits should also be restricted to no more than four people over the age of 13 and one household at a time. He also urged people to take a self test before going out. Schools will remain open because of the importance to children, but children from group 6 in primary schools and upwards should wear a mask when moving between locations. In addition, ‘I am asking everyone to limit the contacts between children and the over-70s,’ the prime minister said. ‘Grab the ipad and make a video call or use the old-fashioned telephone. And with Sinterklaas, keep groups small.’ Rutte also appealed for people to watch out for potential victims of domestic violence and children who are not safe at home, as well as making time to check up on lonely people to make sure they are okay. ‘We must watch out for each other,’ Rutte said.

Boosters
Health minister Hugo de Jonge said that he hoped former healthcare staff, trainee nurses and doctors and others would come forward to help make sure that the booster campaign gets up to speed quickly. Some 750 soldiers have already been assigned to the project. Next week, he said, he hoped to be able to give a revised timeline for the booster programme. The over-80s are only now being signed up for an extra shot and the government has been criticized for failing to act quickly enough. The new measures will be in place for three weeks initially and the next press conference will take place on December 14.

By which time they've found the Omicron variant to be very aggressive and overtaking and that those 3 weeks ain't gonna be enough, so make it 3 months. And follow Israel in locking down the borders - bar for asylum seekers for whom closed borders apparently do not exist.

Not good.
Australia has just gone into a panic about a new group from SA, some of whom have Covid.
Genomic testing for Omicron underway after COVID-positive passengers from southern Africa touch down in Sydney

Welcome to the future. :(