Enquiry into the Pandemic and other stories

 Stop me if you've heard it all before, but....

I caught some of Choral Evensong on the wireless this afternoon. The mournful master of ceremonies was supplicating all our humblest devotions that the Good Lord would be merciful and help us in our struggle through times of plague. I soon switched over to a more rational broadcast. The preaching man's cart seemed to be ahead of his horse if he still thought prayer and devotion would provide any sort of solution a year or more into this crisis, real crisis. It hasn't yet, it never did and it never seemed like it would. Whatever made anybody think it might unless they were prone to the dreamiest and most fanciful if imaginings. The solution is provided by the vaccine, by science and apparently by Oxford University which goes to show that within some glorious architecture useful things can happen as well as confering 2:1's on spoilt, bumbling scoundrels. 

We must never let his government assume any credit for the success of the programme of inoculation which worked because it was organized by the NHS. It obviously wouldn't have worked if it had been the responsibility of his hapless government or, more specifically, him with his broad brush invocations to his vague idea of 'freedom'.

We can add to the complete lack of any answers provided by the church, the dominance in the lists of countries with the highest mortality rates of all those run by 'libertarians' - Trump's USA, the bloke from Brazil and, still well ahead, the United Kingdom. 

The study of history is advertised by the possibility that we might learn lessons from it even if evidence suggests it is allowed to repeat itself. Theories are tested, and proven or not, under extreme conditions, not justified by the few times they looked okay when circumstances were favourable. If there were sense to be had, the plague (which is by no means over yet) would have once and for all demonstrated the shortcomings of the blind optimism, the credulity, the medieval superstition and the implicit dangers of narcissism and machismo that right-wing politics and religion bring with them. They can't have the slightest claim on us henceforth, can they. 

The Jews might wait forlornly for the second coming, about which Simon Schama suggested in his TV history that they would prefer to wait forever rather than accept any new messiah because they witnessed the last one promising salvation, redemption and all those things but nothing actually improved two thousand years ago. But Israel is the country making the running at the top of the league for vaccinating its people, the Jewish religion being based on a principle of caring for each other, as is the NHS.

It seems to be a much better plan than the egoism, individuality and free-for-all in which money, corruption and power are given such a head start on the flimsiest agenda parading itself under the lurid but vacuous attractions of 'freedom'. 

Jean-Paul Sartre was interested in freedom. When the ladies in Monty Python phone him up and Simone de Beauvoir answers they ask, 'when will he be free' and Mme. de Beavoir replies that he's been trying to work that out for the last fifty (is it) years. He wanted to believe in it and tried his best but went through Anguish and Shame, found himself an Object-for-Others, supported the Soviet Union and fell out with Saint Albert Camus. And that is what thinking you might be free can do for you.

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The radio chaannel I returned to in flight from Choral Evensong was Times Radio. Don't get me wrong, I've attended Choral Evensong in Portsmouth Cathedral, listened and joined in the hymn, but much of the text seemed to be about overcoming one's enemy. It wasn't all lovely, gentle and understanding. It was combative.

Times Radio is a fine thing. Private Eye doesn't seem to like it but it is Private Eye's self-appointed role to find fault. Which I do with it, if asked. Yes, Times Radio has the appalling Michael Portillo trying to sound thoughtful and with a grasp of issues but he's not on at a time when I'm listening. Stig Abell and Aasmah Mir might benefit from toning down the old codger vs. sensible lady double act on the Breakfast Show but Matt Chorley (10am - 1pm) has proved himself against my expectations and Mariella Frostrup is good. But the star is John Pienaar at Drivetime (4pm-7pm). I doubt if he comes cheap and it's good to see Times Radio trying. Radio 5 is too much football, Radio 4 can be a bit safe and worthy.

The Times on Saturday is the only print publication I buy. Times Radio means I'm hearing less of Radio 3 and the lack of music contributed a line to a recent poem. I just hope I'm not being tricked into believing things that aren't true. One would never know. Thus Leave, thus Trump, Boris and churches.

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That wouldn't happen in horse racing. We are doing fine at Wiseguy House. Money does grow in trees sometimes. The Dan and Harry Skelton combination have five runners at Uttoxeter tomorrow, their favourite course. One could do worse than mix them all up in trebles and accumulators for small change and see what happens. You might be able to afford a new hat after.