Cover Page, 25 June 2020, Issue 239 Welcome to our latest edition. We hope you enjoy its articles, features and puzzles. The Shaw Sheet would like to introduce new writers either on an occasional or regular basis. So have you got some spare time at the moment? If so contact the editors at johnW@shawsheet.com for
25 June 2020 Biden – Any Good? The curse of succession. By John Watson On the floor, next to my exercise bench, there is a copy of Anthony Eden’s autobiography Full Circle. It is there because it is exactly the right weight for particular exercises which my personal trainer has recommended but I never dip
25 June 2020 Borderline Crazy Wild frontiers. By Neil Tidmarsh Last month, Poland invaded the Czech Republic. Polish troops crossed the border between the Polish village of Pielgrzymow and the Czech village of Pelhrimovy and set up a road block on Czech soil. They were first noticed on Thursday 28 May, by a Czech engineer
25 June 2020 Stumblin’ Along Biden his time? by J.R. Thomas It’s not going well. If there were a Presidential election that both main candidates could lose, this might turn out to be it. Joe Biden is busy… busy doing what exactly? Not a lot, seems to be the answer. He attacks the President, which
25 June 2020 Has Boris Lost His Balls? What is going on? By Lynda Goetz “I can’t explain myself, I’m afraid, sir,’ said Alice, ‘Because I’m not myself you see.”* Boris Johnson could well have said the same thing, as he set out his wonderful and illogical list of things we in England (other parts
25 June 2020 Make Mine a Triple! The consequences of ending the pensions lock By Frank O’Nomics “The pubs are open and the drinks are on you Grandpa.” “Why?” “Your potential 18% triple lock pay rise.” The taxpayer is ripe for the plucking. Gratitude for the NHS, furlough schemes, mortgage holidays and every other area
25 June 2020 Diary of a Corbynista Eat, Drink and be Merry by Don Urquhart 18 June According to the Guardian here’s Gavin Williamson’s answer to the schools problem: Government to fund private tutors for English schools Why are children educationally disadvantaged? Mostly it is because they have problems at home. They might be hungry.
25 June 2020 Withdrawal Methods Finishing the virus. By Robert Kilconner I have never been a Roman Catholic so I have no experience of the “withdrawal method” of contraception. Still, it sounds jolly difficult. Iron self-control at the moment of maximum excitement is not something most of us would find easy. Gandi, perhaps, or Saint
25 June 2020 View from the Cotswolds Under Cover of Covid By Paul Branch With most of the news for the past three month focused on the virus, it’s not surprising that other things happen without the benefit of public scrutiny, be it in Parliament or by the media. Not that I’m saying this escape
25 June 2020 Social Distancing in Cumbria Week 14 by Vic Leader This has been quite a momentous week. Covid is losing its monopoly of the news as more mundane matters compete: people dying at raves; murder in a park, (terrorist or a mental flip?); countries opening up tourism; US Presidential rally with barely an
