Miscellaneous

The United States has long regarded itself as better prepared for a pandemic than any other country in the world, but it assumed the disease would be flu, rather than a coronavirus. This was a failure of imagination. The Sars epidemic showed the world that coronaviruses can lead to acute and fatal respiratory diseases. The Asian countries that suffered most from Sars updated their pandemic response kits accordingly, with mass testing and patient-tracing technology. Neither Britain nor America thought to do likewise. In Britain, we’re starting to admit to flaws in our pandemic response. Donald Trump is less inclined to do so, and is instead directing his fury at China

Before the government announced its Covid-19 economic safeguarding scheme to pay up to £2,500 a month to ‘furloughed’ or rested employees – the ‘Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme’ – a number of business owners and managers talked to me about their creative ideas to continue operating and trading on a different model after lockdown. But as soon as they were told that they could in effect shut down and still pay something to their staff with government subsidies, they gave up on those imaginative routes to operating and went into hibernation. For example, the PM in a press-conference before he became ill, tried to encourage pubs, cafes and restaurants to convert into

This month, The Spectator becomes the first magazine in history to print 10,000 issues. At a time when the nation is in need of good cheer, we’d like to celebrate. Subscribers can claim 39% off our commemorative Spectator gin, produced by Foxdenton Estate Company, a family-run distillery in the home counties. Usually £40.95, subscribers can own a bottle for just £24.95, including free postage and packing*. Enter GIN39 at checkout to receive your discount.

I could list all manner of things I don’t try, because I know I won’t like them, like skydiving and revolting cocktails. But there’s another list of things I don’t try, knowing I might like them just a bit too much. ‘Puzzle Rush’ was, for some time, in the second category. Chess.com is one of the websites where people go seeking out internet games, and their release of ‘Puzzle Rush’ in late 2018 was an instant hit. The challenge is to solve as many chess puzzles as you can in five minutes. The puzzles get gradually harder, and after three strikes, you’re out. It goes to show that even games

Bridge is obviously another casualty of the coronavirus. Clubs have closed their doors; tournaments have been cancelled; championships have been postponed. Safety, of course, comes first. But for many of us, the prospect of life without the constant challenge and stimulation of the game, or the companionship of our fellow players, is pretty miserable. There is a silver lining, though: we can still play and practise online. In fact, I intend to do a lot of it — especially bidding with my regular partners. Thank God for BBO (Bridge Base Online)! To keep our bridge brains sharp, we can also browse through BBO’s Vugraph archives and re-live the action of