49k new cases today (and contrary to MaxPB's confident assertion yesterday, the specimen case rate continues to rise week on week), and over 1k daily admissions to hospital now across UK.
Pretty bad news I would say, but looks largely driven by England and Wales (to a lesser extent). Scotland and NI don't seem to be seeing growth in cases quite as quickly.
Ex-MP Frank Field announces he is terminally ill as he backs assisted dying law
This is very sad. I have never been a Labour supporter but Frank Field is a thoroughly decent man who deserves everyone's respect for a lifetime of service.
I sense that 'assisted dying' (the debate in which this sad news was announced) is an idea whose time has come.
It's fundamentally a libertarian issue. If the government would just let us but the drugs we want to buy including barbiturates, we could sort ourselves out.
Interesting point you raise here. What's the difference between suicide and an assisted death? I guess it revolves around "needs assistance" - but I can imagine this is not that easy to formulate into a test/question with a binary yes/no result.
Anything you can legally do, you should be able to ask somebody else for assistance to do, or pay somebody to help you do it.
I would frame this as 'Assisted Suicide' which I think is both accurate and descriptive.
Ok, but to test that. If I help a friend who is physically healthy but depressed to take his own life, you don't think that should be legal (for me), do you?
I do, with safeguards.
I don't think he should be able to call you up drunk and depressed one night and you go over and stab him to put him out of his misery.
But if he were to certify that he wishes to die while getting a psychological assessment that he's of sound mind - then a month or two apart give a second certification that he wishes to die while getting a psychological assessment that he's of sound mind, then I think his wishes should be respected.
Can a physically healthy person who wants to kill themselves be of sound mind? That's quite an interesting question. Otherwise, if he was up to going through 2 formal psychological assessments, months apart, he would most likely be up to doing the deed himself, I'd have thought. So, in practice, we're probably more in the realms of a spur-of-the-moment situation or "help" as in encouragement. "Yeah, do it, mate. Why the fuck not." This sort of thing. Or maybe more active than that. I believe this is (potentially) a criminal offence atm and I don't think I'd wish to change that.
Yes. Severe depression is absolutely not correlated with lack of rationality.
If all is black, to end it might be rational? Yes, I can see that. And rationality is a feature of a sound mind. So, going on -
- Can a sound mind think irrationally sometimes? - Can an unsound mind think rationally sometimes?
Number 1 is easy (I think). It's Yes. Number 2 is not so easy to answer, but I think it's also Yes.
I'd agree. IMV rationality and irrationality are not binary, but a spectrum that varies in an individual over time. Spock was a caricature of 'perfect' rationality, and his alienness / otherworldliness shows that perfect rationality is an alien concept to us.
Sci-fi metahphors are great
It is a pleasing fact of life that "metaphor" is a metaphor. In Greece you will see lorries with metaphorai written on them, meaning house moves.
I remember when Stephen Jay Gould the evolutionist visited Greece at a time when the rate of microevolution was a hot topic of debate (some of us may remember 'punctuated equilibria'). He was overjoyed to discover that the local bus stops were all labelled 'Stasis'. And apparently that airport trolleys are also called metaphors.
Poor old SJG, himself a victim of overextended metaphors. Darwin was Newton, there must be evolutionary theories of relativity out there and he was jolly well going to find them.
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
"Labour's instincts over masks are out of step with the people it needs to attract The Left seem to relish the imposition of rules and regulations to control citizens’ behaviour Tom Harris"
I’m relieved that no one was hurt when panels fell of the Hilton hotel in #Woking on Wednesday. The road closure of Victoria Way will continue until the authorities can be fully satisfied that there is no further risk of other panels falling.
BREAKING: The former head of the covid vaccine programme, Emily Lawson, is returning from her new job at No10 to take charge again.
Quite clearly her moving and Zahawi going was an error. This virus bites back whenever anyone has the hubris to think it is beaten.
Good that they're getting to grips with it now before winter.
The JCVI f***ed the country over putting politics before science. Hancock was weak for not forcing them into an answer and Boris was weak for letting Hancock not deal with it. Thank goodness that Javid is getting a grip on things and forced the JCVI into an answer even if they still messed around with the politics.
We've got a limited window now to get boosters done. A much smaller window than it could have been. Once the over 50s are all done the booster program should IMHO be extended to everyone of any age past three months instead of just over 50s past six months. Get maximum protection going into winter.
And anyone whinging about the rest of the world can go f##k themselves. Put your own oxygen mask on first, that's the rule.
Given it's Friday evening, thought I'd have a look at booze (from Middle English bousen, to drink, which came from Middle Dutch buysen, to drink heavily, and before that from Proto-Germanic beuzą, one of their terms for beer)
I'll start with beer, which joined us - unsurprisingly - from German bier. The origin for bier is apparently much disputed, and hard to trace as it's been used for about 1400 years. I'm happy to go with the quite common idea that it was borrowed by West Germanic 6C monks from Vulgar Latin biber, a drink, from Latin bibere to drink.
If you fancy a lager, you might want to give it a while. Again from German, but not at all disputed, lagerbier is literally storehouse beer, or beer to be laid down. Lager for storehouse, comes from the same Proto-Indo-European root that we get the verb 'to lay' from.
Ale, guess what, comes from Germany! Much longer ago, as ealu the Old English word shows. It is derived from Proto-Germanic aluth another word for beer. This may have a more interesting root , as it might be from Proto-Indo-European alu- which indicates magic, sorcery and intoxication.
"Labour's instincts over masks are out of step with the people it needs to attract The Left seem to relish the imposition of rules and regulations to control citizens’ behaviour Tom Harris"
"Labour's instincts over masks are out of step with the people it needs to attract The Left seem to relish the imposition of rules and regulations to control citizens’ behaviour Tom Harris"
Ex-MP Frank Field announces he is terminally ill as he backs assisted dying law
This is very sad. I have never been a Labour supporter but Frank Field is a thoroughly decent man who deserves everyone's respect for a lifetime of service.
I sense that 'assisted dying' (the debate in which this sad news was announced) is an idea whose time has come.
It's fundamentally a libertarian issue. If the government would just let us but the drugs we want to buy including barbiturates, we could sort ourselves out.
Interesting point you raise here. What's the difference between suicide and an assisted death? I guess it revolves around "needs assistance" - but I can imagine this is not that easy to formulate into a test/question with a binary yes/no result.
Anything you can legally do, you should be able to ask somebody else for assistance to do, or pay somebody to help you do it.
I would frame this as 'Assisted Suicide' which I think is both accurate and descriptive.
Ok, but to test that. If I help a friend who is physically healthy but depressed to take his own life, you don't think that should be legal (for me), do you?
I do, with safeguards.
I don't think he should be able to call you up drunk and depressed one night and you go over and stab him to put him out of his misery.
But if he were to certify that he wishes to die while getting a psychological assessment that he's of sound mind - then a month or two apart give a second certification that he wishes to die while getting a psychological assessment that he's of sound mind, then I think his wishes should be respected.
Can a physically healthy person who wants to kill themselves be of sound mind? That's quite an interesting question. Otherwise, if he was up to going through 2 formal psychological assessments, months apart, he would most likely be up to doing the deed himself, I'd have thought. So, in practice, we're probably more in the realms of a spur-of-the-moment situation or "help" as in encouragement. "Yeah, do it, mate. Why the fuck not." This sort of thing. Or maybe more active than that. I believe this is (potentially) a criminal offence atm and I don't think I'd wish to change that.
Yes. Severe depression is absolutely not correlated with lack of rationality.
If all is black, to end it might be rational? Yes, I can see that. And rationality is a feature of a sound mind. So, going on -
- Can a sound mind think irrationally sometimes? - Can an unsound mind think rationally sometimes?
Number 1 is easy (I think). It's Yes. Number 2 is not so easy to answer, but I think it's also Yes.
I'd agree. IMV rationality and irrationality are not binary, but a spectrum that varies in an individual over time. Spock was a caricature of 'perfect' rationality, and his alienness / otherworldliness shows that perfect rationality is an alien concept to us.
Sci-fi metahphors are great
It is a pleasing fact of life that "metaphor" is a metaphor. In Greece you will see lorries with metaphorai written on them, meaning house moves.
I remember when Stephen Jay Gould the evolutionist visited Greece at a time when the rate of microevolution was a hot topic of debate (some of us may remember 'punctuated equilibria'). He was overjoyed to discover that the local bus stops were all labelled 'Stasis'. And apparently that airport trolleys are also called metaphors.
And "Exit' is 'Exodos', which we were delighted to see at the Piraeus railway station.
Great to see that the usual suspects on PB have smeared Rachel Reeves because they don't like her voice and that she is in possession of a pair of breasts. Important things like that which don't cast the posters in a bad light in any way, oh no no siree.
Rachel Reeves is great. She’s smart, interesting, went to New College. All major pluses.
But she lacks charisma, has a dreary voice and - important in the strange world of Labour politics - she’s a woman.
@billybragg Was asked why I was wearing a mask this morning while ordering breakfast. Did you see those images of the Commons, I replied, with a bare-faced govt facing the masked opposition? I don’t want anyone in here thinking I’m a Tory https://twitter.com/billybragg/status/1451482312797982729
If the left want to politicise mask-wearing, a) it is regrettable - why must bloody everything be turned into a culture war issue? and b) it will be counter-productive: if you want to associate your side with a particular action, associate it with an action people want to do.
Yes, it's ridiculous. As it is NOT a left-right issue in any way shape or form.
The moronic culture warriors piss me right off.
I like your point - however anyone who's watched BBC Parliament lately knows that, for some reason; it has become a left/right issue.
So it is a l/r issue after all is what you are saying?
These things ain't rational, but that's not the same as saying they aren't real.
It isn't. You just want too make so. But because you want to make it so, doesn't mean it is. Sorry.
I don't give a flying fuck whether it is left right or centre. I'm just the guy who is telling you the way things are.
Inaccurately as it happens. As per.
So all the right say X and all the left say not X, but we have to believe that X is not an l r issue in a sort of spiritual sense because you say so?
Got it
Yes, those well-known rightwingers on here, Anabobazina, Stocky and SandyRentool really prove your bloody point don't they?
Given it's Friday evening, thought I'd have a look at booze (from Middle English bousen, to drink, which came from Middle Dutch buysen, to drink heavily, and before that from Proto-Germanic beuzą, one of their terms for beer)
I'll start with beer, which joined us - unsurprisingly - from German bier. The origin for bier is apparently much disputed, and hard to trace as it's been used for about 1400 years. I'm happy to go with the quite common idea that it was borrowed by West Germanic 6C monks from Vulgar Latin biber, a drink, from Latin bibere to drink.
If you fancy a lager, you might want to give it a while. Again from German, but not at all disputed, lagerbier is literally storehouse beer, or beer to be laid down. Lager for storehouse, comes from the same Proto-Indo-European root that we get the verb 'to lay' from.
Ale, guess what, comes from Germany! Much longer ago, as ealu the Old English word shows. It is derived from Proto-Germanic aluth another word for beer. This may have a more interesting root , as it might be from Proto-Indo-European alu- which indicates magic, sorcery and intoxication.
@billybragg Was asked why I was wearing a mask this morning while ordering breakfast. Did you see those images of the Commons, I replied, with a bare-faced govt facing the masked opposition? I don’t want anyone in here thinking I’m a Tory https://twitter.com/billybragg/status/1451482312797982729
If the left want to politicise mask-wearing, a) it is regrettable - why must bloody everything be turned into a culture war issue? and b) it will be counter-productive: if you want to associate your side with a particular action, associate it with an action people want to do.
Yes, it's ridiculous. As it is NOT a left-right issue in any way shape or form.
The moronic culture warriors piss me right off.
I like your point - however anyone who's watched BBC Parliament lately knows that, for some reason; it has become a left/right issue.
So it is a l/r issue after all is what you are saying?
These things ain't rational, but that's not the same as saying they aren't real.
It isn't. You just want too make so. But because you want to make it so, doesn't mean it is. Sorry.
I don't give a flying fuck whether it is left right or centre. I'm just the guy who is telling you the way things are.
Inaccurately as it happens. As per.
So all the right say X and all the left say not X, but we have to believe that X is not an l r issue in a sort of spiritual sense because you say so?
Got it
Yes, those well-known rightwingers on here, Anabobazina, Stocky and SandyRentool really prove your bloody point don't they?
LOL, but it pisses me off that FS addresses his followers as salt begotten or something, when we know that the vavatch seas are sweet water. Always meant to write a stiff letter to Banks about that. Fucking procrastination.
Iain Banks was a great guy, and very good fun to have a drink with. As you might, or might not, expect, had a much less serious outlook on life than Terry Pratchett.
There is nothing funny about comedy.
People used to laugh when I said I wanted to do stand up. They aren’t laughing now.
@billybragg Was asked why I was wearing a mask this morning while ordering breakfast. Did you see those images of the Commons, I replied, with a bare-faced govt facing the masked opposition? I don’t want anyone in here thinking I’m a Tory https://twitter.com/billybragg/status/1451482312797982729
If the left want to politicise mask-wearing, a) it is regrettable - why must bloody everything be turned into a culture war issue? and b) it will be counter-productive: if you want to associate your side with a particular action, associate it with an action people want to do.
Yes, it's ridiculous. As it is NOT a left-right issue in any way shape or form.
The moronic culture warriors piss me right off.
I like your point - however anyone who's watched BBC Parliament lately knows that, for some reason; it has become a left/right issue.
So it is a l/r issue after all is what you are saying?
These things ain't rational, but that's not the same as saying they aren't real.
It isn't. You just want too make so. But because you want to make it so, doesn't mean it is. Sorry.
I don't give a flying fuck whether it is left right or centre. I'm just the guy who is telling you the way things are.
Inaccurately as it happens. As per.
So all the right say X and all the left say not X, but we have to believe that X is not an l r issue in a sort of spiritual sense because you say so?
Got it
Yes, those well-known rightwingers on here, Anabobazina, Stocky and SandyRentool really prove your bloody point don't they?
Time for you to withdraw on this one, old bean.
3 data points vs the entire labour/Dem party. Tricky one, and see Tom Harris.
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
I don't give much credence to LRFs but I would prefer cold and dry to mild and wet.
49k new cases today (and contrary to MaxPB's confident assertion yesterday, the specimen case rate continues to rise week on week), and over 1k daily admissions to hospital now across UK.
Pretty bad news I would say, but looks largely driven by England and Wales (to a lesser extent). Scotland and NI don't seem to be seeing growth in cases quite as quickly.
Here's the split of England's 36,682 assigned cases by specimen date for the 17th October. I've done simple divisions for the 10 - 14 and 15 to 19 age groups.
0 - 11 8053 Young children 12-17 8239 Older children 18-49 12798 Booster ineligible younger adults 50+ 7592 Booster eligible older adults
"Labour's instincts over masks are out of step with the people it needs to attract The Left seem to relish the imposition of rules and regulations to control citizens’ behaviour Tom Harris"
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
I don't give much credence to LRFs but I would prefer cold and dry to mild and wet.
Great to see that the usual suspects on PB have smeared Rachel Reeves because they don't like her voice and that she is in possession of a pair of breasts. Important things like that which don't cast the posters in a bad light in any way, oh no no siree.
Rachel Reeves is great. She’s smart, interesting, went to New College. All major pluses.
But she lacks charisma, has a dreary voice and - important in the strange world of Labour politics - she’s a woman.
She will never be PM
As I say above, I don't agree about her voice. But you are probably right that she won't be PM as the Labour Party has an aversion to electing female leaders – probably a legacy of the macho trade union movement, if anything. It's saddening.
LOL, but it pisses me off that FS addresses his followers as salt begotten or something, when we know that the vavatch seas are sweet water. Always meant to write a stiff letter to Banks about that. Fucking procrastination.
Iain Banks was a great guy, and very good fun to have a drink with. As you might, or might not, expect, had a much less serious outlook on life than Terry Pratchett.
There is nothing funny about comedy.
People used to laugh when I said I wanted to do stand up. They aren’t laughing now.
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
I don't give much credence to LRFs but I would prefer cold and dry to mild and wet.
I agree entirely. But the problem with cold and dry this year is we may not be able to generate enough power under those circumstances. Wind generation is not suited to cold and dry polar highs as they usually also mean still.
For once I might be hoping for a wet and windy winter.
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
@billybragg Was asked why I was wearing a mask this morning while ordering breakfast. Did you see those images of the Commons, I replied, with a bare-faced govt facing the masked opposition? I don’t want anyone in here thinking I’m a Tory https://twitter.com/billybragg/status/1451482312797982729
If the left want to politicise mask-wearing, a) it is regrettable - why must bloody everything be turned into a culture war issue? and b) it will be counter-productive: if you want to associate your side with a particular action, associate it with an action people want to do.
Yes, it's ridiculous. As it is NOT a left-right issue in any way shape or form.
The moronic culture warriors piss me right off.
I like your point - however anyone who's watched BBC Parliament lately knows that, for some reason; it has become a left/right issue.
So it is a l/r issue after all is what you are saying?
These things ain't rational, but that's not the same as saying they aren't real.
It isn't. You just want too make so. But because you want to make it so, doesn't mean it is. Sorry.
I don't give a flying fuck whether it is left right or centre. I'm just the guy who is telling you the way things are.
Inaccurately as it happens. As per.
So all the right say X and all the left say not X, but we have to believe that X is not an l r issue in a sort of spiritual sense because you say so?
Got it
Yes, those well-known rightwingers on here, Anabobazina, Stocky and SandyRentool really prove your bloody point don't they?
Time for you to withdraw on this one, old bean.
3 data points vs the entire labour/Dem party. Tricky one, and see Tom Harris.
Is this the very same "entire Labour Party" who wore the square root of FA masks AT THEIR CONFERENCE JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO?
FFS. Bore off and argue with yourself. I can't be bothered. The last word is yours. Go ahead.
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
I don't give much credence to LRFs but I would prefer cold and dry to mild and wet.
The NHS wouldn’t...
Dunno. Surely wet weather = more likely for people to stay indoors.
Right there's enough testing data now for me to say that the South West rise isn't "catch up" due to dodgy testing but a case surge caused by Covid positive peeps circulating rather than isolating.
The by Specimen Date graph started rising on the 3rd of October, rising from 2324 on the 3rd to 5516 on the 14th.
Over that time period the 7-day PCR test figure went from 273,386 to 282.724 (i.e. barely any rise) but the positivity figure rose from 6 to 10.3% (and in-fact has risen to 12.1% by the 16th).
I think it is now complacent to say the South West figures are because we are simply getting the missing cases from earlier in the month and actually this is a great example of what would happen if you don't have mandatory self-isolation in the face of a positive test.
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
I don't give much credence to LRFs but I would prefer cold and dry to mild and wet.
I agree entirely. But the problem with cold and dry this year is we may not be able to generate enough power under those circumstances. Wind generation is not suited to cold and dry polar highs as they usually also mean still.
For once I might be hoping for a wet and windy winter.
That's a very good point. Mild winter weather usually comes with strong breezes attached.
Had my 3rd Pfizer jab yesterday. No real adverse side effects, although my arm is way sorer and more swollen than the previous two shots.
I'm going to hopefully get the Moderna booster before I come to the UK in a few weeks. (Plus, hopefully get my 11 year old son his first Pfizer shot.)
I thought I was going in early for my booster and was going to have to come up with a reason for doing so (travel within 3 weeks to a COVID hotspot), but instead I got a pat on the back from the pharmacist, as it was 6 months to the day from my second shot, and hence my very first day of eligibility.
Great to see that the usual suspects on PB have smeared Rachel Reeves because they don't like her voice and that she is in possession of a pair of breasts. Important things like that which don't cast the posters in a bad light in any way, oh no no siree.
Rachel Reeves is great. She’s smart, interesting, went to New College. All major pluses.
But she lacks charisma, has a dreary voice and - important in the strange world of Labour politics - she’s a woman.
She will never be PM
As I say above, I don't agree about her voice. But you are probably right that she won't be PM as the Labour Party has an aversion to electing female leaders – probably a legacy of the macho trade union movement, if anything. It's saddening.
Interesting thought - who are the missed out good female leaders of Labour in recent times? I'm struggling a bit, to be honest. Mind you, I'm also struggling on the missed out good male leaders of Labour!
At one point, I might have said Cooper, but not after her leadership campaign. Maybe Nandy, jury still out on that for me. Flint, perhaps (it wasn't the right time for her, when she stood).
This whole debate about masks is so incredibly boring that I may as well join in. It is the government that is recommending wearing masks in certain settings. Not the Labour Party or anybody else - the don't have the power. The most recent government guidance is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own And it contains the following: We expect and recommend that members of the public continue to wear face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet. For example, on public transport.
So the Tory government is expecting and recommending the wearing of masks. They should either ditch this guidance, or follow it themselves. I'd suggest a packed HoC, e.g. for PMQs, is a crowded and enclosed space, and that MPs are in contact with over 600 people, most of them who they normally don't meet.
The libertarians on here ought to be having a go at the government for this clear and unequivocal guidance, if they don't like it.
Given it's Friday evening, thought I'd have a look at booze (from Middle English bousen, to drink, which came from Middle Dutch buysen, to drink heavily, and before that from Proto-Germanic beuzą, one of their terms for beer)
I'll start with beer, which joined us - unsurprisingly - from German bier. The origin for bier is apparently much disputed, and hard to trace as it's been used for about 1400 years. I'm happy to go with the quite common idea that it was borrowed by West Germanic 6C monks from Vulgar Latin biber, a drink, from Latin bibere to drink.
If you fancy a lager, you might want to give it a while. Again from German, but not at all disputed, lagerbier is literally storehouse beer, or beer to be laid down. Lager for storehouse, comes from the same Proto-Indo-European root that we get the verb 'to lay' from.
Ale, guess what, comes from Germany! Much longer ago, as ealu the Old English word shows. It is derived from Proto-Germanic aluth another word for beer. This may have a more interesting root , as it might be from Proto-Indo-European alu- which indicates magic, sorcery and intoxication.
Prost!
Evening Blanche
Love the etymology posts.
So here is one I was hoping you could help me with.
Looking at wikipedia and various other sources, the word Constable is said to derive from he Latin "comes stabuli" (attendant to the stables).
Wiki also mentions that in France there was a title of 'Connétable de France' or Constable of France.
This latter ties in with what I was originally taught at University which is that Constable derives from Conné Table - or 'Known at the table' and it referred to the highest ranking commoner, usually the Steward of a castle, was known at (permitted to sit at) the table of the Lord.
Have you come across this? I can't seem to find any other references to it.
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
I don't give much credence to LRFs but I would prefer cold and dry to mild and wet.
The NHS wouldn’t...
Dunno. Surely wet weather = more likely for people to stay indoors.
Deaths were below average in 2013-14 when we had a wet and windy winter (the year the Somerset levels flooded). And spiked during the beast from the east.
Fun fact I’ve just discovered - the Duty Free allowance coming to the UK is now 4l of booze >22%…
AND 18 litres of wine.
I feel myself strangely warming to Brexit.
And you can get the VAT back no matter where you buy the booze, if the shop can do the paperwork. So unless the limits are a concern, you’re actually better off than brefore brexit.
Not sure the average winemaker selling at the door can do the VAT receipt though.
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
Great to see that the usual suspects on PB have smeared Rachel Reeves because they don't like her voice and that she is in possession of a pair of breasts. Important things like that which don't cast the posters in a bad light in any way, oh no no siree.
Rachel Reeves is great. She’s smart, interesting, went to New College. All major pluses.
But she lacks charisma, has a dreary voice and - important in the strange world of Labour politics - she’s a woman.
She will never be PM
As I say above, I don't agree about her voice. But you are probably right that she won't be PM as the Labour Party has an aversion to electing female leaders – probably a legacy of the macho trade union movement, if anything. It's saddening.
Interesting thought - who are the missed out good female leaders of Labour in recent times? I'm struggling a bit, to be honest. Mind you, I'm also struggling on the missed out good male leaders of Labour!
At one point, I might have said Cooper, but not after her leadership campaign. Maybe Nandy, jury still out on that for me. Flint, perhaps (it wasn't the right time for her, when she stood).
I don't think Shirley Williams or Barbara Castle would have made good PMs, but at least they were very credible politicians with gravitas.
"Labour's instincts over masks are out of step with the people it needs to attract The Left seem to relish the imposition of rules and regulations to control citizens’ behaviour Tom Harris"
Great to see that the usual suspects on PB have smeared Rachel Reeves because they don't like her voice and that she is in possession of a pair of breasts. Important things like that which don't cast the posters in a bad light in any way, oh no no siree.
Rachel Reeves is great. She’s smart, interesting, went to New College. All major pluses.
But she lacks charisma, has a dreary voice and - important in the strange world of Labour politics - she’s a woman.
She will never be PM
As I say above, I don't agree about her voice. But you are probably right that she won't be PM as the Labour Party has an aversion to electing female leaders – probably a legacy of the macho trade union movement, if anything. It's saddening.
Interesting thought - who are the missed out good female leaders of Labour in recent times? I'm struggling a bit, to be honest. Mind you, I'm also struggling on the missed out good male leaders of Labour!
At one point, I might have said Cooper, but not after her leadership campaign. Maybe Nandy, jury still out on that for me. Flint, perhaps (it wasn't the right time for her, when she stood).
I'm a big fan of Rosena, who is a medical doctor with an absolutely superb backstory but is probably far too feminine and pretty to be acceptable to the chauvinistic male-dominated unions. Also Reeves, as I say above. Flint could have been good. Cooper's leadership campaign was, admittedly, rubbish, but she would have been a very competent leader: she is highly intelligent and has a great cv*
(*the PB Tories rapid-rebuttal engine will now release a stock "but HIPS" post, relating to a single policy measure from a generation ago that every normal person has long since forgotten about).
This whole debate about masks is so incredibly boring that I may as well join in. It is the government that is recommending wearing masks in certain settings. Not the Labour Party or anybody else - the don't have the power. The most recent government guidance is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own And it contains the following: We expect and recommend that members of the public continue to wear face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet. For example, on public transport.
So the Tories are expecting and recommending the wearing of masks. They should either ditch this, or follow it themselves. I'd suggest a crowded HoC, e.g. for PMQs, is a crowded and enclosed space, and that they are in contact with over 6000 people, most of them who they normally don't meet.
The libertarians on here ought to be having a go at the government for this clear and unequivocal guidance, if they don't like it.
As an aside, the government guidance is basically what it should be right now.
A recommendation to wear masks in high risk settings, but not a legal requirement.
If I were on a crowded tube, even though I'm double vaccinated with Moderna, I would wear a mask. Why? Well, for the same reason I would cover my mouth if I had a cough: it's common courtesy in a crowded space.
And if I'm asymptomatic, then there are a lot of people who could be getting my viral load, and I wouldn't be aware of it. Selfishly, given that 1-in-55 people appear to currently have Covid in the UK, it's also highly likely that there's at least one other person on the tube and that's the kind of environment where viral load is going to be elevated. So, in that scenario, a mask makes sense.
Now, for the House of Commons, if I was an MP? If the chamber was crowded and people were doing their loud "Hear, hears", then yeah, I'd probably wear a mask for the same reason. If there were two dozen people in there, then probably not.
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
I don't give much credence to LRFs but I would prefer cold and dry to mild and wet.
The NHS wouldn’t...
Dunno. Surely wet weather = more likely for people to stay indoors.
Deaths were below average in 2013-14 when we had a wet and windy winter (the year the Somerset levels flooded). And spiked during the beast from the east.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I wish I could agree that it is amazing but I think that somewhere deep down I quietly expected it. The excellent vaccine performance was due to the appointment of a set of serious dedicated individuals who were given the ability to do whatever was necessary and did. Now I would credit Johnson with that one specific set of appointments and instructions. But nothing else. As soon as those people moved on - either voluntarily or otherwise - we have reverted to the normal governmental cluster that we have all come to know and love.
I think if we were being honest most people would say they kind of expected this to happen at some point. It had a morbid inevitability.
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
5) The post is an exposition of the Rules of Liking
Breaking: long-range winter weather forecast, just released, predicts a southward shift in the seasonal storm path based on the current La Niña weather pattern, with a winter of storms and possible floods for southern France, Italy and the Balkans, with Northern Europe being less stormy and dry, with the likelihood of a prolonged period of very cold weather affecting the UK and Ireland during the later part of the winter.
I don't give much credence to LRFs but I would prefer cold and dry to mild and wet.
I agree entirely. But the problem with cold and dry this year is we may not be able to generate enough power under those circumstances. Wind generation is not suited to cold and dry polar highs as they usually also mean still.
For once I might be hoping for a wet and windy winter.
That's a very good point. Mild winter weather usually comes with strong breezes attached.
Hmm.
Unless you get an unstable polar vortex, in which case you have the winds and frigid temperatures.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
The way some talk you would think the Tories habitually had female leaders. 6 of the last 7 and 29 of 31 years it has been a man. The exception was a disaster. There simply aren't that many women at the top yet. Can't think of a great lost Labour female leader. Possibly Barbara Castle. At her peak under Wilson though.
This whole debate about masks is so incredibly boring that I may as well join in. It is the government that is recommending wearing masks in certain settings. Not the Labour Party or anybody else - the don't have the power. The most recent government guidance is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own And it contains the following: We expect and recommend that members of the public continue to wear face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet. For example, on public transport.
So the Tories are expecting and recommending the wearing of masks. They should either ditch this, or follow it themselves. I'd suggest a crowded HoC, e.g. for PMQs, is a crowded and enclosed space, and that they are in contact with over 6000 people, most of them who they normally don't meet.
The libertarians on here ought to be having a go at the government for this clear and unequivocal guidance, if they don't like it.
As an aside, the government guidance is basically what it should be right now.
A recommendation to wear masks in high risk settings, but not a legal requirement.
If I were on a crowded tube, even though I'm double vaccinated with Moderna, I would wear a mask. Why? Well, for the same reason I would cover my mouth if I had a cough: it's common courtesy in a crowded space.
And if I'm asymptomatic, then there are a lot of people who could be getting my viral load, and I wouldn't be aware of it. Selfishly, given that 1-in-55 people appear to currently have Covid in the UK, it's also highly likely that there's at least one other person on the tube and that's the kind of environment where viral load is going to be elevated. So, in that scenario, a mask makes sense.
Now, for the House of Commons, if I was an MP? If the chamber was crowded and people were doing their loud "Hear, hears", then yeah, I'd probably wear a mask for the same reason. If there were two dozen people in there, then probably not.
Yes, I agree with all that. I just find it rather mystifying that this whole issue creates such acrimony when it seems largely common sense to me.
I'd only add that I sometimes wear a mask out of courtesy. For example, my local baker asks customers to put a mask on before entering. So I do so, and would do so even if I thought they were wrong. Because they've asked me to, nicely.
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
I don't think I would place a "like" on the basis of (2) but certainly do on the basis of the other three criteria. I never know who has liked my posts - in my mind I have an idea of the kind of people who would (and wouldn't) but I might be completely wrong about it.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
Nope, totally squandered implies that any advantage vaccinating early had is now gone. That's just not the case, unless you are suggesting that everyone who didn't die or get a serious illness because of their early vaccine has subsequently died or had a serious illness.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
Of course it has not completely gone otherwise everyone would be falling victim
The charts at the Downing Street conference showed the honest picture
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
Nope, totally squandered implies that any advantage vaccinating early had is now gone. That's just not the case, unless you are suggesting that everyone who didn't die or get a serious illness because of their early vaccine has subsequently died or had a serious illness.
Striking polling data on migration in France. 65% say it should be reduced.
Striking that the number of Les Republicains voters who want to reduce immigration, 90%, is almost as high as the 95% of Le Pen's RN party who want to reduce it.
Even 57% of Macron's En Marche party voters want to cut immigration, only a plurality of French Green voters want to increase immigration
I've picked up some very modest cash on the footy lately.
My thinking is that, at this stage in the season in particular, the league tables reveal that some teams are better, or worse, than the tables imply. This is because of the three point for a win system (which I have never agreed with but that's bye the bye). Under this system teams which draw a lot of matches are disadvantaged and vice versa.
For example, take Orient and Hartlepool in League 2.
Orient's win to lose differential is +2 against Hartlepool's +1. You would expect Orient's goal difference to be better - which it is.
Orient are the better team.
Yet Hartlepool are a place higher in the league.
My thinking is that odds-compilers and punters don't take this into account - and this presents betting opportunities. Though admittedly quite marginal ones.
For tomorrow, I think that Cambridge are overpriced away at Shrewsbury (League 1). So I've layed Shrewsbury (I win if Cam win or if it's a draw). Cambridge are better than the table suggests (and they have a game in hand).
Great to see that the usual suspects on PB have smeared Rachel Reeves because they don't like her voice and that she is in possession of a pair of breasts. Important things like that which don't cast the posters in a bad light in any way, oh no no siree.
Rachel Reeves is great. She’s smart, interesting, went to New College. All major pluses.
But she lacks charisma, has a dreary voice and - important in the strange world of Labour politics - she’s a woman.
She will never be PM
As I say above, I don't agree about her voice. But you are probably right that she won't be PM as the Labour Party has an aversion to electing female leaders – probably a legacy of the macho trade union movement, if anything. It's saddening.
Interesting thought - who are the missed out good female leaders of Labour in recent times? I'm struggling a bit, to be honest. Mind you, I'm also struggling on the missed out good male leaders of Labour!
At one point, I might have said Cooper, but not after her leadership campaign. Maybe Nandy, jury still out on that for me. Flint, perhaps (it wasn't the right time for her, when she stood).
I'm a big fan of Rosena, who is a medical doctor with an absolutely superb backstory but is probably far too feminine and pretty to be acceptable to the chauvinistic male-dominated unions. Also Reeves, as I say above. Flint could have been good. Cooper's leadership campaign was, admittedly, rubbish, but she would have been a very competent leader: she is highly intelligent and has a great cv*
(*the PB Tories rapid-rebuttal engine will now release a stock "but HIPS" post, relating to a single policy measure from a generation ago that every normal person has long since forgotten about).
Ok. She spent 5 years at MoS/SoS rank under Blair and Brown. What did she do during that time that gives you confidence that she was an effective minister?
The “but HIPS” point is really saying she’s over-rated and a bit shit but always gets talked about because of the woeful quality of labour’s parliamentary party
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
I don't think I would place a "like" on the basis of (2) but certainly do on the basis of the other three criteria. I never know who has liked my posts - in my mind I have an idea of the kind of people who would (and wouldn't) but I might be completely wrong about it.
2) is the best reason to give a "like" in my view.
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
5) The post is an exposition of the Rules of Liking
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
5) The post is an exposition of the Rules of Liking
Clever arse. I've graded (liked) your post as a 4).
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
5) The post is an exposition of the Rules of Liking
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
Not on a comparable basis.
We decided the interests of society didn’t entitle us to force medical treatment with a net negative predicted outcome on our children. In many ways that is admirable.
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
Yes. I would use any of these reasons for a like (2 not so much as the others). I also like posts that teach me new facts, however obscure.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
As WG posted earlier the UK still has a lower death rate from Covid per head not only than the USA but also now than the EU as a whole due to low vaccination rates in Eastern Europe
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I wish I could agree that it is amazing but I think that somewhere deep down I quietly expected it. The excellent vaccine performance was due to the appointment of a set of serious dedicated individuals who were given the ability to do whatever was necessary and did. Now I would credit Johnson with that one specific set of appointments and instructions. But nothing else. As soon as those people moved on - either voluntarily or otherwise - we have reverted to the normal governmental cluster that we have all come to know and love.
I think if we were being honest most people would say they kind of expected this to happen at some point. It had a morbid inevitability.
Hello Richard, hope you are doing well.
You are one of the few Tories prepared to give an honest assessment of this Government's performance, with which I completely agree.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
As WG posted earlier the UK still has a lower death rate from Covid per head not only than the USA but also now than the EU as a whole due to low vaccination rates in Eastern Europe
The USA is not in Eastern Europe (day 60)
But it is to the east of Europe if you take the long way around.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
As WG posted earlier the UK still has a lower death rate from Covid per head not only than the USA but also now than the EU as a whole due to low vaccination rates in Eastern Europe
The USA is not in Eastern Europe (day 60)
But it is to the east of Europe if you take the long way around.
HYUFD always takes the long way around
I liked that comment on the basis of 1, 3, and 4 of stocky's list.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
As WG posted earlier the UK still has a lower death rate from Covid per head not only than the USA but also now than the EU as a whole due to low vaccination rates in Eastern Europe
meanwhile back at the ranch . . . in this case the Lazy K . . .
Seattle Times ($) - Rod Dembowski accused of verbal abuse, amid conflict with King County Council official
The longtime chief of staff for the Metropolitan King County Council resigned earlier this year and received a financial settlement after alleging verbal abuse by Councilmember Rod Dembowski.
The resignation was the end result of a yearslong conflict between Dembowski and the chief of staff, Carolyn Busch, that prompted the county at one point to hire a mediator. And it was one of several allegations that Dembowski treated staff, especially female staff, in a harsh or verbally abusive manner.
The events spurred the County Council to begin writing a new code of conduct that will, if approved, apply to both staff and elected officials. Council leadership is also working on a comprehensive update to personnel policies and has created and filled a new human resources manager position for the legislative branch.
Dembowski, who has been on the County Council for eight years and is up for reelection this year, said he’s worked to improve his communication style but totally denied that any of the issues were related to gender.
“There absolutely have been, upon reflection, instances in my eight years here where I’ve been too passionate or too blunt in communications with folks and I’ve definitely learned and I regret it,” he said. “I am truly sorry for any interaction where I have not lived up to expectations, and will keep working to be better, with particular awareness of how different people receive communication based on their lived experience.”
Council Chair Claudia Balducci documented the alleged pattern of behavior in a letter to Dembowski earlier this year.
“I urge you to consider that this has been an ongoing series of complaints from a number of different people over a number of years,” Balducci wrote in the letter, obtained through a public records request. “I have observed two common features in these situations: First, that they often involve women on the receiving end of your harsh treatment. Second, the issues seem to arise when you feel that you are not getting something that you want.”
In addition to the conflict with Busch, Balducci writes that Dembowski was “verbally abusive” toward the council’s former chief legal counsel (a man), causing “that seasoned and highly-respected professional to offer his resignation on the spot.”
SSI - and more of the same, a real grade-B soap opera.
Rod Dembowski is on the 2021 general election ballot for re-election to the King Co Council. Despite this story, zero reason to think he will lose, his opponent (a woman) is not gonna come close to beating him. Esp. as over 10% of the likely ballots for this election have already been returned by voters in his district. Plus he's done a pretty good job all in all, despite this episode.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
Which European country do you think is better placed to avoid any restrictions in November and December?
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post 2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it 3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine 4) The post made me laugh
I don't think I would place a "like" on the basis of (2) but certainly do on the basis of the other three criteria. I never know who has liked my posts - in my mind I have an idea of the kind of people who would (and wouldn't) but I might be completely wrong about it.
May be a test of how party political you are? I mean, if you are a tub-thumping party activist (I'm not suggesting you are) perhaps you couldn't quite bring yourself to "like" on basis of 2) no matter how well written and interesting it is?
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
Not on a comparable basis.
We decided the interests of society didn’t entitle us to force medical treatment with a net negative predicted outcome on our children. In many ways that is admirable.
I don't think there's a net negative predicted outcome on children.
Or rather, it's complicated.
If virus prevalence is very low (just as with any disease), then the benefit to any individual child is negligible. Who would they catch Covid from?
On the other hand, if the disease is rampant, and there's a high chance that they would catch Covid, then that risk-reward changes, as the vaccine risk stays the same, but the having a serious infection risk increases.
49k new cases today (and contrary to MaxPB's confident assertion yesterday, the specimen case rate continues to rise week on week), and over 1k daily admissions to hospital now across UK.
Pretty bad news I would say, but looks largely driven by England and Wales (to a lesser extent). Scotland and NI don't seem to be seeing growth in cases quite as quickly.
We're trending to a 5% WoW rise this week, down from a 20% WoW rise. I think I called it a few days too early for dropping cases.
It’s amazing that we have totally squandered all advantages we had with the early vaccine rollout
I don't think that's true.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
Totally squandered is hyperbole
Au contraire. It's exactly on the mark. We've slipped behind multiple countries on those fully vaccinated, and have a higher rate of infection than even countries with a lower vaccination rate, and higher death rates than most. We had a big advantage, and now it's completely gone.
Which European country do you think is better placed to avoid any restrictions in November and December?
Comments
Pretty bad news I would say, but looks largely driven by England and Wales (to a lesser extent). Scotland and NI don't seem to be seeing growth in cases quite as quickly.
https://twitter.com/Andrew_Adonis/status/1451571173658136583?s=20
https://twitter.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1451561193898979333?t=fu8YJZlG1FjWCp-LKsbfgw&s=19
The Left seem to relish the imposition of rules and regulations to control citizens’ behaviour
Tom Harris"
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/10/22/labours-instincts-masks-step-people-needs-attract/
I’m relieved that no one was hurt when panels fell of the Hilton hotel in #Woking on Wednesday. The road closure of Victoria Way will continue until the authorities can be fully satisfied that there is no further risk of other panels falling.
A new cladding scandal in the making.
The JCVI f***ed the country over putting politics before science. Hancock was weak for not forcing them into an answer and Boris was weak for letting Hancock not deal with it. Thank goodness that Javid is getting a grip on things and forced the JCVI into an answer even if they still messed around with the politics.
We've got a limited window now to get boosters done. A much smaller window than it could have been. Once the over 50s are all done the booster program should IMHO be extended to everyone of any age past three months instead of just over 50s past six months. Get maximum protection going into winter.
And anyone whinging about the rest of the world can go f##k themselves. Put your own oxygen mask on first, that's the rule.
I'll start with beer, which joined us - unsurprisingly - from German bier. The origin for bier is apparently much disputed, and hard to trace as it's been used for about 1400 years. I'm happy to go with the quite common idea that it was borrowed by West Germanic 6C monks from Vulgar Latin biber, a drink, from Latin bibere to drink.
If you fancy a lager, you might want to give it a while. Again from German, but not at all disputed, lagerbier is literally storehouse beer, or beer to be laid down. Lager for storehouse, comes from the same Proto-Indo-European root that we get the verb 'to lay' from.
Ale, guess what, comes from Germany! Much longer ago, as ealu the Old English word shows. It is derived from Proto-Germanic aluth another word for beer. This may have a more interesting root , as it might be from Proto-Indo-European alu- which indicates magic, sorcery and intoxication.
Prost!
And Labour is always into authoritarian bullshit.
90 days without charge, ID cards, masks for vaccinated people . . . different story, same old bullshit.
But she lacks charisma, has a dreary voice and - important in the strange world of Labour politics - she’s a woman.
She will never be PM
Time for you to withdraw on this one, old bean.
I feel myself strangely warming to Brexit.
TM Bob Monkhouse
0 - 11 8053 Young children
12-17 8239 Older children
18-49 12798 Booster ineligible younger adults
50+ 7592 Booster eligible older adults
For once I might be hoping for a wet and windy winter.
FFS. Bore off and argue with yourself. I can't be bothered. The last word is yours. Go ahead.
Dunno. Surely wet weather = more likely for people to stay indoors.
The by Specimen Date graph started rising on the 3rd of October, rising from 2324 on the 3rd to 5516 on the 14th.
Over that time period the 7-day PCR test figure went from 273,386 to 282.724 (i.e. barely any rise) but the positivity figure rose from 6 to 10.3% (and in-fact has risen to 12.1% by the 16th).
I think it is now complacent to say the South West figures are because we are simply getting the missing cases from earlier in the month and actually this is a great example of what would happen if you don't have mandatory self-isolation in the face of a positive test.
Hmm.
At one point, I might have said Cooper, but not after her leadership campaign. Maybe Nandy, jury still out on that for me. Flint, perhaps (it wasn't the right time for her, when she stood).
This whole debate about masks is so incredibly boring that I may as well join in. It is the government that is recommending wearing masks in certain settings. Not the Labour Party or anybody else - the don't have the power.
The most recent government guidance is here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own
And it contains the following:
We expect and recommend that members of the public continue to wear face coverings in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet. For example, on public transport.
So the Tory government is expecting and recommending the wearing of masks. They should either ditch this guidance, or follow it themselves. I'd suggest a packed HoC, e.g. for PMQs, is a crowded and enclosed space, and that MPs are in contact with over 600 people, most of them who they normally don't meet.
The libertarians on here ought to be having a go at the government for this clear and unequivocal guidance, if they don't like it.
Love the etymology posts.
So here is one I was hoping you could help me with.
Looking at wikipedia and various other sources, the word Constable is said to derive from he Latin "comes stabuli" (attendant to the stables).
Wiki also mentions that in France there was a title of 'Connétable de France' or Constable of France.
This latter ties in with what I was originally taught at University which is that Constable derives from Conné Table - or 'Known at the table' and it referred to the highest ranking commoner, usually the Steward of a castle, was known at (permitted to sit at) the table of the Lord.
Have you come across this? I can't seem to find any other references to it.
Not sure the average winemaker selling at the door can do the VAT receipt though.
I've spent five minutes too long thinking about this and have come up with the following four reasons:
1) I agree with the post
2) the post is very well written and/or interesting though I don't necessarily agree with it
3) I am acknowledging a come-back response to a post of mine
4) The post made me laugh
@tud 👀
(*the PB Tories rapid-rebuttal engine will now release a stock "but HIPS" post, relating to a single policy measure from a generation ago that every normal person has long since forgotten about).
A recommendation to wear masks in high risk settings, but not a legal requirement.
If I were on a crowded tube, even though I'm double vaccinated with Moderna, I would wear a mask. Why? Well, for the same reason I would cover my mouth if I had a cough: it's common courtesy in a crowded space.
And if I'm asymptomatic, then there are a lot of people who could be getting my viral load, and I wouldn't be aware of it. Selfishly, given that 1-in-55 people appear to currently have Covid in the UK, it's also highly likely that there's at least one other person on the tube and that's the kind of environment where viral load is going to be elevated. So, in that scenario, a mask makes sense.
Now, for the House of Commons, if I was an MP? If the chamber was crowded and people were doing their loud "Hear, hears", then yeah, I'd probably wear a mask for the same reason. If there were two dozen people in there, then probably not.
In the UK (except Scotland) we enjoy at least a simulacrum of normal life. More so than many countries I suspect. And that is due to the early vaccines and the impressive take-up.
I think if we were being honest most people would say they kind of expected this to happen at some point. It had a morbid inevitability.
5) The post is an exposition of the Rules of Liking
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/29/face-masks-us-politics-coronavirus
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/01/masks-politics-coronavirus-227765
https://www.newstatesman.com/uncategorized/2020/07/how-mask-wearing-became-new-culture-war
https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2021/09/28/on-the-psychology-and-politics-of-wearing-masks/
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/white-skin-no-masks-libertarianism-the-uk-anti-lockdown-movement-and-freedom
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/08/06/wearing-face-mask-has-become-politicised-says-government-scientist/
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/face-masks-set-to-become-next-culture-war-as-wearers-call-those-who-plan-to-ditch-them-from-19-july-reckless-1095007
https://www.euronews.com/2020/07/15/mandatory-face-masks-in-shops-conservatives-shred-membership-cards-and-plan-protests
And so on.
6 of the last 7 and 29 of 31 years it has been a man. The exception was a disaster.
There simply aren't that many women at the top yet.
Can't think of a great lost Labour female leader. Possibly Barbara Castle. At her peak under Wilson though.
I'd only add that I sometimes wear a mask out of courtesy. For example, my local baker asks customers to put a mask on before entering. So I do so, and would do so even if I thought they were wrong. Because they've asked me to, nicely.
That's not an anagram
I never know who has liked my posts - in my mind I have an idea of the kind of people who would (and wouldn't) but I might be completely wrong about it.
The charts at the Downing Street conference showed the honest picture
Totally gone is political hyperbole
Even 57% of Macron's En Marche party voters want to cut immigration, only a plurality of French Green voters want to increase immigration
My thinking is that, at this stage in the season in particular, the league tables reveal that some teams are better, or worse, than the tables imply. This is because of the three point for a win system (which I have never agreed with but that's bye the bye). Under this system teams which draw a lot of matches are disadvantaged and vice versa.
For example, take Orient and Hartlepool in League 2.
Hartlepool W/D/L = 6/2/5 Goal diff +1
Orient W/D/L = 4/7/2 Goal diff +8
Orient's win to lose differential is +2 against Hartlepool's +1. You would expect Orient's goal difference to be better - which it is.
Orient are the better team.
Yet Hartlepool are a place higher in the league.
My thinking is that odds-compilers and punters don't take this into account - and this presents betting opportunities. Though admittedly quite marginal ones.
For tomorrow, I think that Cambridge are overpriced away at Shrewsbury (League 1). So I've layed Shrewsbury (I win if Cam win or if it's a draw). Cambridge are better than the table suggests (and they have a game in hand).
The “but HIPS” point is really saying she’s over-rated and a bit shit but always gets talked about because of the woeful quality of labour’s parliamentary party
We decided the interests of society didn’t entitle us to force medical treatment with a net negative predicted outcome on our children. In many ways that is admirable.
You are one of the few Tories prepared to give an honest assessment of this Government's performance, with which I completely agree.
Seattle Times ($) - Rod Dembowski accused of verbal abuse, amid conflict with King County Council official
The longtime chief of staff for the Metropolitan King County Council resigned earlier this year and received a financial settlement after alleging verbal abuse by Councilmember Rod Dembowski.
The resignation was the end result of a yearslong conflict between Dembowski and the chief of staff, Carolyn Busch, that prompted the county at one point to hire a mediator. And it was one of several allegations that Dembowski treated staff, especially female staff, in a harsh or verbally abusive manner.
The events spurred the County Council to begin writing a new code of conduct that will, if approved, apply to both staff and elected officials. Council leadership is also working on a comprehensive update to personnel policies and has created and filled a new human resources manager position for the legislative branch.
Dembowski, who has been on the County Council for eight years and is up for reelection this year, said he’s worked to improve his communication style but totally denied that any of the issues were related to gender.
“There absolutely have been, upon reflection, instances in my eight years here where I’ve been too passionate or too blunt in communications with folks and I’ve definitely learned and I regret it,” he said. “I am truly sorry for any interaction where I have not lived up to expectations, and will keep working to be better, with particular awareness of how different people receive communication based on their lived experience.”
Council Chair Claudia Balducci documented the alleged pattern of behavior in a letter to Dembowski earlier this year.
“I urge you to consider that this has been an ongoing series of complaints from a number of different people over a number of years,” Balducci wrote in the letter, obtained through a public records request. “I have observed two common features in these situations: First, that they often involve women on the receiving end of your harsh treatment. Second, the issues seem to arise when you feel that you are not getting something that you want.”
In addition to the conflict with Busch, Balducci writes that Dembowski was “verbally abusive” toward the council’s former chief legal counsel (a man), causing “that seasoned and highly-respected professional to offer his resignation on the spot.”
SSI - and more of the same, a real grade-B soap opera.
Rod Dembowski is on the 2021 general election ballot for re-election to the King Co Council. Despite this story, zero reason to think he will lose, his opponent (a woman) is not gonna come close to beating him. Esp. as over 10% of the likely ballots for this election have already been returned by voters in his district. Plus he's done a pretty good job all in all, despite this episode.
https://twitter.com/johnestevens/status/1451543449648369664?s=21
Or rather, it's complicated.
If virus prevalence is very low (just as with any disease), then the benefit to any individual child is negligible. Who would they catch Covid from?
On the other hand, if the disease is rampant, and there's a high chance that they would catch Covid, then that risk-reward changes, as the vaccine risk stays the same, but the having a serious infection risk increases.