Further thought. The arrival, we hope, of an extremely effective treatment for Covid-19, vindicates - potentially - the countries which have gone for Zero Covid. If they can just hold out for a few more months, they will be able to relax all restrictions knowing that the vast majority of people are now safe, because of the antivirals
They will have avoided mass deaths and suffering, albeit at the expense of rigorous lockdowns, isolation and quarantines
Up to a point, milord. The regimen for the antivirals is pretty ruthless: you have to spot covidians within three days of infection. So, quite a lot is bound to slip the net, surely, unless you test everyone every day?!
Three days of symptom onset isn't it? Which would be far easier.
I read "five days", somewhere, which is even better. But there's lots of conflicting info and opinion as this potentially game-changing news impacts
Certainly Pfizer shares are doing pretty nicely
That’s because they will make a shitload of cash from the vaccine. This year and next.
It looks like there were two studies: one within 5 days of the start of symptoms, the other one was three days. Both worked but the results from 3 days are the ones in the headlines, as better than 5 days.
Mrs Rata looked at the target molecule. Probably 8-10 chemical reactions to make the drug, about 4 major input chemicals (a couple of amino acids) plus solvents and catalysts, reckons a couple of bits in the middle of the molecule could be a bit tricky, a nitrile group and a three membered ring, but overall not too terrible. And there will be an existing lab synthesis and probably some beginnings of a scale up or kilogram scale method to work from.
And for this circumstance she says, "you'd scale up the lab method you've got, however stupid it is", which would be a matter of a 2-3 months to get to decent scale (and you'd then be working in parallel on the real process improvement for later batches).
Anyhow she's rather more optimistic than I was this afternoon and her description tbh is of a simpler process than the one she's involved in putting on plant at the moment.
A former cabinet minister said: “No 10 lacks grey hair. It lacks a Willie Whitelaw. Frankly, Boris’s habit of not liking big guns around him is his fatal flaw. He doesn’t have any cabinet ministers who will call him up and say, ‘This is a f***ing stupid idea’.” Others say this criticism is unfair. “There is challenge there every day, with people putting across both sides of the argument,” a government source said. “There’s nothing casual about it.” The original plan to save Paterson was even more robust than the amendment.
and
Critics of the prime minister believe that the events of this week are part of a wider pattern. “The prime minister reverse ferrets not only in the building but in his own mind,” one government source said.
“He says, ‘We’ve got to get this done.’ He’s very gung-ho and then he convinces himself it was never his position in the first place and seems to think it was someone else’s fault.” Within No 10, few are prepared to stand up to the prime minister and insecurity is rife. “No 10 is full of people that nod along because they’re worried about their own positions,” one staffer said.
The problem is that they’ve burned their bridges there, so who can they persuade into No.10 to actually run the show?
I actually spoke to someone who has worked in Downing Street in the past and they said nobody would want to work in Number 10 under Boris Johnson.
He manages to couple the inertia of Mrs May's decision making process which then leads messy last minute decision making process which led to the Paterson fiasco.
Then you've got Carrie Antoinette and her people in senior decision making roles and a parallel power base.
It is well known Boris Johnson can make contradictory decisions within minutes.
They all know one day it will go horribly wrong and nobody wants to be there for that.
When the time finally comes (hopefully sooner rather than later) for (working title) "Boris Johnson - The Movie" who will play Himself?
My nomination is - James Corden. With a fright wig.
And who would be good in the role of Carrie? Maybe Lady Gaga?
Nobody would have wanted to work in No 10 under Gordon Brown, the worst PM in several generations, but they did...
Is someone thinking about a Gordon Brown bio-pic?
Otherwise why bring him up? not what you'd call an especially fresh red herring!
Further thought. The arrival, we hope, of an extremely effective treatment for Covid-19, vindicates - potentially - the countries which have gone for Zero Covid. If they can just hold out for a few more months, they will be able to relax all restrictions knowing that the vast majority of people are now safe, because of the antivirals
They will have avoided mass deaths and suffering, albeit at the expense of rigorous lockdowns, isolation and quarantines
Up to a point, milord. The regimen for the antivirals is pretty ruthless: you have to spot covidians within three days of infection. So, quite a lot is bound to slip the net, surely, unless you test everyone every day?!
Three days of symptom onset isn't it? Which would be far easier.
I read "five days", somewhere, which is even better. But there's lots of conflicting info and opinion as this potentially game-changing news impacts
Certainly Pfizer shares are doing pretty nicely
That’s because they will make a shitload of cash from the vaccine. This year and next.
It looks like there were two studies: one within 5 days of the start of symptoms, the other one was three days. Both worked but the results from 3 days are the ones in the headlines, as better than 5 days.
Mrs Rata looked at the target molecule. Probably 8-10 chemical reactions to make the drug, about 4 major input chemicals (a couple of amino acids) plus solvents and catalysts, reckons a couple of bits in the middle of the molecule could be a bit tricky, a nitrile group and a three membered ring, but overall not too terrible. And there will be an existing lab synthesis and probably some beginnings of a scale up or kilogram scale method to work from.
And for this circumstance she says, "you'd scale up the lab method you've got, however stupid it is", which would be a matter of a 2-3 months to get to decent scale (and you'd then be working in parallel on the real process improvement for later batches).
Anyhow she's rather more optimistic than I was this afternoon and her description tbh is of a simpler process than the one she's involved in putting on plant at the moment.
It’ll already be scaled up in order to produce for the trial. Lots of amide couplings, which are trivial, and probably solid support methods, and a couple of interesting but not that challenging building blocks. Small peptides like this are a growth area, and it’s not hard to see why, as they are interacting with big peptides - proteins.
Whining that there aren't enough Asian players in the England team and saying that football is more representative - number of Asian players in top level football being approximately zero.
He also seems to think that club cricket in Yorkshire is racially segregated - well it might be in Bradford for all I know but certainly isn't elsewhere, Azeem Rafiq for example played for Barnsley.
Implies that there's a host of Asian cricketers who have been denied professional careers - no names of these potential Gavaskars and Imran Khans mentioned of course.
Doesn't know that until 1990 Yorkshire had a selection policy that you had to be born in the county to play for them.
Isn't aware that India was playing test cricket from 1932.
And doesn't realise that the number of black cricketers in the 1980s was because of the greatness of the West Indies at the time.
For all that YCCC have made themselves look contemptible and incompetent in failing to deal with ignorant bigotry things aren't going to be improved by the Guardian allowing ignorant bigotry of a different variety.
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Thanks for the across the pond updates. Good to get into detail.
Whining that there aren't enough Asian players in the England team and saying that football is more representative - number of Asian players in top level football being approximately zero.
He also seems to think that club cricket in Yorkshire is racially segregated - well it might be in Bradford for all I know but certainly isn't elsewhere, Azeem Rafiq for example played for Barnsley.
Implies that there's a host of Asian cricketers who have been denied professional careers - no names of these potential Gavaskars and Imran Khans mentioned of course.
Doesn't know that until 1990 Yorkshire had a selection policy that you had to be born in the county to play for them.
Isn't aware that India was playing test cricket from 1932.
And doesn't realise that the number of black cricketers in the 1980s was because of the greatness of the West Indies at the time.
For all that YCCC have made themselves look contemptible and incompetent in failing to deal with ignorant bigotry things aren't going to be improved by the Guardian allowing ignorant bigotry of a different variety.
So in our county league there is an Asian team. Is that racially segregated or is it a club from a culture who like playing together?
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Man, you make fun of our constituency names and there you are with Snohomish. Is that what happens when Old Bexley and Sidcup try to take their camper van / winnebago up to Aviemore for the winter?
Despite having a Glaswegian mother, I'm not hugely invested in the Scottish issue, being fairly neutral. But for Labour, the politics of it are simple. Starmer will fight the next election on a) no coalition with the SNP, b) no promise, or even hint, of another referendum. He has no choice.
What happens after that, if by any chance the Tories don't succeed in having a majority to form a government, will depend entirely on the numbers. But I'm confident that Starmer would prefer to risk another election rather than be held to ransom by the SNP.
I agree that Starmer will not fight on a second Brexit referendum. Whether he should is a different and more abstract question.
But on the SNP, SKS is in a trickier corner. The figures are obvious: The Tories can only form a government if they win or very nearly win; Labour cannot possibly form a Labour government without a Black Swan event. But they can easily form one in alliance of some sort with LD, Gn and SNP.
The Tory attack line is obvious. (1) Labour can't win (2) A vote for Labour in E and W is a vote for the SNP (3) If Labour won't deal with the SNP a vote for Labour is a vote for a result with no possible government (4) Vote Labour and they would have to call an election again immediately.
So vote for reliable, modest, competent, consistent, boring old Boris.
And there is a surprising amount of truth in all those attack lines. except the last of course.
Does this mean even if the country is on its arse we have vote Boris to save the Union? Ohhhh, OK then.
Boris Johnson is planning to take the Conservative parliamentary party on an away weekend in January to improve relations with MPs and engage with policy development and delivery.
One senior MP said, "I'm expecting a whole weekend of 'yes and ho'.”
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Thanks for the across the pond updates. Good to get into detail.
Pretty amazimg they haven't finished counting in County pest controller elections yet, mind.
Maybe in conjunction with the Paterson fiasco attempt to sack Stone it hints that Johnson is even more of a duplicitous, conniving barsteward than had been first understood.
Boris Johnson is planning to take the Conservative parliamentary party on an away weekend in January to improve relations with MPs and engage with policy development and delivery.
One senior MP said, "I'm expecting a whole weekend of 'yes and ho'.”
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Man, you make fun of our constituency names and there you are with Snohomish. Is that what happens when Old Bexley and Sidcup try to take their camper van / winnebago up to Aviemore for the winter?
Snohomish is a native American (coast Salish) name, also the name of a river; in the vicinity also Swinomish Tribe (and river) and Stilliguamish River. Also Sammamish (city and lake) and Duwamish (Tribe & river)
We've got plenty more great native names, for example Cowlitz, Mukilteo, Nisqually, Nooksack, Puyallup, Skagit, Snoqualmie, Tacoma/Tehoma, Yakima to name but a few.
And of course Seattle is an anglicized version of the name of a great Duwamish tribal leader.
Whining that there aren't enough Asian players in the England team and saying that football is more representative - number of Asian players in top level football being approximately zero.
He also seems to think that club cricket in Yorkshire is racially segregated - well it might be in Bradford for all I know but certainly isn't elsewhere, Azeem Rafiq for example played for Barnsley.
Implies that there's a host of Asian cricketers who have been denied professional careers - no names of these potential Gavaskars and Imran Khans mentioned of course.
Doesn't know that until 1990 Yorkshire had a selection policy that you had to be born in the county to play for them.
Isn't aware that India was playing test cricket from 1932.
And doesn't realise that the number of black cricketers in the 1980s was because of the greatness of the West Indies at the time.
For all that YCCC have made themselves look contemptible and incompetent in failing to deal with ignorant bigotry things aren't going to be improved by the Guardian allowing ignorant bigotry of a different variety.
So in our county league there is an Asian team. Is that racially segregated or is it a club from a culture who like playing together?
I would imagine the latter.
And quite understandably so for many - people tend to associate with others similar to themselves and the 'general ambiance' in sports clubs can be off-putting for 'outsiders' even from 'normal' things such as alcohol consumption.
I would imagine that there are also Asian players in the other clubs in your league.
Time tonsign off for a while. Its going to.be a Boris hateathon. Criticism based on fact is fairplay...
Well it is a thread header concerning Johnson's future as PM, and Johnson has just been caught attempting to subvert Parliamentary justice (re: Paterson) so it's not exactly off-topic.
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Man, you make fun of our constituency names and there you are with Snohomish. Is that what happens when Old Bexley and Sidcup try to take their camper van / winnebago up to Aviemore for the winter?
Snohomish is a native American (coast Salish) name, also the name of a river; in the vicinity also Swinomish Tribe (and river) and Stilliguamish River. Also Sammamish (city and lake) and Duwamish (Tribe & river)
We've got plenty more great native names, for example Cowlitz, Mukilteo, Nisqually, Nooksack, Puyallup, Skagit, Snoqualmie, Tacoma/Tehoma, Yakima to name but a few.
And of course Seattle is an anglicized version of the name of a great Duwamish tribal leader.
You missed Walla Walla. So good they named it twice. And name checked it in Summer Nights.
Blimey. Helion, the private sector pulsed fusion effort, just raised $500m.
US investors are getting very serious about the prospects for fusion power within a decade.
If they get it right then 500m will be peanuts.
I have indirectly (via IP group) an investment in 'First light fusion' - an Oxford company.
All of them are pretty good bets at probably in effect 1000-1 or maybe more.
Yes, but it’s a very large single investment (I think the total for the entire sector was previously under $2bn ?). Someone is very serious about its prospects.
I think it’s reasonably likely that we have commercial fusion before the giant European ITER project is completed in 2035.
Whining that there aren't enough Asian players in the England team and saying that football is more representative - number of Asian players in top level football being approximately zero.
He also seems to think that club cricket in Yorkshire is racially segregated - well it might be in Bradford for all I know but certainly isn't elsewhere, Azeem Rafiq for example played for Barnsley.
Implies that there's a host of Asian cricketers who have been denied professional careers - no names of these potential Gavaskars and Imran Khans mentioned of course.
Doesn't know that until 1990 Yorkshire had a selection policy that you had to be born in the county to play for them.
Isn't aware that India was playing test cricket from 1932.
And doesn't realise that the number of black cricketers in the 1980s was because of the greatness of the West Indies at the time.
For all that YCCC have made themselves look contemptible and incompetent in failing to deal with ignorant bigotry things aren't going to be improved by the Guardian allowing ignorant bigotry of a different variety.
He does seem woefully ill-informed. A quick look at the last team fielded by England shows two Asian players and two Afro-Caribbeans, captained by an Irishman. He is also referencing the Bombay Triangular/Quadrangular as if it was typical of Indian cricket. As far as I know (please correct me if I am wrong) white players played in the Ranji Trophy alongside Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs etc.
Channel 4 News lead on the Yorkshire story tonight, didn't realise they knew cricket existed. I assume they think it is some sort of embarrassing colonial legacy, which is why they were trying to put the boot in.
Boris Johnson is planning to take the Conservative parliamentary party on an away weekend in January to improve relations with MPs and engage with policy development and delivery.
One senior MP said, "I'm expecting a whole weekend of 'yes and ho'.”
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Boris Johnson is planning to take the Conservative parliamentary party on an away weekend in January to improve relations with MPs and engage with policy development and delivery.
One senior MP said, "I'm expecting a whole weekend of 'yes and ho'.”
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Thanks for the across the pond updates. Good to get into detail.
Pretty amazimg they haven't finished counting in County pest controller elections yet, mind.
FYI in great state of WA, ballots are counted if returned by 8pm election night OR postmarked on or before date of election.
In King Co, over 209k ballots were returned via drop boxes on Election Day alone, many in the final hours before 8pm deadline. Plus 30k that arrived in the mail the morning after EDay.
Counting every valid vote accurately is more important than rushing the count - even (or especially?) if you're a punter.
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Man, you make fun of our constituency names and there you are with Snohomish. Is that what happens when Old Bexley and Sidcup try to take their camper van / winnebago up to Aviemore for the winter?
Snohomish is a native American (coast Salish) name, also the name of a river; in the vicinity also Swinomish Tribe (and river) and Stilliguamish River. Also Sammamish (city and lake) and Duwamish (Tribe & river)
We've got plenty more great native names, for example Cowlitz, Mukilteo, Nisqually, Nooksack, Puyallup, Skagit, Snoqualmie, Tacoma/Tehoma, Yakima to name but a few.
And of course Seattle is an anglicized version of the name of a great Duwamish tribal leader.
Chief Seattle quote.
"Humans merely share the earth. We can only protect the land, not own it." Appropriate for Cop 26. Didn't say who the bloody hell would pay for it, mind.
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
We lost the VA legislature, came within inches of losing New Jersey governorship, and lost special election runoff for Texas legislature in heavily Latino district of San Antonio.
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Man, you make fun of our constituency names and there you are with Snohomish. Is that what happens when Old Bexley and Sidcup try to take their camper van / winnebago up to Aviemore for the winter?
I quite like SNOHOMISH.
It's I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue for a poorly build igloo.
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Man, you make fun of our constituency names and there you are with Snohomish. Is that what happens when Old Bexley and Sidcup try to take their camper van / winnebago up to Aviemore for the winter?
Snohomish is a native American (coast Salish) name, also the name of a river; in the vicinity also Swinomish Tribe (and river) and Stilliguamish River. Also Sammamish (city and lake) and Duwamish (Tribe & river)
We've got plenty more great native names, for example Cowlitz, Mukilteo, Nisqually, Nooksack, Puyallup, Skagit, Snoqualmie, Tacoma/Tehoma, Yakima to name but a few.
And of course Seattle is an anglicized version of the name of a great Duwamish tribal leader.
You missed Walla Walla. So good they named it twice. And name checked it in Summer Nights.
Also forgot Humptulips. Reckon that Leon will be angling for a travel assignment to check THAT out!
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Michael Vaughan has strongly denied making a racially insensitive remark to three Asian cricketers during his time as Yorkshire captain, despite two of the players insisting he did so.
It is to be hoped the BBC analyst has better powers of recall than he did after an interview in 2007 about England’s ill-fated World Cup in the West Indies. Vaughan was reported by the interviewer to have referred to Andrew Flintoff as “Fredalo”, in reference to the all-rounder having to be rescued from a midnight pedalo escapade, prompting him to issue a statement insisting he “never used that word”.
The Guardian responded by posting the audio of his interview online, in which Vaughan said “Fredalo” not once but twice.
Michael Vaughan has strongly denied making a racially insensitive remark to three Asian cricketers during his time as Yorkshire captain, despite two of the players insisting he did so.
It is to be hoped the BBC analyst has better powers of recall than he did after an interview in 2007 about England’s ill-fated World Cup in the West Indies. Vaughan was reported by the interviewer to have referred to Andrew Flintoff as “Fredalo”, in reference to the all-rounder having to be rescued from a midnight pedalo escapade, prompting him to issue a statement insisting he “never used that word”.
The Guardian responded by posting the audio of his interview online, in which Vaughan said “Fredalo” not once but twice.
Nothing, it was Vaughan's denial that was the issue.
England were keen to move on from the disastrous 2006/07 Ashes and 2007 world cup performances then Vaughan gave a bad interview and decided to deny saying some stuff not realising the Guardian had the audio of the entire interview.
The Guardian has denied Michael Vaughan's suggestion that he was misquoted in his interview with Donald McRae, published in yesterday's newspaper.
Speaking earlier today, England's cricket captain claimed he "never used the word 'Fredalo'," in the interview, adding: "One word changed the whole context of the article, a word which I didn't say. Incredibly in the piece, it didn't mention I openly admitted that I didn't captain as well as I can, I didn't manage the situation as well as I could and I didn't play as well as I could. So if I was blaming anyone for a World Cup fiasco, I was blaming Michael Vaughan."
Tonight, however, the Guardian decided to publish parts of Vaughan's interview online to prove its case. In a statement, the newspaper said: "Having examined transcripts it is clear his contention that he did not use the word 'Fredalo' is incorrect, and his comments can be heard here.
It's truly been the Week That Was for PBers. As far as Great British U-Turns go, this most recent example must surely belong in the hall of fame.
. . . but meanwhile back at the ranch . . .
Yours truly has been absorbed with 2021 general election here in the great State of Washington. Pleased to report that, unlike in much of the rest of the country, Democrats not only avoided getting hammered, but actually scored a few modest but none-the-less significant gains here and there.
Note that most races were officially nonpartisan but often with significant partisan AND ideological contrasts between candidates.
CITY OF SEATTLE > Bruce Harrell, former city council member and moderate (by Seattle standards) Democrat is winning a whopping 62% versus 38% for progressive current council member Lorena González > in race for City Attorney (where the incumbent was eliminated in the primary) Ann Davison, a non-Trumpist (sort of) Republican, is winning 55% versus 45% for Nicole Thomas-Kennedy, who advocates abolishing much of the criminal justice system; while Democratic district organizations all endorsed NTK, many prominent Dems (such as former governors Gary Locke & Christine Gregoire) endorsed the Republican, and clearly most Seattle Democrats - including yours truly - voted for Davison. > in open at-large city council seat (now held by González) moderate Democrat Sara Nelson is defeating progressive activists and 2017 mayoral candidate Nikkita Oliver by 57% versus 43%
KING COUNTY (Seattle plus east & south suburbs) > Incumbent King Co Executive Dow Constantine, a moderate Democrat, is winning 56% versus 43% for progressive Democratic state senator Joe Nguyen (the GOP didn't bother to file a serious candidate for the August primary) > five seats on King Co Council were up this year, including the only three (out of nine) held by Republicans; four incumbents were re-elected handily, however long-time GOP incumbent Cathy Lambert is losing by 45% versus 55% for Democratic challenger Sarah Perry; this council district includes affluent Eastside King Co suburbs & exurbs that have been trending steadily Democratic for decades, with Lambert being the last domino to fall.
SNOHOMISH COUNTY (northern part of Seattle metro area) > no surprises & really not much happening electorally, though moderates did bit better than progressives in local races in Everett & other suburbs dominated these days by Democrats, while Republicans held there own exurban & rural turf. > most interesting, and for me gratifying result, was the defeat of the incumbent Proud Boy fellow travelling mayor of the City of Snohomish AND his cronies on the city council, by a moderate-progressive slate; note that this is a charming little tourist trap beloved by Seattlites as a weekend get-away; methinks locals were motivated by distaste of Trumpery AND concern that being perceived as a Putinist stronghold might NOT be good for business.
Man, you make fun of our constituency names and there you are with Snohomish. Is that what happens when Old Bexley and Sidcup try to take their camper van / winnebago up to Aviemore for the winter?
I quite like SNOHOMISH.
It's I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue for a poorly build igloo.
Even a well-constructed igloo will NOT last very long in Snohomish County. Unless inside cold storage!
We're in temperate rain forest here NOT the Arctic tundra.
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Do you have any historical comparisons for the swing in the first year elections to the mid-terms ?
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Do you have any historical comparisons for the swing in the first year elections to the mid-terms ?
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
Don't have data handy, but the odd-year elections in NJ & VA have way of being canaries in the coal mine.
Definitely need to pay attention if they fall off the perch.
Despite having a Glaswegian mother, I'm not hugely invested in the Scottish issue, being fairly neutral. But for Labour, the politics of it are simple. Starmer will fight the next election on a) no coalition with the SNP, b) no promise, or even hint, of another referendum. He has no choice.
What happens after that, if by any chance the Tories don't succeed in having a majority to form a government, will depend entirely on the numbers. But I'm confident that Starmer would prefer to risk another election rather than be held to ransom by the SNP.
I agree that Starmer will not fight on a second Brexit referendum. Whether he should is a different and more abstract question.
But on the SNP, SKS is in a trickier corner. The figures are obvious: The Tories can only form a government if they win or very nearly win; Labour cannot possibly form a Labour government without a Black Swan event. But they can easily form one in alliance of some sort with LD, Gn and SNP.
The Tory attack line is obvious. (1) Labour can't win (2) A vote for Labour in E and W is a vote for the SNP (3) If Labour won't deal with the SNP a vote for Labour is a vote for a result with no possible government (4) Vote Labour and they would have to call an election again immediately.
So vote for reliable, modest, competent, consistent, boring old Boris.
And there is a surprising amount of truth in all those attack lines. except the last of course.
Does this mean even if the country is on its arse we have vote Boris to save the Union? Ohhhh, OK then.
Not a good outlook of course. What I am suggesting is the Tory attack line in the actual circumstances. Nothing to do with what I prefer, this is what I suggest might happen, and where the tactical problems are. Unusually the tactical problems are greater for the opposition than for the government, even though times are tough. This is politically odd and interesting.
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
We lost the VA legislature, came within inches of losing New Jersey governorship, and lost special election runoff for Texas legislature in heavily Latino district of San Antonio.
The question is what lessons will the party take from these reverses. There's a year to turn things round before the midterms and if the lessons are learned and House and Senate control is retained next year, these will simply be setbacks.
To this observer, it looked the classic story of a demotivated Government vote struggling to turn out against an energised Opposition.
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Do you have any historical comparisons for the swing in the first year elections to the mid-terms ?
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
Don't have data handy, but the odd-year elections in NJ & VA have way of being canaries in the coal mine.
Definitely need to pay attention if they fall off the perch.
Well there's a lot of water to pass under the bridge in the next year so things could get better for you. Or worse.
You at least have a favourable set of Senate seats up next year:
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Do you have any historical comparisons for the swing in the first year elections to the mid-terms ?
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
In 2017 the Dem winning margin in Virginia was 8.9 points.
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
We lost the VA legislature, came within inches of losing New Jersey governorship, and lost special election runoff for Texas legislature in heavily Latino district of San Antonio.
The question is what lessons will the party take from these reverses. There's a year to turn things round before the midterms and if the lessons are learned and House and Senate control is retained next year, these will simply be setbacks.
To this observer, it looked the classic story of a demotivated Government vote struggling to turn out against an energised Opposition.
Biden promised the American people extreme socialism but the Dem centerists have blocked him.
The people are not happy. They want their socialism.
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Do you have any historical comparisons for the swing in the first year elections to the mid-terms ?
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
Don't have data handy, but the odd-year elections in NJ & VA have way of being canaries in the coal mine.
Definitely need to pay attention if they fall off the perch.
You need to ditch the Ultra-Wokeness. But you won't because the intellectual "elite" of your party is wholly invested in this nonsense. There is no way they will turn back
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Do you have any historical comparisons for the swing in the first year elections to the mid-terms ?
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
Don't have data handy, but the odd-year elections in NJ & VA have way of being canaries in the coal mine.
Definitely need to pay attention if they fall off the perch.
Well there's a lot of water to pass under the bridge in the next year so things could get better for you. Or worse.
You at least have a favourable set of Senate seats up next year:
By the look of things only AZ, GE, NV and NH might be vulnerable.
Yeah, but our opportunities for picking up any currently Republican US Senate seats are limited, with Pennsylvania the best opportunity.
As for Democratic defenses, I feel pretty good about Arizona, Nevada & New Hampshire.
But NOT about Georgia, where the mostly likely Republican challenger is Hershel Walker, former U of GA and NFL star player, and (not coincidentally) an African American recruited by You-Know-Who.
Note that Peach State GOPers are trying to copy the example of electorally-successful Black Republican US Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) on the other side of the Savannah River.
And unless Walker self-destructs somewhere along the campaign trail, methinks he got a pretty good shot.
Speaking of sleaze, a few days ago a cartoon popped into my head showing clown Boris opening a stable door so a horse labelled "probity", or perhaps "Owen", could bolt.
But in view of recent events it now occurs to me that the horse might be better labelled "Publicus" and trail a loose rein curled around the clown's ankle.
In the early 1800s people used a French Revolution meme and called eg 1804 "the year 4". I quite like that.
Not really. The revolutionary calendar started in 1792, so 1793 (iirc) was year 1. And year 4 was 1976. The 1800s usage was that 1801 was 'the year 1', etc. I suggest read up on your Patrick O'Brian to refresh your memory
In the early 1800s people used a French Revolution meme and called eg 1804 "the year 4". I quite like that.
Not really. The revolutionary calendar started in 1792, so 1793 (iirc) was year 1. And year 4 was 1976. The 1800s usage was that 1801 was 'the year 1', etc. I suggest read up on your Patrick O'Brian to refresh your memory
And before anyone else mentions it, yes I mistyped 1796.
That's a tweet midway through an interesting/exasperating thread. I don't agree with everything he says but his fundamental message, that national level Dem strategists are imbeciles, is spot on.
I thought this a very fair and reasonable assessment of our current situation with the coronavirus. The case numbers are falling and let's hope it continues but the priority is and remains vaccination and the rising emphasis on getting the booster vaccination to vulnerable older people is to be welcomed.
The question is the extent to which individually and collectively we can and should be adhering to the 6-month between vaccinations guideline. There are clearly some who have had a booster vaccination in advance of the 6 month period - fair enough. I presume the risk in waiting is one's immunity declines with time.
Given the encouraging results of offering Pfizer to those who have had two previous Astrazeneca vaccinations, I wonder if we will be able to go that bit further again before vaccination four.
The second part of this is the undercurrent of criticism of the media coverage and how that feeds people's perceptions (that word, especially for @Anabobazina's benefit). Should the fall in cases be being screamed from the rooftops - the argument is rises in cases are so why shouldn't falls and that's a hard one to gainsay in all honesty.
Like those who complain the media is always critical of the Government and the Prime Minister, the obvious response is would you prefer a media which is unstintingly supportive of the Government and never broadcasts any criticism - there's plenty of countries where that is the case? Perhaps the price of the privilege of office is to suffer the brickbats.
When I was a kid, referring to say 1906 as "aught six" was sort of a jokey way of sounding old-timey. Referencing that back in THAT day lots of Americans (esp. rural then the majority) said it just that way.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
When I was a kid, referring to say 1906 as "aught six" was sort of a jokey way of sounding old-timey. Referencing that back in THAT day lots of Americans (esp. rural then the majority) said it just that way.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
Interesting
I read a lot of American media, tho, and this has only suddenly appeared in the last year or so. Odd
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Do you have any historical comparisons for the swing in the first year elections to the mid-terms ?
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
Don't have data handy, but the odd-year elections in NJ & VA have way of being canaries in the coal mine.
Definitely need to pay attention if they fall off the perch.
You need to ditch the Ultra-Wokeness. But you won't because the intellectual "elite" of your party is wholly invested in this nonsense. There is no way they will turn back
Not so sure of that, note Seattle election returns posted upthread.
When I was a kid, referring to say 1906 as "aught six" was sort of a jokey way of sounding old-timey. Referencing that back in THAT day lots of Americans (esp. rural then the majority) said it just that way.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
Interesting
I read a lot of American media, tho, and this has only suddenly appeared in the last year or so. Odd
It was used some between 2001-09. More awkward than say "teens" for '10-'19 (even though 10, 11 & 12 are NOT teen years.)
For US, talking about "Aughts" is pretty much same thing as UKers saying "Naughts" esp. as we don't say the n-word (in this context) hardly at all.
As for starting to pick it up this year, am guessing it takes maybe a decade to pass before we start thinking much about a decade AS a decade?
When I was a kid, referring to say 1906 as "aught six" was sort of a jokey way of sounding old-timey. Referencing that back in THAT day lots of Americans (esp. rural then the majority) said it just that way.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
Interesting
I read a lot of American media, tho, and this has only suddenly appeared in the last year or so. Odd
It was used some between 2001-09. More awkward than say "teens" for '10-'19 (even though 10, 11 & 12 are NOT teen years.)
For US, talking about "Aughts" is pretty much same thing as UKers saying "Naughts" esp. as we don't say the n-word (in this context) hardly at all.
As for starting to pick it up this year, am guessing it takes maybe a decade to pass before we start thinking much about a decade AS a decade?
The first reference I can find is the Washington Post from 2011, so it has been around a long time. But then it went unused for years, and resurfaced more recently, surely for the reasons you say
It is a weird anomaly of the English language that we can't find shorthand for the first two decades in a century. Aughts and Noughties are both imperfect, one awkward one arch. And "teenies" is just wrong
With the last fertile group for covid to spread in now saturated and cases plummeting, really feels quite optimistic that we'll see an across the board significant fall now with no outlying age group left to seed new cases in the others.
In the early 1800s people used a French Revolution meme and called eg 1804 "the year 4". I quite like that.
Not really. The revolutionary calendar started in 1792, so 1793 (iirc) was year 1. And year 4 was 1976. The 1800s usage was that 1801 was 'the year 1', etc. I suggest read up on your Patrick O'Brian to refresh your memory
And before anyone else mentions it, yes I mistyped 1796.
Well yes, I wasn't suggesting people were actually using the year of the revolutionary calendar, just that calling 1804 "the year 4" was a reflection of that usage.
Step back for a moment and consider that this is really as fast as you could possibly expect a new, targeted small-molecule drug to ever be developed. Pfizer has a history in the antiviral protease world, so they had the expertise (and the screening collection!) to get a strong start. But here we are, less than two years after the emergence of this pathogen, with a bespoke drug against it. That's the speed record, and I think that it will be very, very hard to break - and I hope that we never have to try! It's a remarkable accomplishment.
When I was a kid, referring to say 1906 as "aught six" was sort of a jokey way of sounding old-timey. Referencing that back in THAT day lots of Americans (esp. rural then the majority) said it just that way.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
Interesting
I read a lot of American media, tho, and this has only suddenly appeared in the last year or so. Odd
It was used some between 2001-09. More awkward than say "teens" for '10-'19 (even though 10, 11 & 12 are NOT teen years.)
For US, talking about "Aughts" is pretty much same thing as UKers saying "Naughts" esp. as we don't say the n-word (in this context) hardly at all.
As for starting to pick it up this year, am guessing it takes maybe a decade to pass before we start thinking much about a decade AS a decade?
The first reference I can find is the Washington Post from 2011, so it has been around a long time. But then it went unused for years, and resurfaced more recently, surely for the reasons you say
It is a weird anomaly of the English language that we can't find shorthand for the first two decades in a century. Aughts and Noughties are both imperfect, one awkward one arch. And "teenies" is just wrong
Noughties has distinct advantage, of being a pun = naughties.
Not that the decade was notably naughty, albeit it had it's high points for all PBers.
Especially Leon - an inspiration (if not example) for those us leading lives of (not so quiet) desperation!
When I was a kid, referring to say 1906 as "aught six" was sort of a jokey way of sounding old-timey. Referencing that back in THAT day lots of Americans (esp. rural then the majority) said it just that way.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
Interesting
I read a lot of American media, tho, and this has only suddenly appeared in the last year or so. Odd
It was used some between 2001-09. More awkward than say "teens" for '10-'19 (even though 10, 11 & 12 are NOT teen years.)
For US, talking about "Aughts" is pretty much same thing as UKers saying "Naughts" esp. as we don't say the n-word (in this context) hardly at all.
As for starting to pick it up this year, am guessing it takes maybe a decade to pass before we start thinking much about a decade AS a decade?
The first reference I can find is the Washington Post from 2011, so it has been around a long time. But then it went unused for years, and resurfaced more recently, surely for the reasons you say
It is a weird anomaly of the English language that we can't find shorthand for the first two decades in a century. Aughts and Noughties are both imperfect, one awkward one arch. And "teenies" is just wrong
For the twentieth century the first decade coincided with the reign of Edward VII, so we used Edwardian. The second decade had WWI in the middle, so 1913 and 1919 were further apart in any way you can think of apart from time than 1893 and 1913.
The pandemic may end up being a similar punctuation mark in history, but it fell at the beginning of a decade.
When I was a kid, referring to say 1906 as "aught six" was sort of a jokey way of sounding old-timey. Referencing that back in THAT day lots of Americans (esp. rural then the majority) said it just that way.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
Interesting
I read a lot of American media, tho, and this has only suddenly appeared in the last year or so. Odd
It was used some between 2001-09. More awkward than say "teens" for '10-'19 (even though 10, 11 & 12 are NOT teen years.)
For US, talking about "Aughts" is pretty much same thing as UKers saying "Naughts" esp. as we don't say the n-word (in this context) hardly at all.
As for starting to pick it up this year, am guessing it takes maybe a decade to pass before we start thinking much about a decade AS a decade?
The first reference I can find is the Washington Post from 2011, so it has been around a long time. But then it went unused for years, and resurfaced more recently, surely for the reasons you say
It is a weird anomaly of the English language that we can't find shorthand for the first two decades in a century. Aughts and Noughties are both imperfect, one awkward one arch. And "teenies" is just wrong
For the twentieth century the first decade coincided with the reign of Edward VII, so we used Edwardian. The second decade had WWI in the middle, so 1913 and 1919 were further apart in any way you can think of apart from time than 1893 and 1913.
The pandemic may end up being a similar punctuation mark in history, but it fell at the beginning of a decade.
Was it actually called Edwardian at the time, though?
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Do you have any historical comparisons for the swing in the first year elections to the mid-terms ?
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
It is worth remembering that a year into the Trump administration, they were losing the Alabama Senate race.
Vaccination news: got a message telling me I could book my booster shot today. Managed to get a slot tomorrow, though they were fairly heavily booked up.
Also we had nurses in school today finishing off vaccinating Y7-11: all who want one have now (I think) been vaccinated (one dose only, so far at least).
When I was a kid, referring to say 1906 as "aught six" was sort of a jokey way of sounding old-timey. Referencing that back in THAT day lots of Americans (esp. rural then the majority) said it just that way.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
Interesting
I read a lot of American media, tho, and this has only suddenly appeared in the last year or so. Odd
It was used some between 2001-09. More awkward than say "teens" for '10-'19 (even though 10, 11 & 12 are NOT teen years.)
For US, talking about "Aughts" is pretty much same thing as UKers saying "Naughts" esp. as we don't say the n-word (in this context) hardly at all.
As for starting to pick it up this year, am guessing it takes maybe a decade to pass before we start thinking much about a decade AS a decade?
The first reference I can find is the Washington Post from 2011, so it has been around a long time. But then it went unused for years, and resurfaced more recently, surely for the reasons you say
It is a weird anomaly of the English language that we can't find shorthand for the first two decades in a century. Aughts and Noughties are both imperfect, one awkward one arch. And "teenies" is just wrong
For the twentieth century the first decade coincided with the reign of Edward VII, so we used Edwardian. The second decade had WWI in the middle, so 1913 and 1919 were further apart in any way you can think of apart from time than 1893 and 1913.
The pandemic may end up being a similar punctuation mark in history, but it fell at the beginning of a decade.
Was it actually called Edwardian at the time, though?
Good question. Despite what some of my students think, I’m not old enough to remember.
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
I wish to thank the Prime Minister and the entire Conservative Party unreservedly, for providing yours truly with much-need diversion and mirth in the immediate aftermath of the shit-kicking enduring by myself and fellow Democrats at the 2021 general election.
Hope this makes it all worth it, on your side of the Atlantic AND the Pacific.
Was it really that bad for you Dems ?
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
If the NJ or Virginia swing was repeated at the mid terms it would be an absolute bloodbath.
Do you have any historical comparisons for the swing in the first year elections to the mid-terms ?
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
It is worth remembering that a year into the Trump administration, they were losing the Alabama Senate race.
Although they had to nominate Roy Moore to manage that.
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
Step back for a moment and consider that this is really as fast as you could possibly expect a new, targeted small-molecule drug to ever be developed. Pfizer has a history in the antiviral protease world, so they had the expertise (and the screening collection!) to get a strong start. But here we are, less than two years after the emergence of this pathogen, with a bespoke drug against it. That's the speed record, and I think that it will be very, very hard to break - and I hope that we never have to try! It's a remarkable accomplishment.
Shitty as the last couple of years have been, in very many ways we have had an incredibly lucky escape.
We're about 2 years from the damn thing being identified, and over 7 billion doses of vaccine have been given. Not perfectly, but the scientists have been in the right place at the right time. I hate to think what would have happened had C-19 been C-09, let alone C-89.
There's an awkward echo of the header here. We've been musing on BoJo's destiny and how it links to his character. BoJo's triumphs and disasters both come from the same place- he is willing to push his luck further because he tends to get away with it. A willingness to push his luck further helps him win. And when he doesn't, he somehow fails upwards. That's why BoJo-sceptics can say that this will all end in tears, we just don't know when. (Right now, it could be ten years, it could be ten days.)
C-19 ought to be a huge warning shot for us all. Don't do stuff that favours the creation of new pathogens. If things go wrong don't cover them up. Don't run your nation with zero resilience for disasters. Do stay healthy, so your body can deal with sickness.
(If you haven't been reading Dr Phil Hammond's Private Eye columns on Covid, you're missing a trick. He was at Girton College Cambridge so he's bound to be a good egg.)
Unfortunately, some people are determined to take the lesson that the boffins will always get us out of the soup. And scientists will always do their best, because it's fun and satisfying to save the world. But you can't count on it.
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
Fucking hell, next he'll admit to not knowing 'Paki' is an offensive term.
Yorkshire head coach Andrew Gale is being investigated by bosses over anti-Semitic social media messages, it has emerged amid the club's deepening racism crisis.
In a now deleted post on Twitter from November 2010, the then club captain told Paul Dews, who was head of media at Leeds United Football Club at the time, to "Button it y--!"
Gale told the Jewish News website, which first reported the tweet, that he was “completely unaware” of the offensive nature of the term at the time he sent the message.
I am starting to think Yorkshire CCC won't survive this.
I think they need to appoint me Chief Executive and Executive Chairman of YCCC and I'll fix all the problems.
A strong Yorkshire means a strong England.
I have always found Yorkshire kind of annoying, for a few reasons:
1. Claiming to be in the North, even though parts of it are closer to London than to the Scottish border 2. Yorkshire Tea, which self-evidently isn't produced in Yorkshire 3. Being referred to by its residents as God's own Country, which seems rather boastful and potentially blasphemous, especially if you've ever spent time in some of the ropier bits 4. Geoffrey Boycott.
Boycott, I'll concede. You can have YCCC too.
As a southerner naturalised in Yorkshire I answer the others as follows: 1. Anything north of Watford Gap is north. Plus Yorkshire folk say bath, not barth. 2. Yorkshire tea is indeed produced in Yorkshire. The raw ingredients come from elsewhere. Next you'll be claiming that BP petrol isn't really British! 3. God's Own Country? Well Jacob Rees-Mogg says it isn't.[1] Case closed?
On the basis that JRM is always wrong I will concede 3. On 1. you are basically denying the existence of the Midlands, where I think most of Yorkshire is located. On 2., I think the petrol refining process is a more substantive procedure than mixing up tea leaves from several countries and putting them in a perforated bag. Yorkshire tea is not from Yorkshire (it is from India, Sri Lanka and Kenya).
Ah, compromise I'm happy to negotiate.
On 1. There was a lad at university (in the midlands) from Nottingham who denied he was northern. We didn't believe him, either. I have slightly more sympathy with his position now. Happy to re-set the dividing line to the Humber and disown South Yorkshire (happy, on current events, to lose West Yorkshire, too). On 2. Rename the product to 'Yorkshire Teabags'? At least until it turns out the bagging is done in High Wycombe...
Yorkshire is North of the Humber. Case closed
So really, it's just southern Northumbria?
Yes.
Broadly speaking the South is Wessex plus bits of Mercia, East Anglia is East Anglia, the North is Northumbria and the Midlands the rest of Mercia
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
Can you measure social justice without calculus?
It's quite incredible. They just lost Virginia because of this bullshit. Education was THE issue. But far from sobering up, the Wokesters are going further
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
Can you measure social justice without calculus?
It's quite incredible. They just lost Virginia because of this bullshit. Education was THE issue. But far from sobering up, the Wokesters are going further
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
They'll still win for all practical purposes. This country keeps voting for the right wing option and brexit, but we're going to get all this shit forced down our throats regardless.
One thing I forgot to mention in my discussion of 2021 general results in Seattle & environs.
Based on current results and trend since Election Night, progressive Democratic challengers are defeating more moderate Democratic incumbents in two races for Port of Seattle commissioner.
For taxation - and thus voting - port district includes all of King County.
These races were not high-profile, and incumbents did not (for reasons best known to them) raise much money.
Certainly challengers were competitive in finance, esp. from labor. With environmentalists split between green populists on one hand, and more establishmentarian wing on the other.
More results will be posted today by 4pm Pacific time; as I type this drivel King Co Elections is beavering away to run as many ballots as possible through the tabulators so that results in these races will be effectively decided today.
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
Can you measure social justice without calculus?
It's quite incredible. They just lost Virginia because of this bullshit. Education was THE issue. But far from sobering up, the Wokesters are going further
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
They'll still win for all practical purposes. This country keeps voting for the right wing option and brexit, but we're going to get all this shit forced down our throats regardless.
No they won't. In the end Americans will vote for Trump, or his equivalent, to get rid of this madness
Fucking hell, next he'll admit to not knowing 'Paki' is an offensive term.
Yorkshire head coach Andrew Gale is being investigated by bosses over anti-Semitic social media messages, it has emerged amid the club's deepening racism crisis.
In a now deleted post on Twitter from November 2010, the then club captain told Paul Dews, who was head of media at Leeds United Football Club at the time, to "Button it y--!"
Gale told the Jewish News website, which first reported the tweet, that he was “completely unaware” of the offensive nature of the term at the time he sent the message.
I am starting to think Yorkshire CCC won't survive this.
I think they need to appoint me Chief Executive and Executive Chairman of YCCC and I'll fix all the problems.
A strong Yorkshire means a strong England.
I have always found Yorkshire kind of annoying, for a few reasons:
1. Claiming to be in the North, even though parts of it are closer to London than to the Scottish border 2. Yorkshire Tea, which self-evidently isn't produced in Yorkshire 3. Being referred to by its residents as God's own Country, which seems rather boastful and potentially blasphemous, especially if you've ever spent time in some of the ropier bits 4. Geoffrey Boycott.
Boycott, I'll concede. You can have YCCC too.
As a southerner naturalised in Yorkshire I answer the others as follows: 1. Anything north of Watford Gap is north. Plus Yorkshire folk say bath, not barth. 2. Yorkshire tea is indeed produced in Yorkshire. The raw ingredients come from elsewhere. Next you'll be claiming that BP petrol isn't really British! 3. God's Own Country? Well Jacob Rees-Mogg says it isn't.[1] Case closed?
On the basis that JRM is always wrong I will concede 3. On 1. you are basically denying the existence of the Midlands, where I think most of Yorkshire is located. On 2., I think the petrol refining process is a more substantive procedure than mixing up tea leaves from several countries and putting them in a perforated bag. Yorkshire tea is not from Yorkshire (it is from India, Sri Lanka and Kenya).
Ah, compromise I'm happy to negotiate.
On 1. There was a lad at university (in the midlands) from Nottingham who denied he was northern. We didn't believe him, either. I have slightly more sympathy with his position now. Happy to re-set the dividing line to the Humber and disown South Yorkshire (happy, on current events, to lose West Yorkshire, too). On 2. Rename the product to 'Yorkshire Teabags'? At least until it turns out the bagging is done in High Wycombe...
Yorkshire is North of the Humber. Case closed
So really, it's just southern Northumbria?
Yes.
Broadly speaking the South is Wessex plus bits of Mercia, East Anglia is East Anglia, the North is Northumbria and the Midlands the rest of Mercia
Sussex and Essex are definitely not Wessex, nor was Middlesex when it existed, and nor is Kent for that matter. The south is much more than Wessex plus bits of Mercia.
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
Can you measure social justice without calculus?
It's quite incredible. They just lost Virginia because of this bullshit. Education was THE issue. But far from sobering up, the Wokesters are going further
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
They'll still win for all practical purposes. This country keeps voting for the right wing option and brexit, but we're going to get all this shit forced down our throats regardless.
No they won't. In the end Americans will vote for Trump, or his equivalent, to get rid of this madness
Likewise Brits
Farage or equivalent is going to win here? Because the Tories keep winning and keep retreating on this stuff. What is crazy today is unopposable in 2 years, and 2 years after that the Tories try to claim they were at the vanguard of remaking society with it.
Step back for a moment and consider that this is really as fast as you could possibly expect a new, targeted small-molecule drug to ever be developed. Pfizer has a history in the antiviral protease world, so they had the expertise (and the screening collection!) to get a strong start. But here we are, less than two years after the emergence of this pathogen, with a bespoke drug against it. That's the speed record, and I think that it will be very, very hard to break - and I hope that we never have to try! It's a remarkable accomplishment.
It's wonderful. I don't see any downside at all - once it's licenced, assuming they charge some reasonable fee as the article suggests, let's celebrate.
In the early 1800s people used a French Revolution meme and called eg 1804 "the year 4". I quite like that.
Not really. The revolutionary calendar started in 1792, so 1793 (iirc) was year 1. And year 4 was 1976. The 1800s usage was that 1801 was 'the year 1', etc. I suggest read up on your Patrick O'Brian to refresh your memory
And before anyone else mentions it, yes I mistyped 1796.
Well yes, I wasn't suggesting people were actually using the year of the revolutionary calendar, just that calling 1804 "the year 4" was a reflection of that usage.
Pedantry alert. It's more accurate to refer to that calendar as the Republican Calendar, rather than the Revolutionary Calendar.
Had some great names for the months - source wikipedia
Autumn: Vendémiaire (from French vendange, derived from Latin vindemia, "vintage"), starting 22, 23, or 24 September Brumaire (from French brume, "mist"), starting 22, 23, or 24 October Frimaire (From French frimas, "frost"), starting 21, 22, or 23 November Winter: Nivôse (from Latin nivosus, "snowy"), starting 21, 22, or 23 December Pluviôse (from French pluvieux, derived from Latin pluvius, "rainy"), starting 20, 21, or 22 January Ventôse (from French venteux, derived from Latin ventosus, "windy"), starting 19, 20, or 21 February Spring: Germinal (from French germination), starting 20 or 21 March Floréal (from French fleur, derived from Latin flos, "flower"), starting 20 or 21 April Prairial (from French prairie, "meadow"), starting 20 or 21 May Summer: Messidor (from Latin messis, "harvest"), starting 19 or 20 June Thermidor (or Fervidor*) (from Greek thermon, "summer heat"), starting 19 or 20 July Fructidor (from Latin fructus, "fruit"), starting 18 or 19 August
Step back for a moment and consider that this is really as fast as you could possibly expect a new, targeted small-molecule drug to ever be developed. Pfizer has a history in the antiviral protease world, so they had the expertise (and the screening collection!) to get a strong start. But here we are, less than two years after the emergence of this pathogen, with a bespoke drug against it. That's the speed record, and I think that it will be very, very hard to break - and I hope that we never have to try! It's a remarkable accomplishment.
Shitty as the last couple of years have been, in very many ways we have had an incredibly lucky escape.
We're about 2 years from the damn thing being identified, and over 7 billion doses of vaccine have been given. Not perfectly, but the scientists have been in the right place at the right time. I hate to think what would have happened had C-19 been C-09, let alone C-89.
There's an awkward echo of the header here. We've been musing on BoJo's destiny and how it links to his character. BoJo's triumphs and disasters both come from the same place- he is willing to push his luck further because he tends to get away with it. A willingness to push his luck further helps him win. And when he doesn't, he somehow fails upwards. That's why BoJo-sceptics can say that this will all end in tears, we just don't know when. (Right now, it could be ten years, it could be ten days.)
C-19 ought to be a huge warning shot for us all. Don't do stuff that favours the creation of new pathogens. If things go wrong don't cover them up. Don't run your nation with zero resilience for disasters. Do stay healthy, so your body can deal with sickness.
(If you haven't been reading Dr Phil Hammond's Private Eye columns on Covid, you're missing a trick. He was at Girton College Cambridge so he's bound to be a good egg.)
Unfortunately, some people are determined to take the lesson that the boffins will always get us out of the soup. And scientists will always do their best, because it's fun and satisfying to save the world. But you can't count on it.
Indeed; there were people on here confidently predicting millions of British dead and billions of cases worldwide both during 2020
Fucking hell, next he'll admit to not knowing 'Paki' is an offensive term.
Yorkshire head coach Andrew Gale is being investigated by bosses over anti-Semitic social media messages, it has emerged amid the club's deepening racism crisis.
In a now deleted post on Twitter from November 2010, the then club captain told Paul Dews, who was head of media at Leeds United Football Club at the time, to "Button it y--!"
Gale told the Jewish News website, which first reported the tweet, that he was “completely unaware” of the offensive nature of the term at the time he sent the message.
I am starting to think Yorkshire CCC won't survive this.
I think they need to appoint me Chief Executive and Executive Chairman of YCCC and I'll fix all the problems.
A strong Yorkshire means a strong England.
I have always found Yorkshire kind of annoying, for a few reasons:
1. Claiming to be in the North, even though parts of it are closer to London than to the Scottish border 2. Yorkshire Tea, which self-evidently isn't produced in Yorkshire 3. Being referred to by its residents as God's own Country, which seems rather boastful and potentially blasphemous, especially if you've ever spent time in some of the ropier bits 4. Geoffrey Boycott.
Boycott, I'll concede. You can have YCCC too.
As a southerner naturalised in Yorkshire I answer the others as follows: 1. Anything north of Watford Gap is north. Plus Yorkshire folk say bath, not barth. 2. Yorkshire tea is indeed produced in Yorkshire. The raw ingredients come from elsewhere. Next you'll be claiming that BP petrol isn't really British! 3. God's Own Country? Well Jacob Rees-Mogg says it isn't.[1] Case closed?
On the basis that JRM is always wrong I will concede 3. On 1. you are basically denying the existence of the Midlands, where I think most of Yorkshire is located. On 2., I think the petrol refining process is a more substantive procedure than mixing up tea leaves from several countries and putting them in a perforated bag. Yorkshire tea is not from Yorkshire (it is from India, Sri Lanka and Kenya).
Ah, compromise I'm happy to negotiate.
On 1. There was a lad at university (in the midlands) from Nottingham who denied he was northern. We didn't believe him, either. I have slightly more sympathy with his position now. Happy to re-set the dividing line to the Humber and disown South Yorkshire (happy, on current events, to lose West Yorkshire, too). On 2. Rename the product to 'Yorkshire Teabags'? At least until it turns out the bagging is done in High Wycombe...
Yorkshire is North of the Humber. Case closed
So really, it's just southern Northumbria?
Yes.
Broadly speaking the South is Wessex plus bits of Mercia, East Anglia is East Anglia, the North is Northumbria and the Midlands the rest of Mercia
And we’d still be independent down here on our island had that silly woman not been conned into signing the island over to Edward II on her deathbed.
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
Can you measure social justice without calculus?
It's quite incredible. They just lost Virginia because of this bullshit. Education was THE issue. But far from sobering up, the Wokesters are going further
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
They'll still win for all practical purposes. This country keeps voting for the right wing option and brexit, but we're going to get all this shit forced down our throats regardless.
No they won't. In the end Americans will vote for Trump, or his equivalent, to get rid of this madness
Likewise Brits
Voting for Trump last time didn;t stop this. Voting for Obama re-racialised US politics afresh. There's no electoral bullet against any of this.
Fucking hell, next he'll admit to not knowing 'Paki' is an offensive term.
Yorkshire head coach Andrew Gale is being investigated by bosses over anti-Semitic social media messages, it has emerged amid the club's deepening racism crisis.
In a now deleted post on Twitter from November 2010, the then club captain told Paul Dews, who was head of media at Leeds United Football Club at the time, to "Button it y--!"
Gale told the Jewish News website, which first reported the tweet, that he was “completely unaware” of the offensive nature of the term at the time he sent the message.
I am starting to think Yorkshire CCC won't survive this.
I think they need to appoint me Chief Executive and Executive Chairman of YCCC and I'll fix all the problems.
A strong Yorkshire means a strong England.
I have always found Yorkshire kind of annoying, for a few reasons:
1. Claiming to be in the North, even though parts of it are closer to London than to the Scottish border 2. Yorkshire Tea, which self-evidently isn't produced in Yorkshire 3. Being referred to by its residents as God's own Country, which seems rather boastful and potentially blasphemous, especially if you've ever spent time in some of the ropier bits 4. Geoffrey Boycott.
Boycott, I'll concede. You can have YCCC too.
As a southerner naturalised in Yorkshire I answer the others as follows: 1. Anything north of Watford Gap is north. Plus Yorkshire folk say bath, not barth. 2. Yorkshire tea is indeed produced in Yorkshire. The raw ingredients come from elsewhere. Next you'll be claiming that BP petrol isn't really British! 3. God's Own Country? Well Jacob Rees-Mogg says it isn't.[1] Case closed?
On the basis that JRM is always wrong I will concede 3. On 1. you are basically denying the existence of the Midlands, where I think most of Yorkshire is located. On 2., I think the petrol refining process is a more substantive procedure than mixing up tea leaves from several countries and putting them in a perforated bag. Yorkshire tea is not from Yorkshire (it is from India, Sri Lanka and Kenya).
Ah, compromise I'm happy to negotiate.
On 1. There was a lad at university (in the midlands) from Nottingham who denied he was northern. We didn't believe him, either. I have slightly more sympathy with his position now. Happy to re-set the dividing line to the Humber and disown South Yorkshire (happy, on current events, to lose West Yorkshire, too). On 2. Rename the product to 'Yorkshire Teabags'? At least until it turns out the bagging is done in High Wycombe...
Yorkshire is North of the Humber. Case closed
So really, it's just southern Northumbria?
Yes.
Broadly speaking the South is Wessex plus bits of Mercia, East Anglia is East Anglia, the North is Northumbria and the Midlands the rest of Mercia
Sussex and Essex are definitely not Wessex, nor was Middlesex when it existed, and nor is Kent for that matter. The south is much more than Wessex plus bits of Mercia.
And where does the NW fall? It wasn't Northumbria nor Mercia.
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
Can you measure social justice without calculus?
It's quite incredible. They just lost Virginia because of this bullshit. Education was THE issue. But far from sobering up, the Wokesters are going further
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
They'll still win for all practical purposes. This country keeps voting for the right wing option and brexit, but we're going to get all this shit forced down our throats regardless.
No they won't. In the end Americans will vote for Trump, or his equivalent, to get rid of this madness
Likewise Brits
Farage or equivalent is going to win here? Because the Tories keep winning and keep retreating on this stuff. What is crazy today is unopposable in 2 years, and 2 years after that the Tories try to claim they were at the vanguard of remaking society with it.
Britain is nowhere near as bad as America for most of this stuff - tho I agree we are heading down the same road. The one area we are even crazier is the Trans-TERF wars but they are just indecipherable, and largely internecine on the Left
If Britain gets as bad as America then yes, I reckon we would see British Trumps arising, and then winning. Boris is not Trump because he doesn't have to be. Yet
When I was a kid, referring to say 1906 as "aught six" was sort of a jokey way of sounding old-timey. Referencing that back in THAT day lots of Americans (esp. rural then the majority) said it just that way.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
Interesting
I read a lot of American media, tho, and this has only suddenly appeared in the last year or so. Odd
It was used some between 2001-09. More awkward than say "teens" for '10-'19 (even though 10, 11 & 12 are NOT teen years.)
For US, talking about "Aughts" is pretty much same thing as UKers saying "Naughts" esp. as we don't say the n-word (in this context) hardly at all.
As for starting to pick it up this year, am guessing it takes maybe a decade to pass before we start thinking much about a decade AS a decade?
The first reference I can find is the Washington Post from 2011, so it has been around a long time. But then it went unused for years, and resurfaced more recently, surely for the reasons you say
It is a weird anomaly of the English language that we can't find shorthand for the first two decades in a century. Aughts and Noughties are both imperfect, one awkward one arch. And "teenies" is just wrong
For the twentieth century the first decade coincided with the reign of Edward VII, so we used Edwardian. The second decade had WWI in the middle, so 1913 and 1919 were further apart in any way you can think of apart from time than 1893 and 1913.
The pandemic may end up being a similar punctuation mark in history, but it fell at the beginning of a decade.
Was it actually called Edwardian at the time, though?
Do we ever refer to current years as the late Elizibethean period?
Step back for a moment and consider that this is really as fast as you could possibly expect a new, targeted small-molecule drug to ever be developed. Pfizer has a history in the antiviral protease world, so they had the expertise (and the screening collection!) to get a strong start. But here we are, less than two years after the emergence of this pathogen, with a bespoke drug against it. That's the speed record, and I think that it will be very, very hard to break - and I hope that we never have to try! It's a remarkable accomplishment.
Shitty as the last couple of years have been, in very many ways we have had an incredibly lucky escape.
We're about 2 years from the damn thing being identified, and over 7 billion doses of vaccine have been given. Not perfectly, but the scientists have been in the right place at the right time. I hate to think what would have happened had C-19 been C-09, let alone C-89.
There's an awkward echo of the header here. We've been musing on BoJo's destiny and how it links to his character. BoJo's triumphs and disasters both come from the same place- he is willing to push his luck further because he tends to get away with it. A willingness to push his luck further helps him win. And when he doesn't, he somehow fails upwards. That's why BoJo-sceptics can say that this will all end in tears, we just don't know when. (Right now, it could be ten years, it could be ten days.)
C-19 ought to be a huge warning shot for us all. Don't do stuff that favours the creation of new pathogens. If things go wrong don't cover them up. Don't run your nation with zero resilience for disasters. Do stay healthy, so your body can deal with sickness.
(If you haven't been reading Dr Phil Hammond's Private Eye columns on Covid, you're missing a trick. He was at Girton College Cambridge so he's bound to be a good egg.)
Unfortunately, some people are determined to take the lesson that the boffins will always get us out of the soup. And scientists will always do their best, because it's fun and satisfying to save the world. But you can't count on it.
According to a Parliamentary briefing published this year, 28% of adults in England are obese and a further 36% are overweight. A large and increasing minority of the population is also old, of course. The comparable figures for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be at least as bad and probably a little worse. This is the fattest nation in Western Europe.
Most of the British population are clapped out wrecks. This, not woeful inefficiency or wastefulness, is the primary reason why the NHS is a clapped out wreck, despite also being a bottomless money pit.
Suggestion: weigh all adults annually (ideally just after Christmas, to maximise revenue) and punish the fat ones with huge NHS taxes. The medical problems caused by obesity, especially in older people who end up having fewer years of healthy life expectancy and more complex needs because they let themselves go, can be paid for by those who cause them.
In the early 1800s people used a French Revolution meme and called eg 1804 "the year 4". I quite like that.
Not really. The revolutionary calendar started in 1792, so 1793 (iirc) was year 1. And year 4 was 1976. The 1800s usage was that 1801 was 'the year 1', etc. I suggest read up on your Patrick O'Brian to refresh your memory
And before anyone else mentions it, yes I mistyped 1796.
Well yes, I wasn't suggesting people were actually using the year of the revolutionary calendar, just that calling 1804 "the year 4" was a reflection of that usage.
No, it wasn't: calling 1804 the year 4 was a convenient contraction of the full year, but also a way of denying that 1796 was the year 4. The use of 'the year x' for 180x was particularly pronounced in the Royal Navy, who were decidedly not responsive to the usages of Napoleonic France: my late friend Colin White, for many years curator of the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth Dockyard, had a specific talk he used to give about this (not as funny as his Nelson's Last Dinner one, but still)
Vaccination news: got a message telling me I could book my booster shot today. Managed to get a slot tomorrow, though they were fairly heavily booked up.
Also we had nurses in school today finishing off vaccinating Y7-11: all who want one have now (I think) been vaccinated (one dose only, so far at least).
Just cruise, what proportion of the Y7-11s at your school had the Jab?
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
Can you measure social justice without calculus?
It's quite incredible. They just lost Virginia because of this bullshit. Education was THE issue. But far from sobering up, the Wokesters are going further
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
They'll still win for all practical purposes. This country keeps voting for the right wing option and brexit, but we're going to get all this shit forced down our throats regardless.
No they won't. In the end Americans will vote for Trump, or his equivalent, to get rid of this madness
Likewise Brits
You're like Cnut trying to stop the tide... and the tide of history is against you.
I appreciate it's all gone too far for your personal preference but it's not going away. Things that seemed radical 40 years ago (e.g. gay marriage) are now largely (rightly) accepted as non-issues.
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
Can you measure social justice without calculus?
It's quite incredible. They just lost Virginia because of this bullshit. Education was THE issue. But far from sobering up, the Wokesters are going further
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
They'll still win for all practical purposes. This country keeps voting for the right wing option and brexit, but we're going to get all this shit forced down our throats regardless.
No they won't. In the end Americans will vote for Trump, or his equivalent, to get rid of this madness
Likewise Brits
You're like Cnut trying to stop the tide... and the tide of history is against you.
I appreciate it's all gone too far for your personal preference but it's not going away. Things that seemed radical 40 years ago (e.g. gay marriage) are now largely (rightly) accepted as non-issues.
Jesus Christ, this is so far beyond gay marriage. You don't even begin to understand what is happening. It is well meaning low watt lefties like you that are, in part, allowing this to happen. You dimly perceive it as "good" if a bit "bonkers", and thus it marches on. But not forever. Eventually the voters rebel
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
Can you measure social justice without calculus?
It's quite incredible. They just lost Virginia because of this bullshit. Education was THE issue. But far from sobering up, the Wokesters are going further
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
They'll still win for all practical purposes. This country keeps voting for the right wing option and brexit, but we're going to get all this shit forced down our throats regardless.
No they won't. In the end Americans will vote for Trump, or his equivalent, to get rid of this madness
Likewise Brits
You're like Cnut trying to stop the tide... and the tide of history is against you.
I appreciate it's all gone too far for your personal preference but it's not going away. Things that seemed radical 40 years ago (e.g. gay marriage) are now largely (rightly) accepted as non-issues.
The older generation ranting in the wind against the mores of the next, yet time will ensure that however strong they shout, demographics mean they are doomed and so society moves onwards.
Step back for a moment and consider that this is really as fast as you could possibly expect a new, targeted small-molecule drug to ever be developed. Pfizer has a history in the antiviral protease world, so they had the expertise (and the screening collection!) to get a strong start. But here we are, less than two years after the emergence of this pathogen, with a bespoke drug against it. That's the speed record, and I think that it will be very, very hard to break - and I hope that we never have to try! It's a remarkable accomplishment.
Shitty as the last couple of years have been, in very many ways we have had an incredibly lucky escape.
We're about 2 years from the damn thing being identified, and over 7 billion doses of vaccine have been given. Not perfectly, but the scientists have been in the right place at the right time. I hate to think what would have happened had C-19 been C-09, let alone C-89.
There's an awkward echo of the header here. We've been musing on BoJo's destiny and how it links to his character. BoJo's triumphs and disasters both come from the same place- he is willing to push his luck further because he tends to get away with it. A willingness to push his luck further helps him win. And when he doesn't, he somehow fails upwards. That's why BoJo-sceptics can say that this will all end in tears, we just don't know when. (Right now, it could be ten years, it could be ten days.)
C-19 ought to be a huge warning shot for us all. Don't do stuff that favours the creation of new pathogens. If things go wrong don't cover them up. Don't run your nation with zero resilience for disasters. Do stay healthy, so your body can deal with sickness.
(If you haven't been reading Dr Phil Hammond's Private Eye columns on Covid, you're missing a trick. He was at Girton College Cambridge so he's bound to be a good egg.)
Unfortunately, some people are determined to take the lesson that the boffins will always get us out of the soup. And scientists will always do their best, because it's fun and satisfying to save the world. But you can't count on it.
Indeed; there were people on here confidently predicting millions of British dead and billions of cases worldwide both during 2020
Had the UK gone through with the "we'll all catch it in a semi-controlled way over Summer 2020 and mourn the 1% who will die" plan (c'mon, it was the plan, at least for a while), that would have been about half a million deaths. Assuming that the NHS hadn't collapsed as a result.
I can imagine a situation where it would have come to something like that, and when this is over there's a good sci-fi dystopia for someone to write.
As a species, we got lucky, and we need to learn the right lessons from this.
At the Corbynista family home today, unsurprisingly a lot of talk about Boris being awful ("he was drunk at COP26"), and agreement with Greta, but surprisingly no comment on the Paterson business at all, even after watching it reported on the news. Curious what sticks with people.
I'm not sure the Paterson business wasn't done, dusted, and then reverse-ferreted too quickly for the uninterested to follow. Earlier scandals like expenses dragged on for weeks. Maybe people will catch up especially if there is more in the Sundays.
Oh no. Paterson will be remembered for a long time. He's managed to do more damage to the party he ostensibly represents than the opposition have done in years. If he finishes up in some ghastly mine it'll be too good for him.
I have sympathy for Paterson's loss and his family's turmoil, but he is so arrogant and seeking an emotional plus over the sad suicide of his wife is wholly unacceptable and his loss to public life will not be missed
I expect there will be a price to pay in the polls, but his swift resignation and the appalling story of Yorkshire CC which has dominated today's media headlines, with worse to come no doubt, does move the news agenda on and may mitigate some of the damage
We will have to see but Boris, Moore, Chief Whip, JRM and Leadsom should all hang their heads in shame at this unedifying miscalculation
A veteran Labour colleague called this evening to urge us (locally) to lay off Paterson - "whatever he's done, he's clearly very unhappy, and should be allowed to sort out his life in peace". I think that may be a fairly common attitude. The episode has clearly damaged the Government's reputation for both probity and competence, but I think that unless the Sunday papers reveal anything new, the caravan will roll on.
What this does do is set the Government up for real trouble if it turns out that wallpapergate was actually unlawful. I don't think injured innocence will be accepted as a credible defence at this point.
Comments
And for this circumstance she says, "you'd scale up the lab method you've got, however stupid it is", which would be a matter of a 2-3 months to get to decent scale (and you'd then be working in parallel on the real process improvement for later batches).
Anyhow she's rather more optimistic than I was this afternoon and her description tbh is of a simpler process than the one she's involved in putting on plant at the moment.
Otherwise why bring him up? not what you'd call an especially fresh red herring!
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/04/yorkshire-cricket-race-row-sport-azeem-rafiq
Whining that there aren't enough Asian players in the England team and saying that football is more representative - number of Asian players in top level football being approximately zero.
He also seems to think that club cricket in Yorkshire is racially segregated - well it might be in Bradford for all I know but certainly isn't elsewhere, Azeem Rafiq for example played for Barnsley.
Implies that there's a host of Asian cricketers who have been denied professional careers - no names of these potential Gavaskars and Imran Khans mentioned of course.
Doesn't know that until 1990 Yorkshire had a selection policy that you had to be born in the county to play for them.
Isn't aware that India was playing test cricket from 1932.
And doesn't realise that the number of black cricketers in the 1980s was because of the greatness of the West Indies at the time.
For all that YCCC have made themselves look contemptible and incompetent in failing to deal with ignorant bigotry things aren't going to be improved by the Guardian allowing ignorant bigotry of a different variety.
One senior MP said, "I'm expecting a whole weekend of 'yes and ho'.”
https://www.ft.com/content/74ab3606-0f70-4989-a4f1-2f4c960104fe
Maybe in conjunction with the Paterson fiasco attempt to sack Stone it hints that Johnson is even more of a duplicitous, conniving barsteward than had been first understood.
We've got plenty more great native names, for example Cowlitz, Mukilteo, Nisqually, Nooksack, Puyallup, Skagit, Snoqualmie, Tacoma/Tehoma, Yakima to name but a few.
And of course Seattle is an anglicized version of the name of a great Duwamish tribal leader.
And quite understandably so for many - people tend to associate with others similar to themselves and the 'general ambiance' in sports clubs can be off-putting for 'outsiders' even from 'normal' things such as alcohol consumption.
I would imagine that there are also Asian players in the other clubs in your league.
I think it’s reasonably likely that we have commercial fusion before the giant European ITER project is completed in 2035.
Channel 4 News lead on the Yorkshire story tonight, didn't realise they knew cricket existed. I assume they think it is some sort of embarrassing colonial legacy, which is why they were trying to put the boot in.
Apart from Virginia did you lose much elsewhere ?
In King Co, over 209k ballots were returned via drop boxes on Election Day alone, many in the final hours before 8pm deadline. Plus 30k that arrived in the mail the morning after EDay.
Counting every valid vote accurately is more important than rushing the count - even (or especially?) if you're a punter.
"Humans merely share the earth. We can only protect the land, not own it."
Appropriate for Cop 26. Didn't say who the bloody hell would pay for it, mind.
It's I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue for a poorly build igloo.
https://twitter.com/JulieCareyNBC/status/1456705269510164480?t=yNb5ZwfMb8ETzZu3HgglUg&s=19
England were keen to move on from the disastrous 2006/07 Ashes and 2007 world cup performances then Vaughan gave a bad interview and decided to deny saying some stuff not realising the Guardian had the audio of the entire interview.
https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/fredalo-wrecked-world-cup-vaughan-296939
The Guardian has denied Michael Vaughan's suggestion that he was misquoted in his interview with Donald McRae, published in yesterday's newspaper.
Speaking earlier today, England's cricket captain claimed he "never used the word 'Fredalo'," in the interview, adding: "One word changed the whole context of the article, a word which I didn't say. Incredibly in the piece, it didn't mention I openly admitted that I didn't captain as well as I can, I didn't manage the situation as well as I could and I didn't play as well as I could. So if I was blaming anyone for a World Cup fiasco, I was blaming Michael Vaughan."
Tonight, however, the Guardian decided to publish parts of Vaughan's interview online to prove its case. In a statement, the newspaper said: "Having examined transcripts it is clear his contention that he did not use the word 'Fredalo' is incorrect, and his comments can be heard here.
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jun/06/cricket.pressandpublishing
We're in temperate rain forest here NOT the Arctic tundra.
With only Virginia, New Jersey, NYC and some other local things I wonder how representative they are and their usefulness as a predictor.
Definitely need to pay attention if they fall off the perch.
To this observer, it looked the classic story of a demotivated Government vote struggling to turn out against an energised Opposition.
You at least have a favourable set of Senate seats up next year:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_United_States_Senate_elections
By the look of things only AZ, GE, NV and NH might be vulnerable.
Dunno. But they have. I've seen it in numerous places recently. It will migrate here
https://www.vice.com/en/article/epx47m/photographer-alain-levitt-nyc-nostalgia?utm_source=VICE_Twitter&utm_medium=social+
In the 2018 midterms the Dems won by 8.6 points.
The Nuneaton of the Americas.
The people are not happy. They want their socialism.
Nice
As for Democratic defenses, I feel pretty good about Arizona, Nevada & New Hampshire.
But NOT about Georgia, where the mostly likely Republican challenger is Hershel Walker, former U of GA and NFL star player, and (not coincidentally) an African American recruited by You-Know-Who.
Note that Peach State GOPers are trying to copy the example of electorally-successful Black Republican US Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) on the other side of the Savannah River.
And unless Walker self-destructs somewhere along the campaign trail, methinks he got a pretty good shot.
But in view of recent events it now occurs to me that the horse might be better labelled "Publicus" and trail a loose rein curled around the clown's ankle.
Maybe it could be a sort of diptych?
Apologies for my brain smog.
The 1800s usage was that 1801 was 'the year 1', etc. I suggest read up on your Patrick O'Brian to refresh your memory
https://twitter.com/StevePtweets/status/1456721690352881666
That's a tweet midway through an interesting/exasperating thread. I don't agree with everything he says but his fundamental message, that national level Dem strategists are imbeciles, is spot on.
I thought this a very fair and reasonable assessment of our current situation with the coronavirus. The case numbers are falling and let's hope it continues but the priority is and remains vaccination and the rising emphasis on getting the booster vaccination to vulnerable older people is to be welcomed.
The question is the extent to which individually and collectively we can and should be adhering to the 6-month between vaccinations guideline. There are clearly some who have had a booster vaccination in advance of the 6 month period - fair enough. I presume the risk in waiting is one's immunity declines with time.
Given the encouraging results of offering Pfizer to those who have had two previous Astrazeneca vaccinations, I wonder if we will be able to go that bit further again before vaccination four.
The second part of this is the undercurrent of criticism of the media coverage and how that feeds people's perceptions (that word, especially for @Anabobazina's benefit). Should the fall in cases be being screamed from the rooftops - the argument is rises in cases are so why shouldn't falls and that's a hard one to gainsay in all honesty.
Like those who complain the media is always critical of the Government and the Prime Minister, the obvious response is would you prefer a media which is unstintingly supportive of the Government and never broadcasts any criticism - there's plenty of countries where that is the case? Perhaps the price of the privilege of office is to suffer the brickbats.
So when the '00s of the Third Millennium rolled around, we revived "the Aughts"
Further note that the word "nought" for zero is VERY rare this side of the Atlantic (or Pacific) in US anyway.
I read a lot of American media, tho, and this has only suddenly appeared in the last year or so. Odd
For US, talking about "Aughts" is pretty much same thing as UKers saying "Naughts" esp. as we don't say the n-word (in this context) hardly at all.
As for starting to pick it up this year, am guessing it takes maybe a decade to pass before we start thinking much about a decade AS a decade?
https://kingcounty.gov/depts/elections/about-us/security-and-accountability/watch-us-in-action.aspx
Plenty of activity ongoing for next few hours today (Friday) and Monday of next week. Currently busy in ballot opening & scanning departments.
It is a weird anomaly of the English language that we can't find shorthand for the first two decades in a century. Aughts and Noughties are both imperfect, one awkward one arch. And "teenies" is just wrong
With the last fertile group for covid to spread in now saturated and cases plummeting, really feels quite optimistic that we'll see an across the board significant fall now with no outlying age group left to seed new cases in the others.
https://www.science.org/content/blog-post/pfizer-s-good-news-world-s-good-news
Not that the decade was notably naughty, albeit it had it's high points for all PBers.
Especially Leon - an inspiration (if not example) for those us leading lives of (not so quiet) desperation!
The pandemic may end up being a similar punctuation mark in history, but it fell at the beginning of a decade.
Also we had nurses in school today finishing off vaccinating Y7-11: all who want one have now (I think) been vaccinated (one dose only, so far at least).
"Should social justice be part of math class?
"Proposed changes to California’s math guidelines would de-emphasize calculus, reject the idea of naturally gifted children and build a connection to social justice. Critics say the framework would inject “woke politics” into the subject...."
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/04/us/california-math-curriculum-guidelines.html?campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20211105&instance_id=44769&nl=updates-from-the-newsroom®i_id=106571559&segment_id=73706&te=1&user_id=d68bcc26626dde3f2cdef7375bdd3e94
They are determined to double down. The Democrats will be swept aside in 2022, 2024, and onwards. This is political suicide
We're about 2 years from the damn thing being identified, and over 7 billion doses of vaccine have been given. Not perfectly, but the scientists have been in the right place at the right time. I hate to think what would have happened had C-19 been C-09, let alone C-89.
There's an awkward echo of the header here. We've been musing on BoJo's destiny and how it links to his character. BoJo's triumphs and disasters both come from the same place- he is willing to push his luck further because he tends to get away with it. A willingness to push his luck further helps him win. And when he doesn't, he somehow fails upwards. That's why BoJo-sceptics can say that this will all end in tears, we just don't know when. (Right now, it could be ten years, it could be ten days.)
C-19 ought to be a huge warning shot for us all. Don't do stuff that favours the creation of new pathogens. If things go wrong don't cover them up. Don't run your nation with zero resilience for disasters. Do stay healthy, so your body can deal with sickness.
(If you haven't been reading Dr Phil Hammond's Private Eye columns on Covid, you're missing a trick. He was at Girton College Cambridge so he's bound to be a good egg.)
Unfortunately, some people are determined to take the lesson that the boffins will always get us out of the soup. And scientists will always do their best, because it's fun and satisfying to save the world. But you can't count on it.
Broadly speaking the South is Wessex plus bits of Mercia, East Anglia is East Anglia, the North is Northumbria and the Midlands the rest of Mercia
The Republicans will use this again and again. "The Democrats want to destroy education because they are Woke morons".
Who would vote for this crap? The Republicans are being gifted a decade of elections. Scarily, this might even be enough to see Trump back in the White House
Based on current results and trend since Election Night, progressive Democratic challengers are defeating more moderate Democratic incumbents in two races for Port of Seattle commissioner.
For taxation - and thus voting - port district includes all of King County.
These races were not high-profile, and incumbents did not (for reasons best known to them) raise much money.
Certainly challengers were competitive in finance, esp. from labor. With environmentalists split between green populists on one hand, and more establishmentarian wing on the other.
More results will be posted today by 4pm Pacific time; as I type this drivel King Co Elections is beavering away to run as many ballots as possible through the tabulators so that results in these races will be effectively decided today.
Likewise Brits
Autumn:
Vendémiaire (from French vendange, derived from Latin vindemia, "vintage"), starting 22, 23, or 24 September
Brumaire (from French brume, "mist"), starting 22, 23, or 24 October
Frimaire (From French frimas, "frost"), starting 21, 22, or 23 November
Winter:
Nivôse (from Latin nivosus, "snowy"), starting 21, 22, or 23 December
Pluviôse (from French pluvieux, derived from Latin pluvius, "rainy"), starting 20, 21, or 22 January
Ventôse (from French venteux, derived from Latin ventosus, "windy"), starting 19, 20, or 21 February
Spring:
Germinal (from French germination), starting 20 or 21 March
Floréal (from French fleur, derived from Latin flos, "flower"), starting 20 or 21 April
Prairial (from French prairie, "meadow"), starting 20 or 21 May
Summer:
Messidor (from Latin messis, "harvest"), starting 19 or 20 June
Thermidor (or Fervidor*) (from Greek thermon, "summer heat"), starting 19 or 20 July
Fructidor (from Latin fructus, "fruit"), starting 18 or 19 August
If Britain gets as bad as America then yes, I reckon we would see British Trumps arising, and then winning. Boris is not Trump because he doesn't have to be. Yet
Most of the British population are clapped out wrecks. This, not woeful inefficiency or wastefulness, is the primary reason why the NHS is a clapped out wreck, despite also being a bottomless money pit.
Suggestion: weigh all adults annually (ideally just after Christmas, to maximise revenue) and punish the fat ones with huge NHS taxes. The medical problems caused by obesity, especially in older people who end up having fewer years of healthy life expectancy and more complex needs because they let themselves go, can be paid for by those who cause them.
There is nothing for an inquiry to consider. He has disclosed the holiday.
There is possibly a question - how do you put a price on a stay in a private house
But if the opposition uses the process to score political points it undermines the process
I appreciate it's all gone too far for your personal preference but it's not going away. Things that seemed radical 40 years ago (e.g. gay marriage) are now largely (rightly) accepted as non-issues.
I can imagine a situation where it would have come to something like that, and when this is over there's a good sci-fi dystopia for someone to write.
As a species, we got lucky, and we need to learn the right lessons from this.
What this does do is set the Government up for real trouble if it turns out that wallpapergate was actually unlawful. I don't think injured innocence will be accepted as a credible defence at this point.