This is the point when the journalists realise what they were largely responsible for
London Assembly @LondonAssembly 24m The London Assembly seeks advice from chief medical officer on #measles risk to #London - http://goo.gl/wi4kD #news
GPonline.com @GPonlinenews 51m Exclusive: Measles outbreak in London 'inevitable' as GP practices urged to prepare: http://bit.ly/1042olz
Yep. I live in [a nice part of] London, and there's a preponderance of lentil eating f*cknuts who won't vaccinate little Tarquin or Amelie "just in case there's something in it" or "I had it when I was little, and I was fine" or most spectacularly of all "they're not even very common illnesses any more". And yes, someone actually - in real life - said the last one to me.
I can see some radical rethinks on the horizon.
As is sadly often the case, the public (*) are terrible at risk analysis. When the media shut loudly about something, they jump. Which is bad when the media are more concerned with dramatic headlines and circulation figures than telling the public the truth.
But tim did tell us that Huhne's political career would not be toast
How many times do we have to deal with this canard? The problem with recycling this myth is that you might put off newer posters from following any tips tim puts up when, in fact, he (along with anyone who followed him) made money on this market.
I followed tim on his Cabrera tip for the Masters.
I can tell you, Neil, I shed more tears late on Sunday night than I did during the whole of Wednesday.
It is difficult to follow tim when he denied at the start that Huhne was going to be toast and then later says he placed bets in a different way.
You're just making stuff up now. I'm happy for you to post evidence to the contrary but I remember being on the same side of the initial bet as tim and knowing what his position was *before* it paid out.
If we'd made MMR compulsory before school attendance as they do in other countries none of this would have happened. Now we're going to have to have mass vaccinations further up the age scale, if London does have an outbreak you won't be able to move for twattish hypocrites trying to get to the front of the queue.
Selfishly, I'm just pleased I've got my 12-month old vaccinated before the sh*t storm arrives (even though full protection doesn't arrive until the booster's given).
Jack! You are meant to be resting! Turn the TV off and step away from the remote control!
Neil, I was meant to be away for ten days topping up the David Dickinson but sadly Mrs Jack W has been laid somewhat low by a repeat dose of the illness that dogged our hols some weeks back.
Does Butlins not want the Scots aristocracy .... I'd even promise to spend a few shillings in the Hawaiian Ballroom bar ....
The measles / MMR thing is a utterly shocking, an absolute disgrace.
Makes you think there should be some way of properly holding those responsible accountable.
And the Government probably needs to act. Perhaps don't make vaccination compulsory, as that's against people's "yoooman rights innit". Just parents and their children shouldn't be allowed in public places unless they choose to get vaccinated. Any public place.
Two friends of mine's children have caught measles when too young to be vaccinated from children whose parents refused the vaccination. The nurseries involved should not allow unvaccinated children above 12-14 months through the doors,and if they do should be held responsible and subject to being sued for damages.
Two friends of mine's children have caught measles when too young to be vaccinated from children whose parents refused the vaccination. The nurseries involved should not allow unvaccinated children above 12-14 months through the doors,and if they do should be held responsible and subject to being sued for damages.
I'm sorry to hear that, but it does sound rather like an anecdote.
Two friends of mine's children have caught measles when too young to be vaccinated from children whose parents refused the vaccination. The nurseries involved should not allow unvaccinated children above 12-14 months through the doors,and if they do should be held responsible and subject to being sued for damages.
I'm sorry to hear that, but it does sound rather like an anecdote.
Anecdote: Noun 1. A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person. 2. An account regarded as unreliable or hearsay.
I'm going with (1) on this occasion. Not sure what the point is in making that up.
No, my other tip was Snedeker who dropped a shot on the last and cost us the place money.
What I mean is, I had £50 e/w on Cabrera at 25/1, as the tournament came down to the last two I put £600 on Scott at evens to guarantee similar payouts on each.
Oh you hedged.
Why didn't you say so?
I would have understood immediately.
p.s. I didn't bet on the Masters. I just watched with fury as your selections moved up the leaderboard.
Two friends of mine's children have caught measles when too young to be vaccinated from children whose parents refused the vaccination. The nurseries involved should not allow unvaccinated children above 12-14 months through the doors,and if they do should be held responsible and subject to being sued for damages.
I'm sorry to hear that, but it does sound rather like an anecdote.
Anecdote: Noun 1. A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person. 2. An account regarded as unreliable or hearsay.
I'm going with (1) on this occasion. Not sure what the point is in making that up.
Tim and others have a track record of referring to many anecdotes told on here as a 'PB Tory anecdote'. Strangely enough, this is almost always when the anecdote goes against their world view. It is as if these often personal experiences are somehow rendered less worthwhile by this labelling.
Whilst I have no doubt the story is true and heartfelt, he should understand that other anecdotes can be as heartfelt to the people telling them.
"And what exactly do we call the good folk of County Durham? None of its council press officers had ever heard of a collective term, but at some point in the past they may have been called “Pit Yakkers”."
NP linked to a post by Luke Harding, The Guardian's correspondent in Moscow, on the rolling blog on Boston. These two paragraphs are particularly relevant if a link with 'official' Chechen terrorism is established.
In recent years, however, the Kremlin and its regional proxies have been battling a different kind of enemy. This new generation of insurgents has an explicitly Islamist goal: to create a radical pan-Caucasian emirate ruled by Islamist law, a sort of Afghanistan under the Taliban. The movement’s leader, Doku Umarov, unveiled this ambitious vision in 2007. He vowed to liberate not only Russia’s Muslim North Caucausus but a large chunk of European Russia.
Umarov also suggested that devout Muslims should think internationally. His comments, later softened, said: “Today in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Palestine our brothers are fighting. Everyone who attacks Muslims wherever they are are our enemies, common enemies. Our enemy is not Russia only, but everyone who wages war against Islam and Muslims.”
Two friends of mine's children have caught measles when too young to be vaccinated from children whose parents refused the vaccination. The nurseries involved should not allow unvaccinated children above 12-14 months through the doors,and if they do should be held responsible and subject to being sued for damages.
I'm sorry to hear that, but it does sound rather like an anecdote.
Anecdote: Noun 1. A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person. 2. An account regarded as unreliable or hearsay.
I'm going with (1) on this occasion. Not sure what the point is in making that up.
Tim and others have a track record of referring to many anecdotes told on here as a 'PB Tory anecdote'. Strangely enough, this is almost always when the anecdote goes against their world view. It is as if these often personal experiences are somehow rendered less worthwhile by this labelling.
Whilst I have no doubt the story is true and heartfelt, he should understand that other anecdotes can be as heartfelt to the people telling them.
"And what exactly do we call the good folk of County Durham? None of its council press officers had ever heard of a collective term, but at some point in the past they may have been called “Pit Yakkers”."
Luckily for the Chancellor his real mistake was believing our credit rating matter to the public particularly much. Unemployment is much more visible, but that part of the rise people feel is not a switch between economically inactive and unemployed (indeed the other way round would probably be worse) but employed and unemployed, and the change there is 2,000.
"And what exactly do we call the good folk of County Durham? None of its council press officers had ever heard of a collective term, but at some point in the past they may have been called “Pit Yakkers”."
The UK's 'AA+' rating is underpinned by its high-income, diversified and flexible economy as well as a high degree of political and social stability. The monetary policy framework as well as sterling's international reserve currency status afford the UK a high degree of financial and economic policy flexibility. Strong civil and policy institutions and a high degree of transparency enhance the predictability of the business and economic policy environment that compares favourably with peers in the 'AA' category.
Weak economic performance and growth prospects, relatively high levels of private and foreign as well as public debt, along with sizeable twin fiscal and current account deficits, are weaknesses relative to rating peers.
And prospects for further rating changes:
RATING SENSITIVITIES The Stable Outlook indicates a less than 50% chance of a change in the UK sovereign ratings over the next two years.
The main factors that could lead to a negative rating action, individually or collectively, are: - Failure to stabilise the government debt to GDP ratio over the medium term. - Increased threat to macro-financial stability, for example arising from an intensification of the eurozone crisis or an erosion of confidence in the UK's policy commitment to price stability.
The main factors that could lead to a positive rating action, individually or collectively, are: - Stronger economic recovery and rebalancing of the UK economy than currently forecast. - Government budget deficits and debt declining at a faster pace than currently projected so that GGGD is on a sustainable path towards 90% of GDP and below.
All I can say is thank goodness George isn't contemplating a larger government spend and nationwide council house building spree. It wouldn't just be the ratings that fell through the floor but bond yields would start looking like those of the PIIGS.
"And what exactly do we call the good folk of County Durham? None of its council press officers had ever heard of a collective term, but at some point in the past they may have been called “Pit Yakkers”."
"But an Aberdeen University study claims the tale originated in Scotland."
Hartlepool Community College started work on a counter argument, then realised nobody there could spell Monkey. Thank you very much, I'm here all week.
Karen Allen (The Conservative Party Candidate) Hugh Annand (Liberal Democrat) Lady Dorothy MacBeth Brookes (British National Party) Phil Brown (The Independent Socialist Party) Thomas Faithful Darwood (Independent) Richard Peter Elvin (UK Independence Party (UK I P)) Howling Laud Hope (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party) Ahmed Khan (Independent) Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour Party Candidate)
This anecdote isn't going to help too much but there was a rushed out vaccine a few years ago (was it for bird flu?) in response to the latest outbreak and especially pregnant women were advised to have it.
There had been no track record but there was strong advice by HMG to have it.
Recently some non-trivial side effects were reported.
Absolutely no recall now of detail but I remember thinking that a rushed out vaccine surely has risks. And it did vs the risk of contracting the original malady.
The point? A modest one but that people sometimes rationally or irrationally decide not to do what they are told.
Yes. Last rating for France was AAA with Negative Outlook in December 2012.
Says all you need to know about Fitch.
Standard & Poor is the ICM of credit rating agencies. Fitch is the TNS BMRB. Moody is tim anecdotes.
Mr Pole I am usually suspicious of french motives, but in this case the rating is justified, the fundamentals just aren't there, especially between the Chancellor's ears.
a) An embarrassment to a Chancellor who made such a political totem pole of the AAA ratings in the early years of the government
b) Neither an embarrassment nor likely to change policy in any way, this is the Chancellor we’re talking about
c) Really only going to be interesting to Westminster hacks at this point; it is utterly, completely, desperately clear how bad economic growth is looking to everyone else
d) Irrelevant to actual risk of default because of the UK’s independent currency, even if Fitch does acknowledge the existence of the latter.
Yes. Last rating for France was AAA with Negative Outlook in December 2012.
Says all you need to know about Fitch.
Standard & Poor is the ICM of credit rating agencies. Fitch is the TNS BMRB. Moody is tim anecdotes.
Mr Pole I am usually suspicious of french motives, but in this case the rating is justified, the fundamentals just aren't there, especially between the Chancellor's ears.
I am not diasagreeing, Mr Brooke, at least up to the penultimate clause.
It is a fair assessment reflecting mostly reduced growth expectations consequent upon the UK's exposure to the Eurozone and the resulting persistence of our high debt and deficit levels.
Still there are more important things for George to weep over.
Con: South Sheilds LD: Welwyn Hatfield BNP: Tynemouth Soc: South Shields Ind: Southend East UKIP: Houghton and Sunderland South Loony: NE Hampshire Khan: South Shields Lab: Jarrow
Off Topic - Thank you again Yokel, for your professional insights and great reportage re: the Boston Marathon bombing.
NPR has been broadcasting non-stop on this story since early this AM. Turns out one of their reporters (forget which one) actually knows one of the (alleged) bombers. He was good friends with her son (or nephew, forget which). She says he seemed like a great kid, very popular & personable. Everyone who knows him is totally in shock.
What's equally incredible right now, is a major metropolitican area in near-total lockdown. Something that did NOT happen to same degree in NYC on & immediately after 9/11.
Re: social media, report that Cambridge (Mass) Police Dept have stopped tweeting for the time being. Because they do NOT want to give info to the fugative terrorist(s) in case they're monitoring.
On lighter note, last night attended monthly meeting of 46th legislative district Democats in northeast Seattle, where the entertainment was a candidate forum. On the ballot this year are (officailly) nonpartisan races for Mayor of Seattle plus four at-large seats (the only kind there are) on Seatle City Council. Also race for City Attorney and for King County Council, which IS elected by districts.
quick question - are you a composite of a lot of people because you resoutely keep on-topic politics anti-Cons when, given events, whether it be Boston or anything else it would take an almost inhuman dedication not to veer off?
Or is it well-known that you are indeed a committee tag team and as a newbie I am not yet aware?
Boston Globe live blog reporting that police in Cambridge are planning controlled demolition in house where alleged terror brothers lived.
Yes, locking down major city is extreme. But seems it's warranted based on what law enforcement knows right now. BUT how long can lock down be maintained?
1. Plant was supposed to be recertified, according to TX state law, back in 2004. Never happened. Why not, Gov Perry?
2. Of 12 confirmed fatalities (in town of approx 2k population) 11 were first responders. Mostly members of the town's volunteer fire department. Don't know if you have VFDs in UK, but they are found in small communities across America, kind of places that lack budget for full-time, professional fire-fighters.
A friend of mine died of it, having contracted it the same time as I did. I was bed-ridden for three weeks. They eventually switched off my friend's ventilator two months later.
I agree with almost everything you write - although I hesitate about absolute compulsion - but I think that the issues around vaccines for unpredicted flu variants are a bit different to MMR.
Look who's going to be lined up as a scapegoat if the Tories do badly on May 2nd
Sun Politics @Sun_Politics 1m BREAKING: A second major credit rating agency, Fitch, has stripped the UK of its AAA status in another blow for George Osborne.
Alex Belardinelli @abelardinelli 1m Fitch downgrades UK credit rating, blaming "weaker economic & fiscal outlook" & "weak growth performance of UK"
The inept tea party tory spinners won't like that. ;^)
reports that 15 police officers hospitalized due to last night's gunfight etc with terror suspects. One officer killed in line of duty: Sean Collier, age 26, of MIT campus police.
PS housekeeping: your's truly can log in with minimal difficulty via internet connection at local branch library. HOWEVER, every time I try to log in using home office computer, get error message that says (paraphrase) that log in name is 14 characters too long. SeaShantyIrish = 18 characters! Talk about yer Catch 22!!!
Is with his ridiculous boasts about growth much of Osbornes political problem re the ratings agencies is simply a product of his own hyperbolic statements.
Osborne placed too much emphasis on credit ratings and should have focussed instead on borrowing costs.
The credit rating agencies, for all their analysis and research, follow rather than determine market pricing. Osborne also inherited an era of lazy rating where a whole bunch of countries, including the UK, should not have been rated at the AAA level. Post financial crisis and, in particular, the criticism of the rating agencies to spot failure points, the trend has been towards more realistic ratings. There are however a lot of powerful and vested interests to upset in rerating sovereign risk and the move to more realistic ratings had therfore to be gradual rather than sudden.
On growth forecasts, George is not really to blame at all. All countries and economic forecasters predicted a similar exit to the financial crisis to that experienced in prior recessions, This simply hasn't happened and growth outcomes and forecasts have been reduced in all main countries from China to Spain.
The UK's growth performance under Osborne has been relatively good, outstripping the UK's main UK competitors as it did broadly under Brown. However, George unlike Gordon, has managed to outperform competitors during a period of fiscal consolidation rather than expansion.
The hawks like Fraser Nelson will be demanding deeper cuts in response to lower growth but George is right, in my opinion, to take a holding position on deficit reduction while looking to see whether the growth downturn persists.
We only need to note that upturns in oil and gas production and banking services to pre-crisis levels would see the current UK economy growing at a quite acceptable rate. Oil and Gas looks due to recover in late 2013 (following targeted investment) and banking should recover mid 2014 following sector recapitalisation and restructure.
So Osborne isn't taking a deficit reduction holiday on a whim and a prayer: there is sound reasoning behind a belief that growth will return in the latter two years of the parliamentary term.
It may suit your political aims to undermine Osborne's reputation but an objective and balanced view would demand more time for assessment. The UK economy is not booming but equally it is not crashing like most of the Eurozone. There is reasonable cause for optimism mixed with strong downside risks. Decision time will be 2015.
PS housekeeping: your's truly can log in with minimal difficulty via internet connection at local branch library. HOWEVER, every time I try to log in using home office computer, get error message that says (paraphrase) that log in name is 14 characters too long. SeaShantyIrish = 18 characters! Talk about yer Catch 22!!!
Damn my inability to find the edit button here. I meant to type "I agree with everything you write about MMR".
But there was no vaccine for that flu strain, which was not widespread in the UK. It only impacted a very small number of people but, like measles complications, that is little consolation if it is down your way.
Oddly enough, it has just occurred to me - I am in my 50's - that I don't think I ever had/was immunised against measles myself. I am wondering whether I should have a jab. My kids, for whom we had to make the decision right at the peak of the scare - which was credible to the non-specialist at the time - did have the MMR jab, but it did require a degree of thought given the state of knowledge at the time. Our wonderful GP took half an our to review the literature with us.
PS housekeeping: your's truly can log in with minimal difficulty via internet connection at local branch library. HOWEVER, every time I try to log in using home office computer, get error message that says (paraphrase) that log in name is 14 characters too long. SeaShantyIrish = 18 characters! Talk about yer Catch 22!!!
I count 14...
My finger slipped. Point is, perhaps OGH can find some freaking system that actually works? Or it this just part of the Evil Genius of Bill Gates????
PS housekeeping: your's truly can log in with minimal difficulty via internet connection at local branch library. HOWEVER, every time I try to log in using home office computer, get error message that says (paraphrase) that log in name is 14 characters too long. SeaShantyIrish = 18 characters! Talk about yer Catch 22!!!
I count 14...
My finger slipped. Point is, perhaps OGH can find some freaking system that actually works? Or it this just part of the Evil Genius of Bill Gates????
Maybe something weird is going on where your login name is already entered into the field, and you are typing it twice?
Beyond that I couldn't say. Perhaps try a different browser.
RT @jrebosglobe: CT State Police looking for second car: 1999 Green Honda Civic with Massachusetts license plate of 116 GC7.
Jack W, please let us know if you see this vehicle loitering near yer pie stand! And aren't you glad that Jacobites appear to be blameless on THIS occassion?
If the Boston terrorists do turn out to be Chechen nationalists then a big own-goal by them, next time Putin sends in the tanks to restore order, the US will turn a blind eye!
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re swine flu - much more elegant and persuasively put than me.
and @tim as for the isolated figure of "309 deaths" I'm pretty sure that a similar number of peope die in the UK every year falling off ladders but the govt is right not to introduce "ladder safety measures."
In political terms, is Barack Obama very liberal, somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat conservative, or very conservative? •Very liberal 38% •Somewhat liberal 29% •Moderate 24% •Somewhat conservative 4% •Very conservative 1% •Not sure 4%
In political terms, is Joe Biden very liberal, somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat conservative, or very conservative? •Very liberal 31% •Somewhat liberal 37% •Moderate 23% •Somewhat conservative 2% •Very conservative 1% •Not sure 6%
According to this, Francis maude arranged Thatcher funeral. All last week, PBTories had been claiming, all the planning had been done by the last government.
Comments
(*) Including myself in many fields.
I mean the media coverage, the breathless rolling updates, speculation, listening in to police scanners for morsels. All a bit Black Mirror.
Think I'll let it settle and read some informed coverage in a decent Sunday paper.
I can tell you, Neil, I shed more tears late on Sunday night than I did during the whole of Wednesday.
"Just to reassure everyone I'm still around, about to leave for Dirty Dick's!"
The London venue or Amsterdam .... or perchance a little of both !!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2309928/Promiscuous-pensioners-clueless-teens-risky-Soho-run-ins-Welcome-world-SEX-CLINIC.html
Does Butlins not want the Scots aristocracy .... I'd even promise to spend a few shillings in the Hawaiian Ballroom bar ....
Hi De Hi !!
Makes you think there should be some way of properly holding those responsible accountable.
And the Government probably needs to act. Perhaps don't make vaccination compulsory, as that's against people's "yoooman rights innit". Just parents and their children shouldn't be allowed in public places unless they choose to get vaccinated. Any public place.
Whovever it was, I lost on it.
*nods*
http://www.ovg.ox.ac.uk/blogs/ojohn/how-dangerous-measles
1. A short and amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.
2. An account regarded as unreliable or hearsay.
I'm going with (1) on this occasion. Not sure what the point is in making that up.
Why didn't you say so?
I would have understood immediately.
p.s. I didn't bet on the Masters. I just watched with fury as your selections moved up the leaderboard.
If Chechens perpetrated attack, it would be first outside Russia by militants from former Soviet republic":
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/19/boston-bombing-link-chechnya-unprecedented
Whilst I have no doubt the story is true and heartfelt, he should understand that other anecdotes can be as heartfelt to the people telling them.
Perhaps he will stop in future.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/you-geordie-mackem-smoggie-1363415
So what, exactly, are those criticising Cameron, suggesting he call people from County Durham.....?
NP linked to a post by Luke Harding, The Guardian's correspondent in Moscow, on the rolling blog on Boston. These two paragraphs are particularly relevant if a link with 'official' Chechen terrorism is established.
In recent years, however, the Kremlin and its regional proxies have been battling a different kind of enemy. This new generation of insurgents has an explicitly Islamist goal: to create a radical pan-Caucasian emirate ruled by Islamist law, a sort of Afghanistan under the Taliban. The movement’s leader, Doku Umarov, unveiled this ambitious vision in 2007. He vowed to liberate not only Russia’s Muslim North Caucausus but a large chunk of European Russia.
Umarov also suggested that devout Muslims should think internationally. His comments, later softened, said: “Today in Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and Palestine our brothers are fighting. Everyone who attacks Muslims wherever they are are our enemies, common enemies. Our enemy is not Russia only, but everyone who wages war against Islam and Muslims.”
Badly.
Typical bloody Graun. Chechen muj have been in Afpak for ages and they are in Syria now.
eg http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat-matrix/archives/2012/01/lashakr_al_zil_strong_in_afgha.php
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/7827332.stm
'It's a Victory for Eck!'
Fitch is, after all, owned by the French and there is only so long that they will put up with being in the shadow of les rosboeufs.
For those wanting to understand why Fitch have rerated then I suggest reading the full Fitch report which accompanied the rating.
See: http://bit.ly/17Lx7vh
Key bits:
The UK's 'AA+' rating is underpinned by its high-income, diversified and flexible economy as well as a high degree of political and social stability. The monetary policy framework as well as sterling's international reserve currency status afford the UK a high degree of financial and economic policy flexibility. Strong civil and policy institutions and a high degree of transparency enhance the predictability of the business and economic policy environment that compares favourably with peers in the 'AA' category.
Weak economic performance and growth prospects, relatively high levels of private and foreign as well as public debt, along with sizeable twin fiscal and current account deficits, are weaknesses relative to rating peers.
And prospects for further rating changes:
RATING SENSITIVITIES
The Stable Outlook indicates a less than 50% chance of a change in the UK sovereign ratings over the next two years.
The main factors that could lead to a negative rating action, individually or collectively, are:
- Failure to stabilise the government debt to GDP ratio over the medium term.
- Increased threat to macro-financial stability, for example arising from an intensification of the eurozone crisis or an erosion of confidence in the UK's policy commitment to price stability.
The main factors that could lead to a positive rating action, individually or collectively, are:
- Stronger economic recovery and rebalancing of the UK economy than currently forecast.
- Government budget deficits and debt declining at a faster pace than currently projected so that GGGD is on a sustainable path towards 90% of GDP and below.
All I can say is thank goodness George isn't contemplating a larger government spend and nationwide council house building spree. It wouldn't just be the ratings that fell through the floor but bond yields would start looking like those of the PIIGS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, tim, what is this about the IMF criticising Osborne's fiscal plans?
You may have missed my earlier post in which I invited you to quote directly from Lagarde's reply to Conway to evidence such criticism.
I didn't hear back from either you or Ben.
But all good Tories believe in giving people second chances.
I await your response.
It is needed as the attack on Rogoff and Reinhardt collapsed in less than a day.
Hartlepool Community College started work on a counter argument, then realised nobody there could spell Monkey. Thank you very much, I'm here all week.
http://www.southtyneside.info/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=17167&p=0
Karen Allen (The Conservative Party Candidate)
Hugh Annand (Liberal Democrat)
Lady Dorothy MacBeth Brookes (British National Party)
Phil Brown (The Independent Socialist Party)
Thomas Faithful Darwood (Independent)
Richard Peter Elvin (UK Independence Party (UK I P))
Howling Laud Hope (The Official Monster Raving Loony Party)
Ahmed Khan (Independent)
Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour Party Candidate)
Thomas Faithful Darwood (Independent)
Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour Party Candidate)
Posh up north !
There had been no track record but there was strong advice by HMG to have it.
Recently some non-trivial side effects were reported.
Absolutely no recall now of detail but I remember thinking that a rushed out vaccine surely has risks. And it did vs the risk of contracting the original malady.
The point? A modest one but that people sometimes rationally or irrationally decide not to do what they are told.
Says all you need to know about Fitch.
Standard & Poor is the ICM of credit rating agencies. Fitch is the TNS BMRB. Moody is tim anecdotes.
a) An embarrassment to a Chancellor who made such a political totem pole of the AAA ratings in the early years of the government
b) Neither an embarrassment nor likely to change policy in any way, this is the Chancellor we’re talking about
c) Really only going to be interesting to Westminster hacks at this point; it is utterly, completely, desperately clear how bad economic growth is looking to everyone else
d) Irrelevant to actual risk of default because of the UK’s independent currency, even if Fitch does acknowledge the existence of the latter.
e) All of the above
f) None of the above
http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2013/04/19/1467582/and-what-took-you-so-long-fitch/
yes sounds right but there were side effects and they were non-trivial AFAIR
It is a fair assessment reflecting mostly reduced growth expectations consequent upon the UK's exposure to the Eurozone and the resulting persistence of our high debt and deficit levels.
Still there are more important things for George to weep over.
Con: South Sheilds
LD: Welwyn Hatfield
BNP: Tynemouth
Soc: South Shields
Ind: Southend East
UKIP: Houghton and Sunderland South
Loony: NE Hampshire
Khan: South Shields
Lab: Jarrow
NPR has been broadcasting non-stop on this story since early this AM. Turns out one of their reporters (forget which one) actually knows one of the (alleged) bombers. He was good friends with her son (or nephew, forget which). She says he seemed like a great kid, very popular & personable. Everyone who knows him is totally in shock.
What's equally incredible right now, is a major metropolitican area in near-total lockdown. Something that did NOT happen to same degree in NYC on & immediately after 9/11.
there certainly was lots of noise. Obviously every govt fears a "Govt inaction causes 1,000s of deaths" headline..
http://live.boston.com/Event/Live_blog_Explosion_in_Copley_Square
Re: social media, report that Cambridge (Mass) Police Dept have stopped tweeting for the time being. Because they do NOT want to give info to the fugative terrorist(s) in case they're monitoring.
yes incredible. The definition of terror. One guy and they lock down a city.
as to the bomber/suspect, all I'm waiting to hear is that he "kept himself to himself".
I think that was after SARS and bird flu.
Mr. Irish, I second that. Mr. Y0kel's a top chap.
F1: plan to do the pre-qualifying piece around half 10 tomorrow morning. P3 is 9-10am. Intend to offer a tip, if possible.
quick question - are you a composite of a lot of people because you resoutely keep on-topic politics anti-Cons when, given events, whether it be Boston or anything else it would take an almost inhuman dedication not to veer off?
Or is it well-known that you are indeed a committee tag team and as a newbie I am not yet aware?
Yes, locking down major city is extreme. But seems it's warranted based on what law enforcement knows right now. BUT how long can lock down be maintained?
http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/04/why-fitch-downgraded-britain-in-three-graphs/
Boston Blackie + Hopalong Cassidy + Fu Manchu + girls & boys from "Numbers" + The Closer (if any suspects arrested alive)
1. Plant was supposed to be recertified, according to TX state law, back in 2004. Never happened. Why not, Gov Perry?
2. Of 12 confirmed fatalities (in town of approx 2k population) 11 were first responders. Mostly members of the town's volunteer fire department. Don't know if you have VFDs in UK, but they are found in small communities across America, kind of places that lack budget for full-time, professional fire-fighters.
RT @JasonOliveiraTV: Haunting picture of 8 yr old Martin Richard and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev at Boston Marathon http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BIOdGe5CYAEgFEi.jpg
A friend of mine died of it, having contracted it the same time as I did. I was bed-ridden for three weeks. They eventually switched off my friend's ventilator two months later.
I agree with almost everything you write - although I hesitate about absolute compulsion - but I think that the issues around vaccines for unpredicted flu variants are a bit different to MMR.
RIP Sam.
The inept tea party tory spinners won't like that. ;^)
'Triumph for the incompetent fops!'
LOL
The credit rating agencies, for all their analysis and research, follow rather than determine market pricing. Osborne also inherited an era of lazy rating where a whole bunch of countries, including the UK, should not have been rated at the AAA level. Post financial crisis and, in particular, the criticism of the rating agencies to spot failure points, the trend has been towards more realistic ratings. There are however a lot of powerful and vested interests to upset in rerating sovereign risk and the move to more realistic ratings had therfore to be gradual rather than sudden.
On growth forecasts, George is not really to blame at all. All countries and economic forecasters predicted a similar exit to the financial crisis to that experienced in prior recessions, This simply hasn't happened and growth outcomes and forecasts have been reduced in all main countries from China to Spain.
The UK's growth performance under Osborne has been relatively good, outstripping the UK's main UK competitors as it did broadly under Brown. However, George unlike Gordon, has managed to outperform competitors during a period of fiscal consolidation rather than expansion.
The hawks like Fraser Nelson will be demanding deeper cuts in response to lower growth but George is right, in my opinion, to take a holding position on deficit reduction while looking to see whether the growth downturn persists.
We only need to note that upturns in oil and gas production and banking services to pre-crisis levels would see the current UK economy growing at a quite acceptable rate. Oil and Gas looks due to recover in late 2013 (following targeted investment) and banking should recover mid 2014 following sector recapitalisation and restructure.
So Osborne isn't taking a deficit reduction holiday on a whim and a prayer: there is sound reasoning behind a belief that growth will return in the latter two years of the parliamentary term.
It may suit your political aims to undermine Osborne's reputation but an objective and balanced view would demand more time for assessment. The UK economy is not booming but equally it is not crashing like most of the Eurozone. There is reasonable cause for optimism mixed with strong downside risks. Decision time will be 2015.
Damn my inability to find the edit button here. I meant to type "I agree with everything you write about MMR".
But there was no vaccine for that flu strain, which was not widespread in the UK. It only impacted a very small number of people but, like measles complications, that is little consolation if it is down your way.
Oddly enough, it has just occurred to me - I am in my 50's - that I don't think I ever had/was immunised against measles myself. I am wondering whether I should have a jab. My kids, for whom we had to make the decision right at the peak of the scare - which was credible to the non-specialist at the time - did have the MMR jab, but it did require a degree of thought given the state of knowledge at the time. Our wonderful GP took half an our to review the literature with us.
Beyond that I couldn't say. Perhaps try a different browser.
Cheers.
Jack W, please let us know if you see this vehicle loitering near yer pie stand! And aren't you glad that Jacobites appear to be blameless on THIS occassion?
Maybe something weird is going on where your login name is already entered into the field, and you are typing it twice?
Beyond that I couldn't say. Perhaps try a different browser.
Different browser good idea, will try it, thanks!
https://twitter.com/EmmaLewellBuck/status/325281680325767168/photo/1
https://twitter.com/lukelewis/status/325304451529318400/photo/1
https://twitter.com/J_tsar
http://gawker.com/5995065/is-this-the-boston-marathon-bombing-suspects-twitter-account
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/exclusive-labour-bets-the-house-with-pledge-to-outspend-tories-8579179.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2311370/Blair-deserves-funeral-big-Thatchers-Minister-arranged-Iron-Ladys-service-suggests-similar-ceremony-won-elections.html
"Postal voting packs will be delivered from Tuesday, 23 April. If you have not received your pack by Friday, 26 April call the elections office on 0191 424 7230."
Hardly a surprise after Pickles also made a shambolic mess of his "bonfire of the quangos".
re swine flu - much more elegant and persuasively put than me.
and @tim as for the isolated figure of "309 deaths" I'm pretty sure that a similar number of peope die in the UK every year falling off ladders but the govt is right not to introduce "ladder safety measures."
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2311370/Blair-deserves-funeral-big-Thatchers-Minister-arranged-Iron-Ladys-service-suggests-similar-ceremony-won-elections.html
http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2013/04/71-of-conservative-voters-support-multiculturalism.html
In political terms, is Barack Obama very liberal, somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat conservative, or very conservative?
•Very liberal 38%
•Somewhat liberal 29%
•Moderate 24%
•Somewhat conservative 4%
•Very conservative 1%
•Not sure 4%
In political terms, is Joe Biden very liberal, somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat conservative, or very conservative?
•Very liberal 31%
•Somewhat liberal 37%
•Moderate 23%
•Somewhat conservative 2%
•Very conservative 1%
•Not sure 6%
Hmmm. He might be "very liberal" in the same way that the FDP are "very liberal", ie. he's centre-right.
'Yesterday, Labour sources insisted no decision had been taken on post- 2015 spending.'
Still waiting for the results of focus groups & polls.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2311562/Ed-Balls-told-You-annoying-man-politics.html
If you think the tories have a problem with Osborne,then labour have a real problem with balls.
'Lest we forget ! Harold Wilson won 4 elections. He had a small private ceremony.'
How could we forget, you've made the same point every day for the past 10 days.