Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
Yes, my lad is in the same position. Contrary to what you might expect, he and most of his pals are not at all happy about their GCSEs being cancelled. As I have said before, we will owe our youth a large debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they are making for the sake of their grandparents.
What are you hearing is the likely outcome? GCSEs put back to September?
Absolutely no idea - better ask one of the teachers on here! Among the kids, the expectation (and worry!) is that their grades will be based on their mock exam results and/or teacher assessments. Hopefully my lad will know more when he gets back from school today.
Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
The upending of the normal can have a traumatic effect on people, and for them looming exams are a very large part of that normal.
But yes, sorting out the practical consequences will obviously take some time.
Do explain why it isn't as simple as "there's a pandemic so we'll come back to this next year?" Do explain why this needs any "optics" at all.
Because it's not a priority. The government has more important things on its plate and this is in the "deal with this later" pile. As it should be.
It's not dealing with it later. It is repeatedly reaffirming its position. It's dealing with it now and the way it is dealing with it now is to keep it as a priority.
No they have just said that the law is the law and they have said the talks have been suspended. That's it. Not saying anything else.
It would take an Act of Parliament now to request an extension (as it did under May) and why on Earth when Parliament is self-isolating and the government is in the grips of this pandemic should the government decide to bring everyone into the Commons Chamber to debate that!? When there's no issue for months or nearly a year.
You're utterly insane if you think the government should be dealing with that right now as its priority. The government has to deal with the virus now and nothing else matters - as far as Brexit is concerned the law is the law unless or until the law is changed.
I've linked directly to Dominic Raab saying on Tuesday that he was opposed to any delay. Since you missed it, here it is again:
The government continues actively to set this as a priority. It - and you - are utterly insane for thinking this is remotely appropriate.
And he'll continue to say he's opposed to a delay unless or until a delay is agreed. Doesn't mean one won't be. The Premier League said matches were suspended until April 4, doesn't mean I expect the Merseyside Derby to be played that week.
What was actually said by him was he wants a deal agreed speedily so we can move on, but for now the talks are suspended so that's not possible. The government's just not dealing with it right now nor should it. Once things calm down they can either agree a deal if possible (preference) and we move on - or if it isn't possible because talks were suspended for too long them agree a short extension to talks to make up for lost time.
That's a problem for the future though not now. Just STFU about Brexit for a while, it doesn't matter right now.
The government can put the gun down and stop pointing it at us. It chooses not to because it is ideologically obsessed. Your defence of the indefensible is shameful.
There is no gun, only obsessive cranks like you see a gun.
The Chinese state sought to cover up the virus at outbreak, and its charming measures have included welding people into their homes. If that state had instead cracked down on trading rare animals and wet markets, this pandemic may very well never have happened.
This x 1000.
Somebody posted a report a few days ago from 2007 which predicted it was only a matter of time that this would happen in China. They have known that bats carry corona type viruses and did nothing to stop them being sold and used in the live markets. Live markets and traditional Chinese "medicine" really need to be outlawed.
China needs to be shamed into acting now but I suspect it won't and a few years down the line the same thing will happen again. It would be bad enough if it only affected China but their actions are going to bring the entire world to its knees.
If anyone could repost that report I would be grateful if they would repost it.
China will, without fanfare outlaw all these traditions very quietly. It’s economic miracle has been derailed and it won’t risk it happening again.
I hope you are right and if anyone can they can. They still need to be held accountable for the current mess. As I have said before I remain convinced China is massaging the figures now to try and face for a major humiliation.
Hope you are managing OK, we were on our way to Javea shortly but all cancelled now.
Would be better if the weather improved, still waiting on news on treatment but I do understand the whole health system is currently being re jigged. We get a good laugh through Facebook groups where the latest rumor was the Guardia had put helicopters up to check we weren’t have drinks parties on our rear terrace! Of course it may be true. I also should have stocked up on underpants when I could "............
Details can wait - we need broad brush strokes. "In the circumstances the best thing to do is to suspend the rest of the academic year. We will try to get your children back to school as soon as we can, but be prepared for it not being before the normal summer holidays.
That means that students due to sit exams will not be able to do so. All students who sit GCSEs and A-Levels submit work for assessment throughout their course. Having spoken to OFQUAL it has been agreed that the principle is that predicted grades based on assessed work will be used to award qualifications. No student will miss out on their college or university place as a result of this"
Done. Details later. Broad plan now.
Not sure I agree. We need enough details to be able to answer kids legitimate questions. With a son who was due to sit GCSEs, the information provided yesterday afternoon was inadequate.
Mine was due to sit A-Levels. Yesterday they said "all exams are cancelled" then "kids will get the qualifications they need". Fine - there are only a couple of ways to do that, wouldn't have taken very long to flesh out what that means. Yesterday we got zero detail.
The £ has gone to rock bottom largely because we dropped interest rates back down to the lowest level and announced unlimited QE. Plus the flight to safety with the bigger currencies and especially the $ being seen as safer.
But you'd think, if we are right to be relatively reassured by our response to the medical crisis so far ('relatively' meaning as compared to the US and some but not all EU countries), that the £ now represents a buy, especially against the $.
If things turn as bad in the US as many now expect, surely the $ becomes a sell.
Some bounce back against the Euro this morning but it has been a substantial fall. I am not sure interest rates had much to do with it, we are still above ECB levels. I've actually struggled to find a convincing reason.
Current account deficit.
That's not new though. We have had a trade deficit for the best part of 30 years now. Its a serious structural problem and nearly all of that deficit is with the EU. We really need to change our terms of trade with them. Why would it be such an increased cause for concern in the last 10 days?
I heard Wuhan is a tinderbox. There's massive anger at the way the local government allowed the virus to develop. The government is keeping a lid on it now because of quarantine, but a reckoning is likely.
Trump's "Chinese virus" rhetoric is playing into this, because a fair number of Chinese agree. The Chinese government is furious with America.
Incidentally, I doubt welding people into their homes is much of a thing. There's plenty of fake news on the anti-Government side outside of China, largely driven by the Falun Gong.
Who knows? But the videos would take a lot more faking than just getting your mate to lie down and play dead in the street - many of them have uniformed police, marked police cars etc as well as heavy welding gear. Note also that confining thss infected in their own homes was standard practice in 1665 per pepys and defoe.
People were, and in many cases still are, confined to their own homes with guards appointed by residents and local committees checking comings and goings. Chinese as a national characteristic are well organised and good at this kind of thing. I'm sure they would be horrified by the idea of people being sealed off, and by implication left to die. Any welding is probably on secondary exits to ensure people pass through the controls.
"probably."
Look at the videos - I won't, on principle, link to Twitter, but they aren't hard to find - and decide for yourself.
I have seen the videos. I'm not questioning that they show workmen doing welding work on doors. I question the interpretation put on it.
Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
Yes, my lad is in the same position. Contrary to what you might expect, he and most of his pals are not at all happy about their GCSEs being cancelled. As I have said before, we will owe our youth a large debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they are making for the sake of their grandparents.
What are you hearing is the likely outcome? GCSEs put back to September?
Absolutely no idea - better ask one of the teachers on here! Among the kids, the expectation (and worry!) is that their grades will be based on their mock exam results and/or teacher assessments. Hopefully my lad will know more when he gets back from school today.
That was what the various talking heads were saying on R4 Today. No exams. Based on predicted grades, with a right to redress.
My son has very good grades, but had flu and his grandmother die right in the middle of his mocks. So not ideal.
You're the only person on this site (the only one) still totally obsessed by it.
That makes you a real fanatic and weirdo.
It's the British government that has decided that pandemics do not alter its timetable, ready or not. As if Britain won't have had enough disruption by then.
But the nut-nut Leavers adamantly refuse to condemn that insane priority.
I open PB this morning only to see you still ranting on about brexit when people are losing their jobs, people are scared and worried for their families, and yes people are dying
Brexit is of no concern to the vast majority and you are looking obsessed and ridiculous
You are better than this Alastair
@Big_G_NorthWales the government continues to affirm that it wishes to stick to the same timetable for the transition, despite not having the time to open talks. Do you not think that in the circumstances that is both wicked and insane?
The desire to impose sanctions on ourselves by means of Brexit seemed like a bit of a larf when the economy was relatively healthy. Now that we're heading into a massive global depression the transition will be extended by a very long time followed by BINO.
That is possible as are other scenarios
But to get in a state over brexit just now is irrational as there is only one focus covid 19
We have self isolated since tuesday as we are in the highest risk group .
However our Asda delivery today has revealed no milk, bread,weetabix, oranges and other routine weekly buys including beans and spaghetti.
It goes without saying there are no toilet rolls, hand santisers or kitchen surface cleaners
How on earth are the isolated going to manage when the supermarkets cannot provide the normal essentials.
All this will do is to see the high risk elderly going out to the shops seeking their needs
Big G that's like not being worried about about a lump you find on your body because you are dealing with a broken leg.
It is exactly the same scenario we see in Scotland re Independence. The Leavers constantly going on about the Remainers talking about Brexit whilst it is only the Leavers that are constantly talking about it. What gets into their heads.
Whilst the focus is on Europe and the US what is happening in the less developed nations, I see a trickle of news from such countries showing slowly increasing infection numbers. Is this going to end up being far more disastrous to the third word with no help available to Minimize the impact. Also lack of info from Russia and those countries under their umbrella is sparse. Can we believe the Indian sub continent numbers? More questions than answers.
Indeed. If air quality damaging lungs WAS an aggravating factor in China, you really have to worry for places like Delhi.
Last I heard South Africa was getting worried.
More details coming out of Indonesia - these snippets are not looking good
My lad, bless him, queued outside Aldi on Sunday morning and managed to bag a 9-pack of quilted. I have taken out one roll and placed it in the safe alongside the whisky and revolver.
It struck me that if the Crumblies really do have to lock down for four months, when they finally emerge they are going to be sporting some fine looking "Bald with Mullet" hair-does. I hope somebody is going to record these images for posterity.
...There are two large reasons to believe the political echo of this crisis will last much longer than the crisis itself.
The first is that many of the people whose expectations and routines are most dramatically upended by the pandemic are students. The interruption, and in some cases irreplaceable loss, of important experiences in their education, as campuses empty and untold events are canceled, will likely shape their consciousness in more lasting ways than for the rest of us.
Like most catastrophes, the pandemic’s malign consequences will fall most heavily on the underprivileged. Unlike most catastrophes, its costs are also being paid heavily by some segments of the most privileged. Those college seniors whose spring terms and graduation ceremonies are suddenly deleted include many people who are future leaders of the public and private sectors. No, it’s not the end of the world for them. But it’s a piercing loss even so—one being paid more for the benefit of older, less healthy people than for pure self-protection.
More profoundly, the dynamics of the coronavirus moment likely will resemble the dynamics of other great public policy issues shadowing the next generation. In particular, the global pandemic and the harsh choices it imposes offer—in highly concentrated fashion in coming months—much the same choices that responses to global climate change will impose in coming decades....
The group for whom this crisis will have a critical effect on are those who have precarious jobs, in sectors which will be hit by the sudden dissapearance of cash flow. Most of these people will have very few savings and will not be able to financially ride out the storm. Of course many of these people ARE students, at least the ones who have to work through uni, and young adults.
Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
Yes, my lad is in the same position. Contrary to what you might expect, he and most of his pals are not at all happy about their GCSEs being cancelled. As I have said before, we will owe our youth a large debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they are making for the sake of their grandparents.
What are you hearing is the likely outcome? GCSEs put back to September?
Absolutely no idea - better ask one of the teachers on here! Among the kids, the expectation (and worry!) is that their grades will be based on their mock exam results and/or teacher assessments. Hopefully my lad will know more when he gets back from school today.
That was what the various talking heads were saying on R4 Today. No exams. Based on predicted grades, with a right to redress.
My son has very good grades, but had flu and his grandmother die right in the middle of his mocks. So not ideal.
Without boasting, I got the best 'A' Level grades of my year, but had hitherto been written off as a failure by the teachers. So not a good thing if it will be based on the bias of teachers with their favourite students.
...There are two large reasons to believe the political echo of this crisis will last much longer than the crisis itself.
The first is that many of the people whose expectations and routines are most dramatically upended by the pandemic are students. The interruption, and in some cases irreplaceable loss, of important experiences in their education, as campuses empty and untold events are canceled, will likely shape their consciousness in more lasting ways than for the rest of us.
Like most catastrophes, the pandemic’s malign consequences will fall most heavily on the underprivileged. Unlike most catastrophes, its costs are also being paid heavily by some segments of the most privileged. Those college seniors whose spring terms and graduation ceremonies are suddenly deleted include many people who are future leaders of the public and private sectors. No, it’s not the end of the world for them. But it’s a piercing loss even so—one being paid more for the benefit of older, less healthy people than for pure self-protection.
More profoundly, the dynamics of the coronavirus moment likely will resemble the dynamics of other great public policy issues shadowing the next generation. In particular, the global pandemic and the harsh choices it imposes offer—in highly concentrated fashion in coming months—much the same choices that responses to global climate change will impose in coming decades....
The group for whom this crisis will have a critical effect on are those who have precarious jobs, in sectors which will be hit by the sudden dissapearance of cash flow. Most of these people will have very few savings and will not be able to financially ride out the storm. Of course many of these people ARE students, at least the ones who have to work through uni, and young adults.
Yep - I made that point a couple of weeks ago. The belief that people can work from home is largely false. And those that can`t are mainly the poor folk.
Morning all. @Big_G_NorthWales I sent you a message via Vanilla. If you would like me to post over a small bottle of sanitiser to you, I would be happy to do so. You mentioned yesterday you had little/none and were self-isolating. Just get in touch via the Vanilla inbox/messaging system if the sanitiser would be helpful.
Isnt the advice that soap and hot water is actually better - and if you are self isolating, why would you need satitiser? just asking.
He wanted it in event he had to visit doctor/collect prescription etc , ie the very odd time he could not avoid leaving house for urgent medical items.
Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
Yes, my lad is in the same position. Contrary to what you might expect, he and most of his pals are not at all happy about their GCSEs being cancelled. As I have said before, we will owe our youth a large debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they are making for the sake of their grandparents.
What are you hearing is the likely outcome? GCSEs put back to September?
Absolutely no idea - better ask one of the teachers on here! Among the kids, the expectation (and worry!) is that their grades will be based on their mock exam results and/or teacher assessments. Hopefully my lad will know more when he gets back from school today.
You know as much as we do!
We get an afternoon daily briefing from the DfE, so hoping for more detail, even if it is just an indication of the general plan (I'm part time at the moment, due to family circumstances, wasn't stepping back up to full time until 1st May #timing).
The £ has gone to rock bottom largely because we dropped interest rates back down to the lowest level and announced unlimited QE. Plus the flight to safety with the bigger currencies and especially the $ being seen as safer.
But you'd think, if we are right to be relatively reassured by our response to the medical crisis so far ('relatively' meaning as compared to the US and some but not all EU countries), that the £ now represents a buy, especially against the $.
If things turn as bad in the US as many now expect, surely the $ becomes a sell.
Some bounce back against the Euro this morning but it has been a substantial fall. I am not sure interest rates had much to do with it, we are still above ECB levels. I've actually struggled to find a convincing reason.
Current account deficit.
That's not new though. We have had a trade deficit for the best part of 30 years now. Its a serious structural problem and nearly all of that deficit is with the EU. We really need to change our terms of trade with them. Why would it be such an increased cause for concern in the last 10 days?
It's new in that we won't bring in enough FDI to cover the deficit this year. The kindness of strangers is about to run out.
Why is the government pressing on with Brexit rhetoric? Because having whipped voters into a frenzy they know that if they act rationally then a significant number of people will act irrationally.
After this pandemic the world will look very different. Institutions, rules, trade, travel - all will be different. Which means that "leave" and "remain" are absurd labels. We needed to leave the EU to regain control of our borders. Yet the EU Schengen countries close their borders to each other (which they absolutely cannot do insisted the Brexiteers) whilst our taken back control sovereign border stays open as potentially diseased people waltz in with zero impediment.
Whatever people wanted from Brexit the EU states seem to have and we seem not to have. After this the EU is likely to operate rather differently. Trade whether inside the EEA or outside is likely to operate rather differently. Never mind the goalposts moving this is like the pitch being dug up and replaced by a tightrope over the abyss.
So why do they press on with the rhetoric? Because people who didn't know what the EU was or how things work don't know or care about the detail. They wanted their moon on a stick and they aren't going to let anything get in the way. If the government was smart they could simply do as they did with the Boris deal - insist "no border down the Irish Sea", agree to a border down the Irish Sea, then tell everyone They Did It. So just tell moon on a stick people that their Brexit is here. As if anyone will notice.
Sadly the government isn't smart and we have Dominic Raab as Foreign Secretary...
My lad, bless him, queued outside Aldi on Sunday morning and managed to bag a 9-pack of quilted. I have taken out one roll and placed it in the safe alongside the whisky and revolver.
Aldi - gosh. Hope no-one you know saw him. Did you put a bag over his head?
Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
Yes, my lad is in the same position. Contrary to what you might expect, he and most of his pals are not at all happy about their GCSEs being cancelled. As I have said before, we will owe our youth a large debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they are making for the sake of their grandparents.
What are you hearing is the likely outcome? GCSEs put back to September?
Absolutely no idea - better ask one of the teachers on here! Among the kids, the expectation (and worry!) is that their grades will be based on their mock exam results and/or teacher assessments. Hopefully my lad will know more when he gets back from school today.
That was what the various talking heads were saying on R4 Today. No exams. Based on predicted grades, with a right to redress.
My son has very good grades, but had flu and his grandmother die right in the middle of his mocks. So not ideal.
Without boasting, I got the best 'A' Level grades of my year, but had hitherto been written off as a failure by the teachers. So not a good thing if it will be based on the bias of teachers with their favourite students.
It can work the other way - my son was predicted to get certain grades last year - he didnt get them in all subjects because he didn't do well in the exams
He would have had a better result this way in all probability
Bottom line nothing is going to be perfect and we will all have to make the best of it
The Chinese state sought to cover up the virus at outbreak, and its charming measures have included welding people into their homes. If that state had instead cracked down on trading rare animals and wet markets, this pandemic may very well never have happened.
This x 1000.
Somebody posted a report a few days ago from 2007 which predicted it was only a matter of time that this would happen in China. They have known that bats carry corona type viruses and did nothing to stop them being sold and used in the live markets. Live markets and traditional Chinese "medicine" really need to be outlawed.
China needs to be shamed into acting now but I suspect it won't and a few years down the line the same thing will happen again. It would be bad enough if it only affected China but their actions are going to bring the entire world to its knees.
If anyone could repost that report I would be grateful if they would repost it.
China will, without fanfare outlaw all these traditions very quietly. It’s economic miracle has been derailed and it won’t risk it happening again.
I hope you are right and if anyone can they can. They still need to be held accountable for the current mess. As I have said before I remain convinced China is massaging the figures now to try and face for a major humiliation.
Hope you are managing OK, we were on our way to Javea shortly but all cancelled now.
Would be better if the weather improved, still waiting on news on treatment but I do understand the whole health system is currently being re jigged. We get a good laugh through Facebook groups where the latest rumor was the Guardia had put helicopters up to check we weren’t have drinks parties on our rear terrace! Of course it may be true. I also should have stocked up on underpants when I could "............
Unfortunately this is going to disrupt us all for many months to come. I've never faced anything like it but at least we don't have jobs or businesses to worry about any more. I wish you all the best - at least you are guaranteed some warm weather and sunshine soon, sod the loo roll as long as wine deliveries aren't stopped!
Details can wait - we need broad brush strokes. "In the circumstances the best thing to do is to suspend the rest of the academic year. We will try to get your children back to school as soon as we can, but be prepared for it not being before the normal summer holidays.
That means that students due to sit exams will not be able to do so. All students who sit GCSEs and A-Levels submit work for assessment throughout their course. Having spoken to OFQUAL it has been agreed that the principle is that predicted grades based on assessed work will be used to award qualifications. No student will miss out on their college or university place as a result of this"
Done. Details later. Broad plan now.
Not sure I agree. We need enough details to be able to answer kids legitimate questions. With a son who was due to sit GCSEs, the information provided yesterday afternoon was inadequate.
Mine was due to sit A-Levels. Yesterday they said "all exams are cancelled" then "kids will get the qualifications they need". Fine - there are only a couple of ways to do that, wouldn't have taken very long to flesh out what that means. Yesterday we got zero detail.
Given they would not have sat them for months what is the panic , get a grip you southern jessie snowflakes
Let’s be honest, he understands this stuff much better than Boris.
Rishi is impressive, but so far he’s letting hundreds of thousands of jobs go to the wall, while sick-in-the-head loyalists like HYUFD advocate broth.
I really don`t think is is right or accurate to be party-political over this.
HYUFD is an excellent poster on this site, and whether or not you agree with his ideology (of course he won`t agree with your similarly) his posts are usually just factual and his breadth and depth of knowledge on all things political, both present and historical, is simply astonishing.
Not often that you see someone say that HY's posts are "usually just factual", TBH
We all get cross with one another on this site - and that is inevitable and fine. I just think HYUFD gets far more stick than is justified
When he says things along the lines of "renters have been told they wont be evicted for a few months, what more do they want?" there isn't a stick long enough.
If you pay the rent for renters the money goes to landlords, not to tenants and mortgage payments have been suspended not ended for 3 months too.
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
Yes, my lad is in the same position. Contrary to what you might expect, he and most of his pals are not at all happy about their GCSEs being cancelled. As I have said before, we will owe our youth a large debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they are making for the sake of their grandparents.
What are you hearing is the likely outcome? GCSEs put back to September?
Absolutely no idea - better ask one of the teachers on here! Among the kids, the expectation (and worry!) is that their grades will be based on their mock exam results and/or teacher assessments. Hopefully my lad will know more when he gets back from school today.
That was what the various talking heads were saying on R4 Today. No exams. Based on predicted grades, with a right to redress.
My son has very good grades, but had flu and his grandmother die right in the middle of his mocks. So not ideal.
Without boasting, I got the best 'A' Level grades of my year, but had hitherto been written off as a failure by the teachers. So not a good thing if it will be based on the bias of teachers with their favourite students.
A rare point of agreement. I was predicted pretty poor grades, ended up with pretty good ones.
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
There's that but there's also the fact many of those effected are circulating within hotspots. This situation is worst within the big cities like London and Brussels and Paris so politicians like Barnier or Dorries getting it (especially those that meet lots of people) is not that unusual.
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
My neighbour has just said to me (over the hedge, 2 metres apart) that he reckons there's something they aren't telling us.
Let’s be honest, he understands this stuff much better than Boris.
Rishi is impressive, but so far he’s letting hundreds of thousands of jobs go to the wall, while sick-in-the-head loyalists like HYUFD advocate broth.
I really don`t think is is right or accurate to be party-political over this.
HYUFD is an excellent poster on this site, and whether or not you agree with his ideology (of course he won`t agree with your similarly) his posts are usually just factual and his breadth and depth of knowledge on all things political, both present and historical, is simply astonishing.
Not often that you see someone say that HY's posts are "usually just factual", TBH
We all get cross with one another on this site - and that is inevitable and fine. I just think HYUFD gets far more stick than is justified and is a very valuable contributor.
Let’s be honest, he understands this stuff much better than Boris.
Rishi is impressive, but so far he’s letting hundreds of thousands of jobs go to the wall, while sick-in-the-head loyalists like HYUFD advocate broth.
I really don`t think is is right or accurate to be party-political over this.
HYUFD is an excellent poster on this site, and whether or not you agree with his ideology (of course he won`t agree with your similarly) his posts are usually just factual and his breadth and depth of knowledge on all things political, both present and historical, is simply astonishing.
Not often that you see someone say that HY's posts are "usually just factual", TBH
We all get cross with one another on this site - and that is inevitable and fine. I just think HYUFD gets far more stick than is justified
When he says things along the lines of "renters have been told they wont be evicted for a few months, what more do they want?" there isn't a stick long enough.
If you pay the rent for renters the money goes to landlords, not to tenants and mortgage payments have been suspended not ended for 3 months too.
You are just partisan anti Tory
Surely mortgage payments are only suspended where you have money issues, they are not going to suspend everyone's payments
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
There do seem to be a good number of us 'little' people from outside the big cities who know others from outside the cites who have something Covid-like.
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
That's made a further mess of the negotiations, such as they were.
I've had suspected coronavirus this week. Mildish but still all the symptoms. No test available unless I go to hospital or pay £300 to have it done privately. It is temping so I can start going to elderly relatives houses again. It is a very weird time.
It struck me that if the Crumblies really do have to lock down for four months, when they finally emerge they are going to be sporting some fine looking "Bald with Mullet" hair-does. I hope somebody is going to record these images for posterity.
There has not yet been a run on men's hair clippers on Amazon. A market worth cornering.
My lad, bless him, queued outside Aldi on Sunday morning and managed to bag a 9-pack of quilted. I have taken out one roll and placed it in the safe alongside the whisky and revolver.
I was at a funeral yesterday. A topic of conversation after filing out of the service was "Had people noticed the four rolls of toilet paper in the gents, and were they still there?". Dark humour.
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
Use of word "celebrity" is vomit inducing, he is just another person. What we will see is lots of z listers crawling out the woodwork telling us they had a temperature for 30 minutes and how lucky they are to be alive. Of the names above , hardly known , one for being mad , the other only due to being medical , an unknown actor and an EU politician , celebrities my arse.
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
That's made a further mess of the negotiations, such as they were.
Probably not, they were effectively on hold anyway.
Let’s be honest, he understands this stuff much better than Boris.
Rishi is impressive, but so far he’s letting hundreds of thousands of jobs go to the wall, while sick-in-the-head loyalists like HYUFD advocate broth.
I really don`t think is is right or accurate to be party-political over this.
HYUFD is an excellent poster on this site, and whether or not you agree with his ideology (of course he won`t agree with your similarly) his posts are usually just factual and his breadth and depth of knowledge on all things political, both present and historical, is simply astonishing.
Not often that you see someone say that HY's posts are "usually just factual", TBH
We all get cross with one another on this site - and that is inevitable and fine. I just think HYUFD gets far more stick than is justified
When he says things along the lines of "renters have been told they wont be evicted for a few months, what more do they want?" there isn't a stick long enough.
If you pay the rent for renters the money goes to landlords, not to tenants and mortgage payments have been suspended not ended for 3 months too.
You are just partisan anti Tory
Surely mortgage payments are only suspended where you have money issues, they are not going to suspend everyone's payments
They will be suspended on request for everyone, presumably because the government has agreed this with the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Mortgage interest will still be charged, but deferred. If a repayment mortgage, then capital repayments will be similarly be deferred.
The effect is that either: 1) borrowers need to increase their payments further down the line to pay back these deferrals or 2) the term will be extended until the debt is fully repaid.
To be clear, no taxpayer money is being given to mortgage borrowers whatsoever - a lie that seems to be being promoted by those who rent.
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
There do seem to be a good number of us 'little' people from outside the big cities who know others from outside the cites who have something Covid-like.
But at this time of year there will be a lot of colds about, not to mention normal flu, and its only human nature to worry, and then convince yourself, that whatever virus you catch has to be Corona. A tendency that afflicted PB very early on.
People in the news are coming down with it because their lives usually involve meeting lots of different people.
Morning all. @Big_G_NorthWales I sent you a message via Vanilla. If you would like me to post over a small bottle of sanitiser to you, I would be happy to do so. You mentioned yesterday you had little/none and were self-isolating. Just get in touch via the Vanilla inbox/messaging system if the sanitiser would be helpful.
James.
Your gesture is wonderful and I have replied through Vanilla inbox
We still have not had any handgel but our son says he will source some for us
And to other PB posters, can I just say that James's kindness is so uplifting and is a testament to just how kind and understanding posters are across the political divide to the genuine need of others
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
I'm ashamed, but I must admit I was a bit cynical when I heard Nad had contracted it: a former 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here' contestant also becomes the first UK politician to get the virus everyone's talking about. I berate myself.
It struck me that if the Crumblies really do have to lock down for four months, when they finally emerge they are going to be sporting some fine looking "Bald with Mullet" hair-does. I hope somebody is going to record these images for posterity.
There has not yet been a run on men's hair clippers on Amazon. A market worth cornering.
Is that quite true or is it just no new cases in Hubei?
Worldometer has this update:
China: for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak, there have been 0 new cases in Wuhan and in the Hubei province, and no new and no existing suspected cases in Wuhan and in Hubei.
34 new cases, 8 new deaths (all in Hubei), and 819 new discharges occurred in China on March 18, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.
Is that quite true or is it just no new cases in Hubei?
Worldometer has this update:
China: for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak, there have been 0 new cases in Wuhan and in the Hubei province, and no new and no existing suspected cases in Wuhan and in Hubei.
34 new cases, 8 new deaths (all in Hubei), and 819 new discharges occurred in China on March 18, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.
No new local cases anywhere in China.
All 34 new cases came from people returning from overseas.
The European Union’s industry chief has called on Netflix and other streaming services to take action to reduce congestion on the internet, amid surging demand as millions of people confined to their homes go online.
Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for industry, told Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings that he and other operators should take responsibility for preventing internet congestion by switching to standard definition rather than high definition.
Oiiii....world pandemic or not, I want to watch stuff in 4k, not crappy standard definition.
Well God speed his recovery of course, but that’s another “celebrity” down with it. Given official figure are still talking thousands and if pushed the scientific advisors will say tens of thousands ( if I an keeping up), the chances of so many “known” figures such as Idris Elba, Nadine Dorries, Neil Ferguson the epidemiology expect etc etc being positive with it seem a bit out of whack. Is it much much more prevalent than we think/acknowledge? Clearly this is the iceberg theory, but knowing the size of the submerged bit is surely the question of the moment ( aside from effective drugs!), but even without a test are we only a relative short time away from the answer stating us in the face anyway??
I imagine because if a 'celebrity' wants a test, they'll get a test.
Whereas my wife, and my work colleague, both of whom are exhibiting symptoms (indeed, almost all the symptoms) are told to bog off and stop bothering us.
I've had suspected coronavirus this week. Mildish but still all the symptoms. No test available unless I go to hospital or pay £300 to have it done privately. It is temping so I can start going to elderly relatives houses again. It is a very weird time.
As Boris and his experts have pointed out a test that allows those who have had Covid 19 would be a game changer. We need an instant test which identifies the anti-bodies in the blood. Once we have that we have doctors, care workers, teachers, delivery men, store workers who can just get on with the job with confidence. As you point out the self isolation of the elderly and the vulnerable would become increasingly less severe too.
I've had suspected coronavirus this week. Mildish but still all the symptoms. No test available unless I go to hospital or pay £300 to have it done privately. It is temping so I can start going to elderly relatives houses again. It is a very weird time.
As Boris and his experts have pointed out a test that allows those who have had Covid 19 would be a game changer. We need an instant test which identifies the anti-bodies in the blood. Once we have that we have doctors, care workers, teachers, delivery men, store workers who can just get on with the job with confidence. As you point out the self isolation of the elderly and the vulnerable would become increasingly less severe too.
Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
Indeed it must be a stressful time. I was perhaps a tad flippant in my original post, though my ire is not targeted at the students themselves but at the media for once again deciding to throw lit matches onto a bonfire rather than doing the responsible thing and reporting calmly and level-headedly.
Let’s be honest, he understands this stuff much better than Boris.
Rishi is impressive, but so far he’s letting hundreds of thousands of jobs go to the wall, while sick-in-the-head loyalists like HYUFD advocate broth.
I really don`t think is is right or accurate to be party-political over this.
HYUFD is an excellent poster on this site, and whether or not you agree with his ideology (of course he won`t agree with your similarly) his posts are usually just factual and his breadth and depth of knowledge on all things political, both present and historical, is simply astonishing.
Not often that you see someone say that HY's posts are "usually just factual", TBH
We all get cross with one another on this site - and that is inevitable and fine. I just think HYUFD gets far more stick than is justified
When he says things along the lines of "renters have been told they wont be evicted for a few months, what more do they want?" there isn't a stick long enough.
If you pay the rent for renters the money goes to landlords, not to tenants and mortgage payments have been suspended not ended for 3 months too.
You are just partisan anti Tory
Surely mortgage payments are only suspended where you have money issues, they are not going to suspend everyone's payments
They will be suspended on request for everyone, presumably because the government has agreed this with the Council of Mortgage Lenders. Mortgage interest will still be charged, but deferred. If a repayment mortgage, then capital repayments will be similarly be deferred.
The effect is that either: 1) borrowers need to increase their payments further down the line to pay back these deferrals or 2) the term will be extended until the debt is fully repaid.
To be clear, no taxpayer money is being given to mortgage borrowers whatsoever - a lie that seems to be being promoted by those who rent.
Renters lying and playing the victim card. Who’d have thought it !!!!
Why are so many tube stations closed, forcing more people into other ones, which are then more crowded?
Why do people think hand sanitiser is any fecking use at all above and beyond soap? anti bacterial is not anti viral...
I have more questions but it's a busy time for all of us.
Most cheap sanitiser has alcohol percentages way below the 60% needed to deal with the virus, and is effectively useless since nothing leaves your hands when you use it. Yet people are buying it up as if it is liquid gold. Full strength sanitiser is liquid gold and equivalently rare.
At least with soap and hot water the virus goes down the sink.
Is that quite true or is it just no new cases in Hubei?
Worldometer has this update:
China: for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak, there have been 0 new cases in Wuhan and in the Hubei province, and no new and no existing suspected cases in Wuhan and in Hubei.
34 new cases, 8 new deaths (all in Hubei), and 819 new discharges occurred in China on March 18, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.
No new local cases anywhere in China.
All 34 new cases came from people returning from overseas.
Morning all. @Big_G_NorthWales I sent you a message via Vanilla. If you would like me to post over a small bottle of sanitiser to you, I would be happy to do so. You mentioned yesterday you had little/none and were self-isolating. Just get in touch via the Vanilla inbox/messaging system if the sanitiser would be helpful.
Isnt the advice that soap and hot water is actually better - and if you are self isolating, why would you need satitiser? just asking.
He wanted it in event he had to visit doctor/collect prescription etc , ie the very odd time he could not avoid leaving house for urgent medical items.
He'd be well advised to sign up with a delivery service through a local pharmacy, or register with one that posts your prescriptions such as Pharmacy2U. I don't see the point of self isolating and then wandering down the shops for a prescription; a chemist is a nexus for the unwell and not a sensible place to visit.
Morning all. @Big_G_NorthWales I sent you a message via Vanilla. If you would like me to post over a small bottle of sanitiser to you, I would be happy to do so. You mentioned yesterday you had little/none and were self-isolating. Just get in touch via the Vanilla inbox/messaging system if the sanitiser would be helpful.
James.
Your gesture is wonderful and I have replied through Vanilla inbox
We still have not had any handgel but our son says he will source some for us
And to other PB posters, can I just say that James's kindness is so uplifting and is a testament to just how kind and understanding posters are across the political divide to the genuine need of others
We've cancelled our France trip as my wife feels some obligation to our older neighbours and that dentists are going to be pressganged to help hospitals soon. So if you are beset by looters trying to get scaly mitts on your Weetabix stash send me a VM. I will travel to North Wales and pick them off with a Ruger 10/22 and 3-9x40 scope.
Is that quite true or is it just no new cases in Hubei?
Worldometer has this update:
China: for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak, there have been 0 new cases in Wuhan and in the Hubei province, and no new and no existing suspected cases in Wuhan and in Hubei.
34 new cases, 8 new deaths (all in Hubei), and 819 new discharges occurred in China on March 18, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.
No new local cases anywhere in China.
All 34 new cases came from people returning from overseas.
Ah ok thanks - that's good news.
But on the flip side South Korea still seeing consistent stubborn level of new cases.
Let’s be honest, he understands this stuff much better than Boris.
Rishi is impressive, but so far he’s letting hundreds of thousands of jobs go to the wall, while sick-in-the-head loyalists like HYUFD advocate broth.
I really don`t think is is right or accurate to be party-political over this.
HYUFD is an excellent poster on this site, and whether or not you agree with his ideology (of course he won`t agree with your similarly) his posts are usually just factual and his breadth and depth of knowledge on all things political, both present and historical, is simply astonishing.
Not often that you see someone say that HY's posts are "usually just factual", TBH
We all get cross with one another on this site - and that is inevitable and fine. I just think HYUFD gets far more stick than is justified
When he says things along the lines of "renters have been told they wont be evicted for a few months, what more do they want?" there isn't a stick long enough.
If you pay the rent for renters the money goes to landlords, not to tenants and mortgage payments have been suspended not ended for 3 months too.
You are just partisan anti Tory
Surely mortgage payments are only suspended where you have money issues, they are not going to suspend everyone's payments
That would make sense Malc
My employer still paying me - save the money for people who need it - it will go further then too
I've had suspected coronavirus this week. Mildish but still all the symptoms. No test available unless I go to hospital or pay £300 to have it done privately. It is temping so I can start going to elderly relatives houses again. It is a very weird time.
As Boris and his experts have pointed out a test that allows those who have had Covid 19 would be a game changer. We need an instant test which identifies the anti-bodies in the blood. Once we have that we have doctors, care workers, teachers, delivery men, store workers who can just get on with the job with confidence. As you point out the self isolation of the elderly and the vulnerable would become increasingly less severe too.
This is one of the areas where I have a high degree of confidence that we will make rapid progress. Indeed, there are several options already on the table and i expect this to be rolled out quite soon. So this is, genuinely, something to be optimistic about.
Excellent. I'm clinging on to these scraps of hopeful news.
I've had suspected coronavirus this week. Mildish but still all the symptoms. No test available unless I go to hospital or pay £300 to have it done privately. It is temping so I can start going to elderly relatives houses again. It is a very weird time.
As Boris and his experts have pointed out a test that allows those who have had Covid 19 would be a game changer. We need an instant test which identifies the anti-bodies in the blood. Once we have that we have doctors, care workers, teachers, delivery men, store workers who can just get on with the job with confidence. As you point out the self isolation of the elderly and the vulnerable would become increasingly less severe too.
This is one of the areas where I have a high degree of confidence that we will make rapid progress. Indeed, there are several options already on the table and i expect this to be rolled out quite soon. So this is, genuinely, something to be optimistic about.
I wouldn't be surprised given the rapid and massive amount of work being done if in 5-10 years we won't have a load of unintended positives. How many drugs developed for one thing are then found to be effective for other uses. How many technical innovations find a new usage.
Why are so many tube stations closed, forcing more people into other ones, which are then more crowded?
I thought ths too. Is it just in central london, because outside of zone 2 stations the next station can be quite a long way. I guess TFL want as few staff present as possible, but given that only very essential travel is the order, it will just make the day more difficult for those who are doing the most important jobs.
Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
Yes, my lad is in the same position. Contrary to what you might expect, he and most of his pals are not at all happy about their GCSEs being cancelled. As I have said before, we will owe our youth a large debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they are making for the sake of their grandparents.
What are you hearing is the likely outcome? GCSEs put back to September?
Absolutely no idea - better ask one of the teachers on here! Among the kids, the expectation (and worry!) is that their grades will be based on their mock exam results and/or teacher assessments. Hopefully my lad will know more when he gets back from school today.
That was what the various talking heads were saying on R4 Today. No exams. Based on predicted grades, with a right to redress.
My son has very good grades, but had flu and his grandmother die right in the middle of his mocks. So not ideal.
Without boasting, I got the best 'A' Level grades of my year, but had hitherto been written off as a failure by the teachers. So not a good thing if it will be based on the bias of teachers with their favourite students.
It can work the other way - my son was predicted to get certain grades last year - he didnt get them in all subjects because he didn't do well in the exams
He would have had a better result this way in all probability
Bottom line nothing is going to be perfect and we will all have to make the best of it
There is a strong correlation between expected and actual grades, but it is a far from perfect science. There are also a lot of students who convince themselves that they can turn a D in the mock into an A in the summer; almost all of them are wrong.
There is no easy solution. For A-levels I would go with UCAS predictions as they are already known, but that won’t help with GCSE students and those not applying to university. Some schools also have a habit of over predicting, so it seems a shame to reward them.
I cannot think of any solution which will not cause a huge fuss.
Morning all. @Big_G_NorthWales I sent you a message via Vanilla. If you would like me to post over a small bottle of sanitiser to you, I would be happy to do so. You mentioned yesterday you had little/none and were self-isolating. Just get in touch via the Vanilla inbox/messaging system if the sanitiser would be helpful.
Isnt the advice that soap and hot water is actually better - and if you are self isolating, why would you need satitiser? just asking.
He wanted it in event he had to visit doctor/collect prescription etc , ie the very odd time he could not avoid leaving house for urgent medical items.
He'd be well advised to sign up with a delivery service through a local pharmacy, or register with one that posts your prescriptions such as Pharmacy2U. I don't see the point of self isolating and then wandering down the shops for a prescription; a chemist is a nexus for the unwell and not a sensible place to visit.
I agree about posted prescriptions, unnecessary visits to a pharmacist should be the last thing the vulnerable should do.
Unforeseen not repeat prescription visits is another matter.
Another day, another lot of whining from the media. Oh schools are shut but why haven’t they told us how the precious dears are going to get their exam results yet? Why must everything be instant? This insatiable appetite for knowing everything now is bordering on the absurd.
Yes it is - though understand that my daughter (and many other children) is distraught that the GCSEs that she has worked so hard towards will not not happen when planned.
Yes, my lad is in the same position. Contrary to what you might expect, he and most of his pals are not at all happy about their GCSEs being cancelled. As I have said before, we will owe our youth a large debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they are making for the sake of their grandparents.
What are you hearing is the likely outcome? GCSEs put back to September?
Absolutely no idea - better ask one of the teachers on here! Among the kids, the expectation (and worry!) is that their grades will be based on their mock exam results and/or teacher assessments. Hopefully my lad will know more when he gets back from school today.
That was what the various talking heads were saying on R4 Today. No exams. Based on predicted grades, with a right to redress.
My son has very good grades, but had flu and his grandmother die right in the middle of his mocks. So not ideal.
Without boasting, I got the best 'A' Level grades of my year, but had hitherto been written off as a failure by the teachers. So not a good thing if it will be based on the bias of teachers with their favourite students.
Snap (sort of..) Those of us whose approach was to wing the exams and not bother scribing away during term-time could be scuppered.
Post just been delivered. One Mothers Day card for Mrs C and a flyer with an offer for travel insurance.
Travel insurance? Now?
Haha. There's a full page ad in the Guardian for a cruise today lol!
Actually that reminds I was thinking about when deciding whether to get up or not this morning. Can the virus be transmitted on newsprint? If so should (???Big G and) I get newspapers?
Or, as per someone else's post, should I cancel Private Eye?
Comments
But yes, sorting out the practical consequences will obviously take some time.
https://www.southampton.ac.uk/news/2020/03/covid19-drugs-trial.page
My son has very good grades, but had flu and his grandmother die right in the middle of his mocks. So not ideal.
https://twitter.com/MichelBarnier/status/1240582899558121472
https://twitter.com/MichelBarnier/status/1240582899558121472
https://twitter.com/MichelBarnier/status/1240582899558121472?s=20
We get an afternoon daily briefing from the DfE, so hoping for more detail, even if it is just an indication of the general plan (I'm part time at the moment, due to family circumstances, wasn't stepping back up to full time until 1st May #timing).
After this pandemic the world will look very different. Institutions, rules, trade, travel - all will be different. Which means that "leave" and "remain" are absurd labels. We needed to leave the EU to regain control of our borders. Yet the EU Schengen countries close their borders to each other (which they absolutely cannot do insisted the Brexiteers) whilst our taken back control sovereign border stays open as potentially diseased people waltz in with zero impediment.
Whatever people wanted from Brexit the EU states seem to have and we seem not to have. After this the EU is likely to operate rather differently. Trade whether inside the EEA or outside is likely to operate rather differently. Never mind the goalposts moving this is like the pitch being dug up and replaced by a tightrope over the abyss.
So why do they press on with the rhetoric? Because people who didn't know what the EU was or how things work don't know or care about the detail. They wanted their moon on a stick and they aren't going to let anything get in the way. If the government was smart they could simply do as they did with the Boris deal - insist "no border down the Irish Sea", agree to a border down the Irish Sea, then tell everyone They Did It. So just tell moon on a stick people that their Brexit is here. As if anyone will notice.
Sadly the government isn't smart and we have Dominic Raab as Foreign Secretary...
He would have had a better result this way in all probability
Bottom line nothing is going to be perfect and we will all have to make the best of it
You are just partisan anti Tory
And a promise to stop eating wildlife.
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/f94c3c90da5b4e9f9a0b19484dd4bb14
The effect is that either: 1) borrowers need to increase their payments further down the line to pay back these deferrals or 2) the term will be extended until the debt is fully repaid.
To be clear, no taxpayer money is being given to mortgage borrowers whatsoever - a lie that seems to be being promoted by those who rent.
People in the news are coming down with it because their lives usually involve meeting lots of different people.
Travel insurance? Now?
Your gesture is wonderful and I have replied through Vanilla inbox
We still have not had any handgel but our son says he will source some for us
And to other PB posters, can I just say that James's kindness is so uplifting and is a testament to just how kind and understanding posters are across the political divide to the genuine need of others
Worldometer has this update:
China: for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak, there have been 0 new cases in Wuhan and in the Hubei province, and no new and no existing suspected cases in Wuhan and in Hubei.
34 new cases, 8 new deaths (all in Hubei), and 819 new discharges occurred in China on March 18, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China.
If you are going to lock the place down, do it, don't dick around. Otherwise you get the Italy situation.
All 34 new cases came from people returning from overseas.
Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for industry, told Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings that he and other operators should take responsibility for preventing internet congestion by switching to standard definition rather than high definition.
Oiiii....world pandemic or not, I want to watch stuff in 4k, not crappy standard definition.
Whereas my wife, and my work colleague, both of whom are exhibiting symptoms (indeed, almost all the symptoms) are told to bog off and stop bothering us.
Why do people think hand sanitiser is any fecking use at all above and beyond soap? anti bacterial is not anti viral...
I have more questions but it's a busy time for all of us.
https://twitter.com/carryonkeith/status/1240580717979095040
At least with soap and hot water the virus goes down the sink.
My employer still paying me - save the money for people who need it - it will go further then too
"Whatever it takes"... including your house.
War drives innovative.
Little correction to his tweet: he means "je suivis" not "je suis".
There is no easy solution. For A-levels I would go with UCAS predictions as they are already known, but that won’t help with GCSE students and those not applying to university. Some schools also have a habit of over predicting, so it seems a shame to reward them.
I cannot think of any solution which will not cause a huge fuss.
Unforeseen not repeat prescription visits is another matter.
Or, as per someone else's post, should I cancel Private Eye?