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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » How Trump and his media acolytes got the coronavirus wrong

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  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424
    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    My point was, as you note yourself, it’s a sexist stereotype. Which I wasn’t expecting from you.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,226

    Some people ask strange questions. Given Trump's history and proclivities.

    Mmm. I wonder.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370
    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    kinabalu said:

    This is not particularly entertaining but it may be life-saving, if you haven't already seen it:

    https://twitter.com/joshuapharo/status/1247274702785175552?s=20

    I would not have guessed that it's better to lie on your front. Noted that.
    Surprised me too, but makes sense when he explains it.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424
    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,205
    Betfair should settle up on Trump and Biden now, the only way they don't get the noms is in a Boris type scenario.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,821
    ABZ said:

    ABZ said:

    Nigelb said:
    That is interesting. And quite consistent with other studies based on random RNA sampling. Also given the sensitivity of the test and the time taken to develop antibodies (plus whether children even develop them) it may be more than this.
    You need to be a bit careful with interpretation of that result - the test is voluntary, and costs each individual €45. It was taken up by a third of the population of the town. It gave a result of 13% to 14% positive, but of a non-random sample and there may well be a substantial systematic error on it.
    Agreed - how representative it is is difficult to know. But better than 0.1% being positive!!
    I'm trying to figure out the likely direction of any systematic error. My hunch is that it might be underestimating the positives, on the basis that:

    1. Poorer people, who will be put off by the €45 charge, are probably more likely to have been exposed to the virus.
    2. Those who are pretty certain they have had the disease might not bother to get the test.

    However, it at least gives us a first stab at the total infection rate in an area which has been badly hit by the epidemic. I'm a bit surprised the figure isn't higher, TBH. They've had a lot of deaths in that area, but an infection rate of 14% or so is not anywhere near herd-immunity territory.
  • williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 51,708
    With Sanders pulling out, presumably Hillary Clinton's price has come in? :)
  • MysticroseMysticrose Posts: 4,688
    edited April 2020
    To be fair to the idiot right-wingers across the pond we also had some echoes on here. TGOF666 claimed that it was all a storm in a teacup and that deaths would number less per day in the UK than suicides = 16 deaths a day.

    Meanwhile I'm sorry to report that the UK is likely about to become the deadliest country in Europe on daily mortality: very close to 1000 dying a day here.

    Dreadful virus and a piss poor show by our Government.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,464
    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
  • 936 UK Covid-19 related deaths.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370
    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.
    I agree on not using such language - but the temptation must have been enormous.
  • YafflesYaffles Posts: 1
    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    Italians and their bridges
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,932
    Pulpstar said:

    Betfair should settle up on Trump and Biden now, the only way they don't get the noms is in a Boris type scenario.

    That was true yesterday and last week. Betfair should void the market if it is afraid of people speculating on the principals' health or let it run to the end.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Depends what he knew and when - I don't know the full story yet.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,806
    Mr. Eagles, another rise, but 'only' 100 up. Hope it's a sign of a decelerating rate of increase.
  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,821

    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.
    I agree on not using such language - but the temptation must have been enormous.
    Oh I don't know - if you can't call her a bimbo, whom can you call a bimbo?
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,992

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    She was asking for it, you mean?
  • ukpaulukpaul Posts: 649
    ABZ said:

    ABZ said:

    Nigelb said:
    That is interesting. And quite consistent with other studies based on random RNA sampling. Also given the sensitivity of the test and the time taken to develop antibodies (plus whether children even develop them) it may be more than this.
    You need to be a bit careful with interpretation of that result - the test is voluntary, and costs each individual €45. It was taken up by a third of the population of the town. It gave a result of 13% to 14% positive, but of a non-random sample and there may well be a substantial systematic error on it.
    Agreed - how representative it is is difficult to know. But better than 0.1% being positive!!
    With Lombardy being a raging hotspot I believe the mayor wanted to see how much he could start to relax things. It's a low number to even think about that but is that because he is testing people who were quick enough and thorough to avoid it?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,766
    Sanders out. Thank feck for that.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,464

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Depends what he knew and when - I don't know the full story yet.
    No, agree; we don't. He was the guy who reported it though.
  • MysticroseMysticrose Posts: 4,688

    Mr. Eagles, another rise, but 'only' 100 up. Hope it's a sign of a decelerating rate of increase.

    I hope so too but it's lumpy. We had a massive post-weekend lurch yesterday.

    I'm not confident on this. Our failure to test from March 13th is an appalling error.

    Wonder if at some point down the line someone will consider a corporate manslaughter charge against the Government.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424

    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.
    I agree on not using such language - but the temptation must have been enormous.
    Oh I don't know - if you can't call her a bimbo, whom can you call a bimbo?
    Personally, I don’t think I’ve ever called anyone a bimbo.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Essex had very little to do with those deaths!
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370
    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    She was asking for it, you mean?
    No, she wasn't.

    I can understand why someone might do something I don't approve of. That doesn't mean I agree with them.

    Sadly, it seems that to understand = agree, to too many people.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424
    edited April 2020
    isam said:

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Essex had very little to do with those deaths!
    It was all Leicester’s fault, egged on by Burghley.

    (Now that might be too obscure a pun.)

    Although come to think of it, whether puns are appropriate is another question.

    I’m just glad he’s going to be locked up where he can’t do more harm.
  • ABZABZ Posts: 441
    ukpaul said:

    ABZ said:

    ABZ said:

    Nigelb said:
    That is interesting. And quite consistent with other studies based on random RNA sampling. Also given the sensitivity of the test and the time taken to develop antibodies (plus whether children even develop them) it may be more than this.
    You need to be a bit careful with interpretation of that result - the test is voluntary, and costs each individual €45. It was taken up by a third of the population of the town. It gave a result of 13% to 14% positive, but of a non-random sample and there may well be a substantial systematic error on it.
    Agreed - how representative it is is difficult to know. But better than 0.1% being positive!!
    With Lombardy being a raging hotspot I believe the mayor wanted to see how much he could start to relax things. It's a low number to even think about that but is that because he is testing people who were quick enough and thorough to avoid it?
    Without more info it's hard to know. The randomised trials are much more useful, which are on-going here and elsewhere at present.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370

    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.
    I agree on not using such language - but the temptation must have been enormous.
    Oh I don't know - if you can't call her a bimbo, whom can you call a bimbo?
    I think it is a word, that is better retired.

    She is presenting stupidity and ignorance - even if she is not personally stupid and ignorant. That, I think, is accurate.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,205

    Pulpstar said:

    Betfair should settle up on Trump and Biden now, the only way they don't get the noms is in a Boris type scenario.

    That was true yesterday and last week. Betfair should void the market if it is afraid of people speculating on the principals' health or let it run to the end.
    https://twitter.com/Pulpstar/status/1247854788513062913

    https://twitter.com/BetfairCS/status/1247898403956121600
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,609

    HYUFD said:
    How noble.

    So learn some science then - and stop asking the questions any useless dick can ask.
    Well said.

    More importantly any updates on mothing activities?

    Inspired by your example ran my trap for the first time in years.

    Rather surprisingly, given I must be 500 miles north of you, I got 33 individuals of 7 species.

    Hebrew Character - 12
    Common Quaker - 6
    Pine Beauty - 4
    Early Grey - 4
    Brindled Pug - 3
    Early Tooth-striped - 2
    Yellow Horned - 2
    Nice seletion - never had a Yellow Horned. One of those odd ommissions from the garden.

    Last night was warm, still and the pink super moon was obscured by clouds. Not so many in the trap, but a few animals on the wall behind. 21 species was the best number for the year so far. Nothing to get the pulse racing, but several new for the year:

    Diamondback x 2
    Spruce Carpet x 1
    Clouded Silver x 1 - very early
    V-Pug x 2
    Yellow-barred Brindle x 1

    Best of the rest were Shoulder Stripe x 2, Engrailed x 2, Pine Beauty x 1



    Wish you here here?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,226
    ydoethur said:

    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.

    OK. I need to explain myself. You must have noticed that a disproportionate number of the women who end up in the Trump universe have this hyper-feminized Stepford appearance. So I'm using the word "bimbo" very precisely to describe the combination of that "Trumpy" look (for a woman) plus a certain vacuousness, based on the clip.

    Let me off?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424

    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.
    I agree on not using such language - but the temptation must have been enormous.
    Oh I don't know - if you can't call her a bimbo, whom can you call a bimbo?
    I think it is a word, that is better retired.

    She is presenting stupidity and ignorance - even if she is not personally stupid and ignorant. That, I think, is accurate.
    Well, hang on. I’m quite happy to say she’s stupid and ignorant. If that daft remark were not proof enough, she works for Donald Trump.

    That’s altogether different from her gender or personal appearance.

    Put it this way, if the comment had been ‘how did someone that dense get a degree from Harvard?’ I would not have queried it.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,806
    Mr. (Miss? Sorry, my memory fails me) Rose, I'd suggest the Cheltenham nonsense was a critical moment (although I don't think the individuals involved should be absolved of responsibility).

    Corporate manslaughter seems crackers given the Government has consistently followed medical advice.
  • MyBurningEarsMyBurningEars Posts: 3,651

    ABZ said:

    ABZ said:

    Nigelb said:
    That is interesting. And quite consistent with other studies based on random RNA sampling. Also given the sensitivity of the test and the time taken to develop antibodies (plus whether children even develop them) it may be more than this.
    You need to be a bit careful with interpretation of that result - the test is voluntary, and costs each individual €45. It was taken up by a third of the population of the town. It gave a result of 13% to 14% positive, but of a non-random sample and there may well be a substantial systematic error on it.
    Agreed - how representative it is is difficult to know. But better than 0.1% being positive!!
    I'm trying to figure out the likely direction of any systematic error. My hunch is that it might be underestimating the positives, on the basis that:

    1. Poorer people, who will be put off by the €45 charge, are probably more likely to have been exposed to the virus.
    2. Those who are pretty certain they have had the disease might not bother to get the test.

    However, it at least gives us a first stab at the total infection rate in an area which has been badly hit by the epidemic. I'm a bit surprised the figure isn't higher, TBH. They've had a lot of deaths in that area, but an infection rate of 14% or so is not anywhere near herd-immunity territory.
    https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/covid-19-what-proportion-are-asymptomatic/

    Oxford Uni's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine interesting as ever:

    Readers of the blog will be aware that we have little trust in the current reported COVID data. Everywhere we look we cannot get a handle on the essential facts or at times we get 2 completely different answers to the same question. The military historian Sir Basil Liddle Hart would have called this “the fog of a pandemic” or perhaps the “fog of information overload”.

    So, we thought we would try to answer an important question: what is the proportion of people with SARS-COV-2 who are asymptomatic?
    ...

    What did we learn (see the table for the analysis)

    - That between 5% and 80% of people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 may be asymptomatic
    - That symptom-based screening will miss cases, perhaps a lot of them
    - That some asymptomatic cases will become symptomatic over the next week (sometimes known as “pre-symptomatics”)
    - That children and young adults can be asymptomatic

    We also learnt that there is not a single reliable study to determine the number of asymptotics. It is likely we will only learn the true extent once population based antibody testing is undertaken.
    ...
    Sir Basil’s “fog” is continuing to cover the topic and prevent us from seeing what lies on the other side of the hill.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424
    edited April 2020
    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.

    OK. I need to explain myself. You must have noticed that a disproportionate number of the women who end up in the Trump universe have this hyper-feminized Stepford appearance. So I'm using the word "bimbo" very precisely to describe the combination of that "Trumpy" look (for a woman) plus a certain vacuousness, based on the clip.

    Let me off?
    Hmmm.

    While there may well be something in Trump’s desire for women who are (a) decorative and (b) not an intellectual threat to him, I would suggest this was a poor choice of word. Not only is it designed to be offensive, but it carries overtones of sexual promiscuity as well.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.
    I agree on not using such language - but the temptation must have been enormous.
    Oh I don't know - if you can't call her a bimbo, whom can you call a bimbo?
    I think it is a word, that is better retired.

    She is presenting stupidity and ignorance - even if she is not personally stupid and ignorant. That, I think, is accurate.
    Well, hang on. I’m quite happy to say she’s stupid and ignorant. If that daft remark were not proof enough, she works for Donald Trump.

    That’s altogether different from her gender or personal appearance.

    Put it this way, if the comment had been ‘how did someone that dense get a degree from Harvard?’ I would not have queried it.
    That's why I do not agree with using the word "bimbo" - it should be retired. It should be an ex-word. It has ceased to be. It is not pining for fyords....
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,176
    Unless Betfair think punters might be inclined to take matters into their own hands - which they've always been able to do - I don't see why the possibility of someone dying should affect whether they have a market or not.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370
    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.

    OK. I need to explain myself. You must have noticed that a disproportionate number of the women who end up in the Trump universe have this hyper-feminized Stepford appearance. So I'm using the word "bimbo" very precisely to describe the combination of that "Trumpy" look (for a woman) plus a certain vacuousness, based on the clip.

    Let me off?
    Hmmm.

    While there may well be something in Trump’s desire for women who are (a) decorative and (b) not an intellectual threat to him, I would suggest this was a poor choice of word. Not only is it designed to be offensive, but it carries overtones of sexual promiscuity as well.
    Exactly.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,205
    edited April 2020
    tlg86 said:

    Unless Betfair think punters might be inclined to take matters into their own hands - which they've always been able to do - I don't see why the possibility of someone dying should affect whether they have a market or not.

    I'm just trying to ask them for clarity in a "what if" scenario with regards the GOP and Dem nominee markets. It's not forthcoming.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,464
    ydoethur said:

    isam said:

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Essex had very little to do with those deaths!
    It was all Leicester’s fault, egged on by Burghley.

    (Now that might be too obscure a pun.)

    Although come to think of it, whether puns are appropriate is another question.

    I’m just glad he’s going to be locked up where he can’t do more harm.
    Earls of Essex have an unfortunate tendency to pick fights they can't win. There's a statue in Maldon which commemorates such.
    I always feel that's why West Ham rarely win much.

    Essex Cricket, on the other hand is, nowadays, normally the winner.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,226
    ydoethur said:

    My point was, as you note yourself, it’s a sexist stereotype. Which I wasn’t expecting from you.

    I am actually (and I'm being serious) very gratified that you have me down as a non user of sexist stereotype. And it's true. I'm not. And I don't think I am doing so here. I've had a bash at explaining in my previous post. I think it's a careful and acceptable use of the word in this Trump context. Fingers crossed you agree when you mull it over.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370

    ABZ said:

    ABZ said:

    Nigelb said:
    That is interesting. And quite consistent with other studies based on random RNA sampling. Also given the sensitivity of the test and the time taken to develop antibodies (plus whether children even develop them) it may be more than this.
    You need to be a bit careful with interpretation of that result - the test is voluntary, and costs each individual €45. It was taken up by a third of the population of the town. It gave a result of 13% to 14% positive, but of a non-random sample and there may well be a substantial systematic error on it.
    Agreed - how representative it is is difficult to know. But better than 0.1% being positive!!
    I'm trying to figure out the likely direction of any systematic error. My hunch is that it might be underestimating the positives, on the basis that:

    1. Poorer people, who will be put off by the €45 charge, are probably more likely to have been exposed to the virus.
    2. Those who are pretty certain they have had the disease might not bother to get the test.

    However, it at least gives us a first stab at the total infection rate in an area which has been badly hit by the epidemic. I'm a bit surprised the figure isn't higher, TBH. They've had a lot of deaths in that area, but an infection rate of 14% or so is not anywhere near herd-immunity territory.
    https://www.cebm.net/covid-19/covid-19-what-proportion-are-asymptomatic/

    Oxford Uni's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine interesting as ever:

    Readers of the blog will be aware that we have little trust in the current reported COVID data. Everywhere we look we cannot get a handle on the essential facts or at times we get 2 completely different answers to the same question. The military historian Sir Basil Liddle Hart would have called this “the fog of a pandemic” or perhaps the “fog of information overload”.

    So, we thought we would try to answer an important question: what is the proportion of people with SARS-COV-2 who are asymptomatic?
    ...

    What did we learn (see the table for the analysis)

    - That between 5% and 80% of people testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 may be asymptomatic
    - That symptom-based screening will miss cases, perhaps a lot of them
    - That some asymptomatic cases will become symptomatic over the next week (sometimes known as “pre-symptomatics”)
    - That children and young adults can be asymptomatic

    We also learnt that there is not a single reliable study to determine the number of asymptotics. It is likely we will only learn the true extent once population based antibody testing is undertaken.
    ...
    Sir Basil’s “fog” is continuing to cover the topic and prevent us from seeing what lies on the other side of the hill.
    Ironically, Basil Liddle Hart was a liar and inventor of "facts" to support his position.
  • DecrepiterJohnLDecrepiterJohnL Posts: 27,932
    edited April 2020
    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Betfair should settle up on Trump and Biden now, the only way they don't get the noms is in a Boris type scenario.

    That was true yesterday and last week. Betfair should void the market if it is afraid of people speculating on the principals' health or let it run to the end.
    https://twitter.com/Pulpstar/status/1247854788513062913

    https://twitter.com/BetfairCS/status/1247898403956121600
    As with suspending but not cancelling the four Boris-related markets, Betfair is trying to have it both ways. Claim the moral high ground but keep the money if at all possible. I cannot say I'm shocked.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,205

    Pulpstar said:

    Pulpstar said:

    Betfair should settle up on Trump and Biden now, the only way they don't get the noms is in a Boris type scenario.

    That was true yesterday and last week. Betfair should void the market if it is afraid of people speculating on the principals' health or let it run to the end.
    https://twitter.com/Pulpstar/status/1247854788513062913

    https://twitter.com/BetfairCS/status/1247898403956121600
    As with suspending but not cancelling the four Boris-related markets, Betfair is trying to have it both ways. Claim the moral high ground but keep the money if at all possible. I cannot say I'm shocked.
    The money point isn't correct, they'll make less money if they void the markets as they won't take commission from the winners.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,935
    It's not going to be the first bit of money thats pissed away during all this. Better to gamble a bit, based on the circumstances.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424
    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    My point was, as you note yourself, it’s a sexist stereotype. Which I wasn’t expecting from you.

    I am actually (and I'm being serious) very gratified that you have me down as a non user of sexist stereotype. And it's true. I'm not. And I don't think I am doing so here. I've had a bash at explaining in my previous post. I think it's a careful and acceptable use of the word in this Trump context. Fingers crossed you agree when you mull it over.
    No. I do not agree with you.

    It may be an error made in good faith - as I say, you are not somebody I’ve ever seen use a negative stereotype in any context before - but it’s still an error.
  • BluestBlueBluestBlue Posts: 4,556

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    kinabalu said:

    ydoethur said:

    Hi Kinabalu

    Quick question.

    If someone described Laura Pidcock as a ‘bimbo’ after one of her many gaffes, what would your response be?

    That is not at all to support this person, who clearly is clueless, but I was a bit surprised by your choice of language.

    Bimbo means flashily attractive but rather vacuous female. Least that's what I think it means. So I'd be really surprised to hear that applied to Pidcock and I would push back strongly on it. No way is she vacuous, she is the very opposite of that. She's always thinking and talking about serious things. And as for looks, I like her a lot but it's a subtle loveliness. She is hardly getting considered for the playboy mansion (if there still was one).
    To be fair to Kinabalu the Trump appointee in question was going for a certain look (deliberately) multiplied by acting and behaving is a very stupid, ignorant way.

    It was almost as if she was using the stereotype in question as the goal.
    And her remark was idiotic. Just as many remarks by Burgon, or Francois, or Extinction Rebellion are idiotic.

    But I can criticise Burgon and Francois (and very often do) without resorting to comments about their appearance.
    I agree on not using such language - but the temptation must have been enormous.
    Oh I don't know - if you can't call her a bimbo, whom can you call a bimbo?
    I think it is a word, that is better retired.

    She is presenting stupidity and ignorance - even if she is not personally stupid and ignorant. That, I think, is accurate.
    Well, hang on. I’m quite happy to say she’s stupid and ignorant. If that daft remark were not proof enough, she works for Donald Trump.

    That’s altogether different from her gender or personal appearance.

    Put it this way, if the comment had been ‘how did someone that dense get a degree from Harvard?’ I would not have queried it.
    That's why I do not agree with using the word "bimbo" - it should be retired. It should be an ex-word. It has ceased to be. It is not pining for fyords....
    It's an unpleasant word, both in sound and sense, but it's also a clear and concise way of describing something that actually exists in the real world, and especially in Trump's circle. Curtailing the range of expression doesn't curtail the existence of such persons, so I'm not sure why kinabalu's getting it in the neck, other than as a salutary lesson in the excesses of PC... :wink:
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,119
    edited April 2020
    Mr Yorkshire Tea up in a very minutes.

    I reckon given the large number of deaths announced in the past 2 days, the dickheads asking the questions will be back to "why didn't you lock us up sooner", "how many extra people do you think you have killed by not locking us up 2 weeks earlier"....
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424

    ydoethur said:

    isam said:

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Essex had very little to do with those deaths!
    It was all Leicester’s fault, egged on by Burghley.

    (Now that might be too obscure a pun.)

    Although come to think of it, whether puns are appropriate is another question.

    I’m just glad he’s going to be locked up where he can’t do more harm.
    Earls of Essex have an unfortunate tendency to pick fights they can't win. There's a statue in Maldon which commemorates such.
    I always feel that's why West Ham rarely win much.

    Essex Cricket, on the other hand is, nowadays, normally the winner.
    Keep calmer and bring on Harmer?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,766
    edited April 2020
    Highest daily jump yet by my reckoning.

    Edit: whoops. No, 2nd highest.
  • Saunders sounding off

    The loss of Corbyn and Saunders to the political scene will not be missed
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370
    The problem would be - how do you get a company to give you 3 million items on the basis that you test them with your own procedure and only pay them if you get the result you like?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,226

    As a lifetime asthmatic I always sleep on my front. Just always been better that way.
    Unless I've been holding a lady in the crook of my arm and she's had her head on my shoulder.

    I think, but memory may be false!

    You can't even remember what happened this morning? Early warning signs! :smile:
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,205
    I think on the US markets, they WILL be suspended if Biden or Trump respectively gets Covid-19 and are in hospital. So you won't be able to alter your position if it happens.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,119

    Saunders sounding off

    The loss of Corbyn and Saunders to the political scene will not be missed

    I am sure all the Bernie Bros will now spend the next 4 years complaining again how their man was robbed by the establishment.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,119
    edited April 2020

    twitter.com/michaelsavage/status/1247913890362654722

    Hancock basically answered this the other day at the press conference. It was a calculated risk. There is going to be huge amount of money "wasted" if you want to call it that e.g. how many £100s millions are we going to throw at bits of kit, treatments, vaccines etc that might or might not help.

    Of course if they hadn't ordered any testing kits, they would be getting it in the next the other way.
  • HYUFDHYUFD Posts: 123,139

    Saunders sounding off

    The loss of Corbyn and Saunders to the political scene will not be missed

    Their socialist fan base is not going away though, how far they fall behind Starmer and Biden could help determine the results of the next UK and US elections
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424
    He is crazier than the Bursar of Unseen University.

    And he’s no good with numbers.
  • TheWhiteRabbitTheWhiteRabbit Posts: 12,454

    The problem would be - how do you get a company to give you 3 million items on the basis that you test them with your own procedure and only pay them if you get the result you like?
    I assume the DHSC's legal team will be dealing with this, not their chief of testing!!
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,601
    edited April 2020
    Whoever edits the Wikipedia page for the Democratic primaries must be a fanatical Bernie supporter because they're refusing to put him into the "suspended campaign" category.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,225
    U.S. intelligence officials warned in November that the coronavirus spreading in China’s Hubei region could become a “cataclysmic event,” ABC News reported Wednesday.
    https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/intelligence/491712-us-intelligence-warned-in-november-that-virus-spreading

    The White House was briefed "multiple times".

    The idea that Chinese efforts to cover it up (whether by local, or central government) succeeded in doing so, is just not tenable.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,766

    Mr Yorkshire Tea up in a very minutes.

    I reckon given the large number of deaths announced in the past 2 days, the dickheads asking the questions will be back to "why didn't you lock us up sooner", "how many extra people do you think you have killed by not locking us up 2 weeks earlier"....

    Yesterday: How much longer can you keep us locked up, surely the three weeks you promised us is nearly over?

    Today: It is utterly intolerable that nearly a thousand people have died yesterday, surely it is time to tell us that we will be locked up for months?
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,464
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    isam said:

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Essex had very little to do with those deaths!
    It was all Leicester’s fault, egged on by Burghley.

    (Now that might be too obscure a pun.)

    Although come to think of it, whether puns are appropriate is another question.

    I’m just glad he’s going to be locked up where he can’t do more harm.
    Earls of Essex have an unfortunate tendency to pick fights they can't win. There's a statue in Maldon which commemorates such.
    I always feel that's why West Ham rarely win much.

    Essex Cricket, on the other hand is, nowadays, normally the winner.
    Keep calmer and bring on Harmer?
    Indeed. Usually a wise move.
    Only hope there'll be some cricket this season. I'd even settle for the damn fool Hundred!
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,119
    edited April 2020
    350 million people and the Trump and Biden are the two one has to choose from. God wept.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 61,806
    Just put a tiny covering bet on Cuomo to be next president at 61.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,464
    kinabalu said:

    As a lifetime asthmatic I always sleep on my front. Just always been better that way.
    Unless I've been holding a lady in the crook of my arm and she's had her head on my shoulder.

    I think, but memory may be false!

    You can't even remember what happened this morning? Early warning signs! :smile:
    Mary Hopkins applies.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,205
    Could the antibody test kits be used in a blind population analysis ? The results might not hold due to Bayes for an individual but stattos could correct it in the macro sense.
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,207
    Nigelb said:

    U.S. intelligence officials warned in November that the coronavirus spreading in China’s Hubei region could become a “cataclysmic event,” ABC News reported Wednesday.
    https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/intelligence/491712-us-intelligence-warned-in-november-that-virus-spreading

    The White House was briefed "multiple times".

    The idea that Chinese efforts to cover it up (whether by local, or central government) succeeded in doing so, is just not tenable.

    Why can not both be true?
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    isam said:

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Essex had very little to do with those deaths!
    It was all Leicester’s fault, egged on by Burghley.

    (Now that might be too obscure a pun.)

    Although come to think of it, whether puns are appropriate is another question.

    I’m just glad he’s going to be locked up where he can’t do more harm.
    Earls of Essex have an unfortunate tendency to pick fights they can't win. There's a statue in Maldon which commemorates such.
    I always feel that's why West Ham rarely win much.

    Essex Cricket, on the other hand is, nowadays, normally the winner.
    Keep calmer and bring on Harmer?
    Indeed. Usually a wise move.
    Only hope there'll be some cricket this season. I'd even settle for the damn fool Hundred!
    Now hang on, your Venerable Cheerful Majesty. Things are not that bad yet.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,225
    This is not a big deal.

    The big deal would be if the pursuit of accurate tests were to be held up by a concern over value for money.
    The payback in detailed knowledge of the characteristics of the pandemic from accurate mass testing would be immediate and immense.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,226
    Pulpstar said:

    I think on the US markets, they WILL be suspended if Biden or Trump respectively gets Covid-19 and are in hospital. So you won't be able to alter your position if it happens.

    Yes they would suspend if that happened. Have set the precedent with Boris.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,370

    The problem would be - how do you get a company to give you 3 million items on the basis that you test them with your own procedure and only pay them if you get the result you like?
    I assume the DHSC's legal team will be dealing with this, not their chief of testing!!
    I would like to know -

    1) Was the contract drafting run through the standard process, or abbreviated.
    2) Was an attempt made to get some kind of money back guarantee?
    3) What were the claims for the product, by the company?
    4) Does the contract use those claims as defining a fit product?
    5) Is there a definition of a fit product in the contract?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,935
    Some good news, the PM is sitting up and talking.
  • numbertwelvenumbertwelve Posts: 6,814
    Boris sitting up in bed and “engaging positively” apparently, whatever that means.

    Stupid questions from journos incoming in 5....
  • MyBurningEarsMyBurningEars Posts: 3,651
    edited April 2020

    twitter.com/michaelsavage/status/1247913890362654722

    Hancock basically answered this the other day at the press conference. It was a calculated risk. There is going to be huge amount of money "wasted" if you want to call it that e.g. how many £100s millions are we going to throw at bits of kit, treatments, vaccines etc that might or might not help.

    Of course if they hadn't ordered any testing kits, they would be getting it in the next the other way.
    In the context of a crisis that is gobbling up hundreds of billions of pounds of the British economy, with eye-wateringly wide uncertainty bars, worrying about a couple of million isn't even a rounding error...

    If this turns out (or journalists try to big it up into) a big political row then perspective really has been lost.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,225
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    isam said:

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Essex had very little to do with those deaths!
    It was all Leicester’s fault, egged on by Burghley.

    (Now that might be too obscure a pun.)

    Although come to think of it, whether puns are appropriate is another question.

    I’m just glad he’s going to be locked up where he can’t do more harm.
    Earls of Essex have an unfortunate tendency to pick fights they can't win. There's a statue in Maldon which commemorates such.
    I always feel that's why West Ham rarely win much.

    Essex Cricket, on the other hand is, nowadays, normally the winner.
    Keep calmer and bring on Harmer?
    Indeed. Usually a wise move.
    Only hope there'll be some cricket this season. I'd even settle for the damn fool Hundred!
    Now hang on, your Venerable Cheerful Majesty. Things are not that bad yet.
    The county game does have the undoubted attraction of being played in front of sparse crowds.
    And lasting for days at a time is ideal lockdown fodder.
  • BurgessianBurgessian Posts: 2,752

    HYUFD said:
    How noble.

    So learn some science then - and stop asking the questions any useless dick can ask.
    Well said.

    More importantly any updates on mothing activities?

    Inspired by your example ran my trap for the first time in years.

    Rather surprisingly, given I must be 500 miles north of you, I got 33 individuals of 7 species.

    Hebrew Character - 12
    Common Quaker - 6
    Pine Beauty - 4
    Early Grey - 4
    Brindled Pug - 3
    Early Tooth-striped - 2
    Yellow Horned - 2
    Nice seletion - never had a Yellow Horned. One of those odd ommissions from the garden.

    Last night was warm, still and the pink super moon was obscured by clouds. Not so many in the trap, but a few animals on the wall behind. 21 species was the best number for the year so far. Nothing to get the pulse racing, but several new for the year:

    Diamondback x 2
    Spruce Carpet x 1
    Clouded Silver x 1 - very early
    V-Pug x 2
    Yellow-barred Brindle x 1

    Best of the rest were Shoulder Stripe x 2, Engrailed x 2, Pine Beauty x 1



    Wish you here here?

    Nice moth, Yellow Horned. Would post a pic but don't know how.

    Fascinating thing (as you know) is the succession of species week by week.

    Keep 'em coming!

  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,609
    Nigelb said:

    U.S. intelligence officials warned in November that the coronavirus spreading in China’s Hubei region could become a “cataclysmic event,” ABC News reported Wednesday.
    https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/intelligence/491712-us-intelligence-warned-in-november-that-virus-spreading

    The White House was briefed "multiple times".

    The idea that Chinese efforts to cover it up (whether by local, or central government) succeeded in doing so, is just not tenable.

    Hang on, they were warning in November? Just how long have people known this thing was a runaway thing? Wasn't Patient Zero suppposd to have been tracked to December? Clearly not..... And how did they know - a direct source in the Wuhan labs?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,119
    Mr Yorkshire Tea is good at this.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 33,464
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    isam said:

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Essex had very little to do with those deaths!
    It was all Leicester’s fault, egged on by Burghley.

    (Now that might be too obscure a pun.)

    Although come to think of it, whether puns are appropriate is another question.

    I’m just glad he’s going to be locked up where he can’t do more harm.
    Earls of Essex have an unfortunate tendency to pick fights they can't win. There's a statue in Maldon which commemorates such.
    I always feel that's why West Ham rarely win much.

    Essex Cricket, on the other hand is, nowadays, normally the winner.
    Keep calmer and bring on Harmer?
    Indeed. Usually a wise move.
    Only hope there'll be some cricket this season. I'd even settle for the damn fool Hundred!
    Now hang on, your Venerable Cheerful Majesty. Things are not that bad yet.
    Devoutly to be hoped for, but with a Yorkie in charge of the game, I fear the worst.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 59,935

    Boris sitting up in bed and “engaging positively” apparently, whatever that means.

    Stupid questions from journos incoming in 5....

    I think it means that he's not at death's door.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,119

    Boris sitting up in bed and “engaging positively” apparently, whatever that means.

    Stupid questions from journos incoming in 5....

    Yes, but can you tell us to the minute when will Boris be back in #10....
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,424
    Nigelb said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    isam said:

    ydoethur said:

    Important news:

    Essex lorry deaths: Driver Maurice Robinson admits manslaughter
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-52214839

    A fundamentally decent man, 'in' way above his pay grade?
    Essex had very little to do with those deaths!
    It was all Leicester’s fault, egged on by Burghley.

    (Now that might be too obscure a pun.)

    Although come to think of it, whether puns are appropriate is another question.

    I’m just glad he’s going to be locked up where he can’t do more harm.
    Earls of Essex have an unfortunate tendency to pick fights they can't win. There's a statue in Maldon which commemorates such.
    I always feel that's why West Ham rarely win much.

    Essex Cricket, on the other hand is, nowadays, normally the winner.
    Keep calmer and bring on Harmer?
    Indeed. Usually a wise move.
    Only hope there'll be some cricket this season. I'd even settle for the damn fool Hundred!
    Now hang on, your Venerable Cheerful Majesty. Things are not that bad yet.
    The county game does have the undoubted attraction of being played in front of sparse crowds.
    And lasting for days at a time is ideal lockdown fodder.
    All live-streamed on Youtube as well.
  • ArtistArtist Posts: 1,893
    Sunak splashing more cash.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,225
    Floater said:

    Nigelb said:

    U.S. intelligence officials warned in November that the coronavirus spreading in China’s Hubei region could become a “cataclysmic event,” ABC News reported Wednesday.
    https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/intelligence/491712-us-intelligence-warned-in-november-that-virus-spreading

    The White House was briefed "multiple times".

    The idea that Chinese efforts to cover it up (whether by local, or central government) succeeded in doing so, is just not tenable.

    Why can not both be true?
    Because had they succeeded, then such warnings would not have been given.
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