And for tonight “50 Ways to Leave the White House” – politicalbetting.com

System

And for tonight “50 Ways to Leave the White House” – politicalbetting.com

This video appeared on my YouTube list of recommendations and I thought it was quite fun and made a change.

Read the full story here

Pro_Rata

On a plane to Volgagrad, Vlad

TheScreamingEagles

This too.

https://twitter.com/TSEofPB/status/1329173554831745027

FrancisUrquhart

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329170935191056385?s=19

FrancisUrquhart

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329170278409265155?s=19

Scott_xP

https://twitter.com/Phil_Mattingly/status/1329173934814662659

williamglenn

Just get on your bike, Mike
It's time to leave, Steve
Find a new con, Don
And get yourself gone

FrancisUrquhart

BBC News - Covid: New York City closes all schools amid virus spike
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-54995655

rcs1000

LadyG said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

LadyG said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

Beibheirli_C said:

https://twitter.com/guyverhofstadt/status/1328798307032961026

If that happens I expect the Leavers will be like the Okinawans at the end of the battle of err, Okinawa.

So your hero David Cameron timed his EU referendum perfectly: to coincide with one of the historic low points in UK opinion of the EU. Genius

Cameron was, is and will always remain a smug, overrated dickhead, whose biggest and most deluded fan was himself. Followed by you

You seem angry.

I thought you got tumescent at the prospect of a diamond hard No Deal, we're a few weeks from that.

I know not of these opinions you staple to me

Anyhoo, I don't think we are getting Tungsten-Tipped Brexit. I agree with the threader, I reckon we will get Shabby Compromise Brexit (and that's why Dom has gone) - a tepid little thing which will please no one, fishermen and bankers, Leavers and Remainers alike.

Boris is genuinely worried about Scotland, and somewhat concerned about NI and Biden. He will yield and pretend to have won.

How will the UK public react? Very hard to say. I don't think a Rejoin party will flourish but (as I have said before) I can see an EEA-supporting party gaining from the remorseful backlash when Brexit turns out to be shit and pointless (in the short term - medium/long term it may easily be the better choice)

"may easily"...

I can tell you're not a professional writer.

CarlottaVance

Witness Protection à la russe

TheScreamingEagles

https://twitter.com/TSEofPB/status/1329175522908262403

glw

FPT:

FrancisUrquhart said:

LadyG said:

Poland is heading into deep shit. 20,000 cases, 600 dead

I have seen virtually no mainstream coverage of the situation. In the spring, every night we got all the comparisons of how the UK was doing versus every European country, this time some brief mentions of which countries are going into lockdown, odd article about France is bad shape etc.

I doubt most people know that Lombardy is being hit just as badly as spring and that a number of countries that escaped the first wave are getting the shit kicked out of them e.g. Poland.

From the 1st July.
Coronavirus: Czechs hold 'farewell party' for pandemic
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53244688


It's not just bits of Europe that escaped the first wave getting hammered, it's noticeable that a lot of US states, particularly red ones, that thought "it won't happen here" are suffering at least as badly as those blue states who were amongst the worst hit in the first wave.

Anabobazina

Some of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on PB at the end of the last thread.

Ye gods.

Black_Rook

BluestBlue said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Poland is heading into deep shit. 20,000 cases, 600 dead

All of Europe, or the large majority of it at any rate, is going to end up incarcerated like we are now - either continuously, or in cycles of two weeks out and two months back under house arrest - until somewhere between April and June next year, depending on the weather.

Start praying that this disease doesn't keep bouncing back and forth between humans and animals, returning in a new and vaccine negating form each time, as may already have started with the mink, or else we'll be locked up for nine months of the year every year for the rest of time. Or until the introduction of mandatory euthanasia at 60.

Y'know, I found myself wondering the other day how @Black_Rook would find a way to pour cold water on the emergence of multiple safe and effective vaccines on time and on schedule...

And now I don't need to wonder any more

If 2020 has taught us anything it's to imagine the worst that could happen and assume that's what's coming.

I was accused of being hysterical when I said we'd all be locked up until next Summer. No Government, not even one as incompetent as ours, could possibly get it that wrong, I was told.

Well, the scientists are absolutely doing their pieces over the idea of us being let out for five minutes at Christmas, let alone as early as December 2nd. One day out = five more days of lockdown later, we are now told. The situation is almost hopeless.

So, imagine the worst that could now happen. What could make it not almost but completely hopeless? Mutant Covid and an endless cycle of novel diseases that means an endless cycle of lockdowns. And, lo and behold, here comes Mink Variant Covid, charging over the horizon, the first of many pale horses getting ready to crush all the vaccine projects under its stampeding hooves. Back to square one again.

I mean, after everything that's already gone wrong, is there any good reason to suppose that it can't happen? If not, then Murphy's Law comes into effect.

Beibheirli_C

Anabobazina said:

Some of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on PB at the end of the last thread.

Ye gods.

I did not think that the Guy Verhofstadt tweet was that bad....

TheScreamingEagles

https://twitter.com/davidallengreen/status/1329176841102430208

CarlottaVance

Dishy Rishi:

https://order-order.com/2020/11/18/rishi-tops-starmer-in-sexy-mp-poll/

Anabobazina

To the beat of a drum, Cum
Won’t see you again, Cain

FrancisUrquhart

glw said:

FPT:

FrancisUrquhart said:

LadyG said:

Poland is heading into deep shit. 20,000 cases, 600 dead

I have seen virtually no mainstream coverage of the situation. In the spring, every night we got all the comparisons of how the UK was doing versus every European country, this time some brief mentions of which countries are going into lockdown, odd article about France is bad shape etc.

I doubt most people know that Lombardy is being hit just as badly as spring and that a number of countries that escaped the first wave are getting the shit kicked out of them e.g. Poland.

From the 1st July.
Coronavirus: Czechs hold 'farewell party' for pandemic
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-53244688


It's not just bits of Europe that escaped the first wave getting hammered, it's noticeable that a lot of US states, particularly red ones, that thought "it won't happen here" are suffering at least as badly as those blue states who were amongst the worst hit in the first wave.

Pictures of the covid party will go in the same chapter as European leaders decide to allow.a traditional summer holiday season...and our great grandkids will go were these people total morons.

IanB2

FrancisUrquhart said:

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329170935191056385?s=19

For a split second there I was wondering why the sudden royal concern about Syria.

Toms

Ok it's fun testing what it might take to puncture the single greatest ego ever to inflate the White House.
But folks, he's rampaging around doing damage, and he's got some weeks to do more.
He seems to have a couple of sons and lackeys urging him on. The fact is he'll still be rich, and some people can be bought.

footnote: Donald Rumsfeld apparently said that Guantanamo detention camp was established to detain extraordinarily dangerous people, to interrogate detainees in an optimal setting, and to prosecute detainees for war crimes.

Anabobazina

CarlottaVance said:

Dishy Rishi:

https://order-order.com/2020/11/18/rishi-tops-starmer-in-sexy-mp-poll/

I realise Lisa has a strong cross-partisan following on here, and she is indeed lovely, but I’m mildly surprised she eclipsed former swimsuit model Rosena.

Theuniondivvie

williamglenn said:

Just get on your bike, Mike
It's time to leave, Steve
Find a new con, Don
And get yourself gone

Get thee to the Lubyanka, Ivanka
You're ensnared, Jared
Escape the egomania, Melania
And get you and Barron free

FrancisUrquhart

On a more positive note, I presume they will be putting up a statue of Dolly Parton, for her funding vaccine and plasma research....until somebody finds she once said something racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, sizeist, disablist etc etc etc and they a load of people will rip it down.

Theuniondivvie

The real news of the night

https://twitter.com/jennycolgan/status/1329037285258645510?s=20

turbotubbs

Black_Rook said:

BluestBlue said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Poland is heading into deep shit. 20,000 cases, 600 dead

All of Europe, or the large majority of it at any rate, is going to end up incarcerated like we are now - either continuously, or in cycles of two weeks out and two months back under house arrest - until somewhere between April and June next year, depending on the weather.

Start praying that this disease doesn't keep bouncing back and forth between humans and animals, returning in a new and vaccine negating form each time, as may already have started with the mink, or else we'll be locked up for nine months of the year every year for the rest of time. Or until the introduction of mandatory euthanasia at 60.

Y'know, I found myself wondering the other day how @Black_Rook would find a way to pour cold water on the emergence of multiple safe and effective vaccines on time and on schedule...

And now I don't need to wonder any more

If 2020 has taught us anything it's to imagine the worst that could happen and assume that's what's coming.

I was accused of being hysterical when I said we'd all be locked up until next Summer. No Government, not even one as incompetent as ours, could possibly get it that wrong, I was told.

Well, the scientists are absolutely doing their pieces over the idea of us being let out for five minutes at Christmas, let alone as early as December 2nd. One day out = five more days of lockdown later, we are now told. The situation is almost hopeless.

So, imagine the worst that could now happen. What could make it not almost but completely hopeless? Mutant Covid and an endless cycle of novel diseases that means an endless cycle of lockdowns. And, lo and behold, here comes Mink Variant Covid, charging over the horizon, the first of many pale horses getting ready to crush all the vaccine projects under its stampeding hooves. Back to square one again.

I mean, after everything that's already gone wrong, is there any good reason to suppose that it can't happen? If not, then Murphy's Law comes into effect.

We wont be looked up until next summer. Vaccination will start soon, cases will fall and normal life will return. Even if the virus mutates, it doesn’t necessarily render the vaccine ineffective. Even it that happens, the joy of the approach taken is it remarkable adaptability. Need to change the vaccine. Easy - change the mRNA and away we go. The story of 2020 is really about the incredible power at the hands of the scientists creating the vaccines in an astonishingly short time. And to be clear, these vaccines work, have been injected into thousands of people and have probably already saved lives.
Take whatever relaxation aid you need, grin and bear it a little longer, and you’ll get through it. Perhaps your relaxation is to vent your fears here? If that’s fine, but it’s also important to have counter views to yours.

glw

Toms said:

Ok it's fun testing what it might take to puncture the single greatest ego ever to inflate the White House.
But folks, he's rampaging around doing damage, and he's got some weeks to do more.

Yep nine more week to do something really nuts, and he was asking for options for attacking Iran's nuclear programme just last week.

SandyRentool

CarlottaVance said:

Dishy Rishi:

https://order-order.com/2020/11/18/rishi-tops-starmer-in-sexy-mp-poll/

And Nandy makes men randy.

TheScreamingEagles

Theuniondivvie said:

The real news of the night

https://twitter.com/jennycolgan/status/1329037285258645510?s=20

Wait! What? The? Actual? Fecking? Feck?

glw

FrancisUrquhart said:

Pictures of the covid party will go in the same chapter as European leaders decide to allow.a traditional summer holiday season...and our great grandkids will go were these people total morons.

I tell you one thing whenever I've read a history book and thought "how did they not realise what would happen?" Well, I get it now.

Black_Rook

turbotubbs said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Poland is heading into deep shit. 20,000 cases, 600 dead

All of Europe, or the large majority of it at any rate, is going to end up incarcerated like we are now - either continuously, or in cycles of two weeks out and two months back under house arrest - until somewhere between April and June next year, depending on the weather.

Start praying that this disease doesn't keep bouncing back and forth between humans and animals, returning in a new and vaccine negating form each time, as may already have started with the mink, or else we'll be locked up for nine months of the year every year for the rest of time. Or until the introduction of mandatory euthanasia at 60.

Yes, I have looked at the statistical runes and seen the same potentially horrendous outcome.

However I am more optimistic. Even if the fucker does mutate and no vaccine works for very long, in the end we will just learn to live with this virus the way we learned to live with syphilis and smallpox. ie it was terrible for those that got a bad dose, but life has to go on, so life went on

Perpetual lockdown will die before human civilisation submits to permanent imprisonment. We are already on the cusp of what western societies will accept (in terms of illiberal controls on life)

People, or a large enough percentage of them to do the necessary damage, are terrified. People will submit to practically anything if they're frightened enough. Mask wearing, protecting the NHS at any and all cost, extreme health and safety OCD over social distancing, as little direct contact with other disease vectors as possible and everything done through screens, it's all becoming culturally entrenched at a rate of knots. Best case scenario, the vaccines properly suppress the wretched disease and some of this stuff gradually gets rolled back. Most likely, this is it. Life will never get any better.

Have a little patience. Come back in summer and see where we are. Things will be better.

Will they be better? At best we'll be getting started on the task of rebuilding an economy out of the smouldering ruins that another four to six months of lockdown will have reduced it to. If the vaccine projects don't put a stake through the bloody virus then we'll barely have time to race to visit friends and relatives we've not seen for God knows how long before we're all locked back up again until May 2022.

A journey into the bright sunlit uplands may be possible, but I'm not going to believe it until I see it.

Anabobazina

turbotubbs said:

Black_Rook said:

BluestBlue said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Poland is heading into deep shit. 20,000 cases, 600 dead

All of Europe, or the large majority of it at any rate, is going to end up incarcerated like we are now - either continuously, or in cycles of two weeks out and two months back under house arrest - until somewhere between April and June next year, depending on the weather.

Start praying that this disease doesn't keep bouncing back and forth between humans and animals, returning in a new and vaccine negating form each time, as may already have started with the mink, or else we'll be locked up for nine months of the year every year for the rest of time. Or until the introduction of mandatory euthanasia at 60.

Y'know, I found myself wondering the other day how @Black_Rook would find a way to pour cold water on the emergence of multiple safe and effective vaccines on time and on schedule...

And now I don't need to wonder any more

If 2020 has taught us anything it's to imagine the worst that could happen and assume that's what's coming.

I was accused of being hysterical when I said we'd all be locked up until next Summer. No Government, not even one as incompetent as ours, could possibly get it that wrong, I was told.

Well, the scientists are absolutely doing their pieces over the idea of us being let out for five minutes at Christmas, let alone as early as December 2nd. One day out = five more days of lockdown later, we are now told. The situation is almost hopeless.

So, imagine the worst that could now happen. What could make it not almost but completely hopeless? Mutant Covid and an endless cycle of novel diseases that means an endless cycle of lockdowns. And, lo and behold, here comes Mink Variant Covid, charging over the horizon, the first of many pale horses getting ready to crush all the vaccine projects under its stampeding hooves. Back to square one again.

I mean, after everything that's already gone wrong, is there any good reason to suppose that it can't happen? If not, then Murphy's Law comes into effect.

We wont be looked up until next summer. Vaccination will start soon, cases will fall and normal life will return. Even if the virus mutates, it doesn’t necessarily render the vaccine ineffective. Even it that happens, the joy of the approach taken is it remarkable adaptability. Need to change the vaccine. Easy - change the mRNA and away we go. The story of 2020 is really about the incredible power at the hands of the scientists creating the vaccines in an astonishingly short time. And to be clear, these vaccines work, have been injected into thousands of people and have probably already saved lives.
Take whatever relaxation aid you need, grin and bear it a little longer, and you’ll get through it. Perhaps your relaxation is to vent your fears here? If that’s fine, but it’s also important to have counter views to yours.

The only thing wrong with your post was your having to copy back the OP, which was previously marooned on the previous thread.

FrancisUrquhart

glw said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Pictures of the covid party will go in the same chapter as European leaders decide to allow.a traditional summer holiday season...and our great grandkids will go were these people total morons.

I tell you one thing whenever I've read a history book and thought "how did they not realise what would happen?" Well, I get it now.

The thing is unlike sticking absesto in your roof....most people with half a brain were saying this is a very bad idea from day one.

Anabobazina

SandyRentool said:

CarlottaVance said:

Dishy Rishi:

https://order-order.com/2020/11/18/rishi-tops-starmer-in-sexy-mp-poll/

And Nandy makes men randy.

@Casino_Royale in particular IIRC.

isam

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329077290194460672?s=21

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329082035260903426?s=21

turbotubbs

Black_Rook said:

turbotubbs said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Poland is heading into deep shit. 20,000 cases, 600 dead

All of Europe, or the large majority of it at any rate, is going to end up incarcerated like we are now - either continuously, or in cycles of two weeks out and two months back under house arrest - until somewhere between April and June next year, depending on the weather.

Start praying that this disease doesn't keep bouncing back and forth between humans and animals, returning in a new and vaccine negating form each time, as may already have started with the mink, or else we'll be locked up for nine months of the year every year for the rest of time. Or until the introduction of mandatory euthanasia at 60.

Yes, I have looked at the statistical runes and seen the same potentially horrendous outcome.

However I am more optimistic. Even if the fucker does mutate and no vaccine works for very long, in the end we will just learn to live with this virus the way we learned to live with syphilis and smallpox. ie it was terrible for those that got a bad dose, but life has to go on, so life went on

Perpetual lockdown will die before human civilisation submits to permanent imprisonment. We are already on the cusp of what western societies will accept (in terms of illiberal controls on life)

People, or a large enough percentage of them to do the necessary damage, are terrified. People will submit to practically anything if they're frightened enough. Mask wearing, protecting the NHS at any and all cost, extreme health and safety OCD over social distancing, as little direct contact with other disease vectors as possible and everything done through screens, it's all becoming culturally entrenched at a rate of knots. Best case scenario, the vaccines properly suppress the wretched disease and some of this stuff gradually gets rolled back. Most likely, this is it. Life will never get any better.

Have a little patience. Come back in summer and see where we are. Things will be better.

Will they be better? At best we'll be getting started on the task of rebuilding an economy out of the smouldering ruins that another four to six months of lockdown will have reduced it to. If the vaccine projects don't put a stake through the bloody virus then we'll barely have time to race to visit friends and relatives we've not seen for God knows how long before we're all locked back up again until May 2022.

A journey into the bright sunlit uplands may be possible, but I'm not going to believe it until I see it.

We’re not going to be in 6 months more lockdown. The tiers work. Not as well as full April style lockdown, but they keep most of the economy going while cases remain manageable. Once the 80+ year olds are vaccinated the death toll drops by 90 %. That could be by jan/feb.

isam

RLB on Peston, will she be an MP by the morning?

FrancisUrquhart

Example of what an absolute bastard covid is... Australia new outbreak, somebody in quarantine in the hotel, did what they were asked, but had it. The cleaner can in afterwards and caught it while cleaning down the surfaces and who then spread it to other staff members and off it went into the community.

dixiedean

Anabobazina said:

Some of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on PB at the end of the last thread.

Ye gods.

That's a high bar.
Will go check. Can't wait.

Anabobazina

isam said:

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329077290194460672?s=21

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329082035260903426?s=21

Lol!

TheScreamingEagles

https://twitter.com/DavidHerdson/status/1329180935368138752

Stuartinromford

isam said:

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329077290194460672?s=21

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329082035260903426?s=21

Nobody should be mentioning the idea of erecting Boris statues as a way of boosting the economy.

It will give him ideas.

DavidL

FrancisUrquhart said:

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329170278409265155?s=19

Seriously, has the FT just noticed? They should try reading the odd newspaper.

Malmesbury

AlwaysSinging said:

Malmesbury said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

stodge said:

Evening all

Encouraging signs on the case numbers today that the new lockdown might be having the desired effect.

Off to Conservative Home for you.....

No - off to the six month real lockdown in a small flat. With Pier Corbyn, Piers Morgan and a mad lawyer with a baseball bat for company.

If he is good, he will be allowed to read Con. Home.

An if bad, he'll only be allowed to read COVIDostrich lockdownsceptics.

--AS

{Vader voice}

Impressive

{/Vader voice}

eek

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/DavidHerdson/status/1329180935368138752

It's all going pear-shaped because they don't realise that any deal now is going to be better than the one we get in desperation when we go back in February

FrancisUrquhart

DavidL said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329170278409265155?s=19

Seriously, has the FT just noticed? They should try reading the odd newspaper.

They have been too busy misunderstanding NHS tenders to notice....

rottenborough

isam said:

RLB on Peston, will she be an MP by the morning?

Oh. What have I missed? Popcorn time?

Malmesbury

FrancisUrquhart said:

On a more positive note, I presume they will be putting up a statue of Dolly Parton, for her funding vaccine and plasma research....until somebody finds she once said something racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, sizeist, disablist etc etc etc and they a load of people will rip it down.

Hmmm

So invest in

1) a statue construction business
2) a statue destruction business
30 Social media.....

DavidL

Stuartinromford said:

isam said:

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329077290194460672?s=21

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329082035260903426?s=21

Nobody should be mentioning the idea of erecting Boris statues as a way of boosting the economy.

It will give him ideas.

Nah, the ideas have left the building.

FrancisUrquhart

Malmesbury said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

On a more positive note, I presume they will be putting up a statue of Dolly Parton, for her funding vaccine and plasma research....until somebody finds she once said something racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, sizeist, disablist etc etc etc and they a load of people will rip it down.

Hmmm

So invest in

1) a statue construction business
2) a statue destruction business
30 Social media.....

No need for #2, the mob.do it for free.

FrancisUrquhart

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329182018530390016?s=19

Oh no they aren't, oh yes they are, its behind you...

Malmesbury

FrancisUrquhart said:

Malmesbury said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

On a more positive note, I presume they will be putting up a statue of Dolly Parton, for her funding vaccine and plasma research....until somebody finds she once said something racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, sizeist, disablist etc etc etc and they a load of people will rip it down.

Hmmm

So invest in

1) a statue construction business
2) a statue destruction business
30 Social media.....

No need for #2, the mob.do it for free.

No, no, no

You build the statues so well (and expensively) that only specialists can destroy them

Otherwise you are leaving money on the table.

Black_Rook

turbotubbs said:

Black_Rook said:

BluestBlue said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Poland is heading into deep shit. 20,000 cases, 600 dead

All of Europe, or the large majority of it at any rate, is going to end up incarcerated like we are now - either continuously, or in cycles of two weeks out and two months back under house arrest - until somewhere between April and June next year, depending on the weather.

Start praying that this disease doesn't keep bouncing back and forth between humans and animals, returning in a new and vaccine negating form each time, as may already have started with the mink, or else we'll be locked up for nine months of the year every year for the rest of time. Or until the introduction of mandatory euthanasia at 60.

Y'know, I found myself wondering the other day how @Black_Rook would find a way to pour cold water on the emergence of multiple safe and effective vaccines on time and on schedule...

And now I don't need to wonder any more

If 2020 has taught us anything it's to imagine the worst that could happen and assume that's what's coming.

I was accused of being hysterical when I said we'd all be locked up until next Summer. No Government, not even one as incompetent as ours, could possibly get it that wrong, I was told.

Well, the scientists are absolutely doing their pieces over the idea of us being let out for five minutes at Christmas, let alone as early as December 2nd. One day out = five more days of lockdown later, we are now told. The situation is almost hopeless.

So, imagine the worst that could now happen. What could make it not almost but completely hopeless? Mutant Covid and an endless cycle of novel diseases that means an endless cycle of lockdowns. And, lo and behold, here comes Mink Variant Covid, charging over the horizon, the first of many pale horses getting ready to crush all the vaccine projects under its stampeding hooves. Back to square one again.

I mean, after everything that's already gone wrong, is there any good reason to suppose that it can't happen? If not, then Murphy's Law comes into effect.

We wont be looked up until next summer. Vaccination will start soon, cases will fall and normal life will return. Even if the virus mutates, it doesn’t necessarily render the vaccine ineffective. Even it that happens, the joy of the approach taken is it remarkable adaptability. Need to change the vaccine. Easy - change the mRNA and away we go. The story of 2020 is really about the incredible power at the hands of the scientists creating the vaccines in an astonishingly short time. And to be clear, these vaccines work, have been injected into thousands of people and have probably already saved lives.
Take whatever relaxation aid you need, grin and bear it a little longer, and you’ll get through it. Perhaps your relaxation is to vent your fears here? If that’s fine, but it’s also important to have counter views to yours.

We shall certainly be locked up until next Summer. The logic of the situation compels it. The Government's approach is now almost entirely dictated by the fears of the scientists and medics, and from them the consensus appears to be:

1. We must keep a lid on this thing, as the moment we relax restrictions it will take off again (and we will scream for another lockdown accordingly.)
2. It'll take anything between six months and a year to vaccinate the enormous number of people who need it to get the pressure off the hospitals (basically everybody over 60, all the shielders and probably several other broad categories including diabetics and asthmatics,) and even that may be optimistic. The Pfizer vaccine poses serious practical challenges in terms of storage and distribution, the Moderna attempt will be in limited supply and we still don't know how effective the Oxford project actually is. And, beyond that, many of the GPs are already panicking over the disruption that a mass vaccination project will cause to care for all other conditions (which has more than a hint of irony to it given the mayhem that we already know to be caused by lockdowns, but hey-ho.)

I share the hope that the vaccines will finally stick a lid on this evil plague and let us have something vaguely resembling a normal life come next Autumn, it's simply that experience suggests that the next disaster is waiting around the corner, so there's no point in getting too excited about it. That way, if we find ourselves in exactly the same predicament again next year then at least it will be somewhat less disappointing.

isam

rottenborough said:

isam said:

RLB on Peston, will she be an MP by the morning?

Oh. What have I missed? Popcorn time?

Just that she signed a statement saying Jezza should be reinstated as an MP earlier, so wonder if she’ll say something controversial/critical of Sir Keir

kle4

FrancisUrquhart said:

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329170278409265155?s=19

'Braced for tax rises'.

Now, I know there are complexities to when really is the best time to raise them, but while the public will undoubtedly always dislike any tax rises, I'd think at the least more people will accept the principle of raising taxes after having to splurge massive amounts of cash in a pandemic.

I mean, lots of people are, in general, in favour of smaller government and frugality too, but would make a distinction between normal and not normal times.

TheScreamingEagles

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

Benpointer

dixiedean said:

Anabobazina said:

Some of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on PB at the end of the last thread.

Ye gods.

That's a high bar.
Will go check. Can't wait.

I checked. Hard to work out which ones @Anabobazina was particularly excited about.

kle4

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/DavidHerdson/status/1329180935368138752

I think the idea the scheduling of a meeting like that cannot be part of gamesmanship to be unlikely. Doesn't mean there is not a very big risk of no deal, there is, but when there is tough talk and posturing, whoever it is from, it doesn't necessarily prove a damn thing.

DavidL

isam said:

rottenborough said:

isam said:

RLB on Peston, will she be an MP by the morning?

Oh. What have I missed? Popcorn time?

Just that she signed a statement saying Jezza should be reinstated as an MP earlier, so wonder if she’ll say something controversial/critical of Sir Keir

He is still an MP, lamentably. He's just not a Labour PLP MP.

dixiedean

dixiedean said:

Anabobazina said:

Some of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on PB at the end of the last thread.

Ye gods.

That's a high bar.
Will go check. Can't wait.

Not quite avoiding the Straits of Hormuz by rounding Cape Horn.
Disappointed.

kle4

DavidL said:

isam said:

rottenborough said:

isam said:

RLB on Peston, will she be an MP by the morning?

Oh. What have I missed? Popcorn time?

Just that she signed a statement saying Jezza should be reinstated as an MP earlier, so wonder if she’ll say something controversial/critical of Sir Keir

He is still an MP, lamentably. He's just not a Labour PLP MP.

And yet he'll be just as loyal to the whip as he ever was.

Anabobazina

So we are now excoriating the mob-rule destruction of statutes that have to yet to be built, of a person there are no plans to build statutes of?

As a dear old friend might have said...

Only on PB.

DavidL

kle4 said:

DavidL said:

isam said:

rottenborough said:

isam said:

RLB on Peston, will she be an MP by the morning?

Oh. What have I missed? Popcorn time?

Just that she signed a statement saying Jezza should be reinstated as an MP earlier, so wonder if she’ll say something controversial/critical of Sir Keir

He is still an MP, lamentably. He's just not a Labour PLP MP.

And yet he'll be just as loyal to the whip as he ever was.

So not very then.

TheScreamingEagles

https://twitter.com/politicshome/status/1329184893952253956

glw

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

The US is going to do a trial run next week, so at least in theory we will have time to learn any lessons.

Pulpstar

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

You'd hope people could use their common sense about christmas and skip meeting for instance cousins and extended family and so forth.

Foxy

Stuartinromford said:

isam said:

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329077290194460672?s=21

https://twitter.com/stevebakerhw/status/1329082035260903426?s=21

Nobody should be mentioning the idea of erecting Boris statues as a way of boosting the economy.

It will give him ideas.

Not only that, the rivers and harbours will be choked up with statuary in no time at all...

kle4

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/politicshome/status/1329184893952253956

Tories are big fans of them dank nugs?

williamglenn

glw said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

The US is going to do a trial run next week, so at least in theory we will have time to learn any lessons.

More of a turkey trot than a trial run.

FrancisUrquhart

Pulpstar said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

You'd hope people could use their common sense about christmas and skip meeting for instance cousins and extended family and so forth.

You watch people go absolutely nuts. 5 days on the lash, house to house.

Anabobazina

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

The obsession with Christmas is doing my nut. Focus on the vaccine, not daft turkey-dinner based gimmicks.

Black_Rook

turbotubbs said:

Black_Rook said:

turbotubbs said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Black_Rook said:

LadyG said:

Poland is heading into deep shit. 20,000 cases, 600 dead

All of Europe, or the large majority of it at any rate, is going to end up incarcerated like we are now - either continuously, or in cycles of two weeks out and two months back under house arrest - until somewhere between April and June next year, depending on the weather.

Start praying that this disease doesn't keep bouncing back and forth between humans and animals, returning in a new and vaccine negating form each time, as may already have started with the mink, or else we'll be locked up for nine months of the year every year for the rest of time. Or until the introduction of mandatory euthanasia at 60.

Yes, I have looked at the statistical runes and seen the same potentially horrendous outcome.

However I am more optimistic. Even if the fucker does mutate and no vaccine works for very long, in the end we will just learn to live with this virus the way we learned to live with syphilis and smallpox. ie it was terrible for those that got a bad dose, but life has to go on, so life went on

Perpetual lockdown will die before human civilisation submits to permanent imprisonment. We are already on the cusp of what western societies will accept (in terms of illiberal controls on life)

People, or a large enough percentage of them to do the necessary damage, are terrified. People will submit to practically anything if they're frightened enough. Mask wearing, protecting the NHS at any and all cost, extreme health and safety OCD over social distancing, as little direct contact with other disease vectors as possible and everything done through screens, it's all becoming culturally entrenched at a rate of knots. Best case scenario, the vaccines properly suppress the wretched disease and some of this stuff gradually gets rolled back. Most likely, this is it. Life will never get any better.

Have a little patience. Come back in summer and see where we are. Things will be better.

Will they be better? At best we'll be getting started on the task of rebuilding an economy out of the smouldering ruins that another four to six months of lockdown will have reduced it to. If the vaccine projects don't put a stake through the bloody virus then we'll barely have time to race to visit friends and relatives we've not seen for God knows how long before we're all locked back up again until May 2022.

A journey into the bright sunlit uplands may be possible, but I'm not going to believe it until I see it.

We’re not going to be in 6 months more lockdown. The tiers work. Not as well as full April style lockdown, but they keep most of the economy going while cases remain manageable. Once the 80+ year olds are vaccinated the death toll drops by 90 %. That could be by jan/feb.

The Government obviously doesn't believe that its tiers work or else (a) it wouldn't have ordered the lockdown and (b) we wouldn't have talk of the tiers - which previously lasted about 73 nanoseconds before being consigned to the dustbin - being brought back in a new and stricter form (prediction: for most of the country this will look suspiciously like a continuation of lockdown, and then the scientists will have a collective fit over rising hospital numbers, and lockdown will come back for everybody anyway.)

You make an interesting point about the priority vaccinations for the very ancient, but getting them all lanced that quickly relies on the efficiency of the healthcare system (which ought never to be taken for granted,) and even then it'll do nothing to alleviate the blind terror of tsunami waves of the slightly less ancient drowning the hospitals whilst waiting their turn for the jab. The stock answer to that is: more lockdown (whether that be continuous or cyclical.) Hence that's where this thing is going.

kle4

Pulpstar said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

You'd hope people could use their common sense about christmas and skip meeting for instance cousins and extended family and so forth.

Reminds me of a PSHE session we had to do while I was at school on the subject of friendship, which for some reason the session envisioned was aided by having a sheet with concentric circles, and rating your friends in the various inner and outer circles based on their level of friendship. You'd find out who the black sheep of the family was real quickly. Oh no cousin eddy, we don't want to risk your health, so no invite for you.

Anabobazina

Benpointer said:

dixiedean said:

Anabobazina said:

Some of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on PB at the end of the last thread.

Ye gods.

That's a high bar.
Will go check. Can't wait.

I checked. Hard to work out which ones @Anabobazina was particularly excited about.

The garbage channelling the “vaccine won’t work, this will go on forever” vibe.

Benpointer

Pulpstar said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

You'd hope people could use their common sense about christmas and skip meeting for instance cousins and extended family and so forth.

Am I alone in feeling more cautious now there's the clear prospect of a vaccine on the horizon?

It would be really dumb to catch Covid now with all its associated risks when in six months time the threat could be receding fast.

Foxy

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/politicshome/status/1329184893952253956

What were they smoking?

Anabobazina

Does anyone else immediately turn off the telly when LauraK pops up?

Benpointer

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/politicshome/status/1329184893952253956

What on earth were they smoking?

Aahh...

Malmesbury

kle4 said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/DavidHerdson/status/1329180935368138752

I think the idea the scheduling of a meeting like that cannot be part of gamesmanship to be unlikely. Doesn't mean there is not a very big risk of no deal, there is, but when there is tough talk and posturing, whoever it is from, it doesn't necessarily prove a damn thing.

And if there is a deal, why would the EU ambassadors *not* meet to discuss it?

dixiedean

Anabobazina said:

So we are now excoriating the mob-rule destruction of statutes that have to yet to be built, of a person there are no plans to build statutes of?

As a dear old friend might have said...

Only on PB.

Not so fast. There is a statue of Dolly already in Sevierville. And a proposal for another outside the Tennessee State House.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nme.com/news/music/petition-launched-replace-kkk-leaders-statue-dolly-parton-2687646?amp

kyf_100

FrancisUrquhart said:

Pulpstar said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

You'd hope people could use their common sense about christmas and skip meeting for instance cousins and extended family and so forth.

You watch people go absolutely nuts. 5 days on the lash, house to house.

That's my plan.

Alistair

https://twitter.com/Brand_Allen/status/1329182890018676739

Although I think Nate Silver is doing a bit of calling bullshit on this.

kle4

Malmesbury said:

kle4 said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/DavidHerdson/status/1329180935368138752

I think the idea the scheduling of a meeting like that cannot be part of gamesmanship to be unlikely. Doesn't mean there is not a very big risk of no deal, there is, but when there is tough talk and posturing, whoever it is from, it doesn't necessarily prove a damn thing.

And if there is a deal, why would the EU ambassadors *not* meet to discuss it?

It's the definitiveness of it that gets me The EU will do this, they won't do that, based on essentially reading tea leaves. I'm very worries that even if both sides want a deal they might back themselves into corners that prevent getting one, but one thing the EU definitely is is creative when it needs to be, especially when a deadline comes up, and ascribing such meaning to a meeting schedule? Come off it.

Alistair

https://twitter.com/NateSilver538/status/1329173570136797186

Benpointer

Anabobazina said:

Benpointer said:

dixiedean said:

Anabobazina said:

Some of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on PB at the end of the last thread.

Ye gods.

That's a high bar.
Will go check. Can't wait.

I checked. Hard to work out which ones @Anabobazina was particularly excited about.

The garbage channelling the “vaccine won’t work, this will go on forever” vibe.

Ah yes, fair point. I think I zone out whenever I see that stuff now.

rottenborough

Just when you thought Johnson's administration couldn't make a bigger f*cking mess of covid they go and pull another blinder.

This time letting the hare run that Xmas is on.

No way back now.

isam

https://twitter.com/theshadeborough/status/1329028145715040256?s=21

isam

isam said:

twitter.com/theshadeborough/status/1329028145715040256?s=21

There are some funny fake fury tweets from black people under the white Sainsbury’s ad - hooked a few

Malmesbury

kle4 said:

Malmesbury said:

kle4 said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/DavidHerdson/status/1329180935368138752

I think the idea the scheduling of a meeting like that cannot be part of gamesmanship to be unlikely. Doesn't mean there is not a very big risk of no deal, there is, but when there is tough talk and posturing, whoever it is from, it doesn't necessarily prove a damn thing.

And if there is a deal, why would the EU ambassadors *not* meet to discuss it?

It's the definitiveness of it that gets me The EU will do this, they won't do that, based on essentially reading tea leaves. I'm very worries that even if both sides want a deal they might back themselves into corners that prevent getting one, but one thing the EU definitely is is creative when it needs to be, especially when a deadline comes up, and ascribing such meaning to a meeting schedule? Come off it.

What I meant was this - deal or no deal, they will have a whole bunch of stuff to deal with regarding Brexit. Not sure that such a meeting scheduled means anything either way.

Black_Rook

Anabobazina said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

The obsession with Christmas is doing my nut. Focus on the vaccine, not daft turkey-dinner based gimmicks.

The whole Christmas thing is *entirely* about Government trying to avoid the exposure of its own powerlessness. Because it knows that, if it attempts to maintain severe limits on social contact at Christmas, a substantial fraction of the population won't obey. There are few things more fatal to anyone aspiring to authority than to make up rules that are simultaneously loathed and unenforceable: their widescale violation will simply make those who wrote the rules appear extremely weak and useless, and cause those still remaining obedient to them to question what the point is in bothering.

I suspect we'll be let out for the period from about Christmas Eve to January 2nd then locked up again (probably until around school half term holidays in February, when there might be another two week window for family reunions, followed by a fourth lockdown until Easter.)

CorrectHorseBattery

Have Tories given up thinking Sweden is the country to follow now? Notice it's gone a bit quiet since cases started exploding again

Charles

kle4 said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329170278409265155?s=19

'Braced for tax rises'.

Now, I know there are complexities to when really is the best time to raise them, but while the public will undoubtedly always dislike any tax rises, I'd think at the least more people will accept the principle of raising taxes after having to splurge massive amounts of cash in a pandemic.

I mean, lots of people are, in general, in favour of smaller government and frugality too, but would make a distinction between normal and not normal times.

That’s what most people missed

We borrowed this extra money from the Bank of England.

They created it for that purpose.

The debt isn’t really real...

They are putting up taxes because it’s a great excuse to put up taxes that had probably got too low overall

Anabobazina

Infecting granny before injecting granny at Christmastime seems completely bonkers to me.

Focus on the vaccine rollout, not daft gimmicks.

CorrectHorseBattery

Charles said:

kle4 said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329170278409265155?s=19

'Braced for tax rises'.

Now, I know there are complexities to when really is the best time to raise them, but while the public will undoubtedly always dislike any tax rises, I'd think at the least more people will accept the principle of raising taxes after having to splurge massive amounts of cash in a pandemic.

I mean, lots of people are, in general, in favour of smaller government and frugality too, but would make a distinction between normal and not normal times.

That’s what most people missed

We borrowed this extra money from the Bank of England.

They created it for that purpose.

The debt isn’t really real...

They are putting up taxes because it’s a great excuse to put up taxes that had probably got too low overall

Funny, when Brown did that Tories said he had bankrupted the country

rottenborough

Benpointer said:

Pulpstar said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

This.

https://twitter.com/fifisyms/status/1329183996161511426

You'd hope people could use their common sense about christmas and skip meeting for instance cousins and extended family and so forth.

Am I alone in feeling more cautious now there's the clear prospect of a vaccine on the horizon?

It would be really dumb to catch Covid now with all its associated risks when in six months time the threat could be receding fast.

Yeh, but it's christmas and it's got to be the best one ever and... and...

Anabobazina

Benpointer said:

Anabobazina said:

Benpointer said:

dixiedean said:

Anabobazina said:

Some of the most ridiculous posts I have ever read on PB at the end of the last thread.

Ye gods.

That's a high bar.
Will go check. Can't wait.

I checked. Hard to work out which ones @Anabobazina was particularly excited about.

The garbage channelling the “vaccine won’t work, this will go on forever” vibe.

Ah yes, fair point. I think I zone out whenever I see that stuff now.

There was a poster on PB (now disappeared) who assured PBers daily that live sport would never return and that was it forever for the Premier League and Test matches.

kle4

Malmesbury said:

kle4 said:

Malmesbury said:

kle4 said:

TheScreamingEagles said:

https://twitter.com/DavidHerdson/status/1329180935368138752

I think the idea the scheduling of a meeting like that cannot be part of gamesmanship to be unlikely. Doesn't mean there is not a very big risk of no deal, there is, but when there is tough talk and posturing, whoever it is from, it doesn't necessarily prove a damn thing.

And if there is a deal, why would the EU ambassadors *not* meet to discuss it?

It's the definitiveness of it that gets me The EU will do this, they won't do that, based on essentially reading tea leaves. I'm very worries that even if both sides want a deal they might back themselves into corners that prevent getting one, but one thing the EU definitely is is creative when it needs to be, especially when a deadline comes up, and ascribing such meaning to a meeting schedule? Come off it.

What I meant was this - deal or no deal, they will have a whole bunch of stuff to deal with regarding Brexit. Not sure that such a meeting scheduled means anything either way.

I agree with you, that's why I think David Herdson's reading it like its a set of prophetic chicken entrails is silly.

OnlyLivingBoy

FrancisUrquhart said:

On a more positive note, I presume they will be putting up a statue of Dolly Parton, for her funding vaccine and plasma research....until somebody finds she once said something racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, sizeist, disablist etc etc etc and they a load of people will rip it down.

Dolly has never said anything bad about anyone. She is pure class. A brilliant songwriter and musician as well as a thoroughly decent human being. She's probably one of the few people in America loved on both sides of the cultural divide. Nobody will tear down her statue, ever.

Malmesbury

OnlyLivingBoy said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

On a more positive note, I presume they will be putting up a statue of Dolly Parton, for her funding vaccine and plasma research....until somebody finds she once said something racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, sizeist, disablist etc etc etc and they a load of people will rip it down.

Dolly has never said anything bad about anyone. She is pure class. A brilliant songwriter and musician as well as a thoroughly decent human being. She's probably one of the few people in America loved on both sides of the cultural divide. Nobody will tear down her statue, ever.

{click} starts stopwatch.....

rottenborough

Further update from the Magic Money Tree:

https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1329189906011328516

kle4

isam said:

https://twitter.com/theshadeborough/status/1329028145715040256?s=21

Seems like it would be hard to prove that was the motivation unless Tesco admitted it, but faceless corporations don't tend to get benefit of the doubt.