I see that, while PB has spent the day frothing about the Falklands, the govt has been asked to help bailout Eurostar.
Those joke memes of a bricked up Chunnel might turn out to be true after all.
All I said was that I found our Falklands dominion "a bit odd". The frothing was a big surprise to me. Lessons learnt.
What's the argument for the Falklands remaining under British control?
Well the gist is 'cos that's what the islanders want." Fine, but as I was explaining this does not make it seem to me any less odd - and a little bit wrong - that Britain still has these hangover colonial possessions. I'm for agreeing some sort of compromise to resolve the sovereignty dispute. Will happen one day, I'd imagine.
There's a 'dispute' over the sovereignty of the Falklands in the same way that there's a 'dispute' over the winner of the US presidential election. We already did our healing with Argentina some time ago, I believe.
I'm afraid there is a dispute. It's disputed. 1982 settled it for a while - since winners of wars must have prizes - but not for good. I think something will be agreed in my lifetime and I'm no spring chicken.
In 2013, 99.8% of the voters of the Falklands answered 'Yes' to the following question, on a 92% turnout:
'Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?'
It's scarcely possible to imagine a more decisive democratic mandate. To dispute it is much, much worse than Trumpian.
Tell that to Kirchner who said, "It is as if a consortium of squatters had voted on whether to continue illegally occupying a building."
Kirchner, you say? That sounds like a good old indigenous South American name, so I'm sure she knows all about squatting.
Bluest Blue in favour of spaffing money at a population of 2840.
Typical Tory spaffer
And they were worth every single penny.
In shoring up the claim to Godhead of the Blessed Margaret, yes. Otherwise they are just a boring edge case. The claimed right to self-determination rests on highly arbitrary historical and geographic factors: if they have the right of self-determination why doesn't the Isle of Wight, or Unst, or the town of Woking? And how far would that 2840 have to drop before we recognised an absurdity? 284? 28? 2?
Defending British lives against fascist invaders? £2.778 billion.
Enabling the Thatcherite settlement to take root and endure until the present day? Priceless.
A rare case of good coming to those who do good.
I think we should have taken that £2.778 billion and given it to the NHS.
At least we'd have some money. This is the world created by those who have betrayed the blessed Margaret:
Edit: it's about how it's become impossible to import wine sanely and efficiently into the UK, sorry GB.
Ale and mead it is, I'm afraid.
Given that much of the best wine in the world is now being made in Oz, NZ, SA, Chile, Argentina (!), even the USA, I don't think we have to worry too much.
And English Fizz is now as good as first class champagne, if not quite at serious vintage champagne levels, yet. We shall endure.
It also makes no sense because we import wine from all of those countries mentioned without very many issues. What mechanism are importers of those wines using that the importers of European wines are finding impossible to use, could it be simple incompetence?
The guy is an absolute cretin. A shrieking FBPE-er. They really do themselves no favours. Here is something he eagerly retweeted
I see that, while PB has spent the day frothing about the Falklands, the govt has been asked to help bailout Eurostar.
Those joke memes of a bricked up Chunnel might turn out to be true after all.
All I said was that I found our Falklands dominion "a bit odd". The frothing was a big surprise to me. Lessons learnt.
What's the argument for the Falklands remaining under British control?
Well the gist is 'cos that's what the islanders want." Fine, but as I was explaining this does not make it seem to me any less odd - and a little bit wrong - that Britain still has these hangover colonial possessions. I'm for agreeing some sort of compromise to resolve the sovereignty dispute. Will happen one day, I'd imagine.
The compromise a vaguely intelligent Argentine government would make is to lovebomb the islanders. Special trading perks, exchange programmes, funding infrastructure projects, encouraging trade and communication between the mainland and the islands until the people of the Falklands were so plugged into Argentina’s economy and society that they saw no reason to keep a British flag flying out of sentiment.
Instead, they have taken the exact opposite approach of violence, threats, cutting them off from the mainland and consequently earned the deep and abiding hatred of the islanders as a result because they are even more useless than our lot of crooks and chancers, which is saying something.
Mind you, the Spanish themselves are no better in the way they’ve approached Gibraltar for the last 46 years.
Bit better now than it used to be with Gibraltar, surely?
I'm not expert, but I always thought there was a slight difference between the two situations, in that I thought Argentina essentially claims the Islands have always rightfully belonged to them (since the demise of the Spanish Empire) and that the British are squatters, whereas the Spanish really did sign away Gibraltar for ever (not that they stopped trying to recover it), but would like for it to be returned and/or the British are not fully adhering to the terms.
I’m also no expert on the history of Gibraltar, but I understood that the Spanish claimed it was signed away (a) under duress and (b) on the understanding it would only be a naval base. Which, they argue, makes the handover void.
Mind you, regardless of the technicalities of their case they have a right cheek to argue that while holding Ceuta and Melilla and describing them as ‘inviolable Spanish territory.’
I thought the gist of the Spanish claim that we were in breach of the Treaty of Utrecht was that we allowed Jews and Moors to settle in Gibraltar, in violation of its terms.
Well for a start we know that convalescent antibodies weren’t a great treatment in clinical trials - and the immune response isn’t just circulating antibodies.
I see that, while PB has spent the day frothing about the Falklands, the govt has been asked to help bailout Eurostar.
Those joke memes of a bricked up Chunnel might turn out to be true after all.
All I said was that I found our Falklands dominion "a bit odd". The frothing was a big surprise to me. Lessons learnt.
What's the argument for the Falklands remaining under British control?
Well the gist is 'cos that's what the islanders want." Fine, but as I was explaining this does not make it seem to me any less odd - and a little bit wrong - that Britain still has these hangover colonial possessions. I'm for agreeing some sort of compromise to resolve the sovereignty dispute. Will happen one day, I'd imagine.
There's a 'dispute' over the sovereignty of the Falklands in the same way that there's a 'dispute' over the winner of the US presidential election. We already did our healing with Argentina some time ago, I believe.
I'm afraid there is a dispute. It's disputed. 1982 settled it for a while - since winners of wars must have prizes - but not for good. I think something will be agreed in my lifetime and I'm no spring chicken.
In 2013, 99.8% of the voters of the Falklands answered 'Yes' to the following question, on a 92% turnout:
'Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?'
It's scarcely possible to imagine a more decisive democratic mandate. To dispute it is much, much worse than Trumpian.
Tell that to Kirchner who said, "It is as if a consortium of squatters had voted on whether to continue illegally occupying a building."
Kirchner, you say? That sounds like a good old indigenous South American name, so I'm sure she knows all about squatting.
Bluest Blue in favour of spaffing money at a population of 2840.
Typical Tory spaffer
And they were worth every single penny.
In shoring up the claim to Godhead of the Blessed Margaret, yes. Otherwise they are just a boring edge case. The claimed right to self-determination rests on highly arbitrary historical and geographic factors: if they have the right of self-determination why doesn't the Isle of Wight, or Unst, or the town of Woking? And how far would that 2840 have to drop before we recognised an absurdity? 284? 28? 2?
Defending British lives against fascist invaders? £2.778 billion.
Enabling the Thatcherite settlement to take root and endure until the present day? Priceless.
A rare case of good coming to those who do good.
I think we should have taken that £2.778 billion and given it to the NHS.
At least we'd have some money. This is the world created by those who have betrayed the blessed Margaret:
Edit: it's about how it's become impossible to import wine sanely and efficiently into the UK, sorry GB.
Ale and mead it is, I'm afraid.
Given that much of the best wine in the world is now being made in Oz, NZ, SA, Chile, Argentina (!), even the USA, I don't think we have to worry too much.
And English Fizz is now as good as first class champagne, if not quite at serious vintage champagne levels, yet. We shall endure.
It also makes no sense because we import wine from all of those countries mentioned without very many issues. What mechanism are importers of those wines using that the importers of European wines are finding impossible to use, could it be simple incompetence?
Yeah, what does a wine importer know about importing wines, compared to a random on the Internet 🤔
I am sure he knows a lot more about importing EU wines than the rest of us, and is genuinely hampered (tho his earlier hyperbole is a serious drag on his credibility, his timeline is nuts). He does not get to cancel democracy as a result.
Well it's approx 1 in 20 according to @LostPassword. If your classes are consistently much taller than that there's something funny going on. A strong and positive correlation between physics and height. Guess it's possible.
I'm just under 6'1 (185 cm precisely), and slightly shorter than my other half, 99.955%ile apparently. My younger brother is slightly taller than me too.
I'm getting the impression that this is either a forum of above average height individuals or that posters who are not very tall are for some reason not coming forward.
No shorter types out there?
Philip? You normally share. How far do you go up the wall?
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
Indeed.
Plus the UK has escalated its rollout as supply has come through and is escalating faster and faster, Denmark appear to have blitzed through their initial vaccine allocation since they started three weeks late, then plateaued as they wait for more stock.
There is no way even with that dodgy premise that after say 6 to 8 weeks post authorisation the colours will be like that.
The UK programme was also contending with Christmas during the first 20 days, but tbf, the initial rollout was quite slow here and that visualisation does tell that story well. It was at day 30 when it really took off here at day 40 (tomorrow's data) we'll be at close to 6.5 or 6.6% of people having had at least one jab and adding around 0.7-0.9% per day.
Here's a theory - it was only Boris wanting to set a target which forced an acceleration.
I see that, while PB has spent the day frothing about the Falklands, the govt has been asked to help bailout Eurostar.
Those joke memes of a bricked up Chunnel might turn out to be true after all.
All I said was that I found our Falklands dominion "a bit odd". The frothing was a big surprise to me. Lessons learnt.
What's the argument for the Falklands remaining under British control?
Well the gist is 'cos that's what the islanders want." Fine, but as I was explaining this does not make it seem to me any less odd - and a little bit wrong - that Britain still has these hangover colonial possessions. I'm for agreeing some sort of compromise to resolve the sovereignty dispute. Will happen one day, I'd imagine.
There's a 'dispute' over the sovereignty of the Falklands in the same way that there's a 'dispute' over the winner of the US presidential election. We already did our healing with Argentina some time ago, I believe.
I'm afraid there is a dispute. It's disputed. 1982 settled it for a while - since winners of wars must have prizes - but not for good. I think something will be agreed in my lifetime and I'm no spring chicken.
In 2013, 99.8% of the voters of the Falklands answered 'Yes' to the following question, on a 92% turnout:
'Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?'
It's scarcely possible to imagine a more decisive democratic mandate. To dispute it is much, much worse than Trumpian.
Tell that to Kirchner who said, "It is as if a consortium of squatters had voted on whether to continue illegally occupying a building."
Kirchner, you say? That sounds like a good old indigenous South American name, so I'm sure she knows all about squatting.
Bluest Blue in favour of spaffing money at a population of 2840.
Typical Tory spaffer
And they were worth every single penny.
In shoring up the claim to Godhead of the Blessed Margaret, yes. Otherwise they are just a boring edge case. The claimed right to self-determination rests on highly arbitrary historical and geographic factors: if they have the right of self-determination why doesn't the Isle of Wight, or Unst, or the town of Woking? And how far would that 2840 have to drop before we recognised an absurdity? 284? 28? 2?
Defending British lives against fascist invaders? £2.778 billion.
Enabling the Thatcherite settlement to take root and endure until the present day? Priceless.
A rare case of good coming to those who do good.
I think we should have taken that £2.778 billion and given it to the NHS.
At least we'd have some money. This is the world created by those who have betrayed the blessed Margaret:
Edit: it's about how it's become impossible to import wine sanely and efficiently into the UK, sorry GB.
Ale and mead it is, I'm afraid.
Given that much of the best wine in the world is now being made in Oz, NZ, SA, Chile, Argentina (!), even the USA, I don't think we have to worry too much.
And English Fizz is now as good as first class champagne, if not quite at serious vintage champagne levels, yet. We shall endure.
It also makes no sense because we import wine from all of those countries mentioned without very many issues. What mechanism are importers of those wines using that the importers of European wines are finding impossible to use, could it be simple incompetence?
Yeah, what does a wine importer know about importing wines, compared to a random on the Internet 🤔
Given that I can order cases and cases of Argentine or Australian wine neither of which are covered by trade deals but apparently it's impossible to import EU wines. We have a "no deal brexit" with Australia, and I can easily go and buy a case of Grange, people who import Australian wines must know something that importers of EU wines don't. Even more strangely, the importers of Australian wines and the importers of EU wines are usually the same people.
I see that, while PB has spent the day frothing about the Falklands, the govt has been asked to help bailout Eurostar.
Those joke memes of a bricked up Chunnel might turn out to be true after all.
All I said was that I found our Falklands dominion "a bit odd". The frothing was a big surprise to me. Lessons learnt.
What's the argument for the Falklands remaining under British control?
Well the gist is 'cos that's what the islanders want." Fine, but as I was explaining this does not make it seem to me any less odd - and a little bit wrong - that Britain still has these hangover colonial possessions. I'm for agreeing some sort of compromise to resolve the sovereignty dispute. Will happen one day, I'd imagine.
There's a 'dispute' over the sovereignty of the Falklands in the same way that there's a 'dispute' over the winner of the US presidential election. We already did our healing with Argentina some time ago, I believe.
I'm afraid there is a dispute. It's disputed. 1982 settled it for a while - since winners of wars must have prizes - but not for good. I think something will be agreed in my lifetime and I'm no spring chicken.
BluestBlue hit the nail on the head. It is disputed in the same way as the 2020 US Presidential Election is disputed.
Argentina like Trump disputing reality. Argentina like Trump literally the face of modern fascism. Argentina like Trump rejecting democracy.
Why would you be anything other than 100% against the Trumpian dispute of Argentina? It is deplorable. You are taking the side (or both sides) with Trumpians. For shame.
The question of the ownership of the Falklands is one of international law.
What have you been repeatedly telling us recently about the non binding nature of international law?
That domestic law is more important. If the domestic people living on the islands want to change their sovereignty I respect that. Its called self-determination.
Do you?
No, it's a factor in some situations. Thatcher latched on to it as a face saving exercise, probably before you were born, and you have elevated it to a status where to question it is equivalent to endorsing paedophilia cannibalism. It is a principle universally ignored when the situation demands it. Heard of Yalta?
Say the inhabitants of Unst vote to become part of China. What happens next?
Good guess, yes it was before I was born, a few weeks before I was born. Yes to go against self-determination is unacceptable.
As for the Shetlands I think their future should be up to them. I can't see them voting to join China though, more likely Norway - and if they were to do that I would respect it.
Well for a start we know that convalescent antibodies weren’t a great treatment in clinical trials - and the immune response isn’t just circulating antibodies.
Amazingly the people pushing this same agenda still pop up and try and sell us the same tired old bullshit and the same tired and busted twitter bots post that rubbish on here day in day out as some unrequited labour of love for the EU.
B-52 US bombers fly over Middle East; Iran condemns intimidation Iranian foreign minister says the US would be better off spending its military billions ‘on your taxpayers’ health’.
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
Indeed.
Plus the UK has escalated its rollout as supply has come through and is escalating faster and faster, Denmark appear to have blitzed through their initial vaccine allocation since they started three weeks late, then plateaued as they wait for more stock.
There is no way even with that dodgy premise that after say 6 to 8 weeks post authorisation the colours will be like that.
The UK programme was also contending with Christmas during the first 20 days, but tbf, the initial rollout was quite slow here and that visualisation does tell that story well. It was at day 30 when it really took off here at day 40 (tomorrow's data) we'll be at close to 6.5 or 6.6% of people having had at least one jab and adding around 0.7-0.9% per day.
Here's a theory - it was only Boris wanting to set a target which forced an acceleration.
Similar to April and testing.
I don't think so, the NHS has always intended to get the vaccine rolled out as quickly as possible, it is an area of strength for the organisation. From the start I've always expected that we'd be looking at 4-5m jabs per week sustained for a few months, my central forecast has been almost bang on the actuals so far and I made that well before the 15m target was announced.
Given the steady fall in infections doesn't this disprove the claims that the new variant increased R by up to 0.7 ?
It was 50-70%, and given that we're in a tough lockdown that produced an R of 0.4-0.6 in the immediate aftermath in March we're tracking about the same as that but with a higher R on the same measures.
I don't think this lockdown is as tough as that in the spring.
In any case there was talk back in December that the new variant was so contagious that it would be impossible to get R below 1.
Instead infections are falling pretty fast, in particular in areas which were hardest hit in December.
The other possibility is that there is significant herd immunity acquired which is now having an effect locally.
About 10% of all adults have been vaccinated now too.
... have had one dose.
Edit: actually isn't it closer to 7% (assuming 6% of the whole population have been vaccinated and 84% of the population are adults)?
Given the steady fall in infections doesn't this disprove the claims that the new variant increased R by up to 0.7 ?
It was 50-70%, and given that we're in a tough lockdown that produced an R of 0.4-0.6 in the immediate aftermath in March we're tracking about the same as that but with a higher R on the same measures.
I don't think this lockdown is as tough as that in the spring.
In any case there was talk back in December that the new variant was so contagious that it would be impossible to get R below 1.
Instead infections are falling pretty fast, in particular in areas which were hardest hit in December.
The other possibility is that there is significant herd immunity acquired which is now having an effect locally.
About 10% of all adults have been vaccinated now too.
... have had one dose.
Edit: actually isn't it closer to 7% (assuming 6% of the whole population have been vaccinated and 84% of the population are adults)?
See earlier discussion re two dose vaccination... having one dose clearly is vaccinated, even if a second dose at a later stage adds slightly more protection.
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
Indeed.
Plus the UK has escalated its rollout as supply has come through and is escalating faster and faster, Denmark appear to have blitzed through their initial vaccine allocation since they started three weeks late, then plateaued as they wait for more stock.
There is no way even with that dodgy premise that after say 6 to 8 weeks post authorisation the colours will be like that.
The UK programme was also contending with Christmas during the first 20 days, but tbf, the initial rollout was quite slow here and that visualisation does tell that story well. It was at day 30 when it really took off here at day 40 (tomorrow's data) we'll be at close to 6.5 or 6.6% of people having had at least one jab and adding around 0.7-0.9% per day.
Here's a theory - it was only Boris wanting to set a target which forced an acceleration.
Similar to April and testing.
I don't think so, the NHS has always intended to get the vaccine rolled out as quickly as possible, it is an area of strength for the organisation. From the start I've always expected that we'd be looking at 4-5m jabs per week sustained for a few months, my central forecast has been almost bang on the actuals so far and I made that well before the 15m target was announced.
Certainly, I'm sure we would have seen an acceleration.
But it does feel that the government is going much harder on vaccination now then initially.
It may be only my impression but I sense that the government needs a target otherwise it lapses into lethargy.
Given that much of the best wine in the world is now being made in Oz, NZ, SA, Chile, Argentina (!), even the USA, I don't think we have to worry too much.
And English Fizz is now as good as first class champagne, if not quite at serious vintage champagne levels, yet. We shall endure.
I had a bottle of Alder Ridge Blanc De Noirs from Berkshire the other day. I thought it was as good as any champagne I've had. https://www.alderridge.co.uk/our-wine
No, it's a factor in some situations. Thatcher latched on to it as a face saving exercise, probably before you were born, and you have elevated it to a status where to question it is equivalent to endorsing paedophilia cannibalism. It is a principle universally ignored when the situation demands it. Heard of Yalta?
Say the inhabitants of Unst vote to become part of China. What happens next?
Something as ridiculous as N Korea dropping a thousand people on Rockall?
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
Indeed.
Plus the UK has escalated its rollout as supply has come through and is escalating faster and faster, Denmark appear to have blitzed through their initial vaccine allocation since they started three weeks late, then plateaued as they wait for more stock.
There is no way even with that dodgy premise that after say 6 to 8 weeks post authorisation the colours will be like that.
The UK programme was also contending with Christmas during the first 20 days, but tbf, the initial rollout was quite slow here and that visualisation does tell that story well. It was at day 30 when it really took off here at day 40 (tomorrow's data) we'll be at close to 6.5 or 6.6% of people having had at least one jab and adding around 0.7-0.9% per day.
Here's a theory - it was only Boris wanting to set a target which forced an acceleration.
Similar to April and testing.
I don't think so, the NHS has always intended to get the vaccine rolled out as quickly as possible, it is an area of strength for the organisation. From the start I've always expected that we'd be looking at 4-5m jabs per week sustained for a few months, my central forecast has been almost bang on the actuals so far and I made that well before the 15m target was announced.
Certainly, I'm sure we would have seen an acceleration.
But it does feel that the government is going much harder on vaccination now then initially.
It may be only my impression but I sense that the government needs a target otherwise it lapses into lethargy.
Certainly the Welsh "it will happen when it happens" rollout is hardly a model alternative.
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
What is this guy's problem. He reminds me of Gore Vidal's dictum: it's not enough that I succeed, OTHERS MUST FAIL
So he thinks the EU is doing OK with the vaccine. Personally I think that's absurdly simplistic, some EU countries are going good, some are doing shite. But up to him.
However, that's all that should matter to him, as an American correspondent covering the EU in Brussels. But he is desperate to show that UK is not succeeding, indeed is failing. Most peculiar. My guess would be some strange personal history making him emotionally hostile to Brexit, and thereby irrational. A Yankee A C Grayling, an FBPE-er from NYC
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
Indeed.
Plus the UK has escalated its rollout as supply has come through and is escalating faster and faster, Denmark appear to have blitzed through their initial vaccine allocation since they started three weeks late, then plateaued as they wait for more stock.
There is no way even with that dodgy premise that after say 6 to 8 weeks post authorisation the colours will be like that.
The UK programme was also contending with Christmas during the first 20 days, but tbf, the initial rollout was quite slow here and that visualisation does tell that story well. It was at day 30 when it really took off here at day 40 (tomorrow's data) we'll be at close to 6.5 or 6.6% of people having had at least one jab and adding around 0.7-0.9% per day.
Here's a theory - it was only Boris wanting to set a target which forced an acceleration.
Similar to April and testing.
I don't think so, the NHS has always intended to get the vaccine rolled out as quickly as possible, it is an area of strength for the organisation. From the start I've always expected that we'd be looking at 4-5m jabs per week sustained for a few months, my central forecast has been almost bang on the actuals so far and I made that well before the 15m target was announced.
Certainly, I'm sure we would have seen an acceleration.
But it does feel that the government is going much harder on vaccination now then initially.
It may be only my impression but I sense that the government needs a target otherwise it lapses into lethargy.
The govt are quite clear the only limiting factor has been supply.
At the start they only had Pfizer and not much of it.
Now we have AZ as well, and we are getting increasing amounts each week.
It is that simple and nothing to do with govt targets.
Given that much of the best wine in the world is now being made in Oz, NZ, SA, Chile, Argentina (!), even the USA, I don't think we have to worry too much.
And English Fizz is now as good as first class champagne, if not quite at serious vintage champagne levels, yet. We shall endure.
I had a bottle of Alder Ridge Blanc De Noirs from Berkshire the other day. I thought it was as good as any champagne I've had. https://www.alderridge.co.uk/our-wine
English fizz is sometimes superb, now. Fruitier yet subtler than champagne.
I confess I am still slightly resistant to English still white wine, and cannot conceive of a good English red wine. Yet I am told some of the whites are now excellent, by the same people - pros, experts - who told me five-ten years ago to start opening my mind to English fizz.
They were right. So they are probably right again.
I see that, while PB has spent the day frothing about the Falklands, the govt has been asked to help bailout Eurostar.
Those joke memes of a bricked up Chunnel might turn out to be true after all.
All I said was that I found our Falklands dominion "a bit odd". The frothing was a big surprise to me. Lessons learnt.
What's the argument for the Falklands remaining under British control?
Well the gist is 'cos that's what the islanders want." Fine, but as I was explaining this does not make it seem to me any less odd - and a little bit wrong - that Britain still has these hangover colonial possessions. I'm for agreeing some sort of compromise to resolve the sovereignty dispute. Will happen one day, I'd imagine.
There's a 'dispute' over the sovereignty of the Falklands in the same way that there's a 'dispute' over the winner of the US presidential election. We already did our healing with Argentina some time ago, I believe.
I'm afraid there is a dispute. It's disputed. 1982 settled it for a while - since winners of wars must have prizes - but not for good. I think something will be agreed in my lifetime and I'm no spring chicken.
In 2013, 99.8% of the voters of the Falklands answered 'Yes' to the following question, on a 92% turnout:
'Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?'
It's scarcely possible to imagine a more decisive democratic mandate. To dispute it is much, much worse than Trumpian.
Tell that to Kirchner who said, "It is as if a consortium of squatters had voted on whether to continue illegally occupying a building."
Kirchner, you say? That sounds like a good old indigenous South American name, so I'm sure she knows all about squatting.
Bluest Blue in favour of spaffing money at a population of 2840.
Typical Tory spaffer
And they were worth every single penny.
In shoring up the claim to Godhead of the Blessed Margaret, yes. Otherwise they are just a boring edge case. The claimed right to self-determination rests on highly arbitrary historical and geographic factors: if they have the right of self-determination why doesn't the Isle of Wight, or Unst, or the town of Woking? And how far would that 2840 have to drop before we recognised an absurdity? 284? 28? 2?
Defending British lives against fascist invaders? £2.778 billion.
Enabling the Thatcherite settlement to take root and endure until the present day? Priceless.
A rare case of good coming to those who do good.
I think we should have taken that £2.778 billion and given it to the NHS.
At least we'd have some money. This is the world created by those who have betrayed the blessed Margaret:
Edit: it's about how it's become impossible to import wine sanely and efficiently into the UK, sorry GB.
Ale and mead it is, I'm afraid.
Given that much of the best wine in the world is now being made in Oz, NZ, SA, Chile, Argentina (!), even the USA, I don't think we have to worry too much.
And English Fizz is now as good as first class champagne, if not quite at serious vintage champagne levels, yet. We shall endure.
It also makes no sense because we import wine from all of those countries mentioned without very many issues. What mechanism are importers of those wines using that the importers of European wines are finding impossible to use, could it be simple incompetence?
Yeah, what does a wine importer know about importing wines, compared to a random on the Internet 🤔
Given that I can order cases and cases of Argentine or Australian wine neither of which are covered by trade deals but apparently it's impossible to import EU wines. We have a "no deal brexit" with Australia, and I can easily go and buy a case of Grange, people who import Australian wines must know something that importers of EU wines don't. Even more strangely, the importers of Australian wines and the importers of EU wines are usually the same people.
You should actually read the thread. It explains very clearly the issues which relate to importing EU wines tariff-free under the FTA. They are probably teething issues in the main but they are nevertheless issues.
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
Indeed.
Plus the UK has escalated its rollout as supply has come through and is escalating faster and faster, Denmark appear to have blitzed through their initial vaccine allocation since they started three weeks late, then plateaued as they wait for more stock.
There is no way even with that dodgy premise that after say 6 to 8 weeks post authorisation the colours will be like that.
The UK programme was also contending with Christmas during the first 20 days, but tbf, the initial rollout was quite slow here and that visualisation does tell that story well. It was at day 30 when it really took off here at day 40 (tomorrow's data) we'll be at close to 6.5 or 6.6% of people having had at least one jab and adding around 0.7-0.9% per day.
Here's a theory - it was only Boris wanting to set a target which forced an acceleration.
Similar to April and testing.
I don't think so, the NHS has always intended to get the vaccine rolled out as quickly as possible, it is an area of strength for the organisation. From the start I've always expected that we'd be looking at 4-5m jabs per week sustained for a few months, my central forecast has been almost bang on the actuals so far and I made that well before the 15m target was announced.
Certainly, I'm sure we would have seen an acceleration.
But it does feel that the government is going much harder on vaccination now then initially.
It may be only my impression but I sense that the government needs a target otherwise it lapses into lethargy.
The govt are quite clear the only limiting factor has been supply.
At the start they only had Pfizer and not much of it.
Now we have AZ as well, and we are getting increasing amounts each week.
It is that simple and nothing to do with govt targets.
But the EU countries show that whatever vaccination strategy the government chooses does have an effect.
So Denmark is doing better than Belgium and Italy better than France and the Dutch chose to do sod all for ten days.
Given that much of the best wine in the world is now being made in Oz, NZ, SA, Chile, Argentina (!), even the USA, I don't think we have to worry too much.
And English Fizz is now as good as first class champagne, if not quite at serious vintage champagne levels, yet. We shall endure.
I had a bottle of Alder Ridge Blanc De Noirs from Berkshire the other day. I thought it was as good as any champagne I've had. https://www.alderridge.co.uk/our-wine
English fizz is sometimes superb, now. Fruitier yet subtler than champagne.
I confess I am still slightly resistant to English still white wine, and cannot conceive of a good English red wine. Yet I am told some of the whites are now excellent, by the same people - pros, experts - who told me five-ten years ago to start opening my mind to English fizz.
They were right. So they are probably right again.
Chapel Down from Tenderden make very good English white and rosé. I've yet to fine a good English red... probably needs a couple more decades of global warming 😬
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
Indeed.
Plus the UK has escalated its rollout as supply has come through and is escalating faster and faster, Denmark appear to have blitzed through their initial vaccine allocation since they started three weeks late, then plateaued as they wait for more stock.
There is no way even with that dodgy premise that after say 6 to 8 weeks post authorisation the colours will be like that.
The UK programme was also contending with Christmas during the first 20 days, but tbf, the initial rollout was quite slow here and that visualisation does tell that story well. It was at day 30 when it really took off here at day 40 (tomorrow's data) we'll be at close to 6.5 or 6.6% of people having had at least one jab and adding around 0.7-0.9% per day.
Here's a theory - it was only Boris wanting to set a target which forced an acceleration.
Similar to April and testing.
I don't think so, the NHS has always intended to get the vaccine rolled out as quickly as possible, it is an area of strength for the organisation. From the start I've always expected that we'd be looking at 4-5m jabs per week sustained for a few months, my central forecast has been almost bang on the actuals so far and I made that well before the 15m target was announced.
Certainly, I'm sure we would have seen an acceleration.
But it does feel that the government is going much harder on vaccination now then initially.
It may be only my impression but I sense that the government needs a target otherwise it lapses into lethargy.
The govt are quite clear the only limiting factor has been supply.
At the start they only had Pfizer and not much of it.
Now we have AZ as well, and we are getting increasing amounts each week.
It is that simple and nothing to do with govt targets.
But the EU countries show that whatever vaccination strategy the government chooses does have an effect.
So Denmark is doing better than Belgium and Italy better than France and the Dutch chose to do sod all for ten days.
Each country is different, in the UK we do more flu vaccinations than any other EU country, about 50% more than France. We are set up for this logistically already. In France a lot more people dont even want the vaccines.
Just like we were poorly set up for testing compared to Germany in the first lockdown, we are best placed in terms of vaccinations.
Given the steady fall in infections doesn't this disprove the claims that the new variant increased R by up to 0.7 ?
It was 50-70%, and given that we're in a tough lockdown that produced an R of 0.4-0.6 in the immediate aftermath in March we're tracking about the same as that but with a higher R on the same measures.
I don't think this lockdown is as tough as that in the spring.
In any case there was talk back in December that the new variant was so contagious that it would be impossible to get R below 1.
Instead infections are falling pretty fast, in particular in areas which were hardest hit in December.
The other possibility is that there is significant herd immunity acquired which is now having an effect locally.
About 10% of all adults have been vaccinated now too.
... have had one dose.
Edit: actually isn't it closer to 7% (assuming 6% of the whole population have been vaccinated and 84% of the population are adults)?
See earlier discussion re two dose vaccination... having one dose clearly is vaccinated, even if a second dose at a later stage adds slightly more protection.
It's still closer to 7% of adults rather than @Philip_Thompson's 10%.
Notwithstanding which, I think the UK doing very well on vaccinations and, as I predicted on 3rd January, this will be a big success because we have a number of inherent advantages.
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
Indeed.
Plus the UK has escalated its rollout as supply has come through and is escalating faster and faster, Denmark appear to have blitzed through their initial vaccine allocation since they started three weeks late, then plateaued as they wait for more stock.
There is no way even with that dodgy premise that after say 6 to 8 weeks post authorisation the colours will be like that.
The UK programme was also contending with Christmas during the first 20 days, but tbf, the initial rollout was quite slow here and that visualisation does tell that story well. It was at day 30 when it really took off here at day 40 (tomorrow's data) we'll be at close to 6.5 or 6.6% of people having had at least one jab and adding around 0.7-0.9% per day.
Here's a theory - it was only Boris wanting to set a target which forced an acceleration.
Similar to April and testing.
I don't think so, the NHS has always intended to get the vaccine rolled out as quickly as possible, it is an area of strength for the organisation. From the start I've always expected that we'd be looking at 4-5m jabs per week sustained for a few months, my central forecast has been almost bang on the actuals so far and I made that well before the 15m target was announced.
Certainly, I'm sure we would have seen an acceleration.
But it does feel that the government is going much harder on vaccination now then initially.
It may be only my impression but I sense that the government needs a target otherwise it lapses into lethargy.
The govt are quite clear the only limiting factor has been supply.
At the start they only had Pfizer and not much of it.
Now we have AZ as well, and we are getting increasing amounts each week.
It is that simple and nothing to do with govt targets.
But the EU countries show that whatever vaccination strategy the government chooses does have an effect.
So Denmark is doing better than Belgium and Italy better than France and the Dutch chose to do sod all for ten days.
Each country is different, in the UK we do more flu vaccinations than any other EU country, about 50% more than France. We are set up for this logistically already. In France a lot more people dont even want the vaccines.
Just like we were poorly set up for testing compared to Germany in the first lockdown, we are best placed in terms of vaccinations.
I see that, while PB has spent the day frothing about the Falklands, the govt has been asked to help bailout Eurostar.
Those joke memes of a bricked up Chunnel might turn out to be true after all.
All I said was that I found our Falklands dominion "a bit odd". The frothing was a big surprise to me. Lessons learnt.
What's the argument for the Falklands remaining under British control?
Well the gist is 'cos that's what the islanders want." Fine, but as I was explaining this does not make it seem to me any less odd - and a little bit wrong - that Britain still has these hangover colonial possessions. I'm for agreeing some sort of compromise to resolve the sovereignty dispute. Will happen one day, I'd imagine.
There’s a stronger case for St Pierre and Miquelon to be given to Canada.
That's a new one on me. Will google and see if I can glean a wafer thin understanding that is nevertheless sufficient to opine.
The French kept St Pierre and Miquelon in order to keep a share of the Canadian fisheries, I believe.
Ah the French. I see. Thanks. I'll pass then. A distraction.
Why is it a distraction? Do they have a licence to be odd?
No. But it's unhelpful whataboutery. It doesn't impact the point I'm making. Sorry - that I've made. You either feel the way I do or you don't. And if you don't you have a brainwashed colonial mindset. That's not a problem. People can still have a good life with that.
But anyway, not to go on. CYL.
And if that feeling leads someone to support Argentinian colonialism based on a vague sense that it is less odd, how would you characterise their thought process?
Screwed. But not guilty. You need to work on word processing.
I see that, while PB has spent the day frothing about the Falklands, the govt has been asked to help bailout Eurostar.
Those joke memes of a bricked up Chunnel might turn out to be true after all.
All I said was that I found our Falklands dominion "a bit odd". The frothing was a big surprise to me. Lessons learnt.
What's the argument for the Falklands remaining under British control?
Well the gist is 'cos that's what the islanders want." Fine, but as I was explaining this does not make it seem to me any less odd - and a little bit wrong - that Britain still has these hangover colonial possessions. I'm for agreeing some sort of compromise to resolve the sovereignty dispute. Will happen one day, I'd imagine.
There’s a stronger case for St Pierre and Miquelon to be given to Canada.
That's a new one on me. Will google and see if I can glean a wafer thin understanding that is nevertheless sufficient to opine.
The French kept St Pierre and Miquelon in order to keep a share of the Canadian fisheries, I believe.
Ah the French. I see. Thanks. I'll pass then. A distraction.
Why is it a distraction? Do they have a licence to be odd?
No. But it's unhelpful whataboutery. It doesn't impact the point I'm making. Sorry - that I've made. You either feel the way I do or you don't. And if you don't you have a brainwashed colonial mindset. That's not a problem. People can still have a good life with that.
But anyway, not to go on. CYL.
No you have the brainwashed colonial mindset. I feel sorry for you. You are literally in bed with Trump.
One day you'll get past the MAGA (Make Argentina Great Again) "dispute" lies and wonder what you were ever thinking.
"You are literally in bed with Trump." Literally literally?
He might be. I think we should know. Going by @kinabalu posts he doesn't seem to be getting on with his bedfellow.
I like to finish on nice thoughts and that is not one.
Italy and Germany have made good progress. I saw this little map early, that would make even a Lib Dem blush, but there is a grain of truth in it. Since authorisation, most European countries seem to have got a move on:
Isn't that just actually pointing out that everyone should have started 20 days earlier, like we did?
Indeed.
Plus the UK has escalated its rollout as supply has come through and is escalating faster and faster, Denmark appear to have blitzed through their initial vaccine allocation since they started three weeks late, then plateaued as they wait for more stock.
There is no way even with that dodgy premise that after say 6 to 8 weeks post authorisation the colours will be like that.
The UK programme was also contending with Christmas during the first 20 days, but tbf, the initial rollout was quite slow here and that visualisation does tell that story well. It was at day 30 when it really took off here at day 40 (tomorrow's data) we'll be at close to 6.5 or 6.6% of people having had at least one jab and adding around 0.7-0.9% per day.
Here's a theory - it was only Boris wanting to set a target which forced an acceleration.
Similar to April and testing.
I don't think so, the NHS has always intended to get the vaccine rolled out as quickly as possible, it is an area of strength for the organisation. From the start I've always expected that we'd be looking at 4-5m jabs per week sustained for a few months, my central forecast has been almost bang on the actuals so far and I made that well before the 15m target was announced.
Certainly, I'm sure we would have seen an acceleration.
But it does feel that the government is going much harder on vaccination now then initially.
It may be only my impression but I sense that the government needs a target otherwise it lapses into lethargy.
The govt are quite clear the only limiting factor has been supply.
At the start they only had Pfizer and not much of it.
Now we have AZ as well, and we are getting increasing amounts each week.
It is that simple and nothing to do with govt targets.
But the EU countries show that whatever vaccination strategy the government chooses does have an effect.
So Denmark is doing better than Belgium and Italy better than France and the Dutch chose to do sod all for ten days.
Each country is different, in the UK we do more flu vaccinations than any other EU country, about 50% more than France. We are set up for this logistically already. In France a lot more people dont even want the vaccines.
Just like we were poorly set up for testing compared to Germany in the first lockdown, we are best placed in terms of vaccinations.
Partygoers who claimed to be unaware of the global pandemic, a group hosting a gender reveal party and people attending an illegal car meet are among the coronavirus rule-breakers caught over the weekend.
Police shut down a party in Basingstoke, Hampshire, on Saturday but were told the hosts were "unaware of the global pandemic, as they never watch the news".
If not that, they need to be on a leash and muzzled at all times.
Richmond Park dog walker fined £602 over pet's 'relentless' fatal attack on deer
Police are urging dog owners to keep their pets on a tight lead after an increase in attacks during lockdown.
A man has been fined £602 after his dog fatally injured a deer during a "relentless" attack in London's Richmond Park.
Dramatic footage filmed by a cyclist shows Franck Hiribarne's red setter, Alfie, rushing at the small hind, jumping up at her and dragging her backwards, at around 9am on 1 October last year.
Despite the efforts of several passers-by to get between the animals, forming a human barrier to stop the attack, Alfie left the deer with deep wounds to her back and tail, which was partially detached.
The hind also suffered a broken leg after being hit by a car in her attempts to get away.
She was found a short while later, collapsed in the ferns, and had to be put down by a gamekeeper.
Mr Hiribarne, from southwest London, pleaded guilty at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on 15 January to causing or permitting an animal he was in charge of to injure another animal in a royal park. He was fined £602.
The defendant reported the incident himself to the Royal Parks Office, while witnesses - some of whom described the attack as "relentless" - spoke to officers in a passing police car.
Red setters are horrid little dogs. They look nice though.
You must be very big, if you consider a Red Setter to be "little".
I'm 6.2. I suppose they're medium.
In bare feet and not on tip toes?
If so, that's unusual.
Roughly the 95th percentile for British males at age 18. You'd expect at least 16 MPs to be that tall, even if you had a perfect gender balance.
Yes, very unusual. This is why I always doublecheck when somebody says they are that tall.
A significant number of the sixth-form boys I teach are that height or more. Many of my A-level sets over the years have contained someone who has to duck to go through the door of the lab.
Well it's approx 1 in 20 according to @LostPassword. If your classes are consistently much taller than that there's something funny going on. A strong and positive correlation between physics and height. Guess it's possible.
It’s because A-level physics is a hell of a stretch.
It's because he's (relatively) old.
Pair of Red Setters once killed 4 of my geese because the stupid owner had let them off the lead.
Good on the man for reporting himself.
Also good on the Court for a sensible fine.
I presume you keep geese to sell at Xmas? I really like eating goose, and I've often wondered why it's not available year-round. My entirely lonely Xmas Day was cheered by my having obtained a couple of legs to roast.
Are there limitations, or is it just a lack of demand outside the season?
Also love Goose. In Austria there is a special goose season I believe. Had one of the richest meals of my life on a cold November night in Vienna.
Well lets hope @MattW responds and tells us that he's supplying his geese to Tescos.
Alas not. It was some time ago.
I was sorely tempted by a goose from Aldi this year, but currently shielding on my own so it would have been a marathon.
There's a new lawsuit been filed by some Trumpers, and it's glorious 6.The 20th Amendment mandates that President Trump’s term must end at noon on January 20th, but since Congress’s act on January 6, 2021 in confirming Joseph Biden as President-Elect was clearly illegitimate,and there is effectively no lawfully existing Legislative Branchthis means that the Presidential Inauguration cannot lawfully go forward on Wednesday. !!! Thankfully !!!, there is still time for the only the only lawfully and constitutionally remaining federal public official, President Donald Trump to take all reasonable and necessary action consistent with the Take Care Clause of Article II, Section 1 and all the original intents and purposes of the Constitution of the United States to preserve the lawful and orderly continuity of government 7. Accordingly, this Court should rest assured that the relief requested in this lawsuit will not result in the destruction of democracy 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Comments
https://twitter.com/JusticeRules4/status/1350402610495369216?s=20
He might as well be the Trump of Rejoin. Cancel democracy! Remain REALLY won, with LEGAL votes! Remain had the bigliest vote ever!
And as this points out:
https://twitter.com/kakape/status/1351261205827121164
Similar to April and testing.
As for the Shetlands I think their future should be up to them. I can't see them voting to join China though, more likely Norway - and if they were to do that I would respect it.
https://twitter.com/sarahzhang/status/1351224100690264064?s=19
Iranian foreign minister says the US would be better off spending its military billions ‘on your taxpayers’ health’.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/1/18/b-52-us-bombers-fly-over-middle-east-iran-condemns-intimidation
Interesting riff on the "Let's take all the money..." argument.
Edit: actually isn't it closer to 7% (assuming 6% of the whole population have been vaccinated and 84% of the population are adults)?
🎻 <- Actual size violin for them.
But it does feel that the government is going much harder on vaccination now then initially.
It may be only my impression but I sense that the government needs a target otherwise it lapses into lethargy.
https://www.alderridge.co.uk/our-wine
So he thinks the EU is doing OK with the vaccine. Personally I think that's absurdly simplistic, some EU countries are going good, some are doing shite. But up to him.
However, that's all that should matter to him, as an American correspondent covering the EU in Brussels. But he is desperate to show that UK is not succeeding, indeed is failing. Most peculiar. My guess would be some strange personal history making him emotionally hostile to Brexit, and thereby irrational. A Yankee A C Grayling, an FBPE-er from NYC
At the start they only had Pfizer and not much of it.
Now we have AZ as well, and we are getting increasing amounts each week.
It is that simple and nothing to do with govt targets.
Has to keep his EU pals?
I confess I am still slightly resistant to English still white wine, and cannot conceive of a good English red wine. Yet I am told some of the whites are now excellent, by the same people - pros, experts - who told me five-ten years ago to start opening my mind to English fizz.
They were right. So they are probably right again.
So Denmark is doing better than Belgium and Italy better than France and the Dutch chose to do sod all for ten days.
Oops. Meant to add this to the NEW THREAD.
Just like we were poorly set up for testing compared to Germany in the first lockdown, we are best placed in terms of vaccinations.
https://www.vaccinestoday.eu/stories/flu-vaccine-did-your-country-hit-its-target/
https://twitter.com/pmdfoster/status/1351287358092701696
Yeah, Brexit is TOTALLY done...
Notwithstanding which, I think the UK doing very well on vaccinations and, as I predicted on 3rd January, this will be a big success because we have a number of inherent advantages.
https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/3190371#Comment_3190371
Yet its Denmark which is doing well on covid vaccinating while the Dutch didn't even start until the 11th day.
Leadership from the top really can have an effect.
It is all South of Birmingham!
I was sorely tempted by a goose from Aldi this year, but currently shielding on my own so it would have been a marathon.
I did do a real pressed Ox Tongue, though.
6.The 20th Amendment mandates that President Trump’s term must end at noon on January 20th, but since Congress’s act on January 6, 2021 in confirming Joseph Biden as President-Elect was clearly illegitimate,and there is effectively no lawfully existing Legislative Branchthis means that the Presidential Inauguration cannot lawfully go forward on Wednesday.
!!! Thankfully !!!, there is still time for the only the only lawfully and constitutionally remaining federal public official, President Donald Trump to take all reasonable and necessary action consistent with the Take Care Clause of Article II, Section 1 and all the original intents and purposes of the Constitution of the United States to preserve the lawful and orderly continuity of government
7. Accordingly, this Court should