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Now the speculation is that Biden wants to be a two term president – politicalbetting.com

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  • algarkirk said:

    kinabalu said:

    Oh that wretched flag again. Stop it, Keir. Let's have a nice rainbow in the background.
    His fleggery seems rather crude and scattergun; as leader of a British party SKS has obviously got to stroke that g-spot occasionally, but time and place etc.

    Case in point, he's had that piece published in the Glasgow Herald (which is a bit odd in itself), a Union flag is not solely a positive>neutral symbol in Glasgow or a wider Scotland.
    Perhaps when dealing with whisky matters he could just display a blue and white bit of the flag. When dealing with cricket, warm beer or whippet racing (especially popular among Labour's new middle class south), just the red and white. Consult Lady Nugee who knows how it is done.

    No fleg at all is always an option, or it used to be.
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,858
    Either I am reading that wrong or Denmark is achieving slightly more than 100% utilisation of the vaccine available. Which would be remarkable.

    The proposition that supply is not an issue because only X% of the vaccine provided has been utilised is just beyond absurd of course. It will very much depend upon where it actually is at any point in time.
  • anothernickanothernick Posts: 3,591

    Wait, what the feck?

    https://twitter.com/KateGreenSU/status/1352272203325317120

    Gavin Williamson once more proving he is a risk to national security.

    Indeed. Though it's hard to see how accessing GCSE lessons in Bedford is going to benefit the FSB.
  • bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 22,676
    eek said:
    Its definitely true

    Chesterfield down from 6 days supply to 3 next week as i posted yesterday;
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,221

    IPSOS Poll - Strong majority feel positively toward Biden’s inauguration speech

    https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/Biden-inauguration-speech

    "Washington, DC, January 20, 2021 — More than eight in ten Americans rate President Joe Biden’s inauguration speech as good, according to an Ipsos snap poll conducted immediately following today’s speech.

    Detailed Findings

    Eighty-three percent say Biden’s speech was very (57%) or somewhat (26%) good. There is bipartisan agreement on this: 97% of Democrats rate Biden’s speech as good, along with 72% of Republicans and 78% of Independents.

    When it comes to believing Biden’s rhetoric in the speech, Democrats are unified while Republicans are evenly split.

    > Overall, around two-thirds of Americans believe Biden when he says he will be a president for all Americans, that his soul is in uniting the nation, and that he will fight as hard for those who did not support him as those who did (67% believe each of those statements).

    > On those three, nearly equal numbers of Republicans believe those statements as those who do not believe, while around 90% of Democrats believe Biden’s words.

    There is broad, bipartisan agreement with the themes of unity, democracy, and action that Biden outlined.

    > Around three-quarters of Americans agree with what Biden said in his speech, that “Democracy is fragile, democracy is precious, and democracy has prevailed” (73% agree). This includes 91% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans.

    > Larger numbers agree with the statement that “Each of us has a duty and responsibility to defend the truth and defeat the lies” (88% overall, including 98% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans).

    About the Study

    These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between 2:00pm ET and 3:00pm ET on January 20, 2021. For this survey, a sample of 498 adults age 18-64 from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii was interviewed online in English."

    [Goes on to say that] "the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 5.0 percentage points for all respondents."

    Addendum - the omission of folks 65+ would appear problematic. HOWEVER, must say that the numbers above seem to me to make more sense, than the real-time reviews of Biden's speech posted on PB yesterday.

    Pretty damned good. Thanks, SSI.

    I thought it was a good speech too, just right for the occasion. But it's reassuring that so many Republicans gave it a fair wind too.
    This seems to be the media consensus:
    "Surprisingly Effective Inaugural Address"
    https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/01/20/joe-biden-inauguration-speech-effective-460931

    I thought it was fine.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216

    MaxPB said:

    It's odd for an American to be so exercised by this stuff. I could sort of get a German person getting oddly defensive given its the shit they're living with and they might have buyer's remorse. I don't understand an American giving enough of a shit to do custome visualisations.
    He's making a good point, though. There's a huge difference in how well EU27 countries have been doing since supply became available (a faster rate than us in some cases). The key tweet is this one:

    https://twitter.com/DaveKeating/status/1352275122594443265
    https://twitter.com/jmacd22/status/1352296046429401101?s=20
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,210
    kle4 said:

    kinabalu said:

    What about Jenrick? He'll intervene surely. Ok it says "City of London votes to ..." but that fools no-one. Somewhere along the line there will have been pressure from a baying mob.
    The government does overrule local decisions on occasion. If an area reps vote to remove that's fine by me, but the gov can pick up the baton if it wants, no big deal either. So long as processes permit them to overrule.
    TBH, I don't know the detail of the Jenrick innovation. I only saw the headline of "Boris moves to ensure our statues are protected from the baying mob". If I was to delve into the detail I bet I'd find nothing much, the muscular "don't mess with our history" message being the main point of it.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,360

    MaxPB said:

    It's odd for an American to be so exercised by this stuff. I could sort of get a German person getting oddly defensive given its the shit they're living with and they might have buyer's remorse. I don't understand an American giving enough of a shit to do custome visualisations.
    He's making a good point, though. There's a huge difference in how well EU27 countries have been doing since supply became available (a faster rate than us in some cases). The key tweet is this one:

    https://twitter.com/DaveKeating/status/1352275122594443265
    LOL

    He's ignoring trajectory (rate of increase).

    I wonder why...

    No, actually, I don't....

    https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-data-explorer?zoomToSelection=true&time=2020-12-20..latest&country=GBR~DNK&region=World&vaccinationsMetric=true&interval=total&perCapita=true&smoothing=0&pickerMetric=total_vaccinations_per_hundred&pickerSort=desc
  • SelebianSelebian Posts: 8,754
    edited January 2021
    The first chart is massively uninformative - assuming that purchased vaccines were allocated fairly (by population) then % of population must correlate very near 1 with % of received vaccines used (that it isn't 1 probably reflects rounding used somewhere in the allocations or reporting).

    That only Denmark can potentially blame supply as a limitation is much more interesting and does tend to suggest that it's not a Commission failing (other than perhaps for Denmark) but individual countries not doing a great job of getting it out.

    The chart on % vaccinated 20 days after starting is interesting, in some ways - if you're waiting for approval to start then it does give a better measure potentially of future performance - but it misses the point that it's a good thing, even if you've only got 10k doses and no more coming for a month to do those 10k doses, rather than wait until you can sustain a high vaccination rate.

    TLDR: A few too many graphs and missing the point in places, but the general point that it's EU countries doing (generally) not very well rather than the EU doing not very well is valid, is it not? You can perhaps criticise the EMA for taking longer than others.

    Edit: How exactly have Denmark used more than 100% of their vaccines? That's a neat trick!
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,468
    kinabalu said:

    kle4 said:

    kinabalu said:

    What about Jenrick? He'll intervene surely. Ok it says "City of London votes to ..." but that fools no-one. Somewhere along the line there will have been pressure from a baying mob.
    The government does overrule local decisions on occasion. If an area reps vote to remove that's fine by me, but the gov can pick up the baton if it wants, no big deal either. So long as processes permit them to overrule.
    TBH, I don't know the detail of the Jenrick innovation. I only saw the headline of "Boris moves to ensure our statues are protected from the baying mob". If I was to delve into the detail I bet I'd find nothing much, the muscular "don't mess with our history" message being the main point of it.
    I'm willing to bet that most of these statues are of people nobody knows about or gives a shit about. Just random rich people who made money from slavery and that's it.

    My opinion? I don't really care if they stay or go.

    Of course when we're talking about people of actual significance, like Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, etc, then it's a different matter.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410

    eek said:

    This is going to be interesting to explain away

    https://twitter.com/SharonBarbour/status/1352206531836731392

    Why don't they just adopt whatever policies NE+Y have adopted nationwide? If they're going faster then they are clearly better.
    Indeed. My in laws were both jabbed yesterday.
    A District Nurse was dispatched and injected the whole village aged 70+ on their doorsteps.
    There was no forewarning other than a text in the morning. Possibly a good way of stopping anti Vax relatives intervening?
    Whatever. Howay the lads and lassies!
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,092
    edited January 2021
    Where are the government sourcing laptops from that come pre-installed with viruses? Also, why not buy Chromebooks, much cheaper and don't have to worry about such things.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,204

    Wait, what the feck?

    https://twitter.com/KateGreenSU/status/1352272203325317120

    Gavin Williamson once more proving he is a risk to national security.

    Indeed. Though it's hard to see how accessing GCSE lessons in Bedford is going to benefit the FSB.
    Today we learnt all about the history of Salisbury cathedral with it's historic spire.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 82,092
    edited January 2021
    Dave Keating is the new Alister Haimes....pick your timeframe to suit your argument.
  • Where are the government sourcing laptops from that come pre-installed with viruses? Also, why not buy Chromebooks, much cheaper and don't have to worry about such things.

    Nah, the government should have bought MacBooks.
  • kamskikamski Posts: 5,191
    MaxPB said:

    It's odd for an American to be so exercised by this stuff. I could sort of get a German person getting oddly defensive given its the shit they're living with and they might have buyer's remorse. I don't understand an American giving enough of a shit to do custome visualisations.
    Well it is a supply problem. I personally know people whose vaccination appointments were cancelled this week because doses weren't delivered by Pfizer.

    Sure, it is possible to use the available supplies better, but this also depends on things like in Germany they have kept half of the doses back so that they can guarantee people a second dose after 3 weeks, whereas I believe in Italy they are relying on later deliveries for second doses - deliveries which might not be turning up.
    Now it might be a good idea to be flexible on the timing of the second dose - I think it is. But the claim there is no supply problem is certainly false.
  • contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818

    eek said:

    This is going to be interesting to explain away

    https://twitter.com/SharonBarbour/status/1352206531836731392

    Why don't they just adopt whatever policies NE+Y have adopted nationwide? If they're going faster then they are clearly better.
    Its like the hugely successful UK Olympics team. Sports that do well get more money. Those that under perform get punished. Reward success. Punish failure.

  • Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,821
    edited January 2021


    LOL

    He's ignoring trajectory (rate of increase).

    I wonder why...

    No, actually, I don't....

    I think you misunderstand me. There are very good reasons why the rate per day (and the rate of increase) in the UK in the first 20 days (i.e. December) can't directly be compared with the equivalent 20 days starting later in the EU. There are also very good reasons - most notably the fact that we already have the AZ vaccine, which the EU doesn't - why we are doing better in January and still ramping up faster.

    However, the EU27 countries all started (or had the opportunity to start) at the same time, with similar supply allocations per million population. Of those, Denmark in particular, but also Italy and Spain, are doing well or at least relatively well. But other EU countries are doing badly to disastrously.
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,881

    Where are the government sourcing laptops from that come pre-installed with viruses? Also, why not buy Chromebooks, much cheaper and don't have to worry about such things.

    Nah, the government should have bought MacBooks.
    I did wonder if they were pre-used laptops and if so what government chum might have provided them. Either that or it's like something out of The Famous Five Hunt Spies by Enid Blyton.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216

    Dave Keating is the new Alister Haimes....pick your timeframe to suit your argument.

    Any time he's challenged on UK vs EU performance he goes "But Israel....."
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,204
    Denmark looks like it's being held back by the EU. Weird to see the Netherlands so low tbh.
  • Dave Keating is the new Alister Haimes....pick your timeframe to suit your argument.

    Does he still tweet about Sweden?
  • FossFoss Posts: 1,019
    edited January 2021
    Carnyx said:

    Where are the government sourcing laptops from that come pre-installed with viruses? Also, why not buy Chromebooks, much cheaper and don't have to worry about such things.

    Nah, the government should have bought MacBooks.
    I did wonder if they were pre-used laptops and if so what government chum might have provided them. Either that or it's like something out of The Famous Five Hunt Spies by Enid Blyton.
    It'll be a tainted disk image that they've pushed out. Some poor sod in a home office will be preparing their CV as we speak.
  • eekeek Posts: 28,398

    eek said:

    This is going to be interesting to explain away

    https://twitter.com/SharonBarbour/status/1352206531836731392

    Why don't they just adopt whatever policies NE+Y have adopted nationwide? If they're going faster then they are clearly better.
    Its like the hugely successful UK Olympics team. Sports that do well get more money. Those that under perform get punished. Reward success. Punish failure.

    Except here it's you've done so well - we will cut your left leg off to slow you down.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    Selebian said:

    Edit: How exactly have Denmark used more than 100% of their vaccines? That's a neat trick!
    AIUI the vials are overfilled so with very good planning and very careful husbandry you can get more than 100% out of deliveries. For example, in Guernsey's first batch they'd assumed they'd be able to get 80% (which I think is a common planning assumption) - in fact they got 98% - hence the smart practices that have people on standby so cancellations/no shows don't result in wasted doses.
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410

    Wait, what the feck?

    https://twitter.com/KateGreenSU/status/1352272203325317120

    Gavin Williamson once more proving he is a risk to national security.

    Indeed. Though it's hard to see how accessing GCSE lessons in Bedford is going to benefit the FSB.
    Maybe they are after tips on how the hugely successful "indoctrination in Cultural Marxism of British kids by Comprehensives" programme is implemented?
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,036
    Priti cracking down on party-going dickheads. Good.
  • contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818

    1,290 deaths and 37,892 cases announced today.

    Admissions?
    You've been wrong all along? :)
    Not necessarily.

    We're still in the throes of this and The post lockdown fallout is yet to be really gauged.

    Closing schools alone, regardless of anything else, goodness the damage is enormous

  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
    Priti doin the briefin:

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcnews

    larger fines on illegal gatherins
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 42,992
    eek said:

    eek said:

    This is going to be interesting to explain away

    https://twitter.com/SharonBarbour/status/1352206531836731392

    Why don't they just adopt whatever policies NE+Y have adopted nationwide? If they're going faster then they are clearly better.
    Its like the hugely successful UK Olympics team. Sports that do well get more money. Those that under perform get punished. Reward success. Punish failure.

    Except here it's you've done so well - we will cut your left leg off to slow you down.
    All must have prizes.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,210
    edited January 2021

    kinabalu said:

    Oh that wretched flag again. Stop it, Keir. Let's have a nice rainbow in the background.
    His fleggery seems rather crude and scattergun; as leader of a British party SKS has obviously got to stroke that g-spot occasionally, but time and place etc.

    Case in point, he's had that piece published in the Glasgow Herald (which is a bit odd in itself), a Union flag is not solely a positive>neutral symbol in Glasgow or a wider Scotland.
    Well if flashing a bit of flag now and then brings the Red Wallers back in droves, and thus bags the 24 GE, it's worth it, I suppose. Or to be less flip, if flashing the flag means a very good Labour manifesto aimed at improving the material prospects of working people outside the affluent South gets a fair hearing in the Red Wall, that would be worth it. But I don't like to see it. Can't help myself in that regard.
  • FlatlanderFlatlander Posts: 4,673
    edited January 2021
    eek said:

    eek said:

    This is going to be interesting to explain away

    https://twitter.com/SharonBarbour/status/1352206531836731392

    Why don't they just adopt whatever policies NE+Y have adopted nationwide? If they're going faster then they are clearly better.
    Its like the hugely successful UK Olympics team. Sports that do well get more money. Those that under perform get punished. Reward success. Punish failure.

    Except here it's you've done so well - we will cut your left leg off to slow you down.
    Do the other regions have spare supply that they haven't used yet? If they do then I don't understand the point of giving them more.

    If they don't have spare supply, then perhaps they were allocated less earlier?

    It does seem like the kind of thing PHE might screw up though...
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 53,858
    dixiedean said:

    Wait, what the feck?

    https://twitter.com/KateGreenSU/status/1352272203325317120

    Gavin Williamson once more proving he is a risk to national security.

    Indeed. Though it's hard to see how accessing GCSE lessons in Bedford is going to benefit the FSB.
    Maybe they are after tips on how the hugely successful "indoctrination in Cultural Marxism of British kids by Comprehensives" programme is implemented?
    Maybe they are willing to undertake the online marking that so many schools seem reluctant to provide?
  • MaxPBMaxPB Posts: 38,866


    LOL

    He's ignoring trajectory (rate of increase).

    I wonder why...

    No, actually, I don't....

    I think you misunderstand me. There are very good reasons why the rate per day (and the rate of increase) in the UK in the first 20 days (i.e. December) can't directly be compared with the equivalent 20 days starting later in the EU. There are also very good reasons - most notably the fact that we already have the AZ vaccine, which the EU doesn't - why we are doing better in January and still ramping up faster.

    However, the EU27 countries all started (or had the opportunity to start) at the same time, with similar supply allocations per million population. Of those, Denmark in particular, but also Italy and Spain, are doing well or at least relatively well. But other EU countries are doing badly to disastrously.
    But holding up the much easier to distribute AZ vaccine is also an EU issue. However you cut it the EU is in the centre of the blame for this issue. Whether it's failing to secure enough timely supply, approving other vaccines or amending the Pfizer contract requiring a slowdown to supply in the immediacy.

    It's a problem for us because European countries will be in lockdown 7 while the UK is leaving all of that behind, hopefully forever. Frankly, I'm just hoping they get on top of it and by the summer they have immunised a good proportion of their populations.
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,487

    The symbolism of removing statues is starting to come across as virtue-signalling and in some cases even smacks of burying rather than celebrating Black history. Instead of hiding a statue of someone who made money from slaves, why not write a big cheque that might actually help their descendants?
    The City of London are simply taking action to innoculate themselves from future criticism. Once they'd started this consultation they had to identify something or that criticism would never have ended.

    I actually responsed to this consultation (which wasn't acknowledged). I said it was a distraction and they should examine how more internships, mentoring and coaching programmes could be established to increase opportunities and in-career support for underrepresented ethnic minorities. I said more role models, networks and contacts were needed and these need to go out into schools and communities. I also said this shouldn't forget the poorer white working class, who are not getting much attention at the moment, but are often bottom of the educational attainment pyramid.

    I'm not holding my breath on any of that.
    I'm not sure what any of those things have to do with statues.
    Yeah, silly me. I forgot the protests last year were really all about statues.

    Not about achieving a step-change in racial equality and fairness.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,360


    LOL

    He's ignoring trajectory (rate of increase).

    I wonder why...

    No, actually, I don't....

    I think you misunderstand me. There are very good reasons why the rate per day (and the rate of increase) in the UK in the first 20 days (i.e. December) can't directly be compared with the equivalent 20 days starting later in the EU. There are also very good reasons - most notably the fact that we already have the AZ vaccine, which the EU doesn't - why we are doing better in January and still ramping up faster.

    However, the EU27 countries all started (or had the opportunity to start) at the same time, with similar supply allocations per million population. Of those, Denmark in particular, but also Italy and Spain, are doing well or at least relatively well. But other EU countries are doing badly to disastrously.
    I think you misunderstand my point.

    He entirely accidentally, picked a data point that put Denmark ahead of others, including the UK.
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,221

    Selebian said:

    Edit: How exactly have Denmark used more than 100% of their vaccines? That's a neat trick!
    AIUI the vials are overfilled so with very good planning and very careful husbandry you can get more than 100% out of deliveries. For example, in Guernsey's first batch they'd assumed they'd be able to get 80% (which I think is a common planning assumption) - in fact they got 98% - hence the smart practices that have people on standby so cancellations/no shows don't result in wasted doses.
    Number of doses per vial depends on the kind of syringe used.
    https://www.baconsrebellion.com/wp/what-is-a-low-dead-space-syringe-and-why-is-it-so-important/
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,210
    TOPPING said:

    kinabalu said:

    Metatron said:

    Matt Hancock is 50/1 with Spreadex to be next Tory leader whilst Sunak is 2/1.Maybe i am missing something but surely if the Vaccines programmes go well Hancock's odds will shorten significantly whilst if Rishi has to introduce very unpopular taxes his odds will go out.When Theresa May went out of favour after her 2014 Party Conference speech i got 33/1 on her being the next Tory leader.On the other hand i lost lots of money laying Boris Johnson not to win the 2019 Tory Leadership at the start and still cannot believe what the likes of Amber Rudd were doing supporting him

    I think Sunak is too short. I don't know if Hancock is too long. But note how you (like many people) talk about "Rishi" and don't even think about bestowing a "Matt" on Hancock. This is hugely significant. You need a brand these days.
    When you fell for Boris you really fell.
    Well I did my best to stop people buying it. I really did try. There's only so much one person can do. Times comes, you opt for the easy life.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    Perhaps President Harris will assume office one day, but I'm looking forward to The Simpsons adapting this tweet.

    https://twitter.com/PhilHagen/status/1352103501296500737
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 71,221
    Nigelb said:

    IPSOS Poll - Strong majority feel positively toward Biden’s inauguration speech

    https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/Biden-inauguration-speech

    "Washington, DC, January 20, 2021 — More than eight in ten Americans rate President Joe Biden’s inauguration speech as good, according to an Ipsos snap poll conducted immediately following today’s speech.

    Detailed Findings

    Eighty-three percent say Biden’s speech was very (57%) or somewhat (26%) good. There is bipartisan agreement on this: 97% of Democrats rate Biden’s speech as good, along with 72% of Republicans and 78% of Independents.

    When it comes to believing Biden’s rhetoric in the speech, Democrats are unified while Republicans are evenly split.

    > Overall, around two-thirds of Americans believe Biden when he says he will be a president for all Americans, that his soul is in uniting the nation, and that he will fight as hard for those who did not support him as those who did (67% believe each of those statements).

    > On those three, nearly equal numbers of Republicans believe those statements as those who do not believe, while around 90% of Democrats believe Biden’s words.

    There is broad, bipartisan agreement with the themes of unity, democracy, and action that Biden outlined.

    > Around three-quarters of Americans agree with what Biden said in his speech, that “Democracy is fragile, democracy is precious, and democracy has prevailed” (73% agree). This includes 91% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans.

    > Larger numbers agree with the statement that “Each of us has a duty and responsibility to defend the truth and defeat the lies” (88% overall, including 98% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans).

    About the Study

    These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between 2:00pm ET and 3:00pm ET on January 20, 2021. For this survey, a sample of 498 adults age 18-64 from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii was interviewed online in English."

    [Goes on to say that] "the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 5.0 percentage points for all respondents."

    Addendum - the omission of folks 65+ would appear problematic. HOWEVER, must say that the numbers above seem to me to make more sense, than the real-time reviews of Biden's speech posted on PB yesterday.

    Pretty damned good. Thanks, SSI.

    I thought it was a good speech too, just right for the occasion. But it's reassuring that so many Republicans gave it a fair wind too.
    This seems to be the media consensus:
    "Surprisingly Effective Inaugural Address"
    https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/01/20/joe-biden-inauguration-speech-effective-460931

    I thought it was fine.
    The most adroit part was, I thought, this bit which rather cleverly avoided mentioning his predecessor at all.
    ...I thank my predecessors of both parties for their presence here. I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

    You know the resilience of our constitution and the strength of our nation. As does President Carter, who I spoke to last night but who cannot be with us today, but whom we salute for his lifetime of service...
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,164
    Selebian said:

    The first chart is massively uninformative - assuming that purchased vaccines were allocated fairly (by population) then % of population must correlate very near 1 with % of received vaccines used (that it isn't 1 probably reflects rounding used somewhere in the allocations or reporting).

    That only Denmark can potentially blame supply as a limitation is much more interesting and does tend to suggest that it's not a Commission failing (other than perhaps for Denmark) but individual countries not doing a great job of getting it out.

    The chart on % vaccinated 20 days after starting is interesting, in some ways - if you're waiting for approval to start then it does give a better measure potentially of future performance - but it misses the point that it's a good thing, even if you've only got 10k doses and no more coming for a month to do those 10k doses, rather than wait until you can sustain a high vaccination rate.

    TLDR: A few too many graphs and missing the point in places, but the general point that it's EU countries doing (generally) not very well rather than the EU doing not very well is valid, is it not? You can perhaps criticise the EMA for taking longer than others.

    Edit: How exactly have Denmark used more than 100% of their vaccines? That's a neat trick!
    In Spain they are proving very quick and adept at jabbing non-eligible politicians.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,210
    Roger said:

    kinabalu said:

    What about Jenrick? He'll intervene surely. Ok it says "City of London votes to ..." but that fools no-one. Somewhere along the line there will have been pressure from a baying mob.
    The Snowflakers and the Wokeists sound exciting in a 19th century sort of way
    Sure does. And soon as Lockdown is over I'll be seeking out a baying mob and seeing if I can sidle into it.
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,766

    eek said:
    Its definitely true

    Chesterfield down from 6 days supply to 3 next week as i posted yesterday;
    Not in NE or Yorks surely?
  • dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 29,410
    Priti Patel really does have a gorgeous voice with almost no trace of an accent. In another life she could have been a radio newsreader or voiceover artist.
    Which makes the dropped g so very jarring.
    Like an otherwise pitch perfect singer who hits every note spot on except middle C.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,164

    Dave Keating is the new Alister Haimes....pick your timeframe to suit your argument.

    I heard he'd helped the LDs to produce bar charts.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,360
    DavidL said:

    dixiedean said:

    Wait, what the feck?

    https://twitter.com/KateGreenSU/status/1352272203325317120

    Gavin Williamson once more proving he is a risk to national security.

    Indeed. Though it's hard to see how accessing GCSE lessons in Bedford is going to benefit the FSB.
    Maybe they are after tips on how the hugely successful "indoctrination in Cultural Marxism of British kids by Comprehensives" programme is implemented?
    Maybe they are willing to undertake the online marking that so many schools seem reluctant to provide?
    Perhaps a variant of this -

    https://www.theregister.com/2014/04/01/nsa_plans_range_of_free_cloud_services_data_analytics/
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,210

    kinabalu said:

    What about Jenrick? He'll intervene surely. Ok it says "City of London votes to ..." but that fools no-one. Somewhere along the line there will have been pressure from a baying mob.
    Bankers' Lives Matter, presumably.
    :smile: - Mattered a bit too much in the years up to 08!
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,036
    "World leadin' vaccine programme"
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,468
    edited January 2021

    The symbolism of removing statues is starting to come across as virtue-signalling and in some cases even smacks of burying rather than celebrating Black history. Instead of hiding a statue of someone who made money from slaves, why not write a big cheque that might actually help their descendants?
    The City of London are simply taking action to innoculate themselves from future criticism. Once they'd started this consultation they had to identify something or that criticism would never have ended.

    I actually responsed to this consultation (which wasn't acknowledged). I said it was a distraction and they should examine how more internships, mentoring and coaching programmes could be established to increase opportunities and in-career support for underrepresented ethnic minorities. I said more role models, networks and contacts were needed and these need to go out into schools and communities. I also said this shouldn't forget the poorer white working class, who are not getting much attention at the moment, but are often bottom of the educational attainment pyramid.

    I'm not holding my breath on any of that.
    I'm not sure what any of those things have to do with statues.
    Yeah, silly me. I forgot the protests last year were really all about statues.

    Not about achieving a step-change in racial equality and fairness.
    Yeah, but that consultation was about statues.

    You're like a Corbynista responding to a planning application to build a car park with a 5 page rant on Tory cuts.
  • FoxyFoxy Posts: 48,712
    dr_spyn said:

    Perhaps President Harris will assume office one day, but I'm looking forward to The Simpsons adapting this tweet.

    https://twitter.com/PhilHagen/status/1352103501296500737

    If Kamala is like Lisa Simpson, we are in good hands.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,036
    Christ. I predicted a stupid question on Easter holidays. I was wrong. Stupid Q. on summer hols!
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,468
    In any case, at least the government are not over-promising now.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300

    Christ. I predicted a stupid question on Easter holidays. I was wrong. Stupid Q. on summer hols!

    Was the point of that bloody question other than to show up Sam Coates?
  • contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818

    In any case, at least the government are not over-promising now.

    Pubs to re-open 21 June.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,210

    kinabalu said:

    kle4 said:

    kinabalu said:

    What about Jenrick? He'll intervene surely. Ok it says "City of London votes to ..." but that fools no-one. Somewhere along the line there will have been pressure from a baying mob.
    The government does overrule local decisions on occasion. If an area reps vote to remove that's fine by me, but the gov can pick up the baton if it wants, no big deal either. So long as processes permit them to overrule.
    TBH, I don't know the detail of the Jenrick innovation. I only saw the headline of "Boris moves to ensure our statues are protected from the baying mob". If I was to delve into the detail I bet I'd find nothing much, the muscular "don't mess with our history" message being the main point of it.
    I'm willing to bet that most of these statues are of people nobody knows about or gives a shit about. Just random rich people who made money from slavery and that's it.

    My opinion? I don't really care if they stay or go.

    Of course when we're talking about people of actual significance, like Winston Churchill, Charles Darwin, etc, then it's a different matter.
    I'm no extremist on this either. I don't want to make every statue reapply for its position and have to prove it merits being retained. I'm happy with an "innocent until found guilty" approach.
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,216
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    eek said:
    Its definitely true

    Chesterfield down from 6 days supply to 3 next week as i posted yesterday;
    Not in NE or Yorks surely?
    The thing is, we've no idea whether the better performing areas are operating more efficiently, or if there's been a hopelessly lop-sided distribution of vaccines.

    One theory I've heard proposed is that the Covid vaccines are being sent out in proportion to the level of take-up of flu vaccines in past years. Oldies up North are more likely to have their flu jabs, so the GP surgeries up North have been getting more of the Covid vaccines accordingly.

    I've no idea if there's any truth in it, but it does seem very strange to contemplate the alternative: that the typical doctor's surgery in Newcastle is somehow so much better at sticking needles into old codgers than the typical surgery in Norwich.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,036
    Jesus wept. Another holiday question!
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    Another sodding question about holidays...

  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,210
    Andy_JS said:

    Taking down statues is a substitute for doing something useful.

    What makes you say that, Andy?
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,766

    eek said:
    Its definitely true

    Chesterfield down from 6 days supply to 3 next week as i posted yesterday;
    Not in NE or Yorks surely?
    The thing is, we've no idea whether the better performing areas are operating more efficiently, or if there's been a hopelessly lop-sided distribution of vaccines.

    One theory I've heard proposed is that the Covid vaccines are being sent out in proportion to the level of take-up of flu vaccines in past years. Oldies up North are more likely to have their flu jabs, so the GP surgeries up North have been getting more of the Covid vaccines accordingly.

    I've no idea if there's any truth in it, but it does seem very strange to contemplate the alternative: that the typical doctor's surgery in Newcastle is somehow so much better at sticking needles into old codgers than the typical surgery in Norwich.
    New Viz character?

    Nurse Stabbo, the fastest vaccinator in all England.
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    In any case, at least the government are not over-promising now.

    Pubs to re-open 21 June.
    That soon?!
  • rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 62,766
    Scott_xP said:
    Like she'll have any input into the decision. :lol:
  • kamskikamski Posts: 5,191
    MaxPB said:

    MaxPB said:

    kamski said:

    MaxPB said:

    kamski said:

    What's going on in Italy with vaccinations, the past 4-5 days slowed right down. Are they out of supply?

    Pfizer have reduced deliveries all over Europe. Hospitals here stopped vaccinating with a few hours notice because expected doses weren't delivered. Pfizer are making themselves very unpopular, I think they could have handled the issues better.
    The issue is that the EU upped it's order really late in the day, if they had made an order of 600m back in November when the trial results were made available those manufacturing upgrades could have been done before mass deliveries had started. This is literally happening now because the EU have asked for 300m more doses this year above the original order.
    Actually it's slightly more complicated than that, as you probably know. And Pfizer have unilaterally reduced supplies with almost no notice, which has understandably annoyed people.
    They did it to meet the promised H2 supply to the EU in the additional 300m order. I think you're blaming the wrong people for this. It's the incompetent people in the commission that didn't order enough when there was no manufacturing pressure that are at fault.

    What did Kate Bingham say, something about building the plane while it's taxiing towards the runway and taking off. The EU have asked Pfizer to fix the plane after its taken off, you can't really blame Pfizer for that.
    Max, do you know whether we're being hit here in the UK by Pfizer slowing down of deliveries?
    We are yes. One of our corporate intelligence people has it that all countries other than the US will see some capacity reductions until the end of February but the majority of the reductions are to EU27 supply because the manufacturing upgrades are being done at their behest.
    Umm so Pfizer had nothing to do with an order placed with Pfizer? Bizarre
  • Andy_JS said:

    Taking down statues is a substitute for doing something useful.

    Whereas moaning about taking down statues is really productive of course.......
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,036
    Clearly there is concern in government about the number of rule breakers. Presumably compliance is deteriorating.

    Cracking down on flagrant idiocy needs to be stepped up.
  • Andy_JS said:

    Taking down statues is a substitute for doing something useful.

    It's a form of narcissism; the most public form of virtue-signalling there is.

    It's the utter nihilism of it that gets me.
    You might want to find out what "nihilism" means, because it doesn't really seem to fit with what you're trying to say.
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    Clearly there is concern in government about the number of rule breakers. Presumably compliance is deteriorating.

    Cracking down on flagrant idiocy needs to be stepped up.

    How?
  • Clearly there is concern in government about the number of rule breakers. Presumably compliance is deteriorating.

    Cracking down on flagrant idiocy needs to be stepped up.

    Yes but surely that is just the cabinet getting worried about increasing competition for cabinet jobs now that more people are exhibiting these behaviours?
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 42,210

    The symbolism of removing statues is starting to come across as virtue-signalling and in some cases even smacks of burying rather than celebrating Black history. Instead of hiding a statue of someone who made money from slaves, why not write a big cheque that might actually help their descendants?
    The City of London are simply taking action to innoculate themselves from future criticism. Once they'd started this consultation they had to identify something or that criticism would never have ended.

    I actually responsed to this consultation (which wasn't acknowledged). I said it was a distraction and they should examine how more internships, mentoring and coaching programmes could be established to increase opportunities and in-career support for underrepresented ethnic minorities. I said more role models, networks and contacts were needed and these need to go out into schools and communities. I also said this shouldn't forget the poorer white working class, who are not getting much attention at the moment, but are often bottom of the educational attainment pyramid.

    I'm not holding my breath on any of that.
    I'm not sure what any of those things have to do with statues.
    Yeah, silly me. I forgot the protests last year were really all about statues.

    Not about achieving a step-change in racial equality and fairness.
    But which is most important iyo - to achieve racial equality or to stamp out virtue signaling?
  • DavidL said:

    dixiedean said:

    Wait, what the feck?

    https://twitter.com/KateGreenSU/status/1352272203325317120

    Gavin Williamson once more proving he is a risk to national security.

    Indeed. Though it's hard to see how accessing GCSE lessons in Bedford is going to benefit the FSB.
    Maybe they are after tips on how the hugely successful "indoctrination in Cultural Marxism of British kids by Comprehensives" programme is implemented?
    Maybe they are willing to undertake the online marking that so many schools seem reluctant to provide?
    I actually find it easier to mark online than in their books. They can read my comments for a start, as my handwriting is a bit on the illegible side at times.
    That said, some of the younger ones still haven't worked out how to send me a photo of their work which is both in focus and the right way up.

    I'm also lucky in being a Physics teacher, as there are a number of websites I can use where the work is marked for me...
  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 119,665
    edited January 2021

    Andy_JS said:

    Taking down statues is a substitute for doing something useful.

    It's a form of narcissism; the most public form of virtue-signalling there is.

    It's the utter nihilism of it that gets me.
    You might want to find out what "nihilism" means, because it doesn't really seem to fit with what you're trying to say.
    Actually it does, as backed up by the OED, see the historical term.


  • LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 18,421
    I've just heard from my veg box supplier who says that customs fees is adding 10% to the price of imported vegetables. Not what I expected from a tariff-free deal.

    I do hope that people are enjoying their sovereignty. A high enough price is being paid for it.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 96,126
    Annoying the right people is always a stupid reason for doing something, but given it likely means nothing in respect of the relationship annoying such people is fine.

    And what a defeatest - 'any prospect' is lost because of moving a bust? Get a grip, Nige.
  • Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 32,588
    Quite frankly Priti Patel has finished speaking.
  • Andy_JS said:

    Taking down statues is a substitute for doing something useful.

    It's a form of narcissism; the most public form of virtue-signalling there is.

    It's the utter nihilism of it that gets me.
    You might want to find out what "nihilism" means, because it doesn't really seem to fit with what you're trying to say.
    Actually it does, as backed up by the OED, see the historical term.


    I thought the issue was people over-asserting their moral principles, as in judging historic figures by their own modern standards. Nihilism seems to be the opposite criticism.

    Can someone please give a coherent statement of what anti-wokism is about?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,487

    The symbolism of removing statues is starting to come across as virtue-signalling and in some cases even smacks of burying rather than celebrating Black history. Instead of hiding a statue of someone who made money from slaves, why not write a big cheque that might actually help their descendants?
    The City of London are simply taking action to innoculate themselves from future criticism. Once they'd started this consultation they had to identify something or that criticism would never have ended.

    I actually responsed to this consultation (which wasn't acknowledged). I said it was a distraction and they should examine how more internships, mentoring and coaching programmes could be established to increase opportunities and in-career support for underrepresented ethnic minorities. I said more role models, networks and contacts were needed and these need to go out into schools and communities. I also said this shouldn't forget the poorer white working class, who are not getting much attention at the moment, but are often bottom of the educational attainment pyramid.

    I'm not holding my breath on any of that.
    I'm not sure what any of those things have to do with statues.
    Yeah, silly me. I forgot the protests last year were really all about statues.

    Not about achieving a step-change in racial equality and fairness.
    Yeah, but that consultation was about statues.

    You're like a Corbynista responding to a planning application to build a car park with a 5 page rant on Tory cuts.
    Not really. A better analogy would be responding to a planning application to build a car park saying it wasn't necessary because what people really wanted was better public transport; thus recognising the intent behind the policy and offering an alternative.
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,445
    Andy_JS said:

    Quite frankly Priti Patel has finished speaking.

    Speakin. (come on, play the game)
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,487
    kinabalu said:

    The symbolism of removing statues is starting to come across as virtue-signalling and in some cases even smacks of burying rather than celebrating Black history. Instead of hiding a statue of someone who made money from slaves, why not write a big cheque that might actually help their descendants?
    The City of London are simply taking action to innoculate themselves from future criticism. Once they'd started this consultation they had to identify something or that criticism would never have ended.

    I actually responsed to this consultation (which wasn't acknowledged). I said it was a distraction and they should examine how more internships, mentoring and coaching programmes could be established to increase opportunities and in-career support for underrepresented ethnic minorities. I said more role models, networks and contacts were needed and these need to go out into schools and communities. I also said this shouldn't forget the poorer white working class, who are not getting much attention at the moment, but are often bottom of the educational attainment pyramid.

    I'm not holding my breath on any of that.
    I'm not sure what any of those things have to do with statues.
    Yeah, silly me. I forgot the protests last year were really all about statues.

    Not about achieving a step-change in racial equality and fairness.
    But which is most important iyo - to achieve racial equality or to stamp out virtue signaling?
    The latter is a distraction at best, and an obstacle at worst, to the former.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,468
    kle4 said:

    Annoying the right people is always a stupid reason for doing something, but given it likely means nothing in respect of the relationship annoying such people is fine.

    And what a defeatest - 'any prospect' is lost because of moving a bust? Get a grip, Nige.
    I don't think I'd want that in my office either. It's a bit ugly.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,300
    Was disappointed that no journalist asked how long it takes a Premier League footballer to earn £800.
  • MalmesburyMalmesbury Posts: 50,360

    Andy_JS said:

    Taking down statues is a substitute for doing something useful.

    It's a form of narcissism; the most public form of virtue-signalling there is.

    It's the utter nihilism of it that gets me.
    You might want to find out what "nihilism" means, because it doesn't really seem to fit with what you're trying to say.
    Actually it does, as backed up by the OED, see the historical term.


    I thought the issue was people over-asserting their moral principles, as in judging historic figures by their own modern standards. Nihilism seems to be the opposite criticism.

    Can someone please give a coherent statement of what anti-wokism is about?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_29yvYpf4w
  • CarnyxCarnyx Posts: 42,881

    I've just heard from my veg box supplier who says that customs fees is adding 10% to the price of imported vegetables. Not what I expected from a tariff-free deal.

    I do hope that people are enjoying their sovereignty. A high enough price is being paid for it.

    Coincidentally, I was just looking at this -

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55734277
  • kle4 said:

    Annoying the right people is always a stupid reason for doing something, but given it likely means nothing in respect of the relationship annoying such people is fine.

    And what a defeatest - 'any prospect' is lost because of moving a bust? Get a grip, Nige.
    I don't think I'd want that in my office either. It's a bit ugly.
    Is it my imagination or is Nigel Farage looking more and more like his hero Vladimir Putin?
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,468

    The symbolism of removing statues is starting to come across as virtue-signalling and in some cases even smacks of burying rather than celebrating Black history. Instead of hiding a statue of someone who made money from slaves, why not write a big cheque that might actually help their descendants?
    The City of London are simply taking action to innoculate themselves from future criticism. Once they'd started this consultation they had to identify something or that criticism would never have ended.

    I actually responsed to this consultation (which wasn't acknowledged). I said it was a distraction and they should examine how more internships, mentoring and coaching programmes could be established to increase opportunities and in-career support for underrepresented ethnic minorities. I said more role models, networks and contacts were needed and these need to go out into schools and communities. I also said this shouldn't forget the poorer white working class, who are not getting much attention at the moment, but are often bottom of the educational attainment pyramid.

    I'm not holding my breath on any of that.
    I'm not sure what any of those things have to do with statues.
    Yeah, silly me. I forgot the protests last year were really all about statues.

    Not about achieving a step-change in racial equality and fairness.
    Yeah, but that consultation was about statues.

    You're like a Corbynista responding to a planning application to build a car park with a 5 page rant on Tory cuts.
    Not really. A better analogy would be responding to a planning application to build a car park saying it wasn't necessary because what people really wanted was better public transport; thus recognising the intent behind the policy and offering an alternative.
    So you're point is that removing statutes would not be necessary if there was a focus on internships, mentoring etc.?

    Well of course you're right. I don't think anyone would disagree with you.

    However, maybe they just want to remove certain statues because they don't like the people they represent? Which is a separate issue.

    Even if we lived in a perfect meritocracy people may still find statues of historic slavers who have achieved nothing really of note, other than being rich, as distasteful.
  • kle4 said:

    Annoying the right people is always a stupid reason for doing something, but given it likely means nothing in respect of the relationship annoying such people is fine.

    And what a defeatest - 'any prospect' is lost because of moving a bust? Get a grip, Nige.
    Love the way Boris is apparently all 'relaxed' about it, now that he doesn't have Leaver adulation/the Tory leadership to secure.
  • SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 22,036

    Clearly there is concern in government about the number of rule breakers. Presumably compliance is deteriorating.

    Cracking down on flagrant idiocy needs to be stepped up.

    How?
    Better intelligence gathering, more visible policing, a dedicated hotline to report parties/raves/etc.

    The bigger fines announced today might act as a deterrent. But not to footballers. Or 'influencers'. Coz they are special.
  • QuincelQuincel Posts: 4,042
    kle4 said:

    Annoying the right people is always a stupid reason for doing something, but given it likely means nothing in respect of the relationship annoying such people is fine.

    And what a defeatest - 'any prospect' is lost because of moving a bust? Get a grip, Nige.
    I agree with this. My only other view is:

    https://twitter.com/PipsFunFacts/status/1352311576976621569
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 60,487

    The symbolism of removing statues is starting to come across as virtue-signalling and in some cases even smacks of burying rather than celebrating Black history. Instead of hiding a statue of someone who made money from slaves, why not write a big cheque that might actually help their descendants?
    The City of London are simply taking action to innoculate themselves from future criticism. Once they'd started this consultation they had to identify something or that criticism would never have ended.

    I actually responsed to this consultation (which wasn't acknowledged). I said it was a distraction and they should examine how more internships, mentoring and coaching programmes could be established to increase opportunities and in-career support for underrepresented ethnic minorities. I said more role models, networks and contacts were needed and these need to go out into schools and communities. I also said this shouldn't forget the poorer white working class, who are not getting much attention at the moment, but are often bottom of the educational attainment pyramid.

    I'm not holding my breath on any of that.
    I'm not sure what any of those things have to do with statues.
    Yeah, silly me. I forgot the protests last year were really all about statues.

    Not about achieving a step-change in racial equality and fairness.
    Yeah, but that consultation was about statues.

    You're like a Corbynista responding to a planning application to build a car park with a 5 page rant on Tory cuts.
    Not really. A better analogy would be responding to a planning application to build a car park saying it wasn't necessary because what people really wanted was better public transport; thus recognising the intent behind the policy and offering an alternative.
    So you're point is that removing statutes would not be necessary if there was a focus on internships, mentoring etc.?

    Well of course you're right. I don't think anyone would disagree with you.

    However, maybe they just want to remove certain statues because they don't like the people they represent? Which is a separate issue.

    Even if we lived in a perfect meritocracy people may still find statues of historic slavers who have achieved nothing really of note, other than being rich, as distasteful.
    I refer you to my post upthread for the City's motivations on this.
This discussion has been closed.