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The longer the EU row goes on the better it is for Hancock and Johnson – politicalbetting.com

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  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 81,450
    edited February 2021

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    So the BBC are not involved either, dammit.

    Can Ch4 cut a deal with TalkSport?
  • Over here, Sky are allowed to pick who they want to commentate on the cricket, the ECB doesn't get involved, in Indian cricket, the BCCI approve the commentators who commentate on their games, so if you criticise a player or the board, you get sacked.

    Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has opened about him missing the opportunity to be part of the commentary team of the official broadcasters for Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020. Manjrekar was left out of the BCCI-contracted commentators earlier this year and there was no surprise when he was missing from the IPL list as well.

    IPL 2020 official broadcasters recently released an official list of commentators for the 13th edition of the tournament, set to be played in the UAE from September 19 to November 10. Manjrekar was missing from both the English and the Hindi commentators' list despite writing to the BCCI, requesting the board to reconsider its decision and assuring it that he would play by the rules.

    Manjrekar has been out of commentary duties ever since his spat with Ravindra Jadeja and on-air jibe at co-commentator Harsha Bhogle, questioning his credentials as a cricketer during the pink-ball Test. Manjrekar labelled the India and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder a 'bits and pieces' cricketer on social media before India's exit from the World Cup last year.


    https://www.indiatoday.in/sports/cricket/story/sanjay-manjrekar-ipl-2020-commentary-panel-axing-opens-up-other-opportunities-ravindra-jadeja-1723154-2020-09-18
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,888
    edited February 2021

    Pulpstar said:

    Having been delighted to get my own 1st vaccination last Saturday, I have just heard that my 37-year-old daughter has received an invitation letter and now has appointments for both doses. She is in Cohort 6. Progress is nothing short of mind-blowing.

    Blimey, where is that? They still have a lot of Tier 4 people to do round us in Sussex and Kent.
    London
    Makes sense. Rother (Sussex/Kent border) has 32% population > 65 in 2016, much of London around 10%.
    London and other city areas should get through their groups quicker in general.
    You'd have thought they'd have factored that into the number of doses distributed to each area, though.
    Depends. If we're very supply limited then sure, but there's also going to be a throughput limit - if say Wealden and Tower Hamlets are both throughput limited it won't make sense to slow Tower Hamlets down, their "rest of adult" population will be larger.
    The key is to make sure the supply of doses to older areas is throughput limiting too.
  • Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    You know, that guy who hassled Whitty, I kind of feel sorry for him. Maybe he speaks for a generation

    He can't play sport. He can't meet his mates. He can't hug his gran even though she's had the vaccine. He can't date a girl, or a boy if that is his way. He can't go on holiday. He can't go to a concert. He can't have a night out. He can't learn to drive.

    And worst of all, he can't f8cking learn anything.

    Seriously, hassling Whitty is about all that's left.
    He is way past the point in life where he is going to learn anything. Terminally dumb and not worth wasting an education on.
  • Northern_AlNorthern_Al Posts: 8,314
    I do hope Nigel Farage wasn't on the top of that cliff, binoculars poised, looking for boats full of refugees.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,870
    Charles said:

    kle4 said:

    Charles said:

    Charles said:

    So much for being "the global laughing stock"......

    https://twitter.com/benatipsosmori/status/1356933140028289025?s=20

    Worth bearing the old Egyptian saying in mind:

    Why doesn't the sun set on the British Empire? Because God doesn't trust them in the dark!

    The Arabs preferred:

    It is better to be an enemy of the British than their friend. They buy their enemies - and sell their friends
    Would be good to see a translation of what exactly was asked in each language. “Trust” might have been interpreted as “do what they tell you they are going to do”. Our worst enemies would agree with that.
    I was reading about the Anglo-Zanzibar War earlier this week.

    It was pretty cheeky to send the Zanzibar government an invoice for the cost of the shells!
    Isn't extracting reparations from the losing side the usual thing? Probably not usually able to be itemised so precisely.
    the war lasted about 40 minutes...
    I know. That's why they could itemise their reparations.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,477

    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Are they not doing what Sky did in Sri Lanka? And take the video, but have own commentators and analysis?
    No, they said they would take local commentary.

    Could do worse than ask to stream the BBC radio commentary alongside it, actually. Would work on so many levels.

    But it’s unlikely the Beeb would agree!
    That's a terrible decision from Ch4...last time they were revolutionary. Now the world has moved on, but great opportunity to that again e.g. bring in like the Cricviz guys to do proper analysis, really upset the apple cart of 2nd rate commentary and analysis that is far too common.
    Yes, that does sound like a big mistake if they stand by that decision.

    I'll sync up TMS rather than listening to BCCI-approved hero worship.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,427

    Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    You know, that guy who hassled Whitty, I kind of feel sorry for him. Maybe he speaks for a generation

    He can't play sport. He can't meet his mates. He can't hug his gran even though she's had the vaccine. He can't date a girl, or a boy if that is his way. He can't go on holiday. He can't go to a concert. He can't have a night out. He can't learn to drive.

    And worst of all, he can't f8cking learn anything.

    Seriously, hassling Whitty is about all that's left.
    He can watch Netflix like the rest of us
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154
    rcs1000 said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    What's "terrestrial telly"?
    Something that we had back in the day, Mr Smithson. Those of us with good memories can remember it, dimly.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    kle4 said:
    The Scotland count is 6,181 on the 28 days basis. Not sure where the higher figure comes from. Maybe it's the death certificates, or excess deaths?

    Still, unlikely to change the big picture.
    7902 on death certificate.

    Given that Agent P though that a 1-in-a-hundred infection rate was higher than a 1-in-95 so I wouldn't put it past them to just make up numbers.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    But that would bankrupt English cricket all levels.

    Remember no FTA broadcaster bid for the first series of the summer.

    Let us not forget when Channel 4 broadcasted test cricket we regularly missed live moments, seminal moments like Jimmy Anderson's first test wicket because they decided to show Hollyoaks or decided to show the racing.

    The BBC missed Graham Gooch's moving to 300 to show the news.
    How much have levels of participation in cricket fallen since 2005? Especially among children?

    Sky’s coverage is great for those who can afford it - you and, more recently, me. Wasn’t much fun when I couldn’t and didn’t see any live test cricket for twelve years as a result.
    Sky TV really isn't that expensive. It's a
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense

    Small flaw in your plan...

    More seriously, it was said not too long ago that because of the uncertainty around play, length and dates that actually terrestrial broadcasters weren’t interested in first class or Test cricket. It’s great to see that proven wrong,
    Well they had plenty of sense because they massively increased funding for all levels of cricket by going with Sky. I would rather see the sport on terrestrial TV but you can hardly blame the ECB/BCCI etc if terrestrial channels failed to make serious bids.
    An organisation that proposes the Hundred has ‘plenty of sense?’

    If you want a good laugh, read this article:

    https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/domestic/who_on_earth_is_the_hundred_for_we_try_to_identify_the_ecb's_mysterious_'new_audience'.html

    (Although of course we all know the Hundred competition is not the real reason for the Hundred setup.)
    Give the Hundred a chance before you knock it. It could well be very popular with younger audiences.

    My point was that the ECB had plenty of sense selling the rights to Sky, as this has vastly increased funding to the sport, revolutionised grassroots cricket and led England to a World Cup victory.

    I would prefer that it was on FTA TV, if it can be properly scheduled and assuming they make serious bids.

    The Channel 4 deal bodes well, but let's see.

    Your point is?
    That I think you’re wrong.

    But we will see.
    Wrong in what sense? Wrong that Sky rights have injected much needed funding into the sport at every level?

    Nope, I'm not wrong about that.
    Wrong in the sense that in the long term I don’t think that deal will be beneficial for cricket.
  • agingjb2agingjb2 Posts: 112
    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    Cricket has been clinging on, without proper television coverage, entirely by the excellence of Test Match special, which could not last forever. This is a step towards reclaiming cricket.

  • OmniumOmnium Posts: 10,691
    ydoethur said:

    Omnium said:

    ydoethur said:

    Omnium said:

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense

    Small flaw in your plan...

    More seriously, it was said not too long ago that because of the uncertainty around play, length and dates that actually terrestrial broadcasters weren’t interested in first class or Test cricket. It’s great to see that proven wrong,
    Well they had plenty of sense because they massively increased funding for all levels of cricket by going with Sky. I would rather see the sport on terrestrial TV but you can hardly blame the ECB/BCCI etc if terrestrial channels failed to make serious bids.
    An organisation that proposes the Hundred has ‘plenty of sense?’

    If you want a good laugh, read this article:

    https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/domestic/who_on_earth_is_the_hundred_for_we_try_to_identify_the_ecb's_mysterious_'new_audience'.html

    (Although of course we all know the Hundred competition is not the real reason for the Hundred setup.)
    What do you think is the real reason? I'm baffled.
    To set up a new domestic structure based on major grounds/cities.
    Ah, I see. I'd have thought that they could and should have just done that anyway - actually make it clubs like football. However I'm very far from understanding the politics of county cricket and the ecb.
    The ECB is owned by the counties, not the other way around. If it wants to reduce the number, it needs to find a way to drive some out of business.

    How better than to take all their best players off them and in effect give them to rival teams, while refusing to let them host the matches in the premier competition at a peak time of year?
    What you say makes sense. Although the hundred format seems insane to me.
  • kle4kle4 Posts: 95,870

    Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    You know, that guy who hassled Whitty, I kind of feel sorry for him. Maybe he speaks for a generation

    He can't play sport. He can't meet his mates. He can't hug his gran even though she's had the vaccine. He can't date a girl, or a boy if that is his way. He can't go on holiday. He can't go to a concert. He can't have a night out. He can't learn to drive.

    And worst of all, he can't f8cking learn anything.

    Seriously, hassling Whitty is about all that's left.
    Except he didn't 'hassle' him, he was calling him a liar.

    People becoming frustrated at the pressures they are facing and acting out, breaking rules, has happened without indulging in Covid conspiracies.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,477

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.

    Oh dear me.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
    The Indian local feed is almost certainly worse.

    Can we set up our own PB commentary team? I’ll volunteer for a shift in between live lessons as long as I can make puns.
  • What's the deal with James O'Brexit and Andrew Neil?

    I just attempted to watch Owen Jones YouTube channel and he is interviewing O'Brien and they spend the first 10+ mins smearing Neil and just generally moaning about how terrible he is.

    I know why Jones doesn't like him, politics and the fact he has been spanked by Neil in interviews. What is O'Brien's problem? Brexit?

    Its the first thing they bring up in the interview.

    James O’Brien is never, never wrong. If you take that as a starting point...
    He could certainly take a leaf out of Brillo's book when it comes to humility and holding your hand up to errors.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,919
    Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    Don't worry, as she's here in LA, I've dropped her a message, and we're going to hook up later.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    What's the deal with James O'Brexit and Andrew Neil?

    I just attempted to watch Owen Jones YouTube channel and he is interviewing O'Brien and they spend the first 10+ mins smearing Neil and just generally moaning about how terrible he is.

    I know why Jones doesn't like him, politics and the fact he has been spanked by Neil in interviews. What is O'Brien's problem? Brexit?

    Its the first thing they bring up in the interview.

    James O’Brien is never, never wrong. If you take that as a starting point...
    He could certainly take a leaf out of Brillo's book when it comes to humility and holding your hand up to errors.
    I have been missing his Sweden updates.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,477
    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    So the BBC are not involved either, dammit.

    Can Ch4 cut a deal with TalkSport?
    Is the TalkSport commentary any good? I must admit I've always assumed it would be rubbish.
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677

    Leon said:

    IshmaelZ said:


    Orwell said that 80 years ago. There's a reason the "caricature" persists, including among people who have actually read this stuff. The difficulty with Kim is putting in the right order the extent to which all the non-European characters are patronised and caricatured. The priest? The horse-dealer? Kim himself? The rani they meet on the road?

    And you gotta love someone who thought this poem merited writing, never mind publication

    "THE COWARD

    I could not look on Death, which being known,
    Men led me to him, blindfold and alone."

    It's nonsense to say that the non-European characters are patronised and caricatured. Certainly no more than the English characters. To the contrary, it's a fantastically vivid portrayal of the different strands of Indian life and the different religions; when I first visited India I was struck by how much of it still applied. Of course he's not trying to be like George Eliot or Henry James in subtle character portrayals; it's a boy's adventure story, after all, but the wonderful thing about it is that it transcends that. Kipling knew one hell of a lot more about India and Indians than any of his modern-day critics do.

    As for the doggerel, yes, well, I've seen a lot worse from other great poets:

    Golden lads and girls all must,
    As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.


    or my favourite of all:

    O all the instruments agree
    The day of his death was a dark cold day.
    But the "golden lads" lines comes from a SONG within the play Cymbeline. So it is meant to be much lighter verse: song lyrics. It is not meant to be poetry
    OK, and what's Auden's excuse?

    Edit: For that matter, the Kipling couplet is from his satirical Epitaphs, so perhaps we can excuse him anyway.

    Auden is extremely variable. His best stuff is superb. He also wrote a LOT of duds, some of the later stuff, especially


    But he can be forgiven for masterpieces like this, which suddenly seems hideously apt, as it talks of a civilisation crumbling amidst plague. The last stanza has to be one of the most brilliantly menacing in English verse



    THE FALL OF ROME

    W. H. Auden - 1907-1973




    (for Cyril Connolly)

    The piers are pummelled by the waves;
    In a lonely field the rain
    Lashes an abandoned train;
    Outlaws fill the mountain caves.

    Fantastic grow the evening gowns;
    Agents of the Fisc pursue
    Absconding tax-defaulters through
    The sewers of provincial towns.

    Private rites of magic send
    The temple prostitutes to sleep;
    All the literati keep
    An imaginary friend.

    Cerebrotonic Cato may
    Extol the Ancient Disciplines,
    But the muscle-bound Marines
    Mutiny for food and pay.

    Caesar's double-bed is warm
    As an unimportant clerk
    Writes I DO NOT LIKE MY WORK
    On a pink official form.

    Unendowed with wealth or pity,
    Little birds with scarlet legs,
    Sitting on their speckled eggs,
    Eye each flu-infected city.

    Altogether elsewhere, vast
    Herds of reindeer move across
    Miles and miles of golden moss,
    Silently and very fast.
  • ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Are they not doing what Sky did in Sri Lanka? And take the video, but have own commentators and analysis?
    No, they said they would take local commentary.

    Could do worse than ask to stream the BBC radio commentary alongside it, actually. Would work on so many levels.

    But it’s unlikely the Beeb would agree!
    That's a terrible decision from Ch4...last time they were revolutionary. Now the world has moved on, but great opportunity to that again e.g. bring in like the Cricviz guys to do proper analysis, really upset the apple cart of 2nd rate commentary and analysis that is far too common.
    Yes, that does sound like a big mistake if they stand by that decision.

    I'll sync up TMS rather than listening to BCCI-approved hero worship.
    It's great news, and I simply don't see what the problem is with commentators. Any serious cricket fan would automatically mute the TV whoever is commentating and listen to the brilliant TMS team instead.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,919
    In Iran, they have a saying that goes back way before the current regime:

    If you stub your toe on a rock, you can be sure an Englishman left it there.
  • contrariancontrarian Posts: 5,818

    Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    You know, that guy who hassled Whitty, I kind of feel sorry for him. Maybe he speaks for a generation

    He can't play sport. He can't meet his mates. He can't hug his gran even though she's had the vaccine. He can't date a girl, or a boy if that is his way. He can't go on holiday. He can't go to a concert. He can't have a night out. He can't learn to drive.

    And worst of all, he can't f8cking learn anything.

    Seriously, hassling Whitty is about all that's left.
    He can watch Netflix like the rest of us
    The glib garbage I get in response to what is happening to people in lockdown is something to behold.

    One day, it might not be so glib
  • ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    So the BBC are not involved either, dammit.

    Can Ch4 cut a deal with TalkSport?
    Is the TalkSport commentary any good? I must admit I've always assumed it would be rubbish.
    I listened to it in the past, it has some good ex cricketers on there, but it gets ruined by the adverts and sponsorship and the fact it really isn't a commentator/summariser thing that TMS has.

    Jarrod Kimber is the only one worth listening to but I haven't checked if he doing this series.
  • What's the deal with James O'Brexit and Andrew Neil?

    I just attempted to watch Owen Jones YouTube channel and he is interviewing O'Brien and they spend the first 10+ mins smearing Neil and just generally moaning about how terrible he is.

    I know why Jones doesn't like him, politics and the fact he has been spanked by Neil in interviews. What is O'Brien's problem? Brexit?

    Its the first thing they bring up in the interview.

    James O’Brien is never, never wrong. If you take that as a starting point...
    He could certainly take a leaf out of Brillo's book when it comes to humility and holding your hand up to errors.
    He's helped by always being right
  • BluestBlueBluestBlue Posts: 4,556

    RobD said:

    RobD said:

    Its interesting that the amount of hope Johnson and Whitty gave for any relaxation of any kind at any time in the future for the poor people of England was precisely zero.

    Johnson talked about schools reopening on the 8th. That's a relaxation, isn't it?
    Did he make a commitment to open schools on the 8th March?
    Moving the goalposts aren't we?
    I'll take that as a no.

    So as I say, Johnson and Whitty gave the English public no hope for the future whatsoever. Nothing. Nada.

    You know that person at the end of the film who lets their guard down and gets garroted by the bad guy who's only playing dead? That's you, that is.
    Ok Lets turn it around. At what point will you say Johnson needs to give people at least something more. Some sort of commitment? some sort of firm timetable? Two weeks time? a month's time? two months time?

    When does your patience start to run thin?
    Trust me, I'm as desperate to get out of this shit as anyone - I've had more than enough of it already. But the only thing worse than going through this lockdown would be having to do it again because we release too soon and cases shoot up once more.

    The key metrics for when this wave will be over are the same as ever: cases, admissions, and deaths per day, as well as total hospitalizations.

    But now - fortunately - we have one more thing to calculate, which is the suppressive effect of all the acquired immunity. At some point, the combined herd immunity from vaccinations plus infections will suppress transmission enough that we can re-open the country step by step without the virus taking off again.

    Now, because I don't want to bullshit you, I don't know what that exact point will be - there are plenty of posters with much more specialist knowledge. My guess is that at a minimum we'll need to have given the first 9 priority groups (i.e. the 50+) their first dose, and quite possibly their second as well, before things can open up significantly.

    We're doing it faster than any major country in the world, but of course it's not fast enough for anyone to be ecstatic about it - including me.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,919
    ydoethur said:

    rcs1000 said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    What's "terrestrial telly"?
    Something that we had back in the day, Mr Smithson. Those of us with good memories can remember it, dimly.
    I genuinely can't remember when I last had Sky or traditional aerial TV. It has to be at least seven or eight years.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,477

    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Are they not doing what Sky did in Sri Lanka? And take the video, but have own commentators and analysis?
    No, they said they would take local commentary.

    Could do worse than ask to stream the BBC radio commentary alongside it, actually. Would work on so many levels.

    But it’s unlikely the Beeb would agree!
    That's a terrible decision from Ch4...last time they were revolutionary. Now the world has moved on, but great opportunity to that again e.g. bring in like the Cricviz guys to do proper analysis, really upset the apple cart of 2nd rate commentary and analysis that is far too common.
    Yes, that does sound like a big mistake if they stand by that decision.

    I'll sync up TMS rather than listening to BCCI-approved hero worship.
    It's great news, and I simply don't see what the problem is with commentators. Any serious cricket fan would automatically mute the TV whoever is commentating and listen to the brilliant TMS team instead.
    They don't have the rights apparently!

    Sky commentary is usually pretty good too (but again they don't have the rights)
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    The big take away from the press conference this evening, it is still going to be many months until we have vaccinanted sufficient number of people before the UK is safe from a big NHS crushing 3rd wave.

    Yep, although get the cases low enough and we should be able to get back to last summers conditions pretty soon.
    The performance being claimed for the vaccine is such that a 'crushing third wave' is pretty much out of the question, isn;t it?

    What is being crushed, by spiralling debt, plummeting educational outcomes, soaring unemployment and devastating mental health issues, are the next generation of Britons.

    Crushed utterly.

    Who is talking about a crushing third wave? Where has this come from?

    On current rates, we stand a good chance of having jabbed every adult by May Day!
    Running at a mean of about 400,000 per day for first doses from this point onwards, everyone would be jabbed by around the middle of May so would therefore be expected to have some degree of immunity by early June.

    The major stumbling blocks to this are continuity of supply and the need to ramp up very significantly, because the second doses will need to start being administered in huge numbers from around Easter onwards.

    Could easily take all Summer to get all the first doses done if supply can't be greatly increased.
  • Alistair said:

    What's the deal with James O'Brexit and Andrew Neil?

    I just attempted to watch Owen Jones YouTube channel and he is interviewing O'Brien and they spend the first 10+ mins smearing Neil and just generally moaning about how terrible he is.

    I know why Jones doesn't like him, politics and the fact he has been spanked by Neil in interviews. What is O'Brien's problem? Brexit?

    Its the first thing they bring up in the interview.

    James O’Brien is never, never wrong. If you take that as a starting point...
    He could certainly take a leaf out of Brillo's book when it comes to humility and holding your hand up to errors.
    I have been missing his Sweden updates.
    The Andrew Neil Caravan of Explaining has moved on.
    I sense his rheumy is about to affix on Scotland and how crap it is.
  • algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    But that would bankrupt English cricket all levels.

    Remember no FTA broadcaster bid for the first series of the summer.

    Let us not forget when Channel 4 broadcasted test cricket we regularly missed live moments, seminal moments like Jimmy Anderson's first test wicket because they decided to show Hollyoaks or decided to show the racing.

    The BBC missed Graham Gooch's moving to 300 to show the news.
    That kind of thing even used to happen Downunder. Not Hollyoaks obviously, but used to get the Cricket interrupted for horse races. I swear the amount of times the coverage would come back from a race to show a replay of a wicket . . .

    Having a Channel dedicated to the match that doesn't go to other programs is a definite improvement on how it used to be.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,888

    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    So the BBC are not involved either, dammit.

    Can Ch4 cut a deal with TalkSport?
    Is the TalkSport commentary any good? I must admit I've always assumed it would be rubbish.
    I listened to it in the past, it has some good ex cricketers on there, but it gets ruined by the adverts and sponsorship and the fact it really isn't a commentator/summariser thing that TMS has.

    Jarrod Kimber is the only one worth listening to but I haven't checked if he doing this series.
    Always on Talksport 2, which isn't on longwave which means I won't be able to get it in my car xD
  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677

    Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    Cue Genesis and "Ripples"

    "Marching to the promised land
    Where the honey flows and takes you by the hand
    Pulls you down on your knees
    While you're down a pool appears
    The face in the water looks up
    And she shakes her head as if to say
    That it's the last time you'll look like today"

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJa9gEUa0To
    I ADORE that song. Elegiac and lovely. Beautifully sung and performed. A great piece of rather unappreciated rock music
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,888
    rcs1000 said:

    ydoethur said:

    rcs1000 said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    What's "terrestrial telly"?
    Something that we had back in the day, Mr Smithson. Those of us with good memories can remember it, dimly.
    I genuinely can't remember when I last had Sky or traditional aerial TV. It has to be at least seven or eight years.
    Who is your IPTV provider xD?
  • BluestBlueBluestBlue Posts: 4,556

    I do hope Nigel Farage wasn't on the top of that cliff, binoculars poised, looking for boats full of refugees.
    'If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less'?
  • ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
    The Indian local feed is almost certainly worse.

    Can we set up our own PB commentary team? I’ll volunteer for a shift in between live lessons as long as I can make puns.
    OK, but you can't say 'Pant's on fire!'

    It's been done.
  • GallowgateGallowgate Posts: 19,427

    Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    You know, that guy who hassled Whitty, I kind of feel sorry for him. Maybe he speaks for a generation

    He can't play sport. He can't meet his mates. He can't hug his gran even though she's had the vaccine. He can't date a girl, or a boy if that is his way. He can't go on holiday. He can't go to a concert. He can't have a night out. He can't learn to drive.

    And worst of all, he can't f8cking learn anything.

    Seriously, hassling Whitty is about all that's left.
    He can watch Netflix like the rest of us
    The glib garbage I get in response to what is happening to people in lockdown is something to behold.

    One day, it might not be so glib
    We’re all going through the same crap you know. It’s shit for all of us but we literally don’t have any other option.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,477
    Pulpstar said:

    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    So the BBC are not involved either, dammit.

    Can Ch4 cut a deal with TalkSport?
    Is the TalkSport commentary any good? I must admit I've always assumed it would be rubbish.
    I listened to it in the past, it has some good ex cricketers on there, but it gets ruined by the adverts and sponsorship and the fact it really isn't a commentator/summariser thing that TMS has.

    Jarrod Kimber is the only one worth listening to but I haven't checked if he doing this series.
    Always on Talksport 2, which isn't on longwave which means I won't be able to get it in my car xD
    It's on digital radio or you can stream it from your phone to you car via Bluetooth or audio cable.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    You know, that guy who hassled Whitty, I kind of feel sorry for him. Maybe he speaks for a generation

    He can't play sport. He can't meet his mates. He can't hug his gran even though she's had the vaccine. He can't date a girl, or a boy if that is his way. He can't go on holiday. He can't go to a concert. He can't have a night out. He can't learn to drive.

    And worst of all, he can't f8cking learn anything.

    Seriously, hassling Whitty is about all that's left.
    He can watch Netflix like the rest of us
    The glib garbage I get in response to what is happening to people in lockdown is something to behold.

    One day, it might not be so glib
    Your complaint is essentially that we are in the 8th season of the Walking Covid, it's all got a bit samey, you don't like the way the narrative arc is going and you think the scriptwriters are asleep on the job. It is an entirely valid complaint, but the scriptwriters are not who you think they are.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 77,888


    Could easily take all Summer to get all the first doses done if supply can't be greatly increased.

    Everywhere except Israel would kill for that
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,477

    The big take away from the press conference this evening, it is still going to be many months until we have vaccinanted sufficient number of people before the UK is safe from a big NHS crushing 3rd wave.

    Yep, although get the cases low enough and we should be able to get back to last summers conditions pretty soon.
    The performance being claimed for the vaccine is such that a 'crushing third wave' is pretty much out of the question, isn;t it?

    What is being crushed, by spiralling debt, plummeting educational outcomes, soaring unemployment and devastating mental health issues, are the next generation of Britons.

    Crushed utterly.

    Who is talking about a crushing third wave? Where has this come from?

    On current rates, we stand a good chance of having jabbed every adult by May Day!
    Running at a mean of about 400,000 per day for first doses from this point onwards, everyone would be jabbed by around the middle of May so would therefore be expected to have some degree of immunity by early June.

    The major stumbling blocks to this are continuity of supply and the need to ramp up very significantly, because the second doses will need to start being administered in huge numbers from around Easter onwards.

    Could easily take all Summer to get all the first doses done if supply can't be greatly increased.
    My sense is you are being rather pessimistic here, but I haven't got the energy to run the numbers.
  • What's the deal with James O'Brexit and Andrew Neil?

    I just attempted to watch Owen Jones YouTube channel and he is interviewing O'Brien and they spend the first 10+ mins smearing Neil and just generally moaning about how terrible he is.

    I know why Jones doesn't like him, politics and the fact he has been spanked by Neil in interviews. What is O'Brien's problem? Brexit?

    Its the first thing they bring up in the interview.

    James O’Brien is never, never wrong. If you take that as a starting point...
    He could certainly take a leaf out of Brillo's book when it comes to humility and holding your hand up to errors.
    He's helped by always being right
    True.
    Bosnia-Herzegovina felt obliged to separate into its constituent parts just to keep Andra's record spotless.

    https://twitter.com/afneil/status/830393441989361666?s=20
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,123

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    But that would bankrupt English cricket all levels.

    Remember no FTA broadcaster bid for the first series of the summer.

    Let us not forget when Channel 4 broadcasted test cricket we regularly missed live moments, seminal moments like Jimmy Anderson's first test wicket because they decided to show Hollyoaks or decided to show the racing.

    The BBC missed Graham Gooch's moving to 300 to show the news.
    That kind of thing even used to happen Downunder. Not Hollyoaks obviously, but used to get the Cricket interrupted for horse races. I swear the amount of times the coverage would come back from a race to show a replay of a wicket . . .

    Having a Channel dedicated to the match that doesn't go to other programs is a definite improvement on how it used to be.
    Not having Sky as a kid, I learnt the order of Shipping Forecast areas off by heart.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,919
    Pulpstar said:

    rcs1000 said:

    ydoethur said:

    rcs1000 said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    What's "terrestrial telly"?
    Something that we had back in the day, Mr Smithson. Those of us with good memories can remember it, dimly.
    I genuinely can't remember when I last had Sky or traditional aerial TV. It has to be at least seven or eight years.
    Who is your IPTV provider xD?
    We subscribe to Netflix and the Disney+ bundle (ESPN, Disney, and Hulu), plus we get BritBox through Amazon. (And I pay $5/month to get YouTube ad free, and to get YouTube Music.)

    When LAFC is playing, I also subscribe to YouTube TV.

  • MattWMattW Posts: 22,703
    Endillion said:

    Charles said:

    TimT said:

    Charles said:

    So much for being "the global laughing stock"......

    https://twitter.com/benatipsosmori/status/1356933140028289025?s=20

    Worth bearing the old Egyptian saying in mind:

    Why doesn't the sun set on the British Empire? Because God doesn't trust them in the dark!

    The Arabs preferred:

    It is better to be an enemy of the British than their friend. They buy their enemies - and sell their friends
    Interesting that the Egyptians are separated from the Arabs ...
    The comments were from the end of the 19th century/early 20th century when "Arabs" referred to inhabitants of Arabia rather than the wider definition that it has subsequently(?) developed.
    IANAE, but I'd have thought Egyptians today wouldn't think of themselves as Arabs, would they? Certainly in English I wouldn't think that the word Arab included them.
    It's complicated.

    Culturally, large parts of Mediterranean North Africa are, to all intents and purposes, Arab, as a result of the Arabian conquests. Egypt is probably "more Arab" than, say, Tunisia or Algeria, but obviously a lot less so than (say) Iraq or Syria. My understanding is that a fair number of Egyptians will self-describe as Arabs (far more so than as Africans), and historically they have tended to co-operate with, for example, the Arab League, so politically they are generally at least as tied to the Middle East as any of their actual neighbours. But I think a lot of Egyptians would say they are Egyptians first and Arabs second, or not at all.
    Arab League Full Membership is quite a good guide.

    The 22 members of the Arab League as of 2018 were Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The four observers are Brazil, Eritrea, India and Venezuela.
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,919

    The big take away from the press conference this evening, it is still going to be many months until we have vaccinanted sufficient number of people before the UK is safe from a big NHS crushing 3rd wave.

    Yep, although get the cases low enough and we should be able to get back to last summers conditions pretty soon.
    The performance being claimed for the vaccine is such that a 'crushing third wave' is pretty much out of the question, isn;t it?

    What is being crushed, by spiralling debt, plummeting educational outcomes, soaring unemployment and devastating mental health issues, are the next generation of Britons.

    Crushed utterly.

    Who is talking about a crushing third wave? Where has this come from?

    On current rates, we stand a good chance of having jabbed every adult by May Day!
    Running at a mean of about 400,000 per day for first doses from this point onwards, everyone would be jabbed by around the middle of May so would therefore be expected to have some degree of immunity by early June.

    The major stumbling blocks to this are continuity of supply and the need to ramp up very significantly, because the second doses will need to start being administered in huge numbers from around Easter onwards.

    Could easily take all Summer to get all the first doses done if supply can't be greatly increased.
    We are currently supply constrained. We will have both Johnson & Johnson and Novavax vaccines coming before long.

    Plus, Pfizer and AZN are ramping up their manufacturing.

    Every week, production of CV19 vaccines increases. And this will keep happening through the year.

  • LeonLeon Posts: 54,677
    France is having a strange third wave


    26,300 cases today. It is gently rising over there, nothing like our up-down spike. Presumably this a function of different variants, plus their quasi-lockdown
  • rcs1000rcs1000 Posts: 56,919
    MattW said:
    I wasn't prepared to get a vaccine from AZN because they sell it for "cost". If you're not interested in making a profit, I'm not interested in taking your vaccine.

    "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest."
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154

    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
    The Indian local feed is almost certainly worse.

    Can we set up our own PB commentary team? I’ll volunteer for a shift in between live lessons as long as I can make puns.
    OK, but you can't say 'Pant's on fire!'

    It's been done.
    The Indian number three is having some Chet with the fielders.

    Pope is blessing that one as it gets away.

    That was served up on a plate for Buttler.

    Leach has sucked the life out by bowling dry.

    Root’s feet were planted to the crease there.

    Those any good?
  • ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Are they not doing what Sky did in Sri Lanka? And take the video, but have own commentators and analysis?
    No, they said they would take local commentary.

    Could do worse than ask to stream the BBC radio commentary alongside it, actually. Would work on so many levels.

    But it’s unlikely the Beeb would agree!
    That's a terrible decision from Ch4...last time they were revolutionary. Now the world has moved on, but great opportunity to that again e.g. bring in like the Cricviz guys to do proper analysis, really upset the apple cart of 2nd rate commentary and analysis that is far too common.
    Yes, that does sound like a big mistake if they stand by that decision.

    I'll sync up TMS rather than listening to BCCI-approved hero worship.
    It's great news, and I simply don't see what the problem is with commentators. Any serious cricket fan would automatically mute the TV whoever is commentating and listen to the brilliant TMS team instead.
    They don't have the rights apparently!

    Sky commentary is usually pretty good too (but again they don't have the rights)
    What?! That's a blow. What about Talksport radio then? I've never listened to it. Any good?
  • tlg86 said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    But that would bankrupt English cricket all levels.

    Remember no FTA broadcaster bid for the first series of the summer.

    Let us not forget when Channel 4 broadcasted test cricket we regularly missed live moments, seminal moments like Jimmy Anderson's first test wicket because they decided to show Hollyoaks or decided to show the racing.

    The BBC missed Graham Gooch's moving to 300 to show the news.
    That kind of thing even used to happen Downunder. Not Hollyoaks obviously, but used to get the Cricket interrupted for horse races. I swear the amount of times the coverage would come back from a race to show a replay of a wicket . . .

    Having a Channel dedicated to the match that doesn't go to other programs is a definite improvement on how it used to be.
    Not having Sky as a kid, I learnt the order of Shipping Forecast areas off by heart.
    Same.

    My father was convinced getting Sky would have a negative impact on my school performance.
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905
    rcs1000 said:

    The big take away from the press conference this evening, it is still going to be many months until we have vaccinanted sufficient number of people before the UK is safe from a big NHS crushing 3rd wave.

    Yep, although get the cases low enough and we should be able to get back to last summers conditions pretty soon.
    The performance being claimed for the vaccine is such that a 'crushing third wave' is pretty much out of the question, isn;t it?

    What is being crushed, by spiralling debt, plummeting educational outcomes, soaring unemployment and devastating mental health issues, are the next generation of Britons.

    Crushed utterly.

    Who is talking about a crushing third wave? Where has this come from?

    On current rates, we stand a good chance of having jabbed every adult by May Day!
    Running at a mean of about 400,000 per day for first doses from this point onwards, everyone would be jabbed by around the middle of May so would therefore be expected to have some degree of immunity by early June.

    The major stumbling blocks to this are continuity of supply and the need to ramp up very significantly, because the second doses will need to start being administered in huge numbers from around Easter onwards.

    Could easily take all Summer to get all the first doses done if supply can't be greatly increased.
    We are currently supply constrained. We will have both Johnson & Johnson and Novavax vaccines coming before long.

    Plus, Pfizer and AZN are ramping up their manufacturing.

    Every week, production of CV19 vaccines increases. And this will keep happening through the year.

    Yes, but it's a matter of how far and how fast that'll make the difference between spending all Summer stuck in front of bloody screens as well as all Spring.

    Don't get me wrong, it's encouraging to know that at least the cavalry is coming. It's just that we don't yet know whether it's riding thoroughbreds or Shetland ponies.
  • AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 23,477
    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
    The Indian local feed is almost certainly worse.

    Can we set up our own PB commentary team? I’ll volunteer for a shift in between live lessons as long as I can make puns.
    OK, but you can't say 'Pant's on fire!'

    It's been done.
    The Indian number three is having some Chet with the fielders.

    Pope is blessing that one as it gets away.

    That was served up on a plate for Buttler.

    Leach has sucked the life out by bowling dry.

    Root’s feet were planted to the crease there.

    Those any good?
    Kohli is on fire!
  • ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
    The Indian local feed is almost certainly worse.

    Can we set up our own PB commentary team? I’ll volunteer for a shift in between live lessons as long as I can make puns.
    OK, but you can't say 'Pant's on fire!'

    It's been done.
    The Indian number three is having some Chet with the fielders.

    Pope is blessing that one as it gets away.

    That was served up on a plate for Buttler.

    Leach has sucked the life out by bowling dry.

    Root’s feet were planted to the crease there.

    Those any good?
    I'm going to have to put up with this for four Test Matches? :(
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154
    Speaking of cricket, Ollie Pope may be about to find out what life is like at 3:

    Zak Crawley suffers suspected broken wrist after slipping in Chennai nets
    https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/india-vs-england-2020-21-zak-crawley-suffers-suspected-broken-wrist-after-slipping-in-chennai-nets-1249974
  • ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
    The Indian local feed is almost certainly worse.

    Can we set up our own PB commentary team? I’ll volunteer for a shift in between live lessons as long as I can make puns.
    Time to wheel this out, then.

    My go-to when I'm miserable and need to be cheered in 2 minutes.

    https://youtu.be/q4mC3Y4Dw-E
  • turbotubbsturbotubbs Posts: 17,177

    ydoethur said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    But that would bankrupt English cricket all levels.

    Remember no FTA broadcaster bid for the first series of the summer.

    Let us not forget when Channel 4 broadcasted test cricket we regularly missed live moments, seminal moments like Jimmy Anderson's first test wicket because they decided to show Hollyoaks or decided to show the racing.

    The BBC missed Graham Gooch's moving to 300 to show the news.
    How much have levels of participation in cricket fallen since 2005? Especially among children?

    Sky’s coverage is great for those who can afford it - you and, more recently, me. Wasn’t much fun when I couldn’t and didn’t see any live test cricket for twelve years as a result.
    The participation drop off is nothing to do with Sky.

    Cricket, like rugby union, is becoming a public school game as state schools sold playing fields.

    Ironically Sky have been spending a lot of money on cricket participation.

    https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/11390558/join-us-for-the-participation-test/more/5

    https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11390819/stuart-broad-sees-how-chance-to-shine-is-helping-inner-city-children-through-cricket
    There are other reasons. Cricket is a time consuming game. At my level we play 45 overs a side, so from from 1 to 7 plus drinking so basically all day. That puts folk off.
  • EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976
    IshmaelZ said:

    Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    You know, that guy who hassled Whitty, I kind of feel sorry for him. Maybe he speaks for a generation

    He can't play sport. He can't meet his mates. He can't hug his gran even though she's had the vaccine. He can't date a girl, or a boy if that is his way. He can't go on holiday. He can't go to a concert. He can't have a night out. He can't learn to drive.

    And worst of all, he can't f8cking learn anything.

    Seriously, hassling Whitty is about all that's left.
    He can watch Netflix like the rest of us
    The glib garbage I get in response to what is happening to people in lockdown is something to behold.

    One day, it might not be so glib
    Your complaint is essentially that we are in the 8th season of the Walking Covid, it's all got a bit samey, you don't like the way the narrative arc is going and you think the scriptwriters are asleep on the job. It is an entirely valid complaint, but the scriptwriters are not who you think they are.
    The other issue is that I have, shall we say, some doubts as to how much he genuinely cares about the mental health of our youth, as opposed to it being a convenient drum to bang on for the sake of his wider pre-conceived beliefs.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154

    ydoethur said:

    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
    The Indian local feed is almost certainly worse.

    Can we set up our own PB commentary team? I’ll volunteer for a shift in between live lessons as long as I can make puns.
    OK, but you can't say 'Pant's on fire!'

    It's been done.
    The Indian number three is having some Chet with the fielders.

    Pope is blessing that one as it gets away.

    That was served up on a plate for Buttler.

    Leach has sucked the life out by bowling dry.

    Root’s feet were planted to the crease there.

    Those any good?
    I'm going to have to put up with this for four Test Matches? :(
    No, don’t worry, Buttler’s off home after the first one.
  • JonathanDJonathanD Posts: 2,400
    rcs1000 said:

    MattW said:
    I wasn't prepared to get a vaccine from AZN because they sell it for "cost". If you're not interested in making a profit, I'm not interested in taking your vaccine.

    "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self-interest."
    Very good. The lack of profit motive is probably why AZ have been so useless at getting regulator approval and instead treated the whole process like a PhD thesis.
  • ydoethurydoethur Posts: 71,154

    ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
    The Indian local feed is almost certainly worse.

    Can we set up our own PB commentary team? I’ll volunteer for a shift in between live lessons as long as I can make puns.
    Time to wheel this out, then.

    My go-to when I'm miserable and need to be cheered in 2 minutes.
    That was a positively wicket pun.
  • ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Are they not doing what Sky did in Sri Lanka? And take the video, but have own commentators and analysis?
    No, they said they would take local commentary.

    Could do worse than ask to stream the BBC radio commentary alongside it, actually. Would work on so many levels.

    But it’s unlikely the Beeb would agree!
    That's a terrible decision from Ch4...last time they were revolutionary. Now the world has moved on, but great opportunity to that again e.g. bring in like the Cricviz guys to do proper analysis, really upset the apple cart of 2nd rate commentary and analysis that is far too common.
    Yes, that does sound like a big mistake if they stand by that decision.

    I'll sync up TMS rather than listening to BCCI-approved hero worship.
    It's great news, and I simply don't see what the problem is with commentators. Any serious cricket fan would automatically mute the TV whoever is commentating and listen to the brilliant TMS team instead.
    They don't have the rights apparently!

    Sky commentary is usually pretty good too (but again they don't have the rights)
    What?! That's a blow. What about Talksport radio then? I've never listened to it. Any good?
    Awful. No charm. Last time, the TMS team set up a live show talking about the cricket going on without directly commentating, and it was a superior product which gave a better feel of the game.
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    The big take away from the press conference this evening, it is still going to be many months until we have vaccinanted sufficient number of people before the UK is safe from a big NHS crushing 3rd wave.

    Yep, although get the cases low enough and we should be able to get back to last summers conditions pretty soon.
    The performance being claimed for the vaccine is such that a 'crushing third wave' is pretty much out of the question, isn;t it?

    What is being crushed, by spiralling debt, plummeting educational outcomes, soaring unemployment and devastating mental health issues, are the next generation of Britons.

    Crushed utterly.

    Who is talking about a crushing third wave? Where has this come from?

    On current rates, we stand a good chance of having jabbed every adult by May Day!
    Running at a mean of about 400,000 per day for first doses from this point onwards, everyone would be jabbed by around the middle of May so would therefore be expected to have some degree of immunity by early June.

    The major stumbling blocks to this are continuity of supply and the need to ramp up very significantly, because the second doses will need to start being administered in huge numbers from around Easter onwards.

    Could easily take all Summer to get all the first doses done if supply can't be greatly increased.
    My sense is you are being rather pessimistic here, but I haven't got the energy to run the numbers.
    This time I'm being cautious rather than outright pessimistic, for the time being anyway. Enough extra supply might come on line by Easter to remedy the problem. I merely remain to be convinced.
  • ydoethur said:

    Whilst I am delighted that test cricket is back of FTA TV I will probably be watching the match with the commentary muted.

    C4 are talking the host feed provided by the BCCI, which means it heavily pro India and treat the players like God.

    OMG Virat Kohli has farted, it is the greatest fart in history.

    The commentators are contractually obliged not to criticise the BCCI or the Indian team.

    Is that actually true? Goodness me. Will it be on Sky too? If not, we can always sync TMS...
    It is actually true.

    It's not on Sky, as for TMS, TalkSport have the radio rights to this series.
    Double whammy of shit....

    I would rather listen to Owen Jones and James O'Brien moan about Andrew Neil than listen to TalkSport cricket commentary.
    The Indian local feed is almost certainly worse.

    Can we set up our own PB commentary team? I’ll volunteer for a shift in between live lessons as long as I can make puns.
    Time to wheel this out, then.

    My go-to when I'm miserable and need to be cheered in 2 minutes.

    https://youtu.be/q4mC3Y4Dw-E
    Classic, but Agnew mistaking a replay for live action recently was almost as good.
  • NEW THREAD

  • rcs1000 said:

    The big take away from the press conference this evening, it is still going to be many months until we have vaccinanted sufficient number of people before the UK is safe from a big NHS crushing 3rd wave.

    Yep, although get the cases low enough and we should be able to get back to last summers conditions pretty soon.
    The performance being claimed for the vaccine is such that a 'crushing third wave' is pretty much out of the question, isn;t it?

    What is being crushed, by spiralling debt, plummeting educational outcomes, soaring unemployment and devastating mental health issues, are the next generation of Britons.

    Crushed utterly.

    Who is talking about a crushing third wave? Where has this come from?

    On current rates, we stand a good chance of having jabbed every adult by May Day!
    Running at a mean of about 400,000 per day for first doses from this point onwards, everyone would be jabbed by around the middle of May so would therefore be expected to have some degree of immunity by early June.

    The major stumbling blocks to this are continuity of supply and the need to ramp up very significantly, because the second doses will need to start being administered in huge numbers from around Easter onwards.

    Could easily take all Summer to get all the first doses done if supply can't be greatly increased.
    We are currently supply constrained. We will have both Johnson & Johnson and Novavax vaccines coming before long.

    Plus, Pfizer and AZN are ramping up their manufacturing.

    Every week, production of CV19 vaccines increases. And this will keep happening through the year.

    Yes, but it's a matter of how far and how fast that'll make the difference between spending all Summer stuck in front of bloody screens as well as all Spring.

    Don't get me wrong, it's encouraging to know that at least the cavalry is coming. It's just that we don't yet know whether it's riding thoroughbreds or Shetland ponies.
    You won't even be spending spring in front of a screen (unless you want to).
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 52,354
    Leon said:

    Leon said:

    I was chided as "creepy" for making exactly this point a coupla weeks ago

    Covid is particularly hard on beautiful young women, who know they won't be beautiful forever

    https://twitter.com/masiragz/status/1356368901622231041?s=20

    Cue Genesis and "Ripples"

    "Marching to the promised land
    Where the honey flows and takes you by the hand
    Pulls you down on your knees
    While you're down a pool appears
    The face in the water looks up
    And she shakes her head as if to say
    That it's the last time you'll look like today"

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJa9gEUa0To
    I ADORE that song. Elegiac and lovely. Beautifully sung and performed. A great piece of rather unappreciated rock music
    And very much on point. The best song ever about the transience of beauty?
  • algarkirkalgarkirk Posts: 12,360

    Leon said:

    IshmaelZ said:


    Orwell said that 80 years ago. There's a reason the "caricature" persists, including among people who have actually read this stuff. The difficulty with Kim is putting in the right order the extent to which all the non-European characters are patronised and caricatured. The priest? The horse-dealer? Kim himself? The rani they meet on the road?

    And you gotta love someone who thought this poem merited writing, never mind publication

    "THE COWARD

    I could not look on Death, which being known,
    Men led me to him, blindfold and alone."

    It's nonsense to say that the non-European characters are patronised and caricatured. Certainly no more than the English characters. To the contrary, it's a fantastically vivid portrayal of the different strands of Indian life and the different religions; when I first visited India I was struck by how much of it still applied. Of course he's not trying to be like George Eliot or Henry James in subtle character portrayals; it's a boy's adventure story, after all, but the wonderful thing about it is that it transcends that. Kipling knew one hell of a lot more about India and Indians than any of his modern-day critics do.

    As for the doggerel, yes, well, I've seen a lot worse from other great poets:

    Golden lads and girls all must,
    As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.


    or my favourite of all:

    O all the instruments agree
    The day of his death was a dark cold day.
    But the "golden lads" lines comes from a SONG within the play Cymbeline. So it is meant to be much lighter verse: song lyrics. It is not meant to be poetry
    OK, and what's Auden's excuse?

    Edit: For that matter, the Kipling couplet is from his satirical Epitaphs, so perhaps we can excuse him anyway.
    'Golden lads... etc' is a Shakespeare gem. Chimney-sweepers are dandelions BTW, which makes double good sense. Sometimes read at smart funerals. Judi Dench does it if you are posh enough.

  • ydoethur said:

    algarkirk said:

    If cricket authorities had sense they would put all 5 day tests on terrestrial telly, and flog one day knock about stuff to the highest bidder, creating a new generation of real cricket lovers.

    But that would bankrupt English cricket all levels.

    Remember no FTA broadcaster bid for the first series of the summer.

    Let us not forget when Channel 4 broadcasted test cricket we regularly missed live moments, seminal moments like Jimmy Anderson's first test wicket because they decided to show Hollyoaks or decided to show the racing.

    The BBC missed Graham Gooch's moving to 300 to show the news.
    How much have levels of participation in cricket fallen since 2005? Especially among children?

    Sky’s coverage is great for those who can afford it - you and, more recently, me. Wasn’t much fun when I couldn’t and didn’t see any live test cricket for twelve years as a result.
    The participation drop off is nothing to do with Sky.

    Cricket, like rugby union, is becoming a public school game as state schools sold playing fields.

    Ironically Sky have been spending a lot of money on cricket participation.

    https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/11390558/join-us-for-the-participation-test/more/5

    https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11390819/stuart-broad-sees-how-chance-to-shine-is-helping-inner-city-children-through-cricket
    There are other reasons. Cricket is a time consuming game. At my level we play 45 overs a side, so from from 1 to 7 plus drinking so basically all day. That puts folk off.
    And in schools, the ratio of actual activity to sitting or standing around on a pleasant day is pretty hopeless.
    Shame, really. It's something I'd like to have got mediocre at in my youth.
  • ydoethur said:

    Speaking of cricket, Ollie Pope may be about to find out what life is like at 3:

    Zak Crawley suffers suspected broken wrist after slipping in Chennai nets
    https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/india-vs-england-2020-21-zak-crawley-suffers-suspected-broken-wrist-after-slipping-in-chennai-nets-1249974

    They would surely put Lawrence in at 3. He's not as good as Crawley but there is the minor compensation that he's not a bad part-time spinner should the need arise.
This discussion has been closed.