Black Labour group say the party is ‘no longer a safe space’ for black members: Starmer faces claims that anti-black racism is being ignored.
Jeremy Corbyn: Keir Starmer wants to prop up the wealthy and the powerful Labour membership and trade unions are under attack because they want social change
He's working on that readmission thing with all the skill and poise he brought to a GE campaign. What the hell were Labour smoking?
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
At a million cases per month split between vaxxed and unvaxxed, there will still be plenty of cases until at least Christmas. There are 5 million unvaxxed.
I reckon cases will bump up and down at much the same numbers that we have had for the last 2 months for another few months yet.
That's my feeling too, with deaths and hospitalizations continuing to fall off a bit as a greater proportion of new cases are amongst kids.
I think we still have to follow (at least the public health community should) the case data as this virus has continually surprised us and shown us just how much we have yet to learn about viruses, viral evolution, and epidemiology. But I think the time for the public to worry about case numbers is over, at least in the UK and other countries with similar levels of vaccination and seropositivity.
Stupidity is certainly the driving force behind Brexit.
A polite question this time
Do you really believe your huge anti brexit output has changed any minds rather than the opposite
If anyone has had a good fuel crisis, it's been Scott. He's been right on form, and yes, moving me further towards the Brexit-is-being-done-badly position. Sorry that isn't the answer you wanted.
I know Scott gets a lot of stick on here but I for one value his posts - it saves me bothering with Twitter first-hand, which is a big plus.
He deserve some of that stick too. Not everything is about Brexit. But when there are clearly negative Brexit related issues, Scott's right in his element.
Not everything he posts is about Brexit either - see the earlier 'Don't Panic' Johnson cartoon.
No, his hatred of Johnson gets a look in every now and again.
And a very understandable hatred it is too ;-)
Not really. I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a politician.
What, never?!
Ok I get that you can't understand it about Johnson, or maybe Corbyn, or Trump even... but cast your mind back 80 or 90 years.
Unless you are comparing Johnson to Hitler, I don't see how that is at all relevant.
Of course not.
But you said "I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a politician" Not specifically Johnson but 'a politician'.
I inferred from that that you could think of no politician deserving of hate. Hitler was a politician. I rest my case.
Of course, there have been some pretty nasty politicians in history. But that's not really the context of what I was saying, is it? But for the avoidance of any doubt "I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a non-dictator, mainstream politician".
Acknowledged. See my apology upthread.
Not accepted because it isn't needed. Good practice not to speak in such broad generalities lol.
Stupidity is certainly the driving force behind Brexit.
A polite question this time
Do you really believe your huge anti brexit output has changed any minds rather than the opposite
If anyone has had a good fuel crisis, it's been Scott. He's been right on form, and yes, moving me further towards the Brexit-is-being-done-badly position. Sorry that isn't the answer you wanted.
I know Scott gets a lot of stick on here but I for one value his posts - it saves me bothering with Twitter first-hand, which is a big plus.
He deserve some of that stick too. Not everything is about Brexit. But when there are clearly negative Brexit related issues, Scott's right in his element.
Not everything he posts is about Brexit either - see the earlier 'Don't Panic' Johnson cartoon.
No, his hatred of Johnson gets a look in every now and again.
And a very understandable hatred it is too ;-)
Not really. I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a politician.
What, never?!
Ok I get that you can't understand it about Johnson, or maybe Corbyn, or Trump even... but cast your mind back 80 or 90 years.
You know I just do not hate any politician, as hate takes too much energy
Dislike most certainly, and Trump and Corbyn top my list but to be honest believe it or not I just cannot hate
I think that's generally a good philosophy but then I think of someone like Hitler or Stalin, or Mao...
I just do not do hate and I am not being self righteous or religious but I do dislike, even intensely in the case if Trump and Corbyn
Tbh Big_G, I'm with you.
I am arguing with RobD and kle4 for the sake of a bit of challenge and discussion really. Sorry guys!
I agree, hate is not the answer. Intense dislike, distrust, distaste and probably a few other dis-es is what I feel for these people. Not hate - hate breeds hate.
No need to be sorry!
Speak for yourself, I demand total obeisance if I am to be mollified. My wrath is legendary, like the fury of a thousand suns, or a less cliched simile.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
On topic, if Trump wants the nomination, he will get it and it is increasingly clear he does. Also, he is playing a smart game by keeping relatively quiet. That might not be a popular idea on here given the consensus that Trump is a stupid buffoon but he is a lot smarter than many give him credit for.
There was also a good piece by Conrad Black today, which won’t please many on here but the link is below. With regards to his comments on the 2020 election, they will make many here choke but, quite frankly, that’s not important - this is what the GOP is thinking about what happened in November:
Final point. I’m noticing a worrying trend on here that, if Trump does run again in 2024, the only way he will win is by fraud / illegitimate means ie his election will be illegitimate. Ironically, there is a fair bit of overlap between those who are the strongest in pushing this view and those who are most shrill about saying how the GOP’s conduct remains the biggest threat to American democracy. It doesn’t seem to occur to many on here that Trump may win because people will be sick of Biden’s incompetence but it is worrying that we are starting to see the building blocks being out in place to claim any Trump 2024 win is, by default, illegitimate.
"I’m noticing a worrying trend on here that, if Trump does run again in 2024, the only way he will win is by fraud / illegitimate means"
Really?
Maybe I've missed it, but I haven't seen a single comment along those lines.
Presumably you have plenty of examples.
I think you have just had a few examples post your question with one poster admirably admitting his comments could be interpreted as such. And that Trump is a cheat. Plus another one who said that Republican cheating had been going on for years. It’s clear there will be a good solid group - as post-2016 - who would take the view that Trump could not have won legitimately and therefore must have cheated
Anyone who plays golf knows that Trump is a cheat.
Yes, and cheating at golf is a massive red flag. Hence the infamous scene from Goldfinger.
(Filmed at Stoke Poges GC - they are quite proud of it there)
Trump does bear a resemblance.
Of course in the novel it was Bridge he was cheating at. Can't really imagine Trump playing Bridge.
Partner sacked after every lost hand. And he'd try to re-negotiate every contract. Then not honour it.
On topic, if Trump wants the nomination, he will get it and it is increasingly clear he does. Also, he is playing a smart game by keeping relatively quiet. That might not be a popular idea on here given the consensus that Trump is a stupid buffoon but he is a lot smarter than many give him credit for.
There was also a good piece by Conrad Black today, which won’t please many on here but the link is below. With regards to his comments on the 2020 election, they will make many here choke but, quite frankly, that’s not important - this is what the GOP is thinking about what happened in November:
Final point. I’m noticing a worrying trend on here that, if Trump does run again in 2024, the only way he will win is by fraud / illegitimate means ie his election will be illegitimate. Ironically, there is a fair bit of overlap between those who are the strongest in pushing this view and those who are most shrill about saying how the GOP’s conduct remains the biggest threat to American democracy. It doesn’t seem to occur to many on here that Trump may win because people will be sick of Biden’s incompetence but it is worrying that we are starting to see the building blocks being out in place to claim any Trump 2024 win is, by default, illegitimate.
"I’m noticing a worrying trend on here that, if Trump does run again in 2024, the only way he will win is by fraud / illegitimate means"
Really?
Maybe I've missed it, but I haven't seen a single comment along those lines.
Presumably you have plenty of examples.
I think you have just had a few examples post your question with one poster admirably admitting his comments could be interpreted as such. And that Trump is a cheat. Plus another one who said that Republican cheating had been going on for years. It’s clear there will be a good solid group - as post-2016 - who would take the view that Trump could not have won legitimately and therefore must have cheated
Anyone who plays golf knows that Trump is a cheat.
Yes, and cheating at golf is a massive red flag. Hence the infamous scene from Goldfinger.
(Filmed at Stoke Poges GC - they are quite proud of it there)
Trump does bear a resemblance.
Of course in the novel it was Bridge he was cheating at. Can't really imagine Trump playing Bridge.
Partner sacked after every lost hand. And he'd try to re-negotiate every contract. Then not honour it.
Fake news - he never bid five no trumps.
He'd be bad at it too, giving his hand away. "Hey, I wasn't dealt a heart!"
Black Labour group say the party is ‘no longer a safe space’ for black members: Starmer faces claims that anti-black racism is being ignored.
Jeremy Corbyn: Keir Starmer wants to prop up the wealthy and the powerful Labour membership and trade unions are under attack because they want social change
He's working on that readmission thing with all the skill and poise he brought to a GE campaign. What the hell were Labour smoking?
Corbyn is where he belongs, speaking to the people be belongs with, and is surely much more comfortable and happy there. What a waste of 4 years for him, never mind all the other impacts.
Stupidity is certainly the driving force behind Brexit.
A polite question this time
Do you really believe your huge anti brexit output has changed any minds rather than the opposite
If anyone has had a good fuel crisis, it's been Scott. He's been right on form, and yes, moving me further towards the Brexit-is-being-done-badly position. Sorry that isn't the answer you wanted.
I know Scott gets a lot of stick on here but I for one value his posts - it saves me bothering with Twitter first-hand, which is a big plus.
He deserve some of that stick too. Not everything is about Brexit. But when there are clearly negative Brexit related issues, Scott's right in his element.
Not everything he posts is about Brexit either - see the earlier 'Don't Panic' Johnson cartoon.
No, his hatred of Johnson gets a look in every now and again.
And a very understandable hatred it is too ;-)
Not really. I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a politician.
What, never?!
Ok I get that you can't understand it about Johnson, or maybe Corbyn, or Trump even... but cast your mind back 80 or 90 years.
Unless you are comparing Johnson to Hitler, I don't see how that is at all relevant.
Of course not.
But you said "I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a politician" Not specifically Johnson but 'a politician'.
I inferred from that that you could think of no politician deserving of hate. Hitler was a politician. I rest my case.
Of course, there have been some pretty nasty politicians in history. But that's not really the context of what I was saying, is it? But for the avoidance of any doubt "I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a non-dictator, mainstream politician".
I don't hate Johnson, but I admit I can't stand him. This has nothing to do with his politics. The perhaps illogical reason is that I don't find him in the slightest bit amusing or charming. This isn't a problem for Theresa May, but that wasn't her schtick either. A charmer that doesn't charm has nothing to offer.
Stupidity is certainly the driving force behind Brexit.
A polite question this time
Do you really believe your huge anti brexit output has changed any minds rather than the opposite
If anyone has had a good fuel crisis, it's been Scott. He's been right on form, and yes, moving me further towards the Brexit-is-being-done-badly position. Sorry that isn't the answer you wanted.
I know Scott gets a lot of stick on here but I for one value his posts - it saves me bothering with Twitter first-hand, which is a big plus.
He deserve some of that stick too. Not everything is about Brexit. But when there are clearly negative Brexit related issues, Scott's right in his element.
Not everything he posts is about Brexit either - see the earlier 'Don't Panic' Johnson cartoon.
No, his hatred of Johnson gets a look in every now and again.
And a very understandable hatred it is too ;-)
Not really. I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a politician.
What, never?!
Ok I get that you can't understand it about Johnson, or maybe Corbyn, or Trump even... but cast your mind back 80 or 90 years.
You know I just do not hate any politician, as hate takes too much energy
Dislike most certainly, and Trump and Corbyn top my list but to be honest believe it or not I just cannot hate
I think that's generally a good philosophy but then I think of someone like Hitler or Stalin, or Mao...
I just do not do hate and I am not being self righteous or religious but I do dislike, even intensely in the case if Trump and Corbyn
Tbh Big_G, I'm with you.
I am arguing with RobD and kle4 for the sake of a bit of challenge and discussion really. Sorry guys!
I agree, hate is not the answer. Intense dislike, distrust, distaste and probably a few other dis-es is what I feel for these people. Not hate - hate breeds hate.
No need to be sorry!
Speak for yourself, I demand total obeisance if I am to be mollified. My wrath is legendary, like the fury of a thousand suns, or a less cliched simile.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
To be brutal, maybe there is hope for 2024 election.
I see it is also government shutdown season soon according to that. Bizarre such a major economy can face such political deadlock over everyday operation.
One for those of us who wonder why Yvette is not on the front bench at the very least*:
Pippa Crerar @PippaCrerar Surprise here that Keir Starmer hasn't been shouting from rooftops about cost of living crisis.
Yvette Cooper:"It's what we should be talking about most. It's going to be devastating for families right across the country. I don't know how many are going to manage this Christmas"
* Yes, we know about HIPs - it was 20 years ago for christ sake.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
At a million cases per month split between vaxxed and unvaxxed, there will still be plenty of cases until at least Christmas. There are 5 million unvaxxed.
I reckon cases will bump up and down at much the same numbers that we have had for the last 2 months for another few months yet.
That's my feeling too, with deaths and hospitalizations continuing to fall off a bit as a greater proportion of new cases are amongst kids.
I think we still have to follow (at least the public health community should) the case data as this virus has continually surprised us and shown us just how much we have yet to learn about viruses, viral evolution, and epidemiology. But I think the time for the public to worry about case numbers is over, at least in the UK and other countries with similar levels of vaccination and seropositivity.
The pressure on hospitals like mine won't be insignificant. Currently we have between 90 and 140 patients, 20 in ICU. That is about 25% of the February peak, but still quite a major drag on performance. It is about 40% of our ICU capacity for example, so a lot of major planned surgery in cardio-thoracic and major cancer work cannot continue.
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
Is it really a "privilege" to be able to get something that everyone SHOULD be able to do? I feel like it's bad use of the English language. I think the ability to walk about at night is more of a right than a privilege, and it's terrible women don't have that.
Black Labour group say the party is ‘no longer a safe space’ for black members: Starmer faces claims that anti-black racism is being ignored.
Jeremy Corbyn: Keir Starmer wants to prop up the wealthy and the powerful Labour membership and trade unions are under attack because they want social change
He's working on that readmission thing with all the skill and poise he brought to a GE campaign. What the hell were Labour smoking?
Corbyn is where he belongs, speaking to the people be belongs with, and is surely much more comfortable and happy there. What a waste of 4 years for him, never mind all the other impacts.
Where he would have always been if some idiots in the PLP hadn't felt they needed to nominate him just so there was a "debate".
There has been a lot of focus on the % number of MPs for a nomination and Starmer trying to change it, but the old system would have worked if some MPs hadn't just thought 'what the hell, nothing harmful will happen'.
My wife and I, both mid 40s and double jabbed, have tested positive today on LFTs. 3 kids aged 12, 8 and 3 are all negative. All results to be confirmed from PCRs taken today. Symptoms are cold like.
Of more concern is that my 85yo father in law has tested positive but is asymptomatic. We also saw my parents in their 70s at the weekend.
The kids we are fairly sure have come into contact with Covid previously. Particularly the 12yo where half of her class got it less than 2 weeks ago but she didn't. My wife is a teacher. Best guess is that she got it at school (she has worse symptoms and stronger result on LFT) and has passed it on to me. Obviously no way to be sure.
Hopefully as we are all double jabbed we will all be fine. However isolating for 10 days is going to be a pain and we are going to have to rely on friends a lot with the kids who do.not.have to isolate and can carry on going to school.
This is in line with the recent data showed Ng parents of school kids starting to get more Covid cases.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
At a million cases per month split between vaxxed and unvaxxed, there will still be plenty of cases until at least Christmas. There are 5 million unvaxxed.
I reckon cases will bump up and down at much the same numbers that we have had for the last 2 months for another few months yet.
That's my feeling too, with deaths and hospitalizations continuing to fall off a bit as a greater proportion of new cases are amongst kids.
I think we still have to follow (at least the public health community should) the case data as this virus has continually surprised us and shown us just how much we have yet to learn about viruses, viral evolution, and epidemiology. But I think the time for the public to worry about case numbers is over, at least in the UK and other countries with similar levels of vaccination and seropositivity.
As I mentioned a couple of days ago my son has contracted the virus (14 years old which in the UK is Year 10). He has been schooling online this week and today we found out that almost half of his whole year is now isolating having tested positive. No idea how many from other years but I suspect between a third and a half of the whole school has now had the virus. This must really skew the case figures vs hospitalisations.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
Personally think cases will carry on at a similar level, mainly due to the kids, but I’m hopeful that hospitalisation and in hospital numbers will carry on falling, especially with the boosters going in. We are reaching, if we haven’t already, the time to stop worrying about cases.
Thev while booster thing has gone a bit quiet for my liking - Zahawi has gone as vaccines minister - was he replaced?, nothing has appeared on the dashboard, it was a good 2-3 weeks ago I heard about the first boosters.
Have any PBers had their booster yet??
And my secondary child has had a letter about flu vaccination, but no sign of the COVID letters going out yet.
I hope there is still focus on this.
Until boosters or herd immunity run through, the danger of hospitalisations creeping up due to waning vaccine immunity plus case increase is there, and the strain on the NHS is still quite significant even now. HMG should stay focused on closing this out like an Italian football team with a 1-0 lead.
Black Labour group say the party is ‘no longer a safe space’ for black members: Starmer faces claims that anti-black racism is being ignored.
Jeremy Corbyn: Keir Starmer wants to prop up the wealthy and the powerful Labour membership and trade unions are under attack because they want social change
He's working on that readmission thing with all the skill and poise he brought to a GE campaign. What the hell were Labour smoking?
Corbyn is where he belongs, speaking to the people be belongs with, and is surely much more comfortable and happy there. What a waste of 4 years for him, never mind all the other impacts.
Where he would have always been if some idiots in the PLP hadn't felt they needed to nominate him just so there was a "debate".
There has been a lot of focus on the % number of MPs for a nomination and Starmer trying to change it, but the old system would have worked if some MPs hadn't just thought 'what the hell, nothing harmful will happen'.
Yes, that change seems cosmetic, with an assumption that they have indeed learned their lesson.
But every generation of MPs probably has to learn that lesson anew. Notably, Tory MPs knew not to back those they didn't want, and that was probably part of why Boris did not stand in 2016. He waited until they actually wanted him. The Labour contest was just that faction putting the next bod on the list up for consideration as per usual.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
Personally think cases will carry on at a similar level, mainly due to the kids, but I’m hopeful that hospitalisation and in hospital numbers will carry on falling, especially with the boosters going in. We are reaching, if we haven’t already, the time to stop worrying about cases.
Thev while booster thing has gone a bit quiet for my liking - Zahawi has gone as vaccines minister - was he replaced?, nothing has appeared on the dashboard, it was a good 2-3 weeks ago I heard about the first boosters.
Have any PBers had their booster yet??
And my secondary child has had a letter about flu vaccination, but no sign of the COVID letters going out yet.
I hope there is still focus on this.
Until boosters or herd immunity run through, the danger of hospitalisations creeping up due to waning vaccine immunity plus case increase is there, and the strain on the NHS is still quite significant even now. HMG should stay focused on closing this out like an Italian football team with a 1-0 lead.
Vaccines Minister was abolished. No surprise you've not heard owt. Quite a surprise we don't have one. Someone mentioned taking someone for a booster recently ISTR. NHS workers who work face-to-face are being done first.
My wife and I, both mid 40s and double jabbed, have tested positive today on LFTs. 3 kids aged 12, 8 and 3 are all negative. All results to be confirmed from PCRs taken today. Symptoms are cold like.
Of more concern is that my 85yo father in law has tested positive but is asymptomatic. We also saw my parents in their 70s at the weekend.
The kids we are fairly sure have come into contact with Covid previously. Particularly the 12yo where half of her class got it less than 2 weeks ago but she didn't. My wife is a teacher. Best guess is that she got it at school (she has worse symptoms and stronger result on LFT) and has passed it on to me. Obviously no way to be sure.
Hopefully as we are all double jabbed we will all be fine. However isolating for 10 days is going to be a pain and we are going to have to rely on friends a lot with the kids who do.not.have to isolate and can carry on going to school.
This is in line with the recent data showed Ng parents of school kids starting to get more Covid cases.
Sorry to hear that but the same thing has happened to the family living next door to our daughter
Husband and 2 children all tested positive, though both the husband and wife are fully vaccinated
Seems they are not too bad and hope you all recover soon
On topic, if Trump wants the nomination, he will get it and it is increasingly clear he does. Also, he is playing a smart game by keeping relatively quiet. That might not be a popular idea on here given the consensus that Trump is a stupid buffoon but he is a lot smarter than many give him credit for.
There was also a good piece by Conrad Black today, which won’t please many on here but the link is below. With regards to his comments on the 2020 election, they will make many here choke but, quite frankly, that’s not important - this is what the GOP is thinking about what happened in November:
Final point. I’m noticing a worrying trend on here that, if Trump does run again in 2024, the only way he will win is by fraud / illegitimate means ie his election will be illegitimate. Ironically, there is a fair bit of overlap between those who are the strongest in pushing this view and those who are most shrill about saying how the GOP’s conduct remains the biggest threat to American democracy. It doesn’t seem to occur to many on here that Trump may win because people will be sick of Biden’s incompetence but it is worrying that we are starting to see the building blocks being out in place to claim any Trump 2024 win is, by default, illegitimate.
"I’m noticing a worrying trend on here that, if Trump does run again in 2024, the only way he will win is by fraud / illegitimate means"
Really?
Maybe I've missed it, but I haven't seen a single comment along those lines.
Presumably you have plenty of examples.
I think you have just had a few examples post your question with one poster admirably admitting his comments could be interpreted as such. And that Trump is a cheat. Plus another one who said that Republican cheating had been going on for years. It’s clear there will be a good solid group - as post-2016 - who would take the view that Trump could not have won legitimately and therefore must have cheated
Anyone who plays golf knows that Trump is a cheat.
Yes, and cheating at golf is a massive red flag. Hence the infamous scene from Goldfinger.
(Filmed at Stoke Poges GC - they are quite proud of it there)
Trump does bear a resemblance.
Of course in the novel it was Bridge he was cheating at. Can't really imagine Trump playing Bridge.
In the film he was cheating at both golf and Gin Rummy. Hence poor old Jill Masterson's rather unusual death.
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
Is it really a "privilege" to be able to get something that everyone SHOULD be able to do? I feel like it's bad use of the English language. I think the ability to walk about at night is more of a right than a privilege, and it's terrible women don't have that.
To be honest, most of the times I've been sexually harassed have been during day-time not just at night. But when it is dark and there are few or no other people around I do take extra care and I do so even when I am walking on the street where I live in London. If I hear footsteps behind me I will check out who it is and make sure my house keys are easy to get to.
To be brutal, maybe there is hope for 2024 election.
It is a stark graphic. One quibble: how did they create such a clearly erroneous trendline?
This one is very stark too. How did getting vaccinated become such a political divide? Trump got vaxxed after all.
MISCALCULATION BY GOP—As an epidemiologist, I think Republicans might be killing off their voter base faster than they think. The #COVID19 death rate since June 30 in counties where Trump got >90% of the vote are 9.5x higher than where he got <10%—pretty strong. HT @charles_gabahttps://t.co/e5IAE6qTv5
My wife and I, both mid 40s and double jabbed, have tested positive today on LFTs. 3 kids aged 12, 8 and 3 are all negative. All results to be confirmed from PCRs taken today. Symptoms are cold like.
Of more concern is that my 85yo father in law has tested positive but is asymptomatic. We also saw my parents in their 70s at the weekend.
The kids we are fairly sure have come into contact with Covid previously. Particularly the 12yo where half of her class got it less than 2 weeks ago but she didn't. My wife is a teacher. Best guess is that she got it at school (she has worse symptoms and stronger result on LFT) and has passed it on to me. Obviously no way to be sure.
Hopefully as we are all double jabbed we will all be fine. However isolating for 10 days is going to be a pain and we are going to have to rely on friends a lot with the kids who do.not.have to isolate and can carry on going to school.
This is in line with the recent data showed Ng parents of school kids starting to get more Covid cases.
Sorry to hear that but the same thing has happened to the family living next door to our daughter
Husband and 2 children all tested positive, though both the husband and wife are fully vaccinated
Seems they are not too bad and hope you all recover soon
Thank you. When I saw this today and where you live I thought of you:
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
Personally think cases will carry on at a similar level, mainly due to the kids, but I’m hopeful that hospitalisation and in hospital numbers will carry on falling, especially with the boosters going in. We are reaching, if we haven’t already, the time to stop worrying about cases.
Thev while booster thing has gone a bit quiet for my liking - Zahawi has gone as vaccines minister - was he replaced?, nothing has appeared on the dashboard, it was a good 2-3 weeks ago I heard about the first boosters.
Have any PBers had their booster yet??
And my secondary child has had a letter about flu vaccination, but no sign of the COVID letters going out yet.
I hope there is still focus on this.
Until boosters or herd immunity run through, the danger of hospitalisations creeping up due to waning vaccine immunity plus case increase is there, and the strain on the NHS is still quite significant even now. HMG should stay focused on closing this out like an Italian football team with a 1-0 lead.
Yes, I got my third Pfizer this week. There was a slight delay in rollout as a booster doses are unlicensed so required an individual prescription. No side effects of note from it.
Stupidity is certainly the driving force behind Brexit.
A polite question this time
Do you really believe your huge anti brexit output has changed any minds rather than the opposite
If anyone has had a good fuel crisis, it's been Scott. He's been right on form, and yes, moving me further towards the Brexit-is-being-done-badly position. Sorry that isn't the answer you wanted.
I know Scott gets a lot of stick on here but I for one value his posts - it saves me bothering with Twitter first-hand, which is a big plus.
He deserve some of that stick too. Not everything is about Brexit. But when there are clearly negative Brexit related issues, Scott's right in his element.
Not everything he posts is about Brexit either - see the earlier 'Don't Panic' Johnson cartoon.
No, his hatred of Johnson gets a look in every now and again.
And a very understandable hatred it is too ;-)
Not really. I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a politician.
What, never?!
Ok I get that you can't understand it about Johnson, or maybe Corbyn, or Trump even... but cast your mind back 80 or 90 years.
Unless you are comparing Johnson to Hitler, I don't see how that is at all relevant.
Of course not.
But you said "I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a politician" Not specifically Johnson but 'a politician'.
I inferred from that that you could think of no politician deserving of hate. Hitler was a politician. I rest my case.
Of course, there have been some pretty nasty politicians in history. But that's not really the context of what I was saying, is it? But for the avoidance of any doubt "I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a non-dictator, mainstream politician".
I don't hate Johnson, but I admit I can't stand him. This has nothing to do with his politics. The perhaps illogical reason is that I don't find him in the slightest bit amusing or charming. This isn't a problem for Theresa May, but that wasn't her schtick either. A charmer that doesn't charm has nothing to offer.
The overtly EU loving fifth columnist section of society probably isn't his target market, though.
To be brutal, maybe there is hope for 2024 election.
It is a stark graphic. One quibble: how did they create such a clearly erroneous trendline?
The trend line is the 14-day average covid death rate per 100,000. My guess is that it is reporting day data, and the large jump in the line is because of a large backlog of deaths being reported after a holiday weekend - say July 4th. EDIT: Not July 4th - seen the dates along the bottom. Is it Memorial Day at the end of the US summer? No, it's probably Labor Day.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
Yes, rolling news programmes are both very repetitive and also get obsessed with trivia.
I am quite a fan of audio books and Spotify when sated with news.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
I don't think a suggestion that people could consider varying their media habits is lecturing, and farooq doesn't seem a judgemental chap.
My wife and I, both mid 40s and double jabbed, have tested positive today on LFTs. 3 kids aged 12, 8 and 3 are all negative. All results to be confirmed from PCRs taken today. Symptoms are cold like.
Of more concern is that my 85yo father in law has tested positive but is asymptomatic. We also saw my parents in their 70s at the weekend.
The kids we are fairly sure have come into contact with Covid previously. Particularly the 12yo where half of her class got it less than 2 weeks ago but she didn't. My wife is a teacher. Best guess is that she got it at school (she has worse symptoms and stronger result on LFT) and has passed it on to me. Obviously no way to be sure.
Hopefully as we are all double jabbed we will all be fine. However isolating for 10 days is going to be a pain and we are going to have to rely on friends a lot with the kids who do.not.have to isolate and can carry on going to school.
This is in line with the recent data showed Ng parents of school kids starting to get more Covid cases.
Sorry to hear that but the same thing has happened to the family living next door to our daughter
Husband and 2 children all tested positive, though both the husband and wife are fully vaccinated
Seems they are not too bad and hope you all recover soon
Thank you. When I saw this today and where you live I thought of you:
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
Yes, rolling news programmes are both very repetitive and also get obsessed with trivia.
I am quite a fan of audio books and Spotify when sated with news.
I love audio books, but I've made the classic mistake twice recently of quite enjoying a first book, and then getting the rest of that series (both trilogies in this case), and completely hating them. As I feel the need for a conclusion I have to plow on to the end at that point, and it is a struggle. Thank goodness you can up the speed.
"the single shittest collection of politicians ever assembled"
Tom Peck of Indepedent.
Seems a little excessive to me. Misguided, deluded, dreamers, fantasy merchants maybe. But I think 1920s Germany as just one example had a shitter collection.
"Ever assembled in British history" might be fair. Corbyn's Labour was remarkabe
And, if you're judging by sheer results, Hitler did win his election, in the end
Yes, ever in British history probably does work. At least since franchise and democracy. There's probably some gang of Anglo Saxon clerics and warrior kings who took control of Mercia or wherever who were even worse.
Agreed.
I cannot think of a worse leadership/front bench combination, presented to the British people by Her Majesty's Opposition or Govt, than that of Corbyn & Labour in 2017-19. I mean, FFS. just the memory of Diane Abbott unable to say whether we were having 10,000 new policeman on £100,000 a week, or ten million on a fiver. Excruciatingly poor. Like schoolkids on nitrous oxide
Michael Foot got a lot of nasty criticism but he was at least an intelligent, thoughtful man (albeit misguided, to my mind), and he had some heavyweight people in his Shadow Cabinet. Major's Tories in 1997 were a pathetic spectacle, but that was due to exhaustion, defeatism, and moral vacuity, rather than a total lack of brains and talent
So Corbyn is the worst- but that is just my living memory. Maybe British democracy can furnish an even more lamentable example from the 1930s or 1880 or whatever. But I'd be surprised
Well, there was that bloke with the messy hair who hid in a fridge, dodged interviews, and seemed oblivious of the assembled press and television cameras when claiming a hospital visit was not a photo op.
That's it, really. We forget it now, because an 80 seat majority really is a decisive win. But one of the strands of the 2019 election really was "OMG, why have we got the two most unsuitable candidates for PM ever?" And Johnson won- and for all I think he is a terrible person and a disaster for this country and I wish he didn't have the sort of majority that lets a PM do pretty much whatever they damn well please- he was less awful than the alternative.
In a bizarre way, Boris was Biden to Corbyn's Trump
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
"A hundred channels... and iSage on every one!" I'll leave you to your "variety" then. Feel free to asks for suggestions if you change your mind.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
I don't think a suggestion that people could consider varying their media habits is lecturing, and farooq doesn't seem a judgemental chap.
He clearly does not know my media habits not do I like being patronised
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
"A hundred channels... and iSage on every one!" I'll leave you to your "variety" then. Feel free to asks for suggestions if you change your mind.
Sorry but you are being silly and if you do not like anything I comment on then that is fair enough
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
Big G I'm very happy that you have decided to give up watching Sky which seems to have been annoying you.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
I don't think a suggestion that people could consider varying their media habits is lecturing, and farooq doesn't seem a judgemental chap.
He clearly does not know my media habits not do I like being patronised
Well at the risk of being patronising I think it improbable that most of us have not made a suggestion that people stop reading/watching X at some point, be it Sky/Telegraph/Novaro media or whatever.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
Big G I'm very happy that you have decided to give up watchin Sky which seems to have been annoying you.
I have BBC on in the main but do switch between both
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
This is a site for media addicts.
As part of a balanced breakfast.
Why do you think random crap about cricket, trains and F1 gets brought up? Because political nerds are probably nerds in other matters too? Pshaw. Nah, it's to break the news media into digestible chunks.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
Yes, rolling news programmes are both very repetitive and also get obsessed with trivia.
I am quite a fan of audio books and Spotify when sated with news.
I love audio books, but I've made the classic mistake twice recently of quite enjoying a first book, and then getting the rest of that series (both trilogies in this case), and completely hating them. As I feel the need for a conclusion I have to plow on to the end at that point, and it is a struggle. Thank goodness you can up the speed.
Amazon's Audible Plus catalogue (currently free with membership) is quite a vast collection. Something for everyone there, including even quite a bit of politics and philosophy.
I recently finished Amhativ Ghosh's Ibis Trilogy. Very good, but the middle book needed a bit of editing.
My wife and I, both mid 40s and double jabbed, have tested positive today on LFTs. 3 kids aged 12, 8 and 3 are all negative. All results to be confirmed from PCRs taken today. Symptoms are cold like.
Of more concern is that my 85yo father in law has tested positive but is asymptomatic. We also saw my parents in their 70s at the weekend.
The kids we are fairly sure have come into contact with Covid previously. Particularly the 12yo where half of her class got it less than 2 weeks ago but she didn't. My wife is a teacher. Best guess is that she got it at school (she has worse symptoms and stronger result on LFT) and has passed it on to me. Obviously no way to be sure.
Hopefully as we are all double jabbed we will all be fine. However isolating for 10 days is going to be a pain and we are going to have to rely on friends a lot with the kids who do.not.have to isolate and can carry on going to school.
This is in line with the recent data showed Ng parents of school kids starting to get more Covid cases.
Sorry to hear that but the same thing has happened to the family living next door to our daughter
Husband and 2 children all tested positive, though both the husband and wife are fully vaccinated
Seems they are not too bad and hope you all recover soon
Thank you. When I saw this today and where you live I thought of you:
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
Big G I'm very happy that you have decided to give up watchin Sky which seems to have been annoying you.
I have BBC on in the main but do switch between both
Big G you carry on watching whatever you want to watch and comment on here about whatever you have seen.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
Big G I'm very happy that you have decided to give up watchin Sky which seems to have been annoying you.
I have BBC on in the main but do switch between both
Big G you carry on watching whatever you want to watch and comment on here about whatever you have seen.
You are an integral part of PB.
Yes, his constant Blimpism is part of the rich tapestry of PB. It wouldn't be the same without his critique of Sky News.
I need to rest before I wake to 5 live business at 5.00am (habit of a lifetime), go down stairs and get my dear lady wife her breakfast, before listened to BBC 24 news and switching to Sky on occasions, and then going online to the best source of information in the country right here on PB.com
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
Big G I'm very happy that you have decided to give up watchin Sky which seems to have been annoying you.
I have BBC on in the main but do switch between both
Big G you carry on watching whatever you want to watch and comment on here about whatever you have seen.
You are an integral part of PB.
Thank you and I do try my best to be fair though maybe a bit partisan at times
I need to rest before I wake to 5 live business at 5.00am (habit of a lifetime), go down stairs and get my dear lady wife her breakfast, before listened to BBC 24 news and switching to Sky on occasions, and then going online to the best source of information in the country right here on PB.com
Actually I just realised I mixed up my Bond novels, it was Moonraker where the evil villain was cheating at Bridge.
Yes, indeed. It was Drax that cheated at Bridge.
That seemed less of a crime to me, as Bridge has been notorious over the years for cheating, even at international level. There have been many scandals. It is too easy to gain an edge from small pieces of information (if you are any good) and there are endless ways of communicating them illegally (some more subtle than others). It even gets a whole wiki to itself, I see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheating_in_bridge
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
With respect if you followed the news media they were never off it, and many on here will concur we are better served with less noise from them
Never off it? Goodness, it's a wonder you keep tuning in.
I am retired and not as mobile as I was and either BBC or Sky news are on in the background constantly
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Some people on here come across as low-key media addicts. I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you. Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
I am not sure that I need to be lectured at my age on how I view the news, obtain my information online, and through reading lots of other online stories across the world
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
Big G I'm very happy that you have decided to give up watchin Sky which seems to have been annoying you.
I have BBC on in the main but do switch between both
Big G you carry on watching whatever you want to watch and comment on here about whatever you have seen.
You are an integral part of PB.
Thank you and I do try my best to be fair though maybe a bit partisan at times
Big G carry on telling it as you see it. PB is better for your posts.
Stupidity is certainly the driving force behind Brexit.
A polite question this time
Do you really believe your huge anti brexit output has changed any minds rather than the opposite
If anyone has had a good fuel crisis, it's been Scott. He's been right on form, and yes, moving me further towards the Brexit-is-being-done-badly position. Sorry that isn't the answer you wanted.
I know Scott gets a lot of stick on here but I for one value his posts - it saves me bothering with Twitter first-hand, which is a big plus.
He deserve some of that stick too. Not everything is about Brexit. But when there are clearly negative Brexit related issues, Scott's right in his element.
Not everything he posts is about Brexit either - see the earlier 'Don't Panic' Johnson cartoon.
No, his hatred of Johnson gets a look in every now and again.
And a very understandable hatred it is too ;-)
Not really. I can't understand how someone can have such a visceral hatred of a politician.
Why is Scott, a Conservative, vilified by Conservatives like yourself for highlighting what he considers to be the travesty of Johnson's rise to the office of Prime Minister. I agree with Scott that it looks suspiciously like Johnson cynically used Brexit as a vehicle to propel himself to the top of the greasy pole. We live in a free country, why shouldn't we call him out, particularly if we find evidence to back up our thesis?
I don't hate Johnson, I have never met the man, so why should I? It is true I find his public persona nauseating, and what you see as political genius, I see as lazy, incompetent, gluttonous, amorality. I despise what he stands for, but I don't wish him any personal ill-will. I doubt Scott does.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
I think a large part of our country considers it over, and it is not featuring in the media anything like it was with the huge bonus that we do not have to listen to iSage nonsense anymore
You know what, I've never seen anything about iSage ever, apart from on here. I can't imagine why you think you "had" to listen to them.
There was a prolonged period, until quite recently, where they were on the telly seemingly every waking hour. That their forecasts were out by miles didn’t seem to bother the media, who continued to feature them. Admittedly their profile has subsidised noticeably in recent weeks. But they were unavoidable for a long period.
One for those of us who wonder why Yvette is not on the front bench at the very least*:
Pippa Crerar @PippaCrerar Surprise here that Keir Starmer hasn't been shouting from rooftops about cost of living crisis.
Yvette Cooper:"It's what we should be talking about most. It's going to be devastating for families right across the country. I don't know how many are going to manage this Christmas"
* Yes, we know about HIPs - it was 20 years ago for christ sake.
But HIPS don’t lie, at least in the world of the PB Tories.
Where do we think COVID is going in the UK in the coming weeks? I can't quite decide between stop/start or England succumbing to a full on Scot/Wales/NI peak in the coming couple of weeks:
1. A lot of Northern and Midland England, in particular, showing big increases in COVID rates off average baselines. 2. It's not the usual suspects - most of the core Northern and Midland cities, plus early Delta wave places like Blackburn, Bolton and Dewsbury are now quite obvious cold spots (very obvious when the HMG map is zoomed in to show local rates). Southern cities outside London, a less obvious distinction. 3. Possible reasons for cities doing OK, population denominators too high in student areas out of term time, students not yet back long enough for the exponent to really kick in, students most recently vaccinated cohort with best current immunity, lower numbers of kids / parents overall in these areas. 4. My impression is that low rates spread a bit from the city centres into more mixed city communities, so maybe it is herd immunity as well. 5. The cities could, of course, just follow suit and get high rates in the next couple of weeks, especially if students are vulnerable. 6. Demograhically, Malmesbury's 10-15 age group increase is starting to slow, but 5-9s could catch up and make the next increase pulse (Hospitalisations then go off how that spreads through parents into the community). 7. And the weather has dropped well below 18C and is set to stay down for a while - but does a child's indoor/ outdoor / contact / ventilation behaviour vary less than an adult's
There is potential for another big increase in cases and hospitalisations through October, though I think it will be running out of people to infect after that and half term / early November could see a very big drop and Christmas approaching on a much lower baseline.
Personally think cases will carry on at a similar level, mainly due to the kids, but I’m hopeful that hospitalisation and in hospital numbers will carry on falling, especially with the boosters going in. We are reaching, if we haven’t already, the time to stop worrying about cases.
I think it's burning through the kids so fast that they will hit herd immunity* this side of Christmas. At which point we should see case rates go through the floor, although it remains to be seen how badly seasonality affects a vaccinated population. (none of this should have much effect on hospitalisations except as far as kids take cases into the community).
*if herd immunity can be reached. A 15 year old of my acquaintance has just been re-infected having had it a year ago, both times symptomatically. I expect that it will bubble along like the other coronaviruses do, but once people have had it two or three times it will be "just a cold".
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
One in three people infected with coronavirus will experience at least one symptom of long Covid, a new study suggests.
Much of the existing research into the condition – a mixture of symptoms reported by people often months after they were originally ill with Covid-19 – has been based either on self-reported symptoms or small studies.
I’m sceptical about long COVID. There are cases like that Labour bloke who’s married to the woman from ITV, but I reckon most people are laying it on thick.
Headlines like the one in the Guardian don’t change my opinion.
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
Ah yes, there are certain parts of the Heath that are known for their... traffic...
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
One in three people infected with coronavirus will experience at least one symptom of long Covid, a new study suggests.
Much of the existing research into the condition – a mixture of symptoms reported by people often months after they were originally ill with Covid-19 – has been based either on self-reported symptoms or small studies.
I’m sceptical about long COVID. There are cases like that Labour bloke who’s married to the woman from ITV, but I reckon most people are laying it on thick.
Headlines like the one in the Guardian don’t change my opinion.
Derek Draper, who appears to have the worst documented case of Covid in the UK, among people who didn’t die from it. He was in instensive care for nearly a year, and is still bed-bound at home nearly 18 months after he first got sick.
Even so, his specific case gets a lot of publicity, because as you say his wife is a prominent TV presenter of a news-based show.
There must be dozens of others in similar situations out there, that we don’t hear about.
On topic, if Trump wants the nomination, he will get it and it is increasingly clear he does. Also, he is playing a smart game by keeping relatively quiet. That might not be a popular idea on here given the consensus that Trump is a stupid buffoon but he is a lot smarter than many give him credit for.
There was also a good piece by Conrad Black today, which won’t please many on here but the link is below. With regards to his comments on the 2020 election, they will make many here choke but, quite frankly, that’s not important - this is what the GOP is thinking about what happened in November:
Final point. I’m noticing a worrying trend on here that, if Trump does run again in 2024, the only way he will win is by fraud / illegitimate means ie his election will be illegitimate. Ironically, there is a fair bit of overlap between those who are the strongest in pushing this view and those who are most shrill about saying how the GOP’s conduct remains the biggest threat to American democracy. It doesn’t seem to occur to many on here that Trump may win because people will be sick of Biden’s incompetence but it is worrying that we are starting to see the building blocks being out in place to claim any Trump 2024 win is, by default, illegitimate.
"I’m noticing a worrying trend on here that, if Trump does run again in 2024, the only way he will win is by fraud / illegitimate means"
Really?
Maybe I've missed it, but I haven't seen a single comment along those lines.
Presumably you have plenty of examples.
I think you have just had a few examples post your question with one poster admirably admitting his comments could be interpreted as such. And that Trump is a cheat. Plus another one who said that Republican cheating had been going on for years. It’s clear there will be a good solid group - as post-2016 - who would take the view that Trump could not have won legitimately and therefore must have cheated
Anyone who plays golf knows that Trump is a cheat.
Yes, and cheating at golf is a massive red flag. Hence the infamous scene from Goldfinger.
(Filmed at Stoke Poges GC - they are quite proud of it there)
Trump does bear a resemblance.
Of course in the novel it was Bridge he was cheating at. Can't really imagine Trump playing Bridge.
In the film he was cheating at both golf and Gin Rummy. Hence poor old Jill Masterson's rather unusual death.
In the novel it was Canasta and golf. Not sure why they changed it. Maybe they just didn’t understand the rules of canasta?
That's a huge jump. I thought they had got their outbreak under control. Next few days for them will be critical if they don't want cases to explode. Of course, at some point they are going to have to learn to live with Covid unless they are going to be in and out of lockdown and never opening up to the world.
One in three people infected with coronavirus will experience at least one symptom of long Covid, a new study suggests.
Much of the existing research into the condition – a mixture of symptoms reported by people often months after they were originally ill with Covid-19 – has been based either on self-reported symptoms or small studies.
I’m sceptical about long COVID. There are cases like that Labour bloke who’s married to the woman from ITV, but I reckon most people are laying it on thick.
Headlines like the one in the Guardian don’t change my opinion.
Derek Draper, who appears to have the worst documented case of Covid in the UK, among people who didn’t die from it. He was in instensive care for nearly a year, and is still bed-bound at home nearly 18 months after he first got sick.
Even so, his specific case gets a lot of publicity, because as you say his wife is a prominent TV presenter of a news-based show.
There must be dozens of others in similar situations out there, that we don’t hear about.
There was a study in the US (which I'm too lazy to source as I'm in bed) which looked at professional athletes who tested positive for covid.
About two-thirds were at 97% of normal capacity (i.e. fully recovered) inside four weeks of positive test. Another 20% were there inside 12 weeks. And a little more than 10% still had ongoing issues. (Not "were stricken with covid", but "still had not fully recovered after three months.")
Is there any evidence that the streets of Britain are becoming less safe for women?
@Andy_JS As you have pointed out, statistically most attacks are on men. However, there is a change in social attitudes, a desire to assuage womens fears about safety.
Quite where this will lead is an interesting question, but I would guess it is most likely to lead us down the route of calls for permanent real time surveillance of the public sphere (ie facial recognition CCTV), and the creation of more criminal offences related specifically to the harrassment of (people who identify as) women.
Is there any evidence that the streets of Britain are becoming less safe for women?
@Andy_JS As you have pointed out, statistically most attacks are on men. However, there is a change in social attitudes, a desire to assuage womens fears about safety.
Quite where this will lead is an interesting question, but I would guess it is most likely to lead us down the route of calls for permanent real time surveillance of the public sphere (ie facial recognition CCTV), and the creation of more criminal offences related specifically to the harrassment of (people who identify as) women.
Hang on...
You are making the assumption that women are less likely to be attacked than men. That is not necessarily a safe conclusion to make. What if men were 10x more likely to walk on their own through town at night?
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
Ah yes, there are certain parts of the Heath that are known for their... traffic...
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
Where there is less... traffic.
Indeed. During the pandemic, I started running with a mate where we would run through the “main” Heath into the Extension and then through Hampstead Garden Suburb. One evening (around 6:30pm) we found ourselves running through an area that was, mmm, busy with a certain type of traffic who was giving us both a lot of attention.
Mind you, since it was two guys running together together with our dog, I guess we might have given off a…certain type of signal…
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
Ah yes, there are certain parts of the Heath that are known for their... traffic...
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
Where there is less... traffic.
Indeed. During the pandemic, I started running with a mate where we would run through the “main” Heath into the Extension and then through Hampstead Garden Suburb. One evening (around 6:30pm) we found ourselves running through an area that was, mmm, busy with a certain type of traffic who was giving us both a lot of attention.
Mind you, since it was two guys running together together with our dog, I guess we might have given off a…certain type of signal…
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
Ah yes, there are certain parts of the Heath that are known for their... traffic...
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
Where there is less... traffic.
Indeed. During the pandemic, I started running with a mate where we would run through the “main” Heath into the Extension and then through Hampstead Garden Suburb. One evening (around 6:30pm) we found ourselves running through an area that was, mmm, busy with a certain type of traffic who was giving us both a lot of attention.
Mind you, since it was two guys running together together with our dog, I guess we might have given off a…certain type of signal…
So you were dogging, just not in that way?
Taking the dog for a run. Certainly not the commonly assumed form of dogging.
Is there any evidence that the streets of Britain are becoming less safe for women?
@Andy_JS As you have pointed out, statistically most attacks are on men. However, there is a change in social attitudes, a desire to assuage womens fears about safety.
Quite where this will lead is an interesting question, but I would guess it is most likely to lead us down the route of calls for permanent real time surveillance of the public sphere (ie facial recognition CCTV), and the creation of more criminal offences related specifically to the harrassment of (people who identify as) women.
Hang on...
You are making the assumption that women are less likely to be attacked than men. That is not necessarily a safe conclusion to make. What if men were 10x more likely to walk on their own through town at night?
Yes, very good point. It’s not the absolute number, it’s the proportionate. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with Mrs Ed walking alone from the bus stop late at night.
Is there any evidence that the streets of Britain are becoming less safe for women?
@Andy_JS As you have pointed out, statistically most attacks are on men. However, there is a change in social attitudes, a desire to assuage womens fears about safety.
Quite where this will lead is an interesting question, but I would guess it is most likely to lead us down the route of calls for permanent real time surveillance of the public sphere (ie facial recognition CCTV), and the creation of more criminal offences related specifically to the harrassment of (people who identify as) women.
Hang on...
You are making the assumption that women are less likely to be attacked than men. That is not necessarily a safe conclusion to make. What if men were 10x more likely to walk on their own through town at night?
Yes, very good point. It’s not the absolute number, it’s the proportionate. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with Mrs Ed walking alone from the bus stop late at night.
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
Ah yes, there are certain parts of the Heath that are known for their... traffic...
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
Where there is less... traffic.
As an aside, friends of ours used to rent an apartment in the old Jack Straw’s pub. They had some interesting tales.
PSG, City and Liverpool are in a different class to the rest
Tonight is almost certainly the most expensive football match in history. A billion quid in each team perhaps.
It's obscene
Why is it?
2 billion pounds is not obscene for 22 footballers
Well it's a view
It is absolutely not obscene. The Premier League is world class weekly entertainment for billions of people around the globe.
Liverpool and Manchester United between them have over a billion fans it is estimated, over half a billion fans each. Why is the squad costing less than £2 per fan obscene?
Avengers: Endgame cost an estimated $400m and generated an estimated $2.8bn worldwide. Is that obscene? And most people who watched the Avengers have probably watched it once or a couple of times not 38 times per annum.
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
Ah yes, there are certain parts of the Heath that are known for their... traffic...
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
Where there is less... traffic.
As an aside, friends of ours used to rent an apartment in the old Jack Straw’s pub. They had some interesting tales.
Is there any evidence that the streets of Britain are becoming less safe for women?
@Andy_JS As you have pointed out, statistically most attacks are on men. However, there is a change in social attitudes, a desire to assuage womens fears about safety.
Quite where this will lead is an interesting question, but I would guess it is most likely to lead us down the route of calls for permanent real time surveillance of the public sphere (ie facial recognition CCTV), and the creation of more criminal offences related specifically to the harrassment of (people who identify as) women.
Hang on...
You are making the assumption that women are less likely to be attacked than men. That is not necessarily a safe conclusion to make. What if men were 10x more likely to walk on their own through town at night?
That is a very interesting point. I don't know and I am very happy to stand corrected if such evidence exists. However, as far as I can see, no one has disputed (or really even responded to) the posters original point that 83 out of 96 murders were of men.
I think my point about social attitudes changing really holds true irrespective of the statistical position, and this is reflected in policy. For instance, already we have seen, in the last decade, significant new legislation on domestic violence.
My wife and I, both mid 40s and double jabbed, have tested positive today on LFTs. 3 kids aged 12, 8 and 3 are all negative. All results to be confirmed from PCRs taken today. Symptoms are cold like.
Of more concern is that my 85yo father in law has tested positive but is asymptomatic. We also saw my parents in their 70s at the weekend.
The kids we are fairly sure have come into contact with Covid previously. Particularly the 12yo where half of her class got it less than 2 weeks ago but she didn't. My wife is a teacher. Best guess is that she got it at school (she has worse symptoms and stronger result on LFT) and has passed it on to me. Obviously no way to be sure.
Hopefully as we are all double jabbed we will all be fine. However isolating for 10 days is going to be a pain and we are going to have to rely on friends a lot with the kids who do.not.have to isolate and can carry on going to school.
This is in line with the recent data showed Ng parents of school kids starting to get more Covid cases.
All the best (and think of the enhanced immunity afterwards).
PSG, City and Liverpool are in a different class to the rest
Tonight is almost certainly the most expensive football match in history. A billion quid in each team perhaps.
It's obscene
Why is it?
2 billion pounds is not obscene for 22 footballers
Well it's a view
It is absolutely not obscene. The Premier League is world class weekly entertainment for billions of people around the globe.
Liverpool and Manchester United between them have over a billion fans it is estimated, over half a billion fans each. Why is the squad costing less than £2 per fan obscene?
Avengers: Endgame cost an estimated $400m and generated an estimated $2.8bn worldwide. Is that obscene? And most people who watched the Avengers have probably watched it once or a couple of times not 38 times per annum.
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
Ah yes, there are certain parts of the Heath that are known for their... traffic...
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
Where there is less... traffic.
Indeed. During the pandemic, I started running with a mate where we would run through the “main” Heath into the Extension and then through Hampstead Garden Suburb. One evening (around 6:30pm) we found ourselves running through an area that was, mmm, busy with a certain type of traffic who was giving us both a lot of attention.
Mind you, since it was two guys running together together with our dog, I guess we might have given off a…certain type of signal…
So you were dogging, just not in that way?
Taking the dog for a run. Certainly not the commonly assumed form of dogging.
Oddly, with my background I always used to connect dogging with working with loads on cranes.
Is there any evidence that the streets of Britain are becoming less safe for women?
@Andy_JS As you have pointed out, statistically most attacks are on men. However, there is a change in social attitudes, a desire to assuage womens fears about safety.
Quite where this will lead is an interesting question, but I would guess it is most likely to lead us down the route of calls for permanent real time surveillance of the public sphere (ie facial recognition CCTV), and the creation of more criminal offences related specifically to the harrassment of (people who identify as) women.
Hang on...
You are making the assumption that women are less likely to be attacked than men. That is not necessarily a safe conclusion to make. What if men were 10x more likely to walk on their own through town at night?
That is a very interesting point. I don't know and I am very happy to stand corrected if such evidence exists. However, as far as I can see, no one has disputed (or really even responded to) the posters original point that 83 out of 96 murders were of men.
I think my point about social attitudes changing really holds true irrespective of the statistical position, and this is reflected in policy. For instance, already we have seen, in the last decade, significant new legislation on domestic violence.
And not a single one of those 86 got 1/10th of the publicity that Sabina Nessa's terrible murder has, indeed I wonder if they got as much publicity in cumulo.
I of course applaud the rising intolerance of violence towards women, I just wish violence towards men was not so far behind.
Is there any evidence that the streets of Britain are becoming less safe for women?
@Andy_JS As you have pointed out, statistically most attacks are on men. However, there is a change in social attitudes, a desire to assuage womens fears about safety.
Quite where this will lead is an interesting question, but I would guess it is most likely to lead us down the route of calls for permanent real time surveillance of the public sphere (ie facial recognition CCTV), and the creation of more criminal offences related specifically to the harrassment of (people who identify as) women.
Hang on...
You are making the assumption that women are less likely to be attacked than men. That is not necessarily a safe conclusion to make. What if men were 10x more likely to walk on their own through town at night?
That is a very interesting point. I don't know and I am very happy to stand corrected if such evidence exists. However, as far as I can see, no one has disputed (or really even responded to) the posters original point that 83 out of 96 murders were of men.
I think my point about social attitudes changing really holds true irrespective of the statistical position, and this is reflected in policy. For instance, already we have seen, in the last decade, significant new legislation on domestic violence.
And not a single one of those 86 got 1/10th of the publicity that Sabina Nessa's terrible murder has, indeed I wonder if they got as much publicity in cumulo.
I of course applaud the rising intolerance of violence towards women, I just wish violence towards men was not so far behind.
A third of domestic violence is against men (1). This does not get anywhere near the coverage that domestic violence against women gets, and mentioning it should not, and does not, diminish violence against women.
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
Ah yes, there are certain parts of the Heath that are known for their... traffic...
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
Where there is less... traffic.
Indeed. During the pandemic, I started running with a mate where we would run through the “main” Heath into the Extension and then through Hampstead Garden Suburb. One evening (around 6:30pm) we found ourselves running through an area that was, mmm, busy with a certain type of traffic who was giving us both a lot of attention.
Mind you, since it was two guys running together together with our dog, I guess we might have given off a…certain type of signal…
So you were dogging, just not in that way?
Taking the dog for a run. Certainly not the commonly assumed form of dogging.
Oddly, with my background I always used to connect dogging with working with loads on cranes.
David Lammy tells @TimesRadio that he wasn’t talking about Rosie Duffield when he referred to “dinosaurs” in the Labour Party, but then declined to say she was not a dinosaur. So there you go.
Evening all. As someone some of us remember used to say.
Topped up with petrol this evening prior to a long drive Thursday. No queue, no limit of what I could buy.
What a mess the USA is in. I suspect Trump won't be able to run again, either as a result of health problems, or legal ones
Come to that, what a mess UK is in.
Of the three petrol stations within a few miles of me, two were out of fuel today.
I did a 10-mile run in Peterborough today, whilst Mrs J's car was having its service and MOT. A few random thoughts: *) A petrol station I passed had all fuel and no queues. £30 limit on transactions. *) Peterborough isn't the prettiest places, but I managed to run three miles south to the centre on good roadside cycle paths, with no on-level road crossings. Impressive. *) Six or seven men drinking from cans of lager in various places. All alone. Quite a sad sight in the early afternoon. *) On the way back, I ran through an underpass where three youths on bikes with hoods up were smoking something a little heavy on the nose. A young woman cycled past me, saw the youths, stopped, turned around, and headed back past me.
The latter was particularly poignant. I have little fear in running or walking anywhere - I feel as though I face more danger from traffic than I do people. Yet I know female friends who are fearful of being out and about alone. It's easy for me, as a man, to forget that ...
There was a good thread on this on Twitter. Men just don't realise how scary it is for women to run or jog or walk alone at night, even in fairly safe neighbourhoods.
I confess I seldom consider it. I would walk anywhere in London alone, at any time. Sure there are sketchier places where I would be watchful, and cross the road maybe, and certainly not get a flashy iPhone out to call and browse, but yeah I would walk anywhere, at any time, in London, without too much worry
For some women they just won't go out alone after dark. That's it
The people who get angry about what to call people with or without penises / vaginas or who can use which public convenience would be better getting exercised about this inequality.
Yes indeed. And to my shame I had never properly considered it. Grown women scared to go out after dark?
I guess I generally know younger women who are more confident? - but also more likely to be attacked. Hmm
And I have usually lived in nicer neighborhoods, but still London is London, a massive world city, with a hint of edginess, everywhere
For once, the term "privilege" is justified. Male privilege means you can mostly walk out of the door at night, for a walk or a jog or some late night shopping, and feel pretty fine. Many women simply cannot do that, alone, or feel too scared to do it, either way. When you realise this - as a man - it is quite a shock
I pointed it out on earlier occasions - when German women were being attacked during NY's Eve celebrations. It is (dare I say it) one of the reasons women, some of them, anyway, value female only spaces - so they don't have to make any sort of assessment about whether a man is being simply friendly or something worse.
It is something all women learn to take account of from a young age.
Would that it were different.
I was actually thinking of you, in part, when I made these comments
You strike me as a fairly forthright and confident woman (tho of course your real persona may be very different). I can't imagine you being too scared to walk or jog around Hampstead (admittedly a pretty safe place) at 10pm or even 1am?
But are you happy to do that? Genuine question
I would not go onto the Heath at night. Would I walk around Hampstead streets at 1 am? Probably. But if I'm honest I'd probably get a taxi.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
I suspect the Heath would actually be pretty safe, simply because there's not enough foot traffic to make it interesting to a migger,
Well, not always. There have been a fair few cases of muggings as robbers know people congregate on Parliament Hill and around at night. Plus, you should ask Harry Styles - although it’s not entirely clear what he was doing around that part of the Heath at the time he was robbed…
Ah yes, there are certain parts of the Heath that are known for their... traffic...
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
Where there is less... traffic.
As an aside, friends of ours used to rent an apartment in the old Jack Straw’s pub. They had some interesting tales.
I would never have thought it of Jack Straw…
Well, there was that badger-loving Welsh Secretary chap who was a colleague of Straw’s…
That's a huge jump. I thought they had got their outbreak under control. Next few days for them will be critical if they don't want cases to explode. Of course, at some point they are going to have to learn to live with Covid unless they are going to be in and out of lockdown and never opening up to the world.
Comments
I think we still have to follow (at least the public health community should) the case data as this virus has continually surprised us and shown us just how much we have yet to learn about viruses, viral evolution, and epidemiology. But I think the time for the public to worry about case numbers is over, at least in the UK and other countries with similar levels of vaccination and seropositivity.
https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/1442842796453363716
To be brutal, maybe there is hope for 2024 election.
"Hey, I wasn't dealt a heart!"
Unless you keep yourself informed across the media, then how can you understand the nuance of the debates and discussions and try to come to a fair conclusion
Pippa Crerar
@PippaCrerar
Surprise here that Keir Starmer hasn't been shouting from rooftops about cost of living crisis.
Yvette Cooper:"It's what we should be talking about most. It's going to be devastating for families right across the country. I don't know how many are going to manage this Christmas"
* Yes, we know about HIPs - it was 20 years ago for christ sake.
I lived in Brixton and was burgled. Early 30's. I was alone in the house asleep and the burglar came into my room. A cushion was on the floor so he could not get in and fled. I was terrified so I waited until I felt reasonably sure he had gone before calling the police. I tell this story to show that when put in a situation of danger my instinct was to do the safe thing not the brave thing.
Once in Barcelona in broad daylight some man was going round pestering the women sitting in a square. When he came to me I was so furious that I threw my cup of hot coffee all over him. He collapsed into a whingeing baby but my Spanish friends were appalled at the risk I'd taken (he could have a knife etc) whereas my blood was up and I screamed at him like an enraged fishwife.
The answer to your question is that I do take precautions depending on where I am and how known the place is to me. So I feel reasonably ok walking round Naples whereas many wouldn't. I am older so not likely to be of interest to young men. But I also know that older women are not immune from harassment and that precisely because of my age I would come off worse in any fight. That fight might not be a sexual one - just a mugging - but I am always conscious that in any physical fight I would likely come off worse. So I will try and avoid those situations.
There has been a lot of focus on the % number of MPs for a nomination and Starmer trying to change it, but the old system would have worked if some MPs hadn't just thought 'what the hell, nothing harmful will happen'.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/u-s-seen-running-out-of-cash-between-oct-15-and-nov-4-as-debt-limit-drama-continues-11632490549
My wife and I, both mid 40s and double jabbed, have tested positive today on LFTs. 3 kids aged 12, 8 and 3 are all negative. All results to be confirmed from PCRs taken today. Symptoms are cold like.
Of more concern is that my 85yo father in law has tested positive but is asymptomatic. We also saw my parents in their 70s at the weekend.
The kids we are fairly sure have come into contact with Covid previously. Particularly the 12yo where half of her class got it less than 2 weeks ago but she didn't. My wife is a teacher. Best guess is that she got it at school (she has worse symptoms and stronger result on LFT) and has passed it on to me. Obviously no way to be sure.
Hopefully as we are all double jabbed we will all be fine. However isolating for 10 days is going to be a pain and we are going to have to rely on friends a lot with the kids who do.not.have to isolate and can carry on going to school.
This is in line with the recent data showed Ng parents of school kids starting to get more Covid cases.
Have any PBers had their booster yet??
And my secondary child has had a letter about flu vaccination, but no sign of the COVID letters going out yet.
I hope there is still focus on this.
Until boosters or herd immunity run through, the danger of hospitalisations creeping up due to waning vaccine immunity plus case increase is there, and the strain on the NHS is still quite significant even now. HMG should stay focused on closing this out like an Italian football team with a 1-0 lead.
But every generation of MPs probably has to learn that lesson anew. Notably, Tory MPs knew not to back those they didn't want, and that was probably part of why Boris did not stand in 2016. He waited until they actually wanted him. The Labour contest was just that faction putting the next bod on the list up for consideration as per usual.
I have a suggestion, one that doesn't need you to be mobile. Have look into the world of audiobooks and podcasts. I know that it's comforting to have something on, like a tv or a radio, but I think the sensationalism of news - they are all attention whores - isn't healthy. A bit of variety might do you good, and keep you from having to listen to people who annoy you.
Unless you like the stimulation of being annoyed. No judgement if that's the case, that's what gets some people up in the morning, but it IS a choice.
Quite a surprise we don't have one.
Someone mentioned taking someone for a booster recently ISTR. NHS workers who work face-to-face are being done first.
Husband and 2 children all tested positive, though both the husband and wife are fully vaccinated
Seems they are not too bad and hope you all recover soon
MISCALCULATION BY GOP—As an epidemiologist, I think Republicans might be killing off their voter base faster than they think. The #COVID19 death rate since June 30 in counties where Trump got >90% of the vote are 9.5x higher than where he got <10%—pretty strong. HT @charles_gaba https://t.co/e5IAE6qTv5
https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1442089484011687937?s=19
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-wales-58721620
I have more variety of news than you could imagine and I have no intention of changing anything
I am quite a fan of audio books and Spotify when sated with news.
Sadly arteritis caught me out as it did my father preventing my sporting activities shortly after I retired
I'll leave you to your "variety" then. Feel free to asks for suggestions if you change your mind.
Dutch police have arrested a politician in the Hague on suspicion of involvement in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
The prime minister's security service said Arnoud van Doorn, the leader of The Hague Unity Party, was arrested on Sunday.
He "displayed suspicious behaviour" as he walked through the same area of the city as Mr Rutte, the service said.
Mr van Doorn was released on Monday after a police interrogation.
His lawyer Anis Boumanjal told the BBC he should not have been arrested because there was no reasonable suspicion of guilt.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58718789
Rutte is a bit of a low key survivor, politicallly speaking, on the European scene. 11 years and counting.
Why do you think random crap about cricket, trains and F1 gets brought up? Because political nerds are probably nerds in other matters too? Pshaw. Nah, it's to break the news media into digestible chunks.
I recently finished Amhativ Ghosh's Ibis Trilogy. Very good, but the middle book needed a bit of editing.
I should take it up - I had a knockabout with my nephews and I was knackered after 5 minutes, it was eye opening.
You are an integral part of PB.
I need to rest before I wake to 5 live business at 5.00am (habit of a lifetime), go down stairs and get my dear lady wife her breakfast, before listened to BBC 24 news and switching to Sky on occasions, and then going online to the best source of information in the country right here on PB.com
Good night folks
That seemed less of a crime to me, as Bridge has been notorious over the years for cheating, even at international level. There have been many scandals. It is too easy to gain an edge from small pieces of information (if you are any good) and there are endless ways of communicating them illegally (some more subtle than others). It even gets a whole wiki to itself, I see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheating_in_bridge
Cheating at golf is just not cricket.
I don't hate Johnson, I have never met the man, so why should I? It is true I find his public persona nauseating, and what you see as political genius, I see as lazy, incompetent, gluttonous, amorality. I despise what he stands for, but I don't wish him any personal ill-will. I doubt Scott does.
*if herd immunity can be reached. A 15 year old of my acquaintance has just been re-infected having had it a year ago, both times symptomatically. I expect that it will bubble along like the other coronaviruses do, but once people have had it two or three times it will be "just a cold".
https://twitter.com/bnodesk/status/1443004264494796802
One in three people infected with coronavirus will experience at least one symptom of long Covid, a new study suggests.
Much of the existing research into the condition – a mixture of symptoms reported by people often months after they were originally ill with Covid-19 – has been based either on self-reported symptoms or small studies.
I’m sceptical about long COVID. There are cases like that Labour bloke who’s married to the woman from ITV, but I reckon most people are laying it on thick.
Headlines like the one in the Guardian don’t change my opinion.
I used to get up at about 5am and run on the Heath before going into work. I never felt concerned. But that's also because I was in the more open areas.
Where there is less... traffic.
Even so, his specific case gets a lot of publicity, because as you say his wife is a prominent TV presenter of a news-based show.
There must be dozens of others in similar situations out there, that we don’t hear about.
‘Because they’re stupid.’
Epic self awareness fail?
About two-thirds were at 97% of normal capacity (i.e. fully recovered) inside four weeks of positive test. Another 20% were there inside 12 weeks. And a little more than 10% still had ongoing issues. (Not "were stricken with covid", but "still had not fully recovered after three months.")
Quite where this will lead is an interesting question, but I would guess it is most likely to lead us down the route of calls for permanent real time surveillance of the public sphere (ie facial recognition CCTV), and the creation of more criminal offences related specifically to the harrassment of (people who identify as) women.
You are making the assumption that women are less likely to be attacked than men. That is not necessarily a safe conclusion to make. What if men were 10x more likely to walk on their own through town at night?
Mind you, since it was two guys running together together with our dog, I guess we might have given off a…certain type of signal…
Liverpool and Manchester United between them have over a billion fans it is estimated, over half a billion fans each. Why is the squad costing less than £2 per fan obscene?
Avengers: Endgame cost an estimated $400m and generated an estimated $2.8bn worldwide. Is that obscene? And most people who watched the Avengers have probably watched it once or a couple of times not 38 times per annum.
I think my point about social attitudes changing really holds true irrespective of the statistical position, and this is reflected in policy. For instance, already we have seen, in the last decade, significant new legislation on domestic violence.
In fact, here's a video about a dogging training course:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1wIrKzOoAs
I of course applaud the rising intolerance of violence towards women, I just wish violence towards men was not so far behind.
(1): https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/domesticabuseinenglandandwalesoverview/november2020
https://twitter.com/StigAbell/status/1443095234213261312?s=20