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  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,427
    Chameleon said:

    The issue with pizza toppings is that there's not a lot to do once we all agree that pineapple, chicken and olive pizza is objectively the ultimate pizza.
    Olive? ON A PIZZA?

    Actually, olive on anything renders it fit only for the garbage.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341

    Olive? ON A PIZZA?

    Actually, olive on anything renders it fit only for the garbage.
    Is that like when you hear a festival have booked Radiohead to play?
  • glwglw Posts: 10,347

    Comical Ali did a better job than Trump has so far...there is no VVVCChinese Coronaaaaaaa (dead air for 2s) Virus in America....
    He may not be infected with coronavirus, but he sure as hell has not sounded well. He does seem to have bouts of breathlessness.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025

    Good point. It does rather screw up my contingency plan for the toilet roll shortage though!
    :D
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 35,265
    malcolmg said:

    Yes , yesterday in Sainsbury's I was able to get real quality Italian penne pasta, £2.50 a packet , the only pasta left on the shelves. Shelves stripped of the cheap stuff but herd did not want to try a quality one obviously.
    Herd immunity to quality already achieved then! :wink:
  • DavidLDavidL Posts: 55,113

    Can you reveal the list ?
    Bread, milk, various fruits, chicken, flora, butter, tea, potato chips, Sunday Times. We really haven't mastered this panic buying thing.
  • Absolutely agree. Some people are a bit slow to recognise the seismic shift this will cause. It's way beyond left-right, leave-remain etc.
    I genuinely believe that this will create an earthquake through the way we perceived things pre covid 19, experiencing it, and then adapting to enormous permanent change to so much we took for granted
  • OllyT said:

    As a 70 year old I take exception to the idea that it's OK to let the oldies die because they were on there way out anyway!
    I hear you - my parents are in their early 70s and my dad especially is prime target for this thing. I am *not* saying that we stand back and let this thing kill them and you. Thats why the advice is coming out that you need to take precautions and do what you can to avoid contact with people.

    But there are harsh realities here that national strategists have to take into account. And that includes the higher mortality rate amongst people like my dad compared to people like me or my kids. Its awful, but it is what it is. I wouldn't want to be making those decisions...
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 43,668

    Olive? ON A PIZZA?

    Actually, olive on anything renders it fit only for the garbage.
    Anchovy stuffed olives are one of life's pleasures.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,427
    Problem being if you go, you can't get back. And the last thing the UK Govt. wants is the distraction of getting its people out of Covid-19 hotspots.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336

    It does seem like these hoarders are right cheapskates.
    Or they didn't want the Italian stuff. :)
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,207
    Anyone seen the report from Germany about the USA trying to get exclusive rights to a vaccine being worked on in Germany - see Guardian live blog.
  • glwglw Posts: 10,347
    Sandpit said:

    LOL Sir Richard - that's not happening!

    If the government have anything to do with his airline, it'll be helping to underwrite the finance for the company that buys his stricken assets for 10p in the pound.

    Exactly. There's very little point proping up airlines when nobody wants to fly, as there are much better uses for that money now. And when it's over all those planes will still have much of their value for any new companies that emerge.

    Right now the only thing that makes sense regarding folding airlines is to provide welfare for the employees, but the companies and their shareholders are on their own.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,427
    TOPPING said:

    Anchovy stuffed olives are one of life's pleasures.
    You're easily pleased....
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,207

    Problem being if you go, you can't get back. And the last thing the UK Govt. wants is the distraction of getting its people out of Covid-19 hotspots.
    Sons friend flew to Florida yesterday - was turned around and sent back
  • glwglw Posts: 10,347

    Union leaders are calling for private hospital beds in the UK to be used rent free, to ease pressure on NHS hospitals dealing with the coronavirus crisis.

    The GMB union has launched a petition urging the prime minister to requisition private hospital beds, amid reports the NHS is to spend up to £2.4m a day to do so.

    Tw@ts...they are already being provided at less than the cost of an NHS bed.

    £2 million a day is basically nothing in the context of what is going on.
  • ChameleonChameleon Posts: 4,264
    Some potentially amazing news: https://www.visir.is/g/202020015d/fyrstu-nidurstodur-benda-til-thess-ad-eitt-prosent-landsmanna-se-med-veiruna

    Initial results from Icelandic genetic screening indicate that around one percent of the population has the crown virus that causes COVID-19 disease. This was confirmed by Thorolfur Guðnason in a conversation with a news agency today.
    Kári Stefánsson, CEO of Icelandic Genetic Research, says in a conversation with the news agency that there is almost one percent.
    Screening of Icelandic genetic analysis began on Thursday in the Tower at Smáratorg in Kopavogur and it was proposed to take high in a thousand samples a day. Twelve thousand people had screened for the virus on Saturday morning.

    Potential evidence of an iceberg effect?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    glw said:

    £2 million a day is basically nothing in the context of what is going on.
    If the government could always do such good deals with the private sector we would all be laughing.
  • WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 9,938
    edited March 2020
    Well, we might eventually find out how well-capitalised or not the banks are this time compared to 2008.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    Chameleon said:

    Some potentially amazing news: https://www.visir.is/g/202020015d/fyrstu-nidurstodur-benda-til-thess-ad-eitt-prosent-landsmanna-se-med-veiruna

    Initial results from Icelandic genetic screening indicate that around one percent of the population has the crown virus that causes COVID-19 disease. This was confirmed by Thorolfur Guðnason in a conversation with a news agency today.
    Kári Stefánsson, CEO of Icelandic Genetic Research, says in a conversation with the news agency that there is almost one percent.
    Screening of Icelandic genetic analysis began on Thursday in the Tower at Smáratorg in Kopavogur and it was proposed to take high in a thousand samples a day. Twelve thousand people had screened for the virus on Saturday morning.

    Potential evidence of an iceberg effect?

    Half asymptomatic. Some are going to wonder what the whole fuss was about.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025

    Got to say you are not the only one. Whilst I think the CMO and his team appear to be doing a good job and are, I hope, following the right course, the messaging on this from the Government has been pretty poor over the last week and appears to rely too much on people assuming they know what the officials mean rather than it being explicit.
    They are useless at messaging , Boris hiding for weeks , then wittering about throwing the dice and taking it on the chin, followed by Herd immunity and many of your family will die, whilst saying we have a great plan to come later when we think necessary says it all.
    They are useless tw*ts.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    edited March 2020
    Chameleon said:

    Some potentially amazing news: https://www.visir.is/g/202020015d/fyrstu-nidurstodur-benda-til-thess-ad-eitt-prosent-landsmanna-se-med-veiruna

    Initial results from Icelandic genetic screening indicate that around one percent of the population has the crown virus that causes COVID-19 disease. This was confirmed by Thorolfur Guðnason in a conversation with a news agency today.
    Kári Stefánsson, CEO of Icelandic Genetic Research, says in a conversation with the news agency that there is almost one percent.
    Screening of Icelandic genetic analysis began on Thursday in the Tower at Smáratorg in Kopavogur and it was proposed to take high in a thousand samples a day. Twelve thousand people had screened for the virus on Saturday morning.

    Potential evidence of an iceberg effect?

    They have basically their whole population DNA on record don't they?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    Scott_xP said:
    If they are referring to Hancock's op-ed, it's not paywalled.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    edited March 2020
    RobD said:

    Half asymptomatic. Some are going to wonder what the whole fuss was about.
    All that Viking blood....
  • ChameleonChameleon Posts: 4,264

    Olive? ON A PIZZA?

    Actually, olive on anything renders it fit only for the garbage.
    And to think, up until recently I'd considered you a very sensible man! Olives are one of life's truest pleasures. I have ample supplies of them to make some olive bread in the forthcoming months.
  • Chameleon said:

    Some potentially amazing news: https://www.visir.is/g/202020015d/fyrstu-nidurstodur-benda-til-thess-ad-eitt-prosent-landsmanna-se-med-veiruna

    Initial results from Icelandic genetic screening indicate that around one percent of the population has the crown virus that causes COVID-19 disease. This was confirmed by Thorolfur Guðnason in a conversation with a news agency today.
    Kári Stefánsson, CEO of Icelandic Genetic Research, says in a conversation with the news agency that there is almost one percent.
    Screening of Icelandic genetic analysis began on Thursday in the Tower at Smáratorg in Kopavogur and it was proposed to take high in a thousand samples a day. Twelve thousand people had screened for the virus on Saturday morning.

    Potential evidence of an iceberg effect?

    36,000 cases in Iceland and 0 deaths ? That would be very interesting, to say the least.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    malcolmg said:

    They are useless at messaging , Boris hiding for weeks , then wittering about throwing the dice and taking it on the chin, followed by Herd immunity and many of your family will die, whilst saying we have a great plan to come later when we think necessary says it all.
    They are useless tw*ts.
    Throwing the dice? What are you on about. They are following the pandemic strategy that was drawn up several years ago.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    edited March 2020
    Scott_xP said:
    FAKE NEWS...its not paywalled. I know they say on a paywalled website, it is deliberately misleading.

    Again the media playing silly buggers.

    I don't think I have ever been quite as incensed at the moment at the behaviour of some. From BBC reporting a totally misleading petition of "200" scientists, most of which are students, disagreeing with the government policy and all this misinformation on twitter.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,427
    DavidL said:

    Don't buy substitutes, don't get any good ideas, is my clear advice. I fear I may be some time.

    I am reminded of Victoria Wood: ""I couldn't get you a raspberry yoghurt. So I got you a meat n potato pie."
  • FloaterFloater Posts: 14,207
    Charles said:

    They are trying two main things at the moment Actema (IL-6 binder that has been shown to help with cytokine storm induced by CAR-T therapy) and Kaletra, which is a combination of two protease inhibitors for HIV that has also been shown to work in HPV.

    My Dad has tested positive, but is being well looked after in the said Hampshire hotspot. Thank you for your thoughts.

    Sorry to hear that Charles - all the best to you and your family
  • CarlottaVanceCarlottaVance Posts: 60,281
    No travel insurance will now cover you in the US.
  • Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    It does seem like these hoarders are right cheapskates.
    Not around here. Supplies of the most popular hoarding staples were all gone on Friday evening, including the niche and expensive stuff.

    Just back from Tescos this morning and it was actually worse than Christmas. Lengthy queues for all payment methods; they've still got about 25 traditional tills in there and each one had at least five or six people with full family-sized trolleys snaking out the back of it.

    They are clearly doing their best to keep up with demand and at least some supplies of most of the things that were entirely absent on Friday night (notably flour and tissues) were in evidence. However, the pasta shelf was still completely empty and I missed the last of the bog rolls by about five or ten minutes. There were a few people still walking around with packs of the things in their trolleys but the aisle contained nothing but empty pallets.

    Beer supplies also replenished and looking well-stocked again. Except for Corona, that is.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025

    Olive? ON A PIZZA?

    Actually, olive on anything renders it fit only for the garbage.
    Now you are being silly Mark, Olives enhance almost anything , there are a few exceptions but on a pizza they are lovely.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    It does seem like these hoarders are right cheapskates.
    Nah, the basic principle is you hoard stuff you would only eat in order not to starve. If you make a hoard of Cadburys Fruit and Nut and stuff, 48 hours later you have to hoard all over again.
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,650

    In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel warned earlier this week that up to 70% of the country's population - some 58 million people - could contract the virus.

    In all honesty, this doesn't seem much different to the UK strategy. It is just the CMO and CSO spelled it in much blunter terms much earlier.

    The Twitterati obviously still think that Boris is trying to murder us all.

    I take some comfort in Germany's approach being similar to ours. I might not trust Boris Johnson as far as I can throw him - who in their right mind would? - but I do have confidence in Angela Merkel. She is a political leader of uncommon substance and integrity.
  • Scott_xPScott_xP Posts: 38,046
    For all the people saying we should listen to the experts on the science, there seems to be a reluctance to listen to the experts on news management.

    BoZo may be managing the crisis well, but he is fucking up the information management, spreading confusion and panic.

    He wants to be Churchill, but it's all a bit Chamberlain right now
  • ChameleonChameleon Posts: 4,264
    edited March 2020

    36,000 cases in Iceland and 0 deaths ? That would be very interesting, to say the least.
    3,600 cases. But even so, even accounting for delayed onset of symptoms, if only 5-25% of people develop symptoms this is vastly less scary than before.
  • maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,592
    TOPPING said:

    Is there any sport on today? Cruel Sea at 2pm.

    Snooker is on Eurosport, 4 rounds in 1 day so perfect in the circumstances - frankly showing that sports should be pushed to keep going behind closed doors - would do far more for the common good and isolation maintenance where required, than making virtuous press releases about total cancellations.
  • ClippPClippP Posts: 1,961

    Problem being if you go, you can't get back. And the last thing the UK Govt. wants is the distraction of getting its people out of Covid-19 hotspots.
    Mr Mark, just wonderng about your wife.... The last we heard, she was over in the States, if I remember correctly. Hope she is OK.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025
    RobD said:

    If they are referring to Hancock's op-ed, it's not paywalled.
    Big deal, it shows how shallow these fcukwits are, posting this kind of stuff on a Tory rag which is normally paywalled and I bet was at first.
    How to help your pals, sick gits.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    She needs to take a break from twitter. Brexit has clearly sent her over the edge.
  • Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,971
    Scott_xP said:
    He has a point. This lark of giving mysterious, opaque briefings to Pesto etc. from 'government sources' is sowing confusion and unease. This might work when you're trying to wrongfoot your opponents over Brexit or whatever, but in this situation it's just juvenile. Boris needs to get rid of a few egos I think.
  • WhisperingOracleWhisperingOracle Posts: 9,938
    edited March 2020
    Chameleon said:

    3,600 cases. But even so, even accounting for delayed onset of symptoms, if only 5-25% of people develop symptoms this is vastly less scary than before.
    Ah yes - sorry - a bit of an important calculation slip there ! ;.)
  • NigelbNigelb Posts: 76,440
    malcolmg said:

    Yes , yesterday in Sainsbury's I was able to get real quality Italian penne pasta, £2.50 a packet , the only pasta left on the shelves. Shelves stripped of the cheap stuff but herd did not want to try a quality one obviously.
    I had a similar experience with the cannelloni - normally it’s quite hard to see, but yesterday was almost the only thing left on the shelf.

  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    malcolmg said:

    Big deal, it shows how shallow these fcukwits are, posting this kind of stuff on a Tory rag which is normally paywalled and I bet was at first.
    How to help your pals, sick gits.
    Seriously, calm down.
  • glwglw Posts: 10,347
    Chameleon said:

    Some potentially amazing news: https://www.visir.is/g/202020015d/fyrstu-nidurstodur-benda-til-thess-ad-eitt-prosent-landsmanna-se-med-veiruna

    Initial results from Icelandic genetic screening indicate that around one percent of the population has the crown virus that causes COVID-19 disease. This was confirmed by Thorolfur Guðnason in a conversation with a news agency today.
    Kári Stefánsson, CEO of Icelandic Genetic Research, says in a conversation with the news agency that there is almost one percent.
    Screening of Icelandic genetic analysis began on Thursday in the Tower at Smáratorg in Kopavogur and it was proposed to take high in a thousand samples a day. Twelve thousand people had screened for the virus on Saturday morning.

    Potential evidence of an iceberg effect?

    I would have thought that 1% in Iceland makes claims of 10x the cases in the UK, and 1% in the state of Ohio, look quite moderate.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 22,182
    My employer makes its money from air travel.

    Last week the IATA forecasting we were looking at already looked out of date.

    I must now assume 50%+ likelihood of losing my job in the next 3 months. My company has strong financial muscle but I am probably not needed in a “keeping the lights on” scenario. At least I am on 6 months notice period.

    I think I am relatively employable?

    I have a heavy mortgage but one must hope that in extremis I can move to interest free, and/or govt mandated mortgage holiday.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025
    RobD said:

    Throwing the dice? What are you on about. They are following the pandemic strategy that was drawn up several years ago.
    I am talking about Boris's press conference utterances and his cronies re herd immunity , take it on the chin etc. Did the UK media not reach you in the USA.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    kinabalu said:

    I take some comfort in Germany's approach being similar to ours. I might not trust Boris Johnson as far as I can throw him - who in their right mind would? - but I do have confidence in Angela Merkel. She is a political leader of uncommon substance and integrity.
    Neither do I, but if Boris was ignoring the experts we would know, as the media are more than happy to breathlessly report any contradictions.

    We have to trust that the team behind the CMO and CSO are calling this one right.
  • glwglw Posts: 10,347

    FAKE NEWS...its not paywalled. I know they say on a paywalled website, it is deliberately misleading.

    Again the media playing silly buggers.

    I don't think I have ever been quite as incensed at the moment at the behaviour of some. From BBC reporting a totally misleading petition of "200" scientists, most of which are students, disagreeing with the government policy and all this misinformation on twitter.
    BBC Radio 5 mentioned the paywall this morning as well.
  • GardenwalkerGardenwalker Posts: 22,182

    He has a point. This lark of giving mysterious, opaque briefings to Pesto etc. from 'government sources' is sowing confusion and unease. This might work when you're trying to wrongfoot your opponents over Brexit or whatever, but in this situation it's just juvenile. Boris needs to get rid of a few egos I think.
    Peston has form for economy-crashing “reporting”.
  • maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,592
    kinabalu said:

    I take some comfort in Germany's approach being similar to ours. I might not trust Boris Johnson as far as I can throw him - who in their right mind would? - but I do have confidence in Angela Merkel. She is a political leader of uncommon substance and integrity.
    What bilge. Talking politics about this is vulgar but you're making it really hard not to start pointing out the hypocrisy of German led European unity which sells other countries down the river at the first sign of trouble.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025
    IshmaelZ said:

    Nah, the basic principle is you hoard stuff you would only eat in order not to starve. If you make a hoard of Cadburys Fruit and Nut and stuff, 48 hours later you have to hoard all over again.
    However buying cheap as chips pasta, unthinkable.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    edited March 2020
    If Boris had been in charge during WWII, I fairly sure the tw@tterati would be cheering on Hitler, just to see his nose rubbed in it.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    glw said:

    BBC Radio 5 mentioned the paywall this morning as well.
    I think it might have been paywalled for a few moments as it was put up, but I bet that was technical cock up (i.e. the default setting for op-eds these days), rather than a scheme to get desperate punters to cough up for a telegraph subscription.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    glw said:

    BBC Radio 5 mentioned the paywall this morning as well.
    They were also allowing misleading claims about the cost of leasing private hospital beds last night.
  • Impact on the economy? Think wartime only fewer people end up dead/maimed. A long list of businesses will fold due to the lack of custom. The government's key decision will be whether to keep them afloat so that they can resume service once we get through this, or let them fold and create easy ways to pick up the pieces later. I suggest there are two nodal points that need urgent focus - the banks, and employees. So a couple of things they can consider doing:

    1. Suspend repayment on loans. People owe cash to the bank - their house, their car, credit cards etc etc. A 6 month holiday on repayments in exchange for keeping the banks afloat. This means you don't need to pay your mortgage (or rent for all you private sector renters) or loan or credit card for the duration. All such arrangements are suspended.
    2. Universal Basic Income. Parachute cash to everyone. In other times that would have been so they can spend it in Costa or whatever, but as Costa will have gone bust its to keep the people who used to work in Costa from having to eat grass

    The entire rationale of the Johnson strategy is to avoid having to do ANY of this. But as country after country slowly ramps down economic activity I cannot see how we will be able to resist much longer. People will be told to WFH, then businesses big and small will get into major difficulties and the question will be do they pay to keep afloat business that isn't viable in the lockdown or do they pay to keep food in people's fridges and the roof over their heads?
  • JohnLilburneJohnLilburne Posts: 6,576

    If the government could always do such good deals with the private sector we would all be laughing.
    Surely it's normal for governments to pay for requisitioned items. Even in time of war
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    Scott_xP said:
    Then they lose their impact. Only say something if something needs to be said.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    JM1 said:

    Oh that is very interesting. As someone who works in that space it would indeed indicate that the number of asymptomatic carriers with low or mild symptoms is potentially very high indeed, which would tally with the numbers we are seeing in Italy to an extent. DECODE has a tremendous genetic resource that they can exploit for this sort of testing and this is a space we should continue to keep a very close eye on.
    Fun Fact....because Iceland is so genetic monolithic, very small population and they have these near complete records, all the kids have these apps on their phone so that when they go on a night out looking to pull, they can bump their phone with a lady / gentleman they like the look of and it instantly tells them if they are too closely related to be considering taking it any further.
  • MarqueeMarkMarqueeMark Posts: 54,427

    If Boris had been in charge during WWII, I fairly sure the tw@tterati would be cheering on Hitler, just to see his nose rubbed in it.

    The Coronovirus-19th Columnists.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    edited March 2020


    Fun Fact....because Iceland is so genetic monolithic, very small population and they have these near complete records, all the kids have these apps on their phone so that when they go on a night out looking to pull, they can bump their phone with a lady / gentleman they like the look of and it instantly tells them if they are too closely related to be considering taking it any further.

    I assume there's a second cousin yes/no option? ;)
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 35,265

    My employer makes its money from air travel.

    Last week the IATA forecasting we were looking at already looked out of date.

    I must now assume 50%+ likelihood of losing my job in the next 3 months. My company has strong financial muscle but I am probably not needed in a “keeping the lights on” scenario. At least I am on 6 months notice period.

    I think I am relatively employable?

    I have a heavy mortgage but one must hope that in extremis I can move to interest free, and/or govt mandated mortgage holiday.

    Sorry to hear that @Gardenwalker - hope it's not a bleak as you fear.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025

    FAKE NEWS...its not paywalled. I know they say on a paywalled website, it is deliberately misleading.

    Again the media playing silly buggers.

    I don't think I have ever been quite as incensed at the moment at the behaviour of some. From BBC reporting a totally misleading petition of "200" scientists, most of which are students, disagreeing with the government policy and all this misinformation on twitter.
    what kind of moron puts a health Secretary announcement to the public in a Tory newspaper. If that is not F****ed up I don't know what is and then the absolute bell ends put up on GOV site telling people to go look at the Telegraph, you could not make up the stupidity of these clowns.
  • Dura_AceDura_Ace Posts: 14,277

    If Boris had been in charge during WWII, I fairly sure the tw@tterati would be cheering on Hitler, just to see his nose rubbed in it.

    If he were he would have stuck a sprog on Unity Mitford by this stage.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    malcolmg said:

    what kind of moron puts a health Secretary announcement to the public in a Tory newspaper. If that is not F****ed up I don't know what is and then the absolute bell ends put up on GOV site telling people to go look at the Telegraph, you could not make up the stupidity of these clowns.
    If it was new information you might have a point, but he was just reiterating what has already been said.
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    malcolmg said:

    what kind of moron puts a health Secretary announcement to the public in a Tory newspaper. If that is not F****ed up I don't know what is and then the absolute bell ends put up on GOV site telling people to go look at the Telegraph, you could not make up the stupidity of these clowns.
    You might not have noticed but he has also been on all the major media outlets this morning.
  • malcolmg said:

    Big deal, it shows how shallow these fcukwits are, posting this kind of stuff on a Tory rag which is normally paywalled and I bet was at first.
    How to help your pals, sick gits.
    Malc.

    You and I are on the opposite sides on the referendum but we converse well

    I do think that we are now in an environment that we all need to be kinder and to be honest I really would like to hear your genuine thought through opinions on topical matters

    Please try not to become tedious but help to contribute with constructive criticism, not destructive

    All the best
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025
    RobD said:

    Seriously, calm down.
    Rob, F**k off you patronising git.
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    They have basically their whole population DNA on record don't they?
    I am genuinely failing to understand why that has any bearing on testing them for this virus.
  • AlistairAlistair Posts: 23,670

    FAKE NEWS...its not paywalled. I know they say on a paywalled website, it is deliberately misleading.

    Again the media playing silly buggers.

    I don't think I have ever been quite as incensed at the moment at the behaviour of some. From BBC reporting a totally misleading petition of "200" scientists, most of which are students, disagreeing with the government policy and all this misinformation on twitter.
    It absolutely was pay walled initially. They took down the pay wall after the outrage.
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,307

    They were also allowing misleading claims about the cost of leasing private hospital beds last night.
    Was that via that lovely Momentum activist Dr Sonia Adesara?
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 35,265
    malcolmg said:

    what kind of moron puts a health Secretary announcement to the public in a Tory newspaper. If that is not F****ed up I don't know what is and then the absolute bell ends put up on GOV site telling people to go look at the Telegraph, you could not make up the stupidity of these clowns.
    Agreed - this is no way to proceed at all. Big mistake. Text should have gone to all papers for them to publish unedited ot not at all as they decide.
  • Stark_DawningStark_Dawning Posts: 9,971
    RobD said:

    I think it might have been paywalled for a few moments as it was put up, but I bet that was technical cock up (i.e. the default setting for op-eds these days), rather than a scheme to get desperate punters to cough up for a telegraph subscription.
    It was an odd approach though. Why put an article conveying information of national significance in a niche publication with collapsing sales? Putting it in The Sun would have made more sense. In fact, why not buy space in every national newspaper if you feel a written article is helpful?
  • FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 83,341
    edited March 2020
    IshmaelZ said:

    I am genuinely failing to understand why that has any bearing on testing them for this virus.
    Well for example they can start to example genetic differences between those that show signs and those that don't.

    They already do similar research across other major diseases, tracing lineages, genetic differences etc.
  • TOPPINGTOPPING Posts: 43,668
    edited March 2020

    Not around here. Supplies of the most popular hoarding staples were all gone on Friday evening, including the niche and expensive stuff.

    Just back from Tescos this morning and it was actually worse than Christmas. Lengthy queues for all payment methods; they've still got about 25 traditional tills in there and each one had at least five or six people with full family-sized trolleys snaking out the back of it.

    They are clearly doing their best to keep up with demand and at least some supplies of most of the things that were entirely absent on Friday night (notably flour and tissues) were in evidence. However, the pasta shelf was still completely empty and I missed the last of the bog rolls by about five or ten minutes. There were a few people still walking around with packs of the things in their trolleys but the aisle contained nothing but empty pallets.

    Beer supplies also replenished and looking well-stocked again. Except for Corona, that is.
    WTAF as they say. Tesco in Leaver heartland E Mids yesterday, and therefore full of people obviously quite dim and prone to irrational behaviour, was full to brimming. Loo roll and hand san gone but absolutely everything else plentiful.

    Normal Saturday traffic.

    I bought, because PB wants to know, two lemons a cucumber, some talc, a pineapple, and a bottle of gin.
  • EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976
    Scott_xP said:
    What are these "main channels" of which he speaks, and how do I access them from Netflix?
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336

    Agreed - this is no way to proceed at all. Big mistake. Text should have gone to all papers for them to publish unedited ot not at all as they decide.
    Except it wasn't an announcement of government policy. It was just a repeat of what has already been said.
  • OldKingColeOldKingCole Posts: 34,523

    If Boris had been in charge during WWII, I fairly sure the tw@tterati would be cheering on Hitler, just to see his nose rubbed in it.

    There were those who were not, initially at any rate, impressed with Churchill. And if Edward VIII hadn't been more interested in Wallis than being King........
  • kinabalukinabalu Posts: 44,650
    edited March 2020
    maaarsh said:

    Snooker is on Eurosport, 4 rounds in 1 day so perfect in the circumstances - frankly showing that sports should be pushed to keep going behind closed doors - would do far more for the common good and isolation maintenance where required, than making virtuous press releases about total cancellations.

    Big one is the Crucible. Not yet cancelled, I note, and I think I know why. It provides 17 days of compelling sporting theatre, many hours each day, draws you in, takes your mind of everything else - perfect comfort viewing and on the Beeb with an audience biased towards older people who will desperately need all of the comfort they can get by then.

    So it would not surprise me if the government has contacted World Snooker and told them on no account to cancel. The show must go on. The event will go ahead as a genuine public service. An integral part of our National Virus Response.

    Caveat that Ronnie does not test positive in the meantime.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    malcolmg said:

    Rob, F**k off you patronising git.
    Very classy.
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025
    RobD said:

    Then they lose their impact. Only say something if something needs to be said.
    Yes real impact when you put them in the Telegraph for sure.
  • tlg86tlg86 Posts: 26,513
    Given the average age of Telegraph readers, it would seem an appropriate place for a piece from the Health Secretary.
  • My employer makes its money from air travel.

    Last week the IATA forecasting we were looking at already looked out of date.

    I must now assume 50%+ likelihood of losing my job in the next 3 months. My company has strong financial muscle but I am probably not needed in a “keeping the lights on” scenario. At least I am on 6 months notice period.

    I think I am relatively employable?

    I have a heavy mortgage but one must hope that in extremis I can move to interest free, and/or govt mandated mortgage holiday.

    I am so sorry to hear that and it will be no consolation that many thousands, even millions, will be in the same boat
  • IshmaelZIshmaelZ Posts: 21,830

    Well for example they can start to example genetic differences between those that show signs and those that don't.

    They already do similar research across other major diseases, tracing lineages, genetic differences etc.
    I can see that but why is genetic screening showing up the virus in the first place?
  • Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 62,135

    Fun Fact....because Iceland is so genetic monolithic, very small population and they have these near complete records, all the kids have these apps on their phone so that when they go on a night out looking to pull, they can bump their phone with a lady / gentleman they like the look of and it instantly tells them if they are too closely related to be considering taking it any further.

    You should go there and say..

    "Hey, don't worry; put the app away: I'm English."
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025

    You might not have noticed but he has also been on all the major media outlets this morning.
    Yes telling everyone to visit the Telegraph, that helps.
  • RobDRobD Posts: 60,336
    IshmaelZ said:

    I can see that but why is genetic screening showing up the virus in the first place?
    They were testing for the virus over the weekend.
  • felixfelix Posts: 15,180
    nichomar said:

    Interesting the opposition response to government actions is to be predominantly supportive, no one calling for a herd immunity approach and what criticism there is is directed at having allowed the mass women’s day marches last Sunday. Felix may have seen different responses so interested in his opinion.

    Agree - but there is considerable anger at the Madrilenos who have appeared overnight as it were. In the longer term this crisis will bring down governments because our 2 week lockdown will no be sufficient - I suspect maybe 2/3 months.
  • glw said:

    Exactly. There's very little point proping up airlines when nobody wants to fly, as there are much better uses for that money now. And when it's over all those planes will still have much of their value for any new companies that emerge.

    Right now the only thing that makes sense regarding folding airlines is to provide welfare for the employees, but the companies and their shareholders are on their own.
    I've been saying some harsh light of day stuff about government strategy with regards to people which I know sounds cold. It'll be the same with regards to business - we will absolutely need some business and absolutely not need others. But is the cost of letting them fail and setting up again out the other side higher than the alternative?

    The issue is NOT the likes of Virgin Atlantic. The issue is that the likes of Virgin Atlantic owe money to banks. So suspend the banking sector - all loans and outstanding monies will be covered by the BoE so that Virgin and Costa and our local museum and the dog walker don't have to go bust. You don't need to meet any of your financial obligations until all this is over.
  • BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 35,265

    Not around here. Supplies of the most popular hoarding staples were all gone on Friday evening, including the niche and expensive stuff.

    Just back from Tescos this morning and it was actually worse than Christmas. Lengthy queues for all payment methods; they've still got about 25 traditional tills in there and each one had at least five or six people with full family-sized trolleys snaking out the back of it.

    They are clearly doing their best to keep up with demand and at least some supplies of most of the things that were entirely absent on Friday night (notably flour and tissues) were in evidence. However, the pasta shelf was still completely empty and I missed the last of the bog rolls by about five or ten minutes. There were a few people still walking around with packs of the things in their trolleys but the aisle contained nothing but empty pallets.

    Beer supplies also replenished and looking well-stocked again. Except for Corona, that is.
    I've got a fridge full of Corona which I bought because my brother likes it, but his visit got canned. I can't stand the stuff myself... but in extremis, I might be tempted :smile:
  • malcolmgmalcolmg Posts: 44,025
    RobD said:

    Very classy.
    Just as classy as your calm down dear
  • JonathanJonathan Posts: 22,100
    Scott_xP said:
    Do we want them to do the work or prepare for press conferences?
  • maaarshmaaarsh Posts: 3,592
    kinabalu said:

    Big one is the Crucible. Not yet cancelled, I note, and I think I know why. It provides 17 days of compelling sporting theatre, many hours each day, draws you in, takes your mind of everything else - perfect comfort viewing and on the Beeb with an audience biased towards older people who will desperately need all of the comfort they can get by then.

    So it would not surprise me if the government has contacted World Snooker and told them on no account to cancel. The show must go on. The event will go ahead as a genuine public service. An integral part of our National Virus Response.

    Caveat that Ronnie does not test positive in the meantime.
    Yes and a few other sports could learn from it. Golf cancelling is a nonsense just following the NBA lead rather than showing any leadership or thought themselves. There is no reason for non-contact sports not to continue without crowds and provide some much needed light relief whilst we all eat our pasta with tinned tuna & tomatoes.
This discussion has been closed.