Moth trap news from last night: 53 moths of 11 species
Frosted Green x 1 (new for the year)
Powdered Quaker x 3 (new for the year)
Clouded Drab x 3
Common Quaker x 10
Dotted Border x 1
Early Thorn x 1
Hebrew Character x 16
March Moth x 2
Oak Beauty x 3
Red Chestnut x 4
Small Quaker x 9
Powdered Quaker is a moth that appears for a short period in early spring. Never numerous, it gives cause to learn todays word of the day: irrorate, meaning covered in small spots.
A few years ago I found a beauty in my garden and later identified it as an elephant hawkmoth. Is that rare for UK?
Elephant Hawkmoths are quite common - they like to feed on fuschia. I can get them into double figures on a warm summer night. Most gardens would have them - but as people aren't out with bright lights at midnight, most won't be observed.
For those who haven't seen one, this is what you are missing:
Mr. Socky, might also be more focus on home-grown food and other measures to increase resilience.
This is a bad situation but it could always be worse. We'll have to try and take steps so that if a worse outbreak happens of this or another disease we can handle it better.
Having medical journalists rather than political dingbats asking the questions and leading the coverage would be a good start.
Moth trap news from last night: 53 moths of 11 species
Frosted Green x 1 (new for the year)
Powdered Quaker x 3 (new for the year)
Clouded Drab x 3
Common Quaker x 10
Dotted Border x 1
Early Thorn x 1
Hebrew Character x 16
March Moth x 2
Oak Beauty x 3
Red Chestnut x 4
Small Quaker x 9
Powdered Quaker is a moth that appears for a short period in early spring. Never numerous, it gives cause to learn todays word of the day: irrorate, meaning covered in small spots.
A few years ago I found a beauty in my garden and later identified it as an elephant hawkmoth. Is that rare for UK?
Elephant Hawkmoths are quite common - they like to feed on fuschia. I can get them into double figures on a warm summer night. Most gardens would have them - but as people aren't out with bright lights at midnight, most won't be observed.
For those who haven't seen one, this is what you are missing:
When my cats were younger they liked to catch hawkmoths, bring them inside through the cat flap, and release them for playtime inside.
We managed to rescue most of them from the walls, and consequently were able to see a variety of hawkmoths close to. Amazing things.
I think the Eyed Hawkmoths were the largest they brought in.
Eyed Hawkmoths are wonderful moths. The Privet Hawkmoths are bigger though. Mighty beasts. And in late summer/early autumn you might get a Convolvulus Hawkmoth - for some reason they get attracted to sheets hanging on the washing line.
Still never seen a wild Death's Head Hawkmoth though.
Moth trap news from last night: 53 moths of 11 species
Frosted Green x 1 (new for the year)
Powdered Quaker x 3 (new for the year)
Clouded Drab x 3
Common Quaker x 10
Dotted Border x 1
Early Thorn x 1
Hebrew Character x 16
March Moth x 2
Oak Beauty x 3
Red Chestnut x 4
Small Quaker x 9
Powdered Quaker is a moth that appears for a short period in early spring. Never numerous, it gives cause to learn todays word of the day: irrorate, meaning covered in small spots.
A few years ago I found a beauty in my garden and later identified it as an elephant hawkmoth. Is that rare for UK?
Elephant Hawkmoths are quite common - they like to feed on fuschia. I can get them into double figures on a warm summer night. Most gardens would have them - but as people aren't out with bright lights at midnight, most won't be observed.
For those who haven't seen one, this is what you are missing:
On banks, they have cancelled the dividends but are arguing over bankers bonuses.
Somethings never change, time to put 100% emergency tax on all these bonuses
Bonuses are part of wages for many of those employees. Do you want a 100% tax on other sectors employees wages?
Are you defending bankers bonuses at a time of economic armageddon
If the banks can afford to pay their staff their bonuses then yes absolutely. I'd say the same for any other business in the country.
If they can't, then no.
According to Taleb banks have made as many historic losses as their profits. I dont know if thats fully accurate but certainly their profits get distributed to senior management, with shareholders repeatedly wiped out and governments required to bail them out.
Over the long term bankers bonuses are not maintained by profits, even if they are over a particular year or bonus period.
Socialism in action. The workers by hand or by brain get the full fruits of their industry, the business owners get nothing, and the state keeps the whole thing going with subsidies from the rest of us. It's a mystery that the Left doesn't celebrate this great success for Marxism.
The journalists need to ask "What steps are being taken to increase our swab and reagent capacity" today.
Quite - this is the kind of journalism I want to see. Ask a question, get an answer, ask a further question etc.
For example, how many days has it taken to get the fact that the test lab capacity could be in the order of 100K, *if* the materials are available?
My first question after being told there were limits would have been - "What are the limits for each of : testing machines, personnel, chemicals and other materials?"
Moth trap news from last night: 53 moths of 11 species
Frosted Green x 1 (new for the year)
Powdered Quaker x 3 (new for the year)
Clouded Drab x 3
Common Quaker x 10
Dotted Border x 1
Early Thorn x 1
Hebrew Character x 16
March Moth x 2
Oak Beauty x 3
Red Chestnut x 4
Small Quaker x 9
Powdered Quaker is a moth that appears for a short period in early spring. Never numerous, it gives cause to learn todays word of the day: irrorate, meaning covered in small spots.
A few years ago I found a beauty in my garden and later identified it as an elephant hawkmoth. Is that rare for UK?
Elephant Hawkmoths are quite common - they like to feed on fuschia. I can get them into double figures on a warm summer night. Most gardens would have them - but as people aren't out with bright lights at midnight, most won't be observed.
For those who haven't seen one, this is what you are missing:
There is one tax that we don't levy, that's very difficult to avoid, [snip] A tax on the unimproved value of land with permissions. The rather boringly named Land Value Tax.
I know LVT is a popular idea with many people, but I am not sure the practicalities have really been thought through .
e.g. On the avoidance issue: just don't buy a big house, ship goods in from an offshore warehouse, move manufacturing to China, etc etc.
Quite a lot of post this morning; nothing from Boris, though. Letters, magazines, once removed from wrappers should be OK, shouldn't they?
On the whole yes. I'd be careful in the case of The Spectator though. I hear that they are out on a limb and going for a bracing, laissez-faire "Herd Immunity" approach in their production process. Could be a great call of course - but do you want to bet your life on it? I'm guessing not. So I would disinfect that one before reading it if I were you.
I suspect the fed up at home factor will be a big motivant for change in 4-6 weeks time. People aren't going to lock themselves away for ever.
You mean it isn't the April 1st article?
It still remains to be seen which is the better approach and only time will tell. Currently we are all focussing on Covid 19 direct deaths but there will be other deaths or indeed longer lives in areas affected by current actions.
Try having no health service for 2-3 months because it's collapsed under the weight of the pandemic, and see how many "other deaths" there are then!
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Intermittent fasting helps enormously. Basically I only eat roughly between 9am and 5pm on a "work day", and on a weekend if I am eating out, just basically have a brunch and my meal out.
Not only does restricting the eating window reduce your chance of consuming loads of calories, I find that I am not actually really that hungry.
I can't fathom why Boris would ask Trump for ventilators. As if any country, US especially would have these to give, or be seen exporting them if they had?
The only explanation that makes any sort of sense is as a sort of self-sacrificing PR gift to Trump, expecting him to sweeten the forthcoming trade deal in return for the service rendered.
I support the Government and what they're trying to do, and I forgive them for not having all the answers - none of us do. But there seem to have been two genuine missteps in the past couple of days - on testing, and on this ventilator gaffe, and it seems to me they are both the result of (and I don't know how or why) trying to be too clever by half and in some way deceive the public for the 'greater good'. If this is the case, I find it a) unacceptable from an ethical standpoint and b) a very stupid thing to do. You'll get found out.
I am sure whoever is responsible is getting a new arsehole ripped as we speak, and that trust will be restored, and we will move forward united again to beat the outbreak.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Don't snack. Eat 3 moderate meals a day and do *some* exercise.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Grazing is an occupational hazard of WFH. That and no exercise travelling to work or walking round the office or factory. In normal circumstances, the advice is to resist temptation for 30 seconds in the supermarket rather than have to resist all week at home but these are not normal circumstances. Remember the Blitz spirit: we might all die tomorrow so have an extra biscuit today!
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
I have a cup of tea when I get peckish. It doesnt address the hunger of course but it distracts me long enough to last until proper meal time.
Like the Book of Job, the Trolley Problem generates argument, rather than providing answers. The problem with taking a purely consequentialist approach to ethics is that you often don't know what the consequences of alternative courses of action will be. I may do something terrible, for what I believe to be the greater good, only to discover that I did not achieve the greater good. I just ended up doing something terrible.
OTOH, refraining from ever doing a bad thing, however bad the consequences might be, treats inaction as being a virtue. And that can't be right.
"generates argument, rather than providing answers" - a nice definition of philosophy itself!
That's true. I think ethics is the most interesting part of philosophy.
I can't fathom why Boris would ask Trump for ventilators. As if any country, US especially would have these to give, or be seen exporting them if they had?
The only explanation that makes any sort of sense is as a sort of self-sacrificing PR gift to Trump, expecting him to sweeten the forthcoming trade deal in return for the service rendered.
I support the Government and what they're trying to do, and I forgive them for not having all the answers - none of us do. But there seem to have been two genuine missteps in the past couple of days - on testing, and on this ventilator gaffe, and it seems to me they are both the result of (and I don't know how or why) trying to be too clever by half and in some way deceive the public for the 'greater good'. If this is the case, I find it a) unacceptable from an ethical standpoint and b) a very stupid thing to do. You'll get found out.
I am sure whoever is responsible is getting a new arsehole ripped as we speak, and that trust will be restored, and we will move forward united again to beat the outbreak.
Socialism in action. The workers by hand or by brain get the full fruits of their industry, the business owners get nothing, and the state keeps the whole thing going with subsidies from the rest of us. It's a mystery that the Left doesn't celebrate this great success for Marxism.
That's absolutely right. Investment banking is a feather bedded closed shop run for the benefit of an over-remunerated clique of privileged employees. When I lucked my way into it I felt that very strongly. It was never that apparent to me how it differed much in essence from being a print worker in the old Fleet Street.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Grazing is an occupational hazard of WFH. That and no exercise travelling to work or walking round the office or factory. In normal circumstances, the advice is to resist temptation for 30 seconds in the supermarket rather than have to resist all week at home but these are not normal circumstances. Remember the Blitz spirit: we might all die tomorrow so have an extra biscuit today!
If you don't buy snacks - just food that needs to be cooked - the problem is self limiting....
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Grazing is an occupational hazard of WFH. That and no exercise travelling to work or walking round the office or factory. In normal circumstances, the advice is to resist temptation for 30 seconds in the supermarket rather than have to resist all week at home but these are not normal circumstances. Remember the Blitz spirit: we might all die tomorrow so have an extra biscuit today!
If you don't buy snacks - just food that needs to be cooked - the problem is self limiting....
My biggest problem is not grazing, it is drinking too much coffee. I get up every 2hrs and temptation is always to make coffee, and if I am not careful, I end up 10 shots of espresso down come the evening.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Some foods are more filling than others, per calorie. If you're careful about what you eat and when, you should be able to avoid being hungry while still keeping a low calorie count.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Don't snack. Eat 3 moderate meals a day and do *some* exercise.
Depressingly, probably the most effective weight-loss programme is cutting out booze (and any sugary drinks - eg coke, or all those "real orange juices").
But I'm not sure that now is the time to give up drinking. (Now as in this period of time, not as in just gone midday.)
The contactless payment limit increases to £45 today which is still too low to avoid touching the same keypad as every other bugger who's walked through the shop. Is there no way it could be increased to £100 but only for user-designated shops at specific times? Don't banks have computers and things?
And if Mr Sainsbury is reading this: chuck out the cardboard bumph around the card reader so customers do not have to touch it. Someone visibly disinfecting trolley handles would be good too.
Hmm, having just had a look at his Wikipedia entry, he doesn’t exactly seem to be a go-to source for accuracy over a number of past incidents. Caution required, I think.
My biggest problem is not grazing, it is drinking too much coffee. I get up every 2hrs and temptation is always to make coffee, and if I am not careful, I end up 10 shots of espresso down come the evening.
Decaf everything is available now. Every morning I grind decaf beans for my cafetiere. You really wouldn't know the difference apart from the jolt, of course. But a lot of this stuff is habitual.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Smoking can work very well for this. Not many calories in a silk cut.
My biggest problem is not grazing, it is drinking too much coffee. I get up every 2hrs and temptation is always to make coffee, and if I am not careful, I end up 10 shots of espresso down come the evening.
Decaf everything is available now. Every morning I grind decaf beans for my cafetiere. You really wouldn't know the difference apart from the jolt, of course. But a lot of this stuff is habitual.
Decaf - No fun in that. That's like non-alcoholic beer :-)
66 doctors dead.... many more critically ill, and on the pathway to dying....about 5-10 a day are dying....
And will more than 66 healthy people die due to the consequences of lockdown? Probably.
Edit. Maybe. Point is lockdown will save vastly more lives than are caused by it. Not just CV deaths. Other deaths will be prevented thanks to having a functioning healthcare system.
Probably. But talk of small numbers like 66 is bloody stupid - lockdown will cost more than 66 lives. Lockdown is to prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths, not dozens of them.
Hmm, having just had a look at his Wikipedia entry, he doesn’t exactly seem to be a go-to source for accuracy over a number of past incidents. Caution required, I think.
Same can probably be said for 99% of people commenting on this on twitter.
I can't fathom why Boris would ask Trump for ventilators. As if any country, US especially would have these to give, or be seen exporting them if they had?
The only explanation that makes any sort of sense is as a sort of self-sacrificing PR gift to Trump, expecting him to sweeten the forthcoming trade deal in return for the service rendered.
I support the Government and what they're trying to do, and I forgive them for not having all the answers - none of us do. But there seem to have been two genuine missteps in the past couple of days - on testing, and on this ventilator gaffe, and it seems to me they are both the result of (and I don't know how or why) trying to be too clever by half and in some way deceive the public for the 'greater good'. If this is the case, I find it a) unacceptable from an ethical standpoint and b) a very stupid thing to do. You'll get found out.
I am sure whoever is responsible is getting a new arsehole ripped as we speak, and that trust will be restored, and we will move forward united again to beat the outbreak.
Why not ask? A dozen words?
1. Because there was/is no need to ask. There are companies that make these machines that are located in the UK, and alternative manufacturing solutions have been found, and some now declined by the NHS. We should (and may) be selling the Americans ventilators, not the other way around. 2. Because there was never a hope of success. 3. Because there was a significant risk to national morale in Trump having/misconstruing/repeating any sensitive information.
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Don't snack. Eat 3 moderate meals a day and do *some* exercise.
Or - alternatively.
Top three snacks (in no particular order):
1) Pringles 2) A whole packet of custard creams (dunking in tea optional) 3) Pistachio nuts (salted)
My biggest problem is not grazing, it is drinking too much coffee. I get up every 2hrs and temptation is always to make coffee, and if I am not careful, I end up 10 shots of espresso down come the evening.
Decaf everything is available now. Every morning I grind decaf beans for my cafetiere. You really wouldn't know the difference apart from the jolt, of course. But a lot of this stuff is habitual.
Decaf - No fun in that. That's like non-alcoholic beer :-)
Or in the case of espresso, non-alcoholic tequila.
The contactless payment limit increases to £45 today which is still too low to avoid touching the same keypad as every other bugger who's walked through the shop. Is there no way it could be increased to £100 but only for user-designated shops at specific times? Don't banks have computers and things?
And if Mr Sainsbury is reading this: chuck out the cardboard bumph around the card reader so customers do not have to touch it. Someone visibly disinfecting trolley handles would be good too.
ApplePay on your phone (Also GoogleWallet) offers the following :
1) They work with more distance than a touch card - 5cm works fine for me 2) The limits are much higher. In Sainsbury's the limit *they* impose is 10K!!!!
Hmm, having just had a look at his Wikipedia entry, he doesn’t exactly seem to be a go-to source for accuracy over a number of past incidents. Caution required, I think.
I can't fathom why Boris would ask Trump for ventilators. As if any country, US especially would have these to give, or be seen exporting them if they had?
The only explanation that makes any sort of sense is as a sort of self-sacrificing PR gift to Trump, expecting him to sweeten the forthcoming trade deal in return for the service rendered.
I support the Government and what they're trying to do, and I forgive them for not having all the answers - none of us do. But there seem to have been two genuine missteps in the past couple of days - on testing, and on this ventilator gaffe, and it seems to me they are both the result of (and I don't know how or why) trying to be too clever by half and in some way deceive the public for the 'greater good'. If this is the case, I find it a) unacceptable from an ethical standpoint and b) a very stupid thing to do. You'll get found out.
I am sure whoever is responsible is getting a new arsehole ripped as we speak, and that trust will be restored, and we will move forward united again to beat the outbreak.
Why not ask? A dozen words?
1. Because there was/is no need to ask. There are companies that make these machines that are located in the UK, and alternative manufacturing solutions have been found, and some now declined by the NHS. We should (and may) be selling the Americans ventilators, not the other way around. 2. Because there was never a hope of success. 3. Because there was a significant risk to national morale in Trump having/misconstruing/repeating any sensitive information.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Don't snack. Eat 3 moderate meals a day and do *some* exercise.
Or - alternatively.
Top three snacks (in no particular order):
1) Pringles 2) A whole packet of custard creams 3) Pistachio nuts (salted)
LOL
I find that those small tomatoes are v good - 20 calories per 100g so go crazy on them.
I can't fathom why Boris would ask Trump for ventilators. As if any country, US especially would have these to give, or be seen exporting them if they had?
The only explanation that makes any sort of sense is as a sort of self-sacrificing PR gift to Trump, expecting him to sweeten the forthcoming trade deal in return for the service rendered.
I support the Government and what they're trying to do, and I forgive them for not having all the answers - none of us do. But there seem to have been two genuine missteps in the past couple of days - on testing, and on this ventilator gaffe, and it seems to me they are both the result of (and I don't know how or why) trying to be too clever by half and in some way deceive the public for the 'greater good'. If this is the case, I find it a) unacceptable from an ethical standpoint and b) a very stupid thing to do. You'll get found out.
I am sure whoever is responsible is getting a new arsehole ripped as we speak, and that trust will be restored, and we will move forward united again to beat the outbreak.
Why not ask? A dozen words?
1. Because there was/is no need to ask. There are companies that make these machines that are located in the UK, and alternative manufacturing solutions have been found, and some now declined by the NHS. We should (and may) be selling the Americans ventilators, not the other way around. 2. Because there was never a hope of success. 3. Because there was a significant risk to national morale in Trump having/misconstruing/repeating any sensitive information.
F^&k national morale. Asking is cheap.
And if you ask a stupid question, you get a stupid answer.
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Grazing is an occupational hazard of WFH. That and no exercise travelling to work or walking round the office or factory. In normal circumstances, the advice is to resist temptation for 30 seconds in the supermarket rather than have to resist all week at home but these are not normal circumstances. Remember the Blitz spirit: we might all die tomorrow so have an extra biscuit today!
If you don't buy snacks - just food that needs to be cooked - the problem is self limiting....
I've discovered this morning that bombay mix really should only accompany beer. not tea.
I'm actually glad the government story on low testing fell apart so quickly, if it leads to the industry getting things moving so we can start testing people faster then fuck it, Gove can eat the bowl of shit.
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Its a fiasco that is costing lives
To be fair, I don't think, amongst the general population, it is costing lives. People (even in countries testing a lot, like Germany) are presumably only tested when they display symptoms and here such people are being asked to remain home and isolate.
The real issue is the inability to properly test medical staff and carers. There it would make a huge difference and is the biggest problem. The mass testing in the population would not make such a difference at this stage I think.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Don't snack. Eat 3 moderate meals a day and do *some* exercise.
Or - alternatively.
Top three snacks (in no particular order):
1) Pringles 2) A whole packet of custard creams 3) Pistachio nuts (salted)
LOL
I find that those small tomatoes are v good - 20 calories per 100g so go crazy on them.
My biggest problem is not grazing, it is drinking too much coffee. I get up every 2hrs and temptation is always to make coffee, and if I am not careful, I end up 10 shots of espresso down come the evening.
Decaf everything is available now. Every morning I grind decaf beans for my cafetiere. You really wouldn't know the difference apart from the jolt, of course. But a lot of this stuff is habitual.
Decaf - No fun in that. That's like non-alcoholic beer :-)
An alternative would be to switch to coffee martinis. That way you can moderate the buzz.
I can't fathom why Boris would ask Trump for ventilators. As if any country, US especially would have these to give, or be seen exporting them if they had?
The only explanation that makes any sort of sense is as a sort of self-sacrificing PR gift to Trump, expecting him to sweeten the forthcoming trade deal in return for the service rendered.
I support the Government and what they're trying to do, and I forgive them for not having all the answers - none of us do. But there seem to have been two genuine missteps in the past couple of days - on testing, and on this ventilator gaffe, and it seems to me they are both the result of (and I don't know how or why) trying to be too clever by half and in some way deceive the public for the 'greater good'. If this is the case, I find it a) unacceptable from an ethical standpoint and b) a very stupid thing to do. You'll get found out.
I am sure whoever is responsible is getting a new arsehole ripped as we speak, and that trust will be restored, and we will move forward united again to beat the outbreak.
Why not ask? A dozen words?
1. Because there was/is no need to ask. There are companies that make these machines that are located in the UK, and alternative manufacturing solutions have been found, and some now declined by the NHS. We should (and may) be selling the Americans ventilators, not the other way around. 2. Because there was never a hope of success. 3. Because there was a significant risk to national morale in Trump having/misconstruing/repeating any sensitive information.
F^&k national morale. Asking is cheap.
And if you ask a stupid question, you get a stupid answer.
Asking Trump anything is *likely* to get a stupid answer. Not certain.
My biggest problem is not grazing, it is drinking too much coffee. I get up every 2hrs and temptation is always to make coffee, and if I am not careful, I end up 10 shots of espresso down come the evening.
Decaf everything is available now. Every morning I grind decaf beans for my cafetiere. You really wouldn't know the difference apart from the jolt, of course. But a lot of this stuff is habitual.
Decaf - No fun in that. That's like non-alcoholic beer :-)
I think I noted earlier, that Germany is preparing just as we are - field hospitals, callbacks of retirees, medical students in their final year being brought in etc.
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Its a fiasco that is costing lives
It is all so simple for the keyboard warriors BJO
It must be relatively simple after all almost Every other Govt seems to have managed it
At what point will a defend at all costs warrior like yourself admit Govt mistakes.
Anyone know of any April Fools jokes at all anywhere? Or is the nation not in the mood...?
I was expecting Boris to do a big event at number 10 whereby he announces that we have a vaccine (!) and then after a few seconds - with perfect comic timing and with that adorably puppy dog sense of mischief on his face - brings our attention to the date. Guess he's too sick to carry it off. Or maybe he's lost his sense of humour.
Quick question, how do workers from home avoid ending up as fat as houses ?
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
Don't snack. Eat 3 moderate meals a day and do *some* exercise.
Or - alternatively.
Top three snacks (in no particular order):
1) Pringles 2) A whole packet of custard creams 3) Pistachio nuts (salted)
LOL
I find that those small tomatoes are v good - 20 calories per 100g so go crazy on them.
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Its a fiasco that is costing lives
It is all so simple for the keyboard warriors BJO
It must be relatively simple after all almost Every other Govt seems to have managed it
At what point will a defend at all costs warrior like yourself admit Govt mistakes.
Well the Welsh government haven't managed it either. They promised 5000 a day by now and doing 800.
And the Spanish deployed a load of tests that were only 30% accurate in rush to expand capacity.
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Its a fiasco that is costing lives
It is all so simple for the keyboard warriors BJO
It must be relatively simple after all almost Every other Govt seems to have managed it
At what point will a defend at all costs warrior like yourself admit Govt mistakes.
“Almost every other government” is a bit of a leap.
There is more to do on testing though and they need to get on top of it.
Haven't been on here much, but has anyone else noticed the quietness of Boris Johnson? Much as I do not like the man, I wish him a speedy recovery, but if he is very ill the public really ought to know.
I'm actually glad the government story on low testing fell apart so quickly, if it leads to the industry getting things moving so we can start testing people faster then fuck it, Gove can eat the bowl of shit.
Exactly. I'm sure not every attack on the government is justified, but in a crisis holding the people in power to account is more important than ever. Whereas I have no idea what the self-appointed cheerleaders and meatshields think they're accomplishing.
Anyone know of any April Fools jokes at all anywhere? Or is the nation not in the mood...?
I was expecting Boris to do a big event at number 10 whereby he announces that we have a vaccine (!) and then after a few seconds - with perfect comic timing and with that adorably puppy dog sense of mischief on his face - brings our attention to the date. Guess he's too sick to carry it off. Or maybe he's lost his sense of humour.
On banks, they have cancelled the dividends but are arguing over bankers bonuses.
Somethings never change, time to put 100% emergency tax on all these bonuses
Bonuses are part of wages for many of those employees. Do you want a 100% tax on other sectors employees wages?
Are you defending bankers bonuses at a time of economic armageddon
If the banks can afford to pay their staff their bonuses then yes absolutely. I'd say the same for any other business in the country.
If they can't, then no.
If they cannot pay dividends saving 9.5 billion then the bankers bonuses should and must go
So shareholders take a higher priority than staff?
Nobody told me you'd converted to socialism, Phil!
LOL I'm not.
But people fail to understand how dividends work sometimes. If shareholders forego their dividends then they don't lose that money, the dividend stays within the business they own the shares to and is there to be used by their own business in the future if required - or can be paid out in the future as a dividend. The idea the shareholders are losing out is the most short-termist garbage imaginable.
Worth noting that if you'd eg bought Amazon stock a long time ago you wouldn't have been getting dividends from that but would have gained a lot of wealth.
If you fail to pay the staff their wages they've worked for that's a completely different matter. The staff won't get their wages made up in the future.
Haven't been on here much, but has anyone else noticed the quietness of Boris Johnson? Much as I do not like the man, I wish him a speedy recovery, but if he is very ill the public really ought to know.
Didn't he have a video out the day before yesterday, and then chaired the cabinet yesterday?
I can't fathom why Boris would ask Trump for ventilators. As if any country, US especially would have these to give, or be seen exporting them if they had?
The only explanation that makes any sort of sense is as a sort of self-sacrificing PR gift to Trump, expecting him to sweeten the forthcoming trade deal in return for the service rendered.
I support the Government and what they're trying to do, and I forgive them for not having all the answers - none of us do. But there seem to have been two genuine missteps in the past couple of days - on testing, and on this ventilator gaffe, and it seems to me they are both the result of (and I don't know how or why) trying to be too clever by half and in some way deceive the public for the 'greater good'. If this is the case, I find it a) unacceptable from an ethical standpoint and b) a very stupid thing to do. You'll get found out.
I am sure whoever is responsible is getting a new arsehole ripped as we speak, and that trust will be restored, and we will move forward united again to beat the outbreak.
Why not ask? A dozen words?
1. Because there was/is no need to ask. There are companies that make these machines that are located in the UK, and alternative manufacturing solutions have been found, and some now declined by the NHS. We should (and may) be selling the Americans ventilators, not the other way around. 2. Because there was never a hope of success. 3. Because there was a significant risk to national morale in Trump having/misconstruing/repeating any sensitive information.
F^&k national morale. Asking is cheap.
And if you ask a stupid question, you get a stupid answer.
Asking Trump anything is *likely* to get a stupid answer. Not certain.
Sorry but even Trump isn't stupid enough to export any ventilators at a time like this to another country. Not even for all the bragging rights in the world. Not until every American who even cleared their throat had one. He would be pilloried. That *is* a certainty.
The only possible outcome of what Boris is alleged to have asked Trump was that Boris would look incompetent, and worse, breathtakingly naive, if it ever came out. And Trump would in context look a bit better.
It's as if a thousand air bnb landlords let out a shuddering gasp then were silenced.
Amazing how many rental properties are suddenly available in Edinburgh.
I get myself down to London on theatre trips every couple of months usually. Everything had been cancelled until the end of June that I’d booked but, in the last day or two, I’ve been getting cancellations through August as well. A business that requires sharing space with a lot of people you don’t know is going to find it very difficult to get back audience numbers quickly.
On banks, they have cancelled the dividends but are arguing over bankers bonuses.
Somethings never change, time to put 100% emergency tax on all these bonuses
Bonuses are part of wages for many of those employees. Do you want a 100% tax on other sectors employees wages?
Are you defending bankers bonuses at a time of economic armageddon
If the banks can afford to pay their staff their bonuses then yes absolutely. I'd say the same for any other business in the country.
If they can't, then no.
If they cannot pay dividends saving 9.5 billion then the bankers bonuses should and must go
So shareholders take a higher priority than staff?
Nobody told me you'd converted to socialism, Phil!
LOL I'm not.
But people fail to understand how dividends work sometimes. If shareholders forego their dividends then they don't lose that money, the dividend stays within the business they own the shares to and is there to be used by their own business in the future if required - or can be paid out in the future as a dividend. The idea the shareholders are losing out is the most short-termist garbage imaginable.
If you fail to pay the staff their wages they've worked for that's a completely different matter. The staff won't get their wages made up in the future.
Phew, okay, so the answer to "So shareholders take a higher priority than staff?" is still "yes", then, and what you actually meant to say was something completely different about misunderstanding dividends?
Ignores that fact that many many dying will also mean millions will be economically unproductive and those who die and are of working age are removed from the economy, most of whom will have specialised and valuable skills.
The hit to the economy under choce one is just as unknown as under choice two.
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Its a fiasco that is costing lives
It is all so simple for the keyboard warriors BJO
What HMG needs (imminent second world war reference klaxon) is a Beaverbrook-like Minister of Production to coordinate manufacture, supply and distribution.
First, thanks for the thread header, Stocky, and I hope it will be the first of many.
I suppose it depends which kind of Darwinist you are - social or economic. I suspect the Government is desperately trying to be neither (and certainly not both).
I'm not keen on dying though Mrs Stodge might argue living is basically all I do. I'm at enough of a risk not to want to contract this virus in any shape or form. We have limited our excursions and exercise social distancing at 60 feet rather than six. I hope that has been enough - I'm scared it hasn't.
It depends on whether you think the economic or physical health of the country is more important but one flows from the other. It's conceivable Brighthouse and Carluccio's would have collapsed anyway and nobody would be suggesting their workers would be supported to the degree to which Sunak is suggesting workers should be protected now.
It certainly hasn't been the case in recessions or depressions past and whether this is a V, U or L shaped recovery I don't know and no one else can with confidence especially if the virus returns later in the year.
Ultimately, I'd rather be alive and poor than dead and rich and that's couching it in very simplistic terms. There is an argument (which I understand) around the long term psychological, economic and cultural impacts of a prolonged lock-down. I'm sure my parents, as teenagers, were profoundly affected by the War and by all accounts the V1 and V2 attacks were much worse than the Blitz in terms of the very uncertainty and unpredictability.
I sympathise with those who are seeing their livelihoods destroyed - really - and I applaud what Government has done but in the end for me health is more important than wealth though I appreciate that's not a view that's universally shared.
This huge dispersion in death rates cannot be solely due to how cases and deaths are recorded. There must be something else explaining the 30-fold difference between Israel and Italy for example.
WORLD Cases Deaths Death rate Italy 106,128 12,443 11.72% Spain 95,923 8,464 8.82% Nethds 12,595 1,039 8.25% UK 25,150 1,808 7.19% France 52,128 3,523 6.76% Iran 44,606 2,898 6.50% Belgium 12,775 705 5.52% China 83,095 3,312 3.99% Sweden 4,028 146 3.62% Brazil 5,812 202 3.48% Switz 16,176 388 2.40% Portug 7,443 160 2.15% USA 188,588 4,043 2.14% SKorea 9,887 165 1.67% Turkey 13,531 214 1.58% Austria 9,920 128 1.29% Canada 8,504 96 1.13% Germany 72,680 797 1.10% Austral 4,862 20 0.41% Israel 5,591 21 0.38%
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Its a fiasco that is costing lives
It is all so simple for the keyboard warriors BJO
What HMG needs (imminent second world war reference klaxon) is a Beaverbrook-like Minister of Production to coordinate manufacture, supply and distribution.
As I posted down thread, this is where I find it slightly odd. On other things, the government have been very pro-active from expanding capacity, ventilators, hoarding PPE, AI tech, getting chemical companies to quadruple oxygen production.
But for some reason, if Peston is to be believed, they haven't been bothering chemical companies to make reagents etc.
Either they don't really want to expand capacity for some reason or there is more going on behind the scenes we don't know about.
My biggest problem is not grazing, it is drinking too much coffee. I get up every 2hrs and temptation is always to make coffee, and if I am not careful, I end up 10 shots of espresso down come the evening.
Decaf everything is available now. Every morning I grind decaf beans for my cafetiere. You really wouldn't know the difference apart from the jolt, of course. But a lot of this stuff is habitual.
Decaf - No fun in that. That's like non-alcoholic beer :-)
I switched to decaf tea a couple of years ago and found myself sleeping much, much better.
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Its a fiasco that is costing lives
Testgate gets steadily murkier and more damaging for the government. And you really have been the Woodward and Bernstein on it, I have to say.
Comments
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/31/coronavirus-crashes-wisconsin-primary-157722
Then a few little ones until the rescheduled Ohio one due on April 28th, if that doesn't get rerescheduled.
This is a bad situation but it could always be worse. We'll have to try and take steps so that if a worse outbreak happens of this or another disease we can handle it better.
Having medical journalists rather than political dingbats asking the questions and leading the coverage would be a good start.
Still never seen a wild Death's Head Hawkmoth though.
For example, how many days has it taken to get the fact that the test lab capacity could be in the order of 100K, *if* the materials are available?
My first question after being told there were limits would have been - "What are the limits for each of : testing machines, personnel, chemicals and other materials?"
e.g. On the avoidance issue: just don't buy a big house, ship goods in from an offshore warehouse, move manufacturing to China, etc etc.
I'm being disciplined to avoid the fridge - not least because running out of food and needing to get more is massively inconvienient now, but it's got a constant underlying call...
I can see the nation's waistlines expanding.
….oh wait
Not only does restricting the eating window reduce your chance of consuming loads of calories, I find that I am not actually really that hungry.
#KegsFromGod
https://twitter.com/keiranpedley/status/1245300067780775936?s=21
The only explanation that makes any sort of sense is as a sort of self-sacrificing PR gift to Trump, expecting him to sweeten the forthcoming trade deal in return for the service rendered.
I support the Government and what they're trying to do, and I forgive them for not having all the answers - none of us do. But there seem to have been two genuine missteps in the past couple of days - on testing, and on this ventilator gaffe, and it seems to me they are both the result of (and I don't know how or why) trying to be too clever by half and in some way deceive the public for the 'greater good'. If this is the case, I find it a) unacceptable from an ethical standpoint and b) a very stupid thing to do. You'll get found out.
I am sure whoever is responsible is getting a new arsehole ripped as we speak, and that trust will be restored, and we will move forward united again to beat the outbreak.
- eg coke, or all those "real orange juices").
But I'm not sure that now is the time to give up drinking. (Now as in this period of time, not as in just gone midday.)
And if Mr Sainsbury is reading this: chuck out the cardboard bumph around the card reader so customers do not have to touch it. Someone visibly disinfecting trolley handles would be good too.
The original one.
The one announcing loans.
Then the one announcing the 80% of wages for the furloughed.
Then the one for the self-employed.
2. Because there was never a hope of success.
3. Because there was a significant risk to national morale in Trump having/misconstruing/repeating any sensitive information.
Unfortunately yesterdays excuse about reagent shortage has fallen apart already as the UK Chemical industry say they can supply but are still waiting for them to be ordered.
Similarly Labs with capacity are having to ring round the NHS to offer their services.
Its a fiasco that is costing lives
Top three snacks (in no particular order):
1) Pringles
2) A whole packet of custard creams (dunking in tea optional)
3) Pistachio nuts (salted)
Amazing how many rental properties are suddenly available in Edinburgh.
1) They work with more distance than a touch card - 5cm works fine for me
2) The limits are much higher. In Sainsbury's the limit *they* impose is 10K!!!!
Will take another few days for it to really manifest in the admissions to hospital, as mentioned, of course.
I find that those small tomatoes are v good - 20 calories per 100g so go crazy on them.
Ian Hislop to the green courtesy phone? Ian Hislop to the green courtesy phone...
The real issue is the inability to properly test medical staff and carers. There it would make a huge difference and is the biggest problem. The mass testing in the population would not make such a difference at this stage I think.
At what point will a defend at all costs warrior like yourself admit Govt mistakes.
I do miss the old "Boris".
And the Spanish deployed a load of tests that were only 30% accurate in rush to expand capacity.
There is clearly an issue.
There is more to do on testing though and they need to get on top of it.
But people fail to understand how dividends work sometimes. If shareholders forego their dividends then they don't lose that money, the dividend stays within the business they own the shares to and is there to be used by their own business in the future if required - or can be paid out in the future as a dividend. The idea the shareholders are losing out is the most short-termist garbage imaginable.
Worth noting that if you'd eg bought Amazon stock a long time ago you wouldn't have been getting dividends from that but would have gained a lot of wealth.
If you fail to pay the staff their wages they've worked for that's a completely different matter. The staff won't get their wages made up in the future.
The only possible outcome of what Boris is alleged to have asked Trump was that Boris would look incompetent, and worse, breathtakingly naive, if it ever came out. And Trump would in context look a bit better.
https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/newsevents/news/2020/reproduction-number-covid-19-could-be-below-one-uk-lockdown
It's very good news if true and shows we need to stick with the lockdown for now.
Ignores that fact that many many dying will also mean millions will be economically unproductive and those who die and are of working age are removed from the economy, most of whom will have specialised and valuable skills.
The hit to the economy under choce one is just as unknown as under choice two.
First, thanks for the thread header, Stocky, and I hope it will be the first of many.
I suppose it depends which kind of Darwinist you are - social or economic. I suspect the Government is desperately trying to be neither (and certainly not both).
I'm not keen on dying though Mrs Stodge might argue living is basically all I do. I'm at enough of a risk not to want to contract this virus in any shape or form. We have limited our excursions and exercise social distancing at 60 feet rather than six. I hope that has been enough - I'm scared it hasn't.
It depends on whether you think the economic or physical health of the country is more important but one flows from the other. It's conceivable Brighthouse and Carluccio's would have collapsed anyway and nobody would be suggesting their workers would be supported to the degree to which Sunak is suggesting workers should be protected now.
It certainly hasn't been the case in recessions or depressions past and whether this is a V, U or L shaped recovery I don't know and no one else can with confidence especially if the virus returns later in the year.
Ultimately, I'd rather be alive and poor than dead and rich and that's couching it in very simplistic terms. There is an argument (which I understand) around the long term psychological, economic and cultural impacts of a prolonged lock-down. I'm sure my parents, as teenagers, were profoundly affected by the War and by all accounts the V1 and V2 attacks were much worse than the Blitz in terms of the very uncertainty and unpredictability.
I sympathise with those who are seeing their livelihoods destroyed - really - and I applaud what Government has done but in the end for me health is more important than wealth though I appreciate that's not a view that's universally shared.
But for some reason, if Peston is to be believed, they haven't been bothering chemical companies to make reagents etc.
Either they don't really want to expand capacity for some reason or there is more going on behind the scenes we don't know about.