politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » That Boris could be so afflicted brings home in a powerful way

Pulpstar said:

My goodies from Amazon have just arrived

Soap, thermometers, shampoo, moisturiser

Foxy said:

Nigelb said:

Whatever your views of China (vile regime we shouldn't do business with/vile regime we have little option but to do some business with...), this is a very interesting article:

How Chinese Apps Handled Covid-19
http://dangrover.com/blog/2020/04/05/covid-in-ui.html
...The point of these “fever clinics” (发热门诊), as distinguished from ordinary hospitals, was to give anyone who thought they might be even a little sick a way to get tested and, more importantly, control the spread by isolating even asymptomatic carriers away from their family and co-workers and give them a place to wait it out. Some of these had been established for this reason on a permanent basis during the SARS outbreak in 2003, while others were established only recently.

As the country mobilized, all of the major apps promoted features that clearly listed the hospitals that were handling Coronavirus. This included all the fever clinics that had sprung up as well as normal, pre-existing hospitals with ICUs that had been specially designated for handling serious cases of coronavirus (定点收治医院):

The other aspect Aylward mentions is the use of online consultations. Changes in regulations in the past few years have resulted in an explosion of telemedicine apps in China with plays by tech companies like Tencent and Alibaba, traditional companies like Ping An, and existing online medical information resource sites like Dingxiang.

These apps combine a bunch of things: simple ecommerce (for medicine and medical devices), lead generation/vertical search for specialists offline, and online consultations with doctors at top hospitals. Doctors giving online consultations can write prescriptions which can then be filled in the app. The consultations can be paid for a-la-carte or with an annual plan and are sometimes a loss-leader for their online pharmacy business...

We used to do that here. In 1893 the The Fountain Hospital in Tooting was built in a few weeks as a fever hospital.

http://www.workhouses.org.uk/MAB-Fountain/

It is now St George's Hospital in Tooting, old St George's on Hyde Park Corner closed in 1981, now the Lanesborough Hotel.

Andy_JS said:

Anabobazina said:

isam said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

OldKingCole said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

These ONS stats,

"The figure includes deaths outside hospitals, including those in homes and care homes, and includes patients who have not tested positive for the virus but are suspected of having the disease."

We know that of those admitted to hospital with very serious CV type symptoms and are tested, only about 33-40% actually turn out to be positive.

Not even almost crap statistics. Looks as though ALL deaths are being reported. Would it not be sensible, when producing these graphs to have a baseline of, say, the daily deaths for March and April in 2019? That way we might have some real idea.

What are you saying that people die of other stuff too? I never knew that :-)

As you say, we need to see what the normal average daily deaths at this time of year, with variance intervals, and then plot them against this.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/quarterlymortalityreports/januarytomarch2019

Yup. A similar chart was reported in the Sunday Times. Death rate down on the average in Q1. I believe it was you showing ‘normal’ pneumonia deaths falling off a cliff - of course many of those deaths are now being credited to Coronavirus. Sadly most of our journalists are innumerate and don’t grasp the concept of baselines (or don’t want to).

It may be that the vast majority of coronavirus deaths are people who would have died at some time within the next 12 months or so anyway of other conditions, and what's happening is that the numbers are being compressed into a shorter period of time. We'll know if that's true because there'll be less deaths than expected later on.

algarkirk said:

prh47bridge said:

Endillion said:

rkrkrk said:

Completely off topic - but since there are a more than a few lawyers on here... how do things like this happen?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-52183157

I can understand a jury coming to a different view to judges. That makes sense to me. But I can't really understand how a lower court finds one thing, and then a higher court unanimously finds the opposite?

I have no knowledge of the Australian legal system. It just seems very strange to a complete layperson, and not a little discomforting, to think that it is apparently so arbitrary whether you are guilty or not?

If the lower court judges are wrong, should there be some consequence for them?
Are there consequences for judges who frequently make the 'wrong' decision?

I don't understand how the following sentence is compatible with the system of trial by jury, at all:
The jury, acting rationally on the whole of the evidence, ought to have entertained a doubt as to the applicant's guilt.

If judges can assess questions like that, what is the point of the jury system in the first place?

On a separate note, the Supreme Court's ruling that the proroguing of Parliament last year was unlawful was also unanimous. At the time, I found it bizarre that they could all agree on something when the High Court had already found the opposite.

In the UK this appeal would not have been allowed as there was, as I understand it, no new evidence and you can't appeal on the basis that the jury's verdict was perverse, no matter how clear it is that the jury has ignored the evidence. In Australia it is possible to appeal on the basis that the jury's verdict was unreasonable.

The difference between the lower court and the higher court in this case was essentially one of approach. The lower court took the view that the "opportunity evidence" (which was unchallenged and was inconsistent with the prosecution case) left open the possibility that the prosecution may have been correct. The higher court took the view that the lower court had failed to consider whether the evidence (which essentially showed that there had not been any opportunity for Pell to commit the offences) meant there was a reasonable possibility that the offences had not taken place.

As for the lower court finding one thing and then a higher court unanimously disagreeing, if that couldn't happen the higher courts would serve no purpose. And note that, in this case, there was a dissenting judge in the lower court. So the higher court has agreed with the dissenting judge.

In England you can appeal on the basis that the verdict is 'unsafe' and it is possible to argue that the weight and quality of the evidence of innocence is such that the jury erred in convicting. This isn't common, mostly because it is a rare occurrence.

Andy_JS said:

https://twitter.com/peterallenparis/status/1247454896116375552

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Malmesbury said:

JohnLilburne said:

Nigelb said:

JohnLilburne said:

MarqueeMark said:

Martin_Kinsella said:

MarqueeMark said:

Mysticrose said:

My biggest gripe with personal space are runners. They seem to come charging up far too close and, of course, panting volumes of breath into one's vicinity.

And cyclists.

And dog walkers, who allow their foul mutt to run around and impede others or dopey pedestrians listening to music oblivious to everyone else.

I am a runner, cyclist and walker. All groups are equally to blame.

No, you are wrong. Cyclists and runners need to take special measures to prevent contact with walkers. The hierarchy is as simple as that.

Sorry, I flagged you as off topic, it's very small on my phone, and don't seem to be able to unflag it.
But surely a runner is a pedestrian and has equal priority with a walker.
Personally, I have been trying to run against the flow of traffic so I can more safely step into the road.
Most people are very good but you get offenders of all types. Including couples and family groups of walkers who insist on taking the whole pavement, and runners and cyclists who will not adjust their line or slow down (or cycle on the pavement). It's a bit like driving on a narrow country lane: you need to have a passing strategy and plan passing places ahead

Runners and cyclists are both moving faster, and more likely to be panting (& therefore far more likely to be generating aerosol), so they ought to bear a greater responsibility.

True, although I don't normally run fast enough to pant. But if you are running along a pavement next to a busy road and the pedestrians are bimbling around in a bunch, it cuts down your options. What's wrong with walking line astern? (And why are you exercising with family members anyway? You are banged up with them 24/7, surely you need time to yourself?)

The latest fashion appears to be walking along, talking to someone next to you, about a metre apart. Not actually social distancing, but nicely blocking the pavement.

I've tried locally suggesting that people walking west go on the north side of the road, east on the south etc.

An off-topic flashback to my schooldays, and one teacher helping to manage staircase congestion with her cry of, "up on the left; down on the right".

Going up on the left means your sword arm is free to engage

That would mean you were the attacker. I always note when spiral staircases are round the wrong way, giving the attacker the advantage.

I assumed the attacker starts at the bottom. It’s only Errol Flynn who does it the other way round 😆

Yes he does. But if you're the defender, you will have built your castle so that you gain the upper, ie free hand as you descend to protect your domain from intruders thus putting the attacker at a disadvantage (cf spiral staircases also as @Morris has also noted).

Have at thee!

Alphabet_Soup said:

TOPPING said:

IshmaelZ said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

CarlottaVance said:

Clueless...

https://twitter.com/iainmartin1/status/1247460661145350151?s=20

I do wonder about who is advising them, although perhaps they aren't taking any notice. I can't believe any PR expert would be suggesting this is a good idea at the moment.

And that name is Consignia level bad. Unpronounceable and overtones of arch, hell and chew (18th century synonym for a blowjob according to William Golding).

That middle "e" is going to irritate me every time I see it. Which won't be that often, I hope.

Perhaps Archewell is in fact their son's full name. Archie for short?

FrancisUrquhart said:

Reuters is reporting that Germany has recorded another 3,834 cases of Covid-19, bringing its total number of cases to 99,225, with 1,607 deaths.

That's France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Japan are recording "worse" numbers.

I think those talking about lifting the lockdown and his will be done and dusted in a few weeks from now are deluded.

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Malmesbury said:

JohnLilburne said:

Nigelb said:

JohnLilburne said:

MarqueeMark said:

Martin_Kinsella said:

MarqueeMark said:

Mysticrose said:

My biggest gripe with personal space are runners. They seem to come charging up far too close and, of course, panting volumes of breath into one's vicinity.

And cyclists.

And dog walkers, who allow their foul mutt to run around and impede others or dopey pedestrians listening to music oblivious to everyone else.

I am a runner, cyclist and walker. All groups are equally to blame.

No, you are wrong. Cyclists and runners need to take special measures to prevent contact with walkers. The hierarchy is as simple as that.

Sorry, I flagged you as off topic, it's very small on my phone, and don't seem to be able to unflag it.
But surely a runner is a pedestrian and has equal priority with a walker.
Personally, I have been trying to run against the flow of traffic so I can more safely step into the road.
Most people are very good but you get offenders of all types. Including couples and family groups of walkers who insist on taking the whole pavement, and runners and cyclists who will not adjust their line or slow down (or cycle on the pavement). It's a bit like driving on a narrow country lane: you need to have a passing strategy and plan passing places ahead

Runners and cyclists are both moving faster, and more likely to be panting (& therefore far more likely to be generating aerosol), so they ought to bear a greater responsibility.

True, although I don't normally run fast enough to pant. But if you are running along a pavement next to a busy road and the pedestrians are bimbling around in a bunch, it cuts down your options. What's wrong with walking line astern? (And why are you exercising with family members anyway? You are banged up with them 24/7, surely you need time to yourself?)

The latest fashion appears to be walking along, talking to someone next to you, about a metre apart. Not actually social distancing, but nicely blocking the pavement.

I've tried locally suggesting that people walking west go on the north side of the road, east on the south etc.

An off-topic flashback to my schooldays, and one teacher helping to manage staircase congestion with her cry of, "up on the left; down on the right".

Going up on the left means your sword arm is free to engage

That would mean you were the attacker. I always note when spiral staircases are round the wrong way, giving the attacker the advantage.

I assumed the attacker starts at the bottom. It’s only Errol Flynn who does it the other way round 😆

Yes he does. But if you're the defender, you will have built your castle so that you gain the upper, ie free hand as you descend to protect your domain from intruders thus putting the attacker at a disadvantage (cf spiral staircases also as @Morris has also noted).

Have at thee!

("Upper hand" comes from sword fighting - if your sword is on top our your opponent's it's easier to disarm them)

But the design of the spiral staircase is to allow the defenders to use the central pillar to protect the left side of the body thereby allow them to be more aggressive while exposing the attacker's left flank as they climb the stairs.

We are agreeing.

IshmaelZ said:

algarkirk said:

Stark_Dawning said:

algarkirk said:

prh47bridge said:

Endillion said:

rkrkrk said:

Completely off topic - but since there are a more than a few lawyers on here... how do things like this happen?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-52183157

I can understand a jury coming to a different view to judges. That makes sense to me. But I can't really understand how a lower court finds one thing, and then a higher court unanimously finds the opposite?

I have no knowledge of the Australian legal system. It just seems very strange to a complete layperson, and not a little discomforting, to think that it is apparently so arbitrary whether you are guilty or not?

If the lower court judges are wrong, should there be some consequence for them?
Are there consequences for judges who frequently make the 'wrong' decision?

I don't understand how the following sentence is compatible with the system of trial by jury, at all:
The jury, acting rationally on the whole of the evidence, ought to have entertained a doubt as to the applicant's guilt.

If judges can assess questions like that, what is the point of the jury system in the first place?

On a separate note, the Supreme Court's ruling that the proroguing of Parliament last year was unlawful was also unanimous. At the time, I found it bizarre that they could all agree on something when the High Court had already found the opposite.

In the UK this appeal would not have been allowed as there was, as I understand it, no new evidence and you can't appeal on the basis that the jury's verdict was perverse, no matter how clear it is that the jury has ignored the evidence. In Australia it is possible to appeal on the basis that the jury's verdict was unreasonable.

The difference between the lower court and the higher court in this case was essentially one of approach. The lower court took the view that the "opportunity evidence" (which was unchallenged and was inconsistent with the prosecution case) left open the possibility that the prosecution may have been correct. The higher court took the view that the lower court had failed to consider whether the evidence (which essentially showed that there had not been any opportunity for Pell to commit the offences) meant there was a reasonable possibility that the offences had not taken place.

As for the lower court finding one thing and then a higher court unanimously disagreeing, if that couldn't happen the higher courts would serve no purpose. And note that, in this case, there was a dissenting judge in the lower court. So the higher court has agreed with the dissenting judge.

In England you can appeal on the basis that the verdict is 'unsafe' and it is possible to argue that the weight and quality of the evidence of innocence is such that the jury erred in convicting. This isn't common, mostly because it is a rare occurrence.

If a juror came forward and said, 'We agreed on the guilty verdict immediately without any discussion and spent the rest of the day playing cards' wouldn't that also be grounds for overturning the verdict?

Yes, but the appeal court hates going into jury matters - it's a can of worms. Being 'unsafe' is the only ground as such.

Anecdote: friend of mine was on jury for trial of alleged drug dealer. Defence was that drugs were planted on D by police. Jury unanimously agreed that was true but turned to the question: was it the case that D was in fact a drug dealer and police were therefore justified in planting drugs? Answer yes, therefore guilty verdict (11-1, my friend dissenting).

Malmesbury said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Malmesbury said:

JohnLilburne said:

Nigelb said:

JohnLilburne said:

MarqueeMark said:

Martin_Kinsella said:

MarqueeMark said:

Mysticrose said:

My biggest gripe with personal space are runners. They seem to come charging up far too close and, of course, panting volumes of breath into one's vicinity.

And cyclists.

And dog walkers, who allow their foul mutt to run around and impede others or dopey pedestrians listening to music oblivious to everyone else.

I am a runner, cyclist and walker. All groups are equally to blame.

No, you are wrong. Cyclists and runners need to take special measures to prevent contact with walkers. The hierarchy is as simple as that.

Sorry, I flagged you as off topic, it's very small on my phone, and don't seem to be able to unflag it.
But surely a runner is a pedestrian and has equal priority with a walker.
Personally, I have been trying to run against the flow of traffic so I can more safely step into the road.
Most people are very good but you get offenders of all types. Including couples and family groups of walkers who insist on taking the whole pavement, and runners and cyclists who will not adjust their line or slow down (or cycle on the pavement). It's a bit like driving on a narrow country lane: you need to have a passing strategy and plan passing places ahead

Runners and cyclists are both moving faster, and more likely to be panting (& therefore far more likely to be generating aerosol), so they ought to bear a greater responsibility.

True, although I don't normally run fast enough to pant. But if you are running along a pavement next to a busy road and the pedestrians are bimbling around in a bunch, it cuts down your options. What's wrong with walking line astern? (And why are you exercising with family members anyway? You are banged up with them 24/7, surely you need time to yourself?)

The latest fashion appears to be walking along, talking to someone next to you, about a metre apart. Not actually social distancing, but nicely blocking the pavement.

I've tried locally suggesting that people walking west go on the north side of the road, east on the south etc.

An off-topic flashback to my schooldays, and one teacher helping to manage staircase congestion with her cry of, "up on the left; down on the right".

Going up on the left means your sword arm is free to engage

That would mean you were the attacker. I always note when spiral staircases are round the wrong way, giving the attacker the advantage.

I assumed the attacker starts at the bottom. It’s only Errol Flynn who does it the other way round 😆

Yes he does. But if you're the defender, you will have built your castle so that you gain the upper, ie free hand as you descend to protect your domain from intruders thus putting the attacker at a disadvantage (cf spiral staircases also as @Morris has also noted).

Have at thee!

("Upper hand" comes from sword fighting - if your sword is on top our your opponent's it's easier to disarm them)

But the design of the spiral staircase is to allow the defenders to use the central pillar to protect the left side of the body thereby allow them to be more aggressive while exposing the attacker's left flank as they climb the stairs.

We are agreeing.

For lols I once insisted on trying some fencing up and down a (partially) spiral staircase. The lower position has an advantage in many ways - you are stretching up and away from your body, while the defender above is reaching down past their own legs. If hits to the legs count, you would be in big trouble...

FrancisUrquhart said:

Dr. Anthony Cardillo said he has seen very promising results when prescribing hydroxychloroquine in combination with zinc for the most severely-ill COVID-19 patients.

"Every patient I've prescribed it to has been very, very ill and within 8 to 12 hours, they were basically symptom-free," Cardillo told Eyewitness News. "So clinically I am seeing a resolution."

He said he has found it only works if combined with zinc. The drug, he said, opens a channel for the zinc to enter the cell and block virus replication.

https://abc7.com/coronavirus-drug-covid-19-malaria-hydroxychloroquine/6079864/

Foxy said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Dr. Anthony Cardillo said he has seen very promising results when prescribing hydroxychloroquine in combination with zinc for the most severely-ill COVID-19 patients.

"Every patient I've prescribed it to has been very, very ill and within 8 to 12 hours, they were basically symptom-free," Cardillo told Eyewitness News. "So clinically I am seeing a resolution."

He said he has found it only works if combined with zinc. The drug, he said, opens a channel for the zinc to enter the cell and block virus replication.

https://abc7.com/coronavirus-drug-covid-19-malaria-hydroxychloroquine/6079864/

To be published in The Journal of Anecdotal Medicine?

TOPPING said:

Malmesbury said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

TOPPING said:

Charles said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Malmesbury said:

JohnLilburne said:

Nigelb said:

JohnLilburne said:

MarqueeMark said:

Martin_Kinsella said:

MarqueeMark said:

Mysticrose said:

My biggest gripe with personal space are runners. They seem to come charging up far too close and, of course, panting volumes of breath into one's vicinity.

And cyclists.

And dog walkers, who allow their foul mutt to run around and impede others or dopey pedestrians listening to music oblivious to everyone else.

I am a runner, cyclist and walker. All groups are equally to blame.

No, you are wrong. Cyclists and runners need to take special measures to prevent contact with walkers. The hierarchy is as simple as that.

Sorry, I flagged you as off topic, it's very small on my phone, and don't seem to be able to unflag it.
But surely a runner is a pedestrian and has equal priority with a walker.
Personally, I have been trying to run against the flow of traffic so I can more safely step into the road.
Most people are very good but you get offenders of all types. Including couples and family groups of walkers who insist on taking the whole pavement, and runners and cyclists who will not adjust their line or slow down (or cycle on the pavement). It's a bit like driving on a narrow country lane: you need to have a passing strategy and plan passing places ahead

Runners and cyclists are both moving faster, and more likely to be panting (& therefore far more likely to be generating aerosol), so they ought to bear a greater responsibility.

True, although I don't normally run fast enough to pant. But if you are running along a pavement next to a busy road and the pedestrians are bimbling around in a bunch, it cuts down your options. What's wrong with walking line astern? (And why are you exercising with family members anyway? You are banged up with them 24/7, surely you need time to yourself?)

The latest fashion appears to be walking along, talking to someone next to you, about a metre apart. Not actually social distancing, but nicely blocking the pavement.

I've tried locally suggesting that people walking west go on the north side of the road, east on the south etc.

An off-topic flashback to my schooldays, and one teacher helping to manage staircase congestion with her cry of, "up on the left; down on the right".

Going up on the left means your sword arm is free to engage

That would mean you were the attacker. I always note when spiral staircases are round the wrong way, giving the attacker the advantage.

I assumed the attacker starts at the bottom. It’s only Errol Flynn who does it the other way round 😆

Yes he does. But if you're the defender, you will have built your castle so that you gain the upper, ie free hand as you descend to protect your domain from intruders thus putting the attacker at a disadvantage (cf spiral staircases also as @Morris has also noted).

Have at thee!

("Upper hand" comes from sword fighting - if your sword is on top our your opponent's it's easier to disarm them)

But the design of the spiral staircase is to allow the defenders to use the central pillar to protect the left side of the body thereby allow them to be more aggressive while exposing the attacker's left flank as they climb the stairs.

We are agreeing.

For lols I once insisted on trying some fencing up and down a (partially) spiral staircase. The lower position has an advantage in many ways - you are stretching up and away from your body, while the defender above is reaching down past their own legs. If hits to the legs count, you would be in big trouble...

Not sure, they were made of stern stuff in days of yore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmInkxbvlCs

IshmaelZ said:

Scott_xP said:

https://twitter.com/jessicahojo/status/1247465119715557378

TIL: the French for curfew (and, I'm guessing, etymology of the word) is couvre feu.

Andy_JS said:

Anabobazina said:

isam said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

OldKingCole said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

These ONS stats,

"The figure includes deaths outside hospitals, including those in homes and care homes, and includes patients who have not tested positive for the virus but are suspected of having the disease."

We know that of those admitted to hospital with very serious CV type symptoms and are tested, only about 33-40% actually turn out to be positive.

Not even almost crap statistics. Looks as though ALL deaths are being reported. Would it not be sensible, when producing these graphs to have a baseline of, say, the daily deaths for March and April in 2019? That way we might have some real idea.

What are you saying that people die of other stuff too? I never knew that :-)

As you say, we need to see what the normal average daily deaths at this time of year, with variance intervals, and then plot them against this.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/quarterlymortalityreports/januarytomarch2019

Yup. A similar chart was reported in the Sunday Times. Death rate down on the average in Q1. I believe it was you showing ‘normal’ pneumonia deaths falling off a cliff - of course many of those deaths are now being credited to Coronavirus. Sadly most of our journalists are innumerate and don’t grasp the concept of baselines (or don’t want to).

It may be that the vast majority of coronavirus deaths are people who would have died at some time within the next 12 months or so anyway of other conditions, and what's happening is that the numbers are being compressed into a shorter period of time. We'll know if that's true because there'll be less deaths than expected later on.

bigjohnowls said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Jesus F##king Christ, Fat Head is now speculating on a mechanisms and timing of a Tory party leadership election...

Does calling people Fat Head make you feel better?

It comes across to me as rather pathetic.

OllyT said:

rottenborough said:

edmundintokyo said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

Jesus F##king Christ, Fat Head is now speculating on a mechanisms and timing of a Tory party leadership election...

I think you may be at the wrong website?

Somebody save us from Patel!!!!!

I can't help thinking both Patel and Raab are in such high offices to please the Brexiteers rather than actually being the best people for the job.

MaxPB said:

Just saw the Harry and Meghan stuff. What a pair of tits. The royals are better off without them, she strikes me as the worst type of social climber and grasper.

Philip_Thompson said:

That's a different question.

But if gifts to parties don't require tax then that should be consistent between minor parties like UKIP and Greens whether they have one MP or not.

MaxPB said:

Just saw the Harry and Meghan stuff. What a pair of tits.

Cyclefree said:

AlastairMeeks said:

AlwaysSinging said:

@AlastairMeeks - yes, the same poem has been ringing in my ears for the last 24 hours. When my colleagues adopted an "I'm alright, Jack" attitude, it was the first thing I thought.

What's so frustrating is how powerless we are. I'm not physically able to volunteer to help others, so the best thing I can do is stay at home and not be a drain on hospital resources. It feels cowardly, yet it's the only course of action.

--AS

They also serve who only stand and wait.

I’d quote the whole thing, but out of deference to @Casino_Royale I'll go light on the poetry.

Poetry is one of my consolations. I am going to do something I have not done for a long time which is to learn poems off by heart and recite them. There is no-one to hear them apart from my daughter (and she is well used to my eccentricities), the horse in the next field and the cats.

At my primary school the nuns made us learn a poem every week and on Tuesday morning before classes started someone would be picked to recite it. It was a marvellous way of improving memory and above all giving us an ear for the sheer beauty and musicality of the English language. And I did lots of poetry reading when I studied drama. At one point we also did poems in Latin and, somewhere in the attic, is my certificate for 1st place in a Latin poetry reciting competition. Now is the time to revive such skills.

I used to recite poems to my children at bed-time: nonsense rhymes and the rest but The Owl and the Pussycat was a particular favourite.

Occasionally I have been known to put obscure references to snatches of poems in my headers. Not that anyone notices ........

Chris said:

MaxPB said:

Just saw the Harry and Meghan stuff. What a pair of tits.

Is that kind of comment really necessary? ;-)

Cyclefree said:

AlastairMeeks said:

AlwaysSinging said:

@AlastairMeeks - yes, the same poem has been ringing in my ears for the last 24 hours. When my colleagues adopted an "I'm alright, Jack" attitude, it was the first thing I thought.

What's so frustrating is how powerless we are. I'm not physically able to volunteer to help others, so the best thing I can do is stay at home and not be a drain on hospital resources. It feels cowardly, yet it's the only course of action.

--AS

They also serve who only stand and wait.

I’d quote the whole thing, but out of deference to @Casino_Royale I'll go light on the poetry.

Poetry is one of my consolations. I am going to do something I have not done for a long time which is to learn poems off by heart and recite them. There is no-one to hear them apart from my daughter (and she is well used to my eccentricities), the horse in the next field and the cats.

At my primary school the nuns made us learn a poem every week and on Tuesday morning before classes started someone would be picked to recite it. It was a marvellous way of improving memory and above all giving us an ear for the sheer beauty and musicality of the English language. And I did lots of poetry reading when I studied drama. At one point we also did poems in Latin and, somewhere in the attic, is my certificate for 1st place in a Latin poetry reciting competition. Now is the time to revive such skills.

I used to recite poems to my children at bed-time: nonsense rhymes and the rest but The Owl and the Pussycat was a particular favourite.

Occasionally I have been known to put obscure references to snatches of poems in my headers. Not that anyone notices ........

ydoethur said:

Cyclefree said:

AlastairMeeks said:

AlwaysSinging said:

@AlastairMeeks - yes, the same poem has been ringing in my ears for the last 24 hours. When my colleagues adopted an "I'm alright, Jack" attitude, it was the first thing I thought.

What's so frustrating is how powerless we are. I'm not physically able to volunteer to help others, so the best thing I can do is stay at home and not be a drain on hospital resources. It feels cowardly, yet it's the only course of action.

--AS

They also serve who only stand and wait.

I’d quote the whole thing, but out of deference to @Casino_Royale I'll go light on the poetry.

Poetry is one of my consolations. I am going to do something I have not done for a long time which is to learn poems off by heart and recite them. There is no-one to hear them apart from my daughter (and she is well used to my eccentricities), the horse in the next field and the cats.

At my primary school the nuns made us learn a poem every week and on Tuesday morning before classes started someone would be picked to recite it. It was a marvellous way of improving memory and above all giving us an ear for the sheer beauty and musicality of the English language. And I did lots of poetry reading when I studied drama. At one point we also did poems in Latin and, somewhere in the attic, is my certificate for 1st place in a Latin poetry reciting competition. Now is the time to revive such skills.

I used to recite poems to my children at bed-time: nonsense rhymes and the rest but The Owl and the Pussycat was a particular favourite.

Occasionally I have been known to put obscure references to snatches of poems in my headers. Not that anyone notices ........

Perhaps that’s why TSE doesn’t do subtlety.

Cyclefree said:

TOPPING said:

IshmaelZ said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

CarlottaVance said:

Clueless...

https://twitter.com/iainmartin1/status/1247460661145350151?s=20

I do wonder about who is advising them, although perhaps they aren't taking any notice. I can't believe any PR expert would be suggesting this is a good idea at the moment.

And that name is Consignia level bad. Unpronounceable and overtones of arch, hell and chew (18th century synonym for a blowjob according to William Golding).

That middle "e" is going to irritate me every time I see it. Which won't be that often, I hope.

The aim “to do something that matters” makes it sound like a spoof. Or the 21st century version of those 18th century bubble companies: “For carrying-on an undertaking of great advantage but no-one to know what it is”.

Cyclefree said:

TOPPING said:

IshmaelZ said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

CarlottaVance said:

Clueless...

https://twitter.com/iainmartin1/status/1247460661145350151?s=20

I do wonder about who is advising them, although perhaps they aren't taking any notice. I can't believe any PR expert would be suggesting this is a good idea at the moment.

And that name is Consignia level bad. Unpronounceable and overtones of arch, hell and chew (18th century synonym for a blowjob according to William Golding).

That middle "e" is going to irritate me every time I see it. Which won't be that often, I hope.

The aim “to do something that matters” makes it sound like a spoof. Or the 21st century version of those 18th century bubble companies: “For carrying-on an undertaking of great advantage but no-one to know what it is”.

Anabobazina said:

There seems to be an unwelcome virus fascism settling in on PB, where any piece of potential good news is derided, those offering more positive interpretations of the data are attacked, and positions other than extreme extended lockdowns are castigated as irresponsible.

Anabobazina said:

There seems to be an unwelcome virus fascism settling in on PB, where any piece of potential good news is derided, those offering more positive interpretations of the data are attacked, and positions other than extreme extended lockdowns are castigated as irresponsible.

Stocky said:

ydoethur said:

Chris said:

MaxPB said:

Just saw the Harry and Meghan stuff. What a pair of tits.

Is that kind of comment really necessary? ;-)

I think it was just a boob.

Well - the ex-royal couple certainly aren`t without their knockers.

ydoethur said:

Cyclefree said:

AlastairMeeks said:

AlwaysSinging said:

@AlastairMeeks - yes, the same poem has been ringing in my ears for the last 24 hours. When my colleagues adopted an "I'm alright, Jack" attitude, it was the first thing I thought.

What's so frustrating is how powerless we are. I'm not physically able to volunteer to help others, so the best thing I can do is stay at home and not be a drain on hospital resources. It feels cowardly, yet it's the only course of action.

--AS

They also serve who only stand and wait.

I’d quote the whole thing, but out of deference to @Casino_Royale I'll go light on the poetry.

Poetry is one of my consolations. I am going to do something I have not done for a long time which is to learn poems off by heart and recite them. There is no-one to hear them apart from my daughter (and she is well used to my eccentricities), the horse in the next field and the cats.

At my primary school the nuns made us learn a poem every week and on Tuesday morning before classes started someone would be picked to recite it. It was a marvellous way of improving memory and above all giving us an ear for the sheer beauty and musicality of the English language. And I did lots of poetry reading when I studied drama. At one point we also did poems in Latin and, somewhere in the attic, is my certificate for 1st place in a Latin poetry reciting competition. Now is the time to revive such skills.

I used to recite poems to my children at bed-time: nonsense rhymes and the rest but The Owl and the Pussycat was a particular favourite.

Occasionally I have been known to put obscure references to snatches of poems in my headers. Not that anyone notices ........

Perhaps that’s why TSE doesn’t do subtlety.

FrancisUrquhart said:

I see lots of twitter are finding reasons why they possibly couldn't possibly clap for Boris. Insert your ist of choice.

Cyclefree said:

TOPPING said:

IshmaelZ said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

CarlottaVance said:

Clueless...

https://twitter.com/iainmartin1/status/1247460661145350151?s=20

I do wonder about who is advising them, although perhaps they aren't taking any notice. I can't believe any PR expert would be suggesting this is a good idea at the moment.

And that name is Consignia level bad. Unpronounceable and overtones of arch, hell and chew (18th century synonym for a blowjob according to William Golding).

That middle "e" is going to irritate me every time I see it. Which won't be that often, I hope.

The aim “to do something that matters” makes it sound like a spoof. Or the 21st century version of those 18th century bubble companies: “For carrying-on an undertaking of great advantage but no-one to know what it is”.

Foxy said:

Andy_JS said:

Anabobazina said:

isam said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

OldKingCole said:

FrancisUrquhart said:

These ONS stats,

"The figure includes deaths outside hospitals, including those in homes and care homes, and includes patients who have not tested positive for the virus but are suspected of having the disease."

We know that of those admitted to hospital with very serious CV type symptoms and are tested, only about 33-40% actually turn out to be positive.

Not even almost crap statistics. Looks as though ALL deaths are being reported. Would it not be sensible, when producing these graphs to have a baseline of, say, the daily deaths for March and April in 2019? That way we might have some real idea.

What are you saying that people die of other stuff too? I never knew that :-)

As you say, we need to see what the normal average daily deaths at this time of year, with variance intervals, and then plot them against this.

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/quarterlymortalityreports/januarytomarch2019

Yup. A similar chart was reported in the Sunday Times. Death rate down on the average in Q1. I believe it was you showing ‘normal’ pneumonia deaths falling off a cliff - of course many of those deaths are now being credited to Coronavirus. Sadly most of our journalists are innumerate and don’t grasp the concept of baselines (or don’t want to).

It may be that the vast majority of coronavirus deaths are people who would have died at some time within the next 12 months or so anyway of other conditions, and what's happening is that the numbers are being compressed into a shorter period of time. We'll know if that's true because there'll be less deaths than expected later on.

All 5 of the people that I know of personally or relatives of persons known to me who have died of it were not on their last legs. 3 were in their fifties (all men) and 2 were spritely females in their mid seventies.

The "nothing to see here" crowd need to get out more. Only they cannot.

Anabobazina said:

Agreed. But the idea that an extreme extended lockdown is controlled is an illusion and a delusion. Its effects are deeply uncontrollable and will probably cause untold permanent damage far in excess of that caused by the virus itself.

TOPPING said:

There is this fantasy on all sides of the political debate that people who reach high office either in government or opposition are thick as two short planks.

Clue: they are not. They are very very smart and moreso diligent. Look at Raab or Lammy's CV. Outstanding.

Problem is they have to deal with, appeal to, and somehow try to satisfy us lot, the public, and we are thick as fuck.

NerysHughes said:

Anabobazina said:

There seems to be an unwelcome virus fascism settling in on PB, where any piece of potential good news is derided, those offering more positive interpretations of the data are attacked, and positions other than extreme extended lockdowns are castigated as irresponsible.

Or providing misinformation

RobD said:

Anabobazina said:

Who cares about Harry and Meg’s charity name? What a trivial thing to get in a lather about.

They don't care about the name.

Anabobazina said:

RobD said:

Anabobazina said:

Who cares about Harry and Meg’s charity name? What a trivial thing to get in a lather about.

They don't care about the name.

I refer you to MattW's post at 1233hrs BST