This site gives me way more pleasure and distraction than, say, my Netflix's account. I regard it as a superior version of a daily newspaper with a lot more jokes chucked in. Excellent value. And many thanks to the thread header writers, especially when they are being infuriating!
Happy New Year to all.
The quality of writing is really good. There are some very good tips too I think.
My issue is how much time I waste arguing below the line. I'm trying to get better at not engaging, not venting, just reading the interesting links and opinions... but it's hard for sure!
I enjoy the arguments but try to keep them light-hearted as much as possible. Its a welcome break from the day job where I am supposed to be serious.
Presumably loyalty to the big family project (Brexit BJ) prevented him from saying that he was also applying for a passport to all of the rich and varied countries of the EU.
To be fair he is just being consistent - a former Euro-MP and a passionate European and environmentalist who happens to be the dad of the PM. People aren't responsible for the opinions of their children or their parents.
I'm pretty sure Stanley wouldn't be such a ubiquitous sight and sound on our airwaves if he wasn't BJ's dad, so swings and roundabouts. Still, he seems less in demand lately, perhaps they've realised amplifying a self indulgent, over entitled flouter of Covid rules isn't a good look.
Or just maybe for all the things that are, its not Boris's fault his dad is a complete arse.
Perhaps more Stanley's fault that his son is a complete arse though.
I think a much more realistic timeline for everybody..
If Covid-19 vaccination picks up, US could return to normal life by early fall 2021, Fauci says
If the US is able to “diligently vaccinate” people in 2021, the nation could return to normal life by early fall, Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an interview with California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday.
Johnson has promised a return towards normality by Easter. One of the biggest conditions on this is the speed of the vaccination program, which will require huge numbers of staff and premises to be engaged in it. The government should explain soon how the intended target of two million vaccinations per week is to be achieved. Where are all the staff coming from?
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Interesting. He lost me yesterday. I'd mistaken his ice cool for being a man of political principle. Chasing the working class racist vote showed exactly the opposite.
I think you can make a case for Labour voting tactically for or against the deal yesterday. But Starmer does need to engage Johnson and the Brexit party on the issues and articulate a better vision for the UK that doesn't include a need for EU membership.
The lying from Johnson and Gove yesterday was egregious, even compared with their normal dishonesty. If Brexit and their deal are so good, why do they have to lie about it so much? (That isn't even a partisan comment from me ...)
he is a very clever chap and seriously good at this politics stuff.
He's not though.
He is a genius at self promotion, but where is the Garden Bridge? Where is his island? How many people have ever, will ever use the cable car?
As noted on this thread, Brexit was not his achievement alone.
And the worst Covid response in Europe does not speak well of his abilities.
Let me give you a hint or two. Who is the current PM? Who has achieved the largest Tory majority since the days of Thatcher's pomp? Who was twice elected as Mayor of Labour London, something no other Tory has ever got close to even once? Who won the referendum?
I've used his cable car FWIW. Cool views but that part of London does not seem to have developed quite as much as hoped, at least not yet.
Of course other people are involved but would leave have left without Boris? Not a chance.
Presumably loyalty to the big family project (Brexit BJ) prevented him from saying that he was also applying for a passport to all of the rich and varied countries of the EU.
To be fair he is just being consistent - a former Euro-MP and a passionate European and environmentalist who happens to be the dad of the PM. People aren't responsible for the opinions of their children or their parents.
I'm pretty sure Stanley wouldn't be such a ubiquitous sight and sound on our airwaves if he wasn't BJ's dad, so swings and roundabouts. Still, he seems less in demand lately, perhaps they've realised amplifying a self indulgent, over entitled flouter of Covid rules isn't a good look.
Or just maybe for all the things that are, its not Boris's fault his dad is a complete arse.
Perhaps more Stanley's fault that his son is a complete arse though.
I'm told that Farage, in his trader days, used to make new members of staff sing Jerusalem or some such 'patriotic' ditty.
Obviously peerages are an obscenity and anybody who has one should get the Qaddafi treatment from a baying mob but...
If Farage doesn't get one then the whole thing is meaningless as well as iniquitous. He is, by some distance, the most effective British politician of the past two decades.
Strange that you think peerages are rewards for effectiveness. The highest peer in the realm is the Duke of Edinburgh. He married the Queen.
DoE is the perfect Peer. Seventy years in the HoL. Never said a word.
I agree with his conclusion that, while the clinical trials for the vaccine have been a hot mess, at a minimum they have delivered a cheap and fairly effective vaccine - and that it’s also quite possible that the longer booster interval might make it as effective as the mRNA vaccines,
At this moment, twenty hours after the announcement, we still have no clarification on key details on schools:
1) What additional resources will be provided to support the mass testing gimmick the government appears to believe will resolve matters?
2) What happens if the testing system simply cannot be set up and made functional (which it almost certainly can’t for 90% of secondaries in the time)?
3) How is remote learning managed for the first week? Is it all year groups? If not, which one?
4) What are groups in school for the second week that are not 11 and 13 to be taught?
5) What funds are available to pay for cover for those teachers who have been ordered to shield?
6) What criteria are being used to close primary schools, or indeed, reopen them?
These are basic, basic questions and all these answers should have been available immediately after the DNSR had sat down yesterday.
But it looks as though they will not be available before Monday. Which is when some schools are meant to be reopening.
Totally, criminally incompetent and irresponsible.
Let me give you a hint or two. Who is the current PM? Who has achieved the largest Tory majority since the days of Thatcher's pomp? Who was twice elected as Mayor of Labour London, something no other Tory has ever got close to even once? Who won the referendum?
I already noted his genius at self promotion. All of the above were in service of that goal.
Apparently, there are only 3 pubs open in England today, all on the Scilly Isles.
Wetherspoons in Cannock has got large posters advertising conspiracy theories about lockdown plastered all over its doors. I presume that’s the case elsewhere in the country too.
This site gives me way more pleasure and distraction than, say, my Netflix's account. I regard it as a superior version of a daily newspaper with a lot more jokes chucked in. Excellent value. And many thanks to the thread header writers, especially when they are being infuriating!
Happy New Year to all.
It must be slightly baffling to a newcomer, because there is such a wealth of in-jokes that have built up over the years. But it does have remarkable depth of insight - however obscure the topic, we always appear to have someone who genuinely does know their shit on that matter.
Plus, you can rely on any matter of worthwhile news to be flagged almost immediately. The best source of rolling news there is.
With added puns.
Many here have had a truly shit 12 months. Heartfelt wishes for a better year ahead for all, wherever you sit on the political spectrum.
Let me give you a hint or two. Who is the current PM? Who has achieved the largest Tory majority since the days of Thatcher's pomp? Who was twice elected as Mayor of Labour London, something no other Tory has ever got close to even once? Who won the referendum?
I already noted his genius at self promotion. All of the above were in service of that goal.
I agree with his conclusion that, while the clinical trials for the vaccine have been a hot mess, at a minimum they have delivered a cheap and fairly effective vaccine - and that it’s also quite possible that the longer booster interval might make it as effective as the mRNA vaccines,
I feel it expedient to point out that arguably the greatest discovery in medicine of the C20th was made by accident by a careless lab technician. His name?
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
Sorry, I appreciate that there are barriers going up and that some of them haven't become clear until recently which will cause a lot of confusion, but the CE mark no longer being valid has been known about for months, and yet this business person has become aware with 24 hours notice? I might be missing something obvious, but this just seems to be wilful ignorance rather than Brexit.
What you are missing, I think, is that the fundamental complaint is about Brexiteers willfully imposing business and livelihood destroying red tape on companies like hers, rather than the fact she only got a couple days notice. But she is right on that point too. There was talk about the UK/EU deal containing conformity agreement. That it didn't only became clear when the EU published the document on the 26th December.
It goes back to a point I was musing on last night. For individuals and small businesses, the best setup is a set of rules that applies over a big area.
If the UK has different rules to other places, they might be better attuned to the UK's unique situation. They might better match the overall democratic will of this nation.
But that's still two sets of rules. So you either try to fulfil both (more complexity and expense) or you give up on one market as more trouble than it's worth.
Who, exactly, have we taken control back for?
Look at who the most ardent supporters of brexit on here are, that gives one a clue as to who expects to gain most. For many it will be a none event unless there are food shortages. I doubt if many people will wake up tomorrow and rush out in the street praising their new sovereignty. Even the down sides will be well hidden in myriad of data that most people pay no attention to or understand. Can you imagine walking into the pub and saying gdp down 5% what are we going to do, no they will say corrie was good last night but the football was shit.
On topic ... I'm surprised there are no free marketeers willing to cross swords with OGH and advance the merits of advertising. Conversely, if disdain for advertising is the only thing that unites us all, how does anyone make money out of it?
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
On topic ... I'm surprised there are no free marketeers willing to cross swords with OGH and advance the merits of advertising. Conversely, if disdain for advertising is the only thing that unites us all, how does anyone make money out of it?
OT, but I was wondering if anyone remembered how Ladbrokes settled the bets on the local elections that were supposed to take place back in May but postponed until this coming spring. Were all the bets voided, or were they rolled into 2021?
Presumably loyalty to the big family project (Brexit BJ) prevented him from saying that he was also applying for a passport to all of the rich and varied countries of the EU.
To be fair he is just being consistent - a former Euro-MP and a passionate European and environmentalist who happens to be the dad of the PM. People aren't responsible for the opinions of their children or their parents.
I'm pretty sure Stanley wouldn't be such a ubiquitous sight and sound on our airwaves if he wasn't BJ's dad, so swings and roundabouts. Still, he seems less in demand lately, perhaps they've realised amplifying a self indulgent, over entitled flouter of Covid rules isn't a good look.
Or just maybe for all the things that are, its not Boris's fault his dad is a complete arse.
Surprisingly, I support Hancock on the principle. His job is to get the greatest immunity, the least death and the smallest burden on the health system in the shortest time possible. If that's achieved by prioritising single doses in the short term, it's his call to make, not patients and not drug companies.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Um, yes, and? We have a new status relative to the EU, one of our biggest markets. Of course that involves a degree of change - do you think nobody had to make any changes to their paperwork when we joined? This is real bears shitting in the woods stuff.
I`ve just received an email from my mum`s care home. They have a date for the commencement of the whole home (residents and staff) for vaccinations - will be the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
They say the first vaccination will be administered on the 5th January with the 2nd dose administered within a 12 week timeframe.
I'm told that Farage, in his trader days, used to make new members of staff sing Jerusalem or some such 'patriotic' ditty.
Obviously peerages are an obscenity and anybody who has one should get the Qaddafi treatment from a baying mob but...
If Farage doesn't get one then the whole thing is meaningless as well as iniquitous. He is, by some distance, the most effective British politician of the past two decades.
But Farage didn't deliver Brexit. Couldn't have delivered Brexit. Too many would not have voted for a Brexit where he was the figurehead. Myself amongst them.
The person that made Brexit viable was not Farage, but Boris Johnson.
Its chicken and egg, without Farage Bozos path to the top wouldnt have been Brexit.
I don't think that he would have had much difficulty in coming up with something else. Despite a deliberate policy of not appearing so he is a very clever chap and seriously good at this politics stuff.
Good at half of it, campaigning. Shit at half of it, governing. But yes, he had ambitions for the top job before Brexit was an issue and would have eventually been a strong contender at some point regardless.
Those saying he is shit at governing seem to do so largely from the perspective of hating what he is doing.
In 18 months I think from my perspective (and I know I'm in a minority) he's been better at governing than any predecessor in decades. He's clearly infinitely better than May at governing.
On Brexit his predecessor failed objectively to get a deal she could get through Parliament. Boris has managed to get not one but now two that he has been able to agree with our neighbours and get through Parliament. That is powerful governance in action.
On Covid its fair to say mistakes were made especially in the first wave. The UK was rather caught with its pants down not realising until too late how serious Covid was. But in the second half of the year the governance has gotten much better, the excess death rates in the UK in the second wave are below most of our neighbours and the UK is leading the continent and one of the best in the world on vaccinations.
On the economy putting Sunak in charge of the Treasury and leaving him alone to get on with it has been a masterstroke.
On international trade Truss has done wonders this year doing the basics Liam Fox should have tackled years ago, while teeing up future negotiations.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was charismatic.
hmmmm .... not so sure you can say that. You sure you've not been watching too much of The Crown? I wouldn't say he was 'charismatic.' In fact he was pretty dour. Think Gordon Brown. A beer and sandwiches kind of guy and not a particularly great orator.
John Major was also dour and landed the top job after being propelled through all three senior positions in a heady rush so that no-one really knew him.
Also, Major was up against the Welsh windbag who revolted the tabloids.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
I've broken the habit of a lifetime and donated to a website to keep it going. I mostly just lurk nowadays as life gets in the way, but keep up the good work and may your pizza always be topped with pineapple.
I`ve just received an email from my mum`s care home. They have a date for the commencement of the whole home (residents and staff) for vaccinations - will be the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
They say the first vaccination will be administered on the 5th January with the 2nd dose administered within a 12 week timeframe.
Fantastic! So on Tuesday, quick turnaround.
AZN will be a lot easier to get into the homes than Pfizer. Really glad for your mum, but on a collective basis it should make a major impact on hospital admissions and reduce the pressure on the NHS.
Surprisingly, I support Hancock on the principle. His job is to get the greatest immunity, the least death and the smallest burden on the health system in the shortest time possible. If that's achieved by prioritising single doses in the short term, it's his call to make, not patients and not drug companies.
Yes, I'm with you on that. It is obviously not ideal at all to use dosing regimes that have not been fully tested, but that has to be balanced against vaccine availability and the rapid spread of the new variant. I'd have thought it probable that most lives would be saved overall by using the limited amount of vaccine to give single doses, even though those receiving single doses may not be as well protected as had they received the double dose.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was (seen as) a responsible, fatherly, pipe-smoking reliable chap. With a slight but responsible-sounding Northern accent. So charisma in the Johnson or Thatcher sense, no.
I see Sir Keir Starmer as a bit of a John Smith type. People often said of Smith that he was like your bank manager, at a time before people replaced the b in banker with a w.
To be brutally honest, whilst I like Keir Starmer in lots of ways I'm not really sure about him. Up against Johnson in an election campaign? Dunno. For politicniks he will run rings around BJ but for the vast majority of people I'm not so sure he will cut through.
This site gives me way more pleasure and distraction than, say, my Netflix's account. I regard it as a superior version of a daily newspaper with a lot more jokes chucked in. Excellent value. And many thanks to the thread header writers, especially when they are being infuriating!
Happy New Year to all.
It must be slightly baffling to a newcomer, because there is such a wealth of in-jokes that have built up over the years. But it does have remarkable depth of insight - however obscure the topic, we always appear to have someone who genuinely does know their shit on that matter.
Plus, you can rely on any matter of worthwhile news to be flagged almost immediately. The best source of rolling news there is.
With added puns.
Many here have had a truly shit 12 months. Heartfelt wishes for a better year ahead for all, wherever you sit on the political spectrum.
I agree with this but it does have its fair share of arrogance "you are wrong , I am right" comes up a lot in various posts . Maybe just the rather self selecting make-up. I have to say this arrogance is getting more ingrained and also cruder.
Let me give you a hint or two. Who is the current PM? Who has achieved the largest Tory majority since the days of Thatcher's pomp? Who was twice elected as Mayor of Labour London, something no other Tory has ever got close to even once? Who won the referendum?
I already noted his genius at self promotion. All of the above were in service of that goal.
Surprisingly, I support Hancock on the principle. His job is to get the greatest immunity, the least death and the smallest burden on the health system in the shortest time possible. If that's achieved by prioritising single doses in the short term, it's his call to make, not patients and not drug companies.
I agree with the JCVI decision - if they think it is safe.
But my wife is absolutely fuming. As far as she's concerned she got the first dose on the fact that it was following the 3-week timeline and to change that after she's had the first dose infuriates her. She thinks she's being used as a guinea pig since that wasn't the trial and that it would be fair enough to go to a 12 week schedule going forwards since those getting the first would know that is what is happening but those who've already had the first dose on the promise of a second 3 weeks later should still get their second on the timeline promised when they got the first.
I don't agree with her but I see where she's coming from. For the sake of a happy wife, happy life, I'm not going to tell her I think she's wrong.
On topic ... I'm surprised there are no free marketeers willing to cross swords with OGH and advance the merits of advertising. Conversely, if disdain for advertising is the only thing that unites us all, how does anyone make money out of it?
Because marketing managers have to spend money on it to justify their jobs ?
Just a reminder of my earlier betting tip which I fully accept goes into the faintly ridiculous category ...
Jon Ossoff for 2024 Presidency at 250/1 with Ladbrokes if you boost it.
I'd have been happier at 1000/1 but they clearly see what I do: a highly effective orator with a turn of phrase and pretty devastating debating skills.
Doesn't mean he will even get into the Senate next week. I'm on at 3/1 for that and not particularly confident.
Surprisingly, I support Hancock on the principle. His job is to get the greatest immunity, the least death and the smallest burden on the health system in the shortest time possible. If that's achieved by prioritising single doses in the short term, it's his call to make, not patients and not drug companies.
Yes, I'm with you on that. It is obviously not ideal at all to use dosing regimes that have not been fully tested, but that has to be balanced against vaccine availability and the rapid spread of the new variant. I'd have thought it probable that most lives would be saved overall by using the limited amount of vaccine to give single doses, even though those receiving single doses may not be as well protected as had they received the double dose.
No vaccination appointments presently available in Mid & South Essex, according to the official phone line.
On topic ... I'm surprised there are no free marketeers willing to cross swords with OGH and advance the merits of advertising. Conversely, if disdain for advertising is the only thing that unites us all, how does anyone make money out of it?
It’s possible to click on ads by accident.
And it’s bloody annoying.
It's more than a passing nuisance. Once upon a time I must inadvertently have clicked onto an advert for ladies' underwear. A not-so-clever algorithm has now decided that it's the one product in all the world that I'm really interested in buying (in spite of its evident lack of thermal insulation).
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was (seen as) a responsible, fatherly, pipe-smoking reliable chap. With a slight but responsible-sounding Northern accent. So charisma in the Johnson or Thatcher sense, no.
Ironic that he was a paranoid, cigar smoking, Brandy swilling adulterer.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was (seen as) a responsible, fatherly, pipe-smoking reliable chap. With a slight but responsible-sounding Northern accent. So charisma in the Johnson or Thatcher sense, no.
Yes, charisma is different in different eras. The idea that a Boris character could have been pm in the 1960s is laughable.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was (seen as) a responsible, fatherly, pipe-smoking reliable chap. With a slight but responsible-sounding Northern accent. So charisma in the Johnson or Thatcher sense, no.
Wilson came in after more than a decade of Conservative Government and a succession of old Etonian Prime Ministers (does it sound familiar?). He was seen as a "man of the people" and in tune with the more meritocratic 60s. He posed with The Beatles who called him "good old Mr Wilson" (I think the phrase originally came from an American sitcom) and it stuck as a while as a catch phrase.
I think he had a certain charisma prior to his election; certainly in comparison to Alec Douglas-Home.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was charismatic.
hmmmm .... not so sure you can say that. You sure you've not been watching too much of The Crown? I wouldn't say he was 'charismatic.' In fact he was pretty dour. Think Gordon Brown. A beer and sandwiches kind of guy and not a particularly great orator.
John Major was also dour and landed the top job after being propelled through all three senior positions in a heady rush so that no-one really knew him.
Also, Major was up against the Welsh windbag who revolted the tabloids.
I strongly disagree - and have yet to watch any of The Crown. He was a very good speaker - amusing at times and very witty. Brilliant at dealing with hecklers in the election campaigns of 1964 and 1966.Very different to Gordon Brown.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was (seen as) a responsible, fatherly, pipe-smoking reliable chap. With a slight but responsible-sounding Northern accent. So charisma in the Johnson or Thatcher sense, no.
Ironic that he was a paranoid, cigar smoking, Brandy swilling adulterer.
To be fair, IIRC the adultery was always denied on all sides. And was he actually paranoid or were 'they' really out to get him? There are strong suggestions that 'they' were.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
John Major was alright.
Charisma is such a subjective thing . For instance most people believe it is something akin to being slightly show -offy and slightly bossy. Others think it is somebody who is extroverted and jolly. Most people think they are personally charismatic . I don't think John Major was lacking in this mysterious virtue - he certainly had a colourful early life and could converse very easily with all people (probably what won him the largest number of votes for years)
Apparently, there are only 3 pubs open in England today, all on the Scilly Isles.
Pubs have been closed on a few hours notice thus losing any stock they had bought in for NY because the government could not be arsed to announce the change before the last day for making orders, something which would have been obvious to anyone with a calendar and the wit to ring somebody up in this business. So clearly well beyond the grasp of this government.
They cannot claim on insurance and pubs in England get far less help than those in Wales and Scotland. Even the grants announced back in November have still to be paid out. The government seems to expect everyone working in this sector to live permanently on 80% of their previous wages. The grants which have been announced don't go remotely near covering fixed costs. Basically every closed pub and hotel and restaurant and other hospitality venue is now loss-making.
Whether they will ever reopen again depends on whether (a) they have any savings to use and (b) they whether they think it worth using up their savings. The latter depends trusting the government to manage the vaccination programme effectively so that venues can reopen by Easter latest.
Effectiveness is not the word one first associates with this government, however.
Um, yes, and? We have a new status relative to the EU, one of our biggest markets. Of course that involves a degree of change - do you think nobody had to make any changes to their paperwork when we joined? This is real bears shitting in the woods stuff.
I suggest you look at how long the transition period was after the terms of joining were known compared to now before making such a silly statement. The detail ie the stuff that really matters to businesses was known a week ago.
he is a very clever chap and seriously good at this politics stuff.
He's not though.
He is a genius at self promotion, but where is the Garden Bridge? Where is his island? How many people have ever, will ever use the cable car?
As noted on this thread, Brexit was not his achievement alone.
And the worst Covid response in Europe does not speak well of his abilities.
Whilst I agree with the general tone of your comment, the claim about the worst Covid response in Europe simply doesn't stand up to scrutiny by any measure other than personal animus. We have neither the worst overall death rates nor the worst per capita. We have done more tests than any other European country excluding Russia and more tests per capita than any other country in the world with a population over 10 million.
Yes we have done lots of things badly but to claim we have had the worst covid response in Europe is just plain wrong.
I agree with his conclusion that, while the clinical trials for the vaccine have been a hot mess, at a minimum they have delivered a cheap and fairly effective vaccine - and that it’s also quite possible that the longer booster interval might make it as effective as the mRNA vaccines,
Possibly due to subsiding vector immunity over the longer period of time. The HD/FD version probably has a similar effect that the HD doesn't produce a strong immune response to the vector allowing the FD to work properly and get a strong immune response to the active vaccine.
If there's strong evidence that the 12 week gap makes sense for AZ then it would probably be worth doing it. In an immunological sense the longer gap makes sense to me, but then I'm chemistry and pharmacology, not biology. It also gives the government breathing room to get many, many millions of first jabs done from now to March and allow for manufacturing to ramp up a bit more. The only downside is that clearly one jab doesn't proffer a very strong immune response so even if we're able to do 30m first jabs we might not see a big drop in the hospitalisation rate.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was charismatic.
hmmmm .... not so sure you can say that. You sure you've not been watching too much of The Crown? I wouldn't say he was 'charismatic.' In fact he was pretty dour. Think Gordon Brown. A beer and sandwiches kind of guy and not a particularly great orator.
John Major was also dour and landed the top job after being propelled through all three senior positions in a heady rush so that no-one really knew him.
Also, Major was up against the Welsh windbag who revolted the tabloids.
I strongly disagree - and have yet to watch any of The Crown. He was a very good speaker - amusing at times and very witty. Brilliant at dealing with hecklers in the election campaigns of 1964 and 1966.Very different to Gordon Brown.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was (seen as) a responsible, fatherly, pipe-smoking reliable chap. With a slight but responsible-sounding Northern accent. So charisma in the Johnson or Thatcher sense, no.
Ironic that he was a paranoid, cigar smoking, Brandy swilling adulterer.
To be fair, IIRC the adultery was always denied on all sides. And was he actually paranoid or were 'they' really out to get him? There are strong suggestions that 'they' were.
If they were, they were so incompetent they could be ignored. He remains the only PM of the postwar era to resign at a time of his own choosing.
Donated - I find the headers relentlessly one-sided but the site is overall way better than most other media options for information and political gossip. You have to take the rough with the smooth.
I have written a few. Mike and TSE welcome headers as contributions as well financial ones, particularly when there is a betting angle.
Yes, if you mention that, upon scrutiny, the polling for a Leader shows they might not catch the public's imagination, its worth a thread...
Yes, I have never been a Starmer fan, and think it very likely that he will be challenged, possibly even this year.
If Labour just support government policy, what is the point? And he is fabulously dull and wooden. My money is on Rayner, but I have always had a soft spot for the flame haired firebrand!
Personally I think Jess Phillips mixes the passion of the Corbynites with the policies of the Blairites best. 50/1 monster monster!
Jess would definitely get my vote.
Sad to say, charisma is a big factor in determining whether a person can become a successful leader these days.
Johnson, for all his faults, clearly has it; Starmer, sadly, clearly doesn't.
John Major is the only uncharismatic clear election winner in the past 40 years (I don't count May as a clear election winner).
A bit further back , but Heath was not seen as charismatic in 1970 . The same was true of Attlee in 1945 and 1950.
A bit beyond my adult memory but was Wilson seen as charismatic? I know he was perceived as very clever/crafty but is that the same thing?
Wilson was charismatic.
I heard it said his pipe look was a bit fake
He preferred brandy & cigars in private to the pipe & pint in public. He also used the pipe as a prop to fiddle with while he thought of an answer in interviews.
Sorry, I appreciate that there are barriers going up and that some of them haven't become clear until recently which will cause a lot of confusion, but the CE mark no longer being valid has been known about for months, and yet this business person has become aware with 24 hours notice? I might be missing something obvious, but this just seems to be wilful ignorance rather than Brexit.
It's so ridiculous that I doubt the tweet to be honest.
Gavin Esler has no right to bang on about pro Brexit media peddling lies when he readily retweets stuff like that.
In fact, from 11pm he is essentially one of the founders of the group of new extreme pro-European reverse UKIP style fringe who want us to go full fat in to the EU incl Euro, along with Adonis, Grayling and Maugham.
Absolutely. Bloody remainers complaining about the facts. The should Shut Up and enjoy the benefits of Brexit.
I read the tweet and thought "that isn't right, she still has a year". Which was the advice before the deal was signed. Amazingly that isn't now the case. Some products will have to have new markings as of tomorrow! Another one of the fabulous benefits of this omnishambles.
You mean, up to say last week the regs gave her a year? And now suddenly they don't, withj zero notice? Just so I understand this correctly, please ...
Yes. I've had to read up on all of the guidance regarding regulations and so on for work. It was clear that we had 12 months overlap between the old CE mark and the new various UK(GB) / UK(NI) marks. So I read her tweet and thought she had it wrong. Then a quick Google and I started laughing.
Starting tomorrow if your product: * is for the market in Great Britain * is covered by legislation which requires the UKCA marking * requires mandatory third-party conformity assessment * conformity assessment has been carried out by a UK conformity assessment body and you haven’t transferred your conformity assessment files from your UK body to an EU recognised body before 1 January 2021 Then you have to use the new UKCA marking. Tomorrow. Happily they attach an image file.
However did we manage to bollox up the details like this?
Yes but another quick google shows that the guidance you are referring to has been in place since at least September and would have been unaffected by whatever deal we did with the EU because it refers specifically to goods for the UK market.
Plus the Government guidance page states:
"The UKCA marking can be used from 1 January 2021. However, to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE marking until 1 January 2022 in most cases."
So the idea this has suddenly dropped on her since the deal was agreed is still rubbish.
Fine. So instead we only have the 4 months notice to apply 3 sets of standards and markings instead of the current 1.
I still can't find anyone with a rational argument as to why this cost and red tape burden is better for these businesses than what we have today.
Because we don't decide policy solely for the benefit of the 6% of businesses that actually do trade with the EU
Edit: and only a tiny fraction of those 6% will have to make immediate changes. Everyone else gets a 12 month changeover and existing marked stock does not have to be changed.
I don't care about the 4 months vs 16 months its the ongoing stupidity of pretending that we will be setting our own divergent quality standards for products. We won't - our market isn't big enough for us to impose a UKCA standard that is different to CE.
Surprisingly, I support Hancock on the principle. His job is to get the greatest immunity, the least death and the smallest burden on the health system in the shortest time possible. If that's achieved by prioritising single doses in the short term, it's his call to make, not patients and not drug companies.
To be fair to Pfizer, I think there’s an element of covering their back in case of unintended consequences. They are just pointing out the obvious - they don’t have any data for the treatment regime we’re adopting.
It will probably work out, as I think the single dose effectiveness will in any event be significantly better than the 52% shown in the clinical trial (because of the very short time in the trial between onset of antibody response to the first shot, and the booster shot being given).
I'm told that Farage, in his trader days, used to make new members of staff sing Jerusalem or some such 'patriotic' ditty.
Obviously peerages are an obscenity and anybody who has one should get the Qaddafi treatment from a baying mob but...
If Farage doesn't get one then the whole thing is meaningless as well as iniquitous. He is, by some distance, the most effective British politician of the past two decades.
But Farage didn't deliver Brexit. Couldn't have delivered Brexit. Too many would not have voted for a Brexit where he was the figurehead. Myself amongst them.
The person that made Brexit viable was not Farage, but Boris Johnson.
Its chicken and egg, without Farage Bozos path to the top wouldnt have been Brexit.
I don't think that he would have had much difficulty in coming up with something else. Despite a deliberate policy of not appearing so he is a very clever chap and seriously good at this politics stuff.
Good at half of it, campaigning. Shit at half of it, governing. But yes, he had ambitions for the top job before Brexit was an issue and would have eventually been a strong contender at some point regardless.
Those saying he is shit at governing seem to do so largely from the perspective of hating what he is doing.
In 18 months I think from my perspective (and I know I'm in a minority) he's been better at governing than any predecessor in decades. He's clearly infinitely better than May at governing.
On Brexit his predecessor failed objectively to get a deal she could get through Parliament. Boris has managed to get not one but now two that he has been able to agree with our neighbours and get through Parliament. That is powerful governance in action.
On Covid its fair to say mistakes were made especially in the first wave. The UK was rather caught with its pants down not realising until too late how serious Covid was. But in the second half of the year the governance has gotten much better, the excess death rates in the UK in the second wave are below most of our neighbours and the UK is leading the continent and one of the best in the world on vaccinations.
On the economy putting Sunak in charge of the Treasury and leaving him alone to get on with it has been a masterstroke.
On international trade Truss has done wonders this year doing the basics Liam Fox should have tackled years ago, while teeing up future negotiations.
The failures during covid would almost certainly have happened whoever was in charge.
PPE would have been in short supply initially No UK politicians would have closed the borders The NHS would still have sent patients back to care homes Ignoring regulations and fat slobbery would still have been endemic
What the government did manage to do was get large scale testing in place and vaccines ordered.
Sorry, I appreciate that there are barriers going up and that some of them haven't become clear until recently which will cause a lot of confusion, but the CE mark no longer being valid has been known about for months, and yet this business person has become aware with 24 hours notice? I might be missing something obvious, but this just seems to be wilful ignorance rather than Brexit.
It's so ridiculous that I doubt the tweet to be honest.
Gavin Esler has no right to bang on about pro Brexit media peddling lies when he readily retweets stuff like that.
In fact, from 11pm he is essentially one of the founders of the group of new extreme pro-European reverse UKIP style fringe who want us to go full fat in to the EU incl Euro, along with Adonis, Grayling and Maugham.
Absolutely. Bloody remainers complaining about the facts. The should Shut Up and enjoy the benefits of Brexit.
I read the tweet and thought "that isn't right, she still has a year". Which was the advice before the deal was signed. Amazingly that isn't now the case. Some products will have to have new markings as of tomorrow! Another one of the fabulous benefits of this omnishambles.
You mean, up to say last week the regs gave her a year? And now suddenly they don't, withj zero notice? Just so I understand this correctly, please ...
Yes. I've had to read up on all of the guidance regarding regulations and so on for work. It was clear that we had 12 months overlap between the old CE mark and the new various UK(GB) / UK(NI) marks. So I read her tweet and thought she had it wrong. Then a quick Google and I started laughing.
Starting tomorrow if your product: * is for the market in Great Britain * is covered by legislation which requires the UKCA marking * requires mandatory third-party conformity assessment * conformity assessment has been carried out by a UK conformity assessment body and you haven’t transferred your conformity assessment files from your UK body to an EU recognised body before 1 January 2021 Then you have to use the new UKCA marking. Tomorrow. Happily they attach an image file.
However did we manage to bollox up the details like this?
Yes but another quick google shows that the guidance you are referring to has been in place since at least September and would have been unaffected by whatever deal we did with the EU because it refers specifically to goods for the UK market.
Plus the Government guidance page states:
"The UKCA marking can be used from 1 January 2021. However, to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE marking until 1 January 2022 in most cases."
So the idea this has suddenly dropped on her since the deal was agreed is still rubbish.
Fine. So instead we only have the 4 months notice to apply 3 sets of standards and markings instead of the current 1.
I still can't find anyone with a rational argument as to why this cost and red tape burden is better for these businesses than what we have today.
Yes but that is just you still whining about the effects of something decided in a vote in 2016. I agree with you but the vote was done, Remain f****d up the campaign, the young Erasmousians couldn't be a***d to vote and we are where we are. You were right - I was right ffs. We lost.Time to move on.
Sorry but I don't remember our participation in the CE standards being on the ballot paper.
We voted to leave the EU. The detail of what we did afterwards was not voted on. Do we just sit back and accept the growing list of fuckups and say "suck it up"? This is self-inflicted and we could simply change it.
Apparently, there are only 3 pubs open in England today, all on the Scilly Isles.
Pubs have been closed on a few hours notice thus losing any stock they had bought in for NY because the government could not be arsed to announce the change before the last day for making orders, something which would have been obvious to anyone with a calendar and the wit to ring somebody up in this business. So clearly well beyond the grasp of this government.
They cannot claim on insurance and pubs in England get far less help than those in Wales and Scotland. Even the grants announced back in November have still to be paid out. The government seems to expect everyone working in this sector to live permanently on 80% of their previous wages. The grants which have been announced don't go remotely near covering fixed costs. Basically every closed pub and hotel and restaurant and other hospitality venue is now loss-making.
Whether they will ever reopen again depends on whether (a) they have any savings to use and (b) they whether they think it worth using up their savings. The latter depends trusting the government to manage the vaccination programme effectively so that venues can reopen by Easter latest.
Effectiveness is not the word one first associates with this government, however.
Um, yes, and? We have a new status relative to the EU, one of our biggest markets. Of course that involves a degree of change - do you think nobody had to make any changes to their paperwork when we joined? This is real bears shitting in the woods stuff.
I suggest you look at how long the transition period was after the terms of joining were known compared to now before making such a silly statement. The detail ie the stuff that really matters to businesses was known a week ago.
The comment I was responding to was not a complaint about the length of the transition period. I have some sympathy for the argument that there should have been an implementation period (which I think should have been for a maximum of a single month).
Enoch Powell. Which also shows you that being a great speaker is a dangerous thing as his views are reprehensible to me.
Michael Foot. In his prime before he went quite senile.
Tam Dalyell. Superb in the Commons.
Hillary Benn. Can be a brilliant speaker.
That's about it. I can't think of any others off the top of my head. David Cameron gave a great speech to wow the Conservative party conference in the leadership hustings. Margaret Thatcher, when she wasn't hectoring, could be brilliant. Her climate change speech at the UN was outstanding even if I don't agree with her assessment that private companies are the solution.
I agree with his conclusion that, while the clinical trials for the vaccine have been a hot mess, at a minimum they have delivered a cheap and fairly effective vaccine - and that it’s also quite possible that the longer booster interval might make it as effective as the mRNA vaccines,
Possibly due to subsiding vector immunity over the longer period of time. The HD/FD version probably has a similar effect that the HD doesn't produce a strong immune response to the vector allowing the FD to work properly and get a strong immune response to the active vaccine.
If there's strong evidence that the 12 week gap makes sense for AZ then it would probably be worth doing it. In an immunological sense the longer gap makes sense to me, but then I'm chemistry and pharmacology, not biology. It also gives the government breathing room to get many, many millions of first jabs done from now to March and allow for manufacturing to ramp up a bit more. The only downside is that clearly one jab doesn't proffer a very strong immune response so even if we're able to do 30m first jabs we might not see a big drop in the hospitalisation rate.
70% immunity for 30m people should have a mammoth impact on hospitalisation rates shouldn't it?
On a collective basis it does the most for helping hospitalisation surely? Though on an individual basis people are more at risk, collectively the communal protection should be greater I would have thought?
Plus if it does stop asymptomatic spread and not just hospitalisations then it should massive reduce R as more people are immune. Though we won't know that for a while.
I've broken the habit of a lifetime and donated to a website to keep it going. I mostly just lurk nowadays as life gets in the way, but keep up the good work and may your pizza always be topped with pineapple.
I hope your wife is well?
Yes, thank you. She is wonderfully, beautifully, exceptionally well. Lockdown has actually been very good for her. She managed 2 days back at work before her school furloughed her and so she has been able to have a much longer recovery and focus on herself-I'm now married to a vegan, teetotal yoga/pilates/gym bunny- but that has made me fitter and healthier too. Things are all heading in the right direction, with her latest scan clear. She has had a couple of reconstruction operations cancelled due to covid pressures, and we expect the rescheduled one in February to also be cancelled but if that's the only thing we have to complain about, we'll take that! I hope the new year brings us all relief from this damned virus, and all our children can get back into work!
he is a very clever chap and seriously good at this politics stuff.
He's not though.
He is a genius at self promotion, but where is the Garden Bridge? Where is his island? How many people have ever, will ever use the cable car?
As noted on this thread, Brexit was not his achievement alone.
And the worst Covid response in Europe does not speak well of his abilities.
Whilst I agree with the general tone of your comment, the claim about the worst Covid response in Europe simply doesn't stand up to scrutiny by any measure other than personal animus. We have neither the worst overall death rates nor the worst per capita. We have done more tests than any other European country excluding Russia and more tests per capita than any other country in the world with a population over 10 million.
Yes we have done lots of things badly but to claim we have had the worst covid response in Europe is just plain wrong.
We have also been first in the queue for buying up vaccines and we were the first western country to start distribution of vaccines. We are right at the forefront of the science on this as our contribution in identifying the variants of Covid shows.
The fact that we are doing the most testing is clearly influencing the proportion of "official" cases we have compared to others. I suspect that we have also been a lot more vigorous about recording deaths too but even on the current figures Italy, Belgium and Spain have higher death rates than us.
I see Sir Keir Starmer as a bit of a John Smith type. People often said of Smith that he was like your bank manager, at a time before people replaced the b in banker with a w.
To be brutally honest, whilst I like Keir Starmer in lots of ways I'm not really sure about him. Up against Johnson in an election campaign? Dunno. For politicniks he will run rings around BJ but for the vast majority of people I'm not so sure he will cut through.
There comes a point when someone with charisma - such as Johnson - loses so much credibility that he becomes a figure of fun and ridicule.That happened to Macmillan in the early 1960s - by 1962 he was no longer Supermac and people had ceased to be persuaded that they 'had never had it so good' even though living standards continued to rise.Johnson was from the beginning seen as a mendacious charlatan by more than half the electorate . There is likely to be little residual goodwill for him when the feels finally fall off with his popularity already much weakened.
Interesting long read article. It illustrates the problems in engaging with a totalitarian regime which we cannot ignore - in this case as it was the source of the virus, and in general because it will be the dominant economic (and likely military) power of this century.
Sorry, I appreciate that there are barriers going up and that some of them haven't become clear until recently which will cause a lot of confusion, but the CE mark no longer being valid has been known about for months, and yet this business person has become aware with 24 hours notice? I might be missing something obvious, but this just seems to be wilful ignorance rather than Brexit.
It's so ridiculous that I doubt the tweet to be honest.
Gavin Esler has no right to bang on about pro Brexit media peddling lies when he readily retweets stuff like that.
In fact, from 11pm he is essentially one of the founders of the group of new extreme pro-European reverse UKIP style fringe who want us to go full fat in to the EU incl Euro, along with Adonis, Grayling and Maugham.
Absolutely. Bloody remainers complaining about the facts. The should Shut Up and enjoy the benefits of Brexit.
I read the tweet and thought "that isn't right, she still has a year". Which was the advice before the deal was signed. Amazingly that isn't now the case. Some products will have to have new markings as of tomorrow! Another one of the fabulous benefits of this omnishambles.
You mean, up to say last week the regs gave her a year? And now suddenly they don't, withj zero notice? Just so I understand this correctly, please ...
Yes. I've had to read up on all of the guidance regarding regulations and so on for work. It was clear that we had 12 months overlap between the old CE mark and the new various UK(GB) / UK(NI) marks. So I read her tweet and thought she had it wrong. Then a quick Google and I started laughing.
Starting tomorrow if your product: * is for the market in Great Britain * is covered by legislation which requires the UKCA marking * requires mandatory third-party conformity assessment * conformity assessment has been carried out by a UK conformity assessment body and you haven’t transferred your conformity assessment files from your UK body to an EU recognised body before 1 January 2021 Then you have to use the new UKCA marking. Tomorrow. Happily they attach an image file.
However did we manage to bollox up the details like this?
Yes but another quick google shows that the guidance you are referring to has been in place since at least September and would have been unaffected by whatever deal we did with the EU because it refers specifically to goods for the UK market.
Plus the Government guidance page states:
"The UKCA marking can be used from 1 January 2021. However, to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE marking until 1 January 2022 in most cases."
So the idea this has suddenly dropped on her since the deal was agreed is still rubbish.
Fine. So instead we only have the 4 months notice to apply 3 sets of standards and markings instead of the current 1.
I still can't find anyone with a rational argument as to why this cost and red tape burden is better for these businesses than what we have today.
Because we don't decide policy solely for the benefit of the 6% of businesses that actually do trade with the EU
Edit: and only a tiny fraction of those 6% will have to make immediate changes. Everyone else gets a 12 month changeover and existing marked stock does not have to be changed.
I don't care about the 4 months vs 16 months its the ongoing stupidity of pretending that we will be setting our own divergent quality standards for products. We won't - our market isn't big enough for us to impose a UKCA standard that is different to CE.
Yes it is.
Our market is one of the 6 largest markets in the entire world.
Just a reminder of my earlier betting tip which I fully accept goes into the faintly ridiculous category ...
Jon Ossoff for 2024 Presidency at 250/1 with Ladbrokes if you boost it.
I'd have been happier at 1000/1 but they clearly see what I do: a highly effective orator with a turn of phrase and pretty devastating debating skills.
Doesn't mean he will even get into the Senate next week. I'm on at 3/1 for that and not particularly confident.
TBH that seems like a reasonable punt. It assumes: 1. Ossoff wins the seat. Plausible 2. Ossoff is as good as he has come across so far 3. Harris isn't a shoo-in for the 2024 nomination
he is a very clever chap and seriously good at this politics stuff.
He's not though.
He is a genius at self promotion, but where is the Garden Bridge? Where is his island? How many people have ever, will ever use the cable car?
As noted on this thread, Brexit was not his achievement alone.
And the worst Covid response in Europe does not speak well of his abilities.
Whilst I agree with the general tone of your comment, the claim about the worst Covid response in Europe simply doesn't stand up to scrutiny by any measure other than personal animus. We have neither the worst overall death rates nor the worst per capita. We have done more tests than any other European country excluding Russia and more tests per capita than any other country in the world with a population over 10 million.
Yes we have done lots of things badly but to claim we have had the worst covid response in Europe is just plain wrong.
Sorry, I appreciate that there are barriers going up and that some of them haven't become clear until recently which will cause a lot of confusion, but the CE mark no longer being valid has been known about for months, and yet this business person has become aware with 24 hours notice? I might be missing something obvious, but this just seems to be wilful ignorance rather than Brexit.
It's so ridiculous that I doubt the tweet to be honest.
Gavin Esler has no right to bang on about pro Brexit media peddling lies when he readily retweets stuff like that.
In fact, from 11pm he is essentially one of the founders of the group of new extreme pro-European reverse UKIP style fringe who want us to go full fat in to the EU incl Euro, along with Adonis, Grayling and Maugham.
Absolutely. Bloody remainers complaining about the facts. The should Shut Up and enjoy the benefits of Brexit.
I read the tweet and thought "that isn't right, she still has a year". Which was the advice before the deal was signed. Amazingly that isn't now the case. Some products will have to have new markings as of tomorrow! Another one of the fabulous benefits of this omnishambles.
You mean, up to say last week the regs gave her a year? And now suddenly they don't, withj zero notice? Just so I understand this correctly, please ...
Yes. I've had to read up on all of the guidance regarding regulations and so on for work. It was clear that we had 12 months overlap between the old CE mark and the new various UK(GB) / UK(NI) marks. So I read her tweet and thought she had it wrong. Then a quick Google and I started laughing.
Starting tomorrow if your product: * is for the market in Great Britain * is covered by legislation which requires the UKCA marking * requires mandatory third-party conformity assessment * conformity assessment has been carried out by a UK conformity assessment body and you haven’t transferred your conformity assessment files from your UK body to an EU recognised body before 1 January 2021 Then you have to use the new UKCA marking. Tomorrow. Happily they attach an image file.
However did we manage to bollox up the details like this?
Yes but another quick google shows that the guidance you are referring to has been in place since at least September and would have been unaffected by whatever deal we did with the EU because it refers specifically to goods for the UK market.
Plus the Government guidance page states:
"The UKCA marking can be used from 1 January 2021. However, to allow businesses time to adjust to the new requirements, you will still be able to use the CE marking until 1 January 2022 in most cases."
So the idea this has suddenly dropped on her since the deal was agreed is still rubbish.
Fine. So instead we only have the 4 months notice to apply 3 sets of standards and markings instead of the current 1.
I still can't find anyone with a rational argument as to why this cost and red tape burden is better for these businesses than what we have today.
Yes but that is just you still whining about the effects of something decided in a vote in 2016. I agree with you but the vote was done, Remain f****d up the campaign, the young Erasmousians couldn't be a***d to vote and we are where we are. You were right - I was right ffs. We lost.Time to move on.
Sorry but I don't remember our participation in the CE standards being on the ballot paper.
We voted to leave the EU. The detail of what we did afterwards was not voted on. Do we just sit back and accept the growing list of fuckups and say "suck it up"? This is self-inflicted and we could simply change it.
OMG - We've had 2 subsequent GEs and a huge majority in Parliament yesterday. You're just not getting it sadly.
Enoch Powell. Which also shows you that being a great speaker is a dangerous thing as his views are reprehensible to me.
Michael Foot. In his prime before he went quite senile.
Tam Dalyell. Superb in the Commons.
Hillary Benn. Can be a brilliant speaker.
That's about it. I can't think of any others off the top of my head. David Cameron gave a great speech to wow the Conservative party conference in the leadership hustings. Margaret Thatcher, when she wasn't hectoring, could be brilliant. Her climate change speech at the UN was outstanding even if I don't agree with her assessment that private companies are the solution.
Enoch Powell. Which also shows you that being a great speaker is a dangerous thing as his views are reprehensible to me.
Michael Foot. In his prime before he went quite senile.
Tam Dalyell. Superb in the Commons.
Hillary Benn. Can be a brilliant speaker.
That's about it. I can't think of any others off the top of my head. David Cameron gave a great speech to wow the Conservative party conference in the leadership hustings. Margaret Thatcher, when she wasn't hectoring, could be brilliant. Her climate change speech at the UN was outstanding even if I don't agree with her assessment that private companies are the solution.
he is a very clever chap and seriously good at this politics stuff.
He's not though.
He is a genius at self promotion, but where is the Garden Bridge? Where is his island? How many people have ever, will ever use the cable car?
As noted on this thread, Brexit was not his achievement alone.
And the worst Covid response in Europe does not speak well of his abilities.
Whilst I agree with the general tone of your comment, the claim about the worst Covid response in Europe simply doesn't stand up to scrutiny by any measure other than personal animus. We have neither the worst overall death rates nor the worst per capita. We have done more tests than any other European country excluding Russia and more tests per capita than any other country in the world with a population over 10 million.
Yes we have done lots of things badly but to claim we have had the worst covid response in Europe is just plain wrong.
We have also been first in the queue for buying up vaccines and we were the first western country to start distribution of vaccines. We are right at the forefront of the science on this as our contribution in identifying the variants of Covid shows.
The fact that we are doing the most testing is clearly influencing the proportion of "official" cases we have compared to others. I suspect that we have also been a lot more vigorous about recording deaths too but even on the current figures Italy, Belgium and Spain have higher death rates than us.
True; I only wish some of the vaccine was round here; only a few miles from where there are some of the highest rates in the country!
Comments
The lying from Johnson and Gove yesterday was egregious, even compared with their normal dishonesty. If Brexit and their deal are so good, why do they have to lie about it so much? (That isn't even a partisan comment from me ...)
I've used his cable car FWIW. Cool views but that part of London does not seem to have developed quite as much as hoped, at least not yet.
Of course other people are involved but would leave have left without Boris? Not a chance.
https://twitter.com/notdred/status/1344248984571936768
I agree with his conclusion that, while the clinical trials for the vaccine have been a hot mess, at a minimum they have delivered a cheap and fairly effective vaccine - and that it’s also quite possible that the longer booster interval might make it as effective as the mRNA vaccines,
1) What additional resources will be provided to support the mass testing gimmick the government appears to believe will resolve matters?
2) What happens if the testing system simply cannot be set up and made functional (which it almost certainly can’t for 90% of secondaries in the time)?
3) How is remote learning managed for the first week? Is it all year groups? If not, which one?
4) What are groups in school for the second week that are not 11 and 13 to be taught?
5) What funds are available to pay for cover for those teachers who have been ordered to shield?
6) What criteria are being used to close primary schools, or indeed, reopen them?
These are basic, basic questions and all these answers should have been available immediately after the DNSR had sat down yesterday.
But it looks as though they will not be available before Monday. Which is when some schools are meant to be reopening.
Totally, criminally incompetent and irresponsible.
And what has he done with each of them?
Fucked up everything he touched.
Plus, you can rely on any matter of worthwhile news to be flagged almost immediately. The best source of rolling news there is.
With added puns.
Many here have had a truly shit 12 months. Heartfelt wishes for a better year ahead for all, wherever you sit on the political spectrum.
Alexander Fleming.
https://www.healio.com/news/endocrinology/20120325/penicillin-an-accidental-discovery-changed-the-course-of-medicine
And it’s bloody annoying.
Fried Egg
Fried Bacon
Fried Sausage
Fried Black Pudding
Fried Mushrooms
Fried Potato
Fried Tomato
I think they'd have fried the table cloth too if they could have.
And if you got a Scottish Pullman you'd get Fried Lorne sausage......
I`ve just received an email from my mum`s care home. They have a date for the commencement of the whole home (residents and staff) for vaccinations - will be the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
They say the first vaccination will be administered on the 5th January with the 2nd dose administered within a 12 week timeframe.
In 18 months I think from my perspective (and I know I'm in a minority) he's been better at governing than any predecessor in decades. He's clearly infinitely better than May at governing.
On Brexit his predecessor failed objectively to get a deal she could get through Parliament. Boris has managed to get not one but now two that he has been able to agree with our neighbours and get through Parliament. That is powerful governance in action.
On Covid its fair to say mistakes were made especially in the first wave. The UK was rather caught with its pants down not realising until too late how serious Covid was. But in the second half of the year the governance has gotten much better, the excess death rates in the UK in the second wave are below most of our neighbours and the UK is leading the continent and one of the best in the world on vaccinations.
On the economy putting Sunak in charge of the Treasury and leaving him alone to get on with it has been a masterstroke.
On international trade Truss has done wonders this year doing the basics Liam Fox should have tackled years ago, while teeing up future negotiations.
John Major was also dour and landed the top job after being propelled through all three senior positions in a heady rush so that no-one really knew him.
Also, Major was up against the Welsh windbag who revolted the tabloids.
Fauci predicts U.S. will gain control of coronavirus pandemic by next autumn
I have a horrible feeling that is realistic for the UK too.
AZN will be a lot easier to get into the homes than Pfizer. Really glad for your mum, but on a collective basis it should make a major impact on hospital admissions and reduce the pressure on the NHS.
To be brutally honest, whilst I like Keir Starmer in lots of ways I'm not really sure about him. Up against Johnson in an election campaign? Dunno. For politicniks he will run rings around BJ but for the vast majority of people I'm not so sure he will cut through.
And that's what really upsets isn't it.
https://twitter.com/RefriedBrean/status/1344333461557895169
But my wife is absolutely fuming. As far as she's concerned she got the first dose on the fact that it was following the 3-week timeline and to change that after she's had the first dose infuriates her. She thinks she's being used as a guinea pig since that wasn't the trial and that it would be fair enough to go to a 12 week schedule going forwards since those getting the first would know that is what is happening but those who've already had the first dose on the promise of a second 3 weeks later should still get their second on the timeline promised when they got the first.
I don't agree with her but I see where she's coming from. For the sake of a happy wife, happy life, I'm not going to tell her I think she's wrong.
Jon Ossoff for 2024 Presidency at 250/1 with Ladbrokes if you boost it.
I'd have been happier at 1000/1 but they clearly see what I do: a highly effective orator with a turn of phrase and pretty devastating debating skills.
Doesn't mean he will even get into the Senate next week. I'm on at 3/1 for that and not particularly confident.
The wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong time is what the history books will show.
https://twitter.com/Robert_Purse/status/1344610497140809728?s=20
I think he had a certain charisma prior to his election; certainly in comparison to Alec Douglas-Home.
And that was only in opposition not government and with a year's warning that things were going seriously wrong.
They cannot claim on insurance and pubs in England get far less help than those in Wales and Scotland. Even the grants announced back in November have still to be paid out. The government seems to expect everyone working in this sector to live permanently on 80% of their previous wages. The grants which have been announced don't go remotely near covering fixed costs. Basically every closed pub and hotel and restaurant and other hospitality venue is now loss-making.
Whether they will ever reopen again depends on whether (a) they have any savings to use and (b) they whether they think it worth using up their savings. The latter depends trusting the government to manage the vaccination programme effectively so that venues can reopen by Easter latest.
Effectiveness is not the word one first associates with this government, however. I suggest you look at how long the transition period was after the terms of joining were known compared to now before making such a silly statement. The detail ie the stuff that really matters to businesses was known a week ago.
Yes we have done lots of things badly but to claim we have had the worst covid response in Europe is just plain wrong.
If there's strong evidence that the 12 week gap makes sense for AZ then it would probably be worth doing it. In an immunological sense the longer gap makes sense to me, but then I'm chemistry and pharmacology, not biology. It also gives the government breathing room to get many, many millions of first jabs done from now to March and allow for manufacturing to ramp up a bit more. The only downside is that clearly one jab doesn't proffer a very strong immune response so even if we're able to do 30m first jabs we might not see a big drop in the hospitalisation rate.
https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/star-trek-james-doohan-ashes-iss-b1779521.html
It will probably work out, as I think the single dose effectiveness will in any event be significantly better than the 52% shown in the clinical trial (because of the very short time in the trial between onset of antibody response to the first shot, and the booster shot being given).
PPE would have been in short supply initially
No UK politicians would have closed the borders
The NHS would still have sent patients back to care homes
Ignoring regulations and fat slobbery would still have been endemic
What the government did manage to do was get large scale testing in place and vaccines ordered.
I point out to them that taxonomically Covid 19 is as far from Influenza as we are from slugs.
We voted to leave the EU. The detail of what we did afterwards was not voted on. Do we just sit back and accept the growing list of fuckups and say "suck it up"? This is self-inflicted and we could simply change it.
Enoch Powell. Which also shows you that being a great speaker is a dangerous thing as his views are reprehensible to me.
Michael Foot. In his prime before he went quite senile.
Tam Dalyell. Superb in the Commons.
Hillary Benn. Can be a brilliant speaker.
That's about it. I can't think of any others off the top of my head. David Cameron gave a great speech to wow the Conservative party conference in the leadership hustings. Margaret Thatcher, when she wasn't hectoring, could be brilliant. Her climate change speech at the UN was outstanding even if I don't agree with her assessment that private companies are the solution.
On a collective basis it does the most for helping hospitalisation surely? Though on an individual basis people are more at risk, collectively the communal protection should be greater I would have thought?
Plus if it does stop asymptomatic spread and not just hospitalisations then it should massive reduce R as more people are immune. Though we won't know that for a while.
I hope the new year brings us all relief from this damned virus, and all our children can get back into work!
The fact that we are doing the most testing is clearly influencing the proportion of "official" cases we have compared to others. I suspect that we have also been a lot more vigorous about recording deaths too but even on the current figures Italy, Belgium and Spain have higher death rates than us.
It illustrates the problems in engaging with a totalitarian regime which we cannot ignore - in this case as it was the source of the virus, and in general because it will be the dominant economic (and likely military) power of this century.
China clamps down in hidden hunt for coronavirus origins
https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-coronavirus-pandemic-china-only-on-ap-bats-24fbadc58cee3a40bca2ddf7a14d2955
Our market is one of the 6 largest markets in the entire world.
1. Ossoff wins the seat. Plausible
2. Ossoff is as good as he has come across so far
3. Harris isn't a shoo-in for the 2024 nomination
Could happen!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/12/31/imperfect-brexit-deal-means-battle-truly-leave-has-just-begun/
https://twitter.com/PaulWilliamsLAB/status/1344411903842521098