Mr. Pulpstar, there has been recent warming, but the short scope of human history in geological terms does make it a limited sample. And we've seen warming during non-industrial periods (Caligula/Claudius' time, Henry VIII's reign).
I do support quite a lot of measures that those who believe such theories advocate, particularly around power generation (excepting wind, which is silly). Technological advancements in this area are no bad thing.
I just can’t converse seriously with people that deny science.
That is actually a problem for the Green Party, or at least the green movement: their ideological opposition to certain technologies, not just nuclear power but more worryingly GM crops under any circumstances. Their opposition to Golden Rice has been a particularly bad episode and removed any ability to use the “deny science” accusation.
The truth is we all pick the science we like and ignore the bits we don’t when it comes to making political arguments. Even highly respected scientists do it: Albert Einstein and Sir Fred Hoyle are particularly good examples here.
Opposition to GM always struck me as strange
I’m not a biologist in any way, but I think the C-19 vaccines were all made with GM technology; if I’m right it’s probably a good thing that most people don’t realise that.
To be a bit fair there were some early GM products that were more than a little problematic, involving crops that would not produce seed corn or that encouraged massive amounts of crop spraying, but the complete opposition to anything at all is seriously damaging.
"The combination of a 3-4 month suspension of elective surgery, reduced availability of operating theatre space and reduced throughput on operating lists will greatly lengthen surgical and diagnostics waiting lists. I suspect this productivity will drop by 50% or more for the duration of the coronavirus, so likely to be for 12-24 months. Within a year patients waiting over a year for treatment in England and Scotland will be common, they are already in Northern Ireland and Wales. Within 2 years we will see some patients waiting 24 months. Non surgical specialities including mental health will be similarly affected, though these get less media attention."
I waited over 2 years for my bi lateral hernia surgery in Wales and long before covid was a issues
But this is Wales NHS under labour
Now gone nationwide. 2 year waiting lists will be the norm shortly, and the delays for priority 2 patients with cancer and heart disease alarming too.
It was 65 weeks from seeing the surgeon to the operation
About 10 years ago it was about 4 months from my first (bowel) cancer diagnosis to operation. And five years later it wasn't much longer from diagnosis of prostate cancer to conclusion of radiotherapyi
All NHS.
That is good news but to be fair mine was all NHS, but under Wales labour which has a terrible record on health
I had the impression that while organisations like Betsi Cadwallader were 'not very good' (ahem) services outside hospital were good.
We come under Betsi Cadwallader and it has been in special measures
However, our GP practice has greatly improved under covid as everything is done by telephone and if necessary a specific appointment time at the surgery where you wait in your car and are called straight into the consultation
I do not see a return to the old way at anytime in the future
I believe GP's as a whole are dissatisfied with telephone conversations and want to return to the 'old ways'. I must say I would have though that for many conditions FaceTime was useful; however, I understand it's not considered 'safe'.
I hope not
They need to expand into zoom and adopt the ways of the future
Certainly the new way at our practice is much better
My sister lives in the Channel Islands. She has complex health needs which require specialist consultants every so often. Those consultants regularly refuse to attend to her unless she flies over to the mainland. In extremis they will use ordinary telephones. According to my niece, her daughter, the NHS management adamantly refuses to consider any form of virtual consultation. My niece, works at quite a senior level for a Government department is 'quite' cross about it!
My GP was quite proactive about using virtual consultations - and has commented that some people in the health care system really, really don't like them.
I was a bit startled when she got me to take my mother-in-laws blood pressure for a re-prescription of a medicine. Even allowing for the fact that she was watching via the webcam, it seemed very un... NHS? to let the plebs do stuff.
My wife and I do our own blood pressure at home whenever the surgery wants readings
And have been for some years and neither of us have medical training
I also have Peak Immunity from the International Lurgy, as it is now 22 days since my first jab
I am celebrating by getting AN ILLEGAL HAIRCUT
I already have an illegal haircut, courtesy of lockdown. The combover-mullet combo.....
I have belatedly realised - by looking at some photos of this last year - that long hair ages me by about 10 years.
Enuff!
You'll have it done, and then realise that living through a pandemic has aged you about ten years.
That is indeed my great fear. I’ve managed to lose the lockdown lard, however
I never gained it - I'm about three pounds heavier than when I was marathon fit although that probably does mean less muscle and more fat. Lockdown has made it much easier to shop and plan in advance, and there haven't been any unhealthy weekends on the piss since about September.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I can see that it would look sinister to some. In my innocence I interpreted the inverted commas as highlighting a play on words, meaning he thinks it a bit odd that teachers should need to learn about that. These days perhaps asterisks would have worked better for that purpose.
What he actually meant? I wouldn't like to say, now that others have shared their interpretations.
That’s a fair point although if you are correct is is certainly naive of him
Mr Hunt has been banging on before about the National Trust "waging a war on our heritage". He knows exactly what he is doing and if the Conservative party had any moral fibre they would chuck him out the party.
One thing about the global warming conversation. We've really cranked up the CO2 emissions in the last hundred odd years or so. But it's likely to be very temporary in the long term - there'll barely be an ICE car around in 2060 for instance, wind, solar, tidal will all be in use come 2100 and outweigh coal and oil I think. There'll probably be a move toward more vegetarianism - basically things will level toward lower carbon output and we'll probably be cooling again by 2200 or so. The 2100s are probably likely to be rough for humanity with floods and stuff mind as the forcing effect of CO2 takes 50 years or so. It'll be a barely recorded blip in the future ice age records though
I also have Peak Immunity from the International Lurgy, as it is now 22 days since my first jab
I am celebrating by getting AN ILLEGAL HAIRCUT
I already have an illegal haircut, courtesy of lockdown. The combover-mullet combo.....
I have belatedly realised - by looking at some photos of this last year - that long hair ages me by about 10 years.
Enuff!
You'll have it done, and then realise that living through a pandemic has aged you about ten years.
That is indeed my great fear. I’ve managed to lose the lockdown lard, however
I never gained it - I'm about three pounds heavier than when I was marathon fit although that probably does mean less muscle and more fat. Lockdown has made it much easier to shop and plan in advance, and there haven't been any unhealthy weekends on the piss since about September.
My problem was cooking elaborate meals. All other pleasures have gone, there is endless time to fill, so I’ve been testing some seriously complex recipes. But of course I then eat them
However for the last month I’ve adopted a fast-every-other-day regime. Remarkable how quickly it falls away when you halve your calorie intake
But it works, and it works for a reason. There is little sympathy amongst the wider public for stroppy teens pulling down the flag and burning it. They don't come across as heroic anti-racism activists so much as anti-social vandals. It's not a good look.
Granted, but its the compulsory bit that will backfire on the Tories. The unrestrained urge to keep telling people what to do, whether flying flags or obeying lock down will lead to a backlash of some force. If the Tories keep bossing people about, they will- pretty soon- be told where to go.
This authoritarian style is something else Johnson has borrowed from Labour.
Many Tories must be grinding their teeth.
The only bit I disagree with there Barnesian is that I find Tories (with some notable exceptions eg @Philip_Thompson ) authoritarian. The only difference being that socialist believe in state intervention. The Tories don't but do it all the time but don't realise it.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
It’s extraordinary the lengths Tories will go to to defend their own. There’s no benefit of the doubt when it’s Labour.
Just undermines your whole point tbh
I’m not sure why you get that from my post? I’m not a fan of compulsion.
I am a fan of correct use of language.
Education without inverted commas is providing information and discussion about the pros and cons of the Union flag and the merits or otherwise of flying it. Education is a good thing.
“Education” implies compulsion and threats. An entirely different thing.
There is nothing in my post that supports what Tom Hunt MP (who is he anyway?) tweeted
The “educated” thing is silly, and unnecessarily menacing, but there really is nothing excessive about asking state schools, in Britain, funded by the British taxpayer, to fly the British flag. It is the correct thing to do
It’s a bit trite and pointless but I don’t really get worked up about it.
I have a friend who had a flagpole at home because of her job as we used to tease her rotten about it.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
Weren't you the MC for a selection meeting?
Or am I misremembering?
That was my mother & she was chosen because she was an unaffiliated local notable (sounds a bit pretentious but don’t know how else to describe the local party’s reasoning)
Mr. Pulpstar, there has been recent warming, but the short scope of human history in geological terms does make it a limited sample. And we've seen warming during non-industrial periods (Caligula/Claudius' time, Henry VIII's reign).
I do support quite a lot of measures that those who believe such theories advocate, particularly around power generation (excepting wind, which is silly). Technological advancements in this area are no bad thing.
I just can’t converse seriously with people that deny science.
That is actually a problem for the Green Party, or at least the green movement: their ideological opposition to certain technologies, not just nuclear power but more worryingly GM crops under any circumstances. Their opposition to Golden Rice has been a particularly bad episode and removed any ability to use the “deny science” accusation.
The truth is we all pick the science we like and ignore the bits we don’t when it comes to making political arguments. Even highly respected scientists do it: Albert Einstein and Sir Fred Hoyle are particularly good examples here.
Opposition to GM always struck me as strange
I’m not a biologist in any way, but I think the C-19 vaccines were all made with GM technology; if I’m right it’s probably a good thing that most people don’t realise that.
To be a bit fair there were some early GM products that were more than a little problematic, involving crops that would not produce seed corn or that encouraged massive amounts of crop spraying, but the complete opposition to anything at all is seriously damaging.
Mr. Pulpstar, there has been recent warming, but the short scope of human history in geological terms does make it a limited sample. And we've seen warming during non-industrial periods (Caligula/Claudius' time, Henry VIII's reign).
I do support quite a lot of measures that those who believe such theories advocate, particularly around power generation (excepting wind, which is silly). Technological advancements in this area are no bad thing.
I just can’t converse seriously with people that deny science.
That is actually a problem for the Green Party, or at least the green movement: their ideological opposition to certain technologies, not just nuclear power but more worryingly GM crops under any circumstances. Their opposition to Golden Rice has been a particularly bad episode and removed any ability to use the “deny science” accusation.
The truth is we all pick the science we like and ignore the bits we don’t when it comes to making political arguments. Even highly respected scientists do it: Albert Einstein and Sir Fred Hoyle are particularly good examples here.
Opposition to GM always struck me as strange
I’m not a biologist in any way, but I think the C-19 vaccines were all made with GM technology; if I’m right it’s probably a good thing that most people don’t realise that.
To be a bit fair there were some early GM products that were more than a little problematic, involving crops that would not produce seed corn or that encouraged massive amounts of crop spraying, but the complete opposition to anything at all is seriously damaging.
It's also unsurprising when you looks at the roots of a portion of Green politics - purity of nature etc.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
Weren't you the MC for a selection meeting?
Or am I misremembering?
That was my mother & she was chosen because she was an unaffiliated local notable (sounds a bit pretentious but don’t know how else to describe the local party’s reasoning)
Mr. Pulpstar, there has been recent warming, but the short scope of human history in geological terms does make it a limited sample. And we've seen warming during non-industrial periods (Caligula/Claudius' time, Henry VIII's reign).
I do support quite a lot of measures that those who believe such theories advocate, particularly around power generation (excepting wind, which is silly). Technological advancements in this area are no bad thing.
I just can’t converse seriously with people that deny science.
That is actually a problem for the Green Party, or at least the green movement: their ideological opposition to certain technologies, not just nuclear power but more worryingly GM crops under any circumstances. Their opposition to Golden Rice has been a particularly bad episode and removed any ability to use the “deny science” accusation.
The truth is we all pick the science we like and ignore the bits we don’t when it comes to making political arguments. Even highly respected scientists do it: Albert Einstein and Sir Fred Hoyle are particularly good examples here.
Opposition to GM always struck me as strange
I’m not a biologist in any way, but I think the C-19 vaccines were all made with GM technology; if I’m right it’s probably a good thing that most people don’t realise that.
To be a bit fair there were some early GM products that were more than a little problematic, involving crops that would not produce seed corn or that encouraged massive amounts of crop spraying, but the complete opposition to anything at all is seriously damaging.
Gene editing not genetic modification.
Very very important difference
Can you explain the difference in a way that a physics teacher (who did O-level biology in 1985 and hasn't had a formal lesson in it since) would understand?
I'm watching a video of a walking tour of Marseille from yesterday - crowds of people queuing with no distancing, packed outdoor dining / bars - I thought they were locking down a bit?
What is the context of the video - we have seen, around the world, long lensing and selective editing used to push narratives of over-crowding...
Remember the picture used, on Twitter, to claim that the whole of Paris was fleeing the last lock down? A picture of the everyday rush hour.....
"The combination of a 3-4 month suspension of elective surgery, reduced availability of operating theatre space and reduced throughput on operating lists will greatly lengthen surgical and diagnostics waiting lists. I suspect this productivity will drop by 50% or more for the duration of the coronavirus, so likely to be for 12-24 months. Within a year patients waiting over a year for treatment in England and Scotland will be common, they are already in Northern Ireland and Wales. Within 2 years we will see some patients waiting 24 months. Non surgical specialities including mental health will be similarly affected, though these get less media attention."
I waited over 2 years for my bi lateral hernia surgery in Wales and long before covid was a issues
But this is Wales NHS under labour
Now gone nationwide. 2 year waiting lists will be the norm shortly, and the delays for priority 2 patients with cancer and heart disease alarming too.
It was 65 weeks from seeing the surgeon to the operation
About 10 years ago it was about 4 months from my first (bowel) cancer diagnosis to operation. And five years later it wasn't much longer from diagnosis of prostate cancer to conclusion of radiotherapyi
All NHS.
That is good news but to be fair mine was all NHS, but under Wales labour which has a terrible record on health
I had the impression that while organisations like Betsi Cadwallader were 'not very good' (ahem) services outside hospital were good.
We come under Betsi Cadwallader and it has been in special measures
However, our GP practice has greatly improved under covid as everything is done by telephone and if necessary a specific appointment time at the surgery where you wait in your car and are called straight into the consultation
I do not see a return to the old way at anytime in the future
I believe GP's as a whole are dissatisfied with telephone conversations and want to return to the 'old ways'. I must say I would have though that for many conditions FaceTime was useful; however, I understand it's not considered 'safe'.
I hope not
They need to expand into zoom and adopt the ways of the future
Certainly the new way at our practice is much better
My sister lives in the Channel Islands. She has complex health needs which require specialist consultants every so often. Those consultants regularly refuse to attend to her unless she flies over to the mainland. In extremis they will use ordinary telephones. According to my niece, her daughter, the NHS management adamantly refuses to consider any form of virtual consultation. My niece, works at quite a senior level for a Government department is 'quite' cross about it!
My GP was quite proactive about using virtual consultations - and has commented that some people in the health care system really, really don't like them.
I was a bit startled when she got me to take my mother-in-laws blood pressure for a re-prescription of a medicine. Even allowing for the fact that she was watching via the webcam, it seemed very un... NHS? to let the plebs do stuff.
My wife and I do our own blood pressure at home whenever the surgery wants readings
And have been for some years and neither of us have medical training
Is there any official guidance on this kind of thing?
It occurs to me that there are more and more medical equipment that is cheap and very easy to use - the oximeters come to mind - it will be interesting to see what adaptions the "system" makes to deal with it.
Mr. Pulpstar, there has been recent warming, but the short scope of human history in geological terms does make it a limited sample. And we've seen warming during non-industrial periods (Caligula/Claudius' time, Henry VIII's reign).
I do support quite a lot of measures that those who believe such theories advocate, particularly around power generation (excepting wind, which is silly). Technological advancements in this area are no bad thing.
I just can’t converse seriously with people that deny science.
That is actually a problem for the Green Party, or at least the green movement: their ideological opposition to certain technologies, not just nuclear power but more worryingly GM crops under any circumstances. Their opposition to Golden Rice has been a particularly bad episode and removed any ability to use the “deny science” accusation.
The truth is we all pick the science we like and ignore the bits we don’t when it comes to making political arguments. Even highly respected scientists do it: Albert Einstein and Sir Fred Hoyle are particularly good examples here.
The footage of the late Lord Melchett ripping up crops that could potentially have helped feed the third world was not a good look for the Greens.
But it works, and it works for a reason. There is little sympathy amongst the wider public for stroppy teens pulling down the flag and burning it. They don't come across as heroic anti-racism activists so much as anti-social vandals. It's not a good look.
Granted, but its the compulsory bit that will backfire on the Tories. The unrestrained urge to keep telling people what to do, whether flying flags or obeying lock down will lead to a backlash of some force. If the Tories keep bossing people about, they will- pretty soon- be told where to go.
This authoritarian style is something else Johnson has borrowed from Labour.
Many Tories must be grinding their teeth.
The only bit I disagree with there Barnesian is that I find Tories (with some notable exceptions eg @Philip_Thompson ) authoritarian. The only difference being that socialist believe in state intervention. The Tories don't but do it all the time but don't realise it.
Yep. Ironically I think there is an obvious role-reversal to point to. Labour are authoritarian in that they think directing people to give a shit about other people makes for a better society. The Tories seem to be authoritarian in that they want to direct people to do stuff because they dislike them giving a shit about other people.
The flag thing is brilliant stupidity. Massively winds up the type of person who doesn't like faux patriotism which just reinforces the prejudices of the type of people who love faux patriotism. There is not going to be a new practice of mandatory flag waving, they just want headlines.
As always from Shagger its tactically brilliant but strategically stupid. WIth Norniron thrown off the bus and even Unionists questioning whats the point in their fealty, and Scotland once again on the brink of asking The Question, twatting around with a flag for explicitly divisive purposes is stupid even for them.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
On topic, the Greens lack charisma (excepting perhaps Caroline Lucas), leadership, a coherent plan for government and a proper way of appealing to the many millions in Britain who do care about the environment they live in but who aren't disaffected Corbynistas. They also lack supportive media coverage of course, but then so do the other smaller parties.
On their side they have the fact they are defined by an issue people do care about, and unlike the 3 main nationwide parties few people actively hate them. But they need to learn to articulate the environmental message better.
There are political parallels between climate change and Covid-19 epidemiology. We see a trend, with a known cause and an outcome that can be predicted, but people find it difficult to get their heads around in the early days. People get infected, mix with others, breathe on them, spread the virus and more people get sick. In climate change carbon locked underground for millions of years gets dug or pumped out and burned, re-enters the atmosphere, has a known physical effect on its radiative properties and the world warms. Helpfully climate change is very linear (for the moment) while epidemics are exponential. It means there is more time to act.
But just like Covid there are people on both extremes who prefer to turn the issue into a culture war than look at the evidence and act accordingly. Both issues have their deniers (with much overlap - Piers Corbyn, James Delingpole et al) but both also have their puritans who view the thing as a moral punishment for people having too much fun. Those who come out in cold sweats at pictures of families walking in parks or sitting on beaches are channelling the same instinct as those who declare foreign holidays evil or spray paint SUVs. And scientists who extrapolate too far and predict the end of snowfall in the UK years ahead of any meaningful trend. They are the flip side of contrarians who point at a cold snap in the US and declare global warming is a hoax. Just like we get ideologues on Twitter catastrophising about AZ being useless against killer variants and other ideologues claiming face masks cause asphyxiation.
I can't see the Green party embracing technological progress but they need to if they want to become more than a protest party. The way out of the climate crisis is through science and innovation. We need people around the world to get richer in a clean way. Just as the way out of the pandemic is new vaccines and treatments not permanent lockdown. I suspect what will happen is what always happens: the Greens help to create the noise; the Lib Dems turn this noise into meaningful policies; the Tories or Labour nick the bits of Lib Dem policy they like and ignore the rest, and slowly but surely we make progress on the environment.
Mr. Pulpstar, there has been recent warming, but the short scope of human history in geological terms does make it a limited sample. And we've seen warming during non-industrial periods (Caligula/Claudius' time, Henry VIII's reign).
I do support quite a lot of measures that those who believe such theories advocate, particularly around power generation (excepting wind, which is silly). Technological advancements in this area are no bad thing.
I just can’t converse seriously with people that deny science.
That is actually a problem for the Green Party, or at least the green movement: their ideological opposition to certain technologies, not just nuclear power but more worryingly GM crops under any circumstances. Their opposition to Golden Rice has been a particularly bad episode and removed any ability to use the “deny science” accusation.
The truth is we all pick the science we like and ignore the bits we don’t when it comes to making political arguments. Even highly respected scientists do it: Albert Einstein and Sir Fred Hoyle are particularly good examples here.
Opposition to GM always struck me as strange
I’m not a biologist in any way, but I think the C-19 vaccines were all made with GM technology; if I’m right it’s probably a good thing that most people don’t realise that.
To be a bit fair there were some early GM products that were more than a little problematic, involving crops that would not produce seed corn or that encouraged massive amounts of crop spraying, but the complete opposition to anything at all is seriously damaging.
Gene editing not genetic modification.
Very very important difference
Can you explain the difference in a way that a physics teacher (who did O-level biology in 1985 and hasn't had a formal lesson in it since) would understand?
Gene editing is basically using a pair of scissors to cut out part of the organisms DNA.
Gene modification is inserting a piece of foreign DNA into the mix.
I can’t support the Greens with their weird opposing of nuclear power
I’m agnostic on nuclear - the (current) costs of new plants, and the enormous decommissioning costs for current technologies are deeply unattractive.
On the other hand, there are several possible new technologies which are promising.
And the example of Germany, which shut down their plants long before the end of their useful life, and built coal fired power plants to replace them, is not to be applauded.
One of my former colleagues has started working for a fusion energy start up, they're taking aim at aneutronic fusion energy. Obviously he realises they won't achieve it but thinks they will do "a lot of good science" along the way.
Conventional nuclear fission should be shoved into the bin. Keep what we have but put a moratorium on new investment into it. Hydrogen energy storage through water electrolysis with excess power generation strikes me as a better short to medium term bet than nuclear fission energy.
In fact the only argument in favour is to make plutonium for our weapons programme and people's opinions on the value of that is pretty variable.
Boron? If so, there would probably be a Nobel in actually demonstrating actual Boron fusion....
But it works, and it works for a reason. There is little sympathy amongst the wider public for stroppy teens pulling down the flag and burning it. They don't come across as heroic anti-racism activists so much as anti-social vandals. It's not a good look.
Granted, but its the compulsory bit that will backfire on the Tories. The unrestrained urge to keep telling people what to do, whether flying flags or obeying lock down will lead to a backlash of some force. If the Tories keep bossing people about, they will- pretty soon- be told where to go.
This authoritarian style is something else Johnson has borrowed from Labour.
Many Tories must be grinding their teeth.
The only bit I disagree with there Barnesian is that I find Tories (with some notable exceptions eg @Philip_Thompson ) authoritarian. The only difference being that socialist believe in state intervention. The Tories don't but do it all the time but don't realise it.
But it works, and it works for a reason. There is little sympathy amongst the wider public for stroppy teens pulling down the flag and burning it. They don't come across as heroic anti-racism activists so much as anti-social vandals. It's not a good look.
Granted, but its the compulsory bit that will backfire on the Tories. The unrestrained urge to keep telling people what to do, whether flying flags or obeying lock down will lead to a backlash of some force. If the Tories keep bossing people about, they will- pretty soon- be told where to go.
This authoritarian style is something else Johnson has borrowed from Labour.
Many Tories must be grinding their teeth.
The only bit I disagree with there Barnesian is that I find Tories (with some notable exceptions eg @Philip_Thompson ) authoritarian. The only difference being that socialist believe in state intervention. The Tories don't but do it all the time but don't realise it.
Yep. Ironically I think there is an obvious role-reversal to point to. Labour are authoritarian in that they think directing people to give a shit about other people makes for a better society. The Tories seem to be authoritarian in that they want to direct people to do stuff because they dislike them giving a shit about other people.
The flag thing is brilliant stupidity. Massively winds up the type of person who doesn't like faux patriotism which just reinforces the prejudices of the type of people who love faux patriotism. There is not going to be a new practice of mandatory flag waving, they just want headlines.
As always from Shagger its tactically brilliant but strategically stupid. WIth Norniron thrown off the bus and even Unionists questioning whats the point in their fealty, and Scotland once again on the brink of asking The Question, twatting around with a flag for explicitly divisive purposes is stupid even for them.
So Government by trolling. Isn't that page 1 of the Trump playbook?
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
Charming. I’d suggest you look up what “hypocrite” means as you seem to think it means something different to what it does.
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
Can you explain the difference in a way that a physics teacher (who did O-level biology in 1985 and hasn't had a formal lesson in it since) would understand?
Very rough summary:
GM=insertying gene from other species (plant,animal) in the hope that they will produce beneficial effects GE=modifying genes within the same species for the same purpose
GM is clearly more radical though not necessarily as wild as it sounds - the early reputation was damaged by irresponsible experiments. Nonetheless, the risk in both cases is that you produce unexpected side-effects that you couldn't have anticipated because that combination of genes hadn't occurred before. Also, if you are dealing with animals, the process of development may in itself cause significant suffering, as you try out different approaches and produce animals that suffer in unexpected ways. The case for doing it is that you can gain benefits that would take forever to develop spontaneously, or eliminate genes that cause vulnerability.
Miracle rice is a good example both ways - it undoubtedly helped massively in ending the famines that used to be common. It's also benefited rich farmers at the expense of poorer ones and caused significant environmental impacts.
The EU have ruled that GE and GM should be subject to the same, very difficult, precautionary tests. Britain clearly plans to reduce the hurdles for GE. This is welcomed by the agricultural industry but there are clearly some risks which green-leaning feel shouldn't be taken.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
Charming. I’d suggest you look up what “hypocrite” means as you seem to think it means something different to what it does.
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.
I know what hypocrite means - and you are one.
Funny, never seen you make an "interpretation" of a Labour MP's point ever, you just jump down anyone's throat who does. There's that word again.
What you deem "interesting" seems to have an odd overlap with who you support politically.
"The combination of a 3-4 month suspension of elective surgery, reduced availability of operating theatre space and reduced throughput on operating lists will greatly lengthen surgical and diagnostics waiting lists. I suspect this productivity will drop by 50% or more for the duration of the coronavirus, so likely to be for 12-24 months. Within a year patients waiting over a year for treatment in England and Scotland will be common, they are already in Northern Ireland and Wales. Within 2 years we will see some patients waiting 24 months. Non surgical specialities including mental health will be similarly affected, though these get less media attention."
I waited over 2 years for my bi lateral hernia surgery in Wales and long before covid was a issues
But this is Wales NHS under labour
Now gone nationwide. 2 year waiting lists will be the norm shortly, and the delays for priority 2 patients with cancer and heart disease alarming too.
It was 65 weeks from seeing the surgeon to the operation
About 10 years ago it was about 4 months from my first (bowel) cancer diagnosis to operation. And five years later it wasn't much longer from diagnosis of prostate cancer to conclusion of radiotherapyi
All NHS.
That is good news but to be fair mine was all NHS, but under Wales labour which has a terrible record on health
I had the impression that while organisations like Betsi Cadwallader were 'not very good' (ahem) services outside hospital were good.
We come under Betsi Cadwallader and it has been in special measures
However, our GP practice has greatly improved under covid as everything is done by telephone and if necessary a specific appointment time at the surgery where you wait in your car and are called straight into the consultation
I do not see a return to the old way at anytime in the future
I believe GP's as a whole are dissatisfied with telephone conversations and want to return to the 'old ways'. I must say I would have though that for many conditions FaceTime was useful; however, I understand it's not considered 'safe'.
I hope not
They need to expand into zoom and adopt the ways of the future
Certainly the new way at our practice is much better
My sister lives in the Channel Islands. She has complex health needs which require specialist consultants every so often. Those consultants regularly refuse to attend to her unless she flies over to the mainland. In extremis they will use ordinary telephones. According to my niece, her daughter, the NHS management adamantly refuses to consider any form of virtual consultation. My niece, works at quite a senior level for a Government department is 'quite' cross about it!
My GP was quite proactive about using virtual consultations - and has commented that some people in the health care system really, really don't like them.
I was a bit startled when she got me to take my mother-in-laws blood pressure for a re-prescription of a medicine. Even allowing for the fact that she was watching via the webcam, it seemed very un... NHS? to let the plebs do stuff.
My wife and I do our own blood pressure at home whenever the surgery wants readings
And have been for some years and neither of us have medical training
Is there any official guidance on this kind of thing?
It occurs to me that there are more and more medical equipment that is cheap and very easy to use - the oximeters come to mind - it will be interesting to see what adaptions the "system" makes to deal with it.
We use an Omron sleeve and do take three readings
The practice accepts our read outs though we do have it checked once a year in the surgery
Does anyone know whether the “all other restrictions removed” in June definitely includes face masks?
I’d be keen on a trip to the theatre but I’m not going if I have to sit there in a mask.
Also I don’t understand this stuff about vaccine passport trials for theatres. It’s somewhat incompatible with “all other restrictions” are being removed on 21st June isn’t it?
I'd ignore the Government's pronouncements about June 21st. They are hedged around with caveats. We could quite easily find ourselves stuck with masks, social distancing and vaccine passports all at once this Summer.
The government has pledged to remove all legal restrictions on 21 June (at the earliest) if the strategy remains on course. It seems very likely that the strategy will remain on course, with cases under control and deaths and hospital admissions falling.
If so and the government does not remove the restrictions, or at least reduce them significantly, they will look as if they were making intentional false promises to the public. All the countries around the world that have advanced vaccination programmes have falling COVID case numbers. This is unlikely to be a coincidence.
"The combination of a 3-4 month suspension of elective surgery, reduced availability of operating theatre space and reduced throughput on operating lists will greatly lengthen surgical and diagnostics waiting lists. I suspect this productivity will drop by 50% or more for the duration of the coronavirus, so likely to be for 12-24 months. Within a year patients waiting over a year for treatment in England and Scotland will be common, they are already in Northern Ireland and Wales. Within 2 years we will see some patients waiting 24 months. Non surgical specialities including mental health will be similarly affected, though these get less media attention."
I waited over 2 years for my bi lateral hernia surgery in Wales and long before covid was a issues
But this is Wales NHS under labour
Now gone nationwide. 2 year waiting lists will be the norm shortly, and the delays for priority 2 patients with cancer and heart disease alarming too.
It was 65 weeks from seeing the surgeon to the operation
About 10 years ago it was about 4 months from my first (bowel) cancer diagnosis to operation. And five years later it wasn't much longer from diagnosis of prostate cancer to conclusion of radiotherapyi
All NHS.
That is good news but to be fair mine was all NHS, but under Wales labour which has a terrible record on health
I had the impression that while organisations like Betsi Cadwallader were 'not very good' (ahem) services outside hospital were good.
We come under Betsi Cadwallader and it has been in special measures
However, our GP practice has greatly improved under covid as everything is done by telephone and if necessary a specific appointment time at the surgery where you wait in your car and are called straight into the consultation
I do not see a return to the old way at anytime in the future
I believe GP's as a whole are dissatisfied with telephone conversations and want to return to the 'old ways'. I must say I would have though that for many conditions FaceTime was useful; however, I understand it's not considered 'safe'.
I hope not
They need to expand into zoom and adopt the ways of the future
Certainly the new way at our practice is much better
My sister lives in the Channel Islands. She has complex health needs which require specialist consultants every so often. Those consultants regularly refuse to attend to her unless she flies over to the mainland. In extremis they will use ordinary telephones. According to my niece, her daughter, the NHS management adamantly refuses to consider any form of virtual consultation. My niece, works at quite a senior level for a Government department is 'quite' cross about it!
My GP was quite proactive about using virtual consultations - and has commented that some people in the health care system really, really don't like them.
I was a bit startled when she got me to take my mother-in-laws blood pressure for a re-prescription of a medicine. Even allowing for the fact that she was watching via the webcam, it seemed very un... NHS? to let the plebs do stuff.
My wife and I do our own blood pressure at home whenever the surgery wants readings
And have been for some years and neither of us have medical training
Is there any official guidance on this kind of thing?
It occurs to me that there are more and more medical equipment that is cheap and very easy to use - the oximeters come to mind - it will be interesting to see what adaptions the "system" makes to deal with it.
We use an Omron sleeve and do take three readings
The practice accepts our read outs though we do have it checked once a year in the surgery
Likewise...
Interesting about having it checked/calibrated - a sensible idea for home used/bought kit.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
Charming. I’d suggest you look up what “hypocrite” means as you seem to think it means something different to what it does.
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.
It wasn't entirely critical at all, you bent virtually parallel trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Can you explain the difference [between Gene Editing and GM] in a way that a physics teacher (who did O-level biology in 1985 and hasn't had a formal lesson in it since) would understand?
Very rough summary:
GM=insertying gene from other species (plant,animal) in the hope that they will produce beneficial effects GE=modifying genes within the same species for the same purpose
GM is clearly more radical though not necessarily as wild as it sounds - the early reputation was damaged by irresponsible experiments. Nonetheless, the risk in both cases is that you produce unexpected side-effects that you couldn't have anticipated because that combination of genes hadn't occurred before. Also, if you are dealing with animals, the process of development may in itself cause significant suffering, as you try out different approaches and produce animals that suffer in unexpected ways. The case for doing it is that you can gain benefits that would take forever to develop spontaneously, or eliminate genes that cause vulnerability.
Miracle rice is a good example both ways - it undoubtedly helped massively in ending the famines that used to be common. It's also benefited rich farmers at the expense of poorer ones and caused significant environmental impacts.
The EU have ruled that GE and GM should be subject to the same, very difficult, precautionary tests. Britain clearly plans to reduce the hurdles for GE. This is welcomed by the agricultural industry but there are clearly some risks which green-leaning feel shouldn't be taken.
GE though is effectively just an accelerated version of selective breeding which has been practiced for thousands of years
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
Charming. I’d suggest you look up what “hypocrite” means as you seem to think it means something different to what it does.
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.
I know what hypocrite means - and you are one.
Funny, never seen you make an "interpretation" of a Labour MP's point ever, you just jump down anyone's throat who does. There's that word again.
What you deem "interesting" seems to have an odd overlap with who you support politically.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
It was "three weeks to flatten the curve". Ha ha ha, utter liars. Possibly 80% of the population still don't realise they're being played.
L & R ceased to mean much after that. I'd vote for any party which would repeal the authoritarian legislation. The UK is now less free than Russia or Belarus apparently.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
Charming. I’d suggest you look up what “hypocrite” means as you seem to think it means something different to what it does.
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.
It wasn't entirely critical at all, you bent virtually parallel trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Perhaps I didn’t express myself clearly. I was highlighting the one word that changed the meaning from something acceptable to something sinister
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Strangely the people on the media yesterday asked about the vaccine passport were very much in favour if it allows events to take place
I know there is considerable resistance on here, but again it looks like Boris is in tune with the public who remain very risk averse
We are discovering through the lesson of Covid exactly how much the public enjoys authoritarianism and being bossed about. @rottenborough is precisely correct: one year will become one decade will become forever.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
Charming. I’d suggest you look up what “hypocrite” means as you seem to think it means something different to what it does.
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.
I know what hypocrite means - and you are one.
Funny, never seen you make an "interpretation" of a Labour MP's point ever, you just jump down anyone's throat who does. There's that word again.
What you deem "interesting" seems to have an odd overlap with who you support politically.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Strangely the people on the media yesterday asked about the vaccine passport were very much in favour if it allows events to take place
I know there is considerable resistance on here, but again it looks like Boris is in tune with the public who remain very risk averse
Doesn't make it the right thing to do. The public are just desperate to get their lives back. They think that they wont get them back if we don't have an app, so they are in favour.
Good for the LibDems standing out from the crowd on this one and shame on Starmer who is back on his fence.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Strangely the people on the media yesterday asked about the vaccine passport were very much in favour if it allows events to take place
I know there is considerable resistance on here, but again it looks like Boris is in tune with the public who remain very risk averse
We are discovering through the lesson of Covid exactly how much the public enjoys authoritarianism and being bossed about. @rottenborough is precisely correct: one year will become one decade will become forever.
Not sure but certainly with 126,000 plus deaths people remain very frightened
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
Charming. I’d suggest you look up what “hypocrite” means as you seem to think it means something different to what it does.
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.
I know what hypocrite means - and you are one.
Funny, never seen you make an "interpretation" of a Labour MP's point ever, you just jump down anyone's throat who does. There's that word again.
What you deem "interesting" seems to have an odd overlap with who you support politically.
One for the ignore pile. Shame.
And yet, you responded?
Sure. Just to make sure my position was clear rather than I had missed his personal attacks.
There’s a great difference between a political debate and personally attacking another poster.
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
Charming. I’d suggest you look up what “hypocrite” means as you seem to think it means something different to what it does.
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.
It wasn't entirely critical at all, you bent virtually parallel trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Perhaps I didn’t express myself clearly. I was highlighting the one word that changed the meaning from something acceptable to something sinister
And I explained to you why doing that makes you look ridiculous. And how if I did that for a Labour MP you would shout me down, I expect.
Dishonest as well as a hypocrite.
And the hell did I personally attack you? I called out a point you made that clearly due to political bias, I didn't attack your character whatsoever.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
It was "three weeks to flatten the curve". Ha ha ha, utter liars. Possibly 80% of the population still don't realise they're being played.
L & R ceased to mean much after that. I'd vote for any party which would repeal the authoritarian legislation. The UK is now less free than Russia or Belarus apparently.
If it didn’t have the inverted commas around ‘ “educated” ‘ it would have been fine
I dont think it would be but in any case it did have inverted commas so the sinister interpretation was clearly intended and benefit of the doubt need not be given.
Classic 'would party X defend this if their opponents suggested it?' Test failing.
That’s every post Charles ever makes. If you want the CCHQ answer you have it with him
I’ve no association with the Conservative party apart from casting a vote for them from time to time.
If you want to engage with my posts fine. But don’t try to dismiss them by association
My point was that you don't try and provide alternative "interpretations" for posts by Labour MPs. You only do it for Tory MPs, in a way to undermine the point I made and to make it seem like the Tory MP didn't make the point they obviously did.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
Charming. I’d suggest you look up what “hypocrite” means as you seem to think it means something different to what it does.
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.
It wasn't entirely critical at all, you bent virtually parallel trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Perhaps I didn’t express myself clearly. I was highlighting the one word that changed the meaning from something acceptable to something sinister
And I explained to you why doing that makes you look ridiculous. And how if I did that for a Labour MP you would shout me down, I expect.
I just wonder if the Tories here would like to comment? You seemed to care so much about racism when Corbyn was Labour leader - and how it was important it be dealt with quickly?
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
Long covid includes having a cough three weeks afterwards.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Labour must oppose this, they were onto something with it being "un-British"
I'm not convinced the polling on this will hold once the reality and the details start to become clear.
Buying a ticket for the big match next month? Please use your covid app status when doing the purchase. Oh, it doesn't work? Hmm. Must be the website. Try again or phone our call centre etc etc.
Shock of the day. Isam posts a "Starmer is crap" graph under a thread header about the Green Party. There's a surprise.
Bye, bye.
Better prepare for more surprises then
Here's an entire thread by the estimable Keiran Pedley of Ipsos-MORI, discussing polling commissioned to mark the first anniversary of Starmer's leadership. It must have been omitted from yesterday's header by mistake ... or something:
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
Long covid includes having a cough three weeks afterwards.
Read the article. These are people unable to work. It is ominous
I know someone with Long Covid and it is distinctly unamusing
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Strangely the people on the media yesterday asked about the vaccine passport were very much in favour if it allows events to take place
I know there is considerable resistance on here, but again it looks like Boris is in tune with the public who remain very risk averse
But its not to let events take place is it.
They're going to take place in any case and because the infection and hospitalisation numbers are falling so fast.
As much as we may argue on here in the wider world the public will accept vaccine passports as they do see them as way out of the crisis and reducing risk
Indeed, I think this is why Starmer has about faced as he has seen the polling and heard the public
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
Long covid includes having a cough three weeks afterwards.
Read the article. These are people unable to work. It is ominous
I know someone with Long Covid and it is distinctly unamusing
There are people who are unable to work afterwards.
But like with so many other things the term Long Covid has been abused and extended into whatever the user wants it to be.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Strangely the people on the media yesterday asked about the vaccine passport were very much in favour if it allows events to take place
I know there is considerable resistance on here, but again it looks like Boris is in tune with the public who remain very risk averse
We are discovering through the lesson of Covid exactly how much the public enjoys authoritarianism and being bossed about. @rottenborough is precisely correct: one year will become one decade will become forever.
Not sure but certainly with 126,000 plus deaths people remain very frightened
Which the Government can exploit very successfully. There are a lot of folk who would happily consent to having masks surgically implanted in their faces and being microchipped like dogs if the Government said it would protect them from the Plague - and would delight in having the same things forcibly imposed upon everybody else.
Enough. If some people are that scared then they can seal themselves up in their homes and sit there until they die. It's one thing to be made to put up with a biosecurity state when we're in the middle of the emergency. Once the emergency is over then the apparatus should be dismantled, not elaborated and made permanent.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Labour must oppose this, they were onto something with it being "un-British"
I'm not convinced the polling on this will hold once the reality and the details start to become clear.
Buying a ticket for the big match next month? Please use your covid app status when doing the purchase. Oh, it doesn't work? Hmm. Must be the website. Try again or phone our call centre etc etc.
That's never mind the liberty issues.
The vax site works brilliantly. Our testing is now world class (it should be, we spent £20bn)
I suspect the app will work fine, most people will use it, and then, in a year, it will be retired as promised (tho kept ready for future use as in South Korea). And all your fears will turn out to be groundless
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
Long covid includes having a cough three weeks afterwards.
No it doesn't.
It is defined as persistent symptoms after 3 months.
Mr. Pulpstar, there has been recent warming, but the short scope of human history in geological terms does make it a limited sample. And we've seen warming during non-industrial periods (Caligula/Claudius' time, Henry VIII's reign).
I do support quite a lot of measures that those who believe such theories advocate, particularly around power generation (excepting wind, which is silly). Technological advancements in this area are no bad thing.
I just can’t converse seriously with people that deny science.
That is actually a problem for the Green Party, or at least the green movement: their ideological opposition to certain technologies, not just nuclear power but more worryingly GM crops under any circumstances. Their opposition to Golden Rice has been a particularly bad episode and removed any ability to use the “deny science” accusation.
The truth is we all pick the science we like and ignore the bits we don’t when it comes to making political arguments. Even highly respected scientists do it: Albert Einstein and Sir Fred Hoyle are particularly good examples here.
Opposition to GM always struck me as strange
I’m not a biologist in any way, but I think the C-19 vaccines were all made with GM technology; if I’m right it’s probably a good thing that most people don’t realise that.
To be a bit fair there were some early GM products that were more than a little problematic, involving crops that would not produce seed corn or that encouraged massive amounts of crop spraying, but the complete opposition to anything at all is seriously damaging.
Gene editing not genetic modification.
Very very important difference
Can you explain the difference in a way that a physics teacher (who did O-level biology in 1985 and hasn't had a formal lesson in it since) would understand?
Gene editing is basically using a pair of scissors to cut out part of the organisms DNA.
Gene modification is inserting a piece of foreign DNA into the mix.
In some respects, other than the size of the modification, that’s a distinction without a difference.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Labour must oppose this, they were onto something with it being "un-British"
I'm not convinced the polling on this will hold once the reality and the details start to become clear.
Buying a ticket for the big match next month? Please use your covid app status when doing the purchase. Oh, it doesn't work? Hmm. Must be the website. Try again or phone our call centre etc etc.
That's never mind the liberty issues.
The vax site works brilliantly. Our testing is now world class (it should be, we spent £20bn)
I suspect the app will work fine, most people will use it, and then, in a year, it will be retired as promised (tho kept ready for future use as in South Korea). And all your fears will turn out to be groundless
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Strangely the people on the media yesterday asked about the vaccine passport were very much in favour if it allows events to take place
I know there is considerable resistance on here, but again it looks like Boris is in tune with the public who remain very risk averse
We are discovering through the lesson of Covid exactly how much the public enjoys authoritarianism and being bossed about. @rottenborough is precisely correct: one year will become one decade will become forever.
Not sure but certainly with 126,000 plus deaths people remain very frightened
Which the Government can exploit very successfully. There are a lot of folk who would happily consent to having masks surgically implanted in their faces and being microchipped like dogs if the Government said it would protect them from the Plague - and would delight in having the same things forcibly imposed upon everybody else.
Enough. If some people are that scared then they can seal themselves up in their homes and sit there until they die. It's one thing to be made to put up with a biosecurity state when we're in the middle of the emergency. Once the emergency is over then the apparatus should be dismantled, not elaborated and made permanent.
I am with you 100% on your last sentence but the emergency is far from over with Europe and South America in crisis
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
I think the current estimate is somewhere around a million in total in the UK. Though quite a few of those will probably recover over the next year or so. It still leaves a very significant problem for a lot of people who won’t be able to return to normal life indefinitely.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Strangely the people on the media yesterday asked about the vaccine passport were very much in favour if it allows events to take place
I know there is considerable resistance on here, but again it looks like Boris is in tune with the public who remain very risk averse
We are discovering through the lesson of Covid exactly how much the public enjoys authoritarianism and being bossed about. @rottenborough is precisely correct: one year will become one decade will become forever.
Not sure but certainly with 126,000 plus deaths people remain very frightened
Which the Government can exploit very successfully. There are a lot of folk who would happily consent to having masks surgically implanted in their faces and being microchipped like dogs if the Government said it would protect them from the Plague - and would delight in having the same things forcibly imposed upon everybody else.
Enough. If some people are that scared then they can seal themselves up in their homes and sit there until they die. It's one thing to be made to put up with a biosecurity state when we're in the middle of the emergency. Once the emergency is over then the apparatus should be dismantled, not elaborated and made permanent.
I am with you 100% on your last sentence but the emergency is far from over with Europe and South America in crisis
You deal with that with international travel restrictions, not with showing your papers every time you walk into a shop.
On topic, in the IPSOS MORI issues idex, the environment is only 8th. Difficult for the Greens to make an impact in FPTP elections when most people don't really care about their signature issue.
Johnson now telling his backbenchers there will be a one year time limit on covid passport/tracking app.
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Strangely the people on the media yesterday asked about the vaccine passport were very much in favour if it allows events to take place
I know there is considerable resistance on here, but again it looks like Boris is in tune with the public who remain very risk averse
We are discovering through the lesson of Covid exactly how much the public enjoys authoritarianism and being bossed about. @rottenborough is precisely correct: one year will become one decade will become forever.
Not sure but certainly with 126,000 plus deaths people remain very frightened
Which the Government can exploit very successfully. There are a lot of folk who would happily consent to having masks surgically implanted in their faces and being microchipped like dogs if the Government said it would protect them from the Plague - and would delight in having the same things forcibly imposed upon everybody else.
Enough. If some people are that scared then they can seal themselves up in their homes and sit there until they die. It's one thing to be made to put up with a biosecurity state when we're in the middle of the emergency. Once the emergency is over then the apparatus should be dismantled, not elaborated and made permanent.
I am with you 100% on your last sentence but the emergency is far from over with Europe and South America in crisis
You deal with that with international travel restrictions, not with showing your papers every time you walk into a shop.
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
Long covid includes having a cough three weeks afterwards.
No it doesn't.
It is defined as persistent symptoms after 3 months.
I've seen various descriptions as to what it is. For example:
Up to 60,000 people in the UK may have been suffering from “long Covid” for more than three months, unable to get the care they need to recover from prolonged and debilitating symptoms.
Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London who runs the app-based Covid symptom study, said around 300,000 people had reported symptoms lasting for more than a month.
A minority have been suffering for longer; up to 60,000 people have reported having symptoms for more than three months. Some cases are mild, but others are seriously debilitating, with breathlessness and fatigue. Some people have had to use wheelchairs. Others say attempting to carry out everyday tasks such as shopping or even climbing the stairs can leave them bedridden for days.
The very interesting header does miss the point that the debate over the climate “emergency” is over in the U.K. and has been for some time. One of T May’s final acts was to commit the U.K. to net zero carbon by 2050 by law. The next five year set of statutory targets is due soon and there is a strategy for achieving net zero also due soon - though possibly delayed if COP26 is pushed back to next year.
Does this matter? Well, yes... as the Times reports today lenders are already looking to withhold mortgages from properties with poor insulation in anticipation that the Government will impose minimum energy standards... at great cost to some old properties and practically impossible for others.
The point being that net zero is very quickly going to have some very real, practical impacts in the U.K. unless, of course, the Government backs off the 2050 goal... in which case it will have to legislate or end up in the courts... a bit like overseas aid.
The politics will be intense and offer opportunities to Labour IF they get their policies right. The Greens will perhaps seem irrelevant once the issue is how to become green, not whether to.
Late to the party: The problem with the Green Party is that has become something of a greeny-Corbynite mush. Just as likely to wibble on about the bedroom tax or trans rights than talk about environmental issues.
They need to focus 100% on 'green' issues - climate change, habitat loss, species loss, pollution, etc. And take a hard line. Be eco-authoritarian. Will this set a ceiling on support? Of course it will. But with every other party turning green round the edges they need to be at the vanguard.
It may take a split for such a 'proper' Green Party to come into being. And of course that will bugger them even more at the ballot box.
We have to learn the lesson of Covid, in case it mutates, or we face a new pandemic. One or other is inevitable.
In either event, what advanced country do we want to copy, America, France, or South Korea?
South Korea of course. They defeated Covid with smartphone apps, tracking and tracing.
Then I'd rather be America or France. In a country where people are prosecuted for going for a walk with a coffee ('it counts as a picnic'), for having a cup of tea in a communal garden, for celebrating a childs birthday, I no longer trust the state to repsond proportionately. We need to oppose any extention of state power, as the state has showntime andtime again in cannot be trusted with the power it has. If South Korea has a state its people trust, bully for them. We do not. I say this as someone employed by the state.
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
I think the current estimate is somewhere around a million in total in the UK. Though quite a few of those will probably recover over the next year or so. It still leaves a very significant problem for a lot of people who won’t be able to return to normal life indefinitely.
Yes, a huge new burden on our health systems, and this will be repeated across the world (with a few Asian and Antiopdean exceptions). Again, it will be like the aftermath of a war. Instead of ruined buildings, ruined bodies
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
Long covid includes having a cough three weeks afterwards.
No it doesn't.
It is defined as persistent symptoms after 3 months.
I've seen various descriptions as to what it is. For example:
Up to 60,000 people in the UK may have been suffering from “long Covid” for more than three months, unable to get the care they need to recover from prolonged and debilitating symptoms.
Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London who runs the app-based Covid symptom study, said around 300,000 people had reported symptoms lasting for more than a month.
A minority have been suffering for longer; up to 60,000 people have reported having symptoms for more than three months. Some cases are mild, but others are seriously debilitating, with breathlessness and fatigue. Some people have had to use wheelchairs. Others say attempting to carry out everyday tasks such as shopping or even climbing the stairs can leave them bedridden for days.
So one month or three months, 60k or 300k, mild or severe.
The description changes to suit whatever people want it to.
Given that your article was written in September 2020, before the bigger. nastier 2nd and 3rd waves, and the Kentish variant, it is unsurprising the figures vary between then and now.
Shock of the day. Isam posts a "Starmer is crap" graph under a thread header about the Green Party. There's a surprise.
Bye, bye.
Better prepare for more surprises then
Here's an entire thread by the estimable Keiran Pedley of Ipsos-MORI, discussing polling commissioned to mark the first anniversary of Starmer's leadership. It must have been omitted from yesterday's header by mistake ... or something:
I sense we’ll see an upswing in the Green vote. Once COVID is out of the way, climate will return to the agenda (and with some new case study data both about the effects and consequences of suspending economic activity especially travel, that we never expected to get).
There will be young people making the point that they have made sacrifices to protect the older generations from their emergency; now is the time for older people to step up and address the emergency they may face down the line. There will be Corbynites, and some LibDems, looking for a new home.
The problem I have with the UK Greens is that they are an authoritarian rather than a libertarian party, even in the way they (try to) run themselves before you get on to policy. On matters concerning the climate this is perhaps a consequence of their objectives, but I feel they’d have greater appeal if, beyond climate protection, they were stronger on freedom and and liberty. Caroline Lucas often said the right things, but behind her there are a lot of authoritarian socialists.
In the last council election they won a seat here, giving them a potential platform on the island, which after all is supposed to be a target of theirs. But when the new councillor realised that internal Green Party policy is that the local party has the right to direct how their representatives must vote on key issues, he promptly resigned and has sat as an Independent. It will be interesting to see if they do any better this time.
Out of interest was "tithing" involved?
This is when local councillors have to donate part of their income to the political
For Lib Dems for example it is in the Constitution of the English party.
I don't know for sure, but imagine that the Greens might do this. During my long years as a LibDem councillor we took no notice of the constitution, but agreed our own arrangements with a group fund into which we arranged our own contributions, with some adjustments when we had councillors on low incomes.
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
Long covid includes having a cough three weeks afterwards.
No it doesn't.
It is defined as persistent symptoms after 3 months.
I've seen various descriptions as to what it is. For example:
Up to 60,000 people in the UK may have been suffering from “long Covid” for more than three months, unable to get the care they need to recover from prolonged and debilitating symptoms.
Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London who runs the app-based Covid symptom study, said around 300,000 people had reported symptoms lasting for more than a month.
A minority have been suffering for longer; up to 60,000 people have reported having symptoms for more than three months. Some cases are mild, but others are seriously debilitating, with breathlessness and fatigue. Some people have had to use wheelchairs. Others say attempting to carry out everyday tasks such as shopping or even climbing the stairs can leave them bedridden for days.
So one month or three months, 60k or 300k, mild or severe.
The description changes to suit whatever people want it to.
Given that your article was written in September 2020, before the bigger. nastier 2nd and 3rd waves, and the Kentish variant, it is unsurprising the figures vary between then and now.
My point is that the description of what long covid is varies.
And people tend to use whatever description, often in a pick and mix style, suits their purpose.
Comments
To be a bit fair there were some early GM products that were more than a little problematic, involving crops that would not produce seed corn or that encouraged massive amounts of crop spraying, but the complete opposition to anything at all is seriously damaging.
And have been for some years and neither of us have medical training
There'll probably be a move toward more vegetarianism - basically things will level toward lower carbon output and we'll probably be cooling again by 2200 or so. The 2100s are probably likely to be rough for humanity with floods and stuff mind as the forcing effect of CO2 takes 50 years or so.
It'll be a barely recorded blip in the future ice age records though
However for the last month I’ve adopted a fast-every-other-day regime. Remarkable how quickly it falls away when you halve your calorie intake
https://covid.joinzoe.com/data
Just 122 active cases in Camden. 1 in every 2000 people. It really has disappeared. Please god keep it that way
I have a friend who had a flagpole at home because of her job as we used to tease her rotten about it.
😜
Very very important difference
Its just that you're turning Eloi.
I remember when it was Global Warming.
That was decades ago.
Remember the picture used, on Twitter, to claim that the whole of Paris was fleeing the last lock down? A picture of the everyday rush hour.....
It occurs to me that there are more and more medical equipment that is cheap and very easy to use - the oximeters come to mind - it will be interesting to see what adaptions the "system" makes to deal with it.
The flag thing is brilliant stupidity. Massively winds up the type of person who doesn't like faux patriotism which just reinforces the prejudices of the type of people who love faux patriotism. There is not going to be a new practice of mandatory flag waving, they just want headlines.
As always from Shagger its tactically brilliant but strategically stupid. WIth Norniron thrown off the bus and even Unionists questioning whats the point in their fealty, and Scotland once again on the brink of asking The Question, twatting around with a flag for explicitly divisive purposes is stupid even for them.
@kle4 was right, if a Labour MP had said something, I don't know, that could be construed as offensive or racist, you would not be hear trying to interpret it. You would call it out.
I know this because when people have tried to add context to actions by Labour MPs in the past here, you and others have jumped down their throats.
You're a hypocrite - and it stinks.
On their side they have the fact they are defined by an issue people do care about, and unlike the 3 main nationwide parties few people actively hate them. But they need to learn to articulate the environmental message better.
There are political parallels between climate change and Covid-19 epidemiology. We see a trend, with a known cause and an outcome that can be predicted, but people find it difficult to get their heads around in the early days. People get infected, mix with others, breathe on them, spread the virus and more people get sick. In climate change carbon locked underground for millions of years gets dug or pumped out and burned, re-enters the atmosphere, has a known physical effect on its radiative properties and the world warms. Helpfully climate change is very linear (for the moment) while epidemics are exponential. It means there is more time to act.
But just like Covid there are people on both extremes who prefer to turn the issue into a culture war than look at the evidence and act accordingly. Both issues have their deniers (with much overlap - Piers Corbyn, James Delingpole et al) but both also have their puritans who view the thing as a moral punishment for people having too much fun. Those who come out in cold sweats at pictures of families walking in parks or sitting on beaches are channelling the same instinct as those who declare foreign holidays evil or spray paint SUVs. And scientists who extrapolate too far and predict the end of snowfall in the UK years ahead of any meaningful trend. They are the flip side of contrarians who point at a cold snap in the US and declare global warming is a hoax. Just like we get ideologues on Twitter catastrophising about AZ being useless against killer variants and other ideologues claiming face masks cause asphyxiation.
I can't see the Green party embracing technological progress but they need to if they want to become more than a protest party. The way out of the climate crisis is through science and innovation. We need people around the world to get richer in a clean way. Just as the way out of the pandemic is new vaccines and treatments not permanent lockdown. I suspect what will happen is what always happens: the Greens help to create the noise; the Lib Dems turn this noise into meaningful policies; the Tories or Labour nick the bits of Lib Dem policy they like and ignore the rest, and slowly but surely we make progress on the environment.
Also I meant as London Mayor, sorry if that was not clear. At the national level no.
Gene modification is inserting a piece of foreign DNA into the mix.
Boron? If so, there would probably be a Nobel in actually demonstrating actual Boron fusion....
Hopefully, they will be astute enough not to believe a bloody word he says on this.
One year will become two years will become "we can't live without this really useful app in our lives"...
Unlikely that will ever change. Just different comedians on the stage.
https://twitter.com/GuidoFawkes/status/1378289484974940162?s=19
As for the facts, I’d happily provide an interpretation of a Labour MPs post and defend them if I thought it was an interesting point.
My comment was entirely critical of Tom Hunt’s post. It was clear from his use of inverted comments that he meant something like “indoctrination” rather than “education”. Someone else pointed out the implied parallel with Chinese “education camps”
I’m sorry you couldn’t see that.
Very rough summary:
GM=insertying gene from other species (plant,animal) in the hope that they will produce beneficial effects
GE=modifying genes within the same species for the same purpose
GM is clearly more radical though not necessarily as wild as it sounds - the early reputation was damaged by irresponsible experiments. Nonetheless, the risk in both cases is that you produce unexpected side-effects that you couldn't have anticipated because that combination of genes hadn't occurred before. Also, if you are dealing with animals, the process of development may in itself cause significant suffering, as you try out different approaches and produce animals that suffer in unexpected ways. The case for doing it is that you can gain benefits that would take forever to develop spontaneously, or eliminate genes that cause vulnerability.
Miracle rice is a good example both ways - it undoubtedly helped massively in ending the famines that used to be common. It's also benefited rich farmers at the expense of poorer ones and caused significant environmental impacts.
The EU have ruled that GE and GM should be subject to the same, very difficult, precautionary tests. Britain clearly plans to reduce the hurdles for GE. This is welcomed by the agricultural industry but there are clearly some risks which green-leaning feel shouldn't be taken.
Funny, never seen you make an "interpretation" of a Labour MP's point ever, you just jump down anyone's throat who does. There's that word again.
What you deem "interesting" seems to have an odd overlap with who you support politically.
The practice accepts our read outs though we do have it checked once a year in the surgery
If so and the government does not remove the restrictions, or at least reduce them significantly, they will look as if they were making intentional false promises to the public. All the countries around the world that have advanced vaccination programmes have falling COVID case numbers. This is unlikely to be a coincidence.
Interesting about having it checked/calibrated - a sensible idea for home used/bought kit.
(I’ve based this on the Anglican guidance - my assumption is this is a Catholic service from the accent of the priest)
Can I just say what a pleasant place PB has been this morning.
Best to quit before the Boris-bootboys arrive to maintain their hooligan act.
https://twitter.com/politicsforali/status/1378089668957384710?s=21
I know there is considerable resistance on here, but again it looks like Boris is in tune with the public who remain very risk averse
L & R ceased to mean much after that. I'd vote for any party which would repeal the authoritarian legislation. The UK is now less free than Russia or Belarus apparently.
As someone put it, the unelected head of the newly-emerging world govt lives in Seattle and his branch offices are in New York City, San Francisco & Geneva - https://www.zerohedge.com/political/naomi-wolf-vaccine-passports-are-end-human-liberty-west
Good for the LibDems standing out from the crowd on this one and shame on Starmer who is back on his fence.
There’s a great difference between a political debate and personally attacking another poster.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/apr/03/nhs-feels-strain-tens-thousands-staff-long-covid?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
I remember that chilling article Mr Nabavi linked. The young guy with near-crippling long Covid who, nonetheless, was never bad enough to be hospitalised
If there are millions of people like him this is going to be a huge, global issue. Like the millions of injured soldiers after WW1. Buses will have special seats for the sufferers
Dishonest as well as a hypocrite.
And the hell did I personally attack you? I called out a point you made that clearly due to political bias, I didn't attack your character whatsoever.
They're going to take place in any case and because the infection and hospitalisation numbers are falling so fast.
Bye, bye.
I just wonder if the Tories here would like to comment? You seemed to care so much about racism when Corbyn was Labour leader - and how it was important it be dealt with quickly?
Any takers?
Buying a ticket for the big match next month? Please use your covid app status when doing the purchase. Oh, it doesn't work? Hmm. Must be the website. Try again or phone our call centre etc etc.
That's never mind the liberty issues.
In France, the Petain Fan club are in government at various levels, and their leader is topping the polls for the next presidential election.
Here's an entire thread by the estimable Keiran Pedley of Ipsos-MORI, discussing polling commissioned to mark the first anniversary of Starmer's leadership. It must have been omitted from yesterday's header by mistake ... or something:
https://twitter.com/keiranpedley/status/1377608469944139779
I know someone with Long Covid and it is distinctly unamusing
Indeed, I think this is why Starmer has about faced as he has seen the polling and heard the public
But like with so many other things the term Long Covid has been abused and extended into whatever the user wants it to be.
Enough. If some people are that scared then they can seal themselves up in their homes and sit there until they die. It's one thing to be made to put up with a biosecurity state when we're in the middle of the emergency. Once the emergency is over then the apparatus should be dismantled, not elaborated and made permanent.
I suspect the app will work fine, most people will use it, and then, in a year, it will be retired as promised (tho kept ready for future use as in South Korea). And all your fears will turn out to be groundless
It is defined as persistent symptoms after 3 months.
We have to learn the lesson of Covid, in case it mutates, or we face a new pandemic. One or other is inevitable.
In either event, what advanced country do we want to copy, America, France, or South Korea?
South Korea of course. They defeated Covid with smartphone apps, tracking and tracing.
It still leaves a very significant problem for a lot of people who won’t be able to return to normal life indefinitely.
Up to 60,000 people in the UK may have been suffering from “long Covid” for more than three months, unable to get the care they need to recover from prolonged and debilitating symptoms.
Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London who runs the app-based Covid symptom study, said around 300,000 people had reported symptoms lasting for more than a month.
A minority have been suffering for longer; up to 60,000 people have reported having symptoms for more than three months. Some cases are mild, but others are seriously debilitating, with breathlessness and fatigue. Some people have had to use wheelchairs. Others say attempting to carry out everyday tasks such as shopping or even climbing the stairs can leave them bedridden for days.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/sep/08/60000-may-have-long-covid-for-more-than-three-months-uk-study
So one month or three months, 60k or 300k, mild or severe.
The description changes to suit whatever people want it to.
Does this matter? Well, yes... as the Times reports today lenders are already looking to withhold mortgages from properties with poor insulation in anticipation that the Government will impose minimum energy standards... at great cost to some old properties and practically impossible for others.
The point being that net zero is very quickly going to have some very real, practical impacts in the U.K. unless, of course, the Government backs off the 2050 goal... in which case it will have to legislate or end up in the courts... a bit like overseas aid.
The politics will be intense and offer opportunities to Labour IF they get their policies right. The Greens will perhaps seem irrelevant once the issue is how to become green, not whether to.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/no-more-mortgages-on-homes-with-low-energy-efficiency-ratings-mrcjglfpj?shareToken=8b44e654033ac25d6d2c29de727a3d9f
They need to focus 100% on 'green' issues - climate change, habitat loss, species loss, pollution, etc. And take a hard line. Be eco-authoritarian. Will this set a ceiling on support? Of course it will. But with every other party turning green round the edges they need to be at the vanguard.
It may take a split for such a 'proper' Green Party to come into being. And of course that will bugger them even more at the ballot box.
In a country where people are prosecuted for going for a walk with a coffee ('it counts as a picnic'), for having a cup of tea in a communal garden, for celebrating a childs birthday, I no longer trust the state to repsond proportionately. We need to oppose any extention of state power, as the state has showntime andtime again in cannot be trusted with the power it has.
If South Korea has a state its people trust, bully for them. We do not.
I say this as someone employed by the state.
TL;DR
“Not disastrous but time is running out”
And people tend to use whatever description, often in a pick and mix style, suits their purpose.