The changed perceptions of government performance since GE2019 – politicalbetting.com

StuartDickson said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

Which OTHER party could current Labour voters see themselves voting for?

None: 39%
Liberal Democrats: 21%
Greens: 20%
Conservatives: 7%

https://twitter.com/RedfieldWilton/status/1423207307559718915?s=20

You left out SNP 5% and PC 3% - a hell of a lot considering the relative populations of the nations. 50% split to SNP sounds about right - actually a little higher than I had expected given some of the shift has happened.

Carlottas job is to ignore the elephant in the room.

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

Alistair said:

There's an easy test for complete idiots because complete idiots mock the flu jab.

Because they are idiots and don't understand what the flu is.

I had it and it was fucking awful. I get the flu jab now every year because I never, ever want to get the flu again.

Actually, the flu jab is one I probably will get because not forcibly being able to mix (a measure cheered to the rafters on here), has apparently made our immune systems less robust.

So you'll get the flu jab but not the covid one, despite the latter being far more beneficial for you.

My judgement is that a year without mixing means flu has a much greater chance of f8cking me than covid.

Absolutely.

Any scientific evidence to back that up? Covid is far more serious than the flu, especially as you get older.

Sans lockdown, you would probably be correct. A year without mixing, without giving our immune systems the workouts they usually get? Dunno.

Theuniondivvie said:

Carnyx said:

Dura_Ace said:

turbotubbs said:

Guy Verhofstadt is certain poster on pb shock?

He does have a lot of very cool race cars; Elva 100, Aston Martin DB2/4 and a few 70s rally cars.

BTW did you ever come across Jay Leno's equivalent?

https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/jay-lenos-airplane-engine-collection-180977799/

Gross Septic vulgarity aside, the Roller powered by a Merlin has a pleasing symmetry. Mental Australians have built at least one 5000cc v twin motorcycle with 2 pots off a Merlin.

https://youtu.be/0S9oBUY7Wf8

Sandpit said:

OldKingCole said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Conservative donors have no influence on policy, insists Grant Shapps

Conservative donors are not "immoral" and have no influence on government policy, minister Grant Shapps has insisted, amid cash-for-access claims.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58098887

I'm bothered if I'd give loadsamoney to a party if I didn't think there was going to be something in it for me.

Pretty much everyone who has ever talked to a politician, whether in their MP surgery, or at the annual black tie £25k a table party dinner, is looking for something for themselves or their business.

Sandpit said:

Theuniondivvie said:

Carnyx said:

Dura_Ace said:

turbotubbs said:

Guy Verhofstadt is certain poster on pb shock?

He does have a lot of very cool race cars; Elva 100, Aston Martin DB2/4 and a few 70s rally cars.

BTW did you ever come across Jay Leno's equivalent?

https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/jay-lenos-airplane-engine-collection-180977799/

Gross Septic vulgarity aside, the Roller powered by a Merlin has a pleasing symmetry. Mental Australians have built at least one 5000cc v twin motorcycle with 2 pots off a Merlin.

https://youtu.be/0S9oBUY7Wf8

Brilliantly mental Aussies!

CarlottaVance said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

StuartDickson said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

Which OTHER party could current Labour voters see themselves voting for?

None: 39%
Liberal Democrats: 21%
Greens: 20%
Conservatives: 7%

https://twitter.com/RedfieldWilton/status/1423207307559718915?s=20

You left out SNP 5% and PC 3% - a hell of a lot considering the relative populations of the nations. 50% split to SNP sounds about right - actually a little higher than I had expected given some of the shift has happened.

Carlottas job is to ignore the elephant in the room.

Carlotta was quoting the Redfield & Winton tweet......but as usual the Nats are quick to take offence for imagined slights.....

I was quoting the tweet too!

Ah the graphic! Missed the roundings.....

contrarian said:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9864139/Furious-Brits-flying-Mexico-MID-AIR-country-red-list.html

I'm sure these people will be flocking to the tories when the time comes....

OldKingCole said:

Selebian said:

OldKingCole said:

DougSeal said:

OldKingCole said:

Fysics_Teacher said:

OldKingCole said:

noneoftheabove said:

Selebian said:

kjh said:

Mexicanpete said:

HYUFD said:

StuartDickson said:

felix said:

Selebian said:

felix said:

Selebian said:

Scott_xP said:

UK recorded 29,312 coronavirus cases in last 24 hours.
Here’s how we compare to other countries:

🇬🇧 UK - 29,312

🇫🇷 FRANCE - 1,996
🇩🇪 GERMANY - 1,776
🇪🇸 SPAIN - 4,954
🇮🇹 ITALY - 3,185

🇺🇸 USA - 15,081
🇧🇷 BRAZIL - 20,503
🇮🇳 INDIA - 30,549
🇮🇩 INDONESIA - 33,900
(Data: @who)
https://twitter.com/mrmikecowan/status/1422939172902514688

Leaving aside different points in cycle etc, on a 7 day basis, Spain and France are very comparable to UK according to OWID. OWID also suggests Spain and France reporting is massively variable on a single day basis.

It's a nonsense stat anyway, to make any kind of point about how well countries are doing. But taking a single day (with likely different reporting lags between countries) speaks of dubious motivation.

Scott'n paste orgasms whenever he senses gloom and doom for the UK v EU. Notice how he's avoiding the Olympic Medal table.

Didn't someone post on this before and note that the EU are way ahead of us on medals?

It was the idiot Dickson who pretended it was one country with no limits on the number of competitor entries. BDS is a serious illness and apparently there is no vaccine or cure.

Swings and roundabouts. Yes, the EU gets more competitors per event (which in most cases makes zero difference to podium places), but on the other hand the EU misses out on loads of relay and team podium placing.

It doesn’t matter how you look at it, the English are getting utterly thrashed by the EU at this Olympics.

It is Team GB competing not England.

The Commonwealth has also won more golds than the EU

Let's be done with all the jingoistic petty nationalism and just call it TeamBoris.

I think we are getting a bit carried away with this population nonsense re Olympic medals. Obviously it is important, but once you are over a certain critical mass other factors kick in.

Based on population NZ should be rubbish at rugby, W Indies rubbish at cricket and so on and an obvious one is skiing. I don't think it surprising to anyone that Austria and Switzerland are pretty handy at it. I wonder why?!

A critical mass in a less popular sport can work wonders. From personal experience of my 2 children getting to the top of judo is much easier than swimming and requires a lot less effort as it is a lot less competitive. If you want to get to the top of a sport and you are physically and spatially suited, obviously you should pick the ones that fits your natural traits, but more importantly pick one that is less popular.

Or of course (as is and should be the case) pick ones you enjoy.

Enjoyment is one thing, of course...

The other question, pressing for my wife and I as our eldest is now three and needs to start the journey to elite sport if he's going to make it, is which sport offers the best financial return for parents, on average? Obviously football is big bucks, but lots and lots of competitors. What's the sport that gives us the greatest chance of retiring to our own tropical island when he's in his early 20s, say?

(Obviously - I hope! - I'm not serious about this, but the question is kind of interesting - many sports require innate talent/physical prowess - but there are probably others - snooker? darts? curling? where with sufficient application perhaps almost anyone could become an elite competitor? Snooker, of those, has the highest earnings, I guess?)

Football in the UK by a distance. There will be dozens more millionaires from UK football than all our other sports combined. Of the sports you mention darts has the best prize money. Other lottery funded minor sports might be easier to make a normal living from than football but not to get filthy rich.

If Mr S is being serious, and I rather hope he isn't, it rather depends on the school the little chap goes to/is sent to. Football, or darts, are unlikely to be an option for an alumnus of Eton, Harrow or Winchester. The days of Old Carthusians or Wanderers winning the FA Cup are long gone.
On the other hand, while getting to the top in cricket doesn't quite bring in the same money, it's much easier from the likes of, to take a local example, Bedford.

Eton is a soccer school: they do now play Rugby, but it is very much a second choice.

Back when I used to take a rugby team at my (state) school, we had a few years were we played Eton: when we went there the boys couldn’t use the main changing rooms because they were reserved for the football teams.

Just a thought; what are the chances of dementia in later life as a result of playing football, and heading the ball, as against playing rugby?

My Dad was pretty decent back in the 60s, Yorkshire Schoolboys, York City reserves, England Universities, and maintains that the risk has decreased massively since they stopped using leather balls that soak up water.

Wouldn't be at all surprised. Still dislike though the fact that our local non-league team had, under it's previous manager, almost a fetish for head-tennis.

I remember the first time my dad took us to see Chelmsford (same local non-league team?) and up until that point, must have been early 90s I guess, I'd only seen top flight football on telly or (what is now) championship football in person at Ipswich or Southend. Chelmsford City FC versus whoever was a hell of a shock. Not sure the ball touched the ground for the first 20 minutes!

No, but not far away!
Used to watch Southend when Younger Son wanted to go, but was too young to go by himself. Certainly a lot more FOOT ball than the team I'll probably watch this autumn.

Edit; Just seen your addendum, and not them either. Close, though.

Pulpstar said:

I don't think 100,000 cases or a new lockdown is out of the question at some point during the remainder of 2021 or 2022. I'd consider it at the correct odds ( 5-1 perhaps ?)
I'd back on overs for 50k at even money if forced given yesterday's case numbers and specimen date loading.

MrEd said:

Leon said:

Sandpit said:

Theuniondivvie said:

Carnyx said:

Dura_Ace said:

turbotubbs said:

Guy Verhofstadt is certain poster on pb shock?

He does have a lot of very cool race cars; Elva 100, Aston Martin DB2/4 and a few 70s rally cars.

BTW did you ever come across Jay Leno's equivalent?

https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/jay-lenos-airplane-engine-collection-180977799/

Gross Septic vulgarity aside, the Roller powered by a Merlin has a pleasing symmetry. Mental Australians have built at least one 5000cc v twin motorcycle with 2 pots off a Merlin.

https://youtu.be/0S9oBUY7Wf8

Brilliantly mental Aussies!

The Aussies are having a phenomenal Olympics, we aren't going to catch them. Bogus Russia will likely overtake us as well, leaving us in 6th, which is pretty good (eg ahead of all EU nations, for a start)

I do wonder if being unlocked-down (until now) has helped Australia, physically and/or psychologically. The Kiwis are also having a good Games

Nope, think we will catch them - we are one behind in Gold, with two boxing finals to come and possibly more in other areas.

ROC, we are ahead on Golds, if not medals.

Reckon we will probably end up with around 55+, Nate Silver thinks more like 60+

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

Alistair said:

There's an easy test for complete idiots because complete idiots mock the flu jab.

Because they are idiots and don't understand what the flu is.

I had it and it was fucking awful. I get the flu jab now every year because I never, ever want to get the flu again.

Actually, the flu jab is one I probably will get because not forcibly being able to mix (a measure cheered to the rafters on here), has apparently made our immune systems less robust.

So you'll get the flu jab but not the covid one, despite the latter being far more beneficial for you.

My judgement is that a year without mixing means flu has a much greater chance of f8cking me than covid.

Absolutely.

Any scientific evidence to back that up? Covid is far more serious than the flu, especially as you get older.

Sans lockdown, you would probably be correct. A year without mixing, without giving our immune systems the workouts they usually get? Dunno.

Daveyboy1961 said:

Leon said:

If this doesn't incentivise the vax refuseniks, nothing will



"Vaccines to be required for open travel ‘for evermore’, says Shapps"

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/05/covid-vaccines-required-open-travel-for-evermore-grant-shapps


Unless you get vaxxed, you face a lifetime of holidays in Cleethorpes

sounds grim (sby)

CarlottaVance said:

Leon said:

If this doesn't incentivise the vax refuseniks, nothing will



"Vaccines to be required for open travel ‘for evermore’, says Shapps"

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/05/covid-vaccines-required-open-travel-for-evermore-grant-shapps


Unless you get vaxxed, you face a lifetime of holidays in Cleethorpes

Wasn't he talking about the requirements of foreign countries?

Not something within the gift of the UK government.

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

Alistair said:

There's an easy test for complete idiots because complete idiots mock the flu jab.

Because they are idiots and don't understand what the flu is.

I had it and it was fucking awful. I get the flu jab now every year because I never, ever want to get the flu again.

Actually, the flu jab is one I probably will get because not forcibly being able to mix (a measure cheered to the rafters on here), has apparently made our immune systems less robust.

So you'll get the flu jab but not the covid one, despite the latter being far more beneficial for you.

My judgement is that a year without mixing means flu has a much greater chance of f8cking me than covid.

Absolutely.

maaarsh said:

Pulpstar said:

I don't think 100,000 cases or a new lockdown is out of the question at some point during the remainder of 2021 or 2022. I'd consider it at the correct odds ( 5-1 perhaps ?)
I'd back on overs for 50k at even money if forced given yesterday's case numbers and specimen date loading.

Brave to bet on something so subject to measurement influence. If we had a continental European testing regime you'd have to be under on that.

turbotubbs said:

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

Alistair said:

There's an easy test for complete idiots because complete idiots mock the flu jab.

Because they are idiots and don't understand what the flu is.

I had it and it was fucking awful. I get the flu jab now every year because I never, ever want to get the flu again.

Actually, the flu jab is one I probably will get because not forcibly being able to mix (a measure cheered to the rafters on here), has apparently made our immune systems less robust.

So you'll get the flu jab but not the covid one, despite the latter being far more beneficial for you.

My judgement is that a year without mixing means flu has a much greater chance of f8cking me than covid.

Absolutely.

Any scientific evidence to back that up? Covid is far more serious than the flu, especially as you get older.

Sans lockdown, you would probably be correct. A year without mixing, without giving our immune systems the workouts they usually get? Dunno.

I think you do not understand the immune system that well. It is challenged ALL THE TIME, and 99.9 % you never even notice.

StuartDickson said:

Gardenwalker said:

Scott_xP said:

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To avoid meeting Nicola Sturgeon...

I approve of Boris putting Nicola in her place.
It’s a delicate balance, and he needs to avoid insulting the Scots, but Nicola pretends to a status she simply does not have.

Nicola is the democratically elected leader of her country. Scots expect their choice to be respected.

Incidentally, expecting Boris Johnson to be “delicate” has got to be a gold medal performance in wishful thinking.

OldKingCole said:

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Conservative donors have no influence on policy, insists Grant Shapps

Conservative donors are not "immoral" and have no influence on government policy, minister Grant Shapps has insisted, amid cash-for-access claims.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58098887

I'm bothered if I'd give loadsamoney to a party if I didn't think there was going to be something in it for me.

noneoftheabove said:

The dementia and football story is an interesting and confusing one.

The biggest study found that ex footballers lived on average longer than their control group, but that they are several times more likely to suffer from dementia.

The interpretation and publicity of that study has almost universally been that playing elite football is dangerous because of increased chances of dementia. Parents are now worried about kids playing football. All the other benefits of fitness, social bonds from team sport and diet have been forgotten.

The interpretation should primarily have been to emphasise how important sport can be, with thought on how we can reduce dementia a secondary factor.

Theuniondivvie said:

CarlottaVance said:

Lots of "joyous & civic" (sic) nationalism in the replies:

It was a pleasure to visit @PoliceScotland's headquarters at Tulliallan Castle yesterday.

The police play a vital role in protecting the public and it was great to see first hand how they are preparing for the challenge of policing @COP26. in November this year.

https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1423230400227381254?s=20

Not respecting the office or the man, shocking stuff.

kle4 said:

Carnyx said:

Gardenwalker said:

Carnyx said:

Gardenwalker said:

Carnyx said:

Gardenwalker said:

Scott_xP said:

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To avoid meeting Nicola Sturgeon...

I approve of Boris putting Nicola in her place.
It’s a delicate balance, and he needs to avoid insulting the Scots, but Nicola pretends to a status she simply does not have.

She is the First Minister. And this is not an isolated incident but a sustained pattern of refusal to engage. Which is not good for government at any level.

Nicola is given an inch and takes a yard.
She pretty much weaponises all her engagements with U.K. level people and institutions.

Perhaps a period of isolation is indeed called for.

"Is called for": it's been inflicted by the government in Whitehall for years now, was my point.

Well we probably agree that Whitehall’s approach to Scotland has been disastrous.

But I’m fed up with Nicola.
She is largely given a free ride by the media, too, even though she wants to BREAK UP MY COUNTRY.

Please be precise: your state. Noit your country.

Not this crap again.

Nationalists rightly dont like being told their view of nationality is invalid. Unionists rightly dont like it either.

Country status is inherently arbitrary as all matters of borders and identity are. They are real if people consider them real, and if they can persuade others internationally they can get recognised.

Insulting people by saying their country is not a country is just being impolite for no reason, since theres no objective reality to it.

The UK is my country. England is too, in this country of countries. It is perfectly ok for people to not feel the same and to want to break up either of those entities or indeed both. But they don't get to determine what others feel anymore than I could determine what they feel.

TOPPING said:

A lot of "here's why we need to stay in our homes" posts from Aussie mates on my FB feed (yes I'm just old enough to be on FB).

What an absolute shit show.

Who the f**k cares how many medals they have; they are unlikely to reach the stated required 70% vaccination level until Christmas until which point they look likely to remain locked down.

Yurgh.

Nigelb said:

noneoftheabove said:

The dementia and football story is an interesting and confusing one.

The biggest study found that ex footballers lived on average longer than their control group, but that they are several times more likely to suffer from dementia.

The interpretation and publicity of that study has almost universally been that playing elite football is dangerous because of increased chances of dementia. Parents are now worried about kids playing football. All the other benefits of fitness, social bonds from team sport and diet have been forgotten.

The interpretation should primarily have been to emphasise how important sport can be, with thought on how we can reduce dementia a secondary factor.

Why don't they just ban heading the ball ?

kjh said:

noneoftheabove said:

The dementia and football story is an interesting and confusing one.

The biggest study found that ex footballers lived on average longer than their control group, but that they are several times more likely to suffer from dementia.

The interpretation and publicity of that study has almost universally been that playing elite football is dangerous because of increased chances of dementia. Parents are now worried about kids playing football. All the other benefits of fitness, social bonds from team sport and diet have been forgotten.

The interpretation should primarily have been to emphasise how important sport can be, with thought on how we can reduce dementia a secondary factor.

Do you have easy access to that study. Would be interesting. You would think footballers on average would live longer than a control group. Quite unscientifically recently I was surprised by the announcements of several famous ex-footballers dying in their 70s which I thought was rather young. Probably a blip, or more likely me just noticing the names I remember from my teens and not noticing the 90+ ones passing away who I had never heard of.

Nigelb said:

turbotubbs said:

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

Alistair said:

There's an easy test for complete idiots because complete idiots mock the flu jab.

Because they are idiots and don't understand what the flu is.

I had it and it was fucking awful. I get the flu jab now every year because I never, ever want to get the flu again.

Actually, the flu jab is one I probably will get because not forcibly being able to mix (a measure cheered to the rafters on here), has apparently made our immune systems less robust.

So you'll get the flu jab but not the covid one, despite the latter being far more beneficial for you.

My judgement is that a year without mixing means flu has a much greater chance of f8cking me than covid.

Absolutely.

Any scientific evidence to back that up? Covid is far more serious than the flu, especially as you get older.

Sans lockdown, you would probably be correct. A year without mixing, without giving our immune systems the workouts they usually get? Dunno.

I think you do not understand the immune system that well. It is challenged ALL THE TIME, and 99.9 % you never even notice.

Contrarian is possibly correct that population vulnerability to the flu is higher this year, though, since the number of flu cases has flatlined over the last year, and immune response tends to fade over time.
Of course it remains an open question as to whether there is a large outbreak of a novel strain this winter.

StuartDickson said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

StuartDickson said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

Which OTHER party could current Labour voters see themselves voting for?

None: 39%
Liberal Democrats: 21%
Greens: 20%
Conservatives: 7%

https://twitter.com/RedfieldWilton/status/1423207307559718915?s=20

You left out SNP 5% and PC 3% - a hell of a lot considering the relative populations of the nations. 50% split to SNP sounds about right - actually a little higher than I had expected given some of the shift has happened.

Carlottas job is to ignore the elephant in the room.

Carlotta was quoting the Redfield & Winton tweet......but as usual the Nats are quick to take offence for imagined slights.....

I was quoting the tweet too!

Carlotta lives in Neo-Unionist-Land. She sees what she wants to see.

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Theuniondivvie said:

CarlottaVance said:

Lots of "joyous & civic" (sic) nationalism in the replies:

It was a pleasure to visit @PoliceScotland's headquarters at Tulliallan Castle yesterday.

The police play a vital role in protecting the public and it was great to see first hand how they are preparing for the challenge of policing @COP26. in November this year.

https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1423230400227381254?s=20

Not respecting the office or the man, shocking stuff.

Never mind Police Scotland, what idiot posted the Olympics video of Boris that makes it look like he has lunched rather too well? Did no-one realise climbing the stairs would make him appear to sway from side to side, which added to the hair makes him look tired and emotional? I'm not sure whether it is worse with sound on or off.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1422579951279165448

LostPassword said:

TOPPING said:

A lot of "here's why we need to stay in our homes" posts from Aussie mates on my FB feed (yes I'm just old enough to be on FB).

What an absolute shit show.

Who the f**k cares how many medals they have; they are unlikely to reach the stated required 70% vaccination level until Christmas until which point they look likely to remain locked down.

Yurgh.

Has anywhere managed the double of keeping Covid out with lockdown/travel restrictions, and then vaccinating quickly so they don't get caught by Delta?

China would be close, if their vaccines were better. Singapore maybe?

Alistair said:

Just to be precise my prediction was here:

https://vf.politicalbetting.com/discussion/comment/3485830/#Comment_3485830

As you can see I am a cheating wanker and made two predictions (both wrong).

kjh said:

noneoftheabove said:

The dementia and football story is an interesting and confusing one.

The biggest study found that ex footballers lived on average longer than their control group, but that they are several times more likely to suffer from dementia.

The interpretation and publicity of that study has almost universally been that playing elite football is dangerous because of increased chances of dementia. Parents are now worried about kids playing football. All the other benefits of fitness, social bonds from team sport and diet have been forgotten.

The interpretation should primarily have been to emphasise how important sport can be, with thought on how we can reduce dementia a secondary factor.

Do you have easy access to that study. Would be interesting. You would think footballers on average would live longer than a control group. Quite unscientifically recently I was surprised by the announcements of several famous ex-footballers dying in their 70s which I thought was rather young. Probably a blip, or more likely me just noticing the names I remember from my teens and not noticing the 90+ ones passing away who I had never heard of.

Leon said:

Sandpit said:

Theuniondivvie said:

Carnyx said:

Dura_Ace said:

turbotubbs said:

Guy Verhofstadt is certain poster on pb shock?

He does have a lot of very cool race cars; Elva 100, Aston Martin DB2/4 and a few 70s rally cars.

BTW did you ever come across Jay Leno's equivalent?

https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/jay-lenos-airplane-engine-collection-180977799/

Gross Septic vulgarity aside, the Roller powered by a Merlin has a pleasing symmetry. Mental Australians have built at least one 5000cc v twin motorcycle with 2 pots off a Merlin.

https://youtu.be/0S9oBUY7Wf8

Brilliantly mental Aussies!

The Aussies are having a phenomenal Olympics, we aren't going to catch them. Bogus Russia will likely overtake us as well, leaving us in 6th, which is pretty good (eg ahead of all EU nations, for a start)

I do wonder if being unlocked-down (until now) has helped Australia, physically and/or psychologically. The Kiwis are also having a good Games

noneoftheabove said:

Nigelb said:

noneoftheabove said:

The dementia and football story is an interesting and confusing one.

The biggest study found that ex footballers lived on average longer than their control group, but that they are several times more likely to suffer from dementia.

The interpretation and publicity of that study has almost universally been that playing elite football is dangerous because of increased chances of dementia. Parents are now worried about kids playing football. All the other benefits of fitness, social bonds from team sport and diet have been forgotten.

The interpretation should primarily have been to emphasise how important sport can be, with thought on how we can reduce dementia a secondary factor.

Why don't they just ban heading the ball ?

They will limit it severely in training and it is already banned for young kids (not sure what age, probably depends by country).

Banning heading the ball completely would make it a sport solely for those with low centre of gravity. There are not many sports where people the size of Lionel Messi and Didier Drogba can both be world class in the same position, it would be a big shame to take that away from football.

It might happen eventually as society gets ever more risk averse (well averse to specific risks such as dementia from football as opposed to general risks such as not playing enough sport) but not in the short term, and rightly so.

Pulpstar said:

Nigelb said:

turbotubbs said:

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

RobD said:

contrarian said:

Alistair said:

There's an easy test for complete idiots because complete idiots mock the flu jab.

Because they are idiots and don't understand what the flu is.

I had it and it was fucking awful. I get the flu jab now every year because I never, ever want to get the flu again.

Actually, the flu jab is one I probably will get because not forcibly being able to mix (a measure cheered to the rafters on here), has apparently made our immune systems less robust.

So you'll get the flu jab but not the covid one, despite the latter being far more beneficial for you.

My judgement is that a year without mixing means flu has a much greater chance of f8cking me than covid.

Absolutely.

Any scientific evidence to back that up? Covid is far more serious than the flu, especially as you get older.

Sans lockdown, you would probably be correct. A year without mixing, without giving our immune systems the workouts they usually get? Dunno.

I think you do not understand the immune system that well. It is challenged ALL THE TIME, and 99.9 % you never even notice.

Contrarian is possibly correct that population vulnerability to the flu is higher this year, though, since the number of flu cases has flatlined over the last year, and immune response tends to fade over time.
Of course it remains an open question as to whether there is a large outbreak of a novel strain this winter.

He's still wrong though - the Covid IFR slope is much more age skewed than any flu pandemic including 1918.
You have to remember if you're over 50 and unvaccinated the current hospitalisation, IFR and case rates are meaningless given the statistically insignificant subset of the UK population you're in now.

malcolmg said:

CarlottaVance said:

MattW said:

StuartDickson said:

Gardenwalker said:

Scott_xP said:

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To avoid meeting Nicola Sturgeon...

I approve of Boris putting Nicola in her place.
It’s a delicate balance, and he needs to avoid insulting the Scots, but Nicola pretends to a status she simply does not have.

Nicola is the democratically elected leader of her country. Scots expect their choice to be respected.

Incidentally, expecting Boris Johnson to be “delicate” has got to be a gold medal performance in wishful thinking.

Sturgeon is a troll, and this was a transparent PR stunt.

What she wanted was the Johnson Perp walk into Bute House in front of booing saltire waving Nats.....like last time.....

He is such a coward he could not handle the challenge. Leads from the fridge. For all her faults you would not have seen Thatcher cowering, she would have been there waving her handbag , not skulking in secret locations hidden from the public so he could pretend he was a leader.

DecrepiterJohnL said:

Malmesbury said:

kjh said:

noneoftheabove said:

The dementia and football story is an interesting and confusing one.

The biggest study found that ex footballers lived on average longer than their control group, but that they are several times more likely to suffer from dementia.

The interpretation and publicity of that study has almost universally been that playing elite football is dangerous because of increased chances of dementia. Parents are now worried about kids playing football. All the other benefits of fitness, social bonds from team sport and diet have been forgotten.

The interpretation should primarily have been to emphasise how important sport can be, with thought on how we can reduce dementia a secondary factor.

Do you have easy access to that study. Would be interesting. You would think footballers on average would live longer than a control group. Quite unscientifically recently I was surprised by the announcements of several famous ex-footballers dying in their 70s which I thought was rather young. Probably a blip, or more likely me just noticing the names I remember from my teens and not noticing the 90+ ones passing away who I had never heard of.

Given that many footballers come from poorer backgrounds, and then are catapulted into the world of non-stop medical monitoring and supervision, combined with diet etc.... I would have been surprised if footballers didn't live longer than their origin peer groups.

Win or lose, we're on the booze. The carefully supervised diets and fitness regimes are a recent innovation. Count the chins on the England 1970 World Cup squad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJ-EutNDgZQ

Carnyx said:

felix said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

StuartDickson said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

Which OTHER party could current Labour voters see themselves voting for?

None: 39%
Liberal Democrats: 21%
Greens: 20%
Conservatives: 7%

https://twitter.com/RedfieldWilton/status/1423207307559718915?s=20

You left out SNP 5% and PC 3% - a hell of a lot considering the relative populations of the nations. 50% split to SNP sounds about right - actually a little higher than I had expected given some of the shift has happened.

Carlottas job is to ignore the elephant in the room.

Carlotta was quoting the Redfield & Winton tweet......but as usual the Nats are quick to take offence for imagined slights.....

I was quoting the tweet too!

Ah the graphic! Missed the roundings.....

Oh yes, I agree it's fairly crude. My 50% of SLAB voters was just to say 'half' and actually it's technically an underestimate, though I saw no point in fussing further than that.

It is actually quite significant especially as we are always assured on here that SLAB voters can be infallibly assumed to be British nationalists for such purposes as tactical voting and indyrefs. I'd thopught most of the moveable ones had already shifted so an apparent 5 percentage points vs 8 percentahe points for population is quite high. Definitely worth further scrutiny.

A big weakness for SLab in Scotland is that voters are more aware that many activists lean towards nationalism. It tends to be hidden by the fact that they are totally swamped by the SNP but I think explains the fact that the Tory vote has rebounded and held relatively well in recent years. They are the only clearly unequivocal unionist party. however it inevitably weakerns the Unionist vote and therefore the case.

Hmm, not entirely sure [edit] of that.

SLD are also clearly unionist, too, btw, but there aren't that many of them outside key concentrations (with RP an honourable addition).

It seems to me that SLAB in the Scottish media is always presented as an Unionist party - I don't think there is much attention to what individual activists below MP/MSP level get up to. But it is very much competing with the Tories for the Britnat vote (as opposed to the Irish Unionist element). The closest to indy Labour get is occasional comments from SLAB's masters in London about perhaps allowing a referendum to happen (which is a majority view in Scotland, separately from the intended actual vote, and allowing for delays caused by the current covid epidemic). Which is perhaps sufficient for a Tory attack line, as is the accusation of a Labour minority government dependent on the SNP. Certainly SLAB MPs and MSPs get very hot under the collar at such ideological backsliding.

Theuniondivvie said:

HYUFD said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

StuartDickson said:

Carnyx said:

CarlottaVance said:

Which OTHER party could current Labour voters see themselves voting for?

None: 39%
Liberal Democrats: 21%
Greens: 20%
Conservatives: 7%

https://twitter.com/RedfieldWilton/status/1423207307559718915?s=20

You left out SNP 5% and PC 3% - a hell of a lot considering the relative populations of the nations. 50% split to SNP sounds about right - actually a little higher than I had expected given some of the shift has happened.

Carlottas job is to ignore the elephant in the room.

Carlotta was quoting the Redfield & Winton tweet......but as usual the Nats are quick to take offence for imagined slights.....

I was quoting the tweet too!

Ah the graphic! Missed the roundings.....

Oh yes, I agree it's fairly crude. My 50% of SLAB voters was just to say 'half' and actually it's technically an underestimate, though I saw no point in fussing further than that.

It is actually quite significant especially as we are always assured on here that SLAB voters can be infallibly assumed to be British nationalists for such purposes as tactical voting and indyrefs. I'd thopught most of the moveable ones had already shifted so an apparent 5 percentage points vs 8 percentahe points for population is quite high. Definitely worth further scrutiny.

On that chart most remaining SLab voters would actually second choice the Scottish LDs and SCons not the SNP.

It was of course SLab tactical votes which kept the likes of Edinburgh Western and Fife NE and Aberdeenshire West and Eastwood Unionist in May and helped prevent the SNP getting a majority

Speaking of Edinburgh Western..



I had occasion to be on Corstorphine main street last week, 2 separate SLD offices with shop window sized photos of Cole-Hamilton & Jardine with matching Cheshire cat grins. 'Orrible it was..

malcolmg said:

kle4 said:

Carnyx said:

Gardenwalker said:

Carnyx said:

Gardenwalker said:

Carnyx said:

Gardenwalker said:

Scott_xP said:

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To avoid meeting Nicola Sturgeon...

I approve of Boris putting Nicola in her place.
It’s a delicate balance, and he needs to avoid insulting the Scots, but Nicola pretends to a status she simply does not have.

She is the First Minister. And this is not an isolated incident but a sustained pattern of refusal to engage. Which is not good for government at any level.

Nicola is given an inch and takes a yard.
She pretty much weaponises all her engagements with U.K. level people and institutions.

Perhaps a period of isolation is indeed called for.

"Is called for": it's been inflicted by the government in Whitehall for years now, was my point.

Well we probably agree that Whitehall’s approach to Scotland has been disastrous.

But I’m fed up with Nicola.
She is largely given a free ride by the media, too, even though she wants to BREAK UP MY COUNTRY.

Please be precise: your state. Noit your country.

Not this crap again.

Nationalists rightly dont like being told their view of nationality is invalid. Unionists rightly dont like it either.

Country status is inherently arbitrary as all matters of borders and identity are. They are real if people consider them real, and if they can persuade others internationally they can get recognised.

Insulting people by saying their country is not a country is just being impolite for no reason, since theres no objective reality to it.

The UK is my country. England is too, in this country of countries. It is perfectly ok for people to not feel the same and to want to break up either of those entities or indeed both. But they don't get to determine what others feel anymore than I could determine what they feel.

Well for me my only country is Scotland, UK is not and never has been a "country" and anyone pretending so is not right in the tattie.

kle4 said:

malcolmg said:

kle4 said:

Carnyx said:

Gardenwalker said:

Carnyx said:

Gardenwalker said:

Carnyx said:

Gardenwalker said:

Scott_xP said:

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: To avoid meeting Nicola Sturgeon...

I approve of Boris putting Nicola in her place.
It’s a delicate balance, and he needs to avoid insulting the Scots, but Nicola pretends to a status she simply does not have.

She is the First Minister. And this is not an isolated incident but a sustained pattern of refusal to engage. Which is not good for government at any level.

Nicola is given an inch and takes a yard.
She pretty much weaponises all her engagements with U.K. level people and institutions.

Perhaps a period of isolation is indeed called for.

"Is called for": it's been inflicted by the government in Whitehall for years now, was my point.

Well we probably agree that Whitehall’s approach to Scotland has been disastrous.

But I’m fed up with Nicola.
She is largely given a free ride by the media, too, even though she wants to BREAK UP MY COUNTRY.

Please be precise: your state. Noit your country.

Not this crap again.

Nationalists rightly dont like being told their view of nationality is invalid. Unionists rightly dont like it either.

Country status is inherently arbitrary as all matters of borders and identity are. They are real if people consider them real, and if they can persuade others internationally they can get recognised.

Insulting people by saying their country is not a country is just being impolite for no reason, since theres no objective reality to it.

The UK is my country. England is too, in this country of countries. It is perfectly ok for people to not feel the same and to want to break up either of those entities or indeed both. But they don't get to determine what others feel anymore than I could determine what they feel.

Well for me my only country is Scotland, UK is not and never has been a "country" and anyone pretending so is not right in the tattie.

This is my precise point malc. You dont consider it your country, whatever legalities exist. That's your view and its fine. You cannot be forced to feel an attachment to the UK.

Why be so rude and deny the validity of others taking a different view though? Who are you to claim you have the right to declare your country is a country but others who take a different view cannot do the same?

That's just plain disrespectful to one another and I cannot see the point - my view that the UK is my country, held by many, in no way diminishes your strong view that only Scotland is your country. Sure, someone will point to states and law, but your identity remains unaffected to you.

Why cannot my identity be real? Because it was a legal construct centuries ago? All countries are constructs, they are all real if enough people feel they are.