I don't think the Lib dems will win but I easily see a Witney type result.
That said even if the LDs win the Tories will sort of be able to spin it away due to local issues etc.
The more I think about it Bexley looks the more interesting by election given how much Labour has underperformed in Outer London under Starmer and would be boosted by a strong performance there, Reform is also an unknown.
the latest Survation national results put Labour and the Conservatives on level pegging - 37%, a change on the last round of Survation results published in October, which had the Conservatives enjoying a four point lead (39% to 35%).
Full voting intention conducted along with the polling of 3236 voting intentions showed CON 37% LAB 37% LD 10% SNP 5% GRE 4% REFUK 2% Others 5%
The LDs would be choosing the next government under most PR systems with these numbers.
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
Is she a native English speaker? That reads neither as a native, nor how a Chinese with less than perfect English would write. Me too has arrived in China, and being swiftly cracked down on.
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
I am jumping all over the coward and will continue to do so. And doing so expecting the Tories to replace him and then win the next election with Sunak or similar.
This is not about partisan ramping. This is about right and wrong.
I don't think the Lib dems will win but I easily see a Witney type result.
That said even if the LDs win the Tories will sort of be able to spin it away due to local issues etc.
The more I think about it Bexley looks the more interesting by election given how much Labour has underperformed in Outer London under Starmer and would be boosted by a strong performance there, Reform is also an unknown.
I think both will be Con holds on the donkey with a blue rosette factor. How close is where the interest lies. How much tactical voting in particular.
Close enough to put some fear into those haunted sunken eyes of the PM, I hope.
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
You are saying there's nothing wrong with a corrupt shyster if he's a corrupt shyster who wins elections?
You are also saying that nobody really objects to corrupt shysters in principle, they only object because they are supporters of an opposing faction?
As Europe careers headlong into a Covid crisis, those accusing Boris of being cowardly may care to consider whether his decision to lift restrictions on July 19 was cowardly, not least as at the time he was accused of a reckless experiment with the health of the nation.
Boris never wanted restrictions in the first place. His failure to act in autumn of last year cost tens of thousands of lives. Instead he took the easy option of not taking early action.
More economic illiteracy from Channel 4 this time "in October the cost of living jumped to its highest level in nearly a decade". Er no, just to its highest level since last month, as it almost always does.
Wasn't it a journalist from Channel 4 who was surprised to learn of the existence of the ONS in the early days of Covid?
It was one on the BBC at lunchtime who said that prices jumped by 4.2% in October.
I heard Nuala McGovern earlier on Radio 5 talking about the effect on families of healthcare workers "when they come home having given 110, or maybe 120 percent"
I was left disappointed that they've been giving so much less than infinity percent.
Not only did Radio 5 make that same basic error about "in October the cost of living jumped to its highest level in nearly a decade" this morning, they went on to include a clip with the error in a trailer I heard this evening as well. The widespread ignorance is remarkable but not surprising after 20 odd months of repeatedly screwing up the reporting of covid.
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
You are saying there's nothing wrong with a corrupt shyster if he's a corrupt shyster who wins elections?
You are also saying that nobody really objects to corrupt shysters in principle, they only object because they are supporters of an opposing faction?
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
You are saying there's nothing wrong with a corrupt shyster if he's a corrupt shyster who wins elections?
You are also saying that nobody really objects to corrupt shysters in principle, they only object because they are supporters of an opposing faction?
If not, what is your point?
Do you really think the Keir and Angela show with that LAB have to 'offer' with their team will be an improvement?
Apols for my ignorance, is the use of "Kevin" as a derogatory term something unique to YCC or a wider issue?
I wondered that too. I've never heard of it and lived relatively locally (although thankfully across the border in the good, non-racist* bit of Yorkshire) for almost a decade.
*to be fair, N Yorks is so white that there probably isn't much chance for racists to practice their craft, so they head west to where there are more opportunities
I have to say I think that's wrong. When we lived near Selby, N. Yorks, we encountered more racism* than anywhere else we have lived.
I put this down to the fear of the unknown. Selby was overwhelmingly white and all those I met who passed casually racist comments seemed to have no actual experience of knowing anyone from different cultures. In contrast, in Halifax for example, most people seemed to rub along pretty well regardless of culture or ethnicity.
Sorry @Selebian to appear to be dissing Selby, which otherwise has much to commend it, but that's how I found it.
(*The racism wasn't directed at us, being white, rather we were incorrectly assumed to be co-conspirators.)
As comments on Selby go, that's probably one of the more positive I've heard ("much to commend it"). I'd describe it as more of a missed opportunity - it has the history and, in the Abbey and canal etc, the present potential to be far better than it is.
Having lived in a few places around the area, I've not found it worse than other places. I only remember one overtly racist comment, from an elderly neighbour. Beyond family though, most of the people we mix with (friends from work) are either living around York or Leeds. The latter is obviously more diverse and the former is too, in some ways, although still very white.
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
I am jumping all over the coward and will continue to do so. And doing so expecting the Tories to replace him and then win the next election with Sunak or similar.
This is not about partisan ramping. This is about right and wrong.
Good luck with your (current) party. Maybe up another seat next GE?
the latest Survation national results put Labour and the Conservatives on level pegging - 37%, a change on the last round of Survation results published in October, which had the Conservatives enjoying a four point lead (39% to 35%).
Full voting intention conducted along with the polling of 3236 voting intentions showed CON 37% LAB 37% LD 10% SNP 5% GRE 4% REFUK 2% Others 5%
The LDs would be choosing the next government under most PR systems with these numbers.
The LDs would have chosen every government since 1945 on the voteshares achieved under PR, with the exception of 2015 when UKIP would have been Kingmakers
Apols for my ignorance, is the use of "Kevin" as a derogatory term something unique to YCC or a wider issue?
I wondered that too. I've never heard of it and lived relatively locally (although thankfully across the border in the good, non-racist* bit of Yorkshire) for almost a decade.
*to be fair, N Yorks is so white that there probably isn't much chance for racists to practice their craft, so they head west to where there are more opportunities
I have to say I think that's wrong. When we lived near Selby, N. Yorks, we encountered more racism* than anywhere else we have lived.
I put this down to the fear of the unknown. Selby was overwhelmingly white and all those I met who passed casually racist comments seemed to have no actual experience of knowing anyone from different cultures. In contrast, in Halifax for example, most people seemed to rub along pretty well regardless of culture or ethnicity.
Sorry @Selebian to appear to be dissing Selby, which otherwise has much to commend it, but that's how I found it.
(*The racism wasn't directed at us, being white, rather we were incorrectly assumed to be co-conspirators.)
Edit to also note: my original comment was not really serious, I don't think North Yorkshire is likely to be any different to West on racism or - if it is - likely to be worse at least in attitude for the reasons you state.
As comments on Selby go, that's probably one of the more positive I've heard ("much to commend it"). I'd describe it as more of a missed opportunity - it has the history and, in the Abbey and canal etc, the present potential to be far better than it is.
Having lived in a few places around the area, I've not found it worse than other places. I only remember one overtly racist comment, from an elderly neighbour. Beyond family though, most of the people we mix with (friends from work) are either living around York or Leeds. The latter is obviously more diverse and the former is too, in some ways, although still very white.
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
You are saying there's nothing wrong with a corrupt shyster if he's a corrupt shyster who wins elections?
You are also saying that nobody really objects to corrupt shysters in principle, they only object because they are supporters of an opposing faction?
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
You are saying there's nothing wrong with a corrupt shyster if he's a corrupt shyster who wins elections?
You are also saying that nobody really objects to corrupt shysters in principle, they only object because they are supporters of an opposing faction?
If not, what is your point?
Do you really think the Keir and Angela show with that LAB have to 'offer' with their team will be an improvement?
Forget Labour. They have a mountain to climb.
This is about Right and Wrong. Facts matter. Standards matter. Integrity matters. Propriety.
The Tories need to remove Boris Johnson because he brings the party and the whole political system into disrepute. Open corruption, lies and rule-breaking does nobody any good long term.
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
You are saying there's nothing wrong with a corrupt shyster if he's a corrupt shyster who wins elections?
You are also saying that nobody really objects to corrupt shysters in principle, they only object because they are supporters of an opposing faction?
If not, what is your point?
Do you really think the Keir and Angela show with that LAB have to 'offer' with their team will be an improvement?
Is it usual for HDMI cables (from computer to TV) to stop working after a relatively short period of time? Every time I buy one it works okay for about 3 months, works intermittently for another 3 months, and then stops working altogether.
One thing about Covid that no one really seems to be stating:
The blunt reality is that vaccine effectiveness, upon which everything was and still is pinned, isnt quite as good as hoped, something illustrated by the fact you appartently need to be jabbed three times within 12 months and that the ability to prevent onward transmission isnt as good as what was hoped. Maybe version 2 of vaccines will improve this.
One thing does make me wonder, however about the way vaccine efficacy is being graded. How are they measuring this waning? Its not as if if I get a tetanus or a polio or whatever vaccine that my body maintains high levels of circulating antibodies for 10 or 15 years is it. What it should retain is memory in the locker about what to do when it comes across particular pathogen. How do you measure that memory? My understanding is that we have no idea whether that memory is anyway depleted, the entire science is based around the circulating antibodies which doesnt seem to actually be a good way of deciding vaccine effectiveness long term.
I am a fully signed up member of the vaccine club, doubled jabbed but its fair to say that I'm increasingly sceptical of the requirement for jab 3 on science grounds. I get it for the very old or the comprised who simply dont have the more finely tuned immunity system of most but are we really going end up with most of the population that have had two jabs then getting a third?
Is it usual for HDMI cables (from computer to TV) to stop working after a relatively short period of time? Every time I buy one it works okay for about 3 months, works intermittently for another 3 months, and then stops working altogether.
Quite often the case especially if the cable is long (and by long I think it’s anything over 10ft).
Linus tech tips did a review of them last week because he had a new machine to play with
In a rare ray of good news for the government this week, they might be on track to solve the illegal channel migrant issue. According to the times the talks with Albania are going better than similar talks with other countries. The asylum seekers will quickly be flown to Albania for processing.
It’s going to cost UK £100,000 each migrant. Does that figure sound fair and reasonable?
Is it usual for HDMI cables (from computer to TV) to stop working after a relatively short period of time? Every time I buy one it works okay for about 3 months, works intermittently for another 3 months, and then stops working altogether.
Quite often the case especially if the cable is long (and by long I think it’s anything over 10ft).
Linus tech tips did a review of them last week because he had a new machine to play with
I’ve got plenty longer than that wiring the A/V all over my house. I studiously avoid the cheap ones, and fork out for the mid range models that are well reviewed on the A/V forums. But, mostly, I think @AndyJS has been unlucky.
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
I am jumping all over the coward and will continue to do so. And doing so expecting the Tories to replace him and then win the next election with Sunak or similar.
This is not about partisan ramping. This is about right and wrong.
Good luck with your (current) party. Maybe up another seat next GE?
When you are not churning out hysterical nonsense about covid, you fill in the gaps with pathetic partisan bilge.
Surely you must have something interesting to offer?
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
I am jumping all over the coward and will continue to do so. And doing so expecting the Tories to replace him and then win the next election with Sunak or similar.
This is not about partisan ramping. This is about right and wrong.
Good luck with your (current) party. Maybe up another seat next GE?
When you are not churning out hysterical nonsense a about covid, you fill in the gaps with pathetic partisan bilge.
Surely you must have something interesting to offer?
Re: cables, just had to replace the power adapter cable for my semi-superannuated laptop. Not sure why the old one went west, but the new one is working (so far) fine. Cost $30 on sale, but has no less than 13 separate adapter connections!
One thing about Covid that no one really seems to be stating:
The blunt reality is that vaccine effectiveness, upon which everything was and still is pinned, isnt quite as good as hoped, something illustrated by the fact you appartently need to be jabbed three times within 12 months and that the ability to prevent onward transmission isnt as good as what was hoped. Maybe version 2 of vaccines will improve this.
One thing does make me wonder, however about the way vaccine efficacy is being graded. How are they measuring this waning? Its not as if if I get a tetanus or a polio or whatever vaccine that my body maintains high levels of circulating antibodies for 10 or 15 years is it. What it should retain is memory in the locker about what to do when it comes across particular pathogen. How do you measure that memory? My understanding is that we have no idea whether that memory is anyway depleted, the entire science is based around the circulating antibodies which doesnt seem to actually be a good way of deciding vaccine effectiveness long term.
I am a fully signed up member of the vaccine club, doubled jabbed but its fair to say that I'm increasingly sceptical of the requirement for jab 3 on science grounds. I get it for the very old or the comprised who simply dont have the more finely tuned immunity system of most but are we really going end up with most of the population that have had two jabs then getting a third?
3rd jab seems to show very high antibody levels compared to 2. The messaging is tricky now, but you're best off getting the booster so you take yourself out the transmission pathways as much as possible and help decrease overall prevalence of the virus, particularly for the winter. I think it'll become an annual jab as flu is, though there are some interesting differences between eligible groups for the two vaccines (Flu for pregnant women on NHS but not most 40-49, Covid booster currently for 40-49s but not most pregnant women)
I do hope all the LAB LD GRN and whatever supporters who have been jumping on Boris on here all day aren't TOO disappointed in the outcome of the next General Election... 👍
I am jumping all over the coward and will continue to do so. And doing so expecting the Tories to replace him and then win the next election with Sunak or similar.
This is not about partisan ramping. This is about right and wrong.
Good luck with your (current) party. Maybe up another seat next GE?
When you are not churning out hysterical nonsense a about covid, you fill in the gaps with pathetic partisan bilge.
Surely you must have something interesting to offer?
Much more interesting than anything you can offer
Give us an example of an interesting post of yours in the last few weeks (I might have missed it)
The existence of the “will NS not vote Tory?” and “will OB&S not vote Tory?” questions does somewhat bring the statements about letting the voters decide on whether to accept their MPs activities and/or shenanigans into question.
If the party of the candidate and/or whoever is in Government in Westminster are such powerful considerations even in by-elections (when both are much diminished in importance compared to general elections), then how much power is there in relying on such a mechanism for passing judgement on an MP’s own activities? It’d have to be such as to garner staggering voter condemnation (in a safe seat, anyway) to outweigh the standard party/Government drivers.
Not really, since Paterson isn't standing in the by-election.
One thing about Covid that no one really seems to be stating:
The blunt reality is that vaccine effectiveness, upon which everything was and still is pinned, isnt quite as good as hoped, something illustrated by the fact you appartently need to be jabbed three times within 12 months and that the ability to prevent onward transmission isnt as good as what was hoped. Maybe version 2 of vaccines will improve this.
One thing does make me wonder, however about the way vaccine efficacy is being graded. How are they measuring this waning? Its not as if if I get a tetanus or a polio or whatever vaccine that my body maintains high levels of circulating antibodies for 10 or 15 years is it. What it should retain is memory in the locker about what to do when it comes across particular pathogen. How do you measure that memory? My understanding is that we have no idea whether that memory is anyway depleted, the entire science is based around the circulating antibodies which doesnt seem to actually be a good way of deciding vaccine effectiveness long term.
I am a fully signed up member of the vaccine club, doubled jabbed but its fair to say that I'm increasingly sceptical of the requirement for jab 3 on science grounds. I get it for the very old or the comprised who simply dont have the more finely tuned immunity system of most but are we really going end up with most of the population that have had two jabs then getting a third?
3rd jab seems to show very high antibody levels compared to 2. The messaging is tricky now, but you're best off getting the booster so you take yourself out the transmission pathways as much as possible and help decrease overall prevalence of the virus, particularly for the winter. I think it'll become an annual jab as flu is, though there are some interesting differences between eligible groups for the two vaccines (Flu for pregnant women on NHS but not most 40-49, Covid booster currently for 40-49s but not pregnant women)
Yes they do but the success of vaccination efforts overall, I'd assume, depends on the development of long term immune memory which we have yet to comprehend. On the good news front I've seen little on new variants recently on the bad I've heard little about the current crop of vaccines being tweaked for further effectiveness.
The societal problem is indeed the messaging because , and I know a fair amount of people in primary care, the public are losing interest overall. They get told, 'do this' then it doesnt quite seem to work as advertised. The messaging perhaps needs to change because I get the feeling that its worn out.
I look at this part of the country where they have confirmed introduction of vaccine passports for domestic entertainment venues on the basis that if want to reduce pressures on the health service. The libertarian in me cant be having it despite the fact im not really impacted. The utilitarian in me can guess thats its actually too late (enforcement starts mid December) to have a notable impact. Worse than that if you want to drive vaccine take up particularly amongst the young by imposing passports, you have to give them a system to get their jab, which I've seen next to no promotion of. We closed the mass vaccination venues months ago, GPs are busy with booster programmes and so, apparently are pharmacies. Its fair to say that if I wanted to get my first jab I have no idea how to go about it. Earlier on this year, you knew exacvtly what the routes were.
Is it usual for HDMI cables (from computer to TV) to stop working after a relatively short period of time? Every time I buy one it works okay for about 3 months, works intermittently for another 3 months, and then stops working altogether.
Completely OT. If you are Canada, how do you approach a WC qualifier against the relative giants of Mexico? How about mid-November? On an artificial surface in a Canadian football stadium? In Edmonton where it is 9° below and -14°C wind-chill. With several feet of snow round the pitch? Maybe all three? 2-1 top of the group. Qatar may be different. Go Canada!
Is it usual for HDMI cables (from computer to TV) to stop working after a relatively short period of time? Every time I buy one it works okay for about 3 months, works intermittently for another 3 months, and then stops working altogether.
Quite often the case especially if the cable is long (and by long I think it’s anything over 10ft).
Linus tech tips did a review of them last week because he had a new machine to play with
I’ve got plenty longer than that wiring the A/V all over my house. I studiously avoid the cheap ones, and fork out for the mid range models that are well reviewed on the A/V forums. But, mostly, I think @AndyJS has been unlucky.
Thanks for the replies. Obviously I must be putting too much stress on the cable, even though I always try to avoid doing so.
Apols for my ignorance, is the use of "Kevin" as a derogatory term something unique to YCC or a wider issue?
I wondered that too. I've never heard of it and lived relatively locally (although thankfully across the border in the good, non-racist* bit of Yorkshire) for almost a decade.
*to be fair, N Yorks is so white that there probably isn't much chance for racists to practice their craft, so they head west to where there are more opportunities
I have to say I think that's wrong. When we lived near Selby, N. Yorks, we encountered more racism* than anywhere else we have lived.
I put this down to the fear of the unknown. Selby was overwhelmingly white and all those I met who passed casually racist comments seemed to have no actual experience of knowing anyone from different cultures. In contrast, in Halifax for example, most people seemed to rub along pretty well regardless of culture or ethnicity.
Sorry @Selebian to appear to be dissing Selby, which otherwise has much to commend it, but that's how I found it.
(*The racism wasn't directed at us, being white, rather we were incorrectly assumed to be co-conspirators.)
Edit to also note: my original comment was not really serious, I don't think North Yorkshire is likely to be any different to West on racism or - if it is - likely to be worse at least in attitude for the reasons you state.
As comments on Selby go, that's probably one of the more positive I've heard ("much to commend it"). I'd describe it as more of a missed opportunity - it has the history and, in the Abbey and canal etc, the present potential to be far better than it is.
Having lived in a few places around the area, I've not found it worse than other places. I only remember one overtly racist comment, from an elderly neighbour. Beyond family though, most of the people we mix with (friends from work) are either living around York or Leeds. The latter is obviously more diverse and the former is too, in some ways, although still very white.
I thought Selby was fine, if a little down at heel in parts. I doubt it is any worse than any of many similar towns in most respects. I think it suffers most from being surrounded by agri-desert and not really having a lot of good open space. There's Skipwith I suppose but the river corridor is rather confined (by necessity).
The Abbey is well worth a visit though. They even let me park my bike inside...
Apols for my ignorance, is the use of "Kevin" as a derogatory term something unique to YCC or a wider issue?
I wondered that too. I've never heard of it and lived relatively locally (although thankfully across the border in the good, non-racist* bit of Yorkshire) for almost a decade.
*to be fair, N Yorks is so white that there probably isn't much chance for racists to practice their craft, so they head west to where there are more opportunities
I have to say I think that's wrong. When we lived near Selby, N. Yorks, we encountered more racism* than anywhere else we have lived.
I put this down to the fear of the unknown. Selby was overwhelmingly white and all those I met who passed casually racist comments seemed to have no actual experience of knowing anyone from different cultures. In contrast, in Halifax for example, most people seemed to rub along pretty well regardless of culture or ethnicity.
Sorry @Selebian to appear to be dissing Selby, which otherwise has much to commend it, but that's how I found it.
(*The racism wasn't directed at us, being white, rather we were incorrectly assumed to be co-conspirators.)
Edit to also note: my original comment was not really serious, I don't think North Yorkshire is likely to be any different to West on racism or - if it is - likely to be worse at least in attitude for the reasons you state.
As comments on Selby go, that's probably one of the more positive I've heard ("much to commend it"). I'd describe it as more of a missed opportunity - it has the history and, in the Abbey and canal etc, the present potential to be far better than it is.
Having lived in a few places around the area, I've not found it worse than other places. I only remember one overtly racist comment, from an elderly neighbour. Beyond family though, most of the people we mix with (friends from work) are either living around York or Leeds. The latter is obviously more diverse and the former is too, in some ways, although still very white.
I thought Selby was fine, if a little down at heel in parts. I doubt it is any worse than any of many similar towns in most respects. I think it suffers most from being surrounded by agri-desert and not really having a lot of good open space. There's Skipwith I suppose but the river corridor is rather confined (by necessity).
The Abbey is well worth a visit though. They even let me park my bike inside...
I've been to Selby once, on a walk down from York on the old railway line. There is (was?) a series of model planets strung along the path south from York, showing the relative distance of the planets.
The railway itself was quite interesting: the line closed in 1983, when a new high-speed line (the first in 80 years) was opened to the west. The NCB wanted to mine coal under the route, and they were afraid of subsidence affecting the line. A lot of money spent; I wonder if they ever actually mined under the route?
They've only vaccinated adults iiuc. If the kids are spreading it around while the old folks are unboosted then you might want to be a bit careful until you've fixed one or the other of those things.
Tobias Elwood pointing out that the Tories are gutting the armed forces. Johnson once again disagreeing and once again having the precise numbers from the budget quoted back at him. "Lets take the F35. You promised 138, we've got 48."
47 ...
23 at the moment... The tories have slowed deliveries to save money and are only actually contractually committed to 42 (41) finishing with 7 jets from LRIP run 15 in 2023.
The Yorkshire Post apparently confirmed last night that Boris is scrapping HS2 East and HS3.
I wonder if anything will replace it. He seemed to be implying pretty heavily yesterday in the Commons that there would be something, but that could have been the usual bluster of PMQs (probably was in my view).
The Yorkshire Post apparently confirmed last night that Boris is scrapping HS2 East and HS3.
He’s claiming to be spending about the same amount on line upgrades. Which can’t go ahead because there will be nowhere for the trains to go, and which, even if they could go somewhere, will have only about a third of the impact in terms of speed and pathways.
It is a mad decision. The only logical explanation is that the DfT and Treasury are not planning to go ahead with this at all and are lying about their plans to try and divert criticism.
So far, it’s failed really spectacularly. Nobody has bought their spin for a second because it’s so transparently nonsensical.
This is what happens when you have very arrogant, very stupid and very dishonest but not very intelligent people making decisions.
I suspect within three weeks we’ll have either a complete u-turn or the ditching of the other plans as the story unravels.
The Yorkshire Post apparently confirmed last night that Boris is scrapping HS2 East and HS3.
He’s claiming to be spending about the same amount on line upgrades. Which can’t go ahead because there will be nowhere for the trains to go, and which, even if they could go somewhere, will have only about a third of the impact in terms of speed and pathways.
It is a mad decision. The only logical explanation is that the DfT and Treasury are not planning to go ahead with this at all and are lying about their plans to try and divert criticism.
So far, it’s failed really spectacularly. Nobody has bought their spin for a second because it’s so transparently nonsensical.
This is what happens when you have very arrogant, very stupid and very dishonest but not very intelligent people making decisions.
I suspect within three weeks we’ll have either a complete u-turn or the ditching of the other plans as the story unravels.
Difference between clever/stupid and wise/foolish.
They're clever enough to come up with the superficially plausible lies.
Foolish enough to not realise that those lies will inevitably fall apart, unless this time is different.
NEW: The EU is proposing that a 50pc cut in customs formalities on goods moving from GB to Northern Ireland become a legal obligation as opposed to a general aspiration, @rtenews understands.
The Yorkshire Post apparently confirmed last night that Boris is scrapping HS2 East and HS3.
He’s claiming to be spending about the same amount on line upgrades. Which can’t go ahead because there will be nowhere for the trains to go, and which, even if they could go somewhere, will have only about a third of the impact in terms of speed and pathways.
It is a mad decision. The only logical explanation is that the DfT and Treasury are not planning to go ahead with this at all and are lying about their plans to try and divert criticism.
So far, it’s failed really spectacularly. Nobody has bought their spin for a second because it’s so transparently nonsensical.
This is what happens when you have very arrogant, very stupid and very dishonest but not very intelligent people making decisions.
I suspect within three weeks we’ll have either a complete u-turn or the ditching of the other plans as the story unravels.
Boris’ electoral success is built on making simple, outlandish promises other politicians wouldn’t because they would be worried about keeping them.
As time goes on Boris doubles down making new promises to cover up old promises on the basis that people do not notice that the money has been announced many times before and nothing actually happens. He creates the illusion of progress.
He really doesn't give a flying one about the whole "announce things first in Parliament" thing, does he?
Though a newspaper column is his happy place; nobody can argue with him there.
Morning everybody. Seems pleasant enough, for November, this morning. Which is, of course, faint praise! I suspect our PM is beginning to yearn for his newspaper column days. What Carrie thinks about that option, of course, may be different. Although the purchase of wallpaper might be easier. And whether he'll be able to command the sort of fees per column centimetre that he did once upon a time might be another question!
We saw this in HS2 and COP26. Politicians should not be allowed to get away with setting goals decades after their time in office, without being nailed down to concrete actions/milestones within their direct accountability.
Right now politicians can announce big projects 20 years ahead with almost total impunity.
Meanwhile Chris Grayling is proposing a replacement Trans Pennine ferry service, but the rumours are that cabinet hawks are blocking all Trans Pennine projects because they are too woke.
The Yorkshire Post apparently confirmed last night that Boris is scrapping HS2 East and HS3.
He’s claiming to be spending about the same amount on line upgrades. Which can’t go ahead because there will be nowhere for the trains to go, and which, even if they could go somewhere, will have only about a third of the impact in terms of speed and pathways.
It is a mad decision. The only logical explanation is that the DfT and Treasury are not planning to go ahead with this at all and are lying about their plans to try and divert criticism.
So far, it’s failed really spectacularly. Nobody has bought their spin for a second because it’s so transparently nonsensical.
This is what happens when you have very arrogant, very stupid and very dishonest but not very intelligent people making decisions.
I suspect within three weeks we’ll have either a complete u-turn or the ditching of the other plans as the story unravels.
Difference between clever/stupid and wise/foolish.
They're clever enough to come up with the superficially plausible lies.
Foolish enough to not realise that those lies will inevitably fall apart, unless this time is different.
But these aren't even superficially plausible.
If they'd just said they were going to electrify the whole remaining network, I wouldn't have believed them but it wouldn't have been as incoherent as this BS.
Pandemic etiquette question: You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now). Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
Pandemic etiquette question: You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now). Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
It is Thursday; there are (probably) only two more days left in the working week. Maybe give today a miss with a view to possibly putting in an appearance on Friday. Or not, as it's Friday!
And I hope everything clears up PDQ, and the LFT's stay negative.
I'm still pinching myself at the way in which the wheels have come off the Johnson enterprise. I mean, I knew he was a schmuck but I didn't expect so many members of the public and people in his party to come to the realisation so quickly.
It's mid-term however and drastic drops in fortune are not unknown for governing parties and leaders. Perhaps this all signals more of a return to normal politics. Johnson will hope that come the election those tabloids which are currently flexing their muscles to knock him around, will come back on board the choo-choo.
Much more of this though and we're into 1992-7 territory. It won't matter a fig what happens to the economy: Britain boomed after exiting the ERM.
Then the question switches to Conservative MPs. Johnson was never exactly elected leader unanimously by his MPs in the first place: there were significant qualms floating around even when it was obvious T May wasn't up to the job. Right now the atmosphere inside Westminster for Boris Johnson is volatile.
Pandemic etiquette question: You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now). Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
Stay at home unless that would be an issue with your boss.
I'm still pinching myself at the way in which the wheels have come off the Johnson enterprise. I mean, I knew he was a schmuck but I didn't expect so many members of the public and people in his party to come to the realisation so quickly.
It's mid-term however and drastic drops in fortune are not unknown for governing parties and leaders. Perhaps this all signals more of a return to normal politics. Johnson will hope that come the election those tabloids which are currently flexing their muscles to knock him around, will come back on board the choo-choo.
Much more of this though and we're into 1992-7 territory. It won't matter a fig what happens to the economy: Britain boomed after exiting the ERM.
Then the question switches to Conservative MPs. Johnson was never exactly elected leader unanimously by his MPs in the first place: there were significant qualms floating around even when it was obvious T May wasn't up to the job. Right now the atmosphere inside Westminster for Boris Johnson is volatile.
We shouldn't be too optimistic too quickly. When are next reliable opinion polls due?
Meanwhile Chris Grayling is proposing a replacement Trans Pennine ferry service, but the rumours are that cabinet hawks are blocking all Trans Pennine projects because they are too woke.
The Lib Dem leaflet once again demonstrates that party's utter paucity of ideas.
They won in Chesham & Amersham. Against all the odds and against what virtually everyone on here predicted, except Mike Smithson.
Yep, another good tip from OGH, at least as a trading bet*.
I wasn't sure of any value when it was tipped, but I put a little on to see what happened. Traded out early yesterday as I don't think there's value now and I'm happy to take the profit rather than see how it turns out. Can't read this one, not knowing the seat at all, in terms of (a) how much the Tory voters will stay at home and (b) how many voters can bring themselves to vote for the Liberal 'fuck Brexit and all who voted for it' Democrats.
*Still, might not have been the shift without the Tory self destruct routine of the last few days. Make me wonder whether Johnson has a big bet on the LDs to ease his money troubles
The Lib Dem leaflet once again demonstrates that party's utter paucity of ideas. Whether simply attacking their opponents will be enough who knows.
It's a by-election when there's a government majority of 77. It doesn't help anyone to make the voters a bunch of promises about the next Liberal Democrat government.
The proposal is to run the rails to East Midlands Parkway.
Which is actually threatened with closure because nobody* uses it, as it's in such a stupid location.
So it's clearly not true to suggest they are planning to turn it into a major hub.
*It is on the Midland Main Line ten miles from Nottingham, but has the about the same number of passengers as Llandudno Junction in North Wales.
Someone has just done a (quick) estimate of the new journey time from Leeds to London via the new route and discovered it’s worse than the current ECML train time.
Boris see,s to be quoting in the northern papers an improved journey time of 17 minutes less from Darlington to London and 20 minutes from Newcastle to Darlington (really and I doubt anyone cares).
So that’s all the planned work between Darlington and Newcastle cancelled as those 3 minutes will be coming from the Darlington station improvements
Pandemic etiquette question: You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now). Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
It is Thursday; there are (probably) only two more days left in the working week. Maybe give today a miss with a view to possibly putting in an appearance on Friday. Or not, as it's Friday!
And I hope everything clears up PDQ, and the LFT's stay negative.
I'm allergic to Fridays! Well, I won't be in tomorrow as Fridays seem completely dead in the office - I've been in one Friday since we've been back in and saw one person I knew (not even in my team) all day. As the only point of going on is to actually see people and have some in person chat and meetings, I won't be in tomorrow (we're booking in - still occupancy limits in theory although I have my own office so not really for me) as no one else is.
I was keen to go, had cough been better as I've not been in for a couple of weeks - first stomach bug through the house that I didn't want to pass on and was off a coupe of days myself and now the cold.
No line management problems with WFH - even pre pandemic I was only in 2-3 days a week.
Just interested in the difference in attitudes now. Pre pandemic I'd have stayed home while the sickness bug was in our household, but would have gone in with a cough/cold.
The proposal is to run the rails to East Midlands Parkway.
Which is actually threatened with closure because nobody* uses it, as it's in such a stupid location.
So it's clearly not true to suggest they are planning to turn it into a major hub.
*It is on the Midland Main Line ten miles from Nottingham, but has the about the same number of passengers as Llandudno Junction in North Wales.
Someone has just done a (quick) estimate of the new journey time from Leeds to London via the new route and discovered it’s worse than the current ECML train time.
Boris see,s to be quoting in the northern papers an improved journey time of 17 minutes less from Darlington to London and 20 minutes from Newcastle to Darlington (really and I doubt anyone cares).
So that’s all the planned work between Darlington and Newcastle cancelled as those 3 minutes will be coming from the Darlington station improvements
Given it's a much longer way round that's hardly surprising!
Pandemic etiquette question: You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now). Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
It is Thursday; there are (probably) only two more days left in the working week. Maybe give today a miss with a view to possibly putting in an appearance on Friday. Or not, as it's Friday!
And I hope everything clears up PDQ, and the LFT's stay negative.
I'm allergic to Fridays! Well, I won't be in tomorrow as Fridays seem completely dead in the office - I've been in one Friday since we've been back in and saw one person I knew (not even in my team) all day. As the only point of going on is to actually see people and have some in person chat and meetings, I won't be in tomorrow (we're booking in - still occupancy limits in theory although I have my own office so not really for me) as no one else is.
I was keen to go, had cough been better as I've not been in for a couple of weeks - first stomach bug through the house that I didn't want to pass on and was off a coupe of days myself and now the cold.
No line management problems with WFH - even pre pandemic I was only in 2-3 days a week.
Just interested in the difference in attitudes now. Pre pandemic I'd have stayed home while the sickness bug was in our household, but would have gone in with a cough/cold.
One of the lessons that I would hope, but certainly don't expect, that the public will learn from covid is that the same virus can impact individuals in very different ways. A cold that is little more than an inconvenience to person A might leave person B in bed for a couple of days and ill for a week.
Pandemic etiquette question: You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now). Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
New, better normal: Stay home, but tell your boss or coworkers or whoever it's not the dreaded rona and you're not at death's door so yell if it would help if you went into the office.
Pandemic etiquette question: You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now). Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
It is Thursday; there are (probably) only two more days left in the working week. Maybe give today a miss with a view to possibly putting in an appearance on Friday. Or not, as it's Friday!
And I hope everything clears up PDQ, and the LFT's stay negative.
I'm allergic to Fridays! Well, I won't be in tomorrow as Fridays seem completely dead in the office - I've been in one Friday since we've been back in and saw one person I knew (not even in my team) all day. As the only point of going on is to actually see people and have some in person chat and meetings, I won't be in tomorrow (we're booking in - still occupancy limits in theory although I have my own office so not really for me) as no one else is.
I was keen to go, had cough been better as I've not been in for a couple of weeks - first stomach bug through the house that I didn't want to pass on and was off a coupe of days myself and now the cold.
No line management problems with WFH - even pre pandemic I was only in 2-3 days a week.
Just interested in the difference in attitudes now. Pre pandemic I'd have stayed home while the sickness bug was in our household, but would have gone in with a cough/cold.
I always find this strange; for the first half of my working life I was running pharmacies and if I wasn't there had to ensure a qualified replacement. Which meant that sometimes I crawled in only marginally fit, at best.
Pandemic etiquette question: You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now). Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
New, better normal: Stay home, but tell your boss or coworkers or whoever it's not the dreaded rona and you're not at death's door so yell if it would help if you went into the office.
My work now tells people to stay home with a cold. A welcome improvement on the old days when the office would be full of people coughing all over you and you knew you'd end up catching it.
The Lib Dem leaflet once again demonstrates that party's utter paucity of ideas. Whether simply attacking their opponents will be enough who knows.
Twit. So you think the leaflet should detail their plans on say PR or Europe which they have no power to implement and not highlight the issues with the current govt. What planet do you live on?
To suggest the LD have no ideas is bonkers. You might not like them, but that is different.
Pandemic etiquette question: You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now). Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
New, better normal: Stay home, but tell your boss or coworkers or whoever it's not the dreaded rona and you're not at death's door so yell if it would help if you went into the office.
My work now tells people to stay home with a cold. A welcome improvement on the old days when the office would be full of people coughing all over you and you knew you'd end up catching it.
A colleague was off sick with cold symptoms on a Tuesday and didn't test positive until the Friday, so there can be a lag.
One thing about Covid that no one really seems to be stating:
The blunt reality is that vaccine effectiveness, upon which everything was and still is pinned, isnt quite as good as hoped, something illustrated by the fact you appartently need to be jabbed three times within 12 months and that the ability to prevent onward transmission isnt as good as what was hoped. Maybe version 2 of vaccines will improve this.
One thing does make me wonder, however about the way vaccine efficacy is being graded. How are they measuring this waning? Its not as if if I get a tetanus or a polio or whatever vaccine that my body maintains high levels of circulating antibodies for 10 or 15 years is it. What it should retain is memory in the locker about what to do when it comes across particular pathogen. How do you measure that memory? My understanding is that we have no idea whether that memory is anyway depleted, the entire science is based around the circulating antibodies which doesnt seem to actually be a good way of deciding vaccine effectiveness long term.
I am a fully signed up member of the vaccine club, doubled jabbed but its fair to say that I'm increasingly sceptical of the requirement for jab 3 on science grounds. I get it for the very old or the comprised who simply dont have the more finely tuned immunity system of most but are we really going end up with most of the population that have had two jabs then getting a third?
The standard efficacy measure is to compare the rates of infection in those vaccinated with those unvaccinated.
You do have to adjust for confounders (such as age differences, activity differences, and so forth) and increasing acquired immunity in the unjabbed provides an artificial apparent waning in any case to adjust for actual waning (if, say, half the unjabbed have acquired immunity, you’re not comparing vaxxed immune against unimmune but vaxxed immune against half-unimmune-and-half-infected-immune).
You also get difficulty if you don’t know the denominator (in the UK, we don’t actually know how many people are in the UK. The two main measures - ONS count and NIMS count - differ by several million, so whilst the number of jabbed per age range is well known, the number of unjabbed is very unclear (If you have jabbed 4.0 million in a certain age range and one measure things you have 4.2 million total people in that age range and the other reckons you have 4.8 million people, you have either 4.0 : 0.2 or 4.0 : 0.8, which changes the calculation significantly. And, of course, the antivaxxers grab the known-wrong numbers to “prove” it doesn’t work.
They’ve got around this to an extent by comparing triple-jabbed to double-jabbed and seen a huge and lasting benefit.
Is Boris going to be in trouble with the speaker again. He repeatedly refused to answer these questions in parliament yesterday saying MPs must wait till today. Now he announces before parliament in a paper.
The proposal is to run the rails to East Midlands Parkway.
Which is actually threatened with closure because nobody* uses it, as it's in such a stupid location.
So it's clearly not true to suggest they are planning to turn it into a major hub.
*It is on the Midland Main Line ten miles from Nottingham, but has the about the same number of passengers as Llandudno Junction in North Wales.
Someone has just done a (quick) estimate of the new journey time from Leeds to London via the new route and discovered it’s worse than the current ECML train time.
Boris see,s to be quoting in the northern papers an improved journey time of 17 minutes less from Darlington to London and 20 minutes from Newcastle to Darlington (really and I doubt anyone cares).
So that’s all the planned work between Darlington and Newcastle cancelled as those 3 minutes will be coming from the Darlington station improvements
Given it's a much longer way round that's hardly surprising!
Yep - I’m waiting to see the actual detail as I have a feeling the ECML speed improvements will include things already (recently) completed
But the reality is that levelling up is now dead and that is a simple point Labour should have on auto repeat until the next election.
I get mine tomorrow. I am not sure that is even 6 months since my second. If it is it must be only just.
I had the text to book mine Monday and same-day appointments were available, at 5 and a half months. Of course, now I've got it, I have to wait another 28 days.
Yesterday I felt like I was improving - felt much brighter and did some stuff round the house - obvious I have been feeling lethargic and a bit brain-fogged but only because now it's no longer there. Aim to do some work from home today if only to counteract the boredom, but have woken up feeling very fatigued so I am going to try to get a bit more sleep.
One thing about Covid that no one really seems to be stating:
The blunt reality is that vaccine effectiveness, upon which everything was and still is pinned, isnt quite as good as hoped
[snipped the rest of what you said as I want to reply to this part - others have replied on the other points]
Vaccine effectiveness really is as good as hoped - indeed better, certainly before the first vaccines were developed. Even efficacy against symptomatic infection for Delta is of the order of what we hoped might be possible against the original strain (i.e. > 66% or so).
The 66% or so target was because, for original strains with R0 ~ 3 or so, that meant herd immunity if everyone got vaccinated. The vaccines were way better than that, of course, against the original strains.
The fly in the ointment is Delta, both because vaccine efficacy is lower than it was against original strains and because we need more than 66% efficacy to get to herd immunity through vaccination alone as Delta's R0 is much higher.
Delta means we need vaccination plus infection to get, hopefully, to that level.
Is Boris going to be in trouble with the speaker again. He repeatedly refused to answer these questions in parliament yesterday saying MPs must wait till today. Now he announces before parliament in a paper.
I get mine tomorrow. I am not sure that is even 6 months since my second. If it is it must be only just.
I had the text to book mine Monday and same-day appointments were available, at 5 and a half months. Of course, now I've got it, I have to wait another 28 days.
Yesterday I felt like I was improving - felt much brighter and did some stuff round the house - obvious I have been feeling lethargic and a bit brain-fogged but only because now it's no longer there. Aim to do some work from home today if only to counteract the boredom, but have woken up feeling very fatigued so I am going to try to get a bit more sleep.
Hope you feel better soon. Get lots of rest. I feel completely wiped out, spent the night shivering and having weird dreams. I'd been hoping to get some work done today too but not sure that's going to happen now.
Comments
That said even if the LDs win the Tories will sort of be able to spin it away due to local issues etc.
The more I think about it Bexley looks the more interesting by election given how much Labour has underperformed in Outer London under Starmer and would be boosted by a strong performance there, Reform is also an unknown.
https://t.co/TlZbTYt2su
Well, some of us did point this out at the time!
FPTP Winning here!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-59325399
Has Peng Shuai disappeared?
Shouldn't the plural of lockdown be locks-down?
Me too has arrived in China, and being swiftly cracked down on.
This is not about partisan ramping. This is about right and wrong.
If vaxport is tolerated.
https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/1d832424-61f6-4656-9363-fbf0a23c9683
Close enough to put some fear into those haunted sunken eyes of the PM, I hope.
You are also saying that nobody really objects to corrupt shysters in principle, they only object because they are supporters of an opposing faction?
If not, what is your point?
Having lived in a few places around the area, I've not found it worse than other places. I only remember one overtly racist comment, from an elderly neighbour. Beyond family though, most of the people we mix with (friends from work) are either living around York or Leeds. The latter is obviously more diverse and the former is too, in some ways, although still very white.
As comments on Selby go, that's probably one of the more positive I've heard ("much to commend it"). I'd describe it as more of a missed opportunity - it has the history and, in the Abbey and canal etc, the present potential to be far better than it is.
Having lived in a few places around the area, I've not found it worse than other places. I only remember one overtly racist comment, from an elderly neighbour. Beyond family though, most of the people we mix with (friends from work) are either living around York or Leeds. The latter is obviously more diverse and the former is too, in some ways, although still very white.
This is about Right and Wrong. Facts matter. Standards matter. Integrity matters. Propriety.
The Tories need to remove Boris Johnson because he brings the party and the whole political system into disrepute. Open corruption, lies and rule-breaking does nobody any good long term.
Is it usual for HDMI cables (from computer to TV) to stop working after a relatively short period of time? Every time I buy one it works okay for about 3 months, works intermittently for another 3 months, and then stops working altogether.
For, as anyone who views 17 Nov PMQs and committee hearing can see, they're working without a net.
The blunt reality is that vaccine effectiveness, upon which everything was and still is pinned, isnt quite as good as hoped, something illustrated by the fact you appartently need to be jabbed three times within 12 months and that the ability to prevent onward transmission isnt as good as what was hoped. Maybe version 2 of vaccines will improve this.
One thing does make me wonder, however about the way vaccine efficacy is being graded. How are they measuring this waning? Its not as if if I get a tetanus or a polio or whatever vaccine that my body maintains high levels of circulating antibodies for 10 or 15 years is it. What it should retain is memory in the locker about what to do when it comes across particular pathogen. How do you measure that memory? My understanding is that we have no idea whether that memory is anyway depleted, the entire science is based around the circulating antibodies which doesnt seem to actually be a good way of deciding vaccine effectiveness long term.
I am a fully signed up member of the vaccine club, doubled jabbed but its fair to say that I'm increasingly sceptical of the requirement for jab 3 on science grounds. I get it for the very old or the comprised who simply dont have the more finely tuned immunity system of most but are we really going end up with most of the population that have had two jabs then getting a third?
Linus tech tips did a review of them last week because he had a new machine to play with
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFbJD6RE4EY
It’s going to cost UK £100,000 each migrant. Does that figure sound fair and reasonable?
Past my bedtime. 🙋♀️
Surely you must have something interesting to offer?
https://news.sky.com/story/north-yorkshire-residents-report-homes-shaking-following-suspected-sonic-event-12471171
Probably just some fast fighter jet being scrambled my father said on text. What else could it be?
I think it'll become an annual jab as flu is, though there are some interesting differences between eligible groups for the two vaccines (Flu for pregnant women on NHS but not most 40-49, Covid booster currently for 40-49s but not most pregnant women)
The societal problem is indeed the messaging because , and I know a fair amount of people in primary care, the public are losing interest overall. They get told, 'do this' then it doesnt quite seem to work as advertised. The messaging perhaps needs to change because I get the feeling that its worn out.
I look at this part of the country where they have confirmed introduction of vaccine passports for domestic entertainment venues on the basis that if want to reduce pressures on the health service. The libertarian in me cant be having it despite the fact im not really impacted. The utilitarian in me can guess thats its actually too late (enforcement starts mid December) to have a notable impact. Worse than that if you want to drive vaccine take up particularly amongst the young by imposing passports, you have to give them a system to get their jab, which I've seen next to no promotion of. We closed the mass vaccination venues months ago, GPs are busy with booster programmes and so, apparently are pharmacies. Its fair to say that if I wanted to get my first jab I have no idea how to go about it. Earlier on this year, you knew exacvtly what the routes were.
If you are Canada, how do you approach a WC qualifier against the relative giants of Mexico?
How about mid-November?
On an artificial surface in a Canadian football stadium?
In Edmonton where it is 9° below and -14°C wind-chill. With several feet of snow round the pitch?
Maybe all three? 2-1 top of the group. Qatar may be different.
Go Canada!
The Abbey is well worth a visit though. They even let me park my bike inside...
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/christmas-cancelled-gibraltar-vaccinations-b966816.html
https://astrocampus.york.ac.uk/cycle-the-solar-system/
The railway itself was quite interesting: the line closed in 1983, when a new high-speed line (the first in 80 years) was opened to the west. The NCB wanted to mine coal under the route, and they were afraid of subsidence affecting the line. A lot of money spent; I wonder if they ever actually mined under the route?
It is deeply worrying. But I daresay the world will sadly just shrug and move on.
Story with @ChrisBurn_Post
https://twitter.com/_caitlindoherty/status/1461100854900146182?s=21
Though a newspaper column is his happy place; nobody can argue with him there.
It is a mad decision. The only logical explanation is that the DfT and Treasury are not planning to go ahead with this at all and are lying about their plans to try and divert criticism.
So far, it’s failed really spectacularly. Nobody has bought their spin for a second because it’s so transparently nonsensical.
This is what happens when you have very arrogant, very stupid and very dishonest but not very intelligent people making decisions.
I suspect within three weeks we’ll have either a complete u-turn or the ditching of the other plans as the story unravels.
They're clever enough to come up with the superficially plausible lies.
Foolish enough to not realise that those lies will inevitably fall apart, unless this time is different.
https://twitter.com/tconnellyRTE/status/1461223937971474434?s=20
As time goes on Boris doubles down making new promises to cover up old promises on the basis that people do not notice that the money has been announced many times before and nothing actually happens. He creates the illusion of progress.
It’s worked so far for him. Maybe not this time.
I suspect our PM is beginning to yearn for his newspaper column days. What Carrie thinks about that option, of course, may be different. Although the purchase of wallpaper might be easier.
And whether he'll be able to command the sort of fees per column centimetre that he did once upon a time might be another question!
Right now politicians can announce big projects 20 years ahead with almost total impunity.
If they'd just said they were going to electrify the whole remaining network, I wouldn't have believed them but it wouldn't have been as incoherent as this BS.
You have a bad cough. You are confident that it is not covid (negative LFTs, seems to be the end of a normal cold). You can work from home, but normally go in a couple of times a week (this frequency normal practice in your workplace now).
Do you stay working at home until the cough has cleared?
(This is me and I am staying at home - if nothing else I might spread the nasty cold - but pre-pandemic, even though I was able to work from home I probably would have gone in at some point while still having symptoms.)
And I hope everything clears up PDQ, and the LFT's stay negative.
It's mid-term however and drastic drops in fortune are not unknown for governing parties and leaders. Perhaps this all signals more of a return to normal politics. Johnson will hope that come the election those tabloids which are currently flexing their muscles to knock him around, will come back on board the choo-choo.
Much more of this though and we're into 1992-7 territory. It won't matter a fig what happens to the economy: Britain boomed after exiting the ERM.
Then the question switches to Conservative MPs. Johnson was never exactly elected leader unanimously by his MPs in the first place: there were significant qualms floating around even when it was obvious T May wasn't up to the job. Right now the atmosphere inside Westminster for Boris Johnson is volatile.
The proposal is to run the rails to East Midlands Parkway.
Which is actually threatened with closure because nobody* uses it, as it's in such a stupid location.
So it's clearly not true to suggest they are planning to turn it into a major hub.
*It is on the Midland Main Line ten miles from Nottingham, but has the about the same number of passengers as Llandudno Junction in North Wales.
I wasn't sure of any value when it was tipped, but I put a little on to see what happened. Traded out early yesterday as I don't think there's value now and I'm happy to take the profit rather than see how it turns out. Can't read this one, not knowing the seat at all, in terms of (a) how much the Tory voters will stay at home and (b) how many voters can bring themselves to vote for the Liberal 'fuck Brexit and all who voted for it' Democrats.
*Still, might not have been the shift without the Tory self destruct routine of the last few days. Make me wonder whether Johnson has a big bet on the LDs to ease his money troubles
Boris see,s to be quoting in the northern papers an improved journey time of 17 minutes less from Darlington to London and 20 minutes from Newcastle to Darlington (really and I doubt anyone cares).
So that’s all the planned work between Darlington and Newcastle cancelled as those 3 minutes will be coming from the Darlington station improvements
I was keen to go, had cough been better as I've not been in for a couple of weeks - first stomach bug through the house that I didn't want to pass on and was off a coupe of days myself and now the cold.
No line management problems with WFH - even pre pandemic I was only in 2-3 days a week.
Just interested in the difference in attitudes now. Pre pandemic I'd have stayed home while the sickness bug was in our household, but would have gone in with a cough/cold.
To suggest the LD have no ideas is bonkers. You might not like them, but that is different.
Biased at all?
You do have to adjust for confounders (such as age differences, activity differences, and so forth) and increasing acquired immunity in the unjabbed provides an artificial apparent waning in any case to adjust for actual waning (if, say, half the unjabbed have acquired immunity, you’re not comparing vaxxed immune against unimmune but vaxxed immune against half-unimmune-and-half-infected-immune).
You also get difficulty if you don’t know the denominator (in the UK, we don’t actually know how many people are in the UK. The two main measures - ONS count and NIMS count - differ by several million, so whilst the number of jabbed per age range is well known, the number of unjabbed is very unclear (If you have jabbed 4.0 million in a certain age range and one measure things you have 4.2 million total people in that age range and the other reckons you have 4.8 million people, you have either 4.0 : 0.2 or 4.0 : 0.8, which changes the calculation significantly. And, of course, the antivaxxers grab the known-wrong numbers to “prove” it doesn’t work.
They’ve got around this to an extent by comparing triple-jabbed to double-jabbed and seen a huge and lasting benefit.
North Shropshire however was 59% Leave and only 41% Remain
But the reality is that levelling up is now dead and that is a simple point Labour should have on auto repeat until the next election.
Yesterday I felt like I was improving - felt much brighter and did some stuff round the house - obvious I have been feeling lethargic and a bit brain-fogged but only because now it's no longer there. Aim to do some work from home today if only to counteract the boredom, but have woken up feeling very fatigued so I am going to try to get a bit more sleep.
Vaccine effectiveness really is as good as hoped - indeed better, certainly before the first vaccines were developed. Even efficacy against symptomatic infection for Delta is of the order of what we hoped might be possible against the original strain (i.e. > 66% or so).
The 66% or so target was because, for original strains with R0 ~ 3 or so, that meant herd immunity if everyone got vaccinated. The vaccines were way better than that, of course, against the original strains.
The fly in the ointment is Delta, both because vaccine efficacy is lower than it was against original strains and because we need more than 66% efficacy to get to herd immunity through vaccination alone as Delta's R0 is much higher.
Delta means we need vaccination plus infection to get, hopefully, to that level.
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/opinion/19723937.boris-johnson-tells-northern-echo-rail-plans-will-impact-north-east/ Is the Darlington version