[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
I think quite a lot of that is simply untrue.
From the start it was made pretty clear that the argument for the vaccine was about the balance of risk. And even for the AZN vaccine where it became clear, only after millions had received the vaccine, that a very small number suffered severe and even fatal side effects, the relative risks between unvaccinated Covid and Covid after receiving the vaccine, showed even in retrospect that it was of net benefit - except for the young.
Brigen was (at best) a fool to share a quote comparing the vaccine to the Holocaust, and Hancock was a fool to call him antisemitic on such slender evidence.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
I notice from my direct debits this morning that a 1 bedroom flat (with single person discount) is now more than £100 a month in council tax, at least where I am.
£100 a month. If only !
Ours is well over £400/month. For which rapacious impost, close to SFA gets done.
Do you live in a mansion?
Farm with a house plus cottage that serves as a solitary confinement unit for me when I get 10W60 Mobil1 on the davenport. I wouldn't mind paying it so much if they actually did DEI or other socially useful activities but they seem do absolutely nothing beyond the regulatory minimum.
I think today was an inflection point - maybe small, but real.
The President, having launched a global trade war, feted in the Oval Office a Central American dictator who runs a mega-prison known for starvation and torture - a prison to which our government has, by its own admission, sent at least one person "in error."
They disappeared a man without a single criminal charge who's lived and worked here for 15 years - who was alleged to be a member of a gang based in a state he never lived by one anonymous informant. No other evidence. No trial. No conviction. Nothing but a legal order that he not be deported to El Salvador, where he's now serving a life sentence.
The Supreme Court just ruled, without any noted dissent, that the government must facilitate the man's release.
But Trump and his dictator friend said no. They laughed. They mocked the journalist who asked whether they'd abide by the Court's order. The Attorney General, the Secretary of State, and the White House Deputy Chief all lied about the facts of the case. Then the President repeated his proposal to send American citizens to the dictator's prison, and asked him to build five more.
The same day we found out that the government knowingly disappeared a PhD student for nothing but an op-ed, a man's 19-year old son who agents admitted was the wrong kid, and a visa-holding Russian scientist at Harvard who forgot to declare frog embryos at the border.
But: it's all breaking through. It's getting more coverage. More people are paying attention. More elected Democrats are speaking up. More conservative pundits and legal scholars are speaking up. Even Joe Rogan thinks it's bullshit.
Now we have to keep pushing. This is much bigger than immigration or deportation policy - this is about whether we live in a free country or a police state. It's the whole ballgame. https://x.com/jonfavs/status/1911995867407827204
Apparently Mr Trump's dictator friend wasn't wearing a suit for his visit, but nobody objected this time.
Good morning, everybody.
He was wearing a suit, but not a shirt and tie under it. Looks like some kind of woolly pullover.
The whole effect made him look like a refugee from a charity shop.
It's the Andrew Tate look, with spray on beard too.
Over tight suit, with deliberate undersizing in an attempt to emphasise the torso.
One thing he got right was the black* shirt, as the prime function of a suit is to direct the gaze to the wearers face and with a high contrast face this works.
*right in so many ways...
Black shorts would have been more appropriate.
In P G Wodehouse's spoof of Mosley, his supporters were called the BlackShorts.
Difficult to imagine a fictional representation of Trump and his coterie that could be more farcical than the reality though.
'The Code of the Woosters' is the book where all this happens. Many think it's the best, though not me. It's one of the best but lacks the 100% plotless pointlessness and perfect writing of 'Right Ho Jeeves' which, along with Austen's 'Emma' is the best book I know about nothing at all.
That's a revelation for me - that PG Wodehouse books are supposed to be about nothing. I've tried several of his books but none of them make me laugh, even though they have such a high reputation for doing so for others.
In general it isn't possible without huge effort and text in front of you to detail the plot of Wodehouse's great books, though you maybe can with sub-great ones. Wodehouse himself worked plots out intricately, but basically hid them because his genius lies in language, world creation and vision, not storytelling.
He is notoriously impossible to parody or imitate well. He creates imaginary worlds out of whole cloth. Hardest of all, he sustains the opposite of the standard tragic or futile vision of the world in upholding a richly comedic one - in which all shall be for the best in the best of all possible worlds. Not even Shakespeare or Dickens can do this. Jane Austen, especially in 'Emma, does this. Mozart does in Marriage of Figaro. Julian of Norwich does it in the mystical realm. But it is very rare. It is in this area that his never ending greatness lies.
Father of Daisy, the second little girl to die of measles in Texas, tells Robert F. Kennedy Jr-founded anti-vaccine group, Children's Health Defense, that he doesn't regret not getting her vaccinated, and won't vaccinate any future children. CHD turns it into propaganda. https://x.com/BrandyZadrozny/status/1911816671653970297
She would not have died had she had the MMR vaccine.
God's will, I guess.
Or parental negligence. Take your pick.
The evidence for the effectiveness and safety of the measles vaccine is extremely strong. And has been so pretty well since its introduction.
When God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window.
Don't Boeing doors open on their own, mid flight?
And they've got toilet problems on the 787s:
"According to the FAA, the corrosion, caused by “the galvanic interaction of aluminum and carbon fiber as a result of the wet environment at the lavatory,” could result in the aircraft’s lavatories breaking free from the lower mounts during an event with high g-forces."
Interesting how many of the most virulent Brexiteers are conspicuous by their absence.
The incoherence of their arguments are now plain to see.
It was all about sovereignty......
Brexit in itself was not and is not incoherent, even though many Brexiteers were and are, as were and are remainers.
In 2016 it was not incoherent to prefer to be outside the 'ever closer union'. All you had to be was someone who did not wish to part of a movement towards further political union of most of Europe. Once the Euro and FoM and elected parliament were in place it was not possible to overlook the ultimate intention, even though Remain tried hard to do so.
A Norway/Swiss style Brexit solution was and still is the best available.
The Swiss and Norwegian situations are very different.
The EU have explicitly ruled out a Swiss solution about twenty thousand times (they're trying to bully the Swiss into abandoning it too) and the Norwegian situation would last about five minutes as it is incompatible with any kind of sovereignty. "Government by fax" and all that.
You correctly point out that there were and are no very good solutions. Only sub-optimal and worse ones. That is sometimes the case when you have got somewhere you should have avoided being in the first place. Which is where we were in 2016, and a fortiori where we are now.
In a finite world, choosing the least bad of several poor options is sometimes inevitable, without an obvious poor decision at some point in the past trapping us.
It's possible that the latter half of the twentieth century, when there was so much slack and easy growth in the system that it was possible for everyone to win big simultaneously, was the aberration that has spoiled us since.
But yes, in terms of what the UK-EU relationship will look like going forward, the old quadrillateral remains what it always was;
1 Be part of the politics (ugh) 2 Tag along economically but letting them do the politics for us (fine if you're Switzerland or Norway, but I think the UK will hate it... where we might edge towards next, anyway) 3 Put up enough of an administrative wall that the UK can be a third country (current strategy, which doesn't seem to be working brilliantly) 4 Get a special under-the-counter deal from the EU, because we're worth it (why should they?)
So ChatGPT 4.1 is supposedly much better than 4.5 so they are withdrawing 4.5.....
Any details? I've noticed more techies complaining it generates code which is flat out wrong but that's just anecdata (although there are lots of techies where ChatGPT comes from).
Much larger context windows, faster inference and cheaper to run. But i haven't given it a good going over yet myself. Just made me chuckle they gave it the big un with 4.5, but now are errh 4.1...
One problem i have heard is all the CEOs of these companies have become obsessed with smashing the benchmarks, when isn't that clear the benchmarks measure the right things. Or after a certain point are they.
Father of Daisy, the second little girl to die of measles in Texas, tells Robert F. Kennedy Jr-founded anti-vaccine group, Children's Health Defense, that he doesn't regret not getting her vaccinated, and won't vaccinate any future children. CHD turns it into propaganda. https://x.com/BrandyZadrozny/status/1911816671653970297
She would not have died had she had the MMR vaccine.
God's will, I guess.
Or parental negligence. Take your pick.
Dereliction of parental duty. F*****' immoral/amoral!
The Kemster is going to have to give a slightly boz-eyed wink to the vaccine skeptical at some point. The Fukker voters after whom she thirsts love that shit. She is very online so can probably be influenced into doing it. Possibly under the well worn ruse of 'just asking questions'.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
It’s like the hoped for result when Rangers v Celtic. A no score draw with several sendings off and a few serious injuries.
I notice from my direct debits this morning that a 1 bedroom flat (with single person discount) is now more than £100 a month in council tax, at least where I am.
£160 Band C over here
You prompted me to check - I'm Band A. Also, turns out I'm talking shite. Only the first payment is £100.26. The other 11 (yes, not 9) are £93.
My poll tax in pembs is band C £1850, so 10x185.
Mine in Conwy is £3,880 paid twice a year and up from £3,568 last year
At least it's not a holiday home
I understand from local Estate Agents many new homes coming in the market are by second homeowners hit by the holiday home surcharge {which I approve of}
I hope young renters are able to buy them at reduced prices.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
Interesting how many of the most virulent Brexiteers are conspicuous by their absence.
The incoherence of their arguments are now plain to see.
It was all about sovereignty......
Brexit in itself was not and is not incoherent, even though many Brexiteers were and are, as were and are remainers.
In 2016 it was not incoherent to prefer to be outside the 'ever closer union'. All you had to be was someone who did not wish to part of a movement towards further political union of most of Europe. Once the Euro and FoM and elected parliament were in place it was not possible to overlook the ultimate intention, even though Remain tried hard to do so.
A Norway/Swiss style Brexit solution was and still is the best available.
The Swiss and Norwegian situations are very different.
The EU have explicitly ruled out a Swiss solution about twenty thousand times (they're trying to bully the Swiss into abandoning it too) and the Norwegian situation would last about five minutes as it is incompatible with any kind of sovereignty. "Government by fax" and all that.
You correctly point out that there were and are no very good solutions. Only sub-optimal and worse ones. That is sometimes the case when you have got somewhere you should have avoided being in the first place. Which is where we were in 2016, and a fortiori where we are now.
In a finite world, choosing the least bad of several poor options is sometimes inevitable, without an obvious poor decision at some point in the past trapping us.
It's possible that the latter half of the twentieth century, when there was so much slack and easy growth in the system that it was possible for everyone to win big simultaneously, was the aberration that has spoiled us since.
But yes, in terms of what the UK-EU relationship will look like going forward, the old quadrillateral remains what it always was;
1 Be part of the politics (ugh) 2 Tag along economically but letting them do the politics for us (fine if you're Switzerland or Norway, but I think the UK will hate it... where we might edge towards next, anyway) 3 Put up enough of an administrative wall that the UK can be a third country (current strategy, which doesn't seem to be working brilliantly) 4 Get a special under-the-counter deal from the EU, because we're worth it (why should they?)
None of them are great options.
5. Has anyone considered implementing 135% tariffs on them, asking for decades of reparations and suggesting we get Ireland and Normandy back?
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
I notice from my direct debits this morning that a 1 bedroom flat (with single person discount) is now more than £100 a month in council tax, at least where I am.
£160 Band C over here
You prompted me to check - I'm Band A. Also, turns out I'm talking shite. Only the first payment is £100.26. The other 11 (yes, not 9) are £93.
My poll tax in pembs is band C £1850, so 10x185.
Mine in Conwy is £3,880 paid twice a year and up from £3,568 last year
At least it's not a holiday home
I understand from local Estate Agents many new homes coming in the market are by second homeowners hit by the holiday home surcharge {which I approve of}
I hope young renters are able to buy them at reduced prices.
No sign of prices falling - indeed prices are letting out of hand
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
It is weird how people (on both "sides") try to extrapolate from sample sizes of just themself or a handful of friends when big sample data is freely available and easy to find.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
My wife and I are the same and we have had covid twice, and quite ill on the second occasion
We wouldn't put ourselves at risk at our ages and with other health conditions by declining the vaccines
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends - but have never personally scrutinised the issue
Judging by the post from Mr Cumbrian View other people have grave qualms
The slow restriction of Astra Zeneca, on grounds of danger, is undeniably true
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
"I’ve had sane friends"
We hear some rubbish on here, but the idea that you've got sane friends is more unbelievable than thinking Deltics are good engines...
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
"I’ve had sane friends"
We hear some rubbish on here, but the idea that you've got sane friends is more unbelievable than thinking Deltics are good engines...
Well, one of my friends is @rcs1000 so unless you want to get banned you might wish to rephrase
Here's a question for Dr. Foxy (and others): If Harvard (and other universities) have been following policies that violate US civil rights laws, what should happen?
1. The civil rights laws should be replaced to accommodate DEI. 2. Those affected should sue the universities. 3. Federal and state governments should open investigations. 4. The universities should stop violating the civil rights laws. 5. Something else.
(In Washington state, Democrats in the legislature tried to replace a civil rights law by "affirmative action", but were defeated by the voters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initiative_200
I notice from my direct debits this morning that a 1 bedroom flat (with single person discount) is now more than £100 a month in council tax, at least where I am.
£160 Band C over here
You prompted me to check - I'm Band A. Also, turns out I'm talking shite. Only the first payment is £100.26. The other 11 (yes, not 9) are £93.
My poll tax in pembs is band C £1850, so 10x185.
Mine in Conwy is £3,880 paid twice a year and up from £3,568 last year
At least it's not a holiday home
I understand from local Estate Agents many new homes coming in the market are by second homeowners hit by the holiday home surcharge {which I approve of}
I hope young renters are able to buy them at reduced prices.
No sign of prices falling - indeed prices are letting out of hand
I imagine with all the WFH, your neck of the woods is perfect if you work in Liverpool / Manchester and you fancy seaside living and only need to be in the office 2-3 days a week.
Looks like Marjorie Taylor Greene has a career after politics earning billions in hedge funds seeing how well she managed to analyse the market swings around tariffs.
She is a market timing genius and deserves the riches her analysis earned her.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
It is weird how people (on both "sides") try to extrapolate from sample sizes of just themself or a handful of friends when big sample data is freely available and easy to find.
I'm not extrapolating from a sample of one. I'm familiar with the data.
But why am I so lucky to not have any symptoms? Genes? (Healthy parents) Lifestyle? (Barnes) Positive attitude? (I don't expect to have symptoms). Pure luck? (no explanation). I'm curious. But I'm not expecting an answer.
Looks like Marjorie Taylor Greene has a career after politics earning billions in hedge funds seeing how well she managed to analyse the market swings around tariffs.
She is a market timing genius and deserves the riches her analysis earned her.
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends...
I don't know what the "concerning stories/facts from clever friends" are so cannot comment on the specifics, but I think I can speak to the general case. Any surgical/medical intervention may cause a problem and that problem may be mild or severe. Consequently the existence of a "concerning story/facts" is not unsurprising.
To deal with this we need to know the rate: not just "a bad thing happened" but "the number of bad things happening is X per 100,000 patients". Once that is known the risk can be assessed. So to work that out you'll need to get studies and look at them.
It's' probably best to avoid preprints (unreviewed studies put up to excite comment) and i don't know how to deal with Plos One
As the internet continues to colonise our lives, this phenomenon of "I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends" continues to grow and concern. We are built to operate in small tribes on the savannah and our pattern recognition is geared to that. Our risk assessment capacity in the 2020s is fucked.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
The idea that vaccines work "95% of the time" is a quite laughable statement..😏
Looks like Marjorie Taylor Greene has a career after politics earning billions in hedge funds seeing how well she managed to analyse the market swings around tariffs.
She is a market timing genius and deserves the riches her analysis earned her.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
It is weird how people (on both "sides") try to extrapolate from sample sizes of just themself or a handful of friends when big sample data is freely available and easy to find.
I'm not extrapolating from a sample of one. I'm familiar with the data.
But why am I so lucky to not have any symptoms? Genes? (Healthy parents) Lifestyle? (Barnes) Positive attitude? (I don't expect to have symptoms). Pure luck? (no explanation). I'm curious. But I'm not expecting an answer.
My elderly mother is the same. None of the vaccines gave her any symptoms, and she has had all of them, got covid was fine. I don't think she would have even known if my father had it at the same time.
I notice from my direct debits this morning that a 1 bedroom flat (with single person discount) is now more than £100 a month in council tax, at least where I am.
£160 Band C over here
You prompted me to check - I'm Band A. Also, turns out I'm talking shite. Only the first payment is £100.26. The other 11 (yes, not 9) are £93.
My poll tax in pembs is band C £1850, so 10x185.
Mine in Conwy is £3,880 paid twice a year and up from £3,568 last year
At least it's not a holiday home
I understand from local Estate Agents many new homes coming in the market are by second homeowners hit by the holiday home surcharge {which I approve of}
I hope young renters are able to buy them at reduced prices.
No sign of prices falling - indeed prices are letting out of hand
Survation has some regional Westminster and local election polling here. Tables here.
It looks as if Reform will do very well in Lancashire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire, Durham, and Doncaster, on May 1st.
I do wonder where the Conservatives will put in a reasonable showing. They are also very vulnerable to the LibDems in once traditional heartlands.
These are the most consequential local elections for a very long time.
Tricky.
You need to find places where neither Lib Dems nor Reform are in with much of a sniff. Maybe Hertfordshire won't be so bad? Twelve months ago, I'd have said that the Cambs/Peterborough mayor was a gimmie (if only because of the change to FPTP), but even that must be more than a bit wobbly.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
The idea that vaccines work "95% of the time" is a quite laughable statement..😏
Why? I'd rather they worked 95% of the time than 5% of the time.
I notice from my direct debits this morning that a 1 bedroom flat (with single person discount) is now more than £100 a month in council tax, at least where I am.
£160 Band C over here
You prompted me to check - I'm Band A. Also, turns out I'm talking shite. Only the first payment is £100.26. The other 11 (yes, not 9) are £93.
My poll tax in pembs is band C £1850, so 10x185.
Mine in Conwy is £3,880 paid twice a year and up from £3,568 last year
At least it's not a holiday home
I understand from local Estate Agents many new homes coming in the market are by second homeowners hit by the holiday home surcharge {which I approve of}
I hope young renters are able to buy them at reduced prices.
No sign of prices falling - indeed prices are letting out of hand
I imagine with all the WFH, your neck of the woods is perfect if you work in Liverpool / Manchester and you fancy seaside living and only need to be in the office 2-3 days a week.
I have no idea whether this is relevant. However, the Telegraph (of all places) seems to suggest that folk with second homes are dodging the additional council tax by sticking houses on the market at an inflated price and / or no marketing. https://apple.news/A-pjjHt2gTiy5JIzQKNJugw
Think the way the legislation works it will buy them a year without the additional tax.
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends - but have never personally scrutinised the issue
Judging by the post from Mr Cumbrian View other people have grave qualms
The slow restriction of Astra Zeneca, on grounds of danger, is undeniably true
I think @NigelB explained the balance of risk very well. There are risks on both sides (pro and anti vaccine) that emerge over time and vary by demographic. There is now enough data to have a vaccine strategy that balances the risk by demographic.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
The idea that vaccines work "95% of the time" is a quite laughable statement..😏
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
It is weird how people (on both "sides") try to extrapolate from sample sizes of just themself or a handful of friends when big sample data is freely available and easy to find.
I'm not extrapolating from a sample of one. I'm familiar with the data.
But why am I so lucky to not have any symptoms? Genes? (Healthy parents) Lifestyle? (Barnes) Positive attitude? (I don't expect to have symptoms). Pure luck? (no explanation). I'm curious. But I'm not expecting an answer.
The designer of the planet earth sim deemed it so.
I’d guess when it comes to spares and aftermarket products the Chinese ability of reverse engineering will see them okay.
In recent years, as is the playbook witrh China, having stolen a load of IP, they now have a growing domestic plane manufacturing via COMAC.
The stolen IP line is a pretty lazy one these days. Apart from the fact that a significant proportion of the IP was effectively gifted by a number of very naive western companies who were anxious to get not the Chinese market, a couple of decades back, it's increasingly the case that their own R&D is fully competitive with what goes on over in the US and Europe.
Our aero engine manufacturers were among the least naive, which is one of the reasons is taken so long for China to make progress there.
It is still happening now....
How China built a domestic airliner with potentially stolen American expertise April 19, 2023
Comac, a Chinese state-owned aerospace company, developed the Comac C919 to rival the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737. It is a respectable opening effort, but the C919 lacks the passenger capacity and range to be a competitive alternative to Western offerings. The development of the Comac jet was troubled....
More information came to light after the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Xu Yanjun, a Chinese intelligence officer, while he was attempting to steal information from a GE aviation engineer in 2018. Xu was found guilty of espionage and sentenced to 20 years in prison late last year. Prosecutors stated that two state-owned companies involved in the C919's developments received technical information from Xu.
I'm no fan of China, and quite aware of such practices. I just think it a lazy generalisation, when there are industries where they now lead the world.
As I said, the aero engine manufacturers were less naive.
My original statement is true. They stolen a load of IP for aircrafts after they got stuck.They have done that with a load of other industries e.g. they stole the wind turbine tech. They are still doing, remember the recent hack of a software provider to all these sensitive industries which gave a backdoor into them.
Then when they get a foothold, they throw huge resources at it e.g. BYD have 100k strong R&D section and the innovative then comes fast. The West could certainly learn by prioritising STEM education more.
There was a hilarious incident when one of the firms that trawls patents complained to their rented politicians in the US (quite a few of the patent trawlers are US companies as well!) that a certain company wasn't patenting.
There is a strong rumour that another company patented a formulation for a bearing alloy that wasn't just nonenese, but was actually spelt a rude word. And that it got taken seriously by the IP thieves.
Here's a question for Dr. Foxy (and others): If Harvard (and other universities) have been following policies that violate US civil rights laws, what should happen?
1. The civil rights laws should be replaced to accommodate DEI. 2. Those affected should sue the universities. 3. Federal and state governments should open investigations. 4. The universities should stop violating the civil rights laws. 5. Something else.
(In Washington state, Democrats in the legislature tried to replace a civil rights law by "affirmative action", but were defeated by the voters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initiative_200
Usually, I would say that, if they have broken the law, the relevant level of government (federal or state) should open an investigation and the university should stop breaking the law. However, the rule of law seems to have been jettisoned in the US, so I guess it's everyone for themselves now.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
It is weird how people (on both "sides") try to extrapolate from sample sizes of just themself or a handful of friends when big sample data is freely available and easy to find.
I'm not extrapolating from a sample of one. I'm familiar with the data.
But why am I so lucky to not have any symptoms? Genes? (Healthy parents) Lifestyle? (Barnes) Positive attitude? (I don't expect to have symptoms). Pure luck? (no explanation). I'm curious. But I'm not expecting an answer.
The designer of the planet earth sim deemed it so.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
The idea that vaccines work "95% of the time" is a quite laughable statement..😏
Agreed, it is probably higher than that.
The covid vaccines had very different efficacy rates for preventing infection, preventing hospitalisation, prevening death, those rates varied by vaccine, covid variant, genetics, age, sex, health and decayed over time.
If either side want to debate this please can they define what "works" means before arguing about the %. Otherwise it is completely pointless.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
It is weird how people (on both "sides") try to extrapolate from sample sizes of just themself or a handful of friends when big sample data is freely available and easy to find.
I'm not extrapolating from a sample of one. I'm familiar with the data.
But why am I so lucky to not have any symptoms? Genes? (Healthy parents) Lifestyle? (Barnes) Positive attitude? (I don't expect to have symptoms). Pure luck? (no explanation). I'm curious. But I'm not expecting an answer.
My elderly mother is the same. None of the vaccines gave her any symptoms, and she has had all of them, got covid was fine. I don't think she would have even known if my father had it at the same time.
Didn't she test then? COVID was such a danger you had to get a test (often wrong though) to tell you for sure..🤨😚
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends - but have never personally scrutinised the issue
Judging by the post from Mr Cumbrian View other people have grave qualms
The slow restriction of Astra Zeneca, on grounds of danger, is undeniably true
I think @NigelB explained the balance of risk very well. There are risks on both sides (pro and anti vaccine) that emerge over time and vary by demographic. There is now enough data to have a vaccine strategy that balances the risk by demographic.
Yes, that seems fair
It is annoying this has become yet another politicised issue. The antivaxxers are chiefly to blame, but low-watt leftoid titwanks like @bondegezou are nearly as bad in a different way, where anyone who even politiely questions the efficacy and safety of those brand new, barely tested Covid vaccines is immediately barracked as a loon on a par with David Icke on Dexedrine
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
It is weird how people (on both "sides") try to extrapolate from sample sizes of just themself or a handful of friends when big sample data is freely available and easy to find.
I'm not extrapolating from a sample of one. I'm familiar with the data.
But why am I so lucky to not have any symptoms? Genes? (Healthy parents) Lifestyle? (Barnes) Positive attitude? (I don't expect to have symptoms). Pure luck? (no explanation). I'm curious. But I'm not expecting an answer.
There's always plenty of random variation in medicine. Whether that's luck or some subtle factors (genes, environment, history, etc.) we can't pin down, who knows? It could be about your immune system (which is partly genetically determined, but is also determined by what pathogens/antigens you have previously been exposed to). It could be the strain of COVID-19 you were exposed to.
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends...
I don't know what the "concerning stories/facts from clever friends" are so cannot comment on the specifics, but I think I can speak to the general case. Any surgical/medical intervention may cause a problem and that problem may be mild or severe. Consequently the existence of a "concerning story/facts" is not unsurprising.
To deal with this we need to know the rate: not just "a bad thing happened" but "the number of bad things happening is X per 100,000 patients". Once that is known the risk can be assessed. So to work that out you'll need to get studies and look at them.
It's' probably best to avoid preprints (unreviewed studies put up to excite comment) and i don't know how to deal with Plos One
As the internet continues to colonise our lives, this phenomenon of "I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends" continues to grow and concern. We are built to operate in small tribes on the savannah and our pattern recognition is geared to that. Our risk assessment capacity in the 2020s is fucked.
No, this is simply not true
The reason I was able to work out it likely came from the lab two years before the rest of PB is because I did the OPPOSITE of this. Even as everyone else was being sheperded to the neat desirable non-Chinese-annoying non-science-embarrassing conclusion it 100% came from the wet market, I stepped away from the consensus and used my own eyes and brain, and worked out this *certainty* was ludicrous. That there was, at the very least, a high likelihood it came from the lab
Years later everyone now mumbles and agrees and shuffles about and says "anyway what does it matter we can't ever know for SURE"
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends - but have never personally scrutinised the issue
Judging by the post from Mr Cumbrian View other people have grave qualms
The slow restriction of Astra Zeneca, on grounds of danger, is undeniably true
I think @NigelB explained the balance of risk very well. There are risks on both sides (pro and anti vaccine) that emerge over time and vary by demographic. There is now enough data to have a vaccine strategy that balances the risk by demographic.
The particular point with the AZN vaccine is that its early availability in volume undoubtedly saved a lot of lives worldwide.
As other vaccines became available, and as evidence emerged of the rate but serious side effects, it became much less used. The other vaccines turned out to have a very rare, serious side effects, too, but at a slightly lower rate.
Now that most of the planet has at least some immunity to the virus, it's not such a huge issue either way.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
The idea that vaccines work "95% of the time" is a quite laughable statement..😏
Agreed, it is probably higher than that.
It depends on the vaccine. For example, with flu vaccines, where we have to guess what strains will be prevalent each year, sometimes they get that wrong and effectiveness falls. That happened in the 2014-5 season, so vaccination effectiveness was estimated at a mere 19%. Whereas 2 doses of MMR is about 97% effective.
NEW, with @donatopmancini & @DarynaKrasno: The US has blocked a G7 statement to condemn Russia for its Palm Sunday missile attack on Ukraine's city of Sumy, which killed at least 35 people and injured over 100, including children.
The US told allies it couldn't sign the statement because it is "working to preserve the space to negotiate peace"
NEW, with @donatopmancini & @DarynaKrasno: The US has blocked a G7 statement to condemn Russia for its Palm Sunday missile attack on Ukraine's city of Sumy, which killed at least 35 people and injured over 100, including children.
The US told allies it couldn't sign the statement because it is "working to preserve the space to negotiate peace"
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends...
I don't know what the "concerning stories/facts from clever friends" are so cannot comment on the specifics, but I think I can speak to the general case. Any surgical/medical intervention may cause a problem and that problem may be mild or severe. Consequently the existence of a "concerning story/facts" is not unsurprising.
To deal with this we need to know the rate: not just "a bad thing happened" but "the number of bad things happening is X per 100,000 patients". Once that is known the risk can be assessed. So to work that out you'll need to get studies and look at them.
It's' probably best to avoid preprints (unreviewed studies put up to excite comment) and i don't know how to deal with Plos One
As the internet continues to colonise our lives, this phenomenon of "I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends" continues to grow and concern. We are built to operate in small tribes on the savannah and our pattern recognition is geared to that. Our risk assessment capacity in the 2020s is fucked.
No, this is simply not true
The reason I was able to work out it likely came from the lab two years before the rest of PB is because I did the OPPOSITE of this. Even as everyone else was being sheperded to the neat desirable non-Chinese-annoying non-science-embarrassing conclusion it 100% came from the wet market, I stepped away from the consensus and used my own eyes and brain, and worked out this *certainty* was ludicrous. That there was, at the very least, a high likelihood it came from the lab
Years later everyone now mumbles and agrees and shuffles about and says "anyway what does it matter we can't ever know for SURE"
Twats
In the case of vaccine reactions, you can either take the scientific, detailed evidence from the reporting of effects*. There’s a whole raft of papers on the subject.
Or you can use feelz from your mates.
The scientific results are that the reactions to the various COVID vaccines are multiple orders of magnitude less probable and less serious than COVID itself. When you factor in the probability of getting COVID (which is still out there), it stills ends up as vastly more risky *not* to be vaccinated.
*there is a system of reporting such effects in every country I can think of.
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
Tricky one. I'm certainly not going to set myself up as an arbiter of obnoxious drivel. But if a perfectly decent site gets swamped with such obnoxious drivel you do yearn for someone to make it stop.
NEW, with @donatopmancini & @DarynaKrasno: The US has blocked a G7 statement to condemn Russia for its Palm Sunday missile attack on Ukraine's city of Sumy, which killed at least 35 people and injured over 100, including children.
The US told allies it couldn't sign the statement because it is "working to preserve the space to negotiate peace"
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends - but have never personally scrutinised the issue
Judging by the post from Mr Cumbrian View other people have grave qualms
The slow restriction of Astra Zeneca, on grounds of danger, is undeniably true
I think @NigelB explained the balance of risk very well. There are risks on both sides (pro and anti vaccine) that emerge over time and vary by demographic. There is now enough data to have a vaccine strategy that balances the risk by demographic.
Yes, that seems fair
It is annoying this has become yet another politicised issue. The antivaxxers are chiefly to blame, but low-watt leftoid titwanks like @bondegezou are nearly as bad in a different way, where anyone who even politiely questions the efficacy and safety of those brand new, barely tested Covid vaccines is immediately barracked as a loon on a par with David Icke on Dexedrine
It's.... boring
The “barely tested” thing is actual horse shit, by the way.
The conduct of the trials were telescoped, so that instead of trial-spend-2-years-writing-up-trial thing was avoided.
But all the required (legally, ethically) trials were carried out.
ON topic, I can report that I have just been to the world's only ACTUAL "Gulag for Slags"
It is called ALZHiR: the "Akmolinsk camp of wives of traitors of the motherland"
It was a Gulag built expressely and solely to house women who were simply related to men caught in Stalin's Terror. Wives, mothers, sisters, daughters. They weren't even falsely or lamely accused of anything, simply being "related" to a Gulag convict was enough to get THEM sent to this hateful place on the frigid, windswept or sunburned steppes
20,000 went through, after first being beaten and tortured. Hundreds died in the camp from cold and starvation. Worse, at least 1,300 babeis were BORN in the camp - why? Because the guards raped the women. On top of this, the women were allowed to keep the babies until they were three, at which point they were ripped away, never to be seen again, sent to orphanages with their names changed. Older children were also separated, often forever, from their mothers
Unsurprisingly, it is a bleak place, even in the bleak ugly context of the north Kazakh steppes
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
It is weird how people (on both "sides") try to extrapolate from sample sizes of just themself or a handful of friends when big sample data is freely available and easy to find.
I'm not extrapolating from a sample of one. I'm familiar with the data.
But why am I so lucky to not have any symptoms? Genes? (Healthy parents) Lifestyle? (Barnes) Positive attitude? (I don't expect to have symptoms). Pure luck? (no explanation). I'm curious. But I'm not expecting an answer.
My elderly mother is the same. None of the vaccines gave her any symptoms, and she has had all of them, got covid was fine. I don't think she would have even known if my father had it at the same time.
Didn't she test then? COVID was such a danger you had to get a test (often wrong though) to tell you for sure..🤨😚
Yes she tested. But she got it when all the craziness over testing to go anywhere had finished. So it she was only testing because my father was ill.
I’d guess when it comes to spares and aftermarket products the Chinese ability of reverse engineering will see them okay.
In recent years, as is the playbook witrh China, having stolen a load of IP, they now have a growing domestic plane manufacturing via COMAC.
The stolen IP line is a pretty lazy one these days. Apart from the fact that a significant proportion of the IP was effectively gifted by a number of very naive western companies who were anxious to get not the Chinese market, a couple of decades back, it's increasingly the case that their own R&D is fully competitive with what goes on over in the US and Europe.
Our aero engine manufacturers were among the least naive, which is one of the reasons is taken so long for China to make progress there.
It is still happening now....
How China built a domestic airliner with potentially stolen American expertise April 19, 2023
Comac, a Chinese state-owned aerospace company, developed the Comac C919 to rival the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737. It is a respectable opening effort, but the C919 lacks the passenger capacity and range to be a competitive alternative to Western offerings. The development of the Comac jet was troubled....
More information came to light after the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested Xu Yanjun, a Chinese intelligence officer, while he was attempting to steal information from a GE aviation engineer in 2018. Xu was found guilty of espionage and sentenced to 20 years in prison late last year. Prosecutors stated that two state-owned companies involved in the C919's developments received technical information from Xu.
I'm no fan of China, and quite aware of such practices. I just think it a lazy generalisation, when there are industries where they now lead the world.
As I said, the aero engine manufacturers were less naive.
My original statement is true. They stolen a load of IP for aircrafts after they got stuck.They have done that with a load of other industries e.g. they stole the wind turbine tech. They are still doing, remember the recent hack of a software provider to all these sensitive industries which gave a backdoor into them.
Then when they get a foothold, they throw huge resources at it e.g. BYD have 100k strong R&D section and the innovative then comes fast. The West could certainly learn by prioritising STEM education more.
There was a hilarious incident when one of the firms that trawls patents complained to their rented politicians in the US (quite a few of the patent trawlers are US companies as well!) that a certain company wasn't patenting.
There is a strong rumour that another company patented a formulation for a bearing alloy that wasn't just nonenese, but was actually spelt a rude word. And that it got taken seriously by the IP thieves.
One of the thing that is happening now in academia is for many conferences the papers get uploaded to an open platform. Some bad actors are scraping those and papers that get borderline rejected are at worst getting copied and sent to another venue with minor tweaks or being used as the "inspiration" for a paper. The bad actors always seem to come from one country.
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends...
I don't know what the "concerning stories/facts from clever friends" are so cannot comment on the specifics, but I think I can speak to the general case. Any surgical/medical intervention may cause a problem and that problem may be mild or severe. Consequently the existence of a "concerning story/facts" is not unsurprising.
To deal with this we need to know the rate: not just "a bad thing happened" but "the number of bad things happening is X per 100,000 patients". Once that is known the risk can be assessed. So to work that out you'll need to get studies and look at them.
It's' probably best to avoid preprints (unreviewed studies put up to excite comment) and i don't know how to deal with Plos One
As the internet continues to colonise our lives, this phenomenon of "I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends" continues to grow and concern. We are built to operate in small tribes on the savannah and our pattern recognition is geared to that. Our risk assessment capacity in the 2020s is fucked.
No, this is simply not true
The reason I was able to work out it likely came from the lab two years before the rest of PB is because I did the OPPOSITE of this. Even as everyone else was being sheperded to the neat desirable non-Chinese-annoying non-science-embarrassing conclusion it 100% came from the wet market, I stepped away from the consensus and used my own eyes and brain, and worked out this *certainty* was ludicrous. That there was, at the very least, a high likelihood it came from the lab
Years later everyone now mumbles and agrees and shuffles about and says "anyway what does it matter we can't ever know for SURE"
Twats
In the case of vaccine reactions, you can either take the scientific, detailed evidence from the reporting of effects*. There’s a whole raft of papers on the subject.
Or you can use feelz from your mates.
The scientific results are that the reactions to the various COVID vaccines are multiple orders of magnitude less probable and less serious than COVID itself. When you factor in the probability of getting COVID (which is still out there), it stills ends up as vastly more risky *not* to be vaccinated.
*there is a system of reporting such effects in every country I can think of.
Nothing more boring than ignorami "challenging the consensus" on things they don't understand.
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends - but have never personally scrutinised the issue
Judging by the post from Mr Cumbrian View other people have grave qualms
The slow restriction of Astra Zeneca, on grounds of danger, is undeniably true
I think @NigelB explained the balance of risk very well. There are risks on both sides (pro and anti vaccine) that emerge over time and vary by demographic. There is now enough data to have a vaccine strategy that balances the risk by demographic.
Yes, that seems fair
It is annoying this has become yet another politicised issue. The antivaxxers are chiefly to blame, but low-watt leftoid titwanks like @bondegezou are nearly as bad in a different way, where anyone who even politiely questions the efficacy and safety of those brand new, barely tested Covid vaccines is immediately barracked as a loon on a par with David Icke on Dexedrine
It's.... boring
The “barely tested” thing is actual horse shit, by the way.
The conduct of the trials were telescoped, so that instead of trial-spend-2-years-writing-up-trial thing was avoided.
But all the required (legally, ethically) trials were carried out.
Yes, not being knowledgeable in the area, I too was initially sceptical about the safety of a vaccine that had been developed so quickly, and I voiced my doubts here at the time. But after reading around and learning more about the process, I was able to satisfy myself that the development was sound and that it would indeed be safer to take the vaccine than to refuse it.
There's nothing at all wrong with being sceptical, so long you remain open to persuasion by the evidence. Otherwise it's just ignorance.
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I've had every booster, the last only a week ago, with no ill effects at all. And the flu jabs. I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms. Am I just lucky?
It is weird how people (on both "sides") try to extrapolate from sample sizes of just themself or a handful of friends when big sample data is freely available and easy to find.
I'm not extrapolating from a sample of one. I'm familiar with the data.
But why am I so lucky to not have any symptoms? Genes? (Healthy parents) Lifestyle? (Barnes) Positive attitude? (I don't expect to have symptoms). Pure luck? (no explanation). I'm curious. But I'm not expecting an answer.
There's always plenty of random variation in medicine. Whether that's luck or some subtle factors (genes, environment, history, etc.) we can't pin down, who knows? It could be about your immune system (which is partly genetically determined, but is also determined by what pathogens/antigens you have previously been exposed to). It could be the strain of COVID-19 you were exposed to.
It could be from playing on the back streets of Oldham as a kid. I know I have an immunity to TB and we also had an outbreak of smallpox brought in on the raw cotton. I was inoculated against that.
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends...
I don't know what the "concerning stories/facts from clever friends" are so cannot comment on the specifics, but I think I can speak to the general case. Any surgical/medical intervention may cause a problem and that problem may be mild or severe. Consequently the existence of a "concerning story/facts" is not unsurprising.
To deal with this we need to know the rate: not just "a bad thing happened" but "the number of bad things happening is X per 100,000 patients". Once that is known the risk can be assessed. So to work that out you'll need to get studies and look at them.
It's' probably best to avoid preprints (unreviewed studies put up to excite comment) and i don't know how to deal with Plos One
As the internet continues to colonise our lives, this phenomenon of "I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends" continues to grow and concern. We are built to operate in small tribes on the savannah and our pattern recognition is geared to that. Our risk assessment capacity in the 2020s is fucked.
No, this is simply not true
The reason I was able to work out it likely came from the lab two years before the rest of PB is because I did the OPPOSITE of this. Even as everyone else was being sheperded to the neat desirable non-Chinese-annoying non-science-embarrassing conclusion it 100% came from the wet market, I stepped away from the consensus and used my own eyes and brain, and worked out this *certainty* was ludicrous. That there was, at the very least, a high likelihood it came from the lab
Years later everyone now mumbles and agrees and shuffles about and says "anyway what does it matter we can't ever know for SURE"
Twats
In the case of vaccine reactions, you can either take the scientific, detailed evidence from the reporting of effects*. There’s a whole raft of papers on the subject.
Or you can use feelz from your mates.
The scientific results are that the reactions to the various COVID vaccines are multiple orders of magnitude less probable and less serious than COVID itself. When you factor in the probability of getting COVID (which is still out there), it stills ends up as vastly more risky *not* to be vaccinated.
*there is a system of reporting such effects in every country I can think of.
I'm not arguing about the friggijg vax. As I said, merely politely asking
Were you one of the twats 100% sure it came from the wet market?
I notice from my direct debits this morning that a 1 bedroom flat (with single person discount) is now more than £100 a month in council tax, at least where I am.
£160 Band C over here
You prompted me to check - I'm Band A. Also, turns out I'm talking shite. Only the first payment is £100.26. The other 11 (yes, not 9) are £93.
My poll tax in pembs is band C £1850, so 10x185.
Mine in Conwy is £3,880 paid twice a year and up from £3,568 last year
At least it's not a holiday home
I understand from local Estate Agents many new homes coming in the market are by second homeowners hit by the holiday home surcharge {which I approve of}
I hope young renters are able to buy them at reduced prices.
No sign of prices falling - indeed prices are letting out of hand
I imagine with all the WFH, your neck of the woods is perfect if you work in Liverpool / Manchester and you fancy seaside living and only need to be in the office 2-3 days a week.
Chester’s easy - Manchester would get painful quickly - reason I know this is because I’ve looked
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends...
I don't know what the "concerning stories/facts from clever friends" are so cannot comment on the specifics, but I think I can speak to the general case. Any surgical/medical intervention may cause a problem and that problem may be mild or severe. Consequently the existence of a "concerning story/facts" is not unsurprising.
To deal with this we need to know the rate: not just "a bad thing happened" but "the number of bad things happening is X per 100,000 patients". Once that is known the risk can be assessed. So to work that out you'll need to get studies and look at them.
It's' probably best to avoid preprints (unreviewed studies put up to excite comment) and i don't know how to deal with Plos One
As the internet continues to colonise our lives, this phenomenon of "I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends" continues to grow and concern. We are built to operate in small tribes on the savannah and our pattern recognition is geared to that. Our risk assessment capacity in the 2020s is fucked.
No, this is simply not true
The reason I was able to work out it likely came from the lab two years before the rest of PB is because I did the OPPOSITE of this. Even as everyone else was being sheperded to the neat desirable non-Chinese-annoying non-science-embarrassing conclusion it 100% came from the wet market, I stepped away from the consensus and used my own eyes and brain, and worked out this *certainty* was ludicrous. That there was, at the very least, a high likelihood it came from the lab
Years later everyone now mumbles and agrees and shuffles about and says "anyway what does it matter we can't ever know for SURE"
Twats
In the case of vaccine reactions, you can either take the scientific, detailed evidence from the reporting of effects*. There’s a whole raft of papers on the subject.
Or you can use feelz from your mates.
The scientific results are that the reactions to the various COVID vaccines are multiple orders of magnitude less probable and less serious than COVID itself. When you factor in the probability of getting COVID (which is still out there), it stills ends up as vastly more risky *not* to be vaccinated.
*there is a system of reporting such effects in every country I can think of.
Nothing more boring than ignorami "challenging the consensus" on things they don't understand.
Says Mister "it definiiely came from the wet market, totally for certain" @kinabalu, the well known sage of Belsize
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
The idea that vaccines work "95% of the time" is a quite laughable statement..😏
Agreed, it is probably higher than that.
It depends on the vaccine. For example, with flu vaccines, where we have to guess what strains will be prevalent each year, sometimes they get that wrong and effectiveness falls. That happened in the 2014-5 season, so vaccination effectiveness was estimated at a mere 19%. Whereas 2 doses of MMR is about 97% effective.
I read (forget where) that the 2024 flu vaccine proved to have enhanced the probability of the recipient getting flu.
I've never had any problems with the flu vaccines. Didn't get one this last time as scheduling an appointment was difficult (my problem, not that of the providers).
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
The tragedy is that you are the only person who has mentioned him!
You really MUST be obsessed
Boulay did get a dozen likes for his defence of the PB One (whoever that might be). Perhaps we could have a regular themed event on the lines of Fox and friends. Fash and friends?
Now that's funny! 12 'likes' for saying he likes Leon!
He should become an influencer
Either that or Leon has used his 12 identities to demonstrate his gratitude.
I see Leon's continued descent down the rabbit hole has reached the anti-vax stage this morning.
I see you’re a still a wearying cretin. I merely asked if there are genuine, evidence-based concerns about the vaccines, as I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends...
I don't know what the "concerning stories/facts from clever friends" are so cannot comment on the specifics, but I think I can speak to the general case. Any surgical/medical intervention may cause a problem and that problem may be mild or severe. Consequently the existence of a "concerning story/facts" is not unsurprising.
To deal with this we need to know the rate: not just "a bad thing happened" but "the number of bad things happening is X per 100,000 patients". Once that is known the risk can be assessed. So to work that out you'll need to get studies and look at them.
It's' probably best to avoid preprints (unreviewed studies put up to excite comment) and i don't know how to deal with Plos One
As the internet continues to colonise our lives, this phenomenon of "I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends" continues to grow and concern. We are built to operate in small tribes on the savannah and our pattern recognition is geared to that. Our risk assessment capacity in the 2020s is fucked.
No, this is simply not true
The reason I was able to work out it likely came from the lab two years before the rest of PB is because I did the OPPOSITE of this. Even as everyone else was being sheperded to the neat desirable non-Chinese-annoying non-science-embarrassing conclusion it 100% came from the wet market, I stepped away from the consensus and used my own eyes and brain, and worked out this *certainty* was ludicrous. That there was, at the very least, a high likelihood it came from the lab
Years later everyone now mumbles and agrees and shuffles about and says "anyway what does it matter we can't ever know for SURE"
Twats
In the case of vaccine reactions, you can either take the scientific, detailed evidence from the reporting of effects*. There’s a whole raft of papers on the subject.
Or you can use feelz from your mates.
The scientific results are that the reactions to the various COVID vaccines are multiple orders of magnitude less probable and less serious than COVID itself. When you factor in the probability of getting COVID (which is still out there), it stills ends up as vastly more risky *not* to be vaccinated.
*there is a system of reporting such effects in every country I can think of.
Nothing more boring than ignorami "challenging the consensus" on things they don't understand.
Or the people who are "just asking questions", who always seem to ask the same questions beloved of anti-vaxxers and who ignore the million times those questions have been answered before.
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
Tricky one. I'm certainly not going to set myself up as an arbiter of obnoxious drivel. But if a perfectly decent site gets swamped with such obnoxious drivel you do yearn for someone to make it stop.
One man's meat is another man's poison, room for all.
Woman dies and another in hospital after cryotherapy session at Paris gym Sources close to police inquiry say an employee collapsed after nitrogen leak and second woman is in intensive care https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/15/woman-dies-hospital-cryotherapy-paris-gym ..The dead woman, a 29-year-old employee of the gym, collapsed after a nitrogen leak from a cold chamber that had been repaired earlier in the day, sources close to the inquiry said. The colourless and odourless gas is used to create an atmosphere of extreme subzero temperatures.
The two women, the second aged 34, were in cardiorespiratory arrest when the emergency services arrived at the On Air gym in east central Paris shortly before 6.30pm local time (1730 BST) on Monday, a police source told journalists. Three other people who attempted to revive the women were taken to hospital and 150 people evacuated from the building...
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
Tricky one. I'm certainly not going to set myself up as an arbiter of obnoxious drivel. But if a perfectly decent site gets swamped with such obnoxious drivel you do yearn for someone to make it stop.
One man's meat is another man's poison, room for all.
Sure. I just feel the meat and the poison get a bit out of balance sometimes
[Andrew Bridgen's] Libel claim against Matt Hancock can go to trial ... The High Court previously heard that Mr Bridgen shared a link to an article that "concerned data about deaths and other adverse reactions linked to Covid vaccines".
Mr Bridgen, who was MP for North West Leicestershire from 2010 to 2024, wrote: "As one consultant cardiologist said to me, this is the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust."
Hours later, Mr Hancock shared a video, captioned: "The disgusting and dangerous antisemitic, anti-vax, anti-scientific conspiracy theories spouted by a sitting MP this morning are unacceptable and have absolutely no place in our society." https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg83nl00vqo
Former Tory MPs to go toe-to-toe. TwiX, anti-vax, anti-semitism, and did I mention Tories? Huzzah for libel lawyers. Huzzah for free speech. Or not.
It's a sad day when one finds themselves rooting for Matt Hancock.
Are these claims about the vaccines entirely nonsense? I’ve had sane friends claim there is genuine evidence of harm, and incautious use
I confess I haven’t examined any of it myself
It will be interesting to see if it comes to trial. And if it does come to trial to see if the evidence is reported in the press, allowed to be reported in the press. I know nothing about the subject except what happened to me. I took the vaccine every time, just about the first day it became available. But near the end I got covid TWICE within three months and have never recovered.
There was endless reverse ferreting.
Firstly they said the vaccine would stop you getting covid. And getting covid would stop you getting it again. Those two were not true as I know from personal experience.
Then, it would stop you getting it as bad. And they said the vaccine was safe completely but by the end they stopped giving the UK version to anyone under 18.
I don't know if 1) I would have died without the vaccine or 2) it made no difference or 3) it made me more vulnerable to the mutated forms.
I didn't party, take risks, flout the rules, although I did eat out to help out when that was the thing we were told to do.
Boris all but died. Many old people did die.
Covid might be funny for some, but not for me. At least Bridgen was prepared to ask, and still is. He had more right to call himself a micro-biologist than Reeves has to call herself an economist or the Business secretary a solicitor.
No doubt Matt Hancock was set up as well.
Far be it for me to defend the Conservative Government over COVID but I'd rather follow their lead than Andrew Bridgen (with or without his micro- biology degree).
Vaccines don't work 100% of the time, but they do at least 95% or so. Reducing the likelihood also means that fewer people are infective, thus containing the spread of the disease. And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
Although I accepted the initial Covid vaccine and 2 boosters, I don't have them now. I know from experience that I am ill for 3-4 days after the jab and the risk balance has changed considerably.
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
The idea that vaccines work "95% of the time" is a quite laughable statement..😏
Agreed, it is probably higher than that.
It depends on the vaccine. For example, with flu vaccines, where we have to guess what strains will be prevalent each year, sometimes they get that wrong and effectiveness falls. That happened in the 2014-5 season, so vaccination effectiveness was estimated at a mere 19%. Whereas 2 doses of MMR is about 97% effective.
I read (forget where) that the 2024 flu vaccine proved to have enhanced the probability of the recipient getting flu.
I've never had any problems with the flu vaccines. Didn't get one this last time as scheduling an appointment was difficult (my problem, not that of the providers).
A vaccine increasing the chance of getting a disease can be a problem with certain vaccines to certain diseases (e.g. dengue). There have been occasional suggestions of this happening with the flu vaccine, but these are more probably situations where there were biases in the data that gave that as a misleading impression. Generally, no, we don't think a flu vaccine can increase your chance of getting flu.
Holy crap - posters don’t like a poster and happy he isn’t hear cluttering up the site then feel the need to come on and post about said poster and clutter up the site with posts about evil drunk/fascist poster.
Here’s an idea, if you don’t like Leon then skip his posts, don’t respond, don’t post about him not being here.
It’s like saying Beetlejuice/candyman three times then moaning when he shows up.
Tragic.
Tricky one. I'm certainly not going to set myself up as an arbiter of obnoxious drivel. But if a perfectly decent site gets swamped with such obnoxious drivel you do yearn for someone to make it stop.
One man's meat is another man's poison, room for all.
Sure. I just feel the meat and the poison get a bit out of balance sometimes
It dooes indeed, you then need to open the drinks cabinet.
I notice from my direct debits this morning that a 1 bedroom flat (with single person discount) is now more than £100 a month in council tax, at least where I am.
£100 a month. If only !
Ours is well over £400/month. For which rapacious impost, close to SFA gets done.
Do you live in a mansion?
Farm with a house plus cottage that serves as a solitary confinement unit for me when I get 10W60 Mobil1 on the davenport. I wouldn't mind paying it so much if they actually did DEI or other socially useful activities but they seem do absolutely nothing beyond the regulatory minimum.
That's because council tax pays for adult / child social care and everything else is done with the tuppence ha'penny left over..
Comments
From the start it was made pretty clear that the argument for the vaccine was about the balance of risk. And even for the AZN vaccine where it became clear, only after millions had received the vaccine, that a very small number suffered severe and even fatal side effects, the relative risks between unvaccinated Covid and Covid after receiving the vaccine, showed even in retrospect that it was of net benefit - except for the young.
Brigen was (at best) a fool to share a quote comparing the vaccine to the Holocaust, and Hancock was a fool to call him antisemitic on such slender evidence.
And Covid is a new virus, about which we're still learning.
He is notoriously impossible to parody or imitate well. He creates imaginary worlds out of whole cloth. Hardest of all, he sustains the opposite of the standard tragic or futile vision of the world in upholding a richly comedic one - in which all shall be for the best in the best of all possible worlds. Not even Shakespeare or Dickens can do this. Jane Austen, especially in 'Emma, does this. Mozart does in Marriage of Figaro. Julian of Norwich does it in the mystical realm. But it is very rare. It is in this area that his never ending greatness lies.
It's possible that the latter half of the twentieth century, when there was so much slack and easy growth in the system that it was possible for everyone to win big simultaneously, was the aberration that has spoiled us since.
But yes, in terms of what the UK-EU relationship will look like going forward, the old quadrillateral remains what it always was;
1 Be part of the politics (ugh)
2 Tag along economically but letting them do the politics for us (fine if you're Switzerland or Norway, but I think the UK will hate it... where we might edge towards next, anyway)
3 Put up enough of an administrative wall that the UK can be a third country (current strategy, which doesn't seem to be working brilliantly)
4 Get a special under-the-counter deal from the EU, because we're worth it (why should they?)
None of them are great options.
One problem i have heard is all the CEOs of these companies have become obsessed with smashing the benchmarks, when isn't that clear the benchmarks measure the right things. Or after a certain point are they.
Lab: 24% (no change from 6-7 Apr)
Ref: 23% (=)
Con: 21% (-1)
Lib Dem: 14% (-3)
Green: 11% (+2)
SNP: 3% (=)
https://x.com/yougov/status/1912089716679205032?s=61&t=c6bcp0cjChLfQN5Tc8A_6g
"Tariffs are Hitting Aircraft makers - But Not How You Think", YouTuber MentourNow!, 14 Apr 2025, 26 mins
Last autumn I caught Covid, and whilst I was very ill the first 3 days it was never ill enough to call the doctor. I see no reason to have another booster unless a variant with higher risk crops up.
I have had Covid twice, early on, according to the tests but with very little symptoms.
Am I just lucky?
We wouldn't put ourselves at risk at our ages and with other health conditions by declining the vaccines
https://www.leamsideline.co.uk/
Judging by the post from Mr Cumbrian View other people have grave qualms
The slow restriction of Astra Zeneca, on grounds of danger, is undeniably true
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-extends-ban-on-personal-meat-imports-to-protect-farmers-from-foot-and-mouth
1. The civil rights laws should be replaced to accommodate DEI.
2. Those affected should sue the universities.
3. Federal and state governments should open investigations.
4. The universities should stop violating the civil rights laws.
5. Something else.
(In Washington state, Democrats in the legislature tried to replace a civil rights law by "affirmative action", but were defeated by the voters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initiative_200
These are the most consequential local elections for a very long time.
She is a market timing genius and deserves the riches her analysis earned her.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/us/politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-bought-stock-trump-tariffs-pause.html
But why am I so lucky to not have any symptoms?
Genes? (Healthy parents) Lifestyle? (Barnes) Positive attitude? (I don't expect to have symptoms). Pure luck? (no explanation).
I'm curious. But I'm not expecting an answer.
What this gives Reform is a record to defend going into 2029. No longer can they just be the outsiders, the NAO.
However it also gives them a councillor base and an activist base to put in the hard yards at the next GE.
They will also be under the microscope, rightly so.
To deal with this we need to know the rate: not just "a bad thing happened" but "the number of bad things happening is X per 100,000 patients". Once that is known the risk can be assessed. So to work that out you'll need to get studies and look at them.
It's' probably best to avoid preprints (unreviewed studies put up to excite comment) and i don't know how to deal with Plos One
As the internet continues to colonise our lives, this phenomenon of "I’ve heard concerning stories/facts from clever friends" continues to grow and concern. We are built to operate in small tribes on the savannah and our pattern recognition is geared to that. Our risk assessment capacity in the 2020s is fucked.
You need to find places where neither Lib Dems nor Reform are in with much of a sniff. Maybe Hertfordshire won't be so bad? Twelve months ago, I'd have said that the Cambs/Peterborough mayor was a gimmie (if only because of the change to FPTP), but even that must be more than a bit wobbly.
🚨 NEW: Liz Truss plans to launch her own social media network this summer
https://x.com/PolitlcsUK/status/1912110717110465023
Think the way the legislation works it will buy them a year without the additional tax.
There is a strong rumour that another company patented a formulation for a bearing alloy that wasn't just nonenese, but was actually spelt a rude word. And that it got taken seriously by the IP thieves.
Turning over a new leaf?
Green patterns?
Neckl[that’s enough - Ed]
If either side want to debate this please can they define what "works" means before arguing about the %. Otherwise it is completely pointless.
It is annoying this has become yet another politicised issue. The antivaxxers are chiefly to blame, but low-watt leftoid titwanks like @bondegezou are nearly as bad in a different way, where anyone who even politiely questions the efficacy and safety of those brand new, barely tested Covid vaccines is immediately barracked as a loon on a par with David Icke on Dexedrine
It's.... boring
The reason I was able to work out it likely came from the lab two years before the rest of PB is because I did the OPPOSITE of this. Even as everyone else was being sheperded to the neat desirable non-Chinese-annoying non-science-embarrassing conclusion it 100% came from the wet market, I stepped away from the consensus and used my own eyes and brain, and worked out this *certainty* was ludicrous. That there was, at the very least, a high likelihood it came from the lab
Years later everyone now mumbles and agrees and shuffles about and says "anyway what does it matter we can't ever know for SURE"
Twats
As other vaccines became available, and as evidence emerged of the rate but serious side effects, it became much less used. The other vaccines turned out to have a very rare, serious side effects, too, but at a slightly lower rate.
Now that most of the planet has at least some immunity to the virus, it's not such a huge issue either way.
NEW, with @donatopmancini & @DarynaKrasno: The US has blocked a G7 statement to condemn Russia for its Palm Sunday missile attack on Ukraine's city of Sumy, which killed at least 35 people and injured over 100, including children.
The US told allies it couldn't sign the statement because it is "working to preserve the space to negotiate peace"
https://x.com/AlbertoNardelli/status/1912117262435176934
The obvious demand for this has been SUPPRESSED by the lamestream media!!!!!!!
NO MORE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I note Trump U.S. also blocking the requested sale of Patriot missiles for Ukraine.
Or you can use feelz from your mates.
The scientific results are that the reactions to the various COVID vaccines are multiple orders of magnitude less probable and less serious than COVID itself. When you factor in the probability of getting COVID (which is still out there), it stills ends up as vastly more risky *not* to be vaccinated.
*there is a system of reporting such effects in every country I can think of.
https://x.com/DissentingCat/status/1911602315649261801
The conduct of the trials were telescoped, so that instead of trial-spend-2-years-writing-up-trial thing was avoided.
But all the required (legally, ethically) trials were carried out.
It is called ALZHiR: the "Akmolinsk camp of wives of traitors of the motherland"
It was a Gulag built expressely and solely to house women who were simply related to men caught in Stalin's Terror. Wives, mothers, sisters, daughters. They weren't even falsely or lamely accused of anything, simply being "related" to a Gulag convict was enough to get THEM sent to this hateful place on the frigid, windswept or sunburned steppes
20,000 went through, after first being beaten and tortured. Hundreds died in the camp from cold and starvation. Worse, at least 1,300 babeis were BORN in the camp - why? Because the guards raped the women. On top of this, the women were allowed to keep the babies until they were three, at which point they were ripped away, never to be seen again, sent to orphanages with their names changed. Older children were also separated, often forever, from their mothers
Unsurprisingly, it is a bleak place, even in the bleak ugly context of the north Kazakh steppes
https://www.rferl.org/a/kazakhstan-astana-museum-of-totalitarianism-alzhir-features/32973588.html
There's nothing at all wrong with being sceptical, so long you remain open to persuasion by the evidence. Otherwise it's just ignorance.
Were you one of the twats 100% sure it came from the wet market?
I've never had any problems with the flu vaccines. Didn't get one this last time as scheduling an appointment was difficult (my problem, not that of the providers).
The Rest is Politics analysing the bot and troll response to seeded tweets:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZWCIBAXY88
"How We Trolled The Trolls (feat. Anthony Scaramucci)"
Woman dies and another in hospital after cryotherapy session at Paris gym
Sources close to police inquiry say an employee collapsed after nitrogen leak and second woman is in intensive care
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/15/woman-dies-hospital-cryotherapy-paris-gym
..The dead woman, a 29-year-old employee of the gym, collapsed after a nitrogen leak from a cold chamber that had been repaired earlier in the day, sources close to the inquiry said. The colourless and odourless gas is used to create an atmosphere of extreme subzero temperatures.
The two women, the second aged 34, were in cardiorespiratory arrest when the emergency services arrived at the On Air gym in east central Paris shortly before 6.30pm local time (1730 BST) on Monday, a police source told journalists. Three other people who attempted to revive the women were taken to hospital and 150 people evacuated from the building...
And what's the mortality rate from ayahusca ?