Coronavirus

[Zico]

looking on the bright side, it's bank holiday this friday

so a short week

[Sweep]

1 minute ago, Spider said:

Based on that (very good) speech, we aren't doing very much as a nation until June at the earliest I think.

He's right, we start pissing about now and this lasts all summer.

It's shit, and I'm complaining as much as anyone, but it's worth a few more weeks of aggro.

It's working - the Nightingale situation proves it.

agree with all that, no point fucking it up by rushing back now

I've just had a conversation this morning with one of my customers, we're supplying some of the electronics for a project that they're working on for Carlsberg, for some funky new beer pumps. The project timescales have just been pushed back a few months, which gives everybody a bit of breathing space, as the timescales were a bit tight, as originally they wanted the new pumps for summer. According to the fine chap at Carlsberg, they're now not expecting pubs to be open, fully, until December as thing stand. They're expecting pubs to be the absolute last thing to come out of lockdown, as there is no way at all to ensure social distancing. 

Imagine, another 8 or 9 months without the boozer 😬

[Escobarp]

Just now, ZicoKelly said:

looking on the bright side, it's bank holiday this friday

so a short week

No it’s not it’s next week mate is it not?

[Sweep]

1 minute ago, ZicoKelly said:

looking on the bright side, it's bank holiday this friday

so a short week

it's not this Friday, it's Friday 8th innit?

[Zico]

5 minutes ago, Escobarp said:

No it’s not it’s next week mate is it not?

 

5 minutes ago, Sweep said:

it's not this Friday, it's Friday 8th innit?

fucks sake

this week's going to drag now

[burnden]

 

[Tombwfc]

1 hour ago, ZiggyStardust said:

I'm intrigued.

You complain that Cummings should not be at the SAGE meetings, and now you are saying they are not really Scientists ?

How Bizarre.

 

It's bizarre if you completely misunderstand and just make up what I said.

I didn't complain about Cummings attending SAGE meetings. I said near the opposite - if someones opinion is that he's pulling the strings anyway (which seems to be the position of most people unhappy at his presence at SAGE) then him turning up at meetings isn't really the issue.

Secondly, science is a thing, scientists are thing. 'The Science' - a unified, definitive position on the best route to take at any point - isn't a thing. Yet people keep talking as if on any issue the government just gives a quick call to 'The Science' and it tells them what to do.

The idea that everyone in SAGE meetings, much less every scientist on planet earth, agrees with one particular strategy is obviously and clearly bollocks. Otherwise every country would be doing the same thing.

 

[Marc505]

I'm wondering if it's a conscious decision to not specifically reference the fact that shit loads are openly flouting the restrictions, rather to congratulate "everyone" for what they're doing - or whether its not as widespread behaviour as it feels to me?

I'm not up in Bolton but here over weekend it was almost as if lockdown had been lifted, I see reports about the Everton player at a party, about people driving to Cornwall from London for some fresh bastard air, continually see people on Twitter saying there's people round houses on their street having get togethers etc. I'm hoping that they're a minority. I'm also hoping it pisses it down for a month.

[Spider]

The change in weather will definitely help. 4 weeks of basic ally summer skies has been a real test.

[ProfessorWoland]

The Cummings thing seems like a distraction to me from more important things like PPE etc. I don't really care if he sits in on a meeting. Anything which gets expert opinion and people in Whitehall on the same page is probably a good idea. I'd only be bothered if he were said to be disrupting it or trying to lead them in a direction they don't want to go. 

 

[Sweep]

6 minutes ago, Marc505 said:

I'm wondering if it's a conscious decision to not specifically reference the fact that shit loads are openly flouting the restrictions, rather to congratulate "everyone" for what they're doing - or whether its not as widespread behaviour as it feels to me?

 

I don't think it's anywhere near as widespread as people think, in the main I think most are sticking to the rules - the press don't really help, as they try and make things sound worse than they are, and also love taking photographs at certain angles and from certain positions to make things look a lot busier than they are. I'm sure we could so better, but I do think most people are sticking to it

[Traf]

5 minutes ago, Sweep said:

 the press don't really help, as they try and make things sound worse than they are, and also love taking photographs at certain angles and from certain positions to make things look a lot busier than they are. 

Indeed...
 

 

[peelyfeet]

6 minutes ago, ProfessorWoland said:

The Cummings thing seems like a distraction to me from more important things like PPE etc. I don't really care if he sits in on a meeting. Anything which gets expert opinion and people in Whitehall on the same page is probably a good idea. I'd only be bothered if he were said to be disrupting it or trying to lead them in a direction they don't want to go. 

 

What's he there for? Sage meetings are supposed to be a neutral,  impartial discussion based on science or academia where independent experts asses evidence and then pass the evidence on to Cobra where the politics gets involved  - It's a scientific process, he's no expert, and he's got a conflict of interest in that his main role is making Boris Johnson popular.

Should we let labour, Lib Dem, SNP,  and Plaid Cymru spin doctors in on it too, to balance it up?

I just don't get it - some members of Sage have said they were worried about his participation, he's been actively involved in the discussions, and because he's a senior civil servant they feel like they can't object to his interruptions.

Its not just lefties who are concerned 

The Conservative former Brexit secretary, David Davis, “The whole point of having Sage is you’re getting scientific advice based on the data, based on the best theories, and the best models we have at the time,” he told Sky News. “You don’t want any outside influences, either direct or indirect, either deliberate or accidental.”

They'll publish the minutes of the meetings so we'll find out what his influence was in due course, I hope it was fuck all.

 

[ZiggyStardust]

4 minutes ago, peelyfeet said:

I just don't get it - some members of Sage have said they were worried about his participation, he's been actively involved in the discussions, and because he's a senior civil servant they feel like they can't object to his interruptions.

 

 

Indeed. So concerned that his meddling is costing lives. But not concerned enough to put their name to these concerns.

Meanwhile, Priti Patel has succesfully reduced shoplifting in the country. But do you see that headlined on the front pages. Oh No.

Unauthorised absence from schools is also down i'mled to believe.

[Farrelli]

7 minutes ago, peelyfeet said:

What's he there for? Sage meetings are supposed to be a neutral,  impartial discussion based on science or academia where independent experts asses evidence and then pass the evidence on to Cobra where the politics gets involved  - It's a scientific process, he's no expert, and he's got a conflict of interest in that his main role is making Boris Johnson popular.

Should we let labour, Lib Dem, SNP,  and Plaid Cymru spin doctors in on it too, to balance it up?

I just don't get it - some members of Sage have said they were worried about his participation, he's been actively involved in the discussions, and because he's a senior civil servant they feel like they can't object to his interruptions.

Its not just lefties who are concerned 

The Conservative former Brexit secretary, David Davis, “The whole point of having Sage is you’re getting scientific advice based on the data, based on the best theories, and the best models we have at the time,” he told Sky News. “You don’t want any outside influences, either direct or indirect, either deliberate or accidental.”

They'll publish the minutes of the meetings so we'll find out what his influence was in due course, I hope it was fuck all.

 

Correct. 

[peelyfeet]

4 minutes ago, ZiggyStardust said:

Indeed. So concerned that his meddling is costing lives. But not concerned enough to put their name to these concerns.

Meanwhile, Priti Patel has succesfully reduced shoplifting in the country. But do you see that headlined on the front pages. Oh No.

Unauthorised absence from schools is also down i'mled to believe.

Violence in pubs and clubs, RTA's, sports related injuries, Football hooliganism, Hairdressing related injuries, all massively reduced, mainly down to Priti

Annoyance with unnecessary Spin doctor intervention,  sadly on the rise and forecast for the rest of the week, or until he goes back into the upright coffin that he sleeps in during the day.   

[Zico]

16 minutes ago, ZiggyStardust said:

Indeed. So concerned that his meddling is costing lives. But not concerned enough to put their name to these concerns.

Meanwhile, Priti Patel has succesfully reduced shoplifting in the country. But do you see that headlined on the front pages. Oh No.

Unauthorised absence from schools is also down i'mled to believe.

was that as a result of shutting most shops?

[Escobarp]

5 minutes ago, peelyfeet said:

Violence in pubs and clubs.   

Wait til lockdown is over 

the club shop straighteners themselves will cause a spike in violent disorder 

[peelyfeet]

1 minute ago, Escobarp said:

Wait til lockdown is over 

the club shop straighteners themselves will cause a spike in violent disorder 

Haha, can't wait for those days to return  - speaking of which have you seen the pictures from the Nicaraguan  boxing - wonder if this is what all sporting events will be like - going to be very weird atmosphere if it's anything like this - imagine queuing up 2 meters apart to get in, wonder how many would go and how many would stay at home.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/52432485 

[Rudy]

So you can ask submit your questions to ask the government at the daily briefing?

Kin’ell do the cranks of this country not have big enough platform as it is already?

[ProfessorWoland]

34 minutes ago, peelyfeet said:

What's he there for? Sage meetings are supposed to be a neutral,  impartial discussion based on science or academia where independent experts asses evidence and then pass the evidence on to Cobra where the politics gets involved  - It's a scientific process, he's no expert, and he's got a conflict of interest in that his main role is making Boris Johnson popular.

Should we let labour, Lib Dem, SNP,  and Plaid Cymru spin doctors in on it too, to balance it up?

I just don't get it - some members of Sage have said they were worried about his participation, he's been actively involved in the discussions, and because he's a senior civil servant they feel like they can't object to his interruptions.

Its not just lefties who are concerned 

The Conservative former Brexit secretary, David Davis, “The whole point of having Sage is you’re getting scientific advice based on the data, based on the best theories, and the best models we have at the time,” he told Sky News. “You don’t want any outside influences, either direct or indirect, either deliberate or accidental.”

 

 

I don't know what the justification is, or even if one has been offered?  Is this the first time a civil servant has attended these meetings?

If there's been interference or an attempt to skew the scientific advice in a way favourable to the government then I'll happily lead the charge but I think there's better things to be holding the government to scrutiny over. This one seems a bit more based on the fact no-one likes Cummings. 

Quote

They'll publish the minutes of the meetings so we'll find out what his influence was in due course, I hope it was fuck all.

Agreed, he's not a scientist.  

 

 

[ZiggyStardust]

11 minutes ago, ZicoKelly said:

was that as a result of shutting most shops?

Tough on Crime. Tough on the causes of Crime.

[ZiggyStardust]

5 minutes ago, ProfessorWoland said:

I don't know what the justification is, or even if one has been offered?  Is this the first time a civil servant has attended these meetings?

 

 

Ive randomly clicked on 6 sets of minutes  from SAGE meetings going back to 2009. Theres been someone from the Cabinet Office in each one of them.

They are classed as observers. What Cummings has been classed as is unknown until the inutes are published.

[peelyfeet]

5 hours ago, Rudy’s Message said:

So you can ask submit your questions to ask the government at the daily briefing?

Kin’ell do the cranks of this country not have big enough platform as it is already?

Jesus, would love to see some of the questions they get, I bet there's some absolute belters

what would yours be?

Mine

" Has Boris been knowingly sporting a coronavirus haircut for the last decade, so that in times of hairdresser shortage, his unkempt locks don't shock the public, and was it that Dominic Cummings wot told him to do it"  

Edited April 27, 2020 by peelyfeet

[ProfessorWoland]

12 minutes ago, ZiggyStardust said:

Ive randomly clicked on 6 sets of minutes  from SAGE meetings going back to 2009. Theres been someone from the Cabinet Office in each one of them.

They are classed as observers. What Cummings has been classed as is unknown until the inutes are published.

I can see the utility in having an observer there and I could also see that being beneficial to all concerned. I'd be more worried if people were so obsessed on protocol and being seen to do the right thing that information was held in silos and consequently didn't reach the right people as quickly as possible. 

For that matter, there's presumably Cabinet Office representation at COBRA meetings? So it's not as if there's a strict divide between the elected politicians and the Civil Service at that point either?

Still, my first point still stands, with PPE shortages, questions over exit strategies etc. Cummingsgate seems like a diversion.

  

7 minutes ago, peelyfeet said:

Jesus, would love to see some of the questions they get, I bet there's some absolute belters

what would yours be?

Mine

" Has Boris been knowingly sporting a coronavirus haircut for the last decade, so that in times of hairdresser shortage, his unkempt locks don't shock the public, and what is that Dominic Cummings wot told him to do it"  

-https://politics.theonion.com/it-was-for-uh-medical-reasons-says-doctor-to-bori-1842783204

 

Edited April 27, 2020 by ProfessorWoland