Hancock's Half Hour

[Trainee neophyte]

.....

But no, there isn't a press release saying "We, the Dr Evil corporation, are lobbying to keep lockdown in place in order to destroy our competitors and create a limited monopolising position for our Dr Evil™ action figure range. May all the old people DIE!! We demand....one million dollars!" I wonder why not?

Then why do you continue to post such rubbish ?

By the way, I looked at those links you supplied. Ignoring your specious link, none of them had anything that supported your claim that businesses are lobbying hard to maintain the lockdown. Just more BS from you.

No problem...stick you back in lockdown.

So I had best apologise - mistakes were made, lessons have been learned etc. My fault for getting re-embroiled in all of this. I really must do better at avoiding contentious stuff.

Before I go, here's something from the Russian Tass news people (you are at liberty to believe it or otherwise, depending on your level of paranoia). https://tass.com/society/1156907

One half of coronavirus patients in Russia have no symptoms, the proportion of asymptomatic cases in Moscow is about 60%, Veronika Skvortsova noted. "The proportion of asymptomatic cases is very high: in Moscow it accounts for 60% and in the country in general — almost one half, every second case," she said

And this may be an interesting addendum: https://www.statista.com/statistics/110 ... worldwide/

 

[RogerS]

....
......

Of course it was a different virus and a different century but there are lessons that can be drawn when you look at the different approaches taken by different parts of the USA e.g. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/hist ... ronavirus/

Fascinating graphs, Woody and looking at the contrasting approaches between some of the cities mirrors the different approaches today between the UK and Germany. And the same increased loss of life. Indeed, stupidity never stops . Philadelphia - rally 200,000 people attended. UK - Cheltenham Gold Cup 2020 250,000 people attended. Idiotic to let it go ahead and possibly explains the early spike in Carlisle and Cumbria since a very large contingent always goes down there for the Gold Cup.

 

[selectortone]

I really must do better at avoiding contentious stuff.

Before I go, here's something from the Russian Tass news people (you are at liberty to believe it or otherwise, depending on your level of paranoia). https://tass.com/society/1156907

=D>

 

[woodhutt]

Reminds me of the old Russian joke about their newspapers, Pravda (meaning 'Truth') and Izsvestia (meaning 'News').
Apparently the two papers had an agreement. Pravda didn't print the news and Izsvestia didn't print the truth.
Pete

 

[Jake]

In 1918 the epidemic impacted mainly the productive - this one impacts mainly the retired. No particular axe to grind - merely an observation!

That depends quite a lot on keeping health service demands within capacity - it gets much more indiscriminate if not. Anyway, do we value life or productive capacity, as if it is the latter there are quicker ways than disease.

 

[Jake]

Not to mention Spanish flu occurred after a world war in which million of young men had already died and in a world with a comparatively archaic medical system.

That's very true, so many people draw inaccurate parallels with Spanish Flu IFR given the radical differences in our ability to support the body beyond its normal immune system capacity at least in more advanced societies.

 

[Jake]

. UK - Cheltenham Gold Cup 2020 250,000 people attended. Idiotic to let it go ahead and possibly explains the early spike in Carlisle and Cumbria since a very large contingent always goes down there for the Gold Cup.

Also Liverpool - Atletico Madrid. Noting the *very* narrow time window of analysis: "Edge Health, which analyses data for Britain's National Health Service, estimated the match was "linked to 41 additional deaths" at nearby hospitals between 25 and 35 days later, compared with similar hospital trusts that were used as a control."

It's a bit finger in the air because we don't do track and trace, still, more than 6 months after this disease started.

https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/world/li ... r-BB14xlmz

 

[beech1948]

I'm very glad not to be a London commuter,but then thats always been the case.I gave up watching the windbaggery weeks ago as the whole thing could have been condensed into five minutes.It actually reminds me more of "Are You Being Served" with the fairly patronising tone adopted when the staff get told "you've all done very well."

What is becoming obvious is that the Government is comprised of people who lack common sense and drive to get stuff done. I feel most of them should be encouraged into other employment.

The Civil Service is just incompetent and so cowardly that they are unable to act in anyone's best interests. One might ask:-

Why are 8000 or more people a day still coming through Heathrow with no checks
Where is the testing regime we need to get back to work
Why are all illegal aliens from France not returned the same day
Why are trains, buses and planes not already equipped with barriers around seats, seat volumes reduced to 50% or less of normal and if needed prices can rise.
Why are masks not compulsory
Why are are the elderly ( me ) being imprisoned under house arrest
Why are certain hospitals not designated as Covid-19 specialists and others used to attend to the needs of the population...the NHS was nowhere close to being overwhelmed.
Why have the Nightingale hospitals not been used instead of keeping all patients in normal hositals
Why we still not using the full capability of the UK to make PPE equipment
Why have we bought so much Chinese PPE which is substandard
Why are we not backing Australia against China NOW !..why wait for the liars to continue
Why is the UK Government incapable of acting against a nation of dishonest untruthful people.
Why can schools not go back
Why can we not call the unions bluff and enforce return to work/education by removing the furlough scheme by July
Why are companies cheating by using the furlough scheme and making employees work a full shift not being challenged by our millions of civil servants and legally challenged.

I'll stop there as its getting late.

The Civil service is unfit for purpose. It is made up of do nothing fairly useless people who in the past 50 years have relied on the EU for everything and now know nothing. I would fire at least 40% of them and not hire new people. Utter waste of money and time.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Reminds me of the old Russian joke about their newspapers, Pravda (meaning 'Truth') and Izsvestia (meaning 'News').
Apparently the two papers had an agreement. Pravda didn't print the news and Izsvestia didn't print the truth.
Pete

I was told that at school 50+ years ago.

 

[woodhutt]

Reminds me of the old Russian joke about their newspapers, Pravda (meaning 'Truth') and Izsvestia (meaning 'News').
Apparently the two papers had an agreement. Pravda didn't print the news and Izsvestia didn't print the truth.
Pete

I was told that at school 50+ years ago.

You went to school in Russia, Phil?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Felt like it sometimes.

 

[Marineboy]

I'm very glad not to be a London commuter,but then thats always been the case.I gave up watching the windbaggery weeks ago as the whole thing could have been condensed into five minutes.It actually reminds me more of "Are You Being Served" with the fairly patronising tone adopted when the staff get told "you've all done very well."

What is becoming obvious is that the Government is comprised of people who lack common sense and drive to get stuff done. I feel most of them should be encouraged into other employment.

The Civil Service is just incompetent and so cowardly that they are unable to act in anyone's best interests. One might ask:-

Why are 8000 or more people a day still coming through Heathrow with no checks
Where is the testing regime we need to get back to work
Why are all illegal aliens from France not returned the same day
Why are trains, buses and planes not already equipped with barriers around seats, seat volumes reduced to 50% or less of normal and if needed prices can rise.
Why are masks not compulsory
Why are are the elderly ( me ) being imprisoned under house arrest
Why are certain hospitals not designated as Covid-19 specialists and others used to attend to the needs of the population...the NHS was nowhere close to being overwhelmed.
Why have the Nightingale hospitals not been used instead of keeping all patients in normal hositals
Why we still not using the full capability of the UK to make PPE equipment
Why have we bought so much Chinese PPE which is substandard
Why are we not backing Australia against China NOW !..why wait for the liars to continue
Why is the UK Government incapable of acting against a nation of dishonest untruthful people.
Why can schools not go back
Why can we not call the unions bluff and enforce return to work/education by removing the furlough scheme by July
Why are companies cheating by using the furlough scheme and making employees work a full shift not being challenged by our millions of civil servants and legally challenged.

I'll stop there as its getting late.

The Civil service is unfit for purpose. It is made up of do nothing fairly useless people who in the past 50 years have relied on the EU for everything and now know nothing. I would fire at least 40% of them and not hire new people. Utter waste of money and time.

Your rant attacks the wrong target. Civil servants take instruction from politicians. The policies you don’t like emanate from politicians, civil servants just try to put them into practice - not always easy when these policies are impractical and wrong-headed.

 

[Droogs]

@Beech Teachers have not been on furlough they have been working online teaching during this entire episode not sat on their arse doing nothing. I fully back the stance that schools should not be reopened. Why - simple
If children especially sub 7 yrs are unable able to be infectious with this Covid - 19 then it will be the first such disease in history that can not be passed on by a member of a sub group of a species to the rest of that species. They might not get symptoms but sure as hell, when some snotty year 1 comes to the teacher for a hug 'cos they hurt themselves the disease will spread. Just for your info just under 1/5 of UK teaachers have a shielded family member in their household info from the unions.

So do not try to demonize teachers they are working and working a shitload harder than ever from home, many having to buy equipment to enable them to teach online at their own expense. Remember using the the wazicks ie mean PMs rules their by logic can only be around 10 pupils in a class. where are all the extra teachers coming from and are they trained.?

 

[Blackswanwood]

So do not try to demonize teachers they are working and working a busload harder than ever from home, many having to buy equipment to enable them to teach online at their own expense. Remember using the the wazicks ie mean PMs rules their by logic can only be around 10 pupils in a class. where are all the extra teachers coming from and are they trained.?

I agree with you Droogs that teachers (or any profession) should not be demonised etc.

What do you think needs to have happened before schools should go back? My feeling is that we need to start to take some steps to reopen and within the parameters of how many teachers don’t have family members who are shielding and a safe class size (which will vary by school and age of children) we can probably do something more now?

 

[Droogs]

i would say the biggest problem is real estate. The physical limitations of our schools and classes mean a limit of around 10, the average class size in urban areas for Scotland at least is 28 that is 3 new classes that have to be catered for. Sort that out first, then mandatory masking and ppe especially gloves lots of gloves in kids sizes. Remember these kids will not be able to share equipment books toys etc, so what to do about that.
To open up schools safely - for the rest of society not to get hit by a massive new wave is not something we can do just now even with a 2 or 3 day school week or alternate days etc as each class would need to be deep cleaned before each of the different classes take occupancy.

Also don't forget about inclusivity and all the special needs students who have to be catered for as well, how do we do that with social distancing

 

[RogerS]

I'm very glad not to be a London commuter,but then thats always been the case.I gave up watching the windbaggery weeks ago as the whole thing could have been condensed into five minutes.It actually reminds me more of "Are You Being Served" with the fairly patronising tone adopted when the staff get told "you've all done very well."

What is becoming obvious is that the Government is comprised of people who lack common sense and drive to get stuff done. I feel most of them should be encouraged into other employment.

The Civil Service is just incompetent and so cowardly that they are unable to act in anyone's best interests. One might ask:-

Why are 8000 or more people a day still coming through Heathrow with no checks
Where is the testing regime we need to get back to work
Why are all illegal aliens from France not returned the same day
Why are trains, buses and planes not already equipped with barriers around seats, seat volumes reduced to 50% or less of normal and if needed prices can rise.
Why are masks not compulsory
Why are are the elderly ( me ) being imprisoned under house arrest
Why are certain hospitals not designated as Covid-19 specialists and others used to attend to the needs of the population...the NHS was nowhere close to being overwhelmed.
Why have the Nightingale hospitals not been used instead of keeping all patients in normal hositals
Why we still not using the full capability of the UK to make PPE equipment
Why have we bought so much Chinese PPE which is substandard
Why are we not backing Australia against China NOW !..why wait for the liars to continue
Why is the UK Government incapable of acting against a nation of dishonest untruthful people.
Why can schools not go back
Why can we not call the unions bluff and enforce return to work/education by removing the furlough scheme by July
Why are companies cheating by using the furlough scheme and making employees work a full shift not being challenged by our millions of civil servants and legally challenged.

I'll stop there as its getting late.

The Civil service is unfit for purpose. It is made up of do nothing fairly useless people who in the past 50 years have relied on the EU for everything and now know nothing. I would fire at least 40% of them and not hire new people. Utter waste of money and time.

Your rant attacks the wrong target. Civil servants take instruction from politicians. The policies you don’t like emanate from politicians, civil servants just try to put them into practice - not always easy when these policies are impractical and wrong-headed.

Not strictly true looking at that list. Take testing, for example. Testing could have been increased greatly if PHE hadn't insisted in the early days about using only their labs. Of course, they could and should have been told to get their finger out by Hancock....ah....I see where you are coming from :wink: As you were.

Sack Hancock. Now.

 

[Chris152]

This morning, from University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust:
'Weston General Hospital is temporarily stopping accepting new patients, including into its A&E department, as of 8am today (Monday 25 May 2020). This is a precautionary measure in order to maintain the safety of staff and patients in response to the high number of patients with Coronavirus in the hospital...'
https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/p/latest-news/t ... IG98H72Pbw
Give it another week or two since the PM's green light speech and we'll be seeing this all over the place.
No doubt the herd will be out spreading the virus in numbers today, sunshine, blue skies, what could possibly etc...

 

[Chris152]

So job wise, do something that people MUST have. Food, shelter, (not clothing!), healthcare. Or become self-sufficient, so you don't rely on the system. A good piece of advice I once heard is to become a farmer: you will learn mechanics, plumbing, building, electrics, and how to break machinery by looking at it.

Yea, but doesn't farming involve getting out of bed before midday? Quite out of the question I'd imagine. :roll:

 

[RogerS]

This morning, from University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust:
'Weston General Hospital is temporarily stopping accepting new patients, including into its A&E department, as of 8am today (Monday 25 May 2020). This is a precautionary measure in order to maintain the safety of staff and patients in response to the high number of patients with Coronavirus in the hospital...'
https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/p/latest-news/t ... IG98H72Pbw
Give it another week or two since the PM's green light speech and we'll be seeing this all over the place.
No doubt the herd will be out spreading the virus in numbers today, sunshine, blue skies, what could possibly etc...

"You've got Covid. Where did you say you were yesterday ? On the beach? Right...there's the door, now B... off"

 

[Rorschach]

Good, get it spread out a bit more, especially amongst the young. Not that it does spread well outside at all of course if you listen to the scientific advice.