Brexit, for once some facts.

[Woosh]

We do need to know exactly why UK has done so badly

Contagion is the key consideration. Assume that if you stay in a room with someone currently suffering Covid for 15 minutes or more, you catch it. Let's say each Covid death costs the nation on average £5 millions (=£400 billions/80,000 casualties), you can see eat out to help out at £10 a head is clearly stupid and shortsighted.
The same reasoning applies to Christmas shopping. Southend has a new Primark in the High Street that opened just after the second lockdown was lifted. I saw the queue of people at the door - that's your explanation.

 

[Zlatan]

Contagion is the key consideration. Assume that if you stay in a room with someone currently suffering Covid for 15 minutes or more, you catch it. Let's say each Covid death costs the nation on average £5 millions (=£400 billion/80,000 casualties), you can see eat out to help out at £10 a head is clearly stupid and shortsighted.
The same reasoning applies to Christmas shopping. Southend has a new Primark in the High Street that opened just after the second lockdown was lifted. I saw the queue of people at the door - that's your explanation.

No, Woosh it's yours. It's at best simplistic and doesn't really help.
Next time what do we do? Don't open a new shop and don't have eat out to help out scheme. Think we, d be in same mess somehow.

 

[Woosh]

No, Woosh it's yours. It's at best simplistic and doesn't really help.
Next time what do we do? Don't open a new shop and don't have eat out to help out scheme. Think we, d be in same mess somehow.

lockdown as much as possible, not the opposite.
go to work if your work environment is Covid secure, furlough all those who can't work. It would have been 30 times cheaper and far fewer casualties.
The mistake is trying to delay the obvious. This government does that again and again while hoping a different result each time.

 

[Zlatan]

lockdown as much as possible, not the opposite.
go to work if your work environment is Covid secure, furlough all those who can't work. It would have been 30 times cheaper and far fewer casualties.
The mistake is trying to delay the obvious. This government does that again and again while hoping a different result each time.

Yep, that is probably nearer truth.

 

[Woosh]

the problem with this government is they do not have scientists inside the cabinet.
Professor Brian Cox said something along the line: if a politician claims he is following the science, he does not understand the science.
A circuit breaker lockdown based on 25% ICU bed occupation due to Covid would have been a more sensible option.

 

[Danidl]

the jury is still out on this one.
The Pfizer vaccine is made by enrobing the mRNA fragment inside a lipid shell. It's high tech and pure, ie it will be more or less 100% absorbed by our cells at the site of injection.
Our Oxford vaccine takes the lower tech route, we use an adenovirus to replace the lipid shell. The virus invades the cells, the latter may resist or may not, our immune system may kill the virus or may not, the virus may bring in unknown variables.
The French are much more cautious with the new vaccines than we are.

Again using my daughter as a reference. The Jenner or Oxford vaccine is the more traditional model where a section of the protein coat is used and that then sensitises the white cells to recognise it as an intruder so it learns to kill it. The mRNA is a lot clevererer and is the same as providing a computer program code. The mRNA is basically a string of code which if absorbed by a cell will programme it to produce a protein ..this protein is then a fragment of the protein coat of the virus, similar to the Jenner material and this then sensitises white cells . The difference essentially is that the Oxford one is like dropping prefab houses after a disaster by a airplane, and the Moderna and Pfizer is dropping blueprints
Because the mRNA is a single string of amino acids, it does not have the intrinsic temperature stability of a double helix, so needs extremely low temperatures or else it falls apart and cannot program anything. Obviously it will presumably react in the short interval between injection and disintegration. A fragment of protein will circulate in the blood stream for a much longer time, and is much more robust.

 

[oldgroaner]

OG the pandemic is potentially worse but I, m not sure what you are on about.
We haven't got facility to initiate a war cabinet when not at war and with a functioning (in theory) 80 seat majority government.
We can't just one day decide to have a coalition government. And why on earth are you assuming anything decided would have been any different. Our worse disasterin history happened during coalition government. (Fall of Singapore?)

The fall of Singapore was the fault of pointing all guns out to sea,
And treating the area as a sideshow.
not because of coalition government.
And yes the means exist to unseat this government .
All it takes is a vote of no confidence for any Government to fall.
Or For the Queen to dissolve parliament, which if she is offered a massive vote of no confidence by MP's she will do
And we are at War, and we are losing with more casualties already than WW2 as I pointed out before.
What prevents it happening is the character or rather lack of character of Conservative MP's
We are running on luck, and it is running out.
What we need is for all policians to recognise we need new and dynamic leadership and control.

 

[oldgroaner]

I don't have Encouraging thoughts to offer? here's one for you

Halleluyah! all true believers will believe!
Omm...........omm....

 

[Woosh]

The Jenner or Oxford vaccine is the more traditional model

the problem with the Oxford vaccine is explained by the team themselves. I stress marked the reason for you.

A guide to vaccinology: from basic principles to new developments | Nature Reviews Immunology

QUOTE:
Viral vectored vaccines are based on a recombinant virus (either replicating or not), in which the genome is altered to express the target pathogen antigen. The presentation of pathogen antigens in combination with stimuli from the viral vector that mimic natural infection leads to the induction of strong humoral and cellular immune responses without the need for an adjuvant. A potential disadvantage of viral vectored vaccines is the presence of pre-existing immunity when a vector such as human adenovirus is used that commonly causes infection in humans. This can be overcome by using vectors such as a simian adenovirus, against which almost no pre-existing immunity exists in humans126. Whether immune responses against the vector will limit its use for repeated vaccinations with different antigens will need to be investigated.

 

[oldgroaner]

the problem with the Oxford vaccine is explained by the team themselves. I stress marked the reason for you.

A guide to vaccinology: from basic principles to new developments | Nature Reviews Immunology

QUOTE:
Viral vectored vaccines are based on a recombinant virus (either replicating or not), in which the genome is altered to express the target pathogen antigen. The presentation of pathogen antigens in combination with stimuli from the viral vector that mimic natural infection leads to the induction of strong humoral and cellular immune responses without the need for an adjuvant. A potential disadvantage of viral vectored vaccines is the presence of pre-existing immunity when a vector such as human adenovirus is used that commonly causes infection in humans. This can be overcome by using vectors such as a simian adenovirus, against which almost no pre-existing immunity exists in humans126. Whether immune responses against the vector will limit its use for repeated vaccinations with different antigens will need to be investigated.

So it could be a once in a lifetime situation, and back to square one thereafter after each mutation that goes a bit further than expected?
Or have I misunderstood?

 

[oldgroaner]

Sign of the times
"
Government to let farmers use bee-killing pesticide banned in EU

‘We need urgent action to restore the abundance of our insect populations, not broken promises that make the ecological crisis even worse,’ says Wildlife Trusts"

And if the pesticide gets into the crops, are the EU not going to be a tad miffed?

What will these Leave idiots do wrong next?

 

[oldgroaner]

What have they done wrong next? this by
Jackass Grease Smug
"
Government accused of undermining scrutiny of EU trade deal, as Jacob Rees-Mogg shuts down Commons Brexit committee

Move blocks plan for six-month inquiry into Boris Johnson’s Christmas Eve agreement"

Mustn't look where looking isn't welcome.......

 

[oldgroaner]

And the howlers keep coming
"
Cornish Skipper #FBPE #RejoinEU #RRR

@CornishSkipper

Truckers given wrong postcode by Gov for Brexit lorry park. “we couldn't find anyone who would accept responsibility.”

No. You wouldn’t. #LiarJohnson never taken responsibility for anything in his life and that’s how the Gov is run. #BrexitShambles

Too Trucking Foo!

 

[oldgroaner]

And in the good old US of A the Darwin Award season was opened by this genius
"chris evans@notcapnamerica
https://twitter.com/notcapnamerica
This is Kevin Greeson. He died during the Capitol riots because he mistakenly tasered himself in the balls multiple times triggering a fatal heart attack.

The man is a creative genius, who else could have conjured up a new method of Harakiri? disembollockment rather disembowellment?
What was it Frankie Howard used to say?

No...Don't laugh!

 

[oldgroaner]

Anthony White@AnthonyWhite52

How do you mistakenly taser yourself in the balls multiple times?





Gerald Bell@GOldcodger

Replying to
@AnthonyWhite52
and
@notcapnamerica
It's habit forming?

 

[oyster]

How do you mistakenly taser yourself in the balls multiple times?

The sort of DIY question you really wouldn't have expected to see asked. Anywhere.

Obviously, was likely painful beyond belief. But I do wonder, if he managed to kill himself with one, had he used it on someone else it is entirely possible it would have had the same result. Hence, not really a non-lethal weapon. As claimed by many. And which would have been his claim, I'm sure, if he had been arrested.

 

[Woosh]

Because the mRNA is a single string of amino acids, it does not have the intrinsic temperature stability of a double helix, so needs extremely low temperatures or else it falls apart and cannot program anything.

I think the fragility of the Pfizer vaccine is down to the nature of nano-manufacturing. The liposome that enrobes the mRNA is mechanically produced, it can breakdown and release its load into the solution thus won't cross our cells membrane.
The low temperature locks the nanoparticles in suspension. As soon as the vaccine is thawed, the vials must not be shaken otherwise the vaccine is spoiled.
Think of how your sauces would split if you whisk them too much.
I was going to post a lengthier reply at 8AM but had to go shopping for food before the supermarket gets busy.

 

[oldgroaner]

On the subject of official Brexit information to companies

Oh Dear..

 

[oyster]

Apple and Google have suspended the Parler app. (Though still accessible by browser.)

Interesting how this plays out.

 

[oyster]

DPD have joined DHL in suspending some of their cross-border deliveries.

DPD will not deliver UK parcels to EU. DHL are not delivering by road to the UK.

Not sure what else...

Adding:
Firms halt deliveries from UK to EU over Brexit border problems
DPD pauses road service and retailers suspend sales or reduce lines amid concerns over paperwork and tariffs

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jan/08/firms-including-ms-suspend-eu-exports-over-brexit-smallprint