Brexit, for once some facts.

[oyster]

I am amazed that only about a thousand have been fined so far in England and Wales for lockdown transgressions. Someone not too far away has had five FPNs and now arrested. But in the millions of us, I think that is a staggeringly low number of FPNs.

 

[Nev]

The BBC have been nobbled, there’s no doubt about that, so we need someone asking questions.

I don't want to sound like Soundwave or VFR400 and their conspiracy theories but I think you are right. The BBC have softened their approach to the Government since Boris went into hospital.

I suspect the Director General was leaned on by the powers that be, who in turn warned the BBC management to go easy. This instruction would be passed down vial various line managers to the journalists.

 

[oyster]

I don't want to sound like Soundwave or VFR400 and their conspiracy theories but I think you are right. The BBC have softened their approach to the Government since Boris went into hospital.

I suspect the Director General was leaned on by the powers that be, who in turn warned the BBC management to go easy. This instruction would be passed down vial various line managers to the journalists.

The way they say 917 deaths in seconds and spend far longer telling us about Johnson.

Yes, they should report Johnson in neutral, factual and brief terms.

But 917 deaths (hospital only, of course) where we get pretty much no detail is grossly inadequate.

 

[flecc]

I am amazed that only about a thousand have been fined so far in England and Wales for lockdown transgressions. Someone not too far away has had five FPNs and now arrested. But in the millions of us, I think that is a staggeringly low number of FPNs.

The power of policing by consent. It works when officers have the sense to use it, and most do, making fines unnecessary.

Unfortunately some in a few forces don't and cause friction, which is why the Home Office reprimand as necessary.
.

 

[flecc]

The BBC have softened their approach to the Government since Boris went into hospital.

I suspect the Director General was leaned on by the powers that be, who in turn warned the BBC management to go easy. This instruction would be passed down vial various line managers to the journalists.

You're undoubtedly right, the BBC is in "wartime mode" in the national interest.
.

 

[Nev]

I wonder what BJ will have to say after the dust has settled.

I imagine he will be treated like a hero, the establishment will close ranks. The Tories already have most of the press in their pockets, and the BBC is scared stiff of them, so who is going to ask the appropriate questions and more importantly get the truth full answers?

With an 80 seat majority over the opposition parties the Government don't really have a lot to worry about when parliament starts up again.

The Guardian and the Mirror will ask questions but the Government will just accuse them of playing politics and wont bother providing any answers, or will just take a page out of Trumps play book, and just tell bare faced lies.

 

[oyster]

I ddin't notice this on the ITV, nor BBC, news (but missed bits of both)

UK political parties unite to demand recall of parliament

As virus death toll nears 10,000, Labour leader Keir Starmer calls for talks with Speaker
The government faces a chorus of cross-party calls on Sunday for the urgent recall of parliament in “virtual” form as MPs and peers demand the right to hold ministers to account over the escalating coronavirus crisis.

The demands from leaders of all main opposition parties, as well as senior Tories, came after the death toll from Covid-19 in the UK approached 10,000. Deaths from the virus rose by 917 on Saturday compared with Friday to a total of 9,875.

Fronting the daily Covid-19 briefing for the first time, the home secretary, Priti Patel, said the figures showed the “devastating impact of this virus”.

Although there was a slight drop in numbers between Friday and Saturday, experts warned that the coming week could see a significant jump.

But I did notice Hancock in full blame-the-patient mode saying that the NHS staff who have died could have picked up covid-19 somewhere else. Occam's razor comes to mind. And legalese "balance of probabilities".

No, not our fault guv.

 

[jonathan.agnew]

You're undoubtedly right, the BBC is in "wartime mode" in the national interest.
.

I find the way the BBC become an establishment mouthpiece toeing whatever party is in nr 10's line chilling. The seamless switch from being say more nuanced about boris before the election to telling us ad nauseam **** about him as part of distracting from a very real crisis carries shades of a fascist state.

 

[Danidl]

I heard on the radio yesterday that the France figures include people that had died in nursing homes, ours do not. The report did not say if the French numbers also included people who had died at home.

I don't know how much of a difference including the nursing home figures makes, anyone got any idea?

The Irish figures include those in nursing homes .. actually now the biggest sector. But I don't think any system can properly include the at home deaths. People usually die from pneumonia anyway.

 

[Wicky]

Covid-19: Hundreds of UK care home deaths not added to official toll

Exclusive: Industry body estimates up to 1,000 people may have died in care homes so far

www.theguardian.com

...up to 1,000 people may have died in care homes so far.

 

[oldgroaner]

You're undoubtedly right, the BBC is in "wartime mode" in the national interest.
.

The question is
Which nation's national interest? Russia's?

 

[oldgroaner]

Another data source from Department of Health and Social Care.

Daily Coronavirus UK graphs and charts

 

[oldgroaner]

As expected Big Pharm wants to rip us off in the Telegraph

'We can do it faster and bigger' - How the private sector plans to solve Britain's coronavirus testing crisis
Exclusive: British scientists say they could develop the first coronavirus treatment in six months and can catch Germany up on testing
It was a phone call between Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, and executives at AstraZeneca that might yet prove a turning point in Britain's coronavirus testing crisis.

Offers of simplifying the process and "doing things faster" were tabled by the pharmaceutical giant, which believes it can already test in batches at least three times bigger than other Government centres.

"Ultimately if the country wants to get to 150,000 or 200,000 (tests a day), we want to be able to get there as well," says Sir Menelas Pangalos, the company's executive vice president.

However, voicing strong opposition to what he describes as a "wild-west" culture of false dawns, he added: "Right now, baby steps, before we can run." Initial Government reticence to support from the private sector has evaporated since Matt Hancock set the daunting target of increasing testing to 100,000 a day by the end of the month....

Money out of suffering, usual thing, why aren't they doing this already? because they are waiting to be bribed...

 

[oldgroaner]

The Daily Mail has this "scoop"
REVEALED: U.S. government gave $3.7million grant to Wuhan lab at centre of coronavirus leak scrutiny that was performing experiments on bats from the caves where the disease is believed to have originated

These days it has become impossible to tell the truth from what are simply lies or conspiracy theories.

 

[oldgroaner]

The American's chief idiot has made an even bigger fool of himself
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-antibiotics-coronavirus-white-house-briefing-brilliant-enemy-genius-idiot-a9460636.html

Surely in modern times, when elected officials in high office become insane there should be a mechanism to montor their condition and quietly retire them?
And we need it here too.

 

[oldgroaner]

How to make a ventilator - and how not to...

Fascinating!

 

[oldgroaner]

Latest info chart

 

[oyster]

The American's chief idiot has made an even bigger fool of himself
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-antibiotics-coronavirus-white-house-briefing-brilliant-enemy-genius-idiot-a9460636.html

Surely in modern times, when elected officials in high office become insane there should be a mechanism to montor their condition and quietly retire them?
And we need it here too.

At the end:

Philosopher and author AC Grayling tweeted: “Trump doesn’t know that antibiotics target bacteria not viruses. Covid-19 is a virus. Trump is an idiot. He is a dangerous idiot.”

Yesterday, I read that he still has 45% support. Ah! Specifically (and utterly bewilderingly) for his coronavirus response. Here:

A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week found approval of Trump’s handling of Covid-19 had dipped to 42%, down from 48% the week before. Trump’s overall approval rating was at 40%, close to where it has been for much of his presidency. According to a survey by CNN, 45% of Americans approve of Trump’s coronavirus response.

 

[oyster]

As expected Big Pharm wants to rip us off in the Telegraph

'We can do it faster and bigger' - How the private sector plans to solve Britain's coronavirus testing crisis
Exclusive: British scientists say they could develop the first coronavirus treatment in six months and can catch Germany up on testing
It was a phone call between Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, and executives at AstraZeneca that might yet prove a turning point in Britain's coronavirus testing crisis.

Offers of simplifying the process and "doing things faster" were tabled by the pharmaceutical giant, which believes it can already test in batches at least three times bigger than other Government centres.

"Ultimately if the country wants to get to 150,000 or 200,000 (tests a day), we want to be able to get there as well," says Sir Menelas Pangalos, the company's executive vice president.

However, voicing strong opposition to what he describes as a "wild-west" culture of false dawns, he added: "Right now, baby steps, before we can run." Initial Government reticence to support from the private sector has evaporated since Matt Hancock set the daunting target of increasing testing to 100,000 a day by the end of the month....

Money out of suffering, usual thing, why aren't they doing this already? because they are waiting to be bribed...

Did you notice the vehement putdown of the Virgin orbit ventilator in that video I posted of how (not) to design and make a ventilator? Specifically selected for the most dismissive words - while praising garden shed people.

 

[oyster]

The latest CV government TV ads do clearly say that you can get it at any age. Mishandled to begin with and they gave the impression of youth invulnerability.

But I suspect the cases reported in the media (including, I believe, YouTube, etc.) have quite likely had a much greater effect in persuading younger people that CV is something they are not somehow intrinsically resistant to or will only get in mild form, and that getting it is a truly horrible experience (at least for some).