Why does the everyone keep mentioning Japan as an example of how to do Covid when the Japanese were more like Sweden in their relaxed approach? Has anyone actually looked at Japan properly? They did test and trace but no lockdown at all. I have read several scientists now who believe that previous Asian SARS epidemics have left some resistance in South East Asia. Meanwhile China now ban the BBC. Cos they are a forthright and honest country...
I think it's very telling that of all the people that were on here saying how small minded and stupid we were to not join the EU wide procurement, not a single one has come out and admitted they were wrong on that and the government got it right.
To be honest mate, this has been my main issue with this thread and the Bolloxtics one. I seem on a one person crusade to point stuff out, and just got slaughtered and banned, for trying to be devils advocate. So much hate and vitriol, so much **** spouted on hearsay, and when, like you say stuff contradicts views, and it is met with only silence. I think I pointed out to one of the mods about one post from a "short-legged omnivore mostly in the family Mustelidae's" posts, saying I hope he comes back on and acknowledges that it bollocks. I think we can learn a lesson that posting stuff in any way can be damaging in many ways, not only to the people it is about. My post above is really getting to this - I have found it incredibly hard on my mental health with these 2 threads, and dont often read them now. I try to catch up with news on both, but not sure it is worth it. I just find it hard not calling out something I think is bollocks. Maybe i need to learn to back off. I fell out with one poster, who made a claim that Hancock was in the bar in Parliament, and was apparently overheard buying a round of drinks, and saying dont worry the bill is going to PHE. I questioned this to be bollocks, as i didnt believe he would be so stupid to say it. To my knowledge the story never truly broke, and had it been true, id imagine that would be all over every paper and him issuing a denial/apology or whatever. It backs up my view that generally, people seem unable to separate politics from stuff like this, which is a shame. Perhaps some humility for us all could go some way to making lives better for those we interact with.
You have a point. It cannot be denied that in hindsight it's worked! Luckily we haven't needed to rely on the Moderna vaccine for example, and good old Oxford came up with the goods. The government took a gamble there and it's paid off, which is unequivocally good news for us. Mixing this with the EU membership question is to muddy the waters. Membership of the EU always went beyond procurement and trade for me, so I still regret the decision to leave. But I'm not denying that there'll be some 'wins' from being out of the EU, and this may be one - but hardly a planned one.
I wasn't discussing the membership question mate; I've no dog in that fight at all. Just pointing out that not going with them for procurement turned out to be an excellent decision but it was pointed out as a huge government failure on here at the time. The fact people won't admit they were wrong about it shows me just how partisan they're being about the whole situation imo.
In terms of government mistakes the being slow to react, and particularly not closing borders, is the big one for me. And the rest all stems from that. The damage was already done by this time last year and we then were in a different situation to many other places. Once we'd passed that point then we were already ****ed in trying to control it, everything beyond that is a symptom and then harder to compare with places like Austrailia. It's impossible to say how another bunch would have done imo as they'd have had the same people trying to influence things. The awarding of contracts is a disgrace though that needs fully investigating.
I have no problem admitting that I thought we would have been better joining with the EU to procure the vaccine, but as you say, it has turned out that the EU have screwed up their vaccine programme and are suffering badly from an overload of bureaucracy. Whether the UK government got lucky or we had better people doing a better job in sorting it out is anyone's guess but my money is on our government getting it right. I have also stated a number of times that the furlough scheme was a major success and it has worked very well for millions of people. Some folk have fallen through the gaps but that will always happen in any government support scheme. Overall it has been well managed and vital to prevent millions of people getting into serious financial difficulties. As I have said before, I voted for Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party and I desperately wanted it to win. Politics is so broken in this country that it needs to be done very differently, but probably never will be. I can live with a Conservative government if it was a good government and I actually don't care what colour the government is, I just want a good one that reaches and values all who live here.
I am with you guys. I grew up under Thatcher and grew up thinking Tories were for the rich but that they were real politicians with integrity. My issue is that they have moved from Pragmatism to Popularism. There might not be much of a difference in the thought but in reality it is an unpleasant shift. Stop trying to please everyone and have a ideological stance, please. The government have continued this populist approach during the pandemic. They legislate on the back of the latest media fad and not from a clear ideological stance. If they had said we are a nation of free industry and the conservatives are about business then I could have respected keeping the world opencand no lockdowns. If they had said we are a one nation party and need to respect the lives of our people, then ICI could have respected whatever lockdowns they wanted. But they didn't. They flip flopped between both points of view and did both things and neither thing.
Perhaps they flip-flopped because things are never simple....things to balance and you have to respond to events if things don't go the way you want. However, unless the error is great and you have to respond, I think that sometimes its better to stick to your guns and appear certain than to keep making minor changes. How often have i prayed for a Margaret Thatcher in the past year. I am reminded of what she told Ronald Reagan....Now is not the time to wobble.
I have to say, I too have wished for Maggie back one the last year. Before I get totally murdered, not necessarily for her policies, but for the strength of leadership she showed. Love her or hate her, she made an educated decision and stuck to it. Better than a blundering idiot we have.
@fatletiss & @Toss saints what are your views of a Peleton? Reason I ask is Mrs No7 has ordered one (ordered it last year actually, but we now have a delivery date of 3 weeks). I like the idea of a proper bike, but I genuinely don't think I would use it. Is a home bike good for training? I have Apple Fitness + and do a 20-30 min workout every day (normally with Bettina ), as well as a vibration plate - will the bike help me or are there more benefits from a road bike and getting out and about.
No 7 My missus bought an exercise bike several years ago, but I just did not have the motivation to get on it. The joy of being in a bike is getting outside in the fresh air in the countryside and taking in the views. Seeing the horror of the hills you need to climb, panting all the way up and the sense of achievement when you get there. The wife normally cuts you some slack as she knows it is healthy and certainly helps us more aged men. You then get together with a few like minded blokes and do cycling weekends away or an afternoon cycling to some pubs. Go for the real thing, if you don't like it you can always sell it.
I did but on another group I’m on; don’t think I did here. Guess what. I got lambasted for doing a U-turn. Some people just like a row. * * I just don’t understand these type of people at all
my mate has a peloton. Clearly helps in bad weather. I have a bike trainer but the software is broken and so it doesn’t connect to apps like Zwift where you can ride with other people on line and have real routes and experience the hills and descents. All I do now is free ride in one or the top gears and that’s boring. I am going to buy one soon that does that Zwift app connection and hook up one of my bikes to it, so i have both. I am also a bit nuts and addicted to cycling so much prefer to be outside where it is fresh air and the real thing. You also get better workout on your body with real hills etc. For example my mate is a similar standard to me, yet he gets better speeds and times cycling inside than outside where there is no effect from winds, weather, etc. My advice would be to spend £500-£1000 on a good smart trainer if you already have a half decent bike. A Peloton is what, £1500+? I don’t think you need a bike with the peloton, is that correct? It is a bike? If you don’t have a bike then maybe a peloton is the way to go. if you think you’ll get outside, but not sure, buy or borrow a decent but not too quality road bike and give it a go. You can always sell it if you either don’t like it or live it but need to upgrade.
Wot he said. I’ll add though, buy a really, really good bike and I’ll buy it off you 12 months later for 25% of the price
France are trying a different tactic, anyone who has had covid is to receive 1 jab instead of 2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56048444
I've just had a thought why I am a bit irritable. I just checked my home automation app and it tracks occupancy (ie, works out who is home etc, to turn on automations like alarms, heating etc), and I haven't left the house at all for 7 days! The furthest I have gone is the back garden. May go for a walk tomorrow.
