malumbu

The app isn't out yet but Where's Boris is available in old school hardback https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wheres-Boris-Various/dp/1409153533

More are overwintering here. Have had a pair in the garden - I spoke about this a few weeks ago here as I had problems identifying at first. Who has stolen by gold finches by the way?

I did a few searches on Matt Hancock and alleged inappropriate donations. Even reducing the number of words came up with one twitter, two Facebook and the nationalscot articles, not quite a Googlewhack - the latter source has a clear anti Westminster agenda. The donation is on his parliamentary register of interests. Just an example of fake or no news. Not a fan but if you want to dish the dirt do your homework first. Tories are often associated with business people, some of which will have interests in providing services to the public sector. I am sure politicians of other colours do too.

Whoops forgot the link https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-05-02/sweden-coronavirus-voluntary-strategy And to correct my post above, Sweden had some form of lockdown.

Most discussion are about how we should have lockdown harder, faster, tested particularly hospital workers. I've had my first with a mate on Sweden, who didn't go into lockdown. I suspect it is to do with population density and the relative success of voluntary measures. An interesting piece by the LA Times from the Swedish ambassador has explained their measures - it isn't as simple as saying life has continued as normal. Business has been hit, less people traveling, increased unemployment, social distancing in restaurants, no gatherings over 50, higher education on line. I've not brought in health, longevity, DNA and the like. A quick comparison, deaths per population US 211 UK 423 Italy 481 Germany 83 Sweden 274 A compelling argument for German interventions! I've not brought population density into it, but see that Sweden has a low number of tests. The three day moving average suggests that the UK is further advanced into managing the crisis that Sweden.

Link please!

Yep sorry, went to school with Dave Greenwood.

Dave Greenwood, keyboard player of the Stranglers. Had the pleasure of seeing the original line up a number of times. Woke up on a good day And the world was wonderful. Not so today I am afraid. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52537293

Interesting article on the BBC following research from Kings College, 45 % willingly following lockdown, 45 % begrudgingly and 10& not, May be higher not in reality as there is always a bias "have you been a good boy?" "yes of course". But the comments are rather rabid. I sometimes go to the comments on the BBC as you get polarisation and lots of throwing of rocks. If you want to get angry read the ones on this article which are almost universally people ignoring the rules, due to infringement of civil liberty, conspiracies or whatever else they use to justify their behaviour. Not quite America https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52495201

Yes I too was shocked when I saw a repeat of Allo Allo the other day. It lampooned the brave resistance and brave Allied pilots, and this one particular episode had a double of both Hitler and Goring. The resistance blew them up and two of the German officers had to act as further doubles for the drive past. I was so angry I had to watch the whole programme, and then flagellate myself for laughing. Funny question for a social media chatroom, but you can't censor it or airbrush it out of history. With the 75th anniversary of VE day I think this period and lessons from it is ever more important.

' We borrowed far more money to get through the second world war. And every country in the world is in the same position. The thing with economics is that it is a human construct. Resources and a work force do not disappear suddenly. The world will adjust its economic modelling, especially if the virus mutates and brings a second wave. ' I do worry though. One benefit of the second world war is that afterwards we had a big competitive advantage in a war torn Europe as industry had adapted, innovated, become leaner and fitter. And the benefits of shed loads of coal. It didn't last of course. This time we will be lagging behind our European neighbours, in a precarious financial environment. Maybe our financial and sector and other services will be robust enough after we wave good bye to some of our remaining industry - I think automotive is particularly vulnerable. Not a reason to end lockdown early, just something that we can't ignore.

Can I be the first to propose that we start burning witches again? I also recommend cutting up pigeons and rubbing yourself allover to ward of the virus. I'm looking forward to my wise words going viral https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z7r7hyc/revision/4

Rereading my post a point that I did not raise was my work on air and radioactive pollution was very different to the risks from coronavirus. If you are poorly due to radiation (cancer) or breathing polluted air (mainly cardiovascular) you will not pass this onto those in the NHS and bus drivers. It may sound like I am taking about cross purposes but this links to the discussion above, essentially why are we so worried about bringing deaths forward when many will die sooner rather than later? In case I wasn't clear it is right to go into lockdown etc etc. The one thing I am missing is rigorous discussion so please keep it coming. I'm going to make some subtle enquiries about how much we got caught with our pants down in terms of health emergency planning. I suspect not in terms of identifying the risk. But not so in terms of the capabilities and structures. I recall that much of the focus ten years ago was about the likelihood of terrorism and mass casualties eg https://www.londonambulance.nhs.uk/calling-us/who-will-treat-you/hazardous-area-response-team/

In a zoom catch up with ex-colleagues one considered that we should be taking a life years lost approach rather than total deaths. We'd worked in both radiation protection and in air pollution. Here you take a whole population approach as with sub critical exposures it is difficult/impossible to identify exposure from the pollutant as the principle cause of death, as opposed to other factors. In turn you monetise the costs and benefits. So for example air pollution is caused by construction, transport, farming, energy, industry. Which all benefit society in various ways = ?X. Across the population there will be a total of Y years of life lost = ?Z detriment. X should be >>> Z So in a most simplistic cost benefit analysis the economic hit from lockdown should be less than the cost in terms of life years across the population. Which brings us back to the argument that most of those deaths were going to happen anyway sooner or later. It may have appealed to me a couple of months when I was quite happy for life to go on near normal. But not sure that any serious government would countenance the mass fatalities, impact on social cohesion, collapse of the NHS leading to other deaths etc etc. Ultimately it will be interesting to compare the actions of Italy, Germany and the like with those who didn't go into full lock down - Sweden probably being the best example. One of our group now works in Vienna, 50 days plus lockdown and apart from shopping they are in total isolation. But very impressive in handling the pandemic. And deserve greater liberty as the Austria starts to reduce restrictions. This thread has become more interesting with some good debate rather than berating others.

Not really sure of the point of your post EDCAM. Some of the local authorities are opening their tips with appropriate safeguards. 'safe' is a relative term. Please don't post unless you have something useful to say. All my posts are of course extremely valuable, and I have been presented with many community awards. I am the peoples' poet.

He's still a nutter Uncle. Not sure how you can defend him.

I'm quite enjoying the Mash Report https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000hr3q/the-mash-report-series-4-episode-5 This features some more of the miracle cures including some nutter in America with a large following and a regular on Twitter who was suggesting injecting bleach into our bodies. The screw tops are to prevent kids opening and drinking the stuff, not sure how we stop adults injecting it.

There are some serious failings, go to any of the more serious TV programmes (I only do Peston and Newsnight generally but the non-terrestrial channels will have their serious programmes too) and hear some people who are experts. As I say some of this is fine in hindsight but someone else pointed out that we are where we are with regards to preparations but response is another issue. I expect that those not following social distancing are only are now only a relatively minor contribution as compared to not ensuring that our front line response facilities are not keeping free of Coronavirus. It is fair to challenge government - a poor Cabinet without anyone taking proper charge in the PMs absence. To be politically neutral the implosion and near implosion of the Lib Dems and Labour party hasn't helped but it is not for them to come up with ways forward - unless as part of a government of national unity. We are not in a single party state, and whilst there are things to admire about China in terms of the thoroughness of response (and lots to criticise too) few of us would prefer their from of government. Or we could be split down the middle like the states where half the population think the President is an idiot, and the other half...... Oh and the big B elephant in the room.

In deed More importantly when may it open?

All local ones closed - Lambeth, Lewisham. No news on reopening. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-52490195 I expect many of us have quite a lot of rubbish to dispose of.

Wouldn't our spare time be better spent on discussing who shot JFK? Other good subjects are: 9/11 Cover-Up Area 51 and the Aliens Secret Societies Control the World The Moon Landings Were Faked The Reptilian Elite Climate Change The UN Metrication Kim Jong Un is another good source. Adolph Hitler is definitely deceased and there are no clones of him in South America Nuclear testing did contribute to the bad winter of '63. Not quite a conspiracy theory but dismissed at the time by experts - more of a case that the impact of lots of particles in the upper atmosphere. Enjoy. David Icke and Eamonn Holmes particularly welcome.

Lidl is Sydenham has opened its bakery again. Bloody great. Makes me feel a lot happier. Superior to those long life heavy duty pain au chocolates from the big supermarkets. Makes me feel like I am on the continent. Good posts by the way. The small artisan bekeries I have passed are doing a good trade so I don't feel guilty paying half the price at Lidl.

Then why are you talking about storing for nine months whilst taking a snipe at those panio buying eggs? Only I am aloud to take snipes from my lofty perch, on my moral high ground.....

Here is a tip. Just shop as normal, where that can be done. Buying enough eggs for nine months isn't necessary and deprives others. But you all know that don't you.

I've given the government the benefit of the doubt for the last number of weeks but the more I understand the less I believe this. KK has come up with a number of relevant points. Listening to some the experts - the loss of regional response capability with the disbanding of the government offices and strategic health authorities, the failure to monitor at ports of entry, and the failure to prioritise testing for all front line staff, I expect are all serious failures. As well as delays in getting our act together. I believe not having a strategy for those returning from risky areas in March, such as China, Italian ski resorts was a further massive failure. Other counties worked out the main routes of infection and hit this through testing and/or isolation. Stopping transmission from our hospitals, care homes and hospices through locking down and testing, rather them being a major domestic source of infection, is another significant factor. Anyway fine to say this in hindsight and you may question the wisdom of throwing rocks at the government. But there again I could pub the blame on those of us who switched to the Tories in 2010 because of the doubling of the threshold ob death duty, or Ed Mlliband standing against his brother, or bring Brexit into the equation. All food for thought.