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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Another evening and another PB NightHawks cafe

SystemSystem Posts: 11,682
edited April 2020 in General

imagepoliticalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Another evening and another PB NightHawks cafe

A strange day with differing developments. The thing that sriked me as most important has been what has happened in Germany – the European country that seemed to be doing best.

Read the full story here


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  • Options
    EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976
    Oh, hey. First.
  • Options
    EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976
    TGOHF666 said:
    So they can catch it (and, occasionally although thankfully rarely, die from it), but they can't pass it on? That sounds... odd.

    Oh well. Guess my three year old niece is doing the shopping for the whole family for the foreseeable. She'll be thrilled.
  • Options
    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411
    I agree with you Mike. There is greater restlessness.

    We need to see a plan within the next week even if some of the relaxations care scheduled for June or July
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195
    Endillion said:

    TGOHF666 said:
    So they can catch it (and, occasionally although thankfully rarely, die from it), but they can't pass it on? That sounds... odd.

    Oh well. Guess my three year old niece is doing the shopping for the whole family for the foreseeable. She'll be thrilled.
    They grow up so fast :smiley:
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667
    edited April 2020
    TGOHF666 said:
    What they should really say is "There has not been a single proven instance of a child under 10 transmitting the virus"

    We cannot be sure children don't pass it on.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    TGOHF666 said:
    Is the WHO a reputable source of such information these days?
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967

    TGOHF666 said:
    What they should really say is "There has not been a single proven instance of a child under 10 transmitting the virus"

    We cannot be sure children don't pass it on.
    If the virus can survive on a slice of pineapple pizza, it can survive on a kid. ;)
  • Options
    KentRisingKentRising Posts: 2,850

    Ave_it said:

    Andrew said:

    Germans estimating Rt back at 0.75, so the apparent bounce was seemingly just noise. Probably quite important for our policy-makers.

    Probably not. It's given them a great excuse for doing nothing a week Thursday, which is exactly what they wanted to do anyway.

    SAGE needs balancing with other risk, behavioural, social and economic advisors.
    I am expecting Boris to announce on 7 May:

    Opening of smaller non-essential shops and of course garden centres subject to social distancing measures

    A relaxation to social distancing within houses to allow family members in different residences to meet

    To apply from 11 May.

    Partial reopening of schools 1 June

    Restaurants, gyms and possibly pubs with restrictions 22 June

    Relaxation of restrictions 12 July

    These are all at three week intervals and will be subject to ongoing assessment against the 5 tests
    That's a precise and well reasoned summary.
    Massively, massively overoptimistic.
  • Options
    Casino_RoyaleCasino_Royale Posts: 55,332

    TGOHF666 said:
    What they should really say is "There has not been a single proven instance of a child under 10 transmitting the virus"

    We cannot be sure children don't pass it on.
    It's enough evidence for grandparents to see grandkids again, as the Swiss have concluded.

    Remember: it's not zero risk it's tolerable risk.

    This easily clears the tolerable threshold.
  • Options
    eristdooferistdoof Posts: 4,897
    I missed this being debated,... can someone tell me why Worldometers s showing an increase of UK deaths as 4,419 for today? I'm guessing it is including a new source, maybe ONS figures?
  • Options
    FregglesFreggles Posts: 3,486
    Another PB Risk game earlier this evening. Message me if you want in on the next one!
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,612
    We've got another politics quiz question:

    How many post War (WW2) Labour Chancellor of the Exchequers have there been? For a bonus, name them.

    I got the number wrong and correctly named 4.
  • Options
    Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905
    Ave_it said:

    I agree with you Mike. There is greater restlessness.

    We need to see a plan within the next week even if some of the relaxations care scheduled for June or July

    That much has been obvious for weeks. For the more far-sighted of us, it would've been obvious from the outset. Perhaps, indeed, this is one of the reasons that the Government hesitated to lock down to begin with - that ministers themselves or the behavioural boffins anticipated that lockdown fatigue would not be very long in coming?

    People can potentially put up with this for a good while longer, but they need hope and a rational plan. If it drags on indefinitely then they'll despair (as we saw with one of our own regular posters on the previous thread,) conclude that they can't tolerate going on like this, and the lockdown will collapse in an uncontrolled fashion.

    We're not a police state. The Government doesn't want to try to impose measures upon the population, and it doesn't have the power to do it either if sufficient numbers of us rebel. They need to carry at least the large majority of the people with them, and that necessitates the maintaining of confidence.
  • Options
    FregglesFreggles Posts: 3,486

    Ave_it said:

    Andrew said:

    Germans estimating Rt back at 0.75, so the apparent bounce was seemingly just noise. Probably quite important for our policy-makers.

    Probably not. It's given them a great excuse for doing nothing a week Thursday, which is exactly what they wanted to do anyway.

    SAGE needs balancing with other risk, behavioural, social and economic advisors.
    I am expecting Boris to announce on 7 May:

    Opening of smaller non-essential shops and of course garden centres subject to social distancing measures

    A relaxation to social distancing within houses to allow family members in different residences to meet

    To apply from 11 May.

    Partial reopening of schools 1 June

    Restaurants, gyms and possibly pubs with restrictions 22 June

    Relaxation of restrictions 12 July

    These are all at three week intervals and will be subject to ongoing assessment against the 5 tests
    That's a precise and well reasoned summary.
    Massively, massively overoptimistic.
    Seemed reasonable until the final two, I expect pubs to be closed until September at the earliest.
  • Options
    eristdooferistdoof Posts: 4,897
    RobD said:

    TGOHF666 said:
    What they should really say is "There has not been a single proven instance of a child under 10 transmitting the virus"

    We cannot be sure children don't pass it on.
    If the virus can survive on a slice of pineapple pizza, it can survive on a kid. ;)
    Surely there has not been a single proven case of pineapple-pizza being the transmission vector for corona virus.
  • Options
    DavidLDavidL Posts: 51,294
    Endillion said:

    TGOHF666 said:
    So they can catch it (and, occasionally although thankfully rarely, die from it), but they can't pass it on? That sounds... odd.

    Oh well. Guess my three year old niece is doing the shopping for the whole family for the foreseeable. She'll be thrilled.
    At least you won’t run out of sweets.

  • Options
    ABZABZ Posts: 441
    eristdoof said:

    I missed this being debated,... can someone tell me why Worldometers s showing an increase of UK deaths as 4,419 for today? I'm guessing it is including a new source, maybe ONS figures?

    Deaths outside hospitals with a positive test (care homes / hospices / home) were added, with the overwhelming majority being backdated (starting from March).
  • Options
    Luckyguy1983Luckyguy1983 Posts: 25,419
    eristdoof said:

    RobD said:

    TGOHF666 said:
    What they should really say is "There has not been a single proven instance of a child under 10 transmitting the virus"

    We cannot be sure children don't pass it on.
    If the virus can survive on a slice of pineapple pizza, it can survive on a kid. ;)
    Surely there has not been a single proven case of pineapple-pizza being the transmission vector for corona virus.
    Even coronavirus has some standards.
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    The front page of the guardian is one of incredible bits of spin i have seen in quite a long time. They complain that the 50k tests today were boosted by the fact there were retests, with the implication that a) government up to something dodgy and / or b) cocked up tests....

    Except we know every day it is perfectly normal, and actually required, to test some people more than once. It is actually a good thing if they are getting the people tested multiple times very quickly.
  • Options
    eristdooferistdoof Posts: 4,897
    I like the sentence "Siel lässt sich nur durch statistische Verfahren schätzen", which means "It can nly be calulated using statistical methods"! LOL
  • Options
    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411

    Ave_it said:

    Andrew said:

    Germans estimating Rt back at 0.75, so the apparent bounce was seemingly just noise. Probably quite important for our policy-makers.

    Probably not. It's given them a great excuse for doing nothing a week Thursday, which is exactly what they wanted to do anyway.

    SAGE needs balancing with other risk, behavioural, social and economic advisors.
    I am expecting Boris to announce on 7 May:

    Opening of smaller non-essential shops and of course garden centres subject to social distancing measures

    A relaxation to social distancing within houses to allow family members in different residences to meet

    To apply from 11 May.

    Partial reopening of schools 1 June

    Restaurants, gyms and possibly pubs with restrictions 22 June

    Relaxation of restrictions 12 July

    These are all at three week intervals and will be subject to ongoing assessment against the 5 tests
    That's a precise and well reasoned summary.
    Massively, massively overoptimistic.
    A clear positive plan issued soon is essential for the welfare of the country. My timescales may be a bit out but I don't think they are unreasonable. We need the economy essentially unlocked by 30 June
  • Options
    justin124justin124 Posts: 11,527

    We've got another politics quiz question:

    How many post War (WW2) Labour Chancellor of the Exchequers have there been? For a bonus, name them.

    I got the number wrong and correctly named 4.

    Hugh Dalton - Stafford Cripps - Hugh Gaitskell - James Callaghan - Roy Jenkins - Denis Healey - Gordon Brown - Alastair Darling.
    8 in total.
  • Options
    KentRisingKentRising Posts: 2,850
    Ave_it said:

    Ave_it said:

    Andrew said:

    Germans estimating Rt back at 0.75, so the apparent bounce was seemingly just noise. Probably quite important for our policy-makers.

    Probably not. It's given them a great excuse for doing nothing a week Thursday, which is exactly what they wanted to do anyway.

    SAGE needs balancing with other risk, behavioural, social and economic advisors.
    I am expecting Boris to announce on 7 May:

    Opening of smaller non-essential shops and of course garden centres subject to social distancing measures

    A relaxation to social distancing within houses to allow family members in different residences to meet

    To apply from 11 May.

    Partial reopening of schools 1 June

    Restaurants, gyms and possibly pubs with restrictions 22 June

    Relaxation of restrictions 12 July

    These are all at three week intervals and will be subject to ongoing assessment against the 5 tests
    That's a precise and well reasoned summary.
    Massively, massively overoptimistic.
    A clear positive plan issued soon is essential for the welfare of the country. My timescales may be a bit out but I don't think they are unreasonable. We need the economy essentially unlocked by 30 June
    Oh I agree, I really hope you are right.
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,612
    justin124 said:

    We've got another politics quiz question:

    How many post War (WW2) Labour Chancellor of the Exchequers have there been? For a bonus, name them.

    I got the number wrong and correctly named 4.

    Hugh Dalton - Stafford Cripps - Hugh Gaitskell - James Callaghan - Roy Jenkins - Denis Healey - Gordon Brown - Alastair Darling.
    8 in total.
    Well played
  • Options
    eristdoof said:

    I like the sentence "Siel lässt sich nur durch statistische Verfahren schätzen", which means "It can nly be calulated using statistical methods"! LOL
    "estimated" not "calculated"
  • Options

    We've got another politics quiz question:

    How many post War (WW2) Labour Chancellor of the Exchequers have there been? For a bonus, name them.

    I got the number wrong and correctly named 4.

    Jenkins Healey Callaghan Brown Darling are the 5 I remember
  • Options
    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,965
    Freggles said:

    Ave_it said:

    Andrew said:

    Germans estimating Rt back at 0.75, so the apparent bounce was seemingly just noise. Probably quite important for our policy-makers.

    Probably not. It's given them a great excuse for doing nothing a week Thursday, which is exactly what they wanted to do anyway.

    SAGE needs balancing with other risk, behavioural, social and economic advisors.
    I am expecting Boris to announce on 7 May:

    Opening of smaller non-essential shops and of course garden centres subject to social distancing measures

    A relaxation to social distancing within houses to allow family members in different residences to meet

    To apply from 11 May.

    Partial reopening of schools 1 June

    Restaurants, gyms and possibly pubs with restrictions 22 June

    Relaxation of restrictions 12 July

    These are all at three week intervals and will be subject to ongoing assessment against the 5 tests
    That's a precise and well reasoned summary.
    Massively, massively overoptimistic.
    Seemed reasonable until the final two, I expect pubs to be closed until September at the earliest.
    Tim Martin is planning for re-opening Spoons in June.
    Yes of course.
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    I have to wait that long for a pint? :(
  • Options
    Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905
    Freggles said:

    Ave_it said:

    Andrew said:

    Germans estimating Rt back at 0.75, so the apparent bounce was seemingly just noise. Probably quite important for our policy-makers.

    Probably not. It's given them a great excuse for doing nothing a week Thursday, which is exactly what they wanted to do anyway.

    SAGE needs balancing with other risk, behavioural, social and economic advisors.
    I am expecting Boris to announce on 7 May:

    Opening of smaller non-essential shops and of course garden centres subject to social distancing measures

    A relaxation to social distancing within houses to allow family members in different residences to meet

    To apply from 11 May.

    Partial reopening of schools 1 June

    Restaurants, gyms and possibly pubs with restrictions 22 June

    Relaxation of restrictions 12 July

    These are all at three week intervals and will be subject to ongoing assessment against the 5 tests
    That's a precise and well reasoned summary.
    Massively, massively overoptimistic.
    Seemed reasonable until the final two, I expect pubs to be closed until September at the earliest.
    Restaurants and cafes I can see re-opening, although in practice it may only be larger and/or more pricey outlets than can afford to continue trading with the necessary spacing between the tables.

    A lot of gyms and pubs have already had it. Big pub chains like Wetherspoons and the tied houses of large breweries might be able to ride it out and come back in a year or two, but a lot of the boozers will inevitably go to the wall. I think with the gyms it depends whether or not they are purpose built and owned by chains, or rented. The former - along with local authority premises - will be back at the end of all of this. The latter will get wiped out.

    Gyms could've been designed to propagate this virus: indoor spaces full of people huffing and puffing on closely-packed pieces of machinery. Logically they should be among the very last places that are allowed to reopen.
  • Options
    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,965

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    We'll.Hes got form. And Germany, for all the talk of relaxation have moved to pretty much where we are now. But with compulsory mask wearing.
  • Options
    Freggles said:

    Another PB Risk game earlier this evening. Message me if you want in on the next one!

    Risk? That was me defecting back to the red team. Or at least trying to...
  • Options
    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    And gyms...there is absolutely no chance i am going to a gym. Sweaty people everywhere, touching all the equipment in an air conditioned room. Something like a spin class has to tick all the boxes for ideal coronavirus transmission!
  • Options
    SandyRentoolSandyRentool Posts: 20,612
    dixiedean said:

    Freggles said:

    Ave_it said:

    Andrew said:

    Germans estimating Rt back at 0.75, so the apparent bounce was seemingly just noise. Probably quite important for our policy-makers.

    Probably not. It's given them a great excuse for doing nothing a week Thursday, which is exactly what they wanted to do anyway.

    SAGE needs balancing with other risk, behavioural, social and economic advisors.
    I am expecting Boris to announce on 7 May:

    Opening of smaller non-essential shops and of course garden centres subject to social distancing measures

    A relaxation to social distancing within houses to allow family members in different residences to meet

    To apply from 11 May.

    Partial reopening of schools 1 June

    Restaurants, gyms and possibly pubs with restrictions 22 June

    Relaxation of restrictions 12 July

    These are all at three week intervals and will be subject to ongoing assessment against the 5 tests
    That's a precise and well reasoned summary.
    Massively, massively overoptimistic.
    Seemed reasonable until the final two, I expect pubs to be closed until September at the earliest.
    Tim Martin is planning for re-opening Spoons in June.
    Yes of course.
    The bloke is a total knob. Does he think he can change government policy just by ignorant pontification?
  • Options
    LostPasswordLostPassword Posts: 15,248

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    If we have enough patience then exponential decay can work for us as strongly as exponential growth worked against us, and then we can more confidently open up pubs, etc, safe in the knowledge we'd be unlikely to catch the virus with our pint.

    Only doing half the job is mad. Let's finish it properly.
  • Options
    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820

    dixiedean said:

    Freggles said:

    Ave_it said:

    Andrew said:

    Germans estimating Rt back at 0.75, so the apparent bounce was seemingly just noise. Probably quite important for our policy-makers.

    Probably not. It's given them a great excuse for doing nothing a week Thursday, which is exactly what they wanted to do anyway.

    SAGE needs balancing with other risk, behavioural, social and economic advisors.
    I am expecting Boris to announce on 7 May:

    Opening of smaller non-essential shops and of course garden centres subject to social distancing measures

    A relaxation to social distancing within houses to allow family members in different residences to meet

    To apply from 11 May.

    Partial reopening of schools 1 June

    Restaurants, gyms and possibly pubs with restrictions 22 June

    Relaxation of restrictions 12 July

    These are all at three week intervals and will be subject to ongoing assessment against the 5 tests
    That's a precise and well reasoned summary.
    Massively, massively overoptimistic.
    Seemed reasonable until the final two, I expect pubs to be closed until September at the earliest.
    Tim Martin is planning for re-opening Spoons in June.
    Yes of course.
    The bloke is a total knob. Does he think he can change government policy just by ignorant pontification?
    Why not? It worked with Brexit.
  • Options
    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411

    And gyms...there is absolutely no chance i am going to a gym. Sweaty people everywhere, touching all the equipment in an air conditioned room. Something like a spin class has to tick all the boxes for ideal coronavirus transmission!

    I prefer a healthy vigorous walk which sometimes involves going near Waitrose
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    I was chatting with a police constable this evening. Among the excuses given for essential travel was: “I’m visiting my prostitute”.

    I was told that in the initial period of lockdown pretty well everyone driving at night turned out to be a criminal. Police raids are going beautifully because everyone is at home.

    He’s thoroughly enjoying himself, so far as I can see.
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    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    Ave_it said:

    And gyms...there is absolutely no chance i am going to a gym. Sweaty people everywhere, touching all the equipment in an air conditioned room. Something like a spin class has to tick all the boxes for ideal coronavirus transmission!

    I prefer a healthy vigorous walk which sometimes involves going near Waitrose
    Waiiiiiitrrrosssseee.....oh how i miss you.
  • Options
    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,965
    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,094
    edited April 2020
    Arron been on the bevvy or is he actually semi literate?
    https://twitter.com/Arron_banks/status/1255609015717036037?s=20
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340

    And gyms...there is absolutely no chance i am going to a gym. Sweaty people everywhere, touching all the equipment in an air conditioned room. Something like a spin class has to tick all the boxes for ideal coronavirus transmission!

    I’m setting up a home gym. I need a few more bits and pieces but I doubt I’ll be going back to a commercial gym now.
  • Options
    Richard_NabaviRichard_Nabavi Posts: 30,820

    I was chatting with a police constable this evening. Among the excuses given for essential travel was: “I’m visiting my prostitute”..

    Seems logical enough. How else is he supposed to avail himself of her services?
  • Options
    KentRisingKentRising Posts: 2,850
    Ave_it said:

    And gyms...there is absolutely no chance i am going to a gym. Sweaty people everywhere, touching all the equipment in an air conditioned room. Something like a spin class has to tick all the boxes for ideal coronavirus transmission!

    I prefer a healthy vigorous walk which sometimes involves going near Waitrose
    M&S for the honey and mustard sausage.
  • Options
    YokesYokes Posts: 1,202
    edited April 2020
    You know what, Germany is sobering, its also not completely unexpected. If the experience there is repeated elsewhere we may well have to change strategy as regards acceptable risk.

    I read an article in the Sunday Times at the weekend about companies working on bringing in PPE from China. It wasn't running an agenda it was talking about the mechanics for those working in that business. One of those quoted said that demand for PPE is 20 times normal peak levels for seasonal flu and shipments from China are one fifth of what they used to be because China needs so much for itself. In that context the idea that the government can just turn this stuff up in a month or two is just stupid. Inevitably the gap will be filled but its going to take a bit of time still.

    I'm not a believer that this virus was a deliberately released creation but I will say this. In the world of biological and chemical warfare there the concept of sub threshold weapons applies, i.e you can launch an attack and damage your opponents but not invite an equivalent damaging response. Its not overt, its not easily traced as a deliberate attack and it isn't direct but it cripples your opponents in some way. This virus would have made a very good sub threshold weapon. I suspect a few plague warriors are looking at this angle. Development of offensive bio weapon capacity for mass use still goes on there

    Question for the all the amateur researchers, has anyone seen anything suggesting that severity of effects of this virus on people may be related to how quickly the body realises its there? I haven't seen anything but this virus is reportedly good at concealing itself to the body early on. It seems logical that an immune system that spots it early is going to result in less severity of impact than one that doesn't.

    Where's Kim episode 5. At his retreat at Wonsan staying away from the plebs due to Coronavirus maybe? As it stands there is less suggestion that he is dead. Given his size, satellite pictures of the retreat might pick up the fat lad if went outside....
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,094

    dixiedean said:

    Freggles said:

    Ave_it said:

    Andrew said:

    Germans estimating Rt back at 0.75, so the apparent bounce was seemingly just noise. Probably quite important for our policy-makers.

    Probably not. It's given them a great excuse for doing nothing a week Thursday, which is exactly what they wanted to do anyway.

    SAGE needs balancing with other risk, behavioural, social and economic advisors.
    I am expecting Boris to announce on 7 May:

    Opening of smaller non-essential shops and of course garden centres subject to social distancing measures

    A relaxation to social distancing within houses to allow family members in different residences to meet

    To apply from 11 May.

    Partial reopening of schools 1 June

    Restaurants, gyms and possibly pubs with restrictions 22 June

    Relaxation of restrictions 12 July

    These are all at three week intervals and will be subject to ongoing assessment against the 5 tests
    That's a precise and well reasoned summary.
    Massively, massively overoptimistic.
    Seemed reasonable until the final two, I expect pubs to be closed until September at the earliest.
    Tim Martin is planning for re-opening Spoons in June.
    Yes of course.
    The bloke is a total knob. Does he think he can change government policy just by ignorant pontification?
    Brexit has given him an inflated sense of his influence.
  • Options
    AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340

    I was chatting with a police constable this evening. Among the excuses given for essential travel was: “I’m visiting my prostitute”..

    Seems logical enough. How else is he supposed to avail himself of her services?
    In a world where policemen yearn to inspect your shopping basket for inessential items, hobnobbing is going to get you into trouble.
  • Options
    KentRisingKentRising Posts: 2,850
    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    That's assuming there will be a packed anywhere. May well take a while for people to be happy to mix densely again. There will be an element of self-policing going on, though not sure how long that lasts.
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    Ave_itAve_it Posts: 2,411
    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
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    MonkeysMonkeys Posts: 755

    I was chatting with a police constable this evening. Among the excuses given for essential travel was: “I’m visiting my prostitute”.

    I was told that in the initial period of lockdown pretty well everyone driving at night turned out to be a criminal. Police raids are going beautifully because everyone is at home.

    He’s thoroughly enjoying himself, so far as I can see.

    Was he talking to an off-duty colleague?
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    Captain Tom promoted to Hon Colonel on his 100th birthday
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    AnabobazinaAnabobazina Posts: 19,984

    And gyms...there is absolutely no chance i am going to a gym. Sweaty people everywhere, touching all the equipment in an air conditioned room. Something like a spin class has to tick all the boxes for ideal coronavirus transmission!

    I’m setting up a home gym. I need a few more bits and pieces but I doubt I’ll be going back to a commercial gym now.
    Go for a run or a bike ride instead?
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    EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976
    TGOHF666 said:
    Kuwait and Saudi Arabia protest their being excluded from the "World".

    Looks like yet another blindly-derived model based on a curve fitting tool being applied with no (much-needed) judgment overlaid on top. Or sense checking.
  • Options
    Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905

    And gyms...there is absolutely no chance i am going to a gym. Sweaty people everywhere, touching all the equipment in an air conditioned room. Something like a spin class has to tick all the boxes for ideal coronavirus transmission!

    I’m setting up a home gym. I need a few more bits and pieces but I doubt I’ll be going back to a commercial gym now.
    I might contemplate the same course of action, were it not for the fact that I inhabit a one bedroom flat rather than a decent-sized house. But such is life.

    As it is I've been forced to go out running to avoid turning back into a blob, and have discovered that I prefer it. Basically, if other people (and, more specifically, their cars) don't become a serious impediment when this is all over, then I might not bother to go back to the gym either.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667
    TGOHF666 said:
    Forecasts China ends covid 100% by... er, 8th April 2020. Oh...
  • Options
    Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905
    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
  • Options
    AndrewAndrew Posts: 2,900
    edited April 2020
    Endillion said:


    Looks like yet another blindly-derived model based on a curve fitting tool being applied with no (much-needed) judgment overlaid on top. Or sense checking.

    Guessing they're just extrapolating falling infection levels down to some low % of the population, and assuming after that govts will play whack-a-mole with contact tracing for any outbreaks.

  • Options
    BigRichBigRich Posts: 3,489
    TGOHF666 said:
    if it was not form the WHO then it would have more credibility, but that sead, it seems that closing schools (under 10s at least) was pointless. Sweden still does not have a signal death in anybody under 20 from COVID and there schools are open
  • Options
    bigjohnowlsbigjohnowls Posts: 21,860
    edited April 2020

    Captain Tom promoted to Hon Colonel on his 100th birthday

    Good deserves every plaudit he gets.

    I would have loved his Just Giving effort to break £30m tomorrow but looks just out of reach

    £29,531,000 currently
  • Options
    FloaterFloater Posts: 14,195

    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
    Yep - I'm not going back to city any more than I can get away with
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667
    edited April 2020
    We're all worrying unnecessarily about Covid-19. Donald has applied his unique genius and concluded:

    “It’s gonna go, it’s gonna leave,” Trump said, without explaining his thinking. “It’s gonna be eradicated.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/29/coronavirus-us-economy-covid-19-donald-trump-live
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285
    edited April 2020
    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
  • Options
    NigelbNigelb Posts: 62,601

    We're all worrying unnecessarily. Donald has applied his unique genius and concluded:

    “It’s gonna go, it’s gonna leave,” Trump said, without explaining his thinking. “It’s gonna be eradicated.” ...

    The Trump administration ?
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667
    Nigelb said:

    We're all worrying unnecessarily. Donald has applied his unique genius and concluded:

    “It’s gonna go, it’s gonna leave,” Trump said, without explaining his thinking. “It’s gonna be eradicated.” ...

    The Trump administration ?
    Covid-19
  • Options
    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,965

    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
    I am sure that is right. This will apply to our other City Centres. The night economy of Newcastle based around stag and hen parties is not coming back soon.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    Why the need for secrecy? Why would anyone asked to attend wish to remain anonymous?
  • Options
    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,965

    We're all worrying unnecessarily about Covid-19. Donald has applied his unique genius and concluded:

    “It’s gonna go, it’s gonna leave,” Trump said, without explaining his thinking. “It’s gonna be eradicated.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/29/coronavirus-us-economy-covid-19-donald-trump-live

    Well he's right in the long run. Unfortunately he has an election in November.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667
    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
    I am sure that is right. This will apply to our other City Centres. The night economy of Newcastle based around stag and hen parties is not coming back soon.
    Depends on availability/effectiveness of vaccines, treatment regimes, contact tracing. Eventually, people will want to socialise again as soon as they feel it is safe to do so.
  • Options
    williamglennwilliamglenn Posts: 48,060

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    Why the need for secrecy? Why would anyone asked to attend wish to remain anonymous?
    Because people are getting a serious amount of vitriol aimed at them, including death threats, whether they are seen as supporting the lockdown or opposing it.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667
    dixiedean said:

    We're all worrying unnecessarily about Covid-19. Donald has applied his unique genius and concluded:

    “It’s gonna go, it’s gonna leave,” Trump said, without explaining his thinking. “It’s gonna be eradicated.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/apr/29/coronavirus-us-economy-covid-19-donald-trump-live

    Well he's right in the long run. Unfortunately he has an election in November.
    Every cloud...
  • Options
    TheuniondivvieTheuniondivvie Posts: 40,094

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    But a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would be bullied from accepting future invites by their names being revealed?

    Ok.
  • Options
    solarflaresolarflare Posts: 3,623

    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
    Yes. Although I doubt many Government initiatives would have rebalanced by levelling everything down, which is what will happen here sadly.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    Why the need for secrecy? Why would anyone asked to attend wish to remain anonymous?
    People who have the PM's ear? I can see why the government would want them kept secret, at least until after the fact.
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    Why the need for secrecy? Why would anyone asked to attend wish to remain anonymous?
    Because people are getting a serious amount of vitriol aimed at them, including death threats, whether they are seen as supporting the lockdown or opposing it.
    I think openness about who is on these committees is important. Death threats are a matter for the police and should be vigorously investigaed.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    Why the need for secrecy? Why would anyone asked to attend wish to remain anonymous?
    Because people are getting a serious amount of vitriol aimed at them, including death threats, whether they are seen as supporting the lockdown or opposing it.
    See the CMO equivalent (I think) in Germany.
  • Options
    EndillionEndillion Posts: 4,976

    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
    Large companies are starting to get misty eyed at the thought of cutting huge amounts off their fixed costs, and employees are similarly enticed by being able to ditch their commute, a chunk of their annual clothing expenses (not to mention dispensing with personal grooming), and - as you say - potentially live somewhere a whole lot cheaper into the bargain, at least some of the time.

    Many of my colleagues in their 20s went back to their parents' as soon as we went to homeworking. If they stayed there after lockdown, they could be able to afford house purchases years earlier than would otherwise be possible.

    Anecdotally, most companies seem to be coping far better than they would've thought last year. However, it's unclear how resilient we are to long term culture effects, like how you manage a business where customer service is paramount, if you can't tell get all your employees together and drill that into them. Over time, you just end up with a collection of individuals, rather than a functioning and coherent team.

    Also, we've effectively frozen our summer internship program, because we can't see how we can onboard and train a bunch of students who need a lot of individual attention, remotely. Recruitment of experienced hires is also frozen until the lockdown ends. And we're not really sure how we'd manage our new graduates come September, either. So I think jury still out until those problems are a bit closer to resolved - it works in the short run, but some of the longer term stuff is still untested.
  • Options
    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,622
    edited April 2020

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    True story: Tim Gowers once posted on his blog that the 1983 election result proved that the Tories didn't deserve to win because Labour and the Alliance polled about 53% between them. A number of people (including me) posted comments on his blog pointing out that research at the time showed that around a third of Alliance voters positively preferred the Conservatives to Labour and therefore if you added at least a third of the Alliance share of 25.4% — around 8.5% — to the Conservatives' share of 42.4% you'd get more than 50% and therefore it wasn't fair to conclude that the Conservatives didn't deserve to win the election. He conceded we were right and he was wrong.
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    Why the need for secrecy? Why would anyone asked to attend wish to remain anonymous?
    Because people are getting a serious amount of vitriol aimed at them, including death threats, whether they are seen as supporting the lockdown or opposing it.
    I think openness about who is on these committees is important. Death threats are a matter for the police and should be vigorously investigaed.
    By attending these meeting, they are given access to a lot of privileged information. A more mundane reason, they could be placed under a lot of pressure from investors or management to leverage this information.
  • Options
    Philip_ThompsonPhilip_Thompson Posts: 65,826

    Captain Tom promoted to Hon Colonel on his 100th birthday

    Missed a trick, it should have been Major.
  • Options
    Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905
    BigRich said:

    TGOHF666 said:
    if it was not form the WHO then it would have more credibility, but that sead, it seems that closing schools (under 10s at least) was pointless. Sweden still does not have a signal death in anybody under 20 from COVID and there schools are open
    I've had a root around for UK stats on this issue and found a page for provisional death totals from Covid-19 as of 17 April, published by the ONS for England and Wales. Unfortunately the information provided isn't very fine-grained; the breakdown given by age is as follows:

    0-14 years - 2
    15-44 years - 227
    45-64 years - 2,193
    65-74 years - 3,294
    75-84 years - 6,497
    85+ years - 6,899

    87% of all fatalities were therefore amongst patients aged 65 or over, which seems broadly comparable with recent statistics I accessed for Italy (broken down into slightly different age cohorts, which showed that 96% of deaths there were amongst the over-60s.)

    The figure for the under 15s is 0.01%.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    Why the need for secrecy? Why would anyone asked to attend wish to remain anonymous?
    Because people are getting a serious amount of vitriol aimed at them, including death threats, whether they are seen as supporting the lockdown or opposing it.
    I think openness about who is on these committees is important. Death threats are a matter for the police and should be vigorously investigaed.
    Why? Unless it somehow makes the advice better I don't think there is any pressing need to do so. In the fullness of time, certainly.
  • Options
    isamisam Posts: 40,927
    RobD said:

    TGOHF666 said:
    Is the WHO a reputable source of such information these days?
    The Kids Are Alright!
  • Options
    BenpointerBenpointer Posts: 31,667

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    Why the need for secrecy? Why would anyone asked to attend wish to remain anonymous?
    Because people are getting a serious amount of vitriol aimed at them, including death threats, whether they are seen as supporting the lockdown or opposing it.
    I think openness about who is on these committees is important. Death threats are a matter for the police and should be vigorously investigaed.
    By attending these meeting, they are given access to a lot of privileged information. A more mundane reason, they could be placed under a lot of pressure from investors or management to leverage this information.
    If that's your aim, you are going to find ways of getting the names without reading the Guardian.
  • Options
    FlatlanderFlatlander Posts: 3,886

    I was chatting with a police constable this evening. Among the excuses given for essential travel was: “I’m visiting my prostitute”.

    I was told that in the initial period of lockdown pretty well everyone driving at night turned out to be a criminal. Police raids are going beautifully because everyone is at home.

    He’s thoroughly enjoying himself, so far as I can see.

    I'm sure that's true - re: criminals. I usually walk around the block around late at night and (although it might just be my suspicious mind) it seems to be only cars of a certain type driving around, whereas previously you'd have seen mostly taxis. "Deliveries", perhaps.

    The police have a new plane and it has taken to flying around in circles at about midnight, no doubt monitoring this traffic.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,745

    And gyms...there is absolutely no chance i am going to a gym. Sweaty people everywhere, touching all the equipment in an air conditioned room. Something like a spin class has to tick all the boxes for ideal coronavirus transmission!

    I’m setting up a home gym. I need a few more bits and pieces but I doubt I’ll be going back to a commercial gym now.
    I've got a treadmill, recumbent exercise bike, exercise bike, and a cross trainer in the house, and yet even now I barely use them. Which is almost impressive in the lockdown.

    (I do use them a little, I hasten to add, but the lockdown buddy is the main user)
  • Options
    dixiedeandixiedean Posts: 27,965

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
    I am sure that is right. This will apply to our other City Centres. The night economy of Newcastle based around stag and hen parties is not coming back soon.
    Depends on availability/effectiveness of vaccines, treatment regimes, contact tracing. Eventually, people will want to socialise again as soon as they feel it is safe to do so.
    Oh I agree. However by then all the bars and hotels and cheap eateries will have closed.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,745

    I was chatting with a police constable this evening. Among the excuses given for essential travel was: “I’m visiting my prostitute”.

    I was told that in the initial period of lockdown pretty well everyone driving at night turned out to be a criminal. Police raids are going beautifully because everyone is at home.

    He’s thoroughly enjoying himself, so far as I can see.

    I think it was in The Truth that Terry Pratchett had the protagonist muse that the police (heroes of other books) would probably prefer it if people spent every day indoors watching each other's hands to make sure they didn't do anything. It strikes me there's some truth in that. Causes less trouble.
  • Options
    kle4kle4 Posts: 91,745
    Given the level of power and influence ascribed to shadowy deep state figures by conspiracy theorists (and the implied incredible competence of those figures to achieve their aims) I for one would prefer if all advice and decisions were made secretly and anonymously, as it is clearly the most effective way.
  • Options
    Black_RookBlack_Rook Posts: 8,905
    Endillion said:

    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
    Large companies are starting to get misty eyed at the thought of cutting huge amounts off their fixed costs, and employees are similarly enticed by being able to ditch their commute, a chunk of their annual clothing expenses (not to mention dispensing with personal grooming), and - as you say - potentially live somewhere a whole lot cheaper into the bargain, at least some of the time.

    Many of my colleagues in their 20s went back to their parents' as soon as we went to homeworking. If they stayed there after lockdown, they could be able to afford house purchases years earlier than would otherwise be possible.

    Anecdotally, most companies seem to be coping far better than they would've thought last year. However, it's unclear how resilient we are to long term culture effects, like how you manage a business where customer service is paramount, if you can't tell get all your employees together and drill that into them. Over time, you just end up with a collection of individuals, rather than a functioning and coherent team.

    Also, we've effectively frozen our summer internship program, because we can't see how we can onboard and train a bunch of students who need a lot of individual attention, remotely. Recruitment of experienced hires is also frozen until the lockdown ends. And we're not really sure how we'd manage our new graduates come September, either. So I think jury still out until those problems are a bit closer to resolved - it works in the short run, but some of the longer term stuff is still untested.
    As I suggested in the previous thread, I think that home working patterns going forward will vary considerably between office-based businesses in London and other urban cores. Some employers will still want to have their people coming into the office full-time, but I reckon they'll be in the minority. Ditto those who ditch their central offices more-or-less entirely and perhaps just maintain a small central IT function and/or a nominal registered office.

    Inbetween will be those that have people working part-time in the office and part-time at home, and those that have employees working most of the time at home but maintain meeting rooms for occasional get-togethers. One would suspect that those two groups of businesses will be the most numerous going forward.
  • Options
    FrancisUrquhartFrancisUrquhart Posts: 76,285

    I am very uncomfortable that these people are being named without their consent. It isn't necessary to know the top bod from DeepMinds was there in a story about what if any was Big Dom's influence.

    It may well in the future turn people off from accepting invites.

    The claims that a Fields medal winner and Dennis from Deepminds would have be bullied into a corner by Big Dom and forced to change their mind against their scientific beliefs doesn't hold much water with me.
    Why the need for secrecy? Why would anyone asked to attend wish to remain anonymous?
    Because people are getting a serious amount of vitriol aimed at them, including death threats, whether they are seen as supporting the lockdown or opposing it.
    I think openness about who is on these committees is important. Death threats are a matter for the police and should be vigorously investigaed.
    By attending these meeting, they are given access to a lot of privileged information. A more mundane reason, they could be placed under a lot of pressure from investors or management to leverage this information.
    If that's your aim, you are going to find ways of getting the names without reading the Guardian.
    It isn't exactly an uncommon story to hear of academics in the past who have had secondary roles without their employer ever knowing. We know many spies have been recruited via this route.
  • Options
    CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758

    We've got another politics quiz question:

    How many post War (WW2) Labour Chancellor of the Exchequers have there been? For a bonus, name them.

    I got the number wrong and correctly named 4.

    Don’t forget Hugh Dalton
  • Options
    Andy_JSAndy_JS Posts: 26,622
    eadric said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
    I am sure that is right. This will apply to our other City Centres. The night economy of Newcastle based around stag and hen parties is not coming back soon.
    Depends on availability/effectiveness of vaccines, treatment regimes, contact tracing. Eventually, people will want to socialise again as soon as they feel it is safe to do so.
    Yes. Announcing the death of big cities is over dramatic. New York City boomed in the 1920s, after Spanish flu

    Young people will Still want to meet young people. Restaurants and bars will thrive again, in time, because humans like socialising. The allures of working from home will fade, and for many they won’t exist. But yes there will be a large short-medium term hit to big cities across the world, especially the West

    Unless we get a vaccine quick.
    It's notable that the 1968 flu epidemic killed 80,000 people in the UK and yet it didn't seem to change things very much. The 1969 hippy festivals for example went ahead as far as I know.
  • Options
    rottenboroughrottenborough Posts: 58,216

    We've got another politics quiz question:

    How many post War (WW2) Labour Chancellor of the Exchequers have there been? For a bonus, name them.

    I got the number wrong and correctly named 4.

    Jenkins Healey Callaghan Brown Darling are the 5 I remember
    Cripps.
  • Options
    RobDRobD Posts: 58,967
    Andy_JS said:

    eadric said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    dixiedean said:

    Ave_it said:

    Germany aren't entertaining the idea of opening pubs, clubs, cinema, etc u til the end of August.

    Opening Spoons in 4-5 weeks seems bonkers idea.

    However in Italy they are reopening bars in June. And possibly in France and Spain too? And definitely Czech Republic 8 June.

    22 June is plausible albeit optimistic for UK
    Pubs aren't just pubs though. A quiet country pub with large garfen and generally quiet. Yep.
    City centre Spoons with packed rooms. Nope.
    Agreed it may take a while for the City pub/bar scene on a Thursday to return to what is was in February!
    If you're talking about the Square Mile then it probably never will.

    Half the office space in central London will be surplus to requirements at the end of all of this - and so will many of the businesses that supported those who used to occupy it. Working from home should disperse a decent slice of London's economic activity out into the Home Counties (and, in the fullness of time, the remainder of the country.) It should do more for rebalancing than any number of Government initiatives.
    I am sure that is right. This will apply to our other City Centres. The night economy of Newcastle based around stag and hen parties is not coming back soon.
    Depends on availability/effectiveness of vaccines, treatment regimes, contact tracing. Eventually, people will want to socialise again as soon as they feel it is safe to do so.
    Yes. Announcing the death of big cities is over dramatic. New York City boomed in the 1920s, after Spanish flu

    Young people will Still want to meet young people. Restaurants and bars will thrive again, in time, because humans like socialising. The allures of working from home will fade, and for many they won’t exist. But yes there will be a large short-medium term hit to big cities across the world, especially the West

    Unless we get a vaccine quick.
    It's notable that the 1968 flu epidemic killed 80,000 people in the UK and yet it didn't seem to change things very much. The 1969 hippy festivals for example went ahead as far as I know.
    But it was clearly far less serious. We're already at 50,000 deaths if you assume the official figures are undercounting by a factor of two.
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