Chaos in the UK

[barkingmad]

Gordon Hughes, a former Professor of Economics at Edinburgh University;

“The core problem is that the UK is relying upon a set of policymakers who appear to be neither competent nor willing to be honest about the choices that are being made. Selling policies to credulous journalists is simple. Convincing a wider public that contains a significant number of people who have the expertise and willingness to challenge what appears to be irrational policy is a different matter. The UK Government appears to believe that honesty will further reduce already low levels of willingness to comply with current policies. What they – and their public supporters – should recognize is that the unwillingness to admit and discuss the complexity of the cost-benefit calculations that surround testing merely fuels the lack of trust in current policies. Many of the public statements are so obviously wrong that it is hard to give credit to the more generous view that the policymakers are not really incompetent but merely dealing with a very difficult situation.

That, it seems to me, is the real lesson from Sweden. There were many people in the Swedish medical establishment who profoundly disagreed – and still disagree – with the policies recommended by the State Epidemiologist. There was an open debate and individuals were allowed to make their own choices. The outcome was mixed and the sources of failure have been identified and followed up. In the UK – across all of the nations – the attitude is that we (the “experts”) know better than everyone else and you must just do what we say. That is never a good story in an educated democracy. It is especially weak when the self-declared experts are easily challenged on a string of assumptions and issues so that their credibility cannot be sustained. All that is being achieved is a polarization of trust and belief in the competence of both politicians and those who advise them.”

Alas BoJo does not appear to have a locked drawer containing 2 letters from the Maybot as per Stalin and Khrushchev but there might be a loaded revolver there instead? We can but hope...

[Bob]

An astute appraisal IMO

[barkingmad]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... r-GSK.html

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/patr ... 55141.html

And then here is a report on the number of collateral deaths caused by the lockdown buried in a SAGE report.

“Nearly 75,000 people could die from non-Covid causes as a result of lockdown, according to a devastating official figures buried in a 188-page document.

The startling research, presented to the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), will further increase pressure on Boris Johnson to hold back on introducing further coronavirus restrictions.

The document reveals 16,000 people died as a result of the chaos in hospitals and care homes in March and April alone.

It estimates a further 26,000 will lose their lives within a year if people continue to stay away from A&E and the problems in social care persist.

And an additional 31,900 could die over the next five years as a result of missed cancer diagnoses, cancelled operations and the health impacts of a recession.

The toll of deaths directly linked to the virus last night stood at 41,936.

The estimates, drawn up by civil servants at the Department of Health, the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office, were presented to Sage at a meeting on July 15th. The documents stressed that had nothing been done to stop the spread of the virus in March, 400,000 people could have died of Covid.

And if the NHS had been overrun, this figure might have even soared to 1.4 million. But they acknowledged the restrictions had significant unintended consequences.”

How can the Government still believe these catastrophic predictions from discredited models when the experience of countries like Sweden, Tanzania and Belarus show the truth about what happens under minimal restrictions? Is it a case of refusing to believe the evidence of one’s own eyes because it is too painful? Certainly, there is some serious corporate groupthink going on.

Incidentally, we can expect the press to periodically discover these reports to Sage. They’re part of a series being done by the Department of Health and Social Care, the Office for National Statistics, the Government Actuary’s Department and the Home Office. The first of these was published in April.

Of course there is no possible link between these items, move along, nothing to see here!

Who said ‘conflict of interest’? Arrest and cancel that person immediately and a fine of £10,000 for good measure!

[Boac]

Certainly a possible conflict of interest but:-

a) Is it surprising?
b) Was the real conflict his appointment bearing in mind his previous employment?

[Pontius Navigator]

Nearly 75,000 people could die from non-Covid causes as a result of lockdown,

The document reveals 16,000 people died as a result of the chaos in hospitals and care homes in March and April alone.

It estimates a further 26,000 will lose their lives within a year if people continue to stay away from A&E and the problems in social care persist.

And an additional 31,900 could die over the next five years as a result of missed cancer diagnoses, cancelled operations and the health impacts of a recession.

The toll of deaths directly linked to the virus last night stood at 41,936.

The estimates, drawn up by civil servants at the Department of Health, the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office, were presented to Sage at a meeting on July 15th. The documents stressed that had nothing been done to stop the spread of the virus in March, 400,000 people could have died of Covid.

And if the NHS had been overrun, this figure might have even soared to 1.4 million.

Wasn't there a poem IF?

[barkingmad]

bo, re your questions, here’s my exam paper;

a) No

b) Yes

P N asks: “wasn’t there a poem IF”

Perhaps this one is more appropriate than the Kipling version?

Full Text
1If we must die, let it not be like hogs
2Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot,
3While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs,
4Making their mock at our accursèd lot.
5If we must die, O let us nobly die,
6So that our precious blood may not be shed
7In vain; then even the monsters we defy
8Shall be constrained to honor us though dead!
9O kinsmen! we must meet the common foe!
10Though far outnumbered let us show us brave,
11And for their thousand blows deal one death-blow!
12What though before us lies the open grave?
13Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack,
14Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!

[Boac]

Congratulations - 100%. Have a celebratory gin?

[barkingmad]

boac sez; "Congratulations - 100%. Have a celebratory gin?"

P N sez; "Because I had hoped you might have known something about which you were posting."

I'm afraid the gin is off limits, I do not deserve it, as the fact that I'm an ignoramus is now out in the public domain!

I now have to go out and pick some birch twigs for the purposes of self-flagellation as that is a suitable punishment for a pseud such as me.

Hopefully I will not enjoy the experience...

[ian16th]

Dodo.jpg (33.65 KiB) Viewed 736 times

I'll drink to that!


Explanation!

[Boac]

Another stunning success for 'Circus BoJo' https://www.independent.co.uk/news/heal ... 1601120163

He really should learn to copy the intellectually advanced Scottish and get things right.

[Rossian]

Don't hold your breath BOAC. My wife met a friend for coffee the other morning in a cafe not too far from us. They enjoyed a chat for an hour and went their separate ways, That same friend could not have entered our kitchen and sat (suitably spaced) for the same coffee and scones because the wee Nicola has declared that as "strengt verboten" (there may be penalties!).
Rational joined up thinking?

The Ancient Mariner

[Boac]

I understood the 'logic' was to avoid taking the virus actually into the home. There are always going to be 'grey' areas, but this app thing is totally black!

[Pontius Navigator]

Better black or white than 50 shades . . .

[FD2]

A taste of things to come:

[Pontius Navigator]

FD2, I am not sure if that is going to work. That clip seems to focus on Celebs that might be known to an international audience. The political cut and thrust of the original seems missing.

At least I won't be watching as it's on subscription.

[TheGreenGoblin]

FD2, I am not sure if that is going to work. That clip seems to focus on Celebs that might be known to an international audience. The political cut and thrust of the original seems missing.

At least I won't be watching as it's on subscription.

Are Fluck and Law still involved in the production?

When I last looked Roger Law had become a notable ceramicist and was living in Australia!

[Pontius Navigator]

Without checking I think Law said no but Fluck is.

Lampooning Celebs, bringing in Putin and Geta, she loves her puppet. just shows the greyness of our politicians. Apart from Bojo and Cummins are there any other characters? Where are the Owens, Tebbits and Hesseltines?

Abbot and Costello were a gift but Costello is now just a ghost but the Maybot and Major could be possible.

[CharlieOneSix]

Without checking I think Law said no but Fluck is.

I think it's the other way round - Roger Law was on Breakfast TV the other day talking about the show. A very welcome interlude from the incessant Covid talking heads. He said Peter Fluck didn't want to do any more Spitting Image. Each puppet costs around £10,000 - around the same amount as it cost back in the 80's.

[Boac]

Do we give a Fluck? Is it against the Law?

On a more serious note, based on that 'trailer', I do not anticipate becoming a regular viewer.

[Pontius Navigator]

Quite.