Current Affairs

[anniec]

Thanks for the tip about the Boots foam

I’ve just checked the website and it’s out of stock again, but I will keep checking back, as it looks a good size for carrying around. When I eventually emerge back into the world, I want to protect myself as much as possible

Sorry, I should have made it clearer that I'd digressed onto Norovirus in relation to the Boots antiviral foam, which I don't think has been proved to work on Covid, whereas 60%+ alcohol gels have.

[Manoverboard]

Singapore doesn't mess around

One can even be banged up for litter offences and especially so regarding chewing gum

[Stephen]

Meanwhile Singapore doesn't mess around.

Makes our £100 fines look like chicken feed

That's the difference between a country that is run with some backbone and our nanny state.

[oldbluefox]

Can you imagine the outcry from the snowflakes here? But it probably explains why some countries have fared better than we have. Can't have it both ways.

[Gill W]

Thanks for the tip about the Boots foam

I’ve just checked the website and it’s out of stock again, but I will keep checking back, as it looks a good size for carrying around. When I eventually emerge back into the world, I want to protect myself as much as possible

Sorry, I should have made it clearer that I'd digressed onto Norovirus in relation to the Boots antiviral foam, which I don't think has been proved to work on Covid, whereas 60%+ alcohol gels have.

That’s fine, it’d be just one item in my armoury. I struggle with the gels that have a lot of alcohol in, as they irritate my hands so much.

[Stephen]

The way thing are going with riots, stabbings and general loutish behaviour, Boris needs to stop faffing about with stupid press ups and start getting a grip of the country or he's not going to last five minutes.

[Gill W]

The way thing are going with riots, stabbings and general loutish behaviour, Boris needs to stop faffing about with stupid press ups and start getting a grip of the country or he's not going to last five minutes.

It doesn’t matter what happens. Johnson and Cummings will sit it out.

They’ll spin it that all the loutish behaviour is blamed on ‘the people’ and not the government.

Anything that’s awkward, like the stench of corruption around Jenrick is announced as ‘the matter is closed’ in the hope that is forgotten, or kicked into the long grass like the report into Russian interference in the Brexit campaign.

It looks like they are now going go after the the Civil Service. According to the Times, Cummings (yes Cummings the unelected special adviser) is going to announce that the Cabinet Office is to be reformed. So steadying influences like Mark Sedwill will be probably be booted out.

We are in a really bad place, and that’s without Coronavirus and the no deal becoming ever more likely.

I think the press ups are another dead cat, but a particularly pathetic dead cat

[oldbluefox]

That would be one of my criticisms of the whole affair. He appealed to the common sense and cooperation of the country to do the right thing without having to relate to sanctions. He should have come down firm right from the start, ignored all the naysayers and imposed a much firmer lockdown as in other countries. I'm afraid being nice to some people doesn't work as they are too stupid to apply common sense and think only of themselves as seen in the protests, the celebrations and the gatherings on our beauty spots.
Frankly I am appalled by some of the stories coming out about the litter on the beaches: piles of sand covering jagged bottles upturned in them, food and drinks containers containing human excrement and urine, discarded masks left for others to pick up, broken bottles left in the sand and grass as well as all the other rubbish left for others to pick up. It is absolutely disgraceful and what an image for our neighbours around the world to see, Makes one feel ashamed to be called British.

[Stephen]

That would be one of my criticisms of the whole affair. He appealed to the common sense and cooperation of the country to do the right thing without having to relate to sanctions. He should have come down firm right from the start, ignored all the naysayers and imposed a much firmer lockdown as in other countries. I'm afraid being nice to some people doesn't work as they are too stupid to apply common sense and think only of themselves as seen in the protests, the celebrations and the gatherings on our beauty spots.
Frankly I am appalled by some of the stories coming out about the litter on the beaches: piles of sand covering jagged bottles upturned in them, food and drinks containers containing human excrement and urine, discarded masks left for others to pick up, broken bottles left in the sand and grass as well as all the other rubbish left for others to pick up. It is absolutely disgraceful and what an image for our neighbours around the world to see, Makes one feel ashamed to be called British.

Couldn't have put it better myself Foxy.

You do wonder what goes through they're minds. I wonder how many once sobered up feel any sort of guilt and shame. Very few I fear. I would like to think the police are tracking allot of these people down from any video/body cam footage.

The police need to have stronger powers to come down hard on these people along with fast tracking through the courts. Let's see how cocky they are when they're locked up. And s*d their human rights. As far as I'm concerned they forfeited them.

[Onelife]

That would be one of my criticisms of the whole affair. He appealed to the common sense and cooperation of the country to do the right thing without having to relate to sanctions. He should have come down firm right from the start, ignored all the naysayers and imposed a much firmer lockdown as in other countries. I'm afraid being nice to some people doesn't work as they are too stupid to apply common sense and think only of themselves as seen in the protests, the celebrations and the gatherings on our beauty spots.
Frankly I am appalled by some of the stories coming out about the litter on the beaches: piles of sand covering jagged bottles upturned in them, food and drinks containers containing human excrement and urine, discarded masks left for others to pick up, broken bottles left in the sand and grass as well as all the other rubbish left for others to pick up. It is absolutely disgraceful and what an image for our neighbours around the world to see, Makes one feel ashamed to be called British.

Couldn't have put it better myself Foxy.

You do wonder what goes through they're minds. I wonder how many once sobered up feel any sort of guilt and shame. Very few I fear. I would like to think the police are tracking allot of these people down from any video/body cam footage.

The police need to have stronger powers to come down hard on these people along with fast tracking through the courts. Let's see how cocky they are when they're locked up. And s*d their human rights. As far as I'm concerned they forfeited them.

You gave it a good shot Stephen

[Manoverboard]

It looks like they are now going go after the the Civil Service. According to the Times, Cummings (yes Cummings the unelected special adviser) is going to announce that the Cabinet Office is to be reformed. So steadying influences like Mark Sedwill will be probably be booted out.

Let us hope that is just for starters.

I personally believe that a top to bottom reform of the entire Civil Service is long overdue so I, at least, would welcome any form of progress in that regard. The first question has to be to ask why so much of it resides in London when there is no need. To spread it around the Country would reduce the overall cost by some considerable margin in the longer term and it would also boost some of the disadvantaged areas as was promised at the time of the election. Based on hearsay rather than actual evidence it seems as though many of the jobs are populated by persons with a failed academic record from the major Public Schools but who can pass the oh so easy Civil Service Entry Exam. That needs to change as well so that a broader representation of all peoples is achieved.

[Mervyn and Trish]

A story which I suspect is not unique. A friend of ours is being treated for cancer. He took a turn for the worse and went to A&E. They diagnosed Covid without a test and went him to Guys. There are two pieces of good news. First he is feeling much better. Second they did a Covid test and he does not have it. But of course had he continued downhill and died Covid would have been mentioned on his death certificate and he would have appeared in the ONS figures. Now I'm not denying that many people have tragically died and been correctly recorded as Covid. Merely that Covid has become in some cases, like this one, what some medics refer to as a "dustbin diagnosis" and it is incredibly hard to get a grip on a 100% accurate figure.

[towny44]

The way thing are going with riots, stabbings and general loutish behaviour, Boris needs to stop faffing about with stupid press ups and start getting a grip of the country or he's not going to last five minutes.

It doesn’t matter what happens. Johnson and Cummings will sit it out.

They’ll spin it that all the loutish behaviour is blamed on ‘the people’ and not the government.

Anything that’s awkward, like the stench of corruption around Jenrick is announced as ‘the matter is closed’ in the hope that is forgotten, or kicked into the long grass like the report into Russian interference in the Brexit campaign.

It looks like they are now going go after the the Civil Service. According to the Times, Cummings (yes Cummings the unelected special adviser) is going to announce that the Cabinet Office is to be reformed. So steadying influences like Mark Sedwill will be probably be booted out.

We are in a really bad place, and that’s without Coronavirus and the no deal becoming ever more likely.

I think the press ups are another dead cat, but a particularly pathetic dead cat

You really don't like Boris and Dominic do you Gill, every thing they do, or are reported to have done seems to fuel your vitriolic opinion of this govt. I can only assume your hatred is fuelled by the Brexit outcome, because I don't believe the govts. performance to date merits such a hostile view.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I have to agree with Towny. How, in any scenario, is loutish behaviour the government's fault? It is the fault of the louts. That is not spin.

[Manoverboard]

Loutish behaviour cannot possibly be the fault of any Government, perhaps Gill is of the opinion that nobody needs to take any responsibility for their own behaviour and if so it will prove interesting if somebody trashes any of her property or possessions.

[screwy]

Loutish behaviour does stem from government,the labour government who said , you can’t smack your child, there are no losers in sports at school etc etc, remember those days.? It has all come back to haunt us. We now have a generation or two who don’t give a toss, no respect for anyone or anything,stick two fingers up to authority,would prefer to let everyone else run round after them, and as soon as someone says ,we’re going to change this attitude all hell breaks loose from the snowflakes. I would personally love to see This Government get a firm grip and stick to fingers up to the moaners.PC , shove it up your a*se, let’s get real. Give the Police and Army the powers to brush away unruly protesters, if someone gets hurt, tough, look for trouble,you’ll find it.Water cannon,Yes. Rubber bullets, tear gas and Baton charges. I know some on here will go all wobbly wth disgust but look into the future, it will be a lot worse if we don’t get a grip of these thugs.

[Gill W]

That would be one of my criticisms of the whole affair. He appealed to the common sense and cooperation of the country to do the right thing without having to relate to sanctions. He should have come down firm right from the start, ignored all the naysayers and imposed a much firmer lockdown as in other countries. I'm afraid being nice to some people doesn't work as they are too stupid to apply common sense and think only of themselves as seen in the protests, the celebrations and the gatherings on our beauty spots.
Frankly I am appalled by some of the stories coming out about the litter on the beaches: piles of sand covering jagged bottles upturned in them, food and drinks containers containing human excrement and urine, discarded masks left for others to pick up, broken bottles left in the sand and grass as well as all the other rubbish left for others to pick up. It is absolutely disgraceful and what an image for our neighbours around the world to see, Makes one feel ashamed to be called British.

I do agree with you. It was always a leaky vessel of of lockdown, it should have been earlier and much more draconian with penalties for flouting the lockdown.

As for the beaches etc, it's absolutely disgusting.

[Gill W]

It looks like they are now going go after the the Civil Service. According to the Times, Cummings (yes Cummings the unelected special adviser) is going to announce that the Cabinet Office is to be reformed. So steadying influences like Mark Sedwill will be probably be booted out.

Let us hope that is just for starters.

I personally believe that a top to bottom reform of the entire Civil Service is long overdue so I, at least, would welcome any form of progress in that regard. The first question has to be to ask why so much of it resides in London when there is no need. To spread it around the Country would reduce the overall cost by some considerable margin in the longer term and it would also boost some of the disadvantaged areas as was promised at the time of the election. Based on hearsay rather than actual evidence it seems as though many of the jobs are populated by persons with a failed academic record from the major Public Schools but who can pass the oh so easy Civil Service Entry Exam. That needs to change as well so that a broader representation of all peoples is achieved.

Reform may well be due, but if Cummings is involved, you can bet he'll be doing it to benefit him and not the country as a whole

[Onelife]

Loutish behaviour does stem from government,the labour government who said , you can’t smack your child, there are no losers in sports at school etc etc, remember those days.? It has all come back to haunt us. We now have a generation or two who don’t give a toss, no respect for anyone or anything,stick two fingers up to authority,would prefer to let everyone else run round after them, and as soon as someone says ,we’re going to change this attitude all hell breaks loose from the snowflakes. I would personally love to see This Government get a firm grip and stick to fingers up to the moaners.PC , shove it up your a*se, let’s get real. Give the Police and Army the powers to brush away unruly protesters, if someone gets hurt, tough, look for trouble,you’ll find it.Water cannon,Yes. Rubber bullets, tear gas and Baton charges. I know some on here will go all wobbly wth disgust but look into the future, it will be a lot worse if we don’t get a grip of these thugs.

This article is a good start to understanding why and where it all started going wrong. It is more than ten years old but I believe it is more relevant today than it was back then.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... cal-policy

[Gill W]

A story which I suspect is not unique. A friend of ours is being treated for cancer. He took a turn for the worse and went to A&E. They diagnosed Covid without a test and went him to Guys. There are two pieces of good news. First he is feeling much better. Second they did a Covid test and he does not have it. But of course had he continued downhill and died Covid would have been mentioned on his death certificate and he would have appeared in the ONS figures. Now I'm not denying that many people have tragically died and been correctly recorded as Covid. Merely that Covid has become in some cases, like this one, what some medics refer to as a "dustbin diagnosis" and it is incredibly hard to get a grip on a 100% accurate figure.

That why I think the only way to look at the impact of COVID 19 is to look at the excess deaths for all causes of death. It's almost inevitable that the bulk of those deaths will be COVID related. I think there will be an element of people dying for other reasons, maybe because their treatment was delayed or they didn't seek medical help. But it would be too weird if 65000 people suddenly started dying for other reasons than COVID 19 in the middle of a pandemic.

Glad your friend is feeling better.

[Gill W]

Loutish behaviour does stem from government,the labour government who said , you can’t smack your child, there are no losers in sports at school etc etc, remember those days.? It has all come back to haunt us. We now have a generation or two who don’t give a toss, no respect for anyone or anything,stick two fingers up to authority,would prefer to let everyone else run round after them, and as soon as someone says ,we’re going to change this attitude all hell breaks loose from the snowflakes. I would personally love to see This Government get a firm grip and stick to fingers up to the moaners.PC , shove it up your a*se, let’s get real. Give the Police and Army the powers to brush away unruly protesters, if someone gets hurt, tough, look for trouble,you’ll find it.Water cannon,Yes. Rubber bullets, tear gas and Baton charges. I know some on here will go all wobbly wth disgust but look into the future, it will be a lot worse if we don’t get a grip of these thugs.

What would you do about the idiots on the beaches?

[Manoverboard]

..... Reform may well be due, but if Cummings is involved, you can bet he'll be doing it to benefit him and not the country as a whole

I thought you mentioned somewhere that you used to work for a Bank, if that is the case you would possibly realise that Cummings would be Head of the Steering Committee which gives him power but not absolute power. In any event better him, or similar, than an in situ Senior Official of the Civil Service because their inclination is generally to protect the status quo and that is simply not an option given the present climate.

[Gill W]

Loutish behaviour cannot possibly be the fault of any Government, perhaps Gill is of the opinion that nobody needs to take any responsibility for their own behaviour and if so it will prove interesting if somebody trashes any of her property or possessions.

Eh?

Gill is of the opinion that everybody should take responsibility for themselves.

I detest loutish, boorish behaviour by dim witted brain dead thugs, and as for those twerps on the beaches they should be forced to clear up their own mess,

Unfortunately the government did not impose strong enough penalties for those flouting lockdown, and by supporting Cummings, also lost the moral authority to ask people to do things.

So that's why we are in this utter mess.

[Gill W]

The way thing are going with riots, stabbings and general loutish behaviour, Boris needs to stop faffing about with stupid press ups and start getting a grip of the country or he's not going to last five minutes.

It doesn’t matter what happens. Johnson and Cummings will sit it out.

They’ll spin it that all the loutish behaviour is blamed on ‘the people’ and not the government.

Anything that’s awkward, like the stench of corruption around Jenrick is announced as ‘the matter is closed’ in the hope that is forgotten, or kicked into the long grass like the report into Russian interference in the Brexit campaign.

It looks like they are now going go after the the Civil Service. According to the Times, Cummings (yes Cummings the unelected special adviser) is going to announce that the Cabinet Office is to be reformed. So steadying influences like Mark Sedwill will be probably be booted out.

We are in a really bad place, and that’s without Coronavirus and the no deal becoming ever more likely.

I think the press ups are another dead cat, but a particularly pathetic dead cat

You really don't like Boris and Dominic do you Gill, every thing they do, or are reported to have done seems to fuel your vitriolic opinion of this govt. I can only assume your hatred is fuelled by the Brexit outcome, because I don't believe the govts. performance to date merits such a hostile view.

As usual your assumptions are way off the mark

[Gill W]

..... Reform may well be due, but if Cummings is involved, you can bet he'll be doing it to benefit him and not the country as a whole

I thought you mentioned somewhere that you used to work for a Bank, if that is the case you would possibly realise that Cummings would be Head of the Steering Committee which gives him power but not absolute power. In any event better him, or similar, than an in situ Senior Official of the Civil Service because their inclination is generally to protect the status quo and that is simply not an option given the present climate.

I would like to think Cummings doesn't have absolute power.... but I think we have moved beyond that. He's running the whole show now and that is a worrying thought.