Current Affairs

[Gill W]

There was a report on one of the news channels this morning that suggested that Johnson was now actually moving towards a Sweden style herd immunity solution - those that need to isolate should, those that don't should be allowed some normality. (within strict rules). It will be interesting to see how this pans out (personally I don't think he has gone far enough).

Last night he inferred that the vulnerable shouldn't have to isolate...... but that could change next week!

Gill, what do want from Boris, a single minded reluctance to ever change tack, or a willingness to alter course to try and improve things.
The media seem to criticise him whatever he does, no wonder he is having second thoughts about giving up an easy back bench role with a regular journalist job and lucrative speaking engagements giving him £350,000pa plus, against his meagre £150,000pa PM job.

I would like Johnson (Boris is someone’s pet Labrador) not to say something one day and deny it or ‘forget about’ it just days later. Like the moonshot thing.

[david63]

I think the time may come when grandparents will be needing to say to their teenage grandchildren, please stay away.

I don't have that problem - they don't have a problem staying away as they are 12k miles away!!

[Onelife]

What do others think of the ending of the furlough scheme at the end of October.
The majority of companies still needing this to pay unneeded staff are unlikely to need these staff, airlines, travel cos, hospitality cos, aerospace industries etc, in fact most of these will not need new staff for years to come.
Surely it is better to allow these companies to downsize and establish the true unemployment level, so the govt knows the size of the problem, and can then look at how they can prevent hardship and poverty, and begin to look at how and where they can try to develop new jobs.
Not an easy task, but hiding this by continuing the furlough scheme does not seem realistic.
Anyway Rishi will be letting us have his views tomorrow, so let's have some of your thoughts on what he should do.

Hi John,

I can’t add anything other than to say I agree with what you have said.

[Onelife]

Just off my head I think the government needs to come to some kind of agreement with mortgage providers in that that they won’t be allowed to start repossession proceedings. I can’t see how making people homeless is going to help the situation.

[barney]

Just off my head I think the government needs to come to some kind of agreement with mortgage providers in that that they won’t be allowed to start repossession proceedings. I can’t see how making people homeless is going to help the situation.

Why are you off your head this early in the evening?
Hardcore?

[Onelife]

Just off my head I think the government needs to come to some kind of agreement with mortgage providers in that that they won’t be allowed to start repossession proceedings. I can’t see how making people homeless is going to help the situation.

Why are you off your head this early in the evening?
Hardcore?

It’s damage limitation in case others don’t agree with me…squeak! Squeak!

[Stephen]

Adapt like the chap who lost his job as an airline pilot captain but got a job as an undertaker. Bills and mortgage to pay, needs must.

[Kendhni]

Just off my head I think the government needs to come to some kind of agreement with mortgage providers in that that they won’t be allowed to start repossession proceedings. I can’t see how making people homeless is going to help the situation.

Back at the start of March I was talking to a couple of people about when we thought the government would go into lockdown. I remember at the time discussing that the country should move to a "zero sum" game - pretty much nobody made money but nobody lost money, you could only request verifiable costs. It was an interesting idea but would be impossible to police given how selfish and dishonest our wonderful species continually proves it is.

[Manoverboard]

a new Job Scheme announcement from Sunak.

[Onelife]

Just off my head I think the government needs to come to some kind of agreement with mortgage providers in that that they won’t be allowed to start repossession proceedings. I can’t see how making people homeless is going to help the situation.

Back at the start of March I was talking to a couple of people about when we thought the government would go into lockdown. I remember at the time discussing that the country should move to a "zero sum" game - pretty much nobody made money but nobody lost money, you could only request verifiable costs. It was an interesting idea but would be impossible to police given how selfish and dishonest our wonderful species continually proves it is.

Believe this or not but I was thinking along the same lines but came to the same conclusion as you Ken.

[Onelife]

Well I’ve downloaded the track and trace app but have serious doubts that enough people will do the same…on a smaller scale I can see some value in it as it has the potential to protect your own social bubble should you get an alert.

I do however think prior information about how this app works, especially with regard to the perceived data breaches would have been helpful. How many of us knew that alerts to individuals ‘don’t’ go into a national data base whereby big brother could be watching your every move should you choose to ignore the alerts?

if there is going to be any chance of a National uptake theses things need to be spelled out.

[Stephen]

Well I’ve downloaded the track and trace app but have serious doubts that enough people will do the same…on a smaller scale I can see some value in it as it has the potential to protect your own social bubble should you get an alert.

I do however think prior information about how this app works, especially with regard to the perceived data breaches would have been helpful. How many of us knew that alerts to individuals ‘don’t’ go into a national data base whereby big brother could be watching your every move should you choose to ignore the alerts?

if there is going to be any chance of a National uptake theses things need to be spelled out.

I did this morning. What good it will do is anyone's guess but I thought I'd give it a try.

[oldbluefox]

I have just downloaded it. If we don't all do our bit you can't complain too much when initiatives fail. If it helps to protect me and my family I'm all for it.

[towny44]

I have just downloaded it. If we don't all do our bit you can't complain too much when initiatives fail. If it helps to protect me and my family I'm all for it.

I have done the same even though we rarely go out anyway especially now that Kirklees is back in tighter controls which prohibit having visitors in the house or garden.

[david63]

I downloaded the app this morning and actually used it this afternoon to scan the fact that I had been to the hairdressers. I was a bit impressed that shops had the QR codes already in place - obviously some planning and organisation has been going on.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Of course the media have interviewed no one who likes it. Just a selection of those who can't or won't use it. "I couldn't download it on my tablet ". No of course you couldn't. It's a phone app. "I've had my mobile phone 25 years. Couldn't see where to download it." No. That's not a smartphone.

It's like social distancing, the Zoe app, face coverings, the rule of 6. None of them alone will beat the virus but every little helps. If we all did what we could instead of bleating about what we can't and then buggering off down the pub to get pissed with 20 mates we could make progress.

[david63]

buggering off down the pub to get pissed with 20 mates

Didn't know you knew so many people

[Stephen]

Good to see a supermarket with some balls at last.

https://asda.slgnt.eu/optiext/optiexten ... sV_39Q_GuD

[Manoverboard]

No surprise .... have you seen some of the people who shop there

[screwy]

Bit harsh Mob. No, I don’t.

[Gill W]

Of course the media have interviewed no one who likes it. Just a selection of those who can't or won't use it. "I couldn't download it on my tablet ". No of course you couldn't. It's a phone app. "I've had my mobile phone 25 years. Couldn't see where to download it." No. That's not a smartphone.

It's like social distancing, the Zoe app, face coverings, the rule of 6. None of them alone will beat the virus but every little helps. If we all did what we could instead of bleating about what we can't and then buggering off down the pub to get pissed with 20 mates we could make progress.

I’m not bleating, I’m simply saying what my situation is

I haven’t downloaded the app as yet, as my phone battery is so ropey, I’m concerned that another app running in the background will kill the battery once and for all. My husband’s iPhone doesn’t run the current IOS, so he can’t use it either.

Sorry if anyone doesn’t approve.

Regarding the QR codes used to ‘check in’ at coffee ships etc. They’ve been in place for a few weeks, and the app isn’t needed to use these. Simply open the camera app on your phone, hover your phone over the code, and a link will pop upon screen. Click the link and it’ll take you to a web page and you can submit your details on the web page.

Yesterday in the M&S Cafe, the staff were paying more attention to check in than before. They were showing people what to do if they needed help, and for those who didn’t have phones at all, they were manually taking down contact details.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I wasn't referring to you or anyone on here Gill. I was referring to those interviewed in the media and spouting across social media.

[Stephen]

Bit harsh Mob. No, I don’t.

Nor me. But hopefully it'll be a wake up call for others to follow.

[screwy]

Apparently Tesco are rationing some items in fear of panic buying.

[Stephen]

Good for them. I can't understand the mentality of people. Its all me me me and s*d everyone else. If we all shop sensibly there's plenty to go round.