Coronavirus

[johnb]

Any Questions this week - which character is BJ most similar to - I think that was the question. One respondent said "Winnie the Pooh".

This reminded me of an episode of Yes Minister, many years ago - re the award of an honorary degree at an Oxbridge college. The college officials asked Sir Humphrey "And does he have the intellectual capacity of Winnie the Pooh?" After hardly any hesitation Sir Humphrey replies "Oh yes, On his day". Perhaps there was also some prompting because of the references to classical languages, which reminded me of the book "Winnie Ille Pu" - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winnie-Pooh.../dp/1405278110

When I heard that question on Any Question I was reminded of the memorable remark that Max Hastings (BJ's one time boss) made at the time of the Tory Party leadership election: "Boris Johnson thinks he is Winston Churchill but he is more like Alan Partridge."

[LMcD]

when i heard that question on any question i was reminded of the memorable remark that max hastings (bj's one time boss) made at the time of the tory party leadership election: "boris johnson thinks he is winston churchill but he is more like alan partridge."

AHA!

(Why was my 'a-ha' downcased?)

[oddoneout]

You could say this is one promise they've come good on After all, 'this country' did elect them.

Only thanks to FPTP. The majority of voters did not vote for them.
There may have been plenty wrong with this country before the current pestilence (and Covid-19) was foisted on it, but I don't consider it was bad enough to 'deserve' said leadership catastrophe.

[johnb]

The government/PHE/Local Authority might want to look at Swindon. It appears to have joined the select group of local authorites with the very highest infection rates.

7 days to Wed 29/07:

Cases in the 7 days: 38 per 100,000 population **
Increase on the average of two previous 7 day periods: 65 cases/wk or 300%

w/e 29/7: 86
w/e 22/7: 33
w/e 15/7: 10

** For comparison, for the same 7 days Bristol to the west and Reading to the east had 5 and 7 cases per 100,000 population respectively

[Later Edit]
Although I haven't seen the situation in Swindon mentioned in the national media, the following is a link to an article in the local newspaper. It appears that the outbreak is linked to an Iceland distribution centre run by XPO Logistics.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/18623966.latest-xpo-outbreak-swindons-coronavirus-rate-passes-400/

[oddoneout]

Any Questions this week - which character is BJ most similar to - I think that was the question. One respondent said "Winnie the Pooh".

This reminded me of an episode of Yes Minister, many years ago - re the award of an honorary degree at an Oxbridge college. The college officials asked Sir Humphrey "And does he have the intellectual capacity of Winnie the Pooh?" After hardly any hesitation Sir Humphrey replies "Oh yes, On his day". Perhaps there was also some prompting because of the references to classical languages, which reminded me of the book "Winnie Ille Pu" - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Winnie-Pooh.../dp/1405278110

Very unfair on Winnie the Pooh. He may have been a bear of little brain, but at least he was aware of his limitations, and had his heart in the right place. Whereas the PM...

[oddoneout]

No wonder these cowboys didn't go through a tendering process - the government wouldn't want anyone looking at their activities to date before awarding the contract. The scam they ran to rename CCHQ as factcheckUK during the 2019 election campaign should have ruled them out straight away in my opinion.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/aug/03/topham-guerin-pr-firm-covid-19-contract-conservative-party

“Topham Guerin were awarded a contract to help advise and generate social media content to support coronavirus communications,” the spokesman added. “This has been published on gov.uk in the normal way, in line with transparency rules. This work has helped to ensure that vitally important public health messages are effectively communicated to the public.”

[Dave2002]

Very unfair on Winnie the Pooh. He may have been a bear of little brain, but at least he was aware of his limitations, and had his heart in the right place. Whereas the PM...

On the contrary, he and piglet planned to catch the Heffalump. "Where will we put the trap?" "We'll put it just in front of him when he's about to fall in" .... etc. Genius!

[french frank]

No wonder these cowboys didn't go through a tendering process - the government wouldn't want anyone looking at their activities to date before awarding the contract.

Hmm, yes:

“Topham Guerin were awarded a contract to help advise and generate social media content to support coronavirus communications,” the spokesman added. “This has been published on gov.uk in the normal way, in line with transparency rules. This work has helped to ensure that vitally important public health messages are effectively communicated to the public.”

First a bit of hole-and-corner stuff in awarding the contract, and then reveal, in line with transparency rules, to a gullible public that the contract has now been awarded to the best competitor in line with government tendering rules.

[Frances_iom]

Hmm, yes...

Those Tory fund-raising dinners must be very popular - do they raffle such contracts at the end of the dinner or does each minister have a blank tender form / signed planning application to give to his next neighbour

[oddoneout]

Those Tory fund-raising dinners must be very popular - do they raffle such contracts at the end of the dinner or does each minister have a blank tender form / signed planning application to give to his next neighbour

Hardly surprising considering the potential return on investment!

[Bryn]

Currently on Channel 4, Race Against the Virus: The Hunt for a Vaccine. Appears to be a "must watch". If you are not currently watching it, catch it on Channel 4 + 1 or on-demand via the Internet. From the start, it blows holes in the specious claim that China sat on the outbreak. Virologists throughout the world were already on the case before Christmas, for instance. It was the U.K. and other western governments which were slow to respond, despite warnings from leading virologists.

[Serial_Apologist]

Currently on Channel 4, Race Against the Virus: The Hunt for a Vaccine. Appears to be a "must watch". If you are not currently watching it, catch it on Channel 4 + 1 or on-demand via the Internet. From the start, it blows holes in the specious claim that China sat on the outbreak. Virologists throughout the world were already on the case before Christmas, for instance. It was the U.K. and other western governments which were slow to respond, despite warnings from leading virologists.

Yes, excellent stuff about the early stages on that documentary. The rest of the story I'm beginning to learn by heart!

[Dave2002]

A view that surfaces really are low risk possible ways to transmit Covid-19 is presented here - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/ar...theater/614599

If true, then most efforts to clean obsessively are an expensive waste of time - something which I often feel even when not threatened by a dangerous disease.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Much food for thought in this analysis of the US passage through (into) coronavirus https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine...IND_Brexit_CDP So much of it maps horribly well onto the UK's, even if writ smaller. Slightly smaller anyway

[Cockney Sparrow]

On a quick read, the Atlantic seems well informed, clearly written. Maybe I'll trial a subscription....