Coronavirus

[Bryn]

It works both ways, Bryn. If you bothered to check, you'd see that I only ever commented in response to someone else's snide digs.

You may possibly be familiar with the old saw "Two wrongs don't make a right". None of us is perfect but we should all try to keep it civil here between contributors. Severe criticism of those elected to lead us out of the current crisis is quite another matter.

[Count Boso]

Not as simple as that as anyone with any knowledge of production engineering will tell you.

It was only intended to draw a parallel with Trump (as in "Pres B. Johnson") 'ordering' GM to start manufacturing ventilators. Not to be taken at face value, as you appear to have done, tovarich

[Bryn]

It was only intended to draw a parallel with Trump (as in "Pres B. Johnson") 'ordering' GM to start manufacturing ventilators. Not to be taken at face value, as you appear to have done, tovarich

It is gratifying to see that many are coming up with a wide range of potential solutions to the current need for respirators. Some appear to have the potential for very fast implementation using currently available parts.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Please all stick within House Rules, and that means not attacking other posters. Disagree by all means, but don’t make it personal.

[johnb]

I thought I heard that the government had announced that they had achieved 10,000 tests a day.

The information released today is that 19,522 people have been tested up to 9am this morning. Deducting yesterdays figure gives 6,961 tested in 24 hours.

It might be that they are referring to a different time period, but ....

But the thing is just exactly what are we testing for ? I used to be of the same view until I heard a medic saying that for the test to be of any use the person has to have a certain level of virus present in their bodies. So it seems pointless testing anyone who is not exhibiting any symptoms.

I'm not sure I understand the point you are making.

I was pointing out that there is marked disparity between what Michael Gove stated and what the official data showed. This does little to inspire trust.

[Once Was 4]

Can't we have some constructive posts in this thread other than diving into the continuous snide digs ? I'm not saying that the Govt are perfect...far from it...but this thread is rapidly sinking into the usual 'bash 'em'.

If I am a guilty party then I apologise. I do not particularly like the current PM or some of the people around him but I accept that they are doing their best in a dangerous situation where they have to make decisions on the hoof. It's no good banging on about bad decisions taken previously which are now affecting the current emergency. We are where we are and recriminations should come later.

For the record I am one of those much-hated centrists who cannot support any party (I voted for the Yorkshire Party in the last election) but I know Tories, Liberals, Labour party members - including Corbynites, Momentum supporters and others - and was myself brought up in the old patrician Tory/Liberal tradition which has now disappeared. In the main they are doing their best.

But do not expect anything profound from me.

[Globaltruth]

I ask this in all innocence.

If you find a poster consistently annoying, inflaming, and whose every lack of punctuation you find irritating beyond belief, then why don't you go to Settings (up there in the right hand corner) and then go to Edit Ignore List and add their user name?
It does what it says.

Can you tell me why this is not an acceptable solution?

But only reply if you can do so in a calm and thoughtful way.

It may be that some moderators have other ways they need to spend their time at the moment.

[LMcD]

I ask this in all innocence.

If you find a poster consistently annoying, inflaming, and whose every lack of punctuation you find irritating beyond belief, then why don't you go to Settings (up there in the right hand corner) and then go to Edit Ignore List and add their user name?
It does what it says.

Can you tell me why this is not an acceptable solution?

But only reply if you can do so in a calm and thoughtful way.

It may be that some moderators have other ways they need to spend their time at the moment.

Can one not simply ignore postings by the person concerned, just as one can ignore threads that are of no interest to one? I personally find that a reasoned or humorous retort (as against a 'reply') often helps!

[oddoneout]

It is gratifying to see that many are coming up with a wide range of potential solutions to the current need for respirators. Some appear to have the potential for very fast implementation using currently available parts.

Indeed, but I'm still puzzled as to why firms already making equipment, who have offered their services and asked if they should increase production, have not had a response apparently.
A local school, looking for ways to occupy the few pupils they have, looked at the problem of lack of visors as a project. Having done some research, including asking those at the sharp(ie user) end and looking at existing designs, they designed and started making said items with the materials they already had. End result 75 visors for the local hospital. The school has already sent visors and gloves surplus to current requirements.
The bin men have just come up the road so I went to the door to say 'thank you and much appreciated'.
12 days after being told my workplace was closing and not to come in for rostered March hours I'm still waiting to hear from my employer, a county council, what my employment and pay status is, if any, - home working not an option, and no personal/external computer access to the council intranet for information. Not impressed, and I worry for those of my colleagues who have more dependence on their employment for financial means.

[Bryn]

I ask this in all innocence.

If you find a poster consistently annoying, inflaming, and whose every lack of punctuation you find irritating beyond belief, then why don't you go to Settings (up there in the right hand corner) and then go to Edit Ignore List and add their user name?
It does what it says.

Can you tell me why this is not an acceptable solution?

But only reply if you can do so in a calm and thoughtful way.

It may be that some moderators have other ways they need to spend their time at the moment.

I have tended to treat the "Ignore" setting as a substitute for the "naughty step". When a series of posts begin to really get up my nose, the relevant poster gets put on the Ignore list (of one) until my ire abates. Though punctuation, especially in relation to redundant spaces, niggles, I do not consider that to be sufficiently annoying to 'also go on the list'.

[french frank]

I have tended to treat the "Ignore" setting as a substitute for the "naughty step". When a series of posts begin to really get up my nose, the relevant poster gets put on the Ignore list (of one) until my ire abates. Though punctuation, especially in relation to redundant spaces, niggles, I do not consider that to be sufficiently annoying to 'also go on the list'.

We do have another option: where a thread is showing signs of descending into otiose sniping, we can move the thread to, say, Ideas and Theory (or create another board which is slightly more trouble), and simply exclude any member(s) who is/are consistently annoying the rest. In one sense it's for the good of all concerned, because if people are consistently making 'irritating' comments, it's probably because they too are irritated by the posts of other people. It's best for their mental health to confine themselves to threads that don't cause them annoyance.

[Bryn]

May I express sincere sympathies regarding the news that Dominic Cummings has contracted Covid-19? No, really, it having killed a very good friend, I sympathise with anybody who contracts it.

[Bryn]

Heartening reports of the Czech Republic airlifting sorely needed medical equipment to Madrid.

[cloughie]

I ask this in all innocence.

If you find a poster consistently annoying, inflaming, and whose every lack of punctuation you find irritating beyond belief, then why don't you go to Settings (up there in the right hand corner) and then go to Edit Ignore List and add their user name?
It does what it says.

Can you tell me why this is not an acceptable solution?

But only reply if you can do so in a calm and thoughtful way.

It may be that some moderators have other ways they need to spend their time at the moment.

Extreme Social Distancing!

[Jazzrook]

Review of book that foretold Covid-19:

https://monthlyreview.org/product/big_farms_make_big_flu/

JR