Wednesday 27th January 2021

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refitman
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Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by refitman »

Morning all.
gilsey
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by gilsey »

Good morning.


Good article in the Telegraph, of all places, under a rubbish headline. Doesn't seem to be paywalled.

From Rolls Royce to Skoda: How the pandemic has exposed Britain’s failed ‘regulatory state’
The more disturbing conclusion is that the British state is so lacking in basic vision and leadership, its bureaucratic institutions are so divorced from meaningful delivery capacities that it cannot even provide security to its own citizens.

This is not a product of one government’s incompetence. It reflects deep-seated changes in the way state power is conceived and organised – by political parties of left and right, not just in Britain but in many other “advanced” economies. A system built around dispersing responsibility, accountability and control is, unsurprisingly, irresponsible, unaccountable, and not in control of its fate.
He* makes an irrefutable case for change, which we can be certain will be entirely ignored. :(

*Lee Jones is Reader in International Politics at Queen Mary University of London.
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citizenJA
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by citizenJA »

Good morning, everyone.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

gilsey wrote:Good morning.


Good article in the Telegraph, of all places, under a rubbish headline. Doesn't seem to be paywalled.

From Rolls Royce to Skoda: How the pandemic has exposed Britain’s failed ‘regulatory state’
The more disturbing conclusion is that the British state is so lacking in basic vision and leadership, its bureaucratic institutions are so divorced from meaningful delivery capacities that it cannot even provide security to its own citizens.

This is not a product of one government’s incompetence. It reflects deep-seated changes in the way state power is conceived and organised – by political parties of left and right, not just in Britain but in many other “advanced” economies. A system built around dispersing responsibility, accountability and control is, unsurprisingly, irresponsible, unaccountable, and not in control of its fate.
He* makes an irrefutable case for change, which we can be certain will be entirely ignored. :(

*Lee Jones is Reader in International Politics at Queen Mary University of London.
Power without responsibility, for too many in modern society that has always been the aim.
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citizenJA
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by citizenJA »

AnatolyKasparov wrote:---
Power without responsibility, for too many in modern society that has always been the aim.
(cJA edit)

yes, this is the problem right here
it's tyranny, this
may as well have a dictator
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

There is a phrase that was once in vogue - "elected dictatorship".
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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

gilsey wrote:Doesn't seem to be paywalled.
Firefox + NoScript kills all known Telegraph paywalls dead.

Unfortunately it doesn't kill the more sophisticated paywalls of newspapers you might want to read.

I mainly use NoScript to block scam adverts and porn when watching football streams so it seems entirely appropriate that it should be equally effective against the Telegraph.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

Well, hello there.

Quiet day innit?
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citizenJA
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

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I always come back.
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citizenJA
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by citizenJA »

Today's mortality number is high
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

Second highest yet, I think.
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citizenJA
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by citizenJA »

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Second highest yet, I think.
It startled me
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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

Blimey, the BBC newsreader Clive Myrie has taken considerable exception to an attack on him by Allison Pearson in the Telegraph. She had a go at him for his 'remorseless scaremongering' during a report from the Royal London Hospital which made her 'switch channels in disgust' before accusing him of 'driving the juggernaut of panic'. I have no intention of providing a link to the article because it's obviously the work of someone with a serious personality disorder.

But here's Clive.
I’m really pleased for you Allison that you’re not scared of this pandemic. You say “dying and dying and dying chanted Clive.”- it was Hannah Leahy the mortician who said that and she’s at the sharp end of this nightmare.

I can’t imagine why Hannah’s not looking on the bright side of all this, like all the staff of the NHS. You publish the comments of those from your post bag who like you were “disgusted” by my reports and had to “switch channel.”

I would wager that for every one of your “optimists” I have ten who contacted me not throwing up in “disgust” but who felt the reports provide a public service.

You give the impression we journalists enjoy this ( maybe I’m wrong,) that the wading through people’s grief to highlight the reality of 100,000+ dead is some how pleasurable. That’s the impression anyway.

I’m sorry my reports for you don’t display your unalloyed optimism over this pandemic and I’m sorry I can’t gloss over -as you have- in your discursive article the fact that 100,000+ people just happen to be dead.
https://twitter.com/CliveMyrieBBC/statu ... 1817704449
https://twitter.com/CliveMyrieBBC/statu ... 7042761730
https://twitter.com/CliveMyrieBBC/statu ... 0517948420
https://twitter.com/CliveMyrieBBC/statu ... 8604054534
https://twitter.com/CliveMyrieBBC/statu ... 5073303552
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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

Labour failing to win back enough Tory voters, officials warn

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -may-polls
“There are no sign in any of the polling we have seen that we are going to make any advances whatsoever,” a senior Labour source said.

Shadow ministers have been warned that the party’s 20-point poll advance has come from cannibalising the Liberal Democrat vote, as that party languishes in single figures. “Put simply, we are winning back nowhere near enough Tory voters,” a senior source said.

Internal polling presented to the shadow cabinet two weeks ago suggested Labour will struggle to win the Tees Valley mayoral seat, now held by the Tory Ben Houchen, which had been seen as a bellwether for Labour’s resurrection in north-east England. The private research suggested the Conservatives could win with 66% of the first round of voting, a devastating result for Labour.

Labour expects to come third in the Scottish parliament elections, losing dozens of seats to the SNP.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by PorFavor »

I've always been a Myrie admiree - he stands out in the BBC crowd.
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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

It seems a bunch of cranks and chancers have set themselves up as some kind of anti-Sage.

HART - Health Advisory & Recovery Team

https://www.hartgroup.org/

There isn't a single virologist or epidemiologist amongst them, but they do have a vet.

In fact the only one I've ever heard of is Professor David Livermore, who signed the 'Great Barrington Declaration' and said in October -
In March, we knew little. A brief lockdown was proportionate, to ready the NHS. Now, though, we know that much infection is very mild and inconsequential.

There is no good way out, but the declaration outlines a route that we believe is better, and more humane. So far as possible, life should return to normal for those at low risk and for anyone older who accepts the hazard, which will include me.

The virus will circulate among us, generating herd immunity. As we recover, it will run out of hosts and lose traction.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/202 ... -low-risk/

That hasn't aged well. Much like the thousands who've died since he wrote it.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

PorFavor wrote:I've always been a Myrie admiree - he stands out in the BBC crowd.
He'll probably get fired now for expressing an opinion. Such things have been discouraged.
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citizenJA
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by citizenJA »

Goodnight, everyone.
love,
cJA
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by tinyclanger2 »

The Fantastic Mr Fox and Citizen NoScript.
I am so technologically unsound that the sight of:
"Firefox + NoScript" made me feel directly a little queasy.

I hope PF is OK.
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by tinyclanger2 »

Tories, Republicans what can you do.
The growing proportion of populations actively wanting to be lied to (because reality looks so s**t) is the scariest thing.
On the other hand reality only looks this s**t cos the Tories and Repulicans keep getting voted in.
Ad nauseum.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by PorFavor »

tinyclanger2 wrote:The Fantastic Mr Fox and Citizen NoScript.
I am so technologically unsound that the sight of:
"Firefox + NoScript" made me feel directly a little queasy.

I hope PF is OK.
Hello. Are you wanting some of my much sought after technological assistance?
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by tinyclanger2 »

Quite. But I understand the queue is long.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

Sky'sGoneOut wrote:Labour failing to win back enough Tory voters, officials warn

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... -may-polls
“There are no sign in any of the polling we have seen that we are going to make any advances whatsoever,” a senior Labour source said.

Shadow ministers have been warned that the party’s 20-point poll advance has come from cannibalising the Liberal Democrat vote, as that party languishes in single figures. “Put simply, we are winning back nowhere near enough Tory voters,” a senior source said.

Internal polling presented to the shadow cabinet two weeks ago suggested Labour will struggle to win the Tees Valley mayoral seat, now held by the Tory Ben Houchen, which had been seen as a bellwether for Labour’s resurrection in north-east England. The private research suggested the Conservatives could win with 66% of the first round of voting, a devastating result for Labour.

Labour expects to come third in the Scottish parliament elections, losing dozens of seats to the SNP.
Guardian rehashing spin previously given to Paul Waugh, is it?

Transparent expectations management, and losing "dozens of seats" in Scotland would actually take SLab into negative territory.
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tinyclanger2
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by tinyclanger2 »

Yorkshire + Dales = Best National Park in Europe (except that it's not in Europe).


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/h ... 93349.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by AnatolyKasparov »

tinyclanger2 wrote:Tories, Republicans what can you do.
The growing proportion of populations actively wanting to be lied to (because reality looks so s**t) is the scariest thing.
On the other hand reality only looks this s**t cos the Tories and Repulicans keep getting voted in.
Ad nauseum.
Just on a point of fact, Democrats have won the popular vote in 7 of the last 8 POTUS elections.

And to some extent GOP support is reliant on older voters (even if not to the extraordinary extent that the Tories are here)

Even without the chaos Trump has created, they have problems.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by tinyclanger2 »

V true.
BUT Trump’s popularity among Republicans bounces back following Capitol riot, poll says
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/worl ... 93660.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

What do people think Labour should be doing because if I were one of their strategists (and I had hair) I'd be tearing my hair out.

They've hoovered up all the urban liberal and remainer votes and now what? How do you appeal to someone like me while also appealing to brexit voters? I'm not sure it can be done. Brexit has laid waste to England's political landscape for a generation, Scotland is a write off as far as Labour are concerned and it's not looking too great in parts of Wales.

They're in a bit of a pickle.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by tinyclanger2 »

Not sure there's much to be done, until the population demands PR and UK politics change completely.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

AnatolyKasparov wrote:losing "dozens of seats" in Scotland would actually take SLab into negative territory.
This is true, they could lose a dozen MSPs but attempting to lose any more dozens would result in some weird shit happening like Scottish Labour candidates appearing in Australia with no idea how they got there.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by tinyclanger2 »

It's true I'm not in an overly optimistic state just now - but the world has completely changed and politics (in alleged democracies) need to adapt
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

tinyclanger2 wrote:Not sure there's much to be done, until the population demands PR and UK politics change completely.
I'll never forgive that fool Clegg for squandering the only chance we ever had to reform the voting system in our lifetimes.

Allowed himself to be talked into a half arsed compromise by Cameron that pleased nobody then agreed his coalition 'partners' could campaign against it. What an outstandingly naive and stupid man.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

tinyclanger2 wrote:Yorkshire + Dales = Best National Park in Europe (except that it's not in Europe).
And Nidderdale is the best part of the Yorkshire Dales (except that it's not in the National Park).

At least if you're wild camping, not being part of the national park = no rangers = less chance of getting caught.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidderdale
Notable residents

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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

AnatolyKasparov wrote:Just on a point of fact, Democrats have won the popular vote in 7 of the last 8 POTUS elections.

And to some extent GOP support is reliant on older voters (even if not to the extraordinary extent that the Tories are here)

Even without the chaos Trump has created, they have problems.
They have serious problems.

Despite their decades of gerrymandering demographic changes have all but swept the Republicans out of cities across the American South. Take Georgia for example. It's all very well getting nigh on 90% of the rural vote but when Atlanta votes Democrat they're screwed.

And they know this. There are Republican pollsters and strategists like David Frum warning them that Trump was a freak (both literally and electorally) who managed to attract working class democrats in a way that a traditional Republican would never be able to do.

So like Labour at the moment they're stuck between a rock and a hard place.

But the rock and hard place are the opposite way round.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

Slow West
A young Scottish man travels across America in pursuit of the woman he loves, attracting the attention of an outlaw who is willing to serve as a guide.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3205376/

Directed by John MacLean.

Also known for...



Torrenting as I type.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by PorFavor »

Time to wheel this one out again simply because it amuses me.

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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by PorFavor »

Caren Pistorius? No relation I trust, or else it runs the risk of being a seemingly never-ending saga.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

If you're going to make me watch spinning things.

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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by PorFavor »

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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

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Sky'sGoneOut
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

That's not fair.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by PorFavor »

Mayor Aims to Turn Small Town Into QAnon, USA

City council meetings don’t often get heated in Sequim, Washington, a small town of roughly 7,000 people popular with retirees from Seattle.

But five days after militia members, crazed Trump supporters, and QAnon believers violently broke into the U.S. Capitol, a city council meeting buzzed with one question: did Sequim Mayor William Armacost still believe in QAnon?

“Do you still stand behind your belief that QAnon is a truth movement?” Armacost critic Marsha Maguire asked during a council meeting held on Zoom.

Armacost didn’t say anything, but the QAnon questions weren’t over. Next up, a Sequim resident who gave his name as “Josh” had an urgent question for Armacost: Could Armacost hold off on joining any new QAnon insurrections, even if just for a few weeks?

“At the very least, for the rest of this month, if you could promise not to commit any act of insurrection, that would be great,” Josh said at the meeting. “Just as a citizen of Sequim, I don’t like to be represented by terrorists. So if we could promise to finish out this month without killing anyone, that would be great.” (Daily Beast - my bold)
The bolded part sounds like Alan Arkin (the psychiatrist) in Grosse Pointe Blank. https://www.thedailybeast.com/mayor-aim ... =DDMorning
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by PorFavor »

Sorry but it's maudlin time. You have to admit, it's been a while.

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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

There are various reasons I hate that kind of thing.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

Post by Sky'sGoneOut »

All of a sudden everything was amusing.
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Re: Wednesday 27th January 2021

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