Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th June 2021

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 8:12 am

Good morning.

Well, this is an unexpected honour for me start the weekend off.

If one thing has come out of the Hancock affair, it's shining a light on Non-Exec Directors at Government Departments. I know from looking at the DfE in the Gove era how they are simply there as an echo chamber with Lords Nash and Agnew. Providing scrutiny on a system that includes yourself isn't exactly what I would call independent!

Post by **refitman** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 9:11 am

Morning Roger.

It's a free for all, the police will only investigate things that are yet to happen.

tinyclanger2 · Post by **tinyclanger2** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 9:53 am

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... saving-jab
So much has gone wrong, and the well-intentioned folk at Oxford and AstraZeneca have taken so many blows, that it is hardly surprising that they wonder whether they have been the victims of a deliberate disinformation campaign.

It seems they have. There is clear evidence that the Oxford vaccine, and other jabs, have been targeted by Russians peddling disinformation in order to promote their own version, Sputnik V.

Post by **refitman** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 11:27 am

Times still fighting for the rights of bigots:

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 11:53 am

Human rights that only apply to people you approve of, are not really human rights at all.

Post by **refitman** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 2:26 pm

Got my first jab

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 2:56 pm

refitman wrote: ↑Sat 26 Jun, 2021 2:26 pm Got my first jab

Splendid.

I wasn't aware we had a young whippersnapper among our ranks.

Post by **refitman** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 3:14 pm

Sky'sGoneOut wrote: ↑Sat 26 Jun, 2021 2:56 pm
refitman wrote: ↑Sat 26 Jun, 2021 2:26 pm Got my first jab
Splendid.

I wasn't aware we had a young whippersnapper among our ranks.

I suppose that depends on how you define 40

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 4:00 pm

40 is young for most of us.

(55 this year, ahem)

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 4:26 pm

refitman wrote: ↑Sat 26 Jun, 2021 3:14 pmI suppose that depends on how you define 40

I define it as being Irritatingly younger than me.

I still had all my hair when I was 40.

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 4:56 pm

Anyway, now that Scotland are out, Dewch ymlaen, Cymru!

Post by **refitman** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 5:56 pm

Sky'sGoneOut wrote: ↑Sat 26 Jun, 2021 4:26 pm
refitman wrote: ↑Sat 26 Jun, 2021 3:14 pmI suppose that depends on how you define 40
I define it as being Irritatingly younger than me.

I still had all my hair when I was 40.

Lucky bastard

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 6:21 pm

,,,and gone.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 6:30 pm

I wonder if this is against Johnson's wishes?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 6:57 pm

henry Bolton being all calm and reasonable about the leaking of CCTV footage...

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:00 pm

Goddamnit, I wanted Him to hang on grimly for at least a week and Wales to win.

Why must I be thwarted at every turn?

Although they both of course have silver linings, Robbie Savage is now sad and Matt Hancock won't like the tone of the mockery he'll recieve for the rest of his life.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:11 pm

Ditto - apart from the football stuff. Probably one of the better scenarios for Boris Johnson, which is galling.

Perhaps the Sunday papers will contain something that will cheer me up - eg, what's changed since yesterday to bring this about?

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:14 pm

Not sure why I capitalised 'him' in my previous post. I wish to make it clear I do not worship Matt Hancock or regard him to be a god. Though I can see him leading some kind of sordid sex cult where he demands both of the above.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:16 pm

It didn't go unnoticed, but I didn't like to mention it . . .

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:19 pm

And off she goes too...

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:29 pm

PorFavor wrote: ↑Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:11 pm what's changed since yesterday to bring this about?

The relentless avalanche of gleeful piss taking that was never going to end might have had something to do with it.

Plus confirmation that he has zero support in the Tory press, they backed Patel, even Cummings to an extent, but they've thrown Hancock to the wolves. He's a filthy remainer lockdown enthusiast as far as they're concerned.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:51 pm

I'm curently hearing two names as a replacement. One is Michael Gove; the other is Jeremy Hunt, who I consider to be responsible for the PPE crisis at the start of the pandemic. It's a post which can't be left unfilled for more than a few hours. Boris Johnson should have had an "oven ready" understudy.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:53 pm

It's neither of them...

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:54 pm

@RogerOThornhill

Thanks.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:55 pm

Safe pair of hands in my opinion - I'd seen Nadine Dorries mentioned which would have been good for the comedy value.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 8:09 pm

Compared to Matt Hancock's now-famous filmstar hands?

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 10:21 pm

PorFavor wrote: ↑Sat 26 Jun, 2021 7:11 pm
Perhaps the Sunday papers will contain something that will cheer me up - eg, what's changed since yesterday to bring this about?

His emails.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sat 26 Jun, 2021 10:26 pm

You should be immensely proud of your service. I am grateful for your support and believe that your contribution to public service is far from over.

I sincerely hope that Hancock's contribution to public service is over.
He's killed more than enough people already.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 9:34 am

I realised last night that the Permanent Secretary at the DHSC is none other than Sir Chris Wormald.

The fact that he seemingly allowed his Minister to appoint a close friend to the Board doesn't surprise me at all given who was on the Board at the DfE
- Nash and Agnew - when Wormald was there.

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 11:19 am

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 11:48 am

Leeds waits for vaccine as Covid rates go sky-high in student areas.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/ ... dent-areas

While the UK average is 105 cases per 100,000 people, the case rate in the Hyde Park ward is a huge 1,547 per 100,000 people and it is rising rapidly. In neighbouring Hyde Park Corner and Woodhouse Cliff, there are 1,044 cases per 100,000 people.

Physics student Mae Jankowski said the government’s roadmap of reduced restrictions had allowed the virus to spread in areas where the majority of the population had not been offered the vaccine. “People are following the rules set for everyone, but here it’s spreading like it would have done before because hardly anyone is vaccinated,” the 21-year-old said.

Popular venue the Brudenell Social Club had six security staff working on Friday night in order to manage Covid measures, which included temperature checks on entry and compulsory masks when walking around outside, neither of which are required by law.

That's where I was supposed to be going last Sunday before looking at the infection rate, thinking 'oh shit', and deciding it would be a foolhardy endeavour.

What's not mentioned here is that it's now inevitably spread into the city centre, and if events follow a similar course to those last September it'll spread from there right across the city in a week or so.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 12:15 pm

The latest galaxy brained plan from certain Labour "moderates" for saving the party?

Bring back Blair. Yes, really.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 12:23 pm

I'm not given to blowing my own trumpet but I'll chalk this tweet up as a success...

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 12:40 pm

Put his family first, but has just dumped his wife. OK then.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 1:54 pm

Good morfternoon.

The Matt Hancock issue has probably done irreparable damage to the necessary precautionary Covid measures that most people have been taking to date. There's now a tone (and I don't like it!) in the media that people have been conned into doing unnecessary things - not that Matt Hancock was acting in a dangerously irresponsible manner as well as being a hypocrite - and corrupt to boot. Ammunition for the Covid Recovery Group and similar bonkers movements. I note that Sajid Javid wants the country to go back to normal as "soon as possible". Not a mention of the words ''as safely as possible''.

I see that Brandon Lewis drew the short straw today. Still, if you've got a stupid message to deliver, who better to deliver it than a stupid messenger? And reading between the lines, Social Care has gone to the back of the queue yet again.

(Leaving the nuclear code, or whatever, at a 'bus stop in Kent doesn't seem to have had the desired effect with regard to changing the subject, does it?)

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 2:04 pm

Is the documents dump thing the first ever dead cat within a dead cat?

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 2:05 pm

At least he was 'honoured', and not 'humbled', to get the job. I'm thankful for small mercies these days.

gilsey · Post by **gilsey** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 2:13 pm

PorFavor wrote: ↑Sun 27 Jun, 2021 1:54 pm I note that Sajid Javid wants the country to go back to normal as "soon as possible". Not a mention of the words ''as safely as possible''.

It's almost unbelievable that we could live (or die) to regret Hancock going. Almost.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 6:33 pm

Take a look at the heading of the letter that GB news shared on Twitter...bunch of amateurs.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 9:35 pm

Prevent strategy
Boy, 11, referred to Prevent for wanting to give ‘alms to the oppressed’

Teachers contact counter-radicalisation programme after mistakenly believing he said ‘arms’ (Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/202 ... -oppressed

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 10:14 pm

Well I don't know about you lot but I've had a thoroughly lovely day. Escaped the Covid hellhole that is Leeds for the wilds of rural Calderdale, had a ramble and sat in a field drinking wine amongst bees and butterflies in bucolic bliss. No drama on trains or buses, nearly everyone was wearing masks.

For once I can't think of a single thing to complain about.

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 10:51 pm

gilsey wrote: ↑Sun 27 Jun, 2021 2:13 pmIt's almost unbelievable that we could live (or die) to regret Hancock going. Almost.

If 'The Saj' had have been health secretary from start we'd have been fucked. His 'Objectivist' Randian leanings would have put him on the side of the lockdown sceptics and he'd have done nothing to counter Johnson's 'Mayor of Jaws' delusions.

I despise Matt Hancock, I mean really fucking hate him, and am taking an obscene amount of pleasure in his downfall, but the fact is in him we had someone who was ideologically flexible enough that while he was robbing us blind he was also open to reason.

If we're to take Javid's juvenile obsession with 'The Fountainhead' seriously, and multiple political journalists and his fellow MPs insist we must, then following that 'philosophy' we'd never have gone into any lockdowns. Ever.

Countless thousands more would have died.

So yeah, that's the problem with the Tories isn't it? They always seem to manage to replace someone awful with someone even worse.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 11:14 pm

‘Be not solitary, be not idle’: secrets of 400-year-old self-help book unlocked

Lauded for centuries but a puzzle for many readers, The Anatomy of Melancholy has at last been demystified (Guardian)

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/ ... k-unlocked

Well, that's me stuffed, then.

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 11:21 pm

And me.

At least you've got an excuse.

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Sun 27 Jun, 2021 11:44 pm

For example, scholars have typically claimed that Burton and his contemporaries believed melancholy was caused internally by black bile in the human body. But Gowland reveals that the vocabulary employed by Burton – particularly his use of the word “artificial” – indicates that, importantly, Burton also thought melancholy was caused by factors external to the body, and that every living organism was susceptible to it.

I'm not sure I've ever met a depressed slime mold. Though admittedly how would I know? Same for wasps. How would I indentify a melancholy wasp?

I mean I spent half an hour with what I thought was an exhausted Queen tree bee last week, picked her up off the ground with a stick and put her on lovely nectar rich flowers and she just lolled around looking like she was at death's door, then next thing I knew she flew off as if there was nothing wrong with her at all. And there probably wasn't, she was most likely resting and cooling down until some knob end started hassling her with a stick.

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Mon 28 Jun, 2021 12:06 am

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Mon 28 Jun, 2021 12:17 am

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Mon 28 Jun, 2021 1:03 am

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Mon 28 Jun, 2021 1:13 am

Sorry about that.

There must be about 5 Broadcast songs ripped off from that hideous noise.

Just goes to show there's no accounting for taste.

Sky'sGoneOut · Post by **Sky'sGoneOut** » Mon 28 Jun, 2021 1:20 am

Or evidence that you can indeed make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.