Westminstenders: a feature of the system not a bug

[RedToothBrush]

Tests on the new queuing system in Kent have revealed that lengthy tail backs are a feature not a bug.

We should get used to them because thats normal not the system malfunctioning, but the planned system working as designed.

Today we have found out that there's no money left. The economy is fucked. And tomorrow we will probably all be in T3 with the Isles of Wight, the tip of Cornwall and inner Westminster the only places left in T1.

Christmas has apparently been 'saved' though. Well if you are dumb and lacking in functional brain cells its 'saved'. Trade for Christmas is already thoroughly goosed and indoor family gatherings may come with a extra side of covid. The BBC have done an epic job of 'doommongering project fear' style graphics on this wonderful subject.

Tis the season to be jolly. Jolly fucked.

I heard the bird flu news as well, and my first thought was “I hope there’s not a foot and mouth breakout around the corner”.

.

Or flooding.

Or a denial of service attack on the NHS.

Or another banking crisis.

Cheery, aren't I?

Theresa Mays Hostile Environment was one of the drivers of Brexit.
History will remember that.

We need to work out when we start calling this the first global pandemic. Much like we had to decide at what point it was the "First" World War. (With a similar margin for historians to argue whether SARS or MERS were actually part of it. Much like WW1s start can be debated).

I saw June Tabor at the Cambridge Folk Festival 1990. Lovely voice. (We made the fatal mistake of camping near the childrens play area, so were kept awake by zipwire daredevils till the early hours ....)

I'm wondering when the shit will hit the fan in the care industry when the hostile environment it home. I believe there is some sort of exemption from the points system, but with a truly hostile environment far fewer people will want to come to do low paid, under appreciated vital work

*hits home

@ListeningQuietly

Theresa Mays Hostile Environment was one of the drivers of Brexit. History will remember that.

By contrast, Trumps attack on DACA has been reversed. The program starts again tomorrow (or someone has some explaining to do to a federal judge).

It's hard not to agree to some degree with Spike Lee that the US was born in the sin of slavery, and is suffering now for that sin.

In this case the way citizenship has been a political football ever since slavery was legally (if not practically) abolished.

It's a very serious question. What to do with hundreds of thousands of adults who are not citizens and who were bought into the US as children (so had no choice) ? Many of whom are now adults with their own children but no rights as citizens ?

There are parallels with Windrush. Including the slavery connection.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/dec/06/as-we-close-in-on-a-brexit-that-pleases-next-to-nobody-how-did-we-end-up-here

Tatiana I agree that I am fortunate to have both the space and the means to stockpile. I never said otherwise. I will definitely be paying it forward into local foodbanks as well.

I'm surprised at the British attitude to stockpiling. It's like it's something dirty that you shamefully keep to yourself. It's a selfish thing to do. Here in Sweden we're taught that having a stockpile and being prepared is our civic duty. Our government issues information and advice on what you should stock up on as part of its normal civil contingency planning. Everyone in Sweden has a copy of this document:

www.dinsakerhet.se/siteassets/dinsakerhet.se/broschyren-om-krisen-eller-kriget-kommer/om-krisen-eller-kriget-kommer---engelska.pdf

If it was termed
having a properly stocked larder
nobody would bat an eyelid

I'm surprised at the British attitude to stockpiling. It's like it's something dirty that you shamefully keep to yourself. It's a selfish thing to do. Here in Sweden we're taught that having a stockpile and being prepared is our civic duty

It's starts very young, in schools, when kids that pay attention, want to learn and do well in exams get bullied as "swots" and any form of personal responsibility is treated with deep suspicion.

It's heartbreaking to think of children that learn it's better to do badly than be bullied, but it's not uncommon. Kids learn very quickly how to appear mediocre if it helps them blend in. And that's one of the rare times I will write "as a parent".

Yes exactly re stockpiling. If everyone who could, had had enough in their home before covid, there would not have been the excess buying that there was.

I’m not sure there would be an issue with stockpiling in other scenario.

But in this case it’s associated with:

1. Brexiters having voted for circumstances would create a need for it - so it led to a lot of hostility.

1. Brexit peppers preparing a long time before it was necessary and thus seen as a bit tin foil hatty.

1. Covid panic buying of inappropriate items in unnecessary quantities leading to bare shelves and hardship for people who couldn’t stockpile.

People are inherently selfish... A survival urge. They would still have bought more.

@BlackeyedSusan

People are inherently selfish... A survival urge. They would still have bought more.

I disagree. The carefully buried remains of neolithic cripples who could not possibly have cared for themselves from birth and yet survived into middle age also argues against you. We are a social animal.

If we become selfish, it's because we hit limited resources. Which is why less humans and less artificial scarcity are probably the only way we can survive as a social animal.

I guess we could try to re-evolve ourselves into solitary mammals - like the rodents that meet once to fuck and then piss off into the night leaving the other with the offspring. But I didn't go to school to get a degree to see my son grow into a rat, thank you very much.

See also Human Kind, by Rutger Bregman. We're inherently a lot more co-operative than we give ourselves credit for - the narrative is competition, but co-operation is probably a lot more genuine in many ways. We'd have much better politics too if that was the base assumption.

We're inherently a lot more co-operative than we give ourselves credit for

Our survival as a species is the ultimate proof.

If people are given good guidance and support they will not panic buy.
TBH the shops are in control now.
They will enforce limits if they want

@ListeningQuietly

If people are given good guidance and support they will not panic buy. TBH the shops are in control now. They will enforce limits if they want

We're inherently a lot more co-operative than we give ourselves credit for

So what in the past 12 months of this governments handling (of anything) makes you think that's even a possibility ?

We'll have the 3 wise men giving different messages on TV, with the likes of JRM calling us "losers" for following their advice anyway.

Every person for themselve. And a little tip from one who knows - disabled people make really comfy footstools as you climb over them. Also it's harder to use a wheelchair with hands than it is to push it from the rear. So don't worry if you find one in your way - just push it out, they can't stop you. (DW has long got used to people moving her out of the way without her permission).

You know, reading that back, I retract my previous post and agree 110% with BlackeyedSusan. People are selfish.

I was in such a good mood too .

Well, yes, I'm not saying that we haven't got absolute shits in power right now. Clearly we're going to get through the next 12 months despite this government, not because of them. The kind of thing I'm talking about is that within a week of the national lockdown in March there was a new Whatsapp group for our street and people were falling over themselves to offer help to neighbours.