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.

In the same series I learned there are still French monarchists. Who knew ?
I did a holiday exchange with some.
Right wazzocks.

I'm very far from Emily Thornberry's biggest fan, but she gives Liz Truss a good kicking here; twitter.com/EmilyThornberry/status/1331920701171888133

Interesting
www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/26/boris-johnson-appoints-dan-rosenfield-chief-of-staff
I read the Economist article about who Johnson should appoint this morning
www.economist.com/britain/2020/11/21/in-search-of-a-modern-machiavelli

I wonder how things will pan out .....

@ListeningQuietly

Interesting www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/26/boris-johnson-appoints-dan-rosenfield-chief-of-staff I read the Economist article about who Johnson should appoint this morning www.economist.com/britain/2020/11/21/in-search-of-a-modern-machiavelli

I wonder how things will pan out .....

I guess the stopped clock theory means that eventually an appointment with either be competent regardless of cronyship - although it's interesting that Mr. Rosenfield doesn't seem to be too cronyish - to the extent that he may have been backed by George Osborne ?????

But an interesting development. I wonder what his Brexit credentials are ?

From Tony Connelly RTE:

BREAKING: the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier has called an "urgent" meeting of EU fisheries ministers for tomorrow, acc to two sources

Any chance of a hedgehog update? listening

I love hedgehogs - unfortunately I haven't seen any around us, which I find surprising

Hedgehog not very well - had clearly eaten something not good for it before I found it
but currently asleep in the utility room in the "cat towel"
so might pull through.

My garden one managed to shit across the polytunnel doorway so I know that if the tiny one does pull through there is lots to eat

Do you have any hedgehog rescues near you? I have a couple near me , who seem to be very good at helping sick hogs..... they maybe able to offer some advise?

Very late PMK

MrsL
Local hog rescue is closed due to COVID but we have vet advice on tap.
If it can settle its stomach over the next 24 hours it will pull through - no injuries - but it WAS walking along a concrete alley way in broad daylight ....

if only we had a government that was really committed to protecting the environment

Does most of the population have any idea about what is going to happen? Does the government basically plan it as a big surprise?

@Greektome

Does most of the population have any idea about what is going to happen? Does the government basically plan it as a big surprise?

No. What the government "plans" ? Fuck knows.

Oh that's great Listening .....
It's like add it too the list with this government- I live very close to HS2 abs the damage that is happening to the environment is huge..... stands of trees cut down to just build a road for construction vehicle , chalk streams destroyed- abs that's before you start talking about the wildlife..... but it's their home.....

Sunak did not use the word because he's not allowed to

I really despise Johnson and his cowardly, doublespeak, troupe of ideologues. If they're going to inflict this completely unnecessary economic damage, then don't try to BS us by refusing to name it. FGS.

I see there are now questions about Astra Z vaccine. Could be just a mistake but it doesn't help confidence much. Sorry Oxford.

And it is so much cheaper than the other vaccines. SABOTAGE ?because you can keep the Zeneca in the ordinary fridge and is old school type too.

I dunno.

My reading of the extra Astra Zeneca tests is not that there is concern about it but that they are checking the surprising findings that a half dose followed by a second, full dose significantly increases its effectiveness. As such, it is not expected to take long.

I see that as a good thing - especially as so many doses are going to be needed. It would decrease the overall amount required by a quarter, while simultaneously ensuring that a greater proportion of those that take it get the required immunity, thus making it easier to get to a state of herd immunity (if that is possible with this virus).

Thats basically what they've just said on Newsnight pretty why "low dose then high dose" works better than "high dose then high dose" I couldnt not comment coz i know zilch about vaccine development but that's what Oxford University and Astra Zenica have said. Sounds like a good thing to me too, not a cause for concern.

@LouiseCollins28

Thats basically what they've just said on Newsnight pretty why "low dose then high dose" works better than "high dose then high dose" I couldnt not comment coz i know zilch about vaccine development but that's what Oxford University and Astra Zenica have said. Sounds like a good thing to me too, not a cause for concern.

It's not a cause for concern per se but it's not necessarily a cause for celebrations either. Comparing the 2 full doses with the .5 dose followed by full dose is comparing apples and oranges as the participant profiles were different.

I haven't seen reports where they control for the demographic differences between the groups. Once they do that, it may be that the efficacy is similar for younger age profiles for both regimes, which would probably make this vaccine a lot less efficacious for older ages. More analysis and research is needed.

Regardless, the vaccine news over the past few weeks is promising and multiple options are needed. It's great to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Just hope it's not a train....

Ochon - my post was in response to veeeeh's post which seemed to have a thing against Oxford He or she then made some strange comment about sabotage and domestic fridges Wasn't quite sure what point he or she was trying to make

Hmm - maybe vested interests would like to kill off the prospect of a cheap vaccine - at what? £3 a dose, the sums are manageable. But not going to give the stonking great profits that something which costs £60 a dose will give.

Maybe I am just too cynical.

@prettybird - my post was in response to veeeeh's post which seemed to have a thing against Oxford

Yeah. I ignored the conspiracy theory (I couldn't be bothered addressing that) but just wanted to caution against assuming that the accidental dosing was as positive as the report suggested. The difference in demographics in the testing means that the results can't be compared with the other sets of tests.

I think it was always going to be the case that different vaccines based on different methodologies were going to be needed to suit different clinical populations. It's a good thing that there are many options.

I have just found out that my Trust might start staff vaccinations as early as next week - that'll be the Pfizer vaccine. Front line staff will have priority, but all staff will be vaccinated as a health Trust can't run without its back office and other support, so watch this space.

@HannibalHayes thanks for the link to Emily Thornberry giving Liz Truss ‘a good kicking’. She’s impressive: as forensic as Starmer. I wish we could have seen Truss’ response, if there was one. How do you respond to that?

So the Japan trade deal isn’t as good as the EU one, or as good as trailed. Who’d have guessed?

Evidence of untruthfulness in this government needs to reach a wider audience.

mobile.twitter.com/EmilyThornberry/status/1331920701171888133

Those darn EU students again. First year EU students who enrolled in UK universities but have been prevented by Covid from travelling over and are studying online are being given no extensions by the Home Office.

Either they physically get here by 31 Dec or they miss out on getting pre settled status and have to apply and pay for visas and pay the health surcharge. So £2k extra over course of their degree.

The home office has said they just need to get here for a day before 31 Dec. so encouraging non essential travel in a global pandemic and assuming other Eu countries have borders open enough for the students to travel and airlines have flights on. Otherwise it could be a road trip from Lithuania to Lowestoft!

Cut no slack, follow the rules! Except when it's the ministerial code...

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/27/first-year-eu-students-face-800-brexit-bill-if-not-in-uk-before-2021?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other