Long Weekend Thread 20 March 2020

Spare a thought for those biased BBC employees in departments which no longer exist such as Sport . It’s a pity other branches of the biased organisation are not extinguished as well… instead of spending their time undermining the response to the threat from the Chinese virus .

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359 Responses to Long Weekend Thread 20 March 2020

  1. Guest Who says:

    BBC politics runs a #Jezsez even before Labour PR get it in social media.

    #CCBGB

       12 likes

    • tarien says:

      But let it not be forgotten that it was the Labour Government under T. Blair that brought about the necessity for measures of austerity-remember that B awful Labour lot lef the cupboard bare-ziltch-

         10 likes

  2. G.W.F. says:

    Nothing like Chink Virus for turning a Tory Government into a socialist one which takes it upon itself to monitor the movements of individuals

    The Government hopes to stop us touching our faces, reports the state broadcaster.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51869634?fbclid=IwAR13MhH9qHkhKnUMIdesg70Wt5hyraMGXJwjUJnkhEKobZi5u9kJcsc91g4

    Meanwhile, the first arrest of a comrade not self isolating is reported by the people’s BBC

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-51974140

       21 likes

  3. Dystopian says:

    It was reported today that the church of England have said that weddings must be limited to 5 persons.

    In the interests of “equality” could the BBC please investigate as to whether or not the Muslims will be limiting their weddings and also their 5 times daily prayers to 5 persons also?

    It would be such a shame if this virus was the eventual pushback to the Islamisation of Britain wouldn’t it.

       48 likes

  4. Some_People_are_Saying... says:

    Hi Self Isolators,
    Please can someone help me before I run to Tesco’s & start sneezing to get myself lynched? How do you successfully put a photo into a post, I’ve tried allsorts of links, generated links, HTML etc etc and it never appears. I am using the “You can add images to your comment by clicking here.” button. Cough Cough….

       10 likes

    • Terminal Moraine says:

      You need to have the photo hosted somewhere already i.e. you can’t upload a photo on your computer direct to BBBC. If it’s on a website already you need the link complete with suffix (.jpg or .png etc). If it’s not, you need to upload it yourself to an image hosting site like imgur or geekpic.

      Once uploaded, get your image link, it’ll look something like: https://imgur.com/xxxxxxxx.jpg

      (The ‘add images’ feature here just adds a bit of code either side of the link to publish it while it sits on another site.)

         5 likes

      • Some_People_are_Saying... says:

        Thanks for your reply, I am trying to upload it from two sites: Amazon drive & Google drive (via third party modifier to allow google link to work) I’ve tried three different options from google & one from Amazon all containing versions of the URL / HTML code associated with the image.

           1 likes

        • Terminal Moraine says:

          Some People — Google drive won’t let me link direct, maybe they restrict use. Don’t know what 3rd party app you’re using but it might be easier just to use imgur or similar as they work well for this kind of thing

             0 likes

  5. Guest Who says:

    More going with ‘pathetic’.

       9 likes

  6. Terminal Moraine says:

    Yet more people ‘dying with the virus’, now Wales: The death of a first person in Wales from coronavirus has been called a “first tragedy” for the nation.

    It was a 68 year old with the now-familiar “underlying health conditions”. Meanwhile, as the world moves towards a police state where you’ll need to produce ID papers to take the dog for a walk, Bloomberg reports one study showing 99% of fatalities in Italy had other illnesses. Only a small sample study, but less than one percent showed no previous pathology. Nearly half “suffered from at least three prior illnesses and about a fourth had either one or two previous conditions.”

    So as the numbers slowly mount, is anyone at the BBC or beyond clear what a “coronavirus fatality” is or will they continue with irresponsible sensationalism?

       34 likes

  7. Deborah says:

    I switched on the 1pm Radio 4 news to hear that we will have to self isolate for a year (I think they said it was what the government said). I am afraid it has slightly spooked me but I could no longer listen to hear whether it was in answer to a question, or had those useful weasel words, ‘up to’. I just switched off and went for a walk.

    I did hear some of the rest of the headlines – are the BBC determined to panic everybody? Whilst walking I reminded myself that most people get better from this damned virus – something that the BBC doesn’t want to remind us.

       39 likes

    • Thoughtful says:

      Trouble is where should the level be pitched? Most people I talk to under 50 believe that they aren’t going to be affected, it’ll only be mild’ and it’s the elderly who are at risk. Then there are the insane and lemming like elderly like Esther Rantzen who appear to believe there shold be zero restrictions on her age group!

      One end of the population believes there’s nothing going to affect them, the other end is in panic but doesn’t want to take any measures necessary.

      To date there are only 10 000 deaths in the entire world, so what’s all the panic about? 150000 per day die of natural causes, around 100K of old age, so what’s the panic ?

      Unless of course there’s something more to it which they’re not telling us…………

         16 likes

  8. BRISSLES says:

    Only 3 days in of this self isolation and already spending more than necessary on ‘stuff’ online. Saw a nice dress and decided to buy it, then just before hitting the Pay button, I thought what the hell am I doing ? I’ve nowhere to go to wear it with everything shutting down or cancelled. So I swapped it for a couple of camping lamps and an army torch. Like you do. My logic being that with everyone dropping like flies (or will be), then the utilities could be affected by only having a skeleton staff to man the Grids, which could in turn mean that we will experience hours of electricity shortages. So I’m getting ahead of the game with my lamps. BUT they are the battery powered only, not the dopy ones that need a pc connection – cos that needs electricity to function ! duh !

       26 likes

    • Beltane says:

      That’s a good point Briss. I wonder if all the Shelfoovers went to Currys first to get a couple of mega-freezers?
      With the level of intelligence shown so far, can we expect ever greater stinking landfill sites or food poisoning epidemics to help the NHS along?

         16 likes

    • Pat..original says:

      @ BRISSLES I feel I am ahead of you here. Probably due to the Brexit alarm last year I bought a wind up torch and radio! Batteries will no doubt be in short supply soon, flying off shelves etc. The only draw back is that ‘Mr. Pat’ has to complete the winding up processes as my arm drops off after a minute.

         13 likes

      • Fedup2 says:

        Pat – at the moment as I sit in my bunker in New Zealand – wearing a space suit – I must complain to the Manufacturer regarding the difficulty typing — some times the letters get jublmed….. and still i can’t get semi skimmed ckavendake …..

        As for Beltanes clever idea about ‘mega fridges ‘ I’ve got one of them but at the moment it’s full up with frozen toilet rolls. Am I doing something wrong ?

        ( just think – somewhere on this planet there are nuclear submarine crews deep in the ocean with no clue about all this – lucky eh ?)

           25 likes

        • Pat..original says:

          @Fedup2 – BBC Spotlight last night had an expert explaining how to keep fit by doing squats and turns transferring a pile of toilet rolls from a table to the floor and back again. As you have your space suit you would not even need to thaw them out first.

             9 likes

  9. Guest Who says:

    https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/348767/poll-nearly-half-of-us-doesnt-trust-traditiona.html?

    That surely cannot include CNN or Katty’s other main source of posts?

       7 likes

  10. StewGreen says:

    @Stoic posted
    From the BBC – corona excuses. It’s a puzzle why the BBC received so many complaints at the end of last year!

    BBC Complaints Teamreplied
    “We’re contacting you to apologise that we were unable to reply to the complaint you made last year to the BBC.
    We regret that we could not provide you with our usual level of service.
    This happened because of unprecedented numbers of complaints submitted to the BBC at the time, and unfortunately we could not manage to reply to everyone.
    We would like to reassure you however that we circulated your complaint to the production team and BBC management the following morning, so they were aware of yours and the other overnight feedback the next day.

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaints/recent-complaints
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact/complaint-service-reports.

    We are now trying our best to maintain the current service despite staff numbers being unavoidably reduced by the coronavirus pandemic.
    We appreciate your understanding, and if you still would like a reply after this time you can contact us again (quoting your case number).
    We do however need to indicate that the reduced staffing we’re experiencing at present means we may still not be able to reply for some time until the crisis eases.”

       20 likes

    • Guest Who says:

      That must be the sickest department in the entire corporation.

         23 likes

      • Celtic_Mist says:

        I eventually realised complaining was a waste of time.

        The BBC has no sense of shame – comes with the left-liberal ideology

           25 likes

  11. StewGreen says:

    Greek authorities have deployed large fans at the Turkish border to blowback against tear gas and other chemicals fired at the Greek border by migrants.

    https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/03/14/greece-deploys-large-fans-to-blow-back-migrant-tear-gas-attacks/

       18 likes

    • Beltane says:

      Guardian headline: Heartwarming scenes as needy migrants greeted by army of fans at Greek borders.

         21 likes

  12. Guest Who says:

    The kids are alright.

    ***
    Newsbeat
    1 hr ·
    “At some point they’re going to close. But while they’re still open I’m definitely going to try and go as much as I can.”
    Current advice is to avoid crowded places like gyms, but some people are worried about the affect no gym could have on their mental health
    With people self-isolating, some are worried about the impact no gym could have on mental health.

    BBC.COM
    ‘I don’t feel like myself without a gym routine’

    ***

    Apparently.

    Hard not to see the MSM, and BBC especially, as a bit schizophrenic in its coverage, at one moment lambasting any not voluntarily obeying orders, and the next promoting not doing so.

       27 likes

  13. Sluff says:

    The coronavirus epidemic is shining a bright light on the biggest division in society.
    Which is between the Entitled public sector and the Constantly maligned private sector.
    So we have, for example, Teachers- about to get three months off on full pay, full job security, gold plated pension schemes. Yet forever whingeing about how overworked and underpaid they are.
    Versus- workers in tourism, travel, hospitality, pubs, and restaurants, just for starters. Low pay, insecure, few perks, no pension entitlement.

    Strangely the BBC have little to say about this.
    I suggest a ‘public sector income tax surcharge’ in order to redistribute wealth from the smug and cosseted to the riskier and precarious.

       46 likes

    • JohnUK says:

      Sluff,
      One of my daughters is a teacher, primary school. The Head went off on long-term sick recently – no choice. As she is the deputy it all fell into her lap last saturday morning. She just texted that she has got back home after the most challenging week of her career, just got the list of kids who would be continuing at school mid-morning today. Two other teachers pregnant and off for the foreseeable future, no chance of supply cover for either. Still as she put it. “Back home, parents happy, kids happy and staff happy “.
      She won’t be getting any more than the usual 2 wks at Easter assuming not asked to provide meals etc for poorer kids in the present circumstances.
      My other daughter is a specialist nurse with type 1 diabetes. There ave already been Cov-19 deaths at the hospital she works at. I would imagine they will have to carry her out because she would never refuse to help to the best of her ability whilst she was capable.
      They are just 2 of thousands of public sector workers who will be going above and beyond to help us through the present calamity.
      And you imagine that any headteacher has had “full job security” in the last ten years? Give me strength! There are good and bad in both public and private sectors, I’ve worked in both. The only generalisation I would make is the larger the worksite, the more opportunity for the workshy to hide.

         16 likes

  14. Celtic_Mist says:

    From this little corner of the Universe –

    -A&E are turning people away
    -Elective surgeries cancelled
    -The GP’s refuse to give appointments
    -Dentists have cancelled all appointments
    -Chemists only allowing two in at a time – big queues
    -Banks etc – same
    -Schools etc shut indefinitely
    -Tesco etc – so much for online deliveries
    -Many elderly will die in isolation

    It matters not what the rest of the Planet does because all the economies depend on US; eg FTSE follows DOW

    Imho, it is now all on Trump to sort out..

       15 likes

    • fakenewswatcher says:

      CM – GPs, Tesco and dentists: so much for ‘solidarity’, a favourite principle (allegedly) of the Left!

         8 likes

  15. john in cheshire says:

    For anyone who has the time, perhaps to break the tedium of isolation from the virus, this 47 minute video from Weekend Warrior is worth a watch.

    It has some interesting views on the origins of the virus, who is catching it and why. And suggests there’s a positive outcome from all the disruption we are all experiencing:

    https://youtu.be/dSfr-FxBfBw

    I think you’d have to wait forever before the racist far-left bbc broadcast such a thing. But then, who’s to say that they’d be snitching on themselves if they did so. If any of it is true, of course.

       14 likes

    • cromwell says:

      I’ve just watched that WOW. Do you think it’s just a conspiracy theory website or I wonder how much is the truth? I think I may watch it again tommorow on larger screen.

         5 likes

  16. The General says:

    How racist is Trump calling Covid-19 ‘The Chinese Virus’ ?

    Diseases are never named just because they originate in a particular area…………
    …….apart from :

    Spanish Flue
    Guinea Worm
    West Nile Virus
    German Measles
    Ross River Fever
    Omsk Hemorrhagic Fever
    Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever
    Marburg Virus Disease
    Lassa Fever
    La Crosse Encephalitis
    St. Louis Encephalitis
    Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
    Lyme Disease

       29 likes

  17. Terminal Moraine says:

    Another BBC local man: Newcastle man admits inciting terror acts in Germany. Geordie lad Fatah Mohammed Abdullah planned terror attacks in Germany “including driving a car into a crowd, attacking people with a meat cleaver, and causing an explosion.”

    (Claims he is Iranian; The Mail says he’s an Iraqi Kurd who was smuggled into Britain in the back of a lorry and given asylum.)

       37 likes

  18. lordelpus says:

    Trying to avoid biased BBC and SKY news this morning,and channel surfed to a channel showing Tipping Point.An attractive young lady contestant, who worked as a teaching assistant, was unable to answer the question, ”Which Queen gave her name to the Victorian era!There are still comedy moments out there!

       43 likes

  19. Terminal Moraine says:

    Kirklees Child Exploitation Hub have some strange videos on their Twitter feed supposedly highlighting the problem of childhood grooming. Casting director must be ex-BBC or Guardian:

       8 likes

  20. Up2snuff says:

    Having checked the weather forecast, the latent journalist in me, in a spirit of enquiry and the need for some exercise in fresh air, I went out for a cycle ride and to see what ‘the damage’ was at a supermarket.

    “You rotten swine weather, you dampened on me! Euughhuuugghhh! You rainedid on little Bluedintle and wetted my knees. Neuhugh!. I do not like the wetted knees, I do not. You were not forecasted.”

    Wal-type Greenslade-type voice: “Meanwhile, at the supermarket …. ”

    The place had been selectively stripped. Heretofore, the local community had seemed to be very restrained in their purchasing of foodstuffs but I have to admit if I go there it tends to be before midday. My visit was between 4.30 and 5p.m. which may account for the desolation.

    Veg & fruit selection stripped in places, I was after cooking apples. And bananas, only two tiny ones to be had along with plastic-packed sizeable bunches of tiny ones that go mouldy as soon as you look at them.
    No bread. No cake, apart from a brioche ‘special’.
    Very little cereal left, mostly of the bran variety.
    Some honey, jam, marmalade and nut butters left.
    No long-life & special milks
    No pasta, rice or tinned veg, just a few tinned soups and pestos.
    Fresh cold meats and fish, some left in cabinets.
    Some tinned fish left.
    Plenty of chocolate, Easter eggs and crisps and a fair selection of biscuits left.
    No toilet rolls whatsoever and just a few cleaning products left on a near empty shelf.

    It was Locust-ville.

    Almost a scene from a disaster movie.

       30 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Up2
      I think in a print works somewhere a country’s worth of ration books are being printed . I’ve still got one from the oil crisis in the 1970s .
      If that were to happen it will really show up the number of people – particularly in cities and big towns – who are in the UK but not one the books ‘…..

         23 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Yes, the Idealist and Fascist Socialist/Communist/Left are going to be hit by some realities. It always happens.

           13 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Fed, the thought occurs that a special Thread could be created on this w-s for ‘After the fire’ so to speak. The things that could change or may have to change after the Covid-19 thing is over. I can feel a little list coming on.

        Oh dear!

           13 likes

        • Fedup2 says:

          Up2

          Yes I’ve pondered a bit on ‘ post virus’ starting with what happens when another one turns up, or whether the current one was released on purpose …

          Afterwards
          There will be more virologists
          Some people and places might be cleaner
          The national debt will be immense
          China s reputation will be dirt
          Border controls will be high fashion
          There will be more medics
          People will naturally stockpile
          Old habits will return

          On the idea of a separate thread –
          I don’t know about you but I don’t detect ‘thread discipline ‘ which I learnt from those I used to put up but don’t any more .

          I also used to be concerned about people writing ‘off subject of the BBC ‘ but don’t any more . Bad language is very limited and don’t have to edit much .

          Writers publishing thoughts wishing certain people were dead as a result of the Chinese virus is a bit off and I’ve been wavering towards the delete button …

          More than happy with others with moderator status put stuff up …

          On different issues –

          Tonight the likes of Comrade Corbyn will be thinking ‘wow if I’d got power I could have nationised the entire country just like Richy has ‘ ……. but not in the same circumstances .

          Tomorrow A and Es up and down the country will be overwhelmed with ( mainly ) men suffering from ‘no football ‘ disease although I understand that Lineker and the other two footy multi millionaires are gonna be talking about no football. Why?

             16 likes

          • Up2snuff says:

            Agree about that Thread discipline. It would be essential.

            We need to keep everyone chatting and chuckling at present so general Thread deviations/diversions are, I think, understandable and welcome. I have had a really good laugh from other posters’ contributions on here.

            Yes, thought LCS’s post about Barnier was not good.

            We dodged a bullet on 12 December 2019 but Bojo & Co will need to be on top form otherwise Jezza’s successors will be in with a chance in 2024.

               10 likes

  21. Dystopian says:

    Straight to interviewees saying it’s not enough. FFS

       13 likes

  22. Dystopian says:

    So they’ve closed the pubs and restaurants but not “take aways” or presumably mosques??

       23 likes

  23. Dazed and Confused says:

       15 likes

  24. theisland says:

       13 likes

  25. Guest Who says:

    The national broadcaster.

       19 likes

  26. Guest Who says:

    The origins of #panicdiary bear consideration given this recent bbc senior gob’s position.

       8 likes

    • john in cheshire says:

      I wonder what is his specialisation for predictions; a crystal ball perhaps? Or tea leaves, tarot cards, i-ching, movements in the stars? Or does he have a familiar who speaks to him when he’s in a trance, or maybe inebriated on cocktails?

      He’s a very accomplished man, is our Mr Sweeney.

         16 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Actually the official total is 177
      (Maybe Sweeney is including UK dependencies like Gibraltar)

      But he did tweet this at 8am
      #PanicDiary “Close the pubs”.
      .. and 7 hours later Boris did

         7 likes

  27. Guest Who says:

    I’m erring on Gal Gadot on the karaoke machine.

       2 likes

  28. BRISSLES says:

    Well, there might not be food available, but someone is doing a nice line in coronavirus pendants !!!!

    https://www.qvcuk.com/Lola-Rose-Curio-Decorative-Semi-Precious-Love-Charm-71cm-Necklace.product.343470.html?sc=PRODFEED

    zoom into it to see the design !

       3 likes

  29. Dazed and Confused says:

    Best wishes.

       23 likes

    • Fedup2 says:

      Yes best wishes ….

         10 likes

      • Up2snuff says:

        Echo that wish, Fed, but tweeting takes strength. Just reading bits of those that some on here link to leaves me feeling feak and weeble.

        Get well soon, David.

           10 likes

  30. Guest Who says:

    Bless. Just… bless…

       10 likes

    • LastChanceSaloon says:

      Married couple FFS.

         11 likes

      • Nodding Dog says:

        They had a couple on the 1pm news earlier who’s wedding has been put on hold it was two women.As I’m a betting man my money is on the next couple they feature being a black man and a white woman as the saying goes lump on!

           27 likes

    • Dystopian says:

      Interesting still on the video there. Is he sitting on his “husband’s”……knee?

         9 likes

  31. LastChanceSaloon says:

    https://order-order.com/2020/03/20/long-bailey-supporter-calls-labour-jihad/#comments
    “We Must continue Real Labour Jehad to bring equality for all.”

    About time too.
    A Communist infiltrator described the Conservatives as “The nasty party”.
    New Labour imported millions of Muslims to “rub our noses in it”.
    The Labour Party looked the other way when the Muslims they imported started gang raping white children.
    Now the Labour Party is employing extreme Islamic slogans.

    The “Jihadi Labour Party” henceforth.
    Time to proscribe it.

       31 likes

    • The General says:

      ‘ The Nasty Party’ really good tag for the Left to use to denigrate the Conservative Party isn’t it.

      I wonder who thought that one up ???

         12 likes

  32. lordelpus says:

    What is it with BBC and ITV London news?They both seem to have Sadiq Khan on speed dial. There is hardly a day goes by he is not on there.On a lighter note I misheard the advice to self-isolate as self-insulate,and am now covered in foam!

       20 likes

  33. StewGreen says:

    UK has 110 times the population of Luxembourg
    Luxembourg has 484 cases with 4 deaths
    So UK would have 53,240 cases with 440 deaths
    In fact we have 167 deaths

       13 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Thought you might be watching the stats, Stew, as am I. Am finding they are not being updated so well now and there is a conflict between the three sources.

         8 likes

      • StewGreen says:

        New UK stats
        714 new cases vs 643 yesterday
        33 new deaths .. from 144 to 177

        Piers Morgan made a dramatic tweet TODAY saying there were 40 new deaths today
        nope that was yesterday

           8 likes

        • Up2snuff says:

          Thanks, Stew. It does appear for the UK the Covid-19 thing is slowing but I don’t want to get premature on that.

          I couldn’t cross check that Worldometer figure with the HMG site and WHO and JohnsHopkins have fallen a day behind.

             7 likes

        • StewGreen says:

          Is it a London problem ?
          Today “18 coronavirus deaths in London hospitals takes the capital’s total to 75”

          thread

          =============
          Up2Snuff I think the Worldometer site changed its number down to 177 UK deaths

             8 likes

          • Fedup2 says:

            Stew – I think my Health Trust ( Barts ) has the highest number of cases / deaths – but to be honest – this early stage is not , in my opinion , a fair indication of the number of infections / hospitalisations / fatalities – for a few days … I doubt whether the projected numbers will be made public …

               9 likes

    • Dave S says:

      I would be very wary of interpolating that sort of conclusion. I have followed this since January and am puzzled at the Italian figures. There is an explanation no doubt but that will have to wait.

         4 likes

  34. fakenewswatcher says:

    Vernon Coleman has interesting thoughts on his website about the possible hidden campaign against the over-70s in all this Coronavirus hype. You don’t have to believe him, but it’s certainly thought-provoking stuff.

       11 likes

  35. Foscari says:

    Communist China started exporting it’s viruses to the rest
    of the world in 1957. It was called Asian Flu. 1 to 2 million people around the world died.
    They were less successful in 2002 and 2004 with their export of
    the SARS virus which only killed 7800 folk .
    But as the saying goes if you don’t succeed ,try, try again.
    With a bit of luck this time the Chinese may be able to reach the heights of 1957.
    Of course it’s all got to do with their disgusting eating habits,
    where they basically eat anything. But maybe this time it
    isn’t.
    What I cannot quite get is why out of a population of 1.4 billion
    folk a comparatively small number of 3000 have died. It
    could be that not that many folk in China reach 70 because of
    all the shit they eat.
    Do you think that we , should just
    surrender to China?They are succeeding in destroying the
    economies of the western democracies .Maybe this was this
    all about in the first place. Well done the “virology” dept
    of the largest institute of its type in China at WUHAN.
    They say that the only creature that succeeds is a toothless
    budgie. But the Chinese, I am sure eat them as well.

       39 likes

    • Dave S says:

      Looking ahead it might be that the entire world which is afflicted with this virus will shun China with all sorts of consequences. Good and bad .Certainly the Chinese are very sensitive at the use of the term Chinese Virus. They have good reason to be.
      When this ends the world will be a bit more unpredictable and dangerous.

         15 likes

      • G says:

        Dave,
        Yet so much accolade for China from UN, WHO et al. Fact is that China has dropped a massive deadly weapon on the Worlds population. How long before the public penny drops and, we quite rightly see headlines like: ‘China killed my grandparents/parents’ etc?

           6 likes

    • Beltane says:

      I hold no respect for the Chinese – only Genghiz Khan had the right and proper response to their arrogance – but while it may be understandable to play blame games, the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1919 killed more than the total losses from WW1, while plagues like the Black Death wiped out almost two thirds of the European population in the 14th c.
      China had no influence over such events at the time.

         3 likes

  36. Fedup2 says:

    On Twitter – from department of Health – as of 0900 Friday 67000 tested for the Chinese bug – 4000 positive – of which 177 dead …
    I’ve rounded the figures a bit .

    It seems that the ‘ model ‘ expects an exponential growth from now – particularly if social isolation and hygiene doesn’t work

    There are positive stories floating about – such as the vacuum company Gtech doing wonders on developing ventilators from scratch which are currently being evaluated with a view to immediate production – I saw it on the Twitter – it might be true .

       17 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      From experience of greendream magic solutions
      .. engineering devices only can be counted as working when it is demonstrated in the real world
      NOT in the test lab.

         5 likes

    • Up2snuff says:

      Fed, yes that seems right. Far too soon to be sure but there appears to be a slowing. Except in Kent, a little county with a small population of over 1.5million! eek – how do they fit them all in? – there has been a 50% increase yesterday to today.

      I think the Worldometer figures may be suspect. It was linked to by a poster called ‘robot’ at the end of the previous Thread although I had seen it a few days prior to his/her link. The numbers there purport to come from HMG/(I assume ONS) but when I tried to check that today, the clicky link did not work.

      One of the panel members on AQs, Nick Chater, was expecting exponential growth although he used the word to describe a doubling every three days. According to Johns Hopkins Uni that did not happen to us in the three days to date.

      The latest figures from Public Health England (for the UK!) are now up on BBC web page here:
      https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51768274 – 3,983 –
      but WHO now have us at under 3,300 today here:
      https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/685d0ace521648f8a5beeeee1b9125cd

      All we can do is watch and pray. Nighty night – sleep tight & stay healthy.

         9 likes

  37. Thoughtful says:

    If the government really cared about the number of fatalities from a virus, it would have banned left wing, ‘thinking’ long ago.

    Nothing even a virus kills on a scale like the left have managed, in only a single century, hundreds of millions have had their lives cut short in China, Russia, Germany, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cuba, Zimbabwe, North Korea, and many others. Most of these deaths have been a direct consequence of failed leftist dogma, many more as a result of the wars they have started.

    Let us face the fact that the entire human population was on the brink of anihilation by nuclear weaponry held by those on the left.

    Corona virus is a mere bit part extra compared to leftism and the danger to human life.

       30 likes

    • Beltane says:

      Well said Thoughts. It’s important to stay rational while our intelligentsia wring their hands and the untermensch block their hallways with food mountains – and sewers with newspaper to conserve stocks for selling on.

         4 likes

  38. Socialist Dungheap says:

    I don’t often watch the BBC as I haven’t a tv. So only when round at the ‘lady friends. Just thinking that if I’d just landed from another planet and watched the channel for a week I would be thinking that all marriages were between a male POC and a female non-POC.

    As an aside: I did hear they authorities will be deploying drones to seek out elderly people who should be staying in doors. These drones will drop a net over them and then taser them. The drones are going to called Tactical Elder Recovery Drones.

       16 likes

  39. Nibor says:

    I don’t want to do special pleading , but I’m afraid I have to .

    Are the truck stops going to be closed ? These are like works canteens , but for those on the road .
    So if you’re out all week ( tramping ) or on international journeys you’ll be given the choice of only eating in the cab , or … hoping to join a scrummage in a supermarket to get more food … To eat in your cab .
    As they’ve raised how many hours we can work , and lowered the minimum we must rest while this emergency lasts , mightn’t it be a good idea to see if the other health aspects of this job are helping to keep drivers up to a bare minimum of fitness to deliver ?

       24 likes

    • StewGreen says:

      Our local cafes and coffee bars are posting on facebook that they are moving to a takaway model.

      This afternoon I biked 45 minutes to the library
      I’d only just read all the news I needed to before they announced they were closing
      ..a new policy the council had decided this morning
      but hadn’t bothered to write on the actual door
      If I ‘d set off from the house later it would have been a waste of 45 minutes cycling .

      Since the only confirmed case in our area was someone who went to Italy.
      That means for sure that up until last week no one in our area had caught in a pub otherwise it would have shown up cos the incubation period has passed.

         20 likes

  40. Celtic_Mist says:

    There’s that word again – ‘solidarity’. Climate change wasn’t working
    I never had much time for theories but is this the voice of globalism ramping up the fear?
    They understand how democracy works – leaders respond to the demands of the people.

    Simple, scare the people with the help of the globalist BBC etc and tank the world economy, job done

       16 likes

  41. Sluff says:

    Last year, as pretty much every year, there were 160,000 injury-creating road accidents and around 1900 fatalities in Great Britain.
    But I don’t remember any panic buying of loo rolls In response.

       18 likes

  42. Dave S says:

    I would be very wary of interpolating that sort of conclusion. I have followed this since January and am puzzled at the Italian figures. There is an explanation no doubt but that will have to wait.

       5 likes

  43. Nibor says:

    Has it been wise to make a heck of a lot of food gathering , production , sorting and distribution in the hands of foreigners ?
    If this virus becomes serious – I mean really really serious like Bubonic plague and YOUNG people are affected , then Survivors will be easy reading .
    If you were young but far from home , and thought your life chances of survival meant you could DIE soon , would you mess about in the UK or decide that you would rather die in your home country , near relatives and friends ?
    That exchange rate where £1 here was worth at least £5 there isn’t worth it if you can’t retire early on it investing on property , because you die here in the UK .
    Can the Powers That Be assure us that the foreign workforce is happy to stay here in all contingencies ?

       5 likes

  44. Celtic_Mist says:

    Somebody on twitter asked if there is something we are not being told.

    I could just be that whereas in 2017, 80,000 died from a less deadly virus with a vaccine, now it may not be possible to stop Covid-19, sorry, Chinese flu without a vaccine?

    In China, they are just starting to be hit with the second more deadly wave.

    Boris looks a mess, it’s in the eyes, he’s scared.

    Maybe we should be too?

    https://fortune.com/2018/09/26/flu-shot-deaths-influenza-cdc-vaccine-2017-2018/

       5 likes

  45. Kaiser says:

    die-versity

    expect reverse headlines soon

       18 likes

  46. JamesG says:

    I used to think David Icke was a crank, but watch this video in which he talks about the current crisis:

       8 likes

    • Celtic_Mist says:

      I thought that too but your right he’s not. All that nonsense about reptiles was code for..

         6 likes

  47. Celtic_Mist says:

    BBC finally got around to covering –

    “Coronavirus and chloroquine: Has its use been approved in US?”
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/51980731

    It’s a fact check with three objectives :

    1. Disparage Trump – well that’s expected
    2. Perhaps bury the results of a (small) peer-reviewed clinical trial
    3. Warn folks in the third world of the danger of self-medicating

    In fairness, I doubt that they intentionally want to hide the clinical trial information and it’s just ignorance of the fact that one exists. However, the Elon Musk tweet is referred to so they must have looked at it.

    https://twitterdotcom/RiganoESQ/status/1240273631604809728

    https://drive.google.com/file/d/186Bel9RqfsmEx55FDum4xY_IlWSHnGbj/view

       6 likes

  48. Capstan Full Strength says:

    At a time of national crisis we look to the BBC for reassurance and to stay calm.
    Well that was 80 years ago when they were the only national broadcaster and God only knows what planet their broadcasting from now.
    However, I have an idea to help them become popular again with their most important demographic : the mentally retarded, otherwise known as snowflakes.
    So back to nature and my pitch to the BBC
    BBC SIMPLE COOKING FOR SIMPLE SNOWFLAKES
    Episode one
    Step 1
    Make sure your Latino maid has not dropped dead from the corona virus after walking your expensive handbag size dogs.
    Step 2 (difficult)
    Now try and find the kitchen.
    Step3
    Ask if you should to fry or grill dried pasta.
    Step 4
    Go to the garage with the maid and wonder what on earth all those stocks of tins piled up to the roof are. Could it be what poor eat ?
    Step 5 (adults only)
    After the remaining ungrateful staff have decided to run away from you will experience the ultimate nightmare, not all tins of food have have ring pulls on the top.
    Epilogue
    The microwave blows up.

    If the BBC want to go ahead with my new show I shall tell them what they want to hear about compliance and PC crap so long as they pay me up front.

       29 likes

  49. Non Snowflake says:

    Is it just me?

    I have to say there is something very fishy about this whole “virus” issue. I read various tweets, texts, WhatsApp comments etc, where people are saying they are “self-isolating”; and their reason? Well apparently a few days ago they might have coughed once, or they had to blow their nose a week last Tuesday. Which of course means they *must* have a fatal virus and they’d better stock up on hand lotion, bog rolls, Dr Who box sets and check their DHSS benefits situation, before doing the last rites online (better do that quickly before they need to cough again next week)

    My wife decided yesterday that she must have the virus. She based this on the fact that apparently she coughed a few days ago. Never mind the fact that she *doesn’t* have a severe cold and *doesn’t* have a throbbing headache and *isn’t* puking up green bile; no, none of those things, just a cough back on Thursday I think it was.

    I dropped off a van at Enterprise in Chester the other day. Some suntanned bimbo behind the desk made me put lotion on my hands. She followed suit, checked the van over, put more lotion on, then signed for the van on my I-pad, then put more lotion on.

    Jesus H Christ. It’s difficult to believe we won two world wars.

       28 likes

    • Oaknash says:

      No its not just you.

      It is all very unreal. I was driving around the Devon lanes yesterday – everything is normal, and life goes on.
      However in the towns people have been whipped up into a lather of panic stripping the shelves of meat, canned foods and bog roll by the media.

      Pretty much everyone I spoke to was utterly disgusted by the media and particularly the BBC who have talked what may be only a problem into a crisis and encouraged people to panic buying.

      BBC/media technique appears to be
      “THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END, SERVICES ARE BEING OVERWHELMED, SHELVES ARE BEING STRIPPED BARE, WE ARE ALL DOOMED, DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!” – and then almost in the same breath say “but there is plenty of food for everyone”

      what do they expect is going to happen?

      Surely even if 50 % of us were going to die, why would you concentrate on the panic buying aspect so much. Common sense would dictate that you under report it (like the BBC does with “grooming” gangs) and put a couple of plods on the doors of the major supermarkets to temporarily keep order.

      No, none of this smells right. Perhaps our brexit vote was a wake up call to the elite that to keep control they need to do a lot more to bring us to heel.

         29 likes

      • theisland says:

        something very fishy
        none of this smells right
        Indeed, the timing of all this does seem rather ‘convenient’ for certain interests.

           13 likes

  50. JimS says:

    Canadian author Mark Steyn some years ago pointed out that countries that don’t maintain borders end up building borders internally. So here no shopping centre is complete without ‘pillars of Islam’ to stop ‘trucks’ driving into people, security staff and passports required for internal air-travel etc.

    We are seeing even more of that with the virus panic, people are told to employ ‘social distancing’, healthy people keeping away from each other rather than the old system of distancing the sick from the healthy.

    It is all part of this inversion of everything we knew to be true, (because it was!), including the meaning of words. And it has been ‘the media’, our own BBC especially, that has been in the vanguard. When one sees a ‘journalist’ anxiously being concerned that ‘people’ might get upset by hearing a virus from China being called just that one knows that the media is seriously bonkers.

    ‘If I ruled the world’ I would love to see Polly Toynbee and her mates dragged before a court and asked to explain how the destruction of family, open borders etc. has supposedly led to a better ‘society’, a society where people don’t look the same, dress the same or speak the same language or now, even occupy the same space.

    But they never are held to account, they are ‘just the messenger’ now, reporting what is going on, conveniently forgetting their previous role of promoting the inversion while ‘de-platforming’ anyone with a contrary opinion.

    You asked for it Polly, now you have got it. Time now to admit you were wrong.

       36 likes

    • Ian Rushlow says:

      The best known quote attributed to Voltaire is “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”. He may not have actually said those words, although he did say the even more salient “Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.”
      People such as Polly Toynbee may hold views that many consider to be wrong, stupid or downright dangerous. The principles of free speech mean they are perfectly entitled to hold such views, even if they would deny the same freedom to others. However, a key question is whether they hold their views out of principle and personal conviction, or whether they are subject to influence, particularly if that influence is non-British and involves money. For instance, the journalist, activist or politician who benefits financially, whether directly or indirectly, from organisations supported by foreign billionaires engaged in so-called ‘philanthropy’ may be guilty of treasonous activity in the eyes of some.

         11 likes