Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[Marshmallo]

Just now, pozbaird said:

If they had been gathering in the capital to protest about the new Aberdeen kit I would still feel the same way, but I suspect you know that fine and well, and that the cause of their protest is not the issue.

That's just word salad.

You could maybe choose to get annoyed about people who continued to go to the supermarkets in pairs or other larger groups when the R rate was around 3 or 4 and kicked up a fuss when it was suggested that was a bad idea?

[pozbaird]

1 minute ago, Marshmallo said:

That's just word salad.

You could maybe choose to get annoyed about people who continued to go to the supermarkets in pairs or other larger groups when the R rate was around 3 or 4 and kicked up a fuss when it was suggested that was a bad idea?

Wow, what an arse. What a complete w****r you are my friend.

Edited June 12, 2020 by pozbaird

[Marshmallo]

Just now, pozbaird said:

Wow, what an arse. 

I'm not the one telling people how they should express or feel anger at systemic racism.

[coprolite]

4 hours ago, MixuFruit said:

I am confuse

SNP don't contest seats in Wales 

[pozbaird]

6 minutes ago, Marshmallo said:

I'm not the one telling people how they should express or feel anger at systemic racism.

You OK with large scale protests in the capital where thousands and thousands will gather to protest, at this time, while at the exact same time, we still cannot have a family visitor in the house, we need to be outside, 2m apart? Are these mass gatherings / protests OK in your book, at this time....and I’m not bothered about the cause they are protesting about. Just answer the question.

Edited June 12, 2020 by pozbaird

[Marshmallo]

On 28/05/2020 at 18:39, pozbaird said:

My house is 7.5 miles from my golf course. I better cancel my tee time and stay home.

Aye, right ye’ are.

 

On 22/05/2020 at 10:43, pozbaird said:

No, that’s not what I meant. I am taking sensible precautions, I believe we all should be sensible. The shitebags I am talking about are guys like the one I mentioned in another post. The one who, while walking towards me on an otherwise deserted pavement, stopped dead in his tracks ten feet away from me, because I had stopped to get a stone out my shoe. He did a military type left turn, and marched straight into the middle of the road. Stopped on the white lines, did another deliberate sharp turn, and proceeded to march straight down the centre of a busy road, wearing in-ear buds, with a Mercedes A Class heading towards him from behind at 30mph.

The woman in the outdoor area of B&Q, wearing a mask and gloves, who angrily shouted at me that there were arrows on the floor, even though we were the only people in a huge outdoor area and I was about 5m away anyway. My first visit since they opened, I simply never noticed the arrows.

Cnuts like these, that’s who I’m talking about. Seem to be far too many of them around. Hopefully they decide to continue observing lockdown by locking themselves in their living rooms for a couple of years.

 

On 30/03/2020 at 14:54, pozbaird said:

The times we’ve went out shopping, we’ve both went, and we will continue to do so. We are both in our late 50s, and so far, the extent of our car crash experience is when I bumped into the car in front of me, back in 1984 when there were still traffic lights at the St James Interchange at Glasgow Airport, which always caused traffic to back up onto the M8 itself.

Next time we need to go out, we will say a prayer, buckle our seatbelts, and (on the very, very quiet roads we currently have that diminish the chances of being flattened by an HGV anyway), we will put our lives on the line and drive off to Tesco.

See when all this is over and you need something to do? Maybe Nuremberg could put on a rally for you to attend.

 

On 30/03/2020 at 15:11, pozbaird said:

Not when I’m reading some of the utter shite being posted on here by a couple of pains-in-the-arse it isn’t. Absolute fcuking roasters, lambasting  couples for doing the shopping, and going on about crashes.

Utter, utter fannies. IMHO. No-one need agree with me. 

 

On 30/03/2020 at 15:04, pozbaird said:

What do we gain from doing this? We gain the ability to only leave the house once. We combine being out for the shopping with going for our walk at the nearby Broadwood Loch, or the pond between the shops and Condorrat. While at the shops, we are quicker packing and paying, and getting out the shop again. Thus letting someone from the queue outside (should there be one) get in. We gain the ability to behave normally, for example, going up the aisle, and saying ‘ach, fancy a pack of those four cupcakes’, ‘nah, you chose last time, I fancy the millionaires shortbread.’. You know, normal happily married couple trivial shit that helps keep things seem a bit more normal in these far from normal times.  We can jointly choose a red wine we fancy, I can lift the heavier things.... I’ll leave it there.

Any more stupid fcuking questions? Nazi.

Tell me more about folk going against guidance and how much it angers you

[pozbaird]

1 minute ago, Marshmallo said:

 

 

 

 

Tell me more about folk going against guidance and how much it angers you

Haaaaa! In the name of actual fcuk. What an absolute bellend you are. Jesus wept!

[Marshmallo]

1 minute ago, pozbaird said:

Haaaaa! In the name of actual fcuk. What an absolute bellend you are. Jesus wept!

You can call me all the names under the sun if you want. You're a massive hypocrite and people out protesting has zero to do with attendees at funerals.

[heedthebaa]

1 hour ago, pozbaird said:

BLM and other demonstrations in London tomorrow, yet one of my best mates lost his mother a few weeks ago, and six people were at her funeral. Makes me fcuking sick to the stomach.

I was at a funeral with I would say approximately 100 recently, no church service, graveside only and social distancing was adhered too

[Wee Bully]

You can call me all the names under the sun if you want. You're a massive hypocrite and people out protesting has zero to do with attendees at funerals.

Agreed. He’s in the “utter weapon” category on this thread, along with Virginton and Todd_is_God. Between the 3 of them there has been at least 200 pages of mewling shite.

[pandarilla]

You're right that it's very detailed but when that's one of your flagship schemes you know the group isn't going to prove up to much. A lot of the rest is Royston Vasey type 'local jobs for local people and local contracts for local firms' pish that the Scottish nationalist mainstream thankfully steers clear of. They'll probably want to throw more money at useless firms like Ferguson's Shipyards while they're at it.
A genuinely credible and radical way out of this economic car crash needs to have a basic income scheme as Priority 1A, preferably with a loose community service condition attached that encourages the sort of voluntary service (and rewards already ongoing unpaid care) that people signed up for in their droves when lockdown began and they were put on furlough. We're already transferring up to £2500 a month into people's bank accounts for a greater good so it's not as if we're far away from that goal. 
That's the sort of platform I'd be interested in voting for next year instead of a National Investment Bank.

The common weal plan could be implemented by the Scottish govt without delay.

I could be wrong but sturgeon did she didn't have the power as it stands to implement ubi.

The procurement situation is fucking ludicrous. These are not good deals, and they tie the hands of everyone. All that happens is multinational companies take more money out of Scotland.

[Frankie S]

I know Nicola Sturgeon is getting widely praised for her cautious approach to easing restrictions in Scotland, but I’m starting to wonder if the cure won’t be (much) worse than the disease now. 

Given the comparatively low, and consistently-reducing, Covid stats in Scotland, negligible community transmission, and the fairly clear retreat of the disease, allied to the absence of any evidence of a second wave in countries that have already relaxed restrictions, I’d have expected a more positive vision for the future than that currently emanating from the Scottish government. 

Given the overwhelming imperative to restart a moribund economy, and the huge cost in Covid-related trade offs - in reduced health provision for non-Covid patients, and sacrifices in education for a generation of students, Sturgeon’s strategy is starting to look decidedly myopic. 

Today’s pleading to Westminster for an extension to furlough for an additional 18 months to two years is not only wholly unrealistic, it’s surely evidence of a lack of resolve to make the tough decisions required to kick-start the economy. 

For a while I’ve thought her strategy was to position herself as the sensible antidote to the ‘reckless’ Tories, but of late I can’t shake the thought that it’s not so much a strategy as an evasion of responsibility. 

Putting health first is laudable, but the huge cost of lifting restrictions too slowly has to be factored into the equation too. Sturgeon seems to have dug herself in deep on 2 metre social distancing, despite the WHO (and most other countries) advising 1 metre, or 1.5. 2 metres is simply unworkable in business, from the travel and retail sectors to the hospitality, theatre, cinema and live music industries. Everyone knows it. It doesn’t work in schools, as Scotland’s plans for part-time schooling in the Autumn suggest, and it doesn’t work on planes, in shops, in bars, theatres, cinemas, restaurants, or any business that is dependant on customer footfall. Increased costs (due to Covid protection measures) and hugely reduced income streams is a sure fire formula for business failure not success.

Provided there is no second wave, and the preliminary signs from our European neighbours are surely positive in that regard, the UK government will climb down from 2m sooner rather than later, that is fairly clear. And where Westminster goes Scotland will have to follow, whether Sturgeon likes it or not. The backlash from business if Scotland sticks with 2m as England reduces social distancing will be immense. 

Kicking the can down the road for 18 months or 2 years is not an option. Government support won’t be forthcoming. We have no control of the purse strings, and there would be almost nothing left of the economy to return to in 2 years time anyway. Business needs certainty, decisiveness and positivity, to retain employment levels and to ensure there is an appetite for the fight ahead. Today's message sounded passive and uninspiring: a meekly dependent Scottish government won’t inspire confidence. 

Scotland needs to stop extending the begging bowl, and start taking responsibility for its own future. We have to make these tough decisions now, and outline a positive vision for the future, having due regard to the enormous multi-faceted challenges that confront us. None of this is to diminish this horrible disease, but we have to get a broader perspective, look dispassionately at the bigger picture, and take urgent action to avoid the economy, and the futures of our children, being destroyed for generations to come. We can’t mothball the economy forever, or put our lives on hold indefinitely.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Frankie S

[DeeTillEhDeh]

Tell me more about folk going against guidance and how much it angers you

Ffs don't start the couples shopping argument!!


[emoji1787]

[pandarilla]

Fully agree with frankie's long post above. And i think the tide of opinion will turn quickly.

 

Phase 2 has to be fully eased on thursday, and if there's no big spike in numbers, phase 3 in a few weeks time.

 

The 2m thing has to go as well, but she'll hang on to that for another few weeks at least, and I'm fine with that. But we need to get going pretty fucking soon.

 

If there is a big spike we've now got our tracing system up and running, and it's already had a few weeks to get going properly. All signs are good, and thankfully it's not being run by serco or the like. Keep that going properly, keep the hygiene levels maxed out, and we'll hopefully keep a major second spike at bay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DeeTillEhDeh]

I know Nicola Sturgeon is getting widely praised for her cautious approach to easing restrictions in Scotland, but I’m starting to wonder if the cure won’t be much worse than the disease now. 

Given the comparatively low, and consistently-reducing, Covid stats in Scotland, negligible community transmission, and the fairly clear retreat of the disease, allied to the absence of any evidence of a second wave in countries that have already relaxed restrictions, I’d have expected a more positive vision for the future than that currently emanating from the Scottish government. 

Given the overwhelming imperative to restart a moribund economy, and the huge cost in Covid-related trade offs - in reduced health provision for non-Covid patients, and sacrifices in education for a generation of students, Sturgeon’s strategy is starting to look decidedly myopic. 

Today’s pleading to Westminster for an extension to furlough for an additional 18 months to two years is not only wholly unrealistic, it’s surely evidence of a lack of resolve to make the tough decisions required to kick-start the economy. 

For a while I’ve thought her strategy was to position herself as the sensible antidote to the ‘reckless’ Tories, but of late I can’t shake the thought that it’s not so much a strategy as an evasion of responsibility. 

Putting health first is laudable, but the huge cost of lifting restrictions too slowly has to be factored into the equation too. Sturgeon seems to have dug herself in deep on 2 metre social distancing, despite the WHO (and most other countries) advising 1 metre, or 1.5. 2 metres is simply unworkable in business, from the travel and retail sectors to the hospitality, theatre, cinema and live music industries. Everyone knows it. It doesn’t work in schools, as Scotland’s plans for part-time schooling in the Autumn suggest, and it doesn’t work on planes, in shops, in bars, theatres, cinemas, restaurants, or any business that is dependant on customer footfall. Increased costs (due to Covid protection measures) and hugely reduced income streams is a sure fire formula for business failure not success.

Provided there is no second wave, and the preliminary signs from our European neighbours are surely positive in that regard, the UK government will climb down from 2m sooner rather than later, that is fairly clear. And where Westminster goes Scotland will have to follow, whether Sturgeon likes it or not. The backlash from business if Scotland sticks with 2m as England reduces social distancing will be immense. 

Kicking the can down the road for 18 months or 2 years is not an option. Government support won’t be forthcoming. We have no control of the purse strings, and there would be almost nothing left of the economy to return to in 2 years time anyway. Business needs certainty, decisiveness and positivity, to retain employment levels and to ensure there is an appetite for the fight ahead. Today's message sounded passive and uninspiring: a meekly dependent Scottish government won’t inspire confidence. 

Scotland needs to stop extending the begging bowl, and start taking responsibility for its own future. We have to make these tough decisions now, and outline a positive vision for the future, having due regard to the enormous multi-faceted challenges that confront us. None of this is to diminish this horrible disease, but we have to get a broader perspective, look dispassionately at the bigger picture, and take urgent action to avoid the economy, and the futures of our children, being destroyed for generations to come. We can’t mothball the economy forever, or put our lives on hold indefinitely.

I think folk are misunderstanding the extend the furlough scheme idea - if it is like France and Germany then it's much more flexible than the UK scheme allowing firms to use staff on a part-time basis.

The German scheme pays up to 67% of net wages lost due to shorter hours, to a maximum of €6,700 per month for employees with children, and 60% for those without children. Unlike the British scheme, which forces firms to send workers home and not work, German firms can allow staff to work part-time, reducing the cost.

The French scheme gives 70% of the gross salary (or about 84% of the net salary) for salaries up to €6,927 gross per month. Employees on minimum wage (SMIC) receive 100% compensation. As with the German scheme, firms can claim just a part of a worker’s salary and so many do, limiting the cost to the finance ministry.

It's possibly one of the big mistakes the UK government made with furlough - not allowing part-time working (even from home) earlier than August.

[Thistle_do_nicely]

2 hours ago, pandarilla said:

The common weal plan could be implemented by the Scottish govt without delay.

I could be wrong but sturgeon did she didn't have the power as it stands to implement ubi.

The procurement situation is fucking ludicrous. These are not good deals, and they tie the hands of everyone. All that happens is multinational companies take more money out of Scotland.

Think you're right, I thought I'd read something about there being trials ongoing in a few local authority areas, had a wee google and found this:

 

[VladimirMooc]

3 hours ago, Thistle_do_nicely said:

Think you're right, I thought I'd read something about there being trials ongoing in a few local authority areas, had a wee google and found this:

 

UBI is a non-starter that only people who don’t understand the social security system see as a solution. The idea of unconditional payments is a solid one but you can make these within the existing social security system in the form of things like universal child benefit.

Creating an entirely new system and providing unconditional payments across the entire population is a nice idea that has its merits, but would do relatively little to tackle poverty (when compared with what we could do using the existing system) or provide the additional support (over and above a UBI payment) needed to people who would require extra financial help, e.g. disabled people or people who require help with housing costs. If you add additional payments on top of a UBI what you will ultimately end up having is a recreation of the system we already have. And it is simply not possible or sustainable (without significant cuts in spending on public services, for example) to provide a UBI at such a level as to significantly reduce poverty and inequality, if that’s what the key aim is. 

Far better idea to just fix our current social security system and invest heavily in universal services (e.g. free transport, free broadband, significant expansion of social housing).

It’s the ideal situation for the Scottish Government though as they no doubt fully realise a UBI scheme is unrealistic and not desirable, but it is an opportunity to shift the blame on to the UK Government for not being able to deliver it. 

Edited June 13, 2020 by VladimirMooc

[Turkmenbashi]

Managed to get a pub for the first time since they reopened on Monday. Was nice, but I think it's safe to say that all the rules regarding social distancing which were supposed to be in place were quickly out the window. Only bar I could get a seat was only accepting cash

[Cairn Terrier]

I would like to suggest the ignore function DeeTillEhDeh

Would also request people stop quoting the p***k for the benefit of those of us who have already chosen this option.

[Turkmenbashi]

5 minutes ago, Tynierose said:

Aye but did ye pull?

Yes