Early Risers.

[PhilJ W]

Afternoon all from Estuary-Land. I also checked the map mentioned by Tony. My ward is quite low, in fact it is in the next category down from Tony's ward. However the adjacent ward, Corringham & Fobbing is in the high category. I also checked out areas where friends and family reside, nothing to worry about there either. Time to put the dinner on, be back later.

[BoD]

1 hour ago, Two_sugars said:

 . . . Sunderland Eye Infirmary got to be one of the best in the country.

 

They certainly did right by me when my retina detached four months into retirement.  I still have regular consultations there and have nothing but praise for the care and attention I receive.

 

Your eyes are precious things. Look after them.

[jamie92208]

7 hours ago, Barry O said:

Her indoors had forgotten to take her NHS number with her.. so.. a quick text or two sorted it all out! - Sahme is I can still remember my original nHS number - MFUN xxx

 

Baz

Snap, MHCT 3XX in my case.

1 hour ago, Two_sugars said:

took my "MARRA" to Sunderland Eye Infirmary  this morning . . . Picked him up about 9,10 am . . . then took is wife for a Coffee at Sainsbury's  Silksworth . .. .

 

I knowxSilksworth reasonably well. Beth had an Uncle and Aunt who moved to one of the Tower blocks from Ryhope. Visited itvquite regularly.

 

Jamie

[BoD]

MFUN xxx ?
MHCT 3xx ?

 

More of those funny pannier thingies?

[polybear]

3 hours ago, Ian Abel said:

Sadly, we in "the upper-midwest" are now on the list of fastest increases in COVID cases, superseding even the earlier peaks.

 

This is, painfully, in large part because we're flanked by three idiot states who flatly refused to do ANYTHING in the way of cautionary mitigation ALL YEAR so far - namely, North and South Dakota, and Wisconsin. They're also seeing elevated levels (quelle surprise!! ), but since we get a large flow of folks to/from those states, of course they're probably dragging their sorry arses through here without a care in the world for anyone except themselves.

 

Bear saw mention of such in "Bike" magazine just yesterday; it seems that around half a million bikers from all over the States attended the Sturgis rally in South Dakota in August - an event that no doubt went ahead because (a) many Bikers seem to like Trumpie (incredible) and (b) many were no doubt Hells Angels with an awful lot of guns.  The University of San Diego tracked rally-goers says they generated an extra 266,796 C-19 cases (how the hell do they come up with a number like that??) and cost £9.2bn in extra healthcare when they went home.  Plus cases in South Dakota went up by 35% after the rally.  However, the Governor of S. Dakota doesn't agree, calling it 'fiction' and said "This report is nothing short of an attack on those who exercised their personal freedom to attend Sturgis".

There are unconfirmed reports that a scar on the Governors' forehead are the result of frontal lobotomy.....

 

4 hours ago, Gwiwer said:

............and socio-ethnic demographics.  

 

Bear can't even pronounce phrases that long, let alone (a) know what they mean, and (b) spell them.  Anything above four letters starts to become a challenge.  Fortunately this includes the word "cake", so little else is needed.

[Erichill16]

4 hours ago, TheQ said:

Norwich is at 106 cases per 100,000 ie a University town but is now slightly reducing..

But out where I live in North Norfolk, 33 per 100,000, the lowest in East Anglia, also slightly reducing.. Norfolk being about 94% UK born, and North Norfolk having an average age of 58 might have something to do with complying with  regulations. I've not seen  anyone without masks in a shop, unless of young school age for weeks.

 

The highest in Norfolk is Breckland 114 and GT Yarmouth 122.8 both residences of cheap labour, eastern Europe farm and meat packers..

Here in Barnsley where I live and work work it’s 537/100000

No wonder we’re in level 3.

Be back later , footie k.o. at 7.00

Robert

[TheQ]

Just looked up where my parents and sisters  live in central Scotland,  they are at 108 per 100,000 a 25% increase over the previous week. Somewhat worrying. Especially for my parents with dad needing regular carers visits every day. 

At least the eldest sister knows all the regulations.. Before they are published,  as she works for the scottish government and in particular the chief medical officer of Scotland. She probably writes down version 1 before the politicians get hold of it. 

 

Whilst I pointed out the Eastern European people's higher level of covid, I don't blame them. 

They are imported into this country as cheap labour because our unemployed don't want the hard work of vegetable and meat packing.  Also they don't want to spend their days,  picking veg in the fields. 

It becomes difficult to not spread covid when living in HMOs or in this area often in rows of caravans on farms.  This is then compounded,  by the packing factories being in perfect covid conditions while standing in rows next to each other. 

 

I'll point out that I did potato picking during summer holidays one year, in the days went you picked them off the ground and I would have continued each year if I hadn't got a place on an archeological excavation.. 

[Tony_S]

49 minutes ago, TheQ said:

with dad needing regular carers visits

 

50 minutes ago, TheQ said:

this country as cheap labour

Most of MiL’s carer visits are young women from Eastern Europe. Their main job with her is to go for a walk. The money MiL pays the agency per hour is a lot more than the minimum wage received by the career. 

[grandadbob]

Evenin' each,

Optician visited and I'm very relieved to say that my eye test was mostly OK so I'm still permitted to drive.  However there are signs of a couple of problems that will need to be checked out regularly.

Covid cases in the Land of Sutt are amongst the lowest in London but currently at 112.9 so there is room a need for improvement.   While I was out today in the High Street a lot of people were wearing masks outside and there was, as far as I could see, 100% compliance in shops.

Time for another glass of something red.

 

 

 

[Coombe Barton]

 

... a people rabbit ...

 

https://johncolby.wordpress.com/2020/10/27/fudge-progress/

[Coombe Barton]

13 hours ago, TheQ said:

MS teams, as they still haven't told us properly how to use MS Teams this should be interesting

... which is a darned sight better than Skype!

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. Where I live the infection rate is just shy of 77 per 100,000 yet the next ward is 245 per 100,000. Ironically like most of the rest of Essex we are in Tier 2 the adjacent ward with the high infection rate is part of Thurrock which is still only Tier 1.

[figworthy]

16 hours ago, chrisf said:

Greetings one and all

 

I keep getting silent phone calls.  My reaction is to dial 1572, add the number to my personal blacklist and then ring back the guilty number to tell it how displeased I am to receive silent calls.  Sadly this happens so often that BT now tell me that I have filled my personal blacklist.  Deleting one number to make room for another is quite a rigmarole.  It involves repeated pressing of 1 whenever the recorded voice so directs.  The other recurrent irritation is that when I ring back the electronic voice tells me that the number I have dialled has not been recognised.  Grrrr.

 

 

It is probably a waste of time blacklisting them.  Spoofing the calling number is relatively easy it seems, so the number that appears on your phone is quite likely not the number making the call, but will belong to someone who is completely innocent.  A similar thing happens with spam emails.

 

Adrian

[Barry O]

Leeds needs to be in total lockdown..but isn't.. figures continue to climb especially in the most popular student areas and in the densely populated areas. The figures were we are include spikes at local highschools..

 

So, its a pandemic.. we are still bussing pupils around thecity in high emission council buses with no control of the children on the bus... and they can't work out why the figures are rising.. doh! People in charge would easily fail an IQ test.

 

Lockdown has done the trick in Melbourne.. but we are only playing at it here..

 

Her indoors has been fully tested and injected with either a placebo or some real CoVid19 vaccine. She has to get another jab and reporr her temperature every day via an app.

 

Baz

[Barry O]

Goodnight all!

[Erichill16]

Evening All,

pleased to report that my football team won, first win of the season!

On that happy note I’ll wish you a Goodnight.

Robert

[tigerburnie]

G'night all

[BSW01]

Good evening everyone

 

It’s rained for almost the entire day, there were a few dry spells, but they didn’t last long, so I had to time my trips to and from the workshop carefully. But I never actually got to the workshop, apart from putting in the boxes I’d cleaned this morning. I ended up sorting out a couple of cupboards in the cellar, most of the stuff that’s of any use has been put to one side and will end up in the workshop, the rest has been consigned to the bin. One cupboard is now almost empty, when it’s completely empty, that will also be assigned to bin, albeit the local tip! The large cellar room is slowly, very slowly emptying in preparation for its refurbishment and then ultimately into my Railway room!

 

Goodnight all 

[The Stationmaster]

G'night all.

[newbryford]

6 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

Considering the history of the country i think everybody is a mixed bag of hereditary DNA from all over Europe and now the Globe.

 

 

I don't particularly mind where my DNA is mixed from - as long as it isn't t'other side o' t' hills.....................

 

[PhilJ W]

Goodnight all.

[newbryford]

Still very busy  here at NB Towers.

 

Work days seem to consist of non-stop, get home, have a bite to eat, watch a boxed set on TV, fall asleep, wake up, more to eat/catchup on PC.

Non-work days are almost the same, but mostly substituting golf or shopping for work............

 

I worked Saturday for my 6 day week, so off Sun/Mon and now on a 4 day week.

Sunday golf was rescheduled a bit earlier to make time for the Portuguese GP. The extra hour in bed was put to good use to compensate for the earlier start.

My Winter League doubles partner has a minor injury which prevented him playing and after last week's start to the campaign putting us in the top three, staying there was in doubt this week, as I played on my own to record a pairs score (I did go around with another Winter League player who was missing his partner and having to record a team score on his own as well). Possibly my best round of 2020 so far and ended up with a score that is likely to be better than a few others playing as a pair!)

 

Monday - fixing a couple of things in the golf club shop - another CCTV camera and a monitor for advertising purposes. It keeps me in SiL's good books as she runs the golf. Followed by the S word.

Much of which consisted standing outside of a mobile phone shop whilst Mrs and Junior NB sorted upgrades/contracts. This took place in "The Mall" (previously known as Blackburn Arndale)  and I undertook a straw poll of mask wearers.

[minor rant #1]

Mask wearing is posted as compulsory within the confines of the shopping centre. The biggest culprits (contrary to my pre-expectations) were white females in the 20-30 age bracket. Some single, some with partners and/or children - the partners were usually mask wearers. The same observation was repeated in the nearby Morereasons for the bi-weekly shop.

Why can't they just comply? I do not believe that they are all exempt. Maybe they feel invincible?

[/minor rant #1]

 

[minor rant #2]

Call at work asking for help.

After a couple of minutes, the question was asked "are you using our equipment?"

"No" was the answer. "I'm using (insert another brand name here) equipment"

Reply along the lines of - "Sorry we can't help you too much as it's not our gear"

When asked if they would go into a Volkswagen dealer and ask for help about the Ford that they bought elsewhere  - "Well that's not very helpful is it?" was the indignant response.

And this was from a dealer of small plastic and metal items that run on two parallel bits of metal that really should know better.

 

You couldn't make it up!

 

[/minor rant #2]

 

Looking like some very good news on Mrs NB's new employment front - just waiting for the paperwork to confirm. 

 

Have a good Wednesday - I know mine will be busy continuing some new product development work amongst answering the helpline.

 

Cheers,

Mick

p.s. A certain predominantly yellow layout will be making an appearance in a couple of weekends time at the WOR/BRM virtual show

 

 

 

[J. S. Bach]

Night Owl from the Piedmont.

[iL Dottore]

15 hours ago, simontaylor484 said:

I have been reading with incredulity the plight of our Welsh Bretheren as to what constitutes essential purchases. You couldnt make it up really..., There is growing evidence that lockdown does not work but who do you believe and is this virus really as deadly as first prediction now the Nhs has learnt how to treat it more effectively 

To your first point, Simon, what we are seeing is modern British incompetence in action. I am firmly of the opinion that since the educational establishment has moved away from rewarding success to tolerating failure -in the sense it is “Prizes for all“ no matter how poorly the child performs - this in turn results in a generation (or two) where they have never been told “that’s not acceptable you can do better”  Great things have been achieved by those who have been told by their teachers that they would not amount to anything“ (like Terry Pratchett) Being acquainted with failure is an incentive to perform better.

On your other point, sorry to disagree, but the “growing evidence that lockdown doesn’t work“ is a complete fallacy. Lockdown does work (for very good and simple biological reasons) but only on the proviso that it is done properly. If people really do not mix, then the virus has no opportunity to spread, it is that simple. It’s a bit like the injunction to wear masks: in various places mask wearing is required except if you have a medical exemption. This is patently absurd, for one thing if you can’t wear a mask because of a medical condition, you really shouldn’t be out and about during a respiratory disease pandemic. And if a good percentage of people are not wearing masks (as we have seen in many places over the past few months) then it more or less defeats the purpose of mask wearing. The countries where no exemptions are permitted  and where the lockdown truly is a lockdown are, surprise surprise, on top of the pandemic.

As COVID-19 is a relatively new virus in humans, we are still learning a lot about it (and there is much discussion about what the emerging and developing data are telling us), but one emerging consideration that my clinical colleagues  agree upon, is that a problem with this coronavirus is not so much it’s mortality (now estimated at just a bit higher than seasonal flu) but it’s morbidity and long-term sequalae which are putting incredible demands on various health systems

10 hours ago, TheQ said:

....Whilst I pointed out the Eastern European people's higher level of covid, I don't blame them. 

They are imported into this country as cheap labour because our unemployed don't want the hard work of vegetable and meat packing.  Also they don't want to spend their days,  picking veg in the fields....

You make a very interesting point about the unemployed (seemingly) not wanting to take on menial work. When I returned to the UK, in the mid 80s, after completing my university studies in the US, I was appalled to note a mindset amongst many of my (UK educated) university graduate  contemporaries who actually refused to do any “menial job“ and get valuable experience working in a real job environment whilst also earning a few pennies. Preferring instead to sponge off the bank of mum and dad. (Some of the temporary jobs I’ve done were pretty tedious, like working for BT pushing paper around, others were quite interesting-like working as a Locum in various London hospitals).

But, to be fair, given my training and education, menial jobs were only ever a stopgap measure and not, as would be the case for many of the U.K.’s unemployed, the only job(s) ever in the offing.

9 hours ago, Tony_S said:

 

Most of MiL’s carer visits are young women from Eastern Europe. Their main job with her is to go for a walk. The money MiL pays the agency per hour is a lot more than the minimum wage received by the career. 

Now that I find completely unacceptable. I am currently doing consulting work for a company who is providing me (as well as themselves) to a biotech start-up. And whilst I know that this company will be charging the biotech start-up somewhat more than I am getting, my standard fees are being met and I am certainly not being exploited, unlike these poor women from Eastern Europe. Perhaps a law should be passed that limits how much extra a so-called employment agency can plonk on top of the salary it pays to the people it employs. So no more nursing agencies charging the NHS £150 plus per hour for nurses who get to take home maybe £50 or £60 per hour (and so on)

6 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Evening All,

pleased to report that my football team won, first win of the season!

On that happy note I’ll wish you a Goodnight.

Robert (my emphasis, iD)

Goodness me, Robert! I didn’t know that you were keeping company with Abramovich and the like 

So tell me, who have you lined up to buy for next season?

 

And on that sporting note, I bid you a great “hump” day 

 

iD

Edited October 28, 2020 by iL Dottore
Typo

[chrisf]

Greetings one and all

 

I picked up a booklet from Tesco yesterday.  It is a catalogue of festive fare.  It is frightening in many ways and helped me decide that if at all possible I will get someone else to prepare C*****mas dinner for me.  I finally ruled out going away for the holiday period after checking out what the hotels in a certain favourite seaside place had to offer by way of entertainment.  The words “black tie” were a most effective deterrent in one case!  I am trying my luck at somewhere a bit more local and have been promised that my phone call will be returned this morning.  Stay tuned, folks.

 

On the subject of silent phone calls, my landline blower does not have incoming call display:  primitive, I know.  My mobile does tell me if it knows who is calling but, perhaps mercifully, not many callers know my mobile number.  Even I have trouble remembering it at times.

 

Best wishes to all

 

Chris