OT. Schools...normality and Coronavirus.

[ramAnag]

I don't think you HAVE to listen to politicians RA, its optional!

Of course its difficult to manage competing issues, health and the reality of the impact on millions of people of a crashed economy, which is where a politician is supposed to provide the balance. Does Sir Simon Stevens know the answers? From a health perspective probably, but from a realistic approach which means the country can function completely? I doubt it, nobody knows all the answers!

Nowhere is this more evident than New Zealand, which effectively quarantined itself from the rest of the world and has minimal deaths as a result, BUT they are now realising that their economy will go down the tubes and of course that will ahve a detrimental impact on the health and lives of its citizens.

You’re right, of course, Swale...’it’s optional’.
Unfortunately though...they make the rules that we live by...and the rules, as laid out by Hancock (Health), Williamson (Education) and Johnson (Pubs/social distancing) just prove that they really know...**** all.
By comparison Sir Simon Stevens, most headteachers and the majority of publicans do seem to know what they’re talking about.

[Ram59]

You’re right, of course, Swale...’it’s optional’.
Unfortunately though...they make the rules that we live by...and the rules, as laid out by Hancock (Health), Williamson (Education) and Johnson (Pubs/social distancing) just prove that they really know...**** all.
By comparison Sir Simon Stevens, most headteachers and the majority of publicans do seem to know what they’re talking about.

True to a certain extent RA, they're all experts in their own fields, but as has been pointed out, there is a bigger picture here.

Sure, there are going to be winners and losers, not just economically either. The government have made many mistakes, but in their defence, they are being advised by many experts who have contradictory ideas.

Throughout something like this, it's dammed if you do and damned if you don't, just like being a football manager.

[ramAnag]

True to a certain extent RA, they're all experts in their own fields, but as has been pointed out, there is a bigger picture here.

Sure, there are going to be winners and losers, not just economically either. The government have made many mistakes, but in their defence, they are being advised by many experts who have contradictory ideas.

Throughout something like this, it's dammed if you do and damned if you don't, just like being a football manager.

Except that football managers really are, almost by definition, ‘experts in their fields’. I sometimes think that the last time the delusional Gavin Williamson was in a school was when he was an actual pupil and although I suspect Johnson maybe very familiar with cosy rural pubs he seemed completely unaware as regards the implications of ending inner city lockdown on a Saturday night.

[MadAmster]

Yet another success story for the too little, too late Tory in #10........... not!

Bumbling baffling baboon bereft of the bolleaux to do the right thing at the right time. The financial package being the one thing they got properly right and that was the Chancellor, not the PM.

The UK is supposed to be a union of 4 EQUAL partners. Now Scotland is being told by Rees Mogg that it it no more than a region. As each day passes and they try to get Scottish TV to NOT broadcast the First Minister's daily press conferences, have their MP in Scotland get roasted every day, praise something BJ does when they had pilloried the FM for exactly the same thing the week before...... it's as if they actually WANT the Scots to go for independence.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Yet another success story for the too little, too late Tory in #10........... not!

Bumbling baffling baboon bereft of the bolleaux to do the right thing at the right time. The financial package being the one thing they got properly right and that was the Chancellor, not the PM.

The UK is supposed to be a union of 4 EQUAL partners. Now Scotland is being told by Rees Mogg that it it no more than a region. As each day passes and they try to get Scottish TV to NOT broadcast the First Minister's daily press conferences, have their MP in Scotland get roasted every day, praise something BJ does when they had pilloried the FM for exactly the same thing the week before...... it's as if they actually WANT the Scots to go for independence.

I suspect they probably do, if only to (a) get it rejected again and so put the loathsome woman back in her box, or (b) to resolve the issue once and for all and give the scotch the time to work out where they are going to get a currency from and all the other practical issues which would beset the concept.

At the moment the SNP have it easy - constantly moaning about something they cannot yet persuade the people that they want (although that sentiment may have changed during the pandemic). But if they get allowed it, then the reality will suddenly smack them round the head and it may prove troublesome to implement.

Its like me constantly saying I really want an 18 year old Thai bride, but if I find one, at 65, I am far from sure that I could cope with it!!

[Trickytreesreds]

Yep lets all follow the best advice we can and keep lock down/isolation/normality away forever.

I saw a report yesterday, from an oncologist that cancer patients are next, in a wave of deaths in their 10's of thousands, due to treatment being stalled. Even working over full capacity will take over a year to clear the back log. Too late for most of them.
So Sturgeon may end up getting a visit from one very irate cancer patient with nothing to lose.
Everyone thinks the same thing, she's had a taste of power and does everything she can to be opposite government decisions.
Bugger the consequences.
But whilst you're at it, give us more cash, "wail/scream/strop"

[Ram59]

Except that football managers really are, almost by definition, ‘experts in their fields’. I sometimes think that the last time the delusional Gavin Williamson was in a school was when he was an actual pupil and although I suspect Johnson maybe very familiar with cosy rural pubs he seemed completely unaware as regards the implications of ending inner city lockdown on a Saturday night.

How many times are football managers demonised for not playing a player and then when he does select him, demonised for playing him. At the time, many were saying why do we need a lockdown, now with hindsight, many are saying that it was too late.

On the subject of pubs reopening, I personally think that it's too soon and I agree that it was crazy to start it at the weekend. It should have been on a Monday night, giving pubs and their staff chance to build up the numbers.

It's been a difficult job forthe government, but I despair at some of the simple wrong decisions made.

[ramAnag]

I suspect they probably do, if only to (a) get it rejected again and so put the loathsome woman back in her box, or (b) to resolve the issue once and for all and give the scotch the time to work out where they are going to get a currency from and all the other practical issues which would beset the concept.

At the moment the SNP have it easy - constantly moaning about something they cannot yet persuade the people that they want (although that sentiment may have changed during the pandemic). But if they get allowed it, then the reality will suddenly smack them round the head and it may prove troublesome to implement.

Its like me constantly saying I really want an 18 year old Thai bride, but if I find one, at 65, I am far from sure that I could cope with it!!

I’m bloody certain you couldn’t!

But seriously, the ‘advice’ regarding schools and pubs would have been laughable were it not so tragic, although - tbf - I did hear the Culture Secretary speaking the truth this morning.
Once you get past the fact that ‘it’ll be very challenging’ has become a euphemism for ‘it isn’t going to happen’, then we did have the rare sight of a government minister actually knowing what he was talking about.

[ramAnag]

How many times are football managers demonised for not playing a player and then when he does select him, demonised for playing him. At the time, many were saying why do we need a lockdown, now with hindsight, many are saying that it was too late.

On the subject of pubs reopening, I personally think that it's too soon and I agree that it was crazy to start it at the weekend. It should have been on a Monday night, giving pubs and their staff chance to build up the numbers.

It's been a difficult job forthe government, but I despair at some of the simple wrong decisions made.

You’re absolutely right Ram...it’s been a difficult job and an unprecedented situation.

The Saturday night thing I believe was clouded, in what passes for Johnson’s mind, by the 4th July factor and populism.

The track and trace situation is turning into a tragic fiasco.

As for schools...we’ve now got Williamson just saying all pupils will go back in September and those that don’t will be subject to fines.
As it happens I’m currently involved in putting on a live music event in October. All sorts of calculations have, rightly, to be made about such things as seating, ticketing and toilet facilities.
It’s truly complicated and yet it is simplicity itself compared with opening up schools, where classrooms have been designed with pupils regularly sitting no more than 30cm (at best) apart suddenly having to provide seating 1-2 metres apart.
You just can’t safely fit the same number of children into the same space anymore and the government has to provide extra facilities (temporary buildings) and extra staff. Those steps need to be taken now...not in September when it suddenly dawns on the Education Secretary that the can he has been kicking down the road since last March won’t go any further.

[MadAmster]

Here's just 2 of the many things BoJo and his motley crew have done that rile the Scots. One designed to put the FM down but only succeeds in making Carlaw look stupid and the other shows an average of getting on for 20 Billion things a year that might persuade Scots to breakaway.