Castle Aching

[Compound2632]

6 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

You're right! I think it is all a political ruse to divert attention away from the lamentable failure of the EU in this regard, plus a bit of pique over Brexit.  where would we be with the vaccine if we were still controlled by their centralised beaurocracy?  France and Germany have already wasted around half the AZ vaccine they got!

 

As your final remark implies, the vaccination programmes are being managed at national level - so the programmes in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland would have run as they have with or without Brexit. Probably better without Brexit, as that would imply that we had competent government.

Edited March 17, 2021 by Compound2632

[Edwardian]

3 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

 

 competent government.

 

No, I've tried, but my powers of imagination cannot seem to stretch that far. One for the Proceedings ... thread, I suspect, however.

[wagonman]

The general rule of vaccines in the UK seems to be that those given (like mine) by local GPs are likely to be AZ as those sites don't have the necessary deep refrigeration required for the Pfizer.

 

Ignoring the 'correlation/causation' thing for a moment, Jim's figures imply the AZ vaccine reduces the risk of clotting...

 

My sister in law in Hamburg tells me there is mounting frustration in Germany about the slow and chaotic roll out of the vaccination programme. I suspect the UK roll-out is so successful precisely because the government is not directly involved.

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by wagonman
spilling

[Regularity]

26 minutes ago, wagonman said:

 

Ignoring the 'correlation/causation' thing for a moment, Jim's figures imply the AZ vaccine reduces the risk of clotting.

Jim's figures imply nothing of the sort (even as a joke, this is a dangerous thing to say as it can be quoted out of context very easily).

 

Incidence refers to the number of cases over or at a specific moment in time, and this is not stated, but it can only be a few months for the AZ vaccine as it hasn't been in widespread use for very long. Neither has Jim stated the time period for the general population.

 

The rough figure of "1 in 1,000" is a rough estimate for the whole population during a 12 month period, i.e. the annual incidence rate. For older people, such as those being vaccinated earlier, this rate tends to be higher - between 2 and 7 per 1,000 annually.

The figures reported so far for the AZ vaccine are for only a portion of a year.

 

If we adjust the reported number of thrombosis cases for the number of months the AZ vaccine has been deployed, then the only possible conclusion - and this may be too early to state with certainty - is that the rate of blood clotting is the same regardless of whether or not the AZ vaccine is administered.

 

Properly framed and referenced, statistics do not lie: they are facts, particularly so when descriptive rather than the results of predictive modelling (and even here, the amount of explained variability places known limitations on the use of the model). Improperly quoted, well, we know the misquoted (and mis-referenced) aphorism about lies, damned lies and...

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Regularity

[rocor]

1 hour ago, wagonman said:

 

My sister-in-law in Hamburg tells me there is mounting frustration in Germany about the slow and chaotic roll out of the vaccination programme. I suspect the UK roll-out is so successful precisely because the government is not directly involved.

 

 

I expect that the Germans are blaming the EU rather than their own government, in the same manner as we used to, before we left.

 

[Andy Hayter]

5 minutes ago, rocor said:

 

I expect that the Germans are blaming the EU rather than their own government, in the same manner as we used to, before we left.

 

Both

But as suggested perhaps this discussion should move over to proceedings.

[Caley Jim]

12 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

Why do you say that?

It was a quote from a BBC News item I read a few days ago, but unfortunately can't now find.

 

All medicines have a shelf life, depending on storage conditions, after which they cannot, and indeed must not, be used.  The following from The Information for UK Health Professionals .

 

6.3 Shelf life Unopened multidose vial 6 months

After first use

Use as soon as practically possible and within 6 hours. The vaccine may be stored between 2°C and 25°C during the in-use period.

6.4 Special precautions for storage Unopened multidose vial

Store in a refrigerator (2 to 8°C). Do not freeze. Keep vials in outer carton to protect from light.

After first use

For storage conditions after first use of the medicinal product, see section 6.3.

 

If a 6-dose vial has had just one dose taken out of it and the rest is not used within 6 hours, then it must be discarded.

 

When in practice I had to regularly check our emergency drugs to ensure they were still 'in date'.

 

Jim

Edited March 17, 2021 by Caley Jim

[Edwardian]

Thing is, in the intervening 12 weeks before jab #2, do I resume 'normal' life to the extent soon to be legalised, or do I continue to stay home cowering behind my rampart of loo roll? 

 

I will need to see the Aged Ps and do things with the Offspring, but confess, I am inclined to be circumspect.  Mind you, I never got out much anyway ....

 

 

 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Edwardian
spelling!

[rocor]

8 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

Both

But as suggested perhaps this discussion should move over to proceedings.

 

I concur, it is easy to forget that posters on the RMweb website are liable to be from all around the world, and that a comment that concerns another countries politics is still a political comment.

[Compound2632]

I've made an attempt at conversation relocation:

 

[Edwardian]

The Joy of Freelance ....

 

An entire train for significantly less than the cost of a pre-Grouping express locomotive.

 

 

 

Smartly priced and rapidly delivered by Peter's Spares. 

[Nearholmer]

Are those Hornby 4W coaches and, if so, how do they compare with Hattons ones (or, the other way round)?

 

I ask because, in photos, the Hornby ones look slightly more "toy" than Hattons to me.

[Edwardian]

2 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Are those Hornby 4W coaches and, if so, how do they compare with Hattons ones (or, the other way round)?

 

I ask because, in photos, the Hornby ones look slightly more "toy" than Hattons to me.

 

Yes, I think you are dead on the money in your assessment of the Hornby coaches.

 

My thoughts on them are here  .....

 

 

... and no doubt the Fanboys won't appreciate my reservations. 

 

However, they seem to be at least as good a basis for a WNR coach as a Triang clerestory, so we'll see how they turn out. 

 

Other than these, though, I will reserve my funds and energies for the Hattons coaches.  Having been involved in the choices made for these (in a team ably lead by Stephen), and seen the CAD, I have considerable confidence in the superiority of the Hattons product. 

 

 

[Caley Jim]

5 hours ago, Edwardian said:

Thing is, in the intervening 12 weeks before jab #2, do I resume 'normal' life to the extent soon to be legalised, or do I continue to stay home cowering behind my rampart of loo roll? 

 

I will need to see the Aged Ps and do things with the Offspring, but confess, I am inclined to be circumspect.  Mind you, I never got out much anyway ....

 

 

 

That is entirely your choice (within the regulations). The statistics for efficacy and transmission I alluded to above are encouraging, however, in that they show I high degree of protection for you as an individual and for those with whom you may interact. Not 100%, mind. Personally I will be erring on the cautious side and will certainly not be considering any overseas holidays. We hope to get a week at a friend's caravan in Berwick in July, but that will be as 'foreign' as it gets! 

 

Jim 

Edited March 17, 2021 by Caley Jim

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, Edwardian said:

Other than these, though, I will reserve my funds and energies for the Hattons coaches.  Having been involved in the choices made for these (in a team ably lead by Stephen), and seen the CAD, I have considerable confidence in the superiority of the Hattons product. 

 

I would rather say, there were a number of us who each independently provided Hattons with advice* but I am grateful to several people including James who fed me reference material on the carriages of companies with which I was less familiar. 

 

*which Hattons were of course at liberty to take on board or reject - there were a number of points on which my advice was not followed.

[Edwardian]

16 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

I would rather say, there were a number of us who each independently provided Hattons with advice* but I am grateful to several people including James who fed me reference material on the carriages of companies with which I was less familiar. 

 

I'm sure that is a modest summary of you signal contribution.

 

16 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

*which Hattons were of course at liberty to take on board or reject - there were a number of points on which my advice was not followed.

 

Good job too, or we'd have ended up with Midland coaches !

[Compound2632]

47 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

Good job too, or we'd have ended up with Midland coaches !

 

We don't need Midland coaches - there are some approachable kits around.

[Edwardian]

49 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

We don't need Midland coaches - there are some approachable kits around.

 

Apologies, a feeble jest!

[CKPR]

3 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

We hope to get a week at a friend's caravan in Berwick in July, but that will be as 'foreign' as it gets! 

Is the constitutional status of Berwick-upon-Tweed still 'debatable' ? I seem to recall the Soviet ambassador signing a peace treaty with the mayor in the 1980s as the town was still technically at war with the USSR (as the successor state to Imperial Russia) , having been omitted from the treaty ending the Crimean War. 

Edited March 17, 2021 by CKPR

[Caley Jim]

38 minutes ago, CKPR said:

Is the constitutional status of Berwick-upon-Tweed still 'debatable' ? I seem to recall the Soviet ambassador signing a peace treaty with the mayor in the 1980s as the town was still technically at war with the USSR (as the successor state to Imperial Russia) , having been omitted from the treaty ending the Crimean War. 

Well, it does lie in 'The Debatable Lands', but I think we've generally accepted that it is now part of England.  I have to say, however, that the part to the North of the river does feel more Scottish than English.

 

Jim

Edited March 17, 2021 by Caley Jim

[Edwardian]

7 minutes ago, Caley Jim said:

Well, it does lie in 'The Debatable Lands', but I think we've generally accepted that it is now part of England.  I have to say, however, that the part to the North of the river does feel more Scottish than English.

 

Jim

 

No, it doesn't.

 

The 'Debatable Land', now split  between Scotland and England along Scots' Dyke, is located towards the western end of the border.

 

Debateable may be a  misnomer, a corruption of 'bateable'.  Everyone knew who owned the 'debateable land'; no one. It was originally neutral country where both sides could graze their cattle (batable refers to grazing), but no one was allowed to build a house there and settle.

 

The reivers encrouched of course and it was ultimately divided. 

[Caley Jim]

Thank you for that erudite correction, James.

 

Jim

[CKPR]

 

[Bill_J]

On 16/02/2021 at 12:35, Edwardian said:

I am aware of the legal position, but that, for me, is not the point. I believe Lord Elgin made a legal purchase of the Parthenon marbles, but the debate concerning them is hardly quelled by that.

 

My better half, being Greek might take exception here. My understanding is that Lord Elgin made his deal with the Turkish, who were in occupied control of Greece at the time. Having no regard to the history therein, the occupiers had a policy of letting antiquities decay and fall to ruin.

 

More recent history reveals a policy of returning major antiquities to their country of origin. Why not the Parthenon frieze? Or maybe a trade for the excellent reproductions in the Acropolis museum?

 

Bill

Edited March 20, 2021 by Bill_J
Changed Parthenon to Acropolis

[Edwardian]

10 minutes ago, Bill_J said:

 

My better half, being Greek might take exception here. My understanding is that Lord Elgin made his deal with the Turkish, who were in occupied control of Greece at the time. Having no regard to the history therein, the occupiers had a policy of letting antiquities decay and fall to ruin.

 

More recent history reveals a policy of returning major antiquities to their country of origin. Why not the Parthenon frieze? Or maybe a trade for the excellent reproductions in the Parthenon museum?

 

Bill

 

Well, since Athens had been part of the Ottoman Empire since the 1450s (about 350 years by the time the marbles were acquired) I feel taking exception on grounds of illegality would lack force.  After all, it's not as if there was a Greek government, even one recently displaced, that could have given good receipt for the antiquities. Frankly, it's a good job Elgin was on hand to save them, given how the Ottomans treated the Parthenon.  The question remains, what should be done about them now?

 

My post was at least potentially sympathetic to, and certainly not inconsistent with, repatriation; you seem to have missed that point.  Since you mention it, though, it's a relatively modern controversy over a relatively ancient transaction and begs the question, where does one stop?   Why isn't Italy returning the 'basilica horses' to Turkey? Everyone thought Napoleon should give them back when he nicked off with them, but only to Venice, which had nicked them from the Greeks. Or is that somehow different because the Turks still 'occupy' Constantinople?