Proceedings of the Castle Aching Parish Council, 1905

[monkeysarefun]

4 hours ago, wagonman said:

 

The 50,000 deaths a year from COVID is not an inconsiderable figure, but to put it into context there are around three times as many deaths from cancer. Or, to put it another way, about 10% of the total deaths in the country (in 2020).

 

Additionally death -  although the most  serious outcome  -  doesnt seem to be the only bad  longterm result from getting a nasty dose of covid. 

Edited November 10, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[Nearholmer]

I have to say that I’m not at all sure the maths and the stated implications quite match in the way those U.K. numbers are used.

 

Average life spans have fallen due to Covid certainly, but that of itself cannot affect the life expectancy of anyone born today in the way stated, unless we assume that Covid rambles on forever, with no acquisition of immunity by exposure in childhood, no improvement in vaccination, and no improvement in treatment, because very largely Covid lops years off the back-ends of people’s lives, rather than taking them in middle-age or younger.

 

 

 

 

[monkeysarefun]

29 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

I have to say that I’m not at all sure the maths and the stated implications quite match in the way those U.K. numbers are used.

 

Average life spans have fallen due to Covid certainly, but that of itself cannot affect the life expectancy of anyone born today in the way stated, unless we assume that Covid rambles on forever, with no acquisition of immunity by exposure in childhood, no improvement in vaccination, and no improvement in treatment, because very largely Covid lops years off the back-ends of people’s lives, rather than taking them in middle-age or younger.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, thats exactly why I began with  ""Äpparently (because its statistics...")!

 

They always do my head in. For instance my chance of winning the Lotto here is something quite tiny.  However, a while ago someone in my office won the lotto, so the chances of winning although tiny do sometimes occur . But... , the chance of 2 people in the same small office winning the lotto must be very small, meaning that my chance must now be even tinier than my original chances...  so is my chance of winning now less than someone in an office who doesn't have someone who has won it? In which case should I  have demanded a share of hers since she is doing me out of my previous chance of ever winning?  

[Nearholmer]

Your chance remains exactly as before: vanishingly small.

[Annie]

[Regularity]

No. Your chance of winning the lotto next time is the same as it was the previous time: not very big at all.

Assuming you buy a ticket, of course.

[monkeysarefun]

14 minutes ago, Regularity said:

Assuming you buy a ticket, of course.

And thats  the OTHER thing thats been reducing my chances. 

 

And while Im here. why is it so cold today? 19 degrees 2 weeks out from summer .Really?  This La Nina thing is really kicking in. At least the place isnt on fire though I guess. Alice Springs had 100mm rain yesterday, most since 1940 or something.

 

Here's what the Todd River there should be like  - pictured during the annual Henley On Todd regatta.

This is it today. 

 

 

 

 

If I was a global warming septic I'd be posting these on facebook right now with a line of stupid emojis. 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[Annie]

My idea of the perfect Summer is 18 degrees, grey skies and rain.

 

I have a lovely Scottish neighbour who gives me free range eggs because her chickens lay far more than she can use.  These eggs are the real deal too with lovely hard shells that take some effort to crack.  The thought came to me this afternoon that if any of these eggs were on the turn they'd be perfect for taking out crooked politicians as they'd not only get splattered with rotten egg muck, but they'd stand a fair chance of getting concussion as well.

[monkeysarefun]

 

Need one of these! 

[Nearholmer]

2 hours ago, Annie said:

My idea of the perfect Summer is 18 degrees, grey skies and rain.

We’re having weather similar to that (six degrees cooler) here in late Autumn at the moment. It’s a bit weird, because the ‘natural’ weather for now should be well below ten degrees and horribly damp and bitter. I keep over-dressing when I go anywhere on my bike, and arriving in ‘boil in the bag’ condition.

[Annie]

It's because our horrible hot and humid Summers make my narcolepsy symptoms worse that I much prefer our Autumn and early Spring weather.  I suppose with weather it's what you're used to and certainly the world's weather is undergoing a major shake up at the moment.  A friend in Holland I keep in touch with was born in Eastern Europe and she only feels comfortable when the temperature drops below zero.  The hot Summer weather in Europe earlier this year kept her indoors in darkened rooms with all curtains drawn until the weather started to turn cooler again.

[Nearholmer]

Mid-summer in mainland Europe now can be dangerously hot. A couple of years ago, we travelled via Paris during a heat-wave and I’d swear it was hotter than I’ve ever experienced. At the main railway station where we boarded the train south, they’d rigged-up a big water-mist fire extinguisher system on the concourse to keep the passengers from flaking-out in the heat - quite clever, I thought.

[Annie]

We are already seeing temperatures in some parts of the world that are considered to be unsurvivable and I would imagine that this situation is not about to improve and will only continue to get worse.  Will this mean that a new wave of refugees will be trying to find ways to enter countries where the temperatures are more liveable.  There's already tragedies every day with considerable numbers of refugees trying to escape war and oppressive governments so things are not looking good at all for the future of humankind.

[Regularity]

9 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

Need one of these! 

I wonder if that one is called Chris?

Edited November 11, 2021 by Regularity
Apologies: I got the wrong continent. That’s not a rhea.

[wagonman]

17 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

That sounds like because it's not the worst we can ignore it.

 

Why on earth did we bother with HPV vaccine for a mere750 deaths per year?

 

Not at all, but we do need to have a context for figures. Perhaps the most important figure is that the 50,000 represents a bit over 10% of all deaths in the UK, one of the highest rates in the world. Compare with the 0.6% figure for Australia quoted by Monkeysarefun. Perhaps we should just stick to 'Excess Deaths'?

 

Perhaps too we should strive to get rid of this murderously inept and corrupt government? Just a thought.

[Andy Hayter]

Now there we can absolutely agree.

 

My concern is that we are beginning to see pandemic fatigue.  Everyone wants to "get back to normal", ditching all sensible precautions along the way.  Comments like "only  a few deaths" only serves to normalise what is an horrendous death toll.  

 

I fear France will be no different as we enter the Xmas period of massive family get togethers.  Although the French government have been more stringent with their rules and laws and have just updated them to take account of vaccine effectiveness tailing off over time.   From 15th December anyone with a vaccine passport that is more than 6 months and 5 weeks old will find the passport deactivated and so bar them from entry to cafes, restaurants, sports arenas, long distance travel and many other places.

 

That will be a problem for anyone in the UK where the booster is not going to be included in the UK vaccine pass.  (source Savage Javid).  Perhaps not a massive problem at Christmas but for all those jetting off for a ski holiday in 2022, the apres ski is going to be a rather lonely affair stuck in your apartment.   Always supposing you are allowed on the slopes at all.  

[Compound2632]

On a lighter note, I've been entertained by the sight of an MP, a former government law officer, acting in his professional capacity to advise clients how to resist government policy. I'm reminded of the story of the Jesuit, the Benedictine, and the cigar, which I'm fairly sure I've repeated before:

 

A Benedictine monk sees his friend the Jesuit priest reading his breviary and smoking a cigar. He asks the Jesuit whether he has his Superior's permission for this, "Oh yes, of course" says the Jesuit. The monk thinks this is a luxury worth trying, so asks his Prior for permission, receiving a flat refusal. When he next sees his friend, he complains about this. "What did you say?" asks the Jesuit. "I asked if I could smoke a cigar while reading my breviary, but the Prior said no, that would be most impious and a terrible distraction from my devotions. I don't understand how you get away with it." "Ah," says the Jesuit, "I asked my Superior if it would be right to read my breviary while smoking a cigar and he said, 'Of course, my son, we should pray at all times and under all circumstances.'"

Edited November 11, 2021 by Compound2632

[Caley Jim]

6 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

 

Need one of these! 

Doesn't NZ have Cassowaries, who can slit you open from throat to crotch with one flick of their rear facing claws?  That would sort them out.

 

Jim

[Compound2632]

1 minute ago, Caley Jim said:

Doesn't NZ have Cassowaries, who can slit you open from throat to crotch with one flick of their rear facing claws?  That would sort them out.

 

I thought it was the size of the eggs (politicians, for throwing at) though it did strike me that extracting them from the nest might be risky.

[Regularity]

37 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

On a lighter note, I've been entertained by the sight of an MP, a former government law officer, acting in his professional capacity to advise clients how to resist government policy.

Ah, but that’s basically the antidote to lobbying, so ok…

Edited November 11, 2021 by Regularity
Autocorrect

[monkeysarefun]

1 hour ago, Caley Jim said:

Doesn't NZ have Cassowaries, who can slit you open from throat to crotch with one flick of their rear facing claws?  That would sort them out.

 

Jim

I think NZ has the kiwi which can peck  nastily at your  ankles.  The Cassowary lives in Northern Queensland and New Guinea and can indeed rip you apart.

 

Still not as deadly as the magpie though, which does actually kill 1 or 2 people each year. One took out an older gentleman on a bike down Wollongong a year or so ago and I think an infant in Perth died as a result of an attack last year. 

[Caley Jim]

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

I think NZ has the kiwi which can peck  nastily at your  ankles.  The Cassowary lives in Northern Queensland and New Guinea and can indeed rip you apart.

Ah!  Sorry, wrong country!  Mind you The Kiwis (as in rugby players in all black) do look pretty intimidating.  On which note, commiserations for last Saturday!

 

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

Still not as deadly as the magpie though, which does actually kill 1 or 2 people each year. One took out an older gentleman on a bike down Wollongong a year or so ago and I think an infant in Perth died as a result of an attack last year. 

And here was me thinking your magies were less vicious than ours!  Ours only bully small birds.

 

Jim

[Edwardian]

1 hour ago, Caley Jim said:

Ours only bully small birds.

 

 

 

And place the heroines of opera in fatal jeopardy, of course.

 

 

[wagonman]

5 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

On a lighter note, I've been entertained by the sight of an MP, a former government law officer, acting in his professional capacity to advise clients how to resist government policy. I'm reminded of the story of the Jesuit, the Benedictine, and the cigar, which I'm fairly sure I've repeated before:

 

I've always thought of Geoffrey Cox as an expensive lawyer who occasionally moonlights as an MP.

[monkeysarefun]

2 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

 

 

And here was me thinking your magies were less vicious than ours!  Ours only bully small birds.

 

Jim

 

 

Never ever try try to outclass  Australia in dangerous nature stuff, we are in a different league. For instance you have the "stinging nettle" oh ouch. .... We have the Gympie Gympie, also know as the suicide plant ..

 

https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/science-environment/2009/06/gympie-gympie-once-stung-never-forgotten/

 

The day YOUR magpie has its own government  website that you should check before leaving your house to see where they are attacking then you can come play.

 

Ours are even using COVID to their advantage. They usually tell who is "friendly" (feeds them, passes through their area without posing threat etc) and leaves them unattacked during nesting season .

 

Due to face masks however, they can't tell who is who so fix that by just attacking everyone.

 

 

 

Had this in my backyard 3 weeks ago, luckily its only the worlds second deadliest snake (the first one lives a bit further west of here) so I just poked it with a stick a few times. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by monkeysarefun