Topic: Current Events

[smokester]

Is it my imagination, or is Liz Truss acting out episodes of "The Thick of It?"  Whatever she's doing, it makes for great political theatre.  I'm waiting for her to announce the "self eating cake" as her next new economic plan, should she last long enough to effectuate it.

I was surprised to learn that KamiKwasi's PhD was actually in the study of "old coins". With that in mind, that makes him a historian who learned nothing from history, and while old coins were once currency, it's a bit of a stretch to say that also makes him versed in economics.

[smokester]

This highlights a fundamental flaw in our representative democracy. We elect MPs - one per constituency - based on (essentially) personality and party propaganda (with maybe a smidgin of local popularity). Nothing to do with competence or qualification of the representative to perform tasks in government. Then once a bunch of disparate civilians are elected, they put them in charge of things about which they have almost no knowledge, expertise or experience. They often have opinions, and more often have dreams, but qualifications are non-essential.

Hence we can have a Prime Minister that knows nothing about anything, and their only useful or relevant experience was gained in late night drunken discussion sessions with a bunch of equally useless fellow undergraduates. Similarly for chancellor of the exchequer, defence minister, etc., etc., etc.

Democracy is a really stupid way of running anything: popularity and competence are often mutually exclusive.

Humans and competence are very often mutually exclusive. I'm testament to that.

[6pairsofshoes]

This highlights a fundamental flaw in our representative democracy. We elect MPs - one per constituency - based on (essentially) personality and party propaganda (with maybe a smidgin of local popularity). Nothing to do with competence or qualification of the representative to perform tasks in government. Then once a bunch of disparate civilians are elected, they put them in charge of things about which they have almost no knowledge, expertise or experience. They often have opinions, and more often have dreams, but qualifications are non-essential.

Hence we can have a Prime Minister that knows nothing about anything, and their only useful or relevant experience was gained in late night drunken discussion sessions with a bunch of equally useless fellow undergraduates. Similarly for chancellor of the exchequer, defence minister, etc., etc., etc.

Democracy is a really stupid way of running anything: popularity and competence are often mutually exclusive.

The factors affecting most people's selection of elected representatives here has, increasingly, boiled down to popularity and an ability to smear one's opponents.  Truth, competence, moral fitness, all seem to be qualities that are no longer really important.  The more you give people access to information, the less likely they are to discriminate as to what they consume.  It's like having an open house with free food catered by McDonalds at one table and by some high ranking Michelin star chef at another.  Most people would just go to the pile of burgers and fries at McDonalds, even if the food is lacking in nourishment and higher in calories.  Why?  McDonalds has better ads, most likely, and better brand recognition.  Neither probably would have an advantage over the other when it comes to governance, but there you have it.

[8ullfrog]

Seeing a lot more halogen headlights in my neighborhood, looks like I'll be gentrified out again.

Problem is, there isn't anywhere else to go but the places fires burn down.

Even the goodwill clerks are younger and ruder.

Also, the county was cowpoo coy with what virus the teenagers have been spewing out. RSV. I'm masked back up.

[goldshirt*9]

Post Flu, Covid booster last Saturday.
OMG someone shoot me now, Husky voice and my head feels like I am joining the Alchon Huns tribe

[6pairsofshoes]

I have an appt for a double jab this afternoon.  This post does not inspire me with confidence.  A friend had the two and said her only after effects were an especially sore arm at the injection site.  Keeping fingers crossed that my experience is more like hers.   Hope you are now recovered, goldie.

[6pairsofshoes]

I had both in one arm last Saturday: Covid #4 and this year's "old-person" flu jab. My arm hurt like a hurry thing and I was wretched for two days. Today was better, and my arm is fine now.

This was Covid 5 for me, as I got the 2nd booster on Bastille Day, back when they were predicting that the bivalent update would not appear until late Oct.  So I got bivalent booster and old people flu shot and am waiting for the other shoe to drop.  I don't have any compelling appointments except for some webinars scheduled for the next couple of days.

[goldshirt*9]

would recommend it 6, could be my mother passed her cold on to me when I visited her.
Just a husky throat and fuzzy head.

[6pairsofshoes]

So far, I just have a sore arm and feel a little tired.  Glad to have those jabs behind me, though.  The garbage trucks woke me up and I think I'll probably go back to bed for a little catch up sleep.

[smokester]

I think I'll just run the gauntlet as I've never really been unwell even when I probably had COVID. Besides which, by all accounts the vaccine doesn't stop you catching it. I don't know of anyone that hasn't tested positive when fully vaccinated. However, they are all still with us so I understand the benefits.

[6pairsofshoes]

The vaccine was never intended to prevent one from catching the virus.  As one doc. told me, "it's to keep you out of the ICU."  Most people don't end up there, but not having the jab makes it more likely.  I have a mildly sore arm and am only a little tired.  That's it.  It's much milder than the last booster I had, and this is the new improved bivalent variety in combo with an enhanced flu shot.  Frankly, I'm surprised that my reactions have been so mild as I was expecting to be out of commission today.

[smokester]

I wonder what would have happened if the internet and mass stupidity had been around when we were trying to gain herd immunity to TB, measles, polio etc. We would probably be dealing with 18th Century levels of death and disability because "I'm not getting me or my children immunised because we'll probably be fine".

Herd immunity can only work once the herd are "immune". So far, there no immunity for COVID and the jury's still out with influenza. Seems like we just have to learn to live with it.

[goldshirt*9]

I wonder what would have happened if the internet and mass stupidity had been around when we were trying to gain herd immunity to TB, measles, polio etc. We would probably be dealing with 18th Century levels of death and disability because "I'm not getting me or my children immunised because we'll probably be fine".

Have used that exact statement with Anti-vaxers (who hate being called that?) and they just shrugged their shoulders and move the conversation somewhere else.
TB, measles appear in local hospitals, and a few other non advertised virus's (hate it when your wife comes home and tells you the new thing at the hospitals  ).
Allowing people in who have not been vaccinated for these "old virus" proves the point that mass  vaccination does work.

On a lighter note, Did Truss last that stated week ?
Have always said, people want to move on and up but its not always good at the top of the Poo pile.

[8ullfrog]

I think the internet in and of itself was fine, misinformation used to be shouted down.
Social media has allowed curation and bubbles to the point you are no longer confronted with inconvenient facts that you don't like.
Like Bo Burnham said in his song, something about 9/11 really messed up both the internet and our psyches. We all wanted to act like it hadn't happened, and that's how we end up with Spewers like Alex Jones. Oh, and the return of measles and polio.

I feel like a lot of the 9/11 conspiracies were people who DIDN'T WANT what actually happened to be possible, so they invented the reality they wanted, and submitted it as their "truth". They even called themselves Truthers.

As to the Covid boosters, my next Dr. appointment isn't until December. Each one beats me up a little more. I'm on Dose 4.

I have a medical center nearly across the street from me, and I had a really nice doctor there, but my insurance decided to make me go 17 miles away.

For a while I was going to a doctor six miles away, but he started getting... creepy and suggestive.

[smokester]

Not quite true: approaching herd vaccination has had, and is having, a massive effect on the mortality rate. If we had all decided not to have the vaccination, ten times as many people (or maybe many more) would likely have died of it. It is understood that vaccination has kept pace with the mutation of the virus, and that the latest mutation is the least potent yet, so chasing it down a hole seems to have been very effective. It is quite simple: the fewer people that get the vaccination, the longer the disease will last.

... despite the internet, and the opinion of all those people that were convinced that "they" were injecting them with nanobots to take over the world. If anyone has died directly from the vaccine, they are outnumbered (by millions to one) by those that died because they weren't vaccinated (... and those that caught it from people that weren't vaccinated).

But you are right; if you have never been ill with it, it is not your concern.

I have been dreadfully ill after being vaccinated 3 times, so I think I have stood strong with my comrades when the enemy was approaching. Now, I have the same attitude the the COVID vaccine as I have with the flu vaccine - which I have never had as I figure that if I can't take a week off work every couple of years when I'm ill, then I'm in the wrong job and my boss is an bottom.

Which he can be - but not often.