grrclark

I deleted my response, it was unnecessary.

There is also a massive growth in surface transport and things like fully carpeted houses, central heating and air conditioning that can all have an impact on lung health. 60 years ago plastics were in their infancy and now we know that micro-plastic pollution is extreme. One wash of a typical polyester fleece jacket releases a million micro-plastic particles. Even aluminium use was not nearly as widespread 60 years ago, so it stands to reason there would be greater distribution of aluminium pollution now too. I agree that being closed minded to anything is foolish, but consider what you are promoting. A grand conspiracy so large that it happens on a global scale every day in every corner of the world, that would have to include millions if not tens of millions of people, yet there is no evidence of any of it apart from on conspiracy websites.

Do you think they are releasing resin thickener to stiffen up the clouds?

And microballoons, don't forget them. I wonder if they have microbaskets suspended from them from which the Pixie's sprinkle their dust.

Commercial air travel 60 years ago was a rarity, even 40 years ago it was still a relative rarity. In that time engine development has also moved on massively where engines have a far greater compression ratio and air/fuel mix so output a load more water vapour than they did even 20 years ago. So more water vapour equals more sublimation to ice crystals ergo more contrails. Commercial aircraft also fly higher than they did 60 years ago, temperatures are lower the higher you go therefore the contrails will persist longer and be subject to greater dispersion, ergo spread out fluffy contrails.

I am a Scottish unionist, although if i was voting on PW related emotion alone some of the folk on here would make me very happy to vote for indy.

That made me laugh a lot.

I actually think in a worse situation, if it was visibly worse and we could see with our own eyes rather than, in the majority, relying on news conferences with stern faced people pointing to graphs that we would react better and in a more practical way. If there was crisis on each of our own doorsteps i think you’d see more localised leadership. A little like at the very start of the covid measures, there was community cohesion.

Wholeheartedly agree.

I wholeheartedly agree Mel. I do not for a second under estimate the potential impact the virus may have in respect to hospitalisation rates or excess deaths especially amongst the more vulnerable, the economic impact is starting to show and I think 2021 will be a tremendously difficult year for many. The biggest thing though, that we only really see in glimpses such as the experience of your friends daughter, is the untold levels of emotional pain, distress and isolation that tens, if not hundreds of millions of people will be feeling through enforced isolation. The inability to put an arm around someone physically, or metaphorically, without the risk of being criminalised or marked out as an irresponsible pariah. The people who most need that arm put around them are unable to ask as they are bound by fear of contracting or passing on a disease so they are forced to struggle on alone. A phone call or video call is just not a substitute for some physical contact and comfort. Because it cannot be displayed on graphs or presented as statistics it is largely invisible, but still felt by so very many. It really is a genuine human tragedy.

That is the key thing. There are really three options. 1. You don’t like it jack it in and take your chances finding something else. 2. You employer doesn’t like it and decides to pack it in, you still have to take your chances and hope to get something else. 3. Keep working and getting a wage, unlike millions of others, and do all you can to keep yourself safe. Personally i’d take option 3 all day every day.

That is a dreadful shame, you can’t even invite her to join you for a meal over the festive period without making a criminal of both of you. What a really screwed up time we are living through. Sorry to learn about Lin’s aunt too.

Sorry to hear that Mel and what a rotten shame for his daughter.

I applaud your enthusiasm Chris. I rather fear that you are pushing a closed door, perhaps even a double bolted door with the bookcase, sofa and table all stacked up behind it lest it open even a tiny chink.

I perhaps should have said ‘assembling’ rather than typing

Serrac, fair play to you for typing all that out, but i'm afraid it is a wasted effort, at least with me. I really have no inclination to get into a debate with you on the various elements of your post, it's boring and achieves absolutely nothing. I really can't be bothered batting back and forth on what is subjective conjecture. Biden will still be president come the 20th, Trump and his fanboys will still cry foul from now until whenever. You have obviously decided to take the position that Trump was cheated and I don't think there is anything at all that would move you from that position. I don't really care about that either. I do hope you have a good Christmas.

Agreed. The devolved approach and one-upmanship involved on all sides has only added to the noise and lack of clarity. Even the noise by the likes of Burnham and Kahn contributes to that. It’s not about who is wrong or right or colour of party rosette, it’s simply about cohesion and continuity of message an approach. It is an abject failure of decisive leadership.

That is dreadful news to hear. I take my hat of to Jackie, although I don’t know Martin personally I’m very glad that she is around for him. The lady has a big heart and I hope she shares it with Martin for a very long time. If Martin’s experience tells us anything, make the most of what we have while we have it. Every single day is the start of a better new year, make the best of it that you possibly can as our grip on it can be so tenuous and slim.

Boris never was or could ever be the guy for this. He can lead people in a spirit of optimism when he can buoy things up, but he is hapless in this circumstance. I think regardless of who was in the big seat just now it is style over substance, but BoJo’s style just does not suit this situation. Although I really don’t like him, someone like Ken Clarke would have done well in how he presented to the public, i don’t think he would have done any better in real terms, but I think his sober demeanour would have carried well.

Made me smile reading that. Conjunction Fallacy, or Huang's theory of conditions, describes the thought process behind it all. For some it is easier to believe a multitude of specific conditions all operating in harmony derive the outcome rather than the single obvious answer.

I think that highlights the problems perfectly Scully, massive inconsistency and an expectation on people who’s job it shouldn’t be to act as the police. A rotten situation all round

I heard a bit of commentary on the radio today of a senior clinician somewhere saying that hospital bed occupancy, relative to normal, is not the issue, but rather that hospitals are operating at a reduced capacity as the PPE they have to wear makes everything harder and slows it down, bed spacing has had to increase, the available bed count has been reduced due to the bed spacing, staff availability is limited due to staff isolating, etc. Undoubtably there will be truth to some of that, but it does feel like as people are challenging the claims of being near capacity that the goal posts to measure that are being moved somewhat.

I do consider that too, but one academic with daft ideological political beliefs doesn't chill me that we have a subversive element from the CCP at the heart of our elected democracy. Bill Gates part in all of this is still lost on me though. Unless of course the non tinfoil hat-wearing, non-conspiracist does actually believe the Bill Gates conspiracies.

It is just a persistent stream of rambling and re-hashing what other people are saying, often vastly out of context. I really have neither the time nor inclination to go into all your statements or links, so best we leave it where it is. It’s like pushing water uphill. Still no idea what the Gates foundation has to do with it other than he has made significant philanthropic donations towards medical research in world leading universities. As for someone’s political opinion when they are advising on an area on which they have substantial expertise, nah I really don’t care and i’m not even a tiny bit concerned that it is subversive.