scottsdad

There is a hedge that separated my back garden from my neighbour's. It has grown a wee bit wild over the winter. On Saturday I saw my neighbour in my garden trimming it with hedge clippers. Don't get me wrong, I would have done it myself probably this week. And he has done a good job. But a heads up was surely called for.

My nephew is called Jamie. He has no choice - his parents decided against "James" for the birth certificate, denying him the chance of being a James, Jim, or Jimmy, and put Jamie on it. You're right - seems weird on an adult.

Have A Cigar Us And Them Comfortably Numb Sorrow (is this the first post-Waters suggestion?) One Of These Days

I'm three years Twitter free and much happier for it. Never tried the others.

Interesting take. I think the SNP really is stale now in office. Independence aside, I'm not sure that they're up for more years of government. They've made things a bit better across the board, but wouldn't anyone? I have voted SNP in recent years and when I think about it, it has become a habit. Just the natural thing to do - like voting Labour was once upon a time. Less than 2 months out from the election, I don't know what they're proposing other than inderef2. I like in a town where there is crime, and I do worry about my kids round here. The roads are a shambles, more potholes than tarmac. Unemployment is a concern (not for me, but for my neighbours). The schooling is good, the bins are improving.

I've voted in every election I've ever been eligible for, starting with the 1997 devolution referendum. This approaching election and I think - nah. I really might not vote. Nobody on offer excites me, or makes me feel like they have anything to offer. Looking at the runners and riders: SNP: 14 years in power and they're creaking a bit. What legacy do they have? The NHS, education, police, fire - none have really been improved. They have independence going for them, sure, but what else? This is a government we're voting for, Tories: They have one policy as far as I can see, and that's not holding a referendum. So if they win they'll spend 4 years not doing something. What else do they have? They put a leaflet through my door a few weeks back and the entire thing was about a referendum. Nothing on crime, economy, education, etc. Labour: No thanks. 2014 killed them for me, gleefully parading round Scotland telling us we were hopeless. Gordon Brown touring care homes frightening folk with "Your UK pension will stop" and saying that cross-border blood and organ donations will stop. Lies, denigration, never again. Liberals: No thanks. 2010 killed them for me. Bedroom tax, tuition fees in England, enabling every single austerity measure and running down the NHS ahead of a global pandemic (cheers, lads). They'll sell every policy they have for a ministerial job. Greens: Don't know much about them except their young guy spent some time a while back in twitter fights about Winston Churchill. I'd expect this from an adolescent, not an MSP. You might get the idea that none of this crown makes me want to vote for them. Feeling really down about this election.

Badgey!

Jessica De Gouw is fantastic in this

Genuine question. I've listened to Jason Leitch on Off The Ball for most of the pandemic and thought that if anything he was an excellent communicator. Compare him to Vallance and Whitty down south, who can barely string a sentence together. So...why are folk here so against him?

Researchers Warn Of New Giant Covid-19 Variant Large Enough To Swallow Grown Man Whole

If it was a case that the vaccines were a drug, like ibuprofen, we would be. But as they're biological agents rather than chemicals, there are fewer people capable of making them, the testing and quality control is through the roof, and the supplies of raw materials limited.

Just for you:

Always a danger with these racial types. It's not enough that you're born in Scotland, raised in Scotland, received a Scottish education and are now a minister in a Scottish government....the question these types go back to is ancestry. Where was your granny born? And her granny? As if that matters. "Not a Celt like me" - might as well say "not white like me"

The Tanzanian President has died, apparently from Covid. My PhD student is from Tanzania, and he went home for a break in August. When he got back i asked him what the restrictions were like in Tanzania. Simple answer: none. According to my student, they are more concerned about Malaria. He spent 2 weeks going to theme parks, clubs, parties etc. He self-isolated upon his return - but read up on the Tanzanian president's remedies for Covid. Steam inhilation and prayer.

Adrian Dunbar this morning on BBC Breakfast with Naga and Charlie. Charlie - an annoying runt at the best of times - got under his skin by demanding an acting performance leading to Dunbar saying something like "I'll give you a bit more, son". Joyous.

Salmond and Davies are mates. When Salmond had his chat show at the fringe, Davies was one of his guests.

Not so, the excess is still being measured against 2015-19 and not just in Scotland. The ONS are doing likewise for England and Wales and I would expect the same from most other countries. Hadn't realised that - cheers.

That's the point I'm making - the "within 28 days of a positive test" can count people who shouldn't be there as per my example, and also miss people as some folk can be in hospital with Covid for weeks before dying. The NRS metric is more accurate, but still not 100% accurate.

Yep - and remember that the 5 year average is going to see a bump for the next 2 months as we factor in the 2020 excess deaths, so we could soon be well below the average.

Whilst we use this metric I doubt we'll get to zero deaths any time soon. I could be asymptomatic and yet test positive, and 27 days later get run over by a bus. I would then end up as one of these numbers. The NRS metric is a little better but they have loosened the definition so much it isn't really clear.

1. Police Squad! (can't believe how little love this show is getting here) 2. Blackadder 3. Frasier 4. Curb Your Enthusiasm 5. Yes, Minister

Heard a guy on GMS this morning, a social psychologist. Forget his name. Anyway, he was giving it the stuff that we need to go really slowly because "cases" are 50 times higher than at the lowest levels last summer. 1. We are testing much more. 2. We have a vaccine that is cutting hospitalisations and deaths. This was always the point of lockdown. Honestly feel like some folk are moving the goalposts. Expect many stories on the Phillipines Variant today and how this means we might have to delay exiting lockdown.

I agree to a point, but they managed to pull it back (I think) with just one line. "I'm knackered"

I read an article by Richard Littlejohn a while back (last year). I like getting a counter-point - I read Peter Hitchens as well. Anyway, Littlejohn made a point that stuck out to me (a stopped watch is even right twice a day...). For some of the public health experts, this is Christmas. They have gone from anonymous civil servants and academics to household names, they are a new band of celebrity. Not only that but they have genuine power - the chance to influence government policy in a way they never dreamed possible. For some of them, they won't want to ever let that go. They'll spin out the crisis for as long as possible because when it's over, they go back to the day job.

I have probably said this before but I was a Labour member until 2003. I was in the local branch and the CLP, attended the Scottish conferences. After the Iraq invasion I left the party and, thinking back, have never voted for them since. Here in Scotland we have the spectrum without them: a centrist party in government, a right-wing party in opposition (Tories), a left-wing party in opposition (Greens), the Liberals (another party with no point) - why do we need Labour any more? I always thought I was generally Labour supporting, but that was because at a UK level it's them or the Tories. I would still prefer a Labour administration in Whitehall to a Tory one, but there my support ends. Corbyn put me right off - he was fighting old battles again. Sarwar and Starmer - doesn't exactly make me excited for a new red future.