When will this shit end?

[Zoo Music Girl]

16 minutes ago, Chef said:

Is anybody else just really bored of all this now? I was watching TV last night (Schitts Creek) and I realised I was just so bored of sitting on the sofa, watching telly. I've done every job I can in the house, listened to a lot of music, cooked a lot of new recipes and don't even start on walks. 

I just want a pint with some mates in a sunny beer garden and to go to a gig. Aside from not seeing friends and family for over a year in some cases I am very lucky that I don't have anything major to worry about, secure work, good size house and live in village with lots of green space around, family healthy etc. but I almost feel numb with boredom.

Anyone else feel like this? Not down or low, just bored.  

Yeah I can relate to that. It is fucking boring. 

[Mr.Tease]

9 minutes ago, jparx said:

This is why I think the future is celebrities becoming puppet leaders. Dwayne Johnson would totally win a US election regardless of the party (I know he’s leant both directions in the past). If the progressive wing of the democrats could get him on board with their policies I could totally see the US voting in a left wing government without even realising it and just rallying behind an uber popular figure.

Labour need to get someone like Rashford in as leader, have a few slogans (free meals for all!) and people will lap it up.

In the year 2030, Dwayne Johnson will run for president on the platform of "F*** S*** Up!"

Don't think we've had an equivalent to Dwayne Johnson in the UK- the nearest equivalent was.. Geoff Capes?😂

[Chef]

9 minutes ago, jparx said:

Yep I feel exactly the same. When I read Taylor’s post about yet another album release, I had a moment where I thought “Christ, Taylor swift has released three records in lockdown and my biggest achievement is back to back Champions League wins with AC Milan on football manager”. 

I started the thing off being really productive, lost some weight, learned some new skills etc, but I’m firmly in the routine of just watching tele, playing the same video games and eating food. It’s proper Groundhog Day stuff.

Some would say back to back Champions League with AC Milan is more than many have achieved in their life, let alone lockdown. 

Seriously though, completely agree. Just tedious. 

 

[stuartbert two hats]

53 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

is that a radical left wing policy? I think it was something our country desperately needed after the war.

Sometimes the country desperately needs radical left wing policy.

[mattiloy]

15 minutes ago, Mr.Tease said:

I don't know,  I think nowadays an 'entertaining' or 'charismatic' leader seems to transcend traditional political allegiances (though maybe that's always been the case!), as people have no interest/understanding really in ideology- they just want simple, easily understood solutions to problems or issues, no matter how dumb those 'solutions' may be ('build a wall', 'get Brexit done' etc), and the leader to appear to be 'on their side' (even if, in reality, they aren't) and a 'maverick' (so they seem honest even if they're a habitual liar).

Again, I think that's always been the case, but I think more so in this day and age where people have less focus, time, interest or understanding for politics. Labour hasn't had a charismatic leader (or any real charismatic options) since Blair, really (and I'm not fan of Blair!), and seem to have no 'charismatic' or 'entertaining' leaders waiting in the wings.

A good and accurate point on the ’maverick’ quality of Johnson.
People have had an appetite radical change in recent times - things have been stagnant for so long that people just want to throw the dice, and Boris is the personification of ’rolling the dice’ - and thus appeals to that need for somebody who can deliver on that and shake things up.

In that case maybe Boris’ resilience in the polls can be viewed through the prism of the loss aversion (the idea that people are risk seeking in their losses- like a gambler gradually losing everything trying to win his way back to break even) - in which case, ’thiiiiiings can only get woooorrrrse’

[Fuzzy Afro]

It’s all relative to where you start really. In a country which doesn’t have socialised healthcare, bringing it in is radically left wing. In a country like ours where we do have socialised healthcare, maintaining it is just the centrist status quo. 

[fatyeti24]

23 minutes ago, Chef said:

Is anybody else just really bored of all this now? I was watching TV last night (Schitts Creek) and I realised I was just so bored of sitting on the sofa, watching telly. I've done every job I can in the house, listened to a lot of music, cooked a lot of new recipes and don't even start on walks. 

I just want a pint with some mates in a sunny beer garden and to go to a gig. Aside from not seeing friends and family for over a year in some cases I am very lucky that I don't have anything major to worry about, secure work, good size house and live in village with lots of green space around, family healthy etc. but I almost feel numb with boredom.

Anyone else feel like this? Not down or low, just bored.  

Preach!

I find myself fantasising about being in crowds - not even anything particularly good like a gig or a festival, but I'd take the fucking Trafford Centre on the Saturday before Xmas.  Or checking into a hotel, anywhere, so long as it's nice, and letting someone else cater for me for a night!

Then I go outside and everything's closed and deserted.  GRRRR SO BORED.

[DeanoL]

 

11 hours ago, zahidf said:

According to the Times, granny still can't hug the grandkids 'just in case'

The problem is twofold: we want to reopen schools, and kids can catch and transmit the virus. So granny can give the virus to the kids, they pass it all around the school, and all the kids pass it on to their parents. Nightmare.

Schools are just such a huge vector for transmission, if we want kids back at them we need to keep them away from as many other people as possible.

If Johnson announces schools are staying closed until June or something then I'm all in on letting vaccinated grandparents hug their grandkids. But it's one of those choices we need to consider.

10 hours ago, fraybentos1 said:

A lot of people (myself included) will be infinitely more lax when deaths go low and hospitals aren’t over burdened. Any talk of this summer being worse than last is a disgrace, we will have vaccinated tens of millions of people by then for Christ’s sake

A lot of people (myself included) will be infinitely more cautious when deaths go low and hospitals aren't over burdened, because there are people like you. And your mask protects me. And I can't reasonably keep 2m from you if you're making no effort to keep 1m from me. 

So you can go out and have your fun and I'll be in an even more stringent lockdown. Which is fine, just don't come complaining to me when your favourite pub shuts because half of its regulars were people like me. Or don't moan that there's no small gigs at your pub because the hobbyist promoters are people like me. Or y'know, that you can't even see your mates because some of them are people like me.

[FakeEmpire]

1 hour ago, JoeyT said:

100%

For instance over what would have been glastonbury weekend last June we had a right knees up at my friend's farm.

About 12 adults and 6 kids during the afternoon and then lots of booze once the kids had all gone to grandparents etc. This was before vaccinations.

Do the government or anyone for that instance think this sort of thing didn't happen pre vaccine? Yet there are some who think it still won't be happening even with vaccines in the mix!

See, I genuinely didn't do his stuff and I absolutely regret it now because I'm going out of my mind. 

We're a childless couple with no entitlement to support bubbles, who avoided things like "eat out to help out" because they didn't seem like sensible ideas and I think we're both almost at the limit of what either of us can cope with.

I'll hold out for the road map but if household mixing is banned for several more months, we'll have to regrettably break the rules as we have to see *someone*.

Edited February 12, 2021 by FakeEmpire

[gibble]

5 minutes ago, fatyeti24 said:

Preach!

I find myself fantasising about being in crowds - not even anything particularly good like a gig or a festival, but I'd take the fucking Trafford Centre on the Saturday before Xmas.  Or checking into a hotel, anywhere, so long as it's nice, and letting someone else cater for me for a night!

Then I go outside and everything's closed and deserted.  GRRRR SO BORED.

Ha - I live quite near to the Trafford Centre and had a conversation with my daughter the other day in which I concluded that I would quite happily never go in that place ever again. 

Things are bad but surely not that bad...

[squirrelarmy]

1 minute ago, gibble said:

I live quite near to the Trafford Centre and had a conversation with my daughter the other day in which I concluded that I would quite happily never go in that place ever again

I live on the other side of the Pennines and I made a decision many years ago that I can give all of Manchester a wide berth. 

[swede]

1 hour ago, The Dawg said:

That's the scary side of all this, the not knowing! Very sad for your brother in law and the friends and family, shocker.

It was crazy when we heard, really hits home how it can effect people in different ways. I'm hoping for a gradual easing of lockdown so hopefully this is the last one. 

[Quark]

14 minutes ago, fatyeti24 said:

Preach!

I find myself fantasising about being in crowds - not even anything particularly good like a gig or a festival, but I'd take the fucking Trafford Centre on the Saturday before Xmas.  Or checking into a hotel, anywhere, so long as it's nice, and letting someone else cater for me for a night!

Then I go outside and everything's closed and deserted.  GRRRR SO BORED.

Seconded bud.  The big stuff is all amazing, but I'd just like something simple like being able to sit in the hot chocolate cafe in town (yes it exists, yes it's absolutely amazing) eat some cake and watch the world go by.

[gazzared]

44 minutes ago, Chef said:

Is anybody else just really bored of all this now? I was watching TV last night (Schitts Creek) and I realised I was just so bored of sitting on the sofa, watching telly. I've done every job I can in the house, listened to a lot of music, cooked a lot of new recipes and don't even start on walks. 

I just want a pint with some mates in a sunny beer garden and to go to a gig. Aside from not seeing friends and family for over a year in some cases I am very lucky that I don't have anything major to worry about, secure work, good size house and live in village with lots of green space around, family healthy etc. but I almost feel numb with boredom.

Anyone else feel like this? Not down or low, just bored.  

Yeah me too I was very bored watching TV but recently got myself a new hybrid bike through the work scheme. I've started cycling 15 miles 3 times a week and gonna build up to 30 miles. Its took my mind off the boredom and combined with walking my dog 6 miles a day Iam sleeping alot better because Iam knackered haha. Point being can you get a bike to help with the boredom ? 

Edited February 12, 2021 by gazzared
Spelling

[fraybentos1]

10 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

A lot of people (myself included) will be infinitely more cautious when deaths go low and hospitals aren't over burdened, because there are people like you. And your mask protects me. And I can't reasonably keep 2m from you if you're making no effort to keep 1m from me. 

So you can go out and have your fun and I'll be in an even more stringent lockdown. Which is fine, just don't come complaining to me when your favourite pub shuts because half of its regulars were people like me. Or don't moan that there's no small gigs at your pub because the hobbyist promoters are people like me. Or y'know, that you can't even see your mates because some of them are people like me.

I don't mean I'm not gonna wear a mask if I have to or not keep my distance from strangers lol. I mean I'll be seeing my friends more in safer, outdoor environments. 

Also your logic is strange re my 'favourite pub'- if it shuts cause half its regulars are at home staying safe then how it would it fare better if 100% of people were doing so?

[Punksnotdead]

42 minutes ago, jparx said:

 

Labour need to get someone like Rashford in as leader, have a few slogans (free meals for all!) and people will lap it up.

Watch Liverpool turn Tory for the first time ever! 😄

[duke88]

31 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

For that to be true it means the driving factor behind lockdown compliance for the past year hasn't been either fear of doing something illegal, or fear of getting COVID, but instead has been purely altruistic, wanting to make sure the NHS and our elderly population were okay.

I mean, I hope you're right, because that would actually speak volumes about what a brilliant, compassionate society we were. It means the overwhelming majority of us sacrificed our freedoms for a year just to protect others.

I wish we lived in a society like that, I really do. But we don't. We really, really don't. 

Surely most younger people who have been keeping to the rules have been doing so for altruistic purposes? I know if I broke the rules the chances are I wouldn't get caught, and I'm not particularly worried about catching it myself as I'd class myself as fairly low risk due to my age and good health. I do it to prevent the spread of the disease. And I'd imagine most people I know do it for the same reasons.

[BobWillis]

40 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

It means the overwhelming majority of us sacrificed our freedoms for a year just to protect others.

I wish we lived in a society like that, I really do. But we don't. We really, really don't. 

You say that like it’s been a choice. 
 Our freedoms, apart from the summer, have largely been taken from us to protect others. Which the overwhelming majority have accepted as being necessary, that level of acceptance will 100% change once the over 50’s have been vaccinated. 

[Ozanne]

 

[DeanoL]

10 hours ago, zahidf said:

I feel like it's the attitude that leads to neverending lockdown for fear of the next mutation. The aim has to be to turn COVID into a flu like virus that can be dealt with by vaccinating the at risk population in September every year. It can't turn into forever lockdown and forever social distancing, that will lead to actual rioting.

To give some balance, I 100% agree with this statement. It's just I think the point to start opening up properly comes sometime in July, a couple of weeks after everyone has had the chance to get the first jab. And I feel like pushing to do it early (or just people collectively deciding to ignore the rules) will actually delay this. 

Because if you push hospital utilisation down to about 50%, by keeping measures in place for longer, you give yourself headroom to deal with stuff - sure, there's a new variant that the vaccine is 20% less effective against, which means hospital numbers are going to creep up, but it's okay, as we have spare capacity and can start jabbing the vulnerable with a new vaccine in a couple of months.

But if you just start relaxing measures as soon as possible, so your approach is basically "let's keep hospital capacity utilisation at 90-95%" then that same new variant crops up? Well now we need another lockdown, because if hospital numbers start creeping up, we are only a few weeks away from hitting capacity, so we need a lockdown to allow for the new vaccine to be developed.

Then you have the fact that people are often hospitalised for 2-3 months with COVID, so there's a big lag on that too. 

We have to get hospital numbers down, but just getting them down to 90% isn't really ideal.

 

3 hours ago, JoeyT said:

Once the over 50’s have been vaccinated rules or no rules those of us unvaccinated will be making choices based on our risk perception. I understand not everyone will be doing what they want but an increasing number will.

This number of people will only increase in majority as more vaccines are given and anyone who thinks that a significant portion of the country won’t be doing whatever they want once they too have had the vaccine is off their heads.

People want normal pre-COVID life back and vaccines are the only way this will be achieved. Therefore the more that are administered the more people will seek the rules to reflect this.

I think that's true, but I think you'll be surprised by what choices those unvaccinated people are making. I'll be choosing to be more cautious - because of the risk presented to me by many other people choosing to be less cautious, which increases my risk. It's taking your shoes off at the airport, to an extent, I know that. It doesn't actually make flying safer, it makes people feel safer about flying, so we all do it.  

 

10 minutes ago, fraybentos1 said:

I don't mean I'm not gonna wear a mask if I have to or not keep my distance from strangers lol. I mean I'll be seeing my friends more in safer, outdoor environments. 

Also your logic is strange re my 'favourite pub'- if it shuts cause half its regulars are at home staying safe then how it would it fare better if 100% of people were doing so?

Yeah I know you don't mean that. But loads of people who have the "after I'm vaccinated I won't follow the rules anymore" mean exactly that. 

And the logic on the second one is that if the government just open everything up they also then end all support in terms of furlough etc. Whereas if they're forcing pubs to still operate in a socially distanced fashion then there should still be some support in place. In theory. And I'll feel comfortable going to a socially distanced pub if people actually distance in it. If people are taking the piss, I won't.

[DeanoL]

8 minutes ago, BobWillis said:

You say that like it’s been a choice. 
 Our freedoms, apart from the summer, have largely been taken from us to protect others. Which the overwhelming majority have accepted as being necessary, that level of acceptance will 100% change once the over 50’s have been vaccinated. 

Sorry, I don't understand.

If there was no choice before, why is there a choice after the over 50s have been vaccinated, if the rules stay in place? 

There was always a choice to follow the rules or not and that choice won't change after the over 50s have been vaccinated (unless Johnson just says fuck it and drops all the rules).

[JoeyT]

🤷‍♂️

 

[JoeyT]

Even Professor Doom has changed his tune!

 

[DeanoL]

1 hour ago, blackred said:

I mean, this sounds pretty good to me?

The question on Tory investment is a tricky one. A lot of things mentioned in the previous post (investment in manufacturing, investment in green technology, new job creation, investment in health and schools and so on) are all things we really need in this country and to be frank, were going to have to happen at some point regardless.

The problem is, there's a huge difference between how a Labour government and how a Tory government would bring these things in. And it's actually kinda depressing that it's the Tories that will probably do it, as they'll end up fucking us again in ten years time.

See, Tory "investment" in these sort of things means paying incompetent friends of the party massive amounts of money to do a shit job - as we've seen with Test and Trace. Or they pay massive amounts of money to big commercial companies to do it, then once it's profitable, sell it off to that same company at far below market value. 

Whereas a Labour approach would be to invest huge amounts of money but keep it in public ownership, so it actually continues to make money for the country, meaning over time we actually pay back the costs of doing it and then start clearing away the national debt.

Alas, things like investing in proper green energy are schemes you get once in a generation, and everyone acknowledges that some sort of scheme like that has to happen, it's depressing it'll happen for the benefit of the rich rather than society as a whole.

(But y'know, in the short term there will be some good improvements)

[Chef]

27 minutes ago, gazzared said:

Yeah me too I was very bored watching TV but recently got myself a new hybrid bike through the work scheme. I've started cycling 15 miles 3 times a week and gonna build up to 30 miles. Its took my mind off the boredom and combined with walking my dog 6 miles a day Iam sleeping alot better because Iam knackered haha. Point being can you get a bike to help with the boredom ? 

Its a great suggestion and great you are doing that and I do actually have a bike - it just needs some TLC and I have not got round to sorting it out (partly because I don't want to take it to a shop as my wife is shielding and partly because I'm not entirely convinced I know what needs to be done myself). I am hoping to resolve that before summer. 

Physical activity is actually one big positive for me from the last 12 months. I started one of those couch to 5k running apps and now up to running 10k 3 times a week which this time last year I would never have believed and neither would anyone who knows me. Feel fitter than ever and lost 20kg's in the process (also a lot to do with pubs being closed...), however I have always found running tedious beyond belief and still do but the good feeling after makes it all worth it.