I can't let that bit of teacher / public sector bashing go without comment. As a teacher, about to log on to my schools home learning platform to mark work, set more work and deal with pupils queries, I find your post quite offensive and a little disappointing.
We are not on strike, the unions are not 'whinging about anything and everything'. We are working within the limitations placed upon us by the government. Speaking for myself (and all the teachers I am in contact with have said the same) we would much rather be back at work and getting on as normal. The union are simply doing their job of checking that it will be safe to do so when we do return. Not just for teachers sake, but also the kids, parents, grandparents and the wider community who have regular contact with school kids and staff.
If the government didn't have the advice that shutting schools was as necessary as the other measures, they would not have closed. The unions didn't shut the schools the Government did.
Can we give the 'public v private' sector argument a rest? In a modern diverse economy, we all know one could not function without the other. The entrepreneur needs a literate and numerate worker, who is healthy and can get to and from work using the infrastructure provided. Don't forget, all the public sector pay their taxes (I don't know many teachers taking advantage of 'tax efficient' investment opportunities registered in the Cayman Islands) and contribute to the economy.
If we went all the way down the free market liberal capitalism road, how do you think we would be faring now with the current crisis? It's the government propping up the economy at the moment, not business 'paying 100% for corona virus'. And as for 'not a penny from the public sector', lets wait and see the more familiar side of this government when it comes to who actually pays for the amount of government borrowing going on. Remember austerity? Remember the cuts? And where did all that QE money go? A lot of already rich people got quite a bit richer after the last round of disaster capitalism. I doubt anything has really changed.
Got to go to work, from home for the time being.
Last edited by jackd; 12-05-2020 at 08:33 AM.
You're referring to when she stumbled over reading the number of people tested at the daily briefing I presume. Embarrassing certainly, but not exactly in the same league as this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rneBbKrVE7A
Last edited by Muddy Retriever; 12-05-2020 at 08:34 AM.
On what are you basing your 250,000 forecast? Even Neil Ferguson, who has a track record of inflated estimates only said it would be 250,000 without a lockdown. We have had a lockdown and are still largely in it. If we're still going to have that number of deaths anyway what's the point of continuing with the lockdown at all?
50,000 deaths per 3.5 million cases = how many deaths per 35 million cases? We need around 35 million cases to stop the pandemic as a result of herd immunity. It could be said that the deaths up until now have included a lot of the really frail, and that they cannot die twice. But most of the really frail - like most other people, have yet to come into contact with it. I hope I am wrong.
She’s in good company then. Your remark fits all the doctors commenting on corona epidemiology just as well. Random number generators would have done better. The only thing they are consistent on , is incessant criticism.
Take professor “ the swedes will have 50000 deaths if they pursue this lunatic policy” fergusson. Perhaps he broke lockdown to engineer himself the sack!
Patel deals with 1000 different minutiae on a daily basis across a myriad of departments. Home sec is acknowledged the hardest job of all. Although events have made boris’s job harder. The last thing she needs is a microphone shoved up her nose with gotcha questions. Nobody could answer most of them without prior briefing.
It’s probably why May coped with it. She was a gifted administrator not a leader.
To do home sec you need to be a details geek, a completer finisher, and none of them come over well.
It is easy to criticise for those who don’t have to do it.
Mike, however it comes across, I’m not critical of the medical profession per se. I just hate All the endless criticism of those with near impossible jobs. And you must admit: medics as a bunch are long on criticism.
Diane Abbott thought policemen earned £200 a year, and wears two left shoes.
It could have been worse,
Last edited by Oracle; 12-05-2020 at 09:24 AM.
On a positive note of what can be done with a go ahead attitude and probably good management driving a factory, I give you this short report from the Control Techniques factory in Newtown, Powys. Llaniboy will know of it.
Back in full production with 350 staff in full time work. I like to think it shows that the human brain and a little innovation can overcome problems, but many chose to sit around moaning about the irrelevant rather than getting on with it.
BBC News - Coronavirus: How to run a factory during a pandemic
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52624288
Visibility good except in Hill Fog