The not so short lived non argumentative political thread.

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  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Fiancée, but yes.
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    As the world battles the virus, North and South Korea are firing at each other over the DMZ!
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    Boris Johnson has decided to start a campaign aginst obesity in Britain after the Corona crisis is over. In the past he has been against these sort of campaign because he doesn't like a paternalistic state, but he's chngd his mind becaus he probably hit harder by Corona because he's overweight. A third of Britain's population is overweight, ranking the country among the fattest in Europe. He's absolutely right that overweight leads to other health problems that presents a strain on the NHS, but does he also understand that obesety is cloely linked with poverty? Poor people can rarely afford gym memberships, salad and sushi.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    Eric Trump has spoken to FOX News about the Corona crisis:

    "So they will, and you watch, they'll milk it every single day between now and Nov. 3. And guess what? After Nov. 3, coronavirus will magically all of a sudden go away and disappear and everybody will be able to reopen," Trump said. "They're trying to deprive him of his greatest asset, which is the fact that the American people love him. The fact that he's relatable, the fact that he can go out there and draw massive crowds."

    "They're actually stoking fear in this country. They're doing a massive disservice. They're being totally disingenuous about the whole thing," Trump said. "But they're doing it for one reason. They want to hurt Trump."

    Right now the governments of alost all countries are fighting hard against Corona, but this Jack*ss is telling people that meassures agains the pandemic are there to help Democrats win the election. His father sometimes cheers the people who wants to lift the restrictions and the rest of the time he talks about how HIS restrictions are the best in the world ever. Shameless.
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    Boris Johnson has decided to start a campaign aginst obesity in Britain after the Corona crisis is over. In the past he has been against these sort of campaign because he doesn't like a paternalistic state, but he's chngd his mind becaus he probably hit harder by Corona because he's overweight. A third of Britain's population is overweight, ranking the country among the fattest in Europe. He's absolutely right that overweight leads to other health problems that presents a strain on the NHS, but does he also understand that obesety is cloely linked with poverty? Poor people can rarely afford gym memberships, salad and sushi.

    This is a can of worms to open Number 24, but I'll take a peak inside with you.
    The recent Lockdown has brought into sharp focus such issues to the eyes of those who otherwise don't even consider these things, it is true that obesity is rife in the UK and with its other connected ailments and illnesses is very expensive for the NHS. The whole point of it being connected to the poorest in society has become a questionable point. Mainly because in the UK, healthy non processed food is cheaper than junk! It also needs more effort to turn raw ingredients into a meal. Millions of working people have recently taken a 20% pay cut, I myself have had no income for nearly 2 months but we've eaten healthier due to the extra time I have to prepare meals (yes I do all the cooking, even when Im working). In the UK it's completely possible to prepare a full roast dinner (meat, 3 vegetables, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, gravy and Yorkshire puddings for under £10 for a family of 4 for example. If you buy the raw ingredients you can create countless healthy meals. The main problem as I see it is that the poorest in our society tend to be but not always the less well educated and also those who have less impetus, it's easier to put a load of chicken nuggets and frozen chips in the oven.
    On a similar vein it's also being largely commented on what do the unemployed do all day? I think a life on benefits and not working is terrible for mental health, education is the key. Of course providing education is all well and good but you can't force everyone to learn. Let's not forget, some people choose not to work, they are happy enough to live a life paid for by the taxpayer via a generous welfare system, many also believe that large flatscreen tvs and I phones are a right and not a privilege you get from working hard to afford them, others believe that welfare payments can be used to buy cigarettes and alcohol and poor quality unhealthy cheap food for your kids.
    If you were to visit the UK residential areas where houses are privately owned you'll notice now that 7 weeks of Lockdown has created immaculate houses, clean cars, freshly painted fences, gates and doors, well tended gardens, but go round the corner to houses occupied by the unemployed and they look the same as before lockdown. There seems to be a discrepancy in how such issues are reported, another example is that the children of Middle class (whatever that means these days) families have been better home schooled than those of poorer families? Why should this be? Is it because of money? Ability or a sense of care of duty, responsibility or state of mind? You'll never hear its because some poorer families are uneducated or can't be bothered. This is a generalisation and there are always exceptions to every rule.
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • CoolHandBondCoolHandBond Mactan IslandPosts: 6,030MI6 Agent
    Well said, CC.

    And since when did anyone need a gym to keep fit? Anyone can walk/jog/run anywhere and press-ups and sit-ups can be done easily at home.

    The one occasion I visited a gym was on the insistence of a friend who went regularly. What an absolute farce, there was more mirrors than at the end of Enter The Dragon! Everyone preening themselves in front of mirrors admiring their physique - that’s not for me - not with my frame :)) - but I walk daily for miles and anyone else can as well.
    Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    Well said, CC.

    And since when did anyone need a gym to keep fit? Anyone can walk/jog/run anywhere and press-ups and sit-ups can be done easily at home.

    The one occasion I visited a gym was on the insistence of a friend who went regularly. What an absolute farce, there was more mirrors than at the end of Enter The Dragon! Everyone preening themselves in front of mirrors admiring their physique - that’s not for me - not with my frame :)) - but I walk daily for miles and anyone else can as well.
    It's true :))
    During Lockdown I've been busy walking the dog from home, which has forced me to find new routes and I've discovered that without the use of a car I can get to all my favourite dog walks with only a few minutes by any roads, the walks are of course much longer and therefore better for me. I've also been busy in the garden removing thousands of dandelions which is again free of charge, I've even been out in the cul d sac weeding there too, when no one was out, I'm active all day long. From home schooling in the morning to preparing the evening meal, and most of my activities have no cost attached.
    The other thing that people don't know and that I discovered was that diagnosed obese people get free access to gyms in the UK, my local council even paid for membership at a private gym I was a member at while the council owned one was being refurbished.
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    Thanks for the well worded and informative replies. I'm glad to hear healthy food is cheaper than unhealthy food in Britain, because it's my impression that's not the case everywhere. You're probably right that it's possible to have a healthy lifestyle even though you're poor, at least up to a point. But the fact remains that the lower classes have on average worse health and a lower life expetancy whatever the reasons are,so social class is a factor here.
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    Thanks for the well worded and informative replies. I'm glad to hear healthy food is cheaper than unhealthy food in Britain, because it's my impression that's not the case everywhere. You're probably right that it's possible to have a healthy lifestyle even though you're poor, at least up to a point. But the fact remains that the lower classes have on average worse health and a lower life expetancy whatever the reasons are,so social class is a factor here.

    Just to clarify, not all healthy food is cheaper, fresh fish and items such as certain steaks and good beef joints are relatively expensive, vegetables and some fruit is pence, potatoes are cheap, flour is cheap, pats of butter can be had for just over 1gbp, meat products like minced beef and lamb and pork are cheap as are pork joints and whole chickens and chicken portions.whloemeal bread is similar in price to white bread. Of course you can buy 30 chicken nuggets for a 2gbp. The point is that a healthy diet is obtainable and everyone regardless of social class has access to one. What you do find is that poorer families and those on welfare have a larger proportion of smokers and drinkers and also a larger proportion of uneducated people, again this is a generalisation and isn't completely the case, some people through no fault of their own find themselves in financially poor circumstances and with kids that they struggle to feed properly, but that isn't a social class issue and believe it or not there are safety nets for a lot of people. If you look at a UK citizens tax statement of how our tax is spent the vast majority is on the welfare state with the NHS in second place, this is despite until recently there being a skills shortage and an excess of jobs. Like I said its largely down to educating maybe one reason there is a problem is that some can't be bothered spending 2 hours preparing a healthy meal and would rather shove some processed meal or pizza in the oven.
    During Lockdown the government have been sending food to those who were deemed most vulnerable and told to shield, these weekly packages have been of very high quality with some excellent and healthy products. Perhaps the government should think about sending these to poorer families and reducing the cash payouts that many spend unwisely and inappropriately.
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    Another motivation for the government making such a decision maybe perhaps that the UK death toll from coronavirus is so high because we have such a massively unhealthy and unfit populous.
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    The high death toll in the UK has other reasons and is a direct consequence of the UK leaders ignoring the threat for too long (By purpose - herd immunity, or by sheer ignorance) and thus delaying the necessary measures while it was obvious from Italy and Spain what would be coming over us all.
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • ChriscoopChriscoop Belize Posts: 10,449MI6 Agent
    Some accurate context perhaps,
    The UK is well down the list in terms of covid19 cases per 1m of the population, many countries around the world and indeed within Europe have had more, and considering that our health system was hard put to but not overwhelmed in general we had a high fatality rate, but again not the highest in Europe per 1m of the population, Belgium has that unfortunate standing. So what do we understand from this? That the NHS did a bad job? Or that or that a large proportion of those that contracted the disease were incredibly difficult to treat due to underlying health problems and general health! The UK has an ageing and largely unfit and unhealthy population, we also have a large population of ethnic minorities who as reports state are more prone to harsher covid 19 symptoms. Simply looking at death rates as some sort of league table gives you one number and absolutely no understanding of the situation. Many nations made mistakes, many didn't, some changed tactics depending on the changing advice and from looking at other countries who were further on in the pandemic. I'm told Spains official figures aren't fully inclusive of deaths in all settings and neither are Italys yet, time and only time will see the full impact of the pandemic.
    Citizens of the UK knew of the serious nature of the disease before Lockdown and we knew Lockdown was coming, but it didn't stop hundreds of thousands heading off to the pub after it was announced they were closing for a last hurrah! I'm sure many of those will take no responsibility for their actions at all.
    It was either that.....or the priesthood
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    edited May 2020
    Its also written that UK has underreported and there is still a lack of testing.

    Anyhow, Spain and Italy (who where hit eaely and had no chance ro learn from others) should not be the benchmark for the UK, wouldn‘t you agree?
    Belgium as an European center of all kinds was hit hard per capita for several reasons, you’ve ve certainly heard about hotspots and if there is one in a low population country ( look at Sweden) the numbers per capita are relatively high.
    Additionally Belgium seems having overreported in the past*

    I find it remarkable that you are finding all kind of excuses for the current UK leaders while unforgiving to opposition and previous governments, instead of searching, where the issue really has started.


    *
    The number of deaths also includes untested cases and cases in retirement homes that presumably died because of COVID-19, whilst most countries only include deaths of tested cases in hospitals
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Wanted to add, that the german population is also old unfit and obese, I won‘t comment on a higher percentage of fatalities among migrants because I find it tragic and we should keep hands off explaining that at all. The reasons are much broader than brought up previously.
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    I think we all have good points. Both the government's Corona policy and the social differences in the country are factors in the many Corona deaths in Britain.

    Fun fact: During WWII the average life expectancy of British people actually went up (only counting those who died from natural causes) because the rationing system was planned by neutrition experts. The owerweight (more often the well to do back then) got less fat food and the poor got more neutrious food.
  • The Spy Who Never DiesThe Spy Who Never Dies UKPosts: 644MI6 Agent
    Chriscoop wrote:
    Number24 wrote:
    Boris Johnson has decided to start a campaign aginst obesity in Britain after the Corona crisis is over. In the past he has been against these sort of campaign because he doesn't like a paternalistic state, but he's chngd his mind becaus he probably hit harder by Corona because he's overweight. A third of Britain's population is overweight, ranking the country among the fattest in Europe. He's absolutely right that overweight leads to other health problems that presents a strain on the NHS, but does he also understand that obesety is cloely linked with poverty? Poor people can rarely afford gym memberships, salad and sushi.

    This is a can of worms to open Number 24, but I'll take a peak inside with you.
    The recent Lockdown has brought into sharp focus such issues to the eyes of those who otherwise don't even consider these things, it is true that obesity is rife in the UK and with its other connected ailments and illnesses is very expensive for the NHS. The whole point of it being connected to the poorest in society has become a questionable point. Mainly because in the UK, healthy non processed food is cheaper than junk! It also needs more effort to turn raw ingredients into a meal. Millions of working people have recently taken a 20% pay cut, I myself have had no income for nearly 2 months but we've eaten healthier due to the extra time I have to prepare meals (yes I do all the cooking, even when Im working). In the UK it's completely possible to prepare a full roast dinner (meat, 3 vegetables, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, gravy and Yorkshire puddings for under £10 for a family of 4 for example. If you buy the raw ingredients you can create countless healthy meals. The main problem as I see it is that the poorest in our society tend to be but not always the less well educated and also those who have less impetus, it's easier to put a load of chicken nuggets and frozen chips in the oven.
    On a similar vein it's also being largely commented on what do the unemployed do all day? I think a life on benefits and not working is terrible for mental health, education is the key. Of course providing education is all well and good but you can't force everyone to learn. Let's not forget, some people choose not to work, they are happy enough to live a life paid for by the taxpayer via a generous welfare system, many also believe that large flatscreen tvs and I phones are a right and not a privilege you get from working hard to afford them, others believe that welfare payments can be used to buy cigarettes and alcohol and poor quality unhealthy cheap food for your kids.
    If you were to visit the UK residential areas where houses are privately owned you'll notice now that 7 weeks of Lockdown has created immaculate houses, clean cars, freshly painted fences, gates and doors, well tended gardens, but go round the corner to houses occupied by the unemployed and they look the same as before lockdown. There seems to be a discrepancy in how such issues are reported, another example is that the children of Middle class (whatever that means these days) families have been better home schooled than those of poorer families? Why should this be? Is it because of money? Ability or a sense of care of duty, responsibility or state of mind? You'll never hear its because some poorer families are uneducated or can't be bothered. This is a generalisation and there are always exceptions to every rule.


    I often see young children drinking very sugary drinks (here in UK) which seem to be a daily occurrence, along with packets of sweets. I do volunteer work with children and on one occasion asked a parent why his son was having all that sugar and was told because he needed it for energy! The boy has no problem in that area.
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    I think that China's foreign minister

    Wang Yi

    would make a great James Bond Villain!


    chinas-aussenminister-wang-yi.jpg
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    I'm sure he has a white cat and a mono.-rail at home.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Oh dear, a Tory minister has resigned over the Cummings debacle.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 36,053Chief of Staff
    Twitter have appended a "fact checker" icon * to one of President Trump's recent tweets, implying that he may not be telling the absolute truth.

    In other developments, bears have been found to prefer wooded areas to perform toilet functions.






    * please correct me if my terminology isn't accurate
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    I was about to post the same thing! Why didn't Twitter do this years ago?
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    Trump's reasction to Twitter's taging of his tweet is considering closing social media during the election. That man belives he can order the courts around, he calls any media critical of him "the enemy of the people" and now this. That man would clearly be happier leading a authoritarian regime.

    His tweet: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1265601611310739456
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    On the Democrat side: I wonder is Kamela Harries is secretly happy for Biden's radio gaffe about black voters? Has her chances of becoming his running mate increased?
  • Westward_DriftWestward_Drift Posts: 3,085MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    On the Democrat side: I wonder is Kamela Harries is secretly happy for Biden's radio gaffe about black voters? Has her chances of becoming his running mate increased?

    Maybe, but her problem is she's not from a swing state and her actions as California Attorney General is problematic with some liberal voters. I've had issues with her since her days as San Francisco District Attorney where I found her not tough enough. If Biden were elected and Harris isn't the VP she'd probably be a lock for the Supreme Court.
  • Sir Hillary BraySir Hillary Bray College of ArmsPosts: 2,174MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    On the Democrat side: I wonder is Kamela Harries is secretly happy for Biden's radio gaffe about black voters? Has her chances of becoming his running mate increased?

    Maybe, but her problem is she's not from a swing state and her actions as California Attorney General is problematic with some liberal voters. I've had issues with her since her days as San Francisco District Attorney where I found her not tough enough. If Biden were elected and Harris isn't the VP she'd probably be a lock for the Supreme Court.
    I can't see Harris being Joe's running mate, for many of the reasons laid out by W_D. If naming a woman of color is paramount for him (as I suspect it is), Stacey Abrams seems more likely.
    Hilly...you old devil!
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    Today China adopted the new "Security Law" for Hong Kong. This law pretty much takes away the political independence and limited democracy HK was supposed to enjoy until 2047. This must be a desperate situation for young people in HK.
  • Napoleon PluralNapoleon Plural LondonPosts: 10,238MI6 Agent
    Higgins wrote:
    I think that China's foreign minister

    Wang Yi

    would make a great James Bond Villain!


    chinas-aussenminister-wang-yi.jpg

    Not while they're looking to corner China's movie market!
    "This is where we leave you Mr Bond."

    Roger Moore 1927-2017
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    The video of the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota has deeply touched me.

    While I have some understanding ( I doubt that you fully understand what it‘s like living with a dark skincolor unless you are) for the anger of many, these violent actions across the country are not right.

    And your enemies ( the white racists) will be using this against people of color and nothing improves in the end.

    Atlanta‘s mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms showed impressively how real leadership Looks like and said the right words:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVs8JXqLPs8
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 21,701MI6 Agent
    edited May 2020
    I wonder if undertrained police officers is a contributing factor to this problem. I'm not saying the US doesn't have highly trained police officers: I'm sure there is a great number of them. But I know some states require a shockingly short training time for police, many under 1000 hours and some under 500 hours. On state (if memory serves) required only 250 hours. Barbers, cosmotologists and interior desigers must have at least 1000 hours to qualify. Lousiana requires 360 hours of training to serve as police, but a manicurist must train for 500. Did the officers involved in the deaths of those black men get instruction on how to hold a man down without strangling him, not to mention how to resolve conflicts without using violence?

    Of course, looting and arson isn't acceptable regardless.
  • HigginsHiggins GermanyPosts: 16,618MI6 Agent
    Those officers have been partly in the job for 20 years.
    I doubt that a lack of training is the reason.

    Maybe some are totally losing any kind of empathy over the years.
    President of the 'Misty Eyes Club'.

    Dalton - the weak and weepy Bond!
This discussion has been closed.