NJS

Just got home from being Pfizered - I think Gemmill was generally right about cripples and feebs

It's all relatively sensible but aiming for June the 21st as "normality" day is a long way from the second dose endpoint for a hell of a lot of people. I'm still expecting some kind of screwing over generally regarding second doses though.

Out of the blue phone call from my GP's surgery just now - would I like a covid vaccine? - just resisted the "fuck yes" and settled for yes, please. Booked in for next Friday afternoon.

Shielding letter makes you group 4 so same here.

I don't think it's very accurate after the first 9 groups as there's no set order: https://www.omnicalculator.com/health/vaccine-queue-england

I've read there's been some clarification of the qualification criteria for asthma sufferers being included in group 6 and I think there'll be a lot of people "disappointed" . Couple of hospitalisations or frequent steroid tablet courses seems to be the bar which certainly excludes me. I might qualify as a fat bastard but to be honest if I put group 6 into a calculator it returns some time in March but group 8 for my age returns April. I feel quite safe so I'm happy with that.

Harding should have been sacked (and probably shot) on the spot for her statement that nobody foresaw a virus mutating.

My instant reaction to Wilson's news was one word - "relegation".

Have I missed something - how the fuck did the fishing industry expect to gain from brexit when they sell most of their fish to the fucking EU?

The young(er) lad is Spoilt Bastard out of Viz.

Wife's sister or brother's wife?

The Vines? It's also Shed 7.

Salt N Pepa Radiohead Garbage T Rex Pet Shop Boys Four Tops The Jam Smashing Pumpkins

That's my general view but we had an update from the top bosses a few weeks ago where one acknowledged that view but mentioned that a lot of private pension funds have money in city centre properties so going in the full on WFH direction might affect people in that way. My view is that if pension funds are losing money in one area they'll move it to another but I suppose he did have a sort of a point.

As I said, you can write them off or come up with something that will work - I do think this is a simplistic solution however.

Whatever else is said about Blair, "A man without conviction" would be the ultimate definition.

Blair was more than happy to wear a union jack - I don't see any difference.

I can grit my teeth if it's a part of a whole and does mean places like Blyth can be won back. There may be other arguments which can do it but they'd be fighting 40 years of propaganda.

I think the Queen is a very simplistic symbol of an identity which could work if it was framed in a better way but it has too much baggage for me and again is hard to talk about reasonably due to polarisation.

It's an interesting question - Billy Bragg has written a lot of stuff (and some songs) regarding this topic and about how the left can talk about patriotism. I think I've said before there are broadly two kinds of patriotism - a shared sense of identity and values and common ground which I'm happy to be a part of and the Queen/establishment/empire/exceptionalist version which seems more prevalent. Its the latter that gets associated with the flag thanks to its vocal proponents which unfortunately stifles debate as you're either seen as for them or against them.

Paul Sweeney and Mark Stimson without even thinking about it.

We definitely had a debate about pressing the button and trident where you stated (probably correctly) that old, northern voters wouldn't vote for Corbyn because of that issue.

I thought Renton was the cheerleader for Corbyn losing votes due to the nuclear button/sing the national anthem shit? If this gets red wall gammons thinking of voting Labour again then it's not that bad a thing as long as it doesn't become the be all and end all of the whole party strategy.

I admired him for his efforts but I always feel uneasy about charity for the NHS - seeing people who want to abolish it praising his efforts was also sickening. Still sad he died before he could be vaccinated of course. RIP.

Ah, okay - I read the statement from his daughter saying he'd been treated at home for pneumonia.