Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[Paris]

Some people haven't got the memo yet.

@COYBL25
@Axlswhk
@Zatara
@Paris


The more I live and see how much of a BS system we have in the so called liberal west, the more I'm beginning to think that good order and stability and growth are preferable. The authoritarianism of the CCP I could not live with, however.

Unlike you, Dave, I've actually lived there so I can speak for myself about just how awesome China is. Certainly with far more knowledge and experience than you have anyway.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

On your visits to watch to watch the blues I wouldn’t chose to drink in the excelsior and espouse your opinions on Bulgarian women Bruce . I suspect the owner may defend their honour And considering that , his match day regulars and their loyalty unless you’ve brought your bike for a quick getaway things might get awkward Fairly swiftly .That said if you drop in that your missus is Czech early doors though it might defuse the situation .

"All Slavs look the same" should do the trick.

 

[davmaher]

No.

Its all gone a bit crap it seems.

I thought that would be the case. I didn't think it would happen, but didn't expect it to just be kicked into the long grass with no mention. Not that I'm surprised.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I don't even know what a trabant is Bruce

Pride of the eastern bloc mate.

 

[peteblue]

School mate of mine and his missus sold our local months ago. Had it must be 25 years. Wanted to give the new owners the Christmas period as a boost, (they were regulars, similar to @peteblue did I think).

Luckily, the new landlord is backed by a few other wealthy regulars, so hopefully they will come through this. But jeez, like you say, most small indes are pretty hand to mouth.

Depends. Small pubs that are brewery owned will sort something out. As I’ve said before, the brewers have been really supportive and taking a long term view. Small independents, well, depends on the depth of pockets and size of debt. Having a couple of people involved really helps as it’s then more about keeping it alive than making money from it. We have no debt but large amounts of cash in the bank, so are fine. My guess is that yours will be similar. Anyone who has borrowed money to buy and run a pub may suffer but they would still get a grant, perhaps a loan, and maybe a freeze on repayments as well as paid furloughed staff, so Should come through it. And as I said, they’ve had this period to get the jobs done that were needed without additional interruption to business.......

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Do you not find it fascinating though mate. Im not taking up the position that the Chinese state is the panacea to all the world woes, im just very open minded about it and there is learning to be derived as they have been so successful.

Im very open minded when i look at them personally. Maybe we are guilty at looking at them with a western eye and distrusting because they dont conform to our norms - of how to do business etc.

Like i say their way is a hybrid approach of opening up and shutting down depending on what is best for the state, i dont find that such an unreasonable approach they get the best out of open and closed markets. You can sense the dismay in your post that a logical business decision hasnt been taken - because the business would earn more if they did it our way - they dont because somewhere down the line they decided it wasnt in the interests of the state or the people. That my friend is a decision based on what best for the State Vs Business. That is i think is the point Dave @davek is arguing. Consumerism has become the priority of the states in Western politics.

On freedoms, oh id well believe it, there are different limits and boundries when it comes to transparency and accountability, but having visited albeit as a tourist its a rich vibrant place doing most of the stuff we do here. Dont talk to me about GDPR, if ever there was a communist measure of oppression that it it, i know the principle but an example of a regulation gone wrong, half the world is hiding behind GDPR in the west.

I suppose rather fighting than Chinas case, im just pointing out there may be lessons to be learned, particuarly in their incredible success of the last 20 years, they are or soon will be (certainly one of) the biggest power brokers in the world, doing it completely differently to everyone else with amazing results.

Oh, they're almost certainly not that, and they do have some fantastic companies, without a doubt. Indeed, given their ability to centralise and coerce data from their citizens, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they don't lead the world in AI over the coming years.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Cyclists aren’t sensible, they’re selfish, overbearing, spandex-wearing bells, usually off their nuts on roids and lemo.

What's this lemo you speak of? Asking for a friend

 

[peteblue]

The contempt they have for us: putting a complete arsehole out like Useless Eustace to deliver their BS for them.

I hear, btw, that the murder-in-chief is sick and tired of these daily updates and is looking to bin them very soon.

Good.....

 

[ForeverBlue92]

The barbers close to Bankhall has been open.

Any number mate?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Has anyone heard any more about the tracking app that was supposed to be getting launched? I've not watched any of the daily up-dates for weeks now, but wondering if the app ever gets mentioned or if anyone asks about it? The last I heard was that the trial had started in the Isle Of Wight.

I think they have capacity to install it on 75 million phones. You can expect to receive it in the post any day now.

 

[peteblue]

You would think they’d get her a decent beer ffs.......

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Yeah noticed the Bud light choice but gave her a pass as might have lost her taste/smell with coronavirus (and apparently sight according to Cummings )

Good job she didn't swig down her bed pan in that case

 

[peteblue]

Pride of the eastern bloc mate.

Classic......nearly as fast as a pushbike.....

 

[LinekersLegs]

Good job she didn't swig down her bed pan in that case

Thanks a lot for that mental image Bruce!

 

[Harryflashman]

Depends. Small pubs that are brewery owned will sort something out. As I’ve said before, the brewers have been really supportive and taking a long term view. Small independents, well, depends on the depth of pockets and size of debt. Having a couple of people involved really helps as it’s then more about keeping it alive than making money from it. We have no debt but large amounts of cash in the bank, so are fine. My guess is that yours will be similar. Anyone who has borrowed money to buy and run a pub may suffer but they would still get a grant, perhaps a loan, and maybe a freeze on repayments as well as paid furloughed staff, so Should come through it. And as I said, they’ve had this period to get the jobs done that were needed without additional interruption to business.......

it’s funny though every independent will , or should smell of paint and be sparkling when you go in . The big places are quite simply phoning it in . I’m not even sure , actually I am sure , if most of them have touched the lines hearing the phrase ‘hibernation fluid ‘ but people with 30 years experience aren’t even convinced what it is !

As you say brewery’s been amazing even down to replacing beer , although ultimately it’s in their interests to keep pubs going . I thought we’d see wholescale closure I think between the treasury & breweries it’ll be significantly better than anticipated but probably still pretty bad across the market .